Innocence Lost
Part 1
Silence.
An all encompassing calm that lasted for what seemed an eternity, or mere moments, an enshrouding darkness so heavy it felt like a weight pressing upon the eyes.
Eternity passed in moments.
Eternity. Time; the whole concept was meaningless.
Wait, she thought. Something's changed, different.
She couldn't place it immediately, but something had disturbed the stillness, something she couldn't place, but like the insignificant mote of dust that disturbed the stone that in turn became the avalanche, the indistinct blur of memories took shape in her minds eye, events of her life came back to her in a torrent, images of fire and the death, the loss of everything she knew and she remembered.
The coffin.
She remembered the human uprising, the destruction of the high temple.
Her brother, the last of the ayleid high priests had hidden her away and in an attempt to escape alessia's soldiers, magically frozen her.
Shalinva…Her beloved shalinva.
Taless'naverine reached up through the inky blackness, pushing against the coffins stone lid, but it refused to budge.
At first the ayleid feared she had become permanently entombed and took every ounce of discipline to remain calm.
Again and again she pushed until finally the heavy granite slab shifted showering her with dirt and grime, then with one final effort pushed it lid over the edge.
With a deafening sound of shattering stone and for a moment taless'naverine just lay there listening as the sound reverberated off the dark walls.
Taless'naverine sat herself up and making a quick examination of her surroundings and realised something was wrong, incra'te was nowhere to be seen.
Maybe he was just late, she reasoned. Yes that had to be it, or perhaps she had awoken too early, she had to be patient and discover what was going on.
It dawned on Taless'naverine as she wandered naked through the barren halls that something had gone terribly wrong indeed, that now only what seemed hours ago, even through the looting and damage of battle, Sarcen was full of beauty, with the glow stones giving off their reassuring light, now they were but a dim glow, now there was only the stench of decay and the silence of time and as the full enormity fell upon her, taless'naverine collapsed and wept knowing that her brother was almost certainly dead.
So consumed by her loss, the ayleid didn't notice the flickering of torchlight until it was to late, she jumped to her feet as a armour plated argonian and a human wearing blue robes entered the chamber, both stopped, gaping at her.
She cursed herself for making such a noise earlier; they had obviously been drawn to the sound in the catacombs.
The dark scaled Argonian whispered to the human who nodded in reply before stepping cautiously towards her and saying something in a language unfamiliar to her.
Taless'naverine wiped the tears from her eyes. "That bitch Alessia sent you two to
finish off what she couldn't?" She snarled, stepping away from them. "Better men than you have tried and failed!"
Not giving the intruders a chance to reply, taless'naverine summoned forth her daedric guardian, which appeared behind them and quicker than he could react, the lizardman was beheaded in a single stroke.
Screaming, the robed man fled in blind terror, deeper into the bowels of the city and taless'naverine smiled coldly.
"Bring him to me alive". The red armoured daedra bowed to her command before giving chase.
She would have her answers.
Taless'naverine spent a great amount of time with the human, using the techniques her brother taught her, she ignored the screams of agony she sliced into his mind, delving deeper into the human's memories.
A bit at a time, distorted images of strange places, unfamiliar faces and other things she didn't understand filled her mind, though curiously he knew nothing of queen alessia or more importantly the whereabouts of her brother. In frustration, his body contorted and writhed in agony as the ayleid poured her hate filled power into him.
By the time taless'naverine had finished with him she had more questions than answers, but the human was now far beyond use, his body was now a twitching ruin and spirit left utterly broken.
For a moment taless'naverine felt something as she looked upon the dying man, an emotion she hadn't felt in a long while, something akin to remorse.
Chastising herself for such weakness, taless'naverine quickly cast aside such thoughts as she began stripping the human of his belongings.
"Daedra, you may take him now". She stood away from the now naked man, the red armoured warrior silently nodded.
"Enjoy".
Gently, as if holding a babe, the deadra stood with the gibbering man in its arms before vanishing into oblivion.
Searching through their belongings, Taless'naverine found all manner of items, the lizardmans broad sword, a crude and ungainly thing, a few weakly enchanted trinkets, there were also daggers, scrolls and an elegantly written letter in a unfamiliar language but headed with a curious coat of arms.
Finally taless'naverine emptied out their two heavy pouches, watching as coins rolled across the floor.
Examining one such coin, she found one side was stamped with the face of an old human man. Strange, she thought, alessia wasn't marked on the currency, perhaps she had been deposed by this man.
Flipping it over taless'naverine felt her blood rise, for the emblem on the coin was that of a familiar stylised dragon.
Donning the human's robes and collecting up money and anything of use, taless'naverine made her way up through the dusty tunnels towards the surface.
She now realised that more than ten years had passed, but out there somewhere, was the chance that her brother was alive and as she steeled herself before the exit, promised to discover his fate and woe betide any fool that stood in her way.
Taless'naverine sat upon what at one time been a grand marble pillar, a bracing wind blowing her long white hair in a stream of ethereal silver behind her, she stared out over lake rumare her heart sinking as she realised her hopes of finding incra'te were as distant as the moons in the sky above her.
It wasn't the fact lake rumare now looked completely different now, or the tree lines among the surrounding mountains had changed or that even those once familiar mountains seemed foreign, it was the great walled city that loomed black against the clear moonlit sky and rising above the heart of that city, glowing as moonlight reflected in it's luminous marble surface, stood the tower of the ayleid high temple, like a prisoner of a human empire.
The very thought of entering the city filled the ayleid with dread as she imagined what may have become of her people; victims of human vengeance, children hobbled and chained in mines, broken lust slaves and the cities like sarcen behind her destroyed and forgotten. Taless'naverine gripped shalinva's soul stone, wishing desperately she could be there just to hold her; she had never in her life felt so lost and alone.
Taless'naverine felt a warm tingling and opened her hands to see a soft glow emanating from the soul stone; it radiated a sense of reassurance, and a fierce love.
Weeping with joy and despair she brought the glowing stone to her lips.
Braking camp at sunrise and taking a backpack containing the provisions and equipment her would be assassins had left, taless'naverine decided to examine the walled city in closer detail.
Keeping clear of the well travelled road, taless'naverine avoided several armoured humans patrolling on horseback, also travelling at a leisurely pace in the opposite direction were a number of trade caravans and for the briefest second taless'naverine swore she glimpsed a black skinned ayleid, but put it down to being a trick of the light.
The stone bridge leading into the city was an impressive piece of work, taless'naverine had to admit, far from the artful elegance of ayleid design, but what it lacked in grace it easily made up for in sturdy construction.
She had seen several ayleids now, there was no mistaking it now, they travelling among humans, lizard folk and even what appeared to be a khajiit, apparently as equals, so deciding to investigate closer, taless'naverine left the safety of a ruined fortress and followed the caravan as it made it way across the rumare.
The massive gates remained fully opened to allow for the passing traffic as the white haired woman stepped across the threshold, and though the guards scrutinised her, taless'naverine passed into the strange city without incident, merely another traveller passing through.
There was a festive atmosphere throughout the city, scores of people were making their way along the wide, gently curving streets, trade stalls ran length of the street, the vendors loudly promoting their wares, the smells of cooking food, sounds of laughter and music were everywhere.
Taless'naverine quickly stepped aside as two children ran by, noting as they chased around a giant stone dragon statue, the pair were ayleid and judging by their fine clothing, wealthy.
She sighed, taless'naverine had come expecting an enslaved or at least oppressed people, but nothing here made sense.
Just how much time had passed?
The day was drawing to a close when taless'naverine found the inn. She'd searched in vain for hours but unable to read or speak the language had no luck.
Eventually, upon reaching what appeared the market area of the city did she reach her goal and though the words were meaningless, the wooden sign above the door boldly displayed a frothing tankard and an inviting bed.
A few people glanced up from their tables as the blue robed woman with silver hair entered the tavern, watching with muted interest as she lay her backpack down and took a stool at the bar.
Taless'naverine was looking over the available foodstuffs as an overweight human barman approached and asked only what must have been her order.
"Ill have an ale, please" she ventured, the barman stared at her dumbly for a moment before repeating himself, taless'naverine sighed, the language barrier was disheartening, she quickly made a drinking gesture also pointed to the plate of stew a human woman sat next to her was busily eating, the barman nodded and prepared her order as taless'naverine slipped off the stool and gathering her belongings sat at a table in the corner to wait.
Taless'naverine had just finished her meal when he approached the table.
She'd noticed a richly dressed elderly man in a gloomy corner of the tavern discreetly observing her.
"Azura protect me" taless'naverine whispered gripping her amulet, fearing he was spying on her gathered her things preparing to make a quick exit, but seizing the initiative the stranger stood and straightening the creases in his coat, made his way over.
Taless'naverine prepared for battle; magical energies began rippling through her veins.
Stopping before her table, the old man bowed formally and introduced himself oblivious to the mortal danger he was in began waffling in a dreary monotone, taless'naverine relaxed, dissipating some of the coiled magical power within…
"Ayleid". She froze, thinking she'd misheard, but no, through his foreign accent she heard the word.
"Ah, ayleid" he repeated smiling and pointed, not at her but at the soul gem about her neck, she hid it protectively beneath her robe.
"Who are you?" she demanded. "What do you know of my people?"
Though unable to comprehend, his eyes twinkled with a keen intelligence, he pulled from his coat pocket a small leather bound book and handing it over took a chair opposite.
Taless'naverine felt hot tears running down her face as she leafed through the book finding it full of drawings, sketches and rubbings of ayleid artefacts and ruins.
So, she thought darkly, this was what her world had been reduced to, mere sketches on a page.
The old man was clearly curious at her reaction. Standing, he tabled a handful of coins and pocketed the book, as taless'naverine quickly wiped away the tears he spoke softly and gestured for her to follow.
She didn't like the idea, but with little in the way of options this stranger was a chance to get information.
The heavy oak door creaked closed behind her and her escort gestured for her to take a seat while he crossed the room, taless'naverine watched as he conversed with a figure hunched over a large desk.
Taless'naverine looked over the study, bookshelves covered every inch of wall space and the tables in the room were littered with all kinds of junk, for a second it reminded her of the silverway's library.
Standing, the second person carefully closed a thick tome before nodding to the escort who excused himself from the room with a bow.
A tall, extravagantly dressed gold skinned man, not ayleid but clearly of the mer, possibly from the far isles regarded taless'naverine for a few uncomfortable moments, he obviously owned the place
"What?" the ayleid sneered contemptuously. "Keep staring like that and you'll loose those pretty eyes!"
His eyes widened and the colour drained from his face as the man took an involuntary step backwards. Whispering something that sounded like a prayer he hurried over to a shelf and opening a book seemingly at random quickly thumbed through the pages before facing taless'naverine again, he cleared his throat.
"Er… Me my name, Umbacano" he addressed her in broken ayleid. "Um… I finding lost knowledge of ayleids…er, yes?"
Taless'naverine couldn't help but cry out in relief. "My name is taless'naverine iscario" she replied formally, bowing. "Daughter of jamin and sister of incra'te of miscarcand, warrior of the silverway".
The book dropped to the floor as umbacano stood there shocked but slowly, much to taless'naverine's relief, a wide smile grew and he began laughing, she found it quite infectious.
"Wine?" he asked picking up a bottle and two glasses, taless'naverine laughed, nodding eagerly.
Perhaps things were going to work out fine after all she thought.
The dark stone walls echoed with the sounds of hurried footsteps as a heavily robed and hooded figure entered the long, high ceilinged chamber.
At the far end of the candle lit chamber, knelt before an enormous silver plated dragon, its huge metallic wings spanned the entire width and its head, so elegantly sculpted seemed to watching everything.
"Please forgive my intrusion lord Jazha" the robed figure bowed deeply.
The man knelt before him was naked save a loincloth, his heavily muscled body and shaved head were a maze of scars and burn tissue.
He remained in quiet prayer for several long minutes before rising, standing at nearly seven foot tall he easily towered over the robed man.
"You are forgiven" he replied with a voice so deep and powerful that it sounded like the very stone walls that echoed it. "You bring me news?"
"Yes my lord, we…" he faltered, unsure how to continue. "We have a sign my lord, the old enemy has returned".
"You are certain of this?" the figure nodded, swallowing audibly.
"My lord we have confirmed the presence of a sigillum".
"Then our duty is clear, we will honour the oaths of our ancestors, to alessia and akatosh!" His voice raging like a torrent shook the surrounding walls. "Assemble our brothers in the great hall. Tell to ready for battle. The order of the sleeping dragon goes to war!"
