Chapitre 125: Dawnstar Under Siege (2)

The longship beached inside the port with a loud crash, the wooden ship cracking against the stones that we had placed alongside the beach, guaranteeing that the boats would need some repairs before they could go out to sea again.

Atop the longship were dozens of surprised, angry Nords, Redguards, and even a few Bosmer, each of the Blood Horker's of a diverse body type and wielding various weapons, but they all had some form of red cloth on their person, be it wrapped around their head, around their neck, or dangling from their belt.

Another surprise was that, before they dismounted from their boat and charged down towards us, the pirates lifted out large shields and formed a phalanx, while a few hoisted crossbows and aimed at the townspeople, hoping to catch a few before the melee began.

Those crossbow wielding pirates were targeted first by myself and the other archers in the Guard, our bows thrumming to life as we rained projectiles along the boats surface, cutting down a few of the pirates.

However, a good chunk of our arrows thunked harmlessly off of the thick wooden shields of the pirates, giving the enemy crossbowmen time to lift the weapons and take aim, sending out a volley of return fire.

Waving my hand, I sighed as three bolts splintered against the Ward in front of me, listening to the cries of the Guards getting struck by the deadly projectiles.

The pirates shouted out a warning to their comrades, warning them about me as I maintained my ward and nocked another arrow, saving my magicka for the moment as I raised the bow, taking aim.

The shield bearers were marching forwards in a uniform line, and I frowned as I observed the pirates and their nearly militaristic discipline as they approached our lines, making the townspeople shake in their boots as the seasoned pirates glared them down.

Targeting the gaps of the shields, I tried my best to get the pirates thinned out before they reached a certain point, where I decided that I could switch to the crossbowmen still hiding behind the edge of the boat.

I kept an eye on the pirates as they entered melee range with the townspeople and Guards, who stabbed out with long spears and tried to keep the pirates at bay, their scimitars and swords thirsting for blood.

Arrow after arrow landed on the bowstring, and I sent a hail of lethal projectiles down on the boat, slicing into the crossbowmen's bodies and cutting them down one by one, while their bolts splintered against the ward hovering in front of me, until I had managed to get rid of most of the pesky ranged fighters, freeing up my ability to aid the front lines.

The other archers on our side were either down on the ground - dead or injured - or already in the melee, having realized their life was at more danger up here then it was down in the thick of it.

Which meant...

Grinning, I stored my bow away and unsheathed a dagger, looking around the area before locating Leigelf, who was my target for this battle.

Dropping off the roof, I held the dagger loosely in my off hand before taking out my axe, preparing for the battle after I rid myself of this idiot and took over his Quicksilver Mine.

I leapt into the fray, my axe rising and falling as I slammed the heavy blade into the large wooden shields the pirates were using, ripping them free from their wielders and allowing the Dawnstar residents around me to stab and slash at the pirates, cutting them down as well.

My axe rose again, and I smacked the sword that had lunged towards my stomach down, cracking their steel weapon and making them stumble forwards, into the sharp bite of my dagger that embedded itself into their skull.

Yanking the dagger free, I glanced at Leigelf beside me and raised a brow as I saw the man try to slash his spear down at the pirate across from him, who simply blocked the spear with his shield and lanced his scimitar forwards, gutting Leigelf and making the man stumble backwards in shock, blood pouring from his stomach and drenching his white tunic.

Chuckling, I spun my dagger around and threw it at the pirates chest, hitting the swarthy Redguard's heart and killing him instantly, leaving me with my off hand now free for magic.

The spell structure for a ward filled my palm, and I used the magicka to block a heavy mace, wincing as I felt the ward crack under the power of the blow.

My axe rose once more, and I cleaved off the pirates arm, before sinking the heavy quicksilver blade into the woman's face, disfiguring her and killing her quickly.

Leigelf whimpered on the ground behind me, but a quick look around and a subtle spell creeping into his mind silenced the man, and he laid down and bled out no one noticing the Nord during his final moments.

Swapping the spell in my hand to Firebolt, I began to barrage the pirates with bolts of compressed, superheated flames, melting their flesh and ridding the world of their uselessness.

I mean, a pitiful collection of peasants, miners, and retired soldiers managed to repel you?!

Good thing I didn't bother trying to get on their good side yet... damn was this fight telling.

But there was still more to come, so while Leigelf's blood began to slick the ground below me, I hefted my axe and stared at the regrouping pirates, letting my magicka regenerate some more as I observed their movements.