The Dragonborn

Part 55

Mark led the way out through the door and out into another dark tunnel. Jack casted a spell for candlelight, so that he could see where he was going. Mark drew his greatsword, leading him out toward a large cavern with closed rooms all around them. Dead rotting skeever corpses were scattered across the floor and Jack did his best to step around them. From one of the closed rooms, Jack could hear a woman giggle eerily, before she loudly stated. "They'll never find me in here"! Mark started up the small stone stairs that went up to the next level of rooms, quietly telling Jack over his shoulder. "Just don't make any sudden moments around these people". Jack followed him up the steps, anxiously muttering out. "I wasn't planning on it. Let's just find Esbern and get out". 

Mark made it to the top of the steps and pointed to a large metal door at the end of the row. Out of all the wooden doors and metal gated doors, that one looked to be the most promising. Mark flashed Jack a smile, saying hopefully. "That is probably our guy. I'd want a strong door to separate me from the crazies down here". Mark's eyes drifted to look behind Jack, gesturing for him to move closer with his fingers. Jack calmly moved closer to stand beside Mark, then turned to look back. Behind an iron gated door, a man dressed in a blood stained chef's outfit watched him with hungry eyes. The man curled his grubby hands around the bars, whispering to himself in a dark tone. "Fresh meat, my darling. A fine meal they'd make indeed". Jack shivered, moving a bit quickly toward the door. He didn't want to be down here anymore. It was making him very uncomfortable.

Knocking on the metal door, Jack waited to see if anyone would answer. The narrow slot in the door opened to reveal an old man, who barked out bitterly. "Go away"! Jack cleared his throat asking the man curiously. "Esbern? Open the door. I'm a friend". The man chuckled nervously, muttering back. "What? No, that's not me. I'm not Esbern. I don't know what you're talking about". Jack tried to think of a way to speed this along by telling him bluntly. "It's okay. Delphine sent me". The man stepped away from the narrow eye slot, answering utterly offended. "Delphine? How do you... So, you finally found her and she led you to me. And here I am, caught like a rat in a trap". Jack shot an unsettled look at Mark, who shot back grimly. "He thinks we're with the Thalmor".

Jack sighed, shaking his head just as grimly. They were running out of time before more Thalmor would show up. He had to think of a way to convince him. When he suddenly recalled Delphine's words and told Esbern quickly. "Delphine said to 'remember the 30th of Frostfall"? Esbern moved back into the sight of the narrow slot, peering out at them closely, before calmly murmuring out. "Ah. Indeed, indeed. I do remember". Esbern's voice took on a rather soft tone, his eyes drifting to some far off memory as he told him. "Delphine really is alive, then? You'd better come in then and tell me how you found me and what you want". Esbern moved back away from the eye slot, telling them a bit loudly. "This'll just take a moment...".

Mark backed up closer to Jack, while Esbern fumbled around with a few heavy sounding locks, muttering to himself. "This one always sticks... There we go. Just a few more now". Jack glanced around the cavern nervously, listening to Esbern finish up the last few locks, telling them casually. "There we are! Come in, come in! Make your self at home"! Esbern opened the door, allowing only enough time for both him and Mark to slip in. Esbern then quickly shut the door, stating out a bit relieved. "That's better. Now we can talk". Mark sighed heavily, pointing back at the door, grumbling out sternly. "We need to go now"! Esbern raised a hand to silence him, looking Jack over curiously, when he asked lightly. "Patience. I have some questions first. So, Delphine keeps up the fight, after all these years"?

Jack only had time to nod, before Esbern suddenly crossed his arms over his chest and dryly stated out in a lifeless voice. "I thought she'd have realized it's hopeless by now. I tried to tell her years ago...". Jack locked perplexed eyes with Mark for a moment, asking Esbern curiously. "What do you mean 'it's hopeless"? He really hoped that Esbern wasn't going to tell him that all this was for nothing. He didn't need to give Mark another reason to hate Delphine. Esbern sauntered off toward his cooking pot to stir the contents, grumbling back at them. "Haven't you figured it out yet? What more needs to happen before you all wake up and see what's going on"? After he stirred the pot, he straightened back up to his full height, gesturing with his hands toward the ceiling as he barked out dejectedly. "Alduin has returned, just like the prophecy said! The dragon from the dawn of time, who devours the souls of the dead"!