-The Colored Rooms-
Aqua crystal water, strange coral forms rising from it. The sky a misty sea green with brilliant nebulous streaks of blue and aqua that seem to swirl with stars. Time seems almost frozen here. Theodyn had long ago lost track of time. Had it been months or years? What has happened back on Nirn? Nirn and his life there...sometimes seemed so far away to Theodyn. Though his training consumed most of his waking hours and left little room for wondering what had happened why he had been here.
Theodyn holds Dawnbreaker as shards of coral hover in midair all around him. They shimmer briefly before raining down upon him from all sides, their edges razor-sharp. Theodyn spins and the coral fractures under his dance with Dawnbreaker. He misses one however and he freezes as it hovers in front of his throat. Theodyn frowns, disappointed in himself. "Still not enough," Theodyn says softly.
A golden glow infuses the area and Theodyn turns to see Meridia in all her splendor has appeared. "You know what you must do, Theodyn Vautrine," Meridia says. "You hesitate at this last stage of your training."
Theodyn lowers Dawnbreaker as the last coral shard vanishes. He knows. He must fully accept Meridia's light and step into the purifying water. It...scares him. His memories flashback to when he first arrived.
Theodyn passes through the portal into Merida's realm of the Colored Rooms. He falls to his knees as the portal snaps shut, shaking and near sick. Only through sheer force of will is he able to drag himself to his feet to follow the Prince further into her realm. Meridia leads him to a shimmering pool of aqua shimmering with brilliant golden light. "Rest by the pool," Meridia tells him. "But do not enter the water, or drink of it, Theodyn Vautrine. You are not ready yet." His strength nearly gone, all Theodyn can do is nod as he moves to the pool and collapses on his side near it shivering violently. Meridia kneels by him and rests her hand on his shoulder. "Being near my pool will purify the corruption the vampire left within you," she tells him. "You must not leave, or the purification will fail. It will not be easy, Theodyn. You will want to flee. You must not, or you will fall." Meridia rises and with a soft burst of golden light is gone, leaving Theodyn alone.
Theodyn stares at the pool, the light shimmering within was blinding, and being near it in his near vampiric state was agony. Can he even bear this kind of pain? It felt as if it was seeping deep within him and destroying part of him. Theodyn's fingers grip the ground as the pain sweeps through him and becomes all he knows. He screams as the pain becomes all-consuming, blinding. The corruption in him starts to whisper to him, telling him to run, to escape and embrace the dark, far away from this light, this endless agony. But Theodyn ignores it and endures the seemingly endless waves of agony and when at last the pain fades he feels the corruption vanish. As he lies there shaking, he knows the truth. He is cured and more than that, he could never be corrupted in this way again.
Theodyn's eyes close and he rests for a time. When at last he opens them a familiar gray tabby with black stripes is staring at him. "Shoulda come with Uncle Leo, would have been less pain. Maybe." The tabby meows at him.
Theodyn stares at the cat and rolls over on his back laughing. "I think I'm seeing things," Theodyn says.
Sheogorath walks around Theodyn, stopping near his head. "All this is madness! I want in. But will they give me a mortal to play with? NO! RUDE!" Sheogorath twitches his tail. "Crazy is not the road the heroes need to walk down. WHY NOT? I have just as much to lose!" Sheogorath hisses and spins without waiting for a response. "My cue to leave!" he turns and vanishes as Meridia appears and moves to Theodyn who sits up to gaze at his Prince.
Meridia studies him. "To attract the attention of two of us, Theodyn. You may be blessed, or cursed," she tells him.
"Both, I think," Theodyn says. "With respect, my Prince. Is...that how I am to address you now?"
Meridia laughs. "Mortal youths can be amusing. Call me what feels right, Theodyn. You are to be my champion. Now rise, and your training will begin.
Meridia sees Theodyn's thoughts wander. "Walk with me, Theodyn," she tells him and Theodyn sheaths Dawnbreaker and follows Meridia. "Why do you yet fear my light?" she asks him.
"I am who I am, Prince Meridia," Theodyn says. "I will no longer be that when I step into the light."
"You knew this when you accepted by hand, Theodyn," Meridia chides as she stops and turns to him, her unfathomable eyes seeming to stare right through him. "Speak your true thoughts," she orders him.
Theodyn is silent and Meridia allows him time to gather his thoughts and words. Theodyn is fully committed to this path and yet he fears the final step, for he will become something else. Prince Meridia is the Lady of Light, but Theodyn has found that light can be so cold, so filled with loathing, perhaps even hate. Theodyn thinks of Jeziasi, the Vestige. Meridia wanted her to suffer so, for Jeziasi had saved Nirn from Molag Bal only to submit to him later and start this horrific nightmare. Meridia holds no mercy for Jeziasi, would not even entertain the notion that perhaps, yes Jeziasi made a mistake but had been deceived by Molag Bal. How could she have known who he really was? Theodyn finally speaks, "The Light holds no mercy," Theodyn says softly.
Meridia's eyes darken. "You pity her?" Meridia says. "She gazed into the eyes of her most hated enemy and dismissed the fact that it was him. She laid down with him, willingly. Gave him what he needed to curse this world with a necromancer that could use the cursed Band of T'zlich to raise an undead army the likes which have never been seen. She and her son deserve no mercy and will burn in my light." The Colored Rooms seem to shake with her fury and Theodyn lowers his head.
"I know better than to stay my hand with Viperish Night," Theodyn says. His sister thought him worth saving once, but now? Now he was beyond mercy, beyond saving.
"And what if Jeziasi steps in your way?" Meridia asks. "She has already spared that abomination against life twice."
Theodyn takes a deep breath. "Then I will not stay my hand with her either, my Prince," Theodyn promises.
Meridia steps closer to him. "Then cast your remaining doubts aside and embrace my light. Become my champion and have no mercy for those who defile life. Time flows differently here, Theodyn. But time is still running out." Meridia turns and vanishes, leaving him to his thoughts.
Theodyn knows he must. But he must not have doubts when he steps into the pool or it may very well destroy him. He moves to sit upon the ground and try to gather his courage to banish all doubt, all fear so he can take the final step in his training, in becoming what he must be.
