The Story Of Iriisii Dovahkiin Book One Chapter Twenty-One

The Story Of Iriisii Dovahkiin Book One Chapter Twenty-One

                                                            Chapter Twenty-One

     Iriisii realizes she is staring at the Thalmor necromancer's guts that she spilled onto the stone floor, and that she has an almost overwhelming desire to string them up on a display board and let them sing their knowledge to her. She glances to her side at Desidarius.

     Iriisii: "I wish to look deeper into this necromancer, but I am certain the others are not going to understand."

     Desidarius: "Say no more of it. The two of us together can cast a Dream Glamour that will let them see only what we want them to see. As long as it is active, they will simply stand and dream that we are doing something else here until we are ready to release them. I know how you feel about such things, but we are not trying to change anything of what is happening with the exception of displaying that Thalmor's guts for us to read. I would suggest that they take a quick break to grab a bite and a drink, then let that extend until we are ready."

     Iriisii nods her head for Desidarius to begin. As Desidarius sets up the Glamour, Iriisii sets the stage by declaring a quick break, for food and drink before going on. That they should take advantage of this time while they have it since those ahead seem to be unaware that they are making their way through. By the time Iriisii has finished making her declaration she can see the Glamour taking effect on them. She hopes she knows what she is doing but at the same time knows what their reaction would be to what she is about to do, and judges the Glamour the 'lesser of the two evils'.

     They find some wood planks the Thalmor had left off to the side for something they had in mind doing. It only takes a few minutes using the flat of the pommel of one of her daggers to drive the nails in the proper places, all the while whispering a spell of divination. One that shifts from spoken words to a guttural growl then to a sibilant slurring of the words with an underlying hissing, sliding into some kind of melodic tune from deep in her throat, until finally it ends in a barely recognizable croaking that hurts the ears that hear it just as much as the throat that utters it. Somehow Shivista steps in at the last to help her with the croaking, and when it was done, steadfastly refuses to say anything about what it was, if it was a language, where she learned it, what it meant, what kind of entity spoke it. All she will say is not to ask, for she will say nothing of it, not to anyone, no matter who is asking.

     Iriisii and Desidarius look at the first string. Gazing at it, not trying to force understanding, just calmly letting their minds still, their eyes lose their focus, their ears simply blocking out every normal sound, letting in whatever else is left. Then Iriisii recognizes something she thinks is from the past. She hears the sound of a whip slashing through the air, then it lands on someone's flesh. She sees a phrase cross her vision, the words speaking to her, 'The will unbroken by pain,'. Instinctively moving to the next string, which speaks more easily to her now, she hears a sound of a baby crying out for the first time, then the words change in her vision, 'the twice born Dragon has come'. Moving to the third string, the sounds of battle, flesh cleaved, blood spilled, cries for mercy ignored, then the words morph yet again, 'is it the return of Trinimac or the start of a new Empire'. One last string left, and her fingers gently move along the folds, coaxing the deepest meanings she feels that are meant just for her. The sounds come forth, and with them she feels the heat of fires hotter than any felt before, her nose smells the odor of death, destruction, and desecration, her ears hear the sizzling of flesh, the cries of extreme pain suddenly cut off, then the words form, 'the Holy and Sacred Apotheosis of War, the Gods Call to her to reforge the Four'.

     She thinks to herself, 'What can all of this mean? The first two are of the past , but the last two are of the future'. She looks over to Desidarius, who is trembling as she reaches the fourth string. Is she seeing something else, something more attuned to her? Iriisii sees tears of blood leak from her eyes, as she lays her arm across Desidarius' shoulders.

     Iriisii: "Are you all right?"

     Desidarius haltingly: "Yes... I was just...not prepared for this. This...is deep...very deep. What I saw...will work out...but it...will be difficult. I can say no more. What we saw was different for both of us. The message was to both of us separately. I had heard of the strength of this kind of divination, but nothing prepared me for that! Once we are done here, I must go. There are things I must do to prepare for what comes. I cannot say anything about it, dare not do anything to change it. I just hope you will understand what you must do when the time comes. Do not hesitate, do what you will be called to do. If you do this, it will work itself out, I promise."

     Iriisii: "What does this mean, what is it I have to do and what will it mean for you?"

     Desidarius: "I cannot explain it. I barely understand myself, and I have no choice but to take it on faith that it will work out. I wish I could tell you, but that would skew and twist it so far outside...there are no words for how dangerous this could be, but it must happen, must! You have to promise me that you will do as you must, no matter what you think or feel. You have to trust me that it will work out!"

     Iriisii: "I do, you know that! I do trust you, it is the rest of this maelstrom I do not trust. All of the other Gods who have their fingers in the middle of this, turning it this way and that. Who have been manipulating me my whole life, it is they I do not trust."

     Desidarius: "Then trust me, trust me now, and do what you feel guided to do. It is the only way for everything to work for us."

     Iriisii: "All right, if you say so, I will do it, but the last vision I saw told me this. 'The Holy and Sacred Apotheosis of War, the Gods Call to her to reforge the Four', do you know anything about who the 'Four' are?"

     Desidarius starts shaking: "I know, but I cannot say. All I can say is that it is vital that you tread carefully. Act too soon, and everything comes apart at the seams. You will be told of it when it is time, until then do not worry for you have enough on your plate as it is. Do not borrow more until you are ready."

     Iriisii: "Should I not do this again? Will it pull me too far away?"

     Desidarius: "There will be times when it must happen, to give you guidance you can get nowhere else. Just do not grow addicted to it, use it only sparingly, when the pressure you are under grows so heavy that you do not know what direction you must go in. When those times come to you, the means to use it will also be made available. That will be how you can tell it is time."

     Iriisii helps Desidarius to stand, then gently places her hand against Desidarius cheek. Taking a finger from her other hand she takes a bloody tear on it and places it in her mouth, drinking it. Then as she leans in to kiss her, Desidarius places a finger of her own between them, lays it against Iriisii's lips as she gently shakes her head.

     Iriisii questioningly: "No?"

     Desidarius: "No, my love, we cannot let this go further, not yet anyway."

     Iriisii: "But I want you! I want to be with be with you, here, now, this exquisite moment in time! In your arms!"

     Desidarius: "And I want you as well, more than I have wanted anything, anyone, since I 'fell' so long ago! I would even let 'him' go if it meant I could have you!"

     Iriisii: "Then when can we?"

     Desidarius: "Not for some time yet, many things both of us must endure first."

     Iriisii: "But it is not fair to either of us!"

     Desidarius: "No, it is not fair, it is rather necessary for that moment to come to be."

     Iriisii: "You have seen something, have you not?"

     Desidarius: "Yes, but I cannot reveal what. For now we must remain on opposite poles apart, but one day you will build a bridge for us to meet on, and no one will be able to part us ever again. That is what I wish for us, dream for us, desire for us. Those who think they have parted us, must be led to continue to think that, believe that, until the time comes when we show them all the truth. That we overcame all their efforts, and proved that we will not be denied. Now it is time we allow this glamour to fade and everyone to awaken. We have yet to rescue Rigmor's mother, and that is a major part of what must happen for us to reach our goal."

     Iriisii: "All right, let it fade and we can get on with things."

     Desidarius: "There is yet one more thing I must speak to you about."

     Iriisii: "Go on."

     Desidarius: "Are you aware that Casius is developing feelings for you?"

     Iriisii: "WHAT?! How...can this be?"

     Desidarius: "He is not aware of it right now. Will not be for some time. But there will be events the two of you will share that will display your strengths to him. These will draw his feelings closer to you, until he feels it is time to declare them."

     Iriisii: "Gods, I do not need this! He eats, sleeps, drinks, breathes, and dreams the 'Legion'. For as he is a Legion Commander, this is expected, but it has engrained itself into every part of himself, it will not matter if he leaves the Legion, it will never leave him, and I want no one not capable of being completely with me. I do not mean they must agree with everything I do, say, think, but we must be able to reach agreements on troubling issues and show a united front once we do. That he is incapable of doing with anyone other than the Legion."

     Desidarius: "I agree with you, but I needed to hear you say that, to know where you stood with him. If you wanted him, I would find a way to make it work with me. But it is better that you be aware, so that it does not catch you by surprise."

     Iriisii: "What about Rigmor?"

     Desidarius: "It will take time but I feel that we can come together. If we were both in love with someone else rather than you that could be a very different story. You have the power to bind us together to you, so that we put aside our differences for you. I trust this will hold true for anyone you choose to bind us with. And yes, this goes for Rose as well."

     Iriisii: "But you do not know her? You have never met her, how can you?"

     Desidarius: "I have met her through you, your thoughts of her, your feelings for her. The desire for her that fills your heart and soul along with what you feel for me and Rigmor. I have felt the pain of your grief when you lost her, and the strength of your love to overcome that grief, and not give up on reuniting with her. I have felt those same 'arms of love' surround me, my heart and soul. It is what keeps me from total despair at what we must go through to win each other's heart for all time."

     Iriisii: "Then what comes for us, we will overcome, together. For together we are far stronger than we are apart, and none of us are weaklings by any stretch. Now we need to be on our way before someone gets nosey and starts looking for this sword fodder."

     Iriisii: "All right, everyone ready to go again?"

     Everyone gains their feet and begin to move down the hallway.

     Rigmor whispers to Iriisii: "What was that with the Thalmor's guts? I have never seen you do that before, I swear it was a little frightening to see how enrapt you were."

     Iriisii: "It is a new skill 'rearing its head up', but do not worry, I have it firmly under control now. It will not be a common thing, only under extreme pressure and duress, and there is no other way to acquire the information I need. But I do need to warn you, if we are ever apart and you meet someone who says they are a 'Sacred Anatomancer'...run, do not hesitate, just run. Do not give them a chance to say anything further."

     Rigmor: "You are serious? What are they that they are so dangerous?"

     Iriisii: "They do an in depth reading of entrails, man, mer, beast races, male, female, even children are used. Their 'preaching' can be mesmerizing, it in itself can be very dangerous to anyone who listens and is deceived by it, for they do not know what it really means or what the effects will be. What I learned from this one episode...as much as it sickens me, there is a power behind it. And it told me things that we will need to speak about at a later time."

     Rigmor: "Children?! They disembowel children?!"

     Iriisii: "Truthfully it gets worse, but we will save that for another time to talk about. Let us keep moving, I do not want to keep the Thalmor waiting for us."

     They destroy any further groups that they come across, until they reach a full size Dwemer door. As Iriisii lays a hand on it, she knows instinctively that the Forge is close at hand.

     Iriisii: "We are close to the Forge. I can feel the hammer blows echoing against the door. They will be spread out, so we will work to engage with each of us spread out to tie up as many as possible. Everyone watch your brother or sister. If you can lend a hand at a critical moment then do so. I intend to float as best I can to whoever needs help. Pick your targets and put them down quickly. Let us go now into the jaws of the viper and pull their fangs out by the roots."

     When they are in position but still hidden by the shadows that Iriisii summoned to aid in hiding them. She makes the first shot straight up the middle, targeting a mage working to enchant a piece of torso armor. As her war cry echoes throughout the forge area, augmented by her Thu'um, all of the Thalmor, having heard there was someone hunting them and doing a hell of a job of it, feel their skin begin trying to run off and hide in a deep hole somewhere. The mage she targeted feels her blade slip around his throat, and a weird feeling comes over him as his head slips off of his neck and falls into a bucket of water sitting next to the enchanting table.

     The others target the ones they want and begin taking them down with blade, magic, and arrows. Yngol goes 'berserk' and his area quickly empties out as any not killed are trying to be somewhere he is not. Casius having killed a couple of workers, takes on a bandit guard close to Yngol's physical size. He quickly realizes his mistake as the guard uses a huge maul and proceeds to beat Casius' shield around him. He loses his footing on the last hit and sees the maul head coming to smash his head like a pancake. He is shocked when an enchanted blade out of nowhere slams into the maul haft and slices through it and the guard's chest armor coming out the opposite side. The maul head strikes the stone floor mere inches from his head. Desidarius reaches down a hand to help him up.

     Desidarius smiling and in a sultry voice: "Do you want to live forever?"

     Casius pulls himself up, noting the strength in her hand and how she effortlessly held herself steady as he pulled against her. As he regains his sword and looks around, she is gone, already engaging one of the Thalmor mages at the back on a higher gated level. He quickly recovers and soon enough they have cleared the forge area. Everyone moves to the upper level and Iriisii looks around, finding a journal written by a Dunmer mage named Jonte Malesam. As she reads it, she has to go through it a second time reading between the lines. It is then she realizes he was a 'plant' put there by someone to keep an eye on everything that was going on. However when the Thalmor Commander Joror had the Shrine Statue of Azura desecrated, he got 'cold feet' real fast. He did not seem to be an acolyte of Azura, so she assumed he thought that Azura would send someone to do just as she was doing and clear the place out. He made no specific mention of the slaves so he was probably unaware of Sigunn, much less that she was Rigmor's mother, or that Rigmor would move Heaven and Oblivion to get her out of there.

     Iriisii: "They still do not know how to forge the weapons, only the armor, so we press on and find Sigunn. After that, we will see what else may need to be done before we leave."

     Looking to Desidarius, "I want Joror's guts, I want to know as much as I can about why they are doing this, this whole thing smells as rotten as crow bait! Someone is going to pay and I do not care who it is, even if it is a Daedra."

     Desidarius nods her head and replies, "Just be careful how often you do this. It is almost as addictive as Black Lotus, and can be even more dangerous."

     Iriisii looks far away for a few seconds and replies to Desidarius.

     Iriisii: "You are right, I will first see if I can use other means to find out what I want to know, if I cannot then I will hunt this Joror down and use him."

     Casius: "What is it that you want him for?"

     Iriisii: "Trust me, that is something you do not want to know about. Let me just say it is a very obscure form of torture, but very effective at getting information you cannot get otherwise. I know the problems with getting accurate information with normal torture, most being subjected to it will say anything to stop it. This method goes around all of that."

     Casius: "Necromancy?"

     Iriisii: "Something a little different, but the one it is used on will definitely not survive it. But enough, we have Sigunn to release from where they are holding her."

     Onward and deeper under the mountains they go, clearing out bandits and Thalmor alike with extreme vengeance. Then they go through a door and see prison cells lining both walls. Looking far ahead, Iriisii only sees a couple of guards.

     Iriisii softly: "I assume Sigunn is the only one occupying one of these cells or there would be more guards here. Take them down hard and quick."

     They split up and move down each side. The guards are taken care of as they check each cell for Sigunn. It is Iriisii who finds her huddled in the back of one. She gestures for the others to that she has found her. As she sees Rigmor approaching, she kneels and picks the lock on the cell door. She then opens the door and steps aside as Sigunn notices them outside the door. Sigunn doesn't know what to think until she spies Rigmor, and everything comes flooding over the carefully crafted state of mind that has allowed her to stay alive and not give in to despair.

     Sigunn hesitantly, "Rigmor?"

     Rigmor: "Mother!"

     As Rigmor steps into the cell, Sigunn leaps into her arms and wraps her own around Rigmor. Crying with joy, almost unable to believe that she is here. That she even came much less found her. She sees Rigmor's near bald head, and feels the lash wealds on her back.

     Sigunn: "Oh my Rigmor! What have they done to you!"

     Rigmor: "It doesn't matter Mother. I am here now and you are free, thanks to the Dragonborn's help."

     Sigunn then sees everyone else, somehow picking out the Dragonborn from the others.

     Sigunn: "Oh, thank you so much, Dragonborn. There is no way I can ever repay you for this."

     Iriisii: "There is no need, right now we have to get you to safety. We have a friend with a small campsite and hut where you can stay until we figure out what to do from here."

     Rigmor: "Come Mother, we will take you to Angi's where you can rest. But I need you to go with Casius and Baa-Ren'Dar. The Dragonborn and I must finish this here."

     Sigunn: "I do not understand. I have only just now found you again and you say I must go without you?"

     Iriisii: "There is more going on here than simply mining 'black diamonds'. We need to see it through, but you need to leave here. I will take good care of her, I promise you."

     Rigmor: "Please mother, listen to her, she has saved my life several times now, and there is no way I could have found you without her. She has placed herself between me and danger time and time again without hesitation, so please understand there is more that we need to do, but keeping you here makes it more difficult to keep everyone safe."

     Casius: "Yngol and I will see to getting her to safety, once we are out of here we will destroy this place."

     Yngol: "For sure, a few well placed hammer strikes and this whole crumbling edifice will come crashing down."

     Iriisii: "Karliah, you and Temussin go with them, wait for us at Angi's, Rigmor and I need to go on alone from here."

     Karliah: "If you are certain, then that is what we will do."

     Iriisii steps off to a shadowed cell and gestures for Desidarius to follow her. Iriisii looks into Desidarius' face only to see a blood tear slip from one eye and trace its way down her face until Iriisii catches it on a finger tip and places it on her tongue.

     Iriisii: "We will see each other again, of that I am certain. I will move the stars out of the sky to make it so."

     Desidarius: "I promised myself I would not cry again and here I am doing it."

     Iriisii: "It is all right for it gives me something to remember you by. Since you will not let me kiss you..."

     Iriisii takes Desidarius hands in her own, raises them to her lips and gently kisses them. Desidarius cannot help herself now as she leans in, moves her hands to either side of Iriisii's face, and draws her quickly into a very heated kiss. Both feel their bodies melting into the other, and then when they come up for air.

     Desidarius: "I am so very sorry for this but I have no choice."

     Desidarius casts her memory cache spell and targets just the part where she took control and kissed Iriisii. Now Iriisii only remembers kissing Desidarius' hands and nothing more after until they stepped apart. She then promises herself in her most private thoughts that when it is first possible to return them she would do so, and pray Iriisii forgives her for it. She turns before she loses her courage and steps into the shadows, vanishing into the Shadow Realms and making her way to her personal palace, tucked away in a old monastery that had been abandoned for more years than she cared to count even before she was exiled into the Deepest Hells.

     She entered the main gate, and her guard knowing her distress simply stayed silently at their posts until time came for their relief to show up. The palace servants were also silent as they went about their assigned tasks and all making certain not to break the silence that Desiderius needed to keep herself together. Standing out on a balcony, looking out into the depths of the Shadow Realms, the tears of blood start flowing once again. A dusky moon slides out from behind a hazy cloud, and a still voice speaks to her.

     Shadow Moon Goddess: "You did what you had to do to place yourself on the path to reunite with her later. You also know that time will not be what you want, but it will be what is needed to set the stage for what you both want the next time after that to be. The time when both of your deepest dreams become reality. Hold fast to the path you have set and your plans will bear fruit."

     Desidarius: "You have never told me why you have helped me with this?"

     Shadow Moon Goddess: "I guess it is time you learned the answer to that question. What do you remember of your birth parents?"

     Desidarius: "My birth parents...? Why do you...ask...of...them? We have ...talked of that, I have no memory of them. When I 'fell', I lost those memories. I remember my grandmother, the village Sage, yes, but no one else. I remember my daughter, but not her father. What do you know of them?"

     Shadow Moon Goddess: "The Sage you remember was your mother, not your grandmother. Your father was given the 'Calling' shortly after your birth."

     Desidarius: "The 'Calling'?! You mean he..."

     Shadow Mood Goddess: "Yes, he shed his mortality and ascended."

     Desidarius: "What 'line' is he descended from?"

     Shadow Moon Goddess: "Nodens, Lord of the Great Abyss."

     Desidarius: "Then I carry that line too?"

     Shadow Moon Goddess: "Two lines, not one."

     Desidarius: "What are you saying?"

     Shadow Moon Goddess: "Your father was my son by Nodens. The line you inherited from your mother I am not certain of, Kthanid might know but I have never had a chance to inquire of him concerning that."

     Desidarius: "Then you are my Grandmother!"

     Shadow Moon Goddess: "Yes, and now you know. This is a part of why you feel drawn to Iriisii, as she is of Kthanid's line, and he and Nodens are so close they might as well be brothers. They watch you both, to see if their 'blood' will awaken within you both."

     Desidarius: "Do you think that will happen?"

     Shadow Moon Goddess: "I cannot say for certain, but other things I have heard as well as observed tends to support that. Both of you could become 'Power Incarnate' for as you carry two lines of the Gods of Eld, Iriisii is also a true 'Daughter of the Ageless Ones', and one of two remaining true 'Daughters of Shai Hulu'ud. The sum of the possibilities are why she was chosen by the 'Great Balance' to be its Champion. And the possibility within the streams of time created for the two of you to join with each other. For imagine if you can the possibility of what your children could be!"

     Desidarius: "But we are both female, how could we ever..."

     Shadow Moon Goddess: "Because once you are powerful enough, you both will gain the power to change your physical forms and remain fully functional. Because she is now a true Dragonrider, the possibility has become closer that she could take dragons as mates and bear children with them. Adding her other inheritable traits, what those children and yours as well, could become stretches the limits. But could very well be instrumental in saving Existence from its deranged father."

     Desidarius: "Its father?"

     Shadow Moon Goddess: "I can say no more of 'him', you and Iriisii will have to find out more on your own."

     Desidarius: "With all of these revelations, I must ask...?"

     Shadow Moon Goddess: "Did 'he' who caused your 'fall' know any of this when he chose you?"

     Desidarius: "Yes, did 'he'?"

     Shadow Moon Goddess: "Some think 'yes', some think 'no'. There is good reason for both chains of thought. I think 'he' is not stupid enough to do something that could come back on him and cause his demise, even if his hubris is deranged enough to do it anyway. But it begs a different question."

     Desidarius: "And that is?"

     Shadow Moon Goddess: "For now you and your alter ego are one within this body. What would happen if you had separate bodies? And even more, both were mated to Iriisii? Did he even think it possible that could be a deliberate outcome to his action with engineering your 'fall'?"

     Desidarius: "Did someone else 'muddy the waters' then?"

     Shadow Moon Goddess: "That is the question that begs an answer I think. I have no answer, nor does any other I have spoken to about this. It may be beyond those of us who exist in this reality to know. Should you ever undertake the 'Trial of Transcendence' and emerge to claim your full potential and heritage, then it may be that you can find that answer."

     Desidarius: "You mean take the 'Poison'?"

     Shadow Moon Goddess: "Yes, but do not do so until after Iriisii has. When she is ready, she will be powerful enough to do so and forge the road for you to follow. For you would need her help to come through it whole."

     Desidarius: "I understand, but here we have spoken of weighty matters and you have yet to tell me my Grandmother's name?"

     Shadow Moon Goddess: "I am known among the many as 'Sjach Welun', to you my daughter, my true name is 'Vokun Iilah'."

     Desidarius: "Uh, do I have a 'true name'?"

     Vokun Iilah: "All sentient beings have a 'true name' although only a few find theirs. Why this is, none seem to know, but they all do agree on this and it may have a bearing on the former. All 'true names' have power, power that can strengthen its holder, or be used against them by someone else. So when you find yours, safeguard it. Give it only to those you trust with your very soul, my 'Voldocarxathi'."

     Desidarius: "Is that my true name?"

     Vokin Iilah: "Say it to yourself in your mind. How does it make you feel?"

     Desidarius: "I feel...whole, like a long missing part of me has been restored! Wait, there is still at least one more major part of me that is missing."

     Vokin Iilah: "Yes, that will be filled by another. And that unfortunately I can not help with, it is up to someone else to fill that space inside you."

     Desidarius: "You mean Iriisii."

     Vokin Iilah: "Yes. When that space is filled, you will then be truly whole as you have never been before, then you will in earnest begin your trek on your own path to power and glory, beside the one who filled it."

     Desidarius: "Then it will be as it will be. It will come in its own time. I have to believe in what I have done to make it happen."

     Vokin Iilah: "And much remains with her and what she is required to do in her own life. But the chances are good that what you have laid out will be fruitful. She will keep thoughts of you in her mind as she goes forward, and those thoughts will guide her through the maze of the streams of time to the one she needs to take to be with you, until she comes into the ability to see and choose her path through them for herself."

     Desidarius: "When she takes the 'Poison of Transcendence' and undergoes the 'Trial of the Catalyst' it engenders."

     Vokin Iilah: "Yes, that is indeed so. You will go through the same after she does. For she must be first to be the one who will guide you. Strong as you are, you will need her help when the time comes. I cannot describe what you will go through, for I myself have not and never will go through that. Only those chosen by the 'Ageless Ones' are drawn to that path, and even then it is no certainty that they will succeed."

     Desidarius: "Then who will help her? Surely there will be someone?"

     Vokin Iilah: "The 'Kel' will be there to guide her. They too wish to see her succeed and their assistance is allowed because of their nature, more I cannot go into. If you wish to know more of that, you would have to ask that of them. Even if they would answer in a way that you would understand."

     Desidarius: "Grandmother, I would ask one final question."

     Vokin Iilah: "Why have I not spoken to you before now?"

     Desidarius: "It seems you have thought long on what I would ask of you."

     Vokin Iilah: "But you still deserve an answer to your question. The simple part of this answer is that I was not here for the greatest time since you were born. As to where I was, I was in the Dreamlands, in that part that reflects the Shadow Realms. For that was and is my true home. It was not until you came here only recently that I felt your presence. And was moved to come here, find you, and discover who you were."

     Desidarius: "You are one of those called by the people of the Dreamlands, one of their Ancient Goddesses of Dream."

     Vokin Iilah: "Yes, I am. Few of us are seen any more, even as the Lands of Dream encompass more and more. We hope that will change when the time of the Dovah do Hahnu comes amongst us. Her coming has been prophesied by the Deep Oracles that live beyond Kadath in the Frozen Wastes, beyond even the Realm of Morpheus, that borders my Realm, the Shadow Dreamers Realm."

     Desidarius: "And the rest of the answer?"

     Vokin Ilah: "Not so simple, the Oracles warned me against coming to you too soon. For it would draw certain attention to you, to Iriisii, to others who are aiding the two of you. Attention that none of you are prepared to face just yet. You have allies that wait for you to come into your own inheritance of gifts. Then they will seek you and together you can stand against your enemies. Now those enemies would roll over you and leave nothing but bones. Later that will change and then they would be wise to hide themselves from your sight. For now they are preoccupied with other matters, thinking you are no threat to their plans and desires. And so for now it is wise that it remain so."

     Desidarius: "I understand. There are preparations I must make for events that will call to me. I do not think they will draw much attention toward me, at least not until it is too late for those others to see and do anything about them."

     Back in the black diamond mines, Rigmor and Iriisii continue through the tunnels, Dwemer hallways, until they reach the bottom of another tower. The skeletons laid out into an oval, but this time Iriisii senses no magic binding them to this realm. Here they are just bones, nothing more unless she should choose to take command of them. But she chooses not to do that, and motions for the pair of them to go up. Rigmor nods her head and they take the winding stone steps upward, watching for traps along the way. They reach the top and enter another chamber full of skeletons, again with no binding of magic about them. Iriisii walks toward the door on the far side of the chamber and Rigmor calls out to her.

     Rigmor: "Dragonborn! (softer) Iriisii, will you wait for a moment?"

     Iriisii: "Sure, what do you need?"

     Rigmor: "I wanted to say thank you, for being 'you', for doing all that you have done for me. To tell you that 'I love you'."

     Iriisii: "And I love you, my dear Rigmor."

     Rigmor: "Ok, how do we handle what is on the other side of that door?"

     Iriisii: "Your mother is safe, on her way to Angi's. There is no one else here deserving of mercy. We kill every other we find in there, stay close to me and we fight together. Let the battle flow with our strengths and shield our weaknesses. We do not leave one area until all is clear around us. We fight without thinking what to do next, our instincts and base experience will carry us where we need to be, do what we must do. But if you engage Joror before I do, let him live for now. I have questions for him to answer."

     Rigmor: "What do you intend to do to him?"

     Iriisii: "You will not want to witness that, I assure you. It is something that scares even me, that it can reach so deep inside. But using it, I can find out much more than even he thinks he knows. It is part necromancy, part augury, part sacrifice, but the frightening part is augury of what and when, sacrifice to who, a necromantic art that was practiced how long ago and for what true purpose? I have no answers for these questions, really not sure I want those answers, for I have no way to know where they will take me or if I would wish to go there. The lure is oh so strong, but my will can withstand it. For I know what my purpose is for using it, and it is mine and no other's."

     Rigmor: "I do not claim to understand what you have just said, but I trust you to know what and why you would want to do this. I am ready to go if you are."

     Iriisii: "Then draw your sword and follow me into the belly of this beast."

     Iriisii opens the door and they both step through, weapons at the ready. They stop just inside and look over everything. They see a few empty crates, a table with food still on the plate. Iriisii puts a finger to her lips to indicate silence and Rigmor nods her head. They slowly move forward, watching where they put their feet, where they are moving to, staying away from anything that might be bumped, then fall and clatter on the stone floor. Their ears listening for any awkward sound, be it footsteps approaching, a whispered warning to a comrade, the rattle of weapons, hearing nothing they continue, not relaxing their walk through until they approach a central pillared chamber with doors on all sides. They can see several Thalmor from their vantage point and hear even more moving about. Then they hear the voice that sends shivers up Rigmor's spine.

     Aedriath: "You there! Move over there and do not move, they are around here somewhere, I know it! You by the door, be alert or you will be among the first to die. Look at you, supposed to be the best they could send, the best sword fodder maybe. That seems to be all any of you are worth, putting yourself between their blades and me."

     Iriisii face displays a scowl as she uses her trained sensed to place where each Thalmor soldier is inside the room. For whatever reason Aedriath keeps moving, keeping these soldiers between him and them. She then looks over to Rigmor, she senses Iriisii's gaze and turns to her. Once Iriisii is confident of her connection to Rigmor, she mouths a single word.

     Iriisii: 'Shadows'.

     Rigmor understands what she means and slowly nods her head.

     Iriisii silently summons the deep shadows that can be used to travel short distances. As Rigmor watches she sees the inky blackness seem to gather and swirl around Iriisii causing her to vanish within them. As the shadows then move toward her, she remembers Iriisii instructions and relaxes, closing her eyes, feeling them as they so very gently slide over her skin in ways that she wishes it were someone else touching her like that. She then feels them start to drift away and she remembers not to move and the power of the shadows to hide and obscure her from sight will remain until then. As she stands perfectly still, a Thalmor soldier walks over and without a second thought places himself directly in front of her, then turns his back to her and watches the chamber in front of him. She thinks silently to herself, 'I will never doubt her again when she tries to teach me about these things'.

     She then sees a blade flash across the throat of a Thalmor several feet away from her. She does the same to the one in front of her as he notices his brother slump to the floor. Iriisii then steps out confidently from where the shadows placed her. Rigmor follows until she is standing next to her, both holding drawn blades. Aedriath feels more than anything else their presence, whirls around and sees them standing as his soldiers move to place themselves between them and him. With his soldiers now where they will take the sword strikes, he resumes his haughty persona.

      Aedriath: "Well, well, who do we have here? I really wish I could convince you to surrender your weapons , as you can see we now have armor  enchanted with 'black diamonds'. I seriously doubt you have anything that can pierce it. Ah, yes, Rigmor, I do hope you brought something to this party better than that daedric toothpick you call a sword."

      While Aedriath is busy 'flapping his gums', Iriisii is already probing for weaknesses, seeing many exposed places. It seems what these poor excuses for soldiers never thought about was just because their armor may be infused with 'Black Diamonds', their armor does not cover every inch of their body, and every inch it does not cover is a target of opportunity. She continues to find all the places where she can land a fatal first strike as Rigmor keeps Aedriath distracted with Azura's Bane."

      Rigmor: "This is far more than a Daedric toothpick, meet Azura's Bane. Perhaps you would like to hear what Azura herself wrote on this blade. 'I am the Goddess Azura, Queen of the Dusk and Dawn, Mother of the Rose. This is Azura's Bane, the Poisoned Chalice of Woe, the Bloody Defender of Children, the Death Bane of Tyrants. You, Tilar Aedriath have been found to be one such Tyrant, and so this blade thirsts for the 'Waters of your Heart'."

     Aedriath: "Well? What are you fools waiting for, TAKE THEM! Take Rigmor alive, we still need her, but kill the other."

     The soldiers move forward but not too courageously as they see the foggy shape of a 'Death's Head' skull form around her head. Her sword flicks out like a viper's strike, killing with each hit. They were thinking, 'this armor is supposed to be invincible, but here she is taking us down with each hit she makes'. Rigmor is taking her fair share as well, 'Azura's Bane' proving to be a deadly foe in its own right. Tilar sees where this is going and with muttering curses he backs into a doorway behind him and disappears. The last Thalmor soldier goes down with strikes from both Iriisii and Rigmor at the same time, one coming down the side of the neck and into the ribcage, the other sliding upward from the abdomen into the ribcage. Both of his lungs are shredded, and both sides of his heart are sliced open.

     Iriisii and Rigmor stop and look for Tilar. Neither see him.

     Rigmor: "The bastard got away! Again!!"

     Iriisii: "I will go and look, he may still be here somewhere in one of the side chambers. Stay alert, he could come out of any one at any time. Wait, I will summon a Guardian to stay with you."

     Rigmor: "Do not bother, if he shows up, I will delight in taking his head."

     Iriisii: "As you will."

     Iriisii takes off and starts searching the rooms, while Rigmor searches the main chamber. While searching Iriisii takes a moment to sets a trigger for summoning her High Void Elemental, just in case she would be needed and Iriisii unable for some reason to bring her over. It is not until she reaches the end of the rooms surrounding the central chamber, and spots a letter and a journal. She reads the letter first, and when she reaches the end and sees Joror's name, she hears sounds of blades crossing and Rigmor's voice in main chamber. She slips the journal behind her back and hides it under her armor there. Then running full out through the doorways between them she bursts in the chamber, finds the closest Thalmor to her and engages him.

    A parried thrust, a feint to his left leg, and then her blade catches him in the throat. She withdraws and leaves him to drown in his own blood, searches for another and runs one through who was slipping toward Rigmor's undefended left side. Undefended no longer as she puts herself onto Rigmor's left side and takes on all comers. It does not take long from this point before all that appeared out of nowhere are now lying dead on the stone floor, adding their blood to stain the stone as has generations before who lived and worked there, attacked and defended it.

     She looks Rigmor over to see if she has any wounds that need tending. Finding nothing, she then looks straight at her.

     Iriisii: "Rigmor! I though I had lost you that time!"

     Rigmor: "No, I am all right. If not for Azura's Bane and your teaching me to hone my skills, I probably would have been caught and taken away."

     Iriisii: "So they no longer want you dead, at least until they have what they want from you."

     Rigmor: "Yeah, whatever that is. But is it ever going to end? Or will they be forever coming after me?"

     Iriisii: "It will end, of that I am certain. When I get my hands on Aedriath, it will end, I promise you that.

His death will make even the demons of the hells cringe."

     Rigmor: "Then I will leave him to you. Will you hold me?"

     Iriisii gathers Rigmor in her arms.

     Rigmor: "I love you so much, please do not let me go."

     Before Iriisii has a chance to tell Rigmor how much she loves her, she feels a hard sharp mace blow to her head. She barely feels Rigmor being ripped from her arms and her summoning spell being tripped. She takes one more hit to the head when the mace and the arm wielding it is ripped from the Thalmor soldier that was holding it, now turning away and his arm stump spraying blood over the floor and his fellow soldiers, as the High Elemental wields the mace and smashes the Thalmor's entire head from his shoulders, landing up against a pillar. The High Elemental stands across Iriisii guarding her against any more Thalmor attacks.

     Iriisii barely hears Rigmor's voice calling for Iriisii to help, but she finds she cannot even lift her head. She feels herself slipping away even as she valiantly fights to stay, then it becomes a little easier as the High Elemental shares some of her lifeforce with Iriisii. Then she hears the elemental speak to her.

     Elemental: "Sleep and let me help you."

     Iriisii: "But Rigmor?"

     Elemental: "You can do nothing in your current state. Your wounds are dire and deathly if not treated. Your Rigmor has been taken alive, had they wished her dead, she would be here sharing this place as your tomb. Rest and let me work on healing you, another wishes to shield you from death while I work to repair the damage to your skull and brain."

     Iriisii: "Very well, I am no use like this, and when the damage has been repaired I can go on the hunt for her."

     Elemental: "Let me take care of you now, just let the other cradle you in her aura and I will begin my work."

     Iriisii lets herself float and she feels her spirit drawn to a twilight world filled with gardens of every imaginable flower. The most resplendent of these are the roses.

     Aedriath: "Leave her be, grab the sword, you fools."

     She then hears, "leave the sword, grab the girl and let us get out of here."

     Then there is silence as her spirit rests in Azura's Realm, her body is being healed back in the mines, and Rigmor is being carted off to who knows where. Three days later, Azura's voice is heard within the tower in the mines.

     Azura: "Guardian! awake! It is time for you to awaken, there is much yet for you to do."

     The High Elemental stands by Iriisii, waiting for her to wake and give her orders.

     Slowly Iriisii begins to stir, moving more quickly as she hears Azura's voice. As she looks to where the voice is coming from, where others would see a shining ball of light, she sees the figure buried within. As soon as she could, she turns to Azura to ask what is most prevalent on her mind, but before she can ask, Azura answers some of her questions.

     Azura: "You have been here for three days now as I have shielded you from the 'cold'. Your vassal has spent that time healing the damage to your skull and brain, while your spirit has been with me in my Realm."

     It was then she realized just what Azura shielded her from, for the 'cold' she referred to was the 'cold' of Aetherius. She literally shielded her from death while her body was being healed from her critical injuries.

     Iriisii: "I thank you, Lady Azura, for your most needed help."

     Azura: "I still have need of you Guardian, now and in the future. Rigmor's location is still hidden from me and in my weakened state, I have not the power to pierce the veil and see where she is. You have done me a great service by stopping the mining of the 'black diamonds' here. I declare you to be my Champion as well as Guardian to my Daughter."

     Iriisii: "What about my companions?"

     Azura: "They are at the campsite of the huntress, for now they are safe, but danger is on its way to them. Speak to my servant, Sethri, he can tell you where you can go and be safe while you search for Rigmor. But you must go to the campsite and tell them that Rigmor yet lives. If she had been killed I would have known that and so she must be being held for something they need. You will need to hurry to find her before they are ready to use her for whatever purpose they need her for. I will try and use what power I have to find the answers you need, there are others willing to help me in this, and so I will ask for their help. The way you came here has been completely destroyed, so you will have to find another way. The ones that have Rigmor took such a way out, find the one they used and may good fortune follow you. I also give unto you Azura's Bane, guard it well, for it will be needed."

     Azura then fades back into her realm, leaving Iriisii and her High Elemental alone in the tower.

     Iriisii: "Let's go find that way out of here. I have a few ideas about where to look. Oh, and thank you for healing me and protecting my body."

     The Elemental nods her head.

     It does not take long for Iriisii to backtrack through the outer rooms to find the one where she saw a ladder going up through the roof. Iriisii spots some mountain flowers dropped at the base of the ladder, and smiles at the thought of Rigmor managing to drop these to show Iriisii the path Aedriath took out of here. She climbs up and the Elemental floats upward after her. Out in the cold wind, Iriisii spots a few more flowers in front of a spot in the low walls. She looks and sees a wooden ledge, then thinks 'this is why I did not find him as well as where he got the other soldiers, they were hiding up here the whole time'. As she follows the ledge she sees where it was broken apart from the wall. She could possibly make it down if she were careful, but what should she do about the elemental, keep her with her at least until she can reach Angi's, or send her back to her home until the next time. 'Well, at least I could ask her and see if she has a preference.'

     Iriisii looks toward the Elemental.

     Iriisii: "I must make my way down and travel on foot to a huntress campsite in the mountains south of Falkreath. I would ask if you wish to come with me or prefer to return to where you reside?"

     After a few moments, Iriisii hears a whisper in her mind.

     Elemental: "My mother has in her wisdom given me the choice of which path I would take. As she treats me as a member of her group and not as simply a powerful tool, I would go with her and learn the knowledge and wisdom she would impart to me."

     Iriisii: "Then it is settled. Now you will need a name, I do not wish to refer to you as Elemental any time I wish to speak to you. Understand that names can be powerful things, giving power over you to those who know your true name. They can also gain you much power if chosen correctly. This is something you must look into yourself to find your true name, and once you have done this we can find a common name for all others to refer to you. There is no hurry to make your decision, just whenever you are ready."

     They make their way along the long journey to Angi's camp. Along the way as they prepared a campfire to stop and rest for the night, a group of Vigilants of Stendarr walk up to them. Iriisii greets them but goes on with digging the firepit, while the High Elemental is scrounging firewood. Once 'she' brings her load to the camp, the Vigilants take one look at 'her' and begin accusing Iriisii of being in collusion with Daedra.

     Vigilants: "What Daedra do you worship, to gain such a servant? You must know what we are commanded to do upon finding a Daedra worshipper! Recant your Daedra while you still have time and be welcomed back into Stendarr's grace."

     Iriisii straightens up and looks at them directly."

     Iriisii: "I am no Daedra worshiper, and if you would pull your heads out of your hind ends and open your eyes, you just might see and realize that. My companion is a High Elemental, and if you knew anything at all about the Celestial hierarchy, you would know the Elementals have nothing in common or to do with the Daedra. Daedra are capable of summoning Atronachs, which are lesser cousins to the Elementals, but they cannot call Elementals, nor can they bond with one as I have with this one. 

     This one is with me by 'her' choice, not because I called and bound her. And I warn you not to threaten one who is both 'Dragonborn' and the 'Right Hand of Justice' to Akatosh. I am also familiar with the teachings of Stendarr, and you place your own souls in dire peril with how far beyond his words you go. He does not teach the things you do, or the punishments you deliver to those you disagree with. I know whereof I speak, the question is do you."

     Vigilants: "How dare you threaten us, dare to say we do not follow the tenets of Stendarr. We reject your claims of being Dragonborn, as well as Akatosh' Hand of Justice."

     Iriisii shakes her head side to side as she cannot believe the stupidity of these fanatics. For it seems like they will only understand the weight of the wrongness of their beliefs until they stand before Stendarr himself and he tells them how wrong they were. They would probably denounce him then as well as a Daedra lover. She waits until she can see one of them drawing a sword, and then she goes into action. That one is the first as her sword cuts through his wrist, and his sword with the hand still clutching the hilt falls to the ground. The next one takes her sword across his throat and he goes down, blood spurting from the severed artery. The last one, a woman, looks on at what has become of her compatriots, as a voice rings out from the night.

     A female Vampire Mistress, standing several feet away, just outside the light of Iriisii firepit, a pale hand resting on top of the head of a 'Hellhound' calls out to her.

     Vampire Mistress: "If you would allow, I and mine would relieve you of the responsibility of dealing with the last Vigilant that has so fanatically attacked you. It disgusts me that they rampage across the fields and roads of Skyrim pursuing their own brand of religious dogma. It does my heart well that there are others that disagree with what they purport to stand for and are willing to take them to task for their misbegotten errors."

     The last Vigilant falls to her knees, begging Iriisii's forgiveness, and asking for her protection.

     At first Iriisii is torn as to what she should do. Here she has killed two Vigilants who would have killed her with no mercy, no remorse, and all for misguided and errant beliefs. And here the third has relented and asked for protection in the face of being given over to vampires for them to feed upon. She feels the vampires would have gleefully done the same as the Vigilants had they been given the chance. And so they are no better, no worse in truth, but no better, for even as they follow the nature Molag Bal has instilled in them through his curse, and the Vigilants took the teachings of Stendarr and pushed them beyond what Stendarr would know as his words. If this last Vigilant had to die, better it be clean by her blade than subject to a vampire's thirst for blood. And yet there may yet be a chance for this one's path to be corrected, so then should she not have that chance?

     She turns to her Elemental and says one word, "Guard", then kneels down to the Vigilant.

     Iriisii: "What is your name child?"

     Vigilant: "You are not going to give me to them, are you?"

     Iriisii: "First things first, your name child."

     Vigilant: "I am Gisela, Gisela Thornberry."

     Iriisii: "Gisela Thornberry, I am Iriisii Starborn, Thane of Whiterun, and of Falkreath. Dragonborn of Akatosh, acknowledged so by the Greybeards of High Hrothgar. I am Thunderchild of Kyne and Guardian of the Daughter of Azura. I am one of the last of the Aasimar race here on Nirn, we who were touched by the Gods in the Dawn Times when they waked boldly among all those who called this world home. It is given unto me by the Nine, to be their Champion, to save Nirn from all that would destroy or subjugate it. For I am to be the last Dragonborn, after me there will be no need for another. Nirn will live as it should have done from the beginning, a world of peace, prosperity, and justice given to all evenly no matter their race, even the dragons. And so I have the right to conscript those into my service who I feel are worthy to walk my path with me.      You have asked for my forgiveness and my protection. I ask you, will you bind yourself to my service from now until I release you in return for my forgiveness and protection? I promise to see to your needs, food, shelter, weapons, armor, should you wish it, gold, gems, glory, and finally, friends and comrades to stand with you against any and all foes. One day, I will field an army the likes of which has never been conceived, and you would have a high place within that army. What say you, Gisela Thornberry, will you take what I offer in return for what you ask for?"