The Legend of Ilfirin Belthil (Part 4)
Ilfirin arrived in his home, now, so empty inside. Ilfirin looked around, remembering the days Proceus trained him. He slumped down in a chair and thrust the tip of his new Daedric Longsword, which he got from Rogan, into the ground. Ilfirin thought to himself "If only I acted faster." A knock came from the door and slightly startled Ilfirin. He opened the door to find the abolitionist Redguard woman in front of him. Ilfirin was pushed inside and the woman shut the door "We must speak quickly." Ilfirin gave her a confused look "What is going on here?" The woman answered "My name is Selvia Magia and you are in danger." Ilfirin responded "What do you mean 'In Danger'?" Selvia grabbed his arm "Ireth was only the middleman Ilfirin, his superiors have sent assassins after you." Ilfirin placed his hand on his sword's hilt "Are they coming now?" Selvia nodded "Yes they are, they should be arriving on the mainland in only a few days. She released his arm "Collect what things you need and come with me." Ilfirin shook his head "Where are we going?" Selvia answered "To a secret place, we must hurry." Ilfirin nodded and equipped his iron armor, took some food in a bag, and left. Outside, the woman gave Ilfirin a scroll "This is a divine intervention scroll, use it to get to the Ebonheart." They both used the scrolls and they found themselves in ebonheart.
Selvia looked around and motioned Ilfirin to follow here. The walked through Ebonheart, larger than it was during the last days of Vivec, it had expanded largely. Ebonheart looked more like a giant dock than a fort by the edge of the water. Soon, they arrived at the docks. She pulled him towards a boat and they got in. The boatman asked, "Where do you wish to go?" Selvia answered "Same place we went to last time." The boatman nodded and they floated away from Ebonheart. Ilfirin whispered to Selvia "Where are we going?" Selvia smiled "To the Holamayan Monastery." Ilfirin laughed "Everyone knows that place doesn't exist anymore." Selvia shook her head "No, about 100 years after the fall of Dagoth Ur, Morrowind was attacked by a large number of outlander Nords. The Nords threatened the monastery. Then, the Nerervarine came and killed many of the Nords. They say that the Nerervarine destroyed the Monastery, but he really made it invisible." Selvia continued "Not only is it invisible, but it also floats like the Ministry of Truth." Ilfirin nodded "Okay, if we can't see it, how do we get inside?" Selvia answered with a grin "Well, like the monastery back during the persecution of the decedent priests, you can only enter it during the dawn or dusk." Ilfirin nodded "I take it that the abolitionist headquarters is there." Selvia nodded "Yes, the decedent priests were never fond of slavery and welcomed us in. The priests are more like abolitionists now than the priests they were in those days." The boatman turned to them "We should be there shortly."
They soon arrived at the location of the monastery. Selvia lead Ilfirin up the hillside "See these crumbled rocks under our feet?" Ilfirin nodded "Yes, I see them." Selvia continued "These were stairs that lead up to the monastery. The Nerervarine walked up these stairs like we are some 900 years ago. They reached the top and Ilfirin looked around "Well...it's almost dusk now." Selvia nodded "Were just in time, it should appear soon."
A few minutes passed and Selvia pointed up "Look, it's appearing." Ilfirin looked up and saw a ghostly like mass above them. It soon grew more solid and as it did, rocks flew from all directions around them to the monastery. Ilfirin looked around as pebbles were pulled out from underneath his feet and rushed upwards. Selvia grabbed him "Try not to fall Ilfirin" she laughed as he regained his balance. The rocks were forming into a spiral staircase. Ilfirin looked in amazement as the stairs formed and the rocks froze in place. Selvia began walking up the stairs "Come on, it's safe." Ilfirin followed her up the stairs and into the Monastery.
(Chapter 5 - Prepare for the Worst)
In the tower, Tel Naga, in Sandrith Mora, an Imperial man sat at a table. He was eating his dinner as a male Dunmer kneeled before him "Sir, we did not find this Ilfirin Belthil in St. Olms or anywhere in Vivec." The Imperial paused, holding a spoonful of Hacklo Salad "Hmm, it appears that he was warned." The Imperial continued to eat, continuing to speak after chewing "I believe that Redguard woman has taken him to a safe-house somewhere." The Dunmer, wearing the suit of the dark brotherhood, looked up "Perhaps, the abolitionist's base?" The Imperial nodded "Precisely." The assassin smiled under his mask "Do you wish for us to seek out Belthil?" The Imperial sipped his Cyrodilic Brandy and smiled "Yes, find out if anyone has seen him and find out where he is." He took a bite of his salad and continued "When you find him, find a way in and kill him." He continued to eat his salad as the assassin asked "What should we do find him, but cannot reach him?" The imperial sighed "If so, report back to me." The assassin nodded "Of course." He stood up and bowed before the Imperial "I shall take my leave." He jumped down the tunnel leading to the exit as the Imperial sipped his brandy "This Ilfirin Belthil shall pay for interfering with my plans."
(Back at the Holamayan Monestary)
Ilfirin looked around to see two men dressed in brown robes. One of them was a male Dunmer, the other was a female Altmer. They acted cautiously around him, but relaxed upon seeing Selvia. The dunmer walked up to Ilfirin "Greetings, are you a friend of Selvia?" Ilfirin nodded "I saved her life and now she his saving mine." The dunmer nodded "Thank you for saving Selvia. We care dearly about her." Selvia patted the dunmer on his shoulder "It's nice to see you again Darvam." The Altmer stepped forward "A friend of Selvia's is a friend of ours. You may stay as long as you wish." Ilfirin nodded "Thank you."
Selvia grabbed Ilfirin's wrist "Come on, I want to introduce you to Neesha." Ilfirin stumbled behind her "Who is she?" Selvia opened a door on the eastern side of the room "She is a Khajiit and the head of all abolitionists in Vvardenfell." Selvia stepped through the door and looked around "Neesha, are you here?" A pure emitted from behind a privacy screen that was used for changing cloths "Is that you Selvia?" Selvia replied "Yes, I'm back." She then pulled Ilfirin beside her "I have also brought a new friend, Ilfirin Belthil, he saved my life a few days ago." Neesha walked out from behind the screen, adjusting the sleeve on her shirt "Ah, it is nice to meet you Ilfirin." She purred "If you are friend of Selvia, then you are friend of Neesha." Ilfirin smiled "It's a pleasure to meet you Neesha." Neesha purred, then looked to Selvia "Selvia, why do you bring our new friend here?" Selvia sighed "Well, it's a long story."
Selvia told her of the events that had transpired over the few days. Neesha was happy that they were safe, but worried about the assassins. Neesha rubbed her hands together "These assassins are very skilled in killing. Neesha fears that assassins will track you here." Selvia shook her head "There is no way they could have followed us." Selvia assured her "We took the boat here and talked to no one." Neesha growled "Dark Brotherhood are skilled in tracking prey." She sighed "Neesha is sure they will find you...and us." Ilfirin jumped into the discussion "Is there no defenses here?" Neesha shook her head "Neesha has few guards here." Ilfirin looked to Selvia "Perhaps we could ask Nethyn Valno for help." He then looked to Neesha "He is the head of the fighter's guild in Sandrith Mora." Neesha purred "Yes, Neesha has heard of this Nethyn Valno before. Neesha has heard about him secretly helping slaves before." Selvia turned to Ilfirin "So, Nethyn will help us?" Ilfirin nodded "Yes, he was an old friend of my uncle Proceus. He will help us for sure." Neesha growled "Yes, then there is still hope. Ilfirin will go get help from Nethyn?" He replied "Yes, as soon as possible." Neesha stood up and opened a chest by her bed "Here, take this ring." She dropped the ring in his hand "It will hide you from prying eyes as long as you wear it." Ilfirin observed the ring she gave him. It glowed slightly from the enchantment. Neesha continued "It is called Mephala's Concealment. It was originally used to aid Morag Tong assassins to sneaking up on competing assassins, such as Dark Brotherhood assassins." Ilfirin smiled "I'll return this to you when I return." Neesha shook her head "No, Neesha gave this ring to Ilfirin, Neesha does not want it back." Neesha purred "Neesha no longer fights, Neesha does not need the ring anymore." Ilfirin placed it in his hip pocket "Thank you." Neesha pointed towards the door "The entrance will be sealed soon, you must hurry."
(Back in the St. Olms Canton)
A Dark Brotherhood assassin held a dagger to a male bosmer's throat. The bosmer was pressed against a wall in a corner of the manor area of the St. Olms Canton. The assassin chuckled "Scream if you want, it will not save you. Only information can save you now." The bosmer cringed "I'll tell you anything, please, don't kill me." The assassin placed his face directly in front of the bosmer's face "Where is Ilfirin Belthil and/or Selvia Magia?" The bosmer groaned "I don't know, I swear." The assassin nicked the bosmer's throat "I'm losing my patients wood elf" he said emotionless. The bosmer quickly responded "I saw them with Divine Intervention Scrolls, they used them." The assassin laughed and threw the bosmer to the ground "If you tell anyone about this encounter, the Dark Brotherhood will kill you, your family, your friends, and even your pets." With that, he walked away. The bosmer placed a hand on his chest, feeling his heart beating against his ribs.
The assassin stood outside and pulled out a divine intervention scroll. He used it and then appeared near the Imperial Cult in Ebonheart. He then looked around to find no one around. He removed his mask and places some common garments on to blend in with the residents. He though of where his quarry could have gone. He decided to check the docks for leads. He soon arrived at the docks and asked a Female Breton about Ilfirin and Selvia, but she knew nothing. Nobody in the docks knew. He then noticed a boatman turning potential customers away, which caught his eye. He walked up to the boatman and asked him about Selvia. The boatman said he didn't know her, but he could tell he was lying. The assassin held out a carved ebony dart "Do you see this?" The boatman's eyes widened as the assassin continued "The Dark Brotherhood are expert marksmen with any projectile weapons. This dart is laced with a very strong and fast-acting poison. If you are hit with it, you will die within a few seconds." The boatman stepped back "I don't know what you want, but the guards will arrest you." The assassin laughed "I know that you know where Selvia Magia and Ilfirin Belthil are. The boatman cringed "I'll never show you where they are." The assassin laughed "So be it." With that, the assassin threw the dart directly into the man's throat. He fell down into the boat and the assassin jumped in and began rowing away. He smiled at the fact that no one noticed the murder. The assassin looked down at the dying man as he twitched "I'll just dump your carcass by some mudcrabs." The assassin noticed a piece of paper attached under the boatman's seat. He pulled it out and saw a map of Vvardenfell. It showed a map with a line that stretched from Ebonheart to a small island south of Sandrith Mora. Where the line ended, an X was marked on the island. The assassin chuckled "All too easy." The boatman reached for the map, but everything was going dark and his body felt very heavy. He closed his eyes as his heart ceased to beat.
(South of Sandrith Mora)
Ilfirin Belthil swam hard towards Sandrith Mora as fast as he could. He finally arrived on the coast of Sandrith Mora and looked at the ring on his hand "I guess I should keep wearing this until I find Nethyn." He then dashed up the hillside and reached the old Imperial Fort. He ran across the stone bridge and made his way towards the fighters guild. Upon reaching the guild, he looked around to see a few other guild members and Nethyn standing around talking. Ilfirin removed the ring and walked up to the Dunmer, Nethyn. He looked at Ilfirin and lifted an eyebrow "Who might you be?" Ilfirin introduced himself "My name is Ilfirin Belthil. My uncle Proceus Maltus told me you were a friend of his." Nethyn smiled "Your Proceus' nephew?" He tilded his head a bit "How are you related?" Ilfirin shook his head "We are not related, he just took me in at a young age after my parents died." Nethyn grinned "That sounds like him." He then looked towards Ilfirin "What can I do for you?" Ilfirin sighed "Well, I rescued a woman who was being attacked by the Dark Brotherhood. During the attack, they killed Proceus." Nethyn sighed "I'm sorry to hear that." Ilfirin continued "I found out who sent them and brought him to justice. I later found out that he was only the middleman and they have a writ out for me now." Nethyn gritted his teeth "Damnable Dark Brotherhood!" The other guild members looked towards them as they continued. Ilfirin continued "I have been taken in by the abolitionist and we fear they have learned of the location of the base. We need your help to protect us." Nethyn sighed "Well, I never do this, but sense you're a close friend of Proceus and you're an enemy of the Dark Brotherhood, I'll help you." Ilfirin smiled and nodded "Thank you so much." Nethyn look towards a bearded Nord "Rogan, accompany Ilfirin." He then looked towards another Nord "Hassour, accompany Ilfirin too." Nethyn patted Ilfirin on his left shoulder "Kill 'em all." Ilfirin nodded and left with the two fighters and headed back to the monestary.
(Holamayan Monestary)
Neesha and the priests assembled in the dining area for a meeting. The priests looked around as Neesha cleared her throat "Neesha has grave news. Neesha fears that Dark Brotherhood has learned of us." The priests looked around at one another and began to panic. One of the priests stood up "Are you sure Neesha?" Neesha nodded "Neesha is not sure, but Neesha feels it is best to prepare for the worst." Selvia stood up "We should prepare for an attack. Our new friend, Ilfirin Belthil, is bringing back help from the fighters guild." The priests nodded and began to relax. Neesha sighed "If they do find us, and they do find a way in, we may still be outnumbered." Neesha pointed towards a door to her left We must go and equip ourselves with the best equipment we have." Selvia nodded "Let's get ready for battle gentlemen." Neesha picked up a glass cuirass, a glass helm, and an ebony spear "Hurry, the doors will be opening in only an hour." The priests hurried and gathered scrolls, weapons, armor, and potions for the possible fight.
(Several Minutes Later, outside of the Monestary)
Ilfirin and the two Nord Warriors stood outside of the monestery. The nords looked up to see nothing. The bearded Nord growled "I see no monestary Dunmer!" Ilfirin reassured him "Give it time, it only opens at dusk and dawn." The other nord looked at the setting sun "The sun is setting, I see no-" The bearded Nord stepped back into the other nord "I don't believe my eyes!" The monestery slowly appeared and the rocks around them shot up towards it and formed the spiral staircase formed before them. Ilfirin pointed up "Lets hurry." The three hurried up the stairs and knocked on the door. The door was opened by a priest, who was armed with a silver staff "It's okay, it is Belthil and the fighters from the Sandrith Mora!" The other priests stepped forward and sighed in relief. Ilfirin looked around and saw Selvia run towards him "Your back!" Selvia grabbed his shoulders "Did you see any assassins on your way back here?" Ilfirin shook his head "No, I saw no one." Hassour interrupted "I did hear footsteps on our way here, though I figured they were just nixhounds." Selvia looked out the monestary door and surveyed the surroundings. She sighed as she found nothing in the area.
Suddenly, an arrow struck the door. The bearded Nord, Rogan, grabbed her arm and pulled her back "Get away from the door!" Rogan held his steel towershield to protect himself as he closed the door. Neesha ran in, wearing her glass cuirass, helm, and ebony spear "Ready your spells!" The priests focused at the door as numerous footsteps cam towards the door. Ilfirin pulled out his Daedric Longsword and stood ready for the attack. The footsteps stopped outside the door, leaving the area completely silent. The silence lasted for what seemed like hours as the priests began to panic. Hassour held his Nordic Silver Axe up "What is taking them?" Suddenly, the door was blasted open, sending rock out on everyone. The Dark Brotherhood assassins leaped in for the attack. Selvia drew back her bow and began shooting. Two assassins fell at the entrance, but one rushed by and buried his dagger an a priests heart. A nearby priest cast a fireball at the assassin, covering him in flames. Neesha leaped forward and thrust her spear into the flaming assassin. She then threw the burning body at the assassins making their way inside. Rogan charged in with his Nordic Silver Mace, he let out a roar as he smashing an assassin's skull into his chest cavity. An arrow struck Rogan's back, but it didn't pierce through the armor. Rogan laughed and smashed his mace into the attacker's chest. Hassour leaped into the entrance and began chopping at the assassins as though they were trees. Hassour fell back though, for an arrow struck his shoulder. Two priests pulled him back as a third cast a ball of frost at them, freezing two of the assassins. Ilfirin looked around to see that only one of them had died. He then turned back to the door to see a dozen assassins break through the entrance. An assassin drew out a dagger and charged him. He saw the assassin and swung at the assassin, striking the dagger from the assassin's hand. The assassin look at his empty hand as Ilfirin's blade returned to sever his head.
Neesha charged forward and slashed an assassin's throat. She was then tackled by another assassin, which took her to the ground. She struggled to keep the assassin's blade from her throat, but it inched closer every second. Then, an axe swung and severed the assassin's body from the waist. Neesha looked up to see Hassour nod at her and continue off to the fight. Ilfirin leaped forward and severed an assassin's arm. He turned to see that only 4 priests were left. He then saw Rogan kill the last assassin. Ilfirin sighed and looked to the door to see one last assassin standing in the doorway. The assassin laughed "So, you are Ilfirin Belthil correct?" Ilfirin nodded, holding his bloodied sword out ready for a fight. The assassin chuckled "You fight pretty well, but I want to test your skills without...interference." He then looked towards the two nords and Neesha. Ilfirin gritted his teeth "Who are you!?" The assassin stared at him and sighed "In time, but for now, I must report to my customer." With that, the assassin disappeared into the night. Hassour groaned as he removed the arrow from his shoulder "Damn assassins." Neesha patted Ilfirin on the shoulder "You help us well Ilfirin, Neesha is proud to call you friend." Ilfirin smiled as Neesha continued "Our base's location has been revealed, this location is no longer safe."
(Chapter 6)
(Back in Tel Naga in Sandrith Mora)
The Imperial sat in his chair, smoking with a wooden pipe. He smoked his pipe while reading a book about the Daedra Gods. He sat there, calm and apparently unaware that the Dark Brotherhood assassin, the very one that left from the monastery, was approaching him. The assassin crouched behind the imperial and smiled. His smile was quickly wiped away when the imperial spoke "What word do you have of your quary assassin?" The assassin was puzzled at how the Imperial knew he was there. He came in without making a single sound. The assassin stuffed his questions away "Both Ilfirin Belthil and Selvia Magia were hiding at the Holamayan Monestary." The Imperial exhaled a cloud of smoke "...I see, Holamayan Monestary was believed to have been destroyed hundreds of years ago." The Imperial smiled "Interesting." The assassin quickly added "Not only that, the Monastery is also the secret headquarters of the abolitionists in Vvardenfel." The Imperial leaned back in his chair, stroking his short brown beard "So, did you slaughter the inhabitants of the Monastery?" The assassin paused, which made the Imperial slam his book shut "You didn't kill them!" The assassin cringed "Only Neesha, Selvia, Ilfirin, and 4 priests survived. There were also two warriors there as well." This mad the Imperial turn his head towards the assassin "Did you say, warriors?" The assassin replied "Yes, I believe I have seen them before around here." The assassin continued "They were both nords, one had a Nordic Silver Axe and the other had a Nordic Silver Mace. One of them had a beard while the other did not." The Imperial chuckled "It appears that our Nethyn Valno has been interfering with my plans." The assassin stood up from his knelled position "What shall I do to him?" The Imperial puffed on his pipe as he contemplated his decision "He may be of use to us, keep an eye on him, keep in contact with him." The Imperial reopened his book and flipped through the pages as he continued "He will probably be in contact with Ilfirin again soon, keep tabs on him when he does. He may unknowingly lead us to the new abolitionist base." The assassin nodded "I will not fail you again." The Imperial replied coldly "See that you don't, Rauko, for if you fail again...I may take out a writ on YOU." Rouko cringed and backed away "I shall take my leave...Delmus Altus."
(Somewhere northeast of Lake Nabia)
Neesha was leading Ilfirin and Selvia through Molag Amur. Ilfirin looked down the hill they were crossing from to see a pool of bubbling lava. He then turned to Neesha "So, we are heading towards Sulipund?" Neesha purred "Yes, Neesha has friends there. They will help us and give us beds to sleep on." Ilfirin looked down the path ahead of them to see a wooden door, fashioned much like that of old ancestral tombs. Neesha pointed towards the door "We are here." Selvia groaned "Finally, I'm getting blisters on my feet." Ilfirin laughed "What else do you expect?" Selvia turned towards him and lifted an eye brow as he continued "Those shoes are made for looks, not walking." Selvia turned away "These shoes are very expensive and I was not going to leave them behind." Neesha opened the door and waved for them to approach "Come on, Neesha must meet her old friends. You can continue arguing inside."
As they entered, a woodelf in full chitin armor approached them. He greeted them and then turned to Neesha "...Neesha, is that you?" Neesha purred "Yes, Neesha has come to see her old friends." The woodelf laughed and hugged her "It's great to see you again Neesha, how long has it been, 2...3 years?" Neesha nodded "Yes, Neesha believes it has been 3 years sense Neesha left." The woodelf then turned to Selvia "Please forgive my rudeness, my name is Aegil Draman." He took her right hand and kissed the back of her hand "Always a pleasure to have a beautiful lady like yourself around." Selvia blushed "Your too kind." Ilfirin laughed "My name is Ilfirin Belthil, it's a pleasure to meet you Aegil." Ilfirin nudged Selvia with his elbow. She smiled "Oh, yes, my name is Selvia Magia." Aegil nodded "We have several spare beds Selvia, take any that you wish." Aegil then began to walk away "I must tell the others that Neesha has arrived."
Neesha laughed "Appears that Aegil hasn't changed a bit." Selvia then asked "Is he always that polite?" She chuckled and replied "Well, he isn't bad mannered, but he is always like that around women." Neesha purred "Aegil was well known to be quite the lecher back then." Ilfirin patted Selvia's shoulder "Watch yourself when you change cloths there Selvia." She blushed and pushed him away "I'll keep an eye out for him, and you." They continued through the hallway and then entered a room with tables and plenty of food. Candles were lit and the sent of fresh baked bread filled the room.
Ilfirin arrived in his home, now, so empty inside. Ilfirin looked around, remembering the days Proceus trained him. He slumped down in a chair and thrust the tip of his new Daedric Longsword, which he got from Rogan, into the ground. Ilfirin thought to himself "If only I acted faster." A knock came from the door and slightly startled Ilfirin. He opened the door to find the abolitionist Redguard woman in front of him. Ilfirin was pushed inside and the woman shut the door "We must speak quickly." Ilfirin gave her a confused look "What is going on here?" The woman answered "My name is Selvia Magia and you are in danger." Ilfirin responded "What do you mean 'In Danger'?" Selvia grabbed his arm "Ireth was only the middleman Ilfirin, his superiors have sent assassins after you." Ilfirin placed his hand on his sword's hilt "Are they coming now?" Selvia nodded "Yes they are, they should be arriving on the mainland in only a few days. She released his arm "Collect what things you need and come with me." Ilfirin shook his head "Where are we going?" Selvia answered "To a secret place, we must hurry." Ilfirin nodded and equipped his iron armor, took some food in a bag, and left. Outside, the woman gave Ilfirin a scroll "This is a divine intervention scroll, use it to get to the Ebonheart." They both used the scrolls and they found themselves in ebonheart.
Selvia looked around and motioned Ilfirin to follow here. The walked through Ebonheart, larger than it was during the last days of Vivec, it had expanded largely. Ebonheart looked more like a giant dock than a fort by the edge of the water. Soon, they arrived at the docks. She pulled him towards a boat and they got in. The boatman asked, "Where do you wish to go?" Selvia answered "Same place we went to last time." The boatman nodded and they floated away from Ebonheart. Ilfirin whispered to Selvia "Where are we going?" Selvia smiled "To the Holamayan Monastery." Ilfirin laughed "Everyone knows that place doesn't exist anymore." Selvia shook her head "No, about 100 years after the fall of Dagoth Ur, Morrowind was attacked by a large number of outlander Nords. The Nords threatened the monastery. Then, the Nerervarine came and killed many of the Nords. They say that the Nerervarine destroyed the Monastery, but he really made it invisible." Selvia continued "Not only is it invisible, but it also floats like the Ministry of Truth." Ilfirin nodded "Okay, if we can't see it, how do we get inside?" Selvia answered with a grin "Well, like the monastery back during the persecution of the decedent priests, you can only enter it during the dawn or dusk." Ilfirin nodded "I take it that the abolitionist headquarters is there." Selvia nodded "Yes, the decedent priests were never fond of slavery and welcomed us in. The priests are more like abolitionists now than the priests they were in those days." The boatman turned to them "We should be there shortly."
They soon arrived at the location of the monastery. Selvia lead Ilfirin up the hillside "See these crumbled rocks under our feet?" Ilfirin nodded "Yes, I see them." Selvia continued "These were stairs that lead up to the monastery. The Nerervarine walked up these stairs like we are some 900 years ago. They reached the top and Ilfirin looked around "Well...it's almost dusk now." Selvia nodded "Were just in time, it should appear soon."
A few minutes passed and Selvia pointed up "Look, it's appearing." Ilfirin looked up and saw a ghostly like mass above them. It soon grew more solid and as it did, rocks flew from all directions around them to the monastery. Ilfirin looked around as pebbles were pulled out from underneath his feet and rushed upwards. Selvia grabbed him "Try not to fall Ilfirin" she laughed as he regained his balance. The rocks were forming into a spiral staircase. Ilfirin looked in amazement as the stairs formed and the rocks froze in place. Selvia began walking up the stairs "Come on, it's safe." Ilfirin followed her up the stairs and into the Monastery.
(Chapter 5 - Prepare for the Worst)
In the tower, Tel Naga, in Sandrith Mora, an Imperial man sat at a table. He was eating his dinner as a male Dunmer kneeled before him "Sir, we did not find this Ilfirin Belthil in St. Olms or anywhere in Vivec." The Imperial paused, holding a spoonful of Hacklo Salad "Hmm, it appears that he was warned." The Imperial continued to eat, continuing to speak after chewing "I believe that Redguard woman has taken him to a safe-house somewhere." The Dunmer, wearing the suit of the dark brotherhood, looked up "Perhaps, the abolitionist's base?" The Imperial nodded "Precisely." The assassin smiled under his mask "Do you wish for us to seek out Belthil?" The Imperial sipped his Cyrodilic Brandy and smiled "Yes, find out if anyone has seen him and find out where he is." He took a bite of his salad and continued "When you find him, find a way in and kill him." He continued to eat his salad as the assassin asked "What should we do find him, but cannot reach him?" The imperial sighed "If so, report back to me." The assassin nodded "Of course." He stood up and bowed before the Imperial "I shall take my leave." He jumped down the tunnel leading to the exit as the Imperial sipped his brandy "This Ilfirin Belthil shall pay for interfering with my plans."
(Back at the Holamayan Monestary)
Ilfirin looked around to see two men dressed in brown robes. One of them was a male Dunmer, the other was a female Altmer. They acted cautiously around him, but relaxed upon seeing Selvia. The dunmer walked up to Ilfirin "Greetings, are you a friend of Selvia?" Ilfirin nodded "I saved her life and now she his saving mine." The dunmer nodded "Thank you for saving Selvia. We care dearly about her." Selvia patted the dunmer on his shoulder "It's nice to see you again Darvam." The Altmer stepped forward "A friend of Selvia's is a friend of ours. You may stay as long as you wish." Ilfirin nodded "Thank you."
Selvia grabbed Ilfirin's wrist "Come on, I want to introduce you to Neesha." Ilfirin stumbled behind her "Who is she?" Selvia opened a door on the eastern side of the room "She is a Khajiit and the head of all abolitionists in Vvardenfell." Selvia stepped through the door and looked around "Neesha, are you here?" A pure emitted from behind a privacy screen that was used for changing cloths "Is that you Selvia?" Selvia replied "Yes, I'm back." She then pulled Ilfirin beside her "I have also brought a new friend, Ilfirin Belthil, he saved my life a few days ago." Neesha walked out from behind the screen, adjusting the sleeve on her shirt "Ah, it is nice to meet you Ilfirin." She purred "If you are friend of Selvia, then you are friend of Neesha." Ilfirin smiled "It's a pleasure to meet you Neesha." Neesha purred, then looked to Selvia "Selvia, why do you bring our new friend here?" Selvia sighed "Well, it's a long story."
Selvia told her of the events that had transpired over the few days. Neesha was happy that they were safe, but worried about the assassins. Neesha rubbed her hands together "These assassins are very skilled in killing. Neesha fears that assassins will track you here." Selvia shook her head "There is no way they could have followed us." Selvia assured her "We took the boat here and talked to no one." Neesha growled "Dark Brotherhood are skilled in tracking prey." She sighed "Neesha is sure they will find you...and us." Ilfirin jumped into the discussion "Is there no defenses here?" Neesha shook her head "Neesha has few guards here." Ilfirin looked to Selvia "Perhaps we could ask Nethyn Valno for help." He then looked to Neesha "He is the head of the fighter's guild in Sandrith Mora." Neesha purred "Yes, Neesha has heard of this Nethyn Valno before. Neesha has heard about him secretly helping slaves before." Selvia turned to Ilfirin "So, Nethyn will help us?" Ilfirin nodded "Yes, he was an old friend of my uncle Proceus. He will help us for sure." Neesha growled "Yes, then there is still hope. Ilfirin will go get help from Nethyn?" He replied "Yes, as soon as possible." Neesha stood up and opened a chest by her bed "Here, take this ring." She dropped the ring in his hand "It will hide you from prying eyes as long as you wear it." Ilfirin observed the ring she gave him. It glowed slightly from the enchantment. Neesha continued "It is called Mephala's Concealment. It was originally used to aid Morag Tong assassins to sneaking up on competing assassins, such as Dark Brotherhood assassins." Ilfirin smiled "I'll return this to you when I return." Neesha shook her head "No, Neesha gave this ring to Ilfirin, Neesha does not want it back." Neesha purred "Neesha no longer fights, Neesha does not need the ring anymore." Ilfirin placed it in his hip pocket "Thank you." Neesha pointed towards the door "The entrance will be sealed soon, you must hurry."
(Back in the St. Olms Canton)
A Dark Brotherhood assassin held a dagger to a male bosmer's throat. The bosmer was pressed against a wall in a corner of the manor area of the St. Olms Canton. The assassin chuckled "Scream if you want, it will not save you. Only information can save you now." The bosmer cringed "I'll tell you anything, please, don't kill me." The assassin placed his face directly in front of the bosmer's face "Where is Ilfirin Belthil and/or Selvia Magia?" The bosmer groaned "I don't know, I swear." The assassin nicked the bosmer's throat "I'm losing my patients wood elf" he said emotionless. The bosmer quickly responded "I saw them with Divine Intervention Scrolls, they used them." The assassin laughed and threw the bosmer to the ground "If you tell anyone about this encounter, the Dark Brotherhood will kill you, your family, your friends, and even your pets." With that, he walked away. The bosmer placed a hand on his chest, feeling his heart beating against his ribs.
The assassin stood outside and pulled out a divine intervention scroll. He used it and then appeared near the Imperial Cult in Ebonheart. He then looked around to find no one around. He removed his mask and places some common garments on to blend in with the residents. He though of where his quarry could have gone. He decided to check the docks for leads. He soon arrived at the docks and asked a Female Breton about Ilfirin and Selvia, but she knew nothing. Nobody in the docks knew. He then noticed a boatman turning potential customers away, which caught his eye. He walked up to the boatman and asked him about Selvia. The boatman said he didn't know her, but he could tell he was lying. The assassin held out a carved ebony dart "Do you see this?" The boatman's eyes widened as the assassin continued "The Dark Brotherhood are expert marksmen with any projectile weapons. This dart is laced with a very strong and fast-acting poison. If you are hit with it, you will die within a few seconds." The boatman stepped back "I don't know what you want, but the guards will arrest you." The assassin laughed "I know that you know where Selvia Magia and Ilfirin Belthil are. The boatman cringed "I'll never show you where they are." The assassin laughed "So be it." With that, the assassin threw the dart directly into the man's throat. He fell down into the boat and the assassin jumped in and began rowing away. He smiled at the fact that no one noticed the murder. The assassin looked down at the dying man as he twitched "I'll just dump your carcass by some mudcrabs." The assassin noticed a piece of paper attached under the boatman's seat. He pulled it out and saw a map of Vvardenfell. It showed a map with a line that stretched from Ebonheart to a small island south of Sandrith Mora. Where the line ended, an X was marked on the island. The assassin chuckled "All too easy." The boatman reached for the map, but everything was going dark and his body felt very heavy. He closed his eyes as his heart ceased to beat.
(South of Sandrith Mora)
Ilfirin Belthil swam hard towards Sandrith Mora as fast as he could. He finally arrived on the coast of Sandrith Mora and looked at the ring on his hand "I guess I should keep wearing this until I find Nethyn." He then dashed up the hillside and reached the old Imperial Fort. He ran across the stone bridge and made his way towards the fighters guild. Upon reaching the guild, he looked around to see a few other guild members and Nethyn standing around talking. Ilfirin removed the ring and walked up to the Dunmer, Nethyn. He looked at Ilfirin and lifted an eyebrow "Who might you be?" Ilfirin introduced himself "My name is Ilfirin Belthil. My uncle Proceus Maltus told me you were a friend of his." Nethyn smiled "Your Proceus' nephew?" He tilded his head a bit "How are you related?" Ilfirin shook his head "We are not related, he just took me in at a young age after my parents died." Nethyn grinned "That sounds like him." He then looked towards Ilfirin "What can I do for you?" Ilfirin sighed "Well, I rescued a woman who was being attacked by the Dark Brotherhood. During the attack, they killed Proceus." Nethyn sighed "I'm sorry to hear that." Ilfirin continued "I found out who sent them and brought him to justice. I later found out that he was only the middleman and they have a writ out for me now." Nethyn gritted his teeth "Damnable Dark Brotherhood!" The other guild members looked towards them as they continued. Ilfirin continued "I have been taken in by the abolitionist and we fear they have learned of the location of the base. We need your help to protect us." Nethyn sighed "Well, I never do this, but sense you're a close friend of Proceus and you're an enemy of the Dark Brotherhood, I'll help you." Ilfirin smiled and nodded "Thank you so much." Nethyn look towards a bearded Nord "Rogan, accompany Ilfirin." He then looked towards another Nord "Hassour, accompany Ilfirin too." Nethyn patted Ilfirin on his left shoulder "Kill 'em all." Ilfirin nodded and left with the two fighters and headed back to the monestary.
(Holamayan Monestary)
Neesha and the priests assembled in the dining area for a meeting. The priests looked around as Neesha cleared her throat "Neesha has grave news. Neesha fears that Dark Brotherhood has learned of us." The priests looked around at one another and began to panic. One of the priests stood up "Are you sure Neesha?" Neesha nodded "Neesha is not sure, but Neesha feels it is best to prepare for the worst." Selvia stood up "We should prepare for an attack. Our new friend, Ilfirin Belthil, is bringing back help from the fighters guild." The priests nodded and began to relax. Neesha sighed "If they do find us, and they do find a way in, we may still be outnumbered." Neesha pointed towards a door to her left We must go and equip ourselves with the best equipment we have." Selvia nodded "Let's get ready for battle gentlemen." Neesha picked up a glass cuirass, a glass helm, and an ebony spear "Hurry, the doors will be opening in only an hour." The priests hurried and gathered scrolls, weapons, armor, and potions for the possible fight.
(Several Minutes Later, outside of the Monestary)
Ilfirin and the two Nord Warriors stood outside of the monestery. The nords looked up to see nothing. The bearded Nord growled "I see no monestary Dunmer!" Ilfirin reassured him "Give it time, it only opens at dusk and dawn." The other nord looked at the setting sun "The sun is setting, I see no-" The bearded Nord stepped back into the other nord "I don't believe my eyes!" The monestery slowly appeared and the rocks around them shot up towards it and formed the spiral staircase formed before them. Ilfirin pointed up "Lets hurry." The three hurried up the stairs and knocked on the door. The door was opened by a priest, who was armed with a silver staff "It's okay, it is Belthil and the fighters from the Sandrith Mora!" The other priests stepped forward and sighed in relief. Ilfirin looked around and saw Selvia run towards him "Your back!" Selvia grabbed his shoulders "Did you see any assassins on your way back here?" Ilfirin shook his head "No, I saw no one." Hassour interrupted "I did hear footsteps on our way here, though I figured they were just nixhounds." Selvia looked out the monestary door and surveyed the surroundings. She sighed as she found nothing in the area.
Suddenly, an arrow struck the door. The bearded Nord, Rogan, grabbed her arm and pulled her back "Get away from the door!" Rogan held his steel towershield to protect himself as he closed the door. Neesha ran in, wearing her glass cuirass, helm, and ebony spear "Ready your spells!" The priests focused at the door as numerous footsteps cam towards the door. Ilfirin pulled out his Daedric Longsword and stood ready for the attack. The footsteps stopped outside the door, leaving the area completely silent. The silence lasted for what seemed like hours as the priests began to panic. Hassour held his Nordic Silver Axe up "What is taking them?" Suddenly, the door was blasted open, sending rock out on everyone. The Dark Brotherhood assassins leaped in for the attack. Selvia drew back her bow and began shooting. Two assassins fell at the entrance, but one rushed by and buried his dagger an a priests heart. A nearby priest cast a fireball at the assassin, covering him in flames. Neesha leaped forward and thrust her spear into the flaming assassin. She then threw the burning body at the assassins making their way inside. Rogan charged in with his Nordic Silver Mace, he let out a roar as he smashing an assassin's skull into his chest cavity. An arrow struck Rogan's back, but it didn't pierce through the armor. Rogan laughed and smashed his mace into the attacker's chest. Hassour leaped into the entrance and began chopping at the assassins as though they were trees. Hassour fell back though, for an arrow struck his shoulder. Two priests pulled him back as a third cast a ball of frost at them, freezing two of the assassins. Ilfirin looked around to see that only one of them had died. He then turned back to the door to see a dozen assassins break through the entrance. An assassin drew out a dagger and charged him. He saw the assassin and swung at the assassin, striking the dagger from the assassin's hand. The assassin look at his empty hand as Ilfirin's blade returned to sever his head.
Neesha charged forward and slashed an assassin's throat. She was then tackled by another assassin, which took her to the ground. She struggled to keep the assassin's blade from her throat, but it inched closer every second. Then, an axe swung and severed the assassin's body from the waist. Neesha looked up to see Hassour nod at her and continue off to the fight. Ilfirin leaped forward and severed an assassin's arm. He turned to see that only 4 priests were left. He then saw Rogan kill the last assassin. Ilfirin sighed and looked to the door to see one last assassin standing in the doorway. The assassin laughed "So, you are Ilfirin Belthil correct?" Ilfirin nodded, holding his bloodied sword out ready for a fight. The assassin chuckled "You fight pretty well, but I want to test your skills without...interference." He then looked towards the two nords and Neesha. Ilfirin gritted his teeth "Who are you!?" The assassin stared at him and sighed "In time, but for now, I must report to my customer." With that, the assassin disappeared into the night. Hassour groaned as he removed the arrow from his shoulder "Damn assassins." Neesha patted Ilfirin on the shoulder "You help us well Ilfirin, Neesha is proud to call you friend." Ilfirin smiled as Neesha continued "Our base's location has been revealed, this location is no longer safe."
(Chapter 6)
(Back in Tel Naga in Sandrith Mora)
The Imperial sat in his chair, smoking with a wooden pipe. He smoked his pipe while reading a book about the Daedra Gods. He sat there, calm and apparently unaware that the Dark Brotherhood assassin, the very one that left from the monastery, was approaching him. The assassin crouched behind the imperial and smiled. His smile was quickly wiped away when the imperial spoke "What word do you have of your quary assassin?" The assassin was puzzled at how the Imperial knew he was there. He came in without making a single sound. The assassin stuffed his questions away "Both Ilfirin Belthil and Selvia Magia were hiding at the Holamayan Monestary." The Imperial exhaled a cloud of smoke "...I see, Holamayan Monestary was believed to have been destroyed hundreds of years ago." The Imperial smiled "Interesting." The assassin quickly added "Not only that, the Monastery is also the secret headquarters of the abolitionists in Vvardenfel." The Imperial leaned back in his chair, stroking his short brown beard "So, did you slaughter the inhabitants of the Monastery?" The assassin paused, which made the Imperial slam his book shut "You didn't kill them!" The assassin cringed "Only Neesha, Selvia, Ilfirin, and 4 priests survived. There were also two warriors there as well." This mad the Imperial turn his head towards the assassin "Did you say, warriors?" The assassin replied "Yes, I believe I have seen them before around here." The assassin continued "They were both nords, one had a Nordic Silver Axe and the other had a Nordic Silver Mace. One of them had a beard while the other did not." The Imperial chuckled "It appears that our Nethyn Valno has been interfering with my plans." The assassin stood up from his knelled position "What shall I do to him?" The Imperial puffed on his pipe as he contemplated his decision "He may be of use to us, keep an eye on him, keep in contact with him." The Imperial reopened his book and flipped through the pages as he continued "He will probably be in contact with Ilfirin again soon, keep tabs on him when he does. He may unknowingly lead us to the new abolitionist base." The assassin nodded "I will not fail you again." The Imperial replied coldly "See that you don't, Rauko, for if you fail again...I may take out a writ on YOU." Rouko cringed and backed away "I shall take my leave...Delmus Altus."
(Somewhere northeast of Lake Nabia)
Neesha was leading Ilfirin and Selvia through Molag Amur. Ilfirin looked down the hill they were crossing from to see a pool of bubbling lava. He then turned to Neesha "So, we are heading towards Sulipund?" Neesha purred "Yes, Neesha has friends there. They will help us and give us beds to sleep on." Ilfirin looked down the path ahead of them to see a wooden door, fashioned much like that of old ancestral tombs. Neesha pointed towards the door "We are here." Selvia groaned "Finally, I'm getting blisters on my feet." Ilfirin laughed "What else do you expect?" Selvia turned towards him and lifted an eye brow as he continued "Those shoes are made for looks, not walking." Selvia turned away "These shoes are very expensive and I was not going to leave them behind." Neesha opened the door and waved for them to approach "Come on, Neesha must meet her old friends. You can continue arguing inside."
As they entered, a woodelf in full chitin armor approached them. He greeted them and then turned to Neesha "...Neesha, is that you?" Neesha purred "Yes, Neesha has come to see her old friends." The woodelf laughed and hugged her "It's great to see you again Neesha, how long has it been, 2...3 years?" Neesha nodded "Yes, Neesha believes it has been 3 years sense Neesha left." The woodelf then turned to Selvia "Please forgive my rudeness, my name is Aegil Draman." He took her right hand and kissed the back of her hand "Always a pleasure to have a beautiful lady like yourself around." Selvia blushed "Your too kind." Ilfirin laughed "My name is Ilfirin Belthil, it's a pleasure to meet you Aegil." Ilfirin nudged Selvia with his elbow. She smiled "Oh, yes, my name is Selvia Magia." Aegil nodded "We have several spare beds Selvia, take any that you wish." Aegil then began to walk away "I must tell the others that Neesha has arrived."
Neesha laughed "Appears that Aegil hasn't changed a bit." Selvia then asked "Is he always that polite?" She chuckled and replied "Well, he isn't bad mannered, but he is always like that around women." Neesha purred "Aegil was well known to be quite the lecher back then." Ilfirin patted Selvia's shoulder "Watch yourself when you change cloths there Selvia." She blushed and pushed him away "I'll keep an eye out for him, and you." They continued through the hallway and then entered a room with tables and plenty of food. Candles were lit and the sent of fresh baked bread filled the room.