As exhausted as she was, Cura hurried up the desolate mountainside, panting and huffing as her lungs struggled beneath the pressure she forced upon them. It was a miracle in and of itself that she hadn't fallen on her face by this point; after days of unrest and a chain of horrible fights and battery.
Upon closer inspection, she could see the dead trees with hanging taproots suspended from their branches, as Sinding had said. Though, he neglected to mention that there were human remains strewn about and hanging from spikes next to the road, as well. A testament to the Hags' violent nature, to be sure. The sight troubled Cura until she realized the corpses were old and weatherworn. They couldn't have been from her fellow Vigilants, thankfully.
Cura inhaled deeply when she noticed that there were Horses outside the cave, wearing Equine Tabards depicting the pouring chalice of Stendarr as shown in High Rock and Cyrodiil; not the drinking horn that people in Skyrim were more familiar with, as their Amulets.
And Joile, the Keeper's own gray and white-speckled horse, stood nearest to the entrance to the foul-smelling crevice. Hagravens were truly repulsive, carrying with them the smell of death and carrion.
Cura slowly entered the cranny, her vision blurred from exhaustion. Everything seemed to be in doubles according to her sight. She shook it off and continued to move forward, with the hopes that she would be able to save the others. She nearly tripped over the ground that seemed to be waving as her depth perception was skewered.
The inner conclaves of the cavern were mouldy and covered in rotten blood. The smell certainly matched the sight, or was it perhaps the Hagravens? They were reputably foul-smelling creatures.
Off in the distance, Cura heard some rumbling and shouting, muffled and echoes by the twisting walls of the cave. Stray strands of dust fell from the ceiling, fizzing down in the open air due to the force exerted in a few cells over.
The battle was on!
There were many large stalagmites in the cavern that would obscure a pathway from a small grove, and Cura almost found herself walking into walls. Her tired eyes did not help matters, either.
Through the blurry mess, she rushed through the confusing layout and eventually came upon a large central room, where Vigilants fought ferociously against the disgusting witches, who were hurling a number of curses and Firebolts towards them.
Keeper Carcette and a few of the other Breton Vigilants held up their Dragonskins, absorbing much of the magic that harmed them.
"FUS!" Cura shouted, knocking back a Hagraven with the force of energy, and henceforth making her presence known to all. Discretion was not her strong suit. The other Vigilants saw her, and some sighed with relief.
Tolan was happy to see Cura, but Carcette was worried on her behalf. What if she were to die here? Then she would surely be dragged into Hircine's realm of Oblivion for eternity. They could not allow that!
Or what if she were to inadvertently transform and attack them all again? They would need to exercise caution around Cura.
Cura hurried forward and before a witch could hurl a fireball at her, she brought down her mace, placing her body weight over the swing to compensate for her exhaustion. She followed up with a cross strike across the witch's cheek, and then decapitated her using her shield.
"On this day..." Cura muttered. "I put an end to Hircine's influence." She picked up the oozing head, and immediately the other Hagravens turned to face her with fury, ignoring the other Vigilants. They began to blast Lightning towards her, but Cura summersaulted out of the way and hid behind a large stalagmite.
One of the Vigilants clubbed another Hagraven by the back of her head, to turn the fiendess' attention away from Cura while Carcette, Tolan, and the others ganged up on the other two.
Cura examined and then pocketed the witch's head, carefully sliding it into her bag. It was a garish sight to behold, notwithstanding the fact that there was no body attached to it any longer. The bace of a Hagraven was gnarled and contorted beyond recognition of her Human self. Why would anyone want to do such a thing to themselves? Quickly, Cura rushed around the stone column that divided her from the fight, and blasted one of the hags with flame of her own, to lure the witch away from the defending Tolan.
The other Vigilants rushed into the fray, and began to assault the burning hag.
Carcette swung her Warhammer in an arc, launching her opponent into the air, and Tolan smashed her back down with his own, crushing the Hagraven's skull. Cura cringed when she saw the force of impact. That was one less she could use.
A couple of the other Hagravens fled the area, escaping the Vigil into the dark night.
When the battle was won, the Vigilants immediately took to the corners to rest and relax as they mended their wounds.
Cura's knees buckled from exhaustion and she fainted from exertion, plummeting to the ground face-first.
"Cura!" Carcette exclaimed as she and Tolan rushed to the Dragonborn's aid. Tolan quickly turned Cura around, getting her face out of the bloodstained mud.
"Is she..." an anxiety swept the Keeper, and Tolan examined Cura closely.
"No, she's just unconscious." Tolan confirmed. "Still alive, just exhausted. She's overexerted herself."
"Oh, Cura..." Carcette spoke sadly. "You've pushed yourself too far." She raised a gentle hand to the young Breton's face and stroked some moussed hair away from her eye, which was covered in mud.
She then turned to Tolan. "We're bringing her back to the Hall of the Vigilant. She'll need to rest for a few days."
Tolan nodded in agreement. "Ever since she left for Whiterun it's just been one thing after the next."
"I concur. Letting her join the Companions was a mistake." Carcette stated with a deep, visible regret. "We're going to cleanse her of Lycanthropy, and then we could return to business as usual."
Tolan scooped Cura up in his large arms, and held her steady. "Let's return."
Carcette rounded up the Vigilants and they headed outside and onto their horses. Quick as a flash, they rushed down the cliffside to an open space so they could Fast Travel to the Hall.
Cura awoke with a sharp pain in her side, which made her wince as she pulled herself up in her bed.
She immediately recognized the familiar surroundings, and lay back down in relief. What happened in that cave? She could not remember.
A faint feeling overcame her; a feeling of lingering fear. Was everyone okay?
She quickly threw off her covers and changed into her dented armour and overlaid fresh robes, which were cleaned best as possible and sewn together again.
She hurried up the stairs and into the main hall, where a few other Vigilants greeted her, but from a distance.
Keeper Carcette was sitting down on one of the benches, eating a bowl of Cabbage Stew with Steamed Mudcrab Legs when she noticed her. She placed the bowl on the bench and approached Cura. "How do you feel?" She opened the conversation.
"How do I feel?" Cura parroted back. An interesting question indeed. She wasn't entirely sure herself. All she was certain of was that she was very sore aaand still a might tired. "I guess... a little worn out...? How do werewolves live with such horrible sleep?"
"It's not a way of life. The restlessness is what pushes many of its victims over the edge, and causes them to turn feral. It's a curse." Carcette lamented. "And it's best you be rid of it as soon as possible."
Cura nodded in steadfast agreement. "Yes, Keeper."
"At Gallows Rock..." Carcette began as she folded her arms. "...Do you recall anything that occurred there?"
"Yes. I was in the Silver Hand's captivity." Cura explained. "Their Leader thought it would be funny to try and force me to eat rotten meat, which I can only assume he'd gotten from another Werewolf." She cringed at the memory. "And then he beat me senseless while I was tied down and exhausted."
Keeper Carcette's face coiled in disgust. "What a coward."
"Absolutely, Keeper." Cura scoffed. "He then threw me in a cell with Aela, another member of the Companions."
The Keeper raised an eyebrow. "I see."
Cura quickly refrained from mentioning Aela's condition, though Carcette probably had a feeling concerning it already. "When I regained my strength somewhat, the curse on the Ring of Hircine transformed me against my will."
"I knew it..." Carcette placed a hand on her forehead and sighed. "You held the Daedric Artifact. Why? Where did you get it?"
"I received it from a Werewolf named Sinding... he had a similar problem." Cura explained. "Though, once he was rid of the Ring, he decided to go on living his life as a near-feral beast."
"I trust you did your duty to Stendarr?" Carcette tilted her head as she expected the response.
Cura fidgeted lightly, and examined her ring finger, which still bore the indent in her flesh from where the Ring of Hircine constricted her. She looked up at the Keeper. "Yes. I gave him the opportunity to accompany me to the Coven, so he could be cured, but he refused our aid. I..."
Images of her bludgeoning the defenseless werewolf's skull in with her mace flashed in her mind, causing her to cringe in memory as the howling, wailing and bones cracking resonated in her head.
"...I have slain him."
Keeper Carcette could see her discomfort, and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You tried to extend mercy to that beast. You're possibly the best of us, Cura. Your tolerance is undeniable."
Cura nodded. "I tried."
"You've committed to your duty." Carcette explained. "Don't let guilt consume you; you've done a good thing by the citizens of Skyrim."
Cura understood, but she could not help but pity Sinding, even in retrospect. He was a beast who struggled with control, and was unwilling to change, even with his regrets.
Now, Cura was going to take her steps towards normalcy. She reached into her pocket and removed the Ring of Hircine. It glistened with a discreet and dark aura as it shone through the air. "Keeper, lock this away for the good of the Realm." She handed the accursed object to Keeper Carcette, who began to ogle it.
"The Ring of Hircine... so small, but so deadly. This thing compelled you to try and attack us." Carcette mused. "Through it, the Daedric Lord can manipulate those who are trapped with it, as we've learned."
"Yes, thankfully Aela was there to stop me." Cura stated, unawares that the Vigil had seen the orange werewolf attack the white one.
The Keeper glanced at Cura with the corner of her eye. So that werewolf that saved them was a Companion. Clearly, Cura was not telling her something. The Keeper maintained suspicion, but decided to lay it to rest for now, as she knew Kodlak was a lycan, himself already. The only question that remained was if the Silver Hand was responsible for infecting them all, or if they were Daedra-worshippers in disguise.
"Vigilant Moric is outside waiting for you, with Brother Adalvald." Carcette stated. "Go see them in the field. It will be all right." She gestured for Cura to head out.
Cura followed instruction and headed out of the Hall and could see them in the snow, off in the distance.
They had what seemed to be a small bonfire lit, and Adalvald seemed to be blessing the embers in Stendarr's name. Being his Primate, it made sense.
"Cura!" Moric exclaimed when he noticed her. "Are you ready to be cleansed of that vile Daedric power?"
That's what they were doing!
Adalvald reached into the bag that was sitting in the snow and pulled up the decapitated witch's head by the hair. He looked at Cura. "You fought bravely to get this; that is why we extend this mercy."
He gestured for her to come closely. "All can be as it was, but your corrupted soul will be split. You will have to contend with the beast. Are you ready for this?" He looked at Cura sternly. This matter was more serious than she thought.
Contend?
Cura simply nodded, ready to face her penance.
Adalvald and Tolan exchanged glances, and then he continued. "We're here to help you do so."
"In a few moments... I will be free." Cura stated.
It felt bittersweet. On the one hand, she was joyful of finally being rid of the curse that bound her, but she was going to miss the fun that came with rushing through the wilds as if one with them.
And where would her relationship with the Companions go from here?
"I'm ready." Cura said half-heartedly. She really wasn't, for who could have been ready for any of this?
Adalvald nodded as he dropped the Witch's head into the bonfire.
"By Stendarr's command, cleanse the accursed soul before you, and purify her of all corruption brought upon her through this dark magic." Adalvald prayed before the fire as the head began to release a cold, blue and violet light as it immolated.
Suddenly, Cura felt a sharp pain in her chest, which spread throughout her being, causing her to scream in agony as something was torn from her.
She fell to her knees in the snow and clenched her chest as the white powder nearby began to form a small whirlwind. Red energy collected there, and lo and behold, a red soul of a Wolf manifested before them.
Tolan was the first to act, leaping in front of Cura and bringing his Warhammer down on the ethereal beast.
The collision caught him by surprise, as Tolan was unsure of whether or not it would, considering that this fiend is a specter.
Brother Adalvald reached for his mace and rushed forward, clubbing the back leg of the wolf spirit.
The beast thrashed violently. When it's struggle caught Cura's gaze, she had a brief flash of Sinding's final moments beneath her mace.
Justice was harsh.
The unwanted wolf spirit clawed Tolan's steel gauntlets, unable to break them through.
Adalvald then took the opportunity to smash its head, and the wolf spirit collapsed and vanished as dust in the wind.
Cura gasped, finally feeling the darkness depart from her.
She was cured!
The Breton scrambled to her feet, pushing snow around in the heightened frenzy of movement.
For a moment, all she could do was stare into the world; her breath manifesting before her in a translucent white cloud. Then realization slowly hit. "I'm... free. I'm actually... free..."
Brother Adalvald reached out to her. "You won't have to worry about having to deal with that anymore."
Cura rushed forward and embraced him, though her body was still wracked with pain. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" She exclaimed, overcome by her restoration.
Tolan laughed, and Adalvald broke his stoic composure, letting a chuckle escape. "You're welcome."
Now Cura could live and breathe again, without worrying about what she would do unthinkingly. She could reenter the cities. Now that she knew how to dispell the witches' Magicks, she could help Kodlak, as well.
Her knees nearly gave up on her, due to the many wounds she had sustained and the inhumane fatigue her body was put through. Adalvald caught her mid-fall.
"You're going to need to rest for a few weeks." He informed her.
Cura was disappointed. Her healing of Kodlak would be delayed, it seemed. She was sure though, his disease would not take his life until she could help him: he had time. She would pray for his health.
In the meantime, Cura was of no use to anyone with her wounds and her exhaustion. The rest was sorely needed, and she obliged to do so, as the Keeper ordered.
