Equestrian scrolls I : epic pony tales

by Sanguine Eyes

Chapter 8: Order within the chaos [remastered v2.0]

Order within the chaos

They sky seemed to utterly refuse to stop raining live skeevers and cheese exploding cows, the complete defiance against natural order was blatantly being violated by the single figure before them. The mad God teetered his cane on his fingertips while smiling down at Taara and Twilight.

"I am half tempted to just tear out your souls and swap out your teeth for toes because of your breaking into my realm and just look what you did to me staff. LOOK AT IT...you melted my beautiful face...all three of my faces to be exact...I dont just give the Wabajack to anyone you know. However, you did save your hide by one simple fact...ha!...you broke into the Shivering Isles and trespassed on mah fring with a bloody talking purple horse! And that is what is going to save your petty little mortal head, even if its the second time I have seen a talking purple horse... or third my memory is not perfect..."

Taara grit her teeth exhaling with some relief. She was actually sure she would have to fight Sheogorath at some level or pass one of his trials. Both of which would have been exceedingly difficult but not impossible with the level of power and sheer number of fallback plans she had in place.

"Sooooo then mortal...and...purple horse thingy... what reason do ya have for breaking into my home and trespassing on mah fringe?!?"

Twilight's mind reverted back to Discord with every one of the Mad God's words, though Discord seemed to be more aggressive and yet less dangerous as Sheogorath seemed to be, Discord naturally saught out conflict and was very silly, but Sheogorath seemed extremely neutral AND extremely dangerous, willing to teeter lethally in any direction at random. She had to remember that they were not the same no matter how likely it was that they would get along, one was the God of madness and one was sdraconequus who served as the avatar of chaos, similar but not identical.

Breaking Twilight's train of thought Taara spoke sternly not lowering her guard. "I need something, something that you took from Merunes Dagon a long time ago."

Sheogorath's eyes narrowed and a sly grin formed over his lips. "That is quite unfortunate wee mortal, you see that stuff was all locked up with my old self. And that bit of me is locked away deep inside where I don't much enjoy going." His grin changed, almost as if he were deciding upon something not so nice. "So you melt my staff you invade mah fringe and now you want me to go all sane? Have you gone mad... petty... ignorant... little helpless mortal? I certainly hope so that would be a hoot!"

Taara stood firm and looked to Twilight. "No, sorry to tell you but I am still plenty boringly sane. And yes, I do need something specific that YOU collected 200 years ago...back the same day you met Twilight for the first time." She paused and looked the Daedric God in the eyes.

"I need the Sigil stone you pulled from the oblivion gate back when you were the Hero of Kvatch." Taara's steadfast glare into the Mad God's eyes was something Twilight could not quite manage on her own. Even the tone of Taara's voice in the situation was something that shook Twilight. Where She wanted to back up and try to reason with the Daedric prince, Taara was throwing the command and perhaps offering something for it later.

Sheogorath shifted, his smile fading his voice deepened a shade and he spoke clearly."I don't much appreciate you bringing up the past mortal. You are either VERY... determined or just as mad as me, but I'll tell you what lass, restore my staff and Ill let you talk with the old me.. But only for a wee bit,fail and I will have all the golden saints in new sheoth take turns wearing your eyeballs for earnings! Now get going. Good day to you, I say good day to ya!..." His form shivered and blurred before he vanished just the way he had come.

"Um... Taara? That staff was made from Sheogorath's blood and will, how are we going to replace THAT?" sweating and shivering Twilight resisted the urge to bash her head against something or otherwise panic and vent simultaneously. Taara however, did not. Headbutting the solid wood post that served to hang a few signs she groaned.

"Alright... let me think let me think... ah, yes. I think... maybe... I almost have an idea. Yes... YES!" She reached to the skies and focused. Twilight could feel her magic flare up but she could see nothing.

Twilight leaned in trying to passively lean into Taara's vision as to remind her that she was taking part of adventure as well. "Please tell me what you are doing and don't just wait for later to let me know."

Taara grinned, though her face still betrayed her uncertainty. "We need his blood and we need his will...this land was created sheerly upon his own will. So its clear that provided I can pull it off, I can tear some of his will from this land and seal it into the staff. Then we have to go back to Tamriel and find some of his blood, or rather... her blood. Blood the Hero of Kvach spilled before she left to the Shimmering Isle."

Twilight took in the plan and processed the chances. It was a whole hell of a lot better than anything she could come up with other than just trying to fight and force the Daedric prince to release the stone for them and she was well beyond confident they would utterly fail at that even if Taara seemed to have been preparing for that.

---

"Isn't this a little more than just a long shot?..." Twilight's human form clumsily fiddled with the shovel. They had brought a fair amount of mages and hired on some locals to assist in the project, but Twilight was still more than just a little hesitant to believe this was going to work.

"Shut up and keep digging please, just let me know when you find a vampire's skull." Taara didn't have a shovel, she simply inspected the dirt being shoveled from the surprising large mass grave and inspecting each set of bones presented to her.

"This is ridiculous Taara. There is no proof at all that this vampire fed on the Hero of Kvatch, and even less evidence that the she was even a vampire as you claim to know so certainly."

Taara sighed pushing through the bones and peering deeper with magic. She had to call Ra'shala up and do a whole lot of pretending that nothing was up before she asked the Khajiit to bring them to this mass grave behind the city of Cheydinhal. Ra'shala clearly did not enjoy talking about what she did when no one was watching, especially when it came to the Dark Brotherhood. But Taara assured her that it was of the utmost importance and that she would make it quite worth her while, mainly they just needed to speak to a little jester named Ciciro who put them in contact with the current leader of the Cyrodiilic branch of the Dark Brotherhood, all to dig up some old vampire who MIGHT have bitten the Hero of Kvatch 240 years previous.

Digging for remains was never something Twilight ever thought of herself needing to do. But in all honesty if they did this they were just that much closer to the mirror and she was that much closer to seeing home once again. However, the welcoming thought of home did not quite rid herself of the shaken feeling knowing that Ra'shala was a part of the Dark Brotherhood. There were dozens of bodies hidden here. She now knew why the Khajiit was always so private. It hurt to see that such a friend was a part of something so dark, but she knew Ra'shala well, she was kind and loving. If she was in charge of some sort of assassination death cult, there had to be a good reason for it.

Twilight's train of thought was suddenly interrupted with the next skull pulled from the ground. Quickly turning it over to inspect the teeth. She let out a strained sigh as her magic cleared away the dirt encrusting the teeth. Instantly her hopes skyrocketed and her doubts fell as her eyes panned over elongated canines.

She hefted the skull as she turned about. "Taara!... I think I just found Vicente Valtieri..."

Author's Note:

Yeah... its been a long time, lol sorry. I'll try and get more of these out. The chapters are super short and just require a quick touch up anyway.

But no worries, I'll get back to Changed Fates and even release a new story soon.

Comments

[JohnrId03]

I'll try and get more of these out.

Then why is the story set to complete?

[Sanguine Eyes]

9368584
Remastering.

I was younger author when first I started writing this, the story is complete... But it needs a lot of work. So I am literally taking it chapter by chapter and remaking it.

[JohnrId03]

9369080
Ok, i was just confused as most authors that I have seen rewrite/remaster stories either entirely removed the old story, or made the rewrite/remaster as a 'new' story, but kept the old one.

[Sanguine Eyes]

9369115
Technically the site rules forbid that

[fanreader999999]

9369079

This story really relies on the reader having Elder Scrolls knowledge.

[Sanguine Eyes]

9369634
Not entirely.

It makes it easier... but it's not needed.