Chapter 25
The high elf was on his 52nd book, researching about CHIM, when the imperial came back. He carried a sack behind him, and grunted with each movement.
"I've brought some food." He said, as he happily landed the sack on the floor.
"Also some other things. Important things." He added.
The high elf nodded, but didn't care. He had one thing on his mind.
"What's a CHIM?" he blurted out.
The imperial's eyes widened, but then turned into a smile.
"No-one knows for sure." He replied.
The imperial then walked towards the high elf, and began stacking up the books on the floor.
"But some theories claim," The imperial continued.
The elf began to help gather the books.
"That it's the highest form of love."
"Love?" The elf frowned.
"Love makes you powerful?"
The imperial laughed and nodded.
"Believe it or not, that kind of love does. Although other people claim it's a form of enlightenment, a form of higher knowledge."
The elf raised his eyebrows.
"That sounds more reasonable."
The imperial smiled.
"Where's your sense of poetry?"
"Why do you say its love?" The elf asked, puzzled.
This time, the imperial didn't smile.
"Have you ever been in love, elf?" He asked.
The high elf stared at him a while, and opened his mouth, but no words came out.
The imperial snorted.
"Do you even know what love is?"
Again, the high elf did not speak.
The imperial stopped stacking the books.
"I'll tell you what it is. First; there are various forms of love. Mara's love, as the priests say, is the love of compassion. It's what keeps a good marriage going, and it's the kind of love that bonds men and women together in happiness."
The elf nodded. He also stopped stacking the books.
"Secondly there's Dibella's love. The kind you youngsters love."
The elf smirked at his remark.
"Lust." The imperial tutted.
"Lust is poison." He muttered.
"And then there's the CHIM." The imperial finished.
The elf sat upright. Hearing the word come out of another man's mouth interested him. He was obsessed with its existence.
However, to his disappointment, the imperial stopped talking, and began stacking the books again.
The elf frowned.
"What is the CHIM?" He asked.
"I told you. A form of love." He answered with a smirk.
"But you didn't tell me what form that is!" The elf protested.
"I didn't tell you because I don't know myself." The imperial replied.
The elf was stunned. But he didn't give up.
"Surely, you know at least something!?"
The imperial stopped stacking the books again. The silence filled the cottage. After a long breath, he spoke.
"You elves."
The high elf frowned.
"You believe yourselves to be ancestors of the gods, so that you hope to become like them somehow. But you're all so blind."
"What do you mean?" The elf questioned.
"'"Let me show you the power of Talos Stormcrown, born of the North, where my breath is long winter. I breathe now, in royalty, and reshape this land which is mine. I do this for you, Red Legions, for I love you.'" The imperial quoted.
"Talos? The man?"
"Yes. How did you think he became a god?"
The elf paused to think. No words came to his mind.
"See? Your elven ways don't teach you that. They ban it actually." The imperial grunted, and began taking out various supplies from the sack, and organized them around the cottage.
"Assuming he did-"
"There's no assuming." The imperial turned to face him this time, his eyes dead serious.
"Ok, how did he do it?" The elf asked.
"Did he find out some ancient Dwemer secret? Did he make a pact with a Daedra? What happened?"
"CHIM happened." The imperial answered.
"CHIM?" The elf questioned.
The imperial frowned. He had expected the elf to stay silent after the answer.
"Yes, CHIM."
"You still haven't explained what that is." The elf stated.
The imperial rubbed his eyebrows.
"This is… My theory." He began explaining.
The elf nodded slowly.
"Go on."
The imperial sat down.
"The CHIM, is a form of love, but others call it a form of enlightenment, or a state of power. I think it's what true gods feel when they look at us mortals. True gods feel love towards us. They pity our short lifespans, and what little we accomplish in those times. True gods look at us and try to help us-try to make us understand a god's perspective on the world."
"But the Daedra don't feel love for us. They look at us like toys, if anything." The elf muttered.
"True gods, elf. Not measly Daedra." The imperial replied.
"Why do you think Lorkhan was involved in the creation of Nirn?" He continued.
The elf said nothing.
"It was an attempt to obtain CHIM." He said.
"Did it work?"
"He had his heart ripped out, you tell me." The imperial said, and he rose again, to organize his supplies.
End of Chapter 25