Chapter 16: Waking Dawn
Ruigus found himself staring in front of Fort Dunstad, the Imperial Dragon flew bravely against the wind.
Trotting his way to the gates he saw a guard position himself up on the walls.
"Dragonborn!?" The man yelled recognizing Ruigus already.
"Hold on, I'll get the gates for you!" The man quickly disappeared, Ruigus let Trun know to trot faster.
Reaching around to the front of Fort Dunstad Ruigus saw the great iron gates raise into it's control room.
He spotted dead Draugrs on stakes. A dead vampire hung from the walls with a sign on it.
It read as 'No dead allowed, that means you too Stormcloaks' a rather humorous sign as the captain walked out of the fort to meet Ruigus.
"Like the sign? We had some rude visitors come in the middle of night, right there that breach. Burned them alive or…..deader with fires. Bloody bloodsuckers got sent packing. Even nabbed a few of them when they tried to run. They're up here as a warning, just in case they get funny ideas again." The man explained, laughing as he spilled the details.
"Well done Captain! I just came here from Dawnstar, we….Had a hard fight." Said Ruigus.
The captain placed a fist on his chest.
"Bless those who fought. We won right?" He questioned, Ruigus nodded his head.
"Took bad losses but we did it, the hall of Vigilants was almost destroyed. The city is damaged from both us and them. Legate Rikke's sent me to find Tullius." Said Ruigus, Trun moved back and forth, an excitable horse it was.
"Are you? Well we hardly noticed any trouble far from us. If you need to stop for supplies we've got some fresh bread left. After that we'll be down to rice rations, unless that is your fancy good Champion?" The man offered.
"Just a loaf, need payment?" Ruigus asked. The man chuckled and whispered to one of his guards, who then reached in his bag to pull it out.
"In this army we don't take advantage of each other. At least we used to, bloody state armies have more trust and honor than we do now. Sthun, Stendarr or whatever we all call him bless us." He said, handing it over.
"Don't leave a crumb trail, I don't want to see rat men by the night." The Captain said dryly.
"I've good eating habits." Ruigus then waved them goodbye.
"Good luck dragonborn! Get Tullius to drag our arses to the heavens!" The man yelled.
Ruigus rode off into the distance. While tired, he'd stay awake as long as he could find his old mentor.
Ruigus imagined that with only two more stops he'd be able to reach Whiterun in a matter of three to five hours.
Checking his map he saw that he was coming close to that village they took just a week ago.
Ruigus figured that he would go and visit it.
Traveling along the road he saw that there had been no disturbance on it.
He suspected that the only real targets for the vampires must have been the cities with their vast amounts of people. Then again he could have been wrong.
It would have also been likely that they could attack towns and other small locations. But he'd have to get an exact idea.
As Ruigus moved onwards with Trun he quietly mouthed the words he used when he talked to Alduin when his voice recovered.
"Yes, I won't get taken away in the night." He'd said to her last night.
"I'll come back in a day or two. Maybe even today." He replied to her when she voiced some concern over his leaving for so long.
"I'm sure the Blades will follow me." He had also said when she had talked about sending someone to follow him.
Ruigus sighed. Alduin, in all of her aloofness and oft time devoted selfishness and overall alien if not childish or strange behavior, Ruigus admitted he possibly shared the last two at least in the eyes of those that could not change their eye colors.
For Ruigus there was one frustration, that strange distance from personable interactions that came across her at times. To him she could be so incredibly sweet yet so dreading in her true nature and how so little he knew about it. For now the only real clue was that one dream he had about Vahlok.
Birds chirped and sung. Whilst the night would bring an end to such merriment the day could still be enjoyed, despite what little it could be.
Soon he came upon a village, a skeleton hung from a post.
And Ruigus let forth more optimism flow through him.
Alduin was rather surprised.
Captains Hilvette and D'lliers who she and the rest had presumably assumed as dead had lived.
As it turned out when the newly promoted Captain Cario Idwal led an attack through the Southeast he came upon the pair holding out with a few survivors of wounded civilians, imperials, and stormcloaks from the day before who were all trapped in a small hospital. Unable to be moved from their beds as half the healers had retreated to the Church.
Hilvette and D'lliers were wounded and were currently taking a nap before they'd report to Alduin.
Cario was indeed promoted to Captain during the night and he said he'd visit with his two constituents and Alduin supposed she had to congratulate him, for he too had been praised by many a soldier to her.
Kober was to come as well.
After them would be Ruigus's friends. After Ruigus left she confronted a strange Dunmer priest who talked about needing to eradicate the curse of Vaermina. The man was curious as to have either her or Ruigus join him.
It was a serious request for the well being of the mortals in this city. Something that would help Ruigus later down the line.
Whilst she could not personally come due to orders and worries over another attack. As well as the shaky morale of the soldiers and citizens, as Rikke and Brina had discussed earlier whilst they had won the battle and saved the city the people would still not fully trust the Legion for a good month.
Alduin thought back to Vaermina's spell, she admitted she was somewhat worried for the outcome, but trusted in those who would go.
She heard footsteps approaching her door.
"Come in." She said.
In walked her four Captains.
Hilvette, and D'lliers were bandaged around their heads. Cario was also bandaged around his chest, while covered in armor he lightly gripped at it from time to time. Kober was the luckiest of them, he was unscathed.
The four saluted her.
"I am glad to see you all still live." Alduin said dryly.
Cario chuckled hardly.
"It is just another day in the Legion, or night rather." Said D'lliers.
"Agreed." Alduin replied.
"I will be able to fight tonight." Said Hilvette in her usual soldier like manner, an attitude she gained from the presence of Rikke in how exaggerated she was.
"If you wish to die pointlessly then by all means Captain." Alduin mocked.
Hilvette cringed in pain.
"I must prove myself as a commander and soldier of Skyrim." She replied.
"There are others who think the same. The majority have taken a smart approach." Alduin said.
"Speak no more of this. That means you can hold your piece for the moment Cario." Said Alduin, Cario had looked like he was going to say something the entire time, if he had, Alduin imagined he would have said something similar.
"Not that. I just wanted to say that I am pleased we won and that my men are fine after the attack, I have taken some casualties.." He said, with intention to change the subject. Cario Idwal was rather proud this day, and his reasons to be so would only grow from here.
"Good. Have the dead and wounded been counted?" Alduin asked, even as a commander of mortals she knew she had to see how many were left, after all. She had to in the times before now.
What a circle life could be for one such as her.
"As usual, full report will be in soon….It's difficult with this sort of environment, easy to get lost and many men throughout all units died, it makes it hard to tell who's who." The man said.
"An unfortunate reality. Regardless, all have fought well and bravely. I congratulate all of you." Said Alduin.
Only Kober remained unchanged in his expression as the other three were more amiable. Even Hilvette with her dispute with Alduin retained that professionalism as a soldier and officer.
"Commander, do we know what caused the attack? Aside from the appearance of the single black moon of the Necromancer that is and all that comes with it." D'lliers asked.
"No grounded information, Ruigus said that the Vampire lord he encountered spoke of enslaving all mortals. A rather obtuse idea but it is possible to happen if all armies are to falter. Either way, we must accept that their ultimate goal is the destruction of humanity." Alduin replied.
Cario smashed his fist into the palm of his other hand.
"They'll be sent to their final resting places then! In hell or back to the embrace of Arkay." He declared.
"Do not forget Orkey and Shor, breton." Said Hilvette, her eyes narrowed on the fiery captain. Cario Idwal merely grunted in response.
"They all seek the same." Said D'lliers neutrally, Cario's breton counterpart.
Kober opened his mouth to speak.
"Do not care about what happens to them." The Colovian man said.
"You all would be better off if you thought about how to end them." The cold expression-ed man said simply.
"Agreed. For now, all of you should prepare for the night." Said Alduin, her voice was tinged with a unique charisma.
"Yes sir." The four in front of her said at once.
"Tribune. What about the curse of Vaermina?" Asked Hilvette as she saluted, her arm held out weakly.
"I will dispatch a squad to go and handle with care of the issue." Alduin informed.
"A shame I cannot join. It'd be better than sitting here for an eternity." Thought Cario.
"Well, I suppose the influence of one of the daedra is weak enough that we would send in five lads to handle it." Said D'lliers.
"I would do it myself, but I as the rest of you have a duty to prepare for the next fight." Said Alduin.
"Of course, my Tribune." Said D'lliers.
"We must. Ruigus rides to find the general and see the status of the land. We'll do what we can here, in the meantime ready for the end of the curse and any potential attacks by vampire or other cretins." Said Alduin, her words full of disgust.
"We shall believe in the Champion of our unit, the dragonborn will bring us back good words." Said Hilvette. Her two more chatty fellows made audible agreement.
"Yes, I believe so as well." Said Alduin, the slightest and most hidden signs of wistfulness.
"Anything else to report?" Alduin then asked.
"The Vampires are gone with their slaves." Said Kober.
"What!?" Cario exclaimed.
"They took what they wanted and have left, what else is left will skulk." Kober said once more, ignoring his compatriot.
"Oh? How have you found this out?" Alduin questioned.
"One of them was caught by Oculatus agents as he attempted to hide." Said Kober slowly.
"Why have the Oculatus not contacted any of us?" Asked Cario. Kober looked at the tall breton.
"They reveal themselves when they want to. You would do well to have made contact with them already." Said the dark colovian.
Cario was visually annoyed.
"Are they still here?" Asked Alduin.
"No, they left quickly. They intend to take their specimen home." Said Kober.
"I see, how unfortunate." Said Alduin.
"We shall continue as normal. Be on guard, all of you." Said Alduin.
The four saluted her.
"Dismissed." She said.
With that, the four officers walked out of the room and out into a hallway. Coincidentally, four soldiers were walking past them.
They were recognized as their commander's bodyguards. The two groups silently saluted each other and walked on their respective paths.
"Congratulations." Said D'lliers to them. Making his way out.
Hadvar and his three friends walked into the Tribune's room.
She sat there in a chair staring at them as they strolled in and faced her.
"You are to be congratulated Marcus, your zealous ringing of that bell has saved many. If we are to return home soon you will be receiving a special award, apparently." Said Alduin unceremoniously as they began their meeting.
"All of you have done well, as ever. But now I have a special task for you. I will give you no choice in the matter as this is an immense threat." Said Alduin.
Marcus sighed.
"Ah, and here I thought we'd enjoy some vacation." He said.
"I am afraid I am unfamiliar with that last term." Said Alduin, frowning.
"It's a sort of...long break." Said Marcus, scratching the back of his head with his right hand, his left hand held his helmet.
"A full explanation is that it is a tim…..." Aethan who had decided to speak up was immediately cut off by Hadvar.
"What's the task?" Hadvar asked.
Alduin straightened herself.
"You are to assist a Priest of Mara by the name of Erandur in dispelling the curse laid on this city by the daedric god Vaermina." Stated Alduin.
"I see, where do we meet this good father?" Asked Hadvar.
"You will meet him at the source of the spell. There is a tower to the east that stands on top of the mountain, you can see it even from here as a matter of fact. Regardless of that, there are some footpaths you should be able to use if these inhabitants keep them maintained, though with the level of hardiness we have all had to go with in this land you will be able to make it up, take some extra supplies if you need them." Alduin answered and explained more.
"That is good to hear commander, do you know what we may face?" Asked Hadvar once more. Concerned with the possibility of vampires.
"No info. However, the Priest is bringing equipment suitable for the four of you." She replied.
"Alright, we'll trust the man's choice." Said Hadvar.
"If he brings books I ain't got anytime to read holy scriptures and all that." Whispered Marcus to himself as he sighed deeply.
"Are you unfit for the task Marcus?" Alduin asked, nearly standing out of her chair.
"No, just preparing myself for more marching." The Imperial said.
"We'll march the unwillingness out of you Marcus." Said Hans, saying the younger nibeneean's name for once.
"We'll march your life out!" He shot back.
Alduin stared daggers.
"It shall be done by the night Alavia." Said Hadvar.
"Go, and hurry before then." She said, dismissing them.
"Ah sod it." Said Marcus as he stood up, Aethan nearly laughed at him as they left the room.
"Bad mood?" Asked Aethan as they walked down the stairs.
"Nah, just tired from last night, arms can barely raise a bow." He replied.
"You'll have to manage." Said Hadvar, worriedly.
"Yeah yeah." Replied Marcus.
"Hey Hans, do you happen to know a way to the tower?" Hadvar asked.
The old soldier grinned.
"I do. Follow me, we should get drinks first before we go." He answered.
"Heh, alright Hans." Said Hadvar, rubbing his temples as he placed his helmet back on his head.
The four soldiers began to trek up the mountain to meet with the curious priest at an even more curious tower.
Ruigus had finished his visit to the village, they had just barely survived, they seemed intent on fleeing to either a city or a fort but were indecisive.
Ruigus had no say in the matter as he too did not know what these people should do. To stay and fight or to flight and still fight again.
This was something he would ask Tullius for, if not then he'd have to think of what he would want him to do, his old mentor was a genius unlike any other to him.
With a multi-leveled mind the General inspired that young awe from the dragonborn. To Ruigus there were few as intelligent and meticulous as he.
Tullius was a man that had been tested in the years of the Great War, a mere two decades ago. Experienced in warfare against seemingly insurmountable odds against magic and force Ruigus would see what he could still do.
For a good four minutes Ruigus had held visual contact with Whiterun as he broke out of the tree lines and entered into the rolling hills and plains full of grass tempered by the cold winter.
Farmsteads could still be seen below the big city. All relatively intact.
So far these small dwellings had survived the battles with the Stormcloaks, perhaps it would be that they would still survive against the possibly endless hordes of undead.
Ruigus's eyes searched the wilds before him. Wind blew peacefully against the grass, Ruigus felt the pressure of it against his own self.
He saw a red flag in the distance, it flew high and proud amongst a large amount of moving figures in the distance. An army size by the looks of it.
With a kick Ruigus and his horse Trun began riding towards the presumed Imperial Army.
At a quick speed he went to his distant brethren in a frantic manner.
"If there is an army, Tullius must be with them!" The young dragonborn thought.
The group of soldiers paid attention to Ruigus as he drew closer, as though it were it was all expected one of them immediately brought the dragonborn to the general.
The soldier parted to allow Ruigus to move through Tullius's few bodyguards to see the man himself, the two stared at the other.
Tullius's expression was that of eerie calm.
"How coincidental to see you Ruigus. I have need of you." Said Tullius, completely foregoing a greeting.
"It's good to see you're alive too." Ruigus said neutrally, internally off-put by his all to the point attitude.
"We're approaching Stormcloak territory and we will be meeting an emissary in the guise of their high general." Tullius said quickly, confusing Ruigus once more.
"Why are we meeting an emissary?" Ruigus questioned.
"A ceasefire, truce." Said Tullius.
"Tullius, the vampires are-"
"I know. We were attacked in the night and fought them off with help from the rebels. I have already heard reports of the situation. Our purpose here is to judge the new threat." Said the general.
"Then, why the rebels?" Ruigus asked neutrally.
The general looked onwards.
"They're under the same threat as well. There is a common foe that has come to play and I do not appreciate how they've waited for necromancer's moon to reveal themselves." The silver-blonde haired general said with every ounce of spite towards their enemies.
"So they are everywhere..." Ruigus said, saddened.
"I am none too sure about that, they will hide in caves and if they are bold they will hide among us but they will be rooted out if that is the case." Said Tullius, his mouth then curved upwards just so slightly.
"This new…..war means good things for us." He then added. Ruigus shot up at the remark.
"Ruigus, you shall see what I mean soon. Disregarding that for the moment, let us get to this accursed meeting of mine." Said Tullius.
"I see. Apologies, I do not know how to conduct myself in this matter." Said Ruigus to his compatriot.
"Nothing to fear for you, your presence will seal this and make it work in our favor. You are intimidating Ruigus, they will think twice if they're not as true as we." Tullius assured, the marching of men and trotting of horses was rather loud to the two, Tullius motioned forth to Ruigus and the general's followers.
"They're getting close." Said one of Tullius's bodyguards.
"I shall do the talking from here. Stay on guard, we will let the know we are still strong." He replied to the man.
The eyes of Ruigus and the other officers and elite soldiers watched the governor-general as he approached a Stormcloak.
The stormcloak was familiar to Ruigus, with a the hide and head of a bear he wore upon himself as his long, blonde beard bristled to the wind. The man's name Ruigus could not recall as to what it was.
"You have come Tullius." Said the tall warrior, a protege of fearsome heavily armored stormcloaks behind him.
"Yes. If this is to be a time of terror then it must be that I see to that all will be done quickly." He replied to the scarred and tall nord general, his voice dry.
"I, Galmar Stonefist will do in accordance of King Ulfric as his greatest general. I shall give you this one chance Imperial, for all our sakes." Galmar, the Stormcloak general hesitated with his last few words.
Tullius nodded.
"On the behalf of the Emperor and all of our Empire I give you audience as well, Galmar." He said slowly.
"I shall put it to you bluntly Tullius. Just last night multiple cities, towns, and some villages were attacked by hordes of undead. The deathly cretins paid for it by never getting the chance to stand up again. Yet, they have slaughtered and taken our people, that alone is what will make me show them the cruelest of fates. I have no doubt the same has happened to you." Galmar stated, there was an anger in his eyes as he spoke.
"Yes, yes it has. I have no contact with some of my settlements. I assume the worst until scouts are sent and communications are reestablished. You were there when Whiterun was attacked, I know Dawnstar repelled an offensive as well as the cities. The scale of these attacks have been surprising. There is a new force in these lands rebel, they will hide until we are at our weakest." Said Tullius, hesitant.
His Stormcloak rival ran his hand through his beard.
"They're cowardly." He said for a moment.
"Tullius, I wish for this parley to come to a quick and useful end so I will say it. There will be a ceasefire." The Stormcloak general declared loudly.
For just moments it seemed that the wind blew heavy, the snow slowed it's falling.
"What are your terms?" Asked Tullius suddenly.
The two stared at the other.
"That we hold half of Whiterun and half of Dawnstar, territory as well!" Said the Nord, standing tall and straight.
"Bold, what can you do to make up for these gains?" Tullius asked. Ruigus was surprised at how neutral the man sounded.
"Can you not tell? We will fight these scourges with you! Vampire or whatever accursed thing!" Yelled Galmar, annoyed.
"Fine." Said Tullius after moments of silent pondering.
"Good, and no tricks Tullius." Warned Galmar.
"I have none to use against you." The red clothed man said.
It was then that Galmar whistled, a man with a paper walked up.
"Sign here, with your blood general. I will know your honesty with it." The Stormcloak said. Galmar then stretched his hand and pulled out a knife from one of his pockets, he proceeded to make a small cut and let a drop of blood fall into the paper.
Tullius watched this unfold, he too pulled a knife from a small sheath and cut his hand, the blood fell onto the paper.
Galmar smiled.
"It seems I will have to wait to fight you personally Tullius, we will battle one day." Said Galmar.
"I am not interested in a fight I cannot easily win." Replied Tullius.
"Then perhaps your Emperor should have sent someone else here!" The stormcloak laughed and then turned.
"I will send message to you, I shall gather good men to come and aid the area. We will show you southerners our true strength through them." He said while grinning.
Tullius's faced remained unstill and expressionless.
"Let us keep in contact, there shall be no infighting and I will tolerate no instigation." He said, Tullius then turned.
"Goodbye, Galmar." Tullius said. In that instant Ruigus recognized that while Tullius was stern he had been concerned, and even sympathetic. It was unexpected of him.
"Next we meet will be our last!" Laughed Galmar, ever so confidently. As expected of a Stormcloak.
The parley ended briefly.
"We will return to Whiterun, tell the men." Said Tullius to an orderly.
"Yes general!" He replied, tired but with an undying enthusiasm.
The man rode off, and it left Ruigus returning to Tullius.
"That was….quick." He said to him.
"Yes, had the circumstances been any different we would be arguing in a room. I must admit considering this crisis there have been no developments with those...Dragons yet I will not kick the nest." Said Tullius humorously to his self.
"There will be more talks?" Ruigus asked.
"Of course, I am interested in that Galmar has already spilled details of what Ulfric will most certainly write down into the official treaty that will be signed between him and either I or Lady Elisif. The Emperor has entrusted this region to fight the stormcloaks but not vampires and undead, I would not be surprised in the slightest if he involves himself in any of this." Tullius explained.
"I hope I am not there when there are talks going about." Ruigus mused to him.
"You will not have to, you shall be put to your use, not wasted on idle chats with our enemies and background actions." Tullius assured.
"I am honored. But do you think this peace will last?" Ruigus questioned.
"It will crumble quickly, it is out of the question between us Ruigus." Tullius replied.
"I hope that it can, even for just a while." Said the young soldier.
"It is too late for any peace to last, Ulfric is not one to quit and I will not surrender." Said Tullius in a plain manner.
"I see. I see." Ruigus repeated. He wiped his brow and rubbed his gloved hands.
"I want to find a way to figure out where all of these attacks are truly coming from, I mean they have to but the question is where? Yet wherever it is I want to stop them." Ruigus said after a few minutes of silence between the two as they trotted backwards, there were so many men following behind them.
Tullius turned to look at Ruigus.
"You will find out soon enough. Ruigus, the Emperor has given word that he wishes to meet you in person, you will be in Cyrodil for three weeks before you are reassigned." Tullius stated simply, but the words hit Ruigus hard.
"What!? I and Alavia are to abandon Skyrim with all of our men? Where I am needed!?" Ruigus shot up, loud and uncontrolled.
"You are needed at home Ruigus, you cannot afford to stay here for the duration of this phase that we are now in." Tullius spoke calmly.
"Why does he need me? What if they attack in greater force!?" Ruigus retorted in outrage.
"He has his reasons that will serve to both your and my benefit. Do not worry yourself with what happens here, the Legion will hold." Tullius said, there was a look in his eyes that Ruigus had not recognized in that moment.
Tullius had the eyes of a man who understood him.
"I do not want to leave here." Ruigus's voice was sad.
"Back in the war, I did not want to leave our homes when we were forced to retreat north, to Skyrim. We did come back Ruigus, and we did with greater numbers and greater strength of arm and of mind and skill. We took it back, and you will do the same when you return." Said Tullius.
Ruigus listened.
"Don't, please don't do this." He said, his voice hardly more than a whisper.
"You will not refuse my order and the honor granted by our Emperor." Tullius smiled at his pupil.
Ruigus's expression became defeated.
Tullius handed him a scroll.
"Take this to Rikke and Alavia. It is the message written by Titus himself." Said Tullius.
"Now go. Go and make your way home. I do not intend to die here, and when you come back you will be instrumental in our war. Of that I am certain." Said Tullius.
No more words were said between the two.
Ruigus kicked his horse and ran off, into the starting sunset he went.
"I am becoming a true soldier, it feels too wrong to leave this place now." He thought, his clenched fist slowly loosening.
"Gods my shoes have holes in them!" Yelled Marcus as he and his fellows trekked up the mountain towards the tower that they would meet the Priest named Erandur.
"I should have brought spares for us." Said Aethan as he shielded his face from the falling snow from the sky and the peaks above them.
"We'd have gone through them too quickly." Hadvar said quietly.
"Steady, we're a minute at the safe point." Said Hans. The old soldier heard a scoff.
"Safe point!?" Marcus asked a rhetorical question.
"Yes." Was all the halberdman said.
The floor that the four treaded on had seemingly long withered as it cracked and creaked under them, ice covered the wooden steps of their path upwards.
"Just to think that a lack of sleep can cause this." Muttered Aethan under his breath.
"There will be even more to fix when this is all over." He thought grimly.
Hadvar could hear the chattering of Marcus's teeth behind them as their situation calmed.
"You nords are stinking lucky, I aint made to live out here." The southern Imperial said as he rubbed his two hands together through his gloves.
Hans laughed.
"Most are not meant to, it is the way of all our peoples." He stated.
"Hrmph. Well for you Hans I say this is your type of place to live. Just let your beard grow by inches and you're going to look like an outcast!" Marcus replied with a fighting intent.
"I live in Solitude." Hans replied, to which the young archer appeared confused.
"What?" Marcus asked, dumbfounded. Hans shook his head.
"I expected wit from you." He said.
"Too cold to." Marcus shivered.
The old veteran laughed.
The four soldiers made their way through the snow covered mountain as they slowly approached the tower.
They could see the land around them as they seemed so high above the city and the other lands now at this moment.
They silently basked in it's beauty, a far cry from the trudging they normally did down on the ground as they stared at such wonders.
The three Nords were relatively used to peaks like this in their homeland. Marcus, the young Nibeneean was not, his mouth was slightly agape as he looked on.
Their experience was short lived as they came closer to the looming tower, and there they saw a man in the green robes of a priest of Mara. It was that Dunmer man, Erandur.
He waved to the four, standing on top of some rubble of the tower.
"Hello! It is good to meet you and I thank you for coming to help me in this." He initiated.
"We were told to come help you, we're not quite..skilled in magic at all but we're here." Hadvar introduced, bowing his head slightly.
"I see, but you are great nonetheless as my sword arms are not as good as they were in my youth." The dunmer man said.
"There is something lurking inside this place that I must warn you about. Years ago it was when an orc war party was seeking revenge for receiving the very same nightmares those citizens." The dumer man explained.
"Freaking orcs." Whispered Marcus.
"What happened to these orcs?" Asked Hadvar, a calm worriment hit the tall nord.
"The priests of Vaermina knew they could stand no chance against them when they arrived, they took it to releasing a miasma, a gas that that placed them in a deep sleep." He explained.
"Erm, excuse me but what is gas?" Hadvar asked.
"A sort of mist." Said Aethan.
"Close, it's an airborne substance." Said the Dunmer.
"And the tower is still full of it?" Hadvar asked once more.
"Yes, it has lasted for years now as it was intended. But it's effects are still just as deadly, extended time within this place will damage our minds and if it takes us too long I am afraid we will never wake again, if not lose our minds to something that was supposed to enhance our ages." Said Erandur.
"Well know we see how that turned out, cultists are a true kind of milkdrinker." Said Aethan, stifling a grim laugh.
The priest of Mara regarded Aethan for a second.
"Are the orcs armored?" Hans then asked.
"Yes. Heavily so." Erandur confirmed.
"Stay back Marcus, you as well Priest." Said the old veteran.
"Yeah yeah, I just love fighting something almost as tough as a dragon in a place that will slowly kill us." Complained Marcus.
"Shush it." Said Hadvar in a kindly matter.
"Are you ready then, Erandur?" Hadvar asked the man. He nodded, the dunmer's face was wrought with a disciplined worry, if not sorrow.
"Yes. Once we get inside all will become clear to us." He replied, and pulled out a mace and readied a hand of flames.
"I'll get the door." Said Marcus.
The five proceeded in.
As they strolled into the entrance of the tower they saw what must have been a room dedicated to preaching, much like any church.
What was peculiar was the loud prominent sounds of a strange contraption somewhere beyond the walls of this room.
Erandur walked up to a large stone carving as tall as the ceiling.
"Give me just a moment, I will have this opened." Using his flames he burned it away. It was a magical door.
"I casted this in order to keep the gas contained, from here on we will be in it." He said to the four who grunted and nodded in response.
Proceeding through they immediately came upon the gas, it had no immediate effect but it was ghastly.
"I dont want to inhale this madness." Said Marcus.
"You can see the source of the madness and nightmares from up here, look down past these bars." Erandur instructed.
The four peered as best they could to see a red magical barrier encompassing what seemed to be a skull.
"Behold the Skull of Corruption, the source of Dawnstars woes. We must reach the inner sanctum and destroy it, come. We have no time to lose now." He said in a calm manner as he motioned to the stairs.
"Look out! Orcs are sleeping!" Aethan warned.
"Two, armor made of animal hide. Easy, Marcus, you shoot them now." Hans ordered as they all stared at the sleeping forms of two of them.
"Can't we just stab them?" Asked Hadvar.
"I dont want to risk getting close to Orcs." Said Hans.
"Their smell will be worse than this gas and they'll still be nasty warriors." He added.
Marcus quickly dispatched the two.
"Good call!" The dunmer complimented, elated. His mood turned sour when one of the door had a barrier.
"Can't get through this, it pushes me back!" Aethan reported.
"Damn it! The priests must have activated this barrier when this miasma released!" Said Erandur.
"Cant we get rid of the source of it in there?" Asked Hadvar as he pointed to a soulstone that clearly was powering up the barrier.
"Impossible to. I do wonder, I think there was a way to bypass it, the library! It was a way through!" He then exclaimed, hope returned to him.
"I wonder how it is you know so much about this place." Questioned Marcus in the back of the line.
"Marcus." Said Hadvar.
The three other soldiers stared at Marcus, and then at the priest.
"I suppose there is no point in concealing the truth any longer to all of you, my knowledge comes from personal experience. I was once a priest of Vaermina. When the orcs invaded the temple I fled, I left those who I called my brothers and sisters here to die." He said with great pain.
"I've spent the last few decades living in regret and seeking redemption from Mara, and by her benevolence. I will right my wrongs!" He declared, there were some tears in his eyes.
"I did not wish to have to drag others in this but I was not strong enough to. I apologize to all of you." He said, looking down at the ground.
"Chin up." Said Marcus.
"You're doing a good thing now. You have come to burn down the taint of the daedra and save the people of Dawnstar from doom." Said Hans.
"He's right. Besides, lady Mara is a great woman. All she requires is for us to show the love for everyone by doing what we can. You'll earn your spot. Believe me." Said Hadvar trying his best to reassure the man.
"I...Thank you, I dont want to waste your time anymore, I have a key that can open the library. If there is anything that can do us harm I will let you know what it is, my memory may nearly be broken away but I the nightmares of this have never ceased." He said.
"Yeah, you're not going to be the only one." Marcus said as the man approached the stairs.
Aethan punched Marcus.
"Fine." Was all the young archer said.
"It's through this door, be careful. There's going to be more of them. I think it may be my former brothers and sisters." He warned.
"We'll be careful Erandur." Confidently replied Hadvar.
They found themselves in a large library of stone with two floors, they were on a pathway to a platform that split off in two directions, sleeping orcs and cultists were on the floors.
"Shoot the cultist, I'll take care of this orc. My halberd will go right through his armor." Ordered Hans.
Marcus let loose an arrow as Hans brought his halberd onto the Orc's head.
There was some shuffling as some of the sleeping must have heard them.
"Get ready." Said Aethan.
There was a free for all as all the maddened victims of this gas fought and killed each other, magic flew around and greatswords swung about ceaselessly.
Eventually the maddened were dispatched. And all that remained were the five.
"Barring anymore bloodbaths we'll be able to find the information we need, it's a book the 'Dreamstride' with the cover of the symbol of Vaermina on it. Split up my sons, this library once held many books, but now they're all burnt and long gone." Said Erandur.
"Found it!" Yelled Marcus.
"That was amazingly fast! How did you see it so quickly?" Asked Erandur as Marcus brought the book he wanted.
"I'm an arche-Erm, I mean that I learned to get a really good eye for things when I started my hunting and bow training. I was actually going to be an archer mounted on a horse but the Imperial Legion didnt want to bother with a corps like that so….im stuck here now I guess." Marcus said. Erandur laughed and patted the man on the shoulder.
"I will pray to Mara you get your chance, you're already skilled" Said the dunmer, smiling.
"Thanks I guess, I just want to be a really good archer. Heh, I remember telling a good man once that I was the best archer in the Empire, I think I may try for something, I'll let you be." The archer was much more friendlier to the man of Mara.
Erandur looked at the pages quickly as the Imperial squad gathered around him.
"Mara be praised! There is a way past the barrier into the inner sanctum, it involves the recipe for a liquid known as 'Vaermina's Torpor'." He said.
To this Hadvar was curious.
"A potion?" He asked.
"Yes, the torpor grants an ability that the priests of vaermina called 'dreamstride' where they used dreams to travel distances in the real world." He informed.
"That is….terrifying." Said Aethan.
"Amazingly so, the purposes of it's use were dire. It fitted the blessings of a divine distelled into a ingestible liquid. However there is a complication." The dunmer priest said.
"Oh?" Questioned Marcus.
"As a sworn priest of Mara the potion shall have no effect on me, only those who worship Vaermina, or the unaffiliated." He said as he looked at them in the eyes.
"Lovely." Marcus said with no lack of sarcasm.
"Marcus, you're up." Said Hadvar.
"Oh why is that!?" He exclaimed.
"You're being annoying." Said Hans.
"Feck off, I'll take it just to spite you all." The Imperial growled.
"Whats it going to be like then, Father?" Marcus asked.
"You will be viewing the memories of another through your own eyes and with your own body. Those around you will perceive you as normal and the words you utter may not be your own. Thanks to these odd principles it is up for a lot of debate whether these are dreams or the machinations of Vaermina." Said Erandur.
"Even better, I will never awake again and I will have my soul caught by some terrible Daedra. Can you pray for me whilst im dreaming at the very least?" Marcus's question took Erandur offguard.
"I shall. Do not worry too much, I shall use my skills and arts to it's best to wake you. Otherwise I am unsure when it will end, dreams have a hunger to them." He said.
"Yeah, thanks." Said Marcus, resigned.
"Let us find the laboratory where a sample of it must be." Erandur led them to a series of corridors.
"This place has been ransacked, we'll have to search hard for it. Still be careful, there's bound to be more of both cultists and orcs." He warned.
The five pushed into a large room that had bottles scattered across the floors as well as the sleeping cultists and orcs. There were broken tables and shelves and cobwebs and more of the gas that seeped into the floors.
The sleeping stirred immediately as they stepped in.
"Kill them quickly!" Hadvar ordered.
All five of them nearly pounced on each of the stirring maddened victims as they tried to dispatch them quickly, they were successful with their strikes save for three that had awoken too quickly.
"Defilers! Kill the defilers!" One of the cultists yelled so blood curdingly. He was quickly put down by Erandur's flames.
"I am sorry." Was all Erandur thought.
There was nothing else but that loud thumping in the distance afterwards.
"Let's take a look." Aethan said.
"Big vial right?" Asked Hadvar.
"Yes! Should be labeled, if not bring it to me." Yelled Erandur.
"I dont want to be in this gas for any longer." Marcus stated.
"We are tough enough." Assured Hans.
"My lungs sure arent." Shot Marcus.
"Ha! Found it!" Announced Erandur.
"How convenient." Marcus said to himself as the five regathered.
The torpor was in a rather large container, it had the marks of Vaermina on it. Customary of the cultist's love for it.
"Marcus, I have taken all of us this far but from here you will need to guide us the rest of the way. Drink." He pleaded.
Marcus gulped as he took the torpor from the dunmer's hands. His features were wrought with disgust just from looking at the bottle.
He quickly popped the bottle open and took a large swig.
Marcus then experienced something strange. He felt as though he were fading away to someplace else, his body lurched and his head spun as his vision whitened and then began to clear.
He saw a bright stone hallway with two men in purple robes standing next to him, one a dunmer that looked dissimilar to Erandur and a bald nord.
"The orcs have breached the inner sanctum brother Veren!" The Nord exclaimed.
The dunmer looked grim.
"We must hold, we can't allow the skull to fall into their hands." He stated. The nord appeared scared in response.
"B-But no more than a handful of us remain brother!" He cried.
"Then we have no choice, the miasma must be released." Said Veren so coldly.
"The Miasma!? But Brother!" The Nord exclaimed.
"We have no alternative, it is the will of Vaermina." Said Veren, who then faced Marcus. Who felt the hairs raising.
"And what about you Brother Casimir? Are you prepared to serve the will of Vaermina?" Veren questioned.
"I've made my peace. I'm ready." Said a voice coming from where Marcus stood.
"Then it's decided. Brother Casimir, you must activate the barrier and release the miasma, let nothing stop you." The Dunmer said in farewell. This Veren turned to the Nord.
"Brother Thorek we must remain here and guard this skull if necessary." Said Veren.
"Agreed, to the death!" Said Thorek. Veren nodded.
"Then let it be done, farewell my brothers." The Dunmer said to the two before them.
Immediately Marcus felt his legs spur him onwards towards the door in front, as he reached it he felt himself come to a stop and turned to look behind him.
Brother Veren and Thorek were defending the Skull in it's chamber.
Marcus forcefully turned back and started to run.
Through hallways he went, cultists and orcs fought brutally in hand to hand combat as they tried to survive by any means in their confined spaces.
Blood curdling yells came from both of the sides as Marcus felt his hands place themselves on his ears as he narrowly escaped the confrontations in each corner and room he entered.
It became so horrendously gruesome that he felt like crying.
It was then he ran into a small room with a large chain, he felt his hand reach for it and pulled it down with his entire body.
He then heard a strange whistle like sound, similar sounding to the many lightning spells he had heard in the fighting.
In moments he, or as he was as Casimir, came to peace.
Marcus's vision cleared to see a purple Soul Gem in front of his own eyes powering the barrier. He quickly took it as he regained his senses.
He heard his friends walk on in. Aethan immediately checked him.
"It-It worked! Mara be Praised!" Erandur exclaimed.
"Wh-What happened to me!?" Coughed Marcus.
"You vanished after drinking the torpor, and you materialized on the other side. I've never seen quite anything like it!" The dunmer priest said.
"I-I don't know what to think of what happened." Said Marcus breathlessly.
"I would have taken your place if I could, I wondered to see what happened then, the machinations of Vaermina fascinate me even while I am the way I am now, but that should not take precedence over our mission, let us end Dawnstar's troubles and get rid of the skull." Erandur declared, placing his hand on the shoulder of Marcus.
"Lead on my friend." Said Erandur, the rest smiled at the young archer.
"We're close." Said Marcus, his hand reached for his sword.
Marcus began to lead his fellows through the halls he had walked previously. Inside them were the slain skeletons of those in orc and cultist clothing.
Then they all saw the Skull of Corruption before them up on a platform.
There were footsteps in front of them.
A gasp was heard from Erandur.
"Wait….." He said.
An aged Dunmer and Nord approached them. Veren and Thorek respectively.
"Veren, Thorek! You're alive!" Erandur exclaimed. The two however were not pleased in the slightest, they had their weapons out, and so did the four legionnaires.
"No thanks to you, Casimir." Said Veren, spite from his voice.
"I no longer use that name, I am Erandur, Priest of Mara." Erandur announced.
"You're a traitor!" Veren hissed. Erandur shook.
"You left us to die and ran before the miasma could take you." The cultist said.
"N-No I-I-I was scared!" Stuttered Erandur.
"I wasn't ready to sleep." Erandur finished.
"Enough of your lies! I cannot allow you to destroy the Skull Priest of Mara!" The cultist yelled. There was silence as the two parties stared each other down.
"Then you leave me no choice." Erandur stated, he had brought himself out of any doubt now. He had to fix what he had done so wrong so many years ago.
The room exploded into violence.
Veren shot lightining at Erandur who fired at him with his flames, the Imperials took the chance to focus on the nord.
Brother Thorek may as well have died with little fight due to the overwhelming power of the four that took him on.
He sputtered as he died.
Veren reacted badly and he let his magic go for a moment only to be struck down by Erandur's mace.
Veren slumped down, dead. Erandur faced the two dead bodies.
"I-I knew Veren and Thorek. They were my friends." He said, sadness took him.
"Is this punishment for my past? Is it Mara's will to torment me so?" He asked.
It was Marcus that spoke for the others.
"It couldn't have been avoided father, they were set in their ways and we were going to end this." The man said.
"I don't know if men like them could have been reasoned with Erandur." Said Aethan.
"Yes. You're both right, I-I still had that old part of me that once followed Vaermina, but now I realize the horror behind it all. All of this was because of them, and me. If they needed to die so that Dawnstar can breathe just more clearly now it was worth the price." Said Erandur, he now stared at the Skull, he grew determined.
"The skull must be destroyed. Stand back, I must now preform the ritual granted to me by lady Mara, I will now do the recantation to remove the barrier."
"Be careful, Father." Marcus warned. Erandur smiled at him.
The Pries of Mara walked up the steps to the Skull.
"I call upon you Lady Mara. The skull hungers, it yearns for memories and leaves nightmares in it's wake. Grant me the power to breakthrough this barrier and send the skull to Oblivion." He prayed.
The air around all of them changed.
"He's deceiving you." A voice rang out, feminine if not cutely so.
"Quickly! Kill hi-"
"Shut up you witch!" Yelled Marcus.
"A shame." The voice said, Erandur screamed and the four could not move.
"You have betrayed me, Casimir." Said the voice.
"I do not slave for you anymore Vaermina! I have become a man of Mara and work against you and your kind's horrors!" Erandur yelled through what must have been a pain as he was lifted in the air.
"You are not under any protection here, Mara is powerless." Vaermina said.
"I do not care! I will get rid of your curse!" Screamed Erandur.
"Hmph, I offer you a deal now Casimir. I will get rid of my curse and let your 'sons' go, only at the cost of your own soul to me." Said Vaermina, the Daedra's face was nowhere to be seen.
"Don't! Don't you dare!" Yelled Marcus.
"I-I accept. I will eternally resist you Vaermina." Said Erandur.
There was giggling.
"How dull." Said Vaermina, amused.
Then there was a final pained scream from Erandur as Hadvar and the rest were freed, the skull disappeared.
"I shall leave you now, but I shall watch over you all." Said Vaermina.
"Erandur!" Yelled Marcus as he sprinted upwards towards the fallen Priest.
Hadvar stood pale-faced alongside the quiet Hans as Aethan joined Marcus.
Aethan tugged Marcus off of Erandur and turned the Priest over. He did not breathe or stir but on his face was a smile.
"Idiot!" Yelled Marcus.
Aethan shook his head.
"He's truly gone." Aethan reported.
Marcus continued cursing.
"Not once did I expect to encounter a god." Said Hans.
"I suppose I lead a more cursed life than I once thought." The old warrior added.
Hadvar still stood silent.
"I see...Only worse from here." Hadvar finally said.
"That is how our life is meant to be from here on." Said Hans. Hadvar's face twisted into uncomfort, he swept at his brow.
"He's dead. I never thought that but...Now I know what a daedra will do, it's terrifying." He said.
"They always are." Said Hans.
"Hey, we can't leave him here." Marcus called out, the two walked up to the fallen Priest.
"I doubt he'd want his body to rot in here like all of his old fellows, he did not change so that he joined them. Let's pick him up and take him outside." Said Hans.
"What are we gonna do?" Marcus asked.
"We'll burn him, let body fly to Mara. She can grant him mercy, what's left." Said Hans.
"We're going to have to report all of this to the Tribune, I doubt she'll be happy to hear what they were making in here. I know that potion Marcus used terrified me, yet to have an artifact like that..." Aethan trailed off as he thought more about it.
"Ease, let's take care of Erandur first." Hans said.
"Alright, Me and Hadvar will lift him." Said Aethan.
"Aye." Hadvar said quickly.
The two lifted the deceased Erandur, and brought his body to see the sun before it went down.
The four watched the man of Mara's body burn peacefully amongst the wood they gathered for him.
With that, they began to march back to Dawnstar, their feelings low, but still hopeful.
Ruigus walked quietly through the streets back to where his unit's quarters and where he and Alduin's was.
Ruigus was still unwilling to leave Skryim. He'd be tempted to lie to Alduin and throw away the letter that had been given to him by Tullius but he knew that he'd be hounded by both.
It would change nothing unless he could convince Tullius, but he saw it as pointless.
He wanted to see the General one more time before he left Skyrim.
Soldiers greeted him as he went into the makeshift officer's quarters.
He found himself outside of Alduin's door. He stood for a moment, looking downward and distraught before walking in.
Ruigus looked into Alduin's eyes, she had visibly just woken up.
"You came back with such speed." She said.
"I would not like to keep my own self waiting." He said lightly.
He walked up and pulled out what Tullius had given him as they parted.
"Tullius-The general is fine, he wanted me to give you this." Ruigus said, he handed the letter to her, Alduin took it but looked at his face as he did so.
Ruigus's mood was evident in his expression, voice, and his stance.
"The contents trouble you?" Alduin guessed as she stared into his eyes.
"Yes, it's not to my liking." He said simply.
Alduin held the letter in her hand, her fingers lightly gripped onto it.
"I wish to hear of it from you first before I read." She stated.
"The Emperor wants to us to return to Cyrodil, and he wants to meet us both. But I….I want to stay here and keep Skyrim safe as much as I can. There may be only so much that can be done but I do not wish to let it be like this, even if I miss the chance to go home." Said Ruigus, his fists clenched.
"I understand. I shall now see what this letter says." She said, she had not shown much surprise, but she had spoke with empathy.
Ruigus took a seat, his entire form reeked of that displeasure, Alduin noted it as she read it. Ruigus was a man of fascinating energy, and she believed it was not to be mistaken for any sort of foolishness; as she had once passingly thought months ago.
"Tell me, how was the journey?" Alduin asked suddenly as she read.
"It was good while I searched. It seems most of the attacks by the undead were repelled but I do not have good thoughts about their future, I cannot believe this was the worst of it."
"I believe it that you would talked to some individuals on your way him." Alduin said.
Ruigus detected her attempt to ease him, but he did not voice protest.
"You know I can't refuse the opportunity. The man that replaced us at that fort was kind enough to offer me food and I had a small chat with him a couple others I met along the way. I….find it strange how upbeat most are after that night, I say this while I had my own moments of happiness but I feel nothing but dread on what is to come and I still do not understand it. It was nearly the same after Whiterun before you…did what you did, but that was different. We fought men with hearts, now I have little clue as to the hearts of our foe other than blatant evil." Stated Ruigus as he both explained and openly wondered to his own self.
"I admit I am rather inexperienced with undead, I hate to say that I am clueless in regards to their workings in anything other than mere use of magic." Alduin admitted.
"I'm pleased to know there's still things that can surprise you." Ruigus joked.
"Of course, namely that and you." She stated flatly, Ruigus blushed at her words.
"I disbelieve that." He said, stifling a giggle.
"Give yourself more credit, that is being the reason of which why we should go back to your home." She said.
Ruigus stared into her left, uncovered by paper, brown eye.
"I almost forgot she wanted to go see my home." He blinked.
He had not pondered the idea before, a strange optimism entered him.
"You want to see it that badly?" The dragonborn asked. His counterpart giggled.
"Not as though there is much choice." She said.
"You have all the choice in the world." Ruigus replied.
"I have chosen to follow a path Ruigus. I restrict myself to see the beauty of what may be brought forth." She stated.
"You speak a riddle." Ruigus replied, a small smile broke across his countenance.
"Adorable, as I say; you will do what I allude to of your own self. My help is here, but so is my will. I am done reading this letter now."
"What do you think?" Ruigus asked.
"This is interesting, we get to meet the leader of this empire who is the one we made an….oath to. Furthermore once we speak to him we stay in the country for a month, but I believe it may be cut short." She said.
"We'll be gone for a while then. I...I guess that means we will have time to show you around." Said Ruigus. A small blush came across the thin cheeks of his face.
"That's the spirit!" Smiled Alduin.
"Ach, that isnt going to rid myself of the lingering regret." Ruigus said softly.
"Easing your head is enough, do you want to go with me to meet Rikke before you rest?" Alduin asked, stowing the letter into her belt.
"I will go with you Alduin." He said. He did indeed feel tired from all the hours of moving around.
Alduin nodded, and arose out of her seat.
"Let's go, Ruigus." Said Alduin, smiling.
"I am not one to deny the Emperor his right to borrow commanders. I have to say this will be quite the ailment." Said Rikke, nodding as she read it through. She placed the paper back into it's letter and quickly sealed it.
She then handed it back to Alduin.
"You are clearly free to go as I am in no position to stop or derail you. I wish you good luck and that you should leave in but two days so the situation is secured." Rikke sighed.
"Will you be fine?" Asked Ruigus.
"I would be more certain if you were here but I have the help of Pius and Oskar. And it seems that despite our losses we're still in a strong position." She said.
"I see. Actually, Rikke I just remembered something." Ruigus said, as he realized the relevancy of Tullius's talk with the Stormcloaks.
"The Stormcloaks will be entering a truce with us, it looks like Whiterun and Dawnstar will be split in half." He said.
Rikke's eyes widened.
"Truly? I take it Tullius had to compromise with them then. His pessimism is doing no good for us even if it is meant to limit our losses, I know him that much." Rikke said, her words laced with frustration.
Ruigus was unsure of Rikke's claim of pessimism.
"I didnt know that." Said Alduin.
"Was there anything else?" Alduin then asked Ruigus.
"From what I remember the rest will be discussed soon, probably while we are gone." He replied.
"Hmph, that is rather troublesome." Said the black haired woman, her left hand lightly cupped her own chin as she thought.
"There's nothing that can be done about it, I have to say that I must adjourn this meeting. I have to inform the rest of this news. Gather your own in the meantime. We shall see each other again, that I am sure of." Said Rikke.
The two before her bowed, and quickly exited.
Rikke was a woman short and concise in her actions. For her there was little time to mourn, but there was the time to ready for the next battle, she was in no way to be mistaken for ruthlessness.
It was this thing about her that Ruigus entrusted his former commander to keep the land safe.
Alduin soon gathered up everyone that they had met and had follow with them thus far in this campaign and told them the news.
There was excitement, for some it was to go home, for some it was to get their pay, for some it was for opportunity. For Ruigus it was anxiousness over what would happen, for Alduin it was a near raw wonder that gripped at her mind.
In days they'd march.
To Cyrodil.
End of Chapter 16
I'm back again.
I do have a pit feeling today that I did finish this chapter the day the Notre Dame started to burn down, not good in the slightest when a wondrous piece of art gets ruined. I am really curious as to how the soon to be investigations will turn out that's for sure.
Yet as always there is more to come from me of course!
Take care!
