Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the Elder Scrolls games.
Author's note: Sorry for the delay, I'm in the process of moving and had a few things to take care of. Publishing will now resume with a new chapter every 2-3 days as originally planned. The writing process can be vigorous and lonely at times. No I'm not a cat lady, though I do wear some ugly sweaters. I do hope you enjoy this chapter along with many more that I plan to crank out.
Chapter 8: To Serve and Protect
Gareth
The effects the alcohol had on me the night before had vanished with the realization of where my thoughts had lingered concerning Mahrig. My lack of good judgment lead to an inappropriate situation. I should have known I was in no condition to properly coordinate my movements and had landed Mahrig and I in an awkward situation. I had landed on top of her while trying to carry her to the bed in the inn. I had been trying my best to be a gentleman, and in my moment of weak disorientation after stumbling, my eyes had lingered along with my thoughts. I should have known better than to take the guard up on his offer of the numerous beverages he purchased for me. I however did not, and in turn the God's tempted me with more. I was tempted by the living soft flesh of a woman, Mahrig.
I sat in the temple of Kynareth praying in the silence that felt so peaceful and serene. My mind, though complexed, was slowly slipping into a feeling of calm. I could feel a breeze even though there were no windows, and I could hear the sounds of Nature. No doubt Kynareth's presence were within the walls of the temple. After my prayer was complete I continued to meditate in silence. I pushed all of the previous nights events to the back of my mind, hoping that they would stay there. I had done a terrible thing. I had vowed to give up pleasures of the flesh, and yet I allowed myself to become excited at the feel of Mahrig's body below mine. It was a blasphemous thing considering Mahrig held no desire for such things, and yet my mind had weighed the idea of intimacy. It was only a mere moment that my mind held those desires, but that mere moment was far too much. It should have never happened.
I heard the door to the temple open. I didn't turn around but I already knew who was cautiously approaching me. The slight limp sounded uneven footsteps across the echoes of Kynareth's domain.
"I thought I might find you here." Mahrig was standing beside my kneeling position in front of Kynareth's shrine. I didn't look toward her, fearing that Kynareth would smite me if any of my prior desires surfaced. I could feel more than hear her exaggerated shrug after silence filled the gap where my response should have been. Mahrig made her way to a wooden bench on the left side of Kynareth's shrine. Out of my peripheral vision I could see her head slightly tilt forward as she brought her hands to rest in her lap.
"I'm really sorry to bug you at this time, but you've been in here since dawn and three hours have passed." Mahrig cleared her throat and continued.
"I realize that your religion takes precedence over all things and I want to thank you for helping me. I realize that your aid has been due to your duties to the Divine's. It is a very noble cause." She paused for a moment and shifted her weight on the bench causing the worn wooden frame to creak.
"I suppose there is no reason to keep each other's company anymore, I would understand if you left. I just have one request." This peaked my curiosity. My eyes found an area beside the bench, Mahrig still sat out of my direct view. She took this as a sign to continue.
"I wish to return the Golden Claw to Lucan and Camilla in Riverwood. I will do it myself, but I will need you to fetch it from your belongings at the stable." I considered her request. It would be a simple task to complete and Lucan would have his prized golden claw back. The road to Riverwood was mostly safe despite the twisting path beside the waterfall through the canyon. I pondered the idea for a bit longer and realized that it would be for the best if Mahrig and I parted ways. My thoughts had turned vulgar so quickly the night before, it would be improper to stay in her company any longer.
The breeze within the temple shifted. I could feel the cool air on my skin shift toward Mahrig's position. For the first time I glanced at her face. Her eyes were slightly hidden under her thick lashes as she stared at the floor. She held a solemn look on her face but her features blurred as a blinding white light engulfed my vision. The breeze that had played across my skin turned into a wind that howled to my sense of hearing. The howls and whistling gusts that hinted to my hearing formed a word.
"Dragonborn." The blinding white light vanished and the bright colors of Kynareth's decorated temple came back into focus. Mahrig did not seem affected by what had just happened. No, Kynareth had spoken to me solely in the mysterious distinct way that most Aedra guided their devout. Kynareth merged my path with that of the Dragonborn. It all happened so quickly I had momentarily thought it to be a trick of the mind, but previous guidance from the Aedra halted that notion.
The Aedra had set me on my path twice before and had sent visions in similar ways but distinct to each. The first had been Stendarr. He had called upon me after my initiation into the Knights of the Nine. He set me on my pilgrimage through the land to help aid those in need of healing, curing, and ridding of dark forces. The second was Talos. My journey to Skyrim had been the will of Talos. Now Kynareth had decided to align my fate with the Dragonborn. I stood up from where I had been kneeling. Kynareth had not spurned my transgressions, but Kynareth was a Merciful God. Maybe this was my penance. I made my way over to the quiet brooding Mahrig. She shook herself from thought and glanced up toward me. I pulled my sword from my sheath and knelt on one knee in front of her. I presented my blade to her in gesture.
"I present to you my Blade. It is the will of the Divines that I serve and Protect you in your journey. My blade and skills are at your disposal to use as you see fit until the God's choose otherwise." Mahrig's eyes slightly widened at my pledge. Her brow soon furrowed and a confused expression washed across her features.
"I'm sorry, what?" She eyed me suspiciously.
"I am pledging my services to you, Dragonborn." I bowed my head and motioned for her to accept my blade. She awkwardly grabbed the silver engraved hilt and gently placed her hand under the blade and tried to balance the weight as she held it.
"I'm sorry, I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do with this." Her eyes scanned the silver blade and stopped, no doubt taking in her reflection that looked back at her. She began moving uncomfortably in the silence of the temple.
"My lady, all you need to do is accept my offer and bind the agreement." I glanced up toward her. She stared back with her wide blue pools that held an untold amount of questions.
"I'm not really sure if I should, I mean, why me?" She placed the weight of the sword into her lap and glanced down tracing her fingers along the grooves of the hilt.
"My lady, the Divine Kynareth has guided my decision." She sighed at my reply.
"I'm not even sure what this Dragonborn business is about. If we have to deal with anymore dragons it will no doubt lead us to a painful demise. Why would the Divine's send one of their soldiers to such a fate?" Her eyes never left my sword. Doubt filled her countenance. She was clearly confused and maybe even scared.
"It is my duty to fulfill the will of the Aedra, and this is their wish." I had hoped my answer would suffice, but her expression became even more troubled.
"What do you want Gareth? Have you ever just thought about yourself, your own well being? Surely you don't want to be stuck with a clumsy girl who views the world through the eyes of a toddler. This is all still so new to me…" Her words trailed off and a look of panic filled her eyes. She glanced back down at the sword hurriedly. Her hands began to fidget with the hilt even more so than before. Clearly a thought had crossed her mind that she did not like. I watched her nervous habit unfold. The sword she had cradled now sat on her lap and one hand reached up to grab the stray lock that escaped her braid to rest on the side of her face. Her fingers twirled the lock of hair and her attention on me was lost.
I began to ponder her words. No, I did not think about my well being because my life was not my own. My life belonged to the Aedra. The wicked things I had experienced in this world during my childhood and in the years of becoming a man were enough to make me want to help bring change. The Aedra had been the answer I needed. I dedicated my life to their causes and spread their compassion, teachings, disciplines and will throughout the land. It was no longer about what I wanted, it was what the Divine's wished.
"I am content in my duty. I would walk the planes of Oblivion if the Aedra wished it to be." Mahrig gave a small sigh at my attempt to ease her doubt and worry. Her eyes glazed over, the tears that had soaked her face in previous days threatened to moisten her cheeks once more.
"I don't want to be the cause of anyone's death." She quickly wiped the tear that didn't have the chance to escape.
I didn't know what to say to her to help soothe her conflicted soul. My powers of healing as a Paladin were truly amazing, some may have even declared them miraculous, but they wouldn't be able to help the pain she was currently feeling. Her eyes held such depth. She claimed to see the world naively, but her eyes spoke leagues about her experiences in life. She had clearly seen her share of battles.
"My lady, I will do all that is in my power to keep you...and myself safe." I paused, hoping that my suggestion of my own well being would calm some of her fears. Her compassion toward others must have been the doing of the Divine Mara. It was a rare trait in these hard times, and so it was like a breath of fresh air to me. Mahrig had stopped twirling her lock of hair and just sat in silence while she closed her eyes. She sat there unmoving until a slow hum of speech began to play in her throat.
"I accept your offer Gareth, but please...Call me Mahrig." Her eyes opened and found the sword.
"What do I do with this?" She gestured toward the sword that still sat atop her lap. I grabbed both of her hands that now rested at her sides. I placed them both on the hilt and motioned for her to stand. She did as I instructed.
"Now, present my shoulder's with your burdens." The confused look crossed her face again at my words. She was clearly not familiar with binding customs.
"Place the tip of the blade to each of my shoulders starting with your left side and then lift the sword over my body and gently place the blade to the right." A small gulp came from Mahrig as she lifted the weight of the blade to my right shoulder, which was on her left side. She continued with an awkward sweeping motion to the opposite side and then glanced toward me questioningly.
"Now present the sword back to me, and I shall honor our agreement." Her outstretched arms trembled with the weight of the blade. I took the sword and spoke my pledge.
"I, Sir Gareth, Paladin Knight of the Nine, pledge my sword and skill to you Mahrig. Your purpose is now my purpose until the God's bid it different." I sheathed my sword and stood from my kneeling position. Mahrig's eyes caught mine. She looked up and tried to smile, but a frown still tugged at the corner of her lip.
"To Riverwood then, Mahrig." I turned toward the temple door and Mahrig soon followed.
Mahrig
Lucan had been ecstatic when I presented him with his lost treasure, the golden claw. Gareth had waited outside tending to Arlow while I made my stop in the Riverwood Trader. Lucan was so grateful that he offered me a permanent fifteen percent discount on all future purchases that were under two thousand gold, that is until Camilla nudged him with her elbow. My fifteen percent discount became permanent for all purchases with no maximum threshold. Lucan clearly wasn't used to being so generous, but he shrugged it off and even surprised Camilla with his next act of Gratuity. He slid a hefty bag toward me on the counter.
"It's not much, but this claw is well worth the value in sentiment to me." Lucan smiled and continued speaking.
"I realize that my sister has given you the impression that I'm a greedy man, and yes I may be, but I can't imagine the trials you must have gone through to retrieve the claw for me. There is 800 gold in that bag. It's a little something I've been saving up to hire the mercenary my sister kept nagging me about. You deserve it I suppose." Lucan turned toward Camilla who was positively beaming at her brother. I thought about his gesture for a moment. I couldn't accept the gold he was offering. It had been only by chance that we had found the claw while exploring Bleak Falls Barrow. If anyone deserved the gold, it was Gareth. Knowing him though he would decline the gold as well.
I pushed the weighted bag of gold back toward Lucan who searched my face questioningly.
"I can't accept this reward, consider this a deed done in return for the equipment you gave to us at such low price before." Lucan's lips formed a thin line as he stroked his chin.
"Sorry, no can do. The equipment you are wearing was paid for already, that business agreement has come to pass, however…" His words trailed off as he glanced toward Camilla who now had her full attention on me.
"I'll be willing to keep this gold and give you a store credit for 800 gold that you can use with your fifteen percent discount." Lucan's words halted me. That meant that my purchases could actually end up being worth more than 800 gold. I had Lucan all wrong I guess. He could be a weasel, but he gave gratitude where he thought it was deserved. This was a completely new side of Lucan that I didn't realize he possessed. Camilla had a small smirk on her face at her brother's words. Camilla probably knew this side of him and wished to see more of it. That is probably why she had been so straightforward with Lucan before when he had been bartering with Gareth. I was about to decline yet another of Lucan's offers when Camilla stopped me.
"Mahrig, the deal we gave you before was payment so that you would help Riverwood by contacting Whiterun. Whiterun sent guards, the debt was even in our eyes. You have protected the people of Riverwood and the security of our business." Camilla came around the counter to pat my shoulder as she spoke. Lucan added to her statement.
"Yes, and now with all of these guards stomping around they will need supplies, and who better to come to than me and Camilla at the Riverwood Trader?" Lucan pointed toward the coin and continued.
"So what is it gonna be? The coin or credit?" I mulled over the idea in my head and the perfect scenario presented itself. It was my turn to awkwardly proposition my own undeserved reward.
"How about I take the gold to purchase a few items I will need, without the 15% discount. Then whatever is left over, I donate to The Riverwood Trader?" Lucan and Camilla both shrugged. Lucan began to speak but Camilla cut him off.
"Choose to do with the Gold what you wish once it is yours." Camilla said with a smile and so I did. I purchased a few potions of magicka and minor healing. My eye caught a beautiful white fur bag that would help me in carrying the few things I decided to purchase. I purchased a waterskin, a few apples, some bandages, and a new ribbon for my hair. That was all that I felt was needed or wanted. I ended up donating 733 gold back to the Riverwood Trader. Lucan had shook his head and tossed a small pouch with the 33 gold back.
"Let's make it an even 700 shall we? You can have that for the road." I didn't dare reject his kindness. Camilla and Lucan both could be hard headed it would seem.
When everything was packed I gave them both a smile and waved on my way out. With the new white fur bag slung over my shoulder I went to find Gareth. He was by the River, no doubt waiting for Arlow to drink once again. When I got close enough I saw him shake himself from his thoughts and look up at me from his sitting place on the stump. He gave a small smile and then guided his attention to the new strap that was visible on my shoulder.
"Don't ask, it's a long story, you would have needed to be there to understand." He shrugged at my remark and then stood. Before he could speak I threw the small coin pouch with 33 gold inside to him.
"What is this for?" He asked.
"I know it's not much, but I fully intend to pay you back for all the items you have purchased for me thus far. It's only 33 gold, but its a start." I smiled, hoping to get no complaints, but it was for nothing. Gareth grunted and shook his head.
"I can't accept payment for such a small deed, the God's wouldn't approve." I made an over exaggerated sighing sound and threw up my hands.
"It is a gift, and if I recall...You shouldn't decline a gift, that would be disrespectful and I think the God's have their opinion about that too." I made my best attempt to throw my hand on my hip in a matter of fact way. Gareth only chuckled and shook his head. He slid the small pouch into one of his own pouches.
"I guess I won't win this debate will I?" He asked. I shook my head and smiled. Gareth playfully shook his head and then looked to the west where the sun began its descent.
"Where to now Mahrig?" I paused thinking about his question. Where would we go? I didn't have any sort of agenda other than meeting the Greybeards. I sighed, realizing the thought of meeting them made knots form in my stomach. I wasn't ready to face the whole Dragonborn thing yet. I doubt anyone in my situation would have been, unless I was just that weak of a person.
"I'm not really sure where to go from here. I'm not too familiar with Skyrim other than what I've studied on maps. I had originally planned to come here and try to make a life for myself, but I guess fate had different plans…" My words trailed off as I recalled my trip through the Pale Pass and my capture once I had made it to Skyrim. Gareth's gaze also found the rock I began to stare at. He took a deep breath and spoke.
"Maybe you should speak with the Greybea-" I cut him off with a wave of my hand.
" I may be this Dragonborn everyone keeps talking about, but I'm still Mahrig as well. This world still frightens me. It's not something I can just get used to in the amount of time it takes my heart to make a beat." Gareth glanced up at me, his brow furrowed. I continued talking.
"Someone like you could probably easily accept such a fate, something you have done similarly in the past no doubt, when you decided to become a warrior for the Divines. I'm just a normal person who had no real purpose in my past and just scraped by day after day. I'm not even a Nord, I don't think… So it's really hard to come to terms with why I am the one who took that dragon's power and not someone else." Gareth nodded slowly at my rushed explanation, or was it an excuse?
"You will have to take things at your own pace. When you are comfortable there will be less room for error in your future plans. I can understand this." Gareth looked out toward the river and continued.
"I myself have made some hasty decisions in the past that did not pan out too well or left me feeling regret. You need some time away from these events, I understand." He motioned toward the inn.
"If you don't wish to immediately bow to your fate then we can take baby steps." Gareth's words made me slightly relax and chuckle a bit, then he continued.
"There is a notice board over by the inn entrance. I was looking at some of the jobs that were available earlier. This could be a good first step for you my lad-...Mahrig" He corrected himself upon using the formality.
"Maybe by doing some good deeds we can also get you battle ready with more than just spells." He motioned toward his sword.
"Using a one handed weapon alongside spells can greatly increase your chance of survival and defense, not to mention victory." A smile played at the corner of his lips. I shook my head while grinning.
"I guess I won't be able to talk myself out of this either then?" He glanced at me curiously.
"Oh nothing, nevermind. Let's go have a look at the notice board." I shook off the previous comment and started walking toward the inn.
Three weeks passed in our "pursuit of good deeds." I found myself a little more exhausted each day. I picked up a few fighting stances and techniques from Gareth after obtaining a sword from a bandit's den. The beautiful glassy texture of the blade showed hues of blue and green depending on the angle the light reflected off of it. Gareth told me the sword had been crafted using Malachite and would be perfect for me considering it was not as heavy as most weapons. He assured me that this did not mean it wasn't as deadly as the axe I had been using. The Axe of Whiterun had taken me a few days to get a handle on. The first few times I had attempted swinging the war-axe the weight of it had slipped from my hands nearly connecting with Gareth. Needless to say, the war-axe was more of set back than an asset. It was a gift nevertheless and so I kept it. The glass sword I now possessed was much easier to maneuver with my already clumsy stances. I even managed to multitask and use my spells with my free hand. Gareth claimed to be impressed by my progress, but deep down I knew my body was tired and my will to continue was waning.
In our travels we heard only few rumors of dragon sightings. No more attacks had taken place so far that we knew of. Gareth paid special attention to these rumors of sightings and listened through certain chains of authority for any rumors of attacks. Even so, the rumors of dragons were enough to keep people on their toes and no doubt a rumor of another attack would spread like wildfire. Skyrim was in no immediate danger at the moment, and so I took this as an excuse to continue helping those around me so that I wouldn't need to speak with the Greybeards. I'm sure Gareth was well aware of my hesitation due to the look of relief that always presented itself when the rumors only pertained to sightings and not attacks. Gareth could read me well enough I discovered. Being a Paladin probably gave him abilities to do such a thing. That's one reason I continued to keep my past guarded around him.
"Mahrig!" Gareth's yell brought me from my thoughts. A group of fireballs hurled toward me in the dim lit cavern. I instantly erected my ward which took most of the damage, but not all. After my ward was depleted with the maximum damage it could withhold I was left with nothing but an outstretched hand that sustained a blast from one of the attacks. I quickly hid myself behind a formation of rock that lay conveniently within the cavern. I dropped my sword down beside me and cast a small healing spell. The wound I had obtained was not severe, but would cause complications if I had tried to use it with spellcasting. Gareth charged forward with his own ward and began dodging another series of elemental attacks. I soon heard the muffled scream of what sounded like a male. It wasn't Gareth though thankfully. The sound of the body that hit the floor was clearly not wearing heavy armor. The meaty thud echoed through the halls chasing the scream that had already begun to fade.
I stepped out from my shelter grabbing my sword and stretching my freshly healed hand. I could see the glint from the torches that hung sparsely reflect on Gareth's armor. He was standing over a huddled figure. I approached silently hoping that the previous sounds of distress had not already gained the attention of anyone else lingering in the cavern. My limp was something I had grown used to, but still affected my abilities in stealth. The man that lay at Gareth's feet was in a dark robe, and the smell of death was thick around him. He was obviously a necromancer. I looked around the small area of the cavern that was littered with numerous pieces of furniture. There was a bookshelf that was filled with everything but books. Ingredients lined the shelf in an orderly fashion. I took the few Luna Moth wings and numerous nightshade blooms that lined the top shelf. I didn't dare touch the bloody ingredients on the bottom shelf. We continued as quietly as possible with only the light from the few torches that we encountered on the cavern walls. The cavern was quiet spacious when you weren't walking through the narrow halls.
It was the perfect place for a cult of Necromancer's to hide out and experiment with the dead. The smell of decay grew thicker the deeper we journeyed into the cavern. I could see an open area that was well lit farther down the long tunnel after rounding a corner. Gareth halted me. He glanced toward the opening and then back toward me.
"I'm not sure how many of these heathens we will run into, you should stay back until I call for help. If I tell you to run, don't hesitate you get out of here as fast as you can." Gareth's whisper was barely audible, but the close proximity of the tunnel walls made it fairly easy for me to pick up on what he had said. I shook my head and replied.
"I know a spell that might work, but I haven't tried it yet." Gareth looked at me questioningly and then glanced back toward the end of the tunnel leading to the open room.
"Now is probably not the time to experiment with your newfound passion for every spell you come across." Gareth's brows furrowed as he whispered in reply. I felt a little insulted at his suggestion. I didn't take an interest in every spell tome I came across, maybe the mechanics of it, but the only ones I cared to learn were the ones that seemed useful. Without even a reply or receiving permission, not that I needed it, I took a slow breath in an focused my magicka outside of my body. I didn't have time for Gareth's silly banter of protecting me, this would only take a moment. I pushed my mind from my body, or so it seemed. I could see outside of my living vessel, I turned slightly to glance back. My flesh body stood still and my eyes were completely vacant. I looked as souless as any corpse that these necromancer's could raise. The thought would have given me a chill if I had not been disconnected from my flesh and blood body.
I moved quickly down the tunnel toward the open room in my ethereal form. I needed to hurry before being snapped back into my body. The room was well lit by a flurry of magelights that illuminated the room from their position on the ceiling area. I quickly scanned the room and spotted three necromancers, one of which was being followed around by a summoned fire atronach. Dammit, why did it have to be fire? My vision began to pull, but not before I caught a glimpse of a pile of bodies and the darkness that surrounded them. Lost tortured souls lingered over the pile of corpses. The traumatic death's they must have encountered would not allow their spirits to rest. This would be a job for Gareth.
I snapped back quickly, the change in my vision was instantaneous. One moment I had been staring at the appalling sight of humans and elves piled together and the next I was staring down the tunnel that lead to the room where such an atrocity had occured. Gareth looked slightly annoyed at my disobedience, but I was more concerned with the urge I had to take a deep breath. I felt like I had been holding my breath for ages. I didn't realize the body didn't continue breathing while you were outside of it. Apparently I needed to go back over some of the things I read, because clearly I had missed something.
"There are three, one has a fire atronach." I said between small quiet pants for air. Gareth nodded, all signs of his previous irritation were gone, if you didn't count the small amount of sarcasm that entered his voice as he spoke his next command.
"Maybe give us something useful so that we can surprise them." I knew exactly what he had meant. This Paladin, Warrior of Light, didn't approve of my Ghost Walk spell. I couldn't really blame him though, it did seem a little on the edge of Necromancy which is the reason we were in the cavern in the first place. Some people had gone missing while journeying the through the pass in the mountains from Falkreath to the Plains of Whiterun. Rumors of a cult of Necromancers is what we found upon investigating, and had led us to this place.
I pinched my fingers together and then released them. A spell of muffle took affect around Gareth and I. Gareth nodded his head and hurried toward the entrance. He peaked around the corner and then motioned me forward. The atronach was dangerously close to the entrance, but the floating movements showed no signs of turning around. The table closest to the opening was occupied by a female necromancer who was faced away examining the body of a Altmer woman that was laid out across the table. The atronach stayed closest to her, so she had been the summoner I presumed. In all my recent reading I had neglected to broaden my horizon beyond Fire in the destruction arts. I could now use Fireballs instead of Flames, but that wouldn't help me against a Flaming Atronach. I would have to rely on my sword and somehow clear the blast that would happen at the end of the Atronach's cycle. Unless… A plan started to form in my mind. Gareth was still scouting the room from the shadows of the darkened tunnel. I could use the blast of fire from killing the atronach to our advantage if played out right. I needed the Necromancer's to be in close proximity for it to work, but spell caster's always had the annoying habit of spreading out unlike melee users. Then it hit me...
Gareth
Mahrig's annoying habit of unpredictability was very common during battles, but sometimes they truly paid off. Mahrig's eyes were lost in thought as she scanned the room, but I could almost imagine a Dwarven gear turning in her head. She had a plan, whether she would brief me on it before acting was anyone's guess. A red glow began to illuminate her free hand as she backed quietly into the shadows and crouched. I followed her lead moving back away from the entrance. The female necromancer was still in view. I heard Mahrig whisper.
"Dammit." She moved a shuffled step back toward the entrance and then stretched her hand out toward the female that still had her back turned toward us. Mahrig was going to use Frenzy. This could play in our favor, or if not executed right, very badly. It was much stronger than the Fury spell Mahrig had practiced with on wolves in our travels. I wished more than ever in that moment that I had given her more lessons on correct spell casting rather than training her in melee battle. Her concentration was notably focused, but her distance to her target was questionable. If the spell did not reach its target, it could easily affect one of us in a backfire. Mahrig, now kneeling closer to the entrance stretched her body forward but kept her foot in the shadows ready to bounce back into position to hide from the Frenzied necromancer. She released the spell. The red glow engulfed the female necromancer causing her to stiffen and knock a wooden bowl containing only the Aedra know what onto the floor. Mahrig used the noise from the impact the bowl made to hide her quick descent back into the shadows where I readied myself.
The sudden loud clash of the bowl in the rather quiet chamber caused the other necromancer's to react and ready their spells. The offensive stance the other two necromancer's took were all that were needed for the frenzied female to begin her assault. She raced toward the other two necromancer's with a dagger and her spells. Mahrig jumped out from the shadows and began setting the rest of her untold plan into motion. The necromancers had been caught off guard by the sudden attack of one of their own and Mahrig raced toward the flame atronach with her sword readied. The atronach had began a series of attacks on the unsuspecting necromancer's once its summoner had begun attacking them. No one seemed to notice Mahrig's approach from behind. One of the visible male necromancer's was warding against the atronach's attack while trying to raise a corpse from the pile of bodies that were gathered against the wall closest to him. This is where I would come in. I let the familiar divine power's of Arkay flood my limbs and illuminate the dark hall with a pale blue glow. I stepped into the open room and rushed toward the many bodies that began to swirl with dark energy. I would use my gifted power of Rebuke and send the undead back to rest. The power continued to build as I watched Mahrig stumble toward the Atronach. Her footing was caught by an odd root that protruded from the ground. Such an odd thing in a place surrounded by rock and dirt.
The root began to move by itself. Mahrig had already regained her footing and continued her path to the atronach.
"Not yet!" The words seemed like a whisper that could be heard over the loud commotion that erupted through the room, but soon faded. The root that Mahrig had tripped slithered forward to grab her ankle causing her to plummet to the dirt. I released the power that had welled inside of my being, begging to be released. The blue light burst across the animated corpses that began to move, and in an instant they turned to ash. One of the Necromancers caught sight of me, but he didn't seem to notice the confused Mahrig that now lay on the cavern floor. His bright red Dunmer eyes seemed to pierce me.
"You, you're the one who has done this to my wife!" He yelled across the whirlwind of spells that were being cast throughout the room. The other male Necromancer was now on his knees, barely containing the ward that kept the barrage of spells from killing him. The root released Mahrig's ankle and she clambered to her feet gripping her sword in her hand. The atronach's back was still to her, and she had the perfect opportunity to attack. The Dunmer man however was completely focused on me. He rushed forward as soon as Mahrig's blade pierced the Atronach through its torso. Mahrig, leaving her sword, jumped over the table that had been flipped in the scurry of battle. The explosion from the atronach surprised everyone in the room. The force of the blast knocked even myself off of my feet and the stone and dirt cavern began to quake causing rocks and clouds of dirt to fill the atmosphere of the room.
The dust cleared and the shaking stopped. I regained my footing rather quickly to asses the situation. The group of Magelights that had once illuminated the room dissipated and the only light left was the flames that danced around the room devouring numerous items. The Dunmer that had been in the process of charging me now lay impaled by multiple bones that had once occupied the cavern floor. The other two necromancers were dead as well their bodies engulfed in flame. I glanced over toward the table that was on its side. Mahrig had jumped behind it to shelter herself from the blast. I froze upon searching the debris covered area. The blast from the atronach had propelled Mahrig's sword straight through the table. All that I could see was the gleam of the hilt.