"The threat we face is greater than you know, Vestige." The Prophet said.
"I really wish you'd stop calling me that." Nalice said crossly, folding her arms.
"I apologize. It is what I see you to be. It is what the scrolls have named you, your role to play in this." The Prophet said with an undertone of sadness. He moved to sit down on the rickety wooden chair he'd somehow found. The cave was oddly clean, bare of insects and scuttlebugs, yet the Dunmer still felt like these were not civilized quarters. The aged imperial's hand clutched the staff firmly as he spoke, trembling slightly..
"Molag Bal threatens all of Tamriel. I would show you the events that lead to this cataclysm, and to do so, we must journey through events of the past. Please, sit." He gestured towards the chair across from him.
Nalice sat down.. Prism stood nearby.
"Where do I begin.. Perhaps it would be better to show you with a journey through my mind."
"Is that safe?" asked Nalice.
"Perfectly so." The Prophet waved his walking stick in the air, and a blue light shone down from the ceiling upon the two. Just before she whited out, Nalice heard Prism collapse.
—
One moment, she was sitting in a chair, and the next, she was standing in a strange ritual circle of stones with an altar in it. She looked around and was surprised to see Prism standing beside her, dusting herself off.
The Prophet appeared before them, and stared at Prism.
"It seems your Prism goes where you go, Vestige," he intoned curiously, rubbing his chin. "That shouldn't have happened. But there is much that should not have happened. It will need investigation. That can wait until later in the river's course."
"Follow me, Vestige, and learn of the events that precipitated our current crisis." He walked around the altar as a large scroll beamed into place above it. "I am from an order of Moth Priests- scholars of the Elder Scrolls. I came into their tutelage when they rescued me from near death. As I glimpsed the wisdom of the scrolls, each new revelation blinded me, leaving me sightless in the end."
"Knowing the future makes you blind to the present." Prism said. "That sounds about right."
"Ssh!"
"The prophecies of the Elder Scrolls are a fluid, living thing. They are not fixed. At many points throughout history, the actions of heroic mortals have rewritten them," the prophet continued.
"Right, but what does that have to do with me?" asked Nalice.
"I only know that you are important, Vestige. The Scrolls revealed to me that your destiny is intertwined with that of the Five Companions."
"And they are?"
"The Five Companions were a band of adventurers who sought out an ancient artifact called the Amulet of Kings They hoped to use this artifact to persuade Akatosh, the Dragon God, to accept their leader as one of the Dragonborn." He continued, his wrinkled fingers sliding down the staff he held.
"Varen Aquilarios- son of a Colovian duke, who rebelled against Emperor Leovic and took the crown himself. Yet he was not truly Dragonborn, as those who sit upon the Ruby Throne must be, in accordance with tradition."
"The dragonborn are mortals destined for greatness, with the blood of dragons in their veins. It is said that only a true Dragonborn can ignite the eternal Dragonfires in the Imperial City."
"I was called that once, by a Psijic sage." Nalice remarked.
"It is true that you are destined for something great, Vestige." The Prophet said. "But you have already heard enough babbling from this old blind fool. Meet the Five Companions yourself, and witness their fate."
With that, the image of the Prophet shimmered and he stepped away. Five lights in the shadows lit up and began moving towards the altar, taking ghostly form the closer they got. Five people strode into the presence of the altar.
"The first companion, Lyris Titanborn, was a daughter of giants, and servant to the Emperor. The second, Abnur Tharn, was an imperial mage and chancellor, advisor to the emperor. Third, Sai Sahan, a redguard swordmaster and Varen Aquilarios- who tried to light the dragonfires and failed. And lastly, Mannimarco the Traitor, your killer. These were the Five Companions, who set out from the Imperial City on an epic quest to recover the lost Amulet of Kings."
He continued, "Mannimarco had convinced Varen that the Amulet could be used to perform a ritual that would rekindle the Dragonfires. He claimed this would please Akatosh and entice him to adopt Varen as one of the Dragonborn. By tradition, only the Dragonborn can lay claim to the Ruby Throne and rule as the one, true Emperor. Valen conquered Cyrodiil and took the throne, but unless he became Dragonborn, he feared he'd always be thought of as a pretender."
"This is a lot to take in." Nalice said slowly. "So Mannimarco was a trickster who lied to Varen about the Amulet. Varen was an insecure fetcher and needed divine proof that what he'd done was okay. And he had these three allies with him, Lyris, Abnur and Sai?"
"Yes. Lyris was a Nord warrior from the frozen lands of Skyrim. Her family lineage carries the blood of giants. She was chosen for her strength and her loyalty to be Varen's personal bodyguard. Sai Sahan was the leader of the Dragonguard, Varen's security detail. While Lyris was Varen's bodyguard, Sai was charged with protecting the whole group."
"As for Abnur, he was the patriarch of an influential family in Cyrodiil. He's a powerful battlemage and a shrewd politician. It was with his help that Varen was able to rebel and seize the throne years before. They were close friends."
"Warrior, warrior, mage, and not a thief amongst them." Prism said. "Mannimarco not counting."
"Mannimarco the traitor. The great enemy. The most powerful necromancer this world has ever known. His Worm Cult infiltrates and corrupts every corner of Tamriel. It was he who convinced Varen to perform this ritual," the Prophet said, in a venomous tone.
"Now watch and see how one man's arrogance brought about the greatest threat our world has ever known."
The Prophet gestured to the Five Companions, gathered around the altar. Nalice and Prism looked at each other briefly, nodded, then watched the scene unfold.
The companions looked at each other uneasily.
"This ritual had better work, Mannimarco." said Varen, as he headed towards the altar.
"It will work, my liege." Mannimarco said resolutely, leaning on his staff as he walked towards the altar.
"It had better, or you'll be feeling the business end of my axe." Lyris threatened.
"My lord, I wonder if you could muzzle your half-giant pet? She really is quite annoying." Abnur sneered.
"ENOUGH! We are here to witness my Lord's rightful claim to the Ruby Throne." Sai snapped.
"Abnur, begin the ritual. I have a destiny to fulfill!" Varen shouted. Abnur began chanting an incantation as Mannimarco circled the ritual, smiling smugly. Varen held up the Amulet of Kings.
"By lighting the dragonfires, I reclaim my lineage. Through the Amulet of Kings let me be reborn! I name myself.. Dragonborn!" said Varen.
An eerie silence followed, and then Varen's body was lifted off the ground, his very soul seeming to seep out of him as he writhed in pain. The sky opened up above them, splitting a rift through which the Dunmer could see a chaotic miasma.
Mannimarco shouted, "Varen Aquilarios, you are no heir to Alessia! Gullible fools! The veil between worlds is torn asunder! My master, Molag Bal, is free to claim Tamriel for his own!" as he lifted himself up upon the altar, channeling the power of the Amulet of Kings.
Torrents of energy began to rain down from the rift in the sky, causing chaos and smoke to erupt everywhere. All the companions were knocked down. Varen's body collapsed to the ground as he shouted.
"Akatosh! Save me! Have mercy on our souls!" He cried out as Sai Sahan crawled towards him, reaching for the amulet Varen had been clutching.
Then the ghostly re-enactment of the tearing of worlds faded, and there was only the Prophet, Prism, and Nalice.
"The ritual tore the veil between Nirn and Oblivion, allowing Mannimarco to begin stealing the souls his master needed to power the Dark Anchors and initiate the Planemeld," the Prophet said sadly. He looked up to the blank, bleak expanse.
"You see, Akatosh gave Alessia the Amulet of kings as a symbol of his covenant with Nirn. So long as the Amulet remained in the care of Alessia's heirs, and the Dragonfires remained lit, Tamriel would be protected from the Daedra. Mannimarco tricked Varen into breaking the covenant, and the veil between Oblivion and Nirn was torn. The Elder Scrolls called this event the Soulburst. It gave Molag Bal the opportunity to disconnect the souls of Nirn from their hosts.. As he did with you, Vestige."
The Prophet stared at Nalice intensely. "I was captured while making inquiries.. Not subtle enough, I suppose. Mannimarco's spies are everywhere. Walk with me.."
He conjured a vision of an anchor site, a ritual altar for chains to plunge into. A circular device appeared above the altar, and anchors dropped into the holds meant for them, as if trying to pull the world into the rift.
"It was written that as long as Allesia's heirs bore the Amulet of Kings, Nirn would be safe. Now Molag Bal's dark anchors pierce the veil in an attempt to bring our world into his. If the Lord of Brutality and Domination is successful…"
"We'll all be slaves." Nalice concluded.
"Yes." The Prophet said. "It falls to us, Vestige. We must stop Molag Bal and his Dark Anchors, or our world is doomed."
"Well, that's a right heavy load." Prism remarked. "And the Elder Scrolls say we're involved. Do they mention me?"
"They do not." The Prophet said. "You- what you are, what the Vestige is.. Is not within my knowledge. You will have to work that out yourself.. I will assist you as best as I can with the knowledge that I have."
"Let's leave this mindscape." Nalice said. "I'm starting to feel cold."
–
With a start, Nalice jerked upright in the chair. She shook her head, looking around, seeing the Prophet standing upright again, and Prism- on the floor, getting up, with Mirri beside her checking to see if she was okay.
"What was that all about?" Mirri asked.
"Just us learning the backstory of the world's destruction." Nalice remarked with a sigh."I'll tell you all about it tonight. Right now I have a lot to think about."
"But know this." The Prophet said, catching the attention of the Dunmer. "You do not walk alone. You are assembling your own band of companions.. We must grow in strength and numbers. You will need more than a blind old fool to alter the course of history."
Nalice nodded. "Prism and Mirri are up for the task of saving the world. Right, girls?"
"Right."
"Right."
"But first, you must save Lyris." The Prophet said. "She sacrificed herself to save us, and remains a prisoner in Coldharbour. I will scry for her location, but it will take time."
"I guess we should go see what Firion needs, then," Nalice said, getting up from her chair. She smiled at the others, a weary look in her eyes. "Let's go do what we can for Auridon."