Tenaka turned at the sound that suddenly came through the desert. A sound like falling rock, though it was so quick he could not tell the direction it had come from. Looking around he saw a great cloud of dust in the distance. Whatever had happened there had been great for the sound to travel so far. He had realised from the ache in his head when he first arrived that magic would be useless here, but this was no problem to him. People were also denied the use of magic in his Master's Tower, but being of rank he had been given ways to get around this. Very few effects, true, and nothing that could cause damage (for his Master trusted few with too much power),but simple things should be possible. He had never had the chance to use the one he intended to implement now, or cause if the truth be known, but now was as good a time as any. Concentrating he tried to remember what he had read of his powers at the Tower. Never a great scholar, only managing to rise to the heights of the Mages Guild by being more powerful than any who opposed him, it was little. But the little was enough. He sat down and concentrated. Retreating inside himself, his spirit left his body.
With the speed of the wind he sped towards the dust cloud that was only now beginning to recede. In his invisible form he could easily observe what happened. Passing a rocky spur he paused. This was where the cloud had been, but there was nothing there but rock and sand. He turned and saw the hole in the ground. And then he saw the three women climbing out. All Elven. He felt something inside him pull towards them and he knew that these were the ones he had sought. At least some of the ones he had sought. Another ability given him by his Master was to be able to sense where things were, if they were close enough. He could, in fact, feel several other pulls somewhere below him, seemingly heading back towards the Citadel. But these three would do for now. Feeling the ache of spirit to body he relented and returned to the Citadel.
Awakening he rose and looked around at where the dust cloud had been only moments before. He could no longer feel the pulling, but he could see the rocky spur on the horizon. He set off at a walk, employing a simple trick of the mind to stop the sweat that beaded his face. He must look presentable when he met these three women.
"It is hopeless! We shall shrivel up in this heat ere we manage to shift this lot. How do we even know the others still live?" J'layah dropped the heavy rock she was carrying and sat down despondently in the sand, frustration all too evident on her face. Their attempt to dig through the rubble was becoming an exercise in futility. Mea paused to rest her aching muscles, arms akimbo as she threw back her head and stretched, cat fashion. Twilight too snatched a moment's respite from the heavy toil, her expression troubled as she kneaded stiff shoulders with blistered hands - wearing gauntlets had made not a whit of difference. She turned to the other two.
"They live," she said with conviction, "of that I am certain." She indicated the sunken area that had almost buried them. "See there? The cave-in is no more than twenty feet in length, and the others were a good ten feet ahead of us. As the ceiling came crashing down 'pon our heads I glimpsed Elfiran dragging Alduin to safety, and since they were immediately afore us, methinks everyone is accounted for." Reassured, J'layah sipped water from her canteen, resisting the urge to gulp it down. She noted with some alarm that it was more empty than full. They would have to find water before day's end.
All three women were hot, sweaty, ill-tempered and covered in dust -except for where trickles of perspiration had painted Khajit-like streaks on their faces. Perhaps later - assuming they'd survived the ordeals yet to come - in the company of good friends and excellent wine, they would simply laugh at tribulations past, but here in the stifling heat and hostile environment of Thoth Durghanti the situation was all too serious.
Twilight turned toward the citadel, and suddenly noticed a stranger approaching - not fifty yards distant. Another apparition perhaps? No, even though the air shimmered around him it was only due to the heat...he was real enough. Had she been able to use the Art in this gods-forsaken place she would have sensed him long ago, but the time for wishful thinking was past and it was far too late to hide. She hissed a warning to the other women as the stranger closed to within hailing range, his stride both purposeful and confident. At first glance he bore a striking resemblance to Balefire - his dusky skin marking him as a Dark Elf - and he was even wearing Daedric plate, but since the big Warmage was far below ground she discarded that notion, hopeful though it was.
Maybe it was the heat, or maybe just the fact that she was dishevelled while this stranger had not a hair out of place (in fact he hadn't even broken a sweat), but J'layah's temper snapped and she leapt up from her sandy perch and confronted him.
"That is close enough you red devil! I know not how you came to be here- this desert has certainly become popular of late, but if you had thought to take advantage of three apparently defenceless maidens you are sorely mistaken!" So saying she whipped her trusty katana from its sheath with a flourish and waved it high above her head. "Hah!"
The stranger's eyes widened slightly and for the space of several heartbeats did not respond, then a giggle broke the silence - Mea. Mea was *laughing* at her! Annoyed that her act of bravado had been ruined by the Wood Elf's mirthful outburst, J'layah turned to give her a withering stare.
"What is so funny?" Mea, hand clamped over her mouth to prevent a full-blown belly laugh said nothing, only pointed above J'layah's head. J'layah looked up and saw.....only the hilt and about two inches of blade in her hand. The rest of the sword still lay in its sheath. It must have snapped during the cave-in!
"Methinks young J'layah," said Twilight, somehow managing to keep a straight face, "you would have made a better impression had you brandished a stick of wet celery in the poor man's face!" Turning to the dark elf - himself struggling not to laugh, she said in a sterner tone of voice, "but what she said holds true. Think you to attack us you will not live long to regret your mistake, now who are you and how did you come to be here?" Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she awaited his answer.........
Tenaka looked up in surprise as his acute senses told him something was happening. And just in time. As he looked a red body fell from the sky to land on top of him. As he fell, he rolled in the air to land on his front and brace his fall with his hands. As he hit the ground he felt the red stranger above him. Ah, he thought. Another woman.
Feeling only slightly embarrassed (not close to what the Elf with the broken blade must feel) he quickly pushed himself up and then offered his hand to the newcomer. She took it and he hauled herself to her feet to stand alongside him.
"Now this is sorted out," he said in a loud voice, "and all are on their feet again, I shall endeavour to answer your questions. I am Tenaka Khan, Dreadlord. I came to be here by services of the Mage's Guild at the instruction of my master, who ordered me to hunt down people whom the stories would deem worthy of his favour. You three, I came here seeking along with the remainder of your party should they survive the tunnel. You," he said, pointing at the newcomer, "I know not."
Tenaka watched carefully at the impression his introduction made on the four women. The one with the broken sword still seemed to be trying to hide her embarrassment and his words did not seem to have registered on her yet. The second, who looked younger than the others, was still giggling quietly behind her hand, but her eyes had widened at his claim. The third, seemingly the leader, simply stood quietly. Nothing showed on her face. The fourth, who had arrived late, seemed surprised more than anything else. And perhaps slightly fearful at having landed upon such a fearsome man.
Perhaps.
Tenaka, seeing that there was little trust put towards him from the original group, and nothing at all from the fourth, reached into the confines of his cloak and activated another of his tricks to open a hole through nothing, reaching back to his Master's Tower. Closing his hand on a familiar shape he withdrew it and held it out to the young wood elf with the broken blade. The Daedric katana gleamed softly in the desert sun and he waited to see if she would accept his offer…