Chapter 2 – The Prophecy
Camri Everlight crept through the undergrowth towards the camp, making sure to use the large boulders dotting the landscape as cover. As he reached the last boulder before the camp, he stopped and peered over the top. The two Cammona Tong operatives were oblivious to his presence, one counting gold and the other cooking over a campfire. Both were carrying axes wearing leather armour, but no helmets.
The Imperial turned to face Ariel Lasaille, who was just behind him.
"If one of them moves, tell me," he whispered. Ariel nodded, using life detection to monitor the movements of the two Dunmer in the camp. Now they just had to wait for the others to get into position – Camri slowly placed an arrow into his bow and waited.
Through the undergrowth, he could just see the figures of Areen and Falas Assurrani moving towards the camp from a perpendicular direction. Assurrani, the Dunmer assassin, was also carrying a bow, whilst the Argonian, Areen, was functioning as his lookout.
Eventually, Assurrani made it to the edge of the campsite, also ducking behind a boulder, but stepped on a twig as he got into position, alerting the two Cammona Tong men.
"You hear that?" one of them said.
"Probably a deer or something," the other replied. "Nothing to worry about. Get on with that stew, I'm famished"
Assurrani loaded an arrow into his bow and glanced at Camri. Camri caught Assurrani's gaze and nodded at him. Showtime.
In perfect synchronisation, the pair leapt out of cover. Their aim was immaculate – both arrows hit the targets, nailing both Dunmer right between the eyes and killing them both before they knew what had happened. Camri vaulted over the boulder in front of him, drawing his sword, and strode into the camp – it was empty.
"All clear" Camri called to the other three as they emerged from the undergrowth. "That was nice and easy, wasn't it?"
"You had the right idea attacking at dawn, Camri" Assurrani said, slinging his bow over his shoulder. "They really didn't look very awake"
Areen walked over to the campfire and took the cooking pot off the tripod it was suspended from. "Venison stew. Excellent"
As the three talked, Camri saw Ariel stride purposefully towards one of the two tents and drag a chest from inside it. Camri always marvelled at Ariel's ability to know what to do next – a true mystic – and watched her place her hands on the chest and use the unusual technique of using telekinesis to pick the lock. The lock sprung open and Ariel lifted the lid off the chest. The other three walked over.
"Wow…" Assurrani mused. "There must be, what, five thousand Septims' worth in there?"
Camri lifted out one of the bottles of skooma. "Maybe, Falas, but we're not selling it. I'm not here to help the skooma trade. Either we do it or destroy it, and early morning seems a bit early to get off our minds on this damned stuff"
Areen took one of the axes from the fallen Cammona Tong agents and began to use the blunt end of its handle to smash the bottles, causing their contents to leak out through the cracks in the chest and into the dry, dusty soil, which soaked it up instantly. For good measure, he picked the chest up and hurled it into the undergrowth, hearing it smash against a rock. As he did, Camri looked to the south. He could see the grand spectacle of White Gold Tower, but beyond it an enormous storm cloud that seemed to be heading towards them.
"I don't like the look of that" Camri quipped. "Maybe we should make for the City and try to avoid it"
Ariel smiled. "Of course, it's the 5th of Rain's Hand. The official date of Camri's charges being dropped. As of 8 o'clock he'll legally be able to set foot in the cities of Cyrodiil again"
Assurrani froze. "What did you say the date was?"
"The 5th of Rain's Hand" Ariel repeated.
"Damnit, this is the date we're supposed to be meeting the Emperor!"
A look of grim realisation spread across Camri's face. "You're right. It's not an event I've been especially looking forward to"
The four had been brought together by a remarkable series of events. Camri Everlight had been in prison in the Imperial City when it had started – a wanted outlaw, who had lived in the wild for many years until finally being apprehended. It had been Areen who had broken him out of prison, an agent of the Argonian Government. Many years before, Camri had found a document detailing a prophecy where three heroes would be brought together through a great event – the event being a corrupt Imperial Legion General, Anvius Seminus, attempting to wage war in the Nibenay Basin, wishing to capture parts of Elsweyr and Black Marsh for his own personal gain, at the same time that the Argonians were planning on retaking the parts of Cyrodiil that had belonged to Black Marsh – the majority of the Nibenay Basin and Blackwood that lay on the eastern banks of the river – for themselves. It was here where he had encountered Falas Assurrani, then a Morag Tong assassin from Morrowind working for Seminus under the false pretence that he had been working for the Empire, and Ariel Lasaille, a mysterious young Breton with extremely powerful psychic and mystic abilities and a gift for having prophetic visions. The three had been told that they were indeed part of a prophecy and had been brought together to tackle a greater danger, the nature of which the Emperor would not disclose, causing Camri, Ariel and Assurrani to leave the meeting with the Emperor one by one.
--
The Centre for Daedric Intelligence, The Arcane University, a few days earlier
Arch-Mage Onstario slowly opened the door of his pride and joy, his crowning achievement, the Centre for Daedric Intelligence. It had been built by Onstario under Chancellor Ocato's orders shortly after the Oblivion crisis, when it was decreed that the activities of the Daedra should be monitored more closely, to give early warning of any similar crises that may be about to occur. Onstario had persuaded followers of each Daedric Prince to spy on their activities in return for certain privileges, such as the law turning a blind eye towards any activities involved in the worship of the Daedra in question.
"Ah, good morning, Arch-Mage" a Dunmer man said as Onstario entered the building. It was Torasal Sarethi, an eccentric and bookish fellow who was in charge of the day-to-day running of the Centre for Daedric Intelligence.
"Hello, Torasal" Onstario replied. "I trust all is well?"
"Never better" Torasal replied. "Our man in the Shivering Isles returned last night. He's still resting at the moment, but he delivered his report to me on the supposed sightings of Meridia in Sheogorath's realm"
"And?"
"The most incredible thing has happened…"
--
Green Emperor Way, the present day
Camri led the four through the palace grounds towards the Elder Council Chambers, where the meeting with the Emperor was to be held. He hurried them up – the first few specks of rain were beginning to fall from the sky. In front of him, he saw someone he recognised from his last meeting with the Elder Council, Arch-Mage Onstario, who was with a Dunmer man who he did not recognise.
Guards walked past Camri, throwing threatening glances at him, to which Camri always responded with a wry smile. For the first time in many years, Camri could walk the streets of the Imperial City without the guards having the right to arrest him on sight using whatever force necessary.
"It's good to be back, in a way," Camri said. "I wonder if my old house near the Temple is still empty?"
"Come on, Camri, we're running late!" Ariel said, taking Camri by the hand and leading him hurriedly into the palace.
--
The four bowed to the group assembled before them seated around the enormous table in the Grand Council chambers. Camri making sure he gave the Emperor a look that showed that he did not mean the gesture. He recognised most of those assembled in front of him – The Emperor, Grandmaster Jauffre of the Blades, Arch-Mage Onstario and Grandmaster Brevin Iron-Heart of the Fighters' Guild. There were two others, the Dunmer who they had seen with Onstario and a proud-looking Imperial dressed in blue finery, but still wearing a glass sword on his belt.
"Good morning gentlemen, Ariel" The Emperor said, getting to his feet. "Please, take a seat. I apologise that I have kept you waiting for so long"
"A month to be exact" Camri retorted as he sat down at the table. "This had better be good"
"Don't worry, I will keep this simple," The Emperor said in a slightly annoyed tone. "First, in light of recent events we have decided to allocate you a new guardian, Ms Lasaille"
"How did you decide this?" Ariel asked. "Horunn was personally selected by my father in High Rock"
"So was your new Guardian, Ms Lasaille" Jauffre said. "He will arrive in a few days. We paid his travel expenses but apart from that he has nothing to do with us – his orders are to keep you safe.
"Secondly, your task" The Emperor continued. "On the face of it, it seems quite simple. You three – and Areen, and any others you wish to draft in to help – are going to stamp out necromancy in Tamriel, once and for all"
"Necromancy?" Assurrani asked. "With respect, Emperor, would that not be Arch-Mage Onstario's duty?"
"Onstario will help you, but this now goes beyond dealing with every member of a cult. Mannimarco's power is something that is troubling us"
Onstario's face visibly whitened with the mention of Mannimarco's name as the Emperor continued.
"We have reason to believe that Mannimarco is back once again, currently being sheltered in Oblivion by a Daedra whose identity we have not yet discovered. Once he has his strength back, he will doubtless return to Tamriel"
"So we find him and kill him" Camri said. "Sounds easy enough"
"I wish it were" Onstario said bleakly. "He seems to be almost immortal – remember that he has been in Tamriel, on and off, since the founding of the Mages' Guild. Every time we kill him he finds a way to resurrect himself"
"That means he is drawing power from an external source" Ariel said. "That is what we need to concentrate on locating and destroying, not Mannimarco"
"Very good, Ms Lasaille" Onstario replied, smiling warmly. "Of course, you are permitted to enter the Arcane University at any point if you wish to consult the Mystic Archives during your quest"
"There is one final aspect to this," the Emperor said. "An aspect much grander in scale than anything we have just discussed. "What I am about to say might sound ridiculous but I can assure you that it is completely true – I can hardly believe it myself. It has recently been reported to me that a new Daedric Princess has been created"
The room fell silent, apart from Onstario and Torasal Sarethi, who both had knowing looks on their face. Camri felt a silent rage as he realised that the Emperor had once again been holding information from the people.
"Exactly how has this happened?" Jauffre asked. "And why was I not informed immediately?"
"We thought it of little consequence to you, Grandmaster," the Emperor said. "This new Daedric Princess has little power yet – it is a tradition amongst the Daedra that any new Princes are set a task which they must complete. Almost every time they fail, normally thanks to intervention by the other Daedra. And for reasons I am not privy to, the arena for this new Princess' task is Tamriel – more specifically, the fight against necromancy"
"Why, though?" Assurrani asked. "Why do the Daedra have any interest in affairs in the mortal realm?"
"I cannot answer this," the Emperor replied truthfully. "This is why the three of you have been summoned to the Shivering Isles, the realm of Sheogorath, to meet with this new Daedra. As I'm sure you know, there is a portal to the Shivering Isles in the River Niben. I would recommend that only you three go at this stage. I do not know how permitting Sheogorath will be to unwanted visitors"
"One more question" Camri said. "Why is Sheogorath involved? Why is he harbouring this Daedra?"
"This is the most improbable part of all" Onstario said. "Sheogorath is this new Daedric Princess' father. And her mother is Meridia"
--
The group did not speak until they reached the Market District – all were speechless at the revelations that the Emperor had just delivered. A new Daedric Princess, given birth to by Meridia and fathered by Sheogorath – it seemed too unlikely to be true.
Eventually, Camri stopped the four in the centre of the Market District.
"Alright, I need a few supplies" Camri said. "We need to be ready to go soon, though. I don't like the idea of keeping a Daedric Prince waiting, especially one like Sheogorath. Assurrani, can you go to the Waterfront and sort us out with a dinghy to get to the door to the Shivering Isles with?"
"I'm on it" Assurrani said. "Meet me at the jetty in an hour"
As Assurrani walked off, Camri turned to Areen – of everyone assembled there, he had known Areen the longest and fought alongside him many times, and did not like the idea of his friend being forbidden to enter the Shivering Isles"
"Areen, regardless of what the Emperor said you're coming with us"
"Actually, Camri…" Areen began.
"What is it?"
"There has been a rise in necromancy in Black Marsh" Areen continued. "I don't think it can be coincidence that it has started so recently after the war there. I was told to report back to Argonia to help the investigation as soon as I knew whether or not I was needed by the Emperor, and the two paths seem to have crossed"
Camri fell silent for a few seconds. "You're going back to Black Marsh?"
"I'm afraid so. But whatever I find will help you three, I'm sure – this isn't goodbye, Camri. I will be back soon"
Areen embraced his friend, and then did the same to Ariel.
"I will go and say goodbye to Assurrani then get a ship from the Waterfront back to Black Marsh" Areen said. "Goodbye, my friends"
Ariel and Camri watched Areen walk towards Green Emperor Way until he had passed through the grand wooden doors.
"I don't like this one bit" Camri said quietly. Ariel inquisitively turned to face him.
"The Emperor's way out of his depth again, and he's decided to get us three involved. This is much bigger than the Emperor taking a stance on necromancy. Is it really a good idea to be getting involved with the Daedra like this? Do we even have a chance of succeeding?"
Ariel turned and looked Camri in the eye, answering his rhetorical question. "We do have a chance. It will be very trying for all of us, but we can do it. I keep getting feelings that something enormous is about to happen"
"I wonder if that enormous event will be the wiping out of Necromancy or the new Daedric Princess coming in to power?" Camri mused.
"Remember, their paths have crossed though," Ariel said. "For one of those to happen, the other must also come to pass"