Chapter 67: They Say Knowledge Is Power…
The group made their way back to Neloth's house, and set the two Black Books the party gained, with Neloth grabbing the other five. "Think this will work?" Siegmeyer asked.
Neloth answered with, "Only one way to find out."
Aela nodded grimly. "Let's just brace for the worst."
Emilia looked a bit awkward as she tried to figure out what they were doing. "So... what are we doing?"
"I dunno," Erik said, before looking at the two experts. "Subaru? Neolithic?"
Neloth scoffed in response. "It is Neloth, not whatever rabble you just said."
"Just answer the question," Aela hissed.
"Well, it's simple. Miraak is apparently the source behind the corruption of the All-Maker Stones. You simply need to find out how and why."
"And these books will help us?" Solaire asked.
"Indeed," the dark elf said, nodding. "They are gateways to Apocrypha."
Subaru rolled his eyes. "Oh, yeah, that's reassuring."
"Do you have a "better" suggestion?"
"No, but that doesn't mean I won't prepare for what's beyond that "door."" The Great Sage snarked.
Emilia was starting to get impatient with those two. "And how long will that take?! Staring at them won't just free the people of Solstheim!"
"I'm on it, I'm on it…" Neloth then set all the books in a heptagonal formation. He took a deep breath and began to focus. "And now…"
The werewolf looked at Neloth, asking, "Now... what?"
"…it happens."
"Now... what happens?" As soon as Emilia said that, a flash of light blinded everyone.
"WHAT THE HEEEEEEELLLL!" Erik screamed.
"SO BRIGHT!" Solaire yelled.
Then the light died down, but... nothing seemed to have happened.
"…Huh," Subaru said, rubbing their eyes. "Pretty anticlimactic."
Neloth hummed to himself, trying to figure out what just happened. "Strange... perhaps Hermeaous Mora doesn't wish to open a portal?"
"Maybe he didn't do it here?" Siegmeyer guessed.
Erik, meanwhile, was not paying attention, as he was staring to the side in shock. "Uh... guys...?"
"Hm? What's up?" the nasty-eyed Undead asked.
"I... think Emilia's... gone."
"HUH?!" Everyone turned to where the Dragonborn was standing, but sure enough, Emilia was nowhere to be seen.
"Neloth, start talking. Now." Subaru's tone made it clear he wasn't in the mood for games.
"Interesting. It appears Young Emilia has something Herma Mora wants." That was all he got out of Neloth, who didn't seem to be threatened by Subaru's warning
"God fucking dammit, not again…"
Meanwhile, Emilia woke up in a... familiar green environment.
"…Huh?" Emilia looked around and saw she was in the realm of Apocrypha. And from the looks of it, the silver-haired half-elf was alone. "Subaru? Aela? Is anyone here?"
Figuring that she needed to figure out where the hell she is, Emilia looked around the area, noticing how everything was made of books. And there didn't seem to be anyone around.
"Great… Well, at least I'll have ample reading material as I starve to death."
"Come now, Dragonborn. Do you doubt your strength that much?"
Emilia turned around to see Hermeaous Mora himself. "Oh, dear…"
"Surprised to see me again so soon?"
"No, more like… disappointed." Still didn't make Emilia any less unsettled.
"Then your disappointment may be... at an end. Welcome... to The Winds of Change."
"That's what this place is called?" the young Dragonborn asked.
"This... piece of Apocrypha. Accessed by the Black Book of the same name. Each Book leads to a specific section of my realm."
"I see… and which section is this?"
"The Winds of Change grants the knowledge of... interaction," the green mass of tentacles said. "It affects those around you... and yourself."
Emilia sighed. "Well, isn't that quite ominous?"
"You will understand soon enough. Make your way to the book, and you will find... new power."
"You're giving me a Shout?"
"Not yet. This will be… something else."
The amethyst-eyed girl grumbled in disappointment. "Not yet, huh?"
"One thing at a time, Dragonborn."
Emilia sighed. "Right, right…"
"Go on... see what you will uncover."
"Like I have any other option…" Hermeaous Mora disappeared, leaving Emilia to make her way through Apocrypha.
Back in the real world… Subaru was in a near panic and was very close to strangling Neloth.
"You Jafar-looking motherfucker, you didn't think to tell us that getting sucked into Apocrypha might have been a possibility?" Suabru growled, grabbing Neloth by the collar.
Neloth, meanwhile, still looked unbothered by Subaru's outburst. "I was unaware that Hermeaous Mora would have taken interest in one of you in particular."
"Yeah, well, for the sake of you and your goatee, let's hope Emilia gets out of this."
Erik quickly got in between. "Alright, let's just calm down and take a deep breath. Emilia is still the Dragonborn, so I'm sure she can take care of anything in Apocrypha."
"Rrrrr… fine," Subaru said, letting go of the dark elf's collar.
That, however, caught Neloth's attention. "Wait a minute... Did you say Young Emilia is a Dragonborn?"
"Yes, what of it?" Aela asked.
"Oh... well, that changes everything."
"…Excuse me?" Subaru stared at him once again.
"I've done extensive research about Dragonborns, and from what I have found out, they are among the most powerful warriors in existence through their Thu'um alone." Neloth explained.
"That's… kind of a given?" Siegmeyer said.
Neloth rolled his eyes and explained. "Tell me, have you ever heard of Tonal Manipulation?"
"Like, how people sing?" Solaire asked.
"It is the ability to manipulate the fabric of reality itself with sound. The Dwemer were able to use it to assist in constructing their empire, and it is believed this very magic had a hand in their disappearance a thousand years ago."
Erik gulped. "That… doesn't sound good?"
"The shouts that Dragons and Dragonborns utilize is Tonal Manipulation in its most basic form. Giving words power and form. It's theorized that at its most potent... Tonal Manipulation could unmake the Mundus itself… our very universe." Neloth let that hang in the air as everyone realized how powerful the Thu'um could actually be.
"And what's this got to do with Emilia?" Subaru asked.
"If I were to harbor a guess, Hermeaous Mora desires to learn Tonal Manipulation, and having more than one Dragonborn would be... more expedient in his research."
"…Did you consider this as an outcome?" Aela slowly asked.
"Not until now." Neloth said rather casually.
"Your facial hair has been spared," the werewolf said.
"So... what do we do?" Erik asked.
Subaru couldn't believe he was saying this, but… "Believe in Emilia."
"Am I getting close?" the half-elf asked. It had been a long while since she started her hike. But After a while, Emilia reached what seemed to be the final chamber.
Hermeaous Mora even confirmed it by saying, "You have arrived."
Before Emilia could say anything, a giant, monstrous... fish humanoid rose from out of the inky water and roared at Emilia.
"WHOA, WHAT THE —?!"
"A Lurker. Creatures that roam the depths of Apocrypha."
"Okay, how do I kill it?"
"How do you kill any living, breathing lifeform?" The Daedric Prince answered with a rhetorical question.
Emilia just mumbled swears to herself as she fired a bunch of El Humas at the Lurker non-stop. Eventually, the fish-like monster squealed in pain, before going limp in the water.
"Huh. That was... easy."
"You want it to be harder?" Mora asked.
"No, just surprising," Emilia admitted. She wasn't used to it being easy.
"Let's just continue."
Emilia went up some stairs and found... a Black Book? "Another one of these?"
If Hermeaous Mora was capable of shaking their head, they'd be doing that right now. "No. This is the true Winds of Change. The book that grants... forbidden knowledge."
"What kind of… forbidden knowledge?" Emilia carefully asked.
"Open it... and discover for yourself."
"And why should I?"
"If you do not... then you will never defeat Miraak."
"How do I know you're not lying?"
"Would you rather face him... as you are now?"
Emilia mulled it over for a few seconds, she sighed. As shady as this guy was, the truth of the matter was, Emilia was weak. She needed more power. So, she opened the book.
Once the book was opened, three green... orbs floated out and hovered above the book. Emilia almost thought they were spirits, but she must have realized this must be the knowledge Mora was talking about.
"Go on. Choose the one that feels... right to you."
"Only one, huh…?"
"Choosing more than one from this book will... overwhelm your mind," More said. Emilia just sighed as she looked over the three orbs, trying to feel which one would be best for her.
Mmm… that one. Emilia chose the left one, which caused information to flood into her brain. Clutching her brain, she hissed out in pain, "Arrgh… What is this…?"
It was about... friends. Allies. Companions.
"Is it to your liking?"
"It's about... my friends? No... not just my friends..."
"Yes… go on…"
"I... won't hurt... my friends?" Emilia looked inside her mind and found the knowledge she absorbed.
Companion's Insight. She cannot cause any harm or injury to those she considers an ally.
Emilia's mind was blown. The ability to be unable to harm her allies… this was insane. It would allow her to go all out with worry of harming her friends.
"How does it feel? To know you cannot cause your loved ones harm?"
"It's… comforting…"
"The other books will grant you similar power."
Emilia chuckled. "Of course there's more of them…"
Still... if the other books could grant this kind of power... then it will give her and the others an advantage over Miraak… And they needed every advantage they could get.
"Where are they?" Emilia asked.
If Hermeaous Mora had a mouth, he would be smirking.
A bright flash of light appeared, and Emilia was somewhere else in Apocrypha.
"Alright… Which direction?"
"Follow the path. It will lead you to the book." The path seemed rather straightforward, so Emilia followed it.
"Aaaaand… found you." Emilia opened the book, and found three more green orbs.
"Alright, here we go again…" Emilia picked the one that felt most attuned to her.
Seeker of Sorcery. All Spells cost slightly less Mana to cast.
"Well, isn't that convenient?" Emilia asked herself. She already had a massive mana capacity, and this will just allow her to cast spells even more liberally. This process went the same way over. The next three were basic powers she could activate at will.
Secret of Arcana: All spells cost no Mana for thirty seconds a day.
Mora's Boon: Completely restores the user's health, mana, and stamina once per day.
Bardic Knowledge: It summons a Spectral drum which constantly restores the user's and allies' stamina for five minutes a day.
They were all rather interesting, and almost busted.
"Phew…" Emilia wiped the sweat off her brow. "Hey, Mora. Is that all of them?"
"There is... one more. Knowledge specifically tied... to a Dragonborn."
"Wonderful, could you lead me there?"
Another flash of light occurred, and Emilia was at the last area in Apocrypha.
"Okay, let's do this, one more to go…"
After a few more minutes, she managed to reach the last book. "Info on the Dragonborn, huh…?" Emilia was able to feel what they did. Flame, Frost, and Force...
After some debating, she decided on Force.
Dragonborn Force. It increases the power of the Unrelenting Force Shout.
"There! I'm done."
"Indeed, you are. However, even as you are now, you will not be able to defeat Miraak."
"There's more?!" Emilia shouted.
"Miraak knows the other two Forgotten Shouts you seek. Bend Will and Dragon Aspect."
"…Could you teach them to me?" she asked.
"I can... but they will not come free."
"…What do you want?"
"The Skaal have been hiding... secrets from me," Hermeaous Mora answered. "For a very... long... time... I will give you the words of Power if you... gain their cooperation.
"The Skaal? What do you want from them?"
"They will know what I desire. Speak with the chieftain... the one named "Storn". Explain to him my demands," the Daedric Prince of Knowledge explained.
Emilia sighed. "Alright, but I can't make any promises."
"I am confident they will agree. I will return you to where you came from, but first…"
Emilia clutched her head as she felt the words of Power for Bend Will enter her head.
Emilia grunted a bit as she felt the Words of Power enter her mind. "And… Dragon Aspect…?"
"The words for Dragon Aspect will be yours if you secure Skaal's cooperation. Consider it... insurance."
"Can I beat Miraak as I am now?"
"It would be close, but not without... sacrifices."
Emilia looked down at the book-made floor. "I see…"
She couldn't afford to get her friends killed.
It seemed like she had no choice.
Author's Note: Were almost there…
(Now, we have the Black Book powers for Emilia. We specifically chose the ones Emilia would find most helpful to her and her friends. So, to reiterate, that's Companion's Insight, Seeker of Sorcery, Secret of Arcana, Mora's Boon, Bardic Knowledge, and Dragonborn Force.) And now, it's time for our all-Spanish comments!
Caballero501: Bueno, pero ¿cómo se relacionaría que Elsa convirtiera a Subaru en vampiro con esta parte de la historia? Supongo que se relacionaría más con el arco de la Guardia del Alba. (Además, Subaru ya es inmortal. Tener vampirismo solo añadiría más inconvenientes).
Kifhjoofff: Subaru ha vivido diversas crisis en distintos universos (algunas causadas por él). Siempre ha sido un superviviente.
Anyways, back to the regular old shilling…
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- Ernalore & Infinite the Celestian