*** Author's note:
This is the first time I've written a story, and I'm still learning how this website works. This originally started as a story for myself after I got tired of seeing stories written and abandoned by some authors on this site. I understand though, sometimes story plot lines aren't what you want or you want to change and you can't because you've posted it. Plus writers block is a bitch.
This story definitely is based around themes from Tolkien, D&D, and Bethesda.
Actually I did start with using the names and places within Elder Scrolls lore as placeholders before things started developing into its own world naturally. Lastly, the characters are all made up and the world they are in is completely fictional from my brain.
I do also read a lot of the stories on this site, so there might be some overlap in my writing as what I've read has heavily inspired this.
This first chapter is more to establish the plot and characters. With no sex.
Depending on audience reception, I will post part 2 soon.
Anyways without further ado
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The world lit up in screams. Panting, Aurelia deftly moved through trees trying to ignore the screams behind her. Screams of the men and women protecting her.
Aurelia had been roughly woken up by her mentor, Augustes, when the attack started. Aurelia scrambled out of her bed roll, Augustes grabbed her tiny hands in his calloused big ones and ran with her.
They were flanked from behind by a few of the rangers and mages in the camp while the rest had remained to distract. It was vital they did this, to keep her alive.
Men and women had fallen behind her. Their bodies, brought down by the sharp shot of Elven arrows. A ranger fell with a gargled grunt.
Aurelia glanced behind her to catch a glimpse of the man she recognized as Uriel, with an arrow lodged in his throat. Blood spurting out of his mouth as he suffocated slowly. His face twisted in agony before it went still with death.
Aurelia shut her eyes from the scene and continued being dragged through the forested woods of Kravalia. These were familiar woods she had crossed many times with her camp. They were constantly on the move and while at a different time these surroundings would have been pleasant and inviting, they only felt ominous and threatening.
Guilt wracked inside Aurelia's mind knowing that her camp had sacrificed themselves for her. The few surviving members stopped briefly to discuss strategy.
They agreed to split up hoping to confuse their pursuers. Augustes, her mentor, was to leave with Aurelia as the group agreed to meet up again in some hideout near the base of the Kravalian Rockies.
Together they stumbled through the woods westward away from the path the Elves were taking.
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He paused briefly allowing a few of his men to catch up with him. The rest were ransacking the little camp she was stationed at. He had to hand it to the humans, when he had ambushed the camp they somehow provided a large scale resistance to prevent him from capturing her. Not strong enough though.
He thought of the puny men and women scrambling for their weapons as his men charged in. Many had actually put up a good fight before going down. It was a testament to their resilience that they managed to distract him long enough for her to be whisked away.
There was no way he was letting her go though.
He stopped as he came upon the path and sniffed the air. She was close, he could feel it. They had spent months traversing the Kravalian forests tracking her camp. His hardened emerald green eyes scanned the divergent path that they took. He closed his eyes focusing on his senses. He knew exactly what he was looking for, the soft flickering heart, the sound of pulsing blood rushing through her veins as she ran further from him. His Seeker senses told him that she took neither path.
His face twisted into a dark scowl. He could feel her footsteps through the forest, her own divine energies basically calling out to him. Worried that this was some bit of human trickery he broke his men up into three groups, sending the first and second down the two paths. He turned and sprinted westward into the woods. His boots stomping down the path after his intended.
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A deep booming voice barked out orders that Aurelia couldn't quite make out due to their distance. She prayed silently that they hadn't noticed that they had split into three groups instead of two.
At that moment the other two were running down two branching paths while Augustes had chosen to navigate the forest with her.
Her heart pounded as they tumbled through trees and branches. It felt like they had been running for hours. Her lungs felt like they were on fire. She knew she didn't have the energy to keep running for much longer. She felt her mentor squeeze her hand and glance back at her, giving an encouraging look. But his face shifted to horror as the sound of an arrow whizzing by her ear letting them know that they had been spotted.
Augustes slowed himself down. Aurelia frantically looked at her mentor urging him to continue with her.
"Go child, flee while I distract them. The base is just two days north of here, the others will be there."
Aurelia hesitated but before she could respond in protest her mentor shoved her away. His actions made his decision on the matter final. Aurelia scrambled to her feet and bolted away. Blood pounded in her ears as she sprinted through the darkness. She needed to break their chase on her. Find a way to the base.
Her eyes burned with tears thinking of the mentor she left behind. She couldn't let his sacrifice be in vain. She quickly glanced back to see if she could spy her mentor. The forest was too dark but she could make out the faint charges of magic coming from the direction she came from before finally the sounds of clashing metal. She staggered, leaning against a tree to catch her breath.
Everyone is dying to keep you out of their hands, she thought willing herself to keep running. If they catch you, they will torture you for your abilities.
You are the Source, great power has been gifted to you by the gods. The Elves desire that power for themselves to subjugate all humans. These words echoed in her brain from her image and mentor.
Augustes, her mentor, had drilled in her from birth the prophecy behind her.
She was a gift from the gods, to the race of man to deliver them from the elves who wish to enslave the human population. She could bring peace to Beria and end a war that's lasted a Millennia. The Elves wanted to use her abilities to increase their control and win the war.
She wouldn't let them which only meant that they would kill her once they found that out.
"There she is! I've spotted her" came a voice in the distance.
Aurelia inhaled a deep breath and continued her sprint. She couldn't let them catch her. She wouldn't.
Her own legs buckled beneath her from the exertion threatening to collapse. Her nails dug into her palms, jolting her back into focus and easing the pressure on her legs. She strained her ears to listen for the sound of possible attackers, the Elves that chased her now. She knew if they caught her it would most certainly mean death for her.
Aside from her own thundering heartbeat and light thuds of her boots against the dirt she could hear nothing.
Where are they? Did I outrun them?
Somehow she knew there was little possibility of that.
"Here pretty, pretty girl" Came a whistle just off to her side.
They were cat calling her.
"You sure it's a woman? She's awful small for a human, could be a child."
"Doesn't matter so long as she's female"
"I wouldn't go that way, little human..."
That's when it hit her. No, it really hit her. Up until now she had been staring at the ground, willing herself not to look back at the chattering goons. She hadn't thought to keep track of what or who was ahead. With that, she ran into a large body. The impact caused her to fall backwards. Staring up at the large cloaked figure before her.
"Well, well, well look what we have here" said the figure.
Aurelia quickly pushed herself back onto her feet. She tried reaching down for her dagger, that she kept neatly sheathed away in her trousers before she felt a swift kick to her stomach that sent her peeling over again. She gasped and clutched her stomach, feeling as though her lungs had popped from the sheer force of the kick.
"Your highness, she's unguarded, the humans aren't stupid enough to leave the Source unguarded."
That's cause you killed my guard you asshole
she thought as tears welled into her eyes, at the thought of her lost mentor.
"I think she was guarded." Said the figure like he read her mind.
"We've either killed them or scattered them"
The figure crouched down in front of her and she felt strong hands reach to grab her wrist and pry it away from her aching abdomen.
In the midst of her agony she forgot to ball up her hands to hide her palms from her attacker. Big mistake. Panicking, she tried to pull her hand back from the large thick leather glove that now encircled her wrist. Hoping, no, praying that it was too dark for the figure to see the distinct marking in the shape of infinite that otherwise graced both her palms.
Another gift from the Gods.
After looking at her palm briefly, the figure spoke again "shame they weren't guarding you better, you're such a prize, precious thing that you are. I would have defended you with my life and done a much better job at it" he sneered.
His words sent a shiver up Aurelia's spine. Hot tears streamed down her face, cool from the night's air. The other soldiers were quick around her tying her hands behind in leather bindings before they stood back up, putting more space between them and the figure in front of her.
