CHAPTER X- Not a Simple Bastard

I guess I passed out at some point after I removed the Sigil Stone from the pedestal.

I felt weirdly lightheaded and when I finally regained my senses, I noticed I was laying in some cold hard floor, with my face downwards. It hurt to breath, and I hardly could smell anything at all.

I opened my eyes to find myself exactly like that, laying with my face on the cold hard floor. My vision was blurry but soon I realized I was no longer in Oblivion because I felt a certain chill in the air.

What the hell?

Did I die?

"The gate- it's closed!" Someone yelled. Well that answers some questions.

Other voices joined in, "By the Divines…"

"We won!"

"Menien and Ilend are alive!"

"Take them to the camp- now!"

"Yes, Captain!"

The voices came by and went away and I didn't care. I was fatigued.

Oh for fuck's sake…I felt so sore, like my legs were on fire.

"Where am I?" My eyes got back to normal and I rolled my body over, so I could gaze up. The dawn was beginning to crack, between some dark clouds. How long have I been gone? It was weird because I remembered that it was dusk when I arrived in the camp and then it suddenly was dawn, "If this is the afterlife, the Church owes me an apology,"

I noticed I still held the Sigil Stone close to my body, so I brought it up to my face and observed the shiny sphere closely. It was almost- almost - as black as my soul and as cold as the grave. It was oddly polished, like a bowling ball, and I could even see my reflex in it.

Speaking of my reflex in the sphere, I could see that there was something wrong with my lovely face- my nose was bleeding. From my nostrils all the way to my mouth. And to top it off I had a pretty nasty cut in my cheek.

I ignored the timid little raindrops falling into my forehead and slowly stood up and sat with my legs crossed on the floor and put the Sigil Stone inside my bag that miraculously was still intact (and so were the two stamina [or was it fatigue? Honestly I couldn't tell] potions I had left).

I thought I should keep the stone as a souvenir.

Really, nowadays I have a collection of those at my place. Occasionally I have to put them away from their original crystal display at the main living room because I fear someone- Constantin, my son, anyone else really- would get them and smash against something.

But I digress.

After that I brought my right hand up to my presumably injured nose, and to my surprise- not really- I felt the metallic smelling liquid dropping down from it and from my cheek. The nose itself didn't feel broken at all, at least, but my cheek stung painfully.

I didn't notice when someone approached me from behind yelling, "You did it, kid!" It took me a second to realize that person was actually talking to me, "You bloody did it!" and another second to realize it was my best buddy Savlian Matius, "I'm not going to lie- I thought you wouldn't make it!"

"I tend to surprise people," I said, coughing a bit, after cleaning the blood from my nose with the back of my hand, "One of my many qualities." Even after a near-death experience, I can still be cocky. Way to go. I asked, "So…uhhh, what happened…? I'm not dead, am I?"

My lungs were still tired from the smoke inside the gate, and my face was probably black from all the smoke it gathered. Not to mention I was still somewhat confused about recent events.

"There was an explosion and then you, Ilend and Menien came flying and the gate was shut!"

"It worked!?"

"Whatever you did to close that gate, it worked. And for that, you have my gratitude."

My eyes widened.

I DID IT.

AMAYA IS THE SHIT!

SUCK THIS ENOURMOUS SWORD, MEHRUNES! AMAYA KEDVES IS THE BOSS OF THIS SHITHOLE AND EVERYONE ELSE CAN SUCK IT! I AM THE SHIT!

If I had the strength to stand up I would run around screaming 'I closed the Demon Door you bitches! Amaya's the best!' and dance the Macarena, but I still had some dignity left.

But if I was able to close it, then it also means that URIELWASRIGHT. jpeg

"I did it! I could close it! You can suck it, Satan! Amaya is the shit!'" But instead of savoring my hard earned victory, I didn't realize I had happy tears streaming down my face while I laughed like a crazy person. You know those moments in movies when someone is crying tears of joy but instead of sobbing, they laugh? That was me.

I was alive, alive! For the first time in years I felt life pumping through me!

However, like all other types of joy in this miserable world, my little moment didn't last much, because I remembered I had a certain someone to find now that the gate wasn't in my way anymore.

The captain helped me get up by extending one of his hands. "Here, let me help you up,"

I took hold of his gloved bony hand and made an effort to get up "Thanks…" At that point I was no longer crying tears of joy. Once I was up (still feeling a little dizzy), I looked around for a while, and noticed that I had been projected out of the gate quite close to the barricade the guards had put up when I arrived, which meant all the like ten remaining guards all stared at me like I had blood and ash all over my face.

Which would've been okay if I didn't in fact have blood and ash all over!

Savlian probably noticed that my legs still felt like jelly (and that I suddenly changed emotions, which probably is a bad sign), so he helped me stay still by pulling one arm around my shoulders- his metallic mail arms felt cold against my leather armor, "Are you alright?" He asked with concern.

I replied without thinking too much, otherwise I would have made a complete list of everything wrong with my current situation and the fact that I've learned to live with a very arguable notion of 'alright', but since my head wasn't working all that great at that time, I could just say the first thing that came into mind, "I guess? I'd really like some water, though."

"Caius!" The Captain called out to some random guard, making me almost jump in fright (let's not forget I was still feeling weirdly lightheaded, which I assumed was a side effect of getting out of the Gate).

Apparently, Savlian also frightened one of the guards I assumed to be Caius, making the man jump up. "Yes, sir!" A young guard by my right responded.

I turned my head slightly to Caius, and he was just as I expected, a young man, I'd say not that much older than me, and he was shaking from head to toe.

"Get some water to the Hero of Kvatch!" Captain Matius ordered.

Hero of Kvatch? That's new.

I am not going to lie but I enjoyed my first tastes of being served by others even if I didn't have the merit to be. Let me tell you, I never get tired of being worshiped as a Hero and the cutest bitch alive.

The time it took for the young guard to fetch me some water was sufficient for the sky to cry over the loss of beauty: my bruised face.

It started to rain, I mean.

Goddamn it, whenever I try to be poetic I fail miserably. At least I didn't say 'the sky cried tears of blood'.

Caius walked up to me and handed me a thing I assumed to be some sort of water skin, "Here,"

I examined the leather skin, it looked harmless enough, if not a bit unhygienic, but who was I to question, "Thanks," I thanked the guard and he nodded, then went back to his usual position back of the barricade.

It took me a while to figure how to open the thing but eventually I did and didn't make haste to chug all of its content inside my throat.

"Easy there, the water's not going anywhere." Savlian commented, jokingly. I didn't listen to him because I was too concentrated in the water. It felt so good to have liquid going down my dry throat.

I had my eyes closed as I drank, so I didn't see who asked, "What shall we do now, Captain?"

"'What shall we do now', eh Elisen? Isn't it obvious?" The Captain replied, mockingly, mildly annoyed at the random guard, "I say we take back the city!"

The half a dozen guards cheered, making me almost swallow the leather water skin. I almost chocked.

Savilian wouldn't make me go fight again, would he? I had just been traumatized for life.

I cleaned my mouth with the back of my hand and watched Savlian speak, even if I was unaware of what was actually happening. As I said, I still was messed up because of the whole hopping through portals and shit.

"Inside that city, there are people who still need rescue! There are people who still need to find hope! The hope we found when this kid, against all odds of succeeding entered the Gate to Oblivion- AND BLOODY CLOSED IT! There is hope of fighting off the enemy!"

I am triggered. He was definitely going to make me fight again. Oh great, the worst thing I could possibly become is a martyr.

I am no good dead.

Even if I constantly say I'd rather be dead.

The few guards cheered again raising their shields and weapons, now probably worshiping me as some kind of God.

Savlian continued with his heroic and encouraging war speech, "There will be a day when we will forget our vows as soldiers, a day when we won't fight for the weak, when we will not give our lives to protect this city! But that day is not today!"

"NOT TODAY!" the men exclaimed, finding some inner strength or something. You know what else is 'not today'? The day the God of Death comes to pick up my soul.

Plot twist I don't have one.

I just stood there beside Savlian, observing, as the rain soaked my hair and leather armor, making me soaked to the bone. My hair was already completely soaked, sticking to the sides of my face and my back. Damn it long hair.

"Prepare for the assault! I want everyone strong and on their feet for the battle for Kvatch!" The Captain clapped his hands together, and with that the other soldiers scattered around, preparing themselves psychologically and physically for the attack that was to come.

At the meantime I was just chilling, but internally panicking. I wondered if Captain Matius would tell me to join the Kvatch forces to retake the city, which would be awful because I was sore and I wasn't sure I could survive another battle. Let's remember I almost didn't survive the gate in the first place.

And of course, given my ill luck, Savlian turned to me, hopeful, "Hey, kid, if you are not too injured, I need you to come with us once again."

He studied my face and I tried not to look or sound desperate, "Again? I almost died like ten times fighting off those demons and no way I'll be able to fight them off again."

"You are an inspiration." The Captain gripped my shoulders with his hands and stared right into my eyes, "We need you once more."

"I just picked up a magical dark orb and out of luck the gate closed up! It has nothing to do with me! I am shit at combat!"

"Of course not, I might've doubted you before but now I'm certain you are not." I stared at the man. Why the hell wouldn't he believe I am crap at combat and nearly got myself killed at least 3 times? Do I look menacing? Like, at all? Do I look tough? Heck no! I am cute but not tough and fearless and whatnot! "We need you there, you proved to be capable and we are in no position to pass on help from someone like you."

At that point I was almost losing my posture. The man simply wouldn't understand that I was a coward and had no fighting skills! I was standing in front of him out of sheer luck (and a dead man's creepy enigmatic wet dream but I won't be diving in that horrid pool of age-gap kink).

Writing this diary, those are my thoughts, but at the time I was scared to head back into danger, and I was quite frankly almost crying because that man wouldn't believe that I was just a frightened and incompetent little girl.

"Someone like me?" My voice failed, due to me almost crying genuine tears, "You don't understand…" I lowered my head, breaking eye contact.

I sniffled, and that made the Captain's heart melt, apparently, "Hey, hey, don't cry..." He lifted my chin so that my eyes would meet his again with such gentleness I wouldn't have believed possible for a guard Captain in such a situation. "You came back alive, you must have some level of skill…"

I blinked back my tears, determined not to cry and ruin my reputation, "You really wouldn't understand…it was stupid to come here..."

The rain started to get thicker, and I started to get colder and colder.

"Listen, my men need some glimpse of hope, and your story of helpless girl turned hero is something that gives morale to them. Those kinds of selfless acts worthy of song are what give the men hope. I know what gives hope to soldiers, I know what gives them the will they need to get up and fight once again, even if their strength is failing and the enemy is mighty." The Captain started, gripping my shoulders even harder, to the point it hurt, "They need this morale, kid. And you gave it to them"

Morale…

Hope.

I couldn't believe that me being a complete dunce and entering the portal to suicide land gave hope to those soldiers. Honestly they need better role models. Just saying.

I gently removed his hands from my shoulders and laughed nervously, "I really wish I was the hero you think I am." When in doubt, Tyrion Lannister never fails to come to my rescue. Ah Tyrion… if I only were half as smart as you…

Despite the fact that Savlian Matius tried so hard to convince me to get up arms against spawns of Satan once more, I just couldn't find the strength to even walk again, then I remembered my green stamina potion and how it didn't crack from the impact of falling out of the gate- that could probably fix me up. But no, I am not risking the safety of my candy ass to fight more demons.

I made up my mind and just waited Savlian to give me the right moment to tell him I was not coming. "Say, didn't you want to find some priest? Now that you closed the gate, there might be a chance to find him alive inside the Chapel…-" The Captain continued talking but I stopped listening so I could have an inner rant because apparently at that exact moment I had an epiphany.

Oh shit. Shitty shit.

I had completely forgotten about Martin. He was the only reason why I even attempted that suicide thing…I promised old grandpa Uriel that I would find his bastard and bring him back to Jauffre because he is the only one with the Septim pink blood that can wear that unfashionable amulet.

Then, something clicked in my brain.

Why would those demons attack Kvatch out of all the cities in this shithole? Hell, why not attack the bloody Imperial City and unleash the chaos into the world much easily? But no of course they had to attack the random city of Kvatch…which would be awful strategic planning, only if they had a reason to attack this crappy place:

Being able to kill the last one with the pink Septim blood (aka Martin aka Uriel's Jon Snow) so that the Amulet would jolt from anyone who tries to light back the Dragonfires, and so the barriers between Mehrunes' realm of the Deadlands and this crappy shithole would be nonexistent. Someone must've opened that portal in the first place because they knew Martin was here…maybe the magical assassins who killed Uriel?

I realized I had to get to Martin as fast as I could, even if that meant I had to go through a fight.

I started to listen to what the Captain was saying again, "- Listen to me, we need you, Hero of Kvatch. We finally have a real chance to save the city."

I pondered on every word the Captain said, carefully thinking. What if I followed the men into the city and hid behind something and only then I magically emerge right in time to find Martin? I said I had to go through a fight, not that I specifically had to pick up my sword and poke things with the pointy end.

So I asked, "Can't I just enter the city and find my priest and be done with this questing?"

"Hardly. The main square is full of Dremora! We need to fight! You may have won a battle, but the war isn't over." He may have a point. I don't know if everything magically vanished in a blink of an eye when I pulled that shiny Dragon Ball shit from the pedestal. Hell, I won't assume everything is gone, it wouldn't be very realistic, plus it's never that easy in this world, apparently, "Come on, kid. The city is counting on you."

I sighted, defeated. I wouldn't be getting away from this without any more fights, would I? People believe I'm a great warrior that looks cute in the exterior but is one hell of a badass with a sword. Who was I to question? If they think I am useful, let them. I like being called Hero, though.

However, well, if I had survived the gate at the first place, maybe I wasn't as incompetent as I originally thougt.

I took another deep breath and proudly announced, "I'll come."

"We'll show those demon-spawns what the Kvatch guard can do, eh?!" The man roughly ruffled my beautiful hair, probably the same way he does with children when he successfully manipulates them into joining the guard. I had to control myself not to scream at him for messing my precious hair that will be awful when dried. Rain is not very good for my type of hair.

I shrugged, "As the great warrior-poet Ice Cube once said, 'if the day does not require an AK it is good'."

Actually, thinking back now, no days in Tamriel required AK's simply because they were not invented yet- if they ever will. I should probably change this saying to 'if the day does not require smashing skulls with a war hammer it is good'.

"I have no idea about what you just said," Savlian commented. "Oblivion might've messed your head up,"

I shrugged again. That was not entirely a lie…

With that, the Captain quickly went away towards his guards, probably to give some final instructions.

Meanwhile I decided to take one of my magical Shrek Green™ potions, after all Shady Sam told me that it would restore my fatigue when I was, well, fatigued, which was the case right now.

I searched my bag for the glass bottle and I eventually found it (not eventually, because I had few things inside it now, just one last green potion and a few lockpicks that I have no idea why I bought them in the first place).

I examined the bottle once I took it out of the bag. I did it so as the almost faint light of the clouded moon would allow me. I shook the content a bit, wondering if that, in fact, was actually Mountain Dew.

Quickly uncorked the bottle by ripping the cork out with my teeth then spitting it on the ground and smelled the content.

Yep, definitely Mountain Dew. At least it smelled funny just as much.

Now, where are my Doritos? And where's my super cool alter-ego of a greasy overweight 37 year old male that lives in his mother's basement playing League of Legends and watching hentai all day long?

I chugged the whole liquid inside my throat and surprise surprise it tasted awful. Even worse than Mountain Dew itself. "Ew!" I exclaimed, throwing the bottle away. I decided never to take green potion again in my life.

As much as I hated it, there were other few occasions I had to take it.

No, no, scratch that. I will take those all the time! I felt…weird…but revigorated. It felt like I could move an entire mountain or help build a new Empire State or even help the little birds and animals in Africa or something, so I concluded: The green potion this is made out of cocaine.

Savlian squeezed my shoulder slightly, "Are you ready for the final siege of Kvatch?"

I shrugged, not going back now, I guess, "I'm right behind you."

"Do you hear it men!?" The captain waved his sword around as he walked in the little space between me and the half dozen guards, "Today we will win! And take back our home from those creatures!" He then lifted his sword all the way up, pointing towards the sky, "For Kvatch!"

Fuck.

The men did the same and I just stood there awkwardly- even if the adrenaline and green Mountain Dew was pumping inside me.

Sav-boy led the charge of men into the gates, all of them screaming like crazy.

I don't know where the fuck my mind was wandering at the time but I simply watched them run.

I decided I should enter the city too, and just chill. So I did it. I unsheathed my sword and ran along.

The terrain was ruined, and the stupid rain made mud, and the mud made my feet slippery and weird. Needless to say it was not very pleasant to run at the time.

I followed the men into the gates of Kvatch, keeping a safe distance from them, for many reasons like being able to hide and run for the hills if things went to shit with whatever lurked inside the walls.

Surprise surprise, there were many things lurking inside the walls.

Five seconds after I passed through the big ass wooden gates I met with even more Satanic gremlins.

And they fucking were everywhere in what I assumed was the main square of the ruined town.

There wasn't time to think of anything else other than 'Fuck, let's do this!'.

My blood was pumping, full of adrenaline and that green (cocaine) Mountain Dew thing I had before. I was more than ready to kick some ass because of the boosting of confidence I had received from those soldiers inflating my ego.

I came here to kick ass and chew bubblegum…and I'm all out of gum.

"For Kvatch!" Someone shouted, as the men charged into the fire throwing spawns of Evil. I followed, my trusty sword in my hand and my bag in my back, into battle.

One thing I learned early on, in the height of my 19 years, was that suffering builds character. And boy did I need some character development.

Anyway, I was pretty ecstatic about everything that was going on, mainly because of my ego being stroked and being called Hero and whatnot for just running around, however my excitement and will to do shit went south as soon as I saw the guard who had given me water a couple of minutes before being torn into pieces by a mini Satan.

Sure, I had seen death before on games and movies, and I can even add seeing Ilend killing some gremlins firsthand a while ago to my life experience gallery but it was different to see a real person be slaughtered in front of me. Not in a good way, of course.

"Holy shit, holy shit, holy motherfucking shit!" What the fuck am I doing here? I'm going to die in here! I thought to myself.

I suddenly went numb to everything around me. The guard's screams were the only thing I could hear.

Everything seemed to go on in slow motion, you know, those scenes in movies during a battle when someone relatively important is killed off and everything surrounding the protagonist freezes until him/her can find a way to overcome the situation?

I felt exactly like that. I concluded that in order to overcome my nasty situation of sheer panic was by getting the hell out of the main square and hide as quickly as possible.

Fear of death is a pretty good motivation to run and hide, let me tell you.

I didn't pay attention to anything else surrounding me (I honestly don't know how nothing hit me), not the ruined houses, nor the Dremora thing who showed up out of nowhere to roast people alive with his magic. I recognized the hooded Darth Maul-like monster from inside Oblivion, and they were scary. I was panicking, trembling and frantically looked around for somewhere to hide when I found it.

I just focused on the one building still standing- more or less- amidst the chaos: a church-like building- sort of.

Church. Temple. Whatever helps you sleep at night.

Priests normally live in churches, so I just assumed my boy Martin would be there to boot. If he was even still alive, that is.

Why was I even thinking about getting Martin's bastard ass and drag him to Jauffre when my pretty face was in immediate danger? I have no idea. My theory is that Uriel brainwashed me with his stories of his wet dreams and age gap kink.

I had a few things in mind at that time:

1- Getting the fuck out of that slaughterhouse.

2- Survive

And fighting my way through wasn't one of them. Especially after seeing that guy dying.

I knew I could do that easily enough, just by running away like a cowardly little bitch.

"Fuck this shit! Nobody's got time for this!" I ran as fast as I could to the church, passing through a messed up well, a couple of burnt down houses, a dead guy and some gremlins, not giving a single fuck for the guards, because I was nearly shitting myself despite everything. And we couldn't have that, because I'm supposed to be a N.

I used to be the next Usain Bolt because damn I could run fast as shit.

It took me some seconds to run all the way from the main gates to the church, and without looking back at the battle behind me, I stormed inside the temple, pushing the doors firmly like a cowboy when entering an old west saloon.

I'm safe. Finally safe. And I was inside the chapel, to boot! I could even look for the priest if I wanted to.

Alright readers, before I continue my tall tale, we should sit down for a bit and discuss some things. More specifically, discuss Martin.

We have finally arrived to the good part of this diary-thing, the part where I finally meet that one person that would change everything for me. Can't say it was for the better, but like, I've heard somewhere that 'that thing change not necessarily for the better when you try to change them'.

Makes sense? Probably not.

Why did I even reference that stupid Tumblr quote? Ew, my inner basic white girl is showing.

Oh wait, I am a basic white girl.

Anyway, what was I saying? I should stop drinking while I write my memoires. Ah yes, the special person who owns the black hole in my chest where my heart should be:

St. Jiub of Morrowind.

Just kidding, I didn't have the privilege to meet Jiub in person, nor I realized it was him I had seen before what was left of his head was just his white skull. After researching about Cliff Racers with a very reliable source who doesn't make up details to make himself look better *cough* Constantin *cough*, I discovered he was kinda important to Morrowind. Shame someone with such bright future prospects ended up with his head cut off by a shady Dremora.

Anyway, if you haven't noticed yet, the one person I'm talking about is Martin. Even if I couldn't stand him for quite a while. Too polite- too nice, too good for this world.

I suppose it's no secret by now that he and I are married for…what? Has it been 3 years already? Shit, I despise feeling old. Anyway, we are happily married and as of now- four years after my quest was over (I counted). Due to the way I started this diary and the not so subtle hints I've been dropping, the only way you readers wouldn't have guessed that Marty-Boy is my husband was if you were stupid, and of course no reader of mine is stupid.

Okay then, let's resume this story by skipping to the part where I enter the Chapel of Akatosh.

'Entered' the Chapel would be more of an understatement. I literally stormed through the big ass doors and closed them behind me immediately after. The reason why would the doors to a place where the last survivors of the city was unlocked with so many nightmare fuel outside was beyond me, though.

I've heard a rumor that when I entered the Chapel- after closing the first gate- it was on fire, and I had one of those stupid Indiana Jones/Mission Impossible rescues of everyone inside- the person who started that rumor even threw in a dragon and some cats for balance- and as much as it would be aesthetically pleasing, it couldn't be further from the truth.

I just had to inform you guys about that rumor before continuing, because it was one of my favorites of all the impossible bullshit they made up about me. Some people even believed I was secretly a Daedric Prince, apparently, and someone thought it would be fun to spread that one.

Continuing…

I figured I had just entered a generic RPG temple, complete with an altar in the middle, stairs leading down, benches, candles and everything else you might imagine.

I sheathed my sword and observed my surroundings. I was safe there, for the meantime, and I could look for Martin while I was inside- and even if he were not here, I could at least wait until Savlian was done outside.

I could see stuff scattered about, stuff like barrels, piles of clothing, half dozen people scattered about, two people praying in the altar in the middle of the room, and a general fear in the air.

The room was grimly quiet. The only sounds I could hear was my own loud breathing and my wet feet.

There was a single guard close to the door and her attention turned to me as soon as I put my feet inside. "Hello?" She was a dark-skinned woman guard who wore the wolf sigil of the city asked. She looked like she hadn't slept in ages.

I don't know what you guys might have read out there, like the stupid lies from the Black Horse shit but let me make it clear: it's not like I didn't care about those people hurdled up inside a chapel fearing for their lives while I ran away from the fighting. It's just that I was frightened myself with everything that was going on and nobody ever thinks about the fact that I wasn't actually having a good time as well. I was basically a kid who had been put in the center of world changing events because of some dead guy and a god-like creature. Can you really blame me?

I thought I had told her 'No time to talk.' But in fact I had ignored her and started searching for a priest by the name of Martin and finally be able to leave this hell. One of the lingering pains of my quest was exactly that: mentally telling people to fuck off and expect a reaction.

The woman followed me with her eyes for a second, apparently not wanting to effectively follow the crazy girl who had just showed up. Instead of doing that, she just verbally intervened, "Wait! What's happening!? We didn't even know anyone was even alive out there!"

"I TOLD YOU I'VE NO TIME TO TALK, GODDAMNIT!" I said I thought I had told the woman I had no time to talk, but it turned out that I didn't so I just ended up sounding like a crazy person.

The woman instantly shut up.

Every single one of miserable looking people present just stared at me as I walked by. Doubt they were seeing anything, though because it was awfully dark inside the chapel.

I passed through the altar and in a far off corner close to some beautiful broken mosaics I saw a man gently comforting a weeping woman. He had his back to me and the woman was all curled up in fetal position against the wall.

That guy looks like a good source of information. I told myself.

"Just keep praying, Ladia. The Gods will help us." He said, his voice gentle and surprisingly familiar.

The woman sniffed, as the man stoke her vibrant yellow hair, "Yet you don't seem so sure."

"Don't be silly, I trust the Nine completely." I recognized the voice as Sean Bean's for some reason. So many things didn't make sense right there, like why would Sean even be in this universe that had nothing to do with Lord of the Rings or A Song of Ice and Fire.

"Do you think we will survive?"

"If the Divines' plans for us is not to survive, there is nothing we can do," His voice sang to me, even if I was just eavesdropping the conversation, getting closer to them involuntarily, "But yes, I think we will survive. I have prayed for guidance and for someone who will help us get through this. But for the meantime, we need to be brave and do what we can. Can you do that?"

"I don't know…"

At that point I was just a couple of meters away from them, and I softly let out, "Sean Bean?…"

The woman apparently heard me, and straightened up, pointing a finger at me, "Brother Martin…look, we have company."

I blinked.

Then blinked again.

Martin? Was that man the Martin I was looking for? No way in hell. Given my luck, the man should be dead.

"Oh, I didn't see you there, miss- By Akatosh, you are hurt!" When the man turned around I was completely sure he was indeed the one I was looking for.

He definitely looked a lot like Uriel, only many decades younger…same eyes, same roundish face. But his nose was quite different- it was not crooked like Uriel's, it was much pleasant to look at, and it made it clear that he wasn't a clone of the late Emperor but that in fact he had a mother at some point.

Martin also had long-ish dark brown hair, which was tied down roughly in a messy low ponytail, making a few loose strands falls in front of his face. I of course would never know what Uriel's hair color would be since he was basically a walking corpse when I met him, but I assumed he had dark hair at some point of his life.

We then started to simultaneously burst into a passionate song, like couples do when they first meet in musicals. We sang a duet in Swedish, because it is the language of duets, and no one can tell me otherwise. Plus, it's common knowledge by now that everyone in Africa can read Swedish.

Of course, that didn't happen, it's just a rumor people made up (and I made up the Swedish part). One would be surprised how much people like to embellish my story. I kinda wished it had happened though- it would've been fun, even if I can't sing for the life of me.

Anyway, now what really happened:

I was frozen. Right in front of me was the man I was looking for. The man I almost died for. And he was right there- I could almost touch him.

He wore some worn out blue robes with random stains that matched his blue eyes- I couldn't take my eyes from his- the whole troubled look he had, the dark circles under his eyes suggesting lack of sleep, the unshaved stubble in his chin and even so he asked about me- asked about the little stupid wound in my cheek, "This? It's nothing." I touched the cut in my cheek briefly, without breaking eye contact- I don't know if I was infatuated by him or if I was relieved to have found Martin intact after all the shit the city and I- especially I- went through, "I-?"

I was cut off by the priest rushing to me, the palms of his hands glowing in a weird- and probably dangerous- golden light.

I, not knowing what he was going to do, broke my trance-like state and brought my sword in between me and the man with the weird glowing hand.

"Get away from me! I came to find fucking Martin but no one told me he would try to outright murder me!"

"I'm not trying to murder you, miss, I'm simply trying to heal you." The man said, his voice as polite and gentle as before, even when threatened directly by my blade. Not that I could have done much damage, since the hand holding my blade was trembling as much as a leaf. "Lower the blade- trust me, I won't harm you."

His voice was so soothing and he had that stupid gentle smile in his face- which would later become a personal weakness of mine- so I obeyed and lowered my blade, allowing Martin to come closer to me and cast his glowing shit in my face.

"Dude, what in blazers are you doing?" BURN THE WITCH.

I could see my face glowing as much as the man's hands. He was concentrated in whatever the hell he was doing to me, his eyes not breaking contact with my cheek, "A 'heal minor wounds' spell should work just fine."

Martin's magic thing made my cheeks tingle, as I felt the flesh being rebuilt around the wound, "It tickles!"

A few seconds later, his hands stopped glowing and the man took a step back, admiring my beautiful face- not really, "There, done. It will probably leave a scar but you know what they say about scars, they are a sign that you have been hurt- and that you have healed."

"That was really deep, actually," I mumbled, touching my newly patched cheek- there was only a shallow scar left now, and it didn't hurt anymore, "Deep enough to touch my cold, dead heart."

"I'm always happy to help." The man tightened his low ponytail that had begun to come off.

"I'll go find my daughter downstairs," The woman Martin had been comforting announced, as she stood up.

"I'll be right here if you need me." Martin replied, as we both watched the woman go down the flight of stairs in front of the altar, that led to some unknown location below. "Hmm, hello?"

"You're really Martin? Really, really Martin? The priest, I mean?"

"Yes, I am. Have we met?"

"Oh no, you've never met me. Sometimes I wish I hadn't met myself either, honestly. Anyway… I'm...not from here. In fact, I came all the way from Chorrol with special instructions just to find you." There was no way in the seven layers of Hell I would tell everything regarding Sheg and my weird and unusual situation to a guy I had just met- for obvious reasons. It would take weeks before I finally told anyone and months before I told Marty.

"I don't know why someone would come from so far just to find a priest."

"The thing is, your priesting days are over, because boy have I got some news for you," I told him, then gestured the floor, "You might want to sit down for this one,"

"I can stand." He told me.

"Suit yourself," I said, "Maybe I should sit. I'm tired as fuck, you see." As I said that, I proceeded to sit on the floor with my legs crossed. Ahhh, it felt so good to sit down for a bit. After all that running for my life and stuff it was difficult to find a place to just sit down. I'm not counting that part where I passed out after closing the gate because I just blacked out and didn't effectively rest.

Martin was still standing up, "Are you a soldier?"

"No, I'm not." Why does everyone assume I'm a soldier? I know I look like someone one would trust with their life but honestly? From the way I talk to the way four out of three words I speak are swears, I would think otherwise. "I would look cute as hell in one of those plate mails, though,"

"If you are not a soldier, then why are you here?"

"In a hurry, are we? You didn't even let me finish." I chuckled. Why would that guy be the key to saving this world was beyond me, "Well, as I was saying, you are the Emperor's son and the rightful heir to the throne of his shithole! Congrats!"

The man apparently didn't know what to make out of the things I had just told him. He eyed me with an eyebrow risen, not knowing if he should believe me or call the guards and get me arrested to an asylum for the mentally insane, "Now is hardly the appropriate time for jokes, miss."

Oh no you didn't.

I tend to lose my temper quickly, as much as I won't admit it to anyone, especially to myself. It took me years to be able to laugh at myself and my mistakes, though I always laughed at others and got pissed when they did the same. Oh well, but I was stupid and kind of a bitch back then.

Anyway, back to the story. I stood up from the floor to face Martin eye to eye, and to give some legitimacy to my claims. Marty was just a bit taller than me, a couple of inches maybe, "Flaming assholes! I'm serious! You're in grave danger! But again, who isn't, right? So yeah, basically you are the only one who can do some shit in some temple and some guy named Jauffre really wants to see you-"

I assume I was speaking too quickly, not that it's my fault that my mouth is too slow to keep up with my fast thinking, which prompted Martin to say, "Slow down, you are barely making any sense."

"Jauffre explained why I had to seek you out and whatnot, but honestly I stopped listening after a while- to sum up you gotta come with me, you can help end this whole inconvenient mess with the gates, or so I'm told."

"What use is a priest in closing gates to Oblivion? It's best I remain where I can be of some use."

"Look, pal, I risked my life to close the gate outside so I could find you and be done with this stupid task of-"

He cut me off, "You…closed the gate?" At that time he was genuinely surprised, or so I assumed, because his blue eyes widened when he heard the words 'close' and 'gate', "How?" I had to bow to Martin about one thing, at least: he didn't falter. Not even a single time. All the time I spent shouting and spitting out things nonstop, he always had his firm and determined look on his face.

"It was no biggie." I waved my hand, feeling extremely cocky all of a sudden, "As for 'how' I did it- it's a matter of debate. If you don't believe me you can go outside and see for yourself."

"Is it safe now outside? Are we safe?"

"I don't know. Probably?" I tried to omit the fact that I had run off from the thick of battle with Savlian a couple of minutes ago, because, well, Martin didn't need to know about that, of course, "Listen, I was instructed to bring some guy named Martin- who was a priest in this town- to Weynon priory so that my boy Jauffre can protect him- well, protect you."

"Protect me? If anyone needs protection here, it isn't I." He replied. He seemed curious as why I was telling him those things and what should he think about them- and me, "Why would I need to be protected, and from what?"

"I told you already, you're the Emperor's son. You look just like him" I told him, then said to myself- because I wouldn't have the guts to say it out loud: 'But you're much more handsome.'

Martin nervously laughed it off, "You think Uriel Septim VII was my father? You must be mistaken, my father was a farmer,"

"Well, I'm always right, so yes, you are not just a simple bastard, you are in fact a royal bastard." I mentally nodded to myself for saying such clever things. However, Martin didn't seem to be in the same mood I was, because his disapproving frown was the only thing I could see, even if I was standing just mere centimeters from his face, "You think I'm crazy, don't you?" He made a motion to answer my question but I quickly cut him off, "No, no, don't answer."

There was an awkward silence between us after that. Just me staring at him and him staring back at me. I guess I just assumed he would listen to me and believe in every bit of nonsense I was spitting, but it doesn't take a very suspicious person not to believe when a weird girl who talks strange comes up to you in the middle of chaos and the literal end of the world telling you the late Emperor is your father. I'm sure I wouldn't believe myself in his place.

I was sympathetic to what might have been going through Martin's head, but that didn't meant I would stop trying to fulfil my goal of bringing him to Weynon, so that Uriel's ghost would stop tormenting me, so I continued, "You weren't there. With him, I mean."

"With whom?"

"The Emperor of this flaming shithole of course."

"The Emperor is dead."

"Tell me something I don't know," At that point, I was already planning my course of action if Martin wouldn't agree to come willingly. I would try to convince him still, by telling some more things and resorting to emotion, but if that didn't work…well, I had some other methods prepared, "Because, well, I was with him when he died."

"You were?"

"As a matter of fact, I was. I didn't want to- but I was anyway."

"How do you even know the Emperor?" Yeah yeah one would expect I would be the last person on Earth to mingle with rich people, but people forget I've been trained in years of watching movies like Pride and Prejudice and Anna Karenina. And also my mother had this one friend who gave me tips on how to deal with certain upstanding people so yeah, I could be polite when required*.

"Must we enter that topic? Damn, Jauffre owes me for keeping up with you." I pinched the bridge of my nose, annoyed, "Dude, I don't know if you have noticed, but those crazy Dremora things outside attacked this random city and not, say, the Imperial City for a reason- to get to you. Because you are important. Because you're a Septim." Who am I, Hagrid? Telling Harry Potter 'yer a wizard, Harry'? But it would've been creepy if me being a version of Hagrid whose story arch followed the way mine did. I bet there were edgy fanfics about Harry/Hagrid, though, "That's why you should be protected."

"You make no sense. Why would they attack an entire city just to get to me?" He argued back. I was losing my patience very quickly, "Because I'm the Emperor's son?"

"I might lie a lot normally, but why would I lie about something like this?" I was almost resorting to my other plan, which was knock Martin out and take him along with me like a corpse, I thought Glathel wouldn't mind that, "Also, why the fuck would I have risked my candy ass and pretty face by entering the gate to fucking Oblivion if I didn't have a damn good reason for it? Damn it, look at this shit if you still don't believe me." I was simply enraged at the entire situation and how stupid everything seems to me, now, after some years. I decided it would help convince Marty that I was telling the truth if I just showed him the magical bowling ball I took from the gate. A tangible thing such as the Sigil Stone could help in making things clear for him, so I took the said stone from my bag and shoved it in the priest's face.

The man took the orb in his hands and raised an eyebrow, "What is this?"

"This shit was the key to the gate! Hopefully things are clearer now?" I pulled the orb from him and put it back in its rightful place inside my bag, leaving Martin puzzled, "You are welcome to debate whatever you want with Jauffre as soon as we get to Weynon."

"Are you…why are you telling me this?"

"Why would I lie to you? It's not like it would get me anywhere. Plus, all this unfortunate situation outside threatens me as much as your average Joe, so I must do what I can, and that meant finding you."

"I don't know-?"

I took a deep breath, containing myself not to physically attack the priest in the middle of a temple, "Well, I do," I was a second from losing all the remaining patience I had with that guy, "We've no time to lose if we want to get there in one piece."

"I've prayed for the Gods for help, but none came- only more Daedra. I was having trouble understanding the Gods until now- and now they've sent…you? The Divines have a sense of humor, it seems,"

I grunted.

The priest was trying to sass me? I didn't quite understand what was happening, or what did he mean by that. I can tell you that the Divines and the Daedric Princes have gross and infantile humor regarding myself mainly.

"I'm not exactly having a blast myself, but no, nobody asked me if I wanted to leave, no no that would be just too rational. Bringing the girl randomly would be fine," I crossed my arms, annoyed to the extreme. I screwed the plan of taking the man by force because that would take too much effort from my behalf and I didn't want to put up with that for any longer. Fuck Jauffre as well. And fuck Sheogorath, especially, "If you don't believe me still, you are welcome to go screw-" I turned on my heel and prepared to leave the Chapel, even if I didn't know where to go to avoid the mob of satanic gremlins.

He cut me off before I could tell him to go screw himself and/or leave, "I… believe you? Kind of."

I turned my head back to him, "You do?" I asked in surprise, "Ahem, what am I saying…of course you do." I corrected myself, because I am always right.

"You wouldn't have come if you were lying," He thought out loud, scratching his head. He then looked at me dead in the eye and said, "What would you have of me, then?"

"Come with me to Weynon Priory. Jauffre might have more patience than me to explain all this shit to you." A rock has more patience than me.

"Alright, I'll come with you. Let me just gather my things." He told me, as he was going to make his way to a little corner of the chapel.

I laughed by myself, "And here I thought I'd have to knock you out and resort to kidnapping, ha, ha. I bet he would like it." That was the first red flag. 'First red flag of what?' I hear you asking. Nothing we should discuss right now.

"What?" Martin's suddenly turned to me- he was confused and possibly spooked at what I had just said.

"What?" I avoided the question with another question. I should stop embarrassing myself.

Those were my first bits of interactions with everyone's favorite Septim (the one who's not dead, that is- and also the one who doesn't have creepy dreams regarding myself), I honestly can't tell how we even became friends in the first place. Anyhow, there's that.

I think this is a good place to finish off this chapter, and this decision had nothing to do with the fact that I'm starving, of course.

Hey guys! Sorry about the delay! I mentioned my pc had finally went to shit and I had to start this chapter all over again that's why it delayed a bit. Anyhow, I'm happy with the way it turned out, and I daresay it turned out even better than before! I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! If so, tell me about it!
See youuuuu!
I don't know about you guys, but I think Amaya/Martin will be the shit.