DISCLAIMER: all publicly recognizable characters are owned by their respective authors and I do not take credit for their creation and I make no $$$ off of the story.
All characters recognized from Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, JRR Tolkien's "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" books, Peter Jackson's filmography, TURN: Washington's Spies (Akinbode), The Underworld Saga, Blizzard's Warcraft III and Warcraft III: the Frozen Throne, Dracula: Untold (Mirena, and certain quotes), The Count of Monte Cristo (Za'Tara name and joke only.) and Dragonheart.
Sarthinias had grown quite to love his family and was very protective of them as ten years past since fate brought them together. They had also befriended a Nord, Johann Tree-Feller. He was a lumber worker that started his own business when his employer passed from Bone-Break Fever. Sarthinias and his friends met him in the city when they went to trade in furs for wool blankets. Not long after they all became good friends. Johann provided lumber for the Wood Elf village and handled repairs with Sarthinias and Sarthinias' friends showed him how to prevent bears from scratching up the trees. One day Johann told Sarthinias he would be going on a trip to Whiterun to sell his lumber.
Two months had passed and there was still no word from Johann. Sarthinias began to worry, so he gathered his friends and followed the road Johann took. Being raised by Wood Elves made Sarthinias and his friends excellent trackers. On the border of Eastmarch and Whiterun hold, signs of a struggle were found. Johann' lumber cart was overturned and some broken elven armor was found. The trackers cringed at the amount of blood on the cart, but War-Claw assured them that it was not Johann' blood. There were tracks headed to the Northwest and towards the city of Solitude. The GIlded Elven armor was a telltale sign that Johann had been captured by Thalmor agents, Johann was a strong proud believer of Talos so it is easy to infer that . The Bosmer of the Dawnstar colony have no love for the Thalmor and the friends set out to find Johann immediately.
Two weeks on the trail the group came to Northwatch Keep a long thought abandoned fort. War-Claw felt apprehensive and constantly sniffed the wind then he caught a sent, four Nords and one had the scent of a wolf about him. Two of the Nords turned out to be Grey-Manes of Whiterun Eorlund and Vignar, the other man with them had an air of wisdom about him his name was Kodlak White-Mane the Harbinger of the Companions. The other Nord was in conversation with the elders he appeared to have just met them. He introduced himself to the friends as Arkaras the Savage an ex-Legionnaire. Arkaras was a fairly handsome young Nord, he was young with a pain present in his dark blue eyes, strong presence, and short black hair. Sarthinias and Shaylan noticed the way Arkaras and Shaylar were eyeing each other while Talim smirked and War-Claw let out a playful growl.
"Ahem we've introduced ourselves to you already and this young man (he gestured towards Arkaras) has told us his name, who are you people and why do you have a bear with you?" asked Vignar in a condescending tone.
"I am Sarthinias of the Wood Elven colony of Dawnstar, I am Nordic by birth but was raised by the Bosmer hence my friends. As for the bear, his name is War-Claw he is a noble spirit and has sworn to follow us to the end of our days. He also a close friend of mine, never forget that." replied Sarthinias a bit coldly.
" I am Shaylan and..."
"I am Shaylar." replied the Elven twins, Shaylar finishing her brother's sentence.
"My name is Talim the Huntress of the Bosmer Dawnstar Colony." answered Talim to Vignar. Her years of training paying off incredibly well she was accurate and skilled with her bow and short blades. A bow in her hands made her a deadly foe, enough to rival that of another famous Wood Elf.
"And I am War-Claw war-chief of the Pale Clan!" roared out War-Claw. The Nords all looked to the bear in surprise of it speaking aloud to them, except Kodlak he merely crossed his arms and looked at the bear with a smile present on his face.
"Ah, White-Mane of the Companions that explains why you've the scent of a wolf about you." said War-Claw to Kodlak. When the others looked to War-Claw with suspicion. "Kodlak and his truest followers are werewolves my friends." at Kodlak's ashamed expression War-Claw was about to calm him when Sarthinias spoke up.
"Kodlak, we do not judge others based on what they are, but who they are. Just because a werewolf is known as a monstrous creature for attacking anything, that doesn't mean that every person with that affliction is the same. You seem like a wise and gentle soul, with the air of loyalty to close friends about you (he gestured to Vignar and Eorlund). If we were to judge you for what you are then we would be hypocritical, we kill animals for food and warmth, and War-Claw is no stranger to attacking people, though he does know how to control himself now."
After hearing this Kodlak had a tear in his eye and thanked Sarthinias for his understanding. Just then Arkaras spoke up.
"The same goes for me. I don't view myself as a monster so I could not look upon another as one without knowing who they are. I have killed many without thinking and I have no excuse other than being ordered to do so." said Arkaras now looking ashamed.
"Now onto why we are all here..." said Talim.
"Yes, I came here in search of my friend Johann from Dawnstar he disappeared almost two months ago, and I hear rumors that the Thalmor had a Nord prisoner taken here from the border of Eastmarch hold." said Arkaras.
"Johann Tree-Feller!?" asked the twins simultaneously.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, do you know him?"
"He is the same man that we came in search for, he is also a friend of ours he provided our colony with lumber." replied Sarthinias.
"Lumber? We are here because we ordered a large amount of lumber from a man in Dawnstar named Tree-Feller, when he never arrived we went looking on the main road and Kodlak had us follow the trail here." Eorlund stated.
"Then it appears that..."
"...We are all here..."
"...In common cause." said the twins.
"Now, shall we go and get our friend?" asked Talim.
Just as she said that Arkaras was talking to the Elven guard at the gate.
"Now release my friend, this a direct order from General Tullius." said Arkaras with authority.
The elf looked conflicted then called for a superior to assist Arkaras. A taller High Elf in Glass armor walked out of the gate and looked at Arkaras. His face paled and dropped as terror overwhelmed him.
"Th... th... the... the SAVAGE!" screamed the High Elf and the other guards drew their weapons shaking with fear.
Arkaras merely looked down and said "Well damn, word travels too quick."
Then with lightning fast reflexes he grabbed the superior officer, held him up with one hand by his neck and with a sickening crunch he snapped the Elf's neck. He threw the body to the side and drew his swords then started to battle two other guards as the gate shut. Kodlak and the Grey-Manes charged with War-Claw. Kodlak kicked open the gate with a single mighty kick. Shaylar and Talim stayed back and picked their targets felling the guards of Northwatch with bow and arrows. Sarthinias and Shaylan scaled the walls and drew their short blades, beginning to battle the archers aiming in the courtyard and at the women. Sarthinias disarmed one of the guards and threw the sword he grabbed at a heavily armored guard charging towards War-Claw and Arkaras. Shaylan jumped towards another guard headed towards Sarthinias, he cut him off and stabbed his thigh, then slit his throat, strangely enough, there was not much blood on his blade. Talim and Shaylar let loose a volley towards the top of the keep where reinforcements kept pouring out.
After the last guards fled into the inner keep, War-Claw destroyed the door and had the rest of the warriors follow the cowards.
"The rest of you go find Johann I will stay and make sure they won't ambush you my friends!" roared War-Claw.
Sarthinias nodded to his friend and charged into the keep followed closely by Arkaras and Shaylar. The Guards regrouped, their number total was around 15 to 20 men and they formed wall. Those who had no weapon resorted to lightning and fire magic along with Bound Swords. They all still had a look of fear in their eyes and fatigue did not help their already low morale. Just as Sarthinias and Arkaras where about to charge a tall Altmer (High Elf) dressed in heavy Thalmor Robes stepped out with Johann being dragged behind him. He threw Johann in front of him and bore a cold smile on his face. Then he spoke.
"Dear inferior races that I am forced to deal with, you have the chance to leave here with your lives. Just trade us that Savage of a deserter and you can leave here with your friend." the Thalmor said nonchalantly.
"Deal!" yelled Arkaras.
"Ha-ha I knew that you still had some sense in you, Savage!" taunted the Thalmor.
"Ah that name haunts your brethren does it not you Thalmor scum? spat Arkaras back to him as he switched spots with Johann, Eorlund took Johann out but the rest waited with Arkaras. The Thalmor clearly insulted summoned lightning into his hand and cast it towards Arkaras and it hit. Arkaras stood his ground but kneeled in pain.
"You insolent Nord scum, how dare you insult me!? I am the Inquisitor of Northwatch cousin to the twin Justiciars; Aros and Sletholan! None may live who cast my name down" Growled the Inquisitor. As he said this he became very agitated and drew his sword, his eyes glowing with hate and malice. So much clouded his sight that he did not realize Talim loose an arrow that disarmed his sword.
"Gah! You filthy wood-jumping insect! You WILL pay!" Shouted the Inquisitor. Another fatal mistake as Arkaras shouted and grabbed the Inquisitor by the collar and threw him into the wall of guards.
"Rush them!" shouted Kodlak in a commanding tone.
Sarthinias jumped and drew his blades in mid-air and landed on the tallest guard stabbing him and the closest next to him. Shaylar winked at Arkaras and tossed him his swords. Arkaras smiled and grabbed his swords then charged with the rest of his new friends and battled with four guards. Shaylan took to his bow and with his sister and Talim covered the melee fighters. Kodlak raised his great Battle-Hammer and crushed a guard with it as Vignar covered his back and fought off the guards with only a steel sword and a bare fist. That old man's strength only improved with age. Soon weapons were bloodied and armor rent the guards were all dead. Only the Inquisitor stayed alive.
"You, you filthy dogs I'll see all of you made examples of! Especially you Savage, for insulting me and giving Aros that scar along his left brow when you were but a child!" threatened the Inquisitor Arkaras was enraged at this new revelation and drew the Inquisitor up then punched his gut causing the Inquisitor to spew blood. The deranged Inquisitor merely laughed maniacally and smiled in lunacy.
"You, Thalmor scum your family took my brother from me. Burned my mother alive and murdered my father in cold blood. I swear vengeance upon your family until they are wiped from the histories you bastard!" Arkaras swore. Arkaras' eyes grew icy cold and glared at the now trembling Inquisitor. "My name is Arkaras the Savage and you are the first victim of my vendetta. Honor duel to the death, Inquisitor."
Arkaras let the Inquisitor on his feet and gave him a sword as Arkaras himself sheathed one of his blades. The Inquisitor foolish and weak dropped the sword and resorted to his fire spells, this was his final fatal mistake it cost him his life and his head. Before the Inquisitor could cast his spell to burn everyone in the keep including himself to ashes, Arkaras charged and decapitated the foolish Thalmor Inquisitor. His still smiling yellow face, rolling around on the floor.
