That Part Chapter 28: Fear of the Light

This is a Skyrim/Alan Wake 2 fic. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

This chapter has been edited due to content. If you want to see the unedited version GO HERE.

JASH

We were back at the Elderwood Palace Lodge. Alex and Saga were in one end of the room discussing how to proceed with questioning Alan. Saga was still calming Alex down enough so that my love could focus on the task at hand.

Alan was sitting at the table on the opposite end of the room. He looked much better than when I had first seen him.

But the torment he had endured was still readily evident.

I was back in my Saxhleel body for the simple fact that whatever dark parasite hid in Alan’s body scared me. The By My Soul Shout had barely left my lips before Alan had been crippled with pain.

This might be the only time I could talk to the bard without the others overhearing us. So I sat down in front of the tormented soul.

Alan didn’t flinch like he had at the lake. Maybe there was enough strength in him to fight the parasitic darkness that he called the Dark Presence. If I told him of the thing inside it could be that the entity would retaliate.

With how badly it had left the bard and the little knowledge of it I knew, that wasn’t a battle I could win right now. I could only pray to Hircine that Alan was in the middle of a grand plan to free himself from its clutches.

“You’re Jash?” Alan asked and I nodded. “I can’t create people and even if I could, I don’t write fantasy.”

“I am from a different reality than this one.” I replied. “It seems your eyes have been open to a greater truth and I guess it is ours to open yours to an even greater one. There are various clusters of multiverses that sometimes touch one another.”

I wouldn’t go into detail about the fact I didn’t know my true origins. I knew I was once a dryskin myself and the Hist had managed to catch me when my soul was floating through the spaces between realities. The full truth could confuse Alan at best. At worst it could mean something more to the Dark Presence.

“So not another Earth?” Alan asked.

“The planet Nirn.” I said and watched the bard’s face for any reaction. “On the continent of Tamriel. In the province of Skyrim.”

Alan had no reaction so I assumed that the Dark Presence didn’t know about my home.

“Why?” Alan asked and I swore I heard pity in his voice. “Why Bright Falls? Why now?”

“Alex Casey came to me nine years ago.” I answered. “It is not ours to ignore our heart.”

“How did he manage that?”

“We’ve met before numerous times. Our bond has become so great that we can’t escape each other. We don’t want to escape each other either.”

Alan’s gaze drifted beyond me and I followed his eyes. Alex and Saga must have discussed enough to start their questioning. That didn’t give me much time to continue talking with the bard.

“I don’t know much about your world, Alan.” I said as I guessed which words wouldn’t trigger the Dark Presence into attacking. “But these eyes see that you need to get yourself together.”

I got up and walked to the other side of the room. Alex barely looked at me as he must be too focused on not lashing out. Saga didn’t even spare me a glance.

And Alan looked at me with a very confused expression on his face.