Earth and Stones
The tunnel by which Lydia and Frea had left brought them to an exit set into the side of a cliff face, next to a surging waterfall. Emily could hear it the moment they set foot outside. It was a welcoming sound, the sound of life.
They accompanied Frea along a track barely discernible among the snow drifts. She led them past sparse shrubbery and broken rocks, over a wooden bridge to a point in the path. From here they could see a small cluster of houses nestled into the side of the hill. A strange silvery haze surrounded the buildings and the sight of this haze seemed to give Frea some comfort.
"You see that silver mist?" she asked, pointing to the village, "That is a barrier my father erected to protect the remaining villagers. The fact that it still stands is a good sign. It hopefully means we aren't too late." With that she hurried onward. The skies above had cleared and the twin moons shone bright. They shone on the roofs of the buildings, on the fire pit and butcher's tent at its centre and on the empty forge.
"Father," cried Frea as she passed through the barrier, "Father, I have returned. I have brought with me some friends who I hope can put a stop to Miraak." Three villagers knelt together, hands clasped. They were dressed in heavy furs. One, a man with greying hair and wizened features, looked up when he heard Frea speak.
"What news do you bring, how can these strangers help?" he asked. He spoke with effort, dividing his attention between his daughter's words and maintaining the barrier.
"This one here," Frea gestured to Emily, "She is Dragonborn. She has seen things. She went to another place and learnt that Miraak is indeed behind all this. Emily, tell him what you learnt."
"I spoke to Hermaeus Mora," said Emily, "He told me Miraak has gone beyond his reach and from where he is now, he seeks to use it as a waypoint to return to Tamriel."
"Did he tell you where this other place was?" asked Storn gravely. Emily shook her head.
"Not really," she replied, "At least, not directly. He only gave me a cryptic clue, no more."
"How did you travel to this other place?" asked Storn, "I assume you speak of Apocrypha. Herma Mora's realm of Oblivion."
"This book brought me there," Emily replied, showing Storn the black book.
"This thing shivers with forbidden magic," he said gravely, "I would ask you, for your own sake, your own safety, that you do not use it again."
"Believe me, I have no intention," Emily replied with a shudder.
"You've journeyed far, I can see it in your eyes," said Storn, "Frea, take them inside while we decide what to do next."
Emily, Serana and Lydia followed Frea into a hut on the edge of the village. As soon as they were within the four walls Frea lit a few of the lanterns on the bench and removed her travelling cloak.
"Please, make yourselves comfortable," she said.
Lydia took a seat by the fire, eager to thaw out her frozen fingers while Serana and Emily sat together on one of the benches.
"Sera, there's something I didn't mention while we were back in the temple," she said quietly.
"What is it?" Serana asked gently.
"That cryptic clue he gave me," Emily replied, "He said this is a place familiar to me but unfamiliar to you and the others. I think …I think I have an idea where that is."
"Earth?" Serana asked after a moment's thought. Emily nodded.
"That's why I had to keep quiet back there," she replied.
"I think you'll have to tell them eventually," said Serana calmly, "If that really is where Miraak has gone then they'll need to know."
"And if he has, how on earth are we meant to go there?" asked Emily, "Come to that, how did he manage it?"
"Magic, certainly," Serana replied, "And given his location, he would have access to all the forbidden magic in this world and the next."
"You think he learnt the secrets in Apocrypha?" Emily asked.
"Where else?" Serana replied.
"There's no way I'm going back there though," said Emily.
"And I would never make you," Serana replied, meeting her gaze, "You know that." Emily smiled, finding Serana's hand and giving her fingers a squeeze.
Frea had departed for her room which lay at the end of the house.
"We'll tell them in the morning, Em," said Serana. Emily nodded. While Lydia had nodded off by the fire her thoughts kept her from sleep. She kept thinking of that dreaded place, of that writhing mass of eyes and tentacles and of Miraak who appeared to her in her thoughts as a faceless entity wreathed in darkness and with most evil eyes.
And so this way she passed the remainder of the night. She must have fallen asleep at some point for she was awoken by Frea entering the room and putting another log upon the fire. Serana stirred as Emily sat up. Frea hung a pot of water by the fire to boil before heading back to her room. Emily stretched, yawning. She stopped when the door opened and Storn came in. He looked worn out, sitting down heavily by the fire.
"Are you alright?" Emily asked.
"Maintaining that barrier takes it's toll," the old man said gravely.
"Who's maintaining it now?" Serana asked.
"Deor, Fanari and Oslaf have taken over," Storn replied.
"Storn," said Emily. The old man turned to face her. Emily took a deep breath before speaking. "We think we've figured out where Miraak is. There was something I didn't mention last night. A clue Hermaeus Mora gave me."
"And what was that?" asked Storn, frowning.
"He said it was a place I was familiar with but my companions are not," Emily replied, "He went to Earth."
"To Earth?" Storn replied, his brow furrowing, "And where is that? Is it a lost place like Akavir?" Emily shook her head.
"Lost to me perhaps," she said, "It's…well…it's another world. It's far from here, so far I can't even begin to imagine."
"And if that is so," Storn replied, more than a hint of scepticism evident in his voice, "Then how did you come to Nirn?"
"A portal," Emily replied, "Near the town of Dragon Bridge in Haafingar."
"Is that portal not still functional?" Storn asked. Emily shook her head.
"No," she replied, "It stopped working the moment I stepped through. I tried several times get back but it was no use."
"You are aware of how unlikely this all sounds," said Storn, "Aren't you? Do you have any proof?" Emily nodded and removed a small device from her pack, switching it on.
"This is my phone," she said, "It has pictures from earth, music and videos. Those are moving pictures." She showed several of the pictures to Storn who seemed satisfied. The battery had dwindled to ten percent. She hastily switched it off, wishing to conserve what little power remained.
"Is technology like this prevalent in your world?" Storn asked.
"Yes," Emily replied.
"Then it is crucial that you return there and stop Miraak before he can use it," said Storn gravely.
"I highly doubt he could do much with a picture creator and music player," said Serana.
"But if this device here is indicative of Earth's technology, there may be more than that at his disposal, is that so?" Storn asked, turning from Serana to Emily.
"I'm afraid so," she replied, "He would have access to weapons, communications devices and goodness knows what else. But I can't travel back there. I don't have that kind of power."
"Actually, I believe you do, but you'll need help," Storn said, getting up from his place by the fire, "Our souls never forget the place of our birth no matter how far they stray from it. Essentially you are the key to the door that will lead you home. We can create the door."
"But father," said Frea who had heard their conversation from the doorway, "Our people could not maintain a portal of that magnitude for more than a few hours, if that. This barrier has been too draining."
"You are right, of course," said Storn, "But I may know where we can go for help. Are you familiar with the College of Winterhold?" Emily nodded.
"I will go to Winterhold with you," said Storn, "But first, first you must bring your power level with Miraak's. You are Dragonborn as I understand it. As is Miraak according to the old legends."
"He's Dragonborn too?" said Emily. Storn nodded.
"Long ago he learnt a word of great power over at Saering's Watch," Storn continued, "I want you to go there and learn what he learned. Then you will have a chance at defeating him."
"We'll go tonight," Emily replied, "Where is that?" Storn led her over to a faded old map that hung on the wall and pointed to a location on the Northern side of the island.
"There," he said, "But you must be wary. Even out here news of the dragons' return reached us. Long ago they used to gather there. I would not be surprised if one has returned there now."
"You should follow the river upstream," said Frea, "That is the quickest way to Saering's Watch. But you should be careful once you reach Benkongerike."
"What's at Benkongerike?" Emily asked.
"It is a Riekling village, little blue goblin-like creatures," Frea explained, "They do not take kindly to strangers."
"Thanks, we'll bear that in mind," said Serana.
As night fell Serana, Lydia and Emily left the Skaal village. Frea remained behind to assist Storn in maintaining the barrier. They retraced their steps back along the path they had come to the village by from Miraak's temple until they saw the river. From here they followed it up stream. It ran shallow in most places, tumbling over rocks and pebbles. It was fed by numerous waterfalls which plunged down from the mountains. Snow and ash caked trees lined the barely discernible path.
"Have you ever seen a Riekling?" Emily asked Lydia as they left the river and trekked north up into the mountains.
"No, but I've seen goblins," Lydia replied, "Vicious little creatures. Not a big threat on their own but they often live in great numbers. It's easy for even a seasoned warrior to become overwhelmed. During my time with the companions we were sent to rout out a nest of them in the Jerall Mountains."
"What happened?" Emily asked.
"I was sent with three of my shield brothers," Lydia replied, "We tracked their nest up into the highest reaches. But just as we'd been tracking them, some had got onto our trail. We found an ambush waiting for us. Hosnar was killed before we had a chance to launch an attack. You couldn't see him for the spears sticking out of him." Emily and Serana listened as she continued.
"But then Leifnarr discovered the trick, the goblins feared fire," Lydia continued, "We still had some rags with us that we'd used for making torches. Part of the path up the mountains took us through a mountain tunnel. We bundled up the rags, set them ablaze and hurled them at our pursuers."
"And what happened then?" Emily asked, "Do you think these rieklings will fear it the same?"
"I hope so," Lydia replied, "When the burning rags were hurled into their numbers they scattered. We used that opportunity to start taking down as many as we could. Once their numbers dwindled they lost their courage and ran."
Ahead of them Emily caught sight of a large stone totem of an eagle towering up from its stony nest at the side of the path. The path itself was lined with the traditional Nordic trilithons common in ancient Nordic architecture and various other ancient remnants were scattered among the rocks and across the snowy ground. Emily hesitated as a flicker of movement caught her eye. She whirled around and was just in time to spot a small bow-legged creature dart behind one of the pillars.
"We're not alone," she said quietly. The next second she was forced to leap to one side as a spear struck the earth at her feet. Serana conjured an icy spike on her palm and hurled it into the darkness. It struck something and there was a muffled gurgle.
"Good shot," said Lydia.
"I wouldn't count this as a victory just yet," Serana replied, eyeing the shadows. In answer another three spears were hurled from the shadows. Emily grabbed an old iron kite shield that lay between two boulders and pulled Serana behind it. Lydia had taken some rags from her pack and was busily dowsing them in oil. She then lit them with the torch she had been carrying and hurled the burning rags into the shadows. Jabberings and snarls echoed up from the gloom as several figures showed up silhouetted against the flames. Serana and Emily seized the opportunity to rain down arrows and ice shards upon their assailants. Lydia took the shield and surged into the gloom, hurling insults and burning rags.
At last the jabbering cries ceased and Lydia rejoined them. She was bleeding from a cut on her shoulder but smiled nonetheless.
"Come on," she said, "I don't think they'll be giving us anymore trouble."
They passed through a stone archway which led down a slope away from Benkongerike and the Riekling village. This brought them out onto open ground and afforded them a view of the Sea of Ghosts. Emily looked around and her gaze came to rest on a set of steps camouflaged in among the rocks. They were cracked and worn. As she looked she saw that what she had taken to be a stone cliffside were in fact more ruins, so perfectly did they blend in with the surrounding rocks.
"That must be Saering's Watch," she said, gesturing to the ruins. They headed for the stone steps and began to climb them. Serana paused momentarily on the bottom step, staring hard at the iron sarcophagus standing against one of the walls.
"Keep your weapons ready," she said quietly to Lydia and Emily, "There are draugr here. They don't seem to know we're here yet but-." She left the sentence hanging and Emily nodded. She pulled her dagger from its scabbard and continued on up the stairs. The ruins took them on a winding path that led ever upwards. In each alcove they came to stood another iron sarcophagus and Lydia subconsciously held her breath, eyeing them as they passed by. Emily heard the chanting before she saw the word wall, situated at the summit of Saering's Watch. She climbed on ahead of the others, drawn to the steady chant. A wind ruffled her hair and whistled in her ears. As she reached the top she stopped, gazing at the word wall. The world around her faded away until all she could see was the single glowing set of runes. She walked slowly towards it, stretching out a hand to it. The wind gathered around her and a flow of understanding flowed from the glowing stone to her.
As the world came back into focus around her a guttural growl met her ears. Emily whirled around, dagger raised and found herself staring down a draugr in a horned helm, wielding a greatsword. Decayed lips curled in a thin smile as the draugr raised its greatsword level with her. Emily's eyes darted left and right as sounds like gunshots echoed up from the ruins below, a sign that the other draugr were waking one by one. As she conjured lightning on her palm another sound blew in from over the sea. It caused the draugr before her to raise its gaze heavenward.
"Dii Thur," came its halting speech. Then it turned its gaze back on the Earthling, "Zu'u fen ofan dii Thur hin sil." As the skies above echoed with another roar the draugr raised its greatsword above its head. Emily dodged behind the sacrificial altar the draugr had risen from, loosing lightning from her palms. Then the earth shuddered as a ragged shape soared overhead. Below she could hear the clamour of battle as Lydia and Serana battled the undead hordes. Emily dodged another blow from the greatsword. It struck the stonework and she seized the opportunity to launch a kick at the draugr. It stumbled back against the low stone wall. Another kick sent it tumbling back over the edge and out of sight. Emily darted for the stairs and ran down them two at a time. She came upon Lydia fending off two draugr. One wielded ice magic on its palms while the other carried a war axe. Emily conjured a ward as the wight loosed an icy blast. It struck the ward which held firm. Lydia seized this opportunity to plunge her greatsword into the wight's chest. It shuddered and slumped backwards off the blade. As it did so Emily rounded on the axe wielder but before she could deliver the killing blow a roar shook the stone pillars as the dragon swooped overhead, its maw loosing great blasts of frost. It landed heavily outside the ruins where it bellowed its challenge to the three adventurers.
Lydia plunged her greatsword into the axe wielder's chest while Emily vaulted over the wall to the level below. Here she joined with Serana as she faced down the dragon and the remaining two draugr.
"Nos, dii aarre," roared the dragon. At these words the two draugr charged the two adventurers, weapons raised. Emily closed with the first, a battle-axe wielder while Serana charged the second, loosing volleys of icy shards. The dragon watched the battle for a moment before loosing another blast of frost that enveloped the combatants. In the swirling whiteness Emily struck out blindly. A guttural laugh told her she had missed and she brought a hand up to shield her eyes. Then a savage scaly head filled with row upon row of savage teeth ripped through the swirling flakes and she was shoved to one side. She and Serana rolled over in the crisp snow. They quickly regained their feet and rounded on the draugr nearest to them. Its armour was coated with frost and icicles hung from its beard. It swung the battle-axe and Emily dodged back, loosing another bolt of lightning. This connected with the metal blade and surged along it to the wielder who cried out in a mixture of pain and fury. Serana wasted no time in driving her blade home. The dragon, meanwhile, had taken to the skies once more.
Lydia ran down the steps to where her two Thanes were fighting off the second draugr. An icy shard from Serana struck it in the chest and it reeled back from the blow. Lydia took the opportunity to run the undead warrior through and its piercing blue gaze faded and dimmed as the last of its enchanted lifeforce left it. A bellow of fury echoed down from above and the dragon landed heavily in the midst of them.
Now the three warriors converged upon the scaly beast. It struck out at them when they came near with tooth, talon and tail. Emily was thrown on her back as one great wing tipped with razor claws lashed out at her. She quickly recovered and began jabbing furiously at its hindlegs. Then she darted beneath its scaly body, aiming for the areas where its flesh was softest. It reared back as Serana aimed a blow at one of its reptilian eyes. Lydia had fallen back and now pelted it with a hail of arrows. It rounded upon them one after the other but its movements were slow and cumbersome.
At last, Serana's blow struck true deep in its throat and it writhed, a gurgling roar escaping it. In one mighty effort it tossed its scaly head, knocking the vampiress to the ground but its strength was swiftly leaving it. Emily ran at it, plunging her dagger up into the roof of its mouth. Its claws raked the earth but they found little purchase. Then it slumped to one side and its thick tar-like blood pooled in the snow.
Emily helped Serana to her feet and Emily felt that now familiar power flowing from the burning body of the dragon to her. A single word came to her, its meaning unlocked as the soul of the dragon filled her. Gol.
They stood, looking upon the dragon and the bodies of its followers which lay scattered about. Now that the bellowing roars and guttural cries of battle had been silenced the world around them seemed muted. Only the sound of the last smouldering embers creeping up over the dragon's bones could be heard. Emily seemed unable to speak for a moment. She looked from Serana to Lydia. A most uncanny feeling had a hold of her, the feeling that though the battle was won they were not the only ones standing on the battlefield. Something was watching. Something was speaking.
"My master wishes to speak with you," came a dry whispering voice that sounded like rustling pages. Emily looked to Serana and Lydia. Their expressions told her they too had heard it and the three of them looked around but saw nothing.
"Who's there? Who are you?" Emily asked warily. She looked around once more, "Where are you?" There was a pause.
"You cannot see me," came the voice again, "How unfortunate." The air rippled before her and out of it blossomed a ragged figure swathed in rags which gave it the appearance of a withered decaying flower. Tentacles protruded from the centre of the rags and Emily saw two pairs of shrivelled arms beneath the folds of mouldering fabric.
"Is that better?" it whispered. Emily did not trust herself to speak and merely nodded.
"My master comes with a message and a boon for thee," it continued. Beyond its ragged form a now familiar shape was emerging, oozing into existence.
"I believe you have solved my riddle," Hermaeus Mora bubbled, "Earth. Your home. Miraak has indeed gone there. I applaud your sagacity, Dragonborn."
"What do you want of me?" Emily asked warily. The Daedric Prince of Knowledge regarded her a moment before replying.
"You already know the answer to that," he said slowly, "But perhaps you mean to ask what my reason for seeking you out now is." Emily nodded. "That is a simple question and requires only a simple answer. You have learnt the first word that Miraak used to seize power but, as you know, all shouts contain three words. I have come to grant you the other two words in return for the death of Miraak."
Before Emily could say anything a great power bowed her and she sank down. Words burned, carving themselves into her mind and the twisted energies brought with them the meaning of the two remaining words of power. Sweat beaded on her brow as her eyes reflexively squeezed themselves shut. Her throat felt like it was burning as the energies slowly began to recede. Then she felt hands upon her and looked up to see that Hermaeus Mora had gone.
"Are you alright?" Serana asked concernedly. Emily could only nod as Lydia and Serana helped her back to her feet. "Come on, we should get back to Storn."
Much of the remainder of the night saw them trekking back to the Skaal village. For several minutes after leaving Saering's Watch Emily spoke little. She kept close to Serana and the two held a companionable silence. But by the time the village lights came into view she had regained the use of her tongue. They found Storn in his hut deep in conversation with Frea. He looked up when he heard them approach.
"You have the words," he said. It was not a question. How he knew, none of the three adventurers could say. Emily nodded.
"All three of them," she replied, "What must we do now?" Storn knelt down by the fire and tossed on another couple of logs.
"Did Frea explain to you the predicament our people are in? How Miraak has a hold of them?" he asked.
"Yes, we saw some of them at his temple," Emily replied, "They were in a trance."
"Correct," Storn said gravely, "Do you recall a large carved stone at the centre of the temple?" Emily shook her head.
"That stone is the tree stone, one of the six all-maker stones found throughout Solstheim," Storn explained, "It was there long before that accursed temple that now surrounds it. I do not believe they chose to build there by chance. Each of the other five stones now have similar smaller structures built around them, getting bigger with each passing day as he grows his influence."
"But why?" Emily asked, "If he's all the way on Earth, why does he want to build around those stones?"
"The All-Maker stones hold great power, perhaps enough to act as a wayshrine," Storn replied, "A wayshrine powerful enough to transcend Mundus itself. If he connects the stones by way of these strange structures he could use the combined energy to channel such a portal, allowing him to return to Mundus. Just as we will create a similar portal using the college towers in Winterhold. I will explain more when we get there."
"And how can we stop him?" Emily asked, "While we're off to Winterhold he could get that portal of his up and running and return to Mundus."
"Before we depart, I must ask one final favour of you," said Storn, "Using the first of the words you learnt at Saering's Watch you have the power to cleanse the All-Maker stones. The tree stone is beyond our reach, it is too far gone. But the other five can still be saved. If you can cleanse them, Miraak's wayshrine building will be delayed, allowing us the time we need."
"We'll leave tonight," said Emily.
"Good, All-Maker be with you," Storn replied, "I will await your return."