The Story of Iriisii Dovahkiin - Chapter Three

                                                                     Chapter Three

      Sharra: "This is the Archive of our Library. Here, the oldest of what we have is stored and looked over to try and know what is written on them. We think maybe, something may spark a memory, or something may choose to reveal itself to you. We will start with these, they are our oldest. As you can see they are made of something different, it shines like metal, but is flexible like papyrus."

     Iriisii reaches for one of the sheets, as her hand nears the sheet it takes on a dim glow. Before anyone notices, her hand touches the 'metal' sheet, and the symbolic lettering starts to react. Iriisii stiffens as her eyes see the lettering change into something she can understand. Then her eyelids drop down and she is drawn into a dreamlike vision of a past occurrence. Somehow she knows the 'metal' sheet is doing this for her to better understand what it wishes to tell her.

     DREAM: She feels she is looking out through the eyes of another, as 'he' looks at a glass-covered wall, she sees his reflection. In an instant, she is horrified at his appearance. Tall, batrachian, winged, tentacles dropping from his face, features out of some horrible nightmare, she wishes to flee, yet she also sees and feels his inner self. At first, she cannot understand how something that looks so horrific can have a nature so peaceful, so much emotion, not evil, but not good as she knows it, but of the 'light' nonetheless. 

     She settles down to watch and listen to what is happening within this visionary memory. Then she sees another approach, totally different in appearance, more human, but still very large, very much a warrior in stance and walk, she senses he is some kind of Guardian, but of what she cannot tell.

     Kthanid: "Well met, Nodens. What news do you have for me?"

     Nodens: "Not good, my Lord Kthanid. The 'Lost' take the field and prepare for battle."

     Kthanid: "Damn them, can they not see the destruction they have already wrought."

     Nodens: "Yes, my lord, they see, they just do not care. They are too deep in their madness to care for the mortals who live here. If only they would follow us, we could draw them away from the mortals, but something about them has caught their eye. They will not leave now, and so we are the mortals' last hope of survival. I am sorry it has come to this, but we have tried everything else we know and nothing helps. If you will not allow us to bring about their demise, then we must defeat and imprison them for all time if need be. Only if their sanity can be restored can they ever be released, but we know not how to bring this about."

     Kthanid: "I know, my friend, it weighs upon me as well to be the one this decision falls to. But for some unknown, unknowable reason, I feel an answer exists, perhaps not now, at this time. Perhaps not for a long time to come, but I feel it will come if we just do not give up hope. We will do what we must, and keep going, for that is who we are. What separates us from all of the others who call themselves 'Gods'. LOOK! By the 'MAKER OF ALL', HE takes the field. My half-brother, Cthulhu shows himself at last!"

     Nodens looks at Lord Kthanid closely as if sensing something different about him. Using one of his gifts, he slows his time sense to converse with what he suspects is riding his 'Lord'.

     Nodens: "Please do not be alarmed, I wish only to speak with you. May I ask who you are, how you came to be here at this time, sharing the body of my Lord Kthanid, highest of the 'Gods of Eld'?"

     Iriisii: "I am Iriisii of the Blade Dancers, Scourge of the Aasimar Race. I found myself here after I held a curious metal-like page in our Library Archives, where our oldest scrolls and documents are kept. Our Matriarch felt that by examining our artifacts, something may trigger within me to allow me to see into my racial past. I think that is indeed what has happened. I saw the 'metal' page begin to glow as my hand approached, and as I touched it, I was drawn into this dream."

     Nodens: "I think I see what you speak of. You see it as a dream, but the truth of the matter is that your mind has been sent back along the traces of your past to, for a short while, share the body of one who is an ancestor to you. This bears much thought of how you could be a descendant of my 'Lord' but I believe I may have an answer to this.

     We have a great battle to fight here very soon and there will be a great many casualties among the mortals who live here. We wish this battle could take place elsewhere but alas, such is not to be. Therefore, by your presence here, I can take it that we will win and so imprison Cthulhu. Then we would do what we could to aid the mortal survivors to endure the changes that will be wrought here as a result of our battle.

     In order to aid them, we will have to share with them some part of ourselves, to give them what they will need to resist the energies that will be released here and linger on. These parts of us will become a part of your people, and thus be passed down to your children and their children. And so, I believe from the words you have spoken to me, the Aasimar race will be born as a result. And so you will inherit some of the gifts and heritage of my 'Lord Kthanid'.

     I do not know how far into the future you are from this moment, but I would guess that several millennia at least separate us. It is good to know that some of you still live that far, it is gratifying to us that our efforts will bear fruit at least in that regard."

     Iriisii: "I do not know how many of my race are left, I fear I may be the last. I pray this is not so."

     Nodens: "I feel your pain, may I see into you and so gain your life story. Perhaps there is some way I can be of help in your time by learning of what you may need now in my time."

     Iriisii: "I sense the compassion within you to balance your status as a warrior. In this we are alike, so yes, I grant you permission to see into me. I open myself to your eyes, please tell me what you see within me that I have yet to see myself."

     Nodens: "By the MAKER OF ALL! Child, you have endured far more than any mortal should. And yet, you have not even begun to tread the path of your fate. You are no mere mortal, you have within you the 'Seeds of the Ultimate', I have heard of this but never before seen it with my own senses. Before you ask, let me tell you what I know about this.

     You have two souls, one is a Dragon Soul, one truly ancient and powerful, and the other is kin to the entities who inhabit this realm, that call themselves 'Gods'. You have the 'Blood of Eld' that was passed to you from this time when it was bestowed unto your forebears by my fellow 'Gods'. And I see the heritage given to you by the Blade Dancers, it is also from a Realm other than this one, and from a time soon after the 'MAKER OF ALL' began the Great Chain of Realms that is now all of Creation itself. For now, they are separate within you but they wish for you to blend them into harmony so that you can realize your full potential. And, yes, to do that you will require another 'key'."

     Iriisii: "What key will I need?"

     Nodens smiles: "Not what, but who, is the question you must ask yourself. The final key you require is not a thing but a person. Another mortal who holds the power to bind his/her soul to yours."

     Iriisii: "How can someone else bind their soul to mine?"

     Nodens: "The true 'Question of the Ages', by 'falling in love' my child. Only through that most mysterious of 'magics', though some say it is merely emotion, or alchemy, or whatever other words they use. It is still truly 'magic', so says Nodens, God of Eld, Lord of the Great Abyss. And no, I do not know who it will be, that you must discover for yourself. Trust me in this, for how can 'love' be anything but the greatest of 'magics' if it can even happen between 'Gods'.

     And so it has the power to bring all of that within you and make it whole. It will not be without supreme effort, but it is worth the price for what you can become. Many will work to subvert you, chain you, and twist you from this path, but you must resist and stray not from what lies ahead. The futures of untold numbers for good or for ill lie in your actions. For now, I have a battle to fight and so must leave you. We will meet again in your future, call me if you have the need and I will answer. The 'magic' that brought you here still has more for you to learn, so hold on to my 'Lord Kthanid' through the battle and see this through to its end. I bid you a good journey through your life, sister, keep your eyes on the 'light' and you will not go wrong."

     And Nodens releases her and withdraws from her mind, but before he turns to enter the battle, she swears she sees him 'wink' at her and then he is gone. Before her awareness returns to Kthanid, the 'magic' working through the 'metal' page renders an image of a scroll unwinding for her to read the title.

     SCROLL: "Seeds of the Ultimate". The scroll goes on to say, 'Almost nothing is known of the 'Seeds' save that they are a gift, given by the 'MAKER OF ALL', 'he' who is responsible for the act of creation that brought forth, within the 'void', the substance from which acted upon by the 'magic' of 'WILL' causes the substance of the 'void' to take physical form. The laws that govern that physical form are also a product of the 'WILL' that brought forth that which will become a 'Realm'.

     Then he acted upon the 'Void' with his 'Will' and caused the first 'Realm' to be born. This 'realm' became many as 'HE' continued the process, each one different from the previous one. He then placed 'Seeds' of himself in each 'Realm' and watched as life in all of its complexities began. Some of these 'lives' gained sentience and learned how to create 'Realms' of their own from the substance of the 'Void'. Even the 'Void' itself spawned 'life' of a kind, though not the same as the 'life' spawned in the 'Realms'. For the most part, the different forms of 'life' did not intrude on one upon the other.

     At some point that changed, and why is not known? Just that it came to be. And so conflict came into being between some of the denizens of the 'Void' and some of the 'Realms'. Only a very few of these conflicts grew to include more than a single 'Realm'. And so the 'Ravenous Darkness' was born. 'Realm' after 'Realm' fell to the 'Ravenous Darkness', and it grew more and more powerful as it fed on the 'lives' in each 'Realm' it devoured. Until it entered the 'Realm' of the 'Gods of Eld'. 

     They fought the 'Ravenous Darkness', and used every form of power they could find or develop, but though they could wound it, and slow its advance, they could not stop it. They decided then that all they could do was to sacrifice their 'Realm' and imprison it. They used their skills to create 'Walls of Infinity' around their 'Realm'. These 'Walls' can only be formed at the edge of a 'Realm' where it meets with the 'Void', taking its power from both, to create a barrier outside both 'Realm' and 'Void'. A barrier that a lifeform of either 'Void' or 'Realm' could not cross.

     The greatest of the 'Gods of Eld' stood in the breach that they made when the 'Walls' were made, and thus they fled into adjoining 'Realms'. When the last of those who fled were safely away, the 'greatest' turned to seal the breach, trapping the 'Ravenous Darkness' forever within their former home. The 'Ravenous Darkness' in a final strike against the 'Gods of Eld' revealed its true essence to those still holding the breach open. They then discovered it was possible for 'Gods' to go insane. The 'insane' ones scattered, even as the 'breach' closed and sealed itself, hopefully for eternity, but eternity is a long time. 

     The 'Gods of Eld' began the task of dealing with their insane brethren. Because of their nature, they could not kill or destroy them, but rather imprisoned them, holding out hope that one day their sanity may be restored. Thus did the 'MAKER OF ALL' create the 'Seeds of the Ultimate' and cast them out among the 'Realms'. If enough of these 'seeds' come together into a single life, that 'life' has the potential to become a figure beyond legend.

     A 'life' that could restore the sanity to the 'Great Old Ones' and return them whole once more to the 'Gods of Eld'. And then if the right combination of these 'seeds' are resident within this 'life'. It can go on to do battle with the 'Ravenous Darkness', deal with it, and bring balance back into the creation of the MAKER OF ALL.'

     As Iriisii reads the words written and displayed for her, she says, "This is all well and good. I see what happened and how it brought me into being. But what does it mean for me going on from here."

     The 'magic' is silent.

     Iriisii: "If you can not or will not answer that, then will you answer this? How did the 'MAKER OF ALL' start 'CREATION'?"

     SCROLL: 'By means of 'Soulfire', a force that engenders the very force of 'Creation' itself. It is capable of 'creating from nothing' or 'destroying anything back into nothing'. Apotheosis must be fulfilled twice to enable 'Soulfire' in a being of sufficient power. First, a being must learn to create or call 'Starfire' and use it to destroy, and second to create or call 'Rebirth' and use it to redeem a life. Only then will the wielder have to power to use the Soulfire within their own form, go onward, and then meet their next destiny.'

     Iriisii: "What next destiny? How many are there that are needed? Am I the one you speak of? What is, if any, the final Fate? Or is there even one?" 

     The 'scroll' is silent.

     Iriisii: "I guess I will have to go on and hope I can make sense of all of this later."

     The scroll fades from her view, and she watches from Kthanid's sight as the battle, which will ultimately become the beginning point of her race, starts.

                                                                               *

     This battle is like no other battle Iriisii has ever been in and hopes to never see another like it. This is almost a battle of pure magic, magic of a level that will forever be etched in her mind as something to forever be feared. The troops on the ground are like nothing she has ever imagined. All forms and then some never known are present and fighting with weapons, strange and common, tooth, claw, spike tails, tentacles with toothed suckers, acid venom, and poisons. 

     And some of these troops are even animals, she swears some look like plants, and some even like forces of nature, waves of water, swirling clouds of snow and sleet, acid fogs that wander the field against the winds, all of these are only the ones she thinks she can identify. Some are beyond description, hidden behind masses of bubbles, masses of flesh without form, pillars of blue/white flame, and some look like someone's worst nightmare given flesh.

     Magic pulling down meteors from the sky, lightning in solid sheets marching across the field, the very land itself rebelling from the forces unleashed, mountains sinking down into the ground until there is no sign there was ever a mountain there. Geysers of molten lava throw bombs of fire hundreds of feet up and out. 

     And the screams of both mortal and outsider, Iriisii has to will herself not to hear the screams as they reach Kthanid's hearing, lest she lose what is left of her own sanity. The hordes on both sides seem endless, and the mortals are caught in the middle. If it were not for the heroic efforts of Kthanid's forces shielding them, sending them back behind the fighting to relative safety, and picking up and carrying those who could not walk, none of them would have survived.

     It somehow manages to give her hope, that despite all that 'darkness' can spew out, 'light' still shines brightly, that some 'Gods' at least still care about mortals. Slowly resolve builds in her, the resolve to not quit in the face of 'evil', to never back down despite the odds, to lead by example, and to inspire those around her to be more than they thought they could be. To fight, get knocked down, get up, and fight some more until the day is won. She resolves to learn all that she can learn, be it blade, magic, or whatever will help her win. Whatever will help keep this from happening to anyone ever again. And in an exceedingly strange quirk of 'Fate', her feelings of this are imprinted in Kthanid's own being, to be passed down to those survivors he 'helps'. And so the Aasimar race will be born, and Iriisii will never know her role in their beginning.

     Maybe it is some indefinable force, but Kthanid seems to be responding to Iriisii's resolve. He keeps looking for more and more mortal survivors and getting them off of the battlefield to safety. Then he looks for his half-brother, Cthulhu, thinking, 'This must end, I cannot allow more of this to go on or we will lose ourselves to the very madness we fight against.'

     There he is, with a roar of such primal emotion that the forces on both sides stop and look toward the source of the roar. That is when the two brothers meet and clash. The eruption of power as they each seek to win over the other runs as a river across the battlefield. Shields are raised, some fail, and others hold as the river of power flows over them. At first, it seems Kthanid is disadvantaged by his desire not to kill his brother, while Cthulhu gives in to his driving madness. Then Iriisii adds her resolve to Kthanid's. Then her Dragon soul adds his into the mix, the 'Blood of Eld' she carries joins in, and finally, her Blade Dancer side, steps up, gathers all of Iriisii's power together, and feeds it to Kthanid.

     For a split second, Iriisii taps into what she could become in the far future. That split second is enough, enough for the forces on both sides to see Kthanid become a Force of Righteousness, and the darkness is swept away as if it had never been. The battle is over, and Cthulhu is bound and sent away to the prison called R'yleh, constructed just for him. Nodens walks up to Kthanid and with a sly smile, says cryptically, "I knew you could do it." Before turning and walking off the battlefield.

                                                                            *

     Then she is whisked away, looking at that same battlefield, she can see that some healing has taken place, but the land is still scarred and still needs much time yet to heal. The new Aasimar race has settled over the area and thanks to the assistance of the 'Gods of Eld', are able to resist the lingering effects of the magical forces set loose at the battle once held here. She sees a group of Sages and Elders sitting about a firepit and talking. As she notices, she is floating closer and closer until she can hear the conversation.

     Elder Claus: "We mean no disrespect, Sage, but if you cannot do something about her, you know what we have been told will happen, and we cannot allow that threat to exist to the people. We are still in a precarious position, anyone who might 'fall' could drag many more with them and we would not survive that as a people."

     Sage Olivis: "I understand what you are saying, Elder Claus. But are you ready to condemn her, after all, that she has suffered, for something that might happen? Surely you see that if you condemn her in this fashion, you ensure that she will 'fall' and thus the onus will be upon you, and are you certain you can withstand the price to be paid then."

     Elder Claus: "I must be certain, I will not put the clan in peril in the hope that 'one' will not 'fall'. You know as I do, what the result will likely be. And there is the young one to consider. Should she be allowed to go on and possibly taint the child to 'fall' later when she matures? There is no simple, easy answer to this. We must weigh everything and then act upon it, to sit and do nothing ensures we will all pay dearly. It is my earnest hope that I am wrong, but she, as a 'Scourge' is always on the 'razor's edge', this is accepted. But she is swaying from that edge, dangerously so. We must be careful, yes, but we must also be willing to act when it is called for."

     Sage Olivis: "I hear and agree with you, Elder Claus. Give me two more days to see if I can bring her back into balance again, If I cannot, I will not object to the action you wish to take."

     Elder Claus: "This is acceptable to me, I know you will do your utmost to help her. And this will give you a chance to see if you can reach her and bring her back to us. I only pray you will be successful."

     The meeting breaks up and as the Sage Olivis stands to go and see to her charge, she hesitates as if she senses something.

     Sage Olivis: "Who is there, I feel someone like us but also different. Come close and speak to me if you are able. If you cannot speak, then I will open my mind to you, my intuition says you may be important for me to speak with. Here let me open my mind to you."

     Iriisii: "Can you hear me now?"

     Sage Olivis: "Yes, will you tell me who and what you are, so that I may judge if my intuition is right."

     Iriisii: "My name is Iriisii, I am an Aasimar Scourge. My mind is here with you, while my body is millennia in the future. I was drawn here after witnessing the battle that occurred here between the forces of the 'Gods of Eld' and the 'Great Old Ones', specifically 'Kthanid of Eld' and his half-brother, 'Cthulhu'. After the battle, I was moved here in time to witness the council meeting that has just taken place. I think my future fate is tied up with the one you wish to help."

     Sage Olivis: "If it were not for your knowledge of who was in the battle and my intuition telling me you are truthful, I would discount what you say. But please there is more to you than what you have so far revealed, please tell me the rest of it."

     Iriisii: "If what I have seen thus far is true, I am tied directly to Kthanid through the physical aid he gave to the mortal survivors of the battle that caused them to birth the Aasimar race. I also am what in my future time is called a 'Dovahkiin', in the speech of the Dragons, though as yet unawakened. I also share a kinship through my mother with the Blade Dancers. Finally, how I do not know yet, but my 'human' soul was birthed in Aetherius by either two 'Gods' or two 'DemiGods', I am not certain which it is yet."

     Sage Olivis: "If I may ask, what is this word, demigod, that you refer to?"

     Iriisii: "It refers to mortals, who after undergoing the test of 'Apotheosis' or another of a different kind, have ascended to become Gods themselves. In my time, we are aware of three who have done this, although one is currently being challenged by the Elven Thalmor, a political faction among the Altmer Elven people. I believe that the three who did this all occurred after this time, so their names would mean nothing to you."

     Sage Olivis: "I see, again my intuition tells me you are truthful, so I will accept what you say. You say you think you are here about the one I seek to help. Is there anything you can tell me that will help me save her?"

     Iriisii: "...I..am..sorry,...no."

     Sage Olivis: "Sorry, that you know nothing, or"

     Iriisii: "Sorry that you cannot help her. I have met her in her 'fallen' state. Even though we do not know her true name, we do know that she existed as 'fallen' long enough that she forgot that true name and thus took up another name that she chose for herself. That name is the one we know her by."

     Sage Olivis: "Do you know what happened to cause her final slide into being 'fallen'.

     Iriisii: "The death of her child."

     Sage Olivis: "I see, thank you for your candidness. I can feel that it was not easy for you."

     Iriisii: "There is one last thing, I am not certain where this comes from. My Grandfather told me something that has stayed with me through all of my experiences, and always gives me hope."

     Sage Olivis: "Then please share it with me, I could use some hope right now."

     Iriisii: "He said, Redemption is always there for someone if they but desire it enough to seek it."

     Sage Olivis: "Even for the 'Fallen'?"

     Iriisii's voice goes higher, and clearly, someone else is speaking through her, "For anyone who seeks it, it will be open to them."

     Sage Olivis awed: "Then there will be hope for her, even millennia in the future?!"

     Iriisii: "That is my understanding of it."

     Sage Olivis: "That voice?"

     Iriisii: "I know of it, I could give you a name, but it would not mean anything to you at this time."

     Sage Olivis: "You walk with the 'Gods' then."

     Iriisii: "For good or ill, they have their plans for my fate, and once their tasks are done, I will take up my destiny with the Great Fates."

     Sage Olivis: "I Know nothing of these 'Great Fates', please allow me to learn what you know."

     Iriisii: "I do not know if the 'MAKER OF ALL' created them when he set in motion the creation of the 'Metaverse' or if they came about through some other means, but they see all of creation as a 'tapestry', for lack of a better word. Each 'Realm' is a cord in that tapestry, each individual life, a thread in each cord. They weave the cords into a grand tapestry that depicts the course that each 'Realm' takes and thus how the 'Metaverse' evolves, each 'Realm' acting with the others. 

     There exists a dark area, where that portion of the Tapestry was damaged by an entity called the 'Ravening Darkness'. It was responsible for the self-exile of the 'Gods of Eld' from their home 'Realm', the destruction of all life in that 'Realm' and an unknown number before. The 'Gods of Eld' were able to trap it in their old home, but not before the 'Ravening Darkness' caused their greatest defenders to fall into madness.

     They have fought their insane brothers and sisters, but because of their sense of compassion and mercy, they cannot kill them. And so, they defeat them in battle, one by one, and imprison them away, until such time as a means of healing them can be found. The battle fought here was one such battle. The 'Gods of Eld' sought to lure the others away and fight elsewhere, away from you, but the others would not go, and so the battle had to be fought here. Had the 'Gods of Eld' not carried through with the battle, what the others would have done to you does not bear the thought, it is too horrific to imagine."

     Sage Olivis: "Thank you for telling me this. Now at least I know why this happened and that as horrible as it was, it was the least damaging that could have happened. And also I now have answers for those who ask 'why'. It is regrettable that there is nothing to be done for my daughter and granddaughter, but if, even millennia hence, there is a possibility she could see redemption, I can be comforted in knowing that.

     If you are the one to bring her redemption, know that you will have my eternal thanks. I do not wish to know more of what will befall my granddaughter. At least now, I will cherish all the time I have left with her. I sense you are fading, perhaps returning to your own time, one final time, I will thank you, and ask the 'Gods', any who will listen, to bless you and all that you endeavor to do, walk in the light, my child, and keep the balance."

     As Iriisii is recalled back to her 'time', Sage Olivis goes in search of her granddaughter, determined to make the best of what time remains to them.

                                                                              *

     While still within the fog protecting her mind from the visions of passing time, she hears the voices of her adopted mother and others speaking worriedly.

     Sharra: "I know it has been days, she has been like this, sitting in meditation, not moving, not eating, not drinking. It is like only her body is here, her mind somewhere else. And that damn 'metal' page, we cannot get it out of her hands. It is like it has become a part of her."

     Healer: "You did not expect this to happen when she touched it?"

     Sharra: "Honestly, I had no idea that anything was going to happen. I just thought something might allow her to read the glyphs and make sense out of them. 'Gods' know no one else has been able to."

     Their Sage has arrived from where she was staying with another clan when she was summoned when Iriisii dropped into meditation and could not be roused.

     Sage: "This is the one, you spoke about?"

     Sharra: "Yes, Revered Mother, could you look at her and see if there is anything you can tell us, please?"

     The Sage moves close to Iriisii and sits facing her. She takes her hands and carefully places them gently on Iriisii's forearms. She sits quietly for a time, then releases Iriisii's arms and slowly stands. As Sharra goes to ask her what she found, the Sage motions for her to wait as she gathers her words.

     Sage: "She will be back with us soon enough, have some food and water ready, she will need it. Why did you not call me when you first brought her here?"

     Sharra: "It slipped all of our minds, we had decided to watch and see how things progressed, to evaluate her skills. Why, is there something wrong with her?"

     Sage shaking her head, "Far from it, Matriarch. She is...well, special does not even come close to describing her. She will be the culmination of several destinies, some put in place by the 'Gods' of Mundus, some by other Gods, and some that will lead her on experiences we have no words for. She will need to be taught every skill we have, every bit of knowledge, every legend we have a scrap describing. Nothing is to be denied her. Work with her to blend all that she now knows with all we can teach her. 

     We must prepare her for what she will do in the future. Once we have given her all we can, we must find teachers in magic and sorcery. Yes, I know the feelings about that, but in her case, it will be imperative that she learn how to become a battlemage par excellence. And then somehow, we must get her to High Hrothgar for the Greybeards to acknowledge her as Dovahkiin. The Dragonborn must awaken before it is too late.

     The 'Slumbering Ones' are stirring, preparing to wake, she will be the one to deal with them as she is led to. She has many possible paths to tread, but this is the strongest one at this moment in time. Dealing with the 'Slumbering Ones' will be the event that begins her rise, and her rise will not stop until the 'MAKER OF ALL' is satisfied her time has come, and perhaps that will be just a way stop on her journey. He waits for her to begin her journey. He waits for her at her journey's end. Let us not disappoint."

     Healer: "She's waking up!"

     Iriisii's voice cracks as she tries to speak.

     Sharra: "Easy now, take it easy. Here drink this, but do not try to talk just yet. Look at me, please. She is good, and her eyes are clear and responsive. Do you think you are ready to stand, if not then sit a while longer?"

     Sage: "She will be fine, just take it slowly. Please do not speak yet, I know some of what you have been through, and time enough to go over all of it later. For now, please listen. You are the one we have waited for, waited for thousands of years. Your coming was prophesied by our oldest Elders before we even came to Nirn. 

     We will do all in our power to help you ready yourself for what lies ahead. I think you have seen some of what happened in the deep past that will give you a sense of what is to come. We will talk more later after you have had some food, drink, and sleep. Rest well, my daughter."

                                                                                     *

     Iriisii has had a busy few months with repeating her dream/mind/time travel experience to all of the Elders, Sages, Healers, Archivists, Mages, and practically everybody in the upper echelons of Blade Dancer society. All with one main question on their minds, 'how much of this is actually true?'. For Matriarch Sharra, Elder Josiah, and a handful of others steeped much deeper in the history and lore of both the Blade Dancer culture and of Mundus, every word is the absolute truth. Many questions have been answered and more questions asked as a result of the answers learned.

     Elder Josiah: "What she has seen, I could never imagine the events she has told us of in her vision. Not to mention the part she unknowingly played, not only at the beginning of the Aasimar people but in the battle between Kthanid and his half-brother, Cthulhu. And that Nodens, somehow knew this would happen, not only condoned it but encouraged it. Then acknowledged her part in it, and pledged his future support to her, after they won.

     And the story of Desidarius, her story is still yet to play out, Iriisii needs to know all that we know of her, how we have come to know of her, and how we are entwined. I know that many would disagree with me, that I am placing too much on her. But I feel that events will be moving more quickly now and that the information will be vital as to how Iriisii will determine her own path. Sage Ystra, what more have we been able to find of events going on, that either Iriisii may play a strong role in or be drawn into?"

     Sage Ystra: "There is much going on that is only now surfacing to where we can determine the players. The Daedric Lord, Malacath, is moving, the 'void' is experiencing strong 'ripples' emanating from his Realm. He also seems to be connected somehow with a 'splinter faction' of Altmer inside the Thalmor, political faction. This seems to be in its infancy, but we should keep an eye on it to see what direction it is going in and what its goals are. We may need to attempt to intervene once we know more for certain, pretty much anything involving a Daedric Lord is bad news for Nirn."

     Sharra: "Indeed, anything more?"

     Sage Ystra: "Yes, there are also some strange rumors from the western Reach area of Tamriel, past Markarth. This may coincide with some 'ripples' from Namira's Realm. If she is attempting anything there, then may the Gods help those people.

     There is something minor, but notable enough to mention. We have felt an entity that has placed itself somewhere near High Hrothgar and appears to just be waiting, for what or who is anyone's guess, but I would not put it past whatever it is, to know that the Dovahkiin walks on Nirn once more and is waiting there for her.

     Also, there is something happening on Solstheim, that will definitely need to be looked at, and I, at least feel that Iriisii will be drawn to it, whether by her own volition or not."

     Sharra: "Why do you say that? We hardly hear anything happening from there since the eruption of the 'Red Mountain'?"

     Sage Ystra: "Miraak."

     Sharra: "WHAT?! I thought him dead, millennia ago. How?"

     Sage Ystra: "We suspect it may have something to do with a new cult springing up over there. Also, though some disagreed with me on my summation of what happened when he disappeared, I suspect yet another Daedric 'Prince', this time, Hermaeus Mora. Miraak held a great amount of Dragonlore as a Dragon Priest, and then to be found out as Dovahkiin as well. You realize he did not have the training under the Greybeards that many other Dovahkiin did. This would have made him very susceptible to Hermaeus Mora's influence."

     Sharra: "SHIT, forgive me, please. Can things get even worse than they are with all of this news? Please, Sage, tell me this is all!"

     Sage Ystra: "I am sorry, but that I cannot do. We have begun to feel tremors of Molag Bal operating in Akavir!"

     Sharra's face goes white, "Please 'Gods' no, he is not stirring up the Akaviri!"

     Sage Ystra: "Something is stirring them, that is certain. Whether it is political and/or military pressure from the other peoples there, Molag Bal's efforts, both, more, we just do not have enough information. And as you well know it is very difficult to get reliable information from that area.

     There is also activity involving the 'Ashen'. We know from time to time, someone is going over and recruiting some of the warrior castes and transporting them to Tamriel. After which they seem to disappear, likely holed up somewhere training for something. This has stepped up since the Akaviri have also begun a campaign of rounding up 'Ashen' warriors. We think they may be planning on using them for some military action since their own numbers have been in a state of steady attrition from the Tang Mo, and the Tang Po Tun.

     We have heard rumors of 'Ashen' bands of women warriors being seen around Skyrim, also a special 'brothel' catering to the wealthy and the nobility has sprung up in the region around Riften. Most of the women there seem to be 'Ashen', if so, what are they being trained for and is there any connection to the groups wandering around? This seems to share some elements with events that happened during the 'Oblivion Crisis'. If so, it is a possibility, and I stress a possibility only, that a 'void entity' called 'Salaquine' may be involved. If so, we have no idea what may be in the offing, but it likely is not good considering everything else going on.

     There is more, but nothing that comes close to the importance of these, except for one last item, perhaps the most important. A survivor of the 'Blades' has been noticed around some of the old 'burial sites' of dragons from the 'Dragon Wars'. Her name is Delphine, and we know of her. If she is going around looking at these old sites, there is a reason. With the Thalmor still hunting the remnants of the Blades, it would have to be important for her to risk herself by going out into the countryside.

     Also since it is not widely known that some of the dragons chose to leave Mundus instead of staying after Alduin vanished, we have put out observers in the more remote regions. They have reported having seen that some of the ones who left have returned! But they are for now staying out of sight of the cities and pretty much anywhere else where they may be seen. It is surmised they are waiting for something, but what, something perhaps Iriisii, as Dovahkiin, is to address?"

     Sharra: "All the more reason to share all of this with her. All of the things you have mentioned will likely be beyond the capability of anyone else but her, at least once we have completed her training. I see, we will have to step up her regimen in response to this, although we still, I feel, have some time yet. I will go to her, talk with her about all of this, and see what her response is. I believe she will see all of this as why she is being 'groomed' as she is. Just a matter of who is doing the actual 'grooming', and why. Thank you all for coming here, even though the news was less than gratifying."

     Sharra goes to the training yard first in search of Iriisii. Since she is spending a great deal of time there, not only in her own training but in instructing Darius. It is well he has started to worship the ground she walks upon, he needs not only someone he can look up to as a model but someone willing to correct him when he is wrong. Too many feel that since he is the Matriarch's son, it is not their place to correct him.

     As she approaches the training yard, she hears Iriisii's voice as she coaches Darius.

     Iriisii: "Where in the world did you find out about that move and why did you think it appropriate to use it just then?"

     Darius: "But is it, not the point of winning a fight to do it any way you can, since your opponent will likely not follow any rules!"

     Iriisii: "There is a time and place for the 'dirty tricks', but you must first learn when it is appropriate to use them. Yes, the fighting rules we use are exactly that, rules that we and no others fight by. But that means that others will have no defense against them if they do not know how to use them in a fight. They would then give you the advantage, and they are meant to instill discipline into how you fight, and train your body to not rely on your mind to order it to do a certain action in response to an opponent's action. That split second could mean you live or die. Now go put your weapon up, but first, when we are here during normal training, you will train as we all do, later after all others are done, come back, and I will train you in when and how to use the 'dirty tricks'."

     Darius: "Thank you, Sensei."

     Iriisii: "Now go, you scamp. I will see you later."

     As Darius takes his weapon back to the holding rack, Sharra watching from an alcove above the yard level, thinks to herself, "Thank you, Gods, for sending her to us. He looks up to her so, listens to her, may the lessons she can teach him will keep him alive."

     Sharra approaches Iriisii, who upon noticing her, faces her and kneels, saying, "Matriarch."

     Sharra: "Please rise, this is purely informal. Thank you for taking time with him. He worships the ground you walk upon, may he take your teachings to heart and become a better warrior for it. But I digress, I came to speak to you about what is happening in the world, that we feel will have an impact on you, or at the very least involve you in some way. Let us sit over there in the shade."

     Sharra goes over all that had been said in the meeting, holding the words concerning Desidarius until last.

     Iriisii: "What is it that the world must constantly be in such turmoil? Will the people ever have the chance to simply live and not look over their shoulder for the next disaster?"

     Sharra: "We have a couple of researchers looking for the answer to that very question. Perhaps one day we will know the answer and maybe do something about it. Anyway, I also wanted to talk with you about Desidarius. Even though we are not, Aasimar, we know of her, and you will need to know what we know since she seems to have taken notice of you.

     What the Aasimar do not know is that the Realm she was banished to, is indeed inhabited. By what, we really do not know. It is perilous to simply look into it, much less actually go there. And if she has managed to survive, no, thrive there for all this time. That makes her extremely dangerous, to say the least.

     We do know that she ran afoul of a being known by many names, we prefer to use, "Man of Glass" or "Master Mirror". He seems to be able to utilize reflections in ways not known to us. He is also known to wander among Realms, causing suffering and mayhem, wherever he goes. If his body is killed, he simply returns after a time and exacts revenge. He also likes to make bets concerning just about anything, with the victim's soul as the stake. What he does with them no one knows, no one has ever escaped or returned. It is recorded in fact that he lost a bet, once, but no others are known.

     Anyway, what happened between them is not known, but she went to a 'Chaos Lord' in an adjoining Realm for assistance. We do not know exactly what deal she struck, but he did make a pact with her. She had two swords crafted, both 'Moon Katanas', they are similar to Akaviri Katanas, but a little longer, the tips are heavier, and the forging hammer leaves 'half-moon' markings on the blade.

     As they were forged in the "Courts of Chaos", the blades were imbued with the power to steal souls. Ordinarily, they act like a soul gem, once the victim dies the soul is pulled into the blade, where it is held until acted upon. These however were done differently. The Chaos Lord gave Desidarius twin children, which she bore the entire time she forged the blades. The children were born when she was done. Being half demon, they were born fully aware and sentient, only their size marked them as immature.

     As the final act of the blades' forging, the children were sacrificed in an unknown ritual, where the half-demon souls were merged with the blades. Now one only needs to touch the blades, for the soul-stealing process to start. Once touched, you cannot release them, your mind will be drawn into the blade to fight with the souls of the demon children. If you win, they must serve you in all that you ask of them, so long as you remember they cannot leave the swords. If you lose, they claim your soul as they have thousands of others since their forging. 

     One final thing, as they were forged for Desidarius to fight the 'Man of Glass', the blades want his soul above all others. If you can give them his soul, they will release all others in their grasp. How to fight them or what the nature of the battle is, no one knows, no one has beaten them since Desidarius put them down.

     They are waiting in a Realm, where they are the only inhabitants. It is written in an ancient scroll, where to go, and what spell to use to open the gate to the Realm. You may need these swords if you are to defeat some of the foes that you must face later. We do however have time yet, for you to complete your training. It may be that you do not need them, only you can make that decision. Think about these things, if you have further questions, I will do my best to either answer or get you an answer.

     How we came to know of them was an accident. One of ours enduring his 'trials', found the cave with the portal scroll at the back, in front of a gate built into the solid rock face.

He read the scroll and opened the gate. but did not go through. He returned telling the story of finding a gate that led nowhere. Some of our Sages started trying to acquire information about just what the truth was about the gate. 

     It was just too late to save those who went ahead, opened the gate, and entered. We do not know if they perished trying the blades, starved, or died in an accident of some sort. By the time the story was pieced together, they continued to be drawn, to be the ones to leash the blades to their will. We tried to hide the scroll, but it is like it wants to be found. Now we simply hide it in plain sight and never mention the story so as to hopefully deter any from following the ones who have already done so. Would that the damned things have never been made!

     I will leave you now to think over what you have learned. There is time to finish what you came here to do before you must decide on what path to take."

     Iriisii: "Thank you for telling me this, Mother, for trusting me to make my own decision. I will not fail you, should I seek them out, it will be because nothing else will stop whatever I face, and the fate of the world will hang in the balance."

     Sharra: "Your words have already lightened my heart, my daughter. I will let you get back to your training."

     As Sharra leaves the training yard, Darius emerges from the shadowed entry where he overheard the conversation. He should have spoken to Iriisii about what he heard, maybe some things might have turned out differently. Instead, he kept silent and put the words aside as he continued his training. After all, he thought, there was plenty of time yet before he had to decide whether to go before his sister did.

                                                                           *

     Years later, Iriisii has almost all but forgotten the story of Desidarius' swords, unlike Darius however. The time for Iriisii's trials is fast upon her. She will have to choose unseen from a selection of tasks to perform for her trial, chosen by the Elders, a total of five to choose from. She will enter a darkened room and sit in the center, meditating. After a time, a low table will be placed in front of her, with five scrolls on it. Each one details a task for her to undertake, and upon successful completion, she will be welcomed as a full member of the Blade Dancer community. If not, there will be two more opportunities to try. No one who has failed has ever returned.

     As she sits in the darkened room, meditating on which scroll to choose, somehow delaying the decision on some small feeling of dread that something is happening that she needs to be free to pursue. She shakes the feeling and reaches out to take up a scroll. Before she can touch her choice, she hears a scream of anguish echo through the house. She recognizes the Matriarch's voice.

     Before she can reach her feet, the five scrolls are still untouched. The Matriarch bursts into the room, screaming, "Darius has gone! He took that DAMNED SCROLL and now he is gone!" 

     Iriisii stops to think what scroll she means, then it dawns on her, 'By the Gods, NO!'

     Iriisii: "Mother, look, I have not chosen a scroll!"

     Then she looks past the Matriarch into the open doorway and shouts, "I invoke the 'Right to Choose my Trial', I wish to follow my brother and save him from the folly he has chosen to embark upon."

     Elder Josiah: "Do you understand the consequences of what he intends to do?"

     Iriisii: "I do!"

     Elder Josiah: "Is this choice of your own free will?"

     Iriisii: "It is!"

     Elder Josiah: "Then I approve your request. Go with the Gods, my child. Hurry, he has quite a headstart on you."

     Iriisii: "Do not worry, Mother, I will bring him home!"

     Sharra: "Please, if you cannot, bring yourself back safely. I cannot bear the loss of both of you!"

     Iriisii: "I will, I promise!"

     Iriisii runs through the huge communal home, reaches her room, and grabs a bag she keeps filled with essentials needed in case of a fast exit. Something the 'Seven" made sure she learned, very fervently. As she reaches the front door, Elder Josiah is waiting with a horse already saddled and a map showing the route she needs to take to get to the portal cave.

     Elder Josiah: "If you are too late, it will not be any fault of yours. Please return regardless, your loss would be devastating to the Matriarch."

     Iriisii: "I understand, Elder. One way or another, if the Gods will it, I will return."

     Elder Josiah: "Then may the Gods speed you on your way, child."

     Iriisii gets her initial bearings from the map, getting some known landmarks in her head, and heading off in the direction she needs to make the best time.

     A couple of hours later, a messenger arrives looking for the Matriarch. As he is brought to her, he hands her a message and steps back. As she opens it and reads, she starts trembling, then shouts for the Elders. It takes a few minutes, but not long since most of them were within earshot anyway. As they crowd into the Matriarch's room, she hands the message to Elder Josiah. He reads it and immediately moves to the doorway.

     Elder Josiah: "I need the off-duty guard watch, out front, ready for a hard mission, and hurry by all the Gods, time is growing short as I speak."

     The Elder meets the guard watch and fills them in on what has happened.

     Elder Josiah: "Darius has gone to the 'Forbidden Portal Cave" and Iriisii has been sent to retrieve him before he can go through if she can. We have just received word that a large group of mercenaries is already on the road following Iriisii with the intent to capture her and deliver her back to the 'Sinister Seven'. This must not be allowed to happen at any cost. You will be the forward group to stop them, I will be sending everyone I can to back you up as soon as I can get them together and equipped. Whatever you do, do not let them get her, do whatever you must to stop them. Kill them all if you must, just get her back here safely."

     The guard watch set off at a pace that will 'eat miles' as they move along the paths. Elder Josiah turns and sees the Matriarch, face pale, tears falling down her face, hands clenched in anguish. Never before has he seen her like this. He goes to her and asks, "What do you feel, what is it that you 'see' happening?" 

     Sharra leans into his arms for support and says, "Neither is coming home. Darius is lost to us. Iriisii must call upon Desidarius to escape the 'Seven', she will live but she will find herself alone, with no memory of how she got there, hunted. Josiah, how can she survive?"

     Elder Josiah: "Sharra, you must have hope, hope in what her Grandfather taught her, hope in what you taught her, hope that the Gods need her and so will not let her die. She has allies, powerful ones, and her instincts will decide who she needs to call upon and when. This is likely the 'Gods' way of taking her to where she needs to be. You knew that for her to awaken her Dragon Soul, she would need to go to Skyrim, to High Hrothgar. This is their way of ensuring she gets there and their plans go forward. Be thankful you had this time with her. And pray that if she is successful in her endeavors, she will find you and draw you close to her again."

     Sharra: "Thank you, my friend. You do not know how much you have helped me this day. Come, would you pray with me for her safety?"

     Elder Josiah: "Of course, I would be honored."