Citadel Design Chamber

Light from the red candles flicker over an ancient parchment stretched out over the table. A charcoal stick scribbles notes and diagrams over the old Dwemeri parchment.

Nearby, a large gear whirs unseen.

Seht moves across the room, clanking and whirring himself. “Your final delivery is here [NUMINIT].”

Sigh. “Just call me Nerervar. Have your fabricants put the head in the assembly room. Can they attach the head themselves? Nevermind, I’ll handle that myself.”

“So you’ve finally embraced that name?” Seht chuckled; his mechanical voicebox echoing strangely through the design room.

Another sigh. “With the timelines the way they are, it stands to reason that one of them connects me to him. It’s simpler this way.”

“Have you completed your plans?”

“No not quite; there are a few sticky points. Can I melt down some of your gears to make up for the parts I can’t find?”

Seht chuckles again. “That would be…unwise. You’re fluctuating again”

Nerervar looks down at the hand clutching the charcoal. Altmer/Dunmer/Argoninan/Nord. He closes his eyes and concentrates until the waveform collapses.

Almost on cue more gears began to whir frantically in the distance.

“Let’s get that head attached. We’re running low on time. Well out, but you knew that.”

“My fabricants have lowered it into position while we spoke.” Seht parted his hands and smiled. Well as much smile as a half-working face could muster.

“Without all the parts this won’t work as well as it should” Nerervar notes, finishing his sketch.

“You could just…make them” Seht grinned.

“Yeah, let’s just wake Anu and just cease to exist. Fucking great idea. Just because Septim doesn’t think about consequences doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to CHIM things into existence.”

AKULAKHAN IS ASSEMBLED

A fabricant announces as it scampers into the room.

Seht and Nerervar walk to the assembly room and behold AKULAKHAN reassembled.

“Took a lot of years to track down the pieces after Red Mountain erupted” Nerevar said quietly, surveying the golem. “The Blades did it once, the Blades did it again.”

“You are aware Numidium’s world refusals can eliminate you from time itself? Of course you are.”

“Of course. That’s why I intend on shielding the golem with this.” Nerervar reaches beneath his robe/armor/shirt and holds a golden scroll case aloft.

GASP

“You! Are surprised!?”

“Lord Nerervar, pardon my surprise. But even gods rarely see an Elder Scroll.” Seht’s eyes gleam. “May I… study it?”

“Back false god! No you may not.”

His quantum fluctuations increase in speed until he flickers indescribably; his form undefinable.

Beneath them gears rumble loudly, shaking the chamber.

“Watch your tongue! Am I a god? Yes as much as Viv…”

“I care not. Did I not trap “Lexie’s” soul within Azura’s Star? Did I not slay Dagoth Ur? Let’s not go down this path old friend.”

At the mention of Almalexia’s fate, Seht settles back on his artificial legs. The gears quiet down. Some of them reverse. “We were both betrayed by her. Be it her lust for power or desperate clinging to it. If she only knew what she’d become.”

Nerervar laughs, putting the scroll back underneath his [robes]. His pattern settles into an argonian wizard. Fuck it, good enough.

She unfolds a diagram of brass tubes, musical notes, and lenses. “I have some thoughts on the Scroll matrix. Can your minions assemble this?”

The challenge of a new creation seems to invigorate Seht, he stands taller and for a second resembles the Sotha Sil of ALMSIVI. Eyes both biological and crystal take in the diagram. Without a word, the fabricants scatter and begin gathering the necessary components.

Nerervar turns and strides back down the hall. “Oh have them fix that magma damage too will you?” she shouts over her shoulder. Seht makes no reply. None was needed.

For the last time; Nerervar pulls an oddly shaped key from her robe and unlocks the door to the portrait room.