Jack was vaguely aware that he was dreaming as he moved through a world haunted by shadows. The ground beneath his feet was as hard as stone, but wet. He couldn't see any farther than his outstretched arm could reach. Everything else was just a black void. As Jack walked along the never-ending path, he heard Miraak's voice tell him coolly. "How many dragons have you killed, Jack? A dozen? I've killed thousands. What makes you think you even stand a chance against me?" Jack stopped, turning to try to pinpoint the voice as he told him emotionlessly. "I don't know... Maybe I just find it interesting that you find me to be such a threat." Miraak let out a dark chuckle that filled the void, before answering in a deep honey coated voice. "You're no threat to me, Jack. You just have a few things that I want." Jack raised an eyebrow, curiously retorting. "What is that exactly?" Jack watched the dark void part to reveal Miraak approaching. Jack took a step back, his back hitting a wall.

Miraak stopped an arm's length away, then raised his hand to point his palm at Jack's face. Jack's breath caught in his throat as Miraak answered coldly. "The souls." Miraak's fingertips started to glow with a bright white light, causing Jack to feel like something was being ripped from his core. The feeling traveled up his throat from his chest, making him feel like he couldn't breathe. His mouth opened on its own to reveal that same glowing white light. Miraak was pulling a dragon soul from him, Jack panicked. Was this real or in his head? The shock of this being too real, jerked him awake. Gasping for breath, he scanned the dark room for Miraak. No one was in the tower except for Mark and himself. Jack stayed tense for a few minutes though, taking deep breaths to calm his racing heart. He wanted it to be a dream. A side effect to the Fear spell... but he couldn't tell. Laying in front of him, Mark rubbed Jack's arm that was still draped over his side. Jack's fingers curled to clutch at any part of him, while Mark whispered over his shoulder to him. "Bad dream?"

Jack nodded, still feeling tense. Mark turned over onto his back, coaxing Jack to lay his head on him. Stiffly Jack complied, loving how Mark's hands started stroking his hair and temples comfortingly. Jack snuggled against Mark, mumbling out sleepily. "What time is it?" Mark tilted his head to look out the window, before answering in a gruff purring early-morning voice. "Dawn. The sun should be coming up over the water shortly." Jack forced himself to sit up and stretch. He needed to wake himself up. Jack's body popped and he groaned, but he managed to get up. Mark got up shortly after him and together they collected their stuff in silence. They both were trying to fight off the urge to just go back to bed. Once they were ready, they made their way out of the tower. Mark had managed to find a map in the bandit's tower. So, he lead the way toward the center of the island where 'Miraak's temple ruins' was marked. While traveling along the coast for a bit, Jack took in some of the local wildlife.

Floating over the water along the coastline, were what looked to be big semi-rounded bugs with long purple tentacle legs. They dipped their tentacles in the cool water and made strange whale sounds to each other. He remained cautious as they passed a group of four. Although, they appeared to be rather docile. Mark cut down a few dog-seized grasshoppers as they moved farther inland. Which got Jack to wonder how on earth this place was ever apart of Skyrim. Skyrim was lush with green and thriving wildlife. This place was barren and dry. Jack coughed as a swirl of dust blew into his face, causing him to bump into the back of Mark. Mark had stopped and was eyeing a ridge just ahead. Jack followed his gaze to see what looked like a large scruffy bristleback boar with long thick tusks. Jack glanced around to scan for more. Boars were never alone. However, from what he could see... this one was alone. Mark very slowly lifted his glimmering icy blue bow after notching an arrow and pulled the string back. Jack was going to stop him, when he finally saw what Mark was really worried about.

On the back of the boar was a rider. A small rider. Smaller than a child. From were Jack stood, it looked like a goblin child. It had a greenish grey skin tone with short pointy ears. It was wearing small animal skulls and patches of fur as armor. In one of its tiny hands was a spear about the height of its own body. The boar snorted, rocking its shoulders to shake dust from its spiky mane of stiff hair. The tiny rider bared its sharp little teeth at Mark, then kicked the boar into a retreat.  Jack didn't get a moment to ask him why he was so tense over it, because Mark ran after it.  Jack followed Mark up the ridge, watching him drop to a knee and aim in the direction of the fleeing creature. Mark released the arrow, sending it into the back of the little rider. The rider fell off the boar, but the boar kept running. Mark slowly straightened up, telling Jack over his shoulder. "It's a Riekling. Little bastards. Pretty weak fighters, but overwhelming in numbers. So, if you see one. Kill it. Otherwise, they come back with a horde." Jack nodded, falling in behind Mark as he told him grimly. "So, they're like the Goblins in Cyrodiil... only tinier?" Mark chuckled to himself, replying lightly. "Yes. Exactly like them... Just more annoying."

Jack patted Mark's shoulder with a smile. Mark filled the silence as they traveled on with information on how he got his new weapons and armor. Jack loved the look of it on him. It somehow suited him perfectly. He just hoped that it was worth the trouble. He didn't doubt Mark's faith in Hircine, but he only cared about keeping Mark alive. Mark was starting to ask about what he had dreamed about, when their attention was drawn to the massive ruins on the hill. There must have been hundreds of dunmer working tirelessly to repair all the damage. The place was massive like one big circular castle. Jack took in the people all chanting Miraak's mantra as they worked. Staying close to Mark, they walked up the long stone steps up to the top. The place was so close to being completed. At the top, Jack expected to see an elaborate castle... but it appeared to be just a large shrine. It was built like a giant arena with an open dome like center. In the very center of the dome was one of those strange pillar stones.

All around the dome were people that were not dunmer. They were dressed in heavy armor and were clearly from Nord bloodlines. A tall broad blonde woman in heavy armor that was encrusted with metal dragon heads off her shoulders and lined with black boar hide, raced back and forth to different people. She shook them violently and even slapped a few as she shouted out desperately. "Please! We must leave this place!" The woman spoke with an accent that Jack had never heard in Skyrim and when she noticed them, she strolled up to say breathlessly. "You there! What brings you to this place? Why are you here?" Mark removed his icy blue Greatsword from his back, while Jack stepped forward to stand between them. He wanted to be civil with her. She looked just as terrified at seeing her friends under the spell of the pillar like Mark had been. Raising his hands to try and keep everyone calm, he asked her curiously. "Who are you?" The woman stopped, puffing herself up as she stated out proudly. "I am Frea of the Skaal. I am here to either save my people... Or avenge them."

Jack lowered his hands, questioning hopefully. "Save them from what?" Frea glanced around at the people in armor similar to her own, answering in a shaky voice. "I am not sure. Something has taken control over most of the people of Solsthiem. It makes them forget themselves and work on these horrible creations that corrupt the stones. The very land itself. My father Storn, our shaman, says Miraak has returned to Solsthiem... but that is impossible." Jack huffed in reluctant understanding as he told her flat outright. "That is why we are here. This Miraak tried to have me killed." Frea looked him up and down like she was trying to understand why Miraak might do that, before she told him seriously. "Then you and I both have reason to see what lays beneath us. Let us go. There is nothing more I can do here. The tree stone and my friends are beyond my help for now. We need to find a way into the temple below." Frea turned on her heel to lead the way to the edge of the dome, and as she did, Mark nudged Jack with his shoulder.

Jack watched Mark discreetly point toward her hip, causing him to take in her appearance more closely. Not only was her armor not something he had seen on any other Nord, but at her hip was an icy blue axe that appeared to be made out of the same stuff that Mark's new gear was. Frea moved to a spot where the floor dipped down into a slow spiral to the base of the stone and stopped to draw her weapon. Straightening up, Jack approached her at a distance, cautiously asking her. "What do you know about Miraak?" Frea shifted slightly to look at him, truthfully stating out with ease. "His story is as old as Solsthiem itself. He served the dragons before their fall from power as most did. A priest in their order. But unlike most, he turned against them. He made his own path and his actions cost him dearly. The stories say, he sought to claim Solsthiem for himself and the dragons destroyed him for it. There are few of us left unaffected by this curse." Jack shrugged a bit confused as he questioned tenderly. "What curse?"

Frea gestured to the land and people around her, adding mournfully. "Look around you. How many Nords do you see in Solsthiem? Look at the land. Miraak angered the dragons and tore this land from the mainland in his abuse of power. Our home... leaving us with nowhere to go when the dragons came for him. They burned everything and everyone in their rage. Now even the all-maker stones are being turned against us. Is that not a curse?" Jack reluctantly had to agree with her. It did feel that way. The sudden harsh heavy scraping of stone came from below and Jack tensed up. Voices were traveling up the spiral decent, a man's voice standing out apart from his comrades as he ordered out sternly in a nord accent much like Frea's. "Spread out! Find them!" Frea spun around to face the group of Cultists as they rushed up the spiral path straight for them. Jack acted quickly, conjuring his bound bow and drew back the string. He released it just as a man came into view, but his shot was a bit off. It struck the cultist in the shoulder, throwing the person off balance enough that they staggered into the solid stone wall.

The cultist pointed toward them, bellowing out to the others in frustration. "Get them! Leave none alive!" Frea jumped back as a woman rushed her with a dagger. The three other Cultists headed straight for Jack, forcing him to fall back. One swung at him with a scimitar, nearly slicing into his side, when Mark jumped in to block it. Jack stepped around Mark, drawing his bow string and shooting right over Mark's shoulder into the eye of the Cultist's mask. The Cultist disengaged from Mark, falling limply back across the ground. Mark adjusted his greatsword in his hands, locking onto another Cultist that tried for Jack again. The man swung his battle axe and Jack quickly pressed his back to Mark's as he shifted around to aim over Mark's other shoulder. This time though, Mark hopped back to dodge a swing and knocked Jack's arrow off. Instead of aiming for his chest, it pierced into the man's collarbone. The Cultist shrieked, staggering back from the force and pain. Another Cultist jumped up to cover her companion, raising her hands to shot bolts of lightening at Mark from her fingertips.

Jack ended the spell for his bow, draping his hands out over Mark's shoulders to cast his ward shield. The lightening hit the ward and Jack waited for the perfect moment. When the Cultist had to stop to regain her energy, Jack told Mark loudly. "Go! Help Frea!" Mark ducked under his arm, racing to help Frea who was struggling to fight off the dagger woman and a mace wielder. The second Mark was clear, Jack ended the ward and shouted out at the mage. "FUS RO DAH!" The force was so powerful that it knocked the mage clear off her feet and sent her flying into a dome support pillar. Her body creaked the stone support pillar, before she fell limply to the ground in a heap. There was no way she was getting back up from it. Every bone in her body had to of been fractured beyond even restorations care. Yet, as he watched... A dark swirling purple light surrounded her body. Her bones made the worst kind of cracking noises, before she slowly climbed back onto her feet. Only she didn't look quite the same. Her eyes were not as colorful now. They were faded out to a dead white.

Jack licked his dry lips anxiously. It surprised him that he knew this spell thanks to Hermaeus Mora's gift. Necromancy. A minor revival spell. Jack's eyes drifted away from the undead Cultist to the Cultist man that he had shot in the shoulder. The Cultist let out a deep chuckle, telling Jack playfully. "I hope Miraak is watching this. I want him to see my victory against you!" Jack took a breath to shout at him, but lost his concentration when the Cultist he had shot in the eye swung his sword inches from Jack's throat. Jack managed to fall to the ground, rolling across the floor to avoid it. As he rolled up onto his knee, Jack conjured a bound sword into both hands, before yelling back to the necromancer. "I hope he's watching too..." Something in Jack snapped as the Cultist brought down his sword and Jack crossed his blades to catch it. He was tired of being scared of this crap! Bracing his feet, he pushed up with all the strength he had. Raising the Cultist's sword up enough that he could kick him hard in the chest to knock him back.

The Cultist toppled back to the ground and just as he started to get back up, Jack spread his swords outward before slashing them back in to decapitate the Cultist. The Cultist burst into glittering ash as an effect of the revival spell and Jack slowly turned to face the necromancer, adding in a dark voice. "Cause I'm coming for him next!" Jack took a quick breath, then shouted so loudly that it thundered through the air and shook dust off the dome to shower over them. "YOL TOOR SHUL!" Jack opened his mouth and a burst of searing hot dragon flame bellowed out to engulf the necromancer. The flames reduced him to ash in seconds, but that wasn't all. As the necromancer died, a figure formed from the swirling flames. A massive flaming dragon skull. It roared into the sky, then turned to the stunned Cultists that had been fighting Mark and Frea. No one was fighting now. They were watching the flaming dragon skull strike out like a snake to snatch a cultist in its jaws, causing the cultist to scream before bursting into instant ash as it chomped down on him.

The female cultist started to run away, screaming out in pure horror. "MIRAAK! SAVE ME!" The flaming skull shot out after her, snatching her up just as easily into its jaws. Her bloodcurdling scream ringing through the sudden silent air. Once the last Cultist was gone, the flaming dragon skull simmered down and disappeared. Leaving everyone in stunned silence. Not even the people working on the temple walls moved or said anything. They were all staring at Jack with blank looks. To Be Continued...