Entry 14: Heartfire 7, 3E433

Before setting out, I visited the Great Chapel of Arkay for my daily blessing. After saying a prayer, I exited and paid homage to the statue honoring Arkay, just outside of the chapel. With my religious duties taken care of, I set out north across the Heartland plains and within the hour, I arrived at my destination.

Stepping inside of the Lake Arrius Cavern, I descended the rocky ramp and stopped once I reached an open area. Standing across the cave, a Mythic Dawn agent stood in front of a door. I crouched down and waited in the shadows, just observing this man. As I sat there, I felt the anger rising within me. Closing my eyes, I recalled that fateful night twelve days ago when this cult murdered Uriel Septim, the Emperor of Tamriel.

My body was trembling now and I drew my Akaviri katana. Charging forward, I attacked the lone agent choosing not to listen to his foul lies. When the agent lay dead, I took his key and proceeded deeper into the cavern. Navigating through the catacombs, I pushed deeper killing every bastard who crossed my path.

I found one Mythic Dawn agent praying before a statue of what I knew to be Mehrunes Dagon. Needless to say, she did not live long enough to finish her prayers. I spat on the statue of the vile demon and continued my search.

With the outlying catacombs cleansed, I proceeded into an adjoining cavern to the sounds of chanting. Creeping forward, I heard someone speaking to those agents who were chanting. Sneaking onto a ledge, I overlooked the scene down below. The speaker was standing behind an altar on the shrine of Mehrunes Dagon. Behind this man, a Dunmer no less, was a much larger statue of the demonic lord.

As the speaker spoke an impending cleansing of Tamriel, it dawned on me that this was none other than Mankar Camoran himself, the author of the Mythic Dawn Commentaries. Drawing my blade, I jumped down onto the shrine plateau to kill him, but he opened a portal and vanished.

I was now surrounded by over a half dozen agents of the Mythic Dawn, including the offspring of Mankar Camoran. Calling on my adrenaline rush, I started hacking and slashing my way through them. Blood spattered everywhere during my enraged state and at last, I finally killed them all, but only just.

Although they all lay dead, the battle took its toll on me. I was not able to call upon Mara’s Gift twice in the same day, so I had no immediate help. Crawling up onto the shrine, I rested and got to work making myself some potions that would heal my wounds. Once I was done, I noticed that an Argonian prisoner lay half naked on a stone sacrificial slab nearby. Thank Talos he was still alive. Once I freed him, he fled without even bothering to thank me.

With the Amulet of Kings now gone beyond my grasp, I took a rather strange book, adorned with daedric hieroglyphs on it, from the altar. I pursued the Argonian, not wanting him to come to harm. Ahead in another open cavern, I came across yet more members of the Mythic Dawn cult. Among them were fresh recruit acolytes.

Unleashing a fury like I have never known, I killed them all. Most of the acolytes fled and I chased them through the tunnels, finding them cowering in a corner. As they pled for mercy, I reminded myself that it was too late to save them from the damnation that has already befallen them.

With their blood running down my katana, I searched around for the Argonian. Alas, I could find no sign of him. Finally, I left the Lake Arrius Cavern satisfied that everyone inside was now dead. Guiding myself to the nearby lake, I dropped all of my gear and bathed myself to cleanse my body of all the blood that has been spilt this night.

Tomorrow, a new dawn would rise and Arkay willing, I would safely deliver the daedric book back to Cloud Ruler Temple.