We came across another Frost Daedra a few yards up ahead. This time, I tried a shock spell (Lightening Storm), and this time, the spell didn't reflect back. Not as powerful, though, as God's Fire, but it did enough damage that my clanfear and Aesliip could handle it without too much trouble. Still the Antroch charged at me. I used the Ring of Weapons to finish it off, but even so, it still took a number of hits to kill it.

At the next Frost Antroch, I tried summoning a Flame Antroch. At least, those spells won't come back to me. Still, it was pretty hard to bring these bad boys down. Aesliip was almost killed by the spells thrown by the Flame Antroch.

Many of these tunnels ended in a dead-end, but all of them had at least 3 or 4 of these Frost Daedra in them, always waiting, hoping to escape the prison that Aesliip had placed them in.

I came across yet another one of these creatures, and decided to try a more powerful weapon.

A rarely used spell, I summoned a daedric battle-axe. It would only last 60 seconds, but once I got close enough, I wouldn't need more than 15 or 20 seconds of time for this thing to do it's job.

Using yet another frost shield potion, we ran towards the Frost Daedra.

As expected, it tossed a number of frost spells right at me. The shield absorbed most of the spell, and my Astrological sign allowed me to absorb 50% of what managed to get through. I barely felt the effect at all.

The creature fell after just three hits of this powerful battle-axe. Five times I repeated this act. Five times, just three hits managed to defeat these monsters.

"You are a mage." Aesliip noted. "Yet, you use summoned weapons."

"I have learned that sometimes one must adjust to the creature you are doing battle with." I replied. "Many times, a spell will do the trick. Sometimes, however, it will not."

I walked a few steps ahead, making sure the coast was clear, then turned to Aesliip, and added "A wise old man on a journey through Red Mountain once said 'Summoned creatures and ancient spells are no match for a good battle-axe at your side.'"

"And which wise man was this?" he asked.

"Why, me, of course." I replied.

Well, that certainly caught him by surprise.

Just around a bend, another Frost Daedra attacked, and just like before, 3 hits of a battle-axe put him on the floor.

Suddenly, I felt Aesliip put his hand on my arm.

Thinking he was attacking me, I spun around, ready to kill him on the spot. Aesliip put his arms up, indicating he was not attacking, just wanting my attention.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It is done." he replied. "My time is over. You have done a service here today. Both to me, and to the people of this island. Now I may rest."

He reached in his tunic and retrieved a ring, offering it to me. "Before I go, take this. May you have the strength of will to continue your own journey."

Aesliip dropped the ring in my hand. As he did, the blood-red eyes he possessed faded into darkness. Draugr Lord Aesliip, who had saved the very people that rejected him, had managed to redeem himself by standard guard for thousands of years. His body fell to the cavern floor, lifeless, tired of this world.

"Rest well, my friend. Your job is finished." was the only thing I could think of to say.

Somehow, I managed to find my way back to the cave entrance and swam back to the surface. The flames coming from the lake, however, continued to burst forth.

I managed to fire up a levitation spell and floated up out of the icy waters and into the air. All I could do was marvel at the sight of flames coming from ice, but at the same time, realized that the death of Aesliip hadn't caused this spell to cease. There was definitely more to this than we expected.

I headed back to the ice surface before the levitation spell wore off, and headed back to Wind-Eye and Laurenna, who were waiting for me on the northern shore of the lake.

I told them about Aesliip, what had happened to him, how he became a draugr himself, and the Frost Daedra he had been holding at bay these many thousands of years.

"So he is defeated." remarked Korst. "It seems there was more to that creature than any of us had imagined. You have done well, Eldorf Dragonmeal. I, for one, would be proud to call you Skaal. Return now to the Skaal village. I will meet you there in a while. There are matters I must attend to."

I was glad it was just a short walk up a hill to get back to the Skaal village. I wanted to get out of these wet clothes. The snowing didn't help.

We dropped our things off in the tent, and I was about to go see Heart-Fang when Laurenna stopped me.

"Oh, Eldorf! You have draugr guts all over your good shirt." she exclaimed. "Go change! You can't see the leader of a village like that."

I knew warriors liked that kind of thing, but she was right, in a way. I headed back in the tent and got the only robe I had brought with us.

"Oh, that's much better." she said. "At least now you don't have guts all over your shirt. I'll get it cleaned for you by tomorrow."

"Thank you, dear." I replied. "Let's go see Heart-Fang and let him know what has happened so far. I'm not happy with the fact that the flames are still spewing forth from the ice lake, but I'm sure Korst Wind-Eye will be up here shortly to add his knowledge as to what is happening."

"Let's hope so." she said.