The Last Holy-Scale: Book Two: Part One:
The Sea's Soothe All Pain
This is an unexpected turn of events...I wanted purpose again...and I get a pirate crew.....A PIRATE CREW!!! This isn't what I had in mind for a purpose...*sigh*...not like I can do anything about it. The Hist led me to these fine people...so I'll see if these people are any good.
It was the buttcrack of dawn on the Padomay Ocean, I was the only one awake and I was on the bow of the ship, meditating. I was trying to keep myself from falling apart. I was now separated from my home and my faith...I would have zero contact with the Hist from here on out.
When the sun started to peer its eyes over the horizon, I heard footsteps on wood behind me.
Rezmor: (opens eyes) You have a question?
Keth'ar: Kinda...why is this one up here on the bow? How is this one up here on the bow?
Rezmor: I'm up here meditating, er, well...I was. And it's not hard to get up here Keth'ar.
Keth'ar: Sorry for interrupting, but...seriously...how? You weigh about 300 pounds. And you're taller than Durz and Jarik.
Rezmor: That doesn't mean I'm not nimble, or any bit agile for that matter. Don't get me wrong, you're a ton faster than I...but I've got speed in my bulk.
Keth'ar: Interesting. (turns around) Well...Keth'ar will leave you to your-
Rezmor: A moment Keth'ar.
Keth'ar: (turns back around) Hmm?
Rezmor: (continues to look forward) I can tell in the way you act...you're just like me aren't you.
Keth'ar: What does this one mean?
Rezmor: You lost everything before the crew didn't you?
Keth'ar: ...
Rezmor: You need not say anything...I don't wanna know...for my own well-being.
Keth'ar: (begins to walk away then stops when back on the deck) And you'd be right. (walks away)
A few more hours passed by and the temperature dropped a little as we came close to the shores of Morrowind. The ash was strong in the air, but I could easily breathe in it. Durz told me that Dunmer have a special skill of crafting and working with the volcanic rocks that litter the area.
We made port for supplies and ammunition. With my stubborn ass, I decided to look around for these volcanic rocks...what did Durz call it...Obsidian I think it was. I found some...a lot actually.
When I brought it to Durz he asked that we go to the forge immediately to see how to work the rocks. They were a bit more challenging than he'd've thought.
Durz: (wiping sweat off his brow) Damn...this is harder than I'd've thought.
Rezmor: Let me try. (takes off shirt)
Durz: Uhhh...you sure you don't wanna use an apron?
Rezmor: I don't like using aprons...they make me too hot.
Durz: What...this is a forge of course it'll get hot!
Rezmor: (hammering at the hot Obsidian) I can't hear you, I'm forging!
Durz: Just hammering at it will break it!
Rezmor: (hammering the Obsidian...which is now bending to the heat)
Durz: Wha...how?
Rezmor: I've worked Flint before...so I figure it's just like working that, but I have to hit alot harder and heat it up hotter.
Durz: (facepalms) Why didn't I think of that!?
Rezmor: I don't know. But look (holds up the hammered rock) its setting itself.
Durz: That's incredible! The rock is matching itself to the hammer's hits so we don't have to.
Rezmor: Absolutely amazing! (a molten spark hits his abdomen)
Durz: ...That didn't hurt?
Rezmor: What didn't?
Durz: A molten spark just hit your chest.
Rezmor: Oh...yeah, I've been forging shirtless for 23 years...you can say I'm used it.
Durz: Well...I haven't seen any forgemaster like that in all my years...and I've been at this for 120 years.
Rezmor: What!? How old are you?
Durz: 130.
Rezmor: You've been a blacksmith since you were 10? I guess that's no surprise...but for your kind to live more than 100 years...I didn't think it could happen.
Durz: I know that most of us kill ourselves at an old age...but not me...I wasn't raised in a stronghold. I was raised in the wild...a bandit for some time.
Rezmor: Really? How'd that go?
Durz: Terrible...I was born in that damn camp and raised to fend for myself or be killed. I took the place as blacksmith at a young age so I wouldn't get thrown out. I've been forging ever since. Plus, Skyrim didn't make it any easier.
Rezmor: Wait what did you say?
Durz: I've been for-
Rezmor: No not that part.
Durz: Skyrim made-
Rezmor: Right there!! Skyrim. What is that?
Durz: You've never heard of Skyrim? Have you been underground all your life?
Rezmor: Most of it yeah.
Durz: Oh...well Skyrim is the province that most would say, "land of eternal snow" but that's load of bullshit. The Rift has snow only a few times a year.
Rezmor: Is that where we're going soon?
Durz: Eventually...why are you so eager to go to Skyrim?
Rezmor: Just a feeling.
Durz: Whatever...we need to get this Obsidian worked, understand?
Rezmor: Absolutely.
Durz and I are close because we have similar smithing skills...and we're equally as skilled. Though I knew that I wouldn't be with these people for long. The shores of Skyrim are cold and unforgiving so I hear.
Jarik asked me to come up to the training deck for a while to "test my mettle" he said. The Training Deck was a fairly large colosseum-like grounds with weapon racks littering it...though...they hold no weapons.
Jarik was standing atop the north wall and just stood there, looking at me. In response, I just walked around the colosseum, looking at all the masonry and carpentry. Jarik got confused, so he jumped off his perch.
Jarik: Are you ignoring me?!
Rezmor: (still looking at the wall) Why are you tempted by that anyways?
Jarik: I asked you here to test your mettle...not for you to ponder archaeology!
Rezmor: (heart sinks) ...Is that so...(turns around)...then give me your best shot.
Jarik: You asked for it, (charges at Rezmor with a battle cry)
Jarik had his battle axe raised...I foresaw a jumping downswing. When he was in range, as I thought, he jumped and swung his axe down at me. I just stepped closer to him and the axehead missed.
The haft of the axe hit my shoulder instead of the axehead splitting my head. Jarik tried to draw back his axe so that the blade would drag across my shoulder. I just grabbed the haft and Jarik couldn't pull it back.
Jarik then threw a left cross at my head...I caught the fist and threw it over my shoulder like a cobblestone. This brought Jarik's head to mine, causing a loud CRACK!!! to sound throughout the ring.
Jarik is stunned, then I throw a right super punch and send Jarik across the floor. He just gets up and says, "Is that all ya got." Now I see that he's far more resilient than I thought.
Jarik then pulled a mace out from behind him...to this day...I have no idea where he got it from. He just pulled it out of nowhere, the proceeded to throw the bastard at me. I caught the mace and Jarik was already at his axe. I tossed the mace...I didn't need it for this fight.
Jarik swung his axe blunt-side first, this hit my arms...and it hurt a little. I was also moved somewhat by the impact. Jarik then flipped to his axehead and thrust it at me. I moved left and dodged the attack. Then I grabbed Jarik by the neck and lifted him up off the ground, which was remarkably easy, given his size.
Jarik was trying to pry off my grip...try as he might, it wasn't gonna happen. I could admire his endurance, he wouldn't give in...I guess that's just his Nord blood at work.
In the middle of that gambit, I'm hit from the side by a leg. Junos kicked, no, dropkicked me in the side to make me let go of Jarik. I got up quickly and saw Jarik hacking up a lung after what I had done.
Junos: ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL JARIK!!!???
Rezmor: (standing up) No...he asked to test my mettle and that's what I gave him.
Junos: You almost killed him!! Any more of this act-
Jarik: CAPTAIN!! I'm fine...It was completely necessary for him to do that. You saw the whole thing after all.
Junos: Granted I did, he shouldn't attempt to kill you.
Jarik: I was looking forward to a good fight like that. If anything, you're the bad egg right now.
Junos: You Nords are strange when it comes to battle.
Jarik: Bretons don't know any better.
Junos: Whatever...just don't kill each other...I need some muscle on this ship.
Jarik: Aye Captain.
Junos: As you were. (leaves)
Jarik and I sparred for a while, each of us exchanging battle tactics and strategies. Then tested them out on each other until sunset. We decided that that would be enough for today and went our separate ways.
I walked up the stairs and on the deck and an arrow flew by my left ear...and it scratched it. I flinched a little and I looked in the direction the arrow flew from. I couldn't see who shot it, so I used Detect Life and saw a little spec of life aura in the distance. I ran towards it only to see that it was trying to run from me.
I could easily keep up with the moving figure, and when I got close, it jumped over my head and landed directly behind me. Foolish move, because I used my tail to grab its waist.
I lifted the being over my head so that he was upside down and in front of me...it was Raesal. I snickered and brought him closer to my head.
Rezmor: Wanna explain why my left ear is bleeding.
Raesal: Sorry, but I was aiming at the grape that was next to you.
Rezmor: Excuse me?
Raesal: Just carry us back to the shot and I'll show you.
Rezmor: So be it. (walks to the arrow)
At the grape shot...
Raesal: See that, (points at a split grape on the ground).
Rezmor: (squints and bends over) Holy shit.....you hit this (points at the grape) from where you...were at?
Raesal: I don't know why you're so surprised about that...I am a Wood Elf after all.
Rezmor: I will say Raesal...I am truly impressed at that shot.
Raesal: While I appreciate the compliment...my head is being filled with blood.
Rezmor: Oh sorry, (puts down Raesal). You good?
Raesal: (hand on head) Yeah I'll be alright.
Rezmor: Be careful of where you shoot.
Raesal: I'll keep it in mind next time.
It was a fine day, I got to forge a volcanic rock, I almost killed one of our own on accident and he was fine with it, and I almost died. Yeah...fun day it was. Anyways, the Captain called us all to the dining hall, Saesal told me that this was routine for us.
We all went into a fairly large room with a big table and food all over it. Junos hopped up on the table and raised a glass. He told us that we were on our way to Skyrim to confront another group of pirates that calls themselves, "The Highstrand Pirates".
The Highstrands are known to kill all prisoners after torturing &/or raping them. Junos said they give pirates a bad name...well...a worse name than it needs to be. We would look around for them and show them what real pirates look like.
Taking on the name of "pirate" after all that's transpired for me was difficult to swallow. Even though they were a bunch of sea-sailing crime doers, they seemed like good people. The fact that I would soon abandon them for a higher purpose made me feel like shit for the rest of that night.
I was on my way to my quarters, thinking about what was going on in my life. I reached my door when I felt a hairy tail sweep across my neck. I turned around and Keth'ar dropped in front of my face. She was hanging by her tail on the upper beam.
Keth'ar: You seem like you feel like shit my scaly friend...what troubles this one?
Rezmor: My past...it was recent.
Keth'ar: Ahh. A tragedy troubles you eh? Listen here Rezmorziriik. It may hurt at first, but the pain is only temporary.
Rezmor: Do you know the sharpest of all pains Keth'ar?
Keth'ar: I do...losing family.
Rezmor: Well I lost all of mine..even my unborn children.
Keth'ar: (hands cover mouth) I...I-
Rezmor: (puts finger over Keth'ar's mouth) Hush...just don't...I need no sympathy.
Keth'ar: Then let me tell you something...that only people like you and me can understand.
Rezmor: I don't see how words will-
Keth'ar: (pats her paw on Rezmor's head) You hush, just listen. Listen carefully: When the past comes to you, seeking to converse with this one, ignore it...for it has nothing new to say.
Rezmor: (eyes widen)
Keth'ar: See...you know what Keth'ar speaks of.
Rezmor: You know...you're not so bad...neither of you. You're all good people..for what it's worth.
Keth'ar: A Pirate's life is a life of excitement I'll have you know. We chose this path although Junos always says that it chose us. Nonsense he spews at often times.
Rezmor: Right...well I guess I'll be off to bed now.
Keth'ar: Ah yes...well...Keth'ar will leave now. (scurries out of the room)
Rezmor: (to himself) Nice cat...how will I separate from her? (goes to bed)
As I lay awake in bed, I thought of what Skyrim was gonna be like. Snow and fierce winds sounded like heaven to me. I forgot to mention that I'm an Argonian that loves the cold didn't I? No matter...I dreamt of what I was gonna do once I got there.
Turns out that I had received a vision from the Sun-Hist inside of me that night as well. I saw a blank white area...then it became a rolling moor, with a glowing purple tree in the distance. And very tall smoothskins were guarding it, with even larger, and hairier beasts with horns protruding from their noses it seemed doing the same.
I was incredibly confused at what I was seeing and had no idea what I was looking at, or what it meant. I slept confused that night...and I don't like sleeping confused.
To Be Continued
