Author's Note: CHIM, as described in Lore, is less than clear, except that it "allows for escape from all known laws and limitations" and "one who knows CHIM ... possesses incomprehensible power to alter reality." Any other details about it here are mine, though I try not to contradict anything else mentioned in Lore.
Chapter 41 - Titan
Vaermina had finally convinced the others of the anti-Dovahkiin group to join her in weakening the barrier between Oblivion and Mundus, then sending a Titan to attack their foe's pet dovah. There had been some squabbling about where to send it, but they'd finally decided that her capital of Helgen was most appropriate - Alduin had attacked there first, and she'd rebuilt it. It seemed only appropriate to start serious action against her there.
So she summoned her favorite, Nahvoljot, armed him with Molag Bal's mace and Mephala's Ebony Blade, and sent him forth with his instructions. Dragons were to be his primary targets, but an occasional joor might be a nice bonus.
As soon as he emerged from the weakened spot in the barrier, Nahvoljot stooped toward the nearest dragon, who was perched on a tower a thousand feet or so below him, both his weapons ready. Another dragon saw him, and tried to intercept the dive, but was too late; by the time he arrived, Nahvoljot had struck, and turned to attack his attacker.
His opponent Shouted flame, but Nahvoljot sneered, and used his own Flaming Essence-Drain spell. His opponent crashed, screaming, and the other dragons took flight, which pleased him. He flew west, toward Dovahkiin's home - there was always a dragon stationed there.
Yssha was outside when she heard what sounded like a dragon approaching, but when she looked to see who it was, she saw a monster instead. She Called, as loudly as she could, "Bovul Lakeview!"
Ahkrinbo didn't have time to react; he was dead before he could move, killed by the essence-drain spell, and his soul pushed into his thur. Kuz nahkriin fah zey, thuri! [Take vengeance for me, my overlord!]
Geh, vahriini. Yssha felt a surge of rage, and Shouted at the intruder. "Joor ... Zah FRUL!"
It staggered in the air, but didn't crash. Instead, it sneered at her, saying something in a language she didn't recognize. Then it flew off.
"What in Oblivion!" Andreius looked up at Durnehviir. "'Flee Lakeview', then Dragonrend?"
"Geh. I do not know, but I must obey. It is bad, whatever it is. Go to her, if you can!"
Sorcalin grabbed Andreius' hand. "Hang on, I've got teleport points there."
In an eyeblink, they were at Lakeview, staring at a dragon skeleton and a furious Yssha, with Marcurio, Nevan and Serana sprinting toward her. "What happened?" Andreius demanded.
"Something that looked like a huge black dragon with arms as well as wings. It killed Ahkrinbo, and said something in a language I do not know. Then it left, and I do not know for where!" The last came out in a yowl.
Andreius and Sorcalin exchanged glances. "Daedric Titan, you think?" Andreius asked.
"It sounds like one," Sorcalin agreed. "In which case, it's really bad news. They can wield weapons, they have that fiery essence drain spell, they're very hard to kill ... and it could be pretty much any Daedric Prince directing one." He turned to Yssha. "You angered several of them, and they must know your dovahhe are dear to you, so it's going after them."
Yssha nodded, accepting the information. "At least there is only the one. So far, and I pray the Dragonfire Barrier keeps more from coming through. But ... how to defeat it? It is only weakened a bit by Dragonrend, so I would not expect Dragonbane to have much more effect, since it is not a true dragon."
"Based on a dragon, from what little we know," Sorcalin said. "'Boziikkodstrun,' according to legend." He sighed. "I don't think anything short of a dragon could take him, honestly, and not a normal dragon, at that, given the flaming essence drain. I'd recommend you leave Nevan and Serana out of this one ... it'd be suicidal for either of them. Not much better for me, I suppose, but Andreius is as immortal as you are, if he wants to try." Sorcalin grinned. "Despite my odds, I'm backing you."
"Both of us are," Andreius said. "I went into the Anvil Oblivion Gate with Ysshaya, figuring my men and I might have to rescue her civilian tail." He grinned. "Didn't quite work out that way, but that was my thought at the time. I can hardly leave my honorary niece to fight a Titan alone, can I?"
"Perhaps both of you should," Yssha said. "True, Andreius is immortal, but ... I would still feel guilty if either of you were hurt fighting on my behalf. And this attack seems focused specifically at me, through my vahriinne."
Andreius looked at her, a bit cautiously. "You just gave birth, youngster. Let us handle it."
Yssha turned on him, half-snarling. "Yes, I am a new mother! That does not mean I am incapable, or disabled. My vahriinne need me, and I will respond. Deal with it."
"Oops," Sorcalin mouthed silently. They'd goofed, gotten her dragon side aroused, and now they'd have to deal with it, as she said. Yssha, as a Khajiit, was fairly easy to handle; as a dovah, she was the one who did the handling, And right now, she was pure dovah.
"Anything we can do?" he asked softly.
"Find me that Titan before it kills any more of my fronne [kindred]," she said grimly. "You are both better mages than I am. Find me that Titan. But do not engage. Find it, and give me the location, only."
She called Odahviing, reluctantly, and when he arrived, gave orders she could only hope would be obeyed. "Stay away from the Titan. If it approaches, flee. And pass that along. None of my vahriinne are to engage that ... that thing if it can be avoided. Go to the far side of Nirn if you must, but stay away from it. It is mine, and mine alone."
"Geh, Thuri. What of the rest of your team?"
"Yeah, what about us?" Nevan asked.
"Stay here and protect the children. That way I will not have to worry about them while I am fighting this Titan." She looked hard at Marcurio. "Especially you, beloved. I will not have Dirsha losing his father before he even has a chance to know you."
Marcurio didn't like that at all, but he nodded slowly. "I ... understand, love. But by the Divines, be careful!"
"As careful as I can be in combat," she promised. "But what I need now is information." She turned to Andreius and Sorcalin. "Before you start scrying, tell me everything you know about these Titans and their capabilities."
Andreius frowned. "Supposedly, Boziikkodstrun was captured and tortured to death by Molag Bal, then infused with a Daedric Vestige instead of his dragon soul. His skeleton was modified, and he was thrown into wherever Daedra go to be reconstituted after death. Some say it's called the Waters, others say it's the Azure Chasm, full of slime, but no one knows for sure.
"As for their capabilities, you know they have arms as well as wings, so they can use weapons and spells, but they seem to lack the Thu'um. Instead, they have that flaming essence drain spell, which is even worse, since it's a single word."
"Still, it's not invincible," Sorcalin pointed out. "It can be injured, and if rumors from the Second Era can be believed, that spell can be turned back on its user if it's interrupted while being cast. Do you know anything like a Silence spell?"
Yssha shook her head. "That one, I think, stopped being taught shortly after the beginning of the Fourth Era. I have no idea why."
Andreius chuckled. "Because it was being misused, mostly by students, and not just against other mages. Sorcalin and I both learned it, but then, we pre-date the Fourth Era."
"And you say his spell is a single word, where a Thu'um requires three for full strength." Yssha scowled. "Then if you are able to scry the Titan's location, it would appear I should take Andreius with me to face it."
"Both of us," Sorcalin corrected. "He's fast, but I have a werewolf's reflexes, so I'm faster. And speed will be essential if it starts to use that spell on us."
Yssha thought back to seeing Farkas in action, back in Dustman's Cairn, and nodded. "Very well. Once we find out where it is, I go dovah, and I will fly the three of us into combat."
Yssha hated waiting, but she had to, while Andreius and Sorcalin cast and re-cast their scrying spells. With nothing of the Titan's to use as a focus, they were essentially working blind.
But at least for this wait, she had Dirsha to play with and nurse, until she had to leave. Rayya had hired a wet-nurse, since it had always been unlikely that Yssha would have time to do it all herself, but when she could, she savored the opportunity. She hoped to be home when his eyes opened, and wasn't happy that if the hunt for this Titan dragged on, she wouldn't be able to.
At least she could comfort herself that he'd be well taken care of while she was gone. Nevan had promised to take him into Blackreach if it started looking dangerous on the surface, which was reassuring, so she savored the time with him and Marcurio while she had it. Nursing Dirsha while Marcurio sat beside her, his arm around her ... times like this, she thought, were worth the fighting and risks it had taken to arrive at them.
It took a day and a half, but her friends looked grimly satisfied when they found her to report success. "It's at Forgotten Vale. The twin dragons there are battling it with ground support from Odmer mages, but not doing well."
"Outside, then, right away." She hurried outside herself, and shifted to dragon form, then crouched so Andreius and Sorcalin could mount. Once they were firmly settled, she launched herself for the Vale - grateful that she wouldn't have to make her way through Darkfall Cave first, this time. Although from what she'd been told, Darkfall Cave was nothing compared to a Titan ...
She found out just how right that was as soon as she got close enough to engage it. She was incredibly grateful that it didn't have the Thu'um, but the fiery essence drain was faster, and the twins were having trouble dodging, their Shouts little more effective than Dragonrend had been - and it was going at them with mace and sword, as well.
Divines, she did not want to see another of her kin killed! "Bovul, fronne!" She Called. That attracted the Titan's attention to her, as the twins obeyed, their body language showing clear reluctance - but to her relief, they did obey, and the Titan attacked her and her riders instead.
She used Marked for Death as Andreius cast wards, pleased to see the thing stagger from her Shout as the ward blocked its spell - but it was coming for them with its weapons as well, and she felt suddenly vulnerable, without any weapons of her own. So this was how her kin had felt, trying to face her down when she'd had her mace or, worse from their viewpoint, Dragonbane. It was terrifying, and she had to use every bit of the flying skill she'd practiced both in Sanctuary and Tamriel to avoid them.
Some weaker Daedra had apparently made it through as well, because there were archers firing at Yssha as well as Odmer firing both arrows and spells at the Titan. "Make a low pass," Sorcalin yelled through the wind roar.
Yssha heard him, but there was no time to ask for an explanation. She did as she'd been asked, scenting his change of form as he leapt from her neck at the lowest point. As she climbed for altitude again, she saw him starting to rampage through the Daedra archers, and grinned.
Minutes seemed like hours as they fought, Yssha almost purely defensive except for her Thu'um, Andreius having to take the offensive role. Given the maneuvers she had to make, she was astonished he was able to do anything, but they gradually managed to wear the Titan down, just enough, and she was fortunate enough to be in a good position so that Andreius was able to cast Silence just as it was beginning to cast its fiery essence drain yet again.
She let out a roar of triumph as the Second Era rumors were proven true, and the spell recoiled on its caster. The Titan shrieked and disappeared.
She landed, as it happened near one of the Wayshrines, and ... well, it wasn't quite a collapse, but when Andreius dismounted and walked to her face, he looked troubled. "Are you all right, youngster?" he asked.
"Exhausted," she admitted reluctantly. "That was ... well, let us just say I am glad Alduin had no weapons, and I had Dragonbane. Otherwise, Mundus would probably no longer exist."
Andreius frowned. "That bad, hmm? But I think I can understand." He paused. "So what now? And where's Sorcalin?"
"A moment, then I reverse the orders that are no longer necessary." She rested for a few minutes, then rose to her haunches, and Called. "Pah, hi aal daal. Krongrah los un." [All, you may return. Victory is ours.]
Moments later, the twins joined them. "You are well, thuru?" one asked, concerned.
"Geh, just very tired," Yssha said. "I will rest a bit longer, then return to my home. You did well against the Titan, for which may Bormahu bless you. But we are missing one of our party, an Altmer werewolf who was fighting on the ground."
"Ah." One of them gape-grinned. "So that is the explanation for the Dremora corpses shredded on the other side of the Wayshrine." He snorted a laugh. "I will go see how he is doing." He took off, and returned shortly thereafter with a battered-looking Sorcalin, again in mer form, on his neck.
Sorcalin slid down the dovah's wing, and limped toward Yssha and Andreius. "You're all right?"
"Exhausted, but otherwise, yes," Andreius replied. "Doesn't look like you can say the same, though."
Sorcalin shrugged. "The damn Titan caught me a glancing blow, trying to rescue a couple of its archers before I could tear them apart. I owe Mistress Avenicci some serious thanks - if not for the armor she crafted for me, I'd be running through the Hunting Grounds now. I definitely would anyway, if it'd landed the blow solidly, instead of me being able to dodge the worst of it."
They made a slight detour to Whiterun on the way back to Lakeview to take care of that. Yssha shifted as soon as she landed and her passengers dismounted, and they entered the city. One of the guards caught her attention, so she paused. "Geh?"
"Is ... ah, is everything back to normal, Lady Dovahkiin? It was ... kind of scary, having the dragons gone. Quite a relief to have the Skyguard flying patrols again."
Back to normal? Yssha thought. And a relief to have dragons around? That was quite a change from when they'd first returned! Well, she still had to find some way to deal with the root problem that was the hostile Princes, but ... "Yes, or at least I believe so."
"Good - I'll pass on the word. Thanks, Dovahkiin."
"You are most welcome." She smiled. "Is Adrianne free, do you know?"
"She was with a customer last time I looked, ma'am, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind you interrupting."
Probably true, but perhaps a stop at the Drunken Huntsman first ... Sorcalin could probably use a drink, and truth be told, after fighting that Titan, she wouldn't mind a glass of wine herself. She suggested that, and the other two agreed.
When they emerged, Adrianne was at the tanning rack, standing with a smile when Yssha called her name. "What is it, fahdoni?"
Yssha purred at that. "Master Sorcalin has something he wishes to say. Have you met?"
The smith chuckled. "Yes, in his other form. It's good to see you as a mer, Master Mage."
Sorcalin smiled, bowing. "I have to thank you for overcoming your reluctance at being around a shifted werewolf at least twice your size, and for keeping your composure - it made it easier for me to keep mine, when you had to touch me to take measurements."
"Well ... I trust Marcurio, and I knew it was necessary, so ... " Adrianne shrugged. "I hope the armor has served you well."
"Very well indeed, which is why we're here. It saved me from a number of injuries during Dovahkiin's rescue, then today, I'm convinced your work actually saved my life. I got a couple of broken ribs from a blow that would have otherwise torn me in half. So you have my everlasting gratitude for your efforts, and if I can ever return the favor, you have only to ask."
Adrianne smiled ruefully. "Nothing at the moment, but I thank you in turn, Master Sorcalin. I don't have too many customers come to tell me how my work affected them. It's good to know." She paused. "But you don't look like you've been that badly injured such a short time ago."
"Werewolf rapid healing, aided by the efforts of a couple of Odmer Restoration mages." Sorcalin smiled. "I'm fine."
"And I have a question," Yssha said.
Adrianne turned to her. "What's that?"
"Ah ... a personal favor, if you would. Should you desire to take an apprentice, would you consider my son Freyr for the position? He is no longer in line to be Jarl of Skyhold, and thinks he would like to be a smith. Or perhaps an alchemist."
"Hmm ... how old is he?"
"Six, or perhaps seven ... no one was sure of his age when Marcurio and I adopted him. Perhaps even eight. And he has been taking weapons training with Nevan, who makes him chop wood and do other exercises to build up his strength."
"That'll do, then. Sure, and Ulfberth's been saying I should take on an apprentice in a few months. I'll send a courier when I decide I'm ready, all right?"
"Fine, and thank you." Yssha smiled. "Now I suppose we should return to Lakeview, and let the family know of our survival and success."