The Story Of Kiln The Wanderer, Chapter 7 and on... Options

[Kiln]

I had just started that part when I was forced to leave without tying it up and the internet has been down so I couldn't finish earlier.
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The leader rushed quickly to his feet and pulled another blade from his boot, staring at Kiln and his companions, the assassin leader's men moved in front of him to fight.

Kiln knew that the only reason York had inflicted so much damage to the assassins was because they weren't expecting him and now that they were prepared the fight wouldn't be quite so easy, though Kiln felt a bit better knowing that Jinx was beside them.

With a loud and sudden cry the assassins moved forward and swung their blades, each of Kiln's party picked their target and clashed blades. As Kiln blocked the first hit his opponent's blade slid down his and cut deep into his hand, blood gushed but he could still move it and launched an overhead blow down at the assassin, which was blocked effortlessly.

Kiln blocked and slapped away his enemy's blade as carefully as possible but a quick stab made it through and slashed his side. The assassin smiled at the sight of the blood and Kiln was afraid, though he tried not to show it. He moved around the assassin a bit more and could see York and Jinx fighting, York seemed to have his fight under control, Jinx however was struggling to keep his enemy at bay and every attack he threw was stopped by the assassin.

Kiln held his side with his left hand and his sword with his right, he wished the hounds hadn't forced him to abandon his chestplate earlier, or else he might not have been cut at all. The assassin moved in with his ebony blade and rather than stabbing at Kiln like he was expecting, he kicked him hard in the chest.

Confused as to what had just happened, Kiln fell to the ground on his back and looked upwards at the assassin, awaiting the final blow. The assassin drew back his blade to cast the final strike and at that moment, York lost his balance and fell back into the assassin, forcing him to fall towards Kiln.

Kiln raised his blade and the assassin fell onto it, crushing him beneath the weight of the vile smelling man, as the blood ran onto Kiln's stomach relief washed over him. He watched the grin slowly fade from his enemy's face and after a moment Kiln forced the assassin's still body off of him and onto the ground, as he leaned up he saw York finish his opponent and move towards the leader, Kiln quickly looked over to Jinx who was on his back with an assassin on top of him.

The assassin drew his dagger to kill Jinx and Kiln kicked the assassin in the side, knocking him to the ground and he drew back his father's blade, stabbing the assassin in the gut.

After standing from the body, Kiln turned to look at York, who was drawing back to stab the leader.

Jinx rushed to stand beside York while Kiln stood beside the lifeless bodies of the men he'd killed. He looked at York and Jinx, who were both standing above the captain questioning him. Jinx turned in Kiln's direction and motioned for him to come over to them.

"We actually managed to take on the assassins!" Jinx said seemingly surprised

Kiln smiled and took a few steps towards Jinx.

"Strange, I've never heard of them traveling in such small grou..." Jinx started but his chest shot forward and an odd, emotionless look crossed his face as he stopped speaking

Kiln stared at him and then quickly walked closer, trying to figure out what was going on. As he looked at Jinx he noticed an arrow pertruding from his back and with a whizzing sound, another landed, in his chest this time.

"York! Jinx is hit!" Kiln yelled as he grabbed Jinx by the shoulders and began to drag him away but stopped at the sight of what was unfolding in front of him.

Many armored men came over the hill in front of them, no less than twelve men bearing the black hand, too many to fight. York moved to Jinx and Kiln with his double handed blade held up, waiting and the leader stood from the place where York had held him.

"You've both been....like brothers to me...I'm...proud to die beside you." Jinx said between coughs as blood flowed from his mouth

"Just hold on..." Kiln whispered as he looked at the men approaching

Jinx continued to struggle to breathe as he laid there bleeding on the dirt and Kiln's hands.

"It is a shame that we couldn't have met under different circumstances...I'm sure we could've used you...you've fought well...but it is over." The leader said

The men closed in on them and York instructed Kiln to drop his blade and so he did. Two of the armored men grabbed Kiln. Three more grabbed York and held them, waiting for the leader's judgement.

He looked to his men and then to Jinx.

"Leave the wounded one and take the others to camp." He said with a smile as he looked directly into Kiln's eyes

Kiln shook violently attempting to break free and stay with Jinx but a cloth sack was thrown over his head and the handle of a sword struck him, leaving him unconscious.

The assassins took York and Kiln to their lair and left Jinx there by himself to die. The memory of being forced away from his friend as he died haunted Kiln's dreams and there was nothing he could do to save him.
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And so ends chapter 8.
Edit: Fixed errors noticed.(Thanks for pointing those out. )

This post has been edited by Kiln: Jan 1 2006, 08:25 AM

[Soulseeker3.0]

Awww! what a perfect place to stop! A very nice addition, i am dieing to know what happens to Jinx.... and Kiln and York of course

[Jonajosa]

Just got caught up... again.

Found some places in the story where you seemed to repeat yourself. Like this:

The memory of being forced away from his friend as he died haunted Kiln's dreams as he was dragged towards the assassins' camp

"as he was dragged towards the assassins camp" should be before "Kilns dreams."


Still a great story. Lots of fast paced action in it that can make even the old folks on the forum feel like they are running alongside Kiln.

[Kiln]

Chapter 9

Kiln laid in the mud face down with his eyes closed, he felt numb, as he always did when something horrible had happened. He knew that in the shape Jinx was in when they'd left that he couldn't have survived and he wished he'd been there for his final moments.

It had been hours since he'd woken up but he couldn't find it in himself to move until now. He rolled over and forced himself to lean up, examining the room he was in. Apparently the hands camp was inside a large cave Kiln judged by his surroundings.

The room was nothing but dug out mud and rock and the cell was constructed of thick wooden bars and a locked door. There were large cracks between each piece of wood which let light in and showed the assassins drinking and playing pub games of sorts.

A large muddy pool in the middle of the room was his source for water, the mud was all over him, nearly covering his ripped pants, which was all his captors hadn't taken from him while he was unconscious. As Kiln looked about the room he noticed that York was not with him, in fact he hadn't even heard from him since he'd arrived.

Kiln moved up to the pool and began drinking from the water. Upon further examination of his cell he saw a single bucket, which he guessed what it was for from his time in the fort prison, the bathrooms were the same in both places.

There was nothing for Kiln to do inside the cavern but think. He thought of Rami and what she would think of this whole thing if he made it out to tell her, he thought of Dulnea and all the times he'd stayed at the tavern. His thoughts ultimately wandered to his ultimate test, the fight with greed and how he'd prevailed against all odds. Such memories did not comfort him at this time though and his thoughts jumped to finding a way to escape this place.

After hours of thought a man came to his cell and slid a bowl under his door of some mystery ingredient and then silently left. Kiln wondered if the food might be poisoned...but then why would they kill him after keeping him alive this long. Kiln was puzzled and quickly began to feast upon the food. It reminded him much of the prison food but it was much, much worse.

Before he was finished a large nord came to his cell and unlocked the door. Two men came in and grabbed Kiln as the larger one watched in silence. Kiln was overcome by fear. He was unarmed and being dragged up a wooden stairwell some thirty feet above the room and into another, this one had walls and a floor, Kiln imagined that he was meeting with the leader but he was quite wrong.

Kiln tried to look around but was forced down onto a huge metal table and locked down with thick steel clamps. He looked about the room, it was lined with sharp objects, whips, and a hot pieces of metal resting within the steady flame of a fire.

The larger man smiled as he removed several objects from the wall and laid them on a nearby table. The sharp, hot metal was retrieved from the fire and the man began his work. Though the room was a closed room, the screams could be heard from outside it, horrible blood curdling screams.

Kiln tried to think of other things besides the thin leather whip and the hot metal as they landed upon his flesh but there was no earthly thing that could detract his thought from the pain he was experiencing.

He could no longer resist them and he was finally lifted from the table and dragged back to his cell, his head hung down and he was carried by the arms and thrown into his tiny muddy room.

He laid there alone, unable to move from the pain on his back and chest. Though Kiln wasn't usually one to totally give up, he had surrendered to the reality that he was unable to escape, for even if he broke free from his cell, it would still be impossible to rescue York, if he still lived.

Days passed and time grew irrelevant, meaning less and less with each passing moment. There was no hope for Kiln and every three days he was taken from his cell for a round of torture. The guards made it reletively easy for prisoners to escape just so they could hunt them, and there was always at least one man on watch, a single yell would mean death for any prisoner attempting to escape.

Though a few rounds of torture could break the spirit of even the most persistant escape artist.

The guards approached Kiln's cell one day and stood there for a moment talking.

"Can you read?" One guard asked the other

"Mum says readin is for fools who can't do anythin else." The other answered

Both of the apparently stupid brutes laughed at their own wit and threw a small red journal into Kiln's cell.

Kiln dragged himself across the cave floor through the mud and opened it. This journal was his salvation from insanity, as he read it he slipped out of the painful reality his life had become and into another place.

"It appears that my entire journey to Vivec has proven to be exactly as I'd guessed...pointless. I can't believe all the useless things I've had to do for this old spymaster...if there is one more informant that I must speak to then I'll...be driven insane."

Kiln imagined himself being outside of this place, he'd rather be finding informants and running useless errands...or even dancing in that horrible skirt...he continued to read from the journal considering he wasn't exactly short on time.

"After a quick strider ride I've finally arrived back in Balmora, perhaps Dulnea will let me stay another night for free..."

Kiln paused for a moment and thought about how York's father had known Dulnea years before...and how he knew her now...it was strange how many times Kiln's path crossed with York's father's.

As he heard footsteps approaching he put the journal behind the wastebucket and sat in the floor. It was time for another round in the chamber.
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I hope this part is as interesting to everyone as it was for me to write it.

[Soulseeker3.0]

yes you practically had me on the edge of my seat, great job kiln and plesae continue

[Kiln]

Kiln fought and yelled but there was no use, his strength was fading with every passing day and he found himself yet again in the chamber with the sadistic man called Horden.

The hours spent in torture were the worst of his entire life, and there had been many times he'd been in incredible pain. His spirit and mind hurt along with his entire body and just like every time he was taken from the torture chamber, Kiln was exhausted. You'd think that you would get used to being tortured after some time but it's always just as shocking and painful as the last time.

The guards seemed a bit more friendly than when he'd first arrived, putting him down in his cell a bit easier now than right after he'd killed two of their friends.

Kiln laid in the muddy room plotting some way to escape this dreadful place before the next round with Horden. For the next few days he watched carefully at their schedules and the designated watchmen for each day of the week, trying to develope some cunning plan for escape.

As one of the assassins readied himself to leave and kill some unlucky politician no doubt, he swept his hand across the table and an iron dagger used for cutting their food fell from it. Kiln looked frantically about the room outside, none had noticed this and so he scooted up as close to the wooden bars as he could and pulled the dagger closer and closer with his fingers until he could grab it and pull it inside.

He ran his fingers along the dull blade, there was no way he could kill anyone with this in it's current condition so he went to the back of his cell where a rock stood around twelve inches high and began to rub the blade against it carefully, so no noise was made.

Kiln repeated this activity until the third day, when another torture would occur. The blade was incredibly sharp by now and when the guards came to fetch him he hid it in the hole in the ground containing his drinking water. He felt that he had outwitted the guards and that he had an incredible advantage now that he had the dagger, though he couldn't decide when he would make his escape.

Then started the period of waiting, just when Kiln would get the nerve up to attempt his plans another prisoner would break free and be killed, dealing a crippling blow to what little courage he'd built up and delaying his escape for many days.

By the next round of torture though, he decided that the night after the torture was when he would escape, he'd been here for weeks now and no matter what happened tonight, he would be free one way or another.

For the first time since he'd fought Greed he prayed, the longest and most meaningful prayer he'd ever said. He prayed to every god, goddess, and spirit he could think of just to be sure he had the favor of all of them.

This time when the guards came he went willingly to the torture chamber, even walking without being forced. Horden seemed quite uncomfortable with the smile on Kiln's face before the torture. Kiln decided that when the assassins went to sleep he would open the lock on the door and kill the watchman, to make things better tonight was Horden's turn to watch.

On this day, Kiln walked from the torture chamber to his cell driven only by the will to carry on and the hatred he held towards his captors. He laid down next to the pool of muddy water and then the pain he was in was clear upon his face, though he didn't show it in front of the guards.

Hours passed of the unstoppable pain until night came and the guards fell one by one into a deep sleep until only Horden sat alone on the elevated platform near the door.

Kiln put the dagger into the lock and cut the wire holding the it shut. He slowly opened the door and stepped into the torchlight, moving slowly towards the support beams of the large wooden platform Hadhod sat on.

With the jagged and sharpened dagger in his mouth Kiln climbed the support beams and pulled himself onto the platform behind his most hated enemy and came up behind him.

Kiln grabbed the man's head and slit his throat under his chin and let him down to the floor slowly as to not make any excess noise. Then he turned toward the master quarters to kill the leader for ordering them to abandon Jinx.

This is where things got messy, one of the assassins came running down the tunnel from the entrance with a fearful look on his face. Kiln laid down as quickly as possible on the uprising and peaked over the edge.

"Imperial soldiers!" The assassin yelled between breaths

All at once the men in the cavern got up and rushed to getting their armor on. Kiln could hear a loud banging on the door and after a few hits he heard the wood give way. The imperial soldiers were coming down the tunnel and the assassins now awaited their arrival.

Using the chaos surrounding him he moved up the stairway to confront the leader. He flung the door open and there the man stood looking at himself in the mirror.

"I knew this time would come...though I figured it would be your larger companion that would come for me...I am somewhat surprised that one such as yourself would confront me alone." The assassin said

These words enraged Kiln though he was unarmed and he looked frantically around the room.

"Your blade is on the bed." The assassin said calmly as he picked up his ebony blade from the stand beside the mirror

"Let us end this coward." Kiln said as he drew his blade

Kiln stood there ready to face the leader alone as the clashing of metal could be heard below. The fight between the Imperials and the assassins raged downstairs while a fight of revenge would begin momentarily.
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This is my third update today...I haven't done this many in one day since I first began writing here.

This post has been edited by Kiln: Jan 11 2006, 01:46 AM

[Soulseeker3.0]

nice escape plan. good luck with the battle against the leader...

[mplantinga]

Thanks for the recent updates. The assassin sub-plot has been quite interesting, and I'm looking forward to seeing the conclusion of the fight with the leader.

[gamer10]

I Jonajosa you Kiln (), for another well written piece.

[minque]

Soo many updates! Where have I been.....missing all that excellent writing.? But now I inally caught up and it´s as good as ever.....Please continue this great story, whenever you could find the time....I like it very much indeed!

[Kiln]

Enjoy, or don't your choice.
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Kiln glared at the man before him, the assassin looked strong and dangerous, with years of experience behind him while Kiln had just begun fighting against other people a few months ago.

There was no doubt in Kiln's mind that the assassin had him in strength and experience but perhaps luck would be in his favor today, since it had passed him by in recent times it had to find him sometime.

Kiln stepped forward slowly and held his blade outward and jabbed gently, testing his opponent's defenses. The weak blow was slapped away effortlessly and then countered soon after.

The assassin came in quickly with an upward blow intended to catch Kiln's chin on the way up but Kiln leaned back just in time for the blade to swing past his head and toward the roof of the room. An average opponent wouldn't be thinking about another attack directly after the last, at least being delayed for a second, but the assassin moved in again right after the attack and jabbed at Kiln's stomach.

Kiln brought his blade down and hit the attack away and followed up with a jab towards the assassin, which missed and landed through a steel mug on the table.
The contents of the mug ran over the blade as Kiln withdrew it and swung toward his enemy and stopped about half way with the intention of the mug hitting the assassin, and it did.

The unexpected mug of mazte hit the bloodthirsty man in the face and threw him off balance, this was likely the first time mazte had ever worked in Kiln's favor amidst a fight, usually it just led to him getting beaten until the guards dragged him from the tavern and threw him into the streets. The thought crossed Kiln's mind and a fleeting smile crossed his face.

The assassin came in close grabbing Kiln and pressing him against the wall, reminding him that he shouldn't let his thoughts wander during a fight. The assassin drew his blade back to stab for Kiln but just as he forced his arm forward, Kiln kneed him in the stomach and pushed his blade forwards.

Kiln's blow landed hard on his opponent's shoulder and the assassin let out a loud yell and a long chain of strung together profanities before stepping back several feet and positioning himself in a corner.

Blood rushed from the assassin's deep wound and ran down the wall onto the dirty floor of the room. Kiln was just as surprised as the assassin that his quick strike had made it through and he stood there for a moment before approaching his opponent.

The assassin now stood with his back in the corner of the room holding his blade in his unwounded hand, waiting for Kiln to approach him.

As Kiln looked at the defenseless man, rage filled him and he stepped closer to finish his opponent. Just as his foot landed the assassin's eyes turned from those of a fear filled coward back to those of a murderer and he half jumped forward, stabbing at Kiln's side. Kiln brought his left hand over the assassin's back and pulled him into his father's blade, stabbing it clean through the assassin.

Kiln withdrew his blade and pushed his dying enemy from it and letting him fall hard to the floor. The assassin smiled and laughed slightly as he gasped for air, looking up at the ceiling as the smile faded and he stopped breathing. It was finally over, Jinx's death had been avenged and now he could leave this place.

He knew something was wrong when he turned to the door but he didn't realise exactly what it was for a few moments. Apparently the final strike from the assassin which Kiln was sure he'd moved from in front of had cut his side, the cut was not deep or even long but it would serve it's purpose.

Kiln stumbled back and sat onto the bed on the side to the left of the door, he could feel the poison taking its effect on him already and he noticed the blades had stopped clashing downstairs. He wondered which group had prevailed, the imperials or the assassins, but there was no way he could find out.

His body felt heavy and he laid down on the bed, staring at the roof of the room. Kiln's vision blurred and a tingling feeling moved into his stomach, the most advanced form of fear surrounded him and his thoughts moved to his death. He wondered if his friend York would continue his journeys after his death or if the deaths of two close friends would stop him from fulfilling his quest, whatever it was.

The thoughts flooded through Kiln's mind and he tried to sit up from the bed but everything was so heavy and he was so tired. He'd given up, accepted his death as he laid there the room seemed to move around him and he could hardly see anything, the door to the room slammed opened and he heard an armored man come inside the room and then yell out the doorway of the cavern.

"We've got a live one!" A clear imperial voice yelled

The man ran up to the bed and looked down at Kiln, though he couldn't make out any of his features.

Darkness closed in and Kiln passed out.

Moments later Kiln found himself in the streets of Ald-Ruhn standing at the door of his home and entering the doorway slowly. His father was sitting in the chair in front of the table crying again. It had been a few months since the blight took Kiln's mother and his father had started to drink, alot.

Kiln stayed at his best friend Lenas' house to avoid his father while he was
drinking and walked the long road home the following day. Kiln opened the door slowly and walked inside. His father turned from the table and motioned for Kiln to sit at the table across from him. Kiln reluctantly sat down, thinking he would be scolded for not coming home the night before but that was not the case.

"Kiln, this blade has been in the family for a long time." His father said as he put his hand on the blade

Kiln sat and listened patiently.

"It's been handed down through our family for generations from father to son before death and soon it will be yours to keep and hand down to your son." His father said

Kiln sat there listening to his father and after he'd finished his speech, Kiln went outside and played until nightfall. After hours of playing with Lenas and a few other boys a strange feeling came about him and he wanted to return home, it was a feeling he'd yet to experience before and this worried him. He started the walk home in the darkness to speak with his father.

[mplantinga]

An excellent fight scene. I'm glad to see that Kiln prevailed, but I do hope the Imperials take good care of him. I hope they don't think he's an assassin...

[Kiln]

A little background on Kiln and why he...well just read it for yourself.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Kiln slowly opened the door of his home and stepped inside looking around slowly, the candle on the table dimly lit the room and it was nearly burned out. Kiln's father laid on the floor next to the bed.

Kiln moved closer and got down on his knees, gently pushing his father to try and wake him but his father would not wake. He pushed harder and harder on his father but he could not be stirred from his slumber. The wind blew through the open door of the room and the candle went out, leaving him in the darkness.

He withdrew his hands quickly at the feel of a foreign liquid, it was warm and had a thick feel to it, he wiped it off onto his pants and grabbed his father's arm. With all the strength his arms could gather he turned his father over onto his back.

Kiln couldn't see much, the moonlight was the only light that filled the room. Even as he saw what was before him he couldn't believe it, he didn't want to believe it. His father's eyes were locked open, staring at the roof of the home and Kiln looked lower, at his father's chest.

The family blade was buried deep into his father's stomach, the single stab had been dealt by his own hand by the blade which had saved the lives of many of their family. This beloved blade had helped Kiln's father to take his own life.

Kiln laid his head upon his father's chest and cried. All the things that had mattered most in his life had faded away and now he was left only with a feeling of sadness. The tears poured from his eyes as he sat beside his father's lifeless body. He'd cried for hours and hours until he could cry no more and all that was left was emptyness.

With all the madness surrounding him he stood from his father's body and pulled the gold handled blade slowly from its restingplace. He wiped the blood from the blade and took the gold from the cup on the desk, glancing at his father one last time before turning away.

Kiln sniffed to clear his nose and wiped the remains of the tears from his eyes as he stared out the door into the moonlight wondering how something like this could happen on a night so beautiful.

Now that there was no reason for him to stay here he would leave this place before the guards discovered his father was dead. The guards would likely blame him for his father's death, even say that he himself had stabbed him. Just being inside the house was more than he could take so he left, leaving the door standing open behind him.

He walked past the strider port towards balmora to be away from the memories of this town. One thought bothered him and he wondered what he'd done to deserve these things happening to him.
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Kiln awoke in a cold sweat, a mass of men could be heard laughing and talking around him. He opened his eyes slowly and stared straight up. He could see the night sky, filled with stars shining brighter than he'd ever seen. It had been months since he'd seen the sky or even breathed the fresh air.

Kiln sat up and looked around, he could see many imperial soldiers sitting around a campfire and beside him laid one of the assassins with his hands bound. Kiln's hands were free however so he pushed himself onto his knees and got to his feet. His legs shook from the dream he'd just woken from, he was still quite shaken from his childhood memories and to help things out he couldn't tell where he was or which direction was which.

A guard noticed him standing and sat down his mug of ale.

"Ah, he's finally awakened!" A guard yelled in a friendly voice

The others turned and looked at Kiln, they knew he'd killed the leader of the assassins and there was a look of respect in all their eyes, a sort of silent applause.

Kiln couldn't stand well and he fell onto his back.

"The poison is still taking its effect...don't worry you should make it." A guard said

The night sky faded into darkness as Kiln lost consciousness once again.

[mplantinga]

The plot thickens. It would seem that the family blade has quite a history. I do hope we'll come to understand why Kiln's father took his own life. I am glad that the Imperials see Kiln as a good guy; I am looking forward to Kiln's conversation with them once he awakens.

[minque]

Even with this great story I´ve been awfully neglective..I´m so sorry! It´s a great story and I hope you will continue writing it!

Ahh it´s a sheer luck we have dear mplantinga who always comment so nicely on every story!!

[Crighton]

I just picked up on your story and I have to say that it's great. Don't worry to much about the sentence structure or punctuation, the first cave painters didn't and that did not diminish their art. I can see through Kiln's eyes and that's what makes a great story. If you keep writing, we'll keep reading. Thanks.

[Soulseeker3.0]

Very well done Kiln, please continue your story

[Kiln]

It has truly been a pleasure to write for all of you, thanks for your comments.
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Kiln could hear a faint voice seemingly mumbling as he started to awaken once again.

"The poison is quite deadly but he seems to have a strong will to survive so it is possible that he might make it." One guard said

"What of his companion, has he returned?" A younger voice asked

"No, we haven't heard from him since he left to look for the body of his friend." One replied

Kiln turned his head to the left and looked out across the endless dirt and hills around him and then slowly pushed his arm behind him and forced himself to sit up. He looked around at the sleeping soldiers, only three sat up on watch, all of which were talking loudly and drinking.

Slowly, Kiln pushed himself to his feet and stood for a moment to gain his balance before he walked slowly towards the group of guards that sat on a fallen tree looking over the camp.

"Awake again? Come on over and have a bite to eat friend." The oldest imperial said

"Sit and tell us of your adventures Kiln." The younger guard said holding out a mug of mazte and offering him a slice of hound meat

"You know my name?" Kiln asked as he accepted the food and the mug

"We served at Fort Moonmoth under Larrius' command until his corruption was discovered, then he was given a choice between imperial prison or leading the hunt for the black hands and obviously he didn't choose prison and we were the prison guards so we were forced to help him." the young guard said

"Interesting that he is even alive...I'm sorry to change the subject but I must know...I was traveling with a large nord named York, do you know where he is now?" Kiln asked between drinks

"He left to search for the body of one of your fallen comrades but we haven't heard from him since." The guard said suddenly turning his head toward the darkness

York came over the hill into the light of the fire and took off his helmet, sitting it on the ground next to his feet and hanging his head.

"I couldn't find him...the months that we spent in that prison...the animals probably got to him." York said

Kiln hung his head and the guards stopped speaking and looked to the ground out of respect for the one who was lost.

York stood from his position and looked at Kiln.

"You have served beside me for quite some time now but where I am going I cannot ask you to follow." York said

"You do not have to ask me...I would follow you to the gates of oblivion." Kiln said standing from the tree

"You very well may if you choose to follow me...I've been tasked to go into the ruins of Kogoruhn and retrieve three items. The chief of one of the tribes asked me to bring him Corprus Weepings, a cup with the mark of House Dagoth, and the Shadow Shield from deep within the ruins to prove to him that I am the incarnate." York said

The guards looked at eachother and then back at York.

"You are the one who claims to be the Nerevarine? You are braver than I am nord. If word gets out about this then you'll have the temple to worry about as well." The oldest guard said

"I know the consequences of my actions but I believe that I am the incarnate and will do what I must to prove it." York said

Kiln looked at York and thought of how much his life had changed, he'd gone from a notorious thief to a noble warrior on the path to unite Morrowind along with his friend York. Though he also thought of his woman and how she would feel about all of this.

"I must speak with Rami before I agree to go along with you York." Kiln said

"We do not have the time for you to travel all the way back to Balmora, we must leave within the next two days." York said

The older of the guards stood and looked between them.

"I may have the answer to your problems Kiln." The old man said as he commanded the youngest guard to go and get their mage transport.

"Thanks but I would have no way to get back after I went to Balmora." Kiln said

"Take these potions...I've been saving them for some time now but I think you should have them. Take them and drink from the mark potion now. When you wish to return drink from the potion marked 'recall' to bring you back." The old man said handing Kiln the potions

"Thank you sir, this means a lot to me." Kiln said shaking the old man's hand and accepting the potions

"Spend the day with your woman and return tomorrow night with the news." York said

Kiln bowed his head and drank from the mark potion. Kiln watched the mage as he wiped his tired eyes and began chanting and waving his hands. The mage touched Kiln with both hands in the middle of his chest and split second of pain shot through him as if he'd been hit hard in the chest before he flew into the darkness of magical travel.

Those short moments seemed like full minutes before he arrived at his destination in the mage's guild. He was reminded of just how much he hated mage transport.

He left the small reception area and made his way outside, he looked around at the peaceful city as the sun had just began to rise. This was his home, where he truly belonged yet he was compelled to go with York to help him succeed and survive on his journey.

Kiln returned to reality from his thoughts and walked to the Eight Plates, slowly opening the door and stepping inside. As he turned the corner he saw several of the drunks sitting at the table with their heads down and a few more sleeping on the floor of the tavern. Dulnea was cleaning up and did not see him come in.

"Excuse me miss but could you get me a glass of your finest...actually...make it the cheapest." Kiln said having used that line many times before as a joke

Dulnea knew it was him and she turned quickly, dropping her broom and grabbing him.

"I'm so glad to see you're alright boy...Rami is downstairs asleep. I've been letting her stay for free." Dulnea smiled and kissed him on the cheek before turning and going to the counter

Dulnea had been like his mother for years, watching over him and allowing him to stay at the tavern without paying but now he had much money and could pay for all the times he'd stayed.

He pulled a large bag of coins from his pack and laid them on the counter.

"I said I'd pay you back for all you've done for me." Kiln said with a smile

Dulnea opened the bag and marveled at the gold in the bag, moving it around slowly with her fingers, she smiled.

"Well you're twelve gold short but I guess I'll let you by this time." She laughed and pushed the bag away

"Take it, I have plenty for myself." Kiln said pushing the bag back to her and taking out another

"I earned every bit of it." He added thinking about the black hands

She took the gold and stashed it in a large sack behind the counter.

She began pouring drinks and preparing a meal.

"Rami will be up soon." Dulnea said

Kiln went downstairs and sat in the chair across from the bed, watching Rami sleep. Soon she would wake and he would have a lot of explaining to do.
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Enjoy.

[Soulseeker3.0]

Wow.... great update Kiln. good point that jinx would be gone after those months in the "prision" please continue, like I said earlier it was great.

[mplantinga]

An excellent update. I enjoyed your description of the magical transport; it certainly sound like a very disturbing experience. It was also nicee to see the way Kiln behaved in Balmora; he certainly is turning out to be a top-quality gentleman. I'll be looking forward to following Kiln and York as they get back to the Nerevarine quests.