My Own Path Chapter 15

The first week had been very difficult for everyone in the Dark Brotherhood. The arrival of the Night Mother had been something that all had been looking forward to, but nothing had prepared them for the eccentric Keeper.

The jester would be up at all hours of the night, either tending to or watching over the iron crypt. Word had quickly spread about Cicero's short temper when it came to the Night Mother, so everyone just felt it would be easier to avoid the tomb's chamber rather than have to deal with the Keeper.

Eventually, things began to return to normal, and everyone was once again doing their normal routines. Veezara and Arnbjorn were practicing their melee in the training area, Babette and Gabriella focused on their alchemy, and Festus and KaNack were hard at work in the art of destruction magic.

"Two soldiers behind you," Festus muttered as he watched from the side, arms crossed.

Without turning his back, KaNack's arms reached back and two bolts of lightning shot from them.

"Good! Not taking your eyes off an enemy in front of you! Very good! Hagraven up to your left!"

KaNack's arm quickly changed directions, and a ball of fire shot out and exploded into the cave walls. Festus was not one to hand out praise, but he had been pleased with how quickly the Argonian had been improving his magicka and its control.

Arnbjorn turned around, and then a wicked smile formed on his face.

"Skeever! Running from the stairs!" he shouted to the mage.  Even though the command hadn't come from Krex, KaNack had his mind focused on following orders. The reptile spun around and a bolt of lightning cracked from his hands and struck the stairwell.

Cicero shrieked and had to dive off the stairs and onto the hard dirt floor to avoid the electrical current. KaNack jumped and gawked in shock when he realized how close he had come to hurting the Night Mother's Keeper.

Arnbjorn and Veezara burst into laughter as the Keeper staggered to his feet.

"Awww, you missed!"  the Nord laughed.

"Dammit, fleabag!" Festus snapped furiously. "We're in the middle of a lesson! Kracket, if it's not me giving the command, you IGNORE IT!"

Cicero growled angrily as he brushed off his dusty clothes, and then stared at KaNack in shock.

"Why did you attack Cicero?" he cried. "What did I do?"

"It was an accident! I'm sorry!"

KaNack had spent more time with the jester than anyone else in the sanctuary. One could say that he was probably the closest friend he had amongst the assassins. The Argonian hurried over to make sure that the lightning attack didn't actually make any contact with the Imperial.

"Fine! Fine! Cicero is fine!" the Keeper insisted. "It takes more than that to slay Sly Cicero!"

"Festus, you need to keep working on this kid! His aim is obviously off!" the Nord laughed as he turned back to Veezara to resume sparring with the Shadowscale.

KaNack's eyes narrowed as he glared in the Nord's direction. No command was given, but lightning shot from the Argonian's fingers and struck the large battle axe that Arnbjorn had in hand. The assassin released a cry of pain, practically hurling his weapon to the ground.

"No, no his aim seems just fine," Festus grumbled with a nod.

Veezara couldn't help but point and laugh as the large Nord rubbed at his wrists that were aching slightly. He growled and gave the mage a dark look.

"Laugh a little, Arnbjorn!" the green assassin chuckled. "Don't tell me a little shock like that hurt a big, bad wolf like you?"

"Of course not," the Nord grumbled before retrieving his axe from the ground.


Krex released a grunt of annoyance, and glared at KaNack. "Okay, Nacker, that will be all for the day. Scram." The elder mage then stormed off to resume his experiments in alchemy with Babette and Gabriella.

Cicero giggled and clapped his hands at the actions of the apprentice. "Oh, what a neat trick!" the jester exclaimed as he grabbed the mage's wrists to stare at the hands that had produced lightning. "Teach me! Teach me!"

"I don't know if this is something I can teach," KaNack answered simply, "Do you have any magicka within you, Cicero?"

"Why yes! Cicero does know magic! Watch!"

The jester reached under the mage's hood and plucked one of his feathers from his head.  "OW! What are…?"

Placing the feather in the palm of his hand, Cicero began to hum happily. He wiggled his fingers above the Argonian's follicle and then clapped both hands together. KaNack leaned forward, curious to see what the jester was up to.  When the gloved palms slowly opened, a single septim had replaced the red feather in the Keeper's hands.

"Ta da!" the jester sang. "Money might not grow on trees, but it certainly must grow on Argonians!"

"How did you do that?" the Argonian asked as he stared at the gold piece in disbelief. The Fool of Hearts beckoned the mage closer with a curl of a finger. When KaNack leaned forward, Cicero whispered in his ear.

"Cicero did it very well," he giggled quietly.  

KaNack began to laugh loudly and resulted in Cicero's giggling to become louder.  

Nazir appeared at the top of the stairs, and rolled his eyes when he saw that the Argonian clearly had not joined the rest of them in shutting Cicero out.

"Hey! If you're done fooling around, dinner's ready!" he barked to the floor below him.

"Fooling around is all Cicero can do, Silly Redguard!"

"Ugh."

Dinner was the only time when Cicero would actually be in the presence of all of the members of the Dark Brotherhood. The assassins didn't take kindly to Cicero's vicious debut in the sanctuary, and many would have preferred if he had just dropped off the Night Mother and left.  

The assassins had planned amongst themselves to sit as far away from the lunatic as possible during meal times. Their intent was to make Cicero feel unwelcome, and get him to leave the sanctuary. The idea had been a good one, but it failed miserably. KaNack would always sit to the right of the Keeper.

The two were constantly talking, sharing stories and telling jokes to one another. The Fool of Hearts had no idea that the other assassins were even trying to isolate him.

Nazir and Arnbjorn glared over at KaNack as once again, he was right next to the Keeper sharing a story from Black Marsh.

"So after the thugs beat my pal, Pajeen, into the marsh, all they got off of him were three gold pieces. They asked him why he had fought tooth and nail just for just three septims." The Argonian then rolled his eyes. "Dumb scaly bastard proceeded to explain to them that he thought they had been after the emerald he was hiding in his boot."

Cicero cackled loudly and slammed a palm onto the table.

"How droll! How amusing! Cicero simply loves the stories of Black Marsh! I must go there someday!"

Astrid grumbled to herself as she did her best to ignore the jester. She didn't like the fact that KaNack was encouraging the behavior, but she tried her best to remain calm.  KaNack leaned to Cicero and spoke behind a palm to the jester which did make Astrid curious. The jokes were one thing, but what could the newest initiate have to hide from the rest of them?

"I was going to head out the deep woods tonight. There is a legend of a headless ghost riding a steed in the twilight hours. It sounds pretty exciting; do you want to join me?"

Cicero tittered in excitement, mostly because he knew how frustrated Astrid was that he knew something that she did not, and it was aggravating her.

"Ghost hunting? How spooky and fun. You like spirits, do you?" the Keeper whispered back. "There is a place that I must take you someday." He then shook his head sadly. "Unfortunately, Poor Cicero already has plans tonight. Another time perhaps?"

KaNack shrugged his shoulders. He had already asked Veezara, and his cousin said he had better things to do than sit in the dank woods all night.  Still, he wasn't going to sit around in his room all night simply because neither of his friends could accompany him. He had spent plenty of time alone, and solitude did not faze him.

After dinner, KaNack went to his room and lightly packed up his knapsack with a blanket, a few potions and a water flask. He didn't plan to go very far, and needed very little for his ghost hunt. The Argonian promptly left the sanctuary and started into the misty and haunting woods of the Pine Forest.

The forest was much more intimidating at night. Shadows seemed to play tricks on the eyes and every little sound could be a threat lumbering in the distance. The Argonian trudged forward nonetheless until he came to the edge of the forest which provided a clear view of the region before him. Rolling hills decorated the lush land, while icy mountains towered in the distance. He could even see faint hints of torch light coming from the city of Falkreath ahead.

Festus had told him that he himself had seen the headless spirit before and that it ran through the woods and continued down the road into Falkreath. If the spirit was going to make the same journey, there was going to be no possibility of KaNack not seeing him.

Pulling out the blanket, the mage wrapped himself in it, and rested against a tree as he stared at the land before him. It was quiet and peaceful now that he wasn't in the middle of the forest, on the outskirts all he could hear was the playful singing of crickets.

"This is the secret you were hiding?" a female voice suddenly asked.

The mage's head spun around and he saw Astrid leaning against another pine tree, looking both bored and disappointed. "Honestly, I had been hoping for some hidden treasure or at least sinister plotting."

"What?" the Argonian asked. "I just wanted to see a ghost."

This made Astrid have to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing loudly. She shook her head and made her way over to the young apprentice.

"Now I feel like a fool. I should have known better than to think that you were planning something behind my back." The Nord rested her shoulder against KaNack's tree and looked at the land of the Falkreath Hold.

"You really think I would betray you or the family?" KaNack growled, slightly hurt. "I'm an outcast, there's nowhere else for me to go. I think you're pretty safe."

"Okay, you're right and I'm wrong. Is that what you wanted to hear?" She chuckled again and reached down to playfully tug on one of the reptile's horns. "It was just the way you were with Cicero. None of the others are fond or trusting of him."

"He's really not as bad as you all believe he is," KaNack grumbled as he looked up at Astrid. "Just try talking to him, despite what you think, he knows what he's talking about."

"I've had enough of the muttering fool, KaNack," Astrid hissed. "The way he speaks of Tenets and the Old Ways. He seems to be consistently challenging my authority in the sanctuary." She then released a loud sigh. "The other night, he locked himself in that chamber and I heard him talking quietly to someone. I could not make out a lot of it, but it sounded very much like he plans to turn everyone against me."

"That sounds like paranoia to me," the mage growled as he kept his eyes on the horizon. He wanted to come out to see a ghost, not exchange conspiracy theories with the Dark Brotherhood leader.

KaNack scooted to the side as Astrid took a seat next to him. "Because of how much time you spent with Cicero, I had thought it was you he had been speaking to in that chamber. Since you are out here looking for specters, I can see that it is no longer the case."

"Wait," KaNack started as he rubbed at his temples as the sheer audacity of Astrid's thought process. "I was thought to be a traitor, because Cicero's my friend? Do you have any idea how crazy that sounds?"

"I said I was wrong about you," she snapped at him angrily. "That Keeper I am still suspicious of." She placed a hand on his shoulder, but the normally comforting touch felt cold and unfeeling to the mage. "I am going to need you to do something for me, now that I know you aren't the one he is conspiring with."

"You THINK he's conspiring," the Argonian corrected her bitterly.

Astrid ignored KaNack's snide remark, and continued. "Try and talk to Cicero, see if you can get him to tell you anything about his plans. Sithis knows how you can stand the man, but he trusts you, and will likely confide in you any treachery he might be planning."

"Astrid, I know you are the leader of the sanctuary. I know you took a chance on me, by letting me join the Brotherhood. I just don't think I can bring myself to treat one of my closest friends in the sanctuary as though he were some kind of conspirator."

"If he's innocent, then he will have nothing to hide," the Nord explained calmly.

KaNack was about to tell Astrid that she was wasting her time, that Cicero was as loyal to the Dark Brotherhood as any one person in that sanctuary. A loud roar from the sky broke his chain of thought. The two assassins' heads lifted up to see a frost dragon circling above them.

"DOVAHKIIN!" it roared down at the Argonian. "No more hiding!"

"By Sithis!" Astrid cried as she got to her feet pulling out her blade.

KaNack very slowly began to stand, staring up at the beast in terror. It had been so long since he had faced one of the monsters, and its appearance was no less frightening now than it had been when he had been first named Dragonborn.

"Get to the Sanctuary! NOW!" Astrid screamed as she took off into the woods.

The dovah's wings flapped loudly as it hovered down and finally landed on the ground. The earth shook so much that the Argonian almost lost his balance.

"No more running!" it growled at him furiously. " DIR SAHLO MUN!" Its jaws opened wide as it prepared to attack. "FO!"

A blast of burning frost erupted from its maw, and all KaNack could do was cast a powerful ward in front of him. It protected him from the Shout, but the force knocked him back further into the woods.

"Face your death! Alduin demands it! NIVAHRIIN MEY!"

The large dragon easily knocked trees over that blocked his path as he crashed through the forest after his prey.

The Argonian scrambled to his feet and looked frantically for Astrid, but the Nord had long since run away at the appearance of the monster.

"SIIV HIO!"

He danced to the side as the beast's head shot forward and snapped its powerful jaws.  KaNack had not been thinking, but a blast of frostbite shot from his palms, striking the reptile's snout. This caused the dovah bellow a laugh that echoed through the Pine Forest.

"Foolish DOVAHKIIN! You attack me with my strength! FOLAAS ZUN!"

KaNack dropped to the ground as the dragon's tail came swinging overhead, knocking large trees over in the process.  The mage clambered under the fallen timber, hoping to stay low and out of sight of the beast. The frost dragon's tail slammed violently down upon the timber, hoping to crush the frail mage in the process. The Argonian had already made his way out and around the dragon and was now behind him.

The apprentice's upper lip curled up and his eyes narrowed as he glared at the beast. When he had been sent out to fight the beasts, he had at least had the Whiterun housecarl Lydia by his side; this was the first time he ever had to face a dragon alone.

In a strange turn of events, his fear slowly began to turn to anger.  Since his last dovah encounter, his strength and abilities had increased.

"YOL!" he roared loudly. Flames shot from his mouth and burned into the light gray scales of the dragon.

"TAHRODIIS!" he snarled as he turned his massive body around to face the mage. The Argonian's palms glowed blue and he cast the energy into the ground before him. A flame atronach appeared and it gazed defiantly at the dragon, there was no fear to be found from the atronach.

"April! Aim for its eyes!" KaNack snarled as he got into a casting position and charged up a fireball.

Balls of flame shot from the atronach's hands at a frightening speed, striking at the dragon's snout and brow. The beast snarled and snapped, but the conjuration was agile and would quickly drift from the deadly bite.

It bellowed loudly as even more fireballs burned into him as they were cast by the Argonian. A frost dragon was naturally vulnerable to fire, and KaNack's inner fire was not going to be extinguished any time soon.


With a deafening roar of fury, the dragon turned its attention to the elemental and its maw opened wide. "FO!"

The Shout engulfed the flame atronach and she shattered into ash on the earth, the beast grunted as the fire from the detonation struck him, but then quickly shook it off and glared at KaNack.

"April!" he cried. KaNack always felt a spiritual connection to his conjurations. They would always return in the end, but that didn't stop him from sensing their fear and pain if they fell in battle. The Argonian growled deep in his throat as he glared at the dragon hatefully.

"Now I will end you, DOVAHKIIN," the dragon howled at the mage. "DIR! Die in vain!"

The mage got into a casting position and a powerful ball of fire began to swirl in his hands. He cast the deadly projectile forward and it struck the monster right in its throat. In his fear, despair, and fury, he had managed to cast the spell incinerate.

The dragon rose to its hind legs and its head swung from side to side as it screamed to the skies.

"DINOK NOL OK HAAL!" it cried out as its body began to combust and smolder. Soon there was nothing left but its skeleton.

KaNack gasped and clutched at his chest as the power of the dragon's soul began to flow into him. It might have looked majestic, but it hurt like Oblivion.  The Argonian fell to his knees, gasping and shuddering, trying to recover from the horrendous ordeal.

His head lifted suddenly when he heard the crunching sound of footsteps approach.

"By Sithis," a voice hissed.

Turning his head, KaNack saw Astrid staring down at him in both shock and horror.

"So the stories were true," she whispered quietly. "The Dragonborn does exist."

"Please," KaNack begged as he stared at her, his eyes glazed with unshed tears. "Please, don't tell anyone.  This was something I was hoping I could escape from."

"You can't escape this! It's what you are!" She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Trying to escape being the Dragonborn is like trying to run from your very shadow. You can deny it all you want, but in the end you know what you are. Why would you not want this? You've practically been handed both fame and glory."

"I didn't ask for this!" he hissed. "I also didn't ask for THAT!" he snarled as he pointed furiously at the dragon's skeleton. "They always came for me! They always wanted me dead! I just couldn't take it anymore!" His head dropped as he looked sadly at the ground. "Don't send me back, Astrid. I don't want the fame and glory! I don't want to have to live every day wondering if this will be the time that the beasts take me!" He shivered and squeezed his eyes shut. "I was scared, Astrid. That's why I left."

The Nord walked over to the Argonian and gently stroked his feathered hair back.

"KaNack," she said softly. "No one is going to send you away. We're your family now, and we will look after you and protect you. You are our little brother, and nothing will ever change that." She gently pulled KaNack to his feet and held him in a tight embrace. "Your secret is safe with me. No one will ever know," she whispered in his ear.

The Dark Brotherhood leader held him to her side as she guided him back to the sanctuary.  KaNack rested his head on her shoulder as they walked through the dense Pine Forest. He had been so relieved by her kind gesture; he didn't notice the wicked and satisfied smirk that began to form on the Nord's face.