66: Bloody Field

“With all due respect,” I thought through to Nerevar, “How am I supposed to accomplish that? The Telvanni are famously stubborn and egotistical. They’re not going to leave their towers.”

“Traits they no doubt picked up from their illustrious namesake, eh?” the Nerevarine chuckled. “Perhaps I misguided you. All I am going to ask is that they send a few retainers to help with defense. Their Mages will greatly bolster our ranks. Nothing against the Mages’ guild, but the Telvanni have a greater focus on the practical uses of magic rather than the scholarly.”

“No offense taken.” I thought. “So what exactly are you planning?”

“Nothing complicated. Use the guild teleport from here in Gnisis to travel to Sadrith Mora. With any luck, the Telvanni council will be session there. Just get them to send a small force for the purposes of defense. We will not be assaulting Oblivion any time soon.”

“You will wait then?” Telvana thought, the staff glowing deeply in time with his words, “You will await your destruction rather than taking the battle to the enemy?”

“We will wait, yes. But I can only hope we can withstand the siege long enough for Will to finish his duty to the emperor. ‘Close shut the jaws of Oblivion?’ That is what he said isn’t it?” The Nerevarine’s eyes searched my face.

“Yes, he did say that, but… No, never mind. I’m sure you have your ways of knowing that.” I conceded.

“I’m glad you have learned that much at least.” Nerevar smiled triumphantly.

“So how do you propose he does that?” Thought Telvana impatiently.

“That is for him to discover. I do hope he knows what he’s doing, all of our lives are in his hands.” Nerevar’s tone was serious. “I will say that both of you will not find the answer here in Morrowind. In Sadrith Mora you will find a way to return to Cyrodiil. I have arranged that. I will see to the defenses of Red Mountain. Perhaps I will be able to assist you when I am confident in my people’s safety, but I cannot guarantee it.”

“What about Kael and Darkasha?” I thought. “I still have no idea what happened to Kael.”

“You will take the vampire with you when you depart for Sadrith Mora. See to it that he leaves my land. I will not destroy him, but I cannot stand his kind. As for Kael, I have confidence he will find his own way back.”

“I understand.” I said.

“It is good to know you are still… alive, Indel.” Nerevar’s voice echoed, “And you must accept that I am the reincarnation of Nerevar. Please.”

“Hmmph.” The staff buzzed resentfully. “I will entertain the possibility. But I won’t be happy about it.”

“I don’t care whether you’re happy or not. You have to accept it.” Nerevar said and then withdrew his mind from the connection. He handed the staff back to me and I felt Telvana return to my mind.

“N’wah.” Thought Telvana.



I took my leave of Nerevar and pushed through the crowd of commanders. They were still arguing, though they seemed to have lost some steam and had lowered their voices. Darkasha was my next priority, and I was glad to see he was helping clear the battlefield. In fact, he was the only one doing it. I approached to find him immersed in a grisly scene.

On this side of the city, the battle had been even more intense than on the side I had been at. Bodies of Daedra and Bonemold-clad Redorans were tangled together all across the field, and the whole place was beginning to reek even in the cool night air. Darkasha was wading through the place looting the corpses of both Daedra and Dunmer alike.

“Give the dead some respect.” I said, catching Darkasha’s attention. He didn’t even flinch.

“When you are as dead as these ones, you will know how little these fools care for their worldly trinkets.” He said, continuing his search. “Better someone closer to their state take care of these items than they fall into the hands of the living.”

“Leave them be!”

He snarled and turned on me. “Fool!” He pounced.

He knocked me backwards off my feet. “What do you know?” he said, pinning me to the muddy ground. It was not water that made the mud, but the blood of the fallen. I shivered in the cold slop. “Yes.” Darkasha hissed, “Do you feel that? It is the soup of the dead.” He reached out and took a handful of the bloody mud and raised it to his lips. “Mmm, delicious. It is a shame you have not experienced the taste of Daedric blood. Even watered down by the Redorans, it has a distinct flavor. A distinct effect.” I scowled at him. “You know nothing!” He spat in my face. “These dead care not! They’re dead! I will take what I please.

"Have you ever felt it? The embrace of death? No, of course not. Let me try to explain.” He bared his enormous teeth in my face. “It is a most unusual sensation.” He opened his fangs and then closed them, gently, on my neck. A shivering wave of revulsion exploded through my body. He began to laugh. His fangs scratched across the surface of my skin with every cruel laugh.


Finally, he released my neck. “Do you see now? All you thought about was death. So what do you think these corpses are thinking right now?” He stepped away to continue his pillaging.

My hands shot to my throat, feeling every inch of skin intently, searching for the slightest nick or puncture. Nothing. Not a single scratch. I sighed, relieved. I shivered once more and pulled myself into a crouched position. I conjured a handful of flames and warmed my hands and face briefly. Then I reached out and grasped the staff. Telvana rushed back into my mind.

“What happened? What’s going on? Why did he knock me out of your hands?” I opened my recent memory to him. “Oh.” He said.

I stood up and scraped some of the vile mud off of my robe. Another robe ruined. I chuckled grimly at the absurdity of it. I looked over to see Darkasha lift a limp Dremora into the air and then bite hungrily into its neck. It squealed and fell silent. I walked off towards the river to cleanse myself. Sadrith Mora could wait.