"I don't believe you," Jonas said bluntly. "You look like the kind of person who harbors ill intentions."
Miraak chuckled. "And yet, will you choose to accept this gift?"
"What is the price?"
"There is no price. I am already a dead man; how could I possibly harm you?" A gentle breeze never harms flowing water; Miraak's words were filled with sincerity.
"Words can be sharper than swords—that's what your master told me."
"Indeed, but please cherish our final exchange. Bound Dragonborn, we are kindred spirits in our suffering."
"Go ahead, I'm all ears."
"Whenever you encounter a moment that requires taking a risk, ask yourself: is this out of mission, or out of morality? If the mission forces you to turn your blade against your own kin, ask yourself: is this out of justice, or selfish desire?"
"What counts as morality, and what counts as selfish desire?" Jonas couldn't help but ask.
Miraak suddenly let out a warm laugh. "I almost forgot, you're still a child."
No matter how mature a child is, they always possess a certain naivety that confuses the ways of the world. Jonas didn't understand why Miraak laughed, nor was he annoyed by Miraak calling him a child; he was just secretly a bit stifled, and along with that, a touch of sorrowful indignation was unavoidable.
He wanted to be an obedient tool; he had thought about it carefully. If sacrificing one person's life could save everyone in the world, then it was surely worth it.
He remembered his childhood, in a level hall of a high tower, where tall figures draped in bright yellow robes paced around him. They imparted knowledge to Jonas and taught him the arts of combat. Exactly what they taught, he couldn't remember. The mages of Winterhold said he was studying at the College, and his adoptive father would visit him often.
These two things seemed disconnected.
Jonas only acknowledged the first part.
He knew nothing at all of his so-called adoptive father, nor the adoptive mother named Serana, or the good friend named Dilo.
His childhood education told him that Order and the Gods were the two most important things, while Chaos and the Daedric Princes were not to be trusted. Jonas had also been rebellious; he had wondered, if Mehrunes Dagon's goal had been achieved and the world destroyed, what then?
He would die, of course, buried with the world alongside many others. Death was not frightening because there was the divine kingdom in the heavens, but life was sometimes more important than faith. Jonas would occasionally find himself inexplicably missing certain scents: fragrant shortbread, beef brisket stewed with potatoes, beer, and sweet maltose. These things were lowly; hedonism dulled piety and made one base. But if there were no difference between the two journeys of life and death, wouldn't that be a great pity?
When death has a destination, living truly has meaning.
Through repeated and multiple arguments, Jonas told himself that sacrifice was necessary. To maintain this peaceful mortal world, there had to be surging undercurrents. This human world was a beautiful bubble; while some enjoyed themselves, others suffered... In short, Jonas repeatedly told himself that no matter what others said, he would uphold the ideals in his heart. While everyone else remained oblivious, he would save the world and be a true hero.
Miraak voiced a question, "Are you sad?"
"No."
"That's good. On the path of resistance, there can only be blood, not tears. You must see your past clearly: the Psijic Order, Gauldur, as well as Akatosh and Lorkhan—do you truly have free will? Well, my time is up. Goodbye; let us never meet again."
Jonas suddenly felt a slight liking for this Miraak. Hearing the other's pessimistic words, he felt a small sense of secret joy—as long as he experienced Rebirth once more, wouldn't he see him again? Although they would be enemies then, Jonas couldn't help but want to use this testament to tease Miraak.
The Word of Power hidden within the scrolls let out a high-pitched roar, each sound desolate and ancient. Miraak's form vanished like a dream, leaving only the rushing Word of Power to continuously pour into Jonas's Soul.
[Dragon Shout: Bend Will]: Gol (Earth) Hah (Mind) Dov (Dragon)
Twisting the mind of a Dragon with a tenacious and profound will, it is actually a terrifying Word of Power that twists all free will. No sentient being can escape its shackles. After all, it is a creation of a Daedric Prince, possessing a sublime essence. With just a little study, one can use it to bind mindless energy, reaching the third level. Talented individuals like Miraak even glimpsed the divine meaning of anti-CHIM from it.
Mora was right: the language of the Dragons is sharper than swords, and Bend Will is an authority sharper than words.
Jonas came back to his senses, and the Daedric Prince of Knowledge let out a sinister laugh. "Solstheim hides other secret strategies. If you crave more power, then go explore! It will bring rich rewards! And now, I must ask you to go and complete your mission!"
In the dark green sky, the eyeballs and tentacles within the pustule vortex faded away. Jonas heard the roar of a Dragon from afar and immediately used flight magic to investigate... After a hard-fought battle, Jonas killed a total of fifty Dragons and enslaved three; the remaining Dragons were nowhere to be found, perhaps having long been devoured by Miraak.
Having completed the deal with Mora, he was invited out of Apocrypha, only to find himself still clutching that Black Book, motionless. His arms were sore from holding them up; it seemed his Soul had only just entered Apocrypha, which was quite wondrous.
Next was to deal with Alduin. Without the elder scrolls, Jonas could not learn Dragon Break, but he realized that Dragon Soul Awakening and Bend Will were more than enough to deal with this Black Dragon King.
Jonas stayed in Solstheim for two months, collecting the remaining two segments of Dragon Soul Awakening and also gathering the remaining Black Books. Reading each one allowed him to enter Apocrypha once, into different areas. After an adventure, he would receive a reward from Mora, much like clearing a dungeon.
Jonas notified the steamboat captain to return on his own, then he rode a Dragon back to Skyrim to immediately seek out Alduin for a life-and-death struggle. Subjects have a special resonance with their King; under the guidance of the tamed Dragon, he finally encountered the Black Dragon in Falkreath Hold. After a bloody battle between the two sides, Jonas cut down Alduin with his sword.
Watching the Black Dragon's physical shell shatter and its Divine Soul fly into the sky, Jonas felt a wave of melancholy in his heart.
The Dragons of Skyrim shouted in unison: Alduin—has fallen! (Alduin Mahlaan!)
Standing on the skeletal remains of the Black Dragon, the boy revealed a smile. Only the final step of the mission remained: find the initiator of that Dragon Break and kill them... At that moment, the sky turned grey and dark. A giant brass idol rose on the horizon. Countless people watched numidium in terror as He swung the brass hammer in His hand, tearing through the atmosphere like a planet crashing to earth. The crust exploded, hurricanes swept through Nirn, and sea waves surged over the Throat of the World. The moving tree-cities took root, all the Towers were broken, the world was to be destroyed, and time was about to converge. Alduin would descend once more in his final form!
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