A/N- Here's the next chapter in Endure (that's it's little codename). Hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter. Also, PM me if you have any ideas for the story. I'll be sure to look over them :)
Rayne figured she'd wait a while before telling Forlyn the bad news. Telling him now would lessen his courage, and Rayne needed all the courage she could get, especially since the battle would be very, very soon.
Rayne, Forlyn, and Ulfric were listening to Teldryn's scout reports. "Apparently, the Spirit of Boethiah have set up camp in Kynesgrove, where their first assault will come from. In a day, a ship will be harboring itself at the docks, loaded with Spirit Of Boethiah clan members. And finally, they will surround the city with members, and will burn it to the ground... Well, according to their plans, at least. We musn't let that happen." Teldryn pointed to each location he mentioned to on the map.
"Alright," Unfric began, "I want the docks cleared. Send the argonians down there to the New Gnisis Cornerclub, along with the rest of the dark elves. Get the rest of the citizens to the Candlehearth Hall, where we will barricade the doors. I want guards and soldiers covering every single corner of this city. We need to be ready. Set up the barricades outside of the city, and protect the docks. Teldryn, I want you to get your spy here, and now. The battle will be soon, and we must be ready." Teldryn nodded, heading straight for the couriers quarters. "Forlyn, spread the word of the battle that is to come, " Ulfric said, "and Rayne, get your archers on the wooden walkways we set up earlier this week." Forlyn and Rayne nodded, leaving the room to commence their duties.
A few hours later...
Rayne stood on the wooden walkway at the front of the city, watching as the snow fell outside the city walls, the wind blowing calmly. On the bridge below, wooden barricades were set up, Stormcloak soldiers guaring them. She turned to her left to see her fellow archers, hunting bows in hand, ready to strike. She looked at the hunting bow in her hand, her steel nordic gauntlets fitting comfortable, along with her steel cuffed boots, and steel armor, with a hood attatched.
She readied a steel arrow on her bow a hooded man approached the barricades. He showed the guards a paper, and they let him in. Must be Teldryns spy, Rayne thought to herself. She loosened her grip on the bow. Tensions were high the past few hours, knowing the Spirit of Boethiah could attack at any minute. The city had been evacuated into the Candlehearth Inn and the New Gnisis Cornerclub, the doors barricaded, with five guards inside each structure. Now it was up to the Stormcloak army to protect the city.
Rayne stopped mid thought, observing the tree's ahead. Then she saw it. The glint of armor. She knew that this was it. Then the Spirit of Boethiah clan members emerged from the trees, launching a full-scale assault on the front of the city. Rayne readied an arrow, the archers doing the same, and began to rain hell on the clan members... But it didn't seem to affect them. Rayne watched as an arrow hit one of the clan members, and noticed a protective aura surrounding the soldiers. She searched the large group for a mage, but she never did see one. Looking up, she saw a large, swirling mass of black and red forming above the group, blocking out the sun. The battle still ensued below as the swirling mass took form. She watched as it manifested itself to its true form. "Boethiah..." Rayne said.
The Daedric prince lowered himself to the ground, sizing himself to the size of a man, the black and red cloud still floating above, covering the city in darkness. Boethiah walked through the battling crowd, killing Stormcloaks by touching them, consuming their power. Rayne quickly aimed for Boethaih with her bow, and released an arrow at his eye. It passed right through it. He looked up, and saw Rayne. She ducked as he sent a fireball in her direction. She ducked, and quickly descended the wooden platform, and to the ground.
She quickly approached Ulfric, who was standing guard on the ground inbetween the inn and the main gates. "Ulfric," she began, "Boethiah is with them." When Ulfric heard this, he gripped his weapon tighter. "Let him come." At this point, Rayne could see the aura around him, signalling that he has the power of the Thu'um, but the aura isn't strong enough to signify him as Dragonborn. Then she remembered. She is Dragonborn. Her courage quickly increased, and she sheathed her bow, pulling out her steel sword, a fireball spell in her left hand.
Forlyn walked up beside Rayne, his sword in hand, and a steel shield in his left. She nodded, aknowledging he was there. For a moment, the battle ensuing outside went silent. Then the gates exploded open. Boethiah entered the city, floating on a large cloud of black smoke, red lines pulsing through it. Ulfric sent a wave of Unrelenting Force at Boethiah, but it didn't do anything. His shout is too weak, Rayne thought. She powered up her own shout, releasing it at Boethiah, which startled Boethiah, and Rayne sent a fireball spell at him. She heard someone send out a battle cry behind, her, and she turned to see that the clan had breached through the back of the city. Rayne turned to Forlyn, who was firing arrows at the clan members. Ulfric was doing the same. "Go ahead, Rayne. Forlyn and I will keep them busy," Ulfric said. She nodded, and turned to face Boethiah while Forlyn and Ulfric charged the clan.
"Dragonborn," Boethiah began, "what a pleasure to see someone with such power. Too bad you have to die, though. Such a shame." Rayne ingored what he said, and shouted a wave of fire at him. He was unaltered by it. "Ha, ha, ha," He chuckled, "you must understand, Dovahkiin, I am immune to fire. Foolish." He sent a fireball at Rayne, which she quickly counteracted with a greater ward. The fireball's explosion knocked her back, destroying the ward. She quickly got back on her feet, and thought about what to do. Then it hit her. She shouted Ice Form at Boethiah, which injured him, and she sent ice spike after ice spike at him, wounding him.
Rayne called on Odahviing, who quickly showed up to fend off the large mass of Spirit Of Boethiah with Forlyn and Ulfric. Rayne quickly returned her attention to Boethiah, who was beginning to weaken. She kept on fighting, sending more ice spikes at him. "Is that all you've got, Dovahkiin? Come, then. Fight me," Boethiah taunted. Rayne pulled out her steel sword, gripping the hilt, and grabbing the steel shield off her back, holding it in her left hand, and charging in at Boethiah. When in range, Boethiah grabbed her by the throat, tightening his grip. She dropped her steel sword and shield, gripping at his hand. He grew, now twice the size on Rayne. She kept grabbing at his wrist. Then her vision faded.
A few hours later...
Rayne awoke on the ground, covered in cuts and bruises. She looked above, the sun bright. She looked around, bodies lay on the ground. She tried to sit herself up, hurting her midsection. She looked over and saw Teldryn, searcihng the bodies for life. He glanced over at Rayne, seeing that hse was alive, and rushed over. He picked her up, and carried her to the Palace of the Kings. The Candlehearth Inn had been destroyed. Rayne's vision had begun to fade in and out, again. It brought her back to the moment when she was being carried by Teldryn to the Temple of Kynareth in Whiterun after the incident with the Dark Brotherhood.
Inside the Palace of the Kings...
Te;dryn carried Rayne over to a table in the center of the main hall, Forlyn clearing a space on it for Rayne to rest on. She tried her best to stay awake, unaware of the large wound in her abdomen, blood spillin out of it. Forlyn quickly cast a healing spell, holding it over the wound. "Get me a cloth!" Forlyn said to Teldryn. Teldryn quickly followed orders, going to retrieve a few cloths. Ulfric rushed into the room, asking what was going on. "Rayne's taken some serious hits. We need to get her to a proper temple," Forlyn began, "but the temple here has been detroyed." Ulfric aknowledged what he said. "Did the priestess survive?" He asked Forlyn. Forlyn shook his head. "Then we need to get to Riften. The temple there should get us some help." Forlyn nodded, and Teldryn returned with the cloth. They tented to her wounds the best they could, and made way to Riften, knowing that nothing can be done for Windhelm.
Temple Of Mara, Riften...
Rayne awoke on a bed on the back of the temple, wearing a set of orangish robes. She sat up, her midsection hurting. She groaned, and layed back down. It wasn't much time before a dunmer prietess entered the room. "How are you feeling?" She asked. Rayne gathered her thoughs for a second berfore speaking. "I've been better," She began, "How long have I been out?" She asked.
"A few days, at most. You kept speaking in your sleep, but it was incomprehensible. Oh, and someone is here to see you. Goes by the name of Forlyn." The priestess left the room, and Forlyn entered the room. He sat on the chair next to the bed. He was dressed in a belted tunic, with hide boots. His head was shaved,, but had a large beard on his face. He had a scar that ran through his eye, and a large scar on the side of his face. Rayne could now see that he and Thrynn looked alike. She hesitated before asking what happened at the battle. "The Spirit of Boethiah had been slain, and Boethiah rained hell on the city, slaughtering everything within sight. You're lucky to be alive." He exhaled, and Rayne looked at the roof of the room. Her mind was racing with thoughts. She had to tell him what happened. It was burning inside her.
"Forlyn, can I tell you something?" She said with hesitation.
"Sure, what is it?" He responed, watching her.
She exhaled before speaking, knowing she'd regret telling him this. "Thrynn's dead," she began, watching Forlyn's expression change, "we were attacked by the Spirit of Boethiah on Solstheim. He died by an archer after the battle. He told me these exact words, 'Do not weep for me. You are strong. You will always be strong, I see it in you. You need to keep going, and wipe out those bastard-bandits. I'll see you in Sovngarde'." Tears began to well up in Rayne's eyes, and Forlyn, looked at the ground below him. Rayne looked over to him, and gripped his hand squeezing it. He squeezed back, assuring that it would be okay.
A/N- So, what'd you guys think? I thought it went pretty well. And no, before anyone asks, there will be no romantic relations between Rayne aanf Forlyn. They're just close friends. Please review what you thought, or Pm me, and have a good day :)
