Author's Note: There may be some confusion with the plural forms of "daedroth." "Daedroth" is the singular form of "Daedra."
Thanks to my good friend Brandon Wollen for helping me out with this chapter. I found it rather difficult.
Read and review, loves!
Chapter Nine: Trapped!
"Wha- what does it do?" One of the other priests asked.
"Any monstrosity that lives on the other side of that gate has the liberty of entering our world," Martin explained.
"What kind of monstrosities are we talking about here?" I asked him.
"Daedra." Martin shivered when letting out the word. The word meant little to me. "Demon" was all I could relate to it. "We must get to safety!"
"And where might that be?" Bendu asked. "As far as I can see, that bloody gate is blocking our way out of this town."
"The chapel basement," said one of the chapel-goers.
"I don't think we have another choice." I said. "Quickly! Let's go."
"Wait," Martin said just before we were to head downstairs. "The people outside!" Naturally, I didn't want to let Martin be a hero and risk his life, but my heart went out to those running around outside in a frenzy.
"Fine, but we must hurry!" I said. Our little group marched out into the red-tinted landscape, unsure of what to do next.
An ear shattering screech tore through the air. I turned to look at the gate, the source of the sound. A monster that looked nothing like I had ever seen before entered my vision. The thing stood on two hind legs with thin arms adorned with claws at the ends. It screamed as more appeared from out of the gate. It was too dangerous to help anyone now, for I didn't want anyone to fight these vile creatures.
"There's no time, Martin! Go back!" I shouted over the chaos. Martin didn't hear me; he was running towards a crying child amongst the rubble of a destroyed home. "Martin! Go back!" I shouted again as I ran towards him. He picked up the little Redguard girl into his arms and turned his attention to getting back into the chapel; I ran with him towards the doors, the little girl still sobbing.
"Watch out!" I screamed upon spotting a fireball coming from a smaller creature charging at us. We ducked to avoid the fire; Martin was almost too late. The fiery sphere barely missed his head, singing his hair. I don't think he noticed, though. Martin just kept running after it passed.
"Stay in the basement, Martin!" I yelled to him as he ran through the chapel doors after we finally reached them. Turning to search for more civilians revealed new monsters walking through the gate. They looked like demonic humanoid figures in fiery armor with eyes that burned with just as much fury as the gate itself. "Daedra," I said aloud to myself, then turned to run back inside. The daedroth cast a sinister spell my way as I dashed towards safety.
But I couldn't move! My muscles let out from beneath me, refusing to work. I could hear one of the Daedra's thundering footsteps approach; I looked up to find my worst nightmare stare right down at me without a hint of mercy in its inhuman eyes. The orange and red of the dancing flames reflected off its shining chest plate and his sword hung low to the ground in his right hand.
I closed my eyes when it started to raise its equally sinister sword, but the hit never arrived. Instead, I heard a twisted scream from the beast just as my muscles were under my command once more. I looked up to find the monster clash swords with none other than Bendu.
I looked on in horror as Bendu's longsword clashed with the daedroth's sword. Sparks flew to the side as Bendu's sword scraped down the length of Deadra's.
"I will not let you leave here alive!" Bendu cried as he swung again at the daedroth. The daedroth blocked the attack and swung his sword towards Bendu. Bendu blocked it, but was hurled backwards onto his back. The monster then swung his sword downwards to impale Bendu, but Bendu held up his hand as a bolt of electricity shot from his palm and intercepted the sword, jerking it to the side and impaling the dirt next to him. Bendu looked up at the daedroth's spiky helmet and his blood-red eyes. He grasped the handle of his longsword and thrust it deep into the creature's chest. Blood ran down the length and onto his face.
The daedroth reeled back in pain, releasing his grip on his sword. Bendu took the chance to pick it up and flung it at Deadra's legs, causing him to fall to his knees. The daedroth looked up at Bendu, who now stood in front of him and at the blood-ladened longsword.
Bendu let out a bloodthirsty cry as he swung around in place to gain momentum. The longsword swung around with him, the blade slicing through the Deadra's thin neck armor. Blood escaped down the side as the blade cut deeper, and finally cut through to the other side and through the thin armor. The daedroth's head rolled down its back and onto the dirt behind him; his body falling forward, landing with a thud at Bendu's feet. Tears of joy ran down my face as Bendu looked back at me, blood splattered across his dark face.
"Go!" Bendu shouted just before he turned away, and started walking towards the fiery gate.
"Bendu! What are you doing?" I cried, the tears of joy instantly turning to agony as I watched Bendu go. He vanished through the gate, the tip of his sword trailing through behind him. I scrambled to my feet, bolting towards the chapel once more. My feet flew me through the chapel, down the stars, and to the doors leading to the basement where I banged on the wood screaming for someone to let me in. After the longest 20 seconds of my life, the door cautiously creaked open; a hand grabbed my blouse and towed me into the room.
"You're safe here, my dear." An elderly woman's voice assured me. I followed her dark figure down the stairs into the wide open basement. It was littered with bedrolls, candles, and only a handful of survivors. They lay on the ground, tears running down their cheeks, only able to recall what they had just seen. In the dim light, Martin was tending to and injured man. A pale blue glow radiated from Martin's palms onto the injured man's leg. Just seeing the light was soothing enough to heal my mind, if only for a moment. I walked over to him, my eyes locked on the blue glow.
"You know," I began. "You never taught me how to heal."
"At least you've survived this long without my teachings." Martin smiled at me as he spoke. His face wasn't full of distress for those few lovely seconds.
"Just barely," I said, thinking about how I narrowly escaped execution. I don't think a healing spell can mend a headless body, fresh out of execution. My body shuddered at the thought. I kept my sights on Martin as he left the injured man to sit down against a large pillar that supported the ceiling. I sat down next to him; my legs crossed, staring down at the stone floor.
"And so we wait," Martin let out with a sigh. My chest took in a nervous breath.
"Yes. And so we wait," I agreed.
From my little perch next to Martin I investigated our little group of survivors that lay scattered throughout the many rooms of the chapel's basement. All of us felt so empty; so helpless. I watched as they prayed, draining out the little hope they had left in their tattered souls. Since the filthy Daedra didn't get the chance to cut up our bodies, they sure managed to carve out our livelihood.
For hours the world above us rumbled around as we could hear buildings topple over thanks to Gods-know-what. I confided to myself that it was likely that we were buried under the chapel's remains, assuming it was destroyed. I didn't want to speculate further because it brought so much pain to my heart. Even the distraught conversations between the others were unbearable.
"They can't go on holy ground, can they?" one woman asked Martin.
"The Nine will protect us," is all he would say. My poor Martin; he had the heaviest burden upon his shoulders than any of us. At least, that's what I told myself. I still had to get him back to Weynon; and that probably wasn't going to happen anytime soon. He stood up from the hard stone floor he'd sat on for the past several hours and headed towards the priests' chambers. I silently trailed behind him into a room with beds at every corner. He sat down with his battered hands cradling his face. I could feel my heart sink lower into my chest as I stood in the doorway gazing at him.
"Martin," I whispered. His teary stare met mine. Even with his hair partially singed and face stained with tears and worries I could still see the teenaged Martin underneath it all. "Look at you," I said with my arms spread out towards him. "You're a wreck!"
"This isn't the time to gawk," his hollow voice replied.
"Then what is it time for?" I asked. Martin looked town at his feet with a deep sigh. "I'm just as distressed as you are. But for now we will wait."
"Wait for what? For an angel to walk out of that gate and save us?" he snapped back. "Oh, wait. Maybe you're right! Maybe because I'm an illegitimate heir sent from the gods, my damn royal army is on its way to save us!" If only it were that simple. Perhaps word has reached Jauffre about Kvatch and he is to send help?
"Why else did the gate open here?" I shouted at him. "Coincidence? How else would I have found you, Martin?" He closed his eyes in deep thought. My voice lowered in regret of yelling at him, "They are here for the last heir to the Septim throne."
"And you think it's me?" He asked. I nodded. "I'm a priest of Akatosh, not a Septim."
"What will it take to convince you that I'm not lying?"
"I want to believe you. I want to bring some rhyme or reason to this mess," he said.
"Then believe me! We'll get out of here, and I can bring you to those who will prove to you that this is real!" Martin bit down on his lip as he digested my words.
"If we get out of here I'll follow you. I have nothing left here." He didn't seem at all confident in his words, but I still intended to hold those same words to him when the time comes. "In the meantime, you should sleep. Have you even rested since arriving in…" Martin paused before saying the ruined city's name. "What was Kvatch?" I shook my head.
"No," I argued.
"Decie, YOU are the one who is a wreck!" He fought back. Martin's words pulled a string on the lute that is my heart. A sweet note rang out in my head at the sound of my name.
"Say that again."
"Say what again?" His face looked puzzled in the dim light.
"The part where you said my name." Tears squeezed through my eyes as I desperately tried to hide my avalanche of feelings. "My long lost name! For so long I haven't had the name that I told myself I wouldn't miss!" My cheeks now served as a riverbed for the flow of tears that I couldn't hold back.
I felt his warm hand hold wipe away my tears. His rough skin was soothing to me. It reminded me that this was a different man than the one I had met in Morrowind. Martin must have been through so much after he departed; the wear and tear of ten years showed up on his hands.
"Decima Sentinelle, what are you talking about?" My head rested on his chest in exhaustion as I continued to cry. My name! My full name! It was so liberating to recede from "Azadeh," and to finally be the person I missed.
"I changed my name to Azadeh," I said in a raspy voice. "It was out of paranoia and was an unnecessary action, none the less."
"And you missed it," he said, now understanding my tears.
"I thought I wouldn't. Out with the old and in with the new, ya know?"
"There were some things that shouldn't have changed, Decie." Ahh! He said it again! Warmth filled up my soul to its brim.
We sat there together, just as long lost friends would, without a word. I forgot about all of the terror that lurked above us, how Bendu was to meet the definition of evil within that gate, and how my heart ached, knowing that I had the job of saving my friend… My emperor.