Escaping the sewers of Clavicus Vile's realm was not the toughest thing Larian had ever done, even when unarmed. She'd found a clean pool of water toward the end that was mercifully stench-free - at least, until she'd begun using it to clean herself off. By the time she was clean, she almost felt bad for dirtying it. Almost. Her only real regret was that she hadn't found her armor, and was thus still naked.
No, that was a lie. It would have been nice to reclaim her armor. Her real regret was not finding Derrick and snapping his neck.
Even so, she wasn't going to enter the strange structure again just to search for him, or her armor. If she could find a way out of Vile's realm, she'd take it. See how he liked it when things didn't go his way.
"Enjoying the breeze, mortal?" The voice of Clavicus Vile made her jump, and she looked around, panicked. Had he found her? Was she- "By all means, mortal, go on. I'm not stopping you. There's a tree to the north - your left. Brush your finger against the burning gouge, and you'll be whisked away to Tamriel once more."
"What are you up to, Vile?" she growled, arms hugging her body. "I thought you wanted to use me as an anchor."
"Well, I do, but so much time, effort and resources involved capturing you again... I think it's easier to just let you go, don't you agree? Oh, and don't worry, mortal; I'll return your things." A portal opened in front of her, and she watched as everything she'd been wearing just fell out of it and onto the strange blue grass beneath her feet. She blinked, then bent down and picked up her undergarments first.
This was all bizarre. She'd been imprisoned, for gods' sakes, in Vile's realm. Why was he just letting her go? She tried to piece it together as she put her attire back on. What hadn't he told her?
"I want to make a deal," she said stiffly.
"Again? My, but you are dedicated. Go on, then, let's hear it."
"Tell me what you're keeping secret."
"Ah, of course. I'll do that, mortal, don't you worry. However, as with any deal, it's only fair if there's something in it for me, too. What I want from you, mortal... is simply this. Go to the tree I told you about, and brush the burning gouge. I'll tell you everything once you do."
"That'll take me to Tamriel," she said flatly.
"Yes, it will, but not instantly. Things take time... you know, that sort of thing. Do we have a deal, mortal?"
"...Fine. Deal." She turned to her left, saw what looked to be a tree in the distance, and advanced toward it. As she did, she tried to determine what exactly it was he hadn't told her, but would. Why had he wanted her on her way out before he talked?
Larian's trip to the tree with strange ruby leaves was uneventful, which made her even more concerned. Why wasn't he trying to stop her? She cast a glance over the landscape, eyes resting upon the marble-white structure she'd likely been imprisoned in. She was most certainly not going to miss this place, tranquil though it seemed. Her attention turned to the trunk of the tree - brown, like most, but there was a deep gouge here flames radiated from. She was surprised the tree didn't burn down, but wasn't complaining. She hesitated but briefly, then ran her finger over the gouge. The flames licked her fingers, and she felt the heat... but there was no burn left behind, no damage.
"Well done, mortal. You've upheld your end of the deal, so now, I'll uphold mine. You wished... what was it? To know what it was I'm not telling you? That, mortal, is a lot. Ask me one question, mortal, and I'll tell you all I know of it."
"Don't fuck with me, Vile," she snapped. "Tell me the real reason why you're letting me go."
"Of course. You see... you are no longer the only one in my realm. I mean aside from my champion. One other has arrived, meaning I have choices available to me... and you, who so desperately wish to be free... you, who would endanger much if given the chance... you are high risk, mortal. I'm willing to let you go, bearing that in mind."
Her stomach twisted into knots. Someone had followed her into Vile's realm? Who? Was it Galar? Was it...?
"Ah. It seems you're on your way out, mortal. It has been grand working with you. Oh, and one last thing." His next words made her gasp in horror. "I'll tell your sister you said 'hello'."
"Ner-" A flash of light engulfed her, and she became disoriented. Intense heat radiated all around her, made her feel as if she was on fire. Then, without warning, the temperature cooled considerably around her. She fell to the ground, crumpling into a heap; the ground beneath her was warm, but coarse like stone; damp, as if snow had melted.
She shuddered. It wasn't from the slight change in temperature. It was from something else, something more... something mortifying.
She felt hands slide around her shoulders, felt her body be shaken. She heard two voices, both familiar, but she didn't register any of their words. She was rolled over, then picked up by two pairs of arms. Her own arms were draped over shoulders; her right arm went over broad shoulders, while her left rested upon a smaller frame.
"Neria," she whispered, eyes squeezed shut.
"Larian?" The voice was that of a male Nord. "What's wrong? What happened?"
"Neria," she repeated, trembling.
"Larian." It was a female Redguard's voice next. "Deep breaths, girl. Calm down, please... what-"
"Neria!" she exclaimed, eyes opening wide.
The column of light atop Mount Anthor greeted her vision, as did a grey, cloud-ridden sky. She didn't need to look right to know Galar was holding her up, nor left to know Nadine was helping him; she'd know their voices anywhere.
"Larian-" Galar began.
"The bastard... he took Neria," she cried. "He let me escape, but kept Neria behind... I didn't even know she was...!" They both gasped as they realized what happened. Tears filled her eyes, blurred her vision; she made no effort to wipe them away or hold them back. Without warning, she threw her head back and screamed at the sky.
"NERIA!"
Ulfric couldn't believe the reports that had come in. A soldier bearing the colors of the Pale stood before him, bloodied and exhausted. Another soldier, this one from the Rift, was neither bloodied nor exhausted, but his message was practically identical.
The Thalmor had taken Dawnstar and Riften.
The Dawnstar guard's report had said that they came in the dead of night, a massive fleet sailing in from the west; it appeared as if they had passed by Solitude unopposed. Ulfric took that to mean they'd already seized Haafingar, then. The Dawnstar guards barely had enough time to raise the alarm before the first magical blast decimated the barracks; they had just reached the coast when the Jarl's longhouse was devastated in a similar manner. The soldiers bade the runner to get word to Ulfric, lest they all die and the Thalmor sail on Windhelm unopposed; he did not argue with them, and took the first horse he could find and rode swiftly to Windhelm. He'd been ambushed by many creatures; a golden-colored daedra was what felled his horse. The daedra had long, razor-sharp claws, large fangs, and scales that radiated heat covering its body. It was far faster than anything he'd ever encountered before, but he'd managed to avoid its attempt to bite his head clean off. When it crashed into a boulder behind him, he'd barely had enough time to draw his warhammer and bring it crashing down onto the creature's head, killing it with the single blow. He had run for his life from that point forth, not wanting to know if it had friends nearby.
The guard from Riften had a similar tale. Blazing boulders had rained upon several of the more prominent buildings in the city; one had crashed into Mistveil Keep's roof and collapsed upon the Jarl's quarters. From the wreckage, flame atronachs erupted and began to throw fire everywhere, killing many of the citizens. When the last of the atronachs had been slain, the southern gate was collapsed, and Thalmor soldiers poured into the city, elven weapons in hand. The runner had similarly been told to get word to Ulfric by his comrades; he had to fight his way through a squad of Thalmor who were killing the horses at the stables. He managed to secure one of the three or four that remained, and urged it to fly like the wind. As he rode north, he saw flaming arrows in the watchtowers posted along the road; Thalmor soldiers had taken the towers. They had also secured Shor's Stone and its northern watchtower as well. Even so, he had pushed the horse to its limits, desperate to avoid a confrontation with the superior numbers and contact Ulfric. He had encountered no such creature as the Dawnstar guard had.
Ulfric pinched the bridge of his nose, took a deep breath, and let it out in a heavy sigh.
"She was right," he muttered. "Dammit..."
"Sire?" the Dawnstar guard inquired.
"Get some rest, you two. You," he said, pointing at the guard from Dawnstar, "get your injuries taken care of, as well. Both of you, in fact. I'll need every last soldier available when the Thalmor come to Windhelm."
"If they-" the Riften soldier began, but Ulfric held up hand.
"No," he said grimly and with a shake of his head. "When. When they come."
Both soldiers hesitated, but eventually saluted and departed to get their injuries looked at and for food and rest.
"That ghost was right," Galmar growled next to him. Ulfric glanced at him, saw the pale coloration of his right-hand's face. "That damned fool ghost was right."
"Indeed," Ulfric murmured. "I can only imagine Whiterun, Morthal and Falkreath have fallen already. No doubt Winterhold will be next; they can take their time with the Reach, as it's furthest from us and completely cut off." He slammed his fist down on the arm of his throne suddenly. "He was right... I was blind. Withdrawing those scouts was a critical error..."
"We'd never have imagined this would be the outcome, however." Galmar paused for a moment. "The Dawnstar guard's report troubles me. That golden daedra... it sounds quite like a fiend that could have-"
"Injured our friend upstairs? I'm of the same mind," Ulfric finished. "She was found near Darkwater Crossing, though... are we looking at several of these fiends?"
"If so, then is it possible... that the daedra have begun to spill into Skyrim?" Galmar intoned quietly.
"It's not impossible." Ulfric stood abruptly and walked into the war room, Galmar following him. He began to search the wooden crates for a blank piece of paper, then a quill and inkwell. "If that's the case, however, I need to get word to Winterhold."
"Winterhold?" Galmar echoed.
"Right now, that Dunmer is our best hope of counteracting this daedric invasion," he muttered, dipping the quill in the inkwell and beginning to write quickly. "I need her alive. We need her alive." He continued to write in silence; when he was finished, he looked up at Galmar. "I want our swiftest scout on our swiftest steed. I need this message to reach Winterhold within the day."
"Ulfric, that's a challenge, even for-"
"Within. The. Day," Ulfric growled. "I don't care if they take shortcuts across the wilderness. I need Elsera out of Winterhold before the Thalmor reach it. Get to it. I'll have it ready when you return for it."
Galmar's expression hardened somewhat, but he nodded and rushed for the guards' quarters. Ulfric glanced down at the message he'd written for Elsera.
Elsera,
Solitude, Dawnstar and Riften have fallen to the Thalmor. Golden daedra have been spotted on the roads far west of Windhelm.
I need you out of Winterhold. I don't care where you go, just get to safety. Take anything you consider absolutely important, and nothing else; if you aren't sure, leave it. your life is more valuable than anything in the College right now.
Talos protect you.
-Ulfric Stormcloak
High King of Skyrim
A flash illuminated the glass of the window, drawing Ulfric's attention up to it. He strode toward the window and gazed out at it. The three columns of light continued to shine in the distance.
He stared as they began to move toward a central point between them... as if they were going to intersect.
What in Oblivion was going on?
"Augur?" Elsera had managed to escape the chaos of the assault on the town above. "Augur of Dunlain, answer me!" She had decided the Midden was a safe place - for now. She needed answers, and fast; who better to provide them than the Augur?
"Ah, you're back. Were it under happier circumstances." The glow kindled before her eyes, and she sighed with relief.
"What's happening? Is this-"
"The warning I issued the High King? Yes. The Thalmor have come to Skyrim." She noticed he was not being vague any longer. "There is no time. There is an alternate exit from the Midden, further in. It exits into the side of the frozen earth upon which the College is situated. Use your pure magicka spell on the edge of the cliff. Once you're on solid ground again, run. Solstheim may be safest for you... for all who will yet oppose the chaos that swiftly approaches. The Dragonborn has a home in Solstheim, and friends on its eastern coast. Make use of every resource the island affords you."
"I... what-" A low rumble reached her ears, and the chamber trembled along with it. Dirt and tiny chunks of debris fell from the ceiling, coating her with a very thin and very light layer of dust.
"Go."
She turned to the door and wrenched it open, then paused for a moment. She looked over her shoulder at the Augur of Dunlain, who, despite an arrogant air, had been of significant help.
"No final warning for me this time?" she said, voice cracking as she forced a smile. She somehow knew that she'd never see or hear from the Augur ever again... and honestly, it broke her heart a bit. It felt like she was abandoning an old friend.
"Mind the cliff's edge. It's icy." Despite the severity of the situation above, she managed a weak chuckle at his rather obvious warning.
"Not what I meant."
Adalla was gazing out the window, watching the three columns of light move toward each other. Her jaw had dropped and her eyes were wide; she wanted to look away, but couldn't. She had a feeling something tragic was going to occur if those columns met, and yet she couldn't tear her gaze away.
She felt a hand grab her right shoulder, and she gasped. She managed to tear her gaze away to look at Mia, who was barely upright, yet leaning against her.
"You-"
"I ain't... gonna lay there... while this shit's goin' on," Mia muttered weakly. "I ain't gonna tempt death a second time..." She looked at the Altmer. "Shit's about t'get real intense, real fast. We seen a lot, Adalla... but even we ain't ready t'take this on. We gotta regroup... we gotta prepare."
Her words were relatively comforting, but did not quell the feeling of dread that the moving columns of light had spawned within her. Her gaze went back to the columns.
They watched together as the three columns - the one atop Mount Anthor, the one at the Dwemer ruin in Falkreath, and the one in Labyrinthian - finally intersected in the center. A brief flash greeted their eyes when they did, and a sphere began to form between the three columns.
"It's begun," Adalla whispered.
A.N. - Eventide. As defined by Merriam-Webster Online: 'the time of evening'. Synonyms? 'Twilight' and 'dusk'. Times when everything becomes darker.
Come now, you weren't truly expecting a cheery 'they all lived happily ever after' ending to a story named 'Eventide', were you? No, the ending of Eventide is - and was, from Chapter 1 - intended to be dark for Tamriel. The Thalmor and Oblivion both have begun to threaten the homeland of the Nords, at the very least. Skyrim will forever change because of this.
'But surely you're not going to just... LEAVE it like this?!' If you're thinking this, then you're right. There's a sequel planned - a sort of 'final ending' for the characters associated. Mia, Adalla, Neria, Larian, Elsera, my depiction of Ulfric... even a couple other faces that haven't shown up in a while. One way or another, their tales will come to a close in the last story of this... 'series'. At least one of them will still be alive; some more of them will die, I can promise that.
Now, onto the individual parts of the final chapter.
That 'something' Vile didn't tell Neria last chapter? Yeah, he didn't bother telling her Larian was almost out of the sewers. Why would he? In his eyes, she's far easier to work with and manipulate; no need to tell her Larian's gone. Neria has one hell of a future ahead of her...
Larian. This is far from the end of her tale. It was a mistake on Vile's part to tell her it was her sister that had followed her into his realm. Now, Larian will not rest until she's saved Neria - or died trying.
Everything comes crashing down around Ulfric. The threat of daedra wasn't bad enough; now he's got the Thalmor to contend with, as well. His plate is definitely full enough with the Thalmor's far more obvious threat already in Skyrim; the daedra haven't even begun invading Skyrim in earnest yet. Well... by that point in the story, they hadn't.
I just had to include one final interaction between Elsera and the Augur. They won't be seeing each other for a very long time... if ever again. It hurt a little, to write what may be their final good-bye, but it had to be done. I couldn't resist the final 'warning' the Augur provided - a little something to lighten the mood, in lieu of the chaos descending.
Mia's alive and awake! And still injured/feeling weak. She may be seriously wounded and crippled, but she's got a part to play in the future yet, as does Adalla. These two both braved Apocrypha for differing purposes, and came out on top; what's a cluster of daedra they're unfamiliar with? (As it turns out, quite a handful; I'll go ahead and just admit that one of those golden-colored daedra are what attacked Mia and left her in her crippled state.)
Skyrim's future looks grim, but as with any eventide, there will always be a dawn to follow... but what more will be lost before the sun rises over Skyrim once more? As Adalla succinctly put it... 'It's begun.'
I want to give a big shout-out and thank you to both TheGreatJabberyJamie and BrunetteAuthorette99 for reviewing this story as they read it. I also want to thank anyone else who chose to follow it, and anyone else who read it from start to finish. The story has ended, but this tale has practically just begun. Once I've established key points of the next story and written several chapters flawlessly, I'll start posting it.
In the meantime, I had an idea about a week ago, and I feel like it could be fun... it all depends on how much interaction there is, really. I may do a series of one-shot blurbs or the like, centered around random aspects of my OCs' lives/personalities. Odd quirks, reasons why they like/hate something so much, reasons as to why they did something... living or dead, every OC will make an appearance sooner or later. If that's of interest, and there's something you want to 'ask' my OCs, feel free, and I'll write a chapter based on the question. I'll provide a list of the OCs in question, just in case anyone's forgotten any of them over the course of Flames, I Am Dragonborn and now Eventide.
-Spiritslayer
