U.O.T.W. Chapter 138 Sotek's Tale

• Posted by Sotek May 29, 2016 - Filed in TSC: CB Story - 1,179 views

  

  

   

  Sotek skulked about in the Undercroft corridor while he waited for the passageway to clear. Once the last Companion headed upstairs, he slinked off to his room and stripped off the Wolf armor. The very instant he was free from the burden of the chest cuirass his arms felt lighter and with each piece of armor he took off the sensation across his whole body increased tenfold.

  He splashed water over himself from the washbasin then shoved his face under the water for several seconds. When he changed back from Scarface he felt sweaty and light headed although he kept it from everyone. He reasoned that all the times he felt that way was because he had transformed beforehand. When he suffered with the poison damage he had a blank void from when Aela left him lying on the bench to the three Companions finding him kneeling over the same bench. He even recalled when he had his horse stolen by the Silverhand leader. The night before he felt fine yet when he awoke he was hot and rough. Aela stated that was the same night when she met Scarface for the first time.

  This time around though he didn’t feel half as bad as what he expected to; he was just a bit hot and sweaty. The water soon cooled him down and his scales didn’t feel hot to the touch either, leaving him feeling far better than what he had done in ages. He only hoped that the changes would have less of a drain on him the more he became used them and to the massive drain which Scarface took on his body.

  Giving little regard to any kind of dress code, he threw on a pair of his old brown trousers and one of his white miner shirts. Not that they were white though; the shirts looked like they had been used as a football in the monthly Whiterun Companions ’v’ Guards kick ball. The grubbiness and discoloration had so far managed to thwart every attempt Tilma made to remove them. She even tried to bleach them using troll fat and ash. The whole process took over a day and yet even after bleaching them in the sun, the shirts looked no better off for all of Tilma’s time and effort. She found it cheaper and a lot less effort to have a running order with Belethor who saw to it that he had four or five shirts delivered monthly to his store.

  Tilma kept a supply of them and would simply replace the worst shirts or the most worn out with the new shirts. At least she used to but now Aela was wearing them just as much as Sotek did, Tilma’s stock had run almost dry. Even Belethor seemed to struggle with feeding the demand for them.

  Sotek’s thoughts soon turned to Kodlak who never failed to impress him. Although Sotek never said as much, he was taken aback with the speed in which Kodlak recovered from the shock of seeing Scarface for the first time. The two brothers had fell to the wayside which Sotek still found amusing but he was aware both he and Aela set them up. The Harbinger though quickly gathered his wits and the speed he held within himself when he snatched the bottle of brandy so it wouldn’t be wasted only further added to Sotek’s respect to the aging warrior. He couldn’t help himself but chuckle as a thought ran through his head. ‘Aging warrior? Hell, I’d have my tail tanned if he heard me say that out loud’.

  Leaving his boots behind so his clawed toes were free to flex while he walked, he made his way upstairs in bare feet to join his fellow Companions who by the sounds of things were drinking heavily in the hall.

  Aela was the proud owner of an upturned flask of mead which signalled that she was trying to out drink someone. The she wolf was now guzzling down her second pint although she slowed down considerably when she reached the half way mark. Farkas and Vilkas were engrossed with their own flasks and also had an upturned flagon sitting in front of them.

  Aela cried in despair when the two brothers both clanged their flasks together then added them to their tally. She peered in her flask and cringed as a third of a pint of mead seemed to dare her to down it. She chucked the flagon back and greedily swallowed the liquid which spilled from her mouth and dribbled down her chin.

  With a cry of victory although she was easily being beaten, Aela upturned the second flask and sat it in front of her to a roaring crowd of applause.

  “Two!”

  Sotek picked up three flasks and a jug of water then carried them to his step, leaving Aela with the other members of the Companions sitting at the table. Sotek lined up the flagons and filled each one to the brim with water then systematically drank the lot, turning each one upside down just like Aela and the two brothers had. With a cheesy grin he winked at Aela and pronounced himself the winner.

  “Three!!”

  Farkas stopped drinking and watched as the Argonian put his own drinking to shame by finishing the third flask in less than a minute from when he started drinking out of the first one.

  Aela also stared at him, not quite believing how quickly he had finished each flask. She had guessed like he had done that all his recent ‘illnesses’ have been due to his transformations so she studied his complexion carefully. Although he did drink a lot of water, his scales never lost their rich green shine and his eyes seemed focused and sharp.

  “Thirsty?” Her question wasn’t one she expected an actual answer to. She felt some relief that he had suffered far less this time around and concluded that he would have an easier time of things in the future. The thought caused her to smile broadly for she had big plans regarding Sotek’s werewolf. Now he was as proficient as Red was in hunting, Aela knew Red could finally let herself go and run full pelt and go wild with her nightly trips across the plains now that Scarface was able to keep up.

  Sotek examined the bottom of the now empty jug and tipped it upside down as if he had to prove to himself that it was actually empty and not an illusion. He carried the jug and the flasks back to the edge of the table where he placed them on a large oval steel tray then returned to his step.

  “Yes, the erm...” Sotek stopped speaking as he looked up to see Kodlak and all the Whelps watching him. The Harbinger was using his famous ‘owl’ stare while the lesser members all waited to listen to what Sotek was going to say.

  He glanced around the hall then tilted his head as he saw Tilma in the corner of his eye. This gave him an exit which he grabbed on to.

  “Farkas, Vilkas, don’t you both have the Harbinger’s study to clean up? After all it was your roughhousing about which caused the spillage of the vials. I’m sure Tilma will lend you her mop and bucket”.

  Farkas brushed off the Argonian’s curiosity over the lack of cleaning which was supposed to be happening and instead threw his own question back at Sotek.

  “Tilma said we’ll have a few chores to do for her later. She’s taking care of the study. Why you drinking so much water? You ill again?”

  Sotek nearly blurted out a swift ‘no’ but he also knew that he had to apply caution as the Whelps were all there as well. The last thing he wanted to face was more questions. He started looking around the room for inspiration to help him form a response which wouldn’t arouse suspicion. While he pondered upon an answer, his eyes darted from the Harbinger to Aela although he didn’t see her as ‘Aela’ but rather her title, ‘Member of the Inner Circle’. Both Kodlak and Aela had titles as such and when he thought about himself he realised the same applied to him as well.

  “I’m certainly not ill Farkas, but I am feeling rather drained and thirsty as Aela so rightly pointed out. The ermm Dragonborn; I’m still trying to get used to him, he demands a hefty toll”.

  Aela picked up a wooden bowl and filled it with four apples then carried it over to Sotek and joined him on the step. She passed him the bowl and took an apple for herself leaving two apples behind.

  “You’re hungry too as well I expect. Here, eat something”.

  While Sotek quietly munched on a piece of fruit, one of the Whelps, the female Imperial who always seemed to be in a daydream, scratched her head in confusion. The puzzled expression on her face caught Sotek’s eye and he knew full well it was her nature to ask questions. He inadvertently raised his eyebrows while his tail swished around as he waited patiently for her to say what was giving her problems.

  He didn’t have to wait for long as the thought burned away at the Whelp’s mind until she couldn’t hold it in any longer. She looked like she was about to explode when her hand shot up, gathering everyone’s attention.

  “I don’t understand”.

  The two Companions, Aela and Sotek both turned to each other and chuckled at the inquisitive Whelp. Instead of treating her in the same way as the other Inner Circle members would, leaving her to her fate with unanswered questions, Sotek accommodated her which was his usual ‘folly’ as he would often get bogged down in debate.

  “What don’t you understand?”

  Both Farkas and Vilkas shared silly glances with one another while Aela groaned with a typical roll of her eyes. She elbowed Sotek in the side and gave him a piece of her wisdom.

  “You never learn. You need to start ignoring her”.

  Sotek looked to his side where Aela was and pretended he couldn’t see her.

  “I’m sorry did someone say something?” The Argonian grinned as he cast a wink at the Imperial, causing her to titter in her hand as she tried to mask her reaction. “I apologise for that; carry on. Tell me, what don’t you understand?”

  She guzzled a few mouthfuls of ale for courage and to whet her mouth so she could enquire about Sotek’s choice of words when he mentioned being the Dragonborn.

  “You talk about the ‘Dragonborn’ as if he’s someone else but he isn’t. You’re the Dragonborn so why talk about yourself like that? I don’t get it. The Dragonborn is sitting on the stairway talking to me, isn’t he? You? ermm”. As she spoke she pointed to the step Sotek was sitting on until she tied herself up in knots. Her lips stiffened and she pressed them tightly together so she wouldn’t say anything else lest she added to her own discomfort and embarrassment.

  Sotek smiled reassuringly at the Whelp then sat silent for a minute with his eyes closed so he could gather his thoughts. While he sat there, his tail uncoiled itself, releasing Aela’s leg so it could stretch out behind him. When he was ready to explain, his eyes snapped open and fixed upon the Whelp.

  “Quite often, you all will hear snippets of conversation where we talk about ourselves as ‘he’ or ‘she’ rather than me, or I. This is especially true with me and Aela, our, shall we say... our ‘situation’s’ rather unique. Like, for instance, me being the Dragonborn. Now it’s no secret that we are in a relationship...”

  Farkas slammed his flask of mead on the table, spilling the contents in a wave of sticky liquid which frothed over the rim of the tankard. He bellowed in outrage and thrust his fist high in the air as he jestingly ‘defended’ Aela’s honor against Sotek’s advances.

  “What? You two? Is that what all the howling is? I thought she kept a dog in her room. Are you trying to tell me it was you two all this time? Harbinger, do you know about this?”

  A loud ‘huff’ came from beside Sotek where a certain female Companion sat and playfully glared across the hall as she stared at her ‘prey’. Aela proved she was just as an effective ‘Huntress’ with apples than she was with her bow. The proof being that the apple she launched over the table was a perfect kill shot as it slammed into Farkas’s chest, spraying pieces of apple in a multitude of directions. She cried out with joy at her ‘kill’.

  “Yes! Got him”.

  Sotek quickly snatched the last apple from the bowl and defended it by holding on to it tightly, keeping it out of Aela’s reach. She tried to grab it but he was far more effective in protecting it than she was at stealing it from his grasp.

  He eyed her suspiciously as he continued with his conversation.

  “Aela, you pain in the tail. Leave it alone, the poor apples done nothing to you. Behave; I’m trying to answer the Whelp. As I was trying to explain, with me, as far as Aela is concerned, there’s the mage, the warrior, the archer, the Dragonborn. I’m her friend, her enemy, at times at any rate; Aela’s mate, her shield brother. I’m all of these am I not?”

  The Whelp sat back in her chair dejectedly due to the fact that she was still confused. She sprung forwards and pointed straight at Sotek dismissing his efforts and attempts in giving her a satisfactory explanation and pushed for a better response.

  “Yes, I see all of them and I get that but it doesn’t alter the fact that they are all there, on that step”.

  Sotek’s shoulders dropped and he sluggishly tilted his head back and gazed upwards at the roof and rafters while his tail slithered about until it accidently touched Aela in the lower back. As if it had a mind of its own the tip sought her out and began sliding around her.

  Sotek suddenly rose up to his feet while his tail resisted his attempts at getting up. Almost begrudgingly the tip of his tail let Aela go and followed Sotek as he stood up. He offered Aela his hand as he pointed at the table.

  “Could you join the others? I need the floor”.

  Aela willingly complied despite the fact that she was overcome with bewilderment. She took his hand accepting his assistance and pulled herself up on her feet. She was on the edge of asking him what he was up to but when she turned to the Harbinger she knew to simply obey as Kodlak nodded at the table, enforcing Sotek’s request.

  The Argonian followed Aela to the table where he promptly picked up a chair and sat it down where the Harbinger had previously placed one when he told the story of Tekos some months before. Kodlak was intrigued with Sotek’s actions and an old thick grey haired eyebrow rose up as he watched the young Companion sit himself down near the fire pit while everyone including Aela looked on. An air of curiosity filled the hall while Sotek began to speak.

  “You will all have to bear with me; I don’t usually tell tales, stories and such things”.

  The Harbinger had inadvertently chosen to take a swill of his flask when Sotek started talking. The works he chose caused the Harbinger to splutter and cough on his drink. He wiped the side of his mouth on an old napkin and rapped his knuckles against the table top. He rudely pointed over the table and singled out the Argonian but he was quick to include Aela in his remark.

  “You’re always telling me tales and stories, especially when you and Aela have done something”.

  Aela’s jaw drooped as she gasped in shock.

  “Harbinger! That’s not fair”.

  Kodlak eased himself back in his chair. He had a look of smugness to him when he backed up his statement.

  “Aela, it’s not a case of being fair. It’s a case of the simple truth. It’s not my fault it fits you both so well. You wear it like a second skin”. Aela never replied with words, she huffed and stuck her tongue out at him while her arms folded across her chest. She sat silently and contented herself with the serving of one of her usual glares.

  Sotek’s head turned towards him and tilted to the side in a manner of disapproval at the Harbinger’s words but Tilma, who was sitting next to Kodlak, slapped the Harbinger’s hand, forcing him to withdraw.

  “That’s enough from you, let the lad speak. Sotek, you may continue, I’ll keep the oaf quiet”.

  Aela started sniggering to the Whelps and whispered Tilma’s words which cause her to laugh even louder.

  “The Harbinger’s an oaf, Tilma said so”.

  Sotek, who overheard her, shrugged his shoulders as he cheekily grinned at the Harbinger.

  “You asked for that”. His tail started to curve all along its length, showing that he was in a playful mood.

  Kodlak tutted then offered the palm of his hand to Sotek, as a signal that he had withdrawn from the conversation so the Companion could carry on.

  Sotek gave a slight nod of his head then began telling his story.

  “Long ago, there was once a young mage who joined the Mages guild in Cyrodiil. Now there was nothing remarkable about him for he had only the most rudimentary skills in the most basic of magic schools; Destruction and Restoration. Destructive spells were way beyond his capabilities and understanding except the Flame Spurt spell which was weaker than that of the other students. You would receive harsher burns if you snuffed out a candle with the palm of your hand. He was also the owner of the most pathetic healing spell you have ever seen or had even heard of. Anything beyond a stubbed toe was too great an injury for his healing powers to mend. If you had a paper cut then forget it; you would sooner bleed to death than be saved by his flesh binding spell. As for the other schools, he fared no better. He could cast a ‘Candle Light’ spell to hover above his head but it was so weak that you would struggle to read a book using the light it produced. He was able conjure a familiar by his side though. Note I said conjure, not control. The summoned animal was too powerful for his will. It would sooner turn on him rather than come to his aid”. To add to his story, Sotek decided to implement a few ‘special effects’. He raised his hand and silently cast a spell, causing a blue portal to open up in the hall.

  Aela pushed her chair back away from the table and lightly slapped her thighs with her hands. As the Familiar stepped out from the Oblivion plain, it looked at its master then turned away from him and ran towards Aela instead. It lifted up its paws and rested them on Aela’s lap and began franticly licking her face as she ruffled its side.

  “Good boy. You mine not that stinking reptiles”.

  Sotek tutted at her remark and whistled, effectively calling the Familiar by his side. The Familiar whined at Aela then proceeded to move alongside Sotek. He glanced at Aela and snarled in jest.

  “You’re a ‘plaything’ I’m the master of the hall”.

  A loud whistle rang in both the Companions ears, making them cringe. Aela swung her head around to the source of the sharp loud noise only to hear Kodlak’s voice which carried the weight of his position as it boomed through the air.

  “There is one master to this hall Sotek, me. I ask that you remember this”. He held his hand up and snapped his fingers together. The Familiar whined and lowered its head in submission and headed to the Harbinger’s side where it laid down a few feet from his chair.

  Sotek’s mouth fell open at the Familiar’s actions while Aela looked on in shock. She glanced across to Sotek who sat in the chair in silence while he stared blankly at the Harbinger.

  “Sotek, what the hell happened? I thought the Familiar was bound to you?”

  Sotek slowly nodded although he never blinked. His tail however flapped about in all directions while his mind tried to fight off the confusion he felt.

  “He was, is sorry, I ermm. He’s bound to me”. Sotek whistled a second time and beckoned the Familiar towards him with his finger. The Familiar rose up to its paws and stepped forwards a few steps until Kodlak lightly ‘coughed’ forcing it to stop where it was. It looked back at him and whined pitifully as it was unsure what to do.

  Aela yelled at the pair of them and called it to her side where she had knelt down.

  “Stop it the pair of you. You’re upsetting it. Come here boy, come to me”. She slapped her lap with the palms of her hands and the Familiar came bounding across the hall to her where she gave it a loving hug. She gave both the Harbinger and Sotek an equal share of her dagger like glare and muttered to the summoned wolf. “Men and their stupid pissing contests. This goes to the pair of you; leave him alone or I’ll run the bloody hall. Sotek, get on with your story”.

  The Harbinger and Sotek both shared glances and chose to drop the whole thing in case Aela carried out her threat. Neither of them fancied tackling her and a hasty retreat would serve them both far better. Sotek looked at the Whelp who he was initially talking with and asked her a quick question to bring himself back on track.

  “The story, yes. Where was I?”

  As the whelp went to answer, the Familiar whined then dissolved into vapour and dissipated. Aela reluctantly returned to her chair and snapped angrily at Sotek informing him of where he had got to.

  “You were talking about the useless mage and his pathetic spells. Sounds a bit like you in the training yard to be honest. Get on with it”.

  Sotek rolled his eyes but he quickly looked away from Aela when he heard her fingernails tap on the table. He continued with his tale post haste lest his own tail be lost to the storm known as ‘Aela’s Temper’.

  “Anyway, yes. The mage’s skill in magic was poor at best and bordered on useless. Even his alteration spells fared no better; he couldn’t change water into ice if he stuck it outside in winter and cast a frost spell on it; not that he knew any frost spells. However there was one Alteration spell he knew which was handed down from his father. It had been in his family for generations and each father had taught their sons and daughters who had the gift of magic and he was no exception”.

  “While the other students would spend their evenings in the Frozen hearth Inn drinking away their sorrows and telling tales of successful spells they happened to cast, the mage spent his time by a window in his room which he always had open when he was studying. He would burn his way through two candles a night and ponder over old family heirlooms which consisted of tatty worn books and tomes. Every time he turned a page he thought back to his forefathers and mothers who sat with the books and studied the ancient texts and diagrams. Such thoughts drove him to study the spell and its possibilities beyond what most mages would do when they created new spells let alone used old ones. Such dedication had its price though. His training suffered greatly along with his attention to his peers due to tiredness and a fully apparent lack of interest in the lessons”.

  Farkas roared with laughter and rudely interrupted Sotek’s tale.

  “Lack of attention and insubordination? Sotek I didn’t know you’re talking about one of your relatives”.

  Everyone including the Harbinger joined in with Farkas and laughed while Sotek was forced to accept the ridicule until Tilma pointed to the stairway and brought the hysterics to a rapid stop.

  “The study still needs a good cleaning. Farkas are you listening or you want something to do? Sotek, you may continue”.

  Sotek chuckled and mimed a polite ‘thank you’ to Tilma then proceeded with his tale.

  “After months of study and constant badgering from his peers, he had finally mastered the spell but even then he wouldn’t turn away from it and practise different spells with the other students. Each day he pushed his understanding of the spell and the various possibilities it presented him with. You see, the spell in question allowed him to change, to transform”.

  Aela piped up straight away. Her face seemed to turn white while her voice was sharp and intense.

  “Are you on about a blasted Lycanthrope?”

  Sotek looked up in surprise at her excessive attitude until he realised she had concerns over the Whelps and the Inner Circles secret. He chuckled and waved his hand at her, diminishing her fears.

  “No, Black Marsh has a multitude of were creatures. Wolves, bears, crocodiles and a lot more which would make your skin crawl. All of these people however have only their one human and one animal form. The spell in question would turn him into any animal or insect he was thinking on at the time, not just the one animal form”.  

  He left his chair behind and strolled over to the table where he poured out a flask of water for himself. He half guzzled it then filled it back up to the brim and resumed his place on the chair with the flagon in his hand.

  “Now, the head of the order, the Archmage was fed up with the student’s ‘antics’ so he decided to arrange a ‘test’ in the hope that the student would fail it. The High Mage also added a proviso, if the student did fail then he would be forced to leave the college”.

  “That evening the head of the college made his way to the students quarters and once again found the student in question peering through one of his old books. The Archmage rapped on the door with the tip of his staff and stepped inside the chamber. The student looked up from his book to see the angry High Mage’s eyes looking down intently at him.

  ‘You have a test tomorrow; if you fail then you will be banished from the grounds. For too long you have made a mockery of your master’s teachings and I will not stand for it any longer. At dawn your test will begin, stop wasting time with theses useless books. I suggest you study hard’”.

  “Now the student knew that the mages council were not happy with him; he knew the reason why though. It was mainly because he had a spell they didn’t possess or even understand. The Archmage hovered over him in an attempt to intimidate him but he lightly traced the Alteration symbol on the cover of one of his books and nodded to himself.

  ‘It wouldn’t hurt to study a bit more but I think I am ready’”.

  “The head of the order sneered at the comment and strolled out of the chambers as he laughed at the unfortunate student.

  ‘Ready are you? That we will see’”.

  “Dawn came all too quickly for the student and just as the High Mage had stated, the very next morning the young mage’s test began in earnest. All the students and lecturers were in the outer rim of the courtyard where the test was to take place. The students yelled and cheered but each one wasn’t bothered if the mage passed the test or not. He had no true friends to support him, not one student would feel the loss if he failed. The unfortunate truth was the same with the lecturers. Not one of them cheered for him but instead they all hoped he would fail and be removed from the college. No one expected him to succeed; everyone thought his fate was all but sealed”.

  “Everyone except the mage himself for he had spent many an hour working on his spell and he wasn’t one to take things lightly. He knew the test was going to be rough; he just didn’t realise how rough it was actually going to get”.

  Sotek gave Aela a sneaky smile as he continued with his story. The she wolf felt her cheeks redden as she thought back to the week before where they both had a ‘secret liaison’ during the early hours in the exact same spot as to where Sotek was pointing. She could still see the feint scratch marks where her fingernails had dug into the wooden flooring and scraped away the floor polish.

  Sotek chuckled to himself as he was fully aware of what Aela was thinking. They both shared such memories between themselves and although some were bad ones like the incident with Greymane, there were others which gave them both a warm glow; like the night in question. Pushing such thoughts aside, Sotek refocused on his tale and continued with the story.

  “Near the center of the courtyard shone a magical marker which the student instinctively knew he had to stand in. Once he was in position, the Archmage announced the start of the test.

  ‘Your first opponent is a sabre cat! You have to kill it or rend it useless. Let the trial begin’”.

  “The poor student didn’t even have time to prepare any defences as a sheet which was covered in snow was pulled off a cage to reveal a large sabre cat that was prowling around inside its confinement”.

  “The color faded from the mage’s face as he watched the animal snarl and roar back at him and he couldn’t take his eyes off the size of its teeth and its claws. Suddenly the cage door flew open and the creature snarled as it charged towards him. In a panic he tried to cast a basic Fireball but as his studies didn’t include destruction magic, his spell had little effect in slowing down the cat, let alone wounding it. Dismissing fire as a weapon, the mage cast his own spell and turned himself into a hawk”.

  “The Hawk took flight and began circling the courtyard much to the amazement of the masters and students who looked on from below while the cat roared in fury and began chasing the bird as it flew above the animal. The hawk dived down and scratched at the cats face, causing the cat to roar in pain. In pure hatred and pent up fury the cat clawed at itself in an attempt to get the hawk but the bird of prey was too fast and agile. The student saw his chance and dived down once more, tearing out the eyes of the beast, leaving the poor animal blind”.

  The cat fell to the ground and laid there panting heavily in exhaustion as blood poured from its sockets and cuts by its snout. As for the hawk, it hovered a few feet above the sabre cat, watching the beast that had flailed about blind and helpless. Knowing the cat had been defeated, the mage transformed back to his own human form”.

  “Now, the Archmage was angry with the student as he had completed his first task. Although the head of the college had considered the mage to have cheated, he was forced to admit the cat was beaten. Without giving the young mage a chance to recover, the High Mage gave out a signal which resulted in a stag being released in the courtyard.

  ‘Let’s see how fleet of foot you are now, kill the stag if you can. A penalization spell would serve you wonders; it’s a shame you don’t know it. Hahaha’”

  “The mage had considered his flame spurt spell but the animal ran too fast for him to chase and it was far too agile. Every time he started to get close, the beast would dart off away from him”.

  Aela interrupted him with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

  “I’d kill it quick enough. Just one arrow too”.

  Sotek tutted at her ‘rudeness’ and added a snide remark knowing full well she would bite back.

  “Yes well, it’s about the mage not the Companions upstart of a Huntress”.

  Aela’s lips tightly shut as she eyed a bowl of apples which were to the side of her. She snatched one from the bowl then rolled the apple around in her finger tips.

  “Upstart? Me?”

  Sotek placed his flask on the floor and prepared himself for Aela’s missile. He grinned back at her and nodded in response while his hands hung loosely by his side.

  “Yes, you. Upstart!”

  Aela nodded in agreement and she seemed to be placated with the fact that she knew him to be right. A second later she threw the apple with alarming speed and accuracy straight at Sotek’s head.

  The Argonian raised his arms and a yellow glow filled his hands while invisible tendrils snaked out snatching the apple from the air. He pulled it towards himself, holding it in the grasp of the Telekinesis spell then he launched it straight back to its owner.

  Aela’s eyes nearly popped out of her head and she quickly bent down over the table just as the apple flew past her head to smash in pieces as it collided with the training yard door. She sat back up and stared back at him through narrow slits while her face scrunched up.

  “You bastard”.

  Sotek shook his index finger at her, silently telling her off then he carried on with the story.

  “The mage watched the stag as it bound around the courtyard so he could study its movements. He decided to play the animal at its own game and transformed himself into one of the stag’s natural predators. This time he turned himself into a wolf! The wolf sniffed at the air, and fixed his hungry eyes on the stag, his prey”.

  “The stag bound past the students causing them to run to the side while the wolf’s claws dug into stone and dirt as it chased the hapless creature. The stag jumped this way and that and ran as fast as it could but there was nowhere to go. No forest to hide in and no plains to dart across and outrun the wolf. The stag was trapped. Within a few minutes the stag had started to tire but the wolf held back a reserve of energy and when he saw the stag flounder, he decided to use it. With a loud fearful howl, he bound forwards and clawed at the stag’s hind leg, bringing the animal to the ground. The stag barked out in a desperate cry but its fate was sealed. The wolf tore at its side and fed on the carcass”.

  “A few moments after the wolf fed, the student transformed back to himself. He wiped his bloodied mouth on his sleeve and cheekily grinned at the Archmage.

  ‘Sorry about that. I never had breakfast this morning’”.

  “Then came his final task. The head mage shouted out with a pent up anger and frustration smothered him like sweat.

  ‘Now we’ll see how well you know your schools. No animal or beast will help you here!’ He then summoned forth a Flaming Atronanch and commanded it to attack the poor student”.

  The student gasped in horror and fled behind the other students, sending them running in all directions while flames roared and crackled as they swept along the wall where the student was heading to. He cried out in fear and jumped in the air where he changed into a hawk. As the bird flew around, jets of flame filled the sky forcing the hawk to fly lower and lower. Having no other choice the mage transformed into a wolf and ran along the courtyard. Fireballs exploded beneath his paws, burning fur and melting flesh”.

  “When all seemed lost, the mage disappeared from sight. There was no hawk who took to wing and no sign of any wolf who stalked the grounds. Hidden in the grass, a small white mouse scuttled along the ground in the search for shelter. The Atronanch saw it and sent a wave of burning fire to incinerate the patch of ground where the mouse was. He shot down a small hole and curled up in a ball, terrified of the roaring thunder as flames laid waste to the earth above him. Although the mage was scared beyond belief, he was safe”.

  “Eventually the Atronanch gave up. It tried everything it could to kill the mouse but nothing worked. Fireballs were too big and just exploded when they hit the surface while flame spurts failed to penetrate more than a few inches of earth. With a roaring cry the Flame Atronanch exploded in fire and disappeared back to the plains of Oblivion. Once he knew it was safe, the mouse scuttled out of the hole and changed back to the mage. He breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he had completed yet another task”.

  “The High Mage’s fury was beyond any rage he had felt before and no matter how hard the other masters of the college tried to calm him, they found him to be inconsolable. He screamed and bellowed at anyone who stood in his way as he headed to the fearful student. Screaming out at the hapless fellow, the head of the college raised both his hands which disappeared in fire and ice.

  ‘Enough! Now you face me!!’ Flames and ice spells were thrown through the air towards the young mage who turned and ran from the might of the Archmage’s fury and his vastly superior spells. Instead of panicking though, the mage jumped up in the air and once again disappeared. The High Mage looked all around but he couldn’t see any sign of anything. He cast a different spell and just in front of him a small reddish glow shone as the Detect Life spell took effect and gave away the mage’s location. He had turned himself into a wasp”.

  “The head of the college instantly fired off a fire ball, but the wasp darted to the side and disappeared from view. He had in fact landed on the High Mage’s sleeve and then it promptly stung the Archmage on the back of his hand, stinging him. The Archmage slapped his hand but the wasp was already gone. Or rather he was now preparing to sting the High Mage on the neck. He twisted around but it was no use and no spell seemed to help. Eventually he cast a Flame Cloak spell, hoping it would kill the wasp. Such a spell would have worked had the wasp not took shelter in the Archmage’s robes. While the Magi flayed about he was stung no less than seven times on the torso. When the Flame Cloak spell collapsed, the Magi angrily shouted out.

  ‘Face me damn you!’ But the only reply was a second sting on the back of his neck. Now he cursed out with fury. Spells leapt across the courtyard, but every few seconds or so he would feel the sting from the wasp, sometimes on his arms, other times on his legs, even once on his nose”.

  “Eventually the head mage stopped. He admitted defeat and the mage reappeared in front of him, totally unhurt”.

  Sotek took a long drawn out sip of water from his flask then began speaking again.

  “So I ask you this”. As Sotek spoke he looked straight at the Whelp who first asked him about the Dragonborn. “Am I Aela’s lover? In which case we both would be naked in each other’s arms. Am I a hunter? With you in my sight as my prey? Am I a mage casting fire and ice? Or, am I simply an Argonian; one who is hungry and thirsty and wants to sit with his friends on this fine evening? What am I?”

  The Whelp nodded with a smile, as she had finally understood what Sotek meant.

  “You’re an Argonian”.

  Having satisfied the Whelp’s curiosity, Sotek nodded back at her in respect and walked to the table, joining Aela’s side. However just like the Harbinger did some months before, Sotek made sure to leave the chair in place for someone else to use; if anyone had the bottle to, which was rare. Sotek could only recall Kodlak ever sitting there. He never knew of a time when a Companion, even one of the Inner Circle placed a chair by the fire pit, until today.

  Aela shone with pride and lovingly caressed Sotek’s hand which rested on the table. The she wolf had a glow about her, something which the other Companions could see; a confidence but not one in herself, but in Sotek. They all glanced at the chair and each member of the Inner Circle knew it belonged to one member; the Harbinger. It didn’t matter if it was the old Kodlak or the young Sotek. It was the Harbinger’s chair. She kissed Sotek on the cheek and commented about his tale.

  “That was good, especially the wolf. You should tell stories more often”.

  Sotek took a sip of his mead then he whispered in Aela’s ear.

  “Even if they are of you when you’re naked?”

  The next instant he yelled out as he banged his knee on the underside of the table, lifting it up four inches from the impact with his leg. Aela glanced at the Harbinger who was looking at her with disdain written across his face.

  “Sorry everyone, I dropped my fork. Oh look there it is! It’s impaled itself in Sotek’s leg. Can I have it back please?” She then calmly laid the ‘weapon’ on the table and smiled contently.

  While Sotek nursed his ‘accidental injury’ by casting a light healing spell on himself, the Whelp who had asked Sotek the questions earlier, sat as quiet as a summers breeze and watched the chair by the fire pit intently.

  She looked over towards the Harbinger and swallowed loudly from nervousness.

  “Harbinger, can anyone tell stories?”

  Kodlak’s thick white eyebrows rose up, giving him an intense aura as he peered along the table at her. He raised his index finger up as a warning and laid out the ‘rules’ for the chair.

  “As long as the chair is empty. But I warn you all, it’s for tales, story’s and legends. Chit chat is for the campfire”.

  The Whelp nervously downed half a flask of ale and pushed the chair she was sitting on backwards, scraping it along the floor. She walked over to the seat by the fire pit and drew her Orcish sword and rested it in her lap once she was sitting in the same chair as Sotek had used.

  She anxiously looked around the hall at everyone whose eyes seemed to bore into her. She started to think it was a mistake and the Whelp came close to running back to the table until Sotek caught her gaze. He gave her a reassuring nod and a few words of wisdom.

  “Close your eyes and take a deep breath. You’ve faced far worse than this band of miscreants. Just keep your focus on me”.

  The Whelp nodded and filled her lungs with air. She held her breath for a few seconds then lifted up her sword and began telling her story.

  “A lot of you have asked me why I use this blade and to be fair, I never told you. So, this is my story and why I use it. It’s an Orcish sword. An Orc would call it Orichalcum. That means Orcish, I think”.

  She then told the tale of when she was a young girl in Cyrodiil. Her father was a blacksmith who worked in one of the Ironmonger shops in the Imperial City. The shop in question was called ‘Slash ‘N’ Smash’ which could be found in the Market District.

  The Whelp and her father were travelling on a cart with weapons to Skingrad to help with the local garrison there. While they travelled along the Gold road, the two of them came under attack from bandits. It just so happened that an Orc warrior ‘Urac Thorguk’ was close by. He intervened in the daylight robbery and killed the bandits then he escorted the Whelp and her father to the town.

  The Whelp’s father who wasn’t a fighter knew full well that Urac had saved him and his daughter. In payment for the Orc’s service, the blacksmith made the Orc a full set of ebony armour along with a new blade and shield. Urac was so grateful that he gave her father the sword that had saved him and his family. Ever since she could lift it, the Whelp practised with the blade so she too may one day intervene and save someone’s life, paying back the debt to Urac Thorguk.

  “This blade saved my father and me, so that’s why I don’t use any other sword”.

  Another Whelp, a stroppy female Nord who was often outspoken and carried an air of ‘supremacy’ about her, sneered at the Whelp’s tale.

  “I thought your story would have some point to it. It’s a story yes, albeit I don’t think a single Orc could kill three bandits. But even if it was true, what was the point?”

  Before anyone could say anything, Sotek came to the Whelp’s defence and answered on her behalf.

  “Bandits may be half drunk and poorly armed but they survive by the sword so don’t underestimate them. It’s extremely advisable not to underestimate those such as Urac who hunt them either. I know of the Orc the Whelp speaks of. She says he killed three bandits? It must have been a quiet day for him”.

  The Nord Whelp argued back at him, bringing his honor in question as well as the other Whelp.

  “You don’t know this Orc? Since when have you travelled through Cyrodiil?”

  Sotek burst out laughing and tapped himself in the chest.

  “I may be an Argonian but I didn’t craw out from under a rock in Skyrim. How the hell do you think I crossed the Skyrim borders? On the back of a Dragon?”

  The Nord sat back in her chair and fumed in silence until she snapped out one last comment.

  “There’s still no point to the story though”.

  Kodlak sighed and shook his head at the Whelp. He came to expect attitude from Aela which was bad enough but the Nord was just a Whelp. He rapped his knuckles on the table and pointed towards the Imperial girl.

  “The ‘point’ is that we now know of Urac Thorguk, and she remembers him that little bit more clearly. That, my dear, is the point”. Then he smiled at the Imperial Whelp and nodded his approval.

  A short while after, Kodlak pulled Sotek aside so they could talk in hushed whispers.

  “Tell me the truth. Have you actually heard of Urac?”

  Sotek cheekily smiled and shook his head.

  “Not until today Harbinger. Not until today”.

  The Harbinger couldn’t help but chuckle and shake his head in amusement as he watched Sotek walk back to his step where Aela was patiently waiting for his return.