Ahnaressu's Travels Ch. 6 Options

[Dantrag]

Ahnaressu walked through the camp as usual. The common glares he got no longer bothered him. He knew he was not of the tribe and never would be. He carried his last two buckets back to the camp, and made his way towards the old yurt he and Relgar now called home. The door to his yurt was quickly blocked by a young ashlander, about a year older than Ahnaressu. The older ashlander, named Yas, was obviously trying to prove something to his friends because another group of young ahslanders were about ten feet away, watching and laughing. Ahnaressu knew Yas wanted a fight, and Ahnaressu had no time for such stupidity, especially with his little brother standing beside him.
"What do you want?" Ahnaressu asked rather rudely.
"You to leave."
"What?" Ahnaressu asked incredulously. "Surely I have done nothing to offend you." He said with mock respect.
The only response Ahnaressu got was a swing from Yas. Ahnaressu dodged the blow, and in the same motion, pushed Yas away and calmly walked back in his yurt.

Valnor sat by the fire with his three companions. None of the three dared disturb Valnor and bring him from his thoughts. Valnor's thoughts were not those of defeat, but of revenge. He formulated plans to raise another army, tactics to use, and most of all, he thought of how to replace Nyph. Nyph was brilliant. Even if he was wrong, he presented another point of view so that Valnor could see his own plans in a different light, allowing for corrections. Valnor and decided to spend another few years buidling another army. A larger and more effective army.

Ahnaressu decided that Yas was right. He did not belong here. He could hope for no relationship with any of these people beyond getting their water. With that thought in mind, Ahnaressu packed his things. He put his sword belt on, and put his dagger inside his overcoat as usual. He held Relgar's hand as they walked out. Ahnaressu headed south towards the next camp - Erabenimsun.

After about a week, Ahnaressu and Relgar were nearing the last known location of the Erabenimsun camp. As he walked in a valley, he noticed a strange figure lying down on the rocks. As he neared it, Ahnaressu noticed it was a dark elf. The young dunmer quickly went to work making splints for the man's obviously broken arms and legs. Ahnaressu had no idea that who he was helping was one of the main causes of his mother's death.

Nyph awakened in a strange place. He was sitting under a makeshift lean-to made of guar skin. The assassin looked around to see a small baby accompanied by a young teenager. He started to move, but the splints on his arms and legs would not allow it. (As if he could move without them!) Thankful for the rescue, he wondered which god it was that answered his prayer. He made a silent oath to mend his ways and follow this god if he found out which one it was. Send me a sign. he thought.
Just as he thought that, the dark elf in his teens walked up to him and said with concern "Thank the ancestors that you are alive!"
"There's my sign, I guess." Nyph thought. Almost disappointed that he vowed to uphold the ashlander customs. He would uphold the vow anyway, mostly because he was grateful to the ancestors, but also because he had heard of the penalties given to mortals for breaking vows.

Ahnaressu gently put Nyph's head back onto the ground and silently said "You need more rest." Nyph did not argue, for he was already feeling pains from his limbs and sleep was a good way to ignore it.

Valnor began his search for an army in the grazelands. There were quite a few of the oucasts in that area. Valnor knew it could not possibly be as large as the first, but he figured he could hire mercenaries just as he did with the orcs in his old party. His current army consisted of fourteen including himslef. He already had four, and the other ten had been difficult to obtain. It had taken two weeks for the number to reach fourteen. A good time, but it would not stay at that pace. Valnor knew that this ordeal would take years, but he was willing to be patient. Revenge could wait.

The next time Nyph woke up, he saw the young dark elf studying notes with alchemical tools and ingredients beside him. Nyph watched as the boy crushed up thw two ingredients with a mortar and pestle. Nyph was not in any way familiar with alchemy so he just watched as the boy did complicated measurements and used different tools to put the mixture into a bottle.
The boy noticed him and siad "Drink this. It should heal you a small but at least."
Nyph drank the mixture, and at once felt his bones mending, and the pain was lessening. But suddenly, the healing potion stopped working. Nyph knew it was just a lesser potion, not some devious plan to make him suffer longer.
The boy said "I will be making more until you completely heal."
Nyph nodded his thanks.
"What's your name?" the boy continued.
"Nyph," the injured man replied. "Obviously I am in your debt."
Ahnaressu waved the thought away with his hand. "I am Ahnaressu and you owe me nothing."
Nyph smiled, and closed his eyes once more.

[Dantrag]

It was dark, and Nyph and Relgar were both sound asleep. Ahnaressu stared blankly at the fire. He was awake because he was having the dream again. The dream with the large dunmer. The dream kept him awake, but he used the word "sentry" as an excuse. Whenever Nyph would suggest sleep, Ahnaressu reasoned that he was the only one fit to defend them. Nyph knew there was more to it than that, but let the boy be. The young boy noticed Nyph squirming in his bedroll, just waking up. The young boy noticed a prolonged wince; Nyph was obviously in great pain. Ahnaressu quickly got his alchemical tools together and read his mother's tattered notes for every ingredient that could be used to heal. Making potions, sleeping...what''s the difference? Ahnaressu thought.

It was daylight, and Ahnaressu had not slept at all. He had been at work collecting ingredients and making his weak healing potions for Nyph all night. Nyph drank all of the potions he had made so far, (it was only five.) and all but his left leg were healed. Ahnaressu passed out from sheer exhaustion, and Nyph lie down, playing with Relgar while at the same time, carving himself a crutch.

Valnor stood alone, the rest of his band having stayed behind. He was surrounded by a group of six outcast ashlanders. Valnor used his silver tongue to persuade them to join his cause. "What do we get from this?" the obvious leader of the group asked. Valnor said, "I will pay you gold, along with any loot you find in the camps we raid." The leader scratched his head as if he was thinking, but Valnor knew the answer. He would not abandon the promise of gold and loot. Valnor smiled. His revenge was coming along nicely.

Ahnaressu awakened to see Nyph leaning on his crutch, throwing a few of his many daggers into a nearby tree. Ahnaressu watched in amusement at the man's skills. Nyph noticed the boy for the first time, and since he was reasonably healthy, he was more willing to speak.
Nyph greeted the young dunmer, "Hello there...you look pitiful."
Ahnaressu started to interject, but Nyph put up his hand.
"Sleep. Sleep. you need your rest to survive out here."
Ahnaressu nodded. "Ever since what happened to my family, I haven't slept well." Ahnaressu said.
"What happened?" Nyph asked with concern.
"My tribe, the Urshilaku....they were...killed." Ahnaressu said, his voice cracking.
Nyph's face went sullen. "By the ancestors." he said. Ahnaressu not knowing Nyph's true reason for the phrase. Nyph thought to himself, By the ancestors, I did this to a child?
Ahnaressu continued, I have been having a dream of a very large dunmer, with a claymore to fit his huge frame. He always says to me, "I killed them all." and then proceeds to chop me down, when I wake up.

Nyph felt serious guilt for what he had done, and sat down where he was and sobbed. Ahnaressu thought it was out of pity for him, but he would find out later that it was much more than that.