Chapter 98 Echoes of Shor's Plan
They continued deeper into the Skuldafn temple, their footsteps echoing softly against the ancient stone floor. Cracked pillars lined the hall, their surfaces carved with faded dragon motifs that seemed to watch them in silence. A cold wind slipped through the ruins, carrying with it the faint scent of dust and old death.
Astrid slowed her pace, her gaze drifting across the towering walls and the massive stone arches overhead. She lifted her torch slightly, illuminating a worn relief of a coiled dragon.
"Alex…" she said, tilting her head thoughtfully. "What do you think this temple was used for in the past?"
Alex followed her gaze, eyes narrowing as he studied the carvings. He raised a hand, tracing the air as if outlining the shapes etched into the stone.
"Hmm…" he murmured. "Judging by the architecture and these symbols… it looks like this place was used by dragon worshippers." He paused, then added, "Or you could call them the Dragon Cult."
Astrid crossed her arms, her brows knitting together as she stared at the dragon relief. Her lips pressed into a thin line, clearly unsettled by the idea.
"Then how were the Dragon Cult able to create a portal to Sovngarde?" she asked slowly. "Isn't Sovngarde the domain of the Nords? Other races aren't supposed to be able to enter it."
Alex let out a low hum and scratched the back of his head, his expression conflicted. He took a few steps forward, boots crunching lightly on fallen debris, before stopping beside a broken altar.
"I don't really know either," he admitted. "But… I do have a theory."
He raised one finger, as if organizing his thoughts, then continued, his voice lowering.
"Sovngarde was created by Shor also known as Lorkhan. So maybe… just maybe… Shor held a grudge against Akatosh." Alex glanced at Astrid to see if she was following, then gestured vaguely toward the ceiling. "If that's the case, he might've deliberately allowed the Dragon Cult to open a portal to Sovngarde… just so Alduin could enter it."
Astrid's eyes widened slightly.
"As we know," Alex went on, spreading his hands apart, "Alduin can absorb souls. And Sovngarde is where the souls of fallen Nords gather." His voice grew more serious. "So perhaps Lorkhan wanted Alduin to abandon his duty as the Eater of the World to stray from his role… and delay the Kalpa."
He clenched his fist slowly.
"To disrupt the life cycle itself."
The hall fell silent again, the weight of his words lingering in the cold air.
Astrid's expression tightened in confusion. She tilted her head, one hand rising to her chin as her brows drew closer together, clearly struggling to piece everything together.
"Hmm…" she murmured slowly. "But I still don't understand why Shor would do something like that."
Alex let out a quiet breath and shrugged, his shoulders rising and falling with a hint of helplessness. He spread his hands slightly, palms open, as if admitting defeat to the mystery itself.
"I don't know either," he said honestly. "But there has to be a reason behind it. Gods don't act without purpose at least, that's what I believe. I'm sure Shor had his own motives, even if we can't see them."
Astrid lowered her hand and stared at the stone floor, the faint torchlight flickering across her face. She remained silent for a moment, lost in thought. Then she slowly lifted her gaze back to Alex, her eyes searching his.
"So…" she asked carefully, "is Alduin actually evil? Or good? Or… neutral?"
Alex didn't answer right away. He looked away, eyes drifting toward the towering walls of the temple, as if trying to read the answer from the ancient carvings themselves. He folded his arms, one hand rubbing his chin as he thought.
"Hmm…" he finally said. "Originally, I think Alduin was just a force of nature. Like a storm, or an earthquake neither good nor evil, just… inevitable."
He uncrossed his arms and made a slow, downward gesture with his hand.
"But now, he's deviated from his duty," Alex continued. "You could say he wants to become a god himself." His expression darkened slightly. "I once heard that if Alduin devours enough souls, he can grow into an unimaginably massive dragon something far beyond what he's supposed to be."
He paused, then let out a faint, uneasy chuckle.
"Maybe Shor intended for Alduin to think that way," Alex admitted. "To tempt him. To push him off his destined path." He shook his head slowly. "But honestly… I don't know if that's true or not."
Alex looked back at Astrid, his gaze serious.
"When you look at the stories of the Divines and what they want they're completely beyond mortal logic. Trying to understand them is like trying to grasp the wind."
The torch flared suddenly, its flame wavering as if disturbed by an unseen breath, and long, distorted shadows stretched and crawled across the ancient hall like living things.
Before Astrid could form a reply, a low, hollow groan echoed from the darkness ahead.
Stone scraped against stone.
From behind shattered pillars and broken sarcophagi, draugr stirred desiccated hands clawing free, glowing eyes snapping open one by one as the dead rose to answer an old call.
Astrid reacted instantly.
Her body shifted into a battle stance, boots planting firmly against the stone as she reached back and drew her weapon in one smooth motion. The metal rang softly as it cleared its sheath, her grip tightening until her knuckles whitened.
"Well," she said, rolling her shoulders once, her tone sharp and focused, "that's enough philosophy for now." A fierce glint flashed in her eyes. "Let's take care of these first."
Alex exhaled through his nose, the tension snapping into readiness. He lifted his left hand, fingers spreading wide as lightning magic erupted to life arcs of blue-white energy crackling and snapping across his palm, illuminating his face in sharp flashes.
At the same time, his right hand traced a practiced sigil through the air.
"Bound Sword."
The air hummed violently, and with a sharp whoosh, a spectral blade formed in his grasp its translucent edge vibrating with arcane power, runes flickering along its length.
Alex rolled his wrist once, testing the weight of the summoned weapon, then gave a crooked smile.
"Yeah, you're right," he said. "Thinking too hard about insane god stories just gives me a headache."
The first draugr lunged.
Astrid moved like a storm steel flashing as she charged forward, her weapon cleaving through brittle armor. Alex followed close behind, lightning exploding from his left hand as his bound sword carved glowing arcs through the air.
Thunder cracked. Magic flared. Ancient bones shattered.
Together, they swept through the chamber, cutting down the draugr one by one, the echoes of battle drowning out the whispers of gods and destiny for now.
Destruction 82 → 83
One-Handed 35 → 36
"Phew…" Alex let out a long breath, his shoulders finally relaxing as the last echoes of battle faded. He lowered his bound sword, the spectral blade flickering faintly as the magic sustaining it began to settle. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand and glanced across the chamber.
"Astrid," he called out, voice slightly winded, "are you done over there?"
With a sharp tug, Astrid yanked her weapon free from the chest of a fallen draugr. The corpse collapsed into lifeless stillness, and she gave her blade a quick shake to rid it of dust and dark residue before turning toward Alex.
"Yeah," she replied simply, walking over with steady steps.
As she approached, her eyes lingered on him longer than usual. Something felt… off. Alex stood there with his bound sword still in hand, lightning magic fading from his other palm. No flying corpses. No invisible force crushing enemies against the walls.
Her brows slowly drew together.
"Alex," she said, tilting her head slightly, "why aren't you using telekinesis anymore?" Her gaze sharpened. "I thought you liked that spell."
Alex's lips curved into a small smile but it didn't reach his eyes. He gave a soft, awkward chuckle and scratched his cheek.
"Hehe… I guess I'm saving it," he said lightly, "for when our lives are truly in danger."
Astrid stopped walking.
Her eyes narrowed, studying his face carefully the forced humor, the slight tension in his shoulders. Her grip tightened around her weapon.
"Alex…" she said slowly. "You're hiding something from me, aren't you?"
The smile faded.
Alex released a deep, weary sigh, his shoulders slumping as if a weight he'd been carrying finally pressed down on him.
"Haa…" he muttered. "A woman's intuition really is sharp."
He looked away for a moment, then back at her, his expression serious.
"Alright," he said. "The side effects of telekinesis are starting to come back and they're connected to Mora." His fingers curled slightly, as if recalling the sensation. "So I'm trying to only use it when our lives are really in danger… or when we're fighting Alduin."
Astrid's expression tightened. She stepped closer, concern written plainly across her face.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked quietly.
"I only realized it recently," Alex replied. "And I became even more certain after Mora appeared to me in my dreams."
He reached out and placed a hand on Astrid's shoulder, his grip firm but reassuring.
"But it's fine," he said, trying to sound confident. "As long as we defeat Alduin, I'll go back to normal…"
He hesitated.
"…probably?"
Astrid stiffened immediately, her eyes widening just a little.
"Probably?" she repeated sharply. "Why do you sound unsure?" She searched his face. "Are you really okay? And why would defeating Alduin suddenly fix everything?"
Alex met her gaze, his voice calm despite the tension.
"That's what my power tells me," he said. "If I defeat Alduin, I'll become even stronger."
Astrid blinked, her confusion deepening.
"Wait," she said slowly. "Your power… talks to you?"
Alex dragged both hands down his face, fingers pressing briefly against his eyes as if trying to wipe away the exhaustion and the headache all at once. He let out another long, weary sigh, the sound echoing softly in the empty hall.
"Okay," he said at last, dropping his hands and looking at Astrid, "this is… a bit complicated."
He hesitated, searching for the right words, then made a vague gesture in front of his chest, as if pointing at something only he could see.
"My power how should I explain this…" He grimaced slightly. "It gives me information about my abilities and status in the form of text. Actual text." He tapped his temple with a finger. "If there's something wrong with my body like being poisoned, cursed, or affected by something it shows up as words and numbers."
Astrid froze.
She stared at him blankly, eyes unfocused, clearly trying and failing to process what she'd just heard.
"…So?" she finally said.
Alex closed his eyes for a moment and sighed again, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"The point is," he said patiently, "my power tells me it will increase after I defeat Alduin. Got it?"
Astrid shook her head immediately, her braids swaying with the motion. Her confusion only deepened.
"But how?" she blurted out. "Why would defeating Alduin make you stronger?" Her eyes widened suddenly. "Wait don't tell me you're like me too? A Dragonborn? Do you absorb power after killing dragons?"
Alex shook his head firmly, the motion sharp and decisive.
"No, Astrid," he said. "I'm not like that." His expression softened, turning troubled. "And honestly… I don't know why defeating Alduin would strengthen me either."
His gaze drifted downward as his thoughts turned inward.
(To be honest, I don't know why my power insists that I must defeat Alduin before it can upgrade. Does Alduin have some connection to the system? Or will the system be freed after Alduin is gone no longer bound by the Dragonborn prophecy or the flow of the story? …This is really a mystery.)
Alex straightened and looked back at Astrid, brushing those thoughts aside.
"Anyway," he said, forcing a lighter tone as he gestured forward, "let's keep moving."
Astrid studied him for a second longer then smiled, shaking her head as if giving up on understanding divine logic altogether.
"Yeah," she said with a small laugh. "Thinking about all that just makes my head hurt." She stepped past him, energy returning to her voice. "What matters is that you'll get stronger after beating Alduin, right? Then let's go!"
Alex watched her stride ahead, her optimism infectious. He allowed himself a faint smile and followed.
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