Part 10 - The Greatest Sin
Chapter 168 - The Watcher
As the sun disappeared below the horizon, Miles approached the dragons' cave cautiously. Paarthurnax raised his head.
"Drem yol lok, Miles Morales. Greetings."
"Can I sleep in your cave? It's kinda cold up here."
"You may."
"Thanks."
Miles curled up near the cave entrance, eventually finding a somewhat comfortable indent in the ground to sleep in. As he closed his eyes, he felt as though someone was watching him; as though some great eye was peering into his mind and soul. He thought nothing of it.
Even in the pitch darkness of sleep, the eye…no, a pair of eyes…was watching. He called out to it, asking what it was. An enormous humanoid seemed to break through the confines of reality to appear before him.
"I am known by many names. Fin Koraav, QeyllS BlQ'a', Videns Omnium. I am the Watcher. I have not, did not, interfere. Now I must."
"What are you?"
"I am a High Elder God, but the title is honorary as it is with all those who claim to be…'God'."
"I can see you. Shouldn't I be dead?"
"No. Those rules have been changed at the decree of Hermaeus Mora. We stand on the precipice of a disaster which could not only end this reality, but all others. The High Elder Gods are stretched tight, and very slowly Hermaeus Mora and Dei Volente push the blade deeper. It is not long until we reach breaking point. You will join me as we ponder the question…what if. But for now you must rest; even with the rules changed, your mind crumbles in my presence. Do not speak of me to any who ask."
"No, wait! Wait! I have questions!"
Miles yelped as he sat up. It was the middle of the night and he was cold, but he felt sweaty. He took some deep breaths to get control of his racing heart and mind, then looked round to see the dov watching him.
"You have seen something, bormah se Dei Volente [father of Dei Volente]." Said Paarthurnax.
The Watcher's parting words echoed in Miles' mind. He shook his head.
"It doesn't matter. Just a…bad dream."
"You forget we are dov, Vonun Bormah. We are not so easily tricked as mortals." Replied one of the green dragons.
"I said it doesn't matter." Miles snapped, getting to his feet and walking to the edge of the cliff which sloped down to the city far below.
He could not fight High Elder Gods, nor was he worthy to serve one. All he wanted was to live his life with Gwen. Then again, how could he live his life if there was no reality to live in?
An hour later, Miles had fallen asleep again. The dov spoke quietly amongst themselves.
"You call him Vonun Bormah, Hidden Father. What do you mean by this?" Asked Odahviing.
The green dragon grumbled something.
"He hides something, he hides from something, he hides from the path laid out for him. His soul is hidden by the dark thoughts of fear he will not see his wife again."
"Rinik vazah. [Very true.] An apt title."
"I sense a strong presence. The Watcher sees us." Said Paarthurnax, staring into the night sky.
"Dei Volente is unnerved. The people below live in fear of judgement from the Gardener of Men." Mused Yolsotwuth.
"The future is dark. The light may never return. We must be prepared to take a side as we have never done before."
"Our choices are neither numerous nor favourable. The great Hermaeus Mora who seeks vengeance and to defend. The broken Dei Volente who has lost everything and gained nothing. A third side bides its time. We will make our choice soon." Said Odahviing.
"We must side with Dei Volente; he is where our loyalties have always been." Said the second green dragon.
"No. Our loyalties had been to our father Akatosh, but his fall brought his reign to an end. We must return to those ties now and sit out the brewing storm." Replied Yolsotwuth.
"Ni tiid. Akatosh mahlaan. [Not now. Akatosh has fallen.] This world may follow without our aid." Argued Paarthurnax.
"There is no loyalty to Hermaeus Mora. He would have all mortals serve him, searching the endless libraries of Apocrypha for answers they will never possess." Odahviing concluded.
"I object. Through Hermaeus Mora's perseverance, we would survive. To defy him is to embrace death as our brothers have." Said the first green dragon.
"Our father would curse us to side with Hermaeus Mora. The trickery of the Daedra is unforgivable. Dei Volente does not know his way, but he will protect us as he always has. His loyalty is absolute." Said the second.
"It is not absolute. He has abandoned the very father who raised him. Hermaeus Mora repays loyalty with loyalty." Said the first.
"You would side with the enemy of Akatosh? You dishonour the dov." Growled the second.
"No. It is you who fail to see we must preserve the lives we have been given." Snarled the first.
In response to this, the second green dragon snapped at the first's neck. The first lumbered backwards and spread its wings, rising into the air with an angry roar.
"Hi mey! [You fool!] You would slay your brother for the right hand of Dei Volente!"
"Hi gahvon Alduin fah Hermaeus Mora, aan Deyra! Hi los fin mey! [You give up Alduin for Hermaeus Mora, a Daedra! You are the fool!]"
The second rose into the air and opened its mouth, roaring three words of power which unleashed a stream of ice at its fellow dovah. Miles was awake again at this point and sprinted back inside the cave to escape the heat of the flames let loose to counter it. Paarthurnax grumbled to himself then said:
"Faal dov lost mahlaan kotin tahrovin. [The dov have fallen into chaos.] The blood spilled tonight will be needless."
"The humans will make it about themselves. They will believe our patience with them has run thin." Replied Yolsotwuth.
"Then so be it. We did not teach them what they have taught themselves." Concluded Odahviing.
The green dragons launched ice and fire at each other, soon swooping down the mountainside and clashing in a vicious duel of claws and teeth. Down in the city, people watched in fear as the battle came closer and closer to their homes. They prayed their Gods would spare them, but they would receive no answer tonight. The tongue of flames struck a building setting it ablaze. Ice smashed through those across the street and the bystanders were crushed as the dragons struck the ground with teeth gnashing and claws slicing.
Miles and the three dragons watched in horror as the city was obliterated building by building. The spider turned to Yolsotwuth and Paarthurnax, remembering his job.
"I have to help. Can one of you fly me down?"
"Climb up, Vonun Bormah. We will save these mortals." Replied Yolsotwuth.
The white dovah lowered its head letting Miles climb up.
"Paarthurnax: you need to find Hirrov. He might be able to stop this."
"I will, Vonun Bormah."
The tired old dragon rose up, followed by its marginally less battered white counterpart. The first landed outside the palace of the Dovah King. The second carried its rider down the mountainside.
As Yolsotwuth landed to let Miles off, the spider yelled over the roar of the flames:
"Don't let the fire spread!"
"Geh, Vonun Bormah!"
Miles sprinted inside the nearest building and yelled:
"Zu'u los het wan aak! [I am here to help!]"
He'd asked Yolsotwuth how to say it on the short trip down. He heard a cry for help from upstairs. Battling the heat of the flames, that even the climate control of his suit couldn't compensate for, the spider leapt up where the stairs had been and found a man and his child cowering in a corner as the flames approached. Miles picked them up and climbed out the window where he set them down on the broken street below and pointed towards the mountain, then mimed running. They understood and set off.
For much the rest of the night, it was the same: go in, find people and get them out the window onto the streets where they could flee to safety. As the Sun began to rise, the spider was too exhausted to continue. By now he couldn't see the green dragons, but he suspected they had long killed each other. However, Yolsotwuth and Paarthurnax wheeled overhead breathing frost onto the flames to try and save the sea-front and docklands. It was to no avail and the flames quickly consumed the infamous arena, the luxury villas along the front and the warehouses, piers and ships of the docklands. They landed beside Miles looking tired and as miserable as the people who had just lost their homes. The spider clenched his fist.
"Max could have stopped this. He could have snapped his fingers and done something about it but instead he just sat and watched. Some Dei Volente he is."
"He has lost his way." Replied Yolsotwuth.
"I know we don't see eye to eye, but I thought we agreed saving lives mattered?"
"Onikaan ni ov. It is unwise to entrust your fate to another." Said Paarthurnax.
Miles turned to the dragons. There was pain in his eyes, either from smoke or the thought of how many people had died.
"What do I do now? There's nothing left here."
"The Watcher has trusted you with his hands. It is his guidance you must seek." Answered Paarthurnax.
"Ni tiid. The Watcher leaves all to decide their own destiny. He has not intervened for eternity." Said Yolsotwuth.
"I need to find Max and get the soul stones." Miles concluded.
"He has gathered the rebellious among the Sunor to his cause of their freedom. He will not yield them to you unless you prove yourself. You must gather an army of your own, gain a power that has not been wielded in a long time. Only then will you be strong enough to compete with the will of a High Elder God. Follow the Watcher." Replied Paarthurnax.
"I'm not going anywhere without a way to get there."
"I will carry you, Vonun Bormah."
Yolsotwuth looked surprised at his elder's offer.
"You are old and frail, Paarthurnax. It would be…"
"No, Yolsotwuth. You must challenge Odahviing and the Dovah King before Dei Volente corrupts their minds with his own self interests."
"As you command, brother."
Paarthurnax lowered its head for Miles to climb on. The spider did so, staring sadly down at the embers of the city. Yolsotwuth spread its wings and took-off with a roar before heading up towards the peak of the mountain.
"Where to, Vonun Bormah?" Asked Paarthurnax.
"My gut tells me the Fanor Empire. My spidey sense tells me the Western continent."
"Which do you trust most? Which has served you greatest?"
"My spidey sense, but it get's less effective when I've got something on my mind."
"Then we will set course for the Fanor Empire. It is a shorter flight. Hold on, Vonun Bormah."
Paarthurnax spread his wings and rose into the air as well, turning northeast.
Hirrov had only just woken up. There was a smell like burning wood in the air, but that was secondary to the mass of eyes and tentacles above his bed.
"What do you want of me now, my Lord?"
"A tragedy has struck this night. The blood spilled is on the hands of Dei Volente. He must be hunted and slain."
"He was my king before. To harm a High Elder God is the greatest sin. What do I receive in return?"
Hermaeus Mora's voice turned to a growl:
"You will receive knowledge, and your life will go on."
"Very well. It will be done, my Lord."
Crossovers in this Chapter
- Skyrim
- Marvel Cinematic Universe (Instead of putting down Avengers or something, I'll use this from now on.)