EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Nytala listened to Lunise calmly, even as her smile steadily grew. She moved one hand up gently to Lunise's cheek. "Oh, my dear, even after all this time, after all both you and I have been through. After how much the both of us have changed, there is one thing that has stayed the same about you since you were just a babe."

Suddenly, Nytala grinned, pinching Lunise's cheek between two of her fingers as if she were a small child. "You are just so wonderfully cute when you're flustered." She began to laugh, and even Meesei could not help but to start laughing along with her.

"Well, if you two are to marry, then you simply must tell me when and where the wedding will be. I may not be allowed to attend in person, but I would at least like to be able to see you on that day." Nytala added.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Again, Nytala did not hide the regret in her expression. "I am afraid there is not much progress to share. I have been working with her closely. The work is exceedingly difficult without the ability to examine Meesei directly, and we are not completely certain how much easier it would make it to have her here with us. The most we have is promising theories, some possible avenues of research. Honestly, I do not think the council would give too much resistance to us releasing that information to you. Again, I just do not know how much help it will be to you."

Nytala had the beginnings of tears in her eyes and, for a few moments, struggled to keep eye contact. However, after a few seconds, and a brief flash of determination in her expression, she reached out and took a hold of Lunise's hand. "But...perhaps it would not be too much to ask for us to try and put this behind us for now? I accept your decision, and there is no reason to dwell on it. And now, you still have a few days left to remain here. It is not as if we are going to force you off the island now. I honestly do now know if I will be able to see either of you again in person after you leave; that is just the...reality of being a Psijic. But, I would like for us to be able to part ways with pleasant memories. I want to hear all about your family, your plans for the future. I want to get to know my daughter-in-law, or...perhaps get a sense of when I might call you my 'daughter-in-law' officially?" Nytala remarked, passing a grin to Lunise.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"I understand why you feel the way you feel. Just...please do not be too judgmental of Inelwen. She can be brash, passionate, and uncompromising, but her heart is in the right place. She only wishes to do what she feels is best for Tamriel. I find that she...expects others to make the kinds of sacrifices she is willing to make herself. Please do not mistake my own intent, as I am not trying to make you feel guilt, but she was the first to volunteer to abandon every project she had to help find a solution to this matter of Meesei's soul. She has already been working on the problem for the last few decades. I just do not want you to leave this place with the wrong impression of her, or the order."

Nytala stood up and approached the pair, her hesitation at least slowly fading. "But really, I feel I should be apologizing to the both of you. It was unavoidable that your time here would be stressful, but I fear I have only added to it."

"I understand why you wanted me to remain, and you do not need to apologize for trying. As long as my choice is being respected, I cannot fault you for it." Meesei answered reassuringly.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Nytala responded somewhat hesitantly. "I...am afraid I cannot give too many details on that question. But, I suppose I can say that we have reason to believe that a certain Argonian's memories may have been included among those latent memories you now posses. Specific histories, and forms of Daedric magic, that are not privy to us may be hidden in your memories. Needless to say, these are secrets we believe may be useful in the times ahead."

Inelwen looked as if she had somewhat calmed down, though by her tone, it was more likely that she was simply making more of an effort to hide her frustrations. Regardless, she stood up and spoke, though looked at no one in particular. "If there is nothing more to be accomplished here, then I have other matters I should go deal with."

Inelwen did not leave any opportunity for a response before she marched out of the room. Nytala, giving a soft sigh, glanced to the others. "Taryenar, Marcaano, you should go...tend to her. I will finish up here."

The two Altmer quietly agreed and took their leave after Inelwen, leaving Meesei and Lunise with Nytala and Zyausak. Though, Zyausak remained silent in his seat for now. While it did now seem that Nytala had accepted Meesei's answer as final, she seemed to have trouble determining what to say next to her daughter, or Meesei.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Inelwen had likely prepared for how this meeting might go, but she was certainly taken by surprise with Meesei's sudden intrusion. She did not have an immediate response for Lunise, and Meesei did not allow the silence to remain long enough for her to think. "I am more than the sum of my parts; more than...lost memories to be recovered. Perhaps you do have a perspective I simply cannot see, but if I may be so bold, I would say there are perspectives you have forgotten in your centuries here. To completely detach one's self from the mundane concerns of Tamriel, from its society and people, is not something everyone can do. Nor something everyone should do. I will not dismiss the value of the Psijic Order's work, but there still need to be people like myself, like Lunise, like my pack, who care for the concerns that you have to overlook. That is my place, and I choose to take all of the risks that will come with that.

"But if you knew the stakes...if you truly understood what will happen if you die..." Inelwen began, but Meesei quickly cut her off.

"I do know, Inelwen. My soul is an unstable patchwork of far too many ancient memories. I may well simply cease to be if I die, should I not find a solution beforehand. Lunise explained everything well, but my decision is still the same." Meesei answered confidently.

Inelwen turned her head towards the other Psijics, with both her expression and tone demonstrating hints of desperation. "Surely you can see the benefits she could have to us?"

Marcaano leaned forward and lightly shook his head. "With respect, Inelwen, our concerns are not the only ones that matter. It may be that she would do more good here, but it cannot be denied that she will benefit our goals regardless, from Tamriel. It could be that she will do more good there. We cannot know for sure if she has the specific memories we think she does. She has obviously already been informed adequately, and it is her choice to make."

Finally, it seemed like Inelwen was relenting. She said nothing further, though she sighed deeply and her spell taking them out of time faded around them. With Meesei intruding as she had, it was not as if it was serving a purpose anyways.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Inelwen was, at least, polite enough not to interrupt Lunise, though that would not prevent her from being dismissive of her response. At the very least, she did answer Lunise's final question directly. "Because we, apart from Zyausak, are the ones who the council has tasked with keeping track of the situation with Clavicus Vile. We have been observing his actions, and giving our recommendations to the council on if or when it may become necessary for us to interfere directly. Over the course of our task, we determined Meesei to be a promising candidate to join the Order. Her latent memories may well contain secrets lost even to us, and her abilities may be uniquely useful to further our cause. To protect the existence of Mundus as a whole. She is not vital to us by any means, but she would still be an advantage I would prefer to have."

"Inelwen..." Nytala spoke up, albeit hesitantly. "...are you quite sure this is necessary? There is no need for this sort of aggressive approach. And my daughter may be right, perhaps you should just end this spell, and we can discuss..."

This time, Inelwen did not hesitate to interrupt her fellow Psijic. "Nytala, we tried it your way. Your daughter does not have the correct perspective, and she is clearly too emotionally biased to make an objective decision. Like you said, this is for both her, and Meesei's own well-being, regardless of whether they understand it in the short term. We need to find a new approach to convince her."

"I think your passions may be getting the best of you again, Inelwen." Zyausak finally spoke up. By this point, all of the Psijics were focusing on each other enough that they were entirely ignoring Lunise or anything she might be doing. Inelwen was hardly amused by Zyausak's interruption, but he did not seem too worried about upsetting her. "We are not talking about a child , or a pet, or just a...collection of memories, Inelwen. We are talking about a person, and she does have a right to her own decision. Even if it turns out to be a bad decision. And I may not be the most social person, but even I realize it is rude to be talking about this without her."

Inelwen looked noticeably more irritated, though the feeling was perhaps directed specifically at Zyausak. "If we cannot be sure that she had been given a fair chance to make an informed decision, then how can you accept her answer? And you are not part of this committee, Zyausak. We were kind enough to allow you to sit in on this meeting, but you said you wanted to help. If you do not intend to assist in persuading Meesei, then perhaps you should wait outside."

"No...I concur with Zyausak." Another voice suddenly interrupted; one that immediately demanded everyone's attention. All eyes went to the seat beside Lunise, and all voices were silenced. Meesei looked down to her hand, which was swirling in a brilliant yellow-orange glow. It enveloped her briefly, then faded, but she could still clearly move.

"Oh my..." Nytala softly gasped, but based on the stunned expressions of all of the Psijics present, including Inelwen, none of them had been responsible. Through whatever unknown means she had accomplished it, Meesei had managed to pull herself out of time with them.

Meesei stood up from her chair, keeping her eyes focused on Inelwen. "I prefer to speak for my own life..." She began, giving a brief, subtle grin to Lunise as she reached over and rested a hand gently on top of one of hers. "...alongside those I share it with."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Nytala shook her head, though Taryenar was the first to answer. "I am afraid not. Or at least, it is not likely. We had a difficult enough time convincing the council to accept her into the order. You may not be able to appreciate how few initiates the Order accepts from your perspective, but to refuse this offer now will likely close it for good. The Order does not accept visitors often as well, and never for long. To allow you to remain in Artaeum for as long as would be required, without being an official member of our order, would simply be...against our ways."

Meesei released a sigh, then gave a slow nod. "If that is the case, then I regret even more strongly that I cannot accept. I regret that I will likely never have a chance to work alongside you, but it still does not change my answer. Rest assured, I have thought through this issue thoroughly, and joining the Order is simply not something I can do at this stage in my life. I am thankful for the warning you gave me, and I promise I will work to repair my soul, but it will have to be in Tamriel."

Meesei started to move to stand up, only for a frustrated-looking Inelwen to wave her hand in front of herself. Lunise would recognize the magic immediately as the color of the world faded somewhat, and everyone in the room was taken out of time, with the exception of Meesei. This time, there was no courtesy of asking permission before they were all brought into a private conversation, without Meesei. "This is going nowhere. You are making a mistake, Lunise. I ask this because I know your mother will not, and everyone else is too concerned with being polite. Have you allowed your biases to unduly influence you, Lunise? Can you say that your feelings for her did not influence you to encourage her to refuse our offer? I am sorry to say that what is best for her, may not be best for you."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Exasperated, Nytala had something of a difficult time answering quickly. Despite the fact that Lunise had expressed her reservations about Nytala's plan before, it seemed like she had still expected Meesei to come around to the idea. "I...am not sure I understand, Meesei. This is the answer to the fate you have been cursed with. I respect your ability, and those of your friends, but you do not understand the kinds of resources you would have access to here. This is your best chance of surviving beyond death. The council...I can not make any guarantees this offer will always be available. The council only extends offers of membership to those they believe will be a benefit to the Order, and to Tamriel. It is not only because of your soul that you are being given this chance. Please, reconsider."

Although Meesei did give the courtesy of genuinely considering what Nytala was asking, her answer still remained the same. After a moment, she shook her head. "I am sorry, but even knowing I may be giving up the opportunity, I still cannot accept. To make the kinds of sacrifices that come with joining the order, to choose myself over the people I care about, and to leave what I have built in Tamriel, all without even trying to solve the problem on my own, would go against everything I believe. I have faith in my abilities, and there is still much I need to do in Tamriel, even after the invasion."

The other Altmer woman, Inelwen, interjected quickly. Her tone was less pleading and kind than Nytala's, and instead more stern. "You do not have the perspective to understand what you are denying. We can all but guarantee that your problem will be solved before your death. You will not age meaningfully here, nor will you encounter danger. Not to mention, the council does believe that your skills and knowledge will be an asset to us. Discoveries you have already made could help us, which in turn helps Tamriel. Even from here, you may still be a benefit to those you would leave behind."

Evidently, neither Nytala nor her associates intended to merely accept Meesei's answer without argument.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Of course. I am sure you have already met Marcaano and Zyausak." Nytala began, gesturing briefly to the pair nearby before turning her attention to the Altmer that Meesei and Lunise had not yet met. "This is Taryenar and Inelwen. The council had been interested in you for some time, Meesei, especially after scrying into the role you would end up playing in events. And not to mention the...unfortunate circumstance you now find yourself in. But we do want to help you, Meesei. I know it may seem that the Psijic Order is distant and impersonal, but we do have compassion for the people of Tamriel. It is just rare that we have the chance to express that. That is why I am glad that I have been given permission to offer you a place in our Order."

Meesei took in a deep breath. Even after discussing the matter in-depth with Lunise, she had needed to mentally prepare herself for what she intended to say. To join the Psijic Order was an amazing opportunity, and one that felt painful for her to decline. "I am greatly appreciative of everything you and your Order are offering, Nytala. I fully understand the kind of honor it is to be offered a place among you, and I am grateful that you are willing to help me preserve my existence beyond death. But...I know you also understand the kind of sacrifice required to join your order. You have experienced it yourself. I fully intend to repair my soul, but if I give up everything I love and care about just to continue existing...then what kind of existence would that be? I thank you immensely, but I will have to decline the offer."

Evidently, none of the Psijics present had expected Meesei's answer, based on the looks they gave one another. Nytala looked almost hesitant to speak, especially to Meesei, and instead turned her head quickly to Lunise. "Were you able to...speak with her on this matter, dear?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei leaned her head somewhat off of the bed, shamelessly admiring Lunise's form as she stood up and making no effort to mask her staring. However, as much as Meesei wanted to remain lost in the moment, Lunise was correct that this was something important they needed to deal with. Sooner, rather than later.

Reluctantly, Meesei did finally shift herself back into her Argonian form. Although, before saying anything to answer Lunise, she did allow herself the pleasure of embracing Lunise once more time to pull her into another kiss. That was one thing she could not do well in her lycan form, so she did make her first, proper kiss of the day into one that would last. Nevertheless, she was still in agreement with Lunise. "Okay, we can discuss it together. I was not there for Zyausak's tour yesterday, so I am not entirely sure where we can even take a bath. So, I shall allow you to lead the way."

---

Once the pair was finally ready to speak to Nytala, it was actually mildly more difficult to find her than they might have expected. They had to ask around to find her, but once word got to Nytala that both Lunise and Meesei were looking for her to speak with her about a serious matter, she had Zyausak seek them out immediately. Evidently, there were a few others aside from Nytala who were interested in Meesei's answer, as she told them to follow Zyausak to meet them in Ceporah Tower.

Even considering the circumstances, Meesei could not help but to be impressed by her first visit to the tower itself, not the least reason being that the method for entering was to step into a strange portal underneath the tower itself. It looked like a large, but shallow pool of water, but with just a small magical activation from Zyausak, it enveloped them and brought them up into the tower above. Both inside and out, the architecture was completely foreign to any that Meesei had seen in Tamriel or beyond. It was entirely unique, and no description Meesei had ever read had even come close to giving her an accurate picture of it.

The interior of the tower used smaller versions of the same type of portal to navigate, so they were quickly brought into the room with Nytala and the others. Meesei had expected a large meeting chamber for this discussion, though interestingly, they were instead brought to a much smaller room. The bed in the corner suggested it was someone's private quarters, though there was plenty of equipment for enchanting and spellcraft that would make it into a perfectly good arcane laboratory. In any case, it did make their setting feel more casual.

Zyausak did not leave and instead pulled up a chair to take a seat, suggesting he was staying. Marcaano was also present, along with one Altmer man and an Altmer woman they did not recognize. And, of course, Nytala stood up immediately from her chair to greet them the moment they arrived. To Meesei's surprise, the first thing Nytala did was to hug her, then moved to give a longer hug to her daughter. "It is good to see you both up and around again. I did hear the two of you were walking around outside earlier this morning and...perhaps scaring a few of our younger initiates."