The cursed blood., Chapter 1: The celebration. Options

[jack cloudy]

Alright, this is my next fan fic. Know that I don't have the whole storyline thought out yet, so it might become a bit messy.

Also, it takes place approximately 2 years after the events of Oasis.


The cursed blood.

Chapter 1: The Celebration.

Seas around Vvardenfell.

Slowly, the ship drifted amongst the waves. The only sign of life were the torches burning on the bow and stern. Or was that all? No. At the bow one man stood, gazing at the sky. He was old, with long flowing hair as white as snow. He stood there like a statue, only moving on his heels to compensate for the boat’s movements.

A High Elf opened the door and looked over the deck. There was the man he’d been looking for. He took a quick glance at the sky and sighed. Then, he moved over to join the old man.

,,In a few nights, the moons will be full again.” He said. The Old man remained silent. Finally, after two long minutes, he spoke.
,,You know I don’t fear the servants of the moon.”
The High Elf touched an amulet hanging around his neck, lost in deep thought. The amulet was beautifully crafted and looked just like the moon.

,,I know, how could I forget? I was merely speaking to myself.”
,,Yes, so I noticed. We should reach the island before the moon is full. It has been a long time. Perhaps you should join the hunt once more.” The old man said.

,,I will think about it. We are drinking a bottle of whine below deck. If you like you may join us.” With those words, the High Elf left.

The old man however, remained behind. He didn’t go downstairs and instead waited till he saw the land appear on the horizon. The land had called him and he realized he had much to do with only little time. He smiled at the thought. It had been many years since he had last worried about not having enough time at his disposal.
,,So we’ll meet again, old friend.” He muttered and finally joined the people below deck.

Venim Manor.
The room looked as if a tornado had passed through it. Actually, that was exactly what had happened, with the only difference that the tornado was made out of two people rather than wind. One of the two was a Redguard who wielded her sword with precision, making sure that not a single movement was wasted. Her opponent, was different. Much younger, the Dunmer girl fought with the enthusiasm and unlimited stamina of youth.

The two went back and forth as their swords clashed over and over. In the end, the Dunmer girl got the upper hand and forced the Redguard against the wall. She smiled as she prepared to land the final blow. Her sword hit the wall instead of the Redguard who had dove around the blade and was now behind the Dunmer. Instead of feeling her sword hit the Redguard, the Dunmer felt the tip of a sword on her own neck.

,,Not bad, mylady. For a moment, I really thought I had much work to do. Most mainland people aren’t very experienced.” The Redguard said and smiled.
,,Admit it, you were worried that you were going to lose for a moment.” The Dunmer replied.
,,Now don’t go too far with your pride. Your technique still needs a lot of work and it will take a while before I can truly call you a warrior.”
The Redguard took the two swords and returned them to their weaponrack, after putting the rack back in the position it stood in before it was knocked over.

There was a polite knock on the door and after a few seconds, a Dunmer entered the room.
,,Tsk, are you busy again.” The man said and shook his head.
,,I know I can’t stop you from doing this, Jana. But please, don’t go challenging people to duels in the middle of the night. You two are keeping everyone awake with all that noise.”
The man continued with a smile that took the sharpness out of his words. He then turned to the Redguard.

,,So Neminda, how is she?”
,,Not too bad, but not too good either.” The Redguard responded. She didn’t knew what to think. Maybe it was stupid for her to have gone along with the idea of the young Dunmer, but that enthusiasm was simply contagious.

Athus Mirhtri had recently arrived from the mainland and taken residence in Venim manor. He was a high-ranking member of House Redoran but also a man who didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the house. The biggest problem that most people had with him was the fact that despite being in a House that demanded of its members that they knew how to fight, he’d never held a weapon in his entire life.

,,I see. Could you, teach her a few tricks perhaps? That should keep her satisfied and out of trouble. But not before the sun rises.” Athus turned around to leave.
,,By the way, your dress for the celebration just arrived. You might try it on to see if it fits. But first, go take a bad.” He said and walked out.

[Agent Griff]

Oh, so you're continuing that tale you started in Kell's short story thread? Good enough, I found the part on the boat interesting. The part with the Dunmer woman and the Redguard I didn't find that interesting. It was pretty confusing at some points to be honest.

[minque]

Nice Mr Cloudy-man! This is very promising, I do like it and I read it even if I probably have no chance commenting after every post.....because you usually post too darn frequent, but that´s good...so please keep it coming!

[Tellie]

Whohoo...thanks for starting up so soon again cloudy...I was afraid we had to wait a long time before you would honor us with another story...

So, the start is a very intriguing one, and it seems to be more than one plot here, so I will wait in anticipation for the next on...keep it up.

[jack cloudy]

Thank you all. Since it is rather confusing to weave two different storylines through each other, I think I'll alternate updates between the two storylines. Anyway, time for the old man and the Altmer on the boat, part 2!



Seyda Neen

The ship docked shortly after the sun emerged over the horizon. The two men disembarked and headed down the docks to the nearest building. A sign told them that it had once been the Census and Excise office, but someone had scribbled something else over it.
,,Council hall of Seyda Neen. It surprises me that they need one in this dump. It would be a small council even if you had the whole population in it.” The Altmer commented.
,,People will never fail to surprise you, my friend. Let’s go inside.” The old man responded.

Inside, they found themselves in a well-decorated office that also seemed to serve as the home of the small Bosmer who nearly seemed to disappear in the large chair he was sitting in. The little guy looked at the two. First with curiosity, then with disgust.
,,An Imperial! I should call the guards, if we still had them! Oh, you meanies from the Empire always love to hurt me. And the last time I met someone from the empire, he blew up a treestump right in my face! And now he is seen as a hero! Do you know that there is an annual celebration to remember the defeat of Dagoth Ur?! And I am supposed to hold a speech! On top of that, these robbers are constantly shaking down my town!” The Bosmer yelled with a squeaky voice.

The two men looked at each other. The Altmer frowning, the old man looking amused.
,,We would like to visit the island, sir.” The old man said in a polite tone.
The Bosmer stared at him and looked rather surprised by the usage of the title.

,,Fargoth, mayor of Seyda Neen. I’ll need your names, hometown, reason for visit and some other things. Bribes are welcome.” The little guy said defiantly.
The Altmer’s hand went to the small crossbow he wore on his hip.
,,Why, you little fetcher. Do you really think that a big chair and a bigger mouth is going to…”

,,Calm down.” The old man interrupted his friend and pushed the crossbow away from Fargoth. He waved at the Bosmer with his other hand and enveloped the little Elf with Magicka.
,,You don’t need to ask us anything. You just want to be nice and help people.” He said with a smile.

,,Yes, yes. I want to be nice and help people. No need to ask any questions. Welcome to Vvardenfell. I hope you will have a pleasant stay. If you need any supplies, go to Arille’s Tradehouse and say that Fargoth sent you.” The Bosmer answered and happily began to stamp their papers.

,,Command Humanoid, it never lets you down. Anyway, welcome to Resdayn. Now then, let’s think of how to proceed.” The old man muttered once they were outside the office.
The Altmer didn’t listen, he had his crossbow up again. This time he was aiming at a huge flea.
,,What in the name of Oblivion is that?” He whispered.

The old man looked at the creature.
,,Ah, my guest back in Argonia told me about these. I believe he called them Silt Striders. They are used as the local transportation. They’re faster than a horse, but a bit harder to park.” He said and continued to point out some interesting features about the creature.

Behind them, Fargoth ran out of his house and looked around. He then ran towards the tradehouse to help a woman carry the supplies she just bought back to her house. A moment later, he climbed up the house to fix its roof.

,,Maybe you should have used other words when you used that spell. At this rate, the Elf is either going to get married or he’ll die from a heartattack with all this running around. Whichever comes first.” The Altmer commented as he watched how Fargoth ran to a pool to wash some clothes.

,,Ah, yes. I suppose I could’ve been more careful. Let’s do something to make up for my mistake. I suggest we search out those bandits he was talking about and persuade them to stop their actions.” The old man said and walked out of town with a frowning Altmer behind him.
,,Really, if I didn’t knew better, I would say that he was too old for this.” The Elf muttered and shook his head.


PS: I am now really thinking of making a third story. Maybe called "The revenge of Fargoth." I am really beginning to pity the poor guy. He is always the victim of us fan fic writers.

[minque]

Ahhh Cloudy-man! Great work....very interesting story I´d say!

[jack cloudy]

And the next part with the Dunmer girl. Umm, I am trying to connect the two story lines. Anyway, enjoy the update.



Venim Manor

Jana tapped on the floor with one of her feet while she impatiently stared at the door.
,,Well, where is he?!” She shouted when the maid finally returned.
,,Lord Mirhtri is in his office and made it clear to me that he does not wish to be disturbed by anyone. That includes you, mylady.”

This only made the girl even more angry.
,,What, my father does not want to see me after he did THIS?!” She bolted out of the door and fell flat on her face.
,,Damn dress.” She muttered, got up and stormed through the manor.

Her father was completely devoted to the letter he was reading and never noticed how his daughter nearly literally fell into the room. Jana tried to get his attention a few times, but the man seemed to have become deaf.
,,HELLO, ANYONE IN THERE?!” She finally screamed in frustration. At least it got her father’s attention. Maybe it was worth the sore throat.
,,What, oh it’s you. Look, I said that I didn’t want to be disturbed. I am busy.” He said at an annoyed tone and suddenly began laughing.

,,Sorry, but you just look ridiculous. Ah, I needed a good laugh. Where did you found that dress?” He managed to say between fits of laughter.
,,THAT is the dress you bought for the celebration! How could you?! Just because some guy killed this Dagoth Ur two years ago doesn’t mean I have to look like this! It’s horrible!”

Jana’s dress was colourful, to say the least. It had many different shades of yellow, blue, light green, pink and orange that created a stark contrast with her dark green skin. On top of that, there were little frills all over it. And finally, it was so long she kept tripping over it whenever she tried to walk.

,,I’m sorry. I only asked the clothier to give you something fashionable. Don’t worry, I’ll buy you something more traditional. Now please leave.” Athus said after he finally stopped laughing.

As his daughter left, so did his smile. His eyes went back to the letter and he read it one more time. With a sigh, he got up and walked over to the broadsword that hung on the wall. He lifted it off the wall and gripped it by the handle. Then, he pulled the sword free of its scabbard and admired the Ebony blade. It still looked just like the last time he’d used it, four hundred years ago.

,,I don’t know why they’ve come to the island but by Azura, if they even dare to step foot in my house, they shall meet my blade.” He said with a grim look. He then placed the sword behind his desk so that he could grab it at all times. Finally, he took an empty sheet of paper and began to write.

[Tellie]

O_oh...this is interesting...an angry Dunmer girl who hate wearing the dress her father have bought her...and that end of yours....interesting... a Tellie to you.

So, dont let us wait long before we get to know who this mysterious man is....but I have my suspicions...(no I wont tell...perhaps I will...for a cookie or five...)

So please give us some more please Mr.Cloudy man...I am starting to love this story already...

[jack cloudy]

Glad you like it. But, which of the three men is the mysterious one?

Anyway, just a short update with the old man and the Altmer.


Seyda Neen

,,Are you sure this is such a good idea?” The Altmer whispered when they entered a nearby cave. Outside the cave, there were many clues that told them it was inhabited, such as a campfire with the remains of a meal.
,,Oh, what could happen?” The old man casually responded and walked around a corner. There, he came face to face with at least half a dozen bandits who all reached for their weapons.
,,That could happen.” The Altmer said and raised his crossbow.

,,What, who are you?” An Orc who seemed to be their leader asked. He waved around his heavy club as a threat.
,,I sell. Advice, to be specific. I have some very good advice for you. I’d appreciate it if you took the time to listen.” The old man said and smiled. He didn’t seemed to be worried at all by the bandits.

,,Advice?! And what might that be, old man?” The Orc said amidst roaring laughter.
,,Simple, abandon your activities in the nearby town. If not, the consequences could be detrimental for your health.” The old man responded.
,,And who says that? An old man and his Elf. I think I’ll feed you to the Nix-Hounds.”
The Orc stormed towards the old man and swung his club downward.

To his surprise, the club stopped just before it reached the man’s face. He looked down and saw that the man had gripped his arm with one of his hands. Sweat appeared on the Orc’s face and he gasped as the man began to squeeze with his hand. Soon, the sound of snapping bone could be heard.

The other bandits stormed forward. One of them was met by a bolt in his throat and another by a Wakizashi between the ribs. The rest crashed into the walls when the old man raised his free hand.
,,It would really be a smart idea to take my advice. It would be a big waste of time if we had to end your lives. Time that’s better spent elsewhere. Am I clear?” The old man said and squeezed a bit more.
,,Alright. We’ll leave.” The Orc managed to whisper.

The old man threw the Orc against the wall before walking back to the entrance.
,,Was it really necessary to kill those two?” He asked his friend.
,,Unlike you, I don’t make a whole show out of things. I prefer to take out my enemies permanently.” The Altmer responded and wiped the blood of his Wakizashi.

The old man chuckled.
,,I suppose that you get a certain feel for theatrics with age. Now, what would our fearless Altmer say to a ride on one of those siltstriders?” He said and laughed softly.
,,On one of those big fleas?! No way, I’d rather walk!”

[Taillus]

Ahh Cloudy. Starting anew much like myself. I really like the beginnings of this one and I knew I recognised the first part with the man on the boat. Nicely done as always.

[jack cloudy]

Alright, things are heating up.



Ald’Rhun, in front of Skar

Jana was not having fun. Three days, he had three days and still he hadn’t bought her a decent dress. Now she was stuck with that ugly thing that hurt her eyes just when she looked at it. Worst of all, he didn’t even dare to face her. He just remained in his office all day long, like he was doing now. Everyone was celebrating the defeat of Dagoth Ur and he was sitting in his office, doing Azura knew what.

At least she wasn’t the only one in bright and colourful clothing. No one was laughing at her. Still, she hated it. She vowed she would never follow fashion again, nor would she let her father buy her clothes.
,,Excuse me, could you be so kind as to devote some time to me?”

Jana turned around to see who had spoken. If this was about her dress, she would start throwing punches, celebration or not. An old Imperial and a much younger looking Altmer stood before her.

The Imperial looked like he was somewhere in his late sixties and had long white hair. A blood red amulet hung around his neck that shimmered as if it was wet. He wore a deep blue shirt that had a beautifull picture of the sun rising over a green tree woven into the chest area. He had pants and a cape in the same colour. His gloves and boots were a dark green and he had a black belt bearing two Katanas in their scabbard on each side.

The Altmer looked much younger, though it was always hard to tell with Elves. Jana guessed that he was around three hundred years old, a few times as old as the Imperial. He wore a simple brown shirt and pants, with a black belt. The belt held a small crossbow and a sack filled with bolts on one side and a Wakizashi on the other side. This was odd, why would anyone carry around weapons during the celebration?

The old man smiled and bowed.
,,I humbly apologize, for I forgot to introduce ourselves. This is my old friend, Jalin of Erpath. I am known as Aureus Lucis from Argonia. Pleased to make your aquantaince. We are searching for Athus Mirhtri, perhaps you are aware of his whereabouts?”

The man’s language made her dizzy with all the polite stuff.
,,Uh, he’s in his office. He won’t be able to see any guests.” She stammered.
Aureus bowed again.
,,Very unfortunate. I thank you for your assistance. Farewell.” He said and left through the crowd, with Jalin close behind.

,,So, what are we going to do now?” The Altmer whispered once they were clear of the crowd.
,,We’ll see.”

Athus Mirhtri rubbed his eyes. He hadn’t slept well in days, and it was beginning to take its toll. On top of that, the stress of knowing what was out there was killing him. Of course, if it found him, he would be just as death. He began to read but looked up when he heard a sound.
He glanced around before concluding that it was coming from the back wall. Something was attempting to break through.

He got up and grabbed the Ebony Broadsword. The wall exploded inward and two masked men holding swords came through the hole. Athus shouted a battlecry and attacked.

,,While we were fighting for our lives on the slopes of Red Mountain, the Nerevarine entered the citadel and battled Dagoth Ur himself.” Athyn Sarethi had been holding his speech for half an hour now, and it didn’t look like he was about to stop. Jana yawned. This was so boring. There were only people who were talking about what they did that day. She couldn’t remember what she did, she never even heard of the Nerevarine and Dagoth Ur before coming to the island. It just didn’t interested her.

She went back to Venim manor. Bothering her father about his promise to buy her a better dress sounded like a much more fun idea. Besides, she might catch him sleeping on his desk. That would be amusing. At least it would be better than listening to that speech. The Nerevarine sounded like every average hero, a boring guy in shining armour on a horse who never did anything wrong.

,,What the heck is that noise?” She muttered when she got closer to the office. It didn’t sound like her father was sleeping, more like he was holding a private party. She opened the door to the office, stepped inside and froze.

Athus was clearly not holding a private party. He was fighting for his life against two masked men. Despite the urgency of the situation, Jana couldn’t help but be slightly amused. Everyone had told her that her father never even touched a sword in his entire life. Yet here he was, swinging one like a true master. He sure managed to fool people.

Moving so fast he was almost invisible, Athus jumped forward and buried his sword in one of the two men. The Ebony blade of the broadsword exploded with a flash as bright as the sun, leaving nothing but a few smoking remains where once a man stood. He spun around and attempted to decapitate the other one.

The remaining man moved just as fast as the Dunmer, if not faster. He parried the Ebony blade that erupted again in a blinding flash. A quick spin, and the hand holding the Ebony sword was severed at the wrist. The man then raised his hands and used Telekinesis to smash Athus into the wall.

[Tellie]

Yes...another update...*celebrates...*

A wonderfull update indeed...but now I'm worried of what will happen to Athus...but I have a small hope that Jana, will save him...keep it up...but of course I know you will...

[minque]

Ouch! getting smashed into the wall doesn´t sound very nice! But the story is on the other hand very nice

Hehe I´ve come to like Jana...hehe she sounds like a cocky lil´lady......great writing !

[jack cloudy]

Sorry, but I've got a role laid out for the little girl and saving Athus is not one of them. Any way, here's an update with a nice Cliffracer. (Oops, I mean Cliffhanger. )



In the land of dreams.

She knew she was dreaming, but didn’t knew about what. She was standing in a frigid, snowcovered landscape with dark clouds in the sky and a mountain in the distance. The mountain was made of the purest silver and its sides flowed as if it was a slumbering creature of titanic proportions, rather than a mountain. As she was watching, the flowing became more intense till huge waves of silver washed over it.

Then, the whole mountain began to glow. It was an eerie sight, for there was not a single sound to give it a feel of reality. Suddenly, the mountain exploded till it filled the sky and blew away the clouds. The massive cloud of glowing silver began to shrink till it was nothing but a tiny pinprick that was too far away to be seen. Then, everything was the way it was before, only now the sun shone through a breach in the clouds on the spot where once the mountain stood.

,,Ah, you’ve finally awoken.” Jana opened her eyes and saw Athyn Sarethi looking down on her. He was still wearing his clothes from the celebration.
,,Quiet. Much has happened and much more shall happen. Please, follow me to a place where I can tell you what I have to say without any listeners.” He continued and motioned for her to get out of the bed and follow him.

Athyn walked straight to her father’s office and went through the door. The place had been left the way the Redorans found it, with the only change being a Guar skin that now covered the hole in the wall. The beautiful desk that once stood in the center of the room was reduced to a few scraps of wood. A piece of dark clothing covered with ash laid on the floor. The Ebony Broadsword that her father had used was still were it had fallen, lying next to a large pool of dried blood.

,,I have failed my duties to House Redoran. I am sorry. I just never expected anyone to carry weapons during the celebration and no one has breached the skin of Skar in history. What magicka is so potent that it can carve through the skin of the great crab as if through paper? I have to tell you this. Your father walks the land no more.”

Jana didn’t answer. She could barely remember what had happened. Two men had been fighting her father. One of those was killed and the other smashed Athus into the wall. But after that, what had happened? She scratched her itching neck in frustration. She did remember one thing. An Imperial and an Altmer had been asking for her father, and they both carried weapons with them. She came to the realization that she had caused the death of her own father and nearly dropped to the floor in shock.

,,All we found was his hand which we buried. We also found you, unconscious and on the ground. I’ve ordered the best healers to help you. In my own office, Athus recently left an envelope, to be given when he was gone. I don’t know how he knew that this would happen and why he didn’t run, but it is too late for that.” Athyn continued and handed over a small envelope.

After a short hesitation, Jana tore open the envelope and took out a letter as well as a finely crafted key of pure Ebony.

To my daughter, Jana Mirhtri.

When you read this, I shall be gone. How or when, I do not yet know. If I have died through disease or an accident, read no further. If however, I have died by the hands of the Silver Eye, words cannot express the danger you are in.

As such, it is my duty as your father to do the best I can to protect you. Therefore, I have done my best to attract the attention of my enemies, so that they may ignore you. Still, I dare not hope that my death shall be enough. Take the key that accompanies this letter. It fits on a small Ebony chest I keep within my desk. Take its contents, for I have created them so that they may protect you.

Likewise, I grant you my sword and the only weapon I ever used, the Feathered Sun. I shall use it in an attempt at saving my own life from the Eye, but I doubt that I shall succeed. However, it is unlikely that they would take the sword as a price, for its enchantment would destroy any of their kind the moment they touched its blade. This sword has served me well when I was young, and it shall be like a beacon for you during the darkest night.

Finally, I request that you leave Vvardenfell and House Redoran. Go to Argonia and find the sanctuary of Kalom. The lord of Kalom shall do anything he can to protect you for I have been of use to him in the past. Travel light and leave no traces. It is now up to you to forge your own path through life.

Your father, Athus Mirhtri.

,,There is one more thing I have to tell you, no matter how painful it might be. The Attacker was a vampire. You have been bitten and there was nothing our healers could do to take away the curse of your blood. I therefore have to ask you to leave House Redoran before the curse reveals itself.” Jana could see that Athyn had been crying, but there was nothing she felt herself. Everything that she had taken had made her numb and unable to feel anything.

She grabbed the small Ebony chest from the wreckage that was once the desk. She would open it later. She also picked up her father’s sword. It was surprisingly light for an Ebony blade. There were a few things she had to do, and fleeing to the swamps of Argonia wasn’t one of those things.

,,Have you seen an old Imperial accompanied by an Altmer?” She asked.
Athyn was a bit surprised by the question and needed a few seconds to get over the surprise.
,,Yes, they came to me this morning. I told them that the House was rather busy with something urgent and they left to the south.”

,,Thank you.” Jana interrupted the Dunmer and cut the Guar skin in front of the hole in the wall. Holding the small chest in one hand and the sword in the other, she stepped through the hole and headed south. It was then that her emotions finally hit her and tears streamed down her face. She would get those two, and avenge her father.

She tried to turn around upon hearing a sudden noise, but tripped over her dress and fell on her face again. She never even got the time to curse herself for not having taken the time to dress up properly before there was the sensation of something heavy hitting her head.

She was in a rather uncomfortable position when she awoke. Being tied to a tree wasn’t so pleasant in itself, and having a Redguard waving her own sword around in front of her face made things even worse.
,,Hello, girl. Now what would a frail little creature like you do here in the middle of the night, in those clothes?” He said with a rough voice. Jana wrinkled her nose when she caught the scent of the man’s breath.

A voice shouted something from behind her. It sounded Orcish, which was a language she didn’t understand. The Redguard did, for he cursed something and stood up.
,,Who are you?!” He shouted a little later from where Jana couldn’t see him.
,,Now that is some very undignified behaviour. May I suggest that you release the lady and return her possessions? An apology would also be very appreciated.” A somehow familiar voice answered.

The bandits laughed.
,,,What are you going to do, fall over and die?” The Redguard said before shouting a battelcry. The sound of clashing steel was followed by a scream.
,,No, I was more thinking about teaching you some manners.” The strange voice said.

For a few more seconds, Jana could hear shouting and clashing swords, then it went silent.
,,We meet again. I must say, I am surprised to see you here, mylady.” The man who had just fought the bandits stepped into her view. It was Aureus, the one who killed her father.

[minque]

Oh my! This IS getting veeery thrilling, I love it! Mr Cloudy, I hereby grant you the great Serene-award for creating a most awesome story!

[DarkHunter]

very good man, it's getting interesting, (very) i may just have to do something nice for you sometime (dunno what or when)

[jack cloudy]

Agh, I diffused the whole situation too fast. Damn, well no way to help it. Please give me a warning if I reveal things too fast. Anyway, update.
(Darkhunter, just be nice to Flint in the rp, that would be very appreciated by the poor little fellow.)


Road between Ald’rhun and Balmora.

Aureus held one of his katanas loosely in his hand. The other one was sheathed. He slowly brought it closer to Jana who closed her eyes and awaited the blow that would inevitably come. The quick sound of steel slicing through rope, and she found that she could move her limbs again. He had cut the ropes that tied her to the tree.
,,I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience that these people have caused. May I be of assistance?”

That was the last thing she would have expected for him to say. It was all so weird, that she was convinced that it was a trick. Besides, where had the Altmer gone? He had been reduced to a pile of dust by her father. It would be normal for the man to want revenge. Then why did he help her?
,,I am afraid I didn’t caught your name last night.” Aureus continued and wandered over to the things the bandits had stolen.

Maybe he didn’t knew that she was the daughter of the man he killed. Maybe he didn’t recognize her from that night. This thought gave Jana some hope again. He clearly wasn’t from around here, so she would be safe if she gave him a different name.
,,Jana…Sarethi.”

,,Well then, Jana Sarethi, what brings you out here on the middle of the night under the full moon?” Aureus asked and picked up the Ebony Broadsword. All of Jana’s hope was instantly destroyed. He would recognize her father’s blade and then she would be death. The man brought a finger to the flat of the blade with a questioning look on his face.

,,Touch it, touch it!” It was a vampire that had bitten her, he had bitten her and Athus said that a single touch of the blade would destroy vampires. She had seen it with her own eyes. If only he would touch the blade, then all her worries would be gone. The man touched the blade and the usual flash erupted.

,,Aha, an enchantment that harnesses the power of the sun as well as a feather spell to reduce its weight. A very rare and potent weapon, I dare say. Any vampire hunter would kill for something like this and any vampire would fear it. You are lucky to have one of these, mylady.” The flash hadn’t even hurt him, so he wasn’t a vampire. Jana suddenly realized that she had been chasing the wrong man. He had nothing to do with it.

,,Umm, where is your Altmer friend?” She asked.
,,Jalin? He is out hunting.” Aureus answered while he inspected his handiwork on the bandits. Every single one of them had a single cut across their throat. The only exception was the Redguard, who also had a very thin cut across the bridge of his nose. Most likely that cut was meant as a warning, a warning the Redguard had ignored.

Jana got up and tried to get her blood flowing again. A short inspection revealed that the chest she had been dragging along was still unopened. The small key solved that problem and she finally got to look inside. She was rather disappointed by what she found. It didn’t look like much, just a pair of gloves, an empty pouch, some Silver throwing stars, an amulet and a shattered vial whose contents had been spilled. How was this going to help? Still, if she would just pocket everything, then she could leave the heavy chest behind.

She put on one of the gloves which instantly began emitting a bright light. With a small shout of surprise, she tore it of her hand. The light dimmed. After some hesitation, she put it on again. The light was just a normal enchantment and nothing to fear. In fact, it was very handy as it acted like a torch which was one of the things she could use in the middle of the night. She focussed on the glove, and the light dimmed. Nice.

The other glove didn’t emit any light, but focussing on it caused a pitch black bolt of magicka to fly out. Knowing her father’s love for opposites, she bet that while one glove created light, the other created darkness, also known as blinding.

The amulet was also interesting. Slipping it on caused everything that was enchanted to glow, even through solid objects, like the spilled liquid glowing through the now closed chest. She could also see a pack of Nix-Hounds who where covered in a purple haze of in the distance. She looked at Aureus and put a hand in front of her eyes to keep out the light.

The Imperial’s entire suit appeared was covered in the purple haze she saw around the Nix-Hounds and so did one of his katanas. But the other one, the one she hadn’t seen yet, was glowing with an enchantment so bright, it made the sun seem pitch black. What enchantment could be so powerful to cause a reaction like this?

She focussed on the amulet till she no longer saw the light of the katana. She finally picked up her sword and walked further along the road. She had been chasing the wrong one and now there was no way to find the culprit before she had turned into a bloodsucking vampire. She just had no idea what to do.

,,Excuse me, mylady. I just happened to be going in that direction, perhaps you would permit me to accompany you?” Aureus caught up with her. For an old man, he was surprisingly fast. Then, everything about him was surprising.
,,Sure.” Jana answered and screamed when suddenly a loud howl echoed through the night.
,,Don’t worry, it’s just a werewolf. It won’t be interested in you.” The old man said in an attempt to reassure her. They travelled to Balmora in silence, but one thought kept getting back to Jana’s mind.
,,Just who are you, and what are you here for?”

[jack cloudy]

Balmora

In Balmora, Aureus said goodbye and entered the local bookstore. This left Jana on her own who quickly decided that she would make her last days among civilization as pleasant as possible. In other words, new clothes.

The clothes were rather hard. There was so much to choose from. In the end, Jana managed to resist the urge to buy a nice dress and went for some practical adventurer’s clothing. Her old overwhelmingly colourful dress served as payment and even got her some spare money. Most of that money was used to buy a scabbard from the local armourer. Now at least she didn’t had to hold her sword all the time.

She then wandered through the city in search of the local pub. On the way, she happened to come across the mage guild which gave her an idea. People said that the hall in Tel Uvirith carried an extensive library on just about anything. Maybe they had a few clues to these Silver Eyes. She hopped inside and had the guild guide take her to Tel Uvirith.

,,What can Ajira do for Dunmer?” A khajit in a beautiful blue robe asked once she stepped of the platform. It was the first time Jana had been even close to a Telvanni mushroom, so she took a good look around the room before responding.
,,I’m looking for information. Silver Eyes, vampires?”

The library turned out to be less than impressive. While quite extensive on the Tribunal and Nerevarine prophecies, it was lacking in information on vampires and not a single thing about a Silver Eye. She did found out that there was a vampire lair called Galom Daeus nearby.
,,Well, I am about to become a vampire, so I might just as well go ask them.” She muttered to herself before heading out of the mushroom.

,,Hello, what do we have here? Are you here to become our cattle?” This welcome really creeped her out. And she really didn’t hope that she would become that ugly.
,,No, I want to talk to your boss.” The vampire seemed to be amused at that answer and brought her to a room with two other vampires.

The biggest vampire looked at his guest with a look of boredom.
,,What do you want?” He asked.
Jana stepped forward while already beginning to doubt if this was such a good idea.
,,I’m looking for a bunch of vampires called Silver Eyes. Do you know anything?”

The big vampire smiled.
,,What, do you really think I keep tabs on every vampire in the world? You are so foolish. Now since you have wasted some good time, I believe it would be more than fair for you to give us some small payment. How about your blood?”

Before Jana knew what had happened. The two vampires that were standing behind her had grabbed her. She could feel the tip of the teeth of one of those touching her neck.
,,What have I done?” She thought and closed her eyes.
Screaming, the vampire that was about to bit her smashed into the wall. He slumped down to the floor with every bone in his body crushed.
,,Vampires these days, so uncivilized.” Aureus said with his hands still raised.

The big vampire was fuming and stared the old man in the eyes. He blinked when he failed to see any sign of fear within the eyes of the Imperial.
,,Who are you?” The vampire snarled.
,,Aureus Lucis.” The Imperial calmly responded with a faint smile.
The look of utter fear in the face of the vampire was something Jana would never forget.

,,And you mylady, I hope you try to stay out of trouble from now on. Saving you is getting a bit inconvenient.” Aureus said to the girl.
,,Well, I never asked for your help. Now why did you follow me?” Jana snapped back and instantly felt sorry. She had no right to talk to him like that, not after he had just saved her from being sucked dry.

,,A good question, with a simple answer. The owner of the bookstore directed me to Tel Uvirith. There, I heard talk of a Dunmer girl who had wandered of in search of vampires. I figured I might be able to help for I do have some experience with vampires, as you can clearly see.” Aureus said and pointed at the cowering vampire.
,,Now may I inquire as to what you were hoping to achieve?” He continued, polite as always.

,,Oh, fine. I’m trying to ask that vampire what he knows of the men who killed my father, but he didn’t want to answer.” Before Jana could get any further, the big vampire interrupted them.
,,Wait, I do know! Please, let me speak! I am Raxle Berne, leader of the Berne clan. Two men came from Ald’Rhun recently. One of them was clearly a vampire. He wore a belt made from silver eyes. We provided shelter in exchange for blood that the vampire kept in a bottle. They left the next day. See, I told it. Now please let me live.”

Jana looked at the vampire with disgust. He had a big mouth when he had his people behind him, but he was a coward when the tables turned. She then looked at Aureus for guidance. It was strange cause she knew nothing beyond his name, but he did feel like the kind that could be trusted.

His appearance was shocking. Gone was the friendliness in his eyes and the smile that always was on his lips. He stared at the ground and clenched his fists in barely controlled rage. Raw magicka gathered around him, ready to strike out with devastating results. Jana instinctively held her breath. It was the first time she truly realized how far the power went that hid in the old man. Aureus sighed and seemed to relax, but trails of magicka continued to whirl around him.

,,Where did they go?” He asked, with not a single hint of his normal polite self. He would not take “no” for an answer.

[minque]

Brilliant Mr Cloudy! Just sheer brilliant......Can´t wait to see what happens next!

[Agent Griff]

As was said by the wise woman of the forum, excelent work! This story has really gotten me intrigued. At first it was rather lacking but now that I've taken a better look at it, I can clearly say that it has mistery and adventure. Quite everything. And I like vampires and werewolves alot so this story is one of my new favourites now. Keep up the great work! It was a pleasure following the adventures of Luper, it'll be great following the adventures of Jana now. And, on a last note, can you inform us why that old fart is so damn uber?