18+ Evil's Conquest

"Let's not get all boastful, lad." Kaz pipes up, staring down Rolard with a 'play nice' kind of glare. Last thing he needed was more bloodshed, as Archer/Rialas was making himself look like a near-irresistably delicious entree already. Any more and the ol' vamp may very well loose his self control. Having not fed for a few days beforehand wasn't exactly helping the situation either.

Lazgl chuckles. "I studied for a while at the College myself, but I learn better by doing rather than reading."

Rialas listened quietly to everyone as they spoke, trying to get a better sense of everything. He was grateful for the kindheartedness of everyone around him. They all seemed amiable, and hadn't demanded anything from him. In fact the Breton man even offered Rialas bread, which he gratefully accepted. He chuckled at Rolard's pun, silently hoping it would be his last brush with death for a time.

Meanwhile, White-Wolf sat at the fire, quietly watching the blue flames as they danced in front of him. Something had been bothering the dragon, and Rolard finally put a face to it. The situation was ridiculous. Sure, the Dark Brotherhood and the Thieves Guild had a long-standing agreement and helped each other from time to time, such was the case with the new Dawnstar Sanctuary, but physically working together was unheard of. The two groups were just too different, it just shouldn't work out.

To make matters even worse, there was a Companion amongst them. A legal organization dedicated to glorious combat should automatically find an enemy in those on the darker side of the law working from the shadows. But yet, everyone got along.

In addition to that, there were mortals working side-by-side with a dragon...well, sort of anyway. Vampires working with Werewolves, with familial lines separating the two. Bandits befriending scholars, and even blue fire.

By Akatosh, this meeting shouldn't have happened. Too many things opposed one another. Yet here he sat in front of blue fire in a cave of hybrids.

A new scent reached Wolf's nostrils, that of a newcomer. He spun to his feet and quickly walked to the mouth of the cave, readying himself for an attack.

Kivuli takes notice of Wolf's movements, and follows him as his backup.

Kaz notices as well, and slips behind the two headed for the mouth just in case more backup was needed. Letting Kiv die on his watch would make the relationship between the two families infinitely worse than it was already...when what he wanted after all this time was for it to mend.

White-Wolf quickly reached the mouth of the cave, there was definitely someone nearby.

"Smell that?" he asked Kivuli, taking in a long breath himself and stepping outside. Whomever, or whatever, was hanging around smelled a lot like a Khajiit, especially Tobias, so he guessed it to be a Khajiiti of some kind. The confusing part was the fact that whomever, or whatever, this was also smelled like an elf. It was difficult to notice, but it was present nonetheless.

Perhaps it was nothing more than a mental trick. A mix of scents from earlier coaxing him into believing there was another person present. After all, they had been at the mouth of the cave for some time.

Wolf looked around, he couldn't see anyone else, and he certainly couldn't hear them. He was about to simply call it paranoia and walk back inside when he noticed a few fresh sets of tracks in the snow. He knew for a fact that nobody had left the cave recently, and the snow was falling heavily enough to have had time to cover up the group's tracks, including Rolard's.

If that's true, then someone has been here. But why linger on the outside of the cave? Was it only to watch?

Wolf shuddered, he hoped that wasn't the case. He shook the thought from his head and stooped down to examine the tracks. They were markedly Khajiit - as he suspected. He turned back to Kivuli and Kazasha, both of which remained quiet.

"I don't know if you can smell that, or if it's my own mind playing tricks with me. But it smells like another Khajiiti has been here. And I know for a fact that these are not our tracks."

Kiv leans down to examine the tracks. "Dagi...so likely a spellcaster." She murmurs vefore eyeing the cave's entrance. Perhaps a hideyhole was there that this stalker was hiding in.

Kaz's eyes seem to glow an unearthly black color, as he was using his Vampure's Sight ability to find the hidden one. It worked much like Detect Life and Aura Whisper so normal sight obstacles were not an issue.

Wolf watched quietly as Kivuli and Kazasha examined the area.

There were fresh sets of tracks near the mouth of the cave, and a few older tracks could be seen walking up to the cave entrance, so this stranger had been present for some time. As far as how long they had been there, Wolf couldn't tell.

But where had they gone? Who cares how long they stuck around for, it looked as if they simply vanished.

White-Wolf paused, standing near the freshest tracks. There were short walls of ice near them, but he couldn't find any marks from someone trying to climb it.

However, there was also a craggy wall of stones near the footprints. If a person was trying to climb up, it would make sense that they would choose the rocks. Unfortunately, one didn't leave claw marks in stone as they would ice, and the snow was blowing at such an angle as to avoid clinging to the stone.

Wolf sighed in frustration as he pulled himself up the wall.

"Find anything?" He called over his shoulder.

Rolard gave an innocent shrug towards Kaz, clearly not concerned with his remark. It wasn't like it was hostile, and a bit of humor could go a long way in dealing with trauma such as abduction. S'pose the lass will let me know how she feels soon enough.

Course her response would have to wait as the drake seemed to sense something, and instinctively the ex-noble drew his sword, quickly following after him and a few of the others who had gone to check out a potential intruder.

Now he wasn't much of a tracker, but he had a sense for when danger was near. Or perhaps it was just paranoia? Regardless they clearly had a visitor. "Seems someone was eavesdropping on us. How very rude." The Breton stated as he looked about the area, the irony clearly not lost on him that he had strolled up and barged into the cave on the group.

"These tracks weren't here when I entered... More Thralls perhaps? Cultists?"

Kaz heads up a different route, one of ice boulders that were relatively freshly made compared to the permafrost below. He's down low, almost on all fours, as he stalks the beating heart of thier eavesdropper.

Kiv gives Rolard a glance. "Like you barged in on us?" She purrs in amusement, pointing out the irony that was lost on the Breton mercenary.

With the new potential threat once stalking the group, Eilonwy couldn't help but internally shudder. Rayyia on the other hand, seemed pretty nonchalant.

"Considering we are such a diverse group... it is hard to tell if it is an enemy through the cult or an enemy through individuals," Eilowny suggested, following the group quietly as Rayyia did.

Both could see the tracks, and listened in as the others tried to deduct who the person was. While Rayyia was still unimpressed with it all, Eilonwy was still intrigued by their efforts.

"It seems Khajiiti in origin to me... sneaky little kitten~" Rayyia mused, her voice sultry in tone as she minced forward to lighten the mood a bit.

Hearing the irony to be pointed out by Kivuli, the book smart intellect of the college released a small laugh towards the charming Breton, nodding her head and smiling to the Khajiiti.

Kaz growls quietly, nearing his target...just for the target to book it out of there. He gives chase after the invisible foe, giving the rest below the scene of the vampire launching himself out of a hole above the cave's mouth after seemingly nothing.

Kivuli glances up at the chase, then darts after Kaz. Looks like he's spied something.

Rolard laughed lightly at Kiv's jab, his own stumbling upon them obviously something he wouldn't live down with this lot. "Well yes, but I made such a wonderful first impression upon you all! Besides this lad eavesdropped on us, and that's just rude." He also cast a sideways glance at the elf who got a laugh at his expense, smirking slightly. All in all he didn't mind, it was good to see everyone smiling rather than trying to kill him.

A cold draft blew past the Breton as Kaz dashed after something. What it was, he had no idea. Maybe he's having a senior moment? While a funny thought, it was likely he may have caught a scent.

"Alright, enough cat and mouse." Pursing his lips, a small whistle echoed through cold wilds, and from the brush a large arctic wolf loped out, rushing to the Breton as if he was going to tear out his jugular. However at the last moment it slid to a halt, nuzzling its head against Rolards free hand.

"Ha, good to see you to Vorgen, but we have work to do. See if you can find our unexpected guest." As if understanding completely his request, Vorgen made his way over to the tracks, attempting to pick up a scent before suddenly dashing after Kaz.

"Well, seems like the old timer is on to something." Bearing his white ebony sword the mercenary moved quickly after the two, hoping they weren't to late to see who had dropped by.

Kivuli runs after Kaz, flinging Firebolts ahead of Kaz in attempt to hit what the elder Khajiit was chasing.

Kaz has his focus on the invisible one. He would not escape so easily.

Crap crap crap crap!

As the others began to chase, it seemed Rayyia was already running as well, which triggered Eilonwy to do so as well. The bandit had taken out a dagger, so that when the prey fell, she would be ready to threaten them with their life. Eilonwy, ready to fire with her spells. She began to shoot thunderbolts, trying to hit the person enough to stop them, but not kill them. She wanted answers.

The group traveled with the chase, some staying behind. It was still excitement; something that Eilonwy had missed out on quite awhile. With weapons and magic flying at the invisible person, people running as fast as they could through the snowy area, it was very exciting!

Looking over to Eilonwy firing bolts of thunderous lightning, Rayyia smiled as she ran beside her. "How's it feel to start adventuring for once, goody two shoes?" Rayyia called out, her breathing broken as they ran. Eilonwy couldn't help but smile as well, and her smile was much closer to one of an epiphany. "It is... exciting! I missed it," she called out, smiling as she shot another thunderous bolt.

One of Eilonwy's blasts hits its mark, causing the runaway to trip up and fall to the ground. The illusion breaks, revealing a young-looking Khajiiti male in Thalmor garb, whining a bit in pain as he tries to get back up...until Kaz pounces on him and squashes him against the ground.

Kaz growls, holding the aquirming foe down. "Thalmor. Should have known it'd be one of your filth!"

Kivuli glares down the oddly gold-tinted Khajiit, hands crackling with electricity. "Mind telling us what yer doing here, boy?"

The young one just whimpers and shrinks down, trying to look as non-threatening as possible.

Rolards wolf companion races up to the Thalmor agent as he finally falls, its fierce snarling face but inches away of the his. When Rolard arrived and laid his eyes on the young Khajiti in Thalmor robes, his face looked more vicious than his beasts. Sheathing his sword, the Breton strode up to the Khajiti, pushing his way past the rest and grabbing his throat, his hand emitting a soft blue glow as heat began to radiate from it.

"Ha, the Divines must truly despise your pathetic life to bring you to me child. Do you know what those robes represent. Murder, betrayal, repression, rape!" His voice was thick with venom hate, not seeing a man, but a monster.

"Give me one good reason why i shouldn't bathe you in flames, and cleanse your wretched existence from Tamriel." His grip slowly began to tighten, giving him just enough breath to speak. Barely.

OOC: hehe, yeah, we're just stumbling across triggers for dear old Rolard

"I meant...no harm!" He wheezes, struggling in Rolard's grip. "Was just...curious! I swear...upon every...Divine...Pantheon in...existance! Even the Daedra! Not...my choice! Was...born in...to...the Thalmor! Name...is Falion! I...apologize for...the cruel...actions...of...my group! I only...want peace!" Falion gives everyone a pleading look, ears flattened down.

Kaz scoffs, glaring at Falion. "Sure you do. The Thalmor are such a peaceful group, right? Thier murders justified?"

"No...not...justified. At...all. I...admit...to that. Freely."

Direct hit! Eilowny couldn't be more proud of herself! Finally the others were able to grab the mysterious character; a Khajiiti of the Thalmor. Rayyia, knowing of Eilowny's treacherous past with the Thalmor - considering she is a pure Altmer of Thalmor heritage - glanced to Eilonwy for her reaction.

At first she watched, along with Rayyia, listening to the threats given by Kaz, Kivuli, and Rolard. Once the young one was in Rolard's grip, Eilonwy could feel the sparks tingling her fingertips from the emotions she felt. She walked forward to the young one, looking down at him as her fingers sparked. "That is not a justifiable excuse..." she spoke, her tone much lower than her usual light one.

"I too was born into the Thalmor... the daughter of a general... but I do not fall into such deeds I do not choose that path YOU are responsible for your own morals YOU-" "Eilonwy." Rayyia spoke, cutting the mage off. Sparks were crackling from her hands from her emotions, and with Rayyia's cut-off, Eilonwy snapped out of her state; but was still infuriated with the Thalmor.

Eilonwy's eyes widened. She left when no one was looking... at least, so she thought. "How... How did you get here? All the way from Summerset Isles?" as she asked the question, she realized she too could be asked the same thing; and she had the answer... travel and passion.

But she was a refugee, not a supporter. "Let me rephrase that; why are you, a Thalmor, in Skyrim? The same reason as the others?" Now Eilonwy had asked the proper question. She was still a bit dizzy and head quite the headache from the healing - and now the chase. Rayyia could tell due to her trouble in asking logical questions, which were her forte. There was also the whole Thalmor ordeal that messed with her emotions.

"I was wondering the same thing... I'm not sure how we can trust your 'honesty'," Rayyia spoke, glancing to the others then to the Thalmor.

In truth Rolard didn't hear most of what this boy said. His mind was thinking of other things. Like shoving his dagger into the Khajits throat, or igniting his hands and watching him writhe in agony. It was all to merciful for what his kind did to him, to his kin.

"Hmph, there's more permanent ways of keeping you silent creature." Rolard hissed as he drew his ornate dagger, putting it right in front of Falion's face so he got a good look at his fate. He looked up to Eilonwy, who seemed just as eager to end this kids life, granted she had more restraint. But he could see it in her eyes. The contempt, the anger. It was rather surprising.

His attention turned back to the Khajit, pressing his blade against his throat, letting him the feel the chilled steel against his skin. "It would be so simple, just one swift motion, and you'd choke on your own blood."

Murderous gaze still fixed on Falion Rolard the Altmer and Nordguard who pondered why he was here. "There's only one reason his kind come to any land, to sow destruction and fear until all are beneath their heel. It's all their capable of."