Chapter 13: Snow and Stone

Emelin...

Cloud covered the sky like smoke rising from fire, blocking almost all traces of light and leaving us in shadow. White suffocated the stone roves and walls we passed. The path was bare; lifeless; frozen and the foreboding silence we were met with chilled us to the bone. The harshness of the elements battered against the rubble of the mountainside and most of the buildings were buried deep within.

I could feel the gaze of the ghosts that haunted the place, hear their cries in the wind and their anger in each slap the rotted doors made against their frames. The trees themselves had withered and died. All that was left were their blackened remains, torched and decayed.

Gelebor hadn't spoken since we saw the place. He remained straight-faced, but I knew on the inside there was a pain we could only imagine.

The village was a relic, damaged and long forgotten. Barely anything remained and yet we found ourselves searching for any trace as to where the inhabitants had gone or what the cause of the destruction was.

Sceolang pawed my leg and I noticed that he held something in his jaw.

"What have you got there?" I asked as I took it from him.

I looked down and instantly regretted it. It was a doll. It was quite plain with only two buttons for eyes and a short piece of cloth for clothing but it was who it may have belonged to that depressed me. There were children in this village, and they too were gone.

I shook my head and placed the doll on the floor. Gelebor didn't need to know. It would only make the pain he felt worse.

"Come on boy, we better go." I said and stepped outside.

"Emelin!" Serana called.

"Yeah?"

"Come here, you may want to see this."

I ran over to her and she handed me something.

"What is it?" I asked curiously.

"Don't you recognise the look of it? It's a dagger."

"And?"

"Look at the markings."

I froze. The weapon was made out of gold metal and had been engraved on the side. There was only one race that made weapons out of such material and that was the Dwemer. "But, why would this be here of all places?"

"I don't know but I don't like the look of it."

"Is everything alright?" Gelebor asked from behind. I jumped back and hid the dagger up my sleeve.

"Y-Yeah, we didn't find anything." I lied.

"Neither did I. I think we should leave. There's nothing else here."

I nodded and watched him leave. I turned the dagger over and slid it into my satchel.

Serana folded her arms and frowned. "Why didn't you tell him about the dagger?"

"He has enough on his mind with finding his people. He doesn't need to know about this."

"He'll find out eventually you know."

I sighed. "Maybe, but for all we know this could have been here for a number of reasons. It doesn't mean that the Dwemer were responsible for what happened."

"I don't know. That's what it looks like to me."

"It wouldn't make sense. The Dwemer have been gone for centuries. Why would they just reappear?"

She shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine."

I shook my head and headed outside.

Gelebor was at the end of the path and I wandered over to him.

"Any idea where to go from here?" I asked.

Gelebor shook his head. "I... I have no idea."

That didn't sound good. "What do you mean?"

"Part of the map has worn away. I can't make out any of the writing."

I leant over his shoulder to get a better look. "You've got to be kidding me."

"I'm afraid we have no choice but to venture on without the map, unless you wish to turn back?"

I stared at him in surprise. Turn back, after everything we had been through? "Not a chance."

He smiled. It was only brief but it was enough for me. "Onward then."

Hours later we found ourselves in another cave. I had to admit I didn't like the idea of going into it and even suggested an alternative route, but Gelebor and Serana had been sure that it was the right way to go.

The cave was much warmer than the outside and was slightly darker. Florescent fungus guided the way and there were no traces of ice or frost in sight. It was a welcomed change.

We followed the tunnel until we came out into a larger area. There were many rapids and rivers as well as a stone path that led past them and into another part of the cave.

Halfway down the path something caught my attention and I found myself wandering over to it.

"Is everything alright Emelin?" Gelebor asked curiously.

I shook my head. "I don't know." I eyed the bush-like fungus warily. "I think-"

Without warning three chaurus jumped out of the fungus. I screamed and yelled: "Feim!"

Their poisonous spit flew right through me and my palms quickly filled with ice.

Sceolang darted to one of them; Gelebor drew his mace and attacked the other. Serana stood a few feet away and used drain life and ice spike on the last creature.

Once my body turned back from ethereal, a wave of ice flew from my hands and enveloped the creatures. One of them froze in its place while the other only took minor damage and came straight for me.

I hit the creature again but it was unfazed by the spell. In fact it seemed to anger it more and it came at me faster. My eyes widened and I hit it again but it still kept coming. Its pincers opened wide and it jumped at me.

Just before it landed I shouted: "Tiid!" and time froze. I fell back and got out of the way.

Gelebor threw his mace and it landed in the creature's skull. With a crack its legs gave in and it hit the ground.

I looked down at the chaurus bodies and slowly exhaled. I wasn't expecting that.

"I should have known these would be here." Gelebor said.

I nodded. "Same here."

Serana's eyebrows knitted together in thought. "It is strange though."

"What do you mean?"

"Did these seem organised to you? I mean the way they waited for us. I don't think it was a coincidence."

"Now that you mention it," Gelebor added, "it does seem rather odd."

"But who could have trained them?"

"Emelin, look out!" Gelebor shouted.

An arrow whipped past my shoulder and hit the boulder next to me. Hunched creatures crawled out of nowhere. My blood turned to ice and my mind went blank.

"It can't be." Gelebor whispered.

The creatures... they were Falmer, but they weren't like the ones I had seen back in Skyrim. They still looked like mer, but were much thinner and deformed.

They came at us with swords and bows and on instinct I shot an ice spike at one of them. The beast knelt on the floor from the impact but soon got back up. Before I knew it we were outnumbered, seven to four. Ice magic seemed to not have much effect on them and I changed to the few fire spells I knew. The flames cloaked the Falmer and he shrieked in pain. Just as he went down another took his place and I felt my magicka drain with each spell blast. I was getting weaker and I didn't know how much longer I could last.

"There's too many!" Serana yelled when her dagger cut into one of the Falmer's throat.

"We have to get out of here!" I replied; my eyes searching the cave and finally resting on a bridge not too far away. "Over there!"

We sprinted away from the Falmer, though we knew they were on our trail. I was surprised by how fast they changed from their hunched positions to standing tall.

We neared the bridge and were fortunate that there were only three Falmer that had followed. I quickly turned on the spot and shouted: "Fus, Roh Dah!"

The shout knocked the Falmer flying back and their bodies hit the ground. Gelebor, Serana and Sceolang took the chance to finish them off. I was about to help when I felt a presence behind me. I swiftly turned and felt my feet give way. Something clutched my ankles and began to drag me down into a crevice.

I tried to cast another spell but soon realised that I was out of magicka. I struggled against the hands that held me but the creature didn't loosen it's hold.

"Gelebor!" I shouted and it was only when I was fully in the crevice that Gelebor has realised what had happened.

"Emelin!"

Gelebor and Serana's cries faded out and my sight turned black.

I wasn't unconscious. I knew that my eyes were open and that the creature was still dragging me, but at that moment I was too afraid to do anything. Even if I did manage to free myself, there was no way I could climb back up the crevice. The only chance I had was to let the creature continue until I was able to set myself free.

However, something didn't seem right. The creature suddenly stopped. Silence filled the air and I lay against the rock; waiting. The world around me began to shake. My hands grabbed what little rock they could but I found that it was useless. The stone holding me started to move and it wasn't long before it gave way and I fell.

The splash echoed throughout the cave. I was submerged. I lashed out with every inch of my body and strength and I managed to rise back to the surface for a few seconds before I was pulled back down. My lungs began to burn and scream for air, the need to see the surface one more time becoming unbearable. The water kept me held down, just enough to be able to see the light above the surface.

I stared into the vast blueness, unable to think, unable to react, unable to do anything but let my unresponsive body sink. My eyes closed, the last few precious breathes I had taken finally disappearing.

All of a sudden strong arms dragged me out of the water. I gasped for air and allowed the person to drag me onto the stone bank.

Voices. I heard voices, but I didn't know whose. They were strange; unfamiliar. My head was heavy but I was able to lift it high enough to see two people talking. Black dots appeared into the corners of my eyes and I found it difficult to focus on them. They had pale skin, or so I thought and looked similar to Gelebor. The taller one looked down at me and my eyes closed.

The man's voice was calming and I found it harder to stay conscious.

"Sleep." He said. "You're safe now."