Curse's Vendetta: Mad God's Curse

Training

I felt strange in my new armor, but it was also comforting. It felt right to be wearing the same armor as these Black Priors. They felt like my people, my kind, my family. I look at Larzen and he looks back at me. I barely knew him, but he felt like an older brother some how.

He puts his hand on my back for a second. "Watch yourself around Vortiger." He says and looks on towards the training grounds. "He'll be hard on you, just know that."

"Note taken." I say, and begin walking towards the training grounds. Larzen follows behind me. He's probably coming to spectate Vortiger and I.

As we approach, I see Vortiger. He stands facing us. His sword in the ground, and his shield on his arm. He pulls his sword out of the ground and holds his shield up. "Veni." He says.

My mother had taught me a little bit of latin, so I knew what veni meant. It means "come at me." I look over at Larzen and he nods. He was on board with me attacking Vortiger. I adjust my grip on my sword and nervously take a step towards Vortiger.

I raise my sword then charge at Vortiger. He ducks down behind his shield as I come running. I swing from above, but before I hit him, I feel myself lifted off my feet. I'm flipped over his shield, and before I know it, I'm laying on the ground with Vortiger's sword to my throat.

I felt light pain in my back from falling. "Dead." Vortiger says, then removes his sword from my throat. "Get up." I do as me says. He turns away from me as I stand up.

Vortiger suddenly turns and lashes at me. I hold up my shield and block his attack. He doesn't stop there, he keeps swinging and I keep blocking. Not long into Vortiger's attacks, my shield arm starts to ache. I don't know if I can block him much longer.

Vortiger does one particularly hard hit, and it knocks me to the ground. I grunt as I hit the ground, and Vortiger looks disappointed. "Get up." He growls.

I don't listen this time, and I stay on the ground. "I can't take any more, Vortiger." I say, and crawl away from him. I slowly get up. "Stop, please."

Vortiger raises his sword again. "There is no rest for the weak until they become strong, Mercer." He says. "Land a hit on me, and we can conclude your first training lesson." I grab my sword and use it to get up. I start swinging at him with no warning, but he blocks every one of my attacks.

He parries one of my attacks, then hits me in the forehead with the butt of his sword. I take a step back, dazed. Vortiger trips me with his shield, and presses his sword to my throat again. "Don't be predictable." He says, then let's me up.

"Vortiger-" Vortiger keeps his attention on me.

"Not now, can't you see I'm busy?" He says, and I take a peek over Vortiger's shoulder to see another man, only slightly older then me. He has kind features and blonde hair. He seems nervous to talk to Vortiger.

Vortiger saw my distraction, and hits me with the butt of his sword again. I take a step back, but I'm ready for what I know he's going to do next. I jump back to dodge his shield.

Before he can recover from his failed attack, I run at him with my shield up. He wasn't expecting it, and I bash him hard. He lands on his back and I tap the tip of my sword to his chest. "Dead." I say with a smirk on my face. I let him up and he turns towards the kind faced man.

"What is it now, Tetrrence." Vortiger says, clearly annoyed.

"We've heard word about Erzebet. I don't think the boy should hear this." Vortiger nods and turns towards me. I shake my head.

"She's my mother, and I'm now a part of the Black Priors. I should hear this." Vortiger watches me for a second, then looks back at Tetrrence and nods.

"She's been on a rampage. Using the curse from Sheogorath. I won't go into details, but she needs to be stopped. We last heard she was in Greenshade. On your orders, we'll move in and try to stop her. Queen Ayrenn has organized a group to stop her. She only needs some Black Priors to help." Vortiger sheathes his sword and approaches Tetrrence.

"I will go. Erzebet can, and will slaughter anyone who tries to stop her. Tell Queen Ayrenn to leave Erzebet be. I will deal with this situation on my own." Vortiger then turns to me. "You will stay here. You're not ready to face anything out there." He says before I could even say a word. I sheathe my sword as well.

"You've proven that, Vortiger. I can't hold my own against you. Erzebet is my mother and I definitely wouldn't be able to hold it against her." I say and turn away from him. "I also don't want to be witness to my mother's murder."

Vortiger lays a hand on my shoulder. "I'm not-" he starts but I turn on him.

"You're not going to what?" I shout. "Kill her? I've seen what you can do. You don't give a damn about me, and I doubt you give a damn about her! If you're going to kill her, I want no part of it." I say, and throw down the shield on my arms. "If the Black Priors are just murders, then I don't want any part of this order of yours either!" I storm away. I had no where to go, so I return to the barracks.

My muscles were sore. I removed my armor. I lay in one of the beds in the barracks. It felt comfortable, probably only because my sore muscles needed rest. I felt my body and eyes getting heavy. I soon fell asleep.