What Happens In Solstheim

Chapter 13

Farah was dropped on the floor of Apocrypha, landing awkwardly on her feet and took a second to find her balance.

What an ungraceful start.

Her eyes darted around the place, squinting at the swirling green light shining down on her, the countless of towers made of books that stuck out the black mass the realm called 'water'. Tentacles would sweep out of the mass every second, whipping and grabbing at nothing.

Farah drew a breath, trying to push her fear of the place aside and took the first step down the bridge in front of her. At the end of the bridge she found the book that would take her to chapter two, where she was sure a fight would take place between her and either a lurker or two seekers. She was, in fact, in a book, one which Hermaeus Mora could control to his liking. Her fate was his his hand - er, tentacles, that moment.

The next area she was dropped seemed different. Yes, the green light and black water was still there, but in front of her was a set of stairs that led up, a few small tornadoes of books swirling around the place. She drew her sword and readied her lighting spell, expecting to run into trouble at any moment. Farah ignored her usual habit of looting everything she saw and passed several tables with scrolls and books of knowledge. She climbed the stairs to a higher level when her eye caught the purple shimmer of magic up ahead.

Seeker.

She took one step forward, ready to fight, when the creature suddenly teleported right in front of her. It hit her with a wave of magic and Farah winced as it shook her body. She dodged the next wave and sent her own lightning bolts towards the seeker. It screeched before conjuring a clone to help it fight. From past knowledge, Farah knew that the clone was weaker than the caster, so she focused on the real seeker instead. Once she killed it, the clone vanished into thin air. The Dragonborn stepped over its leathery remains and continued down the path. Another set of stairs took her to a pedestal with an abnormally large book displayed on it.

Boneless Limbs, it read on the cover.

Farah was lucky that she still had her rucksack on her and emptied out the contents to make space for the book. After lifting it off the pedestal, a secret set of stairs appeared on the opposite side of the place. Typical of Hermaeus Mora to install little puzzles like that. She didn't waste any time and hurried down the new path, reaching another book and taking it to chapter three.

Next thing she knew, she was standing at the beginning of a maze, the walls made of stone and old books. Farah's heart hammered against her throat as she quietly made her way around the first corner. She was fully on alert, more jumpy than usual and still scared out of her mind. She figured she was going the right way when she nearly bumped into another seeker. The fight went off the same the previous one and led her to another book at the end.

Delving Pincers.

As if the realm of Apocrypha wasn't as frightening already, Mora just had to give the books those gruesome titles.

Taking the book opened a gate behind her with a scrye behind it. After activating it, the wall in front of her began extending into a long hallway. Farah continued down the hall until she reached the next 'chamber'. Her eyes grew wide when seeing the place. It looked like some sort of a dome that dropped down to the depths of Apocrypha. Only a few bridges connected it with an island in the center with a tower of books planted on it. On her left was the third book and she had to walk a ledge to get to it.

Prying Orbs.

Really? Was Hermaeus writing an autobiography? Fortunately for her, there didn't seem to be any enemies around for the rest of the way. Farah took one of the bridges that led to another hallway, where the next chapter awaited at the end.