บท 507: Antagonism of the (soon to be) Dead

As he laid in bed with Yami and Yuna, Alex's thoughts were consumed by the battle he'd just fought, the opponents, he'd just faced, and the powers he'd just obtained.

Daedric Princes.

He recalled them from one of his favorite games before dying, Skyrim. Unfortunately Alex had only ever played the one game out of the franchise, but it had been enough for him to know that the Daedra were literal gods of manipulation, corruption, and betrayal.

Of course, that had been BEFORE Alex acquired the skill to devour souls, and had the entirely of Tamrielic lore, knowledge, and history crammed into his skull from consuming the literal lord of knowledge, Hermaeus Mora. And when he wasn't thinking on the battle, Alex was slowly trying to process the vast amount of information within his skull.

So there was no true rest for the Dragon Emperor as he laid beside two of his wives, the ones who had suffered the most during the battle. Even if the others had sustained horrible injuries or were defeated by their opponents until Alex arrived, it was still nothing compared to what Yuna and Yami were subjected to.

The former had been corrupted to turn against him and one of her dearest comrades, something that had greatly distressed Yuna after Alex freed her from the Daedric influence. Yami meanwhile had more or less been forced to relive the trauma she experienced at the hands of 'that man'.

Not only had Vaermina conjured up his image to torment her, but the Daedric Prince Molag Bal, also known as the King of Rape, also tried to have his way with her, reinforcing her trauma even more.

After he saved her, Alex had used Spirit magic to erase the memories of what she experienced at their combined hands, yet he left the knowledge of what she experienced there. So, Yami would know WHAT had happened, but she wouldn't recall experiencing it.

So, while the two girls soundly slept, Alex continued sorting through all of the knowledge he had acquired for who knew how long.

Hours? Days? Alex didn't know, and he didn't care. All he knew was that he wasn't going to leave Yami or Yuna's side until they woke up.

And because he had stressed that he was NOT to be disturbed, not a single person came knocking on their door the entire time. Instead, one of the girls would communicate with him through the Chatroom if they REALLY needed to, but other than that he was left alone.

It wasn't until more than a day has passed that the two girls finally awoke, within minutes of each other no less.

"Nm..." Yami groaned as she started waking. "Alex...?"

"I'm right here." Alex said to her softly as he reassured the petite assassin.

".....I failed..." Yami uttered in a tone that sounded as if she were on the verge of breaking down.

"No..... I did....." Yuna uttered from Alex's other side, alerting the two that she had also woken up as she gripped the sheets tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I'm so.....sorry Yami...!" She choked out with numerous sobs.

"I betrayed you! Left you to suffer at their hands, and felt SATISFIED for it! How can I ever make it up to you?" Yuna sobbed as she recalled horrible satisfaction she felt, the scorn she felt for her comrade, and guilt that filled her even now.

*konk!*

The next thing the two girls knew, Alex had konked their heads together lightly, shaking them from their depressed states.

"Neither of you failed, or did anything wrong. If anything, this was all my fault for leaving you to face the Daedra alone." He declared firmly, finalizing it that neither of them were to blame for what happened.

And while Yami felt wronged that Alex thought they were so weak, Yuna stifled her sobs as she asked, "Daedra?"

Alex nodded as he answered, "yes, Daedra. Powerful demonic gods that specialize in mentally corrupting and breaking anyone they could. In particular they enjoy turning people on their own comrades or even their family, and have been behind the vast majority of tragedies and major events that resulted in a massive loss of life. There have even been numerous occasions throughout their history where they tried to invade the mortal world.

"With them it's not a matter of how 'weak' or 'strong' you are. If there is a single chink in your armor they'll find it, and they'll use it to either destroy you, or use you."

As he finished speaking, Alex's expression turned hard as he recalled Vaermina's attempts to either break him, or seduce him. At least ninety percent of them had involved his children, ranging from various means of torturing or killing them, to one point where she even had Edith, Mai, and Anna sucking him off instead of Venelana.

Just thinking about it pissed Alex off to no end, which was all Vaermina succeeded in doing instead of breaking him.

"Alex?" Yuna asked hesitantly, bringing him back to their warm and comfortable bed as he looked down to see the two girls looking up at him with concern.

"It's nothing, sorry for worrying you two." Alex said apologetically. But as both girls gave him a look to press for answers, he told them,

"Let's just say the Daedric Prince that got to Yami tried to get me too. And I didn't take too kindly to her actions."

The two girls nodded slowly at Alex's words, knowing that he'd probably share what she'd shown him in the future, even if he wasn't now.

For another few hours the trio just laid in bed cuddling with each other, taking comfort in their presences as they lounged around. But all good things must come to an end, as Yuna finally disentangled herself from Alex and Yami's limbs as she said with a red face,

"I need to go to the bathroom..."

Alex just chuckled lightly as she jumped from the bed to run to the adjoining bathroom, giving him a perfect view of her amazing pale ass jiggling as she did so.

"..."

As Yuna entered the bathroom, Alex looked down at Yami as he felt her suddenly shivering beside him.

"You too?"

Yami only answered by jumping up and following Yuna into the bathroom, pausing only when Alex dispelled the gown she was wearing to make her naked as well, to which she looked back at him pointedly, only to see Alex staring blatantly at her exposed backside.

"Pervert..."

"And you love it!"

Alex retorted playfully, and while he was pretty sure Yami wanted to argue, her bladder decided otherwise as she instead went to relieve herself.

Alex just laid back as he gave the two girls a few minutes to finish their business, before he too entered the bathroom to drag them into the shower with him. Something told him that he'd better get up soon, and that there was going to be quite a bit of work waiting for him.

...

A little over an hour later Alex finally exited the room with Yuna and Yami at his sides, all three feeling rested, refreshed, and ready to get some work done.

"You're up!" Saya exclaimed when she saw them walking the halls, before Alex readily pulled her and Rei, who was beside her, into his arms.

"Yes, and I'm sorry for your losses." He told them softly, making both girls quiver slightly.

None of them moved for a few moments as Alex embraced the two girls, before Saya patted him to indicate he could let go, and said, "We're fine....."

Rei trembled as Alex let go of her, and couldn't help but to ask,

"Is there any way we can bring them back?!" Alex noticed Saya shoot Rei a look, as if they'd had this conversation already, but didn't comment on it as he instead answered,

"There's many ways to bring someone back, but they're all notoriously difficult. You can probably find something in the Chatroom shop, or in Asora to help you. However resurrection is not always the answer, and if you truly wish to go that route, you'll have to do so on your own."

Though Rei didn't seem pleased by that particular answer, Alex knew it had to be said.

While it probably sounded asinine coming from him, Alex wanted the people of Asora to acknowledge death instead of thinking they could all run from it with Age of Gods magics. It was one thing if it Alex himself doing it, he had the magics AND the power to do it, but others didn't need to think they were immortal since Alex could just bring them back. And he didn't want them thinking they'd never have to say goodbye to their loved ones one day.

It was also why he didn't readily offer things like the Dragon Balls. If someone wanted to collect them themselves fairly, then Alex wouldn't care. He however, wasn't going to offer them to anyone who had a sob story. If that happened, then no one else would ever actually get to use them.

"Fine." Rei stated with a bit of an edge to her voice, though Alex could tell she wasn't truly angry.

Annoyed he wouldn't help her? Yes.

Angry? No, since he had still given her a chance to see her father once again.

There was a bit of a renewed light in Rei's eyes as Alex continued on his way out of the castle, along with Saya and Saeko's since they too had lost their fathers. And even as they followed Alex to his destination, they were already scanning the Chatroom shop for anything they could use.

Alex meanwhile sent a message to Shizuka and Rika, who met him at the northern gate where the battle took place.

"Heading out?" Rika asked while Shizuka just snuggled up to Alex's side lovingly.

"Yeah. I should probably go and officially meet our new guests." He replied with a wry smile, already having an idea of what he was in for from remembering playing Skyrim.

So, Alex opened the gates to reveal an endless landscape of tents, bedrolls, and other temporary accommodations that had been set up for the massive population camping there. And as he stepped out amongst them, everyone around him stopped what they were doing to stare at him.

Nords, Imperials, Redguards, Bretons, Bosmer(Wood Elves), Altmer(High Elves), Dunmer(Dark Elves), Orsimer(Orcs), Khajiit(cat people), and Argonians(lizard people). All turned to stare at him as he walked past them, some with fear, others with awe, and a few with reverence.

The last one applied mainly to the Orcs and Dark Elves, as both people were either created or ruled by one of the Daedric Princes Alex had defeated. The Orcs had been ruled by Malacath, Daedric Prince of the scorned and outcasts, and treated him as their God-King as every tribal chief could only rule with his blessing and approval. Any shows of weakness or cowardliness would result in the entire tribe being cursed by Malacath, until either the chief proved himself once more, or was killed and replaced.

The Dark Elves meanwhile were originally a race known as the Chimer, a fairer skinned race of elves who were changed by Azura for some crime they had committed. This not only made the Daedric Prince their 'creator', but she was one of the three Princes that they had worshipped alongside Mephala and Boethiah.

By killing Malacath and turning Azura, Mephala, and Boethiah into his subordinated spirits, Alex had essentially become the leading divine figure for both at once.

They weren't the only ones regarding him with reverence though, as Alex also noticed several figures from all races bowing and praying to him, some of which appeared completely normal, while others were deathly pale and cloaked in shadows from the glaring sun.

They were the various species of Lycanthropes that had been created and ruled over by the Daedric Prince Hircine, while the others were vampires that been created and ruled over by Molag Bal. After consuming both of their souls, Alex was now considered the ruling deity if both species as well, something he was sure would annoy Yue. Thankfully Alex already had something to help soothe THAT over.

Meanwhile as the people around stared at him, Alex could also practically feel the others staring at them as well.

Yuna and Yami were by used to meeting non-humans, so they weren't too fazed by the different races of people around them. Saya, Rei, Saeko, Rika, and Shizuka meanwhile couldn't stop staring at every different person around them in awe. Something that made Alex chuckle in amusement inside.

"You might want to put your eyes back into your heads." He told them quietly, making the girls blink as they realized they had been staring. Alex then added,

"Be careful with the people here. They're REALLY big on race and discrimination between each other, and the vast majority of their histories involve slaughtering or enslaving one another."

"So were most of our histories, yet our different countries got along just fine in recent years." Saya said with confusion.

"Yeah, but the majority of that was mostly ancient history spanning back decades or centuries ago, to the point that anyone who experienced most of those oppressions firsthand are no longer alive. For many of these people they witnessed their loved ones being slaughtered firsthand, or they themselves were once slaves or experienced hardships because others. Several can even live centuries after such atrocities are committed."

Saya was silent as she realized she hadn't even considered such a thing, or the fact that races like 'elves' were famous for their longevity. Which then resulted in her going through numerous amusing expressions as she internally chastised herself for being so stupid.

"Get used to it Saya. You're going to have to basically relearn everything you know about logic and 'common sense'." Alex said with undisguised humor in his voice, making the genius girl glare at him ruefully.

Alex just snickered at her in amusement for a second, before adopting a serious expression on his face as they approached the largest collection of tents and canopies in the encampment. Though the girls were confused about his sudden shift, they suddenly understood when they heard a heated argument taking place.

"And I'M saying we should just kill all the bloodsuckers NOW, before they get 'hungry'!" Snarled a dark skinned man dressed in heavy armor, with a large war hammer strapped to his back and a thick beard.

"Isran please! Do you even realize the casualties we could incur if we did that? On both sides!" Declared a man with blonde hair and a similarly colored beard, someone Alex recognized as Jarl Balgruuf.

"Thank you Jarl Balgruuf." A feminine voice responded.

"Don't thank me yet vampire! If ONE body or any marks turn up from one of you feeding, then I'll side with Isran to wipe you all out."

"I'll remember that the next time I'm feeling 'hungry'." The female voice replied dryly.

Though more of the hundreds of people gathered seemed like they were going to say something, it was caught in their throats as they noticed Alex approaching them.

"Oh don't mind me. Keep going." Alex said snarkily as he conjured a chair to sit on.

Currently he was looking at all of the official figures and rulers of Tamriel, the continent composed of the countries they had all once called home.

Amongst them Alex recognized the various Jarls and some of their Thanes from Skyrim, Balgruuf the Greater, Idgrog Raven Crone, Lady Elisif the Fair, Skald the Elder, Laila Law Giver, Igmund, Sidggeir, Korir, and last but not least, Ulfric Stormcloak. There was also numerous members of the Companions, Vilkas, Farkus, and Aela, teachers of the College of Wintehold, members of vampire hunter guild, the Dawnguard, and even a vampire herself, Serana.

Aside from them were the vast majority of figures that Alex didn't recognize. And while he was sure he'd be able to puzzle it out with the knowledge he'd gained from Hermaeus Mora, Alex truthfully didn't care. He hated politics, and saw no reason to become overly invested in theirs, especially if he wasn't going to involve himself with them after he went home in a few days.

With everyone staring at him with various expressions though, Alex then said,

"Well I suppose I should just introduce myself then? I am Alexander Morningstar, alternatively known as the Dragon Emperor."

The second the last two words left Alex's mouth there was complete turmoil.

Almost every figure before him was shouting at Alex, all of which was incomprehensible due to the sheer amount of people yelling altogether. From what little he could understand though, Alex knew they were all PISSED at him for referring to himself as the 'Dragon Emperor' after what they'd just been through.

"ENOUGH!!!" Boomed a voice so loud, that it actually shook the surrounding area as everyone was quickly silenced. They all then looked at the speaker, Ulfric Stormcloak, who had used the power of the Voice to get everyone to settle down.

For a time all anyone did was awkwardly look at one another, Ulfric, and Alex, until a group of those present stepped forward.

"We Orsimer would like to step forward and pledge our blades to the Dragon Emperor." The head of the group, a particularly large and intimidating look Orc, declared, before the entire group knelt at Alex's feet.

"What are you filthy green skins doing?!"

"How do you know we can trust him?!"

Voices like these cried out their outrage at the Orc's actions, until Alex raised a hand and they were all automatically silenced. And as they tried to figure out what 'magic' he had used to silence them, Alex asked the Orcs,

"Are you sure? I will not reject you if your people sincerely wish to follow me, but if you do so you ALL will live by my laws." Alex stated firmly, showing that he will accept them, but he won't cater to them.

"We follow strength." The lead Orc stated in response. "For all time our people have followed Malacath, the greatest of us all. Yet he was defeated by you, without the same tricks used by the other Dragon Emperor. Not only that, but we can sense his greatness within you. It would be our honor to follow the one TRUE Dragon Emperor!"

With the rest of the orcs voicing their agreement Alex relented and accepted their joining Asora. This made everyone within the canopy increasingly wary of Alex, while several appeared downright uncomfortable. Amongst them were the leaders of the Dark Elves, their puppet King and Grand Council; along with vampiress, Serana, and the Companions due to their vampiric and Lycan natures.

With the orcs officially joining his side though, Alex turned towards the rest of the gathered officials and monarchs, beige saying,

"The same offer extends to all of you. So long as you recognize Asora's laws, and swear against waging war with one another, then all of your people are welcome to migrate there."

Though several of them began speaking to their advisers and such, Serana immediately spoke up as she asked, "even vampires?"

Alex ignored the dirty look Isran gave her as he answered,

"Yes, even vampires AND Lycanthropes. Several of my wives and lovers are even vampires, and amongst them is a budding vampiric goddess. While my wives mainly feed off of me, our vampiric citizens all survive off of donated or artificially produced blood. I will say however that I will personally and severely prosecute any vampires that decide to feed off unwilling citizens. Alternatively, I can also reverse the vampirism for those who were turned against their will if they wish, at a later time of course."

Numerous different looks were directed at Alex by the people around him when they heard that, most of which were either disgust or scorn, while a select few showed amazement. Serana meanwhile appeared hopeful about what Alex said, and was eager to report it to her current followers.

"What if we wish to return home? This one misses the sands and moons of Elsweyr." Said an elderly looking Khajiit man, to which Alex said immediately and bluntly,

"I'm sorry to say that your chances of returning home to Tamriel are slim to none, which is why your only real choices are to stay here, or journey to Asora with me when I return home."

THAT pissed the majority of them off, as numerous people began shouting various profanities and insults at Alex for 'refusing' to let them go home, while others just sat quietly and contemplated their options. Alex meanwhile just continued sitting there and acted indifferently to their shouting.

Instead he began to flirt with a nearby female servant, who was present to fill everyone's goblets and mugs as they discussed the various states of affairs. This then resulted in Shizuka and Saeko both asking Alex to dress them as serving wenches, as they too worked to comfort and pamper their lord by bringing him ale and snacks.

This continued until the few people who were still calm managed to settle everybody down, but several were still fuming even as one of the mage scholars stepped forward and asked,

"How are you sure about our inability to return home? If we were to open a gate between this place and Tamriel, then would we not be able to return?"

Alex however just shook his head even while staring at the valley of cleavage in front of him, and stated,

"The kind of portal that brought you here can only be opened by people such as your fake Dragon Emperor, and myself. Unfortunately for you, he's dead. And even if that wasn't the case, they can only be opened once a year anyways."

"Could you not open one for us to use yourself?" The scholar asked.

"Nope~!" Alex said while popping the p. "I still have several months to wait until mine's usable again. And even if that wasn't the case, I wouldn't use it on you lot."

The words were barely out of Alex's mouth before a condescending voice sneered, "I think we have allowed you to speak quite enough."

The crowd in front of Alex immediately began to part in order to allow a single tall figure to pass by slowly, her skin a brilliant yellow, and ears pointed.

All of his earlier good humor vanished as Alex looked up to see an important looking Altmer approaching him, one dressed in what he recognized as the robes of the Thalmor.

"I thought I smelled some garbage." Alex remarked while scrunching his face up like something stunk, before adding, "and what do you mean by you 'allowed' me to speak?"

The Thalmor agent, Elenwen, sneered at Alex as she remarked, "I understand it may be hard to grasp your own 'inferiority', especially when meeting with the SUPERIOR Mer(elves) for the first time. However, I can assure that you WILL come to understand our greatness with time."

All Alex could do for nearly a minute was blink at Elenwen as he tried to wrap his head around WHAT exactly she just said.

"I-is she for real...?" Rei asked incredulously, giving voice to question on the minds of everyone else with Alex.

"Unfortunately, yeah. She is." Alex said before glancing back at them. "Told you the people here were REALLY racist."

Even Yami was dumbfounded as she uttered, "I don't think I've even met aliens that were that self absorbed..."

As the rest of the girls made similar comments, Elenwen was similarly dumbfounded as she never expected to see such a reaction to her declaration. To her these 'lesser' beings should be honored to behold the magnificence of the Mer, who WERE superior in every way to man.

Alex just sighed and shook his head while standing up, before approaching Elenwen.

All of a sudden the tall High Elf found herself staring up at the towering figure of the Dragon Emperor, his large, imposing, and brutish figure making her appear very small before him.

"Go ahead Elenwen. Show me your 'superiority'." He taunted down at her with a smirk, infuriating the Altmer woman at his brazenness.

"Or!" Alex declared suddenly, startling everyone as Elenwen even flinched from his sudden exclamation. "I can just show to everyone here how INCOMPETENT the Thalmor really are!"

Various reactions met Alex's declaration, while Elenwen just sneered viciously, "Oh? And pray tell, how exactly do you plan to do that?"

Alex just snorted at her as he replied,

"Side quests of course!"