From: Mike and Micky Gunn Subject: [PORC] Renewed Hopes The storm cleared the very next day. Almost immediately, the weather resumed its normal pattern for early First Seed: an almost bone-numbing cold. Although finely crushed gravel had been scattered over Vanshire's cobblestone streets, Nyx had very nearly slipped and fell twice on her way to the Mage's Guild. The message to meet with the Archmagistress had come early that morning. Nyx had eaten a quick breakfast then put on her very best clothes: a blue velvet day gown and a blue cloak lined with black fur. The only weapon she carried was the small bodkin tucked into the bodice of her dress. With Red and Blackie out there, searching for her, it was better to be safe than sorry. And a dagger was better than nothing. Nyx made it to the guild without incident. Had it not been for the mages of all races and types coming in and out the door, Nyx would've mistaken the place for a large, comfortable looking house. She was about to open the door when Jeren and Kestral came out. Their faces lit up when they saw her in fine clothes. "Well, look who's here!" Jeren exclaimed, grinning. 'If his smile get's any bigger,' Nyx thought, amused, 'the top of his head will fall right off!' "Hello, Kestral, Jeren. What brings you here?" "Jeren and I were seeing if the Guild had any new missions to offer. We have a job to go and find some rampaging atronach. I think it was a fire atronach?" He looked to Kestral, who nodded. Kestral looked me over, smiling. "Might I say that you look very lovely?" "Why thank you." Even as she said it, she blushed. "Well, good luck with your adventure. When do you leave?" Jeren smiled wickedly. Again, Nyx was struck by his eyeteeth, and how long they were. "We leave the day after tomorrow. Perhaps you'd like to come with us?" 'Not a good idea,' Nyx told herself firmly. Jeren and Kestral were handsome, charming, and fun to chat with, but she wasn't sure she trusted them. It wasn't just the eyeteeth. Something about them made them seem...a little too fun. A little too perfect. As if they were actors performing a carefully rehearsed role. Still, there was no need to alienate them needlessly. After all, Nyx had been wrong before, and she could be wrong now. She grinned. "I'm afraid that I'll be very busy for the next few days. But maybe I'll help you celebrate your victory." "What could be more important than spending time with friends?" Kestral asked. "Come on, Nyx. Meet us back at the Porcupine for some brandy." Her smile faded. "My business is far more important than you can imagine," she said softly. "I'll see you later." She opened the door. Jeren touched her arm. For some reason, the touch of his gloved hand made her shiver. It wasn't entirely unpleasant. "Is there any chance that we might be able to help?" Nyx shook her head, tears welling in her turquoise eyes. "Pray for me, my friends. Ask Mara to have mercy on my beloved." She went into the Guild. closing the door firmly behind her. She had to pause then as her sadness overwhelmed her. She leaned heavily against a stone column as the tears trickled slowly down her face. Nyx pressed her lips together to stifle a sob. 'Blessed Mara, let this be the day! You are goddess of love, let my beloved return to my side!' "Missstresss? Are you unwell?" With a start, Nyx opened her eyes. Standing before her was a young Argonian apprentice, a female. From what Nyx knew of the Argonian people, the females were smaller and duller in color than the males. That and the obviously feminine jewelry the creature wore gave it away. "I--um...yes. I mean, no. I'm not unwell." Nyx swiped hastily at her tears and smiled at the apprentice. She wasn't fooled. "Isss there anything I can do for you? Sssome refreshmentsss, perhapsss?" Nyx shook her head. "No, but thank you. I'm here to see the Archimagistress." The Argonian bowed. "Ahh, yesss. Come thisss way." Nyx followed the apprentice down an elegant corridor. The floor was carpeted forset green, the walls were painted sky blue. Nyx found the colors peaceful without being dull. Gleaming brass sconces held enchanted candles that would never burn down. Paintings of mages were hung on the walls every five feet or so. One was of a stunningly beautiful Redguard woman, her silver-streaked ebony hair done in ornate braids. "The missstresss," Nyx's escort told her. Nyx nodded. The woman in the painting seemed stern, but there was a kindly gleam in her warm brown eyes. Nyx's hopes rose. "What is your name?" she asked the Argonian. The young woman smiled, revealing sharp white teeth. "I am K'ltyssa." She extended her hand. Nyx noticed that the green palm was as smooth as her own. She laid her palm atop the K'lthyssa's. "My name is Nyxalinth." She smiled a little. "I will mention your kindness to the Archmagistress." The apprentice smiled again. They stopped before a brass bound oak door. 'All this brass must keep the apprentices busy,' Nyx thought wryly, remembering her own apprenticeship days. K'lthyssa knocked on the door with a delicate, green scaled hand. "Enter." The voice was deep yet unmistakably feminine. K'lthyssa opened the door and bowed low to her mistress, then gestured for Nyx to go on. The apprentice closed the door behind the shadow walker and departed. "Thank you, madam, for taking the time to see me today," Nyx told her. The archmagistress extended a dark, slender hand. Nyx touched her forehead to the ring of office the woman wore. "please, sit down my dear," The lady told her. "Thank you, madam." Nyx sat in and overstuffed chair covered in blue velvet. The office was quite elegant. Blue velvet draperies hid the large picture window behind the desk. Still, a bit of yellow-gray daylight managed to creep in around the edges. Shelves of books lined the walls, and the floor was covered in ornate blue and red rugs. The desk itself was solid mahogany, as was the padded chair behind it. A globe of all Tamriel sat in a golden stand next to the desk. Nyx could see High Rock, Hammerfell, and part of Skyrim on it from where she was sitting. The Archmagistress was tall and even more lovely in person. She wore elegant flame colored robes trimmed in blue. The red of the robes made her copper-brown skin seem all the richer. Except for silver wings above each temple and a few streaks running through her elegant braids, there were no signs of her age. "What can I do for you, dear?" Nyx had fully intended to stay calm in telling her tale. She did very well, even when speaking of Red and Blackie's depravities. And then she came to the part where Zerith had pushed her through the portal. "We could have both escaped if he had waited!" she sobbed. "We were so close! But he pushed me in, and I found myself in a summoning cirle in some town in Alcaire. Every mage's guild I've spoken to has turned me down!" The Archmagistress gave Nyx a white silk handkerchief. Nyx wiped her eyes with it, then blew her nose. "I'm sorry," she sniffled. "You must think me a whining fool." "Not at all, dear child. And I would love to help. But this is a small town, and our resources and knowledge are limited." Nyx sighed. She was being turned down. Again. 'I'm actually getting used to this,' she thought cynically. "However," the woman went on, "I do know of someone in Aldingbury who can help." Hope filled Nyx's heart once more. "You do? Oh, madam, thank you!" She jumped to her feet. The Archmagistress held up her hand. "Hold, if you please. the sage I am sending you to is on expedition, as yet. He won't be returning for a few weeks." "If at all," Nyx mumbled. "Have no fear, Nyxalinth. I have known Aloysius for many years." she smiled. "He's not what you would expect from a sage. He is also a spellsword, and he's perfectly capable of taking care of himself. You will find him at the Baron's palace there." Nyx nodded. "Then I will go to him a few weeks hence." "In the meantime" the Archmagistress continued, "perhaps you could do us a small favor." "Of course," Nyx said without hesitation. After all, this was a great boon that she'd been granted. Red and Blackie were out there, in mortal guise, no doubt, tracking her down. And when they found her, they would return her to Emerald Vex. But first, they would exhaust all the possible yet unspeakable pleasures that they could get from her. "It's a small price to pay," she added, and she meant it. "One of our apprentices bit off more than he could chew recently." She toyed with a jewelled seal breaker as she spoke. "He had just completed his course on Daedrology. His instructor had said that the lad was particularly gifted, especially in the summoning arts. Bright, curious, always asking questions." She shook her head. "We should have seen it coming." "What happened?" But Nyx thought that she knew. The Archmagistress sighed. "He took it upon himself to try his hand at summoning. The particulars are not important, but the end result is." 'He summoned a daedra," Nyx concluded. "And I assume that he didn't just get a scamp." "It was a spider daedra." Nyx cringed as a shudder rand down her back and up again. "What--what of the boy?" 'I can guess what happend,' she thought, cringing again. 'Ahh, the poor lad.' "We found his partially eaten remains. The rest was thrown around the chamber, making quite a mess. We had to use magicka to get that room cleaned up." "How--how did you know that it was a spider daedra?" Nyx asked. The Archmagistress made a face. "Other than certain...particulars that I'm sure you don't want to know, several witnesses saw the creature as it fled the Guild. Apparently it was more interested in leaving the area than in causing more chaos." She paused, looking over the seal breaker. "It departed town and we think it's taken up a lair in the Zorumax caverns. And there you have it." She tossed the seal breaker back onto the desk. 'A seal breaker,' Nyx thought wildly. She bit the insides of her cheeks. "I'll do it," she said. "It's only a day's ride from here. When should I go?" "As soon as you can, dear. DiBella knows we don't need that vile creature roaming freely." She stood up. Nyx got to her feet as well. "Thank you, madam." The Archmagistress smiled. "It is my pleasure. I wish you luck in everything, child." Nyx met with Jeren and Kestral back at the Angry Porcupine. "You certainly look happy," Kestral noted. He scooted over in the booth to make room for her. Nyx sat down next to him. "I'm very happy. I've a mission of my own now." And I'm one step closer to bringing Zerith home,' she thought, and smiled.