As the ancient steel drove through my newly forged cuirass, I realized with grim humor that I was about to die for the second time. The warrior now pulled the rusted blade out and raised it for the final blow, but before he could do so, a green-shafted arrow stuck into his neck with a satisfying thud,as he turned in the direction the arrow came from, I slid out my dagger and jammed it into the massive tendon bulging from his leg, while he crumpled to the floor yet another green shaft seemingly emerged from his eye socket, propelling him backwards into me. Shoving the twice-dead corpse off of me I made to stand, but immediately fell to the floor, the draugr's blade had bit deep, causing blood to spurt freely from the massive gash in my stomach, "Wait!" a voice from the shadows whispered, "Do not try to move!" a slight figure made its way closer, and from my darkening eyes I noticed a bow, realizing this to be my savior, I laid back and waited for whatever deed it meant to do. I watched as the shadowy form took something from a satchel and gave me a wooden rod, "Clench this between your teeth," it said, "One yelp and the whole barrow could very well be upon us!" Uncorking a small phial, an arm reached to the massive wound and poured the contents into the gash. Clenching the rod between my teeth so hard I feared it would break, I writhed as the liquid fire coursed through my body, "Don't worry, It will stop the bleeding so I can heal you." the voice whispered encouragingly. Eventually, the pain subsided and I felt a warm glow, as my newly found ally wove the flesh back into place, when it was over, the figure rose from my side and extended a hand to me, I took the hand and was surprised, it was long and slender, as soft as silk, yet an extremely strong grip, pulling me up, further surprising me with the strength that contradicted the delicate feel of the hand, the woman, judging by the feel of her hand, motioned for me to get down and follow. "Why are you down here?" she asked, "You don't have the looks of a thief, but I have been wrong before." "I am not a thief," I reassured her, "I am merely down here to discover why I am alive." Sensing her confusion, I told her I would explain once we were outside. We made our way deeper into the crypt, but as she made to advance down a hallway, I extended an arm to stop her, "What was that for?" she hissed at me irritably, "Careful, look at the walls, up near the ceiling" I told her, looking up I heard a small gasp as she noticed the wicked axe-heads waiting to cleave the unfortunate trespasser in two. Slowly, I reached my hand into the resting place of the first blade, and felt around until I felt a small lever, flipping it, I then motioned her to follow me. "How did you know?" she inquired," I helped build similar structures in my time," I told her, that just made her stare, for a moment, those eyes stirred a familiar feeling within me. Making our way deeper into the catacomb, we were stopped by a massive stone door, with interlocking disk, each disc had an even smaller one inside, with a creature engraved in the stone. "Damn...these doors require a key, but for all we know this one's been lost to the ages..." My companion muttered, I however, pulled out an ornamental claw that I found secreted on the would be grave robber's corpse and inspected it. turning the claw inside the door there was a loud clank, and a puff of dust as the door slid away for the first time in thousands of years. "I had encountered these doors before", my companion muttered, "but never could I find the key." I turned to look at her, "what business did you have in the tombs of my brethren?" She regarded me with those strangely familiar eyes once more. "Hunting." she replied. By now the door had slid under the earth, revealing a massive cavern with streams of light glowing through cracks in the ceiling, a set of steps leading up to a ceremonial effigy wall and an iron casket, flanked by two majestic waterfalls.
"Damn...That's quite a sight!" In the silvery light, I turned at the sound of her voice to finally see my rescuer. What I saw shocked me to my core. An elf! I thought, but as soon as I considered reaching for my blade I immediately dispelled the thought. She helped me. without her I would have died. She could of left me, but she chose not to, is this how I repay her kindness? tearing myself from the myriad of thoughts swirling in my head I noticed her regarding me with amusement, the familiarity of her eyes now apparent. "Not what you expected?" she smirked, "But-We're at war!" I stammered, "Excuse me?" she snorted, "Our people have been in relative peace for thousands of years, what hole did you crawl ou-" Her eyes narrowed, then widened as she thought about my knowledge about the axe traps, the puzzle door, and all the curious inflections I had used, "It cannot be..." she looked at me with shock, and I noticed, a little bit of fear. "Do not worry," I consoled her, "I bear you no ill will, I owe you a life debt, and harming you would be a poor way of repaying it." Seeing her eyes sparkling in amusement at my reasoning, I grinned at her and led the way to the stone dais.
Approaching the casket warily, I approached the wall, I read the inscribed message out loud for my compatriot's benefit: HET NOK FaaL VahLOK DeiNMaaR DO DOVAahGOLZ ahRKaaN FUS DO UNSLaad RahGOL ahRK VULOM. as I spoke, the
a sudden darkness came over the antechamber, and the very walls seemed to shudder, the elf gripped her bow tightly and looked at me warily, "That tongue has been lost for three ages. I suppose that is what was written on the wall?" "Yes, it translates to
Here lies the guardian keeper of Dragonstone and a force of unending darkness." No sooner had I uttered these words when the massive casket popped open, and a skeletal figure lifted itself out. With a snarl the little elf fired two shafts at the creatures head with blinding speed, but the armor on the decrepit guardian held fast, and they bounced harmlessly away. The undead monster looked at the slight figure with derision as he shouted her into the air to crumple in a heap on the far end of the chamber. Spinning my axe to gain momentum I sent it crashing down only for it to be turned aside by his own blade. Thousands of years had not dulled his reflexes as he sent a crushing overhead swing at me, but I rolled to the side and sent a sweeping blow to his knee. With the loss of his leg, the keeper crashed to the stone floor and made to rise again but my axe swept back once more, and his head rolled to rest by his fallen weapon. Walking back to the sarcophagus I picked up the Dragonstone mentioned in the effigy, This could be useful, I thought as I pocketed the heavy stone tablet. Suddenly remembering the elf who saved my life I rushed to her prostrate form. The fall had knocked her unconscious, but by the time I got to her side, she was stirring feebly. A few minutes later she had recovered enough to stumble out of the cave and into the bright sunlight. Blinking in the sunlight, I turned towards her, "My name is Sigurd, by the way." She smiled, "Cassandra."
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