The Graht-Oak trees shimmered with a lush, emerald green as Valdalf, Eralin, and Ash'Nerahvii hurried a few miles down the dirt path away from the prison. Even though she had lived in Valenwood her whole life, Eralin couldn't help but stare in wonder at the beautiful Middle-Green. The second sky of leaves created by the canopy of the impossibly large trees seemed to strike awe in everyone who saw them. Even though Eralin had only been in prison for a few days, the sight of the monkeys swinging through the vast tree branches and the buzzing insects going about their day only filled her with nostalgia. Though the awe hadn't quite struck Valdalf and Ash'Nerahvii the same way, it didn't stop them from noticing the intricate patterns strewn across the dirt path from the sunlight shining through the leaves.

'I'm not typically one for nature' Ash'Nerahvii started, 'but after being in a cramped jail for three days, I'll never take the sunlight for granted again.'

'Oh, kind of like last time you got us arrested when you stopped taking "being able to eat when you want" for granted.' joked Valdalf.

Snatching a fly out of the air, Ash'Nerahvii boasted 'Never took it for granted.'

'What's with that face, Eralin?' Valdalf inquired with a slight smirk.

'Ash is 26 and yet still has the pride of an eight-year-old.' she said with an arched brow. Noticing Ash'Nerahvii still chewing on the fly as they walked near the trunk of a Graht-Oak, Eralin blurted out like a stern mother, 'Spit that out! Now! You never know what diseases those things might have.'

'That is very true.' remarked a slow voice, startling the three travelers. Searching around wildly for the source, all Valdalf could see was the Middle-Green for miles and Antelope grazing in the distance. Ash'Nerahvii perked his black, furry ears, 'Who said that?' he shouted, listening intently for the voice to return.

'Me!' cried the slow voice again.

'Uhm, yeah, that was very helpful.' replied Eralin, sarcasm seeping from her voice as she tried to look between the trees.

'Try being a little more specific, mystery man!' cried Valdalf, now readying what little electric magic he knew in his right hand.

'Well maybe if you looked behind you, I wouldn't have to be specific.' joked the slow voice.

All three of them turned around, staring down the empty dirt path glistening in the morning sunlight that managed to seep through the leaves. Still confused by the lack of apparent source of the voice, Ash'Nerahvii huffed and unsheathed his claws. 'Khajiit don't take too kindly to these kinds of games, voice!' the cat hissed with annoyance.

'Woah, no need to get all up in a fuss.'

'Well, we're looking behind us and still don't see you, mystery man.' Valdalf said with annoyed confusion growing on his face.

'I am the tree that you are looking at!' the voice said with a jovial laugh.

Now looking ever so slightly to the left of the path, the three spotted the Graht-Oak tree they just recently walked past. A sudden flood of confusion arranged itself on Eralin's face, before she let out a sigh, her blushed cheeks now relaxing as the breath vanished from her mouth.

'Pardon our mistakes and rudeness, old one.' said Eralin with a slight curtsy, a smile of embarrassment now strewn across her face.

'No need to apologize, it is hard to tell the difference between plant and creature in these lands.' the old Graht-Oak tree slowly uttered with gentleness. 'It's not often an old tree like me comes across people to converse with. Although…' the tree paused.

'You saw someone else come this way?' Valdalf questioned with eagerness.

'Some strange folk have been wandering about. You three not being an exception. I don't often see people dressed in clothes like that.'

The three looked down at their ragged tunics and pants given by the prison. 'Clothes might be a bit too fancy of a word.' laughed Valdalf.

The three now huddled in front of the great trunk of the tree, its roots spilling onto and under the dirt path.

'What do you mean by 'strange folk?'' Ash'Nerahvii asked, his arms now tucked snugly together across his chest.

'I dare not repeat what I saw.' the old tree said with a sudden shudder. 'But I will warn you, it is wise to ask of me for defense against these travelers.'

'And by what do you mean?' Eralin asked with suspicion.

'Tell me, Bosmer. What is your choice of weapon?'

Eralin cocked her head at the tree's question, but as she apprehensively replied with 'Bow 'n Arrow', the three were taken by surprise when a longbow, wooden arrows, and a set of armor emerged from the tree trunk.

'The armor is woven from my leaves and although cloth-like, it is deceivingly thick. And what will it be for you two?'

Awestruck by the tree's show of power, Valdalf and Ash'Nerahvii both stood nearly motionless, mouths agape, before finally answering. And almost instantly, the tree carved of itself two wooden swords that could rival the finest metal and two sets of similar armor.

'I only hope of you three to defend yourselves when the time comes, these forests need no bloodshed. Now farewell, travelers. Have a safe journey off to wherever you are headed. But fare my warning, strange folk have walked these roads. I'd be remiss to let three die on my lands.'

The three travelers all bowed to and thanked the tree for its kindness after changing into their armor, then made haste onto the path.

Another mile down the path, the forest grew darker as the Middle-Green above them condensed. The path also started to slope down into a small cliff on their left-hand side. Valdalf noticed this and convinced the other two to sit down on the cliff edge to rest, their feet still able to touch the soft ground, piled with damp leaves. The smell of grass and Graht-Oak sap from their armor permeated their noses. The three bathed in the echoes of sunlight for a few minutes before Valdalf spoke up.

'So, the tree saw this elf too.'

'It is suspicious' started Ash'Nerahvii, 'but I still highly doubt Captain Nightthorn saw the details right.'

'In no way did she actually see a real Dwarf, it's impossible.' Eralin said with her eyebrows lowered in confusion. But as she sat there pondering, she couldn't find reasonable explanations as to the human-shaped light and explosion in the prison.

Eralin looked up at Valdalf, 'Hey, is there a reason you never dismissed her claim?'

'Well, I kind of believe her.' Valdalf thought to himself. Ash'Nerahvii looked at him and almost immediately scoffed with a smile, 'No, no. I know that face. Do not tell me you believe the crazy old woman.'

'It's not necessarily that I believe her,' he began, 'it's just that I don't want to rule it out as a possibility. Yes, it seems impossible, but who's to say one can't return? On top of that, I've been thinking during our travel, and I just don't have many explanations for what happened.'

'And our guard, he too said it was an elf.' Eralin remembered.

Ash'Nerahvii now looked at the two with his left brow perched, the top of his claw mark scar now scrunched together over his brow. His olive-green eyes studied their expressions and revealed their worry and truthfulness.

'I shall relent, obviously the explosion's origin is unknown. And that strange woman, she seemed to be counting down to the explosion. But calling the elf a "Dwarf" I'll save until I see it with my own two eyes. As far as I'm concerned, there's no ruling out the High Elf wench from this equation.' the Khajiit said, now pondering every possibility in his mind.

'At least when we get back to Elden Root, we'll have quite a story to tell.' Valdalf then stood up a few seconds later, waiting for the other two to follow suit. Grabbing her bow and helping Ash'Nerahvii to his feet, Eralin strutted onto the dirt path again, her vermillion hair flowing behind her. As the three walked a few feet down the path, a summer's breeze kicked up, seemingly carrying bird song along its windy tendrils. The creak of branch far up in the sky moved in tandem with the voices of the birds, almost like the rhythm of drums underlying a luscious singing.

'I've traveled these forests hundreds of times, but still, the smell of damp wood and the sight of the second sky of trees is mesmerizing.' Valdalf couldn't help but think as he slid his hand across the rough Graht-Oak trees they passed.

Turning around to gaze upon the others to see if they still felt the wonder, Valdalf noticed Eralin a few steps behind. 'What are you doing?'

Now standing up from the side of the road she was huddled over, 'Footprints.' she hesitated.

Ash'Nerahvii and Valdalf both stopped then rushed over to her. Looking down, Valdalf reached out to the soft dirt, the song of birds continuing in the distant Middle-Green. Feeling the ridges of the footprint as the dirt crumpled beneath him, his eyes squinted. 'Seventh hundredth year, First Era make.'

Eralin let an exhausted breath escape as Ash'Nerahvii studied another footprint. 'Two ridges. The ridges separate the heel, middle, and toes of the foot. Ten lines of traction in each segment, but the toes of the boot are tractionless near the tip. Two symmetrical circles on the heel. Wide, sturdy build, no flattening of the foot, certainly made of metal.' Ash'Nerahvii and Valdalf's eyes met each other's and confirmed in their minds that the footprints belonged to boots of the First Era.

'A part of me wants to believe it's a joke. Some bandits raided the Dwemer Ruins up in Skyrim or Morrowind and came here.'

'Me too.' Ash'Nerahvii's voice escaped at Eralin's remark.

'And yet, the only answer I can come up with is that one returned.' Now standing and clutching his chin, Valdalf studied the footprints, steadily following along their path.

His concentration remained on the footsteps embedded in the dirt path even after a mile further into the woods. The other two were silent, similarly studying the path of once-present boots, but growing wearier of the darkening of the sky of leaves. It wasn't until a stray ray of morning light peered through the sea of green and onto the dirt path that something finally caught Valdalf's attention. Searching for the flash of golden light that bloomed in the corner of his eye, Valdalf traced his gaze along the right-hand side of the road.

Running over to the gleaming light, he bent down and brushed away a pile of moss-green leaves. Picking up the source of the light, and cradling it in his hands, the glint flickered across the golden ring now pinched between his fingers.

His fingers swathed over and felt each indent on the gold surface of the ring. 'Dwemeris' he muttered, now able to make out the indents as glyphs carved in the hard gold.

Eralin and Ash'Nerahvii hustled over to the glistening ring now presented in Valdalf's hand. Ash'Nerahvii's eyes gaped open, 'It cannot be.'

'But it is, and it's in my palm.'

'That must be its name carved into the ring.' Eralin took the jewelry from Valdalf's fingers and studied the Dwemeris intently.

'I guess we have something to bring back to Nightthorn. Ha! The old woman wasn't crazy after all.' Ash'Nerahvii's eyes fixated on the Dwemeris letters.

Valdalf let Eralin keep the ring in her armor's pockets, knowing that with him he'd managed to lose it somehow. The three walked further down the dirt path, keeping an eye on the footprints, until a sudden divergence appeared. To the left, the road continued to Elden Root, and yet the footprints followed the path to the right. Valdalf hesitated to take a direction, 'I should keep going to Elden Root' he reminded himself again and again in his head. 'But those footprints…'

Almost like a subconscious agreement, the three cautiously wandered down the path to the right and continued along the footprints.

Not long in, Eralin let worry perspire in her mind. Seeing every possibility, she couldn't stop thinking about the dangers. 'What if this is a trap, Valdalf?' Guilt seeped into her head, disappointment radiating through memories of her raising Valdalf. Her fury sank into her past self. 'This has to be a few bandits trying to get lucky with gold! I don't want to imagine what they might do! You know that I can't let you get hurt! I'd only disappoint her again!'

Eralin's hand involuntarily clasped against her quivering lips. Valdalf turned only to be met by her dampening eyes, her face flushed with embarrassment.

'She knew you didn't have money; she'd understand.' Valdalf looked longingly, a nostalgic smile carving its way into his cheeks, 'I'd think she'd like the tales I've lived.'

'But what would she think of me? Irresponsible.' Eralin's eyes fell as she sunk into herself.

'Yes… or someone who let her boy live life to the fullest. I like to think she knew… she knew you'd let me grow and make mistakes. Out of all my family in the Summerset Isles I could've been entrusted to; she still chose the Bosmer from Valenwood.'

His mind brimmed with nostalgia as the three of them continued down the path. Ash'Nerahvii, silently studying the footprints, ignored the 'family sap' (in his own words) as his Graht-Oak leaf boots softly skimmed across the dirt.

This portion of the woods seemed to grow darker to Ash'Nerahvii as they further traversed, feeling as though night was descending upon them like a dragon to a village. Even with the Khajiit's great eyes, the dark still slithered into sight, making it hard for him to track the footprints. A subtle feeling, however, lifted his ears without control. His gaze broke from the dirt path and lifted into the shadows of the Middle-Green. Wandering behind Eralin and Valdalf cautiously, he couldn't quite make out what involuntarily caught his attention. Nothing looked out of place from what he could tell as his eyes traced the tree branches of the second sky, no odd smells permeating the breeze either. Noticing the breeze, however, he couldn't tell what made it so eerie to him at first. As soon as he noticed how loud Valdalf and Eralin's footsteps were though, it finally clicked, the fur on his spine and tail now puffing up like a terrified kitten.

The forest was utterly and completely silent.

Ash'Nerahvii's pupils dilated until they nearly overcame the green of his irises. 'Stop walking.' he whispered. Valdalf and Eralin turned around to find Ash'Nerahvii staring down the long, shadowed path they just came from.

'Why, wh-'

Ash'Nerahvii's hiss immediately silenced Valdalf. The two elves now noticed the Khajiit's fur and the eeriness of the forest's death-like silence. Ash'Nerahvii's motionlessness felt like an eternity, before he finally turned his head to the two elves. 'Off the path, now.' the cat murmured.

The three cautiously scampered over to a Graht-Oak growing out off the side of the path and down a small cliff. Eralin hid herself under the overhang, curtained by the roots of the tree while Valdalf and Ash'Nerahvii slid under the bridge of roots keeping the tree standing on the edge of the small cliff. Eralin and Valdalf both looked over to Ash'Nerahvii, meeting his gaze. 'Something… is coming…' he silently worded through his lips.

The three travelers, barely perceivable, sat still for minutes on end while the silence of the forest only grew louder. Eralin's eyes fixated on the insects surrounding her; the bugs sat like stone, as if their lives depended on it.

The atmosphere of the woods shifted, the silence now feeling like it pulsated in the travelers' eardrums. Each breath they took carved out patterns in the fog that now slinked through the Graht-Oaks. The summer air seemed to dematerialize, and in its place a deathly cold pierced through.

Even through restlessness, no one dared to make any movement, their breaths now shallow as the fog grew thicker. Waiting under the tree roots though, Valdalf and Ash'Nerahvii both picked up something breaking the fluctuating silence, their eyes now wild and madlike.

Ring… Ring… Ring…

Both frozen, staring at Eralin, the sound was unmistakable. The ringing, grasping closer with a fierceness, was the bell of a funeral temple. Approaching with the noise seemed to be a cavalcade of horse riders; their horses' galloping echoing and cracking like a distant thunder closing in.

Ring… Ring… Ring…

Each shrill ring, shattering through the still and dying air, raised the hair on the back of Eralin's neck like deathly spines piercing from her skin. The galloping of horses grew louder and approached the Graht-Oak with a vicious fury. The thundering hooves fell silent, stopping before the great tree on the path. From under the roots and the overhang, the three heard the loud and harsh neigh of a singular horse shatter through the silent forest. A sudden thud emerged from the path, followed by the quiet ruffles of cloth and clinking of armored boots.

The boots sundered the dirt and twigs before them, snapping like fractured bones, making their slow way towards the Graht-Oak. With each step, the dirt of the overhang crumbled into Eralin's hair and revealed a multitude of frozen colonies of bugs above her. The boots stomped and wandered until they reached the Graht-Oak and grew quiet. Valdalf and Ash'Nerahvii both stopped breathing as the boots landed right above them. To Valdalf, it felt like hours as silence persisted through the dense fog now covering the entire forest.

Creeeeaaakkkk…

The sound of claws thudding and scratching against the rough surface of the Graht-Oak above them nearly caused the three of them to drop dead as their hearts raced. The sound of cloth rubbing together seemed to weave to the left and right of the tree as if whatever it was was searching for them. Huffs and croaks slinked into the atmosphere, disappearing into the thickness of the fog with a disappointment. A whole Era seemed to have passed before the boots slowly lurched back to the horse they came from. The huffing of a singular horse was then followed by more persistent silence. But dread seeped into the hearts of the three travelers as a cacophony erupted from the path, seemingly a thousand souls of the damned screeching at once, searing through the entire sky.

The cries of the damned searched and echoed through the woods in front of the travelers. The screams carved tendrils through the fog and seemed to have darkened everything before them. A singular horse reared and cried with a shrill wail, then took off down the path with an army of thunderous hooves following behind it.

Hastily, the three removed themselves from the now dying Graht-Oak and scurried back the way they came. As Ash'Nerahvii and Eralin hurried without a second thought, Valdalf looked back down the path. And hidden within the veils of the fog, rode a singular horse rider clothed in an ethereal black cloak, riding atop a horse as black as the night with scarlet eyes illuminating its path.

The reeking stench of lingering death emanating from the fog broke Valdalf from his concentration on the abyssal rider galloping away into the shadows of the forest. His fear coursed through his veins and sent him sprinting past Ash'Nerahvii and Eralin, who tried their best to keep up with him.

'What in Oblivion was that?' he repeated in his head until it no longer felt like a real sentence. His heart was nearly beating through his ribcage as his footfall dragged him back to the divergence in the path and down the dirt road to Elden Root out of the fog.

About a mile down the road, Valdalf had to stop and haul himself to the side of the road to expel the most vile concoction of fear and bile.

'Did you see them? What was it?' Eralin demanded as she caught up to the now slumped High Elf. His exhausted gaze landed on her face, and he tried his best to force out his words, 'Yeah… and I don't know, and frankly, I don't want to know.'

Ash'Nerahvii sat down next to him, his fur still puffed up in defense. 'I need to rest. At least until my fur goes down.'

'And after that, we leave like our life depends on it.' Valdalf huffed.

'Or until those riders come back this way.'

'No,' Valdalf corrected Eralin, 'rider.'

Her garnet eyes grew, 'Then we go now.' she commanded. The two got up to her grave demand and almost unquestioningly walked further down the path, their adrenaline keeping them from fainting. Valdalf noticed her now fidgeting with the ring while seemingly lost in thought as they walked further down the road. 'She's keeping something from me.' he thought to himself.

They continued down the pathway to Elden Root as quick as their trembling legs could take them. Valdalf caught quick glimpses of Eralin now mouthing words to herself while still fidgeting with the Dwarf's ring.

'I presume you know who our friend was?' he asked. The only response he got was a huff before she started chewing on her nails.

The road finally led to a less dense portion of the Graht-Oak Forest about another mile in. The now evening light shone through the leaves of the second sky in an emerald haze while birdsong and the howls of monkeys finally grew present again. But nevertheless, Eralin's evident nervousness only seemed to seep its own way into Valdalf and Ash'Nerahvii's minds.

'Is everything, uh… okay with you?' the Khajiit worried.

Eralin removed her fingers from her mouth and uttered, 'Uh… yeah. But as soon as we get to Elden Root, we head home first.' her eyes sharpened into a stern look.

Just as Ash'Nerahvii opened his mouth to break the tension with a joke, his eyes caught a glimmer down a side path the three were coming upon. He stopped in his tracks as his pupils searched for the source of the shining and eventually fixated on something in the near distance. He stood still trying to make out what he was seeing, but the blindingly green lights kept preventing him from getting a full view. Whatever it was eventually strode under a more shadowed part of the Middle-Green and as Ash'Nerahvii realized what he was staring at, he caught the attention of Valdalf and Eralin with a small 'Psst'.

As the two searched for what stole Ash'Nerahvii's attention, they stood still in disbelief as well. Walking along the side path was a tall, light-blue elf in gold armor with shaggy hair decorated in golden ornaments. The three then both whispered together in amazement, 'The Dwarf'. Just then, the Dwarf had turned its head around and froze as still as stone as it looked them straight in the eyes. For a few long seconds, neither the three travelers nor the Dwarf made any sudden movements as their unwilling staring competition took place. Valdalf almost flinched when the Dwarf eventually took a small step back then another.

'Don't go, we're not going to hurt you' he said while his hands raised calmly. The Dwarf didn't take heed of the High Elf, and quickly slipped between the Graht-Oak trees, leaving dust in its wake. The three travelers then took off after the Dwarf and slipped into the dense forest where it fled. Valdalf led the other two weaving through the thick, sappy trees and over their large roots. They could see the Dwarf powering through the woods as they continued to tramp through the damp leaves.

The roots seemed to grow taller the deeper in the forest they got yet still not impeding the Dwarf who ran like the apocalypse was behind it. The three travelers all got tripped up in the roots of a massive Graht-Oak tree in the middle of a clearing. Having landed straight onto his face, Valdalf picked up his dirt covered head after a solid minute of lying still from embarrassment.

His head swiveled to catch the snickering Khajiit and worried elf behind him, them too covered in dirt. Ash'Nerahvii stood, now brushing leaves and remnants of grass from his Graht-Oak leaf armor and plucking twigs from his fur. 'Who could've guessed Dwarves were so agile.'

'You didn't break anything, did you?' Eralin called, now hurrying over to Valdalf and swiping the dirt off of his armor.

'No, but now we lost the Dwarf. I didn't see what direction it went.'

'Oh, I saw what direction it went.' called a great, old voice.

Startled, all three travelers looked for the source of the great voice. Valdalf looked around the small clearing, yet all he could see was a mossy stone right in the middle, a Lilac Willow tree and a few Graht-Oak of varying mossy and floral descriptions circling the edge. Suddenly, another great voice erupted through the clearing, 'No, you did not!'

Valdalf traced the source to the edge of the clearing but couldn't tell which Graht-Oaks were speaking. 'Yes, in fact, I did!' The three travelers fixed their heads to a Graht-Oak on the left-hand side of the clearing, its roots ornamented in green moss and its trunk erupting with violet Sprigleaf flowers.

'And I certainly saw the Dwarf better than you did!' cried the flowered tree.

'You don't even have eyes!' The three travelers then landed their gazes on the smaller Graht-Oak to the right-hand side, its sage-green leaves drooping down.

'Neither do you, nimrod!' cried the flowered tree.

'At least I can tell what direction the Dwarf actually went!' the shorter tree argued.

'Oh please, you can't even photosynthesize anymore!'

'You don't even know what a Dwarf is!'

'Yes, I do!'

'Then define it, you Graht-Oaf!'

'... Well, I certainly know it's not as ugly as the color of your leaves, that's for sure!'

'And I certainly know that if it were dead, it'd still be smarter than you!'

'Your roots are ugly!'

'So is your face!'

'I don't even have one, dimwit!'

'Thank the Divines, you did us a favor!'

Valdalf chuckled out loud at the trees' insults, having never seen two Graht-Oaks verbally abuse each other with such vigor. Eralin stepped up and tried to interrupt the argument, 'But what direction did it go in!'

'That direction!' cried both of the trees at the same time.

'Khajiit are typically good at taking directions, but neither of you actually pointed to anywhere.'

'It went to my right!' cried the flowered Graht-Oak.

'No! It went to my right!' cried the shorter Graht-Oak.

'They're the same thing, you buffoon!'

'No, they're not!'

'Mind explaining to me that one then, genius!'

'Because my right is better than yours, you weed!'

'And how's that, then?'

'... I actually change my mind! My right is worse!'

'And why's that? Obviously because mine is better!'

'No! It's because you're to my right!'

Now taking off to the right-hand side of the clearing, the three wildly fled into the dense woods. Even after leaving, all three could hear the two Graht-Oaks still bickering in the distance. The mushy leaves and great roots displayed heavy footsteps stomping off in a crescent headed back towards the original path. The three travelers sprinted onto the dirt road and followed the footprints all the way to a giant clearing in the Middle-Green.

'It came to Elden Root.' Valdalf declared, now staring up at the biggest tree in Valenwood, its roots and branches containing an entire city.

'No point in tracking it anymore, it's the guards' responsibility now.' the Khajiit lazily replied, his hands now clasped around the back of his head as he wandered further down the path.

The three traveled further down the road they came, crossing over a bridge, and headed to the two homes on the right-hand side of the path. The two houses stood before one of the Elden Tree's roots which towered over the homes. Both houses were fashioned out of minor roots from the Elden Tree that stood two stories high in the shape and texture of a pod cone. Valdalf and Eralin entered their house, affectionately referred to as the Snugpod, while Ash'Nerahvii entered his, the Pinehut.

Eralin hastily made her way up the stairs to her bedroom and Valdalf to his. Unlocking her trunk, the Wood Elf retrieved her finely made Hunting Bow, the Nightshade. She grabbed a set of arrows, as well as a satchel brimming with flowers, fungi and animal parts and rushed to her alchemy table. She opened the cabinet below and gathered an array of potions, soul stones, and septims and summoned her items into a pocket-safe along with Herbalist Guides and Alchemical Recipes.

Valdalf, attempting to remove his Graht-Oak leaf armor, managed to slip out of his boots, fall his way out of the trousers, and lunge directly into his wardrobe in an attempt to remove the torso piece. After rearranging his fallen clothing, he threw on steel-plated armor he wore on every one of his adventures. Searching through his small oval-shaped wooden room, the Altmer grabbed a steel sword and a pocket-safe storing septims and journals. He hustled his way out into the dimly lit hallway and made it half-way down the creaking steps.

'Ahem…' Eralin coughed at the foot of the steps, her arms crossed, and her brow arched.

'Fine, I'll get them.' he said as he stomped back up the steps.

Stomping into his room with a huff, Valdalf made a B-line for his studies desk sitting right below a circular window overseeing the great ponds flowing throughout the base of the Elden Tree's great roots. From his drawers he snatched up a collection of books on the basics of Destruction Magic and ran back down to Eralin.

The two made their way to the Pinehut and waited patiently for Ash'Nerahvii. Inside, the Khajiit was now arranged in a display of leather greaves and gauntlets as well as traditional Khajiiti cloths of crimson, laced with padding. The cat gathered an array of items, most peculiarly was a tawny brown, hollowed out gourd containing sand that he strapped around his shoulder.

Upon leaving his house, the three travelers huddled together.

'Valdalf, Ash, you guys start asking around for Bluesky' Eralin said, handing the two Captain Nightthorn's pardon. Now fidgeting with a soul stone, she remarked, 'I'm heading into the Elden Tree. I have to… meet with someone.'

Saying their goodbyes to her, they watched as she hustled off and walked the path to the city within and atop the towering tree.

'Knowing these guards, Bluesky's probably at one of the taverns.' Valdalf said as he wandered down the pathway to the Outside Inn.

Ash'Nerahvii followed close behind without arguing for even if Bluesky wasn't at the Outside Inn, he could at least snag himself a drink. The two walked a few yards down the road and slowly came upon a portion of the land flooded by one of the Elden Tree's many gargantuan roots. The end of the root erupted into two tavern sized huts of pod cone, and slithered down onto the ground, presenting an outside pavilion filled to the brim with patrons and alcohol. The two travelers headed up the bridge of roots and made their way to the upper terrace containing the lower-level hut. A Bosmer bard played a hymn amongst her lute as Valdalf and Ash'Nerahvii sat on the deck for a quick rest before entering the Tavern. They sat, relaxing, taking in the summer air blossoming throughout the Elden Tree's roots.

The peaceful breeze carried along the words of the Wood Elf's ballad, a song that sprang from the early Fourth Era.

To heroes out there far and wide

Do feel my song and hear our cries

We are weary, our land's in pain

Shackled and blind from Thalmor reign

The heroes we sing of, times of old

Deliver us now from darkened souls

We'd rather die than lose our faith

That Bosmer tradition will still remain

They came, they pillaged, they took away

Our freedoms, but we will never change

They have taken their people for fools

But now they know they're unjust and cruel

Oh, hero hear their cries and pleas

And save their children from darkened dreams

They'd rather die than lose their soul

With Thalmor hands now in control

Oh, hero, oh, hero, we know you're there

Listening to the summer air

Seek us now and delay our end

We will not break, and we will not bend

Oh, hero travel through our roads

And save us from their darkened robes

We'll wait for you in Valenwood

The lands upon which the Bosmer stood

Oh, hero, oh, hero we know you're there

Listening to the summer air

They came, they pillaged, they took away

Our freedoms, but we will never change

Just as the song ended, Denegor Flameheart emerged from the tavern, a stout little Bosmer who always seemed to have dirt smeared across his face. His hazel eyes widened with excitement upon seeing Valdalf and Ash'Nerahvii.

'Well, if it isn't the only two patrons who seem to drink me out of business at least twice per month! What are you two doing out here? Come! Come! Inside!'

The old man ushered the two into his Inn, raging with business as Bosmer seemed to drink themselves merry. Bottles seemed to be thrown left and right, the usual brawl taking place atop a Sprigball Table occurred, and hordes of Wood Elves blurted out private conversations with rosy cheeks as loud as elvishly possible. The old man sat the two down at his Graht-Oak bar and whipped them up concoctions that could put a dragon under the table within minutes.

'So, what brings you two back from your adventure? You guys left for a solid two months; everyone thought you were dead! And where's your mother, Valdalf?'

'We got caught stealing the Elder Scroll of Lost Fates!' Valdalf said as all three of them laughed with evident drunkenness. 'And Eralin? She had "business" to attend to up in the Elden Tree!'

'Speaking of business, Denegor,' Ash'Nerahvii now shouted, 'I believe me, and my boys deserve our compensation!'

Now taking a swig of his almost deathly Dragonflora concoction, Denegor began laughing. He took out a purse of septims and plopped it into Ash'Nerahvii's paws. 'Better now than never! At least I won't remember my pockets hurtin' in the mornin'!' Denegor wheezed, his face now as red as a Dremora's as he uncontrollably tumbled to the floor.

Valdalf drunkenly got up from his seat and helped Denegor up off the floor as the old elf pointed to Ash'Nerahvii. 'Best thieves in the business, him and his guys.' he said. 'They put ol' Gomlor out of business! And now I'm the only tavern this side of the Elden Tree!' Denegor laughed with glee.

'Speaking of businesses, Denegor,' Valdalf remembered, 'Do you know a "Captain Aerethorn Bluesky"?'

As Valdalf sat back down, a sudden voice to the left of him sent shivers down his spine.

'A scoundrel like you would need me for what reason exactly?'