PART ONE: THE BLACK WINDS OF WAR

He was an assassin, summoned in the dead of night and for reasons unknown. He was given five minutes notice to gather his belongings, his silver dagger, his bow, and his quiver of arrows with raven's feathers attached to the end of the shafts, and board a boat bound for Summerset Isle. Upon arriving in the capital many days and many nights later, he was hastily rushed to meet with the king in a strictly secret affair at the stroke of midnight. As he was seated in a dark room, the side door creaked open, and imperious footsteps approached.

"You're Halcir?"

"Yes."

"Excellent. We have business to discuss."

"We damn well better. I don't travel for thirteen days by sea just for a run-of-the-mill dispatching job."

"I know you don't," the king replied with a hint of slyness. He produced a thin scroll of parchment and handed it to Halcir. As he read it, the king could see a flicker of emotion cross his face.

"Never pulled one of these before."

"Nobody has. We are willing to offer you 2,750,000 gold for the completion of this task."

"Why the enormous tag?"

"You and I are elves. Although Altmer and Bosmer, we both bear the same evil weights which were attached by the Empire so long ago. But now her hold has been weakened by lack of an emperor. Now is the time to drive our dagger into her throat and seize what we have been wrongfully denied for so long."

"Is there anything else I should know?"

"You have forty-eight hours to submit a report to me concerning your basic plan and any assistance you may need. Three days after that, I will provide you with any materials you request as well as transport to the area of operations. Once your mission is complete, you are to contact me, and I'll send in the cavalry."

"I'll get right on it," Halcir said with a grin, his first in twelve years. This ought to be fun.

Five days later, Halcir was on a boat headed for Anvil.

Upon arriving in the port city, Halcir quickly proceeded to the stables outside of town, only speaking to purchase a white horse to the pricey tune of 4,000 gold. He then rode non-stop to the Imperial City, where he dismounted and walked to the gates of the prison. He then pasted on a bright smile and strolled into the Imperial Legion offices, where the desk officer greeted him.

"I'd like to join the Imperial Legion, please!" he said, dripping with enthusiasm.

"You're in luck. We're in desperate need of more police forces for the Imperial City. Lots of unrest there these days. Are you experienced?"

"Silly, I'm a Bosmer, straight from Valenwood! Born and raised! One gold says I can shoot that bottle of mead straight through the cork if you tip it sideways."

"You're on," the desk officer replied, placing the bottle of mead on its side. Halcir took out his bow and strung one of his signature black arrows. With exquisite care, he drew back and fired, and the arrow soared through the air with unnatural slowness. The tip of the arrow just pierced the cork, leaving the bottle intact.

The astonished desk officer handed him a slip of paper and informed him that he was to start tomorrow. Acting visibly pleased, Halcir thanked him profusely and headed to the Market District to buy a house. Upon settling in at the Waterfront, he promptly vomited into the lake, praying he'd never have to put on such a charade again.

He reported at the Legion Barracks the next day to find, much to his chagrin, that he was being posted to the Waterfront. To his pleasant surprise, he found that the next rotation was only a week away, and that he and his division would be posted to the Elven Gardens, in the heart of the Imperial City. During his week on duty he gained a reputation as a kind, just, and personable officer of the watch, and he was made a captain of a small team of four watchmen on his sixth day. The officers in his division enjoyed his stories and jokes after hours, and enjoyed his company. However, they found it strange that each night he did not stay at the barracks, instead preferring to sleep in his own house. There, he made his plans, checked them, tested them in his mind, and prepared himself for the coming day.