Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-24510587-20190226002852/@comment-25828117-20190227142701

Their rooms were small cozy rooms existing for the most part of merely a night stand, chair and a single bed. For the two big fellows of the company that meant slight discomfort however. First time in a bed after days of sleeping on the ground and it was going to be a tight fit.

Cade got a better blankets and a softer pillow though, because of his status as a knight. And he also got a room with a fireplace.

Meyline got the room in between Cade and Graicus. Her perk was a mirror and wash stand.

Graicus had to make do with rough fur blankets and a straw pillow but because of his room's position at the end of the hall he had the room with a window. A small one that let in pale moonlight.

The gladiator decided to go to bed without his boots, cloak, tunic and belt for once; meaning naked. It was liberating to not have the girdle clung tight around his gut after all that time.

The hum of the tavern below faintly droned through the floorboards of every one of their rooms but it wasn't too loud to be a nuisance. The same floorboards that let through sound also let the warmth radiate up from that common room making the rooms pleasantly heated in contrast to the winter cold of Skyrim outside.

The Imperial scratched his beard as he lay in bed looking to the side, out of the window towards the sky, seeing the moon appear and disappear behind drifting clouds. He was thinking about how he could convince Helian to come back with him. He could technically stuff the boy in a burlap sack and drag him all the way back to Bruma, kicking and screaming. He'd much prefer it if that wasn't the case.

Sleep rolled over him as his thoughts drifted into dreams.

"Like I said. I won't let you go to waste. A good hunter never let's anything go to waste." The voice continued.

Graicus turned around on himself and back, trying to find the source of that painfully familiar voice. He was so enthralled by it he even disregarded the massive black bear standing but a few yards away from him.

"Who are you!?" He called, clamping his hands tightly around the spear.

"You know who I am. We met before. Briefly. This is my realm, or at least... an aspect of it."

The Huntsman, Hircine appeared besides the bear. The beast was massive but next to the daedric prince it appeared to be no larger than a wolf.

Graicus was understandably on edge.

"Is this about that offer? I said no didn't I?"

Hircine had no face from which emotion could be discerned but from the sound of his voice he almost sounded mischievous.

"It is about that and I know you refused. Though you did accept my gift. The spear."

Graicus looked down at the weapon in his hands. Part of him thought about dropping it right then and there, to never ever touch it again, but another part of him just couldn't... Not anymore.

"It's a good spear..." He mumbled, trying to think of a reason why he hadn't gotten rid of this Daedra's weapon yet.

"Aye, that it is. But it is so much more as you've discovered. You've gained access to my realm and in doing so, I have gained access to you."

The daedric prince brought a hand around the bear's pelt and rubbed it as if it were a dog, an obedient creature with a raw power ready to be unleashed at any moment.

"I have been able to see you beyond Markarth. Your raw power in the fight against my forsworn it made me realise you were too valuable to let go to."

Graicus expression took on a scowl.

"Your forsworn?"

"Aye. They are one of the few mortal peoples left on what you call Nirn, that have revered my name, and as such have gifted them with many of my attributes. I remember when they called upon me for strength when their lands were being ravaged by Imperial madmen..."

The god reclaimed his hand from the bear's pelt.

"Men like you."

The gladiator thought about what this could mean. Was he going to die now? Was this the final revenge of the Forsworn? One final kick that would mean the end of him?

Hircine was laughing now. Most definitely laughing. It was quite unnatural.

"Fear not, gladiator. I am merely here to see you reach the fullest of your potential as the beast you already are."

That sentence made absolutely no sense to Graicus but it probably wasn't anything good.

Hircine meanwhile started dissipating as if the shadows of the forest had disregarded depth and claimed bits and pieces of the god until only a voice remained that boomed throughout the woods:

"I won't keep you any longer. My test awaits, I hope to see you on the other side."

Graicus had little time to ponder on what the god meant when the black bear, the monster, roared and came running towards him.

The gladiator could not outrun such a thing so the only option left was to fight it. He took a stance that would keep the bear at bay with the spear. He let out a roar to match the creature's and moments later they clashed.

The spear did little to dissuade the beast who swatted it away and brought one of his massive claws down on the gladiator's chest.

A burning pain woke Graicus up.

-

The morning had arrived. Sunlight, struck by a soft mist over the harbor, poured in from the window revealing Graicus' struggle. He had been twisting and turning in bed that it had formed banks and lumps. His chest lay bare, the blanket kicked off and it felt like someone had been dancing on top of it. When be brought a hand down on it though he felt no gash or wound.

It was just a dream He thought.

But it clearly hadn't been. What was happening to him? That spear. He needed to get rid of it.