Haskill was quick enough to usher me out of the palace as well. Behind me I could hear Sheogorath humming some kind of off-key tune to himself. At the door the Chamberlain handed me a map, which I had some difficulty holding along with the book and the… attenuator. Whatever that was.
"So, Xedilian," I began slowly, shifting the items until I could open the book.
"Yes, quite an amazing place really," the steward told me absently. "Wonderful for relieving one's tension as you watch those troublesome adventurers suffer… no offence."
I flipped through the pages with a frown. It all seemed like technical gibberish to me. "How does one go about reactivating this place?"
"Ah… silly me. The book has no pictures. Can't really expect you to read that, now can I?" He ignored the glare I shot him and continued, "To reactivate Xedilian for my Lord's pleasure, you'll need to find three Focus Crystals and return them to their resting place. Each crystal has a matching receptacle called a Judgment Nexus. Even you can't miss them. Without the crystals in place, the Resonator of Judgment, Xedilian's power source, cannot be restored. You have the Attenuator, the Manual, and a map. I'm certainly not going to carry you there, so I'd suggest you get to it. Place one foot in front of the other… you know how it goes."
And, with that, he practically shoved me out the palace doors.
The entrance to Xedilian was built into the side of a hill, accessible by a bridge that crossed the steep ravine before it. I quickly checked the map. That had to be the place. Quickly storing it, I pulled out the book to check it again.
On the subject of Xedilian's construction, Lord Sheogorath, let me begin by extending the warmest regards to you and your noble being. The construction was completed on time and well under budget as–
I groaned and flipped through a few more pages.
The heart of Xedilian is its power source, the Resonator of Judgment. By tuning this huge chunk of crystal with the Attenuator of Judgment (a "tuning fork" of sorts), we have released a wave of siren-like sound that will draw anyone from outside the Isles. Three Focus Crystals have been placed throughout the site to assist in keeping this wave of sound even and stable. This site will not function without all three Focus Crystals running in unison, so it's important to keep them clean and safe on their "cradles" (which I have called their "Judgment Nexus"). The Focus Crystals are irreplaceable at this time, so take proper precautions guarding the site when not in use.
Right. I stuffed it back into my bag and pushed open the ancient door. The ruin inside was cold, damp, and dark. A gate on the other side of the antechamber blocked my way to the passage beyond. Cautiously, I pressed a small button beside it. The gate slid up into the ceiling. Drawing my bow and nocking an arrow in preparation, I crept forward.
There were no torches in the chambers beyond. The only light came from small, luminescent, blue-green mushrooms that grew from the floor and the walls. Broken columns lined the hall. Hearing a low growl, I hid behind one of the columns. I cautiously peered out from my hiding spot to see one of those frog-like creatures lumbering around in the shadows. Quietly drawing back my arrow, I fired, hitting it between the eyes. It hit the ground with a wet thud. I slipped forward, past the body.
Creeping down a flight of stairs, I saw more of the monsters. The biggest wielded some kind of staff with a gray crystal crudely fixed to the top. One of the focus crystals. I shot down the one with the staff. As it fell, the other two turned to me and brandished their weapons. One of my arrows took down the second, but I had to hastily dodge a blow sent my way by the one that was still alive. Spinning, I kicked out the back of its knee and sent it to the floor. Drawing back an arrow, I shot it through the base of its skull.
I grabbed the staff from where it had fallen. Taking hold of the focus crystal, I snapped it off from where it had been attached to the head of the staff with sinew and Divines-knew-what-else. There was a carved stone pillar nearby with claw-like protrusions on top that formed a kind of basin. Gingerly, I reached out to place the crystal inside. With a loud, crackling, humming sound, purple light flared from the basin. It connected to the crystal, keeping it hovering a few inches in the air.
One down, two to go.
I walked down the next hall, on the lookout for any more of the monsters. There was nothing ahead except another door. I pressed the button next to it, expecting it to open. Instead the floor gave way beneath me.
I plummeted, dropping my bow. Reaching out, I desperately sought something to break my fall. My hands finally caught some thick roots and I held on tight, my body slamming hard against the wall as I abruptly stopped. I sucked a harsh breath through my teeth. Arms shaking, feet scrabbling for purchase against the stones, I looked down. At the bottom of the pit below were sharp wooden spikes, as well as what looked like a tunnel. A way out? Good.
Carefully, I climbed down to the bottom and snatched up my bow from where it had fallen. There was indeed a tunnel leading further into the ruins. Wincing at the feel of bruises forming all over, I headed further in.
The dungeon's final room was a large, ruined chamber. Crumbling pillars lined the walls and chunks of rubble littered the floor. Peering around the corner, I saw a large mass of gray crystals that reached halfway to the vaulted ceiling. Between it and me another one of those toad-monsters. I descended the stairs leading into the chamber and quietly drew back an arrow. It was dead before it even knew I was there.
Carefully picking my way through the rubble, I approached the cluster of crystals. Pulling out the Attenuator, I looked between it and the crystals. As far as I could tell, I was supposed to hit them with it. Praying that it worked, I did.
A high-pitched, bell-like tone erupted from the crystals the second the Attenuator made contact. The biggest crystal spire broke away from the rest and floated into the air. Like the smaller focus crystals before, it hung suspended in purple light. A tingling, electric feeling came from it, making my skin crawl. A gate opened to my right, and I hastily stepped through it and onto the teleportation platform beyond.
When I opened my eyes, I was standing in an unfamiliar room. It still looked like the ruin, however, so I was certain I hadn't left. Before me stood a hooded, emaciated Dunmer. His grin made me feel thoroughly uncomfortable.
"Finally, Lord Sheogorath has sent someone to assist me! But where are my manners? Must get into my professional tone…" He cleared his throat and began a long speech. "Welcome to Xedilian. I'm the dungeon caretaker, Kiliban Nyrandil. Xedilian is the ultimate test of mettle for the foolhardy adventurer that dares trespass into the Shivering Isles. What they don't know is that they're being drawn to their doom, courtesy of the Resonator of Judgment–"
"Enough," I snapped, cutting him off. "How do I get out of here?"
He seemed disappointed at that. "Yes, yes. I tend to ramble; you'll have to forgive me. Xedilian would normally have sent you back to the entrance when you stepped on the pad in the Resonator Chamber. Since you're up here, I can only surmise that adventurers are already entering the dungeon as we speak."
"And why do I have to deal with this?"
He grimaced. "I'm afraid until the adventurers are dealt with, Xedilian will keep you here. Even I can't will its doors to open. To put it bluntly, you're stuck here for the moment. No disrespect intended."
"Great. So what do I do now?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"The only thing we can do is let the adventurers complete a cycle through here. I'll be glad to help."
He beckoned to me, and I followed him to a small balcony overlooking a chamber below. Before me were two buttons. Kiliban gestured to them and said, "As the adventurers make their way through Xedilian's chambers, they will encounter choices that you make in these control platforms. All you need to do is decide what becomes of the adventurers. Will you drive them insane or will you pull the life from their bodies?"
"And how do I do that?" I asked, a feeling of trepidation creeping through me.
"Simple. Wait until the adventurers are in position, and then press a button." He beamed at that. "If they survived, they will proceed to the next chamber, and so on. It's really quite ingenious."
I looked warily at those two little buttons. "Just like that…"
"Just like that."
As if on schedule, three figures appeared at the other end of the chamber below. An orc in full armor, a Dunmer wielding a mage's staff, and a Breton with a bow. Even as high up as I was, I could still hear them clearly.
"… Now keep your weapons ready and watch your backs," the orc told his companions. "Do what I say, and we just might just get outta here alive."
A tiny gnarl crawled out from a grate in the middle of the room. The moment it did, the two buttons lit up, suddenly displaying glowing faces: one with an orange grin, the other with a blue sneer.
"What in Oblivion is that thing?" The orc laughed.
The Breton scoffed. "This is one of the "horrid guardians" of which the stories spoke?"
I hesitated, looking between the buttons. Slowly, I pressed the blue one.
"What a joke! Let's be rid of this thing and continue on our way."
"Wait just a moment," the Dunmer mage said, looking around warily. "What's that sound?"
Up from the grate erupted a horde of the gnarls, all of them swarming toward the adventurers. They overwhelmed the Breton in an instant, dragging him to the floor. I winced and looked away, but was unable to drown out the man's pained screams as the creatures tore into him. Once he was dead, the gnarls barely put up a fight against the other two. Their job was done.
"Damn it!" The orc roared. "Lewin deserved better than this and I'm responsible. Someone will pay dearly, I assure you."
"There's nothing to be done here. We must press on," the Dunmer insisted.
"You're doing quite well so far," Kiliban said, clapping me on the shoulder. I cringed. "Keep it up!"
The mer led me along a corridor to another overlook. The second chamber was dark, barely lit by the blue glowing mushrooms that grew from the walls. On one side of the chamber was a high platform, atop which sat a massive cage filled with crystals and gold. The two adventurers appeared and began climbing the stairs leading up to it.
"Look!" The orc let out a relieved laugh. "I told you! Treasure! Let's have at it, Syndelius." He reached the cage's door and growled in irritation. "Blast! The cage is locked."
"Grommok, be careful!" The Dunmer, Syndelius, warned him as he stared warily at the cage. "This looks too good to be true."
His companion snorted. "Let's see them stop me after I rip this gate from its hinges!"
When it lit up, I pressed the blue button.
Syndelius tried to push him aside, seeming to realize the danger, but it was too late. "Grommok! No–"
A massive explosion of fire erupted from the cage, knocking them both off platform. For a moment, everything was still. Then Grommok pushed himself up, groaning. Syndelius lay still on the floor several feet away. Seeing him, the orc stumbled over to the body of his companion.
"Sorry, Syndelius," he said quietly. "I don't know who built this nightmare, but if I get my hands on them…"
My stomach twisted. It was my fault. Death, treated like it was just a game. I tried to ignore Kiliban's words as he led me to the final overlook.
"Ah! The classic fire trap. Always a favorite, especially in the colder months."
I gritted my teeth, barely resisting the urge to knock his smug teeth in.
Corpses dangled from the ceiling of the last room and some were even bolted to the walls. Pools of thick, dark blood stained the floor. A large basin filled with eerie green fire sat in the center of the chamber. Grommok entered the room and I watched his progress, conflicted. The two buttons lit up and I stared at them.
"Steady, Grommok. Steady," I heard him say. "You've been through worse before. What more could this place possibly throw at you?"
My fingers twitched over the blue button for a third time before I reached over and slammed my hand down on the orange button instead as I tried to show him some mercy.
The orc abruptly collapsed, his body hitting the floor with a loud clanking of armor, but a ghostly version of him was left in its wake. He staggered back as he stared down at it.
"What?"He gasped."How in Oblivion can I be dead? This… this is impossible! Nothing killed me! I didn't even get a chance to fight! No chance to defend myself? No chance for battle? Why? Impossible! This is impossible… Grommok has never lost a fight! Never!"
I watched in horror as the ghost merged back with the body. He curled up on the floor, holding his head in his hands as he let out noises of anguish. My hand clenched into a fist against the console. My throat felt tight. What had I done?
Behind me, Kiliban clapped with delight. "You've made short work of the intruders. Sheogorath should be proud to have such an efficient apprentice."
"I am not his apprentice," I snarled, whirling on him.
He cleared his throat and, clearly nervous, said, "Right. Now, if you'll just step on this teleporter pad, I will meet you in the reception chamber."
"What about–"
"The dead will be disposed of, have no fear. That's my job. Since the orc was lucky enough to merely go insane, he will be granted a place in the Shivering Isles as a permanent resident."
He gestured toward the platform and I stepped onto it, materializing moments later in a small chamber, completely alone. I started pacing, feeling sick over what they'd made me do. Over what I'd done. I'd killed in the past. I'd killed many people in the past. But they had always been a danger to me, to Martin, to something important. Those people I'd just condemned had done little more than be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
And all I'd had to do was press a button.
Kiliban appeared a few minutes later, dusting off his hands and grinning broadly.
"It appears everything is in order," he told me. "You're free to go, just up that hallway. Good luck to you!"
I left as quickly as I could without flat-out running, making my way toward exit. As I walked down the hall a large gray crystal burst from the ground nearby. I leapt back. With loud grinding sounds several more appeared further down the hall. Then I saw them: three figures in angular, crystalline armor heading right for me. All three held swords. Upon seeing me, they emitted strange, metallic shrieking sounds that were definitely not human. I drew my blade and slashed out at the nearest one when it got close enough. Its helmet was knocked clean off and, as it crumpled to the floor of the ruin, I saw that it had no head. I blocked a swing from one of the others and swept its legs out from underneath it. Stepping over the clattering pieces of armor, I kicked the final creature in the chest, sending it tumbling down the flight of stairs behind it.
I heard footsteps behind me and whirled around, barely stopping my blow in time when I saw it was Kiliban. The mer looked around at the fragmented pieces of fallen armor.
"That was quite a battle. I hope you are uninjured," he said.
I sheathed my sword. "What were those things?"
"You've not heard the legends? How could that be?" I shot him a scathing look and he sighed. "Those "things" as you called them are the soulless abominations known as the Knights of Order. Their attraction to the Resonator isn't surprising: it was built from one of the obelisks that dot the Isles they seem to have an affinity for. You must proceed to Sheogorath at once and tell him the Knights have returned."
