"Quite a fine ship, isn't she?" asked Argyle with a jolly voice as he made his way over to me. I was still standing at the bow of the ship, merely watching the dancing waves of the ocean as I became increasingly lost in my thoughts.
"Indeed," I answered the Nord with a somewhat faked enthusiasm. "Does it have a name?"
"The Sparrow's Tear," Argyle replied. "My pa always said it's bad luck to sail a ship without a name. He was a sailor before I was, ya see. Taught me everything he knew about treading the open water. And it was he who inspired me to build this ship from scratch."
"You built this yourself?"
"Sure did laddie!" said the Nord proudly. "Of course I had some help from pa, and a few other of my buddies. Took a long time, it did. I was barely in my twentieth winter when we started. But we got her finished, and I've had the honor of being her Captain the last thirty-five years." The Nord and I shared a few laughs as we stood against the edge of the deck, staring in wonder into the distant horizon. We had set sail and left Anvil about an hour ago, and it certainly couldn't have been a finer day for sailing. There was barely a cloud in the sky, the sun had arisen and was shining with full force as the rustling waves of the awakened ocean splashed and crashed against the glorious ship. The wind was blowing strong that morning, allowing the ship to travel at a swift pace as its sails flapped and swayed about in an almost rhythmic pattern.
"Many a time, I thought about being a sailor," I said, staring at my reflection in the ripples of the water as they splashed over it again and again. "It was always one of the many things I dreamt of doing when I was a boy. To see the world, meet lots of people and create fond memories. To just be able to travel freely whenever I wanted, and not having to worry about the troubles and burdens of the world. But like most of my dreams, I guess that just never ended up happening…" As I felt a sting of regret inside me, I began to realize just how much I missed the freedom of the sea. Although this particular journey was the farthest thing from a leisurely vacation, I still felt somewhat refreshed to be once again staring aimlessly into the distance, and feeling the soothing breeze through my hair.
"It's the life I've always wanted," Argyle said. "I could never even imagine myself doin' anything else. Sure it don't always pay well, not to mention that sailin' can be downright dangerous, and the ocean can turn against ya in the blink of an eye. But there's absolutely nothin' in the world I'd trade it for. The feeling of freedom, not to mention getting to see all of Tamriel on a regular basis, more than makes everything else worth it." I couldn't help but be slightly envious of Argyle as he told me of his life. Here was a man who seemed to be completely content and happy with his life, a man who was living his dream and living each of his days to the fullest. Living a life on the sea must truly be a wondrous, liberating thing.
As much as I enjoyed talking to the Nord, my thoughts never strayed far from my present circumstances. Argyle's banter might have been able to lighten my spirits briefly, but just like my own shadow, I couldn't rid myself of my debilitating grief, the haunting memories of the tragedies that had transpired. Like an incurable disease that can ravish even the strongest of men, my body, mind and spirit were being crushed by my never-ending sorrow for all I had lost. Part of me still refused to believe that this was real, that any of this was actually happening. I could feel the heated battle I was waging inside my own mind, trying to somehow rationalize that this was all just some terrible dream. I tried over and over again to tell myself that I would awaken soon. Everything would be right again, everything would be the way it should.
As I stood there, on the deck of the Sparrow's Tear, gazing endlessly into the vastness of the open sea, it was then that I truly began to feel everything sink in. As the harrowing, horrifying recollections of everything that had happened continued to assault my mind, I felt as if I could barely stand. I felt as if the weight of the entire universe had been thrust onto me, and I was slowly being crushed by its sheer force, every bone in my body threatening to crumble into dust. I could almost feel myself breaking down as I was constantly forced to relive those moments with every second. With nothing to occupy my mind save for the rustling waves and the idle chatter of the crew onboard, my troubling thoughts had little resistance to bombard my very essence.
"So what brings a Dunmer to the Isles anyway?" Argyle asked me, pulling me from my transfixed stare into the ocean.
"I have a score to settle with certain folks. Let's just leave it there," I replied. I didn't want to outright lie to the Nord, seeing as he was gracious enough to take me aboard his ship. But I had no desire to go into the details with him. I knew that discussion would be much too difficult at this point, and that would only stir up all the emotions I was trying to keep in check.
"Fair enough," said Argyle, to my relief. "Your business is your own, and I can certainly respect that. Whatever that business may be, I wish you the best of luck."
"Thank you," I said quietly, appreciating the Nord's kindness.
A flock of seagulls began circling the water a little ways ahead of us, their gentle voices helping to soothe me somewhat as their song carried through the breeze. The sky blue waves of the dancing ocean provided an almost melodic accompaniment to the peaceful, alluring calls of the merry flock. The banter of the crewmates could be heard in the background as they worked the deck.
"The Divines have surely graced us with a beautiful day," Argyle muttered with a smile.
"I was never much of what you'd call a godly man," I replied.
"Me neither, to be honest," said Argyle. "But I figure it can't hurt to give a small measure of thanks every once in a while, just in case." The two of us chuckled for a moment. "Did you have a religious upbringing, Sargoth?"
"Not really. My ma began praying to the Nine about the time I was born, but for most of her life she was never religious. Even when she lived in Morrowind, she never worshipped the Tribunal. She saw Almalexia, Sotha Sil and Vivec as the false Gods they were. Of course, that was a view nobody would dare express openly before the time of the Nerevarine."
"The way I see it," I continued, "there's so many different cultures, with so many different beliefs, complete with their own deities, their own traditions and customs. So many people get so wrapped up in living their entire lives bound by bullshit rules, blinded by their faith and false hopes of salvation. I just don't see the point in getting involved in any of that. I would much rather just live my own life the way I want, set my own rules and decide my own beliefs for myself. If there's one thing about myself I do value, it's my ability to think critically about every aspect of my life. To be skeptical of everything I'm told, and not just believe everything blindly without question."
Argyle smiled and gave me a pat on the shoulder.
"You've got a good head on your shoulders lad, which is more than can be said for a lot of folk," said Argyle. "Say, why don't I give you a little tour of the ship? I'll introduce ya to some of the crew members, and then we can find ya a room to sleep in."
I simply nodded my head to the Nord.
"Cedric!" Argyle called. "Hey Cedric, get down here!" A short-haired Breton came down from the helm of the ship and made his way over to us .
"Sargoth, this is Cedric, my right-hand man and first-mate of the Sparrow's Tear," Argyle gestured to the Breton as he introduced him. "Cedric, this is Sargoth Drelas. He's going to be accompanying us to the Summerset Isle."
"Pleasure to meet you, Sargoth," said the Breton with a friendly tone.
"You as well, Cedric." We shared a firm handshake. Cedric definitely had the appearance of an experienced, worn sailor. Several scars lined his face. Judging by his wrinkles, I guessed he was roughly my age, perhaps a few years my senior. His hairline was noticeably receding and grey in several spots. Patches of unshaven grey stubble rested on his chin and lower jaw.
"Ol' Cedric here's been helpin me run this fine ship for almost two decades now," said Argyle, smiling at Cedric. "Together, we work to keep everyone on task and make sure our voyages are smooth as can be. He even drives the ship sometimes, when I'm occupied with other things."
"And by occupied, you mean getting drunk off your ass," Cedric retorted, and the three of us shared a laugh. "I swear were it not for me, the Tear would've ended up at the bottom of the ocean years ago."
"So you're the drinkin type?" I asked with a small chuckle.
"Well, we wouldn't be real sailors if we weren't now, would we?!" Argyle yelled joyfully, eliciting more laughter from the three of us.
"I'm sure you'll have the pleasure of experiencing some of our many rowdy drinking revelries," Cedric said to me.
"Come my friend, and I'll show ya the rest of the ship," said Argyle as he then led me inside the ship.
The top level of the deck housed the living quarters for most of the crew. There was a long narrow hallway that was lined with small cabin-like rooms on both sides. Judging from what I had seen so far, the Sparrow's Tear was fairly tidy and orderly, at least compared to your average ship. It was clearly well-maintained and kept in exceptional condition.
"This is where the crew sleeps," Argyle muttered as I briefly peeked into the open rooms as we passed by them. "Sure it ain't the Tiber Septim Hotel, but the rooms are spacious enough. They've all got beds that are cleaned regularly, there's plenty of storage space for your gear, and even a few books for ya if ya got some down time. You're literate, I assume?"
"Yes. Reading has been one of my favorite pastimes since I was a boy. Books, maps, pretty well anything I could get my hands on."
"That's more than can be said about half me crew here," Argyle replied with a chuckle. "Quite a few of these rooms are still free, my friend. After we're finished, feel free to pick one and make yourself at home. You are free to do whatever you wish. If you're ever going to pass out drunk anywhere on the ship, this is where we'd prefer you do it. Even better if it's in your own room." We briefly shared a laugh before Argyle led me onward.
We went down a flight of stairs to the lower decks before coming to what I saw to be a kitchen. There were a couple large cooking pots in place around the area, and the walls were lined with shelves and cabinets filled with different ingredients as well as beverages. There was a long table across the room, a few empty plates were still scattered about next to some spilled mead bottles.
"This is where we all come to unwind after a long day," said Argyle as he showed me around. "Few things better than a nice meal and some cold drinks after hours of hard workin." I could feel my mouth starting to slightly water as I eyed all the food around me.
"And over here…" Argyle began again as he led me across to another room, "this is where we plan all our journeys and make our important decisions."
The room I was brought to next was much more elegantly furnished than the rest of the ship so far. A regal carpet of a dark maroon color covered the entire floor. There was an ornate desk standing at the far end of the room, littered with maps, scrolls, books, documents and parchments, and other assortments of junk all piled and stacked together. Several animal heads adorned the finely painted walls on all sides. Some bookcases stood against the walls, next to some end tables and dark leather chairs.
"This must be your office, I take it?" I inquired.
"Yeah I suppose you could say that," answered Argyle. "Though anyone's usually allowed in here. Cedric and I, along with a few senior members of the crew tend to spend quite a bit of time in here. We mainly just mull over our plans, discuss ideas, voice any concerns, all that boring stuff."
The two of us made ourselves comfortable, and Argyle got us both some drinks from one of the cabinets.
"So what business do you have at Summerset Isle?" I asked Argyle as we drank.
"I'm smuggling a large shipment of weapons and supplies to a wealthy merchant who's paying a nice little sum for them," answered the Nord. "Cedric and I struggled for months to get this deal. It was tough, convincing this merchant to buy from us. But with the gold we're getting, we'll all be set for a long time."
I took a large swig of my mead, and I could feel myself starting to relax, if even only slightly as the refreshing beverage slid down my throat. I had been dying for a drink for days, and to be completely honest I would have wanted nothing more than to drink myself stupid until I passed out. I would have given anything for even a temporary relief of the sorrow and torment billowing inside me. If there was any way at all for me to just forget about everything that had happened, I have no doubt I would have done it.
"I recall you saying you like to read maps?" Argyle asked me, once again pulling me away from my troubled thoughts. I nodded my head to his question. "I think I've figured out what you can do to pay off the rest of your fee, my friend."
"Is that so?" I replied, somewhat eager to hear what was in store for me. Hopefully whatever it was would be enough to keep my mind occupied and help me stay sane.
"Come, let's go find Nelwyn. He's our navigator," said Argyle, standing from his seat. I finished off my drink and once again followed the Nord back outside.
We made our way to the stern of the ship where a lone Bosmer stood, seemingly just staring into the horizon. He had a long, dark-blond ponytail that nearly reached his back. The Elf certainly didn't seem to be paying much attention to what was going on around him.
"Nelwyn! Come over here a second!" said Argyle. The man turned around and walked over to us.
"What is it, Argyle?" the Bosmer replied, with a hint of irritation in his voice.
"Nel, this here is Sargoth," said Argyle. "I was thinking perhaps he could help ya out a bit on our way to the Isles. How would that sound?"
Nelwyn turned his gaze to me, giving me an inquisitive stare as he examined me closely. I could see a grin cross his face after a few seconds.
"Sure, why not?" answered Nelwyn. "I could certainly use a bit of help around here. Good to meet you, Sargoth." We shared a brief handshake, and I found myself glad that the Bosmer seemed to be friendly enough. The last thing I needed right now was to end up stuck with someone I wouldn't get along with. Someone I would have to restrain myself from just throwing overboard.
"Well, I'm sure the two of you will get on just fine!" Argyle said. "I'll just leave you to it then. Nelwyn here'll answer any questions ya have, Sargoth. And of course you can always find Cedric or myself. It's good to have ya aboard lad." With that, Argyle left us and headed back inside the ship.
The rest of the day was spent with Nelwyn showing me the ropes and helping me get adjusted to life on the sea. I was given a spare map and compass to help keep track of our bearings. We were responsible for ensuring that the ship was always on its proper course, as well as keeping a sharp eye of our surroundings and making sure our routes were safe and clear of any hindrances. Nelwyn also taught me the importance of keeping track of the wind patterns and how to detect any sudden changes that would affect our direction. I learned that it is also crucial when sailing, to always be aware of the weather, and to be prepared should it decide to turn against you. I was told to always pay attention to the sky, always be on the lookout for any signs of strange and unexpected shifts in the elements. Anything that could possibly impede our journey, it was our job to prepare for it and adjust our course accordingly.
Fortunately, the rest of that day proved to be laid-back and uneventful. The day remained sunny and bright, the sky clear, and the breeze strong and refreshing as I kept watch over the clear, almost sparkling ocean. I was barely paying any attention to the hustle and bustle of the crew as they all worked and did their individual tasks in keeping our journey safe and swift. The roar of the leaping waves was almost soothing to me, I could feel myself becoming lost within the confines of my own mind as the ocean swayed and crashed against the gusting winds. And although my heart still wept with grief, and ached with turmoil with every second, I was still able to find a small sliver of peace and tranquility deep within myself as I gazed longingly into the horizon.
"So my friend," Nelwyn began, as the both of us still kept watch. "What business would bring someone like you to Alinor anyways?" I took a moment to let the Bosmer's question register in my mind.
"I'm looking for somebody," I answered solemnly. "I have some scores that need to be settled."
"Must be some serious scores then, if you're coming all this way my friend," said Nelwyn. "You must be pretty sure this is where they're headed, whoever you're after."
"Oh, I've never been more damned sure of anything," I replied. "I know this is where the man I seek is heading to. I heard it from the mouth of a Thalmor officer himself."
"The Thalmor?!" Nelwyn nearly shouted as he shot me a look of disbelief. "Drelas, tell me you ain't serious. Do you really mean to tell me you're chasing down an agent of the Aldmeri Dominion?!"
"Yes, I am," I said sternly.
"Friend, you must have a death wish. Nobody picks a fight with the Thalmor and lives to tell about it. Not to mention you'll also be in their own territory." I could hear the concern, as well as the doubt teeming in the Wood Elf's voice. I suspected anyone else would just have the exact same reaction. "Honestly, you may as well just jump overboard right now and drown yourself in the ocean."
"I can hardly say I blame you though," Nelwyn continued. "I have my own bone to pick with the Thalmor. Whatever they did to you, it must've been quite horrendous if you're actually coming all this way for revenge on them."
"You have no idea," I said, gritting my teeth into a snarl. "And just how did the Thalmor come to earn your hatred?"
"It was just over twenty years ago now," said Nelwyn, crossing his arms and taking a deep breath. "The Dominion were in the middle of their resurgence, having usurped complete control of the Summerset Isles. After that, they set their sights on my homeland of Valenwood. Our government was overthrown by a coup, which the Thalmor supported. At that point, the forces of Alinor and Valenwood officially formed an alliance. With the support of my people, the Dominion was reborn."
"And I'm guessing that didn't sit well with you?"
"Not for a bloody second," the Elf answered tersely. "I never subscribed to their ridiculous, deluded ideals of Elven supremacy. The Thalmor are nothing but self-righteous, pompous, murdering fanatics who will silence anyone who so much as questions their beliefs. As of now, that statement would have me killed back home in Valenwood."
"So then what happened?" I asked.
"Well, basically, the Thalmor attempted to conscript me into their army," Nelwyn replied with a scoff. "They tried to lure me in with all this bullshit of 'a brighter future for Tamriel' or 'destroying the lesser races that seek only to oppress us'. So naturally, when I then told them to take a hike, they didn't seem to like that. I was then forced to flee my home, barely escaping with my life. I fled into Cyrodiil, where eventually I came upon Argyle and joined his crew. And this has been my life ever since."
"I'm sorry that happened to you, Nelwyn," I said, my own hatred for the Thalmor only rising. "The Dominion certainly don't discriminate when it comes to those they decide to exert their fury upon."
"Certainly not," Nelwyn agreed. "Look friend, it's not my business to tell you what to do. But you're practically committing suicide by doing this. The Thalmor have grown extremely powerful the last few decades. You mean to challenge them on their own turf, my friend. The Elves will have no qualms of killing you, and definitely will not hesitate to do so."
"I know," I said, reluctantly agreeing with the Elf. "They've taken everything from me though. Killed everyone I cared about. Destroyed my whole life, and ripped away everything I loved. In a way, they already have killed me. I know I'm heading towards my death, but I honestly don't even care. I need to try and avenge those I have lost, those the Thalmor have taken from me. If the outcome of this journey is me lying face-down in the dirt with arrows in my back and my throat slit, then so be it."
Neither of us said anything for several minutes. I found myself almost unable to speak at all as I could feel the insurmountable rage and grief boiling within me again. I had to struggle to suppress the tears threatening to spill from my eyes. Nelwyn looked over at me, and I could see his sympathy in his expression.
"I'm sorry, my friend," the Elf said kindly. "I certainly pray for your success, that you do make the Thalmor pay for what they did to you. If everyone in Tamriel had your attitude, perhaps we could stand to challenge the Dominion."
"Thanks," was all I could think to say.
"Come on, let's head inside for some food and rest," said the Bosmer. "You did well today. Get yourself some dinner, then I'd suggest you get settled into a room. The days on this ship can be long, and you're certainly going to need all the rest you can get."
27th of Morning Star, 4E 50
It has now been roughly three weeks since I came to Anvil and happened upon Argyle, the Captain of The Sparrow's Tear. Three weeks I've been at sea, three weeks I've been staring at nothing but the endless blue oceans, with the occasional island. This is the longest I've ever been away from Cyrodiil, the longest I've ever been away from home. I would say that I've done quite well in adjusting to life on the sea, though everything still seems a tad bit strange and surreal to me. While I do appreciate the freedom and openness of the sea, at the same time, I can't help but feel depressed when I gaze off into the distance and see nothing but an empty sky, with no land in sight. I find myself feeling incredibly lonesome, knowing how far away I am from home, how far away I am from the familiarity of everything I once knew. It hasn't been easy, adapting to life on a ship, but it has treated me quite well so far for the most part. The one thing I always make sure to remember, when I find myself in those moments of doubt and sadness, is that every day that passes brings me closer to the Summerset Isle. Every day brings me that much closer to my destination, closer to finding Galthar. Closer to ending his miserable life, and exacting retribution for his betrayal. I can picture it in my head, taste it in my mouth. Soon enough, I will face that treacherous leech, and make him answer for what he's done. I am fully aware that I may fail. But that does not change that fact that I have to at least try. I try not to think too far ahead though. I suppose I can only cross that bridge when I get there.
Most of my time upon the Tear is spent with Nelwyn. He and I have developed a pretty decent partnership during my time here, and working alongside him is enjoyable enough. Much of the day is spent with us just keeping watch, making sure everything is running smoothly. We have a lot of time to talk when we're not busy, and we've gotten to know one another well enough. I've gotten to know the rest of the crew a little bit as well, and most of them seem to be friendly enough with me. Sometimes if there's nothing to do with Nelwyn, I'll help out the others with any tasks they might need a hand with. I try to keep myself busy as much as I can, and I also want to contribute as much here as possible. I owe that to Argyle, for being so kind as to let me aboard his ship despite being short of money. Sure the days are long and hard, but that's probably the only thing keeping me sane right now. And not to mention, there's always a nice, hot meal every evening, and of course there's always excess liquor that never fails to provide some much needed solace. Our feasts are usually quite rowdy, with everyone laughing with one another, singing merry songs of adventure, and of course everyone getting drunk off their rump. Argyle and his men certainly know how to have a good time, and I genuinely enjoy being in their company and sharing in their revelry. This is certainly the most I've enjoyed myself in what seems too long, and I know I will miss a few of the men I've met here when I leave.
My duties on the ship are enough to keep me occupied during the day, and I am usually able to set aside my troubles. The nights on the other hand…the night fills me with nothing but dread. When the hour grows late, and the sea slumps into a silent slumber, and all is quiet and dreary within the decks of the Sparrow's Tear…that is when I am once again haunted by my tragic circumstances. When I am left alone with my thoughts, within the darkness of my small room when there is not a sound to be heard, that is when I am forced to relive the horrifying moments that utterly destroyed my life as I know it. When no one else is around, and I have no company, save for the lit candle on my desk and the sound of my own breath, that is when my mind is free to assault me with the harrowing images of the Crimson Serpents, my family members, lying dead and bloody. It still pains me to think the life I had built for myself, the friendships and bonds I had forged, all of that is gone now. Everything I had achieved over all the years, was completely shattered within the space of a single day. Every night when I lie in my bed, silently begging for even a single hour of sleep and comfort, I can see the faces of those I had loved. I can still feel the fire that destroyed Fort Blackmoon, I can still see the faces of the Thalmor army that sacked our home and put my family to the sword. I can still taste the smoke that billowed with the raging flames, the blood that spilled like a hundred rivers onto the charred stones.
Every night when I look outside to the moonlit sky, I can see the faces of those closest to me. Valryn, Anora, my mother…every night, I can see them looking down at me, their eyes clear as the glowing stars. As I cycle through the fond and joyful memories I shared with them, I can hear their voices in my head, feel their warmth in my heart. Perhaps my mind is just playing tricks on me, in some strange attempt to keep me sane. Or perhaps I'm even outright delirious, but I know they're with me. I can feel their presence alongside me every day, and that is what helps me to keep pushing forward. To not give up, and to keep myself together as best I can. They serve as a constant reminder that I'm doing this not only for myself, but for everyone in my life who was ever close to me. I'm certainly going to need all the encouragement I can get, for as we draw closer to the Isles, I can feel my heart growing heavy with terror and dread. If I am going to stand any chance of defeating Galthar, I'm going to need to keep a level head. I'm going to need to remember everything I have learned over the years, and apply the skills I have acquired if I am to avenge my friends. This is by far the most dangerous thing I've ever done. And the worst part of it all, is that despite all my efforts, I very well may not even come out of this alive…
The Sparrow's Tear rocked gently with the calm waves of the sea. Faint splashes could be heard outside my window, and a dim glow of silver moonlight shone inside my room. I lay in my small bed, trying desperately to find comfort beneath the blankets, trying to fall asleep and escape my woes. The wooden planks of the floor creaked as the ship bobbed in the water, having an almost musical quality to it if you listened closely enough.
I slowly brought up my left hand, holding it in front of my face as I sighed in exhaustion. I stared somberly at my mother's wedding ring as it rested snug on my forefinger, glistening in the dim light of the room. I had never once taken it off since first putting it on all those years ago after ma took her own life. I could almost see my own face staring back at me within the exquisitely cut sapphires embedded into the silver band. As I stared deeper and deeper into ma's ring, I found myself thinking back to the final words she had written to me in her farewell note. She asked me to give this ring to the woman I wanted to marry, to the woman I wanted to share the rest of my life with. She told me that when I found that special someone who would make me whole, to always be sure to protect them with my life and give them the love they deserved. I made a promise to her that I would do just that. That was the very last thing she asked of me before she made the tragic decision to end her life. I promised to keep her ring safe, and to give it to the one I deemed worthy of having it. And with my Anora now gone, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had now broken that promise.
I knew beyond any doubt that Anora was the one I wanted to share the rest of my life with. From the moment she and I first revealed our love to one another, I knew that she was the one I wanted to marry. She was the one who was meant to wear my mother's ring. We were supposed to start our very own life together, perhaps even have a family one day. We were supposed to spend the rest of our days together, living happily ever after and forever sharing in each other's love. I was supposed to protect her, to keep her safe. And I failed. By allowing Anora to die, I had shamefully broken the promise I had sworn to both myself and my mother. I swore on my life, on every fibre of my being, that I would do everything in my power to keep Anora safe and alive. And I could not possibly have failed more miserably in that. The guilt and shame swirling in my mind, ensnaring me like some iron grip, was almost unbearable. The life that Anora and I were supposed to share, the dream I had for us both…that had now been reduced to nothing. Incinerated to ashes by the flames of betrayal and treachery. All my hopes and dreams now lay shattered at my feet beyond repair, and all for the sake of one man's greed, for the sake of one man's twisted, selfish, deluded ideals.
I did not try to suppress the tears that began to slowly pour from my weary eyes as I wept into my pillow. I pulled my blankets closer to me, hugging them against me for even the slightest measure of comfort as I tried fruitlessly to force myself asleep. I grabbed the bottle of ale sitting on the nightstand next to the bed and quickly finished off the last few drops. The bottle slowly slid from my fingers to the floor, and I began to toss and turn in my bed as I tried to get comfortable. I shut my eyes once again, trying my best to clear my head of my sorrows, hoping that sleep would overtake me. Just as I began to feel myself slipping out of consciousness and into slumber, I was suddenly startled by a loud knock on my door.
"Sargoth!" yelled the voice on the other end, which I recognized as Nelwyn's. "Sargoth, you awake?"
"Yeah…what is it?" I grumbled and sighed in irritation as I got out of bed and stood on my feet. Nelwyn opened the door and entered the room, giving me a moment to get myself together.
"Sorry to bug you," Nelwyn said apologetically. "But we need you up on deck. It's urgent…" The Wood Elf turned tail and sped on up back outside. I hurriedly gathered my weapons and followed him up to the deck.
When I came to the main deck, I could see Argyle and Cedric were already there along with a few other of the crew members. I made my way over to Nelwyn who was keenly observing the sky. I could see in everyone's expressions that they were on full alert.
"What's wrong?" I asked curiously.
"There's a storm brewin' lad," Argyle answered. No sooner had the Nord spoken, a loud, crashing boom of thunder erupted in the black night sky. The waves of the ocean had picked up considerably, slamming against the ship and occasionally even splashing onto the deck. The dark silhouette of black rainclouds could be seen above, shrouding the stars and obscuring the light of the moons.
"How bad does it look Nelwyn?" Argyle asked as another round of thunder shook the dark skies.
"We need to find land, and soon," Nelwyn replied. "There's no way we can stay at sea. This storm is gonna be particularly vicious, and I don't think the Tear will be able to withstand its wrath."
"Shit…" Argyle muttered to himself. "Where's the closest island?"
"If I'm not mistaken, there's a small spit of land not too far southwest of our current position," said Nelwyn. "If we proceed with all due haste, we can get there in roughly forty-five minutes, an hour at the most."
"Then that's where we'll head," Argyle ordered.
I walked over to the bow of the ship, scouting the waters ahead of us to make sure the way forward was clear. The looming thunder once again made itself heard, and this time it was accompanied by several flickers of chain lightning. The lightning lasted several moments, significantly illuminating the area around us and allowing me to get a clearer view forward. As I continued to observe the waters, I suddenly saw something lingering in the distant horizon. It was too far away to tell exactly what it was at first glance, appearing as little more than a tiny speck. But as I looked more closely through the light haze of grey mist hovering over the water, I could see that whatever it was, it was starting to draw closer to our position.
"What in the name of Azura is that?" I asked. The rest of the crew made their way to where I was to get a closer look.
"Looks to be another vessel," said Cedric after a moment.
"Any idea who it might be?" Argyle asked as he looked onward.
"Not yet," answered Cedric. "But they have to be pretty damned stupid to be sailing all the way out here in this worsening weather."
The waves of the sea grew more ferocious and wild as we waited to see what was approaching us. The Sparrow's Tear suddenly shook violently as the hull was assaulted from both sides by the raging ocean, almost toppling me to the ground.
"Whoever they are, they've seen us. And they seem to headed straight at us," said Argyle. The ship continued to rock back and forth as the water continued to bombard the mighty vessel from all angles. The wind seemed to be growing more powerful as well, the sails of the Tear began flailing wildly as the gusts grew more immense. I could feel my anxiety increasing as the rage of the storm began to build more and more. I wondered how long we could last out here when the storm came to its inevitable fruition.
"Oh gods, no…" Nelwyn muttered with dread. I looked over to him and saw his expression had completely dropped.
"What is it Nel?" Argyle asked him.
"The banners on that ship, I recognize those from anywhere," the Bosmer replied. "Those are Alinor banners."
"By the Nine, tell me you ain't serious Nel," said Argyle. We all moved closer to the edge of the deck to get a closer look ahead of us.
"Dammit, he's right," Cedric said with unease in his voice. "That's a bloody Thalmor patrol ship!" At just that moment, I began to feel raindrops against my skin. They started out light, and within a matter of mere seconds, the black clouds looming above us unleashed their full fury, sending down heavy torrents of rainfall that only served to strengthen the rising waves of the sea.
Numerous streaks of lightning crashed through the sky once more, flickering in rapid succession as the rain beat mercilessly against the ship. The other ship continued making its way toward us at an almost frightening pace, and I could finally see for myself that its banners did indeed bear the Thalmor sigil. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I eyed the ship. As it came closer and closer into view, I knew that this night was about to become much more perilous.
"Keep your weapons handy lads," Argyle said with an exasperated sigh, turning his gaze toward the rest of us. "This could get ugly…"