About this image

Alexa robotically hoed the field before her, her arms aching with pain and legs weak from the cold. Her auburn hair was ridden with sweat and her doe skin shoes covered in the muck she had been working in all day. They had kept her working throughout the day, with just 5 minutes break with which she was allowed to sit down and eat moldy bread. Everyone else had long since been allowed to return home, but Alexa was doing both her own work and her fathers as her father was quickly losing his strength with age, and had been taken ill. The Templar Officer who had come to check their villages production had given them an ultimatum. If her fathers work was not done, then the old man would be executed.

What choice did she have? Mother had her own work load, and her infant brother to watch. Children who wandered too far from their parents often did not return in this dangerous new world. A Templar and two Acolytes had come in the morning for the work force. Her father had tried to pull himself to his feet, but he collapsed in a heap and had been unable to muster the strength to go on. She had fallen to her knee's and begged the Officer to let him live, promising she would do anything. The Officer had hesitantly agreed, on the grounds that she do both her own work and her Fathers. The labour force was carted off and assigned their tasks, and out of the corner of her eye she had spotted the Officer helping her father back into her cottage. She had been pleasantly surprised and relieved by this.

She jumped as the harsh voice of the Templar watching her shot into her ear "Did I permit you to slow down?" It said, and she shook her head in response to him. There came a laugh from one of the Acolytes behind her. It was rather high pitched and pathetic, as was his voice when he spoke... but it always managed to make her shiver, it had a certain creepiness to it.

"Maybe we should beat her!" The voice came, in between it's own laughs "She must learn to work fast her, shouldn't she?" Alexa heard the clunk of the Templars armour from the side of her, and felt a fist smash into her side, pain spiking through her body. She collapsed in a heap on the floor, then slowly began to stand, only to be forced back to the floor as a metal boot smashed into her side. She heard the same pathetic laugh from behind her, along with the deep, gravelly one of the Templar. She moaned, lying still on the floor for a few moments. She heard the Templar take out his mace and approach her, she turned to face him and didn't take her eyes of the mace as the hulking man approached. He raised it into the air, ready to bring it down on here for the crime of idleness... she looked at it in despair, before composing herself. She wasn't going to go out begging for mercy... she grabbed the Hoe from the floor, swinging it at the Templar. It collided with her chest, not strong enough to pierce his armour or even make a visible dent, but strong enough to knock him off his balance.

"Swit!" The Templar yelled as he stumbled back, slowly regaining his balance. The two Acolytes moved towards her, their daggers appearing in hand as they did. She hopped to her feet, taking hold of the hoe with both hands... and she realised the futility of this fight. All three of them were undoubtedly stronger than her, and each one seemed ready to kill her. The Acolyte who had not spoken so far finally spoke, in the most bored voice Alexa had heard in her entire life

"Lets make this quick, I want to go home." He said, matter of factly. It was clear he was not at all intimidated by the fearful woman in front of him, and this only added to her despair. She charged for him, swinging the hoe viciously towards his head. It scythed across his skin, making a decent sized cut across his face as he yelped in suprise. The other Acolyte giggled again, darting forwards and launching a single spell at her and as it impacted the hoe turned to dust in her hands, leaving her defenceless... The Templar clunked up behind her, raising his mace high above his head... She turned to face him, glancing up into the cold, heartless mask that the Templars wore. She closed her eyes, turning her head and bracing herself for the blow. There was a clatter and she jumped, opening her eyes. The Templars mace had been blocked by a Sword and she swallowed, following the arm to it's owner. The man appeared to be around thirty, and though his face still appeared rather youthful his eyes were weathered. He wore old imperial legion armour, which was scorched in several places and looked like it had seen some combat. The Templar glared at the Soldier

"I'll gut you, Traitor" The Templar snarled, and the Soldier shook his head, before raising his foot into the air and striking the Templars armour, knocking the man back a few steps. The Acolytes rushed passed her, swinging their daggers at the new comer. The Soldier turned to them, parrying the first ones attack and then dodged to the side before plunging his sword into the back of the second as he passed. He yanked it out and the crimson blood stained the already red robes of the acolyte as he screeched, clutching at his chest in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding. The Templar darted forwards, swinging his mace at the soldier, who brought his sword up quickly in an attempt to block it. The two locked blades, wrestling with each other for control. The surviving acolyte turned, coming up behind the soldier with his knife, grinning as he prepared to slip it between the mans armour.

"Look out!" Alexa shouted as she rushed forwards, tackling the Acolyte to the ground, his blade spinning away from him as he released it in shock. She grappled with him, punching the man in the face several times. The mans bored expression was quickly replaced by anger, and she felt a searing pain on her left side as a fireball his her. She fell off him screaming as she clutched her burnt side. Within seconds the Acolyte was upon her, smashing his fists against her face as she cried out in pain, before managing to smash her knee against his groin. He let out a gasp, falling off her and to the side, clutching his groin

Bloody fucking peasant!" The Acolyte moaned, rolling around on the floor. Alexa took advantage of the situation, grabbing a stone from the floor and moving towards him, smashing it against his skull with all her strength. The Acolyte fell silent, crimson blood running down his motionless face. She stared in horror at what she had done, before being brought back to reality by the clunk of metal beside her. She turned to it, seeing the Templar fall backwards as the soldier shoulder barged him. The man wasted no time in dispatching his prey, dashing forwards and raising his blade into the air, stabbing it through the Templars neck without a moments hesitation. The armour disolved, leaving the Dark Elf choking on his own blood, clutching at the torn robe around his neck. Alexa looked to the armoured man as he turned to her. He gave her a warm and friendly smile, sheathing his sword and approaching her, glancing to the burn on her side

"What's your name?" He asked between breaths. She took a few seconds to compose herself before speaking. Her voice came out stammered as she clutched her side

"Alexa" She said weakly "And you?"

"Octavius. You should come with me, Alexa. You don't want them to find you standing among their dead." Octavius offered her his hand as she said this, but she quickly shook her head

"But... my family..." She began to speak, but Octavius cut her off

"I promise you they will be fine. The Officer in charge of this area is a fair man. I am not defending his beliefs, but he will not seek retribution on your family. You on the other hand, he will hunt to the ends of Nirn if he gets the chance. I know of a place near here that is safe, we can treat your wound once we get there." She stood hesitant for a moment as she considered what he said. She had no reason to trust him, but she had no reason not to trust him either. She nodded weakly to him, and Octavius turned to leave, motioning for her to follow him