The Story of Iriisii Dovahkiin - Chapter Four

Iriisii's Story

                                                                Chapter 4

     Iriisii is on the paths running close to the main road before branching up into the mountains. She hears some mercenaries coming from the direction of the main road and so she takes cover in some brush, chafing at the delay.

     Voices: "Tell me why we are chasing this ghost again? Oh, yeah, a chest full of gold for each man in the party that catches her. Won't do any of us any good if we are dead."

     Leader: "Shut your mouths, you skeevers, she can probably hear you from a league away. And if you cost me that gold, well you better not fall asleep anytime soon or you might not wake up. Come on, here is the path, they said to follow it up into the mountains."

     Voices: "...grumble..."

     Leader: "You want to repeat that to the 'Seven'?...I thought not, now move your arses like you mean it."

     Iriisii lets them move ahead of her before following. Better to let them scare away the deer and birds, less chance of discovering her. But if she is too late to save Darius, well, she just might vent her anger on them then. 

     A half-hour later, this band meets up with another, and both agree to join so as to not be cheated out of the gold if the other was the one to find her. She spends the next ten minutes wondering just how have they managed to stay alive this long. Maybe a bear will wander along and she can sneak around them while the bear thins them out.

     Fifteen minutes and somebody shouts about a trail off to the left that has some footprints. They all move over to see if it could be her and she moves to the right and slips around them. Now to see how much time she can make up. Then she hears the merc band shouting and blades slapping each other. She takes a few seconds and then moves to see what the merc band has encountered.

     Damn, what is the guardwatch doing out here, then she thinks, Elder Josiah sent them. Crap, if I don't get in there and help, there are going to be a few less of them to return home. And so she takes a few seconds to plan her first few moves and wades into the fray.

     The guardwatch is wondering just how many mercs are there running around out here. They have us outnumbered three to one and the noise is sure to attract more. Then the captain sees a flash from behind the mercs and smiles.

     Guardwatch Captain: "Lay into them boys, help is here, distract them."

     It only takes a few minutes for the last of the mercs to hit the ground, never to get back up. The Guard Captain thinks to himself, 'Gods, what a woman, and an even better fighter.'

     Guardwatch Captain: "Lady Iriisii, we are here to assist however you need us."

     Iriisii: "Elder Josiah sent you?"

     Guardwatch Captain: "Yes, he is following with as many as he can get ready. He sent us on ahead in case of trouble. I think we could best serve you if we set up some ambushes to distract any others while you go on ahead. If any of the 'Seven' show, we are not to engage but to back off and wait for reinforcements."

     Iriisii: "Keep thinking like that and a promotion should be coming your way."

     Guardwatch Captain: "I will keep a runner ready to send a warning to you if we have to back off."

     Iriisii: "Thank you, Captain, I will be off then."

     Iriisii turns and slides into the brush, so silent even the wind could not hear her.

     A few hours later, she sees signs she is catching up to Darius. This causes her to double her efforts at getting to him before he opens the portal. The scree is loose and a real challenge to get across without slipping and dropping over a cliff, but she watches her footing and remembers her Grandfather's lessons about how to walk as light as a breeze of air. As she makes it across without a stumble or a piece of scree causing a cacophony of noise, she sends a silent thanks to her Grandfather. Is it just the mountain breeze or did she just feel a light pat on the back?

     Finally, she makes it to the recessed crevice, as she moves through, it opens up and she sees the cave mouth. Damn, he must already be here. If she gets him out of here. he may just wish she had left him by the side of the road somewhere. Onwards she goes into the black maw of the cave, once inside and her eyes adjust to the lack of light, she begins to see a faint light on the walls of the cave. There is just enough to see her path by, and she takes it quickly, trusting her skills and instincts to get her through safely.

     As she gets close to the rock plug at the very back with the portal built into it, she hears Darius' voice.

     Darius: "Crap, what is that last word? I can barely make it out. Ah, this is it, 'welsa ghaatiil'.

     She feels the portal open just as she gets in sight of Darius.

     Iriisii: "And just what in the name of all of the Gods do you think you are doing?"

     Darius gets a sheepish look across his face as he realizes who has found him.

     Darius: "I came so you would not have to."

     Iriisii's face softens as she looks at him.

     Iriisii: "Darius, my brother, it gladdens me that you think so much of me that you would risk so much for my sake. But believe me, when I say, I have seen things that would freeze the very marrow in your bones, and I would not risk those swords unless there was no other possible way."

     Verna: "Well, well, well, who do we have here."

     Iriisii: "Darius, inside now, stay just inside and touch nothing, you hear me, nothing! Verna, leave now on your own two feet or I will let your bones rot into dust in the 'realm' behind me."

     Verna: "Oh, I think not. You are not going anywhere, except maybe back into the family if I am feeling generous."

     Iriisii: "I really should thank you properly, if you had not sent me on that 'blind contract' I would not have discovered the truth about myself."

     Verna: "And what would that be, how much of a coward you are?"

     Iriisii: "No, then I was under the influence of the Black Lotus, all I knew was to follow orders."

     Verna: "And you could not even do that right."

     Iriisii: "And now, dear sweet Verna, the Killing Frost, I am a fully awakened and trained Aasimar Scourge and Blade Dancer. And I have only just begun to come into my destiny."

     So fast it was just a blur, Iriisii executes a 'fast draw and cut', Verna slipping backward on some loose rock, which was the only reason her head was still on her shoulders, cries out and Iriisii hears others voices echoing down the cave. She grabs and tosses her bag to Darius.

     Iriisii: "This will keep you for a few days, help is coming, so just hang on."

     Darius: "No, I can help!"

     Iriisii: "Do as I say, now!"

     Verna: "Ooooh! Such a handsome young lad, I could have so much fun with him, do you not think so?"

     Iriisii's growing rage goes cold, as cold as the dark gulfs between the raging infernos of the stars. Verna looks into Iriisii's eyes and wonders if she has gone too far this time. Iriisii slowly brings her sword up, and both hands firmly grasp the hilt with arms straight, elbows bent to bring the sword close to her face. With a battlecry meant to freeze an opponent for the crucial few first seconds as her sword extends as it is swung toward Verna's neck.

     It gets to within a few inches of contact when another blade stops and deflects it. Iriisii recovers the momentum of the strike and moves to attack the second player. Of course, Brutus, first of the 'Seven', only the 'Father' would be fast enough to deflect her strike from killing Verna. Iriisii then hears Darius cry out as he picks up one of the two 'Moon Katanas'.

     She turns to see him crouched with the sword in hand, as he stands, she knows he is gone. And she cries painfilled tears as she shouts, "seal ghaatiil". Then she turns and shouts a second time, "Sal Foqal va Desidarius, Sal call va Alet lor nae tel'quiet." 

     The walls of the cave shake as the words Iriisii speaks echo, not just between the walls but out into the depths of the 'void' and into the Realms of the Hells of Deepest Darkness, where she is answered. Time seems to stop as the floor drops into a pit the bottom of which cannot be seen. From out of the pit, rises Desidarius.

     Beautiful beyond mere words, cruel beyond the worst sadism, but with Iriisii, she feels a kinship and the promise of what might be if she can be brought over.

     Desidarius: "You grow more desirable each time I see you. The dark, cold rage suits you. But to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

     Iriisii points to the now-closed portal, just a wall now at the back of the cave.

     Desidarius: "I can do nothing for the boy. Had he done as you asked him, then yes, I could have returned him to you. Now however is a different matter altogether. The blades must remain there for a time yet, you are not ready to bring them out into this world. Is there something else, I can do for you?"

     Iriisii: "Escape."

     Desidarius: "That is something I can do for you. All that remains is to negotiate the price. Gold, I have no need of. And I do not want your soul or even a part of it unless you wish to gift it of your own free will. No, the currency I have in mind is a part of your memories, to be returned to you at a later time, unaltered in any way."

     Iriisii: "Why?"

     Desidarius: "Why I want that is my business. If you no longer wish to bargain, I will leave you to the tender mercies of your former acquaintances."

     Iriisii: "I accept."

     Desidarius: "I knew we could come to an agreement. This will only take a moment and I will get you out of here."

     Desidarius brings out a pale violet crystal that glows as she breathes across it. Suddenly Iriisii feels strange as if some part of her just went missing. And then in a flash of shadow, they both vanish.

     Verna and the 'Father' look around, certain Iriisii was just there a second ago. Her blade is still on the cave floor where she dropped it as she turned to close the portal. 

     Verna: "What are we going to tell 'Mother'? She most certainly will not be pleased about this."

     Father: "Leave that to me. I have a feeling about where she is now. She is not beyond our reach, just a long distance away."

                                                                                   *

     Desidarius and Iriisii step from the shadows in an area lush with green grass, trees, and there in the distance is a road. 

     Iriisii: "Where?"

     Desidarius points toward the north, "Skyrim is that way. It is the route you need to travel to begin the road to your destiny."

     Iriisii looks at her clothes, noting that she is dressed in rags. She looks at Desidarius."

     Desidarius: "For now you will blend in and can travel quickly without drawing attention."

     Iriisii nods and starts her way toward Skyrim. Just before she gets to the road, she sees a group of Nords walking along the road toward her. She waits for them to get to her before asking for more specific directions to High Hrothgar. Then Legion soldiers quickly surround them.

     Iriisii has no blade, so she uses her hands and feet with no small amount of success. She has almost fought her way free, when the flat of a sword blade catches her on the side of her head and she blacks out, only to awaken to the rocking of the wagon she is sitting in as it makes its way to some destination she has no idea of where it is taking her.

                                                                                *

     Slowly she wakes, still feeling the rocking of the wagon but having no idea of how much longer this ride will last. She is not alone as she notices three other prisoners besides herself. The one opposite her noticed her waking up and commented on her near escape.

     Ralof: "You are quite the fighter, never seen someone who could fight like you did without weapons. I would bet if you had a sword in hand, those Legionnaires would never have taken you. Where did you learn to fight like that? I mean I have seen other women who could fight and hold their own against a man, but you. You put them all to shame."

     Iriisii: "My Grandfather began teaching me when I learned to stand on my own two feet. Later, well I guess it doesn't really matter now, does it?"

     Ralof: "You have been in tight situations before, you know how to read what is around you."

     The prisoner next to Ralof pipes up.

     Horsethief: "What does that mean? What is ahead for us? Damn if it had not been for that ambush I would be halfway to Hammerfell with that horse by now! But who is this prisoner? Why is he gagged?"

     Ralof: "Stop wagging your tongue, that is Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm."

     Horsethief: "Ulfric Stormcloak! The leader of the rebellion! But that would mean..."

     Ralof: "Yes, the headsman awaits us."

     The horsethief looks at Iriisii, "You and me, we had nothing to do with this rebellion, we should not be here."

     Iriisii: "You call upon the Gods to spare you, yet your pleas fall on deaf ears."

     Horsethief: "What do you mean?"

     Iriisii: "The Gods have greater things to worry themselves over than the fate of us. If you are so concerned with saving your life, then take matters into your own hands. You may not survive, but if you die it will then be on your terms not theirs."

     Ulfric looks at her with interest at her words, while Ralof comments, "Spoken like a true warrior, if it is to be our time then I will be honored to die alongside you."

     Iriisii: "It may be that my time has reached its end, but if I am given a chance, or if I can make one then I will not die this day. Watch what happens, if fate intervenes then take the opportunity in both hands and go with it."

     Ralof: "You know something, do you not?"

     Iriisii: "Just a feeling, but my life has been saved before by knowing when they come and not letting them pass me by."

     Ralof considers what she has said, looks toward Ulfric who nods his head to Ralof, in effect telling him to do as Iriisii has suggested if the chance comes to him.

     They see the walls and gate of a town coming closer. As they pass through the gate, Ralof identifies the town as Helgen. The Legion General, Tullius, is also recognized by his talking to the Thalmor Ambassador, Elenwin. The wagons stop just a few minutes later and the prisoners are ushered off the wagons and on the ground to line up for a couple of Legionnaires to mark off their names from a list.

     Iriisii looks around the area taking note of where the Legion has posted their soldiers. Someone knows what they are doing, with the avenues of escape blocked off by regular soldiers backed up with archers. She thinks, 'I could run and make it, but no one else could. The others need a distraction, something big enough to make the soldiers forget about the prisoners. She senses something in the air, a feeling of being watched from afar but coming closer. What is it? Something that may provide just the distraction I am looking for.'

     The horsethief from Rorikstead proves her observations correct when he exclaims, "You are not going to kill me!", and makes a run for it. Knowing he is going to be killed, still she hopes he makes it after all stranger things have happened. But Nocturnal must not be favoring him this day as the Legions' arrows find a place for themselves in his back. As he stumbles and falls to the ground, Iriisii silently vows that whether she lives or dies, she will find a place either in this world or the next to lift a tankard in memory of his courage to take his final destiny in his own hands and meet it head on.

     The first prisoner is selected for the block. He seems impatient to get it over with, and she respects him for his determination to meet his fated end with his head held high. Before the axe falls, she hears a roaring cry on the winds. She feels something inside awaken as the cry echoes within her, and somehow she feels a pair of eyes opening inside. The axe falls with a thump, and a head rolls to the ground. The Legion Captain allows the body to roll to the side of the block, then calls for the next prisoner, her.

     What goes through her mind is the utter incompetence of this officer. Is she going to allow the bodies to pile up around the block as each one loses their head? And just because they had no record of her in their list, instead of asking General Tullius about her, the Captain sends her to the block anyway. And the dark feeling that somehow excites her deep inside is coming closer.

     She kneels before the block her head turned to the side, she has made her decision on what to do if no intervention comes. She will see if they will release their arrows if the Captain is in the line of fire. Suddenly a huge shadow passes overhead, and the cry she heard before sounds again, this time on top of the tower nearby. Where a large black dragon is perched looking at her.

     At that moment, they each look into the other's eyes as the Legion panics. She cannot tell what he feels for certain, disdain, and curiosity. He wonders what she knows of her hidden self, does she have it within herself to be a challenge to him if she survives. Yes, that is what he is hungry for after so long away. He feels something inside of her, he wants it to grow, to challenge him, so he can defeat her in battle, and consume what he smells within her. But first, a test, to see if she can survive.

     The dragon shouts into the sky, and the sky responds with fiery meteors that drop down on the town and populace. The execution is interrupted for everyone else has their own survival foremost on their mind. Iriisii rises still feeling the presence of the dragon on top of the tower. Then he leaps up into the air and begins strafing the town with dragonfire. Iriisii sees Ralof who motions her toward another tower. She moves toward it even as he and Ulfric follow her inside. Immediately she bounds for the stairs, moving upward around the inner circle of the steps. She continues to listen to Ralof and Ulfric try and make sense of why the dragon appeared just when it did.

     As she gets above the first landing, the wall bursts inward, the dragon's snout intruding into the space as he unleashes a blast of dragonfire. Thankfully his head was pointed straight and his blast completely missed her crouched above. As he withdraws and takes wing again, Iriisii drops down to look out of the hole in the wall. Ralof comes up and tells her to jump for the Inn just across. The roof torn open, giving her a clear shot at the second floor. He tells her he and Ulfric will catch up and find her once she escapes. She looks at where she wants to land and takes a few steps before leaping for the hole in the Inn's roof.

     She drops exactly where she wished, avoiding the flames beginning to ignite the thatch roof, even as she speeds for the far end, dropping down to the first floor and out of the doorway. Right away she spots Hadvar, the legion soldier who held the prisoner list. She remembers him being polite to her, and bearing pity for her predicament. He sees her and bids her to follow him if she wants to live. Something changes her mind about who she wishes to escape with and she follows Hadvar. As they make their way across the town, avoiding the dragon as best they can. After a few close encounters, they meet an elderly grandfather trying to protect his grandson. She sees the dragon on the ground some distance away but looking straight at them.

     As Hadvar and the grandfather duck behind some rubble, Iriisii sees the boy still in the path of the dragon's line of fire. A force greater than any she has until now known rises up within, and she screams, "No! Not again! Never again!" and she races to the boy. Scoops him up into her arms, and reaches safe cover just as dragonfire scorches the spot where she and the boy were. He is far too amazed at his rescue to cry over his fear, as Iriisii hands him back to his grandfather. 

     Iriisii: "Here, take him and go that way," as she points out where one of the town's main gates stands open close by. "The dragon is over there," pointing to the other end of town, "go now while you still can."

     The grandfather looks at her, asking who he should thank for their lives.

     Iriisii: "Who I am does not matter, what matters is that by the grace of the Gods, I was here for the two of you, now go."

     The two pick up their feet and run for the gate. Iriisii sees them make it outside as Hadvar exclaims, "That was a very brave thing you just did. I knew you were not a part of the Stormcloaks and just got caught up by accident."

     Iriisii: "True, I know nothing of these you call Stormcloaks, but if I had not been here for the grandfather and the boy, what then? Come, lead the way and I will follow. We need to get underground before that dragon finds me again."

     Hadvar: "Wha...?"

     Iriisii: "Something tells me he is both hunting and testing me. Why, I have no idea, but for whatever reason the Gods wish for me to live, and I will not deny them their wish this day."

     They make their way to another building and hurry through the door. Inside it is deserted. Hadvar cuts Iriisii's bindings and she looks up at him, places the palm of one hand against his cheek, and kisses the other cheek, then she turns and goes to look around in the chests scattered about the room for supplies they can use. Finding a set of Imperial leather armor, she strips and begins to don the leather. Hadvar looks her way to ask a question, sees her unclothed situation, and quickly twists himself back around.

     She notices his reaction and smiles but does not draw further attention to herself, no need to embarrass him more than he already is, besides it speaks well of him to be thoughtful of her. He turns and as she is clothed for the nonce, he watches as she takes a sword from the weapon rack, putting it through its paces as she feels its balance and adjusts her handling of it. She looks at the shield but opts for a second sword.

     He thinks, 'Truly she should not have been caught up in that sweep. Had she been armed, she would never have been caught, and more than a few of his fellow legionnaires would likely be feeding the crows.'

     When they were both ready, they headed for the doorway at the other end of the room. He notices she took only what armor and weapons she needed, definitely not burdening herself and staying light on her feet. He thinks to himself, 'Gods, we need her in the Legion, but after this day she will likely not want to have anything to do with us. Well, if she does not join Ulfric and his cutthroats, I can live with that.'

     They follow the corridor until they come to the torturer's chamber, as Hadvar comments that he wished there was no need for such, they hear the sounds of conflict and the Stormcloaks being tortured for information being rescued by comrades. Hadvar and Iriisii rush into the chamber with weapons drawn, each taking an opponent.

     Iriisii shows the training she went through at such a high personal cost. Moving to her target's side at the last second, she thrusts her right-hand sword into the Stormcloak's side, even as she parries a strike from another with her left-hand sword. She withdraws the right-hand sword and spins to acquire momentum, the right-hand sword striking the second Stormcloak's neck, with his head and the rest of his body parting ways.

     Hadvar is doing well, but his training in the Legion does not come close to Iriisii's training under the 'Sinister Seven' and later the 'Blade Dancers'. She has downed the remaining Stormcloak as Hadvar finishes off his opponent. He then speaks to the torturer about leaving with them. The torturer will have none of it, preferring to remain where he is, not believing a word Hadvar is saying about the dragon attack above ground. Iriisii lays a hand on his shoulder and as he looks at her she gently shakes her head looking at the torturer. Hadvar gets the message and leaves the torturer to his own devices.

     They move on deeper and encounter more Stormcloaks. They work together to make the Stormcloaks have to constantly shift to protect themselves against one or the other and so they die to the one freed to strike. Further and further they go, down a long corridor only to have it nearly cave in on top of them as the dragon lands on the ground above. They reach a small cave following a stream, and so they run with the stream until Iriisii stops at a side cave and Hadvar is stopped when the stream disappears under a rockfall.

     Onward into a group of Frostbite Spiders, a few nearly the size of a horse. Iriisii knows their weak spots and they go down quickly.

     Hadvar asks, 'What's next? Giant snakes?'

     Iriisii: "No, they would have kept the spiders from growing so large."

     Hadvar: "Please do not remind me about the spiders."

     Iriisii: "Far worse things out there, like that dragon up above."

     Hadvar: "Do you know anything about him?"

     Iriisii: "No, I have never seen him before. But even so, something about him."

     Hadvar: "What about him?"

     Iriisii: "I really am not certain, I just feel that he and I will keep meeting again, and that eventually one of us will not survive the meeting."

     Hadvar: "Well, my bet is on you surviving. I have never seen anyone fight like you do. Where did you learn those techniques?"

     Iriisii hesitates for a second.

     Hadvar: "I am sorry, I should not have asked."

     Iriisii: "It is all right. It is just still a painful subject. But I will say I was not trained in Tamriel, but in an island nation beyond Akavir on the other side of Nirn. It is isolated by high cliffs around most of it, with the southwestern part the only accessible part by the sea. We do a fair amount of trade with the Sea Elves of Pyandonea and there are smaller island chains further out."

     Hadvar: "Good to know, I have never been out of Tamriel myself. I have family in Riverwood, not too far from here. Might you have family somewhere?"

     Iriisii lets a tear flow from an eye, "No, they are all gone now, I am the last of my village. The Blade Dancers adopted me, but as much as I love them, it is just not the same."

     Hadvar: "I am sorry, I have never suffered like that and I will not pretend I know what you went through..."

     Iriisii puts a finger to his lips to quiet him, and then with just a second's deliberation, moves in and kisses him.

     Iriisii: "Thank you for your sympathy. I cannot tell you how much it means to me. Now we need to be moving on."

     Hadvar follows her, wondering how did she end up here from the other side of Nirn.

     They come to a large cavern and begin to make their way through it. He turns and starts to whisper to Iriisii about a mother bear sleeping on a rock shelf near the stream running through. She places a finger against his lips and mouths 'silence'. He nods his head and she takes the lead, motioning him to step where she steps. He follows closely, noticing how she can pick out the most quiet and solid places to step. And that she uses a different foot movement than what he was taught in the Legion.

     Soon they exit the cavern and immediately hear the dragon roaring as he flies around the smoking ruin of Helgen. They drop behind a large boulder to shield themselves from sight, listening as his roars grow more distant. As they rise up and begin walking down the path.

     Hadvar: "Look, I know this is not the best introduction to the Legion, but we could really use someone like you. This civil war is tearing Skyrim apart, and General Tullius has had the greatest success so far in stopping it. At least until that dragon showed up. But still, he is likely the best one to finish this once and for all. I would understand if you do not wish to consider joining..."

     Iriisii: "But you would at least ask that I stay out of it and not join up with Ulfric and his Stormcloaks?"

     Hadvar: "Yes."

     Iriisii nods her head, "I understand and I will go this far, at least. I will not make a decision one way or the other until I have a better understanding of what the stakes are, and what is best for the people of Skyrim."

     Hadvar: "That is all that I can ask, thank you. I have an uncle in Riverwood, who could put us up for a night or two and feed us, if you would rather go alone from here, I would understand."

     Iriisii: "Hadvar, are you coming on to me?"

     Hadvar: "No, no, I would never do anything like that!"

     Iriisii: "Shhh, you have a good heart and a good soul, I am honored that you feel that way toward me. Under better circumstances, I would take you up on that and see where it might take us. But I carry a heavy burden and a dangerous one at that. Until I can see it through to the end, I could not ask that you place yourself in danger for my sake. I feel I must confess something to you, something deep and dark that happened some time ago. My village was destroyed some years ago, I was the only survivor, and also the reason it was destroyed."

     Hadvar: "Go on."

     Iriisii: "The mercenary assassin band that killed everyone else was executing a contract on me. Why I have no idea or even who took the contract out. The leader saw my warrior skills and thought it more profitable to fake my death for the client and take me, prisoner. They addicted me to Black Lotus by using its pollen fashioned into a clay orb that was tossed at me while in battle. I struck it with my sword and spread the pollen everywhere. It was then too late for me."

     Hadvar: "What happened? What did they do?"

     Iriisii: "They took me back to their lair and trained me as an assassin. After I passed my final test to become one of the 'Sinister Seven', I was given the task of clearing out an outpost of the Morag Tong on our shores. Over a hundred of them and the leader was the 'second' for their best, one called the 'Mute', a Tang Mo of high repute among them. I went alone and killed every Morag Tong in the outpost without once raising an alarm. I then set a 'warning' for the 'Mute' should he appear.

     I watched for the warning to go off and it did. I then felt him walk out of a portal near me. I first warned him that the Morag Tong were not welcome on our shores. Then when he threatened to kill me, I told him to ask his Mistress."

     Hadvar: "Who...?"

     Iriisii: "I am coming to that. We had a visitation from Mephala. She let him know in no uncertain terms that he was to leave me alone. That I, not even an adherent to her, had earned her respect by virtue of my skills. And that should our paths ever cross again, I had her permission to kill him with no expectation of vengeance from her. The reason I tell you this is because at that time I was the least of the 'Seven'. They will come to find me, their hubris will not allow them to do anything else. they will either return me to the fold or kill me in expiation of my sin for escaping from them. I do not want them to find you with me, for you would not live to see the new day, so please forgive me."

     Hadvar: "You do not need my forgiveness for what happened in the past.

     Iriisii: "Take care of yourself my friend and promise me this."

     Hadvar: "Anything."

     Iriisii: "Do not wait for me, if you find someone you can love and I have not returned. Marry her, raise a family, love and stand by them, in that you would honor me more than anything else."

     Hadvar considers her request and finally agrees with her, thinking 'She knows what pursues her, and I do not. Having seen what she can do, if she feels it is too dangerous for me to be with her, I have to respect that. Maybe if the Gods will it, she will complete her tasks and survive, maybe then, or not, I will just have to see what happens first and accept that.

     Hadvar: "I understand, partly at least, enough to trust you know your situation and that you care enough to warn me from danger. Maybe one day the gods will answer us both with what they desire of us."

     He turns heading down the path toward Riverwood and his uncle, wondering if he will ever see Iriisii again. And Iriisii watches him go, tears running down her face, wanting to go with him, but knowing she cannot, for his sake and whatever the Gods have for her to do. She takes stock of herself and begins walking the road, not caring where it goes, trusting in the Gods to see her where they want her.

     

     Dibella: "You keep messing with her like this and nothing will save you when she turns on you."

     Akatosh: "And what was I to do, let her get Hadvar killed. And for what, because they fell in love and wanted to raise a family? You know what is ahead of her, but what you do not know is that the one she must meet is close by. And everything hinges on her getting there before the Thalmor does."

     Dibella: "Everything hinges on everything else according to you. There is no room for error in her decisions, again according to you. You are not the only one who has seen forward, and you have a lot of surprises coming your way."

     Akatosh: "What have you seen?"

     Dibella: "No! I will not risk your meddling and screwing it up for her. She will do what you need her to do, you need not worry about that! But she will do it her way, understand? Her way! And once you are done with her, I shall see that she finds what she needs, and she will go places beyond anything you have dreamed of. For Existence is far greater than Mundus and she will attract the attention of those who do not yet know they need her. And when they do, all limits on who or what she can be will be swept aside."

     Akatosh: "You play a dangerous game, make sure you are not in over your head."

     Dibella: "I am very much aware of how dangerous this 'game' is, remember that when she moves beyond your grasp and seeks the possibilities of her future. Where they can take her, you have no idea."

     Akatosh: "And you do, I suppose?"

     Dibella: "I have seen enough to know we are very small fish in an ocean of sea monsters, but she is the hunter that can cull the sea monsters and calm the raging seas that is the 'void'. Just remember to let her go when the time comes for her to move beyond us."

     Iriisii is slowly walking down the road, at a side road branching off of the main, she glances up that side road and sees a group of Altmer dressed in glass armor and a few in dark-colored robes. She guesses these are the Thalmor, based off of the few she saw at Helgen. One looks toward her and with barely disguised disdain in his voice commands her to move along, that there is nothing here for her to concern herself with. She assumes because she is still wearing the Legion uniform that he thinks she is of the Legion, and not wishing to attract more of their attention, she turns away and continues down the road.

     Moving along, she spots Hadvar further ahead, just as she decides to catch up with him and see if he would still like her company. She hears a cry for help from the ascending slope to her right. Her training and instincts immediately cause her to turn from the road and climb the hillside until she sees a stunning huntress coming toward her.

     Iriisii: "What is the trouble? Are you hurt?"

     Huntress: "No, I am not, but a young woman is and I need help to get her to my camp and take care of her. If I cannot she will not survive. Please help her!"

     Iriisii: "Take me to her, quickly."

     The Huntress turns and runs to the injured young woman, Iriisii closely following.

     Huntress: "I saw her leap from the cliff into the branches of this tree. A limb broke and as she fell, she caught the ragged edge across her midriff. She has a deep gouge wound but it did not go deep enough to disembowel her. She still risks infection, and complications from the fall."

     Iriisii: "I will gently pick her up, do not worry. Do you know an easy path to take? I do not want to risk her further injury moving her."

     Huntress: "Follow me."

     As Iriisii holds the injured young woman in her arms and follows the Huntress, she cannot help but feel something begin to grow within her. Whatever it is, it causes her to sense the lash scars all over her body. And a cold rage builds as she wonders who did this to her.

     Iriisii: "Who was chasing her?"

     Huntress: "The Thalmor."

     The huntress feels Iriisii's response and stops, turning to look at her. Seeing the cold, protective rage radiating from her and reflected in her eyes, she thanks the Gods that she is not the target of it.

     Huntress: "Wait here, let me see if the way onward is clear."

     As the huntress creeps onward to see if the way is clear, Iriisii looks deeper into this young woman. What she senses disturbs her at what she feels this woman has endured. And she thinks back to her own past problems with Black Lotus, feeling an upwelling of sympathy washing over her. She silently promises her that she will look after her should the opportunity present itself. She will then destroy those who dared torture this young woman like she had been tortured by them.

     

     Akatosh: "Feel better?"

     Dibella: "I will feel better about this when you come clean about everything. But it is a step in the right direction. Iriisii has come to care about this young woman with no nudging from me, just the circumstances of it. I take it she is important to your plans?"

     Akatosh: "Yes, she is, both of them in fact. Right now for different reasons, but that could change later."

     Dibella: "How could it change...You! And how did you get Mara to go along with this? There is far too much that could go wrong, the paths are still stronger in other directions, but...it...just might be possible."

     Akatosh: "I take that to mean you will help them then?"

     Dibella: "You are going to owe me greatly for this, but I cannot let this go aside and fail without at least trying to guide it and bring it about. And you can wipe that smirk right off of your face, I am doing this for the two of them. Although she and the huntress, even just one night could strengthen this if it goes correctly. All right, I will help this along, but I am only going to help you get to where you let go of them, and I will help in my own way. I will see to it that what I do does not change the end you want, but how they get there may not be exactly how you envision it and I will be speaking to Mara about helping me."

     Akatosh: "As you wish."

     Dibella: "You had better be more careful around Kyne, she is beginning to sense what you are doing and you know what her reaction is likely to be. When she comes to flay your hide, tell her to speak with me first. Maybe I can redirect her and enlist her help with this. Yes, that might work out rather well, all told."

     Akatosh: "What are you scheming to do with my plan?"

     Dibella: "Does it really matter if you get what you want in the end?"

     Akatosh: "No, you are right. Go ahead then, just make sure it all works or it will be all of us who suffer."

     The huntress asks Iriisii to stay in the shadows of the trees while she finds another path. As Iriisii sinks back into the treeline, she keeps a firm hold on this young woman, who for whatever reason has attracted the attention of the Thalmor. Iriisii makes it a point to whenever possible, to visit upon the Thalmor all that they have inflicted upon this young woman. Just then the Huntress returns and directs Iriisii to another, safer path.

     She recognizes the 'Standing Stones' that Hadvar showed her as she crosses behind them and down the hill. At the base is a hunting/fishing camp with a small boat at the shore. The huntress directs Iriisii to put her charge into the boat, while the man standing there berates the huntress he has named 'Rose' for bringing the two to their camp and helping the wounded young woman.

     Iriisii hears Rose tell this, Hedren, that 'sometimes you have to do what is right, even if you must risk everything'. Something in those words resonates with everything she was, is now, and wants to be. She feels in the realization of the meaning behind those words, that her path has been changed. For better or worse, who knows, but she feels the rightness of the change goes farther than she could ever imagine. Rose comes over and gets in the boat, Iriisii takes the oars and begins rowing them out onto the lake. Rose points out their destination and Iriisii begins the slow, rhythmic motions that are delivering the three to the beginning of a destiny that even the Gods cannot imagine.

     After the young woman has been placed in a shelter, Rose asks Iriisii if she would undertake going to Riverwood to purchase some bandages and a fur to keep the sleeping young woman warm. At this moment, there is no way Iriisii could deny Rose anything, not because of her concern for the sleeping and injured woman, but for the careful and very subtle intervention of Dibella, who finds it almost impossible not to find some way for these two to discover each other, here and now. Even as she knows what rides upon this path, she has had tantalizing glimpses of what may come because of this.

     Iriisii takes the gold Rose offers to her and takes the boat back to the fishing camp, and then on foot to Riverwood. She comes to barely see the town when she feels a strong pull to the side of the river bank. There on a grass-covered sandbar, is a chest and a marker of some kind. She opens the chest and immediately takes out a letter. She cannot believe what she reads, the letter indicates that everything in the chest is a gift to her from Akatosh. 

     He tells her she is his Dovahkiin, and she remembers hearing that word in some hushed conversations she overheard in the Blade Dancer Temple. She reads where he has given her this gift to help her along the way to what he eventually needs her to do. For now to use the gifts in the chest to increase her skills in preparation for what will come. In it, she finds enchanted armor of robes, hide, light, and heavy. A ring, two amulets, and a pile of weapons, spellbooks, along with some crafting materials. She reads the spell books and learns the spells. Picks out the light armor which appears to be made of dragon bone and scales. She then chooses a sword and dagger from the weapons and packs everything else back in the chest and closes it, feeling that no one else will be able to either open or move the chest except for her.

     As she walks up to the open gate into Riverwood, she is stopped by a Thalmor agent. It takes a supreme effort not to slit his throat on the spot, but she is not going to jeopardize what she has already done. Sooner or later the opportunity will come to take revenge, best to let it simmer until that moment. He asks her business and she replies with the first thought in her mind, that she was here to see a man about purchasing a dog. The agent accepts her reason for being there and hands her a wanted poster.

     It was for the injured young woman back at Rose's camp, a young woman named Rigmor of Bruma, with a 'dead or alive' bounty of fifteen thousand gold coins. Iriisii says she has not seen the young woman before and will tell the authorities should she happen across her. This seems to satisfy the Thalmor agent who bids her to go on with her business. She makes her way to the 'Riverwood Trader' and stops to overhear a conversation between one Irileth, Yarl Balgruuth's housecarl, and assistant arguing with a high-ranking Thalmor about their continuing presence in Riverwood. The conversation ends with the Thalmor threatening to file papers about the issue, and action from those papers. Irileth looks at him like he should be scraped off of the bottom of her boots. Iriisii begins to like her already if their opinion of the Thalmor is as closely aligned with hers as it appears.

     Iriisii opens the door to the 'Trader' and walks in to find the shopkeeper in a somewhat heated argument with a woman. At first, she wonders as to their relationship then hears the shopkeeper refer to her as his sister. She gets his attention and then tells him what she needs. He seems to know exactly who it is for as his voice drops to keep it from being heard outside. Once she has paid for the supplies, he tells her that he will be available if they need anything else and to be careful. She nods her head in agreement and walks out and back to the camp.

     Giving the bandages and fur to Rose, she watches as Rose examines the extent of this Rigmor of Bruma's injuries.

     Rose: "She is seriously injured but not critically. If we keep her warm, give her water, maybe some soup of meat and cabbages, she will recover. Any idea who she may be?"

     Iriisii: "Rigmor of Bruma."

     Rose: "How do you know?"

     Iriisii: "There are wanted posters all over town. Here take a look."

     Rose: "That is a lot of gold. They must want her really bad, but I am not one to judge without hearing her side of this."

     Iriisii: "Agreed. My past is not perfectly clean, I certainly have no right to cast stones."

     Rise: "Your name is not one I have heard here in Tamriel before, where are you from?"

     Iriisii: "Its name would mean nothing to you since it is not on any of your maps. But I lived on an island nation beyond Pyandonea and Akavir."

     Rose: "You are right, none of our ships have gone that far, but how did you find yourself here?"

     Iriisii: "I..."

     Rose: "It is alright, you do not have to say anything if you do not wish to."

     Iriisii: "It is that I am likely being chased, and if you knew more about me, it could place you in danger."

      Rose stands and steps toward Iriisii, cupping one hand against her face, "I will take that chance, you are a good soul, and that is rare these days. Tell me only what you wish, when you wish, for now, I need for you to go to Anise's cabin across the lake. She should have a nettle potion that will treat Rigmor's fever, then she might have some cabbages, if you can bring down a deer for venison, I can make a soup for us all. Just when you get to Anise's do not go down into the cellar."

     Iriisii: "I trust you to know why, I will follow your instructions and return as quickly as I can."

     Rose: "Here take Rigmor's cuirass to Hedren at the blacksmith's shop, he helps out there to earn extra gold."

     Iriisii: "I will do so, do not worry."

     Rose leans up and kisses Iriisii on the cheek, "Hurry back, and please be safe."

     Iriisii makes her way back across the lake. The repetitive motion of the oars dipping into the water, then skimming along the top back out to pull the boat further along, eases her mind greatly allowing her a form of meditation. She reaches shore and pulls the boat up, gets out, and walks down the riverside to find a place to cross. It does not take long to find some shallow rocks and she skips across.

     When she arrives at Anise's cabin, she now knows why Rose said not to go into the cellar, for she feels a peculiar form of power surrounding Anise. Setting the feeling aside, she replies to Anise's inquiry as to what she seeks by telling her Rose sent her and what she was to acquire. Anise directs her to the table where she finds everything and bids her goodbye as she moves on toward Riverwood.

     Walking into Riverwood, she notices the complete lack of Thalmor standing about. She walks to the blacksmith's shop and sees Hedren. She walks up the steps and to him, telling him Rose sent her to ask a favor.

     Hedren: "What does she need me to do?"

     Iriisii: "Repair this cuirass."

     Hedren: "Ok, put it on the bench."

     As Iriisii does as he asked, he sees it and hurriedly covers it up.

     Hedren: "Are you crazy? The Bruma crest is a dead giveaway! There are Thalmor agents all over the place. Ok, I got it hidden for now, tell Rose she owes me a big favor for this."

     Iriisii: "I will tell her, just be careful then, you should know who the agents likely are."

     She turns and leaves to Hedren handing one more comment.

     Hedren: "If anyone asks why you were here, just say you came to check out the shop."

     Iriisii: "Noted, I am not an idiot where subterfuge is called for. I am a stranger here and not likely to cause as much suspicion for dropping by the blacksmith's shop or the local trader's shop to buy and sell things."

     Moving on out of town, she makes her way back to Rose's camp, giving her the food and medicine for Rigmor. Rose gives Rigmor some of the Nettle potion and sets aside the venison and cabbage for later.

     Rose: "What did Hedren say?"

     Iriisii: "He said you would owe him a big favor for this."

     Rose: "I will take care of that later."

     Iriisii: "Is he your partner?"

     Rose looks at Iriisii for a few seconds before answering, "No, he is just a good friend."

     Iriisii: "Is there anything else you need for me to do?"

     Rose hesitates, begin to say something then changes her mind."

     Iriisii: "Rose, spill it."

     Rose: "No, it is likely dangerous and you have done enough already."

     Iriisii added a little demanding tone to her voice, "Rose, tell me, let me be the judge of how dangerous it is. And whether I wish to help or not."

     Rose gives it a few more seconds of thought, and shifts on the tree stump she is sitting on.

     Iriisii: "Rose, I would not ask if I was not interested in at least hearing what this is about."

     Rose goes on to tell her about the local legend of a shrine near the top of the mountain behind them, supposedly filled with riches. She tells Iriisii of her plans to leave her current life and start over with the gold.

     Iriisii: "Just give me directions on getting started, we will split the gold down the middle when I get back."

     Rose: "You are such a good person, I have nothing to thank you for this."

     Iriisii: "I ask nothing from you to do this, I do it because I want to, and I feel you deserve a chance at a new life. I will return soon."

     Rose: "I will make it up to you, somehow, I promise."

     Iriisii: "If you feel you must, then I will not insult you by refusing you, but I will not take from you anything you need for a new life. Not many people would have stopped and called out to a stranger for help with an injured young woman. You deserve a new life, and I will see that you at least get the chance."

     

     Iriisii goes to where the path leads up the mountain. It does not take long to see the first body of one who did not make it. As she examines it, she notes he did not die of the fall, but rather of claw wounds. This makes her consider if there might be frost trolls about, maybe sabretooth cats. Increasing her diligence of area awareness, she continues up, finding still more bodies displaying the same wounds. Then she hears the grunts of a frost troll ahead fighting with someone or something. She moves as quickly as she can until she is in sight and sees a Nord fighter go down under the troll's claws.

     She silently draws her blade and moves as quickly and silently as she can to come up behind the troll. As long as the wind holds and does not give her away by her scent, she should take him out easily. Only a minute later she is pulling out her blade from his back, where she impaled his heart on the blade's way out the front of his chest. Thinking to herself, 'This one will not kill again. But these idiots who seem to not know how to fight a troll, maybe Skyrim is better off without them. Then she corrects herself, yes, but without them, the trolls would not have a ready food supply when the game goes scarce. Oh well, it all works out in the end.'

     Going onward and upward, she comes on a troll battling a sabrecat. She stays back to let these two fight it out and then see what the survivor does. It is a close fight but the sabre cat comes out on top. He then notices Iriisii and painfully makes his way toward her. As he looks deeply at her, evaluating his chances, she opens herself and allows the predator within her to look back out at him.

     There is no way to know how long they faced each other, a few seconds, a few minutes. The sabrecat concedes this battle of wills, turns, and staggers away. Iriisii notices the extent of his wounds and casts a 'heal other' spell on him. At first, he tenses, but then realizes he is not hurting anymore. Letting her finish, he feels better than has in a long time. he turns to walk away then stops, raises his head, and roars to the sun and skies.

     Kyne: "Well done, my dovah daughter, you have won his respect and his loyalty. An exceedingly rare thing to do since the Dawn Times ended."

     Iriisii: "You honor me, Mother of the Winds."

     Kyne: "And you surprise me, still so respectful after all that you have been subjected to. You have every right to curse us one and all for the burdens placed upon your shoulders. If our positions were reversed I would not be as proper as you have been."

     Iriisii is silent, not knowing how to respond to this admission from one of the Divines.

     Kyne: "You must remember, we are not immortals anymore. Only Magnus among us retains that quality, yet it is sometimes difficult to know who is truly disadvantaged, us for losing our immortality, or him for never gaining closeness with you mortals."

     Iriisii still remains silent, feeling that Kyne is still not done with her.

     Kyne: "I came to find you, see who you are, why you were chosen from all others to bear what you have been called to bear. Now I know, and I must agree, much as I do not wish to. Not because I feel you are not the one for this path you walk. Indeed you are more suited to it than even Akatosh realizes. I see things within you, questions yet to be asked, answers yet to be heard. You will come upon them in the fullness of time. And yet, I could not let you continue without giving you my blessing, that it light your path, sweep your enemies from your sight, heal your friends and followers with but a word. My blessing will be bestowed upon you in full when your deepest pain manifests itself from your soul. At that time, you will become my Thunderchild, the first in too many years gone by. Go on to the shrine up above, there is another who wishes to speak with you. Heed her words well, for she is to be deeply involved in your future, and when despair and dark pain fill you to the brink, remember that we care about what you must suffer and that there will be healing for every ounce of pain you endure."

     Iriisii continues walking upward until she sees the door to the shrine. Definitely of Dunmer architecture, she thinks as she opens the door and steps away from the cold mountain wind. she sees a single ash pool with a statue of Azura in the center, gold spread around the steps, and bottles of Dunmer spirits. As she approaches she hears a voice from the statue.

     Azura: "Welcome, daughter of Dusk and Dawn."

     Iriisii: "May I ask why you refer to me as 'daughter of Dusk and Dawn'?"

     Azura: "You are Aasimar, treading on the edge between Good and Evil, Light and Dark, as the Dawn and Dusk tread between the Day and the Night."

     Iriisii: "I understand and agree, thank you for the lesson, Lady Azura. May I ask why you wish to speak with me?"

     Azura: "I wished to see for myself who you are. They say you are Dovahkiin, and I say they are right, you do have a dragonsoul within you, but the dragonsoul is not one of Nirn's dragons birthed by Akatosh. Yours is far older and much more powerful, one of the Great Elders of Old. I see he has been awake within you for some time, even now he listens to us and keeps his own counsel.

     Even so, you are more enigma than answer, the darkness within you such that all mortals have, in you is another of ancient times, your mortal soul is one born of the Gods of Mundus and they who first gave you life are known to me. You share power that existed before Mundus, which comes from your Aasimar forebears. And also power from your Blade Dancer heritage. Never have I seen such a pooling together. It is no wonder then, that the Corners of the House of Troubles fear you, as do others to whom the Corners are as little children playing at being villains.

     I will do what I can to aid you on your road, though the greater part of my concern must be for she whom you have rescued. Her destiny is one that will shape Nirn should she live to see her part done. Your life is yours, as are your decisions. I will be avidly watching to see where you go on your path and how it affects those around you. What is here within the shrine is yours to do with as you see fit. And so I must go and prepare for what follows in your wake, for one day your steps will shake the very foundations of Existence."

     Iriisii senses Azura's presence fade away, even as she goes over everything she said trying to make some sense out of it.

     She wonders to herself, 'Now just what is all of this supposed to mean to me?'

     All she feels is a series of shoulders being shrugged inside.

     Iriisii: 'A lot of help all of you are right now!'

     Some faint whispers pass around, and some earnest discussions erupt and fade away. Then her 'darkside' pipes up, 'We cannot take the risk that telling you what we know and surmise could upset the whole basket. It is too important to what path you will direct all of us to take. We do not know what it will be, the choices are far too numerous to try and sort through. Besides that is something only you can do properly, our interference will only confuse things even more."

     Iriisii: "And you are?"

     Darkside: "You are not ready yet to know who and exactly what I am, what role I am to play in the drama of your life. But I am here to aid you, listen to you, and advise you in certain aspects. A very few times, I have had to come forth and save us all when you were locked in a struggle with yourself over what you saw yourself doing. This is part of why I am with you, to do the things you for whatever reason cannot, that the path of your...our future not come to a screeching halt, but move onward, always forward."

     Iriisii: "I really do not completely understand what you are saying, but 'thank you' for what you have done. Perhaps when the time comes and I will know more of what is driving us, then it will make more sense."

     She feels one of those inside bow to her and so she begins to gather up the gold scattered around, counting the whole that she knows how much to give to Rose. And wonders within what this upwelling of feeling is that threatens to overwhelm her whenever she thinks of Rose.