I swirled the liquid in the red glass bottle. The Torpor, going by appearance, looked no different from a large health potion. My nerves rose and I considered backing out and asking Bishop to do it. "No," I told myself stubbornly. "Come on, you coward. You've got to be braver than that."
"I'm sorry? I didn't catch that."
I glanced up, unaware that Erandur had been listening in. "Oh. It's nothing," I reassured him, holding up the bottle. "Just... well, talking to myself."
"I see." Erandur sounded amused. "Well, go ahead, Alessia. The fate of Dawnstar- not to mention yourselves- is in your hands."
"Gee, thanks." My words were heavy with sarcasm. "No pressure, right?" Erandur was silent this time, though as I tipped the bottle back, I could see him wringing his hands. Just before my vision went black, Bishop walked into the room with Karnwyr at his heels.
...
I am myself. I am not, but I am. Who 'myself' is, I don't know, but I know who I am.
Loud clamors echo all around my tower, and I look around fearfully for what might be there. It's the Orc raids, a voice in my head says. Is it my own thought? Or not?
"Brother Casimir, come." I walk over to my fellow priests with legs that are not my own. One is a Nord and the other a Dunmer. Like me? Both are standing before the Staff of Corruption. It glows with a violent red light and makes my pulse race. "My brothers, the Orcs have breached the inner sanctum." The first turns to the second. "Brother Veren?"
The second priest, Brother Veren, creases his brows. His crimson eyes flick back and forth between me- I am Casimir, this is Casimir- am I? I am! - and the Nord priest. His name, unknown to me, springs to my lips like a well-known song.
"Brother Thorek..." Thorek spares me a mere glance before continuing to listen to Brother Veren.
"We must hold," Veren insists, voice laced with desperation. "We can't allow the Skull to fall into their hands." I agree with him. The Skull has to be protected at all costs. Anything and anyone must be destroyed if it keeps the Skull of Corruption safe.
"But no more than a handful of us remain, brother," Thorek says, nearly tripping over his words. He is afraid. He is afraid, just like I am. I am afraid, yes. That is what I am. I am Casimir, and I am afraid. Very, very afraid.
I am terrified.
"...Then we have no choice," Veren is saying. "The Miasma must be released." Another pang of fear gripped my-but-not-my body.
"The Miasma?" Thorek is just as afraid as I am. "But, brother..."
"We have no alternative," Veren insists, resolute in his decision. "It's the will of Vaermina?" My Dunmer brother-priest turns to me. "And what about you, Brother Casimir? Are you prepared to serve the will of Vaermina?"
Am I? "I've made my peace," I say, without me saying a word. They are my words. They are not my words. "I'm ready." Am I? I am very, very afraid.
Veren sounds resigned as he speaks. "Then it's decided. Brother Casimir, you must activate the barrier and release the Miasma," he instructs. "Let nothing stop you. Brother Thorek," he says to the Nord priest, "we must remain here and guard this Skull with our lives, if necessary."
Thorek nods. He is ready, yes? More ready than me. "Agreed. To the death."
"Then let it be done. Farewell, my brothers!" Veren bids.
I run. I am scared, scared of many things. I am scared to leave the Skull behind, I am scared to leave my brothers, and I am scared to join them all the same. I pass the Orcs, afraid they will see me. But no, they fight my brothers and sisters. Both fall, yet still, I run. For I must run if I am to see the Skull again, with eyes that are not my own.
Up stairs and through halls, I run as fast as I can. At last, I reach the chain, though I look down into the basement. I see Veren and Thorek. They fight Orcs and protect the Skull. If the Skull of Corruption is to stay safe, I must release the Miasma. I reluctantly pull the chain. The barrier begins to form. I stare at it, not quite full yet not nonexistent. The barrier and the Miasma are spreading. They spread.
But I run.
...
I stumbled into reality, my head pounding with a horrible headache. "Veren... " I mumbled. "Where... is Thorek?"
Erandur spoke, breaking me out of my reverie for good. "It worked! Mara be praised!" He nearly sang out of pure relief. I looked up to see both Bishop and Erandur staring down at me. Bishop held out a hand, helping me stand. His face was a mask, his tongue pushed against the inside of his cheek. "You vanished after drinking the Torpor," Erandur continued, "and materialized on the other side. I've never seen anything quite like it."
Bishop gave me a strange look. "What was it like?"
"...Confusing," I said, still trying to bring myself about. "And yet clear. All the same, it was remarkable... as if I was really there, but almost wasn't me."
Erandur sighed with a vaguely regretful tone. "How I envy you. I can only imagine the excitement of seeing history through the eyes of another! Sadly, I am resigned to just reading of its wonders through my research of the Skull."
I contemplated a response. I could be hostile, or I could stay reasonable. Both were options, and both were proper, considering what I'd just gone through. "It served a purpose," I said finally.
"After what you just experienced, are you not amazed?" Erandur smiled widely. "I am at a loss for words." Bishop was silent all while Erandur spoke, something not quite like the normally-open ranger. Where were his quips? Sarcastic remarks?
I pressed my lips together. "We can discuss it later. We need to proceed." I tilted my head up as I began to hear noises from down the stairs. "I think those Orcs and priests are waking up," I warned. Erandur opened and closed his mouth several times, though settled on a nod.
Bishop stepped ahead, already walking down the stairs. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's kill these sons of bitches!" Karnwyr let out an agreeing bark and ran after his master. I didn't need to hesitate to run after them.
At last, bloodshed sated my stress and confusion. I didn't really need to do much overthinking in a battle, or at least not on what was bothering me. There was only the slashing, rolling, tricking, and feinting. Bishop was at my back with Karnwyr just ahead. A deadly trio. A laugh burst from my lips as I cut down a hostile priest. It might have seemed like we'd never get to the inner sanctum, but for the moment, I was okay with that. Back and forth, my blades as deadly as the arrows Bishop released from his bow.
The waves of enemies began to slow the further in we went, implying most of the Orcs hadn't gone very far into the temple- or at least not far enough to threaten the Staff of Corruption. "Having fun, sweetness?" I glanced up, panting heavily from the battles. I couldn't hide the smile I bore, though I wouldn't have wanted to. Frankly, I was happier than I'd been in weeks.
"Just having a good time." I gave a contented sigh and sheathed my blades. Twisting back and forth, I continued the conversation. "Dragonborn business draggin' me down."
Bishop lifted his right brow, the corner of his mouth on the same side twitching. "Is that supposed to be a pun, my lady?"
"Nah. Just a bad joke."
"And here I thought those were my job."
"Aren't yours the overly suggestive ones?"
"Oh, of course not, ladyship." He leaned in with a grin. "They don't have to be jokes." I rolled my eyes and pushed his chest away.
"In your dreams, Bishop."
"You have no idea what I dream about." Bishop's smirk still hadn't disappeared. "Though I believe I could show you."
"Ahem!" Erandur stepped between Bishop and me, and I'd have to admit I was rather disappointed. It had been nice; battling alongside the ranger before engaging in the familiar- and at this point, rather satisfying- banter. "I do hate to interrupt, but we have something to complete. Care to put this off?" I couldn't tell if it was annoyance or fear in his tone, but perhaps it was a bit of both.
"Go shove it," Bishop snapped, showing off his irritation by shoving the Dunmer slightly with the end of his bow. The two shared a glare before both heading toward the inner sanctum. I was left behind with Karnwyr, who tipped his head curiously, tongue hanging from his mouth.
Giving Karnwyr an affectionate rub on the head, I shrugged with a sigh. "Weirdos." Karnwyr yipped and pushed his nose into my palm as if he was showing his agreement.
"Hey, princess!" The familiar voice echoed down the hallway. "You planning on sitting around like an old maid? Get your rump over here." Of course, I quickened my steps until I'd caught up with them. Erandur and Bishop had both stopped just outside the inner sanctum. "The priest says we've got to be prepared or something."
Erandur shot daggers at Bishop. "Of course we've got to be prepared, you imbecile!" He cleared his throat. "Forgive me... my nerves are getting the better of me." Bishop said nothing, keeping his eyes on me.
"You got those pigstickers of yours?"
I snorted. "Coming from the man with a dagger, that's rich." We quickly sobered up as we contemplated what was laying in wait. The Skull of Corruption was a Daedric artifact. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that it wouldn't be an easy task to destroy it. Either some guardian or even the Daedric Prince herself would be defending such an important item.
The Skull...
"Let's go." I stood straight. "We won't take care of anything by cowering here like rabbits." We strode together as one, our intent one of both destruction and restoration. Two dead priests laid on the ground, and the Skull of Corruption stood unguarded. Almost unthinkingly, I took a step toward the mighty staff. Its red glow was nearly overpowering.
Voices echoed behind me, ones I barely paid attention to. All the same, when names were said, they resonated within me. They were familiar in the strangest way.
"Veren... Thorek... you're alive!" Erandur exclaimed incredulously. The response from the priests I'd taken for dead was furious.
"No thanks to you, Casimir," Veren shouted angrily.
"I no longer use that name. I'm Erandur, priest of Mara."
"You're a traitor," Veren continued in a nasty tone. "You left us to die and ran before the Miasma took you. I saw you flee as the sleep came, you coward."
When Erandur spoke again, it was with fear. "No. I...I was scared. I wasn't ready to sleep."
"Enough of your lies! I can't allow you to destroy the Skull, priest of Mara!" At last, the slightest bit of confidence entered Erandur's voice.
"Then you leave me no choice!" It didn't take long for Bishop, Karnwyr, and Erandur to kill the pair. Veren laid in a pool of his own blood, crimson streams trickling from his mouth as he spoke haltingly.
"How... c-could you... Casimir..." The light in the Dark Elf's eyes vanished, and he stared straight ahead at nothing.
"That's it, then." Erandur somehow sounded remorseful. "I... knew Veren and Thorek. They were my friends. Is this punishment for my past? Is it Mara's will to torment me so?" There was no answer. "Perhaps they needed to die so Dawnstar could live. If so... I suppose it was worth the price." He closed his eyes, more tension than ever wrinkling his skin. "At least we can destroy the staff uninhibited now. We have finally-" The Dunmer never finished his sentence, a tap on his shoulder from the ranger bringing his attention to the center of the room. The Skull of Corruption stood proud and tall, full of vengeance and power.
It stood just before my hand.
"He's deceiving you," purred a sickly sweet voice in my mind. I found the sensation of it to be quite similar to what I felt within the Dreamstride."Erandur means to take the staff from you, he means to kill you! Take it!"
"I can't," I breathed, though my words were empty. The staff was there for me. Almost unwillingly, my hand reached out for it. The second before I would have taken it, I managed to catch myself when a voice from below called out.
"Don't touch it! Once you take it, there will be no going back, Alessia!" It was Erandur.
"He wants it for himself!"They were going to take it from me, the staff Vaermina had made for me. It was made for me, it had to be. It was mine.
Wait. No, it wasn't. I wasn't here for power. I was here to destroy the Skull.
"Take its power, Shor-born! Draw it in!"I shook my head, trying to cast out the voice. The staff had to be mine. It couldn't. No, it- "Kill them, kill them all!"
"No," I choked out, my watered eyes blurring out the figures of my companions as I looked behind.
"You have no desire to slay your enemies? To take the life of the man who wronged you?"How had Vaermina known about Nade? A wicked wind pushed the others down and deafened me to all but the dark words.
"You disobey me?"Her voice turned into a sneer. "Then let me return to you your memories, the memories that have always haunted you! I will bring you your nightmares!"
Tears ran down my face as I let out a cry. "Please, don't!" I wailed, shielding my face. It was no use. The evil presence filled my mind, ensnaring my being. The world outside me went black.
...
Bishop watched in horror as a shadowed form took hold of Alessia. Her weeping wouldn't stop, and her screams of pain seemed louder than anything else. "What's going on?" he snapped. The priest was visibly horrified, taking several steps back. Bishop took hold of the front of the Dunmer's robes, preventing him from fleeing. "I said, what's going on?!" the ranger roared.
"I-I don't know," Erandur stammered in fear.
Bishop gritted his teeth. "Shit." He faced Alessia. "Get away from her!" The shadow- Vaermina, no doubt- continued to encircle the Imperial woman. He drew an arrow and shot it once it was at her side, though the bolt passed through harmlessly.
"I- I think Vaermina might be controlling Alessia!" Erandur remained in the hall at the back, shouting over the gusting wind. "Not as in taking control of her body, but- but paralyzing her with whatever memories and nightmares she can!" Bishop's fingers clenched tight on his bow. Behind them both, Karnwyr barked unceasingly. "Try to break her out of it," Erandur continued to shake with terror.
A shiver ran down Bishop's spine. "And how the fuck am I supposed to do that?!" He didn't wait on an answer, instead running towards Alessia full-force. The shadow threw him aside with ease. Erandur let out a scared yelp as Bishop's entire body slammed onto his own. A crack came from the priest, and he continued to howl.
Karnwyr continued to retreat, his ears pressed flat against his head. He'd never faced anything like this, and it scared him. It scared all of them. "Dammit," Bishop snarled, standing up and walking back to the unholy shrine. The fear and malice in the air were palpable, Alessia's raven-black hair whipping about in the vicious gale. "Hey! Ladyship!" he tried, throwing his bow to the ground and waving his arms about. "What did I tell you?! You always have to get yourself into trouble, don't ya?
"Come on! Snap out of it!"
...
I saw him. He strode towards me, face filled with the utmost cruelty. He lifted me up by my neck, fingernails digging into my skin. Rough straw-colored shoulder-length hair whipped about in an unseen cyclone. My whimpers earned me a tighter grip, and I couldn't prevent another cry. "What do you think you're doing?" he hissed, throwing me to the ground without care. I continued to bawl on the ground, not wanting to look at the man that had saved- and destroyed- my life.
"Why are you doing this?" I wept, hoping beyond hope that he would take pity on me. "Nade, please!"
"Give me one reason why I should," Nade sneered, glaring down with eyes the color of a stormy sea. "One reason!"
"It's not my fault," I sobbed, catching the words in my throat. "It's not my fault!"
Nade let out a dark, malicious cackle. "Of course it's not! But that doesn't mean I can't have my fun!"
...
Alessia continued to cry, the occasional word getting through Vaermina's wind-wall. "Nade!" she wailed, knuckles white as she clutched the Skull of Corruption like a lifeline."It's not my fault, it's not my-" She cut off again with a scream of pain.
"Come on!" Bishop howled, putting his hands to his mouth. "Come on, ladyship! You've got to fight it!" Karnwyr had inched closer, continuing his loud echoing barks. Erandur, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen. "You can't get trapped there," Bishop continued, never moving his eyes from the Dragonborn ensnared within Vaermina's barrier. "Whose impatient-ass steps am I gonna follow in now? Who's gonna berate me for my day drinking?" There was no change, and Bishop cursed once more as he decided to try one last thing. He scaled up the walls, teeth clenched tight as a vice. "Dammit!" Without a second thought, he dove into the eye of the cruel shifting storm.
...
I laid on the swampy ground, burning tears continuing to trail down my cheeks. I would never stop crying, there was no way to stop this pain. Nade never stopped kicking my side, no matter what I said. "Why do this now?" I panted, speaking through my hiking breath. "Why?"
"Does it matter?" Nade brought the whip back down. My back, already striped from his previous attacks, burned like fire.
"I didn't do anything," I cried out.
"Like I said," the Breton man laughed, "it doesn't matter."
"You lied! It wasn't my fault! I-" Nade lifted his whip once again, and I prepared myself for the agony.
It never came.
"Touch her again and I'll kill you!" The voice, the new voice... whose was it? It was so familiar. The face was even more so.
Bishop. Bishop... how was he here? Why was he here? It didn't matter. What did was that he was gripping Nade's wrist with an infuriated expression. The whip dropped from Nade's hand, and I saw fear shine through the Breton's blue eyes. "You're gonna run now." Bishop's voice was lower than I'd ever heard it before. "And when you do, I'm gonna shoot you in the back."
A few seconds passed before Nade, still in the grip of Bishop, gave an annoyed feminine huff and vanished entirely. Our surroundings around started shaking, and I again prepared for the worst. "Princess!" A sturdy form closed around me as the world fell down.
...
I awoke shivering on a cold stone floor, a broken staff laying a few feet away. That wasn't my main concern, though. I looked at my hands as I straightened up, quivering with fear. The wounds inflicted- where were they? They'd been so real...
"Hey." A hand touched my shoulder, and my first move was to skitter away. When my sight straightened out, the calm, concerned face of Bishop watched me. "You okay, princess?"
"I-" Without abandon, I sprang at him, clutching him tightly like I'd die without his presence. Once again, I began to cry. Bishop wrapped his arms around me. "It's all right, darling. Everything's all right." I couldn't find it in myself to let go. Within his arms, I was safe. Nade couldn't get me again.
I felt warm, callused fingers brushing through my hair. It was so soothing, so calming in this distress.
Without warning, I was weightless, lifted up and brought away from the shrine. My sobs slowed, yet I didn't release the front of Bishop's jacket. A muffled bark came from my left, and I smiled through my tears when I saw Karnwyr trotting alongside us with Bishop's bow in his mouth.
I was safe, thanks to Bishop. The thought ran through my mind nonstop, and I found I was unable to think of anything else, not even the torture I'd just gone through. I was safe, thanks to Bishop. Safe.
I was safe.