Kassamae shook her head, laughing,
"No," She said, chortling, "no, that isn't exactly the reason. Sit down and I'll tell you her story."
Hasir smirked as if he knew something she didn't; his tail swaying rapidly from side to side. He looked at her in incredulity,
"Mom, I am already sitting down, if I sit down any further, I'd be on the ground." He said, jabbing his mother playfully in the
shoulder
Hasir laughed at Kassamae's dumbstruck expression; Kassamae shook this off and sighed,
"Alright then. Well, er, let's go back to the biginning. I met Sun-In-Shadows while I was in Morrowind doing a job for Kynareth."
Over the next few minutes, Kassamae told the smirking Argonian about what her job for Kynareth entailed. Hasir shook his head and
said to focus on the task at hand. She nodded her head in acknowledgement as she launched into her continuation of her tale,
"She was the only Argonian, as far as I know, not born in Blackmarsh." Hasir laughed and told her that his friend Mere-Glim was
born outside the swampy home of the Argonians as well.
Kassamae looked at him, spiky eyebrow raised,
"Well... excuse me Mr. always right." Shee said, crossed her arms and huffing
Hasir hissed in apology and urged her to go on with her tale. Kassamae sighed,
"Your apology is like warm sun on my scales, thank you, hatchling. Sun and I traveled to Sadrith Mora together, as slaves." Hasir
looked incredulously at her, "You see, the dunmer enslave anyone deemed different then themselves. Hist curse their bigoted ways.
They threw me in the tiny cage after they discovered that I 'escaped' from my former master on Arvel plantation, what a load of
swamp scum." She said waspishly
Kassamae sighed,
The truth is, Hasir, that Sun-In-Shadows only got accepted into house Tevanni because of her compelling story about how she
wanted to become a slaver herself." She brightened a little, "This was a lie, of course because what she really wanted to do was free
herself and then free her egg-friend Eoki, and that could only be done if she secretly rose through the ranks to become archmagister,
that way she could get the political power she felt she deserved; that her race deserved.
Hasir looked at her and huffed in annoyance,
"Those damn Telvanni deserve whatever punishment they have coming to them." He scoffed, throwing his hands in the air
indignantly, "those idiots threw you into a cage while Sun-In-Shadows was free to roam around? that's not what I would called
standing up for a fellow Saxhleel. By the hist, we need to stop here before she acheives her goal." Hasir glanced at the incredulous
look on his mother's face, "sorry, but I feel she is just is going to rise through the ranks, forget about her Argonian roots and
enslaave every khajiit and Argonians and force them to do outlandishly devilish things to further solidify her position, by Oblivion, I
see her being more powerful than even Neloth by the end."
Kassamae looked the Argonian hard in his blue eyes, making him recoil somewhat,
"Hasir," Shee said, placing a caring had on his knee, "that is preposterous and you know it. By oblivion, I was the onne that
witnessed the event first hand, not you. I know Suns better than that and she would never do something like that, She cares deeply
for her eggkin, she would never thinking of eslaving them against their will."
Hasir raised an eyebrow,
"does she really care about uss. Well, I think she is hiding an ulterior motive from you." He chuckled, "and you say you know her?
Hardly." He sniffed, "I think you aren't asking the right questions."
Kassamae snarled at him and went to punch him; Hasir dodged, but not quick enough. Kassamae's blow connected with Hasir's
snout, knocking him off the log onto the ground. He gave a quick yelp as he landed hard on his newly mended tail; He looked in
disdain at Kassamae and unsheathed his flame whip as he saw that familiar Oblivion-like madness in her eyes.
Hasir ran at her and was about to attack her when he saw a blue flash of light and felt the whip dissolve upon itself,
"Mom, what are you doing?" He asked incredulously
She shook her head, signaling that she did not know where the magic came from,
"I don't know, I...I saw you attacking and I just, er, reacted. That magic, I guess, came from thee goddess of nature. That magic,
she said, "was not my own but given to me by Kynareth, goddess of nature," She scratched her neck with a clawed hand, "well, I
guess it was," she said sheepishly
Kassamae told Hasir that she really did not know where the spell came from. She told him she did receieve some training from
the mages guild in Blackmarsh but beyond that, was a mystery. She stood up and strode oveer to the awestruck Argonian,
"My mother was a shaman to Kynareth back in Lilmoth," Her tail drooped as her face turned grave, "she was tragically killed by
Imperials who still see fit to 'civilize' our people. Before she died, however, she taught me a lot about magic. When she had reached
her peak; teaching me all she knew, finally handed me over to the Blackmarsh mages guild to teach me what she could not; or at
least the spells that were beyond her comprehension."
Hasir asked her where else she turned for her magical educcation because he knew the mages guild did not havee the knowledge
she sought,
"Well," She said shrugging, "the leader of the guild taught me the spell herself. She said to 'use the spell to dispel any unfreindly
magical attack'."
Hasir looked at her as if she pulled something rotten from her leather bag,
"Why didn't she simplify matters and teach you a ward spell?"
Kassamae scoffed at this and told her dull hatchling son that she learned wards can only block unfriendly spells whereas the spell
she learned can dispel or scatter the unfriendly magic like she did with Hasir's flame whip and mmake it 'eat' itself like a snake would
shed its skin to make room for a new one.
Kassamae went on to explain that all magic comes from two realms: Aetherius and Oblivion. It is never, she said, made on Nirn but
some magic offers a glimpse of these realms and draws their power from said realms. She strode inside the tent-beckoning her son
to follow-and sat down at the table, gesturing for Hasir to take the chair opposite.
She cast a spell far to the right of the central firepit; a bluish-purple portal opened through which a flame atronach glided,
"This," She said gesturing to the being floating near her, "is called an atronach, there are four types: ice, flame, storm and flesh. So
far we can summon three of the four. Hasir asked why that was. Kassamae looked at him as if he spoke out of turn, "The fourth
atronach, a flesh atronach, is often seen as a tool for necromancers and as such cannot be summoned lest the summoner be
attacked by the creature because only a necromancer can truly control a being as foul as that."
She opened two more portals; through one came a hulking giant that looked like it was carved from the icy mountains of Solstheim.
Through this one stepped a being of stone held together by arcs of what looked like storm energy from Oblivion itself. Inigo came in
and screwed his face up at the three atronachs that the Argonian had summoned.
He gestured from the portals to the blind Argonian,
"Did you do this or has Molag Bal already won?" He asked stupidly
Kassamae looked at him, shook her head and laughed. She strode over to Inigo and led him over to an empty seat next to Hasir, sat
the khajiit down and resumed her seat. She placed her head in her hands, looked at Inigo and explained that she was about to
explain how the dispel spell worked when he rudely interrupted. Inigo apologized and fell silent.
The white-eyed Argonian fixed Haisr with a kind grin; trying to pinpoint where she'd left her tale,
"Now where were we?" Hasir was about to say where she'd left off when she held up a hand to silence him, ""I know where I left off,
Hasir I do not need you to tell me." Hasir huffed and sat back in annoyance. "Inigo," She said, turning to him, "You'll find this
interesting." She said, smirking at the khajiit before charging up what looked like a ball of liight in her outstretched hand.
Hasir and Inigo both gasped with wonder as the three atronachs began to became transluscent as the spell began to work. A few
second later, the atronachs had vanished. Inigo stared, mouth agape, at the older Argonian as the spell vanished; it's task
completed,
"Wow, my friend that was incredible, where did the atronachs go?"
Kassamae stood up and bowed, a soft smile curving the sides of her mouth,
"Thank you Inigo, your words are like sunshine on my scales. I, er, sent them to the realms of Oblivion from whence they came, just
like Hasir's whip.
Hasir hissed indignantly at this and fixed his mother with a scathing look. Kassamae roared with laughter as she saw her son's facial
expression,
"Hey, I had to do something. I did not want you to lose your temper so I took the tool out of the equation thus lower your anger
somewhat and try forcing you to think in a logical manner.
Hasir said that he was glad that his mother saved him from turning her into a charbroiled lizard like her husband. She fixed Hasir
with a reproachful look and said that Hasir will have to answer to what he did soon or later. Hircine did not like unwanted death of his
hounds; even if those deaths were an accident. Hasir said he was going to be fine; that Hircine thrills in the hunt and he will see
Itansehk's death as prey who came between the wolf and his intended victim.
Kassamae slowly shook her head, fixing Hasir with a disapproving look,
"Hasir, you just don't get it, do you?" She sighed, "Hircine will no doubt be mad that you killed a fellow wolf in friendly fire; his death
did not have to come had you kept your temper. He does not forgive easily. You killed an Alpha of his pack in cold blood and for that,
you shall be greatly punished."
Hasir got up, walked over to a seculded part of the yurt and sat down not wanting to give Kassamae the satisfaction that she was
right. He knew it was an accident, sure she had been there at Itansehk's death, by Oblivion even Inigo had, but neither of them
could see inside his head. They could not feel the rage he felt when he was staring down his mother who had stepped over some
invisible line of some kind. Hasir yawned, lay down while his tail curled around himself like a snake and fell asleep.
Hasir awoke minutes later, not in the yurt like he had expected but instead in the familiar yellow lit throne room he had been to
years previous. He got up from where he lay on the red carpet that split the room and smiled as he saw Hircine sitting on the throne
that he had seen before. Hircine got up from the throne and advanced on the Argonian spreading his hands in welcome,
"The hunter has entered this realm once before, although under different circumstances."
Hircine beckoned the Argonian to follow him to him throne which he saw down upon,
"My hound, I am a bit dissapointed in your previous actions."
Hasir opened his mouth but promptly shut it, quite unsure how to respond. He resigned himself to stare uncertainly at the wolflord.
Hircine got up, walked over to the wall farthest from the throne, picked up a ring identical to the one Hasir possessed, and walked
over to the Argonian who looked, confusedly, at the ring.
Hircine fixed him with a deadpan stare as he chastized Hasir for killing one of the alphas of his pack,
"Hircine, I did not do that. Well, yes I did but I meant to injure my mother who elevated my rage." He buried his head in his hands,
"I had no intention of killing Itansehk, I mean, in my enraged state, I could hardly control my actions."
Hircine patted his hound on the shoulder, trying hard to lessen what came next,
"It is okay my hound, I know you did not mean it." He said as he casually slipped the ring onto Hasir's right index finger
Hasir looked in disgust at the ring as if it were so kind of toxic sludge that smelled abhorrant,
"What in Oblivion!?" He asked. "Hircine, I am faithful to you but marriage is out of the question, I'm sorry, and as such, I have to
return your ring to you." He tried to remove the ring, but it did not budge. Hasir's eyes went wide with shock, "What the-? Hircine,
what is going on?"
Hircine said nothing for the longest time, fixing Hasir with a remorseful look. He could not bring himself to yell at his most loyal
lycanthrope. Hasir looked from Hircine to the ring and back again,
"I don't understand Wolflord, what in Oblivion is going on?"
Again, the deer-headed daedra looked like he would rather take a different course than the one he is currently taking. Hasir just
stared at him in shock as he did not fully understand. Hasir scream painfully as he wass forced on his hands and knees; black fur
erupting for every inch of his body,
"Hircine, what are you doing?" He said through gritted teeth, "Is this punishment because I accidentally killed my dad who just
happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong-ARRGGH!" His scream turned into a howl of pain as he completed his forced
transformation.
Hircine looked down at the wolf who snarled at him,
"I'm sorry about this but you crossed the line and have to pay the price." He jumped back suddenly as the wolf lunged at the
wolflord; The realm suddenly dissolved and Hasir or rather, Twilight, found himself on the ground of the yurt. Hircine had not told
him yet about when he would remove the ring nor did he tell Hasir about the uncontrollable bloodlust that came with the
unpredictability of the cursed ring.
The wolf snarled at Inigo who unfortunately walked into it's line of sight and leapt on the khajiit, knocking him to the ground. The
khajiit frantically searched the dirt floor for anything that could help get the frenzied Twilight off of him. Finding nothing of use, he
reached into his hip sheath, withdrew the b=ebony sword that dangled there and hit the wolf on the head with the butt of the sword.
The wolf, momentarily dazed, retreated, leaving Inigo to scramble to his feet and assk Kassamae what had happened,
"It seems Hircine found out about Itansehk's death." She said. Inigo looked at her dumbfounded. "Yes, and, furthermore, he must've
fitted Hasir with the cursed ring." Again, Inigo didn't answer. She sighed in annoyance, "You know, the ring that he reserves for
anyone who crosses him or willingly kills another lycanthrope?" Inigo shook his head, now more confused than ever.
Kassamae peered over the table at the Argonian who was getting to his feet, albeit shakily. He walked over, miscalculated where the
seat was and fell onto the dirt floor. Chuckly slightly, Kassamae helped Hasir onto the chair. She glanced at Hasir; hoping that he
would tell Inigo the story. Hasir said he did not know what happened in his dream only that he woke up in wolf form with no memory
of how he got there.
Kassamae turned to the curious khajiit; blanking the Argonian's quizzical expression,
"So, you haven't heard of the cursed ring of Hircine have you?"
Inigo shook his head again. Kassamae launched into the tale,
"Long ago, Hircine made two rings; one to control the wolf that claws inside each of his children yearning to be let out of his cage
and one to curse anyone who abused his gift. Hasir raised his hand and showed the ring with the glowing red-eyed wolf's head to the
table at large, "Kassamae, I am one of those statistics, I even have the ring, but I can't remove it." He said, snarling as he slammed
his ring finger on the table. No matter how hard he did this, the ring stayed stuck on his finger. He removed an arrow from his
quiver, positioned it behind the ring and tried to slide it off of his finger; but to no avail.
Kassamae and Inigo looked at each other. They were worried that the Argonian's scales would be irreversably scrapped off, leaving
the ring still on his bony finger. Inigo flung himself at the Argonian, snatching the arrow from Hasir's grip and embedding it deep into
the wall.
Hasir buried his head in his hands,
"Inigo, what in Oblivion was that for!?" He asked, shocked
Inigo scoffed and said that if he didn't do that, his friend might not have a finger, much less a cursed ring. Hasir hissed angrily at the
insolent khajiit that he tried to remove the ring by any means so that the loss of a finger wouldn't be much of a concern. Hasir asked
Kassamae about the Telvanni once more. The elderly Argonian gladly accepted this change of topic while he resigned himself to his
fate, no longer trying to pry the ring off his finger.
Kassamae told Hasir that they had better get to Solstheim if they wanted to learn more about her wrongful slavery and why the
female Argonian joined the Telvanni. Hasir and Inigo got up from the table and followed Kassamae out of the yurt, down the dock
and they boarded the small boat. Hasir smiled widely as he saw Scouts-Many-Waters beaming at them behind the steering wheel of
the ship. Hasir, Inigo and Kassamae took their seat at the rear of the ship when Scouts propelled the ship away from the dock with
his tail.
Kassamae turned to the blue khajiit,
"Inigo, why are you here exactly?"
Inigo told her that he never leaves his friend's side; going wherever Hasir did. Kassamae shrugged and resumed what she was doing
instead of arguing the matter. Hasir sighed and walked past Kassamae, the latter giving him a worried look,
"Why do you think you're going, little hatchling?"
Hasir walked past the row of benches toward where Scouts stood and asked how long their journey would take. The muddy green
Argonian told Hasir that the two Argonians and khajiit would arrive on the snowy island around midday. Scouts-Many-Marshes
paused, slowed the rudder a bit and asked the Argonian why he wished to go to Solstheim.
Hasir was taken aback by this; he had expected the hist to impart to him where the trio headed and why. Nevertheless, he did
as he was asked. The Argonian told Scouts that he and his companions were going there to discuss some dispute over wrongful
slavery. Scouts nodded, placing his tail back in the water and continued onward again; leaving the wooden dock behind.
Over the next few hours, Hasir, Inigo and Kassamae talked about their plans and how they were to carry them out upon arrival,
"When we get to Solstheim, I am going to give Neloth A little... visit." She said smirking mischievously
Hasir and Inigo looked at each other nonplused; Inigo giving a gesture of craziness that made Hasir shoot him a disdainful look,
"Erm... I apologize my friend, but she does not know she is walking into a spider's nest. We should be there to ensure she does not
do anything foolish... like, I dunno, kill the Telvanni slaver." He said shrugging. Hasir punched the smart blue cat in the shoulder,
angrily hissing at Inigo that he should be more careful.
The rest of the journey was spent in silence, the only sound was Scout's tail propelling the boat through icy waters. Inigo glanced
over at the water andd stuck his hand in as if fishing for something, Hasir looked at the foolish khajiit with a slight smirk on his face,
Inigo, now is not the time for fishing, besides all the fish you catch are likely to be frozen solid. We did not pack a portable fire you
know." He said huffingly
Inigo ignored this rather snide remark as his claws raked the water for any signs of life. He whooped loudly as he closedd his furry
fish around a fish that, miraculously, wasn't frozen solid, brought it over to Hasir, cut the fish in half and shared it with his scaly
friend. He looked over to Hasirr, smiling slyly,
"And you thought I couldn't catch anything." He said laughing at his friend's displeasure
As soon as they had finished their meal, Hasir pointed to a spot far off on the horizon,
"I think we are almost there." He said, "I can see... erm, I think we are heading in the wrong direcction, w-where's fort Frostmoth?"
He asked incredulously
Kassamae turned to him and said the Sollstheim he knew was long gone, buried by a thick blanket of ash that the red moutain had
belched into the air. Hasir looked at her confused, shook his head saying he did not know anything of this. He had thought he was
going to see the same Solstheim. Kassamae stared at him and said that everything changes and the inhabitants of Nirn must adapt
tto those changes, no matter how much they would rather things stay the same.
She gestured to a point past the city and Hasir's eyes went wide as he saw the sky bblackened by ash that completely obscured the
land of Vvardenfell. She said she lived there for a time but when the Red Year was upon them, she and her hatchlings had to move
further south as she thought that the ash was only going to be contained in and around the area of Red Mountain. With a stroke of
luck, Kynareth showed them favor and her winds did not carry the ash further south, saving southern Vvarednfell from the death and
disease that followed the deadly ash explosion. Hasir nodded as the Argonian rudder slowed and they docked at Raven Rock.
Scouts-Many-Marshes stopped his rudder as the boat drifted toward the dock, got out, tied the boat to the dock posts and helped
Hasir, Kassamae and Inigo out of the boat. Kassamae and her cohorts walked up the docks, looking for a place to sleep. Inigo and
Hasir walked behind Kassamae as she nagivated the small settlement until she found a mudcrab-shelled house on the outskirts of
the settlement.
Haisr approached the manor, expecting it to be locked but the door swung open, almost as if a strong wind had blown it open.
unseen by the Argonian, Kassamae and Inigo both exchanged worried looks,
"My friend, shall we take a look?" He said, gesturing to the manor, "I would be rude not to, plus, my body requires to be recharged
after a long while without sleep. "Not only that but I am axious to try some dunmeri fare." He said, mouth watering. "So", Inigo
sighed, "shall we go in?" Kassamae nodded and the three companions went inside.
Hasir and Inigo gaped at the magnificent redoran architecture. His eyes roved the interior and saw a covered staircase leading
downwards and a fireplace near the far wall where its logs stood cold and unlit. Inigo sniggered as he looked around the manor,
"By the divines, my friend, the mudcrab who shed this shell must've been humongous, if the shell was large, the crab's droppings
must've been..."
Hasir shot Inigo a disgusted look; fortunately, the khajiit took no notice of this,
"Thanks Inigo," he said sarcastically, "I did not need that image in my head, UGH!" He closed his eyes as a shiver ran down his spine
that had nothing to do with the chill that lingered after Kassamae closed the door.
Inigo apologized and followed Hasir and Kassamae as they decended the staircase. The lower level of the mudcrab shelled house
featured three rooms the spread outward from the long hallway that lay before them. The khajiit and the two Argonians went each to
there own room, found a bed waiting for them in each room and, collapsing on them, fell asleep in an instant.
