Thel awoke completely rejuvenated. The soft and beds worked wonders on his aching muscles. Getting out of bed yawning and stretching his frame, he proceeded with an hour long religious prayer. He wouldn't leave his room until he had completed it and if otherwise it would be seen as a heresy. As soon as it was complete a young maid knocked at his door.
"One moment, please." He had no intention of walking about naked.
He slid on his helmet and opened the door. The young maid was a bit startled, but she had already heard of their guest's appearance but she also heard of him being quite the gentlemen.
"Your luggage, Lord Arbiter." She presented him with his pack full of things he had collected over his journey.
"Many, thanks, young female." He fished out the swollen coin purse that Lucan had given him for his service of retrieving the golden claw.
"I believe these are precious here, I would like you to have them."
She started intently at the plump purse but refused.
"While that's very generous of you, we maids aren't allowed to accept payment from our guests."
"Nonsense! Then consider it a gift, it's the least I can do. Besides, I have no use for them."
"Well, if you insist…" She quickly looked up and down the hallway and stuffed the purse into her pocket and waved him goodbye.
He would meet with The Jarl as soon as his curiosity was quelled. The power the beings harnessed here was amazing, he must now how they do it. He passed a few guards who wished him good morning and strolled into the wizards quarters where he saw the mage leaned over his table reading a book.
"Ah! Hello thane. How might I be of service?" Farengar asked.
"You may start by answering a few questions of mine."
Interested, Farengar sat down and took off his reading glasses.
"Go ahead, Shoot."
He paused a bit before speaking. "I wish to know what power you use to harness that elemental energy to your will. How is it done?"
"That my friend is magic, I thought you already were experienced with that. Never mind, excuse my assumption. Mages such as I use this magic for a variety of uses. Every use has a different school. And vice versa"
Thel leaned forward in interest.
"Tell me more."
Farengar went over each school and its use while Thel became more and more interested.
"So you say, that with alteration, I can change the molecular structure of a stone and have it flow like water, or make it hard as steel?"
"Correct. Is there anything else? I'm quite busy."
"Yes, mage I wish for you to teach me these magics, they may be of use for my own world."
Farengar pursed his lips for second before replying.
"As much as I am skilled with magic I only specialize in a few schools. I'm not that good of a teacher for I lack patience. But you can get an entire education for each school at the college of winterhold. Even yours truly went there." He explained.
"Understood, mage. I shall be leaving for this 'Winterhold' when the opportunity arises. I bid you farewell."
Thel was able to speak again with the jarl about being this thane. He assumed it was an honorable title since it was bestowed by a jarl and it being the greatest he could grant. Upon exiting the jarls Dragonreach he was approached by a tall, Raven-haired Nord female. Clad in steel armor.
"The jarl has appointed me to be your Housecarl, it's an honor to serve you my thane." She nervously bit her lip hoping that she had made a good first impression. She wondered what types of places she'd go while in service of a Daedra. Thel looked her up and down and decided to conduct an interview with the human.
"This term 'Thane' I do not understand, care to elaborate on the concept?"
Lydia took in a short breath before saying speaking.
"The Jarl has recognized you as a person of great importance in the hold, a hero. Guards will know to look the other way if you tell them who you are."
That perk should dig him out of any trouble he may come across with the guards, If they aren't too busy trying to kill him or running in terror.
"And you call yourself my Housecarl, what exactly does one do?"
She was able to rehearse this part with ought skipping a beat.
"As my thane I am sworn to your service, I will guard you and everything you own, with my life."
She put special emphasis on the last part hoping to impress her thane.
Thel again scrutinized the Nord Housecarl that stood in front of him. She came up to his lower chest. She Tall for a human. Yet she wouldn't be much help in combat as he was already more than a match for anything less than a dragon. And if they were to get themselves caught in firefight, she might not survive. Then again, numbers can overwhelm and it was good to have someone watching his back. He even wagered she knew Skyrim like the back of her hand, making her an excellent guide. He decided that her pros far out weighted the cons in this particular situation. But he still needed to test her nerve.
"The road I walk is a treacherous one human, you may not survive. Do you still wish to follow me?" He awaited eagerly for her reply.
Lydia put on her most confident smirk she could muster.
"Lead the way."
Satisfied, Thel chuckled a bit. She reminded him a bit much like himself when he was but a minor in the covenant empire. Always ready to go head first into the fight.
"Then it is decided. Come human, greatness awaits us both."
The lone one and Emerel had engaged in an argument on who was the bad guy. So far, everything Emerel said only made him want to talk more, buying her time. It was a long shot, and she hadn't used it in a long while. But it was her only ticket out.
"And so, you repay your empire for accepting defeat and saving Skyrim by staging a rebellion?" The lone one began to be most entertained at her ignorance he let her live long enough to see her faults.
"I would rather much die for what I believe in than take it in the ass from some damn elves" She argued.
This made him laugh even more. It's been an eras and a half since he'd been so entertained.
"You Nords are all hypocrites. You can dish it out but you can't take it, so you scream injustice when you're beat. Get over it!"
"So you have something against Nords huh? Is that it? But aren't you one too?"
The lone's smile digressed into a slight grin.
"My wrath isn't just aimed at men, The Thalmor are at fault as well. They are terrorists and arrogant bigots, all of them, each and every one of them will taste my justice by the end of this Era I swear it. And to answer your question; No, I am not a Nord, neither am I an elf, and most definitely not a beast either. I am called Jesik. I am the thing that goes bump in the night, I am what you feared was in your closet or under your bed, I am the feeling of being watched, I am the very fear that haunts the corridors of your mind".
He shot his arms into the sky with enthusiasm
Just then she felt her energy peak at its fullest, it was time.
"I am-"
"A complete and total Jackass". Emerel interrupted.
Jesik then bore another scowl.
"Okay, you get to die now." Jesik suddenly shot forward with his dagger aiming right for her jugular. He would not see her choke to death on her own blood though. Emerald green Magika venting from her body stopped his blade from reaching her and even made him go flying a couple yards onto his back.
"What…the hell?" He slowly picked himself up still gripping the dagger until the blood in his hand was drained.
"That…That felt like…Holy magic." There was no mistake. The Holy aura was the very bane of his existence. There wasn't much he could do against such divine power he was now the one who was out matched. No sooner had he gotten to his feet he saw the Stormcloak woman was now engulfed in pulsating green power. Her irises that were a dark green color became a marvelous luminescent green color. Her bruises began to fade and her long blond hair stood on end save for two strands on either side of her forehead that were shorter than the rest. Even the trees in the forest began to sway back and forth and rustle their leaves like and a strong wind gliding through them.
"I wouldn't suppose if I apologized we can both go our separate ways and never hear of each other again would we?" Jesik kidded.
Emerel put her finger to her lip and feinted deep thought.
"Hmm. How about no?" he voice was also changed. It was like she had two voices they were talking at the same time. One was hers and the other was an echo.
"I didn't think so."
The Magica that was surrounding her condensed into a very large bow in her left hand. And another streak made itself into an arrow. She loaded it up and aimed right for his chest.
"This is going to hurt a lot, isn't it?" Jesik made no efforts to try to run away or dodge.
"Yup."
She released the cord and the magic arrow flew through the air straight at Jesik. The arrow had become the size of a ballista bolt suddenly before stopping right in front of him. Jesik flinched fearing it had hit him only to see it levitating in front of him, only and inch away from his chest.
"What? Why did you stop?"
"Just wanted to see you flinch".
Instantly the bolt detonated and Jesik was blown clear into the clouds. Relieved with her victory and also expending her energy far beyond its usual limit her power began to fade and she returned to normal. The last Cloak besides her was staring at her with awe.
"What. Did you do?" He asked he slung his arm around her shoulder lifting him to his feet.
"I simply called upon the power that my family was blessed with from the gods." She replied nonchalantly.
"'Simply'? Ha!" She thought. She hadn't performed that technique in eighteen years!
It was by sheer luck that Ivarstead was so close. There he would get proper medical attention.
"You know. I was actually an adventurer to help pay for my mum's medicine. I guess that all over." He said bitterly.
"You can be a guard for a city or settlement. You don't have to move too much." She comforted him.
"You may be right…a guard".
Rtas looked back at the Oddball sitting in the back. He wearing a pair of headphones attached to an 'Iphone'. It was the name of a device he had told him. Ancient technology used by the humans. He must have been enjoying the music he had been playing because he was rocking his head back and forth slightly.
This ain't no place for no hero…This ain't no place for no better man…This ain't no place for no hero…To go home…This ain't no place for no hero…This ain't no place for no better man…This ain't no place for no hero…To go home
"Qua' teius!" Rtas barked.
"Huh?" He removed the headphones from his head rather swiftly.
"Stop fooling around and pay attention!"
Qua' teius reluctantly put away his things and listened to Rtas's meeting.
There were forty elites in all were in attendance, the others were busy salvaging or guarding the perimeter save for the oddball and Rtas. Everyone was anxious to hear what he had to say about the predicament they were all in.
"I know all of you demand answers for what has occurred and you will have them." Rtas started. The brown armored spec-ops elite made a swirling gesture with his left hand and a light blue holographic model of the ship was brought into view large enough for everyone to see.
"During a manual diagnostics run-down, we were able to isolate what was at fault for our unintended crash-landing upon this planet." He slowly circled the hologram making sure he made eye contact with every elite present. The elite made another gesture and the hologram zoomed in on the rear and mid-section.
"Our ship was more badly damaged then we had thought from the flood pod bombardment on the great ring also called Installation 00. A…'Error' as we will call it, had caused our slip-space drive to malfunction when we attempted our journey home, causing us to jump multiple times in one cycle."
The elite's presents began to whisper to one another nervously.
"What planet we were sent to I do not know. Humans and beasts roam these lands, some of which we have never encountered before. They too are the children of the holy ones such as us. The forerunners had made this place accessible, there is no question that they had made an exit as well."
"You mean the giant spiraling maelstrom in the sky, right? I followed you guys when you were jumping, hoping I could hitch a ride. That's how I got here." The oddball piped up.
"What do you mean followed? What do you speak of this 'maelstrom'?" Rtas walked over him immediately.
The oddball pointed towards the east where they could easily make out a purple storm with green lightning partially covering a large distorted circle of sky.
"That is where we came?" Rtas asked the Spec-ops elite.
"Most likely."
"Don't make a girl a promise you can't keep."
John inhaled sharply waking himself up out of his slumber. These dreams were becoming more frequent as time went on. The physiologists insisted that he was only reliving parts of his life that just so happen to have her in them. But he knew that they had no idea what was really going on with him. That's why they put multiple cameras in his private quarters to study him while he was not on the field. He knew this because he could hear the soft whirring sound they made when the moved turned to follow him around the room in the walls. He rolled over off of his cot that felt more like sleeping on semi hard clay and got to his feet. He was wearing only a pair of black briefs with the UNSC logo going around the waistline not leaving much to the imagination of the nurse that gave him the various supplements that were included in his diet. The door opened promptly when it sensed his heat signature. He turned on the faucet of his sink and splashed his face with it a couple times and wiped the sleep from his eyes. Looking in the polished steel mirror he looked into his own eyes. They were beginning to show signs of age but still kept their cold and emotionless features. While doing this, he began to reminisce the past, how he watched countless brave men and women fall before his eyes. People he called friends and allies. She was always there to ease the pain away. But there was none. He couldn't feel anymore. He hadn't shed a single tear since he was a boy. She was more human than he was.
Enhanced vision caught the movement of a transparent blue figure just behind him. He spun faster than what the human eye could see. What he saw made him gasp. The woman that he had thought was long gone was now standing in the doorway smiling at him.
"Morning, john." Cortana greeted him smiling.
He was speechless, he couldn't say anything at all only short variables of English.
"What's wrong?" She tilter her head curiously at his state of shock.
Through his disbelief he could only say something short.
"T-this isn't real, you're gone! I saw you-"
"John, I was never gone." She sauntered over to him and placed her hand on his well-toned chest.
"I'm always here for you".
Only a moment passed before they both embraced and wrapped their arms around each other.
"I've missed you so much". He whispered in her ear.
Two marines that were in charge of watching the cameras were scratching their heads at the situation that was going down in the bathroom area.
"Who's he talking to?"
"Can't be anyone else, heat sigs show only one person in that room." The other responded.
The intercom blared with a monotone female voice snapping john back intoreality
"Will the master chief please report to the deck. Repeat, Master cheif please report to the deck. Thank you."
He turned back to the woman that was in his arms but she was no longer present. He shook his head vigorously.
"It was hallucination". He thought to himself.
"Just need some fresh air."
He got dressed in the black under suit of his Mjolnir armor and reported to the deck. He was anxious to get back in his suit, he felt naked and vulnerable without it even on the most well protected ship in the fleet. Both marines and non-combatants of the ship saluted him his whole walk through the corridors, it was almost getting tiring of how many he had to return the salute back. He passed a small group of Mk. VIIs.
"Hey look, it's the chief." A rookie gestured with a nod of his head to his comrade. They were sitting at a large round table in the corner of the cafeteria.
The tallest on of them all turned his helmet to see the living legend walk by then turning back to his group.
"Doesn't look so tough. I bet I could take him". Shey replied nonchalantly.
"Shey getting his ass kicked and me getting paid? I definitely won't pass that up!" he punched Shey friendlily in the helmet.
"No Way! I could totally take him!" Shey objected.
"Nah, guys taken down an army by himself, he's freakin' unkillable." His comrade jean laughed.
"Bullshit, I don't believe in anything I haven't seen with my own eyes. Those are probably rumors the UNSC cooked up to make us feel invincible."
Jean scoffed and shook his head.
"Hey, Rook! Tell em' it's just propaganda, man, you've gotta be on my side, bro."
Rook didn't say anything, only shrug his shoulders in reply.
"Man, you got something against talking? You a mute? Haven't heard you say a damn word in like forever." Shey walked over and stood over the Spartan with the word 'Rookie' etched into his right breast plate.
'Rookie' didn't reply to that either, he only got up and started to leave. Shey grabbed his shoulder to keep him in one place.
"Hey, I'm talking to you!"
Rookie turned on his heel and looked up at Shey through his visor. He still didn't say anything though. Only stared intently into Shey's own eyes. Shey gradually released his grip and backed away and the Rookie went on his way.
"Creepy ass son of a bitch". Shey said under his breath.
"Haa, Rook got you spooked." Jean teased.
"Shut the hell up jean."
John walked past the busy deck of the ship and approached Lasky. He had his back turned and was facing one of the large windows showing the endless vast space with a look of unsureness and concern.
"Captain, Sir." John crisply saluted.
"Hey, chief, how you holding up?"
"Green, sir."
"That's good, that's the way we need you. Get suited up, we've got work to do. Reyna will brief you when you're geared up." Lasky began to walk off.
"Reyna?" chief inquired.
"One of the Spartans that'll be accompanying you on your mission, Watch out though, She's a hyper lethal like you. Don't let her make you look bad out there."
Chief nodded and went into the armory to see his trusty Mjolnir Armor.
A/N: Gonna wrap it up here, getting tired. GOOD NEWS! I've recently bought the legendary edition Skyrim and I'm incorporating it into my story! Bad is I haven't played it yet so let me get right on it. Dawnguard and Dragonborn DLC sounds Badass, I hope I'm not disappointed!