The Soul of a Cursed Child

As it turned out, Ravenlight and Delphine had been quietly arguing over whether or not he could make it all the way out there themselves, and had finally come to a solution. "You," Ravenlight said, indicating the leader of the group, "pick three others the rest will trust. We'll leave the others here under guard, while you and the ones you choose will come with us, also under guard, into Whiterun. Gyrmallion and the others are there."

Drelasa managed to get more hackle-lo leaves into Gyrmallion and him into his armor. That, along with her potion, made it so he didn't look as if he had been dragged by a horse backwards across Skyrim.

He was even managing to stand on his own at the entrance to the long entryway to Dragonsreach when a flurry of commotion heralded the arrival of the four Thalmor, under close escort from several of the older, more alert Blades and several Companions. Which was a good thing, because neither Drelasa nor Elealda was sure he could get much further, on his own or with help-unless that help was Farkas slinging the Elf over his shoulder.

"Oh good. That nap might only last until the evening then." Drelasa muttered so only they could hear.

Gyrmallion stood regally, needing only the slightest assistance from Elealda as the group approached. "So," he said carelessly, "you were wanting to see me?"

Drelasa managed to keep her face straight. The man could easily be royalty.

At the sound of his voice, the Thalmor jerked as though lightning had struck, and their leader tried to run forward. He was held in check, but still shaking with eagerness and disbelief as they approached.

"Gyrmallion?" he asked. "General...gods, it's really you." He blinked, his eyes growing bright. "Gods...we all thought you were dead."

Gyrmallion's eyes widened. "Aidron? By the Divines...I didn't know you were still in Skyrim. I thought they'd recalled you by now."

Oh good. He knew them. Drelasa caught Ravenlight's eye and gave the slightest hint of a smile.

Aidron shook his head. "Orders were...mixed. Some said we were recalled, some said to stay where we were. And...with the front going badly..." He paused and glanced nervously over at Ravenlight.

She shrugged. "Things have...changed. As you no doubt know, if you were willing to come here and surrender."

"Changed...to say the least." Aidron looked at Gyrmallion. "Something's going on. Something bad. I don't know what it entails, but..." He paused. "One of the few consistent orders we received from Summerset was to find conjuration mages. Up until a week ago, this seemed fairly...typical. But what we saw one night..." He shook his head. "Any conjurer that was contacted by the others, we've been hunting them down."

"What you saw?" Drelasa asked.

All four of them shuddered in unison. "Not...in the open." Aidron glanced around uneasily.

"Darling, it probably isn't a bad idea to move this inside." She said to Gyrmallion. "Off your feet."

He nodded.

"Jorrvaskr," Ravenlight advised. "I can send the few who don't have business hearing this outside to train, and the ones who should hear it are mostly there anyway." She looked over the Blades and selected a young one: Castor, who, like Hawk, had been virtually adopted into their ranks. "Castor, go down to Breezehome and find out if Modyn Veleth is there. If he is, bring him to Jorrvaskr; if not, find out where he is, and then send him up this way. We also need to find Nevano and Serana, I suspect they need to hear this, too."

"Oh, that's easy enough to call them." Drelasa smiled pleasantly.

"Very true," Ravenlight agreed. "All right, let's get the uninitiated indoors before you summon the wayward home, as it were...Gyrmallion, are you going to need help making it to Jorrvaskr?"

He hesitated, then sighed. "Probably."

"Fortunately, not far." Drelasa said quietly. "Don't push and you will make it without falling face first to the ground."

"Just across the square." Ravenlight nodded to the overturned boat opposite them. "Lean against me if you need to. We'll be there quickly enough."

As soon as everyone had been bundled inside, Drelasa happily made the sky suddenly cloud over and a single crack of thunder made the boat building creak. She smiled as eyes went even wider as it cleared just as suddenly.

Ravenlight couldn't remember if Gyrmallion had seen her unique version of a 'get home' call; but at the moment, she also doubted he'd noticed. He still appeared to be standing by himself, but he had started leaning more and more heavily on her shoulder as they walked toward the hall, and his fingers were getting tight. He was up and conscious, but the walk across the square had taken a lot more out of him than he was willing to let on.

Drelasa put a hand on him, a small glow appearing under her fingers. She couldn't fully restore energy to him but she could make sure he wasn't as achy. He gave her a grateful smile. When they finally got him to a chair, he sank into it gladly, but he didn't outright collapse into it.

"I'll think we'll wait for our band of miscreants to get here before you explain what you saw," Ravenlight said. On the other side of the hall, the doors opened, and the Companions who had been training poured in, along with Zak and Drizzt.

Veleth came jogging in not a few moments later. He had been on his way when training kicked in at the thunder, sending him sprinting the rest of the way.

"Now we need the twins, Nevano, and Serana," Ravenlight muttered. The Companions spotted the new Thalmor and drew close, more in curiosity than in menace. The Chii Chare spotted them as well and pushed their way to the front, Nerrion heading up to stand a little closer to Gyrmallion.

Drelasa's foot tapped slowly, obviously counting. Small sparks danced at her fingertips. Nevusa and Farkas, at least, were already inside.

"Three...two...one..." She raised her hand just as the four tumbled in.

"You could have...sent a bird...saying where to go..." Nevano panted.

"You figured it out handily enough." Drelasa said cheerfully.

"And there's the last." Ravenlight turned to the Thalmor. "We'll give them a minute to get properly in earshot and you lot a minute to decide where to start...but I think we need to know what it was you saw that started you killing conjuration mages."

The four got settled and Drelasa waved for the newly arrived Thalmor to start.

Aidron looked at Gyrmallion and took a deep breath, obviously steeling himself up for what he was about to say. "It was about a week ago, give or take a few days. We'd received orders to find conjuration mages, especially those with...Daedric leanings. Our groups were separated, so we didn't know if the mages we'd tracked down had been previously contacted or not."

"We saw light and heard chanting before we arrived on the scene, and something told us to keep back and watch from a distance. There were...five mages present, I think. One of them was kneeling in front of a sort of crude altar with a hollow formed in it. Not a hole, a hollow. He was stripped to his smallclothes, but not bound: he looked like he was there willingly. Three of the others were powering a circle around him. One stood to the side, off in the shadows. He had something with him we couldn't see clearly."

His hands clenched. "When the lines began to glow red, the one to the side stepped forward, dragging a girl with him. She was maybe fifteen or sixteen: stripped, bound, and gagged so that she couldn't scream. We weren't...close enough to try to stop them..." He closed his eyes for a moment. "They threw her over the altar and cut her throat. It was done in less than a minute. Her blood was...everywhere. It filled the hollow beneath her neck, and these...runes we hadn't seen before, carved into the stone, began glowing. Her killer took a shallow cup made of some kind of bone and filled it with her blood, and gave it to the one in the middle of the circle to drink."

"Gods..." someone muttered.

He was silent for a moment, aware of the murmurs of horror around him. "He drank it willingly. After lifting it up and shouting something in a language we didn't know: maybe some mix of Ancient Nordic and Daedric? All we could pick out was the name Molag Bal. Then he drank the blood, and he-changed."

"Changed how?" Gyrmallion leaned forward.

"Turned into this-his body...his skin...sloughed off him like he was a lizard, and the thing inside was his...real form. Horns like a bull, claws like...like nothing we'd ever seen. Half-human head, but a mouth on it like a crocodile, full of teeth. Tough, reddish hide." He shivered. "We-froze. Like rabbits watching a wolf. Couldn't move, didn't dare breathe. It spoke a little in a garbled tongue, then dashed off into the night."

The Dunmer all swore in their native tongue.

"So...that's how." Nevano looked vaguely ill.

Zak and Drizzt exchanged a look. "Sounds like the one we killed over by the portico," Zak said grimly. Drizzt nodded.

Drelasa looked at Nevano. "Your pack is at Breezehome. Go get the Ethos Knife."

Nevano nodded numbly and took off.

"We couldn't move while it was there, but..." Aidron's hands clenched. "Once it was gone, we...we swooped down. Too late for the girl; too late to stop them from calling up that thing. But we could make sure they didn't do it again. After that, we...any time we found conjuration mages, we killed them."

"You said a cup of bone?" Drelasa asked.

Aidron nodded. "I wanted to smash it, but...then I thought I should probably find someone who knew what it was. It's in my pack, back with the others."

"Bring it here, quickly!" Drelasa looked alarmed.

Ravenlight nodded to one of the Blades. "Go fetch it." He bowed and took off.

"Hurry!" Drelasa stood, clearing everyone from the fire. "Twins! Cedar, sage and lavender, go now! I need salt, if someone can get me some!"

Someone ran to the kitchen to grab salt and sage; another person dashed out to gather a handful of lavender.

"I wish you had cracked that cup but probably best you didn't." Drelasa removed the black ring from her necklace. "Bones hold power. Lots of power. We use the bones of our ancestors to protect our homes and families. Whole skeletons were used to create the Great Ghost Fence in Vvardenfell. Those were willing, good souls. Those who wished to protect. This is dark, black magic. As long as that cup remains whole, that same demon soul can return!"

"Uliamu used a bone to make a fence." Veleth said. "Saved our lives."

"Yes, she happily told me when we met." Drelasa ground the sage up. "Bones from her mother. You call her a spirit mage but let's be honest...it's necromancy. She's a powerful necromancer. Dealing with the dead and spirits is necromancy. However, the fine line with ghost fences is made by those who agreed in life and wished to continue serving in death. It is never forced. The bad sort has no consent, such as this ritual. That is when it turns white bones black."

Heavy steps sounded, and the Blade Ravenlight had sent out returned, carrying a worn leather pack in one hand, well out from his body. "It's in here," he reported. "Sorry for bringing the whole pack, but...I didn't want to touch the thing."

"Best you didn't." Drelasa looked up as the twins returned with an armful each of cedar. "Good. Now, listen to me, all of you. This is not going to be pleasant nor easy. I cannot do this myself so I am going to beseech Mephala for help. There will be a lot of dark energy. It will not harm you because I will protect you. Do not touch me, do not interfere. If your help is needed, it will be asked. Am I clear?"

"Yes," Ravenlight said, her voice advising that it had better be clear. There were murmurs of assent on all sides. The Blade set down the pack and opened it, pulling it back to reveal the item on top: a small, bloodstained item that appeared to be a shallow cup or bowl. Ravenlight, from where she stood beside Gyrmallion, couldn't see it clearly enough to identify what it really was: but gasps of horror went up from those nearest as they suddenly realized that it was the top of a skull. The skull of a child, no older than three or four.

Drelasa's skin seemed to twitch in revulsion. "Gods above and below...this only gets worse." She hesitated. "Farkas, stay by Modyn please. I will explain why later." She spread the salt in a thick line all around the fireplace, keeping everyone outside the circle. The sage and lavender were poured into bowls and a burning ember placed in each, causing them to smolder and send up thick tendrils of aromatic smoke. Finally, she threw the cedar branches into the fire and sat on her knees before it, the skull next to her. She held the black ring tightly to her chest. "Mephala, Teacher of Secret Arts. You were once called the anticipation of Vivec, a title you abhorred. A grievous wrong of his must be made right. I am in need of your power to wipe this stain clean."

Serana drew closer to Nevano, clinging to him tightly.

At first nothing happened that anyone could see but then black tendrils of energy seemed to seep from the ring. Far from feeling entirely evil, it merely felt like that one person who chose to wear all dark colors because they liked it. The tendrils wrapped around Drelasa, causing her to jerk and gasp. It covered her neck and chest and back, racing down her arms and crawled across her face. Her red eyes glowed brighter. The smoke from the fire and herbs swirled around her as the black energy covered her like a robe.

"Molag Bal oversteps!" Her voice changed, a higher pitched hissing that made everyone glance into the corners. "The 'children' he uses, innocents born of malice, thrice damned from the bowels of his hell, will be cut away. He seeks to use blood and bone and spirit to forge a means of control. You will use fire, blade and soul to combat it. Crack the skull. Throw it in the fire. Watch as fire burns corruption away!"

Drelasa's hands were shaking with effort as she reached out. Her own voice came through as she cried out when her fingers touched it, the skull searing her skin. She didn't stop though. The black energy seemed to form a second set of arms, helping her hold it over the fire. She cracked the skull in half and dropped it in the fire.

Instantly the flames leaped up black, blacker than Mephala's presence. A shriek split the air, making everyone fall back.

Ravenlight suddenly stiffened, turning toward the doors leading out to the hall. In a split second, her eyes went from amber Elf eyes to garnet dragon eyes. She sniffed, then shouted. "Companions! Keep Drelasa and the others safe! Drizzt, Zak! With me, outside, now! Gyrmallion! Stay put!" Her hands flashed, creating a bound blade, and she raced outside, the two Drow on her heels.

The flames began to form the shape of something-something neither human, nor beast, nor fully daedra. It writhed and shrieked and lashed out but could not cross the barrier of salt. "Born of hatred, killed by bonds, bound by blood now be purged by flame!" The black energy around Drelasa intensified, trying to force the black flames back.

The scream of the fiery creature inside was matched by a scream outside. Blades clashed and rang off something, coupled with the distinct sounds of slicing flesh and running feet. Ravenlight Shouted, a concussive sound, and something crashed, hard, against the cliff wall supporting Dragonsreach.

The figure in the fire lashed out against Drelasa, black flame claws reaching for her face. The tendrils of energy around her shot in front of her, stopping it. It screamed something at her in the horrible daedric tongue.

While the obvious curse did not make Drelasa sway, it certainly had an effect elsewhere. Veleth's eyes suddenly glowed bright as coals, though, judging by the look of surprise on his face, it wasn't anything he had called up. Nevusa gasped. Farkas grabbed Veleth around the shoulders and hung on. Veleth jerked and coughed, sounding like he was choking. His skin started to crack and turn black and claws began growing from his blunt nails.

"Oh shit!" Nevano ran over.

The black flames shrieked again, though this time it sounded...triumphant?

"Sul!" Gyrmallion stood, nearly falling the second he rose. "Stop!"

Veleth jerked badly, much like Nevano did when arguing with Nerevar, only it was plain to see that he was losing. He took a step, dragging Farkas along with him. Outside, there was a furious scream, suddenly cut off in a choked gurgle. Nevano skidded in front of him, a bit horrified to see that Veleth's eyes seemed to be fading to white and his teeth were starting to turn into fangs. He shoved his fear aside and began speaking in a tongue that he barely understood himself.

Outside, Zak brought his scimitar down one last time, severing the creature's head. Thankfully, this one didn't seem to have malice in its claws or highly venomous body fluids: it was winged, though, and had been shockingly fast, and its body was armored like a crocodile. He wiped his scimitars, turning suddenly to look inside.

"Something's wrong," he said, turning quickly to head in.

"Again," muttered Ravenlight. "Uhiel, help me get this thing to the Skyforge. Once it's burning, we'll go and see if there's anything we can do to help in there."

Nevano couldn't bring up Nerevar. He had used far too much energy last night. He was babbling in Chimeri, hoping that he could reach through but Nerevar hadn't been kidding. Sul's rage was...incredible.

The black flames started to die down but Drelasa snapped magic around it. "Oh, thrice-damned child, you seek to run to Molag Bal and reveal his missing soul? I cannot allow that."

The shrieking intensified, which only seemed to agitate Veleth even further.

Zak entered and saw the situation at once. His immediate instinct was to run down and engage Veleth: distract him, turn his attention from the others. Wait, something said. Go down, be ready. But before you act...let me speak.

He grimaced, not entirely sure he wanted to let Ebonarm use his voice and tongue...but he didn't fight. He didn't really want to: a fight in here could quickly include those he didn't want included.

"Do hurry. This conduit can only hold for so long," the hissing voice said through Drelasa's lips.

Zak moved down, stepping in front of Drelasa, and held out his hand. "Stop," he said, his voice rich with Ebonarm's power behind it. Red eyes met white. "Stop," he repeated. " Your rage is misdirected here."

Veleth angled his head slowly. His eyes were in the direction of Zak but didn't seem to see him. Nevano repeated, or tried to, what Zak said in Chimeri.

"You were cursed, and wrongly," Ebonarm continued. "You are angry about that. You suffered time uncounted under Molag Bal. You are angry about that. And you are right to be angry. But here and now? You do not aid those who would strike against those who cursed you. And you do not strike against Molag Bal. Stay your rage until you can direct it against its true targets. Do not direct it against those who would aid you."

Veleth seemed to waver a bit as the words were repeated to him. He opened his mouth to say something but shuddered and jerked.

Zak walked a little closer. "Wait," he urged. "The time is coming when your fury can be unleashed in full, and rightly. But now is not the time." His eyes bored into Veleth's. "Do you wish to rebel against Bal? Or strike against him for the harm he has done to you?"

Veleth's eyes rolled and the jerking got worse.

"He's fighting him." Nevano said.

The door opened and closed again, and Ravenlight and Drizzt entered, both of them smeared with oddly-colored blood. Drizzt spotted Zak, almost touching Veleth by now, and ran down to join him. Ravenlight hesitated, briefly torn between Drelasa and the strange scene unfolding; then she went down to Drelasa, putting a hand just over her shoulder and closing her eyes to channel what power she could into the Dunmer woman.

"Ignoring what was said?" Mephala's voice sounded annoyed. "We have it under control here. Go save Boethiah's pet project before he suffocates on his own tongue. The child will come with me to the Spiral Skein. One of you! Bring me a bag. A whole one, not one that has been dragged through every damp hole in Skyrim!"

Ravenlight simply reached into her own pack and produced one: well-woven and solid. She handed it over.

"Good." Dark energy poured into the flames wrapped around the screeching thing. Drelasa's body shook as it swirled madly, the smoke from the herbs wrapping it like a cocoon. It spiraled up to the ceiling...and was gone. The flames leaped back, bright and cheery as before. "Pour the sage and lavender on the bag." She instructed.

Ravenlight, being the closest, obeyed.

"Throw it in the fire."

She flung it in. The flames leaped up but the bag did not burn. More magic swirled around it, infusing itself into the bag. Drelasa reached in and pulled the bag out. "Should you find more bones, contain them in here. Then give them to the bone witch. She can take care of the rest. Beware, for Molag Bal will be most displeased at this. This was only the beginning."

The dark energy swirled off like the black flames had, scattering the salt all about the room.

"We might have to hunt for the practitioners," Ravenlight said grimly. "But we'll check the Skyforge after that last one is well and truly burned to see if anything is left over; though I strongly doubt there will be."

Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she turned suddenly to the four Thalmor, who had backed as far away from the fire as they could. "And I think I know now how you can earn our trust. You're already hunting conjuration mages. Start looking for similar bone cups, too."

Drelasa swayed in place and grabbed Ravenlight's arm. "Modyn..." She gasped.

Ravenlight caught her and held her upright, looking over at Veleth. He'd collapsed, but was breathing, though he was pale, and looked stunned and shaken. "He looks more shaken than anything else. I'll help you over there."

Nevano was doing his best to try to get Veleth's attention, but he wasn't having any luck. "C'mon. You can do it. Don't get stuck in there."

Nevusa's eyes were wide. "What the hell was that?!"

"Nevano and I aren't the only ones to have someone extra along for the ride," Ravenlight said. "He's got Nerevar; I've got a dragon. Veleth has Sul. Only it's not such a...smooth fit, in his case."

"Sul?" Nevusa asked. The twins' jaws dropped.

"We found out last night. " Ravenlight helped Drelasa over to kneel beside her son. "And were planning on telling him in a less...volatile environment."

"Underestimated how badly that would go." Drelasa said.

"He's still fighting it. They are not getting along in there." Nevano bit his lip.

"Is there any way to get Sul to back off for the time being? We can worry about them getting along when it's not so...dangerous to Veleth." Ravenlight frowned, watching him.

"It's not a matter of him backing off. Veleth knows he's there now. No taking that back." Nevano frowned, worried. "He's fighting Sul, himself..." He snapped his fingers in Veleth's face to no response.

Ravenlight bit her lip. "I don't know what to do...Drelasa?"

Drelasa shook her head.

"Keep him alive while he works it out." Nevano said. "It's not...fun discovering there's someone else in your head. Not like this."

"No," Ravenlight said with feeling. "It is not." She straightened, turning to the Companions. "Find him a relatively private bed," she ordered. "And two of you, go fetch his wife and son from Breezehome. It'll be better for him if they're here."

The twins took off at a run, their faces pale and quiet for once. Farkas and Vilkas lifted him up between them, carrying him down to the Circle's chamber. It was private there; and there were empty beds.

Drelasa shut her eyes. "I should have told him before. Shouldn't have put that off at all."

"We didn't...put it off," Ravenlight pointed out. "Not really. We were planning on cornering him, getting him to a quiet place, and telling him right away. This...just came up first."

"We were under the assumption that Sul could keep it in check, since Veleth was annoyed that he felt nothing when the last demon landed on top of him." Nevano said. "Sul has been hot and cold lately. He just hit hot too fast for Vel to catch it and was taken off guard when it...felt different."

"I wonder if our identifying it made it worse," Ravenlight muttered.

"No. Made it easier." Nevano nodded at Zak. "Ebonarm wouldn't have decided to speak if he thought Veleth was simply being a hot-headed Boethiah follower."

Zak nodded slowly. "Did...that help any?"

"It caught his attention. He recognized it was someone trying to talk him down. Just had to translate." Nevano scrubbed at his hair. "Damn, did you see that? Fetcher couldn't see a thing. He's blind and can't understand a word...no wonder he's a ball of rage. All he knew was something of Molag Bal's was near."

"I saw that his eyes were white," Zak said slowly. "I didn't realize...Sul is blind?"

"During the Battle of Red Mountain, he took on the Nords when they crashed the party." Nevano said. "They had...a resurrected king leading them? Wulfharth. Sul killed Wulfharth but Wulfharth hit him square with a Shout. Blinded him."

"And of course, ending up with Bal...he wouldn't have bothered restoring his sight." Ravenlight sighed. Then she considered. "A Shout...there are some Shouts that can undo the damage others cause. I'll talk to Paarthurnax and find out what might heal a Thu'um-induced blindness. It won't be a complete solution, but...that could go a long way toward helping him."

"If those two can settle down and work together...Sul will be able to see through Vel." Nevano said. "As well as a mutual understanding of each others' languages. But...you are right though. That's...a very damaged soul in there. I think I see what Nerevar was saying. Souls that are damaged...if something 'dies' in Aetherius, it's gone for good."

"Then we have to find a way to heal him." Ravenlight's voice brooked no objection. "I'm not letting Nerevar lose his closest friend."

"He very much appreciates that." Nevano smiled. "He doesn't want to lose Sul, I refuse to lose Veleth."

"You shouldn't have to, either of you." She put her hand on his shoulder. "We'll find a way."

He gave her a small smile.

Dreyla came running in, holding a wide-eyed Dusty close. "What happened?"

Ravenlight exhaled, glancing at the others with an expression of, 'Anyone else want to explain?'

"I got this." Nevano stood up. "Look after Drelasa? Dreyla, come on."

Ravenlight nodded and let them go by, gently stroking Drelasa's shoulders with hands wreathed in a few glimmers of gold. She glanced over at the four terrorized Thalmor. "Odd as this may sound, we're indebted to you," she said. "Creatures like the one you saw being manifested have been attacking us on a regular basis, and we had no idea where they were coming from."

Drelasa nodded. "You were...unfortunate enough to see the horrible beginning and end."

"Almost saw the middle, too," Drizzt added. "What attacked outside was definitely another one."

"We need to find a way to get Modyn up and reconciled with Sul." Drelasa said. "That one Mephala took...it about turned in my grip to flee to Molag Bal. It found Sul. He suspects and he's looking. Ripping Sul from Modyn will kill him and it will cripple...quite a few of us."

"We'll work on getting the two reconciled, or at least to an uneasy peace with each other, before we leave for Cyrodiil," Ravenlight said firmly. She glanced over at Gyrmallion. "And...you know what, I'm not dragging you back to Dragonsreach. There are beds here, and we'll find you one. Now."

"Keep them all together." Drelasa said. "Easier to protect them...easier to protect them here."

Ravenlight nodded with a sigh. "I'm going to bring Blaise, Lucia, and Connlach here, too. Just in case."

Drelasa nodded.

Ravenlight looked around just before she left the building. "Jorrvaskr is...protected, I think. The spirits of the Harbingers we released watch this place from Sovngarde...and oddly enough, Hircine still has a...benevolent interest in what goes on here, as much as his interest can ever be benevolent. Whatever attacks here...will regret it."

"Doubt he's thrilled with Molag Bal either." Drelasa staggered to her feet.

"Considering how much werewolves and vampires tend to hate each other?" Serana said wryly.

Drelasa smiled weakly. "I do not consider it a bad thing to convince a Daedra Lord into service using things they can't stand."

Aela nodded. "I'll...pray to him tonight. Ask his aid in this. Ask for direction." She went over to Drelasa. "You need to rest, too. Come on; you can borrow my room. I probably won't be resting for a while."

Drelasa nodded. "As much as I don't want to...that took too much out of me. Mephala requires so much."

"Lean against me. I could probably carry you; but I think you'd rather it not come to that until absolutely necessary." Aela offered the woman her arm.

Drelasa gave a wan smile and took the offered arm. "Still have that foolish Dunmer pride."

"As a Nord, I probably don't have room to talk." Aela glanced up at where Gyrmallion was sitting. "Hey! Find him a bed, too, and then get him down there. He can't walk."

"Please...just look after the boys." Drelasa murmured.

Aela nodded and stroked her shoulder. "We will. We will."

"Jorun." She said.

The twins were shifting uncomfortably in the hall, Nevano with them. As they passed. Drelasa pulled them close and whispered in their ears before releasing them. They nodded miserably, both uncharacteristically quiet.

"They look up to my son." Drelasa said as they continued on. "They don't like not knowing what to do to help him."

Aela shivered a little. "Farkas and Vilkas were like that with Kodlak. When he died...it was bad."

"When you have a family you have made...it almost hurts worse." Drelasa said.

"Yeah...it does." Aela's eyes grew distant and sad. "It really does."

Drelasa put a hand on her arm. "I heard about what happened. You lot did a wonderful thing, putting Kodlak's soul at ease. There is no greater gift to give to those who have passed on."

Aela smiled. "It brought the brothers peace, too. And then once they put the wolf behind them..." She shrugged a little. "It brought them rest. But I'm happy with it."

"Sometimes that's all you can ask for."

"Sometimes."

Up in the main hall of Jorrvaskr, the four Thalmor remained where they'd backed against the wall while Drelasa was cleansing the skull. All of them looked extremely nervous and uncomfortable, very much aware they were in the middle of enemies...and that one of the few people they could have relied on to speak for them had nearly collapsed a short while ago.

Nevusa glanced at them. "We aren't going to feed you to a demon. Not unless you prove you are one of them."

"One of...who?"Aidron's eyes locked on her uneasily.

"The sodding s'wits summoning all this...this..." She looked away.

"Rumalashorn's fanatics, she means." Tellindil came up to them. "You're probably aware there's a split in power up in Summerset. Well, it goes deeper and darker than any of us imagined. Rumalashorn's in league with Molag Bal. He probably came up with that twisted ritual you witnessed."

"Deeper and darker...you risk more than your lives continuing to follow any of those three." Nevusa clenched her fists.

Their eyes flicked from her to Tellindil, who was joined by two more Chii Chare. "She's telling the truth," Kaelan said grimly. "Rumalashorn...that monster has promised our entire race to Molag Bal."

"I have exactly zero reason to like Thalmor." Nevusa said. "In fact, most Dunmer hate your guts. But you aren't acting like Thalmor. You are acting like Altmer. And no Altmer deserves this fate."

Aidron's hand clenched. "You're sure of this?"

"Yes," Tellindil and Kaelon said at the same time. "Gyrmallion...a daedric creature he was fighting boasted of it."

"They were using one of your own to keep a portal open for daedra to pour through." Nevusa said. "A very unwilling Altmer. Tied to a post and slowly bled. The Thalmor used a civilian as a doorstop. And I was there when that demon bragged. He laughed when Gyrmallion and Ravenlight tore into him. He knew."

"Gods," whispered one of the other Thalmor. They looked sick."What can we...do?"

"Join us," said Tellindil. "We've split from the Aldmeri Dominion. And we're going to do whatever we can to get our people out of the grasp of Molag Bal."

"Unlike the Thalmor, who everyone hates, the Chii Chare have been winning the hearts of everyone." Nevusa said. "When you have gained the respect of the ones who recently trounced your collective asses across the border...you are on to something."

Tellindil cracked a smile. "Though Elealda will probably be grateful once we find a way to do it that doesn't include one or more of us nearly getting killed once a week."

"Our group isn't any better so...no advice on that." Nevusa shrugged, glancing worriedly at the stairs.

"Yes. That was...alarming, even for what we've already seen." Kaelen frowned. "I hope he's going to be all right."

"He better be..." Nevusa said, her hands clenching. "He'd better be."