*


Chapter 203: Malan's Problems Begin



******* Malan, impersonating Jakben Imbel


"Is that your idea of romance, Lad? Telling the girl she stinks of cow poop?"

"Don't you smell it?"

"Aye, still do. You step in something?"

"Horse manure, but this smells like cow dung."

"So you step in manure and tell her she's the one that stinks? Oh, Lad; you need to learn how to talk to women. What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know." Janus rubbed his fingers roughly through his hair, pacing the length of the room and back. "What should I do? I don't want to lose my chosen, not angry and fighting like this."

"Are you kidding me, Lad? All you two ever did was fight."

"Not like this, we didn't. [Censored], I've never seen her this mad before. I don't want it to end this way between us."

"From what I overheard you have no choice. Royal command and all, you'll have to swear her to someone tonight. Need I remind you of your promise to me?"

"That promise was if I didn't accept her as my chosen, it's irrelevant now."

"NO!" Malan pounded his fist on the bureau beside him. "That vow is still binding if you're swearing her away."

"Jak, you know if I can't have her I'd rather see her go to you than anyone else; but she said it true. The only right thing to do would be to give her back to Fathis."

"And yet I don't see you leaving to rescue him, why?"

"Because she made me swear a vow to bring him back safe, or have her as my sworn enemy for eternity. Malan has made a thrall of him, I'm sure of it. She said Malan used her virgin blood to coerce a prisoner, you know as well as I do that prisoner was Fathis. Malan was taking his soul, not mating. If she ever realizes what she really witnessed, it would destroy her."






***


Malan's eyebrows raised involuntarily. "If I didn't know you two hadn't mated, I'd swear your heart was turning toward her."

"How would you know whether we mated or not? And we actually have, in a manner of speaking."

"What manner of speaking would that be; lying? Word amongst our kind said Malan took the pure blood from her."

"I'm not lying. Before Malan kidnapped her, she gave me a kiss using one of her mysteries. Let's just say the act was completed."

"BWAAHAA! All that fighting and none of the fun? You don't have much luck with women; do you, Lad."

"My heart has been turning. I really don't know if it is from that or because Malan and I share one nature. We're split-aparts, did you know that?"

"I do now. Well Lad, if it helps; just remember that this one wasn't what you wanted to begin with, Khajiit and all. Petition the nature for another chosen. Maybe next time you'll get that big breasted blonde you wanted, or at least one you can get along with."

"We get along fine! What I mean is, arguing with her doesn't bother me, Jak. Something deep inside me sparks every time her eyes blaze. I've even roiled her up a few times just to watch her eyes ignite. Uriel enjoys baiting her temper for the same reason."

Malan blew a soft whistle, smothering a smile. He'd felt that same spark from his battle line several times with Maxical, but knew its source.

"Well that explains you squabbling with your chosen. That's the battle blood in your ancient line, Lad. I'll guarantee the source of that fire in Maxical was all Malan's wife inside her. Didn't Evangeline's eyes blaze the same?"

Janus gaped his response before speaking. "Gods no! Evangeline's was an evil glare, filled with hatred. Do you realize how strong Maxical must be to have overpowered that horrible thing and kept it subjugated so it never showed up in her? Malan may as well have married Molag Bal himself, it would have been an improvement..." Malan cut him off.

"Look, we need to get back on topic before Blenwyth shows up. What if you're wrong about Fathis being a thrall? Shouldn't you be leaving to find out?"

Janus sank down in Evangeline's overstuffed chair before answering. "I can't, Jak. I need you to do it for me."






***


"Now we're getting down to the truth. Why me? You afraid of Malan, Lad?"

"Everyone is, but it's not that. My nature would kill Fathis."

"Well it's about time you started acting like a vampire. I told you all along you should be killing her husband."

"You heard Maxical, my Diplomatic Immunity and County seat are both on the line. If Fathis ends up dead no matter the cause, Maxical will put me in that eternal dungeon herself."

"Wait, Lad. Why all this talk of killing Fathis, who is helpless and shackled in a dungeon? Why'd you never go after Malan for taking her from you and mating her under your nose?"

"Because Malan can't be killed, he has thousands of souls in him giving him immortal strength."

"Yes, I know, remember I was commanded here to assist in taking Malan down if I wanted to keep my Diplomatic Immunity. Has Uriel come up with any plan for how we are to take him out yet?"

"Right now they're probably still watching Evangeline, expecting Malan will immediately show up to get his wife back. That's his likeliest move. As Maxical just said, he's predictable. Uriel said that makes it easy to set traps and counter his moves."

Malan's turned his back to Janus and pretended to busy himself with pouring a glass of wine. Being called predictable rankled, especially since they were right in their guess at his next move. He actually had started to follow them out to immediately remove Amiela. His foremost thought when they were taking her was protecting Amiela from enduring even a moment locked in a cell.

But how had Uriel seen that past Malan's blatant display of interest in Maxical? Had he suspected all along that she was just a diversionary tactic?






***


Predictable or not, Malan was still anxious to remove Amiela as quickly as possible. He couldn't leave her in that cell! And her rescue could never be left to his minions, that would be an insult to her!

With a sudden startled thought, Malan missed the wineglass and slopped the wine he was pouring onto Evangeline's bureau. Was Uriel counting on that too?

For the second time in less than a day he felt the tingle of self preservation honing his senses as it shivered down his spine. Yes, somehow Uriel knew that's how Malan would think. Janus said Uriel was expecting him to show up at the prison. He was counting on it, drawing Malan out. He'd set a trap, and baited it with Amiela.

Uriel was a more dangerous opponent than he'd realized. How had he discovered Amiela was inside Evangeline so quickly, and had orders drawn up and ready to remove her from her post? Underestimating Uriel had been a big mistake.

What should he do, though? He couldn't leave Amiela there, if they moved her he'd never be able to find her! He needed to find out what kind of a trap Uriel had laid for him, and counter it.

"So then, Lad; what tasks will you and I have? I'm anxious to get started, are we to just go out and hunt him?"

"No, Malan can't be killed without an army and continuous soul-trapping. Uriel is setting a trap for him, and an organized attack. Traven discovered the location of some huge black soul gem, and a couple weeks ago he sent Caranya to the Fort Ontus Mages Guild to train a full army of mages in soul trap. They're pairing up with the Imperial Army to take Malan down."

Malan gripped the wine bottle in his hands so tightly that his knuckles jutted with the white bone beneath. There was no doubt in his mind that army and those mages were set up around the Imperial Prison just waiting for him to show up. He would have been killed if he had gone.

Malan blew his breath out slowly. It was a good thing he had stayed to hear Uriel's plans. He needed to step back and regroup before he lost everything, including his life.

His next move would have to be very well thought out and carefully planned. Uriel would never order Evangeline killed. Amiela would be livid with him for leaving her there, but she was safe staying right where she was for the time being.

Malan kept his back to Janus, not trusting his ability to keep his expression bland right now. He forced a note of surprised derision into his voice. "You can't be serious, Traven turning to necromancy?"

"He has no choice, Uriel commanded he do whatever it took to take down Malan. Traven actually wasn't as averse to it as you would think though, especially after learning about Malan's connection with Mannimarco. He said with creatures like Malan and Mannimarco, the only way to defeat them is to fight dirt with dirt."






***


"That's all men's thinking and mortal's ways, though. I wondered why your nature never drove you to go after Malan yourself."

"It has. The drive in me has been as powerful as the bloodlust to kill Malan and take Maxical to my Castle. The last time Malan took her to his lair it woke something deep within me that felt like a raging torment. It brought the giant out in me in a way it never has before, much bigger than Malan was the night he attacked us at the Temple of the One."

"Hold on. Are you saying bigger than Malan's giant form?"

"At least twice as big. I felt like I could have crushed him to the floor easily."


Malan fumbled with corking the bottle of wine, watching several crumbled pieces breaking off and floating in the liquid below while inside himself he was fighting the urge to throw the bottle against the stone outer wall with force just to hear it shatter.

How could Janus's giant be bigger than his own? They were split-aparts, made with the same batch of blood cocktail. Why had his nature turned on him like a raging demon, and crushed him to the floor at the same time Janus was feeling that? Did Janus cause it?





Malan turned his back to Janus again, thinking rapidly. The giant came from the battle ancient line he'd used in the cocktail mixture of blood. Could Movarth have somehow increased the battle line in the batch that made Janus without altering the batch itself?

Malan had a sudden vision of Movarth working in his lab at Theryon, doing some odd spell that spun vials of blood rapidly. Movarth said he'd discovered a way to isolate the components in blood without altering their composition. He must have isolated that battle line and reintroduced it over and over again into the cocktail batch that made Janus. Movarth was plotting against him even back then, and Malan never knew it.

Janus's strength for battle must be tremendous. They shared one nature, and now the Khajiit had that same nature in her too. She tipped the balance depending on whose side she was on, and she knew it. Paired with Janus they would literally destroy him.

Malan blew his breath out quietly between his teeth. Uriel's orders may have saved his life. Hassildor had to be removed from the equation immediately.

Fathis's soul needed to be put back before the cretin ruined another of Malan's plots, but all speed was needed before Blenwyth got here and Hassildor swore Malan's Royal Quarters lair and Gift mysteries away to him.






***


"Look Janus, I'll only go to Malan's lair in your stead if that promise you made to me stands binding. Keep your vow to me, because I won't do this just to come back and find you've sworn her to Blenwyth."

Janus thumped his fist on his chest. "I'll swear her over to you, but only if it can't be Fathis. If it can't be him or me, I'd rather see her go to you than anyone else."

"If he's intact I'll forego my rights to her, but I'm getting the credit for rescuing him. New to the Diplomatic Immunity program, get my foot in the door so to speak."

"You'll have credit for the deed, but commissioned by me. You'll still get the glory for the rescue acting as my agent, but if I've sent you it wipes my slate clean. I'll be in good standing again, retain my County seat and Diplomatic Immunity. This way we both gain from it."

"Done." Malan pounded his chest.

Janus stopped in his tracks. "Wait, they've sealed all the entrances. How can you leave the Palace?"

"There's a broken window midway up the tower I've seen flying by."

"That's right! I know where it is, I'll bring you to it. I'll warn you though, there might be some of Malan's army in there."

"If there are, they won't be there long. I intend to keep this Diplomatic Immunity he gave me, show Uriel I'm an asset to the program." Malan gave Jak's easy grin and followed Janus down the corridor.



*

This post has been edited by mALX: May 1 2013, 02:39 AM

Aha! Malan has learned that Maxical IS important.

I'm sorry my comment is so...obvious, lol.

Nah, molag bal deserves better than Malan




Lol. Malan is in big trouble. And he's getting scared. I can't wait to see him get his rear end kicked

‘Janus gaped his response before speaking. "Gods no! Evangeline's was an evil glare, filled with hatred. Do you realize how strong Maxical must be to have overpowered that horrible thing and kept it subjugated so it never showed up in her? Malan may as well have married Molag Bal himself, it would have been an improvement..." Malan cut him off.’
This was hilarious as Janus unknowingly called Malan’s wife the wicked wench from Daedric hell right to his face!

"You can't be serious, Traven turning to necromancy?"
The thought that Maxical would call this fighting dirt with dirt came to mind even before I read of Uriel saying so in the next paragraph!

Oh noes! JakbeMalan and Janus having a ‘giant measuring’ contest!

Gosh, they’re both worms! Malan would kill Maxical and Janus would pass her off like a commodity or piece of meat. Urg. . . MalanbeJak going to 'rescue' Fathis' does not bode well. . . .

I can't help thinking that Fathis might have a few ideas of his own, if he gets the chance. If he's still able to pull the shackles trick, he's not to be discounted. Except that Malan will do just that, and underestimate him.

Amiela's potentially a loose cannon, if she's got control of Evangline's body. Especially if she's not happy with Malan.

I just love it when a plan comes together falls apart completely.

So, the beginning of Malan's problems? For some reason I have a bad feeking about this. After what the poor fellow has been through, his problems have just begun?!

So Jakben Malan is teaching Janus some love hints 101, eh? Poor Janus, calling Maxical a load of poopoo(heh) isn't going to help his cause, is it?

Haha, I must agree with Acadian here. He just insulted the love of Malan's life right there. In his face. Malan had to change the topic before he got upset

And he did get visibly upset when he found out a bunch of Imperial mages are waiting for him in an ambush. The thought of him being killed if he went is just meh! After all those centuries, being defeated by a mob of mages wouldn't do him service.

The ending gave me chills . . .poor Janus doesn't even have a clue he's dealing with Malan himself. Such a masquerade, eh? A vampire pretending to be a vampire pretending to plot against a vampire who he himself happens to be!

Oh it's brilliant watching Malan squirm... ...

While I'm sure there's more Malan turning tables moments coming soon...This brief window of everything crashing down has been one of my fave sections so far... ...Not a great shocker there, I know... ...

Although, I can't remember if everyone's worked out that Imbel is probably Malan too?...And therefore Janus is playing Malan...But either way...The whole who's playing whom is really funny... ...

Absolutely amazing stuff...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds most heartily*...

Ooh, thank you!

No, only the readers know that Malan is Jak.

In the story so far, only Sir Damien and Fathis know that Malan is Jak because they were being held in the dungeon with the real Jakben Imbel. Neither can tell till they get back to Cyrodiil.

Actually, Vicente realized it but he is not there to warn anyone. The only one he told was Seridur, who died before he could tell anyone. (so no one in the Palace knows it is Malan).


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This post has been edited by mALX: May 3 2013, 04:47 AM

Gotcha... ...

Ta... ...

That was hilarious!


Oh crap. I want to give Janus a smack and yell, THAT’S MALAN!!


Good grief, are you trying to kill me?! I hurt myself laughing!!


Oh, this is exciting! I can’t wait to see what happens with Fathis.

I had time today so I did a teensy bit of reading. Lessee, Maxi got attacked but saved. Now the big questions are, did she get infected, is she still blue in the face and when does she realize that no, the show must not go on? Seriously girl, you're at the core of a bloody vampire war and half-dead. I'm sure you can take time out from the damn catfight wrestling festival. Screw the publicity. Really, you don't have to do everything yourself. Let some random lad hang up the posters for a handful of coin.


A nice point is how serious and methodical Hannibal and his allies are in dealing with all the vampires running wild in the city. They gather information on their targets (excellent use of a spymaster), figure out what they're after and finally make a list of who they need to stop it and how to proceed. Having each person involved know only a piece of the puzzle was wonderful and I especially appreciate the offhand remark that the search-team should operate in pairs. Going solo works in big hero stories, but when the persons are not marked by destiny, precautions like always working with backup is the best.

200
Ah yes. Cow manure. Taking over the Empire while smelling like cow [censored]. Write that in the history books.

Ummm… No magical shield, and who’s naked?

Wonder who this handsome man is. Maxical describes some of his abilities and mannerisms like Fathis… but this can’t be, can it?

Just a word of warning, Amiela…
This whole paragraph is AMAZING.

Oh thanks for the explanation. I had no idea that any of the souls could take over Malan briefly. I thought he was a new character you were introducing.

201
You’re Kidding!! Janus doesn’t know Malan’s here?

I was sure that Janus was going to explode when she told him about the other vamp. I wonder what he’s going to do next?

202
Who have you been with, Malan? Does this have to do with that nasty cat?"
Busted! His life is about to get really miserable. Who really wants the throne? Him or her?

The guy in the overalls! I’m surprised Malan didn’t kill him in a fit of rage!

Malan has a huge weakness now. He’ll never be able to trust his own body! Amazing.

203
So you step in manure and tell her she's the one that stinks? Oh, Lad; you need to learn how to talk to women. What are you going to do now?
Wooooooooooooooooow. Janus is.. I don’t even know what to say.

I’m surprised he’s considering getting Fathis. Maybe he will make the attempt after all. *strong doubt

Malan may as well have married Molag Bal himself, it would have been an improvement
HA!

Yes, somehow Uriel knew that's how Malan would think
You don’t get to be emperor for nothi- wait that is a hereditary position isn’t it. Well regardless, he’s pretty damn smart.

So to kill Malan, Maxical needs to get Janus riled up so he gets bigger than Malan and then squishes him like a bug! Simple!

WAIT! Fathis’ soul might be put back??

*


@ Elisabeth Hollow - Thank you so much Liz! Yeah, she'd better be, because when he no longer needs her, he'll have Amiela kill her. Thanks Liz!

*
@ King Of Beasts - Thank you so much Kobby! Lol, you had me rolling with your comment!

*
@ Acadian - Thank you so very much Acadian! "Giant measuring contest" - SPEW! ROFL! Hope you come back soon, you are missed! Thank you again, Acadian!

*
@ Ghastley - Thank you so very much Ghastley! First: I loved your comment! You nailed more possibilities than I'd thought of! Since the real Foxy is AWOL, I should PM you when I need help with intricate deep plotting! Second: Thank you so very much for all your help with the Wobbly Inn mod - it would not be the same at all without you! You ROCK!

@ Darkness Eternal - Thank you so very much DE! You had me dying laughing with this:



SPEW! I loved your comments about this, you nailed so many things I was hoping would come across! Thank you so much again, DE!

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@ McBadgere - Thank you so very much McB! I enjoyed writing that too, and did think about both you and KC while I did. I'm glad you liked it! Malan's advancements will be fewer than you may think from here on out, it is about to get down into an all out war against Malan in a few chapters. Thank you so much again, McB!

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@ Grits - Thank you so very much Grits! You made my day with this, it always tickles me to hear something I've written brought laughter! (and to be honest, I didn't realize the giant comparing would be funny! I think the spirit of Foxy got everyone on that, lol). Thank you so very much again, Grits!

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@ Jack Cloudy - Thank you so much Jack! She would lose her husband if she let anyone else go with him, knew Fathis wouldn't kill Gils if she was there to witness it; that's the only reason she insisted on helping Gils. Your dread of this cage match is killing me, lol. Since you don't like spoilers, all I can say is that you have nothing to worry about.

Thank you so very much for your kind words about the methodical follow-up to take the vampires down, that meant a lot to hear from you especially; because of the intricate work you have put into the background of the attacks on Uriel Septim and attempts to counter them in your own "Redemption, Part 2" story.

I appreciate your reading, thank you so much again!

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@ King Coin - Thank you so very much KC! I loved your brief summaries of all those chapters, and your comments had me rolling! Thank you so much KC!


*


@ EVERYONE - I apologize for the two month hiatus in the story. The loss of my Mother affected me greatly. I wasn't able to read for weeks (got behind on all your stories, and I so apologize for that). I've also not been up to writing at all, (or even editing the chapters I had written ahead from last year). Also stalled was the rewriting of the early chapters (trying to shorten the story and focus it a little better).

I spent some of that recuperation period making the mod for the Wobbly Inn RP, and then still dragged my feet on posting anything new trying to give time for some that were still reading the early chapters to catch up.

Because it has been so long, I thought it would be a good idea to give a brief summary of the last few chapters to refresh anyone's memory (who wanted or needed it refreshed) as to where the story was.

Thank you all so much for your support, your patience, your condolences, and your friendship <3 - Cindy

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*** D. Foxy has graciously approved the use of his characters Damien "Foxy" Reynard and to the cameo mention of his character Sneakers in this episode.





Chapter 204: Sir Damien (Foxy) Reynard



******* Sir Damien "Foxy" Reynard; from his capture (Chapter 123, Page 62):



Theryon's underside, the giant black soul gem where the prisoners are housed. The isolation cell Foxy was taken to is in the extreme lowest point of the cone:


http://oblivion.nexusmods.com/images/1711501-1295267206.jpg



Shards of glimpsed memories filtered repeatedly through Foxy's mind as if on an endless loop, each bringing a feeling of urgency to waken from the blackness that held him captive. A clone of himself talking to him through the bars of a cell. Sneakers laying in a crumpled bloody heap. Fathis Aren naked in a jail cell. Danger. Images that faded before he could grasp them or touch their significance.

Consciousness was an intangible goal. Each time he thought he was close enough to grasp it the gasses hissed their poison into the air and the blackness returned before he could seal his lungs off from breathing them.

Somewhere in his subconscious, Foxy realized he was being shackled and dragged. In his mind warning bells sounded a disconnected message to his paralyzed limbs, but through his unconscious state his memory retained glimpses of dark glowing walls in an odd cave system that seemed to be made of Welkynd or some other magic stone.

The cavern walls hummed loudly and continuously. There was an impression of being dragged down an extremely steep incline, then tumbling through the air. He heard his shackles crunching on stone rather than felt the landing.

The loud humming of the walls was a deafening torture, seeping into his consciousness long before the gasses dissipated from the air and Foxy found himself waking up in a deep cone-shaped tomb made of that strange dark stone that breathed as if it were alive, sucking and absorbing magicka and strength out of him; out of the air itself.

The poisonous gas filled his cell with regularity, seeming to ooze from the walls themselves. When he woke from the gas there would be raw food on the floor of the cell, usually smashed by the fall from being tossed down.

Time was endless in this tomb of a cell. No daylight penetrated the thick stone to measure its passing. Malan had thought of everything, it was as if this cell had been created with Foxy in mind. The shackles that held him had a magical seal that could not be picked, not in this cell where the magic was absorbed before it could even be tapped.

The steep cone-shaped walls of the cell and trap door centered on the ceiling high above him made escaping the tomb impossible. There were no air vents, but somehow his lungs never lacked for oxygen. The cell must have an underwater breathing enchantment.

The wall itself was an irregular mass, roughly lumped with blue-black mounds and glowing tentacles that were unlike any Welkynd stone he'd ever seen. Between the protrusions was veined glass-like rock that looked like a smoky winding river. Foxy tested that first, gouging his shackles into it repeatedly till a small shard broke free and tumbled down the inclined wall.

Foxy bent over, tentatively feeling the stone before picking it up. When he held it up to the glowing stone for examination the shock of what this tomb was made of struck him forcibly. Black soul gem. He was entombed in what must be a black soul gem the size of a city.







*** Moved to the Cell Block with Fathis and the real Jakben Imbel:


Foxy awoke from the gases to find he'd been moved again. He was shackled so tightly that he was held bound against the stone back wall of a barred prison cell. His first thought was the relief of breathing air, of daylight filtering down through an air shaft that opened into the cell block.

This was where he had originally landed on entering Malan's lair, why was he moved back here again? His second though was Sneakers and Fathis Aren. Foxy strained to twist against the shackles and view the cell block.

Nearest him was a fully clothed Breton vampire in loose shackles, watching him with interest. He was oddly familiar looking. Foxy's eyes slid past him down the row of empty cells. At the farthest end was Fathis; naked and with his shackles dangled loosely from his arms. That couldn't be good.

"FATHIS!" Foxy shouted, surprised his voice still worked.

Fathis didn't respond, as if he hadn't heard. There was an eerie stillness about him, an odd blankness in his expression. What had Malan done to Fathis? And where was Sneakers?

"Hey, is your name Foxy?" The Breton vampire waved an arm to get his attention, the loose chain on his shackles clanking loudly.

Foxy didn't answer, instead asked the prominent question on his mind. "Where is the little Bosmer that was with me? Do you know if he lived?"

"He was alive when Malan brought him up to the dungeon above here. That's where prisoners are interrogated." He pointed up toward the ceiling.

Foxy nodded his head toward Fathis next. "What's wrong with Fathis?"

"Fathis is gone, Malan took his soul. Are you Foxy? Fathis kept yelling for 'Foxy' to save him when Malan did it. He fought hard, but in the end you see what happened." Jak went on to fill in the details, freely explaining the bloodlust's power over a young vampire like Fathis was.

Foxy's mind was coldly and rapidly calculating the information as Jak talked. Anger overrode the shock and pain. Fathis called for him and wasn't saved, that created a debt in Foxy's mind that Malan would pay, along with Foxy's own retribution on him for his time in these dungeons.







***


The Breton unshackled himself and deftly picked his way out of his cell and into Foxy's to clasp his hand. "My name is Jakben Imbel, but you can call me Jak." He went on to demonstrate how to break the magicka barrier in the cell bars.

"You're Springheel Jak?"

"Haha, yeah. I haven't heard anyone call me that in centuries."

Foxy paused, listening to his speech patterns and accent. There was nothing of the highbrow gentleman he'd seen in the Imperial City in this rascally scamp of a Breton.

By all reports Springheel Jak was a common thief who's undeniably handsome face and charm with the ladies garnered him more fame than his abilities as a thief. This youth was the scallywag he had expected Imbel to be. Foxy instantly believed him.

"There's another man in Imbel Manor calling himself Jakben, Earl of Imbel."

"That's Malan. He's been impersonating me almost three centuries. He's impersonating you right now."

Foxy's breath caught involuntarily. "How long have I been here?"

"Nigh on three weeks now."

Foxy shook his arms free of the shackles when Jak broke the magic seal, thanking him. "I need to get back there and stop Malan. How do I get out of here?"

"There is no escape from Theryon unless you can fly, we're miles up in the air. My vampire line can't fly. Fathis's can, but you'll not reach him in this state. I should warn you now, this tier of the dungeons is used only for vampires and thralls. Malan must intend to make you one or the other, or you wouldn't have been moved here."

Foxy moved stiffly out of the cell. "How did he do that to Fathis?"

"Swearing a vow with him, that's how Malan does it. There's thousands of souls inside him, he's as powerful as a god from them."

"Maxical, the white Khajiit. Did he kill her?"

"No. He won't as long as he needs her."

"Malan needs her?"

Jak readily explained, finishing with, "She's safe till Malan gets Amiela's soul and those mysteries. Then he'll kill her."






***


Jak was a gregarious cellmate; probably because Malan had been holding his soul for centuries and what few times he'd been exiled to these cells his only company had been thralls Malan was impersonating. Foxy found him to be a likable lad with an innate intelligence.

Jak held devastatingly crucial information about Malan, and readily spewed it with or without prompting. He was overly talkative, chattering endlessly. The vampire never needed rest or food. Foxy soon realized no minions brought food to this tier of the dungeon.

Jak nodded wisely. "Malan is weakening you through starvation." He explained in his cheery manner of spouting information. "If you're hungry, climb up that air shaft. I'll help you reach it. Follow that outer wall around, there's a secret entrance into Malan's lair there."

After extended hours of listening to Jak rehash the many things he'd been a forced silent witness to while his soul resided inside Malan; Foxy broke in and asked Jak a question that had been bothering him.

"You said Malan exiled you to these cells as punishment, was it for something you did as a soul inside him?"

Jak nodded, more than willing to fill him in. "I learned a way to temporarily overcome Malan's soul and take control over his body. Malan hates anyone having power over him, it scares the hell out of him. Makes being exiled worth it." He grinned boyishly.

"You've done it more than once?"

"Oh, repeatedly. He never knows when I'll pop out. Being a soul inside someone is a game of power. It gives access to all their secrets. Knowing I could emerge at any time and ruin his plots gives me a levy I can use to negotiate privileges from him.”

"How do you do it?"

"I'd better teach you, because if you're in this cell block you'll end needing it. I taught this to Fathis before Malan took his soul."

Jak used animated gestures to emphasize his explanation. "Willpower stays with the soul. Want him to do something with powerful intensity, and you'll temporarily control his body. I like embarrassing him. I've made him pick his nose or wet himself in public just for fun, you know? But someone with greater willpower than his could actually take over permanently."






***


"What kind of privileges do you negotiate?"

"Time in control of his body. The ability to want to do something and be able to."

"You aren't afraid to enrage him, why?"

"Because it makes me feel alive to be able to stick it to him. Whenever he is through impersonating me, I'm dead. May as well get some digs in if I can, you know?"

"If we ever get out of here, I would like to offer you a position in my organization. I like your attitude, and could use someone with your skills."

Jak beamed momentarily, then gave an engaging grin before launching back into his endless chatter.

"Malan will need me once he gets Amiela back. She preferred my face to his." He cupped his hand around his mouth and lowered his voice as if divulging a secret. "Even in their lair she wanted him to keep impersonating me."

Foxy barked out a laugh. "I'd say that didn't go over well."

"No it didn't, but Malan does anything she demands. Amiela is his weakness."

Foxy's ears perked up at that. "Do you know anymore of his weaknesses?"

"Do I ever!" Jak launched into a non-stop list.

Jak was an unbelievable source of information on Malan. Foxy would definitely rescue the youth, and hire him if he was willing.

The interrogation area was magically sealed and inaccessible, but climbing the vent Foxy easily found that entrance into Malan's palace and began a systematic exploration.






******* Sir Damien "Foxy" Reynard Today:


An instinctive inner warning of danger raised the hair on the back of his neck, and was all the notice Foxy got that Malan was coming back. A glance toward the Imperial City confirmed it. A dark shape hovered in the sky, growing larger in the span of his glimpse. Malan was flying rapidly toward Theryon.

Malan may have intercepted the coded message he'd stuffed in Maxical's pocket earlier, he'd be coming to kill him.

Foxy gripped the stone adjunct tightly, swinging himself around its jutting facing and throwing himself down the air vent in one swift movement just as the distant sound of flapping wings reached his ears.

Foxy shoved his arms and legs with force against the shaft's curved walls when he reached the opening into the cave system that housed the prison. His momentum was stopped just enough to break his fall before dropping out of the tubular shaft.

He shot down the corridor of cells past the zombie-like silent Fathis and gave a hurried signal to Jak as he passed. Jak immediately slid his hands into his shackles. Foxy skidded into his own cell, carefully closing himself back in so the latch only clicked instead of the loud clang it would have made.

He had barely slipped his arms into the dangling shackles and slumped down to look weakened and emaciated when Malan flew in, his bird form's hawkish eyes darting around at the inmates before a cloud of vapor concealed him. An angry Malan stepped out of the mist and hurried straight into Fathis's cell.

Foxy steeled himself for action, not sure if Malan intended to kill Fathis. The muscles of his legs coiled, ready to spring into movement, and he shifted his arms so he appeared to be hanging off the chain shackles.

Malan was berating Fathis, and did threaten to kill him numerous times; but as Foxy warily watched what Malan was doing to Fathis, Jak caught his eye and exchanged a quick glance that said more than words could have. The shackled hand closest to Foxy had the thumb raised. Whatever Malan was doing was good news.

Foxy was stunned and relieved to see Fathis's legs begin moving for the first time since he'd been moved onto this cell block. Malan must be putting Fathis's soul back.



*

This post has been edited by mALX: Jun 27 2013, 04:40 AM

The part I've been waiting for! For a long time. It's always been apparent that Fathis, Foxy, and now it appears Jak, are going to be the catalyst that allows Maxical to become what she needs to be.

Great detail, and character-building for Jak, too. We've only just met the real thing, and we like him already.

Now all we need is more frequent updates.

I like Jak, lol. A handsome thief with a way with the ladies? Oooh, be still my heart!!

Not to mention...wow, he helped Fathis save Maxical, teaching him how to overpower Malan briefly. Go Jakben!!

It was cool to see the POV from the long-missed Foxy!!

These cells really made me think of the ruins with their cages and gas traps. I know this is different, but I still liked that reminder it gave me.

Is the prison where Malan keeps the souls he has taken?

Foxy’s cercumstances are very interesting. Is this some plan, or has Malan lost track?

Here’s the real Jak. He seems happy to have someone to talk to. How long has he been chained up in there? Sounds like Jak is exactly what they need to bring Malan down.

Foxy was stunned and relieved to see Fathis's legs begin moving for the first time since he'd been moved onto this cell block. Malan must be putting Fathis's soul back.


Must have been after Fathis chained Amiela

Hell, I think we can all agree that Malan deserves this!

Is Malan aware that the only thing keeping Jak from escaping is that he cant fly....



What?!

Nice to see you updating again mALX!

Welcome back! I’m still missing Maxical, but Foxy and Jak will have to do for now.

How terrifying, being trapped inside a giant soul gem – and your descriptions via Foxy were chilling here.

Jak is such a talker! I’m surprised Foxy would consider such loose lips for his organization. And I imagine Jak would make quite the snack for Eyja! Jak was certainly invaluable for now however. Loved the touch of humor as Jak confessed to making Malan wet himself and such.

Quite the image as Malan came flying back to his lair and Foxy dove back for his cell.

Hmm, putting Fathis’ soul back. To me, that means that Malan won’t risk Fathis being able to ‘take control’ of Malan’s actions again. Unfortunately, once Fathis’ soul is returned, will Fathis become expendable? I am hoping that the newly formed Jak and Foxy team may be able to intercede on Fathis’ behalf.

Oh this chapter was SO worth the wait!! I absolutely loved the whole thing. Poor Jak chattering away after three centuries in the thrall factory.

The whole part where Foxy was racing Malan in bird form to get back unto his cell was quite a rush!

What a relief that Malan is putting Fathis back, but also a whole new source of concerns. Very exciting! I loved this part!!