Chapter Ten: Night Without Stars

Date Unknown

The night was clear, and there was barely a star in the sky.

My father and I sat outside the back of the small apartments, not too near to the entrances of the shops. My father looked towards me, and gestured to his pipe, which I lit by casting a fire spell I had learned not too long ago. My father then took a deep breath, and began to inhale, before turning to me, and nodding.

"Thank you, Ulina," he said. "You've learned a lot during those lessons of yours at the Temple, haven't you?"

I nodded, not sure exactly why my father had asked me to come outside and sit with him at this time of night. I knew I couldn't sleep, but normally my father would just tell me to go back to bed, not invite me to sit outside with him.

I guess he decided to be more lenient given that it was my birthday.

"I can't believe you've finished all those lessons already," he continued. "Have you thought about what you want to do next?"

I winced slightly. I knew my father wasn't exactly going to approve of my choice, but there was nothing he could really do about it. Besides, he had once told me I could do anything I set my mind to.

And I had set my mind to this.

"Maybe start studying magic further," I began. My father raised his eyebrows. "I mean, I might join the Mages' Guild and begin studying Restoration and Destruction, and maybe other schools of magic. I know I'm not the best at magic, but – "

My father held up a hand.

"Are you sure that's the path you want to take, Ulina?"

I knew what was coming.

"You don't need to be held-up by bureaucratic regulations to learn magic, you know."

My father took another drag from his pipe before speaking again.

"There are other ways to learn the craft," he continued. "Better ways. You can learn all you need to learn through practical experience through life."

I scowled.

"Are you saying the Arcane University wouldn't accept me?"

"No, not at all!" My father chuckled. "If they don't, they'd be fools. You were born under the sign of the Mage; that means your magicka is going to be stronger than that of most others. That fact alone should make them consider accepting you. But the Mages' Guild would want a particular path for you. They would want you stay in the University or in one of their branches, and you would learn nothing else. Is that really the path you want?"

We exchanged looks for a moment, before my father sighed and then took another drag from his pipe.

"I just don't want you to live a life with any regrets," he stated.

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him a question as to whether or not this insight was from experience, so I decided to give it a shot.

"Father, do you have any regrets?"

My father seemed taken aback by the question.

"Not exactly," he replied. "There are things I wish had gone differently, but regrets? No. I have two daughters that mean the world to me. For the sake of both you and your sister, I have no time for regrets."

"What about my mother? Don't you have any regrets about her?"

My father sighed.

"Only that she died too soon," he said, his voice dark. "I wish I could have found a cure for her disease, so that she could be alive to see who you've become. She would be very proud of you, Ulina."

My father took another drag from his pipe, before speaking again.

"Ai…perhaps Serethi is right," he muttered. I had no idea if he was speaking to me or himself at this point. "Perhaps you are now old enough to know the truth, but…"

"The truth about what?"

"Your mother made a great sacrifice for you, Ulina," my father said. "She did what she had to do to keep you safe. To keep us all safe. And I made her a promise that I would protect you…and all of us. I cannot tell you everything now, but someday I will. But I will say this; she would agree with me in saying that you can do anything you set your mind to; whether in the Mages' Guild or beyond…"


Before I could stop her, Eriama leapt forward and tried to grab onto the Redguard, but he only slapped her away like she was a fly. He then went forward towards Lillia, who was backed away into a corner. Lillia looked around for a way out, but she was surrounded. I let out a small scream, and the Redguard turned around.

"Leave her alone," I said. I intended for it to come out menacing, but it came out as a squeak instead. He glared in my direction.

"What'll you do?" He sneered. "Scream our ears off?"

Remembering the dagger I had strapped to the side of my leg - which was biting into my skin by now - I pulled it out and held it up.

"Jorad, the Dunmer girl has a weapon," I heard one of the Imperials hiss. The Redguard's - Jorad's - eyes widened and he let Lillia go, before nearing me with a frighteningly interested expression.

"Smart girl," he remarked, before roughly grabbing my wrist. "Too smart for your own good, you are."

I still held the blade in one hand, and stabbed Jorad's left shoulder. He let go of me in an instant, while blood dripped onto my dress. My dress was white, so it'd be permanently ruined, but that was not what was on my mind at that current moment. Jorad pushed me over, but ran away before I could get up. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of the Imperials quickly stab Lillia, and she fell to the floor. I heard Eriama scream, before she rushed to her friend's fallen, bloody body.

I wanted to scream, too.

But I couldn't. What I had just witnessed was enough to stun me into silence. Everything suddenly felt colder than it did before. I felt the bile rise in my throat; it took a great deal of effort not to throw up then and there.

I managed to pull myself to my feet, rushing to my sister, who had cuts and bruises that were being unattended. It seemed during that moment she didn't care. She was sobbing into Lillia's bloody body, and covering herself with more blood in the process. I went to comfort her, still holding the blade in my hand.

"Ulina, what are we going to do?" Eriama whispered, inbetween her tears. "Lillia's dead and I'm scared and I don't know what to do…"

I let my hands drift to her messy black hair.

"I'm scared, too, Eri," I admitted, pulling her into my arms and holding her close. I was scared more than I wanted to admit. I had just seen someone die. Someone I once knew was brutally murdered and it was something I had never expected to see.


I didn't say another word until we arrived in the Prison District. I was guided into a small room, where I was forced to give up my possessions – including my tattered, ruined dress – and wear an old prison garb. I was glad Phillida had given me some semblance of privacy. I don't think I could stand humiliation on top of everything else I was feeling tonight.

When I came out, I thought I saw my father, who was standing by the wall, with a solemn gaze.

"Why would you do this?" He asked me.

There was no trace of anger in his tone, which was what I had (admittedly) been expecting. Instead, there was only sadness. For some reason, that only made me feel worse.

"Father, I didn't," I whispered. "I promise you, I didn't. I had to keep Eri safe."

He only shook his head.

"Can't you see that by doing so, you've unleashed a whole series of events that can never be changed?" He demanded. "You'll be lost to us, Ulina. I won't be able to protect you."

"Father –"

I couldn't say another word to my father, for I had been dragged away, and shoved into a cold, dark prison cell. The violent way the guard had done so had caused me to fall to the floor. My knees hurt, but somehow, I managed to drag myself to the damp bedroll before me.

I curled up into a ball, letting tears fall down my cheeks, wishing and praying to the Nine Divines that sleep would take me. And at some point - when I saw light shining through the bars above me - it finally did.


Was it a storm?

Yes, it was.

But it was no normal storm. It was a very dusty storm, and she had to work hard to keep it out of her eyes. The skies were an ominous red, too. A young girl was shielding her face, keeping the dust out of her eyes as she continued to approach a strange woman.

"What am I doing here?" The girl demanded, shouting over the storm, hoping the woman would hear. "Tell me, because I know you have something to do with this!"

The woman responded in a fairly normal voice, it was a wonder that the girl could hear her.

"They have taken you from the Imperial City's prison, first by carriage and now by boat. To the East, to Morrowind. Fear not for I am watchful."

The storm gradually began to worsen, but the girl wouldn't let that stop her. Not now. Not when she was so close to getting the answers she seeked.

"But why me?" the girl cried.

The girl thought she saw a hint of a smile on the woman's face.

"Because you have been chosen."

"Wake up!"

Before I knew it, I was being violently shaken awake. I looked up and saw the other prisoner from before; an older Dunmer with various scars across his face and chest. Considering the time we had spent together over Gods' only knew how long anymore, I had yet to learn the man's name. We had barely conversed. I almost screamed, but I shut my mouth before I could, and instead looked up, but didn't speak.

"Stand up," he instructed.

I tried, but I felt as if my legs were jelly, and only slumped back into the bed. The other prisoner then extended a hand and I took it, letting him help me to my feet.

"There you go," he told me.

I rubbed my eyes, and touched my forehead. My head hurt, but I had no idea why. All I knew was that it was annoying.

"Who are you?" I asked. "Where am I? How -?"

"Slow down," he said. "My name is Jiub."

He had a Morrowind accent, and it was quite strong. Stronger than my father's, and even stronger than Serethi's, which seemed almost hard to believe. It kind of made me wonder what his story was, but I decided not to ask.

Jiub paused, before exchanging looks with me, and then speaking again.

"Not even last night's storm could wake you, you know," he told me. "I'm not sure where we are, either, but I've heard some say we've reached Morrowind. I'm sure they'll let us go…"

I essentially stopped listening after I heard Jiub say we'd reached Morrowind.

Why would they ship me off that far away? Just how dangerous did they think I was?


Later that night, while Julan was asleep, I flipped through the copy of The Stranger that Sharn had given me for Caius. Caius wasn't in for some reason. Most likely he was at South Wall, buying more sugar. That or he was asleep. Either way, I couldn't give him the notes. A certain point into the book, I read the final passage. The words were like a warning; I thought they were cold and foreboding.

Then I read it again.

Then, the third time I read it, I whispered the words aloud.

"When earth is sundered, and skies choked black,

And sleepers serve the seven curses,

To the hearth there comes a stranger,

Journeyed far 'neath moon and star.

Though stark-born to sire uncertain

His aspect marks his certain fate

Wicked stalk him, righteous curse him.

Prophets speak, but all deny.

Many trials make manifest

The stranger's fate, the curses' bane.

Many touchstones try the stranger

Many fall, but one remains."


"You may as well sit down," I heard Caius say. "This is probably going to take awhile."

I then did as he asked, still feeling the shock from the words he spoke. Caius cleared his throat, reached for his pipe, and continued with a grim expression.

"Let me make a few things clear before we begin, Ulina. I do not know all the details to this story, only what was relayed to me after your arrival," he continued. "How the Emperor knows this information, I don't know, but I honestly don't care to know, either."

I almost sighed, but I couldn't. I didn't have the strength to say anything or make so much as a single noise. Caius took a drag from his pipe, before continuing.

"You were correct about being born in Mournhold, because you were. At least, that's what we know. But not to the Therayns', oh no."

Then to whom? I supposed that no one knew the answer to that question.

"You were apparently left on the doorstep of their home not long after their daughter, Eriama, was born. You weren't any older than two, wrapped up in blankets and left in a basket outside their home in Godsreach. Apparently, there was a note enclosed, but it only ever gave them one clue as to who one of your birth parents was."

I scowled, and upon seeing the look on my face, Caius did as well. He knew what I was thinking.

"They tried to find out," he said, in a tone that suggested he was trying to assure me.

It wasn't working.

"But due to how expensive and lengthy a process it was, and the family's diminishing wealth as a result of Llethsea's sickness, they decided to take you in as their own rather than abandon you to the streets of Mournhold or the orphanage in outer Almalexia. I have no idea what their intentions were when they did so, but somewhere in this story, there seemed to be one."

It made no sense; no family would take in someone else's child if there were in financial turmoil. But that was the story I was being given.

"Now Dranen…" Caius hesitated. "He gambled, Ulina. He gambled, quite frankly, more than he should have. We've probably all gambled a little in our lifetimes, but not to the point where you lose the entire family fortune or your home or the respect of the entire city…most of what Dranen lost."

But how? That didn't sound like the father I knew. The father I knew worked hard and was so cautious of spending any money at all.

Maybe it was a result of his past? I had no idea.

"But that was as a result of losing a great deal of the fortune beforehand, trying to find a cure for what ailed his wife."

Caius sighed, and then took another drag of his pipe, filling the room with sickly smelling smoke.

"Not long after you became a part of their lives, they all relocated to Cyrodiil," he continued, "as Dranen didn't want the loan sharks to find his family and make them apart of the whole mess. Apparently, they had already threatened to do so. So the family relocated to Cheydinhal along with Llethsea's sister, Serethi."

I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry," I began, cautiously. This was the first time I had the strength to speak. "Did I hear that right? Llethsea's…sister?"

Caius nodded.

"Yes, you did hear me correctly. Your stepmother was also your adoptive mother's sister," he said. "After Llethsea died in Cheydinhal, the family again relocated to the Imperial City. You probably don't remember any of this, given how old you must have been at the time, allowing Dranen and Serethi to fabricate whatever lies they wished. Whether or not it was to protect you and your sister or to allow their guilty consciences to rest is in question. They lived like this for fifteen years, with no troubles or worries over their heads. At least nothing major."

"Nothing major until the night Lillia died," I pointed out, with my tone sounding flat.

Caius nodded.

"Yes, Ulina. You are correct. Nothing major until the night you were arrested in the Imperial City waterfront. You don't need to relive this again; for I already know enough about it…as do you."

Thank the Nine for that.

"But a few days after you were arrested, Dranen had to come clean on a few matters. Such as what I just discussed with you. And somehow, it reached the Emperor's ears."

But why? The Emperor had no reason to be interested in me. I was no one. I was a dot on the world compared to him. Caius smiled slightly, for some reason I could not fathom, before continuing.

"I don't know what Emperor Uriel Septim VII sees, but he's said to see more than most," Caius explained. "I can believe that. He's a most extraordinary man, even by Septim standards. But enough about that. He must have seen something that involved you."

"You do know how ridiculous this all sounds to me, right, Caius?"

Much to my surprise, Caius nodded.

"You can think what you like about prophesies or visions being nonsensical," he told me. "And Divines know I certainly did…"

He paused, exchanging looks with me, before continuing.

"…but that doesn't change the fact that whatever Uriel Septim saw or heard means he saw something in you as well."

I met Caius's gaze, knowing something else was going to be said. Which there was.

"He considers you important, Ulina."


"Look at you, little one," Venim jeered. "No one believes you can actually do this. You'll die in this arena pit like all the rest before you, prophecy or no prophecy."

I shot him a glare.

"Shut. Up," I ground out, then, while he wasn't expecting it, stabbed him in the shoulder. Venim staggered backwards as a result, and then held onto his shoulder as if it would fall off. I neared him.

"You don't who I am, or what I've had to do to get this far," I began harshly. "You know so little, but you presume to judge me based on what little you know. Just how selfish are you that you would let Morrowind suffer because you cannot admit that an Outlander can do just as good a job as most natives?"

"You know nothing, Outlander!" Venim snarled, before attempting to stab me again.

I didn't think about it. I didn't have time to. I just rolled to the side, got up and grabbed Venim by the neck before he could react. I then pushed him to the floor and picked up his daedric longsword - it was so heavy I felt my arms begin to shake - and threw it across the room. It was far beyond his reach now. Thankfully.

He looked towards me, the confusion apparent. I tried not to smirk.

"You know, I don't have to kill you," I said.

Venim spat in my face after that. Now, that just wasn't polite. What did I ever do to him, aside from asking for a small favor?

"Go to Oblivion! How dare…I will...never, never..." he continued to spit in my direction. "...stoop so low as to accept your mercy. I am above asking Outlander scum for mercy."

"Then you realize this means I'll have to kill you?"

"Get on with it," Venim snapped, "before I change my mind."

So, with much regret, I stabbed him. While I shouldn't have expected this to end any differently, some part of me was wishing it had. But my thoughts were drowned out by a sudden, loud whistle from the crowd above, before there was the distant sound of a slow clap.

Julan.

Then, there was a cheer from Shani. A few moments later, more people amongst the crowd began to clap. Eventually, it seemed like everyone was either clapping, whistling or chanting my name or a title. They were celebrating my victory, and no one was doubting my abilities anymore.

I had won.

I. Had. Won.


"Remember, my love, that I'm not afraid to die." Julan and I were now facing the door to Dagoth Ur's citadel. "But that doesn't mean I'm planning on it. And if I'm not dying, you're certainly not dying either. This is no suicide mission. This is just like any other quest. We complete it, and we go home. Now let's do this."


"Pathetic, husband," she sneered. "Once you were a worthy opponent in battle. If you wanted to, you would have been able to defeat me with little effort. Now you are not even a shadow of your former self."

I took the time she spent speaking to cast a chock spell, which she gracefully dodged.

"Maybe that's because I'm not your husband," I retorted. "My name is Ulina Therayn, not Indoril Nerevar. And I swear I will take you down…or I'll die trying."

We fought our way to one of the metal bridges not too far away, all while violet fire and sparks continued burning and crackling between us, all while the sounds of metal against metal rung in my ears. I tried not to fall over the edge, instead ducking to the side whenever Almalexia tried to stab me with her sword. In the corner of my eye, I saw Aiden and Julan, who both seemed to be following us.

"I told you to go," I yelled. "Go! Hide!"

For some reason, I felt my body stiffen after I said those words. I couldn't move and I felt as if all my strength had been drained. My eyelids grew heavy, and I felt as if they were about to snap shut.

No. No, my eyes need to stay open.

"ULINA!"

The sound of Julan shouting my name gave me even more motivation to keep my eyes open. Even as I struggled to keep my eyelids open, I knew that the shadowy figure of Almalexia stood over me. And I knew she was about to kill me.

My vision slowly came back, but I still couldn't move. This became evident to me as I struggled to reach for Trueflame, which had fallen beside me.

It was no use.

"This ends now, Nerevar," I heard Almalexia spit. There was nothing in the way of her insanity and my imminent death now.

Suddenly, I caught a flash of dark hair, glass armor and a strong, steel sword that was supposed to be used to fend off Hopesfire. The sword shattered, and Hopesfire pierced through the glass cuirass, and through his back, before his body limply fell to the floor.

No.


"Easy there, outsider."

I sat up and looked around, trying to figure out where the hell I was. Seemingly, it was inside a warm, log cabin. A fire was roaring nearby. I felt the blanket I had been lying underneath. It seemed as if it had been made from wolf pelts.

Standing by the fire was an elderly, Nord man wearing a full, fur outfit. He looked at me.

"You have awoken," he continued.

He picked up a wooden cup, and walked towards it, handing it to me. I took it, but didn't drink it.

"Um, who are you?" I couldn't help but ask.

The old man chuckled slightly.

"I suppose you are right to ask; I am Korst Wind-Eye, the shaman of the Skaal," he replied.

As soon as he said those words, I suddenly remembered everything that had transpired within the last few hours. The attack on the fort, me walking all the way across Solstheim, in pain...

"Drink the elixir," Wind-Eye instructed. "It will help you recover your strength that you have lost."

I did just that. It had a weird – although not entirely unpleasant – milky taste to it. But as soon as I did, my headache was gone. My heart stopped pounding in my chest. Wind-Eye then took the cup, and sat down across from me on a wooden stool.

"I sense that much is troubling you, outsider," Wind-Eye began. "I thought as much when I saw you collapse just outside our village. You were suffering weakness from the evil sugar...or so it seemed. It was almost as if you were drowning."

Oh, yes. Skooma. I had hoped if I consumed it enough, I would eventually die. But it didn't seem to work.

"I have cured you of your physical addiction, outsider," Wind-Eye continued. "But only you can eliminate your own self-hatred."

"Self-hatred?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Addiction to the evil sugar is generally a sign of deep self-hatred and unresolved insecurities. Even we, the Skaal, have seen this problem amongst our own. Though not as often as with outsiders."

He paused, before I felt him looking into my eyes.

"That is the part that confuses me," Wind-Eye continued. "I can sense you are powerful. Quite powerful. I sense the magicka that flows through you, your immunity to disease, the fire in your soul...How could one such as you feel so broken...so devastated?"

He paused, before continuing.

"I think you would know more than I, outsider."


I sat up, and found myself in the same bed I had awoken in weeks ago, in Wind-Eye's hut. The fire burned on the other side of the room, while a kettle boiled overhead. The fur blanket was warm. I didn't want to leave this bed, but I had to find out what had happened.

My head still hurt, but all my wounds were healed. I felt briefly felt my cheek, and felt the beginnings of a scar.

There were going to be a lot of scars. Including one where my right eye once was. I felt myself sight deeply, knowing that the lopsided view of the world I had now was just how it was going to have to be for the rest of my life. Even though I now only had one eye, I could still see my messy hair fall over my face, and much to my surprise it was no longer red.

It was white.

"Ulina," I heard a quiet voice utter. "Blodskaal. You are an oddity, but I am grateful for it."

It was Wind-Eye.

"You were part of the prophecy, yet this is the first time I have ever heard of anyone surviving," he remarked. "But as I said in the beginning, you are powerful. I could never understand how broken you were when you first came to us."

"What happened?" I sat up. "How long have I been…asleep?"

I couldn't help but ask. I had to ask.

"Three days," Wind-Eye told me. "And since then, we've seen a miracle. The prophecy is ended, Ulina. The werewolves dwindle in numbers, the fire in the lake is no more, and the horkers have begun to return to the island. You will be honored among the Skaal for the part you played in this, Ulina."

Wind-Eye turned away from me, and then began to look towards the fire with a somber look.

"I have heard whispers on the wind of the fate of Heart-Fang…" Wind-Eye sighed. "He had been tempted by dark magic and was corrupted by it. I can only hope that our next leader does not suffer the same fate."

Yeah, me neither. Wouldn't want to clean up that particular mess again.

"As for who that leader will be...only time will tell," Wind-Eye turned to me again. "For now, I will guide the Skaal, until a time when the All-Maker lets it be known who will carry the mantle."

He sighed again.

"It's a shame that you are not Skaal-born, Ulina," he said. "For I think you would be a great leader."

The vote of confidence was nice, but I knew that leading was not what I wanted to do.

"But you will always be welcome among the Skaal," Wind-Eye continued. "You saved us from a terrible threat, and if you were not here, All-Maker only knows what we would have done. Many more of us would certainly have perished."

"I only did what I felt I had to do," I said.

I mean, I couldn't just sit by and do nothing, could I? It just wasn't in my nature.

"As your loved one felt he did what he had to do," Wind-Eye replied. "Do you remember when we spoke of that, Ulina?"

I nodded.

"What do you think he would say now, if he could see you?"

There was a pause, before I spoke.

"He'd tell me to live," I replied.

Julan wouldn't just tell me to live; he'd tell me that up until recently, that I'd been a complete and utter idiot, by letting grief overtake me after he'd died. I know that much. I could practically hear him saying so now.

"He died because I am familiar with prophecies," I continued.

This caused Wind-Eye's brows to furrow.

"In the land of Morrowind, I am known as the Nerevarine; I defeated the Dagoth Ur and the Tribunal and fulfilled another prophecy. I came here after the events, hoping to escape the backlash. But in the process, I fulfilled another. Julan was murdered by one of the Tribunal."

"Ah," Wind-Eye nodded. "No wonder you came out of the Bloodmoon alive; you've dealt with this sort of power before. But you are still mortal, just like the rest of us. You never let your experiences change how you saw yourself, or others."

"How could I?"

"Many would let the power go to their head, and cause so much destruction it harms their people." Wind-Eye said darkly. "I'm sure you can think of a few examples; I can think of one, and that would be Heart-Fang. But you never did…and that makes you unique."

He smiled slightly.

"Julan would want you to live, you say," he continued. "So live. Live now that you are free…from prophecies and pain, as he would want it to be."


On the night of the Bloodmoon, the sky was free from any stars in sight. But now it was sunrise, and there was barely a cloud in the sky.

I sat on the shores of Lake Fjalding, looking towards and ancient ruin I saw in the distance. It looked rather different from all the other ancient buildings I had seen during my time in Solsthiem. In fact, it looked like an ancient burial ruin. But I couldn't be sure. To the other side of me, I saw horkers pulling themselves from the shores towards the lake, the noises they made becoming music to my ears.

I knew they wouldn't attack me. Not from the respectful distance where I sat. All I was doing was enjoying the gentle breeze that made my hair fly in all different directions. I looked into the lake, seeing my reflection, barely recognizing myself.

There were many scars across my face; the worst being the one I received at Hircine's hands. My right eye was gone, and my hair was white as a result of Wind-Eye's attempts to heal me. Even he wasn't certain as to why that had happened.

I would just have to live with it.

Despite all I had been through, I felt a certain amount of energy that I had never experienced before. A certain sense of relief; that everything that had been done was complete.

That I could finally rest in peace.

Before, when I first came to this island, I felt as if I was a failure, largely due to Julan's death and the events that followed. I had fallen into the depths of despair.

But I now know that Julan would have wanted me to live.

"Do you know why we fall, Ulina?" Serethi asked me.

I shook my head.

"So that we can learn from it and rise again," she said.

And now that I was free from all the prophecies I had been apart of, free I shall be. I would rise above everything on my own terms, and I wasn't going to let anyone stop me.

I used to hate swimming, but as Solstheim began to feel a rare heat, the cold body of water was almost tempting.

I slowly pulled myself towards the water, and dived underneath, closing my eye and letting the lake take me.