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The Road to Ruin	By : pirouette Category: +A through F > Elder Scrolls - Oblivion Views: 2483 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I neither own nor am affiliated with Bethesda or TES:Oblivion, and am making no money from this fic.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
The
Road to Ruin, Chapter Ten: Immobilized

The gate guard who let us
back into the Temple began to cry behind his helmet when I returned with less
than one fifth of the force I had set out with that morning. Those who had
remained behind to guard our stronghold mobbed Baurus with questions of Jauffre
and Steffan and Cyrus, then fell silent as they drew the truth from the lines
around his eyes. I gave a brief speech, more of a prayer, really�falling back
on my old habits as a priest in times of loss. To me, the words felt empty, but
they seemed to soothe my poor Blades. Burd's men unpacked the provisions, and I
sent everyone off to the barracks, ordering them to relax. Forbidding them from
the Great Hall�all the parts for the spell were complete, and I wanted no
intrusions to mar its casting.
All I needed now was my
Hero.
Burd had insisted upon
carrying her to the Temple, and I
had reluctantly agreed after I realized just how loudly my back and arms
clamored for respite. He followed behind me, cradling her like a child, as
Baurus did much the same with the Great Sigil Stone. The Blades kept staring at
them both, wondering that something so plain could be worth the death of their
comrades, and worrying about their mer. Everyone had
seen her snap at me. I could only hope their loyalty would prevent the word
from spreading to those who had not witnessed it for themselves.
She had come to about
halfway up the path and clung to Burd silently, with her eyes shut and her head
resting against his chest. Awake, but still not there. He helped me and
Baurus get her comfortable in the Great Hall, and then retired to the Temple
walls with his men to stand watch.
�Countess' orders,� he'd
told the night guard. �You're to drink wine and be with your own tonight.�
It was exactly what they
needed, and I reminded myself to thank the Countess for it later. The Blades
were not used to losing so many of their numbers at a time. And without a clear
leader, there was no one to tell Burd no, in any case. I wondered if I would be
expected to promote someone; without Jauffre, I was feeling rather lost. His
presence had given me a legitimacy I did not feel on my own. I was not ready to
rule. But I had no choice.
Suddenly I realized how
Caleigh must feel every time she looked into a Gate. It made me want to pull
her to me, but she was sitting by the fire on the pallet we'd made her, curled
in on herself in the center of the dark runes I'd put down weeks ago. The sight
filled me with a horrible sense of foreboding.
Baurus poured us all glasses
of wine. I sipped mine and watched him coax the glass into her hand patiently.
He did not seem as bothered by her vacancy as I was,
which gave me hope that this was a side-effect of going through a Gate. Nothing unusual. Nothing that was actually
my fault. The wine warmed my skin, but it didn't make me stop thinking
about Jauffre, or the expression on Caleigh's face when she looked down at what
was left of Cyrus. More for me to add to the pile of corpses
that had collected in the wake of my steps since Kvatch. Since Sanguine. I ran my hands through my hair and wondered
if the Amulet were worth it. If I were worth it.
Dagon
in Tamriel.
No. There was nothing else I
could have done. Baurus offered me another glass of wine, and I downed it.
Caleigh did the same with hers, and soon the three of us had collapsed together
in front of the fire. I wanted to reach out and pull her to me, but I was
afraid that she would recoil as she had on the battlefield. Baurus, on the
other hand, was staunchly avoiding comforting her because of my presence. I
made short work of that through pointed glances, and when he finally threw his
arms around her, she clung to him as though she were drowning.
I helped myself to another
glass of wine�a new bottle, how proud Jauffre would be of us all�and let
him comfort her. He got her speaking again, finally, but we were on our third
bottle of wine before she'd meet my eyes. When I saw her look at me, my heart
caught in my throat, and I prepared myself for blame and anger. It was only
fair, after all.
To my surprise, she smiled.
The tight coldness that had seized my chest unwound violently, and I sighed in
relief and watched her settle against Baurus more comfortably. I followed her
example and moved to rest beside them, letting their warmth draw out the rest
of the pain and the death left over from battle. She smiled at me again, eyes
hazy with wine, but behind the alcohol she was there again at last. But
still I was afraid to touch her. We'd gotten no less terrible at apologies
since our first fights on the road to this accursed Temple.
The look she gave me turned
suddenly calculating. I watched in shock as she took Baurus by surprise,
shoving him over against the blankets and pressing her mouth to his. Her hands
had him by the wrists so he could neither push her away nor pull her closer,
but she was pressed against him from hips to lips. I supposed that I should be
horrified. I supposed that I should be jealous. Instead, I found myself
enjoying the sight. After everything we had been through together, it seemed
only natural.
She gave him a chance to
breathe, the sound of which echoed harshly in the room.
�Do me a favor,� she purred,
running her tongue along his cheek before shifting off of him.
�Yes?� he panted.
�Pass that on to Martin.
I've always wondered what you two looked like while I was away.�
He didn't need to be told
twice. I was pushed over in the exact fashion she had taken him, and his lips
pressed against mine needily. He tasted of wine, literally intoxicating, and I
groaned into his kiss as he snaked his fingers into my hair. His mouth did not
linger long against my own: soon he was nipping at my neck. I allowed him to
bite me hard, not caring that there would likely be marks on me tomorrow. But
when his hand began to slide under my shirt, fingers splaying across my
stomach, I dragged his attention back to my face by whispering into his ear.
�Do you want us both?�
He swallowed and nodded at
me faintly. I grinned and glanced sideways at Caleigh, who was watching us
suspiciously, eyes merry for the first time in months.
�Help me take her.�
We reached for her together,
but she sprang easily to her feet, laughing. The gown rustled as she stepped
out of our reach, and as we clambered gracelessly to our feet to pursue her,
she vaulted a dining table. Each of us was grinning like fools as we tried to
corner her and bring her under our control. It proved to be an almost
impossible feat, for she was far too quick, and our reflexes were hazy with
wine. We spent minutes chasing one another round the room, giggling and making
an incredible amount of noise, but no one stormed in. Either
they were all being loud and drunk themselves, or my Blades were that
faithful to my orders.
It was the gown that proved
to be her undoing. I managed to catch the hem of it underfoot as she was
running from me, and grabbed her arms as she was hauled to a stop by silk and
velvet. She struggled in my arms, still laughing, but I had her firmly by the wrists,
elevated behind her head to make it difficult for her to break free. As I held
her still, Baurus closed in.
�Try licking her neck,� I
offered, and he did so with the air of a man who could not quite believe his
luck. As his tongue slid against her skin she groaned loudly. He pressed her
into me insistently, and I held her still as he did the same to her neck as he
had to mine. Tomorrow we would match. He dropped his head to nuzzle at the bare
skin of her breasts, and I licked at her ear, chuckling at how harsh her
breathing was already.
�Do you like this?� I
murmured, biting her shoulder.
She whimpered. Baurus had
slid a hand down the neck of her gown and was teasing one of her nipples with
his fingers.
�I think we can call that a
yes,� he growled, kissing her again. They slammed back against me, and I
staggered slightly.
�I've wanted you both since
I realized Baurus was watching us in the Library,� she gasped. I grinned and
kissed her shoulder happily.
�I've always wondered how
you knew,� he replied, and must have punctuated the words with a flick of her
nipple, because she groaned and shivered against me.
�Do you have any idea how
loudly you breathe?� she panted, and I began to laugh.
He growled again and cut her
off with another kiss. I took a risk and let her hands go, and she wrapped her
arms around his neck and returned his attentions ferociously. Excellent. That freed me up to work at the laces on her
gown. As soon as I'd undone the fastenings, Baurus hauled on it at the
shoulders and stripped it off of her. I slid my hands to her hips and planted a
small line of kisses along her back.
�Why don't you do the same
for Baurus?� I suggested. Her fingers were at his shirt before I had finished
speaking. It was thrown aside carelessly, and she and I gazed hungrily at the
chest of a man in the prime of a military life. I had never considered myself
slender, or particularly weak, but there was no longer a doubt in my mind that
Baurus could completely dominate me if he wanted. I fell
victim to a series of shiver-inducing mental images at that thought.
Caleigh was dragging her
nails along his stomach and nipping at his neck. I slid a hand forward between
her legs and was not surprised to encounter wetness there. She groaned in
response to my touch and raised her face to receive another kiss from Baurus. I
timed it so that my fingers entered her just as his tongue parted her lips, and
she groaned and writhed between us. I felt the cloth of his trousers brush
against the back of my hand as he pressed into her more closely�he was hard,
and exuding an incredible amount of warmth. I thought again of all those nights
he had spent holding Caleigh while I had not, and
suddenly realized how foolish I had been to be jealous. What a horrible
situation to have put him in.
I brought my lips to her ear
and whispered a delicious series of things she could do to Baurus if she
wished. She broke away from his kiss and tilted her head to lick at my ear,
grabbing him by the belt and pulling him closer. He gasped and looked at me
with wide eyes when she began working at the buckle, and I reached out to
caress his cheek.
�We owe you,� I murmured,
and Caleigh shoved him backward until he was sitting on one of the dining hall
benches. I eased my fingers from her only long enough for us to all resituate.
She fell to her knees before him, removing his trousers deftly, and looking
back over her shoulder at me. I pulled her hips up and worked my fingers back
into her smoothly. She gave me a hazy smile before turning her attentions back
on Baurus. When she slid him between her lips, he moaned and tossed his head
back. His hand reached out and twined in her hair, pulling her further down his
shaft.
The two of them looked
absolutely beautiful together, and I watched his face raptly, remembering for
myself just how wonderful her mouth could feel. I sensed myself falling back on
old habits: timing my fingers to make them both groan in unison, altering their
pace to suit my purposes. But this felt different from the encounters I'd had
as Sanguine's chosen, just as being with Caleigh in
the beginning had felt different. I was sure I should probably feel guilty. I
leaned over and kissed her on the hip, glancing up at Baurus as I did so. He
was watching me.
�Martin,� he began, voice
choked, and I grinned at him, pleased that he had finally managed to call me by
my first name.
�Yes, sir?�
I thought I heard Caleigh give a muffled giggle.
�Please, I'd like to watch
you both again.�
Caleigh looked back at me
and grinned. �I think we can arrange that, can't we?�
I gave her hip another kiss
and moved to step out of my trousers and remove my shirt. Baurus sighed in
relief and slumped back against the table, propping himself against the worn
wood with his elbows. She took him back into her mouth, and he made a low
throaty growling sound I remembered from all the times we'd stolen kisses in
the stables. When I entered her, all three of us groaned, and the sound
partnered with all the wine in my system was enough to make me feel as though
my mind had shut down. Baurus was watching our faces raptly, which seemed to be
affecting Caleigh just as much as it was me. She was tightening around me, and
there was an edge to her breathing that I recognized.
I thrust into her more
forcefully, and she braced herself against the bench. She was close. I slid a
hand between her legs and rubbed, giving her the extra sensation she needed to
slip over the brink. The sound she made as she clutched at Baurus for support
made him smile at me. I winked and slowed all three of us back down. As
Caleigh's coordination returned, she was able to focus more effectively on
Baurus, and soon he was gripping her shoulders, eyes shut tightly. I thought
back to the night in the Library and remembered how his eyes had glazed over as
I'd spoken to Caleigh.
�Is she as good as you
imagined?�
�Better,� he gasped, eyes
still closed.
�Tell me, how long have you
wanted her to do that to you?�
He groaned and didn't reply.
Caleigh giggled again, so I spanked her into silence.
�How
long.�
�Since we
worked together in the Imperial City.� His eyes came open, and he gazed at me hazily. �Do you
have any idea how good she looks soaking wet?�
I thought about the river,
and the water tracing thin trails down into the small of her back. The first
time she smiled at me. I felt for a moment as though I might cry, but
thankfully Baurus had reached his limit, and his climax distracted me from the
odd sense of foreboding that had overtaken the moment. He sat there panting for
a moment, and then rose unsteadily and moved to my side, kissing and biting at
my neck and shoulders. His fingers ran against my back, through my hair, his
tongue along my jawline. Caleigh fell to her elbows against the floor, looking
back over her shoulder to watch us kiss.
Both of their eyes on me was too much. I collapsed against her with a groan, coming
with a violence that only a heavy alcoholic haze can allow, and the three of us
sank to the floor. Caleigh arranged the two of us to her liking, one on either
side of her, and we drifted pleasantly, allowing the coolness of the floor
against our skin to bring our minds out of their haze. Physically we were
relaxed, and I even felt somewhat refreshed, but I could tell by the looks in
their eyes that we were all already thinking about the dark runes in the center
of the room.
I sighed, and they looked at
me expectantly. Caleigh grabbed my hand and gave it a gentle kiss.
�Do you want to sleep before
I open the portal?�
She shook her head. �I'm
ready. Where's my armor?�
Baurus frowned. �I think you
need more rest.�
Tears suddenly filled her
eyes. �No. I need to keep my promise to Jauffre and the Emperor.�
Neither of us thought it
wise to push the issue. Baurus rose and re-dressed, heading off to get
Caleigh's things. I stepped back into my trousers as Caleigh left for the
armory, where the items for the spell had been taken. She was completely naked,
but there was no point in stopping her�The Blades had far more important things
on their minds tonight.
She returned before he did,
clutching the Xarxes and the items for the spell. I bade her place them on the
table beside me. When she reached to set the staff down, her eyes glazed and
began to flick from side to side as though she were sleeping. It called forth
unpleasant visions from my past, and for one moment she became a Breton girl
with dark hair, clutching the staff of Sanguine, not of Sheogorath.
He was talking to her. By
the Nine, he was actually talking to her! I felt a chill in the pit of
my stomach. She shouldn't have been able to understand him. Had I really
damaged her so completely?
Personally, I would be
more worried about the fact that he has spoken to you. I looked down at the
Mysterium Xarxes�Mankar Camoran�with contempt. Within hours the book
would be broken, and I would be free of its taunts.
Her eyes refocused suddenly,
and she gasped. I took the staff from her, trying desperately to make the
motion seem nonchalant. My vision was briefly filled by the sight of Daedric
eyes, and I heard her mutter the words �Niben
Bay� before Sheogorath's voice
filled my consciousness.
Now
what have I told you about taking things from my girl?
I could feel him sifting
around in my mind, but was too tired to prevent it. The Xarxes was one
thing, but fighting off a Daedric Lord took more than I had left within me.
Ah, yes. You're
Sanguine's old plaything. Odd taste, that one.
�Martin?� said a voice. A woman's voice. Dark hair and merry eyes, but that didn't
seem quite right.
Such an
impressive fall from his graces. How many did you take down with
you?
�Martin?� The voice was
tinged with worry, echoing in my memory and through the hall. Sheogorath forced
his way further into my past, and I saw their faces again.
�No,� I gasped, but I could
not drop the staff.
You're responsible for a
lot of people dying, lad. I'm surprised Dagon hates you. Seems rather
counterproductive, considering how much you two have in common.
I seethed, and felt his
laughter in my bones.
Take the staff, then. Use
it. After all, your plans always work so well!
My vision cleared, and I
found myself on the floor, with Caleigh hovering beside me in a panic, eyes
wide.
It'll bring her to me
faster this way, anyhow. I'm thanking you now, because I won't be able to when
she enters my servi�
I let go of the staff with a
howl and a fling. It clattered against the floor, bouncing several times, and
then skidded underneath a nearby table. It took me a full three seconds to realize
I was sobbing. I threw my arms around her and held her tightly, trying to force
back the memories Sheogorath had summoned. Trying not to dwell upon what he
meant when he said he wouldn't be able to thank me.
Baurus returned then.
Caleigh and I both pretended we were not shaken for his sake, and he was polite
enough to pretend to believe us. He helped Caleigh dress in a shirt and trousers, then began to buckle her into her armor. I hurried
around the room, setting the Welkynd and Sigil Stones into place within the
runes with a word of power. They hovered in the air and began to pulse, filling
the room with a hum of energy. Next, I took a scraping from a dark stain on the
armor of Tiber Septim�the blood of a God, to be mixed with the blood of a
Daedra. Both power and sacrifice were needed to open the portal.
By the time the spell was
ready to begin, Caleigh was re-equipped. Baurus casually handed her several
healing potions, and I tried not to feel sick to my stomach when she admitted
that she had forgotten to put any in her pack. I explained to her that Mankar
Camoran would know she was coming, but was not brave enough to add that our
loss of the element of surprise was my fault.
�You're going to have to
kill him to come back,� I added, staring at the runes at our feet.
She smiled. �As though I need an excuse.�
I paused. �Caleigh?
I, ah. I wouldn't eat him.�
Thankfully, she found my
concern amusing. �I hadn't planned on it. He deserves no such honor. Besides,
I'm not even sure he's still mer.� She stared at the Xarxes musingly for
a moment, then added, �I don't want to get sick.�
Something about the way she
said it bothered me.
�Are you ready?�
She nodded and moved to
where I indicated she should stand. I took the calcinator containing the blood
of my ancestor in one hand and picked up the staff with my other. I braced
myself for another Daedric onslaught, but the weapon remained silent. Moving to
the center of the runes on the floor, I began to recite the spell I had
memorized all those months ago. In the back of my head, the Xarxes
laughed at me, but I ignored it.
The calcinator burst into
flames, and as I continued speaking, the staff began to disintegrate. I felt
them being pulled away into the center of the room, where a great power was
coalescing. What I did not expect was the terrible wrenching feeling in my
chest that started as soon as the portal began to open�though I should have,
considering I had bound myself to the book. Great, dark claws sprang from the
floor, and the runes I'd written so loathingly began to glow white as the
portal tore open. Caleigh, who had been standing stoically during the casting,
began to tremble as she saw just how similar the portal looked to a Gate.
�Go, now!� I shouted, sure
that I was about to be torn apart. She stared at me wildly.
�Caleigh!
Go!� She heard the pain in my voice and bolted through just as I could bear it
no longer. The portal snapped shut behind her with a wail of energy, and Baurus
and I were left alone in the Great Hall.
Minutes passed in silence as
we stared at the charred ruins of the floor. Finally, I spoke, and was
horrified by how dull my voice sounded. �Go get one of the Bruma Guards. We
need to send a message ahead to the Imperial
City.�
�Sir?�
�What.�
�You may want to put a shirt
on first.� Baurus gave me a wan smile, and I smacked my palm to my forehead.
�I am going mad.� I
regretted my word choice as soon as I spoke. Baurus tossed me my shirt, and I
pulled it over my head as he left to retrieve one of the guards from the
battlements. When they returned, I was hastily scribbling a note to Chancellor
Ocato, telling him to be ready for my coronation and the ceremony to relight
the Dragonfires. I sealed it, handed it to the guard.
Began to pace. I had no idea
how long she would be gone. How she would be coming back. If
she would be coming back. Baurus sat near the fire, staring at the
char mark on the floor with a furrowed brow.
�She's coming back,� he said
at last, and I whirled on him.
�How do you know?�
He shrugged. �She survived
Oblivion. You think she can't survive a place called Paradise?
Now come on.� He rose and beckoned to me. �Come on.�
�What are we doing?�
�Getting
you into clothing that suits your station, sir.�
I followed him with a sigh.
He took me through the barracks�the Blades were all asleep in drunken tangles
on their pallets, wine bottles scattered across the floor�and into my room. He
moved for the chest I had made a point never to open since I'd arrived. Within
it rested the Emperor's regalia.
�Come on,� he sighed again,
draping the rich purple velvet and fur across my bed. He handed me a fine white
shirt, and I grudgingly gave him the one I'd had on.
�The
trousers, too.� He held a new pair of those in his hand, too, made of
black cloth.
It was time. I knew it, but
I also knew that the instant I donned those robes everything would change. No
longer would I be able to wait in the stables or eat at the same table as my
protectors. As soon as�if�no, as soon as Caleigh returned with the
Amulet, my life would change forever. And the robe Baurus was holding in his
hands was the herald of that.
I moved to take the clothes
from him, then shook my head. �No. I can't do this.�
He raised an eyebrow at me,
and I elaborated. �I can't�as soon as I put this on, everything changes.�
�Technically, everything
changed when Caleigh and I watched the Mythic Dawn cut down your father.�
I kept forgetting they had
known one another for that long. �But I can't have either of you. Once I am the
Emperor, all of this is over.�
He nodded.
�So why should I?� I
snarled. �Why should I do this? I was happier as a priest!� Though
if I had remained a priest, I wouldn't have been able to have either of them,
either.
�Because
if you don't, people will die.� He echoed my words to Caleigh
intentionally, and after a moment I began to laugh, but there was no humor in
it.
�Very well, Blade. Hand your
Emperor his trousers.�
He helped me finish dressing
in silence and returned with me to the Great Hall to wait for Caleigh. The
robes felt strangely heavy after three years in the simple cut of a priest's
garments. It struck me as appropriate that I should feel weighed down�I was no
longer Martin. I could no longer make decisions solely for my own gain, no
matter how deep my instincts as a former Daedra worshiper ran. Instead, I must
do my best to ensure that my people remained safe. My life was no longer my
own, a fact which every inch of that fur-and-velvet monstrosity screamed in
reminder. Jauffre's death had filled me with a desire to make him proud. Of course. Perfect timing.
No. It would show that I
cared. I needed to make their deaths worth something. I needed to make all
their sacrifices worth something.
We'd been waiting for her
for most of the night before I chose to break our silence.
�Baurus,� I said, and tried
not to chuckle as I jolted him out of his reverie.
�Yes, my Lord?�
Ah, so we had started with
that. �I have a favor to ask of you.�
�Anything,
sir.� He looked at me earnestly.
�Take care of Caleigh for
me.�
His face clouded over. �Do
you know something we don't?�
�No.� I pushed Sheogorath's
last words out of my head. �Just, in case�in case I can't keep the two of you
close to me when I am officially Emperor. Make sure she stays safe.�
�Of
course. Wherever she goes, I will follow.� We clasped hands, and I felt
much better.
�Unless, of course, she
keeps getting sent through crazy portals,� he muttered, scuffing at the charred
runes on the floor.
I leapt to my feet as
Caleigh tumbled out of mid-air as if on cue, landing on her feet through an
incredible twist of agility, and bringing with her a cloud of dust and rubble.
Baurus coughed and took several steps back. On the table, the Mysterium
Xarxes burst into flame for one brief moment, and I felt a wrenching
sensation in my chest as it left me. When she saw me, she gave a triumphant shout, eyes truly alight for the first time in months. In
her hand glistened something large and red.
The
Amulet. Thank Akatosh, she actually had the Amulet.
Her eyes widened when the
presence of the robes sank in. She fell to her knees before me, out of breath,
and I felt waves of magicka radiate from her�she had been in a fight moments
before returning.
�Is Mankar Camoran dead?�
She grinned up at me. �And his children. Again.�
Baurus and I both blinked
and were about to ask her to elaborate when she thrust her hand out.
�Put it on. Prove to
yourself once and for all that you're our Emperor.�
I sighed and stroked her
cheek. �I've believed you since Kvatch.�
She stood, and I bowed my
head to allow her to drape the Amulet around my neck. As soon as the stone hit
my chest, my head became�crowded. Whispers ran through my mind at lightning
speed, and for the first time in a long time I sensed Akatosh strongly enough
to make me feel as though he were actually focused in. It was comforting to be
so completely within the presence of my god.
�Martin?� She asked, resting
her hands on my arms, and I started.
�Yes, sorry. It's�it all
makes sense, now. The Dragonfires. This
Amulet. My past.� I looked at them both and
realized there was no way I would ever be able to explain it fully. The Amulet
was sifting through my head, and focused quickly in on two memories. Yet again
I recalled Caleigh in the rain, crying amongst ruined buildings�
The Imperial
City
�and Sheogorath's last words
were brought to the surface as well, followed by a thought so strong it almost
made me ill: Light the Dragonfires. We have no time.
We.
So it was as the books had
said. I realized with relief that I wouldn't be doing this alone after all.
�Let's go to the Imperial
City. I've sent word ahead to
Ocato.�
Caleigh brushed at her armor
self-consciously, and Baurus moved to help her remove the rest of the dust and
debris. �I hate the Imperial City,�
she muttered.
She sat down and did a few
quick repairs to her sword and bow while Baurus got back into his armor. The
two of them were the only Blades I would take with me, I decided�it was too
late at night, and the others were likely still too intoxicated to be of much
use. We had stopped drinking early enough to have left us quite sober. And
after everything Caleigh had gone through, I trusted her with my life.
I informed the Bruma guard
of our destination. Captain Burd sputtered and insisted on coming with us, but
I refused to allow it. The robes gave my words a force that they had lacked
thus far, and for once I was able to posture him into silence. I found myself
thinking that I could become used to my newfound power, and felt the Amulet
grow merry.
We rode out in silence, and
Caleigh's unicorn set the pace�a headlong gallop. We did not stop for the
bandits or the Oblivion Gate that was opened in our path. Baurus was bothered
by each of these decisions, but Caleigh was adamant that we not pause until we
reached the Imperial City.
The Amulet agreed with her, and urged us on, because we didn't have much
time.
The gates to the city were thrown
open, and I half-expected us to dismount, but she coaxed her mare into an
uneasy canter and kept going. As soon as I saw the throng of confused and
curious citizens I understood�on horseback, no one could slow us down or stop
us. And, this way more people could see me. What a clever girl.
I couldn't decide which of
us was attracting more attention�the Hero on her unicorn, or the untested Heir
to the throne on his skittish bay? It had never really occurred to me that she
was famous outside of Bruma. But now that my world was less confined it was
clear that her presence would lend me credibility until I had lit the
Dragonfires. No matter that I was wearing the Amulet�she was the protector who
had saved them all repeatedly over the past few months. The shouts for her were
nearly as loud as the ones for me, and she spent the trip to the White Gold
Tower scarlet-cheeked.
There was a host of Imperial
Guardsmen waiting for us when we arrived, who took our horses�all but Celeste,
who bolted the instant Caleigh dismounted and careened back the way we came�and
escorted us inside the Tower.
My home.
Every inch of it felt at once familiar and alien, and for one moment I was
completely overwhelmed. Caleigh reached for me reflexively, then realized where
we were and pulled away with a look of uncertainty. I quietly assured her I was
fine and continued on into what I assumed was the Council Chamber. I'd never
seen a room so large�the thought made me feel shamefully rural.
There was an Altmer standing
in the middle of the room, and when he heard the clink of the guard's armor he
turned. High Chancellor Ocato, I was told, and the words held the
faintest note of warning. He didn't smile when he saw me or my escort, but when
his eyes met Caleigh he managed to bare his teeth.
�Why, if
it isn't the Hero herself! To what do we owe this honor?�
She pulled herself straight
so she came up to his chest. I was suddenly painfully aware of just how easy it
must have been for him to toss her around during their last meeting. I wanted
to reach for my sword, but I stayed my hand�she could protect herself. That
much she had made clear in the past few weeks. Also, it would not look good for
me to draw on the High Chancellor before I had even been crowned.

Yes, save that for after
the coronation. It will strike a good tone for your regime.
It was mildly appalling that
my new trinket had a sense of humor.

�I have brought you Martin
Septim, Chancellor. Just as I promised.� Caleigh's
voice was hard.
�Martin Septim?� His eyes
flicked to the Amulet, and then to my face. I saw recognition there. �Yes, I've
received his letter.�
�I'd like to get to the
Dragonfires as quickly as possible.� My voice sounded far calmer than my mind
felt. �We don't have much time.�
I wish I hadn't said those
words aloud. Part of me is convinced that if I had kept my mouth shut, the city
wouldn't be crumbling to ruins around me. If I had kept my mouth shut, there
would not be a Daedric Lord stomping on the Imperial Watch like I used to stomp
on ants in the chapel pantry. If I had kept my mouth shut, a raiding party of
dremora would not have burst into the chamber, taken one look at Caleigh, and
swarmed her�because by now everyone knew the Hero of Kvatch when they saw her,
friend and foe alike.
Swords were drawn, and a
wall of bodies materialized between me and the daedra, but Caleigh was at the
forefront, and I could not allow her to fight alone. Baurus had the same
thought, and we surged forward together, howling.
A bad decision on my part�the
dremora were after me, after all, and the instant I became available
they ignored Caleigh completely. It was more difficult to fight in the Council
Chamber than on the open battlefield at Bruma�people kept getting in the way of
my spells, and soon I was encircled. My robes were not the best armor for close
combat. Caleigh shrieked my name once, then drew her
bow, felled three of them. I took out another and stunned a fifth, but then
they were too close for swordplay. I was overwhelmed.
I was an idiot.
A Blade's gauntlet-clad hand
pulled me through the opening Caleigh had made in their ranks, and the two of
them surged forward with a scream and dropped the rest of the attackers. The
instant the last one had fallen, she whirled on me, eyes flashing delightfully.
�You idiot!
What was that?�
I was just beginning to
laugh when Ocato struck her across the face. There was a gasp from the
assembled guardsmen, and I felt my blood boil.
�See?� he hissed, voice pitched so low I could hardly hear him. �I knew it
was beyond you. Tell me, little Bosmer, is this how we speak to an Emperor?�
I was about to howl, to
snap, to let the robes and the Amulet and the name Septim put this Altmer in
his place, but Caleigh was first: �If you touch me again, Ocato, I will gut
you.� The pleasant smile on her face sent a chill down my spine.
To my surprise, he smiled.
�Ah, now there's the fire I have heard so much about.� He leaned in close to
her and�
�Chancellor!�
I snapped, and when he looked at me in shock I forced myself to keep us on
task. �Get us to the Temple! Now!�
He gave me a little bow and
moved for a nearby door far faster than I expected from a mer his age. Caleigh
looked after him wildly, then moved to my side. Baurus
flanked me on the other, and together we ran.
It began to rain as soon as
we stepped into Green Emperor Way,
and I felt a chill settle in the pit of my stomach. The Amulet was sifting
furiously through my head again, and ordered me to keep running. Unfortunately,
there were more daedra. Caleigh shrieked in rage and made terrifyingly short
work of them, and we were at the gates to the Temple District quickly enough to
please my necklace-bound ancestors. The guard swung them open�
And we stepped forward into
chaos. Gates were opening everywhere�to my right, Caleigh gave a half-sob and
clutched at Baurus, who threw an arm around her and looked at me questioningly.
I was thinking of what to do�evacuate the City before you fight, boy�when
a movement behind the Temple caught
my eye.
We were too late. Dagon, the
Prince of Destruction, was in the Temple District, and each great step shook
the earth as he towered above the buildings. Caleigh followed my eyes, screamed
again, and looked to me wildly, waiting for instructions. By Akatosh, they were
all waiting, as though these robes gave me the knowledge and experience
Jauffre had been using to guide my every decision so far. I had no useful
training, no military background. I was useless.
Calm down. Show us
everything since Kvatch, the Amulet ordered, and I felt my mind torn
backward into memory. Caleigh. She was woven into it
all.

There. That is all of
it. I feel momentarily dizzy as I am given back my mind. Dagon is still in my
City, and I still have no plan.
Don't you?
They show me the spell
again, the one I had cast to open the portal to Paradise.
The power needed�the Amulet is far more powerful than the Great Sigil and
Welkynd Stones combined.
Yes.
But what am I using it for?
The Dragonfires can't seal away a Daedric Lord once he has broken through into
our realm! That would require the power of another Daedric Lord, or an Aedra.
And that is impossible.
So is Dagon walking in
Tamriel.
But the power would not be
enough. The Portal required power and sacrifice, and so would a summoning spell
of that caliber. But I have nothing to give. There are no Daedric artifacts
within reach, there is no longer any God's blood in
the realm. Unless�no.
Yes.
No! But there is no other
way, is there?
No.
Power and sacrifice. The
Amulet provides more power, and so the sacrifice would also need to be greater.
It makes sense to everything but the pit of my stomach. I remember Jauffre
telling me that Akatosh would answer my prayers when he was needed most and
hope that he was correct. Because if he isn't, we will all die tonight.
�Caleigh!�
I call, and she looks over at me from where she is shooting clannfear down with
arrows. �We need to get to the Temple!
I can still stop him if we get to the Temple!�
She nods at me, eyes full of
trust, and draws her sword. A wave of daedra sweep in from the nearest Oblivion
Gate, and she dives into their midst, hacking and screaming. I stand back and
cast spells, and they drop quickly, but not before her armor is
thick with blood. The sight makes the icy feeling in my stomach multiply. No.
The Temple is still whole�this
place is not a ruin yet. What Camoran showed me was a nightmare, not a vision.
We cut our way through
countless daedra. She throws aside her shield, then is
forced to draw a new sword. Baurus is gravely wounded and forced to fall
behind, but the Amulet assures me that he will be fine. I want to believe it. I
have fought too hard to keep him alive to have him die so close to my end. By
the time we reach the Temple door
her cuirass is cracked, but the blood coating her is not her own. Dagon's huge
form is occupied by the Imperial Guard being brave and stupid, so we are able
to duck inside the door without him noticing.
How fitting that my journey
with her will both begin and end in a chapel. I pull her to me briefly,
ignoring the rain and the blood, and give her one final kiss. She doesn't
understand. She is still looking at me, waiting for me to undo all the damage.
�I cannot stay,� I try, but
my voice is cracking. I grab her face in my hands and bump my forehead to hers.
�I will never forget you. In the short time we've known each other I��
Her eyes are full of
concern. �Martin, what's wrong?�
�Caleigh.
I love you. But I must go. The Dragon waits.� The last sentence is not
mine, and it only confuses her more.
The Temple
begins to rumble, and soon the walls are collapsing around us. I dart to the
far end of the room just in time to watch Mehrunes Dagon lift the roof off the
building. The wall crumbles, and the Daedra steps in, intending to destroy the
last Septim forever.
Well, he will get his wish,
at least. If I properly understand the extent of my sacrifice, there won't even
be an afterlife waiting: my blood is too dilute to be
sufficient. I am needed in my entirety.
So be it. I smash the Amulet
against a shattered pillar, and as its stored power leaks into the room I begin
to pray.
Jauffre was right: Akatosh,
my god, hears me, and he answers my call. I feel a now-familiar tearing
sensation in my chest as we are bound together and shield my eyes against the
first few rays of light that herald the arrival of The Dragon.
She chooses this moment to
understand. Her eyes grow wide, and as she stares at me she begins to wail. But
it is too late. Akatosh has accepted my sacrifice, and the Amulet has provided
the necessary power. I feel energy flowing through me, and I am rising, and
expanding, and then there is only light.

Occasionally, when a
conjuration spell is cast, time seems to lag for one brief moment. It usually
happens as the creature in question is being drawn from Oblivion to manifest
here. I am granted one last of these instants as I die to bring Akatosh into
the realm. I can see Caleigh below me, sobbing, with blood on her armor and
rain falling against her face through the ruined roof, but I am filled with a
sense of peace. It is better this way. I would have been a poor Emperor without
Jauffre's guidance. I doubt I could have trusted Ocato. My entire life up until
this point has been dogged by darkness, but I have been granted a chance to
atone once and for all.
I shall die to protect the
memories of those who died for me. I see my Blades as they were, alive and
whole and happy, eating dinner in a cold stone room before a fire.
Of those who died because
of me. A Breton girl with dark hair like mine laughs and spins dizzily at a
shrine. A few more seconds, and I will never feel guilt over her death again.
I shall die to keep my
people safe, and I shall die to keep Caleigh safe.
Caleigh.
I wish that I could repay her for all she has done for me. I wish that I could
be there for her while she heals. But that is Baurus' place in her life now. At
least I had the foresight to arrange that.
I feel as though I might
burst as Akatosh's compassion surrounds me with heat and light, taking my fear
and panic and leaving me strangely relaxed. His mind appears within me before
mine has been taken, and We see her future stretching
out before us. She smiles over her shoulder at me, eyes merry, water running down her back in tiny rivulets. Baurus is at
her side, and gives me a merry wave�they are bathing in a river, much like she
and I had that first day on the road. Behind them, my city, my beloved Kvatch,
rises whole and rebuilt on its hill.
This is the future I have
bought with my blood, We growl, taking form. This is the future I have
bought with my lineage. My final thought before I am overtaken entirely is
a selfish one: if she is happy, if she is safe, then it is worth this cost.
For one brief moment I am
the Dragon. I sink my teeth into Dagon's throat, then dissipate with the howl
of pain my onslaught elicits.
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The Road to Ruin