The Changing
As the Dunmer plunged himself back into the memories of the Alchemist, he suddenly finds himself standing before an imposing figure. Heavily armored and bearing the crest of the Crusader upon the chest, he finds himself taken aback as he looks at the unmistakable blue eyes of the very man he just finished speaking to. However the eyes weren't the gentle and benevolent ones he had come to initially know; they were hard and shrewd. His face, while still very pleasing to gaze upon had a definite ferocity within it now, a cold defiance toward what he battled against. Now a spectator in the memories, the Dunmer simply observed it unfold...
Tavion strode along the fields of kummu landscape, the fair Lake Amaya at his left. Alert and vigilant he kept a hand defensively upon the pommel of an ebony broadsword as his other arm gripped a shield. His armor clattered and hissed with each step, causing him to seem even more imposing a defender. Casting a look ahead he narrows his eyes and approaches a small encampment of men, knowing their reputation as highwaymen toward pilgrims and traveling merchants. While under no acting authority of the Imperial Legion or other forms of law enforcement, he still took matters into his own hands. With a greeting to the three, he finds himself under their suspicious eyes, scrutinizing him heavily. Speaking calmly, as if chatting about the weather and other trivialities he speaks "You do understand you are now in far graver danger than you understand. For your crimes against those unable to defend themselves, you have garnered my attention. I am far less than amused by your antics, but I am willing to strike a deal."
Looking at the armored man as if he were stark raving mad, the trio turns to look at each other before bursting out into raucous laughter. One, sporting violently red hair stands up and looks the stranger in the eye before petulantly spitting at his feet and sneering "Best be on your way, n'wah. Before you find yourself face-down in that lake over there." Unfazed by the lack of courtesy, Tavion simply looked in pity at the one who spoke to him "My terms of the deal are you return what you have waylaid from others and oath never to do such acts again, and I let you go." Met with more peals of laughter the other two stand up and form a rough semi circle around him. Leering unpleasantly they speak among each other as to how much the armor would fetch, already speculating the sword alone would gain them a fortune. It was the moment Tavion had been waiting for, he was now within ability to act.
In a smooth upward arc, the arm that bore his shield connected solidly with the chin of the red haired Dunmer in front him, the shock and brute force of the blow lifting the unsuspecting brigand into the air and some four feet back, stunning and leaving him with both a severely bloodied face and an addled mind. In the same action as the sudden shield strike, Tavion's sword was drawn. With explosive force he thrusts it directly to his right, sheathing the sword in the stomach of the one on his flank. Without giving a glance to the mortally wounded Dunmer he deftly twisted the weapon before withdrawing it and sending a tremendously crashing blow upon the one to his left. The strike was a dire one, cleaving deep into the flesh followed by a large spurt of vital life essence, silhouetted in the sunlight the blood seemed to be cast of purest silver before pattering lightly upon the grassy ground. His eyes never having left the Dunmer he struck with his shield he is still keenly aware that the one pierced through the stomach has dropped to his knees and fallen backward. With a cold push of his shield he shoves the fatally wounded one off his blade, hearing the body collapse heavily as it sprawls out upon the ground.
Pointing his blade in front of himself, Tavion advances suddenly and swiftly, bearing down upon the dazed criminal. The metallic rustle of his armor having become infinitely more intimidating to the surviving highwayman. The brigand, scooting backward upon his bottom, desperately tries to back away from the hellish sight. Halted only when he presses hard against a rock. Closing his eyes he swallows hard, preparing to be brought before the chill embrace of death. Bringing the sword to within inches of the Dunmer's face Tavion quietly speaks "I will spare your life, but I want you to let it be known to all who are like you that I shall not stand against actions like yours. Go, lest I release my already fragile grasp of mercy and give you the same fate as your associates."
With a cold gaze, Tavion watched as the horrified survivor fled. Once the moment of chaos was over with he turned to survey the damage and see what he could gather and turn in to the nearest Imperial garrison. As he made his way toward his destination point, he mused that darker things loomed in his future; that he felt in his heart that his actions of the day would merit a far more sinister repercussion...
(c)2005 Scrooluse
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