Deathbeds[✓]

2:12

Moon Mist Temple came to view. 

Anais pushed open the solid metal door. Lights from inside temporarily blinded her. Bishop grabbed her hand and squeezed once they were inside. 

"The keys are in place," Ulgar murmured. "We must reach Yngvarr before it is too late." 

Anais felt hollow as they walked through the Temple. There was a humming in her ears, low chants from distant voices speaking in the language of the dovah. Her heart hammered in her chest and her skin broke out in gooseflesh. 

Bishop put his hand on her back, hoping to ease some of the trepidation she was feeling. His heart was breaking at all the worst possibilities that could happen. 

There were no guarantees. 

The party stopped their approach. Voices were heard ordering people about. Yngvarr was preparing his assault on the Heart. 

"What would you have us do, Captain?" Ulgar asked quietly. 

Anais was quiet for a moment. "I'll confront him. I'll need you all to cover me." 

"Confront him? Are you sure Captain?" Svegard questioned. 

"She'll be fine," Bishop snapped. Anais was the strongest of them all. Yngvarr will be more preoccupied with her than the Heart. 

Anais smiled and gave Bishop's hand a squeeze. It wasn't much, but she appreciated the trust he was showing her. 

Anais left the cover they had taken and continued down the hall. Once she reached the descending stairs she stopped. "Yngvarr Unnvaldr!"

His men stopped their ministrations and looked at her. Yngvarr had his back to her and slowly turned. He was flanked by six of his soldiers. Three mages were working on breaking down the ethereal barrier to the altar. 

"Dragonborn," he boomed. "You're just in time. After all, no one has been here for 600 years. I would have hated for you to miss this… momentous occasion."

"Should we take the shot?" Svegard asked Bishop. 

Bishop trained his arrow on Yngvarr but didn't have the perfect shot yet. "No."

"He will kill her," Svegard lamented. 

"No he won't," Bishop grumbled. 

"You might be able to disable the barrier, but you won't be able to obtain the Heart," Anais continued. 

Yngvarr stood with his hands on his hips. "Of course not… but the keys you have given me have worked wonderfully. I am truly honored to be the one in my family that can finally use them."

"What are you doing this for, Yngvarr? Why must you vie for such power?" 

Yngvarr chuckled. "I do not want power, Anais. I want what is rightfully mine. Do you know what it is like to have something that's yours taken from you?" 

"Take the shot!" Svegard exasperated behind Bishop, nudging his arm. 

Bishop growled at him and reset his shot. "I said quit it!" He seethed. 

Ulgar pulled his brother back in fear of an altercation between them. 

Bishop felt a sharp pain between his shoulder blades, forcing him to lose his position and balance. Heat erupted through his back and he reached to find the source. 

He turned to the twins to see Svegard holding a bloody dagger to his brother's throat. Svegard's face was twisted in rage and he smiled as the blade dragged across the neck of his brother. Ulgar fell with an echoing thump.