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Teldryn Sero watched as the Altmer slowly walked into the corner club. From under his helmet, the Dunmer man eyed the high elf curiously. Lean, tall, and wearing ill-fitting armour, the Altmer was uncomfortable, and glancing to the shadows like he was expecting an attack.
"Teldryn Sero, blade for hire. If you have the coin, I'm at your service." He told the man as he walked by. The Altmer jumped, looking down at the chitin-armoured man. Teldryn smirked under his mask.
"How much?" He asked.
"500 septims." Teldryn was handed a hefty bag of gold, and stood up.
"Meren Litdur." The Altmer said, and began walking back out. Teldryn snorted and followed the taller man.
--
Meren seemed to know exactly where he was going, and Teldryn had a hard time keeping up with him.
"Where are we headed?" He called out.
"There's a… thing I want to go to. It's an… old temple." Meren replied, as they began hiking up a steep path. Teldryn could distantly hear the sound of construction, and looked around. They were nearing a massive structure, littered with the bones of dragons.
"All right… what is this?" Teldryn asked.
"Where we're headed." Meren told him, as he carefully began charging a fire spell. Following his lead, Teldryn drew his sword. They approached the temple, and were spotted by masked men who charged them, shooting lightning bolts at them. Meren let the fire spell go, and it exploded on the ground between the two, blowing them to the side.
"And what are we doing here?"
"There's… something down below. I need to… get it." Meren said quietly, and looked up as a Nord woman approached the two quickly.
"You're not like the others."
"Do you… mean my race or do you mean my… free will?"
"You're not being controlled, that's what I mean." She told him.
"Who are…"
"I am Frea of the Skaal. I came here to find out what's happening to these people."
"We're here for that same reason." Meren told her. She nodded to him.
"Would you join me? Your companion as well. I fear what lies underneath may prove more dangerous than any of us can imagine."
"I can imagine danger fairly well." Meren muttered. Frea didn't respond, simply leading them down into the darkness.
--
Hours later the three arrived in a small circular room, the only detail being a black book on a pedestal.
"What is that?" Meren asked quietly.
"I don't know." Frea told him. "It's not natural." Meren stepped toward the book, curiosity getting the better of him. He opened it.
"What in the name of Oblivion--" Meren started, trying to fight the strange tendrils that wrapped themselves around him.
He was no longer in the room. He was standing in what appeared to be Apocrypha. There was a robed… thing… standing in front of him, flanked by dragons. Meren's breath caught in his throat as he watched the thing approach him. Without warning, lightning bolts hit him, knocking him to his knees.
"Who are you to dare set foot here? Ah... You are Dragonborn. I can feel it. And yet..." Meren looked up at the man. "You're nothing. You aren't the one I was expecting."
"Who would you be expecting?"
"Not you. You have no idea of the true power a Dragonborn can wield!" Meren shook his head, willing his legs to stand up.
"Mul Qah Diiv!" The man took on the aspect of a dragon, glowing horns and spines coming off of him. "This realm is beyond you. You have no power here. And it is only a matter of time before Solstheim is also mine. I already control the minds of its people. Soon they will finish building my temple, and I can return home." The man turned away, speaking to the strange creatures that stood nearby.
"Send him back where he came from. He can await my arrival with the rest of Tamriel." The creatures approached Meren, and he couldn't scream as they hit him with magic and he lost consciousness.
--
"What happened? Where did you go?" Frea asked as Meren collapsed to the ground.
"Apocrypha. There's a… there's a man--who is he? He has dragons." Meren said.
"Miraak. What did he say?"
"He said that… that I'm not the right one. He was expecting someone else."
"Who?"
"No idea." The image of the silent Dunmer appeared in his mind, but Meren pushed it away.
"We must go to my father. He will know what to make of this." Frea said, helping Meren to his feet.