Talen did not know if night had fallen. The stars and moon were there, ominously peaking out from behind shifting clouds; as well was the silence. He could hear the crackle of flames as they licked at the burning pile of wood. He could hear every gust of wind, snapping at the flames and sending cinders flying. But was it truly the night? Or outside of the Sacellum has a day already dawned? "Perhaps it doesn't matter," Talen thinks to himself. "After this, with the dawn of a new day, is the dawn of a new me."

Talen stares at his surroundings. Growing steadily aware of who has has become.

The chilling atmosphere he was welcomed himself into...

The people he has associated with out of his own will...

The friend he was so willing to sacrifice...

Was it going to be worth it?

Boethiah Cultist: Mistress of Treason and Deceit, Boethiah, before you I lay a servant to your enemy.

Boethiah Cultist: Offered by this mortal to gain your favor, I sacrifice this servant to your name.

Boethiah Cultist: Let her blood stain this ground as an omen to all who dare defy us.

Talen turns away. His stomach roiling, head spinning. If he watches another second he fear he may not go through with it. But as he looks away, he fears he can never go back.

The cultist raises her blade, the edges gleaming in the light of the moon; the red of fire reflecting across its arcs like blood.

As he hears the whoosh of air around the blade as it is sent plunging down, Talen squeezes shut his eyes. He hears the cultist laugh out one final word;

Boethiah Cultist: Die!

before the world around him explodes in a burst of purple and black.

In the calm village of Riverwood, an odd duo of mercenaries saunter into the local trader. Shortly after, an ecstatic laughter booms from inside.

Lucan Valerius: Hahaha! You found it!

Lucan Valerius: There it is!

Lucan Valerius: Strange. It seems smaller than I remember... Heheh, funny thing, huh?

Gerruck: All in a day's work. I did pretty well if I do say so myself.

Elyvaea: What my handsome Nord is trying to say is that it was no problem at all. But a few draugr did prove troublesome, which does warrant a raise in pay.

Lucan Valerius: Uh, well...

Camilla Valerius: Oh do it Lucan! What's a few extra hundred gold gonna do anyway?

Lucan Valerius: Bah, she's right. Thank you. I-I'll never forget this. You've gone a great thing for me a-

Voice: This is all very touching, but I'm afraid I am going to interrupt.

Gerruck: Huh?

Elyvaea: Excuse me, lady, but we're doing business here. You will have to wait.

Voice: I will do no such thing.

Voice: It's been quite the journey looking for you, Gerruck. And I do not intend to make it any longer.

Voice: A powerful prophecy is about to come to fruition.

Voice: Your role in this prophecy is paramount. I am Olivia, and I am here to guide you, dragonborn.

On the path leading to the Sacellum, two glowing trees accompanied by a small girl could be seen trudging up the mountain. Obscured by the billowing snow, their silhouette's fade away with each step.

Taeyva: You two, wait here.

Taeyva: I'm not going to use you if I can help it. Making an enemy of Boethiah is not on the agenda.

The two spriggans stand in silent vigil, making no notion to show their understanding.

Taeyva: I'll take that as agreement.

Sucking in a breath, Taeyva turns and takes the final steps around the corner towards the Sacellum; only to be halted immediately by a cultist on guard.

Cultist: Don't come any closer, woman.

Taeyva: And why not, zealot?

The cultist snarls.

Cultist: Some nerve calling me that, Hircine's bitch.

Cultist: I have no reason to answer to you. Besides, I thought Malkor made it clear to you not ever to come back.

The cultist lowers his blade. He slowly turns in in his hand, causing the moonlight to reflect across it's surface.

Cultist: He spared you, saying Boethiah bade it. But I'm not feeling so merciful.

Cultist: I'll give you one last chance to run away before I-

Taeyva groans.

Taeyva: You zealot's haven't changed a bit, have you?

Cultist: Wha- How dare you!

Taeyva: Oh shutup. You act like I should be scared, but if I recall, you so called "fighters" could not even kill my bears.

Taeyva: Only Malkor was able to beat me, and where is he now? Hmm? Gone! For five years.

Taeyva: I think it's time you faced Hircine's wrath once more.

Taeyva: And there have been some improvements...

The cultist's jaw drops. Only a faint croaking slips feebly out his throat.

Taeyva: Kill him

The spriggans thunder past Taeyva; snow and ice bursting around their feet. At such speeds, the living tree's seem to materialize in striking distance, giving the cultist barely enough time to raise his shield.

Massive blows slam into the cultist's frail wooden shield. He miraculously blocks the first few hits, each one causing the wood to crackle and splinter.

But it does not take long for him to be overwhelmed. Forced to defend against a consonant assault by one, the cultist can only watch as the second spriggan dashes to the side. It's powerful steps not only knock up bits of ice and snow, but also shatter the rock underneath.

The spriggan draws back its powerful arms, flexing the talons it uses as fingers, transforming them into searing claws.

With one powerful hit, the cultist is sent careening through the air; slamming into the turf with a loud thud.

The spriggans retreat back behind Taeyva; awaiting command.

Taeyva: Back off! The rest of you! Tell me where the daedra is or you'll all end up like your friend here!

The cultists stand frozen; aghast.

Only a quiet breeze and a creak of shifting bark is heard.

Then a cultist yells.

And so does another...

And another...

Until every cultist in the camp is charging forward; weapons drawn and hollering a battle cry.

Taeyva groans.

Taeyva: Why did I even bother...

A smirk crosses Taeyva's lips.

Taeyva: Hmmphf, it's their death wish. Attack!

At the alter of Boethiah, an explosion of magic centers around Ellia, consuming the pillar of sacrifice and knocking the cultist back. A shock wave ripples across the stone floor, sending a ringing in Talen's ears.

The magic quickly dissipates, but Talen does not have to look up to see what happened. He had seen this before.

Ellia: HAHAHA!

Ellia: Fools!

Ellia: You actually believed I could be contained by this?

Ellia: I thought Talen was pathetic, but you sure did beat him there, cultist bitch!

The cultist falters, tripping over her own words in shock.

Boethiah Cultist: H-how... You should be powerless! Here! In this shrine!

Ellia: You were right about one thing. I am Molag Bal's last ditch effort.

Ellia: And he would not send a daedra so petty to lose to the likes of you.

Ellia: Brace yourself.

Ellia: Here I come!

Ellia: Heh... You're quick.

Boethiah Cultist: I am not as feeble as you think, bitch.

Boethiah Cultist: Malkor did not leave me in charge for noth-

Boethiah Cultist: *gasps*

Ellia: I don't know who this Malkor is...

Ellia: But he must be either incredibly weak or incredibly stupid to have you as his subordinate.

The cultist coughs. Spatters of blood spit out, adding to the collection pooling onto the ground from the axe.

Boethiah Cultist: No... N-not now...

Boethiah Cultist: Not with the new world... so close...

Boethiah Cultist: I'm going to kill you...

Boethiah Cultist: With one final blow

Boethiah Cultist: Hyaaa!

Ellia: Heh... foolish indeed.

Ellia: Looks like I win.Your soul will make an excellent addition to the prisons of coldharbour.

Ellia: Now, Talen...

Ellia: I think we should have a talk

Talen: No... P-please, I'm sorry.

Ellia: Sorry? Oh dear, no, you shouldn't apologize.

Ellia: I should be thanking you.

Ellia: You did everything according to my Lord's wishes.

Talen: I-I did not. No! It was for my wife... I was going to sacrifice you...

Ellia: All according to plan. The cultists never would have let me enter if you hadn't convinced them I was your captive; I couldn't have. Boethiah's magic was too strong.

Ellia: You have earned my mercy, Talen. In the new world, I will not kill you, no.

Ellia: I will enslave you for eternity.

Ellia: You will never have to yearn for your wife again. I will be all you crave.

Ellia: I'll show you everything you did wrong when you had me.

Ellia turns swiftly on her heels, leaving Talen cowering on the ground. He breaths raspy through choked breaths, shell shocked.

Ellia: Until then...

With a quick flick of her wrists, Ellia conjures a portal.

The portal pulses and hums as she steps into it...

Taking her away as if she had never been.

The yelling and fighting had stopped. The scent of blood and death wafted through the air, eventually being picked up and spread by the wind. Everything had gone still. Silent. The stomps of a single spriggan acting as the only ease to the bleak tranquility.

The creature trudges by Taeyva without a sound. Quietly mourning it's fallen brethren.

Taeyva: I'm sorry...

The spriggan makes no reply. Leaving Taeyva alone.

Taeyva: You fought for me.

Taeyva: You died for my cause.

Taeyva: When we see each other in Hircine's hunting grounds, I will thank you.

Taeyva: Your death will not be in vain.

Taeyva forces herself to her feet. She remembered an explosion occurring atop the shrine during the battle. She had to hurry.

Taeyva: Please don't let me be too late.

As she reaches the top of the alter, the smell of blood pierces her nostrils. Her heart sinks at the sight before her.

Taeyva: This has to be a joke...

Only two bodies remained: the dead cultist and some Breton. There was not a daedra in sight.

Taeyva: You!

Taeyva: What happened here?

Talen: Huh? W-who are you?

Taeyva: Shut up and answer me. My friend died for this and I am in no mood to mess around.

Talen: Woah woah! I-I didn't do anything

Talen: I swear! This isn't my f-

Talen: Oof!

Talen: What the- You hit me!

Taeyva: You're a clever one, huh?

Taeyva: I'm going to ask again. What happened?

Talen takes a long breath before beginning.

Talen: It's my fault...

Taeyva: What is? Explain.

Talen: The daedra, this cultist's death, the destruction of the shrine... I... I let it happen...

Talen: I didn't want to. I thought Ellia was captured, at my mercy, but she was just using me.

Taeyva: Ellia?

Talen: The daedra who did this... She tricked me.

Talen: Please understand, I only did it to save my wife. But... It didn't work out.

Taeyva: All I need to understand is that you have started something that cannot be undone.

Taeyva: And I have no interest in talking to you anymore.

Taeyva: So goodb- huh?

Hircine: Wait, hunter!

Taeyva: My lord! I'm sorry, the daedra... I was too late.

Hircine: Too late to stop her, but it is not too late for Nirn.

Talen: Um...

Talen: Is she okay?

Taeyva: I believe that, Hircine. So we need to prepare!

Hircine: We do. But I have a different task for you now.

Hircine: Him.

Taeyva: What? Why? He's pathetic! I punched one time and he whined like a whelp.

Talen: Hey, look you just cau-

Taeyva: Will you shut up? Wait, really? You mean he is her...

Taeyva: She's crazy anyway! What could- okay, okay... fine.

Taeyva: It seems I have you to deal with now. Come with me.

Talen: Hold on, crazy. You were just talking to thin air and I don't even know y-

Taeyva: Again. Shut up. You want an introduction? Fine.

Taeyva: I'm Taeyva.

Taeyva: And I am going to take you to your wife.

A day has passed since the battle at the Sacellum. Only the corpses remain the memorialize the event. To the arrival of one man, however, the corpses are not a memorial. They are a message.

Malkor: This...

Malkor: This was too recent.

Malkor scans the carnage, appalled by the sight before him. As he does, the sight of a dead spriggan catches his eye.

When he takes a closer look, he realizes this was no freak accident. Powerful spriggans like this one do not walk Nirn unabated.

Malkor: That bitch...

Malkor: Boethiah's terror cannot be stopped...

Malkor: To think she would go this far...

An inferno of rage boils in Malkor's gut. He grits his teeth and tries to bite his tongue to no avail. Unable to control himself, Malkor drops to his knees...

And screams.

End of chapter one.