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Oh, so you're going to be like that, then? Well, I was going to ask you if you have a bloody clue what happened here, but I have a feeling I'd be wasting my time... time to go and tell the Argonian the bad news... Viriathos sighed. He nudged his horse's sides with his heels and it began to head off down the path and a steady trot. He decided to take it slow in case Noa had a change of heart and attitude.

((I'll still drop in from time-to-time. Enough to post. The Der'ec history should all be coming together soon enough.))

Norid resented being tripped into the ground. He had problems with slavery, but they were directed at the Ayleids, not the Dunmer. His family had travelled from the Black Marsh to Cyrodiil, and had been imprisoned by the Ayleids, then sold to a slaver who owned a plantation. He didn't resent any race aside from the long-extinct Heartland High Elves.

He got back up, and spat out the grass that had gotten stuck in his mouth.

"You filthy Wood Elf! If I had any problems with the slavers of Morrowind, I'd have killed you by now! I travelled there once. I saw all types of Elves selling slaves- Altmer, Bosmer, and Dunmer. It didn't bother me. A Redguard once tried to capture me, and I would hate them if not for the fact that they have honor and valor. They live in a desert wasteland. You live in a forest, hiding from your enemies. If I hate any of the ten races, than the Bosmer would be the ones I would attack on sight!

"Nevertheless, he is not lying. This destruction was the result of Mehrunes Dagon's wrath. The only reason it is still standing is because of a Battlemage known as Drac'rad Flat-foot. He made a place- another dimension, if you will. He uses it as a pathway into a place deep within the Jerall Mountains, where a scholar lives. Since the place is so dangerous, he lines it with treasures. Amulets that he created to dispell even the strongest curses, and weaponry capable of striking down Daedra with a single blow. Thousands of gold pieces lie waiting behind traps created by him, with the walking corpses of fallen adventurers waiting in every shadow. But for every one of the three hundred guardians, there is ten thousand gold. For every chain, for every spike, for every dark Welkynd Stone, there is an enchanted artifact. For every poison dart that fires from nowhere, there are thousands of diamonds. And if you're slightly less materialistic, there is an endless supply of knowledge waiting at the end. The Library of Vivec is nothing compared to this. Forty generations, reaching back to the First Era, every member of the family with one goal: to gather every book in the land, and gather every scrap of knowledge there is. There is no larger library in the land. There is even a copy of the Mysterium Xarxes, inscribed in ancient pages behind the Mythic Dawn's back by Koren K'nar."

Norid had heard Zakkon tell the trio that they could ask questions after they accepted the terms, and even though his charismatic skills were less advanced that Drac'rad's, he had learned a few things from the merchants to which he sold the illegal armor and weapons of deceased victims. His other intention was to defy Zakkon's opinion on what was best, and since he was the only one with the knowledge of how to enter the Depths, he knew that Zakkon wouldn't dare defy him.

((Since this won't directly lead towards either your death, or injury in either way, I don't really see it as God Modding or whatever it's called. However, if you feel it's so, I will change my post.))

((Aie, it's so much easier to be the antagonist. That way when someone crosses you, you can just blow stuff up, (including them). Now I have to be all diplomatic and stuff.))

He quietly turned towards the Argonian, a disarmingly pleasant smile on his face. With a distaste quickly turning towards disgust, he thought, "Now's not the time you reptillian b*****d.".

However, as he started to speak, his face, eyes and voice showed no sign of his impatience with Norid. "Come now Norid, we're allies," he said placating tone of voice, "let's not fight out loud here in front of everyone. If you feel it's necessary to discuss something, let's do it in private."

He turned away, then suddenly whipped himself around and grabbed Norid's shoulder. In one motion, he pulled him forward as he rammed his elbow square into his stomach. The blow caused him to double over, and Zakkon quietly whispered, "You won't thank me for this, but with a short explanation, I'm sure you'll come to agree that this was the wisest course of action."

He turned to face the others, "It would seem that we would find it necessary to have a little palaver between the two of us. It won't take long, but I'll trust you to not interrupt us while we're doing so. Feel free to wait here or get supplies if you deem it necessary. Once we're done, we'll meet back here and wait for everyone who'll be joining us."

Zakkon viciously kicked out his left leg, and struck Norid in the stomach a second time. He left the others, placed the still-winded Argonian over his shoulder, and ran off at a quick pace. Too fast for the average person to follow, but too slow to show just how quickly he could truly move.

He leapt into the nearest grove of trees and moved from tree to tree, never once fearing for his balance or speed as he flew among the boughs of the trees.

He stopped as he reached a mossy clearing, placed Norid on the ground, and placed all of his weapons in a neat pile just out of reach.

He looked at the injured Argonian, and said, "Well, since I didn't bother to knock you senseless, and you didn't try to murder me as I left, I'll take this as acceptance of my plan. However, since I'm never one to gamble, let's just keep your weapons over there shall we, just in case you didn't understand what I was saying."

"You're in my element now Argonian, so try to avoid any rash actions. Perhaps this was a bit too flashy of an exit, but I had to be sure that the others wouldn't be around. I don't trust them, which isn't surprising, seeing as how I am an assassin after all. Let it be known that I only kicked you to give them the idea that we aren't unified leaders, and therefore let them believe that they now have a weakness to exploit. Hopefully this will bring any mutinous actions out into the open before we enter the Depths."

He quietly wondered if he should tell the Argonian this, and decided that he might as well, "Also let it be known that my Lady has prophesized that my death will only come after I trust a Khajiit. My paranoia springs from more than the information my Lady has given me though, and I believe that it will be best for us if we can get rid of those three as soon as they're done being of use to us."

((I'll let you post if you send a profile in to me.

On a side note, I've made it to the Russian Vowel Structure! I'm actually committing time to learning another language! I'm normally such a lazy person!

On another note, it is godmodding, but I'll let it pass.))

"Well, Zakkon, if you can't trust Khajiit, then you're going to have problems. Drac'rad's housekeeper is a Khajiit, and he and Drac'rad are the only ones capable of allowing someone to enter the Depths. If you don't trust him, you can't get through. It's an ancient spell, discovered by the Ayleids, and Drac'rad found it in a Burial Site. He had to kill three...and a half," he said this almost uncertainly, "liches to get to it.

"Nevertheless, that was a good idea. I would have simply pushed anyone who crossed me into the path of a swinging axe, or a spiked grate. However, I gave them a false sense of security. If Drac'rad had created the Depths, he would have made a walkable path. There is a creature in there, named Sindoren. He's the one that created it. I've killed him three times, and it was difficult, considering that I could easily stand on the tip of his thumb. But he's the creator, and the laws of physics were created by him. Thankfully, it takes a massive amount of energy to create a new body of his size, and he doesn't reappear instantly. But everything else will reappear in a matter of minutes. We can't get stuck in a long battle. The creatures, for the most part, are not sentient. If we can lead them from the Caverns to the Void, we can simply leap onto the ledge while they fall off the cliff.

"If you want to eliminate anyone, do it in the Void. Anywhere else, and they will become Guardians of the Depths. In the Void, if they fall, they never die. They just keep falling. Sindoren keeps them from starving or dying of thirst, and they just keep falling. Most kill themselves, and become one of the cursed Keepers. Still, you'll understand more about these things when we get there. For now, we need to go back to the group and set out for Anvil. There's nothing left here. The Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary was massacred by Conjurers, and many of the shops are gone. Half the City Guard has been killed, with three fourths of the living severely injured. The Count is a lazy pig, and as long as he gets his food, he won't bother to help. Cheydinhal will not last long. These people will kill each other to keep from starving. Only the few the most adaptable will survive; the strongest, however will kill each other. In a few days, this town will be nothing more than a razed ruin."

Norid got up slowly, retrieved his weapons and waiting for a response before going back to the rest of the group.