Chapitre 579: The Music of Life

It wasn't long after Arnbjorn returned to the Hall of the Dark Brotherhood under the road to Falkreath. It was dim at night but the crafty old man found his way back to the hideout as if it is some second nature to him. However, he would stop every now and then to check his surroundings for any suspicious activity.

The moment he arrived at the hideout. He found a small pathway going through some rocks under the road and there was a door. A grim-looking door made of stone and metal. He barely touched the door and gave it a good push but it didn't pudge whatsoever. He retreated his hand but the moment he did, it felt as if the door came to life. A faint light shone on the texture of the door showing the marking of a skull carved on it with a palm emblem on its forehead and just like that, a voice echoed into the head of the old man.

{What… is the music… of life?}

The old man groaned in disinterest as he answered.

"Silence, my brother."

{Welcome… Home}

He always wondered how this wall would speak to people. The uses of magic are surely endless and this door is one mystery on its own. Some say that the Black Doors are artifacts bestowed upon the Dark Brotherhood from the Void itself but no one is sure of the truth anyway. It is only that those doors always exist and may appear whenever a place is deemed suitable for a brotherhood hideout through a notification from the Night Mother to her Listener.

All the history and lore aside, the old man knew that there hasn't been a Listener for almost twelve years and Astrid, his wife, has been leading the family like her own band of hitmen ever since. Not that he cared anyway.

The moment he walked in, however, he saw Astrid walking towards him with a frown.

"Something happened?" He asked.

"Nothing." She replied, "The newbie vampire came almost immediately. I must have left quite the impression."

Astrid's tone was a bit unsettled but her husband only patted her shoulder.

"If you are not comfortable, go out and clear your head. I'll go introduce the others to the newbie." He said.

Astrid nodded and put on her hood as she stepped out of the sanctuary. Arnbjorn watched her leave and walked into the sanctuary taking the stairs and keeping up his awareness. There are two vampires in the sanctuary now and a werewolf like him should put up some airs of superiority and speaking of the devil, he stumbled right one of the vampires on his way in.

"Smelly old man!"

A little girl, around twelve years old, stood behind the table of the front room and cussed at him out of the blue. He growled at her, keeping stern eye contact.

"Isn't this the part where you start yelling at me?" She said provocatively.

"That's when there was one mosquito, now we have two of them. If I reply to every mosquito that speaks, what would that make me?" He said while walking past her.

"The new girl looks odd." Bebette, the little girl, said.

"I am sure she is not older than you anyway?" Arnbjorn replied.

"You sure about that? I don't know… she reeks like a corpse. You can smell it too, right?" Bebette asked.

"All mosquitos smell about the same to me."

"Oh, I assure you, this one is something else!" She said as she walked ahead of him.

Even though looking like a little girl, Bebette was over 300 years old, the oldest member in the entirety of the Dark Brotherhood and someone who must have seen a lot in their days. She was attacked by vampires when she was 12 and grew up without aging a single day only to be one of the most lethal assassins ever recruited with an endless number of kills.

Now to the meat and potatoes of the day, the newcomer.

Arnbjorn walked out from the entrance area to the large cavern beyond and could see a large cave that was probably part of an ancient Nordic ruin that got cleared by the Dark Brotherhood. His superior senses could scan through all the rooms and hallways of the old ruin to spot every single member of the brotherhood.

The newcomer was anxiously looking around the place feeling a bit distressed after placing her coffin somewhere deep in the crypt. Arnbjorn retreated his sister only to find a certain individual in front of him, an Argonian, dark scales, sharp presence.

"Brother." The Argonian spoke.

"Veezara." Arnbjorn didn't reply and with a stern face kept looking at the Argonian.

"Come sit with us, we are all present at the sanctuary at the same time. Let's catch up." Veezara said.

Reluctantly, Arnbjorn followed him and ended up where most of the veteran members of the brotherhood are. Bebette joined them afterward and they started discussing their latest exploits while laughing at the way they get their kills done these days.

"Haha! Again! Again! Do the part where he tries to buy you some candy." Veezara said as he laughed uncontrollably.

Bebette smiled and retold her story.

"Okay, okay. Wait. Here we go. "Ooh, you are such a pretty little girl. Would the sweetie like a sweetie? Oh yes, how about some chocolate?" Oh yes, please, kind sir. My mama and papa left me all alone, and I'm so very hungry. I know a shortcut to the candy shop. Through this alley. Oh ya, very good. Very good. My! It is dark down here. Oh, but you are so beautiful. Such a lovely smile. Your teeth... your teeth! No! Aggghh!!"

And they all started laughing.

"Oh Babette, but you are so wicked!" Gabriella, the Dunmer Alchemist of the sanctuary, commented.

"What about you, Festus? How did that last contract turn out?" Nazir, the Redguard custodian of the sanctuary, turned to the elderly man among the gathering.

"Oh, yes, please, old man. Regale us with your tales of wizardry…" Arnbjorn mockingly said.

"Ah, the young and stupid. Always mocking the experienced and brilliant. My contract went very well, I'll have you know. Tried a new spell. Little something I've been working on in my spare time. Came "this" close to turning that priest inside out. Damned messy!" The Elderly Imperial said.

"And what of your latest, Arnbjorn. Something about a Khajiit? Merchant was it?" Gabriella asked Arnbjorn.

"Oh, a big doggy chasing a little kitty! How adorable!" Bebette started cracking jokes at him.

Arnbjorn clearly didn't like to be laughed at which made him grunt and growl.

"I am not adorable, it was not funny, and he wasn't a merchant. He was a Khajiit monk, a master of the Whispering Fang style. But now he's dead... and I have a new loincloth."

The conversation continued until Serana decided that she was done with exploring the place and came towards the group. Nazir finished his last joke and went up to meet her.

"Here you are." He said walking towards her with the welcome attitude of a Redguard, "The newest member of our dwindling, dysfunctional little Family! It is nice to have some new blood every once in a while."

"Nice to meet you." Serana nodded.

"Save the niceties for now. I have no intention of getting invested in someone who may be dead tomorrow. If you're still breathing in a few weeks, I'm sure we'll be the best of friends." Nazir replied to her with a cunning look.

Serana tilted her head with an apathetic face.

"But I don't breathe… Does that mean we can't be friends at all?"

Her cold voice and deathly attitude made Nazir frown but a man like him is a trader of death and a broker of reaping lives. Despite the freakish attitude of Serana, he kept a level and decided to play her games.

"Vampires are truly fascinating, I see. No need for them to go through our pity mortal struggles. I was thinking at some point about asking Bebette to turn me into one but I think I would want to enjoy an extra few years." Nazir said, "And Bebette is one stern grandma sometimes."

"Hey! Heard that!"

Nazir dodged the object thrown towards him by Bebette.

"Astrid… the Mistress told me if I want to earn my keep, I should see you for work." Serana cut to the chase.

"Oh! Pretty please, we have a lot of contracts lying around all waiting!" Nazir spoke dramatically, "The people these days are on to each other's throats and all they do is summon us to kill for them. We are most certainly short on staff."

"Well, that's simple enough." Serana said, "What will happen after I prove myself."

"You get gold."

"And when I prove myself even more?"

"You get more gold… and respect of course."

Nazir seemed as evasive in his answers as Serana being pushy with her questions.

"I don't mind. It happens that I need gold and my only skills aside from reading are smashing heads." Serana decided to put on airs acting all tough.

"Oh! We've heard! You made quite the ruckus in Skyrim, didn't you? Attacking the Jarl's best fighter in broad daylight and smashing his head on the ground like an egg. Even Arnbjorn doesn't put that much spine in killing." Nazir applauded, "Tell me, what made you do such a reckless thing?"

Serana looked at him coldly.

"Why would I tell you? It's my business."

"Well well, look at that attitude of yours. I like it. Sadly the Mistress won't be pleased with you killing everyone in a fit of rage, she is putting a lot of hope on you, newcomer. And I am just trying to ascertain your bottom lines."

"Fine!" Serana shrugged her shoulders, "I entered the town the other day looking for… you know, sustenance. The guards must have told something about me to their Jarl so he sent his man towards me inviting me for dinner. When I refused, the thug took a book and told me to come and take it from the Jarl's quarters."

"And so you took it over his dead corpse?"

"I love my books."

"Hahaha! That's ballsy! I like you… Gabriella also likes books so you will surely get along." Nazir seemed pleased with Serana's chaotic evil tendencies behavior as this is the most favorite pawn to any Assassination Cult. Someone who wants to act without limitations and kill without discrimination. Not good for business in some cases but extremely useful in the mayhem.

"Just next time, make sure you don't make a scene. If you want fun, I am sure someone like you is more than capable of kidnapping and acting quite."

"Easy!"

"Good! Any questions before I set you up?"

"Quite a few actually." Serana thought before saying then continued, "Mistress Astrid took me to a cave and told me to kill one of three. Did I kill the right person, this Jon Dare?"

"The right person? Did you really think too hard about who to kill? Bad move." Nazir said, "When the mistress tells you to kill, you kill. There is no need to overthink it."

"I see! Obedience."

"Indeed! Obedience."

"What about this Jon Dare I killed… it can't be the… Real Jon Dare, right?"

"Ah! So you know of the infamous bastard of Winterhold." Nazir said.

"Who doesn't?"

"Right. Well… once in the past, Jon Dare was a target and we failed to kill him just because we assigned some newcomers. He wasn't even that famous back then and he cost us two promising fledglings." Nazir said with a wry smile, "Three years ago when he was said to have been banished by the King, a few imposters started coming out and calling themselves Jon Dare. Astrid simply started killing them but none of them could be the real thing anyway. At least she vented some of the grudge."

"A grudge, huh?"

"Big time."

"That was amusing!" Serana nodded as if saying thanks, "Can I take my contract now."

Nazir nodded with deadly delight.

"Your missions, should you choose to accept it, are to eliminate an ex-miller named Ennodius Papius, and Beitild, a mine boss. Finish them and report for me to take more jobs. Good hunt."

The two parted from each other and Serana walked past the other members exiting the sanctuary.

"Hmm!" Arnbjorn groaned while looking in Serana's direction.

"You're feeling alright?" Gabriella asked him.

"I don't like her. When Astrid arrives, tell her I'll be watching the new girl." He said and grabbed two greataxes from the wall and fitted them to his holster before turning into a werewolf and disappearing like the wind.

The other members were left a bit baffled but Arnbjorn can be a bit distrusting and tense around others especially when he gets overprotective over Astrid.

Another vampire in the house sure made the wolf inside him restless.

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Chapitre 580: Jonrad's Story (1): The Blue Balls Alliance

ANNOUNCEMENT: It was a sudden decision but my I have already rebooted my second novel "Relife System: The Unholy Mage".

Just as my lovely readers supported me here, I would also love to get your support there. There are 6 Chapters so far but since I am having a hiatus with Dragonborn Saga, Relife will be faster as I hope.

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He was sitting on a chair and reading a book while his skin was being dug into by a small needle. Suddenly it snaps and the owner of the needle curses in frustration.

"This is the seventh needle for Boethiah's sake!" The bald little girl said.

"The tattooing is getting harder lately." He asked.

"Harder? It is almost impossible, master! Who told you to get so powerful that I can no longer pierce your skin… with an enchanted silver needle!?"

"Hehe!"

Jon rubbed her head and stood up with his back facing a mirror. A fearsome image was displayed on his back the moment he channeled a bit of the Chaos Infection through it.

Beth's skill was almost divine when it comes to applying tattoos. One Jon's back, the image of a Dragon and a Tiger coiling in a struggle and surrounded by a frame of Nordic knots and skulls made him feel like those beasts are going to burst out of his back and devastate the world around him.

"You like it?" Jon turned to the other person present in the scene and asked.

"Edgy! I like." Miranda said as she softly touched Jon's back before the patterns faded away.

Unlike in the past, Miranda has taken a state of full relaxation in Winterhold and Jon's house. Despite being an Altmer, she was rapidly acknowledged after winning a few drinking contests against some of the Nords establishing a strong reputation for herself. Her edgy silent attitude and terrible punk hairstyle she likes made her seem like a kind of her own, wild, moody and extremely sexy.

Beth excused herself as it was already late and Jon sat in an armchair covered with fur and Miranda sat on his lap.

"The other girls are all busy tonight, I see." Jon said as he saw the room empty save for him and Miranda.

"I was supposed to be busy. I asked Isha to fill in for me tonight."

"Smart! The others will call you traitor though."

"Like they weren't sneaking with you from time to time?"

"To be fair, I can reveal any secrets between my women."

"If they weren't, you wouldn't have responded that way."

"True. No further details though."

She happily snuggled in and he embraced her no questions asked.

"Will you pat me like you pet your cat or should we skip to the aggressive stuff."

"I don't pet anyone how I pet Nefertiti for the record, that would be blasphemy on my part. Let's skip to the aggressive part, shall we?"

"Hm!" She nodded with a faint smile showing her excitement.

She was about to stand up and go bring something but Jon held her by her neck immediately.

"We haven't been training for a while now. Guess you grew a little bit bold!" Jon said.

Miranda's face remained passive for a moment before making a facial expression of delighted cheekiness.

"I am so sorry, daddy." She said trying to get closer to him but he held her from her ear.

"Only good girls get to be played with, bad girls will be punished."

"I will. I was such a bad girl!"

She descended between his legs sitting on her knees.

This scene was exclusive only to Jon and Miranda. All the other girls knew about Miranda's masochistic tendencies with Jon but only Jon knew the extent of how kinky this play can go between him and Miranda. She can simply be very demanding when dominated. She loved this kind of thing and Jon loved making her feel that way.

"Now, why were you going to stand off my lap without permission." Jon said as his left hand went down through her collar and started touching her chest area and undoing her dress.

"I was… I was going to bring you your leather tight pants, daddy… and the whip."

"Oh! Good intentions, I see." Jon nodded as he made her upper half completely visible, "Alright, go bring it."

She was about to stand but he pushed her down with a finger and gestured for her to crawl rather than walk. It made her even more excited as she turned around to crawl on her dress only to feel that its hem was stepped on. She turned back and smiled as the dress slid on her back, through her hips exposing her butt and she crawled out of it smoothly.

She arrived at the chest under the bed, pulled it out and unlocked it for several objects of elastic nature in various shapes and forms to appear. She rummaged through them and finally pulled out a pair of sturdy leather pants, a whip and a long soft rope.

As she crawled back, Jon took the leather pants and changed into it immediately then held her from beneath her chin and made her look up.

"Punishment time!"

"Yes, daddy."

"Stand up."

She stood up in front of him wearing nothing and hiding nothing. He touched her wherever he wanted to touch and from behind her, he clutched her neck the way she likes. With his other hand, he printed a red palm on her right butt cheek before the left.

"Am I redeemed now, daddy?"

"Do you want to?"

"N… No."

"Good answer."

It was finally the time, Jon took the rope she gave him and started passing it from its exact middle from behind her neck before circling over her shoulder, around her back, back to the front, between her hips then a knot and a twist. He started going in different patterns tying and knotting until she was tightly tied. While doing so, she moaned as she kept rubbing against him causing him to be fully ready for her. Her arms and legs were free for now at least because the night was still starting. Jon took the small whip and slowly started to pass it along her skin as he pushed her on the bed and raised…

*KnockKnockKnock!"

"Master!"

Jon and Miranda turned into a blur all at the same time and in a couple of seconds, they were back in their clothes without a hint of anything happening in the room.

Beth entered after taking permission and looked at the two.

"There is a gust of wind earlier…"

"I just closed the window, Beth. What's wrong?" Jon asked with a very calm and collected smile that would send shivers to a mountain.

"Grandpa Jonrad was asking for you. He is with Master Alina, Lady Jullanar and Uncle Wulfur outside. Uncle Mirren and Lady Isha are also there."

"Why the F…" Jon barely held himself at the mention of Jonrad but he took a deep breath and didn't say any bad word in front of Beth.

"Alright, Beth. You can go to bed now." Miranda said and watched as the girl walked out.

The two sighed lengthily and looked at each other.

"Is this what they call blue balls?" She asked.

"You too?" Jon clenched his teeth and stomped the ground, "I'm gonna go teach that ugly guy a lesson."

***

After storming out of his room, Jon walked through the tower's upper section to the roof of the middle section where a large balcony was prepared for the family. There, Jon could see Jonrad and every one of the Blue Balls Alliance sitting together drinking and laughing.

"Oh! Jon, Sister, you too came." Mirren called innocently, "Uncle Jonrad is about to tell us a story."

"The story of how he became the ugliest man in the world overnight?" Jon sternly said as he walked closer and picked the seat closest to Jonrad not breaking eye-contact with him, "Or the story of how he became the Lord of Awkward Moments?"

"I wasn't planning to reveal it but there is a secret why my son became so unsightly." Jonrad made a rapid comeback.

"Yeah? Let's hear it." Jon slammed the table in anticipation of the verbal battle yet to come.

"They are doing it?" (Mirren)

"Not again!" (Isha)

"For Gods' sake." (Wulfur)

"But you two are almost…" (Alina)

"DON'T!" (Jon & Jonrad)

"Ahahaha! This is so fun. Hey kitty, come and watch!" (Jullanar)

The party was assembled in the weirdest of ways after a long workday for most of them and a painful experience for Jon and Miranda.

"Alright, everybody shut up." Alina clapped, "Father, please continue."

"Where were we?" Jonrad failed to remember where he stopped.

"You were telling us about the year 188 when you were at Wayrest. The city was attacked that year, right?" Wulfur said.

"Yes, 188. We…" Jonrad nodded.

"Hold up! You guys have already ruined my night, can you recap what happened before we arrived, please?" Jon asked.

"No, I won't. Look at you, loser… saying Please." Jonrad mockingly said.

"He was waiting for you to arrive before he starts." Alina stopped a conflict from happening by telling on Jonrad.

"Daughter, you are no fun."

"Thanks, wifey!"

"Hurry up! 4E 188, what happened? You saved the city and became some Hero?" Jullanar asked.

"Aside from the heroic escapades, that story I want to tell is not Heroics or such. It is actually the opposite, it is a tale with no heroes at all."

"Let's get the drinks first." Jon clapped and a barrel of wine appeared on the table between the gathering. He passed the goblets and they all drank for their own reasons, Jon's was to not ever have blue balls ever again.

And the story took them back… thirteen years ago.

***

*Thirteen years ago, the 5th of Mid-year, 4E 188 - High Rock, the Kingdom of Wayrest*

[A/n: The story is narrated by Jonrad in the present time but he will conceal some of the events that will be written here. Only Jon will be able to tie things together.]

It starts with a man. A broken man looking at the sight of his wife and only child ride in the opposite direction as he takes lead amidst the enemy forces all alone. In a fit of madness and anger, he tosses barrels of Alchemist Fire in the Iliac Bay and burns three ships for the Aldmeri Dominion Navy before he escapes with arrows and sword wounds littering him.

Drifting across the bay, he soon arrived at High Rock and was treated by a Wiseman for a month or so until he was able to walk again. New reached him from Skyrim about the clash of the Nordic Clans over a cursed child and its death somewhere near Riften. By that time, Jonrad lost all hope in life and almost drank to his own demise if not for an old friend finding him.

Glemyt, a wandering hero who can be described as forgotten but he was rather more of an untold one.

He presented him with an Orb, he showed him the image of his child being raised in an orphanage and his wife being nursed by her family. Jonrad never felt so grateful but also knew he was weak and incapable of reclaiming his family again with only this amount of Strength. Rather than going back to Skyrim and endangering his family, he decided to stay in High Rock, look for a Master Mage to teach him how to mix the Flame Magic with Swordplay like the old Akavir have done but all rendered him as crazy or rather as someone invested in fictions.

Give up he never did and soon he found the teacher who is willing to teach. Rather than an actual teacher, it was a Patron, a Force, a Daedra.

Boethiah, Daedric Prince of Plots and Murder.

How could an ordinary man come into contact with Boethiah? Simple, he summoned the Daedric Prince after waltzing into an Arena of her Followers and slaying them to their last leaving not even a Priest standing.

Boethiah showed him favor. Seven Tasks, One Wish fulfilled.

Power, he demanded! Power, Lord.

Power thou shalt have.

A Murder? Easy. Who is the target?

A Bandit Lord.

Done!

A Corrupt Knight.

Easy!

A Serial Killer?

With pleasure!

A Scheming Official?

No wonder!

A Pirate Lord?

Without a doubt!

Five names were crossed, two names remained.

Still, each soul he took changed something. Altered the world somehow.

A far lasting consequence. A Butterfly effect. He sensed it but didn't know it could happen this way, the effects were too strange

The Bandit Lord's death caused the bandits to fight amongst themselves and descend into chaos with the majority of them taking to the sea and joining the pirates instead. It also made the security outside the town safer thus the Guards and Knights became lax.

The Corrupt Knight's death unified the Knights of Wayrest under another knight's authority, someone who is not any less corrupt. It started some sort of monopoly on corruption for the new rising knight and a lot of embezzlement happened.

The Serial Killer's death was an all-way for justice but with him gone, the guards became more lax on their night duty.

The Scheming Official was no less dirty than the King's entourage but he was from a different faction that believed in puppeteering the King or his Heirs rather than letting the corruption spread.

Lastly, the Pirate Lord was killed and another rose in his stead. That other one was smarter, nastier and way too evil.

Each and every single one of those simple five kills led to the complete crippling of Wayrest and the next thing… a fleet of pirates landed.

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