Chapter Six
As they dropped off their horses at the stables, much to the stable boy's surprise at seeing Avyanna back in Solitude so quickly, Farkas revealed what he was in Solitude for.
"Rina's gone missing," Farkas explained to Avyanna as they headed towards East Empire Company Warehouse, the butterfly flying ahead of them. "Vilkas is…not himself lately and Einarr thought an Argonian named Gulum-Ei might know something."
Avyanna frowned. "Is he part of the Companions?"
Farkas shook his head. "No, something to do with the Thieves Guild. Our best bet is that he at least knows something. Even if it's just a rumor."
"How do you know he's with the thieves?"
"Lassarina worked with them for a short while."
Avyanna said nothing more as they walked down to the docks. Ships were ported in, cargo onto the decks and guards walking around. As they made their way closer towards the building, two guards held out their hands.
"Stop right there. What business do you have?" one of the guards asked and Avyanna stepped up. Immediately, they recognised her and quickly moved away from the door. "My apologises, my lady, carry on."
Avyanna said nothing as they walked in, but felt Farkas's amused look on her. Another guard tried to stop them but along with the first two, recognised Avyanna and offered his services.
"We're looking for an Argonian named Gulum-Ei," Avyanna informed the guard who nodded.
"I'll take you to him," he answered, leading them further into the warehouse. "I'd be careful though, the damn lizard is a slippery one."
"We'll keep that in mind." Farkas replied, sharing a look with Avyanna who just shrugged her shoulders. She kept her eyes out for the butterfly, wondering where the hell the beacon was and why was it here in the first place.
Her mind first thought of a bandit or some kind of thief trying to sell it. It seemed to be the most possible and likely answer. The guard held a door out for them further away from the cargo.
"Just head on in there, he'll be in there." The guard informed them as they stepped through. Immediately, Avyanna was surprised at the sight of the cave like path.
"Can you fit?" Avyanna asked, concerned for Farkas accidentally hitting his head on the roof of the cave. Farkas ducked slightly before standing up straight, the roof only just touching his hair.
"Worried about me?" he grinned and she rolled her eyes, walking in front. She almost began to wonder if the guard led them to the wrong place but the thought was pushed back out of her mind when some cargo came into view.
There were some wooden bridges above the water below, allowing the two of them to walk across further and further into the cave. Avyanna was too busy looking ahead for any signs of bandits or hostiles; she failed to notice the hole in one part of the bridge.
Just as she went to step on it, Farkas quickly grabbed her waist, pulling her back much to her surprise. "Careful, there's a hole in the bridge."
Avyanna found it was true as Farkas removed his arm from her waist, blushing slightly at the close contact. "Thanks." She murmured, stepping over the hole and continuing onwards. Finally, they reach the end where more and more cargo were stacked up in aisles and an Argonian man, whom Avyanna assumed as Gulum-Ei, stood inspecting some goods.
Gulum-Ei heard footsteps and turned, seeing two young Nords walking towards him. "So, what do we have here? Hmm, let me guess…by your scent, I'd say you two were from the Companions. I don't know what your guild wants with me so I have no business with you."
Farkas glared at him. "Have you seen Lassarina? She was part of the Thieves Guild. A Nord with dark auburn hair and pale blue eyes."
"I don't deal with missing women. Now, if you're looking for goods, you've come to the right person." Gulum-Ei replied, his gazing flicking towards Avyanna.
Avyanna grew impatient. "I don't have time for this," she muttered, grabbing a small throwing knife and aiming it straight at Gulum-Ei's sleeve. The knife dug straight in, pinning the Argonian to the barrel behind him. While Farkas grinned and began to interrogate Gulum-Ei some more, Avyanna's eyes found the butterfly resting a chest further away.
Walking towards it, as soon as Avyanna opened the lid, the butterfly disappeared into thin air. She began to sort through the merchandise until her eyes found a light pink gem the size of a ball. As soon as she picked it up, Meridia's voice filled her mind again.
"You have found my beacon. But it is not time for rejoicing. The defiler continues to profane my temple. Return to my figure on Mount Kilkreath, and I shall keep my end of the bargain." Meridia instructed in a firm voice before disappearing. Avyanna looked over at Farkas who ripped the knife out of Gulum-Ei's sleeve, walking towards her with a hard look on his face.
"Did you find out anything?" Avyanna asked, grabbing the knife off of Farkas as the two of them headed out.
"No, it's like she's disappeared from Skyrim altogether!" he exclaimed before sighing, glancing at the beacon in her hands. "I see you fared better."
Avyanna nodded. "Meridia said to return it and she'll leave Rohan alone."
"Are you sure that's all you want?"
"What else is there? As long as my brother is safe, then that's all that matters to me."
Farkas nodded in understanding. He would do anything for Vilkas, that's why he was searching as much as he could for Lassarina.
As they walked up to the stairs, Meridia once again invaded Avyanna's mind, much to her annoyance.
"Restore to me my beacon." Meridia instructed and Avyanna stepped forward, placing the gem into the small pedestal. As soon as the gem left her finger tips, a bright white light force field surrounded Avyanna, flying her straight into the sky. She yelped in surprise, her eyes finding Farkas's worried ones.
"What are you doing?! This wasn't part of the deal!" she shouted, punching the field but it did nothing but block her feeble attempt to break free.
"I have kept my end of the deal. Your kin shall remain unharmed," Meridia pointed out, a small ball of light floating right in front of her."It is time for my splendour to return to Skyrim. But the token of my truth lies buried in the ruins of my once great temple, now tainted by a profane darkness skittering within. The Necromancer Malkoran defiles my shrine with vile corruptions, trapping lost souls left in the wake of this war to do his bidding. I have brought you here, mortal, to destroy the defiler and retrieve my artifact."
Avyanna gritted her teeth. "It doesn't really sound like I have a choice on this matter."
Meridia chuckled. "Not if you wish for my promise to remain. I will send down a ray of light. Guide this light through my temple and its doors will open."
Avyanna began to descent down to the ground again and as soon as her feet touched the ground, Farkas ran over and looked for any injuries. Avyanna was too pissed off to be bothered by it. How dare she control Avyanna and on top of that, threaten Rohan!
"What is to happen now?" Farkas asked, following Avyanna as she walked down the steps and turned, opening the door to the temple.
"We're going to kill a Necromancer." She answered.
She didn't like it one bit. The air smelt of death and a black mist covered the air, making it hard to see anything. Avyanna stepped down the hall, Farkas staying close as they headed down the steps. A small beam of light came through the roof, hitting on a similar looking beacon that rested in a pedestal.
"Blast it! I can't see a damn thing!" a deep growl came from Farkas; it was almost…animal like.
Avyanna sighed, grabbing a torch from the wall and lighting it up before passing it to him. Farkas took it and squinted, although the mist was completely gone, it was better than nothing.
Walking over to the pedestal, Avyanna found a small button on the side. Pressing it, she quickly stepped back as the beacon was lifted up slightly, hitting the beam of light and redirecting it towards the door. It opened by itself and the realization dawned on her.
"Be on your guard, I smell something foul in the mist." Farkas warned her and Avyanna frowned, turning to look at him confused.
"You can smell what's ahead?" she asked in a tone of disbelief.
Farkas quickly chuckled, rubbing the back of his hand with his free hand. "Can't you? It's everywhere."
Of course she could smell it; the temple stank of dead bodies and mould. She didn't question further, unsheathing her sword and walking ahead. As they walked down the stairs, some kind of black skeleton shade took a swung at Avyanna who only managed to just step back in surprise.
"Watch out!" she warned Farkas, cutting the shade's head off and the rest of the body crumbled to the ground. Avyanna spotted two more heading towards them and Farkas handed her the torch, quickly dispatching them with two swings of his great sword.
"Heh, these aren't a challenge." Farkas grinned as Avyanna walked towards the pedestal, activating it and opening another door up the stairs.
"They don't make shades like they used to," Avyanna said sarcastically, walking past him but he just grinned, the words not affecting him. "Can I ask you something?"
A smirk fell on his face. "You just did."
Avyanna rolled her eyes as a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Very funny."
"I try."
Avyanna spotted two more shades heading towards them and she threw two knives at their necks. The contact cut through their necks, forcing their heads to fall to the ground along with the rest of them.
"Nice shot." Farkas commented, noticing her skill and she shrugged her shoulders, picking up the fallen knives.
"Back in Whiterun, you asked if I was joining the Companions," Avyanna walked down the steps and towards the pedestal just as Farkas dispatched of the four shades before they could attack her. "What exactly has Rohan told you?"
Farkas watched as she pressed the button. "The young lad mentioned your last job, that you were Jarl Elisif's bodyguard."
The door opened again and they both walked through it. "Anything else?"
"That Jarl Balgruff asked for you to join his ranks, but you declined."
Avyanna nodded. "All true." She answered, spotting the next pedestal but the walkway to it was broken. She'd have to jump across, lovely.
"May I ask you a question?" Farkas asked, seeing five shades heading towards them.
Avyanna smirked as she jabbed her sword into one shade's rib cage and pulled out, quickly cutting across and then deflecting the axe from another. "You just did."
"Turning my jokes against me? Have you no shame woman?" Farkas grunted, swinging his great sword and cutting two down just as Avyanna gave a round house kick to the last one.
"You may ask." Avyanna replied, the two of them walking up the stairs to the second floor and towards the broken walkway.
"Why did you decline Jarl Balgruff's offer?"
Avyanna paused from answering straight away; instead she turned her attention to running forward and jumping to the pedestal. Pressing the small button, she watched the beam of light hit the door on the first floor before turning to him.
"All I want is for Rohan to grow up without the fear of an assassin creeping into his bed and slitting his throat in the middle of the night. I grew up with training, swords and arrows," a brief flicker of sadness filled her eyes as she looked down, hard at the ground. "He didn't."
Farkas didn't press further as they both jumped down onto the first floor and walked through the now opened door. As the door closed behind them, they could see a man standing at the far end of the temple, seven shades surrounding him.
"Malkoran, stop right there!" Avyanna called, stepping down the steps. Malkoran spun around, finding the two warriors and sneered at the sight of them.
"I will have the Dawnbreaker!" Malkoran shouted. "Kill them my creatures!"
The shades began to swarm them, Farkas already sprang into action. Avyanna threw the torch straight into the shade in front of her before delivering a quick cut to the neck.
A shade behind her managed to land a deep cut to her arm and she swore loudly, throwing a knife right into its skull. A shot of lightning threw her back towards the wall and Malkoran cackled.
"She sent you?" he sneered. "A mere woman to stop the great and almighty powerful Malkora—"
The knife hit his throat, cutting him off in mid speech as Farkas delivered the final blow, stabbing his chest and Malkoran fell to the ground, no words escaping him as his life faded.
"Are you alright?" Farkas asked, rushing over and helping Avyanna up. She nodded and then winced as he touched her arm, blood pouring off of it.
Avyanna placed her hand over the wound, golden light covering her fingers as she quickly healed herself and Farkas wiped the blood off of her arm. "I now have a new found hatred for necromancers and the undead."
"Just like Meridia," He teased and she scowled at him. "Don't scowl; it'll ruin your face."
Avyanna blushed slightly, facing away from him as she approached the pedestal, Meridia's voice filling her mind.
"It is done. The defiler is defeated. Take Dawnbreaker from its pedestal." Meridia instructed and Avyanna pulled out the sword from the stone. Immediately, a burning hot fire filled her veins, making her cry out from the pain and shock. Farkas tried to touch her but a bright white light eloped them both. Suddenly, they were back outside to the statue but only Avyanna was flown towards the sky again in a white force field.
"Malkoran is vanquished. Skyrim's dead shall remain at rest. This is as it should be. This is because of you," Meridia's ball of light form floated in front of Avyanna as fire began to spread across her body. It didn't hurt her, but it did change her body. "Take the mighty Dawnbreaker and with it purge corruption from the dark corners of the world. Wield it in my name, that my influence may grow."
"No! I never agreed to it!" Avyanna shouted, the fire burning her hand and marking it with Meridia's mark. Her hair was cut off by the fire, just above her shoulders with two long strands left behind.
"My dear mortal, you agreed to it the moment your skin touched my sword."
Avyanna's eyes widened in shock and fury. "No! That was never part of the deal! You promised to leave Rohan alone!"
"And I have kept my promise. Your kin was never my true desire, but you. I needed you to become my champion and now you have. You are under my name, your fire shall burn the dead and your light shall destroy the darkness."
Tears filled Avyanna's eyes as she realised the horrible truth, her worse nightmares have come to life as she floated, the fire continuing to spread towards her heart. Without warning, the fire seeped into her skin, making her cry out in pain.
"May the light of certitude guide your efforts…" Meridia whispered before lowering Avyanna onto the ground. As soon as her feet touched the rough surface, her knees gave out and sobs broke out of her chest.
"What's wrong? What did she say?" Farkas asked worriedly, kneeling down and placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Immediately, Farkas noticed the increase of her body temperature and wondered what had happened.
Avyanna looked up at him and Farkas breathed in sharply. Her hazel eyes now held a golden ring in the middle, close to her pupil. Her long hair had been cut off and a golden mark was engraved onto the back of her right hand. Dawnbreaker rested beside her, shining brightly as ever.
"I'm hers," Avyanna choked out in between sobs. "I belong to Meridia now."
Wow, Meridia's a bitch huh? Threatening sweet little Rohan and then tricking our girl into being her champion. AND SHE FUCKING CUT AVYANNA'S HAIR! WHAT THE FUCK MAN?! SHE LOVES HER HAIR FLOWING IN THE WIND! THAT'S HOW SHE GETS ALL THEM BITCHES!
Disclaimer: I do not own Lassarina as Mirage159 owns that sassy lady :)