[IC] Elder scrolls: Oblivion

[josephb]

There was a dark cloud that covered the whole of Kvatch, the sun was nowhere to be seen, even though it was only six o’clock. In the distance there was a lightning storm on the horizon that was slowly getting closer. In a rundown tavern called ‘The Crazy Horseman’ in the rougher part of Kvatch, three men sat around a table talking. There was a huge amount of meat and bread on a plate and three full mugs of mead. The room was smoky from the huge fire that was blazing in the centre of the floor, loads of other people filled the room singing and talking, most who had just finished work and wanted to spend their hard earned money.

“So ‘The Hundred Hounds’ are we all settled on this then. That’s what we’re gunna call our mercenary company?” A Dunmer by the name of Fendryn spoke, smiling to his two friends who sat next to him.

“Yes, yes, yes!” A slightly chubby Nord shouted with food spitting out of his mouth. “I can’t be bothered arguing with you about bloody names! I think the blood legion would be better, but you always end up getting your own way in the end so have it.” He wiped away crumbs from his beard with the back of his hands.

“Ulrer like I’ve said a thousand times it sounds childish, something I would of made up when I was twelve, using sticks for swords. We need a name that sounds professional and would make people pay a huge amount of money to make us help them fight. So Quintus are you happy with it then?”

“O o o kay, it’s… g g good for me” An old imperial shrugged over the table, nodded his head at Fendryn.

“Good we’ll start recruiting in the morning and putting the word out!” Raising his mug to centre of the table. “In the meantime however let us drink until we can’t sta…”

Suddenly just has Fendryn was about to finish his sentence, a fat man barged through the doors screaming. “CREATURES, HORRIBLE CREATURES HAVE ENTRERED THE CITY THEY’RE KILLIN EVERYONE AND BURNIN DOWN EVERYTHIN!” Sweat was dripping down his face. He looked around at everyone breathing heavily, everybody was looking at him like he was a crazy person. He then finally shouted, “EVERYBODY RUN” He then ran back out of the tavern, leaving everyone in silence. They could hear distant screaming.

Fendryn put down his mug again, sighed and slumped back into his chair, “Just when I thought we could relax.”

[KittyE]

Korina scanned the streets form her vantage point on top of one of the many stone buildings that lined Kvatch’s Market District. Her pale blue eyes sought any movement on the worn cobblestone below. A shiver ran down the Altmer’s back as she regarded the almost eerie stillness on the night. She failed to spot even so much as a rat. Korina’s gaze rose to the moon which hung heavy and full over the city. She offered a silent prayer to the Void Father and instantly felt a dark calm wash over her. It was time.

With a running leap over the edge of the rooftop she grasped the railing on a balcony across the way. Silently she hauled herself up and pressed her body against the cool stone of the house. After a moment Korina crouched low and pulled a small key from her satchel. She slid the key into the balcony door’s lock with ease. She truned the key and was rewarded with the sound of tumblers giving way. A smirk played at the edge of her thin pink lips, sometimes it paid to keep an eye on Thieves Guild members or in this case a hand on their throat. Silently she opened the door, slipped in and carefully claosed the door behind her. She felt a familiar thrill as the hunt began.

She had been sent to end the life of a one Gaston Renderrine, a silk and fur trader that made his home in the peaceful city of Kvatch. It was a routine job. Find the target, slip into their house, and slit their throat. This particular target had made some unsavory gain in the selling of slaves, an illegal practice in Cyrodiil, so Korina felt little pity for this mark. She pulled a small steel throwing dagger from the pouch on her belt and started into the hallway. There was a single room on the right and the door was ajar. She pushed the door open gently and peered inside. A study nothing more. She continued on until she came to a set of stairs. Below she could hear hushed voices. She stopped and listened, she was able to make out a few words.

“Is everything ready?”

“Yes sir,” a cackle,” Soon they will know the wrath of Lord Dagon.”

Dagon? Korina heard someone starting up the stairs. She looked up at the wooden beams that lined the ceiling. She jumped up and grabbed hold just as a boy, not even of age yet, came up the stairs and went into the study. Korina lowered herself and quickly went down the stairs as quietly as possible. Kroina ducked under a table just as she saw two men come into view. One was short, pudgy and had a blonde beard. He was dressed as a nob;e would in burgundy dress clothes. The other man was taller and had the build of that of a hunter. She recognized the taller man as her mark, Gaston.

Korina’s grip tightened on her dagger’s handle. She slowly rose up from her hiding place, ready to flick her blade into Gaston’s temple. Suddenly screams could be heard from outside. Both men tuned away and looked to the window, each wearing a manic grin.

“It begins!” The short fat man cackled.

Korina wasted no time as she flicked her blade at Gaston. It buried itself in the back of his head and he fell to the ground.

“What in th-“the shorter man whirled around in time to see Korina unleash a bolt of lightning at him. His body convulsed and he fell to a knee. Korina was about to rush him when the door burst into splinters and demonic being wearing pitch black armor. Its skin was a blistering crimson and its eyes a soulless black. A dramora! Korina’s eyes widened in disbelief. She ducked to the right just as it swung a knurled white claymore at her. Korina looked up just in time to see the boy from earlier rush down stairs.

“Father what-“he never stood a chance. The Dremora plunged its blade into the boy’s chest. Blood bubbled up from his mouth and from around the blade as the boy looked at the demon in disbelief. With a snarl it wrenched blade out and wasted no time in beheading the poor boy. Blood spouted from the stump that was his neck.

“I beseech you demon kill that filthy-“The short man snarled, pointing a pudgy finger at Korina. The dremora slid his claymore into the man’s belly.

“All will die,” it hissed, its voice was deep and resonated with dark power. It pulled its blade out and the man crumpled to the ground to bleed out onto the rug. Korina pulled a blade from her pouch and readied herself. She had faced the horrors before and this thing was just as killable as any man. In a blur of movement she flicked the blade out and it imbedded itself into the dremora’s forehead. It took a single step back before looking at Korina in an almost amused way.

“Die mortal.”

Void take you,” she whispered before unleashing a torrent of sparks at the dremora. The mana-fueled electricity went straight to the steel dagger in its forehead. It dropped its blade as its brain was fried from the electricity. Korina stopped her spell and the dremora fell backwards, dead. The dagger its forehead glowed red with heat. Koirna slumped to the floor already feeling fatigue from the amount of mana she had used. After a moment she stood up and went over to Gaston’s body. She pulled her dagger form his body and the signet ring from his hand, proof of her killing him. The contract came before anything else. She walked over to the boy’s body. His face was transfixed in an eternal look of fear. She closed his eyes,” Nightmother watch over this young soul as it journeys to the Void.”

Koirna stood up and walked out of the front door a dagger ready in her hand and a spell prepared in the back of her mind. Whatever was to come she would survive as she always had.

[LupusIntus]

"Enough!" The man's aggravated grunt echoed through the tower's cramped guard room along with the sound of a gloved fist on wood. "That's enough, Arniman! I don't want to hear one more word about the Thieves Guild or the 'Dark Brotherhood' or any of the other specters you've... conjured up in that thick skull of yours!" Captain Ernayis Golwin slumped back into his chair and leaned his head on one hand, clearly exacerbated with his subordinate's 'go-get'er' attitude.

"Sir, I...." The words caught in Rinn Arniman's throat as he thought better of his retort; a dangerous accusation of who might be slipping coin into the captain's purse. His own gloved hand ran through his dark swept-back hair while his lips tightened and his bright green eyes looked everywhere but at his commander.

The captain's gloved hand tried to rub the sleep out of his dark puffy eyes but clearly failed as the portly balding Imperial stifled a loud yawn that made his jowls shake. After moment of blinking lazily, he refocused on the vice-captain with a scowl. "Kvatch is a safe city. I know learnin' the ropes in the Capital's made you see criminals on every corner but I will NOT have you running some witch-hunt through my streets. Is that clear!?"

"Yes. Crystal clear, sir." The vice-captain's voice was a low rumble, clearly displeased with his superior stamping out his investigation into the not-so-clean dealings that were happening daily in Kvatch. When first arriving from the capital, the Breton had found himself appalled at the lack of order and stability found in Kvatch's City Guard and so had vowed to do his part in putting things back in order. It was also a good way for him to forget about his frustration with being sent away from the Capital City due to 'disciplinary action', as it turned out. The entire case against him was utter nonsense, of course, but when the one pushing the bill was the Imperial Commander it was impossible to question the order.

And so here Rinn found himself dealing with this scumbag.

"Good, now just to make sure the message really sinks in, you've got an extra shift of night watch duty." Pushing himself to his feet with more than a little effort, the captain didn't care to notice his subordinate's fists tighten at the punishment, nor the faint wisps of smoke that drifted from between his fingers, and instead pushed straight past to the door. "You're relieved at sun-up, Arniman. And I'll hear if you slack off tonight."

"Yes, sir." Rinn's smooth baritone voice became a rather harsh growl but the captain paid not attention as he flung the door open and waded into the street the home he almost certainly couldn't afford solely on a captain's salary. "Asshole..." The vice-captain spit out onto the cobblestone. He was just about to turn away when a bit of movement on a rooftop across the street caught his eye. He tried to focus his eyes on a suspicious cluster of shadows but couldn't make anything out until an apparent patch of darkness shot from the edge, over the alleyway, and onto the balcony of a private home. Rinn's eyes blinked rapidly as he tried to determine if what he'd just saw was a trick of the light or something more but he couldn't be sure either way. "I'll show him... All I need is the proof and then we'll see who's conjuring specters!" Grabbing his longsword from the weapon rack and quickly strapping it around his waist, the vice-captain's guard mail clinked as he took up a slow jog towards the home.

He didn't get far when a distant scream stopped him in his tracks: right hand instinctively falling to his sword hilt just as the tiny red tendrils of magic swirled around his left. The hairs on Rinn's neck prickled as he suddenly noticed the sounds of battle coming from the other side of the market and the rooftop intruder vanished from his mind as he walked slowly forward. A man burst from around the corner, a drunk from the local pub, being pursued by a humanoid figure in jagged black armor weilding a vicious looking blade. The vice-captain called out in alarm but before he could do so much as take a step that blade cut the man down, sending a spray of dark blood across the pavement. Rinn's own blade rang as it came out of the scabbard and the horrid creature focused him with its glowing red eyes. He could have sworn he heard it chuckle as he charged forward, blade coming across in a powerful horizontal slash which it just barely managed to catch with its blade. In one flood motion, his empty hand shot forward and sent a vicious jolt of lightning into the creature's chest and causing it to shriek in pain. The stink of burning flesh stunk his nose but Rinn did not relent, making three quick strikes that knocked the blade aside and dropped the demon to its knees. It's snarl faded to a gurgle as he drove his sword through its throat and dropped its corpse to the ground into a growing pool of thick black ichor.

[josephb]

The tavern started to get less and less crowded as people wanted to check on what the man was talking about. The screams in the distance were getting louder. “So what do you two think our best option is, do you wanna head towards the city gates, just in case that crazy drunk was being serious or wait here? I don’t really like the sound of those screams though.” Fendryn asked his two friends, scratching at his head trying to think of the best course of action that there would be to take.

“I I I don’t really wa wa want to be stu u u uck in nnn here, if there are cr cr cr reatues out there.” Suggested Quintus who was looking around the room quickly, just in case somebody or something burst into the room.

Ulrer looked at them both, “But I've not finished eating! This is the first proper meal I've had in a week, I deserve this after putting up with your food!” He complained.

“Well you've waited a week, a few more hours won’t kill you, besides I’I'm an amazing chef.” Fendryn stood up and winked at Ulrer. He walked over to the barman who had turned red from anger after having all of his customers driven off. “Yeah we’re not going to be staying the night I'm afraid, all these dodgy rumours about creatures attacking people doesn't really sound to inviting, would you be a saint and go and get all of our gear please. You can keep the money we gave you for the rooms, for any inconveniences.” Fendryn smiled and turned around before the man could moan at him. All he heard was grumbles coming from under the person’s breath. He got back to the table to find Ulrer shovelling food down his mouth. “Where’s Quintus?” Fendryn asked and all he got was a point towards the door, Ulrer was too busy eating. The old man was stood there with his head peering out the door. Fendryn grabbed the door and pulled it fully open, “Any signs of these ‘creatures’ we’ve heard about?”

The old man turned around and said, “N n n n no, not yet. I c ccan smell a a a f f fire though. The scre…” Fendryns eyes opened wide. He grabbed Quintus and chucked him to side. A fireball smashed into the right shoulder of Fendryn. He fell to the floor from the impact. Still in shock he managed to look up and see a scamp running towards the tavern, shuffling back into the room, he kicked the door shut with his foot.

“These aren’t creatures. They’re daedra!” A silence fell in the inn. There were hushed conversations going on between the citizens, wondering what daedra were, with most people having never heard of them.

Ulrer jumped from his feet and spat the food out of his mouth, then ran over to the counter and shouted, “Where the bloody hell is our stuff, you better fucking hurry up!” The man a few seconds later appeared, looking a little scared from all the commotion, scurried over to their table with his hands full and dumped everything next to it. Ulrer slowly helped Quintus up to make sure he was okay from being tossed to the side and went back over to the table routing around in the equipment. “Where’s my bloody axe?” He growled.
A second later the barman came back, close to crying, “I’m sorry, I couldn’t carry everything at once.”

He put it into the hands of Ulrer who kissed the huge, ugly steel battle axe and whispered, “Ahh, Betty.”

Fendryn was still a little shocked has he was slowly getting onto his knees. He felt his shoulder. Gods I'm glad I'm a Dunmer right now, Fendryn thought. “Looks like I'm going to have to get myself a new cuirass. This one’s ruined.”

“Ah you’ll be fine laddy.” Ulrer spoke, who had gone back to eating and finishing off the rest of his drink.

“Thanks for checking on me anyway.” Ulrer giggled at the comment. Fendryn stood up and walked towards the equipment, Quintus was sorting everything out. Fendryn saw his cloak and wrapped it round himself. Quintus passed him his pack. The Dark Elf chucked it onto his back being careful of his shoulder which was a bit tender. He strapped his two swords onto his belt and attached his quiver to his pack and kept hold of the bow.

Suddenly banging came from the door. “I forgot about the fucking scam!” Fendryn shouted. “Ulrer get to the door and when I say now, open the door… And put down the drink! Quintus get your pack on.”

Ulrer instead grabbed another mug whilst downing his current drink and walked to door finishing off the other, after it he let out a massive burp. “I always fought better drunk anyway.” He sauntered over to the door and got in position.

Fendryn went down to one knee and grabbed an arrow from his quiver, he started to breathe more slowly, pulling the arrow back from the bow. A few seconds later, Fendryn spoke in a commanding tone, “Now.” Ulrer launched the door open. The scamp flew into the opening and looked up to see Fendryn release the bow. The arrow caught the scamp right in the throat. The scamp went down to the floor holding its neck, coughing on the blood coming from its mouth. “Well I could have been nicer and shot it in the head but never the less its dead now. Let’s get out of here.” He ran out the door, closely followed by his two companions. Other people came out after them as well but ran in different directions. They ran down the street for a minute getting into the nicer part of town and turned a corner. There they found what looked like the body of the man who warned them off the attack and a guard inspecting a dead daedric creature. ”What the fuck is going on here?” Fendryn spoke.

[Brantilius]

Kyzerin could not help but smile as the wolf's blood sprayed across his face. He loved seeing the look of amazement on his clients face after he proved his ability in battle, as he showed he was not a stereotypical sneaky khajiit. His client on this occasion was an imperial, and a trader, who had hired Kyzerin to kill a pack of wolves who had invaded his camp site, that was located just outside. He had almost turned down the job, the dark cloud on the horizon made him uneasy, but he never could resist a good wolf massacre, and so it wasn't long before he was slicing through their flesh. As his blade punctured the finals wolfs lungs he turned to face his client, who had collected his gear while Kyzerin had fought, and who was already retreating into the tree's.

"Where do you think you're going." Kyzerin called out angrily, pulling his blade from the wolfs carcass as he spoke.

"I'm leaving now. I suggest you do the same, before you get hurt." The imperial said savagely, in his deep, gruff voice, drawing his own dagger as he spoke.

Kyzerin let a small laugh escape his lips at the imperials pitiful attempt to seem intimidating, and he prepared to cast fireball as he approached the imperial. The imperials will broke as Kyzerin drew close, and he began to back away whimpering, dropping his dagger as he did so. "I suggest you give me all your gold, before you get hurt." Kyzerin said barbarically, raising his sword above his head as he did so, and the imperial fell backwards.

"I I I don't have any gold." the man blubbered, tears streaming down his face as he attempted to crawl away backwards. The rage had been building up inside Kyzerin ever since he had met this disgusting excuse for an imperial, until finally it exploded out in one violent axe swing.

Kyzerin could not get the image of the imperials decapitation out of his mind as he walked up the steep path that led to Kvatch, but the thought did not sadden him, and instead it brought a smile to his face. It was the first time since his return to being a mercenary that he had killed his own client, and he had to admit, he enjoyed it more than he let on. It was annoying that this particular client wasn't lying when he said he didn't have any gold, but he had decided it had been too long since he had committed a good old fashioned murder, and the decapitation was a nice touch, so he didn't really care. He shook all thoughts of murder from his head as a he became aware that the dark cloud was nearing the city, and he increased his pace.

"Why are you in a rush?" a guard stationed at the gate asked suspiciously.

Kyzerin caught his breath, cursing himself for not slowing enough, and also for not cleaning the blood off his axe, and he considered making a run for it, but decided to try talk his way out of it first. "I'm hoping to get a room before the storm hits." Kyzerin said without stopping, entering the city without waiting for a reply.

He considered stopping at The Crazy Horseman, but he didn't feel like beating off the muggers that lived in this part of town, and so he began walking towards the home in which he was renting a room. He had just reached the door when he first heard the screams, starting in the area by the gate, but spreading fast. He sprinted towards the nearest scream, which was coming from a woman he saw at the end of the street. He raced towards them, but just as he arrived a pitch black blade stabbed into the woman's chest, and as the dremora withdrew his blade blood spurted from the wound.

The dremora turned to face Kyzerin, "Are you prepared for your death?" it asked in it's cold demonic voice as it stepped towards him, blade held out in front of it. Kyzerin instinctively stepped back as it moved, and a terrible grin spread across it's face "I smell weakness." It said as it lunged towards Kyzerin, which Kyzerin barely managed to block.Kyzerin stepped back, taking a second to think, before stepping forward again, and swinging towards the dremora's head. It blocked the swing easily, but left it's chest open for Kyzerin to fling his flames into, causing the dremora to stumble backwards.

"I will feast on your heart." It yelled as it righted itself, before it charged Kyzerin, swinging towards his feet. He jumped backwards to dodge it's swing, stepping forwards before it could raise it's blade and burying his axe into it's head. It fell to the ground, shrieking in it's terrifying voice, and struggling to get back up. It attempted to speak as blood poured from it mouth, and it murmured a threat as it died. Kyzerin looked towards the woman, who lay, unmoving, blood still leaking from her wound. He offered a quick prayer to Arkay before he began to walked away from the bodies, eager to get more daedric blood on his axe.

[KittyE]

The second Korina stepped out into the street she was assaulted by the smell of burning flesh. People ran frantically down the street to away from the deadra. Green wisps of magic formed around her free hand as she cast a spell. She felt her skin take on a familiar tingling sensation. Korina turned just in time to see another dremora rushing her. She took a deep breath and whirled in place. Her leg connected with the demon’s gut sending it onto its back with a garbled grunt. Not wasting any time she slammed her palm into its face. Korina felt bones give way under her palm and electricity pulsed from her palm, frying the dremora where he lay. It let loose a scream before finally falling still. Korina rolled just as a firebolt from a scamp came at her. She felt the heat radiating off the flaming orb as it singed a few stray hairs on her head. Korina jumped back up as she finished her roll and sent her dagger flying at the scamp. The knife imbedded itself in its shoulder, causing to cry out in pain.

She reached into her belt pouch and pulled out a pair of throwing stars. With a flick of her wrist they went flying at the red skinned little devil. One missed but the other made contact with its throat. Moving low and quickly she rushed forward and pulled her dagger and throwing star from the corpse. She looked up to see a town guard plunge his blade into a dremora’s throat. He and a Dunmer with worn armor appeared to be the only other warriors she saw in the street, while everyone else ran like cowards. Another dremora was rushing them with their backs turned, intent on a treacherous kill. Don’t these beasts have any semblance of honor, Korina scowled and rushed forward. The dremora raised its blade and swung down with a snarl. She blocked the blade with her forearm. It tore through her robe sleeve but the ironflesh spell held fast. She only felt a tiny amount of blood leak down her arm. Shock flashed across the demon’s hellish features.

“Sithis take you demon,” Korina whispered as she grabbed the dremora’s wrist and snapped it back. Its blade went spinning, sparks flying as it slid across the cobblestone. It snarled in pain but was quickly cut off as his throat with sliced open by a flash of steel.

Korina sheathed her small blade and took on a fighting stance,“ Gaurdsmen, mercenary it would be wise for us to work together if we wish to survive.”

She was no coward. Any other of her brethren would look for a way to escape but Koirna felt it right to aid this town; that something bigger than her own life was happening here. What bothered her most was the name Dagon. She had only heard that name once before and it was when she had killed a traitor priest from the Order of Moths. He had sworn Dagon would come with his dying breath. Korina didn’t know what he had meant by that but she had a feeling that hearing that name a second time was no coincidence.

“Remember above all else trust your gut for it is often wiser than your head,” her master’s voice rang in her mind. She smiled at his memory,’ Yes….father.’

[majormuesli]

Sibylla fiddled with the hem of her robe as the old priest seated in front her laboriously read the scroll. The journey from Bravil to Kvatch had taken a lot longer than she had expected, although that was in part due to the days she had spent in the Imperial City. After several days on the road she longed to find an inn with a mug of ale and a warm bed. Yet she had been stuck in the Chapel of Akatosh for the last two hours as she waited for a service to end, persuaded an annoyed acolyte to allow her to meet the head priest and now waiting for the priest to read the message Mother Othrelas had instructed her to deliver.

After some minutes the priest raised his head and smiled thinly. "Hmm.. This is most concerning." Sibylla snapped her head up to meet his stare, she had been beginning to doze off. She bowed her head as she spoke.
"If that is all father, I should find an inn before it is too dark."
"I have already offered you the hospitality of our walls child, but if you insist then yes you may leave."
She nodded and rose to her feet, pacing quickly towards the large wooden doors that opened on to the city's main square. This errand had taken far too long and she'd be lucky to find an inn with any leftover rooms this late. It might have been the better decision to stay at the chapel but she couldn't bear to stay in a church for another night. That period of her life was over now and she did not intend to revisit memories of it.

As she opened the door to step out into the street she was immediately hit by the smell of blood and smoke. In the distance she could see that the buildings nearest to the city gate were on fire and people were fleeing from that direction into the square. She grabbed the wrist of a woman fleeing past her and felt blood. "Who is attacking?" The woman tried to snatch her arm free and continue to run, ignoring the question. Sybilla rolled her eyes and wove her free hand in a small motion, releasing a silver wisp of magic that entered the woman's chest. She felt a pang of guilt as the calming spell stopped the woman in her tracks.

Now that the woman had turned to face her she could see the source of the bleeding, Something had cut a vicious gash into her shoulder and she had already lost a lot of blood. Sybilla placed before hands over the wound and shut her eyes, willing the wound to close. Her hands felt warm as magicka flowed through them and sealed the wound. "Who is attacking?" She shook the woman gently by the shoulders,
"D-d-daedra.." The woman mumbled her answer and turned to continue running as the calming spell drew to a close. Sybilla sighed, the woman had not been particularly helpful. There was no way Daedra could be attacking. A conjurer could not wield the power to attack an Imperial City a Daedric invasion was unheard of. The woman must have gone insane in her fear.

While every bone in her body screamed at her to run from the oncoming fires she knew that she should head towards the gate. There could be more injured people and she should help them. She wished she had time to string her bow, but it looked like whatever was attacking would get here far too quickly for that. The dagger tied at her waist would have to do.

Her feet clattered against the ground as she turned into a cobblestone street just in time to see a robed figure slicing the throat of something that looked a whole lot like a dremora. By the nine.. Through the mass of fleeing civilians she caught a glimpse of a guardsman's helmet. She raised a hand to wave as she shouted "Guardsman! What is happening!?" and began to push her way through the crowd in order to reach him and two figures standing with him.

[Brantilius]

Kyzerin growled as a scamp's claws raked across his face, drawing blood. He swung his axe towards the scamp's head, but it leapt backwards, and his swing past harmlessly through the air. It let loose a satanic laugh as it leapt further back, throwing fireballs, most of which sailed past Kyzerin, but one connecting with his chest and propelling him backwards. He landed roughly on a cobblestone path that led to a home that was eclipsed by flame, and struggled to get to his feet as he attempted to quench the flame developing on his leather cuirass. When he finally extinguished the flame it was too late to get up, and the Scamp was upon his, claws slashing at his face. He raised an arm to shield himself while he swung his axe with the other, but the scamp knocked his arm away and his axe skid away into a nearby bush, that was somehow untouched by the flame. Kyzerin tossed a fireball into the scamp while it was distracted, and in one smooth motion he drew his dagger and plunged it into the beasts throat, killing it instantly.

Kyzerin retrieved his axe from the bush before he checked on his armour's condition, and he was disappointed to find a hole had been burnt into it. "Damn Scamp." he muttered angrily, kicking the scamp's body as he did so. With the hole in his armour Kyzerin felt exposed, and so he proceeded cautiously, avoiding enemies, and looking for somewhere he could hide. Looking out upon the screaming masses from the side streets, he found solace in the fact that he was not the only one resisting slaughter, waiting to die, and rather there were dead daedra littered among the deceased. He snapped out of his stupor as a noise rang out from behind him, and he turned to see a man being impaled by a dremora. It stared at Kyzerin, with a demonic smile, and pulled his midnight black blade from the carcass, licking the blood off the blade as the man collapse. Facing off against a dremora was hard enough, but doing it with a gaping hole in his cuirass seemed too arduous to Kyzerin. He looked around, and was terrified to see a scamp behind him, cutting of his escape. Then he had an idea, and, without wasting a second, dashed into a burning building.

Kyzerin heard the dremora's distorted laugh as he rushed up the stairs, the building collapsing around. When he reached the second floor he was horrified to see there were no windows, and he could hear the dremora walking slowly up the stairs behind him. His heart almost stopped when it reached the top of the stairs, and he turned to face it. It drew it's blade, which it had sheathed while it had followed him, and spoke hellishly "No one escapes, mortal!"
"Clearly you've never met me" Kyzerin replied with a smile, before throwing a fireball at the wall and leaping through the weakened wood onto the street below.

He hit the ground hard, smacking his head against stone, and in his dazed state he looked up at the hole he had created. He saw the dremora peering through it, and it looked as though he was going to follow Kyzerin through it, but after he few moments he disappeared from view. Kyzerin stood, steadying himself on the side of the house while he got his bearings. After a few seconds he took some uncertain steps, but he regained his balance and looked around for somewhere to go.

He wandered the streets for a few minutes, even more cautious than before, and looked out for somewhere to go. He decided to get a better view, and so he hoisted himself atop a small wooden stall, which allowed him to see a small part of Kvatch. He saw a few people who were fighting back, but he saw that a few of the fighters were in one area, congregating around a guard in the nicer part of town. He jumped off his vantage point and began to make his way across town, still taking care not to be seen by any daedra, and after fighting nothing but crowds he arrived where the guard was. As he arrived he saw two people next to the guard, with a third fighting through a crowd. "Why the hell are daedra on the street" Kyzerin asked.

[LupusIntus]

"Thanks for the assist." Rinn nodded to the hooded figure who'd blocked the dremora blade with her arm as he pushed the daedra off his blade. Crowds of screaming villagers began rushing in all directions, some with demons in tow, and the entire coty became a war zone with fires sprouting up every other building. Amidst the chaos, several apparently combat-savy individuals appeared to make a stand, not succumbing to the fear and panic that was erupting in the streets and looking to him for leadership and information. It was not something he expected, but he'd been training his whole life for just such an emergency.

He only wished he'd been more prepared for the horror of it all.

"We need to clear this rabble from the street and get the people somewhere safe!" He shouted over the sounds of battle, hoping that they would heed his orders though they were certainly not guardsmen. It was practically the first rule of engagement when being caught in a surprise attack: form a defensible position. But the guard post was too small to house so many people and the castle was on the other side of the city. Where else could they hold out? "The chapel! On the other side of the market, we can barricade the side doors and make a kill point on the top of the steps!"

"Then we find out where in oblivion they're coming from..." He took no more than a few steps when a group of daedra suddenly came around the corner to block their path: three snarling scamps, a hulking frost atronach, and another armored dremora who appeared to be the leader, barking orders as they cut down any citizen caught before them. "First, we have to get through them..." Left hand bursting with flames, Rinn charged forward and launched a firebolt straight into the icy chest of the atronach.

[KittyE]

Korina merely nodded. She felt her mana reserves starting to become stressed. With a deep breath she calmed her mind and dug deep within her soul. There she felt a well of power, her race’s birthright. She tapped into that vast well that dwelled inside her and felt instantly invigorated. Her right hand pulsed with electricity as she readied a spell. A scamp rushed past the guard as he flung a fire bolt at the frost atronach. In a flash lightning coursed along Korina’s flesh. She gave the mercenary beside her a curt nod before rushing forward.

The scamp launched a torrent of flames from its knurled hand. Korina acted quickly and swerved to the right just as the flames flew past her. It forsook its flames to claw at her as she passed. She dodged the first swipe of its claws and gripped its wrist when it made a second sweep. It let loose a scream of pain as electricity coursed through it body at her touch. Korina pulled an arm back, focused a pin point of mana at her finger tips and plunged her hand into its chest. Its face became that of a silent scream as it felt her hand break through its back. With a grunt Korina pulled her hand out, black ichor dripping from her fingers.

Koirna whirled around in time to see a firebolt surging through the air toward her. With no time to dodge, she instead raised her arms guarding her face. She felt her arms erupt in pain as the fire collided with her. She hissed in pain as she frantically put out the flames that threatened to spread along her arms.

[josephb]

The Altmer looked at Fendryn and gave him a little curtsey and ran off into the fight. “Fuck… well it looks like we have no choice boys, what kind of men would we be if we stayed back and let the women fight. Let’s go and kill these ugly bastards!” He looked at his two friends who agreed with him. Ulrer ran in with his battle axe and Quintus readied a spell, he launched a green light at one of the scamps who fell straight on the floor and didn’t move. Fendryn walked into the fight pulling his bow back looking for a target. He managed to see the altmer again who had just been badly burned all over her arms by a scamp who was charging forward readying to try and finish the job. Fendryn aimed just in front of the daedric creature and released the arrow. As the thing jumped the arrow hit it in the eye and you could hear a little popping sound as the scamp fell dead. He turned around to see his companion who’d been knocked unconscious by the frost atronach. Has he was about to gather another arrow from his quiver he felt something grab hold of his bow, he looked round to see a fist flying in his direction, having no time to move he just braced for the impact. A crunching noise was heard and blood splattered all over the dremora. Fendryn half dazed kicked the ugly creature away to get a bit of space.

Fendryn muttered to himself, “Not my nose again, why does everyone break my fucking nose.” He looked up to see the dremora breaking his bow over his knee. In his dazed state he’d forgotten about his bow. “You fucker I really liked that bow!” He reached to his belt and pulled out his two short swords and sprinted at it. Fendryn let out a flurry of attacks trying to break the dremoras defence, but the shield who was taking most of the damage. He tried to attack low sweeping at his legs but this proved costly as the daedra smashed the attack aside with his shield, Fendryn couldn’t manage to keep hold of the sword from the impact. It flew to the side and now he was on the defence. He did his best parrying the sword away and dodging the shield but if it carried on he would be dead soon. The dremora pretended he was going to do a powerful downward swing, but instead kicked Fendryn preparing for the sword attack, knocking him to one knee. The dremora now came down with an attack but Fendryn jumped out the way. The dremora had finally let down his guard and Fendryn stabbed it through the calf. The thing let out a low pitch growl as Fendryn pulled out the sword again. Fendryn hoped the beast would go down to one knee so he could finish the job but the thing carried on standing. So Fendryn sprinted off to get his other sword.

[majormuesli]

A bolt of fire streaked towards Sibylla's chest as she pushed her way out of the crowd. It would have hit her if not for her quick reactions. With a silent prayer she raised her palms in front of her and focused her magicka. A shimmering ward coalesced in the air ahead of her blocking the fireball and absorbing it's energy. The heat scorched her palms but the spell had protected her from the full force of the bolt. She ducked into a doorway before the scamp decided to take another shot.

She lent out to survey the battle that was now raging with the daedra that were charging down the street. While it looked like the guardsman and his allies had the upper hand, it could not be too long until more daedra arrived to join the fight. And when they did they would surely overwhelm the defenders. If she or any of the civilians now fleeing into the market square were to survive they would have to follow the guardsman's orders sooner rather than later. After a brief moment to catch her breath she rose back to her feet and followed the guardsman who was now charging the frost atronach.

She focused her attention on him as she wove her hands, producing a ward between him and the atronach. It would not last for long under it's attacks but it would hopefully be enough to sway the fight in the guardsman's favor. To either side of her the daedra were gaining ground. The robed Altmer was struggling to put out the flames that had engulfed her arms while the mercenary figure had been disarmed by the dremora he was now locked in combat with. She shouted after the guardsman: "We need to get back to the chapel! You can't hold them off much longer."

[Brantilius]

Kyzerin did not usually follow orders from guards, but considering the current circumstances he decided it was probably best he listened. He looked over the battle, trying to formulate a plan to get to the chapel unscathed, but when no opportunity presented itself he charged into the battle wildly. He saw someone citizens being cut down by a dremora, and he was about to rush to their aid when a flame atronach glided towards him.

An fireball sailed towards Kyzerin, directed at his head, and only narrowly missing, searing the end of his fur as it passed. He mustered up an ice spike, grunting with effort as he blasted it towards the atronach, but it gracefully moved to the side. It shot forwards, swiping at his head as it passed and knocking him to the ground. He felt blood run from his fresh cut and he growled angrily as he rose. This time he was ready, and as it shot past he ducked beneath it's arm and swung at it's head, connecting with it and bringing the atronach to a stop. He took a second to catch his breath, and a moment later the atronaches body exploded in a torrent of fire, sending Kyzerin a few meters back. His body ached and he cursed his stupidity, forgetting an atronach body explodes after death could have been fatal.

He struggled to his feet, pain flaring in his right leg, and starting limping around the chaos of the battle towards the chapel, which was relatively untouched by the fighting. In all the confusion no-one noticed the big khajiit sneaking around the destruction, and so he made it to the chapel doors without any more drama. He threw open the great doors leading into the chapel, and considered saving himself and locking the doors, but he had seen the other fighters in action, and doubted an old wooden door would keep them out. Besides, making some friends could help him in the long run, and so he instead he began to usher the scared townspeople in inside.

[LupusIntus]

Rinn growled as his firebolt struck the frost atronach in the chest causing the elemental to groan in pain as it fell back a step. It was just the kind of window the guard needed as he came in hard: steel sword taking two good chunks out of the hulking thing's chest before it recovered. Unfortunately, it did recover far quicker than he expected and immediately swung one thick ice arm back at him. He got his blade up in time to block but the force of the blow was enough to make his arm go numb and would probably have broken his arm if much of its power hadn't been absorbed by the energy shield that he suddenly found himself wrapped in. Who...? He didn't have the time to find and thank the mage as he jumped back to create a bit of distance from his opponent. The daedra had other plans and charged forward without a moment's hesitation leaving him to dive aside to avoid being smashed to a pulp. How the hell can I beat this thing!? Focusing his eyes on the road between the atronach's tree-trunk legs, Rinn spotted a group of guards running towards them.

"To me, guardsmen!" Rinn shouted, pushing himself to his feet as quick as he could manage. This hunk of steel won't do much to a glacier... I guess that leaves just one option. Drawing upon what remained of his magicka pool, the guardsman wrapped himself in bright orange flames and charged for one final assualt; pouring all his energy into a rapid series of attacks. The atronach didn't know how to react to the sudden onslaught, nor the flames that now licked at its body with every step the guard took, and could do little more than swing wildly. This gave the five guardsmen plenty of time to reach them and begin hacking away at the icy body while the creature's rumbling groans grew ever louder. Taking two glancing blows that did only a minor bit of damage, Rinn brought his blade into the side of the creature's leg and finally forced it to its knees. Using his remaining energy for one final swing, he sent half of the atronach's head flying down the street.

It collapsed with a crash, leaving Rinn to nod his thanks to the fellow guardsmen while his chest burned with every breath. "The chapel... barricade... the civilians." With a quick salute, the ran off to follow his orders; grabbing anyone nearby and practically dragging them up the chapel steps. Glancing to the other fighters he'd met in the street, the guardsman spotted the mercenary struggling against the dremora which was pursuing the man as he went for his sword. With a growl of exertion, the spellsword ran charged headlong at the daedra, armored shoulder leading the way, and struck it with enough force to send it tumbling to the ground.

[KittyE]

Korina finally managed to snuff out the last of the flames on her sleeves as she heard the guards start to direct civilians into the chapel. She spotted a pair of dremora charging the civilians, one in particular a small wood elf. Korina rushed forward, gathering the electricity that sparked along her body. She grabbed a fallen baled as she charged forward. With a flick of her arm she sent the iron blade hurtling toward the demons. One screamed in pain and fury as the baled went straight through its leg, forcing it to one knee. It turned just in time to see the high elf slam her palm into its face and pump electricity into his body. It screeched in pain before falling still and slumping to the side. Its companion turned on her, intent to avenge its died comrade. It swung at her with its claymore.

Korina side stepped, barely feeling a breeze from the blade as it whisked by. She reared her arm back and collected mana to her fingertips. With blur of movement her fingers ripped through the dremora’s throat. Black ichor bubbled up from its mouth as its eyes rolled up in its head. Korina slumped visibly. She was starting to feel fatigued. She needed to begin conserving her left over mana. She pulled a pair of throwing daggers from her belt and sent them flying at a scamp with its back turned. The blades both found their mark in the back of its head, killing it.

“Go to the chapel,” Koirna said turning the young woman behind her. Korina then noticed the girl wasn’t a wood elf but an Imperial. Korina shrugged off her mild shock,” You will be safe there.” With that Korina ran toward one of the buildings and began scaling it with practiced ease and skill. Once on top of the building she shut her Lightning Cloak spell of and started to rain down showers of sparks on the dremora on the ground, drawing their attention from the fleeing civilians. Most took the bait sending spells of their own at her but the high elf had the advantage of the high ground and sharpened reflexes. She dodged the firebolts with relative ease. She knew she would eventually started to become sluggish as fatigue creeped along her limbs.

I only need to hold their attention for a short time.’

[josephb]

They sky was lit up for a second as a streak of lightning flashed through the sky, followed by a monstrous boom. For those few seconds the thunder cancelled out the noise of cry’s and fighting that was happening in the city. In the middle of the street were people were trying their best to not get butchered by the seemingly endless hoards of daedra, Fendryn was scurrying around on the floor trying his best to get his other blade back that the dremora had tossed. He hadn’t really noticed the Breton on the floor fighting with the dremora, who a little bit before had been attacking him, a little bit down the street. He couldn’t really hear anything over the slowly rising screams that were coming from all around him and metal hitting metal. To the south a fire started to rapidly grow, burning all of the buildings next to it. He looked up for a second. That’s coming from the gate, nice our only exit is behind a wall of fire.

Fendryn found his sword and looked up to his surprise, the guardsman fighting the dremora. The creature had its back to Fendryn has it pushed the Breton away to get a bit of space and get back on his feet but Fendryn didn’t give him the chance, this was only chance he had to kill it. He sheathed one of his swords and sprinted down the street, pushing past people and daedra alike. He grabbed the beast by one of the horns on its head, pulling it to the side, to expose some of its flesh. Fendryn lunged his sword downwards, cleanly piercing the creatures’ neck. Gurgling sounds came from its mouth as Fendryn quickly pulled out the sword. He took a few steps back and kicked the body the floor.

Another fire started in the east now and was burning towards them. Gods, what is happening right now, Fendryn thought to himself. He looked around to see the streets already littered with dead bodies. Smoke was filling the streets. Suddenly somebody grabbed his shoulder. He turned around quickly, raising his sword, only to realize it was Ulrer. “Fendryn, we need to get out of this fucking street! We need to get into the chapel!”

Fendryn looked at him and nodded his head in agreement. “Okay, take the old man inside. I’ll get the guard.” He wiped the blood away from his sword on his greaves and then sheathed it. He jogged a few feet to where the guard was getting back up from the ground, it was the same one who had just risked his life for him. Fendryn stuck out his hand to help him get up from the ground. “Come on get up! We need to get inside quickly or we’re all dead…” He noticed in the corner of his eye most of the daedra, who were in the same street as them were distracted, he couldn’t really see from all the smoke but he could just see lightning flying from the tops of roofs hitting the daedra below and they were all firing into the sky. As the lightning came down for a few seconds it lit up the street a bit and could just make out the high elf who he’d met in the street earlier. “I don’t know what that crazy altmer is doing.” He started to cough violently from all the smoke, “But it seems like she’s doing a pretty good job of keeping those daedra distracted.” He put one his arms in front of his head to try and keep some of the smoke out of his eyes. “I’m going in and if you have any brains you’ll come with me and shut the door behind you. Unless you want to go and be a hero and die trying to save the people who can’t be saved.” After saying that he ran to the doors of the chapel, noticing a khajiit helping people in.