The Elder Scrolls: Ascension [IC]

[Hastiaka]

Khenarthi's Roost

---

''Do you realize the consequences of this act of useless retribution?'' the distressed mer sighed. ''Within days time, the representatives of all three nations will vote to scour these islands to find us and before you know it, there'll be a thousand warships surrounding your tiny plethora of rafts and buckets.'' spitting on the ground, the mer pumped his chest and said, ''You can execute me in your kangaroo court, but you'll never succeed in destroying the Aldmeri Dominion.''

[The Armed Republic of Dutch Coolness]

The J'zego Estate

---

Despite their best efforts, the Nord's state did not appear to be improving, at least not visually. The man only regained consciousness for a short moment, letting out a hacking cough as he spoke words of a cave not too far to the north of some place called "Weatherleah". Speaking clearly appeared to be causing the man great pains, and not long after he lost consciousness once more, although this time perhaps he was but sleeping, his temperature no longer rising like it did before.

Khenarthi's Roost

---

"Our esteemed sergeant here has yet to hear the terms of any sort of surrender." A sly smile spread across Favontria's lips. "Although hearing the poor man speak, I am afraid he is not quite willing to face them just yet." The aging Imperial turned his head to face the Altmer. "Or do you? Actions, my friend, have consequences, you see, which goes for you too. It is not we that are destroying your precious Dominion. In the end, it is you, and your fellows, bathing in your arrogance. You look proud and mighty from the outside, but within, you are rotten. The fact that you have only just gone through a coup and that now a significant portion of your lands is defecting only further proves this. Indeed, your arrogance shall be your undoing. You have spawned enemies all across this world, and your allies are dwindling, some of you most precious scholars and soldiers turning to join what you call a bunch of... terrorists. An interesting choice of words, to be sure. Seeing as you are so eager to be brought to court, that is where we shall take you. Take this man away." The man gave a casual flick of his hand, and within moments, two soldiers arrived to carry the sergeant off.

Esthael Cardes
The Imperial City
Cyrodiil, The Empire

---

One moment, Esthael was sitting down, a faint smile plying her lips as she looked at the pair that were getting married right in front of her, even if her thoughts at that moment were perhaps elsewhere, thinking about if she were ever to find herself in a position like that, and with who that would be. The next moment, the man she had only been talking to minutes before, slammed into the couple, an arrow piercing through his chest. Only a second later she herself found herself laying on the ground, pushed aside by her protector who now stood in front of her, sword drawn. Forcing herself back up to her feet - no small feat by any means considering the dress she was wearing - she looked at the chaos erupting around her. Muttering some sort of curse under her breath, she pushed Culagia forwards, the Breton and her guard moving towards the scene together, the former desiring to know more about what had happened and what was still happening. As she approached, her jaw fell open in a gasp as right at that moment a paper note, wrapped around an arrow, was displayed, a black hand printed on it.

Standing there, as if frozen to the ground, she blinked her eyes. Once. Twice. Taking a moment to gather all of her courage, she walked closer. "Right, Cullagia, help them get that man back inside, now!" Esthael looked at Hod, then Tiberius, then Katherine, her eyes wide in shock, unsure what she herself was to do. Again, she blinked her eyes. Right. The letter. Digging with a hand into her dress, she drew the piece of paper from her chest, holding it with both of her hands, her eyes focused on it. Was she supposed to open it, now? The Breton gave herself a reassuring nod. She was. With trembling hands, she opened the letter, anxious to find out what it would reveal to her.

[Taigawa]

The J'zego Estate

---

Despite their best efforts, the Nord's state did not appear to be improving, at least not visually. The man only regained consciousness for a short moment, letting out a hacking cough as he spoke words of a cave not too far to the north of some place called "Weatherleah". Speaking clearly appeared to be causing the man great pains, and not long after he lost consciousness once more, although this time perhaps he was but sleeping, his temperature no longer rising like it did before.

At this name, Cyndari decided to have a small group investigate the cave. She had her healers continue their efforts, as she went to gather the group she would send there. Five of her staff came to her, with three guards. While she herself was'nt one fot walking around a dark and murky cave, she would join them later after the nord was healed. She gave the group instructions to set up a camp near the cave's enterence and await her arrival before venturing inside. If it was important enough for the man to seek her out, perhaps it was important enough for her to see it. After sending the group out, she returned to the man inside.

[Greater Corea]

Esthael Cardes
The Imperial City
Cyrodiil, The Empire

---

One moment, Esthael was sitting down, a faint smile plying her lips as she looked at the pair that were getting married right in front of her, even if her thoughts at that moment were perhaps elsewhere, thinking about if she were ever to find herself in a position like that, and with who that would be. The next moment, the man she had only been talking to minutes before, slammed into the couple, an arrow piercing through his chest. Only a second later she herself found herself laying on the ground, pushed aside by her protector who now stood in front of her, sword drawn. Forcing herself back up to her feet - no small feat by any means considering the dress she was wearing - she looked at the chaos erupting around her. Muttering some sort of curse under her breath, she pushed Culagia forwards, the Breton and her guard moving towards the scene together, the former desiring to know more about what had happened and what was still happening. As she approached, her jaw fell open in a gasp as right at that moment a paper note, wrapped around an arrow, was displayed, a black hand printed on it.

Standing there, as if frozen to the ground, she blinked her eyes. Once. Twice. Taking a moment to gather all of her courage, she walked closer. "Right, Cullagia, help them get that man back inside, now!" Esthael looked at Hod, then Tiberius, then Katherine, her eyes wide in shock, unsure what she herself was to do. Again, she blinked her eyes. Right. The letter. Digging with a hand into her dress, she drew the piece of paper from her chest, holding it with both of her hands, her eyes focused on it. Was she supposed to open it, now? The Breton gave herself a reassuring nod. She was. With trembling hands, she opened the letter, anxious to find out what it would reveal to her.

Tiberius Augustus Antonius
The Empire, Cyrodiil,
The Imperial City

---

In the few seconds between Tiberius listening to Katherine's vow and looking at the dying face of his most loyal commander and friend a lot had happened, so much so that it seems like an entire Era had passed in between. Everything became slowed down as he watched the man dive for him and Katherine and once he'd gotten back up he could see the arrow buried deep into Hod. He snaps out of his trance like state realising he is still held onto his dying friend in the relative safety of a building. He grips onto Hod's hand praying to the divines to allow him just to have his friend back from the jaws of death. As he did so Katherine stood in shock looking at the paper. It was obvious her primary concern was not for Hod or her Husband-to-be she observes the ink and places a finger on it. She looks at her finger to find it blackened by the ink, it was fresh. She looks at the paper, this sort of quality could only be from a well off area and available only to the nobles. She folds the paper away before turning her attention back to Hod, assessing the damage that had been done. She looks at the wound and the pool of blood getting larger by the second she rips part of her dress to help keep the arrow in place, until proper aid could be given she shouldn't attempt to remove the arrow. Looking at the tip she realises it is coated in a blackish substance. Using a bit of cloth to wipe it off she observes it before noticing the obvious swelling on Tiberius' arm, she takes his arm and looks at the wound as the area around the wound slowly turns a blacker colour. She frowns, knowing exactly what the arrow had been coated with. She quickly binds his arm higher than the wound to stop the discolouration from spreading before leaving Tiberius to help Hod to find Esthael.

Upon opening the parchment Hod had left Esthael would read the following:

If you are reading this then I am most likely dead. If this is the case then know I died saving the life of my commander and friend Tiberius. But his life is not safe yet, you must act quickly to catch the people responsible for the attack, those people being Katherine and other members of the Dark Brotherhood. She is or was a member of the Dark Brotherhood, and her current contract involves the assassination of the Emperor himself. Katherine, is nowhere near as innocent as she claims: she is with motive and drive to fulfill her contract. Today she was supposed to be sent a message from her superiors by killing Tiberius (or perhaps the target was you) to force her to act faster as her plan I believe involved the marrying of Tiberius to get as close as possible to the Emperor. She is a threat to all those that would serve the Emperor and with this letter and therefore my testimony I hope that you are able to catch her to ensure she does no more harm. I also hope that with enough questioning the Dark Brotherhood can be stopped in their plans to assassinate the rightful regent of the lands.

His Majesty's Loyal Legate Hod Jarlsson

[Zanera]

[]

[Hastiaka]

Southpoint, Aldmeri Dominion

The night was eerily quiet, and the citizens were beginning to settle down and sleep. In the city barracks, a uniformed Dominion marine officer handed a piece of parchment to the city's home squadron's commander. ''Orders from Alinor. You are to act with full digression.'' said the tall Altmer. After receiving the parchment from Alinor, the commander unrolled it and read the orders. ''Commander Niriom, your orders are to attempt to enter the seas near Khenarthi's Roost. If it is inaccessible, fire at will on the island itself until something comes out.'' the commander said aloud.

''Khenarthi's Roost? Uhh... What are we supposed to do in that backwater?'' the commander scratched his head. Then, the commander walked across the room and rang the barrack's bell, awakening the reserved sailors and marines. ''WAKE UP! WAKE UP! Alinor has ordered us to head to Khenarthi's Roost.''. In the nick of time, the Dominion troops were mobilized and before midnight, they boarded their massive frigates. The flagship of Southpoint, the Mara's Crusade embarked and along four other ships, they sailed through the coastal waters of Southpoint. Now, half of Southpoint's naval warships have left, leaving the city slightly weaker.

[Faal Lot Himdah]

Elanea
Khenarthi's Roost

---

Elanea smirked as the rude elf was taken away, but not just because of pride. She just had an idea, risky, but it was worth it. If they could draw as many ships away from the Aldmeri heartland, the Sumerset Isle, then it would make it easier for her fleet to make a successful attack. She looked to Favontria.

"Now who are we to talk to about their surrender?"

---

Ja'sari
Fort Skycrown Prison, The Pale
Skyrim, The Empire

---

Ja'sari looked at Einar as he dozed off. It was nice and peaceful. Until the fishy Altmer started to make a ratchet. Ja'sari was about to let her have it when she heard the Altmer try and give her orders.

"Ja'sari never said she was going with your plan. Ja'sari does not trust this one." She said, "Besides. Einar just got to sleep. Ja'sari doesn't want to wake him. So, Ja'sari has to ask this one to be silent."

[Zanera]

Neven Alswin, Oryeh Dragonwreath, Aghmundur Ripclaw
Weye, Cyrodiil
The Empire, Tamriel

---

Empire of Commerce

---

The trio had began nearing the town of Weye after a week and a half of travel. Many nights were spent in the foreground of the White-Gold Tower, standing tall and brilliant in the distance, across the blazing red-orange water and sun-tinted trees and grasses surrounding the pearlescent white walls surrounding the clean, bustling multi-special city within. In it, the central ruler of the Empire lived and maintained his power, issuing edicts and practicing politics on a grand scale, ruling lands consisting of millions of different people. He was the head of an Empire with a history long established, when the slavemasters of this now-ruling race had been overthrown. Legends had grown surrounding this Empire, with men and women of legend revolving around the story of this grand establishment. Neven nor Oryeh were historian enough to know if the Empire was ever truly beaten. The Oblivion Crisis nor the invasion of the Third Aldmeri Dominion were able to bring down the Empire. An Emperor still ruled, the Imperial Legions still marched, trade flourished, and stagnation had not yet taken hold in this dynamic realm. From the view at the foot of the hill, it looked like the hill would remain there for many more years, and the two remained confident of their view, although they could never look from the top of the very hill they surveyed.

Approaching Weye, the road had widened, and though the road was wider some, the merchantry and travelership upon the road had become dense the closer they got to Weye. For two reasons, Neven and Oryeh were forced to mount Aghmundur. The first, was that they constantly received worrying looks from the passerby, looks of being threatened, and looks of worry and sometimes fear from the giant Skyrim bear. The second, the way the trio walked, one on each side of the bear, was no longer fitting for this road. The set-up was too wide, so they were forced by the river of peoples to conglomerate further, going onto the side of the road to sit themselves atop the bear before getting back into the waves of traffic. Horses and donkeys consistently whinnied and fidgeted upon passing the bear, and a few wildly bucked before being brought under control promptly by their annoyed, side-glancing riders. Oryeh noticed all of this, being the passenger upon this odd steed, but Neven could only notice the bucking horses, and yelled out a hearty 'SORRY!' while still maintaining his gaze on the traffic around them. Oryeh judged that with the road in this kind of state, Weye would be a hard town to pass through.

Soon, buildings were appearing on both sides of the road, and a few stores actively selling wears were being tended to customers and merchents yelling for more customers to come weigh their priceless furs and jewelry in their hands, or to buy a pricey bottle of Cyrodiilic spiced wine, so called the best by four different merchants each selling a wine from a different winery from the other. There was some fruits, which Oryeh loved and Neven gagged at, and there was red meat, which Neven gawked at the marbling, and which Oryeh merely got her mouth watered from. The bear never turned his head toward this perfect marbling, there was so many intermingling smells from the people, their clothes, the wares, and the old buildings, that he must have picked up the scent but couldn't trace it. Neven would have tried to keep the bear in line as well, should it ever wonder off to a meatmongerer, which who would surely be terrified at the lumbering, interested beast walking casually over to his stall. There was a secondhand armorer, who sold leftover wares from a few shops in the Imperial City. The influx of shipments must have meant that a few would have to be shipped to a trusted business right outside the city, so a few septims could still be garnered from the sale of their clutter, while the merchant who accepted the wares still made his septims. He would probably never receive enchanted armor, apparently sold by a shop in the Imperial City, so Oryeh heard in a wisp of excited conversation from a couple of lightly armored men upon passing.

One could definitely tell that trade and business was still busy and bustling in the Empire, merely by walking down the road to its capital. But Neven and Oryeh were not here to judge such a thing. Only the Gods and those with the authority to do so could pass judgement. In the Imperial City, Neven and Oryeh sought judgement, the judgement of the Nine in the Temple of the One. They had made the Pilgrimage around Cyrodiil, they had each prayed at the altars, and now, even if all one must do to complete the Pilgrimage is to pray at each Aedra's Wayshrine, they would make sure they were forgiven at the Temple of the One, due to their past history with mortal's evils, the very embodiments of such things, the Daedra. Neven had misguidedly sworn to serve one as a Champion, and Oryeh had begun on her road to servitude under another. Their Pilgrimage was different from the average man's or woman's, as they must seek forgiveness before guidance, and once forgiven, would receive guidance. Of course, the Temple of the One was in the Imperial City, and Weye was already looking hostile to the presence of such a beast as the bear Aghmundur Ripclaw. They had yet a town and a large bridge to cross before even entering the gates to the magnificent city, now so close within their gaze. People who gazed too long, however, were soon knocked over in such a busy hour of the day, and Neven knew from observation of these slightly humorous events to keep his eyes on the road, though Oryeh had liberty to look whenever she could between the rows of buildings up at the Tower of Cyrodiil, the White-Gold Tower, standing tall above all else but the mountains, glowing white in the bright sunlight. It was a magnificent structure built long ago by the Ayleid elves, now fit for Imperial human rule.

---

Logjam At The Bottleneck

---

After a couple minutes of traveling through thickening crowds, they came to the center of the town, an intersection of main Cyrodiilic roads, where many were on their way to do business or purchase the wares of various merchants, either in the town or in the Imperial City. It was a very crowded intersection, and the last thing anyone wanted to see was a bear straight from the wilds of Skyrim. Bears were inherently dangerous, and the one thing keeping passersby from snapping was Neven's seemingly absolute control over it, what with his mounting and steering capabilities. However, of course there was a mounted Imperial soldier following behind, relatively close, watching them and the bear for substantial signs of trouble. Oryeh couldn't disagree. If Aghmundur ever did get out of hand, more hands would be more help until Neven could dictate the beast again. It was more evident that the bear was getting more interested in the mass confusion of sights and smells, something that in Aghmundur's view was entirely new and unprecedented. His head started looking at yelling people and his nose seemed to follow a smell for a few seconds before being overtaken by another. Neven was actively trying to dive into the center of the traffic, away from the market stalls.

However, a cart full of produce ended up right next to them. A sudden hold-up prompted everyone to stop. Behind them was a four-horse carriage with an angry driver. To the trio's right was a place they could cut through to get put of the traffic jam. The angry driver of the lustrous coach behind them started screaming at them to go through the opening, and that he had somewhere to be and in a short period of time. Of course, if the trio did move through the opening, to their abject luck, was a stall full of great slabs of powdered and salted raw steaks, blood and juices running in bursting streams off the top of the stall and down the sides of the blood-stained wood. The smells would be less in confusion and a little more settled, what with the sudden stop in traffic. The meat made Neven sweat, and not just because the bear would want some, but because Neven himself was already enamored by the meats in the stall. It was a problem that the Imperial soldier would be unable to aid with. He was mounted, and as far as Oryeh could see, there was no way he could extricate himself without unseating his horse, which in and of itself would cause another traffic jam once traffic was beginning to move again. There were a few guards running past every so often in the open gap, and what with the coach driver now threatening to run them over with a large four-horse carriage, Neven decided that he'd steer the bear out of the way.

It was unfortunate that they came on such a busy day. Anytime else, this would be a rare occurrence, but on a day like this in times like these, Neven was forced to make a decision such as this. Upon Neven turning through the gap, steering the bear right into a new-found pocket, right beside the stall of meat. Looking behind, four horses and a still-angry coachman were right behind them in the gap, cursing at a cartman and his screaming, angry Nordic wife. The butcher at the stall they were now next to was a Dunmer, and was quickly swiping his wares off the stand and into large baskets behind the stall, cursing Neven and Oryeh and the bear. The Dunmer was apparently already angry, and the fact that he was now right in front of a Skyrim bear with blood and various viscera all over his hands probably put a certain amount of fear in him. A couple guards found themselves in the new blockage, blocked by the trio and a carriage ahead of them. They noticed the fact that there was a very interested and possibly hungry bear right next to an occupied meat stall, and immediately proceeded to aid the Dunmer in moving all his wares away from the stall. The bear started putting his head onto the stall and licking at the blood and juices. The Dunmer was ready with his dagger, however the guards told him not to do anything. The guards got the carriage in front moving again, although their wheels on the right were horribly damaged now from scraping against a building hard. The guards ordered the trio out if the way, and Neven needed Oryeh to get a slab of hare meat out from a sack to temporarily feed the bear. Once Aghmundur's belly was sated somewhat, he began responding to Neven's orders. The bear was now no longer blocking the way of guards, as now they were able to make their way towards the bridge to the Imperial City, which was to their amazement not yet cluttered. However, the large four-horse carriage with the angry coachman was now entirely blocking the way behind them, with no hope of moving. The coachman looked like he was preparing to receive a hefty fine, with his attitude towards the guards that had just cleared the way only worsening the mood of the guards.

Oryeh managed a smirk, though Neven still had to get through the jam of the intersection, where apparently there was a horrible accident that could not yet be cleared for all the stopped up traffic. Half a mile in each direction, traffic must be moving backward, to the disapproval of anyone trying to get anywhere quickly. Once all the carts and carriages and horses and foot traffic made space for the wreckage to be cleared from the road, then traffic would again begin flowing. But many angry coachmen may not be very compliant, so their anger would only build, when all they had to do was move a little ways backward. Force would eventually be threatened, threatened in a way that made it sound legal, so that the coachmen would have to comply out of pure fear. Neven and Oryeh no longer had to fear remaining in the mess, though for the hundreds momentarily stuck in it, it was one large popping of veins-turned-to-arteries in the foreheads of many angry coachmen and merchants. The two may eventually experience similar anger of their own, but with a different aim. Oryeh felt the movement inside her womb and pressed her hand to her stomach once again. She smiled; she would not tell Neven until they were in the Temple of the One and had officially finished their journey. She wanted it to be a surprise.

---

Bridge To Woe

---

The trio of Neven, Oryeh, and Aghmundur began lumbering towards the white walls of the Imperial City across the long, lake-spanning pale bridge from the rest of Tamriel, towards the long-time capital of the Empire. They already felt a sense of awe, stepping onto what they deem to be the precursor to the brilliance of the actual city. With so much to look at, Oryeh looked sweepingly out over the water, bouncing light of the crests in dazzling flashes of color. Looking farther to her right, she could see that indeed they were beginning to back up the long lines of carts and carriages, and people would soon begin moving out the way. The day was waning, and so was the traffic. Luckily, it would all soon be over, and perhaps traffic would be made to flow better around one of the arguably most important intersections in the Empire. Those stationed on the walls or observing from the top of the White-Gold Tower would see a dilemma with a clear solution. All Oryeh could see was one wing of a larger mess. There appeared to be six Imperial City guards at the trio's side of the gate, three on each side, each armed with various weapons. Neven didn't know how he'd fare with being let in with Aghmundur, but if rejected, would mean waiting for that large mess to clear out. They got nearer and nearer until finally arriving at the gate, which was now closed. "We currently cannot open these gates, but why would you think, in the first place, that we would allow such a preventable source of public endangerment through these gates?"

"I am Neven Als-"

"I care not for your name. Answer the question, Bosmer."

"As you can see, I have control of this bear. As long as it is fed, it will respond to my commands, much like any soldier. You need not fear my losing control of it. I have plenty of food to feed it with, as me and her are both capable hunters."

"Do you know how much 'food' is laying around in that city? Say, what if it bashes open a barrel and eats part of someone's food? Or swipes some meat right of someone's plate? If it eats the man right after the appetizer?"

"I have remained with this bear for a few months now. He has even received the name Aghmundur. He is dear to us both. He will listen. He will only attack unless I order him to, or if him or either of us are threatened. I will speak no order on the streets of the Imperial City, nor may we worry about trouble if the guards do their jobs well enough."

"Do you expect the guards to keep a 24/7 watch on the thing? So what if it is threatened? Bears are smote all the time in Skyrim," said the guard, drawing his blade from its sheath.

"Aghmundur is as dear to us any family member of yours. If you threaten him for no reason, like anyone else, he will defend himself," warned Neven.

"Look around. You are already causing a commotion. Don't you see the terrified countenance of many children? No one could have a good experience with bears," said the Imperial City guard, gesturing to the line of carts and carriages, only a few of which had children when looked upon my Oryeh and Neven, and all those children instead had looks of wonder on their faces, and it was their mothers that were terrified. However, the ploy was all the same to the guard. Striking out at the bear's throat, the bear suddenly roared and lurched, an artery slashed by the man's blade. Oryeh and Neven were thrown off the bear, and another guard rushed to the other's aid, and with the underhanded guard taking a few injuries, Aghmundur Ripclaw lay dead, the victim of authority and public servitude. Neven and Oryeh sat dazed, staring dumbly at their dead friend, before rushing over to him. Neven held his lifeless head in his harm, scooting closer and tugging at the fur of the dead animal, sobbing into his head. Oryeh knelt and prayed at the stomach of the bear, a prayer that was muffled.

"It is my duty to protect the public. It was a threat. I was only doing my duty," said the guard, speaking at Neven and Oryeh. After a few more minutes of the guard helplessly staring at the scene, Oryeh got up, taking a glance at the guard in the process, and stood looking down upon the dead bear, no tears welling up in her eyes. She turned back towards Weye, and began walking. After almost a minute, the guard spoke at Neven," Your companion is going away now. I suggest you let us move the bear off the bridge s-" All of a sudden, there was an arrow in the throat of the guard. He stopped suddenly in his words, the blood in his throat making him choke aloud. He fell over, and soon two more arrows were drawn and fired. Upon hearing the whisper of the arrow and the guard choking on his own blood, Neven had stopped sobbing. Now, he looked over at Oryeh, who was now lying in a growing pool of blood, whose child would now remain unborn. After staring for however long, he was pulled to his feet. Suddenly, the gate was open, and Neven walked through.

---

A Question of Faith

---

He through the streets, his pants stained in blood. He wandered through the pathways between the buildings. He walked through the gates of each section. He watched people move, he watched things happening, and he never halted. Finally, he found himself at the Temple of the One. Suddenly, meaning had come back to his perception, and he understood this to be the final destination in his Pilgrimage. He had finally arrived at his destination, only one at the Temple of the One. Great stained glass windows reached up towards the top of the building, depicting the Aedra. The walls were white, however, about five meters up the marble looked new, and different. From the stained-glass window above the door, Neven could see a great statue.

Upon entering, he saw many people, and the statue that was once Martin Septim, it's dragon wings spread, letting out a silent roar with jaws large enough to snatch up a man whole. It consumed much of the space, and upon one's first entry you couldn't help but to look up at it. So did Neven. After staring at the white, still Avatar of Akatosh, for what may have been several minutes, Neven's legs folded, and he broke down sobbing once again. After several more minutes of sobbing, he ceased, an unmoving lump on the floor. When Neven moved again, there were none left in the Temple of the One but him and the statue. Pushing himself off the floor, from snot, tears, sweat and even piss, he sat on his feet, his hands holding his upper body weight by resting on his upper thighs, his arms shaking but remaining relatively steady. His eyes, melancholy, looked up at the great statue, posing in it's moment of triumph, though Neven was too weak to lift up his head. His mind was blank. He did not speak. Then one thought crossed his mind, and he uttered," Am I not forgiven?" Then, he felt a hand upon his shoulder, and the sharp nails made him bleed. "Lord Sanguine has not forgiven thee for thine betrayal."

---

Forgiveness

---

All of a sudden, Neven was ripped back through a portal. He did not see light for many days. When he opened his eyes, he was standing before Sanguine once again. Sanguine was seated upon his throne, surrounded by women, with a wooden mug of mead in his hand, resting it on the arm of the ornate wooden throne. Neven looked around to find thin, vertically very long windows letting in the light of an eternal twilight. The place was composed of pink and white marbling, and every inch of looked pristine. It was a long, high-arching hall with white columns on either side of Neven. They were about three feet in width and had many rather perverse scenes etched into them. But eventually Sanguine called for the attention of Neven, and Neven had little else to do besides try to listen to whatever this Daedric Prince had to say.

"You have failed me as a Champion. I cannot let you run around unpunished. If you thought that attack with those lesser Daedra was the finality of your punishment, you are most certainly wrong. You see, you pledged an oath to me, to serve me, an oath you have broken. Boethiah may find such gestures as pleasing, but with me, they are anything but," said Sanguine, before taking another swig of mead. Neven started to feel his emotions turn a kind of inside-out, the kind of feeling there were yet no words for. He felt his body trembling inwardly, and his mind began to warp. Sanguine wiped his mouth with his arm.

"You cannot turn back on this path. You are stuck to it once you sit foot on it. It's time you wake from your fantasies of leaving it. You have been sober for too long, trying to walk backwards," said Sanguine. Neven could feel his feelings get crushed down right to his stomach, and it made him nauseous. He could barely think over a roaring in his ears only he could hear. It got louder and louder as the nausea grew.

"This is a path you walk for eternity, you cannot step off, for you are a sworn servant. The gods you prayed to didn't accept gods like me, and they won't accept a black soul like yours. Your long journey was futile, and your sense of freedom ignorant and childish. Ignorance is not bliss, it is ignoring what is real. What is real is that you broke your oath. Now, you will be punished," said Sanguine, snapping his right-hand fingers. Neven could feel a pain inside of him that overwhelmed all nausea, that blocked all thoughts. Were he now touched, he would fall and curl up in horrible pain, and become unconscious. From behind Neven came four guards from the one door to the hall, each carrying cruel instruments of torture.

Neven folded, his head hitting the granite. Neven could not hear it, but Sanguine had ordered the guards to stand him up one more time. Neven was stood up, the pain no longer bearable to the very depths of his soul. He screamed, and a strange energy began resounding through the hall. Sanguine was legitimately startled, and fearing destruction, escaped with his entourage into another Pleasure-realm. The torturers were left to experience the roar of Neven's voice, clutching their ears as it seemed a terrible wind rather than a Bosmer's voice. Neven felt his soul rending, ripping apart and releasing energy such as few have ever witnessed. Another instant, and the entire twilight realm was nought but a broken reality, inaccessible, after the destruction of a soul that sounded the absolute death of a being.

[Ameige]

Alywen Camihle

The vampire lady continued for the next several days or weeks traveling and traversing the landscape inbetween both sides of the high rock/skyrim boarder, picking apart various caves and caverns, ruins and dwemer structures, and so forth along the way. Including deep folk crossing, druadach rebout, harmugstalh, as well as several others, some of which were filled with monsters or bandits or the like that needed to be exterminated before she could loot the place, in some places of which the only loot was on the enemies or the occasional useless scrap of something most people would ignore. But in most cases the places she went had decent enough loot that she would be interested in swiping and adding to her cart.

This would continue for awhile until one day she would stumble across a sight she clearly did not expect to see and had not seen since her last visit to skyrim. A Thalmor Justicar. But more importantly a dead one, and by the looks of the body and the fact that the clothes were still intact and hardly showed any wear and tear of age and the elements at all, she fathomed either this high elf was either killed recently or that elves decomposed and fell apart as slow in death as they aged in life.

Being an elf herself this interested her enough to make some notes of everything she had found and fathomed about including how the corpse came to be and why it wasnt still a living thalmor as well as the after result she saw before her, and get some images of the body and the clothes it was wearing before stripping it of everything even remotely valuable, including its clothes, before preforming some sort of high elven burial ritual on the corpse and, after cleaning herself off of all that nastiness that comes from being in contact with a corpse, in a nearby stream, and having taken some more notes on the clothes themselves and her ponderings as to how they were still intact and hardly worn, and other musings of the like, she continued on her way, making some notes she would attach to the clothes themselves to indicate her plans to add some magical enchantments to them once she could find a place in which to do so before continuing down the many roads and paths she could find and otherwise just stumbling along blindly into the vast wilderness, unknowingly wandering straight for one of the largest still intact dwemer strongholds in skyrim known as Bthardzam.

[Hastiaka]

Dune | King Aicandaar Garegwyn Aldmeri

---

For two weeks, the king has been contemplating on the current situation in Tamriel. He used to be a mer of peace- but the assassination attempts against him had changed the ways of the mer. The Empire had funded and supported a most treacherous rebellion in Arenthia and continue their efforts against the Aldmeri Dominion under the guise of an alliance and the rebels, whom the Empire is allied with, had attempted to kill him. In Dune, the King of the free elves is sheltered. The Royal Marines have secured every street, every corner and have put wards in every wall, crevices and battlements.

''Your majesty, the Empire must be ended now. My men are ready to launch a lightning war against Arenthia.'' General Celerion said. ''The Empire is weak. Our mer have already infiltrated their eastern flanks and we are ready to delay them long enough for us to launch a unified offensive against them. Our fleets will sail for the Nibenay and the Rumare and a smaller fleet will be sent to Skyrim- to help the Nords free themselves from the oppressive Imperial Navy.''

''What of the consequences?'' the king asked. ''There will be none sir. I am tired of seeing the Empire kicking us around like this. We are Altmer and we will destroy each legion and burn their cities to the ground! We do not deserve the treatment we get!''

''Very well Celerion. Let Aldmeri mettle clash with Lorkhan's.''