-1Chapter 4: Down the Rabbit Hole

At the top of the hill was a small barricade with men in Watch uniforms. Savlian Matius approached her, she assumed it was him because he was the only one in captain uniform. "You, citizen it's to dangerous up here. Go back down to the camp."

"Hey, I'm just looking for someone named Martin. He's a priest in the temple."

"Some civilians are held up in there. And the rest of the Watch are with the count up in the castle. But we can't get through because of the gate! We sent men in to try and shut the portal but they haven't come back out yet."

"I could go take a look."

"You?" He gave her a look and smirked. "You aren't exactly built for combat." He was almost laughing at her.

She pulled her dagger out, "Give me a Daedra and I'll show you who's built for combat."

He shook his head, "Alright, if you say you can. Guards! At the ready! Let's give this girl some cover!"

She jumped the barricade and ran to the gate as two Scamps emerged. She sliced the throat of one and kept running head long into the gate. It was like walking into a waterfall without getting wet. And suddenly she was hit with the smell of something really foul. A mixture of acid and rotting flesh. She gagged and stumbled a little, the landscape had changed dramatically. Everything was twisted and warped. Lava flowed like a river in the moat of a large structure with a tall spire in the center. She decided to keep moving. She headed north toward a path of some sort. The vegetation, if it could be called that looked as harmful as the rest of the terrain. Suddenly she heard a cry. Someone was shouting for her and running over to her, followed by a Flame Atronach. She ducked behind a rock as a fire ball flew past her. She sought for the obly real combat spell she knew; lightning. Once she remembered she let it rip through the air, causing a loud crash. The Flame Atronach didn't like that it's prey bit back and seemed dissuaded, it let the man finish the stretch to her then turned and fled.

"Thank you! You are a most gracious person. Coming in to rescue us and all."

"Don't mention it. It was on the way."

"I'm Ilend Vonius. Menien and I are the only survivors... And to be honest, I'm scared shitless."

"The path the portal seemed clear when I came this way, can you manage it."

"Yeah, but Menien... He was taken to that tower over yonder." He pointed to a tower just off the main fortress.

"Go. I've got him. And in all honesty. I'm scared shitless too." She gulped back another swell of bile coming up her throat.

"Thank you. I've had enough of this damned place." She watched him flee with envious eyes, she wished she could run too. It was time to do this her way, the stealthy way. It worked well, Daedra didn't seem all that observant, letting her movements go undetected. She reached the main tower with little fuss and slowly snuck in. She sighed, it looked like she had to climb.

The Daedra enemies here weren't all easy. But she found simply pushing them over the side when they weren't paying attention did the trick for most. She reached a door that was locked and curse. She looked around for another and was suddenly on a bridge, quietly she managed across and surveyed the landscape, this might be the tower that Ilend had pointed to... Or not. But she was willing to risk it. Opening the door she hear a hissing sound and a blood curdling scream. Forgetting her sneaking strategy she ran up the rest of the tower. At the top was a Daedra, poking a hoot iron at a male imperial. He turned and saw her, "A visitor from the light world. You shall DIE!" He struck at her with the hot iron and she side stepped it bringing her dagger up into his shoulder. He spun, unmoved by her attack and lunged again. She stepped back but he grazed her forehead. She cursed and he came back for another swing, catch a bit of her right arm. She let out a small yell, as he swung once more. This time she blocked it and punched at his stomach. He coughed, and staggered, falling forward towards her. She moved out of the way and he tumbled down the spiral slope a few yards.

She ran up to the man who was hunched over in fear. Her heart ached when she saw the burns, the bruises, the bleeding wounds. His one eye was swelling so badly he probably couldn't see out of it, "Menien! I'm here to-"

"Quickly! There's no time! You but get to the Sigil Keep! Take the Sigil stone and the gate will close. Go! I'm already dead. But you, sweet angel, have made it peaceful. I.. Thank you." Suddenly he was gone. She growled and walked down the spiral to the Daedra, blood gushed from his wounds. And she kicked him. Not just once but repeatedly. Until he fell over the edge. Tsamusa was tired of this place. Tired of Daedra. Fed up with the smell of decay.

She yelled, over the side at him, "How long did you torture him you sick bastard! How long until he couldn't take it! I will tear your gates to the ground! You will never get away with doing this! He is your last victim! And no Daedra can save you if you come after my people!" She then stormed off, electricity rippling over her heated skin. She was angry, more angry than she'd ever been in her easy going life. And if the Daedra thought they'd stand in her way. They were mistaken. The Sigil keep had only two Daedra, much like the ones before. She blasted them into the walls, leaving only scorch marks. An unknown power rippled through her from her chest, spreading through her body to her feet and arms. The tower shook around her with each step she took toward the Sigil Stone. Taking it in her hands the tower around her began to swirl, until suddenly she was falling through space. Softly she landed outside the Kvatch gate She went through it and five or six Daedra attacked. They were flattened by this new power that coursed through her. Then she stood at the bottom of the Chapel steps and a small group of people walked out. She stood alone, still holding the Sigil Stone, it was only then she noticed she was crying. The Guards stood back by the gate, away from her. It was bright as day when it should have been the middle of the night. It was then she realized, the light was from her. She went to move closer to the citizens but they all stood back. All but a single priest, who stood eyes transfixed on her. Taking a few deep breathes suddenly very tired. "You're safe now." She said. But her voice was not her own. She was something else at that moment. Still herself but also something much bigger than her. The light faded and so did the world around her. She was unconscious before she hit the ground. The last thing she heard was a man calling on the Goddess.

Tsamusa awoke at dawn. She winced as someone patted the cut on her forehead with a cloth, "Shoosh now. You did well. Don't push yourself." She looked up at the man sitting over her. It was the priest from before. He had a kind face, and dark hair. His eyes were serious with the begins of wrinkles at their edges, "It's good you're awake though. The Captain thought you were dead. Yelling how he wasn't going to lose another comrade to those things. People seem to become quite attached to you very quickly." He smiled at her with a look that would have been familiar if her mind wasn't somewhere else. The gate came back to her. The smell of blood, and decay and sulfur. She couldn't stop the gag this time, she ran outside and to the edge of the encampment. Behind a bush, what little she'd eaten the day before came up violently. She hoped no one saw, hero's don't get nauseous. Common thieves do though. Then strong, cool hands smoothed back her hair, soothing her as her dry heaves subsided. She coughed up the last of it and was offered some water. "Better?"

It was that man again, "Yes. Thank you. Please don't think less of me. It was just-"

"Shhh, I think not the less of you. Anyone unmoved by such carnage has lost something essential."

"It was inside the gate. I've lived a worldly life but that!" She shook her head.

"Was it terrible?"

"Like the pits of hell itself. I don't ever want to go back. The torture they put people through is just... Terrible." It was then she remembered, "I have to find-" She took a few steps and staggered. He caught and steadied her.

"Take it easy. Kvatch is safe. Once you closed the gate the guards cleared the city and castle."

"No! I was- ah!- looking for someone." He towed her back in the tent and sat her down next to him lightly.

"Who?"

"A priest at the Chapel. Martin."

"Then you're search is over. I'm Martin."