The Gemino Glitch

Chapter 27: Dungeon Delving

Her sleep was restless, and punctuated by grabbing hands materialising from the darkness, and a cold, high-pitched cackle that bounced around her skull. When she woke up it was morning, and T'ariq was seated at her bedside. He purred as she sat up, not wincing this time.

"How do you feel, little kit?"

"Ok, actually." Rebecca balled her hands into fists and felt no groaning in her muscles. Her head wasn't pounding anymore, either. "Did Feraldur come in at some point?"

T'ariq shook his head. "We thought it would be best to let you sleep. It has been a while, no?" His raspy voice softened, and Rebecca shot him a grateful look.

"Yes. Well, I think I needed it. Thank you."

Her eyes drifted down to a small, folded piece of parchment clasped between his claws.

"What's that?"

"Oh, this," he unfolded it and gave it to her. Her eyes still ached as they moved across the scrawling script on the letter, but she could read it just fine. "The Potema is back. Or she never left - this one is not quite sure." T'ariq explained.

Rebecca nodded. At the bottom was the official seal of Falk Firebeard, the steward at the Blue Palace, and beneath that the Imperial dragon. She had been expecting this letter, but hadn't realised it would arrive so suddenly. Then again, she had been asleep for almost two days.

"They asked for us? Is the Arrow coming too?" she queried. T'ariq let slip a smirk.

"They have requested us and the Black Arrow work together, due to the... 'severity of the mission'," he read. "Although, I must tell you - the man is not happy."

"Of course he isn't." Rebecca chuckled. She probably wouldn't have been too happy either, if she was Arrow. But she knew from experience that the Potema quest was no joke; it would be good to have an extra set of hands.

After a brief injury assessment from Feraldur, Rebecca was cleared to help fight through the Solitude Catacombs, provided that she stay beside one of the others at all times. Felix had shifted from patronising parent to child once again, and found any excuse not to speak to her as they spent their new coin on supplies for the quest. Rebecca finally knuckled down and improved her alchemical abilities, buying some ingredients and mixing a few health potions herself, under the approving eye of Feraldur.

They also visited Beirand, the local smithy, for a new set of armour that shone Rebecca's beaming reflection back at her. She changed into it immediately, half-hoping to bump into her Altmer counterpart so that she could show off. But Aletheia was nowhere to be found - she assumed that the duplicate Dragonborn was already at the Thalmor Embassy, conversing with Elenwen and leaving her mark on their cold halls. Although she was jealous of the elf's prowess and ability, Rebecca was more than happy to have skipped out on that particular quest. Being the type of player that she was, the Thalmor with their magic fingers and bound swords had always been a troublesome enemy to tackle, and pretending to mingle with them was even worse.

By the time the sun had risen to its height, they were all set to meet Styrr and Arrow at the entrance to Potema's catacombs. The heavily armoured company earned several suspicious glances as they marched along the rows of pews in the Temple of the Divines, ignoring the shrines and heading straight downstairs to the cursed crypts. There they found Arrow, wearing the same fur-lined black cloak, waiting patiently by the gate. He received Rebecca's blackened eye and split lip with a smirk.

"I would ask if you gave as good as you got," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "But word around town is you were knocked on your ass."

"I see they didn't trust you enough to take care of this on your own." she returned.