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“And where can we find this elusive book?” Stephen inquired.
“That’s the problem,” Wong said. “It’s been destroyed. There are no copies left in this world.”
“In this world?”
“Exactly. Herma-Mora must have a copy.”
---
Of course it fell to Stephen to find the book. Wong claimed to be too busy with the running of daily business at the Sanctum, but most likely he just wanted to avoid getting whipped by nightmarish tentacles.
Stephen had avoided it so far, but only barely. It helped that he had Levi watching his back and had quickly learned to avoid the seemingly innocent pools on the floor.
Everything was a sickly greenish yellow and the unlit parts were really dark – if he failed to keep a light burning, the darkness started to drain his life force. He had panicked the first time that happened, but the spell he cast had provided enough light to stop it momentarily.
Getting here had been difficult. First, he had to find one of the so-called Black Books because Hermaeus Mora’s realm was protected and as the Daedric Prince of knowledge and memory, he had chosen the books as the only way of passage between his realm and others for those who desired to seek his knowledge. Finding the books required a trip to the island of Solstheim in a world where magic worked differently from what he was used to. All the people on the island seemed to be possessed by something, building strange structures as if in a daze and muttering worshipful phrases to someone called Miraak. He might need to look into that later.
He found the first book in a mine after running into several very unpleasant and surprisingly strong undead and had expected that to be enough, but no – he couldn’t draw portals with his sling ring in Apocrypha, in order to move between the structures visible in the sickly glow. The one time Levi had tried carrying him over the swelling and rippling water had nearly killed him when a large tentacle wrapped around them and squeezed, cracking his ribs. Luckily, it had thrown him back onto dry land rather than pulled him into the depths – Mora must have been amused by their attempt at cheating in his games. His eyes were always watching.
When nothing else worked, Stephen had had to search for more of the Black Books on Solstheim in order to travel through Apocrypha by Hermaeus Mora’s rules. It wouldn’t be smart to anger the Daedric Prince when he needed the forgotten knowledge only Mora possessed – and might need it again in the future.
This was exactly the kind of questionable stuff the Ancient One had dabbled in, and Stephen was worried about the consequences, but they needed that book. He was glad that he had Levi with him – not just because of the loving support in this terrifying realm, but because the Cloak could shield him from some of the attacks by the seekers and lurkers. He was seriously considering investing in some armour. Even with Levi slowing the blows, the hits from Mora’s tentacles hurt. The more tired he got, the more often he got hit. He must be striped all over like a bondage experiment gone wrong.
The one time he had tried sleeping on Solstheim, he had woken up many hours later in a place he didn’t remember getting to, and with Levi fluttering in panic. He hadn’t slept since. The moving corridors were at least something he had dealt with before, when Kaecilius came after him at the Sanctum. The shrinking and moving corridors in Apocrypha were more terrifying and hid several enemies. He really appreciated the stamina and magic fountains – he was getting exhausted.
It helped that he could draw portals on Solstheim – it made finding the Black Books easier, even if he couldn’t draw portals in Apocrypha itself. The elf mage Neloth had helped him with the location of some in exchange for some help on other matters. The giant mushroom houses he and his apprentice lived in were intriguing, but Stephen liked the netches floating along the coast best. They were rather cute with their squishy bodies and hanging tentacles.
Levi didn’t agree with him about the cuteness and in fact dragged him firmly away from them. It was cute, too.
The reavers were not a problem and while the ash spawns were creepy, they could be dealt with. However, when the dragon attacked the town of Raven Rock, Stephen wondered what he had gotten himself into. Luckily, Levi could shield him from worst of the flames, and together with the local guards they managed to slay the creature with only a few lives lost. The villagers seemed to like him more after that. The Cultists he ran into during his searches were like masked rejects from Kaecilius’ gang and he got the feeling that this Miraak they worshipped was the reason behind the sleep sickness the people of Solstheim suffered from.
When Stephen finally found the book he was searching for, Hermaeus Mora himself appeared before he could open it. The swelling mass of dark tentacles and staring, slowly blinking eyes stared at him as it spoke.
Mora said that he would allow Stephen to read the book, but not remove it from his collection, if he could examine the Cloak he was wearing. Stephen refused. Mora grabbed the book with one of his tentacles and it disappeared into the swirling mass. The despair made him shake – the Earth would be doomed, if they couldn’t get that book. It held the only clues to defeating the evil that was coming.
Levi squeezed his shoulders and floated away from him. Stephen grabbed at the Cloak, but missed. Hermaeus Mora’s tentacles grabbed the fabric and pulled, and Levi disappeared from sight. The painful squeeze in his chest was unexpected, as was the salty rain on his face, and Stephen could only stare into the eyes of Hermaeus Mora as he prayed to every deity he knew that Levi would come back to him unharmed. He didn’t dare attack Mora, nor do anything else which might anger the Daedric Prince and result in Levi’s death.
When Mora moved and a flutter of limp fabric fell onto him, Stephen pulled it to him and clung to it, panicked.
“Do not fear, Sorcerer, your Cloak is unharmed,” Hermaeus Mora spoke. “My methods of investigation only strained its magic. It will take a while for it to fully recover, but when it does, it will be as before. Naively devoted to you.”
The book flopped down onto the lacey metal floor beneath his feet, the swirling sea visible through the cracks. Stephen couldn’t let go of Levi to grab at the book.
Hermaeus Mora laughed.
“Will you let your lover’s sacrifice be in vain or will you read the book you came to find? Save your precious Earth? There are many stories you can trade the next time you come to me, little Sorcerer. I look forward to obtaining all that knowledge.”
They both knew that there would be a next time.
Stephen held Levi closer for a moment and carefully loosened his grip, twirling the fabric around him as if Levi was just an ordinary cloak, and clasped it securely. He still couldn’t help holding onto Levi with one hand as he kneeled on the metal, curved edges biting into his knees, and opened the book. He held on as he read, and by the time he was finished, knowing what they needed to beat the coming evil, Levi was returning his grip weakly. Stephen bit back a sob of relief.
When they were back on Solstheim, Stephen didn’t waste time getting back home. He knew that he looked awful, his face tear-stained and dark bags under his eyes, Levi limp in his hold, but he briefed Wong with the knowledge he had obtained and left him to make preparations while he went to get some much needed sleep.
He cuddled Levi close and kissed him, whispering “I’m sorry” to the Cloak. Even with his exhaustion, it took him a long time to fall asleep and his sleep was fitful.