TO PUT ON A SHOW
The next evening.
After a large meal and a long day helping college students practice ward spells, Travius was more than ready to relax and wait for Anaelle to be done with work so they could spend some time together again this evening.
He was about to step into his home when an enormous shadow engulfed him. He turned around to find Vhornyak. He was not met with a joke, a smile or an off-Color comment. His look was as serious as could be, something to take notice from Vhornyak.
"We need to suit up, I'll explain inside" he stated solemnly.
They both hurried into the house and headed to the small armory located in the west corner. Travius began putting on his armor. It was custom fitted ebony coated steel, modeled after the old blades armor, and forged at Jorvaskr in Whiterun. The college enchanted it to increase his magic regeneration rapidly. Each piece of steel plating had small almost unnoticeable soul gems creating a dark purple hue that shined out underneath the plating. The soul Gems served no practical purpose other than to add a layer of menace. The solid black ebony coating and the powerful enchantments made for one of the most beautiful, powerful, and intimidating armors in all of Tamriel.
Vhornyak had form fitting custom armor made of dragon bone and orcinium ore. His armor was also enchanted by the college to increase his stamina. He could swing his enormous hammer through a whole battlefield without breaking a sweat.
"You going to tell me why I'm putting on my armor?" Travius asked while putting on the final piece of his suit.
"We have a dozen Thalmor demanding access to the college, claim they have cause to arrest Yarwil"
Travius paused "Yarwil? Why?" He placed his back up dagger in his holster.
"I've no intention of letting them take Yarwil but we need to let the Jarl take the lead…."
Vhornyak interrupted him "Travius. It's The Inquisitor"
That was all he needed to hear as They headed out of the house. Thankfully the home was purposefully built close to the college.
When they approached the stone bridge to the college they found twelve Thalmor agents in a half circle around the entrance to the college and another one standing in the middle. J' Zargo, the college's Khajit destruction master and Four students stood their ground at the gate. The captain of the guard and three officers nervously stood guard with the mages. You could tell they were cautiously deciding if the mages were worth crossing the Thalmor.
Travius could tell something was unusual right away. The Thalmor Justicars usually only travel in groups of five or six and wear practical light armor. These were all wearing heavy bright gold armor usually only worn for formal events. They also do not usually come at night. The formation they were standing in also did not give them any real defense, they were far enough apart that Travius and Vhornyak were able to walk through them. They wanted to be seen. They were putting on a show. They were succeeding as more and more citizens came to see what was happening, making Travius fairly concerned.
Travius and Vhornyak walked past the Justicar in the middle. He was a tall lanky high elf, as most are. His long blonde hair in an intricate braid ran over his shoulder down his chest. Instead of wearing the same clunky armor as the others he had a long thin blue and black robe with a high collar extending all the way up his neck, Indicative of a high ranking justicar. His most easily identifiable trait however was the large circular scar around his right eye which itself appeared bloodshot and damaged. The two locked eyes sharing a mutual scowl. Without a question it was him. Volonare Armion, The Inquisitor.
The Justicars' primary purpose was to enforce the conditions laid out in the White-Gold Concordant. In Skyrim this mostly consists of persecuting Talos worship. They would also use prohibited items such as skooma as an excuse to go through homes and caravans. They never left a city or town without a prisoner.
Volonare made his reputation during the civil war. Whenever a Stormcloak territory was taken back he and his men would scour the hold for any evidence of Talos worship. Unlike most Justicars, Volonare often did not take prisoners back to the keep. He would interrogate and torture people right in their homes. Sometimes in public. It was a message he sent.
Travius had witnessed his sadistic brutality before. When he saw this monster here in Winterhold he decided at this moment he would never allow it. Not in his city. Not in his home. Volonare raised his long sharp chin at Travius. A trademark for the arrogance of The Thalmor. Always looking down at you, at everyone.
Volonare greeted them snidely, "Surprised to see you two here with the tavern still open. I heard you were wasting your talent getting drunk and fetching trinkets for college. Shame to see one of the few humans with potential squander it."
"Why are you here?" Growled Vhornyak
"Excuse me, I will not be questioned by a drunken Orc" Volonare snapped.
"He has a name!" They heard yelled from behind as The Jarl was charging towards the confrontation. He took a moment to look at the Thalmor and came to the same conclusion as Travius in that they were being dramatic to draw attention.
"And YOU have procedure to follow that you are clearly disregarding! We are not in war time circumstances you must hold court with me before questioning my people" Kraldar went as far as poking the Justicar on the chest while he spoke.
Volonare breathed heavily and clenched his fists making no effort to hide his frustrations. He was certainly not expecting this kind of resistance. Everyone was always too afraid.
Travius placed himself between Kraldar and Volonare. He appreciated the Jarls enthusiasm, but Travius knew the Jarl hasn't seen what this Thalmor agent was capable of. Travius was. His yellow eyes took a tone of complete hatred when he finally saw Yarwil make his way through the gate. Volonare raised his hand and in unison the Thalmor agents all prepared lightning spells in their hands. Creating a thick blue line of small pops of lightning. More theatrics.
"Pleased step aside while I retrieve my prisoner" Volonare angrily spoke. He motioned for his men and they began moving towards to gates to capture the mage.
Travius quickly threw a fire rune to the ground in the path of the Thalmor. Vhornyak pulled his war hammer from his back holster and held it front of him and gave a thunderous growl to the oncoming Thalmor.
"I've had enough of this insolence! The White Gold Concordant allows The Thalmor jurisdiction through all of Tamriel. I could have this whole college executed for its hostile behavior! " Volonare was becoming increasingly angrier as he spoke.
Yarwil came through the gate and signaled for his students to step aside and stand down. He maintained the same calm demeanor he always had. Even in such a tense situation he maintained his composure, something Travius admired about him.
"Quite the impressive display. Even synchronized. Very unusual timing though I must say" Yarwil stated while walking towards Travius and The Thalmor
"Usually, misunderstandings can be solved over dinner, which is what I was doing, so now is just as well I suppose. What exactly are your charges against me?"
Volonare sneered. His patience with the lack of compliance has almost hit its boiling point.
"You are charged by the Aldmeri Dominion for the murder of Ambassador Ancano" he loudly proclaimed to make sure everyone heard.
Yarwil interjected.
"Again, a misunderstanding. We cooperated with the dominion for six months on this matter. Your own agents concurred that Ancano had been driven insane by the eye of magnus. Now you stand here while we dine nearly seven years later to detain me? Even by Thalmor standards you are taking bold action. You've disrupted our lives enough. Good evening to you sir" Yarwil walked back toward the gate and stood with his mages.
Volonare at this point was overcome by rage at this disobedience.
"HOW DARE YOU QUESTION THE AUTHORITY OF THE WHITE-GOLD CONCOR…"
Travius got in front of Volonare again. This time so close they could almost feel each other's breathe. With a flash of green Travius body was consumed by a green aura. A defensive armor spell signaling to Volonare that he is not backing down.
"To oblivion with the concordant, I'm not asking, I'm TELLING YOU to leave this city now"
Volonare looked around and realized he got the attention his theatrics demanded. More city guards had weapons drawn behind the Thalmor agents. Seeing the Jarl stand up to the Justicars gave them the confidence they needed.
Behind them were several mill workers. Arms crossed in defiance. To the right was Anaelle, Aratore and the kitchen staff from the tavern standing at the ready. Kitchen cleavers and daggers ready to battle. Volonare sharply stared into Travius' eyes and noticed Travius staring back just as intently. He realized his posturing was futile. Winterhold was not backing down to him as he believed they would. Like they were supposed to. He reached his hand behind him and closed his fist and the other Thalmor removed the spells from their hands. All in unison just as they had before.
"Very well" he stated allowing his anger to wither away and once again had his arrogant sneering in his voice. "We will take leave for now but understand this is not over. We will be back for the consequences to be had"
"I'll guess we'll deal with that when it happens" Vhornyak stated from behind Travius.
Volonare stared at Travius in disgust, again refusing to acknowledge the Orc.
"I would keep your dog in his kennel, wild pets cause trouble for their owners. Wouldn't be the first time you've had to pay for his mistakes now, would it?" he said to Travius.
"If you don't leave now, my dog will have your ears to decorate his necklace like I should have let him do before" Travius responded.
Volonare turned and walked away past his men. Then all formed a single file line behind him. The guards and the mill workers moved to each side allowing a small path for them to walk. Volonare did not realize he had the attention of the whole city and a massive crowd had formed behind the guards.
The Thalmor had moved about forty yards away from the college gate when an arrow came flying from the air. The arrow went clean through the back of the head of the agent directly behind Volonare, sending a splash of blood all over the back of the Justicars head and robe.
"This is how you treat a surrender!" Enough of this, kill them all!" Volonare yelled and raised both hands to his side spraying the crowd with a very wide and powerful Ice spell that sent dangerously cold air and large sharp icicles into the crowd of bystanders.
At least a dozen people On each side of him fell to the ground wrenching in pain as their skin become frost bitten and pierced by the sharp pieces. The crowd immediately erupted into chaos. Travius saw Volonare disappear into the crowd. The justicars all immediately charged towards the college gates throwing lightning spells at them as they charged.
The college mages all stood in a formation at the gate and cast a ward spell together protecting the Archmage and the college entrance.
Jarl Kraldar, Anaelle and Aratore all ran to the wounded and began to pull them away from the fray before they became trampled in the panic. The city guards were focused on crowd control trying to get people to go inside and away from this fray.
The Thalmor were so consumed with their task to get the Archmage that they were ignoring the real threat. They also forgot about the rune Travius had placed.
Vhornyak waited for them to approach and once they were close enough, he lifted his hammer over his head and slammed it on the ground. Sending a large enough tremor through the ground to set off the rune. An explosion of fire and blood sent three Justicars rather pieces of the Justicars flying through the air. Another Justicar charged him with a glass sword. He lifted his hammer up with one swoop and caught the Justicar in his chest. He fell backwards to the ground wheezing and coughing blood. No doubt crushing every bone in his torso. Vhornyak lifted his leg and let his foot down on the Justicar's head, ending his Suffering.
Two more Justicars rapidly charged at Travius from both sides. With his left hand he cast another rune spell. The Justicar knew there was no way he could stop his momentum. He stepped right in the rune and all that remained of the top half of his body went flying through air. His lower half was nowhere to be seen. This gave the other Justicar charging an opportunity to swing his mace at Travius' head. Travius waited until the Thalmor could almost touch him and then ducked and with his right hand he conjured a deadric swords that went right through the elves chest as soon as it appeared. With his blade still stuck in the Justicar's chest he placed his left hand on his head as it become consumed with fire. The Thalmor made a blood curdling scream as his head turned into embers and then exploded into a ball of flames.
The remaining six Justicars began to retreat. Vhornyak threw his hammer until it hit of them in the back knocking him down onto his stomach. The impact of the hammer broke his spine and he lay on the ground screaming in agony. Vhornyak retrieved his hammer and slammed it down on the justicars head. Only five now. Volonare was nowhere to be found. The justicars were met in the middle of the street right in front of the Jarls Longhouse by Anaelle, Aratore and several Bosmer mill workers armed with woodcutting axes and meat cleavers.
As much as the Aldmeri Dominion has effected Skyrim and Cyrodill. Nowhere has been as hurt and broken by Thalmor as Valenwood and the native Bosmer. The official stance is that Thalmor and Valenwood are Allies. The poorly kept secret is that this is obtained by the Thalmor having purges where they wipe out any villages and families who don't declare loyalty to them. Often using brutal and performative tactics like they attempted to do tonight to get their point across. Winterhold had quite the community of Bosmer displaced by the Thalmor.
The overcast skies turned into a full-on downpour. The Thalmor tried to turn and go back the other way towards the college. When they turned around, they only saw a large flash of lightning across the sky creating a silhouette of Travius and Vhornyak walking towards them. They saw their left side become blocked by several city guards and the right side become blocked by college students.
Travius and Vhornyak continued to approach the Justicars. Travius was furious that in one moment, some poor decision from a guard turned a peaceful resolution into a bloody battle. He saw the street had become lined with the inhabitants of Winterhold. The guards, the college mages, the traveling merchants, the workers from the camps and even the average citizens, unfettered by the storm. The crowd closed in behind them as they walked. Further enhancing the overwhelming feeling of being cornered.
Despite this crowd growing the entire city was now at a deafening quiet. The only noises you could hear were the panicked breaths of the justicars and the rhythmic drop of rain. Through the dark and rain Travius purple glow made him almost appear daedric and the orc gave the silhouette of a giant as they narrowed the gap between them. With nowhere to go, The justicars were frozen and speechless. They are used to being on the other end of this treatment. This was not supposed to happen to them.
"On your knees, now" Travius told them in an angry but calm tone.
One of the justicars thought he had an opening and knocked over one of the Bosmer to attempt an escape. Anaelle was just barely able to get behind him and kick Him in the back of his knee causing him to fall onto His back. Vhornyak walked over to him and stepped on his thigh just above his knee. The weight from the giant nearly cracking his femur.
He looked down at the Justicar. "You ready for some regret?" He said to taunt him.
He then reached down to grab his ankle and pulled up as hard as he could. The Justicar let out a horrid scream as his bones protruded from the back of his thigh. The orc grabbed him by his chest armor and carried him back into the circle making sure to drag along the injured leg while doing so. Travius then conjured a deadric sword with a purple flash of light in his right hand. He ran the glowing blade across all four of the faces of the ones who remained on their knees light enough not to kill but just leave a small bleeding wound across their foreheads. Blood slowly leaked from the wound into their eyes.
Travius let them kneel there in fear. Let them get a taste of their own medicine.
"Doesn't feel good, does it? I bet Your heart is beating faster than you ever thought it could. The blood stings your eyes. Waiting, wondering what comes next. Wounded and terrified. Humiliated."
One of the justicars spoke through horrified mumble.
"M…me…..mercy…p …p….please….mer….mer….mercy"
Travius huffed. He backed up and turned to the crowd, "They want mercy. Mercy" he yelled at the crowd. "They show up in our city with their gaudy armor and their theatrical display and threaten our people, our friends, our family and they ask for mercy?"
"We were lied to! Please! We were told we were coming to disband a talos shrine. We knew nothing of arresting the Archmage until we arrived at the gates" the Justicar pleaded with Travius who turned to the crowd again.
"Such disdain for you he wont even speak to you directly. He tells me they didn't know they were here to drag the Archmage away from his dinner table and lock him away in a cold cell. They were instead here to persecute one of YOU for Talos Worship. One of YOU was to be taken from your homes and your Families. He then of course, asks for mercy."
Many in the crowd began to laugh. A bottle came through the crowd and landed near the justicars. Another followed it but this time landed by hitting one of the elves on the side of the head. Then came another and another and another.
Travius lifted his hand to motion to the crowd to stop throwing the bottles. "Since they were here for you, which to him is somehow better, It only seems like the fair thing to do is to let you decide. How merciful are all of you tonight?"
"What mercy were they planning for the arch mage?" A college student yelled out.
"I say we show them the same mercy they showed those people pulling ice from their bodies" another voice spoke angrily.
"Aye, the same mercy they showed my village when they burned our temple with our elders inside" another one chimed.
"The same mercy these very same bastards showed my uncle" Aratore chimed in. He realized when he saw them kneeling there, they were the same Justicars he encountered before he came here.
Travius leaned down and grabbed the one who spoke by his pony tail yanking it down forcing his face up and locked eyes.
"Mercy it is" he then released his head to put his foot on his chest and kicked him back down to the ground.
As the crowd moved towards the Thalmor Travius, Vhornyak and Anaelle all three walked away. From behind them you could hear screams and the sounds of metal clanking. A small river of blood ran between the stones in the street. Travius stopped, grabbed Anaelle by the belt loops on her pants and pulled her into him. Grabbing the back of her head and embracing her for an exceptionally long and enthusiastic kiss. His face was covered in blood, sweat and ash. She didn't care one bit; she could've simply melted in his arms.
The Jarl leaned on the doors to his longhouse and watched this scene unfold. He wanted to put a stop to this but he realized he wouldn't be able to stop this once it was in motion.
The captain of the city guard and the Archmage approached the Jarl.
The Archmage spoke. "We broke at least three treaties tonight, if not more."
"Aye, I have already sent a courier to give word to the other holds as well as the Imperial City. "This is certainly not over; it's just getting started" the Jarl spoke solemnly to the other two.
"Since when do you have archers on rooftops" the jarl asked the captain with obvious frustration in his voice.
"I don't" he responded with concern.
"None of my men have the accuracy for that kind of shot, no way that was one of my guards."
He then pulled a long piece of cloth from his waistband. He opened the cloth to reveal an arrow made of ebony but with a glowing head. It also had a slight shimmering red hue, indicative of an enchanted bow. None of them had seen an arrow like this before. The arrow had some type of lettering etched in a spiral all the way down to the head.
"This certainly isn't one of ours, I've never seen anything like this." The captain stated.
The Archmage picked up the arrow and inspected the lettering.
His eyes grew wide. "This is a prayer"
He handed it back to the captain.
"A prayer to who?" the jarl asked.
"Looks Daedric, I'm sure our library at the college will have something. I am Going to keep this and begin research first thing in the morning."
Travius and his companions still stood in the street watching the guards start to remove the almost unrecognizable bodies of the justicars.
Vhornyak looked to Anaelle and asked.
"You guys are still staying open tonight right?"