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Trace: Chapter Four: Madness


blazingsai

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Trace
Chapter Four: Madness
 

Previous Chapter: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/521/entry-3033-trace-chapter-three-innocence/
Next Chapter: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/521/entry-3060-trace-chapter-five-devastation/

 

Story

 

Part 1

 

As soon as Trace entered the Ratway she could tell something was off. Although your run of the mill homeless people and crazies would often frequent this place, the Imperial felt like something foul was afoot. A she slowly crept forward she heart men’s voices and came to a halt.

 

Man 1: I don’t know man, we should get out of here…

 

Man 2: And miss out!? Don’t you understand? If we strike the guild from here, there’s no way they’ll see it coming. It’ll be a complete ambush!

 

Man 1: I hear you, but I’m just getting bad vibes…

 

Man 2: Man that’s just you needing to take a shit. Go over there hand handle your business, because once you’re done we’re starting!
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Trace got low and drew her sword. She was so angry that she could feel her eye begin to twitch, but she didn’t make a sound.

 

Trace: (A two man attack on the Guild?!? The crazies have gotten even crazy it seems…)
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Trace waited until she heard the first voice finish relieving himself then she slowly crept forward; her heartbeat was so loud she could hear it through her ears.

 

Man 2: Alright now, just set up the traps like I told you and everything will be set to go!
The first man sighed.

 

Man 1: Fine fine… I stil don’t get why we didn’t do this earli—

 

Trace: (NOW!)

 

Trace rolled from behind the corner and stabbed the first man, an archer, in the chest with her blade. She didn’t know had badly she wounded him but his partner was too stunned from the move in order to make a move.
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…That is until the archer cried out for help. The other man, a warrior, came at Trace shield and club in hand, but that’s where he made his first mistake.

 

Trace: (You’re actually only using blunt objects? This may be fun!!)

 

Throwing caution to the wind, Trace kicked the warrior’s shield just as he was going for a shield bash of his own, and the resulting force caused him to stumble backwards.
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Trace continued her attack making sure every hit from a back hand with her left arm, to any variety of slashes she decided to toss out hit their mark…
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…And drew blood…
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Warrior: B-by Talos! Who in Oblivion are you!?!

 

Trace couldn’t help it as a smirk came on her face.

 

Trace: I am the terror that thrives in darkness. I am the chill that runs up your spine…

 

Trace saw the fear in his eyes and began her swing.

 

Trace: I am your fate, and there’s no escaping it!Trace3_054.jpg

Part 2

 

Before her blade could connect the warrior ran off further into the Ratway. Trace looked around for the archer and realized that he was missing as well. Cursing her luck she mounted the corner and continued along until she realized that the drawbridge leading to the Guild was up.
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All of a sudden a rage began to build up in Trace. She could feel herself shaking and wanting—needing—someone, anyone to come and face her.

 

Trace: You think you can just run away from me!
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Trace: THINK AGAIN!!

 

Her words filled the area as she jumped from her ledge. Upon landing, a skeever and the warrior showed up attacking from both sides.
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However, Trace wasn’t worried about the so called dual assault as she felled the skeever with a single slash…
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…And then just went to town on the warrior…Trace3_059.jpg

 

Trace3_060.jpg
…Until he was spraying blood everywhere.
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The warrior rolled over bloodied, convulsing, and dying before her. Trace knelt down to make sure that she was the last thing he would see in this world.
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With a single jerk she felt, and heard his neck snap in her hands and then the Nord finally went still.

 

Trace: I told you there was no escaping me. Now then…
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She got up, wiped her blade off and headed further into the Ratway.

 

Trace: Time to find the archer …Trace3_064.jpg

Part 3

 

She wasn’t able to go too far as her progress was stopped by something that almost made her feel insulted.

 

Trace: Are you serious?
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It was a trap, simple and sweet. The dangerous part of the trap was even in plain sight. It was so obvious, it almost made Trace reconsider going through it.
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Trace: Fucking Niruin… This had to be the Bosmer’s handiwork. That elf always loved to mind game people with the utmost in simplicity.

 

She shook her head as she remembered how he had conned her some time ago, by telling her the exact location of some treasure. However, since he knew where it was and since it was supposedly unguarded, Trace had second thoughts about the information. It was main because honestly, if Niruin knew where the gold was and knew a clear path to it, why wouldn’t he just go and get it himself? Apparently he was just trying to do her a favor or something as less than two days later the Bosmer retrieved the gold and they never spoke of it again.
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Trace’s momentarily told her to disable to trap in a delicate manner, but ultimately her impatience won out and she broke the triggered the trap by cutting the rope with her blade.
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Spikes protruded from the doorway at a fierce speed. However, since Trace hadn’t been stupid enough to simply open the door immediately they posed no threat to her. When the spike receded, Trace opened the door and sheathed her weapon.Trace3_069.jpg

Part 4

 

Trace: There’s no way that archer could be much further—

 

Suddenly an arrow whizzed by her head and land a few feet in front of her. She heard two more arrows being let loose and in a single motion turned, unsheathed her sword, and deflected them both.
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Trace rushed at the archer with her guard up and dodged his arrows with minimal effort.
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Archer: Wha-wha-what are you!?!
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Trace: I'm just a girl standing, in front of a boy asking, him to--

 

Trace went for the killing blow, but the archer was somehow able to deftly dodge it and then he scurried away.

 

Archer: EEEEK!!

 

Trace: Stand still dammit!!
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The archer was slowly getting away, but Trace had had enough of this.

 

Trace: Curse you! Take this!!

 

Trace quickly surveyed the area and noticed that the area the archer was running toward was coated in oil. Quickly before he was out of range, she gathered flames in her left hand and shot them forward in a torrent.
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When her flames hit the oil, the room went ablaze cutting off the archer’s escape. Trace didn’t know if it was sweat or the water leaking from the city above, but the archer looked thoroughly wet and was doubly frightened.

 

Archer: She’s… she’s evil… pure evil!!
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Trace ignored his words and continued to douse him in flames…
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…Until his body was charred and the other flames had died out. She noticed something out of the corner of her eyes and immediately put up her guard and pushed it away.
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The rodent leapt through the air trying to have another go at it, but Trace’s patience was shot.
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She roasted the skeever with her flames and laughed as she thought of a terribly bad joke.
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Trace: Ha! Charred skeever… Delvin will love this one!Trace3_080.jpg

Part 5

 

Trace took a moment to catch her breath. She’d been in another gear since she came into the Ratway and little by little she knew that she was losing herself. As her heart beat calmed and her fury abased she began to realize she was hurt way more than she remembered.

 

Trace: Haa… haaaa… When did I get hit in the back? Or the ribs? It… it hurts so bad…
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Continuing on, Trace didn’t have time to rest as this time one of the Ratway’s resident crazies impeded her…Trace3_082.jpg

 

Trace3_083.jpg

 

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…But they were quickly dispatched.
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When Trace entered the next area and knew she was almost home free. The opening was bright unlike the rest of the Ratway and even had foliage growing. Trace threw her arms back and began to recollect about times past when she had wrangled Tonilia and Brynjolf to come and plant these seeds with her. At the time they both said that the seeds would never grow and would just be washed away in the sewage…

 

Trace: Oh if they could see them now…Trace3_086.jpg

Part 6

 

Trace went to exit the lit area and was surprised when she came upon a dead body.
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Trace: Ha! Apparently someone else is killing off crazies as well…
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She stepped over his body and continued on. Not hearing anyone up ahead, she sheathed her sword as well. And then took a left and descended the stairs into the Ragged Flagon.Trace3_089.jpg

 

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The sight of the Flagon almost made her tear up. She could hear the others from where she stood and decided to wipe most of the blood off of her. She wanted to be at least somewhat presentable to them.
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Vekel: Was anyone expecting company? There’s some girl here over by the entrance.

 

Brynjolf: Ah, so the lass made it. Was wondering why she was taking so long.

 

Vex: What are you talking about now Brynjolf? Don’t tell me you went and got another new recruit?

 

Brynjolf: You’ll see little Vex. You’ll see…
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Even after wiping the blood off of her, she still felt sticky and sore.

 

Trace: Screw it! I used to do this anyway.

 

Trace the jumped into the water ahead of her and began cleaning herself and splashing around.
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Vekel: And… now she’s playing in the water. This new girl of yours is a bit peculiar, Brynjolf.
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Brynjolf: Hey Vex, why don’t you give her a warm welcome. Not like you’re doing much else.

 

Vex: Sure. I’d love to help… She better be worth it…
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