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Beorn watched the Alyied with intent, observing its features and movement. Just like those High Elves he thought. He had heard stories about the Alyeids, most bad and wrought with torture.

She really could not help herself. Selara laughed, a low sound redolent of bubbling amusement. "A peaceful world, is it? Hardly, but as you wish then." She paused, laying one finger against her lips as if deep in thought, though the twinkle in her eye did spoil the expression just a bit. "Though the hypothetical lamb could have little to fear from a lion. I speak of the male, of course; I'm certain a man of the wild such as yourself is well aware how lazy the so-called king of beasts can become as long as he's kept well-fed. A lioness now..." She smoothed the front of her robe, brushing away dust and wrinkles that weren't really there. "A lioness can be something to be feared indeed." For a moment, the expression on her face was one every bit as satisfied as that of a lioness who had just made a very good kill, but she let it drift away as the tiny, mischievous smile returned. "But enough of this, I should say, for the nonce, at least. I do concede that preparation is always the wisest course of action." Selara nodded to Malatar, then looked away, turning instead to Masrel. "How may I assist you, Elder?"

"Be reminded that the Nedic conquered our entire empire with little more than a spark of hope and minor divine aid at their side." Malatar warned. "Now, they possess greater strength than we do. And I suspect that anti-Merthic practices still thrive within this world. We must watch ourselves. Even now, we could be at great risk. I am happy that we at least agree on preparation."

Vendise, a younger Ayelid enchanter's apprentice who hadn't spoken much, nodded his head at Malatar's words. "I agree. The Ayleid should not dirty themselves by interacting with the outsiders."

"Vendise, Malatar, that is enough out of you." Masrel said with surprising ferocity. "Our brethren viewed the Ten Races as you do, and they no longer exist. Just being here, in this day, is a gift from the outsiders, from the Thalmor. Keep that in mind before you get yourself hurt." Said Masrel.

Vendise slumped his shoulders and looked down - when he noticed the floors were blackened with some thick liquid. "Hey, what is that?" He asked.

Everyone looked down at the ground, and the black goo. Masrel knelt and observed it. "I don't know. Maybe a side effect from an enchantment in the hall?" He asked nobody in particular.

Everyone was about to discover that it was very quickly.

A light flickered to life down the hallway, and quickly spread. It looked like it was coming towards them.

"This stuff is inflammable!" Shouted Masrel as the flames closed in on them.

Without thinking, Masrel, Nerissa, Malatar, and Selara dove into a small room in the hall they were in before the flames reached them. The small room didn't appear to have the black goo in it.

Vendise wasn't so lucky. As the fire licked his legs, he panicked, and fell into the flames.

Meanwhile...

What happened in the halls of Tarnabye was happening in the Sel as well. The goo lit up and caused an inferno. The full clan, gathering together and ankle deep in the goo, never got a chance to escape as they were burned alive.

Meanwhile...

Before the Ayleid who was speaking could continue, the screams of the victims inside Tarnabye made him turn. He took a step towards the ruins to see what was going on.

But the Speaker, as well as a handful of Thalmor guarding the entrance, would never find out what had happened to Tarnabye, as they were all killed in an explosion that followed the screams.

Meanwhile...

Aradusk was the Thalmor head of security in Northern Valenwood and had just seen things at this speech quickly go to hell. Four of his guards were dead as well as what appeared to be the entire population of the Ayleids inside.

"Form a barrier! Don't let anyone from the crowd get inside!" Aradusk shouted as magical wards were put up around the ruins of Tarnabye.

The Security Chief vowed to take revenge on whoever just caused the explosion.

It made him look simply terrible.

Meanwhile...

Thaddeus Antiva threw back his head and laughed like a small schoolboy. A small Bosmer wearing the dark green armor approached him. "Sir, the task appears to be finished."

"Of course it is!" Thaddeus laughed. "Was there a chance of failure?"

The Bosmer saluted. "Long live Chief Thaddeus! Long live the Marukhati!"

Thaddeus chuckled. "Yes... long live the Marukhati, indeed."

Malatar immediately shifted his gaze to his cape and hoTougherough some miracle, nothing he was wearing had caught on fire. "Search for an exit!" he hollered. "We must hurry!"

Kah'jihreed jerked up and took a few steps back, keeping his head low.
"Foul play is the worst kind of play" he hissed.

No sooner had Sebastien been eager to hear the Ayleid continue then suddenly the entire event went to oblivion right before the Breton's very eyes. The crowd had merely been able to begin its quiet, curious murmur before screams and fire erupted from the entrance way, licking the Ayleid hungrily and effortlessly snuffing out his short-lived rebirth on Tamriel's soils. This close to the entrance he could feel the warmth on the air. Sebastien's brow ceased with a startled and concerned fold, and he steadied himself against the crowd as onlookers as they swayed, some to get away. Near the entrance there were commands to keep the crowd away from helpless authorities, shouts from guards - "Form a barrier!" - and an array of confused bodies moving to and fro. The Breton unfolded his arms and placed one hand carefully on the hilt of his sword, glancing carefully to his right or left - whether for any soul unlucky enough to be so close as to need a restoration spell or merely to fight the urge to flee with the crowd he was not entirely sure.

Perhaps the Divines had not been receptive to the Ayleid's return; perhaps their ancient fortress had turned against them. But something had frowned upon this moment, and Sebastien was determined not to become tangled in the same curse. He began to ease away from the ruin slowly, his eyes still sweeping the crowd before him.

The heat from the roaring flame was almost overpowering, and the smell...the odors hanging in the air were nothing short of sickening. There was no time for regret, however, no time for anything more than survival. Selara glanced around the small room, looking for any sort of exit except the way through which they had entered. A thought that fire always had been far too messy for her tastes slipped through her mind before flitting away to join any other, currently useless introspections. She would save that for a later time when keeping herself alive wasn't the biggest concern.

"Move away from the flames," she murmured, although it was probably an unnecessary precaution. Selara's mind slipped into another place, a place where magicka reigned. She tried to weave a barrier of ice against the doorway into the fire-ravaged hallway. It would be at best a temporary measure, but sometimes, a temporary thing could give one the edge they needed. She could only hope that it might.

J'Dar, already at the exit turned around and took steps back as the crowd flooded out, away from the fire. He wondered what could have caused a fire in an Ayleid residence.

Siaenach crossed her amrs and leaned back on the rock.

"Quite the show, quite the show... I guess the Thalmor were doing another goose hunt..."

She smiled slightly. "But that still doesn't help me..."

Tireace gasps and looks closer. "oh the... Poor.. Dears. I wish them luck in the next life Rhodes that did not survive.." she then moves closer to see what caused the explosions which was made harder by the tangle of bodies in front and behind her pushing and pulling in different directions

Ormis put his hand on the hilt of his sword, almost frozen place, unsure whether to go in and help the Ayleids, or run. He looked around nervously.

Once J'Dar exited the crowd, he decided he needed to know what was going on. J'Dar ran a 'khajiit run' to the back of Tarnanye and looked up to find any loose stones or maybe even an opening of somesort.

Elyntine rose quickly to her feet, her heart beating fast. She was at the fringes of the ruin, and the crowd was now rushing out from the center of their gathering place, pushing past and around her. She drew her longsword and tried to maintain a view of where the Ayleid had been standing.

The explosion sent Feather-Tail forcefully from his perch and atop several of the crowd's nearby members, who promptly discarded him to the ground as they themselves recoiled from the violent blast's heat. He quickly gathered himself and rose again, only lightly trampled by the newly panicked persons.

J'dar couldn't find anything; in fact, the back had been blocked by wards as well.

Meanwhile...

"I know a way through here!" Masrel gasped and opened a secret door in the room they were in.

Selara and Manatar ran through and expected Nerissa, her baby, and Masrel to follow, but a collapse of the walls trapped the three of them with the fire.

There was little choice but to move down the tunnel that Masrel opened up.

Irri immediately jumped off of her perch when she witnessed the explosion. Her bow was in her hand almost before she could think, although it was by her side and she had nocked no arrow. Her eyes flashed around, searching for an explanation, and for any further dangers.

"Let's move!" Malatar hollered. The smoke was blinding. He could hardly breathe, let alone see. "Grab my hand!"

For once in her life, Selara said nothing. There was nowhere to go but onward, and so she did, taking Malatar's hand as he requested. The air was thick with smoke and fumes that she really didn't want to think about. Instead, she forced her mind to suppress all thoughts of the fate that undoubtedly had befallen so many of her people. Angrily, she swiped away a rebellious tear that seemed determined to fall. She didn't have time for this. Sorrow, she feared, was for later.

Kah'jihreed glanced at Irriwen and noticed her bow. Her intents were clear to him.
"This one is uncautious," he said as he slowly approached her, always glancing about for danger. He was not fond of suprises.
"Khajiit believes that it and this one had best make themselves scarce, at least to the eyes of others."

"That explosion," Malatar began as he sprinted through the tunnel with Selara. "Was not natural. It was set up! The Nedic!"

Irri glanced at the Khajiit, her dark eyes fixing piercingly on his. "My own thoughts." She said. She immediately turned and sprinted into the forest, vaulting over a low, ruined Ayleid wall.