Author's note: I don't own Oblivion or The Elder Scrolls. No other announcements to make, I'm hoping the story will stand on its own when all is said and done. Hope you enjoy.

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Chapter 3

Calidus arrived back at the Imperial Palace, the pack containing the two books still slung over his shoulder. The emperor was waiting for him when he arrived in his personal quarters. Calidus knelt before him, his eyes focused on the ground.

"Ave, Emperor."

"Have you been able to uncover anything, informant?" the emperor asked patiently.

"I could not determine the degree of Ponius' personal involvement, but I did manage to track down one of his associates, Councilor Lidean, the Redguard. Apparently some of the councilors have been meeting in secret at the Tiber Septim Hotel. In Councilor Lidean's room, I discovered a log recording the activities of an organization called the Talos Cult, which several of the councilors and legion officers are apparently a part of. Apparently, this organization is dedicated to ensuring that a 'strong man' takes the throne of Tamriel. Exactly what that entails, I am unsure. Looking through the log with more thoroughness may give more clues."

Calidus' eyes remained on the ground, but he sensed that the emperor was disturbed to hear him mention the Talos Cult.

"Were you able to discover anything else?" the emperor asked after a moment's reflection.

"Well, In Lidean's quarters I also found a book called 'The Mythic Dawn Commentaries'. I don't know anything about the organization, but apparently they are some kind of religious Daedric cult."

The emperor said, "I've heard of the Mythic Dawn before. We've been trying to find out more about them, but we haven't had much luck so far. The Talos Cult, however, I am acutely aware of. They are an organization that has tried to plot against the Septims, hoping to replace the Septim dynasty after my death with someone they think would make a better leader than any of my sons."

"Lidean has likely realized by now that his books are missing. He ought to know that someone from outside the Talos Cult has discovered his secret. I don't think he can know for sure who is investigating him, though. "

"We're going to have to approach this carefully. We have no way of knowing how large the following of this Talos Cult is, and we don't know the nature of this Mythic Dawn group. I'm going to set you to other tasks for a while, while we see how this develops."

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For the following months, the emperor had set Calidus to more menial tasks, including sitting in on meetings between the emperor and members of the Elder Council. Calidus had gone through the Imperial archives, looking for any further information on the Mythic Dawn, but had no success. The only information he could find was information that he already knew; that the Mythic Dawn was a private, secretive organization dedicated to the Daedric lord Mehrunes Dagon.

Calidus had gotten to know the emperor in those months, almost coming to consider him as a friend. There were times, when it was just the two of them in the emperor's quarters, when Uriel's sense of humor would come through, and they would both share a laugh and sit in silence, before remembering that their relationship was nothing more than command and obedience, and would return to their respective roles as an emperor and his subject.

There hadn't been much progress on the intentions of the Talos Cult either, until finally the blades received a break in the form of a report that arrived at the Imperial Palace from Vvardenfell. Upon receiving the report, the Emperor immediately summoned Calidus to his chambers.

"We've received a report from Morrowind concerning the Talos Cult." He had said.

"Apparently the cult also had a chapter in Vvardenfell, in the town of Gnisis, which was discovered and shut down by a legion agent. This means that the Talos Cult could be much more influential and widespread than we first suspected. The agent found a letter at the cult's Vvardenfell headquarters regarding their intentions. The letter essentially called for the destruction of all three of my sons, and the election of a strongman to rule the empire after my own death. I don't need to tell you the severity of what this entails.

This Cult is dedicated to ending the Septim dynasty. It is a serious threat and we cannot let it grow more out of hand. We have to act. The letter was written by the chapter head of the Talos Cult here in Cyrodiil, who is apparently the leading man in the entire organization."

"What is his name?"

"Cidius Ponius."

Calidus furrowed his brow and looked at the ground, thinking. He looked up again at the emperor and asked, "So what do we do? For all we know half the Elder Council could be in on it."

"Maybe, but we can't afford to wait any longer. The next Council meeting is tomorrow. I've ordered a squad of palace guards to wait for you outside of the council chamber. You are going to accompany them after the meeting ends. I've ordered the palace guard to arrest Councilors Ponius and Lidean."

"Permit me to ask, my liege. Why am I required to accompany the guards in this arrest?"

"I have a bad feeling about the whole thing, and you've been trustworthy thus far. I want you to be the one to handle the arrest. You might be able to glean some information from the Councilors."

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The Palace guards were gathered immediately inside the front entrance of the Imperial palace, just outside the massive, engraved doors of the Elder Council chamber. Calidus approached and met with them, clad in the same armor that the palace guards wore. It was bleached white, with an engraving of the two opposite facing horses, symbolizing the Imperial legion, and the symbol of Talos, symbolizing Tiber Septim and the Septim dynasty.

"We have no idea how the Councilors will react, so prepare your selves. We will have to move quickly when the meeting ends." He had told them.

The heavy chamber doors began to groan open, signaling the end of the council meeting. Calidus and the guards waited silently as the councilors began to file out of the chamber, every so often casting them a glance of interest, wondering what occasion called for the collection of guards.

Councilor Ponius emerged, wrapped in elegant blue robes with an intricate design stitched into the bottom and the sleeves in gold. He was talking with Councilor Lidean, who was sporting crimson robes with a pattern of gold running down the center. Their heads were low, their faces looking toward the ground in front of them as they leaned toward one another and talked with an air of haste. Both of them looked up at the same time and stopped in their tracks upon seeing Calidus and the retinue of Imperial Guards.

Calidus faced them, his hands clasping a silver sword behind his back, with his head inclined slightly and his jaw set sternly. He was standing tall and his blue eyes were lucid and unmoving, giving him an air of dignity and authority.

"Councilor Ponius? Councilor Lidean? Both of you are under arrest for conspiring against the empire and the Septims. Do not make this worse for yourself by resisting us."

"We have done no such thing." Ponius said with the ominous precision of words formed by anger.

"That is for the empire to decide, not either of us." Calidus responded coolly. Two of the guards moved in to restrain the Councilors.

"The Septims decide nothing for me! I'd rather die! We're too late Lidean! The emperor will stop at nothing to let his foolish children pick the empire apart! We won't be taken alive!"

In a flash, Ponius' blade was unsheathed and plunging into the neck of an approaching guard. A second later, another guard had readied his blade just in time to meet that of Councilor Lidean. The other guards unsheathed their own weapons and hurried into the fray, Calidus sprinting ahead of them, his weapon already readied behind his back, to meet Councilor Ponius. Ponius met Calidus' initial few blows with his own blade without much exertion, surprising Calidus with his deftness at personal combat.

The old man knows how to fight ,Calidus thought, oddly amused at the prospect of falling to a fellow Imperial who was decades older than he.

The area had erupted into sounds of panic, some of the Councilors retreating back inside the council chamber, with others bolting toward the exit to alert the guards posted outside. Others, Councilors and aristocratic noble guests, had taken off in either direction down the hall.

The two Imperials met each other blow for blow, neither one of them able to pierce the defenses of the other. Calidus heard a loud cry to his right as Councilor Lidean, locked in combat with one guard, was run through from the side by another.

The guards now focused in on Ponius, who was backpedalling in desperation.

"You think you've won here!" he gasped, spit spraying from his lips. "You haven't! You're working for the destruction of the empire you claim to protect! The heirs are all fools! The Talos cult doesn't die with me!"

Ponius had lowered his guard for just a moment, but it was all Calidus had needed. He lunged forward, plunging his sword in the Councilor's belly to the hilt. The Councilor somehow remained on his feet, blood seeping from his open mouth and his nose. Another guard's blade also penetrated Ponius' flesh, and when Calidus and the guard both pulled out their blades simultaneously, the Councilor collapsed in a heap.

"Mara's grace…" Calidus uttered, standing over the Councilor's body and eyeing his blade, gleaming with a thick red coat of the Councilor's blood.

"I suppose this complicates things."

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"Nine hells" Uriel Septim VII uttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "A pitched battle in the Imperial Palace, right outside the Council chamber. A palace guard and two Elder Councilors dead. This is even worse than I thought."

"I'm sorry, my liege. It couldn't be avoided." Calidus said as he assumed his routine stance; kneeling, with his eyes on the floor.

"I believe you," the emperor said, "But some on the council aren't so sure. They've been questioning your temperament, wondering if you acted brashly, wondering if you're becoming a liability."

"If you wish for me to lie low, emperor, I will gladly do so."

"We still need your abilities, agent. I can't afford for them to go unused in the coming days. However, I think a change of assignment would be better for both of us. We don't know if we've really killed the Talos Cult. There are probably elements out there, still plotting against my sons. I'm not concerned with my own life. I think my enemies, whomever they may be, will be content to let me live out my final years. But my sons are still in danger, and they are the real targets of the Talos Cult.

I'm sending you to look after my youngest son, Ebel. He will assign your specific duties as he sees fit. I'd also like you to tutor him. I've looked at your service records. You seem well versed in the areas of politics and kingship. Ebel has little experience with either of those areas. I'm not a young man anymore. Time is running out, and I need all three of my sons to be ready for when I'm gone."

"Where is Prince Ebel?"

"He is currently a guest at the court of Count Hassildor of Skingrad. You are to report to him immediately."

"Understood, my liege."

Calidus stood and turned to leave.

"Publius?" the emperor called after him.

"Yes, emperor?" Calidus replied, turning around. He was surprised to hear the Emperor call him by his most casual name.

"I've had more of the dreams. Remember the ones I was telling you about? They all tell me that some kind of darkness is approaching. But I've also had a dream about a coming light. Someone or something to guide us through the darkness. The Nine will guide and protect us, always. We can't forget that in the times to come."

"Yes…emperor." Calidus said quietly.

He turned again and disappeared out of the emperor's quarters, leaving Uriel Septim alone in the room. He stood and looked at the doorway long after Calidus had disappeared, his hand rubbing the dark red amulet that was draped around his neck.