-1The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Twenty-Eight - Secrets of a Priest

As Aldric reached Chorrol around midnight, he kept fighting with himself on whether to go through with the deed. The risks involved were great, but the peace of mind if he got what he wanted would balance the potential dangers.

Focus, Aldric. Don't back down. Confront your past. After this, it'll all be a downhill stretch.

He entered through the south gate, making a beeline for The Grey Mare, an inn situated near Castle Chorrol. After buying a room, he stowed his ebony armor and sword and changed into a brown hooded robe before heading back outside. The only weapon he would need was Widowshire.

The farmer approached one of the city guards in a relaxed, unthreatening manner.

"What can I do for you, citizen?" the Imperial guard asked cheerfully.

"Uh, yes, has the Rihad convoy arrived yet?" Aldric asked in return, playing the part of a bumbling tourist.

"They arrived an hour ago. They're at the Chapel of Stendarr, in the west part of town," the guard replied, pointing down one street.

"Thank you, sir."

"Take care." The guard flashed a smile, but Aldric had already started for the Chapel.

It was on his right, and it looked like all the other chapels he had seen during his short time in Cyrodiil--gray stone with a towering steeple and colorful stained-glass windows depicting the Nine Divines. As he walked in, he took note of a hunched over figure wearing a gray robe in the middle pew on the right side of the church.

Aldric said a quick prayer at the altar to Stendarr, hoping he was doing the right thing. May the Nine lead me to the path of righteousness, no matter how tainted the path may be.

The farmer slowly turned around to leave, taking note of the man in the pew. It was a High Elf, and according to the letter about the convoy, the only one traveling. Aldric wondered what compelled the man to go corrupt. Was it the will of the gods, like everything else in this life? The power that corruption inevitably brought? Or was he just pure evil and looking to exploit it? Laendril appeared to be deep in thought--his eyes were closed and he didn't stir when Aldric took a seat in the pew behind him.

Slowly, the Redguard withdrew the Elven dagger and leaned forward. "Hello, Laendril," he whispered.

Obviously disturbed, the Altmer straightened slightly. "What can I do for you tonight?" came the terse yet priestly reply.

The Redguard looked around the Chapel to confirm he was alone, then he lightly pressed Widowshire against the back of the Altmer's neck. "I want answers. You're going to walk with me into the Undercroft and we're going to talk. If you call for help, I'll sever your spine. Nod if you understand."

Three rapid nods.

"Good. Let's go." Aldric stood from the pew, as did the priest at the farmer's urging. He pushed Laendril toward the rear, down the stairs, and through the door of the Undercroft--after he had locked the other door with the key he had found in the man's pocket.

He put a firm grasp on the man's right shoulder as he locked the door he had entered; at the same time, he put Widowshire back in its pocket.

Then Aldric pushed Laendril down the short flight of steps and was rewarded with a pained grunt as he slammed face first into a pillar. He noticed that only two torches--one on the pillar above Laendril, and one next to Aldric--were lit, and he quickly doused them. The Undercroft was pitch-black, but with the ring Uvani had provided him, he could see the fearful expressions on the man's face.

All the anger that had been building within finally came out to rear its ugly head. He approached slowly.

"Why the fuck did you do it?!" he rasped angrily. The farmer noticed that Laendril was bleeding from a gash on his cheek and looked panic-stricken at his approach. "Why did you frame me?"

Laendril's eyes widened in recognition. "Aldric!"

"The very same, you piece of shit." A punch to the face snapped the priest's head back into the pillar and Aldric thought he saw the man's eyes water a little bit. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. You choose."

The priest sputtered for a few seconds but quickly regained his composure. "I wanted you to suffer. I'll admit my corruption here and now, but you will not escape here alive!"

Aldric chuckled. "What the fuck do you have? I didn't see any back-up. I don't see anybody down here. I can see in the dark. You can't. All you know is that I'm right in front of you. Now, did you have my father killed?"

"Yes." The Altmer smiled, but Aldric didn't see why he would be doing such a gesture at a time like this.

The farmer shook his head and withdrew Widowshire. He saw the man tense up, and then he cracked his own smile. "This is Falvis' dagger. It's enchanted to drain your strength so you can't fight, as well as your willpower to make you into a babbling idiot. Slowly, of course."

"What's your point, Redguard?"

"My point is, I will start inflicting pain if you don't give me what I want." Aldric slowly ran Widowshire on the man's arm, just so he knew it was there. "Now, Falvis said he had planned to kill you because he felt you weren't--"

"That Mer was insane!" Laendril interrupted. "As mad as those corprus monsters of his homeland!"

Aldric crashed the hilt of the dagger into Laendril's face, breaking his nose. Blood started dripping down his face onto his lips. "Shut the fuck up and let me talk! He may have been insane, but he wasn't dumb. He was going to get answers from you and then kill you…but me?" He barked a short laugh. "I'm going to take my time with you."

The Knight Brother clamped his hand over Laendril's mouth and stabbed him in the left foot with the dagger. Even though it was muffled, the scream made more noise than he would've liked. He had doused the torches deliberately so Laendril wouldn't know when the blows would hit. The fear of when the next attack would come would hopefully break him down.

"You forced me to go the hard way," Aldric said matter-of-factly. "You don't like the hard way, do you? If you value your other foot, then talk."

"Your father was getting too close to something he shouldn't have," Laendril replied in between ragged breaths. "He knew of my drug trafficking, but not the slaves. Yes, he slandered me for that, and he had to be killed."

Aldric detected slight hesitation at the mention of slandering. Laendril wasn't telling the full truth. "What else, Laendril? I know there's more." He started to put pressure on the wounded foot.

The priest became more animated and was on the verge of yelling when he said, "Stop! Stop! I'll tell, I'll tell!"

Aldric lifted his knee. "Speak, you bastard!"

"Your mother was having an affair with me." The Altmer chuckled. "She was a great fuck, Aldric. She made me splattered all inside her! She was evil, Aldric. She needed contacts in the underworld--I had them. She was never a missionary--she is a Dark Brotherhood agent. However, while you were in Morrowind, she was bitten by a vampire. She roamed Cyrodiil for those five years and when she learned of my coming to the Imperial province, she contacted me so I could meet her. Dive Rock, high in the Jerall Mountains, north-northeast of Cheydinhal."

The words Aldric just heard were the same as a gong being struck next to his head. He felt ready to collapse. His entire life…a lie? No. Father hadn't known that either…but how? She died shortly after he had been born due to complications from his birth! Had she faked her death?

The next few minutes following those thoughts were a blur. Aldric didn't remember much--all he could recall was Laendril laying on the Undercroft floor in a pool of blood with sections of his face cut away. He may have stabbed the chest multiple times and cut the throat a few times, but it was irrelevant.

He burst through the Chapel doors out into the streets of Chorrol, sprinting for The Grey Mare. Aldric wasn't sure of the expression on his face, but it had to be one on the verge of a meltdown. When he reached his room, he dove for the pillow on his bed and buried his face in it.

For the first time since his father had died, at age twenty-six, the Redguard from Rihad sobbed uncontrollably until he cried himself to sleep.