C.o.t.D: Chapter 6 - The Journey Continues

• Posted by A-Pocky-Hah! January 25, 2016 - 1,044 views

  Chapter 6: The Journey Continues

  

  13th First Seed, 4E 201

  Axius exited his room inside Frostfruit Inn. Aela wasn’t joking when she said her horse could reach Rorikstead in a few minutes. They arrived as the Moons shifted to the left. Her horse sprinted across the plains like it was soaring. The twins arrived a few seconds late, eating the dust Aela had left them. He saw the brothers having their breakfast and decided to join them.

  “Morning”, Farkas greeted. He cracked open a mudcrab leg, its fluffy meat was white as the eidar cheese slice beside it. The brothers had half the table filled with food. Roasted venison, cooked beef with seasoned herbs, fresh apples, steamed mudcrab legs and a flagon of mead. They all made Axius’s stomach grumble. Guess this is how the Nords break their fast.

  Axius sat on the bench and ordered roasted pheasant with a cup of herbal tea. “Did you sleep well, Axius?” Vilkas asked the moment the Imperial settled in. “To be honest, I didn’t.” He scratched his backside, remembering the rough ride earlier.

  “She sure runs fast, Aela” he said as he hold onto the horse, gripping on the rear end of the saddle.

  Aela pulled the reins of her horse just near the crossroad. The horse leaned back, nearly dropping Axius. “Still think our horses are slow?”, she jested. “Or would you prefer walking instead?”

  “Okay, I admit. The horses here are fast.” For a bunch of hairy mares.. he wanted to say that but he wouldn’t dare or else, he’d end up like the bandits.

  “But…, Cyrodilic horses can jump higher.” he boasted like some proud Altmer.  “Don’t suppose your horse could beat that.”

  She turned her head to her left, piercing green eyes looking at his. “Is that a challenge?”

  “No, it’s more like a fact” he affirmed, giving Aela a sly smile.

  She snorted in return. “We’ll see about that” The horse suddenly spurted left, into the rocky plains.

  “Wait, what are you..woah!”

  “Remind me to never challenge Aela.” The three laughed before a serving girl arrived with Axius’s meal. He sliced a small portion of the pheasant, smell of herbs and sauce filled his nose with aroma and his stomach grew ever hungrier. He put the meat inside his mouth, closing his eyes and slowly chewing it. The flavours mixed in his tongue as he indulged in every last bite.

  “Never seen a sellsword that eats like a Thane”, Farkas commented when Axius took another sliced.

  “You’ll get used to it if you spent your childhood living at a city whose main trade is wine.” Axius said nonchalantly, his hand fiddling around with the fork.

  “Yeah? Well here, we have a similar town like yours, Riften.”

  “Aye! Just East of here near the Morrowind border.” His brother added, raising his tankard. “Home to Blackbriar Mead and fresh fish and…”

  “... and home to the Thieves Guild.” Axius finished Vilkas’s sentence after he ate his slice. His face went sour upon hearing the name. “Let me tell you what I think of Riften. It’s a place where the rich rule over the poor and the law is easily bought. The Thieves Guild just makes it worse.” He saw the Thieves Guild as nothing but rats in an already infested sewer. Unlike their Cyrodiil counterparts, these thieves would steal anything from anybody. Peasant or noble, it matters not to them.

  “That is true, but we’ve been to Riften countless of times and we haven’t encountered any thieves nor loss a single septim.” Vilkas sounded sure of himself despite being half drunk. That’s because they were told not to, you idiot. Wouldn’t want a band of honorable sellswords hunting them down now do they? Axius decided to end the conversation and the three continued eating.

  Axius packed up after breakfast, his armor polished and donned. The brothers kindly paid for the meal. While cleaning his mace, he noticed something amiss.

  “Where’s Aela” he asked.

  “Sleeping. She went on a late-night hunt and came back a few hours ago.” Farkas answered, filling his tankard from the mead keg.  “You do know she likes you. Not everyday she would let a stranger ride with her.”

  Axius let out a hearty chuckle. “Me? I would rather let a Nord have her than me.” Would be surprised if she’d fall for an Argonian.  He thought as he cleaned the edges of his mace until light danced around. “Besides, my path is one I take alone.” Axius prefered travelling alone just like the other Templars before him. He didn’t like jeopardizing the safety of others if they travelled with him.

  He stood up, slung his backpack and thanked the brothers and the innkeeper before heading out the door. Let’s hope there’s no more delays.

   

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  Kynareth had been kind to the Templar as he travelled the road. A couple of wolves only interrupted his journey and their pelts were skinned so they could be sold. But here in The Reach, she did not have any power here. Jagged hills, thick fog rolling down the valley and crooked roads, it resembled like something out of the Oblivion realms. Axius could see why the Forsworn would call this their home. If their land looks like this, wonder what they would look like. He shuddered at the thought.

  He read that the Forsworn are descendents of the Reachmen, the original natives of The Reach who share their blood with the Bretons. Unlike the Imperials, they worship their own gods. Scholars believed that these Old Gods are actually the Daedra due to their involvement in the Planemeld and confessions made by former Reachmen.

  Axius came across a toppled cart and a dead merchant, disgusted. Dozens of arrows protruded out his chest and his left chest cut open, his heart gone. “Arkay grant me strength.” He prayed before going through the thick fog that now covered the valley.

  The fog was so thick, Axius could barely see ahead. His only guide was his Clairvoyance spell emitting from his left hand. He had his mace held on the other hand just in case something comes out from beyond. Wolves could smell their prey, but what about the Forsworn? Could they smell fear? The beam of light led him to a dead Forsworn. Shit, I keep thinking about the Forsworn and now it leads me to a dead one. Axius cursed himself. He refocused his mind towards Markarth, following the light again.

  Suddenly he heard shouting just nearby. “I don’t think it’s not a good idea to charge in, Bjarke.” a voice said. As Axius walked forward, he saw two figures near a door, a Nord and a Dunmer. “I’m the one who hired you, not the other way around, and I say we charge… in!” The Nord reminded his Dunmer friend before shoulder-charging the door. It left only left a small crack on the door and the Nord enraged. “Argh! How thick is this door!?”

  Just sneak past through, it’s not your problem. Axius said to himself. He crawled behind a few rocks, looking at the two individuals arguing before the Dunmer noticed him. “Who’s there? Show yourself.” the Dunmer called out, his hand ready at his sword belt. Axius had no choice but to come out. He’d hoped that these men weren’t bandits and could talk his way out.

  Axius could see the two much more clearer when he stepped forward, hands raised. The Dunmer wore a brown crustacean-like armor with a red cloth at the collar. A fur hood covered his head but the Imperial could see his blood red eyes. The Nord however, was a brute. Large, muscular and ugly. His face had all kinds of tribal tattoos, covering it was a iron helmet beneath a sabrecat head. With his iron, fur padded armor and giant warhammer, it was hard to believe he isn’t one of the Forsworn.

  “Who are you?” The Dunmer asked, his blade pointed at Axius’s face. The Dunmer’s voice had a Morrowind accent to it, suggesting he’s a foreigner.“Ser Axius Cornell, wandering knight and sellsword.” Axius replied calmly. The Dunmer lowered his blade and started to laugh at the Imperial’s answer. “A sellsword... with a title? Did you get that for fucking some Count’s daughter?”

  “Sero! What in Talos are you laughing on about and who is this?” Bjarke roared, his shoulder bruised after repeatedly charging at the door. “Just some knightly sellsword I found sneaking by.” The Nord took one quick glance at the Imperial and snorted. “Let him go. He doesn’t look like a threat.”

  “Well, you heard your friend. I’m just gonna walk away then.” Axius slowly turned around and walked away but was stopped when Sero held his shoulder. “You said you’re a sellsword right? How about you help a fellow sellsword out.” The Imperial reluctantly agreed.

  “Okay, so me and my employer have tracked this Forsworn Briarheart into this old fort”  Sero continued to explain, his hand showing the crumbling fort in front of them . “Now my employer, Bjarke, wants us to breach the front door. You know, the usual kill everything routine. But, I devised another plan that requires a third member, and it just so happens, you appeared.” He gave Axius a grappling hook that he brought along. “Let me guess, you want me to scale to the second floor and surprise them from behind?”Axius said when he saw the obvious.

  “Well, atleast I know you have brains for a knight.” Sero smiled. He left Axius with the grappling hook and informed Bjarke about his plan. Axius spun the grappling hook before tossing it upwards. The hook grabbed hold on one of the ledges and Axius began his climb. Gods, what did I do to deserve this?

   

  ----------------

  The fort was dark and nearly empty inside. A few candles and braziers were lit to light the way. Axius had to sneak through to corridors, meeting up with Sero and Bjarke downstairs. The Forsworns that are roaming around didn’t make it easier for him. So, he had to knock them out with a good hit in the head when the opportunity appears.

  When he nearly reached the bottom, Axius could hear a door bursted open, followed by a loud battlecry and shouts. That must be Bjarke and that Sero guy, Axius thought before he heard footsteps coming from behind.

  Three Forsworns appeared, wielding weapons made out of sharpened bones. One charged at Axius with a spear while the other two stayed back, using their bows. The archers fired their arrows but it was easily deflected by Axius’s shield. Sharp.. but fragile.  The spearman thrust his spear forward. Axius sidestep, bashed the spearman’s face with his shield, blood gushing out and swinged his mace into his chest. He saw the archers preparing to fire. Without further delay, he sprinted towards the archers, shield raised infront. Arrows were deflected and flew pass the Imperial the more he got close.

  He smashed his shield towards one of the archers, knocking him out instantly. The other one tried to reach out for his hatchet but he was struck by a firebolt coming out from where Axius was. The Imperial looked behind and saw Bjarke and Sero, their weapons had blood dripping down. “Aren’t we glad to see you alive, right Bjarke?” Bjarke grunted before shoving pass Axius to climb the stairs.

  As they ascend, Sero could notice that Axius was looking at his armor. “Do you like my chitin armor?” Sero announced. “Yeah, it’s kinda.. unique” Axius wasn’t sure what to really describe the chitin armor. An armor made out of insect shells, he was grossed out when he first heard about it.

  They were soon interrupted by two Forsworns running down the stairs. Bjarke dropped his warhammer and charge at them, grabbing hold of their throats and slammed them towards the wall. The Nord repeatedly slammed them against the wall until they stopped grasping for air and died.

  “How do you even work with a man like that?” Axius asked quietly. He was startled at the Nord’s strength. Blood painted the walls as the two Forsworn lie dead, lifelessly.

  “Simple, he pays well. Very well.” Sero replied, grinning. “Don’t worry, once you get use to all the blood, you’ll find that being hired by a bloodthirsty barbarian can reap you many rewards.” Bjarke heard Sero’s conversation and snapped back with his bloodlusted eyes. “Not saying you are a bloodthirsty barbarian, sera.” He dropped his voice from his usual tone as he held his hands in a defensive gesture.

  As Bjarke turned back, an arrow hit his right shoulder before the sound of a rope breaking and boulders rolled down the stairs. Instead of running back, the Nord roared and rushed forward into the Forsworn.

  “Is he always this stubborn?” Axius and Sero dodged the boulders along with the occasional arrows and ice spikes being fired at them.

  “Sadly, yes.”

  The volley of arrows and ice spikes then cease to a halt as cries of pain bellowed throughout the spiral staircase. When the two reach the end, they saw a Forsworn, laying down wounded and pleading for mercy. His mercy came when a warhammer smashed his head, bits of brain, blood and bone splattered around him. Bjarke emerged from a corner, his face and hands all bloodied.

  When they turned around the corner, Axius was horrified at the scene. Bodies lay in pools of blood, nearly unrecognizable due to their faces turned to a pulp. “Milk drinkers like you should run by now.” Bjarke he stood beside the Imperial and spit at a dead body. Even his shadow towered over Axius.

  With no sign of the Briarheart, they stepped outside through a nearby door. Axius had a better view of the land now that the fog was cleared. He could see a sabrecat stalking a goat, hawks circling above and a bridge just on his left. For once, The Reach seemed to have changed.

  “Alright, we’d checked every room inside. The only room left is that small tower over there.” Sero pointed out. “We should…”

  “Charge!!” Bjarke interrupted Sero as he smashed through the wooden door. The Dunmer looked down and shook his head in disappointment, muttering something in Dunmeris.

  A “shocking” sound could be heard before Bjarke was blasted out of the room. The Nord lied down, unconscious but alive. Axius tried to touch him, only to be shocked by a little jolt of electricity that flowed throughout his body.

  “Idiot! I was about to say be careful of runes.” Sero gave the Nord a kick which didn’t seem to wake him up. “Looks like it’s just you and me, Imperial.”

  “Must I really get involved?” Axius was already getting tired of being dragged into trouble. He’d hope the gods would of made the journey shorter. Sometimes, I really hate being so righteous.

  “Look, I’ll make sure you get paid for this…  even if my employer doesn’t like it.” Sero tossed out a bag full of septims at Axius. “That’s half of the payment in advance. Now you wanna get the other half? Then help me kill this guy.”

  Axius nodded before the two entered the room, weapons readied.

  The Briarheart was standing in the center on the room. One hand held a dwarven sword while the other had a shock spell. The two tried to encircle the Briarheart, attacking him from two sides. But the Briarheart quickly attacked Sero first.

  The two spellswords clash, steel against dwarven metal, fire against shock. Axius had to join in the fray and attacked the Briarheart from behind. The Briarheart kicked Sero away and turned his attention towards the Imperial. His flurry of blows left dents and scratches on Axius’s shield. He saw an opening on the Briarheart’s sword arm and decided to bash him with his shield. The stunned Briarheart was then hit by several crushing blows from Axius’s Skyforge steel mace. The last hit sent him lying down.

  When the Briarheart got up, his face and body was bruised, left arm was dangling due to the mace hitting the shoulder. Yet, he was still alive and was able to fight. Just die already… Axius gritted his teeth before bracing for the Briarheart’s attack.

  Suddenly, a blade protruded out of the Briarheart’s chest. He looked down at the blade, dripping with his blood. He felt a hand touching his crippled shoulder before the blade was shoved forward from behind. The Briarheart screamed even after the blade was pulled out.

  “For the love of Arkay, make him stop!!” Axius shouted while covering his ears and closing his eyes.

  A few seconds later, the screaming stopped. Axius slowly opened his eyes and saw Sero holding the Briarheart’s head that was removed from his body.

  “He won’t be screaming if he doesn’t have a head.”

  Sero reached out his other hand to help Axius get up.

  “Not bad for a knightly sellsword.” Sero smiled except this time it was more friendlier one. “I’ll go see if Bjarke has woken up yet. Feel free to find anything useful here, you earned it.”

  After Sero left the room, Axius looked around and saw a desecrated shrine of Dibella just at the end of the room. These Forsworn have no love for the Aedra. He then glanced at what looks like an old Nordic tomb chest inside a bedroom.

  When he opened it, he was surprised at the content. A dwarven shield, scratchless and in perfect condition. It had a dark bronze color metal. Axius sighed upon closer inspection. It’s a replica. But nonetheless a better shield than this. He took the shield along with the Briarheart’s sword to be melted down.

  He went out and saw it was nearly evening. Just infront of him, Sero was kicking Bjarke.

  “C’mon, wake up!” He shouted at the Nord’s ear but his ears were as thick as the animal furs he wore.

  “He’s still unconscious?” Axius asked

  “Yeah, if he doesn’t…” Sero gave another good kick. “... wake up, it might take a day or two to reach Markarth.”

  “Markarth? You’re going there? Perhaps I can come along with you.” Axius was excited when the Dunmer said they were going to Markarth.

  “Well.. after all you did for us. Sure but don’t expect me to carry you around if you’re tired.” Sero then started to lift Bjarke right arm over his shoulders. “Now.. could… you help me… lift this… guy?”

  Axius lifted the other arm and the two began walking towards the door. They were stung by small jolts of electricity as they descend the stairs. When they were outside again, they dropped Bjarke for a moment.

  “He… sure.. is.. heavy.” Axius panted. He grabbed a waterskin from his backpack and drank it slowly. “So, how far is Markarth from here?”

  “If we carry him like this, it will be three days.” Sero shaded his brow with his hand, observing the road. “We’ll rest at Karthwasten, before continuing.”

  The two lifted Bjarke again and slowly walked towards the bridge. They could hear the water rushing through the Karth River just below them.

  “Don’t you have any hor..?” 

  “No”

   Table of Contents

  

  Author's Note:

  I started going for long paragraphs something around 3-6 lines. Note that Bjarke is based around Teldryn Sero's old employer. Image will be added later.