Chapter Nine: From Light to Ashes

Amanthia's POV

I could feel a familiar warmth holding me. I looked up to see the Priest of Akatosh, he was wearing the emperors robes and the Amulet of Kings. I gave him a weak smile, I couldn't stay awake long enough to say anything to him but I felt his hand caress my face and he said something to me but I couldn't understand as I drifted away again.

"Once you use the Divine Spark you will become like all of us, you will be the new Tribunal." My mother gestured to herself, and the others. I didn't quite understand as she continued. "Your duty will be to protect the Mortals from the unlawful daedra and keep peace between the mortals." Before I could ask her any questions My father had come in, he was here to take me to the Deadlands with him. I left my mother that day forever. I looked back at her with tears in my eyes, but she said nothing to stop him from taking me away. She offered a small reassuring smile before I left through the double doors of the Temple. My father looked down at me before looking forward again.

"Sentiment is for the weak Amanthia. I will teach you to be strong, you are above these useless mortal feelings."

I woke up again and noticed I was in a well decorated room. I caught sight of Martin across the room, He seemed to be reading something. I smiled and made my way out of the bed to go to him but I stopped when he looked up. I realized this wasn't Martin as their features changed into Azura.

"What have you done with the Heart of Lorkhan." Azura took me into a choke-hold. I let out a surprised yelp as she did this. She lifted me from the ground effortlessly and I struggled in her grasp before she through me across the room into the wall. I coughed and gasped for air.

"I don't know what happened to it. After I used it- I fainted..." Azura was displeased with me and began to walk over to me again. I scrambled to my feet in an attempt to leave the room but Azura sent an energy blast towards me, It was a direct hit and sent me into the next room. Azura gracefully walked through the rubble and lifted me by the hair.

"I'll ask you again, where is the Heart of Lorkhan."

"Stop right there!" Some royal guards had called out from behind her. She simply laughed.

"Oh how amusing, I'm sorry mortals, I don't have time to play with you right now. She vanished as she laughed, the laughter lingered for a moment after she had disappeared. I slowly staggered my way up. I still wasn't well from my fight with my father. I saw Martin come in shortly after, I could feel my legs give out from under me. He dismissed all the royal guards leaving just us in the rubble. He helped me out of the rubble and lead me to the nearest seat in the room.

"Azura came back... I don't think your safe around me. I need to leave." I tried to get up again but my body protested and I simply fell into Martin's arms. He gently put me back into my seat. I could see the worry in his eyes, I wasn't sure why but I started to feel guilty.

"You're too weak to be going anywhere, don't you see that Amanthia?" The worry that laced his words made me feel even guiltier.

"I am the only one Azura wants, as a Tribunal I can't let her harm anyone else." I quickly got up again. "I wish the best for you." Before I could leave he took my hand and our eyes met for a brief moment, his gaze was so intense that I could feel a wave of warmth on my cheeks suddenly. I wanted to stay with him, but Azura would be back.

"Why not stay until you are well enough to leave?" He almost sounded like he was pleading. I couldn't agree, no matter how much I wanted to just say yes.

"I... Can't..." I could feel my eyes beginning to have a slight sting from tears that threatened to fall. The moment was immediately interrupt by a guard.

"Your highness, Your needed downstairs." The guard left when Martin dismissed him. Martin looked back at me and I quickly looked down at the floor. I couldn't stop my idiotic tears but I didn't want him to see how pathetic I was being. I tried my best to will them away but it was no use. It was much harder to suppress my mortal feelings without my daedric blood suppressing them.

Sentiment is for the weak

my father was right. I had almost died fighting my father, and for what? Sentiment? I felt angry with myself. I avoided looking directly at Martin, I'm sure he could see my pitiful tear stained face by now.

"I need to go." I quickly left while I still had the strength to do so. I ran down the stairs, I could hear him calling out to me but I kept going. I quickly hid into a room at the bottom of the stairs. I felt so fatigued from the run and my vision was being distorted by small blurry black dots and I felt light headed. I sat down in front of the door and just focused on my breathing. I noticed something odd about my physique and noticed I still had the Heart of Lorkhan with me. I tried to think back on how that could be possible. I vaguely remembered Martin came over to me when I had collapsed. Could he have put it back in as an attempt to save me.

"Are you ready to give up that 'Divine Spark' as all you Tribunal like to call it." Azura appeared from the shadows. I didn't have the strength to get up anymore but made meager attempts to escape in vain. She lifted me again and slammed me against the wall with one hand, with the other she tore through my chest and extracted the Heart of Lorkhan. I screamed in agony, she hadnt been careful in her search to extract it, leaving me with many internal wounds. She dropped me on the ground when she had what she came for. I had trouble breathing, every breath burned and caused me great pain.

Azura summoned one of her servants, a Winged Twilight, this daedra had long talons and a pair of bat-like wings protruding from it's back. The servant held a box with daedric writing, Azura placed the heart inside and closed it as she watch the box lock itself.

"It's a pity you didn't just give it to me, I wouldn't have had to take it by force. Perhaps if you survive I will greet you as the new Ruler of the Deadlands." She looked up towards the door and smiled. "Well it looks like your toy has found you." Azura left into the shadows with her servant. I looked over to see Martin. He came over to me and knelt beside me.

"I'm sorry... I..." I winced in pain, speaking seemed to only worsen the pain. Martin tried to stop me from speaking but I took his hand and continued. "I couldn't risk... hurting you.." I writhed at the pain of each word. I wouldn't be able to keep talking.

"You didn't need to, you would have been safe with-" I placed my hand over his soft lips and interrupted him.

"No... I-" I started coughing, suddenly suffocating on a warm liquid in my throat. Once I cleared my throat I continued. "Ever since I saw you in Kvatch, I felt a strange attraction to you. I fought to save this realm, for you." I felt myself getting weaker, I took a deep breath before continuing. "I tried to express that before I left you to go battle but... I don't think I was very clear..." The pain suddenly increased and I writhed in pain. I whimpered a bit. "I really do wish I had more time with you..." I managed to say before another wave of pain hit.

Before I knew what was going on I felt his lips brush up against mine in a short passionate kiss. My pain had started to numb as my vision started to blur away.

"Please stay awake. Perhaps there's still time." I could hear his voice wavering a bit.

"Daedra aren't supposed to walk with mortals..." I said with tears in my eyes. The divine power I had started to dissipate. I vaguely saw my reflection in Martin's eyes, I began to change back into my daedric form. I felt his grip on me tighten as he realized I was dying. I felt a warm sensation on my chest wound. I could vaguely see Martin attempting to heal me. I could feel my limbs become too heavy for me as I was losing strength. I could vaguely hear him pray to Akatosh as he noticed his attempts were in vain. I felt tears go down the sides of my face, I realized I needed to say goodbye before it was too late. I tried my best to lift my hand to touch his face. He took my hand and I smiled at him.

"I'm sorry Martin, I really wish I could stay here with you... Goodbye..." The feeling in my limbs went away and I noticed I started to decay into ashes. I looked at Martin pleadingly. I wanted to hear his voice one last time. He placed a final sweet kiss on my lips before he spoke.

"Perhaps we'll see each other again in another lifetime Lady Amanthia." He said hopeful. I smiled at him in agreement. My vision started to gray, I could see tears falling from Martin's eyes but there was nothing I could do, I was too weak to respond. I tried to speak but nothing came out. I saw a distant figure come in as my vision had completely left. The last thing I felt was Martin holding me tight. I vaguely heard his last words to me.

Please don't go Amanthia...

A/N:

So I might make an Epilogue of them meeting later reincarnated? Not sure. If I do there isn't a guarantee that they'll be a couple then but it's an idea I've been going over.