Kuroinu Dawnbreaker - A light shining in darkness: chapter 6 – A healer's work is never done
Mara, 'Mother Goddess' of compassion, love, fertility, agriculture, and presumably the wife of the chief deity Akatosh, is a Divine that is universally accepted within all religious groups around Tamriel, as Mara's embracing light makes no distinction between the many races on Nirn.
And her priests and followers often teach others that love itself can be found within all mortal races; no matter who or what you are, if you have love within yourself, then you're always linked to the 'Divine Mother', who in turn will watch over you.
His late father, 'Theodor Arcadius', who previously served as an Imperial officer before his birth, introduced a young Thorson to 'Her Benevolence' and told the boy about Mara's caring nature towards all people of Tamriel.
The Imperial father would, for his son's tenth birthday, gift the young Nord-Imperial boy a golden cross-shaped necklace with a female face in the middle that symbolized the 'Mother Goddess'.
Together with this amulet, the Imperial father also gave the young boy the most important advice he would ever receive for years to come: "No matter what happens to us or to someone you care about, keep Mara in your heart, and she will always support you in your darkest times."
As the young boy aged, he experienced many difficult challenges in his young life, but he always kept Mara's amulet around his neck while also carrying his late mother's flute with him wherever he went; this way, the young man always had his parents near him.
For Mara asks the people of Tamriel to live soberly, preserve the peace within their families and homes, and lastly, honor their parents.
In Skyrim, a young Thorson would then be tasked by several of Mara's priests within the city of Riften to seek out people who needed some guidance in finding true love on the continent.
The young man would first aid a young couple in the town of Ivarstaed in finding their future together. After that, he assisted two older adults in Markarth who needed someone to help them connect. For his last task, Thorson assisted the lost spirits of a married couple by reuniting them both in the afterlife.
By completing these tasks, the priests told Thorson that Mara would look favorably on him for helping them spread her influence, but Thorson knew that such a thing was unnecessary because the 'Divine Mother' was always with him.
However, the young healer would soon question his beliefs after he was confronted by several young women who had recently been kidnapped and raped by their captors. Either by marauding bandits, mercenaries, or soldiers who deserted from either army during Skyrim's civil war.
This left the young man with a dilemma when they begged him to do something to stop it, for the followers and priests of Mara believed that all life is sacred and that the union between two loved ones would create new life, but what happened to these women was no act of love at all.
Fortunately, he had several companions with him at that time, and one of them was a priest of Mara, a Dark Elf priest named Erandur.
Both Thorson and Erandur then engaged in some tense deliberating together with his other companions about their current dilemma, and the healer ultimately chose to help these unfortunate women.
With his Restoration and Alteration magic, the Nord healer managed to stop their pregnancy from continuing any further. For the young Dragonborn believed that these unfortunate women deserved to find their true love in the future, a future where their children would grow up surrounded by loved ones.
However, Thorson feared that he would lose Mara's favor after doing such a procedure, but his fears were ultimately misplaced as the Divine never left him, especially during that day when Thorson was unwillingly under the influence of Sanguine, the Daedric prince of Debauchery.
For the 'Divine mother' prevented her 'child' on time from doing something regrettable towards an innocent young woman in Markarth's Temple of Dibella...
At the Black Citadel in the north of Eostia, the Black Dog mage Keane walked back to his quarters after finishing treating his boss, who had previously suffered grievous burns on his neck and a stab wound at his side.
The young mage had to listen to his boss become increasingly louder and deliriously rant as Vult shouted and cursed the individual who wounded his pride and body.
"That man..." Vult quietly muttered as the mage began treating him before the mercenary leader's tone shifted violently from the agonizing pain coming from his neck: "Aargh! It's all his fault! That bastard!"
During all his time with the Black Dogs, the mage has never seen Vult so enraged before, not even when Maia left their group to join Celestine's 'Shield Alliance' several years ago.
Vult's men and his demonic forces in the throne room watched as their seemingly 'invincible' leader became increasingly unhinged as he continued ranting violently.
During his treatment, the mage repeatedly asked his boss about the fate of Hicks, as it appeared that Vult left the rogue behind after using that teleportation scroll, but the mage never got a proper answer as Vult seemingly ignored him during his violent trashing.
"That man is dead! You hear me all! DEAD!" Keane recalled Vult shouting as the Black Dog's leader trashed violently on his throne, "I'll make him pay for what he did to me! For stealing my women! I'll make them ALL pay!" Vult repeatedly screamed, which only caused the mage treating him to grow increasingly frustrated as Keane needed to repeatedly close off Vult's wounds after they kept reopening.
"I don't care if that hero can shout his magic or that he has some dragons! He's still one man, and we are many!" were Vult's last words before he fainted after trashing and ranting for almost an entire hour.
While his leader's unconscious state made it easier for the mage to treat and finally fully bandage his wounds, Keane, unfortunately, could not fully heal the horrifying burns on Vult's neck. Whatever magic his boss's assailant used, its agonizing effects did not cease even after the young mage attempted to dispel its effects.
In the end, Keane hoped that bandaging his neck, would at least keep his boss's burns in check and lessen Vult's discomfort while he looked for an alternative solution.
The once 'invincible' Vult would, unfortunately, have to live with almost constant pain from the branding on his neck and be forced to change his bandages frequently, a constant reminder of his humiliating defeat at the hands of this mysterious attacker.
For Celestine Lucross, former elven queen of Eostia, her only thoughts at this moment were those of misery after finding out that her own body had been responsible for her eventual enslavement by Vult.
Now Celestine felt trapped in her own body, as she felt dirty and tainted by what Vult and his men had done to her these past days, while her mind was also haunted by those memories.
But the fallen queen now had someone to hold on to as Celestine rapidly felt the world turning against her: an exceptional man from Tamriel named Thorson Brightsong, who rescued her today from a life as a sex slave.
Not only did Celestine have the legendary Dragonborn close to her, but the elf now knew that she had the support of her ancestor gods, the Aedra, whom she had forsaken many centuries ago.
After minutes of being close to the legendary dragon slayer, the High Elf finally calmed down.
"Thorson, I-I don't know what to do anymore," Celestine admitted, still holding onto the Nord. "I want to help my people, b-but I-I can't do this alone…"
The Dragonborn's response was immediate: "I will help you, Celestine." Thorson quietly reassured the former queen before loosening his tight embrace with her.
"But you also need to think of yourself too," the healer within Thorson advised Celestine. "I know you want to help your people, but I'm more worried about your mental wellbeing."
Celestine then removed herself from the man's chest to look straight into Thorson's eyes and say, "Trust me. Let me help handle this. I promise to assist and liberate your people from those animals. I swear upon this…"
Thorson suddenly felt Celestine's arms tighten again around his waist after hearing the man's confident and reassuring words. "I trust you, Thorson…" the elf whispered before placing her head on his chest.
"Help them all, please." Celestine pleaded before closing her eyes, listening to the Dragonborn's heart, for the blonde elf could find some measure of peace with the man she was holding onto tightly.
"I will, Celestine." Thorson reassured Celestine after hearing her plea: "And your people won't fight alone; Tamriel's people will assist your people. I'll make sure of that."
The Nord then had a look of concern: "But you need to recover first; your health is also important to me now." Thorson softly advised Celestine.
Celestine blushed faintly as she felt a familiar warm feeling after hearing Thorson's concern over her, but before the elf could respond to Thorson's kind words, she began to cough.
"Hmmm?" Thorson hummed after hearing Celestine's dry cough. "These past moments were hard for you... and for your throat."
"You want to drink something? I have some water, or perhaps you want a bottle of fresh apple juice from Cyrodiil's finest fruit orchards?" the Nord asked the parched elf.
Celestine quickly nodded after hearing his offer: "Y-Yes please, I could go for some apple juice."
The elf then realized something unusual: "But, where do you keep them? I'm not sure you can fit them in those satchels of yours." Celestine wondered out loud.
The Nord laughed slightly at her curiosity: "No, I don't have much room for a couple of bottles." Thorson laughed after hearing Celestine's question.
"But you should know I have other ways to store my items." The man reminded the elf while gently releasing himself from Celestine's embrace.
"I'll just call my 'butler' to bring me one from storage…" the Nord informed Celestine before his right hand started to glow purple.
"Ah…" Celestine uttered a word of understanding after remembering her first encounter with the Dremora butler, the one who earlier brought her the robes she was wearing right now. However, Celestine was now curious how the man managed to acquire the services of such an immortal being that generally despised mortals.
After the Dragonborn cast his spell, a familiar Dremora stepped out of the purple portal in front of the pair, "Ah, master... You require my services again?"
"Yes, bring me a bottle of that apple juice I brought from Cryodiil," Thorson asked his butler. "And bring me a Magicka tonic with it."
The Dremora looked at both individuals before bowing in response to his master's request: "Certainly, sir, shall I also bring two mugs for my Lord and his Lady?"
"H-His lady?!" Celestine's face turned bright red after hearing the Dremora butler, Thorson fortunately corrected his butler's query: "No-no, just one is enough. It's for her alone."
Another bow then came from the Dremora: "Very good, sir; give me a couple of minutes." the butler acknowledged this before stepping through the purple portal to gather the requested items.
Celestine turned towards Thorson. "How did you manage to obtain the services of such a Dremora?" she asked him with a hint of curiosity.
The Dragonborn chuckled at Celestine's curiosity, "Now that is a long story, but I can tell you more about that later too. I promise." Thorson replied with a smile.
"Y-You better keep that promise," Celestine replied, almost sounding like she threatened the Dragonborn in a joking manner.
"I've been wondering what happened to Tamriel." Celestine then wondered out loud before her tone ended on a sour note, "All these years, I feared we were the only ones left after Molag Bal invaded Tamriel many centuries ago..."
"It's good to hear that she's still curious about the world around her, even after what she had to endure these past hours and during her enslavement." Thorson mentally noted after hearing the elf, "I may have to emphasize her curious nature to help her recover..."
As hundreds of knights spread around Ken, some followed their familial instincts and quickly sought out their families, while others attempted to restore order to the now restless population by passing on what they witnessed and who was responsible for what happened on this eventful day.
Other smaller groups of able-bodied citizens simultaneously looked for more of the Black Dog victims inside churches, parks, and other public areas. Those who were 'relatively unharmed' were escorted back to their families or their closest relatives, while those who were from outside Ken were gathered together in whatever places they could find that could offer these unfortunate victims shelter.
On that same night, many families of Ken who once only knew despair now felt joy after reuniting with their lost children or relatives as several knights embraced their family on the streets, while other households were relieved at seeing their daughters and sisters back home after their kidnapping by the Black Dogs after Ken's surrender.
However, there was also a sense of urgency among the population as several knights ran towards Ken's main temple. In their arms, they carried female victims who needed immediate medical help.
While they waited for the Dremora butler, Celestine looked towards the gathered crowd at Ken's main plaza below her, "I'm not worthy to be their ruler, not after all of that."
A heavy sigh then followed: "Even if my… "other self' did all of those things on that day, I still made too many regrettable choices these past centuries, towards my subjects and towards my own people." Celestine admitted her past, touching the amulet of Stendarr that still hung around her neck.
The Dragonborn followed Celestine and looked towards the crowd that consisted of both Mer and Man, who were watching them both with interest.
"You don't want to face them now, right?" Thorson asked Celestine, who in turn closed her eyes, seemingly deep in thought.
"I see…" Thorson understood after seeing this, "You're thinking to distance yourself from them?" Thorson asked Celestine, "But these people will need someone to follow; you know them better than anyone."
"No… I do not," the former queen replied before opening her eyes. "I became too comfortable these last centuries..." Celestine confessed, "I was too trusting of those around me, thinking all would work out fine with the Black Dogs working for us during that accursed war."
Celestine then looked at all of her subjects below her, "And during those dark times, my subjects continued to worship me. T-They counted on me to end that accursed war as quickly as possible..." the High Elf continued before she realized what she just said.
"By my ancestors!" Celestine exclaimed, "I-I can explain... T-they..." the elf nervously sputtered out, realizing she was in the presence of an individual who was closely linked to the same divine beings she had forsaken several centuries ago.
"Don't, not now..." the man firmly interrupted her. "To be honest, I was surprised at first why these people considered you to be a 'divine' being."
"But that is a discussion for another time." Thorson ended with a soft tone: "But your subjects did say you were a benevolent and kind ruler and that many of them loved you."
"Until now…" Celestine quietly stated the obvious after hearing that.
"Until now, yes…" Thorson replied in return before looking straight at Celestine. "If you wish to renounce your position, then I understand," the Dragonborn said to the former queen. "And we can worry about your role after dealing with the Black Dogs and after stabilizing your nation."
The former queen closed her eyes again and nodded. "They now need a real leader, "Celestine stated before her tone became filled with regret. "Not some former slave queen who abandoned them," Celestine added before locking eyes with her savior. "Help our people, Dragonborn, please."
A single nod came from the dragon slayer: "I will, Celestine. I promise…" Thorson reassured Celestine.
"But if it makes you feel any better, I believe you never willingly wanted to abandon them in the first place." Thorson said to the former queen, "From that moment I first saw you in that vision, I heard your true self calling out for help, one who wanted to save her people, and that was all I needed to hear."
The man's genuine and comforting words surprised Celestine. "Oh, 'Son of Auriel..." she whispered while her eyes were on the verge of crying again.
Celestine then couldn't help but touch the man's cheek with her right hand, "T-Thank you, Thorson. For this and... for believing in me."
Thorson momentarily blinked his eyes after feeling Celestine's touch. "It's nothing; I'm glad to be here for you."
"But remember, you will make it through." Thorson reassured the elf with a confident smile: "You all will..."
Celestine closed her eyes and smiled after hearing this: "Oh, Thorson..." Celestine whispered longingly while looking straight into the Dragonborn's eyes.
The tension between Elf and Man was then tense as both kept their eye contact; no words were spoken between them.
Just then, his otherworldly butler appeared from a purple portal, surprising both Celestine and Thorson as they both broke eye contact to look at the Dremora.
The Dremora in question was holding a green bottle in his right hand, while in his left hand, a blue vial and an iron mug. "Here are the items you requested, Sir." the butler addressed his master, who seemed surprised.
The Dragonborn slowly turned his body away from Celestine to face the Dremora, "T-Thank you." Thorson awkwardly thanked his butler after being handed the requested items.
"If that is all, then I will return to my little pocket in Oblivion..." the Dremora said before waiting for his master's approval.
"Eh, yes, you may go now," Thorson informed his butler, who then turned around and walked through the portal before closing it.
After this, the Dragonborn carefully opened the bottle of juice and took a quick whiff. "Ahhh, I can almost smell Cyrodiil from this." Thorson reminisced out loud before filling a mug with its contents: "Here, this should help hydrate you a bit..."
"Thank you." Celestine thanked the man as she accepted the mug he offered her.
Both Thorson and Celestine fell again into a comfortable silence as they drank together. Both would sometimes involuntarily exchange glances while they took sips from their respective drinks.
However, their brief time together was disturbed by a cry of a man that came from the temple's entrance behind the pair.
Meanwhile, the crowd below silently watched as both Mer and Man seemed to share a moment. This scene caused some disappointment among some of Ken's population and for some of the former High Elf slaves, as their liberator did not punish the 'whore queen' as they hoped for.
"What are they doing now?" a frustrated human man asked out loud, "Did that bitch manage to seduce him or what?"
"No, I don't think so, "an elderly woman in the group said. "Did you also hear her screams just minutes ago? I've never seen Celestine act like that before."
"It doesn't matter how she acted; no one should forgive that whore's past crimes!" the man argued back. "I tell you; she must have charmed him with magic or something."
"What about that light?" another male voice asked around, "Maybe this Stendarr figure that man spoke of is responsible for this?"
As Ken's population began to argue among themselves, the elves who were grouped up together next to the humans could only wonder what that sudden bright light from before could mean.
After the man mentioned the name 'Stendarr', some of them believed that their forgotten gods were responsible for what transpired just moments ago when that light came from the elven 'traitor queen'.
On the top of the temple's stairs, the Dragonborn's past experiences were needed once again as Aurelian and another colleague called out for him.
"Dragonborn, sir! We need help!" Aurelian hastily addressed the tall Nord.
Thorson and Celestine turned around and saw two men carrying two warped-up women in their arms. The healer from Tamriel immediately walked towards both knights, sensing that his healing skills were needed once again.
"Set those two down, please," Thorson instructed both knights.
"Tell me what happened to these women?" the healer asked as he kneeled next to one of the women, a brunette who did not seem to react to any external stimuli.
Aurelian gestured towards the woman in front of the Dragonborn. "She is the one that needs immediate attention," the 'Knight Sergeant' informed the Dragonborn.
The knight then looked to his side, "As for the other one, my colleague Anton carried Rona to the surface." Aurelian informed the Nord before his voice lowered. "They both were close once before the Black Dogs took over…"
Dragonborn gave the knight a look before glancing towards his right, spotting a blonde knight who stood by the unconscious form of a black-haired girl.
Aurelian then continued, "Luther then volunteered to stay behind with the rest of them while both of us carried these two to the surface."
The Dragonborn nodded before starting his diagnosis of the brunette in front of him: "She looks pale." Thorson diagnosed her out loud after noticing her skin color. "A slight fever, though..." Thorson added after he placed a hand on the woman's forehead.
Aurelian then kneeled on the opposite side of the brunette's unconscious form. "Caroline... one of our garrison captains..." the knight informed the healer. "We found her in one of the prisons with a dozen more of our female colleagues who were all recently violated by Vult's men."
Thorson sighed before further checking on the brunette in front of him. "Well, she is still unconscious," the healer said out loud before his hand began to glow. "Wait, she's getting weaker... What happened to her?" Thorson noticed after sensing the woman's decreasing life force.
The Eostian knight did not answer the healer's question as he carefully unwrapped the blanket that covered the unconscious woman.
"By Lady Mara! W-what is this?!" a now-appalled Dragonborn shouted after seeing the woman's true condition.
The Tamrielan healer saw a naked woman with numerous bruises and gashes all around her body; some were still bleeding. However, the worst part was between her thighs, as blood splotches mixed with semen stained her groin while a small stream of blood continued pouring out of her vulva.
Thorson was now on edge after seeing the woman's condition. "By the Divines... who or what did this?" Thorson asked the knight after recovering from the initial shock.
Before Aurelian could reply, the healer immediately placed his left hand on the poor girl's lower abdomen, attempting to sense through her skin what was causing her internal bleeding.
"She must have been raped by those demonic brutes... Those things rarely care about the condition of the victims they rape." a now worried Aurelian answered the Dragonborn's question.
The healer then looked at the knight as if asking him for further clarification: "During our previous war, we often encountered female victims like her who suffered similar fates when these monsters raided their villages and kidnapped the womenfolk."
After hearing no response from the Nord, Aurelian continued informing the healer, "Their chances for survival were unfortunately low without an experienced healer nearby to help those poor girls on time."
The healer closed his eyes in disbelief. "By Stendarr's mercy... And Vult chose to align themselves with those things?! How long did these people have to suffer at the hands of those monsters?" Thorson asked himself in astonishment.
"They will all pay for this, The Black Dogs and all those who stand with them. I swear upon it!"
Another thought then crossed Thorson's mind: "Those responsible for this girl's condition must have been that same group that interrupted me before I could finish off Vult." Thorson remembered this particular encounter, one where he turned a group of Vult's forces into cinders with his Thu'um.
"Good riddance… And I hope Vult at least 'enjoys' the branding Dawnbreaker gave him."
Thorson's current thoughts then dwelled on the nature of those creatures, these 'demons' that worked with Vult: "Just what are they? Are they Daedra or just creatures native to Serenus? I've never seen the likes of them during my travels."
Knowing that he had little time to spare, Thorson opened his eyes after pondering this subject. "I see..." the man simply responded after hearing Aurelian's explanation. The Nord then continued diagnosing the woman in front of him.
"She has suffered several internal injuries that I can only describe as tearing of flesh like her uterus has been forcefully stretched past its limits,", the healer diagnosed without much emotion behind his words. "I don't even want to know what they did to her to cause such injuries, and to think of the pain she had to endure..." Thorson finished with an audible sigh.
The healer knew he could not waste any more time. "Alright, first I need to stem the bleeding and then tend to her internal injuries." the Dragonborn healer announced his intentions to those present around him.
Celestine, who overheard the Tamrielan man, took her place next to the Nord. "Are you sure you can heal her with your magic?" the former queen asked Thorson.
Thorson could hear the elf's tone as Celestine displayed pity towards the woman, "What will you do?"
While the former queen had some experience with the healing arts, Celestine felt she was not skilled enough for such horrendous internal injuries. The elf also felt drained of her magical power due to her enslavement.
But Celestine could not help but be curious about how proficient the Dragonborn would be in the healing arts compared to her own.
"Can I heal her? Of course…" Thorson told himself while stroking his goatee, "But I fear this woman won't be the first I'll have to help with such grievous wounds…"
The Dragonborn then felt more and more weight on his soul ever since that vision in Solitude on this very day. "I hope I'll have the strength to see this through," the healer said to himself.
After a moment, the healer placed both his hands on the woman's lower abdomen, "Fortunately, yes. I can help her, Celestine. But now is not the right time to explain this." Thorson informed the elf next to him.
"I'll begin tending to her wounds right now; I can't waste any more time," Thorson announced before closing his eyes as the healer began casting his Restoration magic on the unconscious woman, attempting to stabilize her condition as quickly as possible.
Thorson offered one quick prayer before beginning his treatment. "Assist me, Mara, guide me in helping this poor soul." the Nord healer called out to the 'Divine Mother', "and please, watch over all others like her during these dark times..."
As golden wisps began to surround the unconscious woman from the Dragonborn's Restoration magic, no one around the healer seemed to notice a faint glow emanating from the man's chest as the amulet that hung around Thorson's neck began to shine faintly.
From an outside perspective, it looked like Mara herself was present next to the healer, observing what her 'agent' was doing at this very moment.
Meanwhile, Alicia Arcturus still kept her guard in front of the temple's stairs while her mind kept wandering off towards Celestine and what she just heard from her cries moments ago: "Sounds like Celestine was not even aware of what she had done on that day."
On the other hand, the former princess felt some measure of relief after Celestine calmed down. However, Alicia's image of her 'goddess' had changed dramatically these past days after all she had witnessed.
All these years since her birth, Alicia has always believed in Celestine's divinity, and to see her fall towards depravity and now cry and scream her innocence, it's like Celestine was just a mortal being like her.
Alicia lost all faith in her a week ago when Celestine began to succumb to her captors in one of Feoh's bathhouses. It became so desperate for the princess that Alicia was willing to believe the promises of Vult's right-hand man as he raped her, all to save her cousin, Prim, from a life of slavery.
All the desperate princess had to do was assist the Black Dogs in capturing her cousin's city by giving up its secrets. However, the naïve princess was eventually betrayed after the fortress city fell, as both 'Shield Princesses were eventually forced to become sex slaves to their new Black Dog overlords.
"How could I have fallen for such an obvious trick…?" Alicia scolded herself, remembering how she was forced to succumb to pleasure on that accursed day: "My own damned body betrayed me..."
Alicia knew that her naive and foolish decision would continue to haunt her and her dreams for many days to come, but at least she had another individual to look up to too—an exceptional man who rescued her and brought her much-needed hope again. A chance to reunite with her cousin after all she had to endure.
After recalling those memories, the former princess of Feoh stared at the shining blade in her hands. "I hope he can understand and forgive me for what I've done…"
However, the young woman could not decide at this point who to hate the most: the Black Dogs, Beastly, or herself…
Celestine and both former 'Holy Knights' watched with some amazement as the Nord healer healed the unconscious woman.
First, they saw the lacerations and bruises on Caroline's body quickly fade away, leaving no scar tissue behind. Then they noticed the man's expression tensing as he concentrated on healing Caroline's internal injuries.
For several minutes, the man continued his treatment until he raised his right hand as it began to glow orange. The healer then moved his hand like he was redirecting something out of the woman's body.
Celestine almost gagged when she witnessed a mix of semen and blood pouring out of the woman's groin, staining the blanket under her.
After a minute, it seemed the healer had managed to stop the bleeding from Caroline's vulva. "Unbelievable, h-he really did it," Aurelian exclaimed in astonishment after witnessing the healer's work in front of him.
"Incredible…" Celestine uttered after seeing the results in front of her. "Such proficiency..." the elf said in amazement. "It looks like Restoration magic has advanced quite a bit on Tamriel." the former queen noted.
"It's done; she's out of the woods." Celestine then heard the healer while he withdrew his hands from the woman's abdomen. "When Caroline wakes up, she may need a specialized tonic in case she has contracted some disease, but I'm confident that she will make a full physical recovery."
"It seems my alchemical skills are needed too soon." The healer thought before placing his right hand on the woman's forehead.
"Her fever is also slowly dissipating," Thorson informed Celestine and Aurelian with a hint of relief in his voice. "She just needs some sleep; that whole experience was too much for both her body and mind."
However, Aurelian still looked tense as he observed Caroline's sleeping form.
The Dragonborn noticed the man's stare after withdrawing his hand from the woman's forehead. "Something wrong?" he asked the Eostian knight.
The 'Knight Sergeant' looked unsure what to say next: "Is she... you know…?" Aurelian asked the healer. However, the Nord healer looked confused after hearing the knight's incomplete question.
"Is she what?" Thorson asked the knight for clarification.
Both men remained silent until Thorson noticed Aurelian glancing at Caroline's belly. "Oh… that…" Thorson responded, realizing what Aurelian tried to ask him.
"No, she's not pregnant," the healer informed the man. "Whatever caused those terrible injuries made it almost impossible for the ovum to make a successful implantation within her."
The knight felt relieved, while Celestine's body tensed up after hearing the healer's words. Thorson noticed this and faced the elven queen, where he saw Celestine's balled-up hands shaking.
"What's wrong, Celestine? Something troubling you?" the Dragonborn asked, his voice once again filled with concern for the blonde elf next to him.
Hearing his concerns, the blonde elf looked straight at Thorson. "A-And me?" Celestine nervously asked the healer, hoping that she would at least have been spared that predicament.
Thorson closed his eyes and shook his head after hearing her question. Celestine then let out a sigh. "Thank goodness…" she said, wondering if her elven cycle or some divine intervention had helped her.
"When I healed you in that prison, I sensed that both you and Alicia were spared from that indignity, but I would still recommend that you both take some form of contraception for a few days." The Dragonborn healer advised the former queen. "Just in case what's left in your womb is gone..."
"A-Alright, good to hear..." Celestine simply responded after hearing the healer's advice.
After that, Celestine looked like she wanted to ask Thorson something else but decided to drop it for the moment. "I can ask him that later; my people need his help more at this moment."
"Can't you wake her up?" Celestine asked the Nord, who helped Aurelian re-wrap the sleeping woman in a blanket.
"No… "Let her sleep for now," Thorson advised. "But does she have family in the city she can go to?" he asked both Celestine and Aurelian.
Aurelian shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not; her family lives in a remote village on the outskirts of Feoh." the knight replied. "But she normally stays with the rest of her unit in her barracks; however, it's located on the other side of the city."
"You can let her rest in one of the temple's guest rooms for now, 'Knight Sergeant'," Celestine joined in. "Same for those you found in that prison."
"Yes, your Grace!" Aurelian acknowledged his superior with a salute before looking at the Dragonborn.
"Stay with her, please." the knight humbly asked the healer. "I'll quickly round up some help to help carry the other women from that prison."
Thorson briefly looked at Celestine before giving the knight a nod. "Go; we will watch over her," he reassured the knight.
The Eostian knight felt relieved and gave one last salute before running down the temple's stairs, looking for whatever help he could find within the city.
Alicia heard footsteps behind her as she saw Aurelian descend the temple's stairs. "Lady Alicia," the knight saluted the 'Shield Princess', "we found Caroline and her unit in the temple's dungeons, but they all need to be brought to the surface."
The former princess felt some relief after hearing that news. "That's good to hear, Aurelian, but how are things up there?"
"We brought Caroline and Rona to the surface," Aurelian informed Alicia, "and the Dragonborn managed to save Caroline's life."
"What about Celestine? How is she?"
"Oh, she's fine, I think." the knight replied, "I don't know why they were both up there in the first place," Aurelian added.
"But it was fortunate that the Dragonborn was up there; otherwise, Caroline may not have made it..."
Just then, a group of knights approached the temple from the streets around it, each carrying a victim of Vult's men.
"Get those people lined up next to the temple's stairs!" Aurelian ordered the approaching knights. "And make sure there is at least a meter of distance between them!"
Aurelian watched as his men followed his instructions before turning his attention towards Alicia.
"Celestine told me to relocate those we found in the dungeons, like Anna and Yvette, to the temple's guest chambers," Aurelian informed Alicia. "But first I need to find some help to help me bring them back to the surface."
An audible gasp could be heard from within the crowd. "Y-You also found A-Anna?!" a female voice called out.
Aurelian turned towards an elderly woman, "Yes, Miss Mercurius! And we also found several others, but they need all our help!" the knight informed the crowd in front of him, asking some among them if they could assist him and his men.
While Aurelian descended the temple's stairs to look for help within the city, the healer from Tamriel turned towards the High Elf next to him, "Please stay with her, Celestine." Thorson asked her, "I'll check on the other girl."
After the elf gave a nod, the Nord healer walked towards a younger knight who stood by another incapacitated girl.
"Your name is Anton, right? What is her condition?" Thorson asked the blonde knight before kneeling next to the wrapped-up girl.
"Y-yes sir," the younger knight meekly replied. "Rona is her name..." Anton began with a sigh. "We served together in the same unit…" he informed the Dragonborn before looking at the girl in front of him.
"When we found her, she immediately fell asleep in my arms... I think she may just be exhausted." Anton quietly informed the healer, not willing to wake her up.
"Sounds like these two may have been very close before they were forcibly separated..." Thorson noted this detail after hearing the knight's tone.
"Stay with her, Anton; Rona will need your support soon after what she had to endure." the healer advised him.
After a short moment of silence, the Nord healer hovered one of his hands over the girl's forehead, "May I quickly check her?" Thorson asked the blonde knight.
Anton looked at the healer, and after some thought, he gave him a single nod, "Yes."
With the knight's permission, the healer began to check on Rona's condition: "Well, she's indeed exhausted, and fortunately she did not suffer the same injuries as Caroline." Thorson diagnosed it out loud.
"Can you help her? You know, like you did for us?" Anton asked the Dragonborn, remembering experiencing the healer's magic that re-energized many of his fellow knights after he freed him from imprisonment.
"Hmhm..." Thorson hummed in response as his hand started to glow golden, revitalizing the black-haired girl.
After just a few seconds, the young woman began to open her eyes, "W-wha..." Rona faintly muttered before looking to her right. "A-Anton! Y-You are alive! So, it was not a hallucination?" she yelped after seeing a familiar face next to her. "W-what happened? Why am I wrapped up? I-I don't…"
"Easy Ron..." the knight gently interrupted the young woman, attempting to calm her down. "Y-You are safe now; those Black Dog bastards won't hurt you anymore."
The girl remained silent as she tried to recall what she remembered: "By her Grace..." Rona stammered nervously as past memories filled her thoughts.
"T-they… no… P-Please, tell me those past days were just some terrible n-nightmare...?" a now shaky Rona asked her partner while her eyes started to fill up with tears, not willing to believe that those last days of constant sexual abuse were real.
The young knight looked at Thorson after hearing Rona's question, and the healer simply gave one single nod to the young man.
Anton sighed and answered Rona's question in the softest tone he could muster: "I-I'm sorry, Ron... It's all real…."
"I fear that I'll see this scene many times when I'm here in the coming days." Thorson somberly realized after seeing the girl cry, "There is one more issue to deal with before they can be together again…"
The Dragonborn healer first began to cast a calming spell on the crying woman to calm her down. "Here, this should help you after that shock," the healer informed the young woman.
After a few seconds, the Dragonborn's calming spell took effect, and Rona began to calm down. "W-Who are you?" the woman asked the healer, "What did you just do?"
"I'm a friend who cleared this city from those Black Dog animals," the healer reassured the young woman. "And that was just a spell to calm you down; it should be enough until you can get some proper rest."
Confused, the female knight looked towards her partner, "I-Is this true?" Rona asked Anton for confirmation: "Is Ken free from those m-men?"
Anton nodded several times, "Yes, it's true, Ron. This single man liberated Ken and also managed to save Celestine and Alicia from her imprisonment."
"H-Her Grace is free?!" Rona exclaimed before frantically looking around, "W-Where is she? Is she safe?"
Hearing the young woman's question, the healer moved out of the way, giving Rona a clear view of the elf behind the healer. "B-But how?!" a surprised Rona asked after seeing Celestine smiling at her.
"Some of your fellow colleagues, like Caroline, are also safe, but your partner can tell you more when you are resting." Thorson informed Rona before his face turned serious, "However, there is another thing I should mention to both of you before you can go back home."
Both knights were now focused on the healer after hearing his serious tone. "When I diagnosed you, I also sensed something else within you…" the healer carefully informed the female knight.
After hearing the serious tone of the healer, Anton was quick to figure out what the man was trying to say: "Don't tell me she's...?"
"Yes, pregnant…" Thorson sighed, "Implantation within her womb was very recently; it must have happened yesterday or today."
Rona closed her eyes, unsure how to respond, while Anton's face dropped. "No..." Rona faintly bowed her head. "Those degenerates…"
Celestine, who still stood next to the unconscious Caroline, also overheard the healer's previous words. "Can you do something, Thorson?" Celestine asked the Nord, "You can, right?"
Both knights immediately looked at the healer after hearing Celestine, their eyes practically begging the Dragonborn to help them.
"Those eyes, begging me to help..." Thorson noticed, after seeing both knights looking intensely at him, "No matter where I am, I'll always see those same eyes…"
"It's within my ability, yes." Thorson replied before letting out an audible sigh, "It's a procedure I unfortunately had to do many times during my travels..."
The healer then looked at Celestine. "I can stop her pregnancy from further developing if that is what she wishes…" Thorson informed the former queen before turning his attention to the black-haired woman.
Rona and Anton looked at each other after hearing the healer, and it did not take long for both to make their decision. "Do it…" the female knight decided.
After hearing this, Thorson moved his right hand to his chest and touched Mara's amulet through his robes. The healer then noticed that it was glowing.
"Mara..." the Nord from Tamriel whispered after seeing its glow, "I understand... I'll do what I can to help them all…."
Both knights also noticed the same thing when they saw a bright light coming from the man's chest and heard him muttering some words as if he were offering some kind of prayer.
After a couple of seconds, the healer looked at Rona. "Alright, we first need to remove your blanket so I can place my hands on your lower abdomen; after that, I can begin the procedure," Thorson explained his intentions to the female knight.
After stating his intentions, the Nord noticed the pair showing signs of doubt: "I'm afraid this is no time to think about modesty." Thorson bluntly stated.
"But I swear on my honor as a healer and follower of Mara that I'll keep my eyes focused on the real issue at hand," Thorson reassured the young couple while positioning his right hand over his heart.
Celestine's voice then offered some unexpected support for the healer.
"His intentions are pure; this man helped me and Alicia when we were both defenseless and exposed in our cell," Celestine informed and reassured both her knights.
The High Elf then looked towards the Dragonborn, "Let him help you; you can trust him."
The healer had a faint smile on his face as he turned towards the elf, his lips silently conveying his 'thanks' towards her.
Celestine, in return, gave Thorson a warm smile, "It's nothing."
Hearing this from Celestine, it did not take long for her to give her permission. "Y-You may..." Rona timidly decided after she briefly looked towards Anton, who in turn gave her a reassuring nod.
"Alright, let's begin." The tall man announced as he retook his position next to the young woman while Anton carefully removed the blanket covering her.
The Dragonborn healer then placed his hands on the naked girl's lower abdomen before closing his eyes. "This won't hurt you, but you might feel a slight pinch," Thorson informed his patient before casting his Alternation magic to begin the procedure.
Inside the massive dungeons under the Black Citadel, the former Dark Elven 'Queen' managed to regain a bit of sanity after weeks of constant sexual abuse as her human and demonic captors were now preoccupied with guarding her former fortress against a new possible threat.
Olga's once flawless body was now riddled with many bruises, scrapes, and dried-up semen from the constant abuse she experienced from her own demons and Vult's men.
The fallen Dark Elf then noticed the incapacitated and broken form of her handmaiden next to her. Seeing this, Olga realizes that she and Cloe will never be able to escape their captors alive, and eventually, both of them will be mentally regressed to nothing but mindless sex slaves for the rest of their pitiful lives.
In the past, the once-proud Dark Elf would sadistically boast at her own accomplishments as her demonic horde and Dark Elven followers showed no mercy on the many human communities during her brutal campaign against the southern Eostians.
Unfortunately for Olga, the 'Dark Queen' would be humbled and humiliated by Vult's mercenaries, who invaded her a month ago. And after the betrayal of her demonic forces, her defeat was sure.
After that, the fallen Dark Elf 'Queen' suffered the same fate she once brought to the human population for centuries as her demonic soldiers and Vult's mercenaries began mercilessly violating her, her handmaiden Chloe, and the remaining elves within her fortress.
However, the Dark Elf had one final plan left: Olga would try to gather whatever little energy she had left in her broken body to get one last chance for revenge on the human responsible for all of this.
This single task proved to be a challenge for the once powerful elven mage since she still had that accursed magical seal the Black Dogs placed on her a month ago. This action prevented the Dark Elf from properly gathering the needed energy for her infamous 'Destruction magic'.
But from this night on, Olga Discordia had one single objective in mind: as long as she had some sanity remaining, the Dark Elf would either drag Vult into the jaws of death itself or at least die trying—anything to escape this living nightmare she found herself in.
This nightmare started many centuries ago when Olga still had more genuine intentions to protect her kind from the advancing and expansionistic humans, but the young Dark Elf woman grew dissatisfied by the slow progress of her demonic forces and her few Dark Elven followers.
A few centuries ago, after some extensive research and rituals, the Dark Elven 'Queen' began to walk a darker path after she acquired an otherworldly item. An item that could be used to summon more powerful entities from another plane of existence to do her bidding.
Or so she thought. "I should have never stolen that d-damned Sigil Stone from that P-Prince!" Olga cried out in her prison, "N-Now the whole w-world is in danger!"
After her faint outburst, Olga's thoughts were filled with regret and especially fear, for the elf potentially brought a greater evil onto their world: "If her demons or one of the Dremora manage to find that stone then..."
Olga shuttered at that thought, not willing to imagine the horrors that could be unleashed on the world. All because of her...
The Dark Elf then looked towards the unresponsive form of her handmaiden before tears started appearing in her eyes.
"I-I'm so sorry, Chloe... I should have listened to you…" Olga weakly wept as her once-cold heart was filled with regret.
"I just... wanted to safeguard our kind's future, but instead I condemned both of us to a life of slavery and doomed our entire race... this entire world..."
Olga then looked at the ceiling of her cold and dark prison. "P-Please spare Chloe." the fallen Dark Elf practically begged any spirit, god, or divine being that could hear her pleas.
"She does not deserve the fate I brought upon her…" a now regretful Olga pleaded while grasping towards the ceiling with her right hand.
In that moment of desperation, Olga's cold heart opened up after so many centuries as an almost forgotten part of her psyche resurfaced.
A part Olga thought she left behind after the Dark Elf began her personal crusade against the humans of Eostia, "I just wanted a family in peace... Not this!" A more innocent and younger Olga scolded the fallen elf as if she were accusing her of their current predicament.
That night, the once powerful and proud Olga Discordia cried her heart out, her broken body assuming the fetal position by reflex, instinctively protecting herself against a now hostile world she was partially responsible for.
On the surface, a lightning bolt struck one of the Black Citadel's towers after Olga made her desperate plea like the sky itself heard and felt the broken elf's desperation.
Durnehviir continued to patrol the skies above Ken as the Dov looked for potential threats to the city below. But aside from that previous group, which retreated to the west, the dragon could not find any other intruders near the city itself.
His ancient mind was also occupied with the current condition of his master and friend, for the Dovahkiin started to behave more like a true Dov than a mortal man.
The Dragonborn's Thu'um was on a different level on this day, a higher magnitude compared to a week ago when he was last summoned on Nirn, almost like the Dovahkiin soul was showing his true self to the entire world.
However, after sensing that his time in this world was near, the undead dragon decided to fly back towards the city and report to the Dovahkiin before he was sent back to his eternal prison inside the Soul Cairn.
Up the temple stairs, the healer finished his work on the female knight: "There, it's done." Thorson said after completing the procedure. "I do recommend you get washed up and also take some form of contraception for a few days."
Anton looked between the legs of his partner and noticed a white pool staining the blankets under her groin. "How do you feel, Ron? Did it hurt or anything?" A now relieved Anton asked his partner as he re-wrapped her again.
Rona shook her head. "No, not really... It just stung it a bit, but after that, it just felt warm."
"You should also take it easy for a few days," Thorson advised the female knight before turning towards her partner.
"Stay with Rona at all times during the night and be with her when she wakes up." the healer advised Anton, "The effect of the calming spell should allow her to sleep rather easily, but I can't predict how she will feel in the morning."
The healer then glanced towards the female knight, "Rona will need you after what she had to endure during her captivity."
"I feel fine, though." Rona protested after hearing the healer's advice. "And with Anton alive and well, I-I think… I can manage it." Rona informed the Nord before looking longingly toward her blonde partner.
The healer from Tamriel showed a faint smile after hearing the female knight's stubbornness. "Maybe so, but you are still currently under the influence of my calming spell." Thorson reminded Rona. "From experience, I can say that its effects can differ from person to person." The Nord explained, "But what is sure is that you need rest and a warm meal."
Those present with the Dragonborn suddenly heard many footsteps mixed with voices ascending the temple's stairs. Hearing this, the Dragonborn quickly stood up and took a defensive position in case this group had hostile intentions.
"Dragonborn!" Aurelian called out from the front of this group, "These people have come to assist me!"
Thorson's stance relaxed after hearing the knight, "Good." the Nord simply replied, "What about the situation down there? How are the people faring?"
"Well, things are a bit tense, but it's relatively peaceful at the moment; my men are still doing their assigned tasks within the city at this very moment," Aurelian informed the Dragonborn.
"However, after several families below heard that their lost loved ones were found within the dungeons, they offered to help me carry the remaining women back to the surface."
Thorson then saw a small group consisting of a few knights and Ken's citizens arriving at the top of the temple's stairs. "That's good to hear." the healer said before he heard several cries coming from within their group.
"Anton, my son. Y-You are safe!" Thorson heard a male voice calling out as a man who looked like an older Anton hugged the blonde knight while several other family members joined in.
While Anton's family celebrated their reunion, Aurelian approached the healer while several knights escorted the other families down the dungeons to assist them in carrying their loved ones to safety.
"Dragonborn, sir, we have found more female victims in the city who need immediate medical help." Aurelian further informed the Nord. "My men have positioned them at the base of the temple, and they are awaiting your arrival."
The healer gave the knight a single nod, "Alright... I'll head down and assist them at once." Thorson replied. "You make sure Caroline here gets some much-needed rest and be sure someone is with her when she wakes up."
Aurelian gave a quick salute before picking up the sleeping form of Caroline, "Will do, sir!"
The healer then turned towards the reunited family. "Sorry to interrupt this reunion," Thorson apologized to the family before addressing the blonde knight whom they now had surrounded: "Anton, can you carry Rona to safety?"
"Y-Yes, sir," the knight replied before looking at his parents. "Rona can stay with us for now, r-right?" Anton nervously asked his parents.
"Yes! Of course!" Anton's father immediately granted his son's request: "Rona's father was also worried to death after her kidnapping; I'm sure that Kris and his family will be relieved to hear about this!"
Thorson then gave the family his parting words: "Take good care of her, Anton. And if you have any questions or concerns, come find me."
The healer then placed his hand over his heart, "And may Lady Mara watch over you and your family." The healer finished with a few words of Mara's blessing for the reunited family in front of him.
Rona, Anton, and his family were unsure who this 'Lady Mara' was, but it didn't matter for the young couple as both Anton and Rona closed their eyes and gave the Dragonborn a thankful bow. After this, the reunited family escorted Rona to their home for some much-needed respite.
During this, Celestine silently took her position next to the healer after Caroline was carried away by Aurelian, "May her Benevolence bless you and Rona, and may you both find comfort in each other's arms in these dark times..." Thorson quietly prayed as he watched Anton's family descend the temple's stairs.
The elf could only smile at her savior, "Thank you for helping them." A now-grateful Celestine thanked the Dragonborn. "At least one family has been reunited…" Celestine commented before faintly smiling towards Thorson.
"Yes," the Nord simply said before looking towards the gathered crowd below. "But we still have a lot of work ahead of us." Thorson reminded the former queen, gesturing towards the plaza below them.
The man then took a few steps forward towards the temple's stairs. "Walk with me, Celestine." The man from Tamriel asked Celestine, "A healer's work is never done, and I could use your assistance."
Fires of hope began to burn bright again in Celestine's heart after hearing Thorson call out for her.
After centuries of senseless war against Olga Discordia and her recent enslavement. Now, Celestine felt some measure of hope for the future.
It also helped that Celestine was in the presence of an individual so closely linked to her ancient gods, the same ones that forgave her on this day and gave her a second chance in life. With this new sense of renewal, Celestine now felt her life had a purpose once again and was properly motivated to make amends for her past failures.
A part of the former queen felt she owed the people of Eostia a debt, not only towards her human subjects but also her own race, after centuries of war and negligence during her rule.
But there was also another part of the elf that sought to be with the man who made this all possible, this one exceptional individual whom Celestine first met in a vision from her forgotten gods and then saved her on the same day from a fate worse than death.
Whatever her real reasons were, the only thing Celestine felt at this very moment was a measure of safety with the man from Tamriel close to her.
And just as the healer began walking towards the stairs, Thorson suddenly felt Celestine's soft curves around his right arm as the elf tightly embraced him.
This sudden move caught the man off guard, but Thorson could not form a protest after he saw the elf smiling warmly at him.
"Yes, my 'silta aka'." Celestine beamed affectionately, "I'll help you in any way I can; it's the least I can do for my people." The elf finished, her voice showing the first signs of clear optimism and eagerness ever since the Dragonborn rescued her from that prison.
"And for you, 'Son of Auriel'…"
The Dragonborn healer momentarily closed his eyes after hearing Celestine's words: "Alright, but don't strain yourself." the healer within Thorson advised the elf. "However, if you are determined to help, then let's not waste any more time."
As both Man and Mer walked down the temple's stairs, the man felt those same pleasant and warm sensations from before after Celestine gave him a pet name in her elven language.
"First Elora, now Celestine..." Thorson's mind realized this before another part of him quickly pushed those kinds of feelings aside.
"No… I can't get distracted. Not while others are in dire need at this very moment…"
Both elves and humans at the base of the temple saw their liberator descend its stairs while Celestine clung tightly to his right arm. Many among them wondered what would happen when the pair stood before them again—what if their liberator protected the 'traitor queen'?
What could they then do? Attack them and risk getting blown away by the man's strange, but powerful voice? Would they even succeed? Would it even be worth it? Or perhaps this night showed them that things may change for the better after what their liberator did against Vult's men.
What many did understand after seeing the line of female rape victims near the temple is that they only had one group to blame for this: Vult and his Black Dogs.
They were the ones who caused them and their friends real suffering by kidnapping and raping their daughters, sisters, and partners while also indoctrinating their children to abandon their families and join Vult's group.
Whatever the elf they once worshiped had done on a single day paled in comparison with what the Black Dogs had done these past years...
However, their resentment against Celestine and her 'Shield Princess' did not fully dissipate from the citizens' minds, with some still blaming Celestine and her entourage for not ending the war much sooner, a war that cost so many lives and lasted for several centuries.
On the other side of the plaza, the Dark Elf Elora in turn became jealous after seeing the 'elven traitor' clinging tightly onto the man, whom she began to adore. However, a small part of the young elven mother felt some measure of relief after seeing a livelier Celestine finding some comfort in the presence of her savior.
Those past moments in which Elora heard the High Elf's cries of anguish and screaming showed the young Dark Elf that maybe her initial perception of Celestine may have been misjudged.
Especially if the ancestor god named Stendarr looked favorably towards the 'elven traitor'...
The tanned elf then realized that perhaps some parts of the oral stories that have been passed down for generations may have been exaggerated or just misunderstood.
Whatever the people inside Ken may think about Celestine or their liberator, all races on Eostia will have to eventually band together to drive out the darkness that has engulfed their entire nation.
Perhaps it takes one exceptional individual to unite these races towards a common goal, just like a certain historical and legendary figure did on Tamriel at the end of the second Era.
A man who also was Dragonborn...
Author's note: This chapter took some effort to write due to some 'sensitive' parts in this chapter, but I managed to complete this after all. Not sure how explicit I can make certain parts with FF-net current rules, but I've seen 'worst' from other stories on the site.
Again, I'm sorry I couldn't end the whole Ken part with this chapter as I promised in the previous chapter; the amount of details and world/character building took up a good chunk of this chapter. If I continued until we get to Tamriel, then we might have a chapter that's almost 15K to 17K words long. So, in order to keep it readable, I decided to split this chapter again. (word to myself, don't make such promises in the future…)
Many thanks to those who reviewed/favorite/followed/PM'ed me. It's good to see people liking this kind of story.
And I'll also try to post frequent status updates on my profile for future chapters for those who are impatient ;)
Note 1 (04/06/2023): Edited/updated chapter 6 (removing and correcting grammatical errors without changing story elements).
Note 2 (07/01/2024): Made some grammatical changes in this chapter (no changes made to the story itself)