"Faithless is he who says farewell when the road darkens." - J. R. R. Tolkien.

Chapter One: The Bitter Coast

4th of Sun's Dawn, 4E05

Saevesi

Saevesi crept across the ashen ground, keeping as low as she could. Ahead, she could see her target, a Cliff Racer. Morrowind, Saevesi's beloved home, was riddled with the things. But with this particular Cliff Racer, things were personal. It was just standing there, peaceful and unassuming, with the freezing waters of the Bitter Coast lapping gently against its feet. As it angled its head to test the air, Saevesi crouched lower. She was downwind like her father had taught her, but she knew that if the Racer saw her and took off, she'd be tracking it again for hours. It soon returned its gaze to the water and she relaxed. The Racer was no doubt hunting for fish, even though the blood of Saevesi's beloved pet guar was still all over its face. Cliff Racers and their annoying cousins were all painfully known for their voracious hunger.

Saevesi started to edge closer, keeping an eye on both the ground and her target. Hunching over behind a bush, Saevesi was confident that she was close enough to finally attempt a shot. She silently lifted her bow and aimed an arrow at the animal. As she was about to let it loose, a bright red dagger flew through the air and collided with the Racer's beak, narrowly missing its eye. It squawked loudly and immediately took off, flying over a moderately sized cliff-face and disappearing from sight. Saevesi groaned and threw her bow down in frustration.

"Damn the Gods! Who's there?"

A young Argonian, who was about 10 or so paces to her right, ran to the edge of the water to retrieve his dagger. "Oh, sorry. I didn't see you there."

"Sure you didn't. That Racer was mine. I've been tracking it for hours. Good shot, by the way, you inept bastard."

"Hey now!" he said, standing up from where he was crouching and sheathing the red dagger into his belt. "Peace, Dunmer. There's no need to call me names."

Saevesi was fuming with frustration and felt anything but peaceful. She looked the intruder up and down. He was short and rather skinny for an Argonian, but he was clearly very young and perhaps not yet fully grown. His scales were black, dark orange and red. He also had a rather long nose which gave him a sharp and alien appearance, although it seemed to work well for him. He had two horns on the back of his head. One of them had a crude-looking bracelet, which was probably made by a child, hanging delicately from it. She detested the lizardfolk as her mother did. Be that as it may, this one was somehow appealing to her. Mad at herself and the situation, she frowned and looked at the ground. When she looked back up, she saw that the Argonian wasn't there. Flabbergasted, she looked around frantically. She soon realized that he'd moved further along the beach, and was shielding his eyes while trying to see past the rocks that the cliff racer had flown over and disappeared behind. Saevesi grumbled as she clenched her fists and followed him.

"Hey, maybe we can…" he trailed off. His eyes widened and he put his arms up defensively as he realized Saevesi was approaching him, slinging her bow over her shoulder angrily.

"There is no we. I stalked that thing for hours. Who do you think you are, coming over here and barging in my hunt?" she yelled, pointing an accusatory finger at him.

The Argonian lifted his finger while watching her face, then gracefully spun his wrist to offer her his palm. "I apologize for that, truly. But may I present you with a proposition?"

"I… well..." Saevesi frowned, taken aback by his charm and eloquence. She'd admit that she had a rather caricature view of the Argonians. To her, they always seemed like dumb, cultureless animals who lived in the swamp and barely knew how to speak. The one before her nodded his head enthusiastically and flashed his sharp, white teeth as he attempted to appeal to her. Saevesi found herself thinking about how nice his smile was.

Saevesi grumbled, crossing her arms and looking to her right. "Fine. What is it you propose?"

The Argonian beamed. "I think we'll find the Cliff Racer in question much faster if we work together. I'm sure you've noticed my small stature. It makes me quite a good scout, and I have a talent for tracking. You can be the one to put an end to our loud mutual friend since you clearly have a bone to pick with her."

Saevesi raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Her…? Well, alright. What's in it for you then?"

"Nothing. I feel bad for messing up your hunt and I'd like to make it up to you. Think of it as a favor, my way of apologizing."

He cocked his head and winked at her.

"Hmm… alright then. We better get going." Saevesi looked at the sun, which had already begun its descent over the Inner Sea. She didn't much like the thought of hunting Cliff Racers in the waning light.

The Argonian moved with great swiftness, gracefully leaping from rock to log, occasionally pausing to look back and wait for her while propping his leg up on a nearby object.

"Can you maybe slow it down a bit?" Saevesi complained. "Also, quit showing off. It's annoying."

"Showing off?" The Argonian seemed genuinely confused. "That's not what I'm trying to do, ma'am. But I'm sorry, I'll slow down. I just don't want to lose Lucy's trail."

"Lucy? Who in Oblivion is that? You aren't talking about the Cliff Racer, are you?"

The Argonian looked at her and blinked a few times. "I am."

"You just decided to give it a name? And how do you know it's a girl?"

The Argonian crouched down and brushed a few leaves off of a nearby rock while resting his arm on his knee. "I didn't name her that. You see, this Cliff Racer you're after, it was a pet of my mother's. My family and I raised her ourselves, she was meant to guard our Bantam Guar flock. It was going great... until Lucy started killing them for food instead of protecting them, that is, despite being well-fed. We set her free but unfortunately, she always returned to butcher more of our animals. I brought her across the Inner Sea and released her on the outskirts of Seyda Neen. Eventually, she found her way back to our farm... only this time she attacked my sister Artessia. My mother sent me to find Lucy and kill her."

Saevesi stayed silent, allowing what she just heard to sink in. "How ridiculous. You and your family kept a Cliff Racer… as a pet? How daft can you be?"

The Argonian looked up at her and frowned. A smile crept across Saevesi's face for the first time in what seemed like weeks, and she started giggling girlishly. "Did I ask for your life story? By Azura, you sure can talk."

"Ah, very good madam. I can tell you don't like me much. When Lucy has been dealt with, we'll part ways and you'll no longer have to put up with me. Let's move on. Lucy wasn't here all that long ago, I can tell."

He started walking and pointed in the direction of Red Mountain. "She'll be looking for somewhere high to roost for the night. We should be able to catch her off-guard when we eventually find her."

Saevesi nodded and followed him. They walked in silence for a while, as she tried to come up with something to say to him. Finally, it came to her.

"Artessia."

The Argonian glanced at her. "Pardon?"

"Artessia. Why is it that I know your sister's name, whom I've never met, yet I do not know yours?"

"Oh," he said, smiling. "Forgive me, madam. My name is Alexius."

They walked on a bit, with Alexius scanning the landscape, before Saevesi folded her arms crossly and stopped.

He turned around and looked at her. "Have I done something wrong, madam?"

"What do you think you're doing?"

Alexius looked at the ground, lifting his arm behind his head to rub his neck sheepishly. "I was watching the trees, keeping an eye out for Lucy."

"Try harder."

"I'm sorry Miss but I'm not sure what the matter is. Believe me, I'm not trying to annoy you."

Saevesi rolled her eyes. "What did you just call me?"

"I'm sorry, I…" Alexius's eyes widened. "Ahhhh. May I ask, what is your name, Dunmer?"

"Finally," said Saevesi, lowering her arms. "My name is Saevesi. Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise. I'm sorry, I'm not meaning to be rude. I'm not exactly used to being around people who aren't… well, Argonians."

"You seem to use expressions rather well, and you speak perfect Tamrielic. Better than some Nords I know, honestly."

"Thank you," he said as he laughed. "Honestly, my mother doesn't agree with The Hist. Never liked the way they seemed to control our kind like a hive to further their own interests. She gave birth to my siblings and I well away from the influence of The Hist trees, as far north as she could venture safely. She wanted a different life for us."

Alexius looked at her and saw the look on her face. "Oh, sorry! I'm doing it again. It's a habit, it seems."

"No, it's fine!" Saevesi said with mirth. "You're rather refreshing, to be honest. I'm just not used to it. You do seem to apologize a lot though."

"Apologies. Oh, sorry... and thank you. I think."

Saevesi laughed and walked on, shaking her head. "Come on let's find that Cliff Ra一 I mean Lucy, before nightfall."

They continued east up Red Mountain and as they did, the air and ground became increasingly hot and ashen, the flora less dense. Saevesi could see Ald'ruhn in the distance, as well as a nearby camp, most likely bandits or perhaps even Ashlander exiles. She warned Alexius that they would most likely be hostile towards them if they were seen, so they kept their distance. Alexius lowered himself to the ground and softly rested his head against it.

Saevesi frowned. "What are you d一"

Alexius put his finger up to silence her. "She's not far, but…"

"But what?"

Alexius frowned and scanned the sky suspiciously.

"Speak, would you?" Saevesi growled.

"Something's not right. I can feel it."

"What you're feeling is my growing impatience. It's getting dark, and I'd like to be able to see more than 3 feet in front of me. Hunting is pointless in the dark, so let's just keep going, shall we?"

"Sure."

Alexius sprung to his feet and they quickened their pace to a light jog.

As they ascended the volcano, the air was getting thicker with ash, but the view was getting nicer. They could see most of Vvrardenfell from up there, as well as the entire Bitter Coast, the lands across the Inner Sea, grasslands which were undeniably Cyrodiil, and the distant island of Solstheim. She felt great pride and appreciation for her beautiful home. Majestic Vivec City was to the south, with Baar Dau looming ever precariously above it. Saevesi shuddered as she looked at the moonlet. She was glad that the House she was part of, House Redoran, was situated mostly in Morrowind's west, and far away from Baar Dau. It was one of the only things she liked about it. She'd visited Vivec a few times during her life and never once felt at peace there.

Alexius whistled softly to get her attention and pointed at a crag on the side of the mountain. Saevesi narrowed her eyes and tilted her head, listening keenly. She heard some soft sounds coming from a large, cave-like crevice. A few seconds later, Lucy's head poked out of it. Alexius silently approached Saevesi, crouching down close beside her.

"She's roosting there tonight," he said quietly. "She doesn't suspect a thing… time to take her completely by surprise. Go ahead, Saevesi."

Saevesi looked at him, pursing her lips and nodding. She'd never been this close to an Argonian before. His features were graceful and harmonious, his shiny scales glimmering brilliantly in the mellow, orange light of sundown. He also smelled rather nice. Saevesi always assumed Argonains smelled like marsh water, seaweed, brine, and probably fish. His eyes were also interesting, and she noticed then that they were different colors. One was dark amber, similar to his scales. But the other was something special… it was probably the most stunning thing she'd ever seen. The outer rim of his eye was a dark green, but towards the middle it was a stunning, piercing blue. The longer she stared the more colors she saw, colors that seemed to dance in the fading light of dusk. His beauty took her breath away, and Saevesi detested herself for disliking his kind so much without ever getting to know one. She watched his eyes as they turned to look at her.

"What is it? Have I done something wrong again?" he asked worriedly.

Saevesi tried to reply, but for some reason, it was harder than she thought.

"Y-you-you're so beautiful… I mean, you have very nice eyes!" was all she could manage.

"I… oh," his eyes relaxed and narrowed slightly as they looked into hers. "Thank you. Uh, so do you. They're a very nice… blue color?"

"They're purple."

"Oh, sorry. I get confused with color names sometimes. Either way, they're lovely. I think, rather unusual for your kind?"

"Gee, thanks for pointing that out," Saevesi groaned, rolling her eyes. She was always sensitive about her differences.

"Sorry! It's not a bad thing to be unique, Saevesi. I'm quite different as well, but一"

"I don't care about you," she snapped, pushing him aside.

She quietly approached the crag, unslinging her bow from behind her. She nocked an arrow and aimed it once again at the Cliff Racer. As she was about to draw it back, Alexius's hand touched her wrist and gently pushed it down, forcing her to lower the bow.

Saevesi glowered at him. "What now?" she hissed at him, as quietly as she could.

"Look behind her," he said as he gestured at the Cliff Racer.

She looked over. Sure enough, there were infant Cliff Racers in a small nest behind Lucy.

"Lucy has babies! That explains a lot!" he exclaimed, a little too loudly.

"Shhh!"

"Oh yeah, sorry. Cliff Racers tend to get more aggressive when they're becoming parents, and they need a lot of food to take back to their nest. I can't believe I didn't think of it. I mean… I always assumed they would have to be older than Lucy is, she's less than a year old after all. I feel terrible that I took her all the way out here away from her home, I should've一"

"Oh enough of your blabbering, Argonian. I need to finish this."

"Huh? Wait!" he gasped, grasping her arm. His eyes were becoming teary.

"You're behaving very strangely for someone who's supposed to be a man. What is it?" said Saevesi, looking down at him and sniffing snobbishly.

Alexius flinched, looking hurt. "Lucy's a mother. You can't just kill her, she has babies. Young who depend on her. Who will take care of them?" he said, pleading with her.

"Who cares about them? You know, you never even asked why I was hunting this precious Racer of yours in the first place. I heard everything about you, but you never once asked about me. This Cliff Racer, this… Lucy you're so pressed about, she killed my only friend in the world."

Alexius's eyes widened. "Saevesi, I… I'm deeply sorry. I can't believe Lucy has done something like this." He frowned, glancing down and shaking his head. "I should've asked about you, that's the courteous thing to do. Will you accept my sincerest apology?"

To her utter shock, Saevesi felt hot tears sliding down her cheeks. She hadn't cried in 30 years, not since she was a child. As her vision blurred, emotions that she'd suppressed for decades came spilling forth all at once. She sobbed loudly, making one of the baby Cliff Racers look over. It cocked its oversized head to one side and made a shrill chirping sound.

Alexius looked at Saevesi helplessly as she cried, unsure what to do. "Saevesi… I'm so sorry about your friend. I'll do anything I can to help you if you'll let me. What was their name?" he asked with surprising tenderness, as he put his hand on her shoulder. Alexius's voice had the characteristic Argonian roughness, but there was something really nice about it as well, something comforting and kind.

Saevesi wiped one of her eyes, laughing and hiccupping simultaneously. "His name was… Jed. He was a Guar."

"... a Guar… called Jed. A Guar called Jed was your only friend?" Alexius asked quizzically.

"Yes. Is that a problem?"

"Well, I… no! No, of course not. I'm sorry again!"

Saevesi shook her head and smiled. "It's alright. For the first time in my life, I feel like I have a friend who I can actually talk to."

Alexius looked at her kindly as he put his hand over hers. All of a sudden his expression turned to one of sheer, unadulterated dread.

"It can't be," he whispered in a quivering voice.

Unnerved, Saevesi turned around to look behind her. To her gut-wrenching horror, she watched as Baar Dau plummeted into Vivec City in a horrible, deafening explosion. In a matter of mere seconds, the glittering city of Vivec was transformed into a fiery inferno, one which proceeded to engulf everything below them in flames.

"Saevesi! Get d一" Alexius shouted before a shock wave sent them soaring through the air at great velocity. They landed roughly against the gravelly, volcanic ground. Saevesi yelped in pain.

"Hold onto me!" Alexius cried.

As she took hold of Alexius's tunic a second shock wave hit them, causing them to barrel into a large rock. Alexius took the impact, knocking him unconscious. Saevesi stared up at the sky in shock, a sky that was quickly becoming filled with swirling black smoke. Nearby, Lucy took flight with her offspring. She looked down at the pair with what seemed to be sorrow. As Saevesi laid on Alexius, she watched the Cliff Racer fly off towards Skyrim, leaving the frightening hellscape that was once Vvardenfell behind her.