NABC Chapter 336: Chapter LXII: The Witch of The Swamps
Chapter 336: Chapter LXII: The Witch of The Swamps
Chapter 336: Chapter LXII: The Witch of The Swamps
(General POV)
A raven haired and amber eyed woman hummed lightly as she used a mortar and pestle to slowly grind a clump of vibrant mountain flower petals into a fine paste, lazily tossing it into a bubbling cauldron and causing the whole thing to suddenly change color from a sickly green to a majestic and lively red in a near instant.
Satisfied with her perfect timing she smirked, moving her hand to a leather bound tome sitting next to a stock of immensely toxic ingredients, completely uncaring for anything even remotely resembling safety regulations she flipped the book into the air and grabbed it.
Still humming she sauntered over to a luxurious armchair, taking a slurp of the tea that awaited on a small table next to it, now at perfect temperature. She sighed in contentment and flipped the book open, her smile growing just a tad crooked at she started reading the content.
And then she heard someone banging on her door.
Her right eye began to twitch and she promptly decided to pretend she wasn't home... The banging refused to stop for a full five minutes. She let out a slow exhale, closed (read: slammed) her book shut, and got up, all her previous contentment gone in favor of simmering frustration.
Uncaring about scaring the visiting irritant she swung the doors open but the words
threatening to erupt were stuck in her throat as she was met with a figure cloaked in a tattered black cloak, covering everything save for two glowing red eyes that now stared straight into her very soul.
That alone would terrify her but something else drew her attention, namely the fact that she could feel nothing from the figure, a mage of her caliber could sense something from even the least magically potent individuals but the figure in front of her simply did not appear in her
senses.
She tensed, her fingers twitching with practiced micro-movements as a sickly green rune appeared between them "Who are you?" she asked and cursed herself as her voice broke ever so slightly.
The figure stared at her for a moment, making her tense even more, before it chuckled, a very familiar chuckle she had not heard for some time "Is that how you welcome your guests Morrigan?"
(Reyvin's POV)
I had to hold back a snicker as her eyes widened, before her fear was completely replaced with a frustrated glare "Still playing childish pranks, Reyvin?" She hissed but her voice held no heat.
"I will have you know my pranks are most mature." I tutted lightly before looking to my sides and noticing some of the residents of Morthal beginning to stare, I turned back to my old friend with a grin she could not see "What, not going to invite me in?"
She glares at me for a while longer but then sighs and waves for me to follow "Get in and stop causing a scene, I already have to tolerate the locals' superstitions more than I like as it is."
"Well I missed you too!" I quip and duck under the slightly too short entrance, closing the door behind me and removing my hood I took a look around her home and nodded in approval "Real cozy place you got here, even if I wouldn't personally have my alchemy lab near the entrance."
The enchantments were respectably crafted and whoever made the furniture was at least a low master at his craft, all in all definitely a worthy place for a lone mage.
"Not all of us live in gigantic towers." She huffs and gestures for me to take a seat "Tea?"
'Might as well change it up a bit' I nod "Certainly." A moment later a fresh cup floats next to me and I give my thanks. Taking a light sip, it was pretty good surprisingly, I speak up again "I may live in a tower but I do share it with dozens of house magi."
She puts her own drink down daintily and gives me a blank look "Are you complaining about having dozens of magi under your command to a sole Court Wizard?"
I snort "Well I am for all intents and purposes a Dunmeri Jarl, even if some would like to dispute that little fact."
She nods her head as if to say 'Uh huh'
"So" I speak after a pause "How have you been?"
"Really?" She blinks "Not going to start with whatever dreadful news you brought?"
I clutch at my heart dramatically "I am not that bad!"
She just gives me a long half lidded stare.
"The rumors are overblown I say!" I point upwards "I am nothing but an upstanding citizen merely dedicated to my position." I look away, crossing my arms with a huff.
Again, without saying a thing, she slowly points to the lightly shimmering orb atop her work table.
"Fucking gossips." I scoff, but internally nod in satisfaction as an orb arriving in Morthal likely meant that all the other holds' Court Wizards have gotten their own. No offense to the swamp dwellers-
'Yeah right.' Scorch scoffs.
"Fucking idiot decided he isn't talented enough and asked Phineas to teach him the lichdom ritual." I grouse "Apparently waiting for him to experience a full life and then doing it is a bit
too slow for the twat."
Morrigan barely breathes for a long minute, her eyes fixed onto a spot on the distant wall as she processes the news. She shudders suddenly and curses "That damned fool!" Her eyes snap to mine "We need to stop him so I can kill him myself!"
"He is already doing a pretty good job of it as is." I snort and shake my head "No point in it, he is already halfway through the cleansing and quite frankly if my dressing down didn't turn him around not much else will."
"Cleansing?" She mutters momentarily distracted, but quickly shakes it off "We have to try
anyway!" She insists.
"Look." I begin slowly "As much as I hate it it is still his own bloody decision." I sigh
"Besides, there will be a way to 'fix' him somewhat later."
"So that is it?" she asks slowly "Just give up on him?"
Pinching the bridge of my nose I mutter "If you wish to waste your time trying to convince
him while he is already half-dead then be my guest. I have far too many things occupying my
time to waste it on his stubborn ass."
Her shoulders slump "That is fair."
"On a brighter note!" I intone and pull out a scroll, proffering it for her to take "Consider yourself invited to Silruhn Fell whenever you find the time, just copy the runic matrix onto a floor you aren't going to be using and it should transport you there instantly."
"I know how mark and recall works." She deadpans but there is no hiding the sudden
brightness of her face "I... thank you, for the invitation." She inclines her head "Master Shalazar has been doing nothing but praising your 'hidden fortress of doom' for weeks now."
"Love that devious little lizard." I grin.
We turn silent and return to enjoying our tea, the crackling of the fire making the silence that
much more pleasant. Minutes pass and Morrigan finally speaks up "So, why have you come?" Before I can once more derail the conversation she preempts "You said it yourself, your schedule is full and I am sure that a social visit to this... charming place is not something
you'd do on a whim."
"You'd be surprised what my whims can do." I smirk "But" I quickly add before she can get
annoyed "I did unfortunately come here for a reason."
"How unfortunately." She asks gravely.
"Weeeel...." I trail off for a moment before offering her my trademark doom-bringer gin
"How do you feel about helping me trail a cult of Hermetics and slaughtering them to the last? It will be just like old times!"
She stares at me for a long moment, weighing her options between just sitting it out or having
some actual excitement in this boring-ass excuse for a city. Finally, her boredom wins out and she sighs "Fine."
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