Masser and Secunda were halved in the night sky as the scene in Markarth was set. The residents had all turned in for the night, and the majority of guards were fast asleep as well. 6 assassins of the Order had each claimed a vantage point and waited patiently for their quarry to arrive, while the other 5 chose to safeguard the sanctuary. Anora drew one sword from its sheath, and took a look at her own reflection in the blade. Why did it have to come to this? she thought to herself, My sister in blood... now my mortal enemy... The hour drew late, and her focus returned to the city gates. They were coming soon... very soon.
"Any sign of them?" One asked.
"No... not yet." Anora replied.
"You know... she could just be luring 'er into a trap. Making her think that she's her ally when really--"
"She's not." She said sharply, "I know what that look in her eyes meant. I know she means to rally against us."
"Hmph... but even so, they're only two warriors being pitted against 6, not to mention our reinforcements back at the sanctuary. I don't care how sneaky Rikka is, the odds are still squarely against her and her sister."
"... Yes..." Anora trailed off.
"What's on your mind?"
"... ..." Anora remained silent for a moment. "Could she possibly...?"
"What? Could she possibly what?"
"... Nothing. At least, nothing that wouldn't endanger her very life..."
---
The guardsmen rested and drank peacefully in their bunkers, reflecting upon the dull day that they had put up with.
"You know what this city needs?" One stated, "A good old-fashioned bandit raid."
"Aye, that'd be something." Another replied.
"Or maybe the Forsworn again... whatever happened to them anyway?"
"I think that traveler Erika Northwing took care of them."
"The one who helped take down the Archer of Whiterun? I owe her a drink for that."
"It'd be something if she managed to turn in that 'Whispering Death' killer. Has anyone even found out who it is yet?"
"No. It's always the same; nobody sees him enter, nobody sees him leave. Like the very shadow of death itself."
"I heard that Whispering Death is a woman."
"Now there's a thought."
"Ugh... we're out of mead. I'll go fetch us another few pints."
The one guard rose from his comfortable seat and retreated to the dimly-lit mead hall of the barracks. He opened up one cabinet... only to find it emptied. Shrugging it off, he closed it and opened another. Again, empty. Frustrated, he turned around to search the opposite side of the room -- and spotted five fresh, unopened pints of mead laying on the table before him. He reached out to claim the savory drinks, when a sharp blade came to rest on his shoulder. A chilling voice followed...
"Assassins live among you..." The voice, like a ghostly whisper, floated through the air. "Find the rotted passageway beside the city gates... find the killers within..."
The blade was lifted from the shoulder of the guard, who instantly spun around... only to find himself alone once again. He was speechless and mortified by the experience... but nonetheless thrilled. Instantly he bolted out of the mead hall and instructed his associates to search for an old, rotted door. The others thought him mad, but reasoned that perhaps his ravings would add something memorable to their otherwise forgettable day.
Anora kept watch from above, never dropping her focus from the city gates. She clutched her swords and waited patiently for any sign that either Rikka or Erika had entered Markarth. But alas, the night seemed to go on with not so much as a sound.
"Any sign of them?" She asked her partner.
"No... but it shouldn't be too much longer now."
"I certainly hope so. So long as we stay quiet and focused, they'll never be able to take us by surprise."
Anora listened for her partner's response. ..... But it never came. Looking back, she discovered that he had mysteriously disappeared... which, at first, she shrugged off and decided that he had simply sought out a new vantage point -- until the sound of her partner hitting the ground below caught her attention. She peeked over the side of the tower and was altogether stunned by the sight: her partner had been felled by an arrow to the skull, seemingly out of nowhere. Then came the guardsmen...
"Hey! Over here!" One of them called out, "See there, men? The voice was right! There are assassins in Markarth!"
"By Ysmir... this must be the door she mentioned!"
She... Anora thought, She actually did it...
The guards poured into the Order of the Dagger's sanctuary, fearlessly braving the foreboding passageway and surely killing everyone inside. Anora could feel her heart pounding in her chest with dread and frustration, as an unspeakable rage consumed her. All that she had loved.. all she had worked so hard for... now being ruthlessly destroyed in front of her very eyes. Every last shred of empathy and care she had felt for Rikka was replaced by seething hatred, and she decided then that she alone would claim the life of Erika Northwing, as a final victory in the name of the Order and the man who had brought it into being. Hastily she leaped across the mighty rooftops of Markarth, searching frantically for any signs of the treasure huntress.
In the meantime, both Erika and Marudil crept into the city from a hidden entrance and determined what their strategy was to be.
"You're wounded..." Erika pointed out.
"It is nothing." Marudil replied, "Mere bruises and cuts. I'll be fine. Besides, you're the one they're after... you have far more to fear."
Erika gave a brave-sounding scoff and grinned. "Wouldn't be the first time I've dealt with lunatics that wanted me dead. Ever been in a bar brawl with a Nord?"
"Now's not the time to joke. You yourself sought refuge aboard your ship to avoid this."
"I was hiding from Rikka. These people are amateurs I've never even heard of... I can take 'em."
"They are an unfamiliar adversary."
"Maybe.... but after dealing with the Dark Brotherhood, all I see here is a group of little psychopaths playing dress-up with shrouded armor. Deadly though they may be, they're not as lethal as the last band of killers I've faced. 'Course, I did have the Penitus Oculatus at my side..."
"You'll survive this. Just keep a sharp eye, and walk with the shadows."
"Right. Might get lucky and take 'em by surprise." She confidently drew out her sword and kept close to a nearby wall, as Marudil drew out an arrow and surveyed the scene. His eyes seemed to burn with intensity and focus, as he paid close attention to even the slightest of movements. A gentle breeze swept over the city streets... the water peacefully flowed through the province... until something heavy disturbed it. Acting solely on instinct, Marudil shot the arrow in the direction of the sound, and sure enough it found its mark in an assassin of the Order.
"Nice shot." Erika commented.
"It is natural to a Bosmer." Marudil said as he readied a second arrow.
Erika could hear distinctive sounds coming from above the streets... it seemed that Rikka had discovered the hiding spots of at least two more killers. So far, four had fallen... leaving 7 left, minus whoever the guards had discovered in the sanctuary. Marudil's ears picked up a noise from behind, directing his attention toward an ominous bridge. He approached with caution...
"LOOK OUT!" Erika called out as Marudil was suddenly caught off-guard by a heavy strike from behind. The impact sent him tumbling down toward the lower end of the city, where he barely managed to avoid a deadly blow from above. He regained his footing and drew out his twin knives, facing his attacker: a brother Bosmer, no doubt recently arrived from Valenwood.
"Ah, kinsman..." He hissed, "You have a dark fire in your eyes... unlike any Bosmer I've ever met before. I'll surely remember this day. What is your name?"
"I am Marudil... formerly Marudil of Valenwood."
"You..." The Bosmer assassin's eyes widened. "The blasphemer... I know your tale well... by Y'ffre, I shall claim your head as a trophy!"
Their blades met with a mighty sound, as the assassin mercilessly slashed at Marudil's body. But no matter his ferocity, Marudil's blades seemed to protect every inch of him, parrying each of his strikes without fail. The assassin leaped into the air and attempted to blind Marudil's eyes with a single swipe, but ultimately missed his mark as Marudil flipped backwards and prepared an attack of his own; before the assassin could reach the ground, Marudil delivered a harsh kick to his heel and interrupted his opponent's balance. Then, without hesitation, he plunged one dagger into one of the assassin's shoulders, effectively disabling the arm attached. The assassin gritted his teeth and swiped three times at Marudil, who speedily evaded the attacks and punched the killer's face. This was followed by a leaping kick to the torso, knocking the assassin on his back and leaving his weapon arm vulnerable. Taking his advantage, Marudil leaped toward his adversary and aimed his dagger toward the killer's one remaining shoulder -- before finding himself stunned, bleeding, and knocked to the ground, pinned by his wounded enemy.
"Y'ffre guides my blade... filthy blasphemer!" The assassin mocked, preparing to finish Marudil with his one remaining dagger. He aimed the blade above Marudil's heart, raised it over his head... and then cried out in agony as Marudil speedily reached forward and broke the assassin's hand and wrist, twisting the blade toward the killer's body. "Y'ffre..." Marudil growled, slowly breaking the rest of the assassin's weapon arm, "... is dead!" And with a resounding snap, Marudil shattered the killer's arm bone as he shoved the blade deeply into his heart. Finally Marudil rose from beneath the assassin's body, disoriented and bloodied. Try though he did, he was unable to carry on forward without pausing to recover. But he could not bear the thought; Erika was in danger... he knew this... that Bosmer was sent to keep his attention...
And sure enough, Erika recognized this as well. She had expected that the cunning Order would attempt this approach... but what she hadn't expected was how her opponent would appear; she assumed that, like all assassins, this one would strike from the shadows. But instead of relying on stealth, Erika's adversary -- none other than Anora herself -- simply walked into view, swords drawn.
"You are Erika Northwing?" She said in a solemn tone.
Erika nodded courteously. "I am. And I assume you're the leader of the Order of the Dagger."
"There is no Order... not anymore... you and your sister have seen to that."
"Then the contract is futile... you don't have to fight anymore. You don't have to do this."
"There was no contract, Northwing... no, you were arranged to die as an expression of our might, in recognition of your role in the fall of the Dark Brotherhood. Now, to honor my mentor, and to honor everything he stood for... you must die, as our final shred of glory."
"I'm sorry... but I won't die this day just because a killer told me to."
"No, Northwing... you will die this day because I will it!" And with that, Anora leaped into the air and gracefully swung her swords around her body. Erika immediately dodged the blades, only to fall victim to Anora's actual attack: a kick to Erika's side. This was followed by a spinning diagonal swipe from one of Anora's swords, as well as a second kick attempt. But Erika quickly countered with a blow to Anora's gut, causing her to stagger back. Erika's sword fell towards Anora's head, when the mighty assassin deflected the blow with the armor guarding her arms, and pushed Erika away. She then flipped forward, caught Erika's head with her feet, and successfully threw her over the ledge leading to Markarth's lower regions. Anora regained her footing, and glanced over the ledge -- only to be thrown down into it herself by Erika, who had caught herself at the last minute on the rocky slope. Erika leaped down to Anora's level, aimed her flintlock... and then paused in surprise as Anora vanished before her eyes. Instinctively she pulled the trigger, but the pistol had jammed. Erika put the flintlock aside, looking every which way... and then, in the blink of an eye, a sharp pain coursed through Erika's body and she dropped to the ground. Anora stood triumphantly over her adversary's paralyzed body, and prepared to finish her off.
"Your efforts were valiant..." She said quietly, "And your blade guided you well. The Order is no more... and once again I find that I am alone. But you have not won this day, Erika Northwing... your greatest hour is, alas, your final one. I pray Boethiah honors this battle in Oblivion... and that you may serve her well."
Anora's blade gently touched Erika's neck, as she raised the sword to decapitate the treasure huntress... but then came the sound of a blade, the feel of an ice-cold wind against her severed limbs, and the feel of blood splashing upon Anora's head. Shock caused the assassin's legs to weaken at the knees, bringing her to kneel before her assailant: none other than Rikka Northwing, who stood glaring before her.
"... You..." Anora mouthed, barely able to speak to the one she had hoped would bring honor and glory to the Order of the Dagger. "Betrayer..."
Rikka remained silent.
"I... gave you... a family... we... we loved you..."
Still Rikka said nothing, as if coldly admiring Anora's last moments.
"How could you...? .... Rikka.... you were... you were my sister....."
Finally Rikka spoke. "I have a sister.... .... .... and you sought to kill her."
Footsteps approached from behind as the Markarth guards made haste, following the sound of Anora's scream at losing her arms.
Anora glared as Rikka approached her sister, turning her back to her former friend. "You've killed my family...." Anora growled, "Destroyed my mentor's legacy... you may have won this day... but you will not savor this victory."
Finally the guards reached Anora, and drew out their swords. "You... the last remaining member of the Order of the Dagger... you are under arrest for murder and conspiracy! ... Wait..." The one guard noticed Rikka, and recognized her distant glare. "Who...?"
"Hers is the blade that felled a thousand innocents..." Anora said, "Those who fall under her shadow are marked for death... she is the killer of the Emperor... the harbinger of the Order... and the right hand of Sithis. She is Rikka Northwing... she is WHISPERING DEATH!!"
The guards were immediately taken aback by the revelation, and turned their attention to Rikka as she picked up her ailing sister. "Rikka Northwing... with your accomplice as a witness against you and your crimes against Skyrim, you have been charged with serial murder in the first degree! What say you in your--"
But the guards were unable to finish the arrest. Before their very eyes, Rikka vanished with her sister in her arms...
Comments