Chapter 4
Bleak Falls Barrow
After camping out the previous night after their escape from Helgen, Hiccup, Toothless, and their temporary companions were clearing out their campsite while J'Kiir made up a list for their trek to the Whiterun hold. Their goal this time was to warn the jarl of Whiterun of the black dragon that attacked Helgen the previous day. Ralof and Hadvar left Riverwood the day before to return to their own outfits, so the young bloods were on their own for their journey. According to Renee, Whiterun was only a couple of miles away from the small logging town, so they should be there before noon.
After he finished rolling up one of the sleeping bags that Ralof's sister gave them, Rahm-Ku walked over to Hiccup and handed him a bag.
Curious, Hiccup asked, "What is this?"
"Tamriel currency. These septims that Alvor and Hod gave us will be enough to buy supplies for our trip to Whiterun." Said Rahm-Ku.
"But why give them to me? J'Kiir's the one with the list." Hiccup inquired.
Rahm-Ku gave him a look that helped the Viking to remember that J'Kiir was a thief and that giving him their money was a bad idea.
"Ah."
As Renee and Rahm-Ku continued to clear out the campsite while Toothless watched them, Hiccup walked over to the Khajiit thief, who was starting to stand up.
"Ready to get the supplies, J'Kiir?"
"As much as you are ready to guard those gold coins from me." The Khajiit joked, although it seemed hard for Hiccup to understand the mysterious thief.
Setting the joke aside, the duo left the camp and entered Riverwood. As they walked down the cobblestone road, J'Kiir pointed to an iron sign on a building across from Alvor's forge.
"That is where we need to go. The scaled sign indicates that the building is a trader's store."
As the entered the building, a heated argument between a man and a woman assaulted the ears of the travelers.
"I said no!"
"Are you serious? Are you really going to let those thieves get away with this then?"
"The guards will handle it once they come here."
"By then it will be-!"
But the pair halted their argument once they saw Hiccup and J'Kiir at the door.
"Uh…We can come back another time." Hiccup spoke.
But the man waved them off while the woman left the room in a huff of embarrassment.
"Sorry about that. What can I get you gentlemen?"
As J'Kiir gave the man the list, he asked a completely different question.
"If I may, did something happen here?"
The man was hesitant, but decided to confide in the two outsiders.
"Well, to tell you the truth, some thieves snuck in here last night and stole something of mine. A golden claw. Last I heard, they've fled to Bleak Falls Barrow."
Remembering what Hadvar and Ralof told them about the barrow, Hiccup looked to J'Kiir, who had a very unusual gleam in his eyes.
"Well, my companions and I can get that claw back for you. We were on our way to Whiterun, but there's no harm in taking back something that was stolen."
Not knowing of J'Kiir's occupation, the man spoke in happy surprises.
"R-really? You'd get the claw back from them? I-I don't know what to say."
It was then the man had an idea.
"How about this: get the claw back and not only will your supplies be on the house, but I've got some coin from a shipment I can part with you. It should be enough for you helping me and my sister."
With a satisfied grin, J'Kiir shook the trader's hand.
"Very well. We have a deal."
As they got the necessary supplies, Hiccup scowled at the Khajiit on their way back to the others.
"I can't believe you've just said that. Don't you remember what Ralof and Hadvar said about Bleak Falls Barrow?"
"I do remember, but this is an opportunity to make some coin and get some free supplies out of it."
"And to do that, we need to get a golden claw from a band of thieves." Hiccup spoke in a monotone voice.
"A little bump in the road, but worth it."
Hiccup wondered how much of a shrewd businessman the Khajiit was underneath that friendly-looking exterior. He was even beginning to wonder how much sanity the thief had.
Upon their return to the campsite, Hiccup walked over to Toothless as Rahm-Ku and Renee looked at them.
"So? Where are the supplies?" Rahm-Ku asked suspiciously.
Hiccup answered the Argonian with as much sarcasm as he could muster.
"Oh, we got them. And J'Kiir gave us the chance of a discount too. All we have to do is walk into Bleak Falls Barrows, ask some thieves to give us a golden claw they stole, and go back to the shop with it intact."
The Mage and the Warrior gave the Thief angry glares.
"J'KIIR!"
J'Kiir gave a toothy grin as he backed away from the approaching pair.
"Now don't get mad. I agreed to this so that we'd get those supplies for free and we will get some decent gold as a reward."
"And to do that, we've got to creep around in a Draugr-infested ruin, take out a group of bandits, get it, and get out?" Renee asked.
"Pretty much." J'Kiir spoke with his cheeky grin intact.
As the two Tamrielans argued with the third, Hiccup began to pet Toothless.
"Something tells me the ending of the argument won't be in our favor, bud."
Sure enough, J'Kiir managed to convince Renee and Rahm-Ku to go along with the plan and the four bipeds and one dragon were climbing up the trail that led to Bleak Falls Barrow.
"Tell me again how we got into this mess again?" Rahm-Ku asked Hiccup, who decided to walk with the others, giving Toothless a break from carrying him.
"Because J'Kiir made the point that unless we want to get to Whiterun without having any supply problems, we have to get that claw back."
Renee then spoke to J'Kiir, who was leading the way to the barrow.
"You better wish we don't run into any Draugr inside. Otherwise you're on your own with fighting them."
J'Kiir was about to say something when he spotted a ruined tower up ahead, along with a trio of bandits charging at them.
"How about until then, we take these blaggards out?"
Upon hearing this, Rahm-Ku and Renee attacked along with the Khajiit, leaving Hiccup with Toothless. The Viking watched as the Nord skewered one bandit in the gullet, the Argonian incinerating another with his Flame spell, and the Khajiit taking out the third bandit by firing an arrow in between his opponent's eyes.
Hiccup couldn't help but feel nauseous at the sight of his companions slaying. Even though he has been around blood before, it was usually from an animal at the butcher's. Hiccup struggled with his nausea, knowing that if he were to take the title of chief from his father one day, he would have to get used to the very idea of slaying another human. Especially in this chaotic nation.
Once the bandits were slain, J'Kiir went to work on looting the bodies while Renee went to the tower to take out any remaining bandits as well as finding something useful for the travelers to use. Rahm-Ku, noticing Hiccup's uneasiness, approached him.
"Not use to being in a fight?"
Trying not to look at the bodies, Hiccup answered.
"I'm just not used to being around dead people. Especially the (gulp) recently deceased."
The Argonian gave a chuckle as he helped his friends past the bodies and up the hill.
"It is not an easy thing to do, but you'll get used to it. I should know. I've never killed anyone until I got to Cyrodiil. Bandit. Had to fight for my life."
Soon after the mage-in-training told him this, Hiccup looked up ahead and saw Renee coming out of the ruined tower with a sack over her shoulders.
Once he and the others joined up with her, Renee began to list the loot.
"So far, I have found about one hundred septims, one magika potion, a couple of stamina and health potions, and I've found a couple of spell tomes for Rahm-Ku. Not sure if you already know them, but it doesn't hurt to check."
Rahm-Ku took the two books from Renee and looked them over. He lifted one, a violet book with a gate-like symbol on it, and spoke.
"I don't know this 'Summon Flame Antronach' spell, so I will use this."
He then handed Hiccup the second book, which was of a yellow color with an ethereal bird on it.
"That is the Healing spell I had taught my sisters back in Murky Glen. I believe you will find this useful at another time."
"I'll say. We're here." J'Kiir called out after a quick scouting trip up along the trail.
Taking the tome, Hiccup placed the item in one of the saddle bags and followed the Khajiit. Sure enough, just a little ways away was none other than the entrance into Bleak Falls Barrow.
"It looks like those bandits we've taken care of were the front guard. I don't see any other bandits out front." J'Kiir answered as he started walking up the steps.
As they reached the giant doors, Renee turned and spoke to Hiccup.
"As much as I don't mind your friend coming along, I know well of tombs like this and I can assure you that he won't fit passed the entrance."
Hiccup's eyes widened as he heard this.
"Are you saying Toothless can't come with us?"
Renee answered with sincerity.
"I am afraid not. The passages will only get smaller in width and I fear he won't get through. But we can let him into the entrance chamber so that he won't get cold."
J'Kiir then spoke.
"You don't have to come with us, my friend. Chances are there will be more things that may need slaying."
As much as Hiccup wanted to stay with Toothless, the young Viking's curiosity got the best of him as he turned to his dragon, who let out a grumbling moan.
"Don't worry, bud. We'll find this golden claw and come back. In the meantime, stay warm."
Hiccup comforted the Night Fury. As Toothless let out an accepting growl, Renee and J'Kiir pushed one of the large doors as Rahm-Ku peeked inside.
"I see two bandits talking at the far end of the entrance chamber. I don't think they've noticed us yet."
"Then I will take it from here." J'Kiir spoke, drawing an arrow and readied it with his bow.
The Khajiit then sneaked passed Rahm-Ku and carefully stalked inside. Avoiding contact with the giant rats and a couple of corpses of unfortunate bandits, J'Kiir silently made his way to the first of the two pillars that supported the chamber's ceiling. Then, carefully, he pulled back on the bow, bringing the feathered end of the first arrow close to his right jade eye. After carefully taking aim, the thief released the arrow, swiftly striking its target. And before the second bandit could process on what happened, J'Kiir fired another arrow and like before, the arrow struck its target.
Standing straight up, J'Kiir turned to the entrance.
"Alright. You can come in now."
Upon hearing the cat man, the three remaining adventurers and the Night Fury entered the barrow from the snowy outside, taking advantage of the fire made by the recently-deceased bandits. After they had warmed up, and J'Kiir looted the bodies, Toothless stayed by the fire as the quartet made their way into the bowels of the barrow.
As they walked down the tunnels, a sound began to annoy the Khajiit. The sound of metal tapping the ground. Looking behind him, he found the culprit: Hiccup's false leg.
"Does anyone have a small satchel to spare? Because with that maddening tapping, we'll get discovered quickly."
"Oh, like being sneaky is everything. I can't help it if my leg is noisy!" Hiccup argued.
But Rahm-Ku held up his hand and shushed them.
"Quiet! This can be taken care of instantly."
He then pulled out his money pouch and poured out all of his septims, leaving the bag empty. Then, after stuffing the bag with a bit of linen that was lying around, the mage placed the leather bag on the Viking's foot, finishing off with tying the drawstring tightly around the metal.
"There. That should do it for now."
Hiccup walked around the corridor, testing the new mute for his leg. Not a single tap was heard. With a grateful smile, he turned to the Argonian.
"Thanks, Rahm-Ku. I'll be sure to return your money bag when we get out of here."
"No problem." Rahm-Ku waved off as he pocketed his gold. "Now. Let's find that claw."
After walking down the hall a ways, Renee spotted something and pulled Rahm-Ku and Hiccup down by their shirts.
"Get down! Another bandit!" She whispered.
But just as J'Kiir was about to draw another arrow, the bandit, not knowing of his supposed attackers, pulled a lever in front of him and in a snap, arrows from out of nowhere pierced his flesh, killing him instantly. Blinking in surprise, the archer Khajiit spoke.
"Well. That was unusual."
The quartet walked ahead and J'Kiir examined the body.
"Poisoned arrows. Even if the injuries were minor, the poison would've finished him immediately."
Renee then looked around the chamber and approached three pillars at the left side of the chamber.
"He was killed before he could solve this puzzle. I've been in crypts like this before and..." She then began to turn the pillars, showing two snake engravings and one whale engraving. "...if you pulled the lever before you figure out the right sequence, the mechanism which fires the poisoned arrows will strike you down."
She then walked over to the lever and pulled it, making the three young men duck behind a fallen stone. But instead of arrows, a gate that was ahead of them opened up, allowing them to continue. The trio were stunned at Renee's know-how.
"Renee. How did you know that was the right order?" Hiccup asked.
Renee answered by pointing to three images, one on the ground and two up on the wall.
"It pays to examine your surroundings when it comes to traps like this."
Then then walked down a circular ramp and entered another hall, which was covered with spider webs. The memories of the Frostbite spiders came flooding back to Hiccup as a voice called from an adjoining chamber.
"It's coming from the other side of these spider webs!" Rahm-Ku called out as Renee, J'Kiir, and Hiccup began to cut the thick webbing.
As the last of the thick webbing was cut away, the four charged into the chamber and caught sight of what Hiccup figured was a Dark Elf, bound up in wrappings.
"Look out!" The elf called just as a large shadow appeared from the ceiling.
And through a hole in the ceiling came a huge Frostbite Spider, one that looked like it had been in a fierce fight.
Rahm-Ku began to fire a new fiery spell that Hiccup had never seen before while J'Kiir fired round after round of arrows and Renee charged at the giant arachnid. Looking at his knife, the Viking began to feel pretty weak at the moment.
Well, weaker.
Eyeing the Dunmer in the webbing, Hiccup made his way around the battle, careful of the spider's legs, and crept his way to the Dark Elf. He was about three feet away when the Frostbite Spider turned enough to fix its eight eyes on the scrawny boy just steps away from his prey. In a rage, the spider, though wounded, shrieked its terrible cry and charged at the Viking.
Hiccup froze in fear as the giant spider dashed towards him, knowing that there was no way he'd be able to take out such a creature with a mere knife. With not enough time to evade the arachnid, Hiccup closed his eyes tightly and prepared for the venomous bite that would end him.
But it didn't come.
Instead, the teen heard another shrill cry from the spider before silence overtook the sound. This time, it was in agony. Daring himself to open his eyes, Hiccup nearly had a heart attack as he found himself mere inches away from the giant spider's fangs. Looking up, he saw that Renee had dealt the final blow with her sword in the head, killing it instantly.
As Renee jumped off the spider and J'Kiir approaching the captive Dunmer, Rahm-Ku, his hands cooled down after using the unknown fire spell, aided the Viking from his spot, careful to avoid the fangs.
"Are you alright, Hiccup?"
Clutching his chest, Hiccup waited for his heart to slow down before he gave the Argonian an answer.
"I'll feel better once we're out of here."
Agreeing with the Viking, the mage looked up from the teen to the Khajiit, the Nord, and the Dunmer.
"You did it. You killed it. Now cut me down before anything else shows up." The Dark Elf spoke hastily.
"Where is the golden claw?" J'Kiir interrogated.
Hiccup could see the elf was hesitant, but complied.
"Yes, the claw. I know how it works. The claw, the markings, the door in the Hall of Stories. I know how they all fit together! Help me down, and I'll show you. You won't believe the power and treasure the Nords have hidden there."
Even though they haven't known each other for long, the trio immediately knew that they can't go anywhere without J'Kiir dragging them to finish this treasure hunt.
"Just until we warn the jarl about the black dragon." The three of them thought.
J'Kiir, eager at the sound of some sort of treasure hidden in this tomb, pulled out his dagger and began to cut the webbing.
"Alright. Show us this treasure as long as you give us the claw in return."
"Deal, lad. Now get me down from here!" The Dunmer agreed.
Hiccup joined the cat teen in cutting the elf down, which was his original intent before the spider spotted him. As they cut the thief down, Rahm-Ku approached Renee and whispered to her.
"I don't like this. He's giving in way too easily."
"I agree. Something's up." Renee whispered back.
Sure enough, once the Dunmer was cut free, he gave a sly smirk and dashed down the corridor behind him, calling out as he ran.
"You fools, why should I share the treasure with anyone?"
Hearing that he had been double-crossed, J'Kiir's ears laid backwards and his fur stood on end.
"What! Get back here, you pathetic excuse for a sneak thief!"
It was then that the Khajiit dashed in after the elf. Rahm-Ku gave a half-laugh as he and the others ran after the two thieves.
"This is new to me. A thief chasing down a thief."
Ignoring the Argonian's remark, Renee and Hiccup focused their attention to the path ahead. With the twists and turns of the corridor, there wasn't a doubt that the Khajiit would have problems trying to aim an arrow at the elf. However, just as they passed a smaller chamber, the trio were halted by J'Kiir, who was standing still with his back towards them.
"What are you doing? Where is the thief?" Rahm-Ku asked, annoyed.
J'Kiir held up his clawed hand and shushed the lizard mage.
"He is being taken care of…by something else."
As he said that, the trio looked ahead and gave off horrified looks at what they saw.
Skewering the elf were the dried up remnants of humans, most likely Nords. Their skins were intact, minus their fluids and bowels, and were so thin that their bones could be seen through the skin, their eyes gave off a bluish glow which indicated that they were alive, again. These were the creatures that they were told to avoid. The creatures that they hoped that they would never come across in this place.
Draugr.
Reaching for an arrow, J'Kiir readied his bow and fired at the three Draugr, each arrow hitting dead center of the skulls and sending the Draugr back into their eternal sleep. After they were safe, the quartet approached the dead Dunmer.
"This is what happens when you don't heed the warnings." Renee spoke as J'Kiir looked into the elf's pouch for money, a notebook, and a beautiful golden clawed foot with three engravings underneath.
The Golden Claw.
As J'Kiir examined their quarry, Rahm-Ku took the notebook and read through it with interest.
"These notes are fascinating, if not disturbing. Apparently, there is a hidden chamber deep within the bowels of this place. And this claw is the key."
As they looked at J'Kiir, they knew that they weren't going to leave this place without whatever it was the thief was after in the first place.
"Here we go again." Hiccup spoke sarcastically.
An hour later…
The quartet made it to the Hall of Stories, after passing chamber after chamber of Draugr left and right. Charged with holding the claw and being the lookout, Hiccup was beginning to feel like a pack-mule while the others slayed the mummies with magic, sword, and arrows. Hiccup thought about calling on Toothless once they reached an area with an open ceiling to the skies of Skyrim, only to remember that the Night Fury was at the entrance of this place.
After taking a rest in the Hall of Stories, which Renee explained that the walls were carved with various stories told by the ancient Nords in carvings, the quartet looked at the door at the end. This door was different from any door they had seen, as there was a large lock that took up most of the slab. There was a stone circle that had three rows of rings above it. Each one with a different design. The one in the center of the door was no doubt meant for the claw.
Curious, Hiccup walked over the door with the claw as the others were going through their supplies. When they were going through the barrow, Hiccup took a look at the carvings on the claw. They were of a bear, a moth, and an owl. Looking at the door, he saw the carvings were in a different order: a moth, an owl, and a bear.
Touching the lower ring, Hiccup noticed that the stone ring was loose. At first, he thought it was age, but after another look, the Viking noticed that all of the rings were movable.
"They are a kind of a combination lock." He heard Renee speak.
Turning to the Nord, Hiccup watched as Renee moved the rings until the pattern was the same as the claw.
"Now just place the claw in the center and it should open."
Looking at the claw in his hands, Hiccup placed the points of the claw into the indents in the center circle. After moving it, a lowed click was heard. Pulling the claw back, the Viking watched as the door lowered itself, revealing the hidden path. Hearing the door open, J'Kiir and Rahm-Ku sighed as they packed up the remainder of their supplies and followed the two humans.
On the other side of the puzzle door was a very large, open cavern, with natural light shining through. Instead of gold and jewels, it was stone and water. J'Kiir spoke in disbelief.
"We have come all this way for some rocks? That damned elf is lucky that the Draugr killed him and not me."
It was then that Hiccup spotted something up ahead.
"What's that over there?"
Curious, the four approached the other end of the cavern and lo and behold, there was a large wall with the most unusual carvings that they had ever seen. As if compelled by some unseen force, the adventurers walked up the steps of the ledge that the wall was atop of, passing a coffin along the way, and approached the wall. J'Kiir pointed to the wall and asked Rahm-Ku a question.
"Can you read any of that, Argonian?"
"Unfortunately, no. I don't know this language at all." The mage replied solemnly.
"I don't know this writing either." Renee added in."
"It's not in my language, if any of you are thinking that." Hiccup replied as he approached the wall.
Just then, a small segment of letters began to glow in a blue color.
"Hiccup!" The trio cried as Hiccup jumped back in shock, nearly falling over due to his muffled leg.
But they noticed that as Hiccup backed away, the letters dimmed. Curious, Rahm-Ku approached the wall before moving back quickly. Same reaction. Renee and J'Kiir did the same thing and got the same reaction.
"I don't think it's going to hurt us." Rahm-Ku spoke.
"Call me mad, but I could swear that section of letters is calling me."
"I don't think you're the only one who's gone mad. I can hear it calling me, too." Renee replied.
"Same here, but with me!" J'Kiir exclaimed.
"Me too!" Hiccup replied in surprise.
As they went over what happened, the wall's silent calls became stronger and stronger to the minds of the four. Looking at the wall, the mage spoke.
"Perhaps this is meant for us. I say we approach the wall and let it do whatever it was meant for."
Too curious to be cautious, the remainder of the group agreed and approached to wall to the point where they could touch it with their noses.
As they did, their vision came to the glowing words and caught them in a trance. The light became brighter and brighter as a single word formed in their minds. When the light dimmed once more, they could clearly understand the word now, as if it was a language they knew from long ago was finally remembered. As they left their trances, Hiccup looked to his comrades.
"Did anyone get the word 'Fus' like I did?"
There wasn't a single shaking head once the question was asked. They word they had learned was the same.
Fus.
It was then that the sound of stone slamming on stone caught their attention. Turing around, the quartet came face to face with a strong-looking Draugr.
"That must be the lord of the Draugr of Bleak Falls Barrow!" Renee called as she drew her sword again.
As the others left to fight the lord, Hiccup went over the word in his head, wondering what in the world happened. By the time he became focused, Rahm-Ku had incinerated the Draugr lord with the strange fire spell that he had used on the Frostbite Spider.
"If there is one thing I would love to learn about at the College, it's how to use the Firebolt spell without exhausting my magika."
"Everyone! Look at this!" J'Kiir called out.
They found him looking into the coffin, pulling out a stone slab the size of a small wagon wheel. On the stone was what seems to be a map. A map of Skyrim.
"Do you think this is what the elf was after?" J'Kiir asked.
"I'm not sure. It looks like Skyrim, but I have never seen these markings on any map." Renee replied, pointing to the strange marks on the map. "There is nothing there but wilderness."
"This is a puzzle." Rahm-Ku muttered before he voiced his opinion. "Maybe the jarl's court wizard may know something."
"Do you think he could help?" Renee asked.
"A court wizard would've graduated from the College. Surely he must know something. In the meantime, I say we get out of here."
Agreeing, the quartet of adventures followed the remaining path, which thankfully lead them out of the barrow and into the wilds of Skyrim. J'Kiir and Renee left to take the claw back to Riverwood while Hiccup and Rahm-Ku headed back to the entrance around the barrow to pick up Toothless, preferring to the fresh air than the decaying corpses.
Once all of them returned to Riverwood, they took notice that it was only midday. Which was a surprise to them as they felt that it was night instead of day. After all that has happened in the barrow, the four agreed to rest up for an afternoon meeting with the Jarl of Whiterun.
But little did our adventurers know that that little word they discovered was the first key to their destiny. The key to saving Skyrim…and the world.