Skyrim: Legend of the Dovahkiin
Acceptance 4
Aela suppressed a bored sigh as she and Vilkas stood in the great hall of Dragonsreach. The two Companions had been summoned by Jarl Balgruuf the Greater to discuss the issue of the creature that had been on a destructive rampage in Whiterun for the last three days. After its first attack on Jorrvaskr, the creature had continued to return each night to wreak havoc on the city before assaulting the Companions mead hall, killing anyone who dared to challenge it. The Companions had been successful in driving the creature out of the city, but failed in delivering any serious injury to the monster, as it managed to escape into the night.
Aela furrowed her eyebrows in frustration at the very thought, she had always prided herself on being able to take down any creature that she'd ever come across, be it a docile Elk or a fearsome troll. Yet she was powerless to stop this new threat from terrorizing her home and the city she lived in. It was sickening, to know that even when she an her comrades fought at their best, it still wasn't enough, she was a Companion dammit! She banished the infuriating thought and let her mind rest on the brighter side of things.
Though not able to kill the creature, the Companions had been the only ones who were successful in driving it out of the city, a feat even the guards of Whiterun could not accomplish, evident by the amount of casualties they had taken. But Aela had to give them credit where it was due, they made up for their lack of skill in battle with their sheer tenacity and the tremendous will-power they all held, a trait she found admirable.
But will-power alone were not enough to win battles, especially against such a powerful opponent. Shaking the thoughts from her mind, Aela turned her attention back to the current situation at hand.
Jarl Balgruuf realized the severity of the situation and called an emergency court meeting. There now stood an entire palace filled with people from all walks of life. Nobles and their personal bodyguards were among the most prominent of the citizens who had answered the Jarls summons, most likely out of fear for than own lives rather than the city and its people. The Jarl's Thanes and their Housecarls were among the many attendees as well. Some of the Thanes were warriors who had accomplished great deeds on the behalf of the Jarl and had been rewarded with the honorary title. The last of the Thanes were simply nobles who had assisted the hold in a lesser and more meager sense, things such as giving large amounts of gold for the recruitment and training of more soldiers for the hold. The last of the citizens in attendance were some of Whiterun's most renowned warriors, some even on par with that of the Companions themselves, or so the nobles said.
Aela noticed one of the aforementioned warriors looking her up and down, gawking at her figure with a stupid smirk on his face. She also noticed, much to her annoyance, that he was paying special attention to her chest. The fool continued taking in the view for a full minute before he noticed the Huntress's eyes on him. The warrior gave a light nod and winked at her, Aela responded by showing him her favorite finger. The man simply laughed and turned his attention back to the Jarl who was currently in a heated argument with one of the nobles.
"But my Jarl, if the creature were to make an attack on the Cloud or Wind District we would have no way to defend ourselves!" whined a slightly obese nobleman. "I ask that you reconsider your decision posting the majority of the guards in the plains district."
"Last I checked you and the rest of the nobles of Whiterun had plenty of able body men to protect you and your homes," the Jarl said in his usual gruff voice. "I see no need to remove any of my men from their posts."
A chorus of collective voices resounded through the walls of Dragonsreach as the nobles erupted in complaint, feeling betrayed by the Jarls decision. They felt that since they were among the elite of the city they were entitled to special treatment, they were wrong.
Aela watched in disgust as the nobles begged and pleaded for the Jarl to go back on his decision to post more guards in the Cloud and Wind districts. She absolutely loathed nobles and the bodyguards in their service, they cared for nothing other than coin and social status, they had no honor at all. The bodyguards were no different than the people they protected, only doing so because they were paid obscene amounts of gold and given absurd benefits. She was more sympathetic towards the Housecarls, they were simply men and women who were doing the jobs for the nobles the Jarl had declared Thane.
"Quite an eccentric lot the Jarl surrounds himself with." Vilks whispered to his shield sibling.
Aela Snorted. "Cowardly Milk-drinkers, the lot of them."
Vilkas grunted in agreement, the so called "renowned warriors" were nothing special in his eyes, just individuals who were highly overrated and talked about amongst the citizens of Whiterun.
"So, any idea of why we're still here?" Vilkas asked, making sure he was loud enough
Aela shrugged. "Most likely to discuss the ongoing issue regarding the creature that's been ransacking the city and our mead hall."
"That damned monster..." Vilkas growled clenching his fists. The very thought of the beast made the Companion's blood boil, the bastard had attacked his home not once…but three times. Vilkas intended to pay the thing back in full. "What I would like to know is why it's so interested in Jorrvaskr. It seems strange how it's main focus is on our hall."
"I good inquiry," Aela acknowledged, crossing her arms over her chest. "One that more than likely needs to be further looked into, if we want to prevent further casualties in the city as well as damage to the hall itself."
"Well we'd better figure it out soon," Vilkas huffed. "The Companions cant hold that thing at bay forever."
Aela shot the Nord a vicious look. "Are you saying we're weak?"
"I'm just looking at this from a logical perspective," he explained calmly. "We've managed to repel the beast for the last three nights, but it's come at a cost. Njada, Athis, Torvar and Ria were severely wounded during those skirmishes. Their bodies cant keep going on like this, no matter how many health potions they take or how many times they visit the healer, their bodies cant keep taking that kind of punishment."
Aela let out a heavy sigh. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Vilkas was right. In the three nights they had battled with the creature, Ria and the rest of the whelps had been wounded the worst. Though they had been healed of their wounds, the constant battles and lack of proper rest had taken its toll on their bodies, and it was beginning to show. Njada would constantly deny that she was weakening in the slightest, her Nord stubbornness would never let her admit what was obvious. Torvar and Athis had openly voiced the fact that they were beginning to slacken because of the constant battles, they were then subsequently beaten to the ground by Aela for their lack of "resilience." Ria had been the most reserved of the four, never showing any signs of stress or discomfort, never telling anyone about the constant pain she felt. Aela knew that something had to be done. If not, the destruction of the Companions was a very likely possibility.
"I know, brother," Aela sighed, shaking her head slightly. "I just feel that instead of standing around with all these milk-drinking nobles and their blindly loyal servants we could be at Jorrvaskr, planning out a strategy to combat that… thing."
"Aye, that we could," Vilkas agreed. "But we cant just ignore a summons from the Jarl. If we did that, we would-"
"I am done hearing your selfish concerns!"
Vilkas and Aela shifted their attention to the scene unfolding before them. Jarl Balgruuf was now red in the face, glaring daggers at the fat noble who was standing before him, his hands clenched into fists.
"My decision to post the majority of the guards in the Plains district stands!" the Jarl boomed. "I will hear no more of you and your petty pleas for special treatment!"
"But my Jarl, I-"
"ENOUGH! All of the nobles, leave my court at once. I don't want to look at any of you."
The nobles exchanged nervous glances with one another, disbelief in their eyes at being thrown out of the court. Every noble in the court was staring at the Jarl, some in complete shock, others showed obvious signs of anger.
The Jarl gave them a deadly glare. "Are you all deaf? I said OUT!"
Seeing no other alternative, the nobles and their Housecarls quickly turned and began exiting Dragonsreach, some of them sputtering curses under their breath. They continued to pour out of the ancient building until only Aela, Vilkas, the warrior Thanes, and the three mercenaries were left. Balgruuf ran a weary hand down his face as he let out a long, tired sigh.
"Noble cowards... the lot of them." Balgruuf grunted. His Housecarl, Irileth, nodded in agreement.
"They care only for their own well-being and wealth," she said, venom dripping from every word she spoke. "The people of Whiterun are insignificant in their eyes."
The Jarl then turned his attention to the warriors who now stood before him. The first ones he noticed were the warriors of Whiterun he had heard so much about. There were three of them, two men and a woman. The first man, a Redguard, had long jet-black dreadlocks, tribal tattoos across his face and a small piercing on his left eyebrow. He stood clad in a full set of Ebony armor and had a gigantic black battleaxe strapped to his back, giving him the appearance of an otherworldly executioner.
The next warrior, a female Imperial, sported a set of full steel armor and weapons. Her sword shimmered a magnificent glow of orange and red, marking the sword's fire enchantment. Her shield glowed with an eerie ghost-like shade of white, most likely an enchantment of frost resistance to compliment her sword. The woman herself was beautiful in a ruff and tumble sort of way. She had short, wavy hair with a single braid that dangled down the left side of her face. There were also numerous scars that adorned her visage as well as her arms, showing that she had seen battle before.
The last of the warriors was a Nord. He had the typical physical features of his people, long blonde hair, thick muscled frame and a pair of sky-blue eyes. What the Jarl found strange was his choice of attire, the man wore an entire set of Elven armor as well as a sword and shield. It was strange to see a Nord who willingly went into battle wearing anything of Elven make, especially considering most Nords harbored bitter resentment towards all of elven kind. Either he was one of the few Nords who held no grudge against the Elvs, or he just didn't give a damn.
Balgruuf then let his gaze fall onto the warrior Thanes that stood at attention before him. He recognized many of the faces he saw, men and women that had been of great service to the city of Whiterun, they would be useful in this most dire of hours. The Jarl's gaze finally feel upon the two Companions Aela and Vilkas. He had personally requested their presence in the court due to their success of repelling the creature that had been terrorizing the city, among other things. In the past few months since their youngest Harbinger had taken over, the Companions had become even more of a force to be reckon with.
Their skill, organization, and overall reputation had increased ten-fold and continued to rise even higher. There was even a rumor that Ulfric Stormcloak and General Tullius had asked them to join their forces, only to be declined by their Harbinger, or so the story went. Balgruuf knew Ulfric had a habit of recruiting skilled warriors to his cause, he probably figured if he could recruit the legendary Companions more of Skyrim's people would rally behind his cause, seeing as how they were followers of the great Ysgramor himself. But Tullius? To think he actually might have considered the Companions to aid him in the war was… strange, to say the least.
Despite this, Balgruuf knew that even if the rumors were true, the Companions young Harbinger would never allow them to go off to war. Though not an official leader, the Companions considered his word law, and followed his orders to the letter. Balgruuf had heard the stories surrounding the boy, and in all honesty-they gave him slight chills. Talk of the boy's skill had spread throughout the hold of Whiterun like wildfire, and continued to grow. The most famous of the stories however was how the young swordsman would engage multiple enemies alone and decimate their forces, often never leaving anyone alive.
Unfortunately, the Jarl had been informed by his Housecarl that the young Harbinger was currently away in Ivarstead dealing with important business and wasn't expected to return for at least two more days. Balfruuf was a bit disappointed, the Harbinger's strength would have been a tremendous aid in the battle to come. Banishing the thought from his mind, Balgruuf rose from his throne and addressed the warriors.
"As you are all aware, time is of the essence," he started, "So you must forgive my rudeness of skipping any formalities. As you know by now, there have been numerous attacks on the city of Whiterun by a large black creature. The city guard has engaged this enemy each time it has attacked. Unfortunately, they have been unsuccessful in slaying the beast, and have suffered heavy casualties."
Balgruuf briefly paused and let his gaze fall upon the warriors. They all stood silently, listening with wrapped attention, eyes never faltering even for a second.
"The Companions," he continued. "Are the only ones who have been able to drive the beast out of the city, an impressive feat when you consider how strong the damn thing is. Furthermore, the creature seems to have a strange attraction to Jorrvaskr, as it likes to frequently attack there the most. Who, or more accurately, what the beast is or wants is currently being looked into at this very moment."
At that moment, the court wizard Farengar Secret-Fire emerged from his study carrying an entire armful of tomes. Aela had met the wizard once before and immediately labeled the scrawny magic user as a milk-drinker. Not only that, but the little cretin was the most Ill mannered and condescending individual she had ever had the displeasure of meeting. She was suddenly reminded of part of the reason she hated wizards.
Farengar stood before the Jarl and bowed before the Jarl in due respect before turning to warriors. "Greetings warriors," the wizard huffed, obviously uninterested in any of the people standing before him. "As I'm sure the jarl has already explained the current situation, I'll skip any unnecessary information that may have already been passed. Due to recent events I have abandoned my research on the mystery behind the return of the dragons. A most unfortunate turn of events, I was quite close to-"
"Get to the point, Farengar." Balgruuf commanded.
"Oh, right. My apologies. As I was saying, I've been looking over some old Nordic tomes that I acquired, courtesy of the College of Winterhold. I found an entry in a book that spoke of ancient creatures of Skyrim and found one such creature that fits the description of the one the Companions described. According to legend, there lived a demon that roamed Skyrim with an unquenchable thirst for human blood. Some say the demon could walk through walls, see in total darkness, and had claws the size of a dragon. Others say he was once a man who was shunned by all and sent into exile, where madness struck and consumed him."
The warriors all glanced at one another, but remained silent. Farengar let a tiny smirk cross his lips, he had clearly caught their interest.
"Whatever the case," Farengar continued, "Those who met the creature were unfortunate... they never survived."
The ebony clad Redguard scoffed, "If no one survived, then how is it that book carries such knowledge of the beast?"
"This is simply a myth, old Nordic legends passed down from generation to generation. I don't expect you to understand, nor do I care if you do. I'm simply giving you a theory as to the identity of the foe you currently face. Now, may I continue?"
Balgruuf nodded.
"Very well. Legend has it that an old Nordic warrior was able to drive and seal the beast within the most foul, wretched abyss in the entirety of Skyrim, where it would remain for eternity. Or so they thought."
"What do you mean 'or so they thought?'" the Imperial woman inquired.
"Well," Farengar began, crossing his arms."According to the tome, after fifty years of dormancy, the creature somehow managed to escape the abyss in which he had been sealed in. Longing to taste human blood once again, it creature wreaked havoc across Skyrim, killing anything in its path. Then one day, the creature suddenly vanished, leaving behind no trace of its existence. The only thing that remained of the beast were the bodies it left behind, and the stories that followed."
"Okay, that's a very interesting story and all, but what in Oblivion does that have to do with the thing attacking Whiterun?" the Redguard practically shouted.
Farenger let out a annoyed sigh, the Redguard was not a very bright individual. "It has more to do with the current situation than you know, Mister…?"
"Avik," the Redguard spat.
"Right, Avik. The reason I'm taking my time to explain all this to you is simple: I believe that the creature in the tomes is the same creature that's been attacking the city. The tome refers to the creature as 'The Jackal'."
"The Jackal?" Balgruuf repeated, apparently stunned at the revelation of the creatures name.
"Wait, surely you jest!" one of the Thanes shouted in disbelief. "The Jackal is an old Nordic tale to scare Children, surely it cant truly exist!"
"I've not seen the creature for myself, so I cant be the one to answer your question," Farenger told the irate thane. He then took one of his books and tossed it onto the nearby dining table. "That tome contains an image of what the creature supposedly looked like. See with your own eyes, and judge for yourselves."
His job completed, Farengar turned to the Jarl, bowed, and strode back to his study. The Jarl sat quietly upon his oaken throne, lost in deep thought. Grabbing the old tome, Aela quickly shifted through the pages until she came upon the image the mage was referring to.
"Vilkas, you'd better take a look at this."
Vilkas took one look at the image in the tome and his eyes narrowed. The creature in the book was the very same creature that had been attacking Jorrvaskr for the past three nights.
"The similarities are remarkable, aren't they?" the Huntress said as she tossed the tome away.
Vilkas nodded. "Indeed," he replied. "Its strange, to think that a creature like that has been able to survive for so long, it's almost impressive."
Aela gave the man a hard look. "You're complementing the enemy. Not wise, especially for someone that's supposed to have the smarts of Ysgramor himself."
"I simply compliment its ability to survive through the ages, besides, its okay to have some respect for an enemy that can push the limits of your skills."
"True," the huntress agreed. "But I respect no one who dares attack my home, and neither should you."
Vilkas opened his mouth to answer, but was cut short by the Elven armor clad Nord and his companions approaching Aela and himself.
"Have you discovered something interesting?" the Nord asked. "Would you mind sharing the information with fellow warriors?"
Aela cocked an eyebrow, "Fellow warriors? Last I checked Vilkas was the only Shield-brother I have in Dragonsreach."
The Imperial woman scoffed. "Oh? The little Elk hunter thinks she's better than the rest of us? I doubt you'd last an hour in a real fight, with a real warrior."
As quickly as a tempest wind, Aela stood face to face with the Imperial woman, each glaring daggers at one another.
"Struck a nerve, did I?" the Imperial jeered.
Aela let her hand rest upon her dagger, she made a point to let the woman see her every movement.
"If you think you can take me," Aela started. "Then by all means, make attempt, and see your blood spilled upon the floor all the same."
The Imperial went for her sword, and Aela her dagger. They were both stopped when Vilkas and the Nord grabbed their hands.
"That's enough, Aela." Vilkas said. The huntress yanked her hand away from the vice-like grip and sheathed her weapon.
"Now, now Livia," the Nord scolded. "We're here to help each other out, not fight amongst ourselves. Besides, I'd hate to see a woman as beautiful as her marred."
Aela shot a death glare at the man, the bastard was insulting and complementing her at the same time.
"You're right boss," Livia said as she locked eyes with the huntress. "Another time. After we take care of the Jarl's problem. Just wait until then, princess."
The Imperial promptly turned on her heels and headed to the dining area to her Redguard friend. Aela turned to Vilkas, murderous intent within her emerald eyes.
"I'm going to plant my dagger in that whore's throat." Aela growled through gritted teeth.
"Not here you aren't," Vilkas deadpanned, earning him a glare from Aela. "How do you think your actions would affect the reputation of the Companions if you killed someone in the Dragonsreach court? We would never recover from such an act, no matter what we did to make amends. You must learn to control your anger, and be more diplomatic in these sort of situations."
"I don't do diplomacy." Aela said flatly.
Vilkas chuckled. "Clearly. Anyway, hold off on killing the woman until after we've dealt with this... Jackal."
Nodding in agreement, Aela turned back to the Jarl who was currently in a conference with his Housecarl and Steward. Balgruuf sat quietly on his throne, his eyes closed in deep thought as he listened to the thoughts of his subjects.
"My Jarl, I caution not to be too hasty in sending valuable men into battle with this creature," Proventus pleaded. "I say we spread the Companions and the other warriors throughout the city and let them handle this."
"Are you that daft, Proventus" Irileth growled. "That creature has assaulted the city countless times, killed many of our men, and even tried to break into Dragonsreach. How would spreading out these warriors benefit us in any way?"
Balgruuf nodded. "I agree with Irileth on this one," he said, Proventus gave him a defeated look. "Our enemy is unlike any we've ever crossed paths with before. This... Jackal, is a dangerous threat to my city and its people, I cannot afford to put Whiterun's fate in the hands of a few warriors, no matter how skilled they are."
"If I may be so bold, I may have a solution to your current problem my Jarl."
Balgruuf turned his head and locked eyes with the Nord clad in Elven armor and frowned. For him to speak out of turn, that was most audacious.
"What is your name, warrior?" Balgruuf inquired.
The Nord gave a large, cocky smile. Balgruuf immediately regretted ever bothering to ask the man such a question.
"I am known by many names, Jarl," the Nord began. "But you may call me Pericles."
-Whiterun: The Bannered Mare-
Hulda stood at the front counter cleaning the tankards, mugs, and the dishes that had piled up from the day. Saadia was busy in the kitchen, cooking the roast beef and vegetable stew Uthgerd had ordered. She frowned at the thought of the woman, it had been months since she had been rejected by the Companions yet she was still sulking in failure. weren't Nords supposed to be strong in both body and spirit? Saadia wondered if the Companions new Harbinger would allow the woman a second chance even after her unintended killing of the young whelp she was pitted against. From what Hulda had told her, the young Harbinger was the type to forgive past transgressions and look beyond the flaws that most people condemned, a trait she admired.
Saadia had also heard that not only was the young Harbinger honorable and forgiving, but extremely handsome to boot. Many of the young women in Whiterun would try to catch even a small glimpse of the boy before he departed to his next job, some had even managed to speak to the him, or so the rumor went. Ysolda had even confided to her that she would like to see or even meet the boy if she could, a sentiment Saadia unfortunately couldn't share in. She had problems of her own, and fawning over some man was the last thing on her mind.
Saadia striped the thoughts from her mind and went back to preparing the meal she concocted. She had just finished placing the finished meal on the tray when Hulda walked in.
"Saadia, when you finish serving Uthgerd could you tend to the customer that just walked in?" she asked.
"Of course, mother."
Saadia strode out of the kitchen and sauntered over to the table where Uthgerd was sitting.
"Here you are Uthgerd," Saadia said setting the plate in front of the Nord. "Let me know if you need anything else."
Turning on her heels, Saadia strode over to the robed man sitting at the front counter. As she took a closer look at him, Saadia grew very wary of the stranger and decided to keep a close eye on him. His choice of attire was rather lighthearted. He wore a black robe with a blood red outline and a shrouded hood with a face mask that covered his entire visage. He carried on his back a beautifully made glass shield and a steel sword of the finest quality. His dark leather boots looked to be enchanted with a muffle spell, rare to ever find any sort of apparel with that kind of enchantment.
Gathering her wits Saaida finally broke her silence. "Welcome to the Bannered Mare. May I get you anything?"
"Yes, actually. You can," the man began. "I'm looking for information about a certain… individual, here in Whiterun."
Saadia stiffened, and looked at the man with a suspicious eye.
"There are many 'individuals' in the city," she said as she slowly went for the dagger on her hip. "You'll need to be more specific."
"Do you go for your weapon every time you meet someone new?" the man suddenly asked. Saadia gripped her dagger.
"One can never know who's plotting violence." she said dryly.
The man nodded. "Or when they may commit the act."
There was a tense moment of silence between the two. Saaida considered stabbing the man right there on the spot, but knew there was a possibility that the man was simply a traveler looking for someone he knew. Then again, the man had already displayed that he was no ordinary vagabond, she could simply tell Hulda and the guards that he made a threatening gesture and she simply defended herself. As she stood weighing her options, the man finally broke the silence between them.
"Relax, ma'am," he said in an almost playful tone. "The person I'm searching for is a Nord. Young man, light brown hair about shoulder length, slightly thick stubble of facial hair, and blue eyes. Supposedly a real popular with the women, but a damn good fighter."
"And why would I tell you anything? How do I know this isn't some ruse to get me to drop my guard?"
The man chuckled. "Because if I were really after you, I'd have already caught you, gave you to the poeple who are looking for you, and would be at the local whorehouse in Riften."
Saadia eased slightly but never let her hand fall from her dagger. "Sounds to me like you're looking for the Harbinger," she told robbed stranger. "He's the leader, or rather, adviser of the Companions. He resides in the Jorrvaskr mead hall, it's up the stairs from the central plaza. From what I hear he's in Ivarstead on important business, and it's not certain when he'll be back."
The stranger rubbed his chin in contemplation. "Well that's a shame, I was really hoping to talk with him. Ah well, thanks anyway."
Eager to get as for away from the man as possible, Saadia quickly turned and began to walk away.
"Um... Excuse me." the robbed ma called out, Saadia slowly turned and gave the man an annoyed look. "Ah, I'm sorry, but I'm rather hungry. Would you mind fixing me a bowl of, say... beef stew?"
"Fine," Saddia sighed throwing her hands up. "Coming right up. What's your name, stranger?"
"My name is Fenrir, nice to meet you."
Giving the man the quickest and fakest smile of her life, Saadia turned and headed back to the kitchen. Once there, she leaned against the wall and let out a relieved sigh. She had managed to dodge the arrow that had been shot her way, but would she be able to do it again if it ever happened? She needed help, but there was no one in Whiterun she could trust, Hulda and Ysolda excluded. She didn't want them involved in any of her problems, they had enough things to worry about.
Saadia took one last look at the strange traveler who called himself Fenrir. It was obvious to her the man was no ordinary vagabond, that much she was sure of. She wondered just what he wanted with the Companion's Harbinger and questioned herself on whether or not it was a good idea to pass on the information she gave to Fenrir. She didn't know why, but something about the man screamed one word: Danger.
-Jorrvaskr: 10 minutes till midnight-
Skjor had not been having the best of days. The first mishap of the day was the crappy morning he had. His wounds from the frequent attacks of the ebony creature had yet to fully heal, and as a result, he had accidentally reopened a majority of them while training and had to visit the healer yet again. The second mishap happened around midday when he had a run-in with a group nobles and their bodyguards. One particularly fat aristocrat made the mistake of shoving him to the side and said something along the lines of "How dare you walk in my path, you filthy peasant! Next time remember to stand out of the way of your betters, if you don't want my guards to attack."
Skjor ended up paying a fine of one hundred fifty gold for assault on a fellow citizen, but it was all worth it to see that fat noble and his guards writhe on the floor covered in their own blood. Then, almost immediately after the incident, Aela and Vilkas had been summoned by the Jarl to discuss the issue of the creature now revealed to be a thing called the Jackal.
Now, to top everything off, the Jarl had ordered his Thanes and three mercenaries he had never even heard of to fight beside him and the other Companions. It was an outrage, one that was shared by the other members of the Circle. They all currently stood in the privacy of The Underforge, discussing the very issue.
"I don't like this," Skjor voiced, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the stone wall. "The Jarl's Thanes are one thing, but I've never even heard of this Pericles guy or any of his comrades. And you said he was the one who came up with this ridiculous plan?"
Vilkas nodded. "Aye, he did. But the Jarl didn't agree to the plan straight away. He pulled Aela and I to the side and asked our opinion on the matter."
Skjor raised an eyebrow. "And you agreed?"
"I don't like the Idea of them fighting beside us any more than you do, Skjor. But our odds of defeating this Jackal are better if we compromise and work together with Pericles and his comrades."
"Vilkas is right," Aela agreed as she stepped forward. "I as well don't like the plan, more so than the rest of you. But if we want to defeat this beast, then we need to work together. All of us. That's what the Harbinger would want us to do."
Skjor's eye met with Aela's, a look of pure disgust was etched on his face in stone. Aela immediately regretted mentioning the name she had just spoken.
"The Harbinger?" Skjor sneered. "You offend my ears by even mentioning that coward."
"Watch your tongue!" Vilkas snapped. "I don't care for what problem you have with the Harbinger, that's between you and him. But I wont stand tight lipped while you insult a man who's not even here to defend himself!"
Skjor and Vilkas glared at one another, neither taking their eyes off the other. Most people who knew of the Companions believed that its members were a close knit family of sorts, one whose members never fought amongst one another. Most people were wrong. The Companions were indeed brothers and sisters in arms, that much was true. But there were times when rivalry between two or more would surface within Jorrvaskr, and drive a wedge between the individuals. These rivalries were often harmless, nothing more than one person trying to out-do the other. But there were times were a rivalry would evolve into outright hatred, often ending in the death or banishment of the persons involved.
The clash between Vilkas and Skjor was no surprise to Aela and Farkas, both of whom watched silently as their brothers stood almost nose to nose in each others face.
"Why?" Skjor asked suddenly. "Why do you defend him? What do you see in him that's so special, Vilkas?"
"Why do you hate him?" Vilkas countered. The question seemed to catch the balding warrior off guard, as he stood silently glaring at his shield-brother.
"Look, now is not the time to start fighting amongst ourselves," Farkas said. Aela and the others turned and gave the ice brain confused looks. "There's a monster that's more than likely on its way here to try and take all our lives, I say you stop this stupid argument and save your anger for the Jackal."
Aela's brow shot up in surprise. Since when did Farkas become the voice of reason?
Vilkas sighed and turned to Skjor. "Farkas is right," he agreed. "We've got to many lives hanging in the balance to start fighting amongst ourselves. Lets deal with the Jackal first, then knock each other's heads off."
Skjor grinned. "Alright, we kill the Jackal, then each other."
The two Companions boomed with laughter as they, Aela and Farkas exited the Underforge and entered the mead hall of Jorrvaskr. Pericles, Livia, Avik, and the Jarl's Thanes were all scatted about, conversing with one another about the upcoming fight no doubt. Deciding to rest her legs a bit, Aela took a seat at he dining area near the hearth fire. She glanced over at a bottle of mead and considered consuming the contents, but decided against it. She would soon be in the heat of battle, and being tipsy was no way to be when in battle.
Her thoughts were interrupted when Pericles took a seat beside her.
"Everyone is so tense," he stated with a ridiculous smile on his face. "This Jackal must be a tough opponent. You must be a damn fine warrior to have been able to repel such a beast."
"Flattery will get you nowhere," Aela deadpanned. "Besides, it wasn't just myself that pushed the beast back. Vilkas and the rest of my Shield siblings fought the Jackal together, the glory goes to us all."
Pericles chuckled. "As it should. After all, the Companions deserve every bit of the fame they've acquired. But I'm curious, where is the young Harbinger I've heard so much about?"
"Out." Aela spat, a hint growing annoyance in her tone.
"Out?" Pericles repeated. "Out where?"
"That information is on a need-to-know basis," the Huntress spat, her sliver eyes boring into his blue ones. "And you don't need to know."
Shrugging, Pericles rose from the table. "Very well, I will remove myself to less deserving company."
Aela let out a sigh of relief as the self centered warrior finally left her alone to her thoughts. She took a quick look around the hall. Everyone stood in anticipation, waiting for some sign that the battle they would be taking part in would begin. Wanting to pass the time faster, Aela pulled out a whetstone and her newly made steel arrows and began sharpening them.
After about five minutes the Huntress heard the familiar sound of the heavy wolf armor of the Companions approach her. She smirked, it was either Skjor or Vilkas who had decided it was a good idea to irritate her further, and she bet all the coin to her name it was the former.
"Pericles and his friends are a rather arrogant bunch." Skjor said, Aela grinned.
"Tell me something I wasn't already aware of." she said, still sharpening her arrows.
The balding warrior chuckled. "I think Pericles has taken a liking to you." he said gesturing to the table where the man and his comrades sat. Aela glanced over and saw the man, staring right at her with a large smile and hungry eyes. He winked at her before turning back to his comrades. Aela was livid.
"I'm going to kill both him and that Imperial when this is all over." she growled.
"I understand your anger," Skjor told her, rubbing his chin as he addressed the Huntress. "But is it really so bad to have someone fawn over you?"
"As a matter of fact, it is." Aela growled. "I don't have time for some stuck up, arrogant, self centered milk-drinker trying to woo me with inflated stories about his supposed victories on the battlefield."
"But still, don't you at least feel even the slightest amount of emotion when someone compliments your looks or tells you your're beautiful?"
"I told you, I don't have time to worry about Pericles and his infatuation with me." the Huntress snapped.
"I wasn't talking about Pericles." Skjor admitted.
Aela gave the balding warrior a questioning look. Of all the subjects to bring up, he choose this one, the one she hated the most. Aela could stomach a lot of things. She disliked, politics, magic, weaklings, even nobles. But for all the durability she possessed, she completely faltered each time the subject of her and Skjor came up.
Noticing the Huntress's hesitation, Skjor continued.
"Look, Aela. I-"
Skjor's sentence was cut short by a terrifying, earsplitting scream so loud it could've woke the dead. Most of Jorrvaskr's occupants froze where they stood. The members of the Companions however stood their ground, the roar being all too familiar to them.
"Alright everyone, the Jackal approaches," Aela addressed the warriors as she readied her weapons and equipment. "Time to earn your worth!"
Pericles and his band of warriors sprang from their seats and drew their weapons, eager to show off their skill. "The Jackal has made a mistake coming to this honored hall," Pericles announced as he raised his sword in the air. "Myself, Livia and Avik will slay this beast, and restore the peace of this great city."
Aela and the other Companions scoffed, was he really that incompetent? There was another roar, this one closer and louder than the last.
"The things I've heard about it," one of the Thanes began. "They cant be true, can they?"
"If your wondering if it can walk through walls or any of that crap, then no, it cant." Vilkas answered coolly.
"I don't give a damn what the bastard can do," Stonearm snarled. "When that beast comes through those doors, it's dead." She turned and shot a cold glare at Pericles and his partners. "You here me? We'll be killing the Jackal! Us, the Companions! Not some unknown band of wannabes!"
Livia pointed her sword at the aggressive woman. "Don't get too cocky, little girl. Anyone can boast, what matters is the skill to back it up, which I doubt you have."
Stonearm just about lost it. "I'll kick you and your sorry groups asses back to-"
"That's quite enough," Aela said, throwing a cool glare at her shield sibling. "In case any of you have forgotten, we've got a monster just outside those doors. So if you don't want to become Jackal food, I suggest you shut up and concentrate on the impending battle."
With a growl, Njada turned her attention back to Jorrvaskr's entrance. Though she wanted to teach the Imperial bitch a lesson in humility, Aela was right. If she was going to stay alive, she would need to clear her mind of distractions and concentrate on the battle. Besides, once they had taken care of the Jackal, it was open season on her and her friends.
Another roar broke the silence of the night, this time closer than the last two. The warriors spread throughout the hall, each taking a specific vantage point of their choosing, a strategic maneuver Pericles himself thought of. Then, without warning, the doors of Jorrvaskr burst open, showering the warriors with wooden shrapnel. The warriors stood silent waiting for the beast to spring from the darkness as it did before.
Then it came. The Jackal charged forward, roaring its terrible was cry as it dug its claws into the ground. Nocking an arrow, Aela took aim at the creature's chest and fired. The arrow shot forth with the fury of an angry tempest, imbedding itself into the creatures body. The Huntress fired three more arrows, each hitting their target with deadly accuracy. Seemingly unfazed, the Jackal pressed its charge, bounding for any target closest to it.
Pericles raised his sword and shouted, "ATTACK!" Livia and Avik were the first to engage the beast. The Jackal lashed out with a brutal upward slash. Seeing this, Avik evaded the strike and countered with a strike from the end of his ebony battleaxe, hitting the beast square in its chin. Following up the assault, Livia charged forward and delivered three lighting fast sword slashes, spilling the beast's blood. The Jackal let out a pained cry. Seeing its anguish, Avik and Livia charged for a second time, but he Jackal had other plans. Reaching out, the beast grabbed the blade of the ebony axe and in one swift flick of its wrist, tossed it and Avik across the room. The Readguard slammed into a nearby pillar and hit the floor with a loud crash.
He slowly rose to his feet thanking his lucky stars his armor had absorbed most of the force. Pericles rushed forward with sword in hand, aiming for the Jackal's heart. Sensing the threat, the beast quickly sidestepped the strike, grabbed Pericles by the neck and slammed the man into the ground. The force of the attack so brutal the floor beneath Pericles halfway caved in.
"Pericles!" Livia cried in horror. The Imperial charged the beast in a futile attempt to avenge her fallen comrade. Leaping forward, Livia slashed at the creatures neck. The Jackal let out an angered roar before delivering a brutal backhand fist to the woman's midsection. She sailed across the room, smashed against the stone wall, and landed in a heap. She attempted to rise to her feet but collapsed and ceased to move.
"You son of a Bitch!" Avik howled as he charged forward, battleaxe raised high in the air. The Jackal was not pleased that a mere human dared to raise a blade against it. It would be the last mistake the worthless human made. Using all the strength in his body, Avik brought his axe down upon the beast, intending to split the demon in half. The Jackal swatted the blade away, staggering the Redguard. Seeing the opening, the ebony creature delivered a devastating strike to the Redguard's midsection that sent him reeling backwards.
The Jackal loomed over Avik with its claws ready to end the foolish Redguards life. It was stopped short when two arrows pierced his back. Growling, the Jackal turned and locked its gaze with the Companions and the Jarl's Thanes, who all stood prepared for combat. Slowly, the beast started forward, eyeing each of the warriors with murderous intent in its eyes.
"Anyone got a plan?" Torvar asked, gripping his war hammer tighter.
Skjor furrowed his brow, his one good eye never leaving the Jackal's. "Yeah, don't die."
Torvar blinked twice. "…anyone got a better plan?"
With a savage roar, the Jackal charged the warriors. Aela nocked an arrow and prepared to fire. Vilkas and the others gripped their weapons and charged the beast, intending to end this battle once and for all.
-3:35 AM just outside the city-
The Harbinger sighed a breath of relief as he saw the city of Whiterun ahead of him. He longed to return to Jorrvaskr where a hot meal and a cold drink no doubt awaited him. Not only that, but the constant battles with bandits, wild animals and the occasional wild Necromancers along his path had left his body badly wounded and his armor in serious disrepair. His magicka was practically nonexistent, so healing himself through the arcane ways was out of the question, he would have to wait until he got to his room in Jorrvaskr to take some of the potions he bought from Arcadia days earlier.
His armor and weapons would be the next thing he would take care of. Both his katanas had dulled and chipped from the constant fighting, he had actually caught himself putting even more strength behind his attacks than usual. His armor was heavily dented and cracked, a result of being hit with a heavy war hammer.
There were also two holes near the shoulder area where two glass arrows had managed to penetrate his defenses and multiple slash markings across the chest and back. He considered taking his damaged equipment to Eorlund for repair, but decided to visit Adrianne instead. Avenicci wanted to hone her skills at the forge so that one day, the title of "Best blacksmith in Skyrim" would be hers.
He admired the craftsmanship of Eorlund a great deal and respected the old smith greatly, but if he could help Adrianne become the next best weapon forger Skyrim had ever seen, he would do so with no hesitation. The very thoughts of his plans made the young Nord even more weary than he already was, and he was weary, in both body and mind. Deciding to take care of everything after some well deserved rest, the Harbinger trudged forward, eager to make his wish for sleep a reality.
As he neared the stables, the Harbinger noticed an unusual amount of activity near the city walls. Were the guards doing surprise drills? Then, to his surprise, he saw what appeared to be a men sprawled across the floor with guards kneeling over him. Then the smell of blood crept across his nose.
Why is there blood in the air?
Adrenaline kicking in, the Harbinger ran towards the unfolding scene. He was shocked by the state of the farm and the city walls. Horses and other live stock lay dead on the ground, the carriage driver was lying in a pool of blood, his carriage atop his body. The bodies of the city guard were among the most frequent of the death toll. Many had their limbs ripped from their sockets and their necks torn out, but the most gruesome were the bodies whose stomachs and ribcages had been torn open... and eaten.
"What in Oblivion happened here…" the Harbinger asked one of the guards who were sorting the bodies out.
"That damn monster, that's what," the guard muttered. "It came out of nowhere, started killing everyone in its path. We tried to stop it, but…we never stood a chance."
The Harbinger's eyebrow shot up, what kind of creature could have killed so many people? And in such a brutal manner.
"I don't understand," the young Nord began. "What kind of creature is strong enough assault a city filled with armed guards?"
"It aint no normal creature," the guard said. "This beast was belched from the very depths of Oblivion. It's invincible, cant nothing hurt the thing. The Jarl's Thanes, Pericles and his band, even the Companions didn't stand a chance."
The Harbingers heart sank and his stomach knotted, the Companions couldn't have been…
The young Nord ran to the city gates, only to find that they had been torn from their fittings. He didn't stop running, he couldn't stop, if his friends had been killed... it was his fault. He shouldn't have left them like he did, he should have been there with them, fought with them. If even one if his friends had been killed... he would never forgive himself. Running past the plaza, the numerous bodies that littered the area and up the stones steps, the Harbinger burst through what remained of Jorrvaskr's entrance. To his relief, Aela, Vilkas, and the rest of his shield siblings were all in one piece.
They were currently tending to warriors the Harbinger did not recognize, he assumed them to be the Thanes and Pericles band the guard was referring to. Most everyone in the hall seemed to be in perfect health, albeit badly beaten and battered. He noticed Ria, Njada, Athis, and Torvar laying on the floor. He could see their chests moving up and down, they were unconscious. The Harbinger let out a sigh of relief, none of his friends had been killed.
Thank the nine…
Regaining his bearings, the Harbinger walked over to Aela and Vilkas. "Vilkas, Aela…I-what happened?"
The two Companions exchanged a quick glance before turning to their Harbinger. "Harbinger, take a seat," Vilkas began. "There much you need to know of."
A/N: Well there you have it, the fourth chapter of the acceptance arc. Let me tell you this is the longest yet. I had originally planned for it to be a lot shorter, like ten pages kinda short, but my brain just kicked into overdrive and well…this is what you get. I just went back and re-read the other chapters and found MAJOR mistakes. To be honest, im ashamed of myself, I'm better than that. That being said, I'll be going back to correct and revamp the older chapters, so be on the look out for that. Now, I had a reader who asked me if the Harbinger's name was Beowulf, and the answer is no. My character in the Skyrim game yes, but not the protagonist of this story, he has a much more epic name. Anyway, writing for Acceptance 5 is already underway, so I'll try to get that one up soon. Until the next chapter!
Zero out