Author's Note: Sorry to those who were waiting. One of my dogs passed away recently and that's never cool. In any case, this chapter is about the last main quest for the Companions - Glory of the Dead. Though that is the last main quest for the Companions in-game, this is not the last chapter of Heart of the Beast!
Tightly Leashed
Ysgramor's tomb was northwest of Winterhold. Snow fell gently, clinging to their hair as they all made their way to the shore of the Sea of Ghosts. Sahana stood, stoic, on a mission. On her back, she carried the bag with the witches' heads inside. Sahana glared down at the frigid waters, the only thing in her way and preventing her from doing as she'd set out to do. She looked back at Farkas and Vilkas as they dragged a small boat that they'd rented.
The men dropped the ropes and pushed it fully into the water, waiting for both Aela and Sahana to board before they climbed in. They picked up the oars and started rowing. As they moved through the water, Sahana watched as Horkers lifted themselves up onto thick sheets of ice to rest. She heard a wolf howl and three others answered the call.
She leaned forward, chin perched on her palm. She hadn't slept well, especially not with Vigilance snoring in her ear and kicking her in his sleep. She sighed heavily.
"Sahana," Aela said, though she sounded far away. "Sahana, wake up."
Immediately, Sahana was awake and alert. She hadn't realized that she'd fallen asleep. She glanced around. They were closing in on an island. Had to be their stop, she figured.
When they were close enough, Vilkas and Farkas jumped out and trudged through the icy waters, pulling the boat to land. Sahana stepped out and lifted Wuuthrad. Aela leapt from the boat and moved forward. Farkas fell in step behind the red-headed woman. Vilkas glanced back at Sahana as she lagged behind.
"Having troubles?" he asked her.
"Of course not," she grumbled. "Do you live to insult me, Vilkas?"
He rolled his eyes skyward. "Difficult woman…" His gaze fell to the ground. She caught up with him, noticed the look on his face.
"What is it?" she questioned, nudging his arm with her elbow. He only shook his head.
Once inside, he stopped while Aela and Farkas looked around the room. He turned to her and said, "This is the resting place of Ysgramor and his most trusted generals. You should be cautious."
She frowned. "What do you mean? Are you not coming?"
He bowed his head, closing his eyes. "Kodlak was right… I let vengeance rule my heart. I regret nothing of what we did at Driftshade, but I can't go any further with my mind fogged or my heart grieved."
Sahana nodded. She looked behind him and the statue of Ysgramor, noted that there were no other doors to go through. "Alright. How do we get inside?"
"Return Wuuthrad to Ysgramor." Vilkas gestured to the statue. "It should open the way."
Sahana stepped forward and placed Wuuthrad in Ysgramor's stone hands. She heard rumbling and moved forward; a passageway had revealed itself. She looked back at Vilkas and said, "We'll be back soon."
"Don't rush," he told her. "Take your time and come back in one piece, all of you."
When they started heading down they ran into a couple of Skeevers that they easily dispatched. Sahana pressed on, her bow readied to take out any other pests…
"Sahana! Watch yourself!" Farkas jumped the distance between them, his blade meeting the sword of a ghostly figure.
"What is this?" she whispered frantically and whirled to face more swirling mist that dissipated to reveal a solid figure. The man took a threatening step toward them, blue flames flickering in the depths of his eyes. She fired off an arrow and it struck the ghost in the head. "Farkas?"
"It is done," he said, moving to her side.
"These must be the ancient Companions," she heard Aela say from behind her. "It would seem that they're testing us."
"Great," she murmured sarcastically. They moved through a door that led to a huge room full of coffins. "Oh, I can't wait to see what happens next…" She started descending the stairs, and immediately ghosts started to manifest themselves. Farkas rushed by Sahana to keep some of them off of her and Aela while they dealt with the ghostly archers.
They headed further down, into the bowels of the tomb and faced a few more ghosts. They splashed through a slightly-flooded room before Farkas stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "I can't go any further, Sahana."
"Why? What's the matter?" She glanced over, noted the large web-sacs.
"Ever since Dustman's Cairn, the big crawly ones have been too much for me." She couldn't believe what she was hearing… Farkas...was afraid of spiders? "Everyone has his weakness, and this one happens to be mine. I'm not proud," he said when he noticed her facial expression, "but I will stay back with Vilkas."
"Right. We'll see you back at the entrance, then." She and Aela continued on, tearing their way through thick webs before Frostbite Spiders took note of them. The spiders rushed them, fangs exposed and dripping with deadly venom.
Sahana leapt back, unsheathing her blade and sinking it deep into one of the spiders. It went still, but she was taking no chances – she stabbed it once more before another spider came running at her. She made short work of this one, too.
Aela came up beside her, having dealt with the other couple of spiders. Sahana moved, but she stopped mid-step, watching as large, nasty green drop fell to the ground in front of her. Both women lifted their gazes as a Giant Frostbite Spider descended fast and hard. They jumped to the sides, avoiding the massive creature and quickly rising to their feet.
Immediately, the spider was barraged with arrows. The wicked points drove straight for the goliath spider's eyes and legs, crippling it. Sahana ran forward, blade drawn again; she ran under the spider, forcing the blade up into it. If spiders could scream, this one probably would have…
Sahana kept moving, tearing through the monster-spider's underbelly. When she reached Aela, she gestured for the other woman to follow her. "If that was not enough to kill that thing, we'll have to come back and set fire to it." That earned her an amused smile.
"This place seems to never end," Sahana grumbled after they had fought their way through yet another ghost-infested room. She rubbed her sore shoulder; it was feeling a lot better, but she still hadn't given it enough time to heal.
She stepped forward, but then stopped, backing up and pressing herself against the wall. She heard a chuckle, and then, "There is no hiding from the dead!"
A humorless smile came to her face. "No, of course there isn't." She listened, but the ghost made no noise as it moved closer to them. She took a breath, deciding to risk it, and jumped out, sinking her blade into the man's neck. She stared into his widened eyes before he simply disappeared.
"Another one coming at you!" she heard Aela say. She turned and ducked low, avoiding the blow that would have lopped her head off. Aela fired off an arrow and it dove into the ghost's chest. Two more arrows followed before they could safely move on.
"How do you feel, shield-sister?" Aela questioned as they ascended some stairs.
Sahana glanced back as she pushed two heavy doors to clear the way. "Tired and hungry…" Aela shook her head as she followed Sahana's lead. Glancing around, the room seemed empty, but then their eyes landed on the blue flame that sprang to life. The face they saw this time was familiar. "Kodlak!"
He turned his head and stared directly at them. "Greetings."
"Is this really you?"
"Of course," he said. "My fellow Harbingers and I have been warming ourselves here, trying to evade Hircine."
"But there is no one here besides us."
"You see only me because your heart knows only me as the leader of the Companions, but I see them all. The ones in Sovngarde. The ones trapped with me in Hircine's realm. And they all see you. You've brought honor to the name of the Companions. We won't soon forget it."
At his words, she offered him a small smile and bowed her head. When she lifted her head again, they could see, hear the determination in her voice as she said, "Vilkas said that you could still be cured."
At this, Kodlak tilted his head to one side. "Did he now? I can only hope." He watched as Sahana untied the strings that kept the bag of witch heads on her back. She opened it up to reveal the contents and she could see Kodlak's excitement, even in his current ghostly form.
"Excellent! Throw one of the heads into the fire. That should release their magic for me."
Sahana dragged one of the heads from the bag and dangled it above the dancing blue flames. She let it fall and then watched Kodlak for any changes. When he suddenly hunched over, in pain, she thought she'd done something wrong. She realized soon after that his spirit was separating itself from the wolf's.
The wolf, almost the size of a horse, took on a solid form and came at her, snarling and snapping. It smashed into her, sending her to the ground and pinning her there. She punched it in the nose and it growled, baring pearly teeth. She looked into its eyes; they were thoroughly cunning and promised retaliation. Death.
An arrow lodged itself in the wolf's neck and it yelped and turned its attention to Aela. It dove for her, biting down with powerful jaws. Aela managed to narrowly avoid those dagger-like teeth. Sahana ran forward and she watched as the massive wolf started to turn around to come for her again. She jumped, catching a fistful of fur and pulling herself up onto the wolf's back. With her dagger in her other hand, she sank the blade between ribs, plunged it into the wolf's neck and chest.
The wolf stumbled and she leapt from its back. It went to fall on its side, but then simply vanished as if it had never been. Sahana sighed, dragging a hand through her hair as she sheathed her blade. She looked at Aela to assure herself that she was all right.
Sahana approached Kodlak, noted the look that he was giving her. "I thank you for this gift," he said. "The other Harbingers remain trapped by Hircine, though. Perhaps from Sovngarde, the heroes of old can join me in their rescue. The Harrowing of the Hunting Grounds. It would be a battle of such triumph. And perhaps some day, you'll join us in that battle. But for today, return to Jorrvaskr. Triumph in your victory. And lead the Companions to further glory."
At this, her eyes widened. Before she could say anything, he turned away and then simply disappeared. Lead…? She turned, and she didn't doubt that she appeared pale or stunned…or both.
She couldn't tell what Aela was feeling just by looking at her. "Did I hear right? Did I hear him say that you were to lead the Companions?"
Sahana ran a hand through her hair again, trying to speak past the lump in her throat. "He did."
Aela was quiet for a moment, looking her over as if judging her worth. She shrugged, "You've earned the right. Your strength and honor are apparent to all." She offered Sahana a nearly non-existent smile, "It's my honor to be first to address you as Harbinger."
Sahana bowed her head, though she was fast coming out of her stupor. Her mind was already working, telling her that she had to go and face the other Companions. That she would have to represent them, guide them…
"Come," Aela gestured for Sahana to follow her. "Let's go tell the others."
She was not looking forward to this…
Back at the entrance, they met up with the twins. The men wore the same expression, staring at Sahana, waiting in expectation. "Kodlak has been cured," she informed them.
"So he is not a werewolf now?" Farkas' eyes lit up. Sahana shook her head.
"You brought honor to him, even after his death," Vilkas told her.
Sahana glanced at Aela before mentioning the fact, "Kodlak said that I should lead the Companions now."
"You don't have to worry about any problems from me," Farkas assured her.
Vilkas remained silent, looking at her through his narrowed gaze. "Had you told me a few months ago that an outsider would one day lead the Companions, I might have slit your throat. But I've seen what you can do and heard of the love that Kodlak had for you. The trust." He let out a soft sigh. His expression softened when he said, "I wish you luck."
Sahana merely nodded. "Let's head back." First order of business: calm the storm back at Jorrvaskr.
Chapter end - and starting on the next. Thanks for reading!