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When word reached Vivec that Almalexia had fallen, he knew it was only a matter of time before Azura’s Champion came for him as well. Just like Lord Indoril Nerevar himself, this reincarnation was as steadfastly noble as he claimed to be, but Vivec knew that he was not above simple vengeance - and the Nerevarine’s aim to restore worship of the Daedra could only harden his resolve.
So, Vivec waited. When a full third of the Temple joined the Nerevarine Cult, Vivec simply did what he had always done: delegate to the Temple leadership in favor of continuing his solemn meditation alone. When factions within the great houses of Morrowind also allied with the cult - Hlaalu, Telvanni and, yes, Redoran too - Vivec continued his hermitage, much to the chagrin of his advisors. Patriarch Saryoni entreated him to band the Ordinators together and call on their remaining allies in the great houses. As much as it pained him to do so, he even pleaded with Vivec to grovel at the feet of their Imperial masters. The emperor would be just as interested in preventing unrest as they were, he argued. They should squash the rebellion before it was too late, he urged. It’s already too late, Tholer. It was too late the moment the Nerevarine stepped onto the shore. It was too late when he was born, when Azura marked him as her chosen. It was too late when I betrayed Nerevar and slew him. It was too late when three Mer pretending at being gods thought to challenge a real one. Vivec dismissed him with a wave of his hand.
He wasn’t altogether surprised when Saryoni publicly denounced the Tribunal the following week, his fiery declaration at the steps of the Tribunal Temple stirring the remaining loyal Dunmer to violence. The canals of the city ran red for 3 days in the ensuing riot. The Ordinators looked the other way or, as some would tell it, actively participated. Saryoni’s body never made it to the water, having been set on fire shortly after he said his peace. Vivec briefly left the confines of his palace to promote a reluctant Master Llethan in his place before returning to his quarters.
Over the next three years of civil war, Temple faithful defected in a steady stream of doubt and cynicism, two traits already customary to the Dunmer. To the surprise of everyone, the Empire remained neutral. They only mandated that combat be restricted to areas outside Imperial towns in which they shuttered their citizens and a handful of non-Dunmer refugees. Though the two sides acquiesced, supply lines of Morrowind’s prized minerals were greatly interrupted, ownership of the mines having fallen in dispute. Vivec smiled to himself at how much gold the Imperials had to be losing. He could only surmise that they expected the Nerevarine to remain their loyal agent, a foolish hope, or that they would turn a divided Morrowind to their greater advantage.
The Nerevarine finally broke Vivec’s solitude with the sacking of Vivec City. The rebel forces took a battering ram to his palace walls. Vivec could have stopped them. He could have sent Baar Dau to crush them to a bloody pulp upon the steps. In the confusion, he could have flown anywhere, even out of Morrowind itself, but Vivec was tired of waiting and tired of hiding. Azura will strike me down no matter where I go. Amid the gushing water and rubble, Azura’s Champion cautiously stepped through the cracks. Vivec had to shield his eyes from the invading, now unfamiliar, sunlight.
He looked every inch the hero, or at least as much as any Dunmer could. From his gleaming ebony armor to his comely face and deep auburn hair, the Nerevarine was just as handsome and regal as Lord Indoril Nervar had been all those many years ago. Vivec had loved and hated Nerevar for it then in equal measure. Vivec briefly speculated whether Azura had planned this small detail just to spite him and knew at once that it was true.
“Lord Vivec”
“Nerevarine,” Vivec answered smoothly, nodding his head in acknowledgement.
The remains of the canton’s roof played flame-like shadows across the young Dunmer’s face as he advanced toward Vivec.
“You stand accused of conspiring with Lord Seht and Lady Ayem Indoril to murder Lord Nerevar Indoril so that you could claim the magical Dwarven artifact, the Heart of Lorkhan, for yourself. You are further accused of lying to the good people of Morrowind for over 200 years about the events of that day and your very nature as mortal mer, not God-kings. You are accused of brutally persecuting those who would reveal the truth or who continued worshipping the true gods rather than participate in your arrogant blasphemy. What say you to these charges?”
As his eyes had finally adjusted to the onslaught of light spilling forth from the collapsed roof, he spied the Champion’s entourage. He was flanked by his allies from the three great houses, none of whom Vivec recognized beyond the insignia sewn into their raiment. He was also trailed by what looked like an Ashlander chieftain. Servants dragged along in chains members of the Temple leadership from all four corners of Morrowind. Aside from their tattered and dirty appearance, they looked little worse for the wear. Witnesses , Vivec quickly concluded.
“The charges are truthful. I committed all the acts described and more.”
Tuls Valen from the Ald’ruhn temple actually collapsed onto his knees at this, dragging his unfortunate captor down with him in a clunking rattle of iron. The others just stared at the stone floor, heads bowed.
If the Nerevarine was surprised at Vivec’s honesty, he didn’t show it. He was but three paces from Vivec now.
Before the hero could say more, Vivec continued, voice calm as still waters, “I will not leave with you to only to continue this spectacle, to attend the farce of a trial you have planned for me. This war ends with you and me, Nerevarine, as it was always meant to.” The sharp sound of a dozen swords leaving their sheathes filled the air as the Nerevarine’s companions readied themselves for a fight, but the Nerevarine held up a hand. “No, this battle is mine and mine alone”. Vivec smiled. The Telvanni wizard, pragmatist that he was, opened his mouth to argue and tried to step forward before the Hlaalu representative held him back with a shake of his head.
Vivec made no effort to contain his joy. Nerevar had always been much too proud, and now he could die for it. Vivec’s immortality was extinguished - Sotha Sil and Almalexia had proved as much - but he still had power. He was still a living god, and Azura’s Champion would learn just how much power he had retained.
After, as he lay dying on the stone floor, blood wrenched from his lungs with violent coughs, all Vivec could do was marvel at the bright scarlet of his blood as it gleamed in the light. He had forgotten how to sleep or how to eat or how to cry over the centuries. He had forgotten what it was to bleed, what one's own blood felt like. Its iron tang sat on his tongue and filled his nostrils as he drowned, sputtering. The Nerevarine kneeled above him and watched in silence, his entire posture crumpled by exhaustion, the mighty Sunder discarded on the ground next to his feet. Vivec had expected triumph, pride, relief perhaps at having bested a god and only just. Vivec had been fully unprepared for the pity he saw in that countenance. Though Nerevar claimed only to know Lord Indoril in the realm of dreams, the dark garnet eyes staring back at him were those of his closest friend, eyes he had thought shut forever on that fateful night those many years ago.
Such was Azura’a gift to Vivec, wrapped in humiliation and physical torment as it was. His terrible choice was not final. Indoril Nerevar once again walked the earth. With his last breath, Vehk died at peace, free at last from a guilt he had never had the courage to face, free in the only way a pretend god could be.