Chapter 47

The Third Vision

"Auriel shall not be the part of this pantheon! And certainly not its head!"

The heated exclamation came from Jorn, one of the three Nordic priests sitting at the large round table. His declaration was met with cries of agreement from two Nedes, both of whom had once served as secret priests of the Aedra for the enslaved Nedes in Atatar and Mackamentain. On the other side of the table, Moralasil sat stone-faced, while Elibril, one of his two fellow Ayleid priests slammed his hands on the table.

"You would dare deny our overlord his rightful place?!" he snapped. "Auriel reigns as king of Aetherius! That is not a matter of belief, but fact, no matter how ardently you protest! You agree, do you not?" he demanded, turning to a Manmeri cleric that was part of Varlalye's entourage.

"It… it is so," the young woman agreed reluctantly, though she flinched under the piercing glare that Jorn gave her. "Though he has many aspects, all claim-"

"Yes, a brilliant idea. Reinforce the Daedraphiles' claim that they have a rightful claim over their Nedic slaves," the white-haired Nord sneered. When Elibril's eyes widened with fury, he added, "If you name Auriel the king of the gods, then you are acknowledging that men should be subservient to elves!"

"And who would you name as the head of this pantheon?" Elibril retorted with a sneer. "Shezzar, perhaps?"

"Perhaps!" the Nord shot back, his eyes widening with an intense fervor. "Why should we not?! If this rebellion triumphs, then it is proof that the god of men wishes for us to triumph! He led us against elves in ages past, and now he does so again! It is a crime that he was cast from his throne, and this war should see him returned to his rightful place!"

"He never held a 'throne,' and he was cast down for a reason!" Elibril snapped back. "If you shall not honor Auriel, we shall not honor Shezzar!" When Jorn rolled his eyes, the mer added in a low, dire tone, "How fervently do you wish to protest? Would you dissolve our alliance over this matter?"

"I hardly see how that would harm us," Jorn sneered.

Telepe sighed to himself and covered his eyes with one hand as the two sides began furiously shouting at each other. He sat beside Perrif, who was watching the argument with a stoic expression, but he could tell from how rigidly she was sitting that she was becoming increasingly irritated. Telepe watched her for a moment out of the corner of his eye, then leaned over to murmur to her.

"This is getting us nowhere," he muttered to her, his voice just loud enough to be heard over the enraged shouting.

"Quite," Perrif sighed, slumping back in her chair. As she looked at Telepe, she let her stoic mask slip for a moment, giving him a glimpse of her frustration and weariness. "I asked them here so that we could reach a compromise about what gods we should include in a pantheon that would be acceptable to man and mer alike. So far, they only seem interested in their own gods dominating the other's."

Telepe winced as he watched Elibril priest reach for a clay goblet, only to have his wrist caught by one of the hoplite guards. The elf glared at the guard, then resumed insulting the Nords' ancestors. Telepe shook his head, then turned back to Perrif. "While I'm loath to suggest it, are you certain Morihaus and Pelinal will not offer their perspective?" he whispered to her. "The former has admitted he's the son of Kyne, and while the latter despises speaking of the gods, I'm certain that if you ask him…."

Perrif shook her head and let out a soft sigh. "Morihaus is not a philosopher. When I asked him what he knew of the gods, he simply told me that he knows of Kyne, and little else of the others. Hardly surprising, I suppose, given how tightly bound to her he is. As for Pelinal… he did inform me that his armor was enchanted by the gods, but he would not tell me which gods when I pressed him. For some reason, he seemed to think that such knowledge would be dangerous. He also insinuated that perhaps the gods that blessed his armor would change based upon my decisions."

Telepe frowned lightly, running his fingers thoughtfully along the stubble on his chin. "I'm no priest, Perrif, but if that's so, then perhaps you should not allow these men dictate your decision." He scowled as he watched one of the Nords reach for a pitcher of wine to throw at Elibril, then added drily, "Though I see why you sought their unparalleled temperance and wisdom."

Perrif let out a soft, mirthless laugh, then suddenly slammed her hands on the table and stood up. The sharp sound brought an abrupt end to the argument as every eye turned towards her. Perrif let the silence linger for a moment, and then she announced, "Let us set aside the ruler of the gods for now. Perhaps we should focus upon others that we might include this pantheon. What can we agree upon? Which gods would not offend any of you?"

A long silence followed her question as the priests looked away, partially to consider her question, and partially in shame. Finally, Mathitar – one of the Ayleids – tentatively suggested, "We… would not be opposed to the inclusion of Mara, I suppose."

"The handmaiden of Kyne?" a Nord across from him asked, tilting his head thoughtfully. "No, she's one that we could agree upon as well. There has always been a place for Mother Wolf in our beliefs."

"Yes, she would be an excellent addition. There needs to be a symbol of love, and of hope, for our people to worship in a realm as harsh as Cyrod," Hiffa, one of the Nedes, concurred.

"Well then, to that end, what of Dibella as well?" one of the Manmeri piped up, sitting back in his chair. "She's a goddess of love too, yes?"

"Not… exactly the same sort of love, though," Hiffa protested uneasily. He flushed slightly, resulting in light chuckles from the others, though the laughter was clearly not at his expense.

"Is this to be a pantheon solely comprised of love goddesses, then?" Elibril half-sneered.

"Well, if not love, then at least she should be recognized as a goddess of beauty," another one of the Nords suggested. "I, for one, think the Silver Moth would be a fine addition."

"As would I," Telepe murmured under his breath to Perrif, who grinned and winked at him. While he wasn't particularly devout, Dibella was worshipped for her grace and charm – aspects that Telepe, as an emissary, could certainly appreciate.

"Very well. We're not opposed, but perhaps we should still move on from love goddesses," Mathitar said quickly with a wave of her hand. "What about magic?"

"Indeed," Moralasil agreed, finally breaking his silence and flashing a warm smile as he sat forward slightly on his chair. "Magnus should have a place in this pantheon. Without the blessings of his magic, we would be little better than the beasts of the jungle."

"Yes, and without his 'blessings,' your kind could not have inflicted such creative tortures upon us," Hiffa added bitterly.

Moralasil's smile faded as he settled back into his chair again. "Those who use magic can commit terrible crimes, this is true," he conceded in an even tone. "But that is the sin of the one who commits the crime. Magic itself is a blessing. You would not outlaw knives because they can be used to torture as well, would you?"

"Is Meridia not also associated with Magnus?" one of the other Nedes added in a cutting tone. "Was she not one of his daughters? I don't feel it's wise to have a god so closely related to our enemy's patroness in our pantheon."

Moralasil narrowed his blank eyes coldly, his hands folded in front of him. When the silence began to stretch uncomfortably, Jorn suggested, "What about another god associated with magic, perhaps? I concur that we should indeed honor the Clever Craft. Perhaps Jhunal? Or… you Manmeri have a god, yes? Phynaster, was it….?"

"Are there to be no Ayleid contributions to this pantheon, then?" Moralasil asked quietly. "If so, why request our input?"

There was another stretch of silence as the men looked away from the mer, unable to meet their gaze. Finally, Perrif pushed herself up again and lightly cleared her throat.

"We should adjourn for now," she suggested softly. "Return to your tents, pray, and meditate. And please, do consider gods that you believe all of us would be happy to worship. Thank you for your time."

As the men and mer began shuffling out of the tent, Telepe noticed that they remained in segregated groups, muttering to each other and avoiding interaction with the other races. When everyone had departed except for him and Perrif, she sank into her chair and groaned, pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes.

"Well… that wasn't a complete disaster," Telepe consoled her gently, pushing himself up to sit straighter. "They agreed upon two goddesses, at least."

Perrif shook her head and gently waved him away. "Perhaps I was naïve in thinking that the gods might unite us rather than divide us," she murmured.

Telepe chuckled wryly. "Envoys across Tamriel are warned about involving themselves in matters of religion, and the dangers of appealing to belief," he said. "It is easier to sway one through politics than through religion, and the former is already nearly impossible."

Perrif lowered one of her hands to glower at him. "Is that why you were silent throughout the meeting?" she asked in an almost accusatory tone.

Telepe winced. "I did tell you before we began that I'm an emissary, not a priest," he pointed out. "What's more, you asked me which gods Malabal worships. There's no single answer to that question. Each kingdom in Malabal pays their respects to different gods – not unlike here in Cyrod. As such, I can only offer a limited perspective about what may or may not offend my people."

"I see," Perrif sighed, sounding disappointed, much to Telepe's chagrin. She then glowered at him. "I was also hoping having you here might help moderate opinions, but I suppose that was too much to ask for as well." Telepe raised his eyebrows, her cutting tone wounding him, though a moment later, Perrif grimaced with regret and looked away. "I… that was unkind of me," she murmured. "I am turning my frustrations with this meeting upon you. Forgive me."

"Please, there's no need to apologize," Telepe assured her gently, reaching down to put his hand on her shoulder. After a moment, he grinned mischievously at her. "Though I must say, I'm almost pleased to see that even you can become irritated. So often, you project such an air of serenity and patience that I'd almost begun to doubt that you even could become irate."

Perrif glanced up at him, her expression changing rapidly from surprised to annoyed. Then, suddenly, she started laughing. Telepe's grin widened as she admitted, "Yes, well… I feel that it's expected of me, I suppose. It's… liberating, actually, to be able to lower that mask, if only for a moment." She smiled warmly up at him. "Thank you."

"Not at all," Telepe replied gently, squeezing her shoulder. "I'm honored." He exhaled slowly, then continued, "If you'd like, I'd be happy to arbitrate the next discussion."

"I would appreciate that, though it won't be necessary for a while," Perrif replied. "After all, tomorrow we travel in different directions, and we likely won't see each other again for a while. For now, do not trouble yourself with matters of religion. Instead, please focus upon seeing Tari safely to the canticle tree."

"Truly? The tree is my primary concern, not securing peace with Narfinsel?" Telepe asked sardonically.

Perrif chuckled and held up her hand. "In truth, I do not expect you shall have much success negotiating with them, so I would rather focus upon realistic objectives," she replied.

Telepe's smile wavered at her response. Of course, he knew that Narfinsel was unlikely to entertain a request to surrender peacefully, but hearing Perrif bluntly state that she expected him to fail was still surprisingly painful. "As… you say," he murmured.

Perrif stopped chuckling as she noticed his downcast expression, and she seemed about to say something, but then she apparently thought better of it. Shaking her head, she instead replied, "Very good. Go rest for now. We'll be marching again first thing in the morning."

Telepe inclined his head, then turned and stepped out of the large leather tent with a sigh. To his annoyance, a light rain was falling, and as it was long past dusk, most of the camp was pitch-black. A few flickering torches protected by leather hoods and a couple of low, stubborn campfires were the only lights still burning in the camp.

As Telepe began trudging through the mud, he noticed a couple of figures up ahead muttering to each other. He initially paid them no mind, but he found himself approaching them, as he had to pass them to reach his tent. As he drew closer, he overheard a few snippets of their conversation.

"…Ayleids trying to impose their pantheon on you," a low voice growled, one that Telepe recognized as belonging to Jorn, the Nordic priest.

"Yes, but many of their beliefs are our beliefs too," the other figure – Hiffa, Telepe realized – replied with a sigh. "We cannot so easily discard the gods that we've worshipped all our lives."

"False gods," Jorn insisted. "Gods imposed upon you by the same people who attacked us earlier today!"

The Nord pointed sharply to his left. A crude wooden pen had been constructed to hold the ten or so Ayleids that they had captured in a skirmish earlier that day. The raids on their army had become more frequent as they traveled deeper south, and the rebels' losses were mounting. In the past week, they'd already lost twenty men, and fifty more were badly wounded. The Ayleids that they had managed to capture that afternoon were those that hadn't been quick enough to melt back into the jungle after the attack, and Perrif was hoping to ransom them back to their kingdoms.

"Not all of their gods are false," Hiffa protested as Telepe drew near. "The Daedra, certainly, should be shunned and reviled. But the Divines speak to the Paravant. Surely some of what the Ayleids told us is true."

"Why would the Ayleid gods be helping you rebel against them?" Jorn demanded.

"They're not just Ayleid gods!" Hiffa retorted. "They oversee all of Nirn!"

"Indeed? Then why does your Paravant insist upon only worshipping some of them?" Jorn retorted with a sneer. "Why does she not acknowledge Shor – or Shezzar, rather?"

"And what makes you feel he must be added?" Hiffa demanded curtly.

"Shor is the patron of men!" Jorn stated confidently. "If he is not aiding this rebellion, then -?"

Before he could finish asking his question, a low growl erupted from nearby. Telepe went pale as Pelinal stepped into the light of the torch the two were speaking near, gripping his sword tightly in his shaking fist.

"Why do you fools insist upon speaking of matters which you know nothing about?!" Pelinal demanded, raising his sword over his head. As the pair gasped and cowered before him, Telepe quickly stepped into the firelight and held up his hands.

"Hold!" he cried, praying that the knight would listen. "The Paravant asked them to discuss the gods!"

Pelinal hesitated, but Telepe could see that his blue eyes were burning with barely controlled fury. "Did she?" he hissed.

"She wishes to forge a pantheon for all of Cyrod to follow, so she asked those in her council to discuss the gods and decide which of them they're all comfortable worshipping!" Telepe explained as quickly as he could.

Pelinal continued to stare at Telepe intently, then hissed, "They have been warned. Many times. I cannot contain my rage any longer, elf. Someone dies for this transgression."

Telepe swallowed, a cold chill running down his spine. His eyes drifted past Pelinal towards the Ayleid captives, and then he reluctantly murmured, "I'm certain you can find others to unleash your anger upon. But the Paravant shall not be pleased if you slay these two."

Pelinal followed Telepe's pointed gaze, and then he remained silent for several long moments. Eventually, he growled and reluctantly lowered his sword, then turned to his right and pointed at a pair of hoplites that were standing guard that evening. "You two!" he snapped, motioning them forward. "See these priests to their tents. Now! Quickly, before I forget myself!"

"Our apologies, Whitestrake," Hiffa murmured, seeming chastened, as the hoplites hurried over to escort them to their tents.

Jorn, however, folded his arms and glared at Pelinal defiantly. "I still fail to see why you're so hostile towards us. It's not as though we've done anything to offend you personally."

Pelinal's blue eyes narrowed in the firelight, and he slowly raised his sword again, pointing it at the priest's neck. The Nord gasped and cringed as the knight growled, "The Paravant called upon you for your wisdom? You, who cannot even fathom the cause of my rage, much less its depths?!"

"She asked us to discuss the gods!" Jorn insisted.

Pelinal let out a short, humorless bark of a laugh. "You know nothing of the gods, 'priest,'" he snapped, spitting the last word. "You are a worm crawling through the earth, claiming to know the sun when you do not even have eyes to see it!"

"And you know?!" Jorn demanded. Pelinal's eyes widened, and his grip on his sword tightened. Telepe's heart leapt into his throat, but the Nord didn't seem to notice. "And what of your Paravant?! Who is she to speak of the gods when you claim we should not?!"

Telepe let out a sharp gasp, his eyes widening with horror. Pelinal, however, paused for a moment, and then began chuckling. Telepe, the two priests, and the hoplites all stared at him as the knight rolled his head back and began laughing raucously. As he chuckled, Telepe began to worry that this was a prelude to another fit of madness, until Pelinal looked down again and spoke again.

"My lady alone is fit to consider such matters, for she enacts, rather than talks, as language without exertion is dead witness," Pelinal explained in an eerily calm tone.

The priests and soldiers continued to stare at him, their confusion turning to utter bafflement at the strange proclamation. Telepe, however, scowled at Pelinal indignantly. He wondered if the knight was slighting him and his work as an envoy.

Pelinal, however, paid him no mind – not that Telepe had expected him to be particularly affected by his annoyed glare. The knight turned and eyed the Ayleid captives, a bloodthirsty grin spreading across his face as he stared at them through the rain. He once again began chuckling darkly to himself as he twirled his sword at his side.

"Now, since I cannot take their lives, yours shall do nicely," Pelinal growled to the Ayleids. The elves shrank away from him, and Telepe felt his stomach turning as Pelinal stared at them like a wolf preparing to pounce on a pen of sheep. Without warning, he suddenly charged at the elves at a dead run, holding his sword above his head. As he descended on the helpless captives, he screamed, "O Aka, for our shared madness, I do this! I watch you, watch me, watching you back!" As he neared the captives, he screamed furiously, "And Umaril… Umaril dares call us out, for that is how we made him!"

Telepe winced and turned away as the screams of the elves began filling the air. Thunder rumbled overhead as he turned back to the priests, who were staring in pale-faced shock at the horrific spectacle behind him. He cleared his throat, then stepped a little closer and lowered his voice, giving them each a pointed look.

"Please ensure that the others that the others are told of what you have witnessed here tonight," he muttered. When they stared at him in disbelief, he added, "I am uncertain how much longer Whitestrake can restrain himself. Do not give him cause to draw his sword, for if there are no elves to turn it on, he shall bathe it in our blood next."

Jorn's eyes widened with fury, and he opened his mouth to protest, but Hiffa quickly began pushing him towards his tent. "Yes! We shall be mindful of what we say," he said quickly, giving Telepe a grateful nod. "Thank you!"

Telepe watched the two depart, then stole a sidelong glance at Pelinal, whose gleaming armor shimmered in the dancing firelight as he screamed with maddened, bloodthirsty laughter. "Aka?" he murmured thoughtfully. "Akatosh, perhaps?" He glanced up at the sky thoughtfully, then smiled faintly to himself as he began making his way back to his own tent. Perhaps they could reach a compromise about who the ruler of the gods was after all. He made a mental note to mention it to Perrif the next time she convened her council.

The two parties split up the next day, with Vrage and Edanu leading the warriors bound for the kingdom of Narfinsel, while Perrif, Morihaus, and Pelinal traveled southwest to besiege Wendir. Perrif was furious to find that there were no Ayleid captives the next morning, as she had hoped to use them in her negotiations with Wendir, but after Pelinal had confessed to their slaughter, she had simply pulled him aside and spoken to him in a voice that no one could hear. Telepe did notice that the knight seemed chastened by her displeasure, but he knew that the knight would face no other consequences for his actions. He never did… though Telepe also knew that there was little else Perrif could do anyways. Though perhaps her disappointment was a punishment in and of itself for Pelinal.

After they parted ways, it only took them a day to reach Narfinsel. The rain was still falling steadily when they arrived outside of the city walls around mid-afternoon, and as they had expected, the gates were closed and warriors were patrolling the walls, watching the surrounding jungle warily for anyone approaching. When the watchmen spotted the army, they cried out, and moments later an alarm bell resounded through the city – loud enough that the rebels could hear it from a quarter mile away – as more warriors hurried to take up positions on the walls. However, the rebels remained where they were, well outside of the range of their archers, though near enough that they could observe the city through the trees.

"I'd estimate perhaps two or three thousand warriors at most," Pasare announced, squinting at the walls while she leaned against the rough bark of a palm tree to shield herself from the falling droplets of water. "It also seems that many of those on the walls are not properly equipped. There are peasants and freemen that seem to be using hunting bows rather than proper war-bows like the warriors, and they're not wearing armor. I suspect that the King of Narfinsel ordered anyone who could fight to participate in the defense of the city. They're desperate."

"Well, it's good to know that we inflicted more casualties than we suspected, then," Edanu remarked, running his fingers through his short, curly beard. "And you claimed that there were no reinforcements coming from the east?"

"Not that we saw, no," Pasare confirmed with a shake of her head. "That does not mean that there are none on the way, but there aren't any that are less than a day away, at least."

"Very good. Even so, we should not tarry," Edanu stated. "The longer we remain here, the more damage Umaril's raiders could inflict upon us while we're besieging this kingdom."

"Yes, though we also should not be reckless," Vrage warned, nodding towards the mer on the walls. "A beast becomes more dangerous when it's cornered, and if their king is desperate enough to send his own citizens to man the walls, then they are clearly willing to die taking as many of our men with them as possible."

"Agreed," Edanu said grimly. He then turned to Telepe, who was re-fastening his cloak around his shoulders. "I do not believe that they are in the mood to negotiate, but let us give them the opportunity to surrender anyways. Telepe, if you would?" he requested.

"As you say," Telepe replied, inclining his head. He took a slow breath, then stepped out from under the jungle canopy and strode into the open clearing around Narfinsel. As he approached, he kept his hands raised to show that he was unarmed. Even so, the archers on the walls trained their bows on him, eyeing him suspiciously as he approached. To ensure his safety, he stopped several hundred feet from their walls, close enough to be heard, but far enough that he doubted that they would be able to loose an accurate shot at him.

"Mer of Narfinsel, I bring a greeting and a request!" Telepe announced, his voice carrying over the steady pattering of the rain on the ground. "I am here to negotiate a peace settlement with you! There is no need for blood to be spilled today!"

In response, one of the archers let her grip on her bowstring slip, and an arrow arced through the air towards him. Telepe watched the arrow impassively as it began falling long before it reached him, its point sticking into the soft mud several feet away. Nevertheless, the archer tilted her chin back imperiously and shouted back, "That is our answer to you! Either draw your blades and face us, or flee like the dogs you are!"

"Come now. You cannot win if battle is joined," Telepe insisted, folding his hands patiently behind his back as he stared up at the walls. "We outnumber you more than five to one, and no help shall arrive before your walls are taken. We are offering you mercy."

"Mercy?!" one of the other warriors shouted back. "We've heard tales of the 'mercy' that you showed Lipsand Tarn! We know well that you will do the same to us!"

Telepe winced at the mention of the sacking of Lipsand Tarn. He knew that was going to come back to haunt him. Briefly, he considered protesting and attempting to explain that Lipsand Tarn had been a traitorous kingdom that had brought their fate upon themselves, but even as he mulled the argument over in his head, he realized how feeble it sounded. The reminder of his loss of control over his fury felt like a strike across his face.

"This is your final chance," Telepe called back, holding his hands out plaintively. "If you refuse-"

"Bring your army, whether it numbers one hundred or one million!" one of the elves roared back. "We shall never surrender our kingdom to you!"

Telepe shook his head sadly as the defenders on the walls began jeering at him, daring him to come closer. Even though he knew that he'd had little chance of negotiating with them in the first place, he still felt that he'd failed. He hadn't even managed to convince them to bring their king to speak with him. Sighing, he inclined his head politely before turning and trudging back to where Edanu and Vrage were waiting.

"I take it that went poorly?" Edanu asked.

"Quite the contrary," Telepe replied sardonically. "They've agreed to unconditional surrender and shall shortly throw open the gates. In fact, they've declared today a holiday, and shall soon be naming their children after us and raising statues in our honor." Edanu and Vrage both stared at him, then both began chortling with laughter. Telepe reluctantly grinned as well before lowering his gaze. "Yes, we'll have to besiege the city, I'm afraid."

"Very well. Thank you for attempting to parley with them, at least," Vrage said, reaching out a heavy hand and grasping his shoulder tightly. "We shall see to the rest of it."

"Since your part is done, you intended to travel deeper into the jungle with Tari, yes?" Edanu asked. "The Paravant mentioned something about finding a tree?"

"So that Tari can divine her Scroll, yes," Telepe nodded.

"I see," Edanu said slowly. He gazed at Telepe quietly for a second, then turned to one of his centurions, a muscular man apparently somewhere between his late twenties to mid-thirties, with a head of curly black hair and dark eyes. "Teo! Assemble your century, and send a runner to find Pasare and Reili. I want those two to guide Telepe and Tari into the jungle, and for you and your men to accompany them."

The man that he had summoned seemed surprised, then a bit disappointed, but he obediently inclined his head and began barking at his men to form up. Telepe, meanwhile, flushed with embarrassment and held up his hand.

"There's no need for an escort that large, Legate!" he protested quickly. "Tari and I know where the tree is. She knows this part of the jungle as well as a peasant knows his farm. I won't protest if you wish to send Pasare and Reili along with us, but an entire century-"

"Usually, I would concur that a smaller group would be safer," Edanu replied, folding his arms over his chest. "However, we can no longer assume that we can safely travel freely. It's quite likely that Umaril's raiders already know our whereabouts, and they may even be shadowing us now. If you depart without a full contingent of men protecting you, you could be slaughtered, especially if their raiding parties contain daedra."

Telepe grimaced as he saw a small figure approaching them out of the corner of his eye, and he turned to see Tari walking towards them with one hand resting on the head of her dog, Sparicus. She gave him a curious look as Telepe sighed reluctantly and inclined his head. "Very well," he conceded reluctantly. "Though I fear this shall draw unwanted attention."

"Perhaps, but it is better to be able to guard against such attention than to hope to avoid it and be slain if you fail," Edanu insisted. "I would not recommend this if I did not believe it to be the safest course of action."

"Rest assured, I shall stake my life upon keeping you safe, my lady," the centurion, Teo, added with a cordial bow of his head towards Tari.

Telepe appraised the stout man with a scowl as Tari smiled faintly and inclined her head in turn. "Then I am grateful for your protection," she replied politely. She then stepped closer to Telepe and wrapped both her arms around his left one. "Let's be off, then. The sooner we reach the canticle tree, the sooner we may return."

"Indeed," Edanu nodded, reaching out a large hand and resting it firmly on Tari's shoulder. "May the Divines watch over you." He then stepped back and motioned for them to be off, before turning back to his men and starting to bark orders.

Tari let Telepe's arm go and began walking towards the jungle, with him quickly following on her heels. Behind them, Teo shouted at his men to march, and they quickly fell into step behind the pair. Just as they entered the trees, Pasare hurried over to greet them with a warm smile, while Reili rode up to them from the other side, his horse tossing its head irritably.

"Quite the entourage you've gathered this time, Tari," Pasare chided her playfully, nudging her gently with her shoulder. "Is our company alone no longer enough?"

"This was not by choice, I assure you," Tari replied in a low voice. Now that they were away from Edanu and far enough from the centurion and his men, she was openly wearing an annoyed scowl. "I would much prefer if it was the four of us. Perhaps I'd tolerate a dozen men escorting us, but a full century…."

"It does indeed seem excessive," Reili agreed in a low voice, resting his long spear on his shoulder while he gripped his horse's reins with the other hand. "We're certain to attract unwanted attention with a group this large."

"Yes, but if we are attacked, we'll be better able defend you," a voice called from further back. Telepe and the others glanced over their shoulder to see Teo gazing at them as he marched a short distance ahead of his men. While he was close enough to have overheard their conversation, his men did not seem to be privy to what they were discussing – or if they were, they were wisely keeping silent.

"If I might ask – how?" Telepe replied as he swept his arm at the jungle around him. "A hundred men is hardly enough to form a proper phalanx, and we're at a severe disadvantage if we're being stalked by scouts. Even if we're only being pursued by Ayleids and not daedra, if they're using bows and axes, they'll have a major advantage over us, particularly if your men insist upon using their spears. The trees are only going to grow denser the deeper we travel."

"Rest assured, I'm aware of that," Teo replied calmly. He picked up his pace so that he could walk beside them to avoid shouting, ensuring that his men couldn't eavesdrop on them. "However, I believe the reason why Edanu has selected me to join you is that I have been training my men specifically for this sort of warfare."

"Have you?" Telepe asked, raising an eyebrow.

Teo nodded and glanced over his shoulder at his men. "I'm certain you've noticed that our enemy has changed their tactics," he said. "They're avoiding pitched battles if they can, in favor of harassing us with raids and skirmishes. They've been remarkably effective at fading into the jungle before we can retaliate. Thus, I've been attempting to devise new tactics to counter them."

"It's not as though we've been allowing them to attack us without retaliation. We've been relying upon knights and our own archers and scouts thus far, and they've scored dozens of kills," Pasare pointed out. "And the battlemages have even been able to defeat a few of the Daedra when Whitestrake cannot reach their part of the column in time."

"Yes, and that's been reasonably effective at driving off our pursuers these last few days," Teo conceded. "But we have too few knights and scouts to guard the entire column. And what of the common hoplite? Are they supposed to simply weather the attacks and pray that they aren't slain until help arrives?"

Reili tilted his head slightly. "So you're training your men to fight against raiders?"

"Quite," Teo nodded.

"And how do you intend to do so?" Telepe asked.

"In truth, I've been watching how the Nords and even the Ayleids fight," Teo explained, smiling faintly. "While the phalanx that we use is excellent for pitched battles, the Nords and Ayleids are more adept at skirmishing and light combat. I've tried to adopt some of their tactics. For one, I've been training my men to fight individually and rely more upon speed and individual skill, as the Nords and Ayleids do. I've also trained them to use another weapon. You'll notice that all of my men are carrying a javelin." Telepe glanced over his shoulder and peered at the warriors. While their right hands gripped a ten-foot-long spear, upon looking more closely, he noticed that they were also holding a shorter javelin in their left hands while still gripping their shields. Teo grinned as Telepe turned back towards him. "While I admit that this is merely a theory, I'm hoping that this will give the men the ability to remain in a phalanx formation while still having the ability to retaliate against a ranged opponent."

"And what if the skirmishers have bows instead?" Pasare pointed out.

"Our armor is thick enough to repel arrow fire, and they're trained to keep their shields up," Teo replied easily. "Besides, in this jungle? The enemy must come rather near to us if they wish to harass us. One cannot shoot an arrow more than about thirty yards in this foliage, which is more than close enough for a man to throw a javelin in return."

Telepe tilted his head at Teo thoughtfully, a faint smile starting to spread across his lips. "It's an interesting idea," he conceded. "What does Morihaus think of it?"

"He has not yet heard it," Teo admitted, glancing away. "Legate Edanu has given me permission to experiment, as he admires my ingenuity, but he is reluctant to approach the general with an untested theory. Especially since he does not wish to challenge the general's preferred phalanx tactics."

"I see," Telepe said slowly. "Well, at the very least, it's a novel idea."

"I concur," Pasare nodded, smiling warmly at the young centurion. "Perhaps the general might consider integrating your tactics into the phalanx itself. Many of the Ayleids seem to be fighting in a shield wall now as well, and our archers are inferior to theirs, much as it pains me to admit it. Or perhaps some light infantry armed with javelins could disrupt their formations before the heavy infantry engages them. It might open some gaps in their lines."

"And it would be cheaper than outfitting every man as a hoplite," Telepe added. "We only have so many bronze cuirasses available. This could allow us to bolster our numbers without taxing our resources. And perhaps those who are fleeter of foot might prefer to throw a javelin and retreat, rather than remain in line with the hoplites."

"Such as yourself?" Reili smirked.

Telepe shot Reili a slightly annoyed scowl. "No, I'd rather remain apart from the battle altogether," he replied drily. "But as that's not an option, I'll content myself with riding behind you and using you as a shield."

"I'm flattered you think so highly of me, then," Reili replied airily, grinning to show that he took no offense to Telepe's playful barb.

"In any case, well done for trying devise a solution when you're faced with a new tactic," Telepe continued, turning back to Teo with a smile. "I'm certain that in time, Morihaus will recognize your initiative as well, and reward you appropriately."

"I would be honored, though in truth, I don't covet a reward," Teo replied modestly. "Frankly, if these tactics can save our men's lives, that is reward enough for me."

The rain continued to pelt them as they trudged through the jungle, and while the canopy did provide them some cover, fat droplets frequently pierced the leaves above them to splash uncomfortably onto their heads. Telepe had pulled his cloak over his head in annoyance, and Tari was huddled against him in a vain attempt to keep dry. Behind them, the warriors marched on stoically and without complaint, apparently heedless of the rain, but Telepe could see their irritated scowls under their helmets.

The one saving grace of the wet, miserable journey was the fact that they were spared the wrath of the feral beasts that were lurking in the jungle. Telepe did occasionally notice a shape prowling through the underbrush, eyeing them hungrily, but with so many warriors huddled together, none dared attack them. Telepe was forced to begrudgingly admit to himself that Edanu may have had a point in sending a full century along as their escort, even if he still felt that it was excessive. A dozen or so men would have done an excellent job warding off the beasts, and there had been no sign of any Ayleids shadowing them. Unless, of course, the elves were even more skilled at disguising their presence than he'd imagined, he thought with a shiver.

Since the canticle tree was relatively close, they did not stop traveling for the entire day, even eating their meals on the march. By this point, Telepe was thoroughly sick of the light fare of nuts and berries that he had become accustomed eating to when there was no time to cook a proper meal. He decided that if he was ever at another banquet that served mixed nuts and berries as a dessert, he would do everything in his power to skip the final course.

They had set out early in the morning, and though the rain had continued to fall throughout the day, it finally let up around dusk. The clouds mercifully parted as the sun was starting to dip below the horizon, giving them just enough time to reach the grove where the canticle tree lay without needing to light torches. It was only when Telepe heard the telltale giggling of the spriggans guarding the tree in the distance that he finally began to relax.

"Well. That wasn't horrible," Telepe remarked softly, as though he was afraid that voicing his thoughts aloud would curse them. "I can't recall the last time that we completed a journey like this without incident."

"There's still time for something to go terribly awry," Tari pointed out grimly as she stepped out from under his arm and pulled the Scroll from her belt. Beside her, her dog looked up at her expectantly, his tail wagging furiously. "For instance, we could offend the spriggans. Let's pray that they still recognize me."

"And that they've forgiven us for nearly burning their grove down," Telepe muttered, then grinned as Tari shot him a silent glare. He then turned to the warriors hovering several feet behind them. "Centurion, would you and your men mind waiting here? We'd rather not rouse the ire of the grove's guardians."

"Of course. Though I must insist that you remain in our sight," Teo added. Telepe simply nodded in reply, before turning back to Tari, who was already approaching the two tree-like women standing in the center of the grove.

As Tari slowly walked towards the pair of spriggans, their giggling stopped, and they eyed her cautiously. They relaxed a few moments later, however, when she held the Elder Scroll out to them. Wide smiles spread across their oaken faces, and they beckoned her closer with their long, talon-like hands. Tari smiled warmly at them and inclined her head, but then held up a hand, silently asking them to wait for a moment. The spriggans simultaneously tilted their heads curiously at her, then nodded at the same time. Tari's smile broadened, then she turned to Telepe and grabbed him by the front of his tunic.

"If I'm to perform this ritual, I must insist that we perform every step of the ritual," she remarked playfully, grinning up at him.

"And here I was wondering if you were going to break tradition," Telepe chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Tari pushed herself up onto her toes and tilted her head, pressing her lips firmly against his, which Telepe eagerly reciprocated. When they pulled away a few moments later, he gently touched her cheek and murmured, "Be careful."

"As careful as I can be," Tari assured him. She leaned in and nudged her nose against his affectionately, then pulled away. "Sparicus, stay," she added, motioning to her dog. Sparicus let out a plaintive whine, but reluctantly settled onto his haunches at Telepe's feet.

The spriggans once more held their hands out to Tari, and this time she allowed herself to be ushered towards the canticle tree. Telepe remained where he was, over a hundred feet away from the tree, with Tari's dog whimpering beside him. He heard movement behind him, and he glanced over his shoulder to see Teo approaching him with a curious look on his face.

"You won't accompany her any further?" he asked. "I thought she was your woman. Do you not wish to protect her?"

"She is, and it's because I wish to protect her that I won't intrude upon this ritual," Telepe replied calmly. "When we first came to this grove, those spriggans were exceptionally hostile towards us. They only became docile when Tari presented the Elder Scroll to them, and even then, they seemed to resent my presence. I have no wish to antagonize them." He smiled wryly, then added, "Besides, I insisted that she wait a fair distance away while I confronted a dragon in Skyrim. If I dared demand that she let me accompany her here, she would never let me hear the end of it."

Teo blinked at Telepe, then shook his head. "You two share a strange relationship," he remarked. "If it was my woman, I still would not allow her to do this alone."

"And I trust her to face her own trials," Telepe replied easily as he watched Tari draw her knife and begin scraping a few shavings of bark from the canticle tree.

Teo gave him a sidelong glance, but before he could reply, he frowned and squinted at the ferns on the opposite end of the clearing. Before Telepe could ask what was wrong, he turned to one of his decani and announced, "Gorel! Take your men and investigate the other end of the clearing!" When Telepe's eyes widened anxiously, he quickly added, "And avoid the grove itself! Stay within the denser parts of the jungle!"

The young man Teo was speaking to nodded and motioned for his nine warriors to follow him. They began skirting along the edges of the treeline, gripping their spears tightly, while Telepe gave Teo a wary, sidelong glance.

"What is it?" he asked softly.

"I don't know," Teo replied with a shake of his head. "But if the legate believes we could have been followed, I don't intend to take any chances. If it's nothing, so much the better, and if not, we won't be caught off-guard."

Telepe gazed at Teo quietly for a long moment, then smiled slowly and nodded with approval. "I see. I'm pleased that you're being cautious."

"It's simply part of my task," Teo replied shortly. After a moment's pause, he frowned and nodded towards the clearing. "Though I must confess… that disturbs me far more."

Telepe turned back around to see Tari standing in the center of the clearing, surrounded by a cloud of moths and radiating a bright, pale-yellow light. Beside them, Reili let out a soft chuckle.

"Ah, yes, I recall the first time I witnessed this," he remarked with the air of a seasoned veteran, to Telepe's private amusement. "It's awe-inspiring, isn't it?"

"Now watch closely, centurion," Pasare added with a soft chuckle as she folded her arms over her chest. "You're about to witness a miracle."

Telepe watched as Tari took a slow breath to prepare herself, and then she unfurled the scroll and stared into its depths. The light around her flared, and Telepe winced and looked away to avoid being blinded. A few moments later, the glare dimmed enough that he could turn back around to see Tari staring blankly ahead of her, her skin as white as snow.

Telepe strode quickly towards her, while Sparicus bound forward, barking loudly at his mistress. The spriggans watched them warily, but made no move to stop them. Sparicus reached Tari first and nudged her hand. She felt around for a few moments, then put her hand on his head as Telepe approached her.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly.

"Aside from being blinded? Yes," Tari assured him with a soft smile. She reached out towards him, and Telepe took her hand and brought it gently to his lips.

"May I ask what you saw?" he requested.

Tari exhaled softly, then shook her head. "This was a strange vision, even compared to what I've witnessed before," she said slowly. "I found myself staring at the noontime sky, though the moons were also out, and I watched Jone disappear behind Jode. When it did, the sun appeared to burn even brighter, and a single, pure white droplet fell from the heavens. It landed on an island near the White-Gold City, and from where it landed sprang a slender tree, pure white and without branches. It glowed like a star, radiating magicka, yet it also drew magic into itself at the same time.

"I then saw an upside-down bridge connecting the island to the mainland, and a pair of feet crossing it under the water. A faceless figure approached the sapling and plucked it from the earth, whereupon my vision turned to eight green stars surrounding a white tower – the Temple of the Ancestors, I assume. The tree sat in the center of the circle of stars and began rotating, and whenever its branches touched a star, that star vanished. As the eighth star disappeared, a golden shield shattered. I then heard an enraged woman screaming, and the last thing I recall was a pair of brilliant, rainbow-colored eyes glaring at me, burning with hatred, as a winged, golden figure slowly rose from a throne."

Telepe chewed the inside of his cheek thoughtfully, then slowly shook his head and sighed. "Well… some of that makes sense – the tower is likely the Temple of the Ancestors, like you said, and the winged figure is clearly Umaril – but much of it is still incomprehensible," he remarked with a wry chuckle.

"Yes, well… something else was made quite clear to me," Tari murmured, looking away from him. Telepe frowned as she hesitated, then took a deep breath and explained, "Before my vision ended, I heard a voice in my mind. It warned me that if I were to look upon the Elder Scroll again… I would be struck blind, permanently and irrevocably."

An icy spear of fear and dread pierced Telepe's chest, and he swallowed hard. Tari stepped a little closer to him, pushing her face into his chest. "I'm frightened, Telepe," she whispered. She looked up at him, and Telepe saw tears starting to well up into her eyes. He also noticed that her irises, once the brilliant emerald of the forest, were now a faint, pale green, hardly distinguishable from the whites of her eyes.

Telepe took a slow breath, then ran his fingers comfortingly through her hair. "Well… for now, we know that you'll retain your sight after this reading, so we need only wait until your vision returns, yes?" he pointed out to her in a gentle tone. "And perhaps we won't even need you to read the Scroll again. For now, try not to fret about it. You've told us more than enough."

"Indeed you have!" an unfamiliar voice exclaimed triumphantly. Telepe looked up from Tari, and his eyes widened with horror as an Ayleid man wearing a leather cuirass sauntered into the glade, sneering at them. "Thank you for sharing that prophecy. It shall be of great interest to Umaril."

Tari's mouth fell open as she stared blindly up at Telepe, while beside her, Sparicus growled and lowered himself into a defensive stance, his hackles raised and his ears back.

Telepe gently nudged Tari behind him, putting her hand on Sparicus' back, and then he drew his sword and pointed it at the interloper. "Foolish of you to reveal yourself," he pointed out drily. "Now all I need to do is capture or slay you to keep this secret."

"Indeed," the Ayleid replied sardonically in a calm tone. Too calm, Telepe realized with a frown. He considered the mer for a moment, then suddenly realized – he was nothing more than a distraction.

"Teo! Send your men into the jungle!" he shouted over his shoulder. "Do not let this elf's companions escape!"

"I already did!" Teo shouted back. To his right, Telepe could hear the telltale hoofbeats of Reili's horse pounding against the soft mud, accompanied by the rattling of Teo's hoplites hurrying into the underbrush.

"Very good of you," the Ayleid praised them sarcastically, pulling his own shortsword from his belt. "In the meantime, that woman needn't worry about being blinded by her next vision. Simply surrender the scroll and she can keep her eyes."

"How magnanimous of you," Telepe replied coldly as he lowered himself into a dueling stance. "But I must decline."

"Well… you might refuse me," the Ayleid smirked. "But not them."

The elf swept his arm towards the treeline, and out of the brush sauntered a quartet of dremora. The red-skinned Daedra chuckled and sneered as they drew their infernal weapons, already ablaze. The Ayleid shot them a grin, then turned back to Telepe.

"Now, if you'd be so kind as to-" he began.

Before he could finish his thought, a keening screech pierced the air behind Telepe, making his hair stand on end. Suddenly, the two spriggans launched themselves at the dremora, their long talons raking their crimson flesh. The daedra roared with pain and staggered backwards, reeling from the furious attack. The two that weren't being assaulted by the spriggans let out furious cries of their own and descended on the pair, swinging their axes furiously at the grove's guardians.

Telepe's eye was only drawn to the spectacle for a moment before the Ayleid suddenly tried to charge past him, reaching towards the scroll still held in Tari's hands. Before he could close his hand around it, however, Telepe turned and grabbed him by his collar, then yanked him back. His shoulder was nearly dislocated from the sudden change of momentum, but he managed to make the elf trip and fall to the ground. Telepe drew his sword back and stabbed at the prone Ayleid, though the elf managed to roll out of the way, so the point of Telepe's blade only pierced the soft earth.

As the Ayleid clambered to his feet, Telepe circled in front of Tari, pushing her behind him again. "Telepe? What is it?" she asked fearfully, her head swinging back and forth as she futilely tried to see what was going on.

"We're in a battle," Telepe replied tightly, holding his blade up to ward off the Ayleid circling around them. "Armor yourself, cover the Elder Scroll, and don't move."

Tari nodded and whispered something under her breath. A flash of violet light enveloped her, and a moment later, her body was covered in a thin layer of stone. She then curled in on herself, protecting the scroll with her body. Sparicus stepped in front of her, growling and barking ferociously at the Ayleid, who simply smirked and looked past Telepe, who shot a furtive glance over his shoulder.

To his horror, the dremora were furiously hacking at the spriggans, who were alight with flame and staggering away from the assault, shrieking with pain. Deep gouges had been carved into their wooden flesh, and their bright green eyes seemed to be dimmed with pain. They backed away from the chuckling, snarling dremora, who continued to advance on them.

Before they could pursue the guardians, however, a hail of javelins suddenly erupted from the forest. One of the dremora screamed and fell to the ground, lifeless, while the others managed to raise their shields and barely ward off the attack. Fifty of Teo's hoplites emerged from the ferns, standing in a loose phalanx formation with their spears pointed at the attackers. However, Telepe noticed that rather than trying to remain in a straight line, they were instead bending at the flanks, trying to surround the dremora.

Movement out of the corner of Telepe's eye caught his attention, and he turned in time to parry a vicious thrust from the Ayleid. He stepped back and retaliated with a quick thrust of his own, though the elf managed to turn the blow aside before slashing at Telepe's face. Telepe swayed away from the blow and pivoted, jabbing at the Ayleid three times. Though each thrust was blocked, the elf was driven back a few steps.

Snarling, the Ayleid raised his hand and began chanting under his breath. Telepe quickly gathered magicka into his own hand, and before the elf could unleash his spell, he loosed a green bolt of energy from his palm. The elf ducked out of the way, but the disruption made him lose his concentration, and the violet magicka he was gathering disappeared in his hand. Before he could continue, Telepe stepped in and slashed at him in a short, quick arc.

The point of Telepe's blade grazed the elf's shoulder, and there was a flash of red light. For a moment, Telepe felt a surge of elation, and he held his breath to see if the mer would turn and run. To his disappointment, the Ayleid's eyes only widened with fright for a moment before he managed to calm himself and reset his stance with a smirk.

Before Telepe could pursue him, the Ayleid whispered under his breath and gathered magicka in his hand again. As he released the spell, bark began to creep along his skin, encasing him in a protective shell of wood. He then sneered and raised his sword again, daring Telepe to come at him.

Before Telepe answered his challenge, he spared a glance over his shoulder and saw, to his dismay, that about six of Teo's men had already been felled by the dremora. However, the daedra had been injured as well. All were bleeding from deep cuts on their bodies, and one was favoring his leg and limping. Even so, it seemed that the hoplites only barely keeping themselves from breaking and running as the dremora weathered their attacks.

Off to side, the spriggans were leaning against the trees, clutching their wounded bodies. One opened her mouth and let out another cry – a low, mournful moan. Moments later, a loud crashing resounded through the jungle, and the earth began to tremble. The crashing quickly drew closer, and after a few moments, an enormous bear, at least thirty feet, high, burst into the clearing, roaring furiously. Its deep brown eyes fell on the spriggans, then turned to the dremora and their flaming weapons. The bear let out another bellowing roar and swiped a massive paw at one of the daedra. The dremora was sent flying through the air and slammed into a tree on the opposite end of the clearing, where it crumpled to the ground and lay still.

Telepe smirked as he turned back to the Ayleid, who hesitated at the sight of the enormous bear, fear plain on his face, even through the wood covering it. After a moment, however, a determined look settled over his face, and he turned back to Telepe with a snarl. Telepe was taken aback, and privately had to commend the elf for his courage – or stubbornness.

The Ayleid swiped at him, swinging his sword in a short arc towards Telepe's left shoulder. Telepe managed to block the blow, but before he could counter, the Ayleid stepped in and twisted his wrist, dislodging his blade from Telepe's. A second strike swung low towards Telepe's hip, and Telepe only barely managed to shift in time to lessen the impact of the blow. Pain shot through his hip as the short blade cut into his flesh, though the blow was too weak to do more than open a gash in his skin before it was stopped by his hip bone.

Telepe hissed and stepped back, trying not to put too much weight on his wounded leg. The Ayleid sneered and jabbed at his face, but Telepe swayed to the side, and the blade missed. Before the Ayleid could pull his sword back, Telepe brought his sword up and slashed his wrist. Though the bark did protect the mer, Telepe's blow cut deep enough to open a wound on his dark bronze skin. The elf gasped and he tried to step back, but Telepe hounded him as he backed away. Ignoring the pain in his hip, he thrusted at the elf three times. Each time, the Ayleid parried the blows, but he was forced to continue backpedaling, as Telepe would not allow him to regain his balance. Finally, Telepe knelt down and thrusted at the Ayleid's shin.

His blade sliced through the wood covering the elf's leg, but to his dismay, it was too shallow to break the skin. At that moment, the Ayleid suddenly rushed past him, his bright blue eyes fixated on Tari, who was still curled on the ground with her eyes closed. The elf's hand stretched towards her, a victorious sneer on his face.

Terror and rage seized Telepe as the elf lunged for his lover, and without thinking, he twisted around and thrusted his sword, aiming high. The slender blade drove deep into the back of the Ayleid's neck, just above his armor. Telepe's eyes widened in horror as the Ayleid let out a gurgling cough and fell to the ground, clutching the back of his neck, his legs twitching wildly. He managed to roll over onto his back and stare up at Telepe defiantly, hatred burning in his eyes.

"This… changes nothing," he sputtered, hacking out a choking laugh. "We shall… deliver this prophecy… to Umaril. You… have failed."

Telepe stared down at the elf for a long moment as he continued to cackle madly. Partially out of fury, and partially out of pity for his mortally wounded foe, Telepe placed the tip of his blade against the elf's throat. "Silence," he said coldly, pushing his sword down until the elf stopped moving. He then quickly withdrew his sword and hurried over to Tari.

"Are you hurt?" he asked anxiously, kneeling beside her.

Tari uncurled slightly, glancing around uncertainly with unseeing eyes. "No," she assured him softly, feeling around for Sparicus. The dog immediately nudged her stone-covered hand with his nose, and she clutched his fur gently as he pushed his large body into her. "Did we repel them?"

Telepe looked up and gazed around the clearing. Near the edge of the treeline, the enormous bear was chasing the last dremora into the woods. Teo, who had been fending off the Daedra with the rest of his men, lowered his spear, then looked around the clearing at his fallen men. A regretful grimace spread across his face, and he let out a sigh before turning to his men. "Well done," he announced with a brief nod. "There's not enough light for us to march back, so we'll make camp here. Gather the wounded and see to their injuries." He paused, then turned to the two spriggans, who were curled up under a tree. "If… you do not object?" he asked them hesitantly.

The spriggans stared at him curiously, and for a moment, it seemed as though they didn't understand his question. However, one finally nodded, then motioned to the opposite end of the clearing, as far from the canticle tree as possible. Teo smiled and nodded back, and then he seemed to realize that he was being watched. He turned towards Telepe, managing a weary smile, and he hurried over to them.

"Are you two unharmed?" he asked, kneeling beside them. He noticed the blood staining Telepe's breeches, and his smile faded slightly. "Let's see to-"

"It's nothing more than a cut," Telepe said, waving him off. "I'll pour some wine over it and treat it with some herbs. Tend to those that need aid far more than I do. More importantly, did we slay all of our ambushers?"

Teo frowned faintly and looked up, letting out a soft sigh. "I believe so."

"Belief is not enough," Telepe said firmly. "Tari's prophecies have thus far been related to Umaril's pact with Meridia and the barrier surrounding his city. While I do not know the meaning of her latest vision, we cannot let word of this prophecy reach Umaril. If it does, it may cost us our chance to strike at the heart of his army."

"I see. Rest assured, I'll send who I can into the jungle," Teo said placatingly. When Telepe narrowed his eyes insistently, he called over one of his decani and quickly relayed what Telepe had said. The decanus nodded and called together her own men to repeat what she'd been told, then ordered them into the jungle. One or two of the men groaned, but they immediately set off at a run in pursuit of anyone who might have escaped. Only once they were out of sight did Telepe let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you," he said with a grateful nod. When he saw Teo giving him a mildly annoyed look, he explained, "I'm no fool. It'll be dark soon, and I don't expect those men shall find any other scouts before night falls. But we must still make the attempt."

"I suppose you're correct," Teo sighed, folding his arms over his chest. "In the meantime, let's make camp. If nothing else, our warriors shall appreciate returning to a warm meal."

As they ate their evening meal, a bittersweet mood permeated the camp. On the one hand, there was a sense of elation that a mere century had managed to repel several daedra when entire lines of phalanxes had failed to do the same. However, there were still several wounded men, and a few had already passed away from their injuries. Thus, there was no true celebration of their victory, just a quiet sense of satisfaction that they had done as well as could be hoped.

"You must be pleased that your idea to use javelins worked well," Telepe remarked as he fed another stick to the fire that he and a dozen other men were sitting around, including Teo. Tari was leaning into his side with her eyes closed, while Sparicus' tail thumped against the ground as he lay at her feet, gnawing on a bit of dried venison.

"It's good that we triumphed, yes," Teo agreed modestly around a mouthful of boiled beans. He swallowed, then added, "However, I don't know if all of our hoplites should be armed javelins. It takes too long to change hands after one throws a javelin to switch back to their spear. The phalanx relies upon discipline, timing, and cohesion, and if the enemy can close the distance once the javelins are thrown but before we can lower our spears…."

"I also didn't enjoy skirmishing in heavy armor," another one of the hoplites piped up. Teo turned towards him, and he winced, seemingly worried that the centurion would chastise him for speaking out of turn. When Teo motioned for him to continue, however, he explained, "It's tiring, trying to run about while clad in bronze. I feel that leather would not be as exhausting."

"Mm. Then perhaps this idea is only suitable for light infantry," Teo mused.

"Even so," Telepe continued, smiling warmly at the centurion. "You did well. You innovated, and you had some success. You fared far better against those dremora than expected, so perhaps there's a place for javelins to be used in the future. More importantly, though, is that you showed both initiative and cleverness. Both are in short supply, especially in this army, when most centurions seem content to simply obey Morihaus without question. You're a rarity, centurion."

"You flatter me," Teo replied modestly.

"I intend to do far more than that," Telepe replied with a chuckle. "Once we return, I'll personally recommend you to Morihaus. I don't know how much weight my voice will carry, especially in military matters, but it's the least I can do. This rebellion needs more men like you."

Teo flushed as his men let out cries of agreement. A few of the hoplites slapped him on the back, nearly spilling his bowl as they did, which had them breaking into laughter. Telepe chuckled as well, until he heard rustling in the bushes behind him.

Turning, he gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and warily watched the treeline, until Reili stepped out from the ferns, still sitting astride his horse. He was clearly exhausted, and his bronze armor glistened with moisture from the vegetation he had been riding through. Telepe also noticed the bronze tip of his spear glistening with a thick red liquid in the firelight.

"Welcome back," Telepe greeted him. "What news?"

"I hunted down all I could," Reili sighed warily as he dismounted his horse. "I slew at least four, but I don't know if that's all that were part of their scouting party. I also don't believe I can hunt any more tonight – it's simply too dark."

"Well… that shall have to suffice, then," Telepe sighed. "Thank you. Come," he added, holding a bowl out to him.

Reili flashed a relieved grin and took the bowl just as there came another rustling in the bushes. Moments later, Pasare emerged, leading an unfamiliar young Nordic man who looked utterly exhausted, as though he had been running for hours.

"Telepe! I bring important news!" Pasare exclaimed. "Or, rather, he does! Cevus here has an important message from King Vrage!"

"Does he?" Telepe asked, pushing himself up and dusting himself off, giving the pair a warm smile. "If he's asking when we'll return, he can rest assured that we'll return to Narfinsel in the morning-"

"No!" the young man exclaimed. "My king insists that you do not return to Narfinsel! You must ride to Elenglynn with all haste!"

Telepe's smile faded at the young man's dire tone. "Truly?" he asked warily. "I hadn't expected him to have won the siege so swiftly."

"He hasn't," the young man replied with a shake of his head. "A small group of Nords, numbering perhaps three hundred, decided that rather than participate in the siege with the rest of the army, they would prefer to seek glory by sacking a city by themselves. A man that they tried to convince to join them informed Vrage of their scheme shortly after they departed. They rode ahead to Elenglynn to destroy the city!"

The color drained out of Telepe's face. "What?! We intended to negotiate with them, not attack them!" he exclaimed.

"My king said the same," the young man agreed grimly. "You must travel to Elenglynn immediately… before these fools ruin our chance to win the city without bloodshed."

A/N: Since there's been a bit of confusion about the materials of this era, allow me to explain. This story takes place in Tamriel's Bronze Age, when the dominant metal is, naturally, bronze. While iron is more common than copper and tin, and people are aware of how much stronger iron is, the techniques for smelting and forging it haven't been invented yet. Smiths can't make fires that burn hot enough to melt iron, and while magical flames can, the mages casting the spells run out of energy too quickly for them to be of any use. There are only a few places in Tamriel that have forges that can melt iron, such as the Skyforge. The Dwemer are also well beyond the Iron Age, but they're reclusive and jealously guard their techniques. The Altmer of Alinor are also likely on the cusp of discovering iron smelting techniques, or have just learned them. In any case, bronze will remain the dominant metal for quite some time, though that will gradually begin to change.

Also, for anyone interested in learning more about Teo, and the role he'll play in history, I'd recommend reading the in-game book Daughter of the Niben.