Chapter 10: Tel Fyr
Every inch of Zayden's body felt like it was burning. His vision was so clouded that with his hand outstretched he could not count his own fingers. The pain came in endless waves with no dip in intensity. His howls filled the cavern but there came no response but his own echoes.
When after several minutes of calling out into the void, when it became clear no aid was arriving, he focused his strength in sitting up from the bed he found himself on. He looked around and saw only the color of stone, close and distant flickering light, and an air that seemed tinged with a sickly green fog. To the right of his bed was a table with an oil lantern and small mechanical device. It was a box of a metal of bronze and rust color that raised and dropped a soft mallet onto the surface of a drum every few seconds. The dull thud of the beat seemed to reverberate and fill the cavern well.
After a few minutes Zayden heard the sound of footsteps. He turned his head to attempt to see the blur that approached. They were irregular steps and seemed to switch at random between stumbling footfalls and dragging of the feet. The sound's source revealed itself as a vague human shape, one that approached Zayden slowly. He called out to the person but it gave no answer. Only when it was within a few feet could he hear its haunting moans and, in a flash of terror, Zayden realized that it was another of the terrors that attacked him.
The creature approached Zayden but once it got within arm's reach he pushed it away with all the strength his arms could muster. It went stumbling and falling backwards. Zayden frantically searched for anything with which to defend himself. He grabbed the oil land and was a mere moment from throwing it when more footsteps approached, rapid and in control.
The new figure put itself between the creature and Zayden and began to make gentle pushing motions at the creature as if pleading it to turn away and move along. Surprisingly it worked, the creature turning and shuffling off in the opposite direction back down the cavern.
"The creatures here will not harm you," the new arrival said. "The drum machine by your bed calms them. It was merely curious and wanted a better look at you." She turned and approached Zayden and eased him back into the bed. Even when she knelt right next to Zayden he could not make out many discernible features apart from gray skin. He could only rely on his ears to hear her voice.
"I can tell you are in pain," she said. "Please, drink this." She presented Zayden a small vial of liquid. "This will ease the burning."
Zayden felt his head get propped up by a hand before the bitter liquid was poured down his throat. He nearly gagged the potion back up twice before it settled in his stomach. Slowly over the next few minutes the burning feeling subsided until it reached an almost tolerable level. Once that settled he was given another bitter drink that the woman promised would help his eyesight, but that it would take longer to take effect.
Zayden managed to calm down just enough to rest his back down on the pillow beneath it. He turned to face his aid who was still very much unidentifiable. "Who are you?" he strained to ask.
"I am Uupse Fyr, daughter and wife of my master, Divayth Fyr, and caretaker here in the Corprusarium." Had Zayden not been in such pain he would have reacted to such an absurd introduction with a bit more humor. But things as they were he could only manage to give a long, silent blink. "I… Perhaps that was a bit too much all at once? We are his daughters because he made us, but we were never born of a woman, and we are like his wifes- my sisters and I, that is- in that we perform duties in Tel Fyr and occasionally make love to-"
"O-Okay, okay," Zayden interrupted, "I'll take your word for it… Where, again, did you say we are?"
"The Corprusarium. It is these cavern beneath Tel Fyr tower where we hold victims of the Corpus disease. That thing you pushed back was what we call a 'stalker.'"
"Those things attacked me before," Zayden explained.
"Yes, but as I said, in this place they are not frenzied. They will wander harmlessly if left alone. I can understand your fear, though, after your attack… Your back was very badly lacerated." Zayden looked down to realize that he was barely dressed and his entire chest and back was wrapped in bandages. Peeking out from the bandages were hints of bloated, necrotic skin.
"What is happening to me?" Zayden gasped. "My skin is turning to one of those things!"
"Yes," Uupse solemnly admitted. "You, unfortunately, have been infected with the disease. Corprus. It is why you have been brought here, to the Corprusarium, in the hopes of being cured. By this stage it has been at least two days of decay. If- until, forgive me- you are cured, healing magic will be futile for your skin. Fortunately my master has taken particular interest in you, Ne- Zayden- and has focused all of his and Yagrum's efforts in curing you. I have a good feeling that they will succeed."
"I was brought here?" Zayden asked. "The last thing I remember was being surrounded by those 'stalkers' and being rained on by fire. Who brought me here?"
"Your friends," Uupse answered. "The Argonian and the Dunmer." Zayden nearly fell over forward from sitting back up so quickly. "I can see you wish to see them," she laughed. "If you are not in too much pain I shall bring one down to see you now." Zayden nodded and Uupse left him, giving him one last warning not to harm the other Corprus victims. Zayden leaned back down on his bed, his heart pounding. 'Dunmer.'
Zayden's vision very slowly returned to him and the burning continued to throb dully throughout his entire body. He watched another two Corprus creatures pass seemingly unaware of his presence. They seemed to walk aimlessly to ends of the cavern without mind or direction. It sent a shiver down within him to think he was infected like them, that if not cured he could be like the monsters that nearly killed him.
By the time Zayden heard controlled footsteps again his eyesight had nearly returned. From a distance he saw a figure dressed completely in dark colors. The closer it came the more the clothing revealed itself to be a sneaking suit. The person's skin was gray and the hair was short, only a few inches in length. But when she knelt down next to the bed and brought her smiling face close to his there was no longer any guessing.
Zeela pulled herself forward and wrapped her arms around Zayden in a crushingly tight embrace, her face buried into his shoulder blade and neck. She took care not to touch his bandages and wounds. Zayden reached his arms around her and for a long time no one dared break the silence. The embrace finally broke when Zeela had to pull herself slightly back and she brought her face close to his. "I missed you so much," she said through soft sobs and tear-smeared eyes. "Uupse said your eyesight was not very good. How well can you see me?"
"... Your face!" Zayden exclaimed, reaching a hand to her cheek. A new, deep and freshly healed scar ripped through her face from the bridge of her nose and down her right cheek to her jaw line. He ran a finger across its rough surface. "And your hair!" he added, then running his finger through her chopped, pixie hair. "By Azura, what happened!?"
"The same could be said of you," she said back, running her fingers down the three pale scars left by Sugar-Lips. "That Khajiit really left you a present here… Besides, you already know what happened to me. The heist did not go exactly as planned. What rotten fortune. Ten years of planning, months of execution, and three dead to show for it in the end. Thousands in gold, yes, but three dead. I guess we both have failures to account for now.
Then again, you've been quite busy in my absence, haven't you? Racketeering, 'Rat Killer,' a sneaking suit, and you help the guild expand in Pelagiad. Not a bad job, save for your little bender that wound you up here… What are you smiling for?"
"We haven't seen or spoken to each other in two years," Zayden answered, "and after all this time, upon our reuniting, broken as I am, you make jokes at my expense."
"Only because I love you," she said with a quick kiss on the forehead. "Would you honestly expect otherwise from me? I want it to feel as if we parted only yesterday and nothing has changed between us, even though much has."
"After your parting gift to me was a drugged drink? I'm not sure I want things to return to as they were!" Zayden tried to laugh but quickly found himself coughing and wincing from a new flare of burning pain.
"If it is any comfort, I do regret what I did to you. But in the moment I felt as if I had to, especially after the way you pledged yourself to me. It was something none had ever done for me before. It honestly took me by surprise and it nearly caused me to break my commitment to the heist. I knew that if I didn't leave the way I did I would have given in and spent the night with you, and then I would have never left."
"Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better."
"Then perhaps this will; I thought about you nearly every day we were apart. About how you were, what you were doing, and the promise you made me. Sugar-Lips managed to tell me about what you had done in my absence, before I set off to find you. I couldn't have been happier. No one had even shown me such devotion or… love." She leaned back forward and lightly pressed her forehead to his. "You fulfilled your promise to me and so shall I. If you survive your infection, consider me your wife."
Zayden leaned forward to kiss Zeela but she quickly pulled back, much to his confusion. "We shouldn't. Divayth Fyr warned that that is how the disease spreads, through the sharing of fluids. We can not risk anything until we are sure you have been cured."
"When will that be?" Zayden asked.
"Perhaps a few more days, he thinks. He's promised all his attention is focused on curing you."
Zayden leaned back into his bed and sighed. "So I must remain here then, amongst the infected… You said you had set off after me? How were you able to find me?"
"I returned to Balmora only half a day after you had been declared missing. Again, what rotten luck we have! By then thieves were following your trail and combing the city for your whereabouts. Sugar-Lips introduced me to Hui and, like I said, explained what had happened in my absence. A few hours passed before a pair of thieves returned to South Wall claiming that they had a confession. An Imperial they thought was a legionnaire said they had captured you and were already fast on the trail northeast, deep into the Ashlands.
I pleaded Sugar-Lips to let me follow the trail and she accepted. Then the lizard insisted that he come along too. He wouldn't take no for an answer. We left as soon as we could and hijacked a strider to take us-"
"You stole a silt strider?!" Zayden gasped.
"We had no other choice. You were at least a day's ride out. It was the only way we could catch up. Those striders really are amazing beasts. They can ride as fast as a horse and they have incredible stamina. The beastmaster never stopped to rest and the beast never slowed pace. Had we taken anything else we would have never caught up when we did."
"So the fire… That was Hui?" Zeela nodded. "I thought he was an alchemist, not a battle mage."
"He told me he knew basic spells in destruction. When we finally caught up with you and saw you surrounded he started slinging fire immediately. He shot out such large bolts at first that he nearly collapsed from exhaustion right away. Thankfully he remained awake and followed up with the rain of smaller bolts that saved you. But not quickly enough, it seems.
The creatures finally scattered and we were able to reach you. You had already been knocked unconscious. We load you into the strider and the beastmaster told us that an Ashlander camp was nearby, that maybe they would be able to help you.
Het took us east for another day, into the Grazelands and to Ahemmusa Camp. There we met with the tribe's wise woman and healer. The healer mended much of the lacerations on your back but the skin around it had already began to turn necrotic. The wise woman insisted that you were a lost cause. You had contracted Corprus and within two weeks you would become another of the stalking husks that attacked you.
But as we were being led out of the village the wise woman she noticed the ring you had dangling from the small finger of your hand. Her mood immediately changed from revulsion to elation, though she would not say why. She began insisting that we head south, following the coast until we reached the clustered archipelago around Sadrith Mora. If we kept following the coast further we would see just off the shore a Telvanni tower called Tel Fyr, owned by wizard Divayth Fyr. She said he would be your best chance to help cure you of your Corprus.
So we headed south for two more days and came upon the tower. I had only heard about Telvanni towers through stories, that they were large plant grows manipulated through magic and hollowed out to be lived in. I never thought they were as tall and complex as this one! Zayden, you must see what is above you when you're cured! And what's more is that Divayth himself said his tower was 'modest' in size and I don't think he was being humble.
Hopefully you will get to meet Divayth as well. He's… an odd one. Not what I would expect from a wizard of his apparent talent. When we brought you to him he quickly ordered you into these caverns, the Corprusarium, with the other victims of the disease, but not without taking a sample of your blood first. He had an odd, merely amused reaction to being shown the ring. He carefully took it off your fingers and claimed he needed to study it while your cure was being formulated alongside a man named Yagrum. He apparently lives deeper in these caverns as well, with Uupse. I have yet to meet him myself."
"I remember the ring," Zayden said. "When you two had arrived and rained fire I remember crawling and making a grasp for it. After that… I remember nothing. Only waking up here, in this cavern, in splitting pain. I feel as if I am meant to remember something between that moment and this, but…"
Zayden wanted desperately to stay awake and think and listen to Zeela speak. After being apart for so long, not knowing if they would ever reunite, being here with her felt blessed. But an effect of the pain medicine was drowsiness and it slowly became harder and harder for the Imperial to keep his eyes open. Zeela finally noticed this and decided to let him sleep, promising she would be back soon, with Hui, to continue their time together.
Zayden drifted off to sleep and was awoken by Uupse several hours later. She had come bearing a serving tray with food and water, fresh bandages to replace the old, and a new vial of the painkiller medicine. She changed the bandages as Zayden took the medicine and began to eat. Uupse explained it was early in the morning above. Zayden asked if Uupse could let his friends know he was awake and, if possible, let her master know he wanted to speak with him.
Uupse was more than happy to inform Hui and Zeela but hesitated on the latter request. "Master Divayth has fully committed himself to your cure Ne- Zayden," Uupse said. "I'm afraid he will be quite unavailable until it is ready. But I will send for your friends right away."
"If it is early let them sleep for a little longer. There seems no reason to rush. But if you could get me something to read? Conversation is in short supply around here."
Uupse laughed at Zayden's joke as if it was the funniest she had heard in a long time. "I would be glad to retrieve you one. Any subject in particular. Divayth's library is quite extensive." Zayden merely shrugged. "Then I shall pick something to last you the next few days then."
"Uupse… You spend so much of your days here, in the Corprusarium. You take care of the victims but it all seems quite lonely."
"Not at all, really," Uupse interjected. "I do have Yagrum for company. He is a brilliant mind and good conversationalist. Master Divayth visits regularly as well. No, Zayden, I do not find myself lonely at all. I love taking care of these poor things. Divayth always said I had the biggest heart of my sisters. They think me odd but I don't care."
"And this Yagrum. He is a Corprus victim as well? Yet you converse with him. He is not a husk like the others? How can that be?"
Uupse scrunched her face and looked like she was forcing back her answer. "Master Divayth has warned me not to say too much to you about Yagrum. He insisted he will introduce the two of you himself, when the time comes. Forgive me, sir… There, the bandages are set. I shall take my leave. I'll relay a message to your friends in a few hours to come down." Uupse gathered up her supplies and went on, leaving the food tray on the nearby table.
Zayden finished his meal and the full pitcher of water before the pain medicine began to kick in. He dozed off once again only to be awoken a few hours later by Zeela, this time with Hui. Zeela came with a tall serving vessel of cromberry wine and three glasses, Hui clutching a large book picked out by Uupse. Hui was quick to apologise to Zayden for burning his leg and Zayden was quick to forgive. The three sipped their wine and spoke at great length to pass the time. Inevitably the conversation fell upon Zeela and her heist. She was willing to recall the events.
She and the nineteen others involved in the operation met in a secret location and shared one final briefing before making their staggered arrival to Vivec. One person would arrive every three days to ward off suspicion. Each member had an alias and a daily schedule within the city to follow. Some got hired as dock hands and would regularly take gondolas that brought them around the canton where the bank was. They had discovered an exit near a gondola path and mapped out a window of time late in evenings when a boat would pass and one could make escape on.
Others worked in local taverns and pubs. It was not hard to track a member of the bank's staff after working hours to one of these places. It was even easier to, after a few drinks, get said employees to divulge bank secrets. Zayden asked if this was what Zeela did and, to his surprise, she said no.
Only people who were the true masterminds of the heist took the positions with the most potential danger: working within the bank itself. This is what Zeela did. She was officially a type of secretary but day-to-day she was not much more than a document runner/courier. She was quick and agile on her feet and soon gained a reliable reputation within the business as well as the personal attention of the chief executives. One of the executive's interests were romantic but she played a consistent cat-and-mouse game that kept him distracted and not paying attention to the heist's goings on.
The heist, after ten years of planning, felt just as long for the months leading up to the fateful day. Operatives played their roles day in and day out faithfully and without fail. They did this until everyone was confident enough to do their jobs blindfolded, predict the actions of others before they were done, and could execute the theft in their sleep. Finally, at long last, the day came.
And something went wrong.
Zeela confessed that to this day she still does not know what exactly happened. The bank vault shut for the night slightly too early? The gondola ferryman was out sick that day? One of the thieves might have lost their nerves at the last possible moment? Whatever it was, when the job was exposed, chaos broke out. A stand off occurred outside the main vault and guards converged on it in waves. Zeela heard the sound of clashing weapons from where she was in the main lobby. She played the part of the frightened coworker so she might slip away, head to the water exit and help unload the gold onto the boat and head off. But she too was exposed before she had the chance to leave.
Another employee of the bank, a quiet and unassuming teller, noticed Zeela was attempting to slip away. She began to shout and scream for the guard in a hysterical manner. Zeela tried to get her to shut up but the only thing that worked in the end was a swift hit of a pommel from a hidden dagger to her temple. A guard spotted the commotion and began to attack Zeela. She managed to dodge his first swing but the follow-up swing was fast and connected to her face, giving her her new scar. Zeela returned the favor and threw the dagger into the guard's eye before bolting off.
Zeela darted and weeved through the confused and frightened people crowding the canton landings. She had to push her way through throngs of onlookers to make it to the lower level, down to the water level docks, and rendezvous with the gondola. Two more operatives had already hijacked one boat and had three more waiting for the others to arrive with the money. They got worried when they spotted Zeela not in her position and she quickly explained what had happened. The two decided that they would remain put for ten more minutes and if no one else arrived they would leave.
The boat lamps were doused and in the stillness of the night the three waited for what felt like an eternity. A yell and shriek came echoing over the water every several moments, the clamor no doubt growing. The three waited and waited until finally a group came running over. It was ten of the operatives, each clutching under each of their arms at least two heavy sacks of gold septums. They tossed all the bags into two of the boats and boarded the other two and set off. Everyone took an oar and gently set off to the west. Each paddle forward was slow and careful not to churn any water or make any noise.
The two paddle boats towed the two money boats out off the main canton complex and past the Telvanni canton through a narrow valley into the archipelago region that bordered the Molag Amur region. The river turned north into Nabia River that led toward Lake Masobi. The plan was to briefly dock in Suran and unload the money onto guar-driven carts and have it taken away to associates in Molag Mal, where the coins would be counted and split up. Everyone else would continue on and disembark on the western side of the river and continue on foot to a shack in the Fields of Kummu, where they would hide out until news of the amount came back.
The boats made it to Suran, the money was passed off, and the company began the final stretch of the journey on foot. But word must have reached Suran of the heist in Vivec. It must have been by bird, alerting the guard that the company might be passing through. The cart was able to slip by and head back south along the coast but Suran must have had its entire guard on patrol. The company was spotted from across the river and men on guar, armed with bows and spears, were sent up the road to cross the bridge to intercept them. The company had only minutes to spare until everyone would be run down.
The bridge the horses had to cross was in sight. It was a sturdily made rope bridge that could take the weight of only one rider at a time. Zeela thought fast and came up with a plan. She snatched up all the smoke and flash bombs the other party members had and began pouring their contents out on the ground next to the bridge's supporting posts. She then tied the fuses together to create one long string and lit it. She had a comfortable space for she and the others to retreat before the pile exploded, shattering the posts and sending the bridge crashing into the river below. Zeela ordered the others to head on to the Fields of Kummu, stating that she would act as distraction.
The guard in Suran clustered helplessly on the other side of river, unsure what to do next. Zeela revealed herself to them and taunted that they should follow her before heading off north, following the Nabia River once again. The mounted guard followed at leisurely pace, now believing they had the advantage. After all, she was on foot, always within eyesight, and they could easily outlast her with their mounts. They followed for hours, occasionally taking pot shots with their bows and arrows, more for their own entertainment than to actually stop her.
But it was all a ruse, a trap by Zeela's forethought. What many didn't know, even to those in Suran, was that hidden along the westen shore of the Nabia River was a Daedric shrine to Molag Bal. Its entrance was pressed into a small cliff face, only accessible if one followed the shoreline. The guards unwittingly stumbled right into a throng of Molag Bal worshipers, none of whom were pleased to see each other.
Zeela was easily able to escape as the guards fought the worshipers in her wake. She cut a new path home to Balmora, initially continuing north until she reached Lake Nabia. From there she spent a few days in the wilderness of the Molag Amur, hunting nix-hounds for food and avoiding as many cliff racers as possible, though she did make a mention that there seemed to be less of the winged devils flying around than usual. Nevertheless she was thoroughly drained when she finally made her way back to the city and the South Wall Cornerclub. She was met by the shock and elation of all the thieves inside and quickly brought inside to be fed and washed. Sugar-Lips even ordered Hui to fix up a quick potion for stamina, which would prove to be his and her first meeting.
"So imagine how I felt," Zeela continued, "when after all this time, escaping from guards trying to kill me and surviving for days in the wilderness, I come back home only to find out you've run off drunk and gotten yourself kidnapped! You couldn't have waited a little longer to throw your life away, could you? Unbelievable!" Zeela had been gulping down her wine throughout her entire story, easily drinking more than the other two combined. It was finally beginning to go to her head. Knowing she didn't really mean what she said was the only thing keeping Zayden from getting upset in return.
"Yes," said Zayden, the pain within him returning and keeping him from speaking too loudly. "And perhaps I will schedule my next capture, for your convenience?"
Zeela took another large gulp. "Y-Your jussst lucky I love you enough to come rescue you, after your promise to me. That is what you want, right? T-To marry me? Claim me with your seed?!" The two men shared a worried glance between them, both of them unsure whether to do something or not. "I'll definitely need to go dark after the debacle we had in Vivec! But I'll tell you what, Zayden! You had better pray to your gods you don't get cured! Because if you do, I'm making good on your promise, and I'm going to fuck you until an inch of your afterlife, just for all the trouble you put us through! Isn't that right, lizard!?"
Hui averted his eyes to the ground and said nothing. Zeela pushed and prodded his shoulder for an answer but to no avail. Thankfully the wine was now gone, giving Zayden the perfect moment to end this. He asked Zeela to go get more wine and as she stood and began to leave he whispered different orders for Hui. "Put her to bed! Make sure she sobers up!"
Hui tentatively agreed, cautiously urging Zeela back out of the caverns. Zayden gulped down the last of his wine and fell back into his bed, falling asleep almost immediately. Zayden suffered from a nightmare, one that harkened back to the images he had upon the prison boat years ago: blood red skies and a monster killing him by sinking his claws into him. But the monster was visible this time. His round golden mask was clear. The monster called him "brother."
Zayden awoke to Uupse once more. She bore more medicine and food, more fresh bandages, and new wonderful news. She claimed Master Divayth had finally devised a potion he believed will cure Zayden of his Corprus. He said he would come down into the Corprusarium personally within the hour with your friends and his wives to administer the cure. Uupse was clearly excited to have her husband come into the cavern.
She left quickly to gather everyone above. Zayden after finishing his meal attempted for the first time to stand up in days. His legs shook from underuse and threatened a few times to collapse but they managed to keep his body upright. He tied his bed sheet around his waist in lue of his clothing that was nowhere in sight.
The first to return were Zeela and Hui, the former looking slightly sheepish from her previous behavior. Hui simply gave a reassuring smile just as the fabled Divayth Fyr himself entered the cavern, followed closely by all four of his daughter-wives. Divayth Fyr proved to be everything and nothing like Zayden could have possibly predicted.
Divayth had the face of an ancient Dunmer man but the eyes and voice of a young one, a voice chipper with youth and carved in stone with certainty. His long white hair was pulled back and tied into a tall ponytail, his long white beard similarly styled. He walked with perfect posture and was clad in a frightening suit of black and red armor, save for the helm. He approached Zayden with casual abandon and, after taking a brief look of him, snatched one of his hands up and shook it with an iron grip.
"Grand of you to stay alive thus far," Divayth commended. "It would have been a shame to have you become another ghoul for Uupse to take care of, considering your pedigree. Speaking of which, I believe this is yours?" Divayth reached for a pouch on his hip and quickly presented the Moon-and-Star ring. A collective gasp came from the four daughters. Hui and Zeela darted their eyes between themselves and Divayth, waiting for an explanation that would never come. Zayden remembered the ring but presently struggled to recall exactly its significance. This annoyed Divayth.
"Don't tell me you don't recall what this is," he then asked.
"Forgive me," Zayden replied, "but I am trying to… Aah!" Zayden suddenly gasped in pain and reached for the side of his head. "It hurts to think! What is going on?"
"Hmm. It seems the spread of the Corprus is worse than we estimated. Your mental faculties are beginning to deteriorate. Bad thing about Corprus; it give you great strength and stamina but you brain degrades until you become like the victims here."
"Now then," he continued nonchalantly, "you have no doubt already been informed of this; it took us a few days but I think we have a cure ready for you. I have it right here with me and we can begin as soon as you wish, BUT! Just in case things don't work out, I thought you would like to be introduced to my daughters, and to Yagrum Bagarn?"
Zayden slowly nodded but then asked "Is there any chance this cure may not work?"
"Well yes, obviously, there is always a chance it might not work, but Yagrum believes it is small. I think it's smaller. Much smaller."
"But if it fails, I'm doomed to become one of those stalkers?"
Divayth Fyr paused and did not address the question at all, instead turning to introduce his daughters. All four of them were dressed as Uupse, in full suits of bonemold armor, save for the helm. "You are all already familiar with Uupse," he began, walking behind her and placing a hand on her shoulder, "caretaker of the Corprusarium." He stepped behind the next in line. "This is Alfe. She's easily the smartest of the four, though all it seems good for is a sharp wit and being a pain in my ass." Alfe gave a smug yet confident grin. "This is Delte. She keeps the tower, the accounts, and everything else orderly and running like a Dwemer centurion. And lastly is Beyte, the sweetest of all. A wonderful cook and a beautiful singing voice. Eager to please and be pleased."
The four gave Zayden, then Hui and Zeela, a bow and a greeting of their own. Divayth gave an amused chuckle and continued. "Not bad for something grown from jars, I'd say. Each of them a side benefit to my research into the Corprus disease, made of my own flesh. Now they're all wonderful paramours of mine and of good comfort to me in my very, very old age."
"J-Jars?" Zayden stumbled. "Forgive me, Master Divayth, but how-?"
"Because I had the ability," was his matter-of-fact answer. "And spare me the indignation. We haven't the time, you're sick, and I have your cure. Unwise to bite the hand that feeds you. Now follow me. I promised Yagrum Bagarn that I would show you to him. Everyone, this way."
Divayth promptly left the cavern and made for a long, slender tunnel that gradually arched downward. Hui draped one of Zayden's arms over his shoulder and helped him walk, Zeela keeping very close behind, leaving the four daughters of Divayth Fyr to cover the back. Uupse grabbed a guar skin drum and mallet from beneath the bed and began to beat it as they walked, a strike every two seconds.
The tunnel descended downward for a hundred feet before ending at a metal door, one that Divayth opened with a wave of his hand. He said that this section was for the most advanced cases of Corprus but so long as the drum kept beating everyone would be safe. The door swung open and an even thicker cloud billowed out, the air smelling thick, humid, and stale. The three honored guests instinctively held their breaths but were quickly told it was not necessary.
All the Corprus victims in this part of the Corprusarium were the giant, bloated kind that tore up Zayden's back. They shuffled with thudding heavy footfalls, some with arms and limbs so bloated that they dragged uselessly on the ground. They look on at the company as they passed, their eyes empty and hopeless. The cavern continued on and on until its very end, where Zayden and the others became aware of the sound of humming and the beat of a second drum machine.
Around another bend was the final cavern, in its center a roaring fire that filled the room with light. To the left, built atop a low wooden platform looked to be a simple home and kitchen arrangement, complete with cooking stove, pantries of food and water, a squat table with utensils, but oddly no bed. Against the back wall was a row of larger machines made of the same orange metal from before, each unit studded with buttons, levers, and quartz crystal interface. Off to the right, behind some chest high paper partitions, was a horseshoe of desks with a man sitting at one of them, his back turned.
Even from a distance one could easily see his pale necrotic skin and the massive bloating underneath. It was to such an extent that he no longer appeared to have a neck and had a stomach that extended on each side past his shoulders. At the sound of the approaching company he turned to reveal his full but graying beard, bald head, pointed elven ears, rotten teeth, and eyes that had nearly become covered over from excessive skin.
"Greetings, old friend," said Divayth to the man. "The man you wished to see is here. His cure was completed last evening and we can begin once you've been satisfied."
"Very well," said the bloated man back. "I have the blood analyzer up and running already. Let me have a look, then." His voice gurgled like his lungs were filled with water, the gelatinous flesh beneath his chin shaking with every word. These aspects and all others combined made Zayden nauseous to look upon this thing, this victim of the very disease he himself had. He glanced to Zeela and Hui and saw they were equally disturbed by the sight.
Their shock would come to a head, though, when the man removed himself from behind his desk. He did not stand up at all, merely sliding to the right with a quick rhythm of metallic clanks. Only when he stepped out completely did he reveal that the lower half below of his body beneath his bean bag chair of a stomach had been completely replaced with a mechanical set of legs. From the waist down the man was placed in a wide, shallow bowl of orange metal and four spider-like legs sat beneath it. A small engine behind the man's back would belch an occasional cloud of steam whenever a leg moved.
The man skittered over to Zayden and once within a few feet's distance stretched his legs upward to put himself at eye level. He leaned in closer to get a better look and it took Zayden and the others much of their strength from gagging at the man's horrendous stench.
"Greetings," said the mechanical man to Zayden. "I am Yagrum Bagarn. Master Crafter in former service to Lord Kagrenac, and last living Dwemer."
Had it been any other person to make such a claim of themself Zayden would have dismissed it outright. He would have declared it the final absurdity he was willing to put up with that day and made his escape. But as Zayden bared to look at the abomination before him he began to realize that looking past the deformities Yagrum was indeed different from any other race of elf he had known. The name Kagrenac rang familiar to Zayden is the deepest corner of his mind.
"D-Dwarf?" Zayden gasped back. "You are a dwarf?"
"I prefer 'Dwemer.' My people were not so different in height from that of men and mer today. But yes, I am who I say I am. The last of my kind in Mundus, as I am aware. And it is here within this cavern, for thousands of years, I have been kept, cursed with Corprus. My master, Divayth Fyr, as well as Uupse, have been my few, very good friends in my doomed existence here.
But you, Imperial." Yagrum reached for Zayden's hand but he pulled it away, revealing Moon-and-Star on his finger. Yagrum's eyes widened slightly upon seeing them. "So it is true, then. Divayth made no exaggeration … Then we should begin at once! Administer the cure!"
"Wait!" Zayden pleaded. "You seem to know much about me, much you and others refuse to tell! But who are you, creature? How can I trust you are who you say!? 'Dwemer.' All disappeared as long ago as you claim to live. How can this be!?"
"When my people disappeared our finest crafters were working on our people's greatest accomplishment: a creation of a brass God, Numidium! We would have used it to retake Morrowind from the Chimer and spit in the face of all Gods and their influence. Aedra, Daedra, all would be rejected. I worked on the project to create Numidium and we were close to completion. So very close. But when the time for activation came close, I was away in an outer dimension so I could not witness the event.
Perhaps this was just as fortunate, for when I returned to Mundus I found all my people had vanished, ashen piles sitting where they had previously stood. I searched across all Tamriel for my people and found only their empty cities, their running machines, and lost memories. When my travels brought me back to Vvardenfell I was attacked by one of the same ghouls I take residence with. I was infected with Corprus and went mad. But Master Divayth took me into his Corprusarium and was able to cure me of my dementia, but not my disease. Countless times he has tried, curing few others along the way, but for me all attempts have been unsuccessful. And so this body and these caverns remain my prison. But I remain ever grateful for my care."
Zayden presented the ring closer to Yagrum. "What do you know of this ring, then?" Zayden asked. "Divayth and his daughters seem to think of it highly, as do you, yet none have said why. Tell me, Dwemer. What is this thing?"
"You mean you are unaware?!" Yagrum turned with baffled expression to Divayth and his daughters. "How could he not be aware!?"
"It's the disease, obviously," Divayth answered. "I think he has the answer in his memories but the disease is quickly deteriorating his mind. Until we give him the cure he will not be able to remember."
"Then that settles it! Give it to him, fool!"
"I delayed this long at your request, you ungrateful bastard. But fine, we'll do it now. Hui, Zeela, please keep him still." Divayth reached for the same pouch and retrieved a small vial. "Drink every last drop of this, Zayden. If you don't it may not work and it could be days to make another. And by then you'll be too deformed to be anything more than another resident of the Corprusarium."
Zayden forced his body to stand still but his mind was screaming at him to run. Divayth approached, tilted Zayden's head back and poured the thick liquid down Zayden's throat. With one strong gulp it all taken in. And for a moment nothing more happened. A tense, silent minute passed before anyone dared do anything.
"Do you feel any different?" Divayth asked Zayden.
"The pain of my body… is vanishing," he answered. "My mind is becoming less clouded and thinking hurts less…" Divayth motioned to Yagrum and he skittered back to his desks, returning with a different vial, one outfitted with a needle on one end and a plunger on the other.
"We need to extract a new sample of your blood," Yagrum explained. "It will be tested and analyzed to see if the cure was effective." Zayden had no choice but to remain still as a blood sample was taken and brought over to the row of machines against the back wall, the company following close behind. The machines were activated with the pull of a large lever, the gears and metal within clanging together and coming to life. The blood was injected into a small opening and for a few minutes the device hummed and groaned as it examined the sample. Then it suddenly stopped and the quartz crystals began to light up and beep a code of blinks that lasted for another full minute. When the code stopped Yagrum turned back to the company, Divayth in particular, and gave the biggest grim his deformed face could muster.
"Type 4 reaction!" he declared. "All negative effects of the disease have been expunged and all positive remain!"
Divayth Fyr exploded in elation. "Ah-ha!" he cheered. "Take that, Therana, you crazed bitch! She thinks herself the most powerful of the Telvanni, but not even she will be able to claim curing the Nerevarine! May she rot in her madness! Ah-ha ha ha!" While the reaction of Divayth's daughters and Yagrum were of similar glee, Zeela and Hui were quickly overcome with a look of utter perplexity.
"What did you just call Zayden?" Zeela asked the wizard in disbelief. "Did you just call him 'Nerevarine?'"
"Wha- Oh, damnit," Divayth cursed. "I guess I should have explained that a bit better, eh? Well, what's done is done. Yes, Zayden is-"
"Nerevarine!" Zayden suddenly shouted. "The ring!" Zayden ripped his arms free from Zeela and Hui's grip with surprising strength. "I can remember now! The ring; 'One-Clan-Under-Moon-and-Star.' I took it from the cavern and it slipped onto my finger. I witnessed a lifetime in my sleep, the lifetime of another. Indoril! I witnessed the life of Indoril Nerevar through his own eyes. I was him! He is me! And this ring proves it!" Zayden collapsed to his knees in crippling shock, Zeela following quickly to comfort him.
"The fulfillment of the Third Trial," Divayth calmly stated. "'In caverns dark Azura's eye sees, and makes to shine the moon and star.' The Moon-and-Star ring, worn by anyone other than Indoril himself or his incarnation, would be killed. You wear the ring and live, Zayden. And you survived the Corprus cure, a sign of the Second Trial's completion." When he was met with more confused stares by the three, Divayth began to recite all seven of the trials.
On a certain day to uncertain parents
Incarnate moon and star reborn
Neither Blight nor age can harm him
The Curse-of-Flesh before him flies
In cavern dark Azura's eye sees
And makes to shine moon and star
A stranger's voice unites the Houses
Three Halls call him Hortator
A stranger's voice unites the Velothi
Four tribes call him Nerevarine
He honors blood of the tribe unmourned
He eats their sin, and is reborn
His mercy frees the cursed false gods,
Binds the broken, redeems the mad
"Such is the Nerevarine Prophecy," Divayth concluded. "All other hopefuls failed in death, some coming so far as to fall at the grip of the Moon-and-Star ring. All but you. How very interesting..."
"Interesting?!" Zeela shot back, rising to her feet and confronting Divayth. "Is that all you can say of this?! Have you no concept what this entails? W-What this means he is destined to do?!"
"Young lady, I have been alive since before the Dunmer people existed. I was born Chimer and became Dunmer, our people cursed for the actions of the Tribunal. I know all too well what this man is meant to do. Do not think me so ignorant as to not know what this means for Morrowind as well, or Tamriel! Clearly this means much to you, but for me personally this matters very little. Whatever the outcome I will still be a Telvanni wizard, the most powerful of them all, and I can weather the Tribunal's continuance or downfall regardless."
"Downfall?" Zayden repeated, forcing himself back onto his feet. "Is this what I am meant to do? Defeat the Tribunal? For what reason?"
"Besides destiny? Besides the prophecy of the Daedric goddess Azura? That I can not answer. That, I think, is something you must figure out for yourself. Perhaps with a guide."
Another memory flashed within Zayden. "Nibani Maesa," he spoke. "It was a name said within the same vision. It said she would help me."
Divayth seemed to immediately recognize the name. "An Ashlander wise woman," Divayth explained. "Of Urshilaku Camp and the Nerevarine Cult. Yes, I can see how she would be able to help you. After your stay here, of course."
"Stay?" Zayden repeated.
"Of course! You might have been cured but your skin is still necrotic and damaged. You and your companions will continue to be honored guests in Tel Fyr until such a time that I have deemed you healthy, Nerevarine. You will have access to all of the tower and Corprusarium, my lovely Beyte will be happy to serve you your meals, and you will have access to my libraries and all the knowledge I've collected.
Also, man and elf, you two are thieves, yes?" The two slowly nodded. "Wonderful! I love thieves! They make for great sport. My home is free to the both of you for plunder. I invite you to take as much as you want. But if I catch you, I will kill you, Nerevarine or not. That should keep you two entertained for your duration… Now, Argonian!" Divayth turned his attention to Hui, catching him off guard. "You strike me a mage of the guild, yes?" Hui nodded as well, briefly explaining his work in Black Marsh. "I detest the Mages Guild, personally. Too many rules, too many 'ethics' that get in the way of real research! But I won't hold it against you. You seem to have some skill and I can teach you so much more than your pathetic guild can. With your master's permission, I can take you on for a brief apprenticeship."
"Hui is not my slave," Zayden corrected. "Neither is he Zeela's."
"Oh? I just sort of assumed. Fine then. Hui, do you accept?" To Zayden and Zeela's slight surprise Hui became quickly, obviously excited at the proposition. He nodded emphatically. "Very good, then. You will spend your days with me then, for as long as I request of you. In fact, come with me as we leave the Corprusarium."
Divayth returned his attention to Zayden and Zeela. "And before I forget, you two. Uupse overheard the elf's desire to 'fuck you to within an inch of your afterlife,' Imperial." Uupse gave protest toward her father but he continued as if he didn't hear her. Zeela kept her eyes firmly on her feet. "Corprus is usually spread through the exchanging of fluids, as you know. We actually have never had a case of a cured patient directly sharing fluids with another healthy person. It would be interesting to record the results. If you intend to carry such action out, here and now would be ideal, seeing as I'm going to keep you within Tel Fyr regardless. And if she becomes infected, we can start making a cure immediately. Not that I think it will come to that, but still.
Well, if we are all settled here, I want to torture my new apprentice. Ha ha!" Divayth motioned to Hui and without anyone else's concern began to lead him back out of the Dwemer's cavern. Hui only had a brief moment to say goodbye to everyone before being hounded by Divayth to follow close. Alfe, Betye, and Delte followed next, leaving Zayden and Zeela with Uupse. Yagrum was quick to return to his previous work, promising that he would always be available to talk.
And for a moment Zeela and Zayden were alone to themselves and left to ponder the final thing said to them by Divayth Fyr. They looked to each other, each of them thinking the same thing, but for a long moment no one spoke. But finally Zayden was the one to ask the obvious. "Did Divayth Fyr just suggest that we… consummate? For research purposes?" He received no response. "Zeela?"
Zeela had retreated a few steps back from Zayden and her demeanor had radically changed. When Zayden took a step toward her she took a step back, as if she was now too afraid to be near him. Zayden asked what was wrong and at first she refused to say, keeping her gaze on the ground. But Zayden asked again and again until finally she lifted her eyes to him and they showed great unease.
"What is wrong?" asked Zayden once more. "Answer me, please!"
"The days… They become stranger and stranger…" Her voice quivered. "I feel like everything I've known- known about you- has been a lie… All this time, y-you've been… Nerevarine! One-Clan-Under-Moon-and-Star proves it! You were never Zayden. You were Indoril Incarnate! Savior of my people! Of Morrowind!"
"Z-Zeela…" Zayden inched forward toward Zeela with slow measured steps. She kept her distance with each step. "I-I'm just as perplexed by all of this, believe me! I'm having trouble taking this all in myself. I want to not believe it. After our time apart, I want nothing more than to fulfil my promise to you. To escape and start anew in a place where no one knows our name. Start a family and get fat, just as you wanted." This managed a smirk out of the corner of Zeela's mouth.
"But these new revelations can not be ignored," Zayden continued. "If everything we have been told, if everything we have seen with our own eyes is to be believed…" Zayden looked over his right shoulder to the Dwemer, squatting in front of a desk, busy tinkering with a tiny machine. Last of his kind, eras old… "Can we afford to ignore it all? Turn our back to it?" He took a step forward, she another back. "I can only begin to understand how you're feeling… We are here, in Tel Fyr, until Master Divayth has deemed me truly cured. If I can not close the gap between us, I can only give you the space you need until you close it yourself. But I am going to make sense of this all. Learn what I can, through whatever means available, until I truly know what I must do… But I could use your support."
Reservedly Zeela finally stepped forward and allowed Zayden to place his hand over hers. He could feel just how stiff with uncertainty she had become, her eyes still remaining fixed upon the ground. He could tell this new revelation was hitting her harder than it was himself. In fact the feeling had yet to truly come. Perhaps, he thought, in the days ahead things would come into picture fully.
-o0o-
The first thing Zayden noticed upon finally leaving the Corprusarium and ascending upwards was the construction of the tower itself. It quickly became apparent upon entering the first winding corridor that there was no lumber, stone, or metal to speak of. It was all, as Divayth Fyr would later explain, grown of a single mushroom plant, its rate and direction of growth greatly increased and altered by magic. Tel Fyr itself measured over two hundred feet tall from base to tip with several towers, with a few ground level and cellar level rooms grown.
The interior was lit with either candles and torches or large crystals embedded in the walls and ceilings that illuminated a purple glow. Divayth led the group up three levels and down a divergent hallway before suddenly stopping and asking the guests to gather close. "Your quarters will be on the third level," he stated, pointing up. Above everyone was a circular opening in the ceiling that revealed a shaft that connected to at least five levels above them. There were no stairs or ladders to speak of leading to these levels. Before anyone could ask how they were to ascend Divayth was already casting a spell of levitation beneath everyone's feet and the entire group of eight began slowly rising.
The quarters themselves were spacious and well equip with a large bed, full kitchen and cooking amenities, small bookshelves with a curated selection, and a lounge area of large soft cushions arranged in a circle around a central, small fire pit. Across the shaft on the opposite side of the tower was a room of similar arrangement but smaller and clearly intended for a single occupant. It became obvious to the three to whom each room was intended.
Divayth reiterated as the three explored their temporary homes that Beyte would serve breakfasts and lunches, adding that dinners would be served in the main dining hall with Divayth himself and his daughters. Uupse would come in mornings and evenings to tend to Zayden's wounds and his necrotic skin. He the readdressed Hui and ordered him to follow him back to his study, where his training would begin.
Hui, clearly excited to begin, said his goodbyes to his friends and left with Divayth back down the tower shaft. Uupse and Alfe left soon after while Beyte remained and began to prepare a meal for the couple. Just before she began she waved a hand toward the wall and the surface split to create a window to the cool morning air, a quick sea breeze wafting through. Zeela became momentarily fascinated by the ingredients used, insisting to Zayden they were rare delicacies. All looked alien to Zayden but their taste once finished was unmistakably wonderful.
The meal acted as a momentary distraction for Zeela, the delicious food putting a smile on her face. But once the meal had finished, Beyte cleaned up and descended the tower shaft, Zeela and Zayden were alone in the same room once again, and her anxiety swelled back up. Instead of attempting to bridge the divide, Zayden chose instead to give her her space. He started a fire in the organic chimney pod on the opposite side of the room. He then grabbed a small end table and two chairs and set them up in front of the flames. He poured two glasses of Cyrodillic brandy, took a seat, and let Zeela join him whenever she was ready.
Zeela's glass remained full when Uupse came by in the evening to give Zayden a short healing session. After Zayden's treatment was finished Uupse led the two down to Tel Fyr's main dining hall. A long table held host to a feast of even more alien delicacies. Divayth and his daughters and Hui were already seated and waiting to begin. Again the meal succeeded in distracting Zeela into better spirits, but he intentionally sat with Hui between herself and Zayden. And Hui in particular was easily in the highest spirits of the three honored guests. He could hardly stop himself from detailing to his friends some of the things he learned just today. He could have easily gone on indefinitely were it not for Divayth's intervention. Divayth even seemed pleased with himself at his new apprentice's enthusiasm.
After the feast everyone filed into an adjacent smoking lounge where more drinks were served. Divayth's daughters at one point in the evening began to perform songs for everyone with Beyte singing, Uupse playing a guar skin drum and Alfe playing the lute. They played a selection of old songs of the Ashlanders as well as some newer fair. To the other two guest's surprise Zeela joined briefly to sing a song of her own, revealing in her own words a "modest talent for singing." Hui performed his own feat of singing but much of its complexities were lost to the others, it being the unique throat singing only his race of people were capable of.
Such was the average tenor of the day-to-day for the man and elf for their stay within Tel Fyr. Dinners downstairs were not an every day event so trice a day Beyte would arrive in the guest quarters to serve meals and Uupse came in the morning and evening for three more days until Zayden's skin was fully healed. Hui spent all his days elsewhere in Tel Fyr with Divayth, leaving Zayden and Zeela with hours alone. Every day Zayden would attempt to invite Zeela closer but the effort of bringing her back was a slow one.
After a few unsuccessful days Zayden eventually stopped trying, though it pained him to do so. He returned his thoughts to the mysterious man within the Corprusarium and for one day, at Zayden's request, he and Divayth ventured back below ground to meet with Yagrum Bagarn. By now Zayden had accustomed himself to the idea he was speaking to a real Dwemer, last of his nearly extinct race. In the dark of his cavern home they spoke at length about the Dwemer and their accomplishments, Yagrum's personal work and how it related with the Nerevarine prophecy.
Zayden told Yagrum Bagarn of his visions after putting on Moon-and-Star and the Dwemer seemed to understand instantly. What he saw was the Heart of Lorkhan, the very thing his people attempted to harness the power from to activate Numidium. When his people disappeared Numidium was destroyed, the heart remaining deep within the core of Red Mountain. It was rediscovered by Indoril Nerevar and Voryn Dagoth. Nerevar tasked Voryn to keep the Heart safe as he returned to Vivec, Sotha Sil, and Almalexia for further council. When the four returned together Voryn had broken his word, harnessed the power of the heart for himself and became Dagoth Ur, the man with the golden mask.
From there accounts differ, dependent upon who is asked. Devotes of the Tribunal Temple claim that Nerevar and Dagoth Ur exchanged blows beneath Red Mountain and Nerevar fell. Sotha Sil, Vivec, and Almalexia, seeing the threat Dagoth Ur posed if left unchecked, harness the power of the Heart for themselves and constructed the Ghost Gate to contain him. In doing so the three became demigods like Dagoth Ur and the Tribunal religion formed around them.
Accounts of the Nerevarine Cult, of whom the Ashlander tribes belong, speak a different story. They claim the Tribunal killed Nerevar themselves, seeing him as a threat to great power. The power of the Heart was too great for them to resist, as it was with Voryn. They became as corrupted as he and only the incarnate of Indoril would correct this injustice.
In either event it was the harnessing of the power of the heart that was seen, by Azura, as another type of betrayal. It was for this that the golden-skinned Chimer were cursed to become the gray-skinned Dunmer, a mark that they would carry forever, Nerevarine prophecy completed or not.
Zayden asked if he knew what could be done, given the Nerevarine Cult's account be true. The Dwemer knew that only the tools that helped build Numidium, that harnessed the power of the Heart, could be used to contain it. But he confessed he no longer knows where such tools are. They would have most likely been destroyed over the centuries if not come into the possession of Dagoth Ur himself. But he remained optimistic that a solution could be found within those means.
Zayden returned to Zeela with a greater understanding of what had to be done. To his surprise, upon returning, Zeela immediately threw herself into his arms and embraced him tightly. She told him that in spite of her fear of what Zayden had become, spending time away from him felt worse. It finally took a kind word from Beyte for Zeela to realize what was more important to her. So Zeela decided that she would rather be afraid and by her husband's side than alone.
The next morning, at breakfast, Uupse for one final examination declared Zayden's wounds fully healed. The next evening Divayth invited his guests to another dinner feast where he gave even better news. After giving the man and elf a brief and awkward talking to about not "exchanging fluids" as he had suggested, he rendered the act now unnecessary for his research. Divayth deemed everyone was healthy and would be allowed, at their earliest convenience, to return home in two days. Preparations would be made for that day along with the inclusion of some parting gifts.
Before the dinner was over, though, Divayth asked of the three an odd question. "Where, upon leaving, would you desire to return to?"
The answer seemed obvious to everyone. "Balmora," Zayden replied. "I think we all need time to reunite with friends before we continue onto my next task. The Fourth Trial: become Hortator of the three Great Houses."
Divayth Fyr gave an amused groan. "Another reason to become Telvanni: a better chance of staying out of House politics. Yes, other high members of House Telvanni indulge themselves in such frivolous things, probably out of necessity. But I chose a long time ago to stand clear of such nonsense. Let the dogs bark amongst themselves and focus yourself on real work, I say. I do not envy you, Nerevarine, going into such a den."
Zayden was still getting used to being called "Nerevarine." It still felt as alien as his current surroundings. Zayden worked through his uneasiness by forcing a chuckle at Divayth's clear disdain of politics. "I haven't much love for politicians either," Zayden stated, "but how difficult can they really be? From what I have read in your library they seem the easily persuaded sort, particularly with coin?"
Divayth nodded and agreed. "At any rate, it seems appropriate the fourth and fifth trial be in the order that they are. Temple ordinators guard Vivec City, where all the Great House cantons and their leaders usually are. Had you done the reverse and entered the city claiming the title of 'Nerevarine' from the Ashlanders, no doubt the ordinators would attempt to kill you on sight, deeming your speech blasphemy."
"What is a 'Hortator?' Zayden asked. "What does it mean to become a hortator of a Great House?"
"Not much, in honesty," Divayth bluntly stated. He quickly explained when Zayden looked positively perplexed by the response. "Any of the Great Houses can elect a champion, a 'hortator' to accomplish a task. They have limited influence in House affairs whilst named Hortator, varying on severity of task, and the task itself can be great or small. A mercenary can be named Hortator to lead and protect a caravan from thievery. A politician can be named to coerce and bride a village into adopting Temple religion. A fool can be named Hortator to count tally the cliff racers in Vvardenfell! It's a mere title, nothing more, and most can be persuaded to give out the title with a bit of gold."
Divayth seemed amused at this but the observation made uneasy the three Zayden was beginning to realize just what new arena he was entering. This was no longer the realm of criminal organizations and crooked 'peace keeping.' This was belief and religion, deep rooted and unbending, with Zayden in the center of it all. His actions and their outcomes could effect countless generations into the future. Zayden was no longer acting as merely Blackcap of the Thieves Guild. He would now be a hero, a thing for the ages to speak of.
"It seems," said Zayden, turning his attention to Zeela, "that our slide back into domesticity will have to wait. The world demands more of me, and the path forward will be more dangerous than anything either of us has ever faced…"
"Let the dangers come," Zeela retorted, lifting her glass of wine toward the ceiling. "You will not face them alone."
"Aye," agreed Hui, lifting his glass as well.
Zayden could not help but smile. Fear still permeated his heart but now he felt a little better.
-o0o-
When the dinner ended Divayth approached his guest and asked of them to surrender all their possessions, promising that he would repair and improve what he could, they being part of his parting gifts for their return home. Zayden and Zeela agreed and surrendered their sneaking suits, weapons, and all other items, Hui surrendering his robe and mage supplies. They were then sent back to their quarters and another peaceful yet suspenseful day passed. None of the three were able to fully sleep, each of them longing in their own ways to return to familiar surroundings and familiar friends.
Divayth Fyr, accompanied by all four of his daughter-wives, ascended the guest tower to wake the three personally. Each of the daughters held in their hands the personal effects of Zayden, Zeela, and Hui. Divayth detailed all that he did to each item as they were returned to their owners.
"For Hui," he began, "who has been an eager learner in our short time together, I give back to you your robe, enchanted in protection from elemental destruction magic. Within your bag you will find finer alchemy apparatuses as well as a small, personally curated collection of texts for your future study and learning, shrunk down for easier travel. You have a clear passion for learning, Argonian, one the Mages Guild will regret rejecting." Hui thanked Divayth profusely as he received his gifts.
"For the two thieves, Zeela and Zayden… Your suit and cloak, Zayden, has been mended and repaired. Both cloaks have been enchanted with a spell of chameleon, one that activates in shadow. The darker it is, the ever more hard you are to see. Your boots will let you sneak like Khajiit paws upon sand, your armors strengthened to steel whilst remaining as flexible as cloth. Please, dawn them now. I have one more personal gift for each of you." The two happily put back on their suits and they seemed to fit better than before, like they were a second skin. All cloth had been perfectly cleaned and freshly waxed, the leather cleaned and polished to a dull shine, the weapons and their belts similarly attended to.
"When one has lived as long as I," Divayth Fyr continued, "and you explore into the deeper mysteries of magic, you tend to pick up a few mementos along the way. I've collected over the millenia a few artifacts of the Gods themselves, tools and items of their own creation. I have one for each of you to leave with… Hui!"
Hui was again the first to step forward and receive his gift. Another of the daughters presented a tall staff of black ebony metal, a large emerald set into the oblong hole in the staff's head. Hui seemed to recognize what it was immediately. "A wizard's staff," he stated. "All peoples upon reaching wizard rank in the Mages Guild receive one. I-I can not accept this. I am not of the guild anymore."
"Take it," Divayth insisted, "as a mockery against them. Look closer at the gem, lizard." Hui and the others took a second look and saw that in the face of the gem was carved the insignia of House Telvanni. This act would no doubt be taken as a debasement of the Mages Guild. Hui found it hilarious and quickly accepted the staff with thanks.
Zeela was called forward next and another daughter took the first's place and presented a new artifact. It had the handle of a knife but when a button was pressed near the head its 'blade' extended out from within; several tiny, expertly crafted pins and needles, twisting and bending like the teeth of a comb. Zeela, like Hui, seemed to know what this thing was right away, Zayden as well. "The Skeleton Key?" Zeela asked, unbelieving.
"Indeed," said Divayth Fyr. "A key to open any and all things, created by Nocturnal. I had had this in my own possession since the Second Era, given to me by Sotha Sil himself. The details as to why and how this happened are not important. What is even less important is that up until very recently it was taken from me by your Gentleman Jim Stacey, Master Thief of your Thieves Guild. Good sport, that one. Didn't realize I had lost the thing for a few months after. But I reclaimed it. And now I pass it on to you, she-elf. I sense an interesting future for you in particular, one apart from your husband. You will have need of this artifact, I am certain."
Divayth's last message sent an uneasy feeling through Zeela but she accepted the gift nonetheless. Finally Zayden stepped forward. "I struggled to think of what to give you, Nerevarine," Divayth said. "What can one give after already giving a second chance at life, curing them of a nearly incurable disease? And to the Nerevarine at that… In the end, I thought a speedy return home would be gift enough, for you and your company.
I sent Alfe back to Balmora Mages Guild once more this morning to announce of the Nerevarine's arrival." The daughter in question approached Zayden with a scroll in her hand. "When you are all ready, this scroll will transport you to Balmora in the blink of an eye. Be warned: the Steward of the branch, Ranis Athrys, apparently had a distain for Telvanni. Treated my daughter not too hospitably, but took to news of the Nerevarine well.
By the time you leave the premises my final gift to you three will be waiting outside: a trio of pack guar of the finest breed, saddled and carrying equipment and food to last you at least a month in the wilderness. After the Fourth Trial comes the Fifth, becoming Ashkhan of the four great Ashlander tribes. A long journey through the Grazelands and beyond awaits. The beasts will be invaluable."
"I believe we are ready now," said Zayden. "Thank you, Master Divayth, for everything. I promise to return to you someday, with a great gift of my own, and stories to tell."
"I certainly hope so." Divayth gave Zayden, Zeela, and Hui a final hand shake and his four daughters gave farewell kisses. When all were ready the three huddled close together, Zayden held the scroll out in front of them, broke its seal, and snapped it open. In an instant they traveled hundreds of miles and returned, at long last, home to Balmora.