Heroes Of The North

[Macman253]

Rolff and Angrenor ran from their pursuer, the Dark Elf would not give up. His breath was heavy and he was out of shape, he could feel a sense of dread course up his spine. Angrenor at his side was also breathing heavy, they were not the warriors they once were and their pursuer was like a Daedra, he would not relent his pursuit. The two nords turned a corner and were met with a tight stairwell between two buildings, barely enough for a large nord to walk through but Rolff and Angrenor ran up the stairs quickly. Gouts of warm breath spewing from their mouths as their lungs worked overtime to provide air for their worn out bodies.

 

Angrenor glanced back in horror to see their pursuer was close behind them yet he was not running, he was calmly walking. He was toying with them like a cat toys with a mouse, the sudden realization that they were being hunted crept up his spine and filled his heart with pure fear. This feeling drove Angrenor on. Rolff reached the top of the stairs and ran through the main bazaar, he knocked over a young woman who was in his way and ran up the second level of stairs that went to the residential district, he looked around for some way to stop his pursuer then noticed the gate that barred off the bazaar from the residential district. He hurriedly ran through it and turned, Angrenor had fallen behind and just behind him stood their pursuer. He quickly grabbed the gate and shut it, sticking his knife into the hole and turning it to break the lock and shut the gate forever. Angrenor crashed into the iron gate, his eyes gazing into his friends.

 

"Sorry brother..." He said before running away, Angrenor turned to face his attacker and just as he did the Elf had pinned him to the gate with a dagger to his throat, what amazed him was that he did not even know he was there. He moved like a ghost, this man was a killer. A cold hearted killer and the nord had angered him. He raised his hands to show he was unarmed, hoping to talk himself out of being killed. "I...I...I...Don't want trouble... It was Rolff, he did it." He whimpered, the could feel the cold burning hatred come from the elf. The Elf just glared into his eyes, not saying a word.

 

"Why did you do it?" Asked the Elf, he gently pressed the dagger closer to his neck. The blade was made of a sharpened bone-like material that felt as cold as steel. His armor was of Dunmer make, being made of heavy leather made from a beast called a Netch. The Pursuer glared deep into his eyes, "We had a few rounds at the Candlehearth, Rolff wanted to go show the grey-skins a lesson and we found the girl. When Rolff grabbed her she slashed him with a dagger and he forced her to the ground..." He said, his eyes red with tears and fear. The Elf listened, his blade pressed close to the mans throat. "Then you raped and murdered her..." He finished, Angrenor nodded. "Please don't kill me, I'll turn myself in and go to jail I promise." Angrenor pleaded, he knew that even if he did the city guard wouldn't arrest him. They cared nothing for the Dark Elves. The city was a corrupt as it was snowy, anyone that was a nord and had gold could do anything here.

 

Malus seethed with rage, he released the Nord and flipped the dagger around in his hand. "I won't kill you, but if I see you in The Grey Quarter again... You will disappear..." He threatened, the Nord shook his head and slipped past him as he ran home. Malus turned to see the woman on the ground, she was young and beautiful. His dark red eyes fixed on her, reading her. He locked with her eyes and deemed her not a threat then turned to the gate, it was shut permanently but it was not high. He slid the dagger into the sheath on his belt and took a few long steps back and turned to face the gate once more, he ran for the gate and just a few feet from it he leaped. Planting his foot on the stone wall and pushing off he flipped over the gate effortlessly and landed behind it. His natural elven grace and trained athleticism paid off, he had practiced Street-Running in his free time. Made it easy to get around Vivec in his early days with the Morag Tong.

 

He walked up the stairs and stopped, he glanced over his shoulder at the woman and then continued on after his prey.

[Niborino9409]

After the guards had seized Noopdie, Eireen and Eykthain continued their journey. Was it Solitude we were headed towards?" Eireen asked.

"That was the initial thought, but you have not seen much of the world. So perhaps you would like to see why I fight, why I joined the Legion. Would you like that?"
"I don´t know."
"It will not be pleasant, I won´t lie to you and say otherwise. If you want to see why I fight, you will witness the true suffering that has been brought upon some of the races but also, the people of Skyrim."
"Our race too? The Dark Elves?"
"Yes, but also Argonians and Khajiits. Windhelm. I would like to show you the infamous Grey Quarters where most of the refugees of Morrowind ended up. So that you do not think that war is childs play. Ulfric does not play."
"I know that war is serious and I know that Ulfric doesn´t play around. If you think I would benefit from seeing it, then perhaps we should go there."
"Ok, but be prepared, it won´t be beautiful."

Eireen nodded and put her heels into the sides of Aithereos and they were off.

After they had traveled a bit Eireen thought of something. "Won´t the Stormcloaks recognise you?"
"I am not as well known as your grandfather Eireen. And it was several years since I left the Legion, I worked in the shadows. The only thing they will see now is an old man traveling with his daughter."
"Won´t they dislike us? We are Dark Elves. Half-Elves, but still."
"They do not know that we are not fullblooded Dunmers, they see only our skin color. The grey that marks our race. It makes no difference to them. Do not worry. Nothing will happen to you, I won´t let them touch you."
"You promise?"
"Yes. As long as we keep to ourselves, hopefully nothing will happen." Eykthain weren´t so sure, but it was better than nothing.

Aithereos were a fast and strong horse. By the time they had helped stop Nooptie, it was about lunch time. Now, as they came closer and closer to Windhelm the sky had begun to darken.


After several hours of riding, Eykthain and Eireen were finally in Windhelm, they could not push Aithereos more than necessary so they had walked and even rested sometimes, to ensure that they did not push the poor steed too hard. They rented a place for him at the stables and made their way to the docks. Eykthain knew that they wouldn´t get in by the front gate, so they had to take an alternate route.

"Lets rent a room at the New Gnisis Cornerclub. The owner is friendly to his peers." Eykthain said as they made their way towards the Grey Quarters." The Nords of Windhelm glared at them, but Eykthain encouraged Eireen not to care.

As they got close to the Cornerclub they were met by a crowd. Eykthain pushed his way through to see what it was all about. A young Dunmer woman, apparently the waitress of the Cornerclub, lay murdered in the cold snow. Her clothes had been ripped from her body, but the crowd had covered her with a blanket. The crowd told Eykthain and Eireen that a Dark Elf had chased after the Nords that were responsible. Eykthain did not know the identity of the heroic Dunmer. Must be one of the newcomers, many Dunmers came and went in search of a better future, most did not find it.


They walked away from the crowd. "That was not what I wanted to show you Eireen. The Nords does not like the Dark Elves, but that it would end in murder..."
"You said it yourself Dad. War is not childs play, Ulfric does not play, neither does his people. Poor woman." Even though she had not met the woman before, Eireen felt like crying, but she did not want to cry in front of her father.
He knew that she wanted to cry. "Crying won´t bring her back. The least we can do is help solve this. The lad that followed the Nords could be dead already." Eykthain said as he turned and walked hastily towards the trail of footsteps that led away from the scene.

 

 

 

Eireen followed her father through the dwindling streets of Windhelm in their pursuit of the murderers and their follower. Her father were almost running now, therefore he missed the woman on the ground, her ran past her. Eireen did not.

"Dad! There´s a woman here!"

Eykthain came to a stop and jogged back to where his daughter was. "Did you see where they went? Some Nords and a Dark Elf lad." He said between his breaths.

Eireen offered the woman her hand to help her up from the cold, hard ground. "Did you see where they went?" She said in a nicer and more polite tone than her father had used.

Edited February 15, 2013 by Niborino9409

[mythicdawnmaster]

Anna's eyes widened when she heard the exchange between Malus and the Nord, horrified when she heard mention of a woman being raped and murdered. She suddenly wanted to leave. And go far, far away. her heart raced when the Dunmer looked into her eyes, and almost skipped a beat when he left again- she thought she was a goner for sure.

 

Anna was about to attempt pulling herself to her feet, when a light blue hand reached down to help her up. Anna's pale fingers gripped tightly onto the hand, noting it was that of a woman's, albeit one used to bladed combat, she was young judging from how soft her skin was. Anna's manicured hand clutched tightly as she used the support to pull herself off of the ground, the Breton leant down and picked up her staff, dusting herself off from the snow, her palms were grazed, but that was nothing a slight healing spell couldn't handle.

 

She looked wide eyed at the Dunmer, barely managing to get out a reply "Th-, i- No..." She held her head and collected her thoughts. "Thank you." She said softly, her voice gentle and sweet, she registered their questions and replied as best she could. "It all happened so quick, i came through the gates, walked a few steps and then a Nord pushed me over, a Dunmer man wearing chitinous armour pursued them, and then he jumped over that gate." Anna had no idea what was on the other side, and didn't ask. "I heard them saying the Nord raped and killed a barmaid, is it true?" Anna's words were suddenly colder than they had previously been. She hated murder of any kind, and that girl had certainly done nothing to deserve it.

[Niborino9409]

"So they went through and over that gate huh?" Eykthain said as he walked towards the gate. But stopped as he noticed the Nord that was stuck against the gate."Seems like this was one of them. Who followed the other Nord?" Eykthain glared at the Nord in front of him. The Nord by the gate stumbled away in terror, and he made sure not to hit Eykthain nor Eireen as he left.

 

Eireen waited for the woman to answer her father and then continued to tell her what she knew about it all.

 

"Yes it is true. It is horrible that they could even do what they did. I can barely believe it. Poor girl... Hopefully she were the only one, they need not kill any more. I should not say it, but I hope that they get what´s coming to them."

Eykthain recognised the tone his daughter used. It was his manner of speaking. She had traits from them both it seemed.

 

"Perhaps we should move somewhere else, we don´t want to be here when the guards arrive, if they arrive. Wait. Eireen, take her somewhere else, anywhere else than here. I´ll go after the lad and the Nord. No use in going after the one that left, he won´t talk. He´s too afraid." Eykthain said as he approached the gate and climbed over it, then disappearing up the stairs behind it.

 

"What kind of man had terrified that Nord to such extent?" Someone equally as angry as himself? An assassin? A politician? He knew none of that nor did it matter, the only thing that mattered to Eykthain was that no more blood were to be shed, neither Nordic nor Elvish.

Edited February 16, 2013 by Niborino9409

[Macman253]

Malus turned the corner of the path that lead to the residential district. The area was tight like much of Windhelm, here the Nords resides into their Estate houses. Rolff could not live in one of these places but desperation forced him here, Malus watched as the panicking Nord kicked open the door to the abandoned home known as Hjeirm. Malus drew one of his daggers and flipped it across the back of his hand before catching it in a reversed grip. The wind began to kick up and the chill of Skyrim washed over him, his armor protected against much of it but the top of his face and his cut to the scalp hair and ears were still visible above the mask that covered the lower half of his face.

 

When Rolff had gone inside Malus followed, the place was abandoned for some great time and had been so since the last owner died, a number of rumors circulated around the city as to the reasons of his mysterious death but none stuck. When Malus had entered the home was dark, no light and no sound. A place he could call home, he slunk into the shadows and waited. The hunt was far more pleasurable then the inevitable kill. He looked around to see the cellar door and smiled, he unstrung the chain and lock that bound it and left the door open. Tucking the lock and chain away, he walked over to wall next to the stairwell and slipped into the hidden door that lead to the second floor Study.

 

Rolff walked quietly through the maze like mansion, the darkness shrouded nearly every aspect of the home. The only light from windows that shone through with moonlight. A loud creek of the wooden floorboards from behind him caused him to jump and whirl about, his dagger at the ready for whatever Daedra resided in the darkness. "Come on out Assassin! I'll rend yer' guts!" He cried out to the darkness, his threat fell on silent darkness. He climbed the stairs to the second floor, gently feeling his way with his toes as he did so. He walked as slow and quiet as a cat in a house of sleeping dogs. An eerie sense of dread lingering in his spine and neck, his dagger at the ready. The steps to the stairwell seemed to go on forever until finally, after what felt a long grueling hour he reached the top.

 

The upper floor was divided into two rooms and a closet, most likely the guest bedrooms and study. He needed to hunker down here for the night or until his attacker was captured so he walked into the closest room. It was empty despite some furniture piled into the center of the very large room. The walls were covered with bookshelves and filled with old dusty and spiderwebbed tomes. He heard the floorboards creek at the bottom of the stairs and suddenly filled with fright he dashed into the study, placing his back to the far wall. After a grueling couple of minutes he decided it was his imagination and relaxed. He turned around only to see the dark red eyes of his attacker, the dunmer had followed him here and eluded him.

 

"By the Nine!" He cried, this dunmer was no ordinary dark elf. "Get Back! I will kill you!" He cried, holding the dagger in his blood covered hand as he slowly walked backwards towards the door. The Dark Elf removed his mask to reveal his face, he took slow and calm steps after the Nord murderer. "Go ahead, kill me..." He said calmly, his voice harsh and gravelly. His demeanor calm and complacent, he was used to seeing foes like this and he was not at all uncomfortable. His eyes never left Rolff's, he watched with an almost feral gaze.

 

Malus smiled as Rolff swung wildly at him with his dagger, no technique, no form or training. A subtle weapon, deadly in a proper assassins hands swung about like a club was unbearably insulting to him. Yet he accepted that Nords were no good except for swinging big weapons and thinking themselves superior. Malus side stepped the wild thrust and grabbed the Nords hand with an almost unseen grasp and twisted his hand, the nord cried out in pain as his wrist snapped with a loud crack and he dropped to his knees clutching his arm. Malus leaned in close and smiled wickedly, "Boo...." He said with a whisper. The Nord fell back in fear, his legs moving faster then his mind. He scrambled to his feet and out of the door. Not seeing the stairs as he ran nearly off them entirely, his foot slipped at the top step and he clattered down the stairs, groaning with pain at each step he landed on as he fell down the steps. He finally hit the floor with a loud thud and rested there for a moment, unsure if he was able to stand.

 

Rolff could feel his body ache as he finally sat up, the Greyskin was nowhere in sight but in this house seeing a few feet past his feet was impossible. He sat on his rump, leaning back with his hands holding his torso up. His wrist was a bright blue from where the Dunmer broke it. He could not believe how fast the Dark Elf was, his mind retracting the events upstairs. He was now on the bottom floor but the sheer darkness made it impossible to see exactly where he was. He looked around for a window or an exit of some kind and noticed the door to the cellar was open, he glanced up the stairs to see if his attacker was there but it was empty so he decided to go down into the cellar.

 

Malus calmly watched the Nord walk down into the cellar, little had he known about this house but the former tenant loved secret doors and Malus often worked here as the old man Housecarl, back when this place was a fullfledged estate. The man that lived here, Kurt Storm-Hammer inherited this house from his grandfather. The man kept a great many secrets and this house was built to help him escape any assassins. He knew the secret doors by heart and they had come in use for his little game of Chase The Nord, he calmly walked back into the study and over to the bookshelf. He traced his finger along several of the book and finally pulled one free from the shelf, the shelf then slid back into the wall and to the side to reveal a ladder that went directly to the cellar.

 

Rolff entered the cellar quietly, fearing the assassin but when he realized it was just a one room basement he relaxed. Light came from the cellar doors across the cellar. It was the street level access from the outside, he hurriedly ran over to them but only found them to be bound by lock and chain. "By Ysmir!" He shouted at his misfortune, he turned and walked back towards the stairwell that lead to the first floor. As he did he felt a sharp pain across his shoulders, he yelped in agony as he fell over. His body stiff and unable to move. The soft sound of footsteps came from the darkness and the Assassin appeared, a wicked smile from his lips. His dagger coated in a green liquid mixed with blood. "I am Malus, you will die, but not tonight. The poison I have infected you with is one I made quiet sometime ago, I applied it to a mild paralytic so you could not move while I tell you this..." He said calmly as he wiped off his bloody dagger on Rolffs tunic.

 

"What it does is slowly but assuredly it will kill you, takes a few days. Until then, you will puke and s#*! all over yourself. Your bones will break as your body begins to convulse... blood will leak from your every orifice and finally, after countless prayers for death your heart will give out and you will die... and no you will not go to Sovngarde." He said coldly, Malus walked to the top of the stairs and shut the cellar door. Rolff tried everything to yell for help but his mouth could not move and the grunts he made could barely be heard.

 

Malus locked the cellar doors with the chain and lock he had originally taken and turned to leave the Manorhouse.

[AnotherAverageName]

"Oh! Comon darling I'm so damn tired! Can't we just stay here for one night!? Please?" Marucrio begged, he had visibly droopy eyelids and his eyes were bloodshot. "Well...I guess we could." She replied.

" Well, I think we should." He replied promptly.

" Fine then, but just for tonight, dear."

" Thank you..." He replied, very much relieved.

Together they entered what appeared to be previously described as "The best Inn in Solitude." Which confused her as...it was the only Inn in Solitude. The place was warm and welcoming, if a bit empty. Only three people were present, a plump looking Innkeeper, clad in unkempt clothing. A scantily dressed Bard who was clearly attention seeking and a muscular looking Nord wearing heavy looking steel armour.

 

After they had a quick look around they approached the Innkeeper. "We'd like a room, preferably a bed big enough for a woman and a wolf." She said playfully.

"Ahah! Of course! We got plenty o' good rooms! It'll be fifteen gold please."

This man was shouty too, and had an equally annoying voice which Mirabelle tried her very best to ignore. She took out her coinpurse, which was a lot fuller before her rather lavish shopping spree.

"Allow me to show you to your room! Please, follow me!"

The couple followed the noisy Innkeeper, who led them to their room. As the man opened the door a small golden glow emerged from the room, a fireplace stood at the end of the room. "How romantic!" She blurted.

The Innkeeper looked strangely at her. "Eh....I suppose so..yeah." He said, his voice seemed to have just dropped. "Well, if theres anything else you need just gimme a holler."

"Thankyou." The couple said simultaneously.

The room was pretty and cosy and slightly lightened by the warm fire, which left only the corners of the room in shadow.

Mirabelle noticed Marcurio had something behind his back, she peered over to take a look but Marcurio took a step back. He took out his left hand which held a bottle of spiced wine. "Oh thankyou! Thats just what I need!"

"Hehe, yes. It is well deserved." He said, pulling out the cork, Mirabelle could immediately smell the luscious aroma radiating from around the bottle.

" Lets drink." Marcurio said briefly, pouring the wine into a battered tankard.

Mirabelle gulped down the wine and gasped. The couple dressed into their bed gowns and slumped on the warm bed, Mirabelle gave her husband a kiss goodnight and they fell almost instantly into deep sleep.

Edited February 16, 2013 by AnotherAverageName

[mythicdawnmaster]

"But you did say it, words are best left unspoken if they aren't meant." Anna said with a slight smile. "Come on, i'm not gonna hide, if that man has murdered someone, then we'd better make sure your father, and the other Dunmer are alright." Anna wasn't content with walking away and ignoring the problem, it was none of her business sure, but it couldn't just be ignored. She'd visited only two cities, and found them both to be horribly corrupt.

 

Following the path to the gate, Anna held her hand onto the lock, and it began to burn up, rusting. She gave it a gentle push, and it fell out, using a heeled foot, she gave the gate a quick kick, and forced it open. She looked around, and followed up the stairs. If nothing, this would make for an excellent chapter in her book, and would most certainly shine a dim light on the Nords attitude to other races.

 

She looked around the residential district, and followed the footsteps in the snow, leading to the old, beautiful manor house Hjerim. It had a dark air about it, like bad things were frequent in it's walls. Noticing the door was wide open, she approached, and saw the Dunmer emerge from the basement, apparently unscathed "Sir! Are you alright?" She asked softly, looking at him with soft eyes.

[Niborino9409]

Eykthain followed the trail until he reached the abandoned house of Windhelms Residential district, Hjerim. The door had been kicked open, he drew his sword and entered, very carefully. He walked to the middle of the room, but suddenly heard footsteps, someone were coming out of the cellar.

"Did the Nord overpower the Dunmer lad? In case that is the truth, I won´t let him spill more Dunmer blood." Eykthain hid in the shadows as he had done countless times before, ready to ambush the Nord.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

"You´re right. We need to stop this now. Lead the way." As she saw Anna open the gate, Eireen became a bit surprised. She hadn´t seen magic to that before. She knew only magic for offensive use, but that it could be used in that manner...perhaps she should try and learn to use it that way?

"Hopefully father is still alive." She thought as she followed Anna and the trail.

The footsteps led to a house, looked quite abandoned, it wasn´t in good shape, but it weren´t all bad. As they came closer to the house Eireen noticed that the door had been opened, with force. She followed Anna close behind. They happened upon a man, a Dunmer, but it was too dark to see who he was, she could not even see if it was her father.

Whoever it was, Anna were the one to break the silence, asking if he were alright. Eireen remained quiet, wondering where her father were.

Edited February 16, 2013 by Niborino9409

[Macman253]

Malus stopped in the darkness, the moons light casting into the doorway. The young woman from earlier stood at the door aswell as a fellow Dunmer hiding in the shadows and a young Dunmer woman. Malus knew they were not here for him but he knew they were investigating the chase through the city. He calmly stepped into the light to reveal his features, his eyes locking onto each person in the room. The Morag Tong Hand tattooed on his forehead coming into view as he stepped into the light, he brought his bandana over the lower half of his face to help hide his identity.

 

These people pursued out of concern but he noticed the young Breton woman carried various magical items so he guessed her for the mage, the Dunmer woman resembled the man hiding in the shadows and she smelled of new armor and weaponry, the older Dunmer in the corner interested Malus. He felt he had seen him before... but where he could not place. He stepped forward, further into the light. "I am fine.." He said, hiding his hand behind his back and grasping the dagger tucked into his belt.

 

Malus watched them all in turn, noticing the older Dunmer eyeing him. He knew this man was a warrior and if a fight did break out he would be the biggest threat. Yet the Breton woman had an unknown assortment of spells that could potentially obliterate Malus, he seethed with anger at the predicament he was in because he got sloppy. Seeing no way out he decided to attempt to converse his way out.

Edited February 16, 2013 by Macman253

[Niborino9409]

Astonished by the fact that he were seen so easily Eykthain rose from his crouching stance. This man were no regular man, her were a professional. Eykthain noticed the tattoo on the mans forehead. He recognised it, but he could not recall from where, perhaps he had forgotten, many things had happened during all these years. "Good to see that you are out of harm. Where is the Nord?" He asked in the same manner he always used, straight to the heart of the matter. As he spoke he walked closer to Eireen and the Breton woman. He would not risk their lives by not being ready to act.

Just to be on the safe side he had his sword ready, he had learned not to trust strangers, even if they were of the same race. But he kept the blade of the sword pointed to the ground.
-----------------------------------------------

Eireen were happy to see that her father were alive and well. But who was this man? He also seemed to recognise her father. As she studied him she saw that he had a weird hand tattoo on his forehead, and his armor, she had never seen anything like it. It seemed natural, but still unnatural. It appeared to be made out of shells of some sort, mudcrab armor? The man got more alien by the second.

Edited February 16, 2013 by Niborino9409