The Rise of Rex, Chapter 101: Tyrant

The Rise of Rex, Chapter 101: Tyrant

For context, read the previous entry in this series: http://imgur.com/gallery/mukvy

For further context, start from the beginning: http://imgur.com/a/fBSuQ

My name is Rex.

17 FROSTFALL 4E 201

I've come such a long way to get back here. How long has it been? I don't even remember. My journey across Skyrim has taken me to far-off places, deep down depths and exotic locales. But now I stand here in the Palace of Kings, the cold heart of my hometown.
What will I do? What kind of person will I be? These are questions I still ask myself. No matter what I do, I think in the end, it'll probably be very, very foolish.

In order to become a Storcloak, I'd need to pass an initiation ritual at Serpentstone Isle.

Right, I almost forgot.

Windhelm is the kind of town that hates you for what you are, not who you are.

I stepped outside for some fresh air. I needed a chance to think.

Bodies were strewn about in the street, not unlike what I saw when I first entered Morthal.

I decided they didn't need their loot anymore. At least, no more than I did.

And as it turned out, they were vampires.

Whoops!

At least I woke him up during the day.

The battle wasn't exactly hard-fought.

The vampire was easy enough to dispatch in broad daylight, especially with the town guard and citizens pitching in to strike him down.

"No worries boys, I've dealt with these creatures before. I can banish them for you."

I left out the part where I WAS one of those creatures. And I mean, it was only for a little while.

Luckily, I still had a single vial of fire accelerant.

I had some tucked away from the last time I fought that vampire clan in Morthal. I'd have to remember to brew some more before I ran into any more. These things were nearly immortal, and nothing short of dousing them in the accelerant and lighting them ablaze could end them for good.

"No need to thank me."

Brelda and I continued our walk.

That's when she said something unexpected.

She was a mother.

Made me think of family. I had no family in this world, so the thought rarely occurred to me that my comrades - and those that my comrades and I fought - might have mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and even sons and daughters depending on them.

I tried to push that thought aside as I entered the tavern.

It brought back bittersweet memories for me. This is where my adventure began.

Am I a hero yet?

"Hey Adonato... I delivered that book for you."

He didn't seem to care. Honestly at that point I didn't either. It didn't matter to me that my first real quest, the impetus for all of my adventures in Skyrim was a sham, a two-bit delivery job for an extra book.

So we just had a brief chat.

"Tales of nobility and courage? Maybe someday."

The idea of heroism returned to me. When I started this journey, I wanted so badly to be a hero, like all the great Nords of Windhelm and Skyrim. But seeing the city again has only made me realise how much I'm hated there. How much I'm unwanted in my own home!
What does it mean to be a hero? Could I be a hero? I still wasn't sure. But the one thing I knew above all else was that Ulfric Stormcloak was a true villain.

The time for thinking was over. I slept the rest of he night in Candlehearth Hall.

And when I awoke in the midst of the night, I took to the sewers, like the snake that I am.

"In the end, I suppose we're all pawns of the Thalmor."

"But this has to be done."

I raised the elven dagger high, poised to strike its poison-dipped edge straight into Ulfric's flesh.

It was a direct hit!

And then he stood up.

Unphased, he got out of bed.

The deadly poison wasn't so deadly after all.

I readied myself for his attack.

To my surprise, he shouted - yes, shouted - at me with such force that it sent me flying across the room and into the wall.

I stood up and looked him in the eye, malice and hatred burning inside us both.

And then the fight truly began.

As I walked backwards though the dark hall, I heard Brelda shout. It reminded me that I wasn't alone.

Then Ulfric shouted me down the stairs as I reached for a torch.

I did my best to defend myself, but I had little time or room to exchange weapons safely.

Ulfric taunted me as his companions joined him.

I backed up as much as I could.

But I was starting to panic. Wasn't thinking straight.

I wasn't in my right mind. It wasn't fear or anger at that point, just pure panic. So I lashed out.

Amidst the fiery, bloody exchanges, Ulfric walked forward.

He said to me, in a voice both calming and terrifying, "I'm having fun, are you?"

And then his whispers turned to shouting.

Ulfric was no man.

He was a monster.

As I slammed back into Ulfric's bedchambers, I reached for the first health potion I could find.

It allowed me to last just a little longer.

But it was clear I couldn't fight. Not like this.

So I ran.

But I couldn't get away.

Ulfric's archers were waiting for me. And by the looks of it, they did a number on Brelda too, after we got seperated.

It would take some serious cunning, strength and skill for us to both get out of there alive.

But I knew I had to. Like it or not, she was one of us now.

So I lashed out again, fighting with every fibre of myself for my new friend.

I fought hard, too.

But I was trapped.

The pain overwhelmed me as my body gave out. I fell. And that's when the real fun began.

Ulfric brought his axe down on my back, sending a fiery spark of pain throughout my body.

I collapsed onto the cold stone steps and everything went black.

Chapter 102: http://imgur.com/gallery/yV2F9