Shedding Light Part 3 - Demons in the Dark [Ongoing Post with ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
conjuredskies]
Jun. 2nd, 2021 03:37 pmsmartass_captain((OOC Note: Content warnings for trauma, body horror, and upsetting imagery still apply. Necromancy and its consequences are a hell of a thing. Link to Part 2 in the opener if you missed it!))
It feels like months ago they made their plan, and all the while time slips by.
Jim doesn't intend to let this problem linger and yet it's so easy for the weeks to pile up. First they wait for Felix to heal. He's adamant that he must go with to help set things to rights. Stratos insists they at least write to Mathieu to let him know this will be handled. To perhaps appease the college that the mage is doing what he can to get that stolen property returned....
But Stratos and Jim are both men with large responsibilities. They delay when the Tribune must travel for a summit dealing with political tension and new orders in Skyrim. They delay again when quarterly reviews and a minor ion storm throw the Enterprise-A into strained disarray. All the while a man's future hangs in the balance back on Nirn.
The New Year is a quiet one. They celebrate their anniversary, Jim reluctantly agrees to speak over subspace transmissions for a Remembrance Day ceremony held over his birthday. He ignores any more transmissions from his own mother for the time being. It would be easy to go on forever like this. Better for Felix, Jim, and probably Stratos to let Rielle fade until it was nothing more than a nightmare once more. But they can't run forever. Jim Kirk, at least, wouldn't be able to forgive himself. When Stratos sends word that he's back to business at his camp in Skyrim, Jim leaves Alpha shift with his teeth grit.
When he comes back to their quarters it won't be to enjoy a well deserved quiet evening. He'll need to hunt down his husband in the botany labs so they can both get dressed for a trip back home to Bruma.
There's preparations to be done first.
Jim makes sure Tiber's well fed and freshly watered before he sits down at his desk to force down a turkey sandwich he's procured from the replicator. By now Jim's aware of this cycle to know he needs to eat before they start talking about that godforsaken place hidden away in the mountains of Cyrodiil. If he waits there's a good chance he won't have an appetite for a day or more. Being sick and shaky from hunger but unable to eat because of ravaging nausea isn't going to help anyone. Taking a basic and mostly tasteless meal with a strong cup of coffee is easy enough even if Jim's already forcing himself to eat. He might be sick, later. But he'll definitely be less useful if he doesn't at least try to shore himself up ahead of this.
A shift spent mostly on paperwork means the captain doesn't strictly need to clean up but a quick sonic and a change of clothes Feels better. Feels like Jim's in control. In his routine. He shoves their uniforms to one side of the closet once he's changed, revealing the large trunk nestled in the very back hidden mostly from sight. He fishes the key for it from the usual hiding place before squatting down to turn the heavy lock. Lift the solid oaken lid up to reveal the carefully hidden clothing of Felix's world. Jim's careful not to rumple all of their clothes as he fishes out travel wear for both himself and Felix to lay out on their bed ready to change into once Jim brings his husband back to their quarters. All the while anxiety prickles at the edges of his thoughts. Jim slows his breathing purposefully every time he catches himself. He's taking too long to prepare, they shouldn't leave Stratos waiting. What if Felix isn't up for going? What if...
Tiber bunts his head against Jim's leg with a deliberately loud purr until the captain reaches over to give the kneazle a few strokes. "You be good and maybe I'll bring you along to see Stratos later." Jim hasn't missed how fond the Tribune is of the animal, magical or not. He needs to get a move on for now though. Tiber hops up on the desk to watch his bonded turn to the terminal inset next to the door. The kneazle's eyes blow wide, his tail twitching eagerly as the human kicks aside a hollow torchbug thorax when making his way over. Jim doesn't pay the chittery noises behind him any mind as he runs a scan to locate Felix. The Deck-2 labs are usually reserved for Spock's current projects and other Federation-requested testing of samples they collect, so Jim's not terribly surprised to find Felix on Deck-3's smaller botany lab.
"Seems he hasn't charmed Spock into granting him access to the larger labs after all that talk the other day..." Not even the current task can drain all the fondness from Jim's voice. It's easier to focus on his husband of the night before, idly complaining about the issue the head of the Science Division took with his lab findings write up. Helps his hands stay steady. "Don't let Felix leave if I somehow miss him and he beats me back here." Jim comments over his shoulder to the kneazle before excusing himself from their quarters and making his way down to the turbolifts.
It feels like months ago they made their plan, and all the while time slips by.
Jim doesn't intend to let this problem linger and yet it's so easy for the weeks to pile up. First they wait for Felix to heal. He's adamant that he must go with to help set things to rights. Stratos insists they at least write to Mathieu to let him know this will be handled. To perhaps appease the college that the mage is doing what he can to get that stolen property returned....
But Stratos and Jim are both men with large responsibilities. They delay when the Tribune must travel for a summit dealing with political tension and new orders in Skyrim. They delay again when quarterly reviews and a minor ion storm throw the Enterprise-A into strained disarray. All the while a man's future hangs in the balance back on Nirn.
The New Year is a quiet one. They celebrate their anniversary, Jim reluctantly agrees to speak over subspace transmissions for a Remembrance Day ceremony held over his birthday. He ignores any more transmissions from his own mother for the time being. It would be easy to go on forever like this. Better for Felix, Jim, and probably Stratos to let Rielle fade until it was nothing more than a nightmare once more. But they can't run forever. Jim Kirk, at least, wouldn't be able to forgive himself. When Stratos sends word that he's back to business at his camp in Skyrim, Jim leaves Alpha shift with his teeth grit.
When he comes back to their quarters it won't be to enjoy a well deserved quiet evening. He'll need to hunt down his husband in the botany labs so they can both get dressed for a trip back home to Bruma.
There's preparations to be done first.
Jim makes sure Tiber's well fed and freshly watered before he sits down at his desk to force down a turkey sandwich he's procured from the replicator. By now Jim's aware of this cycle to know he needs to eat before they start talking about that godforsaken place hidden away in the mountains of Cyrodiil. If he waits there's a good chance he won't have an appetite for a day or more. Being sick and shaky from hunger but unable to eat because of ravaging nausea isn't going to help anyone. Taking a basic and mostly tasteless meal with a strong cup of coffee is easy enough even if Jim's already forcing himself to eat. He might be sick, later. But he'll definitely be less useful if he doesn't at least try to shore himself up ahead of this.
A shift spent mostly on paperwork means the captain doesn't strictly need to clean up but a quick sonic and a change of clothes Feels better. Feels like Jim's in control. In his routine. He shoves their uniforms to one side of the closet once he's changed, revealing the large trunk nestled in the very back hidden mostly from sight. He fishes the key for it from the usual hiding place before squatting down to turn the heavy lock. Lift the solid oaken lid up to reveal the carefully hidden clothing of Felix's world. Jim's careful not to rumple all of their clothes as he fishes out travel wear for both himself and Felix to lay out on their bed ready to change into once Jim brings his husband back to their quarters. All the while anxiety prickles at the edges of his thoughts. Jim slows his breathing purposefully every time he catches himself. He's taking too long to prepare, they shouldn't leave Stratos waiting. What if Felix isn't up for going? What if...
Tiber bunts his head against Jim's leg with a deliberately loud purr until the captain reaches over to give the kneazle a few strokes. "You be good and maybe I'll bring you along to see Stratos later." Jim hasn't missed how fond the Tribune is of the animal, magical or not. He needs to get a move on for now though. Tiber hops up on the desk to watch his bonded turn to the terminal inset next to the door. The kneazle's eyes blow wide, his tail twitching eagerly as the human kicks aside a hollow torchbug thorax when making his way over. Jim doesn't pay the chittery noises behind him any mind as he runs a scan to locate Felix. The Deck-2 labs are usually reserved for Spock's current projects and other Federation-requested testing of samples they collect, so Jim's not terribly surprised to find Felix on Deck-3's smaller botany lab.
"Seems he hasn't charmed Spock into granting him access to the larger labs after all that talk the other day..." Not even the current task can drain all the fondness from Jim's voice. It's easier to focus on his husband of the night before, idly complaining about the issue the head of the Science Division took with his lab findings write up. Helps his hands stay steady. "Don't let Felix leave if I somehow miss him and he beats me back here." Jim comments over his shoulder to the kneazle before excusing himself from their quarters and making his way down to the turbolifts.
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Date: 2022-07-06 08:06 pm (UTC)Stratos wards off the hostile spell with a serpent-quick twist of his hand, follows up with a lunge that takes his sword-point into the unprotected pit of the creature's off hand. It wheels around with a curse on its lips, mace raised to smite this new gadfly... and Stratos throws a glimmer of light to meet it. The dremora's arm is wrenched down suddenly, the daedric warrior bent to the ground by the multiplied weight of its weapon. At a thought from Felix, the familiar darts in, jaws closing on the creature's weapon hand and biting until its teeth find bone. The dremora's howl mingles outrage and genuine pain.
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Date: 2022-07-06 10:55 pm (UTC)A strangled shout of a warning is bursting from Jim's mouth even before he can think to stay hidden, though Stratos is more than prepared for the retaliation. The familiar is clamping its jaws down on the creature's hand. It's weapon as immovable as Thor's hammer. Which means all it has access to is that horrible spell again only now both Caelus brothers are in point blank range--
Jim's first shot goes wide with his panic, a strange high pitched noise that whizzes over the dremora's shoulder. And when that horrible creature looks at him for the first time his blood runs cold. It's raising its hand his way...
He fires the phaser.
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Date: 2022-07-10 10:12 pm (UTC)His elation lasts for the split second it takes to realize the dremora is moving. Not to defend itself from Stratos, lunging from the side. Not to blast the familiar relentlessly closing its jaws until bone cracks beneath them.
It's turning that cursed magic on Jim.
Felix's turn to cry out, an ice spike forming in his hands- too slow, Stratos is too slow, red energy lashes out from the daedra's hand- and faster still, the phaser beam lances into its throat, burning through the unarmored tissue and warping the collar of its cuirass. The creature jerks as it's thrown back. Then, under the mages' eyes, it falls back, its snarls silenced. But Felix only stares at it a second before wheeling around. He saw Jim flinch and fall back.
"Jim!" He shoots a frantic look at Stratos, who waves him to go attend his husband. The elder brother will see to it the daedra is dead. Felix is more concerned with the living, though Jim will find the dremora's shot has only clipped his left arm, leaving it burned and weak-feeling.
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Date: 2022-07-11 02:00 am (UTC)"Here, I'm...I'm here!" Jim calls out from where he's hurrying down the rocks to try and catch back up with the brothers. Slower than he'd otherwise be, but in tact. His arm burns, but it's his off-hand. He can still fight like this. Probably. It's magic, so no telling if it's going to spread or get worse. But better him than Felix or Stratos. Even if this Hurts, he can still stand. Still move. Still continue. He won't hold them back.
"Are you both okay?"
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Date: 2022-07-12 06:33 pm (UTC)"We're fine- both of us. No small thanks to your aim." Felix finds himself laughing as the tension rushes out of him. "Here- let me see that arm, you can take an elixir to ease the wound."
Stratos is passing a hand over his eyes to check for any lingering life in the dremora, the familiar standing guard helpfully; Felix dispels his sword and reaches for Jim to roll up his sleeve and fuss over the wound. Beneath the damaged cloth his skin is raised and inflamed, colored like a bruise but with ugly tendril-shaped welts starting to rise around it. Felix doesn't look too concerned, despite the way he winces in sympathy.
"I never thought to see you slay a dremora," he says softly, giving Jim a small smile before he reaches to his pocket for a small bottle.
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Date: 2022-07-12 07:12 pm (UTC)"I uh..." His aim. None of them would have been at risk for that second spell if he'd only been able to aim properly the first time. "I could have done better."
Felix has to hold onto Jim tight to keep him from pulling away. His arm does hurt and a part of him doesn't want to expose it to light of day out of fear for how bad it will actually be. But there's no blood. His mage husband isn't fainting to see it or drawing up pale. Jim figures that's a good sign he'll be fine.
"I'm not sure you really needed me to the way you two and your familiar were fighting. I...saw the spell it threw at Stratos and--" Panicked. "Got a bit anxious, I guess. Turns out watching battlemages fight against something Else magical is pretty scary." He'd thought Felix said the Dremora couldn't use magic. Maybe there's different kinds. Hopefully he'll never find out.
"I'm just glad it worked."
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Date: 2022-07-13 11:32 pm (UTC)"Yeah, I... didn't think one so lowly could use spells like that." He checks the bottle in his hands, trying to stifle the guilt that crosses his face.
"Perhaps you were mistaken about the rank of the creature you summoned," Stratos comments. "It would explain why your wards were unprepared for it."
"Mm. Perhaps." His brother might be trying to comfort him, but Felix isn't in the mood to discuss it right now. He offers Jim the bottle. "Two swallows, and that should bring down the pain and swelling before it gets worse."
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Date: 2022-07-14 05:22 pm (UTC)It's a truth Jim can latch onto in the moment. Ease his fears hopefully even half as well as Felix's elixir is about to ease the pain in his arm. "Joy..." It smells horrible. But they always do. Jim wrinkles his nose, sucks in a breath to stop himself from smelling it too much, and then drinks as he's told to.
Both Caelus brothers will get to hear him make a rather uncharming half-gag at the second sip but he manages to get it down. Incentive to not get hurt in the first place? Eeeeeeh, not so much, but An Effort was made. Let it not be said that captain Kirk hasn't learned to come prepared though. Once he's handed the bottle back off to Felix he's rummaging in one of his many pockets before fishing out a little container of mints so he can pop one into his mouth to ease the awful flavor out of it.
"Brought enough for everyone," Jim explains around the one he's working in his mouth. "Was told it'd help fight off the worst of the nausea from what we're going to run into down below."
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Date: 2022-08-27 01:55 pm (UTC)But they've done it. The first danger is past, the remnant of his mistake laid out lifeless on the ground. Felix breathes in deep and exhales some of his tension. Feels the warmth of satisfaction he doesn't feel he should admit to. It's dead. Dead and over just like I wanted I want to see this through we're getting closer every step-
"Wise," Stratos is commenting on the mints. "We each could make use of a few, I suspect. Time will have stripped some of the smell, yet..." It won't be pleasant by any stretch. And a few scented sweets are a gentler intervention than the tribune's own emergency plan.
"-Right. The upper levels should be safe enough, but... I'll have my familiar scout ahead when we go in." Felix takes a deep breath, makes himself look up at Jim, at Stratos. "I... should take the lead. I know where to look. What to expect."
Stratos studies him carefully before he nods. Perhaps too this is another manifestation of Felix's latent desire to atone, but at least this is a more healthy form of it. Wanting to take the lead in confronting the evidence of his actions without putting himself in excessive danger, or denying them the chance to help. "I'll agree to that, if Jim consents."
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Date: 2022-08-27 02:45 pm (UTC)In case they need help bidding a hasty retreat. Though he'll soon grow still to hear Felix insisting on taking the lead. He wants to ask if Felix is sure, but manages only just to hold his tongue. After a moment's hesitation, Jim nods slowly.
"We'll be right with you, anyway. The whole way."
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Date: 2022-08-27 08:24 pm (UTC)"I will fetch Uncle: you can take a moment here." Let them ready themselves, if another minute or two will help with that. It'll ensure the potion has time to take full effect at least. The tribune's boots crunch over dead grass and stones as he heads back for the rocky slope.
"...Is this how you feel, all the time?" Felix asks softly when they're alone. "Afraid but... wanting more than anything not to make someone else go instead?" He can't pretend he's not afraid, he doesn't have Jim's practiced air of leadership; what talent he has for bluffing won't work on the man who know his soul best. But he can be afraid and still be resolved to do the right thing.
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Date: 2022-08-27 10:16 pm (UTC)"Not usually this kind of fear. I rarely get to know what's out there. But the ideal is the same." This place tried to claim Felix once. Not again. "It comes with the chair."
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Date: 2022-08-28 04:05 pm (UTC)It won't be long before Stratos brings their uncle back with him, bringing up some of the emergency supplies in case the adventuring party should return injured. Terentius is glad to see all his nephews uninjured, but he steps back with a startled grimace and a curse when he claps eyes on the dead dremora. Felix's familiar is sitting between it and the other men as if still protecting them, tail thumping on the ground when their friends return.
"By Stendarr, that's an ugly brute," Terentius comments. "You did well to take it down so handily, boys."
"Hopefully that is the most dangerous opponent we'll face today," Stratos remarks, setting his pack down and transferring another couple of bottles to the pouch tied on his belt.
"Well, don't take too long down there. When this day's work is over you've a good hearty meal and a warm fire to get back to." All the more reason to urge them away from this place and the shadows haunting it. Terentius has never seen this place before, and already he feels a grim dread in his gut when he looks around.
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Date: 2022-08-31 08:43 pm (UTC)"Bigger than I pictured, too." The captain nudges the dremora's body with the toe of his boot one last time before turning attention toward the main structure of the ruins. His thoughts focused to what lies in wait for them inside. And below.
Jim exchanges a glance with the elder Caelus brother at the last. Felix had told them that he'd already tried searching the upper floors and found nothing. They can do a quick sweep again to be sure, but more than likely what they're looking for is stored below. If any of the Runeblades' twisted experiments yet wanders those corridors, they're likely to have to do at least a little sneaking or fighting yet.
"Ready when you two are." And he means it. Even with lead weight in his stomach.