6
Five days later
Archon was the busiest port in Argonia, a conglomeration of all the seafaring races in Tamriel. It was urbanized, sophisticated and up to par with major cities like Anvil or Daggerfall. Cyrods, Bretons, Nords, Khajiit and Argonians went about their business loading and offloading ships as merchants barked orders for passerby's to purchase their items. Dayan was an able scout, but in this city he felt truly lost in the wilderness. Next to him stood the surviving members of the Dayan's Riders. In front of them was uncertainty, a world they were not prepared for. In front of them was a ship, Toji's ride to Valenwood.
"Elgamil wanted to be buried in her home village outside of Elden Root. I promised if I was still alive and she was to die, that I would ensure this would be carried out." Toji had explained.
They watched as the coffin containing the Bosmer's body was carefully loaded onto the ship The Star of the North. It was a Nord trading vessel headed for Summerset Isle. For Toji it was a chance to get away from the fight, to stretch his legs and breathe a sigh of relief on the open ocean.
Dayan, Roe, Jayred and Sasha waited for the Khajiit to be out of eyes sight before turning to leave. Mogakh was always a simple individual stating that if he were to die in battle he wished to be buried on the field on which he fell. In a hastily held but not unimportant ceremony, Dayan buried his good friend Mogakh gro-Oram next to the body of his brother Amir. Despite the tremendous loss the Riders had suffered at the hands of the Legion, he was still determined to find and kill Toby Pilson. Unofficially, illegally, whether one or one hundred more Imperial soldiers or mercenaries stood in his way, the mission had not died with his brother. Sasha, Jayred and Roe were going with him. The Riders were all but disbanded; three members killed and a fourth, Dayan, narrowly avoiding a similar fate.
Roe later informed the surviving members of the Riders what transpired after their departure from Excavation Site 11. Toby Pilson informed the Legion garrison at Helstrom of the Riders' mission to attack the mining camp and sent Commander Coffee to arrest them. It seems Dayan had gone too far insulting Toby and as punishment he would take the blame for the Duvall Brothers'massacre. Roe remained with the 11th Cohort looking for an opportune time to rejoin the Riders. Roe was visibly upset with not having been able to warn Dayan earlier about the impending ambush.
"I'm sorry."
These were the first words Roe spoke in Cyrodilic. Dayan put his hand on the young man's shoulder.
"My son, you have nothing to be sorry for."
He embraced Dayan, Sasha and Jayred and stood with them on the docks, soaking up the warm rays from the sun. The Redguard breathed in the salty air wafted in from the Padomaic Ocean. Their boat for the Imperial City didn't leave for another hour.
"Did you ever find him? Toby Pilson?"
"Yes we did. Toby returned here to his comfort zone in the City He was living in the Talos Plaza District. We found him, cut him up, and threw him off a bridge into Lake Rumare with a rock tied around his waist."
Sean was pleased with the Bosmer's fate. Somehow hearing of this horrible death brought closure to a story with a sad ending.
"What did you all do then?"
"We went our separate ways. Dayan returned home to the Alik'r and I to Morrowind just in time to deal with the Tribunal and all their nonsense. Jayred disappeared for a while but I see him every now and again."
Sasha and Sean stood outside the great coliseum of the Imperial Arena, one of the few vices permitted under Balderic's rule. Here the two were relatively safe to speak freely. The Enforcers typically kept a low presence in the district.
"Thank you for sharing this story with me Sasha. I know it was several years ago but I am truly sorry for the loss of your friends."
Sasha bowed her head slightly.
"Not to be rude however, I came to meet the Hero of Kvatch. Now not only do I have a very good friend of mine telling me he has seen the man's grave, but a complete stranger has confirmed this story."
"I could be lying." Sasha jested.
"I don't think you are. How do you know the truth about Ulysses? What does your story have to do with me?"
"Not just you Sean, it's more complicated than that. Your investigation would not just expose Balderic and his trickery. It would also uncover a great and terrible secret."
"Tell me Sasha, please! What secret?"
"To find the answers you seek, look no further than that book in your knapsack."
Sean reached into the outermost pocket of his pack and retrieved the maroon book given to him by Andronicus.
"You're talking about The Reachman?" He laughed.
Sasha nodded.
"That's not possible, it's just a tall tale!
"You shouldn't be so quick to dismiss The Reachman as entirely false. Roe can do things, amazing things to this day I still can't understand."
"The cook? You actually believe Roe is The Reachman?"
Sasha was silent.
"Okay, so let's pretend for a second that I believe you. If Roe was a great hero of the Empire, why is Ulysses our Champion? Why the cloak and dagger routine? Is it because of his past, because of the Riders?"
"No one knows of Roe and the Riders."
"Then why?"
"Because Roe didn't want to be remembered."
Sasha could tell that Sean was confused. She motioned for Sean to follow her as they paced around the Arena.
"So you want me to stop my investigation?"
"Quite the contrary Sean, I need you to succeed. Without Roe, we have no hope of defeating Bolverk." Sasha's tone of voice was the most serious it had been all night.
"Bolverk?" The name was unfamiliar to him.
"General of the armies of Skyrim. High Chieftain of the Three Clans."
"What about Balderic?"
"Balderic is no threat to anyone but himself. Madness has overcome him and he cannot see that in a few months time, Bolverk will lead the Nords to the gates of the Imperial City and proclaim himself Emperor of a new united Tamriel."
The young author could scarcely comprehend what he was hearing. He believed every word.
"My friend, the one who discovered Ulysses' tomb, is Darius Berengeur son of Peter Berengeur." Sean was now eager to share everything that he knew with the Dunmer. "He is confident if we expose Balderic's Ulysses as a fake, it will garner more soldiers to his cause."
"If the Knights of the Black Wolf had a hundred thousand men it would all be for naught. Bolverk commands a power greater than any number of soldiers, the likes of which Tamriel has not known for an Era. The provinces cannot stand against the might of the Three Clans."
"And Roe can?"
Sasha nodded.
"Then where is he? Why has he not come to our aid?"
"I haven't seen Roe for many years. As to why he has not come, I cannot say. I know not if he even still lives. Please Sean, help me find Roe."
Could she really think that Roe and the Reachman are the same person? That Andronicus is right and the Na'Ysmir is real? He took little time considering the options.
"I'll need any additional information about where Roe might have gone." Sean finally answered.
The elderly Dunmer smiled in relief. With scrutinizing eyes she examined the young author from head to toe her face wincing in disapproval.
"There is only one place to go when you need information, but first you will need a change of clothes."