Beautiful Insanity (A Skyrim/Oblivion Fanfiction) ((ORIGINAL))

The Final Chapter

RUSSETPOV

I recognized the malicious stare the second I stepped into the throne room. The eyes may have belonged to my daughter, my beloved Regina, but the evil passion couldn't have belonged to any but Nocturnal herself. It removed all doubt from my mind that the Princess of Darkness had risen once more.

Clad in a gown of night, the traditional ravens on her arms, an added smile made the effect even more eerie. When she stood, I realized how much we were in for. Sinister power radiated from the possessed body, and for a brief moment, my determination was replaced by despondency. What can I do? What can any of us do against a Prince? It took three Scrolls all those years ago. What have we now?

As if she knew my thoughts, Nocturnal began to speak. It was the strangest thing, hearing such macabre words spoken with Regina's voice. "You have no chance," she growled, the raven on her left shoulder letting out a screech as if to force her point. "Why throw your lives away?" Despite that she addressed us all, Nocturnal's glare was set on me alone.

Her feet never touched the ground as she drifted over to my small group, and the second her finger touched the bottom of my jaw, I dropped all hope and pretense that I could fight. She held the form of my daughter. I couldn't hurt her. I was certain that Nocturnal had intended exactly this.

Chillrend clattered to the floor, and I knelt down in front of Nocturnal. "Lass? Get up! What do you think you're doing?!"

"She's accepting her fate," Nocturnal purred, her ghoulish smile fading as she looked at my husband. "But none of you should have bothered. This can end only one way; perhaps the only way it ever could have." Her voice echoed with a gruesome tone. "Now I can only thank you for what you've done."

"Thank us?" Kary spoke for the first time since entering the massive castle, and her terror was clear. If I could tell her trepidation, then so would Nocturnal. As I'd suspected, the Mistress of Night cackled with glee.

"You come here with nothing, yet you somehow expect to strike me down?" She flicked Regina's wrist, and Brynjolf let out a surprised grunt as the Skeleton Key was yanked from his suit of armor. Nocturnal's eyes closed as she tightened her fist around her artifact. "You've done as I expected and brought my Key to me." She made no movement except to turn around, and the direness of the situation gripped me.

Ignoring the shell of my daughter, I focused on Nocturnal's aura. Quick as a snake might strike, I shot up and buried Chillrend into the Daedric Prince's back. She paused only for a second, a snap of her fingers throwing me into the wall. My head crashed into the stones while the legendary blade disintegrated. I tried not to scream through my haze as Kary and Brynjolf were chained to the wall. I alone was left unbound.

"Do not test my patience," Nocturnal warned lowly. She gave us no more notice, simply continuing on her path. A massive dish appeared on the black throne, filled with various ingredients. I instantly knew what she was doing and tried stumbling forward.

"No," I rasped, vision shaking from the blow to my head. I could do no more than a mouse could do to a dragon. Nocturnal faced us and held up the Skeleton Key.

"Did you truly think you could keep the Key from me? My own Key?" she chortled. The Key dripped with odd bits and pieces from the dish. Red blood dripped down from the end onto the split carpet. "I'll say this... I have you to thank. Nirn has you to thank for this." Nocturnal pointed to the Key. "Watch your handiwork... all possible because of you." 

Held down, my sight was just enough to watch a split appear in the air. Through it, a vicious light shone through, though a malevolence emanated from it that nothing could top. My family and I were forced to be witnesses to Nocturnal's grand plan, to what we'd been pawns to.