Kodlak beckoned all of them-the companions, Hasir and Inigo-to form a circle around him so he could go over how he wants this
sabotage operation to play out. They all stayed silent as Kodlak was pointing out a method of attack. After a while, Hasir spoke up,
"Do anyone know of Red Bramman? I had a 'dream' about him last night." For his insolence at discussing a topic not related to the
dragonpriest, or 'Priests of Domination' he recieved a sharp blow to the back of the head from Inigo,
"I don't think now's the best time to talk of such things my friend. Best wait until this arduous journey is over with." He then
motioned for Kodlak to continue. Kodlak nodded in thanks and finished without another intteruption.
The Harbinger, the companions and the newly appoint whelps filed out of the room and headed up the stairs, out onto the back
porch of the mead hall,
"Before we begin, I need to know what each of you is capable of, how much punishment you can take." The companions nodded
while Hasir and Inigo looked at him confused, "I'm sorry, what? I thought we were just going there and let whatever happens
happen."
Kodlak rounded on them and smiled as he clasped his hands behind his back,
"Fine. Let's see how well that works out... at least until one of us." He gestured to himself, Aela, Vilkas and Farkas, "has to bring
your sad, broken idiotic bodies back here to be buried because you were to foolish enough not to pay attention."
Hasir gulped, nodded and gestured to the far end of the training yard where Aela, Farkas and Vilkas stood, their backs to a figure the
Argonian thought he'd seen before. He looked back at Kodlak,
"Harbinger, I'll be careful and I'm sure Inigo will to but, erm, harbinger who is that?"
Kodlak smiled and led Hasir down the porch steps, over to the unknown visitor,
"Hasir, " He said gesturing to the male nord, who smiled, "this is Jarl Balgruuf's court wizard, Farengar. He has graciously agreed to
train you properly before you lot face the real Priests of Domination."
Hasir looked warily at him as if he was scared of being burnt by conjured fire and sniggered a little,
"Excuse me? What'll he do? Have us dodge ice spikes or firebolts?"
Kodlak laughed and shook his head. He gestured to Farengar, who stood up,
"No, not exactly. I'll have Farengar show you." He called out to Farengar, "I leave them in your capable hands." He said, tunning
away and retreating back up to the porch.
A rotting priest with the scabbed skin stretched taunt over its bleached bones. A flowing robe of leather covered the ski along with
bone armor adorning the leather robe. Hasir gawked at the undead creature, who had a matching hood as the robes, poking out of
the hood were glowing blue eyes staring out from a blue ancient burial mask.
Hasir backed away in shock, pointing at the creature, horrified,
"What in, How?" He looked from Aela to Vilkas to Farkas, who just ingored his pleading gaze, "Th-that's the creature I saw in my
dream. I've three questions. My first question is why was that in my dream? Now for the second question, how in Hircine's name did
you conjure the creature? The third question is more perplexing to me, do you expect the companions, Inigo and I to do battle with
that one undead being?"
Farengar shook his head and said he will be conjuring different dragonpriests for the khajiit, Aela, Farkas and Vilkas to practice on.
He didn't have time to tell Hasir to prepare himself with whatever method of denfense he preffered as the dragonpriest advanced on
the Argonian. Thinking quickly Hasir conjured a circle of molten rocks around himself and flung one after another at the
dragonpriest. The creature faltered a little but kept on coming at the Argonian, its soulless blues eyes sucking all the hope, it
seemed, from the world as it only had glowing eyes for Hasir, eye set to kill.
Hasir conjure another batch for gravitational fire stone and continued fling them at the being but they had little effect as, even
though the creature stopped one or twice it never stopped hunting the Argonian. Inigo grew worried and ran up the steps to help his
friend. Hasir heard a scream and saw Inigo topple backwards down the stairs. He knew now that running wasn't the answer, he had
to lizard up and fight the undead demon. Hasir unsheathed his flame whip and stood ready to fight, eyes narrowed as the undead
priest silently glided over the grey-stone proch towards him.
He conjured the circle of flame with an Akaviri banner in the center just as his mentor, Quinchal did all those years ago,
"Come at me, you undead bitch," He snarled. The aftershock from the banner's impact passed underneath the dragonpriest,
completely missing it, much to Hasir's disappointment.
The Argonian gripped the whip as tight as he could. The dragonpriest raised a scabbed arm from beneath its robe and light up with
shock magic. Hasir left the safety of the fire circle, unsheathed his sword and rammed it through the creature's chest. With its free
hand, it pulled the sword out of it's chest and shot a lightning burst at the Argonian; thinking quickly he dodged this and pulled the
creature close with his flame chain, or tried to. The undead priest grabbed the white-hot tether and yanked it hard, causing the
Argonian to tumple head over tail into a nearby wall. Hasir got up and ran straight at the creature, stopping only when he saw, in the
creature's flaming eyes, a realm devoid of life.
Horrified, the Argonian scuttled across the porch and backed up against the picnic table,
"What in Oblivion is this?" He asked, turned to the nord as if asking for help, "and why did I see Coldharbour?"
Farengar walked up the steps; glacing from the unmoving undead creature and the terrified Argonian,
"This is not a real dragonpriest," The nord said matter-of-factly, "Morokei here is a conjured copy of the real more dangerous threat."
Hasir looked at the Nord as if he taught him a concept that was beyond him and held up his clawed hands,
"Wait a minute, so you are teling me that that thing... is a copy? What does that mean exactly? Also, how did you know we were
hunting the Priests of Domination?"
He sat on the picnic table Hasir had recently plastered himself against and smied at the terrified Argonian,
"The original Morokei is somewhere in Skyrim resting in a nordic tomb; this is a nordic custom I do not expect you to understand."
He said reading the Argonian vacant expression.
Hasir got carefully to his feet as he felt a sudden rush of wind as a purple orb flew over him and sat in the center of the porch. The
Argonian's eyes widened as the purple orb grew larger until it was the size of one of the mead hall's doors. He watched in awe as the
summoned Morokei disappeared into the portal.
Hasir looked all around himself for any clues as to where the conjured priest could've gone. Farengar looked at him and smiled,
"You are wondering where he went I presume? I guess its time I lay all my cards on the table; at least, figuratively speaking. As you
may've no doubt been aware, I summon Morkei here to train you and Inigo up before you face your priest's." Hasir looked at him
and then at Aela, Vilkas and Farkas, "They have already proven their worthiness in defeating their summoned Priest of Domination.
The reason I am singling you and Inigo out is you two have not yet defeated your priests."
Farengar called Inigo over. Inigo heard and walked up the porch steps, sitting near Farengar on the bench. He inquired as to why
Farengar had called him. The court wizard smiled, raised both hands and summoned both Morokei-well a copy of him at least, and a
new priest, this one wearing a grey mask sporting the same robes as Morokei.
Inigo unsheated his ebony bow, Hasir's hand tightened on his iron sword and ran at the slowly appproaching dragonpriests. Again
Hasir calledd down the banner of flame, only this time the circle encased both the Argonian and Khajjit. As an added measure Hasir
also cast a spell that made the edge of the orange circle glowed a faint yellowish color.
Confused, Inigo stared at Hasir and ask what the yellow line was. He looked at Inigo and kindly responded,
"Inigo, it's quite simply really. The creatures are undead so I combined the two things undead cannot stand: fire and a turn undead
spell that made the faint circle you see before you." Inigo nodded and began firing arrow after arrow at their attackers. The arrows
knocked the priests back a bit but, relentless as they were, they kept coming. Inigo turned to Hasir and in a high whimpering voice
like that of a terrified dog asked his reptilian friend what they were going to do. Hasir smiled slyly, took a deep breath,
Youl Toor Shul!
Chairs andd tables were engulfed by the flame that erupted from the Argonian's mouth. He meant for the fire to burnt only the
dragonpriests but Farengar was also caught in the blaze. Farengar put out his spontaneous combusted robe with a glance and
looked, enraged from the Argonian to the dragonpriests, who had crumpled to bluish-white ash.
Farengar approached Hasir as if his gaze would catch the Argoinan, himself, aflame,
"What in Oblivion was that for?" He gasped, "I thought you were going to kill your own 'dragonpriest' not outright murder Inigo's as
well." He said, outraged that his creation he had meant for two poeple to battle was quickly fell by one oblivious Argonian. "Just look
at the state of the porch. I expect Kodlak will have you thrown out for this!" He said, his blood pressure raising with every word he
spoke.
At that moment, Kodlak came out into the yard, his eyes wide in shock at all the burnt furniture,
"Alright, what is the meaning of this?" He said, looking from the Argonian to the Nord and Khajiit. "Do you know that Tilma bought
this furniture with her own money? She will have whoever did this feel her mop." He sniffed the air. It smelled of burnt wood and
magic.
Koldak rounded on Hasir, the Argonian backed away from the dagger-like stare of the harbinger, pressing himself up against the rear
wall of the training yard, between the dummies. Kodlak approached him like a wolf out for blood,
"Hasir, why did you do this? Well... I'm waiting." He said, his foot tapping incessantly
Hasir gulped and told the harbinger that the court wizard conjured dragonpriests from them to test their abilities against before they
go after the real thing. The harbinger unsheathed his sword and pressed it against the torso of one of the training dummies,
"I smell deceit in your voice, are you lying to me, Hasir?" He said pressing the sword even further again the dummy causing bits of
wood to flake off. Hasir shook his head. Kodlak took his sword and lobbed off the head of the dummy. The argonian cowered where
he stood as he heard a loud thud.
Kodlak looked at Hasir and again repeated his question,
"Just be glad it wasn't your head. Now did you or did you not cause the fire?"
Hasir nodded and told Kodlak that he thought the fire could be more controlled than it was. He did not foresee it burning down the
furniture. Kodlak nodded and thanked him for his honesty,
"Sso, am I free to go?" He asked, already knowing the answer
Kodlak shook his head and chuckled to himself. Hasir did not know how he could find humor in a such a bleak dire situation, "No, not by a
long shot, you are going to help Tilma refurnish this porch and you are going to get rid of all the burnt wood before Tilma sees it. Good
gods boy, did you even practice that shout? Did you know what could happen if someone unpracticed in a shout that destructive shouts it?
By Oblivion, the entire mead hall could've went up in flames." He jabbed Hasir hard it the chest with his sword, "If that happened, you will
not only will you have to answer to Tilma but to a horde of angry Companions and whelps as well."
Hasir groaned as the harbinger fixed him with an angry stare. Hasir knew he'd gone to far,
Now, I have a mind to strip you of your nely gained title, but, I am going to be easy on you."
The argonian hissed a sigh of relief at this,
Thank you Harbinger, it won't happen again, I promise you."
The Harbinger jabbed his sword at Hasir chest,
"It'd better not. Two more stunts like that and you are not only stripped of your title, you will be on the streets faster than you can
say 'Hircine help me' got it? Now go to bed, I am done talking."
Hasir ran into the mead hall and down the steps to the whelps' sleeping quarters. He rolled over and thought of what Kodlak had said
and how well he would fare out on the streets like many a beggar he passed when he came into town the first time. Hasir looked up
at the bare wooden ceiling and wondered if any of the companions had ever made any mistakes and how harshly Kodlak birated
them; if at all. Feeling sleep overtake him he rolled onto his side and fell asleep.
Hasir fell into a much needed restful sleep and while his mind was flooded with visions of Kodlak, the maid and the whelps standing
among their burnt down home, kicking him, quite literally, from the wreckage of the once proud mead hall, he did not let this
hamper his otherwise mirthful spirits. Hasir instead shifted this dream to a more favorable one, he was back in the hold of Red
Bramman's ship, the Crimson Wamasu. He got up from where he'd fallen and glanced left and saw the yellow female kitten looking
at him; wonder in her eyes.
She leaned forward; as much as she could without the iron bars cutting into her skin and called to the Argonian,
"Hey, what did the pirates get you for? I was taken away from my parents back in Anequina." Hasir could see she had been crying.
He wanted to console her but did not dare try it if she was in any way ingenuine. She strenched her hand towards Hasir and,
instictivly, he reached out and took her hand. She sniffed, "thank you. It's nice to know there are good people aboard this ship and
not just mean pirates." She said smiling at him as she wiped her eye
Hasir 'smiled' back at her. He was half expecting her to cry or shrink against the far corner of her cage but she did neither. The
khajiit cursed herself for being so rude,
"Oh, er, my name is Leah by the way." Hasir grasped her hand and returned the kind gesture, "Nice to meet you, Leah, my name's
Hasir. So, er, how do we get out of here?"
Leah told Hasir that Red Bramman keeps them with him in his cabin. Hasir smiled widely and stuck his tail out of the bars, slithering
it in the tiny hole and manuvered it around a bit unitl he heard a click and the cage door swinging open. Hasir just laughed at Leah's
befuddled expression and stuck a claw into the lcok on her cage. The door swung open as it banged into the wall of the hold.
Hasir looked quickly around him to make sure there were no guards. Hasir snuck out into the corridor and motioned for Leah to
follow him, she did as he asked. Hasir lockpicked the trapdoor and pushed. The argonian and the khajiit found themselves in the
grand dining room at the rear of the ship. Leah gapped at the crates belonging to the East Empire Company standing in the corner
and wanted to investigate further but Hasir shook his head, pointing silently to the door.
Leah sighed and followed the Argonian out on to deck; all the while thinking 'what a moron.' They saw Red running around the ship
barking orders at his men as, in the distance a faint outline of a city could be seen,
"Olik, what's the status of the mainsail? How the wind up there?" He said, staring at the crow's nest atop the mast, "It's blowing
something pretty feirce Captain but the main sail is unfurled, we should be at Thorn is a couple of minutes Captain... and that city
looks rife with treasures untold."
Red Bramman rubbed his claws together. He knew that by the code of parlay, the treasure must be shared, in equal measure
amongst the crew and they can spend it as they wished: on more Argonian Ale, supplies for themselves or the ship or, for some lusty
Argonian maids. It was then that Red noticed Leah and Hasir, "What in the Doomstrider's name are you doing out of your cells, did
Olik not lock you in tight enough?"
Leah snarled and unsheathed her claws, which were as small and as tiny as iron daggers,
"You dirty seadog, how dare you steal me away from my mom and dad. They will be worried sick if I'm not home soon."
Red Bramman roared with laughed at this,
"Listen, young cat, according to the code, we can not return to a city once we've taken our share forom it."
Leah advanced on the Captain despite Hasir's best attempts to held her back,
"Code? What code? I was told of no code when you dump me on your ship!"
Red smiled and ruffled Leah's fur so that she looked more like a disheveled lion than a khajiit,
"The code? Why, the code of the Hist, young missy. We'd be daft to go against the code."
Leah wanted to argue the point but decided against it, she did not want to make matters worse for herself. Red glared at her, eyes
narrowed,
"Why are you on deck? How did you escape the cells? The key is locked up tight in my quarters. How in Oblivion? Tell me or I'll
keelhaul both of you.
Hasir told captain Bramman that he used his tail as a lockpick and then use his claws to pick the second lock on the young khajiit's
cage. The captain beamed at this, he could use some skullduggery such as this on his travels. He, however, made the mistake of
chastzing the Argonian for it,
"You stupid lizard, why would you do a follhardy thing like that? Are you daft?" At this, Hasir began transforming in the light of the
crescent moon they were sailing under. When the transformation had finished, instead of being afraid like the rest of his crew, Red
just stood there with a big grin on his face, "Look, sorry about calling you 'stupid lizard,' er, how about we strike a deal?"
Hasir relaxed as his argonian self took over again. His eyes lit up with the prospect,
"Join you crew and become a pirate? Nature gods be praised, I've never joined a pirate crew before." He said, his tail dancing
excitedly behind him.
Captain bramman grinned broadly as he heard the Argonian's excitement and affirmation of his deal,
"Great, er, I can honestly say we, the crew and I, have never had a werewolf in our crew before. The added muscle will certainly
expected us in our, er, endeavors.
Hasir's brow furrowed,
"You mean stealing other people's stuff?"
Bramman roared with laughter and shook his head, his red leaf-like hair swaying in the breeze,
"Steal is such a... strong word. We preffer to see it as borrowing without permission."
Hasir gapep at the Argonian captain and wanted to say he saw it differenlty but he was rudely awakened by a furry blue hand gently
shaking him,
"Hircine's claws, what is it Inigo, can't you see I was having a nice dream?" He said sleepily, wiping his eyes
Inigo nodded and leapt off the bed, causing Hasir to stare at him in surprise,
"I am sure you haven't forgotten what today is my friend?" He said, griining at him
Hasir fained stupidity; wanting to return to his dream which he truly relished,
"Time to go back to sleep?" He said, yawning openly, "Come back in the morning." He said as he rolled over to face the wall opposite
Inigo laughed as he shook his head. His face suddenly grew dark as the Argonian made to bite him,
"More like 'time to get up', my friend, it is morning." He said, striding over to the door, "See you upstairs." He said, stifling a snigger
as he bolted down the hall and upstairs, distancing himself from the chase that would soon follow. The argonian got up, dressed in a
miner's shirt and brown slacks that Tilma had lain out a night before. Hasir put on the armor and feeling the tightness in the armor
forcing him to think against it and dropped the armor where he stood. He left the room, heading for the upstairs room.
Arriving in the main room of the mead hall, he strode over to a table in the corner, where Inigo sat talking to Affraji-who had
recently came into the hall after her brief stay at the Bannered Mare-the main inn of this bustling city. Hasir smiled and strode over
to the table, his tail swinging side to side behind him, and sat down,
"What are you guys talking about?" He asked as he downed a mug of mead that the blue khajiit had poured him
Inigo leaned closer to him, "My friend, we were talking about the task that looms before us like an impenetrable blanket of fog.
Affraji said she would love to bash some undead heads in. Hasir nodded but his mouth started watering as he saw, on the main table
two empty seats next to Aela and Vilkas along with two suculent meals of venison and two helpings of kwama eggs sunny-side up.
Hasir inquired who those seats were saved for. He turned as he saw Aela approaching him, holding two plates of vension and
kwama eggs.
Hasir asked Aela jokingly if she was kicked out from the main table because she lost a bet. Aela snarled in response,
"Very funny, you filthy lizard. I, er, came here because Tilam came to me and gestured to your table, wondering why it did not have
plates on it. Aela turned to leave but Inigo sniggered behind his hand as he watched Aela saunter away. Hasir smacked Inigo on his
shoulder. The khajiit recoiled in fear, "What was that for? I was only looking my friend, no harm in looking is there?"
Hasir snarled at Inigo for he knew he was not being truthful. The khajiit's shoulders slumped as he sighed, tittering a little. Hasir
asked the khajiit what in Tamriel could be so funny,
"My friend, you may not know this, but," He glanced quickly around to see if anyone was eavesdropping. The other companions
seemed too busy on their breakfasts to care, " I hypnotized Aela."
Hasir spat on his Kwama egg so fast it almost hit the blue khaiit,
"You what?" He gasped, "If she ever finds out, you will be in more than just hot water with her," He whispered, shocked, a finger
pointed at the fiery-haired Nord, "By Oblivion, you will be in hot lava... as in Aela will personally send you to Coldharbour."
"But enough of that." Hasir said, waving his hands. He turned to Affraji, the leopard-spotted khajiit put her fork down and looked up
from her meal, Yes, does Argonian want something with Affraji? Hasir asked her if she can tell him more of Red Bramman. Affraji's
brow creased as she huffed impatiently, "Can't it wait until later, as you can see this one is eating and she does not answer questions
on an empty stomach."
Hasir shook his head and looked, sadly at the khajiit,
"No, it can't. Before you get you whiskers in a tangle, let me explain."
He explained that he needed to know more about the seafaring Saxheel that he heard the other night because he had had two
dreams about him, both occuring on seperate nights. He also explained what transpired in those dream. When he''d finished his
explanation, Affraji's amber eyes grew from almonds to juniper berries.
She looked at Hasir, a black eyebrow raised,
"Is Argonian sure of this? You saw Bramman in your dreams, he treated you badly and who was this yellow khajiit inside a cage? Did
she have a name?"
Hasir nodded and eyedd the lepordine khajiit with a knowing smile,
"Yes, I do. Her name was.... Leah."
Inigo's ears perked up at this. He'd never heard of his mother's childhood. He wondered if the hatchling that would become his
father was aboard the ship as well. He asked the argonian if any word of his father was mentioned in his, Hasir's dream. Hasir shook
his head again and told the impertenent khajiit that he'd olny seen Leah as she was in the hold in a cage next to his, he'd not even
set foot on the deck of the ship, well, he did but he woke up before he'd any chance of further exploration.
Both Inigo and Affraji looked at him shocked,
"Did you at least see any part of the deck before you awoke?" They said in unison
Hasir's eyes were unfocused for a time; as if the dream he'd had the night previous was a fish that was constantly eluding him,
"Only thing I remember before I woke was Bramman getting excited when I transformed into wolf form. He'd said that he did not
have a werewolf in his crew before and that my unique ability, unseen by any pirate on Tamriel, would useful prove in their coming
endeavors."
Both khajiit looked at the argonian as if he suffered some kind of greivous head wound,
"What are these 'endeavors' exactly?"
Hasir said he'd guessed that the 'endeavors' meant plundering and pillaging cities; looking for anything of value that they, the
pirates, could get their filthy claws on: tools for their ship, women for them to defile and Argonian ale. The Khajiit slammed down his
mug in a fit of anger, "Filthy pirates, they think they can go into cities and raid, plunder and pillage whenever they please. Someone
should hang them for their wrongdoings. In the process of wiping off mead that sprayed during the mini-outburst, Affraji shot his a
discouraging look. She punched Inigo in the shoulder while holding a dagger above Inigo's tail with the other hand, "You'd better
apologize to Hasir and Affraji right now for splashing us with the foul smelling liquid. Oh, and while she is at it, care to tell Affraji why
blue khajiit dislikes pirates? Besmirching pirates means besmirching Affraji's ancestors... and she'll not let that stand."
Hasir grabbed for a cloth in his bag that sat in the empty chair to relieve Affraji and himself from the sticky amber liquid, After
blindly gropping around for a few seconds, he found one and proceeded to soaking the mead into the cloth. He cast Affraji an
apologetic look while he passed her the damp leather cloth so she could do the same removal of mead from her body.
Inigo bowed his head; he knew Affraji's words had some truth to them. He turned to Hasir, brought the mug to his lips and paused,
remembering his overidulgance of the vile drink many moons ago,
"What in Oblivion am I doing?" He thought. Disgusted with himself, he placed the mug back on the table, "Hasir would you mind
finishing whatever is left, I... am reminded of how much I despise mead... and, sorry."
The argonian did not ask why the khajiit hated mead. He knew full well the events of months past where the khajiit was drunker
than a scrib who accidentally fell into a vat of mead,
"Inigo, it is all water under the bridge and I will neither ask nor fault you for it. But I must ask, what in Oblivion are you apologizing
for?"
Inigo grinned; thanking his friend for nnot breaching the dreaded topic. He stared at the Argonian who had just down what was left
of Inigo's mug of mead with apologetic eyes, "I am sorry for spilling mead all over you and Affraji, I should've never brought my
emotions into this, and for that, I am truly sorry."
Hasir shook his head; stating no apology was nessecary. He smiled as he saw Inigo smiled back. He got up as Inigo walked over to
the kitchen to see if they had another beverage for him to indulge in. Hasir's smile faded as he looked over at Affraji, patted her
arm that rested on the table and said that it was wrong for Inigo to say that about her grandfather and that he should've kept those
thoughts to himself.
The khajiit smiled back. She was glad she had someone at the table who was not hard-headed and ignorant,
"Thank you Argonian, your words are like warm sand between this one's toes." Hasir's face turned a light shade of crimson at these
words, "You wanted to hear more of Red Bramman, yes?" She asked him curiously. He nodded.
The Argonian looked toward the door that led to the training yard,
"Affraji, can we go somewhere more... private to continue our conversation?"
She raised a thin brown eyebrow, looking all aroud the hall for someone Hasir couldn't see, much less smell,
"Why, is somethhing bothering Hasir? If there is Affrajji will fix it. Is the insolent blue khajiit bothering you? Speaking of that one,
she wonders where he went."
The Argonian shrugged,
"I dunno, I just want somewhere where we won't be," "He jerked his head is the direction of the kitchen, "...interrupted."
Affraji nodded and followed Hasir out onto the porch of the meadhall. She made sure to leave before Inigo became curious and
asked where his scaly friend went. The leopard-spotted khajiit found the grinning Argonian sitting at the picnic table and sat down
across from him.
The khajiit looked at Hasir with the fire of knowledge burning in her eyes,
"Argonian, This one hasn't told you about Red Bramman, and for that, Affraji apologizes." She said, putting her hand on her chest
and bowing toward the shocked Argonian.
Hasir shrugged this off like a dog trying to rid itself of fleas,
"You don't have to apologize, I..."
Affraji narrowed her eyes at him, putting her hand up which forced Hasir to thump back down on the bench,
"I do, actually, because Affraji felt terrible that she didn't continue the tale after Hasir interrupted her." She sighed and bowed her
head, "This one is so sorry." She raised her head, taking severral deep breaths to compose herself, "But, she is prepared to tell Hasir
to rest of the tale."
Hasir turned from the khajiit, looking at the mead hall door which opened and a blue khajiit walked out and sat beside the Argonian,
"I was looking all over the mead hall for you guys, where in Oblivion did you go?"
Hasir was going to answer that but Affraji cut across him,
"The argonian was just showing Affraji how to use the wooden dummies." She lied, winking at Hasir
Inigo's eyes narrowed. Hasir, affirming the 'story' that Affraji had told, nodded and patted the seat beside him,
"Good to see you Inigo," He said, tail swaying behind him, "Come join us and Affraji'll tell you about how this one trained him in the
way of the sword."
Inigo roared with laughter as he shook his head, eyeing her with big, round pumpkin-like eyes that seemed to see through her
deception,
"Come on Affraji, out with it. We both know that you already know how to use a sword. So what is the deal? Come on, you can tell
me." He said, grinning toothily.
Affraji shook his head and hissed angrily at him. Inigo recoiled as if he were a rabbit cornered by a very hungry wolf,
"No." She barked as she pointed to the door, "khajiit should leave. now. before he sees how sharp her claws are." She snarled,
unsheating her claws.
Inigo resumed his seat and stared at Affraji, not speaking. Afffraji grunted, not finding Inigo's silence genuine. She thought he was
biting a retort about her grandfather. She looked at Hasir and brushed the long dreadlcoks out of her face,
"Red Bramman and his crew attacked coastal cities along the Topal bay, mercilessly illing people who try to withold their treasures
from them. She told him that one such villager family fought against them and Bramman decided to kidnap their daughter, brought
back to his ship and watched as her parents' blood spilled into the water as their bodies were dumped overboard."
Hasir cringed a bit; the Red Bramman in his dream certainly wasn't THIS brutal,
"Scared argonian?" Affraji asked, striding up and down the porch, "This one would consider Argonian bizarre if he wasn't. You eyes
hold another question and yes, the crew did pillage the village, leaving houses bare and their inhabitants dead." To solidify this fact,
she dragged a claw across her throat." Hasir asked above the treausre they stole and what they did with it. The leopsrdine khajiit
grinned as if she'd just found out a particulary dirty secret, "Ah, yes, Argonian wonders this too, yes? Affraji is not sure but she
thinks their is a cave along the coast where Bramman and his crew operated."
Hasir thought on this. He'd never, in his dream, heard of any mention of where Bramman hid the treasure he took from coastal
cities. Come to this of it, he'd never heard of any of Red Bramman's wrongdoings. All he was told, in his dream, was that Bramman
thought him an asset to his crew on their next 'endeavor.'
Affraji stared at him in shock at this. She speak over a minute trying to find her voice,
"Hasir was shanghaied into Bramman's crew, This one understands it is just a dream, but why?"
Hasir looked at her, his face darkened as he shook his head,
"They said they'd never seen a werewolf before... wait a minute. didn't I already tell you this?"
Affraji thought on this a bit and decided he had. She gaze to the meadhall door,
"Shall we go back inside? This one is extremely thirsty. She'll even buy Argonian and khajiit a drink. A favor for a favor, yes?" Hasir
nodded, saying this was acceptable. Affraji looked at Inigo who held up his mug, the brown liguid half gone. They went inside and
took they seats at the table they had vacated moments before. Affraji went to sit with them but stopped as she saw two mugs just
sitting on the horseshoe table. She grinned, picked them up went into the kitchen and filled them from one of the wooden mead
barrels that stood next to the sink."
Affraji sat down with her mugs. She slid one across the table to the Argonian and took a swig from hers and set it on the table. She
cast a sidelong glance at the horshoe table where the circle members were sitting enjonying a lunch or venison chops and mead.
Kodlak got up for his seat and becokened for the three creatures to join them; they did so. Inigo sat next to Farkas, Hasir next to
Aela and Affraji next to Vilkas.
Everyone was silent; the companions focus more on the meals than anything else. Aela broke the silence with a growl,
"Harbinger, why do I have to sit next to this, er, flea ridden scoundrel?" She then added in an undertone so that the circle wouldn't
hear her, "who should've gone home when he had the chance."
Vilkas roared with laughter at this. This act alone caused Aela to grow red in the face,
"So I guess getting the blue khajiit to hypnotize you was all for naught then?" Aela looked away from the stubborn Argonian
and punched Vilkas in the face so hard he toppled out of his chair onto the floor, mead spilling down his front.
Aela roared with laughter as she thumped the table with her fist,
"Well, that's what you get for making fun of something," Her eyes found Inigo who cowered before her accusing gaze, her mouth
forming into a malicious snarl, "that ought to've been kept secret."
Her gaze returned to Vilkas, who righted his chair, putting the mug on the table in front of him and grinned stupidly. Aela gave up on
him and returned to glaring at the Argonian. The argonian looked at the harbinger and grinned; glad he had some reprieve from the
fiery-hard nord's equally fiery temper. Aela huffed in annoyance and turned her eyes on the harbinger. She was not the only one to
do so. Every member of the circle turned toward him; except Hasir and Inigo who were just whelps, and Affraji who was not even a
member.
Kodlak cleared his throat. He shot Aela a scathing look,
"Aela, please stop torturing Hasir and Vilkas." He saiid in anger. Kodlak started to speak but Hasir stood up and called for silence.
The room fell silent as the Argonian told them of both the priests of domination and the conduits of nature destruction. Hasir told the
companions that Inigo, Affraji, another Argonian named Mere-Glim and a high elf named Ceralyne already defeated one of the
guardians of the first conduit.
Kodlak thrust his hand in his trousers pocket, unfurling a map on the table and glancing at the companions over the map. He
beckoned the Argonian forward and pointed out the marked locations for each of the priests of domination. The harbinger handed
the map to Hasir and told him to mark the locations of the destruction conduits. The argonian found a charcoal piece next to the map
and drew black circles around the dwemer ruins of Blackreach and Kagrenzel. His face screwed up his face and drew a circle on the
supposed spot of Krovaxis, Molag Bal's temple.
Kodlak handed Hasir the map. The argonian smiled and thanked him. He folded up the map neatly and placed it in his pocket, sure
he'd be needing it later and sat back down next to Aela, grinning as though he had just found the cure for Yellow Fever.
Aela looked at him confues as to why he was grinning like an idiot,
"Why are you so happy, Is it perhaps because you've decided to leave?" She laughed but Kodlak shot her a disapproving glance and
shook his head, "My word, girl, why must you always be so mean to those different than you? It's unhealthy to think like that, you
know."
Aela shrugged this off a the Argonian unfolded the map and placed it in the center of the table some everyone could see it,
"No you daft nord! I was grinning because We are finally going forward with our plan to destroy Molag Bal. It's the classic 'get him
before he gets us' scenario." Aela just huffed in anger and sat in silence while the Argonian split the duties amongst himself, Inigo,
Affraji and the circle of the companions.
With alll their duties decided upon, Hasir yawned and glanced up at the starry sky visible in the cracks of the boat that served as the
roof of the mead hall,
"But, by Hircine am I tired. We can reconvene this meeting tomorrow as we set out of our different destinations, yes?" He looked
around the room to see nords either yawning from tiredness or nodding their affirmation. Hasir folded the map up, placed it into his
pocket and headed down to the undercroft with the other companions.
He got to his room where he found Inigo already asleep; his tail visible under the wolf furred covers. He smiled and saw, in the bed
next to the nightstand lay affraji her beweled drealocks barely visible as her yellow furred head lay on the pillow. He grinned
satisfactorily to himself as he got into his own bed, wriggling under the covers. His last noticable thought before drifting off to sleep
was I wonder how in Oblivion I am to whip the companions into a cohesive unit? They, especially that Aela, are as different as flint
iand oil.
Hasir rolled over and went straight to sleep, hearing nothing but the snores coming from Inigo's bed. A few seconds later, Hasir
found himself in the cabin on the aftdeck; sitting at the long table with Red Bramman at the table's head. Sitting on either side of
him were his crewmembers: a muddy green Argonian named Olik who wore black shoes, brown trousers and a miner's shirt, a
surly looking Khajiit named J'adrie wearing a matching outfit as Olik. Silmilarly dress were the Argonians on Bramman's left side
named Keel and Xihm.
Hasir smiled at Leah who sat next to him, feeling nervous and reassured her. He looking across the table at J'adrie and gave an
awkward smile. The khajiit male ignored him and looked, instead at Bramman who stood up and adressedd the crew,
"Lads, I am proud to announce that we now have have two new crewmembers with us tonight," He gestured to the green Argonian
sitting five seats away from him and the small kitten next to the Argonian, "Gents, raise your mugs as we give thesee wayward souls
a proper weclome."
Hasir didn't know whether him being shanghaied into the crew against his will was a good idea or not; nevertheless, both he and
Leah stood with the captian and his crew, mugs in hand. They raised their mugs in salute and drank just as the crew had done
moments before. He shivered as the rrepulsive drink made its way down his esophagus. With every last drop of ale drained from
their mugs, both Hasir and Leah resumed their seats just as the captain and the crew had done.
Red Bramman reached for a plate full of rolls and apples, plucked a juicy green apple from the plate and bit into it. While he
munched on it, he looked to his crew, gesturing to the food,
"Well, don't just stand on ceremony, eat, you earned it, especially after that successful raid on Thorn a few nights previous. You'll
need your strength for our next job."
The crew, mouth's watering, reached for any bit of food they could reach and began stuffing their mouths. Hasir and Leah
glanced around the table and cringed a bit as everyonee even the khajiit, who Hasir had previously thought were civil people,
obsessed with manners and cleanliness, stuffed his face with anything that was within reach: apples, meat, rolls and berries. He
nearly gagged as he saw the fangs greedily tear into the food, letting the juices from said food dripped down his chin with nary a
thought.
Hasir grimaced a bit as he reached for a plate of grapes sitting near the center of the table; afraid he might be berated for being
rude. Hasir's black claw just managed to pinch the skin of the one of the grapes when Red Bramman cleared his throat, Bramman
got up and strode up and down beside the table looking at each crewmember,
"Mates, I heard from the Wolves of the Sea, a council that you lot now swear loyalty to since I've rescue you from your years of
unjust slavery, this includes you two, Hasir, Leah," He said, narrowing his eyes as he pointed to the little kitten and the wayward
Argonian.
He cleared his throat and continued, "You see, the pirate commitee pass down all our marks including villages to seize treasure from,
the most valuable loot and the ships that have equally valuable treasure aboard. The commitee is bound by the code of the Hist, as
are those of us theives that sail the seas, not that we are thieves mind you, we justdo it to make abetter life for ourselves; Xuth to
those that think otherwise, namely the East Empire Company and the ruling empress."
Olik glanced hard at his captain, unsheathing his dagger and stabbing it into the table,
"For the love of the hist, stop skirting around the issue for howling out loud and tell us what we need to know."
Red Bramman told them that the flagship in the Imperial navy, the Sea Dragon, is currently moored in Windhelm, in the province of
Skyrim. Aboard that ship lay the treasure of the legendary pirate lord Captain Blackhear, who struck a deal with Molag Bal to make
him undead. Hasir cocked his head in a thoughtful manner. Bramman nodded at him,
"Aye, he struck the deal because he was dying of brain rot; 'tis a frightfully debilating disease that makes the brain fry in the skull
like a slaughterfish egg cooking over an open fire. You'll not live long, deteriating before your loved ones' eyes, not even achieving
the glory that is old age. Saadly, most victims die within their second decade on Nirn." He bowed his head and closed his eyes, "Such
a fate is tragic, more tragic even than dying while being keelhauled."
Hasir creased his forehead,
"Keelhauled? What in Oblivion is that?" He asked perplexed
Bramman opened his eyes, looked at Hasir and told him that 'Keelhauling' meant throwing a disloyal seadog overboard when tied to
the bow and drags him beneath the ship while the ragged coral and the frigid temperatures of the sea rips and and freezes the skin.
He said if the scurvy scoundrel isn't torn apart or frozen to death by the frigid temperatures, he is left in the brig where he slowly
goes mad and ultimately, takes his own life..
Hasir cringed horribly and this and instead asked of Blackheart's treasure. Bramman and his crew took turn describing, in great
detail, the treasure they longed to get their claws on. Bramman instructed his men to go below and get some sleep for tomorrow
they would set out for Windhelm. The crew acknoledged and went below to a room the Argonian and khajiit had never seen before
where brown lengths of cloth were suspended between wooden poles that support the aftdeck of the ship. The crew scrambled into
their hammocks and were fast asleep by the time he and Leah crawl into theirs. Hasir thought about the treasure aboard the Sea
Dragon and why exactly Red Bramman wanted it. He smiled to himself as sleep drapped over him like a warm blanket.
Hasir awoke to not the sounds of scurring feet as the went above deck, but the silence of the mead hall. He glanced to his left and
saw two new bodies accompanying the beds across from him. Everyone got up and dressed, Hasir lay their, the events of his dream
still fresh in his mind, trying to sort it all out when Inigo walked over and asked him if he was about to make good on the promise
they, the companions, agreed upon the night previous.
Hasir's brow furrowed as he put on his armor. He approached the bedstand, took the jug of water and drained half of it,
"What promise? I don't recall making a promise to you." He said screwing up his face in thought. "Come to think of it, we've not yet
finished deicided who was going to do what yet."
Inigo started walking to the door and gestured for the Argonian to follow him,
"Well then, come on. We can decide those matters over breakfast. The members of the circle are probably waiting for us as we
speak." He grinned at Hasir as he walked past him.
When they walked into the main room of the mead hall, Hasir and Inigo saw the other companions and the harbinger already sitting
at the table waiting for them. The Astonished argonian and the blue khajiit took their places at the table. The Argonian took the
map out of his trouser pocket and placed it on the wooden surface pointing to it and barking instructions to each Compoanion,
"Farkas, you'll go to Labyrinthian and tackle Morokei, Vilkas, you'll go to Valthume and tackle Havnoraak," He stopped and glanced
over to two chairs next to Vilkas, 'Ceralyne, Rakel, when in Oblivion did you get here?" Hasir waved a hand in front of his face,
"Never Mind, you guys can take down... Otar and Nahkriin both found at Valthume north of Markath." He turned and gestured to
Kodlak, "harbinger, go to Volskygge and tackle Volsung." He turned to the grisled grey-har=ired nord at the chair next to the fire,
"Skjor, you are to go to High Gate Ruins and kill Vokun." He stood up and adressed the room at large, "right, now you have your
tasks, now get to it. When the temple door openes," He said, smirking, "we'll strike out properly to cripple Molag Bal."
Kodlak raised a bushy white eyebrow and look confusedly at the overconfident Argonian,
"Erm... Hasir, I would join you but if I go who in Oblivion will run the mead hall? Not only that but where do you, Inigo and Affraji fit
into all of this?"
Hasir froze; he 'd not expected the harbinger to see this possible snag in his plan. The argonian quickly turned around and stared at
the harbinger,
"Kodlak, Ingio, Affraji and I will've the most important job of all. We've got the task to destroy the dwarven conduits to save the Nirn
from slowly being killed; thereby killing everything Lycanthropes hold dear."
Vilkas snigger,
"Erm, what do deer have to do with this?"
Hasir sighed, shooting Vilkas a dirty look that he hoped Aela and Farkas did not see,
"I said 'dear' not 'deer' you moron, get your head out your ass for howling out loud, hsss!"
Hasir closed his eyes, putting his hands on the table, trying to compose himself, "Anyway, before I wass rudely interrupted," He
snarled, glaring at Vilkas, "I was about to say that the tree of Kynareth and the plants and animals that feed off of Kynareth's sacred
symbol would die. We, Inigo, Affraji and I will do our damndest to prevent that from happening by going to three locations; he
pointed to each with a black claw. "Blackreach" He gestured to the west of Red Road Pass, "Mzinchaleft" He gestured to the
northwest of Red Road Pass, "Finally, after we've destroyed those conduits, we'll go here, where the final conduit is." He gestured to
a cave in the center on an island in the center of sea of ghosts.
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