Encounter
June 14, 2025 at 1:02 PM
As the morning arrived, the group had quickly eaten breakfast and cleaned up their campsite, preparing to continue their adventure. After discussing it amongst themselves, they decided it was probably a better idea if they'd begin the long trip back to Sjel Blad Castle. However, they rejected the idea of Ja'vassa simply teleporting them back to the castle and elected to walk the long road back. Once everyone was ready to set out, they'd set off for Raven Rock once more. As usual, they encountered some trouble along the way, but it wasn't much more than the occasional ash spawn trying to cause some issues. They were quickly subdued and once destroyed, the group carried on like nothing had happened.
Once arriving in Raven Rock, they boarded the ship and began the long trip back to the Solitude Docks. The waters were clear, there wasn't a cloud in sight, and the weather wasn't as cold as it usually was. With the residual excitement from their recent treasure hunt and the pleasant weather, the long boat ride was more enjoyable than they had expected. But, like all good things, it'd have to come to an end as Ja'vassa carefully navigated the ship towards the docks. With them safely back in Skyrim, they'd step off the boat and begin the long journey towards Sjel Blad Castle, taking the same route back home.
Aside from the occasional bandit or wild animal, there was minimal trouble and like before, as they passed various ruins and settlements, Ja'vassa went into full education mode; going on and on about them as they passed by them. Though, as they were approaching the city of Whiterun, they'd bump into a familiar face along the roads. Seeing the old high off, Ja'vassa smiled as they approached.
"Ah, Rianra. I can't say I was expecting to see you out here." He greeted as he approached his Council member. "And I see you've got a friend along with you today."
For a brief second, surprise washed over the elf's face as he gazed upon his master, but he'd quickly wiped it off and replaced the uncertainty with a warm smile. "I can't say I was expecting to see you, either. She's... more than just a friend." Rianra admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
"Oh, forgive me for interrupting anything. Let me know if you want to use the castle foyer for the wedding in the future." Ja'vassa replied teasingly, a playful grin crossing his face. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Ja'vassa, perhaps I could get your name?"
Neither had expected to hear him mistake them for a couple, but they'd go with it for now. The woman reached out to shake Ja'vassa's hand, returning the warm smile. "I was wondering when I'd get to meet you, Rianra sings your praises quite often.. I'm Viralia, we were recently engaged, so perhaps we'll take you up on that offer at some point." Her eyes wandered towards the students. "With your reputation, I'm surprised to see you in the company of such adorable girls there. Are they apprentices of yours?"
Ja'vassa chuckled softly, nodding in response. "You could say that. We're just heading back to Sjel Blad after a trip to Solstheim. I suppose we should get out of your hair for now. I'll see you back at the castle, Rianra." With his parting words, he'd wave and set off on the road once more with his students.
Rianra and Viralia remained silent until they were certain that Ja'vassa wouldn't be able to hear them, and once the old Khajiit was out of sight, they both released a sigh of relief. "Do you think he bought that?" Viralia asked, looking towards her companion with an uncertain gaze.
"I'm not sure... my Lord has always been difficult to read. We'll need to tread carefully, but for now, we should keep up the act until Vallas is ready to make the first move. Speaking of which, do you think he'll be ready to act soon?" Rianra asked in response, meeting her gaze with a similar uncertainty.
"Vallas said it's nearly time, but he's reluctant to do so with the Dragonborn present. If we can get rid of him, then we'll be able to land on the shores of Dawnstar." Viralia's gaze fell onto the gentle waters in front of them. "You're close to him, Rianra. What do you propose we do about him? The Thalmor defeated him once before, perhaps we can do it again."
Rianra quickly shook his head. "That was a fluke. Ja'vassa wasn't in the best of mental states at the time, given the discovery of his home village. Besides, that was centuries ago. He is much, much more powerful today. I don't believe there's anyone on Tamriel that could take him on and walk away alive." He crossed his arms, a hint of fear glistening in his eyes. "A head-on confrontation with him would only end in disaster for the Fourth Aldmeri Dominion."
Viralia nodded in agreement, knowing that such a battle wouldn't look good for them. "So... we'll need to find other ways to be rid of him. What about those apprentices with him? If we were to get rid of them, perhaps that'll put him in a similar state of mind when we first defeated him."
It was obvious how precious his students were to him, but they'd have to be incredibly careful about how they planned to deal with them. Rianra crossed his arms as he thought about the possibilities, silent for several moments. "His students are precious to him, killing them would push him over the edge. If he discovers we were responsible, we'd be lucky if all he did was kill us." He warned her. "Killing them isn't an option, but perhaps we could turn them against him."
Viralia smiled slightly at his idea. "Perhaps your Lord has some old secrets that we could make use of? Someone as old as he is must have something." She replied suggestively.
"Ah, yes. Karine mentioned something about a memory extraction spell that her and Vallas were working on. Have they made any progress on it?" Rianra asked in response, piecing together a possible idea.
"Yes, they're looking to test it out soon. It's the pinnacle of illusion magic according to Vallas, perhaps your Lord could be the first test subject. Perhaps we can use it to see if he's hiding any dark or disturbing secrets.. perhaps those can be used to turn his students, and perhaps the castle against him. Though.. I doubt he'd do it willingly." Viralia stated, her brows furrowing slightly. Facing Ja'vassa head on is tantamount suicide, catching him by surprise wouldn't be easy either.
"Perhaps we could stage an attack on Sjel Blad Castle? It'd require a sacrifice, for certain, but in the chaos, perhaps something could incapacitate him for a little while and that's when I can use that extraction spell." Rianra suggested, though he wasn't entirely sure of the plan. "That extraction spell.. it doesn't just remove the memories, does it?"
Viralia shook her head. "According to Karine, it's meant to duplicate them. This way the victims retain their memories, and that way, we'll still be able to use them as we need." The mention of the sacrifice was a bit unpleasant, but perhaps they wouldn't have to sacrifice their own warriors for it. "Skyrim has a bit of a bandit problem, don't they? Perhaps we could convince a few of them to stage the attack. Promise them a great reward, and if they're successful, they'll get access to the castle's vault."
Rianra smiled at the idea, nodding in agreement. "Good thinking. I know of several bandit tribes not far from Sjel Blad Castle. I'll see if I can't convince some of them to join us. I'll meet with you at the old Embassy in three days. Inform Vallas of our plans and check in with Karine to see if she's made any progress." He stated, turning to leave.
"Be cautious moving forward, Rianra. We don't want your Lord catching wind of your plans. I'll meet with you soon." Viralia nods, watching as her companion returns to the road. "This has been centuries in the making.. too much is at stake, if we make so much as a single mistake, it could be all over for us..."
A fair way down the road, the unexpected encounter with Rianra left Ja'vassa with more questions than answers, it seemed innocent enough, but something about the woman he was with rubbed him the wrong way. For once, he was relatively silent on the road and hadn't said much of anything to his students, largely being lost in his thoughts.
Noticing his unusual silence, Fuuka lightly nudged his arm. "Won't it be nice to host a wedding at the castle, Sensei?" She asked, a cheerful smile on her face. "Maybe I could help your cooking staff for the meal..."
As much as it hurt him to shoot down such genuine excitement from his student, Ja'vassa shook his head. "I'm not so sure about the wedding, Fuuka. That necklace Viralia wore.. I often saw it in the possession of Thalmor agents in the past. Perhaps it's a coincidence, but with the recent claims of Thalmor activity off the coasts of High Rock and Hammerfell, something seems off." He replied, sighing softly.
"Perhaps Viralia is a descendant of an agent? Or perhaps she's not aware of its significance? It was a beautiful necklace, after all..." Fuuka suggested, trying to ease her teacher's obvious paranoia.
"I hope you're right about that, Fuuka. I can't accuse them of anything outright, but perhaps I can send a few scouts to tail them for a bit." Ja'vassa shook his head, trying to push out the negative thoughts in his mind as he'd attempt to enjoy the rest of the journey with his precious students.
The remainder of the journey back to Sjel Blad Castle remained relatively peaceful. They didn't have any other unexpected encounters, there weren't any unfortunate skirmishes, and even as the clouds began to darken, they were able to return home without being caught in the sudden thunderstorm. Upon returning to the castle and arriving at the foyer, Ja'vassa turned to his students, a warm, yet serious expression plastered on his face.
"I need to speak with my Council for a few moments. Feel free to relax and enjoy yourselves for a bit. Speak with Landoril if you need anything until I return." Ja'vassa suggested, bidding them a brief farewell before disappearing into his Council Chamber.
"That encounter really has Sensei shaken up... I hope it's not as serious as he thinks it is." Hifumi said softly, joining her companions on one of the benches surrounding a small fire pit.
"I'm sure it's nothing, Sensei's probably just tired from the trip. We've been walking a lot lately, after all." Momoi replied assuredly, giving Hifumi a cheerful smile.
Back in the Council Chamber, Ja'vassa had gathered Relumara, Serica, Julara, and Kara around the table to begin his emergency meeting with them. "We need to discuss the Thalmor sightings and Rianra's occasional disappearances from the castle. I don't want to openly accuse him of anything, but we ran into him on the road and his behavior was... off." Ja'vassa started, pacing back and forth around the room. "He was with some strange woman who claimed to be his fiancee, but I couldn't help but notice the necklace she wore. It was identical to those worn by the Justiciars of the past. It might be coincidental, but something didn't seem right."
Glancing towards Relumara for a moment, he'd have a question for him. "You were the one who brought up the Thalmor sightings originally. Have your scouts found anything else worth reporting?" Ja'vassa asked.
Grabbing a few notes from a nearby shelf, Relumara nodded in response. "Some have noticed an increase in activity around the old Thalmor Embassy near Solitude. At first, it seemed like it might've been bandits or some other criminal group taking over, but upon closer inspection, the occupants seem much more organized. We can't confirm if it's the Thalmor, but my scouts seem convinced that it's more than just some petty crooks." He explained, handing the notes to Ja'vassa.
Increased activity on the west coast, suspicious activity around the old Embassy, and the unusual encounter with Rianra on the road. It didn't feel like a simple coincidence, there was more to it. "We need to get closer to the Embassy. I have experience with breaking into the Embassy, but I'll need some back up." Ja'vassa glanced towards Kara. "You're among the finest scouts in the castle, I'll want you by my side when the day comes. We'll need to find anything that might lead to possible Thalmor activity. If it turns out to be some petty bandits, we'll wipe them out."
Kara nods in response. "I'll gather a few other scouts to join us, I'll have them work with the ones Relumara's already assigned to the Embassy and have them send anything they find back to him." She replied, prepared to go off on the mission when the day finally came.
"Good. Julara, I want to send you with a few other scouts. See if you can't follow Rianra when he leaves the castle. Report back to us if you notice anything suspicious. Do not engage if he catches you, but if anything happens that puts your life in danger, I expect you to do whatever you must to survive." Ja'vassa started to the Argonian.
"I'll be careful, my Lord. What will you do in the meantime? Will you be returning to Kivotos with your students?" Julara asked.
"I'm going to get my students home and then I'll come back. With the potential for escalation in the situation, I'll stay here and monitor it with Relumara and Serica." Ja'vassa replied, standing back up. "There's a storm brewing, we'll need to be prepared for whatever comes forward. You five and the scouts you choose are the only ones to know of this mission. Speak of it to no one, not even to your fellow Council members. If they ask, tell them that I've sent you on an important task."
With his final orders, he dismissed the Council and went back to join his students once more. It had been a long day, it was time to return them to Kivotos and make sure they returned to their dorms safely. He had his own duties with Schale, but given the ongoing situation within Sjel Blad Castle, he wouldn't be staying in Kivotos for very long. As far as he was concerned, the protection of his castle in these strange times was more important regardless of how much he adored his students.
"There you are. Are you ready to return to Kivotos yet?" Ja'vassa asked as he approached the group, seemingly in a more relaxed manner than he was upon their arrival.
"Ah, Sensei!" Momoi grinned, jumping up from her seat. "Yeah, I think we're all ready. But, you'll have to promise we'll be able to go on more adventures like this in the future. Maybe next time we'll bring Yuzu with us, too!" She suggested, a cheerful and energetic sound in her voice.
"Of course, Momoi. We'll have plenty of opportunities to explore everything Skyrim has to offer. Perhaps, I'll even take you and the others beyond Skyrim's borders." Ja'vassa promised, ruffling her hair with an equally cheerful smile on his face. "Until then, we should get you and the others back home so you can get some proper rest."
Hifumi nodded in agreement, standing up with the rest of her companions."Yeah... the castle has been nice, but I miss my bed. Though, I'm looking forward to our next adventure here!"
As they followed him into the foyer, Ja'vassa's cheerful expression slowly faded away and as he stood in the center of the castle, he suddenly came to a halt; his eyes darted back and forth as a strange sense of dread washed over him. The students looked towards each other with some concern, as did other members of the castle.
"...Sensei? Are you feeling alright? You seem nervous." Serina lightly tugged on his arm, trying to snap him out of his current state.
Her efforts were in vain, Ja'vassa hadn't glanced towards her, but he'd speak softly. "Someone's here.. an unfamiliar scent." He whispered, his eyes widening slightly as the realization dawned on him. An attack was imminent, but he was a few seconds too late. Turning in the opposite direction, he noticed a small, sharpened dart rapidly flying at him. Before he could properly react, the dart firmly lodged itself into the nape of his neck. Despite his vampiric blood, he could feel the powerful toxins flowing through him the second the dart connected. His vision blurred, his legs trembled heavily and he struggled to remain on his feet, even as he removed the dart. As his vision darkened, he caught the sight of a cloaked figure standing in the background, taking advantage of the mass confusion to plan their escape.
"...get them." Ja'vassa uttered, and as the last bit of his strength faded away, he collapsed to the ground; falling into a deep sleep. His life wasn't in danger, but a combination of the powerful toxins coursing through his veins and exhaustion from the past few weeks pulled him into a deep sleep. Several guards had managed to apprehend the mysterious figure while Momoi and Midori dashed off to find Relumara or any other Council member; Serina and Fuuka knelt besides the fallen Khajiit, checking his condition while Hifumi and Momiji looked on in confusion and concern, unsure of what to do.
Seconds felt like an eternity, but the twins finally returned with Mordan and Relumara. "Here he is!" Momoi said frantically, staring towards her fallen teacher.
"What happened here?" Relumara asked, quickly motioning for Mordan and several residents to help move Ja'vassa to the infirmary.
"We were about to return to Kivotos when Sensei was struck with this..." Serina explained, holding up the used dart. "It came from that person over there." She added, pointing towards the cloaked figure being held by several of the guards.
Nodding in response, Relumara approached the guards and the mysterious person. "Bring them to the prisons. I want to have a chat with them." He ordered, turning back to Mordan. "Once you've brought Ja'vassa to the infirmary, find Maribelle and inform her of the situation. We need to ensure his life isn't in danger... the dart's poisons were clearly strong enough to get around his undead blood."
With the orders in place, Mordan carried Ja'vassa away while the guards escorted the attacker away. The old Dunmer turned to the students, an apologetic expression crossing his face. "I can have Serica escort you back to your home. We'll be sure to inform you on any changes of my Lord's condition. I suppose our investigations will have to come later... I'm sorry your visit to Skyrim had to end like this."
Hifumi quickly shook her head; she knew they needed to return home soon, but she couldn't just leave knowing that her teacher could possibly fall into an even worse condition. "I... I appreciate the offer, but I can't leave until Sensei's awake. It wouldn't be right to leave him like this..." She replied softly, fidgeting slightly as she stared up at Relumara.
"...very well. Try to relax for a bit in the meantime. I'm going to speak with our unexpected guest. I'm giving you permission to visit the prisons, I want you to inform me or another Council member if you see Rianra. I don't believe he's involved, but given his frequent absences, I need to speak with him as soon as possible." Relumara replied, bidding them farewell as he'd step downstairs to begin his interrogation of their new prisoner.
Unsure of what to do, the students had gathered in the Council Room to discuss their own plans. "Should some of us return to Kivotos to let the others know about what's going on? I'm sure the General Student Council would appreciate updates if Sensei's in danger." Momiji spoke softly, clearly worried about the ongoing situation.
"That's a good point.. I could inform the Tea Party about what happened, and Fuuka could inform the Pandamonium Society. The twins could inform the Seminars, and Momiji could inform Red Winter." Serina suggested, glancing over towards her fellow Trinity student. "Hifumi could remain here, she can update us on Sensei's condition."
It was a solid plan in their minds, though none of them knew how to operate the Milestones used to arrive in Skyrim in the first place. Fortunately for them, Serica had stepped into the room; a melancholic smile on her face. "I thought I heard voices in here.. I was concerned I was late for a Council meeting." She said somewhat playfully. "Put your worries at ease. Ja'vassa will be fine, he's dealt with worse and pulled through stronger than before. I know you're worried, but you'll be in his arms again before you know it."
Fuuka laughed softly at her comment, a weak smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "I know.. Sensei's stronger than that, but we need to return to Kivotos. I'm sure his other students would appreciate an update on him, as would the General Student Council. But.. none of us know how to use those Milestones." She admitted sheepishly.
"Don't worry, I can help with that. I'm going to send you to Abydos first; they have a Void Storage conduit. Inform them of what's going on and we'll stay in touch with them so they can inform you if anything changes." Serica replied, motioning for them to follow her into another room. "I believe I overheard you mentioning that Hifumi will remain behind.. It makes sense. She seems especially attached to Ja'vassa, though I'd suspect the feeling is mutual."
Placing her hand on the top of the glowing beacon, the still image of the Abydos Council Room had appeared in front of her. "Keep your heads held up. Sjel Blad has endured worse, things will be back to normal before you know it."
Fuuka nodded in response, glancing towards her fellow students. "Be safe, Hifumi. Don't hesitate to call us back to Abydos if anything changes." As she finished speaking, she and the other four stepped through the portal; the gateway closing as the last of them stepped into Abydos High School.
Serica released a soft sigh as she turned to face Hifumi. "Maribelle's treating Ja'vassa now.. let's head to the infirmary, I'm sure you're worried about him."
Hifumi silently nodded in agreement, somewhat nervously following behind her into the infirmary. As expected, Ja'vassa was out cold and seemed eerily still. If it weren't for the subtle rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, it'd be easy to assume the toxins did him in. Both Serica and Hifumi took a seat near him, and for once, neither of them said much of anything; sitting in a worried silence.
Back in Abydos High School, there was a slightly tense situation as the Foreclosure Task Force returned to their council room. Upon sight of the outsiders standing around their meeting room, Serika almost immediately raised her rifle. "Intruders from... multiple academies!" She yelled out, looking towards them angrily. "You better explain what you're doing here!"
The other students quickly rushed in upon hearing Serika's shouting, their own firearms prepared for combat. "Serika? Is everything alright?" Ayane aske, stepping in behind the others. "Visitors from... Millennium, Trinity, Gehenna, and Red Winter? What's the meaning of this? It looks like you just stepped away from the Milestone.. were you with Sensei?"
At the sight of the raised firearms, Serina raised her hands in an effort to prove they weren't there to cause trouble. "Yes, we just arrived from Sjel Blad Castle with some news. Sensei was... attacked. A dart struck him and he was left unconscious. Hifumi's still on the other side, but the rest of us came here to inform our respective academies and the General Student Council since he's likely going to be out for a few days." She explained, lowering her hands after a few moments.
The news came as a shock, the Abydos students falling into a surprised silence. Nonomi had broken it after a few moments, despite her concern for Ja'vassa, a reassuring smile crossing her face. "I'm sure Sensei will be fine. We've seen first hand just how strong he is, we just have to be strong for him and carry on like he'd expect us to, too. Thanks for letting us know.. I'd expect that the Council will keep us informed on his condition."
Grateful for the disappearing tension, Momiji let out a sigh of relief. "Please keep us updated. We'll be heading back to our academies soon, though I'll be stopping by the General Student Council before I return to Red Winter." She replied, turning for the door. "I'm sorry for our intrusion, hopefully the next we meet will be under better circumstances." As she finished speaking, her fellow students had exited with her to return home to begin spreading the news.
Two days had followed and news of Ja'vassa's condition had spread across Kivotos like wildfire, though given that he was still in Sjel Blad Castle and only those on his side had access to the Milestones, there was nothing they could do besides just hold onto hope for the future.
