Blood of the Void. ((Oblivion story))

Chapter 2. Welcome home.

Lucian was holding the small Altaïrs hand leading him far away from Bruma. The pair had been walking for multiple hours taking small breaks along the way for Altaïr to rest his legs and have a small bite to eat to fuel him for the remainder of the trip. After a boring six hours where little to nothing happened the city of Cheydinhal was visible on the horizon and Altaïr broke out a smile. This city looked cozy compared to Bruma with a large stone wall surrounding
The city in its entirety protecting it on all sides similar to the walls of Bruma but these lacked the large braziers atop the walls to help the guards stationed on it to stave off the winter.  Altaïr smiled happily and bounced a little bit in ecstasy. He was going to have a home, a family, someone to help take care of him and raise him, something he'd never had before.

Lucian smiled at the young child's reaction and patted Altaïrs head gently "Once we get in the city follow me. I'll lead you to the Sanctuary." Alraïr looked confused at that "Sanctuary?"
He asked confused and Lucian nodded "The sanctuary of our family is underground safe from the prying eyes of the public." Altaïr was of course too young to understand why that would be needed, especially because he did not yet fully understand the situation he was getting into. Altaïr didn't seem to care enough to ask though and just shrugged before grasping Lucian's hand again gently. The leather glove was cold against the child's hands but he didn't mind, Lucian's presence was enough to calm a situation for him and he doubted Lucian would let anything happen. Lucian seemed to make it clear that in someway the child was important, much more important then he realized.

Flashback three hours prior.

The road from Bruma to Cheydinhal was dull and covered in a tiny bit of snow that was left from the vicious snowfall that frequented the northern part of Cyrodil. Lucien's black robes offered little protection against the cold but the cloak Altaïr had "acquired" in Bruma kept him warm enough where it was tolerable. Altaïr and Lucien walked silently for about an hour, the only sounds being the snow crunching beneath their feet and the occasional sound of a wolf from the trees that growled at the pair as a way of deterring them from his territory. "Is something troubling you Altaïr?" Lucien asked the youth who had seemed curious of something the entire walk. Altaïr nodded slowly and then asked "Why did you help me?"
This left Lucien briefly dumbfounded. He wasn't completely sure why. He just felt a sort of... Drawing presence from the child that reminded him of the stories Ungolim told of how being in The presence of the night mother, the dark cold feeling one got from her speech that made the weak shiver but the worthy -The Listener- feel elated. The child seemed to radiate that sort of feeling. The sort of darkness only one who felt in touch with the void could feel. But he knew Altaïr was far too young and too uneducated in the brotherhoods teachings at the moment so Lucien just smiled under the shadow of his hood and thought of a lie "It was a lucky coincidence. I was strolling and i happened to see you and felt bad for you. And I also felt something." Altaïr perked up at this
"What was it?" He asked in a quiet tone.

Lucien smiled and said "I felt that you were going to be extremely important child."

Flashback ends.

That had been hours ago but nonetheless Altaïr took the words to heart as Lucien found him important enough to protect. As the pair approached the city gates one of the guards, a short fat man in chainmail armor stepped forward. When he spoke the fat on his chin and cheeks bounced like balls of blubber "Halt!" The guard barked at them.

Lucien stopped Altaïr from saying anything by putting a firm hand on the child's shoulder and then spoke "What is the problem officer?" Lucien asked dropping his nice demeanor and putting on his cold assassin demeanor that he took up when annoyed or forced to talk to someone outside of the family. The guard acted oblivious to the murder laced in Lucien's voice and said "To enter the city is 300 septims." The guard said which made Lucien barely suppress a scoff. The guard was trying to swindle them, he must've been new if he thought that'd work on him. But Lucien no matter put up the facade of a tourist and handed the man a bag weighed down with coin "Oh alright sir. Here you go." The guard smiled stupidly thinking his scheme had worked as he pocketed the coin and stepped aside for the pair "Go on in sirs."

Lucien and Altaïr both walked into the city and Altaïr was in marvel at the beautiful city. Bruma was a massive stone town that looked more akin to a fortress but Cheydinhal looked like a city as Altaïr imagined it. The buildings were all made of wood and stone together with elegant designs on the doors, and iron bars on the windows which reinforced the glass and gave even the windows beautiful designs. This is how Altaïr imagined a city. It was decently sized, cozy, had beautiful architecture and most of all had people that didn't appear to be all drunkards. Sure the Nords in Bruma at least could contain themselves but there were still dozens of them that took to drinking and going out to beat beggars in the streets -Which Altaïr had been apart of more times then he could count- but these people seemed different and immediately Altaïr noticed the majority of them were imperial, unlike the almost complete Nordic population of Bruma which gave good tidings to Altaïr.

Lucien nudged Altaïr gently and said "Come on boy let's go." Lucien took Altaïrs hand and lead him away from the gates much to Altaïrs' sadness, Altaïr still wanted to look at the wonderful city but he knew he had time for that later seeing as the city was his new home. Altaïr followed Lucien for about three minutes before they approached a large, rundown house that seemed completely out of place compared to the beaitifully new houses surrounding it. Lucien let go of Altaïrs hand and pulled a key from a pocket on his robes and unlocked the door using the key before pushing the door which didn't budge, Lucien growled a bit and elbowed the door hard forcing the door to give way before pushing it into the house exposing the dark and rundown interior of the house. Altaïr stepped forward into the house as Lucien shut and locked the door behind him before leading Altaïr down some stairs into the basement of the house. Altaïr could barely breath in the house the dust was so thick, throughout the entire house that the sounds of the two people walking was almost completely nonexistent through the almost solid inch of dust on the floor muffling their feet.

Lucien lead Altaïr through a very dark room where there was a large break in the wall that lead into a tunnel that had a faint red glow at the end of it. Altaïr gulped a bit at seeing the red light and asked "L-Lucien? What's that?" Lucien smirked a bit under his hood and said "The door to your new home. Now listen." Lucien crouched down getting on one knee at face level of the child "I have to leave. But when you approach the door it will ask you a question. You reply simply with 'Sanguine my brother.' Do you understand?" Altaïr nodded. He felt his chest constrict a bit at hearing Lucien was leaving but he knew it wouldn't be forever so he simply kept nodding before Lucien stood and walked from the room leaving Altaïr completely alone. He stared down at his hands not being able to see them through the choking darkness in the room before taking a deep breath and walked through the break in the wall and down the tunnel. The red glow slowly got brighter as Altaïr approached it, the red was coming from a skull that was imprinted on the door that was glowing a deep blood red that casted the eery light on the wall and across the tunnel. Altaïr stared at the door in fear as a cold voice rang out from the door. The voice sounded evil, like a knife grinding against bone or flesh being slashed open which made Altaïr shiver in fear "What. Is the color. Of night?" The door asked simply and Altaïr almost forgot in that very instant as he was so terrified of the door but he muttered out "S-Sanguine, m-my brother." The tunnel was silent for a few seconds as the door slowly opened by itself and Altaïr slowly and fearfully walked into it as the door whispered again "Welcome. Home."