Elder Scroll series Renegade

The villagers looked awful as I quickly made my way up the Gold Road towards the city of Kvatch. They were covered in dirt and grime, more so than the normal grit some of these people wore daily, and most were crying or furious. I didn't stop to talk to them, not these people who looked as though they'd just seen hell. They wouldn't welcome questions from a stranger tonight. I pushed on, up the winding path I went until I saw a townsman running, no he was sprinting, towards me.  
"Run!" he screamed, "Run for your life!" I stepped into his path and clasped his shoulders,  
"What's happening? Is it the Mythic Dawn?" If it was those bastards I couldn't waste anymore time, they might have already killed Martin.  
"No, it's worse than anything you can imagine!" the man cried and I let out a small sigh of relief before his words registered in my mind. "Worse?"  
"A gate to Oblivion has appeared! By the Nine, they killed everyone 'cept a small handful who escaped and those who locked themselves in the Chapel-"  
"Martin? What of Martin?"  
"The priest? Dead most like. Savlian Matius will know!" the man wrenched free of my grip and continued sprinting down the road, screaming like a madman. I picked up my pace and continued up the path. As I got closer to Kvatch the air seemed to shift, it became hot and evil, if air could be such a thing. Someone had set up barriers made out of wooden logs sharpened to a point at the top of the path, battle cries echoed down. I ran believing that they could probably use some help. The city guards were engaging a handful of creatures I had never seen before. They were imp-like, small with large pointed ears and threw fireballs. Quickly I pulled the Dwarven claymore I'd taken as a reward from a sly Dunmar who had no more need of it, and joined the fray. Two of the imp-creatures charged at me, each trying to knock me off balance but the beauty of having a big sword with a long reach is that you can kill things without them getting too close to you. The first one I managed to get in the side, he recoiled crying out his pain. The second tried to skirt around but that only allowed me to back him up against the barrier ending our battle with impalement. I turned in time to see the first one, forgetting about his wound and charging straight for me. Narrowing my eyes in a glare that couldn't be seen under my helmet, I swung my trusty sword towards the creature's neck. He couldn't even let out a breath before his head was sailing through the air. I looked up towards the guards who had also finished their own fights and were heading back behind the barrier, I joined them.  
"Thank you, whoever you are, for your help." said an Imperial, "I am Savlian Matius, the Guard Captain, and as you can see Kvatch isn't open to visitors right now."  
"I'm looking for a priest named Martin." I told him, "The general consensus is that he's dead." Savlian ran an armored finger over his chin, "Martin you say...Last I saw him, he was leading people into the Chapel. Should still be there unless the Dremora managed to get in."  
"Thank the Nine." I breathed and turned to walk towards Kvatch, but Captain Savlian grabbed my arm.  
"Where do you think you're going? There's no way any of us are getting into Kvatch with that monstrosity in our way, why do you think we're still out here?!" I frowned and followed the direction in which he was pointing. Then I saw it. How did I not see it before? In front of Kvatch was a huge, fiery gate, no wonder the place felt so hot. The outer walls were black as night with grotesque thorns protruding from the top and bottom of the structure and in the middle, almost like an eye, was the portal itself. Savlian was right, there was no way around it.  
"I've already sent some men through to close it but they haven't returned. I can't afford to send any more, we're stretched thin here as is." he told me sadly but I didn't need anymore information or hints. I stared at the Oblivion Gate, my heart and stomach sinking. I really, really, really did not want to go in there. I hated the heat and the promise of otherworldly creatures trying to kill me wasn't all that appealing either, but there was no other option.  
"Fine." I agreed and began walking towards the gate, "If I die the world will end!"  
"Then don't die!" Savlian called back. I rolled my eyes at the ground, Savlian and Kvatch would owe me big time if I survived this. Swallowing what I was sure was the last of my saliva, I stepped through the portal and into Oblivion. Sweat drenched me instantly as I stood on dead ground surrounded by lava and fire. So, this was hell. I trudged forward silently cursing Jauffre for sending me on this ridiculous quest and Uriel Septim for getting himself killed. Stupid old fool. My heart broke as I remembered the old man who'd sprung me from prison and trusted me even though I had no idea why. Still, I promised him and I never broke a promise.

It seemed oddly quiet as I carefully picked my way through the rocks and roots that attacked me if I got too close - I was surprised the ground itself hadn't tried to kill me yet seeing as though everything else did. Movement up ahead made me freeze and crouch low, someone or something was fighting. I saw the flash of white from the Kvatch guard armor and didn't hesitate. I sprung from my hiding spot and ran over to help. The guard was being attacked by yet another strange creature. It's skin was tougher than the imp-creature's but eventually we killed it.  
"Th-thank you." the guard said breathlessly as he used his sword to stay upright. He looked exhausted, "After all the scamps and other clannfears, my arms are like stone." Scamps and clannfears...that's what they were called.  
"You were one of the men sent in by Savlian right?" I asked him, "I assume the others are dead."  
"You'd assume correct. I'm the last one." he said then straightened and pointed towards an ominous looking tower, "They took them to that tower. They kept Menien alive but the others are...are...strung out along the bridge. We can't go that way, but there's another way around."  
"We? There's no we. There's a me, I'm going to the tower." I told him, "You're going back to Savlian."  
"I can help!" he argued, "I'm a guard of Kvatch-"  
"And you've done plenty already. You're tired and if you keep going you only slow me down or die. Go where you're needed in case I fail." I interrupted him. The guard thought on my words before nodding and running back towards the gate, armor and mail jingling with each step. I crept on, killing anything that tried to kill me first. As the heat grew more stifling, my thoughts turned to the snow-capped land of my home. The howling wind as it blew through the mountains, the cold rain that fell from the heavens and the peaceful nights by the window looking out at the large moon. I longed for that now as I finally entered the tower. If I thought outside was hot, inside was worse. It was thick with stale, hot air. Ahead of me were two clannfears patrolling the room. After dispatching both as quickly and as quietly as possible, I moved to the next room. Onwards and upwards I went, sneaking around or killing anything in my way until I reached the most disturbingly disgusting place I had ever seen. I'd heard stories of hidden torture chambers in the castles back home, but they paled in comparison to the horror here. Men were strung, skinned, upside down by their feet over fire, men were flayed while they were still breathing. Others were kept in cages and too afraid to cry out anymore. Over the roar of the fire, I could hear someone shouting for help. Blinking the sweat out of my eyes, I moved towards it.  
"Help me! Please!" there was a man held in a cage in the middle of the room, he was stripped of any armor and weapons he'd had, beaten and bloody. In front of him stood a human-looking beast wearing black and red spiked armor. He must have been the jailer. Sticking to the shadows I slunk up behind him and, with all of my strength, I plunged my sword into his back. He growled, his voice deep and disjointed, and turned his head to glare down at me. His skin, like his armor, was black with a red pattern. It would have been pretty if he wasn't currently spitting blood and phlegm at me and making a grotesque expression. When I was sure he was dead, I kicked his body off my sword with my foot and went to the man in the cage.  
"Quickly, you have to close the gate!" he told me, I resisted the urge to make a smart comment and waited for him to continue, "You need to get to the top of the tower and shut down the Sigil Stone that's keeping the Gate open. The jailer you just killed has the key, take it and go."  
"Let me get you out first." I told him but he just shook his head,  
"No! Don't worry about me. Just go." he said. Arguing with old people was useless, they were as stubborn as the grumpiest bull, still I did as he said and took the key from the jailer and went to find this Sigil Stone. When I came to a large dark and foreboding door I suddenly had the urge to curse everything and run home to Skyrim. Let the people of Cyrodiil deal with it. But I willed myself to push on - I was a Nord and as a general rule we never ran from a fight. That was probably why there was a war going on between the Redoran and the Nords. Swallowing my fear I opened the door and immediately regretted it. I was set upon by the Oblivion version of a battle mage, however he was easy enough to dispatch. Up I went but this time I was faced with another one of the armor wearing beings I killed in the torture room. As we fought, I realized I had gotten lucky with the first one. These guys were tough. But finally, he stepped wrong and with a strong smack to the side he slipped off the edge of the narrow walkway and fell to his death. Once again I breathed a thank you to the Nine and managed to get to the top where a glowing ball I assumed to be the Sigil Stone was spinning and humming quietly radiating power. I edged closer to it, too afraid to look down and, squeezing my eyes shut and praying to Talos, I stole the Stone from it's place. The tower groaned and shook violently. Quickly I jumped backwards, pressing against the wall as hard as I could as the tower around me began to rock and crumble. No one told me about this! I never would come here if they'd said that once I closed the gate it would topple down and kill me! Suddenly the tower shook so violently I fell to the floor. Then, as if something had struck my head, my vision darkened and the tower shook no more.

When I awoke all I could see was shiny silver boots. I could hear voices talking to me but I couldn't quite make out what they were saying. Suddenly something was hoisting me to my feet and a face came into view. He was a man around his mid-40's and looked as though he'd seen too much death in his time. Still he looked familiar and relieved to see me. As his mouth moved, his words became clearer. "...Gods you're alive. I had feared the worst when the Gate closed leaving you on the ground. But you did it! And you've come back alive! That's incredible. But I fear we aren't finished here yet. There's more inside." he said. I blinked at him and slowly his words began making sense to me. I was alive. I had closed the Oblivion Gate and somehow returned alive. Something smooth and warm hummed quietly in my hand and I looked down to see the Sigil Stone I had stolen from atop the tower. Had it brought me back here?  
"I'm sorry to have to ask this of you, Nord, but will you help us kill the remaining Dremora behind the gate?" I turned and looked up at the big closed gates of Kvatch. Martin was in there. My job, and promise, was not yet finished. Taking a breath and bending down to pick up my sword I answered Savlian, "I don't know whether Martin is dead or alive, but I will kill anything that's in my way of getting to him."  
"I'll take that as a yes." Savlian said as he stood beside me, his sword drawn. He nodded to the soldier by the gate. It groaned as he pushed it open. I made a face as the smell of burnt wood and flesh, blood and other disgusting smells associated with death rushed out to meet us. Savlian Matius gave the order and we ran forward into the second hell I'd seen that day, screaming "For Kvatch!". Scamps and Clannfears roamed the roads that lead from the gate to a giant wall of debris. In the middle of that stood the Chapel of Akatosh and the second part of my mission. We lay waste to them without losing any of our small party, thankfully. And when the last Scamp let out a final blood-filled cry, the men rejoiced. I left them to their celebration and stalked towards the Chapel doors, dragging my heavy sword behind me. It took everything I had just to keep hold of the hilt as I leaned my weight onto the big doors, pushing one inwards. It echoed throughout the entire place, silencing the people inside in fear as they no doubt thought the Dremora had managed to break in. Relief washed over each face as they saw me, bloodied, sooty and breathless, leaning against the door instead. My eyes scanned the room looking for anyone resembling a priest. Members of the city guard stood at each door and the stairs down into the clergy living quarters. Civilians who couldn't make it out were all standing or kneeling near the alters. One priest stood amongst them, staring at me with wide eyes. Gathering my strength I pushed off the door and ambled over to him, my sword scraped noisily along the stone floor.  
"Are you Martin?" I asked him, my voice sounding hoarse and gruff. Internally I groaned at the sound. The priest frowned lightly and locked his hands together, "I am." My shoulders dropped and I let out a sigh of relief before grabbing the shoulder of his robe and started pulling him towards the door I'd just entered.  
"Great." I said, "You're coming with me." Martin fought back, pulling himself free of my weak hold, "I don't think so, stranger. These people need me."  
"Yeah, well I need you more. You're coming with me even if I have to knock you out and carry you." I told him harshly. Jauffre never said _I_ couldn't hurt him a little. Martin crossed his arms stubbornly, "Unless you can give me a very good reason as to why you are more important than these people, I'm afraid you're going to have to do just that. However, let me warn you that I am more than able to defend myself." I glowered at him, our confrontation had began to bring a crowd and I was getting some less than nice looks from the civilians I'd just helped save. Taking a breath, I decided on a new tactic. I jerked my head towards the staircase, "Let's talk then." Martin, to my pleasure, followed me down the stairs after reassuring the people of Kvatch that he would be okay and not to worry. When we were out of sight, I leaned my sword up against the wall and grabbed him by the collar of his robe, shoving him hard against the locked wooden door. "Yell and it will only result in their deaths, dear Priest." I warned him before taking off my helmet. Martin's eyes, so much like Uriel's, widened at my appearance. No doubt he hadn't expect someone as young as I was. Or a woman.  
"Now you shut up and listen to me. I was tasked with a very, very important mission and after coming here from Weynon Priory, having to fight all sorts of threats on the road and then having to kill strange creatures I'd never seen before, close the Oblivion Gate outside of this little shithole of a town by myself, then having to risk my life, again, to kill more of those things, suffice to say I am very tired and very pissed off. So testing my patience wouldn't be the wisest thing to do right now. The way I see it is you have two options; you agree to come with me to Weynon Priory peacefully and no one gets hurt. Or you don't, you try to fight back and I knock you out, kill anyone who tries to stop me and take you to Weynon Priory. Either way I win, although I would rather not have to unnecessarily kill these people especially since they have just been through hell, but I will if I have to. Make your choice."  
"Who are you?" he asked, "You're no native of Cyrodiil."  
"My name is Jaq and I'm a Nord of Skyrim. Make your choice, now." I warned him. I didn't have time for anymore of this. The appearance of an Oblivion Gate only signaled the beginning of the darkness to come if I didn't get Martin to Jauffre. Martin sighed and dropped his arms from mine, "I will go with you if you tell me what this mission of yours is and how I fit into it."  
"We don't have time for me to explain everything in detail, but I suppose all you really need to know is that the fate of the world now rests on your shoulders. The mission I was charged with came from the Emperor himself before he died. I was to find you and take you to a man named Jauffre."  
"The Emperor...Why me?" Martin asked. I let him go and picked up my sword, "Because, with his sons dead, you are the sole heir to the throne. You are Uriel Septim's son and you have to light the Dragon Fires and stop this madness before it can get any worse." Martin didn't say anything else so I took it as a sign of compliance and willed my body to walk back up the stairs into the main hall of the Chapel. Savlian Matius and his men had arrived at the Chapel and were discussing things with the other guards when he spied me trying to make an inconspicuous retreat out of the door.  
"Nord! You're still here." He called out drawing attention to me once more. I groaned, "Unfortunately."  
"Excellent." the Captain of the Guard said apparently not hearing my remark, "I have one more favor to ask of you." I turned and glared at him darkly, the last favour he'd asked resulted in me almost dying repeatedly. A favor I still hadn't recovered from. Whether he was flt out ignoring me or oblivious to my glare, Savlian continued on, "I've received word from the other guards that the Count is still in Kvatch Castle."  
"Let me guess," I muttered, "there's Dremora standing between you and him?"  
"Yes."  
"And you want my help to kill them and save the Count."  
"Yes." he said, "We are grateful for your help in closing the Gate and rescuing the civilians trapped here. Really, we are. But without the Count, Kvatch is lost. Every man able to wield a blade counts in this battle." I groaned again, more audibly than before, and leaned on the hilt of my sword. A good person could never deny a request for help and I had always thought myself as a good person. But my mission was for the good of the world and could not be delayed.  
"Do this and I will willingly go anywhere you require me to." Martin said. I hadn't realized he had joined us. I looked into his eyes and found that he was sincere in his blackmail. I sighed deeply and closed my eyes, I was going to regret this.  
"Alright. I'll help you." I said softly.  
"Thank you. Please, rest a moment first. We'll leave as soon as you're able." he said before turning and walking back to join his men. As if they had been waiting for his permission, my knees buckles and I slid down the wall to sit on the floor. Martin sat beside me at a reasonable distance. I thought about taking off my helmet again but decided it wasn't worth the effort just to put it back on. Instead I lay my sword across my lap and checked it for damage.  
"You're doing a great deed, you know." Martin said softly. I scoffed at the priest, "Helping men die is a great deed now?"  
"No, but helping them reclaim their home is."  
"They would have gone without me." I told him as I scrutinized a small crack in my blade. It would break if I wasn't careful, the armor of those Dremora was tougher than any I had ever seen. Perhaps finding another sword for this battle would be a good idea.  
"Then they would have all died." Martin said mysteriously as he stood. I glared at his back as he went to help some of the civilians pack their belongings. He already sounded like his father.

When I had rested a few minutes more I was ready to face the horde between the Chapel and the Castle. Reluctantly I had opted to take a steel claymore with me, giving my trusty Dwarven to Martin to hang onto until I was back.  
"Listen," I told Martin as he and the civilians were leaving, "if I don't come back, I want you to sell my sword. It should get you more than enough money to hire yourself some men to protect you and get you safely to Jauffre at Weynon Priory. No matter what happens, you must relight the Dragon Fires. Do you understand? You _have_ to." Martin nodded and gripped my forearm tightly, "You will return. I know you will."  
"I'm sorry about my behavior earlier." I told him honestly but he just smiled and shook his head.  
"No. You have risked much to find me, you should not have to apologize." he said, "Now go. We will talk more when you return." Martin faith was staggering, so much so it was almost as if I were talking to his father. With a nod, I left him and rejoined the Kvatch guard.  
"Ready?" Savlian asked me. I took one last deep breath and readied myself, "Ready." Once again, after crying "For Kvatch" our small group of soldiers pushed open the Chapel doors and rushed out into the broken town. Scamps and clannfears swarmed the city streets, charging and throwing fireballs. There were more than when we'd first entered the city and on the Oblivion plane I'd entered itself. It was almost like an army. My arms felt heavy as I swung the unfamiliar sword about, hacking and chopping at anything trying to attack me. We Nords were known to be formidable warriors and I had been taught to fight since I was a small child. Back then a short sword was the most I could handle, a long sword being taller and heavier than me. But I had built up my strength and excelled in two-handed weaponry. It had just felt more natural to me than using a sword and shield and I hadn't had much skill with magic. The most I could do was conjure a fire balls to shoot and heal myself, though I would tire quickly so I rarely used it.  
Scamps and clannfears fell around me and soon we had a clear path to the gate separating us from the Castle. We ran for it, not wasting any time to mourn the dead. But upon reaching the gate, Savlian discovered that it was locked. Of course it was locked. And once again it was up to me to go and retrieve the key and open the gates. Thankfully the man I was looking for was still in the Chapel.  
"What do you want?" he asked gruffly eyeing me up and down. My patience was gone and I had no time to deal with this grumpy old man.  
"We need the key. Captain Savlian Matius' orders." I told him and held out my hand expectantly. The man scoffed coldly, "Do you know who I am, Nord? I am Berich Inian."  
"Is that supposed to mean something to me?" I asked snidely. Berich glowered at my remark.  
"I'm not going to give you the damned key. I may be old but I can still fight, damn it." he growled. I rolled my eyes not caring to argue with the senile fool. Just as we were descending the stairs, three Imperial Legion troopers entered the now abandoned Chapel and offered their assistance after seeing the smoke from the Gold Road. Remembering what Savlian had told me earlier about every man with a sword, I told them to follow me and the old goat. Berich unlocked the doors that led into the Chapel Undercroft. As the locks clicked over and he reached for the handle, I heard a clattering coming from the other side.  
"Shh." I said hastily and clamped my hand on Berich's wrist, "Wait."  
"What?" One of the troopers asked. I held my hand up to silence them and leaned closer to the door. There was no mistaking it, something was on the other side.  
"Draw your weapons." I told them taking a step back and bringing the big sword over my shoulder, "Get ready...Now!" With my order, Berich opened the door wide revealing six daedra; four scamps and two flame atronachs. Four of us with swords ran forward, leaving the archer behind us. I lost sight of Berich as the two flame atronachs surrounded me. My sword wasn't the best weapon to use against them, however fighting fire with fire wouldn't work in this particular circumstance. I had, somehow, managed to destroy one but as I stepped back away from the other, I tripped over the corpse of a scamp and lost my footing. Stumbling backwards, I caught the edge of an alter to steady myself. Sensing my unbalance, the atronach shot a ball of fire towards me. I dived sideways to avoid it but I was too slow and the fire burned my side. I cried out as the heated metal scalded my flesh. In a flash, a trooper was in front of me defending against the atronach. _Perhaps a shield isn't so stupid after all_, my subconscious glared at me. When the fiery woman was destroyed, the trooper, the archer to be precise, helped me to my feet.  
"Are you okay?" he asked curiously. He was tall, taller than the others, with eyes as blue as the sea. He was a might deal younger than the rest of them as well, although with a man as old as Berich that wasn't difficult. I nodded; my side stung badly but would be fine with some salve. Until then, however, pain could wait.  
"You fight well with a sword." I commented as we rejoined the other three. He smiled at the stone floor, "Not nearly as good as you, but I make up for that with a bow."  
"You're a Nord, aren't you?" I asked him. It wasn't uncommon to find a tall Imperial, but this man was a Nord. I could tell by the colour of his eyes. Again he smiled, "It's nice to see a friendly face in this place."  
"Let's keep moving." Berich ordered gruffly thus ending our conversation. However I was glad I was fighting with another of my people. It almost made me less homesick.  
Outside the Chapel was almost as bad as what I had faced with Savlian moments ago. Scamps and clannfears roamed the streets, though they weren't as many as before. It was beginning to be difficult to raise my sword, and the burn on my side made my movements sluggish. We lost one of the Imperial Legion troopers to a scamp, sending his friend into an fury-filled frenzy. The archer stayed on the Chapel steps, shooting daedra as they came for us. I stayed with him as a defense in order to pay him back for saving me. As the scamps and clannfears started to retreat, the swordsman let out a yell of excitement.  
"Ha! See that?! We got them running scared!" He whooped. I narrowed my eyes, a sick feeling rising in my stomach. I walked forward to join Berich and the trooper, the Nordic archer following closely behind, and stared in the direction of the retreating daedra.  
"Something's not right..." I said, "They don't just run away."  
"Who cares?! We won!" the trooper exclaimed.  
"He's right." Berich said, "We should hurry." Both he and the trooper turned to continue on to the tower. After another few seconds, I half turned to join them but movement in the smoke caused me to freeze, my heart pounding and dread rising within me.  
"What is it?" the archer asked catching my distress.  
"No..." I whispered, "Grab your weapons." The smoke swirled ominously around the dark, spiked armor.  
"What?" the archer asked again still not understanding. My fist clenched around the hilt of my sword. Black and red spiked armor, a sharp jagged sword resembling a claymore and a fear-inspiring presence stepped fully out of the smoke, the scamps and clannfears that had retreated following in his wake.  
"GRAB YOUR WEAPONS!" I screamed at Berich and the trooper who had thought they had won.  
"What the hell is that?!" the archer demanded as he stood beside me. The arrow he'd just loosed bounced harmlessly of the armor.  
"Akatosh save us, it's a Kynval!" Berich swore as he too readied his sword. I didn't know whether it was the fatigue or not, but this Kynval looked taller, stronger and much more dangerous than the ones I had faced before.  
"You two take the others." Berich ordered the two remaining Imperial Legion troopers, "You and I will take him." I nodded hoping that the old goat lived up to his boasts. On his signal, an earth-shattering roar, the four of us charged forward. As if sensing our decision, the handful of scamps and clannfears went straight for the two troopers, leaving Berich and I at the mercy of the Kynval. Our swords collided and I was nearly thrown back from the ricochet. Steel scraped against steel, sparking and screeching. With a burst of insane strength, the Kynval pushed me back and swung high, aiming for my head. I ducked and rolled out of the way. Berich took the chance to strike at the Kynval's unprotected side. He jabbed and for a moment the world moved in slow motion. The tip of his sword hit black and red armor, shattering the short sword instantly. Berich let out a gargled yelp as a nasty, jagged edge sunk deep into his side, the force sending him flying over into a pile of burned timber. He was dead on impact, I could tell. My arms cried in protest as I lifted my sword again but exhaustion and injury made me much, much slower than before and I was completely on the defensive. It took everything I had just to deflect the heavy blows from the dremora. Sweat blinded me and I stumbled backwards, catching my own feet. His sword glanced my helmet, knocking it off entirely and I thought, dumbstruck, that that could have easily been my head. My breath caught, this was it. After everything, I was finally going to be killed. _At least Martin is alive and knows what he must do._ I thought as I gazed up at the creature with his massive sword raised, ready to silence me forever.  
But he didn't. He stood, his sword high over his head poised in position to kill me, unmoving. I felt his heated glare on my through his helmet, yet he still didn't move. I stared at him wondering what had made him stop when a low, deep bellowing sound echoed around us. Time started moving again and the Kynval seemed to remember himself. I swallowed dryly and waited for death. But, with what seemed like one final glare, he sheathed his sword on his back and disappeared into this smoke where he had appeared from. I stayed on the ground too shocked to move. A Dremora Kynval had refused to kill me. The same Kynval that had hacked up Berich Inian and thrown him away without a second thought. Did that mean I simply wasn't worth killing? I hadn't been seen as a large enough threat? As these thoughts filled my mind, I was vaguely aware of someone lifting me to my feet. Blue eyes framed by blood and soot and dirt peered curiously into my own.  
"Are you hurt?" he asked me. I shook my head, my sense returning to me, and looked around at the carnage. Dremora lay dead along with Berich Inian and two Imperial Legion troopers. Only the archer and I remained breathing...just. Gathering myself and the last of my strength, I retrieved the key off Berich's body and headed towards the tower with the archer.

I had all but forgotten the Kynval by the time we entered the tower. It was completely destroyed on the inside, the soldiers had barred what doors they could and set large fires along the walkways.  
"They really didn't want anything to get in." the archer said while we ran, "It hard to believe people actually survived this."  
"It's hard to believe we're surviving this." I added, "I would have been dead in the Chapel if it wasn't for you."  
"You can thank me when we get out of here alive." he said lightly. I smiled despite the horror we were in and unlocked the door leading up out of the tower tunnel. We emerged between two set of gates. On one side stood the Chapel, Savlian Matius and the small handful of guards Kvatch had. On the other was Kvatch Castle and two dozen scamps, clannfears and flame atronachs. Suffice to say, this was going to be one hell of a fight.  
"Hurry, get the gate open!" Savlian ordered us, "Where's Berich?"  
"He fell." I told him as the archer ran up to the winch that opened both gates. Savlian didn't say anything. He, like the rest of us, would leave grieving until the job was finished. Taking several deep breaths, I pushed all other thoughts out of my mind. I ignored the pain in my limbs, the stinging on my side and the burning in my lungs. I could rest later. I wasn't going to die here. I _couldn't_ die here. I had a promise yet unfilled; the very reason why I was here.  
The gate opened. Time stopped. Scamps, clannfears and mortals alike stared at each other. Savlian roared out and time started. Swords sung out against hard flesh. Arrows shot through the air. The heat rose as flame flashed by our faces. Warriors fell from both sides, never to rise again. Soon we were too many against a handful of dremora. And then that low, bellowing sound rang out once more. Savlian yelled for us to reform as more enemies ran out from nowhere and with them the Kynval from before. I stared at him, completely forgetting what was going on around me until something hard crashed into my stomach, winding my and knocking me down. I scrambled backwards, trying to regain my breath and find my sword, as the clannfear advanced on me slowly. Tears ran down my face as my hand found a rock. I clutched it and raised it high to bring it down onto the clannfear's armored head. It crouched low, ready to jump on me. As it lurched forward a black boot with a blood red pattern crunched down on top of it, killing it instantly. I looked up through sweaty hair and tears. The Kynval towered over me, his sword hanging limply by his side.  
"W-why?" I choked out just as someone yelled out "Nord" The Kynval stepped backwards allowing an arrow to sail harmlessly past him and bounce off a nearby wall, and threw his massive sword. It sunk into the Kvatch archer's chest, pinning him to the pillar behind him. My eyes widened at the scene. He had just mercilessly impaled a soldier while letting me live, even saving my life. After a few more tense seconds where I wondered if he was just going to kill me with his bare hands, the Kynval turned abruptly and left through the same portal that had allowed his entrance. I scrambled to my feet, picked up my sword and ambled over to where Savlian Matius and two other solders, the Imperial Legion archer included, stood breathing heavily and thanking the gods they had lived.  
"C'mon men. We're not done yet!" Savlian was saying as I joined them. This time I didn't groan or complain. I was too exhausted, mentally and physically to waste energy on unnecessary things. Instead I silently followed Savlian and the others into the Castle. Two scamps patrolled the great hall, one at the far end and the other near the entrance, which Savlian made quick work of. The archer took out a flame atronach that was hidden behind a pillar as we advanced. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Savlian stopped our part and turned to me once more.  
"I know you're tired but-"  
"I know." I told him as I pushed past the three men, "Hold the hall." I climbed the stairs without a look behind and wandered quietly down the hallway. It was hot again from the fires burning inside the stone walls. I entertained myself with thoughts of sitting down to a nice roast dinner completely with glazed vegetables and a pint of ale, followed by a lovely long sleep in a real bed. At this point I didn't care how much I'd have to play for dinner and a room as long as I got one. Even with my fantasy, I reached the Count's private quarters without too much trouble. But upon stepping inside I was met with the foul stench of seared flesh and voided bowls, ruining my vision of delicious roast meat and gravy. The Count was dead. He'd been dead a few hours from the look of him too. Feeling as though I shouldn't go back empty handed, just in case Savlian Matius thought I had given up and come back without trying to find the Count, I took the ring from his hand and put it in my pocket before leaving to rejoin with the others.  
"Where's the Count? Why have you returned alone?" Savlian asked angrily as I descended the stairs. The remaining Kvatch guard stood by the door, his sword drawn in case of any attack. The archer sat on the ledge of an indoor garden bed, hugging his bow to his chest. He looked up when Savlian spoke.  
"The Count's dead." I said fishing the ring out of my pocket, "I'm sorry." Savlian snatched the ring from me and studied closely.  
"Didn't run into any trouble, did you?" the archer asked softly. I shook my head, "It's all empty. Seems as though the only ones in here where the ones we killed."  
"That's strange." he said mirroring my thoughts. Savlian Matius let out a ragged breath and dropped the ring into his own pocket, "This is indeed terrible news. However, I'm glad you managed to bring the ring back. Kvatch is won, let us return." My heart soared, we were finally finished! I could rest at last! My joy, however, was very short lived as we opened the large, heavy doors of the castle. Fire consumed the sole remaining Kvatch guard besides Savlian himself. The courtyard was filled once again with dremora.  
"Son of a-" I growled as I ran, drawing my sword, into the middle of a group of scamps. Didn't these bastards have any consideration? I became filled with anger from being denied rest, and so swung my sword around messily. Hacking at anything in my way. I don't know how many scamps and clannfears I cut down but reality crashed upon me when my sword clattered noisily against something solid. I stepped backwards; black and red armor stood before me. I hesitated, wondering whether or not this Kynval was going to attack. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something fly towards me. I pivoted, forgetting momentarily about the Kynval before me and raised my sword ready to block whatever else was attacking me. The fireball broke against my sword, heating the metal and sending embers in all directions. I closed my eyes, shielding them from the tiny sparks of fire then realized how stupid that was. Being blind made me vulnerable, especially when there was a huge Dremora Kynval standing beside me. However when I opened my eyes, that huge Dremora Kynval had his fist tightly around the scamp's neck. The scamp's head hung at an unnatural angle, his body limp in the air. The Kynval dropped the scamp and then stood on his head, spraying blood and brain all over the ground, like when you squeeze a grape. Bile rose in my throat at the sight and I willed myself not to be sick. After scraping his boot on the ground to get off any...bits...the Kynval took two steps and towered over me again.  
"You killed him for me, didn't you?" I asked. The Kynval didn't respond, but I didn't think he would. His silence, however, spoke volumes. "Why? Why would you do that for me?" I continued, "Why didn't you kill me?"  
"Unable-" he said, his voice deep and disjointed.  
"Nord!" I looked over in the direction of the yelling. The archer had the Kynval in his sights, thinking I was in danger, and loosed. My body moved on it's own and suddenly an unbelievable pain coursed through my body from my shoulder. Something warm and sticky soaked through the clothes I wore beneath my armor. The archer's face contorted into a horrified expression as I fell backwards against something hard and cold. Suddenly I was looking up at the sky as thunder roared. Before the sky had been red and angry but now only grey storm clouds blanketed it. I watched as a fat rain drop fell and landed on my forehead. The pit-a-pat tinging of rain drops falling onto metallic armor erupted in the courtyard and a spiked helmet blocked out my view of the sky. It took me a moment to realize the Kynval was actually cradling me. Suddenly he looked up at something, the archer I assumed.  
"Don't kill him." I said softly causing the Kynval to look back to me, "He thought I was in danger." After a moment the Kynval nodded once understanding what I had said. The low, bellowing sound called out once more ordering a retreat. At first it was like he hadn't heard it, but on the second call I realized he was just ignoring it.  
"You should go." I told him as the remaining dremora hurried back to the portal, "They're calling you." The Kynval nodded again and after helping me to sit up, picked up the mace he'd brought with him and walked over to the portal. Rain soaked me; cool, gentle rain washing away the dirt and blood from my hair and face. My body had finally stopped working, I couldn't move my legs and the only thing I could feel was the sharp ache in my shoulder that radiated through my body every time I tried to move and the searing pain on my side. I let out a small cry as I tried to sit forward more. I didn't know what happened to Savlian Matius or the Imperial Legion archer and I hoped they had made it out alive. Close to me lay the dead body of a Kvatch guard, I recognized him to be the one who I'd sent back through the Gate. I didn't even know his name. Staring into his lifeless eyes I decided it would probably just be easier to lay back down in the rain and wait for someone to come and find me, hopefully I wouldn't have bled to death by then.  
"Foolish mortal." The voice made me jump, pain instantly making me hiss out my pain through gritted teeth. I looked up from the corpse; black and red spiked armor loomed over me again.  
"I'm beginning to see a pattern forming here." I muttered to him as he dropped to one knee beside me, "You aren't supposed to be here." He didn't replied, instead he pushed me against his knee, wrapped an arm around my shoulders and grasped the shaft of the arrow with his other hand. I knew what he was going to do. Sucking in a deep breath, I put my arm around his neck and gripped one of the spikes on his shoulder. He didn't ask me if I was ready, he didn't count down from three. He just ripped the arrow out of my shoulder and threw it away. I screamed in agony, tears streaming down my cheeks and mixing with the rain. I had never felt anything as painful as having an arrow ripped out of my shoulder. I squeezed my eyes shut and willed the pain to go away, but it wouldn't. The Kynval shifted and suddenly I was being hoisted into the air. I opened my eyes and saw the Chapel getting closer. Not only was he carrying me, he was carrying me back to the encampment where people hated and wanted to kill him all because I would bleed out and die if he didn't. What, in Arkay's name, was this creature?

"You shouldn't have come back." I said as we descended down the winding path, "I'm sure Dagon isn't going to be happy with you." The Kynval didn't respond as he walked. But by then we were just outside the encampment and I could hear Savlian Matius yelling - well at least he'd survived.  
"We needed you two hours ago?! What took you so damn long?!" He was standing, armorless, in front of a squadron of Imperial Legion soldiers, but even though he was wearing civilian clothes he didn't look any less commanding.  
"Dremora!" one of the soldiers cried when they saw us. The air was filled with screaming and the clattering of shields and swords.  
"Wait!" I cried although my voice was weak from exhaustion and blood loss, "Stand down!"  
"Do as she says you fools!" Savlian ordered upon hearing my voice. He turned on his heel, frowning as people clamored around us.  
"Murderer!" one woman yelled.  
"Bastard!" an elderly man growled as he spat at the Kynval's feet. Anger rose within me but I didn't have the strength to fight them.  
"Enough, all of you." the voice calmed the crowd instantly. Martin stepped pushed through the crowd, "I knew you would survive." he said standing front of us. It was then he saw my wound, "You're hurt. Quickly."  
"Jaq!" another cried and all of a sudden the Imperial Legion archer was by Martin's side, "Give her to me." The Kynval straightened, lifting me higher and obviously not wanting to give me to anyone.  
"It's okay." I told him. My vision was beginning to turn dark, "Whatever happens, please don't kill anyone." The Kynval made a noise akin to a snort and reluctantly let the archer take me from his arms.  
"What of him, sir?" one of the soldiers asked Savlian. Savlian Matius' face was hard and cold, I knew he hated the Dremora but even he had to admit that this one was different for some reason. He had willingly brought me here despite the fact that everyone would want to kill him, after all.  
"Strip him of his armor and any weapons he has, put him in irons and take him to the tent next to mine." Savlian ordered.  
"No one is to touch him," I growled hoping my voice sounded as scary and strong as I needed it to be, "Else they will have to deal with me." Martin and the archer took me to a healer before I could make sure my orders were heard. As I lay on the bedroll, the sweet smell of herbs and scented candles wafting around me, I thought about what would happen next. I doubted the Kynval would be allowed back into Mehrunes Dagon's welcoming embrace after saving my life so many times, so what would become of him? Would he be sentenced to death or forced to remain here? I found myself not minding the possibility of have a Dremora Kynval around as sweet darkness enveloped me.


End file.

Elder Scroll series, Adventure, Romance