Mara's Paladin

Chapter 4: What's To Come?

     "Well Nikena, my name is Arven." Arven said, he gestured towards Silva "This is Silva and the Wood Elf is Eldar." He finished.
      Eldar stepped forward "You said we, are there more of you around here?" He said looking at the tree line.
     Nikena shook her head "It is just this one," she said tapping her chest "But this one is has the minds of many." She said gesturing towards her eyes.
      The three other just look at each other in confusion. "Well thanks for helping us with..." Arven looked down at the wooden creature "What ever this thing is."
     Silva chimed in, "It's a Spriggan, they protect forest and lands."
     "She is right." Said Nikena "They guard the land from intruders." She moved over to the bears body, who was still moving. "They have many abilities, one being the ability to control the beast of this land." Crouching by the bears head she put her hand on the arrow. Quickly she pushed in deeper into the neck, the bear stoped moving. Nikena bowed her head "We have been following you for awhile, you-"
      Silva interrupted with "Why are you stalking us?" She said glaring at her.
      Nikena got up and faced them "You move through dangerous land, we have simply been keeping watch over you."
      "But why? Why are you following us and not some other group?" Asked Eldar.
      "Long ago we were a tribe of many bodies, all moving as one through the land." Her head turned up towards the stars "Forced out of our home in Black Marsh by the Ashen ones, we made home here. We are the last one of our tribe and the spirits have guided us to you."

      Silva rolled her eyes "Why did these "spirits" choose us?"

      "They tell us that all of you are on a dangerous path, one that you will need our help with." Nikena said.
      "I don't think we'll need you help." Said Silva narrowing her eyes.
      Arven put his hand on her shoulder "I think some extra help would be greatly appreciated."
      "Yes, I agree and after all she did help save our lives." Eldar said putting his daggers away and heading towards his tent. "I'm going back to sleep."
      Silva huffed "Me too." She said storming back to her tent.
      Arven look around at the body's and then at the sky. "Do you want to finish watch with me?"       He asked walking back to, and sitting by the fire.

      She nodded and sat across from him. She took out her bow and started fiddling with the string.
      "How long have you been following us." He asked poking at the fire with a stick.
       "We have been following you for two moons." She said, her purple glowing clashed with the fire light.
      Arven paused for a moment, he watch her eyes as they darted around looking over the bow.         "Can you really see, and hear theses spirits." He asked.
       Without looking up she responded with "Yes, they guide us through life and they lead us to you."
     "But why us?" He asked.
      She stoped messing with her bow, and looked up at him. "As we've said before, we do not know the will of the spirits, just that they have lead us to you."
      "Why do you keep saying we?" Arven asked, clearly frustrated.
      She put aside the bow and pulled out an arrow, she drew a circle the dirt. Then she drew two circles below that one that connected to the first one with two separate lines. She continued this pattern for several iterations before stoping. Pointing at one of the circles at the bottom she tapped her chest and said "This is us, all these other circles that connect to us are also us. We carry the memories, and knowledge of our ancestors." She looked up.
     Arven listened closely "Could the others in your tribe do this?"
     She looked down and shook her head "We are the first and the last to have this power."
      Arven looked away and thought for a moment "Then if you're the first how did you get this power?"
      She turned and faced the fire, with out looking at him she said "We carried out a dark and ancient ritual, it required many willing blood sacrifices. The last three of our tribe gave their life's for me to have this, for me to fulfill a greater purpose."
      Arven watched as a few tears formed in her eyes "Well even though they gave their life's you can still see them right?"
      She sighed "No, the ritual requires three filled black soul gems, and we can not see souls that have been taken from the body like that. That is why it is a dark ritual, one must give up much for their tribe."
      Arven looked tried to hide his look of shock but it didn't work "Well I'm sure they're happy it worked."
      She nodded "We are sure they are."

       "How much longer till we're out of this Marsh?" Eldar whined.
      The four were trekking through a muddy marshland. Arven, Silva and Eldar were sweating from the heat, the humid air doing little to help their travel. Nikena moved through the land with ease, flowing through the mud like a sail boat through water. "One moon until the we reach the edge!" She yelled leading the way by about thirty paces.
      Arven and Silva had fallen behind Eldar by 10 paces. "Hey that fire magic you did yesterday with the whole explosion was pretty neat."
       Silva gave a slight chuckle and a light smile "Thanks, its a basic ability really any Dark Elf can do with enough practice."
       "Don't downplay yourself," He said patting her on the back "Is there any other cool fire magic you can do?"
       Her smile quickly faded and she said "No."
       Arven was a bit taken back but continued with "Well have you ever thought about learning anything with fi-" He was cut off
       "Never, what a stupid idea." She said marching off and catching up with Eldar.
      "Sorry I asked." Arven said, eventually he caught up with the two, slowed down by his heavier armor.
      "I think she's fine, I don't know what your worried." Eldar said to Silva as Arven walked up.
      "I just don't trust her. She talk about how she can see spirits, no one with half a mind would say things like that." Silva said.
       "I once met a guy in Falkreath who said he met a talking dog." Eldar said with a smile.
       She gave him a weird look "Just because someone says something doesn't make it true." She said shooting a small glance at Arven.
      "True," Eldar said "But if someone is crazy enough to go up to a complete stranger and say they met a talking dog or that they see spirits, then you probably don't want to be on their bad side." He grinned. "Also you never know when they're telling the truth."
     She shook her head and rolled her eyes, turning to Arven she asked "So what's the plan?"
     He was looking off into the distance with a slight look of despair, snapping back to attention he asked "What do you mean?"
     "What's the plan now that we have another member in the group?"
     "Same as before, go the dungeon and hopefully find treasure. Only now we're splitting it four ways instead of three."
     Silva grunted, "She better be useful."
     "I'm sure she will be." Arven said.