My Older Siblings Cannot be the Dragonborn (Skyrim SI)
- Thread starter shadenight123
- Start date
Still feels kinda weak.
The Greybeards were more or less pacifist but at the same time, if any could shout down a dragon it would be them.
Thir death feels.... Lame for lack of a better word.
This should have been the sort of battle that thunders so loudly all within three days ride are deafened and the earth shake so mightily houses in Riften collapse.
The Greybeards were more or less pacifist but at the same time, if any could shout down a dragon it would be them.
Thir death feels.... Lame for lack of a better word.
This should have been the sort of battle that thunders so loudly all within three days ride are deafened and the earth shake so mightily houses in Riften collapse.
For me, If Alduin had Killed Parthumax in The game, my desire to kill him would have been a different on,
instead of "Well, I did every Main/Side mission, collected all Daedra Artifacts and explored every corner, may as Well go and Kill Alduin"
instead of "Well, I did every Main/Side mission, collected all Daedra Artifacts and explored every corner, may as Well go and Kill Alduin"
considering shade was around for the oblivion crisis there is a small chance hes the new sheogorath and sheogorath shade thought it would be a brilliant idea to give himself amnesia so he can play the MC . It sounds stupid and convoluted so its exactly what sheogorath may do.
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Angeir died like a chump to a single dragon.
The greybeards who the game wouldn't let you shank.
Umbra should have a message for the gods.
"Wuuuuuuusss yooouuuu suuuuuckkk"
On the brightside, the civil war might not suck this time around.
The greybeards who the game wouldn't let you shank.
Umbra should have a message for the gods.
"Wuuuuuuusss yooouuuu suuuuuckkk"
On the brightside, the civil war might not suck this time around.
Science
If you're reading this, omae wa mo shindeiru.
- Location
- Killeen, TX
What did you do Shade, what did you do!?
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- Location
- United States
There will be no temporary Truce between the Imperials and Stormcloaks.
- Location
- UTC -6
He set himself as essential. He probably pissed off the Divines and several Princes somewhere along the way.
Akatosh: Alduin, quit screwing around and swallow the world. It's the only way to be sure.
Timerider
That guy who really should get out more.
- Location
- The End of the World.
That makes entirely too much sense.
Science
If you're reading this, omae wa mo shindeiru.
- Location
- Killeen, TX
The Siblings, though? Imma guess Shade Mantled Lorkhan(it's the sort of 'clever plan' he'd attempt), look how the Nord sibling is the most immature(like Talos being the youngest/formerly mortal Divine).
Mizu
Software Developer
- Location
- Victoria, Australia
ice had formed from the sides
the entire courtyard's snow and transforming
knew full well I wouldn't be holding him back so much as bullshitting my way into gaining
of it but a deformed half
lin4t
The Sheep that Yawns at Reality
- Location
- Australia
Oh that's Jolly, Umbra just-wait WHAT?! (Checks lore) Those towers were created to make sure Oblivion is separated from bloody Mundus (world)! Losing the hearts that power the Towers LITERALLY means the end of Mundus!
What the hell was Umbra thinking back then stealing....oh god...Umbra started the Oblivion Crisis. He didn't want the Emperor to die so he kick-started the Oblivion Crisis.
- Location
- Somewhere!
- Pronouns
- She/Her
There must have been more to it than that, since it seemed to work out? Maybe kick starting it also improved the odds in other ways.
Laukhi
Elder Scrolls Lore Enthusiast
- Location
- United States
I don't believe that he would be able to do that and still have Talos exist as the same god, since Talos was the one who mantled Lorkhan.
Of course, it isn't like Shade has gone over exactly how Talos had became an Ada in this story, so it's not like that's impossible.
Science
If you're reading this, omae wa mo shindeiru.
- Location
- Killeen, TX
There's nothing stopping Shade from Mantling someone who already got mantled, specially after Talos worship got banned. Alternatively, Sharrum is Malacath trying to re-become Trinimac: "Malacath's teachings put a large emphasis on conflict,and he seems to enjoy watching mortals fighting one another."
RichardWhereat
Feanor did nothing wrong.
- Location
- Australia
Ysmir is dead. Long live Ysmir, Dragon of Humanity.
Madou Sutegobana
Autocorrupt has been disabled.
- Location
- Twin Realms Mandala
I haven't read Shadenight poison anyone with nightshade before.
Chapter Thirty-Six - The Seven Thousand Steps - 3rd of Hearthfire 4E 201 - Umbra
- Location
- https://discord.gg/z9tBvbh
Chapter Thirty-Six - The Seven Thousand Steps - 3rd of Hearthfire 4E 201 - Umbra
I took a deep breath. "What does it mean that I cannot die?" I asked as I looked straight at Babette. We stood within a room that had previously belonged to a Greybeard, and who was now claimed for the greater good of my well-being. Greybeards slept on rock beds, which weren't really comfortable, but were surprisingly better than expected. They were also colder than death itself, but not as cold as the world outside the walls. A fire even crackled in a corner of the room, perhaps Babette had lit it...and as I glanced at it, I saw books burning.
Babette, please, you should know not to burn books. It never ends well for those who do.
"Nibblekins, it means just that," Babette replied. She was busying herself in a corner of the room, a mortar and pestle in her hands as she deftly worked her magic with a pitcher of water by her side and the empty vials she had to refill. "The mightiest poisons make you sick. The most grievous of wounds are meaningless. You are beloved by Sithis, his ultimate Speaker, the bearer of the flag of the incoming apocalypse," she giggled. "In your name do nations tremble, and Emperors cower."
I blinked, and then raised an eyebrow. "I don't think that's true."
Babette pouted, "But it could be! You don't remember anything, but you always catch up when I'm lying. I think it's unfair, or perhaps you're lying about not remembering anything? My Nibblekins, it's true that you don't die. How that works...you said yourself that the Void will never claim it's herald. If it was the truth or not, only you can answer that question." She smiled. "I did test that theory by stabbing you in the eye with a dagger when you first said it. You recovered."
I shuddered. "Ah? I did?" I swallowed. "How exactly?"
"Well," she blinked. "At first I was pretty sure I had stabbed you all the way to the brain, but it turned out I hadn't. You closed your eye, and I was sure I had smashed it to a pulp, but it turned out just fine as if I had missed it, which was kind of impossible since I made sure to make a couple of spins with the dagger just to crush everything inside nice and easy into paste," she spoke innocently, the genuine smile on her face perhaps the most terrifying feature of them all. "Then once I plopped out the dagger you clutched your eye, screamed, and fainted. When you woke up, you had your eye again." She shrugged. "You didn't talk to me for weeks after that," she pouted, "But then you forgave me and all was right in the world once more."
I didn't know whether to insult old me for falling into a bad habit or whether there were reasons behind why I forgave Babette for doing something like that. Still, if I said something like the Void having me as a Herald I could pretty much chalk it up to bullshit spewed in order to get a Dark Brotherhood member to gaze in wonder at my Sithis-Approved self. This reeked of CHIM bullshit, but it couldn't be that, because I doubted one could just so easily forget about the Zero-Sum, whatever it was, and I would never intentionally deal with the thought of fighting the whole of existence when the risk was absolute annihilation.
No, whatever the reason, it had something to do with the Nine Divines. Perhaps I truly was a Herald of sorts, but in the end all that mattered was that I needed to find a way to get my memories back.
"I told you we'd meet in Skyrim," I said. "When did I tell you that?"
"Before rushing to stop Mehrunes Dagon from destroying the Imperial City together with Martin and the Blades," Babette replied. "I wanted to come too, but you said I had a duty as your Silencer to obey your every command. So I did," she smiled. "And I did well. My treacherous heart wanted to follow you notwithstanding your orders, but my belief in the Tenets and in Sithis held strong and true. I knew you'd be displeased if I did otherwise."
"Wasn't there anyone else?" I asked, "The Hero of Kvatch perchance?"
"Who?" Babette furrowed her brows, before shaking her head. "No Nibblekins, it was Martin and you. You proudly battled great threats that dared to stand in the path of Sithis' will, never stopping until the very end. It is thanks to you that the Black Hand remains in wait for the moment to clench and snap the neck of the chosen one, reasserting its presence to the world."
"The chosen one?" I raised an eyebrow, and Babette nodded in turn.
"The one picked to die so that the world might know we have returned. She is currently in Skyrim preparing her wedding," Babette continued as the realization dawned on me. "Her dress will turn red with blood and gore, and all will know the might of the Brotherhood once more."
"The Emperor's cousin," I said, receiving a grin from Babette. "She's the one who has to die."
"Yes, Nibblekins!" Babette smiled as she let go of her mortar and pestle, rushing towards me and engulfing me in a tight hug, "You remember then?"
"No," I replied, much to Babette's widening eyes. "It just made sense," I muttered. "To get the Emperor to come over here, killing his cousin would be the only way."
Babette nodded, smiling warmly. "To speak to him, offer the services of the Dark Brotherhood to the one who would have the most work available for them. We'd be reborn anew," she grinned, "You seemed convinced he'd be more than willing to talk business."
I winced and nodded. "Yeah, he definitely does respect the Dark Brotherhood. We could work with that. Does this mean the Dark Brotherhood will reunite in Solitude?" it would make sense for Umbra to open up a shop there, after all, if he was actually planning on reuniting with the rest of the assassin guild.
"Once the words are spoken, of course it will," Babette smiled, "But unfortunately...I don't know them," she continued nonchalantly. "Only the Speakers were told, and they were meant to deliver them to their successors alone. If my Nibblekins doesn't remember the words, then...the Dark Brotherhood won't be reunited when the time comes," her lips quivered. "But still! Even if that happened I'd still follow my Nibblekins."
Babette gave me a small, honest smile that wasn't just blinding in its cuteness, but also quite beautiful to merely behold. If only it wasn't on the face of a creature capable of nailing faces to doors and that had crushed one of my eyes without even bothering to ask if it was fine, then perhaps I would have fallen for such a smile a long, long time ago. Right now, though, I had other things to busy myself with.
The door of the room opened with a sharp bang, and as a blur entered a blur moved from the side of my bed to slam the first blur on the ground hard. When both blurs stopped moving, I realized that the intruder had been Berry, and Babette was standing over her with a dagger pointed at her neck.
"We were getting to the part where I showed him I didn't need to come up for air!" as she said that angrily, I placed my right hand to cover my face and groaned.
"Let go!" Berry snapped back curtly, and as Babette did so, the Dragonborn hastily stood up. "We need to leave! He's coming!"
I blinked. "Who's coming? Did you speak with Paarthurnax?"
"I did," Berry nodded, "But that's not the time! We have to leave, Alduin's flying over here!"
I turned to look at Babette, "Can you transport us both away from here with magic?"
Babette nodded, "I can." She looked at Berry. "You are never to reveal the secrets of the Brotherhood, child." She narrowed her gaze. "Do so, and suffer eternal agony at the hands of our lord Sithis." She clenched her hands, and as dark thrumming magic began to grab hold of her, she threw both of her palms forth towards the sky. The next instant the world shifted and rolled, and as I found myself resting on the floor, I stared at the crackling flames of an ancient, dust-covered and spider-webbed ample hall that could only be Dawnstar's sanctuary.
"Cicero!" Babette barked curtly as I stood up with ease, "Come greet the Speaker of the Black Hand! Come greet the Herald of the Void itself! Bring the others! They must see our Speaker and pledge loyalty!"
From the shadows, figures of darkness lurched and revealed themselves, clad in dark crimson robes with the black hand painted upon their chests. They moved quietly without a step, one among them holding on to an appearance that I recognized, and that yet seemed lacking in its usual jester-like outfit.
"We rejoice to be in your presence, oh ancient one!" Cicero spoke as he knelt. "Then the day has come? The Listener will Listen and the Night Mother will speak anew? What a glorious day!" near him, others bowed their heads. I took in the silence that followed, and understood I was the one who had to speak next.
"You've all served the Night Mother well," I said, "And Sithis himself is pleased," I tried to pick through the crowd for faces, but I couldn't recognize any of them. "Much work will need to be done to announce our glory back to the world," I clenched a hand, "but we will make the Dark Brotherhood great again," and as I said that, I had to hold back a chuckle as my lips parted in a smile. I needed a bad haircut and a giant wall to complete the ensemble. "Hail Sithis!"
"Hail Sithis!" the assembled assassins spoke as one, with firm conviction behind their tones. Honestly, it was kind of intimidating. There were at least seven or so assassins willing to fight, and die, for the lord of the Void, to kill without remorse, to show no emotion as they slit the throats of the innocent, or the guilty equally for nothing but the coin asked in return. They were the blade in the dark, meant to stab and kill, the terror of the night, and as they stood up from their kneeling positions, I couldn't help but be in awe.
And extremely nervous.
Here I was, in the heart of darkness of the Dawnstar sanctuary, surrounded by assassins who had no morals or ethics, and of which I only knew Cicero, and even then he wasn't wearing his jester's clothes because perhaps nothing too bad had happened to him.
My only hope was that Berry would Listen. If she didn't, then I'd just have to tell her the words to speak.
"Is this the cruel heart of the first among my Speakers that I hear beat loudly upon these old halls?" I heard a voice speak, and the moment I heard it I felt my heart actually twist. This...This wasn't... "A Listener marked by Sithis? I hear her. Does she hear me?"
Berry's wide eyes told me everything I needed to know about that. "She does, does she not," the voice continued with a dark chuckle to it. Around us, everyone else was pretty much awing at my presence, though with various degrees of warning. "Come to me young child, on the upper floor...let her walk alone, Speaker. You and I will speak later."
"You heard the Night Mother," I spoke as I looked at Berry, gesturing with my head upwards. "Go and receive your due."
"The Night Mother already spoke?" Cicero blinked in surprise, and I extended a hand as if to pacify him.
"She wishes her presence," I crossed my arms in front of my chest as I gave another head gesture towards Berry, signaling for her to proceed. "Up the stairs, look for the sarcophagus. You cannot miss the Unholy Matron."
Berry nodded numbly, walking away from me and towards the stairs. I scratched the underside of my chin, thoughtfully turning towards Cicero. "How have things fared during my absence?"
"The ancient one is more worthy to speak of the events rather than little poor me," Cicero said humbly.
"I have already asked her," I replied offhandedly. "Now I ask you."
Cicero swallowed, some sort of fear taking hold of his body, but then he bowed and spoke, "The fall of the Dark Brotherhood was foretold by your wise words, oh Speaker. We humble ones took heed of the words, and came here to hide. Sanctuaries have been brought into existence, and for the first time not a blade rests in Cyrodiil. We are all here, Speaker. We came waiting for your call, and what a glorious day it is today. What a wonderful, unholy day." Cicero smiled pleasantly.
"Have you already begun infiltrating the security for the marriage?" I asked quite calmly. "Do we have sleeper agents in place?"
Cicero swallowed, quite noisily. "A few," he said. I actually raised an eyebrow at that. I hadn't thought they'd actually think it through. Hey. Wait. Past-Me? Did you do something? I swear to the Nine Divines, you did not teach them some form of modern guerrilla warfare or terrorism-leaflet taken from games and books did you? Oi, Past-Umbra, I'm speaking to you in my head! The least you could do is jog my memories back!
"Speaker," Babette spoke from my side, all reverent-like. "I am personally in charge of such an endeavor. If you would please let Cicero go, I would be more than glad to explain everything in the privacy of your rooms." I hummed, and gave a small nod.
"You do good work with your knives, Cicero," I said offhandedly. "Sithis is pleased with that."
"H-He notices?" Cicero whispered, awe dripping from his every word as he trembled with what I could only describe as ecstasy. "L-Lord Sithis notices..." he whispered with dumb disbelief, staring at his hands as he rushed away giggling like a mad schoolgirl. "He notices my work!" he roared as he rushed away. Why did I have the feeling that Cicero could do an absolutely unquestionable rendition of Notice Me Senpai?
Babette sighed, quite loudly too. "He is quite the faithful brother...and a bit extravagant. A good assassin, but he has his moments."
"He is frail of mind," I replied. "If things went further downhill, I'd expect to see him wearing a jester costume. His sanity is held aloft only by the Dark Brotherhood. He will never betray until his dying breath. Make of it what you wish."
Babette nodded. "Yes, Speaker," she murmured. "This way, if you would."
I followed Babette, and meanwhile hoped that there was a way out of this that didn't revolve around the purging of the Dark Brotherhood.
I mean, yes, they were the Dark Brotherhood, and yes, they were murderers and assassins for hire of the worst possible shape and form.
They were also my murderers and assassins.
It wasn't an easy thing to think of, and perhaps my amnesia was the only reason I was entertaining the thought.
Can you kill that which so painstakingly adores you?
The answer to that question was, unfortunately, not easy to find.
I took a deep breath. "What does it mean that I cannot die?" I asked as I looked straight at Babette. We stood within a room that had previously belonged to a Greybeard, and who was now claimed for the greater good of my well-being. Greybeards slept on rock beds, which weren't really comfortable, but were surprisingly better than expected. They were also colder than death itself, but not as cold as the world outside the walls. A fire even crackled in a corner of the room, perhaps Babette had lit it...and as I glanced at it, I saw books burning.
Babette, please, you should know not to burn books. It never ends well for those who do.
"Nibblekins, it means just that," Babette replied. She was busying herself in a corner of the room, a mortar and pestle in her hands as she deftly worked her magic with a pitcher of water by her side and the empty vials she had to refill. "The mightiest poisons make you sick. The most grievous of wounds are meaningless. You are beloved by Sithis, his ultimate Speaker, the bearer of the flag of the incoming apocalypse," she giggled. "In your name do nations tremble, and Emperors cower."
I blinked, and then raised an eyebrow. "I don't think that's true."
Babette pouted, "But it could be! You don't remember anything, but you always catch up when I'm lying. I think it's unfair, or perhaps you're lying about not remembering anything? My Nibblekins, it's true that you don't die. How that works...you said yourself that the Void will never claim it's herald. If it was the truth or not, only you can answer that question." She smiled. "I did test that theory by stabbing you in the eye with a dagger when you first said it. You recovered."
I shuddered. "Ah? I did?" I swallowed. "How exactly?"
"Well," she blinked. "At first I was pretty sure I had stabbed you all the way to the brain, but it turned out I hadn't. You closed your eye, and I was sure I had smashed it to a pulp, but it turned out just fine as if I had missed it, which was kind of impossible since I made sure to make a couple of spins with the dagger just to crush everything inside nice and easy into paste," she spoke innocently, the genuine smile on her face perhaps the most terrifying feature of them all. "Then once I plopped out the dagger you clutched your eye, screamed, and fainted. When you woke up, you had your eye again." She shrugged. "You didn't talk to me for weeks after that," she pouted, "But then you forgave me and all was right in the world once more."
I didn't know whether to insult old me for falling into a bad habit or whether there were reasons behind why I forgave Babette for doing something like that. Still, if I said something like the Void having me as a Herald I could pretty much chalk it up to bullshit spewed in order to get a Dark Brotherhood member to gaze in wonder at my Sithis-Approved self. This reeked of CHIM bullshit, but it couldn't be that, because I doubted one could just so easily forget about the Zero-Sum, whatever it was, and I would never intentionally deal with the thought of fighting the whole of existence when the risk was absolute annihilation.
No, whatever the reason, it had something to do with the Nine Divines. Perhaps I truly was a Herald of sorts, but in the end all that mattered was that I needed to find a way to get my memories back.
"I told you we'd meet in Skyrim," I said. "When did I tell you that?"
"Before rushing to stop Mehrunes Dagon from destroying the Imperial City together with Martin and the Blades," Babette replied. "I wanted to come too, but you said I had a duty as your Silencer to obey your every command. So I did," she smiled. "And I did well. My treacherous heart wanted to follow you notwithstanding your orders, but my belief in the Tenets and in Sithis held strong and true. I knew you'd be displeased if I did otherwise."
"Wasn't there anyone else?" I asked, "The Hero of Kvatch perchance?"
"Who?" Babette furrowed her brows, before shaking her head. "No Nibblekins, it was Martin and you. You proudly battled great threats that dared to stand in the path of Sithis' will, never stopping until the very end. It is thanks to you that the Black Hand remains in wait for the moment to clench and snap the neck of the chosen one, reasserting its presence to the world."
"The chosen one?" I raised an eyebrow, and Babette nodded in turn.
"The one picked to die so that the world might know we have returned. She is currently in Skyrim preparing her wedding," Babette continued as the realization dawned on me. "Her dress will turn red with blood and gore, and all will know the might of the Brotherhood once more."
"The Emperor's cousin," I said, receiving a grin from Babette. "She's the one who has to die."
"Yes, Nibblekins!" Babette smiled as she let go of her mortar and pestle, rushing towards me and engulfing me in a tight hug, "You remember then?"
"No," I replied, much to Babette's widening eyes. "It just made sense," I muttered. "To get the Emperor to come over here, killing his cousin would be the only way."
Babette nodded, smiling warmly. "To speak to him, offer the services of the Dark Brotherhood to the one who would have the most work available for them. We'd be reborn anew," she grinned, "You seemed convinced he'd be more than willing to talk business."
I winced and nodded. "Yeah, he definitely does respect the Dark Brotherhood. We could work with that. Does this mean the Dark Brotherhood will reunite in Solitude?" it would make sense for Umbra to open up a shop there, after all, if he was actually planning on reuniting with the rest of the assassin guild.
"Once the words are spoken, of course it will," Babette smiled, "But unfortunately...I don't know them," she continued nonchalantly. "Only the Speakers were told, and they were meant to deliver them to their successors alone. If my Nibblekins doesn't remember the words, then...the Dark Brotherhood won't be reunited when the time comes," her lips quivered. "But still! Even if that happened I'd still follow my Nibblekins."
Babette gave me a small, honest smile that wasn't just blinding in its cuteness, but also quite beautiful to merely behold. If only it wasn't on the face of a creature capable of nailing faces to doors and that had crushed one of my eyes without even bothering to ask if it was fine, then perhaps I would have fallen for such a smile a long, long time ago. Right now, though, I had other things to busy myself with.
The door of the room opened with a sharp bang, and as a blur entered a blur moved from the side of my bed to slam the first blur on the ground hard. When both blurs stopped moving, I realized that the intruder had been Berry, and Babette was standing over her with a dagger pointed at her neck.
"We were getting to the part where I showed him I didn't need to come up for air!" as she said that angrily, I placed my right hand to cover my face and groaned.
"Let go!" Berry snapped back curtly, and as Babette did so, the Dragonborn hastily stood up. "We need to leave! He's coming!"
I blinked. "Who's coming? Did you speak with Paarthurnax?"
"I did," Berry nodded, "But that's not the time! We have to leave, Alduin's flying over here!"
I turned to look at Babette, "Can you transport us both away from here with magic?"
Babette nodded, "I can." She looked at Berry. "You are never to reveal the secrets of the Brotherhood, child." She narrowed her gaze. "Do so, and suffer eternal agony at the hands of our lord Sithis." She clenched her hands, and as dark thrumming magic began to grab hold of her, she threw both of her palms forth towards the sky. The next instant the world shifted and rolled, and as I found myself resting on the floor, I stared at the crackling flames of an ancient, dust-covered and spider-webbed ample hall that could only be Dawnstar's sanctuary.
"Cicero!" Babette barked curtly as I stood up with ease, "Come greet the Speaker of the Black Hand! Come greet the Herald of the Void itself! Bring the others! They must see our Speaker and pledge loyalty!"
From the shadows, figures of darkness lurched and revealed themselves, clad in dark crimson robes with the black hand painted upon their chests. They moved quietly without a step, one among them holding on to an appearance that I recognized, and that yet seemed lacking in its usual jester-like outfit.
"We rejoice to be in your presence, oh ancient one!" Cicero spoke as he knelt. "Then the day has come? The Listener will Listen and the Night Mother will speak anew? What a glorious day!" near him, others bowed their heads. I took in the silence that followed, and understood I was the one who had to speak next.
"You've all served the Night Mother well," I said, "And Sithis himself is pleased," I tried to pick through the crowd for faces, but I couldn't recognize any of them. "Much work will need to be done to announce our glory back to the world," I clenched a hand, "but we will make the Dark Brotherhood great again," and as I said that, I had to hold back a chuckle as my lips parted in a smile. I needed a bad haircut and a giant wall to complete the ensemble. "Hail Sithis!"
"Hail Sithis!" the assembled assassins spoke as one, with firm conviction behind their tones. Honestly, it was kind of intimidating. There were at least seven or so assassins willing to fight, and die, for the lord of the Void, to kill without remorse, to show no emotion as they slit the throats of the innocent, or the guilty equally for nothing but the coin asked in return. They were the blade in the dark, meant to stab and kill, the terror of the night, and as they stood up from their kneeling positions, I couldn't help but be in awe.
And extremely nervous.
Here I was, in the heart of darkness of the Dawnstar sanctuary, surrounded by assassins who had no morals or ethics, and of which I only knew Cicero, and even then he wasn't wearing his jester's clothes because perhaps nothing too bad had happened to him.
My only hope was that Berry would Listen. If she didn't, then I'd just have to tell her the words to speak.
"Is this the cruel heart of the first among my Speakers that I hear beat loudly upon these old halls?" I heard a voice speak, and the moment I heard it I felt my heart actually twist. This...This wasn't... "A Listener marked by Sithis? I hear her. Does she hear me?"
Berry's wide eyes told me everything I needed to know about that. "She does, does she not," the voice continued with a dark chuckle to it. Around us, everyone else was pretty much awing at my presence, though with various degrees of warning. "Come to me young child, on the upper floor...let her walk alone, Speaker. You and I will speak later."
"You heard the Night Mother," I spoke as I looked at Berry, gesturing with my head upwards. "Go and receive your due."
"The Night Mother already spoke?" Cicero blinked in surprise, and I extended a hand as if to pacify him.
"She wishes her presence," I crossed my arms in front of my chest as I gave another head gesture towards Berry, signaling for her to proceed. "Up the stairs, look for the sarcophagus. You cannot miss the Unholy Matron."
Berry nodded numbly, walking away from me and towards the stairs. I scratched the underside of my chin, thoughtfully turning towards Cicero. "How have things fared during my absence?"
"The ancient one is more worthy to speak of the events rather than little poor me," Cicero said humbly.
"I have already asked her," I replied offhandedly. "Now I ask you."
Cicero swallowed, some sort of fear taking hold of his body, but then he bowed and spoke, "The fall of the Dark Brotherhood was foretold by your wise words, oh Speaker. We humble ones took heed of the words, and came here to hide. Sanctuaries have been brought into existence, and for the first time not a blade rests in Cyrodiil. We are all here, Speaker. We came waiting for your call, and what a glorious day it is today. What a wonderful, unholy day." Cicero smiled pleasantly.
"Have you already begun infiltrating the security for the marriage?" I asked quite calmly. "Do we have sleeper agents in place?"
Cicero swallowed, quite noisily. "A few," he said. I actually raised an eyebrow at that. I hadn't thought they'd actually think it through. Hey. Wait. Past-Me? Did you do something? I swear to the Nine Divines, you did not teach them some form of modern guerrilla warfare or terrorism-leaflet taken from games and books did you? Oi, Past-Umbra, I'm speaking to you in my head! The least you could do is jog my memories back!
"Speaker," Babette spoke from my side, all reverent-like. "I am personally in charge of such an endeavor. If you would please let Cicero go, I would be more than glad to explain everything in the privacy of your rooms." I hummed, and gave a small nod.
"You do good work with your knives, Cicero," I said offhandedly. "Sithis is pleased with that."
"H-He notices?" Cicero whispered, awe dripping from his every word as he trembled with what I could only describe as ecstasy. "L-Lord Sithis notices..." he whispered with dumb disbelief, staring at his hands as he rushed away giggling like a mad schoolgirl. "He notices my work!" he roared as he rushed away. Why did I have the feeling that Cicero could do an absolutely unquestionable rendition of Notice Me Senpai?
Babette sighed, quite loudly too. "He is quite the faithful brother...and a bit extravagant. A good assassin, but he has his moments."
"He is frail of mind," I replied. "If things went further downhill, I'd expect to see him wearing a jester costume. His sanity is held aloft only by the Dark Brotherhood. He will never betray until his dying breath. Make of it what you wish."
Babette nodded. "Yes, Speaker," she murmured. "This way, if you would."
I followed Babette, and meanwhile hoped that there was a way out of this that didn't revolve around the purging of the Dark Brotherhood.
I mean, yes, they were the Dark Brotherhood, and yes, they were murderers and assassins for hire of the worst possible shape and form.
They were also my murderers and assassins.
It wasn't an easy thing to think of, and perhaps my amnesia was the only reason I was entertaining the thought.
Can you kill that which so painstakingly adores you?
The answer to that question was, unfortunately, not easy to find.
