U.O.T.W. Chapter 118 Poisoned Claws

  • Sotek, who was none the wiser for what the Silverhands believed, and Vilkas who was just as clueless, were currently making their way through a series of tunnels which finally split into two separate pathways forming a junction. On one side was a large wooden doorway while the other rather short tunnel came to an abrupt stop. As the door had no handle, Sotek tried to give it a push with the palm of his hand and to his relief, it swung open.

    He had hardly taken two steps when a portcullis slammed down behind him separating the two-man group. Thinking he had unwittingly set off a trap, he turned back to Vilkas and hissed.

    “Oh for the love of the bloody niness. You’ll have to go the other way damn them all. Watch out for traps. Hsss”.

    Vilkas immediately pointed to himself and shook his head defensively.

    “Wasn’t my fault. Not this time... damn!! I think I’d rather face you than Aela... We got to get this grill up. She’ll bloody kill me until I’m... bloody”. He crouched down at the grill and took a firm hold of it then, straining his back, he tried in vain to lift it. He quickly gave up and cursed at the absence of his brother and the whole situation.

    “Farkas, we’ll need Farkas to shift this. Where’s my useless brother when I need him”.

    Sotek lightly kicked the portcullis with his boot to test its resolve. The metallic ‘clang’ confirmed what he had feared.

    “It’ss not going anywhere. Head back to the otherss; I’ll see where thiss infernal passageway goess”.

    Vilkas knew Sotek was right yet he couldn’t quell the uneasy feeling which rapidly filled his gut.

    “I don’t like this, we shouldn’t split up”.

    “We don’t have any choice, get going I’ll be fine”. Although he tried to sound ok with the situation, Sotek felt something was amiss. He looked down at the doorway and confirmed what he had seen. There wasn’t a pressure plate; someone else had set off the trap. Not wanting to alarm Vilkas, Sotek kept such matters to himself.

    Vilkas headed back to the junction to follow the path through the catacombs but a second portcullis had fallen down at the end of the corridor blocking his route leaving him trapped in a small section of tunnels.

    “Oh bloody hell”, he muttered. Before he could consider calling out to Sotek, a stone door set in the dead end of the corridor rumbled as it slowly sank into the ground. Having no other choice, he passed through the new doorway into the room beyond and found himself standing next to Farkas. “Hi brother... Crap Aela! Ermm”.

    “Well, well, if it isn’t Vilkas, we have got the gatherings of a merry group”. The Skinner called out.

    Aela grabbed Vilkas by the collar and pulled his head down to her eye level.

    “Where the hell is Sotek you bloody moron?”

    On the ‘Silverhand’ side of the room, a wooden door flung open with a ‘bang’. A young Nord came running towards them, yelling out something. All attention fell upon him as he excitedly blurted out his news to anyone who would listen.

    “I’ve trapped him... He’s on his way!!”

    The Skinner broadly smiled at Aela and whispered across to her.

    “It’s time”.

    Aela turned back to Vilkas and her hands tightened into two fists.

    “I’m asking you once more. Where... the hell... is Sotek?”

    A second door near the Skinner opened with an ominous ‘creak’. To everyone’s amazement Sotek calmly walked into the room munching on an apple. He brazenly walked up to the portcullis and examined the bars, completely ignoring the Silverhands who gathered in a half circle around him. He glanced across to Aela and winked at her.

    “Together again huh?”

    Despite the horrible situation, Aela couldn’t help but smirk back at him.

    “Wouldn’t miss it”.

    Sotek gave Vilkas a bit of a smile then he stuck his arm through the bars and held Aela’s hand.

    “How we doing?”

    Aela huffed as she glanced over Sotek’s shoulder at the Silverhands. She knew what was coming and she was painfully aware Sotek did as well. Yet he remained calm as if he had a plan which he was keeping to himself, like he usually did.

    “Same as usual”.

    Sotek let her go and turned around to face the multitude of Silverhands who had surrounded him. He chuckled and shook his head at the futile odds stacked against him.

    “That bad huh?”

    The Skinner laughed as she walked up to him. She stood right in his face and traced along his chest armor with her finger almost like she was checking for dust.

    “You have an axe? I was half expecting it to be made of wood. They said you had no fear! I told them you did, I told them you were afraid. I called you a coward, but it would seem I’m wrong. You are no coward, you’re a bloody fool”.

    Sotek nodded enthusiastically and smiled back at her.

    “Well that’s my introduction out of the way. Now, who are you? What the hell are you after? Because I don’t think for one second it’s actually me”.

    Farkas called out to him in an attempt to pre warn him of the Silverhands thoughts.

    “They think you’re Scarface!! Greymane, he told them you’re Scarface! Why the hell are you just standing there?”

    Sotek’s jaw dropped but he was quick to compose himself. His mind raced along like a herd of wild horses as a plan started forming in his head.

    “Excuse me? What? Me?”

    He moved over to a chair and calmly sat down. His next task was to remove his pack which he sat between his feet. Roaring with laughter, he then pointed across to Aela. “You know who that is don’t you? She‘s Aela the Huntress. Her werewolf form is Red. Please, tell me you know who Red is? Oh by Hircine, I’m looking at dead men walking. Red, you stupid bastards, is Scarface’s mate. Have you any idea of how pissed he’s going to be when he finds out you got her?”

    Aela instantly went to shout out but Farkas managed to stop her. He held her back with one arm while his hand smothered her mouth, effectively stopping her from saying anything. Vilkas was quick to back him up and grabbed Aela’s other arm, restraining her.

    The Skinner pointed thretengly at Sotek as she spoke.

    “You’re Scarface”.

    Sotek grinned wildly. His tail flapped about in excitement. He was actually starting to enjoy himself.

    “Oh I’m not, I assure you of that. You do know werewolves have two names don’t you. Now guess whose werewolf form is called Scarface? Anyone? No? No one prepared to make a guess? It’s Greymane, you stupid bitch. She’s his girl, you stupid bastards”.

    While Sotek was speaking, he was busy rummaging through his pack. He pulled out three vials of liquid and pulled out the ‘stopper’s’ one at a time then tipped the contents onto the floor.

    Oblivious to his actual intentions, the Silverhand’s mind reeled with the information and failed to notice what Sotek was tipping out in front of him. She knew it was some sort of liquid but by her own reckoning, even if it was poison, it would do little good spilled out across the stone floor.

    Aela tried to scream out with rage but Farkas held her fast. Having no other choice, she bit on his fingers making him holler out so she could break free of his grip. She yelled angrily at Sotek over what he had just said.

    “Sotek!! You bloody bastard of a snake!!”

    Sotek smirked as he looked back at her. A quick wink was all he offered in a way of an apology before he started transforming. He fell backwards off the chair and rolled around in spasms as his body changed its form into Omega. After a good few seconds, and to the Silverhands amazement, Omega pulled himself up to his groggy paws and howled out while he tried to steady himself.

    The skinner stared at the pathetic species in front of him and yelled accusingly at him as if everything was his fault.

     “What the hell is this? A bloody pet? Greymane!! Damn him, he’s set us up. Greymane is Scarface”.

    The Skinner burst through a door taking six Silverhands with her. As she left, she pointed to the white werewolf and yelled out her orders.

    “That thing there is the Omega wolf, kill him”. Then she went off slamming the door behind her, leaving three Silverhands to do her bidding.

    The odds for Omega winning the imminent fight had increased dramatically as he now faced less than half the Silverhands numbers but he was still opposing an overwhelming force. One which seemed he wouldn’t survive. Aela drew her bow and quickly notched an arrow but Omega had very different ideas.

    Vilkas glanced down at Omega’s paws and looked at the puddle on the floor. The surface seemed to have a greenish oily sheen which stirred a distant memory.

    “Aela wait!!”

    The reason for Sotek’s strange behaviour became very apparent when Omega patted his paws in the puddle. Aela grinned at the white werewolf and yelled out at him.

    “That’s what Sotek was doing, Omega can’t pull out stoppers. Hey, Omega... kill ‘em”.

    Omega reared up his head and howled out as fearfully as he could. The three Silverhands reacted by drawing their weapons. They charged forwards to pummel the beast to death with their blades. Omega met them head on and bound towards the closest target. He slashed out with his claws which were dripping with the virulent poison that Sotek had ‘borrowed’ from Aela’s pack while she was sleeping back at the camp.

    Claw and silver failed to parry, causing both strikes to hit at the same time. The opponent reeled from the gash across his chest, tearing skin and spraying blood but the werewolf’s claws weren’t up to the task of delivering a fatal blow.

    Omega fell to the floor due to a massive cut just below his shoulder. The silver from the blade seemed to burn, making the wound doubly painful.

    As a shadow drew over him, Omega leapt upwards knocking the second opponent to the ground. A flurry of claws tore into the Silverhand’s chest as fangs gripped his neck. The werewolf flailed his head sideways, ripping the man’s throat open.

    A heavy silver spiked club smacked Omega in the head, sending him sprawling across the floor. He rose up to his paws then staggered sideways.

    Aela initially thought his giddiness was due to the wound until she saw the patch of green from the poison which had now smothered his fur.

    “Omega!!” She aimed her bow to shoot the club wielding Silverhand and fired.

    As the club was raised to deliver a second blow, the missile struck, sending him spinning to the ground. The crude weapon fell to the wayside while the man screamed out as he held the arrow protruding from his now broken collarbone.

    The third Silverhand, who was armed with two lethal daggers lashed out at Omega as he tried to back away. His head was reeling from the poison and the wounds from the silver weapons let alone the gash in his head.

    A sickly whine drew Aela to let lose another arrow, which found its mark in the Silverhand’s back.

    He fell just in front of Omega and screamed out as fangs pulled and tore at flesh, his body providing Omega with the substance he needed to heal.

    Omega’s initial opponent who had the gashes across his chest, started shaking wildly from the poison which quickly set to work. The only opponent left was the one who had an arrow protruding from his collar. Slumped against a wall, he looked on in fear as Omega fed off the corpses of his fellow comrades. The poison flooded the werewolf’s system but as long as he fed, his healing rate seemed to compensate for it. All the Silverhand could do was hope the poison would finish the white werewolf off.

    The hated enemy’s hopes became dashed when he heard the portcullis rise up. Farkas had found the lever previously hidden in a small hole set in the wall. The Silverhand looked up despairingly at Aela as a silver sword was thrust in his chest. Blood spurted from his mouth but Aela had already turned around to help Omega, leaving the Silverhand to die alone.

    The white werewolf transformed back to his Argonian form but this time he never cried out. Aela sat beside Sotek and lifted his head. A low sickly groan gave her cause for concern let alone the off yellow tint which smothered the Argonian’s scales.

    The she wolf opened her pack and pulled out a large healing potion then, after biting off the stopper, she poured the contents down Sotek’s throat causing him to cough and splutter.

    The rich green hue gradually returned as his body recovered from Aela’s poisons. Two green reptilian eyes slowly opened to see Aela holding him in her arms. She timidly smiled as her hand caressed his brow.

    “Hey, you had me worried. Don’t move, save your strength”.

    Sotek gulped a mouthful of air which seemed to stick in his throat. He felt drained and lifeless. He tried to speak but a soft finger pressed lightly against his lips silencing him.

    “Don’t talk, rest”.

    “Wa... water”. The weakness in his voice surprised him. He felt stronger than what he actually was. Any slight movement took far greater effort so he gave up trying to move and just rested where he lay, in Aela’s care.

    Cold water spilled out on his lips, causing him to hungrily swallow the much needed liquid. With every mouthful of water, he felt his strength return and his body’s temperature seemed to cool down. He weakly smiled at Aela to reassure her that he was ok but he quickly wished he hadn’t of bothered. Aela’s temper switched from a caring angel to a demon from the plains of Oblivion.

    “Don’t you bloody smile at me, you fucking prick. Why the hell did you say I was that bastard’s girl? How long have you known Scarface was Greymane’s fucking werewolf form?”

    His head fell backwards and hit the floor as Aela pulled herself away from him. Sotek just lay there on his back, staring up at the ceiling.

    “What happened to my caring priestess who was looking after me? and where did this raging stomping Nord girl come from? Oh... Aela!!”

    He rolled on his side and slowly crawled up on his feet but as he tried to take a step forwards he fell to be rapidly caught in Vilkas’s arms.

    Sotek’s eyes slowly opened and sluggishly smiled at Vilkas while his tail stayed limp behind him.

    Vilkas took one look at him and issued an open threat, one which he would seriously consider enforcing.

    “You throw up on me and I will drop you!! As in thump!!”

    Sotek’s voice seemed feeble and pathetic. Slowly he raised his arm and pointed to a table.

    “Chair, bench, whatever!” He was dimly aware of being dragged across the floor before darkness closed in.

    Sotek opened his eyes a few minutes later to find himself lying on a long wooden bench. Aela, who had now calmed down a bit, was sitting on a barrel watching over him.

    The brightness of a nearby torch burned his eyes so he narrowed his eyelids to the barest of slits.

    “You had a question for me?” He said weakly. He heard Aela move closer towards him then the soft, yet rough touch of weathered fingers as she grasped his hand.

    “Scarface, you said Scarface was Greymane’s werewolf form. How long had you known this fact?”

    Sotek gulped as he looked across at her. A weak smile seemed to infuriate her even more so he stopped trying to grin and pointed out a few facts.

    “He isn’t. How can he be? Greymane is grey so his werewolf is grey. Scarface is black isn’t he? The Skinner had obviously talked to Greymane so I thought why not send the Skinner back to him. Don’t know who Scarface is, but he most certainly isn’t Greymane”.

    Aela’s head was now pounding with the stress and pressure she felt. She tried to glare at him, but the tensing in her face caused her head to hurt even more. Giving up with the aggression, simply because it was too much effort on her part, she relaxed her face and glanced at Sotek blankly.

    “Ok I’ll give you that but....”

    Sotek pulled himself up to a sitting position and reached out a hand to rest it on Aela’s knee. He lightly stroked her leg as he tried to explain his reasons for everything he had said.

    “I’m sorry I said you were Greymane’ss girl. He knowss how much that hurt you. Aela, you know he doess. We sshared thosse nightmaress remember? He’ss ssorry but that was all he... I could think of to reinforce what he... I said about Scarface. I’m sorry, I really am”.

    He pulled out a potion from his bag and drank it all, but he still struggled to stay sitting upright.

    “The poisons potent, you’re getting good at them”.

    Aela snapped at him, she tried not to but it just slipped out.

    “Don’t bloody flatter me you bastard, I’m still going to bloody kill you. I understand. I don’t bloody like it but I get it”.

    Sotek lay out on the bench and covered his eyes with his arm which now rested over his face. He half turned to Aela and pointed to the door which the Skinner had run through.

    “Hey, don’t let them get away! Get after them. Honest Aela I’m ok, I’m just shaky. I’ll follow in a few minutes. Go, get them”.

    Aela got up to her feet and nodded.

    “Yes, we’d better I suppose. You just rest here, I’ll be back. Farkas, Vilkas, with me”.

    As she started walking off, Sotek looked up albeit with his eyes closed and called out to her.

    “Can I have a kiss?”

    The soft sound of footsteps on a stone floor came towards him then an eerie silence filled the room. A wooden ‘thud’ rang in Sotek’s ear startling him; he tilted his head to the side to see a dagger stuck in the bench a mere few inches away from his face.

     

     

Comments

10 Comments   |   Hasir likes this.
  • Justiciar Thorien
    Justiciar Thorien   ·  April 13, 2016
    Lol)) Those Silverhands are just that level of disgusting.
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  April 13, 2016
    I'm going to use that..
    That's set the wolves amonst the rats........    I like it...
  • Justiciar Thorien
    Justiciar Thorien   ·  April 13, 2016
    Making one's enemies fight each other and then watch, it's the most exquisite pleasure
    Wolves amongst the rats I'd say
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  April 13, 2016
    Yea I can picture it as well.

    Sotek's certainly set the wolves amonst the deer hasn't he.
  • Justiciar Thorien
    Justiciar Thorien   ·  April 13, 2016
    I'd like to see both Greymane's and Skinner's faces after they meet and talk. It should be an unforgettable laugh
  • Exuro
    Exuro   ·  April 12, 2016
    Place my wager on Aela too, haha.
    Should be a fun exchange once the hands confront Greymane.
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  April 12, 2016
    Fixed the error Thanks for that Ebonslayer.
    My money's on Aela
  • Ebonslayer
    Ebonslayer   ·  April 12, 2016
    In paragraph 15 skinner should be capitalized.

    Wow, poor bastard. I'm not sure who's going to kill Sotek first, Aela or the Hands.
  • Ben W
    Ben W   ·  April 12, 2016
    Ahh, the loving dagger thrust from an angry Aela... didn't expect any different from her XD
  • The Long-Chapper
    The Long-Chapper   ·  April 12, 2016
    Very clever move on Sotek's part. Fun chapter, Sotek.