A Series of Daedric Events (a Skyrim fanfiction)

Chapter Eight - The Break of Dawn

We stay in Solitude for a few more days and I inform Marcurio about my brush with the Daedric Prince of Madness.

"Well you don't seem like you've gone insane, so I suppose that's a good thing," Marcurio squints at me. "What is the plan now?"

"Well I'm going to the Bards College to sort through some missing things and then I guess we'll head back to Whiterun. Maybe I could consult Azura or Clavicus about what to do next," I shrug. 

"You sure are fond of summoning Clavicus Vile," Marcurio raises his eyebrows. 

"I am not," I say defensively. "Okay...maybe he's grown on me a little bit. But that's it! He is sometimes an amusing person to keep around,"

"Sometimes?" Clavicus scoffs inside my mind. "Oh please. You love having me around,"

"Clavicus! What did we say about talking in my mind?" I snap. 

"Right, right. Sorry. I'll go," Clavicus huffs. 

Marcurio eyes me. "Just...be careful, Lucia. I don't want to see you getting hurt,"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I frown. "Look at me. I've been fine! I haven't even had a near death experience with my Daedric quests,"

"Yet," Marcurio looks genuinely concerned. "You've not really faced any dangerous Daedra, aside from Mehrunes Dagon. What about when you have to face off Molag Bal? Or when you finally get to Hermaeous Mora?"

"Well we're not at that stage yet, are we?" I reply, though that anxiety has crossed my mind a few times. "I'm going to the Bards College. I'll be back,"

***

The Bards don't seem to have too many things in disarray. I'm not even quite sure why they needed me to sort their things and make sure nothing is missing. I'm here for manual work, not for secretarial work, but I remember that I pledged to help Solitude. 

I open one of their chests and I find some white sphere with dents in it. I pick it up and I suddenly feel an immense pressure in my head and I want to drop the sphere, but I can't. 

"A new hand touches the beacon. Listen. Hear me and obey," the voice that comes from within the sphere. "A foul darkness has seeped into my temple. A darkness that you will destroy. Return my beacon to Mount Kilkreath and I will make you the instrument of my cleansing light,"

"What in the...?" I rub my head. The pressure seems to have left my head, but the words of whoever was in my mind keeps ringing in my head. Mount Kilkreath? That's right next to Solitude, as far as I can remember. Well. At least I'm in a good location to get this done. 

***

"Mount Kilkreath is where the Shrine to Meridia is located," Marcurio frowns as we head up a small path through the mountains. According to Marcurio, this path will lead us right to Meridia's Shrine. 

"So I guess she's my next Daedric Prince to win over," I nod my head. "Well...Meridia isn't too evil right?"

"As far as Daedric Princes go, she represents the energies of living things. She hates the undead and necromancy," Marcurio recalls. "So, really, there are indeed worse Princes to have to deal with,"

"That I am eventually going to have to deal with," I remind him. 

"Well. Take comfort in the fact that I will be by your side when you need me," Marcurio assures me. 

"Thanks," I say gratefully. 

I'm not used to receiving words of assurance from Marcurio. They aren't really his thing and neither are compliments, but I think the end of the world and my fate has softened him up a little bit.