EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"They shall behave exactly as I command them." Hal-Neesa answered directly. "They are not creatures with thoughts or life of their own. They are tools that serve at by behest. They do not fear, they do not question, they just carry out instructions as they are given. Essentially, they are the kind of soldiers you wish you could make of your men. You do not need to practice or train with them; just tell your men to stay out of their way, and I will do the rest. Now, are you ready to discuss the path we will take..."

---

There was little that would have a hope of prying apart the embrace between Nytala and Lunise, and at the moment, none of the others were even thinking of intruding on their moment. The Loremaster bade his farewell to Meesei before taking his leave, while the other two were waiting back in respectful silence. On Meesei's part, all she could do was look on and smile. She had to admit that she had not been completely certain how this would go, but everything she had seen so far had been encouraging.

"I couldn't ever forget yours." Nytala answered back. She had been overtaken by the same, joyful sobbing as Lunise, though after a moment, she gave a somewhat suppressed laugh. "Though, I suppose I have been cheating this whole time. I have always kept my eye on you from here in Artaeum. Seeing your progress, your challenges, your accomplishments. And what you are doing now...I am proud of you."

Although it sounded appropriate enough for their reunion, Meesei knew Nytala's last comment may not have been what Lunise expected. The Psijic Order were a powerful group that operated with no connection to the Thalmor, and thus, the Thalmor considered them to be a rogue enemy organization. It was not terribly likely that Nytala was referring to Lunise's position as a Thalmor justiciar.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Hal-Neesa, oddly enough, looked to be mildly amused by Teroiah's retort. "Hmph, pride. You still do not understand the reality of the situation you are in, do you? I suppose it doesn't really matter. When it comes time, you won't be able to run from that reality. You will confront it, and either learn, or perish."

Neesa turned her attention back towards the map, readying her pointer once more. "Since I trust you now all understand the risks my presence presents, we can make a plan that best mitigates that risk. Examine the map, decide what terrain suits you best for the approach. I will move with the main body of your forces and draw in the majority of the enemy's attention. I will have a few hundred undead thralls accompanying me. I trust this will not be a problem?"

---

In slight contrast to Lunise, the Loremaster's response was friendly and even somewhat casual in tone, even if his words themselves were formal. "Indeed, you are quite correct. It was no small discussion among the council on whether or not to allow your visit, but in the end, it was decided that circumstances made it...beneficial to permit. Were it that I had more time, I would show you the courtesy of a proper host, but there are several matters I must attend to. Master Marcaano has one small, but important matter to speak with you about, and of course there is your...purpose for being here."

As he stepped to the side, the Loremaster gestured back towards the others behind him. Now that they were closer, they had all come clearly into view. There were two Altmer and one Human, though all wore nearly identical Psijic robes. The moment the Loremaster had moved aside, the Altmer woman on the right stepped forward and lowered her hood. For Lunise, there would not be even the slightest delay in identifying her. Her mother's face appeared exactly as it had the last time she had saw her, having apparently not aged a day in any of the intervening centuries. She did not speak at first, but the single tear down her cheek broke her long, stoic stare. With no further hesitation, she embraced Lunise, no doubt giving answers to half of her questions or fears without so much as uttering a word.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"The Orc is right...I should be far more direct." Hal-Neesa replied, her glare unmoving from Teroiah. "The Thalmor is offended by me, but even more importantly, she doubts me. Perhaps not entirely, but...enough. Under any other circumstance, I quite simply wouldn't give a damn. But, unfortunately, the stakes are high enough that even I have to start caring. The one thing I cannot have you doing is doubting me, Thalmor."

Hal-Neesa did not exactly sound angry, but she was stern and spoke with an unquestionable certainty to her tone. "I do not exaggerate, commander. The scale of my power is peer to the likes of Divayth Fyr, Galerion, or Ritemaster Iachesis. You have never felt the kind of power I can command if I really, truly release all of my inhibitions. I create a measurable strain on the very fabric of Mundus by my mere presence. Clavicus Vile will sense my arrival. That is not something I can allow you to deny, or even merely suspect. It is a fact that I require you to accept. Yes, my help may be a great boon to you, but my participation in this invasion may also present a greater danger than any of you understand. During the Planemeld, upon the guilds' invasion of Coldharbour, Vanus Galerion was separated and captured by Molag Bal. The Daedra attempted to siphon the immense power of Galerion's essence to accelerate the completion of the Planemeld. Had Galerion not been rescued, the sheer magnitude of that single Altmer's power would have been enough to complete the Planemeld in days, rather than months. So you see, commander, I cannot be captured. I need to be sure that you understand the reality of this situation. I need to know that your soldiers are going to behave exactly as we are planning right now. Because if you don't believe that Vile's forces will be drawn to me, then your orders to them may be...different."

---

Meesei scoffed as she finally turned her head away from the tower. "I will have you know that portal took us to the exact spot it was supposed to...there just was nothing under that spot after two centuries."

Any argument was quickly cut short when Meesei noticed the figures watching them from the shore. She started swimming towards them, pulling on Lunise's hand to prompt her to follow. She still could not clearly see most of their faces from where they were, but one stepped forward to meet them as they were wading out of the water. Just as soon as they set foot on dry land, the Psijic extended his hand forward. "Allow me." He said simply before pushing his glowing hand downward. As if following the motion, every single drop of water on the both of them was pushed down out of their clothes and soaked into the sand. Even Lunise's hair was entirely dried.

The man was an Altmer who wore yellow and red robes distinct to the Psijic order, though no different from any of the other figures behind him. He was aged, but did not appear elderly, and had a well-kept white beard. He was quite polite in his tone, and humble in demeanor. "Tranquil greetings, honored guests. I am Loremaster Celarus. Welcome to Artaeum."

Even Meesei was briefly stunned by the greeting. The Loremaster was quite an auspicious individual to be welcoming them to the island. What little writings there were on Artaeum identified him as the leader of the Psijic order. He had authored a commonly circulated book in Tamriel about the Old Ways, and was the foremost master of mysticism in all of Tamriel, if not all of existence.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Hmm...Vile himself? That is difficult for even me to judge. Any Daedra, of course, prefers to send their minions to do any real work, but Vile has been known to become directly involved if the situation is important enough. Still, he is as arrogant as any other prince. He will be angered and insulted by this intrusion into his realm, but he will not see us as an actual threat to his power." Hal-Neesa answered to Sabine, but for the whole time, she had her attention on Teroiah.

Neesa stepped across the map, stopping directly in front of Teroiah. She stood, hands behind her back in a straight posture, though still had to look up slightly to meet the gaze of the High Elf. "Do you have something to say to me, Thalmor? Since I unfortunately have to be involved directly in this escapade, I find myself in the unenviable position of having your actions affect me. So, I am going to have to politely request that you tell me if there is something we need to discuss."

---

Meesei finally released her grip around Lunise and took a step back to put some space between them. "Okay, just give me a moment to tune myself to Artaeum." She answered, closing her eyes and focusing intensely on the spell she was weaving. Her hand radiated a brilliant yellow glow, somewhat visibly similar to restoration magic, but of entirely unfamiliar magical patterns. Her whole body glowed similarly for a few seconds, then the magic disappeared just as quickly without any obvious trace. If the spell had worked, it did not leave behind any obvious signs.

"Now..." Meesei began, returning to Lunise's side and placing a hand on her shoulder firmly. "...imagine Artaeum. Imagine the exact place you want us to go, imagine the island before you. It's sights, its smells, its sounds. This could take a few minutes, depending on how strong the memory is, but just keep picturing it.

Just as she had indicated before, this portal was more difficult for Meesei than usual. The amount of magicka she was pouring into the spell would feel like almost double what she had used to bring them to their island retreat. However, thankfully for Meesei's stamina, it did not take as long as Meesei had feared to establish a stable portal, as it was done in no more than ten seconds excess of her usual portals. Either she had been conservative with her estimates, or Lunise's last memory of her mother was a strong one.

The fact that Meesei's portal was now open in front of them was evidence to her success. If Meesei's tuning spell had failed to connect to Artaeum's true location, then it would not have opened at all. It meant that quite literally a few steps in front of them was the home of the most powerful and reclusive mages formerly in Tamriel. Meesei moved her hand to Lunise's back, turning her head to give her one last look and a smile. "I will be right beside you." She said before stepping forward.

Using the portal felt no different from normal. One could step in, and apart from perhaps squinting through the bright light, appear on the other side as if walking through a simple doorway. However, instead of solid ground, they both appeared in mid-air, a foot or so above a body of water. Before either of them could get their bearings and react, they plunged into the water and had to swim back up to the surface.

While Meesei did have gills, that did not prevent her from having to cough up the water she had inadvertently taken into her lungs. "Lunise, I don't think the docks are here anymore. But...we are definitely in the right place."

Once they finally had a chance to look at their surroundings, they would see that they were just a short distance from the shoreline. For Meesei, the island before them looked quite surprisingly familiar. The trees, flowers, and general landscape that she could see were almost exactly like that of Summerset's largest island. She supposed it would not have made sense to expect anything different, considering that Artaeum had once been a part of the Isles, just like the other islands. However, she needed only look up to find herself in awe once more. Even in broad daylight, she could see stars in the sky bigger and brighter than any she had seen before, and they all seemed to be connected in some way to those around them by lines of light. Though, her attention was taken fairly quickly by the sight of Ceporah Tower in the distance. It was a magnificent structure that dominated the northern part of the island. It was made from what appeared to be white stone and had a style of architecture unlike any Meesei had ever seen. According to the few writings on Artaeum available in Tamriel, it had been built by an ancient civilization that predated even the Altmer, but no description of it did justice to the tower itself.

Meesei was taken in enough by the sights that she did not at first notice that they were not alone. Standing on the shore a short distance away were four hooded individuals. The light of the sun behind them made it difficult to discern their faces from a distance, but the fact that there was no one else in sight around them did make it seem as if they had been waiting for them.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The perspective that she is looking from would be the spot that the portal would appear. I would just need to know if she is imagining standing on the docks, or on the shore.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I was more meaning the position at which they would be standing. I recall that Lunise said she had not been to the interior of the island, and her mother saw her off at the docks. But, a few meters could make a big difference along the coastline.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

What would be the precise spot that Lunise will be imagining in Artaeum?

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"With the map, you will have the ability to select the precise point where your portal will appear in his realm...with restrictions." Neesa began to explain. With a twitch of her finger, she pulled a piece of charcoal from halfway across the room and hovered it just over the map. With a bit more fine telekinetic manipulation, she used the charcoal to draw a fairly large circle, with the large point of light at its center. "This power is strong enough to interfere with any portal you try to make in the area around it. One could still be established, but it would take too long to become stable, and Vile would certainly be able to sense and, more importantly, stop it. I would estimate anywhere outside this circle to be safe, so pick a spot on the outside and plan your attack from there. I am willing to go through the effort of teaching you how to tune the machine, so you can stay here and plan to your heart's content."

Neesa's expression showed at least a slight amount of irritation, if not some dread. She looked hesitant, but nevertheless continued. "I, unfortunately, cannot be uninvolved in this process, though. No matter how much I would prefer not to be, I am going to have to be central to whatever battle plans you are making. Quite literally."

Ri'vashi stood with her arms crossed, still staring at the map. The restriction on how close they could place their portal would complicate matters. No path through the terrain she could see would prevent them from having to fight through Vile's daedra to reach him. She did not want to think about how many lives that particular inconvenience might end up costing them, but for now, she was still paying attention to Neesa. "Ri'vashi does not doubt your personal skill, Hal-Neesa, but our soldiers will be able to fight the daedra with or without one more powerful mage among them. If you want to take a role away from the front line, you are free to do so."

Neesa regarded Ri'vashi as if she had been personally insulted. Even from a rather benign comment like Ri'vashi's she appeared angrier than Sabine had seen her in months. However, she did not yet act on that anger in any other way than a sharp stare. "Listen when I speak. I must be at the center of whatever you are planning, because there is no way around it. Perhaps none of you have managed to understand this yet, but I am a being of near-divine power. The scale of the magic I can command will far eclipse anyone else on that battlefield who is not a Daedric Prince, and I cannot hide that from Clavicus Vile. You lesser beings will be able to move through his realm unnoticed, but not me. Vile will sense me the moment I go through that portal, and he will know exactly where I am every step of the way. He will naturally assume that I am central to whatever you are planning, but I am sure that 'military' minds like yourselves will be able to make some use of that fact."

---

Meesei did not have a quick answer for Lunise, and after long enough of just holding onto her in silence, she was starting to worry that she would not think of a worthy one at all. Her own experiences did not give her many ways to empathize with Lunise. "I...well I wish I had a good answer for you. I do not think our situations are too closely comparable, I am afraid. I have so few memories of my mother, speaking to her spirit would be like talking to a stranger."

"But..." Meesei began, her voice trailing off into uncertainty until, finally, one thought suddenly shot into her mind. "...do you truly think you have a reason to be afraid of your mother? Or of speaking to her? You have a real, genuine love for your people, and a willingness to dedicate your life to serving them. You are currently working to protect all of Nirn against a Daedric threat, and knowing what you know about the rogue faction of Thalmor that want to destroy Mundus, I know you will be vital in stopping them as well. How could any mother not be proud of what you are doing? And if what I know about the Psijics is any indication, then I quite look forward to meeting her as well. If the two of us were ever to marry, she would be my mother-in-law, after all."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Hal-Neesa huffed and grumbled under her breath. "When the apprentice is the only one making any degree of sense..."

Neesa quickly abandoned her thought as she paced around the outside of the projected map. "As I am certain I have explained before, there is no means through which Vile could know that we are watching him. This device takes in light from outside Nirn, it sends nothing back to Vile's realm. There is nothing for him to detect. He is not hiding; if he has gathered this much power here, then you can be sure he is protecting it personally."

"By my best guess, the Breton pup here is the closest to being right." Neesa began, tapping her pointer against the glowing light. "This is not soul energy precisely, but it could be sihpned from it. All of the intelligence you have been gathering suggests that Vile has been stealing your souls to gather power, yes? And he has to keep that power somewhere. There is more here than I think your souls alone could give him, but I would wager he has been pursuing other means of hoarding power as well, perhaps in other realms of Oblivion. It is hard to say what event I could best compare this to...but the scale of this power reminds me of when Nocturnal briefly claimed Crystal-Like-Law. Though, since the Altmer failed to protect that tower against Dagon, this is likely a different sort of situation entirely."

---

With a nod, Meesei silently stepped over to her bags to collect their clothes. She placed down Lunise's dress gently onto the rock beside her, but decided to give her a few more minutes of thought to herself. Meesei would be lying if she claimed she was not at least somewhat nervous about this idea as well, though perhaps for not entirely the same reasons. For an organization she respected as much as the Psijics, she did worry about making the wrong sort of impression on them. And not to mention, if her plan worked out as she hoped, she would be meeting Lunise's mother as well. Regardless of being a Psijic, Meesei would want to make a good impression on the mother of the woman she loved, and it showed with the effort she put into her appearance alone. The dress she chose was one of the finest she had; something she had last wore when attending to business in the White-Gold Tower. It was primarily dyed in a deep violet, with fine, Imperial-styled embroidery. It almost looked like it could be one of Hal-Neesa's dresses.

After a few minutes, Meesei walked up from behind Lunise, wrapped her arms around her waist, and rested her head on her shoulder. "I know this is not easy for you, but...I would not be making this offer if I did not really, truly believe it would be good for you. If and when you are ready, I just need you to think back to Artaeum, to your memories of seeing it from the docks. Think of exactly where you want the portal to go. What you saw, what you felt, the...smell of the ocean breeze. This may be a more difficult portal than usual for me, so any detail you can remember may help me establish a connection."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Obviously." Hal-Neesa replied as she reached the bottom of the ramp and joined with the others. "Part of it, at least. The part I found most interesting when I was testing it."

Neesa reached out a hand and pulled a thin Dwemer rod to her. Walking over to the projected map, she used it as a pointer as she started explaining parts of the map. "I'm sure the lot of you can figure out the basics if you stare at it long enough. These are mountains, these are rivers. Artificial structures can be harder to see, but if you look close, say right...here. See these lines? That's the imprint of a building. Maybe a Skaafin encampment. You see all these smaller lights scattered around? They are focal points of magical power. A lot of them are probably groups of Skaafin warriors; their enchantments, mages, and the like. If enough of them are congregated close enough together, then it can concentrate enough magical power to show up here."

Ri'vashi was starting to make better sense of the map, but there was the obvious feature that Neesa had not yet addressed: the overwhelmingly bright light at the center of the map. "So, if these are points of magical power, then what of the large one? Is that Vile himself?"

Neesa shook her head. "Not exactly. The device isn't tuned to show the divine energy of a Daedric Prince at all right now. That light is 'just' a concentration of magical energy more powerful than anything I've seen in a few thousand years. And no, I don't know what it is. All I do know is that its strong enough to obscure a pretty wide area around it. No matter how I tune the device, I can't see what's under that light. But, since I can't detect Vile anywhere else in his realm, I can guarantee that's exactly where he is. So, you all can make whatever plans you feel like to try and get to him."

---

"Everything that I have learned has given me an immense amount of respect for the Psijic Order. And their tenets, while strict, are noble. They have incredible power, and the wisdom to know how dangerous is to use it. They do important work for all of Nirn, even if it often goes unseen. But..." Meesei began, betraying some amount of discomfort in her tone as she briefly glanced away from Lunise. "Look, Lunise, I do not know what you think of your mother for leaving you as she did. You have never said, and I have never asked. But, to be a part of the Psijic Order demands a high price from its members. They have to be able to judge the needs of all the people of Nirn equally. No matter where they are, what they are, where they are from, or even if they are family. They have to become truly detached from Tamriel...but they are still people. Still mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, with people who they still care about. They are not quite like monks, they can still fall in love, have families and children, but if those families happen to be back in Tamriel, they usually have to give them up. I do not think either of us can know how your mother may have changed in all these centuries, but I am willing to wager that she still misses you immensely. I know I would, if I were in her position."

Meesei finally stood up, holding up a hand slightly charged with magic. "I will know right away if it worked if I am able to establish a stable portal at all. But...the Psijics are protective of their isolation. Even if they decide to allow this visit, and you are able to re-connect with your mother without issues, I still doubt they would allow me to retain the means to return to Artaeum any time I wish. They would likely modify the tuning needed to bypass their defenses, so...this may end up only working once. If I do open this portal, I want to be sure that you are ready to step through it with me. I brought one of my dresses to put on...and one of yours, if you want to change."