Skyrim: Legend of the Dovahkiin
Acceptance 7
-Uknown training yard: 8 years ago-
The blunt edge of the wooden sword impacted with the Nord's mouth, reeling his head backwards and sending a mixture of blood and saliva flying through the air. The Nord fell to knees, dazed but thankful the Redguard's attack hadn't knocked his head off his shoulders. The Dark skinned warrior extended his hand to help the Nord off his feet. Smiling, the fair haired boy took it and slowly rose to his feet.
"You charge like a crazed goat, absent skill," the Redguard criticized. He picked hp the wooden sword the Nord dropped and handed it to the boy. "When faced with a stronger opponent, draw him to you, then counter."
The two warriors took their respective stances. Then, the Redguard attacked. The Nord dodged, ducked, blocked and parried each attack that was thrown at him, but just barley. The sheer force of the attacks so powerful they staggered and threw him off balance after each strike, making it difficult to gain proper footing. The Nord rolled off to the side, putting some much needed distance between him and his attacker.
The Redguard again charged forward, bellowing a fierce battle cry. With as much power as he could output, the dark skinned warrior delivered a mighty downward slash. The Nord smiled. Pulling his shield as far back as he could, the boy swatted the attack away, staggering the swordsman. With a battle cry of his own, the young Nord swung his wooden blade upwards and connected with the man's jaw. The Redguard spun and fell to the floor, clutching his strong jaw.
Rising to his feet, the Redguard laughed as he patted his young student on the shoulder. "Finally, words find way through thick skull."
The young Nord grinned. "At this rate, I'll surpass you by the time I reach my eighteenth birthday."
The Redguard scoffed. "Keep dreaming, you've still got a long way to go before you can call yourself a true swordsmen." the dark skinned man took his battle stance. "Now, come at me with everything you've got!"
-Jorrvaskr: Harbinger's quarters-
With a jolt, the Harbinger's eyes snapped open. He stared at the stone ceiling for a moment before lifting his upper body, a feat which he immediately regretted as pain surged through his body. Grimacing, the young Nord tossed his blankets aside and shifted himself to the edge of his bed. It had been two weeks since his battle with the Jackal and still the wounds he had received ached and caused intense pain, even when lifting a single finger. As such, he was told by both Danica Pure-Spring and Whiterun's best Medicus to remain in bed and refrain from any strenuous activity.
So, for two of the longest two weeks of his life, he lay in his bed. The two healers had visited him periodically, constantly checking on his condition and giving him more magical and herbal treatment. The Nord knew the two healers meant well, he just wished they'd at least let him go to the bathroom without someone escort following him. Still, their assistance was well appreciated.
The Harbinger looked over his shoulder to the two katanas that lay on the small table on the right side of his bed and grimaced, he had almost forgotten about the repairs he still needed to make on his weapons. That was a task in itself as it took considerably longer to repair a katana. Not only that, but on top of needing the right tools, he would need the purest of ores and metal to even begin the process. That was the only setback he'd ever had with katanas. While they were lightweight, razor sharp and extremely durable, the items needed to create or repair one were hard to obtain.
With a heavy sigh, the Harbinger rose from the edge of his bed and began a quick inspection of his half naked body. Most of the clawed wounds he'd received had all but vanished, leaving only faint scars behind. His ribs had healed nicely and he was finally able to breath without flying into a coughing fit and both his eyes were back to their original shape and color. His skin was still slightly blackened from the many bruises that covered his body, but the worst of them was on his back. It was evident by the pain that throbbed each time he moved.
Satisfied with his self-examination, the Nord made his way over to the large chest that lay on the right side of his bed near the small table where his katanas lay. Opening the storage box, he pulled out a medium sized bottle filled with red liquid. Uncorking it, the Harbinger put the bottle to his lips and drank. The effects of the potion were almost instant as his skin became less and less black and reverted to its original color, taking the pain along with it. He smiled as he finished the bottles contents. Arcadia's potions really were in a class of their own.
Finished, the Harbinger placed the bottle back in the chest and grabbed his steel armor. He strode into the display chamber of his bedroom, fastening the straps of his armor as he went. He heard a multitude of footsteps approach the closed doors of his chambers. A moment later, Ria, Vilkas, Aela and Farkas walked in. Ria had a look of worry plastered to her features while the Circle members all stared at him with even looks.
"What are you doing?" Ria asked as she walked up to the man. "The Medicus gave plain instruction for you to remain in bed."
The Harbinger waved his hand dismissively as he continued to put his armor on. "Two weeks upon my back sees advice well heeded," he said. "Any longer and even my cock will cease knowing how to stand."
Aela smirked. "His spirit returns."
"Nice to see you back on your feet and off your back-side." Farkas remarked with a large grin on his face.
"The next time some ancient demon attacks the city i'll leave it to you to stop the beast," the Harbinger said as he strapped on the last of his armor. "Then we'll see how you feel afterwards."
Vilkas shook his head slowly. "You'd better hope Danica and the Medicus don't see you on your feet," he warned. "They can be… touchy when it comes to their patients health."
"Its to late for that, Companion," said Danica as she and the Medicus approached the group of warriors. "Danica has already found out."
The priestess walked over to the Harbinger and gave him a stern look. "What, pray tell, do you think you're doing out of bed?"
"Returning to my duties as Harbinger." the young leader answered simply.
"Not without my say so," Danica said as she crossed her arms. "I need to make sure your wounds have healed properly."
The Harbinger rolled his eyes, exasperated. "I am not a babe new dropped from fucking womb."
"Harbinger!" Ria snapped.
"Fine, fine!" he said, un-strapping his cuirass. "Just make it quick, I have important matters to attend."
It was a full ten minutes before Danica and the Medicus finished their examination of the Nord and gave him a clean bill of health.
"Well, you're all set to go," Danica told the young leader. "But if you have a relapse or any of your wounds flare up you come are to come to me immediately, am I understood?"
The Harbinger frowned, rolling his eyes. "Yes mother, anything else?"
After a final glare Danica and the Medicus finally departed, leaving the group of warriors to their business. The Harbinger then shifted his attention to the four warriors standing before him.
"Now that that's over, we can focus on more important matters. Tell me, what's happened in these last two weeks I've been bed ridden?"
"Nothing too serious," Vilkas answered as he leaned against the wall. "The bandits in the area had gotten a little bolder in our absence, but Torvar and Athis rectified that."
"Wait, Torvar and Athis took care of a bandit gang by themselves?" the Harbinger asked, his tone suggesting he was half surprised and half impressed.
"It comes as a bit of a surprise to us all," Aela admitted. "But it's to be expected. After all, they did help in the fight against the Jackal while you were away in Ivarstead, it's no surprise their skill in battle have improved."
Aela was right. The constant battles with the Jackal would have no doubt forced the Athis and the other whelps to improve their fighting prowess. The Harbinger smirked, it would only be a matter if time before each of them would be able to match a member of the Circle in battle. That was assuming they didn't become complacent in their training.
"Impressive," the Harbinger praised as he took a seat at the small table in the room. "And what of Ria and Njada?"
Ria perked slightly at the mention of herself. Noticing it, Aela spoke on her behalf.
"Both continue to show remarkable skill in battle," she praised the Imperial. "Just recently the two were able to take down a giant on their own. Barley needed any help."
"A giant!?" the Harbinger exclaimed, his brow shooting up in surprise. He glanced over at the young Imperial and gave her a look of approval. "I must say Ria, I'm impressed. Not many warriors can go toe to toe with a giant and live. It seems your skills with a sword are steadily improving."
Ria's cheeks reddened at the words of praise from her Harbinger despite her attempt to maintain a cool demeanor.
"gratitude, Harbinger."
"Don't mean to cut this touching little moment short," Farkas started. "But the Circle has some things to talk about."
Nodding, the Harbinger turned his gaze on the young Imperial. "We'll have to talk more about your adventures later on, Ria. For now, return to Njada and the others."
"Yes, Harbinger."
The Imperial turned on her heels and left the room, leaving the Circle members to discuss important matters.
"So, what's so important that Ria needs to leave the room?" the Harbinger inquired. Interested in what his comrades had to say.
"Because it concerns her and that of the beast blood." Vilkas answered. The Harbinger looked quizzically at the older twin. They couldn't possibly be thinking what he suspected they were thinking, could they?
Rising from his seat, the Harbinger made his way to his chamber doors and closed them before turning back to his shield-brother. "What are you saying Vilkas?"
"With all due respect Harbinger, you know exactly of what I speak of." the elder twins tone was full of seriousness.
The Harbinger's brow furrowed in contemplation, this was truly a stunning turn of events. Ria was by the far the youngest Companion in Jorrvaskr, being only twenty-two years of age. She was for the most part an excellent swordsman and skilled fighter, rare for someone of her years. But for all her skill, Ria was prone to impatient and rash actions on the battlefield that would sometimes lead to her being injured. For Vilkas to actually suggest that they make her a member of the Circle was… confounding.
"You realize what you're asking, right Vilkas?" the Harbinger walked past his friends and sat back in his seat.
"Of course!" Vilkas snapped, slightly offended by the question. "I wouldn't reveal our secret to just anyone! Ria has proven herself in these past two weeks. Not just against giants, but the Silver Hand as well."
The Harbinger's eyes turned feral. "The Silver Hand?"
"The cowards tried to ambush us on a job in Falkreath," Aela started to explain. "We were returning to Whiterun when handful of them came from nowhere and assaulted us. The battle was intense, but we eventually killed the lot of them. Including one of Krev's lieutenants."
The Harbinger raised a single eyebrow. "I'm assuming Ria killed this man?"
Aela nodded. "Correct. And I assure you Harbinger, he was no amateur."
Leaning back in his chair, the young Nord closed his eyes and rubbed his chin in thought. For Ria to take down a high ranking Silver Hand agent was impressive, and showed her worth as a warrior. Not only that, but for Aela and the other Circle members to actually give their blessing to her was astounding, to say the least.
After another minute of quiet thought, the Harbinger slowly opened his eyes and looked upon his comrades. "You all truly believe that she is worthy to join the ranks of The Circle? To stand ready and receive the blood that flows within us all?"
They answered in unison. "Yes, Harbinger."
"Very well, I will make my decision… after she is tested."
Farkas stepped forward. "So, I guess I'll be taking her with me."
The Harbinger shook his head. "No Farkas, I will be the one to accompany her." he told the large Nord. "I've been on my backside for two whole weeks and have yet to witness her battle prowess with my own eyes. I will go and judge her worth for myself."
"Well, alright. If you say so." Farkas said as he scratched the back of his head.
"Very well, then I will break words with the girl when I head to the mead hall," the Harbinger said as he rose to his feet. "But before that, I want to know if there are any contracts left for today."
Vilkas pulled a folded piece of paper from one of his armor pouches and handed it to the young leader. "We've only one left, came in just before we went to your chambers. Apparently, a large group of bandits have been raiding Riverwood. They apparently killed two guards and a citizen in the process. Jarl Balgruuf has lost too many men to the Jackal and cant afford to send any reinforcements until he can recruit more men to the guard, so the people have asked for our assistance in purging the cutthroats from their town."
"Bandits," the Harbinger murmured with a smirk. "They will make excellent training."
Pocketing the missive, the Harbinger gestured for the other to follow him and walked out his chamber doors.
"Before I depart, I must pay a quick visit to Eorlund."
-Jorrvaskr: Mead Hall-
"So, what did he say?" Njada asked as she finished her bottle of ale.
Ria shrugged. "He told me he was impressed by our recent victories, then asked me to leave so he and the Circle members could speak in private. I haven't heard anything since."
Stonearm folded her arms over her chest and leaned back in her seat, staring up at the ceiling as she did. "Just once I'd like to go on a job with him. Just the two of us, then I can show him just how much I've improved my skills."
"That's about as likely as Athis beating you in a fist fight!" Torvar bleated as he raised his mug in the air. The three Companions erupted in laughter at the drunk's remark, all except the man who was being laughed at.
"The lot of you can burn in Oblivion." Athis grumbled as he took a sip of his ale.
Ria walked over to the Dunmer and patted him on the back. "Oh don't be mad, we're only joking."
"That makes one of us." Njada quipped.
At that moment, the Harbinger and the other Circle members emerged from the living quarters and made their way to the doors leading to the training yard.
"Ria!" the Harbinger called out, startling the young Imperial. "I would have words."
"Y-yes Harbinger!" Ria made her way to the group of warriors. She stood before them, slightly nervous from the stares she was receiving but steadfast and proud in her stance nonetheless.
"Gather your weapons and equipment," the Harbinger ordered the young Imperial girl. "We're heading out."
Ria stood with a confused look plastered to her face for a moment before she spoke.
"W-we?" she stammered. "I don't-"
"Bandits have been harassing the people of Riverwood, so they've asked us to take care of the criminals. You are to be my shield sister on this job. I'm heading up to the Skyforge to speak to Eorlund, so meet me there when you've acquired everything you need."
Turning on their heels, the Harbinger and the other Circle members exited Jorrvaskr. Without a word, Ria quickly made her way to the Jorrvaskr living quarters, eager to gather her equipment and join her Harbinger in their first assignment together. Arriving at her assigned bed, Ria grabbed her knapsack and began to fill the bag with various health and stamina potions. With her preparations finished, the Imperial slung the bag over her shoulder, grabbed her Skyforged sword and shield and made her way back to the mead hall and to the Skyforge.
-Skyforge-
"Here you are," Eorlund said as he handed two Skyforged steel swords to the Harbinger. "They'll be fine substitutes until you can repair your own weapons. I made them lighter than they usually are to better replicate the lightness of your katanas, so you wont have to worry too much about finding a balance."
The Harbinger strapped the twin blades to his hip and threw the old smith a bag-full of coins, over five hundred to be exact. It had come as a surprise when Eorlund had said he'd already created two twin blades for the young warrior days before he'd even returned from High Hrothgar. Apparently, Eorlund knew how treacherous the roads leading from Ivarstead back to Whiterun were and figured his blades would be in a serious state of disrepair. Not that the Harbinger was complaining.
"Gratitude, Eorlund," the young Nord thanked the old smith as he gave his new blades a few light swings. "I'll make sure to put these to good use."
Sheathing his weapons, the Harbinger turned to see a spry looking Ria approaching with a large smile across her face.
"I'm all set, Harbinger," she announced, the smile never leaving her face. "I'm ready whenever you are."
"Good, we leave immediately," the young Nord said as he brushed past the Imperial. He turned and locked eyes with Aela. "Aela, You're in charge while I'm out."
The Huntress merely nodded in reply. With that, Ria and the Harbinger made their way to the Wind District. A mistake the young leader immediately regretted. Within seconds, the Harbinger found himself surrounded by admirers, well-wishers and all around fans of his exploits.
"Is it always like this for you?" Ria inquired as she tried her best to stay close to the young Nord in the ever increasing crowd of admirers.
The Harbinger frowned. "Just about."
From his peripheral, the Harbinger noticed a path being created within the crowd of people. Emerging from the large mob was none other than Irileth, Housecarl to Jarl Balgruuf. She eyed the two Companions curiously before breaking her silence.
"Jarl Balgruuf wishes to speak with you."
-Dragonsreach-
"Are you sure about this, Farengar?" Balgruuf inquired to his court wizard. "I've heard the tales about that place. I don't want to send the boy to his death over an object that may or may not even exist."
Farengar waved his hand in dismissal. "True, we don't know if the stone exists or not. But if it does, the knowledge it holds would prove most valuable, and who better to look in to retrieving it than our own resident Jackal slayer."
Lisaa, who had been quiet for the majority of the time finally spoke up. "The Harbinger is not some servant you can just order around, Farengar," she argued, never bothering to hide the disdain in her voice. "He is a Companion, his job is to help to people of Skyrim, not go exploring in some old ruin."
"With all do respect Lady Lisaa, We have no idea who the boy even is," Farengar pointed out. "We know that he is the one who leads the Companions, that is certain. But we have no information as to who he is exactly. Oblivion, we don't even know his name, he refuses to reveal it from what I hear. Who's to say he's not some wanted criminal, or a serial killer?"
Lisaa glared angrily at the mage. "I cannot believe you would even think such a thing! For you to question his loyalty is to call my father's judgment of character into question!"
They turned to Balgruuf, who stood with his arms crossed and his eyes shut in thought. Farengar had a point. They knew nothing of the Harbinger's past or his deeds up until this point. Who knew what the boy had done before he came to Skyrim. Despite knowing next to nothing of his past, Balgruuf knew the young Harbinger was an individual who could be trusted.
"You needn't worry, Farengar," the Jarl assured the mage. "The Harbinger is one who can be trusted. Kodlak placed all his faith in the boy, something I've never seen him do with any of the new-bloods that came before him. I have no doubt that the boy is loyal to Whiterun."
"As you say, Jarl." Farengar said with a bow.
Hearing the sound of footsteps Balgruuf turned to the doorway and was rewarded with the sight of Irileth, the Harbinger and a young Imperial woman. He opened his mouth to greet the young leader but found himself cut off by his court mage.
"Ah, our young Jackal killer graces us with his presence, and I see you've brought a friend."
"We're on an important job," the Harbinger deadpanned, not wanting to hear any of the mage's condescending remarks. "I'd appreciate it if you skipped the formalities and get to the point of all this."
"Hmm, it seems a lack of manners is something all Companions share." Farengar quipped, earning himself a steely glare from the Harbinger.
"Enough, Farengar." the Jarl ordered. "Just fill him in on the situation."
"Very well," the mage pulled out a map of Skyrim and placed it on his desk before putting a finger on the dark blob with the name Whiterun. "We are here. South-West of where we are lies Bleak Falls Barrow. According to the myths, Bleak Falls houses the legendary Dragon Stone."
Ria furrowed her brow in confusion. "I don't see how this has anything to do with us."
The Harbinger let a large smirk for on his lips. "Don't you get it? Farengar obviously wants us to retrieve the stone from the barrow, am I right?"
Farengar nodded. "Indeed, but there's a bit of a catch. According to the records, no one has ever managed to retrieve the artifact. So its safe to assume its still inside. But, there's also a chance the stone may not even exist, as no one has seen it for hundreds of years."
"Wait a minute," Ria began, annoyance apparent in her voice. "You want us to explore some old ruin in order to retrieve some stone that may or may not exist?"
"I'm in agreement with Ria," the Harbinger stated. "Why go through all the trouble of looking for an old slab of rock that may not even be real?"
"A good question," Farengar piped. "What is actually on the stone varies with each retelling, but all agree on this: The stone shows both a glimpse into the mind of the dragons and the location of several of their ancient burial sites. If dragons are indeed returning, any information we gain from this venture could prove useful in the future."
The Harbinger's blood went cold and his entire body stiffened slightly. "Is that what this was about?" he asked the mage. "Dragons?"
"Unfortunately, it is." Balgruuf said grimly. The Harbinger and Ria turned to face the Jarl. "We've had eight sighting of what appeared to be a dragon in the last week alone. I don't want the fate of Helgen to befall the city of Whiterun. If there's anything we can do to better prepare ourselves for a dragon attack, I will take whatever steps necessary to ensure the city's survival."
The Harbinger let out a heavy sigh. There was no way that he could decline the mage's request, not when the very lives of the city's people depended on the mythical stone. But, there was a silver lining beyond the dark fog. The Harbinger decided to make their decent into Bleak Falls part of Ria's acceptance test. What better way to judge how she reacted under pressure than to explore some dark Nordic ruin that could be crawling with gods know what.
"Very well," the young Nord started. "We will search for this… Dragon Stone of yours."
Farengar practically beamed. "Wonderful! I will-"
"After we have finished with our current task," the Harbinger said. Cutting the mage's words short. "Riverwood is in need of assistance. Bandits have been raiding the town and have already killed three people, two of them guardsmen."
"Well, then you two are in luck," Farengar chirped, looking very pleased with what he was about to tell the two Companions. "Coincidentally, Bleak Falls is in the same area as Riverwood. If I were you, I'd get going as soon as possible."
Deciding to deal with the Mage's smug remarks another day, the Harbinger turned on his heals and started for the exit, Ria close behind.
"Be careful, Habinger," Balgruuf suddenly warned. "That stone may indeed hold information we can use against the Dragons, but I don't want you to lose your lives over it. Please, take care of yourselves."
The young Nord gave the Jarl a light nod before briefly looking over to his daughter. She had the look again, the same one she had when he was to face the Jackal. Why she had that look about her was anyone's guess, but he had no time to concern himself with the thoughts of women. He had a town to save.
Turning from the blonde, the Harbinger and his shield-sibling promptly walked out of the mage's study and made their way out of Dragonsreach.
Farengar made his way to Balgruuf's side and folded his arms. "Do you think he'll succeed?" he inquired, feeling slightly guilty about sending the young leader on such a dangerous quest. "I'm aware that his skills with a blade are top class, but-"
"If that stone does in fact exist, then he'll be the one to find it." Balgruuf assured the mage.
Lisaa cupped her hands together and squeezed them tight, silently hoping for the warrior's safe return.
-Whiterun: Plains District-
Ria quietly strode beside the Harbinger as they made their way towards the main gate. The young Nord hadn't uttered a single word since they'd left Dragonsreach. Ria wondered if he was feeling slightly fearful about the job they had just accepted, but quickly crushed the absurd thought. Her Harbinger was many things, but fearful was defiantly not one of them.
Upon reaching the Whiterun gates, the Harbinger finally broke his silence. "You've been awfully quiet Ria, something bothering you?"
Ria gave the Nord a quizzical look. "I could ask the same of you, Harbinger."
The guardsman who stood at the gate gave them a respectful nod and opened the barrier. The two Companions continued on, making their way to the carriage transport posted outside the walls. Spotting the two warriors, the driver gave them a wave.
"Hey, need a ride? I can take ya to any of the hold capitals."
"We seek travel to Riverwood." the Harbinger said as he gave the driver a small bag of coins.
"Alright, climb in and we'll be off."
The Harbinger, in a rare display of gentleman like courtesy, took the Imperial by the hand and helped her into the carriage.
Ria gave him a sly smile. "What's this? The mighty Harbinger helping me into a carriage? You must be a lot more nervous about this job than I thought."
"Nervous?" the Nord started as he climbed into the cart. "You truly believe me to be apprehensive about a group of ill trained criminals?"
"There's a first time for everything." the Imperial quipped.
The Harbinger let a tiny smile spread across his lips. He had never taken Ria as his shield sibling on any of the jobs he had ever been on, instead opting to travel alone and be left to his thoughts. This job in particular would prove most interesting.
-White River Watch-
It had been a good week for Hajvarr and his crew. The Jarl of Whiterun had been so preoccupied with attacks from the Jackal and the day to day affairs of the city that his constant assault on Riverwood and the trading caravans went almost unnoticed. A few of the guards posted in the small town had once attempted to raid the cave which they were stationed, but had been completely routed and driven out.
White River Watch was an ideal spot to make their base of operations. The overlook offered a view of the roads of Whiterun, making spotting traders and potential threats easy. The cave had previously been inhabited by another group of bandits weeks prior, but they had apparently been eradicated by the Companions. Not that the current residents were complaining.
Hajvarr sat at a small table sorting out the spoils of their most recent raid, the people of Riverwood were a lot more wealthy than they led on. Particularly the Imperial who was in charge of the towns general goods shop. The bandit leader gave a sinister grin as he remembered the day of their attack. They had spared most of the towns populace during the raid, save for two guards and a rather bold citizen who'd foolishly tried to stop them.
The bandit leader smiled as he placed the groups loot in the large chest to his left.
"Boss, we got movement!"
Hajvarr sprang to his feet and quickly made his way to the ledge. The bandit leader stood on the edge of the mountain and smiled.
"Well lick my hole," he snickered as he watched a carriage carrying two occupants. From the looks of their route, they appeared to be heading to Riverwood. "Looks like we got ourselves a couple of travelers."
"You want me to send some of the boys to ambush them?" the scout asked as he prepared to alert the others inside.
Hajvarr shook his head. "No, let them pass," he told the scout. "We'll give them a proper greeting in Riverwood."
-Riverwood-
The Harbinger could feel the tension in the air as he and Ria arrived in the small town of Riverwood. People went about their daily routines as any other day of the week, but had looks of fear plastered to their faces. The usual laughter of children had all but vanished and the remaining guards seemed to jump at even the sound of rustling trees.
Whoever these bandits were, they seemed to have put the fear of the gods in the townsfolk. When the carriage finally came to a stop, the two Companions gathered their belongings and hopped off.
After a quick survey of the small town, Ria finally spoke. "Strange," she said in a hushed voice. "Njada and I have been sent here many times. The people here are usually so lively. It's a little off-putting to see everyone so… afraid."
"I'm not surprised," the Harbinger said. "Most bandits groups would usually kill the town's inhabitants after their raids. The fact that they're letting the townsfolk and the guards live tells me that they're trying to make a statement."
Ria raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"That they are the ones who are in control of their fate. That they make the rules, and decides who lives and who dies."
Ria opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by a nearby argument between a man and woman. From what she could hear, thieves had broken into their store and stolen an incredibly valuable item. The woman wanted to take matter into her own hands and pursue the criminals to their hideout, but was cut short by the male who forbade her taking any immediate action.
"Sounds like those people's business was broken into," Ria observed as they walked past the general store. "Whatever the thieves took must've been really valuable."
"Strike it from your mind," the Harbinger ordered, eyes still faced forward. "Turn thoughts towards the task at hand. Unless they ask for the assistance of the Companions, their problem is not our concern."
Ria nodded. "Yes, Harbinger."
As they passed the local smithy, one of the town guards approached them.
"Is this it? Are you the only two they sent!?" the guard all but shouted, earning them confused glances from a few passing townspeople.
"Two Companions are more than enough, I assure you." the Harbinger said, his face devoid of any emotion.
Even behind his helmet Ria could tell the man was staring daggers at the young leader, and his body language was slightly hostile as well. "Look, while I'm glad to have you at our backs, our chances of victory are still slim to none."
Ria shifted. "How so?"
The guards shoulders dropped slightly. "Those damn bandits did a real number on us. They came out of nowhere, tons of them, started attacking anything that moved. We tried to stop them, but there were to many. In the end, most of us were beaten to a pulp and two more of the men were killed."
The Harbinger crossed his arms over his chest. "And the civilian?"
The guard's head hung low. "Erval, he helped defend the town when the Bandits attacked," he said sadly. "He was ran through after he killed three of the raiders. He was a good man, and… my friend as well."
The Harbinger placed a hand on the guards shoulder. "We will see all responsible to the afterlife, you have my word."
"Thank you, Companion. But we still have a problem. Most of our injuries have yet to heal. Lucan Valerius gave us some potions, put it was only enough to get us on our feet again, we're not in a fighting condition. that's why I had hoped more of you would come."
"How many of there are you left?" the young leader asked.
The guard shrugged. "About eight of us, including myself."
Frowning, the Harbinger pulled his knapsack of his back and began to rummage through its contents. He pulled out an extremely large bottle filled with a red liquid and handed it to the guard.
"Take this, and divide it amongst your men. There should be more than enough for all of you."
The guard stared at the bottle of elixir for a quick moment before looking back to the Harbinger. "What is it?"
The young leader shook his head. "It's a potion of ultimate healing," he said, trying to keep the irritation in his voice to a minimum. "Drink it and you and the other guardsmen will be back to fighting condition. Ria and I will prepare for the bandit's arrival."
The guard gave a light shudder. "Arrival? You don't mean-"
"On our way here I spotted two men atop White River Watch observing our carriage. I have no doubt in my mind that they will attack the town very soon."
"What are we going to do, Harbinger?" Ria inquired, a hint of worry in her tone. "It is only the two of us plus the eight guards. From what this man tells us, the bandits have the superior numbers. How are we expected to win?"
"Wait, you're the Harbinger of the Companions? The same one who defeated the Jackal?"
"Let me worry about that," the Nord retorted, ignoring the guards reaction to discovering his identity. "Just make sure you're ready when the time comes," he turned to the guard. "Go, deliver the potion to the other guardsmen and return swiftly. There is something I would have you do."
The guard put his fist on his chest. "Yes, Harbinger!"
The man took off towards the inn, trailing dust is he went. The Harbinger turned to the young Imperial beside him. "I'm going to go lay some traps around the town. In the meantime, I want you to prepare yourself for the battle. Make sure you watch yourself out there Ria, if you aren't clear to your purpose, you will fall to the afterlife. Understand?"
The Imperial nodded, fire raging in her eyes. "Yes, Harbinger!"
As the young leader turned, a laugh belonging to a voice he'd never heard filled his ears.
"Well, well, well… this is a surprise. The slayer of the Jackal back on his feet and already on the job. I must say, I'm very impressed."
Turning to face the owner of the voice, the Harbinger grimaced. He had never once laid eyes upon the man, yet he immediately knew who he was currently looking upon. Standing before him, clad head to toe in Elven light armor and escorted by a large Redguard and a lithe looking Imperial woman, was none other than Pericles.
The Harbinger's grimace had not left his face even as the three warriors began to slowly approach him.
"Fuck the gods…"
"Hey, you're awake." a blonde haired Nord said. The future Harbinger lifted his head wearily, grimacing from the pain that followed. His gaze fell upon five other Nords, one of which was gagged by a white cloth, the other a scrawny looking fellow with unkempt brown hair dressed in rags.
"Hey," the blonde Stormcloak continued. "You were trying to cross the border right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us."
Again, there was silence. The future Harbinger didn't feel particularly chatty at that moment, what with the constant pain that throbbed on the back of his head. As his vision began to become less blurred, he took a moment to asses his predicament. He was currently being carted off to destinations unknown by what appeared to be Legion officers, bound by the wrist like the others in the carriage with him. He noticed, to his surprise, that instead of the simple rope bindings, he was held in strong steel cuffs.
"Why in Oblivion am I the only one in chains?" he thought.
"So," the blonde haired Nord started. "What's your story? What reasons do you have for returning home at a time like this?"
The future Harbinger's eyes fell to the floor, a frown forming on his lips. His story was one that he did not wish to remember, nor share with a complete stranger. The young Nord locked eyes with the blonde's, and gave a simple answer. "My own."
The Harbinger heaved out a long, tired sigh. He was never one to look back on his past, yet the Helgen incident had somehow found a way to resurface and plague his thoughts. His thoughts, however, were interrupted by the sounds of multiple footsteps approaching. A moment later, Pericles and his comrades stood before him. Though he wasn't fond of the man, the Harbinger had decided to place his personal feelings aside and allow Pericles and his friends to assist with their job.
"Your traps are all set," the blonde haired Nord informed him. "All there is to do is wait."
The Harbinger nodded. "Good, are you three prepared for this?"
Avik slammed his fist into his ebony clad chest. "We're always ready for a fight."
"We'll see. Now, where is Ria?"
"I'm here," the Imperial said as she made her way towards the group. "Is everything in place?"
"We have everything set," Avik answered. "All we have to do is wait for-"
Suddenly, the sound of a war horn pierced the sky. Moments later, the eight guardsmen came running up the ramp.
"They're nearly here," one of them announced. "We're ready whenever you are, Harbinger."
"Very well," the Harbinger said. "Let us begin the festivities."
"Alright boys, you know the drill!" Hajvarr shouted as they passed the small bridge leading to the town.. "Take anything of value, kill anyone who gets in your way!"
The bandits raised their weapons in the air and shouted war cries before charging the town. As he ran along with his men, a faint sparkle on the ground ahead caught Hajvarr's eye. After a moment of sifting through his memory, realization and terror struck the bandit leader like a ton of stones.
"HALT! STOP THE CHARGE YOU FOOLS, IT'S A TRAP!"
Before the bandits could even register what their boss had just told them, the fires of Oblivion were unleashed upon them.
The Harbinger could not help but grin as the many fire and lighting runes were set off almost simultaneously. The bandits were in a state of panic, shouting to the heavens as more and more of the arcane traps were triggered and even more of their comrades were blown to bits or electrocuted to death. The smell of burning flesh soon permeated the air, filling the nostrils of anyone within the vicinity.
By the time all the runes had been set off, the number of bandits had been cut in half. The charred remains of the bandits that had walked into the traps lay sprawled across the floor, their limbs either completely blown off or bent in awkward positions. The remaining bandits stood flummoxed, still trying to register what had just transpired.
The Harbinger drew his twin blades and turned to Ria and the other fighters. "Now!"
Not wasting any time, Ria and the others drew their weapons and charged into the multitude of enemies. Livia was the first to draw blood, burying her sword deep into one of the criminal's stomach. Avik raised his giant ebony battleaxe and brought it down upon the head of an unfortunate Dark Elf, splitting it in two and spewing blood in all directions. A rather large Imperial bandit attempted to bring his war hammer down upon Pericles, only for the Nord to sidestep the attack and drive his blade through his skull.
Ria's shield impacted against another bandits windpipe with a sickening crack. The man fell to the floor, his mouth bubbling with blood until he ceased to move. Ria turned just in time to see a large, menacing looking Orc with a large war hammer over his head charging right at her, saliva dripping from his mouth as he went. The Imperial crouched down and brought her shield up, something she immediately regretted. The Osmir's weapon slammed into her shield, sending violent vibrations through her arm.
She let out a single grunt of pain before she lashed out with a counterattack. Her blade slipped through the folds of the Orc's armor and embedded itself in his abdomen. The Osmir snarled in pain and slammed the butt of his hammer into the woman's head. Ria reeled backward, the world around her spinning from the dizziness the blow brought about. The Orc again raised his weapon high above his head, fully intent on finishing the little Imperial off.
But Ria had other plans. Rolling away from the death blow, she quickly sprang to her feet and swung her sword upwards and was rewarded with the satisfying sight of blood erupting from the Orc's throat. Heaving out a tired sigh, Ria turned to search for any sign of her Harbinger. What she saw next was remarkable. The Harbinger was engaged in combat with a least four bandits of varying sizes and weaponry. The criminals laughed and jeered in arrogance as they hounded the young leader with a barrage of relentless attacks, reveling in the high that accompanied battle.
One of the bandits suddenly thrust his weapon forward, attempting to skewer the young Nord. With battle honed reflexes, the Harbinger sidestepped the attack and slashed at the outlaw's arm before driving his second blade through his neck. With one of their allies killed, the three remaining bandits started to charge the young Nord. But the Harbinger was already upon them. Ria was speechless, she had never seen anyone fight the way the young leader did.
The way he moved, the speed and precision of his attacks, his superhuman-like reflexes. All of these combined with his deadly skill with a sword made it seemingly impossible for any foe to stand against him. Ria was so enthralled by her leader's combat prowess that she almost didn't hear the battle cry of a bandit behind her. Spinning on her heels, the Imperial raised her shield just in time to stop a mace from caving her pretty face in.
Ria stepped back, putting some distance between her and her attacker. The bandit was an unexpectedly muscular Khajiit clad in tight leather armor and wielded two steel maces. His large cat eyes locked with her own as he began to circle the young Imperial. Ria stood her ground, shield held in front of her and sword at her side, ready for the onslaught to come.
With a feral roar, the Khajiit lunged forward and attacked. He raised the two maces over his head brought them down upon the Imperial. Ria jumped out of the mace's path and countered with a forward thrust, but the agile cat man rolled away, the blade just missing him by mere inches. The Imperial pressed the attack, not wanting to give the bandit time to retaliate.
The Khajiit grunted in frustration as he struggled to parry the blitzkrieg of relentless sword strikes the woman was dishing out. He attempted to roll off to the side to put some distance between himself and the Imperial. Instead, his face met the edge of Ria's shield. The bandit's head snapped back from the force of the impact and he feel to the floor in a bloody heap. Ria drove her sword through the cat's gullet, twisting the blade before yanking it free.
As she withdrew her blade from the corpse, another one of the outlaws fell upon her. He lifted a massive Orcish battleaxe high in the air and brought it down. Ria froze solid. The bandit was much to close for her to block or move out of the path of the attack, and there was no way she could take being hit with a weapon of that size without being cleaved in two. She was helpless and could only watch in disbelief as the gigantic axe inched ever closer to send her to the afterlife.
Damn…
Suddenly, the blades of two steel swords came bursting through the man's chest, showering the Imperial in a fountain of blood . The Harbinger lifted the outlaw off his feet before violently slamming him onto the floor. Ria looked up at the young leader, the shock of the ordeal still plastered upon her features.
"Harbinger, I-"
"Save your words for another time," he said as he sheathed his dual blades and helped her to her feet. "The bandit chief's forces have been taken care of, he's the only one who remains."
Ria looked over to see the bandit leader on his knees with his hands bound behind his back. The eight guardsmen, Pericles, Livia and Avik stood surrounding the man, weapons drawn and ready to send him to the afterlife if he tried anything. As they approached the group of warriors, the people of Riverwood came flooding out of their homes. The Harbinger frowned as he, Ria and the others were swallowed by the mob of townsfolk, thanking them for saving them and their city. He was shaking the hand of the local sword smith Alvor when one of the guards approached him.
"Now that we have Hajvarr in custody the people can get back to their lives," he told them. "We'll have a crew remove the bodies and clean the surrounding area. Thank you for everything you've done Companions, I doubt we could have done this without you."
The guard bowed his head in respect before he turned and left the two Companions.
"No that that's done," Ria started with a sigh. "I suppose we'll be heading to Bleak Falls?"
"Excuse me, did I hear you say you were going to Bleak Falls?"
The two Companions turned and were greeted with the sight of an Imperial wearing a red tunic, tan trousers and brown leather boots. The Harbinger stared at the man, tying to decide if he was trustworthy or a potential threat. After a few moments, the young warrior relaxed a bit and replied.
"We are."
The man gave a delighted smile, something that gave the Harbinger a bad feeling. The barrow was rumored to be crawling with all manner of foul creatures and riddled with booby traps. The fact that this man was smiling about them going there could only mean one thing.
"My name is Lucan, I own the general goods store here in town." he explained. "How would you like to help me with a little… problem of mine."
Hello everyone, its Zero again. First off, let me apologize for the lateness of this chapter. I know every time I apologize you guys tell me that its okay, but I still feel the need to say it. Now, I KNOW I said that this chapter would be the one with Bleak Falls, and I KNOW that I said I would reveal the Harbinger's name. The thing is, I had some setbacks with the length of this chapter. While it's long, I didn't want to include Bleak Falls because I would have had a forty to fifty page chapter on my hands. Plus, I wanted to have a chapter with Ria and the Harbinger interacting with each other. But I promise you, the next chapter WILL have both Bleak Falls AND the revelation of the Harbinger's name, not to mention the very first Dragon fight!
I would also like to send a shout out to all the people who have taken to time to favorite, follow and review my story, its greatly appreciated and motivates me to keep on typing. Anyway, until the next chapter!
~Bang