Quest 25: Skyrim
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"Get up, vile scum." Tsun yanked Talos up by the throat. He bound Talos' hands with wrist ties. "You're going to Oblivion. Mehrunes Dagon is eager to watch you suffer."
Dibella released a deep breath as Talos tiredly fell in line, his energy depleted. Snowflakes lightly drifted past her, nestling in the bones of her shoulders. Dibella turned her head as the sun echoed into being with the rising dawn. There was Krest, impaled through the chest into the icy rockface, blood dribbling off him. His remaining arm hung by his side, hair curtaining his face from view. Tears began building up in her. She looked toward Akatosh then.
"Is… will I see him in Aetherius?" She asked hesitantly.
Akatosh held her hand and brought her head to rest on his shoulder, still smelling of scented apple perfume. "My child." He stroked the back of her head. "I'm sorry. Truly, I am."
Tsun rubbed her shoulder calmly.
Dibella brushed Tsun's knuckles with her hand and wiped her face with her sleeve. She walked over to Krest, the snow softening beneath her feet. Blood and burns all over his armor, his half open appendage sticking out with a broken blade. He was quite elven in frame. Dibella pushed up his body and held his shoulders, looking into his remaining eye. His sclera stained by bloodshot lines, there was no emotion to his face aside from exhaustion. Krest was at peace now in death. Dibella held his greyed, pale jaw and put her forehead against his, tears leaking out of her eyes, falling into his bones. She kissed Krest on the lips. "I'm sorry." She stroked a hand through his hair. "I love you, you stupid idiot." She bit back more tears. "My heart beats for you. It beats for you. If only you'd just have waited longer. If only I'd known, I would've proposed to you then and there and let the whole world see. A Divine and a mortal."
Dibella held his face, kissing his forehead, head, and cheeks. But he just stood there, lifelessly pinned to the wall. She pulled out the note in her pocket and read the cursive script written there, I'm happiest when I'm with you, Dibella. Being around you was the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you and only you – Krest.
She remembered the first moment she saw his little face. When she'd stepped out of the portal to Nirn toward Saadia and Idrasa. Krest stood in the corner, anxiety vibrating off him. The way he'd turned so red and flustered when pressed by her and constantly stared at the floor. The way he smiled and giggled like a little child when she held him in her arms. The way he'd hiccupped in his sleep on the train. This cold, loveless boy who'd never felt the love of anyone his whole life, who hatred, contempt, and anger emanated off of like heat from a furnace towards the world that'd abandoned him. Was completely someone else when he was with her. Like a little child in his mother's arms once more.
Dibella fumed red hot and marched over to Talos. She clutched Lorkhan's throat and slammed him hard against the tree. His head pulsed red. "Listen here, you stupid fucker. Yeah? How does it feel, you whore," she taunted him as Akatosh and Tsun watched. "Why'd you kill Krest?"
Talos grinned. "Konahrik you mean?"
"What do you mean?" Dibella's eyebrows shook hands in confusion, loosening her chokehold on Shor a fraction. The bristles of the man's neck stubble were stabbing her palm.
I can't believe I willingly slept with this psycho. Her short moments of tender handholding with Krest had been mountains more loving and meaningful than any night she'd spent with Talos.
"Why don't you tell her, brother?" Talos' eyes gestured toward Akatosh.
Akatosh sighed and explained what Talos meant. Apparently Krest was Konahrik. He'd used the Mask of Alkosh and the Elder Scroll of Dragons to go back in time and assault Skyrim, fulfilling what had occurred in the past, sealing a self-fulfilling time loop.
"Your stupid boy toy was a genocidal maniac. And given the power, he'd have destroyed every sentient race that didn't have pointy ears." Talos' violet eyes gleamed. His stormcrown and snake tail missing.
Tsun rubbed the skin on his neck. "He probably appropriated his downfall and problems on Nords when he saw their cultural norms. Making it synonymous to him."
"Krest was Konahrik…" Dibella gulped as the sun encroached further onto the canvas of the magne-ge.
"Can you honestly in good conscience say a man, irrespective of who he is, deserves paradise if he commits and condoned genocide?" Talos asked. "You all plan to allow me to burn in eternal fire, but Krest followed in my footsteps and killed thousands of men, women, and children of nordic stock. You ask me, nonexistence is the most graceful punishment a man like that could earn. But if you were fair, you'd have him burning at the bottom of hell with me. There is no forgiveness for men like us."
"Krest wasn't like you. He would've come around if he'd had guidance. He never exploited women like you, and he didn't keep slaves, nor did he spend his life on conquests. He spent most his life as a slave to the Empire you built." Dibella spat in Talos' face and threw him down. "Enjoy the hellfire."
"He's still plenty guilty though." Talos spat purple blood from his mouth, a broken tooth or two. "Ripped the spines of elderly, crushed the skulls of Nordic women and men, and burned Nordic children down to a crisp."
Dibella was still in her thoughts, contemplating the Konahrik-Krest ordeal when the armies of Tamriel, primarily divided between Thalmor, Sons of Septim, and bystanders were walking down the hill, weaponless, as Eleph, Irdi, Idrasa, and Gabriella led them. J'zargo snooping around nearby as well.
"With the final tower deactivated, Nirn is free." Akatosh addressed the two armies that had gathered nearby. He'd somehow managed to get them to stop fighting. "Look here, elves." Akatosh pointed to the dead form of Krest. "Your Messiah, Konahrik, lies destroyed. Your savior was a mere man, not an elf." Then Akatosh gestured to Talos. "Look here, men. Your Messiah, Talos, stands defeated. Your savior was a fraud, not an honorable warrior." – "By praising either, you proclaim yourself a hypocrite because the only determining factor is your race. Two sides of the same septim."
"End this quarreling. I am Akatosh, Lord of the Divines, and I tell you, put your sword back into its place. For those who live by the sword die by it. And love each other, as I have loved you. Let worship of these false idols, Talos and Konahrik be no more. You shall worship the new Nine and us alone and make peace with each other, and embrace one another as friend, not foe."
Galmar and Elenwen, the leaders of both coups, stared at each other. Galmar took his sword and turned it upside down. Elenwen crossed her arm over her shoulder and bowed her head. They shook hands. Slowly all the elves and men, Altmer and Nord, shook hands, some even embracing each other. And all the others witnessed it, making peace amongst themselves.
"What is in the past, is in the past," Galmar stated.
"But let us write a new future," Elenwen finished.
"Free from hatred," Za'renjo added.
"Those two should get married. They'd make the cutest elven-nordic babies together." Eleph grinned cheekily as Irdi slugged him.
"Kaid, behave," Irdi instructed firmly. "I wonder what he meant by new Nine though. Is someone replacing Talos as the ninth Divine?"
Idrasa, holding hands with Gabriella sidled closer to Dibella. Idrasa kissed Dibella's hand in mourning.
"You're the Sybil now." Dibella brushed Idrasa's red strands aside. "Stand strong."
"Thank you, goddess." Idrasa nodded. "Gabriella here has agreed to begin anew as a disciple of yours as well. As for Elisif, she was killed in the explosion caused by Konahrik's appearance."
"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything," Akatosh continued as the sun slowly peaked its head over the summits far away, beneath the clouds that dissipated into a pinkish blue sky. "Rejoice and rebuild Tamriel into a republic. The time of kings is over. The age of heroes ended. It is time for a new dream of spring. One where the illusion of men and mer is no more, the illusion of man and woman no longer. Now there is only one, the children of the Divines."
The armies and rest of the people present began setting up camp. Cone-shaped tents and workbenches on the firm, packed snow. The injured were brought down laid on hammocks and bedrolls as fires were started to heat everyone up. Healing potions tarried around as the Divines did their best to cure as many sick as they could. Water pots handed around and people sitting on tree stumps, snacking on sandwiches and coffee. Akatosh turned water into wine and fed it to those who were most injured, to help dull their pain. Daylight shined as elves and men intermingled, helping one another. Water IVs were set up, feeding fluid, and hydrating the downtrodden intravenously by Dwemer Medi-Bots. Talos was secured into a metal block, unable to get out as a group of Nords came to clean and bury Krest, Dibella helping them. She washed him in the frozen river and clothed Krest's body in a floral dress gown with patterns of yellow chrysanthemums weaved on.
Tsun came over, carrying a bundle of armor with him. "Garb him in this, my love. He died a warrior; he should be honored as such."
Dibella secured the leather and studded tunic over Krest's dress. Putting a horned Iron Helmet on his head. Grey with goat tusks shaping downward. Iron Gauntlets and Iron Boots. Lastly, Dibella took her own Skyforge Steel Sword and put it in Krest's hand, laid on top of him as he was placed inside the cushioned casket. Lavender sprouted on nooks and crannies of the small, calm stream, trilling peacefully over the hillside. Dibella baptized her visage in the water, running a wet hand over her hair.
Akatosh and Tsun helped mend the city and bury Alduin and Paarthurnax as well as the rest of the dead, offering comfort to any grieving families in the meantime. Akatosh assuring them he'd look after their loved ones in Heaven. - Dibella led her children, carrying Krest's tomb to the campsite where Talos was imprisoned temporarily. While the men prepared a grave by digging into the snow. Dibella placed him inside the hole dug near the river. Krest would want to be near the sound of water.
Eleph and Irdi ushered the crewmen away, saying that they'd pile the snow on Krest when the time to bury him came. "I think it appropriate we reveal exactly who we are." Irdi sniffed a bit, smiling. "Eleph here and I are, Mnemoli, writers and keepers of the Elder Scrolls. Though we are only two of many. Our identity kept secret for obvious reasons. But we believe it safe to tell the Divines now."
"We only prophesy before you ask, not determine, the future," Eleph quickly interjected when Dibella opened her mouth.
Tsun called over to Idrasa and Gabriella, and Dibella's children, "Idrasa, Gabriella, Paratus, Sibylla. Over here." The children rushed over and Tsun held Paratus up, placing him on the bridge of his broad shoulders. Idrasa and Gabriella held hands as they marched over to Irdi and Eleph. Their robes stained from the ash of battle.
"Idrasa, reach out to me, okay." Dibella smiled at the young girl.
"I will. Gabriella and I plan to get married and to spread word of your grace to all Tamriel," Idrasa grinned widely.
Talos was placed inside a wooden headlock, his back sticking out for any to see and mock. Akatosh was sitting and meditating, attempting to do some sort of ritual. Anu's Light glowed from the sun. The bickering, spectral forms of the sixteen Daedric Princes showed up in a circle around them, and the rest of the Divines descended to Nirn, forming another circle within the Daedras' sphere. Mara came and hugged Akatosh, kissing her husband.
"I have missed you, my dear." Akatosh's gold eyes became warm coals at the sight of Mother Mara. "Let us go home."
We're all collectively banishing Talos. Sixteen Daedric Princes and Eight Divines. Nine Divines.
There stood Saadia, glowing in angelic colors, her hair finely trimmed and eyes glowing.
She's replacing Reman and Talos as the Ninth Divine!
Saadia ran over and hugged Dibella. Dibella held the woman in a tight embrace as Mara blessed them.
"I know," Saadia said. She held Dibella's face with her palms. "Cry not, Mother. Anu is good and forgiving." Saadia wiped Dibella's tears away and they embraced once more. Then Saadia hugged Akatosh and Idrasa and even Tsun.
Akatosh conjured a headstone over Krest's grave that read, Here Lies the Devil, Konahrik Iblis.
"Iblis?" Saadia questioned.
"It means the one who has lost hope." Akatosh held a hand to block out glaring rays of sunlight. "Khrystianos may have lost hope. But many will learn from his mistakes so they might not."
Khrystianos. Dibella gazed out over the horizon and pink clouds. She saw railroad tracks ascending the mountainside near flying whales. The crystalline structure of Nordenbjorg way off, and in the opposite direction the tippy top of Jattewood. The rest of Skyrim painted with snow and beautiful trees and mountains of gold and clay. An enormous waterfall falling from the clouds over glacial clouds and raining pink petals. Skyrim would live.
"Tsun, Dibella, hurry up, we must excise Talos into his prison where he will forever stay," Akatosh ushered as everyone leaving joined him in his circle. The armies and people of Nirn watched from the sidelines alongside Eleph, Irdi, Idrasa, and Gabriella.
Dibella got down on her knees, pushed Krest's helmet up and put her forehead against his, closing her eyes, praying to her Mother, Anu.
I will always love you.
Dibella held hands with Tsun as she entered the circle. Paratus, Sibylla joining her, and the armies watching the ritual from behind.
Talos glanced back at his enemy. One last time as the circle around him glowed, foreshadowing his banishment into hell. "See you later, Konahrik, I guess," Tiber Septim sighed.
The ritual sealed. The circle glowed. The Nine Divines and Dibella's children would return to Aetherius. The Daedra to Oblivion, and Talos would be confined within his unbreakable lake of fire within Oblivon.
Idrasa shed a tear as she waved goodbye to Dibella. The Divines held hands. Dibella holding Tsun's in one, Saadia's in the other. Men and Mer all cheered to their saviours.
With one flick of his wrist, Masser and Secunda reappeared in the sky, twinkling brightly as choir girls sang. "All shall be set right." Akatosh smiled as they disappeared from Nirn at long last. Home was waiting.
They had finally defeated Lorkhan.
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A/N: Now, that the story is ending. Who was your favorite character? Dibella for me.