Perinoth in Derigliv Loriella watched the warmage go, his broad back disappearing in the gloom. Elfiran, satisfied with the Werre's progress, nodded to the khajiit and followed after Balefire. Cromm and the Werre cell would soon have Holm'ka free. She glanced back to see K'tarin holding up a large slab of rough stone while Talnan and Joran were gingerly lifting the wounded man from the rubble. Cromm was looking past her at the receding back of Balefire. His eyes were unreadable, even for the khajiit who knew him so well. If she couldn't read him, his mind was serious indeed. Feeling powerless, she made as if to catch up with Balefire, but dropped to match his pace when he and Elfiran were within earshot of her sensitive ears. Normally, she loved danger, but Cromm's icy demeanor shouted caution. After some time, the dark elf stopped and spoke with his friend. Loriella stopped as well. Indeed, she retreated a ways. The dark elf seemed able to see in the dark at least as well as she. Straining, she caught much of the conversation. Even though she did not understand much of what was said, she was vaguely reassured. They began to walk again. Gathering up courage, she straightened and walked slowly forward. It was a conscious effort not to be stealthy. Even so, she came within a hundred paces before the dark elf acknowledged her. "Loriella is it? You needn't stalk me. Walk with us." Loriella blushed and scurried forward. For a long moment, the three of them walked in silence. The passage began a slow decent. "What do you think of Cromm? I mean To'Khar K'than?" The question caught the warmage off guard. "To'Khar K'than seems an honorable man, and to lead his men through the open desert through such a storm as last night's took much strength. It is well he joined us instead of hindered us. We will have need of his strength, if he wishes to stay. That I cannot force him or the Werre to do. This is not their path." The khajiit frowned, shook her head. Her mane of hair obscured her face a moment. "You don't know Cromm. He thinks highly of you. He doesn't show much, but I know. He has a secret hope." Elfiran continued to drink, feeling like a wallflower. The tall warmage said nothing, allowing the silence to spur her on. Instead of continuing, she changed the subject. "Did you know? I mean...that you have the..." Balefire looked hard at her out the corner of his eye. If it was more than an innocent question, she hid it well. The tunnel dipped sharply, then leveled. A narrow fissure had opened from floor to ceiling and they stepped around it. "It is the family signet ring. I've had it since I was a boy. But no, I did not know I possessed the Bloodstone until we arrived in this desert. We had never intended to come here, but were drawn here nonetheless." The khajiit grew thoughtful. Her voice changed as if reciting. "A task whose goal changes becomes a dangerous task. The mind may still be set upon the first goal and so obscure the second." They stopped. Balefire, brow knitted, pinned her with crimson eyes. "You need not doubt my resolve. Th'Sollar had fallen when he felled the Heart, though he did not kill it. I have said I will finish what he could not. I swear it on my bones, whatever evil resides here in this black citadel, it...will...be stamped out! Such a threat to Tamriel must be stopped! Beyond that, it has incurred my wrath." Loriella was pressed to the wall by his ferocity, and her bright eyes dimmed beneath his. But as soon as he finished, the familiar gleam came right back. The storm past, a smile tugged at her lips. "You speak like a Werre." The smile and bright eyes were contagious, and the dour warmage found himself unable to scowl. The sound of footfalls signaled the approach of the rest of the party. Alduin, light contraption again firmly strapped to head, led the way. Cromm was close behind and the two Werre had Holm'ka between them. He was favoring his right leg and his right arm was tightly wrapped in red-stained cloth, but otherwise had the same determined glint in his eyes as if to say: "I don't feel a thing. Just put an axe in my hand and stand back!" K'tarin brought up the rear. Loriella could see clearly the to'khar's face in Alduin's lamplight. His features had changed slightly: where there had been distance and indecision in his eyes there now lay a keenness and resolve. His whole manner was that of an immovable rock. He was himself again. "Honorable Balefire, warmage and Blood-bearer!" His voice rang from the stone. "I have a decision to make, as difficult as the one you have made. I can only hope I choose well. First, however, I must ask of you a view of the Bloodstone." Balefire wrestled his immediate anger to submission. To show the ring in this place was dangerous. The two men stared hard at each other, striving to pierce the facade each erected. The dark elf saw that something had crystallized within the Werre. A contest had been won, and now he awaited vindication. With deliberation, Balefire raised an armored hand and drew off the gauntlet. He made a massive fist. Alduin's light played off the mottled stone. Shadow accentuated the mark of the warmage's house. The ring felt warm and heavy on the warmage's finger. Cromm looked upon it with unmasked reverence and made no move toward it. The stone was mirrored darkly in his eyes. The other Werre stood silent, struck into dumbness. "Put it away." The to'khar's voice was husky. The khajiit's eyes widened. This was the most overt display of emotion her husband had ever made. He began a song, low and quiet. K'tarin, then Talnan joined in, each at a verse. Soon the walls were reverberating with booming voices. While Cromm and K'tarin sang in the Common, old Talnan spoke the ballad in its native Werrish. The complex counterpoint of tongues was poetry all itself. Horn calls rang and men forth sprang From ridges up on high, Orcs below with fire and bow Let loose a deadly cry! A storm rose up and on its fang Were Denigroth high and low. The armies met in hideous strength The ground was soaked with blood, Orcs piled high, bows rent, swords bent The plain began to flood! The storm was black and in its length Denigroth came and went. The orcs were dead and cruel men fled Toward the Silver Eye, The gates flew wide and from within There issued swift reply! The storm blew hard as has been said And Denigroth, the fray, drove in. Catapults threw their heavy load Against the gates they crashed, Stones came down and barred the way As Werre, with axes, lashed! And from the wind on which they rode Came Denigroth, wild and fey. The gates were sundered with a flash And out poured more black foes, The Werre fought with greater need Their axes weaving blows! The field became a sea of ash The wind began to bleed. Lord Sollár then roused his men Upon a hill he stood, While about the base there came Denigroth, in blackest mood! Upon the ridge a light stood then Wizards swept down in flame. A Shadow then obscured the gates A Terror moved therein, The enemy about the mound Raised a mighty din! The wizards knowing not the Fates Were swallowed in the sound. Upon the mound there leapt the Shadow Black as darkest night, Lord Sollár withstood its gaze He met its will and might! The man stood tall, though he be sallow And his sight a haze. The lord raised up his hand--behold! And from his ring there came, A crimson light that tore away The Terror's shadow-mane! The two were locked in mortal hold And night gave way to day. A wild scream then rent the air The Terror had been felled! The enemy engulfed the mound And as the men beheld, Their Lord Sollár did not despair 'Ere he fell and drowned. Upon the men had madness grown Who pressed the Denigroth, They hewed their limbs and pressed ahead And then took Perinoth! The fortress now was overthrown The land about was dead. The Heart and Blood have passed away And Lord Sollár is gone, The Terror now has long been dead And night gives way to dawn! But who knows what will come today? Who knows where we be led? But after day then dusk must fall Fear may re-awaken, The Heart and Blood will stir again The earth again be shaken! A new dark lord will take the hall And Perinoth regain. A black-skinned man with fiery eyes Will come from lands afar, He will brave both storm and sand And prise the doors ajar! In his ring the Bloodstone lies Death lies in his hand. In his throne the dark lord waits Heartstone at his side, Denigroth prey on his mind From which he cannot hide! The Bloodstone which the Heartstone hates Doth likewise hate in kind. The midnight man and lord doth meet Within his hall of bone, Pillar, wall, and floor doth shake Until a blow drives home! Now the lord lay at his feet Now the Bloodstone spake: "You now are the master here Lord of Perinoth, Darkness lies at your command And the Denigroth! Death and war now comes by here Famine on the land." The midnight man ignored the words The Heart and Blood he took, He broke them in the shadowed room The fortress moved and shook! Upon the wind came fair swift birds Barren land took bloom. 0 The black-skinned man with crimson eyes Then left the citadel, He past away to foreign lands Of which few hear or tell! The citadel which all despise Was swallowed in the sands. In the future, I would think As many moons pass by, Perinoth in Derigliv Will fade from mind and eye! Yet possibly in some scribe's ink The memory will live? Give me here that bit of cloth I'll write while I yet live. For I was there at Perinoth In darkling Derigliv. For a long moment, only the sharp scratchings of Alduin's pen disturbed the heavy air. "My decision is made," he continued. "You have prised the doors ajar. The Blood is hot and there is hate within it, though not directed at you. Death lies in your hand, but in your eyes as well. We have sung 'Perinoth in Derigliv.' You are he who comes from afar. I name you so." The Werre all placed their fists over their left breast. ++++++++++++++++++ Alduin dor Lammoth