Laurenna and I both go up early, that morning.

"Are you certain there was no other way to accomplish this task?" she asked.

"Apparently not." I replied. "No amount of coaxing on my part was going to sway his opinion of me. I could have been sent from the Emperor with a direct order, and Venim would still consider me unfit for the title."

Being as we were right in the Mage's Guild offices, we decided to use their teleport, and ended up in the grand old city of Vivic.

We made our way through the cantons and after only a few minutes walk, the Arena loomed ahead of us, a place of battle, honor, and, more often than not, a place of death.

We made our way inside.  I could see Venim down below.

"Come to me, fraud!" he taunted.

"Isn't there anything you can do to calm him down?" Laurenna asked.

"I can try Medusa's Gaze, and maybe try to talk some sense into him." I replied.

"Be careful!" she replied.

I gave Laurenna a kiss, and using the enchanted soft brown leather boots, jumped over the wall, and gently floated to the floor of the Arena, spell of Medusa's Gaze at the ready.    

The moment I hit the ground, I shot off Medusa's Gaze at him.

The spell went right past him, hitting the wall a few feet away.

I shot off a Lighting Storm spell as he ran towards me, fury in his eyes, sword out and ready to cut me to pieces.

That spell also went right past him!

Venim must have been using some kind of sanctuary spell, protecting him from harm. That wouldn't work well for me!   

Using my enchanted boots, I jumped into the air, giving me a few moments to set up a different spell.

Since he was letting my own spells pass right through him without effect, I summoned a Storm Antroch to come to my aid.

It appeared just as I hit the ground, distracting Venim with it's own attack of rock-like arms and lightening shock spells.    

As Venim was distracted, I also summoned a Golden Saint and Winged Twilight into the battle.

I was glad, very glad, that I had studied and practiced those spells so many months ago.

Venim swung his broadsword at one creature after another, but the three of them proved to be more powerful than he was prepared for.

"Venim!" I shouted, "Do you surrender?"

"To you?" he shouted definantly, "Never!"

A moment later, a swift stroke of a Golden Saint's broadsword found a vital area, and Venim fell to the ground, dead.

As per the law, I had the right to his armor and weapons, but I had remembered what I had been told about duels and honor.

It would not be the honorable thing to do, taking his possessions.

I decided to leave them where they were, leave them to his family.

Again, using the enchanted boots, I jumped up high over the Arena, and landed gently in front of Laurenna.

"Come." I said, "We must return to Ald'ruhn, and finish this task concerning House Redoran."

We made our way back to the Mage's Guild offices and teleported back to Ald'ruhn.

There, I changed back into my spiffy outfit, and made my way back to the halls of House Redoran.    

I returned to Athyn Sarethi, and told him the news of my battle with Venim in the Arena.

"I will give you my support." he said. "The Council of House Redoran is now in agreement. You are the Hortator of House Redoran. I hope you are as successful in persuading the rest of Morrowind to unite against Dagoth Ur and  his blighted hosts. On behalf of the house and council, take this Ring of the Hortator, a token of your office. By this ring, others shell know you as our chosen champion."

I took the ring, bowing graciously.

"Before you go," he said, in a more serious tone, "I also have a sealed package for you." He went to a nearby desk, picking up a package and a small parchment paper, handing it to me.

"I do not know what it contains," he continued, "but I received it from a contact in the highest ranks of the Temple. My guess is that it has something to do with the Temple's position on your claim to fulfill the Nerevarine prophecies. And here is a copy of a recent public notice identifying you as an Imperial agent. I am satisfied of your sincerity, but I warn you that others may not be so understanding."     

I thanked Athyn Sarethi again for his trust as well as his support. Tucking the package away, I made my way out of the chambers and back to the outside world.

I wanted to look at the information I had been given, but decided I had better wait until I could read them in private first.

Laurenna was downstairs chatting with one or two of the girls there, so I made my way to our room, closed the door, and read the information I had been given.

It was addressed to "The outlander claiming the identity of Nerevarine". I guess that would be me.

The assertions made being in direct contradiction of the docterine of the Tribunal, namely, that you are the Nerevarine, the reincarnation of the Sainted Lord Nerevar, are, in addition to being against Temple teaching, incredible and implausible in the extreme.

The revelations made by the Inquisition, namely, that you yourself are in fact an agent of the Imperial Intelligence Service, otherwise known as the Order of Blades, lately made with substantial evidence by the Lord High Archordinator, Berel Sala, further calls into question the validity of and motivations behind your claims.

However, as incredible as your claims are, as much as they are in direct contradiction of the teachings of the Temple, and tainted as they are by the inferences to be made upon your close association with the covert policies and interests of the Emperor, the interests of the Temple and its ledership, and in particular, the interests of His Immortal Lordship, Vivic, are best served by a close and personal examinations of the claims being made, and close and personal examinations of the motivations and character of the claimant.

The Temple, through its examinations of its records, in particular, the records of the Heirographa and Apographa, is intimately familiar with the many and varied claims of signs and feats that would mark the Nerevarine according to prophecy.

Therefore, in the event of the fulfillment of certain of those most remarkable and scarcely credible claims - namely, that the claimant should, at one time, be the acknowledged holder of several ancient titles of power and authority of the Dunmer people, to whit, Hortator of the Great Houses and Nerevarine of the Ashlander tribes - the Temple proposes that the claimant of the identity of the Nerevarine shall present himself for inspection before his Reverent Honor, Archcanon Lord Tholer Saryoni, High Archcanon and Chancellor of Vivic, Archcanon of the Canonry of Vvardenfell, Arch-Priest of the High Fane, for a review and consideration of his claims and identity. However, until such time as the claimant actually has been named Hortator seperately and jointly by the three Great Houses of Vvardenfell, and at the same time, has been named Nerevarine seperately and jointly by the four tribes of the Ashlanders, there is no purpose in reviewing or discussing these claims.

Because of the Temple's official position on the prophecies of the Nerevarine, and in the interests or preserving the security of the claimant from those parties who might wish to do him harm, it is convenient that the claimant of the title Nerevarine shall present himself in secret to Archcanon Saryoni in the archcanon's private quarters in the High Fane of Vivic.

To signify agreement with these terms and conditions for a meeting with the archcanon, the Nerevarine claimant may present himself to the healer of the High Fane of Vivic, Danso Indules, and the necessary arrangements will be made. Once again, no purpose is served by a meeting until the claimant is named Hortator of the three Great Houses and is named Nerevarine by the four Ashlander tribes.

Written at the request of and in the name of his Reverend Honor Tholer Saryoni, Archcanon and Chancellor of Vivic,

Dileno Lloran, priest of Vivic, assistant to the Archcanon.

Wait a minute! They KNEW I was a member of the Blades, a spy for the Emperor? My cover was blown! Oh, that will not work well for me at all.

I breathed a heavy sigh, and read the pamplet that accompanied the sealed package.
Yes, that was a very chilling feeling that went down my spine as I read it.

WELL-BELOVED PEOPLE OF MORROWIND!
TAKE HEED!
TAKE WARNING!

The outlaw named Eldorf Dragonmeal, stated trade of Mage, lately called 'Incarnate' and 'Nerevarine,' now is shown to the investigating Ordinators and Magistrates of this district to be an agent in the pay of the Imperial Intelligence Service. This outlaw's claims are false. The prophecies this outlaw cites are discredited. The dishonest character and base purpose of the outlaw in perpetrating this hoax are now made clear to all observers. Eldorf Dragonmeal is sought for various crimes by Ordinators and two guards. Report all encounters with this outlaw to the proper authorties. If you see this outlaw in public, give the alarm.

Published by the authority of the Temple, the Order of the Watch, magistrates of Vvardenfell District, under the signature and authority of Grandmaster Berel Sala, Captain of the Watch. Hear and Heed!

Oh, this just wasn't going to be my day. Not only was my cover blown within the Temple, this could actually kill off any chances of completing my mission.

Remind me to get a letter off to the Emperor about security leaks within his offices.  Sheesh!          

Laurenna started to protest, but I stopped her. "This is far deeper than you need to be involved in." I said. "I have spells that can get me out of trouble quickly, so don't worry about me. I'll keep in touch with the wedding ring and let you know of my progress."

I changed to one of my other robes, and headed to the front door. If necessary, I could use the Amulet of Shadows to move about the town. My next mission was to be named Hortator of House Hlaalu. Unlike House Redoran, these people were not located under one roof.