Worth Fighting For - Entry VII: In Defiance

Entry VII: In Defiance
Location: Manhattan Movie Theater
Date: Friday, October 17th, 2003

We didn’t rest long before we were on the move again. Chris, myself, Miguel, Charlie, Steven, Tony, Daniil, and Nikolay refreshed our supplies and then headed to the Manhattan Movie Theater. It was there that the Soviets grounded their fleet of helicopters. That fleet created a protective hold around the power plant. Chris hoped that grounding the air patrols would allow us to reach the power plant and strike the fatal blow. Phil, successful with his previous mission, was holding a barricaded position in front of the movie theater. He would keep the SAF busy while Chris sneaked the team into the vacant field behind the theater where the Red air fleet was kept.

We crept through dark alleys towards the movie theater, silently killing the few patrolling soldiers. We were only a few blocks away from the theater when we heard the fighting between Phil’s team and the Reds. Chris motioned up towards a fire escape on a nearby building. With the intelligence we received from Mr. Jones, Chris knew that we could climb up to the roof and make our way by rooftop to the back of the theater. Most of the SAF guards were down on the ground, so we should have little resistance taking this route.

We ascended the rickety fire escape as quietly as we could. It led us to the top floor of the building but no farther because the upper portion of the ladder was destroyed. Chris and I propped open the window and ushered Tony and Nikolay inside. Without a sound, they neutralized two Reds while the rest of the team swept the floor for any other enemies. When we reached the rooftop, Chris pulled out his high powered sniper rifle, it was similar to the one he used when we attacked the Brooklyn Harbor and he had already proved then that he was deftly suited to the weapon. Chris took point and scouted our path ahead. We would have to use wood planks to bridge the gaps between buildings, but it was doable, as long as you weren’t afraid of heights.

It took a bit of weaving and winding around the rooftops to reach the movie theater but we eventually made it. Looking down from our position, we could see Phil and his team still battling with the Reds in front of the theater. Nikolay wanted to open fire but Chris had ordered us not to engage the enemy. We needed the element of surprise and firing now would just give away our position. We snaked around rooftop vents and debris until we could see the open field that housed the SAF air fleet. The guards were quite relaxed even though we all could hear the sounds of the battle raging in front of the movie theater. We scurried into position, making sure not to be seen or heard and then waited for the signal.

The loud boom of Chris’ sniper rifle ripped through the air and a Red standing next to a chopper fell to the ground, dead. We all joined in, aiming carefully so that we would hit our targets. Our barrage of gunfire couldn’t have lasted more than a few minutes. We easily eliminated the two dozen or so SAF soldiers in the now empty field. We climbed down the fire escape and I handed Chris a bag of C4. The rest of us stayed back, safe from the blast, and waited for Chris to plant the explosives and return to us. He led the team down an alley towards the side of the theater, then he pushed the detonator and sent the Soviet air fleet up in flames.

As we ran towards the front of the theater, we saw Phil and another soldier coming towards us. He informed Chris that the explosion caused the Reds to scamper back into the theater. Phil was going to lead his team and assault the front of the theater but recommended that we try and fight our way through the back. He introduced his companion as Katherine Cutter, or Kat for short, who was familiar with the layout of the theater and would be able to lead Chris to the upper levels so he could eliminate the officers who resided there. After quick introductions Kat led Chris and the rest of us to the back entrance of the theater while Phil rejoined his group for what we hoped was the final assault.

We sneaked in quietly and with Kat as our guide; we were able to make it to the upper levels of the theater without being noticed. Once there, we eliminated the remaining officers, reached the rooftop, and replaced their flag with ours. The Manhattan Movie Theater was now in the Resistance’s hands. Phil and his team made short work of the lingering Red soldiers while Chris and I searched for any intelligence that might be helpful. Isabella and her team made a surprise appearance and she conveyed her disappointment for being late to the party. She did have surveillance of the warehouse district and informed Chris that the SAF had added floodlights and electric fencing all around the perimeter. We now had no choice but to attack the power plant if we wanted any chance of rescuing the POWs.

Worth Fighting For
Location: Manhattan Power Plant
Date: Saturday, October 18th, 2003

With food, rest, and Isabella’s information; we were now prepared to attack the Manhattan Power Plant. Isabella had recommended that we focus on the transformer tower, destroying it would cut power to the warehouse district, allowing us to finally rescue the prisoners being held there. There were nine of us in total now, including Chris. Miguel had been one of the first to follow Chris, along with Billy who we lost in the last mission. Charlie was the first POW to lend aid to our cause with Steven and Tony following close behind. Daniil and Nikolay were SAF soldiers until they refused to slaughter innocents. They were to be executed but Chris rescued them in time and they have followed him since. Kat was the newest member who joined our team with Phil’s blessing. Though no one wanted to admit it, we needed a replacement for Billy and she had proven to be a capable fighter.

Our goal was to use the monorail tracks which ran above a portion of the power plant as our entry point. It was dark and the autumn air nipped at any skin that was exposed. We had to navigate down a side street and go under the monorail overpass before we could reach the maintenance ladder that would get us to the tracks. We encountered little resistance and quickly made our way to the tracks above us. Isabella and Phil were both leading their own teams on separate operations which occupied the majority of the Soviet forces in the area. After traversing along the tracks for some time, Chris split the team in two. He, myself, Tony, and Kat would locate the transformer tower while Miguel, Charlie, Steven, Daniil, and Nikolay blew up the power lines. Chris hoped that with both destroyed, it would be near impossible for the SAF to repair the damage. After a few quick orders from Chris we split up with Miguel leading his squad down a maintenance ladder and Chris leading us further down the tracks.

The monorail tracks ran parallel to the backside of the power plant, giving us an easy access point to our target, or so we thought. When we left the tracks and climbed down to ground level, we found that the entire plant was protected by an electric fence. Chris located the power source but the only way to diffuse the fence was to blow it up. There goes our element of surprise. We still had plenty of C4 left from our raid on the diner a few missions back and Chris wasn’t hesitant to use it. We scampered to cover while Chris blew up a hole in the fence, large enough to get us all through. An alarm began to sound but we realized that it was coming from the other side of the plant. Miguel and his squad must have attacked the main gate, which meant that we needed to move quickly.

It wasn’t hard to locate the transformer tower but we were surprised to see it so heavily guarded when the main gate of the power plant was being attacked. We all broke formation and found cover behind concrete pylons before returning fire. Kat yelled out that there was a civilian with the Reds. I peered down the sights of my gun and saw that she was right. A woman dressed in what looked like a power plant uniform was cowering near a large wall. I could see a tool bag nearby, with tools strewn across the ground. She must have been doing repairs to the transformer tower before we had arrived. Now the stakes had changed, we controlled our rate of fire and carefully chose our targets.

After we had eliminated the enemy and secured the area, Chris helped the woman to her feet and asked her to tell us what happened. She told us her name was Chelly Ouma and that she and her husband, Ryo, worked at the Manhattan Power Plant. The Reds captured them and had been using them to maintain the plant. She begged us to rescue her husband and the other prisoners who were being held in the Manhattan Warehouse District. Chris stated that their rescue was our next mission but before we could help them, we had to disable the transformer tower. She showed Chris where to plant the explosives to ensure that the tower would be destroyed. As we headed to a safe distance, Chelly grabbed a gun from a dead SAF soldier. We all gave her a skeptical look but she said she was quite familiar with the use of firearms and that there was no way we were going to stop her from joining us. There was no arguing with a woman with a gun so Chris detonated the explosives and we hurried to meet up with Miguel and the others.

We killed the remaining opposition as we ran through the power plant towards the main gate. There were only a handful of soldiers in the plant as most had left to either pursue Phil’s and Isabella’s teams or to fight off the assault from Miguel and company. His squad was already inside the plant and they were clearing the way for us to exit via the main gate. We kept moving and hurried towards safety. The alarms had been blaring the entire time and now the engines of Soviet transport trucks could be heard in the distance. We ran as fast as we could onto the main road and towards the monorail overpass. The Reds were gaining on us though and soon shots were being fired at our backs. Heavy reinforcements had arrived and now it seemed like the entire Soviet army was chasing us.

Miguel reached the maintenance ladder for the monorail tracks first and helped Nikolay and Daniil up. Charlie and Steven were next, followed by Chelly. I called out to Miguel and motioned to the tracks. He realized what I was trying to say and raced up the ladder. Once above us, he organized the others up on the tracks to lay down suppressing fire, buying the rest of us time to reach safety. But the Red reinforcements were too numerous and it was only a matter of time before we were overrun. As the others straggled in behind me, I helped Kat up the ladder. She hesitated a moment and told me she was afraid of heights, which I quickly responded that she should hate bullets more. I scampered up the ladder behind her and joined in the effort to suppress the Reds.

Chris and Tony were the last ones to the ladder. A Soviet bullet grazed Tony in the leg, staggering him for a moment. Chris stopped and was about to help when Tony quickly got to his feet and yelled at Chris to get to safety. Chris was reaching the ladder when I heard Charlie shout for them to hurry. I looked down the road just in time to see a Soviet tank pull to a stop. Its turret slowly began to aim at us. We had to fall back down the tracks or we would all be killed. I grabbed Chris’ arm and hoisted him up. Chris turned around quickly and reached his hand down to Tony but no one was on the ladder. Tony looked at us and gave a small shrug; it was too late for him. With the injury to his leg he would never be able to climb the ladder in time. He gave a salute to Chris before he turned and began walking towards the Reds. Chris pulled me and we began to run but I looked back for a moment to see Tony firing at fifty SAF soldiers. Tony Ramos, the lone freedom fighter standing in defiance and making the ultimate sacrifice. Suddenly, there was an earsplitting din and a burst of heat as I felt molten air and debris fly by me… then there was only darkness.

The Thief in the Snow - Entry XIV: The Throat of the World

The Thief in the Snow
Entry XIV: The Throat of the World
Location: Whiterun Plains, Whiterun Hold
Date: Morndas, 25th of Last Seed, 4E 201

The sky was clear and the sun shone brightly when I left Whiterun and headed east to answer my summons to High Hrothgar. My destination was Ivarstead in the Rift, which was a village that sat at the base of the Seven Thousand Steps. I traveled upon the main stone road which was the same one I had used when I came from Riverwood. As I walked along the wide road, I came across a sickly man. His skin appeared to be rotting with dark encrustations all over his body and his eyes were sullen. I stopped him and asked if there was anything I could do but he only reproached me for ‘ogling the grotesque.’ I told him that I was merely concerned and meant no offense. When he realized that my empathy was genuine, he explained his situation. He informed me that he was one of the Afflicted and suffered from a plague. He would have been dead from the plague a year ago if not for the protection from Peryite, the Daedric Prince of Pestilence. He continued that he was leaving Skyrim for fear that Peryite would remove his favor. When I inquired why Peryite would do such a thing, he told me that the Afflicted Shepherd had lost his way and Peryite was bound to punishment him. I was about to question him more when he waved his hands and cut me off. As he sprinted down the road, he told me to seek Kesh if I wanted to know more but he was leaving Skyrim as quickly as possible.

I continued my journey down the road when I came across signs of a bandit attack nearby. I had heard from the guards in Whiterun that bandits had set up a camp nearby and were ambushing travelers heading to and from Whiterun. I followed the trail up the hill, near the side of the road, and discovered White River Watch. There, I spied three Bandits looking over their stolen wares. I stealthily crept closer to the Bandits until I was inside their camp. Quickly, I drew my daggers and attacked. Their cries of surprise were all the action they could take, as I cut them down in one fluid motion.

On the road once more, I came across another Standing Stone lying on top of a hill, where a Necromancer was trying to re-animate a Skeleton. My stumbling in on the act startled the Necromancer into hostility. He cast a few spells as his newly formed Skeleton companion attacked me with a Steel Warhammer. I could not block the weapon with my daggers so I evaded the blow and prepared to counter. The combination of being attacked by spells and the Skeleton was overwhelming. I failed to dodge a heavy blow from the warhammer and it resulted in the bones of my right leg being crushed. Crippled now, I drew the Imperial Bow that Hadvar had gifted me and fired an arrow at the Skeleton. Its impact shattered the bones into pieces and I could hear a pained cry rise out of the Necromancer. He was attacking me from behind the Standing Stone, peeking out to cast a spell before ducking behind the Stone once more. The wound on my leg made it impossible for me to avoid the cracks of lightning he shot at me and the jolting current made it difficult to steady my bow. I inhaled deeply and waited for the right moment, my timing could not be off.

The Necromancer lept out from behind his cover and without hesitating for a moment I yelled, “Fus!”

The powerful Shout barreled into the Necromancer, knocking him squarely in the chest. The force was so unrelenting that it thrust him over the hillside and into the White River below. The fall was so great that nothing could have survived, and by some miracle the Necromancer did survive his fall, the violent water of the White River would have surely drowned him. I quickly healed my wound with both paws and when I was feeling able, I placed the bow on my back and walked eastward towards Ivarstead.

I was still in Whiterun Hold when I came across Valtheim Towers. One tower was firmly planted on my side of the White River and another tower sat upon the north bank of the river. An expansive bridge stretched out over the cascading waters, connecting the two towers. This was the very place Avenicci had told me about where bandits had taken hold. I could only guess that the Bandits I had slain earlier were a part of this larger group. I remembered my promise to Avenicci and sneaked towards the Towers to dispatch of the Bandit Chief that led these vile people.

Unfortunately, it was broad daylight and there was little shrubbery for me to hide behind. A Bandit high on the bridge saw me slinking along the road and sounded an alarm. Soon there were Bandits pouring out of the towers. Three rushed down the stairs and stampeded towards me while another three Bandits stood on the bridge, pelting me with arrows. I sprinted towards the south tower, intending to use it as a shield from the Archers. I drew my bow quickly and fired two arrows, one into each knee of a charging Bandit. He fell to the road in agony, I left him there crippled for I was still trying to avoid the Archers high above me.

I raced forward towards the other two Bandits. I was finally in the shadow of the tower, safe from the Archers rain of metal. A Bandit was now in front of me, she took a sweeping blow with her war axe but I dove under it before she could plant it in my gut. I had no time to attack her for as soon as I evaded her attack, the third Bandit swung his weapon at me. I held up my bow in defense, I had no time to determine what kind of weapon he held and hoped that it was no warhammer. His sword glanced off my bow and I regained my footing before deflecting another sword. ‘Two!’ I screamed in my head. I knew I had to finish this dual-wielding Bandit quickly for there was still a Bandit behind me and the Archers above. He cried out, the screech pulling me out of my thoughts, as he charged straight for me. I half-drew my bow, I knew I did not have the room nor the time to draw it back fully, and let loose an arrow into the Bandit’s foot. This time, his cry was not one of the heat of battle but one of pain. As he stumbled forward, I took an arrow in my paw and thrust it into his chest, using the Bandit’s own falling momentum against him. For safety's sake I fired another arrow into his back he fell to the ground.

The last standing Bandit thundered towards me, war axe held high above her head. I slid backwards, landing on my back and fired a single shot straight up, it met her chin and did not stop until it hit the top of her skull. She collapsed in a heap on top of me and I struggled to push her aside. I stood up as I heard the Bandits above screaming for news from their comrades. Little did they know, their comrades were all dead… then I heard it, the sound of anguish from the first Bandit I had encountered. He was still alive, writhing in pain on the road. I steadied my bow and placed an arrow into his neck, ending his agony.

There were still at least three more Bandits on the bridge. I darted into the tower and up the wooden stairs, there was no reason for stealth here, they knew I was coming when they realized their comrades were dead. When I reached the bridge, there were indeed three Bandits there. Because the pathway was so narrow, the three could not fire at once. I took cover in the doorway of the tower, peeking out between the barrage of arrows. I heard a Bandit cry out as I saw him lose his footing and tumble over the edge of the bridge into the gushing river below. Only two bandits remained, I collected myself and then walked onto the bridge. My stride was in tune with my shots, every footfall saw another arrow take flight, and I did not stop until both Bandits were lying dead on the bridge.

I sighed in relief when I saw the last Bandit crumple on the bridge. I was about to turn back and descend to the road when I felt a gush of wind against my face as an arrow whizzed past my cheek. In shock, I almost staggered right off of the bridge but regained my balance before I tumbled over the edge. I scanned the other side of the bridge and saw a lone Bandit standing on the opposite cliff. With all the energy I could muster in my legs, I bounded across the bridge towards the northern tower. I could only hope that my luck would hold out and no arrow would find itself in my flesh for there was no room to dodge on the bridge. Into the tower I raced and practically slid down the stairs until I reached the outside, bow tense and ready to attack. When I reached the cliff where I had seen the Bandit, he was no longer there. I whirled around, my keen eyes searching for any glint of metal that would reveal his position to me. ‘There!’ I saw a flash in the sunlight behind the trees and fired two arrows without any hesitation. The Bandit cursed me before he slumped down, dead.

I neared the corpse and discovered a note on his body that revealed his true identity, he was the Bandit Chief that had organize the attacks on travelers. I took it and what ever items I could carry with the plan of selling them when I could and saving the letter for Avenicci. As I crossed the bridge and returned to the main road, I examined my Imperial Bow to see what kind of damage it had taken. Amazingly, blocking the Bandit’s sword had barely scratched it. I chuckled to myself, ‘I really must thank Hadvar now.’ I continued east, following the White River, hoping that the rest of my journey would be uneventful.

I followed the White River until it met the Darkwater River, there I changed course and followed this new river south to Lake Geir which was located just outside of Ivarstead. The sun was setting as I trekked along the Darkwater River and came across five Imperial Soldiers escorting a Stormcloak Prisoner. I was about to stop and let them pass when a Troll attacked from the riverbank. ‘Trolls.’ I moaned as I drew my bow. They were foul, nasty creatures. Having three beady eyes instead of two, they were monstrous in size and strength. They were hairy, had sharp claws and fangs, and attacked anything that disturbed them. They also could regenerate their health so killing one was especially difficult.

The Stormcloak Prisoner tried to run but the Troll used its great arms to smash the Prisoner into the ground. The Imperial Soldiers attacked the Troll and I also joined in the action. Carefully placing my shots as to not hit the Soldiers, our combined effort eliminated the beast but not before it killed a Soldier. With the Prisoner dead, the remaining Soldiers thanked me for my assistance and then journeyed west, I assumed back to Whiterun.

I took to the riverbank and continued south along the shores, the gushing water murmuring quietly as the sun began to set. It was not as wide as the White River and the flowing water was not as violent. I easily navigated along the shoreline, unearthing what I believed to be the Troll’s den underneath a rock formation. Inside I found a dead Hunter and multiple human-like skeletons. The sight made me shutter and I hurried along the riverbank towards Lake Geir.

Location: Ivarstead, The Rift
Date: Tirdas, 26th of Last Seed, 4E 201

It was twilight when I entered the Rift, the first hold that was squarely aligned with the Stormcloaks. I wondered how I would fair here, I could not use my title of thane to unlock city gates now and being a Khajiit would hinder me even further. Nords hated outsiders and while I had grown on the citizens of Whiterun, the city was diverse in its inhabitants. Here, strong Nord convictions held fast. For some unknown reason, my mind jumped back to Fralia Gray-Mane. I was surprised that she had confided in me and asked for my assistance giving that she was a Stormcloak supporter. Maybe a few in the Rift would treat me the same way. I could only hope as I entered the sleepy village of Ivarstead.

As I walked down the dirt street, I tried to glance up at the Throat of the World but could not see it for it was still too dark. Masser and Secunda were hidden behind the clouds and the air was quiet. I saw Vilemyr Inn was open and entered, hoping to find a bed for the night. I was greeted by Lynly Star-Sung, who quizzed if I was a pilgrim to High Hrothgar. I nodded and she sang a song just for me. Afterwards, I tipped her and spoke with Wilhelm, the barkeep. He gave me a Bounty Letter from the Jarl of the Rift, stating that there was a reward for anyone who could slay the Dragon at Autumnwatch. He also told me about the nearby Nordic Tomb, Shroud Hearth Barrow, and how it was haunted. I thanked him for the information, paid for a bed, and had a restless night in anticipation of what was to come.

I only slept for a few hours, just enough that when I awoke the sun had begun to rise. I decided to walk around Ivarstead before ascending the Seven Thousand Steps to High Hrothgar. When I exited the inn, I glanced up and my mouth fell open from the sight that was before me. The Throat of the World was like nothing I had ever seen. It was the highest mountain in all of Tamriel and an awe-inspiring sight. The snow at the peak of the mountain was rumored to never melt and there were many tales of events centered on this place. The Nords believed that Men were born on the mountain when the sky breathed onto the land. There was also legend that a great battle took place between the ancient Nord heroes of old and Alduin, the World Eater and Nordic god of Destruction. Their victory over Alduin led to the end of the Dragon War and Alduin being lost in time. Tiber Septim, the man who would become Talos of the Nine Divines, was summoned to High Hrothgar. According to the tale, when he arrived the Greybeards spoke his name and the world shook. They then prophesied that he would be the chosen one who would defeat the Second Aldmeri Dominion, uniting all of Tamriel under one empire.

I could not fathom that I, a lowly Khajiit, had been summoned by the Greybeards just like Tiber Septim had been. To think I was going to stand in the same place that this great man turned Divine once stood was overwhelming. The Septim line of Emperors had ruled over Tamriel for all of the Third Era. From Tiber Septim uniting Tamriel to Martin Septim who sacrificed himself to save Tamriel during the Oblivion Crisis. I could scarcely imagine why the Greybeards would summon me when I paled so much in comparison.

Still, I had come all this way, I might as well see what the old hermits wanted with me. As I walked around Ivarstead, I met Temba Wide-Arm, who was operating the local mill. A log had fallen from the saw and I scurried over to help her before any serious damage could be done. She thanked me and asked if I would mind doing her another favor. I nodded and she continued to tell me that the bears had been tearing up the trees nearby, making the trees impossible to sell. She told me she would pay me if I brought her ten Bear Pelts and I agreed to hunt them down for her.

I walked further along the road until I came to a stop at the small bridge that marked the beginning of the Seven Thousand Steps to High Hrothgar. A Nord saw me and bounded over, waving to get my attention. He introduced himself as Klimmek and asked if I was on my way up the mountain. I answered him and told him that was indeed my intent. He asked me to deliver some goods to High Hrothgar, he usually did it, but was unable to this time. I told him I would be glad to and asked him if he traveled the Seven Thousand Steps often. I was amazed to hear that he went nearly once a week up to High Hrothgar to bring food and other items to the Greybeards. I told him it was my first time up the mountain and asked if he had any advice. Klimmek smiled and told me not to worry. All I had to do was watch my footing, be on the lookout for Ice Wolves and the occasional Frost Troll. My guttural moan surprised him and I explained how I had already faced one Troll on my journey to Ivarstead. He wished me safe travels and told me that he would buy me a drink at Vilemyr Inn upon my return. I thanked him and started across the small wooden bridge. I paused for a moment, staring up at the Throat of the World, still in awe of what had brought me here and in dread of what was to come.