Gold was everything, and after everything Do’Karth witnessed, he was suddenly repulsed by its lustrous hue. The Sload had amassed an impossible collection of the precious metal, and it was evident the creature worked where he slept, and how many unwilling bodies were forcefully grafted with the material to satisfy the monster’s twisted tastes? Perhaps it was the blood that still filled the Khajiit’s mouth with copper, but he wanted no part in any of it. However, a pragmatic part of his mind reminded him that all of it was valuable and could be bartered with; Sevine might also fancy some of the jewelry, herself. Not particularly being picky, Do’Karth grabbed a handful of the necklaces and amulets and shoved them into his budi, limping all the while and using his staff for support. 

The airship lurched, the damage dealt in the skirmish evidently throwing it into its death throes. Despite his injuries, Do’Karth’s body naturally adjusted to the shift in balance as he stepped outside and looked at the churning water below; his gut sank and fear began to grip his heart. He was terrified of the open ocean enough without injuries, but now a voice rang through his mind like a dull ache.

[I]You will die.[/I] 

The Khajiit shuddered, and not just from the cold. The ship around him was tearing itself apart, lurching from the explosions and chains ripping themselves from their moorings, any safe passage down was gone and it left a few stranded souls to contemplate their very limited chance at escape. At least the airship was losing altitude; the drop likely wouldn’t kill them if they waited long enough, but it seemed that each second was begging to be engulfed with flame. Do’Karth closed his eyes and muttered a silent prayer, hoping to find the strength to survive and make his way back to the [I]Tear[/I] and Sevine, who must have been worried sick about him. He heard the sailor jump, and soon vaporize in yet another in a seemingly endless string of explosions and found that he didn’t question his mortality anymore; he just wanted to see his love again one last time.

Another violent explosion nearly threw Do’Karth off of his feet, and it felt like his insides were tearing themselves apart with the sudden motion, causing him to scream out in pain; the brutalizing he’d endured still caused him anguish, but he was alive and moving. Grabbing onto the gunwale, the ship lurched and suddenly began to tear. It was coming apart, and it was clear he could not remain. As the first half of the airship broke into the surface, Do’Karth forced himself over the gunwale and he stared at the brackish water below, feeling as if it would be the last sight he’d seen.

It rushed up to greet him, and he closed his eyes. The impact rocked him, his entire body burning with agony from the impact, and as he screamed, water filled his lungs and he knew then that he was going to drown. His staff was clutched in his hand, the hardwood miraculously buoyant enough to pull him upwards, and he knew there was a direction he needed to go, but he wasn’t sure if he had the strength or the will to go there. All around him was black, except for the fires and the light above; why would he want to go back to that place? All the anguish and suffering, it could just end if he let his lungs fill up and soon it wouldn’t be agonizing. 

Still, despite this, his body thrashed on its own accord, panicking at the lack of oxygen, trying against all reason to stay alive. The bubbles escaping his lungs floated upwards, and he knew then where he needed to go, and in a desperate effort, he kicked up hard to try and break the surface. When he did, he tried to breathe in deep, but his lungs were still filled with salty death, and he coughed, struggling between trying to take in breaths and exhaling the water, not knowing what to do. He felt himself growing weaker, and the struggling grew less and less, and his eyes began to shut.

Suddenly, a pair of hands jerked him by the collar, and his eyes opened once more, seeing the face of the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen before, her hair as bright as fire. Despite himself, he tried to smile, and his eyes shut once more, not sure if the voice calling his name was Sevine or something in his mind.

The inky darkness swallowed him, and it all went dark.