Kaidan and I had kept up a bit of conversation as we walked. He was easy to talk to and had a pretty open mind. "So you say you have been to Skyrim before?" he clarified.

"Yes, a few times. I... let's say ended up in a village to the southeast of Whiterun."

"Then how did you end up in prison?" I was silent. "All right, not something you want to share?"

"Not particularly."

"Fair enough." The silence became slightly awkward. "You say you want to go to Skyrim, but you don't seem super enthused. Mind telling me why?"

I shook my head. "I don't like the snow." I wasn't going deeper than that. It wasn't his business.

"Then why not head to Morrowind? I mean, the ash can't be perfect, but it's closer and doesn't have snow. Skyrim gets snow all year long."

"I've got my own business in Skyrim." I held a warning tone, making sure he knew that I would not accept any further questions on the matter. He didn't seem too upset and drifted from the topic slightly.

"If you're planning on settling down, I'd suggest Whiterun. But the rest of Skyrim can still be nice, I promise. The cold only gets bad in the winter," he assured me. "As long as you stick to the south of it, that is. Sure, nights can be frigid and harsh, but it's so much better when you can climb into bed with the one you love." A sad smile played across his face.

"Oh?" I tripped a bit in the snow, unused to the white powder after all the years away. Kaidan helped me up. "Why don't you tell me all about it? You've clearly got one."

He was quiet for a moment, and I sensed I had stumbled upon a sensitive topic. Oops. "Ana. Her name is Ana. Or at least it..." Kaidan appeared lost for words. "It was."

I paused, carefully choosing my words before responding in a lilt. "She's gone, isn't she?" I said gently.

Kaidan nodded, staring into the distance. "You know, I just about hated magic before. Well, not exactly hated, but I wasn't a fan. Then I met Ana..." He let out a humorless chuckle. "She used a lot of Restoration and Sun magic. I'd never realized how... well, pretty... magic could be. And she was always my backup, always helping me when I was down."

"She sounds really sweet."

"She was." I couldn't help but inwardly sigh. "What about you?" It was clear he was trying to change the subject.

"What?"

Kaidan helped me up a tall rock. "Have you found yourself a lover?"

"No."

"Oof. Sorry about that."

"Don't be. I don't want one." I pressed my lips together. "I'm sorry if my original question was too invasive. I didn't mean to pry." My attempt to quickly turn the talk back towards him was successful.

He shrugged it off. "No worries. Her memory deserves to be shared. She wouldn't have wanted it to lay in the back of my head gathering dust." The companionable air we'd had before was gone. Instead, tension hung heavy over the pair of us.

"What-"

"Wait!" Kaidan put a hand out straight to the side, preventing my movement. The only sound was our breathing, tiny clouds coming from our mouths. "Be careful, Alessia... there's something up ahead."

I lifted a brow. "That's descriptive." Kaidan shot me a glare, and I held up my hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. Sorry." It wasn't long before I heard what Kaidan had-snuffling, pounding, growling. It was somewhat familiar from my teen years. "Is that a frost troll?" I whispered to the man at my side. Whereas the trolls in Cyrodil were a mossy green, this one was pure white, almost blending in with its snowy surroundings.

Kaidan nodded wordlessly and began to move forwards ever so slowly. "Let's see if I can surprise it, maybe get it in the neck," he murmured, drawing his bow. He pulled the string back to his ear, taking a deep breath. Upon releasing the arrow, whether through bad aim or bad luck, it fell short of the troll. The bolt drew its attention, and the troll looked our way. Its jaws opened to let out a monstrous roar and slammed its front paws on the ground before charging us. Kaidan dropped his bow and unsheathed his greatsword without a second thought, preparing for battle.

Trolls were weak to fire; they regenerated if not taken down quickly. Unfortunately for us, we didn't have any fire spells or flame-enchanted weapons in our arsenal. I, in particular, did not have any heavy weapons to deal enough damage to make up for the regeneration. Kaidan was my only hope in that specific area. His heavy steel armor would defend quite well against the troll. Me? Well... my rusted iron wouldn't last for long if a troll were to take a hit on me, and neither would I.

Its eyes, black as the void and full of fury, were fixed solely on me. A massive white hand-paw slammed on the ground, missing me by a hair. I knew I couldn't run from a troll; all breeds were far quicker than their size would suggest. "Kaidan!" I bleated, trying to dodge its frequent attacks.

Kaidan darted over, slicing at its arm and back. It let out a great roar, and I took the chance to duck under its thick fuzzy white legs before joining the attack and cutting up the back of its calves. At least it wouldn't be as fast for a few minutes with the injury in its legs. I quickly took advantage of it by driving one of my blades deep into its skin. Kaidan swung at its waist, though didn't inflict much damage.

It turned away before I could retrieve my sword, leaving me with a single one. I wasn't very good in a fight without two blades, but I'd have to make do. After all, I had no choice. Kaidan and I continued circling the troll, cutting where we could. With two enemies, it became confused while looking back and forth at us in turn. Once it faced me, its three eyes glinting with anger, it raised both its paws in preparation to strike.

Without hesitation, I thrust the blade into its chest, hoping beyond hope that would kill the beast. To my dismay, the troll batted my sword to the ground, but there was no blood on it. Now I was weaponless against a massive white beast I had no idea how to kill otherwise. I knew I'd struck the troll; why in all of Mundus hadn't it been harmed in the slightest?! "What-"

Its vast paws closed around me, lifting me into the air. The troll jumped up and down, shaking me roughly and squeezing hard enough to crack something in my arm. I gave a cry as pain shot up to my shoulder. At last, it raised me up and prepared to slam me into the ground. I was still dazed from the back-and-forth motion of the troll, barely able to register anything but my broken arm.

The troll screamed and dropped me roughly, earning a new wave of pain from my left leg. It began thumping its paws on the ground before running. My bewilderment turned to understanding when I saw a party of men joining Kaidan in cutting at the beast with massive greatswords and axes.

I pulled myself away from the beast, though I kept my eye on it nonetheless as the party hacked and slashed at it. Its furious growls turned from loud shrieks to irritated grunts until it gave one final moan before falling to the ground.

The sound of sliding steel cut the air as everyone sheathed their weapons. Kaidan walked my way and held out a hand to help me up, but I shook my head. With a broken leg and arm, I wasn't going anywhere. It was all I could do to avoid crying, but the unspilled tears still froze my eyes.

"Ma'am?" I turned my attention from Kaidan to one of the men, and dread pooled in my belly as I realized it wasn't a group of adventurers that had saved me; it was a group of Bruma guards. Kaidan seemed fine, but he also wasn't an escaped criminal. "Here." The guard passed me a large red bottle, which I identified as a healing potion. Relief swept through me as I took it, then tipped the spout up and drained it. The feeling of my bones snapping into place and my flesh sewing itself back up was an odd one. Uncomfortable, but not entirely unpleasant. "You should come to Bruma so one of our healers can take a look just to make sure."

I tried to avoid appearing panicked and shook my head. "No, thank you," I declined. "I'm heading north to some family, and I'm already late." I noticed Kaidan shifting, his curiosity piquing. He didn't mention it just yet to both his and my credit. "But thanks for your help," I added, offering a grateful smile.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely." It didn't seem like these guards knew me, but I also didn't want to test it. Different provinces of Tamriel tended to keep their criminal information to themselves, but I couldn't remember whether or not Cyrodilian cities shared criminal information. My thoughts faded away when he leaned in and peered at me. "You look familiar."

My breath hitched in my throat. "I- my cousin is a fighter in the Imperial City Arena," I tried. "I get that a lot." The moment that passed felt like a thousand years before the guard shrugged and drew back.

"Well, keep safe and out of the wilds. Keep to the roads."

"Will do." I waved goodbye to the guards and forced myself not to run as I started heading up north. Ignoring Kaidan's curious eyes, I continued on the path. Though the temperature was freezing the closer to the Jeralls we got, the cold air felt good against my sweat-beaded forehead. I'd been to Oblivion and back, and true freedom was just a few days away. I'd figure out what the gods wanted after I put a stop to the face that had been haunting my nightmares for years. We eased into a jog, simply enjoying the crisp air. As far as I could tell, it was late spring, but the snow would not melt until midsummer at the earliest.

Eventually, a building came into view, one I recognized as Cloud Ruler Temple. Or rather, the ruins of Cloud Ruler Temple. The former home of the Blades, the annihilated legion that once protected the Emperor. Rumors had floated around that some of them had escaped, but there was nothing solid to back up the theory.

The sun was going down, and while Skyrim was only a few miles away, I doubted there would be any inns in the Pale Pass. Cloud Ruler Temple, while destroyed, would serve as a decent camp until morning.

"I wish I'd been able to see it," I said mournfully, slowing down and moving towards the temple.

"Aye. Heard it was beau'iful."

I pushed aside some rubble. "I was born the year it was destroyed," I continued. Kaidan looked up, curiosity again glinting in his bloodred eyes.

"No kiddin'?"

"Yeah. Well, kind of." I stood up straight, ready to recite the speech I'd said so many times before. "In the year 171 of the Fourth Era, the Thalmor obliterated Cloud Ruler Temple and killed its members- though rumor says a few survived." I poked around and found the door, nearly hidden by broken and burned wood. "The Thalmor sparked the beginning of the Great War with their act of savagery!" Sure, I was being dramatic, but who doesn't love telling a good story?

I leaned against a half-burnt podium and crossed my arms before continuing. "Province faced province as the Great War waged for four years! At long last, the final and most bloody battle in the Imperial City came to a halt. Emperor Titus Mede II had entered into a peace treaty with the Aldmeri Dominion, the terms of which included the banning of Talos worship and final disbanding of the Blades. The Thalmor demolished the remainder of Cloud Ruler Temple and beheaded each and every Blade they had not killed during the Great War. The Fourth Era, 175, the Great War ended... and I was born."

Kaidan had a smirk on his face. "Really? Well, that's quite the tale."

I brushed off my iron armor, ash and cinders having fallen onto the rusted metal. "Well, it's true. It's what happened during the Great War." I paused. "My father died in that last battle in the Imperial City, you know."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I never knew him." I was quiet. "Oh, well. Let's get a fire going, and we can rest until morning."

"Aye aye."

I approached the door, almost completely blocked off by fallen wood podiums. A snow-covered body, charred from a fire decades ago, laid on the front step. I was again struck with sadness and sympathy before I opened the door, holding it open for a moment so Kaidan could follow me inside.

The place was a mess, almost completely destroyed. Bodies laid about, hunched over or curled up in the position they'd died in. "Damn Thalmor," I said under my breath, stepping over another body. The cold might have preserved the bodies, but they'd been burned beyond recognition.

I approached the fireplace and tossed a few old wooden planks that had probably once been a bench into it before striking a stone against my sword. It took a while, but I finally had a fire going. Kaidan joined me in warming our hands as we sat next to it, trying to avoid the piles of ash around the room.

He cleared his throat. "So... family in Skyrim, huh?"

"Nope. No family to go to." I side-eyed the man. "I was in prison for a reason, you know."

He shuffled, uncomfortable. "Right. You, uh... you're not going to slit my throat in my sleep, are you? Did you, uh... kill your family?"

"Of course not." I tucked my legs under me and returned my hands to the fire. "But I couldn't risk the guards recognizing me."

"Care to explain?" Kaidan poked, clearly hoping for more information as to why I'd ended up in Blue River Prison. I didn't know him. He wasn't getting anything out of me.

"Not really." The somewhat sociable silence turned awkward, and neither Kaidan nor I could find anything to say that would change it.

An hour later, with the fire still crackling, I laid down next to it, wondering when sleep would come.

...

I must have fallen asleep without even knowing it because I woke up with a sudden jolt as someone shouted into my ear. I instantly went into defense mode, grabbing my sword without a second thought as the voice raged on.

"You, there! This is a warzone! What are you doing here?!" I paused, not knowing what to say or do at first. "Fine. If you won't leave, go find Alina. Tell her we need her at the front immediately!" I looked for Kaidan, but he'd vanished.

I doubted it was a prank by him. The voice was all too different and had a more Cyrodilian accent than whatever Kaidan had going on. I had another theory anyway. Sometimes, the memory of a horrific, hugely destructive, and greatly fatal event would last through time until it was put to rest. I suspected this was what was happening inside Cloud Ruler Temple. Regardless, I didn't want to deal with it. "Fuck this." I stormed towards the entrance, only to find myself unable to open the door. I repeated the expletive and turned back. "Great." I gritted my teeth, trying to figure out what to do. Some supernatural force had to be keeping the door shut, that was for sure. But how to open it?

Maybe if I followed the voice's instructions, I would complete its grisly memory and be released. I doubted the ghost was even aware it was dead. That was usually the case with memory echoes. Besides, I needed to find Kaidan.

An irritated groan dribbled from my lips as I started wandering around, wondering where to find the restless ghosts while all the same hoping that they wouldn't turn hostile. I didn't have silver, Daedric, or magic to use against them. I'd be at their mercy.

I let my feet take me wherever, hoping I was going the right way. Many of the doors were blocked off, but the one on the left leading into the basement was open. I pushed it open, hoping it wasn't one of the blocked entrances.

Wandering around, I realized I didn't quite know what to look for. It was dark- though only for a second. I jumped in shock as the torches around me, dead for decades, now flaring to life. The hair on the back of my neck stood up straight, and my muscles were far tenser than before. The undead definitely had a place here. I could only pray there were no zombies.

I put the thought in the back of my mind and continued to search for something that I could identify as this 'Alina,' but so far found nothing. Just burnt bodies and charred wood. Realization struck me as soon as I considered that, and I mentally smacked myself upside the head. The bodies. Hopefully, I'd find something identifying one of them as Alina.

For the first few bodies I'd investigated, I found nothing but dented Blades armor and weapons, destroyed to the point of uselessness- even beyond my rusted iron equipment. Finally, I found a burnt body, female from what I could tell, wedged between two fallen wooden podiums from what I could tell. I patted down the corpse while trying to keep from vomiting. At last, I found a note, strangely having somewhat survived the fire. It was still burnt and missing several edges. I guessed that the woman's body had kept it safe. As for what it said-

"Wait... Alina?" The phantom voice sounded both shocked and distraught. "She's... dead? I..." It took a moment before speaking again. "You'll have to hold the rear." I guessed it was again talking to me. "But you'll stand no chance with that weapon. Grab one of the old consecrated blades- Glenroy's should do- from the armory." And just where was the armory?! "Meet me in the West Wing with Glenroy's blade and we'll make our final stand."

"O-okay." I still felt uneasy at the ghost's instructions. Even so, my curiosity got the better of me, and I elected to read the note from Alina first.

The past two years haven't gone easy on us. I got used to disgrace and sorrow as soon as I joined the Blades. The first news I ever had during my recovery was my brothers' deaths. The agents... they were slaughtered by the dozen, at the hands of the Dominion. And my wounds condemned me to bedrest, unable to walk, to help.

The bad news never ceased. I started mourning the loss of my comrades daily until it spilled over to our home. I know it is not going to end anytime soon. We're forced to sit tight, twiddling our thumbs, in the Temple, by an Emperor too afraid to take the fight to the aggressors. I sit shaking every night, waiting for the Empire to drown its last days in blood. And yet... is it so foolish, on this day of bloodshed, to still have hope?

I met Raaslan this morning before the alarm rang. It was just the two of us- he saw fit to tell me a secret. Were he to fall in battle, he said he wants me to take Glenroy's blade- the ancient artifact of our order. He has too much confidence in my abilities. In that respect, he's just like my father. But his words took me by surprise and ignited my will to fight on. Even now, as I write to help the hours pass, I can't stop smiling. It's the first smile these halls have seen in months. I barely feel the hunger and the thirst.

This could be the end of us. But maybe, after this siege, it will be all over. So much has changed since I first crossed the gates of Cloud Ruler, dying and covered in Thalmor blood. I'm sure I can still help... somehow, I know mine was the right choice.

The more I found out as I walked through the ruins of Cloud Ruler Temple, the more depressing it got. I was less frightened and more melancholic as I searched for the armory. I didn't know exactly where Glenroy's blade was, but I hoped I'd know it when I saw it. With luck, I'd end this echo and never have to deal with the Blades' memory again.

When I'd reached what I assumed to be the armory, I wondered how I'd find a specific weapon in the mess. There were no charred bodies, rather a few skeletons scattered about. One near the door held an Akaviri Katana, and I hoped it was the right one. However, when I picked it up, there was no ghostly voice again inviting me to participate in the battle. Nearby was another skeleton, though an old Elven sword laid forgotten and covered in dust in its hand. "Oops," I sneered as I kicked its bones aside, ignoring the fact that I was trying to avoid pissing off any ghosts.

I glanced up at the glint of steel out of the corner of my eye. Another Akaviri Katana. I waited for the booming voice, but none was forthcoming. Irritation struck me again, and after a cursory search of the rest of the armory, I found nothing. Swearing under my breath, I headed towards the West Wing in the hopes that one of the two blades I'd found was the right one.

Just inside the West Wing, the familiar blue-white glow of a ghost nearly made me jump, but after I realized it was not hostile toward me. Instead, as it turned, I felt a wave of approval from it. This time, the voice came from the ghost, one I assumed was Raaslan. "You're here. And you're wielding Glenroy's blade. Excellent. His is an ancient and revered weapon. Carry it proudly." I didn't know which blade was Glenroy's, but I dual-wielded both and headed after him as he ran. He didn't get far, his head turning towards the bodies on the ground. His sword arm drooped, and I could hear the heartbreak in his voice. "Dead. He's... dead." He reached out a phantom hand as though to touch the body, but his hand went through the bones. One final Akaviri Katana remained, and I had the urge to take it from the bones. I had a total of four with me now, and it was proving to be a challenge to carry them all. I had two on my back and two in my hands. Raaslan's specter didn't seem to notice me and scanned the room. "And the... roof. Rubble... I..." He seemed to look around himself for the first time. "Corvon is dead. Alina is dead. They're all... dead. And the roof... is this it? Have we lost the fight?"

I paused for a moment, choosing my words carefully. "Tell me what happened here," I urged softly, trying not to set the Blades ghost off.

Its face twisted in anguish. "I... the Dominion. They're marching on Cyrodil. The false Emperor is doing nothing to protect us." His voice had become furious when he mentioned the Emperor. "And now they're laying siege to the temple. They set up siege weapons- catapults, trebuchets. Their battlemages rain fire down on us from above. They've broken through the front lines and are closing in. All is nearly lost. And if Alina and Corvon have fallen..."

"Raaslan, you're dead," I said gently. "I found your body in the armory." I think that was him.

"Wait, what? I..." He let out a choking sound. "Oh, by the Divines... Arkay preserve me. Then Cloud Ruler Temple is lost. The Blades are broken. My order is no more... as am I." He turned his face up from the bodies on the ground and met my eyes. It was slightly unsettling, but he sounded resigned, not violent. "Thank you for showing me the truth, friend. You've spared me endless torment, though I fear that the truth isn't much more comforting." He dipped his head. "Meet me back in the Great Hall. There are rites to perform. Perhaps, then, I'll be able to feel Arkay's embrace at last."

I followed the ghost up the stairs, then into the Great Hall. Several other spirits sat in front of the fire, all with grim expressions. The phantom in front of me spoke again. "The time has come, friend. Place our blades into the fire. Release our spirits. Grant us rest in Aetherius." I approached the roaring fire. I figured the spirits had created the flame, but the fire's origin wasn't my priority. Drawing one of the blades, I placed it into the fire and watched it disintegrate. A regular sword wouldn't have reacted to flame that way, but I supposed this was a special case.

Behind me, the female spoke- the one I assumed to be Alina. "Thank you. Gods guide you."

I placed another katana into the fire and watched it disappear in the same way the first had done. The next was a voice, though I did not know who it was. Corvon, maybe? It was not the ghost who had been speaking to me for the past few hours. "Talos protect you, friend. Thank you for releasing me."

The next was also a male, and from its speech, I identified it as the ancient hero Glenroy, dead protecting Uriel Septim VII. "After two hundred years, my spirit is finally at rest. Thank you, stranger."

I eyed the last blade. It was in much better condition than the iron swords at my side, but I didn't hesitate to place it in the fire as well. This one was the ghost behind me, the one I'd been speaking to. "Thank you, my friend. Now, let us speak. You have freed us, friend. You have my eternal thanks. Each of our blades would have one day become an ancient and revered weapon of our order, but our order is dead now. Though I mourn the end of the Blades, I celebrate my final release. Farewell, friend." With that, Raaslan disappeared, along with the great flame behind me. The air became frigid once more.

I didn't know how to respond, wondering if he'd even hear me. "Farewell," I finally replied, feeling awkward to be talking to the empty space. Unable to find anything else to say, I headed toward the front door, relieved when it swung open at my touch.

"Kaidan?" I addressed the large man standing outside.

"Alessia!" He grinned widely. "You're finally awake." I opened, then closed, my mouth. What was I supposed to say to that? He clearly had no idea what I'd gone through. Finally, I settled on a shrug.

"Guess I was tired after that troll." At my (false) explanation, Kaidan nodded.

"Suppose so. Well, ready to get walking? We should pass through Skyrim within the day, so long as we get going soon."

I readjusted my iron armor for a moment before breezing past him. "Well? What are we waiting for? Come on. To Skyrim it is."