Escape from Coldharbour

~Narrator's POV~

Lyris and I exit the prison and entered a courtyard. The courtyard was full of Soul Shriven working their sanity to the bone, along with Daedra controlling their progress and whipping them with fire-whips. This is awful...

"The God of Schemes can see every part of Coldharbour." Lyris explained, "We need to distract him."

I nodded and looked around the courtyard. On the other side of courtyard, I saw a tall tower with an eye in the center of the top. That must be one of the Sentinels Lyris was talking about.

I pointed to the tower, "Lyris, is that one of the Sentinels that you were talking about?"

Lyris' gaze followed my finger and she saw the tower. She nodded, "Yes. Well spotted, my friend."

I smiled back and scratched the back of my neck with a small blush. With that, Lyris and I marched past the Soul Shriven workers toward the Sentinel Tower, taking out any weak Daedra that tried to get in our way.

We made it to the base of the tower, when Lyris decided to speak up, "Try to be inconspicuous. We just got free of this place. The last thing we need is to get recaptured." She stayed at the base of the tower, "I'll keep watch."

I quietly sneaked my way toward the Sentinel's eye. When I reached the top, the Sentinel's eye was scanning the area, like a searchlight. I stuck close to the shadows, picking the right moment to strike. The eye looked away and its back was turned. This was the moment. Now or never!

I drew my dagger and snuck behind the eye. When I was close enough, I stabbed the eye dead in the center of the back. The eye screamed in pain for a second and disappeared in a mass of shadows.

Acting quickly, I turned around and dashed back to the base of the tower.

"Quickly! While he's blinded, we must get to The Prophet's cell." Lyris told me.

Lyris and I left the base of the tower and charged toward another prison gate that was next to the tower. However, as we got close enough to the gate, the gate erupted into pale blue flames and a symbol of Molag Bal appeared on the gate.

"Fool! You will never escape my realm!"

"Herma-Mora's wagging tongue!" Lyris exclaimed in frustration, "The door's warded. We'll never get in this way." I turned to Lyris. Lyris folded her arms and frowned, "Damn it! Destroying the Sentinel must have triggered these wards. We'll need to find another way in." She thought for a second, then an idea came to her, "Maybe Cadwell can help us."

I nodded, "That sounds like a good idea."

Lyris raised a brow, "You know him?"

I scratched the back of my head and answered, "Cadwell is one of the oldest of the Soul Shriven. Most Soul Shriven turn feral or insane from spending too much time in Coldharbour. But not Cadwell. Crazy as he is noble, but as harmless as a gentleman and a true knight." I looked at the campsite next to the prison, "He sees things differently than other people. This place is his home, and he'll know the realm like the back of his hand."

Lyris folded her arms and gave me a look, "You seem very knowledgeable for someone who's not from around here. Where are you really from?"

I shook my head, "You wouldn't believe me, if I told you, Lyris."

Lyris thought for a second, then nodded, "Fair enough." Then she instructed, "Come with me. I know where Cadwell is."

I nodded in agreement and followed Lyris to the campsite, next to The Prophet's cell and found a group of Soul Shriven circled around a campfire. One of the Soul Shriven was different from the rest. He was a tall and skinny male in the Soul Shriven attire and wore a cooking pot on top of his head. He had a white beard and mustache with pale skin and blank eyes.

Lyris walked up to the Soul Shriven man, as he played his lute and sang a little poem, "One fine day in the middle of the night. Two dead kings got up to fight. Back to back they faced each other, drew their bows... And stabbed themselves."

The man lifted his head and greeted me, Lyris and Sam with a gentle and charming smile, "Hello, what's this? Out for a stroll, then? Lovely day for it."

"Cadwell, I presume?" I lightly smiled in welcome.

The man nodded his head, "'Sir' Cadwell, yes indeed. A pleasure!" Then he turned to Lyris, "And fair Lyris! Good to see you, m'dear! How are you then?"

Lyris folded her arms and smiled back, "It's good to see you too, Cadwell. But I'm afraid we're not here on better circumstances."

I nodded in agreement and turned to Cadwell, "You see, Sir Cadwell, we're trying to get inside The Prophet's cell. But the way in is sealed with wards."

Cadwell flinched and hid his face behind his lute, "Oh dear, oh dear. Well, that is inconvenient, isn't it?" He lowered his lute bac onto his lap and smiled, "Tell you what – I happen to know another way in! Much more of a scenic route. Rather a fun little jaunt, actually. Full of traps, and corpses, and nasty beasties filling up the bits in between."

I raised a brow, "How do we get through all of that?"

"Rather cautiously, I expect." Cadwell answered, "Watch your step, hold your nose, and do mind the traps. There'll like as not be a fair dose of running and skull-bashing as well."

I nodded, then asked, "Do you know where the entrance is?"

Cadwell nodded and looked over his shoulder, looking at the river behind him, "Follow the river. You'll find the door to the Undercroft at the water's end. Once you're inside, stick to the light and you'll find a ladder that will take you right up to the Prophet, straightaway. Do give him my best!"

I smiled and bowed my head, "Thank you very much, Sir Cadwell."

Cadwell smiled back, "Best of luck. Do check in now and again won't you?"

"We will. Thanks again." I answered.

With that, Lyris and I made our way to the river, just behind the campsite.

"Cadwell seems to think this Undercroft is a delightful place." Lyris noted, "That probably means it's a death trap. We'd better be careful."

Lyris and I stepped into the water of the river and followed it upstream, passing the large pages of feral Soul Shriven and skeletons. The water was cool to the touch and glowed every time we took a step. The Undercroft was behind a door. Lyris pounded her fist against the door and then her shoulder, the door wouldn't budge. The door must be locked.

I walked over to the door and began picking the lock. Within five seconds, the lock clicked and the door opened. Lyris was the first to charge inside, I quickly followed her inside the Undercroft. Lyris and I journeyed through the Undercroft, following Cadwell's instructions, avoiding traps and took out any force of resistance that stood in our way. At the other end of the tunnel was another door.

"The Prophet's cage should be just ahead." Lyris told us, as she charged toward the door, "Quickly, now! We haven't much time."

Sam and I followed Lyris through the door. On the other side was a large, dark room with dark crystals, a transfer ritual alter and The Prophet hovering above us in a large orb of dark magic.

Lyris withdrew her battle axe and walked into the room, "All right. The good news is, we made it here in one piece and the Prophet looks unharmed." I followed her and stopped just in front of the alter, "Now the bad news. It's going to be up to you two to keep him safe and get him back to Tamriel. I'm not going with you."

I looked at the Giant Warrior with wide eyes. "What are you talking about, Lyris?" I asked.

"There's a trick to opening the cell." Lyris answered somberly, "The only way for a prisoner to leave is for another living soul to take their place. I need to swap places with the Prophet."

"Is there any other way to free him?" I asked in concern.

Lyris shook her head, "Believe me, I wish there was. But... I don't see anyone else here with a beating heart, do you?" She folded her arms, "If Molag Bal isn't stopped he'll destroy everyone and everything we've ever loved."

I lowered my head for a second. I really didn't want the choice to come to this. But Lyris said The Prophet is essential to stopping Molag Bal's plans. But, if memory serves, so is Lyris. But this has to be done.

I looked at Lyris dead in the face, "Alright. Ready when you are."

Lyris smiled at me, "Once it's done, get moving. The Prophet will know where to go, but he'll need your eyes, and your protection."

"You have my promise, Lyris. The Prophet will be protected." I assured her.

With that, Lyris turned to the alter and walked onto the magic symbol on the ground. The magic of the symbol levitated Lyris a few feet into the air and two pinions rose into the air and opened, releasing chains of magic to bind her. Two Daedra guards appeared to stop the ritual, but I drew my dagger and made quick work of them. After a few seconds, the binding was complete. I touched the pinions and the pinions closed and dropped into the alter.

Lyris screamed as she flew into the floating orb of magic. The Prophet flew out of the orb and landed safely in front of the alter, "Freedom. I remember this feeling. It will be fleeting though, if Molag Bal has his way."

"Prophet?" I asked, as I walked closer to the Moth Priest.

The Prophet lifted his head and looked at me with glassed over, blind eyes, "Thank the Divines, you are safe! There is that, at least. Lyris sacrificed everything, that we might go free. Her sacrifice must not be in vain."

"Is there any way we can free her too?" I asked hopefully.

The Prophet somberly shook his head, "I wish that were possible. But I promise you, once we escape Coldharbour we will find a way to rescue her together, Vestige."

"Vestige?" I repeated with raised brows.

The Prophet nodded, "That is the name I have given you. You are but a trace of your former self. A soulless one. An empty vessel that longs to be filled. It is as the Scrolls foretold, but not exactly as I imagined."

I folded my arms in curiosity, "Lyris called you 'The Prophet'. Is that really your name?"

The Prophet tapped the ground with his staff, "That is what I have come to be called. My true name is lost―even to me. Years of torment have taken their tool. Quickly now, we must haste to the Anchor!"

I raised a brow, "Anchor, sir?"

The Prophet nodded, "The Anchors are Daedric machines of the darkest magic. Their chains bind our world and pull it towards Coldharbour. I can use one of these Anchors to return us to Tamriel, but you must lead me to it."

I nodded and took hold of the Prophet's free hand, "Alright, stay close."

With that, I lead the Prophet through the large room and up the stairs to another tunnel. I stopped at the exit and looked back at Lyris, who was floating in the orb of dark magic. I furrowed my brow and frowned with determination, "We'll come back for you, Lyris. I promise you."

"Vestige, we must hurry!" The Prophet called from inside the tunnel.

I blinked and quickly rejoined the blind Moth Priest in the tunnel. The end of the tunnel was blocked by a door. I opened the door and the other side revealed to be a larger room, with some sort of portal floating above the ceiling.

"There it is. The Dark Anchor Mooring." The Prophet identified.

I narrowed my eyes, as the Prophet drew closer to the Anchor. Suddenly, I felt a strong presence approaching and I called, "Prophet! Get back!"

The Prophet stopped in his tracks, as a pillar of magic erupted from the ground. Emerging from the pillar of magic was a large projection of dark magic, in the form of a large demon. It was Molag Bal!

"The Mortal thinks it can defy me? Futile! Soon your world will be in my chains!"

The projection rose its arms into the air and a colossal mass of bones, shaped like a humanoid creature, emerged from the ground. The creature looked at the Prophet and I and roared, ready to attack.

"Come, I will protect you!" The Prophet told me.

With our combined strength and skills, The Prophet and I fought the colossal mass of bones best to our ability. As a final hit, the Prophet raised his staff and blast the creature with holy magic. The creature screamed in pain and burst into white flames. It fell to the ground and faded into nothing but dust and ash. Dead.

I sighed in relief and wiped my brow as I withdrew my blade, "Phew! That was freaky. I think I'm gonna have nightmares about all this." I looked up at the portal above us, "The Dark Anchor is above us. How do we get to it?"

The Prophet raised his hand, "I will prepare a spell to lift us to it. But first, you two must re-attune yourselves to Nirn in order to regain your physical forms. To do this, you will need a Skyshard."

"A Skyshard?" I repeated with a raised brow.

The Prophet nodded, "A shard of Aetherial magicka that carries the essence of Nirn. Some link them to Lorkhan, the missing god of creation. If you two collect and absorb its power, it should restore your corporeal forms. I will summon one of these shards for you to absorb."

I nodded, "Thank you, Prophet."

The Prophet walked to the center of the room and raised his staff into the air, "Shard of Aetherius, fall upon us now and anoint us with your blessing." He lowered his staff to the ground and in a light of pale blue magic, a large crystal cluster of pale blue magic appeared before us, "There. Quickly! Collect the Skyshard."

I walked up to the Skyshard and touched it. My body glowed in the Skyshard's pale blue magical aura.

The Prophet nodded and walked up to the stairs. He raised his staff into the air once again, "Great Akatosh, Dragon God of Time! I require your strength!" He waved his hand and his magical aura intensified, "Let the way be opened! Let these wandering souls return home! Let the will of Molag Bal be denied!"

The Anchor glowed and erupted with a glow of pale golden light. A pillar of magic shot from the Anchor and the Prophet shouted, "Hurry, we must go now!"

I took a deep breath and followed the Prophet into the pale golden pillar. We jumped into the pillar and the magic caught us from falling, lifting us up toward the Anchor's portal.

Suddenly, everything went white...