[IC] TES: Akavir [Vash/DemonTongue]

[DemonTongue]

Mud slicked the steep mountain sides and she struggled to keep her footing on whatever rocks, roots and foliage were available. The snow was finally melting which meant that the accursed Kamal were retreating back to their icy lands, but like the snow a few patches of them still lingered around the Ka-Po-Tun territories. They were getting close to the one they were tracking, she could feel it. About time too. The mud had ruined her boots, splotched her leggings up to the thigh, clung to the back of her battle dress and scuffed the scabbard of her sword. If she could keep her balance she wouldn't be digging it out of the armor on her left shoulder and arm... but things never went the way she wanted. The Dunmer woman reached the top of the rolling peak. The wind tossed her hair around but left her motionless. Behind her lay the low valley with the farms and terraces already beginning to be cleared by the farmers. Ahead, a deep cut in the mountains followed by ever higher and higher peaks that barricaded these lands from the immense central desert of Akavir. She limped to a boulder and reclined on it. She would only need a moment. Damn hip had never been the same since that first winter.

Standing tall, a dark red scarf covering his neck and mouth, the Guardan came from behind the rock, having scouted ahead. He stood next to her with his hand on the pommel of his sword that sat on his hip sheathed in the leather scabbard. His armor was covered by extra lining to protect his heat-sensitive skin from the cold. He held out his hand to the woman before him. He stood a foot taller than her, towering over her. He took his hand off of the pommel and lowered his scarf, his mandables twitching slightly, unable to make much more than a crooked smile. "Are you feeling well enough to continue the hunt, milady?"

S'Kylir twisted her thin lips into a smirk when looking up at her companion, "I could ask the same of you, Septimus. You should have brought another coat." She accepted his hand and with his help rose to her feet with the utmost grace and straightened her gear and hair. "However, with that option long in the past I suppose our pace could be intensified. If you could keep up, that is."

His mandibles twitched a little as he scanned the landscape, listening to her talk. "The target is not that far away, milady. The pace we have will be fine, though I can lend you my sword should you need something to lean on in the future."

A coy smile spread across her face and she looked away from him to keep the better part of it hidden, "Proposing a lady lean on your sword just like that? How very forward of you." With that she picked up the trail again. The enticement of a good fight taking the edge off the stiffness and cold. It wasn't long before they had dropped down the rocky slopes where twisted pines and cedars dared to cling and stretch their branches. A small, icy stream burbled at the base. The high walls of earth on either side blocked most of the sun and kept the hidden area cool, but there was another sort of chill in the air. Unearthly, stinging, and nauseating. They were upon the demon. So where was the damn beast? S'Kylir surveyed their surroundings intently and stepped lightly. She had already drawn her sword, the dark blade shining deep reds and oranges along it's flat like an oil spill. Finding high ground up on a ledge she could still feel the chill. Her eyes narrowed into translucent red slits.

"Where are you?" she hissed.

He kept above her, watching the area around her. He would be able to descend upon the creature in a moment's notice whenever it showed. His own sword was drawn, reflecting the sun's rays. He scanned the area, watching for every movement.

Thick silence amplified every little noise of the forest. Her ears twitched at all of them, but mentally she passed them over. Until a branch snapped behind her. Immediately she spun toward the trees. More branches snapped and rocks and dirt were sent flying as the frozen terror charged down the ravine at her. It's mangled body wrought from a selection of corpses man and beast alike, splintered iron, decaying clothing and undying ice. It's jagged mouth torn open in a silent scream emanating only a breathy hiss that seemed to suck the very life out of the trees and the wind. The Dunmer took her stance and readied the blade in the split second she had. The demon lunged at her, multiple arms and claws stretched to eviscerate her. She flowed low and snapped up catching it in the belly with an arching sting of her blade. She yelled with the force of the blow and swept her opponent over her head and off the ledge into the stream below. It impacted hard and slowly collected itself and turned to her again with a deeper swell rumbling in it's chest. She glared it down, beckoning it to make another move.

Dropping down from above and in front of her, his descent was careful, the fall onto the rocks just below the ledge to springboard himself lower. The beast ran from the stream at him and launched itself at him, but Septimus sidestepped him and flipped his sword, catching the beast in the back and slamming it into the ground. He planted his foot onto the beast's back, holding it down so he could plant his sword into it's head, silencing it.

Not yet sheathing her sword she climbed down quickly and took long elegant strides toward Septimus and his kill. There she stood next to him and looked down on the body with a frown. "Good work," she nodded. Then she reached into a pouch on her belt and removed a ceramic bottle. She held it away from herself, over the body. With one hand she removed the long, cork and let some of the clear, sticky fluid stream out. But she only left the bottle open for a few moments before corking it swiftly and making sure the seal was tight. The liquid on the body smoked after a few more seconds until it billowed into the air and ignited. The corpse and the ground around it was soon engulfed by the hellfire created by the Ka-Po-Tun alchemists in the Imperial City. Even the ice of the Kamal could not withstand it's heat for long and it was one of few ways to make sure the demons stayed dead. S'Kylir watched it burn with an eerie calm.

He pulled his blade from the Kamal's head as it was ingulfed in flame, dipping it in the stream to remove the taint of magical potion from it. "I h-Strongly dislike it when you perform such actions. Taking off the head is just as effective." He sheathed it and placed his hand on the pommel. "Where to next?"

"If one does not intend to be thourough the task should not be started in the first place," she said slowly, "I would much rather not leave the remains of these creatures lying around." She shifted her weight, breathed deeply, looked up and down the ravine and eyed the Guardan with concern, "We should continue north and help to press the Kamal back into the wastes. But I suggest we stop at the next village on the main road and rest," she rolled out the shoulder of her sword arm which popped, much to her dissatisfaction, "Wouldn't want you to freeze to death."

[Vash]

"Freeze to death?" He laughed at the little woman before him. "I think you may pass on from age before I freeze to death, milady." He approached her and gestured. "Lead the way, 'Saint'." He chuckled to himself as he covered his mouth with the scarf yet again.

Kalineye City of the Glass River. Stepping into their walls, the Guardan and Darkelf were greeted by merchants in force, trinkets galore being shoved into their faces. Golden apples, salted fish, Tang-mo fur coats, red diamond jewelry, black sacrament dolls, black and yellow fanged lizards. Anything could be found in this city, using the mouth of the river as it's base, the city was a merchant's home, known for the nearly transparent water that flows from the mouth of the river, this border city is a large attraction to travelers and merchants alike and is a center of commerce for the land, even though import taxes are high and being of a certain race can get you higher prices and even a refusal of service.

________

"'Scuse me, pardon me sir, excuse me, pardon...oh just get out of the way! Thank you! Gah!" The lizard-woman slithered her way through the streets, onlookers nearly treating her like a freak as she was the most unique race to walk-er...slither-into the city. Merchants avoided selling to her, and children were yanked away by mothers. She felt like crying as she was treated like a freak even in the land of freaks, surrounded by races she had never seen before. "Oh Annie...what have you gotten yourself into...?" She whispered to herself as she stood on one of the many docks. She had a light purple blouse covering her petite body, a medium bust and light features, her scales were mostly white, growing tan around her neck and face while her long black hair stretched down to the middle of her back. She had dark orange eyes and a pointed face. Her hands were delicate, yet clawed, and her tail was long and coiled around her as she rested. She had no visible scars on her body and there were few imperfections on her face save for a spattering of freckles on each cheek. Her lips were thin and cracked from a lack of water. She had no weapons on her and she almost looked defenseless and shy. Most likely because she was. She had a small satchel resting on her rump, which she pulled around to the front and opened, fishing out a small book that held a map of the land, key cities, and the location of a clan of like-minded people in the south, though the marker for that was crossed out and the note "Never go here again." written just below it. She slumped over the book and sighed. "I have no idea where to go or what to do..." She held her fingers on her nose, rubbing them on the corners of her eyebrows, trying to think.

[DemonTongue]

The smells were incredible. It wasn't until now that S'Kylir realized how hungry and cold she had been. Villages always had that effect on her and she sometimes wondered what it would be like to live in a community like this as a resident. As a normal person. But she had never known and felt she never would. Staying in one place too long made her feel nervous. Walking to a stall selling particularly sweet smelling meats, she turned her nose up at one of the Tang-Mo furs. The Ka-Po-Tun were an honorable people in general but every society had their barbarisms she supposed.

She spoke with the merchant (who had his reservations about selling to them at first) about possible Kamal bounties or other work requiring mercenaries, paid him for the food she had picked out and moved on.

"Now, where to get a night's sleep?" she asked Septimus, careful not to speak with her mouth full and not to let any of the sauce from a skewered lizard get on her face. Steadily, she slowed to a stop and stared dead ahead.

"My, my... Something new... and quite hopelessly out of place, it seems," she said quietly while watching the strange snake woman fumble her way through the crowded market.

Septimus reached over and snatched away the lizard, biting into it before handing it back. "hmm, I am unsu-...what? The snake woman? I think she's a Tsurask...but strange."

S'Kylir shook her head, "She's not like any Tsurask I've seen. I don't think that's the case here. Come." She didn't wait for her companion and dipped into the flow of shoppers while popping the rest of the skewer in her mouth and throwing it away. Unlike her current interest she slipped through the hustle and bustle as effortless as liquid.

"You there," she came up behind the woman, "What are you?"

"You seem lost," the Dunmer held her ground, unfazed by the look she was getting, "You are also causing somewhat of a scene."

"I am sitting, trying not to be accosted by racists like you, ma'am." She turned away from her and went back to her journal.

"Of course," she crossed her arms and smirked just a little, "I'm afraid 'racist' is a throw away word in this particular situation and my accosting of you is out of selfish curiosity. Nothing more. You are not Tsurask, I think. You do resemble something familiar though..."

"Do not speak to me about them. I went to them for help and they shunned me, called me a freak of nature and tried to kill me. I am a Ssythian, for your information..."

S'Kylir took a step back, but did not take her eyes off the woman. She felt the words on her own tongue a few times as if trying to find a meaning. Then she froze in thought sizing the snake up and down... "Mysterious Akavir is becoming less and less mysterious these years," she sighed.

Septimus approached the woman and stood next to her, offering a fried lizard. "I apologize for the type of food, it is the only type we have right now as we have not gathered supplies quite yet. Would you like a bite?"

The woman looked at the fried lizard and licked her lip a little. "I do not discriminate, sir. " She took it and bit into it, tasting the first good food in days and nearly started to tear up, but kept her composure.

Septimus crossed his arms and spoke again, staring out over the water. "I apologize for my companion. She does not have exceptional people skills...In fact, she can be rude at times, but she does not mean to. She is old, and crotchety, but she is a very kind and inspiring woman..." He looked back to S'kylir and winked, feeling the death stare drilling a hole into his head. "...When you get to know her."

The woman nodded and sighed, having finished the lizard. "Thank you...I apologize for being so rude. There has been no kindness towards me since landing in this fiendish place."

Septimus nodded, his mandibles starting to twitch as he reflected on racism towards himself. "I can understand fully. My kind are not welcome in some places, the Tang-Mo in particular dislike my race as a whole...Tell me, ma'am. From the guilded oaken bow resting upon your back and the fur bag upon your hip, I would guess that you are a hunter, are you not?"

She looked up to him, her eyebrow raised. "You would guess correctly, sir. I have hunted for nearly all of my life."

He nodded again and spoke. "A tracker as well? How proficient are you?"

She put a finger on her mouth and thought about it. "I once tracked a wounded bull netch stricken by Dremora Arrows for a week and a half..."

His shoudlers jutted up and he let out a "Hmph." Before speaking again, sounding impressed. "I would like to invite you to join us then, ma'am. We are hunters ourselves, though our game are often larger and more dangerous. The pay is nice though."

She considered the ffer for a few moments before nodding positively. "Alright. I accept, as long as I can get another lizard on a stick. Warm food is quite...addicting...Oh, and my name is Annette Gibberon."

Septimus sounded shocked now, expecting a very very foreign name. "Annette? What a strange name....regardless, I am Septimus Yelenyn, and my companion is S'kylir. It is a pleasure."

She turned towards S'kylir now, addressing her directly. "I apologize for my attitude madam, again. I look forward to helping you as much as I can."

S'kylir's eyes were narrowed into luminescent red slits as she looked upon the snake girl with her chin held high. Her arms were folded and her lips were pressed into a shallow frown. There was a moment of silence between the three of them that was longer than it had any right to be during which the Dunmer glanced between her old friend and what would certainly appear to be their new companion.

Finally she bowed stiffly, "A pleasure, Muth'Serjo. It is fortunate our mutual friend is so taken with you. Fortunate indeed, for while I let my curiosity get the better of me..." she leaned in a little closer with a somewhat menacing and tight smile, "I choose my allies wisely and I am not so easily impressed by a mere hunter's tricks, Annette."

The woman turned elegantly in place, her clothes and mane of red hair swirling around her movements, and began to walk back toward the town proper. Her boots clicked confidently beneath her with each step and she did not look back. She had seen an inviting looking inn on the main road with a broad selection of fine teas available in the main floor kitchen. It would do nicely for the night as they rested and resupplied. She would be able to have her clothes washed, sleep in a bed and get more information out of the locals... and she would be able to keep an eye on their new friend.

[Vash]

"Oh gracious night mother, grand onto me the power to see the world, and the face of my next target, where are they hiding, my mother?" The cloaked figure talked into the darkness that surrounded him as he sat with legs crossed and arms resting on his knees. In his mind, he saw pictures, images of a town on the water, a Tavern, and...he saw a dark elf with Auburn hair and dark circles under her eyes, golden armor and a Guardan ally...along with a reptilian woman with a golden bow. He nodded and stood, exiting his trance. He turned and exited the room to an antechamber that was much better lit. Before he could get too far, he turned and heard a woman call out to him. "Woland. You have finished talking to the mother?" Woland smiled underneath his hood, lowering it and revealing his weathered features. The woman that approached him was his wife and lover, Myra, wearing simple cloth garbs. When she got close he gripped her hand and swung her around for a short moment, kissing her afterwards. "Yes. And I am afraid that I have a new mark. In Kalineye across the continent. Should not be more than a couple days ride, though I doubt they will stay for long." Myra connected eyes with him and bit her lip a little apprehensively. "May I accompany you on this mark, Woland? I've never been to Kalineye. Plus, if I have been measuring the calendars correctly, we are coming close to your 20 year..."contract." I may not get to travel like this much more..." He stood before her, pursing his lips and considering her request. "Well, the Kamal have just retreated for the seasons...and the land has not erupted into full conflict in many a week, so I do not see why not." She jumped in the air for a moment, inhaling sharply and "Squeeling." "I shall pack our items!" She went to quickly walk away towards their rooms. "Do not forget to pack a barrel with your clothing submerged in water! I do not want you dehydrated out there!" She yelled something back to him that he couldn't understand. He nodded and went to pack his own gear, intending to be out of the house by the morning.

___________

Septimus had purchased the room for them, and some Teas for the road. Once they were settled down in the room, he went out and purchased the needed supplies for their next hunt. Food, water, arrows, ingredients for Anti-spell potions, bread. Glorious bread. He made his way back into the Tavern, coming from upstairs after depositing their gear in their room, and saw S'kylir sitting down alone with a cup of tea. He remembered seeing Annette upstairs, which explained why she wasn't here. He went down and joined her with a cup of wood-elven tea. Strong, but chock full of cinnamon. He wasn't in his armor anymore, having his plain clothing on and a shirt for once. It was itchy and uncomfortable. "Hello, S'kylir. You seem very comfortable. Might I be spying a touch of nightshade in your tea?" He laughed as he kicked back, leaning against the wall of their booth. "I fetched you the whet stone and bread you asked for. They're upstairs in our room, as well as everything else I purchased. How is your hip doing?"

[DemonTongue]

"It is fine," she spoke sternly, "and it would be better if you would stop bringing up the subject."

S'Kylir sipped her tea slowly and allowed herself to settle back into the plush cushion she had chosen. It did indeed contain a trace amount of nightshade. Her long index finger traced the lip of the simple porcelain tea cup and she stared into the steam that flowed and curled upward. All around them the big cats and tourists chatted and laughed at their own booths separated by dividers of bamboo and paper and silk. A handful of fires burned at the end of the tavern where the cooks prepared food. They were enough to keep both levels of the inn warm. Soon they wouldn't be needed. Spring had already taken hold in the south and would spread north to the Kamal borders quickly. The residents here could already feel it coming. When it did she and Septimus would have to start taking bounties on criminals and innocent runaways and cleaning up old racial grudges for a living. If they survived the end of another winter.

"Septimus," S'Kylir finally broke the silence, "What were you thinking?"

He looked at her, his right eye-bone raising in query. "Thinking with what, S'kylir?"

"Inviting that girl to come with us," she said, "You know nothing of her or what she's capable of or where her loyalties lay. She may well be a liablility."

"To be completely fair, S'kylir. You are calling the kettle black when you are a pot. You did the very same with me."

"I trust my instincts. Aside from that I knew I could kill you should I need to."

"And you do not trust mine? I know the very same about the girl. She will be fine, or we will kill her."

"It seems we're in agreement," she hummed happily and sipped her tea again.

Outside the sun was starting to glow a deep warm orange as it neared the horizon. S'Kylir finished her tea and cleared her throat, "Please excuse me. There's something I need to attend to. I should return shortly after sunset. Don't feel like you need to wait up for me."

She rose from the low table and stepped down off the ledge it was set on. Before leaving the tavern she asked a Ka-po-tun woman at the bar if she could buy some nightshade. With the dark, violet, pressed flowers in hand she left quietly. It was still just as busy outside on the main street, but she slipped through the crowds without a fuss. It took some time before she had wound her way through the small buildings and houses and market stalls to a part of town that was far quieter. A resident strolled by here and there, many smoking through very long straight pipes inb which burned a sweet smelling weed the tigers were very fond of. All of them were bundled against the coming cold of night. S'Kylir soon found her way to the edge of the town and into the trees. There was a clearing here where she could see the horizon and be left in peace.

Here she cleared a spot in the snow and sat in silence and watched the sunset. She prayed. The breeze and the cold swept past her and bit her, but she remained perfectly still clearing her mind, thinking on her mantras and listening. With a small amount of kindling in her tinderbox she started a tiny flame in the pit she had made. It was in this fire she set the nightshade flowers alight. They burst into indigo light and flared brightly. Black smoke wound up out of the fire. While they burned themselves out in the red dusk against she prayed and meditated more. She remained there until the sun had disappeared and the moons grew bright in the night sky. She shivered. There had not been a single word spoken to her. With a sigh she packed up her belongings and returned to town.

It was difficult to sleep. She had never slept much as it was but tonight she couldn't help but keep a cautious eye open.

At dawn S'Kylir returned to the same spot she had been the night before and repeated the same ritual with the same result. When she returned the inn she and her two companions collected their things and suited up. She put on her hodgepodge of steel armor, her black battle dress, leggings, boots and strapped her longsword to her belt. They were disposable things that she didn't mind damaging in her fights with the demons and in the damn ice and mud and snow. Perhaps one day she would be able to use the relics she kept stored away in her summer home once more. Just once more before she passed into Atherium.

The road was slick with melt, but the sun was shining on them. Life had begun to spring up in the form of birds singing, trees sprouting waxy little buds and the wild grasses reaching tiny tendrils up out of the snow to feed on the light. It was beautiful and spiritually lifting. By the Divines she wanted to kill something.

[Vash]

"Oooh! That's the spot! Right there! Ah! Mmmph! Now bite...AHHH. GODS YES....AHH...hah...ah...okay get off."

The woman lover in bed shoved the man on top of her off the bed and onto the floor. Dressed in her underwear, not even taking the time to take it off before engaging in yet another act of pleasure, she lit up a small pipe and stuck it into her mouth. "There, I'm satisfied, and your pitiful faction is part of the Windemeyr school of magical studies. Now get out." The man in his skivvies stood up and bowed, saying a word of thanks before retreating, with clothing in hand, out the door.

The bedroom she was in was sparsely decorated, magical armaments on the wall, red satin bed coverings and curtains, oak desk and a few other amenities. She approached a large circular window on the side of the room that looked down over the school. She was in the highest room of the school, her school. Kelsey Windemeyr, arch-mage and founder of the Windemeyr School of Magical Studies, the only place in the entire land of Akavir where anybody and everybody can learn how to not be killed by a lightning bolt to the head, but shoot it out of their fingers instead...at some other poor sod's head.

The corner of her lip creeped into a smile as she thought about now having a majority of Akavir allied with the school, save for a few stubborn ones, like the Tsasci and the Guardan. But in due time, they too would come to accept her, or plow her in exchange for an alliance...she shivered at the thought of the latter.

__________

Septimus took in a deep breath, taking in the wonderful aromas and sweet tastes of the emerging spring around him. It was almost intoxicating. He watched the birds and the bees mingle as they did in nature and it brought him a little peace knowing that he helped protect that cycle of life for yet another year. He hefted the backpack on his shoulders and shook his head, regaining his focus...but not before yawning once. "We should attempt to cure the...snoring...issue you seem to have, S'kylir. I barely managed to catch more than a few hours sleep last night." He looked at her and didn't get a response. He shrugged and took a look behind him, seeing Annette catching up. "I do hope you will be able to keep up, Annette. S'kylir and I do not slow for stragglers. We have a job to do, one that does not involve babysitting." "Don't..don't worry about me." She huffed as she got close, carrying a good chunk of the supplies with her. "I'll be able to keep up. I just need to..." She shifted the bags on her body to much better locations on her back and tail. "There we go. Much better. The gear is very awkward to carry at times. But I will be fine."

"Excellent." Septimus huffed and turned around. "So, what is our next adventure destination, S'kylir? You always neglect to tell me where we are going until we have already left."

_________

"Are you faring well, hun?"
"Yes, dear! Very nicely! The humidity is very low today, it does wonders for my body."
Woland and Mira were on horseback, traveling the main road towards Kalineye. They had departed several hours before and were already well on their way, their Sithis blessed steeds riding them far in such a short time. They should be in the city soon and well on the path for their intended target.

[DemonTongue]

The sun beat down on the damp southern forests, making the air hot and muggy even in well shaded areas. The trail which they followed was well used and packed down tightly by hundreds of feet having walked it in the past. Anyone who dared stray off it was at risk to the deep spongy soil, thick foliage and dangerous animals that lay beyond. Cael huffed and looked at his surroundings with a wary eye. Anyone save for wild cubs it seemed. It was quiet for once. He was alone on the road again. Not a good sign. He let his hands drop off the straps if his pack to his sides, casually, yet defensively. He checked his back, listened carefully and smelled the air. Nothing. The cub had stayed down wind. Smart kid. Then a single healthy leaf drifted down through the air and settled on the road in front of Cael. He froze.

A wild hissing and spitting rang through the air from above and at the last second Cael planted one foot and spun to face the other direction. The flailing ball of fur and stripes landed in a heap where he had just been standing. He looked down at the cub and smirked. He was short and shrimpy for his age but still full of fight... but perhaps not grace. It must take some time for the cubs to start landing on their feet.

"Ahhhh!! Caaaeel!!" the little Ka-Po-Tun rolled around on the ground throwing his arms and legs out to pound it, "<You're not supposed to moooove!>" he whined in a strange tongue.

Cael simply shrugged innocently and kept walking. Yuda picked himself up and jogged after him.

"<How'd you know this time?>" he asked with an eye roll.

Cael put a finger to his lips and smiled. Then he stooped to pick up the stray leaf off the ground as they passed it and showed it to the kitten.

"<Oh,>" Yuda took it from him and looked at it with a frown, "<And I was too loud? Nuh-uh. There's no way.>"

Cael shook his head and made the same motion with the finger on his lips. Yuda tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes.

"<Whaaaaa- OH!! Too quiet!>"

Cael nodded.

"<Uuuuhhhgg! You can't say that! Being quiet is GOOD. Understand!?>" he scrambled up Cael's back to sit on his shoulders. Once there he knocked on the man's skull lightly, "<Quiet. Good. Hey, and it's not fair. Every time I go away you know to start looking harder. You can't do that.>"

Again Cael just shrugged. The kid would learn eventually.

After a miraculous fourteen consecutive seconds of silence Yuda plopped his chin down on the top of Cael's head and sighed, "<When are we getting to town?>"

After a moment or two Yuda's free ride pointed off into the distance. It took a second but after some confused searching and shielding his eyes against the sun he saw it. Thin tails of smoke, hardly visible in the daylight, drifted up out of a wide section of cleared jungle. Tiny thatched rooftops dotted the clearing a midst the feet of a handful of raised outposts and a couple of taller buildings and towers.

"<Yes!>" Yuda bolted off Cael's shoulders.

The man shook his head with a smirk and dug a dark bandanna out of his belt which he tied around his scalp and protruding horns. Going into settlements and cities was always such a pain. However, he had heard this one was different. He certainly hoped that was a good thing.

"<Oh my gods! I'm so tired of eating crusty bread and bean paste! CAEL!>" the cub slammed on the brakes and wheeled around to face him with an excited grin, "<Do you think they'll have crocodile!? Shit! If they do can we-->"

Yuda trailed off as he was met with only a menacing glare.

"<I-- I mean-- I didn't mean to say that!>" he ran after his guardian as he walked past again, "<I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!>"

Cael looked down at him with a raised brow.

"<I slipped! That's all!,>" Yuda's yellow eyes became huge and sad and filled with mostly pupil as he pleaded, "<B-- But-- If they have it, can we get some!? Pleeeease!? Please!? It's my favor-->"

The man stopped and put a gentle hand over the kid's snout, putting down just enough pressure to close his jaws. Then he nodded.

The cub bounced excitedly and tried to talk through the muzzle but it only came out as garbled noise. Cael looked down at him with a stern frown until he calmed and quieted. Then he let go.

"<Sorry,>" Yuda whispered and curled sheepishly,"<I'll be quiet.>"

The hustle and bustle of the settlement combined with the completely alien peoples and wares of Tamriel wound up pushing the kitten's curiosity and sanity to its very limits. Cael wondered if he should construct a leash as he watched the fuzzball dart back and forth through the streets pointing at things and mouthing to himself. With some level of amusement Cael watched as one of the merchants selling magical bobbles and one or two smuggled Dwemer artifacts beamed down at the cub and greeted him... in Cyrodiilic Common. The excitement and confidence was gone. His bushy tail was tucked firmly around one leg, ears pinned and he shrank before taking a few cautious steps backward. The merchant spoke to him again and he hustled back to his guardian. For quite a while he clung to Cael, listening, watching, ears flicking back and forth.

"<What are they saying?>" he mumbled, "<Why do they all talk like that? ... Everybody looks weird. Like you. Where are we?>"

Cael patted his back. Maybe his voice couldn't understand the languages spoken here, but he could. It was painfully nostalgic, but the familiar words made him feel warm and more at ease. They would get by somehow. Yuda might even learn a useful spell or two (this was a magic-centric place after all) or interesting new words to jabber on with... if only because the Divines were cruel.

---

"The destination is not nearly as important as the journey," S'Kylir sighed, "When the snow melts up to the northern border, when there are no more demons to bloody our blades and when our pockets are filled with gold from bounties I should like to return for the summer and engage in more peaceful work and exploration until the next season... Should the Divines be so merciful... Are you growing bored Septimus?"

Another day passed over them. They moved slowly. S'Kylir occasionally had held up the pace to wait for the serpentine woman, much to her dismay. They put a mountain ridge behind them at least. On the north side the winter sun rarely touched the low land, allowing the snow and ice to build up among the jagged rocks. Nestled into these rocks they made a small camp. Once again S'Kylir disappeared at dusk only to return when it had grown dark. Once back she stood watch, somehow unable to get comfortable. There was once a time where she could have slept soundly in the sand and rocks while lava flows popped and erupted near by with the threat of wild animals, bandits and rogue Ashlanders looming over her. No more. There was too much pressure on her bones and her mind. However, it seemed Annette would make full use of their stop as she was already out cold. S'Kylir smirked and shook her head. Her eyes turned up to the stars she let her memories wander back to more historical and glorious times.

It was a warm and comforting wander until it was ripped up by a rumbling in the very foundations of the mountain. She ran out of the sheltered cut-out, drawing her sword and looking around for any sign of trouble. The rumbling continued and grew more intense until and otherworldly shriek overpowered it. The ice and snow that blanketed the mountain ridge collapsed and crashed downward into the valley. A massive creature, as tall as a tower, an ethereal of ice, steel, rock and bone burst out of the frozen land. The upper body of a man, the front legs and body of a warhorse and the hind quarters and tail of a dragon. Blackened skull-like features and thick antlers that flowed along his body and tangled like spider's legs adorned his head. Long tusks shot out where a mouth should have been. He wielded swords in each of his three arms, the fourth was severed at the elbow and capped off with a jagged hook. Ancient steel plates had been forged directly into his icy flesh in a mess off primitive armor. All of Akavir shuddered under the trampling of his hooves, the edge of his blades and the weight of his presence. Wherever he stood froze.

"Witch," he hissed deep and slow as if speaking from the ground up. He turned his gaze on S'Kylir.

She backed up with a glare. She would not be able to run.

"You come too far north, yet you are not the same," the ethereal twisted his grotesque body and tilted his head as he moved forward, "You are no longer worthy. But I will take my revenge, Slayer of Nulka-Sun-Dir-Kamal. My brother."

S'Kylir shrugged stiffly and forced a smile, "Now, now. He died with honor and put up a good fight. I have the scars to prove it, demon. But in the end it would seem I was the better warrior. Ada-Soom-Dir-Kamal should keep a more careful eye on his precious sons."

Her hip ached from old wounds, triggered by the memories of an epic battle which lasted days upon days and which she had only barely survived. A low rumble started once more and ripped itself into a furious roar as the royal spawn shook his tusks and antlers, causing earth quakes and trees to topple. She took a fighting stance before looking at the others, begging them to make their escape now.

"Such large words for such a small thing," he roared, "Do not insult Him so carelessly. Powers are in place which you will never come to understand, slave."

With that his arms unwound, the huge obsidian blades in each hand glinting in the moon light. The dirt and rocks broke under his charge and his weapons came crashing down on the woman.

[Vash]

He was fast as he dashed at S'kylir, sprinting over the small distance and jumping at her, yanking her out of the way before the blades could slam into the ground, sending a bone shaking earth quake through the ground. He landed with grace, S'kylir landing next to him. He was much lighter than he seemed. He nodded at her and drew his blade, withdrawing his free hand to his back and pulling on the bottle of Dispel-bomb he had, uncorking it. He waited for the prince to look at him and roar before he threw it as hard as he could before grabbing S'kylir again and jumping high, moving far out of the way with but a couple leaps. The vial exploded on the Prince's chest and he came to a dead stop as his body was weakened as the bomb too effect, staggering quite a bit. Septimus turned and let S'kylir down.

The monster writhed and screamed as his essense drained away for several painful moments. But then as if a new fire was lit he reeled on them and slashed wildly. They ducked away only being missed by a hair. The Prince fell on his front knees from the force of his missed blow and seethed as he struggled to regain his footing.

"Septimus! We need to get away while he's weak! This is a fool's battle." S'Kylir yelled at her companion

A roar exploded from the Horizon, a massive shadow shot up from a nearby peak, encompassing the ground around them in darkness for but a few moments as it shrunk, the figure descended from the heavens and swooped down, a larger-than-life ice dragon, gunning straight fro the prince! The prince had no chance to act in it's weakened state and the behemoth slammed into him with full force, both the Goliath creatures toppling into a roll, scarring the landscape. The dragon was thrown off the prince, but recovered quickly mid-air and landed with a huge crash, it filled it's lungs and roared, shattering the puny mortal's eardrums with it's booming sound! It's voice, it's thuum, was low, shaking the very ground with every word. "Finally, ei found lahvu draal, Ch'kul-Ra-Dir-Kamal, faal kendov! Tiid ei have searched for you. Ei shall reclaim what los dii" Now that the dragon was on the ground, Septimus and S'kylir could see now, it was missing it's tail. From the looks of it, the Prince had it on his own hind quarters. "Liz Maar!" upon speaking the shout, a thick casing of ice started to form around the Dragon, starting from head to the stub of a tail, sharpening it's claws, and weaving into it's scales to form a deadly and razor sharp ice armor.

The dragon would take off, charging at the prince again, whom would drop two swords and collide with the dragon, catching the beast, throwing it to the ground, slamming one of it's gargantuan fists into it's head and raising it's remaining swords into the air to impale, but the dragon would roll out of the way just in time to breath in. "Fo Krah Diin!" A frigid blast of air would explode out of the Dragon's lungs, coating the prince in arctic flame for several moments before the Dragon would chain it, using it's claws to swipe at the prince's chest and head, gouging the ancient skin and armor. The prince caught one of the Dragon's arm and brought up it's blade to slice it clean off. The dragon would fall to the ground in a earth shattering scream, barely being able to yell out another Thu'um "Feim Zii Gron!" The dragon disappeared into an etheral mist. The prince's retaliation would go to waste as it's sword would slice into the ground where the Dragon once lay. From the very air itself, the Dragon yelled another shout. "Liz Maar!" And reappeared, it's previously destroyed leg being renewed in a sculpture of pure ice, acting as a perfect prosthetic.

One more shout would scream out of the Dragon's scaley lips. "Faas Ru Maar!" the dark purple cloud of Thu'um rocketed at the Prince, hitting it and causing it's weapon to fling away, slamming into the side of the mountain very close to where Septimus and S'kylir were watching. Septimus looked up to the impaled blade and saw that it had shaken the mountain they were close by, the ground rumbled and shook and it was not long before the two were caught in an avalanche! Septimus grabbed S'kylir again and bounded away, heading to the side of the avalance and bouncing off of a choice rock or two that was caught in the avalanche. They would barely make it to safety before the Dragon threw itself at the prince.

Once again, the prince caught the Dragon and brought it close, using it's hands to wrap around it and impale it with it's tusks. The dragon screamed in pain and tried to fight back, but the Prince wrapped it's hands around the Dragon's wings, ripping and pulling them hard enough to completely detach them from the dragon and shove it back. It threw the dragon to the ground again and planted a hoof onto the Dragon's neck before it could try another Thu'um. It squirmed underneath the prince's might, whom took a nearby sword and rose it high, slamming it into the Dragon's heart. It let out one last pained scream before gently laying it's head on the ground and stop moving entirely, it's life force draining out of it's mouth.

Now the prince turned towards the two mortals before it and grabbed it's second sword from the ground, ignoring it's third still in the mountain. It spotted the two rather quickly and started to approach, the effects of the dispel bomb starting to wear off, but just as it was on the two, it buckled and fell onto it's hands, it's front left calf split open by something. It looked down to see a small green woman standing, a large orb of melted water above her head. It turned to try and strike her down, but the large glob of water formed into a substantial blade and slashed across the Prince's face. It reeled in pain, but fought through it as it stood up, but up the mountain, the snow was still disturbed by the rumblings of the battle, causing a second avalanche to fall. Just as the Prince was on the woman, she disappeared in a flash and it was overtaken by the avalanche, burying it from head to hoof in snow, trapping keenly for the moment.

[DemonTongue]

"Under Moon and Star," S'Kylir breathed.

Her eyes were wide and her grip was frozen on the hilt of her sword. An unsettling foggy silence fell after the avalanche settled in the valley. She stood unmoving with Septimus upon a high ridge where they had last landed thanks to his quick thinking and even quicker movements. It was several moments before her mind was able to fully accept what had just transpired. Finally she lout out an exasperated growl and pulled away from her companion.

"Damn it! Damn all of it!" she spat, "That will not hold him for near long enough. We must leave. Divines be damned, this ruins everything! There is no trekking any further northward with that monster on our tails. I will not willingly risk facing one of the Spawn ever again!"

Another growl escaped her tightly clenched teeth and her cheeks flushed with the rising of her boiling blood. The woman sheathed her sword. It became apparent that her hands were shaking violently. All around them the snow creaked and groaned as it settled in and packed itself tightly down into the rocks. Parts of the dragon corpse could be seen jutting out of the site, though it was quickly decaying away. Dragons on Akavir. They had been extinct in this place for thousands of years now. They had been extinct on Tamriel for longer or so she had thought. Tales had reached her ears a time or two of the return of such creatures to Nirn, but she had not believed such nonsense. Some of the word must be true then. She shook her head at the thought. And the Spawn of the Demon King this far south with winter quickly retreating? Why? None of it made sense. "Powers are in place which you will never come to understand..." By Azura what had he been spouting?

Her bones were becoming cold and her shaking turned to uncomfortable shivers.

After the long thoughtful pause she turned to Septimus with a fire in her eyes.

"We leave now... What a waste. Whomever the loose cannon attacking the Spawn down there was, is now probably buried. Fool soul. Where is the snake woman?"