Author's Note:
I'm really sorry that it's taken so long to get this chapter out. It's just been an unholy combination of writer's block, laptop errors and school's beginning for me. This chapter may not be too good, due to my rush to get it out once my laptop was finally fixed. The next chapter will be much better and longer than this one, I promise. And yes, all of the words in the Dragon and/or Daedric languages are actual words in those languages.
Sivaas sos... Grohiik... Kriier...
"What is that?!" Tyradus had no idea where he was. "Wha... What's going on?! Where am I and... how did I get here?"
There was nothing but trees, bushes and grass around him. He was trapped inside a small patch of dirt, surrounded by huge plants.
ALOK, SIVAAS, AHRK KRII PAH!
The trees all spontaneously caught fire, all at once.
"What in Oblivion...!?" Tyradus shouted to himself. "What's going on!? I- I'm blocked in here!"
Sweat poured over Tyradus's face. In great desperation, he attempted to cast the Blizzard spell. His magic failed. He couldn't even cast a simple Frostbite spell!
"My Magic is useless..." Tyradus gasped for breath. "The smoke is too... thick..." He coughed and gasped as he fell to the ground. A beastly howl was the final thing he heard as he slipped into unconsciousness.
Tyradus jolted upward, gasping for breath. He was still in his bed at the Bannered Mare. The sheet was covered in sweat.
"What the hell was that?!" Tyradus quietly exclaimed.
Unknown words still rang in his head...
Alok Sivaas...
It seemed as if these words were uttered by an evil beast. Tyradus just sat for a few minutes, rubbing the sweat from his face. Finally, as the echoing voice faded, another came into his mind.
BEDT EKEM AYEM SEHT TAYEM! MEHT YAHKEM... CESS HEKEM IYA LYR DOHT!
"Who is doing this?!"
Both of the voices spoke at once.
Kul do Akatosh! Drog do Dovah!
HEKEM IYA ROHT CESS IYA NEHT EKEM!
Daedra kulaan! Oblaan Daar!
It all suddenly stopped. The voices silenced. The only thing Tyradus could hear was his own heavy breath and rapid heartbeat.
He couldn't take it. He was too exhausted, both physically and mentally. He passed out, right back onto his sweat-covered bed.
He awoke hours later, to find that the sun had finally risen. Beams of light shone into his room from cracks in the ceiling.
"Ugh..." His head pounded. "What in Oblivion happened last night? Maybe... maybe Father could help me figure this out. He knows people all around Skyrim. He must be able to point me in the right direction to someone who can help."
He slowly made his way home, his head still throbbing.
"Father?" He groaned as he walked inside.
Engar was cooking breakfast when he saw Tyradus. "Son? Are you sick?"
"Something has been happening to me, father...Voices in my dreams, fires burning in my head..."
"Voices? What kind of voices are you talking about?"
"Two, father... The one I can remember said... Hekem Iya Roht Cess Iya Neht Ekem... The other was just... total gibberish."
Hekem Iya Roht...? Engar was deep in thought. That sounds... Daedric.
"I don't know what that is, but I know somebody who might... Come with me to Jorrvaskr, Tyradus. We will figure this out."
"Athis!" Engar shouted as he barged into Jorrvaskr.
"What is it now, Engar? Did somebody take your special mead again?" The elf pushed back the last of his drink. "Because that was Njada."
"That isn't why I'm here, Athis. I need you to help Tyradus with something."
"Your kid? Okay. What is it that you need help with, Tyradus?"
"I don't know why my father brought me to you, but I've been hearing strange voices in my sleep."
"Well, I'll at least need to know what it said. I'm not a mind reader."
"It said... Hekem Iya Roht Cess Iya Neht Ekem. I have no idea what that means, but I'm hoping you would."
"Engar, you knew what that was!" Athis accused.
"What are you saying?" Tyradus was confused.
"He told you what he heard and you knew it was Daedric. So that's why you came to the closest Dunmer you could find."
"Yes, I knew it was Daedric, but what does that have to do with anything? I couldn't decipher it."
"So, you just assume that all of us Dunmer know the Daedric language?"
"Well, you obviously did. I don't understand why you're acting offended, Athis."
"Ugh. Stereotyping Nords... Whatever. The Daedric language uses an entire word just to say a letter. It's easy to tell what it was trying to say by the sound that comes first in the letter. For instance, Bedt would be a B. The voice was saying Hircine. All I know about that, is that he's one of the Daedric princes. It's probably not worth getting worked up over. All Daedra love screwing around with mortals... With the exception of Lady Azura, of course."
Hircine? Now that damn beast is trying to contact my son? The call must be closer than I thought. Hircine finally recognizes Tyradus's power to be enough to become a beast. I don't know what to do... He's in no position to control it. Unfortunately, there's no way I could prevent him from trying to find Kh'aaru now. I just need to make him leave as quickly as possible, and hope he gets back with Kh'aaru soon without much trouble on the way.
"Well, I guess we should take Athis's word for it. Come, Tyradus. We will go home and I'll help you get prepared for your trip to Riften. I'm eager to see my other son again."
There's no way a Daedric prince would just contact me like that for no reason. And the second voice sounded even more sinister. I guess I don't have much of a choice on what to do now, though. By the Nine, I have to find Kh'aaru.
They each headed to Breezehome. Luckily, Malene and Aeta were out shopping, so they weren't a bother. Tyradus donned his steel-plated armor, and equipped his glass blade.
"I guess it's time to head out, son."
"Yes, it is. Don't you worry about me. I'll return by the end of the 22nd, with Kh'aaru alongside me."
"Have a safe trip, Tyradus."
"Thank you, father."
As Tyradus walked out of Whiterun, he ran into Fjori, still on duty.
"Oh, hail, Tyradus!" He shouted from atop one of the guard towers. He still wasn't wearing his helmet. "You heading out already?"
"Aye, I'm going to find my brother. I haven't seen him since I escaped from the- never mind. You don't need to know about that... I haven't seen him for a few days, and I'm starting to get worried. I told him to meet me in Riften, so that's where I'm headed."
"Alright, then. Have a safe trip. And sorry that I couldn't meet up with you the other night. Caius has me working days and nights... says he's worried."
"About what?"
"He said that he's been hearing rumors of werewolves running around, lately. He told us he's been hearing strange howling at night, and to be on our guard at all times."
"Sounds like he's on Skooma."
"Well, his family has been known for that. Well, I shouldn't keep you. You have things to do."
"Thank you, Fjori."