A/N: Well, shorter wait this time. No aliens about, they seem to have gone to bother other people.
Disclaimer: Whether this is in here earier or not, I don't care, but I have used two Faerunian names, "Wulfgar and Anarzee", both for similar characters in fact, but this the Anarzee below is mine, not Elaine Cunningham's.
They left the Imperial City early in the morning; Anarzee led the way down the Black Road. They were nearing a fort that had been rebuilt than abandoned again. Moonshadow stopped of his own accord, pawing at the ground, whinnying. Anarzee pulled her staff free, letting go of the rope reins. The other's followed in suit.
Freya freed her war ax and moved her mount closer to the forest. They were all trained in mounted combat. Kha-mar held his longsword easily in his grasp. Bow strung and arrow readied, Sarelwaited patiently for the action to start.
It wasn't a long wait; a hoard of goblins came running toward them. Before they could close Anarzee let of a blast from her staff, taking eight of the disgusting creatures down. Freya and Kha-mar moved in front of the mage and archer, sweeping their weapons in offense and defense. Arrow and spell swept past them into the hoard.
"I didn't know this many existed!" Kha-mar cried blade stained with goblin blood.
A fire ball was followed by a hollow laugh, "You'd be surprised how common these vermin are." Anarzee sent a lighting bolt into the group trying to flank them. A horn sounded and she paled, it was a sound she has hoped to never hear again. "It can't be." She breathed, calling up on of her more powerful spells.
"What's wrong?" Sarel asked, hitting a goblin on the head with the butt of his bow.
She pointed to the west, "Didn't you hear that horn?" A quizzical look was all the response she needed, "Never mind." She sent the called spell into the goblins before Freya and Kha-mar, taking out about half of the remaining group. The other three quickly finished off those who didn't flee.
Anarzee noticed Sarel was watching her with concern, he probable thought she was going senile. She wouldn't be surprised if she was. Still it was most likely nothing, over the years numerous people had thought her crazy. Each time for a somewhat different reason, it all depended on who the accuser was.
They visited Weynon Priory briefly before continuing on. Setting up a camp just off the Green Road.
"Ever hear of the Ghost who used to haunt this road?" Anarzee asked banking the fire. Every night she told them a collection of tales of quests she had been on, including stories about the Imperial Guard. Those were the ones which usually ended up the most entertaining; the Imperial Guard could be so thick it was funny.
Two of three heads bobbed to get to her to tell. Freya had other plans "Why don't you tell us about the Felmer?"
If she had been trying to startled Anarzee it didn't work. "I know little of them; even we Bosmer know only the legend."
"Then why are we going north?" Up until neither three had been brave enough to ask. Freya had been planning this conversation for a few days now. "You suspect something don't you?" A statement of fact hidden within a curious question, one Anarzee didn't miss.
"I know only that a Felmer is responsible for the message on the crypt." Calm, controlled, unworried; just what worried the younger three the most. "All else is mere legends."
Not one to give up Freya persisted, "Tell us, so we get even an idea what we're up against."
Sensing her position was tentative she gave in, "You do have every right to know; though I had planned to tell you when we depart Cloud Ruler Temple. Felmer, are rumored to still exist, though the knowledge is at least twelve hundred years old. They are similar to most mer, but faster, nimbler and perhaps even stronger. I swear, that is all I know." It wasn't of course, but she couldn't easily explain the source of the rest of her knowledge. Freya nodded, apparently satisfied, Sarel she knew wasn't. He was a Dunmer; they were trained from birth to consider all possibilities and tell if some one's hiding something.
Sarel did know Anarzee was hiding something, what he couldn't place his finger on. All he knew was that it was important, significant and worth his attention. Cloud Ruler Temple knew her well; they might have the answer or at least more pieces to the puzzle.
Cloud Ruler Temple's gate had been rebuilt, but it was much as she remembered. The people at the gate even recognized her. Calls of 'Bladesister', 'Campion' and even 'Anarzee' rang out as the large wooden gates opened. Freya was pleased to see the place fit in with Nord sensibilities, not that flowing earthy architecture found in Valenwood.
Sarel was happy to finally see inside the legendary place. He had heard so many stories about it, his Uncle was a Blade currently posted there.
Captain Renock an Argonian came to meet them at the top of the stair. "Champion why didn't you tell us you were coming?" His voice hoarse and kind of wispy.
"I didn't think a Bladesister had to call a head, sir." Anarzee replied cheerfully.
Renock caught on about how she wanted to be treated, as just another Blade, knowing that was fully impossible. "Come, let us talk." He led the way into the main building, while the other three stabled their horses.
"Why did you ask about the Felmer?" Kha-mar cornered Freya.
She shrugged and tried to push past him, "I was acting on a suspicion."
An ebony hand pulled Kha-mar away from Freya, "I agree with her." At their inquisitive expressions, Sarel clarified, "That Anarzee is not a Bosmer, but a legendary Felmer."
"I wouldn't have put it so bluntly." Freya sighed, seeing Kha-mar's horrified expression. "Nor do I believe if Anarzee is a Felmer that she is like the rest of her kindred."
It didn't help Kha-mar in the slightest. It had dashed his allusions about Anarzee, the honest fighter with a heart of gold. Everything he had heard about the Felmer portrayed them as evil killers. Yet she was a Champion and Divine Crusader, so she couldn't be evil, so her kin couldn't be either. "Then her kin can't be all evil." Yes that had to be it.
A/N: Well this is where this chapter ends. Where the next one will go, only my muse and the characters can say.