Chapter Text
As the morning arrived, Omara and Sinashi had come to pick up Ja'vassa and his group like they had promised the night before. It was a relatively short, uneventful walk back to their family home. The home was surprisingly flashy compared to many of the surrounding buildings. It was huge, almost like a miniature palace decorated with large amounts of silver and gold. Beneath the warm Elsweyr sun, their home shone like a beacon. The gold and silver shimmering reflections danced off the clear blue waters that flowed throughout the fountains that decorated the property. Upon seeing it, Hanako laughed teasingly as she glanced towards her teacher.
"It seems your flashiness runs in the family, eh? Looks like you're not the only one who enjoys the things that sparkle." She teased, playfully nudging his arm.
"I take it that Ja'vassa's home glitters like ours, then?" Sinashi questioned. "I remember seeing Sjel Blad Castle not long after we arrived in Skyrim, but I don't remember it shining much..." He admitted.
"Sjel Blad doesn't sparkle, but there's no shortage of shiny things around Clockwork Castle." Hifumi giggled softly.
"Yeah, it's... a family tradition, I suppose. My father decorated our home with all sorts of precious gems. He even tried to build a fountain entirely out of silver and sapphires, but I think he gave up because he wasn't able to find enough sapphires for his project." Ja'vassa admitted, laughing softly. "I've always been fond of sapphires myself, I guess that's something that also runs through the family."
Omara hummed, taking his sapphire encrusted pendant from his pocket, admiring it for a moment. "So, I take it that the sapphire crescent has always been present in our family then?" He asked.
"From what I was told, the tradition began with Ri'ahma many thousands of years ago when he settled down in southern Elsweyr. He apparently forged the sapphire crescent to propose to his wives and the symbol's been passed down the Anair Clan every since then." Ja'vassa explained, taking a moment to admire his own.
"Was Ri'ahma a hero like Nalani?" I don't hear him mentioned very often." Sinashi replied curiously.
"I only know bits and pieces of his story, as he died hundreds of years before I was even born. From the stories my father told, Ri'ahma, known as the Vestige, was part of the First Aldmeri Dominion who personally fought against Molag Bal during the Planemeld, but details of his exploits are hard to come by. The sapphire crescent is the only symbol we have from... we don't have any surviving artifacts or written accounts from him, and I've looked." Ja'vassa replied, crossing his arms slightly. "I'd suspect we could find some information if we visited Summerset Isle, but... I don't think visiting the islands would be a good idea."
Azusa seemed interested, but confused. "How come, Sensei? Is it that far away?" She asked.
"Distance is the least of my concerns, but so long as the Thalmor have control of the islands, I couldn't step foot on it. I've clashed with them for hundreds of years, it's not like they'd welcome me with anything besides a fireball to the face." Ja'vassa replied, laughing softly. "I suppose Ri'ahma's life will remain a mystery."
Sinashi's eyes sparkled slightly, knowing that his family was connected to so many powerful heroes in Tamriel's history filled him with a sort of childish excitement. "The Vestige, Hero of Kvatch, and the Dragonborn... It's incredible how many powerful figures come from our bloodline. Ri'ahma fought Molag Bal, Nalani fought Mehrunes Dagon. Have you fought any daedric lords yourself?" He asked, now facing him completely.
"Not yet, the closest I came was doing battle with Miraak while under Hermaeus Mora's gaze. I'm... not like our great ancestors, in the offer of great power, I willingly gave my service to the daedra. I didn't have much of a choice with ol' Mora, but the others were of my own volition." Ja'vassa explained somewhat ashamedly.
"So, you really do worship Mehrunes Dagon? Have you really tried to revive the Mythic Dawn like Ra'lima said?" Omara asked a bit quietly, not sure if he'd like the answer.
"I have served Dagon for centuries, dirtying my hands on a few occasions in exchange for great rewards, but no, I haven't revived the Mythic Dawn. We borrow symbols from them, but Sjel Blad Castle focuses on the sphere of change Dagon represents. We believed that if we were truly going to become more powerful, more influential, we would need to embrace the changes that the future brought with it. Traditions are wonderful, but you can't cling to them forever. As time marches forward, you must follow it or else you'll be left behind." Ja'vassa paused for a moment, taking a sun-shaped pendant from his satchel. "We aren't the Mythic Dawn, but it's easy to see why people make that mistake."
Omara nodded at him, a hint of understanding in his eyes. "Perhaps we've been misunderstanding you, Ja'vassa." He whispered as he approached the front door. "The servants have probably finished cooking by now, please come inside and join us at the table. I think our parents would very much like to ask you a few questions, too."
Ja'vassa nodded in response, following the brothers into the dining room. Two older Khajiit sat in the very center of the table while the brothers joined them. As the Dragonborn's group approached, the eldest male stood up. "Ah, you must be Ja'vassa. Welcome to our home, I'm Amzaka, Ma'suna's father. It's an honor to meet such a legendary, if somewhat polarizing figure. Please, take a seat and our servants will bring you food." As the elder sat back down, he gestured towards the woman beside him. "This is my wife, Ji'lani. I want to thank you for taking care of Ma'suna. I hope she hasn't caused you much trouble."
Despite his absurd arrogance, being the sudden center of attention was a little awkward for the old Dragonborn as he took a seat. "It's a pleasure, I am Ja'vassa as they've told you. With me is my fiancee, Serana, and my students traveling on an impromptu field trip of sorts." He replied, bowing slightly in his seat. "Ma'suna has been a pleasure to travel with. She's proven herself to be a compassionate and capable warrior with a bright future ahead of her."
Ma'suna silently smiled, shrinking slightly beneath the praise from him. Ji'lani nodded her approval, glancing towards her daughter for a moment. "I've heard she was with the Companions for a short time. Are you still with them?" She asked.
"N-No... I left after an incident in Whiterun that.. that Ja'vassa helped me with. I joined them to become stronger, to become a great hero like so many others in our family. But the Companions were more concerned with the gold they made. After I reported back on the Pinewatch situation, Mikall seemed more annoyed that I didn't return with any gold than happy with the hostage situation being resolved." Ma'suna explained.
"Hostage situation?" Ra'lima asked, seeming somewhat curious despite what his cautious facial expressions would indicate.
"My... pendant was stolen while I was traveling through Falkreath, I had tracked them to Pinewatch. Coincidentally, Mikall mentioned that travelers had been disappearing around the area. As I was staking it out, I met Ja'vassa and the others. They helped me wipe out not only the bandits that lived within it, but the Molag Bal cultists that held some women hostage." Ma'suna explained, her fingers brushing over her pendant.
"Would you have gone into Pinewatch if Ja'vassa hadn't found you?" Amzaka asked, somewhat disapprovingly.
"...I was considering it. I needed my pendant back at any cost." Ma'suna shrunk further into her seat, ashamed to be speaking.
"Don't be too hard on her. For being her first real mission, Ma'suna was incredible. Her technique is... unrefined at best, but she makes up for it in courage and determination." Ja'vassa assured them, smiling towards her. "With the right guidance, she'll become a warrior that's second to none."
Ji'lani smiled, happy to hear about her daughter's exploits. "it does me great pride to hear you speak so highly of her. I heard Ra'lima and the others engaged you in battle, too. Has their training paid off yet?" She asked.
"They're sloppy at best, but tenacious. They need to refine their movements if they wish to truly become great warriors, though their teamwork is a sight to behold. They move like a well-oiled machine for the most part. As long as they continue to practice and polish their movements, I believe they'll become great warriors, too." Ja'vassa assured her, crossing his arms slightly. "I'll have to get the girls back home soon, but if you three find yourselves in Skyrim in the future, seek me out. I can build you some fine weapons."
Ra'lima seemed suspicious, setting his fork down. "...why are you willing to help us even after what we've said and done to you? I mean... we tried to kill you, so why?" He asked.
Ja'vassa laughed softly, briefly wrapping an arm around Saori's shoulders. "You're far from the only one to have tried to kill me. I've dealt with assassination attempts, bandit attacks, and opposing forces trying to end me for as long as I've lived in Skyrim. I've even been targeted by my own students... but, I believe everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves. Given all that I've done over the centuries, I have no right to judge anyone. Despite the blood on my hands, I was given my second chance by meeting these girls. It's only fair to give others their second chance." He replied as he pulled his arm away from Saori.
"I'm not sure if we'll find ourselves that far north again, but... I'll keep the offer in mind." Ra'lima replied softly, "...feels strange, but thank you for your... your mercy during our battle."
Amzaka sighed softly, "So, you really did engage him in battle. That was foolish of you." He shook his head, a disappointed expression on his face.
"Foolish, maybe, but to face me so directly takes great courage. Had it not been for Ma'suna, it may have ended differently. You need to be more careful about picking your fights in the future." Ja'vassa warned hi..m, leaning back in his seat. "Your hatred of me and your anger blinded you. Take better care in controlling your emotions and it'll serve you well in battle. If you let your emotions control you, it could end up costing you dearly."
Ji'lani nodded in agreement. "I suppose his anger isn't his own, we've let his grandfather influence him for longer than we should've. As I'm sure Ma'suna's told you that you've... been a polarizing figure in the clan for centuries. I haven't stepped foot outside of Elsweyr in years. It's usually Amzaka who crosses the border, but he rarely travels beyond the southern edges of Cyrodiil. I've never harbored ill-will towards you, but that's mostly because I found it difficult to hate someone I didn't even know existed." She admitted.
"...what do you mean by that?" Koharu asked her somewhat confusedly. "Did you think he was just a myth?"
Rubbing the back of her head sheepishly, "The idea of someone surviving for so long didn't sit right with me. I heard all the stories, his exploits during the Skyrim Civil War, Second Great War, and his involvement in the Dragon Crisis, but when they claimed he was still alive despite the centuries that went by, it was hard to swallow." Ji'lani replied, looking Ja'vassa over for a moment. "How did you survive for so long? Why'd it take you so long to return to your homeland?"
Ja'vassa swallowed hard, "Vampirism does wonders to keep one fresh. Foolish decisions made in the grief of my sister's passing caused me to accept the blood offered by my master. He promised great power and I had hoped I could use it to keep others from passing. Then a few years later, my wife and several of our children were taken from me. I couldn't bear to be somewhere surrounded by so many memories, so I fled back to Skyrim. My next visit was to find Copperstead in ruins, littered with the corpses of those called me family. Twice I was unable to protect my loved ones, too many memories remained and I ran from it, hoping to keep them as far from me as possible." He explained softly, clinging to his sapphire crescent. "I'll take the fullness of the clan's hatred, the feeling is mutual."
Ra'lima looked away, unaware of the full story or the internal storm that the older Khajiit held; perhaps his anger was unfounded after all. Ji'lani's expression softened as she listened. "I... had no idea. To live so long with such guilt weighing you down and yet... that didn't stop you from coming back here with Ma'suna." She whispered.
"She deserved closure from Molima, guilt was weighing as heavily on her as it was on me. I'll be returning to Skyrim soon, even so far from where Copperstead stood, it's... hard to breathe here." Ja'vassa admitted, trying his best to hide his discomfort.
"Will you be returning with him, Ma'suna?" Amzaka asked, internally disappointed that he may not see his daughter for quite some time.
"I'm sorry, father, but I've found myself a teacher. If I'm going to be a great hero someday, I'll need to learn all I can. For the foreseeable future, I'll be traveling with him. I'll return home someday." Ma'suna replied softly, glancing towards her axe. "I'll return your axe, of course. I'm sure you're not happy that I ran off with it."
Amzaka waved it off. "Keep it, that old axe hasn't done me much good for years. Hone your craft as best you can and when you come back home, bring some stories with you." He then turned to Ja'vassa. "Our family has misjudged you for centuries, treated you like a coward when it wasn't warranted. I can't expect you to forgive us, but I must ask that you keep Ma'suna safe. Help her to grow stronger, protect her with all you can."
Ja'vassa waved off the apology. "Keep your apology, I can't accept it until I'm ready to forgive myself. Though, I can promise that Ma'suna will be safe with me until we return." He assured them.
"I suppose you'll be returning to Skyrim soon, won't you?" Ji'lani asked as she stood up, pushing her empty plate away from her. "Before you go, would you be willing to share some stories with us? I'd love to learn more about the grand battles against Alduin myself... it's not like this city's been able to welcome many dragon slayers, after all."
Ra'lima perked up slightly, despite his reservations, he seemed interested in this. "What's it like fighting a dragon? I've heard Dragonborn eat the souls of dragons... how does that work? Do you really eat their souls?" He asked.
"There's few things more exhilarating than pitting your life against a dragon. The clashing of our Thu'um, my sorcery against their claws. For myself, slaying a dragon is a matter of maintaining my superiority while for them, slaying me would be a matter of glory and survival. I first clashed with Alduin at the peak of the Throat of the World where I learned the Dragonrend shout and then we fought again in front of Shor's Hall in Sovngarde. It was a battle like no other, it took every single skill and every bit of experience I had built up to that point, and even then, I barely came out alive." Ja'vassa explained, laughing at Ra'lima's question. "When I slay a dragon, I do devour their souls, but not like you're thinking. I absorb them, gaining their knowledge and experience in the process... it's a strange, but refreshing feeling."
Ra'lima listened in wonder, leaning on the table now. "Did you absorb Alduin's soul, then?"
Ja'vassa shook his head. "No, after his destruction, his soul... went further into the heavens. Perhaps in time, he'll be sent back to fulfill his destiny as the World-Eater, but that's for the gods to decide." He shrugged slightly.
"He won't literally devour the world, will he?" Hifumi asked, a nervous curiosity crossing her mind.
"I'm not sure if it's literal, but Alduin's role is to end the world so the next can begin. He has done innumerable times before and will probably do it again in the future. Perhaps Akatosh only gave us a respite because of my victory, but I suspect the next time will be different." Ja'vassa replied softly, "When he returns, I'm sure another hero will stand against him."
Amzaka smiled slightly, "No point in worrying about events we can't predict. You've lived a difficult path, Ja'vassa, I don't envy that. You've witnessed great carnage and shouldered heavy burdens, but by doing so, you've seen some incredible things. There aren't many who could walk among the gods and live to tell the tale. To play such an influential role in Tamriel for so long, that I envy somewhat." He then glanced towards Ma'suna, then towards the students. "Ma'suna and the others are lucky to have you on their side... you have a myriad of experiences that no one else does, a unique insight on the world around you. Continue to keep them safe."
Standing up, the two Khajiit approached Ja'vassa, placing a hand on his shoulders. "I hope your parents are proud of you, they've got a lot of reason to be. Even if your hands aren't entirely clean, you're still fighting to keep those you love safe. Maybe you're not a hero, but you're not a villain that some of the family painted you to be." Ji'lani whispered, her fingers briefly brushing over his cheek.
Her words were simple enough, but it still hit hard enough. Ja'vassa forced the tears back at the moment Ji'lani caressed his cheek. "...thank you. We'll visit again someday, I promise. Thank you for breakfast." He whispered.
"I hope you can forgive my actions. I let my anger get the best of me for far too long and I'm sorry." Ra'lima bowed apologetically before glancing towards Ma'suna. "You have no reason to forgive me, I was behind much of your suffering here, I let my anger pour out onto you when you were in as much pain as I was after Molima's passing. I'm sorry."
Ma'suna didn't say anything, but Ja'vassa smiled softly. "Hold the apologies. You made mistakes, but owning up to them is the first step towards fixing it. Keep moving forward, let go of the hatred that isn't yours. As soon as it's gone, you'll be in a better place." He turned away after a moment, "I need to get these girls back home soon. It was a pleasure meeting you. I hope our next visit will be under more pleasant circumstances."
Amzaka nodded in response. "May your roads lead you to warm sands, Dragonborn."
Ja'vassa smiled, "Sky above, Voice within."
With their final parting words, the group returned to the old airship to make the long trip back home. Once Ja'vassa reclined in the captain's chair, he let out a sigh of relief. "The return home was... more pleasant than I could've expected, but it'll be a relief to return to Kivotos. After we return, I'll see if I can't arrange a meeting with Nagisa to discuss enrolling Ma'suna into Trinity. Gehenna may be a better fit, but you get along well if you're with students you know." He said.
Hifumi clasped her hands together, "We'll be there to help you every step of the way, Ma'suna. The Make-Up Work Club will be your guides for as long as you need it."
Ma'suna shyly looked away, though smiled all the same. "Thank you, Hifumi. Any help would be appreciated, of course." She whispered, leaning against her.
"Though, I hope the next time I visit Trinity, the Make-Up Work Club will be a thing of the past." Ja'vassa said somewhat sternly.
"I've quite enjoyed being in the club, Sensei. It's nice knowing we can get some private lessons from you." Hanako replied teasingly.
"You don't need to be at risk of flunking for me to come visit you, or for you to visit SCHALE." Ja'vassa rolled his eyes, a not-so subtly annoyed sigh escaping him.
"We promise to stay out of it. After all, I have to do myself proud as an elite member of the Justice Task Force." Koharu said triumphantly, puffing her chest out proudly.
"I'm glad at least one of you will be taking it seriously." Ja'vassa crossed his arms, returning his attention to the rolling clouds beneath the airship. "Rest and relax for a bit, we've got a little while before we've returned to Skyrim."
Azusa stood up, moving closer to her teacher before leaning against him. "...thank you for giving us this adventure, Sensei. I never thought a vacation could be so exciting. Fishing, exploring old ruins, it was like a dream..." She whispered, wrapping her arms around him. "I hope we'll be able to have other adventures like this in the future."
Ja'vassa gladly wrapped his arms around her in return. "I'm glad you enjoyed your time here, Azusa. I assure you, this won't be our last visit to Skyrim. There's still much to be explored, if I find any other unfinished quests in the future, you'll be the first to know." He promised.
Nestling in closer to him, the girl sighed contently. "I look forward to the next." Azusa yawned slightly, her eyes fluttering shut. "As enjoyable as it was, I'm... I'm exhausted." She admitted, giggling softly.
"Get some sleep, darling. We've got plenty of time before we reach Sleeping Tree Sanctuary." Ja'vassa lifted her up slightly, holding her close to him.
Without another word, Azusa let out another yawn before fading off to sleep in her teacher's arms, the events of their adventure replaying in her mind. From rediscovering the family that was thought to be lost to rediscovering the dwarven locomotive to returning to Elsweyr, so much more had occurred in comparison to what Ja'vassa had planned. He originally only really planned out the fishing trip to Lake Illnalta, everything else was caused by the unexpected meeting with Ma'suna. Despite all of the tears shed and blood spilled, it was an enjoyable trip, one that none of them will soon be forgetting.
Several hours went by and they'd eventually dock at Sleeping Tree Sanctuary. With the ship safely latched onto the metallic bridge, Ja'vassa cautiously carried Azusa, and led the others back inside. Though, instead of directly returning to Clockwork Castle, they had instead traveled directly back to SCHALE with it. After spending so much time away, it felt nice to be back in his office, even if just a little while. By now, Azusa had awoken and pulled herself out of her teacher's arms.
"Home again." She whispered.
"Not quite, we still have to get you back to Trinity. But, before that, I've got some words for the Arius Squad." Ja'vassa said, glancing towards Saori. "Where will you be going?"
It was a question that weighed heavily on her mind since the day she and the others abandoned Arius after Beatrice's defeat, but not a single answer came to it. Staying in SCHALE wasn't an option, hiding in Gehenna or Trinity would only cause them further trouble. Saori sighed softly, "I'm not sure, it doesn't seem there's a lot of options for us. I'm not sure if you'd approve, but... I might see if the Black Market has some work for us. It might not be clean work, but it'll give us a chance to earn some sort of income."
It wasn't a perfect option, but it's not like they had a choice in the matter. "Just... be careful, Saori. Don't ever hesitate to call upon me if you need a shoulder to lean on, I'll always be available to you." Ja'vassa promised.
Saori smiled, but shook her head. "The offer is appreciated, but I can't keep relying on you, Sensei. In time, I hope to repay you for all that you've done for us. You've given us love and support when no one else would, refused to give up on us even when we gave up ourselves. I won't ever be able to thank you properly, but... I'll try. I swear I'll try." She whispered.
Atsuko smiled, going to give him a tight hug. "Thank you for everything, Sensei. Although we started as enemies, I... I'm really glad we met. We'll meet again soon, but in the meantime, be safe." She smiled cheerfully at him.
"I'm glad you weren't like the other adults in our lives." Misaki said, even if her tone was devoid of any true emotion, the small smile she wore told the whole story.
"This is goodbye for now, Sensei. Know that the love you hold for us is mutual." Hiyori hummed, happily joining Atsuko in the hug.
"A love without end, I promise. I'll miss you terribly in the meantime, but I hope our next meeting isn't with any of you in a correctional facility." Ja'vassa pulled away from their arms for a moment before digging into his satchel. "I had dug these up while we were preparing for our journey through the Reach, let them serve as the symbols of the undying love I have in you." He'd set several Mythic Dawn amulets around their necks. "Keep moving forward, focus on your goals, and in time, you'll reach the summit. Let the winds guide you towards your destiny, whatever it may be. When we meet again, you will be wiser and stronger than you were today."
Saori brushed her fingers across the newly obtained amulet before wrapping Ja'vassa in a tight, tearful hug. Despite the raw emotion in her sobs, she said nothing for several minutes. "...I'll miss you, Sensei. I don't know when we'll meet again, but... I'll miss you in the meantime. Goodbye for now." She choked out finally, soon turning to Azusa. "Keep learning all you can from Sensei and the others. Enjoy your time in Trinity as best you can. Even if all is vain in the end, don't let it stop you from enjoying your time alive. Goodbye, Azusa and friends."
Azusa teared up, but was unable to form any sort of coherent sentences as her old companions left the room. Ja'vassa softly wiped off the tears that stained her cheeks, "Dry the tears, love. This was not the final goodbye, you'll see them again soon, I'm sure of it." He assured her.
"I-I know that, but... I'll miss them." Azusa whimpered softly, forcing her tears back. "L-Let's not stand around for much longer... I'm sure Nagisa wants to hear all about our trip, and I'm sure she'd like to meet Ma'suna."
Ma'suna seemed nervous, yet excited. "I can't wait to see what Trinity's like. Let's get going!"
Ja'vassa nodded in agreement, "I need to visit Mika when I get there, I promised her I'd have some souvenirs for her... and I'll send off a message to Nagisa to see if she's willing to meet with us. It's late, so I'm not sure if she will, but if not, we can visit her in the morning. Let's get going."
As the sun sets on another lengthy journey, the group begins to make their way back to Trinity to share the stories and spoils of their grand adventure across Tamriel. Ja'vassa wanted to enjoy this little visit to Trinity as much as possible, as he knew that he'd have more than a small mountain of paperwork waiting for him when he returned to his office.