U.O.T.W. Chapter 65 Thrill Kill

• Posted by Sotek August 1, 2015 - Filed in TSC: CB Story - 1,139 views

  

   

   

  Gallows Rock was only a few hours away when Aela pulled back the reins of her stallion to bring it to a slow trot. Vilkas followed suit and gently bought his charger alongside hers.

  “What’s up now?” He asked as he scanned the ragged pathway which laid out ahead of them

  Aela huffed as she rolled her eyes in response to his outburst.

  “I’m tired so we’ll stop here. Let’s rest the horses and make camp”.

  “Huh? But we’re nearly there”. He couldn’t see the point of stopping when the Silverhand base was so close. However once he had listened to Aela’s reasoning, he felt he had little choice but to agree.

  “It’s mid-afternoon. We’ll make camp then attack at night and with some luck most of them will be sleeping. Also it’ll be a lot easier not being spotted when we move in”. Without another word Aela dismounted her horse then led it off away from the path where she soon found a suitable spot for their campsite. “Here, this will do nicely”. Then she tied up the horse, laid out her bedroll and curled up with just a single fur thrown across her for warmth.

  Vilkas tended to the horses then casually walked up to Aela and tapped her leg with his boot.

  “No fire?”

  Her head lifted up slightly as she growled at him but moments later she rested her head back down on her arm which she used as a pillow.

  “Nope we won’t need one. Just rest up for a few hours then we make a move”. Within a few minutes she was asleep. Vilkas laid a second fur over her then lend against a tree and just sat there watching over the camp.

  A few hours after nightfall Aela was woken up by a gentle shaking of her shoulder.

  “Come on you, time we started”.

  She arched her back as she stretched out her arms and legs to loosen them up.

  “Ah… Damn… Stretch… Awwooo… By Hircine I needed that”.

  Vilkas grinned as he prepared the horses.

  “You’re so noisy. And what’s with the howling? Sotek’s not here you know”.

  Aela’s top lip lifted in a playful grimace as she flashed her eyes at him.

  “Sorry… Couldn’t help it. It’s a wolf thing”

  “A she wolf’s thing. Come on, let’s move”. With that he started packing up the few furs along with Aela’s bedroll.

  Within a few minutes Aela was ready and raring to go.

  “Won’t be long, I’m feeling hungry”. She stated as she licked her lips.

  “You want something to eat now?” Vilkas groaned as he expected a further delay to the planned attack on the Silverhands base.

  She laughed then shook her head at him.

  “Naa. She’ll eat when we get there”.

  He felt initially confused until he realised what she had actually said.

  “What? Aww you’re an animal, you know that”.

  She looked at him straight in the eyes with a big smile on her face then gave out a low howl.

  “Awwoo I’m an animal you mean”. She then snapped her teeth at him a few times.

  Once they neared their destination, the two Companions dismounted and secured their horses to a tree which formed part of a small woodland. From there they proceeded on foot towards Gallows Rock. They moved unseen in the darkness as they scouted out the terrain while staying away from the actual perimeter of the Silverhands base.

  Gallows Rock was basically an old small fort. There was a ruined tower situated above a single garrison building where a sentry’s silhouette clearly showed against the grey stones behind him. As he leant against the wooden rail, he talked to a second Silverhand who was sitting by a table. On the eastern side of the compound, timbers were used to patch up the breaches of the outer crumbling wall where a third Silverhand watched out for oncoming enemies. Wooden platforms connected the tower to the courtyard by running along the garrison building. The single archway which dominated the courtyard had broken stonework while rubble littered the entranceway.

  Aela however was happy. She blanked the single archway, dismissing it as a possible route and tugged on Vilkas’s arm.

  “Forget the front gate. The west side, that’s our way in”.

  “What’s wrong with the gate? You take out the guard then we sneak in?”

  “No, I can take most out from there”. Then she pointed to the hillside towards the west. “Before they know it we’ll be inside”. She then followed the tree line towards the high ground which gave her a perfect viewpoint which overlooked the base. Vilkas crouched down at a collapsed wall where Aela had indicated to him. The Silverhand’s built a platform around it trying to seal it up but in reality they had inadvertently made it easier for any would be intruder to climb over.

  Aela looked across the base as she carefully noted her marks. Her first target was the one on the top platform as she remembered what Sotek had told her a few times before. The Lookout at the highest point could see everyone but most of the time he himself, would be out of sight. He wouldn’t be missed by the others. Leaving her Dragonbone bow resting on the ground, she opted instead to draw her Hunting bow as the enchants on the stronger bow would undoubtedly alert the whole base. After steadying her breathing, Aela took aim and prepared to fire.

  For the briefest of moments the feint trace of a breath escaped from the confines of Aela’s lungs then she released the drawstring. Within a scantest of a second her target was dead. The arrow head punched straight through the sentries chest and killed him instantly. The Silverhand sitting at the table turned around in surprise as a second missile ripped into his neck. He gargled softly as a third arrow came rapidly into view and shot along the top of the garrison to imbed itself in his eye. He fell backwards off the chair and landed heavily while his two hands still gripped the shaft impaled through his throat. Aela’s next target was the woman on the farthest platform as she was behind everyone else. Aela watched her walk along the walkway when at one point she stood near the edge to look down the hill. The impact from the projectile tore into her back and sent her toppling off the wall into the undergrowth. She was dead before she hit the ground.

  The last Silverhand Aela couldn’t see, he was too well hidden by the outer wall. She decided to give this one to Vilkas so she turned to him and made the pre arranged signal which consisted of a simple wave with her arm. Within a second he was inside the forts defences as he climbed the platforms supports. He crept along the walkway as he closed in upon the final Silverhand. Aela was always amazed that someone in heavy armour with such a large bulk could sneak so well. She watched him climb up onto the highest platform then zeroed in on the Silverhand’s position. Within a second his blade cut the Silverhand down with a vicious swing of his two handed sword.

  She couldn’t help but think how many times she tried to get him to take a dagger for these occasions but he constantly refused. He always preferred his blade over anything else.

  Once Vilkas gave her the all clear, Aela collected her Dragonbone bow and abandoned her position by heading towards the archway. By the time she stepped into the yard itself Vilkas was examining the solid iron enforced doorway which would take them deep inside the main garrison.

  Aela tapped him on the shoulder as she whispered to him thereby diverting his attention away from the door.

  “Let’s check the tower first. Make sure the area is clear before we head inside”.

  As Vilkas led the advance along the wooden walkway, Aela trod on a particular plank which creaked ominously under her weight. Vilkas chuckled as he glanced over his shoulder at her.

  “You need to go on a diet. I’ll have a word with Sotek if you want. He can give you more s’exercise”. All he heard was a low deep growl as he lurched forwards due to Aela shoving him in the back.

  Two heads poked around the crumbing archway of the tower and stared blankly at three bedrolls, two of which held little of interest. The third bedroll however had the resting body of a Silverhand who was still fast asleep. He was wrapped up in furs at the far side of the ruined tower, no doubt using it for a shelter. Aela had an evil look about her as she whispered across to Vilkas.

  “Don’t kill him, he’s mine”. A single glance from Vilkas told him all he needed to know. Aela wanted some fun.

  He just stood back and waited as he watched her change form.

  “You’re a bad dog, you know that”. She just looked at him, now though she stood taller than he did. She gave a smile, but Vilkas just found it unsettling as it basically comprised of two massive rows of long razor sharp fangs. Red slowly entered the archway then blatantly charged at the Silverhand. He awoke with a start at the noise but couldn’t do anything with the precious few seconds he had. His sword through whatever reason was at the other side of the tower. Red ripped into his chest as his arms flailed about desperately but all he could do was die. Bones, flesh, armour, it made little difference... Red savagely tore into him then fed on the remains.

  When she finished, she howled out before changing back. Aela was once again covered in blood. Her face was smothered in it but she had a massive smile.

  “You feel better now?” Vilkas asked. He himself fought the urge constantly to change. Gradually it had become easy for him but with Aela he knew she couldn’t give it up even if she wanted to. She was a werewolf forever.

  She nodded at him but it was plain as day that she was still revelling in the kill, still enjoying the taste of the blood in her mouth.

  “He’s right ya know”.

  “Who is?”

  “Sotek... The ecstasy you feel when bloods trickling down your throat”. Then she glanced down at herself. “Damn I wish he was here”.

  “Why’s that? You’d rather prefer him helping you than me?” He jestingly muttered under his breath for a few seconds then burst out laughing when he saw Aela’s reaction to his tease.

  She shook her head automatically at his comment but the moment Vilkas started laughing at her, she huffed and screwed her face up at him. She turned away and stared at the pool of blood that was slowly forming around the carcase which Red had torn into when she fed. As if in afterthought she slightly nodded and glanced back at him despite his boisterous behaviour.

  “In some ways... We’ve got this thing when we go exploring. I like going with you two but with him... It’s just different”.

  “Aww, little sis’ misses her boyfriend”. With that he patted her on the head.

  She retaliated by punching him in the arm.

  “Get off moron... No, it’s not like that”. She sighed as realism sunk in. “Well, yea in some ways it is, but not all the time!!! Like now for instance... He’ll have a flask of water which he would give me so I can clean up a bit”.

  “He carries water for you to clean up with?” He just laughed as he gave her a hug. Afterwards though a thought occurred to him. “He did give me some extra bottles... I’ve no idea what’s in them”.

  She snatched his pack almost pulling him over in the process and scattered its contents around as she searched inside it.

  “Damn you got a load of junk in here”.

  He just watched her rummage through his gear as he lent back against the wall of the tower.

  “Can I look in your bag Vilkas? Yea, sure. Just throw the contents around... Go on, help yourself”. He laughed as she rifled though his pack.

  She gave a cry of victory.

  “Yes!!! He packed some... See, that’s what I’m on about”. Then she promptly washed the blood off her face.

  “Feeling better?” Vilkas asked. Although looking at her, it was obvious that she was.

  “Yep, but you really aught to clean up the mess you made with your gear”. She laughed as she walked off leaving him to collect up the various items which she had inadvertently thrown about. He muttered loudly to himself as he swiftly repacked the contents of his bag.

  Once he was ready, he looked up at Aela to see her staring at the bodies on the roof of the building.

  “Well I got to admit, he’s got style”.

  “Who has?” She asked as she checked the bodies over.

  “Sotek, he certainly knows what your about”.

  “Shame he isn’t here... He’d collect the swords to sell”. She stood there looking at all the equipment which they were going to leave behind.

  “Why does he do that? Collect everything to sell?” Vilkas didn’t get it. They had some gold, but they didn’t need much for what simple lives they led.

  Aela tried to explain as best she could.

  “When we were in Winterhold Sotek needed to make some armour but he never had any materials with him. He has to go all over Skyrim, hell he’s been to Cyrodiil twice already… Although Whiterun is his home, he needs dens for supplies. He needs to be able to store equipment and the like to use in whatever city he’s in at the time. Potions, enchant tables, armour sets. As well as somewhere to sleep, so he saves what he can”.

  “He really needs all that?” He couldn’t help but think that was just greedy, all he needed was a bed, mead and food.

  Aela nodded as she looted a few rings to take back with her.

  “He could be gone for weeks at a time. No one can carry that amount of provisions”.

  Vilkas looked around at the weapons as he shook his head with just the thought of what Aela had told him.

  “He really needs other ermm dens? He’s not just being ‘Oh look at me, look at what I’ve got?” The moment he said it Aela felt angry with him. He had a change of heart and considered that the statement was a bit over the top. “Sorry, he didn’t deserve that. Here pass me the swords”. Aela handed over a silver sword to him but he shook his head at her. “No pass me all of them, I can carry them. I’ll be your ‘beast of burden’”. A smile broke out on Aela’s face as she collected the weapons up.

  “Thanks, he’ll be grateful of this”. She gave him a hug then headed for the door to the inner base. Vilkas loaded up the loot then followed her inside.