Chapter 12: You've Been Cursed

Yesterday...

Inside the Guard House, at the War Room. Randjolf was about to shout at Brelyna with his Thu'um: a form of magic that utilizes the Dragon Language to form Dragon Shouts of immense power.

"If I were to execute you, then I shall do it with honor... Goodbye, Brelyna Maryon." Randjolf grinned as Brelyna shut her eyes.

"FUS-RO-DAH — ughf!" He shouted but was interrupted as soon as the power came out of his mouth.

Loydja, punched him in the chin, causing the aim to change course, his Thu'um blasted toward the wall instead, breaking the walls to pieces, and the illusion covering the walls gradually became distorted, revealing the war room's furniture.

The punch was so hard that it had Randjolf flying to the wall, "Keuk!" he groaned in pain. It was a feat no normal human being could do without using any magic. But Loydja, despise magic, so it was unlikely it.

"Seriously!? Thu'um? You fucker! How dare you use Unrelenting Force on her! Not just that you tried to kill our friend... OUR FUCKING COMPANION!" Her voice erupted in anger, her fist dripping with blood.

Brelyna shocked by what she saw and acknowledging her friend's strength, stood up and said, "Loydja! you should've let him kill me."

"Shut up, you! We've been together for almost a century. I won't let it all crumble because of a misunderstanding," she growled, advancing toward Brelyna and jabbing her finger in the Dunmer's face.

"Especially not due to that old man's stubbornness and delusions!" Her shout pivoted towards the elderly man, who was lying on the ground, recovering from the blow he had just received. "I am so disappointed in you, old man," she sighed heavily. "If not for that letter, I would leave this instant. But damn it, I shall stay to help you fulfill 'that' prophecy. We need to work together to prepare the boy, you old fool!" She yelled at Randjolf, trying to jolt him back to his senses.

He struggled to stand but couldn't manage it. "I... I'm sorry," he stammered, his head bowed, unable to meet his companions' eyes. But realized something so he looked at Loydja while holding onto his cheek. "But damn, what was that? You just punched me in the face yet I felt the blow all over my body, as if it vibrated away my stamina. Moreover, it threw me over the wall like I was kicked by a horse." He inquired in admiration while waiting for the old lady to quench his curiosity.

Loydja, observing the old man finally regained his senses, released a deep sigh and chose to respond. "It was the result of my solitary training. Remember the thick Akaviri book Lord Ysmir entrusted me with back at the Blade's Headquarters in Sky Haven Temple? I've been studying it in isolation for years, and I've only mastered one of their techniques—well you're the first one to experience it." she explained. "The technique was called Tyie Chen, I don't know if I pronounce it correctly, the Akaviri language is so complicated, there are no translators or what, it even took me almost 5 years to learn it," she added.

"I feel you..." Brelyna thought, reminiscing the years she had to learn a single complicated language.

"Then how come you managed to learn the technique? I never heard of people from the Eastern Continent here in Tamriel." Randjolf asked, his mind drooling from curiosity.

"Well, I never managed to learn the language. It's just, that the scriptures of the book had drawings in it, I just tried to mimic it until I managed to learn it," Loydja answered.

"I see, can I—" He asked but was immediately interrupted.

"No..." she said as if she already knew what he was going to ask.

"Right..." he grunted, his mind exaggeratingly falling into despair.

Brelyna in the background, had her eyes glowing while staring at Randjolf, "It seems you have graver damage than you could feel," Brelyna said as she finally broke her silence, trying to ease her awkward feeling. "The damage not only came from that strange... power, but you also experienced a backlash from releasing that Thu'um. Let me check on you," she added, offering help to the man who just tried to kill her moments ago.

"He really meant to kill me, he spent almost all of his stamina and magicka on that Thu'um. A normal person would become bedridden for a month for that." she thought.

Randjolf, lying on the ground, had no choice but to accept, despite his overwhelming feelings of guilt and regret. Brelyna approached him and placed her palm on his chest, her eyes glowed, "It seems, your internal organs are broken, I'm impressed that you're still alive from that," she said, after inspecting him, it was as if she could see the insides of her person.

"What!?" Loydja reacted, her face showing confusion and her sweat indicating concern.

"That 'Tyie Chen' is a skill that could even cripple a giant. It's interesting, had I been an enthusiast in hand-to-hand combat, I would be spending my life researching on that mysterious power. This Eastern Continent of Akavir huh... interesting but not to my taste." Brelyna replied, placing her hand on her chin.

Randjolf started to cough blood, "Kuf...Kuff... Can we get to the healing part? hehe" Randjolf said, his body sweating from the pain, his face telling her to hurry, or else he'll die a pathetic death.

"Ah, right" Snapping the Dunmer from the conversation, she stood up and finally prepared him a spell,

She flicked her fingers, summoning a spell similar to the one she had used on Loydja earlier, but this time it was larger and brighter. She repeated the gesture with her other hand, then merged the spells—making it bigger, compressing them between both palms—left palm below, right palm above. She exerted pressure until her hands began to tremble, indicating that the spell was ready. With a final release, she unleashed its power.

The huge ball of light burst forth, emitting soft rays that touched all the people within its range inside the war room. In an instant, Randjolf's wounds were healed, including the wound on Loydja's head where she had been thrown against the wall.

"Grand Healing, huh," Randjolf murmured, recognizing the name of the spell, as he lay flat on the ground. "I'll just rest for a moment," he added, closing his eyes wearily.

Just then, the gatekeeper appeared at the new room's entrance—the hole in the wall. "What happened here!?" he demanded, his eyes scanning the scene.

Before anyone could respond, three figures cloaked in black robes materialized from the shadows like ghostly apparitions, their presence stealthy and unsettling. "Are there intruders?" one of them asked sharply, their tone laced with suspicion.

"No, no, there are not," Randjolf hurriedly interjected, sensing the tension rising. While his eyes were closed, "We were just sparring."

"We're deeply sorry for the delay," Rayya spoke up, stepping forward with her companions who knelt beside her, heads bowed respectfully. Even the gatekeeper followed after.

Randjolf waved a hand dismissively while lying on the ground. "No need for apologies. You may return to your duties. I'm fine, Brelyna just healed me,"

With a nod of gratitude, the four figures bowed once more and swiftly departed.

"Wait... is that Rayya?" Brelyna asked, her face showing curiosity and confusion as she glanced at the two Nords back and forth.

Randjolf sighed. "It's a long story," he replied, as he slowly stood up from the ground.

"Believe me, I would want to hear that story too," Loydja said.

The old man stood before Brelyna, his head slightly bowed in embarrassment. couldn't even look at her eyes. "I'm sorry," he apologized, his voice heavy with regret. She narrowed her eyes in response.

"Can you turn around?" she requested. Randfjolf's face was covered with shame. So reluctantly, he complied, turning his back on her. — "I see" she added, noticing something.

"What do you see?" he asked.

"You've been cursed..." she claimed, her eyes squinting as she placed her hand on her chin.

Randjolf looked back at her while Loydja's eyes widened upon hearing those words, they were curious as to how he even got it, and so they inquired,

"What!? How!? And by who!?"

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[2nd of Sun's Height, 4E, 309, Sundas]