Chapter 21: Unlocked Potential
The next morn, we group of four left in the early hours of dawn. We decided on leaving without the Pilgrimage's knowing. We believed it would be an easier letdown for them. With Miles riding behind Hui on his horse, we rode a different trail back. This trail was much closer to the oceans. At all times, we could look over to our lefts and see an ocean stretching to the horizon. The supply of fish to eat was endless. Also, with the Pilgrimage no longer a hindrance to the speed we could travel, we rode at a much faster pace, covering more ground per day.
As we rode day by day, one thing became certain: Hui, Zela, and I began a dislike, if not hate, of Miles. Our main issue with Miles was that he complained... frequently.
He would complain about his hunger. Then, when I managed to fish up some food, he would complain that it was undercooked, rancid, or outright uneatable. He would often complain from boredom, that our journeys had no excitement in them, but when a wild animal reared his ugly head, he would cower in fear, quickly demanding that we kill it.
I sometimes day-drempt of abandoning Miles somewhere in the wildeness. Unfortunately, he was necessary for my journey...
One Month Later...
One month through our return journey and we already covered half the distance of the original journey. We already rounded the most Southeastern tip of Vvardenfell and began heading West.
It was four hours until noon. The sun still hung somewhat low in the sky while the morning dew still clung firmly to the grass. A thin fog from the southern ocean floated above the ground. Birds in the tree branches above sang their beautiful melodies.
And, as usual, Miles complained.
"This damned morning humidity," he whined. "When will it end?" he asked outloud.
I gave an exhausted sigh. "At around the same time is always has," I replied, "at around two hours from now, when the sun reaches its high point in the sky."
"Well, it seems that that period of morning humidity grows longer and longer with every day! I wish the weather was a bit colder, just enough to rid us of this humidity."
I turned back to Zela, who was just as displeased with Miles's bickering as I. "And even then," I whispered to her, "he would complain still." Zela gave a stifled giggle.
"What did you say, Nerevar?" asked Miles.
"Oh, nothing," I lied, "nothing at all."
Miles gave an exhausted sigh. "May we take a break, Nerevar?" he asked.
The damn Imperial acts like a small child! "You wish to rest now?" I asked. "You ride upon a horse, Miles. It bears your load for you, and you are still in need of a break?!"
"Yes," he snapped back, "so could we do so? Please?!"
For the love Azura! "Fine," I relented, "but this is the last break that you shall request for today! All other 'breaks' can only be given by either Zela, Hui, or myself."
"Not if I have anything to say about it," he then muttered beneath his breath.
We then rode our horses off the trail and to our right, coming upon a large flat stone to rest on. An old tree grew atop the stone table, its roots reaching far across its flat surface and eventually reaching the soil. Hitching out horses to the tree, the first thing Miles did was hop off the horse, sit beneath the tree, and drank deep from his skin of what he referred to as"water" (which we all knew was a very expensive bourbon.)
Zela, Hui, and I, rather, sat apart form Miles, at the other end of the stone table. There, Hui and I retrieved the pipes from our pockets, packed the bowls, and began to smoke. Out of the earshot of Miles, we could speak freely of him. The first insult came from myself.
"Is it me," I said, "or is Miles not the most unagreeable person in all of existence? I simply can not understand how one can act in such a manner for so long and not tire of it. You would think, eventually, one would tire of acting miserable and accept their current situation."
"You would believe so," said Zela, "but clearly, Zaden, you have never been in the extended company of the wealthy."
"And you have?" I asked her.
She nodded. "Indeed, I have," she replied. "In my line of work as a thief, one may fine themselves, as the saying goes, as a 'wolf in sheep's clothing.' I, on a few occasions, have walked among the high society of Vvardenfell in order to accomplish my objectives.
So, with my personal experience, I can confidently say this: Miles is the better mannered of what I have seen."
"Well," I said, "then my hate of those of high society has just been set in stone."
"The Altmer, or 'High Elves'," said Zela, "are said to be the worst of all in terms of their manners."
"Oh, that I know well. I have had my fair share of encounters with the Altmer, and in nearly all of them, they look upon my as if I was vermin!"
"They see themselves as ones of 'pure blood', seeing themselves as superior over all others."
"On what bases?" I asked.
"On the bases," said Hui, "that nearly half the Altmer population are born mages. Not only that, but the Altmer are the most naturally gifted of mages. They boast the later openly and show general disgust toward the other 'lesser races', especially the beast races (Argonian and Khajiit.)"
"But that can not be true," I said. "You are Argonian, Hui, and you are the most powerful mage I have ever laid eyes on."
"If only others could see from your point of view, Zaden. But unfortunately, to most, I am but slave material."
"I have been meaning to ask about that, Hui. In the Empire, the act of slavery is illegal. How is it that it is common practice here in Morrowind?"
"Because," said Zela, "slavery is an ancient Dunmer practice, and has been carried out throughout the centuries. Here, in the providence of Morrowind, the Dunmer are allowed to practice slavery, and is protected by the Empire law."
"Why is it that most slaves are Argonian of Khajiit?" I asked.
"I do not know," replied Zela. "Many eras ago, the Ayleids, a race of elves, were notorious for their practice of slavery. For whatever reasons of their own, they chose the Argonians and Khajiit as their slaves."
"Much of my ancestory," said Hui, "were the slaves of Dunmer royalty in Vvardenfell. For much of my younger years, I was always told that I was destined to follow in the footsteps of my parents, as a slave... but I was able to escape that fate."
"How did you escape you fate, Hui?" I asked him.
"It is a long story, Zaden, and I-"
Hui stopped mid-word. Slowly, his eyes shifted toward his right, across a grassy plain and toward a distant, thick grove of strange trees. "Can you feel that, Zaden?" he asked me.
The very moment he asked, I began to hear something emanating from the distant grove. It was the feeling, the presence I felt as we approached the tower Tel Fyr. However, this grove was much more intense.
"I feel it as well, Hui," I said. "It is remmissant of Tel Fyr."
Hui suddenly stood up. "We must travel to the grove at once," he declared. He turned back to Miles, who still sat beneath the tree. "Miles!" Hui said. "Pry yourself from your flask for but one moment and rejoin us. We travel to the distant grove!"
Miles begrudgingly rejoined us three, with the horses' reins in hand. Mounting them, we rode toward the strange grove. As we neared closer and closer to it, the mana that emanated from the forest became more and more apparent. Soon, it became somewhat overwhelming, an incredible thing to feel. I could tell that Hui could feel it as well.
When we reached the edge of the grove, Hui dismounted his horse and approached one of the trees. These trees were unknown to me. They had thick trunks, signifying old age, covered in a paper thin bark. The many limbs, branches, and twigs that sprouted off of the trunk were long and hung like wet noodles toward the ground, covered in dark green vines and spade shaped leaves.
Hui placed his reptilian hand upon the tree's bark and began to 'listen' to the tree. I dismounted my horse and joined him to his left. "What is it, Hui?" I asked him.
"These trees," Hui said, "are ancient... perhaps as old as Vvardenfell itself. The mana flows so fluidly through this grove... This place is a breeding ground for magical energy."
'What are you thinking?" I asked.
Hui lifted his hand off the tree and turned to me with a smile. "This place," he said, "shall be where we unlock your true potential. Here... I shall turn you into a mage.
Follow."
o0o
Hui lead me deep into the strange grove. Zela and Miles followed close (with Miles pulling the horses along by their reins.) Light was fleeting within the grove, the thick leaf canopy above blocked most of the sun's light. The floor of the grove was carpeted with roots, making traversing through a difficult task.
But one thing that stood out above all else in this grove (at least for Hui and I) was the incredible amount of energy about us. The mana flowed so freely from tree to tree, the air was even seemed sweet with it.
After a long while of search, Hui finally stumbled upon something. Near the center of the forest was a small circular clearing, only twenty feet across, bathed in golden sun light. "Here, Zaden," said Hui, "is where your potential shall be tested."
Hui approached Zela and Miles. "What I am about to do, Zela and Miles, is help Zaden unlock his mage powers. This involves a process that needs complete concentration and, more importantly, no outside distractions. That is why I ask of you two that, unless there is an absolute emergency, to remain silent. Is that understood?"
Zela nodded. "Understood," she replied.
"If you say so," replied Miles in a disrespectful tone.
Ignoring Miles's tone, Hui lead me to the very center of the light-bathed clearing and we both sat facing each other, only a couple feet apart.
"Today," said Hui, his voice now in somewhat of a whisper, "we shall, together, attempt to bring into the light your mage powers. Here, in the center of this ancient grove, where the mana flows like a river, the process will be much easier. However, before any of that can be done, I must find out what kind of mage you are."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"There are many kinds of mages, Zaden. What abilities you are able to unlock and wield determines what kind of mage you are. I, through a process dubbed 'mana linking,' can read the currents of mana in your body and, in the process, determine what type of mage you are.
'Mana linking' can be a dangerous process, but only if you resist... Are you prepared?"
"... I am ready," I replied.
Hui reached toward me and placed his middle and index finger on the center of my forehead. Suddenly, Hui's mana was merged with mine and I was suddenly overcome with energy. I felt strange, as if there were now two souls housed within my body. Hui's heartbeat was synchronized with mine.
For that brief moment, Hui and I were one.
Hui lifted his fingers off my forehead. "Interesting..." Hui said. "I have read the currents of mana within and... it would seem that you are destined to be a battlemage."
"What is a battlemage?" I asked.
"A battle mage is one whose mage abilities are better served in combat. Usually, this pertains tooffensive magics:the ability to wield flame, frost, electric, and poison based attacks.
However, while we were joined, I sensed the potential for you to wield other powers, powers that the average battlemage would not be able to. In you, I saw the ability to summon creatures, beasts, or daedra to aid you in battle. Also, I saw the potential for you to summon magic shields (much like I did at the Dwemer bridge.)
When you are ready, we can begin the process of unlocking said abilities."
This was it. Before me was the opportunity to become greater than I have ever thought possible, and Hui would be my guide to greatness.
"Let us begin," I replied.
Hui gave a slight smile.
"First," said Hui, "we shall begin with the most rudimentary of the offensive magics: the ability to wield flame.
Close your eyes, Nerevar."
I did as he said. My world instantly went empty. The only thing I kept concentration on was Hui's voice.
"Imagine deep within yourself, Nerevar, in the very core of your heart... a flame, like that of a candle. Watch as it flickers and dances, burns silently. Now, grow that flame, feel as it becomes hotter. Now, the flame is like that of a torch. Now the flame roars, it has a voice of its own. Feel the heat of the flame now and spread it throughout your entire body. Now, grow that flame even still until it resembles that of a campfire. Now this flame had a need, a desire: to spread, to engulf all it touches, to feed. Let that fire feed, Nerevar, let it grow more and more. Now, what started out as a flame, has grown to the size of an entire forest, engulfing an entire valley with searing heat and light.
Now, Nerevar, take the entirety of that great fire deep within you, travel it up your body and through your right arm. Push all that energy through the palm of your hand.
Can you feel the energy being released?"
"I- I can," I replied.
"Open your eyes, Nerevar."
When I opened my eyes and an incredible sight awaited me. There, in the open palm of my right hand, was a flame, suspended above my skin by a mere inch.
A flame I created.
Hui smiled. "You learn quickly, Nerevar," Hui said. "Not many are able to wield fire on their first try. Most students take weeks to do what you completed in mere minutes."
"Well," I said, "most students are not Nerevar Incarnate."
Hui laughed. "That is true... After the intensive process of unlocking your powers, you will find that wielding the power afterward will be like second nature. Now, if you are ready, Nerevar, we shall continue with frost."
"I am ready," I replied, extinguishing the flame in my hand.
I closed my eyes.
"Imagine yourself, Nerevar, at the edge of a mountainous glacier, floating in the frigid oceans near the northern boarders of Solstheim. You stand in the cold climate without a single piece of clothing upon you. Feel as the icy winds hit your bare skin, penetrating like a thousand knives. The natural warmth of your body begins to fail and you feel yourself becoming ever colder.
Now, lean forward from the glacier edge and fall toward the oceans below. The piercing winds growing ever colder as you plummet ever closer to the water surface. Then, you break through the water's barrier, and numbing cold hits every surface of your body. The glacial waters flow into your veins, freezing you until you can no longer feel the cold.
Now, channel all that cold up and through your right arm, to the palm of your hand... and release it.
...
Open your eyes."
Now, floating in the palm of my hand (which was now riddled with goose bumps) was a swirling ball of icy blue air, a thick fog of cold vapors falling toward the ground from it.
"You continue to amaze me, Nerevar" Hui said. "Now, I know you are anxious to try your new abilities." I nodded. "However, I must insist that you refrain from doing so until we leave this grove. We would not want to damage these trees, would we?"
I shook my head. "No, I suppose not," I replied.
"Next," said Hui, "we shall attempt to unlock the ability to wield lightening."
I closed my eyes.
"Now imagine yourself, Nerevar, in the open fields of the Grazelands. You stand alone, nothing but the ankle high grass about you. Suddenly, from the East, an incredible storm cell arrives from the ocean, carried upon mighty winds. In the blink of an eye, the storm has darkened the entire sky above, releasing a torrential downpour upon you. The only light you are given is from the intermittent flashes of lightening, followed closely with thunderous booms.
Suddenly, a bolt of lightening falls from the clouds, striking the tallest thing in the field.
You.
The lightening strikes you at the tip of your spine, coursing downward toward your feet. However, the electricity does not travel into the ground. Instead, the coursing power remains within your body, surging through every inch of it.
Now, channel that power through your right arm and release it through your hand.
...
Open your eyes."
My right hand was charged with electricity. Small arcs of lightening jumped from fingertip to fingertip, emanating a buzzing sound. I brought my two hands closer together and the arcs connected between the fingers of opposite hands. Finally, I halted the electric charge and closed my eyes, preparing for yet another power to be unlocked.
"Next," said Hui, "we shall attempt poison. This is an ability not easily mastered, but its power is unmatched. However, the misuse of this perticular power can prove be deadly, so do take care when wielding it...
Imagine yourself in the center of an endless desert, where your only companions are the sand and the dunes. You traverse this unforgiving landscape in search of an oasis... but to no avail. You body begins to fail from dehydration and fatigue and you collapse.
As you feel your life being evaporated by the sun's rays, you notice a creature approach you: a black scorpion. It crawls atop your right arm and, in one plunge of its stinger, injects a large dose of its venom beneath your flesh. The venom spreads rapidly through your arm, quickly attacking your nervous system. By the time the poison has spread to your chest, you no longer have control over your right arm. The venom begins its assault upon your heart. You will soon be dead.
But you fight back, Nerevar. With all your might, you are able to push the venom away from your heart, back through your arm, and release it through the palm of your hand.
...
Open your eyes."
Floating above my open palm now was a strange, dark green blob of a thick, water-like substance. It pulsated like a beating heart and emanating off of it was a thick, green cloud of vapors.
"Is this poison?" I asked Hui. "It is very... strange. How am I to know this is truly effective as a weapon."
"As I have said," replied Hui, "you will be able to test your offensive abilities once outside the grove.
Now let us try a non offensive spell: the ability to conjure magic shields. These shields, depending on how powerful you create them, will be able to deflect a swinging blade, a shooting arrow, or even the spell of another mage.
For this, we shall stand."
Hui and I, in unison, got up off the ground.
"Up until now, Nerevar, you have unlocked the ability to wield the elemental forces with the aid of an outside force: the inner flame, the frozen winds of Solstheim, the surging power of the lightening bolt, and the venomous sting of the scorpion. Now, to wield shields of energy, you must be able to summon the pure mana from within, mana that remains unaltered from outside forces.
Tap into your pools of mana, Nerevar, draw from its energy. Channel it through your arm, and with an outstretched arm, turn that energy into an impenetrable shield."
I held my arm outstretched before me, my palm positioned as if halting someone. I concentrated only on tapping into those pools of mana. Once I located them, somewhere within the stomach, I channeled that energy up through my chest through the outstretched arm and out the palm.
Suddenly, a large, round, translucent purple shield of pure energy materialized before me. I waved my arm back and forth and the shield followed my hand's every movement, going wherever it pointed. Channeling more energy into the shield expanded its radius.
"How effective are these shields, Hui?" I asked him.
"Hand me one of your sidearms and I shall show you," he replied.
"Do you mean to shoot at me, Hui?"
"Fear not," Hui assured me, " I am certain the shield shall hold."
Normally, I would have never imagined in my wildest dreams to relent one of my side arms to any other person (other than Zela.) However, with Hui, I felt at ease, and felt able to trust him. Unholstering the gun on my right, I tossed it over to him. The very moment he caught it, and without so much as a warning, he whipped the ends of the barrels toward the shield and fired both shells upon it.
I remained unharmed. The buckshot simply dissolved against the shield.
Dropping the shield, Hui tossed back the gun. As I reloaded the gun with a fresh pair of shells, Hui prepared me for my next lesson.
"This next and last power I shall teach you," Hui said, "may very well be your most powerful. I shall now teach you the ability to summon beasts to aid you in combat.
You see, Nerevar, every living thing has a soul. When a living thing dies, their soul passes on to places unknown. However, when a living thing is slain, the slayer obtains 'essence,' a spiritual representation of the slain soul. Every essence one obtains is stored somewhere deep within the mind.
Certain mages with the ability to duplicate those essences and create physical representations of those they have killed. These duplicates can be summoned any number of times (as long as you hold within you enough mana.) These representation are absolutely loyal to the summoner and will follow their every command to the last detail.
Now, Nerevar, name a beast or creature you have killed. They could be a Cliff Racer, a Nix-Hound, or possible-"
"A Dremora," I answered, "like the ones we fought at Molag Mar."
Hui looked hesitant. "I- I do not think it wise to start with such an advanced being," Hui said. "Perhaps you should start off with something simpler like a-"
"No," I interrupted. "If I am to become as powerful a mage as possible, I must test my limits. I must attempt to summon the most powerful thing I have ever slain."
Hui smiled at my determination. "Very well," he replied, "you may attempt at the Dremora.
The key of this technique is to intensely visualize the thing you wish to summon (in this case, the Dremora.)"
I closed my eyes once more and visualized the Dremora in my mind. I saw his skin, black as the night sky. I saw his strong figure, clad in red and black daedric armor. I saw his eyes, as red as fire.
Once the image was clear in my mind, I released through my arm a powerful amount of mana, more than all the previous spells combined.
"Was I successful?" I asked Hui.
"Open your eyes, Nerevar and witness for yourself," he replied.
Opening my eyes, a Dremora stood before me, clad in his demonic armor, with piercing red eyes and ash black skin, a daedric long sword sheathed upon his waist. In stark contrast to the Dremora I encountered in Molag Mar, this Dremora stood in a relaxed stance. When his eyes were set upon me, his look was not one of anger or rage. He met me, rather, with a blank stare.
I looked to Hui. "How can I be certain he is one I have summoned?" I asked him.
"Ask it a question," he replied. "Test its loyalty."
I looked back to the Dremora. "Who are you loyal to, Dremora?" I asked him.
"I am loyal," he replied in a deep, evil voice, "to he who has brought me into existence, to he who has given me life, a purpose. I am loyal to you, Nerevar."
"And until what ends shall you remain my servant?" I asked.
"Until you release me of my services... or death takes me," he replied.
I turned back to Hui. "Well I am convinced," I said.
"Good," said Hui. "Now release him from your service, either by death or your command."
I turned back to the Dremora, who stood ready to carry out my any command. "I release you," I said to him, "from my service. They are no longer needed." The Dremora gave a final bow and, in a shower of golden sparks, disappeared.
o0o
Completed with the lessons, Hui, Zela, Miles, and I left the magical grove behind us. Escaping the shade of the trees, the sun felt warm on our skin. A few hours had passed since we entered, and now the sun was at its highest peak in the sky.
As we returned to the flat rock, I decided to ask Hui something that I dared not ask during our lessons.
"Hui," I said. "While we were in the process of our lessons, you referred to me the entire time as 'Nerevar' and not by my 'true' name. Why is that?"
"Because you are Nerevar, Zaden," Hui replied. "Why would I not refer to you by who you are?"
"You refer to me as Nerevar in the company of the public, that I can understand. But when it is but us (you, I, Zela, and whoever else we may travel with), please, refer to me as Zaden.
Do not see me as Nerevar. See me, rather, as a friend."
Hui smiled. "Very well, Zaden," he replied. "I shall do so."
As we headed back to the trail, Miles, who realized that he could speak (now that he was free from the grove), did so... rather freely.
"Well," he said, "now that you two spell-slingers are done perfecting your little magic tricks, could we possibly get some ground covered?! I would like to reach Ebonheart sometime before the next year!" He then flipped the top off his skin of bourbon, preparing to drink from it.
Becoming increasingly irritated by Miles's generally disrespectful manner, I decided to do something about it. I turned to Hui, who looked just as irritated at Miles as I. "Now that we are out of the grove," I said to him, "am I free to practice my magic?"
Hui nodded. "I can not see why not..." Hui replied.
"Watch this," I said, then pointed to Miles's skin of alcohol.
Miles began to bring the nossel to his mouth. However, before it reached, I channeled the mana through my arm and launched a small frost spell at the flask, making contact within a second before it touched his lips. Miles held the skin upside down, awaiting the liquid within... only to have it not make an appearance. Irritated, he began to violently shake the skin, hopping to release but a few drops. Nothing came out.
Finally, Miles brought the nossel to his eye and looked inside. "What in Oblivion?!" he exclaimed. "It is frozen solid!"
Hui and I could simply not stifle out amusement any longer and we finally burst into laughter. Miles turned furious.
"Which one of you is responsible for this?!" he demanded.
With a grin still on my face, I raised my hand. "That would be me," I replied.
Miles, in a failed attempt to appear forceful, marched strait toward me, frozen skin in hand, and forced it directly into my face. "I demand that you heat it back to liquid this instant!"
The evil grin on my face only grew at that prospect.
"Gladly," I replied.
Snatching the skin from his hand I quickly heated the ice within to a liquid state... but did not stop there. I continued to heat it even further. Soon, vapors of boiling alcohol began to shoot from the opening, followed shortly after by flames. Then, with a burst of mana, I engulfed the entire skin in a raging column of fire, blocking it from sight. When I stopped the inferno, the skin, along with its contents, were nowhere to be found, vaporized into the air.
Miles was not sure whether to be angered or awestruck. "You- You did that on purpose!" he exclaimed.
"Oh, sorry," I replied, being clearly sarcastic, "I suppose I do not know my own strength... perhaps this will teach you to be a tad bit more respectful to your companions."
"You are going to pay me back for this, Nerevar!" he declared.
Then again, some people can never be taught...