Ch.20

[Morndas, 19th of Sun’s Height, 4E: 221]

“I’m afraid without the ability to restrain him, that I cannot intervene with whatever has seized his mind. Berserker will need to recover from his psychic assault on his own.” Neethsi declared after the third attempt met much harsher resistance. This time he tore off her left arm, which horrified me, but she casually stopped the bleeding and molded the detached limb out of his grasp before grafting it back in place and then healing herself.

Elder Scrolls Master Mages are bullshit spooky! She’s only an Adept at Restoration, too!

“What sort of work does he do exactly, in order to rip a person’s limb off with ease? Especially given the prosthetic limbs from the hinge joints down.” Mellow questioned warily. “Oh, aside from being exceptionally rich in antibodies and other immune system goodies, his blood is fine.”

“His business is his own. Besides, it isn’t like Meen-Rei can tell us and Shade doesn’t know too much.” Twilight said as she warded Berserker’s armor.

“Yeah. I don’t know much about Mister Berserker other than he’s a friend of mom’s and he’s super strong. Mom? I feel all weird and I’m hungry. Do you have any snacks?” Shade asked hopefully and I retrieved some trail mix from my satchel that she promptly munched on. “Oh! Berserker once said he did a lot of ripping!”

“Here, Shade.” I said as I gave her some cheese and sweet bread. My daughter promptly nommed on the food and I was rather worried. She’s not already about to hit another Change immediately after, is she? She isn’t rapidly aging, right? Hopefully she’s just trying to recover energy from her transformation. “Shade’s fine, right?”

“Oh yes, perfectly fine. She’s just recovering.” Neethsi said before perking when Shade grabbed her currently huge boobs. It seems Neethsi enjoys her usual size when not doing anything they’d interfere with. “Um, yes, I’m still Neethsi dear. No, I don’t produce sap. I’ve never had the joy of bearing eggs. I was always responsible and kept herbs with me.” Joy~?

“You’re both so pretty. I wanna grow up to be as big and beautiful as you!” Shade excitedly declared and I shared an amused chuckle and look with Neethsi.

“Maybe someday dear. Now then, Twilight, where do you need us to go?” I know we’ve wasted half of the day on helping Neethsi emotionally pour herself out to me and then try to help Berserker, but we should at least try to get started on the next major objective.

“Well, I have all the scrolls I need. A shady character dropped the last one by my office.” Twilight pointedly looked at Neethsi, who didn’t visibly react to the look. “So now, unless a horrific incident occurs, I actually need you to donate your magicka so that we can infuse the Tree of Harmony with as much power as possible so it can assume it’s role as a Tower sooner.”

“I’m not going to end up as the Stone or Heart of it, right?” I warily asked, the thought that came to me scared me immensely. I’d hate to become trapped, but if it was to save this reality and all the people within it, I might just resign myself to it. I can’t bear to do nothing in the face of-.

“No! No~! You’ll be helping us create the Heart. In a...much more literal way than you might imagine. See, there was another Crystal Tower, but it fell long before either the Crystal-Like-Law or the Tree of Harmony. My plan is to unite these two fallen Towers to create a much stronger Tower, hopefully one to rival either Snow Throat or Adamantine.” Twilight informed me and I sighed in relief. “Although...you might still host the Heart…”

“Continue…” I resignedly said and Twilight blushed hotly.

“Y-you’ll, um...you know how your True Form is actually as a Magicka Atronach?” Twilight nervously said and I nodded. “Well, the easiest way, thus the only way with the time constraints we’re possibly facing, is to grow the Crystal Heart inside of you.” I felt warm and rubbed my muscular abdomen in understanding. “Precisely, but that’s the final step. It’s irritating, but in the second scroll I got details of the final steps while the first was the start. I need to finish reading in the middle.”

“So in the meantime we need to stockpile magicka. Understood. I’ll help make the process easier on you, Meen-Rei.” Neethsi said as Twilight led us back through the campus towards the part of the university where my least and most favorite milking room was. “So, you just swapped the type of pump?”

“No, I added the new one in. If Meen-Rei wants, I could also turn on the sap pump to make the issue more pleasant. Having your magicka drained is generally unpleasant when it isn’t fueling a spell. I figured she might like something to distract from the sensation.” Twilight suggested and I huffed.

“You just want more of my delicious sap. Admit it! This is secretly an illegal syrup operation! I demand royalties!” I declared playfully and Twilight blinked before looking like she was considering it.

“If it wasn’t hallucinogenic...no. I can’t possibly sell it or products derived from it. It’s too powerful. At best I could become a supplier for alchemical purposes. I’m already setting up a payment plan for you since you’re the source of it all. I don’t mind the extra work since it’s profitable for everyone.” Twilight said before her magic summoned manacles with tubes.

“Wait, if you’re storing tons of mama’s sap, can’t I just drink that instead of having to bug mom to suckle for it all the time?” Shade asked, reminding us that she was around. Wow, she’s oddly quiet compared to before.

“Sure thing, sweetie.” Twilight gently said to my daughter and I got on the comfy table where Neethsi strapped me in. I still don’t get why the straps are necessary. Stimulation, right.

“Then you might as well pump me while you’re at it. It beats adventuring for money. I only want to go adventuring if I have a more worthwhile goal in mind.” Anyone can adventure for treasure, I’d rather adventure for the sake of adventure in comparison.

“If we end up alone, I’ll be sure to make it much nicer than usual~.” Neethsi purred to me and I grinned at her as I was hooked up.

📜

[Tirdas, 20th of Sun’s Height: Sun’s Rest, 4E: 221]

“Where are you going?” Neethsi demanded in bemusement when I was putting on my boots the next morning. We’d slept together, not in the sexual way, but in the ‘couple sharing the same bed’ way.

“I was planning to go for a walk and maybe shop for something fun today.” Twilight wasn’t joking about the money. My first 100 Septims were paid out in person by her yesterday evening with a promise of paying me every Fredas so long as LUM has so much of my sap to sell instead of keep or use.

“What? It’s Sun’s Rest. Nothing is open today.” Huh? “Oh, right. It’s a holiday, dear. Today, nothing is operating besides the bare minimum necessary such as unfortunate secretaries forced to work their boss’s workload for the day, but they get tomorrow off instead. Come back to bed.” Neethsi insisted and I smiled softly before taking my clothes back off and snuggling my beautiful partner and my daughter when she came looking.

It was a wonderfully lazy day, doing nothing.

[Middas, 21st of Sun’s Height, 4E: 221]

*Boom!*

I was jolted awake with Neethsi and Shade tangling up with me when we were tossed out of bed by a violent explosion! It wasn’t even on us, but it knocked all the furniture around and tossed lighter objects like us to the floor! “Explosion!” Neethsi shouted and untangled from our pile of limbs the fastest, running out of our dorm room in nothing but a night robe.

“Mama, what’s going on?!” Shade asked fearfully while I quickly started putting on my equipment which got partially buried under the avalanche of books that fell out of the bookshelf.

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. Stay here.” I snarled as I finished pulling on my leather pants and my adjustable jerkin before rushing out with my conjured bow. I hurried outside to see if I could find where the explosion went off and I didn’t have to look far.

The guards on night duty around the still budding Tree of Harmony were pulverized and dismembered messes scattered about the ruined courtyard. Essentially, the entire central area of the Lilmoth University of Magic’s campus was a crater, save the hope for the future and it’s runes impossibly rising above the rest of the indent in the ground that stretched to touch the surrounding buildings.

I didn’t see anyone besides the people arriving on the scene, the windows facing the courtyard had been shattered and blown in and dozens of injured people were peering out in shock while pegasi in the sky rapidly gathered along with more guards rushing to the scene from the city proper. “Those bastards. They immediately tried to stop us!” I snarled, because this could only be the work of the Thalmor!

They almost turned me into a low-yield nuke in Blackrose, now they tried to blow up the Tree of Harmony before it could really take off! Thank gosh for Twilight’s reasonable paranoia! “How did they get a bomb that big close enough? Better yet, how did a Thalmor siege mage make it all the way here?” Neethsi snarled from next to me. Good gosh, I’m so furious I didn’t see her!

“I don’t know, dear. Maybe because almost nobody was out and about yesterday?” I snarked and my friend/girlfriend/boyfriend gawked at me in utter shock.

“That can’t-but that’s-that breaks almost every single peace treaty signed in the past two thousand years! Not once since then has any government dared use an international holiday to perform military or terrorist actions on another nation!” Neethsi declared in absolute disgust.

“War is war.” I stated, knowing much of how WW1 and WW2 had acted when I was human. Sure, on Christmas the soldiers even went to enemy camps and celebrated together, but those were rare and special occasions. “All is Fair in Love and War.”

“That is such a disgusting philosophy, but one I’m sure many can share. Certainly, when everyone realizes what is going on, then the Ebonheart Pact is going to retaliate.” Neethsi grimly intoned and put a hand on my shoulder. “Come. Let us return to bed. There is nothing for us to do here.” I reluctantly let her lead us back to our dorm, the rest of the night was fitful.

📜

Standing before Captain Miun-La Theertius was even more daunting this time. I wasn’t even the person he was glaring at! The average-height green-scaled ice-blue eyed argonian man was boring holes into Twilight’s skull, yet she was not giving an inch. “An experiment to stabilize thaumic resonance. That isn’t enough reason for the Aldmeri Dominion to bomb your campus, Miss Sparkle.” The grim man rasped as he rested his hand on the head of his Glass mace.

He and his two companions were kitted out in full suits of scalemail armor with leather and gambeson underneath. They were clearly ready to try and arrest Twilight. “Which is exactly what it is, Captain. I simply felt it prudent to leave out to what extent it would do so because the Thalmor do not want such a thing to happen.” Twilight sharply replied.

“Give me every reason you have for me not to have you dragged into the city square in chains and stoned to death for endangering my city.” Theertius growled and I was about to speak out when Twilight’s illusion fell, revealing her large and elegant wings, which caused the captain and his guards to back away with their maces in hand.

“Because, Captain. It would be social and political suicide for you to try and kill a Living Goddess. You would have Equestrians rioting in the streets and you may even find yourself lynched by an angry mob. Besides, it would take way too long for stoning to kill me at the rate I regenerate. People would start dying of exhaustion before I took any real damage.” Twilight calmly said as she stood up and leered at the Captain.

“Besides, I’m the Hortator of the Great Houses and I would bring your attempt at regicide to the attention of the High Council.” Neethsi spoke up and then held up her left hand and the signet ring upon it that brightly featured a Moon and Star. “Rest assured, this is a plan ensuring the enemy’s plots fail. Thus, this preemptive terrorist strike upon us was an attempt at sabotage.”

“So, Captain. You are going to shut up, take your men and secure the damn city! There are Thalmor agents skulking about and we don’t have the luxury of you fucking around in my office!” Twilight shouted with her voice getting progressively louder until it was a physical force causing us all to bend away. “Did I stutter?! Get out!”

“Grr! I will be verifying these claims with Count Theogoulus! Don’t believe we’re finished here!” Miun-La Theertius snarled vindictively before storming out of the office and his guards followed a bit too hastily to be professional.

“Oh thank gosh! I thought he was going to try and cave my skull in!” Twilight collapsed into her chair and pulled on her robe to vent her bosom and wave her hand at it. “Thanks for backing me up, Neethsi.”

“We’re Friends. Besides, I’ve been goofing off long enough.” Neethsi then looked sadly at me before she waved her hands and transformed back into the tall, stoic hulk of a man I’d known before. The cold and distant expression and eyes hurt to see again, knowing that he was magically suppressing his ability to express emotion. “I’m afraid I must return to politics.”

“Does that mean I can’t stick with you?” I mewled sadly. I don’t know what I will do without him around. He’s been my rock, my guide, my literal teacher. Without him, I’m just a hapless babe in the woods lucky if I don’t trip over my own toes.

“My place is calling my people to action, particularly in times of war. The Dominion effectively declared war last night. They’re not waiting to finish the Empire off. First it was Blackrose, now Lilmoth. They could have saboteurs everywhere.” Neethsi looked at Twilight. “Do you need her immediately?”

“No. I still need to finish piecing everything together, but I do know the next stage cannot progress before the Tree of Harmony is ready. That won’t be for weeks or months. I advise that you take Meen-Rei with you, teach her in your spare time so that she is ready.” Twilight looked at me. “I wish you could stay, but your place is with Neethsi. He will help prepare you for the trials to come better than anyone else could.”

“What about me?” We all turned our attention to the door and I don’t know about the others, but I felt immense relief to see Berserker was finally on his feet and wearing his intimidating armor. “I just woke up and was told to see you here, but now I find out my friend is leaving?”

“Berserker!” I cheered as I ran to him and hugged him.

“Sorry for being out so long and any inconveniences I may have caused.” He apologized, returning the hug as he looked at Twilight. “What would you have me do? Help you in saving your home or help these two?”

“As much as I would like for you to help them, you are needed here.” Twilight answered, looking at me sadly. “I’m sorry, but I know Neethsi is more than capable of keeping you safe. Plus, I Pinkie Promised that I’d keep an eye on Berserker.” When did-oh, likely in private.

“...I understand.” Berserker resigned and I whimpered in despair, holding onto him tight. Slowly, I was pushed off him as Neethsi took my hand. “Watch each other’s backs and get it done. We’ll make sure this place is still standing once you’ve returned.”

“Alright.” I said with my face feeling warm since I felt Berserker's eyes on my bust while Neethsi’s grip on my hand tightened a little. Oh, is Neethsi jealous? I don’t even know if Berserker and I did anything. The last thing I remember before ending up in this world was falling asleep in a wolf’s lap while he drank some beer I shared with him.

“Don’t worry, we will. Come now, we must collect Shade and prepare to leave. Oh, Twilight, one of my flying boats is moored at the public jetty.” Neethsi informed the alicorn and she nodded before we left her office. “I don’t expect you to practice politics, Meen-Rei, but where we’re going, expect everyone you meet to shake your hand while hiding a dagger in the other.”

“Okay.” I said with some determination. My memories of the game Morrowind were foggy at best. It was an old game by the time I was Displaced the first time. However, I do remember that the majority of the issues plaguing the hero was all of the political and cultural red tape. “Oh, um, is slavery still an issue?”

“No. I believe I informed you that part of what allowed the Ebonheart Pact to reform was the complete dissolution of slavery. It’s part of why House Dres is dead and gone and House Telvanni actually has to pay capable servants. Don’t expect to be treated warmly, however. Dunmer, like all mer, are long-lived and have long memories to go with it. Also, while slavery is illegal, there is still a frustratingly persistent ‘indentured servitude’ movement where people still own slaves, but are required to feed and treat them as proper live-in servants.” Neethsi hissed.

“Oof, like Mass Effect. I get it, stay with you or ensure there’s a guard presence whenever possible.” I still don’t get how that can fly. Seriously. ‘Cultural significance’ has to be the dumbest fucking excuse to allow a society to keep slaves when it’s outlawed in your treaties.

“Yeah, I’m keeping you away from the Milky Way.” Wait, what? Why did you lean out of the office just to comment on that? “Anyway, I suggest we all get a move on, fast.” After Berserker’s urgent words, another explosion went off.

“Oh, come on!” Twilight shrieked with frustration as she looked outside her office window that faced the courtyard with a glare. “We haven’t even filled in the crater from the first one!”

“Permission to slaughter the enemy in your name and honor?” Did Berserker just ask that?

“More than permission! Find them! Bring me their heads! I might be able to pull information from their minds with necromancy and mysticism!” Twilight shouted at him and Berserker promptly launched himself out of a window. “Grr~! Get going! The sooner the Pact moves on these high-elven supremacists trying to destroy reality, the sooner I can stop worrying about my campus being annihilated by saboteurs!”

“Understood.” Neethsi pulled me along in a hurried jog back to our dorm. We burst in to find Rarity dressed like she was about to go on a vacation and measuring Shade. “Rarity?”

“Don’t waste our breaths. Twilight has tasked me with ensuring Meen-Rei doesn’t step in politics blind while you’re occupied with back-stabbing mer. Now get on with using your Wayshrine magic. Really, you should just make it publicly available.” Rarity snipped as she finished using her measuring tape on Shade and stowed the tape away in the bulky travel pack she had on. “If you’d please? A lady isn’t meant to carry such a weight for long.” Well, at least I have company.

Next Chapter: Ch.21 Estimated time remaining: 15 Hours, 52 Minutes