User blog:Psychomantis108/Story: Myths of Mundus: Dark Pilgrimage - Chapter 4: The scene of the crime

Erm... Here's chapter 4, I'm still shellshocked from waking up this morning, so I'm not going to say much.

Just that our heroes are off to find answers, at the White Gold Tower itself. :P

Story: Myths of Mundus: Dark Pilgrimage - Chapter 4: The Scene of the Crime
It was high noon, by the time that Arlas and her new, eight foot tall companion arrived at the Green Emperor way, stood in the shadow of the giant Ayleid construct at the center. Somehow, the building was impressive, whether you were stood 10ft away from it or 10,000, if you could see the White Gold Tower, your breath was instantly stolen from you as you stood in awe. Arlas had grown up in the Imperial City, so she was pretty used to it, it wasn’t as majestic and wondrous to her, unless she really thought about it. Bologra, on the other hand, was a little taken aback by its height and stature, wondering if those fancy skirt wearing Ancient High Elves knew what they were doing. Well, it survived a Bologra wrecking ball, so its foundations should be sturdy, at least for a couple of minutes or hours at the most. The two of them wandered through the garden, passing several scholars, who walked the path and discussed their latest theories, neither of which were of any interest to any passers-by. Bologra, not too surprisingly, stuck out like a sore thumb and got several looks and glares in his direction, in fact one Imperial woman even screamed as she saw him, taken completely by surprise. Arlas found herself to be a little more sympathetic than amused, she knew what it was like to be different to everyone else in the city. Her hair, her attitude towards things, both of these things made her a target for any judgemental passers-by. As a result, she turned around and looked over to Bologra, noticing that he was lagging behind a little bit. “You okay big guy?” Bologra’s attention was veering away, seemingly towards the gravestones as she spoke to him, prompting him to look back to Arlas and shrug. “Yeah, this city’s just weird…” He commented, scratching the whiskers on his face, with his remaining hand as he walked, eyeing an Imperial guard, in his fancy ass Palace guards, in their Imperial Palace Cuirass, adorned with a golden trim and tiny red dragons painted on their stomach. Bologra eyed the armour for a second, wondering if they were dragons or chickens, that had been run over by a passing cart, sadly, he never got to figure that out as Arlas called him over to the Palace entrance. Arlas stood, patiently, by the front door as she waited for a Palace Guard to open it for her. He stopped in front of them as soon as he was finished, to explain the rules. “Keep your weapons sheathed and your voices low, inside the Imperial Palace. Citizens are allowed to explore the elder council chambers, when they are not in session.” Arlas thanked him, with a polite nod, to acknowledge him, Bologra just snorted. The asshole didn’t say anything about spitting… However, Arlas, who was paying attention to her surroundings noticed that the guards didn’t seem remotely different to the way that they were usually. In fact, it was business as usual, after a Daedra had just fought a ten foot Orc, inside the Elder Council chambers, doing untold damage. It didn’t make sense to her, surely they’d be still investigating such an incident, the council chambers would be ‘closed, due to vandalism’ at least. Yet… Nothing… Hell, the Priests made a bigger deal than this, that time that Arlas did the ole bucket and door trick. Doesn’t the Emperor live here? Even if he was on holiday or something, he’s still at risk, isn’t he? She decided to ask, it’s not like they were trying to cover it up or anything as anyone who enters could clearly see that the table was shattered. “I’m surprised that there isn’t more security, considering the fight that broke out, in here, the other day.” Arlas pointed out, rather casually as if it was just a rumour. The Imperial Guard turned to her and raised an eyebrow, seeming incredibly confused by that statement. “Fight?” He asked, wondering if she was mad. “Y-Yeah, there was a huge ruckus in the Elder’s Chambers, the table got smashed, didn’t it?” The Bosmer asked, trying to appear to be as ignorant as possible but sadly she was failing as she knew a ‘’’lot’’’ more than the Imperial guard. “Sister, I don’t know what where you could have heard this but I can assure you, it most certainly ‘’’isn’t’’’ true. The Elder Council Chambers are perfectly functioning, no violence is tolerated inside these halls and both parties would be detained, the second that they drew their blades. If such an event had happened, I can assure you, the Palace would be closed off indefinitely. We wouldn’t risk the wellbeing of the ancient relics inside.” The Guard assured her, it was obvious what he was ‘’’really’’’ thinking though, he just remained respectful, because he was dealing with one of the Nine’s devotes. “Bullshit!” Bologra snapped, stepping forward and accidentally knocking Arlas to the side as he towered over the Imperial, looking like he was about to break something. “This place was smashed to shit, two days ago! I was here, being thrown around, like a ragdoll, until that thing cut my ‘’’hand’’’ off and I passed out!” He growled, waving the stump in front of the guard’s face, to show how fresh it was. ‘’Smooth Bologra’’ Arlas thought as she rolled her eyes, at least now the Imperial Guard saw where her crazy story had come from. Great, just great, not only did the Priests think that she was crazy but now the law does as well, just what she needed. “Sir, I must ask that you remain calm. If you’re trying to report an assault, then I will be more than happy to assist you in a civil manner.” The Palace Guard replied as his comrades turned their heads and slowly wrapped their hands around the hilts of their swords. “Y-Yeah, Bologra, you don’t want us getting ‘’’arrested’’’ now… ‘’’Do’’’ you?” Arlas added, giving him a glare as sharp as knives, causing Bologra to retreat into a less aggressive stance. “I… Guess not.” He sighed before chuckling. “You wouldn’t last ten minutes in a cell anyway, girly.” Arlas smirked at the jab, she’d get him back later, right now she’d rather focus on getting to the bottom of Bologra’s mystery ‘’’without’’’ getting thrown in jail. “C’mon Bologra, let’s go and examine the chambers, we can come back later once we’ve collected enough evidence.” She suggested, looking over to the Guard, with a smile and a respectful nod before the two of them entered. - As the two of them wandered down the palace’s hallway, Arlas quickly found herself stepping in front of the Orsimer, defiantly standing in his way. “Bologra… Are you ‘’’sure’’’ about this?” She asked, folding her arms and looking at him accusingly, somehow she believed the guard over him. “About what?” He asked, seeming confused, he hadn’t done anything illegal… Yet. “About… Your story, it doesn’t add up. Are you ‘’’sure’’’ that it happened as you said that it did?” The Bosmer asked, not wanting to call him a liar as she didn’t believe that herself. In truth, she believed that he was confused, perhaps it was a dream, that he experienced, after he had passed out, from the blood loss. “You calling me a liar?” He asked, rather darkly as he towered over her, he wasn’t a liar, stupid or crazy, he’d prove that. “Look, if none of it happened, then how did I lose my hand?” Bologra asked, waving the stump in front of her face. “The ruins and my hand should be here, unless they fed the hand to the guard dogs but they can’t cover up the ruins, that’s for damn sure!” “But that guy looked at us like we were crazy, I looked around and ‘’’no one’’’ knew what you were talking about! Are you ‘’’sure’’’ that you aren’t… I don’t know, remembering a dream or something?” The Orc growled and turned around, holding his mangled looking stump inches away from her face as he violently waved it. “Dreams ‘’’don’t’’’ cut off people’s hands!” He bawled in her face, causing the Bosmer to shudder a little as she wasn’t used to such aggression or noise or the dog-like breath of a warrior. As Bologra finished yelling he was quickly shushed by a scholar, who was walking past them, on his way down to the cellar. “Bite me, prick!” Bologra yelled at the weedy Imperial, getting him to jump out of his skin before he scuttled off, hurrying back to his duties. As Bologra yelled a second time, the Palace doors opened and two guards stepped in, holding up their swords as they got ready to put an end to the disturbance. Arlas felt her heart shift in recognition, slowly sinking towards her stomach as she looked back to Bologra, in a panic. “Y-You need to calm down…” “I’m gonna show you pricks that I ain’t crazy, that I ‘’’was’’’ here and this place ‘’’was’’’ smashed to shit and then you’ll owe me a ‘’’huge’’’ friggin’ apology!” As he finished, he turned to his left and booted the door to the Elder council Chamber as hard as he could, sending the two ancient doors flying open as he did so, revealing the Elder Council chamber to be… Untouched… The Ancient, stone, round table at the center remained unharmed, as did the ceiling and the walls… There was absolutely ‘’’no’’’ sign of any struggle, no damage done to the building, no blood stains… The only damage done to the room was the massive chip, that Bologra’s boot had put in the door, which lead them to their new problem. Bologra, still in shock, turned around and noticed that he was now surrounded by three, extremely pissed off looking guards, each pointing their swords at the Orc and his Priest companion as they slowly backed against the wall. “Oh oh…” Bologra muttered as he stepped back, oblivious to the fact that Arlas herself was pressed against the wall, clinging onto it as her heart pounded inside her chest, paralysed on the spot. She just hoped that it wasn’t too late to denounce her affiliation with the Orc…