//------------------------------//
// 25: Death and a Beating 
// Story: Sunset's Adventure in Skyrim 
// by Blackdrag-rose 
//------------------------------//

	"Sunset, wait up!" Bjorn said, just as he and the rest of the group followed after Sunset, who was in some sort of annoyed state and seemed ready to blow something up, "What's wrong with you?"

"Wrong with me?" Sunset replied, almost growling the words as she thought about Delphine, "Its that blasted Blade... Delphine. She had the balls to lie to my face and tell me that this place had weapons and armor that we could use to aid our army, but all she wanted was to learn how the ancients beat Alduin... all so she could tell me that the Firstborn of Akatosh had to die before Tirek was defeated. She didn't stop to consider that killing a dragon, even if Alduin wasn't around, would set off a chain reaction that would lead to the destruction of our alliance... and the death of our army.

I know, I should be used to this sort of treatment, seeing how I did something similar to the people I met on Earth, but it still annoys me that she went through with it. Tirek is sending his minions across Skyrim, searching for the only artifacts that could empower him and allow him to gain the power to erase Nirn, and all Delphine can think about is Alduin. I, on the other hand, shall continue with my plan and make sure that the Daedric Artifacts are secured... before any of Tirek's minions can get their hands on them."

"Then we had better get a move on," Fiona commented, causing Sunset to turn to her for a moment, "Molag Bal and Namira are likely waiting for someone to wander into their respective paths, so that they can ask the person to do something and reward them with their artifact. If Tirek is actively recruiting people to seek the Daedric Artifacts in his name, and we've already taken some of them out along the way, then its only a matter of time until we come across one of them that might actually have recovered one of them. If and when we find a follower that already has one we'll want to defeat them before they can deliver the artifact to Tirek... otherwise everything we have already done will have been a waste of time."

Sunset stared at Fiona for a moment, letting her mind think about what her friend had just said, before she sighed and nodded her head, thankful that she had stopped her from losing her cool.

"Your right Fiona," Sunset said, tapping the Staff of Magnus on the ground once, causing everyone to look at her again, "We're heading to Markarth, so we can secure Molag Bal's and Namira's artifacts. When we arrive I want everyone to be on the lookout for any signs that someone might have arrived in the city looking for either of their artifacts, just in case. We can never be sure if one of Tirek's minions beat us to a Prince, or if they're closing in on one of them."

Her friends nodded their understanding and they started down the road once more, traveling in the direction that the signs said Markarth was in. As they walked Sunset recalled what she had read in Fiona's journal, focusing on how they were supposed to find either Molag Bal or Namira. According to the journal Molag Bal's followers were supposed to be inside an abandoned building inside the city, though Fiona had also listed several areas around the city where they might find Namira's cult. It seemed like the more Daedric Princes that she dealt with the more the others seemed to be harder to find, almost as if their cults had heard about Tirek and feared for their masters' godly powers.

If that was the case then Sunset didn't blame them, as Tirek was likely going to destroy something else that was important to the people of Skyrim, whether or not he had one of the Daedric Artifacts in his possession.

As it turned out there was a massive amount of Forsworn protecting the road between Karthspire and Markarth, as they came across a group of ten before they were even five minutes away from Karthspire. Lydia was more than willing to charge at them and take their heads, though Bjorn was providing cover fire on the archers and Cicero simply snuck behind the Forsworn and cut into their sides. The fight was over before it ever truly started, though as they moved further down the road Sunset was beginning to see additional areas where the Forsworn were beginning to gather.

Sunset, allowing her curiosity to get the better of her, beckoned for her friends to remain silent as they walked up the hill, giving them a great view of the camp in front of them. It was there that they discovered at least two hundred Forsworn warriors gathering their weapons and armor, almost as if it was a military camp getting ready to move. Sunset had never seen so many members of the Forsworn, despite the fact that she literally just met them that day, though she was sure that her friends were shocked as well. She turned back for a moment, to tell her friends that they really should be underway and warn someone about this, before she noticed that Raja was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Raja?" Sunset quietly asked, not wanting to alert the nearby army to their presence, as she was sure that she would need the help of the dragons to defeat that many warriors.

"Here," Raja replied, sliding back into their hiding place, with a small scroll in her left hand, "I spotted this out in the open and decided to take a risk and try to recover it. I'm glad that we're getting closer to nighttime, otherwise I'm sure that one of them would have seen me and we would have the entire army on our heels."

As the group walked away Sunset took the scroll, but she didn't read it immediately, choosing to wait until they were further away so they didn't attract the attention of the Forsworn army. They rounded a corner in the path, passing what appeared to be an abandoned house sitting before a mine, before they crossed a bridge and drew closer to Markarth. Once the city was in sight they stopped by the river and Sunset pulled out the scroll that Raja had stolen, wondering what knowledge it held for them to share with others. Sunset had the feeling that, if the Forsworn had an army and were gathering together, then the Jarls of the surrounding areas would need to know what was happening.

"Let's see here," Sunset said, unrolling the scroll and preparing herself, "Ah, 'By order of the Ambassador of Tirek, the Daedric Lord of Corruption, all Forsworn of the Reach are to cease their operations and report to the main fortress in the Rift. Once there further orders shall be given to each unit, either by the Speaker for Lord Tirek or our Master himself. For the glory of the Master.' Are you kidding me?"

"Its very strange," Fiona commented, noting the anger on Sunset's face, as well as the confusion the rest of their friends wore, "The Forsworn have only ever served themselves, but yet they have been corrupted by our enemy and he's building an army. No doubt he wishes to bring them together under the promise of destroying his enemies, when all he really wants is for their power to be added to his own. Why the Forsworn are answering his call, I have no idea, but I would sure like to find this 'Ambassador' and find out why and how they turned the Forsworn into such a formidable force."

"Just another one of Tirek's minions," Sunset replied, sighing as she rolled the scroll back up and beckoned to the waiting city, "and, if we are dealing with another corrupted member of Tirek's band, than that means that we need to hurry and recover the artifacts before whoever is marshaling the Forsworn has a chance to find them."

As they approached the gate of the city Sunset nodded to the guards, who nodded back in respect, before they passed into the city, finding that there was quite a few people in the marketplace. Sunset supposed that it made sense, seeing how it was getting close to nighttime and people were heading home for the night, but she was still here for a reason. She considered heading towards the Jarl's castle, or Understone Keep as it was called, but then decided that she would ask one of the guards a question before she decided where to go.

"You there, guard, I have a question," Sunset said, turning to the guard that was standing to the right of the city gate, who turned and looked at her, "Has anything... strange... happen in the city in the last few days?"

"In the last few days?" the guard repeated, a hand finding his chin as he scratched it, clearly thinking about what had happened in the last few days, "Ah, now I remember. There was a Vigilant of Stendarr asking people if they saw anyone entering or leaving the abandoned house over there, though everyone continued to tell him no. That was until someone, a khajiit I think she was, approached him and told him that she'd help him search the house for whatever he was searching for. Not an hour later the khajiit emerged from the house, alone I might add, and quickly left the city, as if she was in a hurry to find something, or someone. Then she returned the following morning, following after an older nord dressed in black robes, and they both entered the house, only for her to return not ten minutes later... baring a mace that looked like it came out of a nightmare."

"The Mace of Molag Bal," Fiona breathed, clearly concerned that they had already been beaten to one artifact, though Sunset knew that there was something more the guard could tell them.

"Oh, there was another piece of armor she was wearing that caught my eye," the guard continued, remembering something else, "It was a shield, clearly dwarven in its design, but even from that one glance I could tell that there was something... more... about the shield. She was also wearing a brown pouch on her belt, though what she was carrying I have no idea. The last I saw of her she was heading into the Understone Keep, where I heard that the Hall of the Dead was closed for the time being... though that was only this morning."

"Thank you very much," Sunset said to the guard, before turning and heading in the direction of the Keep, with her friends following not far behind her.

She knew that the Mace was Molag Bal's artifact, though she was also sure that the shield was another one, but there was a chance that they could stop whoever was collecting the artifacts and, hopefully, recover them before they could be delivered to Tirek. She moved as fast as she possibly could, using the ability she used when she was fighting the giant during Malacath's quest, before she appeared before the door of the keep. She stepped into the keep and walked forward, looking around for anyone that could help her, before she turned to the path on the left and ventured down the tunnel, finding an open area with a massive dwarven door. That was also when she found what appeared to be Markarth's Court Mage, who was staring at her as if she had appeared out of thin air.

"You here for the Hall of the Dead?" the mage asked, to which Sunset nodded to, hoping that he would be of some aid to her, "Down there, the golden door. I don't know why you would want to go in there, as the priest in charge of it already hired someone to deal with it... though I did see him leaving with a khajiit not two hours ago. I heard her muttering something about an adventure in some ancient nordic burial ground, but that's all I remember."

Sunset nodded once more to the mage and ventured towards the golden door, finding an area that was full of coffins and smelled of death, though as she searched she found no priest, just like the mage had told her. She looked around, searching for any clues as to where the khajiit could have gone, before she heard something pounding on one of the coffins near the back door. She approached the coffin, making sure that it wasn't her imagination, before she beckoned to her friends, who had caught up with her at this point, and they heaved the coffin onto the stone floor. Sunset and Bjorn gripped the sides for a moment before tearing off the lid, revealing a breton that immediately got into a sitting position and took a breath, as if she had been in there a long time.

"I'm going to kill that bitch the next time I see her," the breton said, looking up to find Sunset and her friends standing over her, "Wait, were you the ones who let me out of this coffin?"

"Yeah," Sunset answered, wondering what had happened to the women, "How did you end up in there?"

"It was that bitch Angra," the women spat, anger clearly filling her eyes as she mentioned the name, "she came in here, acting like a lost lamb that needed to find its master, and I thought that she was one of Namira's lost followers. I told her where we could reclaim our feasting hall, which has been overrun with draugr, and the next thing I know I'm locked in the coffin you released me from. By the sounds of what I heard she's already heading to Reachcliff Cave, where I was planning on reclaiming our shrine, and she already has the sacrifice under her sway.

I should have know that I couldn't trust that knajiit, not when she had the Mace of Molag Bal, I could FEEL the evil radiating from that weapon the moment she entered this Hall, and the Spellbreaker of Peryite. And don't get me started on the pouch she was carrying; I'm positive that she's got another Daedric Artifact on her, but I don't know which one."

"Three artifacts," Sunset said, worry filling her as she realized that the khajiit was heading for a fourth one, "Tirek actually had someone under his control that managed to recover a few artifacts while I was off gathering the ones we picked up."

"But she hasn't delivered them to Tirek yet," Fiona commented, turning to the breton for a moment, "Can you tell us where this Reachcliff Cave is located? The khajiit that did this to you is serving a dremora that wishes the end of Nirn, and to do that he requires the power of the other Daedric Princes."

"The Ring of Namira!" the women said, getting onto her feet and pulling out her shortsword, "My Princes' artifact is supposed to be locked in the shrine at the end of the barrow, but with the power of this Tirek coursing through her veins, and two artifacts backing her, she might be able to break the shrine open and steal it. We must head to the shrine and stop her before she is allowed to steal the Ring!"

"And we will," Sunset said, reaching for her map, "just show us where the barrow is located and we'll go stop her... and your free to follow along if you want."

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When they found Reachcliff Cave Sunset wasn't surprised to find that the draugr that had called the place home had been destroyed, though she was surprised to find that they had been broken into pieces and burned in piles everywhere. Sunset could tell that her next enemy, the khajiit called Angra, had no respect for the dead and didn't care for the barrows that existed across Skyrim. There were plenty of coffins, though each of them had their lids smashed open, almost as if someone had shattered them under the intensity of their blows.

"I've never seen such disrespect," Raja said, speaking for the first time since she found the Forsworn's orders, "I have heard of Daedric Princes ordering their followers to kill the priests of one of their rivals, but never have I seen someone shatter stone coffins or burn the dead like this. Tirek must have already given this Angra some power in return for finding the two artifacts she already has, though if that is true I don't want to see what happens if she gained anymore power."

"I wonder if Peryite, Namira, or Molag Bal know that their artifacts are being taken by someone who intends to hand them over to the demon that ruined Winterhold," Sunset commented, finding that even the chests had been broken into fragments and any loot had been stolen, "Though I would have to wonder if they would prefer to have them be in the hands of someone who wants to save this world, instead of in the hands of someone who would like to watch Nirn burn around them."

"I would like that, mortal," a voice said, just as they rounding a corner and found a trio of glowing mice, sitting in the middle of an open chamber, "I am Peryite, and I gave my artifact to someone who I believed would be my instrument on Nirn... but she has betrayed me for the upstart you call Tirek. Personally, I would like to see her dragged into Oblivion and slain by a legion of dremora, but with access to our Realms in Oblivion cut off from Nirn this is all but impossible."

"I'd rather see her being tortured in Coldharbour," a second voice spoke up, just as a shadowy skeleton appeared next to the mice in a sitting position, "though I have already claimed the souls of that persistent Vigilant of Stendarr and the Priest of Boethiah. Behold me mortals, I am Molag Bal."

"Oh do be quite when your in my house," a third voice said, just as a skull with a full mouth of teeth appeared near the other two, "Yes yes, I am Namira. Look, I'll cut to the chase mortals... my artifact is being stolen as we speak. Unfortunately I doubt that the bearer of six Daedric Artifacts, some of which are the lesser Princes I might add, can stand up to one that bears our artifacts."

"Then can't you take away the abilities of your artifacts?" Sunset asked, not surprised to find a Daedric Prince, not to mention three of them, that doubted her abilities, "If I truly don't stand a chance then why not level the playing field?"

The three aspects of the Daedric Princes stared at each other, as if the thought was new to them, before they disappeared into their realms of Oblivion, leaving Sunset to deal with the khajiit that was waiting for them. Sunset beckoned for her friends, and the breton as well, to stay where they were as she drew the Dawnbreaker and approached the final area of the cave. Standing at the back of the cave was the khajiit in question, though she was facing the door and was staring at the ring that she was wearing on her right pointer finger. Sunset had to surpass a moan when she saw it, she had been beaten to the Ring of Namira and, as she looked around and spotted the dead priest in the corner, was too late to save the priest of Arkay.

"Ah, Archmage, I have been waiting for this moment," the khajiit said, pulling herself onto her feet as she stared at the weapon Sunset carried, "and I see you brought me a package of gifts; the Dawnbreaker of Meridia, the Star of Azura, the Wabbajack of Sheogorath, Volendrung of Malacath, Savior's Hide of Hircine, and the Masque of Clavicus Vile. They will be a great addition to my current collection; the Ring of Namira, the Mace of Molag Bal, the Spellbreaker of Peryite, and the fragments of Mehrunes Razor. With these ten artifacts I shall become the greatest person to serve Lord Tirek, as I will become his right hand and deliver to him all fifteen artifacts that he requested."

Sunset sighed for a moment, before her magic purged through the Dawnbreaker and gathered around the blade, just like she had done against Tirek so far. Before the khajiit had a chance to move Sunset pulled her arm back and swung it as wide as she could, allowing the wave of magic to tear across the chamber and hit the khajiit square in the chest. The resulting explosion rocked the chamber, covering the area of the shrine as Sunset sheathed the blade and waited for the smoke to clear before she collected the artifacts.

"You know, I had heard of this attack from my Master," the khajiit said, just as the smoke cleared and revealed that she was still there, surrounded by a barrier coming from the Spellbreaker, "and he, upon hearing of Spellbreaker's abilities, recommend that I pick it up first... in the off chance that you and I crossed. I have to say, I'm glad that he told me to get this artifact first... otherwise I'm sure that your attack would have split me in half. Archmage, say hello to the one Daedric Artifact that can prevent any of your magic from even touching me!"

"You talk too much," Sunset said, applying her flash stepping ability, she literally had nothing else to call it at this point, and appeared behind the khajiit, before raising the Dawnbreaker and cutting into Angra's back.

"Ah, cheater!" Angra growled, stepping back as she presented the Mace of Molag Bal, "I said NO MAGIC! How can you be using magic to harm me when this Artifact makes it impossible for you to do so?"

Sunset had an idea of what was happening, so she zipped behind her enemy and tore into her back once more, causing her to step to the side and put some distance between them. Sunset smiled and continued to follow the khajiit, always appearing just a step behind her as her enemy made for the secret exit that the barrow had. Once they were outside Angra made for the nearby river, but Sunset appeared behind her, grabbed the back of her armor, and dragged her back towards the door. Then, before the khajiit could recover, she brought the Dawnbreaker down hard and cut a long diagonal scar into her body, going from the left shoulder to the right hip and spraying blood everywhere.

Once the wound had been dealt Sunset shoved the khajiit into the stone wall behind her and pinned the Dawnbreaker against her neck, clearly showing her that she had lost the match she had been bragging that she was going to win.

"How?!" Angra shouted, clearly confused at to what had happened, "How could you have defeated me?"

"Clearly the Princes that you deceived have retracted the powers of these artifacts," Sunset replied, a smile appearing on her face, "See? It pays to play by the rules of the Daedric Princes, otherwise you might find them uniting to bring about your downfall."

Angra growled, but didn't stop Sunset from taking the Spellbreaker, the Mace of Molag Bal, the Ring of Namira, and the pouch containing the fragments of Mehrunes Razor from her. Then, with the artifacts recovered, Sunset pulled the Dawnbreaker back as her friends came outside, a new idea coming to mind when she saw the cultist of Namira.

"Here," Sunset said, shoving Angra at the women, who had a look of pleasure on her face, "Do with her what you will, but make sure that she dies in the end."

"Oh I will," Eola replied, a wicked grin appearing on her face as she imagined what she would do to the khajiit, "I thank you Archmage."

Sunset nodded and beckoned for her friends to follow her away from the cave, just as Eola took the khajiit back inside and closed the door behind them. Sunset had no idea what was going to happen to Angra, but at this point whatever she got was better than what she deserved and she seriously didn't care. She had come to Markarth seeking two different artifacts, yet she was leaving the area with the two she came for and two more, one of which she was going to have to reforge before long. With ten of the fifteen artifacts recovered she knew that Tirek would be stressed to recover any of the others, and that thought alone made her grin.

She was finally starting to win this war against Tirek, and she was sure that he was beginning to feel the pressure that she was constantly applying on him. Maybe, just maybe, it was possible to prevent him from reaching one hundred percent of his power and saving the whole of Nirn from the destruction that would follow.