Antmial, roused from his sleep, watched in horror as bronze flames leaped from tree to tree, sending embers flying in all directions. In the early morning sun, the flames lit up the morning in a red inferno. Bosmer were fleeing in panicked terror, but just as many were trapped high above him, up at the top of the thick trunked trees.
"Antmial! For the sake of Oblivion, help!"
Antmial spun around and saw Tamar waving for his help. Her home tree was a blazing matchstick, the ancient brown wood scorched black. Springing up from the chair be had fallen asleep in, Antmial raised up his hands, and with practised skill, concentrated his internal magica resource.
Magic was, in general, frowned upon in Valewood. In a nation where a stray spark could lead to your entire home burning down, the most magic most wood elves learned was basic healing. Antmial, however, was a fully trained destruction mage, frost magic included. Holding out his hands and calling up the magic within him, he solidified moisture in the air into a physical form. Grunting with effort, he flung the mass of slush at the flames. With a hiss of quenched flames, the fire lessened, and with a few more splashes the fire was out. Antimer helped Tamar's children out of the blackened tree. It was a thick, proud trunk. It had to have been hundreds of years old, and now it had been lost to the fire. Whoever, or whatever, had done this had to pay.
Even as he turned, he saw that the few other mages amongst them were following his example, putting out the major fires and stamping out minor ones. All the Bosmer were working in unison, those who had no magic assisting those who did. Antimer's chest swelled with pride at his people's efficiency. It would seem, for now at least, the fire was done. Antmial jumped onto a large rock and, seeing the terrified Bosmer who were needing an explanation, raised his hands for quiet.
"Friends, today we have overcome great obstacle!" He shouted.
There were sounds of general cheering from both the trees and the ground as more Bosmer gathered around.
"It is a testament to our strength that we have quelled this inferno" he announced.
More cheering, and some villagers coming down from the trees to listen.
"But it has come to my attention that this was no natural burn! One amongst us saw fit to destroy, to desecrate our forest!" He yelled.
The stink of magic had been obvious enough. Whoever had done it had high skill in magic at the very least, and was probably a trained mage. There were cries of outrage and indignity at the thought of any who would intentionally harm the forest. Antimer held up his hands in a placating manner.
"Know this! We WILL find who did this! And when we do, we will show the…." Antimer trailed off, looking at the stranger who had stepped into the clearing.
A Thalmor.
His long, dark coat swung as he took long, measured steps towards the crowd. A wickedly sharp sword at his belt, glinting in the early morning sun. And, Antimer noticed, walking right out of the origin of the blaze. Slowly, person by person, they noticed him and shrunk back in fear.
"Oh yes, exalted elder. Tell me more about what you will do when you catch the defiler" the man sneered, extinguishing a fireball in his gloved hand.
Antimer breathed deeply. The Thalmor were villainous, not one elf was in doubt of that, but to do such evil on this level…. It was unheard of. To physically attack a whole village was a new low, even for Aldreri.
"You had no right!" He gasped. "No right at all!"
The Thalmor grinned the grin of one who had absolute power, and was unafraid to use it.
"On the contrary, elder" He snickered. "Under the terms of the Valewood surrender, I hold the supreme power to pursue enemies of state… " He gestured to the destruction around him "Through any means I see fit."
Antimer ground his teeth in fury. The nerve of the Thalmor, using a corrupt piece of paper as grounds to torch an entire village!
"And where, pray, are these enemies?" He spat out.
The Thalmor agent looked to one of the trees, still slightly alight.
"Several months ago, our intelligence discovered imperial spies in the Somerset isles. We have traced their movements here. Someone is hiding them" he snarled.
As if on cue, several other Thalmor began ripping open doors and rifling through belongings. Already terrified families found themselves thrown out into the courtyard. Antimer's anger burned almost as hard as the fire. Thalmor bastards! Coming to his home, threatening his people, and accusing one of them of treason? The utter-
"Sir." one of the Thalmor reported. "We have them."
The commander grinned his knowing smirk.
"Well then, I suppose we should give them a 'trial', hmm?"
Antimer watched in horror as the Bluegrove family were dragged out of their home, along with three raged looking imperials. Thrown down hard onto the ground, the Thalmor guards quickly fastened their hands with cuffs. Morwen, the solo mother of the household, looked up at Antimer. "Elder… I am sorry" She gasped.
Antimer continued to stare. The Thalmor commander walked forward and drew his sword. It was not difficult to see what he intended to use it for.
Antmial stopped computing what was happening. He tried to notice small details. The blade was made of dragonbone, so it would have to be old. Second age, at least. It had a hand crafted hilt, carved with intricate patterns and pictures. The shimmering glow on it was in fact an enchantment. It was also moving towards the imperial's throats. With a dull swish, the Thalmor swung his blade sharply. The youngest Bluegrove child, Arwen, cried out in terror as there was a sickening sound of gore. Antimer risked looking up, just in time to see three imperial corpses fall backwards. The Thalmor commander grinned.
"In the name of justice, your sentence has been delivered." He wiped the blood off his sword. "So say I, lord Rhetson of the Thalmor."
Morwen cried out in fear as Rhetson once again raised his blade. Rhetson smiled victoriously. Antimer could only stare in horror, well aware of what the Thalmor would do if he interfered in any way.
"As justice has been delivered to one, now it shall be delivered to all" Rhetson declared.
He brought his blade down on Morwen.
Antimer tried desperately to find a way to rationalise it. Now the Thalmor would leave them alone. If he just stayed still, it could all be over.
But even he could not suppresses his conscience.
He had left Tagorn and Arwen as orphans. Clanless, left to hunt alone, live alone. It would always be his fault, and whenever he saw them he would be reminded of his failure.
It would always be his fault.
But by not intervening, he had saved the village.
"Satisfied now?" Antimer asked sorrowfully.
Rhetson summoned a small ball of fire into His hand.
"By the contrary, esteemed elder. There are still two amongst us who still require justice."
Antimer looked around him, confused. Who else among them had commuted crime? Looking at Rhetson, Antimer followed his gaze, And his blood ran cold.
"No… for the love of the divines, no…"
Rhetson was smiling again, raising his sword towards the two Bluegrove children. "Oh yes, elder. Why did they not report their parents crime, if they themselves were not complicit?"
Deep down, Antimer knew what this was about. This was the Thalmor reminding the Bosmer who was in charge. That they were always watching. And after this little display, they would return home to summer set. But if allowed this to happen…
He'd rot in Oblivion for it.
"Please, my lord! They are just children!" he begged.
Rhetson laughed, and held his sword above his head executioner style.
"Watch carefully, Bosmer. Let this remind you what we do to those who defy us."
Arwen sobbed, tears running down her cheeks. Antimer doubted that she truly understood what was about to happen. But Tagorn…
The eldest Bluegrove was staring at Rhetson with raw, unbridled fury. Never blinking, never wavering, he stared straight into the eyes of his attacker. He was a fighter, and Antimer had had him lined up as a senior hunter eventually. And thanks to Antimer, both a young innocent and the future generation of his clan were about to be executed for no reason other than their mother taking pity.
"No! I cannot allow this to continue!" Antimer bellowed.
Rhetson turned to him, a bemused look on his face. He pointed his blade at the elder.
"And what exactly are you going to do about it, old man? We are the Thalmor, and we uphold the justice of the Aldreri Dominion." Rhetson touched the tip of his sword to Antimer's chest.
Antimer felt the Magica in the air around him. Felt the raw powers flowing around Rhetson. Saw the not insubstantial power of the other Thalmor. In a straight fight, he and all his village would be crushed. Antimer stepped back in defeat, and Rhetson turned to faces the children. "May the afterlife judge you well, traitors." he sneered.
Antimer's mind raced. If he tried anything, the Thalmor would be on him in an instant. Any substantial spell would alert them to his intentions. So, he would have to cheat.
With a small flick of his fingers, Antimer summoned a small ball of superheated fire above Tagorn's handcuffs. With barely a sound, he incinerated the link between them. Tagorn was now free. Tagorn, feeling the heat on his hands, looked over to Antimer, who silently nodded in return.
"Come, boy. Face your end face to face!" Rhetson commanded.
Tagorn looked up at Rhetson with his dark amber eyes. His fingers curled around a loose rock. Antimer held his breath as Rhetson began to swing his blade.
Tagorn brought his hand around and smashed it into Rhetson's face.
Blood spurted off of Rhetson's cheek. Dropping his sword with a scream of pain, he clutched at his ruined eye. Antimer noted with amusement that none of the other Thalmor stopped to help him. Obviously Rhetson was not well liked even among his own kin. Rhetson gave a cry of fury.
"Kill the boy!"
Obviously thinking that Tagorn had somehow escaped on his own, they were not expecting him to step in. So he had the advantage of surprise…
Antimer pulled up a ward just in time to save Tagorn and his sister from a firey demise. The air around him was crackling with unchained magic as all manner of spells were tossed his way. Antimer looked down at Tagorn.
"Well don't just stand there, Tagorn! Run!" Antimer shouted.
Tagorn ran full pelt down the path, towards the stables. He was a good lad, he'd survive. Antimer faced back towards the attacking Thalmor.
Time for some revenge.
Forming a large fireball and tossing it at the tightly bunched Thalmor, he quickly followed with a few well aimed icicle spikes at their unarmoured heads.
Half the Thalmor still stood.
While they were stunned, he began charging an electrosphere in his left hand while freezing them solid with his right.
Four Thalmor remain standing.
He quickly tossed in his electrosphere, stunning those Thalmor who still stood.
No more opponents. The encounter had taken less than thirty seconds.
His magical reserves were completely drained, but he had still won. He kneeled down to where Arwen was cowering.
"Come, child. We must leave." he whispered.
Arwen simply stared at him.
"Arwen? We must go, we need to catch up to your brother." Arwen wasn't staring at him, he realised. She was staring past him, at something over his shoulder….
Rhetson's blade pierced straight through his chest.
How could he have been so stupid? Antimer collapsed backwards onto his back. He could already feel blood loss setting in. Antimer called on his healing. He had to protect Arwen…
To his horror, Antimer found he was out of magica. With no energy left to heal himself, his vision began to dim.
"Please…" he begged. "Spare… Arwen…"
Rhetson kneeled down over him, blood covering his left eye.
"Oh, no need to worry. I make a point of executing all the perpetrators at once, and besides…" He grabbed Arwen's arm. "I seem to have a most excellent hostage right here with me."
Rhetson strode away, Arwen in tow. He turned to his troops, who were beginning to recover.
"Burn it down. All of it." he snarled.
Lord Rhetson of the Thalmor marched off, hostage in tow and holding a cloth over his blinded eye.
After a few days, the bounty on the imperial spies was replaced with a new warrant.
TAGORN BLUEGROVE WANTED FOR ASSAULT ON THALMOR OFFICERS, ARSON OF VALEWOOD HOMES AND THE MURDER OF VILLAGE ELDER ANTMIAL HUNTER.
CAPTURE ALIVE, AT ALL COSTS.
And in the eastern corner of Valenwood…
Homes were destroyed. People killed on the streets.
The forest was burning….
