Beta-Ed by KVeronicaP
...
The rest of the day was marked with an evening more frantic than Rialyn would have liked. If he thought Kor erratic before, the supposed revelation he had there only served to worsen his disposition. The ghoul guided Rialyn and Heleria over the ashen roads without paying any attention to his companions. Kor would mumble to himself to focus; at least, that was how Rialyn read it. The creature's mind had been a mystery with little point in understanding.
Heleria walked in front of Rialyn. The Dragonborn made sure to keep his distance this time. The dreadful memory of what occurred last night still swirled in his mind, creating a mental wall between them that Rialyn couldn't breach without feeling his entire body scorched.
"Are you sure it is the right place?" Heleria looked at Kor as she raised her hand slightly, trying to get the ghoul's attention with all possible methods.
"Yes, yes! The lord doesn't lie. My brothers don't lie! It's the holy place, I know, I know! The song gets louder. The voices ring. The gates of Oblivion are upon thee!" He shivered and spoke either more loudly or quietly with each word. Still, he was certain, and they had little choice but to see it through.
Rialyn took Sheogorath's small totem from his pocket and gazed at the trinket. There was little hope that Kor would be of any use or guide them safely through any traps. How ironic was it that, in the hour of need, Rialyn would look to Sheogorath as the "saner" alternative?
Heleria turned to Rialyn and said with a reassuring tone, "At least we're close." The Dragonborn sensed a shade of disbelief in her words. Heleria glanced over her shoulder, probably making sure that they weren't followed. The pure awe this broken land ignited in her eyes could not be overstated. The further they walked, the more ashen storms encircled them; this was a path of no return.
"Yes…" Rialyn responded quietly and let out a cough. Speaking of Inaaru might have liberated his mind, but only for a moment. Now he felt the weight of the anticipation. Would they find the sword inside? Would it ignite at the drop of Rialyn's blood? What if there was no truth to the tale at all? What if he was never the one? Was it all for nothing?
"Hey." Heleria swung towards him "If you're worried about what happened, then I've told you that I'm not angry. You don't have to stay far. We still have to talk somehow, don't we?" She attempted to lighten the mood.
"I'm being careful." Rialyn brushed her concern off. "We've come a long way, and I haven't thought about what comes next for a while now."
"As far as I know, Tel Vos is nearby. Maybe someone there will help us get back to Vivec," Heleria noted.
"It's not about that. People are still in disarray, and I need to bring them hope… What if the flame will not burn? What if the prophecy was never supposed to come to pass?" The Dark elf's mouth quivered as the he felt Heleria's sympathetic gaze .
"Does it matter that much?"
"People need this legend, need it to be true."
"And what do you need?" Heleria asked, bringing Rialyn at a loss for words "You're not excluded from 'people,'you know."
"Heh…" She still seemed to care, much to Rialyn's surprise and misunderstanding. He was a hero that had his ties with mortals long severed; perhaps he could never restore them. Nevertheless, she was the only one that wanted to know more about him, to make him happy. "I think, for now, I got something I wanted during our journey, and that is more than enough," he stated, unable to hide a faint smile. The High Elf brimmed with relief.
"I told you that having me is far from a bore." Heleria winked at him before looking at the road before them.
"Yes, yes, here lie the gates." Kor danced before the grey mountain. They had gone beyond the volcano now and had to walk among petrified magma covered by layers of ash. This was one of the smaller mounts that surrounded the heart of Vvardenfell, and the last path to the sanctum was to be found here. The cliffs overshadowed a lone metal doo, half of its gate broken and shattered, opening up the way into further darkness.
"Here we are." Rialyn took his mace and sighed. He remembered Sheogorath's words about Dwemer constructs in that place.
"Azura bless me…" Heleria said. Rialyn witnessed her stand in awe, unable to force herself to take another step. Rialyn approached her, held her hand with as much gentleness as he knew, wishing there was any warmth to be shared.
"We've come this far. Aren't going to stop now."
"Yes, of course. It's just… the scale of it all. I never believed any of the underground structures would stand a chance of survival in the face of a collapse. Haven't been so wrong for a long time now," she said quietly, still eyeing the gates before her. Kor's raspy voice abruptly cut the moment of silence.
"I know. I understand everything now. She comes, and then he comes… The lord comes, then and now, our tales converge the path will open, and all of us shall be free, as he promised!" He didn't hold back with sheer excitement in his voice. This was the first time Rialyn saw this ghoul so cheerful. What had he found?
"Let's just go." Heleria was eager to get it over with, and Rialyn was inclined to agree. The two walked through the metal gate into an ebony tunnel. Even the vampire lord could barely see anything in here.
"This might be useful." Rialyn ignited the spell of flame in his hand. As faint as it was, it made them see the pathway Before Rialyn walked forward, he heard Kor stepping behind them, following into the darkness.
"Are you coming with us?" Heleria said, surprised.
"Yes, the voices are strong here. The answer lies near, here to be claimed. And I will, I will!"
"I'll keep an eye on him," Rialyn said with distrust as the trio ventured deeper into the darkness.
The Dragonborn and Heleria stopped conversing, for their every word would echo through this doomed hall, bouncing swifter than lightning and making any inhabitants hear them. Kor was the only one mumbling, but even the ghoul grew quieter here. The deeper they would go, the more potent the echoes of steam pipes grew. Rialyn saw Dwemer technology on the walls, some of it still working for no purpose other than to continue on the cycle implanted in its system thousands of years ago. It wasn't unlike the ruins Rialyn traversed in Skyrim. The ancient race had left their mark on this world before disappearing into obscurity, not unlike a certain hero whose path Rialyn followed.
But this was far from the worst of it. Soon, Rialyn felt as if there were other sounds. The echoes would flow with the wind, forcing the Dragonborn to turn around in a desperate search for enemies. It wasn't the first place of eerie mystery and darkness that he visited. Rialyn much preferred the places where he would know what he's up against, no matter how strong.
"I'm not the only one hearing this, right?" Heleria whispered, and Rialyn nodded his head. Thousands of people died from the cataclysm and eruption. Who knew how many of them were left behind as specters or ghosts? Rialyn heard their whispers, but those were unintelligible. The Dragonborn was stricken by how similar this was to the phantoms he saw in his mind. How disfigured and tormented Inaaru came for his soul, begging and screaming for another chance, for freedom. It was the same chilling realization Rialyn went through now, but those have once been alive, two hundred years ago, and still they were in agony.
"No, no…" Kor spoke frantically as he shivered, unable to force himself to move. His hands were scratching his head violently, and the ghoul jumped and screeched amidst another outburst that made him jump and screech chaotically. Rialyn felt the specter's presence around him. The faint green glow was encircling the ghoul and a quiet breath blew amidst the wind. "Milvena, how, you're not here! No, no, NO! Get away, I belong to the lord now. Go, go…" He collapsed to his knees and crawled to the nearby wall, shaking and looking away from the void.
"Wait, please, calm down!" Heleria rushed to him, trying to bring him as much sense as possible. Kor trembled as the woman approached, hissing at Heleria like an unhinged serpent. "She is not here anymore. You have to let go! Just focus… I don't know who she is to you, but she would want you to carry on." She tried to calm him down, though a simple sympathetic tone wasn't enough anymore. Rialyn felt something piercing the ghoul's soul to its very essence, something that would make him burn in this agony while he choked on the tepid bog of horror. The Dragonborn did not want to force the ghoul into submission, nor did he feel any disdain. Just a fleeting sense of pity and a desire to move on. He approached Kor and looked down on him.
"This 'Milvena' of yours is dead. Dead and gone forever, but she may be watching. Do her a favor and do not force her to look at you at your most pathetic," he declared starkly, having Kor shout even louder than before. He jumped up while shivering, still clutching his head.
"Gone… SHE'S GONE! THEY'RE GONE! I'M GONE! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Kor cackled until there was little strength left in his lungs.
"You didn't have to be so rough," Heleria said with disapproval.
"We have to try out all options," the Dragonborn replied, watching Kor closely. The ghoul rushed further into the cavern, still shouting chaotically, yearning for something. The two had no time to discuss. They followed the ghoul, trying to be as careful as possible about walking into any traps. Kor continued to spout his drivel.
"Milvena, don't go! I'm here, I'm here, PLEASE! I brought brothers, my brothers, a happy family!" His voice took form, and Kor's emotions did not seem like those of a rabid animal anymore but of a grieving man who could not let go of the past. Was Milvena his wife? Daughter? There could be no irony more bitter than grief being the only trait that could keep Kor away from absolute insanity.
"Wait, we can help you!" Heleria yelled, each word making Rialyn more paranoid. What if someone heard it?
Kor brought the two into a wide golden room of Dwemer design. There was no pathway. Further, everything else had collapsed with naught but a few narrow tunnels remaining. One of them must lead into the cavern they were searching for. The room itself was littered with bones and ash that sprinkled the rusty walls. This place reeked of death, and Kor on his knees, screaming senselessly, was a perfect fit.
"I'll deal with him," Heleria said quietly, trying to hide her pain. It was difficult seeing a living creature suffer like this. Even Rialyn's stomach churned at sight.
"We've been through this already." The Dragonborn shook his head.
"Well, what do you want to do, then? Just leave him here?"
Before they continued, Kor stood up and looked at them. At first, Rialyn believed himself to be the target of his contemptuous gaze, but he quickly realized that Kor utterly ignored him. The ashghoul eyed Heleria.
"You! You!" The creature charged toward her with his claws in the open. "Die, DIE, DIE!" He would have clawed her heart out if given a chance. Rialyn was about to step in, but Heleria was quicker. A spell of ice pierced the ghoul, weakening his frail shell of a body and forcing him to the ground, He would not stand up, instead shuddering and weeping on the floor. What could spark such hatred? Rialyn did not know.
"And here I thought he couldn't fall any lower." The Dragonborn shook his head Heleria stared at their crumbling companion as a lone tear fell from her eye. The woman walked slowly, trying to show her care to the monster one last time.
"I'm sorry," she let out before kneeling in front of him. Rialyn would've commented on her repeating the same mistake, but he knew Heleria was prepared and had a backup plan. After all, if she wanted to show her genuine sympathy, Rialyn saw no point in stopping her. She held Kor's hand, making the ashghoul breathe heavily and calm down, if only slightly. He couldn't stop with his ramblings, but now they made some sense.
"Kor promised her a fortune… Protection and blessing for our lord Dagoth. She didn't know, didn't know! She called Kor a monster and rejected the gift Kor knew she would see the light, the holy light, like Kor did. She was so stubborn, so foolish! Kor has been telling her the truth, and she's been rejecting it, running in circles, circles, circles!" the monster spouted without end, but he sounded alive. The moments Rialyn expressed his deepest pain and emotions were that of grief and agony, and he understood like none other.
"I'm sorry it had to be this way…" Heleria sighed. "I won't presume to understand your pain, but as I've told you before, chasing ghosts won't do any good for you. Just… Listen. We can help you once we are done here. Just come with us and…"
The ghoul looked up, making making no noise or movement, except the occasional flinching. It was hard to make sense of this behavior, and Rialyn remained guarded.
"Go, go…" Kor spoke quietly. "What is there for Kor in that world? His world is no more. It has been gone for generations, nothing but his guidance and idols. Nothing. Nothing… Nothing." The resignation and weakness in his voice.
"You haven't seen what our world can offer. It is not perfect, but it's worth living in, I promise you."
"Heh, heh… Hahahahah. What can you offer Kor, then? Lies? Delusions?! I am who I am; you won't take it away, demon! I know your nature, your vile essence, you would not dare… Kor has them, has her. They speak, and they do not lie. I shall be free soon."
Rialyn's fears were proven correct before the conflict could escalate. The walls shifted, opening a pathway for the guardians that rested inside. A duo of Dwemer centurions emerged, blocking the path back. This ceased their quarrels, and their focus flashed to/darted to/shifted on the system that reacted to their presence.
"Get behind me!" the Dragonborn commanded as one machine prepared to attack Heleria with an electric blast. The Dragonborn unleashed his flame on the guardian, giving it a new target. Heleria hid behind Rialyn and prepared a spell of her own.
"Yes, I see now, ahaha!" Kor laughed from behind them while he ran to the wall. Were it not for Rialyn's knowledge of Dwemer centurions and how hard it was to control one he would have thought this was Kor's trap. It seemed much more likely that the ashghoul would welcome a demise like this. "The gates open, as the Lord foretold!"
Heleria's staff wavered, letting out a spell of water at the nearest centurion. The wave pushed the golden machine aside, allowing Rialyn to charge into the battle.
"Rialyn, careful!" Heleria shouted, but it was too late. The second sentinel struck Rialyn, forcing the Dragonborn to lose his balance and desperately resist falling. The shock was enough to disorient the Dragonborn, and he still had to fight the mechanical creature.
Rialyn blocked the strike of the nearest centurion. This time, the sentinel attacked with its metallic arms, and it was just as agonizing as the magical onslaught. Rialyn had a powerful weapon with him, but he needed to determine weak spots. These guardians were different from those he saw in Skyrim.
He couldn't persist, however, as the second machine March towards Heleria at a pace quicker than her spells He did not think; it was an instinct whose power matched his vampiric hunger. The Dragonborn jumped between the Altmer woman and the centurion, ready to protect his friend.
"FO KRAH DIIN!" A wave of frost emerged with Rialyn's voice, slowing the guardian down as icicles emerged on its metallic shell. This gave time for both of them to retreat toward the opposite side of the room with the tunnels. Rialyn spotted an opening in the centurion's body and pierced it with his mace. A few powerful hits were enough to break the sentinel's core and have it fall, utterly broken. "Are you hurt?" Rialyn asked as he examined Heleria's wounds.
"I'm alright… Thank you!" The woman sighed with relief before focusing on the other centurion. Rialyn had used up his power; other shouts would be incredibly agonizing on his throat. The Dragonborn prepared himself for a clash, and the sharp echo of Kor's voice pierced the room.
"The visions come true; Kor knew it!" the ashghoul shouted as he charged toward the centurion. He held nothing but an ancient totem in his hands, gazing at it as if it was a powerful weapon.
"What are you doing?" Heleria shouted with worry, only to be ignored by the lone ghoul. Kor distracted the machine and raised his relic up.
"Once all brothers have found their places, shall the Lord grant me ascension!" He screamed ecstatically, unable to handle the anticipation of this moment, whatever it was. Rialyn took the time to circle the machine and attempt to destroy it from behind. He didn't care what Kor wanted from this, but it could have been helpful. Rialyn saw Heleria strand towards Kor, still trying to understand.
"It will kill you. What are you doing?"
"Kor shall free himself from the world of lies that you offer, demon. You still have the chance to do the sa—"
The centurion sliced the ghoul's pale skin, and blood drenched its hands. The creature tossed the corpse aside into the pile of bones that rotted near the wall. Kor was no more, although Rialyn did not sense insanity or weakness in his last moments. Something told him that this was exactly what Kor's last sliver of sanity yearned for.
This was the end of his path, and Rialyn could not allow himself and Heleria to endure the same fate. He leaped at the machine from, thrusting his mace into its core. The strike was not nearly precise enough, alerting the sentinel. It threw the Dark elf away from its body towards the tunnel, most of which was drowned in water. Rialyn felt the sharp stones piercing the few of his open spots as the hit's power had shaken him. He soon realized that his resolve was not the only thing shaken.
The ashes and sand have been falling from the weak roof, ready to collapse at any moment. Heleria aimed a swelling healing spell at Rialyn, but it would never come to fruition. The sentinel unleashed another blast of arcane, this time landing between the two adventurers. A shock wave permeated the hall, annihilating the fragile bonds that still held it together.
"Rialyn!" Heleria's voice sprung. The stones above the Dragonborn freed, and there was no way to escape them. As Rialyn strode towards Heleria and the remaining centurion, the cataclysmic collapse blocks his way. Hundreds of boulders fell, bringing the roof down and pushing the Dragonborn aside, right into the chilling waters. What little light remained in that room was momentarily extinguished, and there was nothing but the flashing image of Heleria's horrified face before him. She was alone with their enemy, and the most primal terror pierced his heart, the same one he felt when he learned of Inaaru's fate.
"Heleria!" the Dunmer screamed before leaping up and charging towards the broken passage. The stones covered his way; there were so many that he could not even hear a single muffled sound of what transpired on the other. Heleria was still there, along with a mechanical centurion. She needed help. Rialyn's heart raced as the poisonous thought of losing her circled in his veins, making him lose all of his hope. He needed to act immediately. The dragon's voice was still weak, but Rialyn could try.
"FUS RO DAH!" He shouted as loudly as he could while his throat tore apart. The pebble fell to the floor before Rialyn, but the stones themselves did not budge. The unrelenting force could break through the strongest doors. The Dragonborn shuddered as he imagined how many stones there must be. The image of Heleria fighting an unstoppable foe swirled in his mind, prompting him to forget about his own pain and try once again.
"Fus ro dah" Another wave of Draconic energy formed, but this one was faint. When it reached the shattered passage, it could not make even the smallest stones fall. Rialyn felt the brunt of its power. He fell to his knees and coughed continuously. He could barely gasp for air. The Dragonborn felt his entire body crumble, yet his heart yearned for more.
"No… Please…" Tears threatened to fall from his eyes. He couldn't lose her after everything they had gone through. The droplets of water and the cold air that encircled him made the fire inside Rialyn burn brighter. He wanted to be free once again. "Fus ro dah…" He attempted to scream again but couldn't let out anything louder than a pathetic whimper. Another cough forced Rialyn to spit blood below him. There was no path back. The Dragonborn prayed to all the gods that had not turned away from him, be it Akatosh, Nocturnal, Hermaeus Mora, or another demon who held a claim to a shard of his soul. He always knew that prayer was nothing without action to supplement it. Despite the haunting dread, Rialyn forced himself to think. There were many tunnels in that room. They were likely interconnected. He may yet move to another one and figure out a way back to Heleria.
The Dragonborn looked at the ebony waters before him. It was akin to diving into the abyss. Rialyn's vampiric vision allowed him to detect the stone walls before he would collide into them, but little more. He had to be careful in those cold waters, and the Dunmer could not force himself to be careful when Heleria's life was at stake.
Eventually, a warmth at his side shocked to the vampire lord. What could he possibly find here to ease the chills that permeated his skin? After searching his pockets, Rialyn realized that the totem Sheogorath gave them had been glowing in a golden color, lighting the way and providing heat. Was it his blessing that helped the Dragonborn? Was he watching?
He couldn't waste it. Rialyn grabbed the and bathed the path forward in a golden light. He could finally see the longest; this was his best bet. The vampire lord swam as quickly as possible, praying that whatever he found on the other side would lead him back to Heleria.
When the Dragonborn found his way out, he was inside another cavern without a path to the hall. His heart skipped a beat at the thought of moving further away from Heleria. The totem aided him, but it still didn't show him the path to his friend.
"Focus…" Rialyn sighed and said to himself. Panicking would not save Heleria.
This room was slightly different; its walls were more in line with those in the hall with a design that vaguely resembled Dwemeric. A gate led deeper into the complex, although Rialyn was not sure whether he wanted to go there yet. This whole journey was his idea, chasing a dream that was implanted in him by Azura. The myth of Trueflame may have perished centuries ago. Heleria joined him for the sake of discovery and companionship. If she perished, then Rialyn would be at fault once again. Repeating the same mistakes that have eaten his soul out, this seemed to be his only fate.
Rialyn's musings were not destined to pan out for long. The clanking of rusty metal echoed in his ears. He looked behind him and saw three spheric centurions. A smaller variation which was just as dangerous as counterparts he saw before, they were tasked with guarding the gate, wherever it. There was no time to resist them, and Rialyn was growing tired.
One centurions attacked the Dragonborn with metallic arms, but Rialyn blocked this strike and unleashed the magical flame at its side. The centurion weakened, but the simple fire was not enough to destroy its schematics. Its allies attacked Rialyn with lightning energy, constantly forcing the Dragonborn to maneuver and rely on the dark magic to shield him.
Rialyn focused on picking out the weaker spots and striking them as swiftly as possible; it was the only way to force a centurion to fall. They were resilient, and almost nothing could their break. Another warrior, the one closest to Rialyn, opened itself up as it attempted to eliminate its opponent. Rialyn slashed its heart and shattered the ancient core. Two remained and worked in a union that was difficult to resist. An electrical charge on his skin, cau caused the vampire to shout in pain and recoil. Both machines attacked at the same time, cornering the Dragonborn. He was desperately searching for attempts to bring them down swiftly, but his thoughts of Heleria clouded his judgment.
Rialyn's salvation came unexpectedly; the moment he heard a piercing howl spread through the cavern, the Dunmer felt a familiar presence. Someone lurked in the shadow of the nearby tunnel, distracting centurions from their primary target. The werewolf's eyes gleamed in the shadow as the rabid creature ran towards the sentinels. This was the same werewolf that he fought in the village near Vivec. How was this possible? There was only one theory on his mind, but it provided more questions than answers.
The monster plunged its teeth into one robot's core. The execution was flawless, once again reminding Rialyn of this specimen's conscience. Before the werewolf could corner the last centurion, an electrical current stunned it. Rialyn rushed to help, attacking the sentinel from behind and pushing it to the ground. Its resistance was ferocious but no match to the powers of both Rialyn and the werewolf. Eventually, fire annihilated that core, and the last adversary fell.
The Dragonborn maintained his caution and looked at the werewolf. Its azure eyes channeled no hatred or hunger; it maintained full control over its desires.
"Who are you?" the Dragonborn demanded while eyeing the wolf. Its eyes were familiar somehow, as if he had looked at them before and not in the heat of battle. Its gaze radiated warmth and relief, some genuine care for Rialyn. Moments passed, and the creature still refused to attack, and then it became shockingly clear, although Rialyn struggled to understand and accept the revelation. "H…Heleria?"
The wolf's fur, claws, and teeth dissipated as the creature took a mortal form. Yellow skin and elven ears, along with white hair, created the figure of a familiar librarian mage, who seemed to have found her own way into the heart of those tunnels. Heleria looked at Rialyn with some shame and awkwardness, unwilling to explain.
"Mora take my soul… That was you?!" Rialyn approached her carefully. The relief of seeing Heleria alive and well diluted his shock, but the questions were pouring with unimaginable speed
"I… We all have skeletons in our closet, don't we?" She smiled sadly and walked towards him. Hearing her voice forced Rialyn back to reality, as his mind could finally view this creature as his friend that he had tried to save.
"It was you in the village then?" Rialyn thought back to moments of his past, including last night. He drank Heleria's blood, causing him to go mad and transform. He chalked it up to guilt and shame, but lycanthrope's blood would be a much stronger beverage for any vampire.
"Yes, I was taking a stroll… And, coincidentally, this was the day I guessed you were a vampire lord."
He didn't judge her at all. All he wanted to know was how did it get to be this way? Where could she have possibly obtained Hircine's gift?
"You can control it, right? I have met only a few with such capabilities, and they are far to the north," he claimed, remembering the trials of his companions.
"Please. I promise I'll explain everything, but later." Heleria shook her head. "This place can go down at any moment. I barely found a way here. Let's find the sword and do what we came here for."
Rialyn nodded. Finding themselves stranded inside this cavern was far from a perfect prospect. Luckily, Heleria seemed to have just the idea.The woman walked towards the half-broken door and peered inside the tunnel. Awe danced her face.
"That's… That's it! Look!" She called Rialyn, ready to witness the sanctum of Nerevar. "The cavern of the incarnate…It survived!" Heleria uttered with glee and excitement. The Dragonborn stood by her side and witnessed a narrow tunnel adjacent to the one they were in.
Amidst the stone walls, a majestic statue of Azura rose in its full glory, barely damaged by the cataclysms of the outside. She was in a form resembling a dark elf, looking over the cavern as its eternal guardian. The two travelers rushed to the podium at the center; even Rialyn felt excitement in his heart after realizing that they had finally made it. Atop the podium, there was a golden blade covered in dust, and the cave's ash, a striking resemblance to the one Rialyn saw in the books and heard of in legends.
"The Trueflame… It's really it!" Heleria was on the verge of jumping as every fiber of hers took joy in this discovery. Rialyn had seen his fair share of impressive blades, and perhaps this one would not be that different in other circumstances, but realizing the journey to find it made the blade look all the more grandiose. Memories of his purpose for coming here in the first place swayed Rialyn. He felt Heleria's gaze quickly shifting from admiring and excited to stark.
"Are you sure?" she asked one last time, looking over Rialyn and the golden Trueflame with concern.
"After we've gone that far, you are still asking?" Rialyn smirked before walking up to the podium and claiming the blade. Holding it in his hands felt surreal. Thoughts of this being a weapon of Nerevarine himself filled every second. And now he would finally get the truth that all the people of Vivec yearned for. Was he the reincarnation of the hero indeed? Rialyn wasn't sure which answer would relieve his heart.
"Just don't cut too deep." Heleria sighed. She stood beside Rialyn and put her hand on his shoulder, comforting the dark elf. Her warmth was enough for him to remember that whatever the answer was, this path was not for nothing, for he had found a companion and a dear friend, no matter all the secrets between them.
Rialyn made his cut. A crimson drop of cursed blood flew down the metal, coloring it red and making it look like it was quenching the hunger by slaying countless enemies. Even so, there was nothing. There was not a single spark or flame on it. Another drop pooled more color onto the blade's edge, and still nothing made it burn.
Rialyn expected this, although he did not wish to believe it. Azura's call was something that gave him meaning, a hope that something might rekindle his connection to the land of Morrowind and its people. Somehow, he wasn't as regretful as someone else in his position would be. The Dragonborn had not the slightest idea of what he would do now, but he wanted to breathe and look at the blade that was buried ages ago. If it survived the cataclysms perhaps there was hope for him and the Dunmer people, as well.
"How disappointing," Rialyn uttered and dropped the blade to the stone floor. He turned to Heleria to see her reaction, but she didn't seem to notice him. The woman had tears falling from her moist eyes, but they weren't of grief. "Are you alright?" Rialyn was ready to offer support, but she shook her head and kneeled. She picked the sword up, examining it with curiosity and a regretful smile on her face.
"And here I thought she might have had another idea…" Heleria examined the blade, gently putting it in her hands. Rialyn followed her movements closely, taken aback by the sudden change in her tone. This smile, this acceptance, Rialyn wanted to discern her feelings, and he rarely found himself so puzzled.
"What are you talking about?" the Dragonborn said with suspicion. Heleria gazed at him with unabashed pride.
"It is hard to explain, and I have not done so in generations." She spoke in riddles, toying with Rialyn's patience, but he trusted her to be honest with him. Rialyn's heart stung. He had noted that Heleria must have had some ulterior motives at the beginning of their journey, but after spending time with her, he was charmed and believed that she had only gone with him of purest care and curiosity. Seeing her covered in shadows of the cave and holding the blade in her hand, pondering on regrets Rialyn could not share, felt like being torn away from a dream.
"Do not toy with me," Rialyn said calmly yet sternly, holding his mace tightly "You are up to something. Why did you come here?" A shade of disdain emerged in his voice as the image of Heleria betraying him emerged in his mind. He didn't want to believe it, wanted tocling to the idea that she was his friend until the very end. One did not share stories like those in the cave with someone one planned to betray. The thought was inconceivable to Rialyn.
"Oh, I'm sorry if I startled you… I am not your enemy, and I wish that your blood was the answer." Heleria reassured him, and as genuine as her tone seemed, Rialyn could not force himself to let go of his guard just yet. "'This blade will remain in the sanctum for ages until it is called upon again, drenched with the blood of the Nerevarine… That is the legend and the truth, the agreement made between Azura and Nerevarine of the Third Era two hundred years ago." Heleria raised the Trueflame, inflicting a small wound upon herself, and watched her blood clot upon it. "The agreement between Azura and me."
Rialyn could do nothing but recoil, for the sword became ablaze with flames the second Heleria's blood touched it.