I do not own Morrowind or any of the content related to morrowind.
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----- The Dying Wish -----
Chapter 1: Arrival
"Land Ho!"
The sound fell slowly from the crows nest in the thick white fog and like a ghost floating in the air travelled across the deck, Galdor snapped his neck almost injuring himself as he shifted to hear the muffled sound through the thick wooden door, looking in on himself he closed his eyes, calmed his breathing and almost wished himself to be more quiet as he slowly turned his head pointing his ear towards the door.
His body was a statue as he held it frozen, waiting quietly for the next sound.
"Land Ho!" Another call came, this time from the deck and the sound of it cut through the fog like it was merely a gentle rain in the path of a gliding sword. The sound travelled with a speed and clarity that not even the thick wooden door could muffle, Galdor's waiting ear caught the sound and as he registered the meaning he nearly fell from the small bed he was sitting on, the potions he held in his hands dropping to the floor as he dashed to the door, ready to be freed from this temporary prison.
Only taking a second to snatch his Grey Staff from its resting spot next to the door, Galdor pulled open the wooden door with such force that he nearly lost his balance and almost fell back into the small cabin.
"Only Fools rush!" Galdor reprimanded himself as he steadied his feet, then with a calm confident motion he entered the passageway and walked with a more measured excitement toward the deck. As he stepped onto the deck the moisture of the fog hit his face and the thickness made Galdor almost stop dead as he suddenly felt as though he was rapped in a blanket of suffocation. Not being able to see anyone or anything around him Galdor slowly started to make his way towards where the remembered the railing to be using his staff like a blind mans walking cane to lead the way.
Now that he was out of his cabin and away from the potions that kept him busy and his mind occupied, he once again found himself feeling the sway of the ship, the waves crashing against the ships hull felt like a rockslide spilling into his ears and the feeling of nausea had found its way back into his stomach. After a short release of fluids onto the deck Galdor's hand found the railing he had been looking for, but now that he was there he no longer thought of it as a great achievement. "Captain!" Galdor called after wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his robe.
"Galdor, is that you?" the captains voice surprised Galdor and made him jump as it seemed to come from right beside him, Galdor turned holding his staff in front of him like a shield as he moved towards the direction the captains voice came from. It only took him a few steps before he saw the dark outline of a figure also standing near the railing.
"Well, this fog is thicker than sewer water" Galdor stated as he saw the captains face suddenly materialize in front of him.
"Yes it is -- I have never in my life ever seen it this thick. It's as if the heavens itself have opened and swallowed all the light only to leave this damned fog behind."
The captain was waving his arms in a failing attempt to try and somehow wave the fog away. Galdor stifled a laugh at the captain's childish attempt, and hid his smile behind his sleeve.
"If the Fog is this thick, how do you know we are close to land?" Galdor asked the captain as he tried to stay out of the captain way who was still flailing his arms wildly.
"The crows nest is higher than the roof of the fog" the captain replied with a grunt, as if he half expected Galdor to have known that little fact.
"So how close are we then?" Galdor asked pretending he did not notice the captain's irritation.
"Were basically there, but we can't dock in this mess, we can't even see the docks lights. This fog is like soup" the captain shot his arm out and tried to grab some of the fog in his hand, and when he open his hand Galdor noticed the captains frustrated disappointment at staring at his empty hand.
"We've tried to make contact with the people at the docks, but it seems the fog is trying to keep as out, I just can't understand it. It's like there is some kind of force trying to keep us out of morrowind" Galdor noticed the captain's irritation had changed to fear.
"Anything I can help with then? I really don't want to spend any longer on this ship than is needed." Galdor pulled his nose as he looked around him, but realised that he had just insulted the ship and the captain as well.
"No offence to you or your ship captain, it's just that I have realised that I am not very 'fond' of sea travel" he quickly added to lessen the blow.
"No offence taken friend, I'm also sorry if I'm a bit abrupt, it's just that I don't like sitting here not being able to see where I'm going and this feeling of blindness is frustrating me." The captain confidence in his own abilities was showing some cracks Galdor noticed.
"Well lets see what we can do about it then." Galdor turned facing the railing and moved his staff in front of him. Then with a fluid motion he solidly slammed his staff onto the wooden deck. The captain stared with an open mouth as Galdor lifted his free hand and pointed a finger out to see, but just as Galdor was about to utter a phrase he realised he had no idea in which direction the land was.
The captain jumped back as Galdor suddenly turned with his hand and finger still pointing, but now it was pointing towards the captain.
"Stop - what are you doing!" the captain screamed with a look of horror on his face.
Galdor realised the cause of the captain's sudden fear, here he was, a wizard about to unleash his magic and he was pointing his hand towards the now very afraid man.
"O, I'm sorry" Galdor quickly said trying to calm the nerve wrecked man, he lowered his arm and placed it behind his back, "I just realised, I don't know where the land is?" Galdor stated as if he the little odd event of him scaring the life out of the captain never occurred.
The captain's face looked drained of all blood, and Galdor was sure his eyes were wider than it was humanly possible for eyes to be, but with Galdor giving the captain his best disarming and non malicious smile, the captain seemed to regain his composure and pointed out over the railing.
"It should be around there somewhere" the captain said stuttering with a voice that seemed like it had been pulled over the sharp edge of an axe.
"Ok, lets try this again then" Galdor smoothly said as he turned back to the railing and as he raised his hand again had to stifle his laughter when he saw the captain slowly backing away from him. Society needs even cowards Galdor thought as he softly spoke a phrase.
The captain now standing back could barely hear what Galdor had just said but he could clearly see the blue and white light swirling around the wizard's hand.
The blue and white light was like a swarm of hungry cliff racers spinning around Galdor's hands eagerly awaiting its meal, the light also seemed to grow in its intensity the captain noticed and it was not too long before he had to shield his eyes from the blinding light. Even after the he started moving back further not even the fog could distort the light that the captain was seeing. Then suddenly Galdor pulled back his arm above his head, the lights all the while still dancing around his hand. Then with a single word he shot his arm forward in a throwing movement.
A thick stream of White and blue light exploded from Galdor's hand as he held it steady pointing towards where the captain had indicated the land was. And as quickly as the explosion of light had started it stopped. The captain now not too sure of what had just happened looked over the railing at the fog and trying to see the last point where the light had disappeared.
"Is that it?" the captain asked not seeing anything happening. Then when he saw the grin on Galdor's face, he was not sure he wanted to know what just happened.
"Just give it a few seconds more" Galdor replied. He had also noticed that quite a few of the crew started moving closer trying to find out what just happened.
"What was that?" one of the ships Guards asked with a hint of caution as he came up next to the captain, his sword in one hand and shield in the other, But before the captain could say anything a load explosive sound boomed in the distance and then a ball of light seemed to grow, pulsing where the captain had seen the last of the light disappear. Growing the ball of light changed from pure white to a deep blue until it seemed larger than even the ship, before it simply popped like a soap bubble being expanded too much.
The air suddenly seemed on fire with small sparks flying everywhere, dancing in the wind and everywhere it went it seemed to eat the fog.
"Wow!" was the first sound the captain could manage. "Why didn't you just do that from the start" the captain asked, still staring open mouthed at what seemed to be fairy lights in front of him.
Somewhat impressed with his own handiwork, Galdor just stood smiling looking at the little fires eating the moisture in the air, quickly evaporating the fog like a hot sun, but soon his face turned his smile into a frown as he thought about the fog. The mist had been no natural phenomenon, but that was information he would keep to himself, for now.
There in front of them was a green landscape filled with trees and flowers, and to the one side Galdor could see some small buildings behind a very old looking dock.
"There is our destination captain. I hope you will have us docked soon, so that I may take my leave of your fine and gracious company." Galdor had tried to stay his tongue, but after what he had just done, and the strange appearance of a somewhat supernatural fog, he needed to get of this ship and away from these people. Things were not as safe as he thought.
"Alright you Dogs, get this ship moving, and be quick about it." The captain screamed in his usual manner, and Galdor could now see the crew all over the ship scurrying to their positions, readying to get the ship docked…and a lot quicker than they usually react, he also noted.