The Bound - A Tale Of Tamriel

19

19

i. Itagaki.

With the aid of Öenthir's incredible satchel, which remained watertight despite looking and feeling like an ordinary, leather satchel, they had somewhere to out their clothes and armour and only had to contend with their weapons as they swam to the other side of the lengthy pool.

It was Öenthir, again, that provided her flame spell to dry their underclothes before being able to get dressed again. The dark elf, of course, cared little about her nakedness while their small clothes dried. Öenthir slipped into a fresh set of everything, digging into her capacious bag and emerging with a fetching set of blue-dyed leather breeches, dark cotton blouse and a leather waistcoat that matched the breeches. Revna sat, uncomfortable, her back to the wall, covering her fur covered breasts.

For her part, Itagaki didn't care about her nakedness, either. The difference between her and the dark elf was that it was a natural thing to do, not a chance to parade herself like the dark elf.

The mage had learned to control her flame spell to a much finer degree, the underclothes dried fast and they all were soon dressed once more. The dark elf took her time, dangling her feet in the warm water of the pool but, after a short time, joined them.

They took the opportunity of the enforced rest to have a small bite to eat. Enough to give them some energy, but not too much that would leave them short of the precious amount of food they had.

"We should get moving." She adjusted her swords in her sash and picked up her one-handed hammers. "The door out of here is this way and the gem glows in that direction."

"Just how much further do we have to go?" The dark elf looked tired, but didn't show it.

"As far we must." With her two-handed hammer over her shoulder, even Revna seemed to be feeling worn and forlorn. The swim hadn't helped on that score.

They were all beginning to feel it. She had to admit to herself that she also felt that this Dwemer structure was endless. To go back now, though, would mean having to fight their way through those spider machines and she did not relish that thought.

Everything felt heavier now. Their steps that little bit more sluggish at the prospect of working their way through more of these corridors. A little more trepidatious at the thought that there may be more of the spiders, or worse, ahead.

But they moved. They made the steps forward, one after the other. They may be feeling the weight of the journey, but they kept going, all of them, where other people would have resigned themselves to failure. They were steadfast and stalwart, even the dark elf, and that was admirable.

Reaching the door, a larger door than any they had yet encountered, twice as high and twice as wide, the dark elf checked it for a lock. She studied the entire door and the walls at the side, but shook her head as she found nothing, not even an indentation for the Gem of Unison.

"There's magicka here." Öenthir held up her hand tracing the invisible forces that mages utilised. "Faint, but present. Try the gem."

Itagaki took out the gem, the light inside it glowing and pulsing steady. She held it in front of her and made slow, careful steps towards the door. When she got to within a foot away from the door, the gem began to brighten and pulse more rapid, but in a disjointed, seeming random pattern.

As the pattern of pulsing continued, they heard clicks within the door, whirring sounds and the release of steam elsewhere, but close. Finally there was a grinding sound as gears crunched together and the door began to open, slow and halting.