The Chatterbox Apprentice

But those were plans far for the future. I couldn't even begin to comprehend the magnitude of the task. Not to mention the need to actually learn Magecraft to such a degree would require me to visit a certain universe.

Which as it so happens will most likely be antagonistic to my very existence. Fun.

In the meantime I could at least begin to gather things I would need. Thus I took the time to train and deal with the Obelisks that came close to New Sheoth. Ended up getting a nickname from the residents as "The Shadowed hand". 

Edgy title, I'm perfectly aware. But what else can you say about the residents of the Shivering Isles. They won't take no for an answer, that's for sure.

With the dynamic duo's return from the fringe things became a little more interesting for me. Sheogorath's happiness at the retaking of the fringe was infectious. But there was an underlying feeling he wasn't all there in the conversation. He was starting to feel less, Sheogorath.

Still boisterous and crazy no doubt. Just less death threats and more somber. 

But nevertheless we got our new tasks. For Throgor it was to get in contact with Relmyna to rebuild the gatekeeper. 

For myself and Shirou we were to speak with her apprentice. A new project that would be a long undertaking. We were going to see what would be needed to make a new body for Shirou to inhabit.

Due to the nature of Fleshcraft, The normal procedure would be create the body and "trap" and "Bind" the soul of a Dedra to the finalized body. In our case we would be speaking with the apprentice Nanette. The Breton chatterbox would be our mage for the project. 

In no time we moved to the fringe, there were noticeably less encounters with the mad individuals throughout the journey. Only to compensate with the various forces of order stationed around the realm in little pockets. 

But they were no match for us. Shirou's own reliance on his own powers had allowed him to grow his Magicka pool and no longer require much from my own reserves. I was there just to sustain the "Link" that created his body. Throgor became even deadlier in his time in the Isles. 

A whirlwind of force made manifest. Weaving through enemy lines only to decimate them in close quarters. His sword was reforged as well with Shirou's talents. Only increasing his threat level. 

The Champion of Cyrodil showed why he deserved the tittle. Making short work of our enemies. Such was the reason we took turns when finding these enemies. It was good practice since I didn't have my two bodyguards during the fight. The lady Dedra did really help in fights whether as distractions or as givers of blunt force trauma. 

Or stabs in Naze's case, The Dark Seducer really loved daggers after all. 

Upon reaching the fringe I was quick to noticed how it had been "Orderfied" with the various crystals jutting out of the ground. A trip to Relmyna's hidey hole was met with various failed experiments, Skeletons, and various Dedra such as Gummites. Nasty little buggers as they knew magic and were fast. 

Still no match for our three musketeer group. As we found Nanette in a cell. We released her, telling her of a task given by Lord Sheogorath himself. 

Throgor went ahead to the end of the little dungeon to Relmyna and started the process of rebuilding the Gatekeeper. 

In the meantime, I was listening to... This. "Oh its wonderful to not be in that dingy cell anymore. Am I going to be in trouble with Relmyna again? Oh I wonder if she still considers me her apprentice. I really still want to learn from her. She is a very talented mage after all. Do you think she might have a problem with that? So what was it you needed from me. OH right I was given a task by Lord Sheogorath, right? Oh I hope i don't mess this up. I have my first real task. So what is it? No, Don't tell me I want to guess. hmmm, Nope can't think of it. It's impossible to think like Lord Sheogorath."

Covering my face with my hand and dragging it I realized why Sheogorath had a smirk on his face when he told us to go to her. Bastard pranked us. No doubt she could do the job though. She had been an "Apprentice" for centuries after all. 

Funny enough Shirou was the one to intervene by walking up and gently closing her mouth as she tried to continue to talk, making no real movements to stop him though.

When her mouth was closed she took on a confused face. Shirou cleared a number of doubts the Breton woman was under with a few sentences.

"What your task is, Is to create a body for me. This body I currently am using is made with "Just" Magicka. There is also the need to make it as close to the original as possible. Instead of a typical Dedra, I will be the one to be bound to the body."

Releasing her face she cutely turned her head as she thought over the words. In what I can only assume was a miracle, she slowed her chatterbox ways for professional talk. 

"First question, How can a body be made of just Magicka. This goes against standard practice of most fundamental studies into Magicka as a whole?"

A profound question that Shirou was happy to answer, "My body is created in the same vein as familiar constructs. Only far more complex and requires an active tether to my contractor to allow my continued existence. While I may feel like that of flesh and blood, I am ultimately Magicka or as I call it Mana."

Sitting back down in a chair with a thinking pose with a hand on her chin she stated, "Hmm, So you are in need of a body why?"

"To disregard the need for a tether. This would allow more freedom of movement as also not burden the one keeping my existence."

"Hm... ok I am aware of the basics of the situation. This body of your's will take a lot of time to create. Is there any other things I will need to account for?"

On that note I produced a booklet. This little thing was a pain to make. Deriving all I have learned and Arrodes help to formulate the necessary knowledge to recreate the body suitable for Magecraft and Magicka. Not to mention allowing a better ease for the Potion method later on. Shirou himself was impressed by this project that was literal months in the making. 

The task of creating a stable pathway of sequences was a long process that required extensive thought to determine what would be necessary. The Body itself was one such thing. 

As the Breton woman dived into the booklet Shirou was off to gather specific resources to aid in the starting process. Since instead of a traditional flesh atronach, we were more in line of creating a homunculus. A Dedric homunculus, But one nonetheless. 

I was left with miss chatterbox to ease her into a new form of study essentially as we set about discussing the process to create the new body. With Redguard DNA as a base and the specific genome already handled by Arrodes we just needed to figure out the process of making the body grow quickly to the appropriate age. 

Next was the Dedrafication. A process of turning the body into a Dedra like the Flesh Atronach. Only instead of the Dedra Soul being bound it would be Shirou, Specifically he would not be tethered to any existence. 

Then comes Shirou's own part that we discussed on the way. He already had his own little world. He would undergo a similar process of the Dedra who become Plane lords. Only his process would be much easier. He was already the owner of a little plane. Only it wasn't a plane of Oblivion.

Thus comes to Sheogorath's Gift. A small gift as he sent us on our way. In the form of tripping him, with a slap to the chest following to his unsuspecting victim. Where Shirou was awakened to the understanding of just how powerful the Dedric Princes could be. Even Weakened. 

The gift was a small shard of the Shivering Isles origin. Mostly purified, but still powerful nonetheless. It was directly injected into the Reality Marble and was now undergoing a massive change as it allowed the thing to evolve. Part of the reason his Magicka reserves was growing as well. 

The side effects of the procedure were minimal overall. Just actively using the abilities of the Marble helped the process as it moved from an inner world reflection to a Plane of Oblivion stuck in his body. 

The research value of this process was helpful to Arrodes as now with an example, he was beginning to figure out the best path for our own little world. 

There also was the influx of emotions he briefly experienced but was easily overcome. A small prank from the Mad God. It was in good fun after all. I was ok with it knowing just how bad Sheogorath was feeling, when he literally wasn't feeling himself.

Besides all of this was the actual process of making the body and the how. Certain lab equipment would need to be made or in some cases projected to be able to be used in the process. Hence why this would be taking a long time. Especially since Shirou couldn't be the one to project them, at least for the later stages.

As we were talking and discussing our subjects of study when it comes to Magicka. Relmyna joined in the conversation giving insights of her own after she figured out I wasn't a complete waste of space, according to her.

Funny enough, I did feel a spike of shadow magic when she first called me along those lines, and a distinct feel of the woman's luck slightly being altered. 

As most Dedric Princes, Mama Night can be petty, and she be swift.

At least when she wasn't talking about her child and her failed children, she was actually useful when she took her own look at the notes. Even being inspired by a few things she would wish to try eventually, after her child was resurrected. 

Her slight insights into how the flesh magic itself would be used by her apprentice could help to facilitate the process. Though she did despise the idea it had to be accurate to the original body. But the "slightly" more sane Breton and myself didn't pay too much heed to her comments. 

Eventually I decided to retire to the city of Passwall while the boys did their thing. I got to see what Jared was up to after all this time. Ended up creating a sword from the bones of the previous Gatekeeper. 

Said sword though wasn't the most friendly to him. Even if his shamanistic way of treating the bones allowed him to use it, the bone sword openly tried to get the man killed while walking. 

The little sentient thing would make the man a little more psychotic as well with it's indecent rambling. Jared just took this in stride though and said the sword was affectionately calling to him, unable to hear the actual voice of a very mad Dedra trapped in the sword by magics.

In other news, Shirou met me at Passwall later at the inn. Some of the materials he had to gather was blood from a Redguard and the Mayor was a decent candidate for that. A simple quick bit of gold and the greedy man was all to ready to give some up.

With Arrodes help I was able to change the blood with using Shirou's own. A Magicka construct he may be but heroic Spirits do bleed after all. 

And so the final puzzle piece for the chatterbox apprentice to start the creation of his new body was ready to be underway. And I simply stayed in Passwall waiting out their tasks occasionally doing odd jobs around for the citizens until night. 

Sleeping the night away was a sadly forgone thought when an incursion happened. 

Though it was admittedly, funny to hear the bone sword in Jared's hands screaming profanities that would make a Prince blush. As it was used to beat the forces of Order, it was all to happy to curse his Nord wielder.

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The bones speak to me,

and they ask you!

Douse thou have Stones?

AN:// took a little to write it and not seem like a complete waste of a chapter before we get to the BIG events. So we end up with a genuine footprint of a plan for Shirou's new body. 

Note here is an explanation for what constitutes a "Dedra".

Dedra are all lifeforms from the planes of Oblivion and are NOT from the planet Nirn. This means even Atronachs count as Dedra, even if they are just sentient elementals.

So Shirou will become a "Dedra" by said definition, and a plane lord while he is at it. He will just be missing out on a lot of the benefits "regular" Dedra could have.

Fun times,

Love you guys!