Hasir and Inigo walked into the mead hall behind Aela; looking bewildered as they soon felt the presence of many eyes upon them,
"Erm, Aela, what are we doing again?"
Aela huffed in annoyance; she couldn't believe Hasir's stupidity,
"Hasir, we all heard what happened at Fort Fellhammer. We just want to help."
Hasir rounded on Aela; forcing her to cower against the door to the mead hall,
"I don't want your help-or anyone else's-just..." He hissed a heavy sigh and eyed the nord angrily, his eyes narrowing dangerously,
"leave me alone ok? Both you and your entourage over there," He gestured to the nords sitting at the horseshoe table, Just... back
off!" He stomped over to an empty chair at the table and sat down, his head in his hands, and began to sob uncontrollably.
Inigo walked over to the chair next to the forlorn Argonian, sat down and placed a hand on Hasir's shoulder,
"It's okay, my friend, tears are a great way to express your feelings." He said, "but, talking is a much better way of doing it. My
father used to say talking to a friend or loved one about your feelings is better than medicine... or yelling yourself hoarse."
Hasir raised his head and the khajiit could clearly see the glistening tear on the argonian's scaly face,
"Inigo, thank you for trying to help me through this tough time." The khajiit said he would always be there to help. This made Hasir
laugh despite his body not felt it, "again, thank you. I-" He began, staring into his friend's pumpkin eyes, "Yes, my friend? You what,
let it out. It would be better to talk about it and not let yourself dwell on it and shut down to any outside help."
Hasir gulped and began again; he knew that keep the feeling inside with eventually lead to a headache; or worse,
"I really miss Tulen, if only you cut that bastard's head off-" He began but Inigo grassped his scaly hand; resting on the wooden
table surface and shook his head, "My friend, don't beat yourself up. You could focus on negativity all you want but at the end of the
day, it is best to remember dead friends and family the way they were; when they were alive and healthy instead of focusing on the
negative."
Hasir wiped his tears on the leather cloth that the khajiit had given him,
"I'm sorry, Inigo, you're right. I'll remember Tulen as he was." He smiled and hugged the khajiit
A punch to the argonian's shoulder caused him to turn from Inigo and stare straight into Ael'a furious eyes. She told him to stop
blubbering and focus. She gestured toward the harbinger who had just taken his seat. Hasir apologized and they all looked at Kodlak
who, again, had raised his mug that he had filled with mead from the decanter in the center of the table. He waited until everyone
filled their mugs. He slid the decanter over to Hasir who was busy staring off into space; it toppled off the table and golden liquid
flowed on his cuirass and iron greaves.
Aela glanced over at Hasir and shook her head,
"Nice going, mud for brains, now we, meaning Vilkas, the harbinger and I need to go to the Black Briar meadery to get more so we
can toast the stupid dead lizard." She shot him a nasty look, "Do you think mead grows on trees.?
To this, Hasir shrugged and did his best attempt at a blank expression,
"I'm sorry Aela, I wasn't paying attention, I will try to catch it next time."
Aela glared at him; Hasir could've sworn he saw her eyes change from grey to amber as her wolf threatened to take charge,
"Next time? Next time? There may not be a next time. I have half a mind to go to Kodlak and have you thrown out right now." She
fumed at him, hardly beleiving anyone could have the reflexes of a dead cat. Just then, an idea struck her, "Since it was your bright
idea to 'brillianty' misjudge the velocity of the decanter, you'll go into the kitchen and procure more bottles of mead, I would say
about ten bottles would do. If you come back here and say there's no mead left.... in the entire hall, then you'll accompany Vilkas in
getting more from the local meadery, got it?" She said, snarling at the Argonian.
He nodded and slunk away, like a cornered animal to the mead hall kitchens in search of more mead.
Aela burst out laughing while she watched Hasir head to the kitchens, his tail between his legs. Kodlak shot her a sidelong glance,
"What, may I ask is so funny, young lady?" He asked as if he had not been in on a joke the other circle members had. He turned to
face her properly and repeated his question as he thought she might've not heard him.
Aela's grin become more broad and conspiratorially; She cowered a bit under the harbinger's owlish glare,
"Erm... nothing." She said noncomittally
Kodlak pointed to the door at the end of the hall where he could hear drawers being pull out and opening of cupboards,
"If I am not mistaken, you sent Hasir to perform a task." He crossed his arms across his chest. Aela kept silent. Kodlak saw, out of
the corner of his eye, a lake of mead next to a discarded decanter on the steps that led to the great barren tree in the middle of the
cloud district.
The female nord huffed in annoyance. She knew that lying to the harbinger was a foolish endeavor,
"Very well, if you must know, I sent that stupid lizard to refill the mead decanter he carelessly knocked off of the table."
Kodlak stood up, strode over to his granddaughter and placed a caring handd on her shoulder,
"Aela, I'm sorry," He said, sighing, "it was my fault. Why must you always shun those that are different from you? Why can't you
accept Hasir instead of driving him further away?"
Aela didn't seem to hear Kodlak's concern for her but continued to think of how Hasir, stupid as he was, continued to search for
mead when she knew the mead hall's storeroom had plenty of mead, she just invented the 'trip' to the Black Briar meadery as an
excuse to get Hasir away from her so that she could make fun of him in peace.
Hasir looked everywhere in the kitchen, under the sink, in cabinet and drawers but found no trace of brown mead bottles anywhere,
"Well... I guess Vilkas, Aela, the harbinger and I will have to go to the meadery then." He sighed, closing the cabinets and drwars
and exited the kitchen. He leaned against the doorframe, eyeing Aela with narrowed eyes as he figured out was he was trying to do,
"You idiot," He snarled, advancing on Aela, "You wanted me out of the way, didn't you? You thought you would get me out of the
way, why? Hircine only knows." He asked, to no one in particular. He stared angrily at the fiery haired nord, "I must ask though, why
do you hate me so much?" He asked; his blue eyes bearing into her grey oness as he jabbed Aela in the chest with a pointed black
claw.
Aela scoffed as she pull out a chair for Hasir to sit in. She then positioned her own chair so it was facing the angry Argonian,
"look," She said, tenting her fingers on the table and staring at Hasir, I hate you because... because..." She glanced around the room
and saw Inigo and Kodlak both stare at he in surprise, "because I just do ok? Geez can you wolves stop clawing at my bacck for one
minute? Hmph."
Inigo could hear the tell-tale scrapping of a chair against wood as he knew Kodlak was getting up to have a word with Aela. He held
up a hand to silence Kodlak as he began to speak,
"Harbinger, if I may, I'd like to speak to her; see if we can get to the root of this 'Argonian hatred'." He began but stopped when he
heard a sharp exhale of breath from the harbinger.
Kodlak felt that she was his granddaughter and as such, he should speak to her, not some outsider who hardly knows her. Despite
his fury Kodlak motioned for Inigo to proceed, "Thank you very much, harbinger," He said, beaming. He took out one of the arrows
from his quiver.
The furry feline turned back to the troubled Nord,
"Aela, I want you to focus on this arrow." Aela thought this whole thing was stupid but watched as he swung the arrow from right to
left, like a makeshift metronome, "Focus on the arrow, you find yourself dropper deeper in sleep. You feel yourself getting more
relaxed. Focus on the arrow. deeper and deeper. You feel at ease, like you'll obey any suggestion I put to you." Inigo saw Aela's head
loll to one side, "Good, good, focus on my voice, can you ttell me the Argonian's name?"
Aela nodded and fished in the sea of memories for the exact Argonian causing her trouble,
"His name was Scouts-Many-Marshes," She buried her head in her hands, "that bastard killed my mother." She said, sobbing
Hasir was about to interrupt; saying he knew Scouts and he would never do something as reckless as that; Inigo turned abruptly
toward Hasir. His eyes seemed to glow in the firelight,
"My friend, I am trying to talk, please be quiet and what until I am finished." He said, snarling. He turned back to Aela, "Please,
continue, sorry for the interruption."
Aela, smiled and took a cloth from her bag and was busy wiping her eyes,
Th-thank you Inigo, as I said Scouts-Many-Marshes killed my other. After an earthquake at the dwemer ruin, my mother was in a
room, exploring, find ancient dwarven artifacts when it happed, a pillar supporting the room's cieling collapsed and fell on her body.
She called for Scouts to help but instead of helping, he ran back to Windhelm, an act of pur cowardice if I've ever seen one."
She broke down causing Inigo to go over and comfort her,
"He could have helped me mother but he chickened out, fucking cowards." She said, spitting on the wooden floor
Aela then turned to Hasir who recoiled at the sight of her grief stricken, anger face,
"Yeah, you heard me right lizard. Your race in nothing but a bunch of filthy cowards who tucks tail and run whenever someone needs
help." Hasir was about to say he was different from the other 'cowards' of his race but Aela got up from her chair and strode, angrily
towards the training yard. "If Kodlak needs me, tell him I'll be taking my frustration out on some training dummies."
With that she left the mead hall. Hasir and Inigo both stared at the door to the training yard in shock. They, much more Hasir than
Inigo, finally understood the nord's hatred for Argonians. Hasir got up and went to the training yard to try and console Aela but Inigo
grabbed his arm and shook his head, "Better not, my friend, just... let her stew in her own juices."
Hasir nodded his head glumly; He shrugged off Inigo's attempt to help him calm down,
"I know I should give her space but she should know that this Saxhleel is not a coward." He then snarled and said under his breath,
"unlike those other 'cowards' of my race, or so Aela thinks."
Hasir began to stew once more but Inigo cut across him,
Just... give her some time and before you know it, she'll open up to you like a flower opens up to a bee waiting to indulge in the
sweet pollen." He saw the Argonian relaxed at these words. He heard heavy footfalls behind him and knew that the harbinger was
going to straighten the frustrated nord.
Affraji entered the room and sat down in the chair behind Inigo. He whirled around. She smiled at him while stroking his furry head,
"What are male khajiit and Argonian doing here? Why are they looking at the door at the far end of the hall? Inigo told the cheetah
khajiit that the nord besmirched the good name of Hasir's race: Argonians. Affraji became shocked at this news, though she hadn't
had her own race besmirched so she did not quite understand the situation fully.
Affraji put her hand on Inigo's arm as he had started to get up and shook her head,
"Before Argonian and khajiit race after their forlorn friend, this one has some information to impart about her grandfather. You are
going to the other world, yes?
Inigo and Hasir both nodded and opened their mouths to say they had a pressing matter to get on with but Affraji shook her head
again,
"That can wait until later. My grandfather, Red Bramman, a feared Argonian pirate who plundered and pillaged allong the coast of
Topal Bay, is also another scaly one who does not fit into what fiery-haired nord is categorizing as 'cowards.'
Hasir looked at her with a quizzical expression. He had never heard of an Argonian priate before,
"Red Bramman? never heard of him," Hasir chuckled, "and beleive me I would've been the first to heard about it, I am, after all, an
Argonian." He said, mouth opened in a 'smile.' Affraji's expression gre sour as she eyed the ego-driven Argonian "If Hasir can stop
being so damn smug for a second, he would've recalled this one did tell him of her grandfather's adventures."
Hasir shrugged, shaking his head,
"Affraji, you only told us about your parents being killed when you were a young kitten."
The cheetah-spotted khajiit sighed and folded her arms,
"Hrrrm... Affraji did not tell you this? Very well, this one's grandfather, Red Bramman, head of the Renriji Krin, of which this one and
her parents are members, and self-proclaimed 'pirate king' and his bandit of n'er-do-wells, bandits, sailed the seas of that region
plunderring both ship and coastal towns of their valuables and bringing them to sea-side caves to keep them away of prying eyes or
other pirates." She sighed, "Ultimately though, his brash actions cuaght the eye of the emperor of the time. As you can imagine he
didn't quite like pirates and brigands operating under the shaveskin's nose so he sent the Imperial navy to assassinate Red
Bramman."
Hasir leaned over to comfort the grief-sticken khajiit,
"What happened after they captured him?" He asked
Affraji thanked Inigo as he lent her his leather cloth for her to wipe her eyes on and clear her nose. She handed the cloth back to
him, thanked him and said when the Imperial officers found him hiding deep in Black Marsh, they beheaded him and denied his
return to the hist. His head, meanwhile, was brought back to the emperor and used as a deterant for anyone who wished to follow in
Bramman's footsteps."
Hasir gulpped and asked why Affraji did not befall the same fate as Bramman. She smiled at him as though she was important,
"You ask why this one hasn't be beheaded?" She laughed, tossing her bejeweled dreadlocks through the air, "Ha! Affraji has a better
head on her shoulder than her thick-headed grandfather." She signed as she eyed Hasir, "When this one saw her parents murdered, I
vowed not to follow her parents. I vowed never to steal from anyone except those with wealth that far exceeds their means."
Hasir and Inigo advanced toward the door to the porch. Affraji opened her mouth to say that she wasn't done talking but followed
them to see what all the fuss was about. Hasir opened the door to the porch and followed the khajiit outside and saw Aela busy
hacking away at a training dummy.
The argonian saw Kodlak and Affraji sitting at a table and sat beside him. Kodlak turned around to find the argonian smiling at him,
"Hasir, what an... unexpected surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Hasir told him about how Aela distrusts Argonians and why
that was. "Harbinger, can you speak to her? I tried but she remained silent and resolute in her mistrust of your race." He took the
argonians hands in his own, "Please, talk to her; sure she can be hardheaded at times but if you talk to her, she might lower her
defenses.
Hasir thanked the harbinger and strode down the steps. The argonian saw the khajiit trying to talk Aela down,
"My friend, what are you doing here?" He asked, shocked. Hasir told him that he'd talked to Kodlak and informed him of Aela's
backlash at his fellow Saxhleel and he said he should talk to Aela. Inigo thought about this and shook his head, No, my friedn you'd
better go and sit on the porch." Hasir was about to argue when Inigo held up a clawed hand to silence him, "No arguing, just go sit
down. Do you really want Aela to mistake you for a training dummy?"
Tail between his legs, Hasir walked back to the wooden picnic table and sat down leaving Inigo alone with the furious nord,
"Aela, can I talk to you for a minute?" Inigo narrowly avoided having another scar added to his already battered looking face as Aela
spun around, "Listen khajiit," She said, coldly, "Can't you see that I'm pissed off about something here?" Inigo eyed the training
dummy, that already had several notches added to its wooden body and head and nodded nervously, "Y-yes, I see that but I was
wondering if you wanted to talk about it."
Aela turned around and continued beating the dummy with her sword,
"Go bother someone else, cat." She shrugged, "besides, that swamp scum got what he deserved. He and his race can go stick their
tails in the hottest realm of Oblivion for all I care, I did not ask Hasir to come here, his race... they just ruin everything they touch."
Inigo grabbed the flat edge of the sword as Aela made to strike again and wrenched it out of her hands. She made a grab for the
sword, but Inigo sent it skidding along the cobblestone, "Aela, I nkow what you are going through." Aela grunted. Inigo took that as
denial. He walked over to the halfwaa that spanned the training yard and sat on it. He gestured for Aela to sit beside him, "Aela,
when I was little, I hated myself for being different from the other khajiit children, but, that's not my point. My point is you should
welcome those different from you, those with unique veiwpoints on things, not drive them away because you are either scared of
understanding or just don't want to." Aela cocked her head and screwed her face up in confusion. The khajiit noted this and
simplified his reasoning, "What I mean by that is My parents looked at how khajiit society shunned me, how much they called me
names and said other terrible things that i've not the heart to say aloud."
Inigo took a deep breath, "my parents saw this and protected me. They even went all over Elsweyr explaining the reasoning for my
blue skin and my odd facial markings. When they did this, well khajiit society saw me differently; they even began to see they've
been wrong to judge a book by its cover and realized it on the inside that counts."
The nord wiped a tear from her eye, saying that she might give herself time to open up to Hasir; learn about him and his culture
more. Inigo beamed at this, "In case your haven't heard, my mother was a khajiit and my father was an Argonian, I mean, well-I
was adopted and as such did not know my real parents, but, I don't care. I would gladly be weird and unique than to try fruitlessly
to fit in with the rest of society." He smiled at Aela, "So, the moral of my story is... learn the facts before you judge someone, they
may have a sadder history than you realize."
Aela hopped off the wall, turned back to Inigo and smiled at him. Sure the story might have been cliche but she needed to hear it,
"Thanks, you smelly blue cat,"
She smiled, shooting him a wink, "I thank you for breaking me out of my fury. I had no idea that you had such a gift for telling
emotionally moving stories." Inigo blushed hotly, "Also," Aela said, confused, "you never told me your father was an Argonian."She
sank down to the cobblestone and put her head in her hands, "By Hircine, this really puts my problem into perspective doesn't it? I
feel like such an idiot." She said, sobbing into her hands
Inigo hopped off of the wall and, striding over to Inigo, kissed him on the cheek, "What in Oblivion was that for?" He asked and
asked Aela what she was going to do. The nord said she was going to apologize to Hasir about her behavior over the past few
months..
The khajiit watched as Aela ascended the stairs and sat at the picnic table where Kodlak and Affraji sat. Inigo strode up the stairs
and sat at the square table in the corner. He was surprised that Aela would actually go through with this. He'd thought she would let
his words roll off her shoulders as if they were nothing but harmless drops of water; resuming her cold indifference.
Aela made a sound that caused Hasir to turn around,
"My scales! Aela you scared me, erm... what do you want to talk about?"
Aela took a deep sigh; thinking this was the hardest thing she had even done,
"Argonian, er, Hasir, I've come to apologi-I came to say I'm sorr-" Aela sighed again, "Look, I've came to say I was sorry, alright?"
Hasir looked dead ahead; not looking at her, hurt by her ceaseless jabs at his psyche,
"Come on, you stupid-er I mean come on Hasir, I have come to pour my soul out to you. The least you can do is be civil and look at
me." Hasir gave a small grunt and turned to her, his elbow leaning on the table, "Ok, good, anyway, er, I, er, found out, from Inigo
that I shouldn't make fun of anyone that I do'nt know the background of. So for that, I am sorry." She said, ashamed
Hasir looked at her, nonplused. He did not understand why she changed her attitude so abruptly. He gave her a half-hearted smile,
"Thanks, Aela, did you say Inigo talked to you? What else did he say?"
The fiery-haired nord said the blue khajiit told her that he had an Argonian father and that being wierd and different was much
better then to try and fit in with people who would just as soon shun him. Hasir smiled and realized Inigo's innate gift of finding the
deepest flaws of one's character and bringing them to light was quite admirable and, had he not done this, Aela might still be down
in the yard, looking sour, hacking away at the training dummy.
Hasir got to his feet and strode over to Inigo,
"Inigo, this 'straigtening out' was good and all, but we have a job to do."
Inigo nodded at him, got up and went back into the mead hall with Hasir closely following him. Affraji got up and followed soon after.
Aela got up and turned to Kodlak, "Are you coming, harbinger?" Kodlak shook his head and said he was going to think over
something and will come in later. Aela smiled and went inside the mead hall after her two comrades.
Once inside the mead hall, she saw Affraji and Inigo sitting on the bottom step near the fire. She turned, smiled and beckoned over
to him,
"Argonian, come, sit with Affraji. She'll tell you the rest of the story of her grandfather." Hasir walked down the steps and sat with
them, facing the fire, "Affraji make this quick, I have other matters to attend to." Affraji said this would not take long as she and
Inigo will go on this quest with the argonian. Hasir smiled and gestured for Affraji to continue where she'd left of moments before.
They all stared into the fire and imagined the flames leaping to life and morphing them into images as Affraji told her tale. To Hasir,
at least, the flames did seem alive and he could clearly see a fiery pirate ship carrying an Argonian captain and his bandit crew
amidst the flames.
"Long ago, in Blackmarsh," Affraji began, "There lived a most fearsome pirate by the name of Red Bramman, he and his crew
plundered and pillaged both ships and villages along the region's coast. He operated in the city of Gideon not too far from where he
first met his crew, A bunch of Argonian lowlives who recieved payment anyway they could.. They stole a ship from black fin
legionnare Xuzalus; Keshu the black fin's first in command. Her ship was called the Haj-Hewei; or in the common tongue, it
translates to 'hidden basket.'
Hasir gaped at her while she told the story as if she was actually there instead of just going off of what her relatives told her. She
also told them that Red Bramman and his which he'd found in the neighboring village of Nutan-Zel which consisted, she said, of
ne'er-do-wells Olik, Ahdan, Heem-Jas and Nuvui. She went on to tell him that these faithful pirates, along with captain Red
Bramman sailed the waters of Topal Bay in their ship; terroizing other ship: stealing other ships' cargo, prisoners and treasure.
She stopped suddenly in mid thought and glanced at the cracks in the boat's ceiling,
"By the moons, it is getting late. If this one does not get her rest then she will be one grumpy khajiit tomorrow morning. We'll leave
the tale there for now. Now get some rest and tommorow this one will tell you the rest, yes?"
Hasir and Inigo wanted to hear more but heeded Affraji's words nonetheless and headed down to the undercroft. Once there, they
both headed down the hall to the room near the bathroom where the broken tub still sat, waiting to be repaired. Hasir slapped his
forehead as he remembered something,
"Hircine's claws! I completely forgot, the knob still hasn't be fixed," He yawned hugely, "but, I am so tired, I can barely keep my
eyes open." Inigo told him if he made a promise than he should keep it. Hasir shook his head, "Sorry Inigo but it will have to wait
until tomorrow. I can't think when I'm tired... Hsss!"
Hasirr decided lying to the khajiit was the best course of action; he had no intention of fixing it, he knew it, and he'll even tell Tilma
that. He walked into the room, his tail dragging and flopped onto the nearest bed he could find. A heavy sigh followed by a muffled
thud followed by a cry of pain told him that his furry companion misjudged the distance between himself and the bed and collided
with the wooden frame of the bed.
Hasir fell asleep at once, A single word escaped his lips as he drifted off to sleep,
"Dumbass." He smiled to himself as he drifted off to sleep.
Hasir felt water batter his face, he'd thought Inigo was trying to rouse him for some reason. He brought a hand to his face to wipe
the water away and suceeded and fell back asleep until something dragged him underwater. This shock woke the Argonian, his eyes
furiously darting to and fro. Hasir tried frantically the find somthing, anything to grab onto to stop the waters of Topal bay carrying
him to Hircine knows where. He ultimately gave up and let himself drift upon the waves like an otter; his tail propelling him through
the water.
Around midday, Hasir saw a ship with black sails with a Argonian skull and crossbone on them appears. An argonian pointed in Hasir
direction and yelled something inaudible. Hasir felt himself being hoisted aboard the ship. He glanced around, looking for his savior.
A cold, scaly voice emanated from the bridge,
"Lads, have we taken on water? Why've we stopped?" He asked incredulously
Hasir scrambled to his feet as he heard boots rapidly approaching. He looked at the newcomer and saw he sported the same outfit
that Affraji wore along wiith the same red tricorned hat. The newcomer's face stretched into a sneer,
"A stowaway, eh? After our crew feed you and and get drink in you, Olik'll train you in the daily operations here on the ship. If either
I or the crew deem you worthy enough then you'll join us on some of our raids."
Hasir nodded and follwed Olik into a cabin at the aft end of the ship. Hasir saw a cabin much smaller than the rest of the ship with
wall length arched windows that looked onto the aftdeck of the ship. Kegs of what Hasir thought was mead or Argonian Ale sat in the
corner next to some crates with black lettering reading 'East Empire Trading Company' with the image of a ship below the words. In
the middle of the room was a large ornate table with several chairs surrounding it.
Olik pushed Hasir forward, pointing to a vacant chair and ordered the Argonian to sit in it. Hasir reluctantly agreed and sank into one
of the chairs and Olik the one on the Argonian's right side. Olik tunred to the Argonian,
"So, you wish to help us?" He asked, tenting his fingers, "Very well, follow me."
He led Hasir to a trapdoor hidden in the wooden floor; only decernable by the black handle. Olik bent down and lifted the trapdoor
and led Hasir down some stairs into a small room on the lower deck of the ship,
"Well, lizard do you like what Captain Bramman and his crew procured?" He said, smiling toothily
Hasir shrugged; not having any opinion either way,
"Looks nice, but by no means is it a room in the Tiber Septim hotel." He looked, wide eyed at the two black cages standing in the
corner of the otherwise bare room. He saw that one of the cages held a small yellow khajiit.
Olik sniggered; thinking on something Hasir did not know. Hasir turned to Olik, eyebrows raised,
"What, may I asssk, isss ssso funny?" He asked, shocked; as if he didn't already know the answer
Hasir did not have this to protest when the large scaly reptile forcibly shoved him into one of the cage; sneering through the bars at
him,
"I hope you enjoy your stay." He said. He laughed as Hasir banged his fists against the black steel cage. He even threw his body
repeatedly against the bars; nothing worked. Olik spat at the Argonian like a perosn mistrusting a caged animal. Hasir asked Olik,
through gritted teeth, why he was doing this.
Olik's face broke out in a wide, evil grin. Hasir looked angrily at him and Olik matched that evil glare,
"Why, I thought you said you needed to help." Hasir made to bite Olik, who shrank back, "You wetskin," He said, laughing
mirthlessly, "Don't you get it? The captain does not need another Saxhleel to join his crew, especially not a..." He sniffed the caged
Argonian, "...Werewolf." He finished with a snarl. The lizard snarled. "We will never allow a mangy dog to be on our crew, yes, you
may've been useful to us, that lycanthropic strength would've done wonders in helping us rob countless towns and villages."
His snarling face drew nearer to the cage,
"As you have no doubt seen, we've stolen countless kegs of Argonian Ale and illegally procured crates from the east empire company
full of provisions needed for our journey."
Hasir attempted to bite the Argonian jailor again; just like previously, the Argonian leapt back,
"Enough of this!" Hasir spat, "Why did you stuff me in here and who in Hircine's name is my furry roommate?" He asked, trying to
reposition himself into a far more comfortable position.
Olik spread his claws as if he was asking whether this was a good place for a feast,
"Ah yes, lizard, I neglected to introduce you, my apologies. Argonian may I introduce to you to Leah." He said, gesturing in her
direction. "We captured her when we anchored near the small seaside village of Xed-Xelchalix. Her mother and father fought well, but
Red killed them both and we took Leah along with whatever we could get our filthy hands on. Well," He sighed, looking in the
direction of the stairs, "I shall leave you alone with your, er, new roommate. I bid you farewell. Enjoy your time in here, though, it's
doubtful that'll you survive long, hehe."
Hasir groaned to himself as he heard heavy footfalls on the stairs followed by the trapdoor opening and closing. He fell asleep on the
cage floor. A minute later, he heard the trapdoor open again and heard ragged breath as the thing, whatever it was, came down the
stairs. It glided into the room and Hasir wearily opened up his eyes, got up to his hands and knee and stared at the creature:
scabbed flesh decorated its otherwise unremarkable skeleton. Over the rotting flesh were tattered robes and upon his head was a
blue mask. The being reached up with a scabbed hand and took it off. Hasir screamed in revulsed terror as he could see glowing blue
eyes and heard that horrible, ragged breath as the being stuck a hand through his cage and grabbed Hasir by the throat.
Hasir's eyes snapped open as he struggled against what he believed to still be the undead priest's rotting hands. He looked up and
saw Inigo grinning at him,
"Did you intentionally roll yourself up like a burrito?" He asked, sniggering
The Argonian snarled and hissed in indignation. He tried hard to extricate himself from his furry cocoon; using his claws to try to
rip the wolf fur away from his scaly skin. He landed with a thud on the hard wooden floor of the mead hall. He hissed in pain as he
got to his feet, rubbing his sore horns that scraped against the floor when he fell and looked incredulously at Inigo.
Inigo ignored this, walked over to Hasir and sat on the bed,
"You must've dreamt something horrible to tangle yourself like that." He said
Hasir told Inigo what he'd dreamed about the night before, in great detail. the blue khajiit looked at him as if he saw something he
couldn't explain. Inigo was going to say something but Hasir held up a hand and listened hard for something he'd thought Inigo
hadn't heard. Finally, after several seconds of silence, the Argonian heard heavy footfalls traverse the steps that stretched from the
main room of the hall to the undercroft and turn right. Inigo heard a knock on the door and leapt, cat-like, onto the bed near where
the Argonian stood.
Hasir groaned heavily as he gestured to the door. Inigo did not move as fear had paralyzed him. The argonian yelled at the top of his
lungs,
"Nirn to Inigo, the door? Shift yourself you dumb cat!" He hollered. Still, the khajiit did not much but stayed where he was. Hasir
walked over, grabbed the fur and yanked it out from underneath the khajiit. He crashed to the floor, got up and asked why the
Argonian did that. "Go and answer the door and never you mind why I did that. My reasons are my own." Inigo crossed the room,
mumbling under his breath and answered the door.
Kodlak stood framed in the doorway,
"Khajiit, mind if I come in?" He asked, scanning the room
Inigo closed the door so that a chinque of the outside corridor was visible. Hasir ran over to Inigo and wrenched the door open,
"Inigo, where are your manners? Erm... morning harbinger. Did Tilma send for you? Sorry if we were making too much noise. We can
quiet down if you would like." He said, smiling broadly
Hasir ignored this and asked the harbinger why he was here,
"I am here because Aela informed me that you two were making a lot of noise."
Hasir swore under his breath; he knew that he should've chastized Inigo more quietly; he started to apologize when Koldak held up a
hand,
"Wait, I'm not done." He said, entering the room, "You were making a lot of noise and Aela told me you were going to hunt
dragonpriests? I figured I would impart a rather important fact to you before you set off. Jarl Balgruuf told me he was talking to
master Angeir earlier and he learned that Angeir finally finished deciphering that mask that you gave him some time ago."
Hasir and Inigo both looked apalled as the harbinger sat him on the bed, gesturing for the Argonian and Khajiit to sit on either side
of him,
"As I said, Angeir finished deciphering Krosis' mask and found something rather unique about it," He glanced from Hasir to Inigo,
both there muched open in shock, "I mean other than the enchantment placed upon it." He said. "I heard from Bralgruuf that Angeir
told him that the mask, maybe all of the eight dragonpriests' masks, or as he calls them 'the priests of domination' have bits of
Molag Bal hidden inside them. He hid a bit of his soul in each mask for two reasons: so that he might better control his minions and
to ensure no one gains entry to or finds his temple."
Kodlak looked at Hasir. The Argonian stared back; an eyebrow raised,
"Erm... thanks harbinger, but I didn't need a history lesson."
Kodlak quickly apologized and asked Hasir what he would like to talk about then. Hasir opened his mouth but Inigo cut across him.
He told the harbinger about what he'd thought caused the Argonian to thrash about like a dying fish.
The Argonain hated having other people speak for him. Annoyed, the Argonian eyed the khajiit sardonically,
"Inigo, if anyone will fill him," He hissed, jerking his head toward the harbinger, "I will. I trust you will respect that and kindly
remove yourself from a situation that you have little or no information about." He said, his voice dripping with contempt, "unless, of
course, you wish to continue to tread in dangerouss waterss." He hissed; eyes narrowed dangerously.
Inigo conceded and walked to a nearby bed and sat down. Hasir, satisfied with this, hissed in contentment and turned back to
Kodlak. He hastily apologized for his incompetent friend's behavior and invited Kodlak inside. The harbinger strode over to a bed
across from Hasir's own. The Argonian sat on his own bed, tail curled on the bed behind him,
"Kodlak," Hasir began after moments of awkward silence, "I had a dream, neigh, a nightmare, last night. In the nightmare, I was
floating in Toal Bay and was soon picked up by the crew of the Argonian pirate, Red Bramman. One of his crew brought me to a table
in the ship's captain quarts, interviewed me and me being the dumb hatchling that I am, believed I was to be part of the reptilian
crew." Hasir shook his head, "Sadly, things did not go as planned. I was thrown into a jail cell, my only company being a small
female khajiit. The jailor left me and, hearing footsteps and thinking he was having seconds thought, I peered out and saw a being
with scabbed skin and a blue mask gliding towards me."
Kodlak thought about this carefully; he never really knew about Red Bramman until Hasir told him about his nightmare,
"Hasir... I-er, don't really now about Red Bramman but the dragonpriest does sound indicative of something. Maybe a deep fear or
something similar you may've long since buried?" He shook his head and laughed, "forgive me for prying but I think this is Inigo's
avenue of expertise, not mine." He turned toward the blue khajiit with an apologetic look on his aged face. "I do, however, know of
all the dragonpriests. I, too, have had dreams, or nightmares if you prefer, about the nords breaking into Molag's temple and being
curse with long life but at a price... to eternally guard the whereabouts of Molag Bal's temple." Hasir sat bolt upright, extremely
interested in this, "I also, in that same nightmare, saw the same priest you described creating a ninth mask, made for someone
called... Konahriik."
Hasir cocked his head in confusion as what Kodlak had said bounced around his mind like a khajiit who had too much skooma,
"Who is Konahriik?" He asked, furrowing his brow
Kodlak told him that Konahriik was a great nordic warlord who had once led the nord priests into battle against Molag Bal's
vampires. Hasir could see a great nord outfitted in nordic carved armor and wielded a nordic longsword as Kodlak told his,
Konahriik's tale. He could see his fellow nords rushing the vampires like waves on an ocean. The priests brandished silver swords,
light hitting them like as if they were bits of glass and plunged them into the vampires' chests, turning them to ash.
Their leader, Lamae Boelfag unsheathed her dagger-like claws and fangs dripping with the blood of her last kill and leapt at the
throng of the nord priests, flinging them aside like fleshflies bursting from a fleshpod. Hasir stared at Kodlak with intense interest.
Kodlak smiled and told him that Knoahriik, or, his nordic name, Newaak Doom-Finger, bellowed with rage as his saw his companions
hit the bestatued walls with such force that they were knocked unconscious. Lamae crept to one corner and prepared to feed on one
of the priests. There was a great magical explosion with the priest as the epicenter and the vampiress was knocked off her feet.
Lightning flew from Dagnir's hands as he lifted Lamae into the air and slammed her repeatedly into the stone floor. Newaark sprinted
behind Lamae and ran her through with his longsword; despite her being puncture like a skewered skeever, no blood pooled on the
floor. For a moment, Lamae Boelfag stared in disbelief at her body for a moment. Realizing what the nord had done, she screamed
various obscenities at him. Newaak grinned as the vampiress turned to ash and crumpled to the floor.
Hasir asked Kodlak how they turned into Molag Bal's undead slaves as he was told a different origins story,
"Patience, Argonian, I'll get to that. After Newaak killed the vampiress, a terrible voice echoed throughout the temple, threatening to
raze it to the ground. The voice said 'you fools, how dare you kill my most faithful servants, for that I shall turn you lot into my
servants." Kodlak described how the priest's skin began to fall off and tattered red robes began bursting from their chests topped
with bone armor. Masks burst from their skulls like some kind of forced helmet. Newaark look around himself to find eight
disheveled, fleshy draugr floating before him, wielding staffs of great power and masks of various colors adorning their heads.
Newaark asked the voice what was to become of him. The voice replied that he shall stand guard in Bromjunaar Sanctuary for
anyone who dares seek entry to the temple. And soon he became just as his followers, except he sported a yellow mask with
tusks and vanished to a sanctuary lost in time.
Kodlak finished his tale. Hasir and Inigo stared back at the harbinger with confused looks etched on their faces,
"Let me guess," Hasir said drumming his claws on a nearby bedstand, "We have to find all nine priests and pprocure their masks
correct?"
Kodlak shook his head not knowing anyone who can breath underwater hasn't yet grapsed his meaning,
"Yes," He quickly changed course due to Hasir's pained expression, "You Inigo and some of the other companion; Aela, Farkas and
Vilkas come to mind, will dispatch the priests of domination together. Only after you do this can you gain entry to Krovaxis."
Hasir raised an eyebrow,
"I'm sorry... what?"
Kodlak walked over to the bedside table near two beds sitting in the center of the room, took a map out of his bag, furled it and
placed it on the it. The map showed all of Tamriel, but had several important locations marked with ten red X's,
"Hasir and Inigo, can you come here please." Obediently, the Argonian and Khajiit hopped up and walked over to where the
harbinger stood. Kodlak gestured to the ruins of Valthume, north of Labyrinthian and Ragnvald, a ruin northeast of Markarth and told
Inigo and Hasir that Vilkas and Farkas will tackle the dragonpriests in those locations while The Argonian and Khajiit and the fiery
female nord would tackle Forelhorst, east of the city of Riften, a ruin of hidden magics northwest of Whiterun named Labyrinthian
and Highgate ruins west of Dawnstar. He then cleared his throat and said they must all band together to fight Nahkriin who can be
found at the Bronjaar sanctuary along with Kohnariik.
Hasir had no objection whatsoever in the assignment he was given but Inigo just stared off into space as some long forgotten secret
had just recently been brought to light,
"No harbinger, count me out, get Hasir to kill all of them, I am-"
Both Hasir and Kodlak looked amusedly at the Khajiit, who went white as a ghost,
"-Afraid of the undead, Inigo, we know." They said in unison
Hasir brought Inigo aside; he hated seeing his feline friend brought low like this, and whispered,
"Inigo, relaxxx, you will be fine." After he finished reassuring Inigo, he smiled and patted him on the back
Kodlak took the map, walked out of the room and into another room down the hall. Hasir, with his supernaturally enhanced hearing,
heard Kodlak showing the same map to the two nord twin brothers. Kodlak returned with Vilkas and Farkas dragging an insolent Aela
behind them. She yelled and screamed and had wood chips under her fingernails, which told Hasir that she tried fighting her
brothers off while trying to stop their forward momentum by digging her nails into the wooden doorframe that led to her room.
Aela looked, outraged, from Farkas to Vilkas; her gaze as fiery as he hair,
"You thick-headed morons, let me go! This isn't a proper mead hall msission, let me go, you gorillas! You buffoons told me that we
were hunting deer on the plains." She spat in Farkas' face. He wiped the spittle from his face, forwing, "Cute shield sister, real cute,
now get in there so they," He said, gesturing to Hasir and Inigo, who smiled, "can fill you in proper."This worked its way into her
rage-filled mind but she paid no heed to this or even thought on it. Her wolf fully enveloped her; making her almost inconsolable in
her anger. Vilkas and Farkas held Aela's arms tightly as her teeth continued to bite anything within reach.
Farkas and Vilkas stepped into the room just short of where Inigo, Hasir and Kodlak stood. Kodlak eyed Aela's frantic face,
"Ah, good, I heard Aela have been causing you some trouble. Her mother, Katria, may she hunt in the hunting grounds, taught me a
trick to quiet Aela." He strode over to Aela and started stroking her nose.
Aela fought and kicked hard as she could; Red growling for release; she stopped growling as soon as Kodlak stopped running his
finger along her nose,
"See?" He said, "you just have to know how to calm werewolves. He said. "For some, they calm down on their own. For other, more
tempramental, more emotional driven ones, like Aela, they take a little more... convincing." He said, smiling as he saw Aela come
back to herself.
Aela blinked heavily as she looked at the face smiling at her, through she still struggled against her idiotic bonds,
"Get off of me, you morons.My wolf is caged, let me go damnit." With surprising strenths, she ripped her arms free of her brothers'
grasp. She spun arround and shot daggers at them, brandishing her arrow at them, which she'd removed from her quiver slung
about her back, "You idiots lied to me." She snarled, her yellow eyes shone threw the black 'wolf-claw' like paint, "Do you know what
I do to liars?" She said, prodding each of her brothers with the business end of her arrow.
Farkas shook his head and fell silent while Vilkas decided to tempt fate a little,
"Do you forgive all wrongdoings and let him go?" He asked, stupidly
Aela moved closer to him so he could feel her breath on his face-hot as her voice and intensive stare,
"No, ice-brain, I release Red on them so she can have a bit of fun with them." She said, laughing
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