Chapter 2 – For Chorrol
"Morning, Jirolin" Lando said to a man walking past.
"Good day, Captain!" Jirolin replied. "The guards said you had returned. I must say it's a pleasant surprise"
"It sounds like you needed some good news"
Jirolin sat down next to Lando on the bench near the Great Oak.
"I'll be honest, Lando, life for us Imperials hasn't changed that much. Yes, I have lost friends for the simple fact that they aren't Imperial, but life still goes on. I still buy my bread from the same shop every morning, I still work in the same smithy… It's still Chorrol"
Lando looked around. Above him, the Great Oak rustled in the light breeze, casting a great shadow across the square. Guards sat idly talking to one another. A man walked out of Northern Goods And Trade carrying a shirt and a loaf of bread. Angalmo walked amongst flowerbeds around the city, stooping down to pick flowers with useful alchemical properties, whilst Alaina watched intently. Jirolin was right - Chorrol was just as Lando had remembered it.
"Jirolin, I'm sure you've heard about the city guard's independece from the Legion"
"Yes, I'm not entirely sure what to make of it. If we're lucky, the Emperor will not take any action at risk of causing further damage to the Empire. What can he do? Destroy the whole town?"
"From what I've heard of the man I wouldn't put it past him"
"Still, at least we have our Captain back now"
"You know, Jirolin, I came back to Cyrodiil hoping to return to a normal life with the woman I love" Lando said, nodding at Alaina. "And now this has happened. Maybe it is my destiny to be the one to lead against evil…"
Jirolin stood up. "I must be getting back to work, Lando. It's good to see you again"
"Likewise" Lando replied. "I'm sure I'll see you soon in the pub"
Lando rubbed his eyes and yawned. He had not slept well last night – he had had a lot on his mind.
Shortly after Jirolin had left, Alaina walked over and sat down next to Lando. He turned to her and kissed her cheek.
"You OK?" she asked him.
"Not too bad, you?"
"I'm alright. Anglamo's teaching me about all the alchemical benefits of the ingredients you can find in Cyrodiil. I think I'm getting the hang of it"
Alaina smiled and handed Lando her pestle – it was filled with a pale liquid. Lando raised the pestle to his lips and drank. As soon as he swallowed a mouthful of the liquid, he suddenly began to feel invigorated and energised, as if energy was literally flowing through his veins.
"Impressive" Lando said, handing the pestle back to Alaina. "Anyway, I must go and visit the healer in the chapel. I keep getting these strange pains in my chest"
"I'll come with you" Alaina said. "Angalmo's taken a lunch break but I'm not really that hungry"
------
Lando walked through the grand arched door into the Chapel of Stendarr, Alaina following him. An elderly Dunmer in a grey robe approached him.
"Gureryne, it's good to see you here!" Lando said, shaking the Dunmer's hand. "The Empire let you stay in Chorrol, then?"
"They considered me too important to remove me, my son" Gureryne replied. "And how are you, Lando? I trust all is well?"
"Not exactly" Lando replied. "I've been getting these pains in my chest the last few days. Perhaps the will of Stendarr can help me"
"I'm sure the God of Mercy can find mercy for a man such as yourself, my son" Gureryne said, placing his hands on Lando's chest. Gureryne's hands glowed briefly with a pale green light, until he took them away.
"I hope this helps you" he said. "Don't hesitate to come and see me again if the pain persists"
"Thank you, Gureryne" Lando said, reaching into his pocket and producing a handful of gold. "A donation to Stendarr for your troubles"
Suddenly, an otherworldly voice cut through the air. "Lando…"
Lando looked at the other two people in the room. Had they heard it too? By the looks on their faces, they had.
"I come with important information. Emperor Avidius has ordered an attack on Chorrol. Seventy Imperial soldiers have left the Imperial City. They will be here by nightfall. You must lead the city guard to victory against this evil force. Go. You have Stendarr's blessing"
"Seventy men?" Lando scoffed. "Give us something more challenging next time, Avidius!"
Gureryne and Alaina looked in amazement at Lando, at the man whom Stendarr had personally presented himself to. Lando looked different – he looked energised, heroic, and a man who could bring victory to Chorrol.
7 o'clock that evening, Chorrol city gates
The Chorrol guard stood spread around the city walls, some standing on the battlements, some inside the gates, and the most heavily armed and armoured soldiers outside the gates, preparing to repel the initial attack. Between them and the gates stood a small group of archers. To the east, a dim orange glow could be seen on the horizon, coming from the torches of the Imperial army.
"Soldiers of Chorrol, the revolution has started!" Lando shouted from the battlements. "Tonight, there is a chance Chorrol will fall, but we will not let that happen! Tomorrow, a great change will have happened! Emperor Avidius will realise that he cannot go on leading as he is, that the people of Cyrodiil will rise up against him! Swordsmen, macemen, axemen, strike hard! Marksmen, aim true! Tonight, Chorrol shall be victorious!"
The guards cheered as Lando made for the stairs that led back down to the gate. He was a commander who led from the front lines. His loyal comrade, Roman Andrias, followed him.
"What are the numbers, Lando?" Roman asked as they walked.
"Seventy of them against thirty-odd of us, and we have the advantage of fortification, plus I am not yet sure the Legion know we are expecting them"
"An easy fight, then?"
"Absolutely"
Lando ran out of the city gate and it slammed shut behind him. He took his shield off his back – the Escutcheon of Chorrol, a sacred shield given to him by Count Wavrick.
He made his way through the company of archers to where the swordsmen were waiting.
"Good evening, Captain" one of the guards said. "What is our plan?"
"Use your shields to protect yourselves from arrows" Lando said. "As soon as they get close, we engage. If it gets too much we pull back through the city gates, and let the men inside the city handle them"
Lando watched tensely as the glow of the Imperial torches got closer. Eventually he could see human figures on the road. He turned to the archers behind him.
"Open fire!" he whispered loudly. At once, the archers all raised their bows and unleashed a volley of arrows. Instantly the Legion were thrown into disarray as arrows rained down on them out of nowhere. Several of their number were hit and killed.
"Battlements, fire!" Lando shouted. The archers stationed on the battlements fired off another volley of arrows as those on the ground reloaded. The Legion broke into a run, shouting as they charged towards Chorrol.
Suddenly one of Lando's own company was hit in the chest by an arrow. Luckily the soldier was wearing heavy steel armour and the arrow did no damage.
"Shields!" Lando shouted to his company. The swordsmen all raised their shields above their heads to protect themselves from a volley of arrows fired by the Legion. At once the archers behind him returned fire. Lando assessed the ground around him. Very few arrows had actually been fired at them. He realised the invasion force was made up mostly of melee troops.
"Keep firing! Hold them back!"
Out of the corner of his eye, Lando saw one of his men fall to the ground. He looked at the fallen guard – an arrow was protruding from the side of his head. He felt another arrow fly past his head, missing him by inches.
"We're being flanked!" he shouted.
"There! In the trees! Foresters!" one of the other guards said. Lando looked into the grove of trees to the south. He could see figures carrying bows moving around in the trees.
"Come on! Let's go!" Lando ordered. He began to run into the grove of trees, the rest of his men following him. One of the guards smashed a glass bottle into a tree, spilling a brightly glowing liquid all over the ground. The glow lit up the grove of trees as bright as day. No longer having the range advantage, and no longer concealed, the Foresters were no match for Lando's soldiers.
"We'll use the same tactic against them!" Lando whispered loudly. "I'll go on point. Roman, watch the rear!"
The twelve Chorrol soldiers began to move through the trees, ducked down and moving quickly towards the Legion army. Then something unexpected happened – the Legion broke into a charge. They were bearing down quickly on the town walls, maybe a hundred metres away now.
"Change of plan!" Lando ordered. "We have to get back into the city gates!"
The Chorrol soldiers turned round and ran towards the gates. Lando constantly watched behind him, looking at the advancing army. Lando's team were moving too slowly, slowed down by the trees and thick undergrowth.
"We're not going to make it!" Roman shouted.
"Then we shall fight!" Lando replied. "Attack!"
Lando led his men on a charge out of the trees, onto the road and straight into the side of the advancing Legion army. The Chorrol soldiers attacked with enormous force, swinging their swords, maces and axes hard, causing huge damage to the Imperial army.
Lando and Roman stood back-to-back in the middle of the Legion army, who were now in complete disarray, being attacked by Lando's soldiers and the constant swarm of arrows being fired by the Chorrol archers. Both were highly adept swordsmen, skilfully blocking attacks with their swords and shields then moving in for the kill.
"Just like old times, Lando!" Roman shouted over the chaos.
"They're retreating!" Lando yelled. He had seen a large number of the Imperial soldiers running back down the road to the east, towards the Imperial City. "Disengage!"
"What?" Roman yelled. "Let's finish the scumbags off!"
"No! We worship the God of Mercy, remember? Disengage!"
Lando and Roman ran back into the cover of the trees, blocking off swordstrokes from a few plucky Imperial soldiers. Lando saw the rest of his men following him, and the archers ceased fire. Lando watched the retreating army.
"That's around thirty soldiers who know that Chorrol is not to be trifled with," Lando said. "Excellent work, soldiers. It's good to be commanding you again"
"As I said, just like old times!" Roman said.
"Soldiers, return to your quarters, clean yourselves up and be in the Oak and Crosier in one hour! I will put 500 coins behind the bar, and the women will be falling at your feet! Let this be known as the night that we showed Emperor Avidius where he stands!"
The soldiers all cheered and began talking noisily to one another as they walked back towards Chorrol.
East of Dawnstar, Skyrim
The ghostly figure approached the shrine to Azura, with the Nord explorer it had met in Dawnstar following close behind.
"It's dusk, excellent" the ghost said in a distant, disembodied voice. "Bjorn, present Azura with our gift"
The Nord reached into a pocket on his tunic and produced a handful of glow dust, its ethereal glow illuminating the shrine. He approached the statue of Azura and sprinkled the glow dust on the statue.
Another ghostly voice suddenly filled the air.
"Summoned by the ghost of a Dunmer? This is certainly something I have never seen before!"
The ghost stood in front of the statue. "Great Azura, Cyrodiil is in great danger. Emperor Avidius is ruling as a dictator. Thousands of non-Imperial citizens have been driven out of their homes or killed. I believe the Nords to be the most powerful citizens of Tamriel, and I ask no more than that you use your powers to persuade the Nords to help Cyrodiil, any way you can. Please. My friends are in danger"
"I sense you are a good man, whoever you are" Azura replied. "I sense you died fighting for the good of Morrowind, and you have saved many lives. Your request shall be answered"
"Many thanks, Azura" the ghost replied. "You have my blessing"
The Armitage household, Chorrol, the next morning
There was a knock on Lando's door. Lando drowsily sat up.
"Who's there?"
"It's me, son" Lucius replied. "Count Wavrick is here to see you"
Lando cursed to himself and shakily got out of bed. Between the end of the battle the previous evening and a very early hour in the morning, he had been in the inn making sure he got a fair share of the 500 gold he had placed behind the bar. Lando looked at Alaina and saw she had woken up too, and was looking equally worse for wear. He gently kissed her on the lips.
"I'll be back soon, darling"
Lando pulled on some trousers and a shirt, quickly washed his face in the basin then walked downstairs. In the dining area of the house, Tertia, Maria and Count Wavrick were sitting at the dining table eating a breakfast of bacon sandwiches and sweetcakes.
"I must say, Captain, your mother produces an excellent breakfast!" Count Wavrick said. "Can I speak to you outside, please?"
Lando nodded and followed the Count outside.
"I received distressing news this morning" the Count said. "The revolution has truly begun. All major cities have declared their independence from Emperor Avidius's rule. However, the Empire are fighting back. We lost Bravil last night"
"We lost Bravil?" Lando said in amazement. "How?"
"A similar attack to the one we experienced last night. However, Bravil's fortifications are poor compared to ours, and their city guard were too few. The city was invaded and its citizens made to swear allegiance to Emperor Avidius by moving to the Imperial City or die. Most chose death.
And there is more. The Kvatch guard are fortunate enough to have a spy in Avidius's council, who discovered that the Empire plan to invade Bruma. We cannot risk losing another city. Their city guard is weak and they have called for aid"
"Then Chorrol will answer their call. Though you must understand we cannot spare many men"
"Absolutely not, Captain. I propose we send five experienced guards, and a few Fighters' Guild members and war wizards from the Mages' Guild"
As the Count spoke, Lando had a brainwave.
"What about the Blades? Has someone been to Cloud Ruler Temple?"
"You're right. The Blades will surely fight for the honour of the Empire of old. I shall send a runner there immediately"