Chapter 96

The quiet that met their arrival was unnatural. Gaeolin looked out on the sea of green water and writhing tentacles that had been his first view of Apocrypha. He nocked an arrow, hoping desperately that this time would also be his last in the library. “Stay close. I’m sure Miraak knows we are here. I don’t want us to get separated.”

“The feeling is mutual.” Inigo replied. He drew Dawnbreaker from its sheath. “This place is just as unwelcoming as I remember.”

Auroth gripped his hammer as he looked up at the spire across the water. “I think it is safe to presume that our enemy is waiting up there.”

“You are correct.” Teldiga stepped out from a corner nearby. She held up her hands as the group turned their weapons on her. “Easy boys. Though I must admit, I like the enthusiasm.” She looked around, twisting her hand in the air to grasp a dagger of blue flame. “I trust you all know how the library works by now?”

“We must find the next volume to move forward, yes?” Inigo looked around. 

“Unfortunately, it does not seem that this part of the realm is going to be any easier to traverse than the others.”

“I imagine it will be much worse, in fact.” Auroth took the lead. “Not only will we need to contend with the standard dangers of Mora’s realm, but with whatever the first Dragonborn has put in place as well.” He took a few more steps, but then stopped. He began looking around, clearly not sure how to proceed.

“The way to the next chapter is to the North.” Teldiga pointed. “We will need to go Northeast first, then turn west and up the stairs to the podium.”

Gaeolin was impressed. “I take it you’ve been here before.”

She nodded. “It didn’t look like this last time, but I still can sense the books here. Maybe it would be a good idea if I led the way.”

Gaeolin wasn’t entirely sure if he was comfortable with the idea. However, he also knew that she was probably their best chance at reaching Miraak quickly. “Okay, you take point. Everybody keep your eyes open.”

No one spoke as they made their way. The sounds of the water and the pages floating on the air were the only disturbance amid the journey. Teldiga, while still carrying her dagger, did not seem to be as stressed as her companions. She rummaged in stacks of books for tomes that she wanted. Every scroll they passed ended up in her bag. The same fate awaited every potion, soul gem, and trinket she deemed valuable. Inigo was not as relaxed by comparison. His tail twitched, telling of his nerves. He stopped searching the area only long enough to tighten the jar at his waist. Mr. Dragonfly fluttered inside, looking almost as if protesting their surroundings.

Gaeolin recalled the story Inigo had shared about how he had met the insect so many years ago. How much of the tale was true, he wouldn’t begin to guess. Inigo seemed quite sincere in the telling of it. It was hard to accept that the little dragonfly had once been a man. Whatever the story, or truth, he could not deny that Inigo’s small friend was a comfort to him. And in spite of the mystery, had demonstrated an acute awareness of danger. Was he trying to warn them of something now? The Bosmer shivered at the thought, gripping his weapon all the tighter.

The group ascended the steps, the dais with the book waiting for them as Teldiga had described. Gaeolin turned to check behind them as she approached the tome. “Be careful. These things have a habit of making you disoriented.” The woman looked at him with what could only be described as irritation.

“Gaeolin, I’ve been working with and studying these books longer than you’ve been alive. I might know what I’m doing.” She turned to the needed page and faded from view. Inigo put a hand on his friend’s shoulder in a caring way.

“My friend, you should know that it is never wise to try to caution a magic user. They are remarkably self assured, and do not normally greet suggestions with open arms.”

Auroth gave an amused grunt. “I’ll try not to take that personally.” He was the next to pass through, leaving as Inigo followed. Gaeolin gave their surroundings one last glance, then joined his friends in the next chapter.

The new area was more enclosed. A set of stairs led onto metal raised flooring. The walls were made up of thousands of books in varying states of decay. Cases were peeling. Water lapped at the lowest books, no doubt the source of the molding rotten stench that filled the room. Teldiga looked around with a look of sorrow.

“This place is a mess…”

Inigo tilted his head to her. “Is this not a common description here?”

She shook her head. “My master might be a Daedric Prince, but knowledge is of utmost importance to him. To see books this badly damaged just proves that Miraak has harmed the realm drastically.” She knelt down to tepee rescue one of the few tomes that was worth saving. “The sooner he is dealt with, the better.”

“I agree knowledge is a horrible thing to lose,” Auroth injected, “but I don’t think what he has done here is more important that what he was doing to Nirn and those who live there.”

Teldiga scowled at him. “I never suggested that it was more or less important. But just as I should be aware of your world and its problems, I would remind you that THIS,” the girl gestured around, “has been my home. Try to understand why I am more than a little upset that it has been hurt.”

For once, Gaeolin found himself viewing an expression from the High Elf that he hadn’t seen before. If he had to guess at it, he would only call it shame. Auroth gave a bow of his head. “Of course… I am sorry.”

Gaeolin was unnerved. Auroth even looked sorrowful. For all of his claims that he did not think of her in any special way, the Altmer seemed to be quite vulnerable to her scolding. He would have taken the time to feel sorry for him, had it not been for the Seekers that had found them.

The beasts appeared out of nowhere. Their wriggling masses of tentacles were sure to fill Gaeolin’s nightmares for weeks to come. The disfigured librarians sent spells their way. Teldiga raised a ward over the group, the incoming spells fading against the wispy blue of her magic. Auroth charged back with a pair of firebolts while Gaeolin began firing arrows. Inigo slid beneath the first two creatures, rising to his feet to drive Dawnbreaker into what he could only guess was the creature’s chest.

The holy fire made the beast pull back with a horrifying sound. Though Meridia’s token had harmed it, it did not seem to be wholly effective against the denizen of Mora’s realm. The Khajiit backed away and brought his blade to guard. “Not as simple a foe as you seem, eh? Good! I was worried this wouldn’t be any fun.”

Gaeolin closed the distance while firing. He didn’t want to use all of his arrows so quickly. If he could just get close enough, he would draw his sword and follow Inigo’s example. Teldiga was also taking a personal approach to her fighting. She had managed to force one of their foes to the ground with some strange magic, holding the seeker in place while she stabbed it with her summoned dagger.

Auroth used flames in his left hand, with his hammer serving as a focus for his warding spell in his right. Normal destruction magic did not seem any more effective than holy when facing the seekers. He closed his hand on the flames, opening his fingers again with an amber cube of light growing in his palm. He pointed the hand at his adversary and released the power. The metal beneath the monster began to reshape. It warped and bent, rising up as a series of spikes, stabbing into its flesh and caging it. The Altmer twisted his fingers, causing the whole assembly to rotate around its victim. The seeker screeched as the barbs ripped its flesh and severed tentacles.

Gaeolin swung his sword free from the scabbard. The steel sang as it drug against the whetstone at the mouth of the sheath. With his first lunge, he drove the glimmering weapon deep into the head of the beast that was attacking Inigo. It fell silent, crumbling into a mound of dirtied rags and flesh. A sickening fluid seemed to be leaking from the remains. The liquid drained through the grating beneath them to join the water. A similar scene played out for the other two enemies. Inigo looked unwell as the last of the remains lay at their feet. His distress only grew worse when Teldiga began rummaging through the muck for more books.

“I… need to sit down.” He looked as though he may faint.

Teldiga scoffed. “What? It’s just a corpse.”

“I am not accustomed to corpses being primarily liquid.” The Khajiit grimaced.

Gaeolin sent him a look of confusion. “But… what about all those times you were so happy to be squishing spiders?”

The others both looked to Inigo waiting for his response. He seemed to be thinking of how to articulate the reasoning. After a few more moments, he replied, “I think spider squishing is okay because of the initial crunch. These things are too squishy to begin with. There is not enough satisfaction to be had in squishing something that is already squishy. It just is not the same.”

“You have such particular opinions in regards to texture.” Auroth muttered. He looked up a nearby set of stairs. On the raised platform stood a pedestal holding a large, leathery tome. The Altmer made a slow pace to allow his friends to finish their business as he climbed the steps. He squinted at the peeling lettering of the cover, only just able to read the title. ‘On Apocrypha: Boneless Limbs.’

“Well?” Teldiga looked impatient. “Pick it up. We’re going to need it.”

Auroth grunted in irritation, lifting the book off of the podium. From behind them, on the northern wall of the chamber, the grinding and rumbling of strange mechanisms echoed over the gap. A set of concealed stairs emerged from the wall. Gaeolin readied an arrow before leading the way to the new path.

As he crested the top step, he was met with an open balcony, looking out upon the endless sea of tentacles and putrid water. The large stand before him held chapter three, waiting to teleport them further into the cursed realm. Gaeolin looked at his companions, seeing how worn and exhausted they already were. Inigo looked sick still, and both the Breton and Auroth were panting at their uses of magic. “Not the most welcoming place, but I think we should take the time to rest for a bit. I know you two should probably take a potion or two before we move on.”

In no position to disagree, they all sat down on the steps awaiting their next conflict.