-There is no moonlight; I hope these clouds clear before the sun rises –
We were riding for a day and a half, now I’m tired. After Ralthos arrived in the sanctuary we immediately set out to Riften. Lucius insisted that someone stayed inside the sanctuary, so Brennan offered himself; I knew he did not like fighting; he was a rather peaceful man who did not particularly enjoy finishing of a downed opponent and more often than not he avoided combat altogether, preferring non lethal solutions over Capran’s usual violent orders.
We were following Ralthos on foot ever since we arrived in the Rift. From the info that he provided it seemed that the thieves’ guild contact wanted to meet them near Goldenglow Estate, but it was a trap. The Khajiit and his Orc bodyguard were impersonating the guild’s spies; they received help from Black-Briar mercenaries and thalmor justiciars. Apparently the dominion and Maven thought it would be a great opportunity to capture members of the dark brotherhood and interrogate us for information.
Ralthos said that once they met the contacts the mercs came out of the manor and surrounded them, while the thalmor came out of the trees and pointed bows and spells at them. After that the cat said he would take one of them as a hostage, while he would let the other one go as a messenger. Ricard charged at the nearest mercs and managed to use his fencing to kill two of them. The thalmor were quick to respond and shot a few arrows at the knight. He deflected the arrows with his shield and was closing the gap on the cat. Dar’ruk was quite skilled though, he managed to move quickly and avoid his blade, then he pulled out his dagger, found an armor joint he managed to exploit and hit his skin. The dagger was coated with a paralytic toxin, and Ricard fell to the floor, helpless.
-If Ricard could not do much against these bastards, I’m not going to be able to get out of here alive if I don’t play it smart – he said – WAIT! I will surrender don’t hurt him –
-He will do for the hostage, run along elf, bring your brothers to me – the Khajiit said with a twisted smile.
That’s what happened, at least from his viewpoint. We could see Goldenglow in the distance; there were absolutely no torches around, no moonlight, and no shadows, only darkness. I could feel many powerful essences ahead, they were ready for us, and I’m sure Capran could feel it too. The gates were opened, inviting us in.
-Get ready; they have no idea of our abilities so we might be able to take them by surprise – said Lucius.
As he said that thalmor archers appeared from the top of the estate, the nearby bushes and let a storm of arrows loose at our position.
-NOW! – He said.
I did not need much incentive, as he said that I jumped in front of the group and let loose a burst of magic in the form a concentrated whirlwind. The winds jumped out of my hands as I motioned my arms and formed a sphere of strong winds around us, throwing the arrows in different directions. The next burst came from the mages, as they attempted to pulverize us with fire and lighting, I created a huge ward and absorbed the energy from the attack. Now my body was absolutely tingling, I had absorbed too much mana and I needed desperately to release it. That was not a problem. I just pointed in the direction of the previous attacks and released fire in one hand and lighting in the other. The result was quite spectacular; I doubt they would be able to defend against that even if they concentrated their magika together instead of trying to save themselves individually.
The crater was pretty amazing; it left a smoking hole in the wooden wall surrounding the estate. The mercenaries that started to surround us began to cower after my burst, but after they saw that I fell to my knees exhausted they regained confidence. Their mistake, as they formed a shield wall and started to advance, Zoe removed the cape that covered her right arm and revealed the dwarven gauntlet. After she set the glove to the shockwave she released a blast that pushed them off and down into the ground, giving us some space. Sophia advanced with extraordinary speed, removed her own cape, revealing the massive crimson blade. With one hand she took the sword into her grasp and swung at the fallen mercs, cutting them apart with both the sword’s blade and it’s magic energy. Those armors were pathetic against that massive sword, and were destroyed as if they was paper.
The archers were getting into formation again, but as soon as they aimed at us Lucius removed his mask, looked at them directly into their eyes and put them under his spell. The elves were completely petrified, and as they stood there, Capran ordered Ralthos and Deestan to fire. Transformed into pincushions by the Dunmer's bound arrows and the argonian's dwarven arrows the archers were no longer a threat. We could hear a small clapping noise, and as we turned around we saw a group no bigger than our own. In the center of the party was the Khajiit, at his right was a big Orc wearing a full set of armor and wielding a massive axe. To the left we could see a tall thalmor official, wearing the customary inquisitor robes and wielding a beautiful daedric saber. There was also three Nords, all wearing quality steel armor and armed with magnificent Nordic weaponry.
The ordered the men to advance, so they charged straight into me, taking advantage of my exhausted stance. I jumped back and Ralthos moved forward, he created two bound daggers in his hands and was fencing with the two mercs that took point. When the other got ready to join the battle he was surprised by the Argonian archer, who used his tail to smack him in the neck and preceded to strangle him with it. One of Ralthos’s attackers got cut down by his spiritual weapons, and the other one had the misfortune of meeting Capran’s eyesight; he fell to the ground and held his legs in a fetal position.
The bastards kept coming, and as they fell upon us we cut them down, but then the Altmer and the Orc joined them. The big one went straight for Sophia, and they locked blades in a fearsome match of physical strength. The elf used his left hand to weave lighting around his blade and himself, and charged towards me, Ralthos and Deestan. He was very powerful, and used his lighting as a whip to strike Ralthos’s magical blades while defending from Deestan’s arrows with his sword. I felt useless, that first blast really exhausted me, but Zoe noticed that and stood in front of me to protect my tired body.
The Orc seamed as strong as Sophia, but due to the armor choice she was faster. She quickly broke free from the dispute and swung her blade at him. He managed to defend the blade’s strike with his heavy gauntlet, but the mystic energy jumped from the blade and made a superficial cut on his forehead. Blood began dripping down, and his right eye was closed due to the fluids. Taking advantage from this she focused her swings there; the Orc was losing his ground, and began to step back as the relentless attack of the Amazon pushed him to the wall surrounding the area.
-“Fus, Roh Dah!” – shouted Sophia at the Orc.
The wall broke and he fell to the ground. The massive woman took immediate advantage of this and before he could react she leapt into the fallen giant and thrust the great sword into the facial opening of his helmet. She turned around with a mad grin on her face, her form dripped with blood, and she licked her mouth to savor its taste.
-Enough! – Yelled the cat.
He was wielding his dagger and pointing to a tall Altmer that held his sword against a kneeling man. It was Ricard. The inquisitor managed to knock Ralthos into a semi conscious state with the hilt of his sword and paralyzed Deestan with his lighting, now he faced Capran as the latter coursed lighting through his right hand. The motion was interrupted though, as the elf pointed to Ricard. Capran looked directly at the knight and spoke.
-You ready friend? –
-Just give the signal! – He yelled back with a large smile.
Lucius raised his hand and a figure sprinted from the bushes with a large mace on her hands, swinging with a limp arm at her side. She was very quick, and managed to crush the elf’s escorts while the thalmor turned and started to slit Ricard’s throat.
He seemed confused, surely, his blade was sharp and he knew what he was doing. Why in oblivion did he not feel the knight’s blood gushing down his hands? As he tried the motion again he felt as if his blade was scraping metal. He looked down, and by the look on his face he was extremely surprised. Ricard’s neck, part of his face and the top of his chest turned into hardened ebony black as midnight. He proceeded to take the elf’s arm and threw him at the ground. The Altmer looked up in horror as the knight’s body began to transform.
-I’m sorry, I don’t like to use this very much, I get very ugly you know… - he said as his face and body began to form into a skin of dark ebony. His hands turned into sharp claws and his teeth grew into sharp fangs. – God! I fucking love alteration! – He said as he raised his hands and brought it down so fast his hand went through the elf’s armor and reached his beating heart.
The cat was surrounded, but him and the inquisitor quickly found reinforcements. We were starting to get tired, and the enemies kept coming. The inquisitor was a very good swordsman, and was still trading blows with Capran. Lucius was playing with him though, gaining time and only using his lighting to block and dodge the mad flurry of deadric metal and lighting. I noticed as the cat was beginning to sneak up behind our master, but as he was about to push his dagger into the master’s back, Lucius whispered a word and the blade went straight through him without causing any harm. Before the Khajiit could understand what was going on he quickly materialized and delivered an elbow blow right to the cat’s nose, knocking him back.
-Just a few moments now… - said Lucius as he began to see the outline of the sun on the horizon.
I noticed the elf and the cat were avoiding looking into his eyes, smart, they noticed that was how he made used his illusions. But their insight was short lived, as the sun started to rise in the horizon shadows started to form beneath their feet. That was the only thing they heard about Shade anyways, avoid the shadows at any cost, that or die.
-Well, well, well, time to die… -
Lucius’s shadow began to split, forming seven silhouettes around him. Shadowy figures began to slowly rise from his shades, each different from each other yet somewhat similar to the original summoner. The figures moved fast, and they all went for the elf, simultaneously attacking him with a flurry of attacks, completely tearing him apart with their swords of darkness.
-What?! What in oblivion are you?! – Said the cat, desperate and alone waiting his inevitable end.
There were still a few soldiers, but as soon as they saw the shades and the bloodthirsty vampire behind them they had few options other than to run.
-I’m something that should not be walking the face Nirn, but for some reason I find myself here, unfortunately for you… - as he said that he put his hands on his back and touched the gem on his ring. He closed his eyes and concentrated, the cat was starting to get up, and as he began sprinting to try to get Lucius with his last breath he opened his eyes.
The Khajiit was no more; instead all I could see was a mass of flames, that as soon as they started burning they became dark, as the flames and shadows merged into a single existence. The cat was desperate, he tried to jump in the nearby lake, but I knew this technique all to well, a cruel way of killing, water alone was not going to stop those black flames. His screams of agony could be heard as he burned and drowned simultaneously.
-Hurt my family, will you… - said Capran as his shadows began to merge back with him.
All was quiet, we won. But now a bigger issue had appeared why were the Black-Briars working with them, and why was the cat after Lucius in the first place?
It seemed my questions would not go unanswered for long, and as soon as thought we were safe I began sensing a massive spiritual essence approaching us. He was a tall man, Nord, he was wearing fine clothes, had a well-kept brown hair and small goatee. He smiled, and I could see he was too much for us. Still, I was not trained to back away, so I took point and advanced, only to be held back by a friendly hand. Lucius.
-Go home dear, you earned your rest, take the rest of the group with you. Ruby, you stay – said Lucius
-Ha! This is going to be a nice mourning exercise, I was hoping that bounty hunter could give an end to the likes of you, but I guess I’ll have to do it myself – said the man
-Good morning Edward – said Lucius - you have just answered many questions…
Comments
admittedly this is where i drew inspiration: Greed