"Impossible." Jauffre breathed after several moments of silence, his features framed by the roaring fire and eyes reflecting the light sparkling off the gleaming silver helm.

  Martin was completely lost for words, his eyes never wavering from the helmet as its empty eye slits absorbed the burning light from the fire in pools of darkness. His mouth opened and closed for several moments as he struggled to form words, eventually breaking her gaze from the Helm and looking me square in the eye. "Serene Beauty... How..."

  "You wouldn't believe us." I said to him. "But it is important that we find the other relics."

  "Could this be used in the ritual?" Jauffre asked, directing the question at Martin and receiving a shake of the head in response.

  "No. As miraculous as it is, the armour of Tiber Septim is still our best hope. I will run a few magical tests just to be sure but I know that it'll be the same as the Gauntlets."

  He looked between us, his expression equal parts amazed and incredulous. "You do realise that Dibella's Helm hasn't ever been discovered before?"

  "We're aware." Viconia leaned back in her chair, crossing her thighs as she did so. "We're also aware that the barriers are weakening each time a house of worship is attacked."

  I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at the expression that consumed Martin's face. "We still have time, a year or two at the very most but it is quickening. You aren't the first to have said such."

  "Umaril the Unfeathered is returning."

  He nodded to me. "Yes. The word that has reached us points to that fact despite the Cardinals of the Nine fervently denying it. Too many chapels and cathedrals have been attacked across Tamriel and for one of the lost relics to be found only adds to the weight of evidence."

  "The Relics need to be reunited and Pelinal's 'heir' or 'reincarnation' or however you describe them needs to be found."

  "Are you sure that you or Viconia aren't that person?"

  Shaking my head, I gestured to the Helm. "It's not us and we have that fact on good authority. I'm also fairly confident that only the person chosen by the Divines is going to be able to wield the artefacts and defeat Umaril. It's probably very similar to how the Amulet of Kings can only be worn by certain individuals and I certainly wasn't able to wear it."

  "You tried to wear the Amulet of Kings?" Jauffre spluttered, trying to decide whether he was upset or amused at my confession.

  "One of the most famous and unique artefacts in the entire Empire and one that shows whether you are worthy to rule or not by wearing it? I carried the damn thing for over a week so of course I tried it on."

  "And... What happened?"

  I shrugged. "It fell right off me almost like the chain broke."

  He seemed to visibly relax although I could feel Viconia's amusement. "Anyway," I continued. "Umaril's returning and only the person who is blessed by the gods and wielding Pelinal's relics can defeat him. The longer it takes for him to be defeated, the sooner the Daedric Invasion will occur."

  Jauffre looked at Martin and saw the nod in agreement. "It's true. Both the Arcane University and the Telvanni have confirmed that the barriers are perceptibly weakening."

  "You seem to have made some friends." Viconia added.

  The sigh was audible and revealed some of the weight that was on his shoulders. "I would have never been able to translate the Mysterium Xarxes on my own but I have been lucky in securing help from several sources. The College of Winterhold, the Council of Mages, Hannibal Traven at the Arcane University and even Master Aryon of House Telvanni have all been immense help."

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  Finishing the last of the tobacco, Jauffre tapped the ash out of his pipe into the tiny ashtray on his table. "What do you intend to do?"

  "Travel to Skingrad and track down the old Priory of the Order of the Nine. We're hoping to find the Cuirass there and clues on where to find the other Relics. Hopefully we can find the relics and whoever is supposed to fight Umaril before the invasion."

  "You have until the end of the year." Martin looked despondent at the fact and we all shared similar feelings.

  "Nine months? That soon?"

  He nodded. "Things will soon begin to advance quickly and it will not take much for the balance to shift away from us. The Mythic Dawn is almost entirely smashed but those that remain could be enough to bring about the end. It is imperative that we complete this ritual and retrieve the Amulet of Kings."

  "Then we will try to buy us all some time." Viconia said simply. "And, if time and fortune permits we will return once Umaril has been defeated."

  "You seem extremely confident."

  Sharing a glance between Viconia and myself, I shrugged and turned back to Martin. "We were told that our choices and decisions hold a considerable amount of weight."

  The silence that fell between Jauffre and Martin did not go unnoticed, nor did their sudden dark expressions.

  "You both know something..."

  It was Jauffre that broke the silence this time, coughing into his fist and leaning forward in his chair. "As part of my role as Grandmaster and to assist in the investigation into the Mythic Dawn, I contacted the Elder Moth Temple for assistance."

  "You had them read the Elder Scrolls in regards to us?"

  He nodded. "Although, I found out that I didn't need to order them to do so. The Cult of the Ancestor Moth apparently have known of you both for quite some time."

  "How long is quite some time..."

  "Almost a thousand years. Give or take a century or two." He again paused as he let that fact sink in before starting to refill his pipe. "Among other things they like to keep track of individuals whose fate is tied to certain events or prophecies. My understanding is that there is only a handful of these individuals every century, and for the most part that are unheard of or simply disappear from the pages of history."

  "So we're going to vanish?" Viconia asked, looking somewhat alarmed. "What are the Elder Scrolls anyway?"

  "Pieces of creation from outside of time and existence as we know it." We all watched as Jauffre snapped his fingers together and created the tiniest flicker of magical flame to light his pipe instead of a match. "They are impossible, incomprehensible and unknowable but can be used to divine prophecies despite holding untold power to change the world itself. To us, they look like simple, if expensive scrolls but those with the right training can read them."

  "And if someone without the right training reads them?"

  "They either can't read or understand them at all in the best case." I added. "Or in the worst case they are rendered entirely blind. We feature in one of these prophecies?"

  Puffing away like a chimney on his pipe Jauffre nodded. "The current events involving Uriel's death and the coming invasion were recorded in the eighth century of the 2nd Era. The Moth Priests have been expecting this for a long time although as you can expect readings are extremely lacking in specifics. The correspondence I received from them states that two individuals would be involved in these events and would play keys roles."

  "Did they say anything else?"

  "That this isn't the only prophecy that you are both potentially involved in. The other prophecies are all dependant and stem from this crisis of sorts."

  Closing his eyes, Martin took a breath and began to recite a simple rhyme.

  The towers will fall; a hero stands tall.

  Mortal men - the Mer shall fool.

  Those without eyes, shall gaze upon skies.

  The Empress and the Dragon shall rule.

  "Where in Oblivion did that come from?"

  He looked at me directly. "Jauffre showed me the correspondence from the Priests. That was one of the few fragments of a prophecy that directly involves you both. The meaning as such is elusive but there is something about it that disturbs me."

  "It disturbs you? How do you think it makes me feel?"

  "Terrified." Viconia said under her breath in such a way that only I could hear her. Unbidden, our hands came together briefly for a tight squeeze, a motion that was not lost to either of the men sitting before us.

  "So what will you do now?"

  I rubbed at the stubble on my jaw and tapped my fingers against my flesh. "We will leave for Skingrad as soon as possible. This evening or tomorrow morning at the latest. If our actions do have such effects on the world, then I guess tarrying isn't going to be the greatest of ideas."

  "Well, it makes me feel better at how the two of you can accomplish so much is such a short space of time." Martin smiled but it was somehow hollow. "I guess an explanation as such is better than no explanation at all."

  "I guess, although I think that I prefer the idea of the world ending rather than every action we take having untold consequences."

  More smoke began spreading through the air and partially masking Jauffre's stern expression. "I'm confident in your victory my friends. The Blades stand by your side and if you need assistance you know where to look."

  "Thanks." Viconia gave me a tiny smile as I looked over to her. "I hope that we find success in Skingrad; otherwise it's going to be a long journey for nought."