Chapter XXXIII: Meridia's Games

We both stare at her wordlessly, both Sybille and I mesmerized by her aura and appearance.

The literal image of perfection, pale skin, and blond hair with bright blue eyes, wearing a gown that is just revealing enough to be seductive yet not enough to be in any way undignified.

I quickly snap out of it and discretely kick my vampire colleague's foot, thus waking her up.

Meridia seems amused by my behavior but doesn't otherwise react. After we finally gather ourselves she speaks to me "I see you refused my sword's true gift."

I hold back a scoff and say "While I am flattered by the invitation, I think our spidery acquaintance already made it rather clear what my thoughts on eternal servitude are."

"A shame." She says delicately "You would have done quite well in my auroran host."

How arrogant.

"Why should I let you keep my blade or my blessing if you will not be my champion?" She asks after a moment of tense silence.

Good thing I came prepared for such questions "Because my Lady I plan on using it to battle the undead all across Skyrim, and whether or not I am your champion I would still be wielding your blade."

She cups her chin in thought "You are of course right, but why would I not simply seek another that would serve me gladly?"

I hide a smirk "Because you called for me specifically, and great were the rewards promised to me, is the Lady of Infinite Energies a liar I wonder?"

The atmosphere shifts and I feel a great pressure slam onto my very soul, but she isn't the only one with unhealthy amounts of pride here so I manage to remain standing.

"Such determination." She says in what I see as false approval hiding her annoyance "I am impressed... Very well, you may keep the blade until I find another champion worthy of wielding it, my blessing however I shall reclaim."

[Trait lost: Meridia's wroth]

I feel the soothing aura of her energy leave me completely, leaving behind a feeling of great loss. Yet it still feels better to me than being under her influence, and I already remember casting spells empowered by it, it is only a matter of time until I steal her 'blessing' back.

"Five years." I say after taking some deep breaths to calm down.

"Oh?" The question about me making more 'daring' demands goes unasked.

I press on undeterred "I need the blade for five years, after that I will willingly give it to whoever it is you choose."

She looks into my eyes for an uncomfortable amount of time, then she seems to relent and says "Very well young Lord Dagoth, you may keep my token for five mortal years. Bear it in my honor."

Despite her outing my secret and trying to mindrape me, I came here prepared for such things so I bow wordlessly. Still, I will remember her betrayal, no matter how minor.

Sybille gives me a stare that promises a questioning later and looks at the Daedric Prince without saying anything, she knows damn well that her situation is far more precarious than mine.

"I admit." Meridia begins "That I was quite furious when a vampire approached my sacred temple."

I hold back a laugh, barely keeping myself from pointing out that there were three already inside.

"And yet" She goes on "You have given me a most interesting offer. But that does beg the question, why should I give you what you desire without making you one of my own?"

She seems unwilling to honor whatever deal they made and I see Sybille start to shift uncomfortably, likely holding back her rage at the perceived betrayal.

"If I may" I cut in, much to both of their annoyance "I have a way to sweeten whatever deal the two of you have made."

Sybille glares at me threateningly, if I fucked this up she would not let it go easily, or ever.

"Go on" The Prince commands.

I incline my head and speak "The army of Solitude will be assaulting a den of undead soon, if say Sybille here were to join such an expedition and dedicate all of those slain by her hand to you would that make you more agreeable to her offer?"

Meridia seems to be thinking it over while Sybille seems both relieved and frustrated.

After some pondering the prince nods to herself "Very well, you shall slay two dozen necromancers in my name within the next month. If you do so I will grant your request."

Sybille schools her features and quickly bows "My thanks, my Lady."

Meridia scoffs "You both proclaim me your lady, and yet you refuse to offer your service. I might be offended if I were less magnanimous." She waves her hand "Begone now."

There is a snap and we are back in the real world.

'Oh I am not like they portray me' Damn bitch.

Both Sybille and I are silent for a time until I decide to break that silence "What did you ask of her anyways?"

She shifts uncomfortably yet still answers "I wanted her to mitigate some of the more annoying aspects of my condition in return for helping out her followers from time to time."

"Told you vampirism was a cheap path to immortality." I blurt immediately.

Her eye twitches and it is her turn to pry into my business "I know little Lordling."

*Sigh* "Yes I am indeed a little Lordling, what of it?"

"Oh nothing, I am just curious why you would go to such lengths to hide such a prestigious background?"

"Prestigious?" My eyebrow attempts to escape by head at this point.

She smiles "Why of course, most of the mundane fools consider your proud ancestor to be an evil sorcerer and devil, while on the other hand, most of the enlightened view him as a visionary who went beyond the foolish rulings of mortals."

I narrow my eyes at her "You are really open about your disdain for them."

She huffs "You speak as if you weren't disdainful of the plebeians yourself?"

I give her a questioning look.

She starts slowly circling me while speaking "They might not notice it, but I do. You look down on each and every last one of them. The way you dare to speak to the King himself without care, the way you drink a noble's poison and call out its poor quality in his face... I could list so many more things but the point is you are no better than me, you merely haven't accepted it yet." as she finishes she places a hand on my shoulder.

I shrug "I am naturally capable of acting in the wrong."

She removes the hand in annoyance "What is so wrong about knowing you are better?"

"Because Sybille" I say firmly "If you underestimate them, they shall surpass you and you will no longer be the better. Would they be wrong then to disdain you then?"

She huffs "Such childish notions." then shakes her head "Very well, you may believe what you will. I will be there when you are ready to admit you are wrong."

"I shall consider it a challenge then." I bow dramatically.

As we head to the exit she says "Oh and Reyvin."

I turn back and look at her.

She smiles gently "Thank you for your help with the negotiation, truly. We both agreed I would bear all the consequences of my foolish decision and you helped me in spite of that."

"Maybe I was mesmerized by that bit of charm you tried and made a foolish mistake due to my youthful desires? Who knows..." I make a show of checking her out.

She waves me off and passes next to me while swaying her hips seductively "Whatever you say dear~" She says in a singsong voice and before I can respond she is already out of the room.

Damn tease.

----------

We rejoin our two other companions who were all kinds of worried while we were inside the reliquary.

Marco is the first to speak "Did you get it then?"

I point to the sheathed blade resting on my right hip and his eyes widen in wonder.

"Umm... boss." Davos begins slowly.

"Yes, Davos?"

"You have a bit of gold in your eyes..."

I immediately summon a hand mirror I have with me and take a look. Just around my pupils, my red eyes are tainted by a small circle of gold with tiny lines spreading out of it, not enough to be jarring or too eye catching, but just enough to be noticeable.

I groan "She just couldn't resist marking me could she?"

Sybille looks ready to make a disdainful comment about her but remembers where she is and literally bites her tongue. After it regenerates, yes she bit it that hard, she says teasingly "I think it is rather charming actually."

"Uh-huh." I deadpan and then my face pales and I groan once more "Oh Savos is going to be insufferable about this."

Sybille breaks out into a giggling fit, knowing full well the teasing I am in for.

Davos on the other hand merely shakes his head "One of these days dealing with Daedra will come to bite you in the ass, boss."

I shrug "Guess I will just have to develop Daedra resistant asscheeks then."

He snorts "Sure, let's go with that."

---------------------

Our return to Solitude was swift and without any breaks, we all wanted to return to the city as soon as possible to rest properly from the day's events.

We left Marco at the Bard's College to a very worried looking Viarmo. The old mer glared at me, but he knew he couldn't say anything to me without being a hypocrite so the tongue-lashing was reserved for his nephew.

Not wanting to go through another long climb at the tower I used a scroll of invisibility and just levitated up to the tower balcony, I could hear Sybille's frustrated facepalm from all the way up.

The moment I entered my room I threw myself into my bed and it's welcoming embrace almost knocked me out on the spot.

But there was still something important to do.

I summoned Scorch and claimed my mission reward from the system.

My familiar looked at me curiously for a moment, but then suddenly burst into flames and condensed into a tiny ball of bright energy, my hand moved on its own and a beam of sunfire connected with Scorch making him glow brighter and brighter.

After once again channeling a power that was not my own for some time, Scorch's aura seemed to settle and there he stood, smaller than before yet still imposing for a bird of his kind, but now instead of merely having flaming embers between his feathers he was straight up burning, and his ashen coloring was now that of flaming orange.

[Summoning bonds:]

[Scorch]

[Solar Hawk: An ashen hawk infused with Magnus' light, capable of healing and able to burn away the darkness. Grants it's master moderate regeneration along with greater prowess over flames and restoration]

[Abilities:

Solar flare: Detonates it's current form in a grand explosion

Solar cloak: A cloak of sunfire that deals increased damage to undead/daedra

Soothing presence: It's mere presence calms and heals those it considers friends

Healing touch: It heals on touch, who would have thought?

Rapid rebirth: After banishment or detonation it reforms within ten minutes]

I pat my glorious hawk boy on the head and he drowsily dissipates back into my Magicka, and I immediately feel his calming presence relax me after the long day.

Unfortunately, I can't sleep just yet. I take out dawnbreaker and inspect it.

[Dawnbreaker (Sealed): The sacred blade of Meridia said to be the ultimate bane of all undead, deals sunfire damage on each strike, disintegrates weaker undead on touch (Sealed to deep wound) and doubles (Sealed to 50%) their restoration prowess. The blade has been cursed by Meridia to constantly whisper promises of power to the bearer once unsheathed in an attempt to lure them into her permanent service.]

GOD DAMN FU@!%!#%#@%!@$!@$!@#!#@!

*Sigh* Calm down Reyvin, you expected this. It is just a petty Daedra and her shiny toy, there is no need to break anything.

I hear a knock on my door and with a groan get up from my bed, opening it I am greeted by a Sybille wearing a rather... delicious looking nightgown.

I raise an eyebrow "I am fairly certain that you got the wrong room."

She huffs "Oh don't play coy with me Reyvin. You didn't think a simple 'thank you' is all I would give for your help today did you?" as she says that she enters my 'apartment' and drags me to my bedroom.

Maybe this day isn't so bad after all...

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Trade offer: You give me powerstones => I DO turn you into a shadow-skeleton.

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