Sicarius was going through a lot there, as he sat on the ground, cradling Eryn. He pulled out the sword from her lifeless body. It had a message carved in it.
With love from M.
The words burned in his eyes. Milielle. He hated her with all his soul the first thing Sicarius was going to do when he had destroyed the Mythic dawn was to behead her, and then he was going to stick a pole through her wretched vampire heart. Or maybe he should spare her life but banish her, place her chained to a cliff with silver chains, letting the vultures feed on her, and then he was going to...
Cyra put a hand on his shoulder. The touch warmed him, and he cried. The Mythic Dawn had somehow gotten information about where they were held up. Then he remembered the Elder Scroll. He placed Eryn on the ground and rushed up.
"The elder scroll!" He shouted. And without waiting for answer nor aid, he rushed staright into the smoking ruins of Summerstone. He knew exactly where he had hidden it, he just hoped, hoped with all his heart that they had not found it...
He ran up what was left of the stairs and opened the hatch which looked like the stone wall surrounding it, and stretched his hand in. It made contact with a cylindrical object. With relief he pulled out the scroll and returned down. The remaining Blades were either sobbing or scavenging through the smoking rubble for survivors. It was with sorrow in his heart that Sicarius gathered his remaining warriors.
"It is disastrous, what has happened. We lost people. Some of us even lost loved ones." He shot a glance at a young Dark Elf with sadness in his eyes. "I have discussed with Cyra and Cowen, and we have decided to seek refuge at Cloud Ruler temple. Grand master Baurus will certainly welcome us there. And another thing. The Mythic Dawn stole the boots of the Trickster. Our only chance is now to recover the breeches and the Lance before they do. But enough of that, let us take our leave. There is nothing left here to see."
While the party once again and for the last time left Summerstone, Sicarius began thinking about how the Mythic Dawn could know that Sicarius and the blades were at Summerstone. They have spies everywhere, he thought. And one of them might actually be riding with us right now. He decided to keep that in mind for later. Now, all that matters was to get to Cloud Ruler Temple, and to continue the heist for the Armor of Alessia. He feared that the Mythic Dawn had enough parts to bring great destruction already.
It was with great sorrow that the remaining residents of the once so lovely Summerstone manor travelled through the terrain of Cyrodiil on their journey to Cloud Ruler temple. Most horses were dead or had escaped during the fire, but some remained. Those horses were packed so heavy that already after a few hours, sweat glistened on their bodies. The other things had to be carried by manpower.
By nightfall, they camped. Just a small distance from the road, yet bug enough to spare them from eventual bandits. They could easily fight them off, Sicarius knew, but he preferred not to risk any more lives than needed.
"What do we do?" Cyra asked. She sat down crosslegged in front of Sicarius on the opposite side of the campfire.
"I don´t know." He said. "But one thing is for sure. We are going to recover the armor and make the Mythic Dawn pay."
"That sounds like a good idea to me." Cyra said. She tasted the soup, and with a grimace she forced it down. Sicarius poked around in his bowl. A few small dry fishheads floated around in the light yellow liquid. If he had not been so cursed hungry he would surely have just thrown him away, but he swallowed it all. It was terrible. But it filled his belly nevertheless, and he would need it for tomorrow. He was going to meet grand master Baurus, and then he and the Blades of Cloud Ruler temple were going to recover the armor...
And before he managed to think anymore, Sicarius fell asleep, warmed by the campfire.
After the last hours of wandering in the Jeralls, with a stop in Bruma for food and water, Cloud Ruler Temple could be seen towering parched high up on the mountain.
"This is it!" Sicarius told the other Blades.
That evening they had food in the great hall of Cloud Ruler Temple. It was not until the meal was finished and everyone was tired and fed that Baurus showed up. He was a man around sixty, a redguard with grayening hair and tired but wise eyes. This was the same man who had worked with Sicarius father and grandfather.
"Good evening, Sir." Sicarius said.
"Same to you, Sicarius Septim. Oh, you sure do look like your father. You have his wits, but your mothers optimism." He said.
"You knew my mother?"
"As a matter of fact I was one of the few who did. She was a beautiful woman, and strong. Yes, she was. She was a Nord, tall and fair, and great with a sword. Yet she fell to the daggers of the Mythic Dawn. By that time you were only an infant, Sicarius."
It was odd to hear about his mother. At the same time it was stimulating. And it was something new that he had Nord blood!
"Let us skip this, if I may, and speak about the armor. I have been in contact with your Blades for a long time now, so I know everything about the armor, but I need to know where we can find the breeches and the spear."
"Yes, of course." Sicarius said. He grabbed the Elder Scroll from under the chair and folded it out.
"Let´s see.." He said. He spotted the location quite fast. "The wreck of the Hammerhead. It´s a shipwreck!"
"It seems so indeed.." Baurus said. "We´ll continue the search tomorrow."
Baurus was about to rise and take his leave, but then he remembered something.
"Oh, yes, thats right." He sat down again. "You recovered Mithril equipment?"
"Yes, we did. All of my Blades are equipped, and it is enchanted as well."
"Impressive."
"I was thinking of giving them a name. They are my personal guard after all."
"Good idea!" Baurus said, and he poured up some ale in a tankard, one for himself and one for Sicarius.
"I have been thinking of The White Cloaks."
Baurus was quiet, looking at Sicarius with a sceptical look on his face.
"Now, I´m going to be serious with you. That name is awful! They are not even wearing cloaks!" Baurus laughed, and he spilled some beer. Sicarius joined in, and for a moment they forgot the terrible things that were happening around Tamriel and just laughed.
"My personal suggestion is the White Swords."
"That is a good suggestion!" Sicarius said. The name represented both the purity of the Blades and the color of their swords. "So be it!"
Sicarius announced the name of his Guard the next morning, right after they left for the Hammerhead, and the Breeches. They answered with raising their swords and bowing to him. Sicarius knew they trusted him. He hoped, hoped insanely much that no one of them had to die. But he knew. Deep in his heart he knew, and they did too. This was war. And people die in war.
