Makenna, with a spell of detect life, looked up and down the tower for survivors.
"Alfonso is alive!" he shouted seeing the faint life force near the entrance doors.
"And Thurod?" Isaiah questioned the Dark Elf.
Makenna looked down the steps and did not see the barest glimpse of life. He gave his leader a grim look.
"Bring them down to the camp," Isaiah ordered the Mages Guild members.
"We are not your laborers mercenary," Druja said in refusal.
"Do it..." Isaiah said pulling back an arrow and aiming at the Argonian's forehead, "or I lose another ally."
They all got the hint. J'Skar and Volanaro picked up Thurod while Druja and Orintur picked up Alfonso and carried them down the mountain.
"I am truly sorry," Ryan said to the two remaining Cards. "Where's Alderich?"
"Inside," Makenna said. "He is alive from what I can see, but the door will not open. There is something... else... with him."
"What is it?" Ryan queried.
Makenna put glowing purple hands on the shoulders of the other two, giving them detect life. They now saw what he saw.
"Is that...?" Isaiah begged either of the others to finish.
Before they could however, the massive door swung open. In the entryway stood a Storm Monarch. The daedra held a pearlescent violet object in its huge hand. On closer observation, the three saw it was the armor-clad figure of Alderich. Ryan and Isaiah wondered why Alderich was not a smoking husk due to the intense energy of the Monarch. Makenna however saw immediately why he was not.
"That armor is absorbing every volt of electricity..." Makenna muttered.
"How?" Ryan asked as the Monarch laid Makenna on the stone.
"It appears to be conjured armor, a bound Storm Atronach. But this daedra seems to be summoned from Oblivion bound as armor in its entirety, impossible under normal circumstances." As Makenna finished, the armor did not disappear and get sent back to Oblivion, but instead seemed to retreat into Alderich's body.
"These are hardly normal circumstances," the Storm Monarch rumbled.
"What was that?" Makenna asked the huge daedra.
"That was Alderich," the Monarch replied.
"I do not understand," Ryan said.
"The Armor of the Atronach and Apotheosis were not made with purely soul gems," the daedra explained. "They were also laced with the blood of Atronachs. When the armor exploded, Alderich was pierced with its shards. Atronach blood runs through his veins."
"He is an Atronach!?" Ryan asked astounded.
"He is still mortal, but yes, he has the powers of an Atronach," the Monarch replied.