After Meeting Ionna, Continued

The first thing we did was go back to Bravil. My three companions and I did not know exactly where to start, but Zaron did know that there was a Information Broker in town that might be able to tell us about an Allerian vault somewhere. We were still in our prisoner rags and Ionna had little money for clothes because the money she had she was saving for this Information Broker.

Zaron lead us to a house in one of Bravil's corners, inconspicuous and uninteresting. Zaron knocked on the door and an Argonian woman draped in lavish strips of cloths, jewelry, and some fur poked her head out. The word I would use to describe her is… exotic.

"Yes? What do you require?" She asked.
"Alfava! Is that any way to treat an old friend?" Zaron asked cheerfully, his arms open wide.
"Ah. Zaron. Many people think you are dead, my elderly Necromancer acquaintance. Of course, I knew better." She replied, emotionless.
"I expected nothing less." Zaron said. He explained to us previously that Alfava was a very reclusive woman and never shared her information if she wasn't paid for it – even if said information could save peoples' lives. She doesn't share information with the guards, and she is left alone by any group that could kill her for her information.
"What is it you require, Zaron?" Alfava asked.
"Do you know any Allerian bases near here, my dear? Especially one where they keep their stolen loot."
"Yes, I know of one." She said, but didn't elaborate.
"Oh, yes. Here is your gold, Broker." Ionna said and gave the Argonian a sack of gold. Alfava weighed it and decided it was suitable.
"Go northeast of here. Fort Marigold is actually their base of operations in the Bravil region." Alfava instructed and then slammed her door shut.

"Ah, you gotta love her." Zaron said with a small smile.

With no money and no protection except for Ionna's fighting ability and my and Zaron's magic, we set out for Fort Marigold, where the Tome of Saint Paladas hopefully was stored.

It took around an hour of traveling to get to the outskirts of the fort. There were a few wolves guarding the entrance, probably to cast the illusion that the fort was overrun with wild animals. The wolves were killed easily. Zaron summoned a wraith that flew at the beasts, and went right through them. The wolves' moral dropped and they went running away from the ethereal being.

Cassandra went up and tried the gates to the fort. "Locked." She stated.

"No problem. I think I can take this challenge." I said, and raised my hands to the gate. "Stand back." I ordered. Cassandra got out of the way and my hands started to burn bright with fire and I directed the force of the flames at the doors. I'm not going to be modest, I was good. It was one of my better spells and the door flew in and soon after we heard a huge crash.

I ran in to see what damage I had done. The door crashed against the wall about twenty feet in and there were two crushed bodies laying on the floor that I assumed were the door guards. I shrugged. "Oh well."

We slowly made our way through the fort. There were Allerian guards everywhere, but only about five or six per room. Ionna could take on two, and Zaron and I took the rest. Cassandra picked up a bow and some arrows from a fallen guard and helped us fight as well.

Luckily for us the fort was small and the guards did not expect a fight that day. In just a half hour we made our way into the final room where there were five people waiting for us. I recognized one. It was Wheedle.

"Well, the brave heroes finally make their way to the final boss." Said an older man who was clearly in charge. He laughed, but it was more of a wheeze. "Let's see how you fare against my elite guard. Everyone else here, they were bugs compared to these men."

"We don't want to hurt you." Ionna warned. "But we need access to your vault."

The old man wheezed some more. "Ha! You truly believe you can beat my men? Just try it!" He laughed and his four guardsmen, including Wheedle, went forward to us. I flashed back to when they attacked us the last time; we were defeated within seconds. But this time, we were ready. Plus we had Ionna. It was four against four, and I just hoped we'd come out on top. If not, we could kiss the Tome, and very likely the world, goodbye.