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Dragonborn and Vanadis – Chapter 21
"Bandits?"
During the afternoon, Fenris was busy trying assembling his Dragonbone Greatsword when Lim suddenly came by and told him that Ellen needed his presence.
Now in her office, he standing in front of her desk as the Ellen begun to explain of the situation at hand in Leitmeritz.
"Yes. Yesterday, I just received reports from two separate villages near the outskirts of Leitmeritz that they were raided by bandits apparently hiding in the forest near the mountains."
"Let me guess? I'm the solution."
Fenris asked, which Ellen nodded in response.
"Yes. You told me that back in your world. You tracked bandits down to their hideouts and dealt with them single-handedly." Ellen stated. "With that in mind, I believe you are best suited for the job."
"Can just send a detachment of your soldiers to deal with them?"
"I would, but the forest is both vast and difficult to traverse. Besides, I heard that many brigands still doubt your existence."
"So you want me to prove them wrong and instill fear to those who would follow in their footsteps?"
"That is correct." Lim stated. "Eleonora-sama want to send a message that such behavior will not be tolerated in Leitmeritz and across Zhcted."
"I understand." Fenris bowed his head. "Provide me the details and I'll leave immediately."
He has no qualms for doing this since he dislikes bandits and the harm they cause to innocent people. Besides, fighting against live opponents would keep his skills nice and sharp.
With that, he received the directions from Ellen to one of the raided villages that is the closest to the capital. From what Fenris was told, the village in question was raided last night suffered the least damage since the villagers willing handed over their food and valuables.
The other one was also raided last night, but chose to resist the bandits and paid the price. While those villages still stand, a third of the buildings were burnt down and many lives were lost.
After getting what he needed, Fenris left the office to procured his equipment and supplies. Since he is likely going to be in the wilderness for a while, Fenris packed up some camping supplies while having enough food to last a day. He also put on a cloak to cover as much of his Dragonscale armor as possible.
As for weapons, he has to rely once more on his longsword, which he used and maintained since his time in Brune.
While Fenris recently forged the hilt of the Dragonbone Greatsword using the ebony ingots he obtained two days ago, it would take another day to ensure that both the blade and hilt are properly in place and ready for combat.
Even so, the longsword is more than a much for any bandit in the right hands like his own.
Soon enough, he got on his horse and left the capital to make his way to his destination that Ellen marked on his map.
Hours has passed since Fenris started his trek and by the time he caught sight of a village that he was told of, it was already evening.
He gazed upon the town and saw there were minimal damage to some of the buildings while there was one that appeared to be previously set alight. No doubt a way to intimidate the villagers into surrendering.
When he rode into the villager, Fenris saw that the villagers were busy trying repairing the damage caused by the raid. However, they quickly stopped what they were doing when they realized who he was. Despite his cloak, the villagers could still catch a glance of his Dragonscale gauntlets and boots.
Before he knew it, Fenris was surrounded by a crowd of overjoyed villagers.
"Ah! It is really you Fenris!"
"To think Vanadis-sama would send you to help us!"
"Please against these bandits!"
Hearing their pleas, Fenris managed to calm down the crowd and requested that he met with the chief of the village. The crowd was more than eager to lead him to their chief's home.
"Oh, you can't imagine how happy I am to met you Fenris!"
The chief of the village held tightly to Fenris's hand as he shook it. The man was in his mid-fifties and was as overjoyed as the rest of the villagers.
"Well, I can see my reputation precedes me." Fenris was used to such attention since he was already a hero in Skyrim. "So, what can you tell me about these bandits?"
The village frowned as he recalled the raid that struck his village last night.
"We were all asleep when the bandits attacked. Of all the bandits we faced in the past, these scoundrels were like no other."
"I been told that these bandits were organized and well-armed."
Fenris noted, which the chief nodded in agreement.
"Not only that, these bandits are also cunning. Somehow, they manage to knock out all our guards without making a sound." The chief said. "We only knew something was wrong when they broke into our homes and dragged us out."
"Anyone got seriously hurt from raid?" Fenris asked the chief, who shook his head.
"Surprisingly, no. Our guards only suffered a light concussion when they woke up. There were a few villagers that resisted, but were lightly beaten."
"Really?" The Dragonborn said. "I heard another village were also raided by bandits and they weren't that merciful."
"Yes, I just heard the news this morning." The chief replied. "I believed it was just band of violent bandits. I can't see them belonging to the same group as the ones that raided us."
Fenris was deep in thought as he processed everything that he learned about the bandits. This village was raided by bandits who prefer intimidation over violence. The other village was however struck by those who prefer the other way around.
If there are two separate bandit groups hiding in the mountains, he would have to be swift and ruthless in destroying both groups. If he destroys one group, Fenris would need to move quickly to destroy the other one for they would flee when they learned what happened.
However, there was the possibility that the two groups were part of a larger group and those leading the separate raids employed different tactics.
Either way, the bandits must be eliminated.
"So how did you know that these bandits came from the forest near the mountains?" Fenris asked.
"To be honest, it was just an assumption." The chief made an uncertain expression. "After the raid, one of out hunters risked his life in tailing the bandits. While he tracked them to the forest, he didn't venture in due to the danger."
"That is good enough. Provide me directions to the forest." Fenris asked the chief. "I will take the search from here."
"What? But it is getting late Fenris. Don't you want to rest and do it in the morning?"
"Don't worry about me. I can more than handle myself in the dark." He stated. "Besides, if I do find the bandit's hideout during the night, it would easier to take them all out when they are asleep."
After some thought, the chief agreed by introducing Fernis to the very hunter that tailed the bandits.
The hunter pointed out that it was a short trip to the forest and he could lead him there. However, the forest too dense to go in on horseback, so Fenris would have to search the bandits by foot.
Fenris wasn't bothered by the inconvenience though and very soon, he followed the hunter as he leads the Dragonborn to the outskirts of the forest.
By the time the two of them got there, the sun was about to set.
"Are you sure you want to hunt the bandits at night? You can easily get lost in there."
The hunter was worried that Fenris was taking a big risk in venturing into what was virtually bandit territory. No doubt they set up hidden traps and patrols to ensure that their hideout remain a secret.
"Don't worry about me. I can handle myself." Fenris stated as he walked into the forest. "Take care of my horse until I come back."
The hunter couldn't say a word as he watched the Dragonborn vanish into the forest. He could only pray that he would deal with the bandits and return back in one piece.
"Like old times..."
Fenris said to himself as he navigated through the forest in the middle of the night. He did this many time back in Skyrim where he traveled in the middle of the night to either accomplish an important task for the thrill of it.
While many would view going in blindly into a vast forest completely foolish, but Fenris wasn't an ordinary traveler. Whenever he is traveling, his instincts have a knack for telling him he was going in the right direction. Never once it ever led him astray from his destination or objective.
Trusting his instincts, Fenris move deeper into the forest as keeping an eye out for any traps and patrols. He been walking for almost an hour until he spotted what seems to be a small lake, which was uncommon feature in the middle of a forest.
In front of the lake was an entrance to a cave, which was guarded by a pair of armed men wearing leather armor.
"This must be the place." Fenris muttered while carefully move to the right while keeping out of sight.
Sneaking was unbefitting for someone like himself, but he doesn't to alert the rest of the bandits that are likely in the cave.
Moving swiftly and quietly, Fenris positioned himself on the right side of the cave. His plan was to turn the corner and do an impaling charge at the two guards. The length of the longsword and the momentum of charge would allow Fenris to impale them in one movement. He would also aim for their hearts, which would likely kill to the guards without them making a sound.
Just as Fenris was about to make his move, he then heard a faint sound from the opposite side of his position.
'What?' The Dragonborn soon realized that he wasn't the only one to venture into the woods.
The guards however also heard the sound and drew their swords and turned their attention to the left side of the cave.
"What was that?"
"You check it out. I'll cover you."
One of the guard then move closer to investigate while the other remained where he stood, but kept his weapon at the ready.
Fenris peeked over the corner and saw the that the guards were focused on checking what the sound was; both were oblivious to his presence.
Readying his longsword, he got his queue to make his move when the guard investigating was suddenly stabbed in the neck by a dagger. The other guard was startled by the attack and before he could do anything, Fenris ran up to him and stabbed him through the heart.
Neither guard made even a whisper as they died.
After laying the guard he killed on the ground, Fenris entered a defensive stance for he wasn't sure if the one on the left side of the cave as a friend or foe.
"I know you are there." He called out in a quiet yet serious tone. "Come out."
A few moments, a 25-year-old beautiful woman then came into Fenris's view. Her long black hair goes past her waist and a bang covers one of her yellow-coloured eyes. Her black outfit was rather revealing for it shows her much her cleavage and legs. She also wore a sleeveless black cape with a collar adorned with white feathers.
In her hands was a pair of well-designed daggers and from the woman's expression, she appears to be very willing to use them on Fenris. He could see in her eyes that she was a veteran of many battles despite her young age.
However, the woman's eyes widened when she got a better view of the Dragonborn and started to study his appearance.
"Miscoloured eyes... A suit of armor made of dragon scales..." She muttered. "So you must be the so-called Dragonborn."
"That is correct. My name is Fenris." He stated while wiping the blood of his blade. "And you are?"
"Figneria."
The woman plainly spoke her name as she sheaths her daggers. "I also heard you serve Eleonora Viltaria."
"Looks like you been really keeping track."
Fenris confirmed as he stabbed his longsword into the ground.
"Yes, I am currently serving the Vanadis of Leitmeritz. She sent me to deal with bandits that was plaguing a few villages and I believe this cave is their hideout."
"Interesting."
While Fenris doesn't know it, Figneria is more of a listener than a talker. However, rumors about the Dragonborn peaked her attention and now she was standing before him. She could easily tell that he wasn't like those she met in the past.
Not only that, he gives out the feeling that he could be trusted, but she quickly brushed it off. In her view, trust was a fickle thing and anyone could be a potential enemy in the end.
"As you must know, I was too sent to deal with these bandits." Figneria then briefly explained herself to Fenris.
The Dragonborn learned that Figneria is a mercenary and was traveling when she stumbled in the very village that was ravaged by the bandits. Learning of her reputation, the village chief hired her with what gold they have available to eliminate the bandits.
When Fenris asked how she was able to get here in the first place, Figneria stated that a number of bandits were killed when they raided the village that hired her. One of them surprisingly had a map that pinpointed the bandit's hideout within the forest. She was given the map when she accepted the job.
"Talk about a stroke of luck."
Fenris noted at the odds of finding a map to the hideout. Still, it proves that the bandits that attacked both villages are from the same group.
"So how do you find the hideout then?" Figneria asked the same question.
"Intuition."
As the mercenary made a skeptical expression, an idea then appeared in Fenris's head.
"Hmm... We should work together."
"Huh?"
Figneria was a bit taken back from what he said.
"We been tasked in taking down the same group of bandits, so it would be natural if we work together." Fenris stated. "If it is gold you want, you are free to whatever loot these bandits have. I see wiping these bandits out is reward enough for me."
'Strange...'
From all the rumors and stories that Figneria listened to throughout her life, Fenris was one she couldn't understand.
From what she knows, Fenris was said to be mercenary hero from another world and wielded great magic. Finding himself lost in a world that completely unknown to him, he was then discovered by Eleonora. After being taken in to Leitmeritz, he then pledges his services to the Wind Vanadis herself.
As a mercenary, Figneria always expect a payment whenever her services were needed and the same should apply to Fenris. However, she heard that he didn't ask for any payment from Eleonora whatsoever.
While she found that aspect to be very unusual for a mercenary, she was nevertheless interested in his skills in the battlefield. She heard that Fenris was so skilled, he could slay hundreds of men before they could lay a single blow on him. Rumors also say that anything in his hands could be used as a weapon and can even kill an armored soldier with his bare hands.
Remember about his offer of working together against the bandits, Figneria realized this was her best chance to see if the Fenris does live up to his supposed reputation.
"Well, that's an interesting offer. While I prefer to work alone..." She made a small smirk. "There is no telling how many bandits are in their hideout... Let us work together."
"Very well." Fenris nodded as he pulled his longsword out of the ground. "Let us get going then."
Taking point, Fenris entered the cave with Figneria accompanying him from behind.
Within the cave, two were cautiously moving through the corridor and from the few torches adorning the walls, it was clear they were on the right track.
While Fenris and Figneria have yet to encounter any bandits, the two saw there were some beartraps in their way. Some were well-hidden and the latter would have gotten caught if not for the former's keen eyes.
Detecting and disarming traps was an invaluable skill that Fenris obtained after years of experience exploring ruins, tombs and caves back in Skyrim.
It was then they reached a small chamber with another corridor straight ahead. They notice there was a wooden table with some plates and bottles along with a pair of stools. To the right of the chamber were two bedrolls which a pair of snoring bandits were using.
"Looks like a checkpoint..." Fenris muttered quietly.
"Or another outdoor shift." Figneria replied in a whisper.
If the these wake up and went outside, they would notice the bodies and immediately alert the others. As distasteful as it is for warrior like himself, Fenris knew it was the best choice of action and Figneria knew it as well.
Quietly approaching the sleeping bandits, the two then plunged their blades into the bandits' necks. They immediately woke up from the pain, but could only squirm in agony as blood poured from their mouths.
After making a few gurgles, the two bandits slowly stopped moving and finally died.
"Okay, that is done. Let us move."
After wiping the blood off his longsword again, Fenris once again point as he walked down the other corridor while Figneria watched his back.
As they were moving through the corridor, they could hear some noise coming from ahead. As they got closer, the noise was soon made out to be chatter.
Soon enough, they found themselves in a much larger chamber then before and the two could tell it been occupied for a while now.
The chamber consists of two levels, which the lower level was accessible by a roughly assembled set of stairs. However, the area was adorned with torches, which would be difficult for Fenris and Figneria sneak around without getting spotted.
Not only that, there were a significant number of bandits hanging out or resting in the chamber. If caught in the open, they could be easily surrounded. While most of them have steel weapons and chain mail, a handful of them have steel breastplates.
"These are no ragtag band of bandits. Whoever leading them is no fool."
"I'm inclined to agree."
Fenris and Figneria whispered to each other. Bandits are usually unruly and unpredictable, which means whoever is leading this large group was both strong and cunning. He also must have been quite successful in his raids if he could equip his followers with such gear.
Just as they were about plan out their next move, they heard a shout that came from the chamber they were previously in.
"Alert! We have intruders!"
"Dammit." Fenris muttered as he realized they were detected for the bandits within the main chamber heard the shout as well.
"A returning patrol?" Figneria questioned.
"Or a group coming back from a raid." Fenris replied.
Either way, the two drew prepared their weapons for they would have to face an onslaught of bandits.
'Looks like I have no choice...'
While he stated before that he would restrict his usage of his magic and Shouts, he doesn't want to place his new companion in danger.
With that in mind, Fenris quickly casted several Fire Rune a few meters into the corridor; each some distance from each other
"What are those?" Figneria looked upon the reddish glowing runes that her companion casted and wonder if what he did was truly magic.
"You'll see soon enough!" Fenris quickly stated he caught sight of bandits running towards their position. "Ready yourself!"
"There are the intruders!"
One of the bandits called out to the others. Upon seeing Fenris however, some of them suddenly stopped in their tracks.
"That armor... That must be Fenris!"
"The rumored Dragonborn?! He is just make-belief!"
"Yeah! It is just some idiot wearing a clever costume! No one can make a suit made of dragon scale!"
It became apparent to Fenris that the bandits didn't take the rumors about him seriously. As for Figneria, they didn't take her seriously as well.
"But I have to say his companion is quite the beauty."
"It'll be a big shame to just kill her."
"Indeed. We should capture her instead!"
The bandits both foolishly underestimate Fenris and Figneria. It was going to be the last mistake they would ever make.
Fenris ran his longsword through the chest of a charging bandit, killing him instantly. As he was pulling his blade out of the corpse, two more bandits followed their fallen comrade's example and charged as well. However, the only thing they got were getting their throats slit; courtesy of Figneria. Some of them tried to aim for her arms and legs to disable her, but all attempts ended badly for them.
Many bandits soon found themselves either dead at the twos' feet or were lying on a puddle of their own blood; suffering a slow death.
Fenris could see that Figneria was remarkably skilled with her daggers for she swiftly cut down the bandits with ease; aiming for their necks and vital spots. If anything, the mercenary was a highly experienced warrior and it reminded him Sasha since she uses a similar fighting style.
Figneria also thought the same way for Fenris was very proficient in using longsword especially in such an enclosed area. She was also quite impressed in what she saw was his unorthodox usage of the sword's hilt and pommel against the bandits; jabbing into their necks and pummeling their skulls.
As the two were fighting off the bandits in the main chamber, the ones responsible for the alert were rushing their way through the corridor. As a group of six, they saw Fenris and Figneria, they started to charge in hopes of catching them off guard. In the process however, they stumbled into the former's Fire Runes and caused them to detonate in a fiery explosion.
"It is magic..."
Figneria muttered as he briefly looked upon the corridor and saw the charred remains of the six bandits. Despite not being blown to pieces by the exploding runes, the sight was nevertheless unnerving to the rest of the bandits, who then turned their attention to Fenris.
"As you all can see!" Fenris then cast a Fireball at one of the bandits and ignited him, which intimated the others. "I'm no rumor!"
Upon seeing that that Dragonborn does indeed exist and is standing before them, all the bandits suffered a sharp drop in morale as they saw they have little chance of surviving his wrath.
"Like hell I will believe that crap!"
A well-built man shouted as he charged at Fenris with a warhammer. He wore a weathered set of chain mail along with a breastplate, which the latter assumed to be a bandit enforcer or even the leader himself.
Upon seeing him preparing an overhead strike, Fenris quickly used his longsword to parry the blow; using his left hand to grip onto the blade to provide more stability. While he manages to push the bandit away and cause him to knock down several in the process, the warhammer severely damaged the blade in the process
'He is stronger than I thought.'
Fenris examined the blade of the longsword and saw that there was a crack right at the center, which goes from the edge to the fuller. With enough force applied to the upper half of the blade, it could easily snap it into two.
"Ha! Think you can beat with a broken sword!"
The warhammer-wielding bandit taunted as he also noticed the damage he inflicted onto Fenris's longsword.
Much to his surprise, Fenris merely smirked.
"Why yes..."
Figneria and the remaining bandits were surprised when they watched Fenris grabbed onto the upper half of the longsword and snapped it off with his own strength. With both ends of the now-broken weapon, he then taken up a dual-wielding stance.
Scoffing at what just happened, the same bandits prepare to swing his warhammer at Fenris's head once more. However, he swiftly ducked his head to avoid the swing and then sidestep to the left of his attacker.
Before the bandit could react, he then stabbed him in the stomach with the upper half of the broken blade; piercing through the chain mail while narrowly avoiding the breastplate.
Without pausing, Fenris then kneed the broken blade further into the bandit's body and caused the initial pain to turn into agony as he collapsed to the ground.
"He... He got the boss..." One of the last remaining bandits muttered in utter fear.
Seeing their leader bleed to death and Fenris preparing to continue on fighting with his remaining half of his longsword, their morale took another sharp dive.
"Impressive..."
Figneria muttered in amazement as she looked upon Fenris using his broken sword as improvised short blade, despite herself fighting her own share of bandits.
She became more amazed when a bandit managed to disarm Fenris and thought he has the upper hand, only to receive a strong punch in the face. Before he could do anything, Fenris then grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into the ground, snapping it in the process.
Fenris then charged at a pair of bandit, which he swiftly kneed one in the stomach before flipped him over his back; knocking him out. The other bandit tried to attack him with his back turned, but Fenris countered with an powerful elbow strike to the right side of his face, which caused him to turn around stunned.
Without wasting any time, Fenris then wrapped his arms around the bandit's stomach and did a suplex. The heads of both the suplexed bandit and the downed bandit hit each with such force that they both suffered a skull fracture; they would be dead in a few minutes due to brain hemorrhage.
"Such skill..."
Of all the warriors she worked with or fought against, Figneria has never met anyone like Fenris before. She never seen anyone ever kill someone with just bare hands or seen a suplex before in her life. It was like Fenris spend his entire life on the battlefield and became the ideal warrior.
Since she finished off all the bandits fighting her, Figneria only watched as Fenris picked up a pair of daggers from a dead bandit and used them to kill off the last of the entire band. The fighting only lasted for almost twenty minutes, but the two were now the only ones alive in the cave.
"It's over."
Fenris muttered as he surveyed the bandits that he personally killed in battle. He was soon approached by a smiling Figneria.
"You definitely live up to your reputation Fenris." She complimented him. "I have to say that Dragonborn is a suitable title for someone like you."
"I'll like to say the same for you." He said with smile of his own. "I could see that you are a remarkable warrior Figneria."
"Fine."
"Hmm?"
Fenris wasn't sure what she meant and assumed it was her way of appreciating his compliment.
"Call me Fine. Only those who gained my respect are allowed to call me that. With what you did today, you clearly won my respect."
"Ah." He saw that Fine was actually Figneria's causal name. "Well in any case Fine, I say that you are indeed a veteran of many battles. Am I correct?"
"Yes, just like you." She replied. "I can tell that you have your share of battles. However, I have a feeling that what you endured surpasses mine in every way."
Fenris merely nodded in response as he looks throughout the chamber that is now littered with bloody bodies of the fallen bandits once again.
He and Fine were tired of their ordeal and it was too dark to traverse the forest to return back to a village. As it stands, the cave is the only shelter they have to call it a night.
"It is getting late and we could sure use the rest. But I doubt that we would ever want to sleep in a cave full of corpses."
"Well, we could use the other part of cave we pass through, but we would need to move the bodies here and find a pair of clean bedrolls."
Fine referred to the section of the cave where she and Fenris killed the two bandits while they were sleeping. Even though they would likely smell the stench of blood, it was better than sleeping amongst the dead, especially when they begun to decompose.
"Will this area be safe?"
It took some time in moving the two bodies and finding a clean set of bedrolls, but Fenris and Fine manage turn the smaller chamber of the cave into a makeshift living quarter. It isn't much, but it beats sleeping outside and be exposed to the elements.
"Don't worry, I set up half a dozen Fire Runes in the corridor leading to outside. Any bandit still outside will not know what hit them if they return here. The explosions will also wake us up, so we will not be caught off guard."
Fenris assured Fine just as the two sat down on their respective bedrolls. The latter was rather surprise to see that the former has yet to take off his armor.
"Why do you still have your armor on?" Fine asked since she found the idea of Fenris sleeping with his armor on to be very strange.
"You will be surprised how many times I slept with my armor on when I in the wilderness. It is only when I am in either a village or city that I would take it off."
Once more, the Dragonborn exceeded Fine's expectations.
First willingly to break his longsword to use it in a dual-wielding manner, then actually killing some bandits unarmed and now sleeping with in a suit of armor.
Is there anything else unusual that she has yet to know about Fenris?
Regardless, Fine kept in eye on him as he lied down on his bedroll and finally went to sleep. Seeing him sleep peaceful despite his armor, she swore that Fenris wore it like a second layer of skin.
"What are you Fenris?" She muttered quietly.
In her eyes, he was an enigma. While he was powerful warrior, Fenris display traits which were unusual compared to the mercenaries she met before in the past. There was more to him than meets the eye and Fine couldn't help but learn more about the Dragonborn's past and what drove him to become who he is now.
'What is with me?'
Fine lightly shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind. Trusting someone who could potentially be an enemy in the future was hazardous and Fenris was no exception. However, he gives out this unusual feeling of trust, loyalty, honour and valour.
For once in her life, she never met anyone who could peak her interest to this extent.
'He would be likely going back to the capital in the morning... Maybe... I should visit him in the future...'
After taking one last look at the sleeping face of Fenris, Fine finally fell into slumber.
Author's Note:
Sorry for the long wait, but I have finally finished the next chapter to the story. As you all can see, Fine is finally introduced into the story and has met the Dragonborn face-to-face.
I would also want to let you all know that I'll be away on a family trip for all of next week, so I will not be able to do any writing till I come back.
With that said, please enjoy the latest update to Dragonborn to Vanadis.
Harem: Ellen, Lim, Mila, Sofy, Liza, Valentina(1), Olga, Sasha, Fine(1)
(1) I have decided to include these two to the harem, regardless of their actions in the Light Novel. I've already have some ideas how to make such a thing feasible, but that is only much later on in the story.