U.O.T.W. Chapter 196 Event Horizon

• Posted by Sotek February 4, 2017 - Filed in TSC: CB Story - #Sotek  #U.O.T.W.  - 1,211 views

   

  The hall was in total silence despite the number of Companions and Whelps who were present. Kodlak peered up at the sky which was clearly visible where the roof had partially collapsed from when the barrel of oil had struck it. Cindered, smoldering rafters were all too prominent but his mind refused to take stock. Other buildings suffered far greater damage and the pressing weight of the Companions imminent destruction weighed heavily on a troubled mind.

   

  Sotek seemed to be asleep; his head rested against Aela’s chest and his back moved slowly with every breath he took. The illusion was promptly shattered when he unexpectedly sat right up and turned towards the door. Such a move caught the Huntress unaware and as her nerves were already in tatters, she gave out a shriek as she jumped from the Argonian’s actions.

   

  Sotek ignored her as his eyes were set on the doorway like a hound alerting his owner of an approaching visitor. Moments later Kodlak raised an eyebrow as the door was pushed open by Farkas. He looked at the Harbinger and whispered although there was no need for such actions.

  “Harbinger, the priestess is outside. She wants a word with you”.

   

  Sotek got up and started heading towards the door but Kodlak also rose out of his chair. He called out to the Companion, calling him back to his step.

  “No Sotek. Your actions today are of my own doing. I knew full well what you meant and of your reluctance to do it. This is my choice and I must bear the responsibility. Sit down please”.

   

  Sotek protested with no thought or hesitation. He faced off the Harbinger and stood his ground; or rather he tried to if it wasn’t for Aela tugging at his arm.

  “It was my choice Harbinger. It doesn’t matter who gave the command, I knew what was right and what was wrong”.

   

  “I know” Kodlak stated. “What bothers me Sotek is that you don’t think you were wrong. What bothers me a great deal more is that I feel the same. You had no choice. Aela, sit him down. If the fool won’t sit then make him sit”. The Harbinger then turned his attention to Farkas and waved him inside.

  “Ask her to come in Farkas”.

   

  Farkas had hardly spoken when the priestess Danica stepped past the threshold of the hall. She gazed around at all the occupant’s blank faces. Only three held her gaze, Kodlak, Tilma who was covered in soot and Sotek who looked back at her with narrow inquisitive reptilian eyes. Danica gave him a slight smile although she had no idea what to think or say.

   

  She shook her head slightly to help her focus on the most pressing matter and she approached the Harbinger as she asked for aid.

  “Kodlak, Harbinger sorry; there are many wounded outside! We haven’t the supplies to…”

   

  Kodlak held his hand up, stopping her in mid sentence. Before she could say any more he rapped out his orders to the other Companions.

  “Farkas, take two Whelps, those who are willing at any rate, and whatever potions we have. We’ve aplenty of spare linen, take that as well. Follow the priestess; give her what aid she needs. Vilkas is to remain at the doorway, keep an eye out for trouble”.

   

  Aela protested despite the merit in Danica’s cause. The Huntress feared for her ‘brother’s’ safety; fearing he would be vulnerable and without support should the city’s populous turn against them.

  “What! Harbinger you can’t send him out there by himself. We should stay together!”

   

  Sotek turned to his mate and stepped in, cutting her off whilst he pulled her close, wrapping her up in an aura of calmness and security.

  “Aela, my mate. Consider this; if the town sees us helping with the wounded they may, with some luck, remember exactly whose side we are on”.

   

  Aela closed her eyes tightly and mentally controlled her own emotions, stifling her rapid breathing. She smiled back at Sotek and kissed him on the lips before pulling herself up to her feet.

  “Farkas I’ll come with you. Priestess what would you have us do?”

   

  The priestess looked at Aela, she studied her face and tried to picture the beast that dwelled inside the young Huntress but such visions were lost to her. Instead she put her mind to the relevant tasks.

  “The wounded; I need them brought to the temple”.

   

  Following Aela’s lead, the Imperial girl got up and walked over to Farkas who handed out bags of potions and linen to the three ‘volunteers’. Following behind Danica, the five Companions headed outside.

   

  No more than ten minutes had passed when Aela returned to the hall. She burst inside, giving cause for Kodlak and the other occupants to jump in surprise. She called out to the Harbinger as she pointed behind her to the plaza.

  “A building’s collapsed; it’s fallen on the preacher. Farkas and Vilkas have tried but they can’t remove the beam”.

   

  “You need more men?” Kodlak asked. He looked around the hall at a large coil of rope while he tried to work out a way to create some sort of pulley system.

  Aela shook her head in return, flatly dismissing the very idea of extra muscle.

  “It won’t do any good 'cause there’s barely enough room for those two let alone anyone else as well”.

   

  A rash thought entered Sotek’s mind. He felt useless and he needed to be doing something anyway and it didn’t matter how he looked at it, the situation couldn’t get any worse.

  “Instead of looking at ‘someone else as well’ Aela; maybe we can try ‘someone instead of’?”

   

  Aela stared blankly back at him and rolled her eyes.

  “Yes that would be great if it wasn’t for the fact that there isn’t a single person who is stronger than them; is there you idiot!”

   

  “Person? No; but there is someone who has the strength of the pair of them; and more. Show me what we are looking at”.

   

  Kodlak understood his meaning and he looked half petrified as Sotek moved towards the door.

  “Is this course of action wise?”

   

  Sotek shrugged his shoulders and replied.

  “He can’t make our situation worse, can he? Everyone knows now anyway”.

   

  The Huntress hesitantly led him to the preacher’s house where they could see a pair of legs poking out from underneath a large solid looking beam. The roof had partially collapsed, pinning down the beam which in turn held the man captive by this unorthodox prison. Sotek wondered if the man was dead, crushed to death by the weight on top of him until the pair of feet which were sticking out started to twitch and flap about, showing he was in fact very much alive. A muffled voice could be heard although it was impossible to hear the man clearly.

   

  Sotek could feel a pair of eyes burning into the back of his head. He turned around to see Jarl Balgruuf looking intently back at him. The Jarl was standing at the top of the steps, looking out at the remnants of the city. He looked pale and sick; the heartache he felt for his people strewn across his face.

   

  Sotek turned to the priestess and spoke; begging her to show restraint and calm.

  “I can get him out but I need something from you. Don’t jump, don’t be afraid and for the love of the Nines, please!! Don’t scream”.

   

  He shooed the priestess back, giving him plenty of room then he set about transforming into his werewolf form.

   

  The priestess gasped and clung onto her bead necklace as she mumbled prayers to Kynareth while Aela led Scarface to the ruined hut by tugging on a clump of fur on his arm. She tapped the beam with her hand and waved her hand upwards, ordering Scarface to lift up the support.

  “Up, lift it up!”

   

  Scarface stepped up to the beam then slowly but surely he managed to lift the beam up high enough for Farkas to pull the preacher out. Seconds after Farkas shouted out that the man was clear there was a deafening crash of stone and breaking timber as the roof finally collapsed, burying Scarface in stone, brick and rubble.

   

  Before Aela could even think of screaming for Red’s mate, Scarface broke through the roof top, and climbed out from the collapsed building amidst a cloud of thick dust. Aela breathed a sigh of relief and stepped up to him, holding him tightly in her arms.

   

  Without giving it a moment’s thought, she started dusting him, rubbing off the dust and debris which lay tangled in his fur while she spoke softly to him; praising him for his act of kindness.

  “That’s my boy! Well done”.

   

  As an afterthought she turned back to Danica who seemed to be in shock. She was motionless, petrified as she watched the werewolf snarl his fangs at her.

  Aela quickly stepped in, calming the priestess with an introduction along with an explanation of Scarface’s ‘smile’.

  “Ermm this is Scarface, he won’t bite. That’s kind of scary I know but he’s smiling. Scarface! Down, all fours. Come on you; you’re scaring her!”

   

  Scarface tilted his head at Aela then dropped down to all four paws and nudged her with his snout, forcing her to hug him with her arm. He glanced back at the strange robed woman who never ran yet she looked terrified.

   

  The priestess looked shockingly at Aela, then at Scarface. With a stammer in her voice she spoke.

  “Th, thank you”.

   

  Sotek changed back to his Argonian form and stood up. He gave her a sloppy salute along with a weary smile and replied.

  “You’re welcome”.

   

  He pondered the possibility of helping out further but he decided it was best to take a back seat and let Aela and the priestess figure it out between them. With little else to do, he headed back inside Jorrvaskr. As he proceeded to walk up the steps he glanced up the stairway to Dragonsreach. The Jarl was still standing there, watching him intently. Under the watchful eyes of Jarl Balgruuf, Sotek entered Jorrvaskr and once again sat on the top step looking across the hall.

   

  He sat there in silence for a few moments before peaking to the Harbinger although he never looked at him directly.

  “Scarface did it; he managed to lift the beam up so they could pull the poor bastard out. The house is destroyed though”. He fell silent a second time and stared vacantly into space. As to whether Kodlak responded or not Sotek couldn’t tell. He was too tired and drained to notice.

   

  One thing burned away at him though. It hounded him like an itch you couldn’t scratch. Finally Sotek turned to face the Harbinger directly and spoke his mind.

  “I can’t escape a single thought. No matter how hard I try to blank it, it keeps returning”.

   

  “What thought?” Kodlak asked. His own head buzzed relentlessly like a disturbed beehive and he hoped and prayed for any distraction.

   

  Sotek pointed behind himself at the doors as he responded.

  “That we’re sitting here wondering what the Jarl is going to do and that the Jarl is sitting there wondering the same thing”.

   

  Kodlak raised one of his eyebrows and pondered on the Jarl. He had expected something to happen by now and the lack of this ’something’ was getting to him. He gazed through the wall and pictured Jarl Balgruuf sitting at his throne looking back straight at him.

  “Yes Sotek. That is quite plausible and given the fact that there is a distinct lack of any response you may be right”.

   

  Sotek got up and stripped off his armor where he stood, dropping the gauntlets, chest piece and his greaves on the floor. He didn’t care who saw him in his bloodied loincloth; he had other matters to attend to. The Argonian snatched up a pair of his trousers and pulled them on then he pulled out one of his Dragonbone axes. He leaned against a pillar and wiped off the blood or at least the worst of it before he held the axe head tightly in his hand.

  “It’s no good! I have to find out”. Then he started to head outside.

   

  “Find out what?” Kodlak asked as he watched the axe follow the swing in Sotek’s arm.

  
  “I need to find out his intentions”. Then he headed outside.

   

  Vilkas, Aela and Farkas all saw him as he walked towards the stairwell to the Cloud District. Unsure as to what he was doing they each turned to one another and shrugged as he climbed the stairs with the same determination as he did when he walked towards the bandits when he pretended to be a slave; unwavering to the terrible danger they were all facing.

   

  The Jarl entered Dragonsreach when he saw Sotek’s initial approach. The fact that the Argonian was armed wasn’t lost on the Jarl; he hoped that he had read the Argonian correctly. The very least he could do was to give the Companion a chance. He just hoped he was right.

   

  When Sotek entered Dragonsreach, the Jarl was sitting on his throne, watching the doorway. There were a few more guards standing around the hall, more than the usual number yet none of them moved to the Argonian as he walked boldly towards the Jarl. By the Jarl’s side was the ever pretentious Proventus, the Jarl’s aid while Irileth stood close at hand; ever alert and watchful.

   

  Hoping that the Dunmer had more time to think upon her earlier encounter with Scarface, Sotek decided to speak with her first.

  “I hope Scar... ermm… I hope our previous meeting didn’t scare you too much; that wasn’t his intention”.

   

  “His?” She said as she watched him nervously. She unexpectedly seemed to understand as to what Sotek was referring to. At the time Sotek gave it little thought and put such things down to her having a far more open mind than most. Regardless to whether Sotek realized why she was so fast to accept his statement, she made it clear she held no resentment to his situation and was indeed thankful.

  “I was terrified at the time. Although I have to admit I was no more afraid when he was standing over me than what I was when I was facing the numerous Stormcloaks who desecrated our beloved city. All in all Sera, it does seem I owe you my life”.

   

  “Sera? Now that’s something I haven’t heard for a long time. Home seems so far away now. Well, what was home, until I came here at any rate. You owe me nothing Irileth, I was just glad I got to you in time”.

   

  Sotek weakly smiled then moved towards the Jarl with his axe head held firmly in his hand. As he moved in upon the Jarl, three guards stepped closer to block his path but the Jarl held his hand up holding them in check. Sotek never offered any explanation to his choices or of the gift Hircine had bestowed upon him and the Companions. Instead he gave the Jarl a simple statement as he outstretched his arm, offering the handle to the Jarl who looked on with a bemused expression.

  “I would like your answer by midday tomorrow”.

  Without another word Sotek turned around and headed back outside. Every step he took in that great hall seemed to echo, like a drum playing out the last remaining seconds of his life.

   

  As he entered the hall of Jorrvaskr Aela followed him inside. She was full of questions as was the Harbinger but Sotek had little to tell.

  “What did you do?”

   

  He turned to the Huntress and smiled as he calmly replied.

  “I gave us a chance”.

   

  “Now what do we do”. As she spoke she held him tightly. She felt her hands tremble despite Sotek’s efforts at restraining her in an attempt to hide her fears from everyone.

   

  He wished he was able to lay her fears to rest but all he could do was state the obvious.

  “Now we wait”.

   

  A few hours later Vilkas pushed open the door and point outside with his thumb. He glanced at the Harbinger and shrugged before speaking to Sotek directly.

  “Sotek there’s a guard here. He has a message from the Jarl”.

   

  Sotek walked over to the doorway to find the guard waiting at the top of the steps. He was alone and unarmed yet he refused to come any closer to the hall. Instead, the Nord relayed his message where he was; summoning them to Dragonsreach.

  “Dragonborn, Jarl Balgruuf wishes to see both you and the Harbinger”.

   

  Kodlak could hear every word. He decided there and then that he had sat too idly by while he let Sotek bear the weight of the Companions and their fate by himself. He rose out of his chair and moved to the doorway to give his response.

  “Thank you. We will be there momentarily”.

   

  He took a deep breath when whispered to Sotek, reciting his own fears to the Argonian.

  “For what it’s worth Sotek, I’m proud of you lad. Best not keep the executioners axe waiting; don’t you think?”

   

  Sotek smiled back at him and nodded.

  “Yess, it would be most unsporting; wouldn’t it?” He took Aela’s hand and pulled her to his side, giving her little choice but to tag along. “Come on you, I tend to think better when you’re near me”. In silence, the three Companions made their way to Dragonsreach.