Companion (A Skyrim Fanfic)

Prologue

Blood sprayed across the foot of the Huntsman's shrine as a newly-beheaded Forsworn corpse toppled backward against it. The grassy knoll the structure had been built upon was spattered with miscellaneous and broken stone benches trashed beyond repair. Several bodies in similar vestments, as well as a few in some state between man and beast, scattered the once-sacred clearing, soiled and disfigured, disfigured more than was necessary to kill. This was not the scene of a battle - it was a massacre, an intentional affront to the Prince himself.

This was further evidenced by the identity of their murderers, their silver-steel armaments glinting oddly in the moonlight, many wearing grins sharper and colder than their blades. They were enjoying this.

"You'll pay for what you've done here."

Despite the paralysis spell that held her motionless, the last living priestess of Hircine looked anything but afraid of the people that held her captive. Fire blazed in her eyes, her expression so full of hate she looked almost feral.

"My Lord will not take your betrayal lightly. You may try to lead our people astray, but you will not succeed," she spat. "When He enacts his vengeance, it will be terrible. "

"Is that so?" a sophisticated, feminine voice responded, the band of killers parting slightly to allow the speaker through. She was different than the others. Her words carried an almost hypnotic, sonorous weight, the kind that made her impossible to ignore or overtalk. "I most certainly look forward to seeing what he attempts."

"It is you, Hollow One. I should not be surprised by your treachery." The priestess seemed almost resigned the moment the woman had made herself known, but still held onto her dignity. "You should know before I perish that you have made yourself a powerful foe, one from which your Lady will not be able to save you."

"I should hope She wouldn't have to," the woman laughed. "I would be a poor servant to Her otherwise."

"He has kept us from extinction, and he remembers those who have wronged him." Looking past her to her men, the priestess shook her head in disgust. "And to enlist these subhumans to your cause? A foolish endeavor, Hollow One. The Forsworn have no love for them. They may bend to you now, but mark my words, they will turn on you. It may take weeks, perhaps months even, but our people are no fools. We know when we are being used."

"These 'subhumans', as you address them, were a good deal more capable than your fellow acolytes. Do you not see that your very existence is a hindrance to the rest of the Forsworn? I am doing them a service by ridding them of the meddling of a weak and capricious god such as yours. It was only through my help that they took Markarth, something none of you could accomplish, despite your continued assurances that your pitiful excuse of a Lord was on their side. Do you not think they are aware of what I am doing now?"

"Impetuous wretch that you are, I know my Lord plots your painful demise even as we speak! You have gotten them where they are at a cost, a cost that none of them should have paid," the priestess hissed, though a hint of uncertainty entered her eyes. "I know you intend to go through with this. I shall go to my Lord gladly, and pray that the next Hunt places its focus on you."

A wicked smile played upon her plump, pitch-tinted lips. "My, my. Such loyalty. What a shame you'll not be headed to that afterlife, hm?"

The priestess was quick to realize what her captor was insinuating, her defiance giving way to pure terror. "No, gods, please, not that! You're only going to make this worse for yourself-!"  

Her pleas were cut off as her current antagonist stretched an arm outward, almost lazily, and the darkness leaped to her command, enshrouding the woman in an insubstantial cocoon, scarce giving her time to scream before it closed in on her, tearing her to shreds. It left nothing behind, save for a filled soul gem that plinked to the ground, glinting softly in the pale moonlight.

"Now, you might actually be useful," the woman remarked as she picked up the gem, eliciting a chuckle from one of her compatriots.

As she tucked it into a fold of her gown, attire so vastly out of place in comparison to the others whose company she kept, one of the men approached her.

"We upheld our end of the bargain."

"So you have."

"I expect you remember our terms?" He crossed his arms, expression unreadable as he watched her warily, like two evenly matched dogs in a fight. "There're still more abominations to be cut down. Ones with... certain protections, that need drawin' out to be dealt with."

"I have not forgotten our arrangement, and despite the defamation of my character you just bore witness to, I do honor my debts. We shall reach Whiterun soon... but I will see if I cannot find ways to aid you in your endeavors before then."

The man smiled, though with his features, it seemed more as if he was baring his yellowed teeth. "In that case, it's a pleasure doing business with ya."  

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YOOOOOO GUESS WHO'S ACTUALLY REDOING THIS BAD BOY? It's me. I know right? I wouldn't have guessed either.

Anyhow I figured Toralf deserved better than being cut from my story entirely, so I'm rewriting his fic! And giving him an entirely new importance in the Mage story arc. Of course, this requires some decent build up. Hence, this prologue's necessity. 

Honestly a bit nervous about this, because I haven't written anything this short in... a while, but I hope it's effective? There are stakes now! And also I wanted to show that there are more daedra involved in this mess of a world state than just Vaermina - a lot are gonna show up to try and get their pound of flesh, literally in some cases. Haha. 

But I am excited! Hopefully some of you guys still care about Toralf too. Or will after you read the new and improved fic.

... Honestly do y'all remember him? Because if not it's totally my fault. Oops.

- AA