The battle roared like thunder. The rev and boom of strange Dwemer weaponry soared over the clang and tin of metal. Cub couldn't work out who was what or where was anything. Armed with only his lone shackle and chain, Cub did his best to avoid confrontation as he skulked through the carnage looking for any sight of Marassa or the bandits that had captured them.

"That's right, make sure the flame spreads to the hay bales. They're not running anywhere." The menacing laugh of one of the invading mercenaries was punctuated by fearful whinnies as in the distance Cub saw smoke billowing from the stables.

"Shavie!"

Cub broke into a sprint toward the sounds of dismayed horses as flames began to lick up the sides of the wooden structure, his recent injury only adding a slight wobble to his gait. As he crested the hill and the stables came into sight, Cub saw two Redguard mages clad in Dwemer light armour setting fire to the large building under orders from a third Redguard, her heavy armour weighing on her dark coloured horse.

Still at full tilt and picking up speed down the hill, the green bull let out a mighty roar as he collided with one of the mages and momentarily distracted the other. Tackling the first to the ground, Cub clasped his chain around the mage's neck as the other let loose a blast of searing flame and the mounted Dwemer rode off to gather reinforcements.

Barely managing to avoid being incinerated, Cub rolled onto his back subjecting his helpless captive to the brunt of his comrades conjured flame, drops of melted flesh coating his armour. Thankfully, the enchanted steel digging into the poor soul's throat muffled his screams.

Using his opponent moment of horror, Cub managed to move to his knees, still holding his charred human shield between himself and his foe before lunging at the remaining mages legs. Gathering his wits, the mage coated himself in a powerful frost cloak, super freezing Cub's gauntlets and whipping jagged shards of ice against his face. Blinded by the sudden shards, Cub managed to grab only one of the Mages legs leaving the other free to keep him upright and his hands free to conjure a point-blank spell.

"This is for making me kill Malara, you green bastard!" The Redguard seethed and the hum of magicka filled Cub's ears and he blindly tried to grip anything on the Mage's Dwemer armour.

|You disappoint me.|

The hum of energy stopped abruptly, replaced with the sound of cracking wood and frantic braying. Desperately trying to blink back his sight, Cub heard the braying coming closer as the mage fired his destructive spell at the coming beast.
Then another.
And another.

Cub could barely make the shape of the charging blob and clung tighter to the mage's leg despite his struggling and pleading. Perhaps it was for the best that Cub was snowblind as the sound of pounding hooves and broken bones resonated mere inches from his ears.

|Pitiful. Your steed serves me now; a small punishment for allowing yourself to be beaten so easily.|

The Voice from the Below chided Cub as the braying ceased.

|Heed this mortal, for the consequences of failure are not yours alone to bear. Your weakness has cost this beast its freedom. But know this. As the weak serve the strong so they are made stronger for it. This creature's life shall be hardship but if it survives it shall never know fear.|

Cub knelt in silence, his eyes slowly adjusting to vision once more. The Mage to which he once clung was now nothing more than a trodden mass of bloodied armour and over him stood Shavie red to his knees.

|Listen carefully for you too shall know only despair beneath my yoke. But in doing so you will earn the strength you need. Fitting you stay on your knees then for I reward the loyal; your weapon rests in the main camp due South of here. Retrieve it and continue toward the water's edge and there you shall find your first labor.|

Rising to his feet, Cub finally saw what have driven Shavie to hysterics: a large wooden beam was caught on his lead, flames leaping dangerously close to his tail and driving him to escape the now emblazoned stables. It was odd then that even as the flames singed his hide, as long as the Voice within the Dagger spoke, he stood stoic.

|Go now! Exact my will, and hunt the Moon Shadow!|