Rastislav
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Arc 8 Chapter CXXII: Umbral Undertaking
🕑 Added 2025-05-04 22:40:01 +0000 UTCAn: My dumb ass was expecting some actual feedback on my last rant but that is what I get for whining about things too much. Since none of you deemed it worthy of consideration, imma just do my thing and we will see where it goes.
That aside, do enjoy the chapter and don't forget to make noises at me!
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"So" I clasped my hands as I looked at Ithelia "You are still alive."
My voice may have come off as a bit miffed.
"Certainly not thanks to your efforts." She answered blandly.
"Can you blame me?" I spread my arms and shrug "I had other concerns, and frankly our alliance was a temporary one at best." There was simply no way she wouldn't remain pissed at my blackmail for a few thousand years and that was just too annoying to think about.
The two Daedra evidently understood this and after a few awkward moments Mephala poked Ithelia's side with an elbow and she visibly forced herself to answer "It is all part of the game to us, the fact you managed to do anything to either me or Mora simply means you get to play it."
"Uh huh" I deadpanned and turned to my patron "How many times did you force her to rehearse that?"
"We are beings of unimaginable power and intellect, dear." Mephala 'chided' "It took her only two dozen."
The weaver of fates slowly turned to her fellow metaphysical fabric enthusiast and gave her the flattest look she could manage "I may have accepted your offer but that does not mean I will tolerate being paraded as a fool."
"Oh do cheer up my dear" Mephala patted her back, her eternal state of smug amusement resuming undeterred "No one is ridiculing anyone here, we just like to do things in a more... relaxed manner."
"Propriety is tiresome." I nod 'sagely'.
She beams "Ex-actly!"
Ithelia doesn't share our enthusiasm "Just get on with it."
Mephala pouted but did as she was told, waving for me to lead the way and falling in beside me "Your suspicions were confirmed, the two idiots are going to support the high elves."
"Unsurprising" I nod, barely reacting to the information "I did do a lot to piss them off, even if my first guess was them trying to scheme their way into an alliance with the other Daedra after our stunt. Can't imagine convincing someone like Namira to help them out would be too difficult."
"The others are... reluctant to draw too much attention to themselves." Mephala's tone was brimming with mockery as she smiled "Your particular panache has a lot of them both excited and terrified, and no one wants to encourage you into paying them a similar visit, or at least not yet."
"And the defective duo are too weakened to attack me outside of very specific situations" I conclude "Leaving them with but one viable option remaining." Good, I could use a bit of straightforward right about now "Anything else interesting happen while you snooped?"
"Me, snooping?" She quirked an eyebrow before covering her mouth and tittering "Well there was this one moment where the two of them got so very excited, I almost thought they were about to start hatefucking."
The utterly flat delivery of the statement nearly had me choking on air, I slowly turned to face her and immediately fell back on my default settings as I decided I was not going to ask "Isn't that Molag's natural state though?"
Her eyes radiated amusement as she leaned in, expression shifting into that of someone who was about to reveal the world's secrets to me "So is Meridia's."
Before I even realized it, a snort had already left me and I was laughing my ass off.
Wiping away an imaginary tear I let out a final chuckle and sighed "That explains far too much."
Mephala merely hummed.
We passed some guards who did their best impression of a statue "I have a question."
"And I may have answers." She smiled, turning back to me after having spent the past few moments observing a curious Ithelia who had been poking Akulakhan's shoulder when she thought no one was looking.
"You are aware I recently got my hands on Umbra." I say leadingly.
"That old thing?" She hums "I had thought dear Clavicus would have retrieved it by now. Things must have shifted more drastically than I expected."
Wisely ignoring the implications of that particular statement, I pressed "Speaking of mister Vile, how badly would he react if I used the sword to make another Junior?"
She didn't answer immediately, giving the automaton an evaluating glance, and Ithelia a knowing one, before turning back to me "He may be content to watch for a while so long as you do not break his connection, but expect him to try and 'retrieve' his property at an inopportune moment now that it is more interesting than a soul eating blade."
"So make a trap for when he tries." I translate "Understood."
All she does in response is another titter.
Before long, we reached the hall leading to the entrance of the council chambers of the palace of Mournhold, the four honor guards showing no reaction to our presence as they seemed to have been standing for hours without allowing themselves the slightest moment of laxity.
Needless and pedantic? Most certainly.
But it was also quite impressive and satisfying, in a self aggrandizing kind of way.
"I am afraid we will have to part ways for now." I turn to my entourage "I have some actual work to attend to and the two of you may as well enjoy the refurbishments of Mournhold now that the crime in the city has been fully curbed."
"Not afraid I am going to start a religious riot?" Mephala teases.
"Not your style" I shrug before grinning "But good point, Akulakhan, please accompany these fine ladies and ensure there are no incidents."
The automaton nodded, and I had to hold back a snort at the contrast between my two guests, Mephala still looking amused even as she pouted at me and Ithelia looking like she had swallowed a magically embittered lemon.
The scene kept my spirits up through all four hours of the meeting.
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"Thank you, Lady Sadras." I gave the old elven woman a nod as she finished giving me the basics on the current economy "I trust that there are no outlying issues that I need to personally deal with?"
"Not counting the little guild you enabled here in Mournhold?" She asked, allowing herself the slightest touch of dryness.
I merely gave her an amused look.
"Then no" Her previous placid expression returned "As I have said, Morrowind as a whole prospers, but all the war preparations you insist on are drawing us dangerously close to falling into debt."
"The war is, I am afraid, rather necessary." I feel like I have been repeating that far too much in the past two hours or so "And while a kingdom falling into debt would be nothing new, I would much prefer if that never happened. Should any specific area need extra funding I will pay out of my own pocket Slowing down at this juncture is not something we can afford."
"Yes, recreating the current excitement among the commoners would be a touch difficult" She nods "But I am afraid that even considering your previous donation to the treasury, you are underestimating just how expensive things are getting."
"You did give me the numbers" I point out dryly "But if my word is not enough-"
She holds back a wince.
"-then allow me to put my money where my mouth is." I grin "What project is draining the most at the moment?"
"The roads." She answers instantly "Implementing rotating shifts has done marvelously for the tempo of our expansion but so did it increase the costs of every aspect of the endeavor, merely transporting foods costs us thousands of septims a day."
"Mhm" I hum "And yet I remain firm on my position that proper cobbled roads with good drainage are going to vastly overshadow any number of cities we could found in a few decades, so-" I steeple my fingers "How much money do I need to throw at the problem before it stops being one?"
"For the foreseeable future?" She half asks "At least three million gold to get things back on track without cutting other costs."
Even Demnevanni hisses at the sum.
Holding back a cackle at their alarm, I merely summon a scroll and write up an official looking receipt before levitating it at her "Present this to Karsus, he should be here in the evening and will ensure you get everything you need."
The centuries old merchant woman hesitates before picking the piece of paper up with an almost religious reverence and slowly nodding "I will make sure none of it goes to waste."
"An undertaking I would not dare take myself." I snort and turn to the rest 'Let's see here, Alandro has already reported on public order, Demnevanni has been getting his fellow mushroom dwellers organized and even managed an academic meeting between them all, that leaves...'
Eyeing Aneris Dres I ask "How goes the rebuilding of Tear?" She was tasked with ensuring the frontier was in good order but I would be a fool not to accept that rebuilding her capital was the first step on that road, even if it annoyed me how much her entire house fixated on it.
"Slow and steady." She says with barely contained pride "The harbor will be in working order in three months at most."
"And the fortifications?" I raise an eyebrow.
"Fortifications?" She repeats "But we are at peace with the Argonians, I doubt any real number of them are going to be stupid enough to try raiding us."
"I will remind you that we will sooner rather than later be entering a state of war" I say flatly "Failing to prepare is preparing for failure and I would not be one bit surprised if a short sighted but enterprising Thalmor agent decides setting your new home on fire is an excellent way to rise through the ranks."
She very nearly startles at that "That is-"
"A very fair assessment." Varan Sarano bluntly states "You are on the border of both the kingdom and the empire, expecting things to go as you will just because you want to settle in as soon as possible is unwise."
The young woman with a lot to prove almost snaps at the Archmaster of the Redoran but visibly holds herself back as she realizes everyone else was agreeing with him "Very well, I will see to it that my architects and planners are informed."
"See that you do." I drawl "And ask Sindrel for any extra funding you require, as much as you may wish for Tear to be a personal project of your house, it is still going to be the most vulnerable settlement in my territory, and it getting razed twice in the same era is simply unacceptable."
I can almost taste her desire to protest on simple principle but if she was that stupid she never would have become the Grand Magnate, so all she does instead is offer a numb nod and remain silent.
"Happy we could clear that up" I say with false cheer "Sarano, how goes the rising of the third legion?"
"The recruitment numbers are as high as we could have hoped." He answers immediately, shoulders firm and scarred face carved of stone "The training cam has already been established around Blacklight and my most accomplished instructors tell me it will take us only half a year of training before they are not an embarrassment."
"Will that not be too late?" Alandro Indoril asks "The legions stationed at Mournhold and Kragenmoor will have already been bloodying themselves on the frontlines for months at that point."
"And they will be taking casualties throughout." Sarano answers bluntly "Which is why the reserve legion at Blacklight is training a full twenty five thousand recruits instead of the traditional fifteen."
"Yes." Demnevanni drawls "Some of my more... enthusiastic subjects were inspired by our Falmer brethren and have already volunteered to serve as healers for the duration of the training."
"The compensation offered was intended for that exact result." I shrug and turn back to the Archmaster "Keep up the good work, Sarano. I do not suspect we will enter a total war of attrition but preparations and failures and all that."
"Your Grace." He inclines his head.
"Any other pressing matters that need addressing?" I ask the lot of them.
Unsurprisingly, the very idea that I would need to personally intervene is taken as a challenge to their skills, and thus I am blessedly left without inane tasks to fulfil.
"If you are quite certain." I still felt obligated to say "I thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to come here, dismissed. Baladas, do be sure to join me later."
All five of them get up from their seats, offer bows or salutes, and leave the throne room.
"Who could have guessed that a meritocracy could produce actually competent subordinates?" I ask aloud with faux amazement "Will wonders ever cease..."
Snorting, I down the cup of brandy levitating next to me, and get up. There was still work to be done.
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As I approached the summit of my personal tower, I heard voices from within.
"Please stop that." The familiar voice of Edrassa practically screamed 'I am so done with this.'
"Come now my dear~" I will give you one chance to guess who that was "You are so very wound up, what would you master say if he saw you like that? The poor boy would be heartbroken!"
Choosing this exact moment to enter, I was greeted with the scene of my poor subject currently leaning away from my patron while said demon woman was smiling at her like she was about to devour the poor girl.
Baladas was instead sat next to the now very human looking Ithelia and doin absolutely fuck all while stealing longing glances at my bodyguard.
"I would say that I prefer my helper for the day unmolested, if you please" I greet them all with a drawl, turning to face the relieved Edrassa "Is everything ready?"
She is all too happy to move out of Mephala's reach and walks over to the center of the room, where a complex magic circle pulsated with ambient energies "I have drawn the circle as you have instructed. Some of the principles took me a few tries to get right but I my tests indicate that everything will work as intended."
"Mhm" I nod, looking over the very well made circle "And what tests are those?"
She hesitates briefly before steadying herself and answering "Well, I thought that since the rune matrix you offered as an example was meant for things of much greater complexity I could simply dumb it down to its least practical level. Both in power requirements and materials needed."
"Continue." I order as I begin correcting the small mistakes on the nine draining pathways, the efficiency was all kinds of shot but still excellent work for someone without my Sight.
Her voice almost cracks under my observation, even as I still do not face her "After a few initial attempts I managed to... reappropriate some Dwemer insights and used your ritual to create an automaton made of stone and powered by a common soul gem."
I do not say a thing, too busy carving an entire extra circle around the one she had prepared for stabilization and power containment purposes.
The poor thing practically radiates nerves as she forces herself to speak "After my success I used all the resources I could get my hands on to retrace my steps and increase the complexity and power of my creations" She fidgets and looks to the circle I had modified "This is the result."
I turn to face her, she nearly flinches, and quirk an eyebrow "Example?"
For a moment, all she does is blink, before remembering where she was and casting the inventory spell, summoning a large golem made of steel that stood somewhere between tonal magic and enchanting, and needed no conjuration to summon.
Immediately, I throw a few dozen scans on the thing and find it to be... acceptable.
Feeling Baladas' own magic take hold I turn to the Archmagister and raise an eyebrow.
He furrows his brow, considers things for what must be a very uncomfortable minute for my retainer, and slowly nods.
"And so it is decided." I smirk and turn to face her "You may hereby call yourself a Master Enchanter. Kindly do not embarrass us." And with no further preamble I toss her an elaborately decorated scroll holding her new title.
She just barely manages to catch it, gives me a downright confounded look, and promptly faints, saved from a fall only by her dutiful creation.
Baladas and I share a chuckle of amusement while Mephala merely grins at the scene.
Ithelia says absolutely nothing.
Thus entertained I snap my fingers and blast the awakening elf with a wave of restoration, making her jump up with the sudden onrush of energy and then promptly have the realization of what just happened shoved into her brain.
"I-" She goes to speak.
But I just wave her off "Just get to work."
All too happily, she does as she is told, depositing nine Dremora hearts belonging to some of Molag and Meridia's greatest champions atop nine plinths surrounding the ritual circle.
Demnevanni does nothing, as he had offered me a grand favor for the privilege of observing.
I check on the ritual one final time, waiting for the magically induced blood to begin flowing from the hearts before snapping my fingers and summoning the body I had carved from ebony just for this moment.
Unlike Akulakhan, I went with a more feminine form for this one, even if it was all entirely aesthetic, once more taking inspiration from the same origin as before but using the parallel organization as the template for her looks*.
The body was a slender one, still unreasonably resilient but made for rapid movements and explosive yet precise attacks, its color scheme made to mirror Akulakhan entirely, carrying my usual style of amethyst on ebony.
All that was left now was to fill the cavity in its chest and give it a source of personality.
I could have theoretically just made a weaker Akulakhan like this with only the sigil stone but why would I ever limit myself like that?
Taking said stone out, I lay it within the automaton's chest and activate the function inscribed within it with a touch of tonal magic, causing it to close in on the swirling vortex of energies with nary a sound.
Immediately, a pulse spread through the circle, making it glow an ominous red as the blood began filling the stone grooves.
Wasting no more time, I summoned the large case Divayth Fyr had given me, and opened it, revealing a slender greatsword that looked to be made of silvered ebony within.
Immediately I felt an influence begin chipping at the surface of my mind but sadly for the overenthusiastic sword soul, I gave it no chances for its usual fuckery, and immediately placed it atop the automaton, laying its two hands atop its pommel and making it look like a knight's burial carving.
The moment the sword touched its new home, the entire room shuddered, the soul within reacting rather violently to the sudden tugging sensation it felt as it was ripped from the blade and deposited within the crystalline body.
The very same body engraved with so much controlling enchantments I could have probably made her a tenth more powerful without them.
But sadly for her future prospects, Umbra had a reputation. And I wasn't about to let a mass murderer loose just to make Akulakhan happy.
The instant the soul snapped into its automaton shell, it began thrashing, or it would have had I not slammed its mind with a simple but absolute command "Cease!" And so it did.
By this point, Baladas and Edrassa had both found themselves at the edges of the room, the two Daedra not even acknowledging the storm of energies that would have ripped anyone too weak apart in an instant.
Me on the other hand? This was an old game for me, and before things could get too violent my mental counter reached zero and all nine Dremora hearts burst into ashes, the storm of Magicka and soul energy sinking into the automaton like so much water through a faucet.
'You may move.' I sent the mental command and for a moment nothing happened.
But then, without a sound, the body jumped up from its laying position, the sword in its grip already moving with such grace it was almost painful to look at.
The automaton paused, looked itself over and then looked at all of us "Interesting." The cold female voice held enough menace to make the less steady void their bowels.
But I was anything but afraid as I grinned widely, ignoring the stare of a third Daedra currently trying to pierce through my anti-outsider wards, and feeling the sheer power my new servant radiated "Hello Umbra."
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*Akulakhan looks like a 40k Custodian and Umbra looks like a Sister of Silence (but with a helmet)
Comments
Hakkira
Thank you kindly for the chapter 😁
Rastislav
I have indeed decided on one
carebear90
Have you already decided on a cut-off point where 'the story on Nirn is done' and you move on to the next world/franchise, or are you flying as blind as the rest of us? :D
