Chapter 13
I would like to apologise for several things in this chapter:
a) The cute ate my brain. It really did. :D
b) I don't remember every details of Bruma's battle so I hope you will forgive me if I don't stick to the exact scenario (given the fact that I have already moved faaaaaar away from the original storyline, I believe nobody would mind...).
c) I don't really think all that I am describing below can happen within 15 minutes, but, hey, after all, they are doing that all the times in movies...
d) I am perfectly aware that if you go anywhere near lava. And that a corpse plunged into magma is certainly not going to float around. But physics seems to work differently in Oblivion and Nirn...
e) Technically, the plural of "Daedra" is "Daedroth", but it was getting confusing when I was writing, so I used "Daedras" instead. And to tell the truth, I don't really care much about Elfic grammar (I have enough to do with English one…). ;)
e) Talking about grammar, my automatic spelling checker is not working, so I hope the text won't be too full of mistakes...: S
Now I have finished apologising, hope you'll enjoy :)
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"A bit chilly isn't it?" asked Gogron cheerfully.
Sigrid groaned an unintelligible answer and blew in her hands to bring back some life to them. Chilly? She was freezing! But Gogron and Vicente were supporting the cold quite well. Even Teinaava, who had spent part of his childhood in the warm and humid swamps of the Black Marsh, did not seem to be bothered by the polar temperature.
Sigrid shot a very dark glance at the Oblivion gate that had opened earlier during the night. They had been waiting here for more than half an hour and nothing had happened yet. And Sigrid did not like it at all...
"Do you think the Mythic Dawn is suspecting something?" asked Teinaava, as if he had read her mind.
"Hmm, who knows what to expect with them?" she replied in a tired voice.
The battle had not even started, and she felt exhausted already. But it was true they did not get a very long night. Actually, they did not sleep at all...
When Sigrid had come back to the Cloud Ruler Temple main hall earlier that night, shouts coming from the inside had alarmed her first. Remembering the fight the Dark Brotherhood members had started at the tavern as well as Jauffre's expression when he was looking at them in the Chapel of Talos, she had instinctively reached her sword.
"By the Nines, I hope they are not killing each other..." she had thought, opening the door and expecting the worst.
But of the instead of a blood bath, Sigrid had found a rather enthusiastic Gogron who was miming his latest tavern's brawl in Bruma, for the audience greatest pleasure. Mesmerized, she had sat in a corner of the room and had watched the show. Martin and Baurus were beaming while the rest of the Blades in the room were crying with laughter. Even Vicente could not retain a smile.
Apparently, Martin had made a very good impression on the members of the Cheydinhall sanctuary, and vice versa. Sigrid knew she should not have been surprised. After all, Teinaava, Gogron and Vicente were professional assassins, and, as such, perfectly able to adapt to any kind of situations. As for Martin, he had this amazing ability to inspire people who knew him with indefectible loyalty...
"Indeed, look at you!" had said the Voice mischievously.
"It is not only about being... attracted to him, you know." Sigrid had replied. "The Blades not only follow him because they have to. I mean, look at them! They are supporting him because they know they can rely on him. Even the cold and ruthless Narina Carvain trusts him!"
"This was quite an achievement..." the Voice had agreed.
And they had spent most of the night talking old friends, exchanging anecdotes and stories, as well as discussing the strategy to adopt regarding the future battle against Merhunes Dagon's forces. From time to time, Martin had been looking into her direction, but Sigrid had carefully avoided his eyes and had remained hidden in the shadows of the rooms, away from the little group. She did not want anybody to see her blushing every time Martin's eyes gaze was falling on her...
Unfortunately, Jauffre had not seemed to appreciate Martin's new frequentations, and Sigrid had seen her worst fears confirmed when the Blades Master, grabbing her by the arm, had discreetly dragged her into a remote corner of the room.
"How dared you to bring them here?" Jauffre had hissed. "Are you mad?"
Sigrid had felt a shiver running along her spine.
"He knows...He knows about them being from the Brotherhood." she had thought.
Despite her fear, she had tried to take one of her most innocent expression.
"I beg your pardon?" she had asked Jauffre in a very stupid voice.
This had seemed to infuriate the Blades Master even more. He had strengthened his grip on Sigrid's harm, making her wincing.
"You perfectly know what I am talking about." Jauffre had said between greeted teeth.
"Jauffre, you are hurting me." Sigrid replied coldly.
The girl's answer had seemed to destabilise the Blades Master. Turning to good account his hesitation, she had freed her arm from his grip and taken a step away from him to put some distance between them.
"They are from the Dark Brotherhood, aren't they?" he whispered menacingly.
The girl did not bother to ask Jauffre how he had worked that out. Her fear had gradually been turning into anger, and she was too busy fighting against the urge to jump at his throat.
"Well, if you are so sure of yourself, why asking me then?" she had snarled. "But to tell the truth, I am quite please to see you are at least a bit more concerned with Martin's security than Uriel's..."
At these words, Jauffre had turned very red in the face and had looked like he was going to slap her.
"I know I have made a mistake." he said in a breath, and Sigrid had felt all his hatred and despise toward her. "But being the 'Hero of Kvatch' doesn't allow you to hurl it at me everytime you feel like it... or to put the Septim's heir life at risk by introducing assassins in his entourage!"
"They have come here to help us!" protested Sigrid.
"And it did not come to your stupid little mind that they may work for the Mythic Dawn?"
"The Brotherhood's would not gain anything in helping Dagon's supporters, and you know it!"
Sigrid had tried to keep her voice low not to draw to much attention on them.
"Oh, and I guessed it is one of your beloved and respected Brother who told you that?" asked Jauffre ironically.
"It is Lucien Lachance, to be precise." started the Voice mischievously. "You know, the guy who manipulated us and risked the lives of his sanctuary's members in order to settle a personal grudge against his hierarchy..."
"Shut up, you!" spat Sigrid mentally.
But it was too late as doubt had started to spread into her mind. Damn, she had hated the Voice and Jauffre for confusing her like this. But they had made a point. Could she really believe what Lucien had told her? It had sounded perfectly reasonable first, but after all, was "reasonable" an adjective which could be applied to the Dark Brotherhood?
"If anything happens to Martin," Jauffre continued in a low, threatening voice, "I swear that you and your little friends will pay dearly."
And he brusquely had left, leaving Sigrid shaking with rage. She perfectly knew her relationship with the Blade Master had deteriorated a lot over the past few weeks, but she had never thought she would have to consider him as an enemy.
When she had finally managed to calm down, she had come back to the centre of the main hall, where her eyes had met Vicente's inquisitive ones.
"Has he managed somehow to listen to my argument with Jauffre?"
This did not really matter anyway, as she would have to warn him about what had just happened with the Blades Master. But when?
Not sure about the conduct to adopt, she merely had shrugged and come back to her sit when the main hall doors had opened violently and a Blade had come in.
"A gate!" he exclaimed, trying to take his breath back. "The Mythic Dawn has opened an Oblivion gate outside Bruma!"
And this was how they ended up waiting here, on a hill outside Bruma, trying not to freeze alive...
"Hey, what is Martin doing?" asked Teinaava again, taking Sigrid out of her daylight dreaming.
Gogron and Sigrid craned their neck to try to take a better look at the small silhouette that was walking up and down the front line of soldiers.
"Haranguing the troops I guess." replied Vicente, who was carefully checking his equipment for the tenth time. "This is kind of traditional to give a speech to your troops before a battle, you see."
They remained quiet for a moment and listened to the words the wind was bringing to them.
"Not bad." said Gogron after a while.
"Yes, quite inspiring." approved Teinaava.
"Maybe a bit too... classical?" added Vicente.
"Would you mind shutting up?" spat Sigrid. "I am trying to listen to what Martin is saying!"
"It may well be the last time I can hear the sound of his voice..." she added to herself. She frowned and almost slapped herself in the face. This was definitely not the moment to become romantic.
"Oooh, sorry..." chuckled Gogron, nudging her in the ribs. "We did not want to be irrespective to your beloved..."
"What are you talking about?"
"Ah, come on! When you two are looking at each other, it's like oil boiling into a frying pan!" the Orc giggled.
Sigrid moaned inwardly. If even Gogron, who was certainly not an idiot but had the psychological finesse of a bull in a China shop, had noticed it, all Bruma was certainly aware of her feelings toward the last of the Septims' heir.
"Bruma's inhabitants, as well as Jauffre..." said the Voice in Sigrid's head.
The girl winced inwardly. The Blades Master was certainly not happy to know that his precious heir had a love affair with a Child of Sithis.
"Martin is a very fine person." continued Teinaava, clearly delighted to stick his oar to the conversation. "Lucien chose his nickname very well... 'Prince Charming suits Martin perfectly!"
Sigrid blinked.
"Lachance called Martin what?!"
"Sorry to interrupt your fascinating conversation, but I think something is happening over there..." said Vicente in voice that meant the show was over.
They stopped arguing and looked in the direction of the Oblivion gate. A small figure was standing at the gate's step, and Sigrid immediately identified a Clannfear. Looking rather lost, it was running around the gate, screaming in a very pathetic way.
Gogron smirked.
"Is this all Merhunes Dagon can do?"
An arrow flew from the human armies' rows and landed in the ground near the Clannfear. It jumped sideways to avoid the dart and looked at it curiously. It really shouldn't have done that, because by doing so, it did not see the second arrow which hit him in the small of the back. The Clannfear collapsed in the snow twisting and crying in pain. As if they had heard its screams, two bigger Clannfears got through the gate.
"Ah, looks like Mummy and Daddy are not happy!" laughed Gogron.
The Clannfears walked toward the wounded one, and started sniffing the air in a rather menacing way.
"Yes, and it seems the rest of family is joining the party as well... Look!" exclaimed Teinaava.
A growing number of dark silhouettes was crossing the gate. There were Clannfears, Scamps, but also Daedroth and of course, Dremoras. They were taking place in front of the gate in a concert of growls, shrieks and other kinds of peeping.
The human soldiers did not make a move. Sigrid could not see their face, but she could perfectly feel their anxiety. And no doubt the Daedras were detecting it as well...
And suddenly, as one man – or rather, one Daedra – Merhunes Dagon's troops rushed against Martin armies. The shock between the two armies was one of the most violent and terrible thing Sigrid had seen in her entire life.
Almost simultaneously, the second gate opened. This time, there was no "slack period" and the new gate almost immediately started to vomit hundreds of Daedroth. The shock between the human armies and the second wave of Daedric troops was as violent as the first one. The smell of blood as well as the screams of the injured and agonising were rising from the plain.
"May the Night Mother look upon us..." whispered Teinaava. He was looking quite pale now.
Sigrid replied nothing. A lump had come to her throat as she was desperately trying to identify Martin among the fighters.
"Maybe he is hurt already... or dead..." she thought.
"Don't worry." said the Voice. "Jauffre and the Blades will protect him."
"Is that supposed to put my mind at rest?!"
"Should we go now?" growled the Gogron. "I have pins and needles in my axe..."
"No." said Vicente. "Martin had been pretty clear about this. We need to wait for the Great Gate to open."
"Well, hope it is going to appear soon, because the troops won't be able to resist for long..."
And as if Merhunes Dagon himself had decided to grant Gogron his wish, there was another flash of light.
And in a terrible rumbling, the Great Gate opened.
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It is traditional – even compulsory! – for some kind of countdown to start when the heroes are in a rush.
Depending on the situation, it can take the form of a talking computer warning of the self-destruction of a secret base hidden somewhere, the chronometer of the guys who have to rob a bank in less than five minutes or some kind of bomb timer announcing an imminent explosion...
Of course, none of those – computers, chronometers, bombs... – existed in Nirn. Nevertheless, the universal principle of narration in dramatic situation demanded a countdown of some sort to start.
And so the countdown started.
15...
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15...
"Let's go!" exclaimed Sigrid, pointing at the Great Gate which had just materialised between the two first gates.
"Great! But do you have any idea of how we are going to achieve that?" asked Teinaava, making a face as he looked at the battlefield bloody melee. "We will be torn to pieces before we can reach the gate..."
Behind them Vicente and Gogron exchanged a knowing look.
"Vicente, are you pondering what I am pondering?" asked the Orc with a smile.
The vampire grinned back.
"I think I am, my friend. I just hope it is not going to end up like at Scaffold Manor... " he replied, taking his huge Dwemer sword out of his sheath.
"Sigrid, climb on my shoulders." said Gogron, as he kneeled on the ground.
Sigrid raised an interrogative eyebrow.
"But what for?" she protested. "And what happened at Scaffold Manor?"
"As for you, Teinaava," continued Gogron, ignoring Sigrid, "just try to stay in our trail, right?"
The Argonian did not try to discuss Gogron's order and nodded in agreement. The Orc then turned back toward Valtieri.
"Do you think you will be able to make it to the Gate?" he asked to the vampire.
"Ah!" Vicente sniggered. "Don't underestimate vampires' physical strength, my friend!"
"Are you two going to tell us what you have in mind?" asked Sigrid, sounding rather annoyed and also a bit scared as she was trying to find a hold to stabilise herself on Gogron's shoulders.
"You are going to see that in second..." replied the Orc. "Right, shall we go now?"
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15...
Martin stuck his sword into the Dremora's stomach – or at least, what he assumed to be his stomach, as Daedric biology had never been his favourite subject. He took a run up, turned around and killed a Daedra. And then another. And another...
It seemed like the fight was never going to end. It was like facing the legendary Black Marsh Hydra. You killed one opponent and two other ones were immediately replacing him.
From a military point of view, Martin was perfectly aware the battle was lost before it started. They were just there to make a diversion and all their hopes were relying on Sigrid and her friends now.
Martin looked at the Great Gate. Where was she? Did she manage to get to Oblivion? He wished he had found the strength last night to tell her he...
"Septim! Watch out!" yelled a voice.
Martin turned around and his eyes widened in horror as he saw a huge Daedroth running toward him, jaws gaping and claws ready to torn him apart.
He jumped backward clumsily to avoid the attack, but he was not quick enough and he felt the Daedroth's claws scraping out his armour.
Panting, he got back to guard, ready to face another charge, and winced. He quickly looked down at his chest. The Daedroth keen claws had managed to run through his armour and had left three long and bloody slashes in his skin.
Martin looked up and stood firm. The Daedroth was charging him already. But suddenly, it stopped and collapsed in a spray of blood, hocks cut.
"This one won't cause us trouble anymore!" exclaimed Baurus, jumping on the Daedroth's body and sticking his blade in its throat. "You'd better be a bit more careful Martin!"
"At least, one of us who is enjoying himself..." thought Martin as he watched Baurus disappearing into the fray.
Martin sighted and tried to take Sigrid out of his mind. Baurus was right. If he wanted to survive and have a chance to tell Sigrid what he had been trying to tell her for weeks, he'd better focus on the battle...
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15...
Bruma's inhabitants had gathered on the city wall's parapets to follow the battle from there. There were not many people left in town. Only those who were too weak, too old or too young to join Martin Septim's troops and help them to fight against the Daedric invaders had remained. Captain Burd had also insisted that Countess Carvain kept a few guards with her. Just in case...
"In case of what?" wondered the Countess, watching the battlefield sceptically.
If Septim and Trencavel failed, it was not a handful of soldiers who were going to save the day...
Her attention got drawn by a discussion. Some people were commenting on the battle that had just started.
"We are lost." said an old woman. "
"Akatosh is with us." said an equally old man in a reassuring voice. "He has sent us Martin, the last of the Septim, to defeat Merhunes Dagon!"
And he turned toward the Countess, his facing radiating trust. The Countess sighted and turned her eyes away from him. She wished she had the old man's faith. As if the Gods cared about their existence! She had never trusted them and had always relied on herself only to get a job down.
She thought of Martin Septim. He was a priest, but he did not rely on Gods either. And whether blessed or not by Akatosh, Carvain had to admit that he was not lacking determination and courage.
"Hope that will be enough to defeat the Daedric Prince of Chaos and Destruction." she thought.
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12...
Sigrid was not sure of what happened exactly. A few minutes ago, she was standing on that hill outside Bruma with Gogron, Vicente and Teinaava and the next moment she was in Oblivion, covered in blood – not her, fortunately.
All she could remember were bits of Daedra flying around her, as well as Gogron axe skimming pass her head dangerously. Apparently, the Daedras had been quite surprised by the Dark Brotherhood furious charge and Vicente and Gogron had cut through it as easily as knife trough butter.
"We have done it!" boomed Gogron as they were carefully hiding behind a bunch of crumbled rocks.
"Shhh..." whispered Teinaava, looking around nervously. "Nobody had seen us yet, and I wish we could finish this mission without being tailed by Dagon's armies."
The charge had not been as blind as Sigrid had thought first. Gogron and Vicente had carefully calculated their attack, making them crossing the Great Gate right between two waves of Daedric troops, thus avoiding them
"So, what next?" asked Vicente very calmly, turning toward Sigrid.
The vampire had taken off his hood and mask. His eyes were glowing red and he was also covered in blood, but apart from that, he looked perfectly in control. The girl was really impressed by the vampire's ability to deal with... difficult situations. It seemed that nothing could destabilize him. He was sitting here, in Oblivion, in the suffocating atmosphere of a landscape mainly composed by rivers of magma and dark rocks, surrounded by hundreds of Daedras which were preparing to invade Nirn, without minding much apparently.
"We need to climb up that tower before the siege engine gets through the Gate." she said. "And we'd better hurry..." she added to herself, getting up and showing them the way.
She had taken a glimpse of the siege engine when they had entered Oblivion, and she shivered when remembering what Kvatch survivors had told her about the horrors it was capable of...
"Interesting, really." started Vicente as they were running across the chaotic landscape. "According to many scholars' books, Dagon's realms, the 'Deadlands', are supposed to be dark, stormy, full of dark twisted trees, howling spirits and mist. It seems that they were wrong."
"You know, I really don't think Merhunes Dagon reads many books..." said Teinaava. "Huh, a problem Sigrid? "
The girl had brusquely stopped, and when Vicente and Teinaava got near her, they realised why.
A bridge had been conveniently straddling over a river of lava, but for some reason, it was broken in the middle.
"Ah, shame!" exclaimed Teinaava, shaking his head. "It seems that Dagon had never heard about
"Should we make an about-turn?" asked Vicente.
"No, we can't, we really don't have the time!" Sigrid replied.
She bitted her lips. For the first time, she was feeling completely lost in Oblivion. Damn, it had never happened to her before! Usually, it was almost as if the way to the Sigil Stone was sign-post with arrows...
All three turned around like one man as they heard a huge metallic noise behind them, like dozens of saucepans banging together.
Gogron, tangled up in his heavy Dwemer armour, could not move as easily as his friends on the stony ground and he had stumbled and fallen noisily somewhere between two huge granite boulders.
Above them, alerted by the racket, a group of Daedras were pointing at them and giving the alert.
"Oh, great!" said Teinaava. "Well done, Gogron!"
A huge hand emerged from behind a stone.
"I am fine, thank you for asking..." grunted the Orc as he extracted himself from the rocks.
"We are cornered." said Sigrid, looking worryingly at the Daedras. "No one can jump over that."
Vincent gave one of his polite cough.
"Well, you can't jump..." he said carefully. "But I think Gogron and I are strong enough to throw you and Teinaava on the other side..."
Sigrid shot him a walked carefully near the bridge. She looked down at the pit full of lava and then turned toward Vicente.
"No way." she said flatly.
"Come on..."
"I said: no way! I am not going to let you guys throw me over that lava pit!"
She started running along the bridge edge, looking around to find a hypothetical escape.
"There should be another..." she started. "Hey! What do you think you are doing!?"
Vicente and Gogron had caught her by the ankles and the wrists while she was not looking.
"Sorry for that Sigrid," said Vicente as the girl was struggling to free herself from their grip, "but as you said, we don't have the time... OK Gogron, on the count of three: one, two..."
"Put me back down! Put me back down, you bunch of...! Arrrrgh!" Sigrid yelled.
She saw the border of the bridge coming toward her at high speed. Vicente and Gogron had badly calculated her trajectory and she received the edge right in the ribs. The shock cut her breath while she drove her nails in the ground not to slide backward.
Teinaava made a perfect landing near her and rushed toward her to give her a hand.
"Hey, that was fun!" he exclaimed as he helped Sigrid to get on the bridge. "Let's try it again...! Just joking..." he added quickly when his eyes met Sigrid's.
"We'd better go..." she groaned. "But before that, there is something I need to do..."
On the other side of the bridge, Vicente and Gogron looked at Sigrid gesturing and yelling at them before she turned her back to them and started to run, followed by Teinaava.
"What did she say?" the Orc asked.
"Hmm, probably something very, very nasty about Orcs and vampires..." smiled Vicente.
Sounds of footsteps as well as screams coming from non-human throats resounded somewhere behind them.
"And now, we'd better get ready…"
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10...
Tolgan, Narina's Carvain herald, was in great distress. He was running behind his mistress, sweating and gasping for breath, and trying not to get outdistanced.
"Countess, please! Listen to me" he panted. "This is madness! You can't..."
"I have asked you to fetch me my armour, not to comment on my decisions!" replied Carvain dryly, without turning around.
"But your Highness...!"
"Shut up, Tolgan!"
"Yes, your Highness."
Tolgan had always been Narina Carvain's faithful servant. He had started working for her in the early years of her reign and had not left her since then. He was the first to admit his mistress was not a very easy person to live with. But this time, she was going a bit too far...
They were now in the throne room. The Countess removed a key from around her neck and started to open on of her precious display cabinets, the ones who contained Akaviri weapons.
"Please, Countess, don't go..." he begged her. "It won't change the issue of the battle anyway."
"You may be right, but my decision is irrevocable. Everybody is defending my city but me!" she mumbled as she retrieved an Akaviri Katana from the display cabinet.
"And now, tell the remaining guard to meet me at the main city gate." ordered the Countess. "We are going to attempt a sortie."
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8...
"Er, are you sure we are going in the right direction?" asked Teinaava. "Everything looks the same here..."
"Yes, it's over there!" replied Sigrid, pointing at another grey door.
"Well, I think..."
Sigrid had to admit she was not really sure of herself anymore. They had entered one of the annex towers, as several bridges were linking them to the main one. And even if some of them looked broken, Sigrid knew that there was some kind of mechanism to activate them.
They climbed up the tower without meeting anyone. Actually, they had not met much resistance in their progression, and Sigrid suspected that the Daedras were far too busy for the moment dealing with Vicente and Gogron to worry about Teinaava and her.
When they arrived at the top of the tower, they finally found a living soul. Or at least, a soul who lived...From where she was standing, Sigrid was unable to say whether the prisoner trapped in the cage hung over the pit was alive or dead. But given by the state of his body, she really wished he had passed away...
"Right, one of those levers must activate the bridge we saw when we were downstairs." she said.
"Maybe this one?" asked Teinaava.
And without waiting for an answer, he activated the lever. There was a creaking sound, and, behind them, the bottom of the cage opened. To her greatest horror, Sigrid saw the prisoner's body slowly fell down the pit before it got impaled with a discussing wet sound on the pikes downstairs. Sigrid looked up from the tower's bottom to the Argonian.
"Teinaava..." she growled.
"Oups, sorry..." replied the Argonian, grinning and not looking sorry at all.
Sigrid sighted and pulled the second level. In the distance, they heard a rumbling noise.
"The bridge is activated. Let's go!"
They crossed the door and a cold wind swept across their face. Trying not to get destabilised by the gusts of wind, they started crossing the bridge.
But as they were about to reach the other side, the ground began to move under their feet.
"The bridge!" screamed Sigrid. "The mechanism has been deactivated!"
"What the...?"
Teinaava's question remained stuck in this throat. He gasped in horror as he saw the ground opening under his feet. And he toppled over the edge…
But Sigrid jumped forward and grabbed the Argonian by one of his wrist just in time.
"Teinaava! Are you OK?" she asked.
The Argonian looked down and gulped.
"Er, yeah, I think so..." he replied. His legs were trashing the air, desperately searching for a foothold. "Can you haul me?"
Sigrid tensed her muscle and tried to get back on her knees, but failed.
"No, I am sorry." she said, taking her breath back. "You are too heavy, and..."
She did not finish her sentence. Dragged by Teinaava's weight, she was slowly sliding on the stomach toward the drop. Panicked, she planted her toes in the ground. It seemed to slow her progression but she could still feel herself moving forward slightly.
"Are you hanging on to something?" asked Teinaava.
"No."
There was a pause.
"My dear Teinaava, it is time to take your responsibilities..." thought the Argonian.
He suppressed a nervous chuckle. Shame Lucien was not there. He would probably be very proud to see his "little immature lizard" – as he said – to show some sense of responsibilities...
"Let go of me." said Teinaava aloud.
Sigrid's mouth opened wide in shock.
"What? No! No, wait! There must be a way to..."
"Don't be silly." Teinaava interrupted her. "There are no other solutions. Do you want to fall with me?"
"You can't ask me to do that!"
Teinaava was expecting that kind of answer. He sighted and took his dagger out of his belt with his free hand.
"Funny. I had never thought I would die as a hero..."
He wondered if, in the case Sigrid's mission was successful, he would get a statute. Yes, a huge statute of him in a heroic pose, with a plaque saying something like "To the courageous Teinaava who died trying to save the city"... Fine, it sounded completely cheesy, but at least maybe it would cheer up his dear Ocheeva a bit? Teinaava wished he had the time to tell his twin he loved her.
Actually, he was now realising how much he was going to miss everyone: Lucien and his telling-off, Antoinetta and her crazy cuisine recipes, Vicente and his endless discussions on every subject possible, Talendril's nymphomaniac habits, M'raaj-Dar's awkward so-and-so, Sigrid's sudden changes of mood and of course, Gogron's unforgettable hugs...
"Now, let go of me." ordered Teinaava again. If his life had to end up, it'd better be right now, because he was feeling his resolution faltering quickly.
"No!"
Teinaava raised the hand which was holding the dagger and put the tip of the blade on Sigrid's wrist.
"You are as stubborn as a mule! If you don't let go off me, I swear I will stick my blade in your arm!"
And suddenly, there was a strong and putrid smell of decomposition. A smell so strong that it completely obliterated the powerful one of sulphur which usually dominated Merhunes Dagon's realms.
"Ah! We finally meet my dear." said a voice. "Of course, our paths have crossed many times before, but I never got the opportunity to... chat with you."
Teinaava frowned as he saw the landscape around him change slightly and looked as if all the colours were completely blurred. He did not know much about Oblivion, but he was sure what was happening know was certainly not normal...
The Argonian then looked back at Sigrid and realised that she was fixing something behind her.
A dark and skinny silhouette wearing a large hat had materialised just there. It was holding a scythe in one of his hand. A very big and blunt scythe...
"You... You can talk?!" the girl gasped.
The Ankou had an indulgent smile.
"Of course I can. But I think you have
"He is in my head... Oh, by Sithis, he is in my head!" Sigrid thought, completely panicked.
The inhuman voice of the Ankou was indeed echoing in her head. Actually, it was as if he was directly talking to her brain, without getting trough her ears. And most worrying of all, the Ankou's voice was sounding really familiar to Sigrid, even if it was the first time he was talking to her.
Her eyes widened in shock as she realised she why...
"What do you want?"
Sigrid's voice was sounding like a cawing. She was trying to fight against the strong feeling she had to pass out.
"You have something that belongs to me... Something that I really want back..."
At those words, the girl felt something burning against her chest. She looked down at the small hourglass she had hanged up on a chain around her neck. It was glowing red again, like when she had touched it for the first time. The Ankou hold out his skeletal hand toward Sigrid and a black veil started to darken her vision. Her eyelids flickered and she tried to focus on Teinaava.
"Don't let go off him, don't let go of him..."
"Leave her alone!" spat Teinaava.
The Ankou stopped his move and gave the Argonian one of his completely humourless smile while he was bending over him.
"My dear Teinaava, you are in a rather... hazardous position. And guess what? I hate having to come out for nothing... "
Teinaava's blood turned to ice.
"You see, many think that its Death who is killing people." continued the Ankou while nonchalantly removing some invisible particles from the blade of his scythe. "Which is completely silly. People got killed. I only came afterwards to collect what belongs to me, or rather, to Sithis..."
His smile widened.
"But even if I can't kill you directly, I still can nudge fatality in the right direction..."
And saying this, the Ankou put his hands on Sigrid's shoulder. Her eyes almost immediately rolled upward and Teinaava felt the girl's grip on his wrist loosening... In a desperate move, his instinct for survival pushed him to grab hers.
"Tss, tss..." said the Ankou, shaking his head disapprovingly. "Would you take the risk to drag her down in your fall? It won't save your life, you know..."
"Get stuffed!" spat Teinaava, incensed.
"Teinaava!" a worried voice yelled behind him.
The Argonian turned his head toward the sound of the voice and his hear leapt in his chest.
It was Vicente. But the Argonian's happiness to see his friend turned into horror as he realised the bridge had been activated again, and was slowly moving forward, ready to crush him...
The Ankou cackled, leaning on his scythe with an awful snarl on his fleshless face.
"Ah, but all this is becoming rather interesting! I wonder how you are..."
The Ankou brusquely ducked to avoid a big and sharp object that had just been thrown at him. A huge axe stuck in the wall, vibrating, just behind the liche.
"Who dared...?!" he snarled.
"Me!" Gogron growled as he materialised behind Vicente. "Get away from my friends, you awful scarecrow!"
"Ah, here comes the cavalry, I see." said the Ankou, sarcastically. "I'd better go. It is getting rather busy here."
He turned back toward Sigrid, who now looked so pale that death may have been an improvement.
"But don't worry. We will meet again. Very soon..."
And he disappeared as suddenly as he had materialised.
But Teinaava did not spend too much time wondering about where the Ankou had gone. The bridge was still moving toward him and it seemed that Sigrid was about to let go off him...
"Dying by falling from the tower or being crashed by the bridge? Decisions, decisions..."
Fortunately, Teinaava never had to choose. Vicente had made a start worthy of any sprint champion. He easily jumped over the small space separating the two parts of the bridge and landed near Sigrid. Grabbing the Argonian by the collar of his leather suit, he hauled him just before the bridge interlocked.
"Well, er... thanks..." mumbled Teinaava, his heart beating wildly.
Vicente smiled at him and then turned toward Sigrid, who was lying motionless on the floor.
"Are you all right?" asked Gogron when he rejoined them. "And what was thingamajig with the scythe? Man, it was so skinny it looked like it had not eaten in ages!"
"Which is probably the case..." murmured Vicente as he helped Sigrid getting back on her feet.
"Will... explain you... later..." the girl replied, painting. She was feeling a bit light-headed. "How... did you manage to cross the first broken bridge?"
Vicente and Gogron had a really evil smile.
"Well, we have discovered that Daedra's dead bodies had amazing floating properties on lava..."
Awful mental pictures crossed Sigrid's mind.
"Well, er… We'd better go. We are not far away from the top of the tower now."
"And I hope there won't be more bridges…" she thought, wincing.
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3...
"Burd! Try to get your men out of there!" yelled Martin.
Captain Burd nodded in agreement, knowing perfectly it was hopeless. Their army was surrounded by hundreds of Daedras and there was no way to escape. They were trapped, and all they could do was fighting, or dying...
"Well, rather fighting and dying..." he corrected himself mentally. Indeed, they would need a miracle to...
And unexpectedly, the miracle happened. The Captain saw a breach opening in the Daedric lines and human soldiers wearing Bruma's livery rushing into it.
Burd pinched himself to make sure he was not dreaming.
"Countess?" he asked, bemused when he recognised the figure who was leading the reinforcements.
"A problem, Captain?" asked Nirana Carvain defiantly as she stopped by his side.
"Er, no..."
"Good!"
Then she spurred on her mount and charged a group of Dremoras.
"Ten like her, and the Empire is saved." said Martin, who was standing behind the Captain.
"Ah! There are not even five like her!" shrugged Burd. "And this is not such a bad thing. One to cope with is enough, believe me!" he added with a smile.
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1...
"It's too late!" someone yelled among the people gathered on the parapets. A concert of shouts echoed him and people pointed at the huge siege engine which was starting to get out of the Gate.
Some women and children started crying and screams of despair began to rise from the crowd.
But indifferent to his companions, kneeling on the ground and his eyes closed in fervour, the old man was praying.
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1...
"It's too late!"
Martin turned toward the sound of the scream. A soldier was pointing at the Great Gate where the siege engine was slowly crossing.
Flashes of what happened in Kvatch crossed his mind and he tried not to get overcome by panic. If Sigrid did not close the Gate now, they were done for...
"But what are they waiting for?" thought Martin.
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1...
"It's too late!" roared Gogron. "The siege engine is getting trough the Great Gate!"
"No, it's not!" Vicente yelled back. "It has not crossed the Gate completely yet!"
A Clannfear jumped at his throat but the vampire drove it back violently.
"Sigrid! Get the Stone! We will try to hold them back!"
Sigrid did not need to be told twice. She screamed in rage as she tried to cut herself a past through the forest of teeth and claws.
The Daedras had finally guessed the reason of their presence in Oblivion and had taken measures as a consequence... When the Dark Brothers had entered the Sigillium Sanguis, they had found themselves face to face with a score of rather annoyed Daedras, ready to fight.
The girl climbed up and risked an eye downstairs. Vicente was getting overcome by Scamps and Clannfears. Teinaava had been cornered by three Churl Dremoras and she could not see Gogron anywhere...
Something suddenly grabbed her by the neck and started to strangle her.
"Let me go!" she screamed, punching violently her aggressor in the face. The Dremora's nose broke in a crack and he clutched his face in pain, freeing Sigrid.
She ran toward the Sigil Stone. Behind her, the Dremora yelled in rage and hexed her. She received the curse right between her shoulder blades, but despite the pain, she managed to jump forward and snatched the Sigil Stone from its socle.
And everything set ablaze.
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Blinded by the light, Sigrid landed head first in something very cold and humid. It took her brain some time to work out what it was.
"Snow..."
Which meant they were back on Nirn again. She removed the snow from her face, blinked and looked around her. The snow field was covered in blood and corpses. A few feet away from her, what remained of the siege engine was consuming itself.
Sigrid felt something moving under her and instinctively reached for her sword hilt...
"Move out, you daughter of a hippopotamus!" said a muffled voice. "I can't breath!"
"Vicente?"
The vampire gently pushed Sigrid aside and extracted himself from the snow. He immediately put back on his face his hood and mask. Or at least, what was left of them. His clothes had been partly torn apart, and he had many cuts and scratches all over the body. But apart from that, he seemed all right.
"What is a hippopotamus?"
"It is a big and heavy wild beast which lives in the far south of Elseweyr." replied the vampire while dusting his rags. "Never heard of them?"
Sigrid frowned. Talking about big wild beats...
"Where are Gogron and Teinaava?" she asked, sounding worried.
"There!" said a booming voice.
Teinaava and Gogron were coming toward them, tottering. The Argonian had a nasty very nasty cut on the leg and was bleeding abundantly. As for Gogron, he looked like a hedgehog with all the Daedric arrows stuck his armour. When they arrived near Sigrid, Teinaava collapsed in the snow.
"You two need to see a healer!" exclaimed Sigrid as she kneeled by the Argonian.
"Nah, what for?" said Gogron with bravado. But he was clearly in pain.
"She is right, guys. You should listen to her."
Baurus was walking toward them, smiling.
"Nice to see you are all in one piece." the Redguard continued. "Huh, well, almost..." he corrected himself, looking at Gogron and Teinaava.
"Baurus!" exclaimed Sigrid. "Where is...?"
Sigrid stopped and sighted in relief. Martin had just appeared behind Baurus. Curbing an urge to throw her arms around his neck, she walked toward him and held the Sigil Stone out to him.
"There. We got it."
Without a word, Martin removed the Stone from Sigrid's hands and barely took a look at it before he dropped it on the ground.
"Hey, be careful!" exclaimed Sigrid reproachfully. "You'd never know through what we got to... Chlmpff!"
She never managed to finish her sentence, because Martin gagged her with a kiss. And not exactly a very chaste one. Baurus chuckled, some of the soldiers around them cheered and Sigrid was sure that her bunch of assassin friends was smiling wildly.
Funny, she had always thought a first kiss had to be romantic. And for her, romanticism implied nice tweeting little birds, a lot of flowers – preferably pink ones and a sunset maybe… But certainly not a battlefield and a lover covered in blood, reeking of Scamps and whose armour was crushing her chest.
Fine. If it was not a romantic kiss, at least it was an epic one...
"Hey, that is definitively good song material..." she thought as she returned Martin his kiss with passion.
Yeah, why not composing a song on Bruma's battle? It would start in C minor and...
"Nice to see you are very focused on what you are doing..." said the Voice sarcastically.
"You...! You..." Sigrid hissed mentally. "We will need to have a small conversation..."
The girl had not forgotten the intervention of the Ankou and a felling of dread rose in her chest at the thought.
"I know." sighted the Voice. "This had to happen one day..."
Sigrid did not ask the Voice what it meant by that. She had decided to follow its advice and to concentrate a bit more on what she was doing…
- 17 -