It was a cloudless night and the full moon was shining bright and red. All was quite save for a cow that mooed loudly somewhere in the village. I stumbled over the bridge taking in the scene around me and found myself staring into the river feeling very thirsty. I stopped for a moment and took a bottle of mead from my pack then continued on my way sipping it contently. I almost missed the path up the mountain but spotted it at the last second and headed up still drinking and humming a wordless tune.
I heard a wolf howl and all of a sudden one burst out of a bush and growled at me. “Don’t you know you shouldn’t attack an Orc when he’s drinking!” I roared at him. “Issss, bad luck!” It just growled at me and I growled back. We continued to grow at each other for a moment before the wolf sprang and bit down on my right arm, it’s teeth grating loudly against my steel bracer. The wolf shook it’s head from side to side and I lost grip on the bottle of mead which fell to the ground and smashed.
At the sight of it smashing an anger built inside me and the world went red. I slammed the side of my shield into the wolfs neck and it shattered with a loud crunch. It gurgled weakly as it let go of my arm and slid lifeless to the ground. I stomped on its head repeatedly, the sound of snapping bones was quickly replaced by squelching as the wolfs head was transformed into a pulpy mush of bone and matted fur.
I spun around looking for something else to vent my rage on but saw nothing. So with froth foaming on my lips I let out a roar and began jogging up the mountain path.
I’d only gone a short distance when I came across a lookout tower and there were two Nords there talking. They saw me coming and one of them said something I didn’t hear. When I didn’t stop the other fired an arrow at me, I raised my shield and it bounced off harmlessly. I drew my axe and increased my speed, the second Nord had a war hammer and raised it high intending to bring it crashing down on my head. A second arrow was fired my way but this time it sliced into my cheek. I staggered for a moment then regained my feet and continued to charge.
The Nord with the war hammer readied himself to swing but I pulled up short and flung my axe at him with all my might. It shot through the air head over handle and struck true, taking him high in the chest. The force of it knocked him back against a nearby tree and he slumped to the ground a look of shock on his face.
The archer had another arrow notched and was staring at his companion in horror. I roared at him and he locked eyes with mine fear written across his face. I began to advance on him and he stood frozen to the spot arrow notched and aimed at me. Behind the archer there was a commotion and what looked like a demon burst from the tower with horns protruding from its head and shield and sword to hand. It shouted at the archer who let fly but the arrow missed. The demon banged its sword off its shield taunting me and the rage inside me flamed.
I bellowed back allowing my rage to fill my voice and charged. The demon raised its shield ready for the charge. They were on a narrow bridge extending out to the tower and when I charged the archer leap aside to avoid me. As I ran I raised my own shield and slammed it into the demons. The impact pushed it back a step but it held firm and pushed back against my shield. We were fairly matched but I had more power and the demon began to ebb backwards slowly.
As I pushed it struck out with the sword but couldn't reach me behind the shields. I was pushing it back step by step and the demons swings became frantic. It managed to strike the side of its sword against my knee and it buckled. I dropped to one knee and lost the strength in my shield. The demon overpowered me instantly flattening me to the ground but the reverse force carried it tumbling over me and to crash to the ground behind me.
By the time I was half way to my feet the demon was on top of me. It's sword and shield dropped in the topple it ripped the shield from my arms and began to pummel me with fists. I barked a laugh at its feeble effort and landed a punch to its chin knocking the demon back but it was on top of me again pinning one arm beneath me and gripping my throat, with both hands.
I clawed at its arms and eventually managed to grip a thumb and pulled it back viciously. The demon grabbed my wrist with its other hand and tried to break my grip. I pulled its hand up a little more and lowered my chin opening my mouth I roared as I shoved its hand into my mouth.
I clamped down on the first knuckle of its left hand and the demon gasped in pain, I squeezed my eyes shut and clamped down with all my might. The demon began to howl and I increased the pressure, I tasted blood trickle into my mouth and began to shake my head like a beast. The demon was trying to pull its hand out and had a foot on my chest now, I managed to get my other hand free from under me and gripped its wrist with both hands.
All of a sudden I felt my jaws come together as my right tusk pierced its hand and the taste of blood filled my mouth. The demon began pounding me frantically with its free hand and struggled to free the other. I managed to get a foot under its chest, opened my mouth and shoved the demon away. Blood sprayed the walls as it fell to the ground clutching its mangled hand. I got to my feet and stared down at the demon allowing a smile to cross my face as the blood dripped from my mouth.
It tried to shy away from me as I stepped over it but I grabbed hold of the demons horns and jerked it towards me. The horns came away from its head and the shock of it struck me like a blow. My vision cleared and I shook my head. When I looked down I realised it was a Nord I'd been fighting and his helmet had horns on it.
An arrow shot past my face and I looked out through the tower entrance. The archer from earlier was there notching an arrow and behind him came another three Nords, two archers and a female with a war hammer.
The Nord at my feet groaned and as I looked down at him an idea popped into my had. I kicked him full in the face and he slumped to the ground, then I grabbed him by the armour and hauled his limp body in front of me. As I did so I felt three arrows embed themselves into the unconscious Nords back. I chanced a look over his shoulder and saw the three archers standing together on the other side of the short bridge. Altering my grip on the Nord I ran at the archers.
I felt another arrow strike the body and then I was upon them. We went down in a tangle of limbs and I did my best to pin them down with the body. I managed to land it on top of two of the archers but found myself wrestling with the third. I slammed my forehead into his face and he reeled back. I righted myself and delivered a killing jab to his neck.
The two pinned archers were almost free so I grabbed up a bow and swung it like a staff for their legs, they went sprawling to the ground again.
I looked up just in time to see the female raise her war hammer and bring it down towards me. I flung myself to the side just avoiding the hammers head. As I rolled to my feet she ran at me again this time aiming a sidewards swipe, I dropped like a stone and her swing missed my head by an inch. She put too much effort into it and was knocked off balance. I lunged forward berrying my shoulder into her stomach and lifted her into the air to come crashing to the ground, the landing knocked the wind from her lungs and the hammer from her grip.
I got to my feet and dashed for the hammer, my breath was laboured and I could feel my strength going... I needed to end this now. Turning I saw the female begin to rise and I lashed out with the hammed striking the side of her head and she tumbled to the side blood oozing from her cracked skull.
An arrow struck the snow beside me and I turned to see the archers I'd left earlier. One was readying an arrow while the other rummaged through the snow for arrows, both quivers had spilled in the clash. I took a deep breath and roared at them, hoping they might faultier and praying it wouldn't show my fatigue.
It seemed to work as the next arrow missed and then I was running towards them war hammer held out beside me. As I reached them one of the archers notched and fired at point blank range. It hit me in the shoulder but I'd already began my swing and it struck one of the archers in the shoulder, the sound of bones breaking was replaced quickly by his screaming.
I lost my grip in the hammer and kicked out striking the other archer in the groin, he crumpled to the ground in agony. Panting heavily I leaned over the the archer clutching his now indented shoulder and pulled a dagger from his belt. I drove it through his fur armor into his heart. He spasmed for a moment then slumped, dead. The other was struggling to his feat and I kicked him in the groin again and he toppled once more.
I kicked him over onto his back and put my boot on his neck. "Where's... the claw?" I growled at him. He just stared at me defiantly. "We can do this... the hard way... or the easy way." I paused to catch my breath and put a bit more pressure on his neck. "You decide."
He spat at me and said nothing. I lifted my foot and kicked him in the side of the head knocking him out. I looked around at the carnage and thought to myself "some things never change." Then I grabbed the unconscious Nords armor with my good hand and dragged him into the watchtower.
Once inside I pealed off my armor and examined my shoulder. I was bone weary but had to remove the arrow. I clenched my teeth, got a firm grip on the arrow and pulled. thankfully it came away without breaking and I quickly placed my hand over the wound to help stop the bleeding. Then I sat on the stone steps leading up the tower and tried to use my magic. It was difficult at first as I was so tired but eventually I felt it begin to work as a numbness crept into my shoulder and face. It lasted only a few seconds but when I stopped there was no sign of the wound in my shoulder. I clenched my fist a few times, swang my arm about and was happy to discover everything was back to normal.
I reached into my pack then and pulled out a stamina potion and downed the vial concoction which sent shivers through my whole body but left me feeling less tired. Feeling more like myself I grabbed hold of the archer and dragged him up the stairs to the lookout proper.
I was very happy to see some bed rolls laid out and there was also a sturdy looking chair. I threw my pack on the table and dumped the Nord in the chair. I then took some leather straps from my pack I bound the Nord. Once satisfied he couldn't escape I went below to retrieve my axe and see what supplies I could loot from the corpses.
When I returned I had several small purses of gold, a few gems and an assortment of weapons, not to mention my own axe which was stained in blood and slightly dinted. I threw the gear on the table and looked to the bound Nord. He didn't appear to be in any rush to awaken so I took out the book Healing Hands, some rabbit haunch a bottle of mead and settled down to read the book.
About an hour passed by the time I finished the book. Surprised at how much I understood and in a mood to test it I walked over to the Nord and stretched out my hands. Nothing happened for a moment but then I felt something click in my mind and a power began to flow from my hands into the Nord. He began to squirm almost immediately and then came suddenly awake. I stopped and he looked around the room in a daze then locked his gaze on me and sneered. The sneer dropped from his face as he realized he was bound and he stared at me, hatred boiling behind his eyes.
I looked at him plainly as I spoke. "Tell me what I want to know and you may live to see another day Nord. How many more men are in your group and where is the claw." He looked up at me defiantly. "I will not betray my comrades, Sovengard awaits me, I do not fear death."
I smiled back at him. "Death will be a long time coming before I'm done with you. Now tell me what I want to know!" He looked back at me stubbornness written across his face. "Do what you will to me, I will not talk."
I picked up a dagger and embedded it in his left bicep, left it there for a moment and pulled it out. The Nord stared back at me unflinching and I did it again. This time I put the dagger back on the table, stretched out my arms and healed his wounds. His defiance turned to startled shock as the wounds closed and I picked up the dagger again. "Sorcery!" he said it like a curse and I allowed myself to openly smile at him. "I'm new to this magic but I'm fairly sure I could keep you alive for a day or so. Now, tell me what I want to know and you can still leave here alive."
I stared at me unblinking and unspeaking. I nodded put down the dagger and picked up my axe. It was dinted but still in working order, I looked it over critically then locked eyes with the Nord raising an eyebrow. When he didn't answer I shrugged, gripped the axe firmly and swang diagonally down chopping at the Nords right wrist. Since the axe was dinted it took two swings to take off the hand and blood was spraying everywhere. The Nord was also howling in pain and struggling franticly against his bonds.
It took a little longer to work my magic this time and when I was finished the Nord was visibly pail from lack of blood, or possible shock at loosing a hand this way. I smiled at him almost apologetic "That was a bit harder that I thought but I'm getting the knack of this." I eyed him up and down a moment. "Maybe this time I'll try something smaller... maybe a few toes?"
"Not even going to bother to question me any more?" he barked at me. I spread my hands. "You still don't look like talking so I figured I'll just see how much I can remove before my magic fails and you die a shell of your former self." I looked at him with mock shock on my face as I asked. "When you go to Sovengard is it as you were in your prime or just before you die? I only ask because you may not be able to get in, what with no legs or arms... Maybe I'll go for the eyes next." I said the last as if speaking to myself and nodded, then I shook my head. "It's a pity I've no fire, a hot blade's really the best for taking out eyes." I turned to him then and said conversationally. "Did you know when you boil an eyeball it gives off the strangest smell?"
All the colour had drained from his face now and he was shaking visibly. I smacked the palm of my right hand off my forehead and looked at him smiling. "I'm such an idiot, I just realised I don't need a fire... I can make my own." He stared at me dumbfounded and I walked over to a wooden cabinet. "Watch this." I said cheerfully and stretched out my hands. Nothing happened for a moment and I thought the theatrics would be ruined but just as I was about to lower my hands I felt a warmth in my arms and finally fire began to spew from my palms. I let the fire flow for a moment then pulled my hands back. I placed them on my hips and with a satisfied look on my face I looked to my prisoner.
"See... fire." Then I let the smile drop and ran a finger along my broken left tusk. "Now where did I leave that sword?" Words began to stumble from the Nords mouth so fast they were almost incomprehendable. Eventually I learned there were only three Nords and a Dunmer left. The Dunmer had apparently been the one to arrange the whole thing so should have the claw on him. The Nord began to babble then and I cut him off.
"One last thing Nord... what can you tell me about Knife Point Ridge and the bandits that hold up there?" He looked at me helplessly mouth opening and closing wordlessly, mind searching for something to say. Eventually he looked down and shook his head. "Nothing... I've never been there."
I walked over to the table and picked up the dagger I'd left earlier, for his part the Nord looked resigned to his fate. As I stepped behind him he closed his eyes and raised his chin offering his neck to me.
With one swift tug I sliced the bonds holding him and they fell away. His eyes popped open and he stared at me obviously confused. "I gave my word." I said to him. Then I pointed the dagger at him. "If it turns out you lied to me I'll find you... now get out."
The Nord stood and rubbed the stump of his right arm a moment, then fled the tower. I signed loudly and smiled to myself. It'd been a long time since I'd tortured anyone, and even longer since I'd let someone live. "Maybe I'm becoming soft" I thought to myself. Then eyeing the bedrolls I let my fatigue wash over me.
I took my gear from the table and upended it it in front of the entrance to the upper part of the tower and moved a chest behind it for good measure. Then taking a swig of mead I settled into one of the bedrolls to catch some rest before assaulting the barrow.
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