I did just what Carandol had instructed and ran for my life. I ran for the lives of all the people guarding the entrance to that portal, the only defense holding back the untamed forces of Oblivion from descending upon the citizens of Tamriel. I had not a clue where I was going. I just knew I needed to go up. The inner corridors of the tower were less guarded than the exterior. I ran for what seemed like an eternity, avoiding diabolical traps and stomaching the sickening images of hanged bodies and mutilated corpses.
Dorian tried to control his beating heart as he came to a crouch at the top of another ramp. He could see three Xivilai in the room in front of him. If Dorian didn't know the daedra to be godless heathens that worshipped only malice and greed, he could've sworn they were praying. They prostrated themselves before a great pillar decorated with markings and symbols painted in blood.
The Corporal could see that a doorway located on the opposite side of the room would allow him to sneak past. Dorian carefully moved along the walls, keeping to the shadows. His body was starved for oxygen and his throbbing heart beat erratically in his ears. The Xivilai humbled themselves before their pillar and every time they lowered their gaze to the floor he moved a few extra inches. Soon he was standing by the doorway, carefully pushing the door apart like opening the locked jaws of a dog. The hot, dry air of Oblivion rushed in and scorched his face causing him to retract and stumble backwards.
The Xivilai heard the disturbance and turned to investigate. With all of his might, the Corporal forced the door open and ducked outside. He narrowly avoided falling hundreds of feet to his death, managing to quickly balance himself on the narrow footbridge connecting the larger tower to the smaller one. With the Xivilai behind him, Dorian traversed the bridge with haste knowing that he was easy pickings for a spell shot or arrow fire from behind. The Breton allowed himself to collapse onto the smaller tower's doorway, thankful he had not fallen or been killed. Though it seemed the Xivilai were not chasing him, he hurriedly fumbled with the door's unlocking mechanism and entered inside.
Blood curdling screams made Dorian's heart jump up into his throat. Just a few feet above him, the Corporal could see a Dremora poking and prodding a sharp blade into a cage. In the cage was a wounded member of the Kvatch city guard, begging to be rescued. Until Dorian could make it to the top of the narrow tower, he was in a disadvantageous position. When the man cried out in pain again, Dorian dashed up the spiraling ramp knowing that the Dremora was preoccupied with torturing his prisoner. The Corporal pierced his steel blade through the back of the daedra's neck and pushed aside his limp metallic covered body to the floor.
"By the Nine! Thank you! Thank you for saving me!" The prisoner exclaimed, overwhelmed with joy.
"Let's get you out of here. Is there anyone else alive?"
"No! There's no time! Listen to me, you must get to the large tower, the Sigil Keep is what they call it. That's what keeps their gateways open!"
"What do I do?"
"Take the Sigil Stone and the gates will close. Get the key, the Keeper has it." The prisoner pointed to the dead Dremora lying motionless in a pool of dark-crimson blood.
Dorian searched the cold body, finding an unusual key tied around the Keeper's neck.
"Good! That's it!"
"How do I open this cage?"
"Forget about me and get out of here. Remember, anyone not touching the Sigil Stone when you remove it will be stuck here."
"What? I'm not leaving you then! You can't stay here."
Despite the protests from the imprisoned guard, Dorian paced around the room looking for some sort of release device to unlock the cage. When no device could be found Dorian turned to examining the cage itself, finding a simple latch that when pulled, released the door. The guard could barely walk. Both of his legs had been cut deeply several times. Dorian carried the wounded man on his back. His muscles were burning but his mind was strong. There was no way he would leave anyone in such a dreadful place.
"We have to go across a bridge now. Hang on and don't shift your weight!" Dorian ordered.
"You are a fool! Leave me behind please!" The man begged.
Dorian ignored the request and pushed open the stone door, careful not to stumble over the ledge. The Breton had never liked heights. Once when he was twelve years of age he was stuck in a tree branch only two feet off the ground. Little Dorian Archimbaud refused to budge until his father brought a stepladder to carry him down, even as the village boys and girls taunted him. He now guessed he was a few hundred feet high, well out of the reach of any stepladder.
"Dorian! Dorian!"
The Corporal could not break his concentration to see who was calling him, although the answer was obvious. When he was safely across the bridge, Carandol and Connor helped Dorian with his burden.
"They're preparing another attack on Kvatch. A whole damn cohort of Dremora is marching for the gate right now."
"Connor and Rabi'ah are already through the gate. Who's this?" Connor asked.
"I'm Menien Goneld." The man introduced himself.
"I couldn't leave him." Dorian explained.
"Hurry, to the Sigil Keep! Up these flights of stairs, take the portal and it's to the left." Menien informed.
The three soldiers were bewildered as to how this wounded prisoner was familiar with the layout of the tower. It was a question best saved for later. Carandol helped Menien back onto the Corporal's back and led the way to the Sigil Keep.