U.O.T.W. Chapter 307 Dawnbreaker

• Posted by Sotek August 14, 2018 - Filed in TSC: CB Story - #Sotek  #U.O.T.W.  - 1,203 views

  

  

   

  Kul-et cautiously moved into the room, then prepared herself for the oncoming conflict she knew she had to face. She presumed that the man in the cloaked robes was the Breton necromancer she had been ordered to slay, Malkoran. As she entered the room, Sotek followed behind. He silently made his way to her left and worked his way around the chamber to get a better view, and so he could help out if necessary, but all the while be completely undetected by both the shades and Kul-et.

   

  Kul-et took careful aim then slowly counted down in her mind.
  ‘Three, two, one’ die!’ She fired off the arrow which flew perfectly. It struck Malkoran in the back, and sent him tumbling forwards, while his cloak became smothered in flames. Within a second, all hell broke loose as shades from all directions rapidly closed in upon Kul-et’s position which forced her to move backwards. Where she had paid little attention to her surroundings, she suddenly found herself trapped in the corner. She fired off the Dragonbone bow at the closest shade but several more materialized by the alter where she had killed Malkoran.

   

  To her horror, Malkoran’s body hovered in the air, then she saw the skin peel off him and the skeleton crumble into dust as a shade formed in his stead where he once stood. Powerful ice spells flew across the room at her, forcing her to move yet again from where she tried to make a stand.

   

  Panic once again tried to take her as she found herself trapped in the room. Four shades had now blocked her path of retreat where she was and all the while the shade of Malkoran fired off spell after spell at her. She returned fire, but, in her haste, she missed the target completely. The arrow struck a wall and exploded, covering a section of it in flames.

   

  Sotek groaned and took careful aim at his target. He fired off his bow, sending an arrow straight past five shades and he watched as it missed Malkoran by several inches.

   

  Sotek however smiled as his arrow streaked across the room to strike his actual target. The oil urn exploded as his arrow struck it and sent a mass of burning oil across the floor. Three shades got caught in the burning inferno and screamed as they collapsed on the ground. Kul-et saw the explosion but simply presumed that her arrow had caused it. She had a flash of inspiration and started casting her new spell. A Flame Atronach appeared in front of her, but instead of attacking anything straight away, it simply stared at her for a second, accepting her as it’s master before it glided across the ground, leaving a burning trail behind it as it engaged two shades. Kul-et concentrated on her main target, Malkoran’s shade, and managed to shoot it once before she was struck with an ice spear. It tore into her chest and sent her tumbling across the floor, but she cast her healing spell as she crawled for cover.

   

  Sotek fired off two more arrows hitting two shades, then he shot the last shade which Kul-et’s Atronach was busy fighting. It paused as the shade disintegrated into a black mist then it turned towards Sotek. It knew he was there somewhere, but it wasn’t sure where. What it presumed however, was that he was a threat. It closed in on him as it tried to find him. Sotek checked on Kul-et who had now lifted herself up and drank a healing potion. She then was taking aim against the shade once more.

   

  Sotek cast his bound bow spell then fired at the Atronach. The very instant it was struck, it was banished from this realm. It dissipated as he cast it back to the void where Kul-et had called it from.

   

  Kul-et fired off several arrows but had only managed to strike the shade twice. It was a lot tougher than what she had expected, and she gave a silent prayer to Aela, wishing that she was there to help. Once again, she found herself fleeing her relative safety as ice spears slammed into the stonework around her. Sotek cast a quick look at the altar. He recognised the sword which stood there, even though he had never seen it before, from the description Farengar gave him. In his mind, he knew it to be the sword Kul-et was sent to retrieve. ‘Dawnbreaker, that’s where you are!’ He looked over to Kul-et who was fighting for her life, and rapidly losing, as the shade closed in for the kill.

   

  Kul-et ran once again for cover then called out in desperation.
  “Meridia help me, I beg of you”.

   

  Sotek, upon hearing Kul-et’s desperate plea, chuckled to himself as he thought of a way to help. He cast his telekinesis spell on the sword, which lifted up, away from the pedestal it was resting on and flew towards him, but then he repelled it and sent it spinning off towards Kul-et.

  
  
  Kul-et watched in amazement as the sword flew towards her. She had to move out of its way as she watched it whoosh past her to clang into the wall where she was just standing moments before. Kul-et grabbed the sword and swung it at the shade of Malkoran with all her strength. It lifted its own weapon, a staff, and blocked her strike, then it started casting its spell. Kul-et, with new vigour and hope, quashed her own fears and grabbed the opportunity with both clawed hands. She swiped at its prone side, knowing it was too preoccupied with the spellcasting to prevent her from lashing out.

   

  It instantly burst in flames and screamed a deathly cry as the sword burned its black ethereal form, forcing it to move back to try to get out of her range.

   

  Ice spells once again flew towards her, striking her in the chest. Kul-et fell backwards, sprawled out on the floor and screamed as the ice spell tore into her flesh. The shade towered over her, floating above her like an omen of death. It lifted up an outstretched arm as it prepared to cast yet another spell, sealing the Argonian’s fate. With all her strength, Kul-et lifted the sword and thrust it forwards, catching the unsuspecting shade in the stomach.

   

  With a chilling cry, it yelled out as the sword released its magical properties and smothered the shade in flames.

   

  Kul-et seized her chance and bought home the attack. She jumped up to her feet and charged forwards, swinging Dawnbreaker in a downward arc and hit the shade again. As it recoiled, she followed through with another strike, swiping at its chest, striking it with the full force of the blade. Moments later, as the shade turned to flee, Kul-et span around then embedded the sword in the chest of the shade, in a perfectly executed thrust, pushing the blade in, right up to its hilt.

   

  Every blow which landed upon the shade caused it to burn. Flames enveloped it all over, causing horrific damage to it, but when she stabbed it in the chest, it exploded, sending burning black vapour all around Kul-et.

   

  Moments later, she emerged from the fight, tired, scared, and wounded. She literally collapsed on the stone floor and tried to pull herself together. All around her, were a multitude of desecrated corpses and various weapons thrown across the floor. She started healing herself but then decided to use a potion which she drank to good effect. Once she was healed up, she approached the altar.

   

  A blinding white light smothered her then she heard Meridia’s voice once more.
  “You have done well mortal. You have cleansed my temple and laid the dead to rest once more. Malkoran lies defeated at my altar. My temple, still and silent, as it should be. Take my Dawnbreaker; wield it in my name and my glory. Dawn is fast approaching and you shall be its herald. With my sword, you shall bring sleep to those that never can. Now go champion and spread my light in the darkest of places”.

   

  Kul-et felt like she was being lifted up. She thought, just for a moment, that she could see the whole of Skyrim as she hovered way above the mountainside. Without warning, the light faded, and she found herself outside, in the fresh mountain air, standing by the statue of Meridia once more. She had to blink a few times as dawn was indeed well on its way, the orangey glow of dawn half blinding her.

   

  Aela was just a few feet away from her, with a small campfire burning. While Aela waited outside, she had killed a deer and collected some wood. Using the fur, she made a basic shelter and it was there where she sat and waited for Kul-et’s return. Kul-et ran to her and threw her arms around her.
  “I did it, I did it”. Then the emotions took hold and she burst into tears.

   

  Aela sat her down and held her for a few moments then held Kul-et’s cheeks in her hands.
  “Hey, it’s over! You did it, you got Dawnbreaker. Kul-et, she’s beautiful. Look at it”.

   

  Kul-et stopped crying and fought back her emotions. She un-sheaved the sword and studied it for the first time since she actually saw it. A bright light shone from its hilt, mesmerizing her. As she held it in her hand, she was surprised when she realised it had little weight.
  “Oh, by Meridia it is. It’s amazing”.

   

  She started shaking but Aela wrapped a fur around her then passed her a plate of burnt venison.
  “I‘m not much of a cook, but dawns approaching, we’ll find something soon enou... You bloody bastard. Sotek!” As dawn lit up the mountainside, Aela spotted something which only aggravated her anger towards her mate, Sotek.

   

  Kul-et turned around in surprise but she couldn’t see what Aela was on about.
  “What?”

   

  “Leave the venison. Let’s go. Look, over there... Solitude, it’s less than an hour away. That stupid bastard sent us the long way around. Kul-et, get up. Within an hour we’ll have a hot meal and a strong drink, that’ll make you feel better. Then we’ll get the carriage home”.

   

  For the first time since they left, Aela noticed Kul-et was smiling. Not a false smile or a slight one, but a massive grin was plastered all across her face.
  “Hist’qe! Yes, I like that idea”.

   

  “Hist’qe? What’s that? It’s Jel isn’t it?” Aela asked as she walked alongside Kul-et.

   

  Kul-et nodded back and eagerly explained.
  “Yes, I suppose you know some Jel from Sotek. Hist’qe means home. Hist’qe… We’re going home”.

   

  Aela surprised Kul-et by shaking her head.
  “Actually, I never heard Sotek say anything in Jel. Just you and Veezara”.

   

  Kul-et looked back at her to see whether she was jesting but, by the look of her face, Kul-et could tell she wasn’t. Moments later, they were on the path heading towards Solitude, and already they could see the stables which lay ahead.

   

  Sotek however wasn’t so lucky; in some ways at least. But in other ways, he was fortunate. Once Kul-et had disappeared from the altar, Sotek found himself alone in the darkness of the temple. He cast his Mage Light in several directions, illuminating the large room. He realised at once that he had to make his way back through the temple, at least the second section before he could see about heading back to Whiterun. But he also knew it wasn’t all bad news as his eyes fixed upon a large chest alongside the alter.
  “Sorry Meridia but I think I earned this, don’t you? Naa… don’t answer that”.

   

  A good half hour’s search proved to be quite profitable for him. He soon stashed away three gemstones, over fifty gold septims and a staff of ice spears, as well as a few silver rings and two turn undead scrolls. Slowly, he started heading outside, then as he looked towards Solitude, he saw Aela and Kul-et, or rather the backs of them as they passed the stables. He guessed they wouldn’t travel straight back as they walked past the carriage, so he climbed down the mountainside and slowly headed back to Whiterun on foot.

   

  It took Sotek several long hours to reach the plains, but once there Scarface hunted down two deer. The moment his werewolf form ate he felt better, but by that time it was into the afternoon, so with a half full belly, but little rest, Scarface once again transverse the plains and headed home.

   

  By the time he reached the plains, Aela and Kul-et were by now on the carriage and well on the second half of their return journey to Whiterun. Aela gave Kul-et a quick smile which Kul-et returned. Kul-et looked over towards Whiterun which was in the distance then sighed lightly.
  “You know, I don’t know what to do first. Eat or sleep”.

   

  Aela screwed her face up.
  “We’ll you’ve already eaten, so sleep sounds like a nice option”.

   

  “Yea, Veezara can give me some T.L.C.”

   

  Aela sniggered at her.
  “You said sleep, that’s not sleep. Mind you, I much prefer B.H.C.”

   

  “B.H.C. What the hell is that?” Kul-et asked inquisitively.

   

  Aela smiled evilly at her then spoke out in a husky, seductive voice.
  “Brutal. Hard. C.”

   

  “Brutal hard care? That’s ridiculous”.

   

  Aela’s voice rose in pitch as she replied in surprise.
  “Care? I thought it stood for something else?”

   

  “Stood for what?” Kul-et asked as she looked on at the Companion in confusion.

   

  Aela raised her eyebrows a few times, causing Kul-et to blush.
  “Cock!”

   

  “Aela, you’re filthy”.

   

  Aela tutted back at her.

  
  “Oh? Says the slut! Two of you, remember? Two girls raping that boy?”

   

  Kul-et screwed her face up and retaliated.
  “We didn’t rape him, we screwed him! You are a bloody animal, aren’t ya”.

   

  At that moment, the carriage driver called out to them.
  “Hey, we’re here”.

   

  Once they were inside the city’s wall, they headed straight for the hall. Kul-et walked inside Jorrvaskr first, marking their arrival. Ebony, on sight of her friend, came screaming up to her. She threw her arms around Kul-et as she held her tightly.
  “Kul-et, you’re back! By the Nine, we’ve been worried. Oh, hi Aela”.

   

  Kul-et gripped Ebony just as hard, but she also fought back some tears as her emotions started coming to the fore. She glanced over to Kodlak then literally threw herself at him.
  “Harbinger! That was scary”.

   

  Aela came alongside her and held her shoulder.
  “She had a rough time in there, but she did it. She done well. You really did Kul-et”. Her whole attitude changed as quickly as one of her transformations. Almost spitting with anger, she glared across the hall. “Now where’s that bloody Lizard of mine?”

   

  The Harbinger shrugged his shoulders.
  “We don’t know, you can sort him out when he turns up. Kul-et, get some rest. You have a big day tomorrow”. Kodlak said with pride as he saw Veezara approach his life partner.

   

  Kul-et fought back the emotions and pulled herself away from him so she could see his face.
  “Harbinger, I’m ok. I don’t want rest, I’m staying up here with you lot. I need the company”. She saw Veezara standing several feet away, but seconds later he threw his arms around her as she ran up to him. “I missed you, so, so much. I begged that you would be there, why weren’t you there?” She felt herself start to get angry with him, but she quickly held it in check. “I’m sorry, it’s… Oh, babe… I thought I was going to die”.

   

  Aela sighed heavily, then she spoke loudly so that the Harbinger and Veezara could hear.
  “She had a bloody rough time. That bastard had no right to send her alone”.

   

  The Harbinger looked a bit confused at her once she finished.
  “But I thought that you were going in with her?”

   

  At that moment, Aela could have screamed. She even felt her fists tighten. Kodlak took a step back as well, as he noticed it too.
  “I swore a stupid oath to Sotek that I wouldn’t. Then the moment I went inside with her, Hircine sent a wolf to remind me of that oath. I couldn’t go in with her. She went in and faced them, alone”.

   

  The Harbinger walked over to Kul-et, but as he did so he noticed the glowing hilted sword in her sheaf.
  “By Ysgramor’s beard! You did it, you got Dawnbreaker!”

   

  Kul-et composed herself then stood up, breaking away from Veezara. She drew her sword and showed them all. Even Farkas and Vilkas watched in awe as the light spread across the hall, casting its holy light in all directions.

   

  Everyone sat around the hall in celebration of Kul-et’s victory and her tankard seemed to be constantly full as different members kept topping it up, despite her trying to stop them. After a few hours of listening to Kul-et’s adventure, the Harbinger rested his hand on her shoulder. “Kul-et, you did well. Bloody well in fact. Once you’ve rested for the night, we’ll have your ceremony. Tomorrow, outside in the yard”.

   

  Aela stepped forwards then dominated the conversation, cutting the Harbinger down.
  “No, that’s not fair. We’ve always held it on the return, it should be now”.

   

  “Yes, but she needs rest”. Kodlak stated as he tried to quell the rash Huntress.

   

  “Harbinger, if I may, I’m ok. I’d like to have it now, while Veezara’s here”. Kul-et said, holding herself with pride.

   

  Kodlak smiled then nodded.
  “Very well. Aela, help Kul-et get cleaned up then bring her outside, we’ll have her ceremony now”.

   

  Ebony literally jumped out of her chair and screamed.
  “Oh yes! Kul-et, you’re going to be a full Companion”.

   

  Within ten minutes, Kul-et had a clean set of armour on. Aela gave her a stamina potion to drink.
  “Trust me you’ll feel better for it. Once we’ve had the ceremony, I’m taking you and Ebony for a slap-up meal”.

   

  Kul-et smiled wickedly.
  “Yea, but I don’t want to get too drunk. I want to try this B.H.C.”

   

  “You slut! Come on, it’s dark and they’re waiting for you”. Aela led Kul-et upstairs then out to the training area. Kul-et smiled straight away when she saw Veezara standing in the circle next to the Harbinger. She puffed her chest up with pride and walked past Farkas and Vilkas then stood where Aela had directed her to.

   

  Once Ebony calmed down, the Harbinger started speaking.

  “We gather here to welcome Kul-et to our circle. She came to us as a Whelp, but through honour and perseverance she grew. Who can vouch for her... Oh dear!”

   

  Aela walked straight up to him and tugged his arm like a child would to get the attention of a father.
  “Ermm, what’s up?”

   

  Kul-et cast a quick look at Farkas and Vilkas but even they had no clue as to what was wrong. The Harbinger walked past Aela and stood in front of Kul-et. Sadly, he shook his head at her.
  “Who can vouch for your bravery?”

   

  Aela immediately stepped forwards and rashly spoke.
  “I can”.

   

  The Harbinger turned to her and sadly shook his head.
  “No, you cannot. By your own words Aela, you never went with her. No one can”.

   

  Aela grabbed his arm and pulled him around to face her.
  “That’s bullshit! We all know how brave she is, every bloody one of us”.

   

  Kodlak held Kul-et in his arms and gently held her.
  “I’m sorry, you’re a brave lass but it has to be sanctified by a Companion on your trial. Leave it with me, I’ll sort it out tomorrow. Veezara can stay here, he is more than welcome. I promise you, Kul-et, I’ll sort it out”.

   

  Aela spat on the floor as she saw Kul-et start to get upset. Kul-et’s eyes glazed over as she turned to Veezara and desperately pleaded with him. Her broken voice could be heard all around the yard, despite its frailty, due to the mind-numbing silence from everyone.
  “I done that for nothing?” She turned around then simply headed inside, leaving Aela, Veezara, the Harbinger and everyone else behind her.