Prolouge: A Babe in the Marsh
Seeks-the-Truth waded through the reeds of Argonia cautiously. Her bow string was slightly pulled, the arrow already knocked. Her greyish green reptillian skin blended with the surrounding tulles as did her light leather armor. Today she would earn her place amongst the hunters of her tribe. She had spent years training in tracking, archery, and buthering. Now today she would bring home the meat of some great predator to proove she was valuable tot he tribe.
Her tail swayed lightly behind her as she knelt beside some tracks in the muck. It had been several years since the Pact had freed the Argonians from the Dunmer's lash. That however did not stop Khajit allied with the Altmeri from coming to claim her people as slaves. In the muck before her were the tell tale soft padded foot prints of an elf.
This was a distraction from her goal, but if she could prove her combat prowess against an intelligent enemy of her people, the reknown she would gain would be great. Seeks-the-Truth knelt beside the singular track in the muck and inhaled deeply. Her large reptillian nostrils flared as she inhaled the scent. It told her a story she knew well.
There was blood and sweat mixed with the track. The Elf had been running from something and likely sliced its foot on some of the marsh vegetation. judging by the branches of the tulles around the Elf was making sharp movements through the marsh, weaving about as if to leave a confusing trail. as Seeks-the-Truth followed the tracks another set soon mixed in. Khajit. The pawed print moved through the marsh with an unfamiliar gate, likely due to the cats tendency for sandy regions. The Khajit was following the Elf with unnerring accuracy of a skilled hunter.
This was proving to be intresting. A Khajit in Argonia chasing an Elf meant either the Elf was a traitor to the Altmeri Dominion or the Elf was a Dunmer of the Pact. Either way this would bring Seeks-the-Truth some reknown in her village.
Seeks-the-Truth continued along the trail until she heard the tell tale scream and the sizzle of lightning. she ducked into the marsh reed and drew her arrow back as she approached the fight.
"Stupid She-Elf. Spying on the Dominion with child. This Marsh will be your grave." the Khajit said in common before another crackle of lightning rended the Marshes eerie calm. the lightning crackle was followed by a woman's scream. moving closer, Seeks-the-Truth saw a tabby Khajit standing about ten feet away from a grey skinned dunmer with flaming red locks of hair. the Dunmer's nose was bleeding from some unknown attack and her skin around her abdomen was charred from the repeated strikes of lightning. For a brief moment the Dunmer's eyes flicked past the Dunmer and met Seeks-the-Truths yellow slited eyes. no words passed from one to the other, just the Dunmer silently begging for aid.
Seeks-the-Truth weighed her options. The Khajit was obviously a sorcerer but he neither respected the hunt, nor the boarders of her people. He was free game by the Law of Hircine. While Seeks-the-Truth had a bad taste in her mouth from the thought of helping a Dunmer the shamen had made it clear to all the hatchlings early on; those that break Hircine's Laws will be hunted to the end of their days.
Seeks-the-Truth stood from her hiding spot while simultaniously drawing her arrow to her cheek. a moment later and with a 'fwif' the arrow soared straight and true into the back of the Khajit. Or it would of had a shield spell not vaporized the arrow.
The Khajit spun on his heel as the fur on his tail bristled. in heartbeat he was launching fireballs into the brush indiscreminantly trying to flush out his attacker. Seeks-the-Truth laid her bow down and drw the Guar fang dagger from her belt she hand planned to use to butcher her kill. Today she would be bringing home a Khajit skin rug it seemed.
Keeping low, Seeks-the-Truth scurried along the non-flaming brush straight at the Catman. Before the cat could react she leaped from near his position and lashed out with the dagger. Again there was a crackle of magical energy as the dagger scrapped the barrier, however because the Guar fang was denser then the arrow it did not disintergrate. "Argonian filth!" The Khajit spat before forming a fist and aiming to strike Seeks-the-Truth. a moment before impact the fist opened and released a thunderous explosion of sound the sent Seeks-the-Truth into the air and several feet away.
Slightly dazed, the Argonian maid was reeling from the attack. She was seeing double as the Khajit approached with a blade formed of pure lightning that crackled menacingly. The Khajit held the blade aloft, ready to end Seeks-the-Truths dreams of being a hunter when suddenly a baby began to wail. both Seeks-the-Truths and the Khajit looked to the Elven woman who had tried to escape in the confusion. In her arms was a swaddled infant. the Khajit took a breath to grin. Seeks-the-Truths took that brief moment to attack.
Back when the Argonian people had been more warlike it was not uncommon for young hatchling to kill there brood mates with bites. The barrier sizzled and lashed Seeks-the-Truths jaw with electricity as she bit down. Her sudden movement had caused her to now have the Khajit pinned beneath her, her blade forgotten, and her jaws slowly closing about his throat. All that was keeping him alive was the barrier as Seeks-the-Truths fangs pricked his skin. Again the child cried out in the distance but the Argonian did not care. This was a fight to the death and she would do anything she had to to survive.
"I will not die here in this mudpit!" the Khajit screamed as he stabbed the lightning blade into Seeks-the-Truths side. The mud ran blue with reptillian blood but the pain drove the Argonian to bite harder. A third time the baby cried out and a flash of white hot light filled the area.
When Seeks-the-Truths could see the khajit was no more then a greasy smear on the mud beneath her. her side still ached from the attack he had performed but the wound was mysteriously cauterized. looking around she found herself surrounded by three Atronauchs. Had they been summoned by the mage as a final attempt to win.
Seeks-the-Truths clawed her way to her feet and grimaced from the pain. She was in no contidition to fight Atronauchs. From out of the flames created by the mage stepped a flaming green Flame Atronauch. Its feminine curves belied the fact it was entirely on fire. The Atronauch approached Seeks-the-Truths before pointing towards the woman's former position. much like the mage, Dunmer was just a greasey smear. However the swaddled babe was completely untouched though it was silent now. "What in Oblivion is going on?" Seeks-the-Truths said to herself as she gripped her side.
When the green Flame Atronauch pointed again to the child Seeks-the-Truths approached it. the swaddling was the finest House silk of House Telvanni. Branded upon the silk was also the house crest. As Seeks-the-Truths knelt to unwrap the child, she felt the unmistakable touch of magic upon the clasp. Inside the swaddling lay a naked baby Dunmer male. he had flaming red hair like his mother, greyish tan skin, and ruby eyes. When those eyes met Seeks-the-Truths yellow slit pair the pair let out a laugh.
Like a dispersing wave the three Atronauchs that had first appeared were instantly unsummoned. The green Flame Atronauch however remained as it pointed still at the child. "What do you want me to do elemental spirit?" Seeks the Truth said as she looked from the Atronauch to the Telvanni child. House Telvanni had not sided with the Pact. As far as most of Morrowind, Argonia, and Skyrim were concerned, House Telvanni were traitors tot he cause of freedom.
"Take the child. Raise him to be a Hunter. You are commanded by Lord Hircine to obey the Laws of the Hunt." The Flame Atronauch said in a voice that was a cross between a roaring inferno and a sputtering log. 'Laws of the Hunt,' Seeks-the-Truths thought, 'There is nothing in the Laws about adopting the enemy.' As if reading the doubting Argonians thoughts the Atronauch replied, "You are the only hunter to walk from this fight. The babe is your simultaniously in your debt and you in his. All debts must be repaid."
As the sole winner of the conflict the child was indeed Seeks-The-Truths responsibility. The Laws forbade slaying the doe when it was with fawn; if the arrow was to be loosed then the fawn must be tended til it came of age to maintain the balance. "But he's the child of the traitorous-" Seeks-the-Truths was cut off as the Atronauch let out a deafening roar that caused the nearby smoldering blazes the mage had caused to be whipped into a frenzy. "Lord Hircine does not care for your politics. Take the boy and train a Hunter or you both die here, this is the Lord's command." The Atronauch said after calming the fires and returning to a more gentle pitch of voice.
Grudgingly Seek-the-Truths took up the babe and rewrapped him in the swaddling under the careful eye of the Atronauch. Then holding her injured side she began to limp towards her camp with the baby in her pack. When she was out of earshot of the Atronauch she mumbled under her breath, "What will my egg brother think of this... me raising a traitors sun at the command of Lord Hircine."
Ash glided effortlessly across the glade of the Hunting Grounds, Lord Hircines personal Oblivion domain. Off in the distance a pack of werewolves feated upon a troll devouring its carcas, bones and all. They paid the greater Flame Atronauch no mind as was appropriate. She was a messanger, they were Hunters, loosed upon the world at their master bidding. where as they were a club, She was a scalpel.
Ash's armor chimed musically as she approached the alter of Lord Hircine. Her master rarely deigned to meet with lesser beings, even ones as loyal as his Hunters or Messengers. The Green flames that eminated from her armor disappated slightly as she knelt before the staute. The grass did not burn her unless her master wished it.
"Speak Churl." Lord Hircine's voice boomed inside Ash's mind. She lowered her flaming head and said with the utmost respect. "Lord Hircine, The Summoner's path has been altered. Through the gentle minstrations of your Hunter's and the Prey that fell before them he has arrived with the Hunter." Ash intoned to the rock statute.
For several long moment the Grove was silent. Then Hircine's voice echoes across the void to Ash. His anger was apparent. "The Summoner is with the Hunter, yet he is still tied to the Fate of my Werewolves. I sense the hand of Molag Bal in this. Watch the Summoner closely. If Bal's hand draws near strike it down. The Summoner must become a Hunter if my Hunting Grounds are to stay in Tamerial."
A.N. this is set in ESO so there may be some spoilers... not likely but possible. Anyways i hope you enjoyed. please leave comments and questions. I hope to post a chapter daily other then friday and saturday.