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Machinations of a Lich - Chapter 5 At the end of Time Skana wasn't surprised to find herself immediately at Labyrinthian when she stepped out of Illias cave. She did not care if it was the eye who brought her there or if it was an effect of the reality collapse, all she cared for was getting into the Soul Cairn to remedy what Jyggalag had done. The sky above Shalidors Maze looked very much like the one in the Soul Cairn already, Skana knew there wasn't much time left anymore. Not knowing what would await her she drew her sword and kept it ready on her shoulder as she went further into the maze. Or what was left of it. Skana did not know how this place looked before from the inside, but she was sure nobody would build only one half of a labyrinth somewhere and put order crystals next to it. No, she was at the very rift where this reality connected to the Soul Cairn, Maera did not lie. She stopped abruptly, noticing someone familiar infront of her. "I should have known that cowardly bitch of a revenant would make you show up here." Skana snarled. The lich was unfazed by Skanas words and his hoarse voice could be heard. "I am surprised you recognize me in this form, there could've been a possibility i was the one you know as Skaal. It must be the eye, i saw it through the scroll." he closed analytically, but not hostile. Skana was too much in a hurry to ask herself about details, all she knew is Uthrang was infront of her, she would fight him, even destroy him if she must, there was no time for Uthrangs delusional bickering. She stepped up towards the lich, gesturing to threaten him. "Get ouf of my way Uthrang, i don't have the time to deal with you, but Shor help me i will if you force my hand. Your stupid game of power has doomed all of mundus and my life or what was left of it!" Uthrang didn't move a finger as he spoke."You misunderstand, i am not the Uthrang from your reality, please forgive me i didn't mean to irritate. I know of this reality and how it is just a fake. I have waited for you and you came, as my elder scroll had foretold. It also showed me what the real me had done. Even if i am not the original, it shames me deeply." After blinking perplexed for a few seconds at this realitys Uthrang, Skana sheathed her sword, she was ready to draw it anew though as something was still unclear. "And Maera? She is the same as her original." Uthrang shook his head, before he continued in a sad tone. "Maera...she was my wife in this artificial reality. She died of disease and i sought to be together with her once more. When i achieved undeath and the means to reanimate her, i did. But undeath changed her, her mind grew chaotic and all she cared for was causing strife and suffering. The undead council crowned me for achieving undeath on my own and we sought to remedy my mistake but my former wife eluded us so far." Skana was surprised at the story this Uthrang tells and the few similarities she sees in them. "So you're the equivalent of Skaal in this reality, wife excluded... and the undead council, the coldharbour council." After shaking her head she added;"Gods, this is such a mess." Uthrang emanated an etheral laugh, it sounded bitter but firm. "I don't know the details, but it certainly is a mess. I am well aware that this reality is insignificant, since i found the elder scroll. It is all an illusion, my past, my wife, everything. My wisdom is above my desires, so for the sake of mundus, this must end. As he continued to speak the lichs voice hardened. "I know you seek entrance into the Soul Cairn, the very core of this dimensional atrocity. I don't know how you will undo this disaster, but since an elder scroll allowed itself to be found, i refuse to believe that mundus will end. Creation itself is involved in this and it has choosen you to enact its will. I will open a portal to grant you entrance, this is the role given to me by the scroll, the rest is up to you, girl." Uthrang did exactly that, he opened a portal directly into the dimensional wall that halved Shalidors Maze like a barely visible giant sword resting on it. Skana immediately went towards the portal. Skana stopped, one foot already in the portal, waving with her sword. "It's a shame you're not the original, i hope your soul finds its place once everything is how it should be again, given that i can do it." Uthrang laughed almost as if happy."This dimension will collapse in mere seconds, i can feel it. But I have no doubts of your success, creation itself is with you. Now go, before it is too late!" Skana thought about how little this Uthrang knew what was with her and how brave he faced his end as she stepped through the portal. If only the real Uthrang would be like that. This all would have never happened. Skana found herself at the entrance to the boneyard, she was relieved not to have to travel through half of the cairn, time was of the essence, she discared the thought that Jyggalag was not aware of what she was doing. She entered the boneyard, it was as if all just happened yesterday. The crystal was still there, holding Skaadi and Skaal. The eye floating next to it, inert. It wasn't rotating like it used to. With one exception. Skana was shocked when she saw Ylfa nowhere around. She stopped in her steps as she remembered being imprisoned here for 3 years, a feral Ylfa would be more than she could take, even with the other eye of magnus in her posession, this would not be sufficient to shield her from her own emotions. If her heart would still be beating, Skana was sure it would've stopped now. As the fog on the ground shifted she saw Ylfa lying there. Through the eye she was able to sense that Ylfa wasn't gone yet. Just unconscious. Skana began to wonder how much time must have passed in the Cairn since Jyggalags appearance, as she did not fall unconscious with 3 years without blood. The sight relieved her though, her fear that Ylfa would roam the boneyard as feral vampire, attacking her, did not happen. "She is just unconscious." Skana tried to calm herself. Not being able to bear the sight, Skana passed Ylfa with closed eyes. "This will all be over and we'll have a day or two just for us, i promise, Ylfa. I still have to tell you something." she spoke on the verge of weeping. As Skana steered towards the center of the boneyard, she remembered the words from the being in the void. She had to find the spear. The spear was still there. All the time, untouched by Skaals devastating spell. Skana did not know how the spear was still intact after being subjected to magna-ge magic, but she did not care as it was only important that the weapon was still there. The closer she got the more foreign the spear occured to her, she never had a weapon of daedric craftmanship in her hands, a spear even less. Skana felt the weapon was inert however, whatever magic once resided in it was long gone. As she picked the weapon up, she remembered the feeling of it when it pierced her throat back in the solitude catacombs. The magic being discharged into her body. And she understood why the being in the void told her to use it. Daedric or not, it was propably the only weapon capable of withstanding magna-ge magic surging through it long enough to use it. A strange feeling overcame her as she was holding the daedric spear. It was as if she once stood here already with the spear in her hand, fighting someone. Something. It was a dwindling feeling, but she noticed the eyes were reaching out for each other. She had to shatter the crystal. Skana focused herself, trying to grasp the concepts of magic, she knew the eye would grant her the wisdom, wisdom that would never leave her again. Magicka surrounded her, seeking its way from her body to the spear, ready to reshape a small fraction of reality. The order crystal. She approached the crystal, eyeing it critically, trying to figure out where to hit. It did not matter. She could feel the other eye trying harder to resonate to hers, it was almost overwhelming. "Alright, here goes." She swung the spear at full force, with a war cry only a nord could perform, against the order crystal. The magna-ge magic discharged in a thunderous blast, the released magicka itself was so powerful, a screeching sound halled through the boneyard, much like the spell Skaal had cast in his duel with the auroran. The spear disintegrated in Skanas hands and everything became bright and blurry. She could literally feel reality being changed, the crystal began to disappear. The sky in the Soul Cairn flashed briefly red. Skana knew, Jyggalag was on his way. He must have felt the crystal being unmade. Skana went on her knees as the magicka of the eye surged back into her body, grunting in exhaustion and surprise. "There's still magicka left after this?!" Happyness overcame her though as she noticed Skaadi and Skaal standing infront of her. She almost jumped up after the magicka was done surging into her, gesturing agitated, speaking to Skaal and Skaadi. "You have no damn idea what i just went through!" Skaadi just shook her head at Skana. "Oh trust me we do, we could see all through Skaals eye when we were in that crystal and what the other eye saw in the void, this was just.. weird." Skaal eyed her with a serious look on his face. "Skana, remind me when this is all over to buy every hat in skyrim so i can tip it to you. We did not know what you all went through before you came to join the clan, even if this was in a different reality. You went through it twice and you're still yourself. I can only admire that." Skaadi spoke calm, almost sounding prepared for something. "Skaal and i both know what will happen. You better summon your friend from the void. Can't say i like what will happen though." Skaal didn't sound troubled either, just like his wife. "Indeed. I would explain it all to you, but that isn't necessary, the eyes will resonate in a few seconds and you will know it all. Unfortunately i can't help. I have to admit, this is something only you can do right now, i'm not good with swords and the eyes resonate to you and only you right now. It is the will of Magnus." Skana wanted to say something, ask the whys and hows. But when the eyes began to resonate, she was just standing there as in trance, she saw it all. 14 years passed in the Soul Cairn, Mundus is gone. Only the daedric planes where still there and she could see them all. Every daedra lord watching her with interest or amusement. Sanguine was having a party and held a toast to her, raising a glass on a table with his followers reveling. Vaermina stared at her from her nightmare realm, menacing with a glint of hatred that wasn't directed at her. Azura was striding through the flowered fields of Moonshadow bowing graciously to her. Boethia was sitting on his snake mount, with a smug smile, expecting Jyggalags plot will get foiled. Clavicus Vile who was having an argument with his better half Barbas, turning to her applauding in anticipation. Hermaeus Mora who stared at her greedily with his many eyes, intending to learn everything he can about what will happen. Hircine who was standing on one of the many high hills of his hunting grounds, howling her name together with his were-beasts. Malacath who eyed her with a stern look, letting out a warcry, cursing Jyggalags name, that halled through his Ashpit. Mephala was sitting on a giant spider web with her spider daedra, ridiculing Jyggalag for being blind to Skanas doings, letting her act in complete secrecy. Namira with her ever rotting and repulsive face, who was simply smiling at Skana. Nocturnal who was wishing her luck from her dark realm Evergloam. Peryite who was sitting on a volcano in the Pits, expressing his dislike for Jyggalags form of order with a massive roar of his dragonic throat. Sheogorath sitting on his double colored throne, who was balancing a giant cheese wheel on his staff, winking at her. Mehrunes Dagon who was striding through the Deadlands with his towering 4 armed body, commending her for her ambition to fight Jyggalag. Meridia who was throwing a tantrum in her colored rooms, being annoyed about the last survivors of Nirn being undead. Molag Bal in Coldharbour, who was threatening her not to fail, making a gesture at his neck, reminding Skana of her collar. And Jyggalag, who was striding through the void, closing in on the Soul Cairn rapidly, speechless, like a mindless machine set on a single target. The sight of Jyggalag brought her out of the all-seeing vision the eyes granted her, she knew it was only a matter of minutes until Jyggalag was here, almost commanding Skaadi and Skaal, her resolve hardened. "Go to Ylfa, I'll summon our friend and pray to the gods he is able to help!" Skaal nodded at Skana at went together with Skaadi to the unconscious vampire. Skana was focusing the infinite magicka of both eyes into herself. The eyes made her realize, this was no simple conjuration spell like one would summon an atronach, it was conjuration of the highest form, to pull something out of the void by sheer willpower. To force the void to give something up. As she focused, the feeling of remembering something, overcame her again, this time clear. She saw herself holding the daedric spear, pointing it at a several thousands of undead, striding through battlefields on different planes as a warlord. She was unsciously yelling the oath, the shades in the corrupted temple were throwing at her. "He swore! To serve!" Pointing her sword downwards, concentrating the magicka into the tip of her pale fire greatsword carefully enough not to disintegrate it, she continued to recite, yelling the next words through the Cairn, her voice was accompanied by an otherworldly echo. "He died! He prayed!" Finishing to recite she thrusted the sword into the ground of the boneyard, yelling the final words. "BETRAYED BY HIS LORD VENGEANCE HE SWORE!" Palefire was surrounding her suddenly. The palefire gathered around her, enclosing her in a bright shell of light, the memories occured again. She saw herself looking up to a woman, surrounded by a golden shine, expecting something, but the woman simply turned away with a dismissive gesture. It felt as if the magic was nearly crushing her, it was impossible for her undead body but for some reason she could feel the fire was cold, she was almost freezing. She saw herself again, cleaving a vampire lord in half with the daedric spear, the woman was watching again and turned once more away with a dismissive gesture, she saw herself bowing to the woman, the spear clenched in her fist. The palefire began to disperse and Skana suddenly realized, those weren't her memories. Those were the memories of someone else. Someone who served faithfully and never got a sign of acknowledgment. The illusionary feeling of cold disappeared in the blink of an eye and the palefire was once again surrounding her, loose flames dancing in circles. Another memory surfaced, she shaw herself dying, being torn apart by a powerful spell, trying to comprehend unusual ways of thinking and coming to the conclusion, she got betrayed. No, the being those memories belonged to got betrayed. Skana sheathed her word on her back, waiting for what happens next. The blue dancing flames began to concentrate on a single spot on the ground and a slow, monstrous, distorted, metallic and echoing voice could be heard. "I swore to serve my lord faithfully. I did so for aeons." And a giant skeletal helmeted head appeared belonging to what was stepping out of the palefire on the ground, slowly. The towering undead figure kept speaking as it emerged from the flames. "When i died, i prayed for acknowledgement, being honored by my lord as i had fulfilled my sworn oath to her." As the colossal undead warrior was standing in his full height infront of Skana, being summoned completely, it closed. "I felt betrayed for serving for aeons but never getting a single word or gesture of honor from her, she always dismissed me and all the others as if blind servitude was a certainty. In my final seconds i swore vengeance to her, i would return as what she hates most, her greatest champion becoming undead." The skeletal warrior paused for a moment before he continued with an iron voice. "Once, my name was Auronus. Champion of Meridia, Warlord of Dawn. I cast off those petty titles for i am so much more now. I dwelled in the void for centuries when i got nearly defeated here in the Soul Cairn. A true lord would never let his knights die. I renounce Meridia, i renounce my titles, i renounce the dawn. I pledge to oppose every of her actions in any way possible, furthermore, you who have summoned me, i pledge myself to you, i will annihilate all who would oppose you or cripple them, dying to try if my might is insufficient." Skana couldn't believe her ears and eyes, she was staring at the now undead Auronus for seconds before she could speak. "That's..entirely unexpected." after a short moment she regained her composure, asking;"And you can stop Jyggalag?" Auronus looked down to Skana with his blue burning eyes. "No, that i cannot, but i think you can. You know Nirn is gone. The collapse will expand and consume all daedric planes until it reaches Aetherius. Jyggalag will attempt to level the Soul Cairn himself due to your presence, you are a thorn in his side. When he does that, i will bind myself to him and banish you and him into the Void. I don't know what will happen to me or your friends but this will rob Jyggalag of a tremendous amount of his power when he annihilates the Soul Cairn. His might will be that of a dremora lord. You must defeat him, you bear the eyes, i don't know if that is enough to destroy him permanently in this state, but it is the only chance you have." Skana could not hide the skepticism in her voice. "I hope this works. Because if not, there won't be a chance for you to oppose anything anymore, Auronus." Auronus was sure of himself."The void teaches rarely, but it teaches well if it does, Jyggalag will not be able to resist me binding myself to him." As silently and out of nowhere like the first time, Jyggalag appeared, the same pose as before, his metallic bellowing voice could be heard. "Your resistance and actions are illogical. I will make sure to unmake this plane personally and with it, you will cease to exist." A kind of pressure could be felt in the Soul Cairn, increasing in intensity every second. It was Jyggalag, unmaking the Soul Cairn through his will. "There is only perfect order where nothing exists. The only logical course of action is to return Mundus to nothingness." Skana looked up to the giant daedra lord, she was annoyed by Jyggalags blabbering of logic and order, throwing a snide comment."Wonderful, can you at least end the world without talking all this nonsense? Even Sheogorath makes more sense than you do, besides, I think my friend here wants to tell you something." Auronus took word, his voice did not contain the friendlyness he adressed Skana with when he adressed Jyggalag. "Your logic and order are delusions of your own daedric personality Jyggalag. None of the others welcome you on their planes, you even got cursed with madness once, but it appears that wasn't enough. The byproduct of that was the only good thing you have ever contributed to Mundus. You would deny it, but behind all that order and deduction you embody, lies arrogance enough to fill Aetherius with it to the brim. And that will be your downfall." Jyggalag was completely unimpressed by Auronus speech. "The former auroran known as Auronus. You are one of the most illogical beings i have seen. A daedra becoming undead was never planned by the creation. If i would waste myself on something so irrelevant as celebration, i would celebrate annihilating you together with the rest of Mundus." Skana could hear Auronus laughing with his distorted voice. "We have played for enough time, at this point you're unable to stop the destruction of this plane. Creativity was never your strong side Jyggalag, this serves as your disadvantage." Auronus opened his jaw and a stream of lightning came out of it, directed at Jyggalags face. Auronus magic hit the daedra lord. Binding himself to Jyggalag, he commented snide. "I am afraid a large part of you will go together with the Soul Cairn." Jyggalag acting like his personality just replied. "Of course." The hole in the sky of the Soul Cairn became increasingly larger and Skana realized it's the void closing into the plane, the Soul Cairn would be gone in mere seconds. She thought about Skaal and Skaadi who were at Ylfa and watching. Skana did not know if Ylfa woke up or not, or if she would see them again. The thought of loosing everything did not make her sad, it infuriated her. She did not know if even if she defeated Jyggalag, Mundus would be restored or not. But she wanted to cut him into as many pieces as possible and crush his animus, that was certain. She could hear Auronus as everything darkened rapidly, the Soul Cairns existence came to an end. "Here it comes." Skana found herself back in the void, where she met the apparition of Auronus before. She tried to think about how to restore Mundus, and if it would be possible at all. Everything she knows is gone now, there was nothing left, only herself and Jyggalag. Jyggalag was standing right infront of her in his usual pose. Even that infuriated Skana. It was as if Jyggalag would literally view himself as the judge of everything. It made her mad. The daedra lord didn't made a move to attack. Instead he commented. "I always thought undead to be a crime comitted by Molag Bal. It is a miracle to me how something can be undead when death is something absolute for mortals. Your kind defies every logic." Skana drew her palefire great sword. Hell-bent on destroying Jyggalag. "Wonder all you like with that rusted iron brain of yours, in the meantime i will cut you into pieces before i destroy your animus." Jyggalag took a deep long breath, as if he required to breathe before he spoke. "In fact, you will be the last of your kind... for a few moments." and pointed his sword at Skana. Skana was angry, left with nothing. Jyggalag took it all from her. She swore to herself she would destroy Jyggalag, no matter to cost. She glared at her daedric opponent as she took an offensive stance, her resolve was adamantine. "Let's see if a daedra lord can bleed!"