Dawn was breaking over the horizon of the Wasteland, Preston’s group of twenty still slept as Nigel, Lucy, San-Kai and Bjorn packed up their things to leave.
“Do we really have to go?” Lucy pleaded
“I’m sure, the fewer people there are the harder it is for the Gunners to find them – and anyway, Collins is looking for us, not them” Nigel replied
“Well, may Julianos protect them” San-Kai began
“And Talos guide them” Bjorn finished
It was then that Preston woke up, “The hell you guys doing?”
“We’ve got the leave Preston – we’re endangering your group by being here” Nigel answered
“Well, if you really think you have to go...”
“We do”
“Then safe travels, guys”
Suddenly, another voice spoke, “Wait kid” It was Mama Murphy, the old woman from the city that predicted the future.
“What is it?” Lucy answered for Nigel
“There’s something, the sight keeps showing it to me..” She paused and then spoke, as if reciting:
”Hi los ni nol Vus, ni jul. Hi fen ni ofaal nahkriin hi tolaan, nuz hi fen ni tolaan nii. Hi lost aan fin wah dreh!
Hokfah, hi lost sizaan ful pogaas ahrk fen koraav ful pogaas - hi lost fin su'um do Bormahu. Hi lost aan fin wah dreh!”
Aar do fin nir, hi fen ni filok rok. Nuz hi fen kos med naal pah. Hi lost aan fin wah dreh!”
Siigonis, hi fen daal wah rok gein tiid nuz hin vahzah drogb fen lost hi. Hin fen siiv hin zeymah - Hi lost aan fin wah dreh!”
The group exchanged looks with each other, “That was...” Lucy began
“Exactly what the Mage at Windhelm said – Mama Murphy, do you understand what you just said?” Bjorn finished
“No kid, sorry – but if the Sight has shown it to me then it’s got to be important”
“Okay, thanks” Bjorn ended the conversation and the group left the camp – wandering off towards Diamond City.
They had walked about half a mile idly chatting when Lucy spoke up, “I know what Mama Murphy and the guy in Windhelm said’
“What?!” San-Kai exclaimed
“It took me a while to translate the whole thing but I’ve managed it” Lucy produced a small piece of paper with the prophecy transcribed hastily. “The prophecy is split into four parts about each of us, the first part is about you Nigel – ‘You are not of Nirn, Not-Man. You will not get the revenge you seek, but this will not matter. You have a part to play!’
Nigel stopped walking, “Say that bit again, the middle part”
“You will not get the revenge you seek” Lucy recited
At this Nigel walked off and started hitting a rock with his foot repeatedly, screaming in frustration.
“Nigel, what the hell is it?” Bjorn yelled over his screaming
“It’s that I don’t get the revenge I deserve!”
“Revenge for what?”
“The murder!” Nigel screamed
“Nigel, calm done we just want to know...” Lucy began
“He killed them! My wife, my daughter – shot down like Dogs!” Nigel activated his inhuman strength and yanked a boulder out of the ground, before smashing it on the ground
“Gods...” San-Kai commented
“Yeah! They killed my wife and Daughter and I DON’T GET MY REVENGE!”
Lucy tried to calm him, “Nigel, we all have to deal with things – maybe you can finally move on”
“No, Lucy – I can’t move on, look at what he did!” At this Nigel twisted something in his eye and a holographic projection shot out into the air around them, the memory Nigel had of the day they died.
“Hello Nigel” said Shaun, a grey-haired scientist with a green jumper and white lab coat over it
Nigel was tied up, covered in wounds and blood, he spat at Shaun. “What the hell do you want?”
“To set an example, you were a great agent but I’m afraid we can’t have anyone speaking up for Synth-Rights”
“Thought they didn’t have any” Nigel replied, mocking Shaun
“They don’t”
“You’re a monster”
“It’s for the greater good – just like what I’m about to do”
“Which is?”
Shaun clapped his hands twice and yelled, “Bring them in!”
Nigel's wife, a young woman with blonde hair in her late 20’s and his daughter, a young girl with short black hair of only about six were brought in by Kellogg. They were both gagged and clearly in distress, his daughter crying in fear.
“You see Nigel, we must set an example – you refused to see reason” Shaun paused then gestured to Kellogg and said, “Kill them”
Nigel’s yelling was barely audible as the deafening sound of Kellogg’s gun drowned him out, Nigel’s family were no more.
“You’re a monster!” Nigel yelled at both of them
“I’m sorry Nigel, I really am – but it was necessary” Shaun replied with no remorse
The projection shut off and Nigel stared at the group, “You see now why I hate them, why they must die?”
Bjorn spoke up, “Nigel, what they did was wrong and anyone can see that – but it does not mean that you should spend your life looking to kill them, forgive them and let your family’s spirits find peace”
“Shut up, Bjorn” Nigel began. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that I just…” He never finished his sentence as the tough, dangerous cyborg broke down into tears – his eyes sparking with electricity.
Lucy came over and gave her friend a hug, whispering in his ear, “It’s fine, don’t worry”
“I loved them, Lucy – why did they have to die? What kind of universe is it where they die, they never did anything wrong – she was only six!”
“It’s an unfair world, but you’re not doing your family any favours by hunting the man down – would your wife really want you to kill him?”
Nigel managed a weak laugh, “She never did like my job - said I should get into farming or banking”
“Then let go of the anger, you might not be able to forgive the man who did it but you can ignore him and let your family rest in peace”
Nigel took a few deep breaths, “Okay – I’m fine”
Bjorn patted Nigel on the back, “Good man, Nigel – I’ll hunt us some deer tonight”
“You mean Radstag?” Nigel replied with a trace of his old humour
“Whatever”
A few hours later the group were all sitting around the campfire, chatting happily with the pain and anguish of Nigel’s past soon gone as they got swept up in the cheery atmosphere of the evening.
“So what do we do next?” Bjorn questioned
“Well, we still need to find a way to get you two back to Nirn – I suggest we go see Nick Valentine at Diamond City, the guy’s a great detective and we’re old friends; hopefully he’ll help us find a Dwarf with a Crossover Wristband”
San-Kai cast a small fire bolt to keep the fire going and took a bite of cooked Radstag, “Well then, to Diamond City!”
***********************
Meanwhile, in the dark and dingy Dwemer workshop of Oblivion, Calcelmo and Kagrenac were working hard on the latest plan for the Crossover.
“…so I collide these dimensions, which will cause instability and result in their collapse – and so then all creation ends!”
“Excellent plan my Lord, how exactly will we survive the end of creation though?”
“What?” Kagrenac looked up.
“How will we survive the end of creation?” Calcelmo repeated
“Well…” Kagrenac began then paused. “Give me a second,” He said and went off to draw some plans as to how he would survive the end of all reality.
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