Hybrid - Chapter 6

• Posted by Andrew Shepherd September 15, 2015 - 786 views

  The first things Flavius were aware of in the darkness was the pain. The pain and the stench. The agony throbbing through his skull was augmented by the reek of rotting food, mold, piss and shit and despair.

  He licked his parched lips and tasted blood. But it was not his own. He had awoken from the darkest nightmare, flashes of green skin and curves, a warm body lying next to his. Of red-misted rage and slashing of blades, splashing of blood. Of a full moon, animalistic roars, rending claws, snapping jaws. And the green skin awash with blood.

  Flavius shivered in the pitch black, fighting the urge to vomit. There came the rusty creak and iron scrape of a metal door opening and a long blade of light pierced into the blackness. A bulky shadow stood in the doorway.

  "On your feet, scum," the shadow barked. "Today is your big day." Flavius groaned and sat up on the straw pallet that was his bed. His head pounded and his stomach lurched. He dragged himself to his feet, swaying dangerously as his knees threatened to buckle. The guard grabbed his arm and hauled him out of the cell. Even the dim candle light hurt his eyes. 

  The guard was a heavily muscled Redguard, sporting broad shoulders and he carried an awful looking executioner's axe in one hand. Flavius looked down and realized his wrists and ankles were shackled.

  "Pull any of that shape-shifting shit with me boy and this axe will find your neck before it gets to the block." he snarled in a gravelly voice. What in Oblivion is he talking about?  thought Flavius groggily. Then he looked closer at his wrists and hands. They were covered in patches of brown fur he had never seen before. Even his palms were hairy! He shook his head in disbelief as the Redguard dragged him up a winding stone stairwell.

  They finally reached the main chamber of what looked to Flavius like the inside of a military fort. There were Imperial soldiers everywhere. And then the Redguard threw the outer doors open and the light hit Flavius' eyes like a thousand burning suns. He dropped to his knees and retched. The guard, plus two soldiers standing at their posts took hold of him and threw him against the wall.

  "Death is too good for you, bastard!" spat one of the guards and then back-handed him across the face. This time the blood Flavius tasted was his own. He was then unceremoniously dragged down some nearby stairs and into a street, lined with people wearing expressions ranging from terror to fury. The crowd began pelting him with rotten food and abuse as Flavius was dragged onto a large stone platform, the center-piece a black-stained chopping block.

  Flavius was then forced on to his knees, his neck resting on the block. He breathed deeply and let his body relax. This nightmare would soon be over. There was a rush of air as the headsman's axe was swung overhead, a pause and... the brassy sound of trumpets was heard from the front gate of the city. 

  "What in Oblivion is that?!" growled the Redguard executioner. Flavius strained his neck painfully to see what was happening. The city gates swung wide and a highly decorated Imperial officer rode through followed by his lieutenant and an escort of foot soldiers. A general. He stopped to observe the execution. Flavius could see he was squinting specifically at him, trying to make out his face.

  "Stop the execution!!" the general roared. His lieutenant, a tough looking Nord woman in steel plate was staring at Flavius, eyes wide. "Bring that man to my chambers!" he shouted. "And un-shackle him!"

  Several minutes later Flavius, unshaven, in filthy rags and covered in cuts, scratches and bruises was sitting in the office of General Tullius, commander of the Imperial army in Skyrim. He held a silver goblet in one hairy hand and stared back at the general who was eyeing him in disbelief across the table.

  "Lieutenant Flavius," he started in a dry voice. "Where in the name of the eight have you been?"

  To be continued...