A New Sun Rises - Maxical's Adventures, The Truth Behind The Oblivion Crisis Options

[mALX]

*


Chapter 140: Memories Lost



The clock ceased ticking, everything was so silent I doubted if I screamed it would even make a sound. The dome felt like a vacuum, freezing that moment in our positions and expressions as if the gods were recording it while the void rent the sky and spilled its blackness around us till the pitch of it covered all but our faces, the only light an odd reflection off the tears glistening on Nissy‘s cheeks.

In the snatch of a moment I was hovering outside the dome window looking in…at myself, the three of us naught but glowing faces in the darkened dome. The sound of roaring wind was deafening in my ears but the air was dead still, a vacuum or airless pocket that had my hair billowing weightlessly around my face.

Below me I could see Jak circling over the crowds of fighting vampires, that terrible scream of panicked desperation echoing off the buildings on all sides. The piles of bodies shifted in a united slow motion...why were they moving? As if on cue the darkened windows opened with a silence that was so tangible I knew what was about to happen before it did.

“JAAAAK!” My scream sounded isolated in dead air, as if the rushing wind stopped its roar to hear it. His head raised toward me…had he heard?

Jak’s wings spread and thrust with tremendous force just as the barrage of flames shot from both the piles of bodies and the windows, sending him flying in an upward arch directly toward me…fire exploding all around him the whole way.

Had he not flown upward when he did Jak would be dead. It was just a bird, I don’t know why I felt so relieved he had escaped. Despite several hits finding their mark he continued rising toward me; but now with his talons pushing forward and opening, his neck fully extended…his beak was widening to show a gaping maw as he raced toward me…dear gods, did he think me a rabbit dangling here?

I pounded on the dome window screaming just as another loud click echoed over the roaring void around me, the claws on Nissy’s other hand unsheathed and were beginning to move upward in slow motion…dear gods, no…

“Nissy! NO!” I pounded on the dome window screaming it over and over again, could see myself inside the dome beside her frozen like a statue. Why wasn’t I stopping her? Was I even really still in there? Why wasn’t Sir Damien protecting Uriel, where was he?

Jak pushed by me as if I were dangling on a string outside the dome, his terrible scream an echo of my own. His eyes were piercing in at the three of us. He crashed into the dome as if he intended to go through it.






***


My fists looked so small pounding against the glass, the size of a child’s hands; then suddenly I realized it wasn’t the dome window I was pounding on anymore, but an old squared metal frame with heavy glass panes. It looked oddly familiar, like I’d looked through it many times…but now I was outside looking in.

I rubbed my breath vapor from the glass with my arm and peered in…an attic room with small children’s beds. The pattern on the bed quilts suffocated the air in my lungs…I knew that pattern, knew every inch of this room. This was the window into my room at the orphanage! But…hadn’t the orphanage been closed over a decade ago? Why were there children in it?

A tall Altmer man in nice clothes was dwarfing the small childish furniture in the room, towering over two really filthy little Khajiit girls…it was nighttime, what were they doing awake? They were clinging to each other, terrified. Their fur was spiked like only a very young kit’s can, what was scaring them? Why wasn’t the man comforting them? Instead he was arguing with a Legion Captain…Audens Avidius.

I felt my stomach tense…someone else was coming, I don’t know why I knew that. The tall man came to the window, staring right through me as if he couldn’t see me outside the glass. A scream rose up and strangled in my throat…it was Seridur, that vampire the ‘Hero of the People’ warned me about at the music festival…I screamed for help, for the girls to run…it was as if I wasn’t there, no one heard me.

Behind him the girls were crying soundlessly, raising hands with spit gleaming…swearing a vow together. The glistening tears on their cheeks…

A shock went through me…it was me and Nissy. What was Seridur doing in our room at the orphanage? How did he get in? Why weren’t the girls screaming for help?

A draft blew behind me, the roosting pigeons surged up and Seridur started cranking the window open. A bird was circling above, much larger than the pigeons. Seridur leaned out and waved his arm at the bird. I tried to club him with my fist, tried to push past him into the room…but couldn’t do either. My hands went through him, like he was a ghost…or I was. Even with the window open now, something was blocking me from being able to go in. Dear gods I wanted to save the girls, stop what was happening. Why didn’t they scream?

I screamed for help again, but this time no sound came out, only the rushing sound of the void as the large bird landed on the dormer above me…Jak.






***


Audens and Seridur argued in whispers, why wasn’t Audens shouting for the guards? And where were all the guards in the outer yard? …Audens had to have arranged for Seridur to be there, had to have pulled the guards…

As if I was meant to see it, my eyes were drawn to my bed, and there was my mother’s pack right by my pillow. I got that on my home visit with Alix and S’Jirra, Alix gave it to me. The voices reached me then.

“Then pay us half the gold back.”

“I don’t have it, that was spent already paying off the guards.”

“We paid you for these two, you can’t wait till we are here and suddenly back out.”

“I knew nothing about it…something Phillida is pushing through. We’ve never had a beast adopted before, how was I to know this would happen? The paperwork was on his desk when I was pulling their files, look at the names.” Audens handed him a parchment.

“Alix Lencolia…and Fathis Aren? What interest could they have in a Khajiit orphan?”

“Who knows, but anything happens to that white one and they’ll tear the city down. Here’s the documents for the other one, you can take her. Those are the last Khajiit we’ve got, when your partner gets here he can choose another.“

“He is outside now. Let him have the Khajiit, I can’t stand the furry beasts. Show me what else you’ve got then, and hurry.”

“It’ll cost more if you want human or elf, cash up front.”

“Lead on.”

Audens slipped out through the door and Seridur signaled out the window, then followed. The bird hopped down to the sill, then evaporated into a vapor that seemed to roll out from where it had been standing. When it cleared a man stepped out, moving briskly to the door and locking it. When he turned back toward the girls I screamed, it was a Chimer…it was Malan!






***


His bronze colored skin was bared except for an ornamental silk loin cloth and shoulder plates trimmed in gold. On one arm was an armband with the symbol of House Dagoth, looking more like two beetles about to devour each other than anything else. On the other arm dangled gold bracelets encrusted with jewels like I had never imagined existed.

He was more than well muscled, his arms and thighs practically bulged with taut strength and his chest was toned up like a high ranking fighter at the Arena.

Scarier than that was his head, which was a showcase for disproportions as if the gods had argued in creating him.

Huge pointed ears with numerous piercings framed overly large maniacal eyes…or maybe that impression was just a trick of the thick bushy dark brows echoing the eye’s shape and making them appear bulging.

As if to accentuate that impression his forehead was far too short and completely bald, his mouth was excessively wide with full thick lips. His nose was so long it looked like an arrow pointing to the ridiculously short chin.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/File:MW-creature-Vivec.jpg

His head was a mass of shapes that never should have been on the same face, scary to me at my age…he must have been terrifying to those little girls. Why didn’t I remember this?

Malan cast a spell on one of the little girls, then scooped her sleeping form up and placed it on one of the beds. He picked up the other girl, cradling her in his arms like a babe and as if she wasn’t covered in filth. He was looking down at her face, crooning softly…and then he started singing to her, rocking her gently in his arms. He turned toward me and I gasped, it was as if he could see me outside the window…and it was then that I recognized the song. He was singing the ‘Jack be nimble‘ song.

My throat felt paralyzed, the screams frozen inside. Suddenly I was in there, I was in his arms looking up into his face…terrified. But the song, or something about his voice softly singing…my fear was slowly fading, even to the point that his bulging eyes and huge ears stopped frightening. I saw a tiny child’s hand reach up and tweak at the eyebrows, play with the row of earrings dangling…my hand.






***


I couldn’t be sure if it was my child’s mind realizing he was sifting through my memories or that now watching was when the knowing came, but he was scanning my mind and somehow easing memories out as if they never were…sometimes asking about them in a deep voice, and in Khajiit.

“Such a terrible memory for a young thing like you to carry, I’ll make sure you never have that nightmare again. You don‘t want to remember that horror, now do you?“ I could feel my head shaking no, and suddenly the memories of my mother’s death came in a rush as real as if it was happening right now.

A feral screaming of terror was rising from deep inside me and melding with the word “Momma” over and over again as I huddled beside her bloodied and crumpled form, dear gods the cold glassiness of the yellow eyes that stared at me unseeing…the terrible stench as the minotaur roared heated breath that hung heavily in the air around my face. It had come back for her.

My fists only reached his shins when I stood up, straddling over her to beat against them trying to shield my mother from any more hurt…even that young knowing it was already too late. Suddenly the minotaur crashed forward across her body, I barely got out of the way in time to keep from being crushed by it. As I stumbled backwards I fell onto a bloody mass that turned out to be another dead Khajiit with the darkest colored fur I’d ever seen. A Legionnaire was standing with his weapon raised, but he lowered it when he saw me. He pulled his helmet off, his expression sickened and sad. I crawled back beside my mother, tugging at her shredded bloody shirt…just crying and screaming, “Momma” over and over.

He reached down and picked me up. “Come along, little Lassie.”

I tried to cling to the memory of his face, hoping I’d remember it so I could find him…I guess to thank him for saving me. But even as I was thinking that I could feel the memories of it being cleansed from me, fading away as if they never existed.

As the memory faded I found instead of me crying in the Legionnaire’s arms as he carried me away from the sight of my dead mother, it became Malan’s arms. My two tiny arms were wrapped tightly around his neck, and he was consoling the child me just as the Legionnaire had…but then suddenly he was talking as if to me now.

“You don‘t want to remember that horror now, let it go Maxical…let it go. You don‘t want that terrible scene to be the only memory of your mother. Better have none than that.“

“Why don’t I remember her before then, the happy times. Did you take those memories too?” I felt like I was screaming at him but no sound came out. He answered as if he‘d heard me.

“Shh now. Those were taken from you by that attack, not by me. I only took the pain of that day from you, Lass.”

“Can you bring them back for me? Memories of my mother…”

“No child. What nature takes away I don’t have the power to give.”

He cupped my chin, lifting my face to his and wafting my whiskers with his breath when he spoke. “Tell Dagoth-Malan what you wish done, Lass. Should I take the horror and nightmares from you again? I’ll need your trust to do it.”

Inside me was a confusion, childhood memories from all those years ago were mixing with my feelings and thoughts now. I nodded, and it felt like a circle was closing within me. When I spoke I heard an echo from the void, the child’s voice saying the same words in unison. A chill shivered over me. “I trust you.”



*

[Darkness Eternal]

Begun, the vamp-wars have.

Geez, Jack created some havoc whilst flying around. It would make for a good action scene, the part where fire exploded behind him! Epico!

Seridur, the hero of the people, impervious to angry fists trying to punch him. Buahaha. Love that scene. I love the comparison to the "child hands".

Crazy scene, where the birds turned into mist(or vapor) and then Maelan popped up! My badass fiend! Woot! It was a bit creepy when he scooped up the girl and began singing the song(Which I recognized as a homage to Jakben, right?). I can totally imagine him doing that. For some reason, vampires have always had a connection to children. Seriously. In Daggerfall, there is even a children's day where townspeople celebrate a day where many children were kidnapped by vampires. And don't get me started on Lamae and the children's eyes or Laelette and the girl.

But I like what you wrote here. It truly does make sense that he would be rocking a child on his arms for whatever reason. Though most likely it's food.

Vaermina sure had some influence in this one. Creepy. The mamma and the minatour, all gruesome!

“No child. What nature takes away I don’t have the power to give.”

I approve. This is an interesting line in so many ways, and it's true, even in our world. Strange and macabre flashbacks/dream/vision. Truly a good chapter. I'll be lurking around for more.

[Acadian]

Mystical. That’s the word. From beautifully painted start to mysterious finish as you blur the lines between dream and reality.

I want to hate Malan, but you keep making it hard – what complexity you weave into these villains!

Just as it was dawning on me that the two Khajiiti girls may have been Maxical and Nissy, you confirmed it for me!

“It’ll cost more if you want human or elf, cash up front.”
A brilliantly inserted commentary. The story of our poor little albino kitty’s life.

The good news is how fantastic your description of Malan was. The bad news is that the picture you included could not do justice to what your prose so eloquently created. I like your word picture much better.

[McBadgere]

That was beautiful!!...

Loved it!!...Dreaming?...Memories?...Visions?...Bad cheese before bed?... ... ...

Amazingly done...So brilliantly done that...

Loved the way it flowed between scenes...

Many things were quotable that I loved...May as well copy and paste the whole thing...But I shan't... ...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

[King Coin]

Did Seridur ‘adopt’ Nissy when she was young? A vow to never forget each other? Oh I see. Jak got the ‘furry beast,’ or I should say Malan impersonating Jak.

That was a very chilling way to end the chapter. "I trust you." To Malan.

Alix must have been the Legionnaire. What a terrible last memory of her mother. I hope Maxical’s able to connect some dots after this…

Great chapter!

[Grits]

This was a beautifully chapter, mALX, powerful and moving. The whole thing was gripping, and the images you created were so vivid they played out like a movie. The glass panes and glistening tears linked the two different scenes, and I love that it was seeing her mother’s pack that jarred Maxical into hearing the memory somehow.

Audens and Seridur’s callous talk about the girls being Khajiit made me fume.

Wooo, Maxical saw Malan transform from being a bird!!

I couldn’t be sure if it was my child’s mind realizing he was sifting through my memories or that now watching was when the knowing came, but he was scanning my mind and somehow easing memories out as if they never were…sometimes asking about them in a deep voice, and in Khajiit.

Finally, the answers to so many mysteries. The memory of her mother’s death was wrenching, and I’m guessing it must have been Alix that she can’t quite remember rescuing her.

Inside me was a confusion, childhood memories from all those years ago were mixing with my feelings and thoughts now. I nodded, and it felt like a circle was closing within me. When I spoke I heard an echo from the void, the child’s voice saying the same words in unison. A chill shivered over me. “I trust you.”

Wha… Nooo! Malan is so good at this! Argh!

This was a hugely important chapter!! Tremendous!

[Lady Saga]

Imperial tongues aren't readily equipped to say Khajiit names, so after repeated attempts they wrote down “Maxical.” My name is actually Ma'Thjizzrini Qa which I found out later roughly translates to "What the hell did we do to deserve this child," the Ma' being a female child.

This reminds me of a movie called Idiocracy, in which Luke Wilson is asked to state his name and he says "not sure", so they call him Not Sure for the rest of the movie.

Anyways, just started reading this, it's making me want to try a cat-person. I've never done any beasts or orcs. I like the way Maxical is being portrayed in this, all the confusion and stuff over a white khajiit. Seems exactly like the way Imperials would handle this "situation".

[treydog]

Chapter 138

The stress of the past hour could equal that of a month before the Khajiit came.

And yet- your Emperorship- you are also still alive to feel that stress because of her...

What provision have you made for a successor?

AHA- the rat begins to smell!

“Are you suggesting yourself?” Uriel’s brows raised in surprise.

“I am.”

Yep- one gigantic rodent- in need of a bath.

And Uriel begins to see the cracks in Malan’s ruse- but then… is deluded once more.


Chapter 139

You‘ve been warned now, so think twice before you make another ‘mistake’ with me again.

Hooray for Maxical!

Everything but the cuirass came from Captain Renault’s room on the second floor, even the spiked collar and the boots with spurs. Oh, she had a bunch of these whips in there too.

A side of the brave Captain we had not seen before….

Sir Damien tilted his head in a way that oddly reminded me of a bird.

Hold on to that thought!

Hers was torn in a combination of feral fear and a cornered animal, I could hear the sound of it rising in her throat and see her fur beginning to spike.

Uh-oh!

…the arm ticked into the hour followed by the click of claws unsheathing.

URK! Now THAT was a cliff-hanger beyond ccmpare!

Chapter 140

The clock ceased ticking, everything was so silent I doubted if I screamed it would even make a sound. The dome felt like a vacuum, freezing that moment in our positions and expressions as if the gods were recording it while the void rent the sky and spilled its blackness around us till the pitch of it covered all but our faces, the only light an odd reflection off the tears glistening on Nissy‘s cheeks.

Wow!

And then- you go beyond even that opening- it is just a taste of what is to come. I cannot begin isolate bits and pieces; to take anything out would be to lessen the impact of the whole. I am awe-struck by the memories and by her memory of losing them, as well.

[Uleni Athram]

Damnnit, I'm still catching up! But no morries, I'm at page 51 now. This makes me resent my fade-in-and-out tendencies and the recent schedule! You just wait, mALXie, and fear not. The time when I will quip in smart comments is near!

Yeah. So many things to say, compliment, praise, worship about the chapters I've read, I don't think I can type 'em all! I had to start from the beginning, you know. Because starting out in chapter 31~32 (thereabouts is where I last left off) was very confusing. I lost the plot, me's ashamed to admit.

But fear not! Even now, as I'm writing this, I'm reading my way to the present pages!

[Andrea]

Lots to read, lots to read, lots to read... but what the heck! This story looks very promising and I'll try and catch up as much as I can. Maxical is very interesting... YEEEEAAH! I love interesting characters! Especially ones as bubbly and charming as yours

It may take a while, but I am reading! However long it may take I WILL catch up! Haha

[Darkness Eternal]

Hey! Where's the update? Chop-chop!

Are you alright, mALX?

[Athynae]

And now I come to it, finally.

It would be nice to have that you know, the choice to lose some of the memories that we'd rather not have...but I think in this Max is allowing the pain to obscure who is showing her the pain and asking if he should take it again...

Manipulative b**s*urd....just my thoughts....

The writing was quite wonderful, I not only saw what she saw but I also felt it, excellent. Your ability to draw these pictorals always stuns me...

[Zalphon]

Did I read that right? A Dagoth? I'm glad to see you finally got Morrowind, but put it down and write more

[mALX]

*

@ Darkness Eternal - You caught a lot of what I was hoping would come across in your comment! Malan has been impersonating Jakben, Earl of Imbel for centuries (has him locked in a cell near where Fathis is being held. Given Malan's twisted sense of humor, that song he sings to the children to hypnotize them is exactly that - homage to Jakben Imbel (plus probably throwing the blame for all onto him, since Malan can then disappear and toss Jak out to be arrested for it all, lol).

Also, the "Children's Day" from Daggerfall that celebrates the day children were kidnapped by vampires - I read about it, and that was the whole inspiration for my having Malan kidnapping children. You are up on your lore, and it tickles me when you catch these references I use in the story!

Thank you so much Darkness!! (and thanks for your patience while I'm catching back up with your stories)!

*
@ Acadian - Thank you so much Acadian !! I couldn't find a picture of a Chimer till after I'd used Vivec, ROFL !! But that picture was the role model for the description of him. Thank you for your comment on Malan, that makes me feel good - I wanted him to be complex because Maxical is torn between knowing what he is capable of and seeing something completely different. Thank you again, Acadian !!! You ROCK !!

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@ McBadgere - Thank you so very much McB!! And thank you for your patience while I caught up with your stories !!

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@ King Coin - Thank you so much KC !!! I'm really sorry, KC. It is all my fault if the story isn't coming through as clearly as it should, and you aren't the only one that had questions.

I will answer them here, but they are for everyone that didn't catch what was going on there - (and later will have to go edit that chapter so it comes across more clearly to the reader).

Seridur and Malan were not there adopting children, they were kidnapping the children they thought no one would miss. (the orphanage for un-adoptable children). Audens pulls the children's records so there will be no trace the children were ever there.

Malan is not impersonating Jak here, any one of his vampire line have the ability to transform into large predatory birds. - Maxical just doesn't know that yet. She thinks every large bird she sees is "Jak."

The Legionnaire can't be Alix, because he has never been a Legionnaire and would have remembered saving Maxical. Whoever the Legionnaire is, Malan erased Maxical's memory of it again - probably so he can plant an image of his choosing later, lol.

Thank you again, KC - and thank you for letting me know when what I'm trying to say isn't coming across as it should !!! You Rock !!

*
@ Grits - Thank you so much Grits! That is exactly what I was hoping the feel of it would be !!

(all except the Legionnaire being Alix - that part was off. Alix has never been a Legionnaire, and he would have remembered saving Maxical. Whoever the Legionnaire is, Malan erased Maxical's memory of it again - probably so he can plant an image of his choosing later)

- somehow I must have messed up the telling about the Legionnaire to have given that impression, you are not the only one that thought that. I'll have to figure out where I went wrong on that and edit the chapter, sorry !!

I so appreciate you Grits, Thank you so much !!!

*
@ Lady Saga - Thank you so much Lady S !!! I appreciate so much that you are starting it from the beginning !! I know it looks like a lot of reading, but I hope you like it and find it worthwhile.

The beginning three or so chapters breeze over her most of her childhood, her real story begins as soon as she graduates from the Arcane at age 17 - just a typical girl getting out on her own for the first time in Cyrodiil and the things that happen to her. (more or less a diary, but not written as one).

I hate to admit it, but all these chapters later she still hasn't turned eighteen yet, I guess it was a long year, lol. Thank you again Lady S !!!

*
@ Treydoggie - Thank you, Thank You !!! Oh yeah, Malan did something Foxy never would have right there, Uriel either has to suspect or may wonder if there is a side to his assassin friend he never realized, lol. The last three quotes and your comments to them - That means a lot to hear, Thank You so much for your kind words !!! You are very appreciated !!!!

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@ Uleni Athram - WOO HOO !!! You have been missed !! You are right where the vampires start coming into the story, too !! Thank you so much Uleni !!! (and so glad to see you here, you are always missed !!)

*
@ Andrea - I am so excited to see you reading my story, and I hope you will like it !! I absolutely love your character Jessika, and can tell you are a character driven writer. I attempt to be that with Maxical, (but I have very few writing skills, which you most definitely do have) - I really hope you will like it and keep reading, Thank you so much, Andrea !!!

*
@ Athynae - You nailed it right, in both ways. Facing painful memories can build strength and character - in wiping them out as if they never existed she is weakening herself. The other thing you are right about is the danger in who she is turning to for the aid.

One of Maxical's (many) flaws has always been trusting everything to be at face value, and she is stepping into a whole different realm now with the caliber of those she is trusting and shouldn't. Your thoughts are exactly right.

Thank you so very much for your kind words, that means a lot to hear !!!

*
@ Zalphon - Dagoth-Malan is the arch bad guy of the story. He has been just talked about in the story till now - but now he is out and acting and a true picture of what he is capable of is about to emerge as he climbs into center stage in the story. I hope you like my bad guy as much as I've liked yours all these years, lol. Thank you so much Z !!


*

[mALX]

*


Chapter 141: Where Were You When The Dragon Broke Time?


It was a relief when Malan took the memory of my mother‘s death from me again…he was right, I would rather have no memory of her than see her like that. It was better just to know it happened without the horror of visualizing it, no doubt that would have brought nightmares…no doubt.

“Now, Lassie…we have something to discuss, you and I. We have a promise together, a vow made in this very room eleven years ago. Do you remember it?” Even as he asked the memories flooded into my mind.

“I’m to come to you when I turn twenty? Malan, I was but seven when the vow was made…I thought you were a god from another realm come to save us from Seridur. My vow was given thinking you meant us to marry, not drink my blood. You can’t hold me to a vow that will kill me!”

“Tch, Ease your worry, Lass. You freed yourself from that promise tonight when you saved my life. Centuries on Nirn…none ever saved Dagoth-Malan before you did. Consider that promise paid now. If you come to me after this it must be of your own free will.”

Inside me the fear didn’t dissipate from his release. If he’d erased my memory of the vow, how would he have expected me to keep it? Did he implant some kind of hypnotic suggestion? And if so, how many other young girls did he make vows with? Dear gods, he could have every girl coming of age seeking him out with their virgin blood!

“Maxical, I’ve got something crucial to say now. Mythic Dawn sleeper agents sent word to Camoran to send his full army en force. You taunted them by the effigy and dressing those corpses in their robes. They took your mockery as the insult you meant it, but you put Uriel in danger by it.”

“Dear gods, that’s not what I meant to happen! What do I…how can I stop it? Please…is there a way I can fix this?”

“Aye, Lass. You pass this message to Uriel…tell him Dagoth-Malan’s army withdraws from this war immediately. We stand ready to fight his enemies, to serve him. ‘Tis not his approval we seek, but our honor in defending him.“

And then suddenly it was over. Malan was laying the child that was me on one of the beds, just as he must have done so many years ago when he took Nissy…but this time I wasn’t asleep, this time my memories of Nissy were intact. I remembered her, our friendship…our vow.






***


Malan scooped the sleeping Nissy up and leaped like an agile cat onto the ledge, shutting the window magically before the rolling mist engulfed him and the bird emerged from it with Nissy in his clutches.

I ran to the window, so short I had to climb up on the chest below to see out of it. My tiny fists banged the glass as the bird rose in the sky and I watched Nissy leaving my life for what would be the next eleven years. One second I was pounding on the glass of the orphanage window screaming, “Nissy, no!“ and a second later was banging on the dome glass again and I was grown…still pounding and screaming “Nissy, no!” over and over.

The clock pendulum whirred back into motion, the gongs beginning their chimes as the arm settled into its place with a loud click. In that split second the void receded and I found myself in a sprawling dive inside the dome, still screaming “Nissy, No!“ I knocked her to the floor and the claws meant for Uriel raked across me, gouging a trail of flesh and blood wherever they landed.

There was nothing I could do but hold her down and keep taking the blows she was able to land, because had I lifted a hand to cast calming spells it would have released her to attack Uriel. Her claws were razor sharp, she was wiry and strong. Had it not been for my Arena training I couldn’t have held her.

The whole time I had her pinned I tried to sooth and distract her mind from what Uriel had done by talking, but could barely gasp out what I was trying to tell her between shouts of pain each time her claws struck.

“Nissy, I remember everything now YEEOOW, our friendship and the vow. I couldn’t remember it before YEEOOOW because the night he took you, Malan erased all my memories of everything GAAARG…you, the vow…even my mother‘s death. We were best friends, Nissy…I remember our vow now, GAAAAUURK…I couldn‘t save you, Nissy. He held the memory of my promise to you.”

The bird Jak crashed into the dome, his shrieking louder than my own screams of pain. Jak’s eyes were piercing directly in at us…no, at Nissy. Without knowing how I knew, I understood he was ordering her off from attacking Uriel.

I waited till her claws sheathed and she was sobbing in my arms to release her, by then I was a bloody mess. Uriel was in a rage at being attacked. His sword was drawn and he was not sheathing it.

Jak crashing the dome…it was the same I’d seen from outside, but now I was inside seeing it. As if that time with Malan never happened. Did I dream it all?




***


“This is intolerable!” Uriel was fuming.

“I told you, Sire.” I crawled off Nissy. “These women love you and will die for you...but they will kill to protect their mate.”

“Nisaba, return to your quarters.” Uriel pointed his sword at the door. She ran out crying. I locked the door behind her for safety’s sake.

“Sire, I can’t heal myself…” I stood fighting the tears he hated and dripping blood on his rug, but he was in a rage and ignored my request. My own anger began growing as he continued to let his out.

“This is outrageous!”

“Why did you ask her to watch you kill her mate? How could you? I‘m not even bound to Fathis, but watch me attack anyone that tries to hurt him in front of me!”

“He is a monster, what he did to those children…”

“But in front of her? You invoke the wrath of Azura when you go after a Khajiit’s mate, Sire. These women aren’t just sealed to Malan, Azura seals us to her as well and we are bound by it. What Azura has bound together, none must put asunder. Nissy can’t help what she did, it is as primal as breathing.”

“Malan cannot be allowed to live, to continue in these attacks on children!”

“I understand, and agree…but you can’t be the one to do it, Sire. These women are your protectors and you are theirs.”

“Not after this they are not. Where is Foxy? His men must return immediately.”

“I don’t know…but what about Nisaba? Her destiny is still bound into yours.”

“She can’t stay here after attacking me!”

“But you attacked her first! Sire, I need to tell you something imperative. Malan spoke to me tonight. I don’t know how, but he did. The clock struck the hour just as Nissy unsheathed the claws on one hand, and then it was like the void spilled into this dome. Everything went black and I found myself outside the dome looking in…but I could still see myself in here. I don’t know how to explain it.”






***


“Akatosh stopped time, Maxical. That was a ‘Dragon Break’. He froze it that I be warned of the danger I stood in.”

“He didn’t think you could figure it out with claws coming at you?”

“I will caution you against blaspheme. One warning he gave has been given me twice before. Two will stand true, one is my enemy. His warnings have always interrupted dreams before, this stopping of time has never occurred prior to this night.”

“Did you even sleep? Maybe he couldn’t reach you because you were…busy.”

“Need I remind you to whom you are speaking?”

“I’m sorry, Sire…but my temper equals yours, and it is ignited. I’m in pain and bleeding…“ I stopped and took a deep breath. “I do apologize, Sire. But…if Akatosh spoke to you, and Malan to me…was anyone speaking to Nissy? And if so, who?”

Uriel surprised me with an approving look. “That is something we need to find out.”

“Sire, Akatosh showed my face to you, and came to Nissy’s dreams. Her destiny has to be bound up in yours.”

“She attacked me!”

“But you attacked first…Sire, if anyone here can’t be trusted it is the assassin!”

“He didn’t attack me. Now, continue with what you were saying.”

“Assassins can never be considered trustworthy…”

“Cease! Continue on Malan, Maxical!“

“Oh. Malan said something he called ‘Sleeper Agents’ carried a message demanding all out war to Camoran. Malan vows to withdraw his troops from this war immediately, and stand them at the ready to defend the throne. He seeks no approval from you, but considers it an honor. He also ordered Nissy to stop attacking just now, I heard him do it.”

“What ruse is this? How would Malan know of the Mythic Dawn and their plans…and why swear his army to my defense?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. He sounded sincere, if that means anything.”

Uriel turned toward the window and stared down at the war raging below. “It doesn’t, he does nothing that is not in his own interest. I knew this move would draw Malan in, seeing his troops killing themselves off would push him to take that risk. When Malan escaped the trap tonight, he must have made immediate plans to withdraw his troops before he loses any more of them. By having you carry this message he hopes to make it sound he is doing this to help the Palace instead of himself.”

Uriel suddenly popped his hand down on the corner of the desk beside him. “That’s it! He not only conserves his troops and hopes to garner my favor, but causes the elimination of the Crimson Scars. Greywyn Blenwyth and the Crimson Scars are a tremendous power, and a competitive clan. If Malan withdraws without telling Blenwyth, the Crimson Scars will destroy themselves, and they will no longer have an army. But what is this about a declaration of war from the Mythic Dawn? Why would they do that?“






***


“It is all my fault, Sire. He said I taunted them into a rage by dressing the corpses and hanging the effigy. I guess the Mythic Dawn felt insulted.”

“An effigy too? I ordered you to do nothing! Wait, were those his words? How did he know you were responsible for it? The women must be carrying information to him.”

“I…don’t know. I am so sorry, Sire. When daylight comes I‘ll personally remove them all.”

“You can’t now, the insult has been sent. Removing them now would be an act of cowardice. Where is Foxy? His men must replace the Khajiit women immediately, they have compromised the security of my Palace.”

“I never saw him leave, Sire. Maybe he is dallying with the women, they seem to really like him.”

Uriel grabbed both my shoulders, his eyes piercing mine so intensely that I thought he was going to start shaking me. Instead he began questioning me.

“I need to know everything about this seal from Azura. Every way Malan can use these women against me, and any way I can use them against him.”

“The seal binds us to protect our mate against anything, that includes betrayal, exposure…anything. He can lie and we must back it. We must obey the mate even if the order goes against our inclination, like Malan ordering Nissy to stop attacking you.”

“He has eight mates in my Royal Quarters, that is a small army that can be turned on me at will. The women must be removed from the Palace immediately. I can’t have a threat like that live under my roof. Tell me this, Malan is known to usurp other’s identities, would it be possible they may give him away unintentionally when he is in one of these disguises?”

“Actually, yes. When he is near it brings moonsugar to their tongues, which is a highly addictive feeling of pleasure. That brings on a loud purring, much louder than normal. Also, Malan uses some form of hypnotism. They all sing the song ‘Jack be nimble‘ if he is near while they sleep. I do too, he hypnotized me that night he kidnapped Nissy when I was a child.”

“Why did Malan send his message through you, why not the women?”

“He said I saved his life tonight when I screamed. He brought me back to the night that he kidnapped Nissy from the orphanage, he had erased my memories of it and of Nissy so I couldn‘t alert anyone to save her. That’s why I couldn‘t remember her, or our vow.”

Uriel started healing me. “Go on.”



*

This post has been edited by mALX: May 3 2012, 09:17 PM

[Darkness Eternal]

Malan's mist powers never cease to impress.

"But in front of her? You invoke the wrath of Azura when you go after a Khajiit’s mate, Sire."
Yep. Azura sure would do something, wouldn't she?

The intrigue in this tale is growing! I like how Uriel gets mad briefly by slamming his fist, and staring out the window to see a war below . I also liked Greywyn's mention and the internal struggle between the Crimson Scars.

Sucks that I can't read much clearly, since my laptop is now officially broken with half of the screen multicolored -_-. I had to scroll down and read 1/3 of the page which was clear. But I did get to the end of the chapter.

[Acadian]

Another wonderfully mysterious and mystical scene with Maxical and Malan as you manipulate time, memories and reality so smoothly! I loved the touch of the clock and then later learning about ‘Dragon Breaks’.

In the scenes with Uriel, both he and Maxical are so very true to their characters. Maxical has stumbled into plenty of facts but doesn’t realize it or what to do with the knowledge, while Uriel exudes the wisdom and deductive skills taught by decades of rule. I wonder how close Uriel’s reasoning regarding Malan is correct. I began to salivate as he seems closer to solving the fact that his Foxy is an imposter.

I must confess, I don’t think I would fancy being a Khajiit woman.

[McBadgere]

Oooooh!!...*Does dance of joy*...He's getting there!!...Oh yeah!!... ...

Brilliant stuff...

Loving the Patrick Stewart...Love it...

Bless Maxical, even when she tries to do right... ...

Excellent story...Loving this build up to unfortunateness...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

[King Coin]

Malan. What is he doing now? I doubt he’s honest. What is he trying to accomplish with a promise such as that?

Yes! I was worried before the time stop thing that Maxical wouldn’t get Nissy before she attacked the emperor.

I can hear the emperor perfectly with every line you write for him. Also I’m surprised that Maxical didn’t realize that having Khajiit bound to Malan in close proximity to the emperor was a Bad Idea. I feel like the emperor is on the verge of figuring out that Foxy isn’t Foxy.

[Athynae]

Can I jump up and down yet? Uriel's about to figure it out isn't he? Can't wait for more!!!

The entire dream/memory sequence was riveting, poor Max, everything from realizing Malan took the memory and then giving it back and I am sure she is torn asunder by the thought of trusting him but not wanting the memory more and then having to allow herself to be torn up while she is just trying to hold Nissy back.

BUT, now it is all coming together...yes it is, I can see a light at the end of the tunnel....and I am so anxious to see where it goes from here.

Great write mALX, just fabulous...MORE! SOON! PRETTY PLEASE!!!