I am Laeilwyn Riverpool (A Skyrim Adventure)

Chapter Thirty Nine: Into the Depths

-Laeilwyn's Perspective-

Brynjolf and I chatted rapidly as we walked back into town. It was nearly morning, with the Sun just beginning to peek over the horizon. "I wonder if we get any new powers now that we're Nightingales!" He joked. 

"This armor is pretty sweet, although I'm not a fan of the mask. I feel like my vision is being blocked." I said, gesturing to the black robes Karliah gifted us. We didn't keep them on to go back into the city because it was almost guaranteed the guards would get antsy.

"And the capes are strange too. No offense to the Nightingales but I think the Guild did a good job designing their own armor. Good sturdy leather with plenty of helpful enchantments." He pointed out. 

"Too bad enemies can poke holes in them so easy. When I got mine it looked like a piece of swiss cheese!" As we opened the gate back into town, we were approached by an old man in priest robes.

"Excuse me, are you Miss Riverpool?" He asked me.

I nodded, and continued to walk through the town. "What do you want?"

"I am Andurs, the priest of Arkay from Whiterun. You wrote to me, requesting my funeral services?"

Then, it clicked. "Oh yes! Sorry I didn't recognize you. Yes, we do need your help with the funeral, but unfortunately I was just about to leave on a trip."

He looked a little disappointed. "Oh... well alright. I suppose it can be delayed. I will work on preserving the body until then. Have you contacted any of the immediate family?" When I shook my head no, he continued. "That's unfortunate. Have we planned what kind of funeral we would like to give the deceased?"

I stopped at the steps to the Temple and handed him a sheet of paper. "These have the instructions you need. Spare no expense. The body can start being prepared. It rests in his farmhouse." Andurs nodded and rushed off. I turned back to Brynjolf. "I'm sorry, I'll go get Erandur and we'll leave right away. Karliah said she would meet us there." We split off, and I entered the Temple. I wasn't greeted at the door, but when I closed the door to the main hall I noticed pieces of a broken vase scattered on the floor. I looked around and saw more signs of a struggle; knocked over chairs, crooked pews, and blood.

"Erandur? Are you alright?" I called out. No response. I went over to the desk where someone was working. It had a large book on it in a language I couldn't understand. Scattered around were rolls upon rolls of paper with translations. I picked up one and read it. It was going on about 'sanguinare vampiris'. I gasped. The sick that Erandur has been tending to have vampirism! I heard some voices in the basement. I rushed down to see what was the matter. I pushed the door to the very back room open a crack. I saw two guards with piercing golden eyes and deadly fangs tied to chairs, struggling to get free, while Erandur was chanting words at them. 

"I call upon Oblivion Realms, the home of those who are not our ancestors. Answer my plea! As in death there is new life, in Oblivion there is a beginning for that which has ended. I call forth that power! Accept the soul that we offer! As the sun ends the night, end the darkness of this soul, return life to the creatures you see before you!"

I watched as blinding lights shot forth from his hand and struck the two guards in the chest. They seemed to be knocked unconscious. I burst through the door. "Erandur! What's going on?"

He jumped back and readied a fireball. When he realized it was me, he lowered his hands. "My goodness Elle, you scared me! I was just curing these two poor guards. They have been afflicted with vampirism. I received a book about it and how to cure it. How "F" knew the people of Riften were contracting the disease, I don't know." He led me back upstairs to the desk where he was working and showed me the text, explained how he had to translate it and then got attacked by one of the infected. "She almost got me, but luckily nobody is immune to being struck in the head and knocked unconscious!"