The Last of Us

Chapter 6

Here's the 6th chapter! Hopefully it doesn't seem rushed, I'm currently behind on school work and I'm trying to get caught up, but anyways, thanks for sticking around, enjoy! <3
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I woke up to the sound of Norakvars' voice, slightly louder than it should have been if he were talking to a friend or himself even. I sat up, opening my eyes and then quickly shutting them due to the harsh light that met them. Rubbing them and reopening them, I listened for Norakvars voice again.

"Leave now, Sveen. I don't want any trouble." His voice came out forceful and harsh, completely opposite from last night.

"Oh, you've already started trouble, Norakvar." A second voice piped up, sounding like the native accent of the dark elves. Slightly gruff, but lighter in tone. Hostile too.

"Please, old friend. Leave us be. You won't see us again. You have my word." Norakvar's voice was pleading but it was in vain. I heard the clashing of metal and shot my head out of the tent to see what the commotion was.

"You've crossed us for the last time, Norakvar! You can't run away this time!"
The dark elf, Sveen, had drawn his sword and lashed out at Norakvar, but he was quick in reflex and pulled his mace out, blocking the attack just in time. They began to battle, Sveen kicking Norakvar in the stomach to knock him back from the stand off.

Norakvar threw his mace out, almost making contact with Sveen's side, but he moved back quickly and swung his one handed sword at Norakvars' head, cutting his nose a little, causing Norakvar to close his eyes against the stinging sensation. I sat, frozen. Half way out of the safety of the tent and nearly in the middle of battle. 

Flashes of ma and pa's dead bodies crossed my vision and I choked back a scream of terror. Hands sweaty, legs shaking, I ran towards Sveen, dagger at the ready. His back was turned to me as Norakvar and him had interlocked weapons again and were pushing at each other. I was inches away from Sveen when it happened.

Everything slowed down. Sveen fell backwards, Norakvar slashing through his bare stomach, fresh crimson ribbons flying across the ground. I stopped and held the dagger out in front of me in pure defense to prevent him from falling on me, but of course, it only made the situation worse for me. I felt the dagger be pulled down by something heavy, along with the rest of my body.

Everything picked up speed again and I was tackled to the ground, a heavy weight knocking the breath out of me. I opened my eyes only to be met with the now clouded morning skies above. I struggled to breath but nothing was coming into my lung for a few seconds. Finally, I got in a sharp and shaky breath and laid my head back down.

I wiggled my fingers, the dagger was still in my hand, but it wouldn't budge. I looked down at what was lying on me, even though I already knew what it was going to be. Knowing didn't stop me from throwing up however. 

I turned my head to the side, feeling the burning bile creep up my throat and out of my mouth. I felt weak and shaken up. My head hurt and I looked back down when I felt movement. It was Sveen, still alive, but not for long. Norakvar was at my side, pulling Sveen off of me. I wearily lifted my arms to pull my body backwards, away from the scene unfolding in front of me.

Sveen was in Norakvar's arms, bleeding quite a bit due to my dagger in his back. Norakvar had a sad and horrified expression striking his features, making him look older and more tired than he already appeared. Sveen chuckled at him though, coughing up a bit of blood in the process. My dagger had stabbed him directly where his stomach would be on his front side.

"Sveen, hold on, we can patch this up. You've had worse injuries before." Norakvar was frantically pulling off fur from his clothing and attempting to wrap it around Sveens' torso, accidentally pushing the knife further into Sveens stomach to which he released a blood curdling cry of agony. Norakvar stopped and held onto Sveen, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Norakvar, listen to me, old friend. You were wrong to kill the Chief, to let this boy be your top priority." he pauses to cough up more blood and grab a fist full of Norakvars' fur lining on his cloak. "You put this runt before you and your family. Me." He coughed some more but then continued, Norakvar was in tears. "But I do not wish for you to think I hate you, friend. I love you dearly and I hope you have made the choice that makes you happiest. I will await your arrival in Sovngarde, old friend." 

Those last sentences struggled to escape Sveen's throat, but they did, and they reached Norakvars ears and slightly mine as well. Sveen fell limply into Norakvars' arms, now dead. I felt something inside of me break. It was as if a wall had been knocked down in my brain and everything was flooded and unorganized. Then there was a voice. It sounded rough and was more like a hiss than a voice really, but I was able to tell that it was a woman's.

'You killed him.'

I looked around trying to pinpoint the voice, but failed. There was a hoarse laughter that followed my confusion but that was it. Silence after that. All except the birds singing happily to themselves, unaware or unaffected by the scene that lie before them.

Norakvar stared down at his friend, dead in his arms. Tears fell silently on Sveens forehead. I didn't know what to say. I was in shock, I felt guilty, I felt depressed, angry at myself for the crime I had just committed. I had just killed my new found protector's friend, right in front of him. 

My legs were shaking, but I stood, slowly. I was afraid. Afraid that I would be killed by Norakvar himself for murdering his friend, afraid I would be thrown in a castle dungeon, afraid that I would become some crazy murderous monster from this. I was afraid of myself most of all.

Norakvar shifted, setting Sveens now lifeless body gently on the soft carpeting of the rich green grass. He stood and walked over to the tent he had set up, completely ignoring my existence as he passed me. He returned with a shovel, his footsteps were heavy and slow. I wanted to tell him I was sorry but I didn't dare breath a word to him.

He hesitated a bit when he walked by me the second time, unsure of weather to say something to me at that moment or leave the silence intact. He chose the second option in that split second decision though. But I understood why he chose to ignore me for that period of time. He didn't have anything to say about it.

Norakvar began digging beside where Sveens body was. I wanted to help but I didn't have a shovel and it wasn't my friend, it was his. I felt my legs start to give out and I realized how badly I was shaking. The adrenaline was wearing off.

I fell back down, hitting my tailbone on a rock in the process to which I winced and almost yelped at. I stopped myself before I could however, not wanting to disturb Norakvar's work. I looked down at my hands, they were stained red with Sveens blood, both figuratively and literally. I fought back the urge to throw up again, still not wanting to disturb Norakvar's digging.

I stared down at my hands, they lied loosely in my lap, still in shock from everything that had just happened. Tears were falling down my cheeks rapidly. How had I not noticed that I was crying? How long had I even been crying? I thought to myself. I simply sat there and cried, staring down at my hands. Norakvar paid me no mind, he was more concerned with burying his friend right now than a crying child. Still, I could tell by how he tensed when he heard my sniffling that he cared at least a little bit and he wasn't mad. 

Hours past, Norakvar had been done burying Sveen for a while now, but he continued to stand, shovel in hand, staring down at the now turned up soil. I had regained myself and went to pack my things in the tent. I didn't leave though, I simply sat and waited for Norakvar to say something, anything, to me. I decided I would part ways with him since I'm an inconvenience at best to him. I tightened the straps on my knapsack, adjusting it to a more comfortable position then started towards the road. 

Norakvar didn't look up from his friends unmarked grave, but I knew he heard me walking. I looked him over, his slumped stature, tear stained cheeks, silent grieving frown; his face seemed more grim in general.

I forced my eyes back down to my feet, not wanting to disturb Norakvar's mourning. I strode towards the road and looked at the signs to my right, still wanting to head to Whiterun. I found my direction and started to walk off, leaving Norakvar to himself, not wanting to cause any more harm.