Chapter 65: The Cold Embrace of Knowledge
The masked man walked up to Emilia and examined her, grabbing her cheek, as if that would help him identify her. "You are not Satella. How... strange."
"Oi, creeper, back the fuck up," Subaru growled.
The Dragonborn, without missing a beat, responded by shooting a beam of light through Subaru's stomach, which caused Emilia to gasp at the injury. "SUBARU!"
Mirrak returned to examining the half-elf, as if he didn't just hurt Subaru."How disappointing. You have slain barely any dragons. You gained your shouts from simple handouts."
"Oww…" the Japanese man groaned.
Miraak then turned to Subaru, and his tone clearly portrayed an underline of venom. "And you... you are just as disappointing as I remember. How vindicating... and infuriating."
"Leave him alone, you bully!" the silver-haired half-elf shouted. And while Emilia did try to move, the paralysis made any effort a moot point.
Miraak released his hold on Emilia's cheek, and chuckled. "Once I return to Nirn, I will complete what you could not, then... I will reduce Ali'rasi and Tamriel to ash and ruin."
"Don't you FUCKING DARE!" Subaru roared.
Miraak crackled with lightning for a moment before it disappeared. "While I would love nothing more than to torture you until you go Hollow, my master has informed me that you are to remain... somewhat sane."
"Master? You're some kind of lapdog?"
"I refuse to indulge in your mindless banter… Dragonborn."
"Huh?" Emilia wondered what the asshole wanted with her now.
Miraak, despite not being able to see his face or eyes, she had a good feeling he was looking right into her soul. "I do look forward to determining whether or not you will live up to your title. However…"
Suddenly, the mage released his magic as an aura which spread out like a raging, golden inferno that was many times larger than his actual body. The raw magical aura overwhelmed both of them. By Subaru's estimates just from what he was feeling, Miraak's power felt comparable to Reinhard and Satella. Such a revelation made him pale with the only fitting emotion being dread.
"You have no idea of the true power a Dragonborn can wield."
Fear. That was the emotion Emilia was feeling at this very moment. A primal fear that forced her to stay completely still and utter small squeals of horror. "Ah… ah… ah…"
There was no doubt now. This was Miraak. The First Dragonborn.
Suddenly, multiple squid-like humanoids appeared while Miraak restrained his magic.
"Send these two back to Mundus. They can await my arrival." That was all Miraak said before he turned around and walked away.
Subaru screamed, "OH, NO, YOU DON'T —"
BOOM!
They were suddenly blasted with strange, magical waves…
…and sent back to Nirn.
Subaru and Emilia gasped as they found themselves back in the eldritch room, with the others watching them in worry and concern. The Black Book then retracted its tentacles and closed.
"What happened?!" Aela shouted.
"I…" Emilia opened her mouth. "I don't know…"
"Could you describe it?" Solaire asked.
Subaru gave a quick summary of what just happened. "Eldritch dimension, got paralyzed by a masked asshole, who's apparently the guy we're looking for, and he wants to come back and destroy the world..."
"So, just another Tuesday," Siegmeyer deadpanned.
Subaru shook his head, trying to convey the gravity of the situation. "No, this is different... that guy... Miraak... He may be as strong as Satella."
"WHAT?!" This shook a great fear into Frea. The being who is terrorizing her people held equal power to the Witch of Envy…?
Emilia shakily nodded her head. "We felt it... he's... that's…" No words seemed to be fitting for what she felt.
"Then we have no time to waste!" Erik shouted.
"Right... we need to find out what the hell this book is," Subaru said.
"Any ideas?" Solaire asked.
"...My father may know something," Frea said.
"Then let's go talk to him," Subaru growled.
Given the urgency of the matter, the group made their way out the temple and back to the village as fast as they could. As Frea called out of her, "FATHER!"
As it turned out, that plan worked, given that Storn came out of his house to investigate what was going on, only to see the adventurers and his daughter. "Frea! Have you found anything?"
"Quite a lot, actually…" the blonde woman said.
"Please, tell me," Storm said, as the black-haired man, Subaru, spoke up.
"Do you know anything about a cursed book housing the spirit of Miraak, sir?"
Storm looked perplexed at that kind of question. "A cursed book...?"
"Yeah, like, you touch it and a bunch of tentacles sprout out, dragging you in."
Emilia shows Storn the book they found. The chieftain felt a chill go down his spine as he laid eyes on the book. "By the All-Maker... I can sense its dark nature... but I have no knowledge of such a book."
"Well, what can you tell us?" Aela asked.
"I cannot tell you anything about this book... but I believe I can direct you to someone who might," Storn said to the non-amusement and impatience of a certain ex-Sage.
"Great. Who is it?"
"The Dark Elf wizard, Neloth. He lives to the south of Solstheim. He came to us when the All-Maker Stones were first corrupted, asking about strange tomes that may be connected to the corruption." Everyone soon drew a connection to the wizard they met in Raven Rock.
"…Of course it's that fucking guy," Subaru groaned.
"Well... at least we know where to look," Solaire said.
"Small mercies," Erik said.
Frea spoke up to the others. "I will stay with the village. See if you can find this wizard and get answers."
"Mm!" Emilia nodded furiously. "Will do!"
"Alright gang," Subaru said, sighing. "Let's head south."
"Right!" Erik cheered.
Storn intervened, seeing they were about to run off when it was dusk. "I do not believe it would be best to head south right now. Night is approaching quickly, and werebeasts roam the forests."
"Do we even have the time to spare?" Aela asked.
"Well, this thing has been going on for months. What's one more night?" Subaru said, after a quick internal debate, but Emili wasn't too sure about that.
"But what about Miraak?"
"Well, he's still stuck wherever that is. That's probably why the people are being mind controlled to make those structures around the stones, to help him come back." It did make sense to Subaru. The likely had a couple weeks before Miraak could return.
"…We leave first thing tomorrow," Emilia said.
"Of course. Please, follow me." Storn led them to a dining hall where they could stay for the time being, with the group taking in the sights, and Aela even letting out a low whistle.
"Nice little place they have here…"
Emilia couldn't help but nod in agreement. "Yeah…"
"Come on, let's go to our rooms," Subaru said.
Agreeing with their leader, everyone headed for their rooms. But before Emilia could go into her room, she was approached by Frea. "Emilia, may I ask you something?"
Emilia raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Uhh, sure."
Frea tried to find the best way to ask her question. "Your blades... you created them with your magic, did you not?"
"…I did," the half-elf said. "What of it?"
"May I see one?"
I don't see why not…" Emilia obliged and created another ice sword to give to Frea, who started examining it, as the half-elf jokingly said. "Well? Like what you see?"
"Incredible…"
"Eh? Really?" Emilia honestly didn't expect that.
Frea immediately looked back up to Emilia. "I will return in the morning, I will need to take this to our blacksmith."
"But… it's ice…" Emilia didn't understand what the sudden interest with her ice was.
"I know, but there's something I need to confirm."
"Alright…" Frea walked out the door while Emilia went to her room.
That... was weird.
The next day, Emilia yawned as she got out of bed and got ready to head out of her room. Opening the door, she saw that Subaru was coming out into the corridor, too.
"Morning, Subaru."
"It sure is morning…" he grumbled.
Emilia recognized that tone of his. "Are you... okay?"
"Fine. Just stayed up all night trying to figure out how to deal with Miraak."
"Oh... well, don't worry. We'll figure something out."
"Yeah, we kinda have to," Subaru chuckled.
Once everyone else got up and gathered their things (plus having a quick breakfast), they walked outside where there seemed to be a commotion. Many villagers were gathered around the village's blacksmith shop, all talking and murmuring to themselves.
"What're they all chatting about?" Aela wondered.
"Emilia, over here!"
Emilia and the others looked out towards the crowd to see their favorite local (not Storn) waving at them. Or, more accurately, at the team's half-elf. "Frea, what's going on?"
"Our blacksmith, Baldor, wishes to speak with you at once."
"Okay…?"
Frea brought Emilia, and the others by extension, to the blacksmith with the villagers moving aside. The man who seemed to be the aforementioned blacksmith was examining the sword Emilia created with expert precision, before noticing the half-elf.
"Ah, you must be Emilia."
"And you have my sword…?" Emilia was still trying to understand what was going on.
"So, you did create this blade? Truly? With your own magic?"
"Is it really that surprising?"
"Young lady, do you have any idea what kind of ice this is?" Baldor asked.
Emilia just gave her best guess based on what she knew. "Mana-infused ice?"
Baldrr shook his head. "Not just that... It's Stalhrim. Pure Stalhrim."
"Oh?" That was something that got Subaru's attention.
Seigmeyer had no idea what that was. "What's... Stalhrim?"
"Yeah, I'm lost here, as well," Erik said.
Baldor explained the basics. "Stalhrim is enchanted ice. Harder than steel and as cold as death. It's known for never melting and being able to resist nearly any attack by blade or spell."
Subaru nodded. "Well, that certainly explains the perfect condition of the Elior Forest."
The blacksmith looked over to the nasty-eyed man. "Elior Forest?"
"It's a forest down southeast of here, in Lugnica. The entire place has been covered in ice, or rather Stalhrim, for the last century, or so," the secret Great Sage explained.
"I accidentally froze it when I lost control of my magic," Emilia added.
"Oh, my…" Baldor was baffled, both by shock from Emilia's apparent power, and sympathy from her loss of control.
"Well... this is still a great deal…" Frea said.
"A great deal of what?" Aela asked.
"Other than this Elior Forest you mentioned, Solstheim is the only known source of Stalhrim. There are no others. At least, that we know of," Baldor said.
Subaru nodded in curiosity. "I see…"
"Stalhrim is a highly sought after material, which I fear could make Lady Emilia a target."
Emilia rolled her eyes at Baldor's warning. "Nothing new there."
Baldor scratched his chin a bit, before coming to a realization. "Hmm... while there may be nothing I can do about this situation, there may be something I can do to help protect yourself."
"And what would that be?" Emilia asked.
"If you can provide me with enough Stalhrim, I could forget a set of Stalhrim armor for you, free of charge."
"Oh, okay. Is… is this enough?" Emilia lifted out her hand, and created a massive iceberg of Stalhrim, nearly as big as a house, right beside the blacksmith building.
Baldor nearly had a heart attack as he saw the material he had dedicated his life to crafting be conjured out of thin air. "BY THE ALL-MAKER!"
"That should be enough, right?" Emilia asked.
"That… would be an understatement," Baldor slowly said.
"By the All-Maker…" Frea was also baffled.
"Keep the change," Subaru joked.
Emilia nodded. "Right. Feel free to use the rest of it for whatever you want."
"H-h-how generous…" Frea nervously said.
"Indeed…" Baldor said. "I will get to work on your armor at once."
Emilia bowed in appreciation. "Thank you."
"In the meantime, we've got a wizard to talk to." Subaru said, ready to get this show on the road.
"We'll follow your lead," Solaire said.
The group then left the village and made their way south.
Siegmeyer breathed out in fatigue. "Quite a long ways away…"
"Well, it's a pretty small island," Subaru said. "So, it won't be that bad."
"Hence why no teleporting," Erik realized.
"Yep."
It wasn't long before the group reached the south-east side of the island, and what awaited them... was a giant fungus... a large, building-sized mushroom.
"That wasn't there before… was it?" Erik said.
Subaru shook his head. "No, it totally was…"
"How did I not notice it?"
Emilia nodded. "That... is the biggest mushroom... ever…"
"Huh… If I were to slice it up, I wonder how many pizzas I'd be able to top with it…" Of course Subaru would say that...
"Well, let us not dilly-dally. I see a door in the side of the stem." Solaire pointed to a door… in the mushroom
Aela raised an eyebrow. "Someone lives in that thing?"
"Yeah, Telvanni Wizards grow giant mushrooms as homes," Subaru said.
"You know what this thing is?" Siegmeyer asked.
"I did research."
"…What kind of research led to that?" Aela asked.
"...You don't wanna know," the nasty-eyed man said.
"…Let's just see who's home," Solaire nervously said.
The group walked up to the mushroom and knocked on the door. After a few seconds, a female Dunmer opened the door. "Oh, visitors. I take you here to see Master Neloth?"
"Yep. Is he in?" Subaru asked.
"He is, although... I must warn you, Master Neloth can be rather... disregarding."
""Disregarding," how?" Emilia asked.
The Dunmer woman sighed. "Master Neloth believes he is superior to everyone else and is... not very considerate of others."
"We'll take our chances," Aela said.
The Dunmer let them in and stepped onto some kind of rune... which levitated her upstairs. Suabru let out a low whistle at the little magical marvel. "Oh, cool, they've got elevators."
One by one, the group stepped into the magical elevator to the upstairs.
As the others made it to the top, Subaru was kneeling down, examining the rune.
"Huh... neat."
"Collecting more magic?" Solaire asked.
"Totally."
Erik laughed, "Trying to one-up Roswaal?"
Subaru smiled. "Something like that."
"You can copy it down later, let's go," Aela called out to him.
"Fine…" Subaru groaned to himself
The party followed Neloth's assistant through the corridor, and towards a closed door. "Do be warned, Master Neloth does not like to be interrupted," the assistant said.
"We understand the risks, ma'am," Siegmeyer said.
She nodded in understanding. "Alright... best of luck."
Author's Note: The elevator scene reminds me of Elden Ring.
Okay, now, I know Miraak kinda just left before half the chapter was even over, but we promise he'll come back! (So, Subaru and Emilia had a conversation with Miraak, who seemingly intends to burn the two continents to the ground. For what reason? We'll just have to see. Also, we finally have confirmation that Emilia's ice is actually Stalhrim, explaining it's durability and ability to never melt.) Now, for the comments!
5queso: I have no idea how getting more coffee will keep your hormones in check. What you thought about with those tentacles is on you. Until next time!
Guest: Why don't you cancel your comment, huh? (WoO, nObOdY gIvEs A sHiT!)
Sophiamay: - _ - (Pretty sure that's a "No" like with the other guy.)
Commiesama: Okay, sure, canon Subaru is a lust-filled dude, but this is a four-hundred-year version of the dude, who has been pretty much celibate for the majority of his life, if he even did anything with Satella while he could. (With how things are going, perhaps Emilia does have feelings for Subaru, but with everything that's been going on lately, it's pretty much been pushed to the back of her mind.)
Kifhjoofff: Yeah, exactly. We haven't really written any romantic interactions between Subaru and Emilia. Plus, without Emilia showing that she's interested, there wouldn't really be a point in doing this. (Worst case scenario, we might just have Emilia move on from Subaru, knowing that he's already committed to his woman.)
Just fan: Man, how the heck should I know? (From what I know about Umbra, I'd say it's an equal to them. Same with most of the other Daedric Artifacts.)
Anyways, back to the regular old shilling…
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Thanks for reading, and once again, see you next time!
- Ernalore & Infinite the Celestian