Three days later, the valley was blue and coated in morning mists as Hadan and Alaise looked over Alaise's worn map. Hadan traced his fingers around the wood they were searching, pointing out the areas they had already investigated. The previous day had been spent moving in a grid pattern to no avail. They had circled back almost entirely to their original campsite now, and while Hadan only seemed slightly more somber than usual, Belayu had begun to grow restless, and Alaise often saw him pacing out of the corner of her eye when they stopped. She had to admit she was frustrated as well, but at least she was getting paid. Belayu and Hadan had done nothing these last few days except lose money and time.

"The trail I have been following has been difficult to track, but never impossible..." Hadan said
quietly to himself.

Alaise nodded, predicting what Hadan was about to suggest.

"I believe our Wiseman is leading us in circles."

Belayu grumbled loudly as he redirected his pacing to where Hadan and Alaise stood. "Why in the gods' names would he do that? And how? With a few broken twigs and suggestions of paths? How could he know we'd see everything?"

"He is a wiseman, Belayu." Alaise pointed out. "Maybe he's just outsmarted us."

"Maybe Hadan just doesn't want to admit the Wiseman isn't here."

Alaise waved him off "We both know our monk is far too benevolent for that."

"You aint been on his bad side. My jaw's still aching."

"I have not exaggerated the truth to either of you." Hadan interjected.

"No one's saying that, Hadan." Alaise assured him.

"I am."

"Belayu!"

Belayu threw up his hands, "What!? We're following the word of some peasant farmer from Skyrim, traipsing through gods forsaken woods, following "evidence" that could well have been left behind by animals or hunters. We are wasting our time, there is no other way about it!" He pointed to Hadan "And Hadan, much as I love him, is gullible and optimistic to a fault." Belayu continued, walking circles around the map and gesturing to the valley around him. "This whole venture is a waste of time and the Thalmor move closer to the remaining Towers every day! This Wiseman was a fine idea, but if he doesn't want to be found, let him hide. We have more important things to bother with than old men dying in the woods!"

Belayu shot a look to both Alaise and Hadan. "So? What say you?"

Hadan's head suddenly turned to stare into the trees.

Belayu looked puzzled. "...what?"

"I hear something."

Alaise put a hand on her bastard sword.

Hadan motioned for both of them to get behind the trees. Belayu's hand instinctively dropped to take hold of a cutlass that wasn't there. He cursed under his breath and knelt down to retrieve his boot knife instead.

After a long moment, a twig audibly snapped up the hill. As Alaise glanced around the trunk of her tree, a whistling sound pierced through the woods and a crossbow bolt ripped through the leaves. It embedded itself in the dirt by Alaise's feet, vibrating from its own force.

Crossbows. Why is it always crossbows? Damn crossbows to Oblivion. Alaise thought angrily to herself.

She whispered to the other two, "stay behind the trees. See if they waste more bolts."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Belayu grumbled.

And so they waited. The forest returned to its usual sounds. Birds chirped through the valley, and leaves were rustled by the wind. Eventually Belayu couldn't stand the silence.

"OY!" He shouted out. His voice echoed down the valley. "Who are you and what is your business with us!?"

There was a long pause, but eventually they heard a shuffling in the leaves ahead. "Our business aint with you! Just the she-elf!"

Belayu aimed a questioning stare at Alaise. For a moment Alaise was confused herself, until she recognized their attacker's accent.

The bloody Bretons from the inn. She sat agape for a few moments. How had they even found her? She'd gotten on a ship, hiked directionless through the woods for three days…

"She killed my brothers! The bounty on her head is mine by rights!"

"I know nothing of a bounty, Breton!" Belayu replied "But I don't really care. You won't be collecting it!"

Alaise shouted an addition. "Since I killed you're brothers, we've three capable warriors to your two, by my count."

"Believe as you want, dark-skin! If you don't want to die easily, we can do this the hard way!"

A shadow moved to Belayu's right and he reacted, his arm shooting out like a whip and hurling his dagger at the target. There was a flash in the leaves and a clash of steel as the dagger was deftly deflected. The shadow among the leaves faded silently away.

Belayu's eyes widened. "Alaise…"

"What, Belayu?" Alaise asked, her attention still stuck to the Bretons on the hill.

"We have more problems than just your Breton friends."

Alaise suddenly felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and she whirled just in time to see a black mask retreat back into the leaves of a tree.

"Dark Brotherhood…" Alaise whispered in shock. "We have to go. Now."

She saw Hadan's eyes stray to the ledge at their rear. She nodded and pointed out the route to Belayu who vigorously shook his head. It didn't matter what the pirate thought, she told herself. If the dark brotherhood was there, it was their only avenue of escape. Hadan's hand began to count off fingers from three. Belayu swore against every god Alaise had ever heard of in the meantime. As Hadan's last finger got ready to lower, there was a fizzling in the air around them. Alaise's hair stood on end once again but this time it buzzed with static.

Hadan's eyes widened. "It is some kind of destruction magic. Drop!"

Hadan's hands moved quickly to his core to cast a ward, Alaise dove and rolled to him, standing to her knee behind the protection of Hadan's casting. Belayu was too far to their left to make any moves so he instead flattened himself against the dirt. Thin bars of white light snaked between the trees, slowly at first, then snapping out like lightning with an accompanying cracking thunderous sound. It was as if a spider web of electricity was being woven between the trees just above their heads.

Hadan murmered above Alaise, his thin beaded eyes locked on the magics being cast around them. "May Mara show us mercy…"

The web of lightning detonated, shattering the trees around the three into splinters and diced leaves. Alaise felt her eardrums begin to sing and everything turned mute for a moment. The forest filled with smoke and dust from the charred remains of trees.

Behind the fog of destruction, a shadow began to move towards them. It was tall and thin, a cape billowed at one side of the figure as the forest breeze pushed the dust away. Alaise stood, her ears still screaming at her, and drew her bastard sword, entering a high stance ahead of her friends who were still trying to recover.

From the waning cloud of debris, a man strode. His eyes were a piercing blue, his hair grey with age and tied back into a high ponytail. A rough beard dropped from his chin to his chest. A deep blue cape covered his shoulder and the sheath of his blade. The crackling sounds of destruction magics sizzled around his right hand, as his left held a straight one handed longblade. The wrinkles on his face seemed to indicate an age beyond that of using swords and magic, but he wielded them both with an ease and naturalness that Alaise could only feel threatened by. Belayu popped up beside her, drawing a small knife from somewhere in his shirt. Hadan followed but made no move to defend himself, instead letting his ward disperse into the air and stepping between the two sides.

"Lower your blades, all of you."

Alaise's eyes switched briefly between the stranger and Hadan before nodding her consent, and lowering her sword. Belayu glanced down at his whittling knife with a small measure of shame and nodded, tucking it back into his shirt. Hadan seemed satisfied, and turned to the newcomer, bowing his head deeply.

"You are the Wiseman, I believe."

The old man flipped his cape aside and sheathed his blade. He looked for a moment at each of them in turn. Alaise found it difficult to look him in the eye, and she could see Belayu felt the same. The man's stare stopped at Hadan, who despite towering over him, seemed somewhat smaller by comparison.

"You," he began. "Why do you use that name for me?"

Alaise was confused. The man's accent seemed almost Dunmeri, but she couldn't place it. The spellblade's eyes turned back to her, and she quickly looked away.

"… and whom do you bring into my forest?"

Hadan answered in his monotone, "I call you Wiseman, because I believe only the Wiseman I have heard stories of could weave the magics you have. And these are my companions, whom I trust with my life."

"And the brotherhood assassins?"

"Assailants against us. We had no part in their journey here."

The stranger stood in silence for what seemed like a long time, staring at Hadan. The monk stared back, but Alaise could see his hand flexing nervously at his side. Eventually Myrad smiled and spoke, breaking the silence and seeming almost to dispel the discomfort in the air.

"I believe you, friend. Your intentions aren't malicious. It seems you know more than most about me. Follow me and explain yourself." He looked back to Alaise and Belayu. "Your companions should come as well. We'll go to my cabin."

Alaise and Belayu exchanged a suspicious glance. Hadan nodded to the Wiseman, ignoring the discomfort of the other two. "Of course."