Idgrod ripped her gauntlets from her hands, "We need to restart it." Throwing the gloves aside, she rubbed her hands together. Idgrod wove a spell over her, and water started pouring from Azriel's lungs. Instantly, the electricity arced between her fingers, "Get back!" She brought her hands down on the wolf and discharged the current into her. The werewolf convulsed but lay still after.
From inside the lit cavern, Serana heard movement. She jumped to her feet, pulling her sword. "Someone is coming!"
Aela leaped up, drawing her sword, and snatching her shield from her back. Lydia breathed into the wolf's nose as the last of the water poured out of her mouth.
"Lydia, get back!" Idgrod touched her hands to the werewolf again, causing Azriel to convulse once more.
A tall man ran toward them from the lit cavern. His ivory armor and pale skin showed in the light that surrounded him. He looked down, his face showing his distress at the four women and werewolf. Then he looked directly at Serana. Before he could speak, Serana bowed to him. "Forgive our intrusion, sir, we mean you no harm. Our friend was trapped in the river." The others looked at her, not understanding what she had said to him.
The tall knight returned her bow and smiled. "It has been a long time since one has greeted me in Aldmari." He looked at the werewolf, his face changing to worry.
Serana returned his smile politely, putting away her sword. She recognized his dialect and changed languages again, "Please forgive me, sir. I hope I have not caused any offense. I did not realize you were Falmer."
Aela threw her a glance, and Serana motioned for her to put away her sword.
His eyes widened as did his smile, "No, please! Of course, I did not expect to be recognized as such. I am Knight-Paladin Gelebor. Welcome to the Great Chantry of Auri-El. Now, quickly, we must help your friend!"
"Lydia, move!" Idgrod placed her hands on Azriel's chest, discharging another electrical shock into her. Idgrod felt through her magic felt the faint heartbeat of the Dragonborn. "Thank Talos, it worked."
Lydia, bent down, forcing air into Azriel's lungs, several more times. Finally, Azriel took a small breath on her own. Aela and Serana shared a quick look of relief as they carried her.
"Please, bring her," he motioned for them to follow him. "Quickly, this way, all of you."
As they lifted her, Azriel's body changed back to her human form.
"Place her there, on the alter." He pointed to the stone altar, near a large, white-domed structure with a sun on it.
They lifted her onto it, backing away, in anticipation.
"If you please, excuse me for a few minutes. I will attend to your companion." He picked up a bottle and transferred the contents into a small, silvery dish. His hands glowed as he whispered a prayer, then he began anointing Azriel. Then he set the dish down, letting the golden light pour from his hands through her. For the next several minutes, he repeated the process, with different bottles' contents. For several minutes longer he quietly prayed over her. During that time each shared looks, wondering if the shallow breaths the Dragonborn was taking would change.
Finally, he stood and turned to them, offering them each a small smile. "I am afraid that is all I can do for her. We must place her in the divine hands of Auri-El. I fear your friend has suffered considerably, and now…" He paused with a breath, obviously considering his words carefully. "Only through Auri-El's grace will she wake."
"Is she going to…" Idgrod choked, unable to finish her question.
"No, no. She sleeps. But I cannot wake her." He placed his hands together looking at the unbearable sadness in their faces. "It is through Auri-El that she lives, her fate is for him to decide."
Aela's breath hitched in her throat. She blinked back her tears. "This is Auriel's Chantry? A cave?"
He smiled larger, "It is in part, yes. This is the start of an Initiate's journey." He smiled widely at Serana in reassurance, "It has been too long since I have been greeted in such a beautiful manner as you greeted me. It's also been far longer since I have spoken my language. You have brought me great joy, my dear."
Serana inclined her head toward him giving him a friendly smile that didn't reach her eyes. Inside she could feel Aela's grief and her own, and nothingness from Azriel. It was threatening to consume her as their connection lingered by a single thread.
"You're Falmer?" Lydia asked, not able to look at him. She was watching Azriel in her sleep. Her motionless state made Lydia shiver. To Lydia, she looked as if she was dead.
He cleared his throat looking back at Azriel for a moment. "I prefer snow elf. The name Falmer usually holds a negative meaning to most travelers. Those twisted creatures you call Falmer, I call the Betrayed."
Lydia nodded, remaining quiet.
"I know why you are here," he offered with a calm and friendly tone. He appraised them, their grief was apparent on all their faces.
Aela and Serana shared a quick look. "Oh? Please, enlighten us then." Aela said finally.
He laughed softly, "For Auri-El's Bow of course. Why else would you be here?" He held out his hand to Serana, who took it. "For the thousands of years, I've served as the Chantry's sentinel, there hasn't been a single visitor here for any other reason. They each request Auri-El's Bow, and I, in turn, request their assistance. Just as I will do with you."
"Has anyone given you the aid you've requested?" Serana asked, watching Aela stroke Azriel's cheek tenderly.
"Many have tried, but all have failed." He said quietly. "It's been repeated so many times, I can't imagine it any other way now."
Aela shifted so she could run her fingers through Azriel's wet hair, "What is it you need done?" Serana heard the sadness in her voice and watched Aela's hand come to rest on Azriel's shoulder.
He cleared his throat watching the tenderness the woman displayed, "I need you to kill Arch-Curate Vyrthur... my brother."
"You need us to kill your brother?" Lydia asked in shocked disbelief.
He gave them another sad smile of understanding. "I know it seems like an unusual request. But the kinship between us is gone. I don't understand what he's become, but he's no longer the brother I once knew. It was the Betrayed, they did something to him, I just don't know why Auri-El would allow this to happen."
"So, what exactly happened?" Serana started rubbing her temples. The idea of murdering the Arch-Curate in the temple of his god was not appealing to her in the least bit. Especially, since they needed to trust he would help Azriel somehow. Everything had become too surreal.
Aela noticed Idgrod wasn't paying attention to the conversation. She was staring at Azriel and nodding, wordlessly, as if in conversation with her. Aela caught Serana's attention and made a small motion toward Idgrod. She watched Serana narrow her brows as she observed her. Serana glanced over to Aela and gave a small shrug.
He sighed heavily. "There was a time that the Chantry was a place of peaceful worship. The Betrayed swept into the Chantry without warning and began killing everyone without pause. I led a small group of paladins, but we were no match for the Betrayed's sheer numbers. They slaughtered everyone and stormed the Inner Sanctum where I believe they corrupted Vyrthur." He was quiet for a minute before continuing, "He's alive. I've seen him. But something's wrong. He never looks as though he's in pain or under duress. He just... stands there and watches, as though waiting."
Aela tore her eyes from Idgrod to look at the elf. "So, you want us to go into the Chantry for you and kill him? Then you'll give us the Bow?" Aela studied him as she spoke. "Sounds simple enough."
He pursed his lips, contemplating her. "It's not quite that easy. You would need to travel through the wayshrines to the Chantry. However, whether you get the bow is entirely up to Auri-El. Not me. The Chantry must be cleansed before you can commune with Auri-El to ask for it."
Aela shook her head. "There's always a damn catch."
"What's a wayshrine?" Lydia groaned.
He held up a finger, gesturing for them to walk with him, while smiling broadly. "Please allow me to show you." He turned toward the large domed structure and muttered a spell. It began to rise from the ground, and he turned back to them. "This structure is known as a wayshrine. They were used for meditation and for transport when the Chantry was a place of enlightenment. Prelates of these shrines were charged with teaching the mantras of Auri-El to our Initiates to become Prelates."
Lydia exhaled with a growl, "And how many of these are there?" She looked at Aela noticing she looked just as annoyed.
Mistaking her annoyance for determination, Gelebor smiled brightly at Lydia. "There are five. Each represents the steps the Initiate takes on the path to total enlightenment. Once the Initiate made it to the Chantry, they are considered a priest of Auri-El."
Lydia scratched her head trying to guess the catch to this part. "Wait. So that's it?
Go through the Wayshrines, come out at the Chantry, kill your brother, and we're a priest of Auri-El? Then we can ask for the bow?"
She threw Aela a look with doubt written on her face.
"Well, yes…" He walked over to the ewers next to the wayshrine. "The Initiate carried the ewer to each shrine, just as you will do."
Aela and Serana rolled their eyes. Aela tapped her foot impatiently. "You want us to carry a pot to each wayshrine. For what purpose?"
"Yes." He looked at her as if it was a simple concept to understand. "It's symbolic of enlightenment. A ritual with a purpose, representing what you learn." He contemplated Serana for a moment before speaking. "Like any other ritual, you must enter it with an understanding and intended outcome."
"Damn it," Lydia whispered. "And then what?" She said it a little more forcefully than she intended.
"Once you've located a wayshrine, there will be a spectral Prelate tending to it. They will allow you to draw the waters from the shrine's basin once you've become enlightened.
You'll carry the ewer to the Chantry, where you'll empty it into the receptacle as the last step to commune with Auri-El." He looked between them to make sure they understood. "If Auri-El has accepted you, then the Chantry will open for you. There you will find Vyrthur waiting."
Serana was annoyed. Every step they took required twenty-five additional steps to complete. All to end up in a temple where she didn't want to become a priest for a god she didn't care about. It wasn't something she looked forward to. She walked over to the ewers lying on the ground and picked one up. "Fine, let's just get this over with."
"Is there anything else we should know?" Aela picked up an ewer, inspecting it.
"No. But if you have questions, you should ask. You will face more trials than just the Betrayed and finding your enlightenment. I will not be able to help you once you begin." He looked at Azriel laying on the altar. "The wayshrines will not open for her if you tried to carry her. Your friend shall remain safe in my care until Auri-El decides her fate."
"Let's just go," Serana growled at having to leave Azriel behind.
"Idgrod, are you coming?" Lydia narrowed her brow watching her pray over Azriel.
Idgrod nodded holding up a single finger. She leaned over Azriel and whispered in her ear "I can't see which path you're on, I can only pray Talos is with you." She stood ignoring her three companions' confused stares and picked up an ewer.
Azriel sat up, looking around confused.
The last thing she remembered was sitting next to the bridge. But she wasn't in a wet cave anymore. The white structures around her we clean and beautiful. The columns reached high into the sky, which was a beautiful blue. At the tops of the domes were flaming suns that spun in place leisurely. She hopped off the stone altar she was sitting on and looked to her left. There was a large staircase that led so high up, she couldn't see where it stopped.
She turned right, and there were four large, white, stone dragons. Each dragon was holding a massive, golden disc. Azriel walked to them, looking at them. Above them hung another sun, spinning slowly in place. She held up her hand expecting to be burnt, but the heat that it radiated was comfortable warmth.
It confused her and it struck her that she might be able to touch it. As she reached for it, she heard a whimper behind her. It surprised her, causing her to jump when she turned.
Laying on the alter she had just left, was a light red-brown furred wolf. It whimpered again and she saw it was wounded, black tendrils ran over its heart.
Azriel walked to it.
The closer she drew, the more it began to cry. Its whimpers and whines gouged her. She pitied it as it lay there.
"You cannot help it, Ahziial."
Azriel spun on her toes, reaching for her swords that weren't there. She was face-to-face with an old priest.
"Hello, my dear Ahziial." He smiled at her, and it took her a second to remember him.
"I remember you! You're the priest who told me to come to Skyrim and helped me escape."
"Indeed, young one." He watched her look around for a moment. "It seems you are at a crossroads once more." He motioned for her to walk with him toward the stone dragons. "This is a place of choice. Well, for you anyway, Ahziial." He stopped walking in front of one of the stone dragons.
"What is this place called? It's beautiful." She looked around, then noticed him inspecting her.
Her brow furrowed as she contemplated him. She watched his sunset-gold eyes appraise her. "What do you mean 'a place of choice'? What crossroad am I at?" She wasn't sure what he was talking about, and it wasn't just confusing, it was also beginning to concern her.
"There is nothing to be concerned about, however, you need to understand why you are here. That will alleviate your confusion."
"How did you know what I was thinking?" She stared at him; his eyes held a twinkle of amusement.
"It was written on your face." He smiled at her and pointed at the golden disc the dragon held. The gold shimmered, then held an image of Windhelm. At first, it was only the city, then it shimmered again, focusing on Stormcloaks.
As Azriel watched and listened, she heard the troops' orders being sent to the West of Whiterun. It seemed like hours that she watched as the image shifted showing her different places in Skyrim. Each was just as bad, Orc and Dunmer chained to carts. Khajiit whipped as they were forced to pull wagons. The more she watched the harder it became for her to stomach. Yet she couldn't look away. "Why are you showing me this?" She asked quietly.
He contemplated her as the disc shimmered once more. "You must know, that is not just the present of Skyrim, that is also its future." He walked to the next disc, and it shimmered.
Replacing the gold was a vision of a desert. Azriel watched a banner with a flame, crest the top of a dune. As the riders charged it, she saw a second banner appear, bearing the symbol of Talos. The riders wore the red turbans and sashes of Alik'r holy warriors, but as she looked at their faces, she realized there were also Nord riders dressed the same. The disc shimmered again, and she watched the riders engaged in a battle. As the fight unfolded the riders were being overwhelmed and slaughtered by the Thalmor. Azriel watch another banner open in the wind, but it was burning. For a moment or two the banner waved, held by a proud Redgaurd. The man was locked in battle against the Thalmor. As he fought, he was eventually overcome and fell. "Jahangir, no!" Azriel cried out, her voice died as his banner fell burning. She could only stand and watch her friend as the Thalmor desecrated the Alik'r army's bodies. Azriel wiped her eyes as she watched the vision fade from the disc.
Slowly she followed the priest to the next statue. The disc shimmered and Azriel looked at a blood-red sky over a darkened Solitude. Daedric anchor chains held the bloodied clouds close to the city. Azriel turned to the priest, but he nodded back at the disc, directing her attention to it. Vampires march humans to cages. Fires that burned putrid flesh tended by the horrors of Coldharbour. Azriel took a breath realizing what was happening. "This is from my dreams." She looked away from the horrors and back to the priest that stood watching her. "I have seen these terrors too many times. Please, I beg you, don't make me watch them again."
He nodded symmetrically, motioning for her to follow him. They walked quietly to the last dragon and its disc shimmered. The Imperial Legion in all its glory stood at a divide. Azriel looked at the banners realizing it was the Southern Army and Navy. She looked back at the priest in surprise. "Does the Dominion march?"
He gestured toward the disc and a battle raged. Crystalline ships were locked in battle against gold and wood. The Southern army fought thousands of Thalmor and Khajiit. The vision changed several times ending with Azriel watching Cyrodiil burn. She shook her head and closed her eyes. "Why do you show me my nightmares?" The image shimmed and only the golden disc remained.
"Come, Ahziial." He led her back to the stone altar where the wolf lay. Its whines were that of a dying animal. For a short time, they watched it as it flailed trying to rise.
"Why did you show me these things? I have seen them so many times before." Azriel said softly watching the wolf as it looked at her.
"Because you needed to see what Tamriel looks like without hope." They stood together in silence for several minutes. "Why did you save Nirn from Alduin?" His question was unexpected, and his voice startled her.
"Because no one else could."
"Because no one else could? Or because you chose to? You are Dragonborn, are you not?" He paused as if he was waiting for a longer answer. When no other answer came, he nodded in acknowledgment. "Do you regret it?"
Azriel exhaled harshly. "They are self-centered." She shifted her weight thinking about how she felt. "Through their petty squabbles, they forget that there are more important things in life." She put her hand on the altar and thought more about her answer.
"They forget or just don't care about the suffering they cause in pursuit of their desires."
He smiled at her, placing his hands behind his back. "Do you regret saving them, Ahziial?"
"To save the ones I care about I had to save all of them." She looked down at the wolf as it thumped its tail trying to rise. "I regret that they can't see how their actions led to Alduin coming through the time tear. I regret their self-centeredness. But, saving them from Alduin is not a regret, because I could save my friends." Azriel looked at the priest and decided to be completely honest with him. "If I wouldn't have stopped Alduin, I wouldn't have found Serana. I wouldn't have become close to Aela. I finally have something to look forward to… with them. I stopped him because no one else could, and because I wanted to. For them."
Azriel swallowed, watching him close his hand and extend it in front of himself.
He looked into her eyes and opened his hand. The large white globe bloomed into a lotus flower. "Just as you look for hope, so do the people of Tamriel."
The wolf gave a mournfully long howl. Azriel considered the pathetic creature in front of her.
"To you, this flower is a symbol of your hopes. The wolf is a symbol of your freedom."
Azriel contemplated him.
The old priest's eyes shone with golden fire, as she looked at them, they only held warmth in them. He didn't release her from his gaze as he continued. "To the people of Tamriel, it is you that is the symbol of their hope and freedom, Dragonborn."
Azriel didn't answer, looking back to the flower he held in his hand. She thought for a moment about the Nords and how they spoke about her. "They expect a Dragonborn like Talos. I'm not him."
"You are correct, you are not Talos." He set the lotus on the altar near the wolf. "You are you, Ahziial. But you have only ever seen yourself through your nightmares and your world through your fears." He contemplated her before continuing. "Perhaps, it is time for you to see possibilities instead of your fears. In doing so, perhaps you'll discover everything you were meant to be."
Azriel let out a small laugh, "What else is there? Do you mean the Empire? Because that is failing."
"Not just the Empire. No." He pointed behind her back to the dragons. Azriel turned to see Imperial Cavaliers ride by carrying their red dragon banners. "Do you know what that symbol means?"
She looked back at him. "It's the symbol of the Empire. The red dragon. It is the sign of Akatosh's promise to Tamriel."
He beamed at her, "What was that promise, child?"
She could see the happiness on his face and knew where this was leading. "It's Akatosh's promise to Alessia, to protect her people after she freed them. It's their pledge. It is the divine symbol of the Dragonborn."
"It started with Alessia, but it is a symbol of hope and prosperity for all under it." He nodded slowly at her, then gestured to the dragon statues again. "That is why Akatosh blessed others to be Dragonborn. It is also why he created you."
All four discs held new visions in them. Azriel slowly walked to them. The closest showed the Alik'r warriors in battle routing the Thalmor. Their banners held high, blowing in the wind and sand against a brilliant blue sky. Azriel looked at the symbol of the crown. The white flag was stitched with the royal crescent and badge. It looked like she remembered it, but it had been changed.
She got closer looking at it and saw stitched into it the symbol of the dragon and the wolf. She looked back at the priest, the golden eyes blazed as they held her in place. "Hope and freedom have many symbols, Ahziial."
She turned back to the other discs and walked to the next. It was Solitude. Gray clouds above the blue stone walls acted as a backdrop for the many banners that flew in the winter sky. Azriel observed each banner as they waved frantically in the winter gale. The Imperial red dragon banner flew next to the wolf of Haafingar hold, and next to it was a third banner, the symbol of Talos.
She strode to the third to see Markarth pushing back the Stormcloak army. She watched Reachmen and the guard cutting down Stormcloaks. As the armies fought, Azriel was drawn to the city walls, and she realized that they had hung the Thalmor from them. She caught sight of Madanach as he fought against a Stormcloak officer. A flash of white metal appeared as he dodged a sword strike. She looked closer and saw that it was her necklace he wore.
She watched the battle for a moment longer before going to the fourth disc. In it she watched the snow swirl, but the sounds that came from it were of lighting and the din of swords clashing. As the image shifted, she could see Idgrod and Serana standing side by side. The way the two wielded lightning as one was incredible to her. The intensity on their faces was awe-inspiring. Together, they were a ferocious team.
The sight of it made her swell with pride for them. They disintegrated the Falmer on the ridge before they could fire their arrows at them, protecting Aela and Lydia who fought back-to-back. They were keeping the Falmer from each other and the two mages. Both Lydia and Aela struck impressive blows, almost as if they were choreographed. It was the way Companions trained for fighting in groups with their shield-siblings.
Azriel felt the priest's eyes on her as they burned with intensity. She looked back at him but noticed the lotus on the table at the same time. The flower reflected the beauty of the place around them. She realized what he was trying to tell her.
"You did not fold when you were a slave. You did not yield to Alduin. Why do you continue to fight now?"
She blinked. His voice had startled her again, though it shouldn't have. He had been observing her for a while. She looked at him, not understanding his question. "Because I can't stop. There is always something that needs to be done or someone that needs help."
"Is that the only reason?"
She turned back to the disc to watch the four women fight the Falmer and her heart ached. She didn't know how to answer him.
"What are you willing to sacrifice for those that look to you for hope?" He walked to her and together they watched the four as they fought. "What will you sacrifice for your hope?"
Azriel shook her head. "I don't know how to answer those questions."
"The answers do not need to be exclusive to each question, Ahziial."
The wolf started to whine louder from the alter it was on. "It suffers." She said quietly. Her words were hardly above a whisper as she watched it.
His face looked sterner, yet he looked at the wolf sympathetically. "I understand your desire to give it aid, but you cannot. Ahziial, you stand at a crossroads. Your destiny is for you to decide. Whichever path you choose, you must embrace it to your fullest potential." The more he spoke, the more commanding his voice became. Yet it lacked any trace of malice.
She tore her eyes from the wolf, to look at the white dragon standing where the priest had been. She blinked and saw a tall elf in the dragon's place. His skin was golden-brown, his hair was the color of red-gold flames, and his eyes were sunset gold in color. The look in them was full of kindness, but it was also intense. On his head, he wore a crown made of pure sunlight that reflected on his skin and robes.
Azriel realized finally who he was. Quickly she knelt and bowed her head to him. She could feel herself shaking in his presence, but not from fear. She waited in silence, feeling the intensity of his gaze on her.
"In the North, you have found your purpose. You have listened and learned what freedom and hope mean to others. You have fought many battles and done what no other could or would do. Until now, your nightmares have been your guide. It is time for you to understand what your potential is and claim what is rightfully yours as Dragonborn."
His pause held in the air the feeling of irrevocable consequence for whatever was coming next.
"Rise, Ahziial, and look at me." She slowly stood, lifting her eyes to his. "I offer you a choice, my child, but it will not be easy for you to decide."