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Some from the Mage's Guild lay dead, but they died heroically. Krist and his fellow Fighter's Guild members barely dodged death themselves, and were not unscathed. Their wounds were superficial, the Khajit's worse being that his fur was patched with the red bloodlike liquid, that he dared not clean off in true Khajit fashion. The Nord's were able to handle the mess better, but none liked it.
"What are you doing Faidtra," Krist exclaimed, causing the others to look toward the big Nord woman. The twins laughed, one even howled though Krist had no idea which one.
"Typical Nord," Maji said low enough that only Krist heard him. The Khajit went on grabbing his gear together before heading out after Faidtra. After her, but not looking to her.
The twins soon followed, Hron smacking Krist on the back with a chuckle.
"There is a river down here, Krist, and I think we all should get this crap off of us," Faidtra called back to Krist, as she carried her armor, clothes and weapons in a bundle over her shoulder.
The rest of her, however, was bare as the day she was born.

The twin Nord's snored low, and in sync. Krist scratched his beard looking at them, in wonder.
"I heard twins do alot of things like that," Faidtra said, a blanket over her bare, but now clean, body. "Probably what makes them so good at fightin' together too."
Krist nodded, but having little experiences with twins he had nothing of intellect to offer.
"You thinkin' we need to stay in these parts, or we headin' out soon," Faidtra asked, tossing a freshly cleaned chicken bone onto their small fire.
"I don't know," Krist said, looking around into the darkness.
"You waitin' on more orders," she asked, but it came out as if saying. Her questions always came out as statements. Krist came to know her well enough to understand.
"Yeah," Krist said. He was the senior guild member, and the only one that fought in The Deadlands when the Fighter's Guild went to help fight off Mehrunes Dagon. He wasn't their leader, it wasn't a position he wanted even if he were to be offered. He was merely the senior member of this little band.
"I hope we get orders soon, I want to go home," she said, and laid down, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the soft ground.
Faidtra seemed so sure of herself, Krist never pondered her age before. She was a good fighter. She never questioned a fight, and was ready no matter the odds. She just seemed, at all other times till now, to be much older. Dirt, blood and a long scar on her right cheek hid her face.
I want to go home, she had said, almost as a child would say it. Krist did not know her true age, but right then she looked barely over 18 winters, barely a woman.

Krist laid back and listened to the sounds of the river far below them. They were not that far from Karthwatch, and would head into town in the morning for supplies, but for now, they all chose to stay the night outdoors. It was a cool night, but clear. They were outsiders, even as Nords, who had a Khajit with them. Staying in towns could sometimes get complicated.
Krist's mind turned to Haddie before he fell asleep.

Krist had been up for about an hour, before he heard the twins arguing over something. They argued, but it was just another form of their relationship as twins. It was as the arguments that happened in Krist's head when he was wishing decide something, but with those two, it was out loud, loud being the the key word. It was over a sweet roll that each thought the other ate, and there was no telling which was right. Neither were lying, they simply did not remember, and thus, the argument of did they eat it or not.
"I ate the last one," Faidtra finally said in her loud and gruff voice, looking at the two, and daring either to argue with her. They weren't scared of her, the twins were much like her and feared very little outright. They knew that it did not pay to argue with Faidtra, and whether she actually ate the sweet roll or not, the matter was thus settled.
Krist smiled as he looked out over the hilly lands. They were still along the river, and close to Dragon Bridge. Runners and trackers kept up with them, along with other Fighter Guild bands. They ran across Mage Guild members as well. The fighting was tough, the undead were everywhere, and battles popped up wherever these strange rituals occurred.

"This one thinks we are fighting a losing battle," Maji said, looking out over the land. Krist did not hear him walk up, and did not notice him until he spoke. Maji had a way with things, or so he was told.
"I don't know, there is no such as a losing battle, there are only battles lost," Krist said. He wasn't trying to be poetic, it was simply how he felt. Still, it drew a toothy smile from the Khajit, and shake of his head.
Maji took a step forward, now in front of the big warrior. It was a sign of trust with Maji, who seldom ever let someone behind him. He usually followed the crew into battle, he always sat in a tavern with his back to the wall. The dark coated "cat" did not know if Krist understood the respect he showed him, but it didn't matter if he did. It was not for Krist to like or trust him, it was just what Maji did when he trusted, and liked, someone.
"Maji sees you not sleep well. Is it burden that weighs on you, or are you missing your family," he asked, his eyes getting fixed on a site far off in the distance.
"Both I suppose," Krist said, trying to see what the Khajit was looking at. He could just make out a discoloration in the morning sky far to the east.
"Another one, this one thinks we should get moving in that direction," Maji said, pointing toward the red glow.
Krist nodded, even though Maji could not see him do it. Haddie always said she could not hear his head rattle, always with a laugh, when he would nod while she was in another room and could not see him.
"We will fight another battle, and we will fight well. You will see your son, my friend," Maji said, before turning around and walking back to the camp. Krist stood there a moment, just looking at the speck in the distance that he may have missed if the Khajit had not seen it.
It would be about a day's ride. He was not even sure they would arrive in time to help, and if they did it would mean the battle was not going well. Still, they had to try.
"Gear up, we go soon," Maji was saying. The others did not question him, they simply began to pack their gear up and ready themselves for the day.

The giant flesh thing swung an oversized hammer fist down at Krist and Faidtra, who took point. The twins tried flanking tactics on the creature, but more often than not had to back off and fight other daedra and undead before continuing the attack.
Maji was nowhere to be seen, and Krist feared the worst. It was chaos, something he did not like much of, since it meant things happened that he could not control.
"Watch yourself Krist," Faidtra said, pushing the warrior out of the way of a meaty giant hand. She took the blow on her shield, but it still knocked her back. Krist quickly recovered and brought a great swing of his two handed sword down onto the arm, hoping to chop it off.
It did not.
However, it did cause a deep wound, that maggots and unclean things dropped out of. The creature howled, whether in pain or anger, who could know, as it stood up to it's full height. It then began, curiously, pounding at it's own head, before suddenly stopping. It didn't move as the 4 Nords stopped and stared in wonder, wondering what odd magic it was performing. It began to sway slightly, then it fell forward hitting the ground with a thud.
Maji was still on it's shoulders, driving his short sword over and over again into the head of the creature, before realizing it was no longer moving.
"This one needs another bath," Maji finally said, looking up and around at the bloodrain stained Nords who were staring at him.
"Let's clean up here first," Krist said, still staring at the cat in wonder, but motioning to the now dwindling creatures being put down by others.
Maji simply nodded.

"Hah, the cat is a hero!" Jhon said, a big proud smile on his face.
"Many heroes here twin, but Maji is not one of them," the Khajit said, a frown on his face as he looked about at the injured, dead, and dying.
"Still," Krist said, nodding respect to Maji before looking about as well. Some had already set up a place for healers to do their work, where folks gathered around for aid or to offer aid. Magic was being used, as was more conventional means of tending wounds.
Hron motioned to Krist as a carrier was running up.
"Letters for Krist Lindor," he said, before coming to a quick stop, holding two out to the Nord.
Krist took the letters and saw that they were from Haddie, bringing a smile to his face, even in the wake of the chaos that had just occurred.
"Do you need me to read them for you," the Imperial courier asked, carefully it seemed as not to insult the Nord.
Krist looked up quizzically at first, as it seemed an odd question to him, before looking at his fellow Nords and realizing he was the only one that could probably read.
"If he needs, this one will read it, now scurry along," the Khajit said, though he knew Krist could read.
"Wait," Krist said quickly, stopping the runner before he could leave. He then handed the man some coins, no doubt too much according to Maji's facial expressions of disgust.

"You got letters from home," Aicessar called as he walked from the healing camp.
"Steward Aicessar," Krist said, nodding to the man in respect. "I did not know you were here."
"I was, then I wasn't, then I am again," the Altmer said, a smile on his lips.
Krist just nodded along with that.
"Well, anyway," the steward finally said after a brief silence. "I am glad you heard from home. News of your wife has been good."
Krist looked at his letters then at the steward.
"Oh gods no," he said, and chuckled. "I would not read another man's letters, even if I had the chance. No no, I get word from the hall in Windhelm quite often."
Krist nodded his thanks at that, and began to turn away to read his letters.
"Wait, don't go yet," Aicessar said, a low tone to his voice as he waved the Nord to him. "You are going home. For a little while anyway."
"We are being sent home," he asked, tilting his head slightly.
"No, you are. You need to go home and see your child. You have done much for the guild. Even doing things you did not report for the betterment of Skyrim. I hear things Krist."
"I won't leave without them, if they wish come back with me. We came as a band, we will leave as one. They have done great work as well," Krist said, in the same low tone as the steward.
Aicessar looked past Krist at the other four. The twins, as the only way he knew to call them, were laughing as they poked the creature with their toe. What they found funny, the steward did not know. The other two, the cat and the female Nord, were looking at him.
"Very well, four more resting is not going to hurt us. It's more of a fact finding mission now, we will not be coming in force to these sites. Let the adventurers and the locals deal with it. The Mage's Guild seems to be working with someone that has some inside information, I can only imagine what that means. They said they do not need us 'blundering about', if you can imagine."
Krist just nodded, as he could imagine it fully. He felt like he and his band were doing just that, though they did help secure the roads as well as stop some of the rituals. However, nothing was permanent. Those smarter than he, like mages and healers and the like could figure out a more final attack.
"Go home, and be with your wife. We will let you know when we need you again over here," the steward said, clasping the warrior on his shoulder before turning and walking toward another group of what Krist assumed were guild members.

Krist had barely gotten the words out of his mouth that they were able to return home when Faidtra turned and headed toward their steeds. The twins grinned big, punching each other in their massive shoulders, before also heading to the horses.
"Well Maji, it seems we are done here for now," Krist said, smiling to the Khajit.
"This one was done before this, and this one thinks he will be heading home, for far longer than the steward thinks," he said, a frown on his face as he looked to Aicessar, before spitting on the ground.
"You are angry?"
"You have a way about you Krist, very astute indeed," he replied with a toothy grin.
"I suppose I am not very astute, as I do not know why you are mad."
"This one can hear and see things from very far my friend, even a whisper is carried on the wind to me. That one was going to send YOU home, and leave us here until, well, who knows when."
Krist just smiled slightly, and nodded a bit.
"He did not fight me over you guys going home though," the warrior offered.
"He did not fight you, because you are somebody, Sir Lindor. We, we are no ones. Followers, people sent out to fight and if we do not return, well, we did our jobs at least," he said, but not with malice or contempt, just matter-of-factly.
"No, not at all. You guys did more than...." Krist began but Maji put a paw up to stop him.
"You are somebody, Krist Lindor," he said again, and then sniffed at him. "And there is something in you, that one just cannot understand what it is."
Krist looked at the cat for a moment, who simply gazed away at the others who were getting to their horses. He was not sure if Maji was talking about him being a leader, or the werewolf within him. It had not come out in some time now, not since the road to Windhelm.
"We best catch them, or they will leave us here for sure," the Khajit said with a grunt, and headed toward the other 3.

"We're headin' to the Reach," Hron said, with a big smile.
"Our homes are close to Markoth," Jhon said, almost seamless in following his brother.
"I need to get home to my girl, LaJana," Hron said, which was followed immediately by a punch to his arm by his twin brother.
"That's my girl you sot!" Jhon complained, holding his fist up ready to punch his brother in the face if he said different.
"Of course, of course, I keep forgetting," Hron said, pushing his brother in the chest. Neither were really mad, in fact the two would fight till one gave up or was knocked out, and have a brew right after. Amazingly, there never seemed to be a clear winner, or more importantly, one who won more than the other. The winner was usually whoever punched first.
Neither delivered a true punch this time, they were ready to go home.
"Faidtra told us what you did, and thank you for thinking on us," Jhon said sincerely. Hron just nodded along with it, as if the thought belonged to both, and Jhon was chosen to say it.
"You fought well, my friends, thank you. I think our band was the best crew I have had, at least in a very long time," Krist offered.
The brothers did not respond to that, instead they climbed out their steeds and just left. Hron was in the front, and Jhon followed with a packed mule in tow.

"Bet it's all brew," Faidtra said, her eyes still glaring where the brothers were now out of sight due to the crowd, and the city was crowded.
"Where are you heading," Krist asked, and was met with a shrug. It was odd, as much as she had talked about her family, that she would not be sure she was leaving for home. Krist expected she would say home, but was not sure where exactly she was from, outside of East Skyrim.
"Of course, I thought you meant today. I plan to stay another night or two in the Lonely Troll, I am just not ready for the saddle again. I may even take a carriage back, though not sure I wanna waste pay on that."
Krist nodded, looking to her marred, old, young face.
"Oh, you mean," she paused and let a grin flow as she looked to Krist, "I am from The Rift, not too far from Riften. My paw works the land for a farmer there. He kinna runs the farm himself."
Krist smiled a bit, nodding once more.
"I wonder where Maji is," Krist said looking about.

"Most of your pay has been sent to Windhelm, to your wife, but this is what you asked for to get you home," Aicessar said, placing a small closed bag of coin on the desk.
Krist put the coins in his side satchel without looking in the bag. He didn't need to count it, it would be the exact amount he asked for.
Krist was cleaned up, only his scars marring his appearance, as opposed to the dirt, mud, blood and unknown goops that covered him much of the last month or so. His knot doublet and long britches were fresh, though lacking much in the way of color. Browns and light greens, it just fit who Krist was, or as he saw himself.
Aicessar on the other hand saw a warrior who thought he was a farmer. A leader who refused to lead, though that wasn't exactly true. He did lead, he just didn't accept the titles.
"Thank you Aicessar," Krist said, with a smile and a nod. "Are you staying here for a while?"
"Oh dear no, no," the steward said. He seemed to travel all about Skyrim, and was steward wherever he was needed. Krist respected that, as many stewards were happy to stay in one place, using the need to keep the halls running to stay drunk on mead and fat on roasts.
That's not fair, Krist thought, but he still admired Aicessar.
"I will be heading to the east holds for a bit, and we will be meeting up soon enough," he said.
"With all due respect, I do not live in Windhelm sir, that is simply where my wife is. I am going back, name my son, and get them back to Whiterun Hold."
The steward looked at him for a bit, his fingers drumming on the desk, and Krist knew it was coming.
"No, no you won't I am afraid. We have your wife set up in a nice home in Windhelm, it will be your house as long as you wish it. However, you will need to pay that off by doing some work for us. We need you, Krist. We need you to help clean up the mess there, we have lost many members, and we are short on leaders."
Krist almost said he was not a leader, but it would have been useless.
"I didn't ask for the home there, how can I...." Krist started.
"Your wife did, or at least she happily accepted it. Your son needed a home, and needed someone to help her with you gone. We provided someone, a nanny if you will, at no cost to you. In the end it will be your home, it will be Haddie's home."
At the mention of her name Krist looked hard at the steward, and it was obvious he should not have mentioned her. It was obvious the warrior knew exactly what happened.
"You tricked her," he said, his frown deep now, his hand instinctively going to his hip where he would normally keep a long knife, but had no weapon. Not that he would have used it, but it was instinct in time of anger.
The steward recognized the motion immediately, but made no mention of it.
"I did not, but yes, I suppose, it was a means to get you to stay for a bit and do the job you swore to do," Aicessar said, this time no emotion on his face. His eyes met Krist's, his own will meeting the knight's.
At the mention of the job he was suppose to do, swore to do, Krist's stance softened.
The stewards face softened as well. He liked Krist, genuinely admired the man for his dedication to his wife, son, and even the guild.
"You won't be near as far from Haddie this way. You can be home in as little as hours, only as much as a couple of days. Your guild gave you plenty of time, enough time to start your family, before calling on you again. If it wasn't a need, we would not be insistent, and you are not the only one we are insisting on doing their duty."
Krist finally nodded, though he refused to open his mouth and say anything. He was still angry, still bothered by how they made him owe them. Aicessar said he had nothing to do with it. No, only that it was not him that tricked her into owing. It was his idea, Krist did not doubt it, as the steward knew Krist very well.
The nod was all the steward needed, and did not push Krist further.
"You can take Faidtra with you, she can stay at the guild and assist you. I know you and your team worked well together. The others will have different orders, well, the twins. I have no idea what the Khajit will be doing, his orders are above me, and never through." he finally said.
Krist shook his head with a sigh.
"No, Faidtra wishes go home to her parents. I did not realize how young she was till recently."
"Her parents? She was orphaned at the age of 13, she had no parents. She was raised by the guild, an uncle or something that had connections got her in. I don't know the exacts."
The steward was a little shocked, at the shock look on Krist's face.
Krist's face softened again, and he simply nodded, as was his way.