-Hew's Bane-

She stands over a Redguard's body, blood dripping from the knife she holds in her right hand. Her sea-green eyes are locked onto his black ones as he lies there, bleeding to death. Her breath is held, and only when he breaths his last does she at last start breathing again. He had caught her, but she knew he would. She lingered long in his apartment, longer than she needed to. And when he had returned and caught her, she stabbed him and he fell. She shakes the blood off her knife before returning it to its sheath. Her eyes at last look around and she quickly grabs the bag stuffed with gold, gems, and other items of worth. Her gaze pauses on a floor-length mirror and she stops. Her hair is short, cut very roughly, leaving her long Altmer ears in stark relive, the right has a jagged scar running nearly to the tip. "Damn eyes," she says to the mirror. Always so wild after something like this, but that is not what bothers her. The trace of fear that is always running through them bothers her. She snarls and she kicks at the mirror, knocking it over and shattering it.

"Zirasha."

Her eyes widen and she spins, the bag crashing to the ground and her knife in her hand. An Argonian stands before her as if he came out of the shadows themselves. He looks like a shadow. He looks like...no wait. He would be dressed differently if that was the case. She relaxes, hides any fear she may have. "What do you want?"

"You," he says, his blue-grey eyes locking onto hers. "If you agree to help me with something, I will give you what you desire most."

Zirasha shifts nervously. "And what is that?" she asks.

He laughs. The sound sends chills down her back. "I know what happened in Cyrodil. When they arrested you for thievery. Pretty little Altmer far from home in such a turbulent time. So young then. So naive, so innocent."

Zirasha freezes, the hand holding the knife shaking despite her efforts to stop it. To not react. How could he know about that? She had just turned eighteen and had rebelled against everything Altmer, and ran away from Summerset, stowing away on a ship. "Just who ARE you?" she demands.

"You may call me Stalks-in-Darkness," he says. "I am a friend. Help me, and I will show you how never to be caught again by anyone." he laughs. "Death will be involved as well. You like to kill, little Altmer."

Zirasha grips the knife tighter, her eyes darting to the door and then to the window. "Why should I believe a word you say?" she asks.

Stalks-in-Darkness is suddenly right in front of her. Zirasha recoils as he leans in and whispers something in her ear. She takes a few steps back.

"Now little Altmer, are you in?" Stalks-in-Darkness asks her again.

Zirasha sheaths her knife, wiping her palm on her pants "What do you need me to do?" she says.

"What you do best," Stalks-in-Darkness says. "Steal and leave no witnesses. Come with me, and I'll explain the details." he turns and a portal opens and the Argonian passes through it. Zirasha snatches her bag from the floor and follows.


-Black Marsh-

The lizard-bear is dust the next night. Viperish Night rests under a tree. His eyes close and then bolt open again and he is up in an instant looking around. Skeleton Kagouti rises from the marsh, their eyes glowing in the gloom. Finally, Viperish Night eases, he was sure he saw that familiar and hateful blue glow. He is about to rest the skeletons and try to sleep when a golden glimmer catches his eyes. He stalks to a nearby tree and takes the pendent down from its branch. Simple in design, gold with silver markings, and a softly glowing blue gem in the middle. It seems to hum with power and he studies it, then his eyes snap back to the gloom of the night. "Come out." he hisses.

"If you insist." A shimmer in the dark, and he appears. The blue glow surrounding the hooded figure in mage robes, his former mentor. Viperish Night stand so utterly still it is as if he is not even breathing. His eyes well up with utter hatred. "Betrayer." he slowly hisses. The Skeleton Kagouti charges his former mentor and passes right through him.

"I thought you smarter than this," Mentor says with a sneer. "I thought you would have figured it out by now. I never was present. Just...a very fancy astral projection form." he holds up one hand and then shrugs. "Send your skeletons against me all you like. The result will be the same."

Viperish Night's eyes lock onto Mentor's. "I will find you," he promises as more of the marsh's dead rises, their eyes glimmering from the water all around the two.

"You can try," Mentor says. "Perhaps I'll even tell you one day." At Viperish Night's hiss, he continues. "Before you say or think anything else, I can tell you something very important," Mentor says. "I know where your egg-parents are."

Viperish Night's eyes turn even colder. "Now," he says.

Mentor smiles. "In time. Think of that before rushing to find me. I"ll tell you nothing if you jump ahead like that."

Viperish Night's eyes track Mentor's every movement. Again, memories nibble on his tail. He pushes them away and holds out his hand. "What is this?" he says.

"Think of a place you've been...it will draw upon your magic and open a portal to take you there," Mentor says. "It will need to recharge after each use. It combines its magical powers with yours to achieve this."

"Why?" Viperish Night says.

"I have my reasons," Mentor says.

"Your reasons?" Viperish Night says, tilting his head. "Or HIS reasons?" Mentor just smiles at that. Viperish Night turns to go, but his next words halt him.

"Before you leave..." Mentor says. "tell me, my former apprentice. How does it feel to have that much power at your claw tips?"

Viperish Night is just silent at the question. He looks back at Mentor. Mentor laughs as he sees the answer in Viperish Night's eyes.

Viperish Night turns and stares at the spot Mentor was for long moments. He will find Mentor...after he got what he needed from him. He would learn who this monster was so he could spit the name in his face before he kills him. Viperish Night turns and mounts one of the skeleton Kagouti and rides off into the night.


Far into the night does Viperish Night ride. He stops just before dawn, sitting on a log by an ancient tree. Viperish Night studies the necklace. A trap? Did his former mentor think he could manipulate him still? Viperish Night is tempted to fling it into the swamp, but instead, he places it in his bag. Mentor, Stalks-In-Darkness. They want something from him, they always did. Was it to turn him into this? Or something more? Stalks-In-Darkness... Viperish Night looks into the dwindling night.

Memories. Nibbling on his tail. Viperish Night kept pushing them away but the past was literally haunting him. But it was not years past that his mind focused on but recent memories. The moment he let go and the collar shattered. The necromancy was overwhelming, it swept through him like rapids throwing him into the darkest abyss where his only thoughts were to destroy the ones who kept him bond and set his friends free. But somehow those thoughts merged into one singular desire. To drown the living and end their madness, setting them free unto death. It did not escape his notice either, that Zan'tabe tried to save him till the very end. He died right before Viperish Night's eyes. There had been the briefest of moments when perhaps he could have pulled it back. Not enough time for Zan'tabe, but perhaps for the others. But as he told Zan'tabe, he did not want to, not even to save them. Such a thought would have terrified him, once upon a time. But that was in the past. Viperish Night holds up his clawed hand. The power within these claws, within him. He remembers Daggerfall. The power he felt before in his days of wandering the Daggerfall lands was a pale shadow of the power he felt the night his collar shattered. The ice was so very cold at first and then...so very welcoming. No longer did he fear, regret, suffer. Instead, he was set free. Viperish Night knows more than that was drowned in the river that night. Love, mercy, kindness. In the end, he no longer trusted his friends, but he had still...cared for them. But the river washed it away and made it so very painless to see them dead. He felt so much anguish when he killed Titumus, even though Titumus had betrayed him and set to cut him down. There was no anguish when the rest of his friends died. And he had killed them as surely as he killed Titumus, even if it had not been his claws that took their lives. Viperish Night slides off the log and closes his eyes, leaning against it.


-Mournhold Mages Guild-

Iveryni studies the papers from Oblivion's Isle. There is not anything new to be gleaned from them, but for now, it's all she has. She glances around the table. Commander Devalnor informed the Skald-King, who informed Queen Ayrenn and High King Emeric. They had ordered wanted posters to be made up and placed in the cities, the guard to keep watch, and tasked a small group with gathering information. She had been chosen for this group, due in part to her being one of the ones to see Oblivion's Isle with her own eyes, and her high magical talent. The rest of the members so far was the two Bretons, Rodyn Greenford, and his apprentice Theodyn Vautrine from the Mage's guild in Glenumbra. Rodyn was a tall Breton with short grey hair and a scruff of grey who was highly regarded. His apprentice Theodyn was young, messy brown hair and serious dark brown eyes far older than his age and he had to be younger than she, and she was only twenty-two. And from the Dominion, the Queen had sent her eye, the Khajiit known as Razum-dar. Tawny fur, red Mohawk, his reparation far proceeded him.

"The threat is grave and they send children," Razum-dar says quietly to Rodyn as he reads the papers spread across the large table.

"Iveryni is an exceptionally gifted mage. Inventing new spells as well as mastering ones far beyond her years. As for Theodyn, I am aware he is only seventeen. But he needs guidance. Since the loss of his sister years ago he's been adrift. He enrolled in the mages guild to follow her footsteps and I am uncertain it's the right path for him." The elderly mage looks thoughtful. "I am an old family friend to his family. Seeing the world and all its options is what he needs right now to decide to follow the mage's path or embark on something new."

Razum-dar puts the paper down and picks up another. "It could be dangerous. This necromancer." Razum-dar's eyes look at the sketch of Viperish Night. "Necromancers. Always causing trouble." he sighs. "Razum-dar is getting too old for this."

"Our purpose is to find this necromancer," Rodyn says. "Not wage war against him. That is left to the others. And if you can indeed convince the Vestige to aid our cause, so much the safer will they be."

"This one has not seen her in many years," Razum-dar says. "Summerset was the last time this one has seen his old friend." An unreadable expression crosses his face.

Theodyn turns his head toward them, apparently hearing something that caught his attention. "Are we headed to Valenwood then?"

Iveryni raises one eyebrow. "You sit with the papers with a glum expression on your face, and now you perk up?"

Theodyn pushes papers around. "Come on. She's the Vestige. The Bosmer hero who saved Nirn." he insists. "You don't want to meet her?"

"Save me from hero worship." Iveryni sighs.

Razum-dar chuckles. "Razum-dar thinks this is going to be interesting." he turns to Theodyn. "The Vestige lives in Shadowfen, not in Valenwood," he says. "We will be going to pay her a visit soon."

Iveryni's brow wrinkles. "She lives in pact territory? I would think she would rather live in her homeland instead."

"Jeziasi..." Razum-dar trails off. "How should Razum-dar put this? Jeziasi is a very unusual Bosmer."

"When we meet her, do we call her The Vestige?" Theodyn asks. "Or...some other title?"

Razum-dar laughs. "You should never call her that. She rather dislikes titles. Or being called a hero." Razum-dar shakes his head. "Yes, Razum-dar thinks this is going to be very amusing." Razum-dar rises. "Rodyn, a portal if you will?"

Rodyn rises and Theodyn leaps right up and scurries to his mentor's side. Iveryni glances once more at the papers then heads over to the group. Nothing further can be learned from the records, and there are no other leads at present.


-Shadowfen-

"This place is huge!" Theodyn says moving back and forth in front of the gate. "Jungle plants all over!" he declares.

"I was never this young," Razum-dar says.

Rodyn puts a hand to his chin. "Solitary, far in the depths of Shadowfen," he remarks.

"Jeziasi is a bit of a loner." Razum-dar remarks. "This one was never sure if that was her default self or a result of the wars."

"Wars have a bad habit of changing us," Rodyn says. "I remember the chill of Coldharber all too well when the mage and fighters guild was sent there during the war."

"A Necromancer was to blame for a large part of that," Iveryni says. "And once more, Nirn is faced with the evil of necromancy. Mannimarco is to be cursed for bringing that taint into our world."

A pall falls over the party, broken only by an Argonian female walking towards them. She has chocolate brown scales with tan speckles and one long fin running down her head. She looks them over and moves to Razum-dar. "You must be Razum-dar," she says. "You truly are a hansom Khajiit. Jeziasi spoke of you on occasion." she suddenly blinks. "Oh, forgive me. I am Tends-To-Trees. I am Jeziasi's groundskeeper."

Razum-dar gives Tends-To-Trees a wide smile. "Razum-dar is flattered!" he says, running his hand through his crimson Mohawk. "We came to speak with my old friend. Is Jeziasi home?"

Tends-To-Tree's fin dips. "I am used to her wanderings. But Razum-dar... Jeziasi has been gone longer than she ever has. I even spoke to the guards in Stormhold, but they could find no trace of her."

Razum-dar frowns. "How long has she been gone for?"

"Somewhat longer than three years, I think," Tends-To-Trees says.

"Oh, dear," Razum-dar says. His eyes grow confused and worried. "The last time you saw her?"

"When she returned from Summerset," Tends-To-Trees says. "I did not speak with her, however. She needed time. And then she went off with that handsome black scale for a few weeks. I thought it good for her, to get her mind off whatever troubled her, but when she came back she had such troubled eyes. It must not have ended well. I came to check on her the next day, and she was simply gone. I am here every day, and she has never returned."

Razum-dar takes it in then smiles at Tends-To-Trees. "Jeziasi does like to wander," Razum-dar says. "Try not to worry. She'll turn up."

The group quietly returns through the portal, back to the Mage's Guild.


-Mournhold Mages Guild-

Razum-dar paces a distance away from Iveryni and Theodyn, who return to the fruitless task of trying to figure out their next steps.

"Razum-dar?" Rodyn says quietly. "You seem more agitated than the situation demands. You said she wanders. Perhaps she decided not to return home."

Razum-dar pauses and looks toward Iveryni and Theodyn, then moves out of speaking range and Rodyn follows. "...For reasons this one will not disclose I have ways of keeping tabs on Jeziasi if she travels to Dominion territory. And Razum-dar has many friends outside the Dominion who do the same. No one has informed Razum-dar of Jeziasi being...well anywhere."

Rodyn brow wrinkled in confusion. "You speak of her as if she's a threat," Rodyn says.

Razum-dar winces. "Jeziasi is Razum-dar's old friend," Razum-dar says. "She has saved Nirn on more than one occasion and sacrificed much in the attempts. But... some of her choices have been questionable. And for my Queen and the Dominion, I must keep watch on her." Razum-dar strokes his chin. "This one mistakenly thought she retired to Shadowfen. Razum-dar does not keep tabs on her there..she is due some privacy." Razum-dar shakes his head. "We will have to make do without her."

The paper Iveryni is holding flutters from her hand as she closes her eyes. Slowly she rises from her chair and floats toward Razum-dar and Rodyn. Theodyn looks up and lets out a mouse-like squeak as he leaps up, the chair clattering to the floor, Razum-dar and Rodyn startle, and both stare at Iveryni as she stops before them and opens her eyes. They glow with unfathomable power and the lights in the guildhall dim. The walls seem to glow with the sun's golden rays and the moons' silver light. Iveryni speaks, but in a voice that is not her own.

"Without the Vestige darkness is cast, With her, it may yet still be.

Young heroes will find the eye, fate will catch them in her net.

When all are found, seek the one that should not be, born of life and born of death.

He seeks the relic that was lost to time and memory. A curse upon it, only he can wield it.

If its power is unleashed on Nirn, the scales will be unbalanced and all will suffer in life and in death."

The light fades from her eyes and she falls. Razum-dar dashes forward and catches her. He sighs as he sits her gently in a chair. "We did not need that," Razum-dar says.

Theodyn is half hiding behind a chair. "What was that?" he says eyes wide. "Is she alright?"

Rodyn kneels by Iveryni's side as her eyes slowly flicker open. She looks around in confusion. "I..." she trails off.

"Azura, Queen of dawn and dusk," Rodyn says. "Things must be grim if she is interfering." He quickly scrawls down the words given to them and hands them to Iveryni.

Theodyn starts to shake. "A...a...Daedric Prince?" he looks utterly lost.

"Razum-dar could have done without a Prince sticking their noses in this." Razum-dar grumbles. "Always the most trouble when they show up."

Iveryni sits up, her eyes tracking the words. "We need to find the Vestige, we need to find these heroes, and..." she trails off.

"Yes," Rodyn says. "This is no longer an information hunt for you. The eye must refer to the Queen's Eye, Razum-dar. And." he looks at Iveryni. "Fate has called you to this. You set foot on the island, you saw what he did."

Iveryni looks up at him. "Very well," she says. "If that is what I must do."

"Why is this one in a prophecy? Razum-dar is not a babysitter." he crosses his arms and sighs. "Still...nothing this one can do about it. Princes." he hisses a bit.

Theodyn moves from behind the chair and sits down looking downcast. "I...should go home," he says. "Fate would never pick me."

"I think you are wrong about that."

The group looks up to see an elder Breton mage standing in the doorway. Rodyn rises. "Magister Benry Claverie," he says, holding out his arm. The two shake as Benry sets a packet of papers down. "What brings you here from Stormhaven?"

Benry places his hand on the pile of papers. "When the wanted posters were posted, I had a shock. I have met this necromancer, over 5 years ago. I had no idea he was a necromancer back then. He seemed harmless. Odd, but harmless."

Theodyn is looking confused but does not seem inclined to interrupt Benry. Benry looks over at him and sighs heavily. "This Viperish Night walked into the guildhall in Stormhaven." he focuses his attention on Theodyn. "He was looking for your sister Seriana, Theodyn. This was after..." he trails off and sighs again. "I had to tell him what happened. He took it badly, ran out of the mage's guild in an upset. I sent one of the younger mages to find him, but he could not."

Theodyn folds his hands together and looks down at them, trying to focus his attention on them, and not his sister. It had been a long time, he was much younger then. But still...he had never been able to fully get over it. "Maybe she was trying to help him." he finally says. "My sister was always doing that. Helping animals, people. If she saw a fellow mage practicing something they should not...she might try to help them. Are you sure he did not..." he trails off. "I know what they told us happened to her."

Benry's face turns thoughtful as he thinks back. "I honestly do not think Viperish Night had anything to do with her death. The eyes I looked into was innocent, and the grief in them was real."

Theodyn nods. "How then...could he change from that to someone who would..." he trails off. Death makes him uneasy.

"My people's fault, in part," Iveryni says. "Some Dunmer refuse to give up their slaves, refuse to give up the slave trade. He was captured at some point, sold into slavery. It was one factor." she looks at Theodyn. "Your sister knew him, before. You know what that means."

"What?" Theodyn says.

"The net has its grip on you!" Razum-dar says. "So Razum-dar has two little ones to look after. This is why this one never married."

Rodyn rises. "I will assist you when I can, but this is no longer my task. It's yours."

Theodyn leaps up nearly falling. "But I can't do it without you! I can't do it with you! I..." he quiets as Rodyn moves to him and puts a hand on his shoulder.

"You can. You're more than you think, Theodyn. You are not a replacement for your sister, you are your own man. It's time for you to find your path." Rodyn says.

Theodyn looks up at him and then the others. "I'll try my best," he says.

"Remember to practice with steel as well as magic," Rodyn says. At Theodyn's startled look he smiles. "Yes, I know about the sword you keep stashed away. I brought it, in fact. It's with your things in the inn."

Iveryni rises as well. "We should rest before tomorrow, we can read these over dinner."

"They are any reports we have of Viperish Night," Benry says. "Gathered from all over Daggerfall. There is no record of him being noticed practicing necromancy, but there were some strange necromantic activities in Rivenspire and Bangkorai. Those are included." he turns to leave. "I need to return my hall now. I'll tell you if anything else is dug up."

Both Benry and Rodyn leave, heading back to their respectful guild halls. Iveryni's eyes turn to Razum-dar. He looks at the two, thoughtful. "This one has two leads we can check out in regards to Jeziasi. As for Viperish Night, perhaps the papers will give us some clues."

"I have never been outside of Glenumbra before today," Theodyn says, still looking a little lost.

"Good thing the guild halls have portals!" Razum-dar says with a purr. "We will be visiting Vivec City and Anvil." he swaggers up and starts to the door. "Come on, this one is famished."

Theodyn rises and follows Razum-dar and Iveryni out the door to the inn.