Private Into The Dark

[Derath_farseer]

Einarr stood off alone as he said he hellos. He simply kept his head tilted towards the ground waiting to move on. Then he felt it, the presence of others, then as if on cue he heard the girl call out that a party of thalmer and shown up. As she told her men and hale to hide behind cover he made his way over to the trees that led the way to the Thalmer. But from the way he walked he might as well be taking a casual stroll through the forest.

As einarr made his way behind the nearest tree, out of sight from the others he heard the explosion from Alison's arrow and the chaos that came from it. He took another step and he was gone... A black mist sped forward from tree to free a faint outline of a man, but blurred from the speed.

The mist surged forward keeping to the shadows of the trees until einarr him self was standing at the tree line only a few feet away from the Thalmer party. He made sure to keep out of sight and leaned his back against a tree and hummed him self a calming melody.
"Shady grove oh shady grove" He whispered to him self wile humming. "We're bound for Shady grove" He sang to him self. As Alison called for the charge, he stepped out of his hiding place and drew his short sword. The two parties crashed together and then he let him self loose.

His body seemed to turn into a black mist as it surged forward, only for Einarr to appear behind a thalmer and sinking his blade into his back. A smile spread across Einarrs face as he felt the elf thrash around and his blood spill out around his hand. As he withdrew his blade his body turned back into the black figure, flying around the battle field, appearing only to lash out with his blade. The Thalmor and seen what had happened to their friend and kept an eye out for him giving him chances to only leave minor wounds when he could.

Leaving a total of two dead, -the first and another- and at least another six wounded he felt he had done his fair share and his smokey form surged towards the trees as he made his way toward it he failed to see that one of the thalmor had casted a fireball towards where he stopped. Einarr turned wanting to watch the battle only to see it about to connect. In a split second he raised his open hand and the front of the fireball connected with it, the magic behind the raging fireball shot into his arm and down his body leaving only a puff of smoke and a badly burnt palm.

Einarr tried not to let the impact cause him to fall and looked at the thalmer that it came from with a snarl on his face. From the same hand he swung it back and unleashed a massive bolt of lightning towards his foe. To give him credit the thalmer did try to cast up a barrier spell to halt the attack only to have it torn to shreds and his body as well.

Einarr made his way into the shadow of the trees and leaned against one waiting for the battle to end.
"How was that Simus.... helpful enough for you." he thought to him self wile looking over the battlefield.

 

[Simus]

As Simus' blades made contact with the Thalmor solider, the memories of his last battle with this faction came over him. He took all the pain, guilt and loss of that terrible night and focused it int one mightly battlecry. His longswords stabbed the soldier clean through his armor and portruded out his back. Somehow the poor mer was still alive and Simus rotated his swords so the blades were pointing outward. He wrenched them through the mer's sides, severing him in a bloody mess. The crimson fluid spattered Simus' chstplate and face and he flew into a blind rage. He stabbed both of the soldiers trying to flank him, skewering them both in the stomachs, and then charged a terrified mage.

Simus sprinted towards the mer and knocked him to the ground with the force of a charging bear. Simus jumped on the mage and throttled the mar with both hands. He tried to use a sparks spell to throw Simus off. Simus roared in pain and rage and grabbed the mer's casting hand, snapping his wrist with a satisfying crunch. The mer cried in pain and Simus was about to recommence throttling him to death when he was tackled by a soldier wielding a dagger. This mer was much larger than Simus' last opponent and was able to tackle him to the ground. Simus struggled with the man's dagger arm but was able to twist his wrist enough to drop it. He then flipped the soldier over and got on top of him. Both of them reached for the dagger and Simus was desperate to keep it away from him. He took his right hand and dug his fingers into the mer's eyes, attempting to literally claw them out. He cried in pain and Simus yelled back as he dug his hand in ever deeper. The blind mer reached for anything that might help throw this man off and found Stefan's mace. He got a hold of it with his good hand and clocked Simus against the head with it.

This dazed Simus enough to where he fell off the soldier and some of his rage was replaced with confusion. It was now the elf's turn to tackle Simus, getting ready to bludgeon him with Stefan's mace. Simus was still too dazed to really fight back, so he attacked his oppponents mace hand with the first weapon he could find: his teeth. He bit down on the elf's hand with all his might, causing the elf to once again scream. He tried with all his mgiht to pull Simus off, but this only tightened his jaws, so much so that he tasted the mer's blood in his mouth as it trickeled down. The blood focused his mind again and the rage returned. He found a narby sword, picked it up and slashed the mer's neck with all his strength. He pushed the lifeless body off him and, once again mad with bloodlust, charged the nearest opponent he could find. He knocked his opponent down, got on top of her and raised his sword to strike her down. Just as he was about to do this however, he stopped cold and realized he had made a terrible mistake. His rage drained from his face, along with all of its color as he looked down in horror of who the opponent he was pinning was. He dropped his sword when he looked into her terrified eyes: The eyes of his own daughter.

 

[Hale Loneshadow]

Hale shot down another of the Thalmor, careful now not to hit any of his companions.

Especially since I'm sure I'd never hear the end of it from that Alice girl.
Taking a quick moment to scan the battlefield, Hale took note of the situation. That was when he noticed Simus' hesitation of his latest victim of his battlerage.

Must be something...or someONE, pretty important. It would probably be folly to shoot that one. Might as well give him some cover instead...man looks like as battle shocked as if all his past wars just hit him at once...
Hale noticed another of the Mer, finishing with his Stormcloak opponent, charge towards the seemingly paralyzed Simus. As the Thalmor swung his fine sword in a downward chop to cleave the old warrior's head in two, the Ranger's deftly-shot arrow came streaking in, hitting the tip of the sword at full force, knocking the sword back with enough force to skewer the oblivious Thalmor soldier's own face.

 

[Deluge the Distant]

Deluge watched the onslaught from nearby cover, the battle was great and the thalmor obviously didn't have the upperhand. "Blood" Deluge conjured a bow and struck down an unwary thalmor soldier instantly, but he needed more. He turned his attention to a ranger who dexteriously saved his comrade's life. "Trust" He wanted to have trust amongst others, he had been alone since he had left the college in Winterhold. Friends weren't something Deluge was accustomed to, but he decided tonight in the midst of all of this agony he would try to befriend the stormcloaks and their entourage. He cast thunderbolt into the chest of another thalmor and a Lightning rune some 4 feet away from his location. "Ashes"

Deluge covered his tracks with invisibility, he needed to pull himself together. If he kept giving in to the voice in his head instead of his own free will he would end up either dead or lost in a lust of magic and power. Two thalmor turned their attention to his location charging blindly into the shadows and Deluge was three steps ahead of them. The rune exploded disintegrating the thalmor furthest along, his comrade letting out a shrill battle cry. "Silence" Deluge slipped from his momentary cloak and his ebony blade went cleanly through the roof of the soldier's mouth and into his brain. "Its all I ever ask for." he replied to himself.

The thalmor were falling short on morale and Deluge seemed to be able to feel their doubt. He cast Frenzy into the smallest unit and removed his mask as they began swinging their blades amongst one another. Slowly, but surely a sinister grin formed on his face. "Control"

Invisibility swallowed him again and this timed he moved amongst the ranks of the stormcloaks. He sat at their campfire watching the fight go on. The talent was raw and he wondered if their tactics were admirable or simply well played bravado. He ran his dagger across his robes leaving yet another stain of battle on it's carapace. As he went to stand he grew faint and everything grew black, his knees gave way under him and he lay there exposed. "What is this?" Pain stabbed the roof of his mouth and then his head. "Again?" He felt the pain of the last man he physically killed like always. He couldn't stay conscious and as blades clashed around him he slipped into the cold emptiness that was his personal form of rest.

 

[ChiefScalyNipples]

A small blast of flames ignited suddenly in the distance after the Slasher consumed it's elven opponent viciously. Jeroo-Shei recognized the sound of it, a flame Atronach was summoned from afar by a Thalmor Wizard. A blast of fire hurled into his snout and burned it as soon as the Argonian turned his head in the direction of this random explosion-like sound. The wizard must've known Jeroo was a vampire to use fire magic against him.

Jeroo-Shei staggered back a couple inches as the inferno collided with his face. Jeroo-Shei covered the burned area on his snout and yelled "Aghh!" in agony. The Slasher turned its attention to the ones attacking Jeroo and charged over there, but they were a few good yards away so it was going to take a while. Jeroo lowered his hand and uncovered his burned face, knowing he had no time to wallow in pain, needless to say he revealed a burn mark on his scaly skin. Jeroo-Shei dodged a couple more fire bolts and dug around in his quill and flung a few ebony bolts he had for his crossbow at an intense velocity at the Thalmor Wizard while the Slasher was still charging. The bolts went so fast that Jeroo-Shei might as well have fired them from the crossbow of his.

The 3 bolts he tossed accurately hit the wizard straight in the eyes and one hit him in the left nostril. A splatter of blood squirted from his face as the Wizard yelped in pain, blind and also unable to breathe through one closed nostril. The Slasher finally made it over there and clobbered the Wizard while he was on his knees in agony. The undead nightmarish beast pounded on the elf's back as if it's fists were two hammers on a blacksmith's workbench. The flame Atronach tried to save its master by tossing fire at the Slasher, unfortunately for the flame Atronach, it missed and burned the grass. Five Thalmor soldiers came rushing to the soon-to-be dead wizard's aid, but the burnt grass caused by the Atronach spread across the ground quickly and reached the soldiers instantly and burst even larger. The fire burnt them all to death before they could even make it, their bodies collapsing and dissolving into dust from the burns.

The Slasher then finally broke the Wizard's spine in half with its intense fist, the Elf was immediately dead lying face down on his final resting place. Jeroo-Shei carelessly tossed a violet sphere of magic energy at the Flame Atronach, figuring if that would dismiss The Slasher, it would dismiss the Atronach as well. Jeroo-Shei's hypothesis was correct, the Atronach vanished as soon as the purple ball came into contact.

Suddenly afterwards, glowing sage green markings spread across the Elf's corpse, on the back of his head was the Oblivion symbol. The Elf's body rose vertically and the arms spread out but the legs stayed together, forming a "T"-shape. The body began to magically levitate in the air. Jeroo-Shei had no clue what was happening, but he did recognize the style of the daedric markings on the corpse. "Molag Bal's writings..." Jeroo-Shei thought to himself as he observed the marks. The floating body, whose head was looking down the whole time with its eyes closed, then instantly changed that and rose its face and opened its demonic maroon and black eyes. The corpse was being controlled by Molag Bal no doubt.

The environment around Jeroo-Shei all faded and turned completely pitch-black, not even the eyes of the most potent vampire could pierce through such darkness, even if that was combined with a super powerful khajiit's night vision, it STILL wouldn't work. The only thing Jeroo-Shei could see was the corpse floating in front of him, flowing with unholy daedric magic.

The corpse's mouth then began to open all the way and the lower jaw unnaturally reached the body's sternum, with its tongue hanging out. The corpse finally let out a booming voice, which cause Jeroo-Shei to lose his balance as it reached him, falling and stumbling all around in the complete darkness, confused and unaware of where or what he was standing on.

"YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO WHAT I HAVE CREATED AT THE DAWN OF NIRN. A PATHETIC WASTE OF ANCIENT BLOOD. I AM SURPRISED YOU LIVED AS LONG AS YOU DID, JEROO-SHEI. HOWEVER, YOUR EXISTENCE WILL COME TO AN END SOON. YOU WILL PAY FOR KILLING YOUR OWN KIND TO ASSIST SOME PETTY MORTALS. YOUR ETERNAL DEATH IS INEVITABLE, YOU CANNOT ESCAPE IT! YOUR SOUL WILL BE MINE TO TEAR APART IN COLDHARBOUR! AS ARE THE WORDS OF MOLAG BAL! THE LORD OF DOMINATION!"

The corpse then collapsed onto the black surface to return to its slumber, then a ghostly apparition spawned from the corpse and bolted at Jeroo. As soon as it was close enough to the point where he couldnt see anything else, he snapped back into reality, seeing everyone and everything again. He shook his head, and was extremely confused at what just happened to him.

Jeroo-Shei's loyal minion, the Slasher, ran back to Jeroo-Shei and picked him off the ground. "My lord...that isssss why I came here. It wasssss top priority to inform you that Molag Bal issssss contemplating your eternal death asssss we ssssspeak!" said the Slasher to its master, spitting out a red bloody liquid as it hissed when it moved its distorted jaws on the draugr head to speak. Jeroo-Shei was mind blown, he knew that Molag Bal was cruel, but why would he care for one vampire killing tons of others?

Jeroo-Shei nodded to his minion and turned back around, knowing he still had to assist in killing the few remaining Thalmor.

 

[meben15]

Edwin perched in the tree and watched the bloodbath before him. The Stormcloaks and his friends caught the Thalmor by surprise and they had no chance. In less than a minute the entire group of twenty was lying dead in pools of expanding blood. As the battle ended Edwin kept an eye on Simus, who was fighting in the center of the enemy group. If one of the Thalmor decided to sneak up behind him Edwin would shoot the elf in the leg with a ice shard. Luckily he would likely not have to, as the few remaining Thalmor seemed to be backing off a bit.

But then the Stormcloak commander seemed to go crazy and he spun on his own daughter who was watching his back, slaming her to the ground. Edwin leapt to his feet and ran quickly along the branch he had been sitting on, still invisible. He didn't think he was going to make it in time to stop Simus from doing what he was about to do but luckily the Commander regained his senses. Edwin could not stop his forward momentum though, and he catapulted out of the tree, dispelling his invisibility and enacting a slow fall spell so he didn't break his legs upon impacting with the ground.

The Breton landed only a few feet from Simus and he walked forward to help him up. He seemed rather shaken by the event, and rightly so. But before Edwin got to him, something else happened. Jeroo was standing a little ways beyond Simus and Edwin, next to his minion 'the Slasher'. Edwin thought it a strange choice to summon the creature when it was obvious that he was not needed during this fight, and the Nords would likely not...appreciate its contribution.

As Edwin watched one of the Thalmor corpses rose up from the ground, radiating a very strong necrotic aura. It spoke in a booming, dark voice that sent chills through Edwin's body. Molag Bal, Daedric prince of domination, torture, and vampires. This coven must be immense if they had angered the Prince himself. Jeroo seemed to be taking the brunt of the blame however, which made sense due to the fact that it was almost fratricide for him. The 'creatures' speech ended the corpse fell back to the ground, dead once more and a silence extended across the battlefield. Edwin hesitated before commenting quietly, "Ummm.....well. That was different."

 

[Simus]

After Alice got back up from her gruesome handiwork, she joined her fellow Stormcloaks in the assault. She noted the presence of her father in the center, having just gutted a soldier and was now covered in his blood. She wanted to move over and support him but she knew full well that he could take care of himself. She would be of better use giving him space to work. They were completely dominating the battle as usual, and she organnized the other Stormcloaks into a perimiter around Simus and the two soldiers he was battling. A nearby mage pulled out his dagger and charged toward her. Alice effortlessly dodged or parried the mages quick but clumsly strikes: he was too focused on trying to kill her and not enough on actually following through it. Knowing she completely outclassed this mage in melee combat and wanting to put on a show for that arrogant ranger up in the trees, Alice started to have some fun with the mer. She grabbed the mage's dagger hand mid-thrust and twirled herself around under her arms. She stopped fighting the mer and began to waltz with him, despite being surrounded by carnage. He was completely flustered as she led him through a series of graceful and beautiful steps, and he couldn't break free of her hypnotic calm spell despite his best efforts. If it weren't for the fact that they were trying to kill each other, it would have been quite lovely to watch. She ended her dance with a perfect pirouette that ended with her wrapping her arms around his torso and gently kissing his throat.

"Thank you for the lovely dance." She said with a smile as she unsheathed her sword and gutted him through the stomach. Blood trickled down from his nose as his breath gave out and he collapesed onto the ground.

Her playful nature satisfied and her focus reingaged, Alice took a quick survay of the battlefield for her next target. As she found a Thalmor soldier stabbing one of the Stormclokas through with his own sword, she immediately became alarmed. As far as she could tell, that man was the only friendly to have fallen so far and if he didn't recieve help right now, he was going to die. Alice made ready to charge the man's opponent when she was knocked clean off her feet by someone. The blow had completely knocked the breath out of her, but it didn't matter: the sight of her new opponent made her freeze in terror. She was being pressed to the ground and chocked by her own father and he had a steel sword raised, ready to strike her down. She tried to yell for him to stop, but her compressed throat only produced a few pitiful wheezes. Just as he was ready to stab her throat however, Simus realized what he was attacking and what he had nearly done. His face became a ghostly white and he dropped his sword in horror of what he had almost done to his daughter. He released the grip on Alice's throat but she was still pinned under a body that outweight herself by over eighty pounds. She couldn't move and she was too shaken to warn her father of the soldier bearing down on him with his greatsword. Just then, an arrow smashed into the mer's greatsword, knocking it back and cutting deep into his own face. This, along with a small shock spell from Alice, knocked Simus' wits back into him. He practically jumped off of Alice, terrifled at any damage he may have caused her. He turned around, gave a refocusing yell and sliced the mer in half with his own sword.

All of this emotion had completely eclipesed both Simus and Alice from both Jeroo's confrontation with Molag Bal, and the floating corpse the Daedric Prince addressed the terriffied vampire through. All of the Thalmor were dead, except for one terrifed young mage who had witnessed all of the terrible things Simus had done to his comrades. He turned away from the battle and ran as fast as he could, but it wasn't enough. Simus picked up a loose throwing axe and chucked it with all his might at the mage, hitting him square in the back. The force of the axe's impact had severed the mer's spine and he was dead before he hit the ground, but Simus was only getting started. He ran over to the dead mer, pulled the axe out of his back and began furiously hacking him with it. Simus screamed in rage as he begain hacking the corpse apart as if he were chopping up meat. Tears of rage and sorrow mingled with spattering blood as Simus became red with it. He hacked and chopped for almost a minute, finally too tired and too upset to go on. He collapesed onto his knees and begain openly crying over the mer's coprse, unable to hold back thirty years worth of pain, blood and sorrow. Alice and the rest of his men simply watched, completely dumbstruck at the monster their commander and father had become.

 

[meben15]

Edwin watched silently with the others as Simus killed the last of the Thalmor, hitting him with an axe and viciously hacking at the elfs corpse. As Simus was finally finished with his burst of rage Edwin slowly walked forward to put an arm on the Imperial mans shoulder, "Simus, pull yourself together. You can worry about what happend just now later, right now you must lead your men. They need your guidance, without it they are lost."

He tried not to sound to harsh on the man, but Edwin knew that if the Stormcloaks saw their leader fall to pieces like this it would not be good for morale, no matter how loyal the men were. He pulled Simus to his fleet and smacked him on the shoulder, but as he did so Edwin faced the man and his expression conveyed his true feelings; feelings of sympathy and understanding. "C'mon, lets go to this camp of yours."

 

[Deluge the Distant]

"Coward, get up." Deluge's father spoke sternly yet gently into his ears. "My son was always a coward, but he was never weak!" The word weak echoed in Deluge's mind and then into silence as he became conscious again. There was no sound of battle or struggle and he opened his eyes. The sun was still bright overhead and the campfire still lit. "How long.. Unh.." He pushed himself off of his back and watched as the band of heroes slayed the remaining enemy forces.

He felt a lump in his throat as he swallowed. What would he say to them? What if they mistook him as a spy and attacked. Could he take them all on at once? He looked on at the assortment of rangers, soldiers, mages and people whose purposes were not clear to him. Among most of the ranks there were men that Deluge would had instinctively killed out of injustice and in self-defense, but then there were they people who openly showed their high status in the echelon.

He was a coward, turning to walk away all he thought was "coward". Something made him stop this time, it wasn't blood lust. It was in all actuality longing, longing for warmth and laughter even though he was one who rarely found anything humorous (Other then threats on his life or the weak begging for mercy). He hadn't known what a relationship was yet, he barely had one which he chose to acknowledge. He clenched his fists "Why is this so difficult?!" he thought out loud as he leaned against a tree.

He thought long and hard telling himself "Bravery isn't power. Bravery is doing everything in your power to fend for what is right, rather than that which is wrong." The only problem is these last 3 years all Deluge seemed to do was wrong. He killed bandits who he could have spared at the climax of their lives, but no instead he disintegrated them, he slit their throats, and he crushed them. He'd broken into houses for shelter and when he was found out he would paralyze and torture innocent people. Not because he had to though, it was because of anxiety an anxiety brought on by fear.

He thought himself brave for a moment for not many people could admit their faults. Then again not many people were like him, a lost, power-hungry, socially starved fish out of water. Maybe he would head back to the college. That would be easier than facing these strangers of many talents. No, he would stay in their company, but he wouldn't be seen. With this final thought he cast muffle and followed up with his favorite "invisibility". He would remain here undiscovered enjoying faux relationships and faked company. Giving his opinion on matters he had dealings in, but then again it didn't matter because if he was hidden who would object?

"Men light as feathers, and wolves calm as sheep. Gold across rivers can lay at your feet. The heaviest armors tricked to not make a sound. Ice, fire and lightning swallow the ground. When it grows too dark you can light your next page, or the road of peril that is the life of a mage." Deluge removed his "Nahkriin" as he sang the lullaby his mother used to sing him as a child. A tear fell from his left eye magnifying the color of his markings. "Make the bravest a coward, turn a gentle man red. Give courage to a coward, give life to the dead. Turn iron into gold to fill your knapsack. If your threat is too bold stop the man in his tracks. Call forth great Daedra who slept in their cage, woe unto thee who would mess with a mage." He lifted the amulet around his neck to his lips as he recited the final words of his mothers song. "Glorified weapons and sanctified charms. It may be cheap, yet I reckon it will keep you... from harm."

 

[Gunnbjorn]

Arillious took out his last opponent quite easily, with a swift stab to the neck.

After wiping the blood off his sword, he noticed Simus finishing off.... Alice!

He was about to tackle him to the ground before putting an end to his own daughter, but he seemed to realize his actions before it got that far.

He saw a demon spawn over at Jeroo-Shei, they were conversing. The Argonian seemed nervous, scared almost. He couldn't make out what they were saying, he was standing the furthest away from everyone.

He caught one remaining Thalmor running toward him, looking to get away, but by the time his sword was drawn, the Mer dropped to the ground with an axe to the back.

Simus was on the scene in an instant, viciously attacking the already mangled corpse. He was angry, he was getting rid of the adrenaline, Arillious could relate.

But the red face of power and energy soon changed to white, and he noticed tears coming down his cheek.

Arillious just stared, taking it in. But it seems that his reflexes are slow today, because Edwin was already there, snapping Simus out of this wierd trance.

A Captain should never know show any sign of nervousness or emotion in front of his soldiers. I'm sure Simus knew that already, but obviously something is getting to him. There would be no point in addressing it.

 

[Simus]

Edwin turned to Simus and told him something firm but caring. He was still to angry to focus on what the Breton was saying, but his tone suggested that Simus get his act together and start acting like a commander again. He wanted to, but he couldn't. He was so many things right now: an enraged soldier, an idealist defeating opposition, a father bearing crushing guilt, an old man trapped in his own memories. He wiped the blood and tears from his eyes, closed them and took several deep breaths. He concentrated with all his might on the lessons he had learned long ago. He focused on the teachings of The Greybeards. He made the pilgrimage to High Hrothgar, years ago, comming all the way from Cyrodiil to study with the old masters. He had never learned to Shout: he was too impatient in his youth and had stayed for too short a time for that.

Then again, that wasn't the primary reason he went. He was a broken man after The Great War. He had seen too much death and lost too many friends to cope with it. He and Amy loved each other, and had gotten married after the war had ended, but she couldn't help him. The scars were too deep and she bore too many of them herself. He needed time to heal, a spritual journey to try and find some meaning, any meaning, in what he lived through. He found The Greybeards. They instructed him in the Way of the Voice and through study and meditation he was able to calm his anger. He found a new way to honour the Gods and was able to recenter himself with new ways to cope with his terrible loss. He had awoken only the merest whisper of his potential thu'um, but he was able to settle his heart.

breath and focus He thought to himself. Remember what Master Arngier taught you: sky above, voice within. Harness your rage, break it within your mind, and it will never rule you.

This was one of the most useful techniques The Greybeards had taught him, and it served him well whenever he was upset or lost his temper. As he listened to his Voice, his blood cooled. His head became clearer. His deep breaths became shallower and shallower. They turned slow and deep and in a few moments, Simus Psyrakon was himself again.

Edwin's had was still on his shoulder and Simus gave the boy a smile. He was cocky, but he was a good kid. He had been nothing but friendly to Simus and he couldn't help but be impressed with his raw talent at magic. He had much more of it than Simus did at his age. With the focusing touch of time and study, Edwin may even surpass Simus someday.

"Edwin." Simus said with a smile. "I'm not sure what you just said to me, but whatever it was, it helped. Thank you. I'm sorry all of you had to see that. I just...lost control."

He then grew concerned, remembering what he had almost done. His eyes flared with alarm.

"Alice! Where's Alice!? Is she all right?! Please! For the love of Talos, tell me I didn't hurt her!"

Alice than ran up to her blood-slick father and hugged him.

"I'm right here dad." She said softly, pulling herself into his chest and he holding her with relief only a father could feel. "I'm not hurt. I'm okay. You were able to stop yourself. I'm just fine dad."

"Oh sweetheart I'm so sorry." Simus said, tears running down his face and his voice heavy with emotion. "I don't know what happened to me. I became a monster, and I almost killed you for it."

"But you didn't." She said softly. "You saw who I was and you stopped yourself. No monster could do what you did. I forgive you. You're upset dad, everyone can see that, but it's gonna be okay. You're terribly bothered by something, but whatever it is I'm going to help you. You're my dad and you always will be. We'll figure this out together."

Simus dried his tears and smiled. He had taught his daughter well.

"I love you little faerie. That will never change." He said.

"I love you too dad." Alice said. "That too will never change."

She released him, put her small hands into his much larger ones and gave him the smile of a loving daughter.

"Let's go home." She said.

 

[Gunnbjorn]

Arillious said nothing, walking over to Simus, he rested his arm on his shoulder, gave him a quick nod, and said nothing to him. He didn't need a shrink.

He looked over to his daughter, this was the first time he was up close, he was intrigued, he had yet to introduce himself, he quickly did so.

"Well then, that was fun. I apologize for not properly meeting you earlier, my name is Arillious. Pleased to meet one of Simus' own. You are quite impressive with that bow."

He extended his other arm for a handshake, grinning.

"The last time I blew someone's face off with an arrow, I was riding on top of a dragon, while fighting an entire army of Stormcloaks by myself. I was just about to get promoted by Tullius, but then I woke up to a Bandit raid attacking outside of my tent."

he laughed, "Yours is far more impressive."

 

[Simus]

Simus looked better now that he had camled down and he could see that Alice was well. She would have to talk to him to see what was wrong later on, but for now he was okay. She decided to aknowledge the handsome young Imperial greeting her. He was a little full of himself, but she appreciated the compliment. Plus, he was cute.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Arillious. My name is Alice. I realize you probably know that, but it's worth repeating for the sake of equity." She said, taking his hand and lightly clasping it into one of her own and giving him a warm smile. "You have a fine Cyrodiilic name by the way. It suits an Imperial brother such as yourself well. You...may not want to discuss a dream about killing Stormcloaks while in the company of Stormcloaks. It would not be well recieved among the others. Even so, thank you for the compliment. You're sweet."

She then took a moment to examine his armor, the sight of it bringing back some old memories, but also some of glory and pride.

"I see you wear the armor of The Blades. That's an honorable order you're a part of friend." She said. "You're part of the group at Sky Haven Temple I take it? Dad and I are good friends with the leaders over there. They even offered us a chance to join the order, but our duties as Stormcloaks require much of us, so we had to decline. Talos used to be The Blades' patron you know. Back before the order was destroyed during the Great War. Perhaps they will have Talos' patronage once again, now that they're resurrected. I assume you're a new recruit. Have Delphine and Esbern been teaching you of the Blades' history or are you just interested in hunting dragons?"

Alice than realized that she was rambling and likely boring this guy.

"Oh my, I'm beginning to ramble. I'm sorry." She said with a slightly emberrased smile. "I'm sure you don't want to listen to me talk about your order. I've just studied a lot of the Blades' history and it's so great to actually see one in person!"

Alice then stopped herself, lest she start rambling again. She stood there, finding it difficult not to look at Arillious and dwell on his chest a good deal more than is appropriate for a first meeting.

 

[Gunnbjorn]

Arillious smiled, "No, your not rambling. But yes, Delphine was the one that recruited me. I almost always go to her to hunt the Dragons, but each mission I complete I grow more and more interested, and have went to Esbern the last couple of times with some questions. Sky Haven Temple is wondrous, but is very secluded and a long walk from Windhelm, so I could understand why you wouldn't be able to do both.

He tried to ignore Alice's staring,

"My Grandfather was a loyal member to the Blades, and served the Imperial Army in Cyrodil, so I always wanted to do both, just like him. When I found out about the order being restored in Skyrim, I was skeptical at first, but it felt like an opportunity that opened just for me. I was in the Imperial Legion already, but after a gruesome mission, Tullius made me take some time off. I've spent the last few months at Sky Haven Temple, Tullius always said that he'll summon when he needs me.It truly is wonderful, training up there, I'll have to take you two sometime.

 

[Hale Loneshadow]

Seeing that the battle was now well over, and not particularly wanting to bother himself with inane conversation at this point, the Ranger slung his greatbow over his back.

Hale took a seat on his perch which had just recently been his sniping post, stretching his legs out across the length of the large branch. Leaning his back against the trunk of the ancient oak, Hale pulled out a small, dark wooden pipe and his pipeweed bag. Grinding a chunk of the pipeweed into the pipe, the Ranger muttered a basic fire spell to easily light his smoking device.

Puffing on the pipeweed made him feel almost instantly more relaxed, and he took note of what was happening now on the carnage-strewn field.

Through it all, Hale remained worried about what he had seen occur between Simus and his own daughter.

"It just doesn't make any sense...it didn't seem like the man showed signs of stress at that level before. It's almost as if..."

Suddenly a revelation hit the Ranger. What if - and this was a big IF - there had been another mage, hidden, on the outskirts of the skirmish? It would explain why more than a few of the elven warriors suddenly started attacking each other, and also why Simus, a hardened veteran, suddenly sprang upon his own, and obviously beloved daughter.

Agilely scampering down the tree, tucking his pipe in his belt pouch, Hale ran over to the group.


"Comrades, I have a theory that may explain Simus' actions...did anyone think of the possibility of a frenzy spell, thrown by a mage hidden, and perhaps invisible on the edges of this skirmish??"

 

[Simus]

"I'd love to go back there." Alice said to Arillious, her eyes alight with excitement. "I love Esbern. He's the sweetest old man, and he knows so much about so many things. He was the only one who would tolerate my barrage of questions whene we were last there. He and I ended up talking for hours about the order and dragons and a dozen other things. Oh, and Delphine is so awesome! She's so strong to be able to do what she's doing after all she's been through. She and my mother served together in the Great War. Dad says they were good friends and that they were initiated into the Blades together, but they got separated when Cloud Ruler Temple fell to the Thalmor."

Alice looked saddened at remembering this and put her head down.

"They were never able to find each other since them. Delphine went into hiding, mom and dad got married and she put on the mask of a mother, both took did what they had to to stay alive. She was really sad when dad told her how mom died. She died protecting me and my sister and our two brothers so she died a heroine. It's just too bad she never got to see Delphine again. I miss her."

Alice then looked back up to Arillious with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. You didn't need to hear that. It's just she was wearing that armor when she died and and seeing it again makes me think of her, you know?"

While Arillious and Alice were talking, Simus was with the others, listeing to Hale's theory of a hidden mage. Considering the hatred he had for the Thalmor, Simus was skeptical.

"A hidden mage? As in one that could stay hidden from both that slaugther and your sharp eyes, not to mention one that hits both sides of the conflict? I don't know Hale, that doesn't make a lot of sense. The battle's over. Now would be a perfect time for a mage to either introduce himself or engage us, and we're the only ones out here. Plus, what makes you think I was hit by a frenzy spell? I hate the Thalmor. I relish in bringing death to any patrols I find. Fighting them is the only time I actually take pleasure in killing. They took my wife from me and scattered my children to the winds and that was over a year ago. Besides the lead we have on my little Cilla, Alice is the only one I've found so far, and really it was more like she found me. She was in the care of a prostitue and a Dark Brotherhood Asassain when all of them busted me out of an arena prison in the Imperial City. They had to fake my death with langourwine to get me out. I'll have to tell you the whole story sometime. It's quite a tale."

Simus then stopped, realizing he was rambling.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to ramble. Anyway, what makes you think I got hit by a frenzy spell? I think what happened between me an Alice was just bloodlust. At least, I hope that's all it was."

 

[Gunnbjorn]

Arillious listened as Alice went on to tell him her experience with his order.

"Haha, yes. I've grown very fond of Esbern, and I respect his knowledge. I'm still amazed he can form a single thought after all that time secluding himself."

He laughed, he and Alice were very similar after all,
I think you may be at fault, because Esbern limits me to 15 questions every time I return from a mission." Arillious joked, "Delphine is a very honorable as well, the toughest Breton I've had the pleasure of knowing. I'm not quite sure how either of them have been able to put up with me."

Alice continues to go on with how she and her family were connected to the Blades. When Cloud Ruler fell, Arillious wasn't even alive. He was born in Bruma, but his father always said the city was never the same since.

She continues with her saddened story of how bravely her parents fought for the safetly of their children, and how her mother died fighting.

Arillious seemed depressed, it was almost as if he went through the same thing. He imagined the events so detailed in his mind, he could do nothing but stare and take it all in.

When he finally came to, he knew he had to say something,

"I am so sorry for all your family has been through, your mother is most definitely a hero. I will definitely have to take you to see Delphine again. As for your siblings, I already have promised Simus that I will aid him in finding them. I promise you I will do nothing but my best to fight my way through anything in order for your family to become whole again."

He looked into her eyes, showing that he was someone of sincerity and trust.

He banged on his worn blades breastplate, and grinned. "I can feel her protecting me, just like I feel my father, and my grandfather."

 

[Hale Loneshadow]

Hale smiled for a brief moment, imagining just what kind of heinousness could have resulted from busting someone out of Imperial City.

"I would love to hear that tale some time, Simus! Dark Brotherhood assassin, you say? Huh. Anyways, my guess would be a frenzy spell indeed. On the ground level, while you were all busy fighting the elves, I happened to notice a spell splash into the midst of the fighting that did not come from one of our friends...in fact, it seemed to come from off on the side, more in the brushes. Now, it would have to take quite a powerful mage to remain invisible and simultaneously cast a frenzy spell, but it could happen."

The Ranger paced back and forth, contemplating heavily, thumbing the stubble on his rough chin.

"And if it was a mage...then he perhaps only did so to aid in our fight, but when he saw the almost-tragic event that began to shape from the results of his spell, he may have remained invisible. In fact, he could still be around us at this moment."

Hale paced up to Simus and, grasping the warrior's shoulder, continued, "It is my first instinct because, as I have seen you in a fight and having heard of you before this, all things considered I would think you would agree with me when I suggest that, what you almost did to your own daughter out there isn't you, Simus, no matter what kind of battlerage you can conjure forth. You are obviously more calculating and cautious than to nearly gut your own daughter, thus, through this and my observations of the spell, I purpose there is a powerful sorcerer nearby...and we must all take caution."

 

[meben15]

Edwin was standing beside Simus and when he heard his theory about the mage on the sidelines of the battle he instantly recalled a small detail that had previously alluded him. There had been a slight pulse of magic across the field when Simus when crazy with rage. It was Illusion magic and Edwin berated himself for not noticing it the first time, Illusion magic was his specialty!

Being as descreet as possible, Edwin cast a detect life spell and turned to sweep his gaze across the edge of the woods. Sure enough a pulsing blue light formed were there seemed to be nobody. He turned back to the group and said in an undertone, "Hale is right. There is an invisible person some fifty feet behind me, watching us."

 

[ChiefScalyNipples]

"So...Lord Molag Bal wants me erased from Nirn? Just to fade from the world like some sort of ghost? And all for what?! Purging a hive of feral thin-bloods?! Those ones don't even deserve to call themselves vampires! said Jeroo-Shei angrily to his Undead Minion, who both were lingering a few feet far from the rest of the group after the battle, next to a pile of Thalmor bodies.

"My lord...it appearssss assss sso...but I will not allow Molag Bal to do thissss! I will find a way to sssave you! I sssswear to the ideal masterssss!" said The Slasher in response, moving its Draugr mouth like a clam opening and closing. This was an eyebrow raising moment, but Jeroo-Shei didn't have eyebrows. He allowed his revenant to continue, and asked, "Very well...what does it propose?"

Jeroo-Shei's question stumped the cluster of rotted flesh and blood before him. The Slasher, however, still did respond about a minute afterwards, "I do not know yet, my lord.....but I promisssse....you have not a thing to concern yoursssself with!" The argonian vampire then facepalmed his scaly muzzle from underneath his dark grey hood yet again, and closed his eyelids. "Alright....thank you....dismissed.." said Jeroo-Shei in a disappointed mumble. He then snapped his chain-mailed fingers and the creature vanished.

Jeroo-Shei proceeded to walk steadily back to the group with his tail wagging around underneath his cloak. He arrived and overheard something about an invisible Mage. Jeroo was not surprised.