Shakur searched another house, but with no luck. "If this man is a self proclaimed emporer, he may have some power. Let's try looking at the welthier houses".

OOC: Got to go now, Sel, if you don't mind, control Shakur.

Jonacin had looked around the stable for a while after he entered. After a lot of thought, he finally decided on a fine black stallion, about 18 hands high at least. Saddling it, he climbed onto it's back and looked around at the others. "will we go back to the others now then?" he asked

Fenris raised a eyebrow at Celia's choice of a horse, and then nodded to Jonacin.

"But what about mister telekenisis(sp?) bully?" Celia glanced questioningly from face to face. "Well, how about some of us stay at the gates and the some of us lead the horses to Sel and Shakur? That way, in case of a trap, some of us would be free to help the rest...?" Celia didn't like that Imperial brute, not one bit. She felt something was wrong with that man...

"I'll stay behind with their horses" said Jonacin. "I'm needed less than the rest of you, my only skill is killing things, so if something goes wrong you wont be losing someone important"

Myrage checked the faces of the crew he had ridden up to. These weren't the people he'd met! "Oh Azura!! where are they?" He charged round the city trying to find them. Finally he saw Celia on horseback and galloped over to her. Patting his horse he came up beside her, breathing heaily.

Shakur kept looking for the self proclaimed emporer, but every burned shack and destroyed house, his search seemed pointless.

Celia volunteered to stay with Jona and Serene. "That way, the mages are not stuck anywhere, and we also have a 'bodyguard'. Besides, I have Sel's amulet, so it would make sense for me to stay here..."

Hearing heavy breathing near her, Celia turned towards it. "Oh! Hello, mister Bosmer." Wary, Celia moved her horse closer to Serene's.

Myra frowned, shaking his head and trotting up to the iron gates. He looked around, wondering what was going on. "Where is everyone?" he asked, frowning again and leaping off his horse. He tied it up to the gate by a small bit of rope and sat down by the wall, catching his breath.

Posting when Konradude eventually gets round to his

"Celia, you and Serene can't both stay, if either of you stays. You two are the only mages in the group who know healing magic, if the others lose you, they're all doomed. I'm the expendable one, you have other fighters to protect you" said Jonacin

Celia frowned. "You're important in my eyes!" She saw the determined look in the Reguard's eyes, so she gave up. "All right, I guess... But promise not to die on me, m'kay?" She tried to smile. "Because I'll hurt you bigtime if you did..."

Turning to the Bosmer, she said sternly, "None of your beeswax, mister Bosmer."

"I don't intend to die anytime soon little lady. I still have some old scores to settle back home"

[quote=LoneWolf]"Celia, you and Serene can't both stay, if either of you stays. You two are the only mages in the group who know healing magic, if the others lose you, they're all doomed. I'm the expendable one, you have other fighters to protect you" said Jonacin[/quote]

"The less fighters, the soon they wear, and become injured, the more the healers have to work," Fenris said.

Sel grew tired of checking houses.

"Maybe he has surrounded himself with the refugees - check the middle of the mob." he said, pointing ahead. "If he isn't there, we could ask around, so the trip isn't a total waste of time..."

Shakur searched the crowd, but dirty faces was all he could see. He tried to blend into the crowd, or at least to be undetected by possible targets. He searched and searched, until he found a very likely supect. He was surrounded by large men wearing wearing armour. He looked for Sel, until he found him. "I found him, he's surrounded by guards though. I think if you or I start a diversion, the other can lure him out".

Myra suddenly leapt to his feet, and pulled his dark cloak's hood well over his eyes. 2 jumped onto his horse and galloped into the main city.

Half an hour later he came back, sporting a new horse being pulled along by a rope and a considerabely larger filled bag.

[quote=Red]Shakur searched the crowd, but dirty faces was all he could see. He tried to blend into the crowd, or at least to be undetected by possible targets. He searched and searched, until he found a very likely supect. He was surrounded by large men wearing wearing armour. He looked for Sel, until he found him. "I found him, he's surrounded by guards though. I think if you or I start a diversion, the other can lure him out".[/quote]


"I prefer a more direct approach. I never said we were stealthy assassins. I can take care of the guards if you can get the leader. We'll go from there." Sel said.

And before Shakur could argue, Sel had already rid himself of the cumbersome cloak and slashed a guard's neck.

Shakur jumped at the mage, who was attempting a spell, and used his shoulder to send the mage wobbling. The mage regained his footing, and got ready to cast. He shocked shakur, but it seemed to only anger him. Shakur lifted his hands and set the mages cloak ablaze, giving him time to get close. He charged, still not drawing his sword, and tackled the old man. The old man lifted his right hand, throwng Shakur off of him. The mage rid himself of his burning cloak, and stood back up. He redied his hands, but something wasn't right, something was terrible about his eyes. He shot a fire ball, which grew and grew as it sword. It exploded so fast it set shakurs robe on fire before it knocked him down. Shakur got up with a new determination. "Your thread in this prophecy is dwindlng" Said Shakur. Another fire ball was shot at him, smaller, but just as dangerous. The mage laughed, until he saw the still burning Redguard run through the fire ball. He was holding his Claymore, a sign that he didn't want to kill this man, he wanted to exterminate him. Just like the daedra, just like the asassins. He threw his sword through the newly forming ball of ice, and into the mage's stomach. The mage was in shocked disbelief. Shakur, still running, was now infront of the terrible mage. He lifted his left hand, and watched as his gauntlet's glass spikes cut deeply into the mage. He tackled his dieing body, and watched as his claymore lifted as the body laid on the ground. He picked up his sword to help Sel with the guards, after putting out the flames ofcourse.

OOC: Was that a good enough fight seen for you all?

"Good of you to join me!" Sel shouted over the sound of steel against steel. His glowing longsword stabbed through another man's chest, showering Sel with blood. "Five." he muttered to himself, running to help Shakur with the last guard standing.

He was dead before Sel got there.

"Clumsy assassination, but effective nontheless." He said cheerily to Shakur.

Jonacin heard a lot of noise from a large group of refugees, he looked over and saw the aftermath of a battle, Sel and Shakur standing amongst the dead bodies of the self-proclaimed emperor and his guards

"You missed the fight of your life sir. um, I don't believe we've been properly introduced" Shakur looked at Jocain strangely, wondering why he only learned two peoples names so far. Shakur noticed that after his adrenaline rush, he was bleeding badly from the back of his leg.

"I'm Joncain, a Blademaster. I hail from Hammerfell. Who might you be?" said Jonacin

nevermind...got skipped again

"I am Shakur the Red, battle mage. I too hail from Hammerfell, Sentenil to be exact. I am happy to know we have such a noble blade master in our party". Shakur tried to seem as polite as he could to a better warrior, as his customs demanded him to, so he added a bow.

OOC: sorry Dantrag.

Jonacin returned the bow, even though Shakur's had looked a little........strained........as if he hated having to do it. But that didn't matter.
"We should get back to the others. It's time to leave this cesspit of a city" he said, wheeling his horse and riding back to where Serene and Celia waited

OOC: no problem. easily fixed.

IC:
"Fast travel for us." He said to Shakur. Sel touched the redguard with his hand and activated his amulet.

They appeared right in front of Celia.

"Hello, sweetie!" he said cheerily with a big smirk on his face.

"Yeah, I think I may need your assistence if you don't mind Celia" Shakur took off his boot and pulled up his pants to show the healer his deep cut, which had made him start to go white in the face.

OOC: okay, I gotta go now, see ya dantrag. If mergirl comes back, just tell her to heal me.

(OOC: Got it, Red!)

Celia nearly fell off of her horse when Sel and Shakur materialized out of nowhere in front of her. "Oh, you bad Dunmer! You could have given a girl a warning or two!"

She then dismounted as the Redguard showed off his injury to her. "Oh, dear! Let me see what I can do about that..."

She kneeled down to look at the deep and painful-looking gash, and sucked her teeth when she saw how serious it was. "Ooh, ooh." She gestured for the Redguard to keep off the injured leg area.

"Okay, relax, relax. You're making me nervous when you're all tense like that..." She positioned her hands over the injury and a glow emitted from them, slowly healing the injury as much as she could.

As she healed, she whispered to Serene, "Could you help me, please? I don't want to exhaust my healing so soon." As Serene's hand slipped into hers, Celia started to combine her healing powers with Serene's. The healing went by much faster this time, and the gash disappeared.

Celia and Serene smiled. Celia clapped her hands. "Yay! We did it!" She touched the spot where the injury was located. "See? Nothing!" She asked Shakur, "Now, let's see if you can walk. Your leg might feel a little numb..."

Atop the Stone Ramparts of the Walls...

"You're friends are strong Knight, especially that one with the claymore" Emperor Gustok explained, "You all will play a vital role in my empire. It will be one that makes Tiber Septims look of rubish!"

"How dare you disgrace the name of the Nine Divines!" Falx eye's were red with all the exertion of late, "Hmpf, strong they may be, but they won't help you!" He roared in difiance, "You see, they already killed one of your luetanits(SP?)! Just wait untill they find you Emperor."

Gustok face lit with glee, "Hahaha, do you really think they possesse the power to stop me?! For long I have practiced my arts, perfecting and building the perfect spells. I will not fall, and too make it more fun, go tell your friends what I have told you. Explain to them how they should go about fighting me! It will only be a game in my eye anyway..."

Falx turned around and left the ramparts.

"Grr, that bastards to strong, theres got to be a way though" Falx glared up at Gustok, the smile that he wore brought a sickness over Falx that one cannot understand.

He mounted his horse and casualy trotted towards the stables.

Catching wind of Sel and his companion Falx called out, "Sel, come over here! I have important news!"

(Im too lazy to summerize)

[quote=Channler]Atop the Stone Ramparts of the Walls...

"You're friends are strong Knight, especially that one with the claymore" Emperor Gustok explained, "You all will play a vital role in my empire. It will be one that makes Tiber Septims look of rubish!"

"How dare you disgrace the name of the Nine Divines!" Falx eye's were red with all the exertion of late, "Hmpf, strong they may be, but they won't help you!" He roared in difiance, "You see, they already killed one of your luetanits(SP?)! Just wait untill they find you Emperor."

Gustok face lit with glee, "Hahaha, do you really think they possesse the power to stop me?! For long I have practiced my arts, perfecting and building the perfect spells. I will not fall, and too make it more fun, go tell your friends what I have told you. Explain to them how they should go about fighting me! It will only be a game in my eye anyway..."

Falx turned around and left the ramparts.

"Grr, that bastards to strong, theres got to be a way though" Falx glared up at Gustok, the smile that he wore brought a sickness over Falx that one cannot understand.

He mounted his horse and casualy trotted towards the stables.

Catching wind of Sel and his companion Falx called out, "Sel, come over here! I have important news!"

(Im too lazy to summerize)[/quote]

*ahem* we killed that kid already...

Falx looked at his sword, "Im sorry, but that was a mere henchman, someone to get you all to come out into his trap and witness your fighting ability's. Hell, I could of beat that guy in one swing, but Gustok is going to take quite a bit more."

"Will I ever get out of this damned city?" Sel shouted, his still-drawn blade glowed an even brighter green, sensing Sel's anger. The young dunmer noticed, and sheathed it.

"What else can we do?" Sel asked as he sat down, burying his face in his hands.

"I have no idea, but for some reason he wants us to be his puppets. I don't like the sound of that.." Falx looked off to where Gustok was standing

"Regaurdless, we need to get these people out of the city before another Deadra attack happens. Go get everyone and start them hearding the refugee's out the city, to where who knows."

"I'm going to keep a close eye on our new "emperor". Right now information is our greatest ally. Now that I think about it, let me contact Channler Hadrian. He has the support of the Northren Legions, he might be able to help us."

-=-=-=-

Northren Province - Small Nordic Town

"HEY HO, HEY HO, WHERE'D THAT MAID GO!! SHE GOES FOR OUR RUM, TO PUT IN OUR TUMMMM! SO WIIIITH OUR ALE WE GO TO JAAAILL, I HATE THEIR COLD STONE SHACKS, HEY HO, WHERE'D THAT MAID GO!" Channler Hadrian, tipsy as a Bosmer on rocks (Moon Sugar), stood atop a table in a Nordic inn, making a fool of himself while trying to sing.

Channler Hadrian was Centurion of the North, a new title granted to give the locals something to fear about. But Channler was no body to fear, for he was a frequent visiter to many of the bars and a advent gambler. He had some skill with a sword to..

"Ok! I bet this nice little shirt right here" Channler pointed to the one he was wearing, "And these two fangled things the emperor gave me!" The Nords laughed at him, "Noo! We don't need those, those are your ranks! We wouldn't want some stiff neck moving in here would we?"
To the Channler simply replied, "Hell no, nevermind, but If I win this little bet of ours then I get Risi tonight!" The Nords gave a sarcastic whistle, Risi was a big women, even by Nordic standards, her voice was very masculine and she smelt of old Kwama Eggs.
"Oh sir Channler, you'd be very lucky to get her" One of the Nords grinned. But it didn't matter, because Channler was drunk beyond all of his sense's. He'd probobaly wake up in some alley way in the city and forgot why he was even here.

Several hours of gambling went by and... Sir Hadrian lost all of his bets, and everything but his helmet, "Well fellows... I'm gonna go back to the fort before one of these fine nordic women decides to take advantage of me" Risi blew a kiss at Channler, "Hahaha, don't you all wish you were as lucky as me?"

The Nords laughed so hard they started to cry.

(OOC: This is a character that I am going to involve latter in the story)

Sel never brought his head up.

"Our actions are bringing us closer to a full-scale war. We can't be fighting each other right now. These demons are more important than someone trying to usurp the throne." He said to the ground.

He got up, looking resigned.

"I'm not fighting in this war. I'll get the refugees out, but I will not fight in this war." A long silence followed before Sel got up. "I'm going for a walk." he announced.

Falx patted Sel on the shoulder, "If I were you I'd get as far away as possible. I don't want to see you all involved in a war, but I fear that if you don't help us here countless people will die."

EDIT: Oops...

[quote=Channler]Channler patted Sel on the shoulder, "If I were you I'd get as far away as possible. I don't want to see you all involved in a war, but I fear that if you don't help us here countless people will die."[/quote]

OOC: Channler is already here? Or did you mean Falx?

IC:
Sel heard Falx, but didn't reply. He merely brushed his long hair out of his eyes and walked down the street to clear his head.

Sel didn't want to fight in a war where he hated both sides. At least with his "assassination" he only had to choose the lesser of two evils - stop the fake emperor or people will die. But in a large war, Sel could never pick a side. The current Empire was corrupt in Sel's mind, and the usurper was merely a power-hungry thug. The line between good and evil was supposed to be clear...it wasn't.

If he sided with the Septim line, he would be supporting the very system he blamed for letting his sister's murderer go.

If he sided with Gustok, he would be helping an age of tyranny.

He decided he would make his goal the evil mage...worry about the war when he actually had to make a choice. He found himself in the City Square, staring up at the statue of Tiber Septim. Why did you feel the need to conquer? Why do people worship you? Sel thought. He turned around, heading back towards the friends he left.

"Good and evil, but I still can't involved. Good and evil are just names, both claim the other is evil. There must be something to do, but I won't help viscous murderers or the empire that attacked me, or even the rebellion. Makes me wonder why Azura sent me here". Shakur was still limping from his leg, but the healers had helped it amazingly. Shakur cleaned the blood of his sword but not his gauntlet, for it was a trophy of success. Shakur looked at his gauntlet "Maybe I am crazy, but you need a name. You are fast, deadly, manuverable and light, but unnamed. I know, I shall name you Cyrus, after the great hero" Shakur looked around to make sure no one heard him speaking to his gauntlet. Shakur pulled out a small jurnal from his old ashlanders robe, and put the robe on. He, like he does after many battles, wrote a poem.

Myrage furrowed his brow, thinking hard. "I havea feeling that mage is going to do something soon...something real bad...maybe we should get going?"

Arco satt by his horse not far from Serene, Celia and the others. He wasn't used to travel by horse but he controlled it good as he was waiting to move on out on this city...

Sel walked back to the stables where everyone still sat.

"Let's get the refugees out of here." Sel said. "We'll go from there."

"Sure..." Arco said, and he just raised a eyebrow and replied "Where are we going by the way?"

Celia overheard the others, but didn't say anything for awhile. Good? Evil? I think the Empire's good... sometimes... But I really don't want to fight a big war, just because someone is a bit spoiled and bratty...

After a few moments, she made up her mind. I'll stay with these guys and fight demons and maybe an evil mage, instead... "I say we escort the refugees as far as the outskirts of the city... We don't want demons attacking the refugees..." She paused. "But that's it. I'm not escorting them any further. I don't want that kind of responsibility for too long." She mumbled under her breath, "And I hate crowds..."

Jonacin agreed with Celia. "These refugees are the responsibility of the emperor, self proclaimed or otherwise. We can escort them as far as tha city outskirts, but after that they're on their own. We have more important things to be doing"

"Lets get moving then" Arco said starting waving his hands forward...

"Agreed." Sel said, "I'm not taking refugees past the outskirts either. And from there, I guess I will try to track down the mage, not Gustak, but the one that soultrapped me awhile ago...I won't be convinced to join this war unless I see a side I agree with."

Escorting refugees... shouldn't be too hard, thought Celia. "All right, then." She and Serene rode towards the refugees. Blushing, Celia raised her voice above the mumbling crowd, "Listen up! We're leaving now, and we'll escort you as far as the outskirts of the city." She glanced back at her companions, then turned to the refugees once again.

"We," she pointed to her companions and the Knight, as well as Serene and herself, "will protect you from harm as we escort you, so please, try to keep up."

She pointed to herself and Serene. "We have some healing magic, so if you're injured, please talk to us."

By now, the refugees seemed more calmer, but still tense and grumbling.

Celia felt uncomfortable and rode back towards he companions. "Okay, so, are we going right now?" Her question was directed specifically towards the Knight. "Because, no offense, I do not wish to wait for mister bully's permission, m'kay?"

Jonacin was a little hurt that Celia had completely ignored his presence, but he took up a flanking position alongside the crowd of refugees anyway, and began herding them towards the city gates