Haming and the Darkness

Intro: 40 years after the events of Evgir Unslaad…

Haming and the Darkness

Intro: 40 years after the events of Evgir Unslaad…

The wind was high on a cold Skyrim night, and the city of Windhelm was quiet. The city was never the same after the death of Jarl Ulfric. It had fallen into disrepair, and it was not the fault of Ulfric's successor. After the second dragon war, the entire province had deteriorated. Now the ruling bodies were not the Jarls, but the thieves' guild. The dragon born was long dead, the Stormcloak uprising was quelled, and, their business concluded, the imperials had abandoned Skyrim. After 40 years, all that had occurred was the crowning of the new high queen, Elisif the Fair. She has ruled for those 40 years since, and is now at the age of 88. Her time is nearing an end, however, and soon it will be time for another hero to step up and restore Skyrim. Haming, a young boy no more, is the first hero for this quest. The second, Aventus Aretino. Aventus made good on his intentions to join the dark brotherhood, and is now the leader of the Falkreath sanctuary (which was rebuilt after the destruction caused by the Penitus Oculatus). The third, Braith. Braith grew to be a fantastic fighter, and as soon as she came of age, she joined the companions. And of course, she's married to Lars Battle-Born. The fourth, and final member of the four heroes is none other than the son of the Dragonborn, Hrolgar Steel-Heart. Hrolgar was sent to the Graybeards at an early age, and has since mastered the thu'um. The Graybeards of course view this use of the thu'um as blasphemy, as the thu'um should only be used for the worship of the gods.

Chapter 1: Bump in the Night.

Haming, who now lives in Windhelm, was fast asleep in an old house. A loud bump awoke him. He quickly grabbed the bow that stays forever at his bedside. In two seconds he had an arrow knocked and ready. He moved slowly down the stairs, silent as the night. He turned a corner and saw… nothing. He surveyed the area. There! A small shape, like a foot right next to the door. He let the arrow fly. A spray of blood spurted and a cry of pain sounded. Haming rounded the corner and drew another arrow. This time he held it in his hand.

"Well now, what have we here? A thief? An assassin?" He pressed the arrow against the person's throat. "No! No! No thief am I! Just a humble courier!" It was a khajiit, male, and tabby coloring. "Right, now tell me the one about the Argonian maid and the lusty baron. What are you doing in my house?" The khajiit squirmed. "This one was trying to leave the letter somewhere secure. Too many thieves out, hmm?"

"Ya, and so, why not wait till morning?"

"This one was told to give as soon as I arrived, as it is urgent."

"Care to explain this then?" He pulled a dagger out of the courier's pocket.

"A… a gift! Yes! A gift from my employer!"

"Hmm… fine. Get up. No sudden moves, got it?"

The courier got up and handed him a note.

To the esteemed Haming. I am a researcher of the dragon cult. I learned of your involvement with the dragons. In that you have looked directly into a dragon's maw. You are the sole remaining survivor of the Helgen attack. My name is Calanderal. Please accept this gesture of goodwill. This dagger was found on the body of your father. It is infused with the blood of a dragon, so we know he fought well against Alduin. I wish to see you, so you can retell your account of the Helgen attack. Perhaps we can see each other, when you serve Sithis in the void!

At this, the khajiit drew a knife that was concealed in his boot. "Go now to Sithis! The dread father summons you!" The khajiit attacked. Haming moved out of the way of the strike. He used his father's blade to parry the next two strikes. He dodged another slash, then kicked the cat in the belly. A loud grunt came from his mouth as he fell to the ground. Haming plunged the dagger into the assassin's gut. Blood sprayed and coated his nightshirt. He pulled it out, wiped it on the assassin's shirt, and stood. "Anybody else?" he shouted. No response came. He withdrew to his room. "I'll tell the guards tomorrow," he concluded.

Chapter 2: Enter Darkness

"You're dead." Braith said victoriously. She pulled her blade away from Lars' throat. "Ha! It's as if you're not even trying." Lars frowned. "My love, your tongue is as sharp as your blade." Braith laughed again. "Oh, love! Don't be upset. Every time I beat you, just think, I'm being beat by the best!" Lars laughed. "Ah, I suppose. Anyway, the Jarl is expecting me soon. Aren't the companions expecting you too?" "Aye, I have a hunt to join. I'll see you after, my dearest."

Braith walked to Jorrvaskr. "Where have you been? We've been waiting for you!" Frodnar yelled. "You fool, you don't need me to begin." Braith shot back. Frodnar and Braith stood there glaring at each other for a few more seconds, then laughed. "Are we ready then?" Braith asked. "Aye, never mind your lateness."

"You'd best shut your lollygagging, or you'll find a boot in your arse."

The two warriors trekked into the Whiterun plains. They walked and walked, almost to the border that separates Whiterun and the Pale. All they found were some mudcrabs and a pack of wolves. Nothing much interesting. "There is nothing here, shield-brother. Let us come back another time." All of a sudden a loud noise came from behind a tree. They turned to see a magical aura. The aura faded, and in its place was an extremely unwelcome sight. A dremora lord, with its red warped face and nightmarish armor. "Dremora! Get down!" Frodnar yelled as the monster bellowed. The two companions dived out of the way as a fireball came hurtling towards them. The fireball exploded where they had been two seconds before. "Mortals! I will break your bones and drink your blood! Your souls are forfeit! Your heads will adorn the tower of sorrow!" the dremora screamed. Braith drew her sword and rushed the creature. She dodged a fireball, then ducked as a fallen log came hurtling towards her. "Foul creature, I send you back to the monstrous place that spawned you!" Braith yelled as she jumped. The dremora desperately let off another fireball, which missed completely. Her feet landed on its chest. As she raised her sword, she yelled, "Know that Braith sent you down to your doom, monster!" and her sword was planted firmly in the dremora's heart. It gave one more mighty bellow, and was silenced. Frodnar approached quickly. "By the gods, that was amazing! You are surely the greatest warrior I have ever seen!" He remarked in awe. "Ha! The mighty Frodnar is lost for words? This is a strange day for Tamriel indeed."

"Well, I…" he shook his head. "You're a fool. An absolute fool." Braith laughed and punched him in the shoulder. She returned to the body of the dremora and examined it. The fact that she could examine it was strange. Dremora in Tamriel were usually failed summoning spells. But this one appeared from nowhere. It could only mean two things. Both were extremely bad; either there was Daedric lord somewhere nearby, or there were more powerful forces at work. Braith returned her attention to the body. A dark aura was consuming it. "What in oblivion…" There was an explosion of darkness and Braith was thrown back. A huge serpent, black as night was coiling out of the dremora's body. "Behold!" A raspy voice came from the serpent. "The silence is dead! And the darkness is risen!"

Chapter 3: Darkness Rises…

The creature raised its head to the sky and bellowed triumphantly. "You! Mortals. Tell me. Where is Sithis?" Braith looked at Frodnar in confusion. "Speak now! And I may still spare your life." Frodnar stepped forth. "Sithis is a myth. A false idol followed by murderers and cutthroats. Fools. Why? Are you an assassin?" He questioned. "I? I am the darkness. I am the being from before the time of Akatosh and his band of fools. But I digress. You have demonstrated your dislike of the brotherhood, and so you share the likeness of my mind. You will be spared. But your companion must die!" Braith flinched and drew her sword. Frodnar stepped up. "No! We will fight, and die, together!" The darkness roared and rushed Frodnar. He put his shield up a fraction too late. He fell to the ground. The darkness picked him up in its jaws. Braith watched in horror as the darkness swallowed him whole. "Ah… Finally." The darkness swelled, and imploded. In its place was Frodnar. He stumbled to his feet, and started to walk slowly to Braith. "Frodnar?" He didn't respond. Upon closer inspection, his eyes were black as night. "Oh, Frodnar…" She muttered with tears in her eyes. She pulled out her bow. He didn't react. "Frodnar, if you're in there… I'm sorry." She nocked an arrow. He kept advancing, but she thought she saw tears in his eyes. She closed her eyes, and loosed the arrow. The arrow buried itself in his heart. He recoiled, and sank to his knees. He looked up at her in the saddest way, and she knew then, the darkness had abandoned his body. He coughed up blood. "Braith… I… it's okay. I… I never got to tell you…" he coughed blood again. "What, Frodnar? What do you need to tell me?" Frodnar coughed again. "I… never got to say… I love you." Braith collapsed in despair. She rocked back and forth, cradling Frodnar's dead body. "Darkness!" She screamed. "If you yet live, heed my warning! Leave Mundus! For if you remain, I will destroy you! You will not be safe anywhere. I will track you everywhere, from Aetherius to Sovngarde if I must!" Eventually she got up and placed his body under a tree. "The Darkness will pay dearly for this." Braith said to herself. She quickly pulled the heart from the dremora, and trekked back to Jorrvaskr to tell the others what had transpired.

When Braith got back, the sun was nearing the end of its journey across the sky. With a heavy heart, she opened the door to the huge mead hall. The companions turned to her. "Welcome back Braith! How went the hunt?" Braith looked at them, her face grim. "He's dead." The group gasped audibly. "No! How did he die?" Braith looked down at the ground. "It's a long story, and not an easy one to believe. A dremora attacked us near the pale forest. I don't know how it got there but it started throwing fireballs and screaming. I killed it, but then this… serpent thing came from its body. It called itself "The Darkness". It said that it would spare Frodnar but that I had to die. Frodnar tried to defend me and… it took his body. Controlled it. He started to walk towards me. He was going to kill me! I… had no choice. I shot him. That cursed snake abandoned his body, making me watch him die. I held his body in my arms as the life left it." The companions took in the sad news. Eventually one man, Throgar Head-Crusher, asked, "Do you have proof?" Braith glared at him. "I knew one milk drinker would have the guts to question me. I brought back the heart of the dremora. Take a look, you fool. It has the slit where my sword pierced it." She threw the heart at Throgar. He barely caught it in time. "Who are you to call me milk drinker? You ran. You killed Frodnar and abandoned him to the wild. Quite honestly, you should be exiled from the companions. Worse, you should be hauled off to Dragonsreach dungeon!" Braith drew her sword. "You have a problem with me? Let's take it outside." Throgar drew his greatsword. "I accept your challenge, Braith Milk-Drinker."

Chapter 3: Throgar Head-Crushed

The two enemies walked outside. "I warn you, Throgar, I killed that dremora easily. You shall not defeat me." Throgar laughed. "Any healer can defeat a daedra. You could have used magic, which knowing most milk-drinkers, you probably did." Braith lashed out with her sword. Throgar dodged clumsily, his heavy steel armor slowing him down. Braith followed through with a swipe at his leg. The hit bruised Throgar's thigh. "Ha! I've suffered worse fighting mudcrabs." Throgar brought down his huge iron greatsword. Braith dodged easily and the sword shattered the cobblestones beneath it. "Milk-drinkers like you don't stand your ground, you just run away.

"Last I checked Throgar, milk-drinkers also spew abuse non-stop at people who fight honorably." Braith stepped up and swung hard at Throgar's armor. The armor cracked loudly, and blood seeped out. "Ha! I think you're bleeding!" Braith taunted. Throgar's face twisted in anger. He charged her, holding the blade high. Braith spun out of the way and kicked Throgar in the back. He stumbled forward and fell. His head went right through the wall. Braith grabbed the back of his head and pulled it out. Still holding it, she slammed it into the cobblestone. Throgar grunted, semi-conscious. "Apologize! You dishonor Frodnar's memory with this madness." Throgar turned over. "I apologize… for ever allowing you to join the companions." Braith screamed and threw him into the beam holding the patio. Throgar grunted again. Braith spun him around and held the sword against his throat. "Apologize!"

"Go to oblivion." Braith left him and flipped the table on him, splattering him with food.

"Apologize!" She was practically screaming it now.

"I… I'm sorry." She slammed his head into the post again.

"For what?"

"For… for insulting the memory of Frodnar. And calling you a milk-drinker."

"That's better."

She let him go. Throgar turned and made for the door. Braith punched him in the face. He spun, spittle spraying everywhere. He hit the ground face first, and lost consciousness. "Now, can we get down to business?" Braith asked the companions in the audience.

Right, well that's my second entry. Please review if you can, say what you want about it. Good, bad, whatever. Your feedback would be much appreciated.