SLAYER
The Harbinger
I'm glad I had the good sense to send Odahviing back to Jorrvaskr to get the Daedric Armor. Balimund's hard work each night when he moon was bright and high in the sky ensured it was finished for this journey. I will have to remember to thank him with septims when I return.
During the wait, I wandered the temple. It was apparent that others had been here before. Draugr corpses littered the ground and only on the main platforms did I find dragon bones. Strangely enough when I found the portal there was a partially decomposing dragon. I had thought it would be fully rotted at this point. But it meant the trail was still fresh. One good whiff of the area and I found the jester's blood laid out among the dead. He had no body left so I assumed the Night Mother took him to Sovngarde with her.
Once the great dragon brought back the armor, I changed into it and called on the Artifacts I thought would help me the most. Dawnbreaker was at my hip. The Ebony Blade at my back. The ebony chain mail underneath my armor. The rings were on my fingers. Molag Bal's mace on my other hip. And Mehrunes Dagon's razor was kept nice and hidden in my left boot. The other Artifacts I could call at will, so I let them be.
The portal was terrifying. I wouldn't recommend going through one if one should have the chance. It felt like a freefall through the air, like what I felt on the back of the dragon but straight down into a pit of nothingness. There is nothing to break the freefall until I reached the other side.
Once I got my bearings, I took a bit of time taking in Sovngarde. The landscape is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. I stood at the edge of the portal with tears brimming in my eyes. This is the land my parents should be in. I am hoping they are here. Instead, I find Kodlak just around the corner.
He had pulled me into a great hug and lamented about the wolf blood mingling with the divine. I think he was not in his right mind due to the mist threatening to shroud us. That, and the fact that he didn't remark on my new armor or weapons. He just let me go after asking politely to send the mist back.
I should have felt happier to see him. I was. I was happy he was here. But that fluttering in my chest would not let up. I've been in countless fights before. This one would no doubt be one of the most perilous.
In order to get to them, I followed the blood trail. It smelled like the dragons and it was sparse. I found it amongst the foliage and stone pathways. I had guessed the dragon was bleeding badly in flight.
When I found them fighting, I waited in the shadows. Alduin was finally slayed right over Eve, who I saw was barely hanging on with us. She looked absolutely terrible which is no doubt from blood loss. When he was ash and the Night Mother rose victoriously, I knew it was my time.
I emerge from the shadows, taking a sparing glance at Tsun, the god of trials and adversity. He was more intimidating in person than I thought. He had to know who he was dealing with. But the more I watch him interact, I realize he was blinded by a comfortable existence, so he didn't understand the gravity of her demands.
And across from him stood the Night Mother herself. She looked almost as I saw her last. Blood and dirt caking her, but she was determined to fight through the pain of her wounds. Her eyes are searing into the god as if willing him to send her and Eve home. I know if that were to happen, she would be gone from us for good. She would have no reason to come out of hiding and take such risks as she did with the dragons. We would be fighting an uphill battle.
But, as luck has it, Eve has told Tsun of what we are up against. I only need to convince him.
"This woman is no mere hero. She is a danger to all that live in Tamriel. I won't let you send her back, Tsun. She needs to meet her end, here and now." I tell him.
All eyes turn to me. Eve with her mouth open in shock, the Night Mother with her piercing and hate filled visage, and Tsun, confused but well meaning. "Who are you? Just how did you get here? Have you passed on?"
"She has not passed on! She was sent here by the Daedra." The Night Mother snarls.
I thought there would be some sort of discussion, admittedly. It looked as if Tsun wanted it. But that is not so. She sends her storm to me, the lighting races across the way and engulfs me in the worst fire I have felt in a long time.
I fall to a knee and let the armor take the brunt of the power. It absorbs it. Takes it in so it now shimmers over the black and red plates in an electric dance. Then I raise my head. She is staring at me in shock with her palms outstretched and ready to defend herself again.
"You have been very strong for a long time. You have not met a worthy adversary, until now." I grin. Let your palm rest. Walk to me. I command her.
She wavers. I see her hand fighting my magic, but slowly it lowers. I'm not sure if it was by her own accord but she begins to walk towards me. "And what did they send to me? A mutt with barely a name on her to 'end me'? You think this will actually work?" She stops not five feet from me. My power did work, however temporarily.
"I certainly wish to try." I say back. And that's all I wish to say to her. Eve is laying on the ground, barely moving, and Tsun is now watching this woman with a predatory stare.
"She is working with the Daedric Princes, do you wish that evil to infest your Halls?" She gives a small smile to him.
He crosses his arms and looks me over. He is indecisive on who is telling the truth. "You saw her attack me." I add quickly.
"But you have not stated who you are or how you got here." His voice is deep and filled with an undercurrent of menace.
I backtrack, "I was taken to the same portal they came through, these Artifacts," I hold up Dawnbreaker and gesture to the Mace and Ebony Blade on my back, "Are the only way she will be defeated."
She smirks, only I can see it, but she seems to be enjoying this exchange. Behind her, a figure rises. "She's telling the truth, the Dragonborn has had me prisoner for years, Summer." Eve says.
I raise a brow to that name of the god before her. She just gives me a meek smile.
"Well, if that is so, then I would be a fool to not stop this." He looks pointedly at the Night Mother, "However, if this is a fair fight, I believe you should duel it out. I will watch and make sure there are no faults."
I stiffen, I knew that was a possibility, but I thought he would be on our side. Studying him, I remember all I read about him in that dingy basement holed up in Aerin's home. I went on a reading spree after I was injured when he first found me. It kept me from going insane from lack of movement due to my injuries. He was often depicted as a bear, and so far, that image of him fits perfectly. He guards the whalebone bridge to the Hall of Valor. I take a peek at that very hall. What would it be like to walk there?
Her laugh brings me back. Yes, the final fact I can remember. He is known as the ancient god of adversity and trials. So, he will be fair. But how long he will let us fight, I am not sure. I glance over the Night Mother's head to see Eve seething. I think I found a loophole.
"Very well, let us do battle, witch." I put Dawnbreaker back in its sheath and call Volendrung. It is heavy and cumbersome, but it will suffice.
Her eyes dart toward the god. "No magic, of any kind."
My heart quickens, she no doubt means my mind controlling abilities.
Tsun crosses his arms over his massive chest, "That would do, Dragonborn."
"That means no spark powers as well." I mention before she can find another way to electrocute me.
Tsun nods to that. She only watches me with a hatred I've never seen on anyone before. "Your power is magic. Therefore, you will not use it. You only use any weapons at your disposal." I reiterate so the message is loud and clear.
Her nod is slight and that's all the warning I get before she lunges for me. I swipe up Volendrung to catch her hands before they go for my face.
"She's going to go for your throat!" Eve yells from the sidelines.
I swing the great axe around to trip her and get far enough away to stand off from her. "Watch her feet." Eve says again. The Night Mother hisses towards her before going for me again.
Her hands latch onto my armor, but I pull Volendrung so the hilt sits behind her neck. I pull, quick and fierce to headbutt her a few times. I was never partial to that sort of move, but Farkas swears by it.
She screams and falls to the ground. I lock eyes with Eve and see the amusement in them. It is quite funny to see a very powerful person brought to their knees in such a manner.
"Magic. We switch only to magic." She growls.
"You can't change the rules after the fight has started." I raise my brows to her.
"The fight never did start, wolf." Tsun says, I look up to see him bathed in the golden light streaming through the clouds. He doesn't seem so ethereal now. "In my land we can get a few good swings, as practice, before determining how the fight shall be fought."
She stands, dusts the dirt off her beautiful dress, then gives me the most annoying of smirks. "Shall we fight, mutt?"
I glance at Eve. She is more pallid than usual and is staring at Tsun in betrayal. The Artifacts are magic. I remind myself. I see the Night Mother has missed this little fact so I will leave her be with that mistake.
"First one to the ground is forfeit and the winner will rise victoriously." Tsun's usually grim expression finally lightens at that.
Very well, I will show him who the true champion is. The Night Mother, instead of lunging for my throat, dances backwards and lashes out at me with her power. I jump with just enough time to get away from the worst of the electric fingers snaking towards me. Instead, I turn and think, Let your hand down, walk to me slowly.
Her hand curls into a fist, I see her eyes close in concentration, but her hand doesn't lower. She's gotten stronger.
Instead of pondering that failure, I race across the way and pull Molag Bal's mace to slash her good in the stomach. Just like he showed me with his claw. It was so close to slicing the delicate skin then…
She snarls and throws a bolt of lighting to send me off my feet. I go flying across the clearing and smack right into a tree. It shakes with the impact, snow and other debris fall on me but I'm just trying to make sure nothing is broken. I can move my feet, so my spine is intact.
I see her across the way, parting the little mist that swirls around us. Her hands are lit up and ready. Instead of going for one of the weapons I've used previously, I call the Wabbajack. The strange staff with screaming faces materializes in my hands instantaneously.
"No weapon-" she starts, but I fling the staff. And orange orb flies out of it to hit her in a sudden puff of smoke. In her place is a chicken.
I take in a breath, then break out into laughter. It's short and halting. I am still in shock from all of this. But how hilarious! I should have used this staff first! My amusement is short lived because she lifts the curse from her. In her place is the Night Mother in the flesh. "You imp! How dare you use their power against me!" She throws another bolt of lightning which I dodge with ease.
I roll and get ready for another lashing with the staff. I ready it to send her into another flurry of feathers and scratching, instead she races to me in a blink of an eye and grasps me by the neck. "You better pray Sithis is your final resting place." She growls, then throws me to the ground.
I go down with a broken cheek and also receive a piercing headache. I feel her boot on my head. "Get out!" Eve screams.
"This does not concern you, you insufferable child!" The Night Mother screams back at her. I take the distraction with ease. My hands clench around her foot and pull with enough force to land her on the ground. She screams out.
"Let me help you!" Eve yells.
I glance at her. I can accept her help. Would Tsun allow it? Furthermore, would Tsun allow The Night Mother's death? We cannot let her leave with a soul and body intact.
I make the decision and fling the Ebony Blade to Eve. She grasps it when it clatters next to her. "You cannot have anyone helping." I hear Tsun's voice. But I make eye contact with Eve and jerk my head. Follow me, we will steal into the forest and have her chase us. More trees will be more cover.
Eve nods and I notice that sweat on her brow. She is taking in the command and deciding whether to follow or not. I don't wait for her answer. I run.
The forest is singing with our escape. I hear Eve is quick on my heels based on her light footsteps. She's trying to make as little noise as possible. I decide to do the same. Instead of breaking every branch on the way, we can use the camouflage of the forest to our advantage.
"Here." I whisper below my breath. She hears me. We quickly turn to the left and fall under a great hole created by one of the arching roots. If one were to run past us, and not look under every nook and cranny, we would be as good as invisible.
"How dare you!" The Night Mother screams, "Shall I leave you both? Shall I let you perish with the gods? They do not smile kindly on those who have done them ill will!" Her footfall is cumbersome. I hear her approaching quickly. She is getting frantic.
"Is she right?" Eve whispers to me. We are huddled so closely I feel the little warmth of her body seeping in my armor.
"Tsun has not followed, he is giving us time. A fair fight. I think he believed us." I say back just as softly.
Eve nods and then we sit in the quiet. The Night Mother does not speak again. She paces. I hear her footsteps nearing, then receding. "I know you are here. Your blood scent filthy mutt, has dissipated. You are not far."
I pray she looks in the trees, that's the only way she'll be too distracted to see us. "She's coming." Eve whispers to me. I feel her hands roaming my armor, searching for any other Artifacts to aid us.
"Here. Keep it safe." I pass her both the Wabbajack and the Black Star, "Cover me with the Wabbajack, she is quite confused when we use it."
I see her smirk even in the darkening shadows. "Sheogorath would be proud. Go kill that bitch and I'll get her in this gem." She smacks me on the shoulder. I feel she is more excited, and possibly delirious from lack of blood. It's the only explanation for what happens next.
"Hey, Mother you forgot something!" I grasp her forearm, but she just shakes it off with ease before launching herself from our precarious cover.
I hear more screaming and then squawking, then screaming. I have no time to laugh. I leap out and parry, so I miss her lighting strike. It goes straight through the tree behind me, leveling it so there's now an ugly slash down the center. A little to the left would have it splitting in half.
I jump over the mound we were under. I see her bloodied and harried face waiting for me. The Night Mother is a vision, fangs elongated, dirt covering her head to toe, and crouched in her dress and ready to defend herself when necessary. She throws her power again from both her hands. The purple lighting races across the way. Now I am ready.
I hold up Spellbreaker with ease and plant my feet when the power launches into it. It moves me back an inch or so with the force of the power, but the Artifact is sturdy. When I peek around it, I find I have made a mistake. This only prompts her to use a different sort of magic.
"Fus Ro Dah!" She shouts into the air. I have a moment to suck in what little air I can before it punches it out of me. It is like a great wind out of nowhere! Last I felt something like this was near the upper limits of High Hrothgar. I was a foolish young one, always wandering where I was not welcome. I wish the Greybeards took me in to teach me. Then, I would know how to handle this witch with ease.
I go slamming into the ground with enough momentum to scrape my face and hair along the dirt and tangled branches. I hear Eve hit one of the trees. I gasp when my body stills. She is going to be here soon.
How do I handle this? I ponder for a quick moment while her footsteps keep coming. I could lay here and play dead. Pretend I am until she is close enough. But this woman has lived long enough to know that tired trick. Instead, I could use Hircine's ring and transform. But from what I understand, I need to use an Artifact to pierce her in the heart. Yet, there is no reason I can't do both.
I call to the moon. The transformation is quick. Efficient. When I rise, my eyes take in everything. The scent of the forest is permeating. I should have done this sooner. She lashes again from a nearby tree with her power. I take it in my belly, but I heal quickly. The pain is little compared to when I move.
I leap so I'm climbing the nearby tree, I race up it primarily using my claws to dig into it. Wolves are not meant to be in trees for long and it is showing. My back muscles are almost screaming from exertion when I reach the top. The tree sways. I hear her lashing at it with her power. She screams again and I hear the sound of metal scraping. Eve.
Get the gem ready. I send to her. It will come in the form of a command and that is fine, she needs to be prepared.
At the last moment I fall. I use one tree to shove off and land on another. Pinballing my way down from the forest canopy. The mist still hangs heavy here, but the light is finally piercing through. I hope it is enough to blind her of my presence.
I slam into her. I have prepared myself so I feel little pain when the lighting races all along me. It scalds into my fur, certainly severing some and continues to pierce into my skin. I let out an inhuman roar before lashing at her face with my great claws.
Blood pours onto the floor, mingling with the scent of the trees and that unearthly scent that surrounds this great land. For a brief moment, as I lay into her, I wonder if I am somehow angering the gods by tainting Sovngarde in such a way. But I have little time to dwell on this.
I lash one more time to get her good in the eyes. Her mutilated face looks more like a lump of meat than a humanoid creature, but her skin is healing. Fast.
I look up to the terrified eyes of Eve. "Ge…th…g…" I try to speak. My vocal cords and tongue are not meant for that kind of language. Eve watches in horror as I keep my claws in the Night Mother's face and begin to shift. I change back just as quickly while she pulls it from her belt.
"Ready it!" I yell. Then I look down into the Night Mother's nearly healed eyes. Blood and organic matter still spill from her face, and it is fast to absorb. "You should not have done this." I'm not sure what else to say. I just want to be able to get the message to her loud and clearly. You are not to destroy my homeland, witch. I think to her.
I hear her torn vocal cords vibrating. She is trying to scream. Instead, I hold Mehrunes Dagon's Razor, now chilled in my palms, high above my head and bring it down in a sickening crunch.
She goes still. I twist the blade, now buried deep in her chest so her heart has no room to beat. I keep shoving it even after those torn eyes go vacant. Then I look to Eve.
She's sweating, so much blood on her face, and her eyes are closed in concentration. She's holding that Black Star out to absorb the soul. I thought there would be some sort of light to illuminate the interior. Nothing is happening so far. The only light to pierce it is in the brilliant sun now peeking out of the clouds.
"Enough. We want no Daedric magic here." I look back to see Tsun traversing the sullied ground. Now I see all the destruction we have wrought. Torn trees, bare limbs, and a scratched forest floor with dirt flung to create mounds make it harder for the god. Yet, he persists. I avert my eyes when I see the unbridled rage in his.
"You are not meant to kill your opponent." He is positively glowing in the light and my brain is too sluggish to go back on my trivia of him. I thought he had some sort of cosmic power…would he use it on us?
"She wanted us dead." Eve says immediately. I snap my eyes back to her to see her watching him in fear. The Black Soul gem has not begun to glow yet. I keep a steady hand on the dagger in her heart.
Moaning begins beneath me. I sit up further to get the blade down as deep as possible. She cannot wake up.
A wide hand lands on the back of my head, curling into my hair. "You are frigid." Tsun mentions.
"I can't get cold." My voice breaks. I know what is about to happen. I know we have gone against the rules and no matter how just our actions have been, this god will not see them for what they are.
"She's evil." Eve cries. I can hear her voice is breaking as much as mine.
"She is not to be dealt with in the land of the gods then, this is a mortal dealing." Tsun says. A firm and final statement.
I shove the dagger in harder but it's no use. Tsun flings me back into one of the great trees. My teeth rattle with that sort of impact and I fall backwards when the tree does as well. "You are to go home. And never come back unless you have passed on!" He shouts.
The last image I see is a petrified Eve and the Night Mother raising a delicate hand. She lives. The Artifact didn't work. "You don't know what you're doing!" I yell to Tsun. "You are supposed to help us!"
His eyes hold no remorse and no more anger. Just a flat expression of one doing their duty. "I am." He says and with that he shouts. Sending me back to the land of my ancestors. The Old Kingdom awaits my battered body, and now unfortunately, the wrath of the Night Mother.
Cicero's Journal Entry
27th of Last Seed, 4E 202
Cicero finally got his bearings…somewhat. The cultists, as they are called, told me the date and the time. It's been weeks! Weeks since Mother stepped through that portal! Cicero was mad, he was so worried for her and so frantically trying to get to the portal, the cultists made a deal.
They say Cicero cannot travel far on his own. His abdomen hasn't healed up anyways. They say Mother is in a land that is untouchable, but one person might be able to find her. They say to seek a dark figure out on a nearby island. Solstheim. On the boundary of Skyrim and Morrowind territory. They say he would know how to find her; he is Dragonborn as well.
Cicero held these words close to heart, if only to distract him from the pure agony his body wreaks. They're putting me on a ship! A ship! It takes so long to get from one place to another with precious cargos such as Cicero, so we made it Windhelm after nearly a week of braving the snowstorms high in the peaks.
Soon, we will depart but they must wait for more precious cargo. Ah, if only one would talk to me in these moments. Sithis has been quiet. Listener never knew how lucky she truly was. She always had someone watching for her over her shoulder.