"Auri El allowed Five Spirits to travel with Lorkhan and aid in Creation. Magnus the Architect parted the astral seas from nothingness and that which was the darkest unknowns of Far Space joined existence as the New Dominion. It is impossible to quantify for how long Magnus toiled to prepare the New Dominion to merge with the Old for Time did not yet exist in these new spaces. To keep Magnus from losing his way, Haz'ra Element of the Morning and Evening Star, stood watch over Creation and thusly there was Night and Day. K'nyarit Element of Elements anchored the epicenter of the New Dominion with an astral body unlike any other which M'rah Spirit of the Accord brought into harmony with the Universe. K'nyarit and M'rah toiled as one and from their cooperation, brought forth the prize of Lorkhan's Creation – Nirn. Around Nirn, Lorkhan named his New Dominion. This was the Second Division of the Universe."
"When Auri El came to expand Time unto the New Dominion, K'nyarit and M'rah were reluctant to forfeit their most precious Creation and so beseeched Lorkhan who barred entry to the Great Spirit. When Auri El realized Lorkhan's treachery, the First and Mightiest of the Original Spirits was furious and Lorkhan and his kindred Spirits were banished from the Old Dominion. Most of the Creation Spirits accepted their punishment and were content to endure eternity as stewards of a New Dominion, but Magnus the Architect fled from the sight of Nirn and repented his betrayal, pleading with Auri El for mercy. Magnus tried to force his way back into the Old Dominion through the barriers of Space-Time but failed and was undone from existence. His destruction was so dynamic that it tore open the fabric of Space-Time. Through this fissure between Dominions, other Original Spirits gazed upon Lorkhan's Creation with tempting curiosity, eager to participate in such a grand spectacle."
"You speak of The Discord?" Martin asked.
Menien nodded.
"Some of the Original Spirits asked to join Lorkhan in his Creation. Auri El would not permit any Spirit to leave the Old Dominion. This was the Discord. Lorkhan openly challenged the absolute dominion of Auri El, proclaiming his New Dominion supreme. Some of the Original Spirits joined Lorkhan and escaped the Old Dominion through Magnus' fissure. Nirn blossomed like a flower bud opening its petals to greet the first rays of sunlight after wintertide. Torn from their heavenly bodies, the Spirits of Creation forged the heavens, the moons, stars and planets. They filled the oceans and raised the shores above them; painted the sky and brought forth plants and animals from the ground. Y'ffre Element of the Untamed became the Ehlnofey, progenitors of all life on Nirn. Mer'adia Element of Life breathed higher existence unto the Ehlnofey. These privileged beings called themselves Aldmer, honorific of the Element which bore them. Stae'darr Element of Curiosity created Men to cooperate with the Aldmer and discover their intriguing ways."
Roe and Sasha were captivated by this new outlook on existence. Even Martin, priest of the Divines seemed accepting.
"From Creation, new unique Spirits formed - byproducts of the interplay between the Original Spirits. Julianos Element of Interaction taught the Men and Aldmer how to learn from one another. Sanguine Element of Indifference was his antithesis and menacingly convinced Men and Aldmer to abandon knowledge in favour of passion and revelry. Later came, Zenithar Element of Exchange, Hircine Element of Sustenance and so on and so forth. When Creation was complete, the New Dominion rivaled that of the Old and soon Lorkhan made his preparations to conquer Auri El."
The old professor chuckled in anticipation of the next portion of his tale.
"What's so funny?" Ayisha asked.
"Lorkhan was quite proud of his work, but did not take into account that with such interplay of heavenly bodies, there would be an unavoidable exchange of elemental essence between the Spirits. Lorkhan inadvertently shared his Element of Awareness with every Spirit involved in Creation! They now understood that Creation had again divided the Universe and the Spirits were further severed from their universal connection to Totality. Lorkhan pled with the Creation Spirits, explaining that his conquest of the Old Dominion would reunite the Universe. Sixteen Spirits agreed to aid Lorkhan. Seven Spirits opposed and would eventually succeed in helping Auri El overthrow the New Dominion."
"The Daedra and the Divines!" Sasha exclaimed.
"There was battle and at the end, Auri El stood victorious and Lorkhan was smitten. The Old Dominion reigned absolute over Known Space. We know this as Aetherius, the Immortal Plane, realm of the Original Spirits - Aedra. The Seven Spirits faithful to Auri El were granted stewardship over the New Dominion which was renamed Mundus, realm of the Divines. The Sixteen Spirits loyal to Lorkhan were cast out of Creation into a space dimensionally parallel to both the Aetherius and Mundus. This was the Third Division of the Universe and created the realm of –"
"Oblivion." This time Roe contributed the answer.
"Precisely. Contrary to the romanticized depictions of Daedra as demons obsessed with malice and destruction, Daedra strive above all else to return to Totality. It was only after millennia of failure that the Daedra lords turned to meddling with Mundus, spurred on by the hope that undoing Lorkhan's Creation would reveal a way to reunite the Universe. Auri El and his Seven Spirits established covenants with the mortal inhabitants of Nirn to protect them from the Daedra and in return are deified as gods. The strongest of these covenants was enacted between Auri El and the bloodline of Septim emperors."
"Oblivion Gates have opened across Tamriel, from Daggerfall to Argonia." Baurus inquired with a hint of desperation in his voice. "Refugees flee from the carnage and our Legions organize to confront the Daedric hordes. How can this be?"
Menien rubbed his legs, limp and useless as a result of the torture he endured during the Siege of Kvatch. He closed his eyes for several moments as if having fallen asleep. When he reopened his eyes, the elderly professor spoke again with a noticeable aloofness.
"The act of Creation and the Divisions of the Universe were significant spiritual separations for the Original Spirits. The Divines adhere to the Stasis imposed by Auri El and though their spiritual omnipotence is diminished, their quintessential selves are focused. By comparison the Daedra live outside the confines of Space-Time and are able to constantly manipulate their environment. Daedra are more spiritually omnipotent, however their quintessential selves are unpredictable, and sometimes dangerous."
"Daedra are able to routinely penetrate these Divine barriers on a limited scale when summoned at shrines, through the Arcane Art of Conjuration or when manifesting material artifacts like the weapons and armour. With the dimming of the Dragonfires, the barriers between Oblivion and Mundus are at their weakest which makes transcending the realms through Oblivion Gates possible. Maintaining the covenant between Divines and Mortals is our only solution to stop Mehrunes Dagon and the Daedra from bringing about a Fourth Division of the Universe. If he succeeds, our entire plane of existence will be destroyed."
"So Martin is still our greatest hope in surviving this?" Baurus reaffirmed. All eyes turned towards the young priest half covered in his gray priest robes draped over his head like a blanket. "We protect him at all costs until we can figure out a way to find the Amulet of Kings."
"How? Mankar Camoran used the Xarxes to escape through some kind of portal or doorway and he took the Amulet with him." Connor added.
"Do you think the Xarxes can help us?"
"Yes." Menien replied. "I believe Mehrunes Dagon taught Mankar Camoran how to create his own personal realm, a paradise safe from the coming destruction. That is where the portal leads. We can use the Xarxes to open a second portal and go after him."
"Excuse me professor, but we need more options. What if we can't track down this Mankar Camoran?" Jiles interrupted, hoping to steer the conversation back to more important matters. "What we need is a plan of attack. Do you know how to defeat Mehrunes Dagon or not?"
"Do you mean kill that which is neither living nor dead? No."
"So what good has this lesson been?" Steffan shook his arms in frustration, shaking off a thin layer of snow. "What a waste of time!"
Steffan stormed angrily out of the cave followed closely by Baurus, choosing to brave the harrowing blizzard winds rather than listen to Menien's lecture. Eventually Martin too left his colleague behind with a disappointed look on his face. When only Connor, Roe and Sasha remained inside the cave, Menien dragged his limp legs across the floor and covered himself underneath a blanket, exhausted and no doubt embarrassed. Sasha felt sorry for the professor but could not offer him any comfort.
"Is it safe to return to the Cloud Ruler Temple?" Sasha asked of Menien.
"No, we must go east." Menien answered.
"Where?"
"There is a monastic order hidden away in the mountains far north of Cheydinhal. They possess an artifact which will allow us to interpret the Xarxes. We can leave tomorrow and be there before the end of the week."
"Great, because that's just what we need." Connor joked. "More priests."