After closing off everything, Niyleen didn’t end up in the dark abyss that she was used to, but someplace rather familiar.

“Here? But this is my house! Why… why am I here?”

“It’s because this is where we last met. At least… where you last met me,” said a voice from behind the Halfling.

Niyleen turned her head and her heart almost stopped. There smiling at her was the one person she so badly wanted, needed to see. “Lucari…”

 

“I know everything, you know. About how you lied to me, about how you are the ‘Raging Inferno of the Reach’ that I’ve been looking for.”

Niyleen’s eyes widened. “H-how do you… Where did…”

Lucari seemed somewhat pleased with Niyleen’s response. “Heh, at least you’re not denying it. I guess that doesn’t make you a total liar.”

“Lucari! I don’t want to fight you! I… please come back! We can start over! Heck, if you can never forgive me, I’ll even let you turn me in. At least you’ll be able to be the hero you always wanted to be!”

“Hero?” Darkness and bats clouded Lucari’s visage until the woman staring back at her wasn’t the same any more. “You know what I’ve become. A monster like me could never become a hero.”

 

“Cari…” Niyleen reached out to her and when she came into contact with the Nord’s skin, it was cold but it mad Niyleen feel warmer than she had ever felt. “You… you’ll never be a monster. Because as long as you’re you, you’ll be the brightest person I’ll ever know…”

“I… I can’t help you, not like Eolri,” Lucari said unable to look at Niyleen. “Eolri actually imprinted a piece of her soul in you, I’m… just your interpretation of the real Lucari. So I can’t help you be at peace with what happened like you are with the Forsworn…”

“I know, but still—”

Lucari held a finger up to silence the Redguard. “All I can do for you is tell you this; no matter what happens, no matter what you think, don’t assume that Lucari blames you for any of this. She may not forgive you for not telling her you were the ‘Raging Inferno of the Reach’, but until you hear it from her, do NOT believe that you’re at fault for anything!”

Niyleen grabbed Lucari into her arms and pressed her lips against the Nord’s like it was the last chance she’d ever get to do so. When she separated her lips from Lucari’s and opened her eyes, the Nord was gone.

 

 

 

“I won’t let you down again… Never again…”

*
“Oh me, oh my! Sometimes I ask me why. We even try? For time is nigh! And we all will surely die!” The woman stopped and smiled. “You tempt me Niy, you really do. You make it so easy to simply kill you.” She wielded her weapon and clenched her fists. “I… it’s not supposed to be this way. One thousand is supposed to be special, difficult but satisfying. You’re… you’re always ruining EVERYTHING Niy! You’re the ONE! The one that’s supposed to end it all! The one’s that’s supposed to save everyone! But look at you?” She nudged Niyleen with the dull side of her blade. “Sleeping.”

 

Sighing, she raised her blade above her head. “Well then, I guess it’s just time for me to wake you up!”

 

The woman brought her blade down and smiled when she missed her target. “HahaHAAA! You ARE fun! So glad you’re always surprising me, dear Inferno.”

 

Niyleen glared at her. “You think this is a game Ruby? You think this is funny?!”

“No,” she said in an irritated tone. “I don’t think that this is funny at all. I don’t think seeing your friends die and then grieving over them only for them to be revived is any bit hilarious. You see dear Niy, you and I are different. I’ve seen the rise and fall and rise of Alduin. I’ve what happens after either the Stormcloaks or the Imperials win. I’ve been killed when I’m helping the Daedric Princes AND when I’m trying my best to fight against them.”

“And yet here you are serving those same Daedric Princes that have caught us all up in this madness. Do you honestly think it’s right, no, that it’s the right thing to do? You think serving them will end this faster? You honestly think that being their Champion is going to end with a happy ending for you? You’re insane! You’re just a pawn in their game! Ruby, wake up!”

Ruby smiled. “You try staying sane when the only person you’ve ever truly called a friend kills you once and then leaves you for dead. Try to fucking stay sane when you come to realize that all of the people on Nirn… whether they live or die is COMPLETELY meaning less. Try TO FUCKING STAY SANE when you see the same little girl die three times in front of you and no matter what you do, no matter how you plan to save her, you just can’t! And that’s how you start the Cycles off! With a reminder!” Ruby pointed her weapon at Niyleen. “That girl’s death is a fucking reminder… Try staying sane when all that’s happened to you Little Niy. Then I think you’ll be ready to say who’s sane and who’s not.”

 

The women glared at each other in silence with no further words. Ruby’s ‘explanation did little persuade or move Niyleen, although she could feel a bit of a shit from Nega. (You okay?)

 

You don’t feel that? That… that cold, like the world’s been covered in frost?

Niyleen took a set back and got into a defensive position, never taking her gaze off of Ruby. She knew exactly what Nega was talking about. It was that cold, deadly aura that had completely gripped Niyleen in terror the last time she faced the Dunmer. But it was different this time. (No… unlike last time I can only feel her bloodlust, her raging desire to kill me. There’s no component of fear here…)

 

You… Zu'u nis korah nii… You’re… different from before. What happened while you were meditating?

Niyleen didn’t have a chance to think about it as Ruby was suddenly on her, striking with an onslaught of slashes. Niyleen dodged around them as usual, but she wasn’t utilizing her unnecessarily flamboyant style. She was more grounded and only using as much movement as was necessary. It was a completely different fight than Ruby or Nega expected. Ruby quickly wearing herself out. Niyleen being precise, accurate, and optimizing ever little advantage she was presented with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are… are you mimicking Eolri?

 

Ruby jumped at Niyleen, but was immediately slammed viciously to the ground. (No… I’m just doing what I should have been doing from long ago.) Niyleen backed up and readied her blade again. “If you keep this up, I WILL kill you.”

 

 

 

 

“Hehehehee, ouchouchouch! Ha haaaa…” Ruby got to her feet but wasn’t as steady as before. “Not like I haven’t died before. Besides, Oblivion’s nice this time of year! But maybe you’ll soul trap me again, that was nice.”

“Alishondra…” During the course of the fight the Dunmer had become less of a threat, less menacing, and seemed to be acting more normal. “If what you’ve said is true, why do we have to fight? Why not join me—join us—and try to fight them again?”

“Because it’s pointless to fight against them,” Ruby said with a monotone voice. “No matter what you do, no matter what Champions you defeat, no matter what order you do it in, it’s all pointless. Even the Daedric Princes themselves don’t know how to end this, which is why,” Ruby raised her weapon again. “…which is why even if I kill you or if you kill me, we’ll end up doing this little dance again. Until they get bored or the Cycles end on their own accord.”

 

“I don’t think it’s pointless!” Niyleen tossed her weapon aside and held her arms out. “Listen, we don’t have to fight. I’ve no ill will toward you, and if you will stop trying to kill me we wouldn’t have a reason to fight.”

 

What in Oblivion do you think you’re doing? ARE YOU INSANE!?

“This is too much… And they call me the crazy one.” Ruby straightened herself and sighed. “You know, I’d like that Niy, I really would.”

Ruby lunged at Niyleen with her sword ready to plunge Niyleen through the heart, but staying ever calm, Niyleen swiftly disarmed the Dunmer and drove her through the tree behind her with Ruby’s own weapon. Niyleen then retrieved the sword from Ruby’s chest and watched as the Dunmer slid to the ground.

 

 

 

 

“Why? Why did you do—huh?” Niyleen could feel a wetness rolling down her cheeks. (I’m crying? Over Ruby?)

 

It’s probably the Second. She was the closest with the Dunmer all things considered.

“Hehehe *cough* haaa…. Y-you’re too soft Light… This… is exactly…. Why…” She coughed up some blood and didn’t bother to wipe it away. “…why you were so easy… to deceive…”

“You had a chance Shony, why’d you refuse it?”

“Light? Is that really you? I… I can’t see anything anymore.”

“It’s me, Shony,” Niyleen said as she knelt down beside Ruby. “Light’s here with you.”

“I won’t apologize for betraying you… you should have seen it coming… but for Ceolrianna… I…”

 

Niyleen shook her head. “It’s okay. It’s over now. Hopefully, this time you’ll be able to be at peace.”

Ruby smiled and mouthed, ‘thank you’ before taking her final breath.

 

Indeed, thank you Niyleen.

 

“S-second!? When did she—”

 

You didn’t notice? Hmmm, well whatever. What’s done is done. Besides I think someone has something to say to you.

 

“Who are you talking… oh right,” Niyleen retrieved her weapon and sheathed it. “Sorry about attacking you Trineiya, but I couldn’t have you interfering with the progress I was making.”

“You better be sorry … But I’ll be damned…” Niyleen turned around and saw the Altmer there with a grin on her face. “I don’t know how you did it, but you didn’t even flinch against Alishondra. Not even when she rushed you there at the end. Ha! I guess my methods worked won—”

“Take me back,” Niyleen said abruptly.

“What?”

“Take. Me. Back.” Niyleen said firmly. “I’ve no reason to be here anymore so take me back to Skyrim.”

 

Trineiya wanted to try to persuade Niyleen to do otherwise, but the look in the Redguard’s eyes told the Altmer that she wouldn’t be moved. “But of course.”