5

25 Last Seed, 3E433, Cyrodiil

Brother,

You are ordered to make haste to the Brina Cross Inn in Cyrodiil Province, north of the city of Anvil. Once there, you will wait for further instructions.

It was unusual for the Temple to send out correspondence to Ansei in the field. The Walk About was a journey of solitude, spent either in deep meditation or active adventuring (for a lack of a better term). At first Zid was worried something may have happened to the Temple but was reassured by the courier that everything was fine in Rihad. The courier further explained that correspondence, such as the letter delivered to him, was only used when the Temple needed to urgently organize a kibut of Ansei.

The Dunmer stood motionless among the tall grass as it swayed back and forth with the wind. His dark green skin was warmed by rays of sunlight. Having spent the majority of his Walk Abouts in the Imperial province, Zid grew love Cyrodiil. Cyrodiil was dissimilar to the arid fields and bleak volcanic ashlands of his home Morrowind. Here the temperature was moderate, the rain was always cold and the wind never too gusty. When he wasn't busy studying the art of forming a shehai he would escape north to the mountains of County Chorrol. He frequented the site of an abandoned fort northeast of the city. There he would practice his Yokudan calligraphy, and hunt for deer and wild boar. At night, he would lie underneath the stars doing his best to identify constellations. The clearing he and his kibutnim were now gathered in reminded him of that special place.

This was Zid's sixth Walk About since he was bestowed the white robes of an Ansei. His teammates unanimously decided their first Walk About would be spent together. Even after four years of confinement to the Temple, the team was reluctant to part ways. Their first sojourn took them north to the Western Reach on the border of Skyrim and High Rock.

Roe had finally returned home after more than a decade since being taken into slavery. The barbaric nature of the Reachmen, the inhabitants of the Western Reach, was well known across the Empire. The Dunmer was initially very apprehensive at what kind of reception the young Ansei would receive even if escorted by one of their kinsmen. He was surprised to find a simple-natured yet highly educated intermingling of Orcish, Nord, Redguard and Breton culture. Zid would always cherish the memory of watching Roe reunite with his family and he would never forget the experience known as the All-Thing where the Reachmen elders educated the young Ansei in the ways of nature and enhanced their connection to the elements.

For their second Walk About, Roe, Jiles and Ayisha delved into the wild jungles of Elsweyr while Zid and Khochi journeyed to the unexplored territories near the infamous Ghost Gate in Morrowind. Zid and Khochi returned to the Temple bearing new armour pieces and weapons. Roe and Jiles came back with new scars and bruises. Subsequent journeys took his friends across all of Tamriel, but Zid always made time to return to Chorrol. This most recent Walk About paired Zid with Roe for a trip back to Cyrodiil Province. Jiles, Ayisha and Khochi remained at the Temple, training with Master Surro in the advanced curriculum. Once an Initiate completed basic schooling and earned the title of Ansei there was still many more years of additional training. Senior ranking Ansei mentored the inexperienced Sword Singers in the art of forming a spirit sword. There was no end to an Ansei's training.

All life experiences, great battles and casual encounters alike aided an Ansei in their development as a warrior and a person. Ansei were periodically tested in order to advance in the hierarchy though the concept of rank was nonexistent in a martial art that valued merit over title. Ansei was the basic rank bestowed to Initiates who completed the basic and advanced schooling. To advance in status, an Ansei needed to demonstrate the controlled and deliberate formation of a shehai under both calm and exigent circumstances. When this ability was achieved, an Ansei could then add red stitching to their robes. Because the art of forming a spirit sword took years to master, Senior Ansei were experienced and often battle-tested warriors, proficient in at least one other language and masters of a specific weapon or martial art style. For a Sword Singer to earn the title Senior, a lengthy review process was devised to challenge their mental and physical limitations. The next and final promotion in rank was Master which required years of experience, a mastery of the shehai, and a commanding knowledge of the art of Shehai Shen She Ru. Zidvyda was eager to prove himself worthy of bearing such an honorable title.

Roe stood beside Zid and joined him in admiring the view. For several moments the two warriors were silent, their eyes fixated upon a family deer slowly trotting their way across the golden fields.

"Must've been nice living here." Zid spoke first.

"It had its moments."

Roe was never much of a conversationalist, always keeping his speech terse and to the point. Zid and Roe watched as the buck led his family out of sight behind a pile of boulders.

"Have we figured out why we're here?"

"Master Zair knows."

"Master Zair? What makes you think he will come?" Zid asked in surprise.

"He's over in the stables." Roe answered plainly.

Zid threw up his arms in frustration.

"When were you going to tell me?"

"Now."

Roe patted the Dunmer on the back and the two walked over to join their team gathered in the stables of the Brina Cross Inn. Roe and Zidvyda exchanged greetings with their teammates after nearly two weeks of separation. The two Ansei bowed to Master Zair before taking their seats in front of him.

"Thank you Zid, Roe. I want that to be the last time any of you bow to me. You will not call me Master or sir and you will not speak of the Temple for the remainder of the trip. Understand?" Master Zair was serious but cordial.

"Yes Zair." They answered in unison.

"You said we're going on a trip?" Jiles asked.

"Yes, to the Imperial City. I've asked you to accompany me because I trust in your skills and professionalism. This will be a good experience for you all as well. With the way things have been these past few years we never get the chance to train our younger generations in real-world situations."

"Mast – I mean Zair – what's happening?"

Zair pressed his lips together and let out a long breath through his nose.

"Two days ago we, the Council, were given information that the lives of the Emperor and his children are in danger. The Council has decided to send a team of Ansei to assess the welfare of the Imperial family and if necessary to take protective measures against any assailants."

The young Ansei stared blankly at their Master.

"What's wrong?" Zair asked.

"We have a council?" Jiles asked.

"Yeah, since when did we answer to the Council?"

Zair couldn't help but laugh.

"Our Council, the Hall Council." Zair explained. "The other Masters and I sometimes help the Temple priests with visions or dreams they wish to have interpreted."

"And somebody had a dream the Emperor was going to die?"

"Not exactly."

The young Ansei listened carefully as Zair described the visions of a priestess named Denilwen. Zid recognized the name. He caught the Bosmer's attention on more than one occasion as he passed through the Temple. She was very beautiful, but very shy. When Zair completed relaying his tale, there was silence.

"I don't expect you all to know how to interpret things like this. With time you will acquire the experience but that is a lesson best saved for later."

Zair stood and motioned for his young Ansei to do so as well.

"For now, we make for the Imperial City."