Eternal Dragon Epic

[Maharg67]

-7-

OUTSIDERS

GRAHAM MAHARG

 

There was a flash of light in the darkness of the mountain forest that lasted only a few seconds and then where there had only been grass lay a young man as if almost dead. He was sprawled heavily over the ground and his clothes were lightly soaked in places in fresh blood. He wore a torn Tshirt, blue denim jeans, socks, hiking boots and on his back was a canvas backpack.

 

With a groan of pain he tried to move and failed. Then he managed to roll over onto his back and to slowly, painfully sit up. He was able to lay back against the trunk of a pine tree, hoping nothing buggy got to him.

 

He drew the pump-action shotgun towards himself and lay it across his lap. Then he topped up its fixed magazine that could take up to eight 12g shotgun shells. From the half full canteen of tepid water he took a few small gulps and then carefully returned the canteen to its pouch.

 

There was a strong sense of unusual familiarity about this new world. He examined the black rings, one on each middle finger of each hand, and noted the golden symbols on them. They changed with changing needs or ‘modes’. There was a golden six sided dice symbol on the black disk face of the right hand ring and a golden game-wheel symbol on the right hand black disk face. This was typical and was part of what seemed to be the game that the Lords and Ladies of Fate were playing with him but most likely not just with him.

 

Vague memories flittered through his mind of his original world, his home world. That had been a long time ago and though much time had gone by, he was as youthful and much fitter than he had once been. There had been cars, high rise apartment buildings, TV, fast food chains, the Internet, glossy girlie magazines, computer games, cans of baked beans, jet aeroplanes, rockets going to the moon, chocolate bars, the girl next door whom he lusted after but who disdainfully ignored him, hunting trips with his mad uncle, spying on the naked young women in the nudist park near uncle’s hunting lodge while uncle went off with his secret boyfriend, graphic novels and much else.

 

Other memories came of other worlds like his old home world to various degrees but most of them had been only wilderness of different kinds with no signs of ‘intelligent civilized’ life.

 

Something had him look up and he noted the moon but then he noted a second moon and realised neither was as big as Luna, the moon of his home world, had been from the surface of his home world of Terra. He frowned but he was not too concerned because he had been to more than one world that had more than one moon to it. He wondered if he was on a version of Mars which he remembered was a planet in the same solar system as his home world that had two moons.

 

He opened his backpack, wondering just what would be in it this time. Some things were always there but some things changed. There was his compact laptop computer with its solar panels and rechargeable battery-pack. There was a brand new Tshirt, some other clothes, a survival torch, some foodbars, some odd shaped dice, a series of small metal figurines, a ‘family sized’ chocolate bar, a digital camera, a pair of binoculars and some other odd items.

 

Then something had him draw out an expensive black leather bound book with the words TAMRIEL: GAME OF EMPERORS, on the cover in fine golden lettering. He opened the book and found it referred to a large online or Internet based game but also a series of comics and novels, plus a role playing board game. Then he saw the beautiful painting style picture of two moons and looking up, knew he was seeing the same ones. They were Masser and Secunda, Masser being the larger of the two moons. Then there were two softly glowing spheres that were the mysterious domains of Daedraki and Kaedraki.

 

He flickered through the book, or seemed to as he absorbed much information, and then he carefully put it away. If this was a world like the game world than the book and its information was of amazing importance to him. It was also dangerous as there would most likely be locals who would much desire its knowledge.

 

So just where was he?

 

Deciding he was too exposed where he was, to danger, he stood up and carefully made sure he had everything. Which was when he saw the longknife, the shortsword and longsword in their scabbards. It was no surprise to him that he could use them, that they somehow felt comfortable and familiar in his hands. Then he had put the scabbards to various belts and was on his way.

Edited August 2, 2010 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

-8-

OTHERS

ANGELIE MESSIWA

 

The elegantly beautiful Angelie sat looking at the wooden pinboard now dotted with pinned colour coded cards with odd symbols. The pattern was easy enough to note. At the very top was the Emperor/Empress. Below that was the Imperial High Command.

 

Below that were the Legionmark, Fleetmark, Patrolmark and Guardmark Commands. Legionmark was divided into special offices, legions and other units. Fleetmark was the two ocean fleets and the river fleet. Patrolmark were patrol units and towerfort garrisons. Guardmark were garrisons in Imperial Cities, in Imperial Towns and in select other places.

 

The Blades were to one side and were officially the large garrison at Cloud Ruler Temple, where the Emperor went on retreat at times, and the other garrison at the Imperial City Palace itself.

 

Other forces were the Citymarks at each Imperial City of Cityguards. Cityguard garrisons were backed by Townguard garrisons, militias and various Orders of Knights and Guilds. This latter included the Mages Guild who had their own garrisons of both battlemages and other mages trained and experienced in ways of battle. The Fighters Guild had its smaller garrisons and others active across the Empire.

 

All of this was in Cyrodiil despite officially that the Empire ruled all of Tamriel. It had become something of a joke, the Empire as a ruler of all of Tamriel, and yet the withdrawal had been a practical one based on changing circumstances.

 

Yonrad came over to her and the strategies scholar sat on a wooden stool. He yawned, stretched and examined the board. “Looks impressive enough but how real is it?”

 

She sighed. “The Mark-Forces are at nearly full strength for peace time including the Citymarks but for one. Kvatch continues to have at best half a full time garrison of regulars. The Duke there is a fool who would rather spend treasury monies on large parties, fine horses, mistresses and at the gaming tables than on making sure his city is properly defended.”

 

Yonrad nodded. “Imperial Prince Ashan Septim has been seen in recent months at many of those fine parties. Surely such a fool could not have the True Dragonblood in him.”

 

Angelie nodded thoughtfully and then spoke. “Kvatch does have the Imperial Academies of Battlemages, Gladiators and Mercenaries. If the city fell… then much damage would be done to the Empire. Certain wealthy and powerful interest groups would love to see Kvatch fall even if it was to an evil enemy. There is a pattern forming here and the focus is heavily on just a relatively few places. One is on the city of Kvatch but why?”

 

He shrugged. “Mythic Dawn, daedra, Kvatch? There must be a link between them. Can the Empire defend itself?”

 

She frowned softly. “The Empire can defend itself well enough if it is given a reasonable warning of where and where an attack would take place against its territories and people. The problem is that I fear any attack may be both sudden and overwhelming. Why I have this persistent feeling, I do not know. There are no obvious enemies that could launch such an attack on the Empire.”

 

There was a very valuable map-tapestry on one wall that showed the whole of Tamriel. It was far from being the original, that was long stored away in the deep vaults of the White Gold Tower, and both looked to that. The Empire had token garrisons dotted across Tamriel from High Rock to Morrowind to Black Swamp and Valenwood. None of these Provinces were truly unified or had unified military forces to utilise. None had near the military power of Cyrodiil itself. None had any good reason for invading Cyrodiil and many good reasons not to do so.

 

They needed more information but, more than that, they needed vital information, clues leading to what was truly happening.

Edited August 2, 2010 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

-9-

THIRTEEN

ALISHA, ALLAND, AGGIER

 

The three dwelt in a small mansion that was, in theory, owned by their family. With them were servants, including guards, who never left the estate. There were animals also. Alisha the young scholar, Alland the artist and Aggier the eater of crumbly cookies. Alland was her triplet brother and Aggier the neobaby girl.

 

Now the three of them sat in the big, circular tower that rose from the very centre of the long wide roof of the city mansion building. Aggier was on the table carefully arranging coloured blocks with different symbols into patterns onto a patterned mat. The pattern was imposed over a basic map of Tamriel with its many States and Provinces.

 

The neobaby might be seen by many as playing a quiet game but this was far from true. Then she was done and she seemed tired. Alland picked her up and the small one snuggled against him.

 

Alland spoke. “Amazing, as usual. There is a good deal of guideline information there but now we need interpretation.”

 

Alisha nodded. “There is an invasion coming but not from Tamriel itself. The invasion will be focused on Cyrodiil itself. The ways of arrival will be exotic. The Nine Daedric Gods are involved in some way but Mehrunes Dagon is at the core of their involvement. Who or what else? The Ayleid? The Dwemer? Dragons? The Wildlands? The Lords and Ladies of Light? The Lords and Ladies of Fate?”

 

Aggier gave a tired grumbling noise.

 

Alisha responded. “You did very well, sweetums, and I am going to give you a very good treat. Gosh, look, a symbol for you.”

 

Aggier gave a noise of appeasement and went back to sleep.

 

Alland stroked the neobaby’s smooth small back. “New symbol there. Somebody is up in the Wildlands closer to Bruma. Somebody new to this world. Somebody who is somehow linked to us.”

 

Overhead flew a magical wingboat full of wealthy nobles and others. It was a waste of arcane magic as far as the triplets were concerned. They were not the only ones who believed so and yet the wealthy kept on wasting arcane magic, paying off mages who had long left behind the controls of the Mages Guild. The Empire’s attempt to build an official fleet of magical flying and other vessels had failed largely because of the way such magic had been grabbed up by the wrong people.

 

Alisha nodded. “Drazen is in the Imperial Prison in Imperiarna. Dezzni, Doozli are hiding in our urban estate in Imperiarna. The nature of the attack on Drazen reflects that of the nature of the attack on me. Unstable young men manipulated and willingly possessed, then sent to kill us.”

 

Alland frowned. “We know too little.”

 

Alisha nodded. “At least Franka, Franzi and Footzo will be back soon from true home soon and will return to Bruma. Perhaps we will soon get a chance to visit in person.”

 

But they both knew that this was not likely. Their people had invested many valuable resources to get the nine of them to that world. Visits home were only allowed under special circumstances though each lot of triplets had been granted one trip home anyway. They had all gone home.

 

Thirteen? Supporting each set of triplets was one other and the three of them, yet another, but most of the time they remained in the background.

 

A sphere of whirling lights appeared floating in mid air. As it did, Aaranz spoke to them. Only the triplets could have heard them but the neobaby was firmly asleep. “The PEOPLE are concerned that the MISSION and the CAUSE are both threatened by what is happening. The time of EXODUS approaches. Seek the truth at all costs. Special resources will be sent.”

 

The two looked at each other. Special resources? The message was most strongly put. The two were very concerned now.

[Maharg67]

-10-

OUTSIDERS

GRAHAM MAHARG

 

Graham watched the large bear fishing in the wild flowing and foaming waters of the rapids. He had washed as much as possible during his journey from where he had appeared out of nowhere in the forest to where he was now. In the distance he could see the top of a lone mountain, smallish by the standard of mountains but impressive as it thrust upwards out of the forestlands around it. Beyond it were other mountains, a great range of them.

 

There he had found a sign of civilization, a very old stone cairn close to where the bear was trying to get a fish meal. He had taken digital photos of it and the bear along with much else on his journey.

 

But there was something else. Earlier on there had been a brief flash of light from the mountain as if sunlight had reflected off glass or metal or something like that. He had imagined it might be a sign of civilization and had gone further that way.

 

Now there was the cairn. It represented something but what?

 

His mobile-telephone rang. It did not often ring. It rang only very softly. He took it out and answered it. “Graham Maharg.”

 

A warm woman’s voice spoke in turn.

 

Tiffanie: “The cairn represents the boundary of the Wildzone but it is not a straight forward border. You must take care. This may be the world that you are seeking.”

 

Was it? He was not sure what he was seeking any more.

 

Graham: “You going to meet me here on this world?”

 

Tiffannie: “I never make promises, sweetie, but I will try. Anyway there are always our special shared dreams. We have such fun.”

 

The call ended and he slipped the mobile-telephone into a silvery pouch. He stood up, adjusted everything, made sure he could slip the pumper out of its scabbard quickly and began to move towards the cairn.

 

The bear pretended he was not there for there was something about the stranger that caused the bear to know it might not be wise to hassle him.

[Maharg67]

-11-

OTHERS

JEARL LEGONO

 

Jearl believed strongly in the faith of Mehrunes Dagon but had come to suspect that Manker Camoran was insane, though brilliant. Once more he had her running on some pointlessly stupid errand as she made her way through the semiwilderness south-west of Bruma.

 

Manker Camoran was safe in his damned ‘Paradise’ but she was feeling vulnerable as she rode her steed along the unlit country road. Apart from bandits, necromancers and vampires, she feared the Blades might have scouts out in the area who would wonder why she was out there. In theory Imperial Patrols ran through the area but the idea had become something of a joke.

 

There was also the closeness of the Wildzone and the nearest boundary cairns.

 

Then she saw it, a slight flash of light, well screened. Her contact was there. She halted her steed, climbed off it and led it by the reigns through the undergrowth. Then she was surrounded by red hooded and robed Mythic Dawn Followers, men and women holding staffs and lamps.

 

She cursed them. “Fools, you were supposed to dress down as locals.”

 

Hallik stepped forward. “There are no locals. All villages in the area are long abandoned. When the Patrolmark stopped coming through here, the locals departed, the road and settlements decayed. There are only the animals and the monsters.”

 

Jearl refrained from smacking him. She sighed. “Very well, please hurry and show me what you have found.”

 

The dead ogre lay on its back and the wound that had killed it was most strange indeed. A blast of force of large lead projectiles but no magical residue at all. The smells were most odd also. It lay on a blanket and already it was stinking as the flesh was rotting, maggots showing up in the wound.

 

Manker Cameron would wish to know of this at once. She was handed sketches of the dead monster and the wound along with notes of how the Mythic Dawn Followers had found the dead ogre. They had followed the stink of its death.

 

She cursed for this was an unwanted complication with the invasion date being so close at hand.

Edited August 3, 2010 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

-12-

BLACK HORSE COURIER

 

THE EMPEROR DECLARES CREATION OF NEW MILITARY FORCES

 

On this day word has come from the Imperial Office of Declarations that His Majesty Emperor Uriel Septim VII has declared the creation of three new military forces to both carry out their own specialised roles and to work with Imperial Defence Forces already in existence.

 

The first of these forces is the Imperial Mage Force to be made up of a mixture of battlemages, battlehealers and other specialised skilled mages. It is expected that the formation of this new force will rely heavily on the cooperation of the Arcane University, the Mages Guild, Healers Guild, the Healing Collages and the Battlemage Academies.

 

The second of these forces is the Imperial Airmark to consist of magically lifted and propelled vessels of varied kinds. It is expected that the Empire will be taking legal and economic steps of various kinds to ensure that this force will attain its various goals including the confiscation of various magical flyers, wingcraft, airships, workshops and other facilities.

 

The third of these forces will be the Imperial Tamriel Auxiliaries to be made up of soldiers and specialists to be recruited from across Tamriel. The new force will not consist of mercenaries for recruits will be treated as full members of the Imperial Defence Forces though with a special status.

 

Expansions are also to take place to the already existing Imperial Defence Forces.

 

For more details please refer to public news-walls.

 

THE CELESTE LADY LOST AT SEA

 

The Celeste Lady, a large merchant ship on voyage from the Sunset Isles to Anvil, has been reportedly lost with most hands. The only survivors were three sailers and two passengers in one longboat. The sinking has yet to be officially confirmed.

 

For more details please refer to public news-walls.

 

STRANGE LIGHTS SEEN IN SKY ABOVE LEYAWIIN

 

Over a hundred witnesses have reported sighting strange formations of fast moving lights high above the city of Leyawin. Confirmations came from the new telescope observatory of the Leyawin Navigational, Astrological and Astronomical Association. The Mages Guild has made no official response but amongst the confirmed observers were at least a dozen Guild Mages.

 

For more details please refer to public news-walls.

Edited August 4, 2010 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

-13-

THIRTEEN

FRANKA, FRANZI AND FOOTZO

 

The silvery metallic globe materialized into existence in the big basement chamber and then lowered three stilt-legs. A rounded elongated door opened and out climbed two figures, a neobaby in a pouch at the chest of one.

 

Franka, Franzi and Footzo were there in tight silvery suits along with a whole lot of silvery metallic modular canisters not just stacked but carefully clipped to each other. The silvery metallic suits went from head to toe including transparent bubble-helmets, gloves and boots. The neobaby was in a silvery metallic pouch with a transparent top showing her head as she looked out sleepily to see what was going on.

 

Servants stood ready to serve and guards were standing in the background. All wore Cyrodilin Imperial style gear and carried other such gear. They looked human except one that looked like an orc but they were all simulacrums born of the vatnets and melded by simulacrum specialists. The Thirteen treated simulacra with respect, with care, but not all of their people did so.

 

Franka gave out small gifts to the simulacrums of the kind that they appreciated such as special food that they actually enjoyed eating, special drinks, mild pleasure inducing drugs and elaborate simulacra style puzzles, games and artworks. Each of the servants and guards bowed briefly as they took their gifts and he bowed in return as was proper.

 

Franzi effortless picked up a canister that weighed more than she did and the simulacrum servants began to assist. The canisters were laid out neatly on the floor and the contents removed. Other contents replaced it being stuff to be sent to the home world. Other containers of stuff would be added along with animals and plants in suspension in special orbs, to take up the volume, the mass, of the

 

Home world gained items of many kinds being samples, books, maps and other things of value to the understanding of the world of Mundus and the super continent of Tamriel. But there were also needs being met like seeds, seedlings, breeding pairs of rabbits, gold ingots, silver ingots, gems and fertile eggs. The home world was facing the Scorch slowly but steadily spreading across it. Arcane magical items and knowledge were much sought after. Any neomagic was more than welcome.

 

The home world was the magical mystical orb of Kaedraki that floated softly glowing high in the sky. Long ago, in ancient times of the Mythic Age largely forgotten, the kaedra had existed along with the daedra but the kaedra had gone to the Realm of Utopasia buried inside Kaedraki. Later the daedra, greater and lesser, had been vanished to the Realm of Oblivion buried inside Daedraki.

 

Kaedra were magefolk, were werefolk, were dragonfolk, were others and were ancient enemies of the daedra. Daedraki was suffering as the oceans of larva rose to engulf their lands and Kaedraki fought the Scorch. The disasters were the results of powerful, mutual attacks on each other. Both the kaedra and daedra now sought somewhere for at least half of their populations to escape to.

 

The refilled silvery metallic canisters went into the orbiza, with other containers, and when it dematerialised so did they. A good deal of energy went into going to and from Mundus and Kaedraki.

 

The three of them soon linked with others of the Thirteen and were told of the appearance of the newcomer from another world who was somewhere ‘close’ to Bruma.

[Maharg67]

-14-

OTHERS

EMPEROR URIEL SEPTIM VII AND BAURUS

 

Cyrodilin humans were easily the majority of people in Cyrodiil especially considering the rise of the new fortified towns along the Niben River flowing down into the small Imperial Sea and then all the way southwards to the southern coast. From Imperiarna, the Imperial Throne City, all the way to Leyawiin in the south where the great river flowed out into the Topal Bay, they could be found along with rich farmlands. The irrigation from the river explained part of this as did the mighty water-wheels that powered much machinery and the good deal of river traffic that made the river such an important travel route.

 

Yet most of these Cyrodilin humans did not consider themselves to be truly Imperials as did those who dwelt in the Imperial Cities, including Imperiarna of course. Why not? Because they were starting to think of themselves as Nibens. Such trends were happening elsewhere in Cyrodiil but the Imperial Government and Imperial Court seemed blind to such trends.

 

Not so the Emperor himself. He sat in one of his casual throne chairs behind a big old desk, expensively ornate and, more importantly, very usefully designed. It also contained some handy extra tricks that a leader might need to use in a hurry.

 

Uriel Septim VII was tired. The handsome charming man shuffled aside an economic briefing on the agricultural conditions of the Lower Niben Region. The Emperor’s guess was that the fool who had wrote the briefing had probably never been to a farm in his life, may have never stepped outside of the Imperial Throne City itself. The Emperor wrote some notes down on the fancified cover of the briefing which meant that the aged fool of a bureaucrat would be quietly retired off on a pension. The Emperor’s purge of the Imperial Public Service continued.

 

He was not alone. Baurus of the Blades was there. He was looking young, not very tired and eager to serve. Uriel envied him his energy. Uriel was of the True Dragonblood and was much older than his people suspected. The way that he and other true immortals kept up the illusion was both ingenious and effective. But even true immortals could get tired.

 

Baurus did not know it yet but he was the grand-nephew of the Emperor and had the True Dragonblood in him. The flow of his powers were just arising in him and the direction of the flow was not yet apparent but Septim expected the young man would go the way of the werefolk.

 

Not all kaedra had gone to Kaedraki.

 

Baurus spoke. “Your Majesty, you do not seem very concerned about the report of the plan to assassinate you and your three sons.”

 

The Emperor smiled at Baurus. “My three sons are not my sons. Their deaths would be more of a help than a hindrance but of them only two truly deserve death for what they have done, one more so than the other. The triplets were fathered by the secret lover of my treacherous wife, the Empress Sonyia Septim. Her early and unfortunate death, along with that of her lover, were the result not of an accident but of my own efforts. I killed them with my own longsword.”

 

Baurus looked shocked at first but then he nodded. “I knew such fools as they could be your sons, your Majesty but I did hear fine things of your… the Empress.”

 

“A fine person in many ways, Baurus, but poor Empress material.” He sighed heavily. “Still, I made sure she did not suffer too much. Okay, out with it, young man.”

 

Baurus sighed. “The Empress suffers not at all but is alive down deep in the depths of the White Gold Tower. I helped guard her last year but only during the months of one of your Imperial Excursions. I must say she plays an excellent game of chess.”

 

Uriel frowned. “I am getting too old for this throne. Soon I must die and another will replace me. What must happen, will happen, but I do not foresee all clearly. Mehrunes Dagon and the Mythic Dawn plot invasion but there are others planning trouble for the Empire, for Tamriel, for this whole world.”

 

Baurus looked stubborn. “I do apologise, Your Majesty, but the Blades refuse to take your death as a given fact.”

 

“As you should, of course.” Uriel smiled. “For that is your destiny. Now, I have a message that I want you to deliver to Jauffre at Cloud Ruler Temple. It is coded, of course, and I regret to say that it is not for your eyes. You have my Imperial Permission to use the Waygates.”

 

Waygates could send people or objects from one place to another instantly but they were expensive in the terms of magicka and were also tricky to maintain by specialists of various kinds, including mages.

 

Soon Baurus was gone. The Emperor sighed and picked up another, most likely useless, briefing but then he was studying it with very deep interest indeed. In a very short time he was sending out some special people to the rescue of one eccentric but brilliant young pair of twins.

Edited August 4, 2010 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

-15-

OUTSIDERS

GRAHAM MAHARG

 

 

Graham strolled along following the river and he spoke even as he saw yet another cairn in the distance. “So I looked her in the eyes and said that how could I possibly be the father. Well, she slapped me hard.”

 

The bear growled in sympathy and then used one paw to wipe some cheesy meat pizza from his muzzle. He was walking beside the young man on all fours, huge and powerful, but there was no threat in him at all. When the three ogres had come out of the Wildzone and had attacked the bear, Graham had blasted one down with his ever handy pump-action shotgun. The powerful bear had knocked down another. The surviving two ogres had, smartly enough, fled.

 

It could be safely assumed that the bear had no idea at all about what the silly human was speaking about but after eating half a family sized pizza, he was only too happy to listen. Growls the bear was not very good at being a bear in the wilderness. He was poorly in dealing with other males or female with cubs. The ogres had given him a real shock.

 

They came to the next cairn and Graham stopped to study it. He took some digital photos of it, a couple of the bear siting on his rump and put the camera away. Then he shook his head in wonder. “In theory, north of here is Skyrim where dwell the Nords and various minorities of folk including Mer, or false elves. Don’t like much the sound of those mer.”

 

The bear yawned and then nodded his head, hoping that he might get some more lovely warm pizza.

 

Graham smiled at the bear. “Time to go somewhere special, my new friend.” He reached out and touched the big animal and with a sparkling shimmer they both vanished.

 

Moments later a pair of horse riding Mythic Dawn members rode along the river side and past that very spot. If they had been better trackers and if Graham Maharg had not been erasing traces of his and the bear’s passing, they may have stopped. They did not.

 

The bear looked around the one vast dome shaped chamber, at the huge disk shaped pool at its very centre and quickly felt at home. Animals came racing to welcome both newcomers, as did some people, and soon a big dog was sniffing at the bear’s behind.

 

The young woman carrying the infant had been the one who had slapped Graham hard. The infant was soundly asleep. Katrina frowned at him and she spoke. “Another mouth to feed, I suppose. You had better order some pizza. Tiffannie rang and warned us you might do something silly with the big dope of a bear.”

 

He nodded. “Pizza coming up. Did you get my deliveries of various plants, food and other stuff?”

 

Katrina nodded. “Amplified by one hundred and two to a hundred and fifty, of course. So you killed an ogre.”

 

The bear waddled off to swim in the big pool, a few animals following him to get to know him better. The bear licked the large dog in a friendly manner.

 

Graham nodded and took out the book that had appeared in his backpack. He gave it to the young woman. “I missed out on sending its dead body, which was a mistake, but I had to catch up to the poor frightened bear. This may be the world we have been looking for.”

 

But she looked doubtful and he could hardly blame her for that. There had been too many worlds, too many hopes raised only to be dashed.

Edited August 4, 2010 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

-16-

OTHERS

ARCH-MAGE TRAVEN

 

The ArchMage of the Mages Guild was not to be confused with the ArchChancellor of the Arcane University. ArchMage Traven had his quarters in the large Mages Guild Grand Lodge in the Guilds District of Imperiarna. Except at that moment he was not in his rooms but downstairs in a huge basement chamber.

 

The great brass, bronze, glass and iron mechanism slowly spun as a globe inside three great moving rings. Mages, alchemists and others were examining the ArcanusTra with great attention. Small silver spikes sparkled with energies. Glass tubes swirled with glowing liquids.

 

Traven shook his head in wonder. “It was damned expensive to make so I hope there has been valuable data to gain.”

 

A tall, angular wizard by the name of Rincewand turned to the ArchMage with a grin. “Yes, valuable data, but not good news. The increasing use, or should I say misuse, of arcane magic is starting to cause a Tamriel wide imbalance in magical forces. The banning of the necromancers and other actions against them has assisted a good deal to bring the patterns back to a healthier status. Necromancy is a darkest form of the arcane magics matched only by blood magic.”

 

Traven sighed. “Now, now, Rincewand, you know that you are biased against blood magic because it is magic that only witches can utilise to any real degree. Summoning spells of the undead have gone down in use.”

 

The wizard snorted in disdain. “Summonings of both the undead and daedra have gone down in frequency and power of usage. The summonings of elementals has increased in both frequency and power of usage. But there is something else that may interest you; we have begun to pick up increasing evidence of the summonings of the kaedra.”

 

Traven was not happy and for good reason. The unknown was never good news when it came to magic, especially when linked to such as the kaedra and daedra.

 

The wizard frowned. “Best for last, my old friend. There are magefolk active in the Empire with increasing power and I do not mean the members of the Imperial Family who have the True Dragonblood either just as you do.”

 

Traven was even less happy. “I must go and speak with that old fool of an ArchChancellor. We need access to the ancient magical artefacts long locked away in certain parts of the university and the White Gold Tower. Which is why the second person I will visit is the Emperor himself. He is likely to be with his mistress.”

 

The wizard nodded. “You mean the Empress herself.”

 

Traven shook his head in wonder. “So much for all the secrets.”

 

Edited August 4, 2010 by Maharg67