Maximum Pain

.... *Head-shake, walk away.*

(In my situation I can't post unless someone else posts. )

Nyx let out a small sigh, hoping that he had at least known a bit. "Well their are nine Divines that people worship in Skyrim, well, eight for sure. Those who oppose the Empire worship nine, but the worship of Talos was banned at the end of the war. So their are nine Divines, and many many daedric lords that are considered evil... besides one or two that aren't considered wholly evil. Azura, the Goddess my brother and I worship told us that a war was coming. I know it may sound crazy, but it sounds like this is a war of Gods rather than humans, and the gods are just picking their Champions..." Nyx was happy to see the town of Ivarstead already. The snow had significantly lessened. Ivaylo couldn't help but grin when she summoned her giant monster. He slashed down a couple of dark beings.

Nyx glanced at him, pulling his mask down to show his frown. "Well, this may surprise you, but I'm not from Skyrim originally myself. But one thing I can tell you is this has nothing to do with the civil war going on. It's much bigger than that...." Nyx's mind went to Azura, the daedric goddess that had chosen him and his brother. She said hard times were coming, that the Gods themselves were fighting. Nyx glanced to the side. "Do you know of the Gods of this land, Caeser?" Ivaylo glanced at the girl, before fighting his way over. "Do you have a plan?" he asked her... Kara was her name? She was the one that had summoned that huge thing, and although she looked better than before, he was almost sure her power was still depleted.

Ivaylo was amazed at this groups sheer strength. They just kept surprising him. He shook his head, trying to keep himself focused as he sliced at the dark creatures. The horde seemed never-ending though. He stopped glancing ahead. The man... His eyes widened as he recognized him from before. He was in Dawnstar! Ivaylo narrowly avoided one of the creatures claws, and was forced to return to the battle. Nyx couldn't help but chuckled, pulling his mask up to protect his face from the icy shards. "No. Where I live in Solitude there isn't much snow. Just rain... Lots of Rain..." He made a slight face, but only his eyes showed it. "Different parts of Skyrim has different weather. You must have only visited the snowy parts yet..."

Nyx stared after him, before glancing up at the almost menacing building. Any other time, he would have done what Caeser had said and gone to talk to the Greybeards. But as he saw it now, there were other times for that, and he felt like he was needed. He turned and ran after Caeser, grinning widely when he caught up with him. "My brother must be rubbing off on me," he muttered under his breath, before saying, "I'm coming with you." Ivaylo gazed at her, surprised. She did look better... after such a powerful fight, he had figured she would be exhausted for a long time, but she was already ready for the fight. He couldn't help but grin as he thought of fighting. This was a fight for territory, which made sense to this wolf. He pulled his Day Break out of it's sheath, diving for the coming darkness, sword swinging.

Nyx half-smiled, enjoying the compliment and the man's wide smile. It was... oddly comforting... At least until Caeser's face went distant and he inhaled a sharp breath like he couldn't get enough air. "I suppose... " he said, looking up the steps. Was he okay to walk? He seemed to be fine physically... "Are you alright Caeser?" he asked, frowning at the man. Ivaylo gazed at the black mass, before looking at the man, "Johnny", who claimed to know of these creatures. Of course, he didn't know if what he said was true, but he didn't like the look of that black horde. He went to Kara, grabbing her arm as she looked like she was about to charge off into battle. "I know I'd hate somebody to tell me this, but you don't look well enough to fight," he said, his golden eyes glancing nervously at the horde closing in.

Nyx stared at the stranger's hand, giving him a hard look. Could this man, a stranger to this land be the Dragonborn? Was that even possible? Finally he pushed his hand forward, grasping his hand. "Caeser. A strange name.... I am Nyx..." Although, because of that little outburst, Nyx should have felt fear for the man, but he only felt a strange kinship. He was also a stranger to these cold and harsh lands. Ivaylo gazed at the girl amazed. "That was... Amazing! How did you do that!" he cried, excited before he felt the excitement die form the other members of the group around him. He looked at each, following their gaze. His face fell quickly as he recognized the black mass coming forth, like a a black wave. "At least I know Nyx is safe," he muttered to himself.

Ivaylo glanced at Kugo, and then back at Yukino. "Thanks for talking to me! We'll meet again," he said with a cheerful wave as he ran off to join the battle. He pulled his bow off his back, setting an arrow into place. He released it with great force.

(Don't worry about it. ^^ It's understandable.) Ivaylo, now confused himself, glanced from one to the other. "I meant your name... What does your name mean?" He wondered how his brother would handle the situation... Probably turn around and walk away. "I didn't mean to confuse anybody..." He glanced at the fight. It looked like it was getting intense. Maybe he should... He edged towards the battle. Nyx stared at the strange man. He was unlike anybody he had met in Skyrim. It was obvious he didn't belong. When he asked what was up, Nyx looked up confused. "Only the truly dedicated come to this place... or the truly desperate," he replied evenly, before glancing back. "So what's a stranger to Skyrim doing near here? Dedication? Or are your desperate?" Nyx kept his distance.

Ivaylo stood quickly, glancing at the stranger. His heart was pounding slightly, but he kept his face neutral. He kept the growl that had built in the back of his throat in, and swallowed hard. Had he been in his other form, his fur would have been standing on end. He quickly relaxed himself, concluding that the stranger wasn't a threat... At least not yet. "Yukino," he said smiling softly as he tried out the name. "Do you know what it means?"

Ivaylo glanced to the side at her, before giving her a slight grin. "Can't I play the stranger card for a little while longer?" He chuckled lightly, as he ran a hand through his hair. "Do you have a name?"

Or at least that had been Ivaylo's intention. There was already a strange group doing quite the damage on the dragon. He watched, sheathing his Day Break sword with a small frown. He walked to the girl that had suddenly dropped out of the fight, sitting on the rock beside her. "Strange group, huh?" he asked, staring at the fight. His golden eyes glanced towards her, before returning to the battle. (By the way, AnsemTheWise, Nyx has caught up to Caeser. I didn't know if you noticed. )

Ivaylo grumbled to himself furiously, paying little to no attention to his surroundings. Whiterun was in sight already because of his fast pace he had set in his fury. It wasn't until a dragon roared that he blinked and finally looked around, finding Whiterun under attack by one of the huge beasts. "Whoa. Talk about a bad day all around..." he said to himself. He started to run towards Whiterun. There were friends he had there that he would be sad about losing and his only choice to stop that was to fight. Besides, Nyx deserved a little pay back after that stunt he pulled in Riften. Nyx stopped, sensing something. He lifted his head, glancing around, but the terrain was silent besides the occasional scuffle of animals. He waited for a long moment, but the feeling didn't go away. He tried to shrug it off, and continued walking. The feeling wouldn't go away though. It seemed to gnaw at him, telling his instincts that he needed to escape. Now! He ran down the trail right as an arrow hit the ground where he had been. He slid to the right as another arrow pierced the ground with a loud thunk. He turned, barely catching a glimpse of his attacker. "Bandits," Nyx hissed to himself, as he turned to find the rest of the thieves. "Well, well. What have we here?" one asked, and Nyx guessed their leader. "Looks like one lone Imperial. We don't like Imperials on our turf," another said, beginning to circle him. It made him feel like prey. But with it being eight well armed men and an archer hidden somewhere behind him, he didn't stand a chance of surviving. Nyx glanced past them. He could barely see the bridge to Ivarstead ahead, but he'd have to be fast. He waited, taking their petty insults silently. It was only when the two in front of him parted slightly that he took the chance. He ran past them, bolting for the bridge. He heard their excited yells as they ran after him. Nyx cursed his slow human body as he imagined the feel of hot breath on his back and a cold knife pressed to his throat. He made it to the bridge, but he didn't stop. He began to ran up the steps to High Hrothgar, thinking he'd hide out for a while. He almost wished he had his brother with him... He almost ran into a khajiit who was heading down. He finally stopped, his heart racing, but when he looked around, he wasn't being followed. "In a hurry?" he asked in a thick accent, giving a slight smile. "No..." Nyx said slowly as he let himself relaxed. They probably stopped at the bridge... But now that he was so close, and having never seen High Hrothgar, he was curious. "Sorry about running into you..." "Do not apologize, Friend. But be careful running on this icy path," he said, as he gave a slight wave walking away. "I'm afraid I've got someplace to be..." Nyx waved back, blinking. The khajiit were a curious race to him. He began walking up the path until he found it... and a lot of snow... And a man...

Nyx, having gotten paid with a hefty amount of coin for his job, smiled lightly at his brother. He flicked him in the forehead though, which made him scowl. "Go home. I'll survive." "But-," he started, before Nyx held up a finger. "I already told you. Plus, I'm tougher than that," he slid the large pouch of coins in his brother's hands. "Take this with you. Why not go stay with the Companions guild for a while." "You're not seriously going to Dawnstar," Ivaylo said, his usually light face darkened. His golden eyes stared deeply, before he turned away with a huff. "Fine, but you're a damn fool!" he shot at his brother, leaving Riften. He grumbled it over and over as he left. If his brother was going to be an idiot, than that was his business. Nyx ignored the carriage driver and began a steady walk. He just wanted to walk. It wouldn't take that long by himself. Plus, if it started getting dark, he always had his wolf form. No one messed with wolves, especially after dark. Nyx stared after his brother, frowning slightly. He ran a hand through his long hair, before pulling his hood up. Ever since they had left Dawnstar, he had been curious. If he could just find out about what was going. He left a little after his brother, but he took a different road that went North. It would take him a while on foot, but he had given all his money to Ivaylo... Just in case he didn't come back.

Ivaylo decided to wait outside the city, having already received glares from the guards. They obviously didn't like strangers, and it didn't help that the twins often got mistaken for Imperials. So Nyx entered the city alone, heading towards the housing district that belonged to the Nords of the city. He couldn't remember what they called this district, but he remembered the district where the dark elves lived. He almost spat in disgust as he thought of the "Grey Quarter" and about the injustice they faced in this city. He couldn't help but think that they could move at any time now... He shrugged it off, and broke into one of the houses. Vex had described it to him, and he had seen it before on other missions. He crouched, listening carefully. It didn't sound like anybody was in the house, but he'd be careful nonetheless. He searched the house until he found the item that had caught Vex's eyes. He nabbed a diamond circlet, quickly stashing it in his sack. He a few feet form the door when it suddenly opened. Heart pounding, he used his agile reflexes to roll behind a dresser. The woman walked in, and headed to the dining room where he cooking stove was. Nyx took the opportunity to sneak out the front door, being as quiet as he could. Luckily, his cat self had natural reflexes that allowed to stalk almost in complete silence. He escaped the city, finding his brother. "Back to Riften, or do you want to stay here for a bit?" Nyx asked with a slight grin. Ivaylo frowned. "Ha, ha. Very funny."

"The Silver Hand..." Ivaylo sounded disgusted as he said the name. "I know. And worst yet, after that they stole the shards of Wuuthrad. We managed to get the pieces back, but I'd still really like to see all the Silver Hand pay," Vilkas said with a growl. Farkas gave a nod of agreement, his face intense. Aela, who could easily hear the conversation from where she sat only a few feet away, was oddly silent. She was usually the first to swear death or vengeance upon the Silver Hand. Ivaylo shrugged it off, thinking that she was probably playing a little game which was her way. Nyx grabbed his brothers arm. "Ivaylo, if you want to stay that's fine, but I really should go..." Ivaylo blinked, before nodding. "I suppose you're right. I'll go too." He turned to the brother's, giving a half wave. "You're welcome anytime. Don't wait so long to visit us the next time," Vilkas said. "You'll always be a Companion to us," Farkas added. Ivaylo said his good byes before he turned, and left out of the large wooden doors. Nyx lead the way, heading down the stairs towards the big tree. Ivaylo practically skipped after him, taking the stairs two at a time. He grinned when his brother glanced at him. "To Riften?" Nyx only gave a nod of agreement, and they headed for the only way out of the large city walls. They hired a carriage driver again, and soon found themselves at Riften.Because Nyx wasn't a full Thieves Guild member, he met his contact named Brynjolf or Vex in the Bee and Barb. Once they got to town, Nyx made Ivaylo go get supplies while he talked with his contact. Ivaylo did what his brother asked, but not gladly. After a bit, Nyx met back up with him. "Do you want to go home, or do you want to go on another job with me?" Nyx asked. "I'm going with you," he said firmly, before relaxing slightly. "Where are we going?" "Windhelm." Ivaylo almost regretted saying he would go with him. Windhelm was an awful place that snowed most of the time, and had awful people that discriminated against everybody who wasn't a Nord. The city was a complete dump, but that wasn't the worst of it; it was the base of Ulfric Stormcloak, leader of the rebels.

(Sorry about the long post... )

Ivaylo silently stared at the crowds of people. He noticed that some of the people didn't really look like they belonged. He smiled lightly, turning to talk to Nyx, who was suddenly gone. He did a quick circle, and found him sneaking away. He followed from a distance, and saw which house his brother had gone into. He kept watch, making sure no one entered to surprise him.It took him a few minutes, but eventually he came out, the stolen goods already hidden in his travel pack. The brother's silently walked away from the house, walking into the market. "Do we have to leave right away? Can we stay for a bit?" Ivaylo asked. "What's there to stay for?" Nyx retorted as they walked up the stairs to the very center of town. The great tree looked dead, much different than it had been when they first visited Whiterun. Ivaylo caught sight of a strange pair, his eyes following a woman and a metal... thing... "What do you suppose that is?" Nyx's eyes followed the pair as they headed towards Dragonsreach. "Dwemer Automaton? You know, the ancient Dwarven machines. I've never seen one before, but it looks like how they were described. Wonder what ones doing here..." he said thoughtfully, violet eyes staring openly. Ivaylo suddenly glanced to Jorrvaskr. "Let's go visit the Companions!" He tugged at his brother as he ran up the steps. He pushed open the large door, and the smell of drink, and hot meat filled his nose. Noise hit his ears; loud talking, hearty laughter. He let out a contented sigh, before glancing at Nyx. Nyx looked annoyed. Ivaylo ignored his brother's bad attitude and entered. "Ivaylo? Is that you?" His golden gaze turned to one of the twin brothers, Farkas. He grinned widely. "Who else would it be, Farkas?" The big man smiled, holding his drink up. "Vilkas! Ivaylo's back!" "Ah! The one Companion that never joined," he said in his heavily accented voice as he walked over from the long table in the center. Ivaylo held out his hand to Vilkas, his golden eyes staring intensely at his. Vilkas grasped his arm, before smiling. "It's good to see you again, Brother." Ivaylo smiled too. He turned to Nyx. "You remember my brother, Nyx?" he asked. They both nodded, but neither paid him much mind. He was a stranger, and he was even more strange because he didn't share the same blood Ivaylo shared with them. He was completely different. Suddenly Aela passed, glancing at Ivaylo. "Now that you're here, we should hunt together," she said to him, her intense face never changing besides a very light smile on her lips. Ivaylo smiled, blinking his golden eyes and tilting his head slightly. "It's nice to see you too Aela. I already told you though, that the only person I hunt with is Nyx." "That's too bad... He hardly seems... able," she said, giving Nyx and up and down look. Nyx's hand twitched slightly, but he kept still, his intense violet eyes following Aela as she walked away. "Don't mind her. She hasn't been very polite since Skjor died," Farkas said, following his gaze. "What? Skjor died?" Ivaylo asked, his smiled fading, which made Farkas launch into the tale.

(Is everybody headed to Whiterun? ) Once the brother's got home, Nyx pulled on his armor, and strapped his weapons on. He shot Ivaylo an intense look. "Stay here," he said intensely, putting emphasis on the word "Stay." Ivaylo visibly sagged, his shoulders dropping. "But..." he started. "No. I'm not heading to Dawnstar until the problems gone. I'm going to Whiterun to do a quick job for Vex at the Thieves Guild," Nyx said, sheathing his sword at his side. "You promise? The Dark Brotherhood can wait," Ivaylo said, remembering that that's where Nyx met the Dark Brotherhood contact that gave him his contracts. Nyx let out a sigh, turning to his brother. "Yes, I promise. You can go with me as long as you don't get in the way of my job..." He only said it to prove a point. However, Ivaylo's shoulders lifted and his face got an intense distant look. He exited the room, making Nyx frown after him. Whatever he was planning, he wouldn't wait around for him to do it. "I'm leaving now. I'll be back in a couple of days." He was already some way down the road, when a call from behind him made him turn back. "Wait!" Ivaylo, now fully clothed in armor, with his weapons on him, ran up to him, smiling widely. "I'm going with. I won't get in your way. Just be quiet and enjoy the company," he said sternly, making Nyx blink, but remain silent. He just continued walking, with Ivaylo walking beside him. To make the trip quicker, the brother's hired a carriage driver. It took them only half the time it would have on foot, and they soon found themselves in Whiterun stable, staring up at the looming walls, and Dragonsreach somewhere in the middle of the city. Ivaylo gazed up staring. "It's been years since I've been here..." Nyx just nodded. "It's changed quite a bit, so don't be too disappointed... "

(Welcome! It's nice to have another person. ^^ Nyx and Ivaylo are currently fleeing Dawnstar. They're about to head back to Solitude.) Nyx let out an annoyed snarl between his teeth. He felt like prey fleeing like this, but at this time, they didn't have much of a chance, fighting monsters like that. He dug his claws into the ice, coming to a stop once he felt they were a safe distance. Ivaylo came to stop beside him, looking back. He let out a load growl, the fur on his haunches and spine raising slightly. He felt much like his brother. Only prey ran from things; predators didn't ran unless it was in the chase. He let out an annoyed huff. The brothers debated for a bit on whether or not to continue on their journey to Azure's shrine, but Nyx brought up that they didn't have their weapons or armor, and a hunting knife wouldn't be much good against any kind of strange monsters. Both agreed it would be best to head home, and visit the shrine later once they knew a bit more about this new threat. They turned to the West, not bothering with roads just to be home quicker, and to make sure someone, or something didn't catch them off guard.

Nyx gazed at small black creatures pouring from the mines. They looked harmless... until they were attacking the towns people in small hordes, dragging them down in a fit of screaming and a horrid black mass. Ivaylo took a step back, staring. "I don't think it's the snow..." he said quietly. "Run!" Nyx and Ivaylo went to turn and run out of town the way they had come, but it was blocked by more creatures. There was only way out, and it was the sudden cliff next to the road. It was easy to see that that way was blocked by the black creatures, but if they were quick and careful, they might make it out. Nyx went first, sliding down the rocks and landing lightly in the snow. Ivaylo followed his brother's path, glancing back up at the cliff once he was on his feet. "Do you think he's the cause?" he asked. Nyx followed his gaze, frowning at a man who was yelling into the sky about weird things like "Keyblade Wielder", whatever that meant. He growled lightly, turning away. "Most likely, but we're heavily outnumbered, and we didn't think to grab our weapons and armor..." "We should really start carrying that stuff around..." Ivaylo said thoughtfully, until a shake from his brother made him blink. "Not the time for that! This is serious!" Nyx glanced past the house, there was group that had just finished... feeding (?) on a small group. If they were anything like a pack of wolves, with that many, that wouldn't be enough to satisfy. He thought for a moment. They'd be faster in their other forms. "Ready to shift?" "I was born ready?" he asked, looking unsure. Nyx just let out a sigh, leaping into the open. Once his feet hit, his human skin had been shed, replaced by a sleek black pelt. He ran as soon as he hit the ground. Ivaylo paused for a moment, only to see the creatures coming at him. He leapt, shifting in the air, and was running before he hit the cold snow.

"Ivaylo, we're not far from Dawnstar. How about we travel to Winterhold and visit Azura's shrine," Nyx said, staring off towards the trees. Ivaylo, still full from his large feast just let out a light groan. "Whatever you want, Brother..." "It will be easier if we take the main road straight to Dawnstar, and follow that straight to the shrine. Everywhere else is too treacherous to travel," he said thoughtfully. Nyx glanced at his brother, before frowning, annoyed. Ivaylo snored loudly, deep in sleep. "Ivaylo, wake up... Ivaylo!" Ivaylo stirred, sitting up. "I'm sleepy though..." He rubbed his eyes. "...You've been sleeping for hours..." "Must be why I'm so tired," Ivaylo replied, before he smiled. Nyx just sighed, and shook his head. "Come one, Brother. Let's get going. If we want to get back home by tomorrow night, we have to leave now," Nyx replied, already walking away. "Why are we visiting Azura's shrine?" Ivaylo asked, standing. He had to jog lightly to catch up. "Because we are Azura's chosen champions. The least we could do is go and visit her shrine for a bit..." Ivaylo fell silent, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. They walked in silence down the trail. The brisk pace that Nyx set made it so they reached Dawnstar quickly, but the town was very unlike itself. Most of the villagers had dark circles under their eyes, and everybody was irritable. Nyx walked, glancing cautiously form side to side. "Something's not right..." "You're telling me... Maybe it's all the snow. I'd get pretty depressed if we lived by this much snow," Ivaylo said lightly, with a small smile. It faded quickly with a glance from Nyx.

The brother's tore off their human flesh to take their animal forms. The rain barely penetrated their thick coats of black fur. Although slightly larger, Nyx had the advantage as they ran. He dug his claws deep into the wet earth, propelling him forward faster. Ivaylo kept up alright, his powerful muscles working in a smooth rhythm that could only be achieved by an animal. As they ran, further and further away from the city, deeper into the forest, the rain turned to snow, and the land began to go uphill in what could be seen as the beginning of a mountain. Eventually the brothers had to stop to catch their breath. The great cat's lungs moved in and out as he breathed in cold air. The wolf shook his pelt clean, but already had sprinkles of snow littering his black pelt. The brothers met eyes, and a private exchange passed between them. They both began trotting back down hill, deciding they were likely to find more prey where it wasn't so cold. Nyx took the lead, gracefully placing one paw in front of the other in a brisk walk. Ivaylo trotted after, his thick tail wagging slightly. They had a careful system when they hunted. Nyx or Ivaylo would chase the prey right into the open jaws of the other. It was a wolf's way of hunting, and easier to do with a bigger pack, but it was just the two. Nyx often didn't hunt alone, so he had adapted his natural loner instinct to hunt by himself to a way that better fit his brother's natural style. He preferred the chase while his brother preferred the kill. Of course, they'd switch roles after every kill, just so Nyx got his share of the kill, and Ivaylo his share of the chase. After a long day of hunting, Ivaylo had eaten more than his fill and was now laying down in the light sprinkle of snow, sleeping it off. Nyx was well, and was licking his paws clean. Nyx would prefer if the brother's lived like this, instead of as humans.

Nyx soon found himself in the city. Without even thinking, he headed for his brother's stall, passing people. Some people seemed to recognize him, but none said anything. Most everybody knew he did business with the Dark Brotherhood and the Theives Guild, so they kept their distance. He didn't mind one bit, but his brother minded. He tried to get him involved with others, but it never worked out. No matter how hard they tried, this place wouldn't be home, house or not. He entered the market, spotting his brother out of the crowd quickly. He went around the stall, clapping a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Ivaylo, you left without me this morning," he said softly. Ivaylo glanced at his brother, before smiling. "It would have taken an explosion to wake you up, brother. Did you find breakfast?" Nyx nodded silently, making Ivaylo chuckle lightly. A sudden yell made both the brothers glance. A man was being chased by the guards and he had a bag stuffed full of stolen goods. Ivaylo went to move to help, but Nyx grabbed his wrist, and shook his head quickly. "It's none of our business. Let the guards handle it..." Ivaylo growled aloud, pulling his hand away, but he stayed behind his stall, watching silently as the theif and guards disappeared out of sight. "We should hunt today," Nyx said, staring straight ahead. Ivaylo glanced at his brother, before he replied, "We'd have to travel to hunt. We don't want to be so close to the hold..." "Then let's leave now." Ivaylo shook his head. "I can't just leave the stall..." he said. Nyx stared at his brother, about to reply. A rain drop on his head made him flinch slightly. He smiled glancing up. "You can't run your stall in the rain..." His brother looked up at the sky, blinking in surprise. Just moments ago it had been dry as a bone, and so sunny it was hot. He let out a sigh. "Help me pack everything up..." The brother's quickly packed the meats, putting it in Ivaylo's cart he used to carry it all back and forth from the house to town. They left, heading back home. When they exited the city, the rain began to grow heavier, and by the time they reached hom, the brother's were soaked. After putting the meats in a cool dry place, stored away, the brother's left their shack, and ran into the woods behind their shack.