This was a new sense of urgency. Martin was safe at Cloud Ruler Temple, but the Amulet of Kings had been taken by those responsible for the death of the Emperor. The Emperor's warning of danger had now manifested it self in the form of Oblivion Gates that allowed an unlimited number of deadly creatures to arrive from that dreaded plane of existence.

We had always known it was there - we summon creatures from that plane often (as I had done). It was even rumored that the Emperor himself had been trapped there for a time by Jagar Tharn years earlier until freed by a nameless hero. I had experienced this strange place myself in order to close the gate in front of the city of Kvatch. This same kind of gate was responsible for everything in Ald'Ruhn being laid to waste, including everyone I ever knew.

I now had a purpose in life: find the Amulet of Kings and get it back to Martin. I could see that this situation would only get worse until that task was accomplished. And in doing so, I would be avenging the deaths of everyone I ever knew and loved.

And I found a new thing in my heart: hatred for the one responsible for it all. I resolved that it would be my mission to see that person or thing dead, either by my hand, or by my design.

I gritted my teeth and urged the horse on, faster, slowing only to make tight turns around the twisting trail towards the road that would eventually take me to the Imperial city.

We were half way down the Silver Road where it connects to the Orange road when suddenly I heard sounds of an attack up ahead. I pulled the horse to a quick halt and jumped off to see what was going on. It was was a bandit attacking an Imperial Solder that happened to be patroling the road. The soldier fell dead under the bandit's hammer. That's when the bandit saw me.

I summoned a daedroth, then went invisible. The bandit fought with the daedroth, and while distracted, I snuck up behind the bandit and killed him. I was heading back to my horse when suddenly I heard a loud crashing noise behind me.

A shower of sparks and stones flew up from the ground, followed by that deafing roar I had heard in front of Kvatch. Just where the road connected to the Orange road, an Oblivion Gate had opened up. A troll awaited me nearby, but I was more concerned by this new threat.

Using several summoned creatures, I managed to lure the troll towards me. Then, using my new technique of being unseen, allowed my helpful creatures do all the heavy work.

Once the troll was out of the way, I went invisible again and headed towards the gate.

I used my "invisible me, you-and-him-fight" technique on the creatures that had escaped from the portal.

The air around me grew angry, reflecting my anger and hatred for this thing. It was as if my emotions were being reflected in the sky.

I drew my sword. No unarmed little girl this time. I had potions, armor, techniques, experience, and a driving anger that took all fear away. I would meet these things on their own turf every time they showed up.

And I knew how to defeat them.

Once again, I stepped into the portal and into the World of Oblivion.

Something unexpected greeted my eyes: a different set of towers with multiple levels of bridges between them.

"Ok, fine." I said to myself. "You want to make it harder to get to that stone? I have all day." I then wondered what passes for "day" here.

I tried several different directions to something with a door. Some were blocked by lava while others were blocked by a huge gate. I had no idea how to open them, but I knew there had to be a release somewhere.

I encoutered a number of creatures looking for me (or anyone that happened to come in through the portal). Some I just walked by, others I managed to kill for their daedra heart (very powerful alchemy ingredients).

My summoned creatures came in very handy.

I also encoutered several odd boobytraps sitting on the ground. I found that even though I was invisible, if I walked too close to them, they would suddenly spin, fly into the air, then explode, shooting sharp pieces of metal in all directions. After my first encounter then them, I had to use a healing spell on myself behind a rock.

Eventually I found a door at the base of one of the several towers. As I approached it, I heard a loud noise, as of a pully operated by chains was being operated. I saw a tower with a turret on it to my left, the turret spinning very fast. Suddenly, it shot a fireball spell right at me. I jumped back, and the bolt missed me. I ducked behind a huge stone outcropping, but I was still too close to the turret. It kept firing one shot after another directly at me. Only the boulder protected me.

I started to notice a pattern. Each time, after the turret fired, the device would rest for a moment, then start the attack again. I figured the distance to the door of the tower. An invisibility wouldn't help here - the tower could detected me no matter what I did.

I waited for the next blast of fireball spell, then made a break for the door.

I managed to get into the base of the tower, where I found a huge spider daedra waiting for me. I hit it with several shock spells, killing it.

I looked around the room for the door leading to the next level, but could find nothing here that would help.

I then studied the huge device in front of me. Looking at all the crushed bodies around it, and all the blood on it, this thing was used to mash bodies, extracting the blood for these creatures to use.

I found a switch on the wall, threw it, and watched as the device made its way up to the next level. Setting the switch to the other position brought it back down.

There was also a release on the huge plate, so at least I wouldn't need help to get the machine to operate.

I stepped on the plate, the blood squishing under my boots. Throwing the release on the platform, I found myself rising up to the next level of the tower.

Eventually, I managed to make my way into the tower that powered the Oblivion Gate. After a few more side trips, I found the passage leading up to the top of this tower, grabbing the Sigil Stone from its perch, destroying the Oblivion Gate.

I grabbed the Sigil Stone as I had done before, and once again, in a blinding flash, I found myself right where I had started, just south of the Orange road.

"I have beaten you again!" I shouted to no one, letting off steam.

I made my way back to the horse, waiting patiently for me right where I had left him, nibbling on grass. He perked his ears up, snorting a greeting as I climbed back up on his back.

Time had been lost. It was night time, now, and very late. We went at full gallop down the Silver road, then west on the Red Ring road, eventually turning sound until we hit the huge pathway leading to the city itself.

There was a stable just outside the city gate. I left my horse there, with specific instructions that the ork working there NOT eat him.

My immediate mission as a new member of the Blades was to find Baurus and see if he had learned anything new about the assassins responsible for the Emperor's death. I'd find him at Luther Broad's Boarding House, Elven Gardens district. However, first I'd have to find a room and crash into a bed.

The morning would come soon enough.