Waking Dreams - (18+)

zero.

listen to: mr sandman - SYML

Place: Sand Key Beach, Clearwater, Florida

Year: 2021

Age: 25

First Name: Phoenix

⚔︎

There's nothing quite like sitting on the balcony of the condominium that my family owns. I spent years of waiting for the time I'd be able to live here on my own.

The chair I'm seated in is a bit rusted but for the time being, it'll have to work. My book rests on my bare thigh the place being held by the page being folded in the corner. I've finally finished part one of the new romance novel my best friend had given to me; she's in the process of getting it published and gave me the final draft. The title being The Art of Rehabilitation.

The heat of the Florida sun drains my energy to start part two and I place the book on the table beside me. Leaning the chair back, my eyes feel heavy. Sleep creeps up on me and everything goes dark.

⚔︎

Starting to wake from the well needed nap, something pokes my shoulder. I whine and try to turn over and end up touching something sticky and wet.

"What the fu-?" I mumble and start opening my eyes, finding myself laying in front of a pedestal that has a large book resting on top of it.

Looking up, I see a large eye gazing down at me with tentacles waving around it. "What do we have here?"

"Who are you?" I shiver.

"I am Hermaeus Mora," they respond. "What an odd type of armor you have on."

My eyes widen and I realize the tanning bikini I'm wearing. Discomfort washes over me like a tsunami.

"Welcome to Apocrypha," Hermaeus Mora chuckles. "You are?"

"...Phoenix," I take a step back. "Just Phoenix. Do you know how the hell I got here?"

"I'm afraid I don't have the knowledge of that."

"Well, what do you know then?"

"Everything," the mass of tentacles tells me.

I raise my eyebrows and place my hands on my hips. Everything, huh? Everything my ass.

"Does anyone else live here?" I question. Probably not after getting a good look at my surroundings. Oddly enough, books are everywhere. It's like a library here. "Or is it just you?"

"There's others."

"Where are they?"

Hermaeus Mora pauses, probably debating on telling me. "It doesn't matter."

"You can't be serious," I roll my eyes. "I mean, no offense, but, do you really expect me to stay occupied in this place without meeting anyone else?" I need some sort of company other than a massive floating squid.

"I'm afraid that meeting someone else would cause a few consequences."

"It's not that big of a deal," I scoff. "Just tell me what they're like."

"They're a traitor," Mora sighs. "Too arrogant for their own good."

"Are they human at least?"

"Yes," they respond. "with elevated abilities."

"Abilities?"

"That's for another time," Hermaeus Mora gradually disappears into thin air.

⚔︎

𝙃𝙞𝙢

My body shivers. The feeling of loneliness shatters when I sense a new presence in Apocrypha. Who could this be? I close the book I was stuck in and stand from the aged couch I was sitting on. Before I have a chance to summon the Daedric Prince, he appears before me.

"It appears we have a visitor," Hermaeus Mora speaks.

"Not 'we'," I scoff. "This is your realm, I'm merely a pawn in your game."

He ignores that. "They're human."

"And?"

"They don't seem to know how they got here."

"Surely they just used a Black Book," I reply. "That's how the Dragonborn got here." Saying that, it reminds me of the fight with the last Dragonborn. How in the end he sacrificed himself only to be revived by Mora. He was then deemed unworthy of becoming the new champion.

"See her for yourself," Hermaeus Mora speaks. "You'll see that the human is not from Solstheim nor are they from Skyrim."

Her?

"A woman?" I mumble to myself. I cannot remember the last time I saw a woman.

"She's around here somewhere," he tells me. "That is if a lurker hasn't found her."

A sick feeling fills me at the idea of the creatures here finding this woman.

⚔︎

𝙃𝙚𝙧

I've been sitting in the same place for a while now. The air is cold and I'm wearing close to nothing. Panic fills me and my heart races at the idea of anyone else seeing me like this. I have no way of protecting myself. Who knows what's in this realm?

Suddenly, my thoughts come to life as I hear a crazed roar. Looking up, a beast stands before me.

"Oh fuck no," I shake my head, my legs freezing on me. Fear overwhelms me and the creature lurks toward me. Just my luck, huh. From above, another roar sounds catching my attention. My eyes dilate when I spot the large dragon that just called. The next thing I see is a figure perched on its neck. From the shape, I assume they're a man.

"Shit!" I hiss in pain. The monster growls, leaving a gash on my stomach. Glancing down, I see blood running down my waist and I wince. It's not the fact that it's blood, it's the throbbing pain. Blood is just a reminder.

I hear the dragon roar again and it releases frost from its mouth. Huddling, I expect the frost to hit me and it never does. Eyes peeking out from behind my arms, my heart stops at what I see just above the now dead monster.

"Sahrotaar, land," the man riding the dragon commands.

"I will land, Lord Miraak."

I gasp at the dragon's deep voice. Did they just speak?

I inch backwards in fear that I'm about to experience more violence. What is happening? I'm beginning to wish I never took that nap on the balcony.

The bridge I'm huddling over shutters and the dragon lands; yes, crushing the monster completely.

"Please don't touch me," I manage to squeak out, getting a clear look at the being on the dragon's neck. "I don't even know where I am or how I got here."

"Hermaeus Mora was correct when he said you don't look like you're from anywhere in Tamriel," he speaks. I feel his gaze from behind that mask he wears. It makes me feel small. "I won't hurt you. But please, let me take you somewhere safer than here where you can get eaten alive by Lurkers."

"I said 'don't touch me'," I huff.

"Suit yourself then," the man shrugs. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Rolling my eyes, I turn around. Not even having to look back, I can tell he's getting back on the dragon.

In the distance, a blob forms and starts shooting at me. On second thought-

"Fuck it," the man grunts, exaggerating his frustration. His hands pull me back and he lifts me over his shoulders, placing me on his dragon. "Sahrotaar, take us to the summit."

⚔︎

PLSSSSS IVE NEVER WRITTEN ANYTHING SKYRIM RELATED IM JUST BORED AND I HAVE A SWITCH THAT I CANT MOD SO I CANT MARRY MIRAAK SO I SAID HOW ABOUT WRITE A FIC INSTEAD SNNSNS