C.O.T.W Chapter 72: No Bad Deed Goes Unpunished

  • As the Argonian and Khajiit exited the mead hall and went down the steps towards the Gildergeen. Hasir stopped so abruptly that

    Inigo bumped into him and fell onto the cobblestone,

    "What's up, my friend?" Inigo asked brushing of dust as he got to his feet again, "Why have we stopped? I thought we were going to

    the temple of Kynareth to see how the harbinger was doing."

     

    Hasir rounded on him so fast that his tail nearly whipped the khajiit in the face,

    "Inigo, if you want to go to the temple then go ahead, I, on the other claw, am wanting to find out more of these 'visions' of yours."

    Hasir snapped at him

     

    Inigo insisted on going to the temple. Hasir huffed in annoyance and mumbled under he breath that he would rather go and find the

    source of Inigo's visions. The khajiit lent against the stone wall by the tree and began tapping his foot impatiently; In the end, Hasir

    hissed agitatedly and followed Inigo toward the temple, tail tucked tightly between his legs. Danica opened the door and smiled,

    albeit a bit uneasily as she saw the Argonian coming toward her along with a khajiit she had seen twice before.

     

    Inigo positively beamed as he saw Danica, even his tail did a little dance of delight,

    "Danica, nice to see you again, may we come in?" The Imperial nodded and invited them in and showed both of them to Kodlak's bed

    beside which Affraji stood looking utterly crestfallen-more for what Aela might do than her own emotions.   

      

    Danica saw Hasir leaning against the bed five feet from when the harbinger of the mead hall lay. Hasir caught Inigo's gaze and both

    turned red as a crimson nirnroot. Hasir moved over toward Inigo, still not looking at him but instead looking at the nord laying

    unconscious on the stone bed. 

     

    Hasir's eye roamed over Kodlak's enitre body, wondering why the harbinger ended up here. His blue eyes went wide as septims as

    he saw a leather cast on Kodlak's leg. The Argonian looked from the healer to the khajiit leaning against the stone slab, looking

    despondent,

    "How did he come to be like this?" He asked as he walked over to Affraji, tail flickering like a snake's tongue behind him. He leant

    against the stone slab next to the khajjiit.

     

    He waved at the khajiit as she saw him; she returned the kind gesture with a slight nod of her head,

    "Aela told me that you attacked her, is this true?" He asked, his eyes narrowing.

     

    The khajiit silently nodded and looked around nervously as if looking for a way out,

    "Yes, Affraji attacked Aela but she only did so because she has fallen in love with a blue khajiit."

     

    Hasir grabbed the khajiit and turned her around sharply to look at the harbinger, laying unconscious on the stone bed,

    "Oh really?" He hissed angrily, drumming the edge of the stone bed with his claw, "Tell me, if you were aiming to kill Aela, how did

    this happen?" Affraji just stared at him, too shaken up to speak; feeling his anger spilling over like a vocano with no way to stem the

    inevitable eruption, he unsheathed his sword and stabbed in forcibly into the stone bed, nearly where Affraji's hand was minutes

    before, "Tell me, Hircine damnit, what happpened to the harbinger, speak you filthy sea dog." Affraji gasped as Hasir began to

    transform into her very eyes into a black and white wolf.

     

    Affraji scurried away from the wolf, who approached her, flecks of foam clearly visible as it snarled at her. The female khajiit did not

    have any dealings with werewolves on the open sea so she did not know how to handle this one; she tried to remember what he

    mother would often say when she was faced with situations that scared her or she was nervous about, Affraji closed her eyes and

    thought back to her childhood; when she was just a kitten aboard their ship: The Lunar Maiden, her mother would act out various

    scenarios where she would sneak up behind Affrai and scare her. The first time she did this, Affraji nearly fell into the water out of

    fright; the more and more it was done however, the harder the khajiit's fur became.

     

    Affraji's mother, Ra'rassa, told her that the thing that scares her is not real that it is all in her head. Mother, this thing is real, help

    this one not get eaten, plase, by the grace of the mother cat. She thought as her eyes remained screwed up tight. After not hearing

    from her mother, she opened her eyes and stared the wolf dead in the eyes. Affraji realized this mistake too soon as the wolf lunged

    at her.

      

    She ran for the door of the temple, not daring to look behind her; the wolf deftly leapt over the stone bed in the cent of the temple;

    Affraji cried out in pain as the ferocious wolf bite down on her ankle. Affraji felt the pressure increased and she had to fight

    unconsciousness. It was no use; the khajiit teetered dangerously on one foot and fell face first onto the stone bed, where she lay,

    unconscious as an unknown disease, at least to her, ravaged her body. 

     

    Hasir, or rather the wolf part of him curled up next to her on the floor and fell alseep; satisfied with himself that his hunger had been

    satiisfiedd. If his yin half, the reptilian half of himself ever found out what Twilight had done he would not be happy. Twilight pushed

    this thought far out of his mind as he slept.

     

    The next morning came as rays of sunlight shone through the windows like tiny beacons of Kynareth herself becaoning everyone to

    wake up and start their day. Hasir woke up, rubbed his eyes and looked over to where Danica sat, arm draped over the chair she had

    brought over the night before as her head lulled over the side of the chair. Hasir walked over to her and shook her awake,

    "What happened? Kodlak didn't wake up did he?" She asked as she sat bolt upright

     

    Hasir stole a quick glance at the harbinger who remained the way he had done the night he was brought in. Danica jumped as there

    came three successive knocks on the temple door. Danica got up, strecth and walked to the door,

    "Keep your trousers on!" She yelled as she moved toward the door.

     

    She peered through the crack that she had made in the door and saw fiery red hair. She opened the door the rest of the way and

    gestured them inside,

    "Aela, what are you doing here?" Danica asked 

     

    The female nord said she was here because she heard a certain khajiit brough the harbinger here after attacking him. Confused, the

    Imperial asked her about the attack and who did it; in response, the nord gestured to Affraji's unconscious body and then to the

    harbinger,

    "Affraji injured Kodlak, I am here to-" she began but examined the unconscious khajiit a bit closer, "So, that bitch finally got what

    she deserved." The nord said, delighted as her mouth curled into a malicious sneer.

     

    Danica came over, felt her fur with her fingers,

    "Aela, have some respect." Danica shot at her, "she is unconscious not dead." She said, spinning around and glaring at Aela. She

    paused in her thought process and frowned, "although I can't rightfully say why she came to be in such a state." 

     

    Aela went over to Haisr and put a hand on his shoulder. She asked him if he knew anything about this,

    "I dunno, she just fell over, I didn't do anything, in fact, I tried to help her, must be a fainting problem." He said, stupidly

     

    Aela gripped his left shoulder harder, causing Hasir to cry out in pain,

    "Funny." Aela said, sarcastically, "Now tell me who really did this!" She said as she increased the pressure on his shoulder

     

    Hasir had to fight blacking out not just because she's gripping his bad arm but also to think properly. Hasir sighed and told Aela he

    lost his temper at Affraji becasue he wanted information on how Kodlak got hurt. Aela frowned as she folded her arms across he

    chest,

    "Well, Hasir." She said, heaving a deep sigh, "Kodlak appointed me acting harbinger for the time being, so, I guess I have no choice

    but to banish you from Jorrvaskr ... at least until you can control your anger." She glanced at Hasir, who sunk to the floor, head in his

    hands. "Look at it this way, you are a loose cannon that could go of for any reason and once you figure out what that reason is, I

    can't let you back into the meadhall." With that said she lent over Kodlak's bed and, seeing that the harbinger's wound still wasn't

    healed, walked over to where Affraji lay and kicked her hard in the ribs.

     

    The khajiit groaned as she landed with a thump on the floor. Hasir shot up and walked over to Aela and punched her hard on the

    shoulder She cried out in pain and shot Hasir a dirty look,

    "What in Oblivion did you do that for?" She asked as she advanced on the prideful Argonian

     

    Hasir sat down on on a stone bed near the one she rudely pushed Affraji off of and explained that she needs to use her words; not

    everything can be solved with brute force and that sometimes, she needs to show a little compassion. Aela growled at him and

    shoved him off of the stone,

    "How's that for compassion?" She asked, sticking her tongue out at him, "it doesn't matter anyway because you still can't get into

    Jorrvaskr." Aela craned her neck to see what Inigo was doing; the khajiit was sitting against the wall licking his privates. 

     

    Aela had to fight the urge to throw up, She had always thought Khajiit and Argonians the bottom of the societal ladder,

    "Ugh, why don't you take him with you. Hircine help that poor creature, he must have fleas." She said, pinching her nose

     

    Hasir stood up and walked over to Inigo. Aela gawked at the Argonian,

    "I figured your kind would stick together." She said, sniggering

     

    Hasir hissed angrily at her and warned her the Argonian and the Khajiit can be dangerous at the worst of times. Inigo heard this as

    well and stood up. His fur started to turn black as he strode angrily towards Aela. He glared at the nord with his eyes which have

    ceased to be pumpkin orange and were now blood red,

    "Liisten nord, I heard you saying hurtful things to that Khajiit over there, you'd best apologize now or else things will get nasty." He

    said, baring his fangs at her. The black fur disappeared as soon as it had come; Aela released Inigo and slapped him across the

    cheek.

     

    Inigo rubbed his cheek which was the same shade of red more or less as Aela's hair,

    "Ow, what was that for!?" Inigo asked, shocked. Aela said that was for him not warning her about Affraji and her jealousy. Inigo

    rubbed his sore cheek, "relax, I am sure you and Affraji will become really good friends, just give her time to warm up to you. She

    was that way for me too."  He said unconvincingly. Aela turned away in a huff and strode over to where Affraji and Danica were

    watching Kodlak's progress, although the wound seemed no better than the night before.

     

    Inigo saw Hasir leaning against one of the support pillars and walked, tail moving to and fro behind him, over to the Argonian who

    had his arms folded across his chest, apparently deep in thhought,

    "My friend, am I inteeerrupting something?" He asked the Argonian

     

    Hasir seemed to come out of a deep sleep,

    "Hm? No, Inigo you are fine, I was just thinking of something." 

     

    Inigo asked Hasir what his was thinking about; to which Hasir told the khajiit is was nothing. Inigo prodded Hasir harder for an

    answer but still he gave the same answer. Frustrated, Inigo did it again; only then did the Argonian finally reveal his thought

    process. He told the khajiit he was busy thinking of the tower in Inigo's vision and the best way to get there. The khajiit said for

    Hasir not to worry because he know how to get there, he did not know how he knew but he did. 

     

    Hasir stepped away the pillar as his eyes flicked open, he looked over to Aela and the harbinger,

    "They will be fine alone for awhile, let's go." Hasir said, motioning the blue khajiit to follow him.

     

    The two left the temple without even giving Aela or Danica some sign that they were leaving. When outside, Hasir beathed in a

    lungful of Whiterun air before telling Inigo something else that was troubling him. When Hasir finished, Inigo's smile vanished,

    "My friend, that is horrible, if I get my claws on Aela, I would tear into her like there was no tomorrow." He said, punching the

    temple's wooden doorframe.

     

    Hasir chuckled to himself,

    and they say I need anger management? He thought, shaking his head

     

    Hasir smirked and asked how his hand was,

    "Don't joke about such things my friend." He said, rubbing his sore paw, "Dammit, my paw feel like it is on fire." he said though

    gritted teeth.

     

    Hasir looked skyward and saw something run across the rooftop of Whiterun start toward him. When this thing or being, whatever it

    was got to the roof of Jorrvaskr, it slid gracefully down the curved wooden roof and landed on all four paws. Seeing them, it sprang

    to its feet immediately and walked over to them.

     

    Hasir's eyes went wide when he recognized who this was, 

    "Tigress, long time no see." He said as he hugged her

     

    He stopped abruptly and asked her what she was doing here; in response, she fixed him with a slightly worried expression, 

    "Hasir, your grandmother is dead, killed by Silverhand members near the throat of the world." She said, struggling to breathe

    properly.

     

    Hasir eyed her suspisiously as he roared with laughter,

    "No, she isn't, my grandmother can take on the Silver hand with one claw tied behind her back." He said, chuckling

     

    Tigress sighed as she covered her face with her claw not ready to believe the Argonian didn't know about this a lot sooner. Hasir

    narrowed his eyes at her,

    "So, how did she die exactly? Did they sprinkle silver dust over her or did she just fall on her own sword, so to speak." He asked

    crossly

     

    Tigress furrowed her eyebrow in confusion. She shook her head,

    "Er, no, her death was a tragedy." She said, glanced downward, "her capture by the silver hand will be a hard pill to swallow to be

    sure." Tigress sighed, She told Hasir that his grandmother had entered the fort, which was named driftshade refuge. She had

    thought she could handle the five silverhand members but what she did not expect, Tigress had told him, was the ten nords,

    imperials and bretons all pointing her silver swords at her.

     

    Tigress told him that her adrenaline caused her to transform. The silverhand members laughed as they beheld the miserably frail

    werewolf; Their leader, a burly nord clad in nordic carved armor named Krev the Skinner unsheathed a massive, two handed silver

    sword and pointed it directly at the Argonian's chest,

    "What do we have here? A lost little wolf pup, wonderful." He said smirking evilly, "want a bone little pup? Krev's tone dropped to a

    whiser, "ooooh, soory, no bone, but I have this nice greatsword begging for your blood." There was a horrible squelching noise as the

    skinny grey wolf was run through with the silver greatsword. The wolf weakened by the silver, got to her paws again and was

    immediately captured by the silver hand. 

     

    Hasir asked her about the seemingly alive corpse. He had thought that the elderly Argonian had met her end but Tigress again shook

    her head and told him that since she was a werewolf she had amazingly fast healing abilities and what also helped was the burly

    nord missed her heart. She told him that Ocheeva became terribly enraged when injured as all werewolves do and she ran into the

    fort and slaughtered everyone inside. Tigress finished her tale and smiled.

     

    Hasir screwed his face up in thought, finally letting a thought escape its prison,

    "So, Ocheeva was captured?" He asked her, confused by all this, "We have to go after her then."

     

    Tigress shot him a dirty look and chuckled,

    "Yeah...and do what? The moment we set foot near that fort, the silver hand will know. Remember that the silver hand answer only

    to Molag Bal."

     

     She saw him open his mouth to say something but she cut across him before the thought escaped his scaly lips,

    "Even if we do manage to get into the fort without being seen, it's not like we can sneak up to her cage and open it. There may be

    other werewolves captured by them as well." She eyed Hasir depairingly, "even if we found her, we would have to fight all the other

    werewolves."

     

    If the Argonian guessed what the female Ka'po'tun said was true than he would deal with Ocheeva's captors after going to snowpoint

    beacon and seeing what was so important about it,

    "Tigress, I have a vision quest to go on, I can't just abandon it to go after my grandmother." He looked at her, studying her features

    for a long time before opening his mouth again, "how about this: you go to the fort while Inigo and I go on this vision quest and I'll

    meet you at the fort later, yeah?"

     

    This thought marinated in Tigress' brain like a bit of venison getting seasoned before she grudginly accepted his proposal,

    "Okay, I think that would work." She gave Hasir a stern look, "good luck, but remember, go directly to the fort afterwards, don't go

    chasing butterflies."

     

    Hasir looked at her and chuckled,

    "Chase butterflies, why in Oblivion would I do that?" Tigress growled at him. causing him to recoil like a mouse trying to escape a

    hungry snake,

    "Ok, Ok, I'll be at the fort after my business is done."

     

     Hasir turned toward the city gates, motioning Inigo to follow him; together, they traversed the hard cobblestone until they got to the

    gates that seperated the lushious green fields that stood before Whiterun and the city itself. Inigo opened the heavy doors and 

    stepped onto the stone path that snaked all the way from Whiterun to the fields beyond. 

     

    When they made it to the stables, they stopped dead when they saw Rakel leaning against one of the wooden pillars, 

    "Rakel, what are you doing here? I thought you would be back at the temple, Unconscious." He tried to hide his surpise but failed

    miserably, He inspected her from head to toe, seeing no trace of the silver gash that landed her there in the first place. Rakel barked

    a laugh, "Hasir, are... you checking me out?"

     

    The lizard shook his head,

    "N-no, I was just-erm, seeing if you still had any trace of the silver wound you sported earlier at the temple that's all." He smirked,

    hoping she would take the bait. To tell the truth he was feelinganother, more primal force at play here, one he didn't fully

    understand, nor could ever explain.

     

    Rakel barked her signiture laugh again as she shook her head,

    "Hasir, I was only joking. As for the silver gash on my neck, I'm a werewolf you silly reptile, I heal instantly, well young ones do

    anyway." She said distractedly. As she said this, she turned and start into the horizon behind the great walled city.

     

     Hasir gawked at her and wondered how the older werewolves are different than the young ones,

    "How do young werewolves differ from old werewolves, aren't they the same thing?" He asked confused

     

    Rakel shook her head and told him that older werewolves cannot heal as effeciently as their younger counterparts. Hasir was not

    listening, that same feeling was stealing over him again, making his stomach turn over horribly. Rakel looked at him and waved a

    hand in front of the Argonian's blankly staring eyes,

    "Hasir, anyone home?" Hasir did not seem to hear her, he was too busy fighting the wolf inside of him 

      

    After several seconds, Rakel gasped as she saw a look that she hadn't seen before in the Argonian's eyes: a hungry, almost angry

    look. Rakel gulped as she knew nothing good could come of this and hid behind one of the stable's support pillars. The next moment,

    Rakel heard a snarl and looked around; five feet away, Hasir's fangs were bared-more for trying to keep his wolf down than anything

    else-and Rakel knew it as well. 

     

    Rakel shouted Hasir's name but he did not hear her as he rushed toward the scared Nord, a wierd look in his eyes,

    "Hasir, what do you think you're doing?" She yelled as the frantic Argonian chased her around the stables, "What on Nirn has gotten

    into you? You're not acting like yourself." Rakel stopped by a haypale to rest, only to find Hasir, leaning against the opposite wall.

    Rakel stared, frozen in horror at Hasir. Hasir leapt, like an overgrown frog, using his back legs as a springboard and rocketed over

    the nearby horse toward the nord pinning her against the wall next to a black horse grazing on

     

    Hasir started kissing her nonstop, Rakel had to force him away from her as she eyed him confusedly,

    "Hasir, What on Nirn do you think you're doing? You are acting really strange." Hasir said he did not know, pausing just long

    enough between attacking Rakel's neck for a breath. Rakel wrenched Hasir off of her and scurried toward the opposite wall. Hasir

    turned and lunged for her again, but Rakel was ready for him, catching him full in the face with her foot.

     

    The blow seemed to knock some sense back into Hasir as his eyes lost that lovesick hatchling look,

    "Rakel, by Hircine and Kynareth, what happened?"

     

    Rakel recounted the strange exchange that happened a few minutes before, she told Hasir that she saw a strange hunger in his eyes

    that was not there before. Hasir asked, absent-mindedly, about what kind of glint she did see in his eye; she scratched his chin, not

    knowing why she did this and realizing this, she recoiled immediately. Rakel told Hasir about what she saw in his eyes,

    "Hasir, I, er, saw something wierd in your eyes. I've never seen that look before." Hasir turned bright red and said he had no idea

    why he did this;, he tore his gaze from Rakel and fixed it, instead on a pile of straw that covered the floor, "I did feel rather stange

    though as though my wolf forced itself to the forefront while my true mind was locked away in the wolf's cage."   

     

    Rakel thought on this and turned to Hasir, who was busy feeling feeling crestfallen with his tail curled tightly between his legs and

    smirked,

    "Hasir, I didn't know any better, that feeling you had a few minutes ago... was love." Rakel said, smiling broadly at the bewildered

    Argonian

     

    Hasir sniggered and relaxed a bit,

    "What in Oblivion-? What are you going on about?" He asked her

     

    Rakel shot daggers at the sheepish looking Argonian,

    "You moron," She said as she seized a handful a water from the basin near her, splashing it on the Argonian's face making him yelp,

    "I am taking about love." Hasir screwed his face up at this, "Love? You must be joking, besides my wolf was in control, not me." He

    said, embarrassingly. The nord cleared her throat and asked Hasir if there was something else on his mind other than some infation

    that was buried under years of thick-headedness. 

     

    Hasir and Inigo, who had stepped out from the pillar near where Hasir was standing, finally stepped out and told the nord that the

    Argonian was kicked out of the mead hall and, as such, cannot return until he controlled his temper because he had lost it one too

    many times and even attacked two innocent friends of his, killing one of them. Rakel gasped and asked him where he was going to

    go now that he could not, for the time being, return to Jorrvaskr.   

     

    Hasir told her that both he and Inigo werre off to Snowpoint Beacon to chase some vision that Inigo had a few days before. Rakel

    burst out laughing, causing Inigo to stare waspishly at her,

    "If you have had these visions, you wouldn't be laughing." He said, in a low voice, "I can, however, live with being a vampire, but

    these visions... they're tearing my head apart." Inigo thundered, eyes streaming with tears. 

     

    Rakel stared intensely into Inigo's bright orange eyes and punched him in his shoulder, sending him reeling into a nearby haybale.

    Hasir stepped away from the wall, his tail relaxing at last and strode over to the haybale where Inigo had fallen into. He helped the

    bewildered khajiit to his feet and helped brush the loose hay off of Inigo's furred armor. Inigo smiled broadly and thanked him; Hasir

    smiled back saying not to mention it.

     

    Hasir saw Rakel sitting on a nearby haybale with her head in her hands; Hasir sat next to her and hugged her. Hasir had thought

    Rakel would turn away or be revolted by this, but she leaned into the hug. They stayed like this for two hours, Hasir tail wrapped

    around Rakel's leg. Hasir gasped, craning his neck to seeing moonlight poking out from behind some cloud,

    "Hircine dammit, Rakel, I'm sorry but I really have to get going to Snowpoint Beacon. He said guiltily as the released his tail's grip

    on Rakel's ankle and got to him feet. 

     

    When Hasir got to his feet he fell onto his hands and knees as he started to transform. A man with a purple suit with intricate

    symbols appeared feet about Hasir's rapidly contorting body,

    "Oh what fun, Mr. wolfie is back. are we off to another caverrn?" Inigo said proudly that they are off to a tower far to the northern

    reaches of Skyrim. Inigo's smile faded as he turned around and screamed. Sheogorath beamed at him, "Who do we have here?" His

    face fell suddenly, "Oh, sorry Mr. Whiskers, I don't have any kibble for you, no yarnballs either." He said, shrugging.

     

    Inigo said for the daedric prince to stop antagonizing him and asked who he was,

    "So sorry, where are my manners? I am Sheogorath nice to meet you." He said extending his hand

     

    Inigo scratched his head,

    "I'm sorry, who?" He asked, creasing his forehead

     

    Sheogorath slapped his head with his hand,

    "Oh, come now, Sheogorath? The Daedric Prince of madness?" A jester's hat appeared on the daedric prince's head, "The creator of

    the Shivering Isles?" Once again he gestured with his hands, a map of the Shivering Isles floated mere inches from his face.    

     

    Inigo said again that she didn't know who he was; Sheogorath groaned and floated over to Inigo,

    "Little kitten, does that think in front of you not make you squirm out of revulsion?" Inigo shook his head, a strange calmness

    gripped at him like a vice; this enraged Sheogorath greatly, "You do not feel even a quiver of fear?" He asked, bewildered.

     

    In response, Inigo shook his head and chuckled,

    "No, I've seen this before," He said

     

    He stood up and rounded on Sheogorath, glared at him and proceed to make a shooing gesture with him paw, extended toward the

    madgod,

    "Go and torment someone else." He shot back with a snarl

     

    Sheogorath rotated himself so that he hung upside down and frowned at him, gave him a disapproving look and snapped his fingers,

    disappearing from sight.

     

    Inigo gasped and ran over to the bag that lay next to the wolf and rummaged into it, tossing aside various potions as he went

    deeper into the bag. The khajiit's lamp-like orange eyes glistened with silver as Inigo pulled the Ring of Hircine from Hasir's bag and

    tried to jam it onto one of Twilight's claws. Twilight noticed this and backed away, snarling at the khajiit. Rgw jgahiit growled in

    frustration and placed the ring back in the bag, not wanting to aggravate the wolf any further. He made his mind up for moth of

    them and got on the wolf while grinning stupidly at Rakel,

    "Where in Oblivion do you think you're going?" Rakel asked as she got to her feet

     

    Inigo told her where they were going. Rakel mounted a horse, paid the stablehand, who was leaning against the far pillar and

    followed them, muttering under her breath. Rakel galloped hard to catch up to the khajiit who was speeding off toward the throat of

    the world. Rakel finally caught up to the khajiit midway to the mountain,

    "What do you think you're doing? Twilight is not a horse." She smiled and gestured behind her, "There's a village missing an idiot."

    She had to talk loud not only because of the constant drumming of hooves and paws on the cobblestone but also the rustling

    of grass.

     

    This idiom was completely lost on Inigo as he screwed his face up in confusion,

    "What? We did pass a village but I saw no idiot." He said, stupidly

     

    Rakel chuckled at how what she had said sailed over his head like a cliffracer. Inigo turned to face her, a bewildered look on his face,

    "My friend, er, what's so funny? Do I have something in my fur?" Rakel shook her head, still laughing. She almost slide off the horse

    she was laughing so much. Inigo turned away from her again and saw the mountain coming up fast. As Inigo increased his speed, so

    did Rakel. They both sped northward on a cobblestone road adjacent to the Throat of the World, reading various roadsigns as they

    went.

     

    Rakel rode next to Inigo's lupine steed and asked him why he was going to Snowpoint Beacon; he told her that there is something

    he had to do there. Rakel had many more questions but decided it was best not to ask them until they got to their destination. They

    rode in silence for most of the journey, all Rakel could hear was the rustling of green as they rushed passed and the drum-like

    pounding of hooves and paws of their steeds as they sped onwards. 

     

    At around Midnight, after seeing nothing but tree, gras and some villages they passed, they finally set eyes on the magnificent tower

    standing tall in the northern tundra. Inigo and Rakel left their steeds to the left of the tower and went inside. What they had once

    thought to be a wholly unblemished tower was actually a rundown tower seemingly destroyed by a dragon attack. Inigo sniifed the

    air, uncertain of where to go from here. He surmized they had to go up the stairs as the scent was coming from the direction, to

    Inigo it smelt of wood, coal and something else almost like he smelled a fellow vampire nearby. Something black and white rushed

    passed Inigo and Rakel and they traversed the stone steps and leapt through the massive whole that looked like it was blasted

    apar tby a swipe from a dragon's tail. 

     

    Rakel and Inigo followed the white and black blur through the whole and up a stone pathway to a strange hoouse that sat at the end

    of the path. Inigo squinted as he saw the sun peaking over the mountaintops in the distance while Rakel just stared at the wooden

    shack, apparently never having seen one before. Hasir turned to her,

    "Rakel, I thought you have seen loads of wooden shacks where you come from." She turned to him and smiled, "I have but none of

    them were as plain as this hut is."

      

    Making sure not to draw unwanted attention, Hasir discretely clipped Inigo on the back of the head; the khajiit rubbed his sore head,

    "Really Inigo, riding my wolf as if he was horse? I will never understand how you think." He said

     

    He trudged through the snow towards the plain cabin door. Hasir tried the door, putting all he weight against it; the door did not

    budge. Inigo walked up behind him and tried the door as well; he found success where the Argonian had failed. The Argonian

    snarled loadly,

    "I loosened the door, you stupid moron." He hissed. Inigo smirked amusedly to himself and disappeared through the door, closely

    followed by the Argonian and the nord. 

     

    When inside the cabin, an impressive sight met Hasir eyes; several paintings hung on the wall to the right of a large stone fireplace,

    below the paintings was a table with a diary and a quill sitting on it. Hasir went over to one of the paintings and looked at it: A black

    furred khajiit with evil red eyes stood among the flames as if he came straight out of Oblivion.

     

    Hasir shrugged, gesturing to the painting and called out to the blue khajiit, eyes wide in shock as he thought some crazed lunatic

    must live here,

    "Inigo, this looks a bit like you." He said smiling as Inigo walked over and inspected the paint thoroughly. Inigo nodded as his eyes

    went wide in horror as he saw his face staring back at him from the paintings. Inigo screwed his face up in disgust and turned away

    from this rather unsettling display of obsession. 

     

    Inigo saw a man in black robes fast asleep on a furred bed that lay in the corner of the shack. Inigo inched closer and cleared his

    throat,

    "Helo sir, nice home you have here," He said as he looked around smiling, "Do you mind if we stay here of a bit?" He asked hoping

    the man would be okay with this. The khajiit's heart leaped as the man heard his question, opened his eyes and slid off the bed.

     

    Inigo and Hasir walked over to the table the was in the corner or the shack opposite of the staircase that led to the loft of the shack.

    They both sat down in two wooden chairs and the man walked up and sat down in the chair next to Inigo and smiled broadly at him.

    Inigo looked shocked as he saw the man's eyes momentarily flash bright, blood red.

     

    The man introduced himself as Langley and it was he who contacted Inigo. Hasir creased his forehead at Inigo and pointed at the

    man with his least claw,

    "Inigo, do you know him?" He asked

     

    Inigo shook his head,

    "I'm sorry my friend, I don't." He said, shrugging

     

    Rakel huffed and folded her arms on the table. She had no idea how in Oblivion he knew the khajiit. Hasir cut across him and took

    out a stack of books from his bag that he had taken from the metal and stone mansion. He put the books in the middle of the table

    and turned o langley. He grabbed a book, opened it to a page with a large stone archway with blue mist swirling in the middle. Hasir

    slid the book across the table like a fish on ice over to langley,

    "Do you know anything of this?" The Argonian asked, tapping the picture of the portal with a black clawed fingernail

     

    Langley sat in silence for the longest time before nodding, 

    "Yes, I think I remember," He become lost in thought, "Ah yes, I helped create that portal some time ago."

     

    Langley started dissolving as if he was not morphing reality around himself but he was morphing while reality was was remaining

    still. Hasir's eyes went wide and his jaw hit the floor as the black jacket lackey wore dissolved as a bronze-golden set of elven armor

    took its place and the black hair retreated back inside his head and a curtain of white hair fell down to his shoulders, his face lost its

    color while his cheeks sank inwards; where langley sat minutes before now sat a white elf. The elf grinned at them as Inigo and

    Hasir still looked shocked. 

     

    Inigo craned his neck at Langley,

    "Langley, what happened?" He asked, curious

     

    The white elf shook his head saying he was not Langley,

    "I am not langley," He said, shaking his head. He placed his palms on the table and stood up, "My name is Qynar, my brother,

    Casarind, and I, like I said, were the ones who made the portal in the cave beyond Glenmoril coven." He paused and stared at Hasir,

    "That portal is not the only one on Tamriel," He glanced from Hasir to Inigo and back again and slowly shook his head, "no, there are

    several similar portals scattered around the continent: Cyrodiil, Morrowind,, Daggerfall, and yes, even Elsweyr and Blackmarsh." He

    said, looking at the khajiit's and Argonian's slackjawed expressions. Hasir closed his mouth and sniggered at Inigo.   

      

    Qynar even started to laugh at the wide-eyed, slack-jjawed Khajiit,

    "Inigo, close your damn mouth, you're letting fleshflies in." He said, chuckling. Inigo got up and went over to the bed where 'langley'

    lay moments before and bent down; his eyes went wide as he saw a heavy wooden trapdoor fixed to the floor with a heavy black

    ringed handle poking out of the wood grain trapdoor like a one long horn set into a dragon's skull.  He start to open in when he

    caught something out of the corner of his eye.

     

    On the third shelf bookshelf set against the wall to the right of the fireplace next to another picture of the blue khajiit. was a small

    doughy bun covered with icing sitting next to several books, an apple and a wheel of cheese. The blue khajiit stood up and strode

    over to the bookshelf, picked up the small icing-laden treat and smelled it. The sweet scents of butter, yeast, brown sugar and and

    cinnamon permeated his nostrils making the khajiit's mouth water. Saliva dripped from the khajiit's open was like water from a

    stalactite. He took a bite of the doughy treat.

     

    Fireworks went of in his mouth as the flavors began mixing with his saliva as he munched on the sweet roll. He had never tasted

    anything so good, not in Elsweyr or Cyrodiil anyway.

     

    Hasir stared in horror as he ran over to the khajiit,

    "Inigo, you can eat later, for now we have to find out how to stop Molag Bal from sucking the planet dry." Inigo ignored him and

    continued munching on the doughy goodness of the sweetroll. Hasir dragged the khajiit, who was busy licking his clawed fingers,

    over to the table and ordered him to sit in the chair; Hasir took the seat opposite. 

     

    Qynar looked smirking at Inigo; worried about the negative effects of the doughy sweet roll,

    "You like sweet rolls I see," He continued, smrking at the khajiit, who nodded and stared back at the elf. The elf's face suddenly fell,

    "Sweetroll addiction can be serious if not controlled."

     

    Inigo stared unblinkingly at Qynar,

    "I'm sorry? What? speak up, I'm a little deaf in my left ear." He said pointed to his left ear

     

    The elf repeated his statement, somewhat louder. Inigo chortled at him and waved a blue paw,

    "Sweetrooll Addiction? there is no such thing and if there were, I would be a sweetroll instead of a khajiit." He said as he chuckled at

    the elf's and Hasir's dumbstruck expressions. Hasir leapt to his feet as he heard a knock on the shack door. He opened it and his

    heart leapt while his face a mask of confusion. A golden figure asked if they could come in. Hasir gestured them inside and sat back

    down again as the two newcomers stood against the wall behind the chair that Hasir sat upon. 

     

    Ceralyne cleared her throat which caused Hasir to turned around,

    "Hasir, I nice to see you again," She said as smiling at him, walked up to him and extended her long, golden hand, "After we left

    each other at the temple of Kynareth, I was called away the the Isle of Arteam by the head of the psiijic order because he had seen,

    in one of the water-like portals on the palace floor, which also double as looking glasses, an image of Tamriel destroyed and teeming

    with vampires and other foul creatures of the daedric prince of domination. 

      

    Hasir blinked to make sure he had heard this correctly,

    "So what you're saying is," he said pacing to and fro before her, "You saw the future?"

     

    The high elf nodded and explained, in further detail, the psiijic guild that resided on the island,

    "Yes, the psiijic order can see that which other cannot." Hasir furrowed his brow at this, "what I mean is that the order has a kind of

    sixth sense to ascertain certain things that are out of the grasp of those with shorter lifespans."

     

    She knew she said something wrong immediately beacus Hasir's lip curled as he let out a low growl,

    "Why don't you shut your mouth. Now!" He yelled making her recoil further into the woodwork. Hasir's anger apated somewhat as he

    gestured toward Glim, "Why is he here, did he see the vision as well?"

     

    Ceralyne shook her head for several minutes while she chuckled. Hasir looked at him and grunted in displeasure,

    "No, Glim had not gone there with me, I went alone, er, how do I put this," She said screwing up her face in thought. In the end, she

    let him explain instead of grasping at flies.

     

    Glim thrashed his tail in impatience as he hissed a sigh,

    "Hasir, My name is Mere-Glim," He stopped, realizing he had told him the name before as the Argonian had tried to kill him on false

    pretenses. "Xuth, I am a dumb hatchling," He said slapping his forehead with one claw no longer folded across his chest. "I came

    here because I saw a cloud approaching Lilmoth, killing everyone while sucking the ground dry as it went. This must be part of Molag

    Bal's plan." 

     

    Hasir was deep in conversation with glim about how the cloud of bluish-black mist got there when the door to the shack banged

    open. Rakel shot daggers at Hasir and strode over to him poking him in the chest with her finger,

    "When you looked around the shack did you smell a scent being absent?" She asked him, furious, "Of course not," She fumed,

    because you only think of yourself."

     

    Hasir tried to calm her down by putting his arm around her but she shrugged it off, coosing to sitting on the bed positioned behind

    the staircase leading to the loft. Hasir went to get up but a friendly reptilian hand pushed him back down again, Hasir looked up and

    saw the muddy green Argonian's eyes fixed upon his,

    "Hasir, I'll go and talk to her, maybe if I do it, she will be able to give a more level headed response than if you try." He said smiling

    warmly at the bewildered Argonian. Mere-Glim left Hasir sitting there; his tail slammed down causing a dust cloud to rise up like

    excited children celebrating some victory. 

     

    The dark chocolate spine Argonian walked with purpose over to the nord and sank down on the bed next to her. He craned his neck

    and saw tears threatening to escape her eyes like an Argonian trying fruitlessly to escape a bog blight. Inigo got up and walked over

    to Rakel as well and sat on the bed on her right. Inigo saw the same thing Mere-Glim did and both launched into pep talks that in no

    way helped her because they were trying hard to make their voices heard.

     

    Finally, Rakel got fed up with this vocal tug of war,

    "Stop!" Rakel blurted. "Inigo, Mere-glim look," She sighed in frustration, "I know you are both trying to help me. Either one of you

    go and the other gives advice or you both leave and leave me to my thoughts." She glanced hard and one and then the other, "Now

    choose, which one will it be? Because hearing both of you talk, I-I can't even process my own thought with your loud voice drowning

    them out."

     

    Both Inigo and Glim looked at each other stupidly and making a decision, Mere-Glim got up and retreated to Inigo's seat at the table

    and sank down into it looking depressed. Inigo turned to Rakel and offered his advice on the situation,

    "Why don't you tell Hasir how you feel?" The khajiit suggested, Rakel shook her head, threatening to break into tears again. Quickly,

    Inigo changed the topic to spare Rakel of the agony and heartache that is consuming her, "Do you, erm, have anymore sweetrolls

    that I can borrow, I mean shove in my mouth, I mean...aw hell."

     

    The khajiit went pink in the face as he realized the nord was staring at him, one eyebrow raised. Rakel shook her head; a loud

    thump on the bed told her that the khajiit's tail slammed down in frustration. Inigo leapt to his feet and told her she should get some

    sleep, they all shoudl as they have a big day tomorrow. Rakel ask what tomorrow was. Inigo shrugged and with a wry grin told her

    that going into a situation blind is a lot more fun than knowing were fate may lead. Rakel nodded and got under the fur, falling

    asleep almost immediately.

     

      

    Smirking to himself, Inigo waltzed on over to the table and told the two Argonians, elf and nord that they should try to get some

    sleep as well. HHasir left his seat and ascended to the loft where he flopped on the hay, fast asleep, his tail hanging over the edge.

    Inigo, the nord and the muddy green Argonian lay on the floor by the table while the elf slumped back in his chair. 

     

    They all had peaceful dreams... everyone except for Inigo.