Teresa of the Faint Smile, Adventures of a Stringy Bosmer Options

[D.Foxy]

Well, it's a fox. I keep seeing her in the distance.






*checks pants*

[haute ecole rider]

I thought the same thing as foxy, too! Though I didn't check HIS pants! Honest!

[hazmick]

oh no! Dreth is gonna be on the streets again

on a lighter note, Methredhel has a fox as a spirit guide and she looks up to Teresa. You have done a great job of not only building up the character of Teresa but also the character of Methredhel.

[Olen]

And back to the present. You wove it in well, they were sort of where they left off but I think at a change of direction. Teresa gets another revelation about her low self worth and Methy gets a spirit guide (or soon will I suspect). I can't help but wonder what it's leading her to though.

And then Dreth's release. You've ceertainly laid a few hooks and foreshadowings here. I want to know more

[treydog]

This was a brilliant wrap-up to a brilliant chapter. That Teresa and Methredhel closed the circle, realizing that they were still friends despite having grown apart in many ways- was heartwarming. And the fact that Meth has a spirit guide- which Teresa recognizes as such- here their bond will be strengthened, even as it evolves. And isn't that the thing about relationships (of any kind?) They have to evolve or they die.

The opposite of heartwarming is the revelation that as certain Dunmer dungeon-dweller is about to return to the light of day. And I have a bad feeling that he will remember a face (or faces) even if the hair has changed.

But all of that is a worry for another day. For now, I will think of that sun-splashed field, where two friends have discovered that old friendships can become new again.

[Acadian]

What a wonderful conclusion! I love how smoothly you snuck us right back to where we started - only so much wiser now. Such depth now btween Teresa and Methredhel. I too, love the idea of Methie having her own spirit guide, and what a wonderful choice a fox is for her! So much better than a dragon or a slaughterfish or a boar or a cave lion.

This was a wonderful episode on its own merit; however, it was made even more impressive by the larger context in which it fits.

I quite simply loved this whole storyline!


Ok. . . I can't resist:

"Well, it's a fox. I keep seeing her in the distance.

Of course it's a her, silly! We all know that Haute Ecole Rider is a HER (and I'm sure our Veteranary Vixen is a fox as well).
Seriously, for those not blessed with their own Bosmer: Of course wood elves can sense the sex of their own spirit guides!

This post has been edited by Acadian: Aug 30 2010, 04:02 AM

[Remko]

I really enjoyed that little peek into Teresa's past. I have been toying with the idea adressing Rales' youth too and after having read your excellent way of capturing it, the idea became even stronger.

[SubRosa]

D.Foxy: I did not think you were insecure about your masculinity. Perhaps you should change you screen name to something more manly then, such as D.Boar, or D.Bull?


hazmick: Thank you haz. One of my goals for this chapter was to bring Methredhel more to life, as well as better define her relationship with Teresa.


Olen: Thank you Olen. Dreth will indeed be rearing his ugly head again in the future, although that is quite a few chapters away.


treydog: Thank you trey. Teresa and Methredhel do indeed have their problems with growing apart in their relationship, but as you noted, both have too much invested in it to let it fall by the wayside.


Acadian: Thank you paladin. I suspect Methredhel will find her Fox spirit quite helpful in her quest to join a guild led by another notable Fox...


Remko: Thank you Remko. The sneak peek into Zerina's past certainly did a lot for her. I think doing the same for Rales would be a wonderful idea!


All: No update this time. I am still working on the next chapter, and have been rethinking some of the plot. I also just got Fallout 3 in the mail, and would like to see what that is like. So it will probably be a little while before we see more Teresa.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Sep 2 2010, 06:03 PM

[treydog]

All: No update this time. I am still working on the next chapter, and have been rethinking some of the plot. I also just got Fallout 3 in the mail, and would like to see what that is like. So it will probably be a little while before we see more Teresa.

Oh Noes! Not FO3! It will swallow your time and melt your mind-- and leave us without our (necessary) allotment of a stringy Bosmer! Actually, I think you will find it is quite interesting and enjoyable. And playing other games often helps with developing ideas for stories that seem completely unrelated.

ETA- Which reminds me- we ought to try to hijack- um, persuade Old_Andy to come over here.

This post has been edited by treydog: Sep 3 2010, 02:16 AM

[D.Foxy]

So, Rosa got FO3 in the male, and wants to see what it's like???

I think you will like the male, Rosa...

*reads Rosa's post again*

GAAAH! Not only do I need to check my pants, I need to check my eyes as well!!

Strangely there's nothing wrong with my eyes when a sweet sixteen comes into view...

[Destri Melarg]

I finally get a block of time to become current with the TF. I am going to enjoy this!

Chapter 15.4 - Old Friends, Not Forgotten

Even at this early age their roles within this gang of theirs are well-defined. Teresa seems like the most thoughtful and mature of the three, with a smart child’s wisdom in dealing with adults. That wisdom must have been gained through the course of painful experience. I am so glad that you have decided to go back and present Teresa’s early years on the waterfront.

And on the subject of The Magnificent Seven (the TV series): Every once in a while Starz Westerns has a marathon of eight to ten episodes from the series, and I watch them every time.

Chapter 15.5 – Old Friends, Not Forgotten

Again Teresa encounters in her past a character with whom she will have dealings in the present. The encounter with Pappy (though his nickname may well have been something else then) was so brief that one can forgive Teresa for not recognizing him when they meet in Bravil.

I like the way you changed the ‘mohawk’ to the ‘cliff racer’ in the TF. What a perfect name for that particular hair cut. Am I safe in assuming that the wearer of it was a younger Modryn Oreyn?

The chase through the Arena district was a harrowing experience for both Teresa and this reader. I am so glad the Teresa’s spirit guide showed when it did, though she was understandably too busy to notice. The one good thing about reading several chapters in a row like this is that I don’t have to be left hanging from that cliff.

Onward!

Chapter 15.6 – Old Friends, Not Forgotten

Tens of thousands of people of all races jammed into the seats and walked to and fro. The farther down her eyes looked, the better dressed Teresa found they were.

Some things appear to be universal. Would that the reverse were true!

Now they were gone however, and the entire area was slowly filling with water.

Borrowing from history again, I see. I have always been of two minds on the naval battles staged within the confines of the Colosseum. On the one hand they must have been quite dangerous, given the enclosed space, and therefore more entertaining for the crowd. On the other hand they must have been brief, for given the enclosed space there aren’t many options for engagement that don’t endanger the crowd that they are there to entertain. I don’t even think that the ships could attain a decent enough ramming speed.

Methredhel’s plan was brilliant. Why do I get hints of The Artful Dodger in the make-up of her character? The fact that the man stolen from turns out to be a future Master Wizard explains the lack of a conventional weapon.

Dreth certainly picked the wrong Bosmer to terrorize!

Chapter 15.7 – Old Friends, Not Forgotten

Another cameo, this one by the Grey Prince himself! Given the setting of these last few chapters, I suppose I should have seen his appearance coming. What a happy coincidence that this marks his first match. You will have to pardon me if it takes a moment to remove the stain placed upon his name from reading Maxical’s story.

Okay, stain removed.

Now we see the extent of the crime that caused Dreth to waste away in the Imperial dungeon. He probably could have talked his way into a fine and a fortnight in a cell for stealing from a noble. Stabbing an Arena Guard, I expect, is frowned upon.

The description of Cornelia’s emotional state during the fray is telling as well. I wonder if her predatory excitement in the face of danger eventually scared Raminus off.

This really was a wonderful way to seal the friendship between Teresa and The Artful Methredhel. And the ending where Raminus teaches her Flare and Heal.

Fantastic!!

Chapter 15.8 – Old Friends, Not Forgotten

Wow. All this time Teresa was looking up to Methredhel and she was looking up to Teresa. I can’t think of a more effective description of the nature of friendship. Now it is Teresa’s turn to be a mentor as she guides Methredhel through communion with her spirit guide.

Unlike our friends, hazmick and trey, I had the exact opposite reaction to the news of Dreth’s release. He has spent a decade (or more) wasting away in a cell. The little Bosmer girl he remembers is a forester now who has faced down wild animals, necromancers and the hordes of Oblivion itself with her bow. Not to mention the fact that she is better than most apprentice mages and has a true talent for alchemy and the brewing of poisons.

The poor man doesn’t stand a chance!

[SubRosa]

treydog: No fear of leaving Teresa behind for the Wasteland. I have not played her as a character in a year anyway, and about 99% of what you see in the fiction never happened in the game. My writing really has nothing to do with what I might be playing.


D.Foxy: I tried the male. That is why I'm a lesbian!


Destri Melarg: I guess it is a little late to say welcome back. That was indeed Oreyn. I was originally going to call his haircut a mohawk, but since there were never any mohawks (Native Americans that is) in ES, I did not see how I could use the name. Since I only see Dunmer with that hair, I scrambled for something Morrowind-specific.

Raminus is still married to Cornelia. Remember he mentioned her at the Battle of Bruma when talking to Morning-Star. Besides, like other noble marriages, it had nothing to do with love. It is all about politics and breeding.

And you are probably quite right about Dreth. A decade in prison will certainly have taken its toll on him physically. On the other hand, who said it would be Teresa he becomes mixed with?


Next: Teresa returns at last with a new chapter. When we last saw her she was renewing her friendship with Methredhel and reminiscing on the past. Next we see her journeying east from the City Isle to a place she has visited before.

* * *

Chapter 16.1 - The Temple

19th -26th Sun's Height, 3E433

Teresa paused at the edge of the trees and strung her bow. With the weapon ready, she peered into the sunlit clearing before her. The ground rose steadily, covered with heather and short, wild grass. Scattered about the rise were tumbled down blocks of white stone, as if thoughtlessly cast aside by giants. Beyond the forest closed in once more, and steadily rose into the snow-capped peaks of the Jerall Mountains.

Bringing her gaze back to the hill, she saw that in many places only a single wall remained to tell the tale of what had been a building. To Teresa's left, the trail of broken flagstones of a road climbed the western slope of the hill, ending at its peak. Halfway up the hill a stone archway whose peak was shattered spread across it, and the forester wondered if it had been part of an inner wall dividing upper and lower levels of the city

At the crest of the rise what appeared to be a single building remained, at least its ground level. For Teresa could see broken stones rising like jagged teeth from its lower reaches. Near it was a once-great statue of an armored mer being carried aloft by an eagle. Only the mighty bird's wings had been snapped off, along with the upraised arms of the elf, and moss and ivy draped over the remaining white stone like a funeral shroud.

The minutes crawled by as Teresa stared up the hilltop at the ruins of Belda. Finally her patience was rewarded when her emerald eyes picked out something moving among the rubble. In the distance, it looked like grey cloth, perhaps from a cloak or robe. The forester stood motionless among the oak trees and waited, and after a few minutes a dark figure stepped into view.

She could not tell much, but given that it did not seem to have a tail, she imagined it must be an elf or human. A grey, hooded robe covered the individual's body, completely obscuring their features. She did not see any obvious weapons, but Teresa knew that the folds of that robe could hide an assortment of daggers, or even a short sword.

The figure was still for a moment, appearing to be gazing off in the distance. Teresa wondered who it might be? Bandits seemed to prefer armor. Usually only magicians or priests wore robes. She could not imagine what a priest would be doing in the ruins of Belda though. That left a magician. The members of the Mages Guild typically wore blue robes, though she had seen a few in white and some in green. So it was probably not a guild mage. So who could it be?

Then the grey-robe turned and stepped out of view. Not wasting a second, Teresa leaped into action, sprinting up the hillside. She found that the heather and grass contained numerous rocks under foot, and she had to watch her step to avoid tripping. Still, she moved as quickly as she could up the slope, hoping to reach the crest before the figure returned.

She found there was more rubble the higher she went. Near the top she found a low row of stones which she crouched behind, pausing to catch her breath. Listening carefully, she thought she heard footsteps further up the hill. They grew louder, and Teresa waited, taking care to not make a sound. Soon the footsteps stopped, only to begin again after long moments, only this time fading away. Reasoning that the figure was moving away, the forester peeked her head out from around the end of the stones.

The hill was empty above her. Once more she rose, and this time moved slowly and silently up the slope. Her eyes remained on the crest of the hill, scanning for any sign of movement. As she drew near the single remaining structure, she thought she heard the rustle of cloth. Stepping behind the remnant of a high wall, she pondered her next course of action.

Could it be a necromancer? she wondered. The last one had worn a black robe though. Still, that did not mean they all dressed alike. Was the figure alone, or part of a group? Were they dangerous? Or were they friendly? How could she tell? Were they here to explore the ruin as she was? Would they see her as competition if they were, or could she join them? Should she draw an arrow and set it to her string in case they were dangerous? Yet might that not make them think she was attacking, and prompt them to strike at her first?

Teresa bit her lip as she considered her options. She could poison an arrow, wait for the grey-robe to come back into view, and shoot. That would be murder though, and she knew she could not do that. That meant she would have to talk first. But what if she was wrong?

With the latter thought in mind, she drew forth a pair of arrows and thrust them point first into the ground near the end of the wall. They would be in easy reach if she needed them, she knew, quicker to nock than if she drew them from her bag. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out from behind the wall and looked out across the hilltop.

The statue rose up to her left. Now that she was closer to it, she found that it rested upon a circular base of stone that was nearly as tall as she was. To her right was the remnant of the structure she had seen, a building that appeared to be nearly forty feet long. It was pierced by a single opening in its center. It was a stone double-door of the Ayleid type: with a rusted metal handle shaped in a semi-circle at the inner edges of each door, so that when they were shut they would form a circle. Now however, both doors were slid halfway to either side, leaving enough open space between for a single person to walk through.

Broken walls rose to knee and chest height around the structure, and here and there Teresa could see individual blocks of stone scattered about. Wooden poles rose from the ground in a circle around the area. The glowing white crystals tied atop them with simple strips of rawhide were of the same kind Teresa had seen before within Vilverin, and it was obvious that they were used to light up the area at night.

She did not recall seeing any lights atop the hill when she had passed by before. But that had been a month and a half ago, back in Midyear. Plenty of time for someone to move in.

Then someone stepped into view across the hilltop. Clad in what she could now see was soft linen, the grey robe he wore was emblazoned with a black crescent in the center of the breast. While the hood covered his head, Teresa could discern enough of the features underneath to see it was a man from the dark stubble on his chin, perhaps an Imperial from his olive skin.

Before Teresa could speak a word of greeting, he lifted a fist into the air. A blue disc formed before him, only to fall to the ground with a whoosh of magic. Forming in its wake was a dark brown creature. It stood on two legs and had pointed ears like a mer, but was hairless, and bore a serpentine tail that whipped out behind it. It raised its clawed hands, and stared at Teresa with the burning coals of its eyes. Opening its mouth in a hiss, Teresa saw long fangs within that dripped with saliva and glistened in the noon-day sun.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Jan 7 2011, 03:58 AM

[hazmick]

Welcome back from the wasteland! Very nice chapter. Teresa facing one of the largest problems an adventurer can have: Friend or Foe? unfortunately this time it was foe I can't wait to see what happens next.

EDIT (AFTER READING FELLOW READERS/WRITERS COMMENTS): Hooray for conjurers! I must admit that conjuration is one of my Argonain friend's favourite past-time. Uh-Oh, I might have summoned a rogue spoiler there.

This post has been edited by hazmick: Sep 14 2010, 09:37 PM

[Destri Melarg]

Welcome back indeed! I see your time in the wasteland has seeped into your writing about Cyrodiil. Or was it your initial plan to spend the bulk of this chapter describing a ruin?

#@%& Conjurers!! I can see how this chapter might go a long way toward pushing Teresa’s personal philosophy into the realm of ‘shoot first, ask questions later’. It is a shame that Methredhel isn't there to back her up. The description of the clanfear was absolutely chilling. I hope she can drop that thing with those two arrows before it reaches her, having to fish into her quiver for more wastes precious time!

A nit (perhaps):

A grey, hooded robe covered the individual’s body, completely obscuring their features.

Forgive me if I am wrong, bit since you are describing a non-gender specific individual, shouldn’t that be ‘its features’?

[haute ecole rider]

You sure know how to ratchet up the tension over that eternal question of friend or foe!

Damn Conjurers! I hate 'em, too!

Wonderful description of the Ayleid ruin. It took me a moment to figure out where she was. Well done!

[treydog]

Beautiful descriptions which show Teresa's environmental awareness as well as your writing skill. Even if I had never seen an Ayleid ruin, I would know what one looks like from your words.

And I appreciate Teresa's quandry- not everything that moves is your enemy- it only seems like it. But if you want to stay somewhere one the "good" side of neutral, you can't just shoot first.

Remember the Legion rulefor fighting Conjurers- "Don’t wear yourself out against the summonings; kill the caster." Although the slippery little scuts tend to run away...

[Acadian]

Welcome back, SubRosa and Teresa!

Oh how well we know the dilemma of shoot first or declare yourself. Really a challenge for scrawny or stringy wood elves who just can't hold up toe-to-toe if they choose wrong. You portrayed Teresa's reasoning perfectly.

It stood on two legs and had pointed ears like a mer, but was hairless, and bore a serpentine tail that whipped out behind it. It raised its clawed hands, and stared at Teresa with the burning coals of its eyes. Opening its mouth in a hiss, Teresa saw long fangs within that dripped with saliva and glistened in the noon-day sun.

Gulp. Well I guess that answers Teresa's question. Here's what I'm thinkin': http://images.uesp.net//d/dd/OBCreature-scamp.jpg

This post has been edited by Acadian: Sep 15 2010, 02:37 AM

[SubRosa]

hazmick: Thank you haz. It is nice to be back to the green fields of Nirn. Although I do miss Three-Dog Awwwwoooo! The Black Horse Courier just cannot compete with him.


Destri Melarg: It was indeed my intention to write a ruin (although you will note that mine is overgrown with grass and flowers). I did mean to go with they. They is often used as a non-gendered pronoun. It should only be used for inanimate objects, using it to refer to people is highly insulting.


haute ecole rider: Thank you h.e.r. I worked hard to make the ruin come to life.


treydog: Life is tough for an archer, because shooting from stealth is their best option. Teresa wishes she had a mouse cursor that would turn red whenever she put it over a person to tell they are an enemy, or green to show it they are not.


Acadian: Now Teresa is in the same quandary that Buffy was not long ago. We will see how well she deals with it.

You are indeed correct on the critter Teresa is facing, as the first paragraph of this segment will concur.


Next: In our last segment Teresa journeyed to the Ayleid ruin of Belda, where she met a less than friendly conjurer. Next she will have to fall back upon her growing combat skills to survive.


* * *

Chapter 16.2 - The Temple

A scamp! the forester thought as she dodged back behind the wall. The crackling of flame came to her ears as she pulled an arrow from the ground. A moment later the bolt of fire streaked past harmlessly, and Teresa stepped out with her arrow on the string. She let out half of her breath and drew the bow back to half-tension as she sighted in on the Daedra. Then she pulled the string to her cheek and loosed, stepping back to the cover of the wall without waiting to see if it had struck or not.

The screech of the Oblivion-spawn told her that it had hit home. Drawing forth another arrow, she heard the metallic ringing of a bell. That cannot be good, she thought to herself as she stepped back out, it meant the grey-robe was not alone.

"You're meat for the beast Bosmer!" came the voice of the conjurer. "Give up now and we'll make your sacrifice a quick one."

Teresa stepped back into the open with her bow at the ready. The scamp stood before her with one of her steel-tipped arrows in its stomach. She saw fire blossom from its fingertips, and a moment later it came streaking at her in a glowing yellow ball. She easily stepped aside to allow the magical flames to pass, and put another arrow into the monster's chest. It fell with a thump, and an instant later vanished in a swirl of blue light.

Teresa saw the grey-robe standing behind where it had been. He held an iron triangle in one hand, and a metal wand in the other. A simple bell, Teresa thought, she had seen them plenty of times in the farms she had passed since she had begun her woodland excursions. As she watched, he dropped the bell and thrust out a hand. Lightning crackled in the air, and Teresa leaped back to the cover of the wall just in time to avoid being fried to a crisp by the magical energy.

"You're only prolonging your pain tree-hugger!" the taunting voice of the conjurer rang out once more. "The Ebon Moon eclipses all!"

He was just a lookout, the forester thought to herself, there would be more coming. She would have to finish this quickly, or run for it before it was too late.

With that in mind she drew a third arrow from the bag at her hip. Pulling the stopper from the jar of poison at her waist, she thrust the slender, leaf-shaped arrowhead within. When she withdrew it a moment later, it was covered with a black viscous substance. Setting the arrow to her bow, she raised the stave and pulled it back to half tension before she stepped out from behind the wall again.

She saw the conjurer standing to her left, and was just in time to see a disc of golden energy fall to his feet and vanish. For a brief moment his body was suffused by a yellow glow left behind by the spell, then it too disappeared. A Shield spell, she imagined.

Then the forester caught the sight of movement out of the corner of her eye, and turned to the right just in time to see an Altmer come charging out of the opened Ayleid door. He was wearing the same grey robe with a black crescent as the first magician. In one hand he clutched a jagged dagger that Teresa recognized as Daedric in origin.

Without thinking, she pulled the string back to her cheek and loosed, the image of the second mage filling her vision. The feathered shaft of her arrow blossomed from his chest, and the high elf went falling back through the doorway and out of sight.

Not waiting around, Teresa leaped back behind the wall. An instant later the air was lit by flashing light, and electricity sizzled through the space where she had stood a moment before. Poisoning another arrow and setting it to her bow, the forester was about to step back out when she heard the sound of shouting from around the wall.

"Melandil is down!" came a distinctly feminine voice, "shot by an arrow!"

"The archer's behind that wall!" rang out the first magician, "A filthy Bosmer strumpet!"

"Call up your summons, we'll overwhelm her." Now came a third voice. This was definitely male, with the sing-song accent of a Breton.

Teresa heard multiple whooshing sounds erupt behind the wall, and knew that the magicians were all summoning Daedra. She could only hope they were more scamps, like the first. If not she was in serious trouble. In any case, she was not going to try to fight it out against three magicians and three summons. Instead she wasted no time fleeing down the hill, taking care to keep the wall between her and the conjurers for as long as she could.

She was over a dozen paces away when she heard fresh shouts ring out from the hilltop. Risking a glance back over her shoulder, she saw that a pair of scamps were in hot pursuit of her, fanged maws grinning with dark joy. Further up the hill stood a woman made of flames. She gestured with one of her hands, and a bolt of fire leaped out.

A flame atronach, Teresa thought as she dodged out of the way of the slow-moving firebolt. She wondered how accomplished a conjurer you had to be to summon one of those? Zig-zagging her way down the hill, she heard more shouts. She realized that she was heading west when the broken flagstones of the ancient road appeared under her feet. Ahead was the shattered archway she had seen earlier, spanning the once-great boulevard. Teresa stopped beside it and turned, raising her bow.

She saw there were now four mages charging down the hill, all dressed in the same grey robes. Before them came the pair of scamps she had seen before, the flame atronach, and now a dremora. The fourth Daedra wore the rough-looking metal armor of its kind, and carried a spiked mace in its fist.

Teresa ignored the summoned creatures. She knew from her Vilverin experience that she had to kill the summoners. Otherwise they would just keep calling up more monsters. With that in mind she set her sights upon one of the figures, raising her bow to make up for the range and higher altitude of the conjurer. Pulling the string back to her cheek with every ounce of muscle in her arms and shoulders, she loosed an instant later.

Then she turned and rushed down the hill again. Lightning crackled and flame roared through the air behind her. Yet none of the magical attacks hit her as she darted across the open ground. She did hear a strangled cry behind her, and the sound of someone falling.

A hit! Her heart leaped at the thought, and she hoped that if it did not kill the conjurer outright, that they would not notice the nightshade on the arrowhead until it was too late. She did not risk a glance back to see however. Instead she ran with all the speed her legs could muster, the oak and pine forest coming ever closer before her.

Just a few more feet, she thought, and she would be under cover. The raucous cry of a raven filled her left ear. Without thinking she firmly planted one foot and pushed off against it, bounding to that side. Lightning crackled past, striking the turf with a shower of dirt and fried heather where she would have been had she not turned.

Thank you Raven, she thought as she sped into the trees, gulping for breath. Stepping behind the cover of an oak, she drew forth a Restore Fatigue potion from her hip and guzzled it in one breath. She really was going to have to start exercising more, she thought to herself. There would not always be time for potions in the future.

In an instant, Teresa's lungs were filled with air and her limbs with energy. Feeling completely refreshed, she drew another arrow and set it to her bowstave. Drawing the weapon to half tension, she let out some of her breath and stepped back into view. The scamps and the dremora were closing fast, while the atronach and the conjurers lagged behind. She saw that all four of the latter were on their feet. But the robe of one was stained in blood, and he limped along with the help of another.

Teresa sighted in on the wounded mage and drew her bow back to her cheek. Letting fly, she paused long enough to see the arrow bury itself into the magician beside him. Damn, she silently cursed, she had hoped to finish off the injured one. Then the onrushing Daedra filled her vision, and the Bosmer turned and fled into the depths of the forest.

The forester led them deep into the woods. The Daedra, while undoubtedly accomplished fighters, were plainly out of their element among the oaks and pines. They blundered about like bulls in a porcelain shop, crashing through the underbrush, snapping twigs underfoot, and blundering into low-hanging branches. Their masters were even less adept in their pursuit, leaving Teresa with no trouble discerning where they were at any given moment.

For her own part Teresa moved swift and deliberately though the forest. Every tree was a friend, every bush an ally. All worked to hide her from the prying eyes of the conjurers. Gliding from one tree to another with ease, she quickly lost her pursuers in the maze of greenery.

One day she would come back, she vowed as she paused to catch her breath once more. But not until she had improved her skills, and learned more of this Ebon Moon. Perhaps she should even write a letter to Baurus about them? she thought. They were plainly connected to the Daedra. They might even be a cult like the Mythic Dawn were.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Sep 17 2010, 08:45 PM

[hazmick]

A very action-packed chapter here, well done! I liked Teresa's intimacy with the forest and the Conjurer's lacking forest skills Can't wait for the next segment.

[D.Foxy]

Hmmm.... far be it for me to be a spoilsport nitpicker obsessed with weapons realism...and yet I feel this must be said:

Running plays absolute HAVOC with your aim and coordination, especially with ranged weapons. I consistently shoot two to as much as five grades lower when I'm gasping for breath, and I have seen the same thing happen to much more experienced shooters than me.

And this is even more true with bows than with rifles, for with bows you have to expend energy on drawing back a powerful kinetic energy weapon as well.

For those of us who know, this spoils the effect of an otherwise very, very well crafted prose.