The Cure For Curie (Complete!)

One Down, The Rest to Fall

"Hey lady," A guard said as he moved to block the city gates. "You can't enter Riften until you've paid the tax."

The Matron looked at the man before her. He was a small man, she thought. Small in body and mind. She had no time for these foolish games, there was judgement to be exacted. She waved her hand dismissively as she tried to move between the men.

"Are you deaf?" The other guard joked. "Give us the septims or get lost."

She stepped back and studied the guard before her. Her eyes focused beyond his exterior. She could see the red blood flow through him, giving life to his beating heart. She watched as the pace quickened the longer she stared. The guilty always became nervous when repentance was at hand. She could see his fear as he swallowed the air into his lungs. Watched as his muscles tightened and his stomach began to turn.

Deeper she focused, into the core. His spirit hovered, a glittering light floating in the darkness. The world peeled away to give breath to the spirit realm. She thrived on this plane. Here, she was the almighty queen of those dancing little souls. The very essence of humanity.

This man's universe was cold. She did not like it here. Gone from him was the warm glow of purity. Shadows of icy corruption swam in his being like snakes a top the flowing rivers. This wouldn't stand. She would not need to reach inside the city to begin her cleansing. She would begin now, with this man.

"You have been judged." She bellowed as she put her hand against his chest. He swiped it away and pulled his sword, the ring of steel challenging her authority.

"Oh yeah? On whose orders?" He laughed.

"Mine." She replied as she fisted her still outstretched hand.

She pulled her fist back and released a battle cry as she punched the guard hard into his iron breastplate. The scraping of metal filled the air as it tore as easy as parchment from the blow. Thick red blood oozed out around her arm dripping onto the stone between them. He tried to cry out as her fingers slipped around his beating heart. His moans drowned into a low gurgle as his insides began to bubble in his throat. A froth of blood and spit spew from his mouth as the fire of life in his eyes flickered. She ripped his heart from its shell, as the sound of metal clamored on the ground.

"By the Nines..." The other guard whispered as he watched his friend twitch a final time. He froze as he watched the woman fix his gaze on him. His sword shook in his grip as he made a weak attempt to stand defensively. He knew he would not win this fight but he did not want to meet the same end as the man before him. He looked to the woman, his eyes pleading for mercy. "Please Great One, spare me so that I may indebt my life to you. My soul is yours to control."

"This, I already know." She said flatly. The Matron stepped forward and grabbed the man's helmet. She turned it over in her hands before tossing it behind her as though it was merely rubbish. The guard tried to beg as she slipped her hands around his face and into his greasy brown hair. Without a word she pulled his face up to hers until their noses touched. He tried to fight her grip as he pushed his hands against her chest to push her away. The Matron would not budge. He tried to claw his way out, as her grip tightened around his head. The pressure built as she squeezed. His eyes began to swell, ready to pop any moment. She kept pushing until his skull could take no more. A sickening crack cut off the guard's screams as his body when limp in her hands.

She dropped him to the ground as she surveyed the area. There was a stable near the large gate but she could see no people about. The horses seemed unbothered by the scene that had just played out before them as they lazily ate grasses from their stalls. The stone road held no witnesses to her power, there would be no more judgement to give here. It was time to move on, into the city gates. This town seethed with evil. She could see the tendrils of corruption from miles away. It was a den of the black hearted and she would spread her white light through this place until it was clean and pure once more. She could see the sun beginning to set in the sky around her, by morning, she thought. Dawn will bring a new day to these lands. True change will be had here, she mused as she pulled open the gate.

Once inside the city, she was almost overwhelmed by the bustling people. There were so many here in this small town. She saw men and women of all types closing their shops for the evening. None took notice of her as she walked toward the town center. They pushed by her as they made their way into The Bee and Barb, she read on a swinging wood sign over top of the door. Drunks and crooks were all that populated this hole. She shook her head as she moved on, closer to the center of town.

"Oh, I am terribly sorry Miss." A man said after he knocked into her.

The Draugr Matron studied the robed figure before her. His face was shrouded by brown robes, from what she could see though, he was a Redguard. What piqued her interest the most, was his spirit. It seemed to shine brighter than the rest around her. It glimmered with its radiance, warming her in its glow. Amid the swathe of cold dark souls, his shined with warmth and love.

"You." She spoke as her stern gaze softened. "You are different."

"I thank you for your flattery but no, I am just a humble servant of Mara. I am no better than anyone else." He smiled as he removed his hood uncovering his kind eyes. "If you'd like, you can follow me to the temple and I can tell you more about her grace?"

"Yes." She answered after a time. "Go to your temple. I have business to attend to first but I must learn more about you and your spirit."

The priest cocked his head questioningly but shrugged off the odd words. He bid his farewell and rushed off toward the temple. The Matron continued her walk to the town center. A few people tried to speak with the odd figure now standing in the middle of the marketplace, but she remained silent. She pulled her statuesque façade over herself, becoming what she once was. She was still with patience, morning was a was away. It wouldn't be long now.

She waited until every last soul had moved indoors. The guards made their way into the keep to switch shifts and the drunks had long started their nightly revelry. The streets lay barren of souls, she would need to act now before the second had passed. She snapped her fingers, the sound echoing through the quiet night. There was no escape now. With a thought, every door in Riften would be inescapable tonight. This city would pay for all the crimes it has committed.

The Draugr Matron picked up the blacksmith hammer laying on top of a table outside. With a mighty swing she slammed the wall off of the forge as a cascade of fire and coal sluiced forth. She could sense that the flames were special, enhanced by magic to burn hotter, longer than the rest. This fire would accomplish the task she needed of it. Embers swirled into the night sky, dancing along the breeze. Piece by piece moved through the air toward the rooftops catching the dry grasses quickly. The smell of thick smoke filled her nostrils as the houses began to swell with flames. The buildings began to breathe with life as the light filled the windows. Shortly after, the screams had started in earnest.

It was a symphony of justice ringing through the streets. Their panicked cries cut into the still night. Their fists pounding on doors that would never open. They would learn the error of their ways. They would be filled with regret of the paths they had chose. She was the ferryman to their torment. She would hold their hand as she dragged their souls to the damnation they deserved. Tonight would be an awakening to these lands. She was in charge of their spirits. She was their one true mother. Their false gods, the Aedra and the Daedra, would shake in their boots. Judgement was at hand for all of Tameriel. She would cleanse Skyrim, and then the world.

She moved into position in front of the Temple of Mara. The souls in this building were pure. They deserved to be saved from the hot teeth of the flames. She would protect these children through the night, until the fires died down. When dawn finally approaches, she would show these beautiful people the right way, the true way. They would be the first to come unto her bosom of love and truth. They would help her heal these lands. They will be the fist to drive her will, of that she was sure.