Not Alone (A Skyrim Fanfiction)

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

     Hermaeus Mora had watched the entire confrontation, invisible to both Dragonborns.  He had watched with interest as the youngling who had defeated the World-Eater stood up to his ancient and powerful servant.  The younger Dragonborn had put up an incredible fight, refusing to give up even when he observed Miraak’s ability to heal through absorbing dragon souls.  If Relonikiv had not intervened, Kisvar might actually have won, Mora mused.  He witnessed this final scene, then heard Miraak’s final words to his defeated enemy.

     These words caused him the first anxiety he had felt in… well, eras.  Miraak had been a faithful servant, and Mora had saved him when he should by all rights have been slain by a priest of the dragons.  His servant owed him everything, and yet here he was renouncing him in his own plane of Oblivion.  Mora abruptly regretted not killing Miraak immediately before he had left Apocrypha.  His champion had grown more powerful and become more restless that Mora had realized, and now the betrayer was beyond his reach, except…. 

     He looked down at the dying man on the battlefield, watched him slowly giving in to the bitter wound.  Miraak would be immeasurably more powerful once he had fully entered the earth once more, but here was one who had the potential to defeat him.  Not many mortals wandered into Apocrypha, and most of those that did were merely lost souls seeking knowledge they had sought in their lifetime.  When would Mora next have a Dragonborn to bend to his will?  Not in this era, nor probably the next, he knew.

     Unfortunately, he could not intervene in the affairs of the mortals directly.  Each Daedric Prince had his champion, and until recently, Mora had been satisfied with his.  Now Miraak had scorned his master, abused the knowledge Mora had provided him with, and left the realm of Apocrypha without permission.  He could not be allowed to roam the earth freely. 

     No, he would not in a million years find another mortal as worthy of his favor as this one.  This one must defeat Miraak, no other. 

     Hermaeus Mora swept down closer to the fallen Dragonborn, still invisible, just in time to see his eyes slowly roll up into the lids and close.  Summoning the power of his land, he wrapped thin but strong dark green vines around the unresponsive body, forming a bandage of sorts around the spike.  He could have healed him completely, but if the Dragonborn could not overcome even this mere wound of the flesh then he had no right to be the champion of one so mighty as he.

     With a flip of one tentacle he set two Seekers to send the Dragonborn back to Solstheim.  The knowledge of how this fight would end yet eluded him, and he would look on with interest to one day add the knowledge to his library.

This is more of a filler chapter, but I'll post chapter 9 today as well.  I'm just giving it a short proof read now.  

Do you ever feel like you know Skyrim's geography better than the geography of the country you live in?  I do :/

EDIT:  I would also love to hear any suggestions you might have for this book.  Some may not work for the way the story is going to go, but I'd love some help with ideas all the same!