Darkness, My Demise.

• Posted by Batman March 11, 2012 - 743 views

  BaBoom!

  I glance up at the night sky obscured by the dense grey clouds, watching the lightening arch through the roiling mass in time to the beats of thunder. The storm will arrive in a matter of minutes.

  It has been a week since my confrontation with the warrior, I have changed course and begun my journey south, away from the snow and ocean. Something is pulling me, tugging at my chest as sure as if I were a fish on a hook. My heart is still racing and my pace has not slowed, I do not wish of sleep nor do I hunger for blood, I am unsettled. For what seems like forever I have roamed these lands sure in myself that there was nothing that I could not conquer, could not overcome. Yet in less than a change of the season I have been uprooted from my home, faced terrible creatures of metal, danced with death thrice and tasted a blood that contained power such as I had not tasted its like in all my years, only one other has come close.

  When I was younger, still seeped in my mortal bearings, I was a head strong child and would constantly defy my parents, racing off into the wilderness to play with the wild animals there. As far as I was concerned I was queen of the forest and the creatures that dwelt there my loyal subjects. I was no Bosmer like in the tales I heard growing up I did not command some special power over them but still they came to play with me. One day as I entered the forest clearing where I usually played I came across the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, even prettier than my mother. She sat poised atop the broken tree stump I had designated my throne like a frostbite spider sits in a web waiting for the threads to dance the tune of dinner. I couldn’t help but stare at her, her crimson eyes tracking my steps as I came to a stop in front of her. Then she smiled.

  I’d like to think most children in my position would have run screaming if they had seen the pointy teeth this woman had, like a wolves they were, only smaller but looking just as sharp. I have been watching you child, she told me, in an accent that spoke of far off lands and mountain ranges. I did not understand the danger of the creature I faced; if I had, my life would sure have ended that day. Instead I asked if she wanted to join my court, the forest animals had not shown up today but she was welcome to play. She stared at me, astonishment on her face before she broke into peals of laughter the only sound that could be heard there in that grove. We played court, the beautiful lady, the court wizard juggling balls of fire and ice for my amusement as I sat upon my throne applauding her skills, the animals still did not show.

  The sun was on the horizon before I left my throne and bowed to the beautiful lady saying I most go. She grabbed my wrist as I was turning away, the sudden pain drawing a startled yelp from me. I stared back at her, the beautiful lady that threw balls of ice and fire for me was gone. In her place stood a feral creature the wolf fangs more pronounced, anger in her eyes. I must admit I screamed then. The sound must have startled her for she released my arm and straightened out of her crouch and began cooing at me, her voice strangely soothing. She was sorry she said over and over she didn’t mean to hurt me; she just wanted to continue playing, she said we could stay in the forest and play forever. I probably would have stayed if she hadn’t smiled that feral smile right at the end. I didn’t scream, I just bolted quickly as one of the plains hares my father hunts for our supper, I sure felt like a hare. Through the trees I ran and across the moon drenched field, the silence surrounding me all the more frightening for the only sound I could hear was the frantic beating of my heart.

  Up the garden path I ran, through the door slamming it quickly behind me. I didn’t stop there. Down the hall I raced almost tripping over the landing stairs in my scramble to climb them. There! The last door on the left, I pelted through a second later sliding to my knees I tucked myself under the bed frame a blanket sense of safety fell upon me as I shook with my rapid breathing. Eventually I calmed enough to hear my mother calling me to dinner. I didn’t tell them what happened in the forest. I didn’t want my father to be out in those woods hunting her, she would tear him apart, this I knew. So I kept my silence and went to bed.

  The sound awoke me as sure as if it was a scream in my ear. Branches scraping against my window, but I didn’t move to look. We lived on a farm; there were no trees near the house. Still as sighted prey I lay there watching as the moonlight cast the shadow across my room. Slowly it formed into a hand, the fingers splayed as though they rest against something, I didn’t understand, I didn’t want to understand. Barely daring to breath I lay there watching the shadow from the window above my bed until a few hours before dawn it disappeared. Still I refused to move from my place until the sun was well and truly above the horizon.

  The news came to our farm just past the midday meal; a child from the neighbouring village was missing. The alchemist’s daughter was out in the forest helping her father pick their supplies and then she wasn’t, I knew it was my fault. I never ventured back in to the forest.

  Baboom!

  The roll of thunder jolted me from my memories; the deluge of rain that followed brought me back to reality.

  I have almost reached the plains that surround Whiterun, the tether arcs away from the township though and follow it I must. The Western Watchtower rises out of the horizon, its walls crumbling and set ablaze despite the torrential rain, my destination at last.

  Baboom!

  The sound rocks the walls around as I bolt up in bed instantly choking on the thick haze of smoke clouding my room and making my eyes water. I try placing my feet on the floorboards but instantly pull them back up, the floor already a blistering inferno. Coughing some more I try to pierce the smoky haze looking for escape, my sight finds the window and without thought I jump. The glass already weakened by the heat from below offers no resistance as I crash through, landing awkwardly on the roof of the first floor my momentum rolling me over the flame encased logs and dropping me painfully on the stone pathway below. My cry of pain is swallowed by the flames as I hear the bones in my left arm crack and splinter. For some reason I began to crawl away from the inferno, pain like an aura radiated all around me. From the bleeding soles of my feet to the shattered remains of my arm, even my hair was not spared, the once long midnight locks now floated about my face as insubstantial as the smoke that blanketed all that I could see.

  I must have blacked out at some point, one moment I was still crawling through the burning rubble the next I was across the border and into cool, dark forest I swore thirteen years ago I would never set foot in again. A shadow flittered across my face momentarily blocking the terrible flames from my view. Just before I passed out a soft, familiar voice reached my ears. Child.

  Baboom!

  The storm was worsening; lightening now streaked the sky almost constantly. Any sane being wouldn’t be caught dead out here, which said as much for my state of mind and that of those that bore the flaming torches just beyond the tower. I could see them now, a cluster of Whiterun’s city guard, led by none other than Irileth that harpy of a Dunmer. I stopped dead in my tracks, water cascading unerringly down my face soaking me to the bone. This couldn’t be right. Why would I be drawn to Irileth? And then he stepped forward.

  I bared my teeth in a grimace; of course it would be him. He like all the others were staring at the sky, though I doubted any of them could see more than a few feet in front of them, except maybe Irileth I wouldn’t put anything past her. Curiosity got the better of me and I started forward again, I had gone but a few scant yards when a deafening roar shook the ground. Out of the clouds swooped a beast from legends older then I.

  The Dragon bellowed again releasing a torrent of flames upon the guards as they scattered for cover while Irileth standing her ground yelled orders as loud as anything the dragon could make, soon arrow after arrow was released into the sky peppering the beast and forcing it to a higher altitude. I only had eyes for the warrior as he unsheathed his sword and shield calmly circling the beast from below.

  The dragon continued to swoop at the guard belching flames and burning any arrows being fired its way, I could see they were running out, fewer and fewer of their shots were landing  and still the dragon didn’t land. Before I knew it I was already in a crouch and racing for the watchtower stairs, they flew beneath my feet despite the rain making them slick with the years of spilt torch oil. At last I made it to the ramparts the wind was being whipped to a frenzy at this height causing my wet hair to lash at my face in sharp stings. Quickly I made my way to the ledge and palmed my dagger. Before I could think about my actions I leaped into the void and straight on to the Dragon’s back as it passed under me. Its scales were rain slick and razor sharp, ignoring the pain to my arms and thighs as I scrambled for purchase on its frame I pushed on til I was sitting right behind its wings, the beast momentarily distracted chomping on an unfortunate guard did not notice my slight weight. It did notice however, when I slammed the blade into the wing joint severing several small tendons and causing copious amounts of blood to gush outwards. The dragon gave a deafening roar of pain, it wobbled violently as it tried to maintain its flight, but the strain on the injured joint proved too much and soon we were plummeting towards the ground at a dizzying speed.

  Barely keeping my grip I braced for the impact, the wing stable enough to lessen the jarring landing before collapsing uselessly against the Dragon’s heaving side. Maddened with pain the dragon’s head swiveled back like a snake, striking at me much like the lightening that still danced across the heavens. Sliding from its back brought a fresh wave of agony but it was the lesser of two evils as the dragon prepared to strike at me again and this time I had nowhere to go.

  Suddenly the warrior was there between me and the dragon’s menacing teeth blocking the lethal attack with his shield. The Beast reared its head back ready to let loose another volley of fire but the warrior was already upon it. Slashing left and right he cut at the face and fore legs interrupting the Dragon every time it started to spew flames.

  Searing pain laced my side as I was thrown off my feet, so intent on the beast’s head too late did I remember the long spiked tail. My cry of pain was lost in the deafening bellow from the Dragon as the warrior finally scored the death stroke through the beast’s bloodied eye. I watched from the muddied ground as the Dragon collapsed down beside me as if in some mock symmetry. I closed my eyes against the rushing onslaught of nausea as my body frantically tried to rebuild itself, it was too much though I could feel my strength draining away with every drop of blood.  Vague pinpricks of warmth touched my face before going away. I wanted them back I was so cold; I haven’t felt so cold in so long…

  Child

  It reverberates through my consciousness like a name and a command all in one. I rise to my feet, the pain is gone and my arm is no longer limp and jagged. I know too that the burns on my face are gone and my hair is once again past my shoulders. I stare at the dark forest in a dawning horror, wildly I spin around know what is at my back. She is there, the same as before, perched upon the stump of a throne as regal as any queen only this time it is not I that I see sitting at her feet but another little girl. As if sensing my gaze she turns her head up and I can’t help but gasp and stumble back at the piercing crimson eyes that stare back with such intensity from a face of such innocence. What is worse is that I can actually see my own reflection in her eyes, I glance away unable to bear the sight of the monster that stares back. The beautiful lady watches us both, her gaze shifting from the alchemist’s daughter, back to me, she has a look about her face that I can’t call anything but that of a proud parent. I don’t recall even to this day how I was able to move so fast, one moment I was standing there staring at the vile creature that had haunted me for years, was most likely responsible for the fire, as a last act of torment turned me into one of them and the next I had stabbed her clean through the eye with a thin branch from the forest floor. The beautiful lady was no more; her death throws shorty, jerky and then blessedly still. I stared transfixed at the horror of my actions yet I could find no remorse for them. A piercing scream of rage filled the air, and I whirled to face the Alchemist’s daughter.

  She did not attack me; merely pierced me with those ruby eyes as though sizing up her chances before fleeing deeper into the forest. I must confess I don’t recall how long I stood in that clearing, unmoving, barely aware over the changing from light to dark and back to light again on its endless cycle. At some point I became aware of the hunger pangs, but it wasn’t for food I craved, no I was one of them now.

  I found the bandit camp a few hours south of the burnt out husk that was my home. There were several men in the camp. In my former life, my human life, I would have never dared venture anywhere close to these brutish imitations of human beings, but then again I was no longer human. I fell into their masses a whirlwind of pain and death, necks snapped under my fingers, bones folded under my feet and screams caressed my ears in a song of fear and terror. When I was done there was but one bandit alive, he watched me, sword quivering as I slipped closer in a hunter’s crouch that would soon be second nature to me. I drew breath into my lungs, the sensations tingling over my tongue on their way down my throat, blood, sweat, death and fear mingled into a heady aroma until I was almost dizzy with it. Part of me knew this was wrong, that I was wrong but the pull to attack was too strong, so I sprung. Down, down, down the bandit and I fell to the ground soaked with the blood of his companions. My teeth pierced his neck in an instinctive strike instantly coating my tongue in the rich, vital liquid while his hands ineffectually tried to dislodge me. More and more I drank, my thirst seemed unquenchable as silent tears began running down my face.

  Drip, drip

  I came to my senses with a snap, my tongue darting out to lick a bead of blood clinging to my lip. The power hit my throat instantly, as the fizzy feeling blood slid down, burning a trail of warmth behind it. Licking my lips again, I sit up taking stock of my surroundings. I am lying on a stone bench in a circular room, the walls are brightly painted and the smell of medicinal herbs hangs heavy in the air. I am not the only one to occupy one of the stone benches, across from me there lies one of the Whiterun guards and standing behind him, an acolyte in plain robes of a rich earthy brown …of course I am in the temple to Kynareth. But why was I brought here the last thing I remember… my eyes snap to the left as I catch movement directed at me and groan slightly to myself, I knew it would be him, the moment I tasted the blood upon my lip but still I could hope. The warrior is standing next to a woman of such silent grace that she can only be the priestess, catching me staring the warrior smiles at her bidding farewell before he makes his way across the room to me.

  I say nothing as he stops before me but I can see the concern clearly etched in his face the wariness in his eyes. I can’t say that I blame him, this is the longest we have been near each other and not gone for the others throat. For some reason I believe we were thinking along the same lines, the wariness is gone from his eyes and replaced by something akin to amusement. Suddenly he leans in close to my ear and murmurs something I can’t comprehend. Before I can react his lips brush my cheek in echo of the one I gave him a week before. He is gone just as quickly striding out the door while I sit there stunned while my brain finally catches up to the words he whispered now we’re even.

  Rage flickers in my eyes, if he thinks that’s even I’ll show him. Gathering my things I quickly race after him.