Chapter 29

Day 95

Four days had gone by. I had been told that I was asleep for four days. During that time the Jarl and the others had returned to a smoldering outer wall and cowering citizens. The inner wall was also largely scorched, the gate barely had held against the flames. How I had come out unscathed, most people don't know. I haven't said much since waking, I just sit here and stare at the wall, wondering what everything could mean. I was a champion of Meridia? I had a dream, a vision almost while I had slept. Meridia had come to me like she had in the game, a shining ball of light that floated high above the clouds. It felt as though my body was no longer existent, that I just floated there like the daedric prince.

As I tried to remember what happened in the vision my head began to hurt and my body ached. What was happening to me? More questions, more issues for me to take care of. Had I been terrible to puppies in a past life or something?

"Darius?" A voice could be head outside the door. I had been moved to a lower room that used to be the dungeon of the fort. We had remade them into small rooms that had lamps for lights and wooden frames in front of the iron bars. "Darius it's Zaynabi." The Khajiit opened the two doors and made her way in to sit by my bed. "How are you feeling?" She placed a mug of water and bread on a nearby table. I felt as though I was some sickly person that needed to be cared for.

"I'm...alright." I sighed and stared down at my hands. My voice was low and hoarse as I hadn't used it in some time.

"We both know that's not true. While I don't know much about you, I've traveled with you long enough to understand some things." Zaynabi brought the water to my lips and I drank.

"Why...are you helping me?" I asked after gulping down the water and clearing my throat a little. Some of the others had voiced their discontent with how I had saved them, the power I had wielded. Others said I was no better than the monsters they faced. Why they said these things I don't know.

"Between that sword and the way you saved everyone, they believe you are in league with a daedra. Even if Meridia is not considered all evil, they still have many doubts about ANY daedra." She explained and brought the food over to rest on my lap. I took a few bites of the bread and drank some more water afterwards and looked up.

"Then I need to leave. We can't be at each other's throats like this. It will only hinder everyone's ability to survive." Zaynabi stood and stared long and hard at me after what I said.

"Then Kharjo and I will come with you." She sat back down after a long while. It looked as though she had been about to slap me!

"No. These people need-" I was cut off with a slap to the face.

"These people need you too! You saved their lives despite what their saying their happy for that." I held my hand to my face and watched as the Khajiit stormed out of the room, tail swishing wildly behind her. Zaynabi had hardly spoken to anyone when I had first met her. Even those in the caravan knew little about her. But somehow all of this had changed her. She wasn't open about her past or anything but she spoke more and expressed herself more.

"Times like this though can change anyone." I muttered to myself and finished the bread. After standing up for the first time in days I tried to put on my clothes. I grasped Meridia's sword and held it before me. It was different somehow. The blade seemed sharper, shinier even. The gem on the hilt grew brighter as I held it. "Dawnbreaker." I whispered and it seemed to come to life. I felt a warm pulsing from the sword as I strapped it to my side. I was right about the name but the game had never explained anything about this sword.

As I went to leave the confines of the dimly lit room my head began to spin. I fell to my knees and grabbed my ears as a loud ringing began to come from all around me.

"You took your sweet time to come around." A female voice echoed around me through the ringing. "I take it your mortal mind couldn't grasp the task I bestowed upon you in your dreams?"

As I tried to raise to my feet I was pushed down by an unseen force. The ringing stopped but my body continued to remain in pain. I tried to remember the dream I had when I was out. I had been floating in front of the orb of light that I assumed was Meridia.

"S-something about an amulet?" I asked out loud to the voice.

"You must gather the pieces of my amulet. The nine pieces have been scattered across Tamriel, one in each of the provinces." The voice stopped a moment as if doing something else. "I have sent some of my followers to the mortal world. They are all I can send without the amulet. Find them and they will aid you." With that the pain subsided and the voice stopped speaking.

"I-I will do as you ask, Meridia." I whispered solemnly and rose to my feet. My body felt lighter after the pain had stopped, even better than before. I sighed and placed my hand under my chin. I would need to prepare if I was to travel all over Tamriel, I didn't even know anything about the other provinces! I groaned and ruffled my hair in aggravation. Why was this happening?!

After taking some time to gather my thoughts and my belongings into the satchel I had used before I walked out of the room. Making my way up the steps I went into our supplies and grabbed a few furs to put into a pack that I would carry on my back. Though I would be weighed down by two bags I would need all I could if I was to traverse the different lands. I also wrapped up bread and a few fruits to put into the bag.

"So you are leaving." I heard the familiar voice of Jarl Laila Law-Giver behind me. I stood from my bag and looked at her with a sad smile.

"I'm going to save us. To save everyone." I wanted to believe in what I was doing. If I needed to get this amulet then it would surely do something to help us be rid of the undead wouldn't it? Meridia hated the undead more than anything and with a whole world filled with them she must have been going crazy this whole time.

"In times like this I wish I could use my position as Jarl to command you to stay and help us here. But I don't think being a jarl has much standing right now." She looked down at the ground with a sad sigh. "Does this have something to do with Meridia?"

"It does. I know people don't trust Daedra. But she saved me, saved everyone."

"Daedra always want something in return Darius."

"She wants the undead gone. She hates the beyond anything else doesn't she?" I only knew of Meridia what I had read in the game. Other than that my knowledge of Daedra was limited.

"That might be so but i'm sure there will be something else later on down the road." Her face was serious but her eyes had a sad look.

"If it gets rid of the undead and saves everyone then isn't that enough?"

"There will always be a threat to us mortals. We're frail and weak but we can use that to be stronger." For a Jarl of a hold she had large ideals. I wonder if there had ever been a chance that she could have been leader of Skyrim.

"If I can end this one. Then I will." I was getting frustrated. I had enough to deal with right now as it was let alone her arguing with me on weather or not I should go. "Besides, now that i've used this sword and her power. I can't go back."

"You're right. When you get back, we'll be here. I don't think we'll be heading anywhere else. Riften was leveled after our retreat." I had heard about this from Shavari when she had visited me. After seeing what was left of Windhelm however, I hadn't been surprised. Whoever these necromancers were, they weren't taking any chances. She left after placing a hand on my shoulder and saying goodbye. I turned my attention back to packing.

After I believed that I had my bags packed I turned to preparing myself. I took the gauntlets and shoulder pieces of the armor that Kharjo had given me. I strapped the shoulders over a fur cloak I had put on top of the green tunic I was wearing. My satchel and sword rested under the lengthy cloak and my pack over my shoulders. After preparing myself I opened the door and walked out into the courtyard. The cold night air greeted me as I walked past the smithy and towards the gate where three figures waited.

"You think to get rid os us so easily? You'll find that Khajiit are loyal companions to the end friend." Kharjo laughed and stepped forward to place an armored hand on my shoulder. Wait, armored?

"Did Zaynabi's spell-?" I didn't even need to finish as Kharjo had reached under his cloak and drawn his steel blade.

"Far better than either of us had hoped." He grinned and gave a few practice swings. Zaynabi had a large pack on her back and a book strapped to her belt. He cloak rested behind her until she wished to pull it around herself.

"I told you, we're going with you." She smiled and turned to the other companion. The older argonian flashed a grin and grasped my armored shoulders.

"Going to save the world eh? That's a big responsibility." He then moved a hand in front of him in a spinning motion. "Now I could get all wise or say something mushy. But just make sure you don't die got it?" He smile turned to a serious frown and he glared at me with dark eyes.

"Not planning to." I replied and he patted my back, almost sending me forward with amount of weight I had on my person.

"Good to hear. Don't worry about things here. I won't let those things in so easily. I'm too old to be running around Tamriel. I'll just stick to being guard-captain instead." He laughed, waved and made his way to the barracks.

"So, where are we headed?" Kharjo asked when we had made it past the gate.

"I have to find the pieces of Meridia's amulet. Their is one in each of the provinces." I explained when as we made our way to the main road.

"we'll get to return to Elswyr? This is some of the best new i've heard in a long time." Zaynabi cleared her throat after Kharjo had finished his sentence. "O-other than hearing that I could be healed of course." I laughed at the two and looked on to see a shining pillar in the distance.

"Do either of you see that?" I asked and pointed to the light pillar. The both shook their heads and looked confused. "Must be Meridia then."

"So would that be where the first piece is?" Zaynabi asked and looked at the area where I had pointed.

"She had told me of the first piece." I tried to remember my dream, it hurt my head to try but I could barely remember her saying something about a shrine in skyrim. More than likely the shrine that you had to visit in the game. "She has a shrine near Solitude. We'll have to make it there first before heading to any other regions." Surviving in Tamriel is a hard enough feat as it is. Now throw in a perilous journey and oh, don't forget the undead threat! "What have I gotten myself into?" I groaned and steadily trekked along the main road.