U.O.T.W. Chapter 218 Dusk's Fading Light

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    As if it spawned from nowhere, the dragon flew right over head as it followed the curve of the mountain. It turned sharply about then blasted the group of soldiers along with the two Companions with a fire breath. The dragon shout roared across the path, shaking the very mountain with its terrifying rumble.

    “Yol Tor!”

     

    Sotek’s horse bucked, throwing him off. He fell off and landed on his back, winding him from the blow. Aela’s horse bolted down the pathway leaving the Huntress in a dazed state as she too was thrown from her mount. Legate Rikke fared no better. Her steed’s hind legs caught the worst of the blast and it crumbled under the searing heat. The shock alone was enough to kill the beast let alone any injury it suffered as its hind legs were turned to charcoal and ash.

     

    Rikke pulled herself up to her feet and staggered in a daze as blood trickled down from her temple where she had hit her head against a rock. Several times she wiped or at least tried to wipe the blood away from her eyes so she could see. She pulled out a linen cloth from a pocket in her armor and wiped it across her face just in time to see the dragon take flight once more. She cried out, not knowing if any of her men were even alive.

    “Archer’s get ready!”

     

    Leaving Rikke to organise and command her own forces, Sotek ran over to Aela and yelled.

    “The ring, give it to me!”

     

    She pulled it off her finger then went to hand it over to Sotek but between them they fumbled about in their haste as the shadow of the dragon loomed over them. The ring fell out of their hands and bounced off a rock sending it off to the side as it spun around erratically. It hit the ground with a light hearted ‘ping’ then careered off the edge of the path.

     

    Sotek saw it bounce down the mountain and groaned in frustration.

    “Oh bloody priceless”.

     

    He went scampering down the mountainside in pursuit of the ring while the others shot at the dragon. He was so focused on catching the ring that he lost his footing and slipped. Without the means to stop himself, he slid down the rock face whacking his leg in a rock formation as he continued to tumble down the slope. Desperately he clawed at the rock face trying to grab hold of anything, the next second there was a sickening crunch as his arm broke in a multiple of places where it literally shattered on a rock as it took the full bore of the impact.

     

    Sotek came to a rest on a ledge, his arm torn to shreds. With both his leg and arm broken, he fought to try and remain conscious so he wouldn’t pass out. With effort and a reserve of strength even he didn’t know he had he managed to get his pack off. When he reached inside all the vials of potions were smashed leaving his pack full of broken bottles and splinters of glass.

     

    He tried to cast his healing spell but the pain from his flesh and bones as they started to repair and bond was simply too great for him to bear. He stopped the spell almost instantly, unable to continue. As he gazed down the edge of the mountain, he saw a glint of silver; the ring of Hircine. It lay about twenty yards below him but for all the good that did, it might as well been hundreds of feet below. Lifting his good arm he concentrated on his telekinesis spell. The ring answered to his arcane powers and lifted up then flew towards him. He groaned as sweat trickled down his brow and for the briefest of moments he thought things would turn out ok. He thought he would claim it once more. Just before he could take the ring, he passed out; as he passed into unconsciousness his energies faded and the ring dropped to the floor within the reach of his opened hand.

     

    Scarface awoke in a cave; at least the wolf spirit known as Scarface did. He knew his name was Scarface and that in his life as an Argonian he was called Sotek. He even remembered who Red was, Aela’s wolf spirit. Aela? She was Sotek’s girl, his girl. Or rather she was. He also knew that was wrong but how? What was wrong about it? It struck him like a thunderbolt; she wasn’t Sotek’s girl... What did he call her? His mate... Aela was his mate... was.

     

    He walked over the cave entrance on all four paws and from there he gazed across the snow encrusted landscape. A few wolf spirits laid down fifty yards in front of him, others walked around, while some just sat there.

    “Welcome hunter”.

     

    Scarface turned around and faced a rather sombre looking figure.

    “Hircine? How? Where?” He couldn’t speak but he could hear his own words in his mind. Desperately he looked around for the mountain, the dragon, Aela but there was no sign of any remnants of his past life, just memories.

    “What happened? This is the Hunting Grounds... I can’t be...?”

     

    “You’re unconscious, on the mountain! Do you not remember Hunter?” Hircine’s voice was heavy and slow yet almost delicate. As he spoke he often paused at the most inappropriate moments to give the black furred wolf spirit a chance to understand.

     

    An image of Sotek falling down the slope of the mountain and hitting the ledge formed in the sky above them. The wolf lowered his head and whined.

    “Yes, but Aela? What about her?”

     

    “She’s fighting the dragon but she will be here soon enough. Her time runs short and her blood moon falls. She can’t win against it, even now its draining her strength. Soon; soon her hunt will be over”. Hircine seemed genuinely upset and yet a constant smile stayed on his face. His spear rested lightly in his hand while the bottom of it was dug several inches in the snow as the tip shone brightly above his head.

     

    Scarface looked over his shoulder and along his black furred back to the tip of his tail. Behind him was the cave which he had just came from; the way back.

    “No, this can’t happen. I’ve got to stop it. I have to save her!!”

     

    Each paw kicked up clumps of snow as the spirit wolf bolted towards the entrance. He darted about in the semi darkness looking for the way back to the mountainside where Aela was fighting for her life but all he could see was cave walls of granite rock. He sprinted deeper inside and found himself at the end of the cave. Being driven past insanity the hound started clawing frantically at the rock.

     

     

Comments

4 Comments   |   The Sunflower Manual and 6 others like this.
  • The Long-Chapper
    The Long-Chapper   ·  June 26, 2018
    Well we go from easy peasy to broken limbs, lost rings, and ugh Daedric Princes. Just when you think the plot armor is thick... 
  • The Sunflower Manual
    The Sunflower Manual   ·  May 7, 2017
    Hm. This bodes ill.
    • The Sunflower Manual
      The Sunflower Manual
      The Sunflower Manual
      The Sunflower Manual
      The Sunflower Manual
      Hm. This bodes ill.
        ·  May 7, 2017
      On an unrelated note: Gah, this chapter was just long enough to pique my appetite but just short enough to leave me unsatisfied.
      • Sotek
        Sotek
        The Sunflower Manual
        The Sunflower Manual
        The Sunflower Manual
        On an unrelated note: Gah, this chapter was just long enough to pique my appetite but just short enough to leave me unsatisfied.
          ·  May 7, 2017
        That's perfectly related Harrow. The next part will be going up tonight so readers won't have to wait too long. 
        It seemed a good place to end it.