"Cold mountain mornings and lowered inhibitions. What can I say, you make a good pillow." - "not sure this 'Tsukasa' would approve. You were mumbling their name..." - 'Sorry Konata, I'm not using this as a pole staff.' - Another clack and the sword was swept clean out of the air and beyond the spar mat's edge. - "So you're saying…" "Yes Kagami," Jauffre grinned, "I'm ordering you to take a vacation." - "Bruma ho…?!" - A sweet roll dropped to the cobblestone street - "I challenge you for her hand!"

Wayward Path

-o-o-o-o-o-

Riding from the snow capped Jerral Mountains back to the seasonally warm heartlands was a welcome change. Cloud Ruler Temple aside, Konata expressed she certainly wasn't going to miss the cold or snow. Despite that, both their sour mood from earlier hadn't improved.

Even as they rode down from the highlands, Kagami could swear that oaf of a nuisance was visible time to time on the path ahead of them. The large Nord requiring an equally large mount, likely a Bayside or similar breed, plodded along at a steady yet slower pace than Kagami would have liked. She reared in the speckled mare's speed to keep their group well back so as to not look upon that ugly faux smirk if they got within spitting distance, at the same time not comfortable with having Patricia at their back if passed.

"Hey, that the one you two tussled with?" Kuroi mentioned seeing the Breton's ire.

"…Hn. If she's going directly to the capital we'll be at her back the whole way… that's really really going to bug me."

"You're not the only one." Konata groused. "Like an itch you want to reach out and smack. And then leave her on the side of the road - in a pool of her own rotted entrails! …Wouldn't even be worth exercising Green Pact on."

The Breton didn't answer for some time but had a dark look under her bangs at Konata's offer to jump the Nord. Make it look like highway bandits got to her, no better yet, a pack of wolves. Hearsay from the merchants was that wolves around these hills were rather brazen. "…We're better than that, it's almost as if she's goading us to act out in retaliation."

"It's strange to think that we have to tap into a woman's level of intuition to not fall for that."

Kagami slowly turned to stare down the elf behind her.

"-No Kagami! I wasn't insinuating anything about us. Just that she as a barbarian could even think ahead like that." Konata clarified. "Though, I may have an idea for another route so we don't have to see that the whole way."

Kuroi raised an eyebrow. "Only road to the capital is the bridge, isn't it? You say you've got a boat but that's in the city harbor too."

"Konata, as much as I appreciate the tact used in getting us out of the city undetected the first time, let's not swim the lake again."

"Got a water walking scroll this time?"

"…Damn it all!" The Blade cried and struck her fist down onto the saddle, the outburst making their horse jump, as well as making the burn on her hand sting. Why. Why did she forget to request such a thing. Again! The Blades stores of general use potions and single use scrolls were there for a reason!

"Kidding, Kagami." Konata scratched at her cheek. "Not like the cultist would still be hanging around watching for you at this point, having the amulet and all. Might even think you're dead after that attack come to think of it. So actually now that gives us all sorts of options since we don't have to hide from absolutely everyone, I mean we were intending to walk right through the main gate anyway."

Kuroi pulled out a map searching for any other such crossing points. "There's some areas that are shallow, looks like marsh so don't think that does us much better. And not seeing any other gates to enter the city."

"We'll make a stop a bit short, little place called Aleswell." .

The new Blade member looked dubious as she continued scanning the area. "That's just a small settlement, what's there that's going to help us?"

"For one we can drop the horses off, and two…" The elf paused.

They came upon the next major road called the Red Ring surrounding the shoreline of Lake Rumare, in turn encircling the entirety of the capital region of the heartland. At the end of the road from Bruma was a clear bluff overlooking the lake, and enjoying the view of the island city was indeed Patricia whom had been riding ahead of them.

The Nord gave them a look as she heard them riding up and turned her nose to the air, prodding her large cart horse to continue west to circle down to the bridge at Weye.

"…that oaf is too slow to keep riding behind at this pace. It'll be well after midnight before we get there so it's a good place for the night."

"Ever thought of, I don't know, passing her by?" Kuroi huffed.

"Teach… some days I swear you just don't understand." The elf shook her head.

"Wasn't there, no reason to." Kuroi continued with a carefree tone. "As if I'd let mind games be the reason to let someone get the best of me. Got a problem, deal with it."

"Says a former Legion member who was above the law."

"Stop right there criminal scum!" The blond bellowed playfully. "As if! Patrolling the road and country side to clear obvious bandits is one thing, I know dealing with civilians that toe the line is another."

Their bickering along with the bothersome predicament was starting to give Kagami a headache. "Can we focus a bit? Tempting as murder may be… what's the actual idea with stopping at Aleswell and dropping the horses off?"

She was familiar with the roadside hamlet only in passing, in the dozen or so times between the capital, the Blades stronghold, and Weynon, it had never crossed her mind to stop and check it out. It seemed nothing but a peaceful stake of small farms, hunting up in the forest, and perhaps some fishing on the lake. Quaint, however hosted no services to speak of.

"There's… sort of a crossing near there. Only at certain times, if you get what I mean." Konata let on.

"Oi, brat." Kuroi drawled. "Remember that bit that if we find out you actually are a thief?"

"Really?!" The elf whined. "I swear on my honor as an adventurer, I have never stolen nor plan to steal from honest decent people."

"I'm reading a lot of wiggle room in that statement. Any current schemes?"

"Only stealing Kagamin's heart~!"

The Breton didn't rise to the distraction, instead turning in the saddle to look back. "My only question is why we didn't use this crossing as an out last time."

"Well, the guy to get in contact with is a bit shady, but that's more because he keeps to himself. At the time I don't think you would have trusted yet another stranger. Also his business is more getting into the city, not out."

"And being a smuggler, likely only operates during the cover of night."

"Did I say smuggler? You're the one thinking smuggler. Don't go assuming such criminal things of everyone you meet." Feigned the elf.

Kagami eyed her new Blade sister riding beside them. "Smuggler?"

"Smuggler"

-o-o-o-o-o-

As the three rode into Aleswell just another hour down the road, the sun was beginning to sink to the horizon. The sunset casting its glow among the small yet well kept gardens between the few simple homes dotted about that made up the settlement.

Perhaps because it was around supper time it seemed no one was out, yet Kagami couldn't help feel a touch of unease creeping up on her. Every now and then she could hear the sounds of that of a community while at the same time not a single living thing was in sight. Where were the cattle? Last time through here she could at least recall all seemed to be fine, people doing chores and upkeep, animals in the pens. Nothing then or now had seemed abandoned.

Their mare was suddenly spooked as a chicken clucked and fluttered from the path before them…

…except there was no chicken.

The three looked to each other in silence.

A chuckle along the fence right beside them finally did it and the Breton shrieked in terror.

"Gah! Ghost!?" The speckled mare spun about in panic as Kagami pulled back on the reigns in equal fright. Meanwhile Kuroi beside them dismounted and drew out her silver sword.

"Whoa! Easy friend." Called out a voice. "Boy, you know better than to spook travelers."

"Sorry Pa, been trying to round up that one all afternoon."

"Leave it be, go get Elmund for me would you."

Kagami watched closely at the sound of someone climbing over the wood fence then saw the dirt compact from a child's sized boot as they ran off across the road.

"Um…" Konata ventured. "Okay, this is a first. What in Sanguine's realm of mad hattery is this?"

"Would be a fine prank now, wouldn't it?" Mentioned the man's voice.

"More Sheogorath's thing I would think." Kuroi chipped in.

Konata dismissed the notion. "Nah, the so called 'madgod' is rather boring by comparison. Sanguine is all for debauchery and revelry, throwing a good prank in there is totally up his alley. Mind a gruesome bloody murder or betrayal is too."

Meanwhile Kagami pondered her growing unease. One fear of the Mythic Dawn again on the attack exterminating a village was quickly replaced by another the Breton dreaded. What if this was another Daedric prince's doing? Harmless it may have seemed, the underlying implication meant any and all could now interact on their plane of Nirn…

"Fortunately it's neither." The unseen resident explained. "Little mishap by a local wizard down in the Caractacus ruins extended all the way up the hill and our entire village turned invisible. Been quite the… experience."

Oh, false alarm. Well a rather simple issue in comparison then. "Any need to get on this rogue wizard's case then?" Kagami offered.

"Quite the contrary! We've made do and though he even offered to correct the range his spell affects, we're actually okay with this arrangement, strange as it seems."

Kuroi wrinkled up her nose in bewilderment. "How do you even… conduct trade, find each other, that sort of thing?"

"Life sight sparingly, otherwise we each know each other by voice alone. Small village and all that."

Konata nodded. "I figured maybe little bells each person could wear. Might be better for the animals in that case though, keep track of that chicken."

"That indeed is an excellent idea!" the voice proclaimed.

The conversation then turned to the proposal of keeping their horses stabled, settling on a rate half that the stables at the capital gate. It was odd seeing the hay float along into the feeding trough seemingly on its own, evidently the kid from before helping out. Or was it someone else? Meanwhile services were referred to Elmund, a stocky wood elf that soon approached along the road, the only visible resident that had been up the hill for a hunt the day the wayward spell took effect. He helped acquire some fresh bread and a vegetable mash for their dinner, however there was no room for an overnight stay.

All that was left was to wait, time passing with the quick meal until night fully set and Konata led them toward the lake. If this smuggler had been caught up in the same spell as Aleswell, Kagami could see how someone of ill repute could remain so successful. Apparently he did not do business with the small settlement though, the residents aware someone operated the dock every so often as they only used it once a season to load their own harvest to be transported directly to the city harbor.

"Why not simply take a boat to the harbor ourselves?" Kagami questioned.

"Ahh one." Konata spoke as if there was the reason was obvious. "All he has are basic rowboats and that's a long way to row in a dinky little thing. Have fun rowing a full day rounding the west side of the island and then there's still passing the bridge, and that's like only half way to the Waterfront district."

"There a two?"

"He won't go out of his way for us, we are going his way or not at all."

Kuroi sighed behind the two younger girls. "How exactly was this a shortcut?"

"I never said this was a shortcut~." The elf leisurely dismissed with mock innocence. "Just that it was an alternate route."

"This still about avoiding the dumb broad? Do I have to mediate an apology between children so they can all hug it out and become best of friends, go on even more adventures to get sidetracked, forget all about lil'o me while I get down to work, and then 'Oh!' remember months later I exist and that we had plans for our own outing?"

Konata cast a sideways glance to her old mentor. "Someone sounds lonely."

"Not your first time either!" the blond berated.

"I may seem spur of the moment, but what if I said I was going for the strategic play through? Look who made it to the ranks of the elite with just a few connections. You can thank me later."

"Konata, I think you owe her an apology." Kagami let on. In a way, sure the Imperial had risen to a rather coveted status as a soldier, but at what cost and by what means?

The elf looked back and for a moment seemed genuinely sincere. A quick smirk ruined it however. "You're wel~come!" She sang, quickly dashing ahead to keep out of arms reach of her former teacher.

"Brat!"

-o-o-o-o-o-

The landing at the waters edge was a small affair, weathered split wood and gnarled posts a far cry from proper hewn timber. If not lit by a single lantern one could have passed the derelict fishers dock without notice or care. Illuminated were the few old moldy crates and barrels and a sole rowboat tied alongside, however not a soul to be found servicing in this late hour. At least, not at first glance.

"Heya Sammy." Konata calmly called to the end of the dock, a shadow moving soon after the interloper identified herself. With guests. Pleasant.

Nearing the lantern the tall figure did not become any further discernible, a black cloak covering them so entirely that it put Kagami's to shame. If one stared too long, it was as if the cloth drank in the night itself. Only after taking in each of the women's faces did he take another step forward and reveal his own with rather bland features, no scars or even a specific race to recognize him as other than human.

Turning back to the short Bosmer he spoke with a lazy drawl. "Business?"

"Crossing for the three of us."

"Thirty gold and you row." He turned away to resume stashing smaller wood boxes into the boat.

Kuroi couldn't hold her tongue any longer at his tone of curt indifference. Konata had warned that the guy was less than sociable and to let her do all the talking, but to leave them to practically do all the work too?

"Not much of a service when we're paying you…"

"More boats around the corner." He pointed without looking. "You'll row either way."

"Teach…" Konata groaned as the blond went off the other end of the dock to search the shore.

Kagami simply yawned. So what if the smuggler was a bit shady? Surprise surprise. Though she did raise an eyebrow in suspicion at a case of bottles with a teardrop shape, one that which was often affiliated with skooma.

With Kuroi it seemed a fruitless prospect. Only half of Secunda of the twin moons lit the rocky beach and the few dark hulks of wood lying about made picking about difficult. The first upturned boat revealed a large hole in the bow, not from damage or sabotage, but of neglect and rot.

As the Imperial made to maneuver around to the next, a chittering met her ears. A stroll in the dark countryside was nothing new to the former Legion forester and meeting all sorts of cretins in the night while on patrol usually put her in the mood for a hunt. Here though, Kuroi had to pause and let her eyes truly focus.

In the waning moonlight, the entire beach moved.

"Nope! Don't care if those are just mudcrabs. Nopenopenopenope!"

Konata blinked away her night eye spell and smiled as the blond dashed back up onto the pier. "And here we see the natural spawning cycle of the common mudiclus kraticis…Too many?"

"That's just…" Kuroi paused as she shuddered. "…wrong on so many levels."

-o-o-o-o-o-

Oar dipping into the inky surface again Kagami struggled to keep with the slow even pace her fellow Blade sister set, determined not to cause a single splash of sound as the two of them rowed. All was quiet among the boat's occupants and the lantern had been blown out.

The Breton had almost expected a fog to close on them to complete their sneaking about, only for it to become far more eerie as darkness surrounded them in full as Secunda waned completely. Land and water melded as one, leaving only a jagged skyline filled with stars to outline the void and the tall narrow shadow of White Gold Tower in the city ahead to guide them.

Even Konata seemed unusually subdued. True it would be bad to be caught with a smuggler and questionable goods, but she was exhibiting an odd amount of respect for their grudging host not wishing to engage in small talk. Other than that he expressed no issue with them joining his crossing.

Thankfully the trip was uneventful and the soft lapping of waves ahead signaled their closing to the opposite shore. Sam directed them a little ways east and there found an artificial stream exiting a stone archway from the hillside.

Konata hummed appreciatively. "North sewers huh, that'll do."

Without a word Sam hopped out to pull the boat squarely onto shore, the elf quickly behind him to assist with a rope to tie off. Apparently she'd helped him do this before.

Stowing away her oar, Kagami felt a lump in her throat seeing their way into the city. Had it really only been little over a week? So many ups and downs, filled with comfort and certain demise, but entering again where this journey began… where she had failed her utmost duty.

She breathed deeply, it would be best to face such trepidation directly, not let the dread of that night own her.

"Eh, it doesn't smell that bad." Kuroi observed.

"It will."

The cast iron bars over the entrance had a locked bottom hung grate, easily surpassed by the hinges having the pins pulled free. The grate fell flat over the groove which the water had worn away and allowed them to crawl through without getting wet. The same was done with an iron bar door just a little further inside, swinging open from the formerly hinged side. Surely these security measures weren't always such a joke? Perhaps due to age the locks were rusted solid, thwarting anyone from tempting them to open even by spell, leaving only the caps holding the pins long ago to have been stripped free.

'Will have to drop a tip to the city guard on that.'

Up ahead Sam's lantern stopped at a side recess in the arched brick tunnel, a solid steel door before him that had no obvious means to open or operate a mechanism for.

Konata nodded to Sam and waved the others to continue on further down the tunnel. As Kagami passed she heard a soft voice call out from behind the door. "Can... can I come out now?"

Blood chilled at the sound of the young forlorn tone, a sad note of hope echoing the loneliness. There was a child down here kept locked up in the passage beyond that door. A shady smuggler was one thing, this…

"Guys?" Konata quietly urged. "Come on."

"One sec." Kuroi sharply intoned right behind the Breton, also having paused to stare at Sam.

The smuggler met the two's unsaid accusation with his ever emotionless mask, hands hidden among the robe without ever having made a move of doing so.

"Yeah let's not get carried away here." The elf cut in walking up between them. "Sammy, they'll understand – right teach? Kagami?"

Kagami willed away the creeping cold held in hand prepped for a frost destruction spell, the blond likewise removing a hand from the katana. Neither however let up their mistrusting gaze. Meanwhile Konata stepped up to the heavy door and casually rapped at it with her knuckles.

"…password?" the voice mutedly asked directly behind the door.

"Primula~ It's Kona-chan~" The elf sung evenly.

Sam also spoke up. "Just a few… friends passing through, they'll be on their way shortly."

There was a groaning shriek of metal unlatching and then a second before the door squeaked opened a crack. Through it the two Blades immediately took note of the blood red eyes.

Again Kagami had to force herself to stay her hand. Yes, that was undoubtedly a vampire, a hungry one at that judging by the eyes subtle glow in the dim light, but indeed still a child. She was younger than Yutaka though of similar stature with pointed ears suggesting more mer ancestry to her Breton appearance, ashen grey hair tied up in two pigtails to the sides, and a stuffed animal securely held in front of her.

She tilted her head to the side "dinner guests?"

'Why!? Why ask that in such a way!'

The little vampire moved to step through the door, halted by Sam's gentle hand. "My daughter doesn't get many visitors, but perhaps another time?"

"Sure, we'll be around a few days." Konata nodded. "I'll, er bring a bottle too."

"Appreciated." Sam turned away dismissively to enter their little lair.

As they resumed further down the tunnel the two taller women turned to Konata. "Such a gruff secretive guy but he's actually such a softy about his little girl. Usually I fill a small bottle of blood at the dock for payment, Sam wants to make sure it's from someone he trusts."

"Huh." Kuroi huffed. "Not a place for a kid, but yeah… would be hard to keep her safe in public with that condition."

"I know you have a big thing against undead, thanks for holding back."

"Hardly her fault."

"How about you, Kagami?"

She was torn to be honest. This was hardly the first vampire the Breton had encountered yet certainly the youngest by a long shot, by appearance anyway. Those infected and contracting vampirism tended to gain a measure of immortality, at the very least aging much slower if their thirst was properly sated. Had the little girl been bitten young, or born as such? To be hidden away down here, Kagami guessed her father was the girl's sole caretaker. A dark thought crossed her mind, what of the father himself?

"That… was a bit tense. Is it really alright?"

"Oh I've visited several times!" Konata assured. "She's... well both, are lacking in the social skills bit, but they're good people."

"Despite the criminal smuggling. I saw the skooma."

"Maybe he's a smuggler because of what he can't trade through regular services, ever think of it like that? There's several ways to get blood, yet out of all the options he opts for a nonviolent means to get it. As for the drugs, he's not the dealer and doesn't use the stuff himself."

"I get it, he's not so bad. Their secret is safe with us." Kagami let up, then added to tease. "Next you'll hoodwink me into how thievery is just a means of liberating excess coin that won't be missed."

The elf gave her a glare of indignation and marched on, not saying another word.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Distraction aside an hour later found the three still navigating the city underground. Konata for once being a true guide, led with night eye spell for some of the darker sections and only had to back track once due to a locked flood water gate that relied on a one way counter balancing mechanism.

Oh but the rats! It was to be expected as the rodents often times could be seen popping up from the sewers and on to the streets when their numbers swelled. There was even a jest that half the reason the city guard existed was to battle back their presence from becoming too noticeable in the otherwise pristine well to do sections of the city.

"You could help with these you know!" Kagami grumbled as she skewered her twentieth rodent. Most of the smaller ones fled, but when bolstered in packs with larger specimens the nuisances got brave and saw the travelers as a worthy meal.

"Nah, I'm not having any problems. Learn to walk with a lighter step and they'll hardly know you passed through." Konata intoned as she practically walked right up to one of the little beasts, then nudged it over the ledge with a foot right into the water channel running the length of the chamber.

'Vermin recognizing their own'

Kagami kept the thought to herself, apparently she'd genuinely upset the elf by insinuating her as a thief a few times too many. However as much of an adventurer Konata claimed to be it was difficult to reason why else one would be so familiar with criminal elements and sneaking about down here.

"Oryaah!"

At least Kuroi was getting good practice in with her newly granted Akaviri katana. Her freshly defeated foe cut in two flew across the water channel with a smack into the far wall, scattering a couple other rats. One pausing long enough to drag one half along with.

The prolific cannibalism made Kagami recoil. Maybe there was another reason Konata wasn't eager to cull their numbers, resistance to disease as a Bosmer or not, Green Pact was just too risky to chance with these morbidly diseased cretins.

Soon they entered a side route that bridged two different sections of sewer that also led up a level. The stone work looked fresher, lighter in coloration and almost Ayleid in design as a remnant of the same era, signifying they were entering the core of the capital's underworks. The alcoves above had Kagami instinctively searching for any sign of a red cloak in wait, ready to ambush.

"Zombie ahead." Konata casually mentioned.

The other two stooped down attempting to be more sneaky as they rounded a corner. There was a moan ending in a wheezing hiss and padding of flesh against stone. Konata simply strolled on, her step becoming more graceful and silent as she neared, seamlessly flowing around a pillar beside it to bypass the undead without qualm.

She looked back at them, a mischievous smirk putting forth a challenge. Odd as it was, Kagami had missed that playful side of her since they had entered the sewers, for once appreciating the bit of distraction.

Kagami went next, with some trepidation mind. A free roaming reanimated corpse wasn't a common sight across Tamriel and could range in a number of abilities and prowess, its mangled flesh hiding reinforced joints and bone that made them as tough as golems in some cases. A competent necromancer could even raise a once proficient mage that still had access to magicka to lash out with for its attacks. How tough this one was wasn't what she was worried about though.

She had never dealt with one of these before and the grisly details quickly became apparent as she neared. This zombie hadn't been treated with preservatives to extend its usefulness, the flesh beginning to fully rot and tear, bone and organs hanging by threads of sinew. The smell alone was too much to bear on top of the odor of the sewer and made the Breton pause aghast as she came around the pillar.

It started to look her way as Kagami attempted to continue on and moaned in anguish. A stone thrown by Konata struck the opposite wall and the zombie immediately turned and lashed out. Broken fingernails raked the stone and the hand grasped with such desperate force that there was a snap of what had to be the wrist popping loose.

Kuroi deemed it her turn and wasn't letting this undead entity remain, taking full advantage of the distracted zombie to plunge the katana into the center of its chest, sweeping the edge up and out across the shoulder with a clean cut. There was no howl of pain or even notice as its one remaining arm grasped forth, head also lurching to bite.

Fire poured forth from the Imperial's free hand right into its face.

"Ugh, seriously!?" Kagami coughed at the now burning corpse, drawing up her cloak to cover her nose. Yet another delectable smell added on top of everything.

It wasn't over yet though. The corpse had staggered and fallen against the wall but was making to stand up. Kuroi quickly swapped to her silver blade and just as the zombie got to its feet was decapitated just under the jaw line. For a moment the three watched for any further movement, ensuring the body was finally at rest.

"Necromancy part of the usual in the capital?" The blonde questioned.

Konata shrugged. "Probably just a quick practice piece, sewers are an easy place to 'dump a body' so you know… one's trash is another's treasure, then did the natural thing when a pet gets too rambunctious to keep on a leash."

"Even Anvil didn't have this going on in their underground, remember the pythons?"

"Can we not?" Kagami attempted to move them on. "Rats are going to swarm in here soon." Gods, how had Baraus kept the rats away from Emperor Urial's corpse, or Alexis' for that matter?

No sooner had they left the room and up the stairs to the next level that a few rats skittered by paying them no heed, their little rodent noses already picking up the scent of a feast.

"Least it's not as bad as some of the other province cities." Konata soon continued. "Some have catacombs that fill the entire area below them and sometimes larger and even use undead as their security. Morrowind has these big clan tombs supposedly guarded by the ghosts of their ancestors, then there's dragur across the north, bone spirits in Elswyer, and mummies in Hammerfell."

Kuroi pondered "Thought Redguards cremated their dead?" .

"Most do, the exception are those that are nobility or accomplished warriors." Kagami joined. "Something to do with preserving the fighting spirit." It was the exact opposite in the Breton province of High Rock where only highly respected mages and kings received an honored funeral pyre.

"Hmm, good then I won't have to update my last will."

Konata did a double take looking to her former mentor. "Come on Ma'am, you're not that – um, you're still young yet!"

"Just in case." Kuroi pointed out. "Always figured I'd end up dumped in the ocean one way or another at Anvil – still proper, kinda, but after getting assigned to Kvatch when joining the Legion I realized there was a good chance of my body just being lost somewhere in the wild."

"Ahh, the Bosmer way." The wood elf nodded. "For some reason some still think cannibalism is the norm, that's like… well… it is a tradition. Usually only the blood or heart are used today though." The comparison to rats earlier was getting to be a little too on the nose.

"If I can get my way, it'll be a Redguard style funeral. Spread my ashes wherever." The blond turned back to Kagami. "How about you, Hiiragi?"

She really hadn't thought on it much, there had been a family tomb of sorts cut up in the mountains above their village, however it wasn't very likely she would ever be able to return home. "Actually don't really know. Seems none of us like the idea of being buried, and as Blades they'll do everything they can to retrieve the sword to represent the spirit, the body being but a vessel."

"The Blades are worshipers of the Nine Divines and serve the Empire, right? Most Imperials bury their dead in grave yards or crypts." Konata mocked. "Yet, where does a city this huge bury the dead? There's none out beyond the walls all across the island, I've been through tons of these underground passages, and the city districts. There's not nearly that many bodies that get dumped, so something seems a bit sketchy."

"You've never visited the Palace grounds?"

"Kagami, I don't think you realize most of us riff-raff get turned away from even entering the courtyard." The elf scoffed.

"…there isn't a courtyard. Other than White Gold Tower housing the palace, the inner district practically is entirely a graveyard. They keep it up like a garden but really it's quite bleak and if the guard thinks someone has no business there, there's the Arboretum or Temple district to roam instead."

"Huh, suppose that makes sense for monuments and stuff. Still makes it a pain not being able to cut through to get from one side of the city to the other. Kagami is about to learn just how hard us civilians have to make do taking the long way round."

The Breton rolled her eyes as she admonished. "It's not that far, the roads lead in a nice circle tying all the districts together."

"Remember the morning we met? Said a certain district was too far away to get some gear?"

"Huh, okay I can see your point there." Kagami felt heat rise to her cheeks having to admit. 'Wait, the harbor and market areas actually are opposites sides of the capital! What sense does that make?' One would think the trading companies would want to be close to where their goods were shipped in.

"Anyway, that's part of why I travel through the underground and know a couple routes." The elf continued.

"Complain about having to take the long way around while taking the absolute longest route possible." Kuroi spoke up checking over the map again. "Where in Oblivion are we even?!"

Konata shook her head as if disappointed. "As I was saying, expect to be treated like the lowlifes the guard will see us as. You two are going undercover or something, so understand that each district is more than just a designated area for certain businesses or activity. It's not just how well planned the main road through the city is, but how they have huge walled gates between each district. We're talking massive security lock down at a moment's notice if the guard wants. Sewers bypass it all, if you know where to go."

"Is this why you wanted us to enter the city this way?" It seemed far fetched to Kagami that the elf had thought the concept through so completely to come off as some mastermind, especially while sparked from the simple notion of not wanting to follow that barbarian Nord for the whole trip.

"Hey, you never know if sneaking about may come in handy."

"Judging by experience no doubt, but also 'know thy enemy'" Kuroi intoned. "If I find there's a bounty on ya brat, I'm bringing you in to clear it, got that?"

Kagami didn't want to agitate Konata again so soon by joining in, perhaps best leave it to her old mentor to keep leaning on that subject. "What I'm really seeing are security breaches that could be addressed, no wonder Mythic Dawn got us cornered down here..."

"Wait, that all happened down-." Konata blinked then eyes widened in realization. "Oh. Kagamin, sorry. I-"

"It's fine." Kagami offered realizing her slip. "Just… where… is there an exit that's close by we can get up top? Kuroi is right about this being way off the beaten path, nor do we even know what time it is. We'll have to rest at some point – and certainly not down here."

"Gotcha, we're close to the Temple district, but we'll have to quick cut across a cave for a shortcut.

Kuroi balked at the implication. "Just how much of a labyrinth is the whole underground of the capital?"

"You've no idea." Konata smirked. "One can delve deep into the ruins under the ruins within the caves under this city's sewers, which themselves in a way are ancient ruins."

That hardly seemed like some embellished exaggeration. The Imperial City was actually built back in the Ayleid reign, built in part by their enslaved and who knew what influence. Ayleids had open worship in both Gods and Daedra in equal measure, and from such had once wielded vast arcane power. White Gold Tower itself was rumored as some pillar of mortals pressing against the very fabric of time and space of reality, the plane of Mundus. A city radiating about such a construct, if true, what of the very foundation that no doubt ran deep about them?

A chill ran up the Breton's spine. "Let's not over think it, shall we?"

-o-o-o-o-o-

It was a relatively quick trek through a rather muddy cave from washout breaking through one section of sewer wall to another, mind they had to dodge a couple goblin archers that had taken up residence in the smelly hole. The two Blades swore they would never forget such an elegant scent, while Konata bemoaned about a shaman that hadn't been among the goblins to barter with that could have granted them passage without being harassed.

Returning to the regular sewer passages by comparison was a relief if only for the familiarity. Kagami would never complain about the city streets again! Especially as starlight started filtering through grates in the tunnel ceiling in spots and the elf ushered them to silently climb up an iron rung leading to a hatchway.

Cool night air hit them and the faded white stone of the capital was lit by orderly spaced torches. Just enough to see by, but casting plenty of shadows as they emerged behind a bush in the Temple district. Block residences of the city's more wealthy filled the area and for the first block Konata led them down a backside alley. Coming out onto the main circle road hit Kagami hardest however.

It was much too jarringly the same to that fateful night.

Practically no one on the streets, a touch of mist in the night air. Though the terrible event of failing her emperor had occurred down below, it was in the silence of these vacant corridors where something had felt truly amiss. How alone she was while at the same time having to continue forward bearing the torch of their only hope.

Fortunately those efforts had drawn forth allies as well as she looked to Konata and Kuroi.

A pair of city guard stopped them briefly at the district gate, merely to ask where they were headed and a quick check for any obvious 'contraband'. Though the quick search easily missed some key points where a small bottle of say skooma could have been kept hidden, Kagami wasn't going to complain this time around. Not like any of them had such on them anyway. 'Konata, please don't have picked up anything from Shady Sam'

She really just wanted a bed right now, legs feeling leaden as they trudged down the tunnel leading through the city wall down to the harbor. It had to be almost dawn at this point and even Kuroi was looking a bit drained. Did Konata have enough room for the three of them? Heck even if the little brat tried sharing a bed Kagami figured she could just wrap the elf up in her arms and hold her tight, prevent her from doing anything immodest. Or maybe bunk with the older blond?

"There we are, home sweet floaty home." Konata called in whimsy as they stepped out onto the pier, bee-lining for her S.O.S.

At this point Kagami could hardly tell one ship apart from another, much less the elf's dingy. Kuroi tested her weight on the plank before following the two and ultimately did not look impressed. "Not much a boat, just a floating hovel."

"Floaty floaty~ Naughty naughty~" Was all the elf replied unlocking the door. Rather surprising in a section of the city normally associated with criminal hideouts that any lock could remain untampered. Certainly after being gone more than a week.

The door had barely closed and the lock reset than Konata started stripping from the elven armor and making way to the green quilted bed placed on one side of the cabin. Distractedly she pointed to the hatch in the corner leading below deck. "There's a couple bunks down there, choose whichever, I'm hitting the sack…"

Luckily Kagami found that unlike her usual heavier plate gear, the ringmail wasn't all that uncomfortable yet and thus didn't bother undressing as she bodily collapsed into the first suitable surface that looked conducive to rest. It felt like a bed, smelt vaguely like sheets and a straw stuffed mattress, maybe some dust but no mold.

'Guess it'll do…' being her last thought before drifting off.

A/N: This would be the end of the tenth day covered in this story from what I can make out of their travels, perhaps given an extra day in Kvatch for eleven. This chapter had some fun little moments planned out but connecting them was bit of a chore that I felt like cutting a big chunk of the conversations out while passing through the sewers. I'm not one much for filler but that left it rather short and missed several opportunities to expound on some lore, the alternative was Kagami to be a bit more mopey due to her past experience and would've been primarily monologue.

Next couple chapters though... ohhh fun times galore!

Howdy ya'll, Kuroi here. So go figure my former student actually managed to make something of her life and just as always has to drag me into it! Can't complain, it's one heck of an adventure - and me, a Blade!? Izumi can brag all she wants getting me involved, but seriously she has no idea how outstanding a record a typical soldier has to have to even be considered to be given an offer. Damn adventurer luck! If only that extends to Hiiragi as well, that girl is going to one day take a situation too seriously and put herself again in its path and no one or any god will be able to pluck her from it, it's a tragedy in waiting.

Wait, oh about my mission? Yeah that, so I get to... what do you mean there's no action!?