It looked like a Longer Walk than it Took

Or

“I Told the Dolt we were Near the Imperial City”            

A brisk wind whipped about the mountain top and wound its way playfully up to the highest peak where a lonely fortress stood. This was Castle Dante but as anyone who lived there could tell you, it was hardly worthy of such a ti
tle. Indeed, from the outside, Castle Dante was impressive; the front and most frequently viewed side painted a picture of power and prestige as it was huge and tall, and stood like a stony talon ripping into the steely skies above. From any other angle, Castle Dante would have no doubt resembled a large mask on a small child, for no extreme of decoration on its facade could hide the extraordinarily shoddy craftsmanship that went into nailing it together. Despite the tall illusion it gave, Castle Dante was but one story high, with the occasional upward slope and raised platform with a few basement rooms connected to the gallery storage. Width, however, was not an illusion; it really was as thin as it appeared being only three or four rooms across by perhaps five. On the whole it was almond shaped, comprised of a great hall, the aforementioned gallery and basement, a difficult to find set of private quarters for the current owner of the house, and an good deal of extra rooms that were perhaps meant to be libraries and guest rooms, now totally overrun with the many and somewhat useless servants that wander the halls, block doorways and greet the lords and ladies with gritted teeth and bad attitudes.The location was far less than ideal, as well, though the awkwardness of its placing did help in keeping prying eyes of p*censored*erby’s from looking at the backsides without lunging off a cliff to do so- not that the top of the mountain got many chance visitors, anyway, or that lunging off a cliff was totally out of the question, either. In any case, the final effect of Castle Dante was like a squat old bird of prey clutching precariously at a perch it seemed likely to topple off of at any moment. That is to say, it sat upon the highest peak of the highest mountain with its backside right up against the sheer cliff face and glowered down at the lands surrounding it- all but a few yards of slick snowy ground in front before another sheer drop, or, to the left and right, a steep incline to the conclusion of another peek before the drop off.The only way down was a long, tedious and potentially dangerous walk that wound round and about the mountainside for miles before coming to the firmer grounds below of the Skyrim border- an equally frosty and unpleasant place full of the quiet and boring Nords, the home of annoying thief- turned- trader and untold hordes of chilly adversaries and monsters. The only other way is a quick jump in virtually any direction, though this being less advisable. It’s enough to make a resident of Castle Dante very grateful for the tiny and well hidden teleportation room, even if it only takes you to three parts of the same city.Warping about was too simple an answer for Garnet Whitefire, however. If she was going to do anything, it had to be a fun way, one that nobody else had thought of or would dare to try if they had. Thoroughly determined to make life hard on herself, Garnet only took control of Castle Dante for two reasons; she needed some place to store all her treasure and gear- badly, and it was free. Given the chance she would have bought a house in Lilleway or Bravil, two cozy small towns located on the border of the Black Marsh, the muggy, hot swamps of her home. She hated the location of this place, the high- up frigid air and eternal snows, she despised the army of arrogant servants, she cursed the cramped halls every time she turned around and stubbed her claw the stone walls, and she absolutely couldn’t stand the mock- up Dracula feel of the entire, ridiculous place. It was a nightmare come true, in all reality, some cruel joke of a wealthy architect with nothing better to build. None the less, it was her home and the only one she had for now.

Garnet climbed up the short feet to the top of a peak and stood looking down at the marvelous land stretching out below her. For a time she only stood, taking it all in as the cool breeze sighed comfortingly across her amber scales and rustled her rouge gown. The descent of the cliff before her was like the beckoning challenge of an arrogant foe she knew she could beat. All at once she felt the over whelming urge to jump over the edge and into the sheer drop below. Wiser than wild, she resisted her immediate desire, but more impulsive than wise, Garnet dropped to knees, pushing aside the awkward cloth of her dress as she slipped towards the edge.

“That’s probably not very smart.” a voice muttered dully into her ear with a gust sharper than the chill about her.

“Probably not,” Garnet replied curtly, and glanced back at her Guardian Spirit.

Dave hung in a visible aura of his own displeasure. Bright, blue and wispy, Dave scornfully glowered at the world about him and complained bitterly more than he ever *censored*isted anyone. However, he was occasionally of use- after all he was a few hundred years’ dead. He’d been around, seeing this and noting that and, no doubt griping about everything in between.

“Well then, why do are you still sitting on that cliff edge, then?” he huffed grumpily, turning a deeper shade of azure.

“Because I feel like it...” Garnet countered and, turning back to the cliff edged closer until she was poised at the very brink. She glanced back again to see Dave struggling for a cutting comeback and decided not to waste any more time.

“Never mind,” she said, and slipped over the edge.

Unfortunately, she had calculated the length of the drop by a good three feet at least and landed hard on her legs. Pain shot up from her ankles, but she had no time to *censored*ess the damage as her balance slipped out from under her and she began to tumble and roll down the snowy slope. Above her Dave was calling out something and she was vaguely glad she couldn’t hear him, though whatever he had to say hardly concerned her now; she was approaching a second cliff at an alarming rate with no means of halting.

Instinctively, she grabbed her sword’s hilt and tempted to dig the butt of its sheath into the slick ground to no avail. In a moment she went over the edge and sailed rather gracelessly into empty space. Panicked, but not totally out of her wits she managed to right her angle for the fall and pull her weapon out of the way.This time she didn’t misjudge the distance of her descent- and it hurt almost as much as she expected it to.

At last, though, she had stopped sliding and sat in crook of a small valley. In the far off distance a high tower of the Imperial City loomed up from the mist that shrouded the mountain side and blurred the view. It looked like a terribly long distance to go but it was hardly a simpler direction than up and she would have to head straight up to get back to her snug bed and Castle Dante.Garnet struggled to her feet and brushed away the snow and ice that clung stubbornly to her fine clothes and under her scales before turning around in time to see Dave glide effortlessly down the Cliffside to her.

“Told you it was a bad idea,” he snorted.

“Yes, I believe I recall something along those lines,” she said and began to walk in the opposite direction, towards the foot of the mountain.

“Where are you going?” Dave hollered and floated after her.

“That way,” Garnet replied, pointing at the tower with a long, dark claw.

“What? To the Imperial City? Are you nuts?” he cried, finally catching up to her.

“Maybe,” she replied hazily, and sighed.

“But, but that’s miles away!” he shrieked, flickering excitedly and turning a pale robin’s egg shade of blue. “You’ll never make it!”

“Maybe.” she said again, this time a little bit wistful.

Onward they marched, Garnet slipping carefully down the slopes that grew gentler with every few yards and Dave ranting and glistening in the pale mountain light as he floating beside her in a brilliant array of imp*censored*ioned hues. The sun swung about over head and glided towards the bleak horizon in the distance and the mist that had surrounded them fell back and grasped about her ankles as they moved steadily towards level ground. It seemed as if the sun would complete his journey before them and plunge them into the darkness and danger of night.           

All at once, Garnet came to an abrupt halt and stood gazing off at something to her right. It was all Dave could do to stop but in the end, he glided through Garnet like a sharp chill and both shivered in displeasure.           

 “What is it?” Dave said uncertainly, quickly veering the conversation from the awkward encounter.           

“Over there,” she said, clearly too preoccupied to comment on either’s clumsiness.           

“What?” he asked again, and floated up beside her.

To his absolute awe, a ruin reared up before him from behind a tall stone as he moved into position. It was in a deep pocket against a sheer rock face on all sides but one which was a steep descent to its wall. Unless one stood in just the right place, or, in Garnet’s case, walked across the correct angle, it was totally and utterly hidden to the common p*censored*erby; or, as it was probably meant, a small fortress hidden totally from any army coming up the mountainside.           

“What are they?” Dave was shaken from his revere by the voice of his companion who sounded very urgent and very curious all at once.

 He glanced sideways and, after noting the intensity of her gaze, took another look at the tower below. Sure enough, he caught a glimpse of an immense and shaggy beast that raced from the rooftop and into the tower. He hadn’t gotten a very good look, but still it struck him as very familiar...           

“Do you know?” she asked again, watching in fear, awe and excitement as two of the great things appeared from beside the tower and stood looking up at them in seeming uncertainty.           

“Let’s see now,” Dave muttered thoughtfully, rolling his spectral eyes about in thought. “They’re big and green and hairy... I’m sure I’ve seen one, but I just can’t think...”           

 “Come on already!” Garnet squawked drawing her blade from its sheath.

She eyed the thin blade with dubiously, turning it this way and that in the evening sun. Normally, she would use a heavier weapon she felt confident with like a hammer or perhaps her favored Dwarven Great Axe which had seen her through quite a few difficult battles. This blade, however, was a legendary weapon of the rare material ebony, and a prized thing of magical qualities. None the less, in her hand it was as awkward as any other awkward tool as she was typically an alchemist and kept herself from the troubles of war. To her the blade look fragile and it hadn’t done the servant she procured it from a lot of good. After all, he was dead and she had prized it from his hands shortly after dealing a killing blow to the skull with her beloved gold colored axe.           

“Let me see, now…” Dave continued, gazing about the mountain side for inspiration. “I totally know this! What was it again?”

“Hurry up and tell me!” Garnet cried, intently eyeing the two beasts staring up at her.

She felt excitement and fear all at once knowing that she wasn’t really that good of a fighter, but none the less wanting to take on these fierce looking beasts in deadly combat.           

“Oh, yes!” Dave cried at last. “They’re trolls.”           

“What?” Garnet cried in horror.           

“Yeah, big, green, shaggy, three little red eyes… you know, you’ve seen pictures of ‘em. They’re trolls.” he replied casually, and dissipated into thin air effectively leaving her to sort this trouble out on her own.           

Garnet felt herself go cold all over. No kidding she seen pictures of trolls. They were only one of the most feared and deadly creatures in all of Tamriel… and there they stood below her. She’d heard so many stories of worthy warriors crushed by their immense strength, and yet, at the same time she felt that hot blood begin to bubble in her veins and she thirsted for a battle.           

“Um, perhaps not.” she said to herself, and turned quickly to go.

Fear began to overtake her, quickly quelling her previous desires to fight. Yes, she might have a long and difficult battle with such a worthy opponent, but there were two trolls at the base of the tower and possibly a third one still inside. She didn’t know anyone who was fool hardy enough to take on so many powerful foes and she wasn’t intent to become the first- or the last- all at once.She trotted nervously down the slopes toward the far off city, trying all the while to become calm and *censored*ure herself that the creatures wouldn’t bother to follow a worthless Argonian from their home. Fearfully she stopped and plucked at some flax seeds, an ingredient of alchemy she often used, but her hands shook too much and she soon gave up and turned back to the path.Suddenly, movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention. Garnet let out a small shriek out terror and began to run as fast as she could.

All at once a confused wolf came up from her right and ran across her path. No doubt that was what had startled her, but she was hardly in the mood for a pleasant stroll when trolls were in the vicinity. Besides, what on earth had startled a hardy highland wolf to run madly from whatever it had been up to?Needing no more encouragement Garnet quickly followed suite and began to tear down the mountain side away from the wolves and trolls and danger.

A student of potions before an adventure, she could hardly be construed as an impressive runner but her motivations were real and her efforts true; she found that she was able to streak tirelessly downhill without the slightest feelings of fatigue, all her senses electrified by a feeling of impending doom. On she went like this for some time, relentlessly charging the distant tower that rose higher in the sky as she moved down to ground level.The sun overhead loomed at its peak and bore down with fiery rays that heated her scales and baked the rough leathery skin about her face.

Garnet became aware of the drenched sensation underneath her dress and realized that it was her own sweat from the excessive fear and work of the run. With some efforts she backpedaled and managed to come to a lurching halt mid- hill. All at once her exhaustion caught up with her and she fell heavily to her knees black talons digging into the slick dewy hillside, pale muzzle pressed against the cool earth and choking for breath. She sat for some small time just trying to calm down and gather her, but after a moment she fell back against the slope and began to laugh uncontrollably at the sky, an involuntary gesture meant that *censored*ured herself slightly of the p*censored*ing threat as well as scolding herself for her folly.

Still a little buzzed by her recent emotions, Garnet cackled wildly at the sky and jabbed at odd shaped clouds with knobby fingers and sharp claws. Still giggling madly she rolled over and buried her face in the long gr*censored*, happy to be anywhere and be alive. After a time she stopped laughing and just lay relaxing, enjoying the soft bed of flora caress her body and feeling the tall weeds press into her nostril slits and between rows of long fangs, into her mouth. Giddiness faded into a sense of realness and relief, and Garnet pushed herself up from the ground to survey the surrounding land.

About her the earth rolled gently into an endless sea of green hills, but ahead the ground gradually leveled out to loosely wooded lands; beyond that the towers of the Imperial City still could be seen, tall and proud. This was where Garnet wanted to be now; among people, maybe even other Argonians if she was lucky, and just talk and be silently *censored*ured that nothing had happened as horrible as she had imagined it high up in the mountains. There she could walk about and chat, shop at her ease or just relax in some courtyard and dine on fine foods with mighty stone walls all around to protect her from the troubles of a worrisome mind in the wild. Slowly she stood up and stretched, breathing in deeply the rich air of the lush wilderness about her. She still had a long walk but, with some luck, it would be an uneventful one.No sooner had she shifted one foot to take a step, did a deep and unnatural shadow fall over her.

Garnet froze in terror and she became aware of a horrid stench of decaying flesh and the hot breath of an immense beast directly behind her. There was something then like an explosion which most have been a powerful roar from the creature but which Garnet had no time to reflect on as she was already halfway across the hills, dashing and bounding at top speeds towards the trees. To her terror the troll began to give chase, howling and roaring in outrage as its prey suddenly scampered away; then to her absolute horror the pounding of heavy feet and angry calls was joined by the cacophony of two more monstrous creatures approaching quickly.

Without slackening her pace, Garnet managed to glance back and, sure enough her gaze was met by two huge green beasts mere feet behind her and a third was coming up fast from a little ways off. After glancing into those glistening ruby eyes, Garnet suddenly had the inspiration in her to run much faster and she tore along at a colossal pace, shooting between tress and vaulting over shrub which she hoped to lose the fiends amongst.

Afternoon faded into the still twilight of evening and that into the rising dark of night as she ran along at breakneck pace. The gorgeous scenery p*censored*ed by like a hazy dream, blurred to a series of obstacles in her golden eyes and her fear- sharpened mind instantly calculated the best and trickiest way to maneuver through and around them. At another time she would have been delighted to just walk about the peaceful lands, observing the local wildlife and taking it easy, but at that exact moment she wasn’t to confidant about the peacefulness of any place in a fifty mile radius of her and the troll mob, nor was she so positive the recently migrated mountainside wildlife wouldn’t rip her limb from limb if she dared to slow for an instant.

To her surprise and frustration the beast stayed hot on her trail, swinging brutishly at her when they could or trying to snatch her long whipping tail. It was all that she could do just to stay a few paces ahead of the monsters and she found herself wondering how such gargantuan creatures managed to keep pace with a slender and highly alarmed Argonian. Onward she pelted through the woods desperately trying to elude her adversaries on her course to the Imperial City and safety and onward they shambled after her, deathly driven by some wild instincts that told them to hunt and kill at all costs.Before her the line of trees finally broke and she dashed into a sloping valley. Closer than ever the towers loomed overhead and she could see the high walls in the distance.

The shocking scent of water struck her nostrils and she gasped in surprise and relief; she was an Argonian and there was no place an Argonian was meant to be if it wasn’t in the water. She was so close to the moat surrounding the city that she could almost taste it—if she could just reach the s*censored* she would be home free. Hardly any creature would head into the still waters of Tamriel at night without sufficient cause and even fewer were willing to dive in after a combative Argonian who would have the instant advantage of speed, grace and underwater breathing.Suddenly she was aware of the late time and the stillness of the night around her. The trolls must have gone far enough from their home and finally turned back in hopes of easier prey. Still, quietness was never the best indicator of safety as Garnet knew well, but the weariness of her journey was beginning to set in.

She slowed her pace to a brisk jog and breathed deeply to try and relieve the muscular stress that was taking her over. She could smell the water better than ever now and the ground beneath her began to feel like it had traces of sand strewn over the packed, dry earth. Garnet caught glimpses of something white between the trees and thought it to be the beach below. No matter how much she wanted to run to the water she was too tired to go faster, yet she was still too frightened to slacken her pace any.

Right about now, Garnet thought to herself, is when I am beset upon by a pack of wolves!

She chuckled for a second at her own joke but all of the sudden the laughter caught in her throat and she choked in surprise and fear; no sooner had she thought those words had one of the flitting white figures emerged from behind the scrubby waterside foliage and stood glaring at her with hungry yellow eyes and lip drawn back to reveal a cruel smile full of sharp pearly teeth.

Stunned by her misfortune, Garnet stopped short and gaped at the apparition of the night mere feet away, fur a glisten in the light of two moons. By now she was positive the trolls were gone but wolves were not a thing to sneeze at if you were as inexperienced at fighting as Garnet was. This wolf was almost as tall as she was even though it stood on all fours and it looked very strong and very mad.Instinctively Garnet’s hand went to her sword hilt and she began to slowly creep towards the beach, being sure to keep a good distance from the wild animal and watch it all the while.

The wolf stood its ground and raised its head, ears erect, gleaming eyes round and fangs bared in its best and most effective intimidating stance. Then, another wolf bounded up and stood next to the first, the new comer being larger than the first. Its fur also shimmered pale in the dim light but across its back was a streak of muddy brown and it stood beside the other wolf watching her curiously. Garnet *censored*umed they were mates or something of the like and as she continued her arc towards the beach she caught a glimpse of another, smaller white figure in the brush behind the other wolves which confirmed her thoughts.

No doubt these honest and loyal creatures were only protecting their territory and young from the suspicious orange person that was tresp*censored*ing, but Garnet somehow couldn’t muster any sympathy for the trio when the first wolf suddenly lunged for her barking and snapping like a beast with rabies and the second quickly followed. In an instant she took off and Garnet found she once again dashing towards the Imperial City from some horrible *censored*ailant she had little or no chance fighting. The only difference was that now the beach and moat of the great city sprawled out before her and the sturdy walls towered overhead just beyond her reach.

It was almost too much to bear, always having to run away just because she had decided to major in Alchemy and the magical arts rather than combat as most adventurers had. Was there really so much future in brawn over brains in this world? Furious, Garnet sprung across the thin beach and scurried onto a tall boulder at the water’s edge. There she would kill the wolves by swinging down on their skulls whilst they tried pathetically to leap up to her.She just had enough time to draw out her blade as the first wolf came bolting around a scraggly tree and came at her full speed, its wild eyes clearly full of determination and hate.

It came up fast and hard but to her relief stopped at the base of the boulder and snarled up at her. After a second it became obvious that this ravenous thing was the only in the group interested in ripping out her lungs at the moment as no more figures of white appeared from behind the brush line. Pleased with herself, Garnet sneered down at the lone figure that glowered back up at her. Surely, she could take on this single wretch! Arrogantly she leaned over the boulders edge and swung down heavily.

To her surprise the attack caught the wolf off guard and the thin blade struck the beast a heavy blow across the snout and brow.The wolf gave a terrific yelp of pain and stumbled backwards, blood erupting from the deep cut, staining its previously ivory fur. The animal fell momentarily and then righted itself before shaking its head in pain sending a thick rain of crimson in all directions.

Then it looked accusingly at Garnet, red smeared across its bony face like a mask of gore, the bloody- black scar ripping straight through its perfect features, and one eye below the scar shrunken and blinded, full of blood and dripping a thicket ooze. Blood still flowed steadily from the wound and down its brow and muzzle where it fell and puddle on the golden sand below the head. All at once Garnet’s prior anger was dwarfed by the animal’s sheer outrage as it turned icy eyes towards her that seemed to stare into her very soul. She couldn’t help but shudder in surprise and fear at the magnificent creature she had harmed.

Unexpectedly, the wolf made a terrific lunge at Garnet springing forward at her shocked form with all its pent up anger and thirst to inflict the pain it had suffered back on its *censored*ailant. Garnet barely had time to think as the wild animal came straight at her, jaws agape. She gave an unintentional shriek and lunged back on top of the stone only to hear the terrifying sound of sharp claws scraping stone as the huge beast clambered up the rock face.Suddenly she found herself face to face with the bloody specter, cornered on top of the boulder.

For a moment, neither moved and Garnet began to wonder if it would have been safer to face the trolls, then it was after her again, leaping and snapping. Instinctively Garnet shielded her face with the still- bloody sword and felt a searing pain in her hand as the wolf struck. She cried out in pain and stumble backward only to feel her feet swinging out over open space.

Not again! Garnet thought to herself and accidently let go of her weapon as the wolf released her hand and she began to flail madly as she plunged backward off the rock.

A freezing sensation coursed over her body and the wind was knocked from her all at once as she struck the water below and went under. To say the water was cold was almost as poor an understatement as to say it was dark. Garnet found herself suddenly beginning to appreciate just how chilly water got at night so close to the highland regions. It was as if a warlock had summoned shafts of ice that pierced into her core and when she opened her eyes she saw only inky blue.

Totally disoriented, Garnet struggled underwater trying to remember which way was up and after some wild blinking and thrashing about she finally caught sight of the dual lights of the moons beyond her freezing black prison. Exhausted but determined, Garnet gulped a deep lungful of refreshing water and shivered at coldness inside before beginning to swim towards the light above.In a moment she broke the surface and coughed up the water in her lungs to allow air to flow in again. She shook her head in attempts to shake free the befuddlement that had total control of her moments ago, when something on the rock she had fallen off caught her eye.

It was the wolf who had attacked her standing there like a noble guardian, blood still coursing down its powerful face; the only thing that was different was that the beast now had, clutched in its reddened jaws, the hilt of her sword! The wolf only stood there gazing down at her with her weapon betwixt its teeth, the blade pointing out into the night as if it were ready to begin swinging the blade down on Garnet’s head and, with the way she felt now, she wouldn’t be terribly surprised if it did.

Without thinking about it, Garnet’s hurt hand rose out of the water and the wolf immediately turned and ran off into the pitch black night, still grasping her sword in its jaws.Dramatically she sighed and began to rub her temples, suddenly aware of a quickly developing headache. For some time she tread water and stared off into the darkness, totally at a loss of words for all that had happened that day but finally she turned around and looked up at the immense silhouette of the Imperial City that stood safe and silent beyond the moat.

Without a word she dove into the murky water and began to swim towards the far side and the city wall.The bitter chill didn’t affect her when she was in her element and she moved through the water with ease and grace; long claws and thick hands parting a path in the deep; powerful legs and webbed feet kicking; long and sinewy tail lashing behind her.

To anyone watching she may have resembled a glinting bronze dragon swimming beneath the still waves if not for her heavy red garb. In seconds she would be on the other side, drawing herself up from the deep and making her way into the city and a nice warm bed.

All the same she couldn’t keep from hoping there were no Remora Sluaghterfish out tonight as she swam, unarmed.