Caylin's Monsters
Chapter 7: A Land of Monsters
Our next assignment was actually a personal assignment for the Companions. Skjor told Farkas and I that a fragment of the legendary battle axe, Wuuthrad, had been found in a barrow northwest of Whiterun.
After my experience with the vampires, I had no desire to tackle another mission on my own. I was glad Farkas was with me on this one.
The barrow is known as Dustman’s Cairn, and as we approached the entrance, I was feeling pretty confident. With all I had experienced the last few days, I felt prepared for whatever we would find there.
Once again, however, my expectations were subverted almost immediately upon entering the cairn.
Upon entering, we were attacked by what Farkas called draugr. These undead creatures are apparently common in barrows like this. I couldn’t understand how Farkas could be so calm about it. These were dead men who rose from their graves to attack us. In a sane world, this should not be common.
We entered a large room that was lit by sunlight coming from a whole in the ceiling. I was in slight awe of this place. For most people, this would probably be less impressive, but I was still in wonder at all the things I had never seen while growing up in Honorhall.
There was a gate blocking us from entering further into the barrow, and Farkas told me to look around for some kind of release mechanism.
I found it quickly enough, but it was also some kind of trap. A gate came crashing down in front of me, locking me in a small cell.
Farkas was about to look for a way to open the gate, when he was met by a group of visitors.
As they slowly closed in on Farkas, they were talking among themselves saying that Farkas was “one of them”. I could only assume they meant that Farkas was one of the Companions.
I knew Farkas was a powerful warrior, but four-to-one odds wasn’t good. My eyes were racing all over the cell trying to find some means of escape.
But then something happened, and Farkas began to change…
A deep black hair started sprouting all over his body, his arms and legs elongated, and massive claws erupted from his fingertips.
His face morphed into a muzzle like that of a dog, and it was clear what he was becoming. Even his attackers realized what was happening and turned to run.
When the transformation was complete, the creature that had been Farkas let out a blood-curdling roar.
I had never seen anything so terrifying in my life. My whole body was trembling with fear.
Was this a secret Farkas was keeping from everyone, or did all the Companions turn into beasts like this?
I was frozen. I couldn’t move or make a sound. All I could do was watch in terror as the wolf went after its prey.
The wolf was fast, brutal, and merciless. Its eyes were filled with pure rage as it savagely tore through each man in turn.
My mind was racing… If all the companions could turn into these beasts, were they going to force me… to become one too?
It was over in a matter of seconds, and the four men were lying dead in a pile on the ground. The power of this creature was both amazing and terrible.
During the previous few days, I had faced trolls, vampires, undead creatures, and then this. As I looked on in horror at the man… no, the beast I had known as Farkas, all I could think about was that Skyrim truly is land of monsters.
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