Author's note: Holy anal flogging, ten chapters! And it only took a year!
Chapter Ten: Raids
Farens sat down on a salt colored rock, catching the breath he lost during his workout. The Dremora Lord Ring required a few more hours of recharging before it could be used. During these times in between, he would wait for Saryoni, or he would exercise.
He worked every day to try to stay at his physical peak. His physical peak. When he was a child, living in Vazon'Ruhn, he was one of the strongest, fastest youths in the village. Combined with his talent with swords and magic, there was nothing in the world he looked forward to more than his coming of age day, where he would leave for Vivec and strive to become an Ordinator.
That was his dream then, to be an Ordinator. The village got few adventurers, and fewer travelers. They were self sufficient, for the most part, but made their money by selling excess from their crops to the cities. One time, when he was six, he went with his father to Vivec, and there he saw the Ordinators. That was the first significant event of his childhood, when he found his dream: to serve nation and lord as an enforcer of the law, an embodiment of power and loyalty.
The second significant event of his childhood broke that dream, every bit as much as it broke his body. Since then, his body was weak, and he had to temper it daily so it wouldn't fail him as he followed his new dream, the only dream he had left. He would not serve law, he would deal out justice. That was all he could do.
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When Raedyn jubilantly returned to Balmora, Caius opened a bottle from his cache of Dagoth Brandy in celebration while debriefing the young Dunmer, though in a far less strict manner than they had in the past.
"Master Fyr gave me the cloths and a few septims for travel as a way of thanking me for the Coherer." Raedyn wrapped up.
Caius nodded, his eyes staring out into empty space while sipping his brandy. Halfway through the debriefing his jubilance for Raedyn's recovery had seemed to have run its course, and he looked as though his mind was elsewhere, though the Dunmer knew he heard every word he said. After several seconds of silence, Caius seemed to continue pondering something.
"You know this can't be coincidence, right?" The Imperial eventually said. "'Neither blight nor age can harm him. The Curse-of-the-flesh before him flies', and look what's happened to you." When he saw Raedyn's face become solemn, he said, in an apologetic voice, "I don't mean to spoil your good mood, but it's something that must be mentioned. According to Lord Fyr, you're now immune to all disease, and you've shown you're stronger than an Ogrim Titan. Everything up until now was based on assumption and could be counted off as coincidence; this is the first true sign that you could actually be the Nerevarine."
Raedyn was silent for several seconds while leaning back in his chair. Though he understood what Caius had said, all too well, he couldn't help but notice something was off about the Spymaster. "What else is bothering you?" Raedyn asked.
Caius briefly chuckled at the question. "I guess you're finally getting some perception. I've been going over the notes you brought me about the prophecies. One of the passages has me slightly concerned. 'Many fall, but one remains'. This passage doesn't seem to refer to the trials the Nerevarine is supposed to face, but talks about something else. One theory I had was that there would be several beings that had the Nerevarine's destiny, but only one would succeed. I know there have been many in the past who've claimed to be Nerevar-incarnate, and all have died. I had some agents in the Temple look up records on several of those who made such claims, as they were the ones that persecuted them the most, and many have shared some alarming similarities to you. All of them were born on the exact same day you were, all of them showed remarkable talent in combat and magic, each of them were from Cyrodiil, and their appearances coincided with mass outbreaks of corprus and some of the worst Blight Storms in Vvardenfell's history."
Raedyn leaned back heavily in his chair, taking all that information in. '…some of the worst Blight Storms in Vvardenfell's history.' When Earth is sundered and skies chocked black… '…mass outbreaks of corprus…' …and the Sleepers serve the seven curses… '…each of them were from Cyrodiil…' …to the hearth there comes a stranger, journeyed far 'neath moon and star. 'I had some agents in the Temple look up records on several of those who made such claims, as they were the one that persecuted them the most…' wicked stalk him, righteous curse him. Many fall, but one remains.
"So you're saying I might still fail, even if I am Nerevar's reincarnation?" Raedyn asked.
"That's exactly what I'm saying." Caius affirmed.
Raedyn felt a small swell of worry and panic well up within him, but he promptly suppressed it, finding, once again, that calm that overtook him in Ilunibi. It was like he was a blank slate now: empty, detached. Nothing moved him, nothing touched him, all went through him. "If Azura won't promise my safety, then I'll simply take care of myself." He stated, calmly.
Caius was slightly surprised by these words. A faint smile played on his lips. "You've grown, Raedyn. I don't know if any greater power watching over you sees potential in you, but now, I do."
"What else is bothering you?" Raedyn asked. "Your tone and body language suggests this is the end or something."
Caius stood up and looked at the wall, not meeting the Dunmer's gaze as he did so. "It is an end. I've been recalled to Cyrodiil."
Raedyn's calm shuddered, but held. "Why?"
"Not sure. Perhaps my sweet tooth doesn't sit well with them." Caius answered.
"And what else might it be?" Raedyn asked, the emphasis he used showing he could see right through the Imperial.
"You've indeed grown." Caius turned to meet Raedyn's gaze. "You're as fine and sharp as anyone I've trained in the Blades now. Yes, there is another reason I think I'm being recalled. The Emperor's health is declining further, and many believe he won't survive his illness. His Majesty's sons are strong and capable, but they're also very different from one another, and stubborn as His Majesty's late wife."
"It's the succession of the throne, isn't it?" Raedyn asked. "Even if one is picked, the others might disagree, with the choice of succession or with his rule, and that could turn into conflict of interests and plots, possibly even culminating in a coup." Raedyn thought about this for a few more seconds before continuing, "Situations like these cannot be solved with force, as that would lead to unacceptable outcomes and possibly even more conflict. They would need the most experienced Blades to handle a situation this delicate. If any of the sons gather enough support, it could eventually lead to civil war."
Caius gave a hearty laugh. "Forgive the cliché, but I have little else to teach you."
"So who do I report to now?" Raedyn asked.
"No one." Caius answered. "I'm promoting you to Blades Operative, making you the ranking agent in Vvardenfell."
Raedyn was surprised by this. "Caius, I can't handle your job, I don't even know half of the duties you perform, not to mention your agents and contacts."
"There's nothing to it. Each agent reports directly to Cyrodiil on his or her own. The promotion is to help maintain your independence." The elderly Imperial walked over to the chest at the base of his bed, and pulled on a black shirt and a traveling pack. "I'll be going now."
"Now?" Raedyn asked, surprised. "Already?"
"My orders were to leave immediately after you returned, and to give you one last order: fulfill the prophecy. Mehra Milo has reported that she has made contact with the Dissident Priests, but says she might be short on time. My superiors were hoping you were ready to act on your own, to use your own discretion, but I know you're ready." He walked over to the door, but when he grasped the handle, he stopped and said, "Raedyn, the Empire is falling apart; we both know it's only a matter of time before it sees its last days. I don't think I need to explain the hell that will follow. Don't worry about us, think locally. That's all you can do now. Good luck."
As the Spymaster turned the handle, Raedyn was overcome with a compulsion. He stood up, walked over to Caius before he could leave the house, and hugged him. "Good bye, old man. And thanks…for everything."
Caius returned the embrace. "Good bye, my pupil." He let go of the Dunmer, and walked out the door.
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Later that day, as evening began to give way to twilight, Raedyn took his time descending the Foreign Quarter Canton in Vivec, despondent over the absence of his superior. After the elderly Imperial left, Raedyn had just sat in that one-room house for nearly an hour, taking in the emptiness that was left without its occupant. How strange that the room seemed…alien without him.
In a way, he guessed the house and the Imperial were a place of safety for him; if he didn't know what to do, he could always go there and rely on Caius. Even though he couldn't see himself willingly give in ask Caius for advice back then, and still couldn't see himself do it now, just having the option helped. He remembered as a child, when he'd be out playing and got home late, he always checked to see if his mother was home. She sometimes had to work late, and occasionally overnight, but she was usually asleep when he got home late. He would never wake her, but knowing she was there put him at ease.
It was more than simply a place for Raedyn to rely on in need. Caius had taken care of him when no one else would. He had helped him more than anyone ever had. He was more than simply Raedyn superior, he was his friend, one whom he owed a debt to he could never repay.
Now he was on his own again, just like before. This time, however, he wasn't going to let that kindness go to waste. He wasn't going to become just another vagabond and thief.
When he reached the Hall of Wisdom, he asked an Ordinator where the private quarters were. He didn't want to mention Milo by name and draw suspicion, or more suspicion than there already was, to her. When he found the wooden door with her name on it, he knocked a few times, and no one came. He might have had some skill with a lock pick before going to the Imperial City's prison, but even if he could still use one like he did back then, he didn't have any on him.
Raedyn looked around the nearby corners to see if anyone was close, and finding none, he pressed his body against the doorjamb to hopefully muffle the sound. If it didn't, he would have to either be fast with his words or fast on his feet when a dozen Ordinators came to investigate the noise. Quickly, but trying to be gentle, he hit the door with an open palm. There was a crack as the doorjamb splintered where the door fastened into it, and the door swung unsteadily open. Raedyn quickly stepped in and closed the door behind him. Luckily, no one from the outside could see the broken doorframe.
The inside of the room was tidy, and not terribly decorated, though it was less Spartan than Caius's. Raedyn started looking through the desk, hoping to find a schedule. He almost ignored the note on top of the desk, seeing as it looked like a personal letter, and ergo, pointless to him, until by chance he saw a name that looked familiar. It was addressed to Amaya, the codename he set up between the two of them. Not a likely coincidence, especially since she was expecting him.
After he finished reading it, he realized that, once again, this wasn't going to be a simple mission. 'Run some papers to the Ministry of Truth' his ash-colored ass. Might as well get those scrolls, he thought, looks like I'm going to cross swords with Ordinators again.
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The twilight was starting to give way to night as Raedyn looked up at the looming dirt clump that was the Ministry of Truth, two Divine Intervention Scrolls safely tucked away in his satchel, and sure his glass armor was well secured. He wished he had some kind of mask, but all the armor shops were closed for the night. Why couldn't shops stay open twenty-four hours a day? Why didn't city, village and town dwellers ever stay still? If merchants and normal folk only stayed in the same spot all the time, things would be much more convenient for adventurers like him. A little too convenient, likely, but convenient, nonetheless.
Forcing a little magicka into his Ring of Sureflight, he slowly levitated up to the Ministry catwalks. Halfway there, he saw an Ordinator, with the helmet off he could see it was a she, catch sight of him, and move to greet him. When his feet were solidly on the wooden planks, she spoke, "Forgive me, Serjo, but pilgrims are not allowed in the Ministry."
"Are you Avela Saram?" Raedyn asked. When she affirmed, he continued, "I'm looking for Mehra Milo. Any chance I can see her?"
Her expression didn't change. "You must be Raedyn, the one she's expecting." This time, she continued when he affirmed, "Some of us are sympathetic to the Dissident Priests. Though many of us are retainers of the Great Houses, especially Indoril, many of us were also subjects of the Ordinator's abuse of power, and thus disagree with the way these priests are treated." She reached into her pocket, and showed she held a key. "This will get you into the Ministry, but be warned: if you free Milo, we will know. We will also know how you did it. If they know you killed one of our brothers or sisters for the sake of a Dissident Priest, they would see it as an attack by the Dissident Priests. Keep that in mind."
He took a few moments to think that through. When, at last, he reached for the key, she closed her hand and fixed him with an appraising eye. "Hard to believe you took down Feras Letheli with his own weapon."
"What are you…" It suddenly occurred to him what she was talking about. "That Ordinator attacked me first, and I wasn't under any orders."
She gave him a half-smile. "Just understand that not all of us are as understanding as I am." She dropped the key into his hand. "I'll just say you subdued me with magic. The door at the end of this walkway is the best way to enter. Go up to find the prison, Mehra's cell is the one on the far right. That key won't open the prison doors, though. Look for that one in desks; no one holds keys while on duty."
"That won't be necessary." Raedyn casually said, and lightly banged on the door next to them, breaking it off its hinges and creating a loud noise. "You might want to start acting 'subdued'." He turned, and ran to the other door before half a dozen Ordinators appeared where Avela laid on the catwalk, pretending to be paralyzed.
Using the key to quietly open the door, Raedyn ran in and through the nearest tunnel, while the Ordinators were distracted by the noise. Quickly, he found a sturdy looking door with the word 'Prison' etched into the wood. The Dunmer gave it a solid kick, which not only knocked it off its hinges, but sent it flying halfway across the large room it opened into.
"What in Oblivion?" A Dunmeri voice demanded before two Ordinators showed up and blocked the entrance. Raedyn wasted no time by ramming his way through them, and shoulder butting any other Ordinators that got in his way down ramp, and into the commons area where a dozen prisoners looked shocked at his flashy entry. Raedyn quickly made his way to the right-most hut, and with some gentleness this time, hit the door to open it. Inside, he found a vaguely familiar female Dunmer looking somewhat shocked.
"Hey," Raedyn greeted as he pressed his back against the door to keep the outsiders outside, "recognize me without the seawater?"
"You're as subtle as a Blight Storm, Otheril!" She barked.
"And you're very welcome, Muthsera, 'tis nothing for me to risk life and limb for your fair maidenshipiness. Do you want your scroll or not?" Raedyn replied, the last part lacking the sarcasm.
She gave him a glare that would've frozen over the entire Morag Mar region, but lucky for him he was distracted by the people outside trying to make him budge. "Fine, I'll bitch after we escape."
Raedyn reached into his pocket and pulled out the scroll and tossed it to her. The moment she was gone, he stepped forward and kicked the door behind him, knocking back all the guards trying to enter, and cast the Intervention spell.
As the magicka around him faded, he found himself outside between a couple of stone brick buildings with torches for light. There, he found Mehra Milo, right next to him. "Got a plan? It's a fair bet they suspect Divine Intervention, and they won't be long behind us."
Without answering, and likely a little angry, Mehra walked toward the door leading into the larger of the stone buildings. Following her, Raedyn conjured up a map of Vvardenfell in his head. He soon deducted that they were in Ebonheart. He had never been there, but he knew it was one of the largest Imperial Ports in the Morrowind Providence.
Keeping up with Mehra's fast pace, they moved through a small castle or fort, down a long bridge, and after several minutes of walking through the port town, reached a small hut that looked rather innocuous. She banged on the door a few times, and after nearly a full minute, a Nord woman's head popped out. She rubbed her eyes a little to adjust to the dark, but after a few seconds her eye shone with recognition. "Mehra?"
She stepped out of the house and embraced the Dunmer woman. "I'm okay, Blatta. I'm free now." The two of them separated. "I take it that word of my imprisonment spread."
"It has. Archanon Saryoni made a public announcement of your arrest just last night, and that you were a member of, as he put it, a secessionist movement group. Word reached me this morning, but I'm sure your 'friends' already know." Blatta explained. She looked at Raedyn. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met."
Raedyn extended his hand. "Raedyn Otheril."
She took his hand. "I suppose I have you to thank for her safe return."
"Ahh," Raedyn smiled and looked at Mehra, "at least someone recognizes a rescuer."
She sighed in frustration. "It's a wonder how you became one of the Blades." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Blatta's eyes go wide, and then look around to see if anyone was close enough to hear them. "Now they know your face, and you'll become a wanted man. You should leave us so you don't learn anything more than you already do, so the rest of us can be safe."
"Can't do that." Raedyn put bluntly. "Remember? I need the Lost Prophecies, and I'd like them as soon as possible."
Mehra massaged her temples in frustration. "I don't know how your kind normally operates, but if this is how, then it's a wonder the Empire lasted its first decade." She turned to Blatta and said, "Looks like we're going fishing."
"Fishing?" Raedyn asked.
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Archanon Saryoni stepped, somewhat hesitantly, into the Temple to report to his patron Man-God. Ever since that snake bound him by ancestral oath, every time he'd stood in the presence of his Lord his guts churned. It wasn't that he was afraid of Vivec's wrath, as he knew the Man-God was wise enough to know a betrayal like this was likely against his will, he was ashamed of himself. It boiled his blood to know he was bound by higher powers to operate behind his master's back, and physically unable to rectify his actions.
Another insecurity, curse the fact he had any at all, was that he couldn't know for sure if Vivec already knew about his predicament. It would not have surprised him in the least if his Lord already knew everything, and simply did nothing about it. It was true that this assassin's presence changed little, if anything at all, as Otheril was already marked for death, but the unknown was chaffing his patience and discipline. One possibility for Vivec not confirming his suspicions was he might have been taking the opportunity to test his archanon's faith. With his Lord's seemingly irrational behavior of late, as loath as he was to admit it, he would not have classified the idea as too farfetched.
"Yes, Saryoni." Vivec's melodious voice chimed.
"M'lord, are you aware of the incident in the Ministry of Truth?"
"Yes, I am aware of an incident. I am also aware that Raedyn Otheril was at the heart of it."
The name caught Saryoni by surprise. He hadn't heard that, though the Ordinators were still gathering details and couldn't give any kind of description other than it was a Dunmer in glass armor. He could already feel the tug, the celestial binds pulling him to inform his slave master of this new piece of information. Saryoni resisted, for now, knowing, with the knowledge he had of daedric oaths, that the tugging and desire would only grow until it consumed his mind, then his body, but he knew he could resist for a few minutes. He had to; whether Vivec knew about or not, he would not act upon his forced treachery in the immediate presence of his true master.
Any lack of further explanation meant Vivec could not perceive anymore than he explained. "M'lord, the infiltrator managed to escape after freeing Mehra Milo, the Dissident Priest. In light of this news, would it be safe to say Otheril is an agent of the secessionists?"
"No." Vivec answered, his usually melodious voice monotonous. "He bore only the most distant of ties to these priests until now. This turn of events was to be expected. Events are falling into place, as they have before, as they might yet again."
'Events are falling into place', these words were unsettling for Saryoni. He had been witness to his Lord's otherworldly clairvoyance before, but these words stirred up not only the foreboding suspicion that there was far more to Otheril than simply a Dunmer strong enough to take down an Ordinator, but that Vivec could, perhaps, foresee his movements.
Saryoni cursed his intuition as he felt the binds of his oath tighten. Now he had little choice but to explore the possibility.
"Saryoni, as soon as the opportunity arises, you are to report to the Morag Tong and tell them they will forfeit the writ on Otheril's life." Vivec ordered.
"Yes, M'Lord, I will." He bowed slightly, but didn't leave. "Lord Vivec, forgive me but I must ask: have you any suspicions what course of action Otheril might take from here?"
All this time, Vivec's gaze had been centered on Saryoni's whole body, as he rarely looked a mortal in the eyes. This time, he did. He couldn't tell if it was a spell or his imagination, but those eyes felt like an ocean of pressure rolling across his entire being.
"As he has made contact with the Ashlanders in the past, so shall he seek them out again. It is no coincidence this Mer has sought out them and the Dissident Priests. He is after the Apographa. If he is, then he most certainly will seek out the Ashlanders once he has gained what he searches for."
Saryoni bowed again. "Thank you, M'Lord, for indulging my curiosity." Now he could give his damnable report to that snake of a mortal and be done with it. With any luck, Otheril will kill the misbegotten knave and free him of at least one unholy nuisance.
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It was not until a full hour after the lights of Vivec faded behind them that Blatta bothered to light a torch. Raedyn couldn't fault her for her caution. It was bad enough that she was an associate to the Dissident Priests, but now she was transporting a member of the Blades. Being caught by authorities of the religious kind in that sort of situation was something he cared to avoid as best as possible.
The three of them dipped and tilted gently on the small waves in the fading moonlight. Raedyn wasn't sure how Blatta knew where they were going, apparently she knew the location on Azura's Coast by sight, though he wasn't sure how. As best he could tell, every rock and hill, and occasional bog, all lit by the moon, looked just like the last. He tried to assure himself that Mehra wouldn't trust Blatta without good reason; short tempered as she was, she was very intelligent.
Nearly four hours into their seaward trek, Raedyn noticed that Mehra seemed to be nodding off occasionally. He realized she must have been up for nearly a full day now; it should've been no surprise that she was getting tired. He, on the other hand, felt like he could last another day and a half; apparently another side effect of the Corprus. On his way back to Balmora after leaving Tel Fyr, he only rested at night, as he never seemed to get tired during the day. He even found himself able to run for nearly a full hour before becoming winded.
Unusual talent in melee combat, mysticism, greater strength than an orc, more stamina than a Nord, and then there was his birth-sign. The Atronach was considered a double edged sword in that those born under that sign couldn't regenerate magicka, yet he could. That, apparently, was the only thing that saved him from that assassin in the Foyada Bani-dad. It seemed that he had waited until Raedyn's magicka ran out before approaching. He obviously knew Raedyn's aspect, and had counted on his magicka not regenerating. A part of him hoped that whatever they found in this Holamayan monastery revealed something that disproved him as the Nerevarine.
So caught up in his thought was he that he didn't realize they were heading toward land until the front of the boat bumped onto the rocky shore. He discarded his previous thoughts in favor of the now. "Is this the place?"
"Yes." Blatta answered plainly as Mehra carefully stepped out of the boat and onto the cylindrical rock formations.
"You might want to avoid Ebonheart for a few days." Raedyn suggested. "It's likely they suspected Divine Intervention was used for our escape, so naturally they would search there. They would likely suspect your involvement if you returned so soon. They would also likely suspect we used boat travel to flee, so you might also want to stay clear of major ports."
"Thank you for your concern." She replied. "I can live off the ocean for a few days. Besides, I know a few settlements that aren't on the charts." When Raedyn and Mehra were off the boat, she used a pole to push off and raised the small, triangular sail, and slowly made her way away from the coast.
"With any luck, they'll think we made a run for the mainland." Raedyn commented.
"That would be convenient, but it's not likely. They know we operate on, or close to, Vvardenfell." Mehra replied. "Come, Holamayan is up this trail."
"By the way," Raedyn said as they began their ascent up the cylindrical rocks that seemed in the moonlight to be resemble stairs, "how are we supposed to get back? Will she come back for us later or something?"
"There's a priestess here, Vevrana Aryon, who will take us back. She's good with a boat."
After a few minutes of climbing, they entered a miniature valley surrounded on the sides by large rocky formations. A minute later, they reached a dead end, with a particularly big rock blocking their way.
"This is it." Mehra announced.
Assuming that she wasn't joking, Raedyn pulled a torch out of his satchel, and lit it. The rock that was apparently barring their path was made of a somewhat lighter colored rock than the surrounding environment. "Should we say a password?" He hoped he didn't sound too sarcastic.
"This monastery was once a shrine to Azura." Mehra explained. "After a larger shrine was built further down the coast, this one lost favor and was abandoned for a few centuries before some pilgrims found it, and eventually, it was taken over by the Dissident Priests."
"That still doesn't answer my question." Raedyn said, trying not to be snide.
Mehra sighed in frustration. "Some Blade you are. Do you not know anything about the Daedric Lords? One would assume that's why a Dunmer like you would have been put on an assignment like this." She huffed again before continuing. "Azura is the mistress of the Dawn and Dusk, the magical hours of twilight. The door will open then. We chose this place because unless you were looking in those few hours, they would never find our headquarters."
"I see." He walked over to one of the 'walls', sat down and propped his back against it. "I figure we have another two or three hours to go before dawn." He unsheathed his glass long-sword and laid it over his knees for quick access. "I'm sorry I was so impatient. If it's not obvious, I am rather new to the Blades. I haven't even had any formal training."
Mehra dusted off her robe and sat on the other side from him. "How did you become a Blade then? That is, if you can tell me without killing me."
Raedyn shrugged, looking up at the moon. "Extreme circumstances, I guess. I'm kind of a special case, you might say."
"What, did you assassinate someone who was thought untouchable?" She asked.
He was silent for a few seconds, considering how to answer. He figured it would likely make things easier if he came out with it; it was likely she, and the rest of the Dissident Priests, would find out sooner or later. "The Empire believes I'm going to be the Nerevarine."
He didn't look at Mehra, so he didn't know how she reacted. Nearly a full minute later, she spoke up, in a clear, neutral voice, "If they believe that, then why are they supporting you?"
"Damned if I would know." Raedyn answered. "Maybe they wanted better relations with Morrowind, or they thought I would be easier to control than one born and raised here. Or, however unlikely, they consider Dagoth Ur to be a large enough threat to risk losing the providence to independence."
"Do you think you're the Nerevarine?"
"Again, damned if I know that, or anything for that matter." Raedyn said, and scooted forward a bit to slouch, still looking up at the moon. "All I know is that I'm scared out of my mind, but I know that panicking will only make things worse. Other than that, I don't know what I can do."
"I…see." Mehra said. After a couple minutes, she said, "I'm sorry I was so impatient with you earlier."
Raedyn didn't reply to that. Neither of them said a word until the sky started to brighten, and the large stone in the path raised to reveal the entrance to Holamayan.
End of Chapter Ten.
Author's Notes: Originally this chapter was supposed to go on until Kogoruhn or however its spelled, but this chapter already met my page quota, and I figured I left you guys waiting long enough. If I had included that part, this would've easily exceeded thirty pages. That would mean a longer wait and a LONG chapter for you guys. See, I'm considerate toward my audience. Lazy, but considerate.
Also, if anyone noticed the little reference to the unrealism in Morrowind right before Raedyn went to the Ministry, go you. When I get to my Original Final Fantasy fanfic, there will likely be tons of those.