Chapter 4: Traveller
I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t feel any air around me, couldn’t feel ground beneath my feet. My blood rose to my head and my innards seemed to be all tied into a knot. Worst of all, I simply couldn’t see. It was more than the absence of light. It was as if I’d developed the need for sight but never developed eyes to see with. It was downright horrible. But somehow, I didn’t die. The lack of air was horrible and my body screamed for it, but I didn’t die. It was surreal, like a dream. More like a nightmare.
Without any warning, words suddenly appeared before me. Words made out of sparkles without any colour I could reasonably describe. The colour looked like all colours combined yet no colour at all. I frowned at the ‘sight’. I couldn’t read it either. It looked Daedric though. And I could feel the word’s essence. It was Magicka. Once I’d realized that, I put my observation to the test and drew some of my own. While otherwise there was nothing to see, Magicka was still visible. I drew a simple greeting and waited.
,,Ah, modern Cyrodiilic. Yes, I greet you as well.” Floated before my eyes.
,,This has got to be the weirdest conversation ever.” I thought to myself.
,,Who are you?” I then asked. Of course, a name had little meaning and I couldn’t see the being either.
,,I have many names. To most however, I am a wandering seeker of knowledge. It has been a long time since I came across an unformed plane of essence. This intrigues me so I decided to remain. I apologize if this caused you any discomfort, lord.” The lack of air was still distracting me but I still caught on to the last title. Whatever it was, it had just named me as the apparent master of this place. Now asking it what it meant by that would reveal my complete lack of power. As such, it was better to dodge the subject.
,,Really? Why don’t planes remain unformed then?” I asked instead.
,,It is mostly a matter of applied Psychology. As you know, the plane of essence is connected to its master. Actually, calling them two separate beings is entirely incorrect itself. Being one and the same, the plane of essence forms to whatever wish its thinking portion, the lord, holds. Few I know can resist the temptation of a world formed to their will, where they can rule as an omnipotent god.” Now this was actually some helpful information. Forms to whatever wish the thinking portion holds? If I could simply wish for air and sight, it would make my stay a whole lot more pleasant. I did so and it was even easier than I thought it would be. I just had to realize that air was a distinct possibility and there it was. I could sniff up the smell. The air had the unique ashy taste of Vvardenfell.
,,Ah, now it has been formed. An endless expanse of air, made of a mixture found in the north-eastern area of Tamriel.” The storyteller said. I added light to the mix and finally saw him. He was simply a featureless orb of glass floating about.
,,Well yeah. I’ve spent some time there so it brings back memories. Or would you prefer the earlier absolute nothing?” I quipped with vocal speech.
,,This is your land, not mine. I have seen plenty of interesting things yet change is the very nature of everything. Once the master appears to lay claim to what is his, the plane of essence simply can’t remain unformed.” The orb answered in an absolutely neutral voice. It felt as if it had taken Cyrodiilic and relieved it of all the nuances that made speech so personal.
,,So, care to tell me what others make of their planes?” I asked. I honestly had no idea what to do with this place myself. The orb of glass twinkled, the only sign that it was more than just an inanimate object. I hadn’t specified an actual lightsource, so the twinkle had to be its doing, not mine.
,,I have seen many things. Quite simply, there is no limit to the possibilities. The last plane I visited however, was a battlefield where its lord enjoyed to fight and slaughter countless minions of its own creation, content with the knowledge that he was the absolute god of his realm and so nothing could beat him.”
Nothing could beat him? The idea appealed to my sense of pride which had taken quite a blow after Revan wiped me out. Or had he? Weren’t his last words ‘go home’? This place was in a way my home. Or at least, it could become. In here, I could lose my frustration by making a hundred Revans and tearing them apart as if I was a Daedric prince. Daedra, Aedra, were there any differences? Perhaps in the view of mortal tamrielians, but to me, it didn’t feel like there was anything different in the end. So I was a Daedric prince? How flattering.
But no, kicking the crap out of people with all the power of a god would only be childish. In the end, it wouldn’t accomplish anything. No, I shouldn’t stay here. It would be unhealthy for me. My pride had taken a blow, but it was a good one. There is a distinct line between confidence and unreasonable arrogance. No doubt I’d crossed the line there. Hopefully I’d shifted back down to plain confidence.
So I’d just decided that playing god in my own world was not a potential career change. I had to get back, somehow. Not just for me, but also for Ro-El, Gavis and his reality-challenged brother. I had to stop the Mournhold Captain before he ran out of control with Gravedigger. I had so many things to do. And….I suddenly realized that taking revenge on a certain Dark Elf was not on my to-do list. Whatever he might have done, he was just following Azura’s orders, I think. So if I had a fish to cut with someone, it was my mother. Then again, maybe this whole thing was her idea of a ‘coming to manhood’ ceremony. I wished she would have taken a more peaceful option but then again, most manhood ceremonies I’d come across all involved girls and permanent bonding of some sort. I wasn’t exactly the perfect husband, not as long as I had a sword I could swing and baddies to carve up.
Then again, did it really matter? If I so desired, I could make myself a hundred women right here. Which, admittedly, would be even more childish than the godmode slaying of a hundred Revan’s. So back to the point at hand, I had to get back to Nirn.
,,It has been nice talking to you, but I’m on a tight schedule. I’d say, feel free to wander around the place as long as you like, or leave at your leisure or whatever. As for me, I’ll be taking a hike back to Nirn right away.” I told the Orb. It twinkled again.
,,Back to Nirn? Forgive me, lord. But that is unfortunately impossible as long as the pact remains in place. One can only come to Nirn, if one is summoned. Even a lord has to obey this rule.” It spoke, which put the big sink on my mood.
,,Only if summoned? Wonderful, no one knows me! It could be centuries till someone gets the idea to summon a Redguard instead of a Dremora and that’s if I’m lucky! So what am I going to do in the meantime, twiddle my thumbs?” I called out.
,,This concept of rush is unusual and intriguing to observe in an immortal being. If you are truly in such a hurry, perhaps you could request an audience with a fellow lord, one who is more regularly summoned. It is not impossible for someone to follow another to Nirn. Travel to the planes of other lords is also restricted, yet less severely. In fact, most lords hold an oath of non-interference as sufficient to allow free passage through their world. If you so wish, I shall take you to the lord of your choice.” The orb offered. I grinned as the perfect choice came to my mind.
,,Ok, thanks. I’ll take the offer. Can you open a portal to Azura?” I requested.
,,If given your permission.” The orb replied. I realized that it was probably similar to how I’d formed the air. I would simply have to ‘tell’ this place that the orb was a friend who was free to open a portal. I did so and a big black gap of nothing appeared between us.
,,Follow me, lord. I shall take you to Azura.” I looked around me for one last time before flying through the portal. Who knew how long it would be till I returned here, if ever.
The portal led to a walkway of pure silver, suspended above a sparkling city of the same stuff. I looked around in bewilderment. Waterfalls, butterflies, flowers. Was this really Azura’s domain? It was definitely not what I’d imagined. More like the opposite in fact. But then again, my view of Azura was coloured by the events of my life and all. I knew her as manipulative, cold and cruel to boot. Oh, and completely self-centered. The glass orb bade me farewell and floated off to the city below. I ventured onward along the walkway. A green and red mass of vines and roses loomed at the end, just a short walk away. Azura living in a palace of roses? Crazy.
When I reached it, I couldn’t control my curiosity and plucked one of the sweet scented flowers from the wall. A grin broke through the glum expression when I examined it a bit closer.
,,Thorns. That’s more like the Azura I know.” I chuckled and threw the flower away. I moved up to what looked most like a gate and peered between the thick foliage. Two unblinking eyes gazed back.
,,You, mortal. Why did you invade upon Azura’s domain? How did you invade? Do you realize the punishment that awaits you? Only those of her kin are allowed here. You should have remained on Nirn.” The creature asked in an icy tone. I simply frowned and shrugged. Then I held up five fingers in the Daedra’s view.
,,Now, not so pretty lady. There are several incorrect assumptions you make. One, I’m not a mortal. Two, I am not invading anything, just passing through. Three, a friend was so kind to open a portal for me. Four, said portal came from my own domain, not Nirn. And finally, I don’t give a bloody damn about whatever punishment you’ve got in store for me. If you want to punish, bring it on. But you’d better think twice before challenging an Aedra, sis.” I replied in the same tone.
The Winged Twilight, that’s what it was, laughed.
,,You, an Aedra? Whoever you are, you sure know how to bluff, mortal. Very well then, what is your name and what are your titles, oh great lord?” She asked me sarcastically yet playful. Well, at least I managed to break the ice, somehow.
,,Luper Alkad, Arch-mage of Vvardenfell, Arch-magister of House Telvanni, Hortator of the Houses Telvanni, Redoran and Hlaalu. Nerevarine of the four Ashlander tribes, slayer of Dagoth Ur, incarnation of Akatosh and to top it all, self-proclaimed swordmaster.” I counted. To my surprise, the plants separated to reveal an opening.
,,I see. Forgive me for my insolence. You have been expected, Luper Alkad. Just follow this corridor. It shall lead you directly to Azura.” The Winged Twilight spoke reverently. Geez, going from hated and mistrusted mortal to funny mortal and then to most honoured guest in less than five minutes? Wow, impressive.
The moment I set foot upon the floor of roots, the floor itself began to move, carrying me with it. I folded my arms across my chest and managed to regain a stern expression on my face.
,,Now this is just plain showing off.” I commented, yet still slightly amused. The wandering roots eventually came to a cavernous chamber which was completely empty except for one thing. Azura. She was as large as the statue of her shrine on the eastern coast of Vvardenfell, and dressed in a deep blue gown. Ash-coloured skin, crimson eyes. The resemblance with the Dark Elves was remarkable, or perhaps not. More than one source claimed that it was Azura who crafted the current appearance of the Dark Elves.
,,Hi, Azura.” I called across the distance, simply so I could annoy her by speaking first. She didn’t move a single muscle and looked completely emotionless though.
,,Good evening, my son.” She replied simply. Instantly, anger flared up from deep within my soul. With one single word, she’d managed to evaporate all of my self-control.
,,Don’t you dare call me that! My mother is an Alkad, my father is an Alkad. You, you are just a manipulative witch who killed them just so you could use me as your pawn in the whole Dagoth Ur scenario!” I shouted. My right hand clenched into a tight fist as it gripped empty air. It had moved to the place where Chrysamere’s hilt used to be. I corrected the motion by drawing my saber till a fingerwidth of the blade showed outside its sheath.
Now, Azura cast a neutral smile.
,,Are you going to draw that sword, Luper? Are you going to attack me again? I’d hate to see that you haven’t learned your lesson from last time you tried.” She said, still with that damn calm voice. I was still fuming but my sword remained where it was, half-drawn. Last time we met I’d tried to punch her in the face and actually managed to hit my target. But my blow lacked any effect and the Daedric Prince showed the gap between us power-wise by breaking nearly all my bones without even moving. Aggression wouldn’t take me anywhere. And even if the impossible happened, then what? She definitely wouldn’t help me return to Nirn after I whacked her. And then there was Revan.
,,Now that I’m here, you’ll tell me why you sent Revan after me, why you took me from Nirn.” I demanded without any useless diplomacy. Azura’s smile widened slightly.
,,You would order your mother?” She asked me in return.
,,Don’t call yourself that!” Great, I began to lose it again.
,,There are many reasons for what I did, Luper. Yet most of them are as of yet beyond your capability to understand. After all, by mortal years you haven’t even made thirty. Most mer would consider you a mere child even. Most Daedra would consider you even less than that. I shall give you the easiest to understand. Power and responsibility.”
With a loud hiss, I pushed the saber back into its sheath.
,,Power and responsibility? What does this mean?” I asked warily. Rarely, I mean never, had I liked her answers.
,,You are the incarnation of Akatosh and that makes you one of us, an immortal. While fighting Dagoth Ur, your strength ascended faster than any mere mortal could ever hope to match. Even now, your power continues to rise towards unfathomable heights.” I nodded and grumbled incoherently. I had indeed gone from plain loser to hero in a rather short time.
,,And then there is a promise we made with those of Nirn. No Daedric prince nor Aedra shall ever physically come to Nirn again. Only those of low rank can, when summoned. That is how you came to the world, powerless, unformed and summoned by one of my priestesses. But now, our promise has caught up to you. When Revan was about to banish you, your power flared beyond the allowed limit and so you were cast into your realm by the power of the Dragonfires, that which protects Nirn from our meddling.”
The likely conclusion came to me before Azura could continue.
,,So I’m now too powerful to return to Nirn as long as those Dragonfires exist. Destroying them would likely bring about a full scale invasion of Daedra which would make my return more harmful than good. So what am I supposed to do now, twiddle my thumbs for eternity? I think I asked the same question earlier today.” I interrupted. An hourglass rose up through the floor before my feet.
,,Time is a fickle thing, one of those few forces I cannot control. Yet your father, Akatosh, can. To return to Nirn is in all of our interests, for that is where your responsibility lies. But to return, the Dragonfires must not be allowed to block your path. To pass them, you must return to a point in time where they do not yet exist.” Azura pointed at the hourglass as she continued her speech.
,,I get it. So I’ll travel back in time with that thing, go to Nirn and then use my lack of aging to survive till I’m back at the proper timepoint. But that won’t work. When the Dragonfires are born, made, whatever, I’ll simply be cast back and we’ll be back where we started.” I interrupted again.
,,Only if you fail to convince the mortals of your required presence in the world. There is a possibility for an exception to be made, an exception that allows you full passage on Nirn and Oblivion. Find that exception and utilize it. Claim your destiny, Nerevarine.” Azura fell silent and waited for me to do something, like a statue. I stared long and hard at the hourglass but in the end, I concluded that whatever she was plotting, I was going to play my part whether I liked it or not.
,,And just when I thought I was rid of you.” I complained as I bent to pick it up. The last words before the world swirled into nothingness chilled me to the bone.
,,You’ll never be rid of me, not even if you return to the birth of everything.”
The whole timewarp episode swept by without any conscious registration on my part. It could have taken a second, it could have taken a thousand years. To me, it all felt the same, too short to notice. At what I assumed to be the end of my trip, I found myself standing on a grassy hill, close to a farm. A lone High Elf stood behind a plow drawn by a Guar. The ground looked like a mess though, so unlike the hill I was standing on myself. It was cracked, filled with rocks. Man and beast struggled as they pushed the plow in a jagged line. I felt that whatever he would seed, its harvest would be barely enough to survive.
I scratched the back of my head. Why would anyone take that as his land when a perfectly fertile hilltop was a stone’s throw away? Also, why would the farmer be a High Elf? I thought the goldskinned definitions of arrogance considered themselves too high and mighty for that kind of stuff. I hesitantly made a step towards the farm but stopped when my boots clunked on smooth rock rather than grass. I looked down and saw, much to my amusement, that I was standing on top of an altar.
,,Well, that explains why no one puts his farm up here. Sacred ground and all that stuff.”
I jumped off the altar and walked towards the man and his Guar. As soon as I was in shouting distance I called out to him.
,,Hey, you there! Can I talk to you for a while?” I shouted. The High Elf looked up at me and his hand reached for a small axe hanging at his belt. A High Elf with an axe? What happened to their love of standing back and making people explode? I raised my hands in the universal gesture of goodwill.
,,Geez, calm down fella. I’m not here to hurt you. Say, you tell me where I am and I’ll help you plow. How about that? I’m stronger than I look.” I said.
The axe turned out not to be meant for me. Instead, he cut the lines tying his Guar to the plow after which he ran off with his beast in a frantic panic. Again I scratched the back of my head in utter confusion.
,,What in the? Wait, don’t tell me. There’s a big beast standing right behind me, isn’t there?” I mumbled, spinning around and drawing my sword at the same time. The only thing behind me was the altar. With more force than was strictly necessary, I sheathed the blade.
,,Hey, come back here! I’m not that scary! Or did I grow horns all of a sudden?!” I shouthed at the two figures far away. Just to make sure, I ran a hand through my hair. No horns. With a resigned shrug, I walked to the farm and then followed a muddy path which had to lead somewhere.
Ten minutes later, I came to wonder if he even knew what I’d said. I spoke third era Cyrodiilic. But Azura had said that big high and mighty Daedra like her couldn’t reach Nirn in my time. I hadn’t heard of any succesfull Daedric prince summonings either during the history lessons at the Mage guild. Nerevar summoned Azura for council regularly according to some stories, but he was a man from the first era. So I reasoned that I was now either at the first or the second era. Heck, perhaps even the zeroth era, if that was even possible. What if modern Cyrodiilic was too different from the current language to be understood?
I thought on the subject some more. Cyrodiilic was a bit of a mess, but mostly inspired by ancient Nord languages and Aldmeris, I think. Linguistic history is not exactly my strongest point. I put the subject away for the moment. I would simply try again next time I met something sentient.
On to the next chapter
I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t feel any air around me, couldn’t feel ground beneath my feet. My blood rose to my head and my innards seemed to be all tied into a knot. Worst of all, I simply couldn’t see. It was more than the absence of light. It was as if I’d developed the need for sight but never developed eyes to see with. It was downright horrible. But somehow, I didn’t die. The lack of air was horrible and my body screamed for it, but I didn’t die. It was surreal, like a dream. More like a nightmare.
Without any warning, words suddenly appeared before me. Words made out of sparkles without any colour I could reasonably describe. The colour looked like all colours combined yet no colour at all. I frowned at the ‘sight’. I couldn’t read it either. It looked Daedric though. And I could feel the word’s essence. It was Magicka. Once I’d realized that, I put my observation to the test and drew some of my own. While otherwise there was nothing to see, Magicka was still visible. I drew a simple greeting and waited.
,,Ah, modern Cyrodiilic. Yes, I greet you as well.” Floated before my eyes.
,,This has got to be the weirdest conversation ever.” I thought to myself.
,,Who are you?” I then asked. Of course, a name had little meaning and I couldn’t see the being either.
,,I have many names. To most however, I am a wandering seeker of knowledge. It has been a long time since I came across an unformed plane of essence. This intrigues me so I decided to remain. I apologize if this caused you any discomfort, lord.” The lack of air was still distracting me but I still caught on to the last title. Whatever it was, it had just named me as the apparent master of this place. Now asking it what it meant by that would reveal my complete lack of power. As such, it was better to dodge the subject.
,,Really? Why don’t planes remain unformed then?” I asked instead.
,,It is mostly a matter of applied Psychology. As you know, the plane of essence is connected to its master. Actually, calling them two separate beings is entirely incorrect itself. Being one and the same, the plane of essence forms to whatever wish its thinking portion, the lord, holds. Few I know can resist the temptation of a world formed to their will, where they can rule as an omnipotent god.” Now this was actually some helpful information. Forms to whatever wish the thinking portion holds? If I could simply wish for air and sight, it would make my stay a whole lot more pleasant. I did so and it was even easier than I thought it would be. I just had to realize that air was a distinct possibility and there it was. I could sniff up the smell. The air had the unique ashy taste of Vvardenfell.
,,Ah, now it has been formed. An endless expanse of air, made of a mixture found in the north-eastern area of Tamriel.” The storyteller said. I added light to the mix and finally saw him. He was simply a featureless orb of glass floating about.
,,Well yeah. I’ve spent some time there so it brings back memories. Or would you prefer the earlier absolute nothing?” I quipped with vocal speech.
,,This is your land, not mine. I have seen plenty of interesting things yet change is the very nature of everything. Once the master appears to lay claim to what is his, the plane of essence simply can’t remain unformed.” The orb answered in an absolutely neutral voice. It felt as if it had taken Cyrodiilic and relieved it of all the nuances that made speech so personal.
,,So, care to tell me what others make of their planes?” I asked. I honestly had no idea what to do with this place myself. The orb of glass twinkled, the only sign that it was more than just an inanimate object. I hadn’t specified an actual lightsource, so the twinkle had to be its doing, not mine.
,,I have seen many things. Quite simply, there is no limit to the possibilities. The last plane I visited however, was a battlefield where its lord enjoyed to fight and slaughter countless minions of its own creation, content with the knowledge that he was the absolute god of his realm and so nothing could beat him.”
Nothing could beat him? The idea appealed to my sense of pride which had taken quite a blow after Revan wiped me out. Or had he? Weren’t his last words ‘go home’? This place was in a way my home. Or at least, it could become. In here, I could lose my frustration by making a hundred Revans and tearing them apart as if I was a Daedric prince. Daedra, Aedra, were there any differences? Perhaps in the view of mortal tamrielians, but to me, it didn’t feel like there was anything different in the end. So I was a Daedric prince? How flattering.
But no, kicking the crap out of people with all the power of a god would only be childish. In the end, it wouldn’t accomplish anything. No, I shouldn’t stay here. It would be unhealthy for me. My pride had taken a blow, but it was a good one. There is a distinct line between confidence and unreasonable arrogance. No doubt I’d crossed the line there. Hopefully I’d shifted back down to plain confidence.
So I’d just decided that playing god in my own world was not a potential career change. I had to get back, somehow. Not just for me, but also for Ro-El, Gavis and his reality-challenged brother. I had to stop the Mournhold Captain before he ran out of control with Gravedigger. I had so many things to do. And….I suddenly realized that taking revenge on a certain Dark Elf was not on my to-do list. Whatever he might have done, he was just following Azura’s orders, I think. So if I had a fish to cut with someone, it was my mother. Then again, maybe this whole thing was her idea of a ‘coming to manhood’ ceremony. I wished she would have taken a more peaceful option but then again, most manhood ceremonies I’d come across all involved girls and permanent bonding of some sort. I wasn’t exactly the perfect husband, not as long as I had a sword I could swing and baddies to carve up.
Then again, did it really matter? If I so desired, I could make myself a hundred women right here. Which, admittedly, would be even more childish than the godmode slaying of a hundred Revan’s. So back to the point at hand, I had to get back to Nirn.
,,It has been nice talking to you, but I’m on a tight schedule. I’d say, feel free to wander around the place as long as you like, or leave at your leisure or whatever. As for me, I’ll be taking a hike back to Nirn right away.” I told the Orb. It twinkled again.
,,Back to Nirn? Forgive me, lord. But that is unfortunately impossible as long as the pact remains in place. One can only come to Nirn, if one is summoned. Even a lord has to obey this rule.” It spoke, which put the big sink on my mood.
,,Only if summoned? Wonderful, no one knows me! It could be centuries till someone gets the idea to summon a Redguard instead of a Dremora and that’s if I’m lucky! So what am I going to do in the meantime, twiddle my thumbs?” I called out.
,,This concept of rush is unusual and intriguing to observe in an immortal being. If you are truly in such a hurry, perhaps you could request an audience with a fellow lord, one who is more regularly summoned. It is not impossible for someone to follow another to Nirn. Travel to the planes of other lords is also restricted, yet less severely. In fact, most lords hold an oath of non-interference as sufficient to allow free passage through their world. If you so wish, I shall take you to the lord of your choice.” The orb offered. I grinned as the perfect choice came to my mind.
,,Ok, thanks. I’ll take the offer. Can you open a portal to Azura?” I requested.
,,If given your permission.” The orb replied. I realized that it was probably similar to how I’d formed the air. I would simply have to ‘tell’ this place that the orb was a friend who was free to open a portal. I did so and a big black gap of nothing appeared between us.
,,Follow me, lord. I shall take you to Azura.” I looked around me for one last time before flying through the portal. Who knew how long it would be till I returned here, if ever.
The portal led to a walkway of pure silver, suspended above a sparkling city of the same stuff. I looked around in bewilderment. Waterfalls, butterflies, flowers. Was this really Azura’s domain? It was definitely not what I’d imagined. More like the opposite in fact. But then again, my view of Azura was coloured by the events of my life and all. I knew her as manipulative, cold and cruel to boot. Oh, and completely self-centered. The glass orb bade me farewell and floated off to the city below. I ventured onward along the walkway. A green and red mass of vines and roses loomed at the end, just a short walk away. Azura living in a palace of roses? Crazy.
When I reached it, I couldn’t control my curiosity and plucked one of the sweet scented flowers from the wall. A grin broke through the glum expression when I examined it a bit closer.
,,Thorns. That’s more like the Azura I know.” I chuckled and threw the flower away. I moved up to what looked most like a gate and peered between the thick foliage. Two unblinking eyes gazed back.
,,You, mortal. Why did you invade upon Azura’s domain? How did you invade? Do you realize the punishment that awaits you? Only those of her kin are allowed here. You should have remained on Nirn.” The creature asked in an icy tone. I simply frowned and shrugged. Then I held up five fingers in the Daedra’s view.
,,Now, not so pretty lady. There are several incorrect assumptions you make. One, I’m not a mortal. Two, I am not invading anything, just passing through. Three, a friend was so kind to open a portal for me. Four, said portal came from my own domain, not Nirn. And finally, I don’t give a bloody damn about whatever punishment you’ve got in store for me. If you want to punish, bring it on. But you’d better think twice before challenging an Aedra, sis.” I replied in the same tone.
The Winged Twilight, that’s what it was, laughed.
,,You, an Aedra? Whoever you are, you sure know how to bluff, mortal. Very well then, what is your name and what are your titles, oh great lord?” She asked me sarcastically yet playful. Well, at least I managed to break the ice, somehow.
,,Luper Alkad, Arch-mage of Vvardenfell, Arch-magister of House Telvanni, Hortator of the Houses Telvanni, Redoran and Hlaalu. Nerevarine of the four Ashlander tribes, slayer of Dagoth Ur, incarnation of Akatosh and to top it all, self-proclaimed swordmaster.” I counted. To my surprise, the plants separated to reveal an opening.
,,I see. Forgive me for my insolence. You have been expected, Luper Alkad. Just follow this corridor. It shall lead you directly to Azura.” The Winged Twilight spoke reverently. Geez, going from hated and mistrusted mortal to funny mortal and then to most honoured guest in less than five minutes? Wow, impressive.
The moment I set foot upon the floor of roots, the floor itself began to move, carrying me with it. I folded my arms across my chest and managed to regain a stern expression on my face.
,,Now this is just plain showing off.” I commented, yet still slightly amused. The wandering roots eventually came to a cavernous chamber which was completely empty except for one thing. Azura. She was as large as the statue of her shrine on the eastern coast of Vvardenfell, and dressed in a deep blue gown. Ash-coloured skin, crimson eyes. The resemblance with the Dark Elves was remarkable, or perhaps not. More than one source claimed that it was Azura who crafted the current appearance of the Dark Elves.
,,Hi, Azura.” I called across the distance, simply so I could annoy her by speaking first. She didn’t move a single muscle and looked completely emotionless though.
,,Good evening, my son.” She replied simply. Instantly, anger flared up from deep within my soul. With one single word, she’d managed to evaporate all of my self-control.
,,Don’t you dare call me that! My mother is an Alkad, my father is an Alkad. You, you are just a manipulative witch who killed them just so you could use me as your pawn in the whole Dagoth Ur scenario!” I shouted. My right hand clenched into a tight fist as it gripped empty air. It had moved to the place where Chrysamere’s hilt used to be. I corrected the motion by drawing my saber till a fingerwidth of the blade showed outside its sheath.
Now, Azura cast a neutral smile.
,,Are you going to draw that sword, Luper? Are you going to attack me again? I’d hate to see that you haven’t learned your lesson from last time you tried.” She said, still with that damn calm voice. I was still fuming but my sword remained where it was, half-drawn. Last time we met I’d tried to punch her in the face and actually managed to hit my target. But my blow lacked any effect and the Daedric Prince showed the gap between us power-wise by breaking nearly all my bones without even moving. Aggression wouldn’t take me anywhere. And even if the impossible happened, then what? She definitely wouldn’t help me return to Nirn after I whacked her. And then there was Revan.
,,Now that I’m here, you’ll tell me why you sent Revan after me, why you took me from Nirn.” I demanded without any useless diplomacy. Azura’s smile widened slightly.
,,You would order your mother?” She asked me in return.
,,Don’t call yourself that!” Great, I began to lose it again.
,,There are many reasons for what I did, Luper. Yet most of them are as of yet beyond your capability to understand. After all, by mortal years you haven’t even made thirty. Most mer would consider you a mere child even. Most Daedra would consider you even less than that. I shall give you the easiest to understand. Power and responsibility.”
With a loud hiss, I pushed the saber back into its sheath.
,,Power and responsibility? What does this mean?” I asked warily. Rarely, I mean never, had I liked her answers.
,,You are the incarnation of Akatosh and that makes you one of us, an immortal. While fighting Dagoth Ur, your strength ascended faster than any mere mortal could ever hope to match. Even now, your power continues to rise towards unfathomable heights.” I nodded and grumbled incoherently. I had indeed gone from plain loser to hero in a rather short time.
,,And then there is a promise we made with those of Nirn. No Daedric prince nor Aedra shall ever physically come to Nirn again. Only those of low rank can, when summoned. That is how you came to the world, powerless, unformed and summoned by one of my priestesses. But now, our promise has caught up to you. When Revan was about to banish you, your power flared beyond the allowed limit and so you were cast into your realm by the power of the Dragonfires, that which protects Nirn from our meddling.”
The likely conclusion came to me before Azura could continue.
,,So I’m now too powerful to return to Nirn as long as those Dragonfires exist. Destroying them would likely bring about a full scale invasion of Daedra which would make my return more harmful than good. So what am I supposed to do now, twiddle my thumbs for eternity? I think I asked the same question earlier today.” I interrupted. An hourglass rose up through the floor before my feet.
,,Time is a fickle thing, one of those few forces I cannot control. Yet your father, Akatosh, can. To return to Nirn is in all of our interests, for that is where your responsibility lies. But to return, the Dragonfires must not be allowed to block your path. To pass them, you must return to a point in time where they do not yet exist.” Azura pointed at the hourglass as she continued her speech.
,,I get it. So I’ll travel back in time with that thing, go to Nirn and then use my lack of aging to survive till I’m back at the proper timepoint. But that won’t work. When the Dragonfires are born, made, whatever, I’ll simply be cast back and we’ll be back where we started.” I interrupted again.
,,Only if you fail to convince the mortals of your required presence in the world. There is a possibility for an exception to be made, an exception that allows you full passage on Nirn and Oblivion. Find that exception and utilize it. Claim your destiny, Nerevarine.” Azura fell silent and waited for me to do something, like a statue. I stared long and hard at the hourglass but in the end, I concluded that whatever she was plotting, I was going to play my part whether I liked it or not.
,,And just when I thought I was rid of you.” I complained as I bent to pick it up. The last words before the world swirled into nothingness chilled me to the bone.
,,You’ll never be rid of me, not even if you return to the birth of everything.”
The whole timewarp episode swept by without any conscious registration on my part. It could have taken a second, it could have taken a thousand years. To me, it all felt the same, too short to notice. At what I assumed to be the end of my trip, I found myself standing on a grassy hill, close to a farm. A lone High Elf stood behind a plow drawn by a Guar. The ground looked like a mess though, so unlike the hill I was standing on myself. It was cracked, filled with rocks. Man and beast struggled as they pushed the plow in a jagged line. I felt that whatever he would seed, its harvest would be barely enough to survive.
I scratched the back of my head. Why would anyone take that as his land when a perfectly fertile hilltop was a stone’s throw away? Also, why would the farmer be a High Elf? I thought the goldskinned definitions of arrogance considered themselves too high and mighty for that kind of stuff. I hesitantly made a step towards the farm but stopped when my boots clunked on smooth rock rather than grass. I looked down and saw, much to my amusement, that I was standing on top of an altar.
,,Well, that explains why no one puts his farm up here. Sacred ground and all that stuff.”
I jumped off the altar and walked towards the man and his Guar. As soon as I was in shouting distance I called out to him.
,,Hey, you there! Can I talk to you for a while?” I shouted. The High Elf looked up at me and his hand reached for a small axe hanging at his belt. A High Elf with an axe? What happened to their love of standing back and making people explode? I raised my hands in the universal gesture of goodwill.
,,Geez, calm down fella. I’m not here to hurt you. Say, you tell me where I am and I’ll help you plow. How about that? I’m stronger than I look.” I said.
The axe turned out not to be meant for me. Instead, he cut the lines tying his Guar to the plow after which he ran off with his beast in a frantic panic. Again I scratched the back of my head in utter confusion.
,,What in the? Wait, don’t tell me. There’s a big beast standing right behind me, isn’t there?” I mumbled, spinning around and drawing my sword at the same time. The only thing behind me was the altar. With more force than was strictly necessary, I sheathed the blade.
,,Hey, come back here! I’m not that scary! Or did I grow horns all of a sudden?!” I shouthed at the two figures far away. Just to make sure, I ran a hand through my hair. No horns. With a resigned shrug, I walked to the farm and then followed a muddy path which had to lead somewhere.
Ten minutes later, I came to wonder if he even knew what I’d said. I spoke third era Cyrodiilic. But Azura had said that big high and mighty Daedra like her couldn’t reach Nirn in my time. I hadn’t heard of any succesfull Daedric prince summonings either during the history lessons at the Mage guild. Nerevar summoned Azura for council regularly according to some stories, but he was a man from the first era. So I reasoned that I was now either at the first or the second era. Heck, perhaps even the zeroth era, if that was even possible. What if modern Cyrodiilic was too different from the current language to be understood?
I thought on the subject some more. Cyrodiilic was a bit of a mess, but mostly inspired by ancient Nord languages and Aldmeris, I think. Linguistic history is not exactly my strongest point. I put the subject away for the moment. I would simply try again next time I met something sentient.
On to the next chapter