The Search For Kathea, A Leap Into Intrigues And Answers

 The Search For Kathea, A Leap Into Intrigues And Answers

     "That is...disturbing to think about. That someone could lose everything about themselves simply by accepting a 'Mantle'."

     "It is the price that is to be paid for some of them. It is difficult to separate the actions of the holder of the 'Mantle' from the 'Mantle' itself when it is one that so completely subsumes the holder. It is why my hatred of him has changed into pity, once I more fully understood his situation."

     "The 'Mantle' that you currently hold?"

     "It is different in that it is much more closely aligned with my core being. Also, I have much more leeway in how I accomplish the tasks it sets. It is mainly that I answer the 'calls', how I perform the tasks are up to me to determine. Yes, some involve full-scale war, others maybe just a skirmish, and others no more than a one-on-one fight, still others may involve no fighting at all."

     "I see, it all depends on the particulars of the 'Mantle' itself. I would ask something else of you, if I may?'

     "Go ahead, you are one of my closest friends and advisors, I keep no secrets from you."

     "What was it that you saw in me that caused you to offer me a new life?"

     "Please...give me a moment to order my thoughts. When I looked at you and saw within you, I saw all that had happened in your youth, that formed who you were at that time. I needed to know what happened to bring you to that point so that what I saw in your future would make sense to me. And if there was something I could do to show you a path whereby you could find what you were so ardently looking for, but could not find where you were living then.

     Once I saw all of that, I knew you would never find what you truly wanted there. But that your search would lead you into the worst of damnable fates. You did not deserve what I saw you heading into, and that gave me the strength to offer you a way out."

     "What did you see for me?"

     "I tell you this only because you ask, and I believe you strong enough to endure what might have been. You would have become enslaved to a demon. In the act of petitioning one to reverse what Aretuza did to you, it would take you for its own. Use your power to work its will on your homeworld. And when you were finally wrung dry, unable to withstand any more of its debaucheries upon your person and your soul. It would consume you, adding you to its menagerie of souls held in perpetual captivity. It was a fate I would wish on no one, one I would have shaken the very foundations of Reality itself to save you from if it were needed to be so. Luckily, you chose wisely, as you have continued to choose in your new life."

     Yennefer contemplated Iriisii's words of what would have befallen her had she decided otherwise that fateful day and resolved to stay with her from now on, wherever her path would lead her.

     "Will we one day...?"

     "Become lovers, mates? I have not looked ahead to see if that is a possibility, and likely will not. Some things should come about or not in their own time, according to the decisions that we each make in our lives. I did not bring you with me with that in mind, nor have I kept you close to bringing that into the realm of possibility. There is no doubt you are attractive and even alluring, but I cannot expect to bed every person I help as the price for that help, nor should I.

     Those I have brought into my life, I have done so because of the overwhelming strength of the bonds of love that have formed between us, not for any other reason. This is no reflection on you, but rather on me."

     "Thank you for the truth, it helps me a great deal to know I made the right decision."

     "Now let us concentrate on your son's safe return. I am going to contact the Fortress and get it started on moving here, then set up a couple of 'doors' that we can access it from. Then I can instruct it on what I want it to do about other doors to the places I may need to access for help.

     This will speed up our efforts on all possible fronts since I can place a 'door' directly to Atmora, and possibly in the installation itself once I know exactly where it is located. That will allow us to bring as many as we need, keep more in reserve, and not upset the 'jills' with our traveling back and forth."

     "Where are you thinking about the first set of 'doors'?"

     "The 'Royal Quarters', somewhere in the Palace, in the Krang, and probably every other place I have been. I will have to see if I can place these across dimensions as well, there are a few places outside I will need to visit on occasion. I must not forget Tuo, since I have a large contingent of troops there that we could use if we need to.

     "Against one vampire assassin?"

     "Against whatever he may have awoken in that installation, as well as wherever any active gates may lead to."

     "Oh, I see your point, what can I do to help?"

     "Go and find Blackwell, tell him what I am doing and that I will get with him about the details later, then scan the city for any possible remaining thralls. We cannot take any chances there may yet be more of them waiting for an opportunity to strike."

     "I am gone then, if I find anything I will alert the guards and go with them to assist."

     "Good idea, I will 'speak' to the 'Fortress' then."

     Iriisii pictures it in her mind until she can see every detail. She then concentrates on the 'control room' where the 'Custodian' maintains the Fortress from.

     "Goddess, what can I assist you with?"

     "I need to relocate you to an area near to where I currently am. Is there any problem you may have to bring this about?"

     "Let me locate your position...where do you wish me to relocate the Fortress?"

     "Nearby is a very expansive forest, a spot within not too close, but heavily forested. We will need illusory shields so that any hunters coming upon the Fortress see only the trees on the other side of the Fortress. The shields should also allow transporting any who touch them to the far side without any sight of the Fortress itself.

    Once that is done, I will require a 'door' to the 'Royal Quarters' within the Palace above the Throne Room, and another that I will determine in another location within the Palace. Beyond that, a door into the Krang might be the first thing, then if you need additional power, the Krang can supply it.

     It would also be a good idea to awaken the Dragon Priests and set them to guard the Fortress, both inside and outside. There will be more, but this will get me started. The Fortress will become my 'Command Post' for what comes next. Oh, and I am having connected towers built throughout the Dreamlands, if it will be possible to tie them into a 'door' as well? I have a few other places in mind as well in out-of-the-way areas, but those can wait."

     "I will proceed to make your will become reality. The 'door' to the Krang will be needed, to access power beyond what is available to me now. Once I am transported, I can then tap into yours, whenever you are in residence. I can sense your current level of power to far exceed any that I could ever require."

     "Good, I will have the Krang work on a power storage facility that can be placed within the Fortress. One that will ensure you have enough power to do anything I could ask of you without constraining your own needs. Inform me when you have transported yourself to Nirn."

     "As you wish, my Goddess."

     Iriisii stands and makes her way out of the Library proper, before she makes it to the door, she hears the rustle of papyrus faintly coming from one of the stairways leading upward into a tower dedicated to the Moth Priests. She follows the sound up the stairs and finds herself in the areas given to the Moth Priests to store their collection of Elder Scrolls.

     Carefully she treads, following the sound until she reaches a reading room. Seated in a chair is a Moth Priest, one who is preparing for his last reading. She turns to walk back down even as he speaks to her.

     "Please sit with me, my Empress. My last reading is upon me and in my former reading it was imparted to me that you would be with me."

     Iriisii stops, considers, turns and sits in another empty chair across from the Priest.

     "May I know your name?"

     "Of course, how forgetful of me, my name is Tobias."

     "I am sorry for my interruption of your preparations, Tobias."

     "Nonsense, Your Majesty, your presence was shown to me some time ago by the Elder Scroll I read last, thus you are expected."

     "Do you have any idea of why they would have shown this to you, dare I say brought this meeting together of the two of us?"

     "Ah! So you too believe that the scrolls can do more than simply impart information, that they sometimes do influence events according to some infinite plan of theirs?"

     "To be perfectly honest, I know they do far more than that. But what their purpose is, what they wish to accomplish, that is far beyond me, even now. But let me ask you a question, perhaps could you believe that they are in some way, agents of the Aurbis?"

     "Now that is an interesting supposition, one that I have not heard before. What makes you ask this question?"

     "The story would take a bit of time to tell and I do not wish to delay your final reading."

     "It is no imposition, Your Majesty, perhaps this is part of why you are here?"

     "You may be right, but I will need to impart more of my past experiences with the 'Kel' in order that you can understand where my suppositions come from."

     "This word, 'Kel' that you use in referring to the 'Elder Scrolls'. I have not heard that before, nor do I recognize the language."

     "It is Dovahzul, the language of the Dragons. 'Kel' is their word for the Elder Scrolls, it is both singular and plural depending on the context in which it is used."

     "I did not realize they knew of the Elder Scrolls."

     "Oh, yes. They have known for almost their entire existence. It was a 'Kel' that was used at the 'Throat of the World' by 'Felldir the Old' that threw Alduin into the timestreams and ended the Dragon Wars of the past."

     "I have read extensively of the Dragon Wars and have not read mention of this 'Felldir the Old', can you tell me who he was and how he came into possession of one of the Elder Scrolls?"

     "I am not surprised you do not know of him, all mention of him and his two comrades were stricken from all writings of the Dragon Wars. He, Gormlaith Golden Hilt, and Hakon the Grim were the very first 'Tongues' taught the 'Voice' by Parthuurnax at the behest of Kyne.

     They drew Alduin to the peak above High Hrothgar to do battle with him. The 'Kel' was brought as a last measure if they were not able to defeat him any other way. In the fight, they forced him down onto the mountain by use of the 'Shout' called 'Dragonrend', one of the first created entirely by man. In the fight, Gormlaith was killed by Alduin, and Hakon was direly wounded. He called out to Felldir to use the 'Kel'.

     Even as Alduin tried to stop Felldir by dragon breath attack, he had already unfurled the Scroll and it was shielding him from Alduin's attack, as he used the power it revealed to him, allowing him to open a wound in time and hurl Alduin through it."

     "By all the NINE! How do you know this? You speak as if you were there!"

     "Funny you should ask, in a way, I was. As Dragonborn, I was sent by Akatosh and the other Eight, to among other things deal with Alduin's return. I determined that he is indeed different from the other Dragons. He could not be killed while on Nirn. He was only vulnerable while in Sovngarde, where he would replenish his power by devouring the souls of the dead. This ability was a part of why he was called the 'World Eater'.

     I needed to learn 'Dragonrend' in order to bring him down where he could be fought. To force him to know the concept of 'mortality' as we humans know it and thus breach his immortality. The knowledge of 'Dragonrend' was erased from the world when the Elder Scroll was used to open the time wound. So the only way I could learn it was to use the same Elder Scroll used to create the lesion in time to project myself back and stand witness to the events as they occurred. I had to find and acquire the Scroll, take it back to the first point it was used, then use it a second time."

     "How did you find out where it was? I can only assume we did not have it here."

     "I first inquired at the College of Mages in Winterhold in Skyrim. The librarian gave me two books to read, one of which was written by Septimus Signus."

     "Ah yes, I remember that one quite well. We use it as an example of what can happen to the mind upon reading too many Scrolls too often."

     "Even so, difficult to understand, yes, accurate, again yes, once you get past the allegory."

     "You were able to then come to an understanding, amazing."

     "Not right away, but over time and further experiences, yes I was able to see what he was trying to say. The problem was not in what he saw, but in not having the words to describe the concepts needed for understanding. The 'insanity' many who knew him, used to describe his manner, is not true 'insanity', it is rather our poor imitation of what he came to know and understand concerning the Elder Scrolls."

     "Then he truly knew about what he was saying, he just did not have the words to communicate what he saw in a way we could understand."

     "Yes, that is the crux of it. Think of it as a doorway, once you pass through and gain true understanding, you move beyond what you left behind. Young children do not understand the speech and actions of older adults, at least not until they themselves become adults, and sometimes not even then. We, now are as young children to one such as Septimus was when he passed through the door of understanding."

     "I see what you are saying, thank you. It is good to know he was not truly insane, just elevated in understanding until he was beyond us. But you speak of him in the past, I assume then he is no longer with us?"

     "No, I witnessed his passing. The circumstances of it still trouble me."

     "Tell me what you know, sometimes sharing the burden will lighten it, if only for a while."

     "It is a sad story of what transpires when one allows the search for something to become so much of who they are that it consumes them. It is not common knowledge, and honestly, I wish for it to remain so. He was in the end, converted into a Servant of Hermaeus Mora."

     "I am sorry to hear that, it is the bane of the existence of all scholars when he comes seeking more knowledge to hoard."

     "He was in the far north, in an ice-bound cave on a small island. He had been led to a long-buried Dwemer lockbox that he was certain contained the 'Heart of Lorkan'."

     "BY ALL THE GODS! Please tell me that was not what was inside!"

     "No, it was something almost as bad. Once I helped him acquire the means to open it, we found something that I almost swear is just as dangerous. The 'Ohgma Infinium' wrote by Xarxes, himself a Servant of Hermaeus Mora. Septimus reached out and touched the book, in his enlightened state of mind, it expanded his knowledge to the point where it was on a level with the Gods. However he did not have a physical body capable of withstanding that level of knowledge, and it burned him until there was naught but ash left."

     "I am sorry for your witnessing that."

     "I thank you for your sentiment, but it had a profound effect on me. It gave me the strength to say 'no' to Hermaeus Mora when he came to me and attempted to make of me, his 'Champion', entreating for us to do 'wonders' together. Septimus died as a result of his decisions, he gave Hermaeus Mora power over him, by the decisions he made. I chose otherwise after seeing his example. Now I know that for all of their bluster, threats, and promises, they only have the power over us that we give them. If we turn away from them, they are powerless to affect us."

     "I take that to mean the Aedra as well?"

     "Under the current state of the Liminal Barrier, yes. However, I do serve the Nine as their Champion by my own desire and decision. My beliefs run alongside theirs, and I have seen ample evidence of their desire for what is best for us. Know this, the 'prophecies' we are shown are but one path among an infinite forest of paths. Those who create these 'visions' show us what 'they' see as the best path for us to follow. But it is in the exercise of our free will that we decide what path we will tread, as individuals and as a people. Many do not even understand, cannot comprehend this, nor what it would mean to sacrifice immortality for our creation and further existence."

     "But they are Gods! You mean to say that..."

     "Yes, except for one, Magnus, the Divines, even as Gods are not immortal. Such was the price they paid for the creation of Mundus, Nirn, and all of the other myriads of worlds out there. Soon, very soon, I will step down as Empress of Nirn, I know the Empire is not yet spread to all corners of this world as yet. But it will be before I step down, then I will hand it over to Kintyra. And she by the Grace of Akatosh and the other Eight will start the beginning of a Golden Age of peace, prosperity, and justice for all who live upon Nirn. For Kintyra is the Chosen One spoken of in the prophecies given to us by the Elder Scrolls."

     Tobias is speechless for a few moments, "it is almost upon us then. Perhaps the greatest prophecy the Scrolls have given to us. Now the message I was given at my last reading is clear. Please listen to my words now, Your Majesty, do not trust the Synod. I saw them in the vision of my last reading as a serpent hidden before the fatal strike.

     If what you have said before is true, and I have no reason to doubt, Hermaeus Mora has corrupted the Synod and they now serve him and not the Empire. You must protect your daughter from the venom they would inflict upon her, for they would make of her a vessel for him to extend his reach into every hidden place and heart."

     "Hermaeus Mora!", her voice dripping vitriolic acid, "I told him what would happen if he crossed me once more. I have overlooked his activities for the last time. This time he seeks to twist my child since he could not twist me, it is time he paid the price for his hubris!"

     Tobias swears he can see, even with his eyesight nearly gone, the raging fire behind her eyes. He sits back and says nothing, not wanting to risk her ire spilling over toward him. Iriisii's gaze looks far away from where she sits now, and her voice goes strange to his very sharp ears.  Somehow he knows what she is about to say will not go beyond this tiny room, but will echo across Aetherius, will be felt like a tsunami throughout the Void, and will rage like a firestorm through Oblivion.

     "Hermaeus mora, hi lost untaan wa nos ahst zu'u ont again. Daar tiid zu'u say, fin more.  Zu'u meyz fah hi, fahluaan do muz. Faas zu'u, ru wa faal vokunne, zu'u fen kos til wa greet hi.  Faal faas do zu'u coils hi med aan vith. Ahrk zu'u fen nos med faal vith. Faal Dovahkiin rah fen nahlot hi fah ul!"

     (Hermaeus Mora, you have tried to strike at me once again. This time I say, no more. I come for you, Gardener of Men. Fear me, run to the shadows, I will be there to greet you. The fear of me coils you like a serpent. And I will strike like the serpent. The Dragonborn God will silence you for eternity.)

     "What will you do with him? Kill him?"

     "No, he cannot be killed. But he can be imprisoned, and I know what kind of prison he cannot escape from, not ever. There are two others I must use this with, and he makes three. I will see that he knows remorse for his actions against me and mine. But first I must make certain my Fortress is secure and in its new home, then I will take Kintyra there for her protection. I thank you for your words of warning about his plans for her. I wish you well in your penultimate reading, but I must go and set plans of my own into action."

     "Your Majesty, please wait, take this reading with me, the Scrolls yet have knowledge they wish to impart to you."

     "This is something most different, yet if they wish it so, it must be important. They have never led me astray and I do not think they will do so now. Very well, whenever you are ready."

     Tobias holds the Elder Scroll in his hands where they both can see it as he unfurls it.

     As in the times past, she sees her vision hurtling out into unknown spaces, now she realizes she is seeing inside the collective mind of the Elder Scrolls themselves. They show her a path into the icy wastes of Atmora. She flies along in the air as if Kyne carried her on feathered wings.

     Now she begins to understand her place in all that has transpired is far more involved than she first thought. She knows now why Felldir called upon 'Sister Hawk' to make the contract with the 'Kel' to thrust Alduin into the streams of time and outside the Reality that is Mundus. And she sees her part in all of that. For it was by her presence at that moment in time, with the presence of the 'Kel' at both ends of the break that allowed for not only the opening of 'Time' to accept Alduin into its flow but to repair the opening and make 'Time' whole again.

     And also why the 'jills' were so apprehensive at her return, for they could not repair the 'wound' in the fabric of 'Time' that was created by the 'Kel', 'Kyne', and by 'Iriisii'. Only they who created it could heal it, even so only in the very moment of its creation could it be done, and only by the three who first stretched forth their will to do it. This even the 'jills' could not do and so they feared the power that moved within Iriisii as one of the three. Feared what she might do, should she be tempted by the threat to Kintyra.

     She sees the location of the Dwemer installation from the skies high above through the eyes of the 'Hawk' that is the spirit of Kyne. Once firmly in mind, the 'Kel' whisks her away even further out to see something more within the fabric of knowledge that is glimpsed when reading a 'Kel', an Elder Scroll. AKA knows her place in the future and shows her that by removing Alduin from existence and returning his soul to AKA, she performed a needed task. For the soul that is Alduin, can no longer be trusted with the responsibility of the destruction and rebirth of the Kalpa of Mundus, that is and yet is not a part of the greater Creation.

     AKA confirms to her that she is now the instrument for the death and new life of the Kalpa. By having done this for the 'second of the three Creations, she has proven that she can be trusted in assuming this responsibility. Furthermore, she will determine who will be a part of the death and rebirth process, and who will remain outside, as she must remain outside.

     A part of her wonders how far will she continue in her service to 'existence'. What possible heights will she yet reach for and attain? AKA can only show her so much, for much more remains even beyond his sight and comprehension. Once she steps upward as 'Progenitor', she will gain an oversoul such as 'he' is. And that oversoul will watch over all the 'aspects' of Iriisii Dovahkiin in all of the infinite shards of existence.

     Perhaps as they grow and become aware, they will share in the existence of her oversoul, propelling her ever higher, how high, into what, even AKA does not know. For as a mortal who gazes into the soul of a god and loses their mind, so would he for attempting to see into what she may become. But he knows the next step along her road is to deal with Hermaeus Mora. He continuously tries to step beyond himself and place himself as Lord Overseer to Mundus as Alduin had aspirations of doing.

     Should he accomplish this, he would not stop, and so he and Iriisii would cross paths again and again until one had to become victorious over the other. The very fabric of existence would not survive such a clash, and so something must be done now, to forestall such a future. She does not yet have the knowledge to create a prison that can hold him. But he can give her the 'key' that she needs to create one that can hold him until she can do better. And so he passes this knowledge to her, along with his reasons for doing so, so that she understands the gravitas of the situation.

     The knowledge shocks her to her core, yet she sees the need for it. And accepts that with great power comes great responsibility and the cost of dealing with great responsibility can be high indeed. AKA feels relief at her acceptance and understanding, she will do just fine in what she has to do. She will not walk upon Alduin's nor Hermaeus Mora's paths, rather she will walk her own, as all who have helped bring her to this point have hoped for. As quickly as she flew out of her body and among the stars, she is returned, knowing what she must do. Each step must play itself out for the next to take place. 

     She is alone as she stands and moves quickly through the Library, Tobias' reading is done and his fellow priests now care for him. They wait patiently for him to reveal what he was shown, but he knows now is not the time and they are not the ones who need to hear. Iriisii is not quick enough to avoid the representatives of the Synod.

     "Your Majesty, a moment of your time if you can spare it."

     "How may I be of service?"

     "We would ask to meet with you concerning some issues that have arisen with the Lord Chancellor. Until now we have had no opportunity to speak with you about this, due to your being about the Empire's business."

     "I see, and what time did you have in mind for this meeting to take place?"

     "As early in the morning as you would permit, hopefully before anything could interrupt."

     "Then I will receive you, gentlemen, in the Throne room after the morning meal but before any other business is to be heard. I trust this meets with your approval?"

     "Of course, Your Majesty, in the morning then."

     Iriisii nods her head turns and continues on her way. As she walks on, she hears an angry whisper, 'idiot, you were supposed to ask for the meeting to occur in our tower. How are we going to grab her long enough to give her the drug if the meeting is going to be in the Throne room!'

     'Shut up! she set the place and gave us no choice in it. We will just have to modify our plans, now let us go and see to it before Blackwell does something to upset everything again.'

     She keeps moving toward the Palace, all things move ahead as they are supposed to move.