Chapter 9

For the very first time, Malath was unable to sleep. This was troublesome for an Orc who's only hobby involved drinking so much alcohol that he passed out literally anywhere at any time. It was troublesome for an Orc that loved to be unconscious. It was his favorite thing to do, second to drinking.

Malath lay on his bedroll in almost total darkness, trying to relax. But he couldn't. The fire was beginning to die down, and he stared at the embers as they glowed. The air was slightly chilly, but his skin felt like it was on fire. He was roasting in his bedroll, so Malath flung the covers off. It didn't help one bit. The next moment he was terribly cold.

What the fuck is going on? His mind screamed as he felt his entire body burning.

He was cold and not cold all at the same time. He felt his mind turning to mush in a way that was completely foreign to him. He wasn't drunk, so what was it?

Malath didn't know how much time had passed, but his breathing grew more labored as the sweat rolled down his bare skin and cooled in the night air. He felt like his throat was constricting, and so he sat up in his bedroll and took several deep breaths, trying to calm down. Sitting up was a bad idea, for when he did everything began to swim around him. The fire swirled around in circles and when he looked down at his hands they were distorted in a way that completely freaked him out.

Lenia heard him moving. She was almost asleep but not quite. She rolled over onto her side and glanced over at him.

"Is something wrong?" she called out, and Malath looked over at her.

She could see him trembling from where she lay in her bedroll.

"I-I'm hot, and then I'm cold." Malath whimpered and then began clawing at his shirt.

Lenia threw her covers back and came over to him. She knelt down in the grass and placed a hand on his shoulder, allowing a calming spell to wash over him. It helped a little, but the Orc was still sweating profusely.

"I knew this would happen," she murmured softly, trying to comfort him. "You're going through withdrawal from the alcohol."

"How..." Malath huffed, wiping at his face. "H-how long does this last?"

"A few hours, maybe longer. It can come and go. Try to lay down."

Lenia coaxed Malath back into laying position and then retrieved a small cloth. She gently dabbed at his forehead and smoothed his hair back.

"I feel like I downed a bottle of skooma," Malath whispered hoarsely, his throat burning dry. "Water," he gasped.

Lenia retrieved a pouch of water and Malath quickly took it from her hands. With his own shaky hands, Malath dumped half of the water all over his face and then poured some into his mouth. It helped a little bit.

"You're going to be alright, it will stop."

"Okay."

Malath blinked several times and let out a deep, shaky breath. Lenia went back to her bedroll and laid down, but she did not go back to sleep. She wanted to make sure Malath was going to be alright.

Getting through the night was not an easy task. Several times Malath rose from his bedroll in a half-delirious state and called out for his mother. He must have drifted off into sleep several times because his eyes would close, but it wouldn't last long before he jerked awake again. Each time he woke up, his body drenched in sweat and shaking, Lenia would get up and walk back over to him. She'd quickly place her hand on his shoulder and cast a calming spell. It was the only thing she knew she could do. Sometimes the Orc would roll out of bed and dry heave into the grass. He had already thrown up whatever was in his stomach several hours earlier. The sound made Lenia wince.

"Mother!" Malath gasped, and his body jerked as he awoke for the fifth or sixth time that night.

The sky was beginning to grow lighter, as dawn neared. Lenia was exhausted, but she would not sleep until Malath had improved. She had no idea how long this was going to go on for. It was hard to listen to his cries. What she gleaned from his ramblings is that he witnessed his parents or somebody he was close to getting hurt by magic. It made her heart ache to have a slight understanding of where his fear and distrust of magic came from. Lenia was glad he allowed her around him.

Several more hours passed, and the sun had completely risen before Malath finally slept soundly. The poor thing still trembled slightly, and his breathing was uneven, but he finally slept. Lenia took this opportunity to get a little shut-eye in, although it was hard for her in broad daylight.

A little more time passed before she woke up, the sun was too warm for her. She sat up in her bedroll and took a deep breath of the crisp Skyrim air. She stretched her arms above her head and heard a satisfying crack from her shoulders. Lenia then stood up and stretched some more, shaking her legs slightly to encourage blood flow. Malath was motionless in his bed across the now lifeless firepit. Lenia wandered up away and gathered some more firewood, making sure she kept an eye on the sleeping Orc. She returned to him and dumped the wood as quietly as she could on the cold ash. A small fire spell quickly brought the fire pit to life, and Lenia busied herself with making breakfast. They would need to stop and replenish their supplies before they reached Saarthal, but so far, they were doing pretty good.

Malath stirred ever so slightly, and Lenia paused, staring at him. He groaned, and cracked one eye open, fixing it on the elf.

"Am I dead," he croaked, and Lenia laughed.

"That's quite dramatic," she responded with a smile, and Malath coughed. "You're definitely alive."

"I feel like I've been thrown around in a barrel all night long."

"Drink this then."

Lenia handed him a small green vial. Malath shifted into a sitting position and downed the drink in one go. He grimaced slightly, and then looked down at his shirt.

"Uh yeah," Lenia commented, gesturing to his clothes. "You'll need to change. I actually think there's a river nearby, you could also wash up."

"Probably a good idea," Malath sniffed and then frowned. "A great idea."

Lenia smiled. He had a rough night, and she was sure it wasn't over yet, but she could already see a little improvement. His gaze was much clearer, and she knew his eyes were a striking shade of green now. But he was still very tired looking, and he needed to gain a lot more weight back.

Progress, she thought to herself. There is progress, and that's all I could ever ask for.

Together they packed up their belongings and headed in the direction Lenia thought provided a place to wash. After about twenty minutes of walking, their ears picked up the sound of running water, and they arrived at the edge of a small river. She knew there'd be no bathing once they entered into Winterhold, which should be no more than a few more days of walking. She hoped that the clothing she had prepared for Malath would be warm enough. The pair made pretty good time, despite Malath's physical disadvantages.

"You can go first," Lenia offered, setting down her pack.

"Just go around the corner of that rock there, you'll be out of sight. I'll keep an eye out."

"Thanks."

Malath didn't argue. He smelled terrible and was eager to be rid of his filthy clothes. Lenia smiled and pointed to a smaller satchel.

"That has soap and drying cloths."

Malath nodded and wordlessly gathered the necessary items for his bath. Once he was ready, the Orc quietly clambered down to the river and wove around the rocks until Lenia was out of sight. He stopped at the edge of the river, reveling in the sounds of the running water as it bubbled over the rocks like music. Malath stripped his clothes off and wandered into the ice cold water, gasping as it pierced his sensitive skin. Shivering, Malath wandered in the water until it was up to his knees and found a flat enough rock for him to sit down so he could wash. It felt good to be out in nature again, and he took his time, making sure every inch of him was clean.

Last night was terrible.

His thoughts swirled around his skull, and he felt clearer than he had in a long time. But it was still a struggle.

I just feel sorry that I put Lenia through that as well.

His thoughts drifted to the girl, as they so often did these days. She was beautiful, and he knew there was an attraction there for him. Malath also knew that he needed to suppress every shred of those feelings.

I doubt she'd ever see me that way. I'm more like a messed up brother she's trying to help.

Malath shook his head and placed the bar of soap down on the rock. It was hard to do, as he nearly dropped in the river more than once. Feeling refreshed, Malath slipped off the rock and dipped his whole body into the icy cold water. He dunked his head under the current, making sure his hair got clean as well. After he surfaced, Malath swam back to the boulder and retrieved the soap. He clambered rather noisily out from the river and, shivering as the cold air washed over his wet skin, began drying himself off as quickly as he could. His hands shook and his teeth chattered together, but he felt rejuvenated.

Malath had only been able to slip a pair of clean tan breeches up over his bony hips and slipped on one leather boot; when he heard a rustling from behind him. Malath immediately stiffened, and his arm twitched towards his sword when a voice called out.

"Don't even think about it, Orc." A female voice sneered. He didn't recognize it.

"Just give me all of your gold and whatever other valuable possessions. This doesn't have to end badly."

Malath snorted. He hated a thief that tried to have morals.

There is no such thing as an honest thief.

Ignoring her commands, Malath bolted towards his sword, and he heard a whoosh of something hot as a firebolt blasted by him. He felt the heat of it as it narrowly missed his shoulder. Malath awkwardly swung around, feeling the earth floor as it dug into one boot-less foot. But he ignored it. Adrenaline was coursing through him in the best of ways. He felt the excitement of a fight in his tired muscles, and he charged the black-robbed night elf with a roar.

He was used to fighting people who used magic, but Malath was a little rusty. A second firebolt grazed his bare shoulder, and he grimaced as he charged on. The elf was not fast enough, and she was forced to draw a short little knife. Malath almost laughed at how pitifully she waved it around, and he easily avoided her swipes. He remembered everything, and it was almost like he hadn't let himself go. It didn't take long for the woman to make a wrong move, opening herself up to him. Malath raised his arm and quickly punched his sword through her chest. The woman screamed as she died, and Malath quickly drew back. Blood had spurted over his chest, and he was glad he hadn't gotten around to putting a shirt on. The dark elf crumpled to the ground and did not move.

For a second, he stood there, his chest heaving, as his adrenaline slowly started to dissipate. He wondered where the mage had come from, and if there were more. He remembered Lenia, and the thought of her jolted him.

Malath ran back to where his belongings lay on the rocks and grabbed his boot. He hastily shoved it on and then ran back up the little hill to where Lenia should still be. As he crested the top he spotted the elf. She stood away from their packs, her knees bent slightly and arms raised as she cast spells. She moved every so often to avoid getting hit by frost bolts from her opponent.

So, there was a pair, he noted and watched Lenia as she fought.

He didn't wish to intervene unless she needed help. Her opponent was also female but looked human. It was hard to tell as the woman kept moving, but Malath noticed the faint design of a skull on her dark robes.

Necromancers.

Lenia moved with ease. She was pretty good at judging her opponent's movements, however, one ice bolt grazed past her neck, instantly leaving a trail of ice. It didn't faze her. Lenia flicked her wrists, sending forth her most powerful fire spell, and met her mark. The woman cried out in pain as the fire burst into her chest, and then she crumpled to the ground. Her body continued to burn for a few more moments before the spell wore out. Lenia lowered her arms, and then looked around for Malath. Once she spotted him, she jogged over to him.

"You had one too," she called out, and Malath nodded.

She could see the dark crimson of blood already drying on his chest.

"We shouldn't stay here much longer, there could be more."

"They're necromancers," Malath replied, and the elf nodded.

"Yes. Not a type of mage I care to deal with."

Lenia brushed at her neck as the ice started to melt off of her.

"Your shoulder... is it ok?"

"Oh." Malath looked down at the burn. "Yeah it's fine, I will go get my stuff."

"You managed alright?" Lenia inquired, and Malath scoffed.

"Of course."

"Good."

Once Malath had washed off the blood and finished getting dressed, he made his way back to Lenia. However, once he reached the dark elf's corpse he couldn't resist seeing if she had anything on her.

Doesn't hurt to look, he chuckled and rifled through the woman's pockets.

There wasn't much of interest besides a little pouch of gold and two soul gems. He took those, knowing Lenia could use them. He brought them over to Lenia, who was ready to leave. She also had his armor ready to put on. Her pack and two staffs rested on her back, and she waited for him.

"Thanks," Lenia murmured when Malath handed the soul gems to her. "I was going to bathe as well, but I don't think it's safe. I think there might be a camp of them nearby."

"You sure?"

"Yes, it'll be alright, we'll be in Winterhold soon and I can get clean once we're at the excavation site."

Once Malath was ready, the pair made their way once again through the plains of Whiterun. They made good time and did not encounter any more necromancers that day. Malath's muscles still ached, but it was a good feeling. He was beginning to feel like his old self.