Listen To THe Sound Of The Ashlands, Chapter 1->The Return Options

[Fiach]

Note: This is my first bit of serious fan-fiction, so please be patient with me xD
I would really appreciate it if whoever reads this give me their opinion on the story, as well as any ways that I can improve, which is something that I'm very passionate about.
But without any delay, let's begin.

Prologue

“So you’re planning to go through with it?” Sul-Matuul asked.

“Yes”

The old Ashlander sighed, his hand moving slowly against his withered face.
For a moment I began to pity the old mer. Age had paled his dark skin to the point that it was nearly like that of a imperial, his red eyes turning blank with his years.

He was sitting near the centre of his yurt, his body in its squatted form somewhat resembling an old flower. But he still held his staff proudly, and carried his head high with grace. Well at least he did before I entered his yurt this cold Last seed morning.

“I would like you to reconsider” Sul-Matuul said. With a groan I sat down beside him, my fingers playing with the dusty floor. “I don’t think I can this time my friend” I whispered, “I’ve been here for nearly 5 years, I’ve done a lot here but Morrowind....it just doesn’t need me anymore..”

Sul-Matuul slammed his fist against the ground, but I tried not to flinch, “don’t be foolish Lord Nerevarine” he growled, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. “You have so much more to do here, Morrowind is your home, and it’s where you’re destined to be!”

Sadly, I shook my head. “Everything will be ok Sul, I mean with you, Vivec....”
“Vivec is a traitor and a fool” He spat, “He should have had the decency to kill himself the day the others fell.”
I shook my head and rose from the ground. “He has the best interests of Morrowind in mind Sul.” I whispered. “The boat to Akavir will be leaving tomorrow... I have to be on my way.”
“Nerevarine!” Sul-Matuul growled, “Morrowind needs you, please don’t abandon her.”
I opened my mouth to say something, but then I noticed droplets of water against the dusty floor. The old mer was crying.

My courage failed and without another word, I turned around and opened up the small yurt skin door, into the world beyond.
As I travelled along the coastline I began to feel the thud of my heartbeat against my throat, a feeling that had escaped me for so long, Excitement and adventure.
I suppose I should tell you a little of myself before I begin my true story, although most of it I’m sure you already know.

My real name is Furan Saris, and I was born in Highrock, according to the local priests there, my mother was an ashlander who fled morrowind, but since she died when I was born, I guess I can’t really be sure. I was taken in by the local chapel of the nine divines, an experience that thankfully, I’ll never go through again. I learned to read and write, but at the cost of my dignity. I was trapped there, at least until he came to see me.
A man arrived at our village one foggy morning, he was a mage, but one that was not connected to any of the local guilds. It was safe to say that he caused a bit of a commotion in the town. He used his magic to entertain, summoning ponies and warriors that arrived in a plume of fire, his mana stirring and creating wonders before my very eyes. I spent days begging him to take me on as an apprentice, as a means to escape this life. The old man, who saw my mana levels agreed.

We left, I learned what I needed to learn, but after less than 4 years my master caught a chill and died. Magic stopped being an idle fancy and more of a means to survive, I was skilled at illusion and acrobatics, which helped me pilfer items from some of highrocks finest. But one night I tried to steal from a mage and I was caught.
Beginning my journey to Morrowind, which started the story every dunmer child grows up learning, the tale of the battle of the red mountain.

To foreigners of our shores this is where the story of the Nerevarine ends, the oblivion crisis set in and people forgot about the land of the dunmer people.
But I think that it is time that I continued the story.

The story of when the Nerevarine returned.

This post has been edited by Fiach: Feb 26 2010, 11:14 PM

[Fiach]

I’m standing with my back leaning out towards the stern. I breathed in, tasting the crisp sea air in my mouth as the waves rushed and broke against the hull. All of a sudden I hear a shout from above. “Land Ho!”
I turn around eagerly to be greeted by a miracle. Gone was the massive expanse of ocean, the endless days of blue. Akavir was there, looming like a sleeping beast that was waiting for us, that was waiting for me.
We sent out a life boat toward the shore and I was on it, my heart was beating in my chest as the waves crashed and made the small boat bobble underneath us. The boat gave a little shudder as it reached the mainland .If my eyes could have talked they would have sung.

I was surrounded by a million different shades of greens, reds, oranges and yellows. Large purple fruits the size of a guars head hung from branches that were covered with leaves that had drawings on it so intricate that it seemed as if they were drawn by master painters; who’s steady hand could not be matched by anyone alive or dead in Tamriel.

I breathed In the air that was heavy with itchy pollen spores, small creatures that moved to fast to see ran underneath the shadows of these great plants as myself and a handful of other crew man walked ahead. As We walked I felt the sensation of fresh water running up my legs as we walked through a small pond. The blue sky shone overhead as our patient guide until we saw them.
There were no less than 8 of them, Tang-mo mothers, fathers and children. All of them were lying face down in the water as I noticed that the water I was in had turned a deep crimson red. The cause of it was in front of us as well.

It was U shaped and fiery red, the sky itself seemed to have succumbed to its crimson. Daedra that I had once fought in Morrowind and even some breeds that I had never seen before were pouring out wielding claws or barbaric weapons in their hands.
One of the Tang-Mo children turned its head away from the water and looked at me with lifeless milky white eyes.

“Nerevarine” it whispered.
“Wake up.” The Tang-mo’s voice sent a chill down my spine; I was helpless as the daedra surrounded me.
“Wake up”
“Furan!”
“Wake up”
“Furan, Wake up!”

I awoke with a jolt. I was lying on the floor, by the looks of it I rolled off my bed while I was dreaming. I was covered in cold sweat and it took me a moment for me to notice that I was breathing heavily.
Above me was Haeil, who was panting heavily and looking at me with wild eyes. “Haeil...are you ok?” I muttered.
Haeil shook his head and grabbed my wrist, pulling me out of the bed and out of the cabin. There was an uneasy feeling in my stomach as we walked. I had a bad feeling about this.

We reached the top of the deck within seconds, Haeil’s powerful tail dragging the both of us up the steps with ease. When we reached the top of the ship I noticed them. They were argonians, standing just less than 2 meters tall, their slimy green scales gleaming in the sunlight. They all had a pair of sack cloth pants on them, with a different weapon attached to each of them.

One of them roared in a strange tongue and the others nodded. An argonian that held a daedric short-sword went forward, its yellow eyes scanning the crowd. It’s hand hovering over its blade. “This ship is trespassing on our waters” the creature growled in broken cyrodilic.
“I wish to talk to the captain now, or we will be sending this ship under the depths.”

I stepped forward and raised my hand lazily. “That would be me” I muttered, drawing a throwing knife behind my back.
The argonians looked at me with a thick sneer on his face, “Ash scum” it snapped before spitting at my feet. “You’re under arrest, the part 17 of the caldera laws states that no dunmer can even work on a ship, much less captain one...”

I shook my head softly, “What’s the Caldera...” I asked before being cut off by one of the argonians who drew a chitin shot-sword and leaped toward one of the crew mates, a female Tsaesci. With a growl I threw my dagger at the argonians, the blade catching it in the face before it had time to move toward me.
The argonians looked at me in stunned silence, “Weapons!” one of them screeched, “The dunmer is carrying weapons!” The argonian leader looked furious as it drew its blade. “I order you to move onto our ship ashshit!”
He spat while waving his blade toward me. I shook my head, licked my lips and extended my arms.
I whispered the incantation faster than the other argonians could move, fire erupted from my palms as the consumed the small group of pirates their screams filling the afternoon air.
I sighed softly, “At least that is over” I whispered before I saw the other argonian.

He was taller than the others as he walked from his ship to ours. He was wrapped in soft black robes that barely covered skin that was as black as shadow.
The argonian looked over to his colleagues, now a pile of ash and then to me. “Very impressive dunmer” it whispered, looking at me with a pair of richly golden eyes.
The argonian gave me a crooked smile,
"So you are captain of a ship, you wield weapons and you use magic...That’s 3 unforgivable offences you know” I looked up to the argonian with a glare. “Unforgivable offences to whom?” I asked.

The argonian looked surprised. “Why to the king of Black Marsh of course” He whispered.
“You know, if you break one offence you are given a fine...two and you go to prison... three gets a death sentence...”

My eyes widened as a burst of fire erupted from the argonians palms, the blaze consuming the tiny wooden ship as the screams of my crew surrounded me.
I tried to back away from the flames, I don’t think I got very far as the last sensation that I felt was the cool smash of my body hitting against the sea.
As I floated through the cold abyss I saw the Tango-Mo child again.
“Wake up Nerevarine” it whispered.

“Wake up”