His gaze met mine as he collapsed to the ground. He spoke but I didn't catch the words as a loud rumble reverberated through the cavern and more of the weakened ceiling fell in, torrents of water following. Probably one final taunt. Then his eyes dulled and he convulsed, blood frothing out of the wound, before he finally stilled. Mercer was dead and it seemed vaguely anti-climatic. Unfinished. The desire for vengeance had died and I was left feeling hollow. Numbly I realised Karliah and Bryn had swum over to me, Karliah stalking over to Mercer's corpse to retrieve the Key, whilst Brynjolf shoved both Eyes into his pack. Not that it mattered. We were trapped. Karliah and Brynjolf began futilely looking for a way out. As the freezing water rose I just floated there staring at Mercer's corpse, bobbing in the weak light. Light. My tired brain finally clicked and I swam over to his body, staring at the jumble of rocks that made up the ceiling. There was a faint patch of lighter rocks, as though weak daylight was trying to get through. It was a chance. Besides the worst that can happen is that I kill us that much quicker. "Karliah. Brynjolf. Come here." My voice echoed weirdly in the flooded chamber and the air felt strangely heavy and compressed. They swam their way over to me and I grabbed them both before I Shouted, "FUS RO DAH."
My Thu'um hit perfectly, widening the gap. But not enough. The water had risen to our shoulders now and Mercer's corpse was gently bumping against my back. It was an agonising struggle for me to regain my focus, fear and panic, keeping the discipline at bay. Deep breaths. Focus. "FUS RO DAH." This time the passage widened, daylight spilling into the tiny space we had left. I pushed Karliah through first and once she had scrambled up I pushed at Brynjolf. "You go first, lass." I shook my head, but he insistently pushed me at the hole, "Go, lass." I glared but obeyed, not wanting to waste time with petty arguments, making sure he was following before pressing on.
Worming our way up through the narrow passage was painful and nerve-wracking though the glimpse of daylight kept me climbing on. We emerged in a shallow cave by a serene looking lake which was, presumably, the one that had just tried to kill us. I sank down onto a rock by the entrance closing my eyes and catching my breath. Brynjolf eased himself down next to me with a tentative smile and I smiled back, though it felt slightly forced. I just wanted to go home.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: The Die is Cast 16/?
Date: 2013-05-15 11:35 pm (UTC)"Karliah. Brynjolf. Come here." My voice echoed weirdly in the flooded chamber and the air felt strangely heavy and compressed. They swam their way over to me and I grabbed them both before I Shouted, "FUS RO DAH."
My Thu'um hit perfectly, widening the gap. But not enough. The water had risen to our shoulders now and Mercer's corpse was gently bumping against my back. It was an agonising struggle for me to regain my focus, fear and panic, keeping the discipline at bay. Deep breaths. Focus.
"FUS RO DAH."
This time the passage widened, daylight spilling into the tiny space we had left. I pushed Karliah through first and once she had scrambled up I pushed at Brynjolf.
"You go first, lass."
I shook my head, but he insistently pushed me at the hole, "Go, lass."
I glared but obeyed, not wanting to waste time with petty arguments, making sure he was following before pressing on.
Worming our way up through the narrow passage was painful and nerve-wracking though the glimpse of daylight kept me climbing on. We emerged in a shallow cave by a serene looking lake which was, presumably, the one that had just tried to kill us. I sank down onto a rock by the entrance closing my eyes and catching my breath. Brynjolf eased himself down next to me with a tentative smile and I smiled back, though it felt slightly forced. I just wanted to go home.