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Fall from High Rock	By : mistressarachnia Category: +A through F > Elder Scrolls - Morrowind Views: 4940 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: The Elder Scrolls universe belongs to Bethesda. Alyssa Elbert belongs to me. I make no money from writing about her adventures.

Chapter List
- 38
- 39
- 40
Chapter 39: Corprus
�Malcus!� Alyssa gasped.�
His expression spelled sorrow, and he made no move towards
her.� Alyssa stood quickly, spilling her shein across the floor as she raced
towards her lover.
�Stay back!� he
warned, stepping away from her as she advanced.� Alyssa stopped dead in her
tracks.� Suddenly her heart missed a beat.� He had heard her conversation with
Berwen.� He must have.� He� he knew�
�I� I didn�t mean
to!� I thought� I mean, I feared� you were dead�� Alyssa stammered, tears
coming to her eyes as her body began to shake.� No�� How could she have done
this to him?
�Alyssa, you�re
drunk.� Listen�� Malcus continued.� Alyssa burst into tears.
�I am so sorry!� I
didn�t want to sleep with Tiram, but he tricked me.� I thought Edwinna would
lose her job if I didn�t do it and we would both be living on the streets!�
Alyssa continued, her voice cracking.� She melted into a small violet puddle at
Malcus� feet.� He blinked.
�Who in Oblivion is
Tiram?� he asked crossly.
�The Archmage�s chief
advisor! �I didn�t know!� He told me he wouldn�t help us if I didn�t!� Alyssa
sobbed, �I�m so sorry!�
�Well� um� alright�
we can talk about this later� but listen, Alyssa�� Malcus continued.
�And then I thought
you were dead and I didn�t want to be alone!� And Anarenen has always been so
kind to me�� Alyssa cried.
�What?� Anarenen,
your Guild alchemist?� I thought your sister was involved with him?� Malcus
asked skeptically.
�I don�t know
anything anymore!� she cried, covering her face with her hands.� Malcus sighed.
�Alyssa!� For crying
out loud, snap out of it!� Malcus yelled.� Alyssa reached for his legs to plead
with him, but he backed away, allowing her to fall in a heap at his feet.
�Diabella help me,�
he whispered, bringing his hand to his forehead.
�I love you!� I
always loved you!� Alyssa cried pitifully.
�I love you too� now
who is this Bosmer?� Can she be trusted?� Malus asked.� Alyssa nodded
frantically, trying to swallow her tears.
�Berwen � she�s my
friend,� Alyssa whispered, �She doesn�t hate men as much as the others.�
�As much as�?�
That�s� great� Alyssa, I need to tell you something important�� Malcus
continued, his tone growing increasingly agitated.
�I don�t care!� I
just want you to hold me forever!� Alyssa sobbed, looking up at him
pleadingly.� Malcus sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.
�Alyssa, I can�t,� he
tried.
�Yes you can!� But I
don�t blame you for not wanting me anymore.� I can�t believe the terrible
things I�ve done to you.� I really truly thought you were dead� but I didn�t
know� I didn�t WANT you to be dead but� I�m so terribly sorry!� Alyssa cried.�
Malcus glared at her.
�Fine!� You�re
forgiven!� After all I�ve done to you, the least I can do is forgive you for
messing around with a few men in my absense.� I can�t say I�m not hurt, but
you�ve hurt little other than my pride, which could probably use a good beating
as it is.� After all, you forgave me for what I did to you.� I probably deserve
it.� Besides, I don�t blame you for thinking I was dead.� I might as well be,�
he said sadly, backing away from the girl slightly and pulling his cloak
tighter around his shoulders.
�But you are not
dead!� Alyssa gasped, smiling up at him lovingly, �And I promise I will never
be unfaithful again!� Never!�� Malcus turned his head away from her, clearly
fighting back tears.
�Alyssa please�� he
started, �I can�t give you the happy ending you deserve.� You�re better off
with someone else anyway.�
�What do you mean?�
Alyssa asked, her heart catching in her throat.� How could he claim to fogive
her and then�
�Alyssa� I came to
say� goodbye,� he finally whispered.
�NO!� No no no no
no!� Alyssa shouted, shaking her head in horror.
�It isn�t fair to
either of us � I didn�t expect you to be drunk, but I don�t have much time
left.� I shouldn�t even be here,� he said apologstically.
�You found someone
else!� You�re going back to that Desele woman in Suran aren�t you?!� Alyssa
sobbed.� Malcus laughed softly, but his laughter was quickly cut short.
�Nothing like that,
I�m afraid.� Alyssa, will you PLEASE be quiet and listen to me?� I can�t tell
you anything if you keep interupting like this,� Malcus scolded.
�Fine!� Just tell me
why you don�t love me anymore!� Alyssa cried.
�Alyssa, I DO love
you, but I can�t be with you, or anyone else.� Alyssa, I�m not dead yet but�
I�m going to be,� Malcus sighed, �I just wanted to use this last chance to say
goodbye, before it�s too late.�� Suddenly Alyssa�s eyes widened and she stared
at him paralyzed with horror.
�No,� she whispered,
�No, I don�t believe it.� I refuse to believe it.� I�m dreaming.� This is a
nightmare.�
�It�s real.� I�m
afraid I won the battle, but I lost the war.� The cave I was sent out to
destroy was successful but� I�m sick.� Dying,� Malcus told her sadly.
�Don�t tell me such
lies!� Alyssa shouted, her eyes begging him imploringly.
�Alyssa, believe me,
I want nothing more than to come home to you for good but� I have corprus.�
It�s incurable,� Malcus explained.� Suddenly a shrill scream sounded from next
to the pair.
�Get out!� Berwen
shouted, standing with a look of horror on her face, �Get out of my house, you
bloody monster!�� Suddenly she bolted down the stairs.� Malcus started after
her, but Alyssa grabbed his cloak, falling after him.
�Don�t touch me!� he
hissed, tearing the cloak from her hands, �It�s bad enough that I must suffer
with this without forcing you to suffer as well!� Gods, I never should have
come here�� Alyssa stood.
�I don�t care,� she
said, as bravely as possible through her tears, �I just want to be with you.��
She walked quickly towards him, taking his cloak in her hands to pull him
closer.
�STOP!� he yelled,
backing against the wall of the mushroom pod in horror, �You are drunk!�
Alyssa!� You don�t want to die of this blight!� STOP!�� She pressed her body
against him, running her hands over his face as she leaned up to kiss him.�
Suddenly, she felt
his body go limp as he collapsed unconcious.� Alyssa backed away in horror.�
Had she done this to him?� She looked back, and her eyes widened in terror as
she noticed the figures standing in the doorway.
She hadn�t seen Nina
and Katie come in.� Berwen was between them, nearly falling over her own table
from intoxication.
�Don�t worry, we�ll
get him out of here,� Nina said to Berwen as she and the strong Redguard woman
advanced to take Malcus away.� Alyssa melted into sheer horror.
�Please!� Please
don�t take him!� she cried.
�He�s diseased!�
Berwen insisted dizzily, �Like that other one!� He�ll turn into a monster and
there is nothing you can do about it!�
�He�s a male,�
laughed Nina, �He�s already a monster.� Don�t worry though, we�ll make good use
of this one.� Breaking into you girls� house in the middle of the night�� The
Dunmer and Redguard enforcers hoisted him up easily, carring him from the
chamber.� Alyssa cried out, running to follow them, but Berwen grabbed her.
�Alyssa, trust me!�
I�ll get you another!� You don�t WANT that one!� Berwen insisted frantically.
�I DO!� Alyssa cried.
�No� no you don�t,�
Berwen insisted, her tone ringing with sympathy, �I made the same mistake
myself not long ago � I know how it is.� And he�s very hansome� right now,
anyway.�
�You weren�t in love
with your� your captive!� Alyssa shouted, �It isn�t the same!�
�Shh!� Love???� What
in Oblivion are you talking about?!� Close the door!� Berwen insisted, dragging
Alyssa inside and slamming the door.
�He�s the one I was
telling you about!� The Imperial who left to fulfill the Nerevarine
prophesies!� My� my lover!� Alyssa hissed.
�Well speak of
Mephala� Hmm�� mused Berwen, �I think I�ve had too much to drink.� I�m seeing
things.�
�We have to get him
back!� Alyssa shouted.
�Hold your
nix-hounds!� Berwen yelled back, �Come on, we�re both drunk!� You�re imagining
things and so am I!� I mean, an Imperial Nerevarine� with corprus?� Yeah, that
kinda blows that whole theory, doesn�t it?� It was stupid to begin with, but
now� right, an Imperial corprus stalker is the Nerevarine.� They�ll lock you up
for insanity if you mention that one to anyone else.�
�I don�t care who or
what he is!� He finally came back, and you took him away!� Alyssa shouted
angrilly.
�Hey!� I just saved
your life, sister!� You do know that the disease is fatal right?� But you get
all bloated and your mind goes demented first.� It�s nasty.� If you would have
kept him you might have caught it � and even if you didn�t, the best you could
hope for would be to watch him turn into one of those icky corprus stalkers.�
Then he wouldn�t remember who you were and would try to bite your head off, the
ungreatful bastard,� Berwen snapped.� Alyssa only glared at her in response.
�It wasn�t your
choice to make,� she insisted.
�Hey!� It was my
house!� I could�ve gotten corprus too!� she replied, �And I didn�t WANT to keep
another one in here!� Personally, I�ve had enough of diseased men!�
�You didn�t catch
corprus before,� Alyssa glared.
�I took resistance
potions,� Berwen explained, �And I stopped having, you know� contact with him�
once I figured it out.�
�So let�s brew some
resistance potions then,� Alyssa hissed.
�I�ve already got a
few on hand.� I started carrying them after, ah� recent events.� They�re
popular with adventurers, too,� Berwen replied, �But still � where are you
going to take him?� Not here!� That�s for sure.� And if you set him loose on
the world he�s liable to infect more people � or kill them � before he�s
finally put down.� Would you want to be responsible for all those innocent
deaths?� He�s gonna die anyway, but do YOU want to explain to all those
families why their loved ones also died?� Berwen asked crossly.� Alyssa paused,
sinking onto the floor once more as her eyes welled with tears.� Berwen was
right.� She was being selfish.� In fact, if she hadn�t been so selfish, perhaps
Malcus would have escaped.� If she had listened, and if she han�t kissed him,
he likely would not have been distracted enough to have been so easily caught.
�Why does everything
bad happen to me and everyone I love?� she sobbed, �It�s my own fault this time
though.� I� I hate my life.�
�Eh, you didn�t give
him corprus.� I hope!� Come on, Alyssa, let�s go to bed.� You�ll feel better in
the morning, I promise,� Berwen smiled.
�No� Berwen, you
don�t know what they DO to men down in Dratha�s dungeon.� He would have been
better off if I had killed and burnt him myself,� Alyssa sobbed.
�Well, I guess if it
really makes you feel better I can tell you how to sneak in and kill him,�
Berwen shrugged.� Alyssa glared at her.
�You know I can�t do
that!� she hissed.
�But you just said��
Berwen protested.
�Never mind!� Isn�t
there some other alternative?� Some kind of humane ending to this horror fest?�
Alyssa asked.
�Well, I mean� Dratha
does experiments here, and I know there�s some other wizard down south of here
who works on corprus.� Dratha hates him � he�s not only a male but apparently
keeps genetically enhanced female slaves,� Berwen explained.
�That sounds horrid!�
Alyssa gasped.
�Yeah I know.� But I
also remember her saying something about the fact that he really wanted to cure
corprus, which of course Dratha thought was stupid, because it is a very useful
disease and all of her retainers just take resistance potions if they are going
to be exposed.� Not sure why it�s �useful� though�� Berwen mused.
�Because of something
to do with potential regenerative properties I think� I remember her mentioning
it last time I was there,� Alyssa explained, her mind racing.� Another
researcher with a potential cure?� Who was he?� Not one of the councilors�
�Huh.� Well I don�t
get it.� But anyway, this guy still experiments on his victims I think �
otherwise I can�t imagine how he�d be able to research anything,� Berwen
shrugged, �So it might be sort of the same deal there.�
�It still sounds
better than nothing.� Where is this place?� Alyssa asked.
�On an island south
of here, Tel Fyr,� Berwen replied, �Travelers sometimes mention it when they
hear that Dratha conducts disease research.� Listen, if you want I can help you
break him out of there.� I know how to do it.� But if Dratha catches us she�s
going to be furious � so are all the other girls.� And I don�t really know
anything more than heresay about this Fyr guy, but I know Dratha hates him �
she won�t be too happy if she finds out you went visiting.� I don�t know how
you would ever escape Dratha�s eye for long enough to leave anyway, and I�m
sure as heck not going to let that diseased freak stay at my place until he
rots.�
�Fine, it�s a deal.�
I�ll take him to the other wizard and just hope� he�s reasonable.� I can easily
make an excuse to leave.� Dratha wanted me to deliver some potions to Mistress
Therana in Tel Branora� or one of her retainers at any rate.� I somehow doubt
she would question my absense if I left tomorrow,� Alyssa mused, looking
thoughtful.
�Oh!� Excellent!�
Alright, then I�ll help you, and I�ll mark the location of Tel Fyr on your
map.� But after that� I�m going to have to stay at my shop, otherwise it�ll
look pretty suspicious,� Berwen explained.
�Very well� but I
thought we were lovers?� Wouldn�t people expect us to be together anyway?�
Alyssa winked, her heart suddenly beginning to fill with hope once more.
�Eh, you know� I
somehow doubt that anyone would believe we took a romantic voyage together to
Tel Branora.� It�s supposed to be pretty nutty.� But then again� I could be
wrong,� Berwen winked.
~*~
�Wake up Berwen!�
Alyssa whispered, shaking the little wood elf.
�It�s still dark
out!� My shop won�t open for hours!� And� and my head hurts!� Berwen insisted,
rolling over.� Alyssa sighed.
�You and I both had
too much to drink last night.� Remember?� Just take a healing potion already!�
You said you would help me!� Alyssa hissed, trying to ignore the throbbing in
her own head.
�Yeah, well� I�m just
tired, that�s all.� Give me a few more minutes, will you?� Berwen yawned.�
Alyssa walked downstairs, searching through Berwen�s potions.� Finally she came
across a quality restoration potion� a little overkill for a hangover but� well
it served Berwen right, Alyssa recconed.� She opened it and took a swig.�
Immediately her head felt better.� Corking the bottle, she returned upstairs.�
Berwen was already sound asleep.
�Come on Berwen!�
Wake up!� Here, have some of this,� Alyssa offered.� Berwen startled, glaring
up at Alyssa.
�Fine!� she said,
taking the bottle and sitting up with a stretch.
�Oh good.� That�s
much better,� she said after taking a big gulp from the bottle, �Right so� I
guess we ought to head to the tower.� I just snuck in last time, but since you
work there you can just say you left something there and need to retrieve it,�
Berwen said, �It shouldn�t be that hard really.� We�ll drink a few blight
potions � they�re probably keeping him in the same place where they kept that
other guy since he�s diseased and all.� Do you know how to pick locks or will I
need to do that too?�
�Berwen, even if I do
work in the Tel Mora dungeons, why would anyone believe I left anything down
there?� Then if they notice the prisoner is gone I�m going to be immediately
suspect,� Alyssa glared, �And yes, I need you to pick the locks.�
�No you�re not!�
Berwen insisted, �They didn�t even suspect me when I went to collect the
prisoner myself.� They really don�t keep close track of men down there �
they�re all alike to them.� And none of them would believe either of us wanted
anything to do with them.� The tricky part is getting them out again� I�ve got
a few strong invisibility potions, but all my chains are broken.� Hmm� I could
go down to Jolda�s shop later and get some more but that would take time��
�Chains?!� We�re
going to rescue him Berwen!� Alyssa said incredulously.
�Well how do you know
he won�t escape again?� Berwen asked, putting her hands on her hips.
�Escape?� What?!�
Berwen!� Come on!� He might be a male, but he�s still a sentient being � and I
love him!� Alyssa insisted.
�Ick� I still say
you�re better off with a clean one.� Corprus takes its toll quicker than you�d
think.� But if you insist� Just don�t blame me if he tries to bite your head
off okay?� Berwen replied with a shudder, �I mean, I warned you!�
�Yes, you did� now
let�s go before we waste any more time!� Alyssa said.� Berwen grumbled, but
grabbed a few potions and headed out the door.� When they arrived at the tower,
Nina and Katie were on guard, apparently deep in conversation.� Alyssa gulped.
�Um� excuse me,
seras, but I left my cloak inside,� Alyssa said.� Berwen sighed.� Katie looked
up at her, raising an eyebrow.
�Do you want me to go
get it for you or something?� she asked skeptically.
�Uh� no� I can get it
myself� it�s just�� Alyssa stammered.
�It�s just that after
last night she doesn�t want to be alone in the dungeons, so I�m going with
her,� Berwen replied.� Katie nodded.
�Fine then.� Go
ahead,� she replied, turning back to Nina, who wore an amused smirk on her
face.� Alyssa and Berwen hurried inside.� Alyssa remembered the potions she was
supposed to bring to Tel Branora� they were likely down here in the Alchemy lab
now that Dratha was finished with them.� She searched around, opening cupboards
and chests until she found a series of small vials marked, �Tel Branora.��
Good, they looked to be the same ones she watched Dratha mixing earlier.� She
put it in her pocket.
�What are you doing,
Alyssa?� a voice chimed in sleepily.� Alyssa spun around to see Daynali Dren,
the tower�s chief alchemist.
�I um� I was supposed to bring
these to Tel Branora�� Alyssa stammered, taking the vials out of her pockets.� Daynali
walked over, looking at them closely.
�Yes, I remember.� Seems a little
early to pick them up, but go ahead,� she replied sleepily.
�Thank you,� Alyssa replied,
feeling a bit relieved as she headed up the tower shaft with Berwen.� The tower was quiet as they made their way to the secret passageway
down to Dratha�s dungeons.
�Okay� hopefully we
won�t run into anyone down here.� Like I said, that�s the tricky part,� Berwen
said.� Alyssa cringed, stepping quickly past the bodies piled in the processing
room.� The moonlight filtered in through the upper windows, illuminating the
faces of the still lifeless corpses, their eyes open in an eternal gaze.�
Alyssa shuddered.� She hurried to the door to the dungeon.� She could hear the
faint eerie sounds of moaning and sobbing behind the closed door.� Taking the
handle in her arms, she gasped.
�It�s locked!� she
said, turning to Berwen, who appeared to be crouched next to one of the bodies,
an Altmer from the looks of it.
�He�s so pretty,� she
mused.� Alyssa blinked.
�He�s dead!� she
hissed, �Come on!� Help me get this open!�
�He�s still pretty.�
Such a waste really,� Berwen sighed, wandering over to the door and taking out
a lockpick.� In a few minutes, she had it open.
�Ta-da!� she said,
looking pleased.� Alyssa shook her head.
�Do you think Dratha
has any more like that?� Berwen asked, gesturing towards the corpse she had
been admiring earlier.� Alyssa glared at her.
�Come on, Berwen.�
You can�t be THAT desperate,� she replied, �After this, you and I need to take
a little vacation from Tel Mora.�
�Like� a lover�s
vacation?� Berwen giggled.� Alyssa sighed.
�Sure,� she replied.
�Where will we go?�
she asked, �I mean, it mostly isn�t safe outside of Tel Mora, and neither of us
are warriors.� All I do is sell stuff.�
�And pick locks and
smuggle men out from under Dratha�s nose,� Alyssa replied, �I think you�re
better off than most girls are.�
�Hey!� It�s just
natural talent, okay?� Berwen insisted, �And I can�t help it if I have odd
tastes sometimes.� I suppose I should probably get it checked out but� I mean,
Tonas is worse, and she doesn�t want to get fixed.�� Alyssa hurried down the
hall.� The moans and cries grew louder.� She could hear whispering, and the
rattling of chains.
�Yeah, but� really�
Why in Oblivion did you come to Tel Mora anyway?� Alyssa asked, looking left
and right as she hurried down the long corridor.
�My mother brought me
when I was little, because my dad tried to eat me.� Males do that sometimes,
you know,� Berwen replied.� Alyssa stopped, staring at her in confusion.
�Eat you?� I�ve never
heard of THAT before,� Alyssa replied incredulously.
�Sure they do!� I
guess he ate my sister, but I don�t remember her.� Well, I mean� I guess that�s
why.� He wanted another evil boy, like him I guess, and wasn�t very happy with
my mother when she had another girl.� So� my mother ran away with me,� Berwen
shrugged.� A blood curtling scream sounded from further down the hall.� Alyssa
shuddered.� Whatever was behind that door�
�That�s horrible
Berwen.� I mean, my family was killed too� but nobody ate them,� Alyssa
replied, �It seems� I don�t know� worse somehow to be eaten.�
�Why?� I mean, it�s
either that or you rot.� It�s just a body � it�s not like you can feel it or
anything.� Your family might as well get a good meal out of the deal,� Berwen
replied, �And then, it�s like you sort of live on as a part of them.� It�s just
a waste to throw everything away � I don�t know why other races do it.� THAT
just doesn�t make any sense.�
�You WANT to be
eaten?� Alyssa asked, feeling perplexed.
�Well after I die of
a ripe old age!� Not right now!� Berwen exclaimed, �Geez!� You�re so morbid!�
And anyway, your guy is probably in here.� I think.� I mean, that�s where mine
was.�� Alyssa�s eyes widened.� It was the door where she had heard the scream
earlier.
�What� what�s in
there?� Alyssa stammered, lowering her voice as Berwen moved to pick the lock.
�Um� well the ones in
here are diseased, but they�re all chained up.� The ones who aren�t showing
effects yet are in a sort of pen, all chained together.� That probably includes
the one you want.� Then there are some others in cages along the walls.� Fast
suckers, and kind of scary.� Weird eyes.� I mean, they�re not like corprus
stalkers or anything, but I still don�t like to look at them very much,� Berwen
said, opening the lock.� Alyssa shuddered.
�What does she keep
them for?� Alyssa asked.
�I don�t know.�
Experiments?� You�re the one who works for her.� You tell me.� Elphiron told me
once that they had� polyphilia or something?� Berwen replied, stepping back to
let Alyssa enter the door.� She reached into her sack, tossing Alyssa a blight
reistance potion as she took another for herself and began to chug it.
�Porphyric
hemophilia?� Alyssa asked, her hands shaking.� Another blood curtling scream
rang out and she nearly dropped her bottle.
�Yup!� That�s the
one!� Berwen smiled, wiping her mouth on her sleeve.
�Vampires�� Alyssa
whispered, feeling her blood run cold.� What had she done?� Malcus had only
come to speak with her one final time and she had sent him straight here.� Her
heart nearly stopped.� She remembered that a good number of the corpses in the
processing room had been drained of blood.� She hoped to the gods that she
wasn�t too late.� Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.
Immediately she stifled
a scream as she stepped back in horror.� There were� things� in the cages,
half-starved in tattered clothes and lunging at the bars hungrilly, moving with
an inhuman speed.� They howled when they saw the girls, a bone-chilling sound,
reaching through the bars greedily as though to grab them.� Some of them
appeared to be so intent on escape that their hands were bleeding from pressing
through the bars.� Yet� many of the wounds healed even before her eyes.� Alyssa
tried to tear her eyes from them, but they were everywhere.
Berwen grabbed her by
the shoulders turning her towards a large locked cell in the middle of the
room.
�There!� she said
triumphantly, �Isn�t that him?�� Alyssa blinked.� Yes, Malcus was chained down
where he sat in a corner of the pen along with about a dozen other men, some of
whom were beginning to twitch and lunge at their chains.
�Hmm, they probably
all have corprus,� Berwen mused, walking up to the cage, �You can kinda see it
already with some of them.�
�Why are they here?�
Alyssa whispered, running up to the cage in horror.� Malcus looked up, and
suddenly his eyes widened.
�Alyssa!� he said,
looking up at her with horror, �We�re all diseased!� It isn�t safe here!�
�I got you into this
mess, and I�m going to get you out,� Alyssa told him, tears filling her eyes.
�You should have
listened to me the first time,� he sighed, �Gods, I should have just never
returned and let you continue thinking I was dead��
�I�m so sorry!� I
have a plan this time!� Alyssa pleaded, as tears began to stream across her
cheeks.
�Got it!� Berwen
smiled triumphantly, turning to Alyssa.
�Can you get it to
put its hands through the bars so I don�t have to go in there with all those
things?� she asked hopefully.� Alyssa glared at her.
��It�s� name is
Malcus and despite what Dratha may have told you, can think and act on his
own,� Alyssa replied crossly.
�Yeah but I need him
to do something specific,� Berwen retorted.� Alyssa sighed, glancing at Malcus
appologetically.
�We both took blight
resistance potions � you won�t infect us,� Alyssa explained.
�Great,� he said,
placing his hands through the bars.
�Help us!� another of
the men pleaded, a middle-aged Dunmer from the looks of it.� The Bosmer next to
him was beginning to shake and was lunging towards him menacingly.
�Make them be quiet,�
Berwen complained.� Just then, the lock snapped.� Alyssa looked at the others
with horror.
�What does she do to
you?� Alyssa finally asked, not really wanting to know the answer.
�Word is that she�s
trying to infect some of the vampires.� So most of us are food.� My brother was
murdered before my eyes yesterday.� The things in the cages are half-starved
and don�t care what they�re given.� The others� well she lets the disease
progress for a while longer before she starts cutting us up,� the Dunmer
replied, glancing at the Bosmer gnawing at his chains beside him, �Please!�
�We have to�� Alyssa
said, looking horrified.
�You can�t take them
all.� It�s going to be really hard with just one,� Berwen replied, reaching
into her bag to toss Malcus a potion, �I don�t have enough invisibility potions
for that.� Anyway they�re all diseased so it�s hopeless for them as it is.�
�But our captor!�
She�s a� a necromancer!� the Dunmer pleaded, �She will never let us rest!� Oh
unholy abomination�� Alyssa gulped, glancing at Malcus.
�I hate to say it,
but your Bosmer friend is right� even I will probably wall myself into an
abandoned cave before things start progress too far,� Malcus said sadly.
�No!� Alyssa gasped,
�I have a plan!�� Malcus sighed.
�If it makes you feel
better about this,� he replied sadly, stepping from the cell.
�We gotta go!�
Otherwise someone will see us!� said Berwen, closing the door to the cell and
running down the hall.� Alyssa took Malcus by the hand and pulled him after
her, pleased that he made no resistance.
�Wait!� the Dunmer
called after her.� Berwen turned to him evilly.
�We�re not here to
help him� we�re here to experiment on him, you fool.� They never come willingly
when you tell them so.� We�re going to cut him into tiny pieces, and then we�re
going to piece him back together as a hideous undead zombie to do our bidding.�
And if any of you breathes a word of this to anyone, we will cut you up and
resurrect you a thousand times over,� she laughed, pulling out a knife for show
and letting it glisten in the dim light as the Dunmer drew back in horror.
�Vivec help us!� he
cried.� Berwen laughed.
�Well, clearly I�m
not Vivec,� she smirked.� She slammed the door and pocketed the knife.
�Berwen!� Alyssa
exclaimed in horror.
�You don�t want them
to tell, now do you?� I sure don�t!� They�re already scared, so a little more
won�t hurt them.� A little threat now is better than having them tattle on us
later.� Come one!� she called, scurrying down the hallway.� They reached the
processing room and suddenly Alyssa gasped.� Elphiron was standing there to
great them.� She dropped Malcus hand and spun around to look at him, but to her
surprise he was nowhere to be seen.
�You little whore!�
Elphiron said, glaring at Berwen.� Berwen giggled.
�Whore?� I can�t help
it if I love Alyssa more than I ever loved you,� she replied.� Elphiron glared
at Berwen for a moment, then turned her gaze to Alyssa.
�She�s crazy you
know,� Elphiron warned.
�Yeah� I know,�
Alyssa replied.
�Hey!� glared
Berwen.� Elphiron smirked.
�We�ve got to get
back if we want to open shop on time,� Alyssa insisted.
�You�ve got hours,�
Elphiron retorted.
�Well� I want to
change!� Alyssa insisted.
�What for?� You�re
just coming right back here.� Why not stay?� I�m sure you and I have plenty to
discuss,� Elphiron smirked.
�Oh come now!�
Jealousy does not become you!� You look positively vile when you�re green,�
Berwen snorted, grapping Alyssa�s hand and pulling her towards the tower
shaft.� Alyssa looked back, shooting Elphiron an apologetic smile.� Elphiron�s
eyes were daggers.� Alyssa gulped, eager to get out of the tower.� She just
hoped Malcus was somewhere nearby.
They made their way
past Katie and Nina, who smiled at the two girls holding hands.� Alyssa felt
somewhat embarrassed, but not really in a position to argue.� They hurried down
to the shore, out of sight from the main village.
�Here�s the map!�
Berwen said, pressing a scroll into Alyssa�s hands, �I�ll make sure and tell
everyone you went to Tel Branora, but you probably should deliver those potions
so people don�t suspect anything.� But you had BETTER come back after that or
I�ll never forgive myself!�
�She will, or I won�t
forgive her either,� a disembodied voice chimed in, causing both girls to jump.
�Thank goodness
you�re still here!� Alyssa replied, glancing in the general direction of
Malcus� voice.� She sighed happily.� Berwen gave her a tight hug.
�Alright Malcus,
we�re off to Tel Fyr!� Alyssa grinned, feeling suddenly hopeful.
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Fall from High Rock