"Oh there once wassa –"
"Shimnk"
"was a hero named Vagmar" A vein of anger popped at my forehead.
"Shimnk, Shimnk"
"-Ragnar the Red, who came riding to" I roll my eyes in as obvious a way as possible.
"Shink,"
I finally exploded, "Riding to whiterun from… Oh Kaoc' (swearing) Do you mind? Wuleen is trying to rehearse this song"
"Sorry friend, my blade was getting a little bit dull, I can wait until you are finished" he puts the ebony sword of his down and smiled in a friendly way. On this whole way he has been very kind but there is just something about this man that makes Wuleen's scales chill.
'Khmm thank you," I cleared my throat, "riding to Whiterun from… from…. Agh, waxhuthi! (swearing) Now I can't remember" I pretend to throw my lute on the ground in frustration, not that I would ever by the way, it is my most valued new possession, had to spend a good 20 Septims to get it. It was hard to learn to play a new song quickly, and even harder to try to fiddle with a new kind of instrument. I miss my trusty old Vossa Satl alright, so big, so long and so sturdy. Covered in the mud stains from the marsh, that's when you know an instrument is good, with the deepest sound of an Argonian's melody.
"-from old Rorikstead" he said gently, the warrior in ebony armor. He just took off his helmet and we were taking a quick moment to relax from our travels, it has been almost a full day's time. The warrior is not tired at all, but I am barely catching my breath. Now that he no longer wears his helm, Wuleen's got a good look of him, a human and a Redguard, as dark skinned as they come, as ebony as his armor.
Despite of this warrior having a bright and warm smile, its all an act. Wuleen will never forget the way how he swiftly cut down those two bears whose remains are still roasting on the bonfire beside us, pretty sure we took over the front of their cave as a resting spot right this moment. There were a few ill-fortuned bandits trying to rob us too, so it has been a busy day for his blade indeed.
"You know this song? You are not from Skyrim no?" I raised my questions callously.
"Well, I been here long enough, longer than you, mind you. And all the bards in Skyrim these days seem to only like their 2 or 3 songs, hear it wherever you go, its either age of aggression or suppression, depends on where you are, but every bard worth their strings know how to play Ragnar the Red." He shook his head with a mysterious smile, "although, there has been a lot of people playing a song about a certain dragonborn these days, seems like the tide of time is changing"
As subtle as a brick at the time, I picked up the wrong thing from his response, "I erect my spine of disbelief, with the bards' college right there, people of Skyrim only listen to 2 or 3 songs? This can't be." Have these bards no spirit of creativity?
"well, it is what's popular and playing what's popular earns you coins, its hard out here for everyone these days."
"that is sad." So sad that Wuleen wants to crawl into the warm embrace of his old cave. "They ought to write more songs for people, so that where every you go, every bard is famous for their own songs and you go to hear them sing, not the same songs you hear everywhere else, but their original tunes. This is why Wuleen left the marsh, Wuleen wants to create something new, and not just kept at the old tunes like what's been sung millionth time over."
"Well, I have done my share of the travelling, you are not the first to have this thought but change has yet to happen, anywhere you go, people all want to sing or hear the same songs."
"Praise Lady Malukah that this is not true, oh, I know, the world has yet to hear from Wuleen-Zish, you watch, my dark-skinned guardian, you wait and see, I will change the game." With a newfound resolve, I started retuning the lute.
"Who is Lady Malukah? Is she some sort of deity?"
"You never heard of Lady Malukah? She is one of the most popular bard in the second era. We even heard of her name in the Marsh, how uncultured are you?"
"I don't know, been living in Skyrim for quite a while but I never really paid much attention to this kind of things before much." He shrugged it off and started to go back using the Whetstone to sharpen his blade.
"Ah, a sigh of disbelief, you are surely missing out my friend." While I tested the string, I asked him another question out of curiosity, "you eh, hmmm - where were you originally."
"Originally?"
"Like, where were you really from?"
"Why is it that everyone's always asking me that, can't a Redguard just be from Skyrim? And what's with all these questions?"
"well yes, you can, that's not what I mean, you mentioned that you have been traveling for a while now, and been to all sorts of places, is there somewhere that you consider to be your home."
There was an awkward moment of silence and a serious air afloat, tensing up the moment, he turned to me, "why do you want to know?"
"Well, my friend, when I write the ballad for our great adventure, I would like to add in more details, as every good song worth its name is part detail and part fiction. And people of the future generations shall always know of our names and our great adventure."
He had a blank expression that I don't know how to make of it, human emotions are always hard for me, too bad they are not as considerate as us Argonians to always translate our own body language. But then he smiled, in a way it wasn't a smile, it had some kind of sorrow baked into it.
"That's a good thought, my scaley friend, Wuleen-zish. I guess Skyrim is home now. There is no one that's left in my past life that would still recognize me" there was a hesitation in his voice. "I guess I have been traveling alone for so long that even I have forgotten myself, heh."
As perceptive as a wet log in the marsh, I failed to pick that up in the moment, "You know, what would also be great about our new song is that if you give me your actual name, it surely isn't just Ebony Warrior."
"I disagree, people love a good mystery, I think it would be a perfect name for the song." He laughed, but only a little, "but enough about me, why is it that you are so adamant on learning 'Ragnar the Red', if you find repetitive songs so predictable and boring."
"Yes, it is a very boring old song, but a simple reason is that Wuleen has to impress Viarmo, the headmaster for the bard's college. And more importantly, Wuleen know that you can't hope to innovate or change the game if you don't first know the game from inside and out now. Therein is the difference, between a pioneer and a fool, no? Both rejects the norm, the set way of things, but ah yes, the fool, only thinks that he knows." I pointed to my own head proudly, failed to see the comedic irony.
"You always surprise me Wuleen, that was very insightful." The ebony warrior straps his sword to the sheath by his side. "I think we had about enough rest, what say you we continue our journey, shouldn't be too far out now."
"Really? I thought we barely sit down; you did a lot of fighting already. Are you sure you don't want to head back? Now that we think about it more, I could use some armor or potions, yes and food. Come on lets just go back and only return when we are fully ready!"
"You are not getting cold feet, are you?"
"Cold feet? What do you mean? Wuleen always had cold feet, we Argonians blood do not run as hot as you. But no, I am not afraid, I am just being strategic."
That did make his chuckle, "haha, worry not friend, I don't think this place will have enough to stumble the likes of us, come on, follow me quickly. We may even be able to make it back tomorrow for a round of drinks at the Winking Skeevers!" He had already started walking.
I looked around nervously at first, then quickly started to follow directly behind him. I had almost stepped on his heels. Its scary to go into a burial ground crawling with monsters, but even scarier to stay out in the woods alone.
…
"What…what… was that? I said while clittering my teeth. The blue phantom disappeared just behind the door, not before it shot me a cold stare and smiled. I feel sick as if I might come down with a nasty cold.
"Oh, it appears to be just a spirit, worry not though, it didn't look like the hostile kind." A large hand clapped my back, almost made me stumble but reassuring, nonetheless.
"There are other kinds of ghosts?"
"Sure there are, wisps, wisp mothers, wraith, skeletons, Draugrs…." He didn't seem to be bothered one bit but my brows jumped at every word he said.
"Have you seen them all, even a hejsetha thtithik (Wisp Mother)?"
"More or less, yes"
"Ah this is welcome news, still, let's just find what we are looking for and turn back?"
"Worry not, you are safe, I am here with ya."
"I erect the spine of gratitude my most kind friend." Reassurance from him was all that I needed, Looking around this first chamber, I was hoping to find the verse of King Olaf right here, alas, there was no such luck.
Something did catch my eye though; it was a claw. A red metal claw ornated by ruby as its claws. Mesmerizingly, wonderfully crafted and almost enchanting, whatever it was, it looked expensive. Although Wuleen-zish has the utmost respect for elders and burial grounds, I think it is still the ancestors will to not let such a beauty be buried. I swiped it nervously while my guardian in ebony is still studying the carvings on the walls.
I quickly closed my satchel where I had my loot, zipped up the string ties tight as I don't want its content to fall out. Wuleen's day seem to be turning around, or so I thought.
My neck felt cold, like a chill breeze swept towards me from the back, I turned around, but only in time to see a rustic blade of death and its wielder – dried flesh with the blue eyes that made up of a phantom's nightmare. Its dried flesh seemed like it would not have enough power to hold themselves up, but the blade sure was moving swiftly.
Poor Wuleen is finally done for. I closed my eyes and my thoughts drifted back to the marsh and the kind embrace of mother and the first time someone applauded my singing.
As I await my death, all I could felt in the next moments were something dull fell onto my head, not nearly as I anticipated a blade to feel. It made yet another thud with the ground and I opened my eyes in curiosity. Holding my torch light closed, it appeared dark, dried and round. I dropped the torch and collapsed onto the floor and crawled two steps backwards.
The blue eyes that were just looking at me, is now ashen and its animated movement has stopped abruptly. I numbly turned around and watched my new friend swiftly dispose of the other mummified creatures down to the ground, all now motionless.
"You doing okay?" He hadn't even broken a sweat, sheathed his sword before the last one even dropped fully, no longer animated. "I think you taking that claw might have triggered these Draugrs."
"Dra- Draugrs?" I sprung to life as probably these dried flesh of past men has, and I grabbed and forced my satchel open so roughly that I think I ripped the chord that held it closed.
"I- I am sorry, I didn't mean to, I THOUGHT IT WAS OKAY. There, I will put it back." Never have I threw something so far and so firmly that it bounced off the table and landed right back onto my head. Now I have a bump.
He laughed in a non-judgemental way and he picked up the ruby claw from beside me, "something tells me we are going to need it anyways later in this place, you did nothing wrong my friend, lets keep on going."
"Okay- okay," although just a little ashamed of me cowering in fear earlier, but I take no shame in staying within one feet distance from my protector now more than ever "Beeko, you save Wuleen-zish once again, I will never be not in your debt." If we make out of here and I become a famous bard, I will make one thousand songs just for my mysterious protector.
"A walk in the park my friend, lets continue on."
He pushed open the door with no hesitation, I really do admire his fearlessness. I wish I could ever be that brave. But for the time being, I am perfectly happy with trailing closely behind.
The blue phantom was in this next room, he had locked eyes with poor Wuleen-zish again and he kept on walking inside.
"What does all this mean?" "I think, he wants us to follow him. Curious, do you know this ghost?"
"Me? Wuleen knows of no ghost, especially one that, well, looks as if he was a Nord. Wuleen has not seen many Nords back in the marsh and not enough time was spent here to make acquaintances." And Wuleen doesn't usually have a knack of dwelling around creepy old ruins like these anyways.
Within a few paces, we followed the ghost onto a stone wall, nowhere do we see a doorway, but the ghost walked right through. The Ebony Warrior knocked on wall with his gauntlet covered hand, "Ah, there must be a hatch somewhere. Hmmm, look around, we might be able to find it."
I nodded quickly but I also don't want to stray too far, luckily there is a chain that does not appear to be fixed to the wall right next to us. Naturally, I pulled it the second I saw it without thinking too much.
Rumbling of the stones started almost immediately, it was moving in a circular motion slowly until it revealed a steel doorway, hidden until this moment.
"There it is, good job Wuleen! See, you got the spirit of an adventurer after all." Here comes another slap onto my shoulder, this time I stumbled forward and almost tripped into the wall.
….
"Black as the night and cold was the steel…Eyes of granite and, and, hmmm what rhymes with steel." Focusing on my mind on creative process sure seem to make my nerves calm down quite a bit.
"A new song?" my new friend kicks the dead frostbite spider away from under his blade, it had cut so deep into its brain that it got almost stuck inside of its large head.
"Indeed, one about you my friend, I shall make all of Skyrim know of your valiant efforts."
"Haha, well I can't wait to hear it."
The rest of our journey up to these giant spiders has been rather eventless, a few more Draugrs but I was not nearly as terrified as the first time. Perhaps having to do with the fact that none had even the slightest chance of getting closer to me, thanks to my ebony guardian. He is very large, perhaps taller than anyone I have ever seen and strong. Those dried bones and flesh were no match indeed.
I did get a little scared when we were almost lost in the midst of all the revolving stone doors though. It was like a maze and my idiocy led to pull one of the chains without thinking led to us being separated by the revolving door. Luckily me frantically pulling on that same chain was able to restore the lost doorway rather quickly.
"This seemed like a dead end, no more doors, I wonder where we could go now." Like always, my companion seemed like he is quite enjoying solving the puzzles in this dungeon, must be why he was so eager to go on such an adventure. I guess it can be fun, if you are not scared of constant death and it is all a walk in the park.
Hmmmm, I got a familiar sensation on my scales, it felt damp, moist and most definitely cool, but I had to be more sure. With no delay I laid flat onto the ground and listened beyond the ground below. It was covered by metal bars to keep what's on top from falling in. I nudged a pebble down the crack in between the bars while focusing on how it's falling.
"There is still water down there." I jumped up, proud of my discovery, "I could hear the echo from one of the sides. The way must be down there."
"You are a natural at this!" my companion smiled genuinely, and he walked up to lift up the metal lid covering this hole in the ground. We saw below us a dark pit but at the bottom, when we hold the torch up close, some visible reflections of water.
"Is it deep enough for a drop?" He asked.
"I believe so."
"Well, I trust your judgement, here goes nothing!" He jumped in, as reckless as he had been all this way, almost made me shed a tear on how he completely trusts me like this. I had to follow right away, to show him that he was not wrong in trusting me.
"Ouch!" I believe I landed on some really hard rock formations, or a block of material that makes one of the most impressive armors. But the water and my strong friend broke my fall. My torch was not so lucky and was put out almost instantly.
"Haha, looks like you are right." He pointed forward the second we swam to the edge of the water, I was still recovering from the head ringing.
Turns out we may not need a torch anymore as these further steps are illuminated by torches. We entered a chamber with spiraled staircase leading up to the right, a number of sarcophagi with open lids around the room. And of course, several blue eyed Draugrs staring right at us. Too late to play the stealth game now.
"We may not be alone for the rest of the way after all." The ebony warrior unsheathed his blade just in time to parry as many as the arrows that was shot at us by a Draugr standing atop of the second level.
A few jumped at him with their large swords, they had a different appearance, they worn rustic armors and a horned helm. But he faced them bravely, this time he pulled out a shied, also made of ebony, and used it to push against one of the Draugr at his left pincer position. I didn't even have to look to see if he succeed, after all, I have already witness him doing something similar to a bear earlier today.
The helmet was knocked right off of that Draugr and its bare chest was sunken further.
'Fus Ro Dah!" Another Draugr opened its mouth and a strong force was threw at our direction.
I wasn't really trying to help close range. But I was still thrown a few steps backwards even just catching the tail end of that. I was thrown onto my back and dropped into the water again. The ebony warrior was having a hard time with it too, he almost backed up half a step.
"haha, nice shout you got there, it'd be a shame if someone were to…FUS RO DAH!"
A much denser energy wave swept all the Draugrs up in the air, disorienting them in almost an instant head to toe. Their fleshy body trembled as they collapsed with the wall, making an impression as the constant pressure stuck them onto it.
The next thing I saw from afar was but a black cyclone, a cold blade of ebony that followed suit. Stopping the Draugrs in its path. I couldn't hear much though, my head was ringing and pretty sure I heard my poor ears pop.
"Ough be carefu, the seem to gutting strong-er" a muffled voice seemed like its still far way but then a strong and trustworthy arm reached down and helped me to get back up on my two feet. To my delight, the deafness seemed to be temporary and I could hear again.
"Yes, let's hope this dungeon won't have any more surprises left for us." I almost bite my tongue the next moment as I saw what's waiting for us up there, a narrow walkway that has swinging axes the size of me, just what everyone needed. I will stop commenting on things now, lady luck has been very unkind to me all this way.
…
Wuleen has never seen someone move as melodiously in the field of battle, I am now more convinced than ever that this ebony warrior is also a musician, but in the way of his blades. On top of that, he possesses these powers in his voice, not much unlike the Draugr but stronger. I have doubts that he even sustained one single wound from our venture down in these depths, whereas poor Wuleen-Zish has suffered drowning, eardrum-popping, scraps and bruises and many, many scares.
My thoughts wondered as he cuts down the last of the Draugrs who were ambushing us here, the blue phantom has led us all the way here. The walkway with the axes might seemed like a death trap to me but he simply found the gaps in between and moved forward strategically. A few came close to hitting him but he deflected them with his shield, the most it came close to do was to make him lose his footing. When he made it across, he disabled the trap from the other side, so I was able to make it through unscathed.
"I guess this is the hatch for the next part?" I slowly walk up, didn't even bat an eyelid to the collapsing body of the last Draugr, at this point, I trust this man with my life. As I pulled the not so subtle hatch on the side of the wall, I couldn't help but let out a very obvious yawn.
Just like before, the metal-bared trap door on the ground opens up, this time instead of a cave, it showed a staircase directly below. We carefully descended and I held a small embalming tool close. It isn't much, but I can't really wield a sword proper, so I make do, it is still somewhat sharp. I rubbed my fingers along the stairs as we carefully moved forward, dusty, and damp, seemed like this part in particular has not seen light in years.
'Achoo!' When we opened the stoned door, dusts from centuries past clouded my eyes and I sneezed, hard. But then I took a step back, it's the blue phantom once again, this time he was just sitting on a stoned step, with a mummified corpse laying by his feet.
"Who are you? Why are you here?" I asked in a nice and soft tone, definitely don't want to spook the ghost. Maybe he will be more chatty now that we have caught up to him.
Unfortunately, the ghost didn't have much of a response, he just smiled and pointed to the corpse on the ground, and in its clutches, was a booklet that was bound by leather, dyed by blue.
I opened it up and read the first line, 'King Olaf's verse' Ah yes, the very thing headmaster Viarmo has sent me for. The last remaining copy in the world.
"Hey how did you know I was looking for these?"
"Don't bother, he disappeared again" the only person replied to me was my trusty companion, "is this what you were sent to get?"
"Yes, yes, this is exactly wat I needed, thank you, thank you, thank you!" I almost jumped in the mid air when I had comprehended this is what has happened. I jumped in such an ecstasy that I reached up to the shoulders of the ebony warrior and tried to shake him. I then realized we have such a height difference that I am now hanging in the air with my arms around him.
I immediately let go and enjoyed a little bit of a free fall, "Khm, apologies, Wuleen-Zish finally was about to become a bard and start his true life, I have gotten too excited and forget me own tail"
"No trouble, let's make our way back up"
"I couldn't agree more." Finally, this long day can be over soon.
…..
- Or so I thought,
"Don't" I grabbed the belt of the ebony armor that belongs to my very large friend, "Don't even think about going in there, it could be a trap."
"Where's your sense of adventure, friend, by the looks of it, there's something more to this tomb than we had already seen. The blue phantom is showing us the way"
"Is the Draugrs and giant spiders not enough?"
"Not by a long shot, come on, let's just check it out, besides, we were only able to unlock it with this-" he toss around the ruby claw that we had picked up by the entrance, "imagine it, the first ones for centuries to set foot in this place."
"I am so going to regret this" what else was poor Wuleen-zish going to do? Walk back out there all by his lonesome? No thanks. Not that Wuleen is a coward, no sir, merely weary, cautious even, about going into a place where the circular puzzle door just came down, something about this spells trouble.
And alas, Wuleen was proven right just a mere second later.
Once we make our way in, the torches on the side lighted up instantly, illuminating what was inside. An open chamber with some rays of natural light peeking through. A circle of stone seats with the same mummified Draugrs we have seen before, they held different postures, but they all turned their head on us. I could feel every pairs of blue eyes fixating on me, on us. Putting a deep chill down my spine. 10, nay 20, oh Hist (creator), there are even more on the sides.
Oh Xhuth (vulgar interjection), some, someone has wet my trousers. The ebony warrior is good but he isn't that good. We are done for.
We see the blue phantom too, or what's left of it, when we walked in near the far side, there's an armored Draugr who's just buried his battle-axe into the blue phantom's chest. There was no blood, but the phantom is dissipating.
The armored Draugr kneeled down and laid his hand on the shoulder of the blue phantom, and he said in a quiet voice, "Insolent bard, you were a fool, but damn if you weren't an honest adversary. I, Olaf One-Eye, Jarl of Whiterun and High King of Skyrim, wish to meet you once more in the Hall of Valor."
I peeked up at the Ebony Warrior, who was silent as the rest of the Draugrs in this room, and I decided to follow suit.
The Armored Draugr didn't keep us wait long, he got up and turned back a bit to look at us, I couldn't feel his gaze on me, must be that the ebony warrior's large frame has shielded me.
"I sensed your Thu'um earlier, you are strong and your Thu'um was old, hmmm, very old… but you are no Dovahkiin, that much I am sure"
"Not everyone who knows Thu'um has to be Dovahkiin, the way of the voice can come from practice." The ebony warrior shrugged, "I don't have to tell you, you all knows a thing or two about it too."
"That indeed, then, who are you?"
"Someone forgotten, hollow without a purpose." There it is again, the forced solace that he gets when he evades this topic.
I just took a solid stance that I wish my skins are a true camouflage to the dark stoned chamber. I swallowed my own spit as I watch my guardian warrior casually having a conversation with the Draugr. Praying to the Hist over and over that I will just become invisible in this instant, even taking an extra breath seemed risky.
The armored Draugr had a puzzled look on his face as he walked forward, lowly towards us. He was taller than me, yet still shorter than my friend. He lifted his head up and stared at him up close. "Then you have no business here, we await the last dragonborn to beckon her call, our time has yet to come. Leave here at once."
"Oh, there is one more of you," to my greatest displeasure, he is now close enough to noticed me, the late high king fixed his eyes on the booklet I clutched in my hands, "hmmm, that damned verse, are you a bard of Skyrim?"
I nodded quickly, if I were to die today, might as well die in everyone's memory as a bard, well Viarmo surely was going to make me a bard now that I have the verse so it's not really a lie.
"Good, then you have got what you came here for. This was the last remaining copy of this damned book and I had burned the rest and ordered this buried along with this rebellious bard. If you bringing this lost verse out here can help Svaknir find his peace, then so be it." He waved his hand swiftly, "My subjects will not attack you from this point on, leave at once."
"Thank you, thank you, O' glorious High King Olaf, let me sing your praise, Wuleen will make sure everyone in Skyrim knows of your generosity and kindness." I bowed five or six times, so close to the ground that my forehead almost touched the dirt. I then tried to pull on the armor of the Ebony warrior to nudge him to leave this place immediately.
To my absolute horror, the ebony warrior smiled under his helm, the only reason I could see is that he is a few feet taller than me and I can see under his helm. Kaoc, oh no, let me guess, 'sense of adventure'.
"High King Olaf One-eye, your skills and bravery are legendary. I have wandered the world for far too long and there simply is no more quest to go on, all I seek is a worthy opponent to gift me the path to Sovngarde. I, the Ebony Warrior, challenge you to a duel."
…
"Nameless"
Written and composed by Wuleen-Zish Pehrdes. 4E201
Grandmaster Bard Pehrdes: travel collection
Black as the night, Cold as the steel.
Granite Eyes that none may conceal.
He walked his path alone, the Warrior of Ebony,
From Iliac Bay to Bruma,
From Alik'r to Skyrim,
O' alone he walked with no'where- to call home.
A true hero is he, heard the downtrodden's pleas,
'O master warrior, hear Wuleen's sorrow tale,
the high elven bastard Viarmo, spite out of jealousy,
With a blackened soul, he sent me for deadman's respite.'
O! He threw down his ale and he kicked the rotten chair,
'O my dear Argonian friend, Wuleen-Zish shall become a bard yet.'
- (re: Chorus)
Black as the night, cold as the steel,
Granite Eyes that none may conceal.
We walked the path together, the warri-or and the bard,
From Skyrim to Alik'r,
From Bruma to Iliac Bay,
O' together we were revered, the fearless warrior and bard,
Together we slayed giants and great dragons, the kings' honored guests and the queens' awaited guests.
A true hero is the warrior, he threw a challenge at great High King's feet,
'O trespasser, return whence thou came,
We seek no quarrel with ye black knight,
For I am Olaf One-eye, your rightful high king,' (*Cue booing in solitude, Caution, do not try this at Whiterun*)
Their swords clashed with the rhythm of their shout,
A fight, a dance and the deadly step, the high king plumets, to his slumber of grace,
The victorrrr, earned his armor yet another stripe.
Chorus:
Who was he? (bard) The nameless, the forgotten (audience)
Who was he? (bard) Our protector and our friend (audience)
Who was he? (bard) The victor name's the Ebony Warrior! (audience)