Tavern Tales: Come on in and Have a Drink! Part V

[WhoGuru]

Bryn and Jack ran through the night darkened forest, scrambling over and under the dead limbs of trees. Their smaller size seemed destined to trip them up at every turn while behind them the sound of howling continued and drew steadily closer.

"We can't fight all those." Jack gasped as he ran alongside her. "We need somewhere to hide, much as it pains me."

"Well." Bryn heaved a breath and strove to keep up with him. "If you want to stay and fight...be my guest." She grinned at him as she took the lead and pointed. "I'm going there." Ahead of them, outlined against the black-green sky was the massive hulk of a dead tree. Brynna pelted for it, keeping her feet by force of will alone and felt Jack at her back as the dogs sounded even nearer now.

They reached the tree as one, slapping into the trunk and taking a moment to catch their breath. "There's a hole." Bryn panted. "Just above us." She slapped Jack on the shoulder as the hounds sounded again. "Give us a leg."

Jack chuckled and cupped his hands obligingly, boosting her up to the opening. Bryn crawled in and quickly reached back out feeling the pommel of the sword slap into her hand. She pulled it inside quickly and backed up as Jack's hands and head appeared, pulling himself up and in. The tree was massive and completely hollow, like a small cavern.

They backed away from the entrance as the sounds of howling and barking sounded suddenly from below them. "Hope they can't jump this high." Jack breathed softly, taking the sword back and looking about. "This thing is huge." He looked up and saw high above a faint lighter area where the trunk was open to the sky. He squinted then, peering up. "What is that?"

"What?" Bryn asked quietly, returning from peeking out the entrance. The dogs were milling about the base of the tree, obviously confused as to where their prey had gone. She could just make out Jack a few feet away, staring up. She did the same and shook her head. "I don't see anything."

"Something up there, stretched across the gap." He replied and felt a chill run down his back. "I don't like it."

Bryn shrugged and sat cross legged on the rotted floor of the tree. "Those dogs aren't going anywhere for a while. We're stuck here for a bit I think." She whipped her head up suddenly, peering into the darkness above when a scrabbling sound reached her ears.

"Did you hear that?" Jack whispered, dropping beside her.

"Yes. Now I don't like it." Bryn said and shivered. The sound continued above them, almost of something skittering while the dogs continued to howl and bark from outside and they waited to see what would come for them next.

[Vereta]

A small wild flower forced itself out of the snow and into the open. It struggled to capture the energy from the sunlight that was struggling to escape the many clouds that filled the sky. It bathed in the light happily before a leather boot swiftly stepped lightly onto it. The boot belonged to a heavily clothed man who looked out from the dark-colored, tattered cloths that obscured everything but his eyes. His eyes scanned the snowy horizon, not missing a single detail. His eyes were a glowing violet set into a black sclera. His skin had grown pale after living in the snowy mountains for so long, so much so that it became a shade of gray-blue. The cloths rapped around his body flapped in the wind wildly as he made his way to his campsite.

"Carmine." He greeted as he sat next to the boy in question.

"How much longer, Master? How much more do we have to train until we are allowed to leave these desolate wastes?" He asked.

"Not long." He replied simply.

Carmine turned to the fire and poked at the firewood, keeping them aflame. He had paled somewhat as well but not as much as his master. His master grew more and more inhuman by the months it seemed. He thought of the beauty he had seen in the dungeons of his old home before it was destroyed by a magnificent golden dragon. He remembered her name, Sharon Dane. He remembered how he used to use every opportunity he could get just to see her. A small smile formed on his face as he thought of her. He didn't remember much since he dug his way out of the rubble of his old home. He suspected he was some sort of errand boy, though. As he stared at the embers of the fire his 'Master' stood up.

"Carmine, begin packing. I've decided it is time to move on. We have picked this land clean of it's usefulness. We'll set out tomorrow." He announced suddenly.

"But where will we go, Master?" Carmine asked.

"To an old friends place. To the place where my grave lies."

[Vereta]

Lily stared out of her bedroom window as she let her thoughts drift. Echo lounged on the arm chair next to the window sill in which Lily sat. He was sitting on the chair upside down while reading a book about cheese.

"Hey, Echo..." Lily suddenly said.

"Hm?" He replied absently.

"What do you think happened to Aaron's body?" She asked him genuinely.

Echo and Lily sat quietly for a moment before he replied.

"I don't really know but he just might of decided it was to cramped and dark down there for him to live in so he dug out to the surface and left." Echo replied seriously.

"Oh, come on Echo. That's impossible." Lily told him.

"Well, you asked a question I answered it." He replied.

Lily blew a strand of hair out of her view in reply and turned to look out the window again. Echo smiled warmly at her gesture and shifted his position so that he was laying on the arms of the chair. He brought his head back to look at Lily upside down.

"Don't doubt it. Vereta was one hell of a guy." He said with a warm smile.

Lily's shoulders slumped a little as he said this and she looked down at her folded legs. Echo got up from the chair and walked over to Lily, wrapping his arms around her in a hug as a few tears fell from her face and splashed onto his arms.

--

The sound of horse hooves made there way through the air as two horses made their way down a trail. The two hunched figures on top of these horses stared silently ahead of them without a word. Ahead of them a cozy tavern sat under a large oak tree, a dark silhouette against the sky.

[Vereta]

Carmine and his Master finally reached their destination. It seemed to be a simple tavern to Carmine but his Master obviously thought otherwise. They stabled their horses and tended to their needs before heading off towards the Tavern itself. His Master walked up to the door and simply entered. Arlow, the bartender, was at the bar, polishing a mug with a rag. His Master walked up to the bar and said to the bartender in a low voice:

"Hello, Arlow, it has been some time."

Arlow, the bartender, looked up quickly and met his Master's gaze. His Master slowly unraveled the cloth that hid his face and Arlow fell to the floor with a gasp and sat, petrified, on the floor. The Master's face was scarred in several places but was otherwise smooth. His hair was wild and had turned white over his time in the snowy mountains they had resided in despite his young age. His Master looked at the bartender with cruel eyes before turning his head towards the staircase.

"I'll be taking a room, now." He said calmly.

He made his way up the stairs and Carmine fallowed, leaving the paralyzed Arlow on the ground looking at the spot Carmine's Master had been standing in. Carmine's Master suddenly turned to him and told him to wait where he stood and went on to the attic.

--

Lily slowly regained her composure and sat up a bit straighter, wiping her eyes. Echo let go of her and sat back down on the armchair. Lily looked at her hands and thought of nothing. Echo, on the other hand, had gone back to reading his book. Suddenly, before they could think about anything any further, the door opened and there stood a man they thought they would ever see again.

"Aaron?" Lily asked with wide eyes.

Aaron Hume, or Vereta, stood at the door his violet eyes staring blankly at Echo and Lily. Lily, whom didn't know how to react, simply stood up off the sill. Echo dropped his book and walked up to Vereta with a look of complete disbelief. Vereta turned his head to Echo to meet his gaze. Suddenly, his mouth opened.

"I've come to inform you that your world is in deep trouble." Vereta said casually. "The people who's lives are tied to this Tavern have been marked by the Prophet of Sarah and will eventually come to a painful end just as the last owner of this body has. I act as an agent of the Prophet of Sarah. I have come to take the life of Sharon Dane."

Vereta's eyes softened as he turned to meet Lily's shocked gaze.

"It seems you have become a threat, Sharon Dane. The Prophet has tied my soul to the body of Aaron Hume but he is not I. I am Demetri, the soul of a man who has committed many heinous acts. It seems his body is changing according to my soul. It seems that I still have his memories though. It is sad. I am sorry that it has come to this."

Demetri suddenly drew a blackened blade out of his tattered cloak. It cracked with magickal energy. Echo backed up finally recovering from his shock. That may have been Vereta's body but that wasn't him. Echo quickly drew a dagger from his belt and stood bravely in front of Lily.

"Vereta - Whoever the hell you are! - I won't let you kill Lily so easily!" He told him.

Demetri looked at him with his exp​ressionless eyes.

"Then you will die."

Echo didn't see anything but he heard him swinging his blade. He brought his blade up just in time to block Demetri's as he brought it down to strike him on the left. Echo found himself flying across the room from the magickal energy the sword emitted when it struck his blade, which had shattered into pieces. He was extremely surprised by how fast Demetri was. Echo clambered to his feet and grabbed Lily by the hand, running out the door  as fast as his adrenaline allowed him with Lily in tow. Demetri watched them leave with a blank exp​ression. Slowly, he began to follow.

Echo ran passed a boy as he raced down the stair, out the door, and to the stable. The boy seemed like he was going to say something until he saw Lily. He seemed surprised. Lily also seemed surprised to see him and looked back at him as they ran past him. Soon, Echo and Lily were riding away from the Tavern on horseback not caring where they went. All they wanted was to keep some space between them and Demetri.

[Vereta]

Echo sat under a tree trying to regain his composure from the attack that had happened back at the Tavern. He breathed in then out shakily. Lily sat on the other side of the tree, a vacant exp​ression on her face as the horse grazed nearby. Suddenly, they heard a rustle in the brush and they flinched in surprise. Gus came wandering out of the brush with his bow in his hand. When he spotted Lily a smile appeared on his face.

"Well, howdy there, little miss." He said with a tip of his leather hat. "What's brought you to these parts of the woods?"

Lily looked up at him somewhat surprised.

"...The Tavern was attacked." She said simply.

Gus rubbed his grizzly chin with a thoughtful exp​ression.

"Well, how's that...That place has always been pretty peaceful besides a few bar brawls." He said still rubbing his chin.

Echo looked somewhat confused.

"Uh, am I missing something here? Do you know this guy?" He asked.

"He's the one who taught me how to use a bow." She replied.

"Oh." He said in understanding.

"Name's Gus. How goes it?" He asked reaching out to shake his hand.

Echo took it wearily and shook. Gus sat between them and looked up at the sky.

"You know, you guys should probably get moving." He said.

"Huh?"

"It looks like he's closing in." He replied as he pointed towards the pair of horse riders barreling down the path.

Echo got to his feet swiftly and took hold of the horse's reigns.

"Lily, let's move." He told her.

Lily got up and trotted over to where the horse was as Echo mounted the horse.

"What about you?" She asked as she mounted the horse herself.

"I'm just gonna' rest for a bit." He replied as he folder his arms behind his head, his hat tipped over his face.

Lily said goodbye to Gus and he waved lazily as they galloped away on their horse. Gus could now hear the hooves of two horses coming down the path. He got up and dusted himself off as he saw them closing in. He picked up his bow as they passed him, stringing an arrow and shooting it at one of the riders. It hit one of their shoulders and the rider came tumbling of the horse, hitting the ground and groaning in pain. The other rider continued on without a thought to come back for his fellow rider. Gus walked slowly towards the fallen rider, whistling a happy tune. He stood over the rider with his bow slung over his shoulder. It was Carmine. Carmine cringed in pain as he grabbed at the arrow shaft lodged in his shoulder.

"Well, look what we have here. Fresh meat." Gus said with a friendly smile.

He grabbed Carmine's foot and began dragging him off into the woods, groaning as Gus whistled his happy tune all the way.

[WillieSea]

Every morning for some days now, Arwin spent the time in the training yard with several of the castle guard that showed promise and desire to be skilled archers. They had traded in their heavy armor for studded leathers of a dark green color with brown highlights.

After a lunch in the castle mess hall, Arwin invited two of his best students to go riding with him into the countryside.

Hirrus, an Imperial with a proud heritage of mighty fighters in his family. Unfortunately, he was of small stature and had not been able to join his forefathers as a guard for the imperial city. His family had managed to get him a job as a guard, but it was for the small town of Sutch out in the wilderness.

Parwen, a Woodelf had joined the castle guard when he had reached sufficient age. He had grown up in the orphanage after his family had been killed by wandering Ogres. He had sworn he would devote his life to protecting the common people from a fate like his.

Arwin was busy discussing some of the finer points in archery as they rode a patrol in the wilderness beyond the town walls. It was not long before the three of them had dismounted amid a cluster of trees and set up a target on a nearby tree. Arwin knew that some friendly competition would be a great teaching tool and help them learn the finer points of hitting their targets.

It was not long before they started bragging about their prowess with the bow. During a particularly heated exchange between Hirrus and Parwen, Arwin smiled to himself and watched the two as they blustered on.

Suddenly Arwin brought his hand to his face with a clenched fist and the two instantly went quiet. Then, very quietly the three of them listened to the winds as Arwin rotated his hand at his right ear. Both Arwin and Parwen with their better hearing ability caught the sound of a scream from further into the forest.

The three were quickly mounted and riding stealthily on their specially trained horses in the direction the screams had come from. As they rode a muffled scream would come to them and guide them in the correct direction. It was not long before wailing noises could be heard consistently with the whimpers and screams of a child.

The three dismounted and with their bows at the ready they cautiously advanced towards the sounds. They spread out as they moved forward until they came into view of an overturned wagon and a dead horse at its front. A man lay in the dirt of the road with blood soaking into the dirt from a head wound. A woman held a small child close to herself as five Goblins ransacked the wagon. A small Goblin kept an eye on the two females and would poke its spear at them and laugh in joy as the small girl would let out a scream and the woman would moan some more from the piercing jabs.

After a moment when Arwin heard the individual bird calls from the other two letting him know they were in position, he sighted on the closest Goblin to him and let out a short whistle. Three arrows quickly pierced the Goblins and several more followed before they even knew what had hit them. In just moments the entire band of Goblins lay dead on the ground.

The three archers advanced into the clearing with Hirrus and Parwen heading towards the woman and child while Arwin went to check on the man.

The man was still alive and Arwin conjured his healing magic to stop the bleeding. He then bandaged the man as the other two informed the woman that they were now safely under the protection of the Sutch Guard. They quickly joined Arwin as he finished binding up the man.

Arwin thought to himself that the three traveling merchants were lucky this day, until he heard the unmistakable sound of tromping feet on the dry twigs under the trees further to the South. Arwin quickly instructed the other two archers to keep watch of the merchant family while he moved silently to investigate.

He quickly moved south and suddenly stopped short. In the valley below his position he saw an army of Goblins on the march. He could not count them as they darted through the trees, but they were on their way to someplace. Arwin pondered, or away from something…

The Goblins were not heading for Sutch but as a guardsman for the city, it was his duty that he warn them of the danger the marching Goblins posed to the town and to travelers. When Arwin got back to the wagon, Hirrus and Parwen had already righted the wagon hitched one of their horses to the wagon.

Arwin sent Parwen ahead on his horse to warn the city guard and any travelers on the road. Hirrus and Arwin then traveled as quickly as they could on the wagon without jarring the injured man too much.

[grond]

Grond breathed a heavy sigh and smiled, as he lay facing the stars and moons. Red lay again in his arms. It was a dream, and though Grond knew it, he relished it, for he favored even the falseness of a dream above his present reality.

He and Garulf had spent a week as captives of Bootleg Barrow. Then there had come to the Charlotte a raging storm. Grond had begged Kynareth for it, and the Divine had deigned to heed his prayer. It was not the last time Grond regretted choosing not to learn the use of the mighty Thu'um, for had he done so, he would surely have called forth the Storm Voice not a few times since. Perhaps he would have saved the life of the dear one lying near him. Most assuredly, had he been trained in the use of his mighty Voice, Grond would not have been taken to the hold of the ship, the Charlotte, and prevented from pursuing those who had taken his new friend Bryn. Finally, with a low growl, Grond remembered that his ignorance also kept him on this blasted island, alone.

For the storm Kynareth sent to Grond came with a price, as did most answered prayers. A hole had been dashed into the hull of the Charlotte, and the Sea had rushed in, breaking down the hatch of the brig. The waters had swept into the Nords, and while Garulf swam through the broken door, Grond had let himself be swept out through the breach, and into the dark Sea. He awoke in the morning of another day, blinded by the sun, lying alone on a stony beach. These things took place nearly a fortnight before his dream of Red on this night. Grond knew not whether the Charlotte or any of those aboard had survived. He knew only two things now - that he was entirely alone while awake, and that prayers should not be used as wishes.

Red had awakened in the dream, in answer to Grond's growl. "Well," she said, "we're here again. You'd be better off leaving this gutter behind I think. Get your act into the present, my dear friend. And if you do it now, you won't be too late to rescue her." Red rested her crooked chin on her fisted hands on the Nord's chest, and her stare caused Grond no little shame.

"What?" replied the Nord.

"Great danger's right behind her, so you have to get up off your big white behind and smash it with something, or else a good bunch of people are in big trouble!" Red grinned now, as if the outcome of whatever it was she saw mattered little to her.

Grond shouted, "I canna swim to Morrowind! Can't ye see me on this tiny rock in the middle of the Sea!?"

"Oh," sighed Red. "Fine, you damn fool. Can't we meet in the hot springs next time? Here." She bent over him, her scarlet hair falling in his face. She kissed him lightly on the forehead. He slept on without further dreams. But when Grond woke before dawn, her scent was about him, and he was as certain of his location now as if he had a map before him.

Her kiss had shown him the way home.

The tiny isle was just a few leagues south of Cyrodiil - a hard run for an old, underfed Nord, but not impossible - so with hope, Grond spent that day foraging for mushrooms and lilies of the valley. Stinkhorn Cap. Lily Nectar. He found quite a bit of each, and as he returned to his shelter he wondered how she, the girl who had taken the name of the nectar, was faring. The thought of Lily - once Sharon Dane - sent an odd bristle down his spine. Grond thought about that bristle for a brief moment, while he pulverised the two ingredients. He needed one more for the potion. So the Nord ran into the Sea, splashing and shouting.

Lily? He shuddered again, in part because the girl's new name brought fear to him, but also because of the prospect of these fish he needed to draw near to him. He cast the Woad spell. Then he cast a light spell and taking a deep breath, dove. There came from one direction two slaughterfish, their vicious maws gaping wide. Scales. The third ingredient. One fish was all he needed. But suddenly, as he reached toward one of the pair he felt himself pounded from front and behind, like a blade on an anvil, as another joined the fish he ignored in its attack. Somehow he maintained a grip on the only one he needed, while he kicked frantically for the shallows, and as he stood near the shore he heaved the slaughterfish with all his strength, so that it landed and began flopping in the sand near his shelter. Then he returned to the others, while the Woad lasted. For Grond was very hungry, and he hated a slaughterfish with an irrational passion.

While he made the potion he cooked and ate the fish. He had none of his equipment so he simply used as a plate the shell of a mudcrab hed killed the first day, and boiled the ingredients over his fire. He mixed in some rain water he had collected during the storm on his fourth night trapped on the isle, and soon he had a crude bit of porridge. "Well," he said aloud, "I'll either walk or swim! But it'll be tomorrow." It was getting on toward evening, and the last thing he wanted was to be caught on the Sea at night when the potion's effect died. Grond lay in the sand until after the sun set, eating the fish, and savoring the strange purple fruit he'd found, which had hundreds of seeds within, and ( luckily ) had no effect on him but for its delicious sweetness.

The potion worked, and for four hours the next day the Nord splashed across the surface of the Abecean Sea. He had nothing with him, so he was forced to carry the entire mudcrab shell, and as he felt himself sink, the Nord tipped the shell to his mouth.

The captain of a small fishing vessel spied through his glass that very morning the sight of a half-naked, sunburnt, smallish giant, striding with determination across the water, bearing in his hands some kind of great platter, and that day the Captains nets overflowed with multitudes of fish. And a legend began of the Little Red Giant, who, if seen, brings great luck to those at Sea.

Grond came ashore sometime before noon, with the lighthouse at Anvil to his right. He collapsed, heedless of man, mer or beast, and slept through the afternoon. But it was to be the last bit of sleep he would afford himself for some time. For round midnight, when he finally returned to the Tavern and received the news of who had returned and who had vanished, Grond left again with Mik, and ignored friend and stranger alike.

He whispered words to Mik and the silver stallion, who had greatly desired to chase the white-haired Demetri, knew which way they had gone. Now that Grond, for whom he had waited, had returned, Mik carried him in pursuit. Grond and the stallion lofted easily over the fence and raced along the path Mik had seen Lily take.

[_echo]

Small narration:

So much time has passed since the start of Echo's journey. He has traveled many places, encountered and triumphed of many challenges, and he has made some good friends.

As the seasons chance and time comes to pass, everyone has a moment in this world  in which, once a year,all their experiences and knowledge are translated to the growth of ones wisdom. That time has come for Echo, as page of his life has turned, and a new one is set forth.

*Happy Birthday to me *

[charlescrowe]

Sounds of a friendly argument whip everyone's heads to the door as two raven elves walk in.

"By the Nine, Serenity, but did you have to cut off his head?"

"Quit being a drama queen about it, Raurke."

"But there's blood all over my best Brocade Vest. Do you KNOW what I had to go through to get that from Slof?"

"Well mabye you should just put a cleaning enchantment on it then, Raurke."

The pair walks into a corner, where they begin to study what looks like a map of a nearby Alyeid ruin.

"Serenity, be a dear and go get us some drinks, eh?"

[exasperated sighs] "Fiiine... hopefully i'll see Red around here somewhere"

[[edit]]

[WhoGuru]

Jack and Bryn huddled in the hollowed out tree, trapped in the dream world, while the Skeletal dogs bayed outside and something scrabbled above them. There was barely light to see by, only the faintest outlines of their surroundings showing. Night had fallen in moments with an unnatural darkness.

Jack hefted the rusty iron sword in his child's hand, once more wishing for his adult form which would have swung it as though it were nothing. Brynna stood beside him quickly.

"It's getting louder." She breathed, her eyes trained at the faint circle of lighter darkness above them. Like Jack, she was cursing the child's body she'd been trapped in and the loss of her weapons. She missed the feel of her Elmwood Bow in her hand.

Just then, something small dropped from above, landing with a soft thump beside her. She jumped back into Jack and didn't quite smother the girlish squeak as more began dropping down to join them. The skittering sound was no longer faint and Bryn froze as she felt one of them climbing her leg. She swallowed the fear and grabbed hold of it firmly. She gave a snort of disgust and flung it out through the hole they'd climbed in.

"They're spiders of some sort." Bryn said and relaxed somewhat.

"Lovely." Jack growled as he now heard even more coming to join their friends. As he spoke, the pitch night changed. As it had when dusk had fallen, the alteration was near instant. One moment near blind darkness and the next they were both blinking to see in the sickly green daylight.

They both took an involuntary step when their eyes had adjusted. The floor of the tree hollow was teaming with the spiders, about the size of a grown man's hand and covered in thick orange hair. Jack raised the sword again, knowing they were lost if the things rushed them. There were simply too many.

"No, wait." Bryn stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Look."

Rather than come for the two humans, they seemed to wait for the rest of their kind to scurry down then raced as one for the entrance. They flowed past Bryn and Jack's feet like a many legged tide to vanish outside. Soon, the startled whining of the skeletal dogs met their ears, then their screams. Bryn dodged quickly to the opening and, looking out, saw the army of spiders chasing the hounds back into the twisted forest and away.

"Well then." Bryn grinned back at Jack. "I guess not everything here wants to eat us."

"Let's not wait for them to come back to find out." He gestured to the hole. "You first, my dear."

Bryn chuckled and scrambled easy down to the ground. Jack landed deftly beside her and cocked his head. "I hear a bell."

"A bell?" Bryn listened as well and heard the faint sound that had caught his attention.

"Sounds like a sea bell to me." He pulled around the side of the tree. "Come on."

"We're going to look for it?" She said surprised, huffing to keep up with his longer legged stride. "And that makes sense to you how?"

Jack laughed, slowing his pace to let her catch up. "It's a sea bell. That means a ship, I hope."

"Ahh. So we can at least go home like this even if we're stuck reliving our childhoods once we get there?" Bryn shook her head and pulled herself over the twisted dead roots of the trees. "I'd like a moment alone with the Sorcerer that did this to us."

"Get in line." Jack growled. The wasted, diffused son that hovered in the sky seemed never to move and he wondered how long they had until night fell on them again. Jack followed the sound of the bell, saying several prayers as they climbed a small rise that an escape would be waiting for them on the other side.

At the top of the hill, the gnarled, decayed trees were the thickest they had yet seen. Their trunks sat nearly side by side, limbs and roots twined together like a wall. Bryn pointed down a bit from them and Jack saw a darker spot among the limbs. They went warily to it and the sound of the sea bell came clearly out of the darkness.

"No choice I'd say." Bryn looked back at the way they'd come and then shrugged. "Well I'm not going back."

"Nor I." He held his hand out with a grin. "Shall we?"

Bryn took it with a laugh and they stepped into the tree tunnel. The light quickly left them and they held fast to each others hands. Once more, Jack unerringly followed the sound of the bell. It rang loud and true now with each step they took. Brynna could feel the roots of the trees curving about them and inside the tunnel, the smell of decaying wood and worse was powerful.

They both were coughing with it by the time they reached the other side and stepped out into cooler, cleaner air.

"How is this possible? We we're going up, not down." Bryn gasped.

They had emerged inside a massive cavern on a ledge high above a derelict ship that rested calmly in the waters below.

"It's the pirate ship." Jack whispered. "I don't know how but we're back in the same cave with that bloody ship."

"No. It's different." She pointed at the far wall. Unlike the other, this cavern was not open to the sea. This ship would never be sailing anywhere through solid rock. "How did it get in here?"

"I don't see anyone, ghost or otherwise. Do you?" Jack asked.

"No. Nothing." She stepped to his left and found the same path down to the ship, shaking her head as she started down it. "This is just not possible." Jack was at her back as they went and they reached the floor of the cave and stood beside the gangplank onto the ship. "Nothing ventured." Bryn muttered, climbing the plank on deck.

"Nothing Gained." Jack finished for her and kept his sword ready.

Bryn stopped him as they reached the rail. "Do you hear that?"

"It sounds like...crying?" He asked, almost unsure what they were hearing.

"Captain's cabin." Brynna said softly and headed for the door. The handle was quite large and she had to wrap both her small hands around it to turn it. When the lock snicked, Jack put his shoulder to the door and shoved it open cautiously.

He took hold of Bryn's shoulder and threw her back onto the deck. The sound of steel being drawn had greeted his ears as the door opened. As he jumped back to join her, three ghostly pirates strode out of the Captain's cabin and onto the deck.

Jack took the hilt of his sword in both hands and swung hard at the neck of the first ghost. The rusted iron cleaved messily through it's neck, dropping it to it's knees. Bryn darted in and pulled it's lightly glowing sword from it's hands. There was no time to plan as the remaining two pirates attacked, furious at the fall of their comrade.

Jack fell backward under the flurry of blows, his youthful arms not able to bear the weight. Suddenly, the pirate on his left fell. Jack looked to see Bryn had taken it's knees the pirate blade. Once on the deck, she quickly planted the blade in it's chest. Jack took his cue from her and dropped to the deck as the last ghost advanced on him. He stabbed out with the ages sword into the thing's legs and took one of it's knees.

The apparition gave an unnatural cry and dropped to the ground. Jack and Bryn buried both their blades within it's body and breathed a sigh of relief when it lay dead. Jack left the pitted iron side in the ghost's chest and instead swept up another of the pirate blades. It was lighter, almost weightless and fit easily in his hand. "That's more like it. You alright, girl?"

Bryn nodded and pointed at the Cabin once again. The sound of crying carried softly out to them as before. She shrugged at Jack, he shrugged back and with wary smiles they entered the Captain's Cabin.

alert for more ghostly pirates, they instead found only the empty cabin. Dimly lit and every surface coated in a layer of dust, the crying continued, louder now. A small closet stood in the corner by the bed and the sound seemed to be coming from there.

Brynna used the point of the ghost sword to catch the handle of the closet and swing it open. Jack and Bryn both gasped. Inside the closet, huddled on the floor and crying, was a small boy. Bryn looked at Jack, who nodded, and she set her sword aside to kneel down with the child.

"Hello?" She said softly. The boy jumped as if stung and looked up at them with wide, tear filled eyes.

"Are they gone?" He asked in a quiet voice. "The pirates?"

Brynna nodded. "You're safe now." The boy sighed and lunged out of the closet to be held by Bryn. As she wrapped her arms about him to comfort the child, she realized his body didn't feel quite right. It didn't feel as though he was all there and looking down upon him, she saw he seemed to waver in her vision. "Jack?" She looked up to him and saw another nod and a frown.

"He's a ghost too." Jack replied to her unanswered question.

"Sweetheart tell us what happened." Bryn said to the boy softly, stroking his head. To her surprise, the cabin about them seemed to waver and change. A different version of the ship overlay the one they stood in, now clean and well lit.

She stifled a gasp as one of they pirates they had battled in the cave so long ago strode inside. He didn't see them though and went about his business as if they weren't there.

"That's the Captain." Jack breathed quietly, nodding to the fellow. A moment later, a copy of the boy in Bryn's arms entered the room. The captain called him his cabin boy and seemed to argue as the boy told him some of the crew were sick. Giving an angry shake of his head, the captain strode from the room and the light shifted once more. This time the captain appeared sitting on the side of his bed, several of his crew standing over him.

Their conversation was angry, fearful. Many more of the crew had fallen ill, the first of the sick had died and they were weeks from land and help. The men arguing with the captain looked sickly themselves. The cabin boy entered again and was scared from the room when two of the pirates growled at him. Bryn tightened her arms about the one in her arms when he shook and watched as the story continued to unfold. Again the room shifted. Now the cabin boy stood alone in the room, locking the door as angry shouts and screams could be heard from the deck.

"They threw the sick overboard." The boy mumbled in Bryn's grasp then. "Still alive, they tossed them over the side but they fought back." The sounds of a fight could be heard and soon a pounding on the door of the cabin. The terrified boy looked about for some means to escape and could find none. He went to the closet, passing through Bryn and Jack, and pulled the door shut behind as three of the pirates burst inside.

Like the boy, they searched the room for some way he could have escaped. They were pale with sickness, their eyes dark sockets and madness burned within them along with the strange fever that had been killing them. As one, the three turned to look at the closet.

"Stop now." Bryn said, squeezing the child while she began to cry as the pirates came for the closet, swords drawn. "Please. Stop now." She desperately didn't want to see the pirates kill the child. She moaned in thanks when the visions ended and they were returned to the decrepit ship. "I'm so sorry."

Jack dropped down beside them and patted the child's back. "You've done all this haven't you? The village, the ship, us as children, everything. Somehow."

Brynna felt him nod against her chest. "I was lonely." The boy said so softly it was hard to hear. "I missed my home." He shook and Bryn held him tighter. "But everything came out wrong. I tried to make it all like it was but it just wouldn't." He was crying again.

"It's alright, lad." Jack patted his shoulder again. "You're safe now. Free. You can put everything back."

"Can you put us back?" Bryn asked him gently. "Back where you found us and...and grown up again, please? I know you were just lonely."

"Okay." His voice was as tiny as he was. He felt suddenly lighter in Bryn's arms. "Thank you. Thank you for saving me."

The cabin began to waver about them once more. "What now?" Jack asked and then stumbled to his knees as a feeling of exhaustion overcame him.

"Jack?" Bryn's voice was bleary with sleep. The tighter she tried to hold on to the boy, the more he seemed to slip away from her and she collapsed back to the floor, seeing Jack beside her and fell asleep.

As Jack drifted off, he felt the unmistakable sensation of the ship moving beneath them. Somehow, it was sailing under it's own power. The salt smell of the sea reached him and the last thing he heard was the boy's voice raised in a happy child's laugh.

--------------------------

Brynna stretched herself out of a restful sleep, feeling the warmth of the sun on her face and smiled. She jerked herself upright suddenly with a gasp as the memories of where they had been came back to her. "Jack!" She called and, looking to her right, saw the pirate stretched out beside her on the beach. He was waking as well.

She looked down at herself then and realized they were adult again. They had been restored and she have a cheerful yell, leaping to her feet and dancing about, enjoying the sensation of not being four feet tall anymore. "Wake up you lazy pirate!" She laughed and kicked a bit of sand onto him.

Jack came to with a sputter, wiping the sand from his face and then stopped, staring at his hand. He rose from the sand with a whoop and grabbed Bryn in a furious jig for a moment before stopping to stare out to see.

Just on the horizon and fading as they watched, a ghostly ship sailed away from them. "Where are we?" Brynna asked then, looking about. "Where did he bring us?"

Jack surveyed the beach and the cliffs visible in the distance and laughed. "Why that little scut. We're on Anvil's shore. A day at most from the Tavern. He brought us all the way to Cyrodiil." He clapped his hands in appreciation and, linking arms with a laughing Bryn, began heading up off the beach and into the forests that bordered it. "Come on, girl. I could use a drink!"

----------------------------

Jack and Bryn stopped only briefly at midday at the Brina Cross Inn. They were anxious to reach home and took only a light lunch, setting on to the road again. They passed many travelers and waved cheery hellos causing many to give them odd looks. As dusk fell over county Kvatch, they trudged wearily but happily down a familiar road and at last, came in view of the Tavern.

The doors were open, lights burning warmly within as if beckoning them on. "I need food." Bryn said with a grin. "A bowl of Arlow's best stew I think."

"Aye and enough ale to drown a pirate." Jack added. They strode into the Tavern and Arlow whooped on seeing them, scurrying to give them the once over. Without waiting, he ushered them to the table by the fire, sitting them firmly as they laughed.

"About time you two showed up." Arlow admonished with a smile. "Now, you sit still and I'll be back with some of my stew and pitcher of Ale.

Bryn shook her head, laughing once more, as the man hurried away into the kitchen. "How does he always know what we want?" She glanced about the Tavern room for familiar faces and instead found two new ones.

Seated in a corner, two Raven Elves smiled briefly back at them, one of them raising a mug in greeting before they went back to their own conversation.

"Where do you suppose Grond and Garulf are?" Bryn asked. "We can't possibly have beaten them home."

"No idea." Jack replied and grinned as Arlow reappeared with a laden tray. "And honestly don't much care at the moment. They'll turn up. Nords always do."

[charlescrowe]

Serenity, a short Raven Elf, dressed in all black leather armor, naturally Deep Purple hair, and wild purple eyes, came back to the corner table with two bottles of Whitesail Stout. "Raurke, you sure about that place? Sounds dangerous."

"I'm positive. at most, there'll be a ghost or two, but i'm a War Mage. Easily worth atleast three marauders."

Serenity looked her twin brother over... by the nine, he could pass for a girl! [and had, on four separate occasions back in Anvil. But that's another story for another day.]

"What are you staring at me like that for, Serenity?" Raurke barked. [so much for the girl bit.] "We'd better get going... I'd like to get that last load of Welkynds out of there. before nightfall."

The twins packed up their stuff, belted their swords, [which like the two elves, were twins themselves.] and payed their tab, walking briskly out the door and down the road towards the ruins.

[WillieSea]

Arwin reflected on recent events.

His good friends William and Shrerena had left this world for another in pursuit of some evil creature who destroyed whole worlds.

His wife Jean was very pregnant with their first child and was successfully managing the Black Powder Shoppe in the town of Sutch. The many magical items and trinkets that Arwin brought back from his adventures ensured a steady stream of curious buyers from all over Cyrodiil to her shop. It probably also helped that the shop was itself magical, sometimes opening portals to other worlds where shoppers would enter and purchase or sell their goods. There was certainly an adventure waiting there!

The Goblin hoard turned out to be a simple war between two Goblin tribes. One tribe had made off with the totem of the other tribe. After they had reduced themselves to half their previous number, the totem was retrieved and the two tribes went back to their own caverns.

His new found friends had gone off in search of a witch and he had not heard from them in a while. He worried about them and decided he needed to go in search for them and told Jean as much. She lovingly made a pack for him with the usual supply of food and drink. Arwin was a master archer, but he was also a master tracker. His earlier life in tracking the werewolves had taught him well this trade.

Early morning found Arwin saddled up and giving Jean a kiss goodbye. She waved to him as he rode off down the street heading for the road to the Tavern. He had not been there in a while and needed to catch up on the latest news. His work with the city guard kept him busy most days, but he was allowed a lot of time for his own adventures and other pursuits as well.

The day was bright and sunny and the ride through the forest to the Tavern was pleasant. He soon approached the Tavern and a tinge of wonder filled his being. So many memories surrounded this place of friends both here and gone on to other places. He stabled his horse and headed for the Tavern entrance.

Just as he was about to open the door, it burst open and two Raven Elves walked out and past Arwin, who was himself a High Elf. Arwin raised an eyebrow as the two walked quickly down the road. A Raven Elf was not something he saw very often.

Arwin entered the Tavern and Arlow was already bringing a large bowl of beef stew and a mug of ale to Bryn and Jack’s table for him. One day Arwin decreed that he would figure out how Arlow did that! Both Bryn and Jack clasped hands with Arwin in greeting and they caught each other up on what had been happening since they last saw each other.

Arlow then told them of Lily and Echo’s departure followed by a being that looked like Vereta. Then Grond had come through shortly after that and went off in search of Lily.

The three friends ate their meal and drank their drinks while pondering these events in their minds. Arwin knew that he would soon be on the road following Lily’s trail. It was apparent that his friends were in trouble and he was not going to let them down by not trying to help them.

[Vereta]

A woman in a burgundy robe walked towards a statue in the middle of a cave with a roof so high it disappeared into darkness. The sound of her shoe heels bounced around the cave in an echo as she made her way towards the statue. It was the figure of a strange, twisted figure with a woman's face stretching out from the mass of tangled limbs in a violent scream. As the woman reached the stature she placed a hand on the runes etched on into the base of the statue and began to speak.

"...Oh, mistress of mine, please allow me, your humble servant, to hear your thoughts. I, the Prophet of Sarah, have come to do your bidding..."

The statue's body began to twitch incoherently until it's face was stretched out towards the Prophet so that it could 'see' her."

"Are the tasks I have asked you to do complete?" It asked.

The Prophet bowed her head in reply.

"Demetri is hunting them as we speak, Mistress Sarah..."

"Good, good... NOW GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" It said, it's exp​ression and tone of voice completely changing.

The prophet flinched slightly.

"Yes, mistress..."

[Cliffworms]

The sun was slowly setting on the Gold Coast when Marelik finally crossed the Hammerfell-Cyrodiil border. He climbed a dead tree, sat on a branch and looked at the Imperial Province.

"Beautiful place it is. Tis' a shame that I won't have time to explore the province." Marelik thought.

He looked to the north-west, towards the majestuous and snowy Jerral Mountains.

"Not again. I am never going in a frosty wasteland again."

He turned his head to look in front of him.

"South. I must continue south along the ocean. Maybe I could stop in Anvil? Hmm. No. I may meet a former acquaintance of mine there....what's that?"

Marelik hears footsteps far from his location. He bends along the branch and stares at the sound's location.

"Two pairs of legs walking....guards maybe? No. They don't wear heavy boots. Bounty hunters? I doubt it."

Marelik slowly climbs higher and stares at the forest in front of him. He notices lights emaniting near the trees. The footsteps fade away.

"A lighted building... I must approach carefully."

He jumps down from branch to branch with sublime finesse and starts walking towards the lights. Instead of taking the main road, he decides to walk around the trees.

Observing the building while hiding behind a nearby bush, he hears the faint sounds of people cheering and talking. Relieved, he approaches the Tavern.

He passes by the stables and notices a stabbled horse eating the nearby grass. Marelik takes off his helmet and puts it in his backpack. The Tavern door lies in front of him. He carefully looks around him for signs of bounty hunters and imperial legionnaires but doesn't see any. Marelik puts on his cloak's hood and enters the Tavern.

As soon as the door opens, the sounds of cheers, conversations both loud and not so loud, drinks being poured along with the smell of woodsmoke and fresh bread comes to his ears and nose.

Before advancing further, Marelik looks around him to familiarize himself with the environment then proceeds to the bar counter.

"There's something missing in this tavern....entertainement maybe?" thought Marelik as he gets closer to the bar.

The bartender was nowhere to be seen behind the counter.

"Sir! I'll be with you in a minute!" says a voice to his right.

He was indeed busy serving customers.

Marelik takes the time to look more around him.

There seems to be enough space in the tavern to put up a good show. If some chairs and tables are put aside, Marelik could perform his acrobatic tricks for a free room.

As for the patrons, they seem to be mostly composed of adventurers and travelers. Amongst them are two men and a woman, cheerfully talking. As he continues to stare at them , a voice returns him to reality :

- Welcome to the Tavern, Sir! My name is Arlow and I'm your host. May I help you with something this evening? Food? Room?

- I will take a bottle of wine and a loaf of bread and most likely a room for the night.

- Coming right up, Sir!

Noticing he doesn't have a wine bottle left, he starts going to the cellar but before he reaches the door, Marelik says :

"Excuse me, but there is something lacking your tavern. Something it needs."

Arwen lifts an eyebrow and turns towards his new customer :

"And what is it?"

"Entertainment. I am an experienced acrobat. I have done so since my childhood. Certainly you have heard of the superior agility and athletic prowess of the Khajiiti."

Arwen, interested, stares at Marelik who shows empty tables and chairs in a corner.

"See those chairs and tables there? If we push them aside, I could have enough space to perform an acrobatic show. If I break something, I will pay you. If the customers don't like the show, I will give them some of my septims as a compensation. If you don't like the show, you can throw me out of your tavern."

Marelik approaches his face to Arwen :

"But if your customers and you like the show. I'd like a free room please, as it is customary to most inns and taverns I've traveled to."

Arwen thinks for a momen, staring at the ceiling. He then looks down to Marelik :

"Deal. Shall I get your food and wine now?"

Marelik looks around then turns to Arwen : "No, I will go get changed for the show. And don't worry about the tables and chairs. Serve your customers, I will take care of moving the furniture. Where is the wardrobe?"

"Down this small corridor on  your right is where I stack some of my ustensils and plates. You can use it." as he points towards the corridor.

Marelik nods and walks toward the indicated place. He passes by a table with the three travelers he noticed earlier and overhears only but a word : Lilly.

He doesn't pay more attention and enters the room. He gets rid of his leather armor, cloak and mithril sword. He searches through his backpack and finds his black Khajiit suit.

While changing, he hears Arwen speaking aloud to the patrons :

"Excuse me everyone, can I get your attention please! Tonight, we will have the pleasure of seeing a performance by an acrobat here in this very Tavern!"

The patrons approve and one asks : "But where will this acrobat perform? There is no space!"

"Right over there. Actually, maybe some of you might want to help me move the furniture."

Footsteps and the furniture being moved comes to the ear of Marelik as he is almost done getting prepared. After having worn the suit, he then takes his make-up and proceeds to do touch-ups on his facial tatoo reprenseting a dark-blue cross. With the face painted like as is the tradition of his ancestors, he then hides his backpack, leather armor and shortsword behind old and unused furniture.

He takes a big breath and approaches his hand towarsd the doorknob....

[grond]

Lily and Echo rode hard, northwards, skirting Sutch and the lake which lay to the East of the walled city. They thundered along the rolling hills of the Great Forest. Lily's pony, Lightning, struggled furiously, pounding hard, and managed to keep pace with Echo's golden palomino, whose name was Gouda. North they rode, and they saw no sign of their dreadful pursuers. Soon Echo turned them westward. They rode past the ruin of Fort Hastrel, the place which Red, William and Sherena destroyed with their magickal fires. When the pair, continuing West, came to an Elven Ruin, Echo slowed them.

"Follow!" he hissed at Lily. "Do what I do and don't argue!" Before his mount had stopped Echo leapt from the saddle, and took from the saddlebags some provisions, and his weapons. Too shocked and apalled at the vision of Vereta to argue, Lily did the same. Then Echo, leading his horse's nose to the West and past the Ruin, said to him, "Go home now!" and slapped the palomino's rump. Lily understood. She leaned into Lightning's neck and whispered, "Follow Gouda. Go home now." Lightning nickered and sped off behind Gouda, taking a route which would lead them to the Road north of Sutch and the Tavern. Then Echo took Lily's hand and together they ran down the spiraling stair, and into the Elven Ruin. Lily shook her hand free of Echos grasp, following him, her mind numb.

The thief opened the stone door as if he were coming home after a hard day's labor. He sighed as he led Lily down a white stairway. Blue fires burned, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Echo appeared comfortable and walked easy, but Lily followed fearfully. The stair ended on a landing, a pair of stairways at its ends going further down. "This way," Echo said. They started down one stairway, and halfway down it, Echo stopped. "You can get up there, can't you?" Lily looked toward the ledge to which Echo pointed, and nodded. "I'll go first," said the thief, and leapt from the stair. Catching the ledge, which was fairly hidden in the dim light, Echo pulled himself up, and beckoned to Lily to follow. The girl jumped and brought herself up into another white hallway. Then, taking his bow and an odd-looking arrow, Echo took aim, and shot at a nearby torch. The arrow hit the fire and with a sharp hiss, the torch was extinguished. Then the thief leaned to the side of the opening they had jumped to, where there was a bulky object. It was a broken stone Ayleid bench. Echo dragged the slab until it blocked the opening. "They'll never see us up here, now," he muttered.

As Echo went to another opening and did the same as he had done with the first, Lily looked around the narrow chamber. Lit with the soft blue glow of Welkynd stones, the chamber had within it stacked and gathered piles of various treasures, both precious and worthless - to any, that is, but Echo. "My secret stash," said Echo, running his hand through a deep pile of spoons. He picked one up and rubbed it on his nose, then slowly took his hand away. The spoon remained on his nose. He said gravely, "We'll hide awhile."

===========

Meanwhile, Mik's furious pace slowed, for both he and Grond spied flickering firelight in the black night amid the trees ahead of them. The shore of the quiet lake was narrow below him; the land sloped upward and was clustered with pine trees and great boulders. Mik galloped amid them, and Grond merely held himself on the stallion's back. The Nord had ridden for only a few minutes when he saw the glow. He was about to slow Mik when the stallion suddenly slowed himself to a walk, then stopped behind an enormous lichen-covered rock. Both paused, for they heard a voice, which seemed to come from the direction of the firelight.

Someone was reading aloud, in a deep masculine baritone:

"In many ways, it is a question of extremes - how far we would permit our studies to take us. Necromancy by its nature relies on the practitioner going further into the darkness than is wise, virtually guaranteeing his destruction. It has no place in the Mages Guild."

The reader cleared his throat. "And here's the conclusion - You ready? I guess you are... The risks of studying Necromancy outweigh its usefulness. The Guild does not wish to censor the study of any of its members, but it will not tolerate studies in the Black Arts, except in limited form for the purpose of combating its evil adherents. This may only be done by rare individuals who have proven themselves both highly skilled and highly cautious, and then only with my express permission and supervision." There was a pause.

Behind the rock, Grond barely heard the words read. He strained his ears, intent upon catching the smallest rustle of a bound girl, were Lily the one being read to, and at the same time, he listened intently for signs of others nearby. He heard rustling, and a muffled voice, as if a gagged prisoner were protesting, but it was another male voice, not Lily's soprano. The Nord could hear no evidence of anyone else near him. He remained behind the rock, for he was worried that any sudden attack would put Lily's life in greater peril. Later he would be shocked by this worry, but just then he was so immersed in it that he could think of little else.

But the reading voice continued: "That's tonight's bedtime story. Did you enjoy it? There's more, but it's really just opinion. It was written by Hannibal Traven. You know what became of him, right? Well, I promise a fate just as bad for you, if you don't tell me things. I'm highly skilled, and highly cautious. I want to find out about your master, but more - I want to know about her. What's she want? Where does she come from? Who is she? With such a lovely name, how could she be a danger?"

The last sentence sent Grond's heart to pounding. Lily was a lovely name, indeed, and he was certain the voice was speaking of her. He waited for an answer, while he thought of Lily's unspoken past. What had happened? he wondered. Lily had known Vereta, and had studied with him, but little more did the Nord know of the girl he called daughter - only that there was some trouble in her past, and that one night she had come to the Tavern.

A man's muffled shriek interrupted his thoughts. It was followed by laughter. Grond wanted the same information, he thought, as the questioner, so he strolled around the rock and toward the firelight, and Mik followed him.

[grond]

Stepping around the bulk of the rock, Grond stood with his arms crossed.

“Uh-oh, it’s her new Daddy!  Yer in for it now!”

The one who had been reading had turned towards Grond before the Nord came around the rock.  He was of medium height and build, and wore forester garb of green and brown, with a leather hat and a grizzled chin.  He doffed the hat in Grond’s direction.  His captive was gagged and both his wrists and ankles were shackled to a flat rock which lay half-buried in the hillside.  There were wide bruises on the captive’s bare skin, and as Grond watched, the captor swung his fists into the young man’s already bruised sides.  The shackled man gurgled in pain and hung his head, moaning.  Painted across the flat rock was the blood of other interrogations, or tortures.

The punisher, after administering the blows, stood watching Grond.  In the firelight his face seemed overjoyed, twisted with mania, or simply thrilled.  “Now,” said Grond, “I tend ta like a fair fight better than this.  But ye seem to know me and my Lily, and this young’n here is after ‘er, so that kinda puts us on the same side fer now.  But if ye want a tale from the lad, whyn’tcha ungag ‘im?”

“O, mercy!” said Gus.  “That’ll help, won’t it!”   Taking a long knife, he slid it under the gag, without any mercy, and cut both the gag and the man’s face.  He spit out the gag with a cry of pain, and began to shout in a high-pitched angry voice: “You’ll both die in agony when the Mistress finds you!  She will not let this go unpunished!  She will bind you with your own entrails!  She will…”

As the captive shouted various gruesome ways in which his Mistress would avenge him, his captor ignored him and approached Grond with a rather wild smile.  His hand outstretched he said, “Beg yer pardon.  I like this better’n a fair fight.  Might make other future fights more fair.  Name’s Gus.”

“Gus, you might like it too much.  I’m Grond.”  

“Oh, I know daddy.”

In response, Grond grabbed the collar of Gus’ shirt and pulled him close.  Gus retorted by deftly throwing a leg out and with some strength shoved Grond.  The Nord toppled, tripped by Gus.  But as he fell, Grond hefted Gus and threw him, and his strength and the fall combined to launch Gus feet over head into the rock behind which Grond had hid.  Before Gus could fully recover, Mik bent to him.  Taking hold of the back of Gus’ shirt, the stallion lifted him quickly to his feet.  Grond strode to Gus.  Mik lifted him until their eyes were level with each other’s.  In a calm tone, Grond said, “Where is she.”

The shackled captive watched silently.  Grond stared at Gus with eyes burning blue.  Gus looked over the Nord’s shoulder, then back to Grond.  His face lost its thrill, became somber.  “He wants to know that too,” whispered Gus.  “Or else the Mistress does.  A minute ago, I was about to find out what she wanted.  Then you wandered in.  This Mistress of his. . .she’s got some big plan, and it ain’t one we’ll like.”

“Where is she.”

Gus closed his eyes and sighed.  “She’s hiding,” he replied.  “With the crazy thief.  I don’t think he’ll find her.  Remember where you lost your hammer?”  Before the Nord could answer, Gus said, “Go west from there.  The next west thing is best, okay?  Now tell yer pal here to let me go.”

Grond did so, and Mik let go, but swatted Gus’ head with his own, knocking him off his feet again.  The man got up quickly, dusted off his hat, and said,  “But don’t go weaponless.  Don’t go alone.  They’ll be safe for a while.  Go back and collect some friends.  You’ll need ‘em.  Now I have more work to do here.”

Grond studied his eyes.  Pale bronze, they described madness to the Nord, but he did not detect deceit.  He brushed past Gus and leapt upon Mik’s back.  “We’ll talk again,” he said, and urged Mik on, northward, toward Fort Hastrel.

[Vereta]

Lily gazed around the room with a curiosity only mages had. Her eyes roamed every nook and cranny of the room as she explored it. She found that the source of the rooms light came from a cluster of Welkynd stones that were forming on the ceiling and that the walls, floor, and ceiling were all made from an unusual white-grey stone. She placed her hand on the cool wall expecting something to happen for some odd reason. When nothing happened she turned away from the wall and sat heavily on the ground, leaning against it with a sigh. She pushed a stray strand of her jet black hair away from her eyes as she eyed the ground, prodding it with a finger.

After several minutes of contemplating their situation, Lily turned her head to find Echo rummaging through a large chest full of every-day utensils and clutter with the spoon he had hung on his nose moment ago still clinging onto him as if it was attached to his nose with some sort of adhesive. Lily arched an eyebrow at him, wondering just what kind of thief he was when Echo glanced over in her direction, giving her a small smile before returning to whatever it was he was doing. Suddenly, Lily got up onto her knees and crawled over to where he was. When she got to him she sat on her legs, looking into the chest.

What are you doing? Shes asked after watching him rummage through the chest for several minutes.

Im rummaging through this chest Was his reply.

Oh.

Lily watched on as he moved from the large chest to a large box and began to rummage through the box instead. Lily moved over to him and once again sat on her legs.

What for? She asked

Something important. He replied.

OhLike what? She asked once more after a minute or two.

Like a piece of cheese. He replied.

Is that what youre looking for?

No.

Then what are you looking for?

I told you, something important. He replied, exasperatedly.

Lily pouted and blew a strand out of her line of view before marching back to her wall, sitting down with a growl. Echo, who didnt notice her do this, continued to rummage through the box before he moved on to a smaller box and after several minutes he seemed to had found what he was looking for.

Hey, I found it! Wait, what are you doing all the way over there? He exclaimed looking at her.

Her eyes slowly crawled in his direction, a scowl on her face.

What do you care? She replied.

I kinda dont, really, just get over here! He called back.

Lily got up with an exasperated sigh and stomped over to Echo, who didnt notice any signs of anger.

What? She asked.

This. He replied holding up a raspberry-colored soul gem.

The raspberry-colored soul gem throbbed and a pulse of strongly recognizable magicka radiated from it as Lilys eyes grew wide at the sight of it.

Thats thats a magnificent soul gem She said in awe as she cupped it in her hands.

Yeah, I stole it from Kvatchs Mages Guild before it was burned down by the Daedra. They called it the Nokla Soul Gem. He informed.

What are we going to do with this? She asked in curiosity.

Were going to use it to swallow that guys soul out of Veretas body for good. He said with a look of determination.

Lily looked up at him and nodded in agreement.

Then we can bury him properlyShe said, her thoughts moving elsewhere.

--

Demetri looked through the rain, his eyes exp​ressionless and his mouth a small frown. His eyes roamed the road for several minutes before his eyes traced the silhouette of an Elven Ruin where he felt magicka waves pulsating from. He felt the familiar waves of a certain girl and finally decided his next move. He rode his horse up to the entrance of the Elven Ruins before dismounting it and setting it loose. Soon, he was beginning his decent down the white, spiral stair case that lead to the entrance of the ruins...

[grond]

As Demetri entered the Elven Ruin, Grond galloped toward Fort Hastrel. Gus had said that Lily and Echo were hiding in the Ruin just West of the demolished Fort, where the Nords hammer had been destroyed, when William used it to smash a necromancers altar. Grond rode hard towards the camp where he and his friends had stopped before entering the fort. It was a bandit camp, Camp Ales. Grond needed a weapon and the camp would be the best place to find one. These camps always had some ruffian or two hanging about them.

As he rode the Nord wondered about Lily. During their adventure in Hammerfell the girl had learned a bit about the amethyst ring she wore. A Yo-Tunde tribesman named Nikuru had given to Grond a gift of an amethyst-encrusted knife. It had strange powers, and Lily had used it in concert with her ring to transform herself into a golem, once made of stone, and a second time, of fire. Soon after that adventure began the quest to find the Rider, so they had little chance to speak to each other about Lilys transformations. Grond wondered if the power lay within her still, now that the enchanted blade lay, for all Grond knew, at the bottom of the Sea. His hammer too - they had taken his weapons when he and Garulf had been put aboard the Charlotte. Did the ring alone give her the power? thought the Nord. Or was there a kinship between blade and ring, and only when the two were used would the change occur?

And there was Lilys familiar - her Troll. Grond laughed when he thought of the first time hed seen her summon it, in Sutch, as they raced to aid the new Duchess. Would the Troll be enough to ward off this new horror? Would Lily, once Veretas friend - perhaps more - would she have wits enough to defend herself? All his laughter died then. Though he had faith in Echos prowess, Grond cried out to Mik - git up now!! - for panic filled him, and that made him angry. As sheets of rain began to drench him, Grond thought fleetingly about Vereta, the Rider, William and Shamus, but most prominent in his thoughts was Red. He missed her just then more than ever since her passing. He felt Lily had lost her second mother. Grond felt entirely alone, but that fueled his anger, so that by the time the Nord drew near to the hill where sat the bandit camp, his blood sang with a mighty battle-frenzy.

Mik swiftly climbed the hill. Grond expected - nay, needed - five or six ruffians to whet his frenzy. When he came to the camp he flung himself from Mik. Lightning flashed, and thunder called after. The Nord briefly saw a single horse. Rain lashed him as he went to each tent, and tore each from the stakes. But as he stood before the last tent, a figure sprang out and lunged at him, and they fell together into the muddy ground. With another flash of lightning, Grond saw his attackers features, and the battle embrace was transformed into an embrace of another kind, though just as frenzied.

For it was Failan. After several heated minutes the Nord found his wits. He vaulted to his feet, and brought Failan up with him. Come, me dear! Lily needs us! Have ye got a spare blade?!

I have! shouted Failan against the rains.

Then hand it to me when we get there! cried the Nord. And the lovers leapt upon their horses. As they thundered down the steep hill past the ruined Fort, Grond quietly fancied that Red had sent Failan to him, and he breathed words of thanks to her, and smiled through the heat of his wrath, which, though not lessened, had now become brightly, purely focused.

[Vereta]

Lily looked at the entrance of their narrow room in alarm as she felt a strong magick presence. Suddenly, the white slab of Elven architecture that had blocked the entrance exploded into several pieces that flew into the room, almost flying into Lily and Echo, and there... there stood the ominous figure of a former friend. Demetri stared in with an exp​ressionless face and soon he was striding up to the shock Lily who had tripped trying to dodge a piece of stone. He stood over her, unsheathing his blackened blade as it crackled with a vile aura of magick. Demetri turned his head as he heard the pounding of footsteps just in time to block a violent attack by Echo. Echo growled as he dodged away as Lily got to her feet and produced a dagger of her own. Demetri calmly looked from Lily to Echo without a single shred of emotion on his face. He brought his sword up a little, slouched a bit, and launched at Echo with his blade in tow. Echo blocked the violent but calm and loose attack that Demetri threw at him and nearly fell to the floor. He recovered quick enough to block the follow up attack that Demetri made which almost made him crash into the floor but he recovered quick enough to roll to his feet instead.

Demetri's movements were unrecognizable and unpredictable. His strange way of fighting confused Echo to no end, and it didn't help that Demetri was incredibly strong. Echo ground his teeth before charging at Demetri who swung at him with one swift, loose movement of his arm. Echo dodged to his right and brought his dagger up, stabbing Demetri in the chest. Demetri calmly raised in arm and pulled Echo closer to him, bringing their faces closer to one another.

"You're bringing yourself one step closer to death, friend." He said monotonously as blood dripped down his lips.

Echo growled in return and attempted to pull away with his blade but instead received a headbutt from Demetri. Echo grunted as he fell to the floor, his blade clattering to the ground next to him. Echo clutched at his head in pain as Demetri brought his sword up to finish him off for good.

"A part of me can't help but feel sorrow for bringing your end to you." He said. "That's probably the emotions that come from this body."

With that he swung his sword violently down on Echo but stopped half way to block an attack by Lily. Lily bounced back as her blade left Demetri's.

"I'm the one you want!" She told him. "You're fight is with me!"

Demetri stared at her for a few seconds before he charged at full speed. He brought his blade back to attack her but was cut off half way by a large, studded club. A troll stood in his path, club raised and ready to protect his master. Demetri wasted no time and made another attack at Lily but was, once again cut off by the troll. The troll's nostrils flared and he knocked Demetri in the air with his club with one powerful, two-armed swing. Demetri crashed to the ground, placing a hand on his cheek where a bruise began to form. He got to his feet and charged once more at Lily, only this time when the troll moved to attack him he dodged under the club and stabbed into the trolls stomach, who grunted and disappeared in a cloud of magicka. Demetri stood up a little straighter and once again brought his eyes upon Lily who glared at him uncertainly.

"Enough interruptions." He said as the troll reappeared and disappeared as he sliced it out of existence. "I've had enough!"

Lily suddenly remembered the Nok'la Soul Gem and quickly produced it from her pocket. Demetri eyes it wearily but didn't hesitate as he made his way towards her. The gem glowed scarlet and Lily raised a hand towards Demetri and began the incantation. Her lips moved quickly but no words were produced as she stared straight at Demetri in concentration. Demetri, who realized what the stone was, appeared next to her in seconds, just as she was finishing her incantation. He grasped her wrist so tightly she dropped the stone to the ground. She cried out in pain as his grasp grew tighter on her wrist and attempted to twist free to no avail.

"The end is now."

[Cliffworms]

As soon as Marelik opened the the door, the patrons stopped talking and drinking; waiting for the show to begin.

Marelik walks through the patrons and positions himself so the patrons see his back.

His slim Khajiiti suit reflects the nearby candles and fireplace's light. He also wears a brownish necklace.

Marelik concentrates and before the patrons notice it, he's in mid-air doing a backflip. As soon as he lands, he jumps again and performs a second backflip but this time he lands on the bar. Using his feet, he kicks two nearby empty wine bottles, catches them and starts juggling. He then throws the two bottles in the air in front of him, jumps, lands on his both hands and kicks the bottles with his feet. With his hands on the floor, he pushes himself in the air, lands on his feet and catches the two wine bottles in both hands.

Marelik bows before the patrons as they applaud this performance. He looks up and notices wood planks supporting the inside of the roof. He quickly evaluates the path to take and proceeds. He lands one feet on the bar, jumps, grabs a nearby wooden pillar and climbs it. He then jumps from plank to plank with such finesse and smooth moves that not a single patron in the room is not watching the scene, mouth half-opened.

Suspended in the air, both hands on a plank, he pulls himself up and uses his feet to hang outside down.

"Throw me some things!" yells Marelik at the customers below him.

One of them takes three apples and throw them at Marelik.

He catches them and starts playing with them, while still being upside down. He juggles a bit, throw them above his feet with one hand and catches them with the other. He then throws them back to their owner.

The crowd applauses again but suddenly stops when they notice that Marelik just lost balance and holds himself only with his right foot. He agitates his arms, balances from left to right but always seem to remain calm.

But the worst happens and Marelik's foot can no longer hold him and falls down.

The three customers he noticed earlier, whose table is right below Marelik, quickly gets off their chair as they see him falling down close to the table.

The other patrons, shocked, slowly watch him fall, mouth wide open.

Marelik quickly touches his amulet and immediately starts falling down very slowly. While still in mid-air and with his head upside down, Marelik lands on the table with one hand, the other on his amulet. He presses it again and then pushes himself backwards and lands on his feet.

Most patrons didn't understand what happened. Some start talking to each other, asking what they just saw. Marelik bows down before the crowd, indicating this is the end of his performance.

The patrons, still confused,  applause and cheer. Smiling, Marelik proceeds to take the septims from the customers willing to give some. As he walks from table to table, some customers congratulate him or tell him they will pay him ale (which he refuses)

Marelik notices that the three customers are strangely staring at him, though he does pay much attention. Afterall, he did almost break their table and waste their food and ale. But this was all planned of course. His amulet of slowfall was part of his show.

"Fantastic! Really fantastic!" says Arlow at Marelik when he approaches the bar.

"I was certain for a moment that you would break that table and waste the food and drinks of my three favourite customers! Ah! But you fooled me alright!"

"Thank you, the deal has been done then?" replies Marelik, pointing at a bottle of wine across the counter.

"Why certainly! And you may rest tonight for free! Say, are you perhaps looking for a job? Because I sure could need a permanent entertainer here! Ha ha!"

Arlow pours wine in a goblet and gives it to Marelik.

"I'm afraid not" replies Marelik as he takes the goblet.  " I will be leaving tomorrow."

"A shame really. But, no matter! Let's drink now, shall we? And by the way, I do not believe that I have told you this, but most of the customers here are adventurers. Some of them might be looking for a companion or a guide. I am sure someone who needs your agility, speed and finesse would be interested in your services." says Arlow as he points his head towards the three adventurers near the fireplace.

Marelik turns to look at them then turns back to his drink.

"If they need me, then they'll come see me." declares Marelik as he takes some wine from the goblet.

Edited by grond for a name change - Arwen to Arlow.

[WillieSea]

Arwin, Bryn and Jack retired to the big chairs near the fireplace after the show was over. They needed to decide how they would start their search for Echo and Lily. Arwin’s sharp eyes caught the acrobat looking at the three of them several times after his performance. He also concluded that perhaps the mishap above ‘their’ table was not a mishap at all.

After discussing it with his two friends, Arwin approached the Khajit Acrobat.

“Hail friend. You have the look of one in need of work to put food on the table. You put on a noble show for so few septims in return. Perhaps you would be interested in an adventure?”

Marelik raised an eyebrow as he peered over his drink at the High Elf who was called Arwin.

Arwin continued when he saw the interest shown in the Khajit’s eyes. “We share any treasures we find during our adventures equally amongst us.”

Just then Jack and Bryn both walked up to them. Arwin waved his hand at them, “This is Jack and Bryn. I am known as Arwin. We are heading out in search of some friends of ours who are being pursued by, uhm, how shall I put this, a dark evil. There is bound to be treasure during this quest.”

Arwin noticed Marelik’s eyes dart quickly around the room every few minutes, imperceptible to all but his own trained eyes. He then continued in a lower voice so as not to be heard by others. “If you are running from something, a few friends with similar, uhm, ‘issues’ can be good to have around in case things get, shall we say, ugly.”

Jack then winked his eye at the Khajit. Marelik wondered if he could trust these people. This Jack person was obviously a pirate and to be land locked was probably in trouble. Bryn had the bearing of the regal and seemed out of place in this backwater tavern. Arwin seemed highly intelligent and probably came from a very rich family and was just as out of place as the woman. Perhaps each of them was running from something and they would indeed be a boon to have around should those who searched for him ever come sniffing around. They looked very confident and on closer inspection, perhaps dangerous to their enemies.

Arwin continued, “If you wish to come with us, we are just about to leave to follow their trail before it becomes cold.” At this Arwin raised his own eyebrow at the Khajit, waiting for a response.

It only took Marelik a moment to make up his mind. He had been jumping at every shadow lately and it would be nice to relax a little with some friends around to cover his back. He set he glass down and nodded at his new friends. “It will only take me a moment to retrieve my belongings from the back room. I would be glad to accompany you on this mission to find your friends.”

Marelik then winked and did a backflip over the bar and raced towards the room with his backpack before anyone could react. The prospect of easy gold was enough to sway him to go along. He would take what he could and perhaps more than his share if they were not alert enough. He knew he would have to stay alert. The High Elf named Arwin seemed to see everything. He would make sure Arwin was not around when he took his ‘share’ of the treasure.

Marelik had a sparkle in his eye when he returned and accompanied the three out the Tavern door to go in search of some friends and most importantly, in search of some easy gold.

[grond]

They scouted the Tavern yard for tracks but the storm had erased them.  Arwin shrugged and Marelik shook his head.  Both expert trackers had nothing to read.  Hope left them for a moment, and the two Humans and the Altmer mounted their horses - Jack on Galleon, Brynn on Cloud, and Arwin on Aarow - Marelik owned no mount, and he leapt upon Galleon’s back - and they rode down the Tavern lane to where it met the main way.  Once there, they paused.  “Which way?!” shouted Arwin, as waves of rain pelted them.  To answer him, Brynn shouted to Cloud - “On!” - and the spotted stallion reared and whinnied, then bolted off, along the northern way.

Jack laughed.  “We head north!” And he, with Marelik clinging to him, and Arwin upon Aarow, followed hard behind the headstrong Brynn.

They rode for some time, until they passed the gates of Sutch. They galloped past the walls of the city, and near to the end of the road.  Brynn had just about decided her choice was wrong, when she saw two shapes coming out of the rain towards her, from the east.  She halted and waited for them to come.  Jack and Arwin came up from behind, as the shapes became one horse and one pony.  “It’s Echo’s horse,” said Arwin.  “And Lily’s pony!” cried Brynn.  She spurred Cloud past the empty mounts, riding hard again, this time westward.  Jack followed her, close behind, while Arwin took the reins of the two mounts and followed them.  

=====

Meanwhile, Grond and Failan left Mik and Failan’s chestnut mare outside, where they stood together, under a tall tree.  The Nord took a silver longsword which Failan had strapped to her saddle, and he leapt down the spiral stair.  Failan drew her enchanted Katana and followed, and together they entered the Ayleid Ruin, called Niryastare.

[WillieSea]

Bryn raced Cloud through the muddy hills heading northward with Jack right beside her on Galleon as Marelik clung to Jack to keep from falling off the wildly moving horse. The rain came down in sheets and formed rivulets of water as it collected and streamed down the hills, collecting in the low spots.

Arwin sighed behind them, doing his best to keep up with them while also trying to keep their missing friends abandoned horses tagging along. He knew this area whereas Bryn and Jack did not. There were not very many places a person could go to hide or to get out of the elements in these hills. Lightning flashed in the sky followed quickly by the loud rumbling boom of thunder.

Where would Echo and Lily have gone if they were being chased, Arwin thought to himself. About the only thing of note in this area was an old Ayleid ruin, a ruin that Arwin had tracked Echo going to on occasion. Arwin made up his mind, that had to be where they had gone. Unfortunately, Bryn was guiding the group too far to the west in her mad dash through the pouring rain.

Arwin yelled several times before he was heard over the rumbling thunder and the sound of the horses hooves beating on the muddy ground. Both Bryn and Rider reigned in their horses when Marelik motioned them to stop when he heard Arwin’s yells.

He finally caught up with them and told them about the ruin and it being the most likely place for Echo to have run to in this area as there was not much of anything else. Both Jack and Bryn looked at each other and nodded.

Bryn and Jack took the reigns of their missing friends’ horses while Arwin took point, leading them towards the Ayleid ruin. They soon crested the final hill that overlooked the ruin. Just then a flash of lightning illuminated the hillside and the ruin before them. Bryn blinked her eyes. The after image of a giant man and woman running towards the ruin invaded her sight for a moment.

“Grond!” Byrn called out and kicked Cloud into a gallop towards the ruin. Jack raced off after her with Arwin bringing up the rear again. He grabbed the reins of the horse she had dropped and kicked his own horse into a gallop towards the ruins.

More lightning flashed and the thunder rolled through the hills. The warm rain pelted down on them as they made their dash for the ruin to help their friends. They quickly dismounted their horses near Grond’s own horse, Mik. Bryn had already scouted out the entrance to the ruin and yelled back that the door had been blasted open leaving a gaping hole into the ground. Bryn raced down the spiral stairwell with Jack and Marelik close behind her. Arwin dashed in behind them a moment later to search the ruin for their friends and perhaps some answers.

[grond]

The Nord fairly tumbled down the long flight of stairs, leaping great blocks which had fallen from some disruption.  After clambering through the smoking hole where once the stone door had sat, Grond felt panic assail him.  He saw that the door had been blown inward, destroyed by some powerful force.  Once inside, the destruction spurred him, but it also held him back.  Failan found it easy to keep up with the Nord, due to his bulk, which made it difficult for him to squeeze past the leaning columns and clusters of ceiling blocks which barred their way, wreckage which continued a tale of some violent force unleashed.  Failan felt the urgent need within Grond, and she was silent.  She shared that urgency, for her Lily was lost, and she knew that the Nord, like a hound on the scent, would suffer no distractions.  The Nord stopped suddenly and flinched his wide shoulders, as from behind him, some darkly-clad lithe shape sprang over his head and past him, leaping easily through the gaps.  He saw a tail, then the shape was gone.

At the bottom of yet another stair Grond halted. Failan came behind.  A jumbled mass of broken white blocks barred their way.  At its top crouched the shape, clad in dark leathers and wearing a brown cape.  “Marelik,” came a feminine voice from behind the Nord.  “His name is Marelik.”  Grond did not turn towards the voice.  The Khajiit called Marelik squatted upon a level floor - a hallway above their heads.  The wall which had once faced the stair now had collapsed upon it.  Its blocks sat in a pile, creating an uneven stair which now blocked the original stair’s downward passage to the nether levels.  Littered among the blocks were hundreds of common items.  

In response to Bryn’s introduction, Marelik saluted Grond from the high hall.  Grond shouted in return - “Incoming!” - and hurled the longsword up.  Marelik darted away as the blade landed near him.  The Nord climbed the blocks to the hall where the Khajiit stood, and the others followed him. The Nord turned and barely saw Bryn, Jack and Arwin as they came near and greeted him.  He grunted at them, then he turned away, for he spied a dark stain on the floor.  He drew a thick finger through the stain.  Blood.

“We’ll share tales later - the wee lass is here,” muttered the Nord, looking at his finger.  

“Aye,” replied Jack.  

“It’s why we’ve come,” added Bryn.

“Here!” cried Arwin.  The blood drew a thin line, which went through a passage at the far end of the shattered hall.   Arwin raced down the passage, with the Nord close behind him, his blade again in his hand.  Failan, Jack and Bryn came swiftly behind.  Marelik was about to follow, but then he turned, for he spied something in the rubble.  He quickly took it, and came behind his new friends.  

It was a raspberry-hued soul gem.

[DarkRider]

Far away from the ruins...

Light dew blanketed the lush green grass; as the sky pinkened on a distant horizon a gentle wind rustled the leaves through the forest glade like a chorus of whispers. Savior lifted his head from grazing on the sweet grass and took a long inhale of the crisp morning air before snorting and shaking his long mane vigorously. The little appaloosa’s commentary drew the attention of his grazing companion, and Legion looked up from his breakfast to whuff the air. A misty form was moving toward them through the long grass, gliding along like a strange shapeless cloud; the grasses passed through the figure undisturbed. Legion grumbled nervously, tossing his broad head, he stamped the ground with his foreleg threateningly.

Rider was seated beside his campfire, lazily poking at the coals to keep the cooking fire hot as it roasted a small game hen on a spit. The stamping and whinnying from where the horses were loosed drew his attention away from his own breakfast. At first he saw nothing to strike alarm but then he spied the misty form sweeping along toward the horses.

“Legion, Savior, Move away, my boys,” he called to them, on his feet in an instant blade drawn and moving to their rescue. To his surprise the normally compliant steeds didn’t move away, but stayed even as the mist overtook Savior and wrapped around his neck. Rider slowed his charge as he drew closer; Savior was nickering softly and Legion had resumed grazing. As he came up beside the black and white appaloosa the mist slowly took form.

“Hello, boy,” Red whispered as she nuzzled the neck of the faithful steed who had carried her in life.

Rider sighed and slid his blade into its sheathe, “You gave me a start,” he chided her spirit gently running a hand through his long hair; he reached out to pat Savior’s rump as if testing whether or not this was real.

“Still haven’t learned to trust them yet?” Red asked without looking at him, “You should have known there was no danger when they stayed.”

“Hard to tell sometimes,” Rider grinned, “these horses are trained to stay put in a sticky situation.”

Red laughed, “They are at that!”

The sound of her voice filled him with a mixture of joyful peace, and guilty remorse. His mind touched for a brief instant on the memory of her death; a death by his own hand. He allowed the pain to leave him as he focused on this moment, “What brings you to us, Sister? Lonely for your Savior?”

Red finally moved away from Savior, as each moment passed she appeared more solid, but the shimmer of the otherworld remained on her skin, “No, but I do wish that’s all it was.”

“Trouble then?”

“Of a sort,” Red took Savior’s muzzle and walked through the field with him. He allowed her to lead him happily as Rider walked along her other side, “there is a girl from my past, someone I don’t wish to meet on this side anytime soon, but she is in danger of that.”

The ranger let her talk, trying to hear her words, but losing himself in her presence. It was like old times, the two of them wandering through a field and discussing some danger on the horizon.

“Stay with me ranger,” she teased, catching the faraway look in his eyes.

He smiled sheepishly, “Sorry, I was listening, go on.”

Red stopped and faced him solemnly, “I need you to go to her, Rider. I need you to save this girl.”

He stared into her green eyes; there was an unspoken pleading there, a strange desperation he had never seen in her before, “I will do everything in my power to do as you ask,” he promised, “Where can I find her?”

“It’s time to return to Cyrodiil.”