That lying LIARFACE! Merrrrghh!

I feel like that one person in the movie theater yelling "DON'T GO INTO THE HOUSE, THERE'S A KILLER YOU IDIOT!"

The dependency hasn't hit her yet, right now it is dormant (because of the things Janus said that Malan was supposed to do: Malan was supposed to stay in the lair with her, stay by her side, etc. - since he removed Maxical from his lair and left her side, it isn't activating as it should).

She knew Malan was the only one that knew for a fact what went on in that lair, and she had to know.

Maxical thought she would know if Malan was lying. She has never been around a pro-liar before. Malan uses just the right amount of truth and known facts woven into every lie he tells that it is impossible to know when he is lying.


Maxical really couldn't stand the thought of Fathis being a thrall, especially if she was the cause.

Another factor - No matter what Janus said about the bloodlust, Maxical has no real understanding of its power. Even as a vampire Maxical believes Fathis's willpower would be strong enough that he'd never harm her. Janus more or less just put it in her (and Uriel's) face that regardless of the man Fathis used to be, he is one of them now.





This post has been edited by mALX: Nov 18 2012, 05:24 AM

That's a devastating realization.



That's not just Oblivion lore, either. It's a statement found all across the world too. But, depending on what author you come across, ancients either crave virgin blood or can only stand blood if it's laced with something(alcohol, drugs, etc) because they become jaded.

In any case, virgin blood is highly sought after. It seems like everyone on Nirn is a sex-fiend if it's that rare to come across one, lol If these racier fanfics have any insight, that might be true.

Lol, well there is a war on, but during the music festival they were feeding like hogs at the trough.

In my story the ancient vampires are territorial over their feeding grounds, any virgins in their territory they consider THEIRS and any vampire caught drinking on them (poaching) is hunted down and killed.

Also in my story - the ancient vampires only crave virgin blood (beyond their control to stop themselves) - but if they want to hide their vampire features for going out in public they have to drink any blood (Clavicus Vile's gift to vampires).

Some of the vampire clans use illusion magic to hide their vampire features, but some either don't have that ability or don't know how to use it. (Example: Janus Hassildor has the ability but has to raise his illusion magic and let his vampire nature out to do it, so he walks around in a cowl all the time to hide his fangs and pink eyes).

Mhmm. I gathered that

Trucking along. Heho, heho just 60+ pages to go!

Aggie has turned into full on vampire mode and naturally survived the bonfire. Partially because the vamp+50% bonus only activated afterwards, partially because Orcs are built tough and apart from two minor deficiencys, old Aggie was the toughest of the bunch. Fortunately for him, fire has not yet learned how to punch.

Gils actually lived? Colour me surprised. At first I was somewhat dissapointed he got out without any consequences. I mean, we fade to black with him drowning, then flash forward to a healer going "You're all fixed now! Have a nice day!" Then I learned that the healer was an incompetent and more of a threat to her patients than swords are. Remember folks, always ask for your healer's credentials before consenting to treatment.

I guess the more important bit from this is that the love-triangle is back in action. Who will our heroine choose? The rich guy who is cursed with bad performance? (That explains his sudden and enduring desire for monogamy a lot better than just Maxi being that special.), or the man with a voice of magic? Oh no, a mystery challenger has just appeared! Will Gils fall to the beastly charms, or will he reject his suitor out of boardom?

The fisherman bit cracked me up. Your Aelwin sure has a mouth on him for someone who lost his leg.



And in comes the Dark Brotherhood. Vicente sure is a player. It was amusing, but I have a hard time taking them serious now. Then again, I had a hard time taking them serious in-game. Have you ever noticed how all their spontaneous conversations seem to go:
1: Yo, I heard you screwed up big-time.
2: Yup, sure did. Harhar, but I got out alive. Cause I'm Dark Brotherhood, the most hardcore badasses in the world.
3: Oh, you're such a good assassin. Let's ignore the whole 'stealth'-bit in our job description
4: Welps, got to go murder someone again very sneakily. Sithis, night-mother, other random crap etc.

That really grossed me out, too. Belch.

*

@ King Of Beasts - Thank you so much KOB! Oh yeah, Malan is lying through his teeth. He is a pro at lying and manipulating.

Everything he said had just enough known truth in it that it would connect readily to things Maxical knew were true - then he just twisted the end around to make him sound innocent (and believable/honest).

Maxical is too naive to be dealing with a con like Malan, Uriel was right about that.

Thank you so much again KOB!

*
@ King Coin - Thank you so much KC! RE: vamps and promises, ROFL!!

Maxical has to hope it’s not true. She couldn’t stand the thought of Fathis being a thrall, especially if she caused it. No matter what Janus said about the power the bloodlust has over ancients, Maxical has no real understanding of the extent of its power. She still believes Fathis’s love for her and willpower would prevail over the bloodlust. Knowing he had succumbed to it would shatter what she knows of Fathis and her trust in him.

Thank you so much again, KC!

*
@ Acadian - Thank you so very much Acadian! I loved your comment, I think Maxical did pretty well to remember all the right questions and didn’t let him slide on the few attempts to lie that she caught. Her only problem is that she has no experience with pro-liars like Malan, who know exactly how to weave truth in so to leave the person doubting their own selves.

Thank you so very much again, Acadian!

*
@ Grits - Thank you so very much Grits!

Right now that circle Malan closed inside her is dormant because he took Maxical away from his lair and hasn’t mated her, etc.

Maxical thought she’d know if Malan was lying, she had to know what happened in that lair and Malan was the only one that could tell her.

He was too good a con for her, she still doesn’t know what to believe. Malan used facts she knew as truth to confuse her, and it worked.

Maxical has no real understanding of vampires, she has been getting a crash course between Janus and Malan - but she isn’t correlating that with Fathis even when she thinks he may be a vampire now. She can’t think of him in any way but how she’s known him till now - she doesn’t believe/doesn’t want to believe Janus that Fathis could succumb to drinking blood.

Uriel is a little more world-wise about it, but it was still a shock to him when Janus put it in their faces that (regardless of the man Fathis used to be, he is an ancient now) - and Uriel has made a point in his reign of hating all ancient vampires with “Uriel‘s Law.”

Thank you so very much again, Grits!

*
@ Elisabeth Hollow - Thank you so much Elisabeth! ROFL !!! I know exactly what you mean, I have yelled that to my TV or in movie theaters when Jason or Freddy (or that guy in the “Scream” movies is down there and they hear a noise and go into the basement anyway, ROFL!!!

You are right, that news was devastating to both Uriel and Maxical. Janus was right to bring it out, but it didn’t make him popular with the two people he would want to like him, lol.

Lol, the vampires whose territory it is keep track of “their” virgins and farm girls too. The Imperial City was filled with new blood during the music festival, they were feeding like hogs at the trough during it till the war started.

Thanks so much again, Elisabeth!

*
@ Jack Cloudy - Thank you so much Jack! Er…not sure why, but the Dark Brotherhood does seem to take a beating in my stories.

I blame Rachel the Breton, for her version of them in “Edward the Imperial.” After she skewered them, I could never look at them the same way again. After reading her story, I too began noticing that dialogue you mentioned when playing it through, lol.

My apologies to you (and second time apologies to Winter Wolf, because I know he loves the DB too)

Glad you liked the Aelwin bit though - he practically took over the keyboard and wrote his own part on that, lol.

Technically, you'll fnd as things progress that nothing is about Maxical, everything that happens is pretty much calculations and manipulations by powers around them (just like Fathis and Gils were being manipulated).

Thank you so much again, Jack!

*
@ EVERYONE - I will be going to visit my mom for a couple weeks, leaving tonight. As most of you know, she has cancer. I don't know how I'll stand seeing her and knowing it‘s for the last time, but couldn't take not seeing her one last time either. I'm going to stay as long as I can, but should be back by early December. Thank you all for the friendship and support you’ve given me through this.

Anyone posting stories - I'll catch up when I return.


*

This post has been edited by mALX: Nov 22 2012, 02:18 AM

*


Chapter 186: Vows Without Conscience


Malan hadn’t lied, I know that was Fathis’s blood at the Arena. Too much blood to be anything but mortal wounds. And Malan was still impersonating Fathis when the explosion hit. Gils told both Uriel and Owyn that he fought for Fathis‘s remains, Gils would know dead from wounded. And it was truth I was sick at Theryon, I‘ve never felt so ill in my life. Still, just in case…

“I can’t chance you’re lying with Fathis‘s soul at risk, so we need a sworn pact between us. Vow that if you took Fathis’s soul you’ll put it back, that he’ll live with his soul intact from now on. Otherwise face Khajiit justice, a spouse for a spouse so you‘ll always remember what you caused Amiela to suffer.”

“Oh, you’re a bright one, Lassie. You’re negotiating with me now, are you?”

“I have to. If you did that to Fathis, I’d swear revenge on Amiela through eternity.”

“You’ll have that vow if in return you promise Dagoth-Malan not to ever see your Fathis again.”

“I’ll swear it. Someone else can have him, all I care is that he‘s safe.”

“I’ll vow it, but the second I think you’ve broken your end of that, I’ll break mine. Do we seal these negotiations with a kiss? After the inquisition you put me through here, it better have a mystery attached.”

He pounded his chest and raised his hand to clasp mine. For a split second I felt something flash inside me, an eerie feeling of something forgotten. I pounded my chest and clasped his hand.

Malan sealed the vow with a kiss that felt more like he was trying to get something started, keeping my hand clasped and raised throughout…but he vowed. Fathis would be safe, nothing else mattered to me now. The breath eased out of me in relief.

“Well, Lassie, you made a deal with the devil to save your husband. You keep your end and I’ll keep mine.”

Malan was watching me closely when I looked up. “Thank you, Malan. I’ll keep my end of it.”






***


“You have any more vows you want Dagoth-Malan to make Lass?”

He looked oddly hopeful, why would he want to swear more vows? I eyed him suspiciously, leaning closer and looking up into his eyes. They glowed with a hunger for more like Gils’ used to when he was feeling passionate.

“Are you just trying for another kiss?”

“Aye.”

“Malan, I’ll keep my vow to you, but you’re an enemy to the throne. We can‘t be having an affair.”

“You’ll get me aroused talking about us having an affair, Lass.” He proceeded to try and prove it with an onslaught of randy Chimer.

“What are you doing? Quit! Malan, for gods sake! Don’t do this here! Everyone around here listens through walls! Uriel ordered me to lose my virginity once, not keep losing it!”

“Okay, once then.” Before he could lunge again I managed to squirm away.

“We already did it, Malan. I can‘t keep contorting…er…cavorting with you.”

“Aye, tease Dagoth-Malan. Stir him up with kisses and talk of affairs. Not bad enough, throw in images of contorting and cavorting.”

“That kiss was to seal the vow only, Malan. Since you asked…there is another promise I want from you. I need your vow that…”

He had his hand up before I could finish, and proved he wasn‘t listening when I paused in talking.

“Seal it with that last mystery you used the other night right before we…”

I interrupted. “I didn’t even say what you‘re swearing to yet! And no more sealing vows with mysteries if this is what it causes!”

His expression was ridiculously downtrodden. It left me feeling I’d been unnecessarily harsh, even knowing I hadn’t been.






***


“Maybe this is a bad time to talk.” I pulled away.

“Nae Lass, the place is wrong for it. Can’t talk openly here, everyone listening at walls. Fresh air, looking out over the Rumare is what we need. Privacy; sit in a garden safe from the war, watch the sun set while we talk.”

“You mean like the garden at Falanu‘s shop? That actually does sound good, but I’m not flying again!”

“Hug your arms tight about my neck and close your eyes.” He scooped me tightly against him.

“GAAAAH! I said no flying! I‘ll fall! I can’t hang onto a bird…MAALAAN!” I dug my claws into his skin and clung for dear life when he tightened his arm around me.

There was a rushing sound that echoed my screams back to me, and a strange feeling of weightlessness. Suddenly with a jolt everything stopped.

“What happened? …Hey, this isn’t Falanu’s shop! Where are we?”

“Her shop is naught but a pile of ash since you burned it to the ground. Recognize it yet?”

“Theryon! How did we get here?”

“That is what is known as Recall. Banned in Cyrodiil for crossing borders, but we’re within them.”

“Why didn’t you bring me here like this the other night instead of your bird ripping me to shreds? I almost don’t even feel travel sick, just a little…funny.”

“Didn’t have this set up then, your sickness last time is what made me think of it.”

“Hey! You said we were going to sit in a garden and look out over the Rumare!”

“We are. I’ll show you on the balcony.” He carried me easily using just one of his massive arms, opening an ornate door to a small shaded balcony with chairs and a table set up. With one foot he shoved a chair against the door to prop it open.

“Below you is the garden. Dagoth-Malan planted everything you see there.”

“You planted flowers?” The image of Malan gardening boggled.






***


“Off to the left is the Imperial City, you can see the whole Rumare from here.”

“Ooh…” The gasp barely breathed out of me. It was stunning from up here, massive. It felt like I could see all of Cyrodiil, like a god looking down at it from another realm.

“It’s breathtaking!”

He pointed to a heavily forested area on the right. “That’s where you grew up, you can see the Inn roof from the parapet over there.”

“How do you know where I lived?”

“Watching my promise, Lass.”

A shiver ran down my spine. Malan said blood came easy, then why watch the promise?

“This other side looks out over Skingrad.” He carried me to the opposite balcony.

This balcony jutted above a sheer drop of miles, looking down over the lush forests and rolling hills of County Skingrad. My claws dug deeply clinging to him, terrified.

“Ease your claws Lass, I won’t drop you.” He pointed to a high mesa on the left. “There’s Janus’s lair.”

Castle Skingrad gleamed like a crown jewel in the sun’s rays. A road snaked from it and through the thick forest directly below us…the Gold Road, the very section where my mother was killed.

Turning my head to the right I could see the Palace tower gleaming in the distance. Theryon hovered dead center over a perfect triangle between the Faregyl, Castle Skingrad…and the Palace; a bird’s eye view of…all the players in his plots?

“I liked the other balcony better, this one scares me.”






***


Malan carried me back inside, but didn’t return to the other balcony. Instead he dove at my lips, trying for a kiss.

I averted my face quickly. “GAAAH! What are you doing?”

“You said we couldn’t mate there, we’re here now.”

I gaped at him. “You said we were going to talk!”

“We can talk about all these things later. Look in my eyes, you see what‘s in me now. Chimer aren‘t made to start and then stop.”

“Do Chimer know what hands are for? I‘ll give you privacy if you want.”

“Nae Lass, you can’t mean it! Over three centuries old! Dagoth-Malan can’t stop unfulfilled, just give one of the other mysteries then.” He hinted which, brushing his thumb lightly across my lips.

I gaped again. “I can’t be pleasuring you, Malan! You’re trying to take the throne! Go to Luther Broads, we‘ll talk when you‘re finished. Just drop me back at the…“ I suddenly got a good look at the room we were in. “Hey, this is the bedroom we mated in! You said we were going to sit outdoors in the fresh air and talk.”

“Can’t now, Lass. Storm.”

“You’re lying! It is beautiful out…huh?” The sky darkened even as the words were leaving my mouth. A huge black cloud took over the sky rumbling thunder threateningly, and with intermittent jagged flashes of lightning.

My peripheral vision had caught a movement of his arm as I was turning my head toward the balcony just before the storm started raging outside. I eyed him suspiciously, then gawked at the expression of pure innocence on his face. I’d have believed it real except for that.

“Malan! You did that, made that storm somehow with some kind of spell! You‘re trying to trick me!” .






***


It was hard to correlate in my mind this teasing Chimer with laughing eyes that were burning with passion now to the giant that frightened me so badly I wet my pants.

“Make it stop, I hate storms. You said we were coming here to sit outside and talk, it was a lie!”

He cast his arm and stopped the storm, then cupped his fingers under my chin to lift my fuming face to his.

“No lie, just wanted somewhere private to talk away from that Palace. Too many ears on walls there. But my kind would burn out there in the sunlight, Lass.”

Why hadn’t I thought of that when he was inviting me to sit in the sun? I‘d have to stay on my guard, he was already starting off trying to con me.

“Okay, I guess. Hey! Why are you putting me down on the bed?”

“Dagoth-Malan needs to heal Lass, you dug your claws in deep. You can’t stand up from that potion Traven dosed you with. Look around you, do you see any other furniture in here to sit on?”

“Oh, how convenient for you.”

“Would you like a touch of this brandy you left here?” He poured himself a snifter.

I eyed him suspiciously. His expression was guileless, much better than I‘ve ever been able to pull off. Dear gods, did he know the weakness the scent of that brandy brought and was exploiting it?

“Dear gods! You read my thoughts when we were mating!”

“Aye. Just wanted to know if you liked it, first time and all.”






***


“You’re playing with the master of that face, Malan. If I can stand I’m getting out of this bed. We can talk outside in the rain or you can fry till you’re crispy in the sun. Next time you invite me here, I’ll know why and won’t come.”

“Aye, just abuse Dagoth-Malan’s good nature.” His expression was oppressed again. I had a struggle within not to feel bad for snapping at him even knowing he deserved my tirade.

Malan’s mobile facial expressions and playfulness were something I had never expected, didn‘t know how to counter them and keep my focus on him as the enemy. Uriel was right about him being an uncanny con. Eyja would have been much better suited to deal with him, I was most definitely too naïve to.

“Stop giving me that hangdog look, you can‘t make me feel guilty. You should have gone into the acting profession, you…ham! Just take me back to the Palace. You never intended to talk, and…I’m out of my league here.”

“You can barely sit up, Lass. Come, lay back down. I’ll stop trying you now.”

He eased me gently down, his breath wafting the brandy into my whiskers. He was toying with me. If this was battle I would know how to counter.

“Malan, I slept with Gils smelling of that brandy for months and was still a virgin when you took me. I know every move you could possibly try, so you may as well give up. I‘d best send Eyja with any messages from now on.”

He gave me a defeated look and started healing himself. When he’d healed, he plunked himself beside me on the bed and pushed the pillow under his armpit so he was facing me with his head propped on his hand.

Gils used to do that when we talked together on our mats. Malan did remind me of Gils in an odd way, maybe it was the use of wiles and cons I’d learned to watch out for so much from Gils. Malan had them in abundance.

“Okay Lass, we’ll talk. But you’re my chosen now, here’s where I have to bring all my mating. And I‘m the Arbiter that must teach you the mysteries of your husband, Maxical.”

“I do want my mysteries, it’s my right to have them. I thought once you had my blood it wouldn’t matter to you.”

“You thought wrong, Lass. It matters.”


*

This post has been edited by mALX: Nov 22 2012, 02:00 AM

This part cracked me up. I can easily relate to being terrified of falling, I usually have a panic attack before I go on a roller coaster, and then a mental breakdown when the ride starts. I can't imagine how terrified maxical must be, considering that she's with the man that had threatened to kill her at one point. I half expected malan to just drop her mid-flight, but since he has plans for her, I'm pretty sure he won't just let her plummet to her death. Wonderful chapter mALX. Can't wait for the next one.

This post has been edited by King Of Beasts: Nov 22 2012, 06:44 AM

Malan reminds me of an old boyfriend I used to have. Once he got a taste he'd use anything to get what he wanted; flattery, guilt, innocence, all but blatant force(thank god)

Maxical needs to stop talking to Malan. For reals, yo. She makes me want to go into this story and go "'EY! HE'S USING YOU! STAAAAHP!!!"

“Uriel ordered me to lose my virginity once, not keep losing it!”

“Can’t now, Lass. Storm.”
“You’re lying! It is beautiful out…huh?” The sky darkened even as the words were leaving my mouth. A huge black cloud took over the sky rumbling thunder threateningly, and with intermittent jagged flashes of lightning.'
Malan the smarmy continues his oily lies and deception with just enough truth to pull the right strings. Here, he even manipulates the weather!

Thank the Nine that Maxical really does understand what he is doing. She also accurately assesses her own limitations as being out of her league in this con game and is properly focused on getting the Oblivion outta there!

Interesting deal she made with Malan. She's using about the only bargaining chip she has on Fathis' behalf.

Hey mALX!!! I haven't had internet for weeks now since I stayed over a friend's house after I moved. I am now using wifi from an unsecured network in my new home, but I don't know how long it might last. Hopefully I'll have some internet of my own by then! I will indeed catch up to this story!

“Oh, you’re a bright one, Lassie. You’re negotiating with me now, are you?”
That makes me really uneasy.

“You have any more vows you want Dagoth-Malan to make Lass?”
He looked oddly hopeful
He wants more than just a kiss to seal it this time I bet.

“I liked the other balcony better, this one scares me.”
What scares me is that on a whim he can take Maxical just about anywhere he wants. What’s he doing? Oh I see.

Maxical needs to remember what he is when she’s talking to Malan. She seems to forget easily, though she's doing much better now.

Wait… did she just agree to mate with him again?

How noble and so very sad. And then Malan agrees and pushes for bonuses in the same breath! Argh!


ROFL! Of course he’ll say that “once” means “once MORE”! His hand goes up at the same time his trousers go down.
Oh no, his lair! I was rolling while Malan put the moves on Maxical. She may be in over her head with him, but she has a lot of practice at this from Gils!


Exactly! Remember that feeling. That happened!!

Hmm, he's going to teach her the mysteries... I don't suppose he's going to read them from a book?

Oops! Edited.

This post has been edited by Darkness Eternal: Nov 28 2012, 03:13 AM

So, I am here to fulfill my catching up of thhe story!!!

Chapter 184: Revelations Of Treachery:




So, we got Argonian tribesmen coming in? Not the Whet Fang, I hope. And Max still mad about Fathis

"One turned-vampy member (Silarian) sang like a pigeon to the Black Hand, and they ordered a “Purification” in which all the members of the Dark Brotherhood were killed in one night within the sanctuary, turning it into “a sea of blood.”

Silarian, that cur! I bet if Greywyn had killed him or hadn't turned him, the Crimson Scars would pwn the Dark Brotherhood and send all those Sithis-@ss kissing apes into the void! But the sneaky bastards had to kill the Scars as they slept, didn't they? They knew they would be no match for the vampires if they were awake. Also, was Vicente really in the Crimson Scars? I thought the members were made up of vampires that were turned by Greywyn. I think perhaps he was recruited. Hmm.


Chapter 185: Allusions Of Truths As Illusions Cloak Lies
Kick-butt chapter name. But why is Maxical calling to Malan . . .Malan! After all the tons of bull he heaped upon her head and all the crazy stuff she did, she still looks for him and calls to him? Girls like the baddies, don't they! URK!

"Read my eyes, Maxical. I can’t help what I am. The nature makes us do things we can’t live with as men. I’ve had to live with the vampire out, because the man would have killed himself for what the vampire did. It’s the nature of the beast, we can’t help what we are."

On this much I agree with. Vampires aren't men, so why they should be burdened by moral code of man? They aren't human or mortal, so why bother dwelling on such beliefs if they're natural predators who must feed to survive? But hey, mortals will always point accusing fingers on those who are at the top of the food chain. They always do

Though Maxical did hear him out, I am glad to see that she didn't fully go into it and knows what he's up to.



Girls dig the bad guys, King Coin. Didn't you realize?

LOL! But there's "bad boys" and "bad guys." Bad boys come in late for class. Bad guys plot to steal your virginity and place their dead wife's soul inside you.

Chapter 186: Vows Without Conscience.
Maxical is wisening up a bit, and I love that. How she grows from the naive girl to a more intelligent and somewhat wise Khajiit is great. Malan better step up his game and change his tactics, although I think Maxical might sniff out deception . . .unless he weaves deception within deception, and conspiracy within a conspiracy, which only makes it more difficult for one to find out what's at stake. The intelligent vampires are the ones who always have the blame shift to someone else, or do something behind the scenes . Malan, of course, doesn't need that, since he's that badass!

“I have to. If you did that to Fathis, I’d swear revenge on Amiela through eternity.”

I see this Dragon has fangs!



"Well, Lassie, you made a deal with the devil to save your husband. You keep your end and I’ll keep mine.”
Doesn't she understand that making pacts with Malan the Devil will have repurcussions! First it's sweet, then it's sour! So now we see Malan taking up Jesus Maxical to high places, eh?

The flirting between the two was well-written and funny at the same time, and we see Maxical's temptations . . .


Hehe, either way, chicks dig both of them.

This post has been edited by Lycanthropic-Legend: Dec 4 2012, 01:20 AM

*


@ King Of Beasts - Thank you so much KOB! I’m the same way about heights and roller coasters, can’t tolerate either of them! Puking, fainting, shrieking - they’ve had to stop rides to get me off, ROFL! You’re right, Malan won’t kill her right now, not as long as Amiela is inside her. Thanks again, KOB!

*
@ Elisabeth Hollow - Thank you so very much Elisabeth! Lol on the old boyfriend, been there before on that too, lol. You had me rolling yelling, “STAAAAHP!” Absolutely LOVED your comment regarding “bad guys“ later on! Thanks again Elisabeth!

*
@ Acadian - Thank you so very much Acadian! I absolutely LOVE that word “smarmy!” (and how fittingly accurate a description of Malan)!

I think Shivering Isles has that weather spell enchanted on a staff, and Skyrim has a weather shout; figured Malan must have it as well, lol. You are right about Maxical using the only thing she has as a bargaining chip, and that she will go to any lengths to see Fathis is not made a minion. Thanks again Acadian!

*
@ King Coin - Thank you so very much KC! Lol, you were right on what Malan was hoping for, lol. She didn’t agree, Malan had the last word - not that she has much choice in it if he is the Arbiter…and she thinks he is the Arbiter. Thanks again KC!

*
@ Grits - Thank you so very much Grits! You owe me a monitor again, I nearly choked to death on this line:


SPEW !!!!


Close. We know Malan lied about being Arbiter because of this (below) scene (Chapter 178, Page 87) - This is how he knows the mysteries too:


Malan originally planned to only take Gils’ soul (for his Gift mysteries) till Maxical spilled the beans that Fathis was Arbiter (Chapter 155, Page 77)



So it is doubtful Malan will give up Fathis’s soul no matter what vow he made to Maxical, and since he was obsessed with getting the Gift mysteries he won‘t give up Gils‘ soul no matter what.

Pretty much if his mouth is open or moving, Malan is lying. Glad you brought that up, I was wondering if I should refresh that info before this next chapter begins! Thank you so much again Grits!

*
@ Lycanthropic-Legend - Thank you so much LL! She called Malan because he has Fathis in his dungeon and Janus just got through telling her that Malan most likely took Fathis’s soul already (end of the previous chapter). She thought she could tell if he was lying, but was wrong.

Maxical threatened the only weakness she knows Malan has - Amiela. (like she did that day he attacked her and Janus in the Temple of the One). She knows threats against Malan won’t carry far, but as long as Amiela is inside her it gives her a little power. She is bluffing though, because she isn’t positive Amiela is really inside her. Thanks again LL!






*