Prologue: Crazy Khajiits
"Wake up, kitty kitty." A sharp tongued voice cut the air, causing the other body in the adjacent cell to stir. Slowly the tall furred and tailed form stood, moving slowly towards the door, drawn to waking by the voice. "That's it. There's a rat in my cell, Khajiit. A fat, tasty rat. Does the kitty want it? Is the kitty hungry? You'd better take whatever you can get in here, Khajiit. They don't feed the new prisoners. Didn't you know that? First they starve you. Then they beat you. Then, if you're lucky, they kill you. That's right. You're going to die in here!" The wicked voice of Valen Dreth cackled, clearly pleased with his latest vicious initiation of the newest Khajitt prisoner; it did not have the expected result.
"Khajiit? I'm not a Khajiit." The clearly six foot feline rolled his head, "I'm an Imperial."
Valen Dreth had only a moment to pause, wondering at the strange yet certain tone of the obvious Khajiit before him; suddenly he knew exactly why they had thrown him in here. "You actually believe that don't you?" Valen laughed, face brightening, this would be fun.
"What's not to believe? I'm an imperial, you're doing it wrong, you're suppose ta… suppose ta…" The Khajiit rolled his head again, taking a deep breath and then hunching his shoulders, "Oh, look, an Imperial in the Imperial Prison. I guess they don't play favorites, huh? Your own kinsmen think you're a piece of human trash. How sad. I bet the guards give you "special" treatment before the end. Oh, that's right. You're going to die in here, Imperial! You're going to die! Or something..." The Khajiit cackled in what was clearly meant to be an impression of the Dunmer. Valen Dreth had never been so insulted in all of his life.
"You dare torment me? Valen Dreth? Let me out of this cell, you filthy piece of Guar dung!" Valen roared, reached through the bars with all of his might. "You mangy house cat! When I get through with you, they'll use you for a fur rug!" The Khajiit only looked at him, he then rolled his head again and had to catch his balance, turning away and ignoring all of Valen's threats. "I'll skin you, then I'll stuff you, you filthy skooma addict!" Valen snarled again, but before his threats could be answered, voices carried down the hallway. Valen froze, recognizing the authority in them, and something else. Quickly he shuffled away to stand from the door, seething. As he thought, a guardsmen came down followed by a woman, and… Emperor Uriel Septim himself! Valen was shocked, so shocked he only caught the last hints of the conversation.
"No, they're dead. I know it." His Kingly voice droned.
"My job right now is to get you to safety." she answered. "What's this prisoner doing in here, this cell was suppose to be off limits!"
"Usual mix up with the watch, I uh…" the male guardsmen stuttered.
"Nevermind, get that gate open-"
Before another word could be uttered the Khajiit leaned heavily into the bars, "Prisoner, stand back, we won't hesitate to kill you if you get in our way." he slightly tittered. The guards however did not find his joke funny.
"You there, prisoner-" the male guard began.
"OOooover by the window. Yeah yeah." The Khajiit interrupted again, but did not move.
The male guard was stunned, but rage quickly colored his face. "We don't have time for this! Stand back or I'll run you through!"
But the Khajiit made no move, instead he leaned further through the bars and pointed at the Emperor. "I know you, let me see your face!" he intoned in a booming voice much like the emperors own, was… was the fool mocking the emperor? Valen Dreth grinned hideously to himself, this was going to be fun to watch!
"Why you-!" the guard began but the Emperor actually stepped forward.
"No, hold… he is right, for I have seen him before. He is the one from my dreams."
Suddenly the Khajiit gripped the bars and shouted in the same mock emperor voice, "Close shut the jaws of oblivion!"
The Emperor gasped, "How did you…? Do you share my dreams, you have seen the fate which awaits us, the doom which even now takes my sons?"
The Khajiit did a kind of spin in place hanging onto the bars, "All except Martin." Again the sharp intake of air, and the Emperor came closer.
"Sire, be careful!" the female warned.
"No, it is as I have seen, he-"
"Son's companion, guided by the stars, hour of your death, shrill tongue, I know, I know, you can just give me the amulet now if you want." The Khajiit shrugged.
Finally the male guard had had enough of his impudence, and quickly reached forward to cuff the prison on the face. "That's enough from you, skooma addict, you're wasting our time!"
"Wait, I said!" The Emperor barked.
Surprisingly the Khajiit, reacted in alarm. "That… hurt. That actually hurt." He said in wonder, the drowsiness from his voice gone. "But it can't hurt, I'm, this is…" he then looked at his hands. "No… I was… this can't…" The guards looked at one another, and the Emperor most of all concerned. "No, no, no, no, no, I was just, this can't be right. What's happening?" he said as if to himself.
The Emperor stepped forward, his voice soothing, "Assassins attacked my sons, and I'm next. My Blades are leading me out of the city along a secret escape route. By chance, the entrance to that escape route leads through your cell."
"No!" The Khajiit moaned, "How can I be here?"
The Emperor smiled kindly, "Perhaps the Gods have placed you here so that we may meet. As for what you have done... it does not matter. That is not what you will be remembered for."
"Remembered! Remembered! You don't get it! I'm actually here, this is real! That hurt, I could die! This isn't some game!" The Khajiit screeched.
"I understand your fear, but you must be calm, all of Tamriel needs you!" The Emperor turned his head, "Open the gate."
"But sire!" a third guard said, this one male as well.
"Do as I say." The Emperor said quietly.
The first guard came forward unlocking the gate, immediately the Khajiit recoiled from him, "No, don't hurt me!" and suddenly his eyes widened, impossibly, and the glare he gave the approaching guard sent shiver's down Valen's Spine, even from this distance. Without warning the male guard screamed and ran for his life. The other male guard and the female drew their weapons and rushed forward but the Emperor shouted.
"Stay your blades, I command it!" The guards paused, yet kept their blades ready as the other guards ran back up the stairs.
"But sire he has placed Glenroy in danger, the assassins are seeking us even now!" the female said.
"Do not be afraid, they will not harm you." The Emperor said soothingly, approaching the crouched Khajiit. But the Khajiit was no longer terrified, he was too busy looking at his hands.
"…did I just…?" he whispered.
The Emperor did not know what to say, but looked at his other guard. "Baurus, check the stair, see if Glenroy if alright, I'll check the secret pass-" the female guard began to say.
"NO! Th-th-the Mytic Dawn are down there, they're just waiting for you!" he screeched.
The female guard, Baurus and the Emperor looked stunned; "How do you know this prisoner? Are you working for them!" the woman accused.
"No, do you now understand?" The Emperor said calmly, "He has seen as I have seen, though far more then my own dreams. Perhaps, his is a Shaman of his people, sent to me by the divines."
"Sir, you can't possibly…" she began.
"They're aren't any Mythic Dawn upstairs, nobody but the Legion!" the Khajiit said quickly.
"…trust the ravings of a Skooma addict." She finished.
The Emperor frowned, but the Khajiit was adamant, and he suddenly gripped the Emperors robes. "If you go down there you will die."
The Emperor breathed deeply, "Gods give me strength."
"NO!" the Khajiit screamed and stood, pushing past all of them in a furious ball. The blades were trained warriors, but they were unprepared for the sudden mad dash. He flew past them and up the stairs before any could stop him.
"Follow him, he must not be harmed!" The Emperor commanded, giving chase himself. Valen Dreth watched in complete amazement as the group then dashed back up the stairs after the screaming Khajiit …it wasn't what he thought would happen at all.
…
Captain Renault took the stairs two at a time after the Mad Khajiit, she didn't know why the Emperor wanted him alive so much, but orders were orders… and if he was a Mythic Dawn agent… she came upon him suddenly, his white tipped tail thrashing as he slammed his fists into the wood of the door. "Stop where you are!" she called, but knew there was no reason too, the door was locked by Baurus. But the mad cat didn't give up, instead he slammed his shoulder into it all the harder, eyes blazing in a wild kind of fury. Captain Renault slowed, realizing she had to take him alive, and that he was cornered. "Easy there." she tired, placing her Katana down, though she kept her mind on the Steel short sword at his side. "No one is going to hut you."
"The assassins will! I can't fight them they're way higher than I am!" he gibbered, slamming into the door again and again.
"No one is going harm you, you have my word as a Knight of the Blades, I will protect you!" she chanced again as she could think of nothing else. Baurus caught up with her, the Emperor right behind him. "Listen we barred that door so we could not be followed, you can't break through."
The Khajiiit snarled as he kept pounding, "Your protection, -agh!- you'll just die at the first attack –ugh!- and then I'll be alone to fights rats and goblins, -ergh!" he paused, rubbing his sore arm, "And if it's locked how come Glenroy got through?" he snarled then began hitting it again.
Captain Renault was shocked, he was right. If the door was barred, how had the paniced soldier gotten past it? Did he relock it behind him? What magic was this? Suddenly however, there was a loud click at the lock. The Khajiit looked down and instinctively back away in fear, Captain Renault quickly scooped up her Katana again, pressing him behind her, "The assassins! Protect the Emperor!" she shouted, as the door opened to reveal… a Legionnaire guardsmen. He looked at them all blankly.
"The Prisoner is escaping!" he shouted suddenly, and Captain Renault was again shocked to see more of the Legion filling in behind the guard, all readying their steel weapons. But not a single assassin. No cultists, no Mythic Dawn, nothing… just a wall of guards. "Should have paid the fine!" one shouted.
"Halt!" she called, they paused, as if only now recognizing her. "I am Captain Renault of the Blades, you're in the presence of the Emperor, back away!" As one the Legionnaires balked, quickly bowing and moving away. She stared in amazement, the Legion should have been storming the palace shouldn't it? They were being attacked weren't they? That was why they had rushed the Emperor out had they not? Or, or perhaps it was all a Mythic Dawn plot; a ploy to get the Emperor to flee into the 'secret escape route' and thereby ambush him when only a few guards were about. Suddenly Captain Renault had to think twice about the Khajiit's powers of sight. It was then she realized two furry arms were wrapped around her midsection. Before she could react, Baurus came further up the stairs.
"What's happening? Why are the Legion here?" he asked.
Renault couldn't answer, she blushed and quickly tried to push the clinging arms away, but they wouldn't budge. He was pressing the side of his face into her back too, squeezing his eyes shut. "I-I don't know, it could be a trap, fan out, search the perimeter and find Glenroy!" she said still trying to unwrap herself.
The Emperor moved up beside them, "I can not understand."
"Attack Sir, what attack?" The Guardsmen said.
Captain Renault had just about had enough, angrily she gave up and let the Khajiit cling to her as she pointed to various Lengionaires, "You, you, and you four, comes with me; You, you and you, go find the redguard who was with me and tell him to return, then seek out our missing brother, Glenroy. Protect your Emperor!" she commanded. Quickly they did as she asked, filing out the door. Renault turned to try and look at the Khajiit over her shoulder, "And you! Let go of me!" he didn't answer.
Baurus returned suddenly, "Sir, I found no sign of Glenroy."
Renault sighed, then pointed to the Legionnaires, "Baurus, lead three of these men and scout out the passage, we will follow after."
Baurus nodded, "You three come with me." Three Legionnaires followed after him stepping respectfully past the still confused Emperor.
Finally Renault, tried to struggled free of the Khajiit's death grip without hurting him. "Listen, I have already told you none will harm you, you can let go!" but he didn't. At the limits of her patience, she lifted her arms and shimmied in place so he was now laying his head against her chest. "Look, I said I would protect you, alright, here, you can take my hand." she said trying to get him to look at her. Unbelievably, the Khajiit opened his eyes, ears laid back and slowly made to take her hand uncertainly. "Good, now isn't that better?" she said, then turned again all hard command. "Sire I don't know if this is a trick or not, but we'll follow through with our plan. If there really are assassins waiting for us, we shall be prepared." Yet she was slightly taken back by his expression, despite all that was happening, the Emperor couldn't help but smile in barely repressed mirth. Renault was aware her tough commanding presentation was utterly ruined by the shy Khajiit standing there holding her hand and looking at his feet.
"Sire we must keep moving!" she said a bit harshly. As one she started forward, pulling the Khajiit along and the Emperor following behind him. "The rest of you guard the rear!" she shouted behind her, refusing to see their also snickering faces. She made her way quickly down the stairs, though she had to pull the Khajiit with her free hand the whole way. She hated babying him, but he was important to the Emperor, and she couldn't fight with him wrapped around her. When she reached the cells, the wall was already opened and Baurus was nowhere to be seen. She looked around her anyway, and could have sworn she heard the Dunmer in the other cell gasp and begin quietly cursing something. Renault forged ahead, sword at the ready. She pushed her way down the long wall, down the small stairs, and into a corridor. The Legion and Baurus were waiting for her at the gate. "Repor-" she had began to say but the Khajiit pulled her to a stop abruptly.
"No farther." he said quietly, starring at her intently when she looked back to him.
Regardless Baurus complied, "No sign of any assassin's, sir, we stopped at the gates and waited for you."
Renault repressed the snarl on her face as the she continued to look at the Khajiit, the Emperor was right behind them after all. "So much for your assassin's, she remarked lowly." And tried to let go of his hand, but again, he did not. Instead he gripped harder, and prevented her from walking forward.
"No farther." He repeated a little more forcefully.
Renault sighed in exasperation, and fixed him with a hard stare, "Listen, I gave you my word no one would harm you, but I swore to protect the Emperor and have trained to do so my entire life." She forcefully jerked at his hand, but he wouldn't let go, and she found herself stepping away from him and actually pulling him forward. "You're being ridiculous!" she cried.
Finally ripping her hand form his grasp but just as suddenly he lunged forward, ripping the steel short sword from her side before she could react- that was when the sound of two doors opening and someone summoning something filled the room. Impossibly, two figured clad in black armor and carrying wicked summoned weapons leaped from above. "For Lord Dagon!" one brought mace down, but the Khajiit was there holding the short sword up to meet him. The blow meant for Renault skirted off his sword short but in turn impacted the Khajiit harshly forcing him to cry out and fall back. But. Before he could even lift his mace again, the combined blades of Baurus, the Legionnaires, and her own sword bit into him. It was two against at least six, they stood no chance. Gasping the would be assassin's weapon and armor fell away, revealing a man in a purple crimson robe. The Emperor stepped forward.
"Captain Renault?" he asked fearfully. She couldn't answer, she was too absorbed starring down at the Khajiit, she had the strangest feeling… he had just saved her life.
"She's fine sire." Baurus answered.
At these words, Captain Renault whispered, "How did you know?"
The Khajiit held his chest, painfully, wincing but he didn't answer beyond, "Please, don't leave me."
Renault frowned, and held out her hand. The Khajiit looked from it to her wearily, "I won't." she said, and he finally took it. She held him rise, and looked around at all of the men and the Emperor. "The assassins have planned a trap, two of you men return to the Palace, inform the rest of the blades to meet us here, and send down more Legion as you do. Don't worry sire, we'll get to the bottom of this." As she said it was done, the five more Legionnaires joined them, and then ten more blades. All of the marched through the door, down passage ways the Khajiit seemed unfamiliar with, until they came upon a turn- in which he again pulled at her hand, and she made ready for another attack. Like clockwork as soon as he motioned, assassins sprung as if from the walls themselves; yet none of them even got near the Emperor. The royal guard continued in this way, slaying Assassins with the forewarning of the Mad Khajiit, and clearing out the secret passage until they reached a locked gate.
Milling about the soldiers formed a perimeter, a few checked a dead end, and it was at the mention of this the Khajiit again pulled upon Ranault's hand. She had grown to trust him explicitly during this short trial, and instantly halted, turning to him. "There?" she motioned towards the dead end. The Khajiit nodded, then looked back to the Emperor. Renault felt the oddest sense of impending doom, but quickly ushered in five of her best Blades to form a solid wall in the room itself, especially at the window the Khajiit pointed out, though it seemed merely a simple depression in the stone. The Legion themselves were fanned out into the room itself, creating a barricade of iron and steel. Only then did the Khajiit allow Renault to lead him and the Emperor forward. At the far end of the room. Again, miraculously, at his warning Assassins began to pour in from all sides. The mash of steel and summoned weapons filled the room! Captain Renault was about to join the fray when the Khajiit leveled his gaze solely on the window. It was then the Emperor gasped harshly.
For some reason, he turned to the Khajiit, "I feel I can go no farther, it is not my place, this is supposed to be the hour of my end!" and as if cued, the stone opened revealing a very surprised assassin.
"FOR LORD DA-" he didn't even finish his sentence before the Blades made short work of him. Just like that the battle ceased and the Emperor collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily, clutching his chest with eyes closed. Immediately the blades fell to his side, including Renault.
"Sire!" she said, but the Emperor breathed as if in a nightmare. His body wracked with pain, his face turning an ashen white… as if someone were treading upon his grave. Then, slowly his breath abated, his face became softly serene, and he became still.
"No, I can't believe it. We've failed, I've failed!" Baurus whispered.
"No this! Isn't right! This is totally wrong! This has to be some kind of a Joke!" The Khajiit began to cry, "I was standing with, and then… the script?"
"Wait, he's alright!"
Captain Renault shared his relief, but even more so she was utterly shocked; the Emperor stood, taking deep breaths. The color returned to his face, as if fate had simply stepped aside. A feeling she couldn't understand, but knew, the Khajiit had saved their lives. His knowledge of the future was uncanny. Captain Renault gripped his hand hard, making him look at her, "Well done."
Baurus too stood, "He said something about the Jaws of Oblivion."
Suddenly the Khajiit gasped and snapped his fingers, "We have to kill Mankar Camero- without warning a purple light struck the very center of them, as unconsciousness took Captain Renault, as her entire body felt frozen in place… she could have sworn she heard a thunderous voice cry out "HOLD!"
…
Slowly a very well dressed figure sauntered into the midst of the group, all frozen, save one. "Now why'd you have to go and do that?" he said with a slight Scottish accent.
"Y-you! Are you…?" the Khajiit said quietly.
"Real? Yes I'm real, real mad! You just had to ruin it, I give you the perfect little set up and here you go, running it. Or maybe rueing it. Or rowing it. Either way, you're over doing it. And I hate that! You have no idea how hard it was cleaning up the mess after the yellow swirly march."
"Yellow, swirly…?"
"Oh yes, all the bodies just kept piling up, and Azura herself took a lot of flack, but I took more, in fact I took it back. You see they came from my realm, so naturally it was my fault. So there I was stuck with Azura cleaning up your mortal's messes." His golden slit eyes glared menacingly.
"Mortals messes… but… it's just a game…"
"A game? Whose game, yours! or mine…"
"But, I bought you and made most of the mods, especially on the forums, this is all some kind of… whacked out dream!"
"Well don't we have a solid perception of reality, what is and what isn't, and to think you wanted to be a mad god. You mortals and your devotion and meddling with stories that have and haven't been, oh of course we're accommodating and all, but there is only so far we can be pushed. And my boy, when you devote some much time an energy into something, that goes somewhere. Now, where do you think it goes?"
The Khajiit's eyes widened, "You mean…"
"It's kind of like worship don't you think? Loving something so much, day in, day out, painstaking hours and hours.; naturally that kind of spirit can breach realities, and even unrelaties, dimensions! did I mention? Or perhaps not. Well, it doesn't matter. What does matter, is that your matter, is now here. And what do you do? You start messing with the story again! That's MY job! Our job, mine and Azura's. See we had to undo your mess, so now we're going to mess with what you do, but that doesn't mean you get off scott free. Or mike free. Or even dan." The sinister man leaned close, voice low, "We're tired of you devoted worshipers altering the tale that should be, we're tired of you trying to change history like you're some kind of god. So this is part punishment, part present, because this present, is now your own but you don't own it this time. Oh no, now you'll have to experience it just like everybody else… but we'll have to do something about all that knowledge in your noodle."
The Khajiit recoiled in horror, "What are you going to do to me?"
"Oh nothing special, especially nothing, it'll be like you were Never-There." The Khajiit could not scream as the mad god Sheogorath settled in right beside his ear. "Oh by the way… RELEASE!"