Book 2.
Prologue:-
Location:-Broken Tower
Redoubt.
Date:- 2E 584 Evening Star Middas 15th
The statue of Molag Bal
stood motionless in the darkness of the cavern, the torches that once
illuminated the cavern now extinguished due to the lack of oxygen. A
low audible hum could be heard coming the statue as power radiated
from it. Scattered around the cavern was desiccated bodies broken and
twisted, some still held weapons in their hands from where they fell.
Rubble and loose stones
started to tumble down a heap at one end of the cavern. A hand
appeared in a hole and withdrew. Light from the other side of the
rubble heap poured through the small hole. Voices could be heard
muffled and talking.
“I think we are
through.” a male voice said “Pass me the torch.”
"Make the hole
bigger." another male voice said this time in a thick heavy
accent common to the khajiit.
"Wait help me up I
will send a light orb in so we can see the whole room." a female
voice spoke up above the two male voices.
The sound of scrabbling
could be heard with a few grunts of effort, then a stave was pushed
through the hole and a small globe of light left the end of it and
floated up to the ceiling of the cavern illuminating the whole cavern
in a eerie blue light. Molag Bal's statue stood as an imposing and
horrific sight that dominated the view, a shocked gasp came from the
hole in the rubble as a pair of eyes took in the scene of the cavern.
"What is it?"
one of the male voices said with concern.
"I think we have
found the chamber our employer wanted to find, its exactly like he
described it." the female voice answered "The statue is
still intact which means our job is going to be easier."
"I don't like this we
should pray to Stendarr before we go any further." one of the
male voices said.
“Pray all you like
Casper, just do it while we move this stone heap so we can get in and
paid.” the other male voice said which had a roughness to its edge.
“Enough are we not the
Undaunted?” a male with a heavy Alik'r accent spoke up for the
first time.
The gap in the rubble pile
started to expand along with the grunts and groans as the small group
started to clear enough of it to get into the cavern beyond. After a
few hours the gap had turned into a large hole which discharged four
shadowy figures. One of the figures held aloft a staff and spoke a
few words, fire sparks flew from the staff and danced around the
cavern walls igniting the torches that hung in their holders bringing
them back to life once more. As the flames settled on the torches
their light showed the features of the four figures that had entered
the cavern which housed the statue of Molag Bal.
Standing at the entrance
to the cavern was a tall khajiit wearing leather armour and sporting
two swords strapped to his back, in one ear he had gold rings and a
gold nose ring also. His fur had a mottled pattern to it and shining
green eyes looked around the room in a cold calculating movement. To
his left stood a large orc wearing platemail armour and sporting a
two handed hammer that when placed end first on the ground stood as
tall as the orc. His face was a miss match of skin and scars with one
ear missing completely. To the right of the Khajiit stood a smaller
man of bosmer origins he wore a mixture of cloth and leather and held
a bow in his left hand, small bones were tied into his long brown
hair. On the bosmer's right stood a woman of imperial descent she was
dressed in a long robe and held a staff in her right hand, over her
shoulder was a satchel filled with paper and books. Her hair was long
and golden like corn with green eyes outlined with black eye liner. A
redguard stepped forward in front of her with a sword and shield
ready for action as he scanned the scene before them, brown dangerous
eyes looked around the room his hair was tied up in corn rolls. His
metal armour shone in the torch light as he moved further into the
cavern and gave one of the dead bodies a kick.
“Get the rubbing of the
runes and find the journal.” the redguard said over his shoulder
“And lets get out of here. Zo'Grob head back to the fort entrance
and keep watch there make sure no one follows us in to cut off our
escape.” he addressed the large orc.
With a nod and a grunt the
large orc known as Zo'Grob left the cavern and headed back to the
main entrance to the fort.
“This one will stay here
by the entrance, Rik'Sea doesn't like like this place.” the khajiit
said as he leant against the wall and shrouded himself in shadows.
“Fine I guess its down
to me and Casper to find the journal and get the rubbing of the runes
from the statue.” the imperial woman said as she looked at the
redguard and walked over to the imposing statue of Molag Bal.
She stood looking at the
runes that were engraved on the statue and noticed how they repeated
themselves as they rose up on each leg. Slowly she ran her fingers
over them caressing the statues leg as she would a lovers leg. A wave
of built up magicka energy exploded outward in a pulse of purple
light which sent the imperial woman flying backwards to land a few
feet away on her back. The redguard immediately went into a defensive
position with his weapon and shield ready, while Rik'Sea could be
heard drawing his two swords ready for action his green eyes scanning
the cavern for any sign of movement. Casper ran over to help the
imperial woman back to her feet.
“Are you all right
Amesia?” he said as he helped her back to her feet.
“A little shaken that is
all.” she said as she dusted herself off “Relax Torlin.” she
said looking at the redguard “It was just a build up of magicka
energy, and I just happened to give it a path to discharge down. If I
had been ready for it none of you would of noticed.”
“Next time Amesia warn
us you are going to do something like that.” Rik'Sea said as he put
his swords back into their scabbards.
“You wouldn't understand
half of what Casper or I do if I explained everything.” Amesia
replied in annoyance as she pulled out some tracing paper and started
to work on taking the rubbing of the runes.
Casper continued his
search for the book a torch held aloft as he moved around the cavern,
the sound of Amesia's rubbing could be heard now as she worked on the
statue. The lights flickered as a breeze blew through the cavern
along with a low moaning sound. Everyone in the cavern stopped what
they was doing and looked around waiting for the dead to rise. Those
few moments seemed to stretch into eternity. Amesia let out a sigh of
relief when nothing moved and realised she had been holding her
breath. She went back to rubbing the paper to get an imprint of the
daedra runes.
“Found the journal.”
Casper shouted in excitement as he held the book up for all to see.
He walked over to where Amesia worked on the runes that adorned the
statue. He held the book out so she could place it into her satchel.
She took the journal from the bosmer and placed it into her bag, red
warm liquid covered her hands and face as she looked back up to
Casper a fountain of blood erupted from his mouth as a rusty sword
exited his chest. Amesia screamed clutching the rubbing’s and
satchel to her chest as she ran over to Torlin who was once again in
a defensive position ready to fight. The dead bodies started to stir
from their slumber as skeletal hands searched for discarded weapons.
Moans and creaking bones echoed around the cavern as the dead rose
up. Amesia looked up at the statue of Molag Bal and noticed its eyes
now glowed a cold blue as a malevolent laugh emanated from its stony
form.
“Time to leave.”
Torlin said as he backed up to the entrance pushing Amesia behind him
“Rik'Sea scout our way out.”
A shadow fled past him as
the khajiit ran down the corridor towards the entrance.
“Amesia follow Rik'Sea,
I will hold them off here.” Torlin said as he stood in the small
opening to the cavern.
“No you will need help
here.” Amesia argued.
“Don't argue woman, get
out now.” Torlin shouted at her as he received a blow from one of
the undead on his shield and responded with a over head chop with his
curved sword.
Amesia ran down the
corridor to the stairway that lead back up to the ground floor and to
freedom, behind her she could hear the sound of battle as Torlin held
back the tide of undead giving her and the remaining companions a
chance of escape. Ahead of her she saw Rik'Sea defending himself from
three undead skeletons as they tried to kill him. His swords flashed
faster than the eye could follow as he danced amongst them with ease,
he flashed in and out of shadows in a reflexive nature which gave him
the edge in combat. Amesia held out her staff and muttered a few
words as she approached his position and let fly shards of crystal
that exploded on contact showering the undead and smashing their dry
bones to dust.
Amesia ran past him and
bounded up the stairs, Rik'Sea looked back down the corridor hoping
to see Torlin following. In the dim light he could see blue glowing
eyes approaching and realised Torlin would not be following as the
first skeleton entered the pools of light. A figure dressed in ragged
red robes could be seen at the back of the undead horde driving it
forwards, by its side could be seen the miss shapen head of Torlin as
he limped forwards. Rik'Sea ran up the stairs to gain a height
advantage and prepared to hold the stairway.
Amesia got to the entrance
to the fort and saw Zo'Grob ready with his weapon confusion on his
face as the sound of combat echoed through the fort.
“What's going on?” he
grunted as Amesia ran up to him.
“Undead are attacking,
Torlin tried to hold them back. Rik'Sea is right behind me.” Amesia
said gasping for air.
“No he isn't.” Zo'Grob
said “Looks like the kitty bought it, never liked him anyway. Get
to the horses I will hold them at the doors here.”
Amesia nodded and ran out
to where the horses were tied up and started to untie them. Zo'Grob
fought at the doorway using its narrow aperture and his large weapon
to his advantage to buy Amesia time to get their two horses ready for
the escape.
She mounted her horse and
pulled he reigns of Zo'Grob's horse over to where he held the
doorway. To give him time to mount the beast she let loose a barrage
of lighting at the undead and then summoned a wall of ice to block
the doorway. Zo'Grob mounted his horse and they both urged the horses
into a gallop. The ice that blocked the door was already starting to
melt as the red robed skeleton summoned flames from the other side.
A few hours passed and the
two survivors slowed their horses to a walking pace so they could catch their
breath.
“You have the items we
need?” Zo'Grob shouted as they rode along the road to Rorikstead.
“Yeah.” Amesia shouted
as she looked back over her shoulder at the orc that followed her. He
gave her a grin and a wink knowing now they would still get paid. His
eyes went wide in shock as his grin turned into a visage of shock. He
dropped his hammer as an arrow exited his head through his right eye.
Amesia screamed as more arrows clattered around her from the undead
that had not given up the chase. She realised also that the undead
did not need rest or sleep, she gave a silent prayer to what ever god
was listening in the hope to reach Rorikstead before death caught
her and added her to the undead ranks.
