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I’d heard bad things about this woman. Most who’d spoken about her didn’t even reference her gender. They had called her ‘it’. ‘Gods, it’s back,’ I heard them say. When asked, they talked about a tall Dunmer woman, though they used the terms ‘dark elf’ and ‘thing’. They said she never talked, and was always alone.
When I saw her, she was covered in snow and silently entering the inn. She looked up at me, and I had a sudden urge to run. She had dead white eyes, and burn scars all along her jaw, around her eyes and on her cheekbones. With wild white hair and a blood-red hand tattooed on her forehead, I knew why people were scared. She slowly walked towards me, while patrons tried to move out of her way. She looked at me, tilting her head, waiting. “I’m… The entire town is being plagued by horrible nightmares. They're in serious danger but I'm afraid there's little I can do about it.” She nodded, waiting. I took it as a cue to elaborate.
“These dreams are manifestations created by the Daedric Lord Vaermina. She has an awful hunger for our memories. In return, she leaves behind nightmares, not unlike a cough marks a serious illness. I must end her terrible influence over these people before the damage becomes permanent.” She blinked. I shivered slightly, trying to figure out if she was about to stab me or offer assistance. She held out her hand, frowning, as she tried to make her intentions known.
Thinking, she then gestured to herself, then to me. “You… wish to help?” I said cautiously. She nodded. “I, um… well.” Her dead eyes bored into mine, waiting for my response. She knew she was scary, I’m sure. "I need to return to the source of the problem, to Nightcaller Temple. Perhaps you'd be willing to assist me in that regard?” She frowns, suspicious of my word choice. I quickly add, ”I’ve already said too much. If anyone overhears what we're saying, it could start a panic. I would simply ask that you trust me and help me end Dawnstar's nightmares.” She nods, and then gestures to the door. ”Mara be praised! Nightcaller Temple is only a short walk from Dawnstar. Come, we must hurry.”
The walk up was silent, except for me explaining what the temple was used for. I thought she was listening, though she did not respond. I looked up from the ankle-deep snow to see two frost trolls guarding the entrance, but before I can do anything, an arrow pierced each of their skulls, almost simultaneously. I looked back, startled, and watched her put a bow on her back calmly.
“Wait. Before we go in, there’s something I must warn you about.” She stopped, expectant. “Years ago, this temple was raided by an orc war party seeking revenge... they were being plagued by nightmares just like the people of Dawnstar.” She nodded her head, waiting for me to continue. ”Knowing they could never defeat the orcs, the priests of Vaermina released what they call "The Miasma," putting everyone to sleep.” She nodded, and then opened the door inside. It was dark, save for the eerie light emanating from the damned Skull. As we passed through the barrier, something shifted in her manner. She had simply been silent, watching everything, and listening to me. Now she had dropped down into a low crouch, making her seem more feral, almost. She was no longer paying attention to me. Instead, she was watching the bodies on the staircase, as if daring them to move. And move they did. True to form, as the sleeping Orcs began to wake, she drew her bow, letting fly several arrows in precise, rapid succession. She looked back at me, waiting.
“Behold the Skull of Corruption, the source of Dawnstar's woes. We must reach the inner sanctum and destroy it. Come, there's no time to lose. Lore holds that the Skull of Corruption holds a constant hunger for the memories of others. The Skull has been out of touch for so long, I fear it's gained the ability to reach out on its own and try to feed. What it does with these memories is just conjecture and an argument for scholars and historians to this very day.” She nodded, and then began to creep down the stairs. Her bow never left her hand. She always had an arrow notched and ready to go. As she approached a barrier, she finally paused, the only time she had stopped in her path of destruction. I hadn’t had a need to defend myself, as all her targets fell before they could stand up. She turned to me, her eyes narrowed. I looked it over quickly.
"Damn it. The priests must have activated this barrier when the Miasma was released.” She gestured to the barrier, and then to my hands. ”It’s impossible to breach this. Hmm, I wonder... There may be a way to bypass the barrier, but I must check their library and confirm it can be done.” The bow was up, and an arrow was pointed at my face. She was frowning, mouthing words at me. I sighed. ”I suppose there's no point in concealing the truth any longer. My knowledge of this temple comes from personal experience. I was a priest of Vaermina." She nodded slowly, not lowering her weapon. “And what would you have me say? Sorry for following the misguided teachings of a mad Divine? Sorry for stealing memories from children? Do you realize when the orcs attacked, I was only concerned with myself? I fled... and left my brothers and sisters behind to die." My hands were shaking. ”I've spent the last few decades living in regret and seeking redemption from Mara. And by Her Benevolence, I will right my wrongs.” Slowly, she lowered her bow. Her face became a blank mask again, and she nodded to me. I took this as my cue to open the library. “I still have a key for the library. Let’s hope what we need is still in there.”
As we stepped inside, more of the damned Orcs were waking up. Again, though, arrows took them down. I watched the woman as she passed into the shadows silently, and turned to me for guidance. “We're looking for a book of alchemical recipes called "The Dreamstride." The tome bears the likeness of Vaermina on the cover. It should be here somewhere.” She nodded, and immediately leapt off the ledge, looking through the mass of destroyed books down below. In a few minutes, she returned, with a thick book tucked gently under her arm. She handed it to me almost reverently, and I began flipping through it. “Let me take a look... Mara be praised! There is a way past the barrier to the inner sanctum. It involves a recipe for a liquid known as Vaermina's Torpor.” I looked up, only to see her looking confused. “The Torpor grants an ability the priests of Vaermina called "The Dreamstride"; using dreams to travel distances in the real world.” She looked shocked, and a small smile crept onto her face. She nodded, almost eagerly this time.
“Quite amazing, yes. Alchemy and the blessings of a Divine distilled down into a ingestible liquid. Sadly, I have yet to see it function in person. As a sworn priest of Mara, the elixir won't work for me. The Torpor will only work for Priests of Vaermina, or the unaffiliated.” She nodded again, thinking. “I believe there is a laboratory in the east wing. If we proceed there, we should be able to locate a sample.” I gestured for her to follow, and we moved into the laboratory. “We need to find the Torpor. It should be in a small bottle, very similar to a potion. I'll begin searching up here.” I told her, and began to rummage around in the various shelves and chests. Fairly quickly I was tapped on the shoulder and handed a bottle. “I'm relieved you discovered a bottle intact; this place looks as though it was ransacked by the orcs. So... I've taken us this far, but you need to guide us the rest of the way. Drink.” She looked suspicious, so I attempted to reassure her.
“Dawnstar's fate rests in that tiny bottle. The longer we wait, the more damage Vaermina could be doing to those poor people. I understand your hesitation, but I promise you that it works.” She nodded slowly, and then held up the bottle. “I will watch over you as you slumber to ensure your safety. If I deduce anything is amiss, I will use my arts to bring you back. Otherwise, I am uncertain what will end your Dreamstride. Perhaps when Vaermina's curious appetite has been filled.” She nodded confidently, and then downed the bottle. Almost immediately she collapsed, and I could barely catch her in time. I slowly rolled her onto her back and retreated to a corner, nervously watching. Besides the odd twitch, she was completely still. She was quite muscular, and her odd armour did nothing to conceal that. I now know that it was the armour of the Dark Brotherhood, but I had been so out of touch of things over the years that I could not make the connection.
I was still paying close attention to her when she disappeared. I nearly screamed, but then saw her slowly standing up on the other side of the barrier. I ran over as quickly as I could, and she picked up a soul gem, deactivating the barrier. I ignored the part where she slipped it into her belt, grateful that she was safe. “It... it worked. Mara be praised! You vanished after drinking the Torpor and materialized on the other side. I have never seen anything quite like it.” She shrugged and turned away, leading me down farther. As we entered the chamber where the Skull was, I recognised two figures standing up slowly.
“Veren, Thorek, you’re alive!” I couldn’t help but cry out. They turned and glared at me.
“No thanks to you, Casimir.” Veren said harshly.
“I no longer use that name. I'm Erandur, Priest of Mara.”
"You're a traitor. You left us to die and then ran before the Miasma took you.” Veren spat.
"No. I... I was scared. I wasn't ready to sleep.” I told him quickly.
"Enough of your lies! I can't allow you to destroy the Skull, Priest of Mara.” Veren shouted, drawing his sword.
"Then you leave me no choice!” Those words hurt me deeply. But they had to be said. I drew my mace, and swung it at Veren’s head. His skull was crushed. I saw Thorek with his axe, but the woman stepped in front of him and stabbed him without hesitation. She turned to me, waiting.
“I... knew Veren and Thorek. They were my friends. Is this punishment for my past? Is it Mara's will to torment me so?” It felt as though my heart was stabbed. I couldn’t meet this cold warrior’s eyes. A hand took my chin, however, and my head was forced to look up at her. Her face was surprisingly kind, if that was possible. Perhaps she simply put on a blank mask instead of her hard frown. She simply nodded to me, and then pointed to the Skull. She let go, and I smiled gratefully to her. She didn’t respond.
“It's time. The Skull must be destroyed. If you'll stand back, I'll perform the ritual granted to me by Lady Mara.” I walked towards the Skull. “I call upon you, Lady Mara! The Skull hungers. It yearns for memories and leaves nightmares in its wake. Grant me the power to break through this barrier and to send the Skull to the depths of Oblivion!” As I called out to Mara, I watched the woman walk up beside me, watching the Skull. She then looked up at the statue, listening to something.
As I began to weave the spell, she drew her knives once more, turning to me. Her teeth glittered as she grinned, which was more terrifying than her blank stare, as the damaged skin was forced up, contorting and breaking. She looked once more up at the statue, and put her knives away, folding her arms and waiting for me to finish. At once, the ward around the shield dissipated, and the Skull faded away. I looked over at her.
“Were you considering…killing me?” I asked nervously. She nodded. “All right. Why didn’t you?” She looked up at the statue, and waved her hand dismissively. “You…wanted to upset her.” She nodded, smirking. I slowly looked away. Still, she had helped me. “I'd constructed a meager shrine to Mara in the antechamber where we entered. My intention was to spend the rest of my years here, burying the past and praying for forgiveness. But instead, I wish to offer my services to you. If you ever wish to journey with me, I'll be here.”
I quickly turned away, but a hand grasped my shoulder. I looked over at her, as she mouthed ‘Follow’. “All right… lead the way.” I said hesitantly. She nodded to me, and began walking up the stairs.