And Darkness Consumes

Chapter Three: The Sightless Eye Opens

A makeshift encampment sat directly in the path of caravan as it neared the Blood Moor. Smoke from campfires rose lazily up into the sky from several different locations. This was the Rogue Encampment, where the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye had set up to mount their counter offensive against the forces that had seized the Rogue Monastery.

Warriv sighed heavily as he lead the lead wagon into the encampment, then turned to the Paladin and Nord next to him. "Looks like we're here. I'm going to speak with Akara, see what's exactly going on." He said as the wagon pulled into the center of the camp.

Erich surveyed the encampment as he and the Paladin Rico disembarked from the wagon, noting the hastily erected barricades and rather light defenses. It wouldn't stand a full out assault, of that he was certain. He counted a score of archers positioned just inside the outer most timber wall, spread just a bit too thinly to provide adequate defense for the Rogues within. As Warriv went to the Seer's hut, Beta noticed a woman dressed in ring mail armor with a red headdress approach him and Rico.

"You two, outlanders..." As she said the word 'outlander,' Erich felt the stirring of a memory, something sparking in the back of his mind. He was very familiar with that term, of that he was positive, but the more he tried to recall the memory, the more fleeting it became. "I am Kashya, leader of the Rogues. As much as I loathe the thought of seeking assistance from outsiders, we need you to distribute your caravan guards around the outer most ring of defense, in the event of an attack."

Erich blinked. Kashya was speaking directly to HIM, as if he were in charge of the guards. "Ummm... I'm not the guy you want to be talking to. Rico here's in charge of the guards." Erich jerked a thumb in Rico's direction.

Kashya seemed surprised, but she recovers her composure quickly, "It doesn't matter which of you does it, just do it!" She stormed off, leaving the two looking at each other in confusion.

"Well, I guess we should do as the lady says." Erich suggested. Rico nodded.

"Hmmm... I'll spread the word. You wait here for Warriv." Rico left to do as he said he would.

"Yes sir." Erich didn't have to wait very long, only about ten minutes before Warriv came up to him.

"The Rogues are in a bad way. Seems some demoness had attacked the Monastery and seized control of it, and the Rogues have steadily been pushed back by the demon's forces. Akara tells me that this is all who remain of the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye. I told her that we would lend our aid to them, but it won't be much if the demons attack in full force."

"I... I want to help too, in any way I can..." Erich announced. He couldn't just stand here and do nothing, waiting for an attack that may wipe them all out.

Warriv seemed  hesitant. "Are you sure?"

"More then anything. "

"Well, Kashya's the person you want to be speaking to then." Warriv said, shrugging his shoulder.

Thanking the man, Erich went to the hut Kashya had disappeared into, then called out to her from outside. "Kashya? I wish to speak to you."

Nothing happened for a moment, then from within Kashya appeared, pushing aside the animal hide flaps that acted as a door. "What?" She demanded, a bit annoyed.

"I want to help take back the Monastery."

Kashya regarded him silently for a moment, then burst into a fit of derisive laughter. It took a moment for her to catch her breath. "You... Want to help us? Oh, you'll help us alright, but just not in the way you're probably thinking."

"Just, hear me out." Erich was unphased by Kashya's lack of faith in his prowess. Kashya crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow.

"Go ahead then. This oughta be a good laugh."

"Look, you can't spare any of your Rogues right, because you need them to protect this location from attack. I can go with a couple of the other Caravan guards, and wreck havoc among the demons. I just need some Intel from you, like... Who's giving 'em orders, and other such things."

Kashya regarded him coldly as he spoke, as if she were measuring him up, like a slab of meat to be sold at an auction. Finally, she spoke. "First, before I can trust you, I'll need some sort of proof that you are sincere. I have just been informed that that a Necromancer is in our burial grounds raising our dead. If you can find him and kill him and make it back here alive, then I will know that not only are you trustworthy, but capable as well." She rose her hand to her mouth and gave a high pitched, shrill whistle. A nearby Rogue came to them.

"Yes?" The red headed woman had her hair done in a ponytail, and wore boiled leather armor. Strapped to her slim waist was a quiver of arrows, a short bow in one of her hands. She was physically fit, her arm and leg muscle well toned.

Kashya looked at her for a moment, then spoke to Erich. "Kyoko, this man here was kind enough to volunteer to eliminate the Necromancer who's been defiling our scared burial grounds. Go with him and make sure he completes the job."

The Rogue, obviously Kyoko, set her face and nodded determinately. "Right." Erich grinned.

"You won't regret this!" He told Kyoko, then looked at his Daedric Dagger. Sure, it was shiny and sharp, but if he wanted to be taken seriously he would need something a little more fear inspiring. "Where may I...?"

"Charsi, our blacksmith, can outfit you with a better weapon, and from the looks of it, better armor too..." Kashya said, eyeing his dark orange Bonemold armor wearily. "Just what is that, anyways."

"Bonemold Armor, why?"

Kashya gave him a weird look, as if to say 'What the hell is Bonemold,' but instead said nothing and went back inside her hut. Looking to Kyoko, Erich introduced himself. "I am Erik."

"Charmed." She replied giving him a small uninspired smile, not very interested in the man.

The camp was small, he didn't need to ask where Charsi was, as he could spot her from where he was standing. At least, he hoped it was her. Walking to a rather busty blond haired female wearing, from what he could see, only a long heavy black apron, hunched over an anvil, a small work hammer in her hand as she hammered on a short sword, sharpening the cutting edge. He approached her and cleared his throat to catch her attention. She stood up, and Erich was surprised to see that she was rather cute, if not for the black soot smears that covered her cheeks. "Hi, I'm Charsi, the blacksmith here." She introduced herself, confirming Erich's suspicions.

"Hi, I'm Erik. I need a weapon." He informed her. She motioned to a set of weapons laid out on the table. "Take your pick. Most of 'em are of the mundane variety, I'm afraid, but they're good none the less." She reassured him, then set aside the piece she was working on and grabbed another.

Erich looked over the selection she had out, a wide assortment of weapons of destruction ranging from daggers to double-sided axes. Shaking his head as he picked up a broadsword, he gave it a few test swings, found the weight agreeable, but wasn't satisfied with it. It just didn't *feel* right. Looking around her little makeshift smithing house, he spied something leaning against one of the supporting pillars. It was a Halberd weapon, the heft either made of gold or copper, the blade a refined metal alloy not seen in this land. Instantly he recognized it. "What about that Dwenmer Halberd? May I have that?" He asked, pointing at it.

"A WHAT-mer Halberd?" Charsi inquired.

"Um... Dwenmer... Dwarven, I believe." He replied.

"Oh, why didn't you say so in the first place? So it's a Dwarven weapon, eh? Kinda big, if ya ask me... Oh well. Sure, take it. It's a magic weapon, but normal identify scrolls don't seem to work on it. Sister Amplisa brought it to me this morning, said she found it on the beach amid some wreckage. You should take it to Akara..." As she spoke, Erich set down the blade and grabbed the Halberd. As he hands settled around the heft of the pole arm, a memory suddenly came flooding back to him.

He saw, in his mind's eye, himself, standing in a dark place, underground. The air was damp, heavy with the stench of blood and mold. Before him was a lesser Daedra. It could have easily been mistaken for a human, if humans had glowing white eyes and pitch black skin hard as rock. The lesser Daedra leveled it's Ebony Claymore at Erich and rushed him. The memory faded as he saw himself engaging the beast in battle.

"You okay?" Charsi asked him, noticing the far away look in his eyes. Shaking his head and waving his hand dismissively, Erich grinned and tried to play it off.

"Yeah, it's nothing, really. Thanks." Resting the Halberd against his shoulder, Erich turned away from Charsi, facing Kyoko. "I trust you know how to get to the Sacred Burial Grounds?"

"Of course." She said snidely. Erich wasn't the least bit put off by Kyoko's apparent distaste for him.

"Very well, I will need you to show me the way."

"That's the plan. Just don't expect me to help."

"There's always a catch, isn't there? " Shaking his head, Erich let Kyoko lead the way out of the encampment and out into the Blood Moor, a swampy bog land filled with treacherous pitfalls and quicksand traps.

"Walk only where I walk, or you're likely to step in one of our traps." Kyoko warned Erich as they left the relative safety of the Rogue camp and struck out into the wilds.