Cearbhail: New chapter, finally. Of course, you probably know that since you're able to read it and well...it wasnt' here before... unless you're reading it again or have started the book after this chapter was created. Either way, congrats you didn't have to wait as long to continue forward. So, anyway. Um... thinking about adopting some of the Chronicles of Lydia story play into this book. By that I mean adopting a sort of randomness and slight off-hand humor. Not sure if this series is suited for it and not sure I can pull it off since this is a dark/war type of story anyway.

Well, sorry for wasting your precious time with my inward thoughts. Enjoy.

[Nexa]

It felt weird. The moment when you think you're never leaving your home but then in a blink of an eye, you find yourself outside the walls that you'd grown used to.

I had that moment almost two years ago. Shadowmaster Julanza had always been my instructor. Like I said earlier; I was not trained in the standard academy. I was special. So, when Shadowmaster Julanza had an assignment, I always left with him. But…that was always different. That was me, his apprentice, following him around. I learned both of our shadow arts from him, the shadowscale and the shadowwraith. I was always trained in situational awareness and magical awareness. Always physical combat and spiritual combat. It was never one over the other. If I did one, I had to do the other somehow as well.

Well, it became the fact that whenever I entered a room, I scanned for: exits, people, hidden traps, runes, magicka-casters, and Daedric channels. When meeting someone I scanned for physical weaknesses: such as injured arms, legs; noticeable ticks, limps; and bruises/scars. I also scanned for aura-induced traumas. The slightest difference in someone's aura could cripple someone to the ground with a shock blast. A loose stance with little grounding can become someone's doom with frost magic. And finally, someone who has no magicka ability, just foolhardy bull-rushing, can be toppled over with a wave of fire. Works even better to combine all three magics together. And…for the more…personal fighters, a good ol' fashioned drain/damage health. Just run up and punch them in the arms(in the pressure points, of course). Feed that magic right in there and watch their arm just slump. No more attacking with that arm anymore. Well, long enough to kill him at least.

But, even though I was always training with Julanza, always traveling with him, leaving from one nation to go to the next, I was always happy. I was happy to be with him, even with all his strict training. Even with the surprise lightning shocks to see if I was still alert. He took me to some of the most beautiful sights all around Tamriel and right as I was engulfed with the beauty that surrounded me, he would attack me somehow. The first time, he left a scar on my arm. The second time, a scar on my tail. The third time, I left a scar on his knuckle. He never tried again. In fact, that third time, I was no longer his apprentice. I was ready to be a shadowscale.

So, that day, when I finally left Argonia as my own agent, I felt very small and unprotected. The world suddenly felt so very large, no more scary than it had been when I first left, but just because I was no longer with my master telling me how I should act or how I should complete my objective…I felt weird. I felt overpowered and proud that I was able to venture on my own, collect data, assassinate people on my target book, and report back home anytime I needed to get away. I never considered what I was going to get myself into. I never considered that my first real assignment would end up being a world war.

That small feeling, of when I left the first time was how I felt now. Only, it was different because standing behind me was my squad. I was in charge of them. These were my soldiers whom I was responsible for. If anyone died, it was because I was at fault. I could have been faster, give more concise orders, or perhaps have even prepared a fail-safe plan. That knowledge that the lives of my Argonians were on my hands was what made me feel small and unprotected. It was a totally different feeling of isolation. They could not understand just how I felt about our situation, but that didn't matter. My job was to keep them save, complete our mission, and get everyone home for dinner. Simple.

We were already halfway to Cheydinhal. I could not tell exactly where we were because we were evading all the nearby roads and any camps that we came near. While the battlemages were more than happy to trudge along in their heavy armor, my squad preferred traveling in silence, as did I. These recruits may have gotten by with brute magical force and luck, but we weren't in training anymore and this was not one battle that was won by a blood-raging cat. This was a stealth operation to pick up a new recruit for our giant collection force. Unfortunately, I was very unhappy with the size of this team we had acquired. I wanted it scaled down by maybe 30 people.

Don't get me wrong about why. I'm all for a massive attack force, but this was not a massive attack force operation right now. I had to at least get this team someplace quiet and out of the way and continue on with a scouting team. Yeah, a scouting team. That was more likely to make it to Cheydinhal instead of 30 clanking soldiers.

So, when I finally found a nice secluded spot near a river, a small cave, and plenty a clearing surrounded by large grass, I stopped moving and grabbed Erandur (who was walking beside me). Grabbing him for the first time since our departure stirred a bit of an alarm in his eyes, but to his credit, he looked around quickly before setting his eyes on me, fully intent on what I had noticed that he hadn't.

"TL Erandur, may I offer my tactical appraisal?" I asked as I pulled him away from his troops.

As in on cue, his soldiers all started forming a wide circle, kneeling down in the grass, looking outside their perimeter for any sign of hostiles. The Dunmer, Davilia, followed behind him as well as the Imperial Crassi. A Redguard named Travis walked up as well, followed by Vatu. Every one of them were squad leaders, placed under a squad of three other students. 17 battlemages, one shadowmaster, one shadowblade (me), three shadowscales, and two shadowwraiths. There were 24 of us. Too many for any stealth mission. No, what I had in mind was so much grander.

Erandur nodded quickly, saying, "Of course. I've been meaning to ask you for your opinion anyway." He gestured to his combat force and said, "I'm used to operating in small teams, not a giant platoon."

Huh, maybe this would be easier than I thought. "Well, I was about to suggest just sending a recon team ahead. Max four people."

Erandur nodded. "Good idea. How about two recon teams, instead. In case one gets captured or compromised?"

I shook my head. Man, it was a good thing I was here. He did not understand what recon meant. "No, two teams only makes it more likely to fail. If one team gets compromised, then the other one has to go out of its way to get the other team fixed. No, I suggest only one team. You, me, someone of your picking, and someone of my picking."

He nodded and looked around. He pointed to Travis and said, "Travis, send me your Bosmer scout."

Travis nodded, turned around, and quickly ran through the grass to find his scout. I guessed Erandur was going for an archer, since he was recruiting a Bosmer into the group. If that assumption was correct, I would benefit from getting a true mage. Now, I had two shadowwraiths who would be valuable. Oleeme and Nakuma. Oleeme seemed to be the more collected shadowwraith but Nakuma seemed to be just a little more…wow, I don't even have a word for it. Just different. Not to mention, it would be nice to see just how well she would operate if she had to. I've seen Oleeme's preparedness. He seemed better off if he had a solid plan. Nakuma might just be better suited for on-the-spot stuff. Well, time to find out.

I stepped away, looking for my squad. Shadowmaster Julanza stood at the very tip of a tree, just looking around for any signs of trouble. My three shadowscales took up a triangle formation around the circle that already existed. The only difference was that they were up in trees and not kneeling in the grass. My two shadowwraiths were sitting in the center of the circle formation, pouring over their shadow books, mentally preparing themselves for whatever spells they might have to cast.

"So, we're going on a recon mission. Which one of you am I taking as my spot?" I asked both Oleeme and Nakuma.

Nakuma motioned her book in my face. "I'm still researching black soul gems. Take Oleeme."

Oleeme barely blinked before he glanced up from his book. "I am perfectly capable of joining you. I have no pressing studies that will be hindered by assisting you."

I sighed with slight contempt. I wanted Nakuma to assist me, if not only to see just how well she'd operate under my command. But, I guess I would take Oleeme. I nodded to him and said, "Very well, Oleeme. Please assemble a small bag of everything you need and join up with Erandur and me."

I started to turn around and rejoin Erandur, but Oleeme was already standing up, throwing a small sack over his shoulder. "I am currently prepared for travel." He stated with his calm silky voice. His eyes were slightly glazed over, making me believe that he was already in some sort of hyper trance. Maybe he was a bit of a seer. I did not know, but maybe this mission was a good way to learn a little more about him. He was the biggest mystery of anyone else within the group.

I smiled at the thought of actually bonding with someone that I had no clue about for once. I mean, exactly who was Oleeme? My first impression of him was him levitating in mid-air, eyes blazing white, with several books floating around him, with him reading one at a time while still suspended in flight. That's a pretty strong first impression. Then he follows it up by already telling me what I want to know and assures me that both of them will be prepared for departure. The latter was still unsuccessful, though, but I'm guessing without him Nakuma would have never been prepared to leave.

Oleeme and I joined back up with Erandur and an older Bosmer with dirty shoulder-length hair. He looked mid-twenties. That was weird since almost everyone in the group looked like teenagers. The Bosmer nodded to me and stuck out his hand. "Name's Huir. Been a scout for years. Joined the battlemages to do some good. Then…this war happened. Bad and good luck with that. My farm was gone and I would be gone as well if I had stayed. Bad luck, I lost the farm. Good luck, I wasn't there. Savvy?"

He had a thick sailor's accent. I would have guessed that he was more than just a scout. He seemed to notice my glance and tipped his stray hat to me. "Ah, sorry, forgot that I still have my sea legs. Served on an Alik'r raiding vessel as a navigator and scouting party for a few years. Learned some of the pirating trade that helped me survive this long. Funny thing…I own that farm yet I never seemed to be there. Must have really hated my wife."

Erandur groaned as he rubbed his eyes in annoyance. "Huir! No one asked about your past." He shook his head and bowed to me. "Sorry, Shadowscale Nexa. He's just excited. He's never fought alongside a shadowscale before."

I shook my head and waved it off. "No…it's fine. Honestly, I've never served with the Redguard. How do they do combat?"

Huir smiled and crossed his arms. "Depends on which part of Hammerfell you travel to. Shorelines are pretty much pirates and sea traders. Go up north and you can find the Dark Market; find things like slaves and…illegal goods. Then you have the Imperial side of Redguards. Strong noble warriors, so it's pretty much the same with them that it is for everyone else. Beautiful mountainous area, though. The people there are truly strong and capable warriors."

"By your depiction, I would assume that the Redguard bandits and pirates are the source of all illegal trading and slaving." Oleeme said, narrowing his eyes in quiet thought.

Huir only seemed to smile. "You could assume that. Don't know why that interests you, though."

Oleeme did not comment but continued to hold his chin while his narrowed eyes silently calculated something. I knew what he was calculating. Because I was calculating the same thing. Shadowscales have long been interested in learning more about Hammerfell, but mostly the reports we ever got back were sketchy. We've even sent Shadowmasters to go see Hammerfell but when they returned with their news, it was too broad, not narrow enough for us to make any real sense of. Hammerfell was a great mystery to us, one we wanted to crack. Pirates were one thing for us to handle, since we breathe underwater and can track their movements, but infiltrating slavers is another. Sure, we get some shadowwraiths in as slaves, but then…they never come back. We don't know why.

Erandur rubbed the back of his neck. "Guys…" He said, starting to shake his head. I heard and knew enough about Erandur to know that he wasn't one for joking around. For him, this was a serious assignment and we were doing nothing more than just chatting for no reason. Once he had all our attention, he said, "The four of us are proceeding onward to Cheydinhal to find our seer. She is waiting for us to show up and bring her into the squad. Now…I will be very honest with you. No one even knew she existed until just a week ago, but apparently she's a battlemage. Dresses in the traditional armor too. She's already been briefed and tested by Hans. She's passable. Her name is unknown to us, but she calls herself the Seer so I guess we'll have something to go by. Well, that and the white cloth she covers her eyes with."

I nodded, taking as many mental notes as I could. "Do we know what nationality she is?"

Erandur glanced up at me and shrugged. "Human, most likely Breton. Hans seems to think she's a Nord by some sort of accent that only Skyrim-bred Nords have. The only problems with that theory is that there are no known Nord teenage seers at the moment, let alone ones that serve as battlemages. So, this mystery person has just shown up during a time of war, and seems to be well prepared for it. Hans believes she may be a Psijic monk so be on your best behaviors…and on your best guard."

I actually saw Oleeme's eyes light up for a second. "Psijic monk? They haven't been seen in a long time."

Erandur nodded in reply. "Yes, exactly. If there is a Psijic monk here…that means that this is worse than we feared. But…it could also mean that she's here to keep us in line. We're the main taskforce for finding the black soul gem device that will end this war. She could be here just to make sure we find it and activate it. No one knows, she won't tell anyone anything."

I finally grabbed the top of my head in slight frustration. Erandur was starting to get us worked up over a technicality that could very well just be coincidence. It was no use worrying about it now until we confirm it is in fact a Psijic monk or just a regular seer who has escaped the public news network. I finally looked at Erandur, drawing his attention to me. "It doesn't matter what she is. We still have to find her first."

Erandur nodded to me and said, "Just making sure we're all on the same page here." He looked at me like this was my first time being to a meeting and said, "Have you ever had a briefing before? This is standard information to go through. Identify the target, calculate possible avenues of approach, and evaluate the situation. I just did that. I identified our target as a seer; avenues of approach, just popped out of nowhere; and evaluation, only Psijic monks do that."

I nodded in silence. I wasn't sure if I was ok with how he just talked to me, but I guess he only came off as gruff because I questioned him in a gruff way. I looked at Oleeme, who still looked lost in thought. I could see a sparkle in his eye and a small smile growing on his lips. I think he was excited about the possible meeting of a Psijic monk. Sure, it was something that our kingdom had no information on…in fact, no one did. If this was our one chance to know about them, we had to take it at all costs.

Erandur nodded to us and said, "Allow me to set up our temporary camp and a fall-back spot in case this one gets hit, and also a third fall-back in case that is already compromised…and we'll get going."

Cearbhail: Things should start becoming more interesting now. Especially if I decide to randomfy it.