#serana: *dead eye stares at valerica and Harkon*

[nerevar-quote-and-star]

Serana: Living with your parents is fun, because it's free, except for the small cost of your mental well-being.

[happywitch416]

Chapter 17

Elena was bent over her knees panting heavily when Valerica approached her. “Forgive my astonishment, but I never thought I'd witness the death of that dragon.”

Elena straightened, eyeing the skeletons littering the ground. She would never be able to convince herself that a pile of bones was harmless again, having watched so many of them get back up and walk. Repeatedly. “What makes you say that?”

“Volumes written on Durnehviir allege that he can't be slain by normal means. It appears they were mistaken. Unless...” She was quiet for a moment and Elena held a baited breath. “The soul of a dragon is as resilient as its owner's scaly hide. It's possible that your killing blow merely displaced Durnehviir's physical form while he reconstitutes himself.”

Elena’s sigh of relief was marred by a scowl. “How long will that take?” A dragon bent on vengeance was not what she wanted chasing them back to the stairs.

 Valerica shrugged. “Minutes? Hours? Years? I can't even begin to guess. I suggest we don't wait around to find out. Now, let's get your Elder Scroll and you can be on your way.” She motioned for them to follow her. Serana’s fingers gently squeezed her shoulder, startling Elena into movement.

The alcove she led them to was neat, even with its piles of alchemical ingredients and books. Valerica opened a chest and pulled out a scroll, heavier than it appeared to be. “That's it. That's the second scroll.” Serana said softly, her voice filled with awe. 

Valerica was staring at the storming sky. “Now that you've retrieved the Elder Scroll, you should be on your way. If there's anything I can do before you depart, you must let me know.”

Serana stared at her mother her eyes wide with disbelief, as Elena spoke, her tone incredulous. “You're staying here?”

She gave them a sad smile. “I have no choice. As I told you before, I'm a Daughter of Coldharbour. If I return to Tamriel, that increases Harkon's likelihood of bringing the Tyranny of the Sun to fruition.”

They both nodded. “We'll return for you when we can.” Elena extended the offer, more out of habit then suddenly deciding she liked the woman. Some words need a bit more time to mellow on the heart, but no one deserved to be stuck here.

“I appreciate your concern for me, but Serana is all I care about. You must keep her safe at all costs.” She took Elena’s hands in her own with a soft shake. “And promise me you'll keep my daughter safe. She's the only thing of value I have left.” At Elena’s nod a soft sigh left her. “After what I've put Serana through, I would understand if she never wished to see me again.” She turned to her daughter. “I leave that decision in your hands, Serana. Remember that Harkon is not to be trusted. No matter what he promises, he'll deceive you in order to get what he wants.” She shooed them into the courtyard. “Farewell.”

They started across the courtyard and once they were across Serana finally looked back. “I'm glad we found the scroll, but I, I wish she could come with us.”

Elena gave her a small push. “Go. We can last a few more hours here.” Serana blinked a moment before she was back across the dead ground, enveloping her mother in a hug.

Chapter 18

"Stay your weapons. I would speak with you, Qahnaarin." 

Elena took a deep breath staring at the undead dragon as her heart pounded against her ribs, decided being polite was better than seeing how many arrows she could get in before he ate her. "Speak freely then, Dovah." She caught the look Serana shot her from the corner of her eye and resisted the urge to squirm.

"My claws have rendered the flesh of innumerable foes, but I have never once been felled on the field of battle. I therefore honor-name you Qahnaarin the Vanquisher, the one who has bested a fellow Dovah in battle." He bowed his great head.

“Fellow Dovah?” Elena flinched back a step, panicking. "I am not a dragon."

"Forgive me, my instinct was to grant you this title. I am uncertain why.” He studied her so intently, she knew he was lying. But he let her have her secret. “Perhaps one day it will become clear to both of us."

Her smile was a bit green as she rested her fist against her heart with a short bow. "I found you to be an equally worthy opponent."

 "Your words do me great honor. My desire to speak with you was born from the result of our battle, Qahnaarin. I merely wish to respectfully ask a favor of you." Elena nodded "For countless years I've roamed the Soul Cairn, in unintended service to the Ideal Masters. Before this, I roamed the skies above Tamriel. I desire to return there.”

"What do you need from me?” She was not sure they could get him through the portal, the problem was having a dragon in that tower. A short vision of it blasting apart made her nostrils flare.

"I fear that my time here has taken its toll upon me. I share a bond with this dreaded place. If I ventured far from the Soul Cairn, my strength would begin to wane until I was no more.” At her quizzical look he continued. "I will place my name with you and grant you the right to call my name from Tamriel. Do for me this simple honor and I will fight at your side as your Grah-Zeymahzin, your Ally, and teach you my Thu'um. I don't require an answer, Qahnaarin. Simply speak my name to the heavens when you feel the time is right." With that the great dragon rose into the dark lightning cracked sky, the rush of his wings blowing their hair. 

 Elena was quiet as they returned to the stairs, braid twisted about her fingers and her brows furrowed. "Are you sure you aren't a dragon?"

Serana flinched at the face Elena made, how ghastly pale she turned.  Elena didn't meet her eyes, but flipped the braid back over her shoulder, settled her bow against her back before answering sharply. "I think I would have noticed."

Serana reached out her hand, gentle on Elena's arm. "Elena?"

Elena took a long deep breath and shook her head before giving her a bright empty grin. "Its fine. Let’s get out of here."

 “Your mother wasn’t what I expected.” Elena said as she pulled her hood low over her brow. The sun was garish in its brightness as they stood on the balcony outside of her lab. The old ladder was still useable as she tossed it over the railing and watched it land on the sand below.

“What were you expecting?” Serana replied, relieved that Elena was speaking again.

“For her to be more like you.” Elena shook her head, trying to adjust the hood, her long braid escaping to settle between her shoulders under the cloak. She tugged it back out and twisted it into a bun. “I don’t see Harkon in you, so I figured you were like her.” She swung over the side of the rail and started down.

Serana was silent as they clambered down the ladder blowing in the ocean wind that whipped past them. “At one time we were.” Elena nodded as she caught Serana’s waist and steadied her the last few rungs to the ground. “Are you like your parents?”

Elena chuckled picking her way to their stowed away boat. “Ma has always served the Divines, started as a priestess of Dibella and ran an inn before joining the temple in Solitude. My pa was a skald before becoming a Vigilant. They met when he stopped to sing at her inn.”

Serana perked up. “Can you sing?”

Elena tipped back her head to give her an arched look from under her hood, grateful the sun was behind her. “I won’t make children cry.” Serana grinned as she sat in the boat. Elena’s smile flashed in the sun; the longer canines suited her Serana thought. Spoke of the steel in her bones. “Where do we go now?”

Elena shoved the boat into the water before hopping in and setting her oar against the sand to push them out. Serana thought a moment. “The college of Winterhold, if anyone else knows where an elder scroll would be, its them.”

Chapter 19

Getting into the mage’s college had been tedious. Elena had no gift of magic and had fought back a chuckle when the woman at the gate had tested Serana’s abilities. That chuckle escaped when Serana had hissed under her breath about being able to teach at the college if they hadn’t been so against necromancy.

The library was what finally got Elena’s attention. It was a comfortable, large room with locked shelves lining the walls, books piled on tables next to uncomfortable chairs. It was a scholars’ library, and she took a deep breath of its calming air before approaching the librarian, Urag. “Excuse me, I'm looking for an Elder Scroll.”

He didn’t look up from his book, but his tone said it all. “And what do you plan to do with it? Do you even know what you're asking about?”

She tapped her fingers on the wood. “Do you have one here?”

The book snapped shut. “You think even if I did have one here, I would let you see it? It would be kept under the highest security. The greatest thief in the world wouldn't be able to lay a finger on it.”

Elena grinned but decided to not question his delusions to the security of the college or inform him how many things her sister had found there. “Do you at least have any information on them? Because I need to find one and was told you could help.” She didn’t lay the sugar on too thick; flattery wouldn’t get her as far as being earnest with this one. A degree of honesty always made people more likely to help.

He sighed and got to his feet. “I don't know who told you that, but I'll do what I can. What we do have are plenty of books. I'll bring you everything we have on them, but it's not much. So, don't get your hopes up. It's mostly lies, leavened with rumor and conjecture.”

He pulled a book from the shelf nearest to them and handed it to her before heading to other shelves. Her eyes traced the font, the book was by Septimus Signus and it rang a bell in her mind. She delved into the pages and startled a bit when Urag set the stack of books he had found on to the counter. She nodded her thanks and piled them into her arms, the open Ruminations on top. She settled into one of the chairs and tried to find a position that poked the least. Serana grabbed a book and they set to reading.

Urag had lit the candles around them before they had finished the stack. Elena went back up to his counter and waved a book at him. “This "Ruminations" book is incomprehensible.”

He nodded. “Aye, that's the work of Septimus Signus. He's the world's master on the nature of Elder Scrolls, but...well. He's been gone for a long while. Too long.”

She settled her elbows on the counter. “Where did he go? Is he dead?”

“Oh no. I hope not. But even I haven't seen him in years.” He gave a shake of his head. “Became obsessed with the Dwemer. Took off north saying he had found some old artifact. Haven't seen him since.” At her expectant look he waved vaguely in that direction. “Somewhere in the ice fields, if you want to try and find him.”

Elena nodded. “Thank you for the help. Want us to put up the books?”

“No, I’ll never be able to find them again.”

Elena had been busy reading the spines of the books on the counter to be offended.  "Oh, you have the first volume of the Wolf Queen?" Serana raised her brows and Elena grinned, cheeks tinging pink. "Do you have spare copies for sale by chance?" The old orc sighed but took the money anyway.

She was still grinning as they went back across the bridge to Winterhold. “Did you learn anything new?”

Serana shook her head. “Just that those books are not used often judging by all the dust.”

Elena laughed. “Come on, we have ice fields to explore."

Chapter 20

Elena was thoroughly sick of the snow and wind by the time they had found the door in the iceberg. Some of Winterhold’s hunters had given them the direction, saying they had heard strange things and that a man sometimes traded with them for food. She pushed it open, surprised to find it unlocked and settled on to the balls of her feet. They heard someone speaking as the tunnel turned. “Dig, Dwemer, in the beyond. I'll know your lost unknown and rise to your depths. When the top level was built, no more could be placed. It was and is the maximal apex.”

They stared at the rambling old man before glancing at each other. Elena stood and called. “Are you Septimus?”

“Yes, yes.” He paced distractedly below them.

When he said nothing more she continued. “I heard you know about Elder Scrolls.”

He looked up at them and stared a moment, lost. “Elder Scrolls. Indeed. The Empire. They absconded with them.” He shook his finger with a grin as they came down the ramp to the room. “Or so they think. The ones they saw. The ones they thought they saw. I know of one. Forgotten. Sequestered. But I cannot go to it, no poor Septimus, for I, I have arisen beyond its grasp.”

“So, where is the Scroll?” Serana asked as they both continued to eye him warily.

“Here.” He waved his hand about him. “Well, here as in this plane. Mundus. Tamriel. Nearby, relatively speaking. On the cosmological scale, it's all nearby.”

Elena tugged at her braid, impatience clipping her speech. “Can you help us get the Elder Scroll or not?”

“One block lifts another. Septimus will give you what you want, but you must bring him something in return.” He pointed at Elena before turning to the giant dwarven object behind him raising both his hands. “You see this masterwork of the Dwemer. Deep inside their greatest knowings. Septimus is clever among men, but he is but an idiot child compared to the dullest of the Dwemer. Lucky then they left behind their own way of reading the Elder Scrolls. In the depths of Blackreach one yet lies. Have you heard of Blackreach?” Elena shifted, there wasn’t a treasure hunter in Skyrim that hadn’t heard of it. "Cast upon where Dwemer cities slept, the yearning spire hidden learnings kept. Under deep. Below the dark. The hidden keep. Tower Mzark. Alftand.” Elena nodded she was familiar with the places on a map at least. “The point of puncture, of first entry, of the tapping. Delve to its depths, and Blackreach lies just beyond. But not all can enter there. Only Septimus knows the hidden key to loosen the lock to jump beneath the deathly rock.”

“How do we get in?”

Septimus wandered to his cupboard. “Two things I have for you. Two shapes. One edged, one round. The round one, for tuning. Dwemer music is soft and subtle, and needed to open their cleverest gates. The edged lexicon, for inscribing. To us, a hunk of metal. To the Dwemer, a full library of knowings. But...empty.” He forced the sphere and the blank lexicon into her hands, hard enough that the edges bit into her skin. “Find Mzark and its sky-dome. The machinations there will read the scroll and lay the lore upon the cube. Trust Septimus. He knows you can know.”

She settled them into her pack, barely taking her eyes from the old man as he began to rock on his feet. “The sphere I understand, the Dwemer doors respond to music. But what do I do with this cube?”

Septimus’s eyes flashed. “To glimpse the world inside an Elder Scroll can damage the eyes. Or the mind, as it has to Septimus. The Dwemer found a loophole, as they always do. To focus the knowledge away and inside without harm. Place the lexicon into their contraption and focus the knowings into it. When it brims with glow, bring it back and Septimus can read once more.”

“What do you want with the Elder Scroll?” Serana asked, her eyes narrowing in on the old man.

“Ooooh, an observant one. How clever to ask of Septimus. This Dwemer lockbox. Look upon it and wonder. Inside is the heart. The heart of a god! The heart of you. And me. But it was hidden away. Not by the Dwarves, you see. They were already gone. Someone else. Unseen. Unknown. Found the heart, and with a flair for the ironical, used Dwarven trickery to lock it away. The Scroll will give the deep vision needed to open it. For not even the strongest machinations of the Dwemer can hold off the all-sight given by an Elder Scroll.”

Elena nodded, began backing up the way they had come. “Thank you and we will return with your cube.” For once, she absolutely did not mean it. No one needed a heart of a god, or whatever was in that thing.

Back out in the freezing snow, Serana deflated. “Another wild chase.”

Elena grinned. “Only a little. I know where the tower is.”

Serana brightened. “We can just walk in and take the scroll?”

Elena shook her head. “Knowing dwarven ruins, I will be wishing I hadn’t retired.”

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