Kay(jiit) Sarah Sara: Part 12 – The White Phial
Author’s note: Caught myself slipping into first person instead of saying ‘this one’ while writing this entry into Kay’s diary.
- Atsie Newt
Turdas, 21st of Last Seed
This one is hungover.
Forcing this one’s eyes to focus, Kay dragged herself up the mountain path to the cave the alchemist marked on her map. A meal of bread and cheese helped with the cramps in Khajiit’s stomach as the deep breaths of cold air helped flush the grogginess from her mind. By the time Khajiit reached an ancient structure on the mountainside, the desire to vomit had almost fully subsided.
With the day nearly over, Kay arrived at the cave and ventured inside. If nothing else, it would provide shelter from the elements for the night. At least, it would, were it not for the wolves lurking inside. The howling and snarling as this one entered the cave sharpened Khajiit’s mind, clearing any lingering effects of the alcohol.
Despatching the wolves with ease, this one ventured deeper into the cave to discover a decidedly non-natural feature to the cavern. The alchemist never mentioned the phial was inside a temple. Kay sighed. There would almost certainly be undead Nords wandering the halls.
Sure enough, Khajiit had barely made any progress before draugr warriors began assailing her. The fighting was intense but brief, this one dodging axes while blasting desiccated bodies with flames. No match for the magical fire, the zombies fell in charred piles while Khajiit escaped with barely a scratch.
Onwards, Kay marched, searching the temple for the white phial while remarking on the similarities to her venture into Bleak Falls Barrow. The difference was, this time there was an item of personal value to be retrieved. A phial that replenishes the liquid within would have major implications for this one’s alchemical experiments.
Spurred by the possibilities that the white phial presented, Kay fought her way deeper into the catacombs. Learning from her experience in Bleak Falls Barrow, this one blasted each of the resting draugr that she passed, lest one should rise as she passed and attack. Not all the bodies were zombies, but It was a tactic that proved most wise, giving Khajiit the opportunity to burn several undead before they could rise and swing their weapons.
Buoyed by the ease with which she fought her way to the temple’s main burial chamber, Kay dodged the blade trap that protected its entrance and stepped into the room. Immediately, the lid of the sarcophagus in the centre of the room slid off. Undeterred, Kay readied herself for the attack. The sound of stone sliding echoed from Khajiit’s left and right as more draugr emerged from their sarcophagi. This was more enemies than this one had ever fought in one go.
Cautiously, Kay stepped back into the corridor, ensuring she could not be flanked. With the draugr forced to advance from a single direction, the blast of fire this one unleashed hit each of the advancing zombies. Unfazed by the flames lapping around them, the draugr continued to advance. Forced further back by the axe of the lead zombie, Khajiit found herself pushed into the open. No longer penned in by the walls of the corridor, the draugr fanned out.
Switching her focus to healing magic, Kay dashed across the room to the preceding corridor, forcing the draugr to close ranks once more. With sweat-soaked brow, this one unleashed another wave of fire as the zombies pursued. Tougher than the draugr on the upper levels of the temple, the first zombie eventually collapsed to the floor. Twice, the blade of an axe raked across Khajiit’s flesh, drawing blood from shallow wounds. A second zombie fell as Kay channelled all her willpower into the flames bursting from her fingers. Panicking as the fire fizzled out, this one barely avoided being cleaved in half by the last draugr’s axe. Clutching the gash in her shoulder, Kay fought through the pain to summon a brief flame. Praying it would be enough, this one used the last of her magicka to scorch the zombie as it raised its axe once more.
The axe came down, going wide as the draugr wielding it fell to one knee. With gritted teeth, Khajiit lashed out with her claws, striking the monster to the floor. As it raised itself back to one knee, Kay struck again, jaw set against the pain in her shoulder as she struck the zombie. Staggering back, Kay did not wait to see if the draugr would rise again. Panting hard, this one coated the withered husk in flame before rushing back to the central burial chamber, desperately knitting her wounds together as she ran.
Listening for signs of pursuit, Kay crept forward, flames at the ready. Before her was a flight of stairs, divided by a corridor, that ascended to a majestic wall carving akin to the one in Bleak Falls Barrow. Whispers emanated from the rock as this one approached, stopping when Khajiit was within reach of the rock. Just like the barrow, the room darkened as the voices went silent before the light reasserted its dominance over the darkness.
Unsettled by the edifice, this one hurried down the steps and along the corridor, trusting that it would lead to the phial. Discovering an ornate bowl that matched the description the old alchemist gave, Kay took out the mixture he provided to unlock the phial. As the stone wall slid back to reveal a hidden room, this one marvelled at the ingenuity of the trigger mechanism. Far more inventive than the simple locks of Bleak Fall Barrows. As she waited for the door to fully open, Kay wondered if the composition of the mixture played a part in the lock’s design or if she could have just peed in the bowl.
Stepping through the open doorway, this one looked around the room, drinking in the sights. Potion ingredients in the most wonderful state of preservation lined shelves while the white phial stood on a pedestal opposite the door. Even the air had a wholesome feel, standing in stark contrast to the oppressive gloom of the burial chamber. After filling her pack with the ingredients, this one approached the pedestal and lifted the phial from its resting place.
‘Curses,’ Kay muttered as she examined the crack running through the glass.
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