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]

Arriving in Seyda Neen, Ahnaressu asked around about where to find a room. The first person he asked happened to be a wood elf by the name of Fargoth. When Ahnaressu asked about a room, Fargoth's face lit up, bragging about how his friend, Arrile, owned the local tradehouse. Ahnaressu found it hard to sit politely by this annoying elf. Ahnaressu quickly thanked him and made his way towards the tradehouse, attracting attention with a baby's head sticking out of his pack.

Valnor was free of his worries, but still just as determined to complete his twisted mission. He paced around his tent, not in nervousness, but in deep thought. He was debating on hiring a mercenary band, or to continue his search of the ashlands first. Valnor looked up from the ground to see Nyph lying down, absent mindedly smoking a skooma pipe. Valnor smiled to himself, wondering how anyone so clever could allow himself to become so stupid at times. Nyph got up and stumbled out of the tent, obviously under the effects of the skooma. Valnor merely smiled at himself, and decided to scour the ashlanders before hiring mercenaries- it would cost less.

Ahnaressu put his brother to sleep in his room, and went into the commons area to eat. He ate some bread, not realizing how much he had starved himself. He ordered a few ash yams and some nix-hound meat before he was satisfied and went to sleep.

He awoke in the morning, feeling more refreshed than he had in a long time. He picked up Relgar and went into the commons for breakfast. He gave Relgar his usual meal of crushed comberries, and got himself a kwama egg. He wandered downstairs, not forgetting his main goal of coming - to get supplies.
"Hello, young man." Arrile said to Ahnaressu. "What can I do for you?"
Ahnaressu said, "I would like to see what you have for sale."
Arrile moved his hand in a circular motion, showing Ahnaressu all of the weapons, armor, and other various things laid out neatly around the room. "I have all of this, some scrolls here behind my desk, and I can offer you a limited selection of spells as well."
Ahnaressu looked around, not seeing anything he particularly wanted besides a scroll of healing and a scroll of warrior's blessing. Ahnaressu bought these scrolls and walked outside for some fresh air. He stood outside enjoying his fresh air when a storage building caught his eye. He knew he could get in serious trouble for going inside, but his curiosity got the best of him. The young boy walked inside and bought a scroll of ondusi's open door. Hoping that wouldn't look suspicious, he decided to wait until dark.

Night fell, and Ahnaressu went up to the redguard behind the counter, Elone, and asked, "Will you watch my brother while I take care of some...um....business?"
Elone smiled and said "Of course."

Ahnaressu walked outside, and not noticing any guards close by, he casually walked by the door, used his scroll, and continued walking. He circled back, and slipped in the door. What he found amazed him. He found a vast array of weapons and armor. He went through the crates, trying to pick out some good weapons, not caring much for the armor. He found an imperial shortsword to replace his worn and rusted shortsword, and a steel tanto to replace the weak chitin dagger. Feeling quite proud of himself, he grabbed a few items to sell, and went back to the tradehouse.

Ahnaressu sold his old shortsword and dagger, and some of the extra items he had picked up from the imperial warehouse. He did not feel guilty for what he did, having a deep hatred for the Empire from his ashlander roots. He used his money to buy some more scrolls, a few more warrior's blessing and healing, along with a summon flame atronach. He went upstairs to release Elnoe from Relgar, and went to sleep for the night, getting ready for the long journey he would make tomorrow. He had no idea how long the journey would take.

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Chapter 6 is now over. Hope you liked it.