Chapter 8 In the chamber. Again I've said it from the start that I cannot sing the praises of the mod creators for Relics Of Hyrule and Koriri Valley. I had the time to revisit the mods with reinstalling Skyrim and Clean Slating everything I had before. I am excited to keep this story going as far as I can and I will do this until the journey is done. It has given me such an inspiration lately.

It was cloudy and close to nightfall when we arrived back in Skyrim near Morwitijaal. "Alright…If we tackle Majora now it's less opportunity for a catastrophe if it somehow manages to break the containment of the temple. I'd rather not deal with another moon falling into earth event." Time had told me nonchalantly as if the thought of the entire moon smashing into Skyrim wasn't a big deal. "I'm sorry…The moon doing what?!" I had turned to him and said before looking up at our moon just behind the clouds relieved to see it at the same distance it always was. "Yeah, back when I stumbled upon Termina, the mask had possessed a friend of mine and it coerced him to try and pull the moon down…The song of time worked differently in Termina it actually rolled back the clock so I pretty much lived the same three days for Hylia knows how long before I was able to stop him." Time had said still as if it meant nothing and I could only stare at him and blink.

We were about to walk up the path to the temple before "STOP!" was heard behind us and I screamed…Loudly as Domic had shouted behind us from out of nowhere. I turned and immediately started hitting him, even if it didn't really accomplish anything since his body didn't even budge an inch. "Let me get this straight, you're going to rush in there to fight Majora?" Domic had asked us after I had calmed down from the initial scare. "Yeah, why? I've fought him before." Time had just normally said. "Do you have healing potions? Stamina? Magika? Any supplies that will keep you alive? Do you have illusion resistant enchantments on any of your gear?" Domic had asked looking between us both. "N…No?" I had said looking at Time as if all of that suddenly felt like it was necessary to have on a daily basis and I was just now learning they were useful. "So you idiots just thought…you could run in and tackle one of the most advanced illusionary beings in Hylian existence essentially in your underwear, with no possible way to recover any of your needed skills like your magic if you need to use healing spells or any protection against his illusionary spells?" Domic flatly stated looking at both of us like we were possibly mental cases.

Domic walked us over to his hidden home and walked us down to what looked like an alchemy lab. He was practically ripping things off a book shelf before he held out a book to me. "Alright, this is a book that details how every potion currently on Nirn is created…Don't ask me how long this took." He had told me making me take the book practically angrily shoving it into my hands as he looked at Time. "Next, I have a vast store of health potions and magika regeneration potions I'm going to give you three of each, these are the largest size they'll do the most but you have to really gulp them down." He had said walking over to a cabinet he would take out one bottle and I would store it into my void storage quickly before he pulled out the next and it continued for three red bottles and three blue. "Well if we're going to get into the business of making these…we're going to need a bigger house." Time had mentioned and Domic just kind of moved his head in agreement. "Yeah that little place in Whiterun won't give you much in terms of space for things, you want I should make my way out to Falkreath and call in a favor or two? I think I could get you some land and builders." Domic had asked and Time and I looked between each other. "Actually…that sounds like a perfect idea, thank you uncle…But wouldn't that be a bit expensive?" I had asked him worrying that was asking way too much of someone who didn't seem to want to get too close. "Child I've lived for over a thousand years now, a measly six thousand gold is pocket money not counting the funds to pay the builders. I'll have it built with a green house, armory, an alchemy lab underground with plenty of storage. Practically like here, except I don't have a green house I just collected materials over the years and I know the places to pick." Domic had noted and Time nudged me. "Throw in a forge, and an empty space somewhere and you've got a deal." Time had suggested and Domic looked at him hard.

My ancient uncle straightened himself for a moment as he looked at Time. "What would the empty space be for?" Domic had asked him and Time motioned his head "We're going to need to create a place to seal away artifacts like the mask, keep them from falling into the wrong hands…There's a spell I heard about that can create a sealed room. Get us all that and you've got a deal." Time had said and immediately Domic's red eyes widened. "Deal!" He said simply holding out his hand before we heard thumping on his entryway from the room. "Expecting company?" I had asked him and he put his finger to his lips as we walked towards the front. "Domic…Open up old friend, time we had a chat." A man's voice had said "Stay here, don't speak, keep your breathing quiet." Domic had said before the man actually walked down the stairs and looked at us. "Oh! You had visitors, or is this lunch?" The man had said, the same red eyes and his fangs were more pronounced than Domic's and his face was angular like his skin was pulled tighter against his body. "Stalf…I didn't expect you would come and find me this soon after my request." Domic had said, his hand was on one of his needle swords. "Lord Harkon wanted me to check in with you personally…said he didn't trust why you were seeking the Elder Scroll, you did fake your death after all and suddenly you appear before us and ask if we would know anything about a dragon Elder Scroll? It would be foolish to not call him suspicious of you old friend." Stalf had said with a gleaming predatory smile before his eyes met mine.

Domic made a point to keep himself between me and him. "Just keeping a promise I made before you were brought to court…If you don't have my lead then get out!" Domic raged at the man while I was unsure how to take his appearance here. "Come now Domic, It's not like I'm here to kill you! But our Lord may just be interested in this one." Stalf had said while his smile never left his face, at least until Domic whipped him with the back of his fist, slamming the man's angular skull against the wall. "Touch her, and be sure of this…I will kill you and every insufferable parasite in that court. Or did you forget my weapons and magic can kill all of you?" Domic hissed with a burning fury that took us both off guard. Stalf coughed as Domic held him by the throat "Then why fake your death coward? Why not just do as you say?" Stalf sputtered and spat at his face "Believe me…." Domic started dodging the spit and keeping him pressed to the wall. "I left you all behind because I hated all of it! The squabbling over such petty trifles was embarrassing, But there's only one way out in Harkon's eyes…So I made it seem like I met my end but believe me Stalf…There is no man or pathetic beast that'll kill me." Domic said drawing his needle pointed sword and dragging the blade across Stalf's exposed skin, the sizzling noise and burnt smell told me everything I needed to know. Hylian make weapons were capable of harming vampires, and it made me wonder what the holy blade would do to him.

Domic almost shoved the man against the stairs of his home. "Get out of my sight before I send you back to Harkon in a wine crate, you drunken Pathetic leach! Go lick your master's boot!" Domic hollered, his sword sparked with static as if it was gaining energy. Stalf didn't wait around to find out what would happen and chose to retreat. "What in Hylia's name was that about?" Time scowled at Domic who just sank his sword in the dirt of the small home. "Just some old headache, Don't worry about them." Domic spat and now it was Time's turn as he shoved my ancient uncle to the wall. "If you put her in danger I swe-" Time started before Domic spun him and slammed his fist into his gut "You'll do what traitor? HMM!? Be a sad sack about it for another few centuries? You've put her in more danger than I ever could! Hell just now you two were about to rush blindly against the most skilled illusion user currently on Nirn with nothing but your weapons and apparent lack of wits!" Domic scolded before turning to look at me. "Listen to me girl…Harkon will seek you out eventually for this, do not go to him alone, that bastard would be more than happy to turn you into this nightmare or worse leave you as a husk in that stinking dungeon. He sends someone you come find me and the three of us will go together." Domic ordered and I could only nod as his red eyes seemed brighter. He sighed and the glow seemed to calm down "It's best the two of you leave now…I'll go to Falkreath tonight while the two of you handle Majora…Please be careful in the temple." Domic had said and wordlessly we left, I could tell Time was infuriated on the long walk up the hill towards Morwitijaal.

When we got to the temple…I had almost thrown up when I saw the bodies, one was strung up from a tree and the innards were spilled down the trunk. The other was on the ground, one knife in his back, the other he was holding in his gut still. Time walked over and moved one of their heads. "Something drove this one mad…The other died in horror, was dead before they were strung." Time had said before he walked over to me and covered them from my view. "Come on…just follow my steps, don't look at them." He had told me quietly. We made our way slowly up the stairs until we reached the door Time quickly snapped his hand around my wrist before I could touch it. "WAIT!" He shouted and I jumped a little. "What is it?" I had said looking at the door. "Those people weren't just killed by a psycho…Majora…" Time had said before very cautiously placing his hand on the door, I saw a fuzzy static slowly dissipate from the door. "I thought so….It was bewitched. Whatever has the mask must have crafted an illusion from the inside to grab at your mind when you went to open the temple. It has a crafty way of self preservation." Time noted as he waved his hand through the static until it all fizzled away. We walked in and the air felt heavier, a Miasma much like the bottom of the tower of the gods. "By Hylia…It's so far up here…It's a wonder it hasn't leaked out." Time had mentioned as we struggled to walk forward for a few minutes.

We staggered into a side room and felt like the Miasma lifted for a moment we took a breath. "That thing really doesn't want us in here does it?" I had asked, Time shook his head and we looked around for the source of what could be keeping the Miasma from flooding this room. Time pulled out a fairly ugly looking red mask. "Redead masks….But somehow it's different, there's a carving inside." I looked over his shoulder to read the carvings, it was in an ancient Hylian I couldn't read. "What does it say?" I had asked him, Time just shrugged. "Must be a rune of some kind but these have to be it…Tie it to your hip, I don't trust any masks when Majora could be anywhere." He had said and I did as he asked. Walking the temple felt different then. The Miasma was heavy but it wasn't weighing us down I had to stop every so often to get over the nauseous feeling. We faced draugr and large bats Time had chucked and called Keese. I shrugged it off before we got down to a cavern crypt. Of course as we went along I stored any artifacts as if our storeroom wasn't full of them. After dealing with them I felt the familiar pull of a Triforce piece. But we froze when we saw a Phantom standing near the water, this was different than the ones we were used to seeing, its helmet was gone and a shadow replaced the head, the armor glowed a sickened red and it held a sword unlike what we've seen.

Time leaned over to me. "The Armos gear we just picked up…give it to me." He had said to me, I obeyed and handed over the armor and sword with a shield. He wasted no time getting geared up and he heaved the heavy armor into a full sprint before tackling the phantom into the water. In a panic I ran to the water's edge to look. The water was pitch black, there was no seeing anything beneath until Time surfaced gasping. "It's..Dead…Hylia's Hair…Still can't breathe underwater." He had gasped as I helped him back onto the surface. He was holding a small sack and when he handed it to me I suddenly felt the energy of the Triforce and I undid the sack and took out the piece letting it flow into me. "You've nearly got them all…Well of Our Triforce there's still the Lolian Triforce from Lorule…Progress is Progress I say…" Time still gasped I hit him in the side and he grunted "You are an idiot…what If you couldn't climb out of there in that stone armor?" I had asked him furious as he hauled himself to his feet removing the armor and letting me store it again. "Who knows…I'd probably just go back to my old body or I'd somehow jump into another nearby…Not a test I want to try for fun. It's better than you trying to tackle that thing, had I not worn that armor I'd be dead right now, it fought hard." Time said before he got back up and dove back into the water shortly coming back up with another set of armor on and tossing the sword up. "I'm going to keep the armor on for a while, it's far more durable than mine." He had told me and I rolled my eyes before we made our way quietly back up to find a gate that was down before was now opened.

A scream froze me where I stood and I saw the reddish mask like the ones around our hip as a corpse quickly shambled towards me, two more bearing large red swords ran for me. I couldn't move, I couldn't even talk like all will was stolen from me. I pinched my eyes shut before I heard Time grunt. I opened my eyes to find he had again tackled the enemies ahead of us. The gaze of the red mask broken I snapped to and helped him dispatch the walking dead. "Redead…Their scream and stares paralyze mortals…I guess it doesn't work on me since I'm already…" He had said, I nodded and he helped me up It went on like this for a little while further as we ran through another large crypt full of draugr and skeletons. Time ran forward to dispatch any Redeads and things he called Gibdos, mummified walking corpses. "It's clear…No more Redeads!" He called out to me and I moved on forward collecting any gear we could. I even stumbled upon an old urn with Sheikah garb and some throwing knives inside, I would have to give them to Domic once we were done here. "Thanks…" I told Time and he patted my back "It's best that you don't get paralyzed by them again My Lady." He told me as we walked forward into what looked like a small underground forest.

All air left my body as something thudded against my chest and knocked me on my back. Pain seared through my body and I tried to gasp in a breath clawing at whatever it was to feel a wooden shaft sticking from the right side of my chest. "KOTERA!" Time shouted before looking up and side stepping before he flashed forward sinking his sword into a few shadows in my vision as I was in and out before Time was clearer kneeling next to me. Time heaved me into his arms and air rushed back into my body, I whimpered and gasped as something was ripped out of me while time was uncorking one of the healing potions. "Here drink." I started drinking the potion as quick as I could, whimpering as the wound slowly closed and my body felt hot as the potion worked. "Quit your whining…It's not like you hadn't been impaled before you big baby…Goddess if you're whining this much I'd hate to see what you're like when you take a man home." Time had said keeping me close while my body recovered and at that I tried to punch him. He caught my hand obviously and told me to keep still so everything seals correctly.

When I was back to my senses I staggered and walked forward ripping the crossbow from the arms of the corpse, its open red eyes told me everything I needed to know, it was a vampire…But it was like a redguard but not quite as dark. "Is that…A Gerudo how in Hylia's name did she get here? It must have been driven mad going without blood for so long if that was a vampire." Time had said before we looked to the other form on the floor. "Ah…A regular Hylian vampire, this one was driven mad by the mask. Aren't you glad I told you not to put it on?" He had told me and I just glared at him, still mad about the earlier jab. "That armor is toast…Put on a different set over there we'll take your set to be repaired when we get out." Time had told me and I pulled out an old Hylian blades armor from the void storage slipping it over my ripped shirt before stepping out from around the corner. "It suits you…Come on, let's press on." He had said before we were stopped by three gates. "Damn…" Time had said and I pointed at a Lever with an eagle overtop. "Try that." I had said sitting down against the wall, he ran over and flipped the switch, the far gate snapping open. "S…Stay here, I'll circle back where we came from and see if I can open the others." Time had mentioned as he ran off. The other two gates then slammed open next to me and I staggered to my feet just as he reached me.

Time patted my back again. "How are you feeling?" He had asked me, I rolled my neck "Like I got hit by a runaway horse…I'll be alright, I'm glad Domic gave us those…I never really thought I'd need the potions I found before so I just stashed them at home." I had told him, Time chortled for a second "Yeah well, thank Hylia's golden hair that man got pissed at us and stopped us before we stumbled in here or you'd no longer be with us." He had told me as we walked in to a giant mist fallen arena. The thudding told us something big was walking around. "No…It can't be." Time had muttered looking out, we saw a Giant lumbering its way around in the water ahead. "How did that thing even get down here?" I had asked and time shrugged before pulling out a bow. "I'm not risking you fighting this thing…In my bag there's a few arrows, hand me one of them." He asked me I did as he said and found a bone white arrow before handing it to him. "You wanted to know what I was doing with those dragon bones…well." Time said drawing back the bow. The arrow soared and went completely through the giants head and the lumbering mass slammed into the water face first. "I made some arrows out of some of them….They pack quite a punch." Time had said and the mist quickly cleared, the body leaving things behind that I went and picked up. A gem, a key, and a note. I felt sick picking up the gem and my head for a moment thundered pulling me to a direction.

I followed my gut and we walked into a circular hall to a newly opened door. A large mammoth rampaged around bumping into everything. "Damn Majora…He's recreated the four masks as beasts…That's what this was." Time muttered and we agreed upon a strategy, Time waved and shouted at the mammoth grabbing its rage while I ran up and with the Master Sword in hand I cleaved its back legs, the sword slid through as if it was fighting a dragon. Perhaps the blade had a use in the temples, knowing its destiny is to cleanse them as well as purge the dragons. It didn't take us long to rinse and repeat the next two rooms once we found out the Master Sword was heavily affecting the creatures, it cleaved and slashed its way through them like cutting parchment. Though it wasn't easy we did defeat them with some injuries. I had been thrown against the walls a few times and Time was hurled around like a ragdoll before we were finally done and making our way to the center room.

We both drank the health potions and made our way down the stairs. Twitching a little as the burn of the potions healed our bodies. We took a moment to catch our breaths from the fighting. "He's next…Majora…Please tell me you're ready for this?" Time had asked me, I nodded holding up the Master Sword. "He's never faced this right? It should make quick work of whatever body the mask is attached to…" I had said as we walked through the door, to a short hallway blocked off with a gate. Dark heinous energy was leaking around uncontrollably, climbing the walls, slithering across the floor. We opened the gate and walked into the circular room. I looked up and saw hundreds of coffins. "What in Oblivion?" I had asked before the water beneath our feet exploded out. I was met face to face with those orange hate filled eyes as I was pinned to the wall by some kind of specter. I couldn't move, it was pinning my wrists and hissing something I couldn't even understand. Electricity was digging through my body as it flowed from the floating body. The heart shaped mask was beating like it had a pulse. Suddenly I could understand it. "Hopeless girl…You think you could save your land? Put to rest that which Alduin has devoured? Foolish little girl…Nothing but a crying child in the dark." It had said and suddenly I was in nothing but blackness. I walked around and felt small, until I looked around at myself and found that I was indeed. I looked like I was ten.

My breathing became quicker as I ran and tried to call out to anyone, but my voice felt muffled. I tripped over something and when I looked back, all the pain in the world couldn't match what I felt as I looked at the forms of my parents, dead in horror. We were suddenly in my family house. My parents piled on top of one another in a pool of blood. Thalmor stood over them wiping their blades off on their clothes before putting them away. "The Hylian's are dead…we should return home, wouldn't want to stick around when the guards arrive…They'll think some bandit broke in." One of them had laughed "Yeah, wait till that girl gets word of this, bet that brat will cry, she'll be out of our hair that's for sure! Won't be long till her grief makes her too weak to fight back…And do I have plans for her if I catch her." The other said with a sly smile before they walked out.

I knelt over the bodies gripping them tight and I finally was able to sob out a cry that wasn't muffled. "I..I'm sorry…I failed you…" I began to say before I was hearing something off in the distance. I couldn't tear my eyes away from my mother's face. I heard her voice just after then "Rotten girl…Wish she had never existed! Some half breed brat…What was I thinking not sneaking away and throwing her to the wolves the first chance I got after recovering…Just tell Duris that someone must have stolen her away in the night." The voice said, I shook my head at the words and I couldn't stop sobbing. "No…She'd never say that to me..NEVER!" I screamed and I heard another voice scoff "The urchin is having another damned nightmare…I swear it's every night, I'll never get a good nights sleep again unless I smother the child." My father's voice grumbled and scoffed, I covered my ears and cried, curled in a ball I couldn't take it anymore as their voices kept haunting me with hatred and disgust. Suddenly I heard Time's voice "Kotera Kilyerd, AWAKEN!" Suddenly I was pulled out of the dark and back into the chamber we were in. "What?" the mask had said looking back at Time. "That's it…You pathetic Coward! LOOK AT ME!" Time shouted and my strength was returning. While the mask was distracted I slammed my head against the exposed head behind the mask and the creature shrieked in pain dropping me before it whipped back to look at me. This time I looked down away from the mask just at its body. My world spun for a moment before the focus was suddenly back. "KEEP LOOKING AT ME YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF WOOD! I'M RIGHT HERE! WE STARTED THIS AND I'LL FINISH IT BY HYLIA!" Time screamed in fury as he leapt for the spirit grabbing the mask. "NOW OR NEVER!" I heard him yell as he kept a hold of it. I ran forward and plunged the blade into its heart as deep as I could.

Time was thrown back the mask in his hands as the body writhed under my blade and dissipated dropping a key into the water. I collapsed to the floor crying and sniffling and Time was quick to come to my side. "Kotera you're okay…None of what you saw was real…Hey, c'mon kid…Don't start getting all weepy now." Time had said rubbing my back, I couldn't stand it, I threw my arms around him and he just sighed and sat with me. "Alright…get it all out of your system." He said softly, and I did, I don't know how long I cried for, I told him what I saw in between my sobs and he just sat there with me telling me it was alright. He finally got me to calm down and I stood up and we walked into the next room, I was expecting to see another ancestor there but what was there was odd. A large blue and green helix blade was jammed into a pedestal and just below was a broken mask with white hair and face tattoos, it looked like the mask had been broken in three places. "The Fierce Deity…Take up the sword Kotera." Time had said shoving Majora's mask into his bag roughly. I reached out and grabbed the hilt and suddenly everything was black again.

I started hyperventilating again as I looked around in the pitch blackness. Then I saw those hateful eyes again. "You're mine now scared little girl!" The wicked voice of Majora said. I screamed as loud as I could running forward to it and it rushed at me, the mask was suddenly five times my size and suddenly I was on my back in the chamber again, holding the large sword in my grasp. Time was shaking me roughly. "Kotera!? Kotera wake up!" Time had said and I shot up nearly head butting him. "Hey Hey, easy!" He said noticing my breathing was heavy again. "H…He bewitched the sword…I..I saw him again." I managed to gasp out. "Bring the sword here young hero…" I heard a man's voice say, the calm tone somehow put me immediately at ease. I stood to face a handsome looking man with sapphire blue eyes like mine and brownish hair. It was easy to tell he was a Hylian, and that he was an incarnation of the hero. I did as he asked and walked over holding out the sword. The spirit ran his fingers over it humming quietly and I felt the miasma of the entire temple ease and dissipate. "There…All better now?" He had asked me, I nodded and my face must have been completely red. "Mentor…it's good to see you as well." The man had said nodding to Time "I…I remember you! You're that boy who I taught as a spirit to fight, the Hero of Twilight they called you." Time had said and the man nodded "Yes…I am the Hero Of Twilight…I guess since we're all called link you may call me Twili…Like you call the Hero of Wind, Winds." Twili had said, I nodded and took up the mask from before, "The mask of the Fierce God is broken, its pieces aren't too scattered though, they're actually hidden away out in the wild beyond this temple…Ask the old one to help you, he can locate the piece he hid." Twili had told me and I looked to him confused.

He tapped under his eye "I can see your past Kotera…Your ancient uncle was the one that hid a piece of the mask, Ilgrad your forefather hid the other far away from his eyes." Twili had told me and I sat down on the floor looking up at him. "Yes, your family is okay…None of what you saw was real, it was an illusion created by Majora using your fear. I suggest sealing that mask away then returning here for all of the things you missed in this temple. I will leave a chest for you near the entrance when I've completed my search." Twili had told me and I stood up, before I could ask he turned around again. "You wish to know the ability I am to give you much like how Winds gave your healing a boost…Well, this ability is single use only…I will let you speak with One of the dead for a single hour to ask whatever questions you have…But that's it, It cannot be anything other than those who are of our Hylian blood and it MUST be done here in this part of the temple. The more permanent ability will come from that completed mask, however take heed Kotera…The Fierce Deity is a mask that can't wake in the mortal realm, it is just a mask here." Twili was quick to list off, I was more worried about my parents at the moment and I knew who I needed to visit to ensure they would be left alone.

I bowed to Twili. "Thank you ancestor…I am sorry if I am a little distracted." I had told him and he put up his hand. "Think nothing of it, you were just shown your worst fears made manifest, I understand you're coming to terms with all of that, please by all means go get some fresh air." He had waved to the portal at the far end. Time put his arm around me and we walked out, he was right in assuming that would help me calm down. We were back in that side room, but the entire Miasma was gone, however strangely we could hear bustle of a town deep in the temple as if something was active. "That's so weird…" Time had said before we walked out of the temple to find Domic climbing the steps. "Thank Hylia! What happened in there? The two of you were gone for three days!" Domic shouted coming to my side, Time and I looked at each other. "Domic we only just went in a couple hours ago…" Time had noted and Domic shook his head "You two were in there for three days, I kept poking my head in to shout for you but there was no response, and you're wearing different armor the both of you? Come to my home, we need to talk about all this." Domic had said and I shook my head. "Time go with him, I need to…Go check on things." I had said, Time looked at me concerned "My Lady…Is going alone really wise after what you went through?" He had asked me and Domic looked at him furiously for a moment.

I nodded and looked at them both and it's like Domic got a hint. "Yes…" I told him and Time just squeezed my shoulder before he let me go. "Be safe My Lady." Time had said before I sent myself to New Hyrule. "ELDIN!" I shouted loudly my throat still hoarse. "Yes child?" The hawk like spirit asked next to me. "I need to know…Is it possible to bring my parents here since they share my blood? I need to plan an emergency escape for them if the Thalmor decide to take matters into their own hands." I had asked the spirit and it looked me in the eyes. "It may be possible…To the pool before the temple." It had said flapping its wings and appearing at the pool. I hurriedly walked over to the shimmering golden light of the pool that sat before the temple. "Draw thy blood and speak your intention. Then reach in and find healing." Eldin had said, I hesitantly drew a knife from my void storage I kept stopping before the blade touched my skin. "You hesitate…What is the matter child?" It had asked me I fell to my knees for a moment. "I..I'm afraid spirit..I want to do this for their safety, I have to do this for their safety. But I..Find myself terrified of the pain." I had said to the spirit looking up at it, it craned its head. "Hmm…You were shown a possible outcome and a fallacy at the same time. Your eyes are full of sadness and fear. Tell me child what has transpired?" It had asked me and I explained the close call with Majora and what the mask had shown me. "I see…Tainted Majora clawed your spirit like a ravenous beast…Then more than this small task is needed undress and lay thyself in the pool and heal thine spirit." Eldin had commanded, I looked up at the spirit and it tilted its head in question. "Still you hesitate?" It had asked and I shook my head. "Can it be Lanayru to be by my side…She might be able to understand." I had asked and the spirit bowed its head before vanishing, a moment later Lanayru burst from the small pond and looked to me, her orb in her mouth.

I sighed and my shoulders dropped "What is it child?" She asked me and I shook my head "I didn't want a male spirit seeing me like this." I had said before explaining the circumstance "Ah, You hold your modesty in high regard, no matter if this is what helps you." She had said and I did as Eldin said I undressed and sank into the pool, I shuddered and gasped from the coldness of the water for a moment before I was completely sunk to my shoulders. I closed my eyes and I could feel warmth quickly leap into my body a gasp and a twitch leapt from my voice. "Do not fight it…" Lanayru said and I tried to relax, it was a strange feeling, almost like the water was trying to push in through the holes of my skin. I suddenly burst into tears again and sobbed for a few moments, Lanayru remained quiet for a time before all feeling slipped away and I sat up feeling a little lighter, albeit I also crossed my arms over my chest and decided to depart from the pool. I shivered and a moment later it was as if I never dipped into the water. My body was dry once again and I dressed before turning back to the pool. "Thank you for the company spirit…I wasn't sure I could do it alone but I couldn't have the others here." I had said to her and she bowed her mighty head "That is our duty, to assist you. Now, are you prepared to cast the blood spell?" She had asked and I nodded once again taking the knife in my hand and piercing my finger with the tip, my blood welled and dropped into the pool.

Lanayru glowed brilliantly for a moment. 'Whosoever shares kinship with this blood may they be granted entry into this golden land! May those who wish it harm be cast from their shells into the shadow where they belong and let this glorious land remain a haven!" She called out and the land shook, I wasted no time plunging my hand into the water for it to heal when the quake was done. My blood didn't even change the color of the pool in the slightest, as if it quickly absorbed it. "It is done..those who share your blood may freely come and go with your company of course, there is a house in the valley that will be prepared for visitors." Lanayru had said and I stood and bowed to the spirit. "Thank you again spirit…" I had said and it just nodded before it vanished. I took a few deep breaths before willing myself directly to Solitude.

It was now daylight and I was on a mission. Nothing would get in my way as I made my way to the main Imperial outpost. The guard went to stop me and I shoved him out of the way. I made my way into the war room where Tullius was standing still looking over his war map. "Kotera…To what do I owe the pleasure of the Dragonborn's company?" The man had said looking up to me as the guard rushed in behind me to apologize to Tullius. "It's no issue…She has free reign to come to speak to me, pass that message to the other door guards at shift change." The old warhorse said before the boy marched back out. "Where is she?" I said in a stone tone. Tullius looked at me "Who are you looking for exactly?" He had asked me. "Elenwen…I have a bone to pick with the Thalmor." I had said furiously and Tullius' hand rested on his sword. "You're not here to cause harm to her are you?" He had asked me and I shook my head "If I was, I wouldn't be bothering talking to you, I'd have just cut my way through to her, as much distaste as I have for the Thalmor right now it's a problem that needs talked out." I had told him, I don't think he was much convinced but he nodded sending a soldier to retrieve Elenwen.

We waited for a few minutes before the high elf woman walked into the room. "What is the meaning of this summons? Ahh…Dragonborn…To what do I owe the pleasure of being summoned?" She had said in her disgusted tone. "You're going to tell your cronies to keep their big yellow noses out of Hylian business." I said sternly and she scoffed "Excuse me?" She said and I straightened "You heard me; I know you've been giving your troops orders to investigate into the ruins of Morwitijaal and Kinolangdanzel. They are trespassing on Hylian ground and I am not going to stand for it anymore. If your idiots would have somehow managed to release what was trapped inside Morwitijaal before I had just dealt with it, those morons would have effectively released something that makes this dragon problem a field of flowers!" I shouted at her slamming my hand on the table, Tullius actually jumped for a moment. "That's a pretty grave accusation; you'd best have the proof to back it up." She had said to me and I walked up to her and looked her in the eyes. "Your idiots spoke your name specifically before the temple sage of Kinolangdanzel frightened them off, now I'm not going to have them snooping around Morwitijaal even if the threat is dealt with for the moment. At first I shrugged off the offense because your cronies are a few ingredients short of a sweet roll. But after what Time told me about Majora…You're lucky it didn't get out."

It was Tullius' turn to talk. "Wait…You're certain whatever was in those temples you call them…Is actually worse than the dragons?" Tullius asked me I nodded "Back in Time's life, he once faced Majora, a bewitched mask, the thing thought it would be hilarious to drop the moon onto the planet. I think that outranks this dragon problem." I had said, Tullius sighed "By the divines…I can't hardly believe.." He had started before I interrupted him "Yeah I didn't either but when the realization that Time wasn't just messing with me I thought it prudent after we dealt with Majora to come give this one a lecture." I said pointing to Elenwen who still scoffed at me. "Hylians…What a front, we are investigating why our people are going missing around those places!" She had almost growled her response. "You're full of it, and if you want an explanation on why it seems to make your soldiers end up as corpses, They killed each other after they touched the doorway. Majora is a master of illusions…I know firsthand, I saw its handiwork myself and what it does to others. It drove two bandits mad and made one gut the other and hang them from a tree outside the temple before coaxing them to kill themselves too. One day I will answer any questions about the Hylian temples but for now, Stay Away from them or else I'll tell the sages who are my ancestors to show no mercy and dispatch any trespassers." I threatened and the woman straightened her back immediately. "This is an act of war!" She had grumbled.

Tullius raised his hand. "She has every right to protecting those temples…Kotera if what you say is true, then I will make sure they shall not interfere…If you want I can try and send soldiers to assist if necessary?" Tullius had asked me, I shook my head "My ancestors are capable of creating their own soldiers Winds creates Phantoms…I'm not sure what Twili has up his sleeves yet but I'm sure it's sufficient. I just need everyone to stay away from the temples, I have no idea where the third is but when I do know I'll be sure to deal with it at my convenience…For now I have to run another errand before I get back to our problem with the dragons. My contact should have a new lead by now, we were apparently in Morwitijaal for three days." I had said before promptly returning to New Hyrule and subsequently my room back home. I sprinted from my door to the horror of my Mother who nearly jumped out of her skin. "By the divines Kotera don't do that to me! If you're going to be able to teleport like that at least go to the front do-" I hugged her before she could finish her sentence. "You guys would tell me if I was trouble for you right?" I had asked her and she just pulled me tight against her "Of course dear. You were never any trouble to us." She had said softly to me before we pulled apart. "I was such a brat though…" I had said to her and she laughed "Sweetie that's just childhood, growing up you're supposed to be a nightmare to your parents, especially as an only child. Did we get angry and punish you? Of course there were plenty of those times. But we wouldn't give them up for the whole world." She had said grabbing my hand, I sighed in relief that Majora's illusion was just lies. "Listen…I need to discuss something with both of you." I had said and we both walked out to see my father stoking the fire. "Ah, look who it is!" he had said pulling me into a hug it took everything in my will not to break down again.

I sat and talked with them about making them an escape route to New Hyrule should the Thalmor ever come snooping around for them. I gave them all the details that now my blood was given I had commanded the realm to open to them specifically. They agreed with me and my Mother stood up. "Why don't we take a little trip there now and see for ourselves?" I smiled and agreed and we all held hands and appeared in New Hyrule. We were just outside of the temple when I looked at my mother who was awestruck, both of my parents were speechless and Lanayru had poked her head out again. "Welcome back..Ah, I see you have brought your blood kin. Welcome to Hyrule." She had said bowing her head to my parents "W..We are honored to be here Great Spirit!" Father had said bowing himself. I thought I heard Lanayru laugh before she vanished again. I spent time walking my parents around Hyrule for the day, taking them inside the temple, to the upper shrine, the open field and to the clearing where now a few houses stood silent and empty. "I assume that is our little escape cabin? Why not look inside?" Father had said and we laughed and went in, there was a table with chairs inside, and upstairs even had a couple beds. "By Hylia those spirits work fast…" I had said getting a chuckle out of my father. "That's spirits, they can do anything they please…" My father said, and it gave me an idea. "Faron!" I had called out and the monkey spirit appeared near us. "What can I do for you?" It had asked tilting its head side to side, it must have looked so strange to my parents.

I took a deep breath and calmed myself "Is it possible to create a conduit for my parents to use to travel between their home and here in Hyrule?" I had asked it and the spirit quickly appeared in front of the two holding out his hand. My parents looked at the spirit with a little bit of fear. "Your hands…Please." It asked them and reluctantly they held out each hand. Rings appeared on their index fingers "Your request has been fulfilled…Call upon the power of these rings and you can travel here and back at your leisure." The spirit had said before floating back over to me. "Anything else, O Child Of Dragons?" It had asked me leaning in close. "Please explain to them how it works." I had told it and it sighed and turned to them. "Simply touch the rings with your other hand and speak the phrase 'Skyward' And you will be transported to the same marker your daughter has left here. Utter 'Bring The Light To Land' And you will be conveyed back to the marker of your choosing in your home." The spirit had said before looking to me. "Thank you Faron, you have been a tremendous help in ensuring my families safety." I had told it and it nodded and vanished. "Very rude that one…" Mother had commented and I laughed. "Alright, it's time to take you both home…" I had said and we all held hands again and I transported us home and hugged both of my parents. "I love you both so much…" I had told them and they just hugged me tight against them. "We love you too Kotera…Have a safe journey and visit often if you can." Mother had said before I transported back to Hyrule, and then to Domic's home to find it quiet. "Uncle?" I had called out, nothing but quiet, I walked around for a little and didn't find them until I went outside and the two of them were standing and talking. "Oh, there you are." I had said and Time was quick to snap around. "My Lady! Good to see you've returned, we have excellent news to share with you!" Time had said coming to my side immediately, Domic hesitated though before he too walked up.

Time had explained that Domic learned the location of the Dragon scroll deep in a Dwemer ruin, and that the Jarl of Falkreath had agreed to grant us land, they were waiting for me to return to take me to the building site. We walked there and talked, it wasn't fairly far from either Falkreath or the Mountain Pass into Hyrule, it overlooked the lake and it looked gorgeous. The building however was still under construction and the team had left for the day. "There is only one set of bad news though." Domic said before handing me a large bag full of gold. "I will need you to handle the pay of the workers; I give each worker a thousand for a day of work, they were more than happy to accept this. I scrounged the coins for the whole project." He had told me and I just laughed "How is that bad news? I don't mind coming here to do so, you picked such a beautiful spot." I had said and he shook his head "They were quite cross that they had to wait to meet with me at night, this will make it so at the end of each work day for them they get paid before they go home. You'll be back and forth quite a lot." Domic had explained and I shrugged "Uncle this isn't a big deal, anything for this project, I'm just glad you got them to agree to it." I had said and he nodded. "Head to Alftand and from blackreach deep beneath to the tower of Mzark. The elder scroll is held there I gather by the time you return the building project will be complete." Domic had said and I learned why he thought that was bad news.

I sighed and patted his shoulder. "Uncle I can just have Lydia deliver payments, she'll want something to do after so long. But for now I have another question…Where did you hide your piece of the Fierce Deity mask?" I had asked him pulling the broken mask from my void storage. We walked for two hours until we found a secluded tree by its lonesome in a forest. Time made quick work of the dig and suddenly the broken piece of mask shot to its other half and for just a moment the mask began to glow and I almost felt the essence of the last piece, but it too quickly faded in the west. "I may have to ask Twili to let me speak to Ilgrad…I'm going to need that mask if I'm going to stand a chance against Alduin." I had said, Time just nodded and for the night we went home to tell Lydia everything.

She was cross, of course because we had been gone for days. It took her some time to calm down before we were able to tell her everything that transpired, we didn't plan that the temple acted like a pocket, that we felt like we were only in the temple for a few hours until Domic had told us it had been three days, that frightened the woman who couldn't possibly imagine something like that. After a while Time had called me over to the main room after I was finished putting some of the artifacts we found away, our storeroom was feeling the weight and it was beginning to show and I hope the new house will be able to handle all we find. I went out to time and he pushed me down onto a chair. "Hey!" I had protested and started getting back up, he put his hand on my shoulder "Stay there…You're going to listen to me." He had said and I settled back down. "You've been far too reckless, you almost died several times alone in the past few weeks. You need to train in more than just your swordplay…Which is why…I'm going for the scroll alone and you'll be staying on the surface training with Lydia and Domic. Lydia during the day, your uncle during the night before you sleep." He had said to me, I shot up from the chair. "NO, I can't have you go alone, what if something happens to you?!" I protested but he only shoved me back down. "And what if something happens to you?! Blast it Kotera I can't have you breaking down again like you did fighting Majora! As you are, granted you have our inborn talent for using a sword and shield, there's no denying you CAN fight, but you're nowhere near good enough or reflexive enough." He lectured me pointing his finger at me angrily.

This was coming from thoughts he had kept back, and it was a palpable feeling of worry I had been ignoring. "We don't have time to sit on our butts for me to train and be like you! Alduin plans on destroying this world like he did Hyrule, we're running out of time!" I had interjected and he shook his head. "No, I know we don't have much time and I hate saying that alone…But it's become quite clear that you're not fully ready. Knowing such I already talked with Domic about it, and Lydia and both are going to take your training into their hands while I go and hunt down this scroll, I have a much better chance because I've seen more battle than you ever have…I've saved your life countless times already just these past few days alone. You're a mortal, I'm not, I'm going, you're staying and taking time to train, go to Sky Haven temple and stay there for the next few days, they have a training ground perfect for you. I've told Domic about it and he agreed. You'll be able to jump down to where our new house is going to be just fine with your teleportation to pay our builders until that project is finished. End of discussion." Time said furiously and I could do nothing but sit and listen to him, any protest was met with a harsh tone. I don't know what was making him so hostile. It probably didn't help that I stormed off like some upset teenager afterwards. I stayed in my room the rest of the night after that, I heard him and Lydia talking about the discussion that maybe he was too hard, but Time disagreed and said it was just harsh enough for a wakeup call and he wasn't going to lose me because I was being an overconfident child.

By morning he had set out and here I was stuck getting ready to travel with Lydia. Though I guess I can say it's a blessing Sky Haven Temple is easy to travel to. We made our way to our building crew giving them their gold for the day. "Ah, we were almost expecting Domic again, is this project for you?" The lead man had asked me "Yes, my uncle purchased this all for me, he gave me the rest of the funds to pass during the day since he is quite busy." I had explained to him. "Domic is a good man, pays well too but if you ask me it seems like it's a little bit of an overpay to give us all a thousand gold each…" The man had told me, we talked about how Domic just wanted to be sure things were done on a serious degree to his specifications and that maybe the high pay was incentive.

We departed directly after and we went for Sky Haven Temple the rest of the day. Lydia was actually a comfort to talk to, mainly about things I can't tell Time. The girl talk was a relief from the normal keeping my worries held back. She cursed me that Elves don't have a bleed cycle and I shrugged saying it was probably for the better. "Could you imagine if I did and got as punch happy as you? I'd probably have gotten myself killed…Time would have really been angry then." I had said and Lydia laughed "Well he's only worried about you, whatever happened in that place you two went into must have scared some wits into him. But I see where he's coming from, you can't only rely on your ancestral instincts in fighting…The training will be good for you, I promise." She had told me putting her hand on my shoulder. "It's way easier to talk with you than it is him." I had said out loud to her and she just started laughing. "Well, I would assume so, you're what, twenty seven? Most women that age are worried about marriage before their time is up but you.." She had noted out "Are more worried about killing the most revered dragon in Nirn history while also trying to put my ancestral land to rest to awaken the new? Yeah, not exactly opportunities to be a woman, I can't imagine having kids either that seems so outlandish…Like what if they end up being able to use shouts? That'll be scary." I had said and we both started laughing talking about Babies with the inborn talent for dragon shouts.

It was a nice change of pace for me, normally all I talk about with Time is what we're accomplishing that day or small talk about how I feel about all this during the quest. Granted I do normally talk to him, he's like an older brother to me. We talk life every so often and he tells me stories about his past but I feel like our bond is a different breed. We're close because we share the same kind of mindset as the quiet fighter. Part of me does feel he tries not to get too close but I see that slip every day, especially it slipped in the temple, he was terrified for me and that lecture he gave me was proof of how much he cared about me. We reached the inside of Sky Haven temple to find Delphine and Esbern eating at the table. "Dragonborn? To what do we owe the pleasure of a visit?" Esbern asked me as the both of them stood at a soldiers attention as if I was some kind of leader to them. "Is there enough beds for Lydia and I? Time has given me the sacred duty of needed training…As much as I'd prefer to have gone with him he insisted I come here instead and train with my weapons and skills." I had explained everything to them and they happily welcomed me into the great hall and we all sat down to eat.

My training would begin the next day and hopefully Time wouldn't be gone terribly long, I could still feel our connection so I didn't worry too much about his safety. But I worried what he would find down there and wondered if I should have refused to let him go alone.

I hope that wasn't Too dark for everyone to enjoy, though you can probably see where my style is kind of shifting again compared to my previous chapters.