[Skyrim- The Reach] Odd Associates (Closed)

(OOC- Picks up from Traveler's Respite)

The following morning Sigismund awoke in the inn and purchased a few necessary supplies before stepping outside. The ground had frozen over since the night before, a layer of light snow and ice completely changing what was leaves and forest the day before.

He wrapped his cloak tighter around himself as he walked around back to check his horse. The animal seemed to have weathered the night before fairly well, the same couldn't be said for one of the Goats. It had frozen in place.

He calmly rubbed his hands together while he waited for the other man to arrive.

Hopefully he had some kind of a mount as well, or else this trip was going to take a long time.

"You are cold?!" came a bellowing Imperial's voice.

"Ha! This weather DELIGHTS ME! It is my FAVORITE thing about the north! About grand old SKYRIM!"

The Imperial wore simple armor, leather in a typical Legion made fashion.

"I suppose you have horses? No? Then we may have to walk... And VERNUS REX loves WALKING!"

His sword and shield were of higher than standard Imperial make, his blade especially shining in the warmth-free sunlight. His helmet was steel in the typical "horseman" design, a flavor he picked up from his days in the Arena on Redwater.

"So, friend, where are we headed off to?"

Vernus Rex's grin could be, at best, described as "shit-eating". It was in full view.

A brief frown appeared on Sigismund's face as the arena champion bellowed his excitement for walking. Part of his hopes were already quashed.

"I'm not cold, I just know when to be prepared for the weather ... perhaps some more around your legs?" He said, looking over the legion armor. He grabbed his horse by its reins and gently pulled it from the stable, leading it behind him. He stopped beside Vernus and removed the map, pointing to the markings on it, and then in front of him, angled towards the sky.

"If the map the woman gave us is correct, whatever this shrine is should be somewhere up in those mountains."

He motioned to the wooded heights in the distance.

"If we're walking, it's probably a good day and a half journey, so we best get moving." He politely motioned for Vernus to lead.

"I believe a man of your stature should lead." Sigismund added with a smile.

"Indeed, stature. That is what smart men say when they are afraid of being stuck in front of the meat head. No bother to me. It is what I live for."

Vernus found a second horse and mounted his steed, slowly sauntering forward.

"Battle. Glory. All that. Papa used to say I shoulda been born a Nord. Of course, that tune changed when he got conscripted back round the time of Ironhand's Revolution. You ever hear of that? Ha. Two Imperial casualties, and guess whose papa was one of them? The other sod fell down a flight of stairs. Old daddy died against fifteen of the smelliest bandits you ever did see. He got six of them, on his own. Donno why I felt like sharing that story. Anyways, I turned to the Arena. Didn't qualify for Capital and lacked a partner for Kvatch so I headed off to Redwater, where they was starting out. Did you know, I, Vernus Rex, was Red Team Champion? I was the 6th highest ranking Arena fighter in all of Cyrodiil - with a title match moving me to number three coming up. There I was, in the Imperial City markets, minding my own, when a fan came up behind me and... Well. I guess you don't wanna hear my story. Just thought I'd pass the time, honestly. Now I'm in Skyrim; what infinite luck, am I right? Say, you a native - or are you stuck here? Or do you seek fortune? I passed the time and my breath, now you may feel free to do the same."

Sigismund gave a brief chuckle as he pointed to a trail ahead of the two travelers.

"An impressive history friend. I can't say I've heard of your accomplishments in the arena, however, I've never been much for bloodsport." He said as he pulled his horse onward. He paused for a moment to examine the scenery before moving on.

"Dad was in the Legions, born in the Imperial City and sent here as he was a Legate and all. Mom's a ... whatever she did. I think she worked a shop. Born in Solitude, spent most of my childhood up here in Skyrim until some thigns happened and I started traveling. I guess that was a decade ago now. I guess you could say I've done some work for a little bit of everyone, really. Whoever had the best benefit for me at the time. Thieves, Jarls, Stormcloaks, Thalmor, Imperial. I've worked for each at least once in some form. Funny how things work when your entire homeland is in a Civil War. Everybody needs a little hand."

He clambered over a rock as they reached the top of their first hill, stopping to catch his breath.

He looked over to Vernus.

"When I say this I want you to keep moving as you were, but we're being watched." Sigismund said with a silent frown.

"Ha!"

Vernus scrambled to meet Sigismund.

"I have always been watched. Let them spy upon me. The fame and glory of the arena did me well; I'm something of a celebrity. I'm rather wealthy. I married the most beautiful woman in Cyrodiil, possibly Tamriel, and her father is a chancellor on the imperial council. As in, one step below the Emperor himself. I've half a mind the bastard caused all this, but his coin was good. I didn't already say this, did I? Blast, I occasionally tell the same story twice. Where to, next?"

Sigismund let out a quiet sigh at Vernus' response. He turned away from the man and quickened his pace, leading the group back down into the treeline.

"We have several miles we need to make before the sun falls. Keep up if you'd please."

--

For several hours the group continued on towards their destination, over rock and snow and woodland. The sky was already beginning to darken with night again, and snows began to fall as they approached a small cave carved out of the nearby mountain. Sigismund stopped and began making a few mental calculations.

"May as well stop here, the Shrine is likely over this next ridge-line. We should stop and rest here, wait for morning." He eyed the terrain for a bit before tying his horse to one of the scattered trees. He pulled a bed-roll off the animal and dropped it just inside the cave.

"I'll head out that way and you the other. We'll need some wood for a fire." Sigismund said, pulling his quiver and bow across his back as the started down the slope away from the cave.

"Keep your eyes open. The Reach isn't too kind to wanderers like us."

"No one's kind to a wanderer. It is how the wanderer acts that matters. Gaiden Shinji. I do not believe we should need too much wood. Are you a mage? Do not fret if not; I have a solution regardless. Ah, yes, but wood. Allow me a moment."

Vernus walked to a nearby tree, felling it with one true swing from an axe he took from his pack.

"This'll do."

Sigismund found himself taking longer than expected to find any quality of wood. The recent weather had made most of it wet or frozen, and without any magical knowledge his normal fire starting skills would likely be lacking. He dearly hoped Vernus was having more success.

He grabbed a small tree to give himself a hand as he climbed over a small set of rocks, falling back as an arrow quickly flew into the tree and narrowly missing his head. He rolled for a few moments before stopping at the feet of a man wearing a deer-skin hat.

"Wonderful..." he muttered as two others lifted him off his feet.


On the other side, another group of the strange men crept silently to Vernus, readying their weapons. They had the trespasser in their sights, and one of them let out a fearsome war cry as they charged against him.

"Ha! I LIVE FOR THIS!"

Vernus quickly drew his sword, running the first charging attacker through completely. With a kick, he slid his blade free, grabbing his large shield and running towards the others.

There were were three of them. The first he came to was struck down quickly with a single blow from the sword, hitting the neck (doing more crushing than decapitating). The second he came across sought to engage him in singular combat, sword to sword, while the third drew a bow. Vernus ducked behind his shield, putting steel between he and the ranged opponent. He scuttled over towards the swordsman, striking at the man's knees, and, when the foe's blade swept to counter, ramming the enemy with his shield. Now the swordsman lay flat on the ground, and Vernus wasted no time in stabbing the man through the chest.

"NEXT TIME, PRODUCE A CHALLENGE, YOU PITIFUL FOOLS."

An arrow zipped by his head. He didn't have time to pull his sword from the dying foe, so he grabbed his shield on both sides and rushed with it held out in front of him. Unleashing a war cry that would make Talos proud, he rammed the archer directly, pushing him backwards into a tree. Without a way to quickly end the foe's life, Vernus took to punching the archer in the face until the enemy stopped moving. It worked quite well.

"I'M! HAVING! FUN! SIG! HOW! ABOUT! YOUUUUUUUU!"

With this final declaration, he crushed the foe's throat, standing and moving to gather his weapon and shield. In case Sigismund needed help.

Vernus reply came in the form of more shouting, as almost a dozen fighters quickly appeared from the woods. One was pushing Sigismund forward, his hands bound already.


"Take my advice Vernus and just drop your weapons. It'll do us better in the long run." He said with a short nod "Trust me on this."

One of them started screaming something incomprehensible. The high horns on his head and the general space the others gave him showed him as the leader.


"Drop your weapons Vernus. Before the big guy decides to kill us now and not later."

"Only for fear of your life; not mine."

Vernus wiped his blade clean, offering it to a nearby assailant.

"Treat that blade properly. It is worth more than this entire region has in gold. I will be getting it back, too."

He strapped his shield to his back, defiantly daring someone to bind him.

"Oh, did you see what I did to your friend there? Yes, my hands are bloodied. Attempt to bind me and we shall again see this display. I will willingly go. Do not touch me."

The leader muttered something and someone approached Vernus from behind, striking him across the head and knocking him out. He would awake some time later with his arms and legs bound, in a tent beside Sigismund who was sitting with his legs crossed.



--


"Should've just let them tie you up friend. Would've made this much easier. Your head hurt?" he asked, looking down on the man. Sigismund then turned his eyes to the group of attackers from earlier, who were all sitting around the fire eating.

"You've been out for around three hours now I think. Turns out they were camped right at the shrine, who would have known? It was actually rather amusing to watch them carry you, by the way. All of your gear is still safe, but I'm afraid we'll be without a horse..." He added, giving another look to the spit.

Shame, it was a good horse.

He turned his eyes back to Vernus.

"Give me a few moments and we'll be out of this. I hope you are up for a little revenge; I've been looking for this little group for awhile, and this opportunity shouldn't be wasted." he said with a smile, his hands producing a small knife from his sleeve and he began cutting away.

"Revenge? I could have taken all these men and twenty had you warned me! You are lucky my revenge does not extend to you! Enact your plan, you son of an argonian maid, all the better so that I may hit you on the head. Did they treat my sword and shield correctly? Where is my Sarena? Where, you bastard?"

Vernus did not struggle, merely glaring with vitriol shooting from his eyes. After a few seconds, he cursed the winds and tore through the rope binding his hands.

"They should've used a stronger tie. Where are we to go? Where is Sarena?!"

"Our gear is three tents over. Try not to make too much noise while I'm gone." Sigismund whispered, rubbing his wrists as he peaked out the front of the tent and disappeared into the dark for a moment. A moment later he returned, arms full of the their weapons.

"We can get the rest of our equipment once we're finished with this." The forrester said as he passed Vernus the sword and shield he recovered. He reattached his sword and placed a knife back in its sheath. He was starting to exit the tent when someone appeared, looking directly at the two.

Sigismund grabbed the figure and brought his knife into its stomach before dropping it to the side. As the Forsworn died, it let out a shout that the others heard. Sigismund tossed the knife into one of the encroaching figures and drew his sword.

"Okay Vernus, I'm waiting to be impressed!" he said jokingly as he readied himself.

Fifteen forsworn versus the both of them. Things would be interesting.

Sigismund brought his blade down on the first to approach, as they came screaming wildly.

"Ha! Finally, a foe worth fighting!"

Vernus' shield came crashing down hard on the first forsworn, shoving the foe into a blurry fall a few feet away. His sword immediately ran through a second enemy, gleaning with blood as the once living foe slumped slowly to the ground. It wasn't very long before he drew the blade from its fleshy reprieve, neatly decapitating a third forsworn and blocking a blow with his shield from a fourth. A fifth enemy managed to sneak up behind him - before the foe could strike, however, Vernus threw his shield, striking the enemy in the head. Now he could dedicate both hands to slicing, stabbing, and hacking.

"WHO NEXT WILL FACE VERNUS REX, CHAMPION OF THE EMPIRE? WHO?"

He began searching for the enemy Chieftain, eager to smash his face into a tree.

Sigismund brought his blade in an upward motion as he brought down another forsworn, then pushing the now limp body back into the next attacker. He moved himself around behind a series of tents, granting him space from the body of attackers in an attempt to split the group. Three followed him, one lunging forward only to be tripped by a flipped table. The next one swung off balance and missed Sigismund, who quickly countered and finished the man off.

The third one simply charged in and over powered Sigimsund, getting close and knocking the man's sword out of his hands. The two fell to the ground and began trading blows.

"HA! MORE BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD LOVER!"

Vernus wasted no time in slamming another to the ground, stabbing him quickly, and engaging in deadlock with a large man in a headdress.

"I am Vernus Rex! You made an irreversible error in capturing me! AHEAD, FOR YOU, LIES ONLY DOOM!"

He pushed the large man back with his sword, keeping his block. The foe swung slowly and clumsily, Vernus easily sidestepping to bring down Sarena defiantly on the man's shoulder. It cleanly detached the Chieftain's arm.

"HA! You are..."

Vernus paused for effect, grinning.

"...DISARMED! Now surrender, fool!"

The Chieftain became visibly enraged, going berserk at the pun and charging Vernus without trepidation or consideration. Rex sidestepped, dodged, and grabbed the Chieftain by the back of the neck.

"Why, I hope my bite is worse than..."

Another pause.

"...THIS BARK!"

He quickly and forcefully shoved the enemy's head into the nearest tree, breaking the poor one-armed bastards skull and nose.

"Sigismund! WHERE ARE YOU? THE BLOOD FLOWS WITHOUT HESITATION FROM VERNUS REX'S FOES! HA-HA!"

"I'M DOING WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" Sigismund replied, still tussling with the one Forsworn in hand to hand before another leaped onto his back and placing him into a choke-hold. The Nord threw himself back, slamming his foot into the genitals of the Forsworn in front of him before grabbing a knife from his belt and jamming it into the one on his back's lower side.

Sigismund took the brief reprieve to grab his sword and retrieved the knife before beheading the man. He then strode over to the other who was just now getting up and finished him off.

He briefly looked around to see the remaining ones starting to scatter. A few brave ones were still fighting as one rushed Sigismund.


"Well, your call." He shouted over to Vernus as he killed one.

"RUN FROM ME, WEAKLINGS! THE SLAUGHTER HAS BUT BEGUN!"

Vernus pounced the next enemy, brutally punching him in the back of the head while swinging his sword at any nearby enemies.

"I THIRST FOR THIS! COME, SIGISMUND! LET US DESTROY THESE FOOLS!"

Hack! Slash! Exciting Words!

"WAHAHAH! THIS IS MY BIRTH-RIGHT!"

Sigismund brought down another remaining fighter, looking up to see the last couple disappearing into the treeline. A light snow began to fall.

"Looks like we ran them off... good." he said, wiping the blood from his blade on a tent flap. He checked the assorted bodies for any signs of life before going back to the tent the forsworn had dumped Vernus' and his gear. He was gathering his items when a bit of whimpering in the next tent over caught his attention.

"Got a live one here" he called to Vernus as he grabbed the figure and tossed it onto the ground in front of the fire, just before the kill zone. It let out a high pitched scream as the figure shook out of the blanket it was in, revealing a girl around Sigismund's age. He turned his eyes away as he tossed the blanket towards her.

"For the love of Stendarr..." He said frustratedly as the girl continued screaming.

"That's all you, bud! I'm only here to kill stuff!"

And kill stuff, Vernus was there to do.

Indeed, it was seemingly his sole purpose.