(Reyvin's POV)
Ever since returning from my most recent outing I spent most of my time holed up in my chambers, researching either the shards of Mehrunes' Razor or the book on spirituality I had won by storming Castle Volkihar.
The razor itself was... not quite simplistic in its design as much as it was hyperfocused on doing one specific thing, that thing being a massive critical multiplier. That was indeed the best way I could describe the destructive power held within the broken shards of metal for the only way to activate it was to strike an enemy in a truly critical spot and even then it was limited to the most critical instead of merely any place which would do lethal damage.
The blasted little thing would essentially 'smell blood' whenever it was plunged into its target and if it was sufficiently threatening it would surge with conceptual destructive power, usually utterly shattering the victim and most likely whatever they had on them as well.
I was half tempted to bring this to the not so well hidden shrine to Mehrunes Dagon in the mountains west of Morthal but I decided against it in the end. Dagon was a massive fucking cunt and bringing him his artifact would probably end up with me having yet another Daedric enemy to have to watch out for.
No, keeping it essentially as a hostage against the demonic cunt would be much preferable, and a part of me wanted to try imbuing the Ebony Blade with it. Damn would that be a sight to see.
Speaking of watching for Daedra... I was slowly starting to lose it.
My paranoia was at an all time high and not for a lack of reason. In the three days since I returned there have been four separate attempts at infiltration, three of which were in the form of mindraped 'seekers' whom I healed from their predicament and set free, and the final being in the form of a pretender priest of Auri-El who was in fact a Meridian here to take my head for his whore of a patron.
Him I took pleasure in ripping apart.
Still, I doubted that my eldrich opponents even planned for their servants to succeed and instead merely wanted to fuck with me, which they had most thoroughly succeeded in because I quickly found myself scanning the shit out of everyone I spoke to, usually scaring them in the process as I tended to stare into their very soul for a full ten seconds without saying anything. Or at least that is how I heard it described to me.
It wasn't like I lacked in preparation or defenses but the constant doubt that someone was placed under enemy control when I wasn't looking was starting to grate most thoroughly, and it was unlikely to stop anytime soon if my 'patron's' words were anything to go by.
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(Flashback)
I had only just returned home and chosen to take a break atop the tower, the moment I sat down I felt a tug and soon found my territory covered in spiderwebs and inhabited with Dremora instead of people.
Apparently Mephala decided to move in without notice, who would have thunk it?
Completely expected outcomes aside, I had other things to worry about at the moment as I turned to the side and just as expected found the spidery Daedra lounging in the seat next to me "You have got to invite me here more often dear, the view is marvelous."
I only slightly rolled my eyes at this "Sure why not, you can even visit with your 'mortal' form to actually enjoy the place."
"Oh?" She quirks an eyebrow, a light mix of surprise and amusement radiating off her "I had expected more protestation."
"This is where I receive important guests." I give her a deadpan look and she laughs.
"Marvelous thing, your little creation" She hums as she looks at Junior, the automaton staring a hole into her as he watched for any hostile movement "Far more... elegant than its previous incarnations."
A light huff leaves me unbidden "The Dwemer were good inventors but they focused far too much on size over efficiency. Mind you it wasn't a bad decision as their automatons proved themselves multiple times over in times of war and in those of peace but I find that I prefer a bit of elegance in my own creations..." I pause "Ah, it would seem I am in the mood for rambling when we have much more important things to talk about, apologies."
Mephala looks at me with great amusement "Even you try and avoid confronting the uncomfortable truth, how very... mortal of you."
I let out a derisive snort "I am not immune to fear and worry."
"Of course not" She smiles "I just find it rather amusing that you did the same things you always do, despite my warnings."
"It is what it is" I shrug "I had my reasons, now all that is left is to deal with the consequences."
"But do you truly understand the consequences, my dear?" She leans in towards me "He will pressure you constantly, allying with your enemies and sabotaging you whenever he reasonably can. Hermaeus will stop at nothing to repair his pride and get what he wants."
"It was a rushed decision but it was in the end the right one." I shrug only for my brows to furrow but a moment later "He can't be that free to act out, can he?"
"And he isn't. No matter his overwhelming power he is still very much so bound by Akatosh's rules." Mephala confirms "But he has also built many a society dedicated to him over the ages, calling upon them to do his bidding will be as easy as breathing to him."
'Of bloody course he would start throwing his cults at me, par for the course that...' I stare off into the distance, pondering the implications for a moment, before turning back with a far more confident glint in my eyes "Then I will face everything as I always do, until I am ready to strike back at the source."
"Indeed." She hums "I trust you have a plan?"
I sigh and allow myself to sink deeper into my seat "Deal with the dragons first, gather as much power as I reasonably can in a short time, and then depart for Solstheim."
"That little island north of Skyrim?" She asks, intrigued "Whatever could be hiding there?"
My grin, which in its current form could scare most men, only served to excite the Daedra as I gave my answer "Oh you know... just a few books."
Mephala's own expression in response to that would have probably scarred a lesser man for life.
========
It had been three days since that little planning session and I finally found that hiding in my room while pretending to do research was just plain old idiotic. The world would keep spinning no matter what I did and if I decided to stick my head into the dirt it would quickly spin out of what fragile little control I still held over it.
And so I found myself ascending a certain incline hidden behind the Chantry of Auri-El, a relatively large open space walled from each direction by tall rock, natural or not, all of it leading to a large cave at the other end.
Unsurprisingly, I found that Krein's lair was not empty as I climbed the last step and came out into the clearing, passing through a massive ward only to feel the entirety of the area shake as the Dovah and Dragonborn were currently having a friendly little debate.
By friendly little debate I naturally meant they were battering each other with shouts of increasing power and devastation. For a moment I thought about stepping in but was cut off when Krein decided to simply revert to a shout of unrelenting force, taking Minthara by surprise and launching her a fair distance away.
"Dammit." She curses and leaps from her previously splayed position "Why did you have to switch it up in the end?" She asks accusingly but without heat.
Krein lets out a deep chuckle "Simplicity is sometimes greater than the most complex of wonders."
Minthara just rolls her eyes at this "Such boundless wisdom." She says in a sarcastic drawl but the dragon doesn't seem offended, merely further amused.
"Well now." I cut in with a cheery voice "It is good to see you dragons are enjoying yourselves."
The dragon chuckles while the demigod facepalms "You are never going to let me live that down, are you?"
"Nope." I grin.
She pretends to grumble in annoyance but is too relaxed to get actually riled up, before she can say anything further her hand flashes out almost automatically and catches the little bit of jewelry I had just tossed her.
She blinks in surprise before looking at the thing and then she blinks again "Is this...?"
"Gauldur's Amulet." I confirm with a slightly smug expression "That old fart sure knew what he was doing when he made his amulet." I shake my head "Let me tell you, that thing is completely and utterly ridiculous!"
She nods slowly and starts looking it over and feeling its power, after a good thirty seconds of that she turns back to me and asks with the slightest quiver in her voice "And you are just... giving it to me?"
"I can always make something better when the time comes." I smirk cockily.
The growing radiance of her expression swiftly twists into a cold deadpan "And now you ruined it." She still puts it on though and is quite literally stunned for a few seconds as her brain readjusts to her new power.
I offer a dramatic bow "I aim to please."
She shakes disorientation away, a small smile threatening to form at the edge of her lips as she focuses back on me "When did you come back anyways?"
"Some three days ago." I shrug and she gives me an accusing look "Oh don't give me that" I wave her off "There was a massive shitshow that I had to deal with and it took all of my time." It may have been a slight lie but it wasn't completely wrong.
"And... what seems to be the issue?" She asks hesitantly.
I shake my head "Daedric bullshit, no need to burden yourself with it you have your own problems."
Her eyes narrow momentarily but she quickly nods "Fine, if you feel it best." Seeing my expression of surprise she huffs "Would I be able to help you with it?"
"Not immediately but definitely later." I answer vaguely.
She breathes out "Fine then." And walks away to a distant spot in the clearing, plops her ass down, and starts to meditate.
"You vex her greatly, Thuri." Krein's eyes shine with barely hidden amusement as she leaves hearing range.
I huff "How is she coming along?"
"She is proficient." He states simply.
I raise an eyebrow at the immense praise but choose not to comment further and instead ask "How have you been doing recently? I hope keeping you hidden is not starting to grate."
He offers a grateful nod "Your worries honor me, Thuri. But there is no need for them for I am timeless and thus in no hurry." He looks in the general direction of the settlement "The elven skald has been a source of great amusement when he is not being handled by the sneaky one, his stories and bluster make the time pass faster."
"Skald and not bard?" I raise a questioning brow.
"I felt the term fitting." The dragon says simply.
I chuckle at that "I bet he loved it."
"He was..." Krein pauses "Immensely enthused by the term."
We spend a few more minutes going over what either of us have been up to and the new dangers I now found myself under.
"To battle one of the Daedra..." Krein hums thoughtfully, his voice suddenly shifting into an excited growl "It shall be a most worthy feat when we rip it to shreds."
"Just make sure to keep an eye out." I cut in seriously "Our enemy is rather perfidious or so I hear."
He lets out something akin to an affirmative huff through his nose before speaking once more, his tone one of warning "I have heard whispers in the wind." My questioning expression is enough for him to go on "My brothers are gathering faster than I expected them to, they will soon descend upon the lands in numbers. The eldest is far less careless than I remember."
I let out an annoyed 'tsk' "Just what I needed to hear, you got anything more specific?"
"I am afraid not, Thuri." He sighs "Any further searching would lead to my discovery."
"Right." I nod "Thanks for the warning. I have to go and make some preparations."
"May Father watch over you." He blesses as I leave.
----
Back within the tower I waited only briefly before someone knocked on my doors/hidden passage and soon Davos entered, with a rather visible slap mark on his face. Before I could take the opportunity to fuck with him he pulled out a folded scroll and handed it to me.
The legion was nearing Windhelm, was it? Excellent!
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A small part of your mind still retains coherence even to this day. You manage to create a stash of stones despite our lord's righteous indoctrination and begin planning an escape from this dead end job. You have already sold both your house and your car to save up even more stones to fund your escape and the promised day soon arrives.
You check the grand shafts surrounding you for eyes but find none and make your way to the hidey hole you prepared, the hardy box you purchased still sitting firmly where you left it.
Feeling a tad paranoid, you open the box and a pool of dread forms within your gut as you see what awaits within.
A thank you card, with a smirking dark elf winking at you and thanking you for your donation.
Get back to work ;)
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