The Dragonborn

Part 75

Jack's body shook a little and he wasn't sure if it was from the power he lost, or the death of J'Darr. Mark rubbed his back soothingly, causing Jack to mumble out to him. "Mark... I don't feel good." Mark rubbed his back a bit slower, asking slightly worried. "What's wrong?" Jack sat up, glancing at J'Darr's body as he guiltily stammered out. "It just felt wrong... Using that spell... The look on J'Darr's face at the sight of him... Mark, I feel terrible." Mark wrapped an arm around his neck to pull him back against his shoulder, telling him in a low saddened voice. "I know... But Jack, he was too far gone. What you did gave him some peace." Jack swallowed past the lump in his throat, choking out. "I just can't see it that way. He seemed so..." Jack couldn't finish as tears ran down his cheeks. Mark held him tighter, whispering to him confidently. "Trust me, Jack. There was nothing you could do. Even if you had managed to save him... He would have gone right back to Skooma after realizing that he killed his brother." 

Jack sniffled and Mark added in with a slightly quivering voice. "Besides... You didn't kill him. I did. It's my burden to bare, Jack. I had to make a decision and I didn't want to run the risk of him attacking you. I thought that he'd see it as you killed his brother after the spell ended and I panicked. I killed him quickly. I don't think he felt any pain for too long." Jack sniffled again, siting back again to use his long tunic sleeve to wipe his tears away. Glancing down the tunnel to where J'Zhar's body lay. Jack told himself softly. "I hope his brother was waiting for him on the other side." Mark grasped his shoulder, telling him lightly. "He must have loved his brother a lot. Even in a Skooma fever... He didn't eat his brother." Jack weakly climbed to his feet. Slowly making his way into the next part of the tunnel, he examined another scene of blood stained bedrolls and another fire pit with smoldering coals and human bones. By the bedroll that Jack had seen J'Zhar on, he saw a knapsack.

Making his way to it, he dropped down in the snow to look through it. Inside the bag, he found eight empty Skooma bottles, Two potions of Healing, and a journal with a white feather quill and ink. Jack removed the journal and handed the bag to Mark. He was sure that Mark would take the Healing potions to heal his bleeding shoulder. He'd do it himself... but his magic was too depleted. He couldn't risk even a tiny spell at present. Opening the journal, Jack began to read in a quiet voice. "This one is at his wits end! I signed J'Darr and myself up for this expedition to try to get him clean of the Skooma. I brought a small supply to try bring him down slowly, but the storm has had us trapped in the glacier for weeks! The others have not yet caught on that the one with fur should not shake so much from the cold, but I've run out of the little Skooma I brought and J'Darr is getting pretty bad. He's started hallucinating creatures coming out of the ice and the ruins. The others are starting to think he may be behind Vaile's disappearance, but I know he would never do something like that!"

Jack closed the journal with a heavy heart. Taking a deep breath, Jack uttered out softly. "He was just trying to help him..." Tears brimmed his eyes again and he set the journal down to cover his eyes with his hands. Mark finished drinking down one of the potions, then kneeled down in front of him to brush his green bangs back and kissed his forehead tenderly. Jack couldn't look up at Mark. He felt terrible for them. It didn't seem fair. Mark took his wrists and pulled him to his feet, embracing him tightly as he spoke against his ear. "It's alright. It wasn't your fault. I don't think anyone knew they were here. You can't save everyone, Jack..." Jack knew he was right, but his emotions were already past the point of no return. He just had to cry this out and take a minute to gather himself back together. Mark held him close, letting him cry into his shoulder, before starting to hum softly. It sounded like a Nord lullaby and Jack found himself slowly calming back down.

The moment Jack felt calm enough, he stepped back with one last sniffle, telling Mark. "We should continue on. The others may still be alive and need our help." Mark nodded, gesturing past a tunnel loaded with supplies with his sword, saying confidently. "They most likely kept going in to see if their was another way out. So, if we keep going, than we should pick up their trail." Jack took one last look at the Khajiit brothers and forced himself to walk away. Mark stopped him at the end of the tunnel to hand him a handkerchief and Jack smiled. Accepting it, he blew his nose and headed toward the large stone desk he saw just ahead. All traces of snow were gone from here and the room doubled in size to reveal dark grey stone with gold pipes and bars. The desk was decorated with Dwarven bowls, cups, and silverware. The sight of another journal made Jack sit down in a golden metal chair. Mark moved closer to examine the Dwarven cup, while Jack read Unmana's journal aloud for him.