Multiple Redguard warriors now surrounded them, stalking them like a pack of wolves waiting to strike.
"Surrender to me Titus and nobody else will be harmed," demanded Shamar.
Titus slowly raised his hands up in submission.
"Titus. What are you doing!?" said Serana in a disturbed tone.
"If it means that no one is harmed then I'll do it."
"Now. Walk forward."
Titus obeyed Shamar's command and moved forward, the sand shifting under his feet. When he stopped in front of Shamar, a soldier came from his side with a poisoned skewer in hand and plunged it into a weak point in Titus's armour.
Serana screamed in panic, "TITUS!"
Titus collapsed to the ground. He was picked up by two soldiers and placed on Shamar's horse.
"Rorlok, we've got to do something!" exclaimed Serana.
Rorlok, who had been holding her back the whole time answered, "We're outnumbered. Not now. Not here."
Shamar and his men left the scene with Titus, leaving a dust cloud where they once stood. Rorlok and Serana left after, making sure to pick up Titus's sword and shield.
"Ugh. Where am I?" Titus woke up enclosed in a tiny, circular jail in the centre of a circular room. There were amber lights lighting up the whole room, allowing Titus to find Shamar, who seemed to be at some sort of control panel. He turned around and said, "I see my tutor is awake."
"What do you mean tutor?"
"You Titus," Shamar replied, "will teach me how to properly use my thu'um."
"How in the name of Akatosh do you know how to shout!?"
"Much like that pathetic Nord supremacist guy did. The one that you killed. What was his name?"
"Ulfric Stormcloak."
"That's the one." Shamar pulled down his hood, letting Titus look at his face properly. He had dark skin, a large forehead and his black hair had been cut into one straight line down the middle. He also had very dull brown eyes.
Shamar paced over to the control panel and pressed one of the buttons. Suddenly, the whole structure started to move. It vibrated violently, moving upwards. The windows that had been blocked by the sand now let light in. The roof seemed to fold back, exposing the floor to the bright Hammerfell sun.
"Welcome to The Pillar."
"So that's what I smelled underground," Titus thought to himself.
Back at the stronghold, Rorlok had been readying men and checking gear to go and save Titus. Serana however was in a sorry state. She just sat on the bed, depressed and upset.
"We'll get him back."
Rorlok came and sat down next to Serana.
"He always does crazy stuff like this. And it really pisses me off."
"You still love him though don't you?"
"Yeah. He's done more for me than anyone else in Tamriel."
Rorlok and Serana sat in silence for a few seconds before Rorlok stated, "We're attacking The Pillar soon. You'll see him again, I promise."
"Thanks. I want to see Shamar die for what he's done."
"That we all do."
"Look Shamar, I'm not a teacher."
Titus was trying to get across the point to Shamar that learning to become a master at shouting took years, even decades of practice and patience for anyone without the blood of a dragon. Shamar wasn't really listening though. He was just over-determined to learn more shouts.
"You will teach me," demanded Shamar. "You have no choice."
"It would take you all of your lifetime and more to get the the level I'm at."
"I will learn. And Tamriel will be mine."
Shamar turned away and left through a door going further down the tower, leaving Titus alone in the cramped cage. He managed to sit down crossed legged, and pulled out his journal and a piece of charcoal. He thumbed through the pages to find a fresh one and began writing. He had a lot to write about. Mainly what had happened over the last few days but a few random thoughts and even a song. He flicked back to the previous page where he had drawn Serana. Placing his hand over the drawing, he whispered, "I'll find a way out my love. I always do."
"We're coming my love," murmured Serana under her breath.
The group, comprised of Serana, Rorlok and ten of Rorlok's finest fighters set off in the direction of The Pillar. The journey seemed to be endless. They passed by sand dune after sand dune, with no sight of their destination.
One of the Orcs informed Rorlok and pointed to the south, "Chief, there's a sandstorm approaching."
The horizon in the south was dominated by a cascading wall of sand, creeping up on them.
"Shit," swore Rorlok. "We've got to find The Pillar fast. Before we're consumed by that sandstorm."
Serana noticed a towering stone structure in the distance, "Look over there. That could be The Pillar."
"Maybe. I don't see any other pillar like objects anywhere around us," replied Rorlok.
They made their way hastily to the object in the distance. They ran as fast as possible in the sand, not taking a moment to rest. After fifteen minutes of non-stop running, they finally reached the eroded tower. The stone was ancient, and had been weathered away over the years. It was circular in shape, and stretched into the sky, trying to touch the stars themselves.
The group entered through two rotting wooden doors and made their way up a spiral staircase. They came across a door, alone at the end of a shady corridor. Opening it, they found the hostages, packaged together in rusted iron cells.
Titus sat alone still in his solitary confinement at the top of the tower. He accidentally kicked one of the bars that was trapping him, and to his surprise it moved.
"Huh. I wonder."
Titus began to try and move the piece of metal to allow him to escape his prison. After a couple of attempts, the metal moved, allowing him to break free. A couple of seconds after, Shamar came back up, completely alone.
"IISS SLEN NUS!"
Titus froze Shamar solid and ran for a weapon rack full of scimitars near the edge of the tower. Taking two of them, he prepared for when Shamar would launch his attack.
Shamar thawed out, the look on his face only partially expressing his anger, "Right you bastard. You're mine."
Personal Comments:
The fight is nearly here. Shamar vs. Titus. Should be fun. Just as a quick note, Shamar's appearance is based of Mario Balotelli. Why always me. At least he if he gets a banana thrown at him, he won't kill the person who threw it. In fact, he probably would. I was wondering also if you'd like to now the future stories I have planned for Titus, or would you rather be surprised? Please let me know. Finally, leave your reviews, I do love reading them. See you later.
Dragon Language Glossary:
IISS SLEN NUS: Ice Flesh Statue (Ice Form Shout)
