A/n: sorry for the delay, I regret to inform I fell to the dark side….of Ai, yhhh I got really addicted to trying to make those YouTube ai shorts, utter garbage but was amusing.
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The trio had emerged from the other side of the Wayshrine portal and were transported deeper into Darkfall Passage.
"That felt weirder than I thought it would." Merril voiced out to which the Senche-Raht Tiger growled in agreement.
"You'll get used to it. But this confirms a theory of mine based on how the flow of Magicka felt when we passed through the portal."
"And that is?"
"Gelebor said the magic to create these Wayshrines were lost to time. No, they are made from magic of the School of Mysticism. While all the other Schools of Magic focuses on individual areas or has defining traits. Illusion manipulated the sight but can't altar the properties of something, whereas Alteration is able to manipulate both sight and the properties. Destruction is more lucid but you already know what falls under Destruction. Necromancy is from Mysticism but was recategorised into Conjuration which is wrong since Necromancy manipulates the soul. Mysticism is the origin and the middle ground of all the Schools of Magic, because Mysticism is the School that directly manipulates Magic/Magicka itself. And these portals definitely follow that sign."
"What's the point of saying all this?"
"The point is i can make them. And I can make as many as I want, imagine this not just Ssd here, but throughout all of Skyrim, how about throughout all of Tamriel, how about one's big enough to send entire armies? Ha ha I like that expression, it seems you got it."
I laughed seeing Merril's shocked face.
Meanwhile, Rael, who grows ever more intelligent each passing day, had a passing thought that he could rest as much as he wanted and no longer has to travel.
As the trio had only just appeared in the new environment, they walked through its tight hallways.
As they did, they neared a number of various types of Flora, most of which had an amethyst glow that mesmerised Merril.
When she reached her hand out to touch it, the plant retreated back and into itself as a defensive response.
Merril retracted her hand and we continued onwards, yet not even a few meters away was a strangely shaped organic cast.
Merril was a little more cautious with this new find as something was clearly off.
Not a second later when she got close enough, did a long slender curved needle like appendage shoot out at her.
Merril had barely avoided the lethal blow thanks to the hand that I grasped her shoulder with, pulling her backwards and throwing her to the floor to save her life.
The attacker broke free from its cocoon prison and took fought with its insecticide wings.
This was a Chaurus Hunter Fledgling, an evolved version of its species as this one now had wings capable of flight.
However, as it flew towards myself and Merril, I had already casted another one of my custom spells, [Harmful Vortex].
The creature was swallowed into a near invisible current of air shaped like a cone, before its body was sliced apart in seconds under the onslaught of aerial shaped blades.
[Harmful Vortex] - Creates a near invisible vortex of wind that speeds towards the target and engulfs then within, then sliced apart from within.
After dealing with the Chaurus Hunter, we continued down the path. As we did we came across a small alley, with which there was a small side path which goes around a Falmer trap up ahead.
The boots which Rael and Merril wore had been given boots and footwear which i enchanted with yet another a custom spell, but as an enchantment.
[Space Step] - Summons and constructs platforms for an individual to walk on or for others, it can also act like a [Ward] or a [Magic Shield].
It wasn't meant to be used in the sense one can stay on it indefinitely, like how Ahzidal's boots let you stay walking or standing on water for as long as you want.
My version which I gave to the both of them needed constant movement and use to remain active. My boots didn't have this, since. I naturally can cast and use it if needed.
Like that, we effortlessly walked on air high above and close to the ceiling, as we made our way above and past traps and Falmer patrols.
We reached an open cavernous area that had many variations of Falmer structures.
Most Falmer tents and structures were made using Chaurus exoskeletons, while thee more larger ones belongs to the strongest Falmer Warmongers or Shamans. These largest tents were made from what I can assure to be the highest evolutionary stage of a Chaurus, this being after a Chaurus Hunter evolution.
I named these ones as Chaurus Lords, I've yet to see a living Chaurus Lord since I've only ever seen the in game dead exoskeletons or the ones I see now.
Beyond this area was also a waterfall that descended far down.
Using stealth paired with [Invisibility], the three of us made our way around the waterfall to next area.
As we did, we saw a large pen area, where many Chaurus reside, and in the middle of the pen area, there was a person's skull on top of a spike.
We hung to the right wall, where there was stone protrusions that formed an ascending stone pathway for us to stealthily use to bypass any detection.
Successfully making our way past and further along. We reached a place where many Gleamblossom plants grew near a gigantic 5 meter large, glowing blue crystal.
I took out a small shard of Aetherium, which was the leftover from when I crafted my Aetherium Forged gear, and held it close to the giant glowing rock.
To my shock, the giant rock began singing a sort of Tonal hum that was similar to the Aetherium i held.
However, something was off with this giant boulder. It wasn't Aetherium but was most certainly something different.
I looked around and saw many Gleamblossoms and tried thinking what connection these plants have with the glowing rock.
It can be found in open areas and Falmer-inhabited dwellings and sanctums. It cannot be planted in the garden or greenhouse with the Hearthfire DLC expansion.
Gleamblossom also gives the effects of Resist Magic, Regenerate Health, Fear and Paralysis.
Having already unlocked my mind's potential using the Skeleton Key a while back, I drew up many theories.
And one came up as the most prominent.
Resist Magic - Connection to Magicka.
Regenerate Health - Connection to Restoration, Nature, the body and longevity. All of which has a passive innate connection to Magicka.
Fear - The only effect that doesn't have a relation to Magicka, but could perhaps have, as a target can feel the immense aura radiating of high density Magicka sources, as a result the Fear effect could be an passive effect that radiates off the consumer for others to perceive.
Paralysis - Unstable Magicka on a target can cause Paralysis, proven after many tests in the past by other mages and has been documented.
With all these points, it's reasonable to conclude that the giant rock here must be some form of highly dense Magicka that condensed into a solid form.
I reached out my hand and the giant rock was sucked into my Storage Ring, as my other hand held the Initiates Ewer.
I will examine this later, it can possibly be of use for something.
We proceeded forward and came across another open area where we snuck to the back, where a bridge was that led past and behind the waterfall, which had came from an upper level chamber we had been in a while ago.
There was another trap, and after that was a sealed off stone door, with two strange pulling levers of Falmer design were.
Pulling the left chain, since the right one was a trap that would fire arrows, the stone door slid upwards opening up the way.
"Oh my…this is beautiful…" Merril let out her thoughts aloud, as she like myself and Rael gazed upon a large cavernous area filled with glowing blue plants and the glowing azure-hue waters below to where the bottom of the waterfall was.
Off in the distance many animals like Sabertooth Cats and various deers or elks with dark coloured fur and green markings lined their bodies.
These were the unique Vale animals that could only be found within these Falmer territories, even Blackreach has them.
And down below, many many more glowing blue rocks like the one I put in my storage ring can be seen everywhere here.
"Come on, the Wayshrine won't be far now." I said as I saw the other side of the region where we needed to go.
Stretching out his hand, Sivreth's eyes flashed with a bluish-white light as a burst of ice suddenly condensed a meter away from him, and rapidly shot out into the space off the ledge he was on.
Within moments a large frozen bridge made of ice had been formed.
"Uhh I don't think that's part of the test?"
"And how would you know what is and isn't allowed, besides I don't think it matters. And would you like for us to go down there and kill those Sabertooth Cats? It will disrupt the Ecology of this biome."
"I…ok."
After our little talk, we walked across the ice bridge i made and reached the other side after a few hours of waking.
It had taken us an entire day, but we finally reached the Wayshrine of Illumination.
Next to the Wayshrine stood Prelate Sidanyis, the ghost of a Snow Elf since long ago.
"Welcome, Initiate. This is the Wayshrine of Illumination. Are you prepared to honor the mantras of Auri-El and fill your vessel with His enlightenment."
"Yes." I replied.
"Then behold Auri-El's gift, my child. May it light your path as you seek tranquility within the Inner Sanctum." Prelate Sidanyis said as he took a r Ssd able and performed the same spell that Gelebor had done before.
The Wayshrine arises from out the ground and unsealed itself.
Carrying the Initiates Ewer, I walked to the basin in the centre of the Wayshrine that had some water, as I fetcher some using the Ewer.
Once that was done I placed the Ewer on the ground to the side.
Reaching to my side i touched the Stahlrim made container that was used to house the actual vial which had Akatosh's essence within.
This was given to me by Akatosh in the Temple of the One.
Here's the thing, this isn't Akatosh's essence even though Akatosh gave this to me in his Dragon form, no this actually is Auriel's essence.
The Amulet of Kings was actually made with Auriel's blood which Martin used to become the Avatar of Akatosh and defeat Mehrunes Dagon during the Oblivion crisis.
Taking out the vial with the greatest of care, I unsealed it and raised it above the basin as I poured a little bit of it inside, I stopped and re sealed it and put it back in it's Stahlrim container for safety.
I placed my hands at both sides of the basin as my head hovered over it gazing into the waters seeing my own reflection.
Then…with one swift motion, I plunged my head into the basin…
…and then darkness…