Alright. I just finished writing and refining this to my satisfaction. I hope you all will enjoy this. This story takes place right after the last one ended. However, for awhile, it might be a few days between updates. I'm still trying to get some school things straightened out and I'm quite busy, but once things settle down at school, I'm sure I'll have more time to write. Enjoy what I have so far!

----
My boots crunched softly in the snow as I weaved through the trees in the forested Jerall Mountains north of Bruma. The moonless night was cold and shadowy; just the way I liked it. The Night Mother’s words echoed in my head as I pulled my black robe tighter over my lightly armored body to fend off the biting cold.

“I know the Speakers usually go out to meet our clients, but this one is special. I want you to handle it personally, dear Listener.”

For the past six months, the Dark Brotherhood had been busy. Not only had we added on to the sanctuary, we had received a fair amount of new members. Though I enjoyed them, none of the newer members really shone through as Speaker material. Coventia, the only Speaker we had at the moment, and probably my oldest friend that was still alive in the sanctuary agreed with me. Therefore, it wasn’t unusual for the both of us to be very busy meeting clients. There was no shortage of people who wanted others dead. To add on to the situation, politics in Tamriel had become very rocky. And when politics became competitive, we were usually quite busy. I had also heard whispers in the underground of plots to assassinate the emperor…

I caught a glimpse of light through the veil of tree branches ahead. I was to meet an old Breton woman who lived in a small cabin in the forest. As I got closer to the light, I could make out the shape of a small cabin in a distant clearing. Warm light was shining through the windows. I stepped out of the forest and into the clearing, the surveyed the small structure.

“This must be the place.” I mumbled to myself.

I pulled my hood up over my head to hide my face, then moved to the front door and knocked quietly. I waited a few seconds and received no response. I knocked again, this time, louder. Still, there was no answer. I couldn’t even hear any noises from within the cabin. Cursing under my breath, I grabbed the doorknob with a gloved hand and pushed the door open, stepping inside the warmth of the cabin.

The place was empty. The fireplace on the opposite wall was lit, as were some candles that adorned tables in the room. Suddenly, I sensed a presence behind me. Turning around, I drew my shortsword and was greeted by a blinding flash of blue light. I felt an impact in my chest that knocked me to the wooden floor, and a sharp pain that was both burning and freezing.

“You won’t kill me, you psychopath!” a panicked female voice screamed.

I quickly sat up, pulling my hood off to reveal my face. I saw an aging Breton woman with her back against a wall, frantically edging toward the door of the cabin. As our eyes met, I watched her expression soften.

“Oh my…” she breathed a sigh of relief. “You’re not a murderer.”
“Technically, I am.” I replied, standing. She walked forward quickly and cast a healing spell on me, which made the pain my chest subside. “I’m from the Dark Brotherhood. Did you just hit me with a frost spell?” I asked. In my opinion, frost spells were much worse than fire spells. They had a different sort of pain that you could only feel on the business end of a magickal burst of ice.

The woman’s blue eyes looked me over nervously. “I’m terribly sorry…” she said.
“It’s alright.” I murmured, stepping toward the fireplace to warm myself. “Who is it that you want dead?” I asked.

The woman hesitated. I looked over my shoulder at her, waiting for a response. She shifted nervously, ran her hands through her short, graying hair, and finally, she spoke in an anxious tone. “There’s a murderer out here. He’s killed all my neighbors… I think I’m next…”

I turned my head and watched as the flames in the fireplace danced.

“Why did the Night Mother want me to take care of this?” I thought to myself.

Keeping my gaze fixated on the fire, I spoke. “Lady, we’re the Dark Brotherhood, not the Fighters Guild. Nor are we mercenaries-“ Before I could say another word, there was a loud crash. Shards of glass scattered across the floor and a black figure practically flew into the cabin through the broken window.

The figure stopped a few feet away from me, standing up straight. It was much taller than I was. It spoke in a deep, gruff, and obviously male voice.

“You’re in the Dark Brotherhood?” he half stated, half asked.
“Yes.” I answered, staring at him.

The tall, shadowy man was unlike anything I’d ever seen. He looked like a Dunmer, except his skin was much darker, almost black, and his long, black straight hair went down past his broad shoulders. When our eyes met, I was absolutely mesmerized. His eyes were a deep red, very similar to the color of blood. The more I looked, the more I was convinced that any moment, he would begin crying tears of thick, sanguine blood. Looking past the color of his eyes, it was easy to see that he was a murderer. The eyes are the windows to the soul and his soul was as black as the void.

“The assassin and the murderer… this should be quite fun.” He said, stepping forward and brandishing an ebony shortsword.

As I drew my Elven shortsword, I found myself wondering how I had gotten into this situation in the first place. The old Breton woman dashed away from us as he charged at me.

He grunted with each swift swing of his sword. He was fast, but I was faster, dodging and parrying his blade, trying to get in a hit of my own. Though I had this man beat in a contest of speed, I was not about to challenge his strength.

After a few more minutes of dodging, and getting no hits of my own in, my back hit a wall. He smirked as he saw his opportunity. Quickly, he brought his sword down in a vertical slash. I managed to block it at the last second by holding up my sword. The ebony and Elven metal of the blades collided with a loud clash. He clenched his jaw as he used his strength to try and bring his sword down and break my defense. I was struggling just to keep his sword away from my body. I looked up at his face to see deep wrinkles and for a moment, I found myself wondering just how old he was.

In a sudden movement that surprised me, and pulled me from my thoughts, he drew a silver dagger from a sheath on his left leg. He brought the dagger up to stab me, but I thrust out my left hand and grabbed his arm. Now I was doing all I could to keep him from bringing two blades down on me.

Knowing I would surely die if my back stayed against the wall for too long, I used the last bit of my strength to push him away. Then, I grabbed his left hand and moved smoothly to the left, pulling his arm behind his back and simultaneously took his dagger from him. Wasting no time, I jabbed his own dagger into his neck. Oddly, he remained perfectly still, not even making a noise.

For a few moments, we stood there, frozen in absolute silence until I heard a dripping noise. I looked down to see a puddle of blood forming near my right foot… and a Daedric dagger lodged in my ribs.

“It’s over for you…” he said quietly.

I pulled the silver dagger out of his neck, scarlet blood flowing rapidly from the gash, and then I stepped back. Surprisingly, my wound wasn’t very painful. However, I knew that if the Daedric dagger were to be removed, it could be very serious. He turned to face me, laughing and clutching his wound, blood seeping through his fingers.

“What the hell is so funny?” I asked.
“That’s a bound dagger.” He replied.

For a moment I was quiet, then I looked up into his eyes.

“What is your name?” I asked him.
He seemed surprised by my question. “I am a monster. I have no name.” he replied.
“You are a man. You have a name. What is it?” I asked.

I felt the dagger in my ribs disappear. Warm blood was now flowing out of the wound at an alarming rate. For a moment, I thought I saw his eyes widen in a look of concern, but his gaze quickly intensified.

“My name is Verano, and you are going to die soon…” he said.
“How would you like to join the Dark Brotherhood, Verano?” I asked.
He grunted.
“You could prove to be quite useful.” I added.
“You’re going to bleed to death…” he said.
“So are you.” I said, meeting his gaze. I knew that the wound I’d inflicted on him was just as bad as the wound he’d inflicted on me.
We stood in silence for a moment.
“I’ll join…” he finally answered.
“Good.” I said, pulling two healing potions from my pocket. I began to drink one and tossed the other to him. My pain faded almost immediately.
I began to walk to the door. “Come, I’ll show you the sanctuary.” Apprehensively, he followed.

The Breton woman ran forward and grabbed my arm. “He’s a psychopathic killer! A monster! You’re going to let him join with you?!”
I looked at her. “Deep down inside, we’re all monsters.”
“You will receive no payment from me!” she shrieked.
“Whether or not you want to, you will pay my Lord. Sithis demands blood.” I said, slitting her throat before she even knew what was happening.

I looked into Verano’s blood red eyes. “My name is Sarelle. I am the Listener of the Dark Brotherhood. Welcome to our family.”

Oooo so we meet, Revan's Verano. And what an entrance! A duel where each combatant ended the victor in a way, which is unfortunate for the elderly Breton. Beautifully descriptive, I can't wait to see the other recruitments or her meeting up with characters that have all ready joined (I don't know whether some have all ready joined or not). This is going to be such a fun read! I'm glad you're giving each update time too, makes the writing that much better, I can tell.

Why thank you!

The thought you have put into your concept shows- good action, plus plenty of insight into the characters. Even if they aren't necessarily "likable," they are compelling.

OHBOYOHBOYOHBOYOHBOY!!!

yay.....now THAT was a good start! Highly enjoyable oh I can´t wait for the next update! Very well written...ohboy!

Hey good to see you around Kayla and it's even better to see you writing stories again (Its been a while). By the way good job in this one... it has a pretty kick a$$ beginning .

It has indeed been awhile Mazelure! I'm very happy to see you around as well!

After reading your last one this one looks even awsomerererer (word? doubt it)

Aaah Kayla ... what a well thought-out fight scene and yet totally engrossing & seemingly off-the-cuff. I too cnnot wait to meet the other Children of the Void!

Thanks for the replies, guys! I've had lots of time to write recently with the exception of yesterday. And I've got quite a bit of the story laid out.
----

Verano and I walked back through the woods, heading south to the stable near Bruma where I had left Shadowmere.

“What were you doing out here?” I asked.
“Killing people.” He replied, smiling. I couldn’t help but laugh.

I understood his urge to kill. I remembered my early days as a murderer. The only thing that could quench a thirst for blood, was, in fact, blood. And just by looking at his face, and the way he fought, I could tell this man had been killing for a long time. He had known just how to kill me when we fought earlier. Many murderers that I had met simply knew how to kill. They could suffocate someone in their sleep, they could slip poison in someone’s food or drink, but if they were ever attacked by a seasoned fighter, they would most likely be killed. Verano knew how to fight and he knew how to kill. I found that admirable. I knew he would be useful to us.

We stepped out of the woods and onto a road. Our boots thumping on the frozen, packed dirt.

“Why do you kill?” I asked, in an attempt to get to know him better.
He looked up into the night sky. “I kill because I want to. It’s a rush. It’s satisfying.” He answered. I found myself agreeing with him.

We walked on in silence until the lights of the city of Bruma came into view. It was truly a spectacular sight. The torches carried by the Bruma watch could be seen, moving about the city as though they were floating and the large torches on either side of the castle were like beacons in the darkness.

“What a view…” he said, seemingly lost in thought.
I nodded. “It’s quite nice.”

We walked toward the city, staying on the road. I could see that we were nearing the stable when he surprised me by asking a question.

“How long have you been in Cyrodiil?”
“I was born in Morrowind. I don’t know why… but, I can’t remember much from my childhood. I can remember living in Vivec for awhile, and frequenting the Mages Guild, then coming over here to live in the Arcane University.” I said.
There was a moment of silence before he spoke again. “I was born in Morrowind as well. I came here when I was younger. Morrowind is a strange place…”

I walked through the gates of the stable, approaching Shadowmere, then climbing onto her back. I then helped Verano on.

“I became an adventurer.” He continued. “I’ve been everywhere in Tamriel. Even Solstheim. I like Cyrodiil a lot though. No one fears me here… I don’t feel alienated when I’m forced into a social situation. I felt that way in Morrowind.”
I found that odd. “Usually, they’re not that way to Dunmers in Morrowind…” I said.
“I’m not a Dunmer. As a matter of fact, I’m not entirely sure what I am. I have many attributes that can’t be classified to a single race… I started adventuring to find out who I really am in the first place. I’ve never really found out anything…” once again there was a moment of silence. “Well… I’ve heard of a race called the Dark Naryn. Though, throughout my travels, I’ve discovered nothing about them except whispers and wives’ tales…”

Shadowmere’s hooves pounded against the ground as she quickened her pace. I became aware of the subtle change in surroundings as we neared Cheydinhal. The evergreen trees transformed into lush hardwood trees. The snowy hills changed to damp green plains and lowlands filled with clear water.

“The Dark Brotherhood sanctuary is in Cheydinhal?” Verano asked as the city became visible.
I nodded, looking almost directly behind us to the east. I could see thin rays of light on the horizon. It would be morning soon.
He chuckled. “It’s such a peaceful little town…”

I directed Shadowmere into the stable, then Verano and I dismounted and I led him into the city. The guards at the city gate cast suspicious eyes at us, but didn’t say anything.

The town was very quiet as we walked toward the east wall. I led Verano to the abandoned house and pushed the front door open. We walked across the old, dark structure, reaching the basement door. I opened it and led him down the stairs and through an underground passageway and stopped at the stone door with a painting of the Night Mother, along with our symbol on it. I remembered the first time I tried to open this very door and smiled as I grabbed the doorknob. The moment my fingers touched it, a distant voice spoke.

“What is the color of night?”
Verano looked at me.
“Sanguine, my brother.” I answered.

The door swung open, and we stepped inside.

“Ah… home sweet home.” I said, smiling and looking at Verano.
He stepped forward, and looked around, seemingly amazed.
“Come, I’ll introduce you to our Speaker.” I said.

As I walked forward into the main hall, I noticed it was empty. Not even our skeletal guardian was patrolling the hallway. I stopped in my tracks and just as I was surveying the main hall, a strong arm wrapped around my neck, restricting my airway. Another arm grabbed my right arm, and pulled it behind my back, ensuring that I wouldn’t draw my sword or move too much for fear of a broken arm.

“Sarelle!” Verano yelled, drawing his sword.
“Hello, Listener.” A familiar voice whispered into my ear.
I smiled. “It’s alright, Verano.” I managed to choke out, while holding up my free hand.

In one swift motion, I knelt down as low as I could, grabbed my assailant’s leg, and pulled it out from under them, sending them crashing onto the stone floor. I heard a familiar Khajiit his and watched as it scrambled up.

“Ro’Vir Shadowfang… I didn’t know you were back. I said, smiling from ear to ear.

The Khajiit with the pitch black fur and glowing yellow eyes grinned a toothy grin. His tail shwished in front of his face as he revealed and retracted the silvery blade that had been implanted into the tip of his tail. That blade was one of the most dangerous weapons I’d ever known. Ro’Vir’s claws were also enchanted with elemental destruction magic. They were very painful and very deadly. I knew this from experience.

“I see you’re still alive, Sarelle. I look forward to the day I end your life.” he hissed.

Ro’Vir was completely serious. He’d been trying to kill me since he joined the Dark Brotherhood. He was a very good fighter, and a master of stealth and murder. This made him an exceptional assassin. For this very reason, Coventia always had him out on contracts. The risk of him killing someone in our sanctuary was too great, according to her. I'd always tried my best to convince Coventia that if Ro’Vir ever broke one of the Five Tenets, he wouldn’t do it again, if he survived the Dread Father’s wrath.

“You just keep trying to kill me, you adorable, fuzzy little kitty. You won’t succeed.” I said, reaching out and tickling under his chin. He growled, then disappeared into the shadows.

Hahaha! Wonderful exposition and introduction of Jack's Ro'Vir. Just that brief introduction make me feel like I know him well all ready, it'll be interesting to read about him. We also get to know Verano better in this one. Seems like there's a strong resemblance to Sarelle with him so far, considering that they agree on many things.

Hmmm, I wonder whose's going to showup next?

Ah, so you've begun. I like the introductions so far and as Metal Mallet said, I can't wait to see the others.

Sorry, guys. I have had the BUSIEST week of my life. -_- I'm looking to update in a day or two though.

I lost my dog, eight of my ten fingers, lost a leg walking to schooll barefoot eight miles uphill in the snow, BOTH WAYS!! And yet I still update to!

Just kidding, RL is more important then the fantasy, so do what you gotta do, and we'll be here waiting,.....and waiting.

Haha, Black. I can one up ya, I lost NINE of my fingers!

But anyways, take your time Kayla, I'm a very patient person. You seem to be updating at the rate I do, and I still have an audience. You have the readers from your last fic still wanting to see more from you (I was one of them, though I was just a guest at the time), so I'm sure they'll understand the wait.

I'm sure I'll gobble it up with my eyes as soon as you do update

Ah, you bunch of wimps. I've lost my fingers, my toes and am forced to type with my NOSE!


Ahem, we'll wait. Don't worry.

Alright! I had some time for an update! Thank you for your patience.
----
“Follow me.” I said to Verano, leading him deeper into the sanctuary in search of Coventia.
“You say you’re the Listener… What does that mean?” He asked, his gruff voice filled with curiosity.
“The Listener is the highest rank that a mortal can hold in the Dark Brotherhood. There is only one Listener. The second highest rank is Speaker. There are five Speakers. The five Speakers and the Listener combined make up the Black Hand, which is the ruling body of the Dark Brotherhood.” I answered. He nodded. “You’ll learn everything else in time.” I said, coming to Coventia’s quarters and pulling open the heavy wooden double doors.

“Welcome back, Listener.” Coventia greeted me, smiling. “Who is this?” she asked, staring up at Verano. I could tell she was just as intrigued with his eyes as I was.
“This is Verano. I met him while I was out meeting the client. I think he could be a great asset to the Dark Brotherhood.” I said. Coventia nodded. “I trust your judgment, Listener.”

She stood and walked to a chest in the corner of the room, opened it, and withdrew a set of our infamous black armor.

“Here.” She said, handing him the armor, boots, and hood. “This is the lightest set of armor you’ll ever wear.” She continued, “Sarelle will show you the living quarters and the kitchen. When you’re ready for contracts, come see me or Sarelle. I am here more often than she is, though.” She concluded, smiling. Verano grunted in reply.

As I led him to his quarters, I explained to him how the Dark Brotherhood worked. “When someone wants another person dead, they do a secret ritual in which they stab human flesh while praying to the Night Mother. The Night Mother tells the Listener of the person’s prayers and the Listener sends Speakers to meet the person who made the request for murder. Gold is exchanged and plans are made there. The Speakers then send murderers from the sanctuary to take care of the contract. Though I’m the Listener, I was doing a Speaker’s job when I met you.”

We approached the living quarters and I opened the door, ushering Verano inside. When I walked in, many of the other murderers were just waking up. “Most revered Listener!” a Dunmer murderer said loudly. The other murderers looked up at Verano and me, standing in attention. I laughed. “Go back to what you guys were doing. Don’t mind us.”

I looked at Verano. “There are plenty of beds here. Pick out one and make yourself at home. This is a place of refuge and safety for murderers. No one outside of the Dark Brotherhood knows this place exists. We intend to keep it that way.”
He nodded. “I understand.”
“Good. Now if you’ll excuse me, I would like to get some much needed rest.” I said, turning around to walk the door and go to my quarters.
“Wait… Sarelle.” He said rather distantly. His tone definitely caught me off guard. I looked over my shoulder at him. “Yes?” I asked, trying politely to keep impatience out of my tone.
“I’ve lived a long time and I’ve never really had a place to call home… so thanks… for bringing me here… I guess.” He said, his usually cold voice showing a brief side of gratefulness.
“Don’t mention it. Your skills are remarkable and we could most definitely use you. Not a lot of people like to kill and fate needs someone to do its dirty work…” I replied.

Then, I opened the door and swiftly walked down the dim hallway not stopping until I reached the door to my quarters.

I pulled the door open and walked into my room. I had quite a large room, but it was relatively empty save for a big, scarcely used bed and a few tables with books, candles, and alchemy equipment on them.

Whenever I had some spare time, I liked to read and mix potions. I remembered studying alchemy when I was a child in the Mages Guild in Vivec. I owed a lot to the Mages Guild. As a young child, they taught me to read and write. They also taught me geography, history, and theology along with the different schools of magic. I excelled in Illusion and Alteration as well as Conjuration and Destruction, but sadly, I was never any good with Restoration.

I also spent some time in the Thieves Guild in Morrowind and they taught me the art of stealth, though I seemed to be a natural at it, I didn’t know where I would be today without them.

I was also very good at fighting. I had always been quite partial to bows and short blades…

A tired yawn pulled me from my thoughts and I staggered over to my bed and lay down, quickly falling into a peaceful, deep sleep. In my dreams, I heard a far away voice that I knew I’d recognized. It was so very faint, though… suddenly, it shouted at me clearly. “Sarelle! Wake up! Now!”

I opened my eyes to see two glowing yellow dots and a glint of silver. I rolled over quickly to hear the sound of the sheets on my bed ripping and a loud hiss. I jumped out of bed and cast a night-eye spell, allowing me to see in the dark room. As the spell took effect, I saw Ro’Vir closing in on me.

“I will kill you this time, Listener!” he yelled, agilely leaping toward me.

I dodged him easily but he grazed my face with the blade on his tail.

“Resorting to sneaking up on me as I sleep? You’re not a very nice kitty at all.” I said, backing up to put distance between us.

He growled and charged at me, swinging his claws and flailing his tail.

I’d fought Ro’Vir enough to know that he got mad easily. When he was mad, he became a stupid fighter. I threw a small fire spell at him, and as he was momentarily stunned, I stomped down on his tail with my boot.

All the black fur on his body seemed to stand straight up as he let out a loud, pained wail. Just then, Coventia threw the door open, accompanied by Verano and a few other murderers.

“Oh, hello, Coventia. Did you know Ro’Vir is home?” I asked.
“My tail…” Ro’Vir moaned.

All the other murderers looked on, wide-eyed and silent as Coventia roared, “Ro’Vir! Report to my quarters! NOW!”.

I lifted my foot, releasing Ro’Vir’s tail. Coventia shot me an apologetic look as she led him away.

“Are you alright?” Verano asked, stepping toward me. “I’m fine.” I replied, rubbing the blood off my cheek.

I looked back at my bed to assess the damages. My sheets had been cut up, but I didn’t care. “You fight with him a lot?” he asked. “Yeah. He’s hellbent on killing me, but he never will. Plus, Coventia is now in the process of sending him out on another contract. We won’t see him again for awhile.”

I rubbed my eyes sleepily, wondering how much rest I’d gotten.

“Is this where you live?” Verano asked, looking around my room.
I nodded. “I also own a house in the Waterfront District of the Imperial City. I haven’t been there in a long time though.”

I checked the rest of my room, examining my alchemy equipment to discover that I had run out of ingredients.

I sighed, running my hands through my long brown hair. “I have to go pick up some more ingredients from the Arcane University… I guess I’ll go pay the Night Mother a visit as well.”

It definitely seems that Ro'Vir is quite a pest. Good thing he's going to get sent off somewhere.

Nice to see a recap of Sarelle's skills, just to freshen up the new readers. The back history was also pleasant.

I'll enjoy the talk with the Night Mother. Can't wait to read it.

^ ^ ^
What he said.

I think that cat needs to meet a decent archer...

Expect an update soon!

yeah..or a powerful mage.....hint hint...

Verano looked up at me. “Is it alright if I come with you?”

I pondered the dangers of him knowing the relative location of the Night Mother. I remembered when I had first learned the truth of where she was. It really came as a surprise to me. Still, I was used to making this journey alone and Verano seemed decent enough to keep me company.

“Alright you can come.” I said. “Be prepared though. The trip isn’t exactly a short one.” I opened the door and walked toward Coventia’s room. “I’ll meet you at the stable outside of town when you’re ready to go. Don’t be too long!” I called back.

My boots didn’t make a noise as I swiftly walked through the dim halls. I came to Coventia’s room and opened the door to see that she was still talking to Ro’Vir. Coventia’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Ah, Listener. Hold on one second. I’m sending Ro’Vir out on a contract.” With that, she handed Ro’Vir a sealed envelope, then pushed him toward the door. He hissed, and looking over his shoulder glared at me with luminous yellow eyes.

“I will be the one to send you to hell, Listener.” He growled.

Coventia hurriedly pushed him out into the hallway then shut the door behind him.
“What have you come here for?” she asked.
“I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to speak with the Night Mother, then I’m going to the Arcane University for some alchemy ingredients. Verano will be coming with me.” I walked to the door to exit the room.
“You two seem to get along.” She said.
“I can agree with him on a lot of things. I also think he’ll be useful to us.” I replied.
“Is he Speaker material?” she asked, a hint of hope in her tone.
I looked up into her pale face. Her eyes had dark circles under them. She certainly looked like she could use some sleep.
I nodded. “Perhaps.”
I walked to the door and grabbed the doorknob.
“Be safe.” She said.
“Get some rest.” I answered.

I made my way through the sanctuary, reaching the ladder that extended through the well behind the abandoned house. I climbed up through the darkness, then emerged to a very cloudy evening sky. As I walked through Cheydinhal, the wind began to blow and low rumbling thunder could be heard. The people of the town all started scurrying back to their homes, not wanting to get caught in the evidently approaching storm.

I exited the city through the west gate and pushed open the stable fence gate. As I approached Shadowmere, I cast my gaze out across the countryside. The wind had picked up, blowing the grass in the distant lowlands in wave-like patterns. For a moment, it was as though I was looking out over an uneasy sea of emerald green.

Hearing grass crunching behind me, I turned around to see Verano. Standing there in his Dark Brotherhood armor and nearly black skin, he seemed to fit in well with the dark, ominous atmosphere.

”Are you ready?” I asked him.
He nodded.

I climbed on Shadowmere’s back and helped Verano on, then I directed Shadowmere on the south road.

As it got later and we journeyed further away from Cheydinhal, weather conditions just seemed to get worse. I looked up into the sky, to see the clouds twisting and writhing within one another. The low rumbling thunder didn’t seem to stop and it had yet to rain.

“Hmmm… this is no normal storm…” I mumbled.
“What do you mean?” Verano asked.
“I don’t know. It just makes me feel strange.” I said.

Suddenly, I heard a rusting in the brush near the road. I focused on the bushes, trying to spot some movement. I saw a white flash and a snarling grey wolf leapt out from the forest. It stalked our movements, blocking our path forward. I slowed Shadowmere to a stop and got off, being careful not to make any sudden movements.

The wolf paced back and forth on the road, not letting its gaze wander for a second. I looked into its eyes to see immense fear. What was it so afraid of?

“Sarelle, what’s going on here?” Verano asked as though I dealt with insane wolves everyday.
“I don’t know…” I answered, slowly making my way toward the frightened creature. I backed up, snarled, and growled, as I neared it. I watched the white frothy saliva drip from its mouth as it began to growl louder and bark. It didn’t seem to want to attack me though. The moment I got close enough, I cast a calm creature spell on it. It blinked, shook its head, whimpered, and quickly ran away.

“What the hell was that about?” Verano asked, visibly a bit shaken as I climbed back up on Shadowmere’s back.
I shrugged in response.

The rest of the journey to Bravil was quiet as we rode and observed the sky. When we stopped in Bravil, it was a little after nightfall and still very windy. Verano looked at me strangely.

“I thought we were going to the Imperial City.” He said.
“We’re making a quick detour. Wait here.” I said.
“Wait… Sarelle. The Night Mother is here?”
I looked back at him and hesitated for a moment.
“Is she?” he asked again.
“Yes.” I answered.
His eyes widened. “That’s amazing. I’ve heard so many stories… but, none of them come close to this…” he said, amazed.
“Listen, if you need anything in the city, you’re welcome to go inside. But, you may not follow me and you may not seek me out. I don’t intend to stay here fore very long, so whether or not you go inside, I’ll meet you right here.” I explained.
He nodded, and I turned around and walked through the city gate.

I made my way past two guards who were busy staring at the sky. I was glad that I hadn’t been the only one to notice the odd weather. Most of the people were in their houses by this time of night, save for the beggars and skooma addicts who aimlessly roamed the streets. I walked quickly to the statue of the lucky old lady and knelt.

“Good evening, Mother.”
“And what an excellent evening it is, Listener!” she exclaimed.
“Mother, this isn’t a typical storm. What’s happening?” I asked.
“Ah. I commend you on your observation. As to what is happening, you’ll find out soon enough.” She answered.

“Something is going on… but what could be happening that’s so big it would shroud all of Cyrodiil in shadow?” I asked myself, looking up into the sky.

The Night Mother’s voice brought me back to focus.
“You are going to the Imperial City, correct?” she asked.
I nodded.
“Good. We have a prospective member there. She’s currently living at the Arcane University.”

“What a coincidence…”

“I think you’ll know her when you see her.” The Night Mother said. “She’s not particularly proud of murdering another.”
I nodded.

The Night Mother then told me the names of some people who needed to be visited by a Speaker to talk business. I wrote down the names, said my goodbyes to the Night Mother, then made my way to the stable outside of town.

Yay! Update! And a good one to boot. Sounds like we get to meet a new prospect soon, not quite sure who yet but the choice is limited since it's a female character... I'll be curious to find out.

This storm also has me intrigued, especially since it's an odd one that seems to be affecting the animals. I can't wait to see the motive behind this.

So many unanswered questions! Suspense: an author's best friend!

Yay!! Onward and update!

Well I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing the prospective member is Swamp-Blossum right.
And is the'storm' from an Oblivion Gate?

Also this quote says your a great wtiter for me. [i]"Your doing well so far, Sergei might not know how valuable you are, but I do." -Josef, ex-KGB member. From Lucus Arts game Mercenaries

Goodie, a new character. Yay!
I can't wait. And you're putting up a solid piece of work by the way.

Sorry it's been so long between updates this time around! I've been so busy as of late, but I think that things have slowed down for awhile. I've really taken this time to get ahead on my writing. So, that I'm happy about. I hope you guys enjoy this update! Expect the next one to be sooner this time.
----
I was almost relieved to see Verano standing next to Shadowmere, petting her. He hadn’t tried to follow me. That was a wise decision. We climbed on Shadowmere’s back and started on our way to the Imperial City.

“Where did you get this horse?” Verano asked. “She’s certainly beautiful.”
“A good friend gave her to me.” I answered.
Verano smiled. “Friends just don’t give horses to each other. Who is he?”
I hesitated, not sure what he was asking.
“C’mon. You’re a pretty girl. There must be a special man in your life.” He persisted.
I cleared my throat. “He’s dead now.”
There was a moment of silence.
“I’m sorry, Sarelle.” He said, placing a sympathetic hand on my shoulder.
“No need to be. It was some time ago.” I said, keeping my gaze fixed on the road in front of us, while reaching up with my left hand and clutching my necklace.

Suddenly, a startling thought entered my mind. That voice that woke me before Ro’Vir could strike me… it was Lucien’s! Lucien hadn’t visited me in a long time. I thought he had moved on to the next life. I had often found myself missing his visits…

“I don’t think anyone, no matter how strong they are, ever really gets over the pain of losing someone they love.” Verano said, an odd tone in his voice.

“Did I love Lucien?” I asked myself. “He loved me, didn’t he…?”

“Do you think you’ll try to give love another chance?” he asked.
Again, I hesitated, wondering what he was getting at.
He began to laugh. “I’m old enough to be your father. My time for love is over, but, finding love again might be good for you.”
“I don’t have the time for love… I… never did in the first place.” I muttered, becoming increasingly uncomfortable with this topic of conversation.

The grand Imperial City came into view. All we had to do was travel on the winding road next to Lake Rumare until we came to the beautiful bridge that led to the city gates. I could already see the Waterfront District from our position on the road across the lake. I thought about resting in my house at some point during the trip…

A loud crash of thunder interrupted my thoughts.
Verano sighed. “I wish I knew what was going on with the weather.”
“You’re not the only one. But the Night Mother said we would find out soon enough.” I said, pondering the possibilities.
“So, you talked to the Night Mother about it?” he asked.
I nodded. “I now have official business in the Imperial City. I have to meet someone.” I said.
Then, I realized something. “You’re not in the Arcane University, are you?” I asked Verano.
“No.” he replied. “I’ve never been much of a mage.”
“Then that means they won’t let you inside. I’ll let you stay in my house on the Waterfront until I’m finished with business at the University. Is that alright?”

Shadowmere’s hooves thudded on the white stone as we began to cross the bridge to the city.

“It’s fine.” He said. “I’m sorry to cause you so much trouble.”
I laughed. “No trouble at all. I’m accustomed to making this journey alone. It’s nice to have some company for a change.”

We arrived at the Imperial City stable. Leaving Shadowmere there, we entered the vast city.

The beggars, commoners, nobles, and guards alike were all peering up at the sky. Some were talking to others about the weather. I led Verano through the city to the Waterfront.

The Waterfront District of the Imperial City was a small port in Lake Rumare. It had many warehouse buildings as well as a lighthouse. The Waterfront was also known as the slums. Many beggars were known for wandering around there, as well as outlaws, pickpockets, and thieves. The houses there were cheap, however, and the people there didn’t bother me.

Dodging beggars, pirates, and reputed pickpockets, Verano and I arrived at my house. I fished the key out of my pocket, unlocked the door, and pushed it open. Inside, the small house was very dark and a bit cold. The fire in the fireplace had burned out long ago. I grabbed some logs from a crate outside, then stepped into the darkness and set them down in the fireplace. Once they were all situated inside, I cast a fire spell on the logs and the room was illuminated almost immediately. Small embers bounced out of the blaze, landing on the stone floor, and slowly fading.

Verano looked around the cozy, one-room house, from the small bed to the kitchen table. I sat down on the bed to rest my legs. Walking through the city was tougher than one would imagine.

After awhile, I stood.
“I hope you don’t mind staying here. I shouldn’t be out too long at the University.” I said.
Verano was slowly pacing about the room.
“I’m fine.” He said, looking up at me and smiling. “I’m sure I can find plenty of ways to entertain myself.”
“Good,” I said. “Just make yourself at home. You can use the bed to sleep, read some of my books, or take a look around the city. I’ll return shortly.”

When I exited my house, the wind was howling. The clouds in the early morning sky were writhing and twisting, covering the rising sun and making everything very dark.

I walked across the city, my robes billowing in the strong wind. No matter what district of the city I entered, all the people were yelling over the shrieking wind and rumbling thunder to discuss their opinions about the odd weather conditions. Even the torches that burned on magicka at the Arcane University were dancing in the wind, threatening to go out.

I walked through the gate of the University to see that despite the vicious weather, the lives of the students continued. Apprentices and instructors hurried from one building to the next, often stopping momentarily to look up at the sky.

Walking past the many samples of plants that were swaying in the wind, I entered the Arcane University’s arboretum. The place was empty, save for one short Altmer woman. I found it strange that she was so short, considering all High Elves seemed to tower over the other races. The Altmer woman stared at me as I walked to a table adorned with alchemy apparatuses. The table was surrounded by glass cases filled with ingredients that were freely available to any student in the University.

I opened the large case, reached inside, and withdrew some Nightshade flowers, along with Spider Daedra silk, Daedroth teeth, and some flax seeds.

With nervous, uncertain steps, the Altmer woman approached me.
“You… you’re with the Dark Brotherhood, aren’t you?” she asked in a timid voice.
I smiled to myself at the thought of her asking every single person who walked in that very question.
I grabbed a small cloth sack from the corner of the room and began filling it with ingredients.
“Are… are you?” she asked, her tone hinting at slight panic.
I looked up into her wide, lilac colored eyes. They were filled with regret, fear, and great sorrow, as well as anxiety and fear.

“She is a possible member?” I asked myself. Usually people who killed others were more… hardened than this young Altmer woman. Still, she looked as though deep inside, she had a lot of inner strength.

“Yes. I am from the Dark Brotherhood. And as I understand, you’ve murdered someone recently.” I said.
“I… I…” she said, backing up a little.
“No need to explain yourself. I can understand murderous tendencies. I’ve come to invite you to join the Dark Brotherhood.” I said, smiling.
“Why me?” she asked.
“Your skill is commendable.” I answered.

She truly looked as though she regretted what she had done. I could tell she had a high respect for life. That was something to be admired.

She hesitated.
“I can see you’re not interested. I’ll leave you alone.” I said, gathering the ingredients I needed. “You don’t have to worry about me telling the authorities either. Have a good day.”
I headed toward the door.
“Wait.” She said, abruptly. “I’ll join you.”
I turned completely around to look at her face. Her purple eyes showed a newfound sense of determination and resiliency. Almost all the regret had dissappeared.
“What’s your name, Breton?” she asked, offering her hand. Her actions certainly puzzled me, but not in a bad way.
I shook her hand. “My name is Sarelle. What’s yours?”
“Sylvanna Swamp Blossom.” She replied with a charming smile.

“Odd name for an Altmer.” I thought to myself.

“If you’re ready, I’d like to take you to the Waterfront. I own a house there and I think I’m going to stay here in the city for a day or so to get some rest. A friend of mine, your new brother is staying there as well. The three of us can get better acquainted.” I said.
“Alright.” She said, “But first, I need to stop by my residence to gather a few belongings.”
I nodded and we both stepped outside, into the fierce wind, to walk the short distance to the large building in which the students of the Arcane University lived.

I waited outside while she went in to get her things. While I waited, I began to study some plants around the building, picking some Lady’s Smock and Tiger Lilly flowers to add to my bag of ingredients.

A clash of thunder sent my eyes straight up to the sky. As I was mindlessly looking up, someone bumped into me. For a fraction of a second, I felt an intense chill as our bodies touched. I brought my eyes down to see the person’s face. I only caught a glimpse of a male face, barely visible through the shadow a black cloak was creating over his face, and a pair of startled blue eyes. Without a word, he hurried past me. Briefly, I stood there, lost in thought.

“His eyes… Were they… blue?”

I turned around; looking in the direction he seemed to be going. There was no sign of him. I sighed, truly thinking I was going insane, and suddenly, it started to rain.

Sylvanna emerged soon after, to see me standing ther, lost in thought, and at the same time, getting soaked by the pouring rain.
“Oh my, Sarelle! Come! Lets hurry before it gets worse!”
We sprinted across the city. I’ll admit I was surprised at the shape she was in. most mages I knew couldn’t lift a claymore, much less run from one side of the Imperial City to the other.

We walked into my house, dripping wet. Verano looked up from a book he was reading.

“Verano, this is Sylvanna Swamp Blossom. Sylvanna, this is Verano. Sylvanna is now the newest member of the Dark Brotherhood.”
Verano stood and politely bowed to Sylvanna.

I walked to the fireplace and peeled off my soaked black robe and draped it over the back of a chair. Then, I set the chair near the fireplace so that the robe would dry. The house felt warmer than it was when Verano and I had entered earlier.

Sylvanna stared at my Dark Brotherhood armor.
“You’ll get a set like it when we return to the sanctuary.” I said, smiling, and digging through a chest of drawers.
“Where is the sanctuary?” she asked.
“Cheydinhal.” I replied, handing her some dry clothes.
I turned to Verano.
“I think we’re going to stay here until tomorrow. I could use some rest.”
Verano nodded.
“If you two want to go tour the city, be my guest. I’m going to get some sleep.” I said, flopping down on the small yet comfortable bed. I could hear the sound of the rain hitting the roof as I drifted off into a comforted sleep.

I awoke abruptly to hear yelling outside.
I looked around the small house to see Sylvanna and Verano sitting at the table. They had obviously been talking. I was glad they’d taken the time to get to know each other.
“Do you know what’s going on outside?” I asked them, rubbing my eyes.
They shook their heads.
Feeling well rested, I got out of bed and went outside. The weather was cloudy and it was daytime. The wind had calmed down a bit and I wondered how long I had been asleep.

I noticed a large crowd of people standing near the docks and approached them. An Imperial man was standing in the middle of the crowd, a thick stack of papers under his arm.

“Get your copy of the Black Horse Courier! Very urgent news today!” he yelled.
More people were walking up now, curious about the “urgent” news.
“Here you go, lady!” he said, thrusting a paper into my hand.

What I read sent adrenaline pumping through my body. I pushed through the steadily growing crowd and jogged back to my house.

“C’mon, you two. We have to get back to Cheydinhal. Now.” I said, picking up my now dry Black Hand robe and putting it on. Then, I picked up the sack of ingredients I’d retrieved from the Arcane University.
“Sarelle, what’s wrong?” Verano asked, his blood red eyes filled with concern.
I looked at them, still sitting at the table, curious looks on both their faces.
“The Emperor was murdered last night. We’re going to be the first group they suspect. We have to get back to the sanctuary now.” I said.

awesome! first post!

Indeed Kayla, it has been a long time since you last posted. I see that I was right about the new member being Swamp Blossum. Your still doing well, keep it up!!!!

VERY nice, it was certainly worth the wait Kayla. Remember that real life is more important, so do what you gotta do.

I wish real life wasn't as important, writing is so much fun!

I have to say this is an exceptional update Kayla, well worth the wait indeed. I love the interaction between your characters and your attention to detail. It's also good to hear that the updates will possibly be more frequent.

I'm also curious as to who that man Sarelle bumped into is. I have a feeling he'll turn up again somewhere.

So True.




Of course he will, she understands the character perfectly, A sign of a good writer is too understand multiple perspectives and blend them together into great story like this one.

*Blushes* Thank you for the comments! Working on another update right now.

Just a small update for today.
----
Verano’s eyes widened in shock, but he stood, ready to leave.
Sylvanna stayed in her seat, staring at us with an intensity I had yet to see in her. She squinted her lavender eyes at me.
“So, that’s what you two were here for… You’re the ones who assassinated the Emperor!” she exclaimed.
“No… no we didn’t.” Verano said coolly, but obviously uncomfortable with the accusation.
“You’ve been with us since we came to the city...” He continued.
She cut him off immediately.
“How do I know that? I could have joined you after you killed him!” she said.
“You’re being paranoid.” I said. “We’re a group of assassins and we’re not ashamed of what we do. If we had really killed him, we’d be truthful with you.”
She was quiet for a moment but then stood.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

We walked hastily to the stable. There, we all climbed on Shadowmere and took off on the southern road to Cheydinhal. I decided that I would stop by Bravil to tell the Night Mother of what had happened before returning to the sanctuary.

Despite the situation, Sylvanna was quite talkative during the journey. She asked many questions about the Dark Brotherhood, most of which Verano answered. I was quite busy with my own thoughts, planning the necessary precautions we would have to take to conceal our sanctuary from prying eyes, as well as keeping information about us away from the wrong people.

Once we arrived at Bravil, I dismounted before Shadowmere even came to a complete stop.

“The both of you wait here. I won’t be long.” I said, quickly walking through the city gates.

Sprinting through the city, I listened as the people talked of the Emperor’s death. I’d never noticed so many people outside of their houses in Bravil before. Bartenders and drunks alike had emerged from the pubs, the mages from the guild in town squinted in the sunlight, shielding their eyes, tired from reading tomes of spells from the sunlight that sifted through the dark clouds. The shady thieves and beggars conversed with the warriors from the fighters guild, talking of what they would like to do should they ever meet the man who had slain their Emperor.

Slightly winded, I arrived at the statue of the lucky old lady and knelt.

“Dearest Mother, I am sure you know of what has happened…” I said, taking slow deep breaths of the humid air while trying to gather my thoughts.
“Yes, the assassination of the Emperor. I know of this.” She said.
“Of course, I’m sure the Imperial Legion already suspects us…” I said.
“Indeed they do.” She replied, coldly.
Just hearing my thoughts confirmed made me fear for the safety of the sanctuary.
“Well, I am confident I can handle this. I have a plan, and it wasn’t us anyway. I’m sure the heat will be off us after awhile.” I said.
“I too am confident you can handle this, Listener, but I’m sorry. I have another, very urgent task for you.” This statement brought an entirely new wave of stress crashing down on me.
“What?” I stood, balling my fists. “The Imperial Legion is hunting us down and you want me out on a mission?” I was outraged. This was a very delicate and urgent situation, and I didn’t want Coventia, or anyone else in the sanctuary taking care of it alone.
“Listener,” she said, raising her voice. “this is a time of distress, I know, but this contract is for the well-being of the Dark Brotherhood!”

My shoulders involuntarily slumped and my gaze wandered to the ground. I’d never heard the Night Mother raise her voice before.

“I’m sorry, Mother. I am not one to question your judgment. Tell me what you want me to do.”
“Your apology is accepted. Now, I want you to go to the city of Kvatch. Locate the leader of the Imperial Guard there and kill him.” She said.
“Yes, Mother.” I said, turning and walking away.

I couldn’t say that I was pleased with having to travel all the way across the continent at a time like this, but the Night Mother had demanded it.

I exited the city to find Verano and Sylvanna right where I’d left them. I walked up to them and asked them to get off the horse.

“What’s wrong?” Verano asked. I supposed my face showed my disappointment in this new situation.
“It turns out that I have to go to Kvatch due to orders from the Night Mother.” I turned to Verano. “I have a job for you. Return to the sanctuary. Tell Coventia of what has happened. Tell her to block off the well entrance and put a hold on all contracts for now.” Verano nodded, understandingly. “Then, I want you to kill the Count of Cheydinhal. He knows where our sanctuary is and he’s a weak-minded man. He’d crack under the pressure of an interrogation. We can’t afford that. Make his death look like an accident, and there will be a nice promotion for you.”
I looked at Sylvanna, dug into my pocket, then handed her five thousand coins, practically all the money I was carrying with me.
“You two buy a horse and get to Cheydinhal quickly. I’m taking Shadowmere with me.”
She nodded.

“I’ll see the both of you soon.” I said.

A nice little teaser for the next part Kayla. I wonder if she's gonna get caught in Kvatch when the Daedra attack, hopefully if that's the case she'll be her usual resourceful self and survive.

I look forward to the next update.

Sorry for the double post. Lag.

Well, it's been awhile. I hope none of you have missed me too much! I'm proud to post my next update! Hope you like it!
----
Shadowmere galloped on the road, her hooves thudding at a fast pace and kicking up dust behind us. The wind blew in my face with a slight stinging sensation.

“Why would the Night Mother send me to Kvatch at a time like this?” I asked myself. “Why is killing this member of the Imperial Legion so important? Things are really going to get hectic now that the Emperor is dead…”

As I neared the city of Kvatch, I noticed the weather picked up, becoming oddly ominous again. I could hear the low rumble of distant thunder, and the atmosphere became moist. It was probably going to rain soon.

Kvatch was a nice city, though I rarely went there. The city itself was located on top of a splendid hill. The towering temple of Akatosh there served as the center of the city and could be seen for miles.

“I wonder who really killed the Emperor… but, I guess it doesn’t have anything to do with me…” I thought.

I followed the winding road as I kept my eye on the temple of Akatosh. The leaves on the trees were beginning to change colors, painting a beautiful picture of the outer Gold Coast region. The orange, red, yellow, and even a rare bit of green mixed together as the wind blew the leaves and grasses. I reasoned that I should visit this part of Cyrodiil more often.

The sun was setting when I finally arrived in Kvatch. I left Shadowmere at the stable and walked through the gates into the city. Of course, the guards posted near the gates were talking about the assassination of the Emperor. They were so absorbed in their conversation, they paid little attention to my arrival.

The people of the city were busily heading back to their homes before the ensuing night. I watched the guards patrol the area, wondering where their captain would be. I wanted to finish this contract as soon as possible so I could return to Cheydinhal. I stopped momentarily, staring up at the temple of Akatosh, thinking over the events of the past few days. I wondered why Lucien had stopped contacting me, then after all this time, he was trying to reach out to me again. I thought of the mysterious man I’d encountered at the Arcane University. Who was he? Maybe he was no one… maybe he was just someone who was in a hurry and happened to bump into me. I thought over the contract I had been assigned, wondering why it was so important at such an urgent time.

I sighed and began looking for the Watch Building. I was sure that I could find out the guard captain’s name and quite possibly his current location there. As my boots crunched in the grass, people hurried past me, and the wind picked up. I heard a rumbling sound and was quick to dismiss it as thunder. I kept walking, almost certain that I had spotted the Watch Building ahead of me… when the ground started to shake. At first, so slightly I thought that I was just imagining things, then it quickly became violent. I stopped, and looked around, struggling to keep my balance.

“What the hell is happening?” someone near me screamed.

I watched as the quaint brick and wood houses, and eventually the more reinforced stone buildings around me began to fall apart. I cursed out loud as I dodged pieces of falling brick, stone, and wood. Though the ground was still shaking, I ran, looking for an exit to the town. Screams and cries for help filled the night air. The city guard was shakily assembling, though I had no idea what they thought they could do at this time. I half ran, half stumbled over the shaking ground, dodging pieces of stone that seemed to rain from the sky. The city was now in complete chaos.

Just as I thought nothing worse could happen, a wall of fire shot up from the ground right in front of me. If I had taken just a few more steps forward, the wall probably would have incinerated me. My eyes watered from the immense heat it was giving off, as I cautiously backed up.

“What the…?”

Suddenly, a huge clawed hand emerged from the wall of fire, and began to thrash around, the long, sharp claws whistling through the air. I backed up more, quickly brandishing my shortsword. No sooner had I pulled the blade from the sheath, the huge clawed hand revealed itself as belonging to a Daedroth. The monstrous creature leapt from the wall of flames, gnashing its hungry jaws at me. I dodged its initial attack, ducking under its huge frame and slashing a large wound in its scaly back. I jumped over it as it turned to face me, then I quickly decapitated it.

I turned my gaze back to the wall of fire. Daedra were now flooding out of it, running into the city to wreak havoc. I quickly dispatched of what Daedra I could, knowing that there was no way I could kill all of them at the rate they were coming out.

Over the sounds of armor clanging together, swords connecting with bone, and the roars of the Daedra, I heard a loud, commanding voice.
“Retreat! Everyone get outside the city walls!”

Shoving my sword through the face of a scamp, I broke into a run toward the city gate. There was a lot of debris blocking my path, such as huge pieces of the chapel tower, but I was sure I could scale it.

I jumped on top of a stone chunk to see a group of guards and citizens fleeing the doomed city. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone casting a spell. I turned completely and saw that there was a mage fighting a Dremora. Not a lot of people really stood a chance against such a powerful Daedroth, but this mage was doing pretty well. Due to the deep green cloak they were wearing, I could not tell if it was a man or a woman, but I could see that they were a powerful spellcaster.

The majority of mages I’d seen throughout my life had trouble using magic in fast paced combat. This was because magic was very different from a sword. Having a sword, a bit of strength, and some common combat knowledge could help you succeed in a fight, but in order to effectively use magic in combat, you had to be good at pacing yourself, and have the ability to anticipate the moves of you opponent. The way mages practiced spells at the guild was far different from using them to actually hurt or hinder an enemy. The only way to be good at magic in combat was to have true combat experience.

I ran across the chunk of stone until I was near the Dremora, then I jumped off, and buried my sword in its neck. Both the Dremora and the person fighting it seemed surprised by my sudden attack. I looked more closely at the person. The hood on the cloak cast a shadow over their face, making it impossible to see. I shoved my sword through the back of the Dremora’s head, then kicked it squarely in the back. It fell limply to the ground.

“Many thanks, Breton.” A female voice said, through the shadow of her hood.
“It would be wise to leave now.” I said.

I helped her climb the debris to escape the city.

“It’s unfortunate… getting caught up with a Dremora.” I said, as I ensured she didn’t lose her balance.
“Ah. You know a bit about Daedra, do you?” She asked.

Besides the fact that I was a proficient conjurer, I found reading about the Daedra to be quite entertaining. They were quite the interesting beings.

“Yeah. You could say that.” I said, climbing down the debris pile, then offering to help her. It was then that I noticed quite a bit of the city had caught on fire. When I helped her down, we ran through a horde of Daedra, finally bursting through the city gates. As I pushed them closed before the Daedra could escape, it began to rain. A swift breeze blew the woman’s hood down, allowing me a view of her face.

Her dark eyes were a contrast to her light skin showed kindness and compassion, and her wavy dark brown hair blew softly in the wind.

“Thank you very much for your help.” She said, smiling. Her voice was deep and comforting. “Unfortunately, this is a time of crisis and there is someone out there who is very precious to me… someone that I must protect. I’m sure they are quite scared right now without me by their side… I must take my leave of you now… Though I would very much like to stay here and help the people of the city…” her eyes showed a bit of sadness and remorse.

I nodded, understandingly. I knew how she felt.

“Thank you once again for your help.” She said, offering another smile.

Then the woman pulled her hood back up, and walked away, leaving the chaos of Kvatch behind her.

Yay! Update!

Consistantly good like always, Kayla. We meet another interesting character, whom I'm sure we'll meet again, and the Daedra are showing up now. Things are going to get interesting indeed.

Whenever your next update will be, I'll certainly read it.

Yes!! Very Nice. It would make more sense for the events of the Dark Brotherhood to have either preceded or come after the gates, after all, if the Daedra destroy everything, the DB has no business.

I walked down the winding path of the hill until I reached the base. The surviving guards and villagers alike were resting at a makeshift campsite. Small tents were pitched everywhere, most of them made of quilts or cloth wall hangings. The area was littered with odd items, such as paintings, chests, pillows, shovels, and small cloth sacks, most of them empty.

A Redguard woman sat near a small fire, cooking something in a pot. Her face was covered in ash and dirt and a small child clung to her leg, crying. People of all ages who occupied the camp were crippled with grief over the loss of loved ones and property. Many people were crying, and those who weren’t were sitting or standing near the tents, talking quietly. Injured people lay on the ground, some of them were being tended to, but most weren’t.

I walked through the campsite, watching the pitiful scene. There were more survivors than I thought. Suddenly, something grabbed my foot. I looked down to see a man with graying hair, a large, bleeding wound in his chest.

“Please… lady… sit with me.” he rasped.

I nodded, and sat down on the grass next to the man. I knew he wouldn’t live much longer. He was an Imperial, dressed in a regular brown robe. His face was contorted in pain and deathly pale.

“Thank you, miss. You are too kind…” he said.

I didn’t know why I was sitting with this man. I didn’t know why I had helped that woman in the city. I should have been trying to find the guard captain, and if he was still alive through all this chaos, I was supposed to be burying a dagger in his back.

“I think we all fear dying alone…” the man said, pulling me from my thoughts. “I never thought I would… I had a family, a very loving family…my wife… she was too good for me, my son… always made me so proud… he’s a member of the Imperial Legion… But, I haven’t seen my son in awhile… my wife is dead… killed by a damned Dremora.”

He paused, coughing violently, and spraying a fine mist of blood into the air.

“I tried to protect her… but, I was too weak… I’m just a priest after all… but, I know… I know my son could have protected us…"

He clutched his wound, but blood seeped through his fingers.

"I was always against violence… I wanted him to be a priest just like his old man… I was a little upset when he joined the Legion… but, he’s become a fine warrior… I only wish… he… was here… I only wish I could see him... just one more time... I don't want him to know that his father died... here... like this... but at least I'm not dying alone... and I no longer have anything to fear...”

The flames from the burning city lit up the sky, making the shadows move and dance around us. What wasn’t cloaked in shadow was bathed in an orange glow. I watched as the man winced in pain. He would die soon.

“Thank you, miss… may you always walk with Kynareth…” he whispered.

His brown eyes widened, and he let out one last breath, before his body went limp and his eyes closed.

I stood and looked toward the city. I scanned the crowd of survivors in the camp, looking for anyone who even remotely resembled a guard captain. I sighed, not seeing anyone save for weeping civilians. Some of them were weeping over corpses, but I didn't see anyone coming to weep over the man I had just watched die. Somehow, I doubted anyone would.

As I scanned the crowd for the second time, I noticed a figure in a black cloak standing near a tent. Stunned and confused, I quickly walked forward, pursuing them. It looked like the person I’d bumped into at the Arcane University. What were they doing here? Were they following me? Why?

Suddenly, there was a very loud crash of thunder. Involuntarily, I looked up to the sky. When I looked back down, the figure was gone. The sky began pouring rain. Each and every eye in the camp cast its gaze toward the city on the hill. A guard came running down the path.

“Another gate is opening in front of the city gates! A huge one!” He yelled over the sound of the rain.

All around me, the people who were capable of taking up arms did so and began to run up the hill.

“What is there left to protect?” I asked myself as I watched them run to the ruined city.

I sighed and followed them. I still had a contract to fulfill.

At the top of the hill, I joined the people as they watched in terrified awe, a very large wall of flame form right in front of the city gate. Almost immediately, floods of Daedra came pouring out.

“Don’t let them get down the hill!” A commanding voice yelled.

As the people ran forward, their swords raised high, I looked to the source of the voice. I spied an Imperial man, wearing captain’s armor. I smiled.

“I could kill him right now and no one would even know who did it…”

I worked my way through the small army and the Daedra, keeping my gaze fixed on the captain.

“Someone go in there!” He yelled. “We’ve got to find a way to close it!”

Just as I was within a few feet of the captain, a flame antronach jumped between us. Cursing out loud, I began slashing it. Inside, I was yelling at myself for losing focus on my environment. This whole situation was stressing me out too much... I couldn't let it get to me. My job was too dangerous to lose focus like this. The captain definitely noticed the Daedra and helped me take it down.

“I admire your fighting skill!” he yelled over the sounds of war around us.

Before I could say anything in reply, he grabbed my arm and pulled me close to him.

“We need someone to go inside and close that gate! A lot of men have gone in already, and the gate still isn’t closed! We need someone else to try!”

I looked at him blankly.

“You’ve lost something here, haven’t you?! We’ve got to show those Daedra what they’re dealing with!” he screamed.

Then, without warning, he tightened his grip on my arm and hurled me toward the towering wall of fire.

“Damn!” I yelled as my right shoulder connected with the wet ground, making a small splash.

I stood up, rubbing my shoulder. I was more surprised by his strength than hurt. Perhaps he would be harder to kill than I originally thought… I stared up at the wall of flame, the gate to Oblivion, and over the yelling of the people and roar of the Daedra, I heard a familiar, yet distant voice.

“Listener!”

As I turned around to face the voice, something hit me. Literally. Whatever it was hit me with such force, that I was sent careening right into the wall of fire.

NiiiiIIICcccE!

Keep it up!

I have the feeling our Guard Captain is the man's son. Nice update, though now I wonder who shouted listener.

A very intriguing update Kayla. I liked the dying man part particularly. I, too, am curious about who had called out to Sarelle. But now she has bigger concerns...

It'll be interesting to see how long she works with the Captain before she decides to kill him or if she even does.

I have another update for you guys! And a very happy Thanksgiving tomorrow for the Americans!
----
For the second time that night, I found myself lying on the ground. This ground, however, was hot, cracked and very dry. I quickly found my feet and stood to see Ro’Vir smiling insidiously as his tail flicked.

“I have you now, Listener!” he hissed, shifting into an offensive stance and brandishing his claws.

Sighing, I took a moment to look around. Where we were now was completely different from ruined Kvatch. The sky was cloudless and blood red. I could see rivers of bright yellow lava and tall ebony towers in the distance. The sparse patches of grass were stunted and twisted. They cracked as they moved in the occasional, hot and gritty wind. On the ground all around us lay the charred bodies of both Daedra and men.

I turned my attention back to Ro’Vir, who was still ready to strike me, and then I began to laugh uncontrollably. He growled in apparent frustration.

“What is it?” he asked, exasperated. His lips curled up, revealing sharp white teeth.
“Do you remember what you told me earlier?” I asked between amused gasps for air.

“I will be the one to send you to hell, Listener.”

He titled his head slightly in confusion. “No…”
“You said you would send me to hell… Well you just did!” I said, laughing harder.

His eyes lit up and he began to laugh as well. "Wow. I guess I did.” The silver blade on the tip of his tail made whistling noises as it cut through the air.

His countenance became serious. “Wouldn’t it be great to die in Oblivion? Your soul wouldn’t have to travel very far at all.” He said, squinting his yellow eyes.
“Yeah, Ro’Vir. Wanna try it?” I asked.

He growled and leapt at me. I stepped out of the way of his attack, giving a little more room to dodge that deadly blade on his tail. As he turned to face me, I made my way around him. I jumped over him, grabbed his neck, shoved him to the ground, and then dragged him over to a pit of molten lava. I lifted him up, and held him right over it. He gulped and looked down, holding his tail up to avoid having it burned off his body.

“Now listen to me, Ro’Vir. I have a contract straight from the Night Mother. It’s urgent, and this is a very bad time for me to be away from the sanctuary. I would appreciate it if you didn’t try to kill me.” I hissed, angrily.

He glanced down at the bubbling lava again.

”Hey!” I heard a voice from behind me.

I looked over my right shoulder to see an Imperial man dressed in the Kvatch city guard chainmail armor. He was half running, half limping toward us. I cursed under my breath, pulled Ro’Vir up and set his feet firmly on the ground, then turned around completely to face the man. He was being almost playfully chased by a Clannfear. It would run up behind him, claw his back, then fall behind just to close the distance between them again to nibble at his neck with its beaked mouth.

The Clannfear was a very annoying Daedra. Though they were relatively short in stature, they were strong and hardy, as well as extremely fast. They had very sharp claws on their small hands, and strong feet that could very easily and quickly disembowel a man. I found them most useful to conjure in battle, but they were a hassle to fight.

“Help me, please!” the man screamed. His voice was hoarse and his face was red.

I looked down and spotted a quiver containing a few ebony arrows. Whoever had once owned the quiver was lying dead on the ground and burned beyond recognition a few feet away. I grabbed an arrow, summoned a bound longbow and quickly took aim at the Clannfear in the distance. When I had a clear shot, I let the arrow fly. It hit the Clannfear between the eyes, almost instantly killing it.

The man slowly made his way toward us. When he finally got within earshot, he thanked us breathlessly. I could see that he was bleeding from a nasty looking wound on his leg, which he occasionally covered with his hand.

“Lets get out of here before more Daedra show up.” I said, looking at the Oblivion gate. I was sure we could get out the same way we’d come in.
“No!” the injured man protested. “The Daedra took my friend, Claudius to that tower!” He pointed at one of the tall dark towers in the distance.

I sighed, and looked into the man’s frightened blue eyes. “Listen, it’s far too dangerous, especially if you’re injured. Forget about your friend. It’s probably too late for him now.”
“He wouldn’t forget about me!” the man exclaimed, emotionally.

Ro’Vir shifted uncomfortably. I could tell he didn’t want to be here any more than I did. Quickly, I reviewed the events of the past few days in my head, wondering how I’d even gotten mixed up in all of this.

Suddenly, the guard captain, as well as a few men, came through the Oblivion gate.

“Look! There’s a tower!” he yelled, pointing. “There has to be a way to close the gate there!”
I shook my head. I was in for a long night.

The injured man’s eyes lit up and he limped over to his superior. “Captain! The Daedra took Claudius to that tower!” The captain turned to the men he was obviously leading. “They have one of our own in there! We must save him! For Kvatch!”

”For Kvatch!” The men echoed.

The captain pointed a commanding finger at Ro’Vir and me. “You two! Breton and Khajiit! Come with us! Help us save what is left of Kvatch!” I could see why this man had been marked for assassination. He had a very abrasive personality.

Reluctantly, I stepped forward, joining their ranks, and Ro’Vir followed. I needed to find a way to kill this man, and a little tour through Oblivion would be enjoyable, I was sure.

Savlian? Not him!

Once more you fail to dissapoint me!

If that is Savlian, I fear he's walked into a cauldron of boiling water, surrounded by man-eating Daedra, who are being commanded by wall of flaming death.

Anyways, excellent update Kayla. Now this guard captain is actually making two of the deadliest assassins in the Dark Brotherhood help him in defeating the Daedra. We'll see if he manages to spare his life through his actions...

Expect a nice update sometime soon! I've been swamped with work and school trying to get everything done before the holidays, but I haven't forgotten you guys!

Oh yeah, we'll be waiting for ya!

Awesome, new update soon! I can understand completely with the plight of last week before winter breack stress syndrome. In English class, they're making us do a project where we cut alliterations, consonances, assonances, and a whole host of other junk out of a perfectly good magazine. And then we have to write narratives and Hiakus (sp./ japanese peom with 5-7-5 sylabelles on each line).

Seriously, it seems that they drill things into us that we'll never use unless we specialize in it. I mean if we can write at least half-decent stories then I think we can survive without knowing how to write poems and cut things out of magazine ads. It's enough to drive someone crazy!

Anyway sorry to rant, I anxiously await the next update.