Arngeir fumbled with the ancient documents, the endless supply of books before him timeless as Skyrim herself. He flicked through the pages, deciphering the ancient Nordic texts with ease.
It was late – especially for a wise Graybeard. This… Dragonborn, was a complex case. More so than the last Dragonborn to grace their halls – Tiber Septim.
But, to find the destiny of a Twili so precariously intertwined with the Chosen One, there must be prophecy to foretell this occasion. Something must be amiss. Or, at least, some sort of clarity in these trying times.
He flicked gingerly over the coarse pages of a long aged book, "The War of the First Council". It was a historic battle, but there were few… misgivings to be noted. In this copy, the original tale, it spoke of a less censored version.
His brows furrowed at the long script. It would be a night of dedication to the cause, but with patience, he might uncover the truth.
Midna paced the room, even as Bastrii tried her best to sleep. She tucked the pillow over her Elven ears, sighing as it proved fruitless. To Bastrii's left, Braehoof laid on twin conjoined beds – watching the Imp curiously.
"Maybe you should sleep on it? The mist of dawn will have eased your worries by then. It always has for me, when I was a lesser beast." He offered quietly. The Imp said nothing in return – quiet, as per usual. Always thinking, but rarely speaking when troubled.
She turned on her heel, looking up at Braehoof. She wanted to say something snappy, sarcastic, biting; But the words wouldn't form. Her mind was too heavy with the present burdens, on top of the fact that she was trying to change that aspect of her being.
"It's not something you sleep on." She said quietly. Her pacing soon continued, spurred on from the nap she took on the way. "How would you like it if a sage told you that the Elks could breath fire, or had the ability to fly – but it was lost over some God's power?"
Bastrii slowly sat up, sighing. Might as well join the conversation.
"Azura… She may be revered as a God by many, like the Dunmer and Khajiit – but Azura is still a Daedric Prince. To me, that means there isn't always beauty in her words, rather a two sided coin. I'm not even sure what a Daedra truly is – other than the fact that you shouldn't trust them carelessly.
Midna wracked her hands through her fiery hair, falling flat on the floor. "This changes everything. In my world, my people were banished for the misuse of great power. In this world, we were banished for – surprise surprise – misuse of great power. What really happened to stir such trouble? Who is this Azura really?"
"Well, Arngeir mentioned she's the God of Dusk and Dawn. Beyond that, I'm not sure. We'd have to find a library to figure it out, or hope Arngeir has a little more to say by tomorrow."
"God of Dusk and Dawn..." Midna whispered to herself, looking up to the ceiling. "It makes sense, then, I guess – to be banished to the Twilight Realm."
Bastrii blinked. "Hyrule is the realm of Twilight? Like… a plane of Oblivion?"
Midna realized she said too much. But at this point, why hide the truth?
"No. Hyrule… it's not even my home. The Twilight is my home. I was banished from both. It's… it's a long story. It's not one I like to share, for safety reasons – but at this point, I feel you should know the truth."
Midna slowly stood to her feet, floating towards the bed. She plunged down onto the soft sheets, sighing. "I come from the Twilight Realm, a place where I once believed – my whole life – that the Three Goddesses had banished my people to a long time ago. It was a calm, peaceful land – until Zant murdered the King and Queen, and seized the throne. He killed many, and banished me from my home on a whim. After transforming me into this… thing.
"When I awoke, I was in the land of Hyrule. I'm a creature of darkness, so I hid in the shadows – but Zant had plans. He left the Twilight, not content with his Kingdom there, and he razed the Light World's Royal Castle. He plunged the world into twilit shadows – a terrible curse that turned the Hylians into spirits. But his destruction didn't end there.
"He brought chaos to the land. He froze rivers, he cursed fiery volcanoes, he robbed children from villages. And he abducted Link. That's when I met him – he was dragged into the Twilight, and he took on the form of a powerful wolf. He was captured, and brought to a jail cell in the Castle. I… at first, I freed him to be my slave. To help me obtain enough power to seek my revenge and usurp the imposter King. But… I started to grow feelings for him. He was a lot like you, in a way – and…" She sighed, holding her hand over her chest.
"As I obtained the final piece to my master plan, Zant found us. He wasn't happy with our work. It's… it all happened so fast. It's a blur to me, but… he took the relics I obtained, and demanded I join him. When I refused, he… there was light. Nothing but light. Blinding, scorching, soul burning light. I just remember pain, and the next thing I recall, is seeing you and that old man in the cabin. Your restoration magic gave me the essence of light I needed to recover, and from there, it's history."
Bastrii frowned at the long explanation. The Imp clenched at the sheets between her fingers, her honesty clear. It all clicked into place – the discomfort with speaking of her home, the general lack of knowledge, and… everything, it all added up.
"Alright. I have a few questions, but… I think it's settled, then. We kill Zant." She gave a crooked smile. Midna looked up to her and laughed.
"You? Killing Zant? Not gonna happen. Zant is somehow infinitely more powerful than you, and he gains more strength the more he conquers. It's like each land he puts under his thumb, the deeper his strength. And without me there to assist Link, and… not knowing what happened to him, I can only assume the worst. Hyrule may be lost." She frowned. It wasn't a pleasant thought – that Hyrule may be gone. But it was one that clung to her.
"It's what's really been giving me nightmares. Everything – it could all be gone. There could be nothing left, and I would return to ashes. And if Zant has the power and knowledge to send me here, then… what if he comes here, next?"
"Then he'll have to face two armies, hordes of dragons, the undead, and every single creature from here to the Ooze beyond life to seize every untamed land – not to mention every God, Daedra, and Deity that still prowls Nirn."
The words didn't do much to give Midna confidence. Her fear was still nigh overwhelming – but she held on, and hoped beyond hope that the Goddesses watched over Link. So she would still have something to come back to.
With the conversation dying off, and the other two tiring, Midna returned to her bed. She could feel her clothes sticking to her, so she shed them and slipped under the cozy sheets. Her heart weighed in her chest that night, and sleep didn't come without the usual onslaught of nightmares.
Midna's eyes fluttered open, finding herself far from the comfort of the sheets. Her head slowly lifted from the soft ground, fields of red roses surrounding her. She rubbed her eyes, feeling the weight behind her fists as her eyes cast about the massive, endless garden. In the distance, to her dismay – sat a wondrous city of pure silver. The twilight hung clear in the sky, a small cliff side showing a wonderful, mile long waterfall that trickled into delicate, mirror like puddles.
The air smelled of soft perfume, beautifully sculpted trees shaved to perfection lining a delicate path up the way. She went to stand, to explore – but suddenly pain struck her from her eyes. It felt like they were burning at the sight, burning out of her skull from the sheer beauty.
And then, she woke up. And the pain was gone.
"Midna? Are you okay?" Bastrii asked, gently shaking her. The Imp had formed a pool of sweat beneath her, soaking the sheets as she shot up. It dripped down her face and chest, the tiny puddle joining the sheets beneath her as she panted.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. Let's get back on the road." She stood up, dysphoria hitting her. Weren't they still on the path to High Hrothgar?
Bastrii furrowed her brows in worry, reaching up for her hand. "Midna, we're already here. We spoke with the Graybeards last night, remember?"
Midna pulled her hand away in shock, her mind still rolling from the scarring images. When Bastrii didn't move, the panic began to settle – and her mind became clear once again.
"Right… Graybeards. Training. Let's go."
She fumbled with her jacket, grunting in frustration when the second button fell off. She tossed it to the bed, in a hurry to get the day moving. She grasped at the hood instead, tying it on. She wrapped the long, long scarf around her like a toga, then floated to the door.
Bastrii followed close, keeping an eye on her. Braehoof turned over in his bed, giving a bugle and a stretch.
"Is Braehoof coming?" The Imp asked. Bastrii shook her head.
"Let him rest. He'll probably know what happened before I even talk with him about it."
They gently clinked the door shut behind them, making their way up the corridor once more. The light of dawn had broken the horizon, Arngeir meeting them up the passage with a book in his hand.
"The dawn greets you, Dragonborn. Did you find the lodgings to your liking?" He asked, his face unwavering. He always seemed to keep a stock, sturdy frown – never once adjusting to a smile or more. Even when his eyes were dark with a lack of sleep, which Bastrii noticed.
"Yes, we all slept fine – but we have more questions." Midna said. Arngeir raised a hand, cutting her off.
"And they will be answered. For now, it's time to train. Follow me to the courtyard, Master Borri wishes to grant another boon."
He turned sharply on his foot, and pressed onwards. Midna glared and sighed. Best not push her luck. The duo followed closed behind, closing the iron door behind them. They entered the mountain-high snowfield in the back, several pillars and columns catching the eye on the snowy cliffs. Additionally, there sat an iron gate – built for what purpose, Midna wasn't so sure.
The next thing she noticed, was that the air seemed even thinner than before. Both the Elf and Imp quickened their breaths naturally, a little disoriented from the climate. Arngeir took no notice of this, as he pressed onwards. A group of Graybeards had already assembled, gesturing to each other with their hands. It confused the Elf, but she would ask questions later.
The brilliant dawn radiated in the distant sky, the Elder continuing. "We will now see how you learn a completely new shout. Master Borri will now teach you, 'Wuld', which means 'Whirlwind'."
A new Graybeard stepped from the group assembled, performing much the same feat as Einharth; a quick gesture to the ground, and he whispered the word. Embers etched into the snow, glowing brightly before burning straight into Bastrii's mind.
Wuld. Whirlwind. The power of air and speed.
Arngeir nodded in approval of the two, Borri clasping his hands together and transferring the power directly to the Elf. She gritted her teeth, closing her eyes as the knowledge of Wuld infused into her spirit.
"Master Wulfgar will show you Wuld. A simple demonstration. If you will, Master Wulfgar."
He nodded to another Elder, who stepped from the crowd. The distant gate – which had served no purpose prior – swung open, and the Elder opened his mouth.
"Wuld Nah Kest!"
His body raced through the air, stopping several inches in front of the cliff face. Several rocks fell down the sharp edge, tumbling the miles down the mountain.
Bastrii gulped. How do you control such speed? He must have traveled quite a few yards before skidding to a halt – would he catch her if she fell?
"When the gate opens, duplicate it, Dragonborn." Arngeir said. Bastrii stood between two stone pillars, adrenaline pumping freely through her veins.
The gate clinked open, and Bastrii inhaled. "Wuld!"
The world shrank in her eyes, her body projected forward faster than she thought possible. The land around her dimmed as her eyes shrank back into her head, tumbling across the step of the gate. The heavy iron bars went to close, thumping her on the head when she attempted to stand.
Midna laughed, but seeing as no other Graybeard twitched a smile, she quickly settled down.
"Your quick Mastery of a new thu'um is astonishing. I've heard stories of of the abilities of dragonborn, but to see it myself..." Arngeir said, Ignoring the Imp behind him. Borri helped the poor elf to her feet, rubbing her head through her green hood.
"You are now ready for your last trial, Dragonborn." He said, as Bastrii approached. "You are to retrieve the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller, our founder, from his tomb in the ancient fane of Ustengrav. That is, after our commune."
He led the way up the steps, the other Graybeards following behind. Bastrii hesitantly joined them, as Midna was more than eager to float up the steps by the sagely man.
"Alright. I need to know everything. What my people were doing here in Skyrim, who this Azura is – everything. Absolutely everything." She said, the Elf catching up. The trio headed indoors, breathing in the deeper air. Something about this place must be enchanted to keep it functional within.
"Join me in the dining hall. We will speak quietly, to not interfere with the meditation of the others. I will try to entrust all that I can to you, before you leave. I have something of grave importance to give you, in particular, lost Twili."
They followed him into another wing, a plain table covered in dozens of books, plates, cups, and the occasional hunk of preserved meat or cheese. It all seemed very bare bones, but then again, Graybeards weren't very ornate to begin with.
Arngeir sat down, gesturing to his guests to take a seat. Bastrii did so without hesitation, her world a bit off balance after using Wuld. Midna, on the other hand, refused to sit so easily.
"First, I will go over the Pact of the Three Goddesses, so that you may clearly understand why the mirror was created." He sat the book in front of him, clearing his throat.
"Before the dawning of the first era, Nirn was yet to be. The land had not formed, the seas had not risen, and the mountains had not towered. Until the time of Interplay between Anu and Padomay, which brought about the beings of Aedra. Thousands of Anuic et'Ada, who helped shape the world as we know it."
He turned the passage, his aged eyes flicking over the ancient Nordic words.
"The construction of Nirn was an essence trap for the Aedra; to form this world, their power began to wane and they slowly lost their great forces. To fill the last depths of Nirn, they took on the Earth Bones under Y'ffre's Guidance, and with it came the rules and laws of physics and magic we all understand today. But, an Aedra named Magnus had grown fearful over the loss of his power – and abandoned Nirn in this time, piercing the void and returning to Aetherius. This hole became the Sun as we know it, and brought with in the magical Energy that resonates within every creature of Mundus.
"Many more of these Aedra, who saw to Magnus as inspiration, followed him into the void. They pierced the infinite black, forming the stars of the heavens.
"Some of the Aedra gave pieces of themselves entirely to the creation of the world – these became the Eight Planets of Mundus, and were respected as the Eight Divines. But three powerful Aedra, in the end, felt they had no place left in this home they helped create. Seeing their options limited, they devised a plan.
They wished to follow Magnus into Aetherius, but they love for this world. So they left a mirror behind, to reflect on Nirn's beauty – and to one day, have a mirror image of it for their own. They vanished from this world, promising that one day, their descendants would return. Thus forming the Pact of the Three Goddesses, now a distant legend long forgotten. Except, of course, through a few select books." He tapped the pages in front of him with a finger.
"The legend entailed that one day, their chosen people would travel through the mirror. To bring with them the wisdom of their minds, the courage of their hearts, and the power of Aetherius through their understanding of it. The three Aedra – Farore, Nayru, and Din, had sworn to see this world once more in peace. But, as all things do in Nirn, it ended in conflict.
"You see, the Aedra didn't decide to create Nirn of their own essence – the Trickster God Lorkhan, or Shor as referred to by us Nords, had coerced them all into creating the Mundus. When the Aedra began to wane, and after the departure of the Three, the remaining Eight Divines met at Direnni Tower to discuss his punishment for bringing the End of the Aedra. And it was swift – Lorkhan had his heart cut from his body, and his being was exiled to the void.
"The God Trinimac was the executioner in this essence – and he turned the corrupt organ to Auri-El, who fired it into the vast sea with his mighty bow."
Bastrii perked up at Auri-El. It was one of the few Gods she knew of – the Time Dragon, King of Gods. Without him, Time would have never began.
"Where the heart landed, it pierced and rent the earth; forming the Red Mountain. This ends the story of the Gods, and follows the loss of the Dwemer."
He turned the next page, his tired eyes drilling into the text.
"The dawning of the First Era had come, and the races of Tamriel began to form from the Earth Bones of the Aedra. Of these, were Men and Mer. Most notably for now, the Chimer, Dwemer, and Nords.
"The Dwemer established themselves in Morrowind, and built a fortress known as Vvardenfell at the heart of the Red Mountain. The Dwemer united with the Chimer to expel the Nords from their land. But they weren't strong enough to overtake them on their own. That's when they discovered the mirror, and with it, the first Hylian – and, a great understanding of Destruction magic followed. They amassed an army, and pushed the Nords out of Morrowind, claiming it as their own.
"The Hylians looked nearly identical to the Chimer at the time, and were considered Cousins of the Far Blood. So much so that they were simply recognized as such on the battle field, which led to them being expressed as one whole race. This is why only a few direct documentations exist.
"The three races Co-Existed peacefully under the banner of Resdayn for a time, until the Chimer General Indori Nerevar learned that the Dwemer had found the Heart of Lorkhan and sought to use it to empower the Numidium and destroy the Chimer – and ascend to Gods themselves. The Hylians, who had already broke the Pact of the Three once, joined the Chimer in defense of their Blood Cousins.
"From there, we entered the War of the First Council. It was a battle of five armies; Nomadic Ashlanders, Dwemer, Chimer, Hylians, and Nords – who sought to reclaim Morrowind – brought death and destruction to the houses of Chimer and the Secular Dwarves.
"This led to the total disappearance of the Dwemer. After the battle, Sothas Sil – a Chimer at the time – attempted to use the Dwemer Tools that were meant to attach the heart to the Numidium to obtain Godhood. It was successful, and he convinced Lord Vivec the Warrior Poet and Lady Almalexia to join him. These three formed the Tribunal, which overtook the worship of the Daedra in the Chimer.
"This infuriated the Daedric Prince Azura, who turned her wrath to the remaining Chimer. She cursed them, stripping them of their golden skin, leaving them gray and ashy. Their eyes turned from gold or silver, to a pained red. And when she found the Hylians, she was doubly enraged.
"She cursed these people much the same way, and banished them from all of Nirn. There, they returned to Hyrule – never to be seen again. She claimed the Mirror as her own, and brought it to her Plain of Oblivion – Moonshadow. Legend has it that it rests in her bed chamber, where she gazes upon it to see the beauty of her world, and reflect on it."
Midna collapsed onto the table. Her arms fell by her sides, and her head slumped forward. Slowly, Bastrii's hand slipped forward, patting her on the back.
"Do not lose hope, as there are many ways to reach a plain of Oblivion. Moonshadow, in particular, can be accessed through several means. The easiest way is through a direct gate to the world – but none if few exist, at any given moment. But, if you can somehow reach a more readily accessible plain, you might be happy to find that they all exist in the same place; like a second Nirn. Sovngarde, for example, is one of the closest plains to Moonshadow."
Midna slowly floated up, returning to Bastrii's side. She rested her hands on her right shoulder, looking her in the eyes.
"Bastrii, I know I don't deserve it… but… will you stay by my side, and help me find my way home? Please?" She asked quietly.
Bastrii's heart weighed heavy in her chest. When she originally took her on as a companion, the farthest she was willing to go was High Hrothgar. It was in the realm of possibilities. It was feasible, if not an immense challenge.
But… this…
She looked Midna deep in the eyes. A soft spot in her heart cracked, and she sighed.
"Alright. I'll see what I can do. But the dragons come first – before anything else in this world, the Dragons must be vanquished. And for that, we will need Jurgen's Horn." She faced Arngeir again, nodding. "Can you show me where I might find his tomb, on the map?"
She placed her large, well designed parchment on the table. The Graybeard withdrew a quill from a nearby Ink pot, squinting as he leaned in close. He place a small circle over the location, returning his utensil.
"And before you go, there is one last thing I might give you. Specifically you." He said, gazing at Midna. The Imp floated closer, curious as he slid his hand into his robe.
Gently, he withdrew a small, round orb. It glimmered in the light, bound by a short band. Small patterns of gray etched the blue surface, Midna's eyes lighting up.
"It… is that?"
"I believe this to be from the Twilight Realm. It was recovered during the first skirmish of the First Empire, year 416." He placed the mysterious item in her hands, when she immediately clenched to her chest.
"With this, I… I can cast the spells of my homeland again." She said to Bastrii, holding the relic up before her. "It can only store so much power, it has to recharge between uses. But… this means I can do something essential. You'll see."
"What is it?" The Bosmer asked, looking over the strange ball.
"It's a Sol. It's a grand source of power in the Twilight Realm, though this is more of petty version to the major ones at home." She draped the ornament over her neck, beaming. In this moment, her eyes gleamed with hope. Hope that maybe they'll make it, just maybe.
"One more thing, Arngeir." Bastrii said, standing to her feet. "I'm not the best with Gods or Goddesses, nor the Daedra, but… I found this." She withdrew the rounded rock from her bag, the peculiar shape making it seem as if it was crafted by hand. She held it before her, as the Graybeard inspected it.
"This is the Beacon of Meridia, the Daedric Prince of Living Energies. She's known as the Glister Witch, and hosts powers of light. While not truly evil, with all Daedric Princes, you must exhibit caution. Her hate for those who go beyond death supersedes her patience.
"I can not offer advice beyond this, Dragonborn. Your destiny is yours to behold, thus the power of this relic rests in your palm."
The Bosmer laced her fingers around the stone, nodding. It returned to her pouch, and Midna had one more question.
"Okay, hold on – Bastrii doesn't know what Daedra truly are. Can you explain? I'm curious now."
"Daedra are Aedra who refused to take part in the creation of Mundus. They were not fooled by Lorkhan's deceit, thus they still retain the full breadth of their power. Only a select few of these living Gods remain. The word Daedra translates roughly to 'not our ancestors' in Old Aldmeri. Aedra, the inverse, translates to 'Ancestors'. Though I must admit – I'm a bit surprised to learn that you do not know this, Dragonborn. May I ask why?"
Bastrii frowned, sighing. "My father was an advent worshiper of the Pact, and my mother worshiped Talos. Because of this split, they didn't want me to choose between the Nordic Pantheon and the Bosmeri Pantheon, so I only really know of those two." She scratched the back of her head. "I have heard of other Gods, just only in passing. I didn't even know how this world was made until you told me. I just knew that I was born from the Green."
Midna scrunched her brow. "In Hyrule, everyone knows of the Three Goddesses. There are other Gods, of course – of distant lands or of old lore, like the Goddess of Time, but those are an obscurity."
Bastrii sighed. Maybe she was a bit sheltered. Her ears twitched, feeling the connection to her companion shifting in the distance. It was a new feeling – like a bridge had formed in her mind. It wasn't a very welcome emotion, as she felt like her privacy was at risk. But the door swung open in the distant wing, and she knew Braehoof was on his way.
"What's wrong, Dragonbird?" Midna teased, smiling. "Embarrassed that you're just now learning all of this?"
"No, just… a new feeling." Braehoof rounded the corner, joining them at the table. Midna floated onto his back, excited.
"Are you ready to go, Braehoof?" She asked, giddy with excitement. The Elk yawned, slumping his head onto the wooden platform. He nosed at a piece of bread, closing his eyes.
"Ready to go back to sleep. That was comfier than I thought. Much better than hay, or grass. It must have been the pillows. They were surprisingly snug for things filled with feathers."
Bastrii gently scratched at his head, the Elk smiling as he closed his eyes. He was more like a large cat in this moment. She was pretty sure if she kept it up, he would start purring.
"When's breakfast? I would love to try some bread, or even… dare I say it, meat. Your memories made it seem so delicious." He asked, tilting his head to look up to Bastrii.
"Let's not make you eat anything you'll regret." Bastrii smiled. "But breakfast is definitely an option. May we have some before we leave, Arngeir?"
The sagely man nodded, motioning to the table. "Have your fill. This is what's left of our early breakfast; best not to let it go to waste. I will retrieve bowls of stew for you to enjoy."
The Elk lazily shuffled forward – silly enough, he dragged his face against the table, reaching forward and nipping at a loaf of bread, until his prize was lodged firmly in his muzzle. Bastrii glared, grabbing at the other end of the chewy farm food.
"Hey now, don't eat the whole damn thing! Share with us!"
Braehoof growled, tugging back. "Mmf mm mff!" He said, through his muffled mouth.
"I don't care what he said, he didn't mean pig out on a whole loaf of bread you fat cow!" Bastrii giggled, the Imp laughing behind her. Midna snatched a red apple from the table, holding it in front of the Elk's eyes.
"Look Braehoof, look what I've got!" Midna teased, tossing it between her hands. The Elk bit through the loaf, chewing it up and swallowing in a mere instant. Bastrii fell back from the sharp movement, clutching the grain in her hands. She looked up to it with wide eyes, absolutely bewildered at the integrity of the bread and just how big of a bite the large Elk could take.
"So shiny…" Braehoof whispered, as Midna polished the apple. "May I have a bite?"
"Oh, I don't know… it looks pretty tasty." She giggled, hanging the apple in front of her. It floated above her finger, the Elk's eyes flicking between her and the food.
"Don't do it." Midna said, smiling mischievously.
"I'm gonna do it." He replied.
"Don't -" but Braehoof lunged forward, aiming straight for the apple. Before his teeth could even wrap around it, it vanished, and his chompers clacked against each other.
"Hey! No magic! That's not fair!" He whined, before realizing that Midna made it disappear. "Wait… how did you do that?"
Midna cracked her fingers, smiling. "Twili secret." She said, reaching behind the Elk's ear to withdraw the apple once again. Before he could react, the Imp had already taken a bite.
Arngeir returned with stew, and they enjoyed a quick breakfast before heading out. Bastrii helped fix Midna's buttons, so she could lace her coat up up again before reattaching the cart to Braehoof's back. Much to the Elk's annoyance, of course.
"Why must I be the beast of burden?" He complained, though he already knew the answer. Midna, on the other hand, had floated to the grand entrance of the Monastery. She drew her palms together, her eyes closed as she focused.
"Midna? What are you doing?" Bastrii asked, approaching her side. She didn't respond, a ball of black and orange magic flitting between her fingers.
She gave a shout, raising her hands to the sky. The ball zoomed upwards, before colliding with the distant cloud face. A small, round hole of blue and black formed where the ball exploded, before fading into near invisibility.
"Saving us… a return trip." She panted. "Ancient spells of my people. Magic like Levitation and Teleportation are our specialty."
"I think spells like that used to exist, here in Nirn. Maybe it had something to do with the Twili?" Bastrii wondered aloud, her keen eyes just barely able to distinguish the nearly invisible portal in the sky. "Do you make those all the time?"
Midna fluttered to the ground, clenching the Sol in her hand. "No. I don't. Usually I let Zant waste his energy forming them, then I steal them as my own." She said, breathing deep from the thin air.
Braehoof trotted towards Midna's side, lowering his head for her to climb on. Her fingers latched on to the Elk, and he gently slung her to his back. Settling in, they turned their minds to the road once more.
The return trip was much more steady than the initial journey, the 7,000 steps a much easier path down than a climb up. Midna had wrenched her Fused Shadow from her bag after a while, closing her eyes. It vanished into nothing.
Bastrii questioned it, and Midna gave a short answer.
"While I don't have my full powers, I still have the ability to banish and return objects from the void. Unfortunately, it seems as if I can't reach for the Items I've obtained in Hyrule, except for one – but that seems irrelevant now." She said, inspecting the cart. Her keen eyes looked over the bags, picking up a heavy sack of grain. It vanished before Bastrii's eyes, and Midna groaned.
"Give me a few hours, it's a very powerful spell. Even with the Sol, it takes a lot of energy." She said. They trekked downward still, fast and steady.
Each hour the cart found itself lighter and lighter, as Midna worked on turning objects to the void. As they made their first camp, she flopped on a rock, breathing in deep.
"Is it just me, or is the air thicker here?"
"It's definitely thicker. We've made nearly a mile worth of progress down. If we were scaling a mountain without paths, this would take at least a month to accomplish." Bastrii said. Midna snapped her fingers, and returned only a few items from her storage. Three logs, and a sack of grain.
"By tomorrow afternoon, we wont need the cart anymore." Midna said, Bastrii quickly putting together a fire. With a stew slowly forming in the pot, her attention turned to the bolts of cloth she purchased from the Khajiit traders in Ivarstead.
"What are you making?" Midna asked, setting out a bag of grain for Braehoof.
"Something special." She smiled, stitching slowly and carefully to keep things orderly. When she tired of her work, she turned to her own armor – repairing an arrow sized hole with the many links she procured. Then, she fiddled with the pliers – turning link after link into a chain, which bound together in rows.
The night closed in, and the group went to bed with few complications. Morning was swift on the horizon. The camp was undone, and the journey resumed. Except now, Midna had returned the last of the items to the void – rendering the cart useless and abandoned.
Braehoof gave a happy stamp, as Bastrii mounted him once again. "Finally! We can make real progress now." He said, as Midna sat on the hind end of the saddle. Their speed nearly tripled as Braehoof took charge, trotting freely down the mountain. Occasionally, he would make an elegant leap and skip a flight of stairs entirely – or pass a section of the road, further reducing their trip.
"At this rate, we'll make it by early dawn tomorrow." Bastrii smiled, scratching behind Braehoof's ears. He chirped but said nothing, eager to leave this snowy place and strip the pelts from his torso.
Night began to reign in, and in favor of saving septims, Bastrii elected to construct camp above the town. They were still at least half an hour off on foot, but the air was deep and rich, and they had no reason to barter seeing as they still had food to spare.
"We can hunt on the road north – it's best to stay moving, and not waste time." Bastrii said, looking over the hamlet. It seemed so quiet tonight, turning to work on her project. The distant smoke of hearths littered the twilit sky, the Elf forming a sleeve on a new shirt. Midna watched the stars, noting the massive moons above and the distant planets that hung in the air.
"So… those are the Eight Divines, then?" Midna asked. Braehoof nodded.
"I recall the conversation well – at least, from Bastrii's memories. Those are the Eight Divines. That would make Talos the Ninth, a man who turned immortal and rose to Godhood through the power of the Dragon blood."
Bastrii blinked. She didn't ever share that information, did she? Did… did he see her past memories, as well? She flushed with embarrassment. She had done some… rather peculiar things, in her Burning Years through Adulthood. Hopefully Braehoof didn't see that side of her.
If he did, he didn't let on.
Bastrii pricked her finger on the needle, wincing. "Ow." The Elk twitched his hoof in response, feeling a tinge of the pain.
"Maybe it's time I head to bed." Bastrii said, tucking away her work and returning to the tent. Midna yawned, stretching.
"I guess there's no point in staying up then, huh?" She said, finding her own small mat in the shelter. She shuffled under the sheets, pulling off her armor and hood lazily. Her small gloves and little boots resting on top of the makeshift clothes.
Braehoof was the last to file in – laying against Bastrii's side for comfort. The Elf sighed in content, wrapping her arms around his neck in a warm hug. It was soothing, having something to hold like this – and the Elk clearly didn't mind.
The night closed in, and the campfire wore away into the early morning dawn.
And with dawn, came fire and death.
I had a lot of trouble writing this section. Not only did I have to scrounge through several wikis on the matter, but it was really hard to piece the actual lore together in order. I had to cut passages out, move pieces around - it was a giant mess to deal with. It wore really heavily on me, and the second have of this chapter suffered a bit because of it. Sorry, I tried to salvage it - but I'm just so exhausted all the time, work is killing me. I feel like I'm going insane.
But I don't want to stop writing. I enjoy writing this story - I just wish the lore wasn't so complicated. There is no exact tome that explains the full history, only pages that have a fifth of the whole story. I even had to shorten the lore, three times, because it was stretching much too long for its own good. If it seems a little butchered, I did revise it a couple of times to try and fix it. But for now, my brain hurts. I think it's time to rest. Thanks for sticking with me.
