Enter The Arena As Your Avatar -- The Spinoff!

Viserys blinks. Had this been a fluke?

"Awkeff... are you certain that this is a genuine Black-"

The Summit of Apocrypha

"-Boooook... Oh..."

Viserys takes a moment to survey the eldritch realm that was Apocrypha. Somehow, he wasn't surprised that he and Awkeff had been brought to the site of their climatic showdown with the rogue Dragonborn, Miraak.

When Hermaeus Mora himself arrives and eventually turns his attention to him, the Nord Dovahkiin meets the Daedric Prince of Knowledge's gaze with a defiant smirk.

"I'll bet not even you foresaw this happening, did you, Mora? I'm Viserys, your 'champion's' husband and fellow Dragonborn. Were our positions reversed, I would strongly consider keeping those disgusting tentacles away from her."

Edited by IchigoMontoya on Dec 15th 2019 at 12:31:17 PM

   "Iiiiinteresting..."   

Now the tendrils reach for Viserys.

Awkeff cuts in front of them. "That's enough, Mora. If you want to know what's going on here, I'll just tell you. But you have to give us something in exchange."

   "Mmmmm... of course, that is a simple matter. Knowledge... for knowledge. Anything for my dear friend and champion."   

"I liked it better when you were condescending instead of trying to act all chummy. And to make sure you don't backstab me, we'll tell you what we want first."

Viserys' hand instinctively goes to the Infinity Sword's hilt when Mora's tendrils begins reaching for him, though Awkeff thankfully intervenes before things can potentially escalate. Inwardly, he couldn't help but agree with his wife: he actually preferred Mora's usual condescension to this weirdly chummy behavior.

"We're here because... we wish to find a way to make our lifespans equal."

   "As we speak, that information is being acquired from the depths of Apocrypha. And in exchange..."   

"Yeah, yeah." Awkeff proceeds to summarize the Arena - a place where people from different realities, and different versions of similar ones, can meet. A place where the powerful are made weaker, and the feeble are made stronger, for a level playing field, and where people who die don't tend to be gone for good. Currently, that place happens to have the shape of Skyrim.

"Is... that really it? No, we're probably going to have to go through who knows how many Seekers and Lurkers to reach what we want first. It's never simple with the Daedra..."

"Hence how Awkeff and I were able to meet in the first place," Viserys adds.

   "So, that is how you met."    Hermaeus Mora makes a throaty Evil Laugh.    "Hohohohoho... you have no idea how valuable this knowledge is to me. You will have as you wish, no strings attached. I must attend to other matters now."   

And as Hermaeus Mora disappears into the void, Awkeff begins to sweat.

"Fuck, he's going to the Arena, isn't he?"

Viserys lays a comforting hand on Awkeff's shoulder.

"Calm down, Fahliil Lokaliin. Unless he plans on striking a deal with Farandare, we probably have nothing to worry about."

"... You're right." Awkeff steadies her breathing.

A few seconds pass before a pedestal with a book on it materializes.

"I suppose this is what we want."

"There's only one way to know for certain."

Viserys approaches the pedestal and opens the book.

A chorus of shrieks and howls erupts from the book as it opens. Magicka streams out of it and swarms around the two Dragonborn...

And in a flash, they're back at Lakeview Manor.

Awkeff puts a hand to her chest. "I feel... different. Perhaps... that was it. I'd certainly be relieved if it was."

Not like they have any way to know for certain, but it is. Awkeff's lifespan has become roughly the same as an average Nord's (not accounting for the possibility of death from injuries).

Edited by KiriK on Dec 15th 2019 at 3:36:51 AM

Once they've been sent back to Lakeview Manor, Viserys takes a moment to process what had just happened.

"Strange... I don't feel any different... Mora screwed us over, didn't he?"

Now it's his turn to begin sweating as he paces back and forth around the room.

"I-I must not have phrased our wish correctly... Oh, Viserys, you fucking idiot, how did you think bargaining with a Daedra would turn out? You probably just doomed the woman you love because of your stupidity..."

Edited by IchigoMontoya on Dec 15th 2019 at 1:56:51 AM

Awkeff shrugs. "On the bright side, as long as you and I don't have one day left to live, it could have turned out far worse."

She offers Viserys a hug.

Viserys gladly accepts the hug, embracing Awkeff in return.

"Still, I might have just stolen... centuries of life away from you, Fahliil Lokaliin. How in Oblivion could I live with myself, knowing that I've reduced your lifespan so drastically?"

"I had already accepted that as a possibility," Awkeff replies. "Really, I'm not all that bothered. It's better to live a short life and burn up than to wither away over ages. Don't beat yourself up over it."

Viserys sighs.

"...You're right. If your lifespan has, indeed, been shortened, I suppose all I can do is make what years you have left the happiest you've ever lived."

He pulls Awkeff in close and kisses her right on the lips.

Mighty THANOS of Titan dwell within Fort Amol, having decided to visit the Arena on his lonesome to study some of it. He's currently using a deadly double-blade to carve easily through the fort itself, sending back pieces of it towards Sanctuary for analysis.

Awkeff returns the kiss.

"I wouldn't want it any other way."

Fort Amol

Dissonant ghostly whispers echo from behind Thanos, as a swarm of tentacles and eyeballs peering out from the empty space heralds the arrival of Hermaeus Mora!

Thanos isn't really surprised nor frightened, simply turning around, without any flourish.

At the very least you could introduce yourself.

Viserys grins at Awkeff, placing a hand upon her face.

"I love you so much, Fahliil Lokaliin..."

"I love you too."

   "I am Hermaeus Mora, the daedric prince of knowledge and memory, seer of fate, gardener of men, whatever one wishes to call me. You must be... the one they call 'The Mad Titan'."   

Mora's tendrils reach out to Thanos in that oh-so-creepy fashion.

He intercept one with his hand, but doesn't attack back.

Hm... and yet I've never heard of you. It seems that my reputation is one that reaches beyond universes. declare the mad titan, grinning. Then surely you are aware of the power infinite at my hands.

The tendrils pull back.

   "I have no interest in power,"    Mora replies.    "I know that you know. You have a vast wealth of knowledge, do you not?"   

Indeed... and if you wish to tap into it, then I will require something else in return. he says. As most deals require.

Unless you believe that you can make the likes of me bend to your whim.

Edited by Bolded1 on Dec 15th 2019 at 11:54:17 AM

   "Oh, I have a deal to make."   

Mora's amorphous mass of a form inches closer.

   "My champion, a powerful warrior and assassin with particular moral standards, resides in this realm. If you will share your trove of information with me... I will discreetly ensure that she does not interfere in your operations."   

Why should I care about her? While her power may be supreme in her world, it may perhaps be as weak as a flickering light to one such as I. he declares And I know how to beat back the locals when the time come.

Perhaps I will accept this if you give me a reason to avoid the conflict with her.