Dragonborn part 11
Alone he ploughed through the snow. His armour was heavy and slowed him down. His sword hung from his back, just like his shield, freeing his hands to help him climb the mountain. Above him he could see the black stone of the temple he was trying to reach, but he hardly paid attention. He hardly cared for the world around him. In fact, he hated the world around him and would damn the entire island to Oblivion if he could.
Like in a trance he arrived at the first steps to the temple. The broken ruins and pillars were slowly being repaired by enthralled slaves… endlessly hammering and mining trying to restore a place that would be their doom. He cared not for them…. something he would never utter aloud before, yet now he felt empty. There was nothing left in him that he would fight for.
For the people that were enslaved? They had cost him what was most dear to him.
Because he gave his word? The price he had to pay was too high.
Because of his self-righteous sense of honour? Because of it he lost the one he loved most.
How could you do this to me, Tarrion!?
The words had cut through him like a razor.
Why do you keep fighting for others!?
She was right when she said that he doesn't owe anything to them.
Why can't you walk away from this? For me!?
He felt his bleeding heart pounding barely in his chest, not having the strength to continue.
"Serana… please…"
"No!" she screamed at him. "You claim to love me yet refuse to go with me!"
"This is not about you…. I cannot abandon them because Miraak has a vendetta against me."
"So in turn you abandon me! What does that say about how you feel about me!?"
"Dammit, woman," he sighed. "I love you, and I always will. But I cannot leave here."
"Yes you can! Yet you won't because you always want to 'do the right thing'! But what if you fail?... I cannot bear that! I will not survive loosing you!"
"Then help me, please."
"Those accursed Books allow only one to pass through…. I cannot help you!"
Both stood in front of each other. Tarrion looked at her, pleading for her to understand. He had just grabbed his helmet when she appeared in front of him. Out of pure fright he dropped it and it had rolled away.
She stared at him. Her eyes flaring with rage and pain. Her black hair had fallen over her face as she clenched her teeth, and for a few moments Tarrion saw a Vampire standing in front of him.
Out of pure frustration he threw a fireball at one of the workers, but it missed. The incessant chanting echoed through his head as he climbed the steps to the heart of the temple where the Tree Stone was imprisoned. His thoughts numbed his mind and he was unable to think straight. No real thought had entered his mind since he left Skaal Village, where he did not even pick up his helmet.
If anyone could see him now, they would see a desperate man. A man at his End. A man who walked his final march, meeting his doom and welcoming it. A vessel of sorrow and pain, unable to think straight. A man on the road to battlefields. A man about to meet his fate.
The structures around the Tree Stone had grown since he was here last. They now almost covered the entire area, shaped in the same unsettling way as the walls and pillars of Apocrypha. It looked like Miraak was not just trying to return… he seemed to want to bring Oblivion itself with him.
There were no workers here. The sounds of hammer and pickaxe were still heard, but only their echoes reached the centre of the temple where he stared at the Tree Stone. There was no doubt it was corrupted… emanating a green glow and the small basin with water around it had become poisonous.
As he kneeled in front of the stone, he placed his backpack next to him. From it he pulled a large book, wrapped in cloth and hides. The green smoke oozed from the folds and he placed it on the ground. An unsettling chill went down his spine as he removed the hides and exposed the Book. It's cover was black and a symbol like grotesque tentacles was engraved on the front. He looked at it and was disgusted by it. An otherworldly thing that should not exist and the chill it emanated was repulsive.
He heard a slight sound behind him. A bandit or a reaver… he did not care. If they were to kill him, he only wished to be stabbed through the heart, as it ached the most. If he had to die today… he wished for it to be quick.
But there was no attack… and instead someone kneeled next to him. She did not look at him, as her mouth was dry, her throat locked and her heart ached. In her hands she held a helmet, made from the bones of Dragons. She stared at it, and he stared at her hands, tears dripping from their chins.
After what seemed like an hour she finally moved. She placed the helmet on the Book and looked at him. Her tears blocked her vision as she stared at the man she loved and her jaws pained her as she opened her mouth.
"I…. I cannot seem to change your mind."
Her voice was soft and dry, robbed of strength, but it was her voice and that alone seemed to give him a slight hint of strength back.
"So….. there is only one thing left for me to do."
From her waist she pulled a long and sharp dagger. The blade was clean and she stared at it as she held it in her hands. Every word she said was drenched in pain and loss. "I cannot live without you…. I do not want to live without you."
Tarrion's eyes widened when he saw the blade. For a few seconds he forgot about everything else as he his worst fear seemed to have become real.
Serana sighed and placed the dagger on the ground next to her. Her hand shook as she let go of the hilt. "I will wait here. I cannot accompany you, so I will wait for you to return. Don't-…. Don't promise that you will…. It will only hurt me more if you fail."
Her hand was still shaking, but Tarrion could feel the hint of a smile on his face. Even after it all, she still loved him. He took her hand.
"I will promise you this;…. I will do everything I can to come back."
Her grip on his hand became tighter and he answered it. Tears now ran over her cheeks and she started to shake again.
"No matter what happens, Serana," he said softly as he placed his other hand on the book. "Please know, that I love you."
He sighed again as her grip tightened more and more, and he opened the Book. "I love you…. Now and forever."
-Apocrypha-
He walked silently, but with resolve past the walls of books, and the mountains of pages. The murky waters around him seemed silent, and no tentacles tried to reach out to grab him. A few of the strange creatures he had seen before saw him, but they moved quickly out of his way. They stared at him, and some followed him for a time, but none dared to go near him.
He was there in his full power. A Dragonborn. Thé Dragonborn. The Last Dragonborn. Slayer of Alduin. Archmage of the College of Winterhold. Harbinger of the Companions. Legate in the Imperial Army. Thane of Whiterun, Hjaalmarch, Haafingar, the Reach, the Rift, the Pale, Falkreath, Winterhold and Eastmarch. Hero of Skyrim. He was Tarrion Dovahsebrom… and even Miraak himself would learn to fear him before the end.
As he walked through the endless libraries of Apocrypha he noticed how quiet it was. There was no sound, other than the occasional page that fell of the mountains of books. The creatures of this domain seemed to fear him and they stayed away. He followed a path that lead closer and closer to a massive tower he saw in the distance.
It was still far away, yet he thought he saw small, flying creatures circling around the peak. One of them now landed on the peak and he knew he would be in for a fight for his life…. A fight for his very soul.
After a while he came across a large open area. On all sides it was surrounded by walls of books and scrolls and the ground was littered with torn-out pages. At the far end he saw something he did not expect to find in this place. The faint chanting was unmistakable as he neared it and he could sense the power emanating from the Word Wall.
DIIV
The word was unsettlingly powerful and he could feel a burning energy course through his body, from his heart to his fingertips. He clenched his teeth as he felt like he was burned, but then it ended.
The silence was broken when the roar of a Dragon rent the sky apart and mere seconds later a large Dragon flew over the area Tarrion found himself in. It was fast, faster than other Dragons and it roared again. Breathing fire and ice it soared down and landed on the other end of the area. Tarrion turned around and walked toward the Dragon, seemingly not aware of his enemy.
"Miraak has commanded your death!" the Dragon shouted at him. "And I will obey. You cannot reach him…. Not unless you have the wings of a Dovah yourself."
With threatening power the Dragon breathed fire, yet Tarrion merely raised his hand and conjured a powerful ward. Draining the energy from the Shout, Tarrion felt himself growing ever stronger and with the energy from the Word Wall still coursing through him he Shouted back.
GOL HAH DOV
As if the very essence of Domination had taken form, a wave of energy escaped his mouth and the Dragon ceased his attack. For a moment it's head hovered confused above the ground, but then the Dragon made an unmistakable bow.
"Hail Thuri. Your Thu'um has the Mastery. Forgive me for my attack… I was ordered by Miraak, my former master, to stop you at any cost. But now I am free of him… and I would be honoured to help you defeat him."
Tarrion paid little heed to what the Dragon said and walked toward the beast.
"Take me to him," he said calmly, yet his voice was trembling with rage and hatred.
"As you wish, Thuri," the Dragon answered. "I am called Sahrotaar. Climb on my back and I will fly you to him. But beware… Miraak is strong. He knew you would come here. Two of my brothers are still under his sway… Relonikiv and Kruziikrell, but if necessary I will draw them away."
Tarrion cared little for the other two Dragons. He only cared about Miraak and seeing his body dead at his feet. There was no doubt that this would be a fight that would rival that of his battle against Alduin. It would make the fight against Harkon seem like a fisticuff. He was about to meet his equal, but there was no prophecy that said he would triumph over his foe. There was no possibility that he would come back if defeated, and as he flew through the skies of Apocrypha and saw the tower coming closer he knew… he was about to meet his destiny with the Daedric Prince of Destiny watching... waiting... smiling.
-Solstheim-
She had looked up for a few seconds as a slight tremor came from his body. She looked at him, not with hope but with fear, as she tried to see if anything had changed. But his body was still transparent. The green tentacles were wrapped around his arms and neck and it sickened her.
She now sat in front of him, with her dagger between them. She knew that there was only one way she would leave this island; with him next to her. They would both leave this island alive… or neither would.
Ignoring all around her she did not notice the footsteps of someone climbing the steps to the temple. Even when the stranger neared her she hardly noticed. Only when they were a few metres away from her did she look up.
"Please leave…" she said. Her voice robbed of strength.
"I was wrong," Frea answered and she took one careful step toward Serana. "I am sorry for what I said to you. I was wrong to say it."
She was about to take another step toward her, but one look from Serana changed her mind. "I see now that you truly love him."
"It took you too long to realize that."
The emotionless expression in Serana's softly glowing eyes did not change, yet a small tear leaked from the corner of her eyes as she looked at Tarrion's transparent body. Her blank stare made Frea feel pity. She had no idea what Serana was going through, and she was not sure if she should feel lucky for it. To see a love so strong, bringing two opposites together and not even the Daedra could tear it apart… she envied them. And yet she saw a pain in Serana that was unlike anything she had ever felt. A pain that would cause lesser people to break down, and Frea knew; Serana was far stronger than her.
Out of respect and admiration for both of them, she turned around and waited at the far end. The workers still worked tirelessly on the temple, yet she ignored them and she silently made an oath to Serana.
No-one would disturb her.
-Apocrypha-
The tower slowly closed in as Tarrion sat on Sahrotaar's back. The large Dragon flew through the skies of Apocrypha, yet there was no wind to be felt. No soft breeze or even a cold chill… it was all quiet. No sounds were heard other than the beating of the large wings as they flew upwards toward the peak… towards the Summit of Apocrypha.
They slowly heard a few soft roars in the distance that quickly became stronger. High above them they heard the roars of two Dragons, and they sounded angry.
Finally they reached the peak. Hundreds of metres above the endless seas of writhing tentacles ,the jagged peak loomed threateningly and desolate. A symbol of power and domination… a symbol that would forever become the grave of a Dragonborn.
"Tahrodiis Sahrotaar!"
"Sahrotaar los Dukaan!"
The threatening words sounded like thunder after the silence, and the two Dragons landed on the peak as they breathed fire. The one was dark green, and the other red.
The peak was large and circular. Almost one hundred metres from one side to the other, with an elevated basin, filled with murky waters and tentacles, in the middle. All around the edges of the peak large archways and stone formations were built. Tarrion saw them and he was shocked at how similar this place was to the temple on Solstheim, with the elevated basin instead of a Standing Stone.
At the edge of the basin Tarrion saw a man, dressed in green and gold, with a golden mask covering his face. A strange sword hung from his hip and he leaned on a strange, wooden staff. The man did not move, even when Sahrotaar landed on the peak and made the ground shake. Tarrion jumped to the ground and walked toward the man.
"Dir!" one of the Dragons shouted, but the man raised his hand.
"No! Not yet," and he finally seemed to acknowledge Tarrion's presence. "We should greet our guest first."
Calmly he looked up from the basin and saw Tarrion walking toward him. Behind his mask he smiled.
"And so the First Dragonborn meets the Last Dragonborn… here, at the Summit of Apocrypha. It is poetic. And it is, no doubt, just as Hermaeus Mora intended."
He looked at the large Dragon behind Tarrion and saw how it bared its teeth at him. "And you, Sahrotaar, are you so easily swayed? A Dragonborn who knows little beyond what a few old men on top of a mountain have taught him has persuaded you? It seems you are not as strong as I thought."
He turned his attention back to Tarrion and chuckled. "Because that is what you are; a puppet and a pupil of a few senile old men who claim they have found the 'way to enlightenment'."
"Oh, yes," he continued after seeing Tarrion raising an eyebrow. "I know much of what has happened in the world of Nirn. Not just Solstheim…. But beyond that as well. One of the few advantages of being trapped in this realm. Being trapped by the Daedric Prince of Knowledge. But now I will be free of him. My time in Apocrypha is over. You are here in your full power, and thus subject to my full power…. Something that is beyond you."
"You were defeated by Vahlok, long ago," was Tarrion's answer to Miraak's boasts and even behind the mask, Tarrion could see the anger it caused in his enemy when hearing that name. "You were defeated, Miraak. By a Dragon Priest…. I have slain many in my time… and I was able to best Vahlok as well…. What makes you think you can stand against me?"
For a few moments Miraak was silent. The anger at hearing that name was evident and he drew his sword. "Millennia I have been locked away here. For all those ages, I have learned and my power has grown. I learned the secrets of Oblivion before you were born. I command the Dragons themselves now…. You have no idea of the True power a Dragonborn can wield….. You will die here, and with the power of your soul I will return to Solstheim! I will be the Master of my own fate once again. No longer subject to the Daedra. I will defy the Daedric Princes!"
"Something I have done already," Tarrion answered and he too drew his sword.
Behind his mask, Miraak gritted his teeth at the defiance that his puny human showed.
"Kruziikrell, Relonikiv, NOW!"
With thundering roars, the clashing of swords and the blasting of spells, the two Dragonborn did battle. Miraak fought with Relonikiv and Kruziikrell at his side, facing Tarrion with Sahrotaar at his. Miraak fired a Thunderbolt at Tarrion, who absorbed it in his Ward and fired several Fireballs at Miraak.
WULD NAH KEST
Miraak lunged at Tarrion and aimed directly for his heart, but Tarrion could react in time.
TIID
Time slowed as Tarrion stepped aside and planted himself firmly behind his shield. As Miraak crashed into his opponent he Shouted again.
SU GRAH DUN
With more speed than Tarrion had seen before, Miraak swung his sword that pierced his armour. Tarrion felt a strong pain in his side and a feeling like his life was drawn from him.
WULD
He sprinted away, out of Miraak's reach. As he turned around he saw Miraak standing there, and even through the mask, Tarrion saw he was smiling.
"Weak!" Miraak shouted. "Very weak!"
With a single move a massive stream of fire shot from Miraak's hands, and Tarrion was forced to conjure a powerful Ward. The impact alone almost threw him off his feet, barely keeping his footing, but he could feel the heat of the fire.
"Kruziikrell! Burn him!"
The large, red Dragon soared down and landed on the tower, behind Tarrion. For half a second the Dragon seemed to grin and then Shouted with all its power.
YOL TOOR SHUL
FEIM
Immediately Tarrion's body became Ethereal, and the flames of both Dragon and Dragonborn crashed into each other. A massive explosion struck a crater into the tower and even Miraak was knocked back by the sheer force. Sahrotaar flew down and breathed fire on his brother, while Tarrion ran to Miraak, firing a barrage of Fireballs at him.
Now Miraak was forced on the defence, and he saw that Kruziikrell was heavily wounded.
"Useless," he mumbled to himself and he Shouted again.
WULD NAH KEST
He came to a stop near the wounded Dragon. Downed by Sahrotaar's assault, blood leaked from the beast's wounds and it had difficulty getting back up.
KRUZIIKRELL, ZII LOS DII DU
To Tarrion's shock and disgust the Dragon roared in pain as a strange wave of black energy escaped Miraak's mouth. Immediately the Dragon burst into flames, before collapsing and Tarrion saw how Miraak absorbed its soul with a single Shout. Miraak laughed, now maniacally and turned around to Tarrion.
"As I said: you have no idea of the true power a Dragonborn can wield!"
MUL QAH DIIV
Even on the far end of the peak, Tarrion could feel the power that now emanated from the First Dragonborn. Around him he saw a shade in the shape of a Dragon, as if energy had been given form.
But Tarrion had his answer ready. He felt as if within him a Dragon roared, waiting to be unleashed. He took a deep breath and even before he uttered the Words, he felt a terrible power within him.
MUL QAH DIIV
-Solstheim-
The more Serana waited, the more she regretted going after him. She had sat there silently, motionless, waiting for signs of life. But now she wished for them to stop, because they only furthered her torment.
Tarrion's body had started glowing. She could feel an energy now coming from him and the stones around him had cracked under the pressure. He had not moved, or shown any signs that would indicate he was either fighting or not, but with the energy that now coursed through his transparent body Serana knew that he did battle. She had no idea what was truly happening on the other side of that accursed Black Book, and part of her did not want to know. She only wanted it to end. The stress was wearing heavy on her, and she could feel her heart ache in her chest.
On the far end of the temple Frea looked up. She had felt a tremor in the earth that came from the temple and she looked around. There was something different now. She could feel the Dark Presence still around her, yet it was weaker. Something… or someone… was causing the power to wane slowly. As Frea looked around she saw the workers. They had stopped. They now stood motionless, with hammer or pickaxe still in hand, as if waiting for the struggle between two powers to be over. The power that was enslaving them, and the power that was trying to free them.
She knew well what was happening and she turned her head toward the centre of the temple again, where she knew Tarrion was still sitting motionless, fighting for the freedom of her people… of all of Solstheim, and maybe even beyond that.
And in that moment she fell to her knees and looked up to the skies. They were cloudy and grim, yet behind them she knew the sun was shining. She thought she saw a slight ray of sunlight piercing through the clouds and she whispered.
"All Maker, please. Give him your strength. Grant him victory."
-Apocrypha-
YOL TOOR SHUL
As Tarrion battled Miraak, Sahrotaar fought against Relonikiv. Both Dragons knew better than interfere between the two Dragonborn now that they were at the peak of their power. Both had used a Shout that even they did not know, but both were convinced that their master would best the other.
Relonikiv was strong, but Sahrotaar was quicker, able to fly out of reach, only to return with and attack from above or below… and it started to wear Relonikiv down. After another quick charge Sahrotaar saw his change when his foe staggered.
With a well-aimed fireball Relonikiv was blinded and Sahrotaar flew down and bit him in his wing. Both Dragons now fell down, and Sahrotaar broke Relonikiv's wing. The red Dragon howled and roared in pain and he tumbled downward. His foe finally let go of the wing, but unable to fly, Relonikiv fell down and disappeared into the abyss below and a long, loud roar was the last the world ever heard of him.
Sahrotaar crashed on the peak of the tower, wounded but victorious and Miraak saw that he was outnumbered.
"No! You will now pay for your betrayal!" and he deflected another blow from Tarrion and Shouted that terrible Shout again.
SAHROTAAR, ZII LOS DII DU
With a painful scream Sahrotaar's body burst into flames as Miraak absorbed his soul.
Invigorated again Miraak was now able to turn his full attention to Tarrion, and the two now fought like gods. The very foundations of Apocrypha were shaking now that two titans fought for the survival of all they were. Tarrion's shield was shattered, but he now summoned wards to deflect the Shouts and spells that Miraak hurled at him.
Miraak on his turn turned more and more desperate. All of his allies lay slain and Tarrion had somehow learned even his most powerful Shout. All of his tricks and surprises were used up as Tarrion's power and ferocity seemed to increase with every strike. It was clear to him now that Hermaeus Mora had abandoned him.
"No! This cannot be!" he shouted in desperation. "I am Master of my own fate!"
But Tarrion also knew that he could not win this. He knew they could fight until the last star burns and neither would be the victor. The Dragon Aspect Shout made it virtually impossible for the one to kill the other, and neither knew how long it would take for the Shout to wear off. Tarrion started to feel the fatigue of the battle and unless he thought of something soon, the odds would shift in Miraak's favour. Miraak was unlike any man he had ever faced… having all of the strengths, yet none of the weaknesses.
But in that moment, he finally remembered what Vahlok had told him.
"I can only urge you to fight him as a Dragon… not as man," and he now realized what he meant with that.
'Do not see Miraak as a man…. But fight him like you would fight a Dragon.'
For a split second Tarrion forgot about all else when he realized that and he was blasted away by Miraak's spells.
"You cannot win this! This is my world… MY WORLD! I AM IMMORTAL! I AM INFINITE!"
TARRION, ZII LOS-…
FUS
The maniacal state that Miraak was in gave way for just a second of opportunity. Tarrion Shouted, only enough to interrupt Miraak, and then marshalled all of his energy and Shouted the last Shout that gave him hope. If this would not work… all would be lost.
JOOR ZAH FRUL
The chaos that followed was unimaginable. Tarrion could feel how the Shout wounded him, yet not enough for it to be of any danger. But Miraak was struck down as if struck by lightning. The energy of the Dragon Aspect Shout exploded around him, shattering the ground and the tower was split in two. Miraak's mask cracked and he was forced on his knees. Immediately, and out of nowhere, tentacles appeared and grabbed him by his arms and legs and a last one shot without warning right through his chest.
A dark voice echoed across the endless seas of Apocrypha as Hermaeus Mora himself had come to deal with the Traitor.
"Did you think to escape me Miraak?! You can hide nothing from me here!"
All around the remains of the tower grotesque masses of eyes and tentacles appeared… all looking down on Miraak. Tarrion stood a few metres away from the dying Dragonborn and felt no mercy… only regret that he was not the one to deal the killing blow.
"No matter!" Hermaeus Mora laughed. "I have found a new Dragonborn to serve me."
And with his dying breath Miraak looked up to Tarrion, and maybe out of spite or out of respect, did he say his final words.
"May he be rewarded for her service… as I am."
His body incinerated itself, just like a slain Dragon would, and Tarrion felt himself being filled with tremendous power. His knowledge of Dragons and of Shouts expanded itself more than ever before, more than a hundred Dragons combined… and yet Tarrion felt repulsed by it.
The tentacles slithered away into nothing and all that remained of the once powerful Miraak, Chosen of Hermaeus mora, Traitor of Dragonkind and the First Dragonborn, was an empty skeleton.
Tarrion stood alone, at the Summit of Apocrypha, and as he sighed in relief at the knowledge that it was all over, the energy around him dissipated.
-Solstheim-
Dub-lub
Dub-lub
Serana opened her eyes at the sound, and she looked at the man kneeling in front of her. She saw a slight move and his body became solid again. The tentacles that were wrapped around his arms and neck retreated back into the pages of the Black Book and it fell from his hands.
She stared at him for a few moments, seeing that he hardly moved. Then he took a deep breath through his nose and he looked up… to her. His emotionless expression faded and a slight smile came on his face. He looked at her, his eyes trebling slightly with the weight of the emotion of all that came before, and she saw tears well up.
"…. Tarrion?" she asked carefully.
He nodded. He took her hand and kissed the palm before pressing it against his face. She felt his warmth again, and she saw that it was indeed him. She did not know what to expect, or if he would still be him after he came back… she knew how the Daedra could change you… but there was no mistake. He had returned and he was still the same.
She sighed in relief and pain as it was finally over. She felt how his warm hand touched her cheek and they both leaned in and pressed their forehead against each other. She sobbed slightly… aware of how much they both had suffered to get here, the pain still etched in them both… but she knew it would pass. The pain would pass, and their love would remain.
The structures around them crumbled. Stone falling from stone and outside the workers came to their senses.
"Ysra!" Frea shouted as her friend dropped her chisel and looked around with nothing but confusion in her eyes.
The temple crumbled, yet Serana and Tarrion had not moved. The stones fell near them, yet they were deaf to it. They were finally able to hold each other again, without a shadow of dread above them. The dark influence had dissipated and it was as if the entire island sighed in relief with them. It was over….. it was finally over.
After almost a full day Tarrion and Serana reached Raven Rock. Frea was willing to escort them to Raven Rock, but was forced to see to her people that had been enslaved at the temple. Ysra and many others were half dead of exhaustion, but Frea knew that the rest of the village would come to help them. Now that the Dark Spell was lifted, all would be able to help again.
At Raven Rock the two were welcomed as heroes. Adril had thanked them till his throat went sore, and the rest of the village had ensured them that they would be welcome there at any time. Some even begged them to stay with them, but understood when they were declined. Captain Gjalund originally wanted to stay for the rest of the week for his supplies to be replenished, but after Adril convinced him he was more than willing to bring the two back to Skyrim.
Ignoring the rocking of the ocean Serana held Tarrion pressed tightly against her body, silently wishing she would never have to let him go. He had removed all clothing but his trousers and kissed her neck and shoulders repeatedly and softly rubbed her arms and waist. She felt him again and wanted to weep with joy, yet all she felt now was pure relief and exhaustion. They were finally returning home. The sounds of the waves carrying the ship back to Skyrim lulled them to sleep.
But when they arrived back in Windhelm and returned to their room in Hjerim, Tarrion's house, Serana noticed there was something off. He smiled, yet a deep sadness was behind it.
"What is it, Tarrion?" she asked him when they were alone. The night had fallen outside and all of Skyrim was asleep, unaware of what had transpired a few hundred miles to the northeast.
After he did not answer she took his hand and begged him. "Tarrion, please…. No secrets. Whatever happened on Solstheim is behind us now…"
"No….. no it's not," and he shook his head in defeat. "I have done something horrible. I… I have kept something from you."
"After what we have been through, Tarrion…. I am willing to forgive you."
"I…." and he swallowed before continuing. "I fear that this is unforgivable."
She let go of his hand and an expression of fear returned to her eyes. "…. What?"
He sighed again… hoping there would be an easier way to say this, but there wasn't.
"When I read that Black Book in Nchardak…. When I returned and said that Hermaeus Mora had offered me a deal…. Do you remember?"
Serana nodded and hated the memory.
"I did not lie… but I withheld something," and his voice became weaker as he spoke. "He did not offer me one deal… but two, and I had to choose one. The one was the secrets of the Skaal in exchange for the final Word of Power."
He sighed again and Serana saw a tear welling up in the corner of his eye. "The other…."
-a few weeks ago. Apocrypha-
"I would never choose anything or anyone over her!"
"Hmmm… Foolish words inspired by nothing but emotion… But we shall see if you can back them up… Oh, yes. We shall see."
The Book in front of him gave another pulse and a deep chuckle rumbled over Apocrypha.
"I have a second proposition for you…. And you would be wise to heed it… as it concerns the woman you claim to love. We both know what she is…. And we both know what her greatest wish is. She wants an offspring."
Tarrion went pale at those words, because he knew Hermaeus Mora was right. Serana indeed had a strong desire to have children, but no matter how much they had… tried… she had not become pregnant. Maybe this was all just bad luck, Tarrion had thought…. Or maybe it was impossible, like Serana feared. Neither knew just how much her Vampirism would prevent…. And especially Serana feared that her womb was permanently damaged. That she would forever be unable to bear children, because of her Vampirism.
Neither of them had talked about it in a while, and Tarrion had not minded. This was a problem he could not fix as Dragonborn… only as husband, and since he had no experience in that regard, he was afraid of talking about it.
"Hmmm… to make this more interesting, I add something to our agreement," and despite the fact that he was only a giant mass of eyes and tentacles Tarrion knew…. Hermaeus Mora was smiling. "Bring me the Secrets of the Skaal, and I will give you the final Word of Power…. Or, if you so choose, I will give you the knowledge on how to have offspring with the Daughter of Coldharbour."
Tarrion stood petrified as those words now echoed through his head. He hardly heard how Hermaeus Mora chuckled again and said: "The choice is yours," before disappearing. Only after a while was he able to find his bearing again and he stared at the Black Book.
He was able to fulfil Serana's greatest wish… and he could not deny that he had the same wish, yet not as strong as her. He knew that it meant a lot to her, yet he also suspected he knew not how much.
But to fulfil this wish, he would have to give up Solstheim. He had little doubt he would not be able to defeat Miraak without the final Word of Power and Hermaeus Mora would not give it up freely. Tarrion knew he would have to choose. Choose between all of Solstheim…. Or the woman he loved most. He would have to choose between Serana…. And his own self-righteous quest.
-Hjerim, Windhelm-
Serana stared at him as he finished talking. Her eyes had widened in utter disbelief. Her mouth was dry and she opened and closed it, as if trying to grasp at what she just heard.
Nothing… nothing she had ever felt was alike to what went through her now. She herself could not describe it…. shock, pain, hatred, betrayal. All of it ran her through and it felt like her heart had stopped beating all over again.
Unable to say a word she stood up, ignoring Tarrion's pleading. She cared not for it and she walked away. First slowly, barely able to set one foot in front of the other. But then she started running, until she threw the door aside and ran downstairs.
Tarrion ran after her. Shouting how he was sorry… how he could turn it back if he could… but she ignored him. He did not exist for her in that moment, and it tore her apart. She ran outside into the night and when Tarrion came rushing, the only thing he saw of her was a storm of bats flying away into the night sky and she disappeared.
=End of Chapter=
=End of Arc=
=Author's Notes=
And the Arc is finally over. Can't say I am happy the way it ended, but I am relieved I can move forward now. Not to worry… the story has not ended yet.
This idea for the extra deal that Herma Mora made with Tarrion was suggested by a reader of the story…. So it's their fault not mine! Blame them! :).
There are a few things I need to point out:
The Dragonrend Shout working on Miraak was something I thought should work… right? After all it does 'lash out a Dragon's soul', and Dragonborn have a Dragon's Soul. On the other hand the Shout forces a Dragon to understand mortality, so for a mortal Dragonborn it is a bit different I guess…. But with the Dragon Aspect Shout… might as well make it work.
Next for this story is, first the interviews, and then the next story arc; Lands Unknown. After that I plan on writing two more Arcs. The names I will not give, and I will not tell you what the story is about, since these last three arcs are related to each other and form One last great story. Giving away what it is about would include a lot of spoilers. I hope you are looking forward to it as much as I am.
That also means that the next three arcs will be the last three arcs. After that the story ends. It has been a long journey for both Serana and Tarrion, but also for me, and it is good to end it at some point. BUT, I am not saying goodbye just yet…. We still have three arcs to go and a lot of adventures still to happen.
Dragon language used:
MUL QAH DIIV: Strength Armour Wyrm (full Dragon Aspect Shout)
GOL HAH DOV: Earth Mind Dragon (full Bend Will Shout)
WULD NAH KEST: Whirlwind Fury Tempest (full Whirlwind Sprint Shout)
TIID: Time (from the Slow Time Shout)
SU GRAH DUN: Air Battle Grace: (full Elemental Fury Shout)
YOL TOOR SHUL: Fire Inferno Sun (full Firebreath Shout)
FEIM: Fade (from the Become Ethereal Shout)
ZII LOS DII DU: Spirit is Mine Devour (Miraak's insta-kill shout. Absorbs a Dragon's Soul immediately)
FUS: Force (from the Unrelenting Force Shout)
JOOR ZAH FRUL: Mortal Temporary Finite (full Dragonrend Shout)
Tahrodiis Sahrotaar: Betrayer Sahrotaar
Sahrotaar los Dukaan: Sahrotaar is Dishonoured
Thuri: My Overlord
Thu'um: Voice
The Dragons here have weird names, as only one or two words can be (canonically) translated.
Sahrotaar only has two words to translate: Sah (Phantom) and Ro (Balance)…. Taar cannot be translated even in non-canon words.
Kruziikrel only has one word to translate: Zii (soul/spirit)…. Kru (knee (non-canon)), Krel (crooked (non-canon))
Relonikiv only has one word to translate: Rel (Dominate)…. Onikiv (enlightened (non-canon))
Also: this is the last chance for you guys to submit questions you want to ask either Serana or Tarrion (or both) for the upcoming 'intermission chapters' Interview with the Werewolf and Interview with the Vampiress. These will be two interviews with the two main characters to explain a number of things about them that would take too long, or it would be too boring, to explain in normal stories. It would be about daily life, likes and dislikes, current and past relationships and more.
Since this arc ended on very sour note, these two chapters will be as if all is still good between Serana and Tarrion. So they are canon…. Just not chronologically correct … I guess :)
As for now, I'd like to thank everyone who has read, liked, followed and supported this story till now. Without any of you I would have stopped writing a long time ago. Thank you all.
Until next time
PS: quick side note here... 50 chapters and over 200.000 words? I never thought i would make it this far :)