The evening sun started its final descent as we started to unroll our bed rolls and turn in for the night.
"Long day, eh Sven?" I ask, lying down on the old hay and itchy wool of my bed. "Not even one traveller or caravan by the ruins today."
"Yeah" Sven growled, today was his day on watch, so he wouldn't be getting any rest for the night, "Boss won't be pleased with it." Sven turned and stalked off, over the bridge spanning the width of the ravine.
Reclining on my bed, I smiled. Sure, I lived in a run down tower connected to another run down tower by an old stone bridge. We lived outside Whiterun, between the Holds of Whiterun and Winterhold. Sure, the mountain was cold, and the pay was sorta shitty, and I was robbing people with a band of bandits, but at least I had some good friends, a decent piece of armor, and even a small amount of money I could send home to my parents. Life was grand.
"Keegan!" I hear a shout, one of the older veterans, Jack, who was old enough to even sleep inside the tower. " Boss wants ya Keegan!" that was enough to get me running. When the boss wants you, you don't keep him waiting.
Ascending the rickety wooden planks, I turned the corner into the bosses room. Sparsely furnished, half was open roofed, leading to the top of the tower and an archers post. The covered half contained an actual bed, a large book shelf filled with musty tomes, and a treasure chest. the only chair in the room was occupied by a large Redguard man in his mid to late 40's. Sitting in full Ebony Armour, enchanted by our resident mage to protect from both the magic and the mundane. On his lap, a large Daedric Warhammer rests, emitting an eerie red light that pulsed in the dark, illuminating his greying beard.
"Hello Keegan" his voice rumbled. " How are you liking our small group? Its been two months since you joined, right?"
Snapping out of my haze I jump to attention. "Yes sir, Its been wonderful here, I've gotten better with my bow and even learned some useful things." I was bumbling and I knew it. His stare was causing me to fidget, uncomfortable with the situation.
'Get on with it!' my mind screamed, hoping that I would soon be released.
"Good" he almost purred, "Sven said you were born in Falkreath hold, is this true?"
"Yes sir, I've hunted there all my life!" The tension was slowly beginning to fade, 'maybe he isn't angry at me' I thought, letting the hope run through me.
He stood up, walking over to the window. Leaning out, he looks over the ravine. "We've been here for two years, and my once small ragtag group of men has grown. In these two years, we've gone from five men, camping in the woods and avoiding the guards patrols, to a group of twenty-five, who has a tower of their own." Leaving the window, he strides over to me, towering above me. "We've outgrown our towers, and we need a larger home. Have you ever been to Helgen?"
I nod, starting to get an impression of his plan. "Good, you've heard about the dragon attack on Helgen right?" he pauses again, watching my reaction. " I was thinking that we should move into Helgen, It would allow us room to grow, and would also provide us with two needed things." at this he lifted one finger " One, a vital trade route between Falkreath and the Rift, and two, it would give us a legitimate job, hunting in the woods and mountains and potentially even starting to trade with the other holds."
"Since you are actually the only one of us who was born and raised in Falkreath, I want you to head out in three days and go to Helgen, from there you will scout out anyone living there. If there's still villagers and these 'Dragon' rumors prove false, search for one of the two nearby forts in the mountain pass that connects the two holds. If bandits are in Helgen or the forts, try to estimate their numbers, I don't want us going in blind. After all that, return here, so that we can pack our bags and move out." Turning away from me, he walks over to the bed, an obvious dismissal.
I go back to my small bedroll and lie down, excitement soon fading as I slowly delved into Vaermina's embrace.
Nightfall on the second day came quickly. I sat on the highest watch power, in the tower right above the boss's head, watching the road from Whiterun for any movement.
A glint in the distance hints towards a traveler walking towards our ambush site. Firing the signal for prey, I watch as the camp starts to stir and move.
The boss rises, moving towards a window and peering through. The guard by the road confronts the stranger, who seemed to be heavily armed.
"Is that bone armour?" someone voices our confusion. The guard pulls his mace out and swings downward, attempting to catch the stranger by surprise. As fast as an arrow, a sword appears in the guards chest, as his mace slams into the ground.
"Battle Stations!" The boss cries as the stranger opens the door to the first tower. Drawing my bow, I take aim as he exits the first tower and begins to cross the bridge, confronting Sven.
Sven was a bear of a man, armed with a broadsword most men wouldn't be able to hold, minus well carry.
Sven charges, bringing his sword down upon the stranger. The stranger parries with his sword, staggering backwards under the sheer force of Sven. Rising again, the stranger lunges. Sven starts to counter, slapping his blade against the strangers, the smaller blade is sent flying out of his grasp and off into the ravine below. Sven's face lights up with triumph, as he raises his sword to finish the stranger. "FUS RO DAH!" the shout rings out, brimming with ancient power. Sven is sent hurtling, crashing against the edge of the old stone bridge, a loud "KRAK" rings out. To my growing horror, Sven slowly tumbles off the bridge, hurtling down the hundred foot drop. A sickeningly wet slap, quietly echos up the ravine, as Sven's body starts to slowly drift down the rocky river.
Another wordless shout echos, into the night. The sky, once clear and bright with the light of the full moons, is obstructed by dark storm clouds. Rain begins to hurtle down, as thunder booms in the sky.
"You've got to be shitting me, he can control the wea-" Jack's speech is interrupted by a bolt of lightening striking him, leaving only a charred corpse.
"Get inside!" the boss shouts, as the remaining men scramble. The monster, because that is the only word that could accurately describe him, began to twine his hands together. Pushing them out, a stream of lightning pulsed from his hands, striking at the door.
Brighton, the resident mage, casts a ward. "Run!" he shouts, sweat forming on his brow. His ward lasts a full 10 seconds, before it shatters into sparkling blue fragments. He only had a moment of horror and fear, but his face will be imprinted in my memory forever. The bolts strike his chest, passing through after a second of hesitation.
I fire an arrow, trying to catch him off guard and wound him as he was absorbed in his spells. Another one of those shouts ring out, this time causing him to move unbelievably fast, as if time had slowed around him. Striding confidently forward, he plucks the arrow from the air, before pulling a sword out of nowhere and charging off into the second, main tower.
Running downstairs, I watch as the majority of the gang attack the monster. His sword flies straight, his body twisting a turning like a human tornado, hacking off one man's hand, he twists and delivers a fist into the trachea of another man, crushing it and leaving him suffocating. Another blade comes swinging down towards his shoulder. The monster reaches out and grabs the hand, twisting until the bones pop. Dropping the sword, the monster releases his prey, kicking him in the chest and propelling him into the wall. Grabbing the falling sword, he twists to avoid a hammer swinging towards him. Ducking under another axe, he grabs a man's leg, pulling him off his feet, he slashes off the leg as he rises. Twirling around, he swings his blade at another man, only to be met by a raised shield. Two more men charge forward, attempting to skewer him. Their blades connect, one breaking on his bony armour, the other slashing in between arm and elbow pieces. A quick flow of blood splashes against the ground, as another mace swings down upon his helmet, smashing him to his knees. The monster issues a roar, like a wounded beast, before shouting again. An ethereal glow emits from the transparent red and yellow armour. The form encircles him like armour, identical to the armour he currently was wearing, except for the horns that jutted from his head.
"Dragon bones, he wears the bones of Dragons!" I shout, the realisation turning his spiritual armour into something like a dragon in human form.
With a sudden burst in strength, the monster rose up, swinging his sword around, he fell the poor men surrounding him, leaving only one left, on his hands and knees.
"Spare me!" he begs, tears welling in his eyes.
The monster placed two swords against his neck, forming an x. Pulling, the blades slide against his neck, promptly decapitating the beaten, old man. Turning towards me, he growls.
Fear courses up my spine as I flee upstairs towards the boss.
"We're all that's left, he slaughtered them all!"
"Don't worry, just wait upstairs until it's all over" the boss says soothingly. He turns to watch me run upstairs, before turning back towards the door.
"Come Dragonborn! Sovngarde awaits one of us! Be It you or Me?" the boss shouts, brandishing his warhammer and tearing off his helmet, throwing it to the side.
I watch as the Dragonborn enters the room, a strange sword made of bone and a shield of similar make held at the ready.
"I'm sorry," he starts "but i've been told that a blade that belonged to a man named Armin was here, and I won't leave until I have it."
Incredulous, the boss simply stares, his mouth hanging open. "You killed all these men, for a single blade? What is wrong with you! It's a single fucking blade!"
Rage overtakes the Boss's face as he charges, his daedric warhammer smashing down against the Dragonborn's shield. Using the momentum, the boss spins, slamming his hammer against the Dragonborn's side, sending him tumbling over. Sliding across the floor, the Dragonborn leaps to his feet, slamming his blade into the bosses side, glancing off of the hardened ebony. His shield rising, the Dragonborn slams it against the bosses face, blood splashes against the cold brick floor.
The battle raged equally for what seemed to be an eternity, both men whirlwinds of death and destruction, leaving me standing in awe of these two human weapons. Finally, the Dragonborn slashes upward, cutting out one of the boss's eyes. Collapsing, the Dragonborn strides forward, kicking the warhammer to a corner of the room.
"I'm sparing you, reform or I'll return to finish the job." He states simply, striding over to the chest and picking up an old, Iron sword. I watch as he begins to advance on me, Forcing me to back up towards the edge of the tower.
"D-d-d-don't, please." I stutter, fear overriding reason.
"Cowards don't deserve mercy, and you will find none, FUS RO DAH!" he shouts.
A train slams into me, sending me careening off the tower and into the ravine.
'Oh god, I'm going to die' were the last thoughts that hurtled through my mind before I slammed into the river, darkness beginning to overtake me.
A warm glow jolts me back awake.
"W-where am I?" the question comes out a whisper. A woman, garbed in the priestly vestments, turns to me. Her glowing hand hovers over me, as I feel my body slowly healing, the muscles reforming and repairing.
"Shhhhhhh, It's alright." she soothes me gently back to sleep, her warm saving hands healing my broken body.
Months passed, as I regained the use of my body. Stretching, I stood up, going out to start my chores. The priestess initially refused to let me burden myself, but it just didn't feel right to be a drain on her. Going over to the wood block, I start chopping. A few minutes pass, as I see a large, bone armored man striding up the hill towards the temple.
"Dragonborn." I whisper
He turns, nodding at me, before continuing his journey up to the temple. He didn't recognize me! I was just another faceless kill! He probably forgot about my friends Sven and Jack too!
Tears streaked down my face in rage. Then the realization hit me, I've been spared by one of the gods, brought to a temple. Dropping the axe, I stride towards the temple, intending to ask for the right of acolyteship, and maybe even eventually priesthood. My life had been spared, and now I'm giving it a purpose.
Fin
Omake
Sven's sword smashed against the dragonborns shield, knocking him back.
Suddenly, a cheese wheel disappeared down the Dragonborn's throat! Followed by another, and another.
"holy shit." Sven said, before dropping his sword and running away, Sven wasn't going to mess with a motherfucker who could create and eat food in the middle of battle like it was nothing.
Author's Note
Sorry it took so long to update, i actually finished this story before A Funeral, but I just had so much going on. Spent all of October applying to colleges. Note on that big story, yep another delay notice! But, you'll be getting to see the main character. Creative Writing was having us work on a single character for an entire month, so I'm working on the main character. The stories will probably be released as compilations for the short ones, and as short stories for the longer ones. Hoping my main character isn't a Mary Sue! Till next time.