The Story of Trey- Chapter 9 Options

[treydog]

Chapter 9

My resistance to the Nerevarine prophecies may seem incomprehensible to some, but they should try to remember my background. First, I had never been terribly religious. The gods were these vague figures of power to whom priests and crazy people talked. The best hope for someone like me was to avoid their notice- the gods, but also the priests and crazy people. Then, too, it always seemed to me that whenever someone started talking about what the "great god or goddess" wanted, it was just coincidentally something the speaker wanted, as well. So obviously I had my doubts about religion and prophecy in general. And then there was me. The circumstances of my conception and birth, I have already described- there was nothing auspicious or special about it. Throughout the years of my childhood, until the night I left High Rock, my worth was defined only by how much work my "guardians" could get out of me. Every drink I took, every scrap of food I ate, the very space in which I slept- all was given grudgingly and, like as not, with a blow and a curse. Therefore, to be told that I was "important to the Empire" and possibly the reincarnation of some long-dead Dunmer hero, struck me as a particularly weak joke. Heroes were born in manor houses and castles, trained in philosophy and the arts, raised as an integral part of society. The only philosophy I had ever known was "don't get caught." And my “place in society” was in a stable at the end of a shovel. So ever since Caius had revealed the contents the package I had delivered, I had done my best to ridicule, deny, and ignore the implications. Added to my incredulity that anyone could mistake me for a dead dark elf was my innate resistance to anything that the Empire wanted. Finally, I despised feeling as though I was being manipulated- whether by guilds, governments, or gods. What I desired most strongly was to be my own man, neither owned by nor owing anyone. At the moment, that goal seemed as attainable as one of the moons.

As for the prophecies, it was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the events that seemed to swirl around me like the sparks from a fire. Too much had happened that could not be easily explained away. First, whatever I might wish, I could not really believe that the Emperor was simply delusional. His reasons might be incomprehensible to me, but he certainly believed in this strongly enough to devote considerable effort to it. Then there was the voice that had spoken to me in my fever-dream on the ship and again in Tel Fyr. And the dreams of the gold-masked figure who seemed to be trying to persuade me and yet filled me with dread. And what of Caius? Skooma addict he might be, but he wouldn't spend so much time on cobwebs and moonbeams, even if the Emperor told him to. Caius believed, and that was a very disturbing thought. He was perhaps the smartest man I had ever met. Not in the same way that Divayth Fyr or the other Telvanni wizards were smart, with their encyclopedic knowledge of magic and other arcana. Caius' intelligence was of a sort that I understood and respected even more- the intelligence of a man who had spent many years surviving on his wits, his courage, and his ability to separate fact from nonsense. When you live by your wits, almost every test is a final exam and the price of failure is death. That Caius was still alive was all the proof I needed of his intellect. But it still might be possible for me to reason with him, to find some way to convince him that everyone was mistaken. With that in mind, I read over the material I had gathered regarding the Nerevarine prophecies. As much as I was seeking greater understanding I was also seeking a flaw, a way out, an exception that would set me free.

What I found was that my notes on the prophecies were as murky as ever. It seemed to me that anyone could use the words to prove or disprove just about anything. And that was the problem with prophecy. My only option now was to go back to Caius and give him the happy news that I wasn't dead yet. No doubt he would have some new plan for me to go and stick my head in a dragon's mouth. Well, I had always wanted to see a dragon, anyway, so it wouldn't be a total loss. As I approached Caius' small house in Balmora, I believed that I was completely prepared for whatever insanely dangerous task he would set before me. I was sure that nothing he said could surprise me. Which goes to show just how little I knew. When I knocked and entered, I found the house in even greater disarray than usual. Chests and drawers had been flung open, and clothing was piled even more deeply on the floor and bed than before. In the midst of the chaos stood the spymaster, and, for the first time in my experience, he looked shaken. Attempting to lighten the mood, I asked him if a whirlwind had been through his place. With a shrug he explained that he had been packing and then looked closely at me. When he saw that there was no trace of disease to be found, he smiled a weary smile and said, "Trey, I'm very happy you've been cured. Unfortunately, I've had a bit of bad news. I've been recalled to the Imperial City. You'll be promoted to Operative and will head the Blades here in Vvardenfell until I return. I only waited to give you your final orders before I go."

My usual ready wit failed me- Caius gone? Recalled to the Imperial City? And what was this about me being the head of the Blades in Vvardenfell? So many questions clamored for answers at once that none of them could get out. I just stood silently and looked at the man who had seen me through so much. My mind could not encompass the idea that he wouldn't be there to give me directions, even if they usually were accompanied by a verbal kick in the rear. As I gaped like a fish out of water, he continued to sort through his possessions and to talk as if I was capable of understanding,

"...you'll have some expenses. Here's some gold. And you can use the house until I return. And I won't be needing these blacks or the ring in the Imperial City."

He punctuated this commentary by handing me 750 drakes, a set of enchanted clothing, and an enchanted ring. Somehow, his actions struck me as being those of a man making the final disposition of his estate. Whatever he might say, Caius did not believe that he was coming back.

Trying to get to the truth without just blurting it out, I asked about the recall order. The spymaster confirmed the rumors that the Emperor was dying and that the succession was in a mess. Various factions were struggling for power and he was too important a resource to be left out of reach. He tried to shrug it off as "internal politics... a result of my sugar problem," but even he knew it didn't ring true. Finally, he admitted that he had considered ignoring the order, but couldn't because "they" had members of his family in the capital. For me, to whom a family had until recently been just a distant dream, that was the hardest blow of all. To use a man's family as a lever- that showed me once again that my hatred of the Empire was not misplaced, at all. Caius remained thoroughly professional though, and asked me if I was ready to receive my orders. When I nodded, he told me to continue to pursue the prophecies. The next step would be to enlist the aid of Mehra Milo in Vivec and find the lost prophecies. Once I had those, I needed to go back to the Urshilaku wise woman and follow her guidance. His final advice was that I should "forget the Imperial City," and concentrate on the local issues of the Great House wars and Dagoth Ur. He clasped my hand, looked hard into my eyes, and was gone.

[treydog]

I will not detail all the twists and turns and back-tracking that I endured as I went ever further into Kogoruhn. The journey itself was wearisome- to recount it here would be more so. Finally, I entered a canal system called the Nabith Waterway. A half-blocked passage from the canals led into a series of caverns named Charma's Breath. I do not know who or what Charma was, but the name was not complimentary. A stink of brimstone hung in the air, and other foul vapors told me that this was, indeed, a tomb. It was here that I encountered one of the strangest creatures I had ever seen.

I had defeated a "lesser Dagoth," and was searching the passage, when a bizarre humanoid advanced upon me. The creature appeared to have once been a Dunmer, but was now horribly altered. The head and face were elongated, and the chin sported a beard- something I had never seen on a dark elf. A strange, bony headpiece made the head seem even more misshapen, and the fingers ended in fearsome claws. Even with my improved ability with long blades, he was nearly impossible to hit, and took little damage when I was successful. The glass armor I had "inherited" may have been all that saved me. I was eventually forced to swallow a Levitation potion and float out over a lava pool, from whence I cast fireballs at the beast to weaken him.

As I had used all my arrows earlier, I ultimately had no choice but to close with the bizarre being and finish the fight blade against claw. A Sixth House amulet proved that this was yet another form of "Dagoth," in this case, Dagoth Uthol. He also wore a magical belt called the Belt of Heartfire, which I happily appropriated as a partial reward for ridding the world of this menace. Still, I was beginning to wonder if Dagoth Morin's tomb and the Shadow Shield even existed. Almost in despair, I turned to a door inscribed "The Bleeding Heart."

After fighting my way past several atronachs, I confronted Dagoth Elam and defeated him. He had been guarding the Shadow Shield. Without even taking the time to divine the enchantments on that ancient artifact, I scooped it up and Recalled to the Urshilaku camp. Even though I would again know fear in my life, it would never again be as daunting, for I had faced Kogoruhn and prevailed. I had passed the Warrior's Test.

Ever a master of understatement, Sul-Matuul greeted me by saying, "You appear to have seen difficult times. If you have brought me the three tokens of the Warriors Test, I will tell you of the Third Trial."

I grimly displayed the House Dagoth cup, the Shadow Shield, and the corprus weepings. I could not be angry with the Urshilaku ashkhan, for I knew that he had been to Kogoruhn before me. Still more, I knew that the lives of the Ashlanders were harsh and therefore they were forced to take hard measures. There was no room in their lives for weakness, and that was particularly true of the khans. When Sul-Matuul saw the evidence of my achievement, his eyes widened, and he almost smiled. He admitted that he was impressed by my feat and added that I could keep the items as proof of my triumph over the evil of Kogoruhn. Then he quoted the Third Vision: "In caverns dark, Azura's eye sees/And makes to shine the moon and star."

He told me that my path now would take me to a hidden place called the Cavern of the Incarnate, a place that was sacred to Azura. The location of the Cavern was given in the form of a riddle: "The eye of the needle lies in the teeth of the wind. The mouth of the cave lies in the skin of the pearl. The dream is the door and the star is the key."

He continued, "This riddle is Wisdom's Test. Take counsel of the wisdom of the tribes and you shall find the way. Seek the Cavern of the Incarnate. Gain the Moon and Star and bring it to Nibani Maesa. Take with you my blessing and the blessing of our tribe, Malipu-Ataman's Belt."

The belt was an ancient piece of apparel, clearly of deep significance to the Urshilaku. The enchantment was one that provided healing and improved the ability to avoid being struck in combat. However, the significance of the belt was more in its symbolism- this was definitive proof that the bearer had passed the Warrior's Test. After thanking the ashkhan, I took my leave of him and pondered his words.

"The wisdom of the tribe" could mean several things- first, the wise women obviously preserved the traditions and lore of the Ashlanders; second, every adult in the tribe might possess some specific bit of knowledge, gained from their nomadic travels. Therefore, I sought Nibani Maesa and whatever light she might shed upon these riddles. She did not know where the Cavern of the Incarnate might be found, nor could she interpret all of the riddle. Some lines though, she could explain: "the star is the key" and "the dream is the door."

Each was a reference to Azura- the "star" meant Azura's Star, which was only visible at dusk and dawn. Therefore, the door could only be opened at those times that were sacred to the goddess. Similarly, the "dream" referred to the hours of dreaming. Wherever the Cavern lay, it could only be entered at dawn or dusk, similar to Holamayan. I would have to seek further answers from the members of Urshilaku. That task was made considerably easier by my possession of the Belt of Milapu-Ataman, which indicated to the Ashlanders that they could speak to me of these things.

The sum of the information I received was this: There was a valley which ran toward Red Mountain, known as the Valley of the Wind. The entrance to the valley was marked by two rock spires, known as Airan's Teeth. They were named for a seer who was blessed by Azura. At the head of the valley was a single rock spire, known as The Needle. The tip of this spire, while not white, was of a lighter-colored stone- a color that might be considered akin to that of a pearl. Finally, a tribesman gave me directions on how to reach the entrance to the Valley of the Wind. I knew that my steps must soon turn in that direction, but not yet. I needed time to recover from the ordeal of Kogoruhn and to prepare for the trials which were yet to come.

One of the things I wanted to do was see how the work on my stronghold was proceeding. After all that I had been through, I felt more than ever the need for a place to call home. Weary beyond measure, I made my way to Ald'ruhn, where I spoke to Galsa Gindu. She informed me that a foreman had been hired and materials acquired and delivered to begin construction. She then asked me to go to Bal Isra, where the building site was located, and check with the foreman, Bugdul gro-Kharbush.

Bal Isra was a ridge along the Mar Gaan road, and a rather desolate place in the midst of ash-covered and barren hills. Of course, that was one purpose of the stronghold, to reclaim some of the lands which had been lost to the ash-storms. As I crested the ridge, I saw for the first time the place that was to be my home. Major progress had been made on the main structure, which was of the typical Redoran "crab-shell" style. It was not yet habitable, but Bugdul assured me that the construction was going well. He promised to send word through Galsa when the stronghold was ready or if there were any problems.

As I could do nothing to help speed the work, I made my way back to Ald'ruhn. I spent some time repairing my equipment and preparing potions to replace those which I had used so liberally. My instincts told me that my path would only grow more difficult as I approached the end. Dagoth Ur had had generations to prepare for the coming of the Nerevarine and he had been acknowledged as a warrior and strategist of great prowess during his life. It no longer mattered whether or not I believed- others, far more powerful than I, had decided- I would walk the path of prophecy. It was a very long time before I was able to fall into a deep and blessedly dreamless sleep.

Here Ends Chapter 9

And now all the pieces are again in one place. Thank you, ArtemisNoir, for nudging me to re-assemble this book.

And thanks also to everyone who stayed with it in the "original timeline." It was the encouragement of many people that kept me going.