Chapter 11
Mafala's Will
Present Day - Stormhold Sewers
Faradin stepped lithely into the chamber asking once more, "Know what?"
He tried to keep his voice calm and steady, doing all he could to hide the anger steadily growing beneath his veneer. This room smells of too much blood - Blood and lies.
Ri'shai's eyes were closed, air was whipping around the room. She was meditating again, channeling her magicka to keep herself afloat in the air. Faradin believed that she channeled several schools of magicka when in this state.
"Ahh yes brother, we were just speaking about you, we were saying that you must not know how precarious the situation with the Shadow-scales has become. You have spent much time in Mournehold, and these rash hatchlings grow braver every day."
Faradin thought a moment. Could it be a lie? It was possible. Tolan was right in the fact that Faradin had returned to Mournehold as of late. He had committed his resources to securing the Hlaalu assassins -- now that the Morag Tong had fallen from grace. On the other hand, Tolan was giving him one of his grins. That usually meant a lie. Not always, but usually.
"This one sees, well you called us here for a reason, and I doubt it was this bosmer." Faradin said, gesturing to the creature before him.
It was strange to see her out of bed. She had such vile wounds earlier, her skin as white as Tolan's fur, shaking and frothing at the mouth. Faradin could see now that this woman held a resolve greater than that of a damsel, she was a warrior under those wounds, Faradin could smell it on her. Her eyes were narrow, staring at Faradin with hatred.
She would be the death of them.
"Over the last three moons, Tolan has spotted more and more prowling shadow-scales. Usually Tolan leaves them alone. Lately they have been entering Stormhold itself. They should know better, the Dar'kir own Stormhold." Tolan said.
Faradin thought about the whole situation. To him the answer seemed obvious. This bosmer, whoever she was, had done something to draw such attention. Perhaps the increased activity of the shadow-scales had come out of a search for her. Faradin felt the bubbling anger again. Why did Tolan jeopardize everything for this girl?
"Jyes brother, the Dar'kir spilled blood to gain our foothold, and you wish to throw it away for this wood-elf. She is not kin Tolan, and you killed three of our enemies. Enemies who remember how much blood was shed last cycle."
Tolan's smile crumbled at Faradin's accusation. Faradin thought he should probably feel guilty about attacking his brother so. He didn't. He noticed Ri'shai opened her eyes at the statement. She shot Faradin disapproving glance. No one else noticed.
"What is done is done Faradin, we cannot change it, we cannot squabble over it. Tolan made his decision. We will support him." Ri'shai said, her face calm.
Faradin looked at Ri'shai with disbelief. Is this really the same girl whom I saved all those cycles ago? It seemed a strange thing to him. He couldn't tell exactly what had changed over the cycles. Was he a different man? Maybe, or perhaps it was Ri'shai who had changed.
"No, he is right Ri'shai. Tolan has placed us all in great danger -- for a stranger." Tolan was rubbing the back of his head. His eyes downcast.
"No, you are both wrong." Ri'shai said, her voice growing in volume from her anger. "Ri'shai has seen the weavings. This one has even spoken to the mistress herself. It was no accident that you saved Artemis, Tolan." Ri'shai's eyes were glowing blue from her continued channeling.
"How can you say such a thing Ri'shai? You remember how it was, we could not sleep at night for fear of a Shadow-scale kris. The Hlaalu will not send us help, you know of their cautions concerning Stormhold, any show of force by their part could incite war." Faradin said.
It was true. Since the forging of the Ebonheart Pact things had been different. The dark-elves were forced to pull out of Shadowfen. Too much pain had been produced at their hands in these lands. The Hlaalu simply couldn't afford to send their forces to quell the shadow-scales. The repercussions for such an action would see the destruction of the Hlaalu.
"Yet we have a duty," Faradin said. "A duty to keep Stormhold free of Argonian influence."
He didn't particularly like the job - too much risk with little reward - but Tolan had made promises to the Hlaalu. The Hlaalu had sheltered the Dar'kir after they had turned their back on the Aldmeri Dominion. The Dar'kir had no place else to go.
"Tolan will do whatever he must to keep the Dar'kir safe," Tolan's voice sounded cold, devoid of all the life so commonly present in the kha'jiit.
Faradin could see his brothers corpse at the words. He would die before giving up these lands. Even now, the shadow-scales were hunting for the white-furred kha'jiit who had killed their kin. Faradin's thoughts grew angrier as he peered upon the bosmer infront of him. This is all her fault.
"That is what this one is afraid of," Faradin said. "but should we not know why this bosmer is being hunted?"
Faradin turned hateful eyes toward Artemis. She was standing precariously, half-leaning upon the mossy stone wall of the under chamber.
"It is my own business," Artemis said. Giving Faradin an equally menacing glare.
Faradin took a step forward, grabbing Artemis by her neck. The glow from Ri'shai's channeling grew brighter. He wanted to choke the life out of her. She was not family. She needed to die. Only her corpse would sate the Argonians hatred.
Tolan stepped forward, placing a hand on Faradin's shoulder. "Brother, let go." Tolan's eyes looked like blue flames in the pale violet light of the chamber.
"What?" Faradin asked, "She has answers we need."
Artemis was held aloft by Faradin's arms. She was feebly clawing at the grip around her neck. Shadow's were crawling up and down Faradin's arm. They looked like intricate spider webs, covering the kha'jiit from shoulder to finger-tip. Artemis began to flail wildly, little gasps escaping from her throat. Faradin squeezed harder, and her eyes began to roll back into her head.
"Faradin, let her go!" Tolan shouted, but Faradin didn't care.
All at once, Faradin felt as if he could not keep Artemis aloft. The shadow's across his arm fell away like whisps of black smoke. He let the bosmer go. She disgracefully fell to the floor. Gasping for air - coughing uncontrollably.
"It is Maphala's will that she live Faradin. Ri'shai senses a darkness over these swamps. A darkness that the Dar'kir must purge." Ri'shai said from behind.
Faradin turned to meet Ri'shai's eyes. She looked concerned. Not for Artemis, but for Faradin. Faradin could see the tendrils of magicka floating about her. They webbed out from her like a spiders nest. Black and violet twisting about in gusts. Her eyes glowed blue in the harnessing of such power.
"Ri'shai, this could mean the end of the Dar'kir, we should at least know whom we protect." Faradin said, he looked toward his arm. Why did the magic dissipate?
He felt a torrent of emotions inside. How could they so blindly protect this liar. This deceiver who had somehow woo'd Tolan into her grasp. Tolan has always worried about the pack, never about strangers, why save this girl? A better question, why did Maphala's shadow just turn from me.
They didn't have time for this. Those shadow-scales would be looking for Tolan. Every moment that they lingered was another moment for the shadow-scales to prepare an ambush.
"There is more at stake here than just the Dar'kir Faradin." Ri'shai said.
Faradin turned to peer toward Tolan, he was kneeling in his room, using a towel to clean something up. Faradin saw that water had been splashed upon the floor. It seems that Artemis caused some trouble when she woke up. Actually Tolan's head looks slightly injured. He could see the trickles of red in his white fur at the base of his neck.
"Fine," Faradin said. "She lives, for now."
Faradin sniffed the air, something didn't smell right. The musty smell of the swampy sewers was bad, but it was something else. Faradin looked toward the entrance to the alcove. He could hear Tolan sniffing the air as well in alarm.
Artemis managed to cough out "What's wrong?"
"They are here." Ri'shai said ominously.
