Venturing into the Darkness

Kurgan looked to his right as Warik went rolling across the floor, from a force he had not seen. He looked over his left shoulder only to see a hulking, scaly, mass of a monster looming over him. Its breathing was slow and deep, flexing its chest muscles as the monster exhaled, increasing its intimidation factor.
"Ahhhhhhhh SHIT!" Kurgan screamed at the master necromancer, "A DAMNED DAEDROTH?!"
Varkun just stood in the doorway, laughing at Kurgan and Warik's demise. "You FOOLS! I told you this would be unwise!" As Varkun finished his sentence, the Daedroth slammed his left arm hard against Kurgan's chest, sending him flying back, crashing into the table. Kurgan lied in the rubble of the table, as he raised up, hunched over. He looked at his chest and noticed three massive scratches deep in his armor. Kurgan took one step and felt a wet warmth come across his torso. The Deadroth had gotten through his armor and opened flesh, now Kurgan was on a time limit, he could bleed out. Varkun took a stance, spreading his feet shoulder length wide, and pointed his staff to Kurgan. Kurgan looked up just in time to see the staff erupt into electricity, sending a massive storm straight to Kurgan. He quickly threw up his left hand and shot up a ward to deflect some of the damage. The initial impact knocked Kurgan off balance, dispersing his ward, and letting the end of the blast knock him off his feet, crashing into the back wall. Kurgan screamed in agony as the electricity pulsed through his wounds. Kurgan dropped his sword, stumbled up and looked at the Deadroth. He began to encase himself in fire, pulling together as much energy as he could.
"Warik!" Kurgan shouted, fatigued, "get...into a hallway...now!"
Kurgan gave Warik a second to oblige, and released his most powerful fire blast. The room was in cased in fire, all surging towards Varkun. The heat was so intense, it even made Kurgan sweat. As Kurgan lowered his hands and fell to a knee, he looked up to see the blast dissolve. Panting, Kurgan saw the Daedroth still standing, injured, but still there. He looked in the doorway and noticed Varkun on his back. He still has to be alive, Kurgan thought to himself, because the Daedroth is still here. Kurgan looked down into his pouch on his side and grabbed his last blue potion. As he went to open it, the bottle exploded into flames.
"Nope, no aid for you dunmer." Varkun said, panting as he shook off the blast. "That was an impressive spectacle, I must admit." Varkun was speaking as he approached the injured Kurgan. "I almost didn't have time to throw up a ward. You could imagine what a raw blast like that could do to a mighty Altmer like me with no protection." Varkun laughed as he stood over Kurgan. "Aww but look at you," he said mockingly, as he was lifting Kurgan's head with his staff. "You're all tired out, no more energy and no more fight." Varkun landed a hard kick to Kurgan's chest where the Daedroth had wounded him. Kurgan screamed from the pain, "I love that sound!" Varkun relentlessly kicked Kurgan's chest again, sending him to the ground, almost paralyzed. "GET UP AND FIGHT DUNMER!" Varkun screamed as he continuously stomped on Kurgan's wounded chest, immobilizing the proud Dunmer.

Warik dove into the hallway as his comrade ordered, just as the fire erupted in the room. He felt heat of the blast, and as he moved back to the doorway, expected to see nothing but the charred remains of their enemies. Unfortunately, his heart sank when he saw the Necromancer standing over Kurgan. As each kick landed on the wounded Dunmer, Warik felt his blood boil. His anger filled him, and without hesitation, he charged back into the room. He slipped his hatchet into his left hand, and ran for the hulking monster whose faced his master and Kurgan, his back to the nord. Warik roared with rage and he leaped on the monsters back, slamming his hatchet into it's flesh. He used the axe to hoist himself on to the creatures shoulders. The Daedroth was wounded from Kurgan's attack, and in it's weakened state was unprepared for the raging nord's onslaught. Warik began to slash deep gashes in the creatures shoulder with his longsword, aiming for it's neck, though the creature struggled movements kept his aim off.

Varkun ceased his assault on Kurgan, turning his attention towards the struggle of Warik and the beast.
"Back for more, nordling? You should have fled when you had the chance!"
The necromancer raised his staff, sending out a wave of lightening aimed for Warik. Warik saw the attack coming, and released his hold on the creature, dropping into a crouch. He still clutched his sword, though his hatchet remained in the beasts back. The lightning singed the Daedroth, causing it to roar in pain. As it stumbled backward, Warik swung with all his might, both hands gripping his blade, directly at the creatures feet. The cut went deep, severing some of its tendon, and monster fell forward, its weight causing the room to shake. Without hesitation, Warik ran over the creatures back, straight for the necromancer. Before he could reach him, a second blast from the staff took him in the gut, sending Warik sprawling to the floor. Warik clawed at the ground, roaring with the pain of the electric currents wracking his body. Varkun approached him slowly, the staff leveled at Warik still, even as the chain of lightning ceased.

"Foolish indeed. I shall enjoying killing you slowly. Maybe I will feed you to my Daedroth. Or maybe, I will finish you myself."

Varkun stood directly in front of Warik now, the staff within inches of his face. "Any last words?"

Warik simply grinned, though the pain he felt continued to consume him. With the last of his strength, Warik shot out his hands, grasping the staff and wrenching it from Varkun's grip. He then swung it in an arc, catching Varkun across the face just enough to knock him off balance. Still to weak to rise, he threw the staff in Kurgan's direction. Varkun recovered, and faced Warik with hate in his eyes. A bound axe appeared in his hands, and he raised it over his head. Warik glared into his enemies eyes, waiting for the blow...

Kurgan was barely conscious when Varkun had stopped his onslaught. Thankful, Kurgan rolled over on his side and grabbed his chest in agony as he felt his broken ribs shift around. His armor was cracked and chunks where missing out of it. Kurgan watched as Warik brutishly attacked the Daedroth, glad to have a moment to rest and regain some energy. He came up on to one knee when he saw Varkun had Warik on the ground, about to kill him. Fatigued, Kurgan managed to stand up as Warik skillfully disarmed the Altmer and threw it over. Kurgan snatched it up quickly and looked over to the Daedroth. Warik's attack had landed it useless on the ground, still alive, but not a threat. Kurgan saw as Varkun conjured up an axe, and was about to strike Warik down. With a loud roar, and a blast from Varkun's staff, Varkun shot face first into a wall. Kurgan threw the staff down and charged at Varkun like a raging boar. Varkun turned himself around in time to see the blood soaked dumner rushing at him with his right shoulder out. Kurgan slammed his body into Varkun's, the shards of glass that decorate the pauldron's pierced into Varkun's flesh, ripping open his right shoulder. Kurgan pulled himself out of Varkun with a roar as Varkun whimpered from the pain. Kurgan pulled his left hand to his right shoulder, and powerfully delivered his hand across the face of Varkun, slicing it open and sending him to the ground. Kurgan fell to his knees, still looming over Varkun, and relentlessly unleashed a barrage of fists at the Altmer, landing where ever the enraged dark elf pleased.

Warik sighed in relief when Kurgan slammed into the necromancer, knowing he had been very close to an early demise. He looked over to the dunmer, content that Kurgan had it under control, though the mess the fight had made of Kurgan had him worried. Warik pulled himself up to his feet, though he trembled from the fatigue he felt. He quickly scanned the area for more threats, then scooped up his longsword.

Suddenly, a primal growl erupted from previously downed monster. Warik turned quickly, nearly loosing his footing in his tired state, to witness the Daedroth climb back to it's feet, stalking faster and faster in Kurgan's direction, as if summoned by it's master. Warik could see that Kurgan's lust for the black mage's blood had entranced him, and the daedroths growls seemed to have no effect on him.

Shaken and helpless, Warik went with his only instinct - he made a lot of noise. He began to shout at the advancing monster, then flung his longsword. He knew he had no chance of impaling the beast, but is strategy was distraction. As the flat of the sword struck the beast on it's back, it turned to the Nord, snarling as it changed targets. Warik watched the monster approach, claws flexing, maw dripping with saliva. Warik backed into a wall, weaponless...and then remembered that the beast was a summoned thrall. He began to shout.

"KURGAN, FINISH THAT BASTARD, FINISH HIM NOW!"

Kurgan's bloodlust had taken him, primal, he crouched over the body of Varkun. Brutally assaulting his body, face, where ever his hands landed. Varkun was unconscious now, and probably had been for the majority of the assault. Kurgan heard Wariks cry, snapping him out of his bloodlust, his adrenalin still raging. He saw the Daedroth getting closer to Warik, he needed to think fast. Kurgan snapped off one of the shards from his left shoulder, and rammed it deep into Varkun's skull and abruptly ending his life. Kurgan looked over at the Daedroth to see it fade away as it lunged towards Warik. Kurgan went to stand up, his adrenaline the only thing keeping him stable right now. Kurgan was up on his feet, swaying and stumbling towards Warik. Just as he reached the wall next to Warik, his body finally was drianed. Kurgan slammed against the wall, leaning on the wall grabbing his chest. He slid down the wall and was laying on the ground, looking at his blood around the room and on his hand. Kurgan looked up at Warik "My friend...." he said, panting to stay conscious "he....he had to have something...around here....he's a necromancer....he had to...look with great haste....please..."

Warik had cringed just as the monster lunged at him. He saw the glint of the beast's claws and fangs, and in that instant he knew he was going to die. Suddenly, beast simply vanished. Warik stared blankly where it had been, it's gleaming claws inches from his face. As he came to his senses, he looked up and mumbled a quick prayer.

"Thank you Shor."

He watched Kurgan stumble over to him, the wounds and bloodstains that covered the dark elf quickly bringing an end to Warik's elation. As Kurgan collapsed and uttered his request, Warik climbed to his feet. He moved slowly at first, still reeling from the battle, but he slowly began to gain his composure. He stumbled over to a cabinet in the corner, then began to rummage through it. He threw many useless objects out of the way before finally finding a small satchel. He opened it, and was relieved to find it filled with many different herbs, some of which he was sure could assist with healing. He then turned and scanned the room until his eyes fell on a large bookshelf lined with labeled bottles. He ran over to it, finally beginning to feel some of his strength returning. He began to raid the shelf, absently tossing any bottle that would do him no good. His eyes finally rested on what he was looking for, a few healing potions. He grabbed three of the bottles, and a potion of magicka for good measure, before dashing back to the wounded elf. Warik sat all of the items on the ground, then went to Varkun's corpse. He quickly tore off the dead man's robe, but hesitated before heading back. He stared at the open gaze of the dead master.

"You know, I deeply regret not getting a chance to impale you on that staff, but damn, "beat the hell to death" is poetic too, eh?" With that, he grinned at the corpse, then rushed back to his bleeding friend.

Warik unstopped one of the bottles, then pressed it into Kurgan's hand. As the dunmer slowly drank, Warik began to rip the robe to shreds, fashioning makeshift bandages from the scraps. After the elf finished the potion, Warik carefully removed some of the damaged armor. He smirked at Kurgan as he worked. "Just to be clear Red-Eye, I am not attempting to put moves on you. I don't want you getting any idea. I know how you elves are, fairies, the lot of ya."

Warik then uses the bandages and some of the herbs from the satchel to wrap the wounds, hoping they would help the potion get to work faster. When he finally finished, he handed the second health potion and the magicka potion to Kurgan, then sat down next to him, back to the wall. He pulled his pipe and leaves from one of his pouches, and began to smoke. As he exhaled his first puff, he grinned and looked over to the elf. "What a day, my friend. Now that we toppled a whole necromancer nest, defeating countless undead, what say you we top it off by killing a dragon? Maybe conquering the province? Wrestling some trolls?" In response to Kurgan's blank stare, he chuckled. "What, don't tell me you're tired Red-eye."

"Azura's....ugh Warik you have one hell of a sense of humor my friend." Kurgan said as he pulled himself up to sitting. "Thank you...you saved my life." Kurgan said, humbly as he felt his strength returning. Kurgan reached out his hand and flexed it into a fist, "When we get out of here, we need to go to the Imperial City. I know a Dunmer there from Morrowind, he is fine with a forge and can hopefully repair what these fetchers did to my armor." Kurgan stood up, feeling his wounds healing from the herbs and potions. "Lets see what we have in this room anyway..." he said, as he walked to the corpse on the table. Kurgan went from body to body searching for anything that could be useful; potions, lock picks for Warik, septims. After finishing with the bodies, he collected his two glass swords and returned them to their sheaths. He walked over and snatched his elvish dagger out of the necromancers skull. "Here catch..." Kurgan tossed a coin purse over to Warik, "I split the findings between us, should be about 320 in there. Apparently we killed some loaded necromancers my friend." Kurgan walked over as he stuffed a couple of magic potions in his pouch and handed Warik some green and red bottles. "Now then, weren't we supposed to be looking for something...Oh yes, the reptile wanted to find an elder scroll that damn near cost me my life....better be worth it."

Warik grinned when he caught the coin purse. "Who said even? You owe me charges for that healing, friend." He winked at Kurgan, then went about the room collecting his weapons. He retrieved his hatchet, slipping it into his belt, and the the silver dagger he had found earlier, which he placed in his boot. When he retrieved his steel longsword, he kissed it gently before sheathing it on his back. When he noticed Kurgan staring, he shrugged. "What? Cassandra likes to be reminded that I care." He then went to work searching some of the bodies, though he found little of interest. He then returned to Kurgan, accepting the potions, which he slipped into one of his pouches. He pointed to the discarded staff. "That might be useful, Kurgan." He then stepped over to one of the doors. "Your right, the scroll. On another note, I had a chat with one of these bastards earlier. I...persuaded him to give me some information. He said there were still three captives here that that black-robed prick was planning to experiment on. We need to get them too."

After roaming the room once more, Warik lead Kurgan out of the chamber, down one of the passages. He followed the path the necromancer had told him, and they came to stop at an iron gate. At their approach, a man began to moan, and a woman simply shouted, "Leave us be!" When the woman saw the two men, both beaten and bloody, she knew they weren't necromancers. Warik began to speak, intending to say "We are here to help" when the woman stepped from the shadows. She was an imperial, with long dark hair and deep blue eyes, and even caked in the grime of the stone cell, she still left Warik tongue tied. Much to Kurgan's amusement, Warik barely managed to stammer something similar to "Hello." The woman raised an eyebrow as two other men moved to the gate, their faces lit with excitement at the hope of rescue.
Warik smiled foolishly at the young woman.
The woman continued, "A little help would be nice."

Kurgan still smiling at Warik's inability to speak, "Don't worry ma'am, we're here to help." Kurgan looked at Warik and put his hand on his shoulder, "Warik..." he said while laughing "We just went through oblivion and back and you can't mutter a properly enunciated 'Hello' to the beautiful lady." Warik attempted to say something, but neither Kurgan nor the woman understood. Kurgan shook his head and returned his hand to his side, "I would offer to pick the lock but i am no thief." The woman's face became dull, "but no worries, I am fine with a blade." Kurgan smirked as he drew his sword. "What do you expect to do?" the woman asked. "Well, this cage can't be too sturdy..." as he put his sword between the cage and the door. Kurgan wiggled the sword down to the lock and pried the sword back and forth. Then Kurgan brought the sword up quickly and slammed it down with force, snapping the lock and making the door spring open. "Divines thank you both!" the woman came out of the cell in excitement. The woman went to embrace Kurgan but he quickly held up his hand to stop her and pointed to his chest. "You can't see but there is a reason i am not wearing my armor right now. These bandages are covering up three deep wounds our gracious host's pet Daedroth gave me. If you wish to wrap your arms around me in exuberance, make it twice as long for Warik." Kurgan said, while smiling at Warik. The young woman latched on to Warik's waste, giving him a long embrace. "Now there is something we wish to ask you, if you would be inclined to answer." Kurgan said as he sheathed his sword. "Sure, what is it?" the woman asked as she still embraced Warik.

Warik gently pushed the woman away, attempting to hide his involuntary reddening. "Your welcome, m'lady." Warik cleared his throat then, taking a cue from Kurgan.

"We were sent here to retrieve a scroll..." The look of recognition on the faces of the prisoners led him to continue. "An elder scroll."

One of the men, an elderly redguard, spoke then. "We were part of a team sent here to find it as well. There were fifteen of us. It was a joint operation, commissioned from the Emperor himself, between the Mage's Guild and a group of researchers." He frowned a bit. "Four soldiers, five mages, and six archaeologists. We were here for four months before we found it. Shortly after the find, in the process of preparing to leave, Varkun showed up with his cult. They killed half of us then, and they slowly started using the survivors..." The man trailed off, a haunted look in his eyes.

Warik placed a hand on the old man's shoulder. "We understand, friend. Did they take it?"

The woman piped up then, "No, we managed to hide it all this time, right here in this cell." Excitedly, she went to a corner, and began removing loose stones. What she removed and brought to the warriors was a gleaming silver tube, covered in intricate patterns. Warik whistled at the sight of it.

"Then that's that." He took the scroll from her, smiling foolishly at her again before turning to the Dunmer. "Here Kurgan. Leave it with me, I'm bound to lose it. Well, if everyone is ready, we have quite the journey ahead of us. There is plenty of supplies to be found in here for our trip. Kurgan, if you would lead the way. Watch your step friends...lots and lots or corpses." Warik smirked at Kurgan then. "And trap doors, watch out for those too."

Kurgan slid the scroll tightly in his belt and secured it by tying a little rope around it. Kurgan twitched when Warik made his last comment, "Yes, be very weary of where you step." With that, Kurgan set off with the other's following. Kurgan led them through the room him and Warik fought the necromancers. Kurgan snatched his armor off the table and hoisted it across his back. He could hear the woman gasp a little at the gore strewn throughout the room.

They came up to the room where Warik had left Itun in a corner. "Warik, isn't this where we got separated?" Kurgan looked back as Warik acknowledged and started walking to a corner. "Where is Itu-" Kurgan saw Warik pull Itun out of a corner, still unconscious, and placed him over his shoulder. Kurgan nodded and continued leading the group out of the elvish ruin and back to Cheydinhal.

"Halt, what happened here?" a squad of guards standing outside, waiting on Itun's return stopped them. Kurgan stepped up to the guard, "Itun hired us to help him with the mission, he feared he could no do it alone and he was right." Kurgan looked back to Warik, "Warik, leave Itun with the guards, he would be better off with them." Kurgan returned his attention to the guards as one took Itun from Warik, "He needs medical attention, he expended himself in battle and has not come out of this state." "and what he was supposed to retrieve?" the guard asked Kurgan, with a stern look. Kurgan pulled the elder scroll out of his belt, "First, I need to see my and my friends payment." The guard dropped two heavy sacks of coin in front of Kurgan, "I guess this will work. Be sure to give Itun his cut when he wakes up." Kurgan handed the scroll over to the guard. "Our business is done here." the guards and the rescued three walked off with them. The woman ran over and jumped in Wariks arms, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, "Don't forget about me hero" she said with a wink as she walked away. "Guard!" Kurgan shouted before the main one went into the gate. "I thought our business was over dunmer." the guard said, scornfully. "Well those negotiations did not include rescuing the three of them." Kurgan said with a smirk, "If you want to keep that scroll, we need more of a payment." Kurgan said as he picked up the two coin purses and handed them to Warik at his side. "Ha! I already have it, what could you-" as the guard was speaking, the scroll glowed purple and lifted into the sky. "What sorcery??" "Now that i have your attention, i will be needing more gold." Kurgan said with a smirk on his face. "What makes you think-" "Don't finish that sentence, i see that massive coin purse around your belt. I demand one thousand more-" "But you already have five thousand each-" "For the scroll...now then, one thousand for the rescue." The guard sighed and threw the last purse. "There is more than a thousand in there." Kurgan smiled, "Very good." Kurgan returned the scroll down and the guard took it, hastily making his way into the city. Kurgan grabbed the coin purse off the ground and smiled to Warik, "See my friend, nothing a little magic can't handle." Kurgan walked over to Warik, as he put the purse in one of his pouches. "Lets split this thousand between us huh friend?" He said as he tossed the purse into Warik's hand. "You are quite the ladies man my friend, now where shall we go?" Kurgan said as he sat his armor on the ground, strapping his coin purse to his side. Kurgan looked down at his armor and said with a smile "Ahh yes...The Imperial City."