Chapter 96 Failed
Alex stood before Mora, his posture stiff and guarded, as though every instinct in his body was screaming at him to retreat. His brows were drawn tightly together, his jaw clenched, and his gaze wavered between defiance and uncertainty. The offer Mora had laid before him hung in the air like a poisonous fog, tempting yet suffocating.
Mora was a Daedric Prince.
And Daedric Princes were never benevolent.
They lurked in the shadows of fate, moving only when their schemes were ready to unfold, manipulating mortals like pieces on a board. Alex knew that accepting any bargain from such a being was no different from placing his neck beneath a blade.
Yet Mora's words echoed mercilessly in his mind.
Your family will be targeted by the Thalmor.
Alex's fingers slowly rose to his chin, his thumb pressing hard against it as he paced a single step back and forth. His shoulders tensed, and his eyes narrowed as his thoughts raced. A faint crease formed between his brows the unmistakable sign of someone thinking far too deeply, far too urgently.
(Mora isn't just any Daedric entity… he's a Daedric Prince. A ruler of forbidden knowledge itself.)
His jaw tightened further.
(I don't know what he's truly planning. He could be manipulating me, using me as nothing more than a disposable pawn.)
Alex's fingers curled slightly, his nails biting into his skin as another possibility surfaced.
(Or worse… what if he's the one pulling the Thalmor's strings from behind the curtain?)
A chill ran down his spine.
Then another name surfaced unwelcome, heavy, impossible to ignore.
(Miraak.)
Alex exhaled slowly through his nose, his chest rising and falling as his mind worked relentlessly, sifting through fragments of logic, instinct, and fear. His eyes flicked back to Mora, studying every subtle movement, every unnatural stillness, as though trying to peel back layers of lies hiding beneath the Daedric Prince's presence.
At that moment, Alex wasn't just weighing an offer.
He was trying to understand what Mora truly desired and whether refusing him would be more dangerous than accepting.
Mora's countless eyes lingered on Alex, studying him with unnerving patience. The Daedric Prince did not move forward, nor did he retreat instead, his massive form loomed in place as if the very space itself bent around him. His tentacles undulated slowly, lazily, yet every motion carried the weight of quiet threat.
He noticed it immediately.
The hesitation in Alex's eyes.
The tension in his shoulders.
The way his fingers flexed and relaxed, as though he were restraining the urge to draw a weapon or flee.
Mora's voice finally echoed, deep and layered, slipping into Alex's mind rather than his ears.
"You seem to be having quite a hard time accepting my offer, Alex. Why is that?"
A faint, amused hum followed.
"Is my proposal not enticing enough?"
One of Mora's tentacles lifted slightly, curling in the air as if presenting an invisible prize.
"You could possess all knowledge. I could teach you anything grant you my power."
There was a brief pause, deliberate and calculated.
"Well… not exactly grant it. I would lend it to you."
The tentacle twisted slowly.
"And you would copy it for yourself."
Alex didn't answer immediately.
He shifted his weight, exhaling softly through his nose. His gaze dropped for a moment, then rose again, sharper this time. His lips pressed into a thin line before parting as he spoke, his voice measured, cautious.
"Hm… this is difficult."
He tilted his head slightly, eyes never leaving Mora.
"On the other hand… I simply cannot trust you."
The words hung heavy in the air.
Before Alex could say anything more, Mora cut him off smoothly, almost gently, as if interruption itself were an art.
"It is only natural that you do not trust me."
Several eyes blinked in slow unison.
"But do you trust my power?"
A low, echoing chuckle rippled through the void.
"Hmm?"
One of his tentacles drifted closer, stopping just short of Alex's chest.
"At the very least, trust that."
His voice sharpened slightly.
"And do not forget it."
Alex's jaw tightened.
He straightened his posture and crossed his arms, a defensive gesture he didn't bother hiding. His eyes narrowed as a new question surfaced one that had been gnawing at him from the start.
"There's something I want to know," Alex said.
"Why aren't you targeting Astrid, the Dragonborn?"
Mora's tentacles twitched.
"She's the last Dragonborn," Alex continued, his tone steady but probing.
"I'm certain you have business involving Dragonborn aside from that servant of yours imprisoned in your realm."
At the mention of it, Mora's tentacles writhed more noticeably, their movements no longer lazy but restless.
"The Dragonborn…" Mora murmured.
"I have plans for her later "
"Yeah, yeah," Alex interrupted bluntly, waving one hand dismissively.
"Replacing Miraak and blah blah blah."
For a brief moment, the air itself seemed to tense.
Mora's tentacles surged, writhing more intensely now, brushing against one another with a wet, grinding sound. Then unexpectedly he laughed.
"Hm…"
The sound was low, unsettling, layered with something close to amusement.
"How intriguing," Mora said, his voice rich with interest.
"The more I learn about you…"
Several eyes focused sharply on Alex.
"…the more interested I become."
Without warning, the space around Alex distorted.
A sharp, wet sound echoed through the void as Mora's tentacles surged forward, snapping around Alex's body like living chains. One coiled tightly around his chest, another locked his arms to his sides, while others wrapped around his legs and waist, lifting him slightly off the ground. The grip was crushing cold, suffocating, and relentless.
Mora's voice dropped, stripped of its earlier amusement.
"How about you just hurry up and accept my offer?"
The tentacles tightened, deliberately, as if to emphasize every word.
"I won't question how you know about Miraak," Mora continued, his tone sharp and impatient,
"nor will I hold your rudeness against you…"
A low, irritated exhale followed.
"…huhh."
The air itself seemed to tremble.
There was no mistaking it now Mora was angry.
Alex's eyes widened in shock as pain shot through his ribs. He sucked in a sharp breath, teeth gritting as he struggled against the crushing coils.
"So you're finally showing your true nature, huh?!" he shouted, his voice strained but defiant.
"I won't accept it never!!"
He thrashed violently, twisting his torso, forcing his shoulders against the constricting tentacles. His muscles burned as he fought with everything he had, veins standing out along his arms and neck. The tentacles creaked under the strain, slick and unyielding.
The Mora who had spoken calmly moments ago was gone.
Now, fury radiated from him, thick and oppressive. His tentacles lashed erratically, his many eyes narrowing as his patience finally shattered.
"Who do you think you are, huh?!"
Alex let out a roar, pushing himself beyond his limit. With a sudden, desperate surge of strength, he forced his body sideways one tentacle slipping loose, then another.
The grip broke.
Alex dropped to the ground, stumbling forward before regaining his balance.
"Hahaha…" he laughed breathlessly, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off invisible chains.
"Lucky me. Now I just need to figure out how to get out of here."
Mora's tentacles recoiled violently.
His anger deepened not just rage now, but frustration. His plan had failed.
Alex straightened, wiping sweat from his brow, and looked back at Mora with a sharp, mocking grin.
"Hahaha… you seem weaker compared to our previous meeting."
The words left his mouth easily but then he froze.
His grin faded, eyes narrowing as realization struck.
(Wait… he really does look weaker than before.)
Alex's gaze sharpened, scanning Mora's form, the slightly slower movements, the uneven writhing of the tentacles.
"So forcing yourself to manifest too much in this world drains your power, huh?"
His grin returned, wider this time.
"That's some valuable information hahaha."
The mockery hit its mark.
Mora roared in fury, his tentacles snapping forward in a violent storm, slashing through the dream space with lethal intent. Alex reacted instantly, ducking and weaving, twisting his body just enough to let each strike pass by inches from his face.
"Do you really think I'd fall for the same trick twice?"
Mora's rage exploded.
More tentacles tore through the void, bursting into existence one after another, thick and innumerable.
"Damn mortal!!!" Mora bellowed.
"You'd better prepare yourself!"
The dream world itself began to vanish beneath the mass of writhing limbs. Tentacles emerged from every direction above, below, behind nearly filling the entire space, cutting off any visible escape.
Alex spun in place, his breathing quickening as his eyes darted frantically from one closing gap to another.
"Damn it…" he muttered, panic finally creeping into his voice.
"…how do I get out of here?!"
Suddenly, the chaos froze.
In the middle of the writhing nightmare, a translucent system window snapped into existence before Alex's eyes, hovering perfectly still amid the storm of tentacles.
{System scan complete.
Total scans executed: 2,123,829.
One effective method identified to expel the hostile entity from your body.
Do you wish to proceed?
Y / N}
Alex stared at the glowing interface for half a second then his eyes widened in disbelief.
His shoulders sagged, tension pouring out of him in one overwhelming rush. A shaky breath escaped his lips, followed by a short, almost hysterical laugh.
"…Thank the gods."
Relief flooded through his chest so hard it nearly made his knees give out.
Without hesitation, he threw his hand forward, fingers trembling not from fear now, but from urgency and hope.
"YEAH!!! OF COURSE!!!"
He slammed his palm down on the Yes option with everything he had.
The moment he did, the world screamed.
Mora's form convulsed violently, his massive presence tearing and stuttering as if reality itself was rejecting him. His tentacles spasmed, their movements jerky and unnatural, breaking apart into fractured lines of distorted light.
"NOT YET!!!!!"
Mora's voice cracked, distorted, overlapping with itself as though several versions of him were shouting at once.
"WE WILL MEET AGAIN, ALEX REMEMBER MY WORDS!!!!"
The tentacles began to flicker violently, phasing in and out of existence. Sections of them shattered into static, dissolving into nothing as the rest followed glitching, unraveling, vanishing piece by piece until the oppressive presence was gone entirely.
Silence.
Then
Alex's eyes flew open.
"HAAAH!!!"
He bolted upright with a violent gasp, his hand clutching at his chest as though trying to tear the air back into his lungs. His heart pounded so hard it felt like it might break free from his ribs.
"Hahaha… fuh… haaah… haaah… haaah…"
He dragged in breath after breath, his shoulders heaving, sweat dripping down his temples and soaking into his hair as if he had just run a marathon through hell.
Alex lifted a trembling hand and wiped his forehead, only to feel how wet his hair was. His fingers came away slick with sweat.
"…I'm scared to sleep again," he muttered hoarsely.
His gaze drifted to the ceiling, unfocused but burning with determination.
"I need to defeat Alduin quickly…"
His hand slowly curled into a fist atop the bed.
"…and upgrade this system."
Alex slowly turned his head.
Beside him, Astrid slept soundly, completely unaware of the battle that had just taken place within his mind. Her breathing was calm and steady, her chest rising and falling in a gentle rhythm. A few strands of her hair rested against her cheek, and her expression was peaceful free of fear, free of burden.
For a long moment, Alex simply watched her.
The tension in his shoulders eased, and the tight knot in his chest finally loosened. The corners of his lips lifted into a soft, genuine smile the kind that only appeared when he felt safe, when he felt home.
He reached out slowly, hesitating for just a second before brushing his fingers lightly against the edge of the bedroll near her hand, careful not to wake her. His touch was gentle, almost reverent.
Then his hand curled into a fist.
Not in anger but in resolve.
"I promise…" he whispered, his voice barely louder than her breathing.
"You'll live a comfortable life."
His eyes hardened slightly, a quiet fire igniting within them as he continued,
"And you'll never become a slave to Hermaeus Mora."
Alex straightened just a little, positioning himself closer to her side, as if his presence alone could shield her. He remained there in silence, listening to her steady breaths, letting their rhythm anchor him back to reality.
Time passed unnoticed.
He didn't sleep again.
Instead, Alex stayed by Astrid's side, watching over her until the first signs of waking stirred across her face.
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