Shadows of Darkest Soul (An Elder Scrolls RP)

[darkedge42392]

Adrynn and Garila Indarys, Vivec, Foreign Quarter

 

Adrynn watched Faeryn disappear in a cloud of purple sparks. He frowned. Somehow, even though he had only known the Ordinator for a few hours, it seemed as if he was losing a brother in arms. Shaking his head, he took the Incarnate from Caius and threw him over his shoulder. He lead the way to the plaza gate. There, an Ordinator in standard Indoril armor held up his hand and stopped them.

 

"Halt, travelers," he said, his scratch Dunmer voice muffled by his helm. "Where are you taking this man?"

 

Adrynn scrambled for an answer. "We are taking him to Molag Mar," he said. It was the truth. They were going to Molag Mar.

 

The Ordinator cocked his head to the side. "And just what is a Redoran, two Legionnaires, an old man and a woman doing with a prisoner?"

 

Adrynn had to stop himself from brushing past the Ordinator. "It's House business," he said.

 

"House business eh? Seems to be Legion business too. Now, you'd better start giving me a straight answer, Redoran."

 

Adrynn gritted his teeth. They didn't have time for this.

[SoulofChrysamere]

Lecuaro Sulnair Marczon - Vivec, Foreign Quarter Canton Plaza

 

 

Lecuaro huffed slightly. He knew that Ordinators weren't famous for their patience and that they were mostly quite nosy individuals. He had likewise been trying to come up with a plausible explanation while Adrynn was arguing with him, and upon seeing Adrynn's patience fading, spoke up.

 

"This guy was leading a group of marauders north of Ald-ruhn. His gang had been attacking travelers along the road to Mar Gaan and even had the nerve to harass a few soldiers from both Fort Buckmoth and the local Redoran garrisons. I managed to convince Serjo Sarethi to allow for a joint team of Legion troopers and Redoran warriors to go hunt his ass down, and as you can see, we found him." Lecuaro explained.

 

The Ordinator put a hand forward. "Whoa now, you mean to tell me that the resident Redoran archmaster allowed some of his men to team up with a bunch of legionnaires? And how did you manage that?" He asked, unimpressed at the story.

 

"A common enemy. With the rebellion breaking out and whatnot, both of our groups knew that we'd need help to deal with not only the rebels, but also the common bandits and smugglers." Lecuaro answered.

 

"That still doesn't explain why you're going to the trouble of bringing him all the way down here along with a Redoran or why you're taking him to Molag Mar." The Ordinator stubbornly insisted.

 

"Well, one of the last groups of travelers that his gang had assaulted happened to be a wealthy Redoran noble and his escort that were visiting from the mainland. This man could be tried in Ald-ruhn by Sarethi, but we figured since with the victim's status, he should be tried by someone with more power. We're taking this guy to Molag Mar, and then taking a ship from there since it's closest to where we're headed." Lecuaro said, remembering an incident that happened about a month ago. He was careful about how he worded everything so nothing came out as an outright lie.

 

"And the reason there's both Imperial and Redoran soldiers taking him there is..." The Ordinator pried.

 

"He was simply in both Redoran and Legion jurisdiction. Hence, people from both parties were allowed to transport him." Lecuaro said.

 

The Ordinator refolded his arms and leaned against the wall, unamused by the tale he had just been told. However, he eventually sighed in bittersweet satisfaction and waved the group free.

 

"Fine, go ahead. But if I see you all together and doing something like this again, you'll be explaining yourselves to Captain Sala. Am I clear?" The Ordinator warned.

 

"Crystalline, serjo." Lecuaro affirmed as he led everyone through the plaza doors.

 

Once everyone was outside and the door had closed, Lecuaro breathed an immense sigh of relief.

 

"Well, I don't reckon I really lied about anything in that." Lecuaro said as everyone started walking again. He hadn't of course...he had just given the Ordinator the basic ideas and had let him fill the blanks with his own assumptions.

Edited October 19, 2012 by SoulofChrysamere

[AurianaValoria1]

Velanya Therys and Caius Cosades; Vivec, Foreign Quarter Plaza

 

Velanya followed Lecuaro closely, saying not a word. She wished Faeryn hadn't left them so soon. There were benefits to having an Ordinator on your side, and getting through scrapes like these was one of them.

 

"It's not like he had a right to know anyhow," Caius hissed, obviously more than a little irritated.

 

 

Faeryn Sethandas, Vivec High Fane

 

He reappeared at the High Fane, nearly stumbling into Danso Indules yet again. But as he entered the temple and, subsequently, Saryoni's office, he knew something was wrong.

 

"Archcanon?"

 

Saryoni was gone.

[darkedge42392]

Adrynn Indarys, Vivec, Foreign Quarter

 

Adrynn huffed as he walked down the steps to the highest tier of the Foreign Quarter. He stopped for a second and adjusted the heavy Dunmer across his shoulder. The Incarnate was pretty heavy. He glanced around and noticed the fog rolling in on the cool night air. The air buzzed with the sounds of dockworkers and insects buzzing around. He groaned and started moving, leading everyone down through the steep tunnels of the canton and back around the side of the second tier to do it all over again.

 

After a few long minutes of not trying to slide down the ramps and bust his rear end, Adrynn finally stepped onto the main tier of the Foreign Quarter and stopped, throwing the Nerevarine onto his other shoulder. He couldn't believe how much mass this one man had. It was like trying to carry someone who was Lecuaro's height, but Kriak's weight. Not to mention the weight of his armor giving him a few more extra pounds to carry. He groaned as he stood up and started moving again. It was a good thing that they didn't have much farther to go.

 

After dodging another nosy Ordinator and almost tripping over the steps to cross the bridge, Adrynn and the others finally made it to the docks. There, two ships were moored. One was completely empty, but the other still had a few crewmen around, cleaning up some mess. It seemed a crate of Flin had dislodged and busted on the ship floor. Adrynn stopped and unceremoniously dumped the Nerevarine onto the grass in front of the dock. He stood there for a moment and caught his breath. He could feel Garila's hand on his shoulder. He nodded and sat down beside the Nerevarine, crossing his legs and making sure his sword was in easy reach.

 

"Go on ahead, Lecuaro. You're better at negotiating than I am."

[NinjaGoddessAyra]

Hlaalu city of Andothren, Narsis District, approximately 50 years ago...

 

The sun was just coming up, and the sky was lit with the bright orange glow of it's soothing aura. Ayra was just starting to wake up, she rubbed her eyes together as she tried to get used to the light. Suddenly her face lit up; she remembered what today was. Her father was going to teach her how to use a sword. Excitement coursed through her; she loved spending time with her father, he was one of the few people that didn't cringe at the sight of her, or judge her on her unusual appearance.

 

Ayra quickly got dressed and bolted down the narrow dark hallway to her parents room. "Daddy daddy, wake up!" she said, both ofher small arms pushing her father.

 

Her father, Hiko Hikari, slowly started to rise from his bed. "What's the matter, little one?" He asked, smiling down at her.

 

"You said you'd show me how to fight today!" She said excitedly.

 

"That I did, that I did," her father muttered, finally getting out of bed. He looked at her one more time, said he'll be along shortly, and then proceeded to get dressed after she ran out.

 

It was fairly obvious to anyone who had seen this family that Hiko Hikari was by no means Ayra's true father; he was a Redguard, living with his wife. They had never been able to have kids before, despite how hard they tried, and just when it seemed all hope was lost, they found Ayra, no more than a few months old, wrapped up in blankets, outside their doorstep, late one winter night. They took her in, and raised her like one of their own. He loved her, to him it didn't matter what she looked like, that she was a different race, of different blood, none of that mattered. To him, to both of them rather; she was their daughter, and they could not have been more proud or happier about it.

 

When Hiko finished getting dressed, he kissed his sleeping wife, Mirisa on the cheek, and proceeded to head out side. Ayra was already there, waiting for him, jumping up and down on the balls of her feet, unable to contain herself.

 

"Daddy, when do we start??" she asked, in that adorable squeaky voice of hers.

 

"We'll start right now, little one," he replied. He then handed her a wooden sword and started to show her how to properly hold one. "Now you want to take your left hand, and put it towards the bottom like this," he was saying.

 

Ayra was getting so excited her hands were shaking. After a few minutes, she got the hang of it, and copied her father, imitating a defensive posture, with her legs spread out, and the sword extended with the tip outward, the handle at waist height..

 

"Very good," Hiko smiled. He proceeded to teach her how to swing, and the importance of balance, speed, skill, and step. several times she lost her balance, and nearly fell over, but it never mattered to the little Dunmer child; she never gave up, she continued to swing away, wanting nothing more than to be like her father, the man she admired very much.

 

After a few hours of non stop practice, Mirisa called them in for lunch. Ayra reluctantly put down the sword and went inside.

 

The day continued on in a peaceful daze. The city people going on about their own business, not a care in the world on this beautiful afternoon. When dusk finally arrived, Ayra was put to bed.

 

"Daddy, can we please train s'more tomorrow?" she asked sleepily. Her tender blue eyes were having a hard time staying open, but she would try her hardest not to fall asleep.

 

"We'll see, Ayra. Daddy has very important stuff that he has to get done too." He replied with a smile lining his worn face.

 

"Well, let me help you, Daddy. I want to...yawn help you..." She said groggily.

 

"Good night, Ayra." He kissed her on the forehead, and left the room.

Edited October 20, 2012 by NinjaGoddessAyra

[SoulofChrysamere]

Lecuaro Sulnair Marczon, Terel Hlem, and Orndil Detharas - Main Vivec Dock: the Broken Sun / Inside Hlaalu Canton

 

 

Terel wiped another sheen of sweat from his brows as he and another dockworker finally finished restacking some other crates that had fallen along with the one that had split open and gushed flin everywhere. After making sure the crate was squarely on top of the one beneath it, Terel turned around and saw a tall man striding toward the boat in dulled glass armor with the Legion insignia emblazoned on the chestpiece. He briefly noticed the entourage behind Lecuaro before walking out to meet him.

 

"Awfully late for traveling, isn't it?" Terel asked, assuming that the group needed passage to somewhere.

 

"Late indeed, serjo, but armies don't really keep normal working hours." Lecuaro answered with a chuckle.

 

"Heh...I can see that. Captain! We've got visitors!" Terel hollered behind him.

 

Another average-height, slightly beefy Dark Elf answered the call and walked up beside Terel, taking in Lecuaro and the rest of the group as he came and letting out a whistle as he surveyed everyone's equipment.

 

"Uh...you all needing to go somewhere?" Arteso asked, eyeing the Nerevarine's unconscious body and Adrynn beside him.

 

"Yes. Urgently. We need a boat to Molag Mar. I was hoping you and your men wouldn't mind ferrying a few legionnaires and Redorans over there." Lecuaro replied.

 

"Can't say that I do. Although we'll be a moment. We had an accident with a couple of cases of booze and we've been cleaning up the mess now for a couple of hours. We're almost done now, though. Then we just have to offload the rest and we'll be good to go." Arteso said.

 

"I think my friends and I will survive a little wait." Lecuaro consented.

 

"Aye, that's good. Of course, you'll need to pay the fare." Arteso mentioned.

 

"I'd think that with all the security we'll give your vessel, we'll more than pay our way there." Lecuaro asserted, folding his arms.

 

"Hmm...well, there has been been a bad run of luck for ships headed that way lately." Arteso mused as he stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Awright, y'all can ride for free so long as you keep that prisoner o' yours under control." He said.

 

"Thank you, serjo. And don't worry, we will." Lecuaro assured him.

 

At that moment, the Nerevarine began moving slightly as if waking up. He then started murmuring something through the gag and cloth around his face. However, he then became louder to the point where Lecuaro and the two boatmen could hear him. The noise was unintelligible, but somehow, the Nerevarine's accent managed to escape the gag. It went unnoticed by Captain Arteso, but Terel recognized it, and his eyes widened at the sight in disbelief that they didn't recognize the body earlier.

 

"Nerevar..." Terel mouthed silently.

 

Lecuaro turned around just in time to see Adrynn cuff the Nerevarine on the head and quiet him back down. By the time he had turned back to face the mariners, Terel had regained his composure. Arteso then returned to the ship with Terel on his heels and addressed the rest of the crewmen.

 

"Alright boys, let's finish getting this mess cleaned up and let's get this cargo offa here. We're pullin' the night shift tonight." He announced, hooking a thumb behind him at Lecuaro and the gang.

 

Terel was excitedly fidgeting his thumbs. He knew he had to go tell Orndil about this, and the offloading provided the perfect excuse to steal away for a little bit to relay the news.

 

"Excuse me, Captain, might I go see how my friend over in the Hlaalu canton is doing? He's been under the weather for a couple of weeks now and I just want to check up on him real quick before we leave." Terel asked.

 

"Again with your Hlaalu buddy, Terel? Hmph. Fine, but make it quick. I want to be in the water by the time all the cargo's off the ship." Arteso replied.

 

"Yes, Captain. I won't be long." Terel quickly assented before wheeling around and peeling past the group toward Vivec's cantons.

 

Lecuaro returned from the ship and took a seat in the grass beside Caius.

--

 

Terel had torn through the Foreign and Hlaalu canton's streets as wildly as any brigand evading arrest, but he willed himself to a more civilized pace after entering the Hlaalu waistworks. When he reached the door to the treasury, he saw Orndil stepping out, apparently fresh off of some overtime of his own.

 

"Orndil, Orndil!" Terel whispered hysterically as he approached his partner.

 

"Terel...what are you doing here at this hour?" Orndil asked, surprised.

 

"Orndil, we need to talk. Now." Terel insisted.

 

Orndil was taken aback by his friend's sudden appearance and urgency, but Terel's expression told him that whatever the matter was, it needed to be discussed right that minute.

 

"Alright, alright. The canalworks. Let's go." Orndil said as he led the way.

 

Terel was now visibly shaking with a hybrid rush of excitement and fear. When he and Orndil reached the canalworks, he hurriedly dashed around, looking for any wayward Ordinators or other people. Not seeing anyone, he pulled Orndil into a corner and started speaking so quickly and energetically that he nearly stammered.

 

"Orndil, you're not going to believe this...you really aren't. There's a bunch of Legion and Redoran people down at the docks with the Nerevarine tied up and gagged!" He sputtered.

 

Orndil's eyes bloated, and his brow furrowed and arms folded in disbelief. He then burst out into a laughing fit. "Terel, you been sampling some of your ship's cargo again?" He jested.

 

Terel seized Orndil's shoulders and violently shook him. "Orndil, listen to me! There's a bunch of legionnaires and Redorans down at the docks with Nerevar as their prisoner! I couldn't see his face, but I saw his body, and I heard him groan. You and I both know nobody sounds like him. It was him, Orndil. Those bastards captured him somehow!" Terel insisted, still too worked up to stand still.

 

Orndil wanted to call his friend crazy, but he could see the steady stare in Terel's eyes. After a moment, he knew his friend wasn't lying. He pulled free and ran a hand through his jet black hair.

 

"Well, what the hell do they want with him, huh? Why'd they capture him instead of just killing him? And why the hell bring him all the way down here instead of charging him up in Ald-ruhn or something?" Orndil asked incredulously, still in shock of the sudden news.

 

"I don't know!" Terel blurted. "All their leader said was that they needed a boat to Molag Mar and the boat I work on is takin' 'em!"

 

Orndil leaned against the wall. "Molag Mar?? What the hell's at Molag Mar??" He wondered as he fondled his lips with trembling fingers. For a moment, he was clueless as to what the reason could be. But then, the epiphany hit him, and it tied his stomach in knots.

 

"Azura's shrine! They're taking him to Azura's shrine, dammit! They're going to get rid of Dagon's influence over him!" Orndil said.

 

Terel tremored to the point of seizures as Orndil spoke the revelation. "Yes, of course! Godsdammit, those n'wahs are gonna ruin everything!" He clamored.

 

Orndil grabbed Terel's shoulders and tried to hold him still as best he could. "Pull it together, Terel! Listen, they're stopping in Molag Mar, right? They're gonna need time to get supplies and maybe do some more planning. I'll round up some of my best boys and take one of our boats straight to the shrine so we can set up an ambush. Just make sure that they stay in Molag Mar long enough for us to overtake 'em. Got it?" Orndil ordered.

 

"Y-yeah, okay.....okay......" Terel stammered.

 

"Good. And for Dagon's sake...calm - the hell - down. Last thing we need is for you to go crazy and get yourself killed. These are soldiers you guys are transporting. They'll run you through in a heartbeat if you try anything funny. Okay?" Orndil warned.

 

Terel managed to calm down enough that Orndil released his grip. "Yes...I get it." He said in between gulps of air. "Okay, uh...I'd better get back to the ship now. They're probably waiting on me." Terel said as he started to leave.

 

"Yeah, go. Hurry." Orndil agreed as he pushed him along.

 

Orndil stayed there for a few minutes, still digesting what had just happened. But he knew that if he was going to keep the Nerevarine from being cleaned, he had to get moving immediately. He took a deep breath and rubbed his temples as he wondered just what in Dagon's name he was going to tell his men. He knew the Blackwood Company boys would come at the jingle of a coinpurse, but his fellow cultists would be just as floored as he was. Nevertheless, he elected to get moving toward they're secret meeting place along the coast and figure out what he'd say on the way there. He couldn't afford to waste any time.

 

--

 

By the time Terel was back at the docks, he was out of breath from all the running he had done and how hyper he was during the conversation with Orndil. He reached the boat just as Lecuaro and the others were heading below decks. Arteso saw him coming up the gangplank and walked over.

 

"'Bout time you got back here, Terel, we're just about ready! Your buddy doing okay?" Arteso asked.

 

"Yeah, he's fine......sorry, I ran there and back so I wouldn't be late." Terel panted.

 

"Ha ha, gotta stay in shape somehow, eh?" Arteso needled as the pair headed below.

 

Down below, Lecuaro and company had all taken seats on some boxes and barrels, with the Nerevarine snugly secured between Adrynn and Velanya so their brands would help keep him asleep or at least docile if he awoke. Captain Arteso walked up to announce the start of the trip.

 

"Alright, everyone all set?" Arteso asked.

 

"I reckon so. Off we go!" Lecuaro confirmed.

 

"Aye, let's get this ship moving while the winds are right!" Arteso agreed as he and Terel returned above decks with a few other crew members.

 

Before long the sails were deployed and there was a forceful lurch as the currents began nudging the vessel along. The choppy motion eventually evened out into a smooth, lulling sway.

 

Lecuaro clasped a hand on Caius's shoulder as everyone settled in. "Shouldn't you be doing all this sweettalking, old man?" He needled.

 

--

 

Orndil staggered - wheezing and coughing - up to the door of his group's secret meeting place. He hadn't ran so fast in ages, and his lavish nobleman's attire had him roasting from his own body heat. He heaved open the door and hobbled inside, shutting it behind him. As he came into the small seaside cave, he saw the usual haunts: a few of his most trusted men along with a couple of Blackwood Company mercenaries.

 

"Ey, Orndil! Godsblood man, ya look like hell...somethin' wrong?" Said a big, burly nord dressed in steel plate as he walked up to the Dunmer.

 

Orndil chuckled in between wheezes, almost insanely so. "Heh...oh yes, Grenjav, there's something wrong. Something very wrong. The...the Nerevarine's been captured!" He bellowed.

 

Grenjav nearly fell over at Orndil's words, as did the other Mythic Dawn members there. The Blackwood boys were unimpressed.

 

"What??" Asked a dumbstruck Varnas Mirthani, who had dropped his tankard of shein.

 

"You all heard me. Nerevar's been captured by a bunch of fetchers from the Legion and House Redoran. And they're taking him to Azura's shrine so she can rid him of our Lord Dagon's grasp!" Orndil repeated.

 

Orndil, could see the looks on all his partners' faces. None of them wanted to believe what their leader was saying. But the Hlaalu noble's countenance and tone, exhausted as they were, had no guile to them. They knew he was serious, and they knew what the order stood to lose if they lost the Nerevarine back to Azura.

 

"Well, when are they taking him?" Grenjav asked in a bewildered voice.

 

"Right now. In fact, they've probably already left. But, they're stopping in Molag Mar for a little while, so we have a chance to overtake them and set up an ambush near the shrine if we go now." Orndil said.

 

"Alright. Well, you heard the man - everyone suit up! Rolfen, Largorb, let's get the boat in the water!" Grenjav barked at the others.

 

"And just where's my cut for this?" The Khajiiti Blackwood Company member rudely snapped.

 

Orndil stared bloody daggers through the Elsweyrian with half a mind to gut him where he stood. "I payed for this month already, didn't I? You and your lizard friend there help me do this and then maybe we'll talk about some kind of bonus. Until then, do as your told, cat." Orndil uttered, not bothering to try and mask the venom in his words.

 

Within minutes, everyone was armed with their favorite armors and weaponry, both magical and physical. They all piled into the sloop with Orndil at the lead. Once everyone was aboard, Grenjav dropped the sail and the sleek little watercraft began gliding its way east.

 

As the boat moved along, Orndil stared absentmindedly at the moonlit sea, watching the water crawl lazily as the winds caressed it. The tension in the air was almost tangible. They hadn't done any planning or strategizing in the hideout - he had just burst in there with the news from Terel, and now here they all were crammed into the sloop, on their way to try and prevent the loss of the Nerevarine. He was nauseous nearly to the point of vomiting. This wasn't how the storybooks portrayed it at all...heck, even his own men were still mostly in shock by the sudden news and action, a few still not sure if they believed that it really was the Nerevarine they were going to save. But Orndil could feel it...Azura was trying to reclaim her Moon and Star, and by Dagon, she and the people working for her would have to go through him to do it.

Edited October 20, 2012 by SoulofChrysamere

[NinjaGoddessAyra]

Hlaalu city of Andothren, Narsis District, approximately 50 years ago...

 

Ayra was awoken by a sudden crash. She got up quickly and headed for her door, trying to hear what it was. She could hear screaming coming from outside, and what sounded like rioting. She was unsure of what to do, but she suddenly heard her father's voice loud and clear: "Mirisa, take Ayra and get out of here, they're after me, I'll hold them off, just take her and run."

 

More crashing, more fighting. Ayra didn't think, she didn't know what she was doing, all she knew was that she had to get to her father's side. She ran as fast as she could, she reached the doorway leading outside, and her innocent sapphire eyes opened wide in surprise; there, fighting three men, was her father, fighting to protect his family. He seemed to be winning too, and Ayra wanted to rush out, she wanted to tell those men to go away, to leave them alone, she didn't understand why they'd want to go over after her father, he never did anything wrong.

 

Hiko was parrying and countering, he was unusually skilled for a simple country Redguard man, and certainly knew how to use a sword. It seemed they were all evenly matched, none of them could get the best of him; but he couldn't get in a decent blow trying to fight all three.

 

And just as Ayra started to run out of the doorway, she was grabbed from behind. It was her mother, Mirisa, who was teling her to keep quiet. She could feel her mother's heartbeat beating against her chest, trying to get out, she was terrified. She put her finger up to her lips, and looked intently at Ayra, motioning for her to stay silent.

 

And suddenly, one of the men seemed to have gotten the better of Hiko; he had his sword raised, blocking one blow, with his eyes in horror, there was nothign he could do to block the incoming thrust from the second man.

 

Hiko fell to his knees, a blade protruding through his back, his mouth suddenly full of blood, he began coughing it up as he looked up at his attacker. He saw a grin of triumph underneath the man's hood, and knew that was it. The final swing came down, severing his head from his limp body, and both fell with a sharp thud onto the cobble ground.

 

"Daddy!" Ayra screamed, tears falling down her face. She struggled as hard as she could to get free of her mother's grip. She had to do something. "Daddy, DADDY!" she continued to cry.

 

The men stood there and laughed mirthlessly. One of the men kicked Hiko's sword out of his lifeless hand and it spiraled away towards where Ayra and Mirisa were standing.

 

"Sorry," one of the men said with a smug grin "but it looks like this is the end of the line for you."

 

The three men slowly started to walk over to where the two were standing. Mirisa let go of Ayra.

 

"Run Ayra, get out of here! Hurry!"

 

Mirisa pushed Ayra aside and drew out her own sword. She did her best to fight them off, but she wasn't any match against the three of them at once.

 

Ayra watched in horror, her eyes wide with shock, as her mother tried hopelessly to fend them off, all the while continueing to get up again and again after being cut repeatedly. After what felt like several minutes, of hte men ruthless toying with her, she finally dropped to her knees.

 

"Please," she said, her eyes full of tears, her face and clothes covered in her own blood, "please I beg you, please spare the child. Let her go...please..." she continue to plead.

 

Ayra sat there and watched as one of the men turned their blade on her mother, and thrust the tip right through her heart. She fell to ground, tears still glistening her now lifeless cheeks.

 

Without thinking, Ayra picked up her father's sword that was now lying at her feet. She gripped it tightly in both hands, as hard as she could. She was breathing heavily, panting and nearly out of the breath, frozen with fear. She couldn't move, all she could do was stand there, continuing to pant, and hoping her heart wouldn't pop out of her chest. The three men were slowly making their way toward her.

 

"Well, I must say, I'm feeling rather generous today, so I guess will end this in one blow for you," he said, with thathorrible grin on his face.

 

Ayra closed her eyes, she was ready to die, she knew there was nothing she could do. Atleast she'd see her mother and father again, she thought through tears now leaking down her tattooed cheeks. She sat there and waited, still trying to keep her breathing steady, but it was no use, and waited for the final moment...but it never came.

 

She opened her eyes slowly and saw a huge figure towering over the three men. He wielded a Nordic Battle axe, and instantly cleaved one of the three men in two. The other two turned to face him, no longer smiling, but gritting their teeth in anger.

 

"I see," he said slowly, "So when its three on one against a child, it's funny and okay, but when you guys are the ones who're about to die, it's no longer funny..."

 

"Who do you think you are?" one of the remaining two men said, "Stay out of business that doesn't concern you, you braindead barbarian."

 

"I'm the last thing you'll ever see." He said matter-of-factly.

 

And in two broad strokes, wielding the axe like it was made of straw, the other two men fell instantly, they never had a chance. He looked at the Dunmer child, and he noticed the strange facial markings on her face...and those eyes...they were unusual. He got down on one knee, attempting to lower the difference in height, but still failing miserably.

 

"You're not hurt are you?" He asked kindly.

 

Ayra said nothing. She couldn't think right now, she was now in the midst of five bodies piled up around her, and she was still gripping her father's sword in her hand, completely unaware that she still had it. She just stood there....unable to take it all in.

 

"I'm sorry, I wasn't able to get here in time to save your family." He said, still kneeling on one knee. "Would you like to come with me? I don't know where I'm going, but you're more than welcome to come along."

 

Ayra sat there, still unblinking, still motionless. But she finally looked up at the giant, and slowly shook her head, no.

 

"Well, thats too bad," he said, "I'll be in the area, if you ever change your mind." And with that, he put his battle axe back on his back and strode away.

 

Ayra had no sense of time anymore, she was unaware how many minutes, perhaps hours had elapsed, she couldn't think, she just sat there, unable to accept what she had seen. Before she knew it, the sun was starting to creep up, it's bright glow no longer peaceful and welcoming, but now illuminating the bodies that lie before her, the blood that had been spilt. She finally came to when she heard a voice calling to her. As she finally looked up, she saw a man standing before her, though she couldn't see his face, he was wearing a cloak and was hidden behind a dark hood.

 

"Well well," he said, "I'll be damned, in all my years, I've never once seen anything quite like this. A child among corpses." His eyes quickly fixed on her facial markings, and evidently, this man could read Daedric, for his next words were "and death written on your face no less....very interesting..." he continued to observe her for a moment, before finally saying "Why don't you come with me, I can make all of your dreams a reality" he said with a slight grin.

 

Ayra and Ulfgar, somewhere north of Almalexia

 

Ayra was lost in thought, before being awoken back to reality by Ulfgar's loud voice "Well look, we're already at the sea. I don't suppose you know how to water walk, do you?"

 

Ayra nodded her head, cast a waterwalking spell, and continued on her journey, now walking upon the surface of the water.

 

"I should have known," the nord chuckled to himself. "Well, lucky for me, I happen to have a few scrolls here. I never could be bothered with mages and their ilk, let alone these kinds of magics."

 

And with that, both of them were off, continuing onwards, ever closer to Molag Mar.

Edited October 20, 2012 by NinjaGoddessAyra

[AurianaValoria1]

Caius Cosades, the Broken Sun, Top Deck

 

The Spymaster harrumphed, "I'm old, Marczon. My silver tongue has tarnished a bit."

 

 

Faeryn Sethandas, Vivec High Fane, Saryoni's Office

 

The Ordinator returned, frustrated, after checking the Archcanon's bedroom. Not there either.

 

He walked slowly around Saryoni's office, trying to find evidence of where the priest might have gone. Nothing was amiss. All of the books and small trinkets were in their places. He checked the desk thoroughly. There was no note.

 

Faeryn spun on his heels, storming from the office and snapping his fingers at the nearest Ordinator, "You. Where is the Archanon?"

 

"F-faeryn?" the Ordinator stammered, obviously startled at the sudden voice of authority, "Oh, the Archcanon...he hasn't been seen since you last spoke with him. We thought you and he might have left for business."

 

"He did not leave with me," Faeryn replied shortly, "Did he not say where he was going?"

 

"Er, Faeryn, we never actually saw him leave his office. After we found out the place was empty, we figured he used a Recall or some-"

 

"You...idiot!" Faeryn slammed the other Ordinator up against the wall, "The Archcanon went MISSING without a WORD...the whole damned island is going INSANE...and you didn't think anything was WRONG?!"

 

Faeryn's ruby eyes flashed through his helm as he choked up on the Ordinator's sky blue scarf, "You'd better hope Berel Sala has an answer for this."

Edited October 20, 2012 by AurianaValoria1

[darkedge42392]

Adrynn Indarys, The Broken Sun to Molag Mar

 

After the sickening lurch when the ship took off from the dock, Adrynn could finally release his deathgrip on the Nerevarine. He stood up gingerly and stretched. He was tired, sore, and just a little irritated. Traveling by sea was one thing he didn't prefer doing. He would rather brave going through Molag Amur than take a ship. It was odd, but it was just how he was. He had more than a few bad past experiences traveling by ship, not to mention he hated being cramped under the deck and surrounded by miles of water. He checked that the Incarnate was still unconscious and thoroughly bound. Satisfied, Adrynn laid a hand on Velanya's shoulder.

 

"Mind taking the first watch, cousin? I need to get some fresh air," he said, glancing at the Nerevarine. The Incarnate was seated on a crate, his arms raised above him and tied behind his head to a reinforcement beam of the ship. Adrynn grabbed a spare length of cord and tied the Incarnate's elbows together, further restricting his movement. He also pushed the Incarnate's legs against the crate he was sitting on and tied his legs together. He knew how powerful the Nerevarine was. He didn't want to take any unnecessary risks with the lives of the crew or his companions. Finally satisfied with his handiwork, Adrynn made his way onto the top deck.

 

He sighed as he felt the fresh cool air of the Inland Sea meet his sweating brow. He had to stop and blink a few times to get his body adjusted to the constant swaying of the ship against the solid line of the horizon, but other than that, Adrynn felt great. He made his way over to the side of the ship and watched as they passed under the great bridges of Vivec, passing between the Arena and the Telvanni cantons, steadily making their way out to the Inner Sea. He felt dwarfed by the great city. It was a sight to behold indeed. He had never felt like this before, but from the dull twinge from his left palm, he knew that Azura was opening his eyes to the majesty of the Velothi city.

 

Adrynn turned toward Caius and Lecuaro. "Quite a sight, eh? I figure we have at least two days before we reach Molag Mar. That should give us plenty of time to rest," he said in their general direction, still gazing at the great cantons as they finally passed by the Palace of Vivec. He turned and grinned as Garila came out from under the deck. She grinned and went over to him, sighing as he wrapped her in his arms They stood in silence for a while, just watching the calm night breeze make small waves on the sea. Adrynn rested his chin on Garila's shoulder and sighed, closing his eyes. He was content for the first time in many weeks.

[SikSikSikki]

Arrenius Midoronia/ Molag Amur and Molag Mar

 

Thank the NINE! Arrenius exclaimed inwardly. If he had felt this happy in the last two years, he didn't remember it. The very tell-tale sound of the Silt Strider nearby caused his heart to sore, as he had been deathly afraid the last few days that the map that had been given to him in Suran by a grouchy old Dunmer was a fake. If he ever returned to the man he knew he would give the old man a few more septim for no better reason than he didn't lie. Next time, I'll go NOWHERE on this damn island unless it is by Silt Strider... he thought to himself just as one such creature appeared just past a large gray cliff face, with the walls of Molag Mar following closely behind. He wrapped his burlap cloak tighter around him and his armor, though it didn't seem to help much against the winds and dirt (He felt now as if his once shining moonstone armor will never shine again through the dirt caked on. At the very least it would help him draw less attention.)

 

And even though the hostile terrain and hostile weather that he couldn't wait to leave behind, he stood stark still at the sight of Molag Mar. He recognized the architecture, as he had traveled close to, but never into, the city of Vivec on his way here, but something about Molag Mar was different. It was a lone monolith, looking old and weathered, but still undeniably strong in the face of it's surroundings as if to tell the world "You will NOT be taking me!". Arrenius smiled as he lost himself in thought, but was startled out of his day dreams by the low melodic drone of the Silt Strider nearby. He laughed at himself for jumping, and quickly went along his way.

 

For a few minutes all he heard was the crunching of the dirt beneath his dirt covered moonstone boots, but as soon as the crunching turned to thumping as he made it onto the bridge he quickened his pace. He scanned the walk ways as he went, looking for- "Ah! Excuse me! Kind guard!" Arrenius jogged over to the Bonemold-clad Dunmer standing just outside an entry. "Yes, traveler?" He asked, a certain edge to his seemingly friendly words. "Uh, yes I was wondering if you might point me to a place I might rest? I've been traveli-" "The Pilgrim's rest- a tavern, just inside the Waistworks. Look for it's sign outside. And up top you'll find St. Veloth's Hostel where you can get a room." The guard cut in, his voice monotone, his eyes hidden by his helmet looking straightforward. Arrenius brow raised. "Thank you good sir... I uh... Shall be on my way." To which the guard only nodded.

 

Well then... He thought to himself. I do hope the rest are friendlier. He wrapped his cloak around him again, and made his way into the Waistworks.