Okay, first off, there is a Spongebob reference in here, and if you don't get it...

How dare you?

Second off, my upload schedule is now in my bio, so instead of harassing me to update, check that schedule and you will know when the next update is coming out.

Cool? Cool.

The Assassins lined up in the outer borders of Eternalia; they camped set up in the tree cover of the nearby forest, the elves weren't aware they were there. Alexios was in the commanding tent, going over their plans.

"Alexios? The Neverseen are nearing." An Assassin called into the tent.

"How long before we launch our attack?"

"Maybe an hour,"

"Keep the men calm; we can't mess this up," Alexios responded.

"Of course Sir," Alexios listened to the Assassin's footsteps fade away, and he ran his hands through his hair and over his stubbly face. Hell, he was supposed to be making this attack with Lia, but he had no gods damned clue- A shuddering boom nearly made Alexios jump out of his skin, the trees waving with the thundering sound.

Alexios threw open the flap of his tent, noticing all of the Assassins just as confused as he was. Suddenly, a spiraling mass of black scales and red eyes came flying through the trees, crashing through the massive trunks and pine needles, sliding on the ground and through their camp, screeching to a stop. Alexios unsheathed his sword, slowly nearing the mass of scales. The creature's chest was slowly rising and falling as if panting for breath. Only when Alexios near closer, his sword ready to attack at a moment's notice, did he realize-

"Ricin?" Alexios asked. Amalia's companion answered to his name, looking up lazily. Alexios craned his neck, panicking when he saw his sister wasn't on his back.

"Ricin, where is Amalia?" Alexios asked, sheathing his sword and walking forward. Ricin huffed and placed his head back down, still catching his breath.

"Ricin! Where is my sister-"

"Stop screaming so loud! Gods, I already probably have a concussion, and your high pitched wailing is only making it worse!" A female voice snapped. Alexios turned to Ricin's wings, which were wrapped around his stomach. He moved them out of the way to reveal a bruised and battered Amalia, smirking and slowly getting up.

"Lia!" Alexios laughed. He ran over and slung her arm over his shoulder, helping her up. After a moment or two, she was able to be on her own two geet. She placed a delicate hand on Ricin's cheek.

"Thank you, Ricin, you were great. Take a few breathes, relax, I'll give you an easy job during the siege." Amalia whispered tenderly to her dragon. He whimpered a thank you and placed his head back down.

"Lia, where have you been!"

"Oh, snapping necks and stealing life-changing information. What's new?" She smirked.

"Though I do love your humor, I'm in no joking mood! We are about to defend an Elvin city against a siege, and you show up an hour before-" Amalia held up a small journal in her hands, waving it around slightly, along with grabbing all of the other papers she had stowed in her pockets.

"Who said I was joking?" She smiled. Alexios looked through everything, appalled with what he was seeing, and what Lia was telling him.

"We should find a way to keep them from breaking apart. That way, we can pick them off as one giant group."

"Wait, you stole all the information we needed. But, snapping necks?" Alexios asked his sister, an eyebrow cocked. Amalia plucked a burlap bag off of her belt, opening it up and taking a massive bite of poppy seed bread.

"Fintan caught me breaking into their room. I distracted him so that I could get close enough, also while learning a tad bit of info, and then snapped his neck." She shrugged. Alexios's jaw dropped.

"You killed Fintan?"

"Yeah. He was a prick, and it turns out a perv, so killing two birds with one stone, I guess." She continued to pick at her bread. Alexios started to chuckle, then laugh, then howl, his sister looking at him lazily.

"Lia! We leave you for a couple of days, and you steal all the Neverseen plans and kill- oh my gods, this is too good!" Alexios howled. Sophie punched his shoulder, smiling as all her assassins came up to greet her.

"Mentore!"

"Mentore Amalia, you're okay!"

"Where is Ruy? Did the Neverseen get him again?!"

Sophie tensed at the last question, looking at Alexios worriedly.

"They know what we know," Alexios said quietly.

"And you all are okay with that? That Ruy is Vespera's son?" Sophie asked the gathering crowd of Assassins.

"I used to be a Neverseen Member, and everyone has treated me great. Ruy has helped us in so many ways, and though, yes, it is weird to think about, we don't care. He is family." An Assassins stepped forward. Everyone around them agreed quietly, nodding their heads. Sophie smiled at her guild, so proud of how far they have all come.

"Mentore, where have you been?" Luram Bak asked, pushing forward through the crowd. Sophie explained what she had learned about Fintan's death and the real reason for infiltrating Eternalia.

"So, they plan to use the people in Foxfire as hostages to collect this special cord?" Luram Bak asked.

"They need a counselor to open the vault to reach the cord, that is why they couldn't just sneak in and snatch it," Sophie answered.

"And, their main attack? How should we intervene?" Another Assassin piped up. Sophie bit her lip in thought, glancing through the trees to try to spy the army.

"We let them in," Sophie decided.

"I-I'm sorry, come again?" Luram Bak asked.

"They are attacking in a way that we simply cannot counter. They have insane numbers. They are going to break off into smaller groups and close into Foxfire. If we get them in a closed area around Foxfire, we can pick them off easier."

"That may be true, but Lia, we would still be extremely outnumbered and overwhelmed."

Sophie opened her mouth to respond, but her mouth turned dry when she heard the beating of leather and feathered wings. Sophie gasped, turning her eyes to the sky, Ricin jumping up and curling around Sophie protectively, growling at the air. Over the horizon, Sophie saw the swarm of Dunmer soldiers neared them.

Oh no, oh no, oh no, what do they want?!

"Are those the Dunmer?!" An Assassins asked. Sophie nodded, and she focused a tad on the figure in front of the swarm of Dunmer soldiers.

"Fiona? Could you get me my spyglass?" Sophia asked, squinting at the swarm. A young elven assassin rushed into a tent and returned with a golden spyglass. Sophie thanked her and focused the spyglass on the swarm.

At the head of it was the red-haired warrior and white-haired man that Ruy was training with only a day past. Sophie stopped her panicking, replacing it with confusion. The Dunmer swooped down from the sky, flying into the cover of the trees, so the Elves didn't spot them. In a matter of minutes, through the trees came Dunmer soldiers, all of them armed and ready for battle.

"Who here is in charge?" The Red-Haired warrior called over her crowd of Assassins. Sophie pushed forward; her eyebrow cocked and her hand on her sword.

"What are you doing here? Your King-"

"We were sent by Prince Ruy." The White-haired man cut off kindly. Mutters and whispers shuddered through the Assassin camp, but Sophie put her hand up, quieting them.

"He realized how outnumbered you all are against the Neverseen, so he bargained with King Dorian to send you 5000 Dunmer soldiers for your fight. But the only way he could send them was if he stayed behind. A show of the power to come if we truly are an alliance. I am Captian Doreah, this here is Zuberi." The red-haired woman explained. Sophie looked at the king's man with a suspicious face.

"And what is your title?" Sophie asked, her lip puckered out.

"Right-hand man of King Dorian. Matters little though, I do what I wish, and I wished to accompany Doreah and you in this battle." Zuberi shrugged. Sophie smirked, pointing her finger at him.

"I like you. Not some royal bootlicker." She smiled. He gave her a curt nod, and he looked over her Assassins.

"Are these the famed Cyevan Assassins?" Zuberi asked. Sophie looked over her men and women proudly.

"Trained killers and infiltrators. We are small in numbers, about 350 in total, but on average we can take down about three men in 20 seconds. We don't focus on numbers; we focus on the power of our beings." Sophie explained. Zuberi nodded, obviously impressed, but Doreah just rolled her eyes and addressed her thousands of soldiers waiting in the woods.

"We are going to have to move soon, don't do anything stupid and stay on your toes." Captain Doreah said sternly. They all saluted her, similar to how humans do it, a straight hand to their foreheads, and relaxed amongst the tree line. The Assassins eyed the Dunmer warily, but Sophie gave them a brief look, making it clear that they could be trusted.

"So, what is your plan?" Doreah asked. Sophie explained everything clearly, explaining the Neverseen's plans and handing over the plans she managed to nab. Her brother stood at her side, almost like standing guard, and also inputting facts Sophie missed or extra pieces of advice.

"I agree with Mentore Morretti." Doreah decided.

"What?!" Alexios snapped. Sophie gave him an annoying smile.m

"If we give them little force and let them put their guards down, our men can surprise them in their streets. You station your men outside of, what was it, Foxfire? You station your men around the school, hidden and tucked away, do what you do best. SUrprise any survivors that manage to trickle through our lines." Doreah reasoned. Amalia turned to her brother.

"It is a good plan if we have larger numbers. Plus, if the Neverseen are using Mirthless, we could be able to hold them back with the Dunmer." Amalia whispered. Alexios bit his lip, glaring at the Dunmer captain. He sighed, looking over their anxious assassins. But he then turned to his sister, seeing her bruised and beaten, her injuries a show of what she risked to give her loyal assassins a fighting chance.

"Alright." He sighed. Amalia smiled, giving his arm a slight squeeze, her brown eyes thankful. Amalia turned to Doreah, her face stern.

"We should probably take the positions now. Since we are not intervening them outside of Eternalia, they will be there in a moment's notice." Zuberi explained. They all agreed and quickly got ready. Sophie got out of her tattered armor, simply changing into some pants and a tunic, debating what armor to wear. As she was making rounds around the camp, Zuberi met her. His eyes were on Ricin, who now recovered and was simply rolling in the fresh grass.

Zuberi was in a different get up than when Sophie saw him training with Ruy. His long white hair was somewhat pulled back, and he wore a green and gold garment that covered his shoulders and arms but left his chest bare. Golden bracelets sat on his wrists, and only now with his hair pulled back did Ophie notice his ears were pointed. Sophie didn't know if pointed ears meant a long age like with the elves, but she didn't ask. The getup didn't seem like something meant for battle.

(OG art is Tarquin from ACOTAR. Go support the original artist!)

"A Lightning Fae Dragon, correct?" Zuberi asked.

"Yes. I found him injured years ago, helped him get out of the chains and everything. Haven't been able to shake him off since." Sophie chuckled.

"It is said that dragons are children of Kynareth, correct? In Vatarian culture?"

"That is right, in Kynareth's temple, there are engravings of dragons all across the walls. The first dragons were born from a lock of her hair, a blow of her breath, and a sliver of her own voice."

"The Assassins worship Kynareth, right? She is also the goddess of stealth and the moon?"

"I wouldn't say we worship her, per se, rather she guides us. We make our own choices, create our own destinies, but we know the gods look over us, influencing small or large things that can make or break us."

"Do you think Kynareth guides you?"

"My relationship with our matron goddess is complex. She has put me through a lot, and though my father said heartaches build strength and courage, too many can crumble even the strongest of warriors. There have been multiple times where I felt she just wanted to torture me, drag me across hot coals and laugh at my burns. But other times she has helped me soar, she watched me meet my family again, she watched me rebuild my family's legacy."

"So, you think she guides you, but not in a good way?"

"Not exactly guides me, more like... she influences things outside and around me that help me shape and mold me into the person I am. But, truly, I know that luck just isn't on my side most of the time. My choices and my destiny are my own, not the gods. Maybe the gods truly like to watch and torture those on the mortal plains. I know that, in perspective of the whole world, I am the last thing Kynareth is looking at unless she is here to torture me." Sophie mumbled. Zuberi was quiet for only a moment before humming, quietly, as if hoping Sophie wouldn't hear him.

"What?"

"Nothing youngling, but, do you think your goddess is that far away?"

"What do you mean?"

Zuberi gave her a small smile and a shrug, his muscles rippling under his skin with the movement.

"Maybe Kynareth is closer than you think." He shrugged. Sophie was about to probe, but her brother came up behind her and saved her from an interesting conversation with the man.

"Do you need anything? We are about to launch the attack." Alexios asked. Zuberi was quiet, as if assessing him, before sighing and looking over the readying soldiers.

"How do you plan on getting that cord before Lady Gisela?" Zuberi asked. Alexios and Amalia stiffened, their eyes meeting in silent panic.

"How on earth did you know-"

"I too am a Telepath, of sorts. Dunmer powers are different, to say the least. While you were talking with Doreah, you let your mental block down, and I learned of everything you discovered at the village." Zuberi admitted. Sophie mentally scolded herself, always remembering to have her mental block up and ready.

"You invaded my mind?" Sophie hissed.

"The information you gathered during that mission also belongs to the Dunmer, as your deal with King Dorian. I simply gathered the information before anybody else. Besides, I didn't even need to invade your mind-"

"I would have given you the information after the battle, this alliance is still new, and if you invade minds as if-"

"I didn't invade your mind. I would never break your trust to invade what is not mine, to begin with." Zuberi shrugged. A muscle flickered in Alexios's jaw, but Sophie just tensed her shoulders and leaned forward.

"I believed if we could hold back the Neverseen from Foxfire, the Council wouldn't give them a counselor so they could access the vault." Sophie shrugged.

"You of all people should know the Neverseen had more than one plan. How do you know that what Fintan told you was everything you needed? How do you know that what you found on those parchments was every secret of this plan?"

"What are you proposing?" Alexios quietly demanded.

"This plan is more complex; it always is with the Neverseen. Having Gisela away from the battlefront, why?"

"Elves can't handle violence well. Maybe they are trying to keep her away-"

"She has had plenty of instances where Gisela was fine with violence. Why have her away from the field, ready to retrieve the cord? Why do they need to have her away?" Zuberi questioned. The more he explained, the more Alexios and Amalia grew suspicious.

"There is more to this plan; there has to be." Alexios whimpered to his sister. Amalia bit her lip, her panic unimaginable now that the possibility was brought to her attention.

"I can't leave again; I just can't-"

"Our Assassins need you, Lia, you can't leave. You just arrived, now you leave? The troops will know something is wrong." Alexios confirmed. Zuberi just smiled, nodding slightly.

"That is right; you must stay here with your troops. You will entrust this with two allies. One elven, one Vatarian." Zuberi explained.

"W-What? You aren't one to decide who I would send on this mission." Sophie scoffed.

"No. But I know who you will send. The elf with blond locks and the eyes of a sky blue stare, and the Vatarian with kohl-rimmed eyes and a steely blue glare." Zuberi drawled.

Sophie and Alexios blinked.

"Nice rhyme bro-"

"Shut up, Lia- What the hell was that?!" Alexios stuttered.

"What?" Zuberi asked.

"You sound like the crazy lady near the bathhouse. We are going to send who we believe would be best."

"Which is the one with the eye of Ra and the prankster elf," Zuberi confirmed.

"No- Lia, knock some sense into him! We are not sending Nour; we need him here! And the Sencen kid?! Are you kidding?" Alexios hissed. But Amalia had her hand on her chin in thought, her eyes facing the ground.

"I think he is right-"

"Unbelievable!" Alexios yelled, throwing his arms up in defeat.