Reynald and I walk out of the door and are stopped by a guard. "You there!" He motions to me. "I've never seen you before. How did you gain access to the Pelagius Wing? Explain!"

Reynald's left hand starts glowing and casts the light on the guard. "Don't worry, she's with me." The guard simply shrugs and goes back to his post. What did Reynald just do? Reynald, noticing the bewilderment on my face, whispers, "Calming spell." Yeah, like that makes any sense.

We head out the door of the palace and I see a courtyard. Reynald leads me down a long stretch of road and my eyes soak in my surroundings. This city is beautiful. I was too focused on my anger towards Sheogorath, I never allowed myself to truly see the city from the windows in the palace. Reynald leads me towards the doorstep of a mansion and we step inside.

Inside, he slumps down in a chair breathing heavily. "This is your new home," Reynald wheezes. "As Sheogorath has instructed me, I instruct you to remember to sign the deed over to next year's soul he claims. At least, if he chooses to place him here."

"Actually, Ashlynn has opted to be selfish and keep this house to herself for two years." Both Reynald and I jump at Sheogorath's voice suddenly booming loudly in our own heads. "And I, being the ever so gracious God that I am, has decided to allow it."

Reynald, just looking up at the ceiling, bewildered, asks, "What? Why? How?" He looks at me and just repeats his question, "How?"

Sheogorath's voice echoes, "She asked what's the longest someone survived, then she decided to outlast that person. Like I said, selfish." How am I the selfish one here?! Then silence.

Reynald turns to me and asks, "What did you say to convince him?"

I just shrugged and answered, "All I said was to make my time two years. I didn't think he'd take that seriously."

Reynald just slumps back in his chair and sighs. Then he casually asks me, "So how did you win the competition?"

I sit down and lean back in the chair. "I made an ally," I tell him. "I knew I wouldn't have won if I just went at it alone. So I convinced Kingsley, this naive, old man – no offense – that my wish was to end the competition for good."

"Others have already tried that, y'know," Reynald interrupts.

"I know. I lied to him," I continue. "He thought my wish was more noble than his and I didn't want him to know my true intentions were much more impure and... selfish. In the last arena, it was just me and him. I faked my car stalling on a trap. Kingsley came and pushed my car out of the way just as the trap ignited his car into flames." I pause as I sit there remembering the look of agonizing pain on his face as he died, and I shudder at the thought. "He died thinking it was for a noble cause..."

Reynald suddenly pipes in yelling, "That's why Sheogorath chose you! You played mind games with the guy!"

"It wasn't worth it..." I mumble gravely. "His wish was to have his son back... And his granddaughter." "Don't worry about them, Ashlynn," Sheogorath whispers in the back of my mind. "I'm sure their souls are just fine in whatever afterlife they believed in." That's not the point! I think to Sheogorath angrily.

Sheogorath's voice echoes again, "Well I do believe it's Reynald's time to return to the Isles. I've made sure to have a nice little house waiting for you in Fellmoor." Reynald sighs wistfully and heads to the door. I get up and was about to see him out the door, but Reynald just silently motions for me to stay there. I sit back down, but continue to watch until the door is closed behind him. "It's best that you don't get involved," Sheogorath says in my mind. But curiosity gets to me and I head to the window.

I see Reynald stand there in the middle of the road, looking dejected. A guard approaches him and... Reynald pulls out a dagger and attacks the guard. I run to the door to get outside and try to stop Reynald, but the door won't budge. "I said not to get involved!" Sheogorath scolds. "He's going to be killed!" I yell into the empty air.

I run back to the window and see Reynald still putting up a good fight. Thing time he seems to be shooting icicles from his hands. How is that even possible? A guard comes at him with a sword and deals a killing blow. Reynald's body falls lifelessly to the ground.

"No!" I yell, running back to the door. Now the door opens and I run over to Reynald's body. "Why did this happen?" I ask to no one.

"Everyone dies a dramatic death," Sheogorath echoes. "At least my everyone does."

"Is this how I'm going to die?" I mutter questioningly.

Sheogorath laughs maliciously, then answers, "I'll be gracious enough to make yours quick and painless." Why do I not believe that? "Now, go. Go. Socialize. Talk to those fine people. And then..."

"Ma'am," I suddenly realize someone is standing next to me. "My apologies, but I ask you to please step away from the body."

I step aside and they kneel down by the body. It's a woman in a robe of sorts. They turn to me and ask, "Did you know him?"

"I, um," I didn't know what to tell this person. So I lie, "He's my uncle. I heard he was ill, so I came to see him."

"You seem to be only aware of his physical ailments," the woman tells me. "His mind was addled, but he was a recluse for the most part. He's never been violent before." Yeah, I'm aware that he was a mad man.

Finally I ask her, "Who are you?"

"My name is Rene Lennec," the woman answers. "I am a Priestess of Arkay. My mentor Styrr sent me out here to see if I get some help bring the poor man's body to the Hall of the Dead." You lost me at Rene.

"Okay..." I just nod and try to look like I understand. I then glance around and say, "Maybe I can find a guard or someone?"

"I forgot the cart!" Rene cries out. She then runs down a side street and around the corner. I follow, still offering to help.

I find her by a cemetery with a cart, trying to yoke what looks like a yak onto it. I lend her a hand and we take the cart over to the where Reynald's body was lying. Only to find that it's gone without a trace.

"Oh, wow!" Rene sounds elated. "I never thought I'd witness this for myself!"

Confused I ask her, "Witness what? Someone stealing a dead body?"

Rene turns to me excitedly and says, "No, I've read about this happening throughout history. Mad Bretons dying violent deaths, and then when no one's around, all traces of the body just disappears. Poof!"

"What?" I'm now even more confused. "You mean crazy Frenchmen?"

"Frenchmen?" Rene says, now equally confused as I am. Then she just shrugs and adds, "As a fellow Breton, I'd have thought you knew." What is she talking about, Sheogorath?

I just shrug and answer, "History isn't my favorite subject, so I guess it just slipped my mind."

Rene just nods in acknowledgment and finally says, "I should get back to Styrr. He'll need to know about this." "And Ashlynn will need to know a bit more too before she's sent out into the world," Sheogorath whispers, as if directly in my ear.

Rene and I wave farewell to one another and I head back into Proudspire manor, my new home.