บท 703: Repaired

The meeting eventually ends and Michael deposits Ymir with Maria while he runs after Tiffania who'd make a swift exit. He catches up to her and grabs her elbow, halting her midstep... "Tiff..." he starts but pauses, realising he hadn't thought out what he wanted to say.

...

"Yes...?" she asks while turning to face him, folding her arms under her breasts.

"... Look, I know what I did was horrible, monstrous even... And... If given the choice a second time, I'd do it all over again." he admits, forcing his shoulders not to slump at the almost horrifying admittance. As much as he wanted to see, or change his perspective to better match hers, he simply couldn't.

If he was honest with himself, he wasn't a good person even before summoned by Louise, the difference from then was experience, knowledge, and power. If he had those three things back then, he'd have likely gone down a similar road...

Tiffania's expression doesn't change at his words, though her hands grip her arms slightly tighter.

"I know I'm a bad person. But I need you, if not because I love you then because I need someone to keep my head on straight. Saeko isn't going to be that person, the others would fall in at my pace too given enough time... I-... The refugees... You're smart enough to see it for what it is, my attempt at reconciliation." he lets out an awkward sigh,

"I'll save as many people as it takes to ease your worries, Tiff, so... Come home?" he rubs the back of his head, "That big ass bed we bought isn't meant for a single person, and the others miss you-, your cooking too-... Uh, I'm rambling." he trails off with an awkward cough.

She lets out a breath after a moment, "It's tiring, being mad at you..." she admits, "Trying to act as your moral compass, getting ignored the entire way. I don't even feel like I'm a person who could judge you... I don't need you to go around rescuing people for me, it's a nice thing to do, but the only thing I've been waiting for is an apology-"

"I already apo-"

"A true apology... Not for hurting all those innocent people, but for ignoring my request and trying to lie about it. All of my relationships til I met you were based on lies. I don't want that to be the same for us..." she says, locking eyes with him.

He breaks the gaze and looks at their feet, "... I'm sorry. You know better than anyone the kind of mess I am."

She steps closer and almost presses herself against him, cupping his cheek with her hand, "You're my mess though." she pecks him on the lips, "We're both broken, just in different areas..."

He rests his hands on her hips, just above her butt, "I get me... But you? You're perfect Tiff." he breathily states.

She smiles and closes in, "I'm broken for loving you, Michael." she says and locks him in a deep kiss.

-----------------------------------

Time passes and soon Ennura had almost every noncombatant in Winterhold playing with sand, building huge humanoid shapes so that Ymir could create titans out of them. With help from the mages, this progressed incredibly quickly, allowing humongous titans to rise to their feet and begins taking placements around the city in preparation for creating another wall.

It takes only two days for the wall to be built, but even then the people of Winterhold didn't stop. More and more titans were created, they needed an army to combat the world like King Fritz had. Thus, every day until the invasion reached the city titans were constructed.

This was the sight Surtr was greeted by as his collective army neared Winterhold. While it had no taken much time at all transporting his troops from Cyrodil to Skyrim thanks to Louise's teleportation gates, the act of rallying every able fighter from every city in his Empire, Cyrodil and Skyrim included took over a week.

He eyes the huge wall that'd seemingly appeared out of nowhere, along with the many figures standing atop it. "They knew we were coming... A spy?" he wonders aloud, they must've known well in advance to be able to build such a fortification.

"Who cares, let's just bring it down and take the town." Joseph states from the side.

"Not before you open a portal to my realm." Azura states as she slowly walks over, her divinity tightly contained within her temporary 'mortal' form.

Louise nods, "We will, but first..." she points to a dragon and its rider approaching from the wall, "This is for you, Emperor..."

Surtr huffs and sprouts his Dragon Aspect wings and flies over to the No-Man's-land in between the two groups. He lands a good distance away from Michael who was just dismounting Durnehviir's back... "Michael." he states, cautious of his new crimson eyes.

"Surtr." Michael calmly replies, gesturing a hand at him, "You've been doing well for yourself. First High-King now Emperor? What's next? God-Emperor of Nord-Kind?" he remarks with clear mirth, "It's pretty fucking ungrateful of you to try and invade my turf though, considering I saved your ass back in Falkreath when you were a little mommy's milk-drinker."

"I repaid that debt with Alduin's death. Not that I would owe you anything after all you've done."

Michael snorts derisively at him, "All I've done? You mean not killing you for being a jealous cunt over Saeko? Not letting you lead my people into a clear death trap? Or was it me just stepping on your fragile ego?"

Surtr decides not to deign that with an answer, "Have you come here to beg for your life?"

Michael laughs at his face, "Me? A literal God begging you? You must have really lost it, Surtr... Hey, I've got a joke for you," he leans in slightly despite the distance between them, "Die."

*CRACKLE!*