The battered and broken form of Malyn's corpse stood before me as I took deep breaths. At first, I was just going to whack him a bit but then I remembered the wording of Azura's task and proceeded to beat the shit out of him... literally, just in case she decided to play games.
=====================
As the life faded from his pain filled eyes I was snapped out of the star and back into Azura's domain, the Daedra was sitting and daintily sipping on some immensely fragrant tea while looking down at me with a tiny frown.
I snapped the blood off my robes and it quickly disappeared as Azura's brow twitched.
"I see you have been successful." She finally speaks "Just as I have predicted."
"Uh huh" I nod with narrowed eyes "As if it was ever in question."
Ignoring my obvious disdain she once more blesses me with a motherly smile "I would not send a child of mine to their death needlessly. If you were not capable of accomplishing my task then I would have naturally sent someone more deserving of my favor."
"And being able to stick it to one who had defied you for millennia that his descendant has performed a service in your name has nothing to do with it?" I ask jovially "I am sure it was all just a happy little coincidence."
The Daedra doesn't respond save for taking another patient sip of her tea but my senses inform me that she is not pleased with my irreverence "Ask your question then, so that you may be freed from my service."
"Getting tired of me already?" I quip and immediately add "No, that was not the question." I chuckle as I hear a faint 'tsk' and finally ask "Why were you observing me for all this time? The first time I have sensed your gaze was at Bleak Falls but I am certain that was but one of many instances."
She weighs my question for a time before breathing out, seemingly having made a decision "Contrary to your belief I will honor my words even if they were not provided 'in writing'" She gives me a chiding look and a feeling of shame attempts to assert itself upon me.
Naturally, being the shameless bastard that I am, it passes over me like a light breeze as my amused smile remains, unmoved.
Much to my great surprise her own mood seems to improve at my continued resistance, she sits just a bit straighter and begins her tale "Before you walked upon the snowy lands of your ancestors' foes its fate was clear and certain, things would happen in a certain way and following a certain script written upon the scrolls. The divinations I made for this era had felt far more firm than any I made for those that came before."
Thoughts whirl through my mind as I process the implications of her words.
She does not wait for me to get stuck brainstorming and goes on "The moment you slept your first night in these lands things changed, many for the better yet some for the worse. Your very presence felt like the sun itself banishing the night and yet at the same time like the shadow summoning forth the twilight, fate was no longer uncertain." Her eyes shine eerily as she looks at me with deep interest "And I could not help but take a look from time to time."
My youthful brain immediately tries to find its way straight into the deepest gutter imaginable but I immediately steer it back into a more comfortable setting, not going anywhere near that rabbit hole.
It seemed my arrival thoroughly fucked around with the fate of the province or possibly the world itself. Good, I wouldn't want to be some inconsequential pawn and change nothing like some impotent child bumbling blindly in fear of upsetting the 'canon'.
Now, was my effect on fate due to my otherworldy nature or due to my divine heritage, specifically the one defying the divine and likely fate itself? Definitely something to research on when I am able to perceive such things...
I feel the expectant gaze increase in weight and quickly answer with a quip "Ah yes, Dagoth Reyvin Sun and Shadow, I can already see the icons." I smirk at her "Think I could get a nifty little ring with the title?"
Her eyebrow openly twitches as she grits out "I did not offer you a title, little Dagoth."
"Already taken it" I raise a hand triumphantly "No take backsies!"
And it was at this moment that I achieved the greatest victory in my second life as THE Azura herself... facepalmed.
The Daedra took a long calming breath before once more smiling at me, said smile being far more strained than before "Was that all you wished to ask of me, child?
"As long as our previous agreement of your priests' backing stands that should be all" I nod agreeably, trying to milk her for anything extra would just be in poor taste considering everything I was getting out of this "Hiding my name has grown tiresome and expanding my house in these lands will be far easier if I am able to reveal myself."
She is silent for a moment before nodding as well "Our agreement stands, have no fear." Her eyes suddenly narrow and I feel very small for a second before the feeling fades "Be glad you are not as foolish as your ancestor or I would have done my utmost to stop you at every turn."
I chuckle "Come now Lady Azura, I might be arrogant and irreverent, but I am no fucking idiot." I feel some water splash against my mouth and my eyebrow starts twitching aggressively.
Azura covers her mouth as her eyes fill with mirth, I swear I hear a light 'Ufufufu' laugh but I prefer to believe it to have been the wind.
"Fair enough" I grit out "Wouldn't want to swear before miss 'beat the shit out of him'" I snark "That would be uncouth after all."
Another splash of water smacks me in the face and the last thing I see of the projection is Azura laughing openly, her eyes carrying the amusement of someone who has just playfully chastised their child.
==========================
I appear in front of the statue, my hand already in motion to flip it the bird but I quickly control myself and look down. There it was, fully repaired and resplendent in its power, Azura's Star.
I grab the artifact and strap it to my belt, it wouldn't do not to show this thing off.
"Your task is complete then?" I hear the High Priestess ask and turn around to face her, her eyes are filled with wonder and reverence as she gazes at the star. It wouldn't surprise me if the zealot didn't even consider taking it from me, her Lady's champion.
I nod "Indeed, the spirit possessing it has been cleansed and it is now mine to use as I will."
"As is your right" She quickly agrees "Though I wouldn't go around announcing your heritage just yet, it will take time for our kin to acknowledge you as one favored by our Lady."
"That is quite understandable" I wave her off "I am not that impatient."
We start walking toward the temple, Nightshade following close behind as we discuss some of the finer points of my little propaganda effort. Aranea tries to make me behave at least somewhat piously toward Azura but I politely refuse the idea outright.
I do not worship even my own patron.
The various temple goers openly gawked at the artifact hanging from my belt, some of them even knelt in reverence and I could already see them gazing at me with a surprising amount of devotion. Dunmer took Azura way too seriously it would seem.
My companion and I spent the night in the temple before marching out early at dawn. The priests had us leave at twilight, it was good fortune they said.
At least they didn't try and decorate us with flowers...
The family we left the horses with was, thankfully, not idiotic enough to try and sell them, so after giving them a generous tip we rode east. We did not stop until we reached Bjarnstead and even then quickly moved on toward Winterhold.
After nearly two months of non-stop travel, I was finally blessed by the sight of my home city's walls.
After situating myself and leaving Nightshade with Edrassa to look over the other Falmer I made my way toward Karsus, my... business manager? I guess that is an apt title for what he does.
It took my guards and servants but a couple of moments to realize just what I had hanging irreverently on my person and all of them would have gone into a religious frenzy if not for my stern look. Still, I couldn't avoid some of them looking at me like I was a literal living saint, my previous deeds now bolstered with the star raising their devotion to dangerous levels.
Which, to be entirely fair, was the whole damn point.
Karsus only gawked for about twenty seconds before apologizing and going over his report. My businesses were all growing at a good pace. My connections and achievements easily directed a massive customer base my way and once it began it was like an avalanche, it would take a massive blunder for me to lose my current financial stability.
Marwyn had taken over a large amount of my enchanting work and anything made by myself personally now had a massive price tag attached to it. It wouldn't do for something made by a literal folk hero and dragonslayer to be cheap, now would it?
I rewarded my most hard-working servants with a pay raise and ordered Karsus to work with the three brothers at recruiting even more fighters into my service. I already had a good twenty, not counting my Sworn Mer, but more was always good.
I even invited Karsus to a small meeting in the evening, he looked just about ready to finally join my house.
-----------------
After the ceremony in which Karsus easily agreed to join the sixth house I invited all my servants and both of my students for a small meeting, my plans required a large amount of souls and getting them would take some effort so I thought I might as well make a party out of it.
As everyone finished up with their meals I placed Azura's Star on the table, immediately drawing all of their eyes "So, I got this nifty little thing" I smirk and hear a light snort from Davos, we share a glance and a chuckle before I go on "I plan on gathering a downright massive amount of power and then enchant myself a new set of gear."
Before anyone can even ask I add "Anyone willing to help me out with this is also getting some stuff made, free if you can gather enough."
I swear every single pair of eyes, save for my surprisingly humble guards and newest addition, lit up like the sun with greed.
I couldn't help but smile in satisfaction, new robes here I come!
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We left Winterhold a day later, our destination clear.
No one was going to miss a couple goblin villages after all...
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chop chop
to the mines you hop
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