Hollow Victories
Ian S. McClure
“Have you seen Khari? He's missing!”.
I looked up from my paperwork, eyeing the Khajiit woman with my silver eyes. She was short, clad in purple clothes in the style of her people. Her large green eyes looked imploringly to me. I sighed- clearly I'd have to talk with Sergeant Eldelan again. Can't have the common rabble freely enter and leave the Thalmor camp, now could we?
Still, she was already here, so might as well hear her out.
“What seems to be the problem, miss? Who is Khari?” I asked.
She sighed, running a hand through her hair, and said: “He is this one's son. When Khari's father succumbed to skooma, he swore vengeance upon those responsible.”.
I smiled a bit to myself. The whole reason the Thalmor were in the area was to find the skooma peddlers and take out their operations- if this Khari, or his mother, knew where they were, it would save us a lot of time and trouble. The skooma trade, though not the worst I'd seen, was still quite strong on Khenarthi's Roost, and we had made dozens of arrests already. But if we took out the source, the flow of skooma through the streets of Mistral would trickle to a halt.
“Who is responsible? Do you know?” I asked, remaining calm.
She scowled, surprisingly dangerous-looking now.
“Smugglers and skooma-peddlers called Crosstree Bandits. Zulana- this one- saw her son captured by bandits and brought here, to Hazak's Hollow. It is named after Hazak, a vile skooma trader. Hazak destroys families and brings great warriors low with his filth. Please, rescue my son!”.
I nodded, recognizing the name. Hazak had numerous bounties already for his trade. If he was here along with these bandits, we could take him out and destroy his illicit business.
“Very well, miss Zulana. We will destroy Hazak's skooma operations and rescue your son.”.
She nodded, grateful. “Thank you. This one is but a widow- she cannot rescue him herself.”.
“Do not fear. The Thalmor will put an end to Hazak. Now, I must address my men. We have quite the fight ahead of us.”.
“Alright, men, this is it.” I said, eyeing the group of Altmer, Bosmer and Khajiit soldiers who stood at attention as I paced back and forth. “Thanks to a tip from the Khajiit woman Zulana, we have located the skooma peddlers. They are a gang known as the Crosstree Bandits. They're based in the nearby cove, Hazak's Hollow. It is our duty as soldiers of the Aldmeri Dominion to put an end to their vile trade.”.
I looked at the soldiers then- they were all mostly recruits, simple folk, locals of the island and from Elden Root that had volunteered themselves for the Thalmor. Only Sergeant Eldelan and I had any real experience. So, I said:
“I know that, for most of you, this will be your first battle. Maybe the last. I won't lie- the filthy bandits are numerous, and they know how to wield a blade. But, we must prevail over these scum. Would you let these criminals continue to sell poison to the good people of Mistral? Would you let them convert your mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters into babbling addicts?”.
The cry issued from all those present simultaneously. “No, sir!”.
I nodded. “Then, by Oblivion, we'll put every last one of these Crosstree Bandits to the sword!” I roared, to the cheering approval of my soldiers. Once the fervor had died down, I said: “Now. Here's the plan...”.
Said plan was simple. We would split our forces into three groups- one led by Sergeant Eldelan, one led by his sister Laereth, and one led by myself. Laereth's group would cover the entrance, ensuring that, once our mission was complete, we could exit the cove without obstruction. Eldelan's group would locate the alchemy stations where the skooma was prepared, and destroy them, while my group located and rescued Khari. Then, his group and mine would join forces to storm Hazak's chambers and end him for good.
The sounds of fighting echoed throughout the Hollow. Weapons against shields, arrows whistling through the air, and cries of pain from both bandit and Thalmor. My group was small- just me, a pair of Khajiit twins, and an Altmer. We all wielded a one-handed weapon and a shield. Despite the raging battle around us, we found little opposition- the few bandits that attempted to fight us were quickly defeated. I was pleasantly surprised with my chosen recruits, for they fought well and did not flinch at their duty. I made a mental note of promoting them after this.
“Look sire,” the Altmer woman said, pointing. “Over there! I think that's the hostage!”.
I followed the finger, and lo and behold, there was a young Khajiit, tied to a post. He was surprisingly unguarded- no doubt the bandits there were fighting elsewhere, or had fled. I looked to one of the Khajiit.
“Cover me. I'm untying him.”.
The youth looked up, eyeing me without fear as I drew a knife and began cutting through the rope. “Mother sent you, yes? It is good she can't see me trussed up like a sheep. The bandits were more challenging than I expected.”.
I looked up momentarily. “Next time, get help. A lone man shouldn't take on a whole cove of smugglers.”.
Khari laughed. “Oh, Mother could've killed a few when she scouted the cave… But no, I must always be tested.”.
I paused again, this time out of surprise.
“What do you mean, she scouted the cave?” I asked.
“You thought her a poor mewling widow? Ha! Mother is not what she seems. She warned me to watch and wait before approaching Hazak's Hollow. I have much to learn... I sought to avenge my father's memory, but was captured by bandits. Mother saw my capture, sent you Thalmor to assist. Next, you untie me, and we go kill Hazak. Simple, yes?'.
I shook my head, renewing my efforts with the rope.
“No. I can't allow a civilian to interfere with Thalmor business. No offense, but you don't even have a weapon.”.
Khari snorted. “I am no civiilian, I assure you. My weapons are my claws, my defense the agility the Two Moons gifted me. I can help you.”.
I untied him, and he got to his feet. “I repeat- no. Your mother wanted you back alive. I intend to give her just that.”.
Just then, I noticed that the sounds of battle resounded just behind me. I twisted- both Khajiit had fallen! The Altmer woman was alone, facing two swordsmen. 'Damn it.” I swore, cursing my lack of attention. I drew my mace and charged.
The first bandit didn't notice me. I bashed his head in with my weapon. The second rolled away, and slashed at the woman's feet. With a shout, she collapsed. I was alone against the warrior. He was a Breton, with short brown hair. We circled each other, weapons raised. He snarled, “Can't wait to count out yer coin!”. I replied, “Stop right there, criminal scum. Drop your weapons, and you will live.”. “Gods, shut up!” he roared, charging me. I raised my shield- but no sword glanced off of it.
I looked. Khari had leapt at the Breton, slicing apart his face with an amazing display of Khajiiti acrobatics and claw swipes. As he fell, Khari looked up with a grin.
“Told you.”.
I ran to my sole surviving soldier. She groaned, clutching her wounded leg. “Is- Is it bad, sir?” she asked, low. “Will I die?”.
“Not on our watch, you won't.” replied the voice of Sergeant Eldelan ,who quickly got to work bandaging the injury. He looked up. “Change of plans, sir. My team got annihilated. And looks like yours too. That Khajiit, from the look of things, fights pretty well. You two go fight Hazak- he's alone. I'll stay with the recruit, make sure she survives the day.”.
I nodded. “Auri-El guide you, then.”. I looked to Khari then. “Well, I don't really have a choice. You're coming with me. Come on.”.
The old Khajiit looked to us as we entered his room, weapons raised. Without a trace of alarm, he drew his mighty greatsword. Yet, his voice was tingled with regret when he said: “Khari…? Ah. I understand.”. With a wordless cry, Khari lunged at Hazak, dodging effortlessly the massive weapon. He slashed at Hazak's face, but it was only a minor injury. Hazak retaliated by bashing Khari aside with the blunt of his weapon, and then raised it to strike at the youth's uncovered head. Just then, I hit the smuggler in the back with my mace. As he grunted and stumbled, Khari leapt up and, in a gory finale, tore out the bandit's throat.
He looked at the corpse for a moment. “I don't know how Mother will take this.” he said, ignoring my curious glance.
The battle was ended by the time we came out. Surprisingly, Laereth's team was mostly intact, as they stood outside the door to Hazak's chambers. Eldelan looked up, supporting the last soldier from my team. “It's done, then? Hazak is dead?”. I nodded.
All the Thalmor present cheered, clapping and whooping. Yet, when I looked at Khari, his face was contemplative, as though in heavy thought. “Come on.” I told him. “Let's get you back to your mother.”.
But, as he exited the cove, it was to see at least five bandits dead on the bloodied sand, and Zulana- now hooded, and wielding a dagger- standing over them. “It is done, is it not?” she asked. Khari nodded.
She sighed, removing the hood, and running a hand through her hair again.
“Then you have done what I could not. My husband now rests with the ancestors, free of the skooma enslaving him. Moons guide his path.”.
“Husband? Khari killed his father?” I asked, shocked.
She nodded. “When Hazak embraced skooma with more affection than he did me, I gave him every chance to claw his way back. But skooma-peddlers are slavers of the mind itself. When Hazak turned his addiction into enterprise, there was no return.”.
“Er, hope you don't mind me asking.” Eldelan piped up. “How'd you kill all these bandits?”.
She smiled. “Poisoned arrows to stun, a blade to finish. I spoke to each as they lay frozen on the sand, before adding crescent moons… to their throats. These unclawed shaveskins had it coming for pulling Khari's father into their fold… I noted the ardor of the moons within you, and sent you to aid Khari. That is help, yes? But, I would know, how did my son fare against Hazak? Did he fight bravely, as he was taught?”.
“Most certainly.” I said without hesitation. I paused for a bit, then I asked what all my soldiers were thinking.
“Who are you two, really?”.
“Ahzirr traajijazeri. 'We justly take by force.'. At Two-Moons Dance, we study the thin line between justice and vengeance. We train so we will always know the difference... Enjoy your life, walker. You never know when those you love can slip away.”. She turned to her son then. “As for you, Khari. You have done what mother could not.”.
“I did what I knew to be right. To restore our family's honor.” he said, low.
“You've proven yourself worthy.” she said, embracing Khari.
“I understand. I will dance beneath the Two Moons, as you have taught me.”.
And with that, they simultaneously threw strange balls onto the ground. They emitted a thick smoke, causing us all to cough. And when it dissipated, Zulana and Khari were gone. I looked to what remained of my Thalmor. “We're going back to Mistral, men.” I said. “Let's go.”.
And so, we marched away, carrying our wounded and dead.
((Author's Note)): Yay, more Memoirs! This one is a direct adaptation of a quest in Online, but I did add a few things here and there for more action and stuff. I'll probably keep doing this with other quests that don't warrant a place in Agents of the Queen or other future series. Hope you enjoyed!
Comments
Not all is as it seems....
Nicely done.