The tunnels beneath the palace were pale and white, with soft light refracting through them, painting everything in an ethereal glow. Cobwebs littered the ceiling, and here and there the architecture was marred with cracked stones and signs of distress. Dark alcoves and balconies lined the walls. The musty stench was not so bad. The assassins, however, were something else entirely.
They were upon us almost as soon as we entered the tunnel. Their robes were the color of freshly spilled blood, their armor and blades glinting wickedly in the pale light. I stood off to the back, in the shadows, where the assassins didn't seem to notice my presence. I was not worried, for I knew that the blades would keep the Emperor safe. Or- at least- that's what I had believed.
But they moved faster than I could follow, steel glistening with blood, and before I even realized something was wrong, a soft sigh broke the silence, which was only otherwise broken by the clash of blades.
The Breton captain, whom was in command of the entire escape up until that point, fell before me, dropping as if she were a puppet whose strings were cut. She was replaced by a cultist assassin, who spotted me in the corner and made for me with slow steps. The cultist seemed amused by my lack of weapons, and stepped in for a mortal blow without preparing himself for a counterattack. I ducked beneath the slash of his shortsword and flung myself for all I was worth at the body of the lifeless captain, who was still clasping her bloodied Akiviri katana.
The assassin turned about as I rolled to my feet, thrusting the curved blade into the eye of the cultist.
Adrenaline made me quake in my shackles as I stood there, watching the cultist's armor disappear in a shimmer of crimson. Then silence fell upon us once again.
The redguard was upon me immediately, the blade of his sword resting against the nape of my neck.
"Sire, this prisoner stole Captain Renault's sword!"
"He used it to defend himself from an assassin."
"But sire-"
"How is the captain, Baurus?" the Emperor asked softly.
Baurus, the redguard, turned his gaze to the darkness where her body lay. In the quiet stillness, not a single breath could be heard.
"I'm sorry, sire, she didn't make it."
Uriel nodded, blinking hard. "Then let this man keep her blade, he has earned it."
"Sire, I must protest-"
Uriel turned his milky gaze upon Baurus, who seemed pinned in place by those intense eyes. "I can assure you, Baurus, this prisoner will not harm me in any way. I would stake my life on it."
Baurus released me and knelt before his liege, but I could still hear him speaking quietly. "But sire… how can you be so sure?"
"Because I have seen it," the old man said simply. "Lead on, my faithful Blade."
As the group began to venture further into the tunnels, I took the opportunity to adjust my wardrobe. I took off my heavy shackles thanks to a key on the captain's body, and then took the robes from the cultist I'd slain for my own. They were much less breezy than my tattered shirt and trousers, which was a huge relief in the chill of the tunnels. Finally, I strapped Renaults' sword to my waist, and hurried after the bobbing torchlight of the Emperor's guard.
When I finally caught up with them, the imperial blade was unlocking a heavy iron gate with a set of rusted keys. The redguard, Baurus, held up a hand, motioning for me to halt.
"You stay here, prisoner. Don't try to follow us."
And with that, I was left alone in a dark tunnel, with nothing but corpses for company. I spent a few minutes scavenging the bodies of the fallen cultists and found a few potions of use, but I could find no way out. I thought about going back the way I had come, but that didn't seem viable. No, I had to move forward, but where? Where?!
In my frustration, I slammed the heavy iron gate closed with all my strength, making the air reverberate. Then, I heard a deafening crack, and a section of wall off to my right caved in upon itself.
I stood stock still in disbelief, dust swirling around me as I gazed at the passage that had just opened. I almost thought it was a miracle. Then, two large rats flew at me from the unsettled dust. The first one narrowly missed me, its sharp teeth skating across the blade of my sword as I parried. The other was more accurate, and pounced upon my chest. It sank its teeth into me, and I hollered in fear and pain.
The other rat, recovering from its failed dive at me, skittered around and sank its teeth into my ankle. I cried out, dropping my sword, and doing my utmost to keep the rat on my chest from clawing out my eyes.
Panic and pain awoke something within me, and I burned with an unfamiliar energy. My hands were wreathed in thin flames, and I pressed them against the rat on my chest. It squeaked and squealed piteously before falling to the floor, writhing in agony.
The second one clamped down upon me even harder, and hot blood seeped from the wound in my ankle. I grit my teeth and pointed a finger at the rat, channeling my anger into a single beam of flame, which struck the rat in the behind. At once, I felt relief as it ran away, its hind raw and smoking. I took a seat upon the floor of the tunnel and looked up at the ceiling. If the Divines were watching me, they were probably laughing at my failure of a struggle with two rats. It took a few seconds before I realized what I had done, though. I had used magicka- something I had vowed to never do. Sure, it had been a life or death situation, but that was no excuse. Or was it? My parents gave their lives to the study of magic. Would it be so wrong for me to pursue it as well? I put these thoughts aside for later. With shaky hands I uncorked a healing potion and dribbled it upon my wounds before downing the rest of the bottle. Heat suffused my injuries, and I felt a peculiar itch as the gaping hole in my ankle closed.
After resting for a few more minutes, I retrieved Renaults' blade from the floor, next to the charred rat, which was still jerking slightly. With a sneer, I sank my blade into its neck, and it ceased moving altogether.
"I fucking hate rats," I said to no one in particular.
Drawing my hood over my head, I set off into the passage in the wall, moving forward, step by unsteady step.
One long, winding jaunt through goblin and rat infested catacombs later, I found myself once again surrounded by the white stone brick underneath the Imperial City. My pockets were a little heavier with potions, lockpicks, and a few gold coins, and I had a goblin shaman's staff slung across my back. It was gaudy, to be sure, but it had a particularly effective lightning enchantment that I was sure would come in handy.
I jumped down from a high ledge, and found myself standing in a dark alcove, watching the Emperor and his guards trudge through the tunnels.
The redguards eyes narrowed, as if he could sense someone watching him. He drew his blade in a flash of steel, "Here they come again!"
And sure enough, more assassins poured from out of nowhere. In what seemed like no time at all, Baurus and his imperial counterpart dispatched the lot of them, and I revealed myself to the group.
"Dammit, it's that prisoner again!" the imperial man seethed, stalking up to me with his bloodied sword in hand, "kill him! He might be working with the assassins!"
"I may be dressed in their robes, but that is only because I dislike wearing sackcloth shirts and trousers," I pointed out coldly, noting the dislike in the imperial's eyes.
Again, the Emperor came to my unlikely rescue, "No, he is not one of them. He can help us. He must help us."
At his calming voice, the guardsmen grew silent, and the imperial sheathed his blade.
"As you wish, sire," he said before trodding further down the tunnel, his head hanging.
The ruler of the Empire strode up to me, watching his protector go with sad eyes.
"They cannot understand why I trust you," he said to me, "they cannot see what I've seen."
The Emperor turned his bright eyes to me, and he looked as if he were the one who needed answers. "How can I explain… You know of the Nine? How They guide our fates with an invisible hand?"
"Aye, I've heard of the Nine," I said shortly.
The Emperor raised an eyebrow. "Yet you don't sound like you believe in their goodwill."
I shrugged. "They've yet to give me a reason to."
Uriel nodded understandingly, "I've served the Nine all my days, and I chart my course by the cycles of the heavens. The skies are marked by numberless sparks, each a fire, and every one a sign. I know these stars well, and I wonder… what sign marked your birth?"
"The mage," I said carelessly. "As my parents were so keen on reminding me."
"The signs I read show the end of my path," Uriel told me solemnly, "My death, a necessary end, will come when it will come."
I met his eyes. "And what of me?"
He flashed a brief smile at me. "Your stars are not mine, friend. Today, the Mage shall light your way on the paths of glory. As for me… I go to my grave. A tongue shriller than all the music calls me. You shall follow me yet, for a while. And then we must part."
The Emperor laid a hand upon my shoulder, and I nodded, falling into step behind him as he marched to his doom.
The Blades and I fought well, each of us taking up one side of the Emperor's guard as we cut through wave after wave of assassins. The tunnels grew darker, and still we pressed on, winding down into the earth so deep that I began to wonder if I would ever see daylight again. Time passed slowly, with the minutes feeling like hours. Blood flew through the air and painted the white stones dark.
But in the end, it was still not enough.
A locked gate barred our escape route, and so we doubled back to a side passage, but it was another dead end. We were closed off, sealed in, with nowhere to go. The weight of the city over my head almost felt tangible, as if it were bearing down upon me. Or perhaps it was fate. Either way, a heaviness hung in the air. The Emperor looked calm and collected, but I could see the way his eyes were drawn to the shadows in the corners. He was beginning to slow down, his movements were labored and his breaths were shallow. He wouldn't be able to hold up to the fighting much longer.
"What's your call, sir?" Baurus asked of the old man.
Uriel frowned, thinking hard, when a noise from outside the room caught our attention. It was the soft scuff of steel as a blade was drawn.
"They're behind us!" the imperial realized, "Baurus, let's go! For the Emperor!"
And with that, he charged into the darkness. Baurus stood between me and the Emperor, looking torn. He must have decided I was not as much of a threat as the cultists, because he turned to me and commanded, "Stick close to the Emperor. Guard him with your life!"
And with that, he drew his katana, and charged after his comrade, leaving the Emperor alone with a man dressed as a cultist.
The sounds of battle echoed into our chamber, growing closer and more distinct with each second. I gripped my blade tightly, adjusting and readjusting my grip upon its hilt. A shudder passed over Uriel, and with trembling hands, he took the ruby-adorned amulet from his neck and put it in my hand. It was warmer than I expected, as if it burned with a fire all its own. I nearly dropped the damn thing, which probably would've given the Emperor a heart attack.
"I can go no further," he muttered desperately, "You alone must stand against the Prince of Destruction and his mortal servants. He must not have the Amulet of Kings! Take the Amulet, give it to Jauffre! He alone knows where to find my last son!"
I froze in place, unsure of what to do next. In one hand I had the sword of a dead Blades captain, and in the other I carried the Amulet of Kings, and the fate of the world. Uriel Septim gripped my forearm in a vise.
"Find him, and close shut the jaws of Oblivion."
I felt as if a spark had passed between myself and the Emperor. This was his dying wish, and I was obliged to see it through to the very end. I watched in horror as a panel slid open in an alcove, and from it emerged a cultist in red robes and silver armor. The Emperor's eyes bored into me like spears, and then they closed. He made no move to resist as the assassin brought his blade to the Emperor's throat, and pulled. The ruler of Tamriel fell to the ground dead, as waves crashed in my ears.
The assassin wiped the blood from the blade of his dagger upon his robe. With a snap of his fingers, the helmet he wore dissolved, revealing the slim, sharp features of a high elf.
"Stranger, you chose a bad day to take up with the cause of the Septims."
His eyes flashed to my hand, which was clutched tightly about the golden chain that held the Amulet of Kings. With a smirk, the high elf held out a hand.
"Give me the Amulet."
I slipped it into the pocket of my robe, "Take it from me, if you can."
The elf's smile grew wider, revealing white teeth that he gnashed together in frustration. "With pleasure!"
The dagger he had used to kill the Emperor glowed with a fell energy as the elf struck at me. I stepped clear of the blade's reach, only to feel my back hit the stone wall behind me. Seeing his chance, the altmer lunged forth, driving his blade at my neck. I spun out of the way without a second to spare and created some distance, flinging out a hand as I recalled the energy I had used earlier against the rats.
A flare shot from my palm, soaring at the elf, who was busy trying to yank his dagger free of the seam in the wall. He managed it just in time to raise a hand, stopping the flames in their path as they fizzled out into nothing.
"Is that the best you can do, Breton?" the assassin asked mockingly.
I thought hard, wondering how best to proceed. I had the advantage as far as weapon reach, but this assassin was far more skilled than I was. His dagger radiated dangerous magic, and his skill with Destruction spells was advanced to the point where he could nullify anything I threw at him. Either I ended this, here and now, or I was going to die before fulfilling my debt to the Emperor.
I held up my hands in surrender, "As a matter of fact, yes. What you've seen is the extent of my abilities. Clearly, you lot really want this Amulet."
With that, I pulled the ruby encrusted Amulet out of my pocket, making the eyes of the altmer come alive with hunger. I spun it casually, noting how he wasn't even paying attention to me anymore.
"I'll give this to you, but you have to let me go in peace," I bargained.
"What? Oh, yes, of course. Just give me the Amulet, and you can be on your way."
For whatever reason, I didn't quite believe he would keep his word.
"Then it would seem we have an accord," I said with a smile. "Here, catch!"
I tossed the Amulet, and it sailed high, towards the ceiling. The assassin didn't realize his mistake in taking his eyes off of me until I had already pulled a small bottle from my pocket and chucked it at his face.
A thing about this bottle: I found it on a crate next to a goblin. I knew it was some kind of poison from the rancid smell, but what kind I couldn't be sure. Either way, having poison splashed on your face along with little shards of broken glass would probably not be a highlight of the assassin's day.
He caught the Amulet, and then the vial of poison I had thrown collided with his nose, shattering and splashing his face with the vile liquid.
He choked and stumbled, falling backward in surprise. He coughed hard, wiping furiously at his face, but it just dragged the shards of glass across his skin, making him cry out in pain.
His looked at me with hate in his watery eyes, which were bloodshot and red-rimmed. His dagger had disappeared, and I put the tip of my sword against his throat.
"I go to Paradise," the assassin spat.
"Fine by me," I replied evenly, "but you'll be going empty handed."
I thrust my sword forward. After reclaiming the Amulet of Kings, I made my way to the portal the assassin had come through, only to pause. I took one last look at the Emperor's body, and inclined my head out of respect for the fallen ruler. And then, with a swish of my crimson robes, I was lost to the darkness of the tunnels.
Author's Notes:
This is where I began to play with the character a bit, and maybe make him seem a bit more human than just 'swing weapon until enemy dies' and 'shoot fireballs.' Also, the Emperor dies. The assassin dies. Everyone dies. I love playing this game, though. It's so nostalgic, and I remember the first time I beat the tutorial and finally got out into the open world. It seemed like such a huge accomplishment, and I was so lost that I had no clue where to go first. If you've played Oblivion, you know exactly what I'm talking about. But yeah, let's not have a generic protagonist. Here's some music to listen to while you read or game or whatever:
You're Gonna Go Far Kid- Offspring
The Sharpest Lives- My Chemical Romance
Can't Hold Us- Macklemore ft Ray Dalton
Emperor's New Clothes- Panic! At the Disco
Thanks for reading!
high elves suck tho