Flame-Child Chapter Eight: A Forsworn Incident “By the Nines,” Niyleen said gripping her head in pain. “Are you okay?” Lucari went to console her, but Niyleen waved her off and rubbed her forehead. “It’s… it’s nothing. Just a headache.” Lucari eyed her questioningly but Niyleen gave her a playful jab to the shoulder and said, “I’m fine.” Before Lucari could protest again, Niyleen started off again. They were getting closer to Markarth and further from the Forsworn with each step which by itself was a problem disguised as a blessing. Markarth was something of a safe haven in the Reach—at least from the Forsworn. However, Niyleen didn’t know whether or not trading the Forsworn threat for the tyranny of the Silver-Bloods was worth it. Niyleen kept up her furious pace, less because of her fears of the Forsworn and more because she was desperately trying to avoid Lucari’s questioning. For minutes now, she had been calling for her, but Niyleen had ignored the poor girl. It wasn’t until Niyleen stopped to survey the land that she was forced to deal with the Nord. “Niyleen, what’s wrong with you?” “We’re close to Markarth,” Niyleen said dodging the question. She started off again but was stopped by Lucari gripping her shoulder. “Niyleen, tell me. What’s wrong?” “Nothing!” Niyleen turned to run but was struck with a sharp pain in her head that felled her to her knees. “This is nothing?” Lucari said kneeling down beside her. “I just…” Niyleen could barely breathe. It felt like she was being choked by an invisible hand. If she could she would just fall out here and now, but with them so close to Markarth, she had to at least get her companion within the city gates. “It’s nothing at all.” Niyleen said when she was finally able to gather her composure. “Now let’s go. Markarth is just across this bridge and up the hill.” Lucari said nothing and followed silently until Niyleen abruptly stopped after crossing the bridge. “What’s wr—” “You can see the city from here,” Niyleen said. She was winded, but in a few minutes she could finally rest. “There are a bunch of guards about so don’t attract any unwanted attention to us. Not until you see the Jarl.” “Got it,” Lucari said, more worried about her friend than fulfilling her dream. A few minutes later, they arrived just outside the city. “And this m’lady, is the City of Markarth. Home of the Silver-Bloods and the best prison in all of Skyrim, Cidhna Mine.” “Wow…” “H-hey now, don’t go getting all star-struck on me girl,” Niyleen said. “Those wide eyes are a real problem in Markarth because they see too much. Kept them narrow and low, and we’ll do fine here.” Niyleen didn’t know whether Lucari heard her or not, but she continued on because the pain, now in her left eye, was getting to be unbearable. Coming up on the city gate, Lucari said in bewilderment, “For the love of Talos that’s the biggest door I’ve ever seen!” Niyleen laughed. “Then you need to get out more.” Then the two entered the city. As soon as they entered the town Niyleen could tell that something was amiss. It was too calm, too peaceful, but even then she could tell that there was a major source of blood-lust coming from someone. She looked about frantically hoping she could prevent any mass panic, and also score some points in Lucari’s book. It didn’t take her long to find the source and she was surprised at who it was. “Is that… Weylin?” she said taking note of the dagger wielding Breton. The Breton crept past the butcher and closer toward the woman buying expensive looking jewelry. When he was two sword lengths away from her he shouted, “THE REACH BELONGS TO THE FORSWORN!” Pushing through the pain, Niyleen reacted. She drew her blade, ran to the Breton and thrust it into his chest before he could take another step toward the woman. Weylin looked down at the blade pertruding from his chest and said, “I die… for my people…” Niyleen withdrew her blade from his chest and cut him down, and down went another problem from her past. When it was all done Niyleen thought to herself, (Didn’t I warn Lucari about attracting unwanted attention? What am I doing…) She went over to the woman that was almost killed and said, “Are you okay?” “By the gods, that man nearly killed me," the woman said with a tear in her eyes. "You saved my life.” “Uh, it was no trouble, um…” “Margret, and thank you. Take this,” she handed Niyleen a necklace. “Here, I was going to bring this to my sister, but I think you should have it. You know, for saving me and all." Niyleen stuck her hand out then stopped. (What am I hesitating for? I’m a bandit at heart. Relieving people of their valuables is what I do.) Ultimately she took the reward and thanked Margret before heading back to Lucari. Lucari looked very distressed as Niyleen approached. “Why did you—” “That man was a Forsworn,” Niyleen said. She explained the situation and watched as Lucari’s face became more and more relaxed until that bright smile she always wore was right back where it belonged. “I guess… I was really wrong about before.” “What are you talking about?” “Remember when I said, ‘how is killing people helping anyone’? I think I understand now.” She grabbed Niyleen’s hands. “You were right. I really am a milkdrinker just off her mother’s teats, but even still…” She looked around at the scene before her and frowned. “What’s wrong Lucari?” “Where are… the guards?” As if summoned, a guard walked up to the scene and said, “Okay everyone, no lollygagging. We’ve got everything under control. Nothing to see here. Go on with your day.” Lucari walked up to the guard with a huff and said, “Are you serious? A woman almost gets killed out in broad daylight and you say that you’ve got everything under control? What control? You let a Forsworn into the city!” “Whoa there outsider,” the guard said. “I don’t know who you think you are, but it’d be best for your health if you stopped asking questions and listened to what we said.” Niyleen walked up next to Lucari and the guard said, “Great, now here comes more trouble…” “Pardon?” “Niyleen, the guards say they’ve got everything under control when clearly the Forsworn have breached the city walls. Don’t you think that we should report this to the Jarl or something?” “…” Niyleen walked up to the guard and said, “I’m sorry for my friend’s rudeness. We’ll go about our way now. Sorry to bother you.” “Niyleen!?” Lucari pushed Niyleen out of the way and began to let the guard have it. She questioned him about the security of the wall, the city, the integrity of the guards and if this incident would even be looked into. She smelled a cover up but even she knew better than to outright confront the guards with such accusations. However the guard continued to duck and dodge her questioning, warning her about Cidhna and how people like her usually end up there. Meanwhile Niyleen was feeling weak. (What the hell did you do to me Eolri…) Her legs were shaky and her eye was hurting more than before. Before she knew it, her knees buckled and her head hit the ground hard knocking her unconscious. “And another thing,” Lucari continued angrily. “What are you going to do about—” “Bite your tongue outsider,” the guard snapped. “I’m sick of your noise and by the looks of things so is your friend.” “Huh?” Lucari looked toward Niyleen and turned pale. “Niyle! W-w-w-what happened!?! Why didn’t you tell me what was wrong with you? Why didn’t you…” “Ysmir’s beard do you ever shut up girl,” the guard complained. Lucari shot him a fierce glare, and then gave Niyleen all her attention. “Nevermind him, I’m going to get you some help, so hold on.” Niyleen awoke serveral hours later on a rather cold and hard surface. “Oww…” she cried as she got up. “I feel like a giant hit me in the back of my head… Huh?” She noticed Lucari on the floor chanting something. “What are you doing girl?” “Praise the gods…” Lucari said sounding both sad and happy at the same time. She wiped her eyes and gave Nilyeen her patented smile. “So how do you feel?” “Better…” Niyleen gripped her head in pain. “But still terrible.” “Ehehehee. You would be feeling a whole lot worse if it wasn’t for the innkeeper’s wife. She’s a good cook, and reminds me of my mother.” “Innkeep—Kleppr! Lucari, where did you get the money for this? Do you even have any money?” “Not a Septim,” she grinned. “I used some of the money you had on you for room and board.” (Julianos… give me strength.) She gripped her head again, but this time from frustration. “You… you did what now? I clearly didn’t hear you correctly.” “I used some of your money,” Lucari innocently repeated. “I’ll pay you back when I can, but I needed to get you help and I couldn’t do that out on the street.” “How much?” “Huh?” “How much did this all cost?” “Hmmm…” Lucari thought it through for a moment. “Well, the room was a seventy five for a day. Um… food was an additional forty. Your treatment was a hundred seventy five, and I needed some health potions…” “I’d rather be dead…” Niyleen mumbled. Lucari didn’t notice. “Hmm… all in all, I’d say it was three hundred and seventy Septims.” (If you were anyone else, I’d kill you right now.) “Great…” “So what happened to you?” Lucari prodded. “You kept saying it was nothing, but then you passed out back there.” “It was—” She looked over toward Lucari and saw the very serious look in her eyes, and gave in. “It has to deal with the story I was telling you.” “Really?” “Yeah. You see, I may have been a bandit for quite a while, but before I was just a brat with daddy issues that didn’t want to face them. My time with the Forsworn changed me and made me into who I am today.” Niyleen sighed. “Anyway, it’s a long story and I doubt you’d want to hear it.” “After I told you my life story, you think I wouldn’t want to hear yours?” Lucari giggled. “Besides we’ve got all night. And if push comes to serve, we can always get room service.” Niyleen sighed and sat back on the cold hard bed. “Okay, well then. After Eolri had defeated me and made me her slave…”

Flame-Child Chapter Twenty Two: Rebirth (Part Two)   Sorerica had been waiting for quite some time now. She had seen cases of Sanguinare Vampiris before and so she instructed Carciel and Sorene to undertake the proper procedures to cure it. The day after Lucari had contracted it, they made her drink a vial of Cure Disease potion and laced her food with it as well, but to no avail. The next day they had both the Dibellan priestess Senna and Brother Verulus come and give Lucari their blessings, but that was a bust as well. Nothing about this made sense. Was it because of who Lucari had gotten bit by? If so, she’d definitely have to find that vamper and wring its neck. As she continued to wait, Sorerica was getting antsy. She was a woman of action, not some girl to be made to wait. However, with Carciel was tending to Lucari, and her ally Sorene was out on double duty: searching for both the Halfing Niyleen and a cure for vampirism, all she could do was that, wait. After quite some time she was relieved to hear the doors to the master bedroom close and see Carciel emerge. “So,” Sorerica said with an anxious look on her face. “How’s our patient doing, little Breton?” “I don’t get it,” Carciel said with a pained expression on her face. “I did everything right, took every precaution, made sure to—” “How is she?” “She just went back to sleep…She’s cold, but still has her color. But it’s almost night. She could turn at any moment!” “Shit,” Sorerica cursed. “What do we do now? Sore’s not back yet and if she doesn’t have a cure…” “Don’t say that!” Carciel snapped. “I… I’m sorry. Damn it, I’m so messed up in the head… Five days ago I wouldn’t have cared if Niyleen or Lucari were off dead in a ditch somewhere, now…” Sorerica scratched the back of her neck. “It’s nothing Carci. It’s my fault anyway for being such a downer.” “No, it’s all my fault,” Carciel said breaking away from Sorerica’s gaze. “I was the one that insisted on leaving the house. I was the one that insisted on fighting Molag Bal’s minions. I was the one that got beat and put Lucari in danger. And I was the one who sat back and watched as Lucari was turned… I tried to be my sister just for one moment, you can see how that went.” (How am I supposed to handle this? I’m no good at cheering people up. I’m a warrior, not a damn consultant…) “Listen,” Sorerica said sternly. “It’s not your fault okay. Everyone had their own say in the matter. Lucari chose to go with you, fight with you. And Niyleen probably chose to go wherever it is that she went. Now’s not the time to be beating yourself up. You’ve gotta stay strong and plan for what’s next.” “Thanks.” Carciel said with a sad smile. “I needed that.” “I-it’s nothing.” (Don’t thank me, i-idiot.) “But by the gods where is Sorene,” Carciel asked. “Lucari could change at any moment and we still are in the dark about what happened to Niyleen.” “Shit…” (I can’t do this. I need to do something! Relying on others so much isn’t how I handle things. This is so, awkward…) The two continued to talk unbeknownst to them that they were secretly being watched. It wasn’t until the person wanted their presence known that they finally sprang into action. “Hey guys,” Sorene said causing the two women to jump before staring at her. “I know it’s late but I’ve got some good news and some bad news.” “We’ll take the good news,” Sorerica said before Carciel could utter a single word. She quickly gave her friend a quick look over and sighed. “Considering you came back empty-handed, there must be so much bad news that whatever good news you have is going to feel negligent if left to go second.” “I guess we’ve been partners for too long,” Sorene said. “Okay here’s the good news: I’ve gotten a lead on the last place Niyleen was sighted.” “That’s great news,” Carciel shouted, momentarily forgetting herself. “So," the Breton nudged. "Where is she?” “Well…” “The start of the bad news?” Sorene nodded. “She was last seen within Cidhna Mine. She was taken there by a Redguard guard named Jarte who swore that she kept trying to seduce him. I snuck into Cidhna to see if I could fine her, but she and another inmate were nowhere to be seen…” “How in the world did you—no nevermind.” Sorerica could see the pained look in her eyes and mouthed, was it Telind? To which the succubus replied with a nod. (Shit. At least they were both alive and in Markarth.) “What about that cure?” “It’s in Morthal I’m afraid.” “What… what are we supposed to do?” “I don’t know,” Sorene said. “But perhaps the man in Morthal can assist us once Lucari fully turns. It’s our only real course of action at the moment…” (Stop, stop it! I have just about as much a clue of what to do as the both of you!) They were both looking at Sorerica for some type of guidance, but such a task was beyond her. Nothing in her normal game book was going to be of use to them. (It’s not like I can shout the disease away…) After thinking about it for a while, Sorerica finally said, “We’ll go with Sorene’s plan when it comes to Lucari. We have no other options other than to just be there for her and give her our support.” Sorerica sighed. The whole matter was giving her a headache. “As for Niyleen… we’ll begin a search for her as early as tomorrow morning. But let’s keep it from Lucari. Don’t want her to worry too much.”   Meanwhile… “Zzz… oh Niyleen… zzzz…” Lucari was peacefully sleeping after having another meal from Carciel. She never expected it because of the Breton’s rough exterior, but she could cook up a storm. However, even though she had just ate and felt satisfied, a rumbling in her stomach declared otherwise and jolted the Nord from her sleep. Stretching lightly she “Mmmm… aaahhhh, just as I was getting to the good part.” Sitting up, Lucari began to think about the last few days and how everyone had been treating her like royalty. (Must have been Niyleen’s doing since she’s had to be out so much. Haaa… I do miss her though.) (Like, I know she’s the Raging Inferno, but… she’s never been unkind to me. Even when I said my dream was to turn her in, she stayed with me and even tried to protect me from her and her lifestyle by acting cold. So… sweet…) “Eh?” Lucari looked around and the world looked vibrant. Everything seemed bright and popped out to her. “Did… did Carciel give me skooma? N-naw, I’m just tired is all.” Shaking the cobwebs from her head she went over towards the closet to try on another outfit when she saw the most delicious looking apple she had ever seen in her life. (I don’t know how long it’s been sitting here, but something about it is calling to me…) She took a bite and it was sweet, sweeter than she could dream of. So she took another bit, but this time she spat it out immediately. “Rotten? But it tasted so good…” She stared down the apple for a few moments before moving on. (Dang… this rumbling in my stomach just won’t stop.) Opening the closet, Lucari was again amazed at the variety of clothes it held. Dresses, adventuring gear, formal attire, sleepwear, the works. (With such a bounty of clothing options available to her, why did she decide to make what she’s typically wears now? Such a waste… for her, tee hee.) After playing dress up for a bit, Lucari finally settled on a little blue and grey number that just felt right. “Ehehehee, I can’t wait to show this off to everybody. Maybe I’ll get some complements.” The smile on her face was too big for words, but she couldn’t help but be elated. Something about this night just told her it was time to get out and have fun. (Yeah… I can’t wait to show this off to Niyleen. Maybe she’ll praise me, maybe I’ll… get a taste of her. I bet she tastes sweet, like that Snowberry Crostata she made for me. Oooh, how I can’t wait to suck her until she shudders from the pleasures…!?) “S-suck her? Don’t I mean lick?” The slip of the tongue made no sense Lucari. It’s not like Niyleen had a penis, she’d seen her dazzling nude body before and it definitely wasn’t there. At that moment she heard Sorene say from outside the door,”…the man in Morthal can assist us once Lucari fully turns. It’s our only real course of action at the moment…” Lucari began to panic. (F-fully turns?) Lucari wiped the dust off of the jug that was on the dresser and stared at her reflection. What stared back at her was a pale skinned, red eyed… monster. Lucari dropped to her knees and felt like her life was coming undone. (Nononono, this can’t be happening. I’m… I’m…) Throb. Suddenly the scents of her friends wafted through her nose and she was overcome with the feeling of hunger. They smelled so good, just like a five course dinner… Lucari’s eyes widened and she couldn’t believe what she was thinking. “T-they’re my f-f-friends not…” Another wave of their scents drifted through her nose. “… food… Sweet, delicious meat sacks…” She reached for the door and froze. She felt sick. That was her food… FRIENDS out there and that she’d even think about taking a bite out of their delicious necks… (Nononono) “Nonoooooooooooooo!” Outside the room… The three of them froze as the heard Lucari’s shrieks from within the room. “Lu-Lucari!” Both out of concern and due to her being sick of waiting, Sorerica was the first to act, blowing through the door and calling out, “Are you alright Cari?” When she got into the room Sorerica immediately stopped frozen. “What in the—” “What’s the matter?” Carciel asked as she and Sorene came in after her. “Is something wrong with—!?!” “She's… gone.”

Flame-Child Chapter Twenty Two: Rebirth (Part One)   (I’ve gotta escape! That voice… Stop! Please Stop! Beat me, torture me, kill me, anything! Just stop using that voice! PLEASE!!)   It had been three days since Niyleen had been captured, during which she’d been conditioned by the Altmer that talking would result in severe punishment. Though she could endure Telind’s torture, she felt her mind slipping due to this ‘Nyleine.’ She had her voice and apparently her looks. Hearing that voice caused a thought to creep into her head, and every minute it got stronger and stronger until it had ultimately taken over the Halfling: This Nyleine had taken over her body.   At first it sounded like madness, but after being conditioned not to talk and hearing her voice over and over and over, along with the numbness of her arms and legs and the fact that she’d been trapped in darkness over the last three days, everything began to piece together. “Zzzzz… zzzz…” Telind’s snores confirmed two things for Niyleen. The first being that her torture had ended for today at last. The second being— “Hello sister.” That she’d now be tormented by her own voice.   (S-s-stay away!) She began to struggle trying to free herself from her restraints, but to no avail.   “Gods, are you alright? You’re convulsing.” That fake concern, that pity in her voice like she was some poor creature… Niyleen couldn’t stand it. She knew this sister of hers, whoever she was, was actually gloating inside about the fact that she had Niyleen right where she wanted to.   “It’s okay,” Nyleine said. “I don’t want to hurt you. I just want to talk.”   (L-liar! You won’t fool me! Just leave me alone! Stop using my voice!) Niyleen continued to struggle until she was out of breath and gasping for air. (So this is how I die? Trapped in darkness, taunted by… myself?)   Nyleine sighed. “No one’s going to kill you.”   Niyleen froze. (Am… am I talking? Or… can she read my mind!? Nononononononono! This isn’t happening! This can’t be happening!) “C-calm down Niy, I’ll… hang on one second.”   (Let me go! Please… I can’t handle this. This isn’t my body. I can feel that. I may not be able to feel much else, but this is NOT my body anymore. Something deep in me is telling me this. You stole my body. Why must you torment me as well?)   “I didn’t steal…” Nyleine paused momentarily. “…Fine, have it your way. But I’m trying to tell you that you’re wrong. We’re on the same side.” Niyleen heard the sound of someone’s fingers snapping, and then suddenly she hit the ground hard and let out a soft moan. (This must be a trick. It has to be!) Niyleen began retreating, but being blind as she was, she didn’t know whether or not she was actually doing so. “You poor thing… I told Telind not to harm you too much. I wanted your cooperation, not… to break you.”   “Stay… away…” Niyleen said barely audible. Punishment be damned, she didn’t want this body snatcher anywhere near her. (I have to escape! I’m… I’m going insane!) Niyleen fell onto her back, rolled over and began to slowly crawl away from the voice.   “This IS insane Niy,” Nyleine said. “Let me explain what’s going on, why you feel the way you do.”   “Stop… tricking… me…” Niyleen tried for flee but with no visions, and the numbness in her arms and legs, she was going nowhere fast. Nyleine sighed. “Father said you’d probably be this stubborn, but honestly I couldn’t see it. Luckily, he’ll never have to see you like this again…”   (You killed him?)   Nyleine hesitated before answering. “I did.” There was a sad tone in Nyleine’s voice. “I didn’t want to though. He made me, he forced my hand—” Her answer had already fueled Niyleen’s fear and the Halfling continued retreating until she smacked right into a pile of wood. She was trapped. She couldn’t see it, but she knew that she was trapped between the pile of logs and Nyleine. (I… There’s no escape…)   “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. You don’t have to escape. You’re not my prisoner.”   (The torture, the restraints, the blindfold—)   “All necessary in dousing your fury, your rage,” Nyleine said. “Father tells me that you’re too predictable, and even after not seeing you for twelve years he knew how the nineteen year old you would act if you saw me, I mean, you.” (If I saw… me?)   “Yes. Please, just listen to me and everything will begin to make sense, alright?”   (She could have killed me at any moment…) Niyleen slowly nodded, but still had a look of fear on her face.   “Thank the Gods. This will be simpler now.” “Niy look—”   (STOP CALLING ME THAT!)   “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Father always called you that, but I could image you’d be scarred after what happened.”   (What do you mean?)   “Father…” Nyleine paused. “That dream you had a few days ago was one of my—OUR—memories.”   “…What?”   “That day, twelve years ago, Father killed us. We died sister. No,” Nyleine said correcting herself. “Rather, on that day WE were born.” (I never died… that was just a dream!)   “Stop being like this and listen to me!” Nyleine said raising her voice. “If not with your ears, then your heart, your soul. I’m telling you the truth. When we were seven, Father—in an attempt to try and create the perfect apprentice—killed us, trapped our soul in a soul gem, and did… other things to us.” (That doesn’t make sense!)   (Doesn’t it?)   Niyleen froze. After hearing Nyleine’s voice in her head, something about her words began to ring true.   (The sole reason there are two of us is because Mother found Father degrading our body and when she tried to kill him, he shielded himself with our soul gem breaking it in two. Half of it went back into the original body: you. The other half Father was able to hold onto as he escaped from mother, and after some rather unique experiments, a second Niyleen was born: me.) “Haven’t you ever felt a void in your life? Something that you could never fill? Not with wealth, love, anything?”   Nyleine’s words rang true throughout Niyleen’s very being. There were only two times in her life that Niyleen had felt almost whole. The first being when she was Eolri’s servant. The second being when she was with Lucari after being saved by her from Nanae. Both instances weren’t long lived for Eolri was killed due to Niyleen’s actions, and Niyleen made Lucari hate her for no reason whatsoever. And even then there was still something missing. Niyleen felt like she was always looking for something, anything to fill that void.   It was why she took on a Eolri’s rough persona; to mask the fact that she always felt alone, weak, and incomplete. It was why she became stingy with gold and never forgave anyone from stealing it from her; it represented something more than just money, it was a quantification of her completeness. When she had bags of gold or stacks of coin, it had a placebo effect on her and made her momentarily feel more whole than she knew she really was, however the opposite was also true.   (Why… can I hear your thoughts?) Niyleen couldn’t see it, but she knew Nyleine was smiling. “Our souls are resonating,” she explained. “They’re calling out to each other, wanting to be made one again. You see when our souls were split, in time they began trying to repair themselves. So if we both had half of the original soul, due to the passing of time we’d both now have about three-fourths of a full soul; more than enough to have a regular life, but not enough to have a fulfilling one.” A shiver coursed through Niyleen’s body. (So that’s why you found me. You want… to combine our souls?) “Sister…” Nyleine said on the verge of tears. “Listen to my heart. I only wanted to find and talk to you. My methods may have been… suboptimal, but they worked. Father said that we’d never be able to hold a conversation without coming to blows, but he was wrong. Ha, look at us!”   “I know… I know your words… are true,” Niyleen said, and she honestly did there was no deceit in her words. (But you tortured me, sicced that crazy Altmer on me, killed father, chained me up—) “I’m sorry Big Sis,” Nyleine said still on the verge of tears as she suddenly wrapped her arms around Niyleen. “I… I didn’t know where mother was. Father is with me but not of this plane. I just… I just felt so alone. I tried everything; immersing myself in my work, relationships, wealth, nothing helped. I needed this Sis. I needed to talk to you like this. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…” Nyleine continued to hug her sister for quite some time before pulling back and getting to her feet; an act that pulled at Niyleen’s own heart as she knew and could feel how hard it was for Nyleine to let go.   “I can understand if you need some time to yourself. And,” Nyleine snapped her fingers again and Niyleen felt something loose around her eyes. “You can remove that blindfold whenever you wish. As a matter of fact, you’re free to go if you want.” Her voice was strained and Niyleen could hear her undertones of her voice screaming out to her, please stay. “If you stay, I’ll instruct Telind to keep your distance and if you want, not to say a word to you at all. I just want to be with you Big Sis, but after all I’ve done… I can understand you wanting to leave.” Feeling her other half walk away from her, Niyleen couldn’t help but feel torn. This woman had kidnapped, beat and tortured her, but now that she could hear her thoughts, her undertones, her soul, there was no malice towards her. Nyleine was just what she herself would have become if she’d continued to follow in her father’s footsteps. Two halves of the same soul, literally.   She for a moment she thought about leaving, forgetting about everything she had heard and leaving this crazy bitch to her own devices, but then she remembered how that hug felt. Never before, not with Eolri or Lucari, had Niyleen felt so alive and sure of her place in the world than when she was hugged by Nyleine and deep in the back of her mind she knew that if she left, she’d eventually come running back so that she could embrace that feeling once more.   (I… I guess I can stay for a while. This will give me time to sort things out…)

Flame-Child Chapter Twenty: Deception Meanwhile back at Niyleen’s… The sounds of someone banging on the door rang out through the hall. Continuous and without end it went on and on begging to be answered. However, more than anything it was an annoyance in the previously silent filled home of the Raging Inferno. An annoyance that would soon be put to an end. Niyleen had cooled off and was peacefully sleeping when the banging sounds flooded her room coming wave after wave with no remorse. “Zzz…zz…mmm…stop…banging…” she said sleepily. But her wish went unfulfilled as the pounding continued for minutes on end. Unable to fully go back to sleep, Niyleen rose from her slumber and felt numb all over. (This feeling… I remember it well…) Niyleen remembered her Ascension ceremony, the whole reason this mess was occurring in the first place, and sighed heavily. (At least then I was able to just pass out.) “Lucari!? Carciel!?” Niyleen said as she got up. She tried to yell, but there was no strength in her voice. (Either they’re some heavy sleepers or they’re not in…) “By the Nine can you please stop? Some of us are trying to sleep!” she said a bit more firmly, but again was ignored. (Really, where are Lucari and Carciel?) Niyleen sat up and tried to gather herself. Normally after one of these bouts she was out for hours, sometimes half a day, and even then she felt lightheaded and unsteady. But sleep would have to wait if she was ever to get this banging to end. “Who… could it be at this hour,” she said yawning. “It must be way past midnight and I wasn’t… expecting anyone...” Taking a deep breath, Niyleen slowly eased onto her right leg and when she felt comfortable did the same with her left. She then pushed off the bed and made her way to the door. However after a few steps her legs gave out and she had an unwelcome meeting with her stone floor. “Owwie…” she whimpered now having to deal with this new source of pain. “I don’t ‘owwie’ you say,” Niyleen groaned as she began to crawl across the floor. “You just don’t know all that much about me you stupid, selfish, ignorant…” “…Selfless, caring, lovable creature that I just can’t stop lying to…” Niyleen sighed and slowly got to her knees as she approached the door to her room. “I’ll come clean to her. Tomorrow. I’ll tell Lucari everything…” Aww… that’ll be no fun. Said a whisper. “Huh?” She looked around but there was no one there. “I must be out of it still. This power… I’ve got to learn how to control it.” As she exited her room, Niyleen again got to her feet, and while watching her steps staggeredly made her way towards the front door. The closer she got the louder the banging became and the more clearly she could hear the voice from before. Control it? It’s not even yours. “Not mine… what are you—Nega…” It took you long enough, Me. “Why… how can I… hear you?” Niyleen said coarsely. How? “Like this,” Nega said speaking directly from Niyleen’s mouth. “I beat you and unlocked my cage. I told you I would be free, and now you and the rest of Skyrim are going to witness the birth of the TRUE Raging Inferno. Not just from the Reach however, but of ALL OF TAMRIEL!” Niyleen’s heart began to race. (If she gets full control then… Lucari’s in trouble!!) In her panic she misjudged a step and fell down once again right before getting to the door, but now she could hear not only the banging, but a voice accompanying it. “…I said open up! I have a decree by the Jarl and I was trying to be courteous. If you don’t open the door in the next thirty seconds I WILL break it down!” “So what are you going to do Niyleen? Are you seriously going to let a guard see you once again in the nude?” Nega said laughing. Niyleen froze, remembering how ill it made her feel to be stared at by the guards in the public baths. But her mind was made up for her when she heard the guard begin to speak again. “Alright time’s up. I’m coming in!” Hurriedly Niyleen got to her feet and when outside closing the door behind her. “Is… is t-there a p-problem sir?” She saw the way he was looking at her and felt sick. He was one of the guards that seemed to always be on duty when she used to frequent the baths. Jarte or Terte was his name and she’d never forget how uncomfortable this Redguard made her feel. “Yes there is,” he said rather frankly. “It seems that you’ve been accused of…!! Gods woman! Put on some robes, before I begin feeling unseasonably warm. Besides, I have a wife you unsavory woman!” “Y-yeah, s-sorry about that.” Niyleen was getting goosebumps. Being naked in front of people wasn’t weird or strange to her, but this man in particular was just as scary as the Forsworn. He may have forgotten, but she’d never forget the passes he made at her that she had to endure just to avoid going to Cidhna. “A-anyway, what can I do you for?” The guard paused to take in all of Niyleen before saying, “Ah yes. I have a writ here that states that by the power of Jarl Igmund and under the authority of Heilda Oath-Keeper, I am here to place you under arrest for the crimes of murder, theft, assault, and lollygagging.” (By the Nine… lollygagging?) “Um, I t-think you have something mistaken. Oath-Keeper promised me a pardon if I ever—” “She said you’d try to bring her name up as well. We’ll add lying about a city official to your charges as well.” (I don’t feel so good…) Niyleen laid against the wall a let the cold stone soothe her back. Then I think it’s time that I took over. “No wait—!!” But it was too late. “Wait for what?” the guard said. “Oh, nothing in particular,” Nega said licking her lips. “A-as I said, I’m a married man and your attempts as seduction won’t impede me in this arrest.” “And yet I’ve yet to make any attempts at seduction, yet,” Nega said in a sultry voice. “Then how do you explain… this!” The guard gestured at Niyleen’s appearance. “To be fair, I was asleep after a bath and YOU interrupted that sleep. I wasn’t going to open the door but your threat of breaking into my house was rather…convincing.” (That was rather… sound.) Niyleen admitted. “Breaking into!? I am a man of the law you harlot! How dare you accuse me of such criminal acts!” Nega suddenly let out a moan that shocked Niyleen and the guard. “Oh, I’m sorry, you were saying something? Looks like I’m the one that got unseasonably warm.” She stuck two fingers inside her mouth and began licking them erotically. (SHOR’S BONES! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!) What I want to. “But, haa… you were… haa..ha… saying something?” Nega said as she began to finger herself. “B-by the gods woman… have you n-no shame?” “Shame? You… said…. aaahn ©!… t-that I was trying to seduce… haa… y-you. As a woman w-with standards… ha… haa… I refuse to be ac-cused of acts I’ve not commited… Ahnn!” Niyleen thought her heart was about to break free from her chest. She was so hot, flustered, and… horny? (What are you doing!? Why am I feeling this way?) Believe me, you’ll thank me when it’s over. (No, no I won’t.) You’re right. Hahahaahahaaa! “D-d-d-damn it woman! I’m taking you in now!” “Aww, what’s the matter?” Nega teased. “Don’t tell me you’ve got snowberries down there?” “YOU BITCH!” The guard’s voice echoed throughout the city, and Niyleen knew it had to have sobered up more than a few citizens and woken even more. (Are you insane? He’s gonna take me to Cidhna. US to Cidhna!) Yeah well that’ll be your problem. (Wait what!?) Nega held her arms out obediently and said, “Okay mister guardsman sir. I’ve had my fun. You can take me in now.” She gave him a wink and a smile that made him blush. The guard cuffed Niyleen and quickly hauled her off to Cidhna with a huff, not stopping or acknowledging any of the looks his fellow guardsmen were giving the two of them. When they arrived he took the cuffs off and took her over to the platform overlooking the prison. “I hope you rot in here you slutty bitch.” Time for you to tag in. All this fun’s made me kinda sleepy. (You ass!!!) Niyleen could no longer feel Nega’s presence and finally had control over her body again. Frantically she tried to plead with the guard, begging him to believe that she wasn’t herself earlier and that she didn’t mean any of what she said, especially about the snowberries bit. Enraged and without warning, he shoved Niyleen off the platform and into the prison below. “Ay Borkul.” “What is it Uraccen?” “Think today’s gonna be anything special?” “If pussy isn’t falling from the sky, I don’t care how today is. Stop bothering me with your nonsense.” Suddenly Niyleen crashed back first into the ground interrupting the two prisoner’s conversation. “I hope they rip you apart like the rabid beasts they are,” the guard yelled before exiting the mine. “So…. Borkul,” Uraccen said again. “That’s some pussy over there that fell from the sky. Think today’s gonna be—” “Shut your trap before I shut it for you,” Borkul snarled. “But I will admit that is some nice ass over there. Looks soft… and tender.” The fall seemed to jolt something in Niyleen because she was quickly able to get to a knee, though her lightheadedness seemed to have returned. “Ouch…” she cried softly. (I can’t believe I made it to Cidhna…) She was so disappointed that in all her years of avoiding this place like Rockjoint, when she finally came here she all but willingly gave herself up. (I’m big time now mother. I’m sure you’re so proud.) “Hey new meat,” said a voice to her right. She turned and saw a half dressed Orc with a pickax looking at her like she was just that, a piece of meat. “Y-yeah?” She stayed low and made sure not to show any signs of weakness. “Don’t worry your pretty little ass,” the Orc said. “I won’t hurt you… as long as you follow the rules.” “Rules? What rules?” “The most basic one we have,” the Orc said with a laugh. “All new meat goes through Borkul the Beast.” Niyleen rose to her feet and got into a fighting stance. “Woah woah woah! Why are you being so hasty, bitch?” “I’m not going to let you fuck me,” Niyleen said starkly. Her legs felt a bit shaky, but she tried to hide it as best she could.“It’ll be a cold day in Elsweyr before I let that happen.” Borkul laughed. “Ha, a stuck up bitch. Perfect. It’s always these ones that give me the most fun. Seeing them go from hostile to docile always gets my dick hard.” “I’m not a docile bitch, so sorry if you’re going to have to live with a limp dick while I’m around.” “Snappy too,” Borkul said. “This will indeed be fun.” “But before we get down to business, tell me, what was it like killing your first one, huh?” “My first one?” Niyleen said taken aback. She had to think about it since she was now numb to it for the most part. “I was twelve. And was caught in a rich bastard’s carriage. It was kill or be killed and well, I’m alive aren’t I?” “A true killer then, like me,” Borkul said with a smile. “The gods put us here to fill their halls with souls. Yeah, you'll fit in fine down here, right after I fill your hall.” Niyleen was getting antsy. “Why aren’t you making your move? I’m right here you oaf!” “In time bitch, in time,” Borkul said calmly. “You see I’m a connoisseur of meat if you will. I don’t just dig right in. I like to take my time. Get to know the ins and outs of it before I devour it.” “You’re a picky ass Orc is what you are,” Niyleen said. She finally felt like herself and was rearing to go apeshit all over this Orc’s head. “I’m sorry you feel that way meat.” He nodded and Niyleen heard footsteps behind her. “What the!?!” Suddenly Niyleen was tightly hugged from behind and felt something warm and wet on her shoulder. “W-w-w-what the!?! What are you doing!?” Niyleen said feeling her face flush as she was attacked. “Sampling the goods,” the Breton said as he continued to lick her shoulder making his way to her neck while caressing her in other places. “G-get off me you creep!” She tried to break free of his grasp but something was wrong, terribly wrong. As the Breton continued his assault Niyleen began to feel weaker as a warmth swelled in her chest. (Shit this isn’t good. I still feel a bit horny from Nega’s actions earlier.) “You’ve done your part well Uraccen, now it’s time to really have some fun.” “Look woman!” Niyleen took her eyes off the Breton and immediately wished she hadn’t. “W-what do you think you’re going to do with that thing?” “It’s quite simple,” Borkul said. “Resist and get fucked, give in and get filled. As I said, all new meat goes through Borkul. Just because you’re cute and feisty doesn’t mean you’re also exempt.” (Shit…) “F-fine…” Borkul nodded and Uraccen pushed her to the ground in front of the Orc. “Take your leave.” When the Breton did as instructed, Borkul laughed and said, “I thought you weren’t going to be docile. What happened to that fire, bitch?” (That’s… kinda big…) “What am I supposed to do with this?” Niyleen said angrily. “I’m telling you now that that’s not gonna fit in me.” “I want you to do what all bitches do, suck it!” Niyleen looked back and forth from Borkul’s penis to his face before saying, “Fine. If this is it, then whatever.” She brushed her hair back, opened her mouth and began to suck on his throbbing dick. “Oooh… that’s it… suck it like the dirty slut you are. Fuck! No teeth, meat!” (This is impossible!) Niyleen’s jaw hurt after a while and she was beginning to feel nauseous, but she endured through and serviced the Orc as best she could. It wasn’t soon before the Orc began to thrust his hips trying to go deeper and deeper down her throat. (This fucker…) “Oh yeah… don’t.. stop… just like that… This technique… haa… how many men have you been with to get this good…” It wasn’t long before Borkul was overwhelmed by pleasure and yelled out in a pleasure filled voice, “Ah… that’s it, I’m about to cum!!” (No you’re not!) Borkul let out the most painful but silent scream that Niyleen ever heard as the pain ripped at him making him ball up in excruciating pain. “Borkul the Beast, more like Borkul the bitch,” Niyleen said with a laugh after spitting his dick out and wiping the blood from her mouth. “And like I said, I’m not a docile bitch, you ass! And when’s the last time you bathed you fuck. I almost threw up not only due to its size but the scent. It was absolutely terrible!” All Borkul could do in response was continue to silently scream and take what Niyleen was giving. However, her taunts didn’t last long as soon she heard footsteps coming quickly from her right. (This guy again…) Without hesitation, Niyleen ran toward Uraccen catching the Breton off guard as she dealt a crushing knee to his throat, crumpling him. (Pigs… Julianos, guide me.) She wanted to gloat, wanted to scream, but she didn’t. Niyleen was getting an increasingly biased view against men and she knew it, but it wasn’t going to completely ruin her jail time. (I made Borkul his lackey my bitches. If I don’t do anything reckless, maybe I’ll be able to lay low… if I don’t break out.) Delving deeper into the mine, Niyleen was met with strange looks, but after hearing what just happened, no one did so for too long. (Either they’re afraid or intrigued, either way, at least I won’t be bothered for a while.) Continuing on, she encountered a meditating High Elf that looked somewhat out of place within this den of thieves. “Who’re you,” Niyleen said more rudely than she had intended. He took a moment before answering. “On the outside, I’m known in the North as the Charming Wizard, the Vivacious Vigilant in the East, but I’m most notably known as the Swindling Savant. In here the wise call me Hermit and the ignorant, Pointy-Ears.” “So you’ve got a bunch of nicknames, big deal.” “Nicknames, titles, they may mean little on the outside, but they inevitably reveal one’s true nature when united. However,” the High Elf said. “For the lady that brought Borkul down a literal peg, and thus relieving me of the brunt of his anger temporarily, you may call me Telind.” “Telind…” Niyleen said trying to wrap her head around the name. “Weren’t you with Borshul’s crew a few years back?” “The one and the same.” “How’s the big lug doing?” “Dead. Ambushed by a detachment of the Imperial Legion.” “A common fate,” Niyleen said somberly. “So what are you in for?” “Well this time they got me for lollygagging, so I’ll do a week at most.” “Are you serious!” (One of the gods is clearly playing a cruel joke on me.) “To make matters worse,” Telind said. “I ended up meeting up with a cute, but cursed, High Elf that I was separated from due to the whole dragon incident. I was at Helgen when it happened and tried to warn the local Jarl when I apparently ended up missing her. Don’t even know if she’s alive.” “I see…” “Do you have anyone special to you? If so, hold onto them tightly and never let go. You never know when you’ll see them for the last time.” “Kinda deep… that or I’m dumber than I thought,” Niyleen sighed. “We are all as wise as we believe until we are proven otherwise. Don’t fret young Red… is that a Nordic tattoo on your leg?” “Y-yeah?” Niyleen said taken aback that even this wise Mer had taken an interest in her body. “A Halfling, wonderful. The perfect display of love. Not just between a man and a woman, but between races. Something that was once taboo, gave birth to such a beautiful specimen.” “Flatterer.” “Not at all,” Telind said with a straight face. "I simply refuse to hold back when describing what I see. If you were ugly, your expression would not be as shocked and more angry as I would have called you so. And barring my feelings towards my girlfriend, beautiful is beautiful." “However, yours is a beauty that I’ve seen elsewhere.” “There’s no one in Tamriel that looks like me,” Niyleen said proudly. “I’m completely unique in my looks and actions.” “You actions are borrowed from your experiences,” Telind said getting to one knee. “The order, influence, strength, and emotions evoked from them all shape who you are, and how you project that. So maybe there is truly no one who acts the same as you. However that doesn’t mean that there’s not one who shares your face.” (He sounds so sure of himself… what in the world is going on?) “Then tell me Altmer, what’s her name?” “Niyleen. She called herself that, but said it was a borrowed name from a time long gone,” Telind replied. “That’s my name, and I’ve never said that!” “I was never talking about you, you insignificant impostor. I was talking about the true Niyleen! My Mistress, Lady Soul-Crusher!” (He’s gone insane. Like completely crazy.) “Look it was nice chatting with you up until this point but—” “THERE IS NO ESCAPE FOR YOU!” “What are you—AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!” The suddenness and intensity of the surprise shock blast floored Niyleen stunning her and dulling her senses. Her head felt cloudy, and she could have sworn she heard Telind talking to someone else, but couldn’t make out the words for the life of her. The crazy Altmer then bowed, seemingly showing respect to one of the prisoners that was behind her. (Am I… going to be… raped? Here? Like… this?) She heard some garbled out words and then suddenly her senses were back to normal but the shock spell was still in full effect. Screaming in pain, Niyleen was taken off guard when a voice suddenly called out “Silence!” causing her throat to tighten and her screams to be inaudible. “Now then,” said a rather familiar sounding voice. “It’s great to finally meet with you sister.”

Flame-Child feat. Carciel Syliel Chapter Nineteen: A Champion   After checking on Niyleen to make sure she was doing well, which other than her still being extremely hot but not bursting into flames was the case, Carciel and Lucari quietly exited Niyleen’s home and began their search for… whatever it was that the Breton had heard.   It wasn’t too long that Carciel heard something again and she stopped Lucari in her tracks. “Just… listen. Do you hear that?”   “What am I listening for,” Lucari said after a while.   “You’ll know. Just block everything else out and listen.”   Lucari looked at her strangely, then closed her eyes and tried hear what it was her companion had. “‘I don’t want to do this anymore.’” Lucari said. She gave Carciel a bewildered look. “What was that?!”   (I KNEW I wasn’t crazy!) “No clue, but I’m going to get to the bottom of this!”   Without warning, Carciel rushed out of the city with Lucari hot on her heels. The night air felt cool on her skin and she just ran where her heart told her. Upon descending a hill, she suddenly couldn’t hear anything anymore. (Was this a trap?) Carciel searched her surroundings fervently which allowed Lucari to catch up with her.   “What’s wrong?” Lucari said taking deep breath to calm herself. “Why’d you stop?”   “It’s all wrong… this whole situation.” “What are you talking about?” Lucari asked sounding concerned.   “Shit! Don’t you hear that?! It’s her! She’s doing something to an innocent again!”   “Who are you talking about? W-wait—!!” But it was too late. Carciel had already started off again without warning and Lucari was helpless but to follow along at her feverish pace. Carciel led Lucari around the Reach for a little over ten minutes before she suddenly stopped again and crouched. “Get down and shut up,” she said in a hushed voice.   When Lucari finally caught up she doubled over and tried to find her breath. “I-I’m agile dammit… not fast…”   “GET DOWN,” Carciel hissed.   “Eek!” Carciel, followed closely by Lucari, crept slowly towards a brush where she heard a disgruntled voice lashing out at something. “Who do you think that is?”   “Well,” Lucari said smugly. “I wouldn’t be able to tell you until I get a look at their faces.”   “To think I liked the ditzy lesbian version of you better.”   “You didn’t like me at all!” Lucari said giving Carciel an uneasy look.   “Exactly! Now hush. I think I can hear them.” “Damn those insolent mortals. How dare they do this to me? ME!? Lord Molag Bal’s most valuable subordinate.”   <Hey, that’s that vampire from earlier!>   <Y-yeah. But why’s she venting to herself?>   <I don’t know…> “Curse them, may they all become undead to be smote down by that bitch Meridia. They will all rue the day they crossed me and put the tiniest of dents in my Master’s honor. Speaking of which, where on Nirn were YOU!?”   A being clad in daedric armor aparated before Teresa. “I was busy.”   “Busy being worthless! As always,” Teresa spat. “I wonder why our Lord even bothers with you sometimes. You’re no Champion! You’re a joke!!” “Shit, there’s two of them now?” Carciel cursed. “Even weakened, that’s still a vampire and what looks to be a daedra. What do you think we should do Lucari? Lucari?”   “…”   Carciel looked back at the Nord and saw that she was staring with a fear filled face at the newcomer. (What’s so great about this one?) “Useless, idiotic, pathetic…” Teresa continued to berate her associate until finally she said, “I have half a mind to just end you myself and make it seem like an accident. I lost good vampires today. AND FOR WHAT? You were supposed to arrive late, but didn’t arrive at ALL! What’s your excuse?”   “Got… lost…”   “Garbage. That’s exactly what you are. You worthless piece of—” Carciel turned back towards Lucari and frowned. (I don’t get it. There’s nothing about the situation that makes that new girl seem—)   “T-that’s her. T-t-that’s the woman that’s after my life.”   “Teresa?” Carciel said arching an eye. “But we already knew—”   “S-she was bigger, a-a-a-and had a more menacing aura, b-but that’s her. She’s out to kill me!” “I wish your attitudinal side would come out so we could formulate a plan, but,” Carciel reached for her weapon all the same. “I don’t think I have the patience for that anymore.”   “S-stop! You don’t know how strong—”   “She’s just a human, by the looks of her jaw structure probably Imperial,” Carciel said sure of herself. “Nothing that I can’t handle alone. Just sit back here, and cover me if you can stop trembling.” “Carciel wait!” Lucari pleaded.   It was too late. She was already in ‘battle mode’ and nothing regarding retreat was registering with the Breton now. Stealthily she crept toward Molag Bal’s two followers as Lucari looked on helplessly. “It’s so infuriating that even though I’m his most loyal, most faithful, most powerful servant… you’re his favorite,” Teresa said biting her lip. “You’re just abusing his trust, his power. You even refuse to truly become one of his followers and descend into darkness.”   “Isn’t it… better for… our Lord… to be able… to work… in both… day and moonlight?” “Who told you that you could speak Sevetia,” Teresa snapped. “Vex me once more, and I’ll show you what happens when—!!” She stopped and her eybrows rose. “It’ll have to wait. Looks like we have company.” “Oh, and here I was trying to be subtle,” Carciel said knowing full well the opposite was the case. “But now that I’ve been seen…” Carciel maintained her stance while edging ever so closer to the vampire’s flank.   Noticing this, Teresa wrapped herself in shadows shouted, “FINISH HER!” and then she vanished. With the vampire out of the way, Carciel rushed toward Sevetia at full speed. (Doesn’t matter if the armor’s Daedric class if it’s so skimpily made. I’ll make this quick!) She slashed at Sevetia, cutting her deep on both of her sides, but they seemed to have no impact as the Imperial retaliated with a fierce downward blow that all but numbed Carciel’s hands when she blocked it. (So, she’s no normal Imperial. How about if I do this!) As soon as she regained the feeling in her hands, Carciel went on a full on assault that quickly had Sevetia on the defensive with Sevetia landing glancing hits from time to time.   Seeing this, Lucari tried to help out by providing some outside shots of her own. However, a few went wide and barely avoided hitting Carciel.   (If I weren’t agile… Dammit girl!) The mishap didn’t slow Carciel in the slightest as she continued wailing on Sevetia’s defenses until she finally broke through and landed a clean hit on her shoulder cleaving through it… or so she thought. Somehow the Imperial’s skimpy daedric wasn’t just for show and it stopped Carciel from inflicting any real damage.   (Damn… I’ve gotta find whoever made that armor. Less armor means more defense? Definitely a thing to look into.) However, Carciel’s assault didn’t end their either. Feeling that Sevetia was just about done, Carciel delivered a fierce downward slash of her own that shook the ground around the two of them and emitted a powerful force at blew Carciel back a bit and staggered Sevetia. “Here’s my chance!” Carciel said barely containing her excitement.   She went for the finishing blow on the Imperial, but that too was blocked and this time they were forced into a deadlock as Sevetia’s mace tangled itself around Carciel’s sword and wouldn’t let go. “Get… off!” Carciel said as she kicked off of Sevetia—freeing her blade—then instantly followed that up with a spinning slash that sent Sevetia to her knees. Carciel relaxed her stance and took a deep breath. (Phew. With my offence and Lucari’s constant barrage of arrows, this is just about—)   All of a sudden a roar erupted from Sevetia and in one motion the Imperial rose to her feet and delivered a swift crushing blow to Carciel’s torso that lift her off her feet and sent her flying.   (Shiiiiiiiiiiit!!!) (That… that was bad, but I should—!) Carciel tried to get to her feet but couldn’t put any strength in her arms. Her whole body was weak and she could feel her very soul being drained from her body. “W-what did you d-do to me?”   “Soul… Trap…” Sevetia said briefly flashing a black soul gem in her hand before placing it back in her boot. “Now… time… to die…” “Carciel! Are you okay?” Lucari yelled.   “Do I l-look okay?” Carciel closed her eyes and sighed. “I can’t move my body. A-and I think… I’m dying.” “What!? She only got one good hit on you!”   “And that’s all she needed,” Carciel said her breathing getting rougher. “I-It’s… like fighting a wall, a sentinel, a juggernaut. I… got t-too wrapped up in just beating her down t-that, well, I didn’t realize… she could give just as much as she took.”   “Then what should we do?”   “W-we!? Y-you’re going to have to flip that switch in your head and fight her.”   “What!?!” Sevetia was inching ever closer toward Carciel and her words were ringing ever more true. Taking a deep breath, Lucari drew her bow and aimed at Sevetia. “Here goes nothing.” Then in rapid succession she fired arrow after arrow at the Imperial. However none of them seemed to hit their mark like they were hitting an invisible barrier before piercing her skin. After the thirtieth arrow, Lucari got frustrated and ran up to Sevetia and smacked the Imperial across her face with her bow, dazing her momentarily. But Lucari’s little victory was soon undone as Sevetia countered with a wicked blow to her midsection that felled Lucari to her knees and almost caused her to throw up.   “H-how are you so p-p-powerful,” Lucari stammered feeling like she was about to pass out. “I am… my Lord’s… Champion…” Sevetia said before knocking Lucari out and dragging her back toward Carciel. Sevetia suddenly burst into a fit of laughter that echoed throughout the Reach and sent chills down Carciel’s spine. “Me? Weak? Teresa’s the… weak one…. Gyahahahahaha!! Foolish Nords and… their pride… Idiotic magicless… Breton… No mortal on Nirn… is stronger than… me…” (Lucari…) Carciel looked toward her adversary but all that filled her vision was the writings on Sevetia’s blindfold. She couldn’t read it, but it didn’t matter. It could have read ‘Strength’, ‘Power’, any number of things, but all Carciel saw was a flashing red sign that read ‘Death’. (I’m… sorry I got you caught up in this Pure-Blood…) Carciel thought as Sevetia continued her howlish laughter into the night and the world went black.

Flame-Child feat. Carciel Syliel Chapter Eighteen: Facing The Truth   Almost thirty minutes had passed before Carciel finally exited from the room and faced a distraught looking Lucari. (How should I handle this) the Breton thought keeping in mind Niyleens words from earlier. It would be easier to tell Lucari everything, but then again that would make the Nord and ‘Redguard’ enemies. (Gods... diplomacy was never my strong point.) Taking a deep breath Carciel decided to go with, “Hey Nor—Lucari. Niyleen will be fine, so you can go and—” “What makes you think I’d care so much about her condition?” (What in the…!?) Her words and her face weren’t matching up. It was obvious that Lucari had been crying, but why was she making an attempt to at seeming so uncaring towards Niyleen? “Do you have your head screwed on right,” Carciel asked. “You were about to bawl your eyes out before I entered the room, and now you’re dismissing Niyleen’s state altogether?” “W-what’s the problem? Not like she cared about how her actions would e-effect me.” Lucari said pouting. (What the hell is she—!!) Carciel turned her head towards the door and pieced everything together. “Shit… now it all makes sense…” “If you get it, then leave me alone Car… Syliel.” Carciel sighed and shook her head. (These two idiots… I knew this would happen.) “Lucari!” Carciel said loud and suddenly causing the Nord to flinch. “I need you to cut this shit out and get your head right.” She felt herself getting angry as Lucari looked away from her. “Look, Niyleen’s condition has become more stable, but even I don’t know how she’s going to end up.” “And remind me exactly why should I care?” (So this is how you’re going to be? Fine!) After taking a final look towards the room Niyleen was resting in, Carciel walked past Lucari and coolly said, “Come with me, milkdrinker.” It took a second, but Lucari obediently followed. Carciel led her to the alchemist lab and Lucari finally spoke. “What do you want with me?” she cried. “I said I don’t care about Niyleen and her stupid condition, so why are you bothering with—” “Would you please SHUT UP!” Carciel said as she pushed Lucari. “By the Eight, I’ve had it with you two!” Lucari tripped and fell to the ground. “Ouch! W-what was that for?” “‘What was that for,’” Carciel mimicked. “You and Niyleen are so oblivious it hurts. She swears that not telling you who she is will protect both of you, and you swear that nothing will ever make you fall out of love with her, but here we are. She’s off trying to not burn herself alive, and you’re on your ass pouting like a spoiled child.” “I-I don’t know what you’re—” Carciel sucked her teeth. “I know you know, Lucari.” She folded her arms and stood over Lucari. “Niyleen’s the ‘Raging Inferno of the Reach,’ the one you've been searching for… The woman that’ll catapult your rise to becoming a heroine.” Lucari cast her eyes down. “So what I heard was true…” “And what of it!?” Carciel shouted. “Does knowing what she was change who she is to you? From what she’s told me, she’s been trying to protect you from the moment she met you. If she really was as ruthless and cruel as the rumors made her out to be do you really think we’d be having this conversation right now? Rather, some hunter would be fishing your body out of the Karth River.” “What am I supposed to do then?” Lucari said tears forming in her eyes. “Tell me please! I know what you’re saying is right, but I can’t just forgive her. She lied to me, conned me, played me—” “But you still love her like a fool, don’t you?” Lucari nodded. “Help me. I’m so mad, so hurt, so… I don’t know.” (Shit, I’m no matchmaker you idiot.) “I guess… you just accept it?” Lucari’s eyes widened. “A-accept it!? How am I supposed to—” In one swoop, Carciel knelt down and looked Lucari straight in the eyes. “You’re going to act—just like Niyleen has been since she met you—that she’s not the woman you so desperately want to turn in.” “B-but…” “No buts!” Carciel said. “I need this so I won’t look like an ass for accidentally letting her secret be known. And the two of you need this so you can have a semblance of the relationship that you previously did.” “I know you don’t want to hate her, and you know she doesn’t want to be hated by you. You’re ‘not in the dark’ anymore Lucari. So if the front you put on before meant anything then do this!” “I…” Lucari hesitated and Carciel knew why. This was mistake two for Niyleen, and it was a heavy mistake two. More than before Niyleen had built their relationship on top of lie after lie. And it wasn’t just a simple lie, but rather one that was tearing Lucari’s heart apart. “Please Lucari,” Carciel pleaded. “I’ll never ask of you something like this again.” Lucari was silent for a few moments before finally saying, “I’ll try… no, I’ll do it.” Carciel fell backwards and smiled. “Thank the Divines,” she sighed, relieved that she had dodged a bullet with this whole affair. As the Breton gathered herself she heard a mumble come from across her. “What was that Pure-Shot? Speak up.” “Why do you care so much about Niyleen and my relationship? I thought you didn’t care about or like either of us.” “Haa… ain’t that the truth,” Carciel with a laugh. “I guess… that fight with the vampires may have gotten to me. I owe Niyleen my life, and considering that I wanted—and still somewhat do—to end hers… I think it’s just right to repay that which I owe. Now she owes me double, and I’m sure to cash in soon.” “Well then, with all that settled—” Carciel froze as she could have sworn that she heard something off in the distance. (Maybe I’m getting paranoid.) “Now that that’s settled?” Lucari repeated with a hint of sadness still in her voice. “O-oh, yeah. Well, I guess I’ll go check on—!!” (There it was again!) She turned and faced where she thought she heard the sound come from, but there was no way that any noise was about to penetrate through these stone walls. “You don’t hear that?” “Hear what?” Carciel got to her feet and turned away from Lucari. (This is odd. I know there’s no way I should be hearing anything, but that sound… it’s so sad… it’s calling me.) “…iel? Lucari to Carciel? Are you alright?” “H-huh?” “You seemed spaced out, is everything alright?” “Not… exactly. As a matter of fact, I’ve got to go check something out.” “Then I want to come with you.” “Yeah sure, wait WHAT!? Nonononono, you’re definitely not coming along,” Carciel protested. “It’s still night out, and those vampires could still be lingering around. I’m not about to have your blood on my hands if something goes afoul.” “You can’t have everything go your way Carciel,” Lucari said rather firmly. “I can’t act like I’m not disappointed and angry at Niyleen while being so close to her. I need to get some fresh air, I need out of this house, I need… I WANT to shoot something.” “Listen milkdrinker, I don’t know—” “And another thing,” Lucari said angrily sounding completely unlike herself. “I’m a battletested warrior who can handle her own. If we’re going to break facades, then let me tell you this. I’m NOT the sniveling little milkdrinker that you and Niyleen think I am.” The eyes Carciel gazed into didn’t belong to the same woman that was crying a few moments ago. “Who… who are you?” “I’ll tell you that when we cross that bridge.” Lucari's voice was cold and authoritative, quite a contrast to how she normally sounded. “I’m glad I’m not a Nord because I’m afraid my name would be Carciel Secret-Keeper,” Carciel joked. Lucari was not amused. “So what’s your answer Breton?” (These two women will be the death of me.) “Sure, fine, whatever,” Carciel said. “You can tag along. I get what you mean about needing some fresh air. It’s a bit too thick in here for my tastes as well. Plus, you’re an archer right? You can probably see quite well in the dark right?” “That I can.” (Hearing her talk like this is… odd.) “Well, that’ll come in handy. So let’s get ourselves out of her shall we?” “I’m ready when you are,” Lucari said in her normal warmhearted voice. (One’s got immeasurable uncontrollable power. The other has a split personality… And I thought I had problems.)

Flame-Child Chapter Seventeen: Entering One's Own   As the trio made their ascent towards Niyleen’s house, the beating in her chest just wouldn’t subside. Was it still adrenaline from the battle? Perhaps it was nerves overcoming her just like they did in the abandoned house a few days ago? When they made it to her doorstep, Niyleen knew exactly what was wrong with her; however she didn’t know how she was going to go about counteracting it. Turning to face her comrades she said, “Um… regarding my space… it may not be in the best of ways right now. Last time I was home, I was… going through some things.” “Dammit Redguard,” Carciel said playfully, but firmly. “No one gives a shit about how you house looks. You promised me a warm bed, that’s all I need. Right Nord?” “Y-yeah…” Niyleen sighed and the three of them headed inside. Halfway up the entranceway Niyleen turned to face the two of them once more. “Seriously, this is a big deal to me. I know it’s just a house, and I know it’s just a bit of a mess, but letting you two in… well it’s like I’m opening myself up to you both. And while I owe both of you, and you two are both worthy of my respect, the last couple of people I truly let into my life… I truly regret it.” “If only my sister could hear you,” Carciel sighed. “Look Flame-Child. My sister was THE last person you let fully in, whether you remember it all or not. And whether you want to admit it or not, when you told her everything about you, when you opened yourself up, you were at the happiest you had ever been thus far in your life. Don’t piss on her memory by saying that… please.” “I-I didn’t mean…” “I may still be mad at you Niyle, but if being here can make us closer than there is nowhere I’d rather be. As a friend [and potential lover] I don’t want to be left out in the dark. If something’s bothering you, you can tell me. If you’re afraid, I want to be able to comfort you. If you’re in pain, I want to be able to help you. Niyle,” Lucari said with a faint smile on her face. “I lov… I care about you a lot. And I don’t want you to hesitate about telling me what you’re feeling inside.” Holding back her emotions, Niyleen turned away from them. “Dammit you guys.” She wiped her eyes. “Fine fine fine… a promise is a promise anyway.” At the top of the entranceway, Niyleen said, “Well… this is my house.” “Whoa…” “By the Divines…” “Oh crap… don’t… don’t mind the food that’s kinda everywhere. I was on an eating binge the last time I was home. Gods… I don’t know how much of it’s bad, but I could use my savings to get more if need be.” “This is your house? How could a frugal tight ass like you, no offense, even afford Vlindrel Hall?” “Y-yeah. Well…” Niyleen looked around to make sure no one else was in her house and then lowered her voice. “I may or may not have stolen about 13,000 gold from the Silverbloods, the deed and keys to the house, placed the money in an exact spot where the Jarl’s steward could find it when he called me up on how I just arbitrarily owned this place, and I’ve been lying low ever since.” “This is what a life of crime can get you… No Lucari, don’t give into temptation!” “B-but yeah, sorry for the mess. I’ll get around to straightening up later.” “For now, let’s get you both settled in…!” Niyleen winced, but it seemed to go unnoticed. (It’s definitely that acting up again. Why now…) “Follow me you two!” “This will be where you’re going to be sleeping Carciel. Please don’t mind the spider webs or the lack of much else. I’ve been meaning to upgrade my guest room for a while now, but haven’t gotten around to it.” “You insecure broad, I could kiss you… if I swung that way.” Carciel went into her room but not before stopping next to Niyleen and whispering, “The air around you is warm. Make sure that you don’t burn the place down with the two of yours lovemaking.” “C-Carciel!” Niyleen blushed. The Breton laughed saying, “Night you two,” before finally heading in. “What were you two talking about?” “N-nothing.” “Sure didn’t sound like nothing. Are you positive you’re not hiding secrets from me again?” (Other than that I’m the Raging Inferno of the Reach that you’re chasing after?) “No Lucari,” she smiled. “I’m not hiding anything from you. Now let me show you to where you’ll be sleeping.” “This is it, the Master bedroom,” Niyleen said after they had crossed the room. “It’s… amazing….” “I don’t use it much, because I’m usually not in a lot, or I end up crashing in the living room floor due to exhaustion. But yeah, this is my bed. I promise it’s a lot better than those stone slabs at the Silverblood inn.” “Over there are some of my wardrobes. They mainly contain clothes too fine for one such as myself, but there may be an outfit or two in there you might like to try out, if you’re okay with readjusting the size a bit of course.” “And this is my personal workbench/treasury/command station. Whenever I wasn’t actively thieving, I would come here to reallocate funds, update guard, caravan, and merchant routes, and make note of any areas noted for having suspicious activity. Since I haven’t been in recently, it’s definitely outdated, but give it a look through if you want.” “And that’s about it,” Niyleen said with a sigh of relief. “You may sleep here by yourself, because regardless of what you may have said earlier in reference to me, I know you’re still a bit peeved at me for leaving you alone today.” Niyleen cautiously chose her next words carefully. “…So I want you to be able to relax in complete comfort, a-at least for the night anyways. And if you want, we try and force ourselves to act normal towards each other in the morning.” “Thank you Niyle. As much as I would like to hug you right now, you’re right. Thank you for the space tonight.” She paused. “W-where will you sleep?” “Don’t worry your pretty little head about me too much. Like I said, I’ve made due with the floor plenty of times.” Lucari nodded and let out an affirmative sound. “Well then, night.” “May the dawn keep you,” Niyleen replied. Seeing the look on Lucari’s face, she followed up with, “It’s a saying my mother always said to me when I was younger. It always helped me sleep well, l-like she was making a deal with the Divines to carry me throughout the night and into the dawn.” Feeling her face flush Niyleen quickly said, “A-anyways, night,” before exiting the room in a hurry closing the door behind her. Looking around her living room/kitchen area she sighed. (Mother would kill me for letting anyone see my house in such a state.) Walking around her house, Niyleen could feel her temperature rising and just like Carciel said, if she couldn’t contain it she’d definitely burn her house down. (A poor way to squander a 13,000 gold investment.) So she began searching for anything that might calm the flames inside her. Normally she’d keep a concoction of Dragon’s Tongue, Snowberries and Fly Amanita she picked up from a Khajiit caravan on hand, but try as she might she couldn’t find it or any of its ingredients anywhere in her house. (Just my luck. I’d have enough wine to help me survive Frostfall, but I don’t have a single ingredient that helps me resist fire… logical move Niyleen…) Continuing through her house she came upon a room that filled her with glee when she saw it. “Oh old friend, how I’ve forgotten about you. Truly, only you could comfort me in times like this.” The room was an add-on that she actually paid for because going to the public baths was not only a hassle, but always an awkward experience. Through they might not admit it or hound her about it, the guards know for a fact that she’s a thief, former or otherwise, and every time she visited the public baths she felt their eyes lingering just a bit too long for her tastes. It got to the point where she actually saved two thousand gold to get a private bath installed, but it was definitely worth it. Stripping off her clothes, Niyleen entered the bath and the cool water was refreshing and calming to the touch. (Haaaa… I’ve needed one of these.) Easing her way into the water, she couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Lucari bursting into the bath and seeing her like this. (If it were any other day, she’d definitely pounce on me, and I’d have to succumb to her whims…) The aching in her chest and the warmness of her told her a different story altogether. She was the one that would be doing the pouncing at this point in time. Everything just felt so sensitive. She could hear Carciel softly purring away and Lucari tossing in the bed trying to maintain a comfortable position. (I’ve heard the stories of the heightened senses of vampires, werewolves, and the like… so this is how it feels.) Deciding to get completely comfortable herself, Niyleen slowly rested her back onto the cold bath wall and let out a sigh. “This is life…” Immediately she could feel her body temperature stabilize, but it wasn’t just that. Her nerves about the battle, her situations with Carciel and Lucari, her issues with the Forsworn, the Silverbloods, her father, and this damned power she had bottled inside her… all of it seemed to melt away and helped her to just simply relax. “Maybe I could just sleep… here…” Her eyelids got heavy, her mind cloudy and her words became reality as she indeed slowly drifted off to sleep. “Ugh… h-huh?” Niyleen said trying to make sense of where she was. “Darkness…” Clumsily, she got to her knees and looked around, and all she saw was that, darkness. No trace of her house, her friends, or any part of Nirn; just an abyss. “Am I dead?” Though she thought the words escaped her lips, Niyleen wasn’t sure that she had indeed spoken them. “You’re not dead… just barely breathing,” said a voice from right behind her. “AH!” Niyleen stumbled away from where she was and gripped for something, anything, in the darkness to reach out in grab. Her heartbeat was racing and for some reason it was hard to put on the tough air she liked to portray while in this space. Looking up at the figure in the dark, the obvious question crossed her lips, “W-who are you?” A quick glance into the figure’s eyes gave her the answer she sought, but the being spoke anyway. “Who am I? I’m the daughter of the Redguard Bandit Warlord Nanika and the Nord Necromancer Narndir the Elfkiller; I’m the true Raging Inferno of the Reach; I’m the darkness cast into the shadows because you are too weak to claim the power that your former lover generously awoke within you. I am Niyleen Flame-Child—but fir simplicity’s sake call me Nega Niyleen—and it’s a pleasure to once again meet my other half.” (Once again?) “We’ve never—” “You don’t remember? How about if I say this: ‘And your father said it was a gift when he raped then all but killed you so he could reanimate your corpse and have his way with you. Have you not realized that the Divines have given you a big Fuck You since the day you’ve been born?’” A light bulb went off in her head and suddenly it was five years ago and Niyleen was undertaking the Ascension ritual all over again. She could feel the pain of her skin cracking, of the flames engulfing her body, of time seeming to completely stand still, and then the blinding light. Before she had just thought she was having a monologue with herself, but in retrospect she—or at least this side of her at that time—had complete faith in Eolri. That fact alone should have alerted her to the presence of another side of herself, a cold, sadistic, bloodthirsty side that would be brazen enough to say, ‘Foolish girl, another one you trusted has you crying for death. First your father, now this?’ And this… this Nega Niyleen was the embodiment of all of her doubt from back then; and the embodiment of when she gave in completely to her Ascension… Her other side stretched and said joyfully, “It’s so great to get out once in a while. I felt like wild animal suddenly thrust into a cage. I wanted to be free, I wanted a release. And so I waited… and waited…” Niyleen gathered herself and stood to her feet. “So you think that now is that time? Now is the time for you to take over and for me to be cast into the darkness?” “Why wouldn’t it be? I’m the stronger one, the smarter one. The real question is, which sick and twisted Aedra or Daedra thought that a weak bitchy persona like you should be in control of this body? Clearly it wasn’t Julianos, because it just isn’t logical.” “I don’t know if whether you said is true or not, but if I’m in control, that’s because the world isn’t ready for us… for you to be released in it.” “Those are just the empty words of those that have everything handed to them. So because I’m too strong, because I have too much power, I can’t be released into the world? And yet the Daedric Princes are allowed to just take a dump on Nirn at every turn?” “I never said it was perfect.” “And I never said you were right.” Nega Niyleen got into a fighting stance and instinctively Niyleen did so as well. “I will end you Niy. I will force my will into you, and without fail I WILL be unleashed. And when I am released, I’ll do you the favor of ridding you of that nuisance called Pure-Shot. I can’t imagine how good it will feel when I have her neck between my hands and then,” *snap* She snapped her fingers. Niyleen’s chest throbbed and she knew that she spoke the truth. “I... I’ll never let that happen!” “Then stop me.” It was over in a single instant. Niyleen rushed in and was caught on the chin by a vicious roundhouse kick. As she fell, all she could see was herself failing yet again. She had failed her mother, her comrades, and ultimately herself. Maybe it was the influence of her words, but for an instance even she thought that Julianos would never let her be the dominant persona with such a beast trapped with her. It wasn’t… logical… A smug look appeared on Nega Niyleen’s face. “Down goes Niyleen. DOWN GOES NIYLEEN!” She laughed and continued to hold her pose. “It wasn’t even close.” “This is the gap in our strength. No… it’s even greater than you could ever imagine. And yet… why is it you…” (Shit… I-I can’t think straight… How did I end up on the ground? Is this even the ground?) “WHY ARE YOU IN CONTROL!” Nega Niyleen’s voice surrounded Niyleen from all sided and she began to feel suffocated by her presence. (Something isn’t right… this feeling is… familiar…) The air around them intensified and it suddenly felt like Niyleen was on fire. She couldn’t think, couldn’t see straight, but was taken over by an immense feeling of strength that was not her own. (I know this feeling… it’s just like then…) The ecstasy… the shock… the awe… suddenly she was back in Karthwasten... suddenly she felt like a god again. But coming back to reality, Niyleen soon realized that this was not power for her to control. In fact it wasn’t her power at all. “I HAVE THE POWER! I HAVE ASCENDED! And yet… YET!” Wave after wave of heat emitted from Nega Niyleen’s body until what she was keeping inside finally was finally released. “And yet it is you that gets to bask in the sunlight… why?” A quick glance at her other self was all she needed to confirm her suspicions… (She’s an actual monster!) As if Nega Niyleen could read Niyleen’s thoughts, she said, “Yes. That’s exactly what I am. A monster that was awakened by your lover and is constantly clawing to get out.” She gave her an evil smile. “And continue to claw I will. I’ve already kept you here long enough better half. May the dawn take you.” Everything began to blur and the last thing Niyleen could see was Nega Niyleen standing over triumphantly, her menacing laughter echoing through the darkness. Niyleen awoke with a shriek. Her chest felt tight and was pounding harder than she could ever remember, and though not literally, her skin was on fire. She could barely breathe. Between shrieks she meekly cried out for help. “I’m here Niyleen. I’m right here.” (No… not Lucari…) She couldn’t be found out now, she was just opening up to Lucari and she wasn’t ready to let Lucari know that she was the one that she was looking for. Lucari saw the pained look on Niyleen’s face and couldn’t help but be sad herself. “W-what happened? You were doing fine. Were you infected? Were you—” “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!” Niyleen’s piercing scream resonated throughout the room and she could feel herself coming undone by something foreign that was oppressing her. Frantically she tried to remove the foreign objects [her clothes] from off of her skin but to no avail. “I-I-I t-thought you wouldn’t want t-to be naked when you awoke s-so I… I’ll… I’ll fix this!” Lucari reached towards Niyleen and while reaching for her clothes brushed her hand on the Halfling’s skin. “Oww!” She yelled drawing her hand back. “Y-you’re so hot… literally. What’s going on?” As quickly as she could, Lucari disrobed Niyleen, and though this would normally this would be a sight she would relish in, seeing Niyleen so weak and defenseless was borderline driving her mad. “I don’t know what to do,” she cried. “I want to help you but I don’t even know the first thing about you. Please Niyleen, tell me what to do. Tell me how to help you!” Be it due to Niyleen’s former cries or Lucari’s current ones, Carciel burst into the room seemingly to get a handle on things. “I see that you two have been hitting the bed hard?” Carciel joked, though it wasn’t even funny to her. Seeing the distraught look on Lucari’s face, she knew the situation without asking, but decided to handle the situation delicately. “What happened, Nord?” “C-Carciel… Niyleen… she… she…!” “Calm down and tell me everything.” “I… I woke up and t-tried on some clothes like Niyleen said I could. When I finally found an outfit that I liked, I looked for Niyleen through the house and when I happened upon her s-she was passed out in the bath. So… so I got her from the bath and took brought her here. But she was shaking all the while. I-I don’t know why. S-so I thought to clothe her, because I… I didn’t think she’d like to sleep nude if she could help it. Then she started screaming, and then…” “I think I understand,” Carciel said frowning. “I also think I know what ails her. However, the only way I can cure her is to use magic from the Old Gods,” she lied. “These magicks require the utmost concentration and if you want me to help her it would be best if you left the room so I could get on with it.” Lucari slumped her shoulders. “I… I understand.” She hung her head and slowly went to exit the room. When she got to the door, she stopped and said, “Tell Niyle… no I don’t deserve to call her that. Tell Niyleen that I’m sorry I couldn’t help her.” “Yeah…” Lucari shut the door behind her and left Carciel and Niyleen alone. “Shit girl, by the Divines what did you do?” “Haa… haa… is she gone?” Niyleen asked weakly. “She is.” “Good… Maybe we can keep being friends for a little while longer now…” “Stop talking like that!” Carciel said unable to control herself. “Don’t you remember what Lucari said?’ If you’re in pain, I want to be able to help you.’ That counts for the both of us you dummy. I may not feel for you the way that she does, but I’ve come to consider you as a comrade. Maybe even a friend. So stop shouldering everything yourself you idiot. Even if Lucari knew who you really were, she’d still be worried sick about you.” “Eolri… always said… she had cute sister that she loved to dote on,” Niyleen said dreamily. She couldn’t focus, be it her vision or her mind, nor could she feel. Her senses were shot from the fire raging in her chest that was begging to escape. Niyleen was numb, body and soul, but her words were warm. “I’m glad I was finally able to see this side of you…” Carciel could feel her face heat up. “S-shut up idiot. Anyway, do I need to move you anywhere? You know, so that you won’t mess up your house?” Niyleen shook her head slightly and patted her sheets softly. “Fireproof.” “Of course…” Carciel said while sighing. “This isn’t fair! Why do I have to carry your secret? Why do I have to lie for you? Why can’t you tell Lucari that you’re the Raging Inferno—” “Can you… haa… ha… do something for me?” Carciel nodded. “Could you… tell her that she’s wrong? She’s… haa… more than worthy… as are you…” “Damn you Flame-Child…” Carciel said as she held back her emotions. “I’ll definitely get you back for this.” “I’ll be waiting…” Niyleen finally stopped fighting it and allowed herself to be consumed by the flames. She knew that she should be screaming, she knew that it hurt more than she could imagine, but she just couldn’t feel anything. (This is… her doing…) Niyleen looked over towards Carciel as the flames covered almost all of her body, and said as strongly as she could, albeit it was still weak, “I’m sorry… for everything…” Something within Carciel finally broke a she heard those words and she couldn’t help but weep silently, whilst making sure she took in every moment of this, for both their sakes. Meanwhile Lucari knelt outside of the door doing all that she could currently do for Niyleen, pray. “Stendarr, Arkay, Kynareth, Mara, Zenithar, Dibella, Julianos, Akatosh, Talos… I know that you all don’t care about the single life of one your children when weighed against what is best for the Realm, but please… If it isn’t against your will, please aid Niyleen. See that she gets—” “This isn’t fair!” She heard Carciel shout from the inside. (What’s going on?) She thought as she continued to pray. “Why do I have to lie for you? Why can’t you tell Lucari that you’re the Raging Inferno—” Lucari kept her eyes shut and raised her head towards the sky. (I must have heard wrong… she can’t be the Raging Inferno. She must be a relative or something… she can’t even use magic right?) A memory suddenly flashed before Lucari’s eyes. “Yeah, something about how that woman set Sanuarach Mine ablaze and killed some of the Silver-Blood’s men,” the Orc began looking at her even closer. “Yeah, no doubt. You’re exactly the type of woman he described.” “Right… Niyleen?”

Flame-Child Chapter Sixteen: The Price After a detailed search throughout Markarth bared no fruit, Niyleen and Carciel returned to the Silverblood Inn feeling beaten and tired.   “This is pointless,” Carciel said as she plopped herself down on the bed. “Other than that one Forsworn there’s nothing in this god awful corrupt city.”   “Nothing that’s not being covered up,” Niyleen said, kicking off her boots and sitting down at the bedside. “I wonder how Lucari’s doing…”   “You know how it is,” Carciel said with a laugh. “If she’s not back by now, then Markarth has her now.”   “Don’t joke about that!” Niyleen’s heart ached as the reality of the situation finally set in and she realized that she left her friend to fend for herself in this terrible city, and if yesterday’s events were any indication then Carciel may not be too far off from the truth. “D-don’t joke about that…” “I don’t even worship them, but even I have to say ‘By the Divines’ would you stop acting like such a sap,” Carciel said, sighing. “Even if something happened to the girl we could get her out and to safety. It’s not like you’re not accustomed to demolishing upwards of thirty people in a single instant, right?”   “Your jokes are getting more and more unfunny by the moment.”   “Well, excuse me Princess. I’m sorry that I’m not blessed with your sense of comedy or importance in the universe. Please, enlighten me on how to be hilarious and almighty, oh great Inferno.” “Shit…”   “Listen Flame-Child,” Carciel said coolly. “I’m only here because of my sister. I don’t like you, I don’t care about your lesbian friend, and pardon me if I don’t care about your feelings in the least bit.”   “I know, I know.” Niyleen rubbed the back of her head. “But I thought we could at least act like partners for the time being.”   “You thought wrong.” “And why are we staying at the Silverblood Inn?” Carciel continued. “I know this one of your favorite spots, but don’t you have—”   Niyleen laughed. “Blame Lucari.”   “Figures that no nothing Nord would be behind—” Suddenly the doors to the room flung open and standing there in shock looking at the sad state the room was in was a female Nord clad in red. “Ha, well speak of the daedra. There she is.” “Lucari!” Niyleen said as she got to her knees. “It’s so good to see you. I’m glad you made it back safe—” “You don’t get to utter those words Niyle.” Lucari pouted. “Not after the day I had.”   “It couldn’t have been that bad,” Niyleen insisted. “I mean you’re not in Cidnah and you didn’t meet of with Forsworn or anything.”   “Say another word,” Lucari warned. “I had a terrible day! I was attacked by vampires, threatened by a Daedric Prince, almost drowned, told off and threatened by the Jarl, and worst of all… I was left to fend for myself in this miserable city by someone I considered to be my friend.” (I must admit, she looks kinda of cute when she’s mad.) “Come on now, you made it back didn’t you? I knew you’d be alright when I left. And I said I’d be back this evening.”   Lucari started to tremble. “You’re so… so…” She paused, then gave Niyleen an evil look. “I should have let that Forsworn have her way with you in that abandoned house.”   “Y-you don’t mean that…” “Screw all the melodrama bullshit,” Carciel interjected. “Just say you’re happy to see each other and get the sappy reunion over with so we can get on with more important matters.”   “Who on Tamriel is she?” Lucari said directing her question toward Niyleen.   “Oh you know, just another stray I picked up along my way.” (If only it wasn’t true.)   “Does it matter,” Carciel said. “I have a deeper relationship with her than you ever will.”   “Why you…” “Anyway, if your romance drama is over, can we please get on with finding these ‘forces beyond Niyleen’s control’ my sister was talking about.”   “Who do you think you’re—”   Carciel sighed. “I’ll tell you what I told Niyleen: I don’t like you, your non-lesbian lover, or either of your feelings. So before you step to me, know that I wouldn’t think twice before piercing you with my sword.” She chuckled to herself after realizing what she just said. “And I won’t have a problem putting an arrow through your skull either. You seem to not understand who you’re dealing with.”   “Oh my little apple dumpling, I’ve already done the whole ‘act tougher than you really are’ bit and to be honest, mine was immensely more convincing,” Carciel said shrugging her comments off. “So what if you’re a great shot? I could kill you from where I am before you could even nock an arrow.” She waited before adding, “Try me.”   “Grrrr…” “Come on guys,” Niyleen said. “We need to work to—”   A piercing scream from outside made the three woman stop and turn in its direction. Wordlessly, the three of them geared up and exited the inn and they felt a chill in the air. Turning the corner they came upon an unusual scene: a vampire clad in all black fighting off three other vampires. From what they saw, the one had separated a vampire from the others and was excitedly going to work on it as the other vampires watched. The vampire clad in black continued to assert its dominance shooting Shock spell after Shock spell at the vampire to keep it down. It seemed like the other vampires weren’t going to get involved until a poor sod walked up and stabbed the vampire in the chest with a steel dagger. Niyleen reacted just as fast as one of the other vampires and intercepted him before he could interrupt the fight between the two vampires. Landing slash upon slash, it wasn’t long before the vampire was felled to his knees but her onslaught. However the vampire had another trick up his sleeve as he stealthily resurrected the fallen Forsworn from yesterday, Weylin. Seeing this, Carciel and a wondering Vigilant leapt into action and together they helped keep the vampire off balance rendering his Reanimate spell futile. At the same time, the black clad vampire seemed to have everything under control on her end as she continued to dominate her opponent with ease. Assessing that Carciel and the Vigilant could handle their vampire on their own, Niyleen surveyed the battle and saw a bandit with a far off look in his eyes approaching the black clad vampire with nocked bow and she leapt in the way to deflect the arrow. Infuriated, the bandit charged the one in black and Niyleen easily dropped him to his knees.   “Watch your rear, vampire!” Niyleen shouted as she slashed the bandit across the chest. (Shit. Where are all these random people coming from?)   “The name’s Teresa,” said the black clad vampire who was readying something in her left hand as she continued to wail on her targeted vampire. After dispatching the bandit, Niyleen turned her attention to the vampire behind her and, with assistance from Lucari, began to overpower her as well. However something was off; no matter how many times she was slashed or pierced with arrows or no matter how much blood she lost the vampire just wouldn’t stay down. Even the Shock spells from Teresa were doing little to keep this vampire off her feet. As Niyleen and Lucari handled her vampire, Teresa—now covered in blood—backed off and began to chant something. At the end of it, an ethereal blade formed in her hand and her demeanor—and that of those throughout the battlefield—changed. As Niyleen went to land a killing blow on the vampire, suddenly Teresa took its place and together with the other vampire and a Markarth guard they began their assault on Niyleen. “Friend of the Defiler, of the Unworthy,” Teresa said in an otherworldly voice as she continued draining Niyleen’s life away with every passing second. “She was warned and now you all shall perish.” Niyleen separated herself from the three of them and felt rather fatigued. (What’s with the sudden 180? And friend of the Defiler, of the Unworthy? What the hell is she…!) At that moment she remembered Lucari’s words, ‘I had a terrible day! I was attacked by vampires, threatened by a Daedric Prince…’ “Y-you’re one of Molag Bal’s—”   “Most worthy of followers, yes.” Teresa said. “And that bitch, the Defiler, not only killed my brethren but also denied his blessing and even decided not to heed when warned by His Champion. Most unfortunate are you that must pay for the sins of one most unworthy.” Teresa, the guard and the vampire surrounded Niyleen each ready to attack. “Enough of this, goodbye friend of the Defiler.” Hearing the loosing of multiple arrows, Niyleen attacked first charging straight for the more wounded vampire. The fight was harder than need be with arrow after arrow homing in on her, the vampire being continuously buffed by Teresa, and having to fight a vampire, but one thing was for sure; Niyleen’s attacks were working. Continuing where she left off, it wasn’t long before Niyleen had the vampire on the ropes yet again.   “P-please,” it begged, realizing it’s time had come. “I beg you.”   Niyleen severed the vampires head from its shoulders and watched as it disintegrated into ash. “Tell Molag Bal I said screw off!”   “IEEEEEEEEEEEE!”   “What now?” Niyleen said as a female Khajiit ran through the vampire’s ashes. She looked in the direction where the Khajiit came and her eyes got wide. “By the Nine…” Carciel had been literally backed into a corner and was surrounded by multiple warriors, guards, and the third vampire that was initially attacking Teresa. The Breton was trying all that she could to fend them off, but their numbers were far too great and like the time she fought Niyleen, her weapon wasn’t meant for such closed quarters combat. Niyleen started towards Carciel and Teresa was right on her until an arrow that barely missed her knee whizzed by. The vampire looked at her attacker and smiled. “So the Defiler decided to accept her fate.” Teresa charged spells in both of her hands. “How foolish!”   “All I’ve got to do is buy them some time,” Lucari said with confidence. “So I may as well enter the fray as well.”   “I’ll bite,” Teresa said with a grin. “Hit me with your best shot.”   “Gladly.” “Shit… is this really the end,” Carciel said. She took a defensive stance and slowly crept backwards. “This was just supposed to be a brawl with some vampires. How’d we end up fighting the whole damn city?!” She blocked a warriors attack and the faraway look in his eyes gave her her answer. “Damn Vampire’s Seduction… What’s going on?” She said noticing that some of her enemies had turned their attention elsewhere. An angry feminine scream came from her right, and Carciel looked over just in time to see Niyleen hit the vampire with a blow so hard it sent him flying.   “Now that’s what I’m talking about!” Carciel grinned. “Let’s deal with this rabble and catch up with your girlfriend, shall we?”   “Definitely.” “Haa… haa… is that all… you got…”   “This is crazy,” Lucari said as she retrieved another arrow. “Why won’t you fall down? Why don’t you just die?”   “I’ll never die… to you… Defiler,” Teresa said, grinning. “As long as you oppose my lord… I’ll oppose you…”   Lucari let loose another arrow and hesitated before retrieving another. “You’re insane.” She then headed off towards the others. It didn’t take long for Niyleen and Carciel to dispatch their attackers and upon returning to the city market—the start of the battle—Carciel, reinvigorated by seeing Niyleen in action, went to work on any and everything that wasn’t named Niyleen or Lucari. When Niyleen caught up with her, the two of them found themselves fighting the first vampire from before. However this time he had wrapped himself in flames and was shrugging off every attack he took. However it wasn’t long before his flames turned on him and began to tear away at his skin. Knowing how vulnerable this would make him—having had the same thing happen to her before—Niyleen began an unrelenting assault on the vampire. Meanwhile, Carciel saw that Teresa was back and trying to harm Niyleen, so taking a page from Niyleen’s book, she hit the vampire with a blow so hard it flung her to the opposite end of the market crashing her into a large rock. Trying to stand, she fell back to her knees in pain. “Shit, a broken ankle. That’ll take a night to heal…” Surveying the market Teresa saw that her forces were losing. Having lost two of her most loyal brethren in this battle irked her and she wasn’t about to lose a third. Snapping her fingers, her vampire comrade, and most of the other battle participants vanished leaving Niyleen, Lucari, Carciel, and a lone guard as the sole people left in the market. Relieved, Niyleen and her party each dropped to the ground and began treating their injures with Restoration spells and potions.   “Thank the Divines we made it out of that in one piece,” Lucari said with a slight smile after just downing half a health potion.   “No,” Niyleen said. “Thank ourselves for being somewhat competent in a fight. Are you both okay though? Make sure you check for any bites or scratches.”   Lucari smiled warmly. “I’m fine mother.” “How about you Carciel? You okay?”   “Thank the gods…”   “Huh?” Niyleen raised her eyebrows. “I thought you didn’t pray to any of the Divines.”   “I don’t. And I won’t, but…” Carciel had a far off look in her eye. “I was going to die, and you just jumped into that mob and saved me…”   “I’m sure you would have done the same.”   “No.” Carciel said firmly. “Before that incident I wouldn’t. In fact I would’ve been happy to let you die like a dog, but now…” She took a deep breath. “I guess… I’ll try, to be somewhat… nicer to you.” “That’s all I could hope for,” Niyleen said with a smile. “But as you already knew, that wasn’t even my final form.”   Carciel laughed. “Markarth would be in flames if you would have gone that far.” “You have my thanks for that then,” the guard said as she approached Niyleen. “I know of the Nord, and I assume that you two are friends of hers, but…!”   “What is it?” Niyleen said still trying to calm her racing heart.   “It is… nothing,” the guard said narrowing her eyes. “Markarth owes you three a debt. So if you ever happen to get into any trouble, mention Heilda Oath-Keeper. I’ll try to help you all out.”   “Thanks,” Niyleen said, smiling. “Anyway I must be off,” Heilda said.   “Take care!”   As Heilda walked off she stopped for a second to look back at Niyleen. (That fugitive doesn’t even remember me… what she did to me… This’ll make the look on her face all the more enjoyable when I take her down.) “I’m so exhausted…”   “Well I guess you can have the bed,” Lucari said. “Me and Niyleen can share the floor.”   Niyleen noticed the horny grin on Lucari’s face and the upset look on Carciel’s quickly said, “We can just go back to my place, ya know?”   “You have a place! Why didn’t you tell me?”   (Well you had already spent my money on room in the inn and I wasn’t about to let my money go COMPLETELY to waste…) “Oh yeah, it slipped my mind.” Niyleen got to a knee. “Anyway, if neither of you mind a quick climb, we can sleep in warm beds tonight.”   “Count me in.”   “Me too!”

Flame-Child introducing One-Eye Chapter Fifteen: The Returning...   A returning soldier took a whiff in of the air and let out a content sigh. “Understone Keep. So stuffy, so chilly… I’m home.” The returning soldier walked onward and was met by a guard. “Welcome back ma’am.” He saluted. “Hope you had a safe trip.” The soldier saluted as well. “It could have been better, but I’m alive and I’m not complaining.”   “Understandable. The Jarl will want to see you.”   “Indeed. And I him.” The soldier headed toward the throne room but was cut-off by another guard. “Lady One-Eye! Glad to see you back in one piece ma’am.” The girl saluted stared attentively at the soldier.   The soldier sighed. “One piece physically anyway.”   “Ma’am?” The soldier called One-Eye leaned in closer and motioned the guard to do the same. “Whiterun was attacked.”   “Damn Stormcloak bastards.”   “Actually I’m not sure about that.” One-Eye said scratching her head. “Actually only a tower outside of Whiterun was attacked, and the area around that seemed to have been razed by fire.” She shivered. “Powerful magicks were at work there.”   “Master level?”   The soldier shook her head. “No. I don’t know. But whatever it was, it wasn’t human. And from what I’ve been hearing from rumors around the Whiterun-Riverwood area, if they are true, then this Civil War will be the least of our worries.” Seeing the guard’s face flush, the soldier patted her on the shoulder. “But no worries, as long as we do our jobs there is nothing that can possibly breach Markarth’s walls.” She saluted and gave the girl a nod before continuing. Heading further in, One-Eye could see the Mournful throne and her heart skipped a beat. (Igmund… my love…) She shook the thought from her head and continued walking. Her duty as a soldier and as a citizen of Markarth was to report her findings, and in her heart One-Eye knew this. Any feelings beyond this would have to be dealt with at a later time. Just outside of the throne room the two guards posted were about to salute when One-Eye waved them off. “No time for pleasantries I need to speak to the Jarl at once."   The guards on duty simply nodded and allowed her access. As soon as she entered the throne room a loud voice shouted, “Halt! Who dares approach… Heilda!”   “I’m glad to see you as well, Faleen,” the soldier said, smiling. “What’s with the hair? One of the Jarl’s requests?”   Faleen smiled. “Indeed. I lost a bet, and this is the result. But enough dilly-dallying. Please, approach the Mournful Throne.” Heilda ascended the stairs toward the throne and stopped just short of it.   “Ah. So you’ve returned, Heilda,” Jarl Igmund said finally acknowledging the soldier’s presence.   She immediately took to a knee. “That I have, and with grave news.”   “Speak.” “My lord, Whiterun was attacked.”   “By the Stormcloaks?” Igmund said. “Damn Ulfric and his men to Oblivion.”   “No My Jarl, it was not the work of Ulfric’s men.”   “Then by who? Quick now, hurry and tell me girl!”   Heilda swallowed hard, realizing how foolish her next words were about to sound. “I believe, My Jarl, and I say this with full confidence, that Whiterun was attacked by a dragon.”   Silence fell over the throne room, everyone too stunned to say anything… that is until Igmund let out a laugh. “Dragons? In Skyrim? Ha!” He rolled his eyes. “This is all probably some ruse that Balgruuf, in his pacifist ways, is trying to put this war to a halt.” “Enough with the jokes One-Eye and give me your report,” Igmund said.   Heilda simply looked at the Jarl, which prompted his steward to act.   “Igmund, please at least entertain the girl’s words. I would not believe that one of your best soldiers would lie to you outright like this.”   “But dragons? Really Raerek? Do you really believe that those creatures from legend have returned to Nirn? Do you know what that would mean?”   “Aye I do,” Raerek said. “And that is precisely why we shouldn’t wave off the girl’s words. Divines pray that she is mistaken.” Raerek turned to the soldier and said with a grave look on his face, “Heilda One-Eye, child of Markarth, warrior of the Reach, is the information that you delivered hear today indeed true?”   “Aye, it is sir.”   Igmund looked from Raerek to Heilda both who seemed to be expecting something from him. “Dammit,” he finally said. “If the dragons have returned, then we must send word to General Tullius. Now’s not the time for Skyrim to be fighting amongst itself.”   “I will get right to it,” Raerek said.   Igmund nodded then looked at Heilda. “You’ve done Markarth, no, all of Skyrim a great service this day. Well done.” He looked around like he was contemplating something then nodded. “No longer will you be known by your failure, One-Eye. Go onward from this day forth and be known as Oath-Keeper.”   “I think it suits you,” Faleen said, happily.   (As do I.) “It is an honor, My Jarl,” Heilda said, not able to mask the happiness from her face. Igmund sat back on his throne and sighed. “Now then, it there anything else you have to report?”   “Aye, My Jarl. Apparently when they were dealing with the dragon—”   “I need to see the Jarl! It is very very important that I talk to him!”   “We’ll decide whether or not what you have to say is important or not,” said one of the guards posted outside of the throne room.   “Would you like me to handle this, My Jarl?” Heilda said.   Igmund slammed his fist on this throne. “No… I will do this myself.”   “As you wish.” Heilda rose, descended the steps and posted up on a wall.   Igmund took a deep breath. “GIRL, I SHALL GRANT YOU AN AUDIENCE!” His voice resounded throughout the keep. The intruder eagerly made her way into the throne room. “Thank you so much, your excellency. I was afraid that—”   “Who do you think you are to approach the Mournful Throne so flippantly,” Faleen said, scowling. “You are out of your element Nord. The Jarl may have granted you an audience, but I suggest you leave.”   “But I have news regarding—!!” Faleen’s cold stare stopped the girl short. Igmund waved his housecarl off. “Who are you girl?”   “Lucari Pure-Shot,” she said, her fear of Faleen completely washed away.   “What is it that you wish to speak of?”   Faleen shot Lucari a look. “Choose your words wisely.”   “Vampires, Daedra and Forsworn have breached Markarth’s walls,” Lucari declared. “The people aren’t safe. Something needs to be done!”   Igmund rose to his feet. “So you’re the one who has been spreading vicious lies about my guards and the security of my city.” He clenched his fists. “I should haul you off to Cidnah for your fear mongering and blatant attempts at demoralizing my citizens.”   “Calm down nephew,” Raerek advised. “Just like earlier, there may be some—”   “I will NOT be calm Uncle. What I will do is end this nonsense here and now!” “Pure-Shot, what pleasure do you receive from this? Clearly you’re a wolf trying to set my sheep into disarray.” He looked Lucari dead in the eye. “But you’ve made a grave mistake, girl. I know who you are, what you look like, and from the rumors going about I know exactly who your accomplice is.”   “You don’t understand! I’m only trying to—”   “If your name or actions find their way into my ears again,” Igmund said, ignoring the girl. “I promise you you’ll never see the light of day again. That goes for your friend as well.” “This is insane! People are dying by the day in your town and you choose to turn a blind eye to it?” Lucari said. “This is crazy… this is madness!” “Madness?” Igmund laughed and nodded toward his housecarl. “THIS, IS, MARKARTH!” Cheers filled the keep at the sound of her decree. “W-what is wrong with you people,” Lucari said, her eyes filled with bewilderment. “It seems that this creature can’t seem to take a hint,” Igmund said as he sat back down. “Maybe the guards she thinks so ill of can help her with that. RAEREK!” “He means you should go child,” Raerek said. “Unless mining silver until you cough it up is how you envisioned spending the rest of your life.” “This is hopeless,” Lucari said. “I’ve got to find her… she’d know what to do.” The girl turned and ran from the throne room. Heilda watched her as she made her way out of the keep. “That was a determined look in her eyes, My Jarl,” Heilda said. “She’s definitely going to stir up trouble if left alone for much longer.”   “Can I count on you to handle her, if things get out of control, Guard Captain?” Igmund asked.   “Of course.” (Dragons, Vampires, Forsworn, Daedra, wannabe heroes, and a mortal that can slay dragons? Now is definitely not the time for war… Nor is it the time for Heroes to be cooped up in cities playing guard.) Heilda smiled having come to a conclusion. “I guess I’ll have to remind them all why I used to be called the Steel-Warden of the Reach.” (And maybe I can get my hands on the bitch that gave me the moniker ‘One-Eye’.) “ACHOO!”   “What’s wrong Inferno? Feeling a bit chilly.”   “N-no.” Niyleen said wiping her nose. “I feel fine.”   “That bs about people talking about you isn’t real,” Carciel said, rolling her eyes. “So get your shit together Flame-Child. We’ve got recon to do.”

Flame-Child feat. Lucari Pure-Shot Chapter Fourteen: No Good Deed...   As soon as she entered, Tyranus began to disclose his findings. “Fresh food, no wood rot on the furniture, and the faint smell of blood… Someone’s been here. Recently.”   “Could it just be a squatter?” Lucari asked as she drew her bow.   “I don’t know, but the people I asked say no one enters or leaves.” A sudden sound made him stop in his tracks. “Wait. Did you hear that? I think it came this way,” Tyranus said as he started off deeper into the house.   “Tyranus wait!”   “Eyes open. Somethings going on—” As soon as he entered the next room, Tyranus was struck with a red magic spell that he immediately recognized. “Drain Life… You undead scum, show yourselves!”   “H-hold on, I can’t get a clear shot.” “I said, show yourselves,” Tyranus yelled.   “Tyranus stop!”   It was too late. A blindingly blue explosion occurred in the other room and Lucari knew what this entailed.   “So it was just a Master Vampire,” Tyranus said arrogantly. “No matter.” He engulfed his hands in flames and readied to do battle with the creature. “Bring it on!” Everything happened too fast. Tyranus lunged toward the vampire and threw torrent after torrent of flames at it. But not only did the creature not seem bothered, it seemed amused. Enraged at the undead’s arrogance, Tyranus kept throwing bolt after bolt of fire, but in doing so he kept himself between the vampire and Lucari.   (Please Talos… even Stendarr, help us through this.) Suddenly the way was clear and Lucari was about to take aim when she suddenly froze only being thawed by the vampire’s words and another blue explosion.   “Foolish Vigilant,” the vampire said standing over Tyranus’s corpse. Peering inside, Lucari could see another figure emerging from the explosion and was gripped with fear, and also anger. The first vampire finally noticed Lucari and smiled. “Here,” he said as he cast something on Tyranus’s corpse. A whirl of blue impure magics swirled around the deceased Vigilant and continued to do so until he was standing upright just as he was moments before. “Take your trash with you.”   “N-no…” What stood before Lucari wasn’t the same man from before. He was just like these vampires, even worse. He was their thrall, their puppet, a shell of his former self. Lucari had to remind her self of these facts as she trained her arrow on the corpse’s back.   “What are you waiting for,” the vampire said. “Attack!”   In one motion Tyranus’s body turned and flung itself toward Lucari with all its might. But in that same motion Lucari let loose an arrow that caught the corpse between the eyes and turned him into dust before anyone knew what had happened. Continuing her attack, Lucari got into a low crouching position and maneuvered herself so that she could get a clear shot at the two vampires that she faced. But it would not be that simple.   Lucari tried from all angles whilst keeping her distance but it was impossible; the vampires had positioned themselves so an attack from the room she was in would be an unmanageable feat.   But Lucari knew what she had to do. Keeping her arrow nocked, she slowly crept toward the door and as soon as she heard a single sound that wasn’t from her, she jumped back.   Lucky she did. “Hahaha! Foolish Nord,” the vampire screamed. “You and that Vigilant are equally ignorant and foolish to think you can take me on! Maybe when I’m done with you you’ll come back through the Dreamsleeve. Hahaha!!” (I’ve had it!) Lucari took a deep breath and simply let her arrow fly true. It caught the vampire further back in his knee. She then took another deep breath, nocked her arrow, and released it as well. It found its mark. Realizing the same trick wouldn’t work twice; Lucari abandoned her bow and took out a blade that she always kept on her person and leapt toward the remaining vampire with the intent to cut it down. She took its spells head on, and countered with an assortment of slashes to the undead’s body. Throughout it all she was getting bloody, pissed—even bloody pissed one might say—and the good girl image she had been trying so hard to maintain was beginning to slip, but none of that matter, not if she couldn’t survive through this. However, within moments it became clear that surviving wasn’t Lucari’s problem, but the vampire’s. As a last ditch effort for survival, the remaining vampire let out a horrid screech followed by a blue explosion that pushed Lucari back a bit, but she pushed on through and her blade found its home in the vampire’s chest. “Hurts doesn’t it,” Lucari said as her enemy slid to the ground. “Dying that is.” She felt ill, sticky, sweaty, warm, lightheaded, and so many more things, but looking down at the two dead vampires she felt more than anything else, angry. “A good man died you bastards, and for what?! What purpose did his death have? You didn’t even feast off of him, you just turned him into dust… you… you…” She sliced both of the vampires heads open and they both shattered into dust. Everything seemed too unreal to her, and in her trance-like state Lucari retrieved her bow… And said a prayer for Tyranus. As she concluded her prayer, she felt something ominous swell in her bosom again, but ignored it as she struggled to fight back the tears swelling in her eyes. When she stands and turns to leave she feels a chill down her spine. “…ther down…”   Lucari whipped her head around for the source of the voice, but to no avail.   “Further down, mortal. Your reward is waiting for you…” said a voice from behind her.   “W-who’s there!” She quickly turned to face this new threat. But there was nothing there. (Get it together Lucari. You’re not crazy, you’re just stressed. Right, right. I mean, by the Nine, you almost died. You can’t help but be a bit rattled… right?) Lucari then closed her eyes and covered her ears trying to completely block out the voice However all that was nullified with one word spoken with a familiar voice, “Come.”   (Niyleen?) As if compelled to do so, Lucari went deeper into the house. "Deeper." Until she came upon an ominous looking alter.   “Come now… kneel…” Her mind told her turn and run far far away from this place, but her heart was being pulled along by Niyleen’s voice and her body was not her’s to control.   And so she knelt at the altar. “HahahaHAHAAAA!!!” Spikes shot up from the floor and trapped Lucari in place. The suddenness of it caused her to cower with her heads over her head, but it mattered not. There was little else that she could do. Nothing… but face the altar as it now spoke directly to her. "Fool! Did you think Molag Bal, the Lord of Domination, would so easily reward you? What do you see from that little cage? Speak." A lump formed in Lucari’s throat as she tried to answer. “A…al…tar…”   "Yes. It's an altar. Men would come and sacrifice the wretched in my name. The weak would be punished by the strong. But a Daedric Lord has his enemies, and my rival Boethiah had her priest desecrate the altar. Until you came." (Revenge?) Lucari borrowed courage from elsewhere and said, “I’m not going to be a pawn for Daedric scum like you.”   "Fine. I offered you a reward. You'll get the freedom your kind enjoys so much. But Boethiah's priest is imprisoned as well. But not by me. He is hurt. Suffering. Save him as I know you so much desire. Let him perform his rites one more time. And when he does, I will be waiting for him."   “N-no, I won’t.”   “Hahahahahaaaa. Do change your mind, mortal…” The spikes fell down from around her and everything went eerily silent. Lucari’s heart was racing and she felt unstable on her feet. Too much was happening at once. First, Tyranus is killed by vampires he believed to be Daedra worshipers. Then, Lucari had to fend off said vampires in a two versus one situation. And then… Molag Bal. “So I was abandoned by Niyleen and I mouthed off to a Daedric Prince…” She sighed and tried to catch her breath and still her heart. “AND I’m covered in blood…" She pouted. "*sigh* There’s no way this could possibly get worse.” The last words from Molag Bal rung through her ears: ‘Do try and change your mind, mortal’. (Heh, like that was happening.) Her mind was still cloudy, but she knew what to do. “I must report this to the Jarl as soon as—”   “Haaaa….haaaa….” (This just isn’t my day.) Lucari sighed and in a single motion turned, drew her bow, nocked her arrow, and… froze? “B-by the Nine…” Before her stood the tallest woman being Lucari had ever seen breathing heavily and reeking of blood and death. She let out an earsplitting screech that made Lucari drop to her knees. (This… is the end) Lucari thought as she looked up at the gigantic woman that overwhelmed her. For all that she was terrified by the woman and her mace that was bigger than her… she had some fine skin. (Get your head in the game girl!)   “R..un…” The rather normal voice from the woman shocked Lucari more than anything. “Lea..ve Mar….kar..th… or die…” She then let out a fearsome roar that shook Lucari to the core. Frozen in place, Lucari watched as the woman brought her mace over her head and prepared to turn her into a pile of mush. But Lucari didn’t—couldn’t—look away. She couldn’t run, scream, cry, fight, all she could do was watch as she met her end. (Help me Niyleen!) And then she blinked. “…What!?” And the woman was gone. With the feeling back in her body, Lucari made a hasty exit from the house only stopping to make a quick glance back at the altar. “Molag Bal…” (This isn’t real, this is just a dream.) These thoughts returned to her as she rushed to exit the house. However upon returning to the scene of combat, the blood—Tyranus’s blood—pooled on the ground reaffirmed how real this all had been. Wave after wave of feelings flooded through Lucari and when she finally couldn’t take it, she passed out. Sometime later Lucari awoke once again feeling empty, but also so alive. Moving slightly she sighed and said, “Ysmir’s Beard! I’ve got to get this blood off of me. I’m so… sticky.” And so she got herself together and ran from the house. Through the city. And right into the cool waters of Markarth. Lucari came up from the water gasping for air. “I c-can’t believe *cough* that after all of that, I’M the reason I almost die *cough cough*” After wiping the rest of the blood off of her, Lucari closed her eyes and floated peacefully along the cool river. That is, until the sound of an angry woman disturbed that peace.   “Tacitus? What is this?" Whoever she was talking to must have responded, because she then said, “Is that what you call it? In the Legion we would have called it 'useless.' Look how brittle the metal is!"   “What in the world?” Lucari stopped floating and looked toward the sound of the argument. Suddenly she was in hero-mode again as Lucari began to ascend the steps. (Maybe I can assist) she thought.   "You thought what?” The woman said angrily causing Lucari to momentarily flinch. “You would skip a step?” She continued. “Not heat the metal all the way through? Useless! Now do it again." When Lucari finally arrived at the forge there was no sign of a woman, just a man that looked more shaken up than Lucari felt.   “H-hey,” Lucari said uneasily. “Are you alright?” “I can’t do it!” He said suddenly. “Day in and day out… I try and try and try and try, but no matter what I do, how I do it, the result comes out the same. Failure. Master Ghorza’s right, that’s all I am, useless, a failure.” “Hey there,” Lucari said interrupting his monologue. “I don’t know what’s going on, but If I can be of assistance I’ll do what I can.”   “You, assist me? I’m an apprentice and I can’t get these things right. What’s a nubile thing like you going to do?”   She flashed him a warm smile. “More than you can imagine.” “Besides, nothing beats a failure but a try right? Maybe if we combine our efforts, your Master might have a higher opinion of you.”   “W-would you really help me out?”   “Of course!” Lucari laughed. “T-thanks.” He lowered his hands and looked more relaxed. “But smithing’s tough work, do you think you’ll be up to the task?”   Lucari laughed. “Well you know what they say, ‘Moms are tough’. And I plan to be one.” She flexed her arms expecting to get praise. “Hmmm… I don’t know…”   “Relax,” Lucari reassured him. “Besides how hard can making nails really be?”   “Y-y-yeah! Let’s do this!”   Lucari smiled. “Now that’s the spirit! Come on, let’s get started.” (Time to pound my troubles away.)

Flame-Child feat. Lucari Pure-Shot Chapter Thirteen: Sadness In Markarth Elsewhere in Markarth “Ugh… I’m never drinking again as long as I live…” Lucari said as she awoke, her head still hammering away. “Niyleeeeeeen, I need a—!” Lucari sat up, looked around and noticed that her friend was nowhere to be found. “Where could she be?” Suddenly, even though she could hear the voices coming from other patrons on the other side of her door, Lucari felt very alone. “T-this is strange… I’ve traveled on my own before, so why do I feel so… empty…” “Calm down Lucari, she’s probably just at the bar getting something to eat.” Lucari left her room feeling uneasy on her feet. She couldn’t tell whether it was the ale or this feeling that was affecting her. Entering the lounge, she made a quick sweep of the area but it was as she feared, Niyleen had abandoned her. “If she thinks I’m such a milkdrinker, why would she leave me in this place by myself,” Lucari groaned as she stumbled over toward the counter. “Are you alright Miss?” “Huh?” Lucari saw that it was the innkeeper and gave him a weak smile. “Y-yeah, I’m fine.” “No, you’re not girl,” Kleppr said definitively. “I’d say to drown your sorrows in ale, but from the looks of things that didn’t go so well.” “N-no, that’s not it. I…” Lucari hesitated as she decided how much to divulge to the man. “…I was left behind by my fri… traveling companion. I’m new to Markarth and I thought she’d at the very least give me a tour around the city and not just…” “Ah, so you’re the one Niyleen was worried about.” “Uh-huh… huh?” “Niyleen told me about you. How you’re one of the good ones. I don’t know too much about that, but seeing how broken up about being left behind I can see she wasn’t lying,” Kleppr said. “Listen girl, drink a glass of milk and relax yourself. You’ve a hangover and you’re just overthinking things.” “What would you know?” “More than you could imagine.” “Right and the next thing you’re going to tell me is that she told you to take care of me,” Lucari said after taking a swig of the glass Kleppr set before her. “That she did.” “…liar…” “Listen girl, it may just be the atmosphere of my inn, but if you stay here as you are you’ll just become another brooding patron. And if that happened Niyleen would have my head.” Kleppr dug around in his pockets and pulled out a piece of paper. “Take this.” “… A bounty?” Lucari said eyeing the parchment. “One that will get you an audience with the Jarl. I heard that you’re the adventuring type, you might want to wrap your head around it.” He motioned towards the door. “You’d best be going now lass, before Degaine sets his eyes on you. Taking one final mouthful from her glass, Lucari followed Kleppr’s instructions and departed from the inn. As she was now, meeting the Jarl was beyond her, and although she knew what Kleppr’s intentions were she still felt terrible. “Fine Niyle,” Lucari sighed. “You win, you win. I’ll just tough it out.” (Oh but you’re going to owe me so bad!) Before setting off, Lucari looked around at the scene of yesterday’s accident and was quickly approached by a guard. “We’ll handle things from here ma’am. Move along.” The guard walked off, and Lucari could just feel her mood worsening. “Handle things? The only thing you corrupt guards can contain are the smug looks on your faces as you lie to the general public. Uggh!!” She cried out in frustration before storming off herself. “Stupid guards… stupid city… stupid Niyleen…” Lucari mumbled as walked. Looking ahead she saw a man dressed in nice looking robes. (Wait I know that attire…) She approached the man and without fully facing her he asked, “Excuse me Miss, but do you know anything about this house? Seen anyone enter or leave?” The sudden questioning took Lucari off guard. “Who me? I-I-I-I just came to Markarth yesterday sir.” “I figured as much…” He turned to her and said, “My name is Tyranus. I’m with the Vigil of Stendarr. We believe this house might have been used for Daedra worship. Evil rites and so forth.” “N-no way… Daedra? Here?” “Yes Miss. As a matter of fact, I was actually just about to head inside. It would sure be good to have someone to watch my back.” “Hmmm…” (Exterminating Daedra worshippers WOULD be a good deed… but what would Niyleen think…)   * * * * *The following is all a figment of Lucari's imagination. Don't be startled.* * * * * “There’s no WAY you’re even contemplating this. (But Niyleeeeen—) “There’s no buts. Forsworn are one thing, but active Daedra worshippers? I’ll be damned before I let you do this. Julianos guide me…” * * * * *We return to your regularly scheduled chapter of Flame-Child now currently in progress* * * * * (Ehehehee, but Niyle, I must help out—) “Miss are you okay,” Tyranus asked. “Huh?” “It’s just that… you just have a creepy smile on your face.” Lucari felt her face and couldn’t help but blush. “S-s-sorry. I couldn’t help it, tee hee.” “In any case, thank you for your time Miss,” Tyranus sighed. “I’ve been delaying this long enough,guess I’ll just go on al—” “No, I’ll help! I’ll definitely help you,” Lucari said hastily. “My pride as an adventurer and self-proclaimed hero won’t allow me to turn my head when people are in need of assistance.” Tyranus smiled. “Thank you Miss—” “Lucari.” The Vigilant nodded. “Follow me, and keep your eyes open. Daedra are powerful creatures and tricksters. You never know what you’ll find.” He headed inside promptly. Lucari felt something ominous swell in her bosom, but she ignored it. (I am Pure-Shot. No matter what I may come across, my aim shall be true.) After calming her nerves, Lucari headed inside as well.

Flame-Child Chapter Twelve: A Surprise Visit “Niyleen Flame-Child,” a hushed voice said from behind her. “The Raging Inferno of the Reach?” Niyleen stopped in her tracks. “Don’t turn around and don’t be alarmed… yet. If I wanted you dead you’d be dead already.” (This must have been who I felt watching me in the alleyway…) “Anyway keep walking until I tell you to stop,” her stalker said. Niyleen kept walking until they came to a part of Markarth completely devoid of anyone. Without warning, Niyleen turned to face her stalker and said, “Okay bitch, who are you, and how do you know who I am?” “I don’t think you understand who or what you’re dealing with.” “Then please, do explain it to me?” Niyleen said. “Because having random stalkers confront me is a new realm for me.” “I’ll answer your second question first,” the stalker said dryly. “‘How do I know who you are?’ Well as you should know by now due to your encounter with Nanae, not everyone was killed in the incident five years ago. You know the one. Where you killed your Master, Eolri.” Niyleen sucked her teeth. “What does she have to do with any of this? And how long have you been following me?” “Everything, and since the incident.” “Now for your first question, ‘who am I?’ Well unknown to you, Eolri had a younger sister, a twin in fact. Every so often, Eolri would return to Karthwasten, her hometown, and visit that little sister for a couple of days at a time. During the return of one of those trips is when she encountered you.” “No…” “Eolri told her sister everything,” the girl continued, ignoring Niyleen. “Including how much she did to protect her newfound precious pet; whom she eventually came to see as her apprentice… and even her lover...” “I-I was never like that with Eolri,” Niyleen said. “She wasn’t even there for me half the time. You don’t know what—” “Eolri told her sister how devastated she was she found out that you were raped for weeks on end because of the acts of one of her best friends, and how she made sure that you only remembered the bad times that happened to you while you were captured. So there would be no remorse in your heart whenever you killed a Forsworn,” the girl kept going on. “Sadly, she didn’t realize that by leaving the memories of the rape that you’d be scarred for life and more or less full of hate and fear towards those she wanted you to so desperately to kill. “This and more she told her sister, until one day she didn’t return to Karthwasten as she had promised and instead was visited by another Forsworn that told her what you had done.” She removed her hood and stared Niyleen dead in the eyes. “So, ‘who am I?’ I am Carciel Syliel, sister of Eolri Syliel the former Master Ravager of the Karthspire Forsworn camp! “There’s just no way…” Niyleen said. Looking keenly at Carciel she saw her Mistress staring back at her momentarily. Everything the Breton said made sense, but it didn’t add up with her memory at all. (Eolri and me lovers? I don’t even like women like that!) “Too much for you? Or is it too unbelievable that a Forsworn like my sister could ever have cared for the daughter of a pedophile necromancer and a holier-than-thou bandit?” “I… I couldn’t have… I haven’t even told Lucari about…” “Now then,” Carciel said disregarding Niyleen’s surprised banter. “To answer the unasked question of ‘what do I want from you?’ I—” Footsteps approached them and the Breton swore. “Follow me, and don’t you dare walk off!” The two of them walked around Markarth, attracting the attention of several men on the way, until they came upon another dead end devoid of anyone. Niyleen knew this place well. It was a place where many people came to take out contracts. Feeling a bit uneasy, Niyleen hung back and waited for Carciel to stop. “So what’s the answer,” Niyleen asked, but she already knew the answer. “You don’t understand still,” Carciel said. “I know who you are and who my sister made you become. I could have killed you for many things. Like all the people you’ve stolen from and killed, or for being the infamous Raging Inferno of the Reach. But I will not kill you for killing my sister, an act that I know in my heart you did not commit.” “Then why are you here? Why are we having this conversat—” “You may not have killed her, but you are one hundred percent responsible for Eolri’s death!” Carciel snapped. She turned around and wielded her weapon. “If you were just a normal captive… if she just didn’t see anything in you… if she didn’t love you… My sister would still be alive!!” (A two handed blade in close corners…) Niyleen judged the situation. (If I didn’t use such wide movements I’d say I was at the advantage, but she’s the one who chose the setting and the one with the desire to kill…) Niyleen drew her blade and sighed. “If this is what you really want…” Both women rushed towards each other closing the distance within an instant. Niyleen took to the air to deliver a downward slash across Carciel’s chest, but was parried and due to her momentum swapped places with her opponent. Carciel decided to go on the offensive, and tried to split Niyleen in two, however Niyleen expertly blocked her attacks; although the recoil from the attacks caused her hands to go a bit numb. Niyleen took a few steps backwards to shake some feeling back into her hands. And was heckled by her opponent. “My sister praised your swordsmanship back then. Saying you were going to be the stuff of legends when she was done with you. Yet you can’t even beat me in an environment that ultimately favors you?” Niyleen massaged her neck and shrugged. “I don’t want to fight you,” she said. “But do you want to live?” “I have no quarrel with you, Syliel!” “But I do with you, Flame-Child.” They crossed blades once more with both women giving it their all. At many times it seemed that either woman would land the first cut on the other, but they kept blocking, parrying, or dodging each other’s attacks just in time. This continued until Carciel delivered a hard vertical slash that Niyleen blocked, but the recoil of the attack took Niyleen off balance for just enough time for Carciel to follow up with a hellacious horizontal slash that aimed to cut Niyleen in half. Unable to block it without taking damage herself, Niyleen threw herself as hard as she could to the side to avoid the blow. However, she ended up crashing headfirst into the wall. Having cornered her prey, Carciel stood over the fallen Niyleen and leaned on her blade momentarily to catch her breath. “Haa… ha… you’re quick. I’ll give you that,” Carciel admitted. “But your attacks… were too showy and not conceivable for close quarters combat.” (She is NOT about to lecture me.) Niyleen thought as her head pounded intensely. She looked at the blade between her legs and said, “Yeah… I thought as much before we started. But it quickly became painfully obvious.” “And now because you are so inept, I’m afraid it’s time to meet your end.” Carciel raised her blade above her head and prepared to cleave Niyleen in two. However, as soon as she began her downward motion, Niyleen lunged herself out of the way. “Damn you to Oblivion, Flame-Child…” Carciel snarled. “As long as I have Julianos on my side, I think not.” “So you’re one of his followers as well… I guess that trinket around your neck isn’t just for show.” “It’s… a gift from someone special,” Niyleen admitted. “And it’s an amulet.” “It matters not,” Carciel said raising to her feet. “Get up and let’s continue.” “No… I think I’m done.” “What!?! You’re not going to be done until either you’re dead or you kill me!” “I don’t want to fight you, I never did. Plus you seem to know more about my past than I do. At least about what happened five years ago and if either of us die I’ll never get those memories back. “I will kill you; I’ll behead you and give your skull to a troll to fuck! You think this is over? It hasn’t even begun!” “I’m sorry, but I just can’t fight you,” Niyleen said sadly. “I don’t know why, but after finding out about who you are, and hearing what you said… I keep getting a sharp pang in my chest and even though my life is on the line, I just can’t get into it.” Carciel scowled. “That’s just your guilt talking.” “No, I feel like your sister wouldn’t want this.” “Bitch! Don’t you dare mention my sister!” “Ciel,” Niyleen said in a voice that wasn’t hers. She felt something come over her, yet no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t shake it. Before she knew it, that voice began again. “Eoly would want you to be strong for her, and to do what you could to honor her legacy.” “S-sis?! There’s no way…” Carciel dropped to her knees in shock. She knew those eyes… that look. It may not have been the same woman on the outside, but that those words were definitely coming from her older sister. “Please Ciel. Lend Niyle your strength. She will need it in the coming times to deal with forces beyond her control." “It’s not fair… she’s the reason you’re dead… that I’m alone…” “You won’t be alone anymore,” Eolri said. “Eoly promises you this, on her grave.” She gave her a warm smile. “Besides, I’ve left a gift in the poor milkdrinker’s locked up memories that you’ll thoroughly enjoy. So please…” “…help me…” Niyleen concluded just as Eolri’s presence left her body. Hearing Niyleen’s normal voice, caused Carciel to rise to her feet once more and take a defensive stance. “This doesn’t change much, but…” Carciel reluctantly nodded. “I guess… I’ll… fuck!” “Thanks. And I appreciate it,” Niyleen said with a smile. “Whatever…”

Flame-Child Chapter Eleven: Trip 'Round Markarth Nilyeen noticed her friend squirming and decided it was time to get up herself. “Hey Lucari, wake up. You’ve got a big day ahead of you." “Oww… my head… Did you beat me up for feeling you up?” “No Lucari,” Niyleen smiled gently. “You passed out drunk while I was telling you about my tragic past.” “I’m… sorry… owowwoowow!” “Take it easy milkdrinker,” Niyleen said playfully. “Your first hangover is always the worst. Luckily you haven’t thrown up nor did you blackout and trash let’s say… the Dibellan Temple or something." “I wouldn’t… do… oooooh….” Niyleen rubbed Lucari’s head soothingly. “Listen girl, we both have things to do in Markarth, and with my background I won’t feel comfortable visiting the Jarl just yet. So I’m going to go do my own thing for the day.” She put Lucari into the bed and rubbed her head. “Now get yourself better, you’ve got a lot of heroing to do okay.” “Uhuh…” Lucari groaned before falling back to sleep. (Poor girl… didn’t think she’d be such a lightweight, even if she is a milkdrinker.) Niyleen softly closed the door behind her and took a seat up at the counter. “Hey Kleppr you old goat,” she yelled over the sound of the other patrons. “Any rumors floating about?” “What was that you said, venomous wife of mine,” Kleppr said ignoring Niyleen altogether. “I said, all the wood furniture in this inn is rotting to the core,” Frabbit snapped. “Do you know why that is, Kleppr?” “I haven’t a clue, my darling wife. I assume you’re going to tell me?” “It’s because the wood is cheap and soaked with ale!” She gave him a vicious stare. “Now we’ll have to replace all the furniture before the bugs set in.” She looked over toward the counter and saw Niyleen staring over toward them. “Kleppr, a customer seems to want your attention.” “Are you sure they just didn’t notice your face and are staring in bewilderment?” “You’re an idiot, Kleppr,” Frabbi said walking off. “Why did I ever marry you?” Kleppr walked over to the counter and mumbled, “Not a day goes by I don’t ask myself that very question, dear.” “Forever, in the doghouse Kleppr,” Niyleen asked. “Tell me about it.” Kleppr sighed. “So, I haven’t seen you in weeks Niyleen. What can I do you for?” “Got any rumors flying about?” Kleppr furrowed his brow. “Not much that someone in your line of work would care much about.” “‘My line of work?’” Nileen puffed out her chest. “I’ve turned over a new leaf. Heck, I even took care of some work over in Karthwasten the other day.” “So that Redguard wasn’t off his gourd? HA!” He let out a bellow before continuing. “Well then, the Jarl has some issues he needs tending to regarding both bandits and Forsworn.” Niyleen frowned. “I’ve had my fill of Forsworn for the moment.” “Well,” Kleppr said while cleaning some dishes. “There’s also some Vigilant about. I think he’s off his rocker but you can check out his deal if you want.” “Thanks.” Niyleen got up and headed toward the door. “Oh,” she said before leaving. “Make sure you take good care of the Nord that brought me here. She’s a good girl, with a good heart. I don’t want Markarth to swallow her whole.” “Will do.” Niyleen nodded and exited the inn. She stopped not too soon afterward and scoped out her surroundings. (Where to now Raging Inferno?) She literally had nothing to do, and had lied to Lucari so she wouldn’t have to go into the Jarl’s keep today. However, that said she needed to do something, else incur Lucari’s wrath when they met up later. After a few moments Niyleen decided that she’d just take a stroll around the city and make something up. She headed up the hill and soon saw that Vigilant Kleppr was talking about. “Shit. Not already…” He was standing outside of a building Niyleen thought to be abandoned the last time she had come to Markarth. He seemed like he wanted to enter, but was rather reluctant to do so; at least not without some assistance. Niyleen sighed. “Oh well. Might as well see what’s his problem,” she said before walking over. As soon as she approached the Vigilant came up to her and said, “Excuse me, but do you know anything about this house? Seen anyone enter or leave?” “I’ve just come into the town myself,” she admitted. “But for as far as I know, this house has always been abandoned.” “Damn…” He swore under his breath. “Anyways, I’m with the Vigil of Stendarr. We believe this house might have been used for Daedra worship. Evil rites and so forth.” “Daedra worship? In Markarth?” Niyleen said off guard. “The city may have a Forsworn issue, but isn’t Daedra worshipping like a big escalation of the situation?” “A Forsworn problem? That’s new…” He seemed to ponder whether the two had a connection but then ceased. “Anyway, I was actually just about to head inside. It would sure be good to have someone not blind to the city’s plights to watch my back.” (A forward invitation into danger… not today Vigilant.) Niyleen shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I was just passing by. I’m just a normal citizen, not some hero type. Maybe someone else may come along and assist you.” “I see…” He frown slightly. “Well then… In any case thank you for your time.” Walking away an eerie thought crept into Niyleen’s head. (Everyone in this town is self-fulfilling and won’t stop to help that man…) She took a glace toward the inn and a chill went down her spine. (I may have just sent Lucari to her grave.) She shook the thought from her head. “Naw, even Lucari wouldn’t be that stupid.” She continued walking around the city and stopped when she came across the blacksmith’s forge. “Ghorza’s nowhere to be found… Maybe I can make myself some new gear,” Niyleen said cheerfully. "Wearing a dead man’s hand-me-downs is a bit… unnerving after all.” Niyleen went into the work area and saw a male staring down toward where the smelters worked. “Rough day boy?” “You wouldn’t understand,” he said sadly. “Try me.” “It’s… it’s Ghorza, my Master,” he admitted. “She’s just so hard on me. I keep trying to make nails like she’s told me, but no matter what I do there’s always something wrong. I… I can’t…” “Calm down boy,” Niyleen said with a smile. “I’m sure you have the talent resting inside you. Ghorza is just hard on you because she wants you to be the best, considering that you’re her apprentice.” “Y-you sure?” “Of course!” Niyleen walked to his side and looked him in the eye. “You are not useless. You’re just not there yet. Stop trying to learn her way, and develop your own way of forging and maybe, just maybe you’ll be a great blacksmith one day. Better than Eorland!” “You really think so?” “Boy I know so.” (God this kid is useless.) “A-anyway, I know Ghorza is a little rough around the edges and a bit… you know, when it comes to others touching her forge, but I really need some things made and I was wondering…” “Oh gods no,” the male interrupted. “I-I can’t make anything but nails. And I can barely—” “No don’t worry, I’ll make it myself. I’ve made more than a few things in my time.” “Oh… I don’t know… Ghorza…” “Isn’t here.” The apprentice thought it over and seemed to be moving toward the negative until Niyleen flashed him a cute smile and in order to avoid her eyes he looked down at her legs which left his face flushed. “S-s-s-sure,” he gasped. “Thanks!” As she walked off to make some new equipment she could have sworn she heard him mutter, “Praise Dibella for that ass.” And so with no time to waste, Niyleen got to work on her new set of armor; utilizing the tips and tricks she’d learned from fellow bandits over the years. And after sometime, Niyleen gathered what she created with a big grin on her face. “This will definitely do.” She rushed off from the forge and just in time too. As she was running off, she heard Ghorza yelling at her apprentice for being useless and to pound something harder or something. Niyleen went up the steps and continued going until she was at a dead end. “Here’s good,” she said taking a deep breath. (I may dress like this, but it doesn’t mean that I like men to ogle my body. Especially not my nude body.) And so Niyleen stipped off her armor. As she prepare to put on her new gear a chill went down her spine. She covered herself and shouted, “W-who’s there!?” Her voice echoed throughout the alley and after a few moment when she didn’t get a response, she quickly got dressed. “Well you’ve really outdone yourself this time Niyleen,” she said to no one in particular. She was impressed with well the armor fit her and although it seemed strange, she felt more protected now than she did in the iron armor.” “Guess I’ve got something to tell Lucari now,” Niyleen said while still in awe of how awesome she felt in her new armor. Exiting the alley she came across a sight she didn’t want to see at all. A guard was walking up the stairs and saw her coming out of the alley and approached her. “Well well, what do we have here? Up to no trouble I bet.” “Oh fuck off,” Niyleen said reverting into bandit mode. “I’ve done nothing to be getting harassed for.” “Oh no? Well what were you doing in that alley way huh?” “Uh… I was…” “Lollygagging. You were lollygagging,” the guard interjected. “In my city we’ll have none of that nonsense. You better go on and don’t let me catch you doing it again.” “Oh piss the fuck off,” Niyleen snapped. “You’re bothering me for lollygagging? LOLLYGAGGING? You have corrupt guards, a Forsworn problem and apparently Daedric worshipping happening, but noooo. The most pressing matter in all of Markarth is ME. Me lollygagging.” If he wasn’t a guard, she’d drag his body into the alley and that’d be the end of it, but she wasn’t riled up or stupid enough to do that at the moment. He passed her by and said low enough just in case anyone else was listening, “I don’t know what you’ve heard, but if you keep spouting off nonsense about Forsworn in Markarth, you and your little Nord friend may find yourselves holed up in Cidhna.” “Is that a threat?” “Just a prediction. One even an idiot drunk knows to be true.” The guard walked off and left Niyleen even more furious at the state of Markarth’s city guards. After cooling off a bit, Niyleen continued surveying the city. However with her mind still boiling over that guard’s words, she was completely oblivious to the threat that loomed behind her.

Flame-Child Chapter Ten: A Trip To The Past - Part Three   “Hmmm… so what can you go for,” Niyleen said her mouth watering at the options. “Beef? Goat? Stew?” “How about some tuna,” Lucari said with a hint of mischievousness. “Ah fish. Haven’t had a home cooked slaughterfish stew in a while. Although, only my mother could make it correctly. The scales have so much flavor in them but people seem to want to toss them away…” “So, only food and money?” “Huh,” Niyleen said finally giving Lucari her full attention. “What’s that?” “You only seem to want to talk about money and food, whenever you lack either anyway,” Lucari said a little miffed. “I’m sorry Lucari but my stomach… it hungers!” “Right…” A holler and a quick meal later Niyleen and Lucari sat on the bed satisfied their bellies filled with cabbage potato soup, cooked beef and ale. Patting her belly, Niyleen said, “Whew, that was great. And that ale, not as good as Honningbrew but damn it hit the spot.” “I know right *hic*,” Lucari said. “I cud usa bit more, but…” She looked at Niyleen with a glossed over look in her eyes. “Ehehehee, wanna mes wit tha bargirl a lil?” Niyleen stifled a laugh. “Lucari, you are drunk you milkdrinker.” “An youuur booring, but hoos coun ting?” Niyleen rolled her eyes. “Fine what the plan?” A few minutes later Niyleen yelled for the barmaid who was shocked by the sight that befell her. “Err, did I, um, interrupt something?” “Not at all Hroki dear,” Niyleen said rather seductively. “In fact, how about you join us? May not be enough room on the bed, but the floors are just as soft and just as warm.” She licked her lips and saw Hroki flinch. “I… I think I need an adult,” Hroki said before hastily gathering their dishes and running out of the room. “I’m a add ult! I tink.” Lucari yelled after her. Niyleen rushed to close the door and laughed as she leaned against it. “You’re more drunk than Degaine gets. No more story for you, I think it’s time you—” “No! You pwomised afta food mo’ stowy!” “Julianos, why do you test me so,” Niyleen said aloud not too particularly worried about how Lucari would react. She sighed and frowned at her inebriated companion. “Fine. Fine…” “Stowy time!”   * * *   Almost a week had passed and I had gotten used to being Eolri’s pet. Unlike the stories, I was treated rather decently, and just as she had said, no one touched me nor did they make any rude looks or remarks aimed towards me. I started to feel a bit special, like the sweet roll that all the kids want, but none of them can get. Lucari: I wyke sweet wolls. Eolri once again lead me up to the workstation area and suddenly turned toward me with her hand out as though she were wielding a weapon. “With your hands behind your back, what do you do if someone were to pull a weapon on you like I have?” “Uh, die? I mean, die Mistress?” Eolri rolled her eyes. “Stupid girl. You don’t simply die, you unleash your inner strength and rip him limb from limb.” “But I don’t have any—” “Shut it, and get on the workbench,” Eolri snapped. When I complied she said, “Today I’m going to give you a treat Niyle.” “A treat, Mistress,” I questioned. “Repeating others makes you looks stupid, but yes a gift. By now you would have normally received some sort of punishment, but since you’ve been so obedient and yet so impressive, I’m treating you, so be thankful.” (I wonder what Mistress Eolri has in store for me?) Lucari: Was it a sweet woll? Niyleen: Haa… I wish. “Ah you’re here,” Eolri said to someone I couldn’t see. “Come, let’s get started quickly.” Hard footsteps approached until there was an awful looking woman bird thing standing there looking at me keenly. “Hssss, it thisss one has. Precious to the causssse she is.” When I tried to get up, Eolri put her hand out and stayed me. “Don’t worry Niyle. The Mother here is just going to help me with the ritual. Now it is dangerous, but I promise you, we’ll stop if things get out of control.” She looked me in the eyes and her cold eyes oddly soothed me. “Trust me.” (I do) I thought as I laid back down as I was. “Let us begin, Mother Hagraven.” Eolri and the Hagraven began chanting something in some weird language and before I knew it Eolri was glowing blue and the Hagraven had a pinkish aura. Before I could think about that a blueish aura began to swirl around me as well. “What’s going on,” I asked but I received only more chanting as an answer. When they changed their cadence the aura dissipated from around me. “Is that i—FUUUCK!!! My skin felt like it was ripping apart and when I looked down at my body, my skin was literally breaking apart. Cracks covered my body, it hurt to move, and it felt as if I moved to quickly I would break apart into millions of pieces. Lucari: I ‘no of some moi-ter-ryza dat can help with cracked skin. “Owowowowow! M-Mistress! Please stop! I’m sorry, I’m—OWW!!” I wanted to cry, I wanted to run, but instead all the pain suddenly turned to shock when I looked at Eolri and saw the look on her face. Eolri was smiling. I couldn’t see her mouth but her eyes told me that the bitch was smiling. I thought that this was a treat, that I wouldn’t be punished, but she lied. And this bitch wanted me to trust her? Fucking Forsworn. But at the time, I pleaded and pleaded with her to end this pain or to kill me outright. When I finally thought that I wasn’t going to get a response, Eolri stopped her chanting and said, “This is going to get worse before it gets better. Brace yourself Niyle.” Lucari: Your Mistress… *hic* was a bitch… *hic* I remember thinking to myself (How could this get any worse?) I wish I hadn’t, because as soon as I did was I engulfed in flames. And at that moment I heard a faint voice laughing at me, mocking me for being too weak. But it didn’t matter, because at that same moment I let out a screech louder than the one that poor girl I ridiculed did. “EYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!” I don’t remember when I stopped screaming all I remember is that eventually I just couldn’t anymore, and all my tears had been dried up by the flames. A strange new pain formed behind my eyes and it was nigh unbearable. If I could have screamed I would have, if I could have cried I would have, if I could have runaway I would have. But this stupid ritual was not only torturing me, but it was sapping me of all my strength. If this was a gift, I would have gladly taken Eolri’s worst punishment. Lucari: You herd voices in your ‘ed! Did they *hic* counsel you or understand? Completely drained and defeated, a weight began to bear down on my chest and my eyelids began to get heavy. It felt like death was finally upon me, and I was willing to receive its embrace. Before I could though, I heard Eolri—although faintly—say something to me that sounded like, “The worst is behind you now. The rest is all up to you and your willingness to survive.” It was faint, but I heard another change in cadence, and then suddenly that pressure on my chest expanded and expanded until it was outside of me and I was surrounded by a ball of light that could be seen throughout the Karthspire and probably beyond. Everything was white, and for a second I thought I was dead until I saw Eolri and the Hagraven still by my sides chanting away. However I couldn’t hear them, nor could I feel the pain from before. Once again I felt as if I were at death’s door and I was ready to pass through until I heard that voice from before call out to me. Foolish girl, another one you trusted has you crying for death. First your father, now this? (Stop it! Mistress said the pain is behind me, that this is a gift.) And your father said it was a gift when he raped then all but killed you so he could reanimate your corpse and have his way with you. Have you not realized that the Divines have given you a big 'Fuck You' since the day you’ve been born? (N-no, you’re wrong…) Am i? Then why are you here? Why are you being almost dead again? Why has someone you’ve come to love betrayed you again! (YOU’RE WRONG!!!) Whatever inner strength I had, I released it all at once in defiance of the voice. Lucari: You’re not a bergin? Aww… Niyleen: I’m more surprised that you aren’t, but that is NOT the point right now. I must have blacked out because when I came to I head the whispers of Eolri and the Hagraven discussing something instead of their chanting. The Hagraven seemed angry and Eolri looked like she was trying to calm it, but the more I tried to listen, the further their voices seemed to get. My brain was fuzzy and I began to doze off, but every time I did by the Nine my field of vision went from the skys of the Reach to the Dreamsleeve. I recalled Eolri’s words and realized that I could end it all right then, but then the words of the voice rung through my head, ‘the Divines have given you a big Fuck You since the day you’ve been born’. (If the Divines want me to die, they’ll have to do it themselves.) And so I began my struggle to stay in the mortal plane as my body slowly eroded to the Dreamsleeve. Lucari: Zzz…eh? Wait… Wait wait wait… you died!?! Niyleen: No, but I could have. I could have… This tug-of-war continued on for hours and obviously since I’m right here telling you this I ended up surviving, although I felt completely drained. All I had to show for all that torture were these glowing glyphs that covered my body. Glancing over toward Eolri, I said with a weak smile, “… do good… Mistress?” “You did better than good, my pet.” I remember smiling again before passing out from exhaustion. Lucari: Zzz… zzz… zzz… I woke up after Divines know how long to the sounds of footsteps coming up on me. “It seems like the Master Ravager’s precious pet has decided to finally grace us meager Forsworn with her presence,” said a familiar angry voice. “Huuuh?” I opened my eyes and saw an inverted Nanae looking down at me with disgust. “I hate you Niy,” she said with disdain. “You showed me up in front of the Mater Ravager, you stole Eolri away from me, and you participated in the Ascension ritual and you’re not even a fellow Forsworn!” I rolled over on my stomach and said rather groggily, “It’s not like I asked for any of this.” “Oh I know,” Nanae said coolly. “And that’s even more of why I just can’t stand you. You’re probably the type of girl that was given everything she ever wanted then decided to rebel just to spite her parents. A little bitch with daddy issues that was insecure about herself. I’ve seen your type come and go through this came enough times that I know EXACTLY what to do with you.” Niyleen: Oh, by the way, here’s the part you were waiting for… kinda. You better wake up, or I’m going to rush through it. Lucari: Zzz… Niyle’s naked hee hee… zzz… z… She strapped on a, well, strap-on around her waist and wrestled me over on my back pinning me down. Nanae wasn’t strong by any means, but I was even weaker since I had yet to recover from the ritual. “W-what are you doing,” I said fear showing in my eyes. Despite her being ontop of me, I only felt chills throughout my skin. Nanae looked into my eyes and the hatred in hers boiled over. “And it wasn’t even a complete Ascension!” She spat in my face before proceeding to answer me. “Isn’t it obvious you little slut? I’m going to train you the same way we train all the little sluts that come through the Karthspire.” Lucari: … “Please stop!” I cried, but it was no use. With no regards to me, Nanae thrust the strap-on inside of me and began to pound away like a dog in heat. “Oww—!” “Shut it bitch! Unless you want to die,” Nanae said with a frenzied look on her face. I didn’t want to comply, but the look on her face told how serious she was, and with me powerless as I was I had no other alternative. So the bitch had her way with me.     After what seemed like hours she finally stopped fucking me but not before saying, “This isn’t over slut. I’m going to train you thoroughly and properly over the next couple of nights and if you say anything to -Eolri, I WILL kill you. Whether it be in this life or the next.” And so the next night came. Having not yet regained my strength there was nothing I could do when she came to my tent again and trained me, this time in the art of fellatio. But she didn’t seem very impressed by my skills. A few nights later, Nanae enlisted the help of two of her Forsworn brethren for some 3P play. It wasn’t… enjoyable and damn was I sore the day afterward. This shit kept going on and on with me being screwed over and over again until three weeks had passed and I was just being passed around like a dirty rag to this big muscular fucker. Somewhere between me getting fucked and me wondering why in the hell was I still weakened from that ordeal, I think I may have snapped, because somewhere between him pounding me nonstop and him cumming for the first time that something broke inside of me. “…n’t… stop…” I moaned. “What was that slut? Finally had too much,” The Forsworn was haughtily. “Stupid bitch, that’s all we wan—” “Haa… haa… Weylin,” I said weakly. “You… bottom feeding fuck…” “Bitch I’ll kill—” “Don’t stop!” I moaned out of frustration. “Jam your… haa… thick cock… deeper…” That must have set a fire under him because he literally fucked me stupid. I may have… contributed to his eagerness…   As for what happened next—other than being fucked nonstop every night—I don’t remember much else except that one day the entire Karthspire was in flames and I was the only one left alive, or so I thought. From then on I took on the mantle of ‘The Raging Inferno of the Reach’ and have been robbing and evading the guards ever since. So yeah, if I have a thing with against the Forsworn, hopefully you can see why.

Flame-Child Chapter Nine: A Trip To The Past - Part Two   * * * Eolri bound my arms and beckoned me to follow. Disarmed and out matched, I could only comply. She kept to herself and didn’t prod into my backstory as we headed back to her camp. “Karthspire,” Eolri said as we came upon it. “This is where you will be getting trained.” Lucari: I head from mother, that Karthspire is the biggest Forsworn camp. Niyleen: I haven’t seen them all, but it sure seemed like it. Although her voice was monotone, it didn’t stop me from getting anxious from her words. She noticed me tensing up, but simple commanded me to follow, and so reluctantly I did. Lucari: You seem to be real… subservient to Eolri. I really can’t imagine it. Niyleen: (Can’t you? I’m basically doing the same thing towards you.) Uh, yeah. It happens. Entering a camp, we slowed at the first Forsworn we came about. “Oho! Nice catch,” the male said. “She looks like she’ll definitely give everyone a good workout.” “You touch a hair on my pet’s head and you’ll be missing more than your hair when I’m done with you,” Eolri said coolly. (She kinda rocks) I thought. (Well… aside from taking me captive and all.) Lucari: Ooooo! Is there going to be any, you know, Half-breed on Forsworn action? Niyleen: (Gives Lucari a fierce glare.) ANYWAY- “Where is the Briarheart?” “He’s up the steps as per usual,” the male said. “He seemed more out of it than usual ya know. Maybe he missed you?” “Hmmm…” Eolri thought about his words so a moment before ushering me forward. We climbed the aforementioned steps, and as soon as we came upon another man, this one with a hole in his chest, Eolri immediately knelt down and said, “I have returned Achinis, and with another captive.” “…” Lucari: You met a Brairheart? And lived!? Niyleen: Wait, there’s more. The man looked down at her with a faraway look in his eyes and from where I was standing, I couldn’t tell whether or not he even understood the words coming out of her mouth. I stood there for a moment staring agape at him until a felt a hard hit to my shin. “Owwie, what was that for,” I cried rubbing my shin. Before I got an answer I felt a presence before me that froze me in place, and it was coming for the Briarheart. Lucari: Owwie? Niyleen dear… you don’t ‘owwie’. Niyleen: As I said before, it happens. Suddenly, the stoic faraway look was gone, and now it was replaced with a menacing man looking like he would rip my head off if I did one thing incorrectly. This fear I felt was more base than the fear I felt from Eolri. I knew Eolri was far my better due to our duel, but I knew that this man was Eolri better just from the look he was giving me. The malice behind his eyes sent goose bumps down my spine. “Kneel before Karthspire’s Brairheart you miserable dog,” Eolri hissed and I immediately dropped to a knee as if force to by some binding spell. “I-I-I’m sorry Achinis, but she hasn’t been broken in yet. Please do forgive her.” She gave me a sharp look and then bowed her head again. Eolri got to her feet, and after a few seconds I did as well. “You see what I see in her don’t you Achinis?” “…” “Indeed, I think she could be an asset to us, especially when you begin to try to unite the Reach once more. Her latent potential is phenomenal.” “…” Their conversation was beyond me. How they were communicating, IF they were communicating, blew my mind to the point that I toned them out until the unthinkable happened. Eolri hugged the Brairheart, AND HE HUGGED HER BACK! Lucari: No… Niyleen: I know right! Lucari: They’re basically undead! How could he— Niyleen: Shush, it gets better. “I won’t have to leave you for long anymore Achinis, so please rest up. I’ll make you whol—no, better than whole again.” “Eol… ri…” Lucari: You’re lying. Niyleen: Nope. I saw a momentary tear in Eolri’s eyes before she burrowed her face into his chest and they continued to hug for what seemed like an eternity. I must have drifted off, because suddenly the Brairheart was nowhere to be found and Eolri was yelling “Come on now you stupid girl.” I sighed and followed, but when I did she looked back at me and said, “Today might just be a good day.” I looked at her and the impossible, her smiling. For her, it definitely rivaled one of yours Lucari. Lucari: I’m still sensing some Half-breed on Forsworn action about to happen. And there’s no way her smile was as bright as mine. She took me to a workstation area and we encountered a female Forsworn this time, and a familiar on at that. Almost like déjà vu the Forsworn knelt and said, “Welcome back Master Ravager, I see that you’ve gotten a new captive?” “Please don’t address me so formally Nanae. I’ve known you since we were small.” Lucari: So she’s the one I killed… Niyleen: Don’t worry, she deserved it. “But Master Ravager, it is an honor to be in your presence. Please just allow me this,” Nanae begged. “For the love of Julianos… alright fine,” Eolri conceded. “Milkdrinkers everywhere,” she mumbled probably thinking I wouldn’t hear it. Facepalming she continued, “Anyway, Nanae this is Niyle, she’s OFF-LIMITS. If I hear that anyone touches her then I’ll cut their cocks off, or shove my sword so far up their ass that they literally cough it up, or—” Lucari: Eolri believed in the Nine? Niyleen: Maybe the Eight, but either way, I don’t know for sure. “I got it I got it,” Nanae said rising to her feet. (Yep, Eolri definitely rocks.) Lucari: This seems to be developing into more than a Master-Slave relationship. Nanae eyed me intently as did I and I feel that we both at the same moment had the same feeling, I could take her. I think she noticed that same look in my eyes and immediately gave me a fierce glare. “What do you think you’re doing slave; eyeing me like we’re on the same level. Get on your knees you weak Redguard.” “Half-breed actually,” I said instinctively forgetting myself. Eolri laughed and said, “Ha, so I’ve got two feisty bitches to deal with. Let’s not delay this. Nanae, you want to see why she’s off limits… well, a bit of why?” Nanae smirked. “Of course Master Ravager.” Lucari: Oddly, Eolri reminds me of the you now. Eolri unbound my wrists, but left the cuffs on. Apparently they were magically bound and she just dispelled the spell. Sitting near the workbench Eolri said, “Fine. Nanae, Niyle, I command you two to do battle.” “With pleasure,” Nanae said falling into an offensive stance. Lucari: Not the kind of Half-breed on Forsworn action I was thinking of, but that’s fine. Rubbing my wrists, I said, “Are you sure about this Eolri?” “Insolate little bitch!” Nanae’s glare was piercing. “You will show the Master Ravager the respect she deserves as your better, and your Master.” Lucari: Nanae has a point. Calling your Master out of name like that… not too smart Niyle. “Mistress, but I’ve yet to train her as I’d like so, calm yourself Nanae,” Eolri said waving off Nanae’s hostility. “And yes I am. Go all out, as you did with me.” I didn’t need another word. Before Nanae could react I was in the air and delivered a crushing kick to her throat, hurling her into nearby crates. “Are you sure you want to continue,” I mocked as Nanae struggled to breathe. Nanae’s answer was a fierce glare. I then realized this wasn’t a fair contest. Nanae had to be a magic user I guessed seeing her use a Restoration spell to heal the damage to her throat. When Nanae came to her feet, she rushed at me wildly with a barrage of punches. But they were slow and sloppy. When I was through dodging them, I countered with a swift roundhouse kick to the side of her head. It was super effective. I finished her off by putting her on my shoulders and slamming her to the ground.     Lucari: That seemed a bit unnecessary. Proud of myself, I began to do a pit of boasting. “Who’s the little bitch now, you weak piece of skeever bait.” “It’s still you, now cut it out,” Eolri said. She sounded unimpressed, but the look on her face said otherwise. (Dammit.) I relaxed and sighed. “She started it though.” “And you finished it. Learn some restraint as well. I said go all out, but if you don’t gauge your opponent’s strength, you may end up killing them instead of just weakening them… unless of course you’re just a mindless murderer.” “Tsk.” “Come Niyle.” Like a little puppy, I did as instructed and kneeled before her. “Anyway, you’ve yet to disappoint me. That’s a first.” I couldn’t help but smile at those words. “Thank you, Eolri.” “Mistress.” I nodded. “Thanks Mistress.” The cool Forsworn smiled again. “A quick learner too. I may get to treat you like the Half-breed you are instead of the swine your station demands. Now turn so I can put the enchantment back on these cuffs.” I did as told, but as so as she was finished my mind clouded and I felt a great deal of pleasure. I don’t know why but, at that moment when my arms were bound behind my back, I knew that I was hers and she was my true Mistress. Lucari: By Talos, you liked her. Like REALLY liked her. Niyleen: Anyway, can we break, I’m getting kinda hungry. Lucari: Sure.

Flame-Child Chapter Seven: A Trip To The Past - Part One   Lucari sluggishly got ready while Niyleen prepared breakfast. Almost done, Lucari noticed what her friend was doing and took a deep whiff. “Wow, a battle-maiden and a cook. I’m sure lucky that I’ll be able to dine on home-cooked meals while traveling.”   “Don’t say that until you’ve tried it,” Niyleen said. She took a spoonful of her cooking and added a bit of salt.   “I’m sure it’ll be great,” Lucari said taking another whiff. “What’re you cooking?”   “Oh you know… some cooked beef, grilled leeks, rabbit haunch, charred skeever meat…”   “What!? Ew! You’re not serious!”   Niyleen looked at her and smiled gently. “Of course I’m serious. But,” she added noticing how pale her companion was becoming. “It’s not for you. Most milkdrinkers can’t handle the taste even though it tastes just like horker meat.”   Lucari wiped her brow. “Thank Talos I’m a milkdrinker then.”   Niyleen rolled her eyes. “Anyway, I made a Snowberry Crostata for you.” She looked over at Lucari and saw the poor Nord drooling at the mention of sweets. “I figured someone like you would have a sweet tooth.”   Lucari beamed at her. “Indeed!”   Once Niyleen was done, the women sat down at the table and partook in the meal; Niyleen ate more or less like a barbarian while Niyleen—try as she might—tried to eat properly but let the façade drop when she bit into that Crostata.   After eating, they headed upstairs and before leaving Lucari stopped Niyleen with a tug on her arm. “Take this,” Lucari said reservedly. “What is it?”   “It’s an eye patch that my brother used to use whenever he wanted to act out his dream.”   “What, to be a pirate?”   “Yeah…”   There was a faraway look in Lucari’s eyes, so Niyleen decided not to pry. Silently she retrieved the eye patch and looked at it before putting it on. (Doesn’t look anything like a pirate eye patch… but it’s kinda cute.) “Well?” Niyleen said modeling off her new look. “How do I look?”   “Talos help me…” Lucari muttered.   “Huh?”   “N-nothing!” Lucari’s face flushed and she hurriedly exited the residence. Niyleen took a look back towards the stairs and said a mental farewell to Nanae.   Back on the road, the two began toward Markarth as per Lucari’s previous plans. It was a logical move from a hero’s point of view, and since Niyleen was indebted to her, she was willing risk a trip to Cidhna so Lucari could have a taste of her dream.   Lucari was uncomfortably quiet for a while as they walked until she finally stopped and said. “What’s with you and Forsworn?” Niyleen raised her eyes. “I mean I’m not dumb. I’ve heard the rumors of what they’ve done throughout the Reach, but my mother was one. All she wanted was liberation and freedom from the Nordic oppression that she felt was shackling her. So what’s your deal with them.” Niyleen looked away. “I don’t have a deal with—”   “Stop lying to me,” Lucari said sharply. “Every time I’ve MENTIONED the Forsworn you’ve grimaced. You had a genuine disdain in your voice when you thought that Vigilant was killed by a Forsworn, and you were all but paralyzed when that Forsworn attacked you back there. If you don’t have some history with them, then you’re a bigger deceiver than I’d ever believe you to be.”   “Fine… you got me,” Niyleen sighed. “So, what is it,” Lucari prodded.   “Do you really want to know that badly?”   Lucari nodded her head up and down like an eager child. (Screw what I want huh?) “Fine. I’ll tell you this dumb tidbit of my past, but you owe me one. Maybe not as much as I owe you, but you still owe me one.” When Lucari nodded again, Niyleen grimaced and held her head. (Every time I think about that time I get a headache…) “Alrighty then. It all happened…” * * *   Five years ago in the Reach. I was… fourteen at the time. Coming off of one of the biggest heists I had had to date, I stood atop a hill and counted my coin feeling high as if I were just declared the Emperor of all Tamriel.   “Two thousand five hundred and sixty four Septims,” I said with a smile akin to one of yours. I must have counted the coin at least three times, but I was still as amazed as ever. “And to think all I had to do was rob some Eastmarch hick on their way to Markarth. Too bad for him, but the money is better in my pockets than in the Silver-Blood’s.” I put my coin purse away and laughed. "I may be able to take a vacation, hahaha!" Lucari: You were a bandit back then? Aww…   Niyleen: Hey I had to make a living. Now, shush or no more story. Anyway…   I was on top of the world and thought I was untouchable. I looked out toward the horizon and saw a huge Forsworn settlement. Until then I had not run afoul of the Forsworn, but I’d heard the rumors. As I was thinking about what sort of people they could be, a sharp shrill cut through the air, and I couldn’t help but smile. “And another slut bites the dust.”   Lucari: That’s… that’s horrible! …I was too high, too naïve and too slow. It wasn’t until they were right up on me, that I heard a footstep behind me. Trying to act bold, I said, “Is that how you Forsworn operate? In the shadows like thieves and assassins? Better not let the Thieves’ Guild or the Dark Brotherhood find out that you’re trying to take their gimmicks." “So far away from home little milkdrinker,” said my lurker. “Besides, acting tough is what makes girls like you end up like—” Another scream filled the air. “…that.” I should have taken the message, but I knew it all. I had just made a big score, deceived my fellow bandits into thinking I hadn’t made a dime, and I was sure of my sword skills to a fault; I mean my mother had taught me everything I knew. So in my rashness I turned, brandished my weapon and said, “I’ve got coin in my pocket and wits in my head, and sure enough bitch you’re about to be dead.”   The Forsworn cracked her neck. “And I thought it was going to be a dull day.”   Lucari: You were so feisty… (licks lips) I think I like…   Niyleen: Lucari PLEASE! Me and the Forsworn fought around the top of the hill, down the hill and we just kept going. I ended up losing my steel sword along the way and retrieved another blade off of a corpse in a nearby ditch. I was enjoying myself more than I ever would admit, and as we clashed iron to steel I began to have some respect towards the woman. She was quick, swifter than I would have imagined and she couldn’t have been older than twenty but she was more limber than i calculated and kept up with my furious pace with ease. We arrived at a bridge and I broke her guard with a heavy hit. With her off balance I went in for the kill with a vertical slash across the belly. I was too dramatic, too theatrical… and I paid for it. It was a case of I went high, and she went low.   As I went of the killing blow, the Forsworn regained her balanced and retaliated with a crouching lunge of her blade to my thigh.   Lucari: No… Immediately I lost balance and fell on my behind. I couldn’t move my leg, and from the way she was fighting me I knew not only that I couldn’t fight from this position, but that she had been holding back. I had never felt so humiliated in my life. It was the first time I had lost an actual duel, and it was to an opponent that was going easy on me. I wanted to cry, but I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of my tears or my cries of pain. What I would give her however was some spit to accompany the dirt on her boots. Tenacious as I was, the Reach native wasn’t impressed and glowered at me with a look of longing in her eyes. “Almost,” she said wiping the blood off of her blade. “But you’re far too naïve to survive in the Reach.”   Naïve? Me? I almost lost my cool and the Forsworn must have realized it and said, “Listen here pup. You’ve got some bite, but it’s more like you’re teething. I can make you strong, quick, fearless…” She then gave me a look that pierced into my soul. “Or I can be your worst Nightmare to haunt your dreams from now until well after you reach that place the Nords think they go when they die.”   I opened my mouth to retort, but it was then that I had my first taste of fear of the Forsworn. It was as if my entire vision was filled with the woman who’s soul piercing eyes continued to destroy what little defiance I had left. Disarmed, humiliated, and debased I was hers and there was nothing I could do about it. Lucari: What happened next? Did she—   Niyleen: For the love of Mara, please stop interrupting me. I've got a headache, and you're just making me drag this on.   Lucari: (looks away dejectedly) I'm sorry.   Niyleen: It's... it's not that big of a deal. A-anyway.   “Now then pet,” she said, fully seizing her new role as my Master. “What is the name that was forced upon you at birth?”   I didn’t want to respond, but I was compelled to, else I’d incur her wrath. “N-Niyleen. Niyleen Flame-Child.”   “Niyle,” she must have misheard my name but I wouldn’t dare correct her. “The Child of the Flame… quite the powerful name for my slave.” For a moment I swore that I saw a flash of a smile on her face, but it was gone instantly. “Well then, remember my name and remember it well girl for I am Karthspire’s greatest Ravenger. I… am Eolri.” This time a nasty smirk did appear on her face. “Nanae’s going to love you.”

Flame-Child Chapter Six: The Highs and the Lows   Niyleen continued along the path hurriedly just trying to get as far away from Lucari as possible. She came upon a bridge when her emotions finally got the better of her. After a short out pour of tears, Niyleen wiped her eyes and put her hand on her head. (Get it together girl. Stop acting this way over someone you just met. She may have called you so, but you two weren’t even frien—) Niyleen looked ahead and saw another body laid out on the ground, but this one was fresh. She drew her weapon and looked around worriedly. “Damn, another attack,” she said as she got closer to the body. “I wonder what poor sod was killed by the Forsworn this…!!”   Before her was the last thing she would have imagined, and the last thing she wanted to see. “F-Forsworn…” Goosebumps crawled over Niyleen’s skin and she began to tremble. Memories of her being a Forsworn’s slave were flooding back to her and she couldn’t keep them out. Flashes of her being raped, bound, beaten and starved began to creep their way back to the surface of her mind, and for the first time since she was five years, Niyleen was completely terrified.   “H-h-h-he’s a d-dead Forsworn s-s-so it’s alr-right. H-h-he c-can’t hurt Niyle. S-so Niyle shouldn’t b-be afraid of him.” Suddenly she was fourteen and still in shock over the whole ordeal. She remembered the tales her father told her about the Forsworn and how they used her over and over until her eyes were extinguished of all life. She couldn’t think right. Every inch of her being was telling her to do one thing, and so she did. She ran. Niyleen ran until she came up on a house that looked more or less abandoned. Whether or not it was, was a completely different matter, but that didn’t matter. Her mind was telling her that she needed to hide and so that’s what she was going to do. She tried opening the door and found out that it was locked. Cursing her luck, she began fumbling around with the keyhole to see if she could get it open. If she were in her right state of mind, this would have taken ten seconds tops, but with how frazzled her mind was she was finally able to pick the lock after about two minutes. Bracing herself, she took a deep breath and entered the dwelling. The residence was indeed vacant and though this should have been a comfort that fact only made Niyleen more anxious. There were just too many unknowns. “What happened to the homeowners? Was it Forsworn and if so what happened to that Forsworn outside? Maybe there is a Daedra about killing everything… Lucari…” Grumble. Niyleen gripped her stomach and realized it had indeed been a while since she had a good meal, plus it’d be a good way to distract herself from both Lucari and the Forsworn. So she headed downstairs and got to work. Beef stew, bread, and good old Nord Mead to wash it all down. It wasn’t as good as some of the grub you could get at local inns, but it was edible and filling. Niyleen plopped down on the bed as soon as she finished eating and felt abnormally tired. (Haa… must be the itis.) She curled up on the bed and soon drifted off to sleep. She awoke groggily not too much later gasping for air. “It’s… hot… too… hot…” So she stripped of her iron armor, wiped the sweat off of her and tried to go back to sleep. At first Niyleen was able to sleep peacefully, but after some time she began tossing and turning and gasping for air. She awoke and knew something wasn’t right. She shouldn’t be here. What if whatever was out there killing everything showed up and killed her? And what about Lucari? Sure she was naïve, but she certainly didn’t deserve to die like a dog for no reason. Niyleen got dressed hurriedly and was about to start for the stairs when something dripped down onto her.   Her eyes widened when she saw what it was. “Blood… it’s already here.” Anxiously she looked for her blade but it wasn’t right next to the bed where she had placed it. In fact, it wasn’t anywhere. Normally Nilyeen would have continued searching but she had a very bad feeling about the situation so she headed upstairs.   As so as she hit the top step her eyes transfixed on the pool of blood in the center of the room; and the body that lay within it. Niyleen dropped to her knees and began sobbing uncontrollably. She was gone, Niyleen had betrayed her and now she was dead because of it. Whispers began to fill the air and a familiar feeling of dread overwhelmed Niyleen. An icy chill crawled up her spine and when she turned around she was met with the sight of a being covered with skulls, furs, and animal feathers.   “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!” Niyleen jolted up from the bed panting for air. Her heartbeat was racing but she was instantly relieved. “It was just a dream,” she said trying to calm herself. “I hope it was a good dream,” an eerie voice said.   “Huh?” Niyleen looked in front of her and went pale in the face.   “What’s wrong Niyleen? Looks like you’ve seen a ghost?” The person in front of her jeered.   “Y-y-you should be dead. I killed you and your entire cell.” Niyleen tried to shy away from the person but to no avail.   “Yes, you killed my cell, Briarheart and all. But this Shaman can’t be felled by my little pet.” “Nanae…” Niyleen said softly. Her eye bucked in fear, and she scurried back against the post near the bed. “B-b-b-back away!”   “Shut up slave, before my helper deals with you.” The Forsworn motioned toward the stairs.   Niyleen slowly looked over towards the stairs, trying to keep an eye on her intruder. “What… is that?”   The Forsworn Shaman flashed Niyleen a sinister smile, “Now then, say hello.”   The monstrosity roared, causing the house to tremble. It then turned its attention to Niyleen and aimed it’s bow at her. “Now then,” Nanae said, edging closer to Niyleen. “What should I do to a disobedient pet that tried to bite the hand that fed it?”   Niyleen turned away. “I-I don’t know…”   “Wrong answer!” Nanae backhanded Niyleen, grabbed her by the hair and lunged her across the room. Niyleen yelped as she hit the ground, and again when she was kicked in the stomach.   “This trifling dog… you’re the reason everyone died!?” She kicked Niyleen again and spat on her. “You’re not even as valuable as the dirt beneath you and yet you…” Niyleen groaned in pain, and a malicious look came over Nanae’s face. She gathered flames in her hands and looked down at Niyleen in disdain. “You worthless piece of trash, you killed my brothers and sisters, MY Briarheart and you can’t even fathom the type of punishment that awaits you!?” The heat of the flames beat on Niyleen’s neck. It was the end of her and she knew it, but then it was the end of a nightmare as well. She closed her eyes, still shivering from Nanae’s presence, but with acceptance of her faith and waited.   Thunk!   And waited. But the end never came. Niyleen opened her eyes and struggled to her feet. When she got to her feet, Niyleen unsteadily turned toward her aggressor. “What in the?” One body, one arrow, a shot so clean and… “Pure?” The word stuck with Niyleen as she continued to gawk at Nanae’s lifeless body. There was a creak on the steps and Niyleen whipped around and was again surprised at what she witnessed. “But I thought… where's the... didn’t we… Aren’t you…?” Niyleen’s brain and mouth were out of sync and was dreadfully letting the situation sweep her along with it. There she was, breathing softly with an unfamiliar angry look on her face and her bow drawn ready to put another arrow in Nanae just because. But even still it was her, that wonderfully cute cheery girl. “Lucari…” Niyleen said almost as if it were a dream. “You miss me already Niy,” Lucari said as she walked down the stairs and looked at Niyleen with a confident smirk. “Or is a lesbian milkdrinker like me still too naïve to talk to a cold bitch like you?”   That broke Niyleen and as soon as Lucari hit the bottom step, Niyleen rushed over and gave squeezed her tightly. “Woah there,” Lucari said. “I may be into women, but me and you still have some issues to—”   “I’m sorry.” Niyleen couldn’t stop repeating that phrase as she hugged Lucari even tighter. “I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry.”   “Woah…” Lucari stiffened for a moment before closing her eyes and reciprocating the hug. “There there… let it all out.” And so Niyleen did. Her sadness, anguish, relief, happiness, pain all of it flooded from her with one big long sob. It definitely wasn’t pretty or characteristic of Niyleen, but she didn’t care. And although this may have seemed awkward after their last discussion, she knew that Lucari would be there for her. Once Niyleen seemed to be finished, Lucari separated from her and gave her a heartfelt smile. “Well I don’t know what that was all about, and you may not tell me about it later, but…” She held her hands behind her and looked into Niyleen’s eyes. “Before I can trust you again you must do something for me without knowing what it is. And no take-backs!” (This goofy girl,) Niyleen thought as she wiped the tears from her eyes. “Sure, you bet,” she said still trying to compose herself. “Yippie!” Lucari jumped in the air as though she had just won at the Arena, then suddenly began fidgeting and looking at Lucari weirdly.   “So what do you want me to do,” Niyleen said, ready for anything that was coming to her. Though the situations were similar the fear Niyleen had of what Nanae would do to her was completely absent. Lucari had saved her life, and as far as Niyleen was concerned, her life would be forfeit if Lucari said but the word.   But the Nord in front of her was not acting her normal self. “Well… are you umm, sure about this? I-I don’t want to force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”   Niyleen nodded her head. “Whatever you want, it is yours.”   Lucari cleared her throat. “Well then… l-lay down on the bed.” “Alright.” Niyleen did as commanded. “Is this alright?” Niyleen looked over at Lucari and for a moment could have sworn that she could see her drooling.   “Y-y-yeah… wow…” Lucari stood wide eyes for a moment before disrobing herself and cuddling up with Niyleen. “Okay, I… I know that this may be weird, but I w-want to sleep like this with you. I used to do this with my dog, and I used to sleep like a newborn. B-b-b-b-but I was never naked of course!”   Niyleen laughed. “It’s fine. I said I’d do whatever you wanted.”   Lucari rest her head on Niyleen’s chest and closed her eyes. “You’re the best Niy,” she said drowsily. “Mmmm… your heartbeat is so… soothing…”   “I-is that so?” Niyleen looked down toward Lucari, but she could tell by her light breathing that the girl had already dozed off to sleep. Niyleen stared up at the ceiling and sighed. “Poor girl was all tuckered out.” She tried to get comfortable but Lucari’s body heat and tickling soft breathing was making it quite a chore. (And to think I took my armor off so I could sleep better…) Niyleen closed her eyes and after some time drifted off to sleep herself. Lucari woke up fresh and reached out to hug her sleeping companion when something felt wrong. “Eh, where did my snuggly Half-Breed go to?”   “Over here,” said an unusually chipper voice.   “Huh,” Lucari said, wiping her eyes. “Wait, what? What happened to your hair?”   “Eh, I’ll tell you about it later,” Niyleen said with a smile. “Anyway get up girl and put some clothes on,” Niyleen said teasingly. “You’re not going to become the best hero by staying in bed all day.”   Lucari puffed her cheeks out and sighed. “Yes Niy…” she said exaggeratedly.   “I’ve never liked Niy, someone that did me wrong always called me that,” Niyleen admitted. “Could you call me Niyle. It’s what most of the people that I care about call me.”   Lucari’s eye brighted almost as much so as her eyes and she nodded. “Of course!”   “Alright then, let’s get going then.”

Flame-Child Chapter Five: Acting Rashly   After Niyleen had changed gear they set off again aimlessly through the Reach. Though light and comfortable, her new attire let a lot to be desired in the defense department. Nevertheless, the continued on and soon it became apparent that they were just walking for the sake of walking and with Lucari not talking to her, things had gotten rather awkward between the two ladies.   Just as Niyleen was about to apologize, Lucari turned to her and said, “Hey, I’m sorry about what happened earlier.”   “It’s alright,” Niyleen said rather relieved. “So are we cool?”   Lucari gave her a warm smile. “Cool as frostbite.” “Well then, now that that fit of awkwardness is behind us, where do you want to go Lucari?”   “Hmmm…” Lucari furrowed her bow. However almost instantly she gave Niyleen her usual smile. “Oh, I know! We can head to Markarth. They have an inn there and we may be able to help the Jarl out with anything plaguing the city.”   “I’m not too sure about that…” “Don’t be such a Sabre Cat Niy.”   (Niy?) “First off I’m not being a Sabre Cat. Secondly, you don’t know Markarth. One wrong move there and they’ll haul you off to Cidhna Mine in a heartbeat.”   “Good thing we’re just good people just trying to help where ever we can,” Lucari stuck her tongue out at Niyleen and walked off.   “But you don’t understa—damn it Lucari.” Niyleen hurried to catch up with her. Doing a bit of backtracking the two started off toward Markarth, but were soon approached by an Orc.   “Hey there ladies. Are you in need of some protection? I can be the man in your life that can fulfill all your… desires.” He flexed his muscles. “How about it? Want to make this duo adventure into a three-way?” (Dumb mercenary…) Niyleen folded her arms and gave him a cold look. “Honestly, do we look like we need protection you foolish Orc. I can handle myself against any man, and my friend here can shoot an arrow into anything from… what did you say it was? 800 feet away?”   “Y-yeah…” Lucari said shyly. “Besides… I’m not really… you know, into men like that.” “Yeah she’s not into… wait, what!?” Niyleen looked at Lucari in a whole new light. “Wait… so if I were I guy…”   “I probably… you know, wouldn’t have answered when you called out to me.”   Niyleen froze in disbelief of what she was hearing. “But you’re… I mean men… what I’m saying is… you said you wanted to be a mother one day!” “Of course!” Lucari nodded her head feverishly. “B-but, I don’t know. Men are scary you know? And they always lie to try to get what they want.”   “I don’t know, women can be plenty scary and fake themselves.” This was a bit too much for Niyleen to take in now. The innocent cheery little Nord she had come to know may or may not have a thing for her? (Maybe this is why she was so open with me) Niyleen thought as she gathered herself. “I-I didn’t mean to hide this from you,” Lucari pleaded. “I just didn’t think it was… uh, necessary to discuss?”   (So you having a possible liking toward me is something I’m better off not knowing?) “Look forget it, we can talk about it later. So let’s just—” “Hey don’t just blow me off,” the Orc said angrily. A perverted smirk crept on his face. “Unless of course, you’re going to blow me off.”   “Let’s go,” Niyleen said angrily. “I’m suddenly not having a strong liking towards men myself.” She rushed past the Orc and Lucari was quick to follow. “H-h-hey! Wait just a moment! You in the mage garb, hold up.”   The two women turned and Niyleen said, “What is it now Snowberries?”   “Why you…” He twitched like he was going to swing on her, but then began to give her a look over. “Hmm… that long dark hair, that skin complexion… and this body type… I think a Redguard sellsword was up in Markarth telling anyone he could about someone like you.” “O-oh yeah?”   “Yeah, something about how that woman set Sanuarach Mine ablaze and killed some of the Silver-Blood’s men,” the Orc began looking at her even closer. “Yeah, no doubt. You’re exactly the type of woman he described.”   “That doesn’t even make any sense.” Lucari came to her defense. “Niyleen can’t use any spells. She told me herself. Isn’t that right Niyleen?”   “…” (Shit… I should have told Lucari I was used to be a bandit or at least told her I wasn’t always on the right side of the law… Well it was fun while it lasted.) “Niyleen?”   The Orc drew his weapon. “Yeah… definitely it’s you.” He inched closer to Niyleen. “You may be wearing different clothes than he remembered but a minx like you wouldn’t have a problem getting anymore. Don’t worry, you won’t need any clothes at all when I turn you in to the Silver-Bloods and they haul you into Cidhna Mine.”   “Come on Niyleen. Tell him it’s all a big misunder—”   Niyleen reacted immediately. She disarmed the Orc, swept his feet from under him and impaled him through the chest before he hit the ground. She then wriggled the blade around before withdrawing it from him. “N-Niyleen,” Lucari said shakily.   Niyleen wordlessly threw off her new acquired garb, and replaced it with that of the fallen mercenary. Upon doing some readjustments to the armor so it would fit her properly, she noticed that it was a bit skimpy for her tastes, but she also felt less vulnerable than she had even in her fur clothes. “Y-you… you killed him. You killed him in cold blood Niyleen!”   Niyleen didn’t have to look at Lucari to know how pained she was by this. However, that was how the Nord girl was and looking down at her most recent work… this is how she was. “I did indeed,” Niyleen said coolly.   “Why?! Wasn’t it all a big misunderstanding?” “I wish I could say that it was.”   “Y-you don’t mean that—”   “Let me put it simple for you,” Niyleen said. “I’m a bandit… former bandit; killing, stealing that’s my forte. The men he was talking about were trying to steal the land from an honest landowner of the Reach. Trying to turn over a new leaf, I tried to help him, which I did. But I had to kill a few of the Silver-Blood’s sellswords. Believe me or not, but that’s the truth.” “Don’t you think this was something you should have told me?” Lucari said tear welling up in her eyes. “You said that you were trying to help other people… how is killing people helping anyone.”   (She wouldn’t understand… and I don’t have the patience to let her.) “Don’t talk to me about what’s necessary to tell someone. Especially since you only joined up with me in order to sleep with me, Miss Lesbian.”   Lucari was taken aback. “Y-y-you… don’t mean that…”   “Of course I do. Come to find out our entire friendship was built on lies,” Niyleen laughed sarcastically. “And to think I only grouped up with you so that you wouldn’t become another bandit’s plaything and then discarded like trash.” Lucari couldn’t hold it any longer and tears began to flow down her cheeks. “This isn’t you… this isn’t the Niyleen I know. The Niyleen I know is kind, patient and firm but caring. She’s not this cold… bitch!”   (I’m so sorry Lucari.) “Then I guess you don’t know the first thing about me, because I AM a cold bitch. A scary lying cold bitch through and through that’ll do anything and say anything to get what I want. That’s who I am, and a milkdrinker that’s just stopped sucking from her mother’s tits won’t be able to understand what I’ve been through or why killing sometimes is the only answer.” Niyleen turned to face Lucari and the pitiful look on the poor girls face said it all for her. (This is enough. I’m sorry Lucari.) Niyleen walked past her, bumping her on the shoulder for added effect before walking off. Up until now she was able to keep it together, but now that she figured that she’d never see the cheery little Nord again, Niyleen was having a rough time holding back her own tears. However she was her mother’s daughter, and that fierce Redguard blood in her wouldn’t allow her to cry over something like this… easily.

Flame-Child Chapter Four: Here Come A New...   Saying goodbye to Karthwasten Niyleen headed back down the hill. Halfway down she couldn't contain the itch any longer and broke down and counted her coin. “Hmmm, so the price of the lives of three men and saving your land from those greedy Silver-Bloods was only four hundred Septims Ainethach? Cheap Breton sweet talker.” She sighed and scratched her head. “But I guess I DO feel good about helping him… I guess.” Upon reaching the bottom of the hill, Niyleen was met with a dilemma. Where to now? “I only came to Karthwasten because it was right next to my old hangout. I could to Whiterun and stop by Rorikstead on the way, but my heart is still in the Reach. So many… fond memories.” Niyleen gleaned over the pros and cons of both options once more and came to a quick decision. “I’m a Reach girl, through and through,” she said pumping herself up. “With all this Forsworn activity, I could probably walk right into Markarth unnoticed by the guards completely.” She jingled her coin purse. “And if not, I’m only a hundred short right now anyways. That’s pocket change.” So as the sun began to rise, Niyleen briskly headed off towards Markarth. As she traveled she passed a few refugees and civilians that were trying to get as far out of the Reach as soon as possible. (Can’t blame you,) she thought each time one of them scurried past her towards Whiterun. Along the way Niyleen grabbed a few flowers and other plants. (There’s always some sucker that’s willing to pay a fortune for these stupid plants.)   After bending down to pluck up yet another worthless plant Niyleen noticed a seated young woman glancing out into the distance. (Looks like another worthless adventurer,) she thought.   She made to leave until she heard the young woman say, “…that’s left is to capture the Raging Inferno and bards will herald me as a hero for the ages.” Niyleen froze and realized that the Reach was more dangerous for her than she had imagined. She looked toward the girl with raised eyebrows. (The Jarl is sending milkdrinkers after me now? Is he really trying to belittle my skill?) She walked over to the girl and saw that she was indeed a fair milkdrinker. (Julianos… please guide me.) “Hey there,” Niyleen said as cheerfully as possible.   …Or so she thought. “Hi there!” The girl said. She turd toward Niyleen and smiled.   (Dammit girl, lucky I’m not a vampire. You’re smiling brighter than the sun!) “Er, yeah,” Niyleen lost her place for a moment. “So what’s a milk—er, young girl like you doing out here in the Reach?”   She turned back towards the river and let out a sigh. “I’m trying to become the best.”   “The… best?” “Yeah the best,” the girl repeated eagerly. “The best archer, the best hunter, the best hero—”   “I don’t know about the best hero. I’m a true daughter of Skyrim but even I have to admit that the Hero of Kvatch is the best hero ever.”   The girl puffed out her cheeks. “What about Talos! He’s definitely the best. I mean, he was the last Dragonborn for crying out loud.”   Niyleen smiled and shook her head slightly. “I’m not going to count a hero-god among us mortals. That’s like discussing the best fighter at the Arena and mentioning the Grand Champion! I’m all about discussion, not having a circle jerk.”   “Hmmm…” It didn’t look like she got it, but Lucari still turned to faced Niyleen that bright smile still on her face. “So, what’s a young girl like you doing out here in the Reach?”   “Huh, me?” Niyleen said taken aback. “Well, I’m… heeey,” Niyleen narrowed her eyes. “Were you mocking me?”   “Ehehee, you got me!” She tilted her head slightly, still beaming. “Oh! Where’s my manners, I’m Lucari Pure-Shot. I hail from Dragon Bridge.”   “What’s a child from Haafingar doing here?” Niyleen said more angrily than she meant to. “Are you mental? There are Forsworn about and corruption as far as the eye can see. Not to mention bandits hiding around every corner.”   “First off my mother used to be Forsworn and she’s taught me all about them,” Lucari said puffing her cheeks out again. “And I already know about the rest.” She began smiling again. “But that’s also why I came to the Reach, to help cleanse it of those things.” (And that includes me…) Niyleen closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This girl was too positive in her thinking and was definitely going to get herself killed, but the more she listened to her, the more every word started to sound familiar.   “Anyway, and you are?” Her eyes were hopeful and filled with expectation.   “Niyleen.”   “Niyleeeeeeeeen?”   (This pureheartedness is making me sick) Niyleen thought as she gripped her stomach. “Flame-Child. Niyleen Flame-Child.”   “Annnnnnd? You never answered my question.”   “Well,” Niyleen scratched the back of her head and thought about it. “I guess… the Reach is just my home. Other than making money here and there I guess I don’t really have a reason to be here. But I’m a Reach girl through and through, so I’ll probably just go around and… do what I can, I guess.” “That’s awesome!” Lucari jumped to her feet and looked into Niyleen’s eyes. “I knew from the moment you began talking to me that we were kindred spirits, but now I know it’s true. How about we team up and help out here in the Reach together?”   (If only she knew…) “I don’t know milk—er, Lucari. You seem rather… delicate.” She really wanted to call the girl air-headed, but even though she was a cold bloodthirsty bandit, she was mindful of other people’s feelings.   “Not to worry. I’m a good hunter, and a pure shot with my bow,” Lucari said gleefully motioning at the bow on her back.   “Well…” The innocent but forceful look in Lucari’s eyes told Niyleen that the girl wouldn't take no for an answer. (I beg you Julianos, this has to be a part of some bigger plan. The fool girl is going to get herself killed.) “Alright then. I’ll tag along with you.”   “Really!?” Lucari’s eyes widened and when Niyleen nodded her head she jumped for joy. “Yes! To be honest I was worried I would have to travel all alone. I’m glad I’ll have a friend to adventure with.”   “Right…” The two ladies set off on the start of this new adventure and soon it became rather apparent how opposite the two women were. Niyleen continued to avoid interacting with anyone they met up with, while Lucari always stopped to talk and try to help someone out. Also, Lucari just wouldn't stop talking. It was maddening.   Half an hour into their travels Niyleen stopped in the middle of the road and said, “Not to be rude, but if you don’t stop talking I will leave you here by yourself.” While she did talk less, the poor girl couldn't help but ooh and ah about anything that they saw, and although it was still annoying, Niyleen could feel herself breaking down and just accepting Lucari for who she was. It wasn't like she disliked the girl or anything, but Niyleen had always been a loner even within the groups of bandits she’s worked with over the years.   After venturing for a while, Niyleen stopped, drew her weapon and motioned for Lucari to do the same. Slow they crept closer and it was as Niyleen had feared. “One of Stendarr’s followers,” Niyleen said bitterly. She looked around for any aggressors. “What’s a vigilant doing way out here? There aren't any Daedra in the Reach, and the only werewolves and vampires I’ve heard about were over in the east.” Lucari frowned. “Is he dead?”   Niyleen check for a pulse. “He is indeed. He’s also cold… too cold for a body that’s yet to begin smelling. Especially with the warm weather the Reach has been getting lately. Yeah… this was probably a Forsworn attack.”   “So what are we going to do about him?”   Niyleen looked at Lucari and could really see the concern on her face. “Well… I’ll be taking his boots and garb and fashioning it into something more my style.”   “You wouldn’t.” Lucari gave her a disappointing look. “Of course I would,” Niyleen said proudly as she began to strip off the Vigilant’s boots.   “Niyleen!” Convinced that Niyleen wasn’t going to change her mind, Lucari got up and stormed off.   Looking at the young Nord go, Niyleen sighed and said, “Women…”

Flame-Child Chapter Three: Being A Hero - Part Three   Niyleen awoke hours later her mind frazzled and body numb. The flames had not only stripped her of her power and strength, but also her clothing. Unaware of her nakedness she picked up her weapon and struggled to escape the mine. Meeting no resistance she assumed that her display of power scared off the rest of Atar’s men. “A job well done… I guess,” she said blearily. Exiting Sanuarach Mine, Niyleen leaned against some rocks and slid down to the ground exhausted. (An in and out job turned into this…) she closed her eyes and before passing out muttered, “Fucking Forsworn.” “Mmmm… so… itchy,” Niyleen said hours later. Sitting up, she looked around at her unfamiliar surroundings. “What a wild dream… I thought I was a god. Guess I’m just a captive…” Leaning back she pressed against something cold and sharp. Niyleen turned with a start and her eyes grew big as she looked upon her sword. “Something’s off.” Taking her blade in hand, Niyleen stormed upstairs and was shocked at who she saw. “You… I thought I was doing you a favor! And you decide to capture me to be your plaything!?” Ainethach stood there with a pleased look on his face. “You did do me a favor… in more ways than one.” “You bastard!!”   “Calm yourself,” the Breton said playfully. “What I meant was, you’ve rid my mine of those sellswords and… I got to gaze upon raw beauty not well known throughout the Reach.” Niyleen felt comfortable naked, probably because of her time spent as the slave of three thugs hired by the Silver-Bloods, but for appearance’s sake she covered herself. “Gazing is all you better had done.”   “My lady, I wouldn’t dare make unwanted advances against the woman that I now consider my heroine.”   Niyleen turned her head. “I’m no hero,” she said awkwardly. “You’re brave, tenacious, altruistic, and fair. Not to mention you saved my land. So whether or not you think you’re a hero, you’ll always be mine.” Ainethach gave flashed her a smile and she turned away from him. “Well now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, let’s put something on yours.”   Niyleen opened her mouth to say something, but realized he didn’t mean anything sexual by it when he went to his closet to get an outfit for her to wear. She’d seen bartenders wear this and knew this wouldn’t offer anything in terms of protection in combat, but she took the clothes with a smile and put them on.   “Well,” Niyleen said doing a quick pose in her new attire. “Damn, I take it back, you’re no heroine… you’re a goddess.”   Niyleen liked the pleased look on Ainethach’s face, but decided to chide him anyway. “Hey Breton, I was talking about the payment. As much as you think I’m all fair and altruistic, this was just a job.”   “One that you did admirably I admit.”   (You sly Breton) “Anyway, here you go.” Ainethach handed Niyleen her payment. He looked at her solemnly and said, “That won’t be the last we hear from the Silver-Bloods, but at least we can get back to work.”   It took everything Niyleen had to not count the coin right then. “T-t-thanks,” she said, her hand with the gold in it was trembling hopefully unnoticed by Ainethach.   “Ah, so you want something else? Rather something more?” Ainethach raised his eyebrows and licked his lips. “Something that only a man could give you?” Niyleen laughed in his face. “You clearly haven’t been to other parts in Skyrim. I could find pleasures more carnal from a female Altmer if I ask the right people.” She gave him a thumbs down. “Thanks but no thanks.”   Ainethach sighed. “Oh well. A man can try.”   “And fail.” Niyleenstuck her tongue out and spryly made for the door.   “Thanks again. You’ve done a good think for me and my workers,” Ainethach said trying to get Niyleen’s attention, but she briskly exited without responding. Niyleen laughed at herself. “Not only was I called a heroine, but I let a Breton woo me.” She shook her head. “Julianos guide me.” Biting her lip, she looked out toward the Reach and began to think, (A hero, huh?)

Flame-Child Chapter Two: Being A Hero - Part Two   “Sanuarach Mine, a hole in the ground just like any other,” Niyleen said as she made her way through the foggy cavern. Through her travels she’d hunkered down in caves and mines, but the ambiance of them never stood well with her. Kind of like Markarth only two things flowed in them but silver wasn't one of them. “Never understood how people could dig their lives away in these rocky abysses.” The thought of being an upstanding citizen chilled her, but she was more so frightened at the prospect of wasting her life trying to make a fortune with no discerning goal in sight.   She quickly came upon one of Atar’s men and decided to approach him. “We’re in control of this mine,” the Redguard mercenary said as she advanced.   “I’m well aware. I need to speak to Atar. Where is he?” “He’s uh…”   “Well spit it out sellsword. I haven’t got all evening,” Niyleen snapped. “Ahem, well… he’s, er…”   The look on the mercenary’s face said it all. (He’s looking at my breasts isn't he… for the love of Mara…)   Niyleen had about enough of this. She drew her blade and got into an offensive stance. “Skeever breath, tell me where Atar is now before I chop that thing between your legs off!” That certainly sobered up the Redguard who still wore a pleased expression on his face. “Calm down girl, and put that toy away before you hurt yourself.”   “Men…” Niyleen cursed under her breath.   “Anyway, the boss is a little further in. But don’t make any sudden movements. Wouldn't want to rough up a pretty face like yours.” “Tch.”   Niyleen pushed past the Redguard and went further inside where she saw another Redguard and a familiar Nord standing around.   “The mine is closed. Get lost,” Atar said, his voice reverberating throughout the mine. “Is what I would say, but to think they sent a fair girl to do dealings with me. Backbiting Breton’s got no stones.”   (Keep it together Niyleen…) “Listen Atar, Ainethach and the other villagers don’t need or want you here so get lost." The mercenary leader looked down at her with cold eyes, “Who is it I speak to?”   “Niyleen. Niyleen Flame-Child. A true daughter of Skyrim and the Reach.”   “Ha! A true daughter of Skyrim… Listen here Redguard—”   “Half-Breed,” she said curtly.   “I've been sent by the Silver-Bloods to keep this mine safe,” he continued ignoring her interruption. “No selfish Breton or pretty lass is going to make me do otherwise." He gestured around himself. "Look around. I’m a sellsword girl and the men you see are around the mine are mine." “I don’t think you heard me the first time Nord,” Niyleen said her anger showing on her face. “The entire town wants you gone. So leave!” “No, I don’t think you heard me, Redguard,” Atar said, his eyes narrowing. “I’m here because of the generosity of the Silver-Bloods—the most important people in all of the Reach—to clean and clear the area of all Forsworn. Ainethach, that ungrateful Breton, doesn't want to pay for this service.”   “You want the man to give up his land!” Niyleen shouted.   “It’s not like he still won’t make money, the majority of the profits will just go to my contacts.” Niyleen was about to make a comeback when she remembered that she had said the exact same thing to Ainethach earlier. “Why not just sell? I mean some pay is better than no pay, right?” She clinched her fists and began trembling out of anger.   “Now then girl, now that that matter’s handled,” he looked over toward his subordinate and nodded. “Give me a reason not to plunge a dagger in your chest.” “To think I’d get so wound up about someone else's coin,” Niyleen laughed.   “What’s that girl?”   “Nothing, just thing about how I’m going to enjoy ripping you and your men apart one after another.”   Atar grunted. “And here I thought today was going to be boring,” he motioned at his subordinate. “Breroc, she’s yours.” The Redguard rushed at her with blade and ax in hand trying to overpower her with his flurry of offense. But Niyleen parried his strikes and quickly countered by severing his left arm and burying her blade through his chest. Hearing footsteps quickly closing in behind her, Niyleen turned and delivered a powerful swing which found its way to the neck of another mercenary killing him instantly. With the blood of two foes on her hands Niyleen began to feel alive again. Sure she had already killed today, but that was out of betrayal, this was another beast altogether. It was raw violence for the sake of violence. She could have persuaded Atar, solved this peacefully but she didn't and now she couldn't contain her pleasure. “What’s so funny girl,” Atar said. His mouth formed in a nasty snarl.   “It’s just been so long,” Niyleen said erotically. She ripped the blindfold from over her eye and flashed Atar a smile. “Wait… that red eye… that long black hair…”   Niyleen could see the cogs in Atar’s brain working furiously to remember where he knew her description from and decided to fill in the blanks for him. “Let me give you a hint,” she said. Her body was heating up with every word. “Five years ago, the Karth River. The flames of floating on its surface could be seen from every point of the Reach.”   “W-w-wait a sec! You’re the Raging—”   Niyleen could neither hear Atar nor contain the heat in her body anymore, and true to her moniker she released the heat and was engulfed in flames. The heat of the blaze soothed her, calmed her, quelled her fury and purged the heat within. She felt reborn like the phoenix, but there was still one thing keeping her from feeling whole. She glanced over towards Atar and even he could see the wicked smile she had on her face as she stood poised ready to strike. It was over in an instant, as she swift separated Atar from his head. Shock. Awe. Ecstasy. Niyleen had never taken skooma, but this is what she imagined it to feel like. She felt invincible, unstoppable, and alive. Her power kept surging, building up, making these emotions ooze through her. “All this debate about whether or not Talos is a god, I should be called the Ninth Divine!” As a devout follower of Julianos, Niyleen knew that it was the power talking, but the idea of being as powerful as an Aedra or even a Daedra was… alluring. “With this power, even if I’m not a god I could—!!” Something was wrong. The heat inside her was getting too hot, the flames were burning too bright, her power was destroying her. She let out a sidesplitting screech as the flames began to tear away at her skin. Niyleen tried to contain the power but to no avail. The pain was unbearable, she couldn't concentrate; it wasn't too long before she blacked out from it all.

Flame-Child Chapter One: Being A Hero - Part One   “Tried to cheat me out of my share will ya,” a voice said angrily in a bandit camp overlooking Karthwasten. The camp reeked with death and a figure could be seen reflecting on the situation. Niyleen sat atop a pedestal and scowled at the events that had transpired. “Damn Forsworn,” she cursed. “I can’t believe the nerve of those bastards, trying to cheat me… ME! The Raging Inferno of the Reach! Killing them was too easy. I shoulda burned the bodies, resurrected their corpses, and…” She held her tongue after remembering the grotesque things she saw her father do with corpses. “Maybe I went a little… too far?” She sighed and jumped off the pedestal. Niyleen walked over the the cliff and a village across from her. “Ainethach’s village…” though she’s looked upon it many a time, she herself has never pillaged or even antagonized Karthwasten. “I can lie low there… maybe score a quick job, seeing as my former associates were so kind as to GIVE MY SHARE OF THE LOOT TO FUCKING FORSWORN!!” Calming herself, Niyleen made her way down the mountain and across the lake. Though Karthwasten was just on the cliffs above her, it was the body she encountered at their base that intrigued her at the moment. “Damn, someone got to Lugramph,” she said seeing her falling Orc companion. “Well at least you received your ‘good death’ my friend, not like some of those blokes that get locked up like animals in Cidnah. May Malacath guide you,” she took a quick glance at his boots and smirked. “And may Julianos guide me! No reason to let a perfectly good pair of boots go to waste.” After putting on the boots, Niyleen continued towards Karthwasten posthaste. “Damn hills,” Niyleen said as she came up on Karthwasten at long last. Having had taken her blade out to give it a few swings, she quickly sheathed it upon reaching the village as a heated argument seemed to be brewing. ”Atar! I want you damn sellswords out of my mine,” said a youthful looking Breton.   (So that’s Ainethach,) Niyleen thought to herself. (He’s pretty, I’ll give him that.)   “Watch your tongue, native scum,” the one called Atar said. “We’ll leave when we’re sure there’s no Forsworn here.”   ”I see, and when exactly will that be,” Ainethach snapped back. “Let me take a wild guess: when I sell my land to the Silver-Bloods?” (The Silver-Bloods!!! Oh crap, not here too.) Niyleen looked anxiously around her inspecting those assembled carefully, however no one here seemed to be bothered with her. “You may just be smarter than you look. Look here Breton, the Silver-Bloods have made you a very generous offer for this pile of dirt. I suggest you take it and quit wasting their and my time.” On that note, everyone dispersed and nobody bothered even recognizing that Niyleen had come upon the town. “Right rude of these people to not notice that they had a visitor to their town,” she said aloud to no one in particular. She then noticed the Breton off on his own and decided to make her move now. “I see those rough looking fellows were giving you a rough time,” She said as she came up on him.   “Who’re yo—oh, a visiter,” Ainethach slouched his shoulders. “I-I apologize if you saw that, but it’s robbery. Robbery in it’s purest form. The Silver-Bloods are trying to muscle in on my land! “   “Woah woah woah, explain yourself Breton,” Niyleen said edging closer still. “You see, last night Forsworn attacked the mines, and suddenly all these sellswords show up to help. Now, they won't let anyone work until I sell it off.”   “Well,” Niyleen knew she was going to want to swallow her words before she spoke them. “Why not just sell? I mean some pay is better than no pay, right?”   “No!” Niyleen saw the Breton’s fists clench and the passion in his eyes. “This is MY land. You expect me to just hand it over to those Silver-Blood thugs?” “I guess not.” Niyleen took a quick glance back at her old bandit camp and nodded. “Ok Ainethach, I’ll tell you what, I’ll handle that Atar fellow and in exchange—”   “I’ll put some coin in your pocket,” Ainethach said with a hint of expectation.   “Exactly.”   “Ha! You can try, but I'd keep your sword-arm ready if things get ugly.” Niyleen nodded, flashed the Breton a smile and headed off to do some information gathering around the village. Every account filled her with rage toward the Silver-Bloods, Atar and his men, and the Forsworn. They were all blights to the Reach and she was to be the cure. Upon finishing up, she decided to strike at night when men usually began to wind down.   Soon as the first stars touched the sky, she was off to the mine. Once there she stopped to gather herself. “Dammit girl. Remember, you’re a bandit! Not some milkdrinking hero-type like the rest of these buggers.” Niyleen took her coin purse in her hand and sighed. “But earned septims are just as good as bloody ones and I’m damn sure out of bloody ones.” She looked at the entrance to the mine and yelled, “Fucking Forsworn,” before finally heading inside.

Aria's Story

() = Means a character is thinking {} = Means a character is laughing   Next Chapter Chapter 2 : Athena's Mission