Fighting a Lost Storm
Chapter 1: Humble Beginnings
He woke up with a searing pain on his cheek. A stone had been thrown at him from the cell opposite to him. "Hey, milk drinker! What province do you come from?" A Dunmer was sneering at him from the cell. "You have the snotty expression of a Breton, but the poise and all knowing stance of an Altmer. Ah, S'wit. It doesn't matter."
It was true. He didn't know what race he was. He didn't even remember growing up, or his parent's even. The last thing he could remember from his childhood was a Gate made of black stone in an oval shape, with blue light searing out of it, and his name, Ari'es. Supposedly it was the name of one of the ancestors of one of the Divines, but he wasn't sure what to believe in on that subject.
"You know what does matter?" The Dunmer spoke again. What you probably smuggled in with you with your fancy magic, and what I can get away with taking from your dead body. Oh, that's right, you'll die in here! HAHAHA! Hey, you hear that? The guards are coming... for YOU! He he he he he he. Have fun! "Baurus," A woman's voice spoke. "Lock that door behind us!" "Yessir" Another person's voice appeared. An elderly man's voice appeared as all three voices became louder. "My sons.. They're dead, aren't they?" The woman who addressed Baurus earlier replied "We don't know that, Sire." Trying to hush the elderl- Wait, Sire? This couldn't be…
The people rounded the corner. 3 guards and in the very middle… The EMPEROR? Why by the Nine was the Emperor visiting him? Usually the emperor just came for people who didn't have a life sentence, to make them swear for the Nine Divines that he had wronged the Empire, and after the stunt he pulled back in Skingrad… Well, let's put it this way. The trial was final. "No, I know they are dead" The Emperor said. His voice was very somber and solemn. " The woman pulled on the emperor's royal robe and pulled him close. "My job right now is to get you to safety!" She suddenly stopped speaking once she saw Ari'es standing there, watching. "What in Talos' name is this prisoner doing here?" This cell is supposed to be off limits!" The redguard was bewildered. "Usual mix up with the Watch-I don't..'
"Never mind that, Get the gate open. Stand back, prisoner. We won't hesitate to kill you if you get in our way." It was the first time she had talked to him directly. The redguard put an oversized key into the keyhole of the damp and dark cell. He opened the door and shoved a mirror and a rag into the tired man's face, smearing blood all over the rag. "You've got something on your face, prisoner" He looked into the mirror and noticed that blood was gushing out of his nose. He did his best to stop the bleeding with the rag and the best healing spell he had, which was not very powerful mind you. He opened up his palm and bright yellow-orange light spewed out of his hand and rushed into all his broken skin and wounds. The flesh knitted itself together until he didn't look as though he had been beaten almost to a pulp a few weeks ago. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. He had a gaunt face with ice blue eyes, and had a scraggly scar from the shivs made of broken glass of drunk beggars.
He had studied the art of combat ever since that day. The trio entered his cell. The Emperor looked at him intently. "You, I've seen you." He said in his deep rugged voice. He tugged at Ari'es' collar. "Let me see your face." He studied Ari'es intently, looking for something in his eyes and Ari'es couldn't help but stare. "Yes, you are the one from my dreams" The Emperor looked out of the dimly lit prison cell window. "Then the stars were right. This is the day." This is the day? Had he gone senile? "What is going on?" Ari'es said bewildered. The Emperor looked down solemnly. "Assassins attacked my sons, and I'm next." " And who are you, by chance?" The moment he said that, both guards went into a pseudo combat stance, ready to fight. The emperor responded irritably. "I am your emperor, Uriel Septim." I responded just as irritable. "And why are you in my cell?" The emperor puffed up his cheeks. "By CHANCE.." He said, echoing my previous words. "My escape route goes directly through your cell.." Ari'es realized how he could have sounded in his previous statement and decided it would be in his best interest to apologize.
"Listen, Sire, I'm sorry we got off on the wrong foot. Of how shall I remain here if your escape is through my cell?" The emperor yet again replied in his mysterious voice. "You will find your own path. Take care, there will be blood and death before the end." Yep, he was definitely going senile. "The redguard woman looked anxious again. "Sire, we must keep moving forward." She looked like she was expecting someone. "Patience, Renault." The emperor said. "The gods must give me strength before the end." He looked at Ari'es again. "I've told the jailer you have been pardoned of all crimes you did back in Skingrad."S'wit, he knows too? Why doesn't the count tell everybody about everything I do? By Talos! The guards looked bewildered. Renault was the first to speak up. "Sire, do you not know what he did?" "What he did then does not matter NOW, RENAULT!" Everyone was surprised at the gruff shouting of his tone
As he calmed down, the tone of his voice decreased. Baurus spoke up next. "Looks like this is your lucky day, prisoner, just stay out of our way, and you'll be fine.." He pulled one of the dimly lit chandelier's candlesticks and the wall came crumbling down.. How in all of the divines had he not noticed that.. He followed the trio down into dark, wet caverns for a few minutes. They finally came into a big open room with huge stone pillars on either side of the room. 4 people came into the room with robes that had a strange oval with a dot in the center. The trio drew their weapons and In turn, the robed people drew maces. But while the guards had steel armor, these assassins cast a spell and they took on a strange transformation. Their skin turned black and they grew horns. Lava mixed with blood seeped out of the cracks of their skin. Their weapons took on the same transformation. One of them swung a mace into Renault's helmet and it caught in her skull, turning what was left of her brain into ashy mush. The beast ripped it out and Baurus looked horrified.
Ari'es took the Captain's sword and it seemed to glow in front of him. It must have been enchanted.. He looked behind him and the last beast was on top of Baurus trying to swing his mace at him. Baurus realized he had nowhere to run and braced himself for the inevitable impact… He heard gurgling and Baurus opened his eyes. Ari'es had thrown the katana into the back of the beast. He was on the ground panting, out of breath. They all moved forward until they got to a door, and Baurus stopped Ari'es. "Stay here, prisoner. We'll check out the area." He grunted but agreed anyway. Uriel Septim put a hand on Ari'es's shoulder. "Here you must find your own path, but we will meet again before the end….I'm sure of it." And closed the door behind him. As soon as the door closed he heard pounding on one of the brick walls. He grabbed one of the assassin's maces and readied himself for a fight. Two rats burst out of the concrete slabs of brick. Ari'es took a wild swing at them but they were too fast. One of them bit his leg and he cried out in pain. No matter how much he shook it it wouldn't let go. He smashed the mace into the nose of the rodent and it squeaked and scurried away. He moved through the broken cobblestone entryway into the moist depths of the Imperial City's Dungeon.