Who has the Last word.. #13

 

Have you ever been out to sea? Far enough out that you can no longer smell the decay of life ended? Only the smell of wood, tar, and salt.. with the man smell of sweat, in the air. The sky so crisp and clear that at night you see the heavenly bodies from horizon to horizon, standing out so clear that you'd think you could really touch the stars.

  I lay on my back staring at the heavens above, the lashed-down crate on the Quarter Deck hard under my back, the Mizzen the only thing that occasionally blocks my view. My sleep had been fitful since we left Windhelm, Ash's words replaying in my head over and over again.

"The answer is staring you in the face If you care to find it." Well damn it I cared.. I do. Okay, the day started with him pushing me out of bed...why? Well, the simple answer is, He's male, I'm female, and physical response.. but IF that was the right answer, he would have said so. Ash is not body shy and one can't really help a physical response, so it's not just the physical. 

   So emotions behind the physical, hmm yeah that sounds about right. I blinked my eyes hard, Holy Mother of Mara... Love, it's the only thing that made any sense. Ash Loves me and not like a sister or daughter, cause the eww factor would prohibit that kind of physical reaction.

   Now, how do I feel about him? That is a scary thought, once thought it can never be changed. I knew I loved him, that has always been a given, I looked hard into my heart, closing my eyes I let nothing distract me. My thoughts went from memory to memory, back through time.  

   I stopped at the one memory, I was sixteen and my hormones and feelings were all twisted up. Ash was my hero, mentor, friend, guardian, and constant companion, the child's love had turned to physical feelings, turbulent and all-consuming. 

  One overheard conversation.. The head of our order warned Ash that I was too young to know my own mind, that we must continue as we had or we would be separated. I had looked at my behavior and realized No matter if my feelings were true or not, I could not stand the thought of being separated, so I buried my feelings.

  As I got older, some childish part of me decided that I would force Ash to see me as a woman, not a child. That Lordling had been my attempt a trying to love someone else, the fact that he wanted only the physical and I reacted badly to that, Ash had mistaken for a broken heart.  Bruised ego, that is all it had been, thankfully Ash hadn't actually hurt the boy. 

  The clothes I wore, at times, the lovers I took.. all that was to tweak Ash's nose. I felt sick, I was old enough now and woman enough that the Prior would not separate us if I chose Ash as my Lover or Husband. I sat up and thought with horror, about the looks I had seen on Ash's face, the disgust, the hurt, but more often than not, just a blank look that showed nothing.  

  If he did love me, I had done nothing but hurt him. Oh, I royally sucked, but I would make it up to him. I could only hope that his love was deep enough to forgive.

************


The world slowly came back into focus as Ash shook me again. The concerned look on his face and the pain where he was holding onto my arms were the only reasons I knew that he had been shaking me for a while.

"Tsuri.. come on girl, come out of it!" His voice was gruff, and his face had a strained look to it.

"Ash, quit shaking me." I looked around and blinked, gone was the ash and washed-out grey, in its place was snow and green. I turned my head as far as it would go in both directions and saw that we were in a mountain valley that swept down to the sea. "Where are we?"

"I don't know. You sat down in the chair at the Inn and closed your eyes, then stood up and started muttering something walking away. I followed and when you started to fade out, I grabbed a hold of you, and the next thing I knew here we are."

  We stood there for a minute or so, taking in the people and goblin-like creatures, who all seemed to be muttering something while chiseling at the stone monolith. Plus I was more than happy to be in Ash's arms, even if it was in a backward manner. Then out from around one of the pillars two of the cultists attacked. 

 These two must not have had really good training, as the fight was short and pretty easy. Of course, if they were used to only the zombie-like workers, it might be understandable.

  As we walked to the larger structure on the top of the hill, I noticed something that had my heart wrung out. Dragon bones and from the way they were scattered about, hundreds of them. This was only one side of the hill, no wonder I felt grief from our Lord, how could he be happy with his Children dying in such numbers?

  It also explained why I felt rage from the dragons themselves, I had thought it was just Alduin and his followers, but now, looking at them, feeling that their souls were gone, I knew that was not why. 

   Adien absorbed their souls when they died and gained their knowledge, I did not and I had wondered why our father had given him that power and not me, I did not wonder any longer. He had one job to do, sending Alduin back to the Immortal Plane, though many would mistake it as him dying.  My job was to stop whoever was killing all Father's children for their souls.

  We ascended to the Temple and walked around it, more people, these at least dressed for the cold and what looked like bandits, were working on the Temple here. We were almost all the way around when we saw a woman in armor trying to get some others to stop their work and "go home". 

*****

  "I am here to either avenge my people or bring them home. My Father, who is the Shaman of our people, has put up a ward, but it is faltering and more people join these daily. This is a Temple of Miraak, built during the Age of the Dragon Cult, they are rebuilding it, for what purpose, we can only guess. I have not been able to find a way in, the gates are barred from within, but I know in my heart, that the answer is in the Temple.

  As we asked her more questions two of the cultists attacked us and we followed her down into a gate she said had previously been locked. We fought our way down... down into the bowels of the earth. It was hot and cold by turns, damp often seeping through the walls. 

  Cultists and draugr barred our way, but only for brief moments in time. Frea and Ash fought with the same style and meshed very well together, I supplied support, healing and when needed an extra sword, though for the most part, I just used magic.

   We had just fought a rather brutal skirmish with a combination of cultists and powerful draugr, when we got to a door. Ash and I stopped and looked at each other.

"We need to stop and replenish some of the energy that we've expended," Ash said to Frea as she went to open the next door.

"We need to hurry, my people are in Peril!" She sounded adamant, but we had been fighting and traveling down for hours now.

"Frea, without food, your body will slow and your reflexes will become sluggish, you can't help your people if you are dead," Ash's voice resonated with the experience.  

   I pulled out the bars that the Order found to be good travel rations and also a great source of energy even during a protracted battle. Made with pieces of nuts, honey, and berries, the bar's tasted good also. Each of us took one and ate it quickly, washing it down with water, which we needed just as much.

   I felt the evil in the next room and expected a large group of cultists or draugr, what we found was a book, sitting on a pedestal. We walked around it and looked at it.. I got closer and put my hand over the top of it, being careful not to touch it,  feeling the blackness within.

"Ash, this is the evil we feel, but it's only a conduit, not the evil itself." I was puzzled, conduits were usually something much more permanent than a book. " The only way to get more from it would be to open it and read whatever is written in it."

  Ash looked at the book and I could see the indecision in his eyes, but I was a Priestess after all, this was part of my training. "Go ahead and read it, but be very careful, you never know what kind of spell or curse is on a book. For this one to reek of evil, it must have some kind of spell."

  Before I picked up the book, I told them to step back and I caste a ward spell.  Sending up a prayer to Akatosh, to keep me safe in his arms, I opened myself to him and then opened the book.

 The world went black and I had the sensation of moving through that darkness without ever leaving the spot I was in. I heard Ash's yell and Freya's gasp and then I could see again.

  I was no longer in the dank and dim cavern room, the green light was eerie ... my sight filled with seekers and a cultist who was talking to them, then a dragon landed as the man turned around and hit me with a spell that knocked me off my feet and then another that paralyzed me. 

  I screamed in the back of my mind, I had never been in danger without Ash to watch my back. I reached in my mind, but I could not feel him, I reached for the spark that was there and heard the rustle of wings and the warmth of our Father's breath on my cheeks... "peace Child, your time is not now, all will be well."  With those few words, I straightened my backbone, without moving and listened to the words of the man.

"Who are you to dare set foot here? Ahh.. You are Dragonborn. I can feel it.. and yet.. You have done little beyond killing a few dragons." I giggled inside, being Dragonborn was the least of my skills and abilities. He felt the same as Adien, except more powerful and evil. " Mul..Gah Diiv!" an aura surrounded him at these words and I set them to memory, " This realm is beyond you. You have no power here. I shall return you to Solstheim soon." He turned away to walk towards the dragon.

"Send her back to where she came from, She can await my return with the rest of Tamriel." I was not averse to returning to Ash, I had some things I needed to say to him, some things I needed to think about.

  The Seekers hit me with their tentacles each whiplash hurting more than the last, but with each hit, I also felt myself losing my grip on this realm. I took one last look around, the piles of books, the seekers, the green skies.. Hermeaus Mora, his realm. The last lash felt as if it was ripping through my skin and I screamed as the pain caused the world to go black.

  I cut my scream off as the cavern and Ash returned to my field of view. I shuddered and then stiffened my back again as Freya walked up to me.

"Are you ok? You opened the book and then faded, you were here and yet...not." She seemed concerned and when I explained where I had gone, she was even more so. She was barely containing her fear and excitement when she said we needed to talk to her father, now. She headed for the exit and I turned to Ash, who walked over to me and pulled me against his chest in a rib-crushing hug.

"Ash.. armor.. I need to ..breathe.." His arms loosened slightly, but it was enough I could breathe. I leaned back against his arms to look up at him. I could feel the tremble in his arms and the way he was breathing deeply. I wiggled my arm up til I could cup his cheek in my hand as I looked into his eyes. 

 " I know my timing is terrible, but.  I love you, Ash." As he dipped his head down to kiss me. I could see the smile on his lips.

" I know, I was only waiting for you to realize it." His arms tightened again and the way his lips moved against mine and the emotions I felt, I'm sure the Lady Mara would have something to say. " I love you also Tsurista."  His forehead against mine, I could feel his heartbeat and the ragged way he was breathing. 

Knowing we would have to follow after Freya before she returned, I moved the space it took to place my lips back on his. I nibbled at his lips as I ran my finger through the short hair at his nape. I drew a deep breath and stepped back before Freya came back and chided us for not hurrying.

"Mo Chroi M'anam" Those few words sounded like heaven. My Heart, My soul.. 

A Bad Start With A Worse Ending 12

Tsurista: A Knights Tale

A Bad Start With a Worse Ending page 12

I wiggled backward to get more comfortable, I met the warmth of Ash's body behind me and stopped, about the time I was falling back to sleep, Ash mumbled and rolled over, a hand landing on my hip. I sighed cause that was fine with me, then I felt his hand tense and he shoved me right off the bed.

I squeaked indigently as I hit the floor and then again when I hit my head on the wall trying to avoid getting one of his feet in my face. Ash's eyes were almost alert as he sat fully up and looked at me.

"Damn it all Ash! I know the bed's small, but I just wanted enough room to not have to lay on the log rail."  He growled something at me that I didn't understand and sat there with the blanket pooled around his hips.

I grabbed up my pack and took myself off to the bathing room to get dressed, having left my armor with the Inn Keeper's Wife who said she would wash out the lining and sponge the armored links for me. I took my time in the bath and then dressed in the armor that had been left on a hanger in the dressing room.

I was eating breakfast when Ash finally showed up to eat, but from outside, not our room. Getting tossed out of bed would be the best part of the next week.

There being no carriage service from Winterhold, you had to be lucky enough to catch one bringing supplies in to get out, we went back down the coast to Dawnstar and caught a boat to Solitude and then a carriage to Markarth. 

We decided to walk through the reach, to see if it would be a good place for another Priory and perhaps a way-station for travelers, both for those of our order and those not. Not all our gold was donations, we worked for a living. We already knew a good way-station was needed between Winterhold and anywhere. While the Night-gate Inn was a great stop, you could only reach it from Winter-hold on a good day and only in the summer when the days were long, otherwise, it was a cold overnight unless one was well prepared.

We found a couple of likely places and headed on to Rorikstead, it was a very quiet trip most of the way back to Whiterun... I say most of the way. Something was on Ash's mind, but he wasn't speaking. I knew he was as disappointed as I was about finding nothing of use at the Mages College about the Cultists we had run into, but it seemed he was even more surly than ever.

Whiterun was in sight, close by to our left, the Western Watchtower within spitting distance, when I finally had enough. The tension between the two of us had gotten to the point where I could feel it in my head as a loud buzzing. I pulled Ash to a stop and then took a deep breath.

"What is wrong with you Ash? You're shutting me out and I don't even know why." He looked at me out of eyes that had gone almost silver, his lips a thin hard line. He looked down, then closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

"Tsuri, the answer is staring you in the face, if you care to find it."  With that, he turned away and started walking towards Whiterun. I blinked and then shook my head, throwing my arms in the air.

"What In Oblivion is THAT supposed to mean?!!" About the time I would have caught up to him, an arrow went whizzing by. Ash and I both stopped and looked up. What we had taken for Whiterun guards were in fact, bandits.

I summoned a Flame Atronach and then went in spells and sword swinging. Ash used his bow and sword to good effect. We cleared the outside of the fort, but realized after the first few rooms inside the Fort, that we would need more help clearing it.

We had not even made far past the Western Watchtower when we were stopped by the very Cultists that we had been trying so hard to find news of. 

The battle with them was short and hard, we had the help of an Afflicted that had walked by about the time they stopped their very cliched spiel and just decided to "end my life for Lord Miraak".. well I wasn't the one that ended up cold in the ground. We did find a letter about how pleased Lord Miraak would be if they succeeded. 

I tucked it in my pouch and watched as Ash ran off onto the Tundra.. sighing I followed. That ended in a good fight with a small swarm of Giant Tundra Spiders and a few wolves. 

As we turned to walk away from the last of the Giant spiders, a Frost Dragon decided to attack us. I was tired and a bit irritated by then, Ash on the other hand seemed to be venting some kind of Ire on the the dragon. 

It was late when we arrived in Whiterun and I saw the tel-tail red glow of a Vampires attacking. I summoned two flame atronachs from Oblivion and sent up a prayer to Akatosh that no townsman would find their way to Arkay this night. I heard Ash cursing as a Thrall swung his battle hammer at his head. This was not a short or easy fight, trying to keep the vampires away from the townsfolk was not made easier by them rushing in to "help", though thankfully the few that did, were well armed.

Ash and I visited the Temple of Kynareth and got a blessing to make sure that we had not been infected.  I would have loved to have had it out with him, about what he meant, but I was too tired and all I really wanted was a soak in hot water, a hotter meal, and a warm bed. That at least I got, but in the morning Ash said we would head to the White River Priory and rest for a day, before going to Windhlem and catching a boat to Solstheim.

That was a busy week, writing letters to the head of our order and various other Priors who needed to know what was going on. I also wrote a letter to Adien, telling him about the cultist, that this Miraak was also another Dragonborn, and that if we failed, he would most likely have to deal with the man.

Most nights that week, I could only wish that I had Maya to talk to, I was not as worldly as her and I think perhaps I was too close to see whatever it was Ash thought I should be able to see clearly.

An Untoward Event #11

"Talos worshiping whore!", I heard the words as I was flung through the air, striking the tent pole as I landed. It took me half a second to reorient myself as the spots in front of my eyes danced a merry jig.

I felt as much as heard the two bodies slamming into each other as Ash's bellow of rage rang over the camp. I blinked hard to get my sight to clear and when I did, I saw Ash pounding on an Altmer dressed in black robes. They were both shimmering through a ward spell, so it was hard to get a really good look at them.

 I saw the Imperial Commander standing on the other side of the shield and yelling something. When I was close enough, I winced at the damage that Ash was doing to the Elf's face. I put my hand out to feel the ward, without touching it, it was not Ash's ward.

As I readied a spell in my hand two other High Elf's drew their bows and pointed them at me, only to drop them quickly as half the camp trained their bows on the two of them. I sighed, this would not be fun.

"Ash.. Stop!  Drop the Shield wizard!" neither man listened to me, but then again, I had not really expected them to. "Wizard, drop the shield or I will pull it down the hard way." I could see he was almost in-coherent and gathered the energies needed for the spell that I was about to do.

I grabbed the magical energy that was sustaining the shield and ripped it away, this caused more pain to the caster than it should have, but that is the nature of some spells. I walked over and put my hand on Ash's shoulder.

"Stop Ash, you're killing him." He pulled his arm back one more time and hit the man, whose eyes rolled back in his head... I had never actually seen that before. 

I grabbed Ash's hand and looked at the knuckles and tisked at him. "You're not going to be able to draw a bow or handle your sword without extreme pain.  I then caste a simple healing spell that closed the torn skin, reduced the swelling, but didn't take away all the pain.  I then knelt next to the Altmer and did the same thing.

Ash looked to protest, but I quelled that with a look. I healed most of the damage done but again left most of the pain. By then the Imperial Commander had walked over and started to apologize that I had been attacked in his camp. I told him that I did not consider it his fault and had just accepted an invitation to dinner when the Altmer came to.

"Commander, I want that man arrested!  He has attacked a member of the Thalmor Embassy."  His voice was as arrogant as most of the Thalmor and grated on my nerves.

I turned and looked at the man, his two guards flanking him, but the entire Imperial camp was behind them. I took a deep breath and collected the serenity that I needed badly at that moment.

"You sir have attacked a High Priestess of Akatosh! If we are going to talk about arrests, then I would also like to voice my opinion on the matter. As it is I will be lodging a complaint with the Embassy in Solitude and will be forwarding that complaint to the Arch-prelate of our order.. You do know the Arch-prelate do you not?"

 I didn't need to go on, it was very clear that he did know and so did his guards. His face lost all color and he clamped his mouth shut and turned on his heel.  The commander looked after the man and then raised an eyebrow at me in inquiry. 

"The Arch-prelate is related to the High Thalmor Justicular, favorite younger cousin or something. Even though they have differing opinions. I am sorry to bring this trouble to your camp. "

"Lady, you have been nothing but kind, healing both my soldiers and our prisoners. Unfortunately, you probably made an enemy today."  I nodded at him, I figured so. 

"Tsuri, why?  He was focused on me, now it's you he will focus his hatred on." His voice was deep and gravely which for him meant he was holding on to his emotions, hard.

"Ash, you are my Knight Protector.. with his anger focused on me, you can watch my back, same as always. Whereas if his anger was focused on you, you would have to watch two fronts, mine and yours."  Both Ash and the commander nodded, though Ash did not look happy.

"Commander if you prefer we will head out to Dawnstar, I think that we can make it before full dark. Only the one soldier with the gut wound needs any further tending and that not much really, the rest just need, rest."

"Lady, My soldiers and I would be more than happy to have you stay the night. But tactically I think you should head out, that way they don't know exactly where you are and can't set a trap, it will occur to him, but not right away."  I nodded and we decided that is what we would do, though we did eat a nice hot lunch before we left. 

We made it to Dawnstar by twilight, but the Inn was almost full and Ash and I had to share a bed and room, it wasn't the first time and I knew it wouldn't be the last.

It took us two more days to get to Winterhold, they were mostly uneventful. I got in some good practice with calm spells. The only thing of note was that we found a burning circle with a body in the center, a book, and a scroll the only clues were that the mage wasn't fully taught and was over her head.

Food for Thought #10

 

      

    Two days later we stood at the crossroads, with Whiterun's guards walking their patrols near us. We had spent the night camped across the river and could see down into the Hold. We talked late into the night, Adien and I, with Ash giving his opinion on matters.

   I took the last step and touched Adien, wrapping my arms around him in a hug and kissing his cheek, the customary good-bye of friends and family. Right away I knew it was a mistake. I stepped back and looked up with surprise into his eyes, I saw the red glow get brighter and then fade as he also controlled his inner emotions. He looked as surprised as I felt, his lips a thin tight line. We each took a step back and Ash grabbed his arm in a brotherly fair-well.

   "Kul Wundun Zeymah," I said to him, the emotions that we felt must come from the dragon souls that recognized each other. He tipped his head sideways. "Good Travels Brother, it's as close as I know to *stay safe*."  He nodded and without another word, turned and walked away, I watched for just a moment more and then headed across the bridge and out past Whiterun onto the Tundra.

  Ash let me brood for a while and brood I did, the first fool that decided to attack us didn't live long enough to think it was a bad idea. We were almost at the end of the cobble-stone road when some Draman and Skeletons from a nearby cemetery decided to attack.

   I conjured up a Flame Atronach, placed an Ebon-flesh spell on myself, and then went in with fireballs and sword, Ash was keeping his distance using arrows. I had just started re-cooperating my magicka pool when lighting burst all around us. 

   The Dragon had flown in silently and only when the last of the Draman was again bits of bone, did it attack. He was not speaking at all, just attacking. So I did not talk to him either. This time the Flame atronach's opposite in an Ice Atronach and a blizzard spell worked better, Ash having the Nord's resistance to cold.

  This time when the dragon died, I saw and felt the passing of his soul, I learned his name, but did not absorb his soul as Adien would have. The words of his Thu'um, I knew *Strun Bah Qo* I knew what they represented, but the real meaning was not there, I would have to meditate on it. This was the difference between Adien and I, I could learn, the hard way, and he could absorb all.

  I shrugged and tried not to envy that ease, it would lead me down a dark path. Akatosh had a reason, I knew he did, just because I could not see it, did not mean it wasn't there.

   "Tsuri?" I looked over at Ash, " You're white and shaking, we need to camp, but here isn't a good place. Let's head down to that stream, I know you'll want to bathe the gore off of you."

   So that is what we did and he was right, I changed out of my armor as our stew was simmering and cleaned up quickly, I would bathe later. I cleaned my armor and was surprised at the amount of gore and blood on it. I ate more than my fair share of the stew along with some cheese and apples and a sweet roll that Ash had carefully packed for me.

   "Ash, I would like to head to the College and see if there are any books about Thu'um's and such, via Dawnstar. The Jarl may have heard more about Cultists by now. It will take a while and I know it would have made more sense to stop by the Priory and get the horses, but I think better on my feet and I need to think."

   "That's fine. What happened between you and Adien?" I sighed cause I knew he would ask and all I could give him was the simplistic answer that I had thought of, not a really logical reasoning.

   "Simple answer, Our dragon souls responded to each other but like the reverse side of a magnet we repelled each other. Emotionally, It felt like a flash fire of hate/envy and I think had we both not been strong people, we would have tried to kill each other. Other than that, it's hard to describe, I need a bit of time to think it through." He looked at me and nodded, the frown on his lips hard to decipher. 

  I stood up and walked down towards the stream, telling Ash over my shoulder that I was going to bathe. I grabbed the bag with my bathing things and sleep clothes, then set a ward up so that I would know if anything was getting close to camp. I washed quickly as the water was cold and then got out and put my damp bathing clothes by the fire. 

   Ash was sitting on his bedroll when I looked over and told him I would take the first watch, I wanted to meditate some. I settled in a comfortable kneeling position, one that I could get up quickly from if needs be. 

  Blanking my mind proved more difficult than normal and I finally resorted to picturing each of the Divine's Avatars with Akatosh last. I pictured his avatar, as seen in The Imperial City, an alabaster white dragon. 

  Once I had that picture firmly in mind, I thought of the attributes of our Father and wrapped myself in the warmth of his being. Then I opened myself to him and felt his presence, a hot almost burning flame of light, but his love and regard kept me from being burned to a crisp.

  The images passed through my mind so quickly I could not grasp onto any of them and  I knew it would be days if not weeks or ever, for me to understand them all. It wasn't words that passed but I understood the meaning of what he said. 

   When no more images or words came, I just basked in the warm love until he withdrew, I whimpered as I felt the emptiness inside. I knew no more for a long time and then the light of Dawn crept into my eyes and I opened them to see Ash standing outside our tent.

   I climbed out of the sleeping furs and did not even wonder at how I got there, just walked over to Ash and asked him if I woke him before I fell into my furs. 

  "You didn't wake me because I was already awake, but you let me know that you needed to sleep. You did mutter that Our Lord told you that Adien's path was different than yours and that while you might walk together for a time your job was elsewhere."

  " Ash, I am not certain I know all the meanings of what he showed me and some make little to no sense, but I need to order them in my mind before I can share them. One thing, Alduin is not my problem, Adien must deal with him."  

  We were off to Dawnstar the journey their a tangled web in my mind.

Discovery #9

     

I sagged down against the wall and watched as Ash walked over to make sure Adien was alright. I would be useless to Ash and myself if I went weak in the knees every time a dragon was near or died. I know I was born with the soul of a dragon and that Akatosh had something in mind for me. What that was, I don't know, but I was starting to think that it didn't have anything to do with Alduin. 

   I stood up and slowly walked over to Ash and Adien, guards were telling him he was Dragonborn and telling him to try to shout, he shrugged and said he'd try. Walking a little way away from the rest of us, he did. 

   I heard the words and felt what they did and instinctively knew I could do the same if I had to, but it would cost. I knew this word, it was the one on the wall in the Barrow we had cleared.

"I told Adien that we had planned on visiting the Greybeards and that traveling together might be for the best. But first, we will go and tell the Jarl about this dragon and the watchtower."

    Adien and I talked on the way back to Whiterun and we found that we had both gained knowledge of the word from that wall, though to Ash it was nothing but a pretty light and babbling. 

    "You know that Ulfric can use a Thu'um, but he is not Dragonborn, he learned. So you may be able to learn also, I mean if you hear the word walls." Adien sounded serious and also hopeful. 

    "It will be something to ask the Greybeards when we get there." I shrugged, " Plus a dragon only has one soul and there are two of us, so it's not a given that I can't absorb souls like you, just the fact that I don't think I can."  He nodded.

    We asked Adien not to say anything to the Jarl or anyone else. He could take all the notice and Ash winked and I told him the Ladies might find him even more fascinating. He smiled and I heard a deep rumble in his chest, internal laughter.

   Even the Jarl said Adien should go visit the Greybreads and gave all three of us a reward for our part in defeating the dragon.  We went to the Inn after selling off some of the loot and dragon pieces that the Alchemist and Smith were interested in.

    We talked over the route that we should take to Iverstead, with Adien suggesting a high pass, we would have to leave before daylight, so knew it would not be tomorrow as supplies would be needed.

    Three days later we managed to leave Whiterun, a storm that we knew would be a blizzard at high altitudes took two days to move on. It was well before dawn and the gate guards were not happy about opening up the gates.

     We climbed the high switchback trail up and over the mountain and made the pass an hour before sunset. Adien set up the Fur-lined tent while Ash and I got a fire going. He put several large flat rocks at the inner and outer corners of the tent and smaller ones along the side, front, and back. 

    "The wind blows hard up here and to lose the tent is to die. The rocks on the inside are for the ones that we are going to heat in the fire, then place on top of them." Adien explained, I blinked and told him I thought I could use a spell to heat them after they cooled down in the middle of the night. I practiced the spell on one of the cooking stones to make sure it would work.

    We slept much warmer than we would have, due to Adien's knowledge of camping in these cold climes, they were things we would remember for later.  My spell did work and when I woke in the morning, before I moved out of my furs, I heated all four rocks and the one under the tea-pot.

    I heard male chuckles as I got up and put the thicker silk gambeson over the thin one I had slept in, then my armor and cloak. I went and stoked up the campfire and put the stew pot on it, then went back inside and had a warm cup of tea. 

    We made it to Iverstead by late in the evening, a troll having slowed us down some. Another day to provision and we were on our way up the 7,000 steps. I think we were halfway up the frozen steps when the dragon attacked, all I can say is at least it was using a fire breath attack and helped to kill a troll. 

   This time I was between the Dragon and Adien and I did not absorb the soul, it passed right by me. I could feel the agony of its death and I was glad I would not have to live with that inside me. Adien said he felt no emotions, just knowledge that was suddenly in his mind. I to had felt that knowledge and looked with sadness as the history of the dragon passed quickly back out of my grasp, I could not even recall his name in moments.

   Though I felt a hollowness in my stomach and felt like crying, my knees had not turned to water and I didn't feel shaky at all. We made it up to High Hrothgar and one of them met us near the door. He looked from Adien to me and back again.

   "Welcome to High Hrothgar, I am Master Arnegeir and I speak for the Greybeards. That a Dragonborn should show up at this time in history."  He looked back and forth between us again. I sighed and stepped forward.

   "While we are both Dragonborn, I think Adien is the one you are looking for. He is the one whose Thu'um you heard." Master Arnegeir went on to test Adien, showing him different Thu'um's and lending their knowledge to him. I said nothing when showing him the Thu'um's also taught me.

    I paid more attention when they lent him their knowledge because even though there was a gifting of power to Adien and none to me, I still learned the meanings and knew that if Akatosh lent me the power I would be able to use the Thu'um's also. 

   They had one more task for him to prove his worthiness to be their student, though that isn't exactly what they said. As we went back down the mountain to Iverstead, we had a good talk.

    "Adien, Brother of my soul, do not let them dictate your conscience, they have an agenda that may or may not follow your moral code. He said nothing to me, did not offer training, did not ask to hear my Thu'um."

    " You can use a Thu'um?  You didn't say, then again your right they didn't ask." I turned slightly so that I was facing away from both men and pulled the essence of my magic and projected it...* Fiik Lo Sah*" We watched as a spectral twin of myself stood looking at us.

   "For the Love of Mara. I know you have your own monsters to fight, but if you need my help?" 

    " We don't know what it is we face, so we may at some point ask for your help. If you get in a pickle, call on us. I think if you project your Thu'um in the same words the Greybeards  used to call you, I would be able to hear it anywhere in Skyrim and maybe beyond."

    "So like them, you can learn, like a newly made dragon, you can learn, but you're right, I will be careful. They should have asked."  I sighed.

    "Yes, but let's not stand on the side of the mountain debating what they should have done and what I can learn. My Thu'um will never be as powerful as yours, but Akatosh may lend me the strength if it's really needed. Warm mead is on me!"

    


   

Solitude to Discovery #8

     

 

We left just as it started to drizzle icy rain and found that our waxed linen cloaks did not stand up to it and I was soon soaked to the skin. By the time we got to Dragon Bridge, I was ready for a hot bath. Ash's leather armor was creaking and smelled of the animal's it came from. 
   
   We both spent the next day reconditioning our armor and Ash found a couple of Oiled leather cloak's that we hoped would do a better job of keeping us dry. Three days later I found that the oiled leather had its limits also and so did I.

   Rorikstead was a nice little farming town and we stayed there for a couple days, while the worst of the storms blew over us. I had dry clothes and good meals, a few friendly people to play for of a night, I was content. 

   Ash was a bit antsy and wouldn't really talk about it, just saying that he was trying to remember something he had read years ago, it wasn't a good thing and he was sure it had to do with the cultists that we had fought. 
   
   I let it go, he'd remember in time and tell me, he always does. While I was taught lore, Ash lived it. I mentally shrugged and flirted with the handsome innkeeper's son. It was something to take away the boredom.

   We rode out on a bright clear morning and stopped by a monument to a fallen hero. It was there that Ash remembered.

    "Tsuri, Hermaeus Mora, Even though those Cultists didn't fit his style, they do." He sighed and looked up at the sun, squinting. " He's using someone, a powerful mage or someone with much power one way or the other. That fits his style, to use someone else to do his dirty work. The Cultists and Alduin may be just a coincidence." I looked through him as I thought that one through.

    "Huh, well we'll have to take things as we find them. I mean, we can't deal with everything at once, and right now we had planned on asking the Greybeards about the Thu'um's that Maya was talking about and if I can learn them. Not that we don't already have enough on our plate, but perhaps they know something of Alduin."

    "You're right, we will deal with what we planned, but I'll give the twins the task of researching those cultists and Hermaeus Mora and anything he might want here in Skyrim."  I nodded, he was like a terrier with a rat.

    A few days later we rode into Riverwood, only to be hailed by the Smith, who told us the shopkeeper wanted to ask a favor of us. So we dismounted and went to talk to him. It looked like his shop had been ransacked and he told us how only one thing had been stolen, but they made a mess out of everything else.

    "It was a Golden Claw like a dragon's claw, just an ornament that I picked up years ago, but it is worth a considerable amount. Not that there aren't other things they could have stolen worth the same." I blinked and looked at Ash.

    "A golden dragon's claw you say?" Ash went on to describe the one we had found in Forelhost and Lucan nodded.

    "Yeah, that sounds like it could be a twin, well except gold instead of glass. Thieves, I hate a thief! Do you think you could track it down?" I looked to Ash and nodded once, a dragon claw could mean another Dragon Priest and if they let it out, that would be so not good.
    
    "Yes, we will see if we can't find it, do you have any idea where they might have gone?"

     "Bleakfall's Barrow, I've been told a bandit crew had taken it over, but as they never came down here, I had not been worried about it." 

      And that would be how we ended up on the top of a mountain in a snowstorm the very next day. We had found some bandits hiding out at a watch tower overlooking Riverwood but sent them on to meet their destiny. 

      "How many?"

      "Too far to caste a detection spell, but I've seen two, there might be a third though."

      And up to the barrow, we went, trying to do it quietly and not be seen until we were close. The snowstorm helped, but as we were both in Black, against white, it didn't surprise either of us when we were spotted. 

      I went one way and Ash the other. I had just taken out the Bowman and pulled an arrow out of my armor when I heard the Thuuwap of a bow-string. I turned just in time to see a bandit with a Warhammer fall, right behind Ash, who at that moment decapitated the bandit he was fighting. 

      I turned quickly and looked at the man that had fired the arrow, he was holding up his hands, though the right one had a bow in it. "Peace Sister, Brother,  I mean no harm." He smiled and walked closer to us. Ash was at my side before the man got all the way to me. He had put up his bow.

      I took stock of him as he crossed the last bit. He was every bit as tall as Ash but bulkier. He needed the muscle for the heavy armor he was wearing. He had a typical Nord's face, handsome with all its sharp angles, but his eyes truly would set him apart, an amber-gold in color, they had an intensity that matched Ash's.

      "My name is Adien," he said as he held out his hand.

      "Thank you, for the save". Ash said as he gripped the outstretched hand.  I shook my head as I realized the two men were squeezing each other's hands hard, in that ritual only men understand. 

      "My pleasure and speaking of, who is this lovely young Lady?" He had a lilting accent I could have listened to half the day.

       "Tsurista, Tsuri to my friends, Knight-Priestess of Akatosh. What brings you up to this barrow?" The look on his face was rather odd to say the least, when I said what I was.

      "The Jarl's court wizard gave me a job, I'm looking for a Dragonstone, it's supposed to be a map of all the dragon mounds. He had information that the stone was here. Might I ask what two (?) Knight-Priests are doing at this barrow also?"

      " Nothing so important as a job for a Jarl, we were asked to retrieve a gold Dragon claw, bandits stole it from the Riverwood shopkeeper." Typical Ash, it was just enough information, but not all that we knew and I had a feeling.

     " If the claw is like the one that we found in Forelhost Barrow, it opens a door, and while the bandits may be after treasure, the treasure might be guarded by a Dragon Priest." Ash gave me a hard look, but I ignored it. "It was that that really had us here."

    "It seems as though I would have run into that all unknowing, so I must thank you for that, and as we are all going into the barrow anyway, it would make sense to travel together."

   I could tell from Ash's blank face and the way he was standing, that he didn't like the idea. But something was tickling the back of my mind about this man, I wasn't sure what it was, it wasn't a bad feeling though. I stifled a sigh because I knew Ash would think I was being perverse about having Adien along and, well following after two good-looking men was better than one.

   "I think that is a great idea, besides which, we might otherwise be stumbling all over each other." Ash is the one who taught me to, *keep one's friends close and enemies closer*, so I wasn't sure what his problem was. 


******************************

    Between the three of us, the bandits and draugr were no problem. The last vaulted room did have a more powerful draugr, but not the Dragon Priest Ash and I had feared. As we entered I heard a chanting, almost below hearing, that got louder and louder as we got closer to the crypt holding that draugr. 
   

    When we were almost at the wall, words seemed to jump right out at us and I knew words I had not known before. I did not have time to ask Adien or Ash if they got the words also,, because that Draugr jumped out of the crypt and though the fight was short, it was intense. I forgot to ask after.

    We searched around and found the Dragonstone that Adien was after and then followed some steps upwards. It was night when we exited out onto a ledge, where spent a rather uncomfortable night,  but with some food that we shared.

    The morning light let us climb down and we made our way into Riverwood, Adien went to sell some of the loot he had picked up at the smith, while Ash and I went to talk to Lucan and sell the rest of the stuff. We would split the gold in half. 

    Adien stayed in Riverwood that night and we met him at the bridge the next morning, traveling to Whiterun together. Ash and I had decided to tell the Jarl about the bandits in the Barrow.

    When we had a clear view of Whiterun from the cliff sides, we could see smoke in the distance, but as bandits often set fire to farms they raided, we thought nothing of it. 

    At first, the guards were going to block our entry into town, but when we told them we had a message from Alvor to the Jarl about Helgen, they let us in. We made our way to Dragonsreach, the Housecarl stopped us and asked about our business, Adien said he had something that the Court Wizard had asked him to get.

    Ash explained that we had news about a dragon that attacked Helgen and that Alvor was afraid for the citizens of Whiterun with few guards. We repeated this to the Jarl and he asked a few questions and then told the housecarl to have some extra guards go. The Steward made an objection saying that the Jarl of Falkreath Hold would think that was a sign that the Jarl was going to attack.

    The Jarl dismissed us and we went to see how Adien was faring with the Court Wizard. They were talking about the Dragonstone he had gotten. Ash grabbed my arm and whispered not to say anything. I gave a slight start, but looking around I saw Delphine in a poor disguise, but I supposed it would work if one did not know her.

   She took her leave soon after we entered the room. Adien was dickering with the Wizard over some of the magical items that were his part of the loot from Bleakfalls Barrow. We stood listening, then heard the Housecarl call the wizard's name, saying that a Dragon was attacking the Watchtower and that a guard was giving a report he should hear. 

   She invited us along and we followed and listened to the guard, who was still breathing heavily from his run. When he had given his report the Jarl asked if we all could go and help. I'm sure Ash would have gotten us an invite had he not asked, but we nodded our yes.

   We followed Irilleth and some guards to the watchtower, which was on fire and the source of the smoke we had seen earlier. She told us to spread out and look for any survivors. 

   I told Ash and Adien I would head to the Tower and they should bring any wounded there and I would use spells and potions to heal them. I had barely made it to the tower when one of the guards yelled that the dragon was coming back. 

   I healed up those who made it to the tower and went out and threw ice spikes at the dragon, I am not sure it did much good, but the arrows of the men also didn't seem to be doing all that much. Every once in a while as the dragon did a fly-by, I heard him taunt the guards, only I don't think they understood everything. He switched back and forth between the dragon tongue and the Nordic tongue. 

  When no more guards made it to the tower for a while, I decided to join the attack in earnest. I caste a Flame Ward, which would protect me better than a normal ward against the fiery breath of the dragon. 

   I continued to throw ice spikes at him and another spell when he landed. The men went at him with swords and his wings and legs were taking a beating. 

   Adien was on the tower bridge opposite me using his bow to good effect, Ash was running at the dragon with his sword drawn. I threw spells at it, while my stomach did flip-flops watching Ash so close to the dragon's maw.

   I threw one last spell, as Adien loosed his bow. The dragon let out a blood-curling yell "*Dovahkiin no*".. Just as Ash jumped on his head and stabbed down with both hands to the dragon's skull.  I felt him die, and my whole body felt lightheaded and displaced. 

   I saw the dragon's soul transfer to Adien, as I grabbed the tower wall and leaned heavily against it. 

 

      

Meeting, Malik and Cultists #7

"Twilight.."

"Is the worst time to be out, as one's eyes can not adjust quickly between the dark of the ground and the lingering brightness of the sky. I know Ash.... I heard  you and the guard round the corner of the Inn, the guard paused and went towards the bridge and you waited a count of ten, then came this way."

I looked back over my shoulder at him and he looked down at me his lips twitching. Then I turned back to look out over the Bay, the water still catching the sunlight, glittering like jewels.

" I needed a moment of quiet and peace, neither of which I would get in the Inn. Maya is very exhausting."

"She is, but she has a good heart and I think with the right Knight she will calm a bit and make a very good Priestess. We are going to help her with that, Malik was recommended by the High Prelate, as a good match for her."

"Do you know him?"

"No, though of course I know of him. "  I nodded and took one last look at the bay, the sky was darkening and stars coming out. We headed back to the Inn, where I played my Lute for an hour or so and then went to bed.

*************

I felt a hand on my foot at the same time I heard Ash say my name and that it was time to get up. Had there been any problems, he would just have said my name. I let loose of the dagger that was in my hand under the pillow and sat up, listening to the sounds of the town waking up for a moment. 

"Maya....Maya! It's time to get up if you want breakfast." she muttered and I grinned at her. " Ash won't spend the extra time here if you're not up and ready to go, we will leave without you."

She sat up and rubbed her glazed red eyes... I winced at the look on her face and walked over and did the best I could with a healing spell, but they aren't really designed to deal with hangovers.

"Come on, Bread will soak up some of the bile in your stomach that's making you queasy and a nice basin of cold water will help with the head. You do want to get to Solitude in time to get our measurements in at the dressmakers don't you?"  I laughed as she grumbled again. I dressed and was out the door to get my breakfast before she had even washed her face.

It took most of the day to get to Solitude, being late afternoon before we made it in the gate. As they were getting ready to execute a man, Ash hurried us to the Inn to get our rooms. I changed out of my heavy armor into a lightweight armor that was suitable for town and changing in and out of clothing.

We made the armorer first and he got our measure and said he would have a couple outfits that we could try on tomorrow, then it was off to the Dresser. The snotty Altmers weren't happy when Ash went in and out of every room and tried all the doors. 

The Sisters said they would have some dresses for us to try, but they would not be the height of fashion. I was happy with that, I only needed a couple of dresses to look nice if I had to meet with the kind of people who expected a Priestess to dress well. 

We went back to the Inn and had a good dinner, Maya chose to stay downstairs and drink and dance with some Imperial soldiers, Ash followed me upstairs where I picked up a book and Ash fixed a pallet on the floor. 

Maya came up as the Guard cried the eleventh hour, sooner than I thought. I was ready for bed, Ash braiding my hair.

"Tsuri, I have a question for you, it's a little personal." She gave Ash a look and he nodded and went out the door. I knew he would not be going far.

"I'll answer if I can, what is it you need to know?"

"I watched the men tonight, they were practically drooling over you and you, you never noticed. I want to get the same kind of attention, without stripping and dancing on a table. I mean even in your armor, you show nothing and yet, get attention, but more you get respect. That is what I want."

I had not actually heard a question, but I think I understood what she meant. I thought a moment about what I thought the biggest differences between us were. 

" I think what people see is my confidence, I don't want attention, but I walk with confidence. Also, my main armor shows nothing, but it does enhance my figure. What I mean is, that you can't see skin, but you can see I have large breasts, You are displaying them, I enhance them. Makes a man think, instead of just drool, about what's under the armor." I saw the light dawn in her eyes.

"Maya, it was a woman who helped design this armor and it wasn't just for protection. No as a Priestess I don't necessarily need to wear armor, I can cast a spell instead, but warriors take me much more seriously because they see I am serious. One of the Priestesses in Elswyer had a saying that I found both funny and apt, " If you've got it, Flaunt it, but remember anything on display is for sale." She looked out with unseeing eyes as she thought of what I said.

"Tsuri, could you help me get one of the armors like yours?  I know they are specially made for each Priestess and well I don't want to go back to the Imperial City to have one made."

"As it happens, I have a long version of the armor, it's got a heavier lining and I think the Armorer here can take some of the plates off the bottom and add them to the seams and adjust it to fit you."

" Oh, so it's back in Riverwood?" She looked a bit crestfallen at that and I smiled.

" No It's one of the things that Ash was carrying, I was going to leave it, but he insisted we bring it. Perhaps for you, he thinks way ahead sometimes." She looked to start another conversation so I told her to think about it and we would take it to the smith in the morning, first thing... but we needed some sleep now.

**************


   The next day dawned bright and sunny and we spent the better part of the day getting fitted for various armors and dresses. The Smith said he could have the armor re-sized in a few days and Maya was very happy about that. We would both have a dress ready the next day.

   The only fly in the ointment, Ash, I was trying on some rather skimpy armors... yeah not to wear, just to try on and he had a major fit over it. I told him he wasn't my Dad and I would damn well wear what I wanted to wear and we had a really quiet fight right then and there. Ash never yells and won't talk to me if I do. Though at times, I yell anyway, it's like slamming a door, it just feels right, at that time anyway!

   Ash and I never stay mad at each other, I depend on him too much and well really I have no clue why he doesn't stay mad at me. We spent the day doing minor repairs to our armor and other gear and you do not know how much I really loved having a hot lunch and then taking a nap.

We picked up a dress apiece from the Sisters and they said the rest would be ready in a day or so and they would have one of the boys run them out to the Priory. Hopefully, more than one boy as I had several dresses myself.

The Armorer said it would be a couple more days before he had Maya's armor done, but he did have the links taken out and she tried it on over a light silk gambeson, which was all that the sisters could have done in that short a time. I reminded him that it would also need to accommodate a heavily padded silk one.

The Winking Skeever's bard and I played til Midnight and then I went to bed, knowing Ash would want to be up and gone with the sunlight.



The walk down and round the docks to the Priory would have been harsh and steep, had we made it with all our packs and Maya's extra gear, but one of the guards showed us a postern gate warning us that it was one-way and that we would have to get the attention of one of the guards to come back through.

Ash muttered something about a breach in the town's defenses and gates like that and said if he was the Jarl of this town he would have that gate sealed up. He was of course correct.

We got to the Priory mid-morning and Maya was about ready to have a fit, she was just that nervous. She hung back with me and let Ash take the lead and greet the Redguard who was chopping wood. 

I took stock of him the way Ash had taught me to. About Ash's height, tough a touch shorter, dark coffee-colored skin. The dual swords on his back looked complicated to me, and light crimson-colored armor made me wince at how visible he would be from a distance, though I would find out I was wrong about that.

His hair was long, but shaved on one side, in the fashion of a sword dancer, from Hammerfell's desert regions. He was a master of his chosen weapons, like Ash. The Order did not make just anyone a Knight let alone a Knight Protector.

We set our packs down and Ash introduced us, then we helped him with some of the chores he was doing before Maya and I took all our gear inside and started Lunch. Ash and Malik spent lunch discussing Maya like she wasn't there, which is par for course for Knights, male or female. Maya and I decided to chime in like we were talking about someone who wasn't there.

We spent the next week sparing and testing how the two of them would work together and then asked for an audience with the Jarl. We had left her be as she had much to contend with because of the recent death of her husband. 

Ash did most of the talking, as temporary High Prelate of our Order in Skyrim, he explained what our tenets were to her and that we would be more than happy to help with any and all troubles, except political ones.  He did say it a bit more, diplomatically though.

She nodded and thanked us for coming and that would have been that if not for the Steward whispering something in her ear. After getting a nod from the Jarl the Steward explained to us.

"We have a bit of a problem on our border, lately there have been reports of people going missing with some Cultists as the attackers. The problem is if we send the guard, the Jarl of The Pale, might take it as an invasion. He's.... touchy to say the least and with the Civil War, even touchier. I think as a religious order, that plans on staying neutral in the Civil War, you can do what our guards can't. If you could get rid of these cultists, the Jarl would be very grateful."

We took our leave and Ash and Malik started planning out what supplies we would need what was already at the Priory and what we would need to buy before we left town.


Two days later we were on our way. It had been decided that Malik and Maya would take the lead, with Ash and I as their backup, because they needed to be able to work together seamlessly. Maya's armor came the day before we left and I have never seen a man's face look so crestfallen.

Maya was asking Ash about the armor's fit, with Malik beside me. "But she has such glorious Breasts, it is a shame to cover them up." I looked at him and said 

"What?" 

"Ah, but you see, Sword Dancers wear little, usually cloth. I wear this armor, more for the cold than the protection it offers. A female Sword Dancer will often fight in only a modesty covering, with hair flowing. I had thought from the armor she had been wearing that, perhaps...well, I guess it doesn't matter."

"Malik, once Ash is gone, you can probably talk her right into wearing as little as it pleases the two of you to wear, and the cold permits, as she is a Nord, that might be very little indeed. As a priestess, she may dress how she wills, in armor or cloth, Ash has an odd idea of propriety and safety."

   He looked very thoughtful as we continued on. We found the cave entrance that we had been told about. The doorway and masonry said much about the type of people that were inside. The newly killed and desiccated corpses said more.

   Ash motioned us to walk a little bit away. And told us that as it was only mid-afternoon he wanted to wait til later when opening the door would not flood the interior with sunlight, allowing them to know we were on our way in. So we set up a small camp and I pulled out my bed roll and took a nap until Ash called me awake.

   It was right at dusk and Maya was also rubbing her eyes, Malik handed us both a bowl of stew and a chunk of bread. I tasted the meat, berries, honey, and some of the spices that Ash used to make the Stew, it wasn't as tasty as one would think, but it was full of calories that we would need to fight.


  I opened the door as narrowly as possible and watched as the other three squeezed through, then went in myself and closed the door quietly. I put my pack on the floor next to the others and we headed into the cave. I blinked my eyes a little to adjust to the dimmer cave. 

  As I looked around, I realized it was not as dim as it could have been. The blue light shining down from the roof of the cave said that a hole or two in the mountain was letting in light, the color said it was iced over. There were also Brazier's burning, giving off a dim orange/yellow light. The effect was creepy.

  Malik and Maya were almost to the ramp down, when I heard it, claws on stone, I could not see any animal. I caste a very simple low-level spell that put frost on everything, not useful for much, but it did one thing well, put to sight anything invisible. It would not last long, but they pulled weapons and killed the Skeevers that were almost on top of them.

   They rushed down to the next level, making enough noise that anything there would have time to prepare. Ash gave me a look and followed a bit slower, I was now watching all their backs. I caste a detect life spell and was startled to see Ash almost pass something pressed to the wall.

   "Ash, 9 O'clock high!" He swung the greatsword in an arc and the mage who had been standing there, invisible, lost his head. I again cast my Hoarfrost spell and it showed two mages almost on top of Malik and Maya. Ash let out a battle cry and took off running, which was a good thing as neither of the other two was in a good position to battle.

   I caste a  summon Flame Atronach spell, not just to help with the fight, but they are very good about detecting hidden enemies. Maya got a knife slashed across her chest and fell, but the mage back-peddled with a fire-bolt to the face and then a greatsword across the neck. 

   Malik was faring better, but in trying to find an opening was maneuvering for space when the mage summoned an Ice Atronach. I caste another detect life spell, but only that which I could already see was visible on this level and I could not see below. The creepy smile on the mages face told me he was playing a waiting game and I needed to get to Maya.

  I pulled out my crossbow and dipped the tip of one of the bolts into a small vial that I carried. Hitting the mage in the side of the neck caused him to freeze as powerful paralyzing poison took effect, before he could topple over, Malik's swords scissored his head off and Ash's swing at the now dissipating Atronach had to be pulled.

   I got to Maya gave her a vial of fast-acting healing potion and caste a spell on top of that. She said her thanks as I went to both men and caste a small healing spell on both, neither had more than minor cuts. Ash looked at me and raised a brow, I nodded and said, "From the waiting game he was playing, he expected help from below."

   I kept behind the others, casting detect life at every turn, but we ran into no more than a Skeever til we were almost at the bottom. We were strung out on a steep downward ramp when the next attack came. I was flung into the wall by a pressure wave, as soon as I was half upright I caste my hoarfrost spell again and we could all see five or six mages heading up the ramp, though on different levels.

  The first of them got to us as one of those below had caste a paralyze spell and caught Maya before she had gotten an armor flesh spell on. She fell hard and I stopped beside her and caste two spells quickly one a flesh spell for me, the other a summon for a Storm Atronach. I drew my sword and readied a ward spell, I didn't have the strength to caste yet.

  The men were in a guarding position with Ash slightly ahead, his sword's longer reach keeping most at bay, Malik kept closer to the wall where his speed and agility would work for him. I reached into my pouch and felt around for a small vial of potion that would allow my magicka to regenerate faster, at the cost of me physically crashing later. I drank that and chewed on the lump of dried meat and berries kept together by honey, that would help with my energy level. 

   I knelt and poured a drop or two of healing potion at a time into Maya's mouth, I didn't want her to choke. I kept looking and had to put the stopper on the vial and stand, flinging up a ward spell in time to stop another one of those pressure waves, it had been preceded by a sound like a clap of thunder, which gave me warning. 

  As I thought that my Storm Atronach was about to dissipate, I summoned another, only to find, that the 1st did not. In the back of my mind was the thought that my conjuration skill had just gotten stronger. Looking down to the bottom of the cave, I could see a dark blob floating around, and I caste a fire bolt at it, but it barely moved the thing. 

   Sighing I kept one ear out for the thing and then concentrated on the mages, they all had daggers and those must have been enchanted, Malik and then Ash went down.. I caste Healing spells at both and then threw a rune spell at my feet. At almost arm's length one of my fire-bolts hit a mage square in the chest and he went off the edge of the ramp down to the bottom, I heard the crunch of bones breaking. An ice-spike flew past my face and caught another through the eye and I caste a spell at him that pushed him over the edge, then used another Summon spell, this time for one of the Lesser Deadra, a Golden Saint answered and she put paid to the remaining mage.

   I gave both Malik and Ash very strong healing potions and they staggered to their feet. Two more mages and the black creature were at the bottom of the cave. The two men started for the bottom and Maya went to follow, I grabbed her sleeve and shook my head.

"You go to that landing and I'll go over on the other side of the stream. Strafing spells at it, keep it off balance, try not to hit the men."

  It wasn't too much longer before it was a pile of black rags and mush and we looked around at all the landings and in the sleeping areas. I caste spells to see if there were hidden passages but could find none. We all tramped back up to the first landing and from the sound of the wind rattling the door and the snow blowing through the cracks, a blizzard was blowing outside.

 "we'll camp here, Tsuri, you and Malik go find more wood and other things that will burn, then put some runes on the ramp up. Maya lay out everyone's sleep rolls and put a low-powered rune on the door, so that we know it's being opened, but it won't hurt the unwary." 

After all the preparations had been made, but before the stew was done. Ash looked at me and barked, "What went wrong?!"  I sighed cause, while I was used to Ash and the way he did after assessments, neither Maya nor Malik were.

 "Malik, Maya you both rushed ahead, without knowing what was there. Malik, it's your job as a Knight protector to protect your Priestess. Maya, it's your job to make sure Malik knows what it is he's protecting you from. Ash, you were not as cautious as you could have been following them. I was slow to caste the right spells to allow all to see what the danger was."  I paused and thought for a moment and then started again.

 "Maya, for the second part of that fight, you didn't caste protective spells on yourself, yes this armor is better, but it's not plate steel. This caused you to miss most of the fight, being paralyzed. Malik, I should not have been the one standing over Maya protecting her. I had to watch her and also pay attention to you and Ash and those mages. Ash, my Conjuration has increased, I can now summon two deadra from the other plane."  He nodded and then stood up and walked away for a minute. He paced back and stood looking at the three of us.

 "Maya, Malik, to be honest, you should have had more time to get to know how each other works. Tsuri and I know each other well enough to know how we are going to react. BUT, knowing you each need to talk to the other, when we get back and work out how you are going to work with each other." he paused and then frowned, " Those weren't just mages, they were cultists of one sort or the other. That creature was a Lurker, Tsuri best guess?"  I frowned and thought about it for a minute or so. 

  "At first glance, I would have said Hermaeus Mora, but it doesn't quite fit. His cultists are power hungry, yes, but they feel power through knowledge and I didn't see more than ten books, very unlike any of his followers". I looked off into the dark of the cave. " Even though the Lurker is one of his creatures. I don't know Ash, but it seems it's something that we should look into. I do have a question though, what was that  ummm weapon it was using, the sound and pressure wave?" Ash was shaking his head and I could see he didn't know.

"A Thu'um, that was a Thu'um or shout. It is something that can be learned but it would take a very long time. Legends say that a Dragonborn can use them without extensive training." She looked at me inquiringly. I shook my head.

"No, not as far as I know, who would we ask?" She tipped her head a little and smiled.

"The Greybeards they are the only ones who might know."