Chapter 7: Discovery

Emelin...

The last few months I had visited Gelebor regularly. He and I would tell each other stories of our adventures, though his were always more interesting. He talked about the days before the Betrayed; his time as a Knight Paladin and the occasional myths and legends that were passed down by his people. I would sit and listen; trying to imagine the days he had lived. He would always describe them in such detail, as if he was reliving his experiences, but I knew that he missed them.

I walked around the Wayshrine of Learning, Sceolang following behind. The deer of the Vale ran through the snow, and the birds circled the skies. As I ventured further from the shrine, something caught Sceolang's attention.

"Is everything alright boy?" I asked. He sniffed the ground several times before whining. "Sceolang?" Without warning he dashed ahead, not looking back "Sceolang, wait! Where are you going?" I shouted, trying my best to keep up with him.

He ran through the snow and up the valley. I was just about to lose him when he stopped and barked; staring into the snow. My eyebrows knitted together in thought and I walked over to him, eyes drifting off to where he was looking. I immediately gasped. Leaning against what was left of a stone archway was an almost fully covered skeleton and a fur-skinned pack. Sceolang dug around the skeleton and I helped dig out the pack. Wiping some of the snow away, I noticed that the skeleton was wearing armour that was almost identical to that of Gelebor. A grey tinted arrow was lodged into one of the skeleton's bones and a silver elven sword leant against the pack. I took the pack from the snow and searched through it, only managing to find an old journal, ink and a quill, several empty health potion bottles and an object that looked similar to one of the paragons I had collected, though it was a brownish red.

"Hmmm strange." I whispered. I flipped through the pages of the journal but couldn't read any of the writing. It seemed that it was written in another language. I placed the journal and the other objects into my satchel and turned back to the wayshrine portal. Maybe Gelebor could read the book.

It wasn't long before I reached the Chantry's balcony. Gelebor was leaning against one of the stone walls, looking over the valley. He smiled when he saw me.

"Finished adventuring my friend?" He asked, walking over.

"Something like that." I reached into my satchel and took the journal out. "I found this close to one of the wayshrines." He took it and flicked through the pages. "It seems to be in another language, or at least I think it is. I would have brought it to Winterhold for a friend to translate but that's too far away. Can you read it?"

His eyebrows knitted together and his mouth parted. "Yes. The writing is faded but I should be able to translate it with some time."

"Wait, so it's written is Falm-I mean snow elf?"

He nodded. "Did you uncover anything else?"

I took out the paragon. "I found this."

His eyes narrowed. "That's a paragon. The priests used to use those to get to other parts of the Vale. This one is different though. I've never seen one quite like that before."

"What do you mean?"

"May I?" I handed it to him. "Strange. It's made out of garnet. However, I never knew this existed. I have to ask, where did you obtain this and the journal?"

"There was a skeleton outside one of the wayshrines."

"Ah. I see."

"Gelebor... you don't think that-"

"We won't know until I have translated the journal. I will need some time." He said, leaning against one of the stone walls. I shrugged and wandered off.

Some time had passed and I had spent it sitting on the stairs near the wayshrine rooting through my satchel.

"Emelin." I looked up.

"Yes? Have you translated it? What does it say?" I asked excitedly.

"Calm yourself. I have managed to translate a few of the last pages that were written."

My smile widened. "Well?"

Gelebor skimmed through the pages as he read. "The journal seems to belong to a Niribor Angnar. It reads: I have finally made it to what remains of Auri-El's Chantry. I have spotted one of the wayshrines but for some reason it will not open. I haven't found any of my kind here. From the looks of it, I am alone. There has to be someone around. If some of my people survived, surely they would be within the Chantry. I just hope that I will find someone."

"What else?"

"The next page seems to have been written a time after this, though I am unsure of how long. It says: I have seen many of the wayshrines, but none of them will open. Have the priests of Auri-El locked themselves within the Chantry for their own protection? How will I get to them? I have searched the Vale, but I cannot seem to find the Chantry's Inner Sanctum. Where are they?" He paused. "I have thought of going back. Maybe this was a foolish endeavour, but what would going back solve? I do not know what has happened to the rest of my people; but I cannot get rid of the guilt I have. I left them to their fate. I abandoned them. I could return. I could use the paragon and go back through the portal. I could use the map in this journal to return, but would it be too late? My family, my friends... I abandoned them. Auri-El have mercy on them if they are still alive."

I frowned. That poor man. "Is there anything else?"

He flipped the page over. "What kind of monster have I turned into? By the grace of Auri-El, what have I become? I cannot get their screaming out of my head. Every night I see their faces. I left them! No, no it wasn't my fault. I had no choice. They will be fine. Will be fine. Will be fine. No! They will not get to me, they will not! Screaming, oh the incessant screaming! Make it go away, make it go away! I-I see them in the dark. They are different, my friends. They have no eyes, oh yes, no eyes! They are skinny, deformed and yet they are still my friends! My friends! I have abandoned them but they will not abandon me! My friends... why do they scream? Why scream? I am here. I am here. We don't need those people in the Chantry. They don't know what they are missing. My friends, they don't need them and neither do I. My friends are fine. They are alright."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and looked at Gelebor; his eyes held nothing but sadness and pity. "I...Is there anymore?"

He slowly nodded. "There is a last part."

"What does it say?"

"My friends turned on me. Why? One of them shot me with an arrow, an arrow! They must hate me for what I have done, but no. It was not my fault, do they not see? I came here to find help, so they could be free! They... they are gone? They have left me! They have abandoned me! No, no please don't go, please don't go! I think this might be the end. Don't abandon me my friends. I am sorry... I am alone. It's dark. It's cold. They have left me. They have abandoned me. Maybe they'll come back. Yes, that's it. They will come back. Until then I shall wait. They shall come and everything will be fine. Who needs those damned Chantry priests worshipping their Auri-El? I have my friends back, they will come back. They will not abandon me... I hope."

Gelebor closed the book and placed his hand on the bridge of his nose; sighing heavily.

"Gelebor...I'm sorry." I muttered, unable to meet his gaze.

"No. It's fine. What's done is done."

"That poor man."

"Indeed."

A thought crossed my mind. "He kept mentioning his friends. He said he abandoned them. Maybe they aren't gone. Maybe they're still alive! He mentioned a map in the journal, right?" I grabbed the journal from him and searched through the pages. "Here." He looked down at it. "He also said that he used a paragon or something for the portal. I have the paragon with me and the portal isn't too far from here."

"Emelin, where are you going with this?"

"Isn't it obvious? We could find the other snow elves! You might not be alone after all!"

A smile tugged at his lips. "You may be right."

I laughed. "This is amazing! We can go and find more of your people!"

Gelebor smirked but before I knew it his face had fallen and he glanced back at the Inner Sanctum. "Is everything alright?" I asked, stepping closer to him.

"I am afraid I will not be able to go with you."

My heart dropped. "W-what? Why not?"

"I've been sworn to protect this vale and everything it represents until I die."

"But Gelebor, these are your people. Don't you want to know what has happened to them?"

I looked into his eyes that showed nothing but regret. "More than you know." He whispered.

"Then why can't you come? It's not as if the Chantry will change much while we're gone."

"You do not understand. My oath to Auri-El is more important."

I shook my head. "Is it really worth it? To protect something that is lost? I understand that it's important to you, but sometimes you have to realise that life is worth more and maybe it's time to move on."

"I can't."

"How do you know if you don't try?"

His eyes widened briefly. "I..."

"I don't want to go alone Gelebor."

"I know."

"This might be your only chance."

He sighed once more and gazed at the Chantry. "Alright, my friend."

"Great!" I smiled. He chuckled.

"So, when do you suggest we leave?"

"Hmm, in a few days? I can get back to Whiterun and get supplies for the journey."

"Until then Emelin."