Part One: Don't Turn Away
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I recall the event. The one that began all chaos and Nirn was in peril. My brother Varen had hopes that the Amulet of Kings would help him please Akatosh and become Dragonborn. He had my full support and even brought me with him on the conquest to find it.

I'm Duchess Mina Aquilarios. Sister to Varen Aquilarios. He was emperor of Tamriel. I said was. But the night Mannimarco killed me is what I hate to revisit, I have to tell it anyway.

I remember I was in the White-Gold Tower preparing for a speech the following day to be placed as temporary empress. I heard a noise in the hallway so I went to investigate. It was after hours as the guards wandered the halls. But I heard a bloodcurdling scream and ran to go see what was going on. I saw a dead guard on the floor.

I kneeled down to see what caused it and that's when the palace halls blacked out. Torches were put out and it was in sheer darkness. I casted a candlelight spell to see around. The next moment I knew, someone struck me in the back of my head and I blacked out.

I soon woke up to cultists surrounding me and I was in chains. I tried to pull myself up but I was pinned down. I looked up to see Mannimarco standing over me with a sinister smirk on his face.

"Bastard!!! Why are you doing this?!"

Mannimarco: It would seem you had plans to expose me in what happened to your dear brother. Shame you didn't die with him.

"Go fuck yourself."

Clivia Tharn: Pity you wouldn't want to compromise. You can either accept compensation and keep your mouth shut or do you wish to suffer my wrath?

I glared at her as she gripped my chin and dug her fingernails into my skin. That's when I realized that wasn't Clivia. In all my studies of daedra and knowledge on them, I know how to tell if one is posing as another. I saw her lick my blood off her nails as she snickered. 

She whispered to the King of Worms as her eyes had a red glow to it then she walked off. I saw him raise a dagger above me and I braced for the end. If my brother is still out there, I regret failing you. Everything went black and next thing I knew, it became cold.

I thought my soul fled to Aetherius, but it made a turn somewhere else. I don't know where I was going.

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Mannimarco: Why didn't her soul go into the gem?!

Cultist: I don't know, my Lord. The gem just shattered before anything went into it!

Mannimarco: I'm sure Molag Bal would send his servants to collect her corpse anyway.

Two Dremora walk out of a portal but not from Coldharbour. They made themselves look like they did, but they are actually from Quagmire, Vaermina's realm. One picked up her body as the other had a soul gem in his hand as it held Mina's soul. 

As they left through the portal carrying the woman's body, the cultists were unaware that she was taken. 

Meanwhile, in the realm of nightmares, Vaermina had set up a special transition pool that would save and change Mina's appearance. She took the woman's soul and saw purity in it. But then after chanting a few words, the light in her soul darkened and she placed it in her body. The transformation began.

The transition took eight days as she watched the progression. Mina's body that almost decayed turned to be restored as her appearance changed. Her blood was exchanged with Daedric and her heart was replaced by a Daedric one. 

Unaware that she was alive, Mina began seeing visions of darkness and despair surround her. She saw some that took place after her sudden death as word spread across Tamriel that she died suddenly. She didn't know what was happening to her and then she found herself falling toward the ground where her body was laying and eventually fell into herself. This caused her to wake up and panic looking around.

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"AHHHHH!!!!!"

Dremora Alchemist: She's awake mi'lady. And it appears her transition is complete.

Vaermina: Good. Let me see her. 

I hear voices but they don't sound like normal ones. My vision was blurred and I rubbed my eyes since it seemed I had water in them. It cleared up as I was able to see what's in front of me. Am I dreaming?? I saw Dremora, scamps, clannfears. All daedra around me. 

Vaermina: Easy my child. You're still taking it in but have no fear.

I turned my head and looked over. It was the Lady of Nightmares herself! Am I dreaming?? I have to be! Then I saw my skin. Slightly pale and markings drawn on my arms. All in Daedric writing. Without thinking I leapt out of the small pool I was in.

That's when I realized I was stripped down and I grabbed a nearest robe to cover my body. Where the fuck was I?! I grabbed whatever was closest and held it at them.

"This has to be a dream! Or a nightmare. Tell me!!!! Where am I?! Am I dead?!"

Alchemist: In a way yes. 

Vaermina smacks the strange Dremora alchemist and he stumbles to the floor.

Vaermina: Not anymore you're not dear. This is no dream I'm afraid. This is as real as it gets. You're in Quagmire. My realm of nightmares. I'm Vaermina. 

I stood there almost in disbelief. But what happened to me? Is this Oblivion that I heard stories of? Then she walked over to me but took the weapon from my hand.

Vaermina: And as for your appearance, you're no longer human or mortal. You're now a Daedric Demiprince in my service. You're immortal and one of us. You're no longer Mina of Chorrol. You're Mina of Quagmire. Daedric Demiprince of Night Terrors, Sleep, Hypnosis and Darkest Reflections.

"Sleep? Am I going to be taught how to use my new powers?"

Vaermina: Yes, my child. Now, I want you to kneel before me and swear to me that you will be in my services as my Dremora are now at your disposal. Do you accept this otherwise if you refuse, I will take the gift back and you would be spending eternity here. 

I stood there thinking for a moment and that's when I realized that I'm not only technically a demigoddess, but almost like the one who would do her bidding. 

Vaermina: However..........you can hunt down Mannimarco and his little cult. They spread word that you died of natural causes and your body disappeared. You can bring nightmares on those who did you wrong. 

I looked over at her as she mentioned that name. That damn name. I felt my blood boil and I can tell she is letting me track this Worm down. I'll make him pay for this. I kneeled before her and bowed my head.

"Then I swear my undying loyalty to serve you, mi'lady. I accept your blessing and I will do everything in my power to make those never have peaceful dreams. Or slumbers."

Then I saw her grin at me and she formed a blade with magic as she walks over to me and placed her hand on my shoulder after she pulled the robe off me. A certain type of armor formed on me and I noticed how I became no longer my old self. 

Vaermina: Rise my Sword. Just know when you accepted my blessing, there are no take backs unless you defy me. You are also welcome to travel to any realm you wish. Even outside of Oblivion and Nirn. 

Upon hearing that, I nodded to her as she placed my fist against my chest and bowed my head.

I spent months after that coming to Nirn to bring nightmares to mortals. But they never see me as I'm only a mere shadow in their dreams. I never felt more alive. But there was some cultists of Vaermina's coven who have come to me asking me to bring out their darkest reflections in their dreams. There comes a catch for that.

Once I bring out their darkest sides in their dreams, the moment they awaken they would never be the same.

I still think about Varen. My brother deserved more than this. I lived and he didn't. But somewhere in my dark heart I sense he still lives. But I don't know where he would be.

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