Sapphire Night Eye ver2

by Risemonger

She is the shadow on the wall, but a beacon of hope. A mistress of the night and a hero of the day. Join Ty'ani as she is transformed from Riften's most feared thief to Skyrim's greatest hero. Khajiit protagonist. Rated M.

3. Bleak Falls Barrow

4E 201
21st of Sun's Dusk

The Bannered Mare's atmosphere was a cheery one, as patrons drank and clapped to the bard's song. Ty'ani however couldn't find it in herself to enjoy it. Her 'trial' with the Jarl had ended hours ago and she knew what she needed to do, which was to find an ancient artefact for the court wizard. The problem was that she really didn't want to.

She was uncomfortable with the fact that said artefact was currently housed in a Nordic tomb, Bleak Falls Barrow. She had to search her memory about the place, quickly remembering that Ralof had briefly told her of it when they ran from Helgen's destruction. Something about how the place is haunted with the undead. She scoffed at the time, until she explored a ruin for herself. It was with Mercer Frey at Snow Veil Sanctum, at a time he had her believe that Karliah was the traitor to their Guild. And there was when he betrayed her, stabbed her and left her for dead. She still had the scar below her right ribcage to prove it. That aside, the tomb was far too difficult to sneak through, and the dead returning to life frightened her to no end. It was enough to keep her from entering another tomb again, so it was no surprise that- although she had no choice- she really didn't want to go to the Barrow. Not without help at least. After all, the Jarl never said anything specifically about going alone, so therefore she was entitled to take someone else. Loopholes were a wonderful thing.

Unfortunately, getting the perfect person for the job wasn't as easy as it sounds.

Situated in the dark corner by the entrance, Ty'ani rested her head in her palm- not at all interested in the meal she bought for herself- sighing in irritation. She had been here for two hours already, watching people come and go but not one wanted to travel with her. It was either because she was a Khajiit, or they knew of her theft earlier. In most cases, both. Case in point, Ty'ani flicked her eyes to a Redguard man who had been glaring at her since she entered. It really seemed as though her very presence was an affinity to these people.

With a groan, the Khajiit folded her arms on the table and rested her chin on her forearms, however she jumped in surprise when something sharp jabbed into her arm. Sitting back up, she quickly figured out the cause, seeing her amulet rest innocently back against her chest. She frowned. Brynjolf had told her that this thing would help her to bend people to her will. If that's the case, than it was doing a very poor job.

Exhaling a frustrated breath through her nose, Ty'ani leant back in her seat, ears folded against her head and her tail twitching behind her to showcase her mood. Not that anyone would understand the motion anyway. She rubbed her eyes with a thumb and finger. "The Gods truly hate me." she mused to herself. It was at that point she decided that no one in this city was going to help her. They were all too proud and they didn't want to be seen with a Khajiit and a thief. She's really starting to wish she was a bit more subtle now, as she wouldn't be in this mess if she executed even the slightest bit of caution.

Before she could think about rising from her seat however, a sudden voice startled her. "Pardon me." the girl removed her hand from her eyes, glancing up at the person who spoke to her. She was astonished to see a Nord woman standing before her. She wore a plain off-white shirt with brown breeches and dark leather boots, carrying a tankard of mead in one hand and a plateful of food in the other. As Ty'ani studied her more intently however, her eyes widened in surprise.

She knew this woman. She was a little unrecognisable without her heavy armour, but the Khajiit quickly figured out that it was the woman who she helped just this morning outside the city. The Nord continued once she had the Khajiit's attention. "I'm sorry, I did not mean to intrude on your thoughts, but everywhere else is full. Would you mind if I sat with you?"

Ty'ani was astounded. Why on Nirn would this woman ask to sit with her? Any other self respecting Nord would just demand that she move and disappear from their presence. Not that she was complaining of course, it was a nice change, but still Ty'ani couldn't help but feel wary. Either way, she wouldn't repay this woman's respectful question with a rude answer.

Clearing her throat, she nodded, gesturing to the empty chair beside her. "Of course." she replied. As the woman became situated with a smile, Ty'ani began to rise from her seat. "But you wouldn't want to be seen with me, so I'll take my leave."

Before she could grab her equipment though, the woman immediately answered back. "Oh, are you not going to finish your meal?"

Looking back at her, Ty'ani's confusion increased. Shaking that off, she quickly replied. "I'm not hungry, thank you." In spite of her protesting stomach, but it wouldn't be the first time she went without food.

The Nord, however, was having none of that. "Unacceptable. You bought this meal fairly, therefore you deserve to enjoy it. Sit." she gestured to the seat Ty'ani had just vacated, her tone suggesting that there was no room for argument. She watched the girl's face change between shock and wariness.

Ty'ani was indeed wary. What was this Nord's game? Why was she insisting that she remain seated with her? With these questions floating round her mind, Ty'ani placed her equipment back down and sat back in the chair. In her peripherals, she noticed quite a few people staring at them, but she did her best to ignore them.

Now satisfied, the Nord took a sip from her tankard before beginning on her meal. "I apologise for my tone." she said after one bite of her bread. "But I cannot in good conscience allow anyone to go without, no matter their race."

That made the girl pause. She glanced up at the Nord with a questioning look. "You..." she began slowly. "Don't care that I'm a Khajiit?"

"Of course not." she replied without hesitation, a kind smile on her face. "I wouldn't let any of these short minded folk get to you. Most of us are happy to welcome outsiders and it isn't fair that your race is being forced to stay out the gates. You are quite fortunate to have been let in." it was then that a thoughtful look crossed her features as she continued eating, studying Ty'ani more intently. A look of recognition replaced that in a heartbeat. "Wait, I remember you."

Ty'ani's insides went cold at that. Oh here it comes, she's going to accuse her of thievery and hate her. But the woman's next words were not what she expected though. "You're the Khajiit that assisted us outside the city, yes?"

Her mouth agape, Ty'ani glanced at her dumbly for a second. She didn't know about what she did? Or she did and was just playing with her. Either way, the Khajiit mentally shook her head to rid herself of those thoughts, quickly nodding outwardly. "Yes, I recognise you too."

The Nord smiled. "Well, thank you again for that. If you had not come along when you did, I would be in the temple by now. Or dead." placing her half eaten bread down, she brushed the crumbs clinging to her fingers on her shirt before offering her hand for a handshake. "Haema Steel-Hand."

Blinking, Ty'ani stared at the outstretched hand for a moment before slipping her tiny hand into Haema's larger one. She braced herself for a bone jarring handshake, but surprisingly the woman shook it gently. The Khajiit smiled at that. "Ty'ani." she replied.

"A pleasure." Haema responded with a smile of her own. She dug back into her meal after that, Ty'ani following suit. After a few mouthfuls though, Haema continued. "So Ty'ani, what brings you to Whiterun?"

The Khajiit froze at that. Swiftly swallowing the morsel in her mouth, her mind raced for an answer. If this woman really didn't know that she stole from the Hall of the Dead, then she couldn't just come out a say that she did. She decided instead to take advantage of the city's reputation. Whiterun was the trade hub of Skyrim after all. "Oh, I came to trade mostly. I tend to hunt out in the plains and often times I explore forgotten caves." she smoothly lied. She was suddenly glad that the white noise in the break room drowned out her words, as no one but Haema heard what she said.

"Ah, I see." Haema nodded. "Well, it is a shame you didn't turn up a day earlier. It was the Warrior's Festival yesterday, you could have gotten a discount on weaponry and armour."

Ty'ani couldn't help but smile bitterly at that. "I highly doubt anyone would half their prices for a Khajiit. It's for the best that I didn't turn up yesterday." it was then that a thought occurred to Ty'ani, instantly remembering the service she had to perform. Looking at Haema, she knew that she is a warrior and judging from the fact that she was taking on a giant, she's more than likely a well accomplished one. This could definitely work to her advantage.

Deciding to approach this carefully, Ty'ani tentatively began. "Haema," once the Nord's attention was upon her, she continued. "There is another reason I'm here. I've been contracted to collect a priceless artefact from Bleak Falls Barrow. It's called a Dragonstone. Though I don't really have much experience travelling through tombs, and I seem to remember that you said you owed me. So, I'd wondered if you wished to accompany me?"

Haema stared at her for what felt like an age, her only outward response was a subtle rise of a brow. She pursed her full lips before taking a swig from her tankard. Finally, after a lengthy pause, she spoke. "What exactly is this Dragonstone to your employer?"

Ty'ani sucked in a breath. "From what I understand, it reveals the location of dragon burial sights. Beyond that, I'm not sure."

"And due to the rumours going round lately, it would be quite a useful tool." Haema pondered. Before long she nodded her head. "Yes, this to me sounds like an important assignment, so I will accompany you."

Inwardly, Ty'ani crumpled in relief, thanking every God she knew for her turn in luck. "All right, then we'll leave tomorrow morning."

Finishing the last of her meal, Haema nodded, rising from her seat. "Agreed. Meet me at the city gate at first light."

Still in her own seat, Ty'ani watched Haema walk out the tavern, smiling to herself. Slumping back into her chair, her previously tense muscles relaxed as she let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. Brushing her hair behind her shoulders, she sat back up to finish with her own meal- which was no doubt cold by now.

When she finished the last of her food, her right ear twitched as she heard someone clearing their throat near her. Turning to the source of the noise, Ty'ani saw a tall figure clad head to toe in a royal blue robe. Looking under the hood, Ty'ani saw the face of an Altmer woman. She had healthy olive skin, slanted acid green eyes and sharp features. Ty'ani spied wisps of auburn hair escaping the prison of her hood, which was quite unusual for a high-elf as her kind usually had either blonde or brown hair. Not that it mattered anyway, as she still held the natural beauty of her race.

Her robes were long but thick, which would protect her from the chill of the outside. The only thing she carried was a tanned satchel, of which rested on her left hip.

"Pardon me, but I could not help but overhear your conversation." she began in a low voice. "I must say, this artefact you have been assigned to collect has peaked my interest. If you would permit me, I wish to accompany you and study it before you hand it to your employer."

Ty'ani blinked at that. This elf really had a lot of nerve eavesdropping on her and Haema, but it was unsurprising. No doubt others would have been attempting to do the same if it wasn't so noisy, and use what she would say to harass her. Obviously, this Altmer only heard her because elves hearing were almost on par with Khajiit, but not quite. It was that thought that made her tense up all over again. She tilted her head as she addressed the Altmer warily. "You're very blunt. Why ever would you want to accompany me?" The elf's eyes narrowed at that.

"You clearly have trust issues." the woman responded without missing a beat. "Understandable, considering your species. But I digress: I consider myself as a scholar and I have gained an interest in the tombs of Skyrim, particularly anything that references to the dragons of old. Now, would you permit me to accompany you and to study the artefact?"

Ty'ani paused, allowing the Altmer's words to sink in. This woman clearly had no interest in extending this charade and she was very to the point. Ty'ani could respect that to a degree but as of right now, the Khajiit didn't feel particularly comfortable. Before making a decision, she had one last thing that she needed to ask. "What sort of skills could you bring to this venture?"

The elf didn't even blink at that question, answering with no hesitation. "I am not helpless if that is what your asking." she said bluntly while folding her robes aside, revealing her long slender legs encased in thick leggings and sturdy boots, with a well used dagger of elven craft strapped to one thigh. Releasing the cloth and allowing it to fall back into place, she continued. "I also have a talent in the magical arts. I am certain that having a mage with you would be beneficial, no?"

Indeed it would. Ty'ani couldn't count how many times she needed a mage during her time here. So, decision made, she nodded her head. "All right you convinced me. We'll meet at the city gate at dawn, erm..." she trailed off, subtly asking for the Altmer's name.

Thankfully she picked up on it. "Alasse Míriel."

The Khajiit nodded at that with a smile. "Ty'ani." she replied. "I'll see you at sun up Alasse."

Without another word, Alasse smoothly turned and disappeared back into the throng of people. Ty'ani on the other hand could hardly believe her luck. She had come here for the hope of gaining at least one companion for this journey and ended up with two. Nocturnal was smiling upon her, surely.

Therefore in a lighter mood, Ty'ani gathered up her equipment, placing them in the appropriate places on her body before exiting the Inn. Immediately, she headed for the General Goods store, intent on being fully prepared before tomorrow.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Early the next morning, pack heavy with all the essentials she'll need for this journey, Ty'ani dragged herself out of the Bannered Mare and through the district's thoroughfare to the main gate. She rubbed her eyes tiredly with a yawn. Her nightmares had kept her awake for the majority of the night, dragging her from her much needed rest every few hours or so. But, in spite of how tired she was, her mind refused to return to unconsciousness for the final time so therefore, she decided it was time to meet her new compatriots by the front gates.

The Khajiit sat on the low wall of the bridge that lead to the gate, watching the sunrise with tired eyes. She contemplated the red and golden colours without actually seeing them as she waited. The watery colours suggested that it was going to be quite cold today, as she could already tell by the crisp wintry air and the foggy horizon. She curled in on herself more and hugged her cloak tighter as the wind picked up.

At last, Ty'ani spotted movement in her peripheral vision. Snapping to the motion, the Khajiit was relieved to see one of her new companions. The blue robes immediately revealed the person to be Alasse, walking with purpose in her step toward her, a brown fur shawl connected with silver clasps over her shoulders to ward off the cold. Once again, all the Altmer carried with her was her small satchel and no doubt her concealed dagger. How strange that the woman wouldn't bring anything else with her, but Ty'ani was in no mood to ask about it. Besides, from Ty'ani's first impression of the woman, she would probably not appreciate any probing questions anyway.

The Altmer stepped up to her side, acknowledging her with a nod. "Good morning." she greeted.

"Morning." Ty'ani murmured back. She rubbed one eye again as she spotted Alasse give her a quick glance.

"You did not sleep well." she stated, not as a question but as an observation. Ty'ani merely grunted in reply, too tired to explain. Though honestly, as she didn't truly know the woman yet the girl didn't feel comfortable diverging any bit of information to her anyway.

Silence fell then, the only sounds were the call of the winds and the song of early birds and other animals outside the city walls.

After a few minutes, when the cockerels in the nearby farms cawed out their morning alarm, singing to the steadily rising sun, the city slowly became more alive as more people prepared for the day. Following that, the two spotted Haema exiting a house that neighboured the armourer's shop, Warmaiden's. The Nord woman was fully dressed in her dark wolf armour, her battle axe strapped to her back and a dark fur backpack over her shoulders.

As they watched, they saw the warrior turn back toward the entrance of the house as a tall man exited as well. He too was fully dressed in armour and Ty'ani's eyes widened when she recognised him as the same man who fought with Haema yesterday, the one that was also injured by the giant. Next thing Ty'ani knew, there was a flurry of movement, as two children ran out of the house and attached themselves to the adults. They were little girls: one with long black hair tied in a braid and clad in a blue dress, the other with short blonde hair and clad in a green dress. As the children alternated between hugging both adults, another figure shadowed the doorway. He was a young man who was almost a splitting image of the older man, clothed in a simple overcoat and breeches.

It didn't take long for Ty'ani to figure out that this was Haema's family. While observing the woman giving goodbye hugs and kisses to all, the Khajiit couldn't help but feel saddened. Seeing this display only reminded her of the lack of family she has, as she lost them long before she could even get to know them. She was raised in an orphanage and was never loved by the carers for one reason or other. As a result of that, she ran at the first opportunity and lived on the streets. It was where she learned of her talent in larceny, as she had no other choice if she wanted to live.

Once the eldest man walked further into the city, Haema turned to the younger man, giving him a couple of stern words. He nodded in agreement before the two of them also exchanged hugs. He and his sisters returned back inside the house as Haema strode over to them. She gave Ty'ani a kind smile but paused when she saw Alasse, cocking a curious brow. "Ah," she exclaimed at first, quickly clearing her throat as she glanced back to the Khajiit. "A friend of yours, Ty'ani?"

Ty'ani's eyes darted to her lap sheepishly. "Well, actually, she asked to come with us after you went yesterday. She's a mage, so I thought her talents could be helpful to us."

Haema looked back to the hooded Altmer, nodding her head. "You thought well." she agreed before addressing Alasse. "Tell me, you know healing magic and are able to defend yourself?"

Alasse nodded in turn. "I do." she curtly replied.

"Then that is good enough for me. It's not my place to say who can and cannot come along after all."

Alasse's thin eyebrows rose in surprise at that. "I am surprised." she admitted. "It is not often that I meet a Nord who cares not for what I am."

"Most Nords are too short sighted." Haema declared with a tiny hint of disdain in her voice. A moment later, she regained her composure and offered her hand to the Altmer. "Haema Steel-Hand."

After a quick glimpse at the Nord's hand, Alasse outstretched her own, shaking it. "Alasse Míriel."

"A pleasure to meet you, Alasse."

Ty'ani smiled. Well, so far things were going smoothly, though the day was young. Either way she stood from the ledge, stepping up between the two incredibly tall women, craning her neck to look up at the both of them. "So," she began slowly. "Are we ready to go?"

Glancing down at her, the two nodded. "More than ready." Haema replied. "Let us be off." at that, the three set out through Whiterun's gates, detouring to the stables. Alasse bought herself a fair white mare while Haema prepared a painted stallion; her own no doubt. Unfortunately, Ty'ani herself couldn't ride, she had never learnt how.

When she mentioned this, Haema just smiled. "You can ride with me. Valiant is strong enough to carry us both." she patted the stallion's neck as she said that.

With that sorted, they finished preparing the horses and straddled them, beginning to follow the road to Riverwood, where that will lead to Bleak Falls Barrow.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

They reached Riverwood later that afternoon, spending the night at the Sleeping Giant Inn. The following morning, whilst leaving the horses in the care of the tavern owners, they headed to the Riverwood Trader to fill up on their water supply and buy extra water skins. Since Bleak Falls Barrow was such a large tomb, there would be no telling how long they'll be in there for, so it would be wise to keep stocked up on water.

Upon entering the small shop, they were immediately greeted with arguing. "Well, one of us has to do something!" came an irritated female voice. It was shortly followed by the voice of the shop's owner.

"I said no! No adventures, no theatrics, no thief chasing!"

The two weren't hard to spot, as they were stood by the counter, each glaring at the other having not seen the three woman enter. The woman snapped back to the man. "Well what are you going to do then, huh? Let's hear it!"

"We are done talking about this!" he yelled back with finality in his voice. It looked as though the woman was going to retaliate anyway, but he spotted the three standing in the doorway. Immediately, he dropped his mood, clearing his throat. "Oh, customers. Sorry you had to hear that." confident that the atmosphere would now quieten, the women stepped further in. The young woman retreated to a table near to the stairs as the man stepped behind the counter. "I don't know what you overheard but, the Riverwood Trader is still open. Feel free to shop."

"Did something happen?" Ty'ani asked timidly.

The man paused, scratching the back of his neck. "Uh, yes. We did have a bit of a... break-in." he shook his head, continuing in a reassuring tone. "But we still have plenty to sell. Robbers were only after one thing. An ornament. Solid gold in the shape of a dragon's claw."

"Oh I see." Ty'ani replied. Well, unlucky for them, they'll never get something like that back. There was no way any self respecting thief would loose something of that value. No doubt it's long gone by now. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that." she said, hoping she sounded genuinely sorry when in actuality, all she could think of was how stupid these two must be to leave something that valuable out in the open.

"Oh it's no trouble." he replied. "No doubt those thieves would be long gone now anyway. So, are you ladies needing anything specific at all?"

"Yes." Haema said. "Would it be possible for us all to get refills of water? Perhaps extra water skins? Oh, and a travel lantern with plenty of oil."

"Yes of course." the man uttered as he took their skins to refill. Turning them back over, he searched around for their requested items, placing them on the counter top also when he found them. "That will be forty gold, please." he informed them.

Haema paid for the items as they packed them away, voicing their thanks to the shop keepers before exiting. Wasting no time, the three trekked out the village toward the bridge they crossed the previous night. Crossing over, they took a left toward the old animal path- that barely passed for a road- that lead to the mountain's peak. It didn't take long before the air began to grow even colder, forcing Alasse and Ty'ani to wrap up more, the high-elf summoning a small fire spell between her hands to keep herself warm. Haema on the other hand, due to both her natural resistance and loose fur cloak, didn't even flinch. Sometimes, Ty'ani wished that she was a Nord, if only for one day.

As the wind turned into a strong gust, the women's breath became more visible the more they climbed. Their vision becoming increasingly impaired as snow fell from the sky, but they still saw the tall and imposing structure that was their destination materialising in the distance. Adjusting the angle of her hood, Ty'ani attempted to get a better look at the top of the towering tomb, though it was difficult due to the snowflakes blurring her vision. As they enclosed on the grand staircase that lead to the entrance, a flurry of movement caught their attention through the mist. Following that, the sound of battle echoed through the air.

Suddenly on alert, the women picked up their pace. Once they got to the base of the stairs, they were shocked when a body broke through the mist and rolled down the stairs like a discarded ragdoll. They scrambled back as it skidded to a stop before them, staining the snow red with blood. It was a bandit, recognised by the ragged fur armour and cheap weapons. Astounded, they returned their gazes back to where the bandit's corpse came from, spotting two figures emerging through the fog.

It was a couple of women, one a Redguard as shown from her dark complexion, and the other a Nord. Both were dressed in similar clothing, consisting of a black leather bodice with a red shirt and a black cape- though the Nord's was a little more elaborate- also thick leggings and boots with metal toe-caps. The Nord also seemed to have something wrapped in cloth strapped to her back, looking as if it was some sort of long cylinder object. They both wore hoods that obscured their faces, though Ty'ani could still see very distinctive features on the Redguard, such as a painted white skull on her face and long black hair.

As the two tread down the steps, they rose their weapons to the three. The Nord with an elven dagger in her right and a frosty aura in her left and the Redguard with an elaborate ebony katana. In the corner of her eyes, Ty'ani could tell that Alasse and Haema were preparing to defend themselves, though the Redguard rose her sword in a threatening manner, summoning a spell in her other hand. "I would not move, if I were you." she warned as they stood before them.

Ty'ani held her hands up in surrender, keeping a wary eye on the woman. "Okay, we're not here to cause trouble."

"Is that right?" the Redguard challenged, her voice honey smooth. "Then what are you doing here if not to cause trouble? You robbing the dead?"

"No," Ty'ani quickly corrected. "We're not robbers. We're just here on official business, of which I would prefer to keep to myself."

The Redguard smiled at that, though it held no mirth as she sheathed her sword. "As you wish..." she paused when her companion stepped to her side, pivoting her head to glance at her. A silent look was passed between them, as if they were reading each other's thoughts. Before long, the Redguard nodded and without another word, they both trotted past the three. After a few steps however, the Redguard turned back to glare at them. "It would be best if neither one of you mentioned seeing us, if you know what is best for you." she threatened cryptically before running to catch up with her partner.

Ty'ani didn't like the sound of that. She didn't know what it was, but there was something off about them. It turned out she wasn't the only one that thought so. "I have a bad feeling about those two." Haema commented.

"As do I," Alasse agreed. "But let us not dwell on it." Nodding in agreement, the women climbed to the entrance, entering the giant doors to Bleak Falls Barrow.

The first chamber was quite discouraging, only the fainted light of the sun filtered through from above. A few candles showcased around the edges afforded only the barest amount of light, but Ty'ani saw in perfect clarity once her sight adjusted. As she folded her hood off her head, the first thing that caught her attention was the corpses that littered the floor. Some were skeevers, giant rat-like creatures, but others were human. One was even bent grotesquely over a table on the far right, which caused Ty'ani's innards to roil. Not to mention the smell was horrendous. A sense of anxiety gripped her conscience as the three padded further in, Haema filling her new lantern with oil before lighting it and strapping it to her belt. The new light didn't help at all with Ty'ani's unease however.

Haema and Alasse seemed indifferent of the corpses around them though, which was unsurprising. Haema, as an accomplished warrior, saw death on a daily basis and Alasse mentioned she already explored Nordic ruins before. It was no wonder they confidently strode across the chamber while she lagged behind.

Jogging to catch up with them, her attention was caught by the light of a fire up ahead. Rounding a pillar that stood in the centre, they came across a makeshift camp, the fire still burning healthily as if it had been recently lit. What disturbed Ty'ani though were the bodies of two bandits, with one laying face first in the fire which added to the retched smell of the tomb.

"Oh Gods." Ty'ani fretted, bile rising in her throat as she covered her mouth. "What happened here?"

Alasse stepped up next to the body laying beside the fire, turning it over to better examine his wounds. She frowned as she probed the largest gash on his throat. "These do not seem like conventional injuries, more akin to an animal attack. This was not the result of those women, it is likely the Draugr got hold of these two." she informed as she straightened back up.

Ty'ani really didn't like the sound of that. She swallowed nervously. "And... what is a Draugr?"

"You don't know?" Haema asked, glancing at her with a questioning look. The Khajiit shook her head as a negative, so Haema elaborated. "A Draugr is an undead Nord. A walking corpse, if you will, rumoured to have served the dragons in times of old and cursed with undeath for their treachery."

"Oh, in which case then, I've already run into them. Though I'll admit I'm not looking forward to facing another."

"None of us are." Alasse proclaimed, peering down a low tunnel that lead deeper into the tomb. "But to find the Dragonstone, we have no other choice."

Readying her battle axe, Haema confidently advanced toward the opening. "Then let's get to it, shall we?"

Nodding in agreement, Ty'ani readied her bow while Alasse summoned a fire spell in one hand and an armour spell in the other. As they advanced, Ty'ani was thankful she wouldn't have to entirely rely on her night vision to see clearly, but also insecure. It was clear no one had been here in centuries, due to the thick layer of dust covering the ancient furniture and urns, along with collections of cobwebs. The thought of spiders made her shiver: Ty'ani was absolutely terrified of spiders.

Rounding another corner, Alasse held up her hand to halt them, summoning a ball of light in the same instant. Charging it, she thrust her hand forward allowing it to fly down the hall into the next chamber. The walls lit up with the white light as it travelled before it disappeared through the doorway. A heartbeat later, Alasse nodded. "It is clear." she informed them, allowing them to progress inside.

Inside, the first thing they saw was a wrought iron gate before them, blocking their progression. Upon further study, they quickly noticed a body of another bandit in front of them completely riddled with tiny darts. Next to him was a large switch.

Ty'ani's ears twitched in suspicion. She'd run into such things at Snow Veil Sanctum, very nearly falling prey to the poisonous darts that lay in wait of such traps. There was no doubt that this bandit had befallen that exact fate. Unfortunately, she could see no other way of opening the gate.

Turning to her companions, Ty'ani sighed. "What now?" she asked.

Haema had a thoughtful look on her face while Alasse studied the area in more detail. The Altmer had previously noticed the stone pedestals to their left, each depicting a carving of different animals: a snake, a whale and a hawk. Glancing up to the archway above the gate, the same figures were present there. One was a snake and the other a whale, however the centre one was missing. She frowned as she spoke to the others. "Generally speaking," she began as she stepped further into the room. "The ancient Nords left clues to solve their puzzles, usually in forms such as this one. Unfortunately, one of the clues is missing and we will be unable to solve it if we cannot find the correct combination."

"There has to be something." Haema commented, putting away her weapon for the time being. "We just can't guess and hope for the best."

Ty'ani tilted her head then, her eyes following the crumbled mess that lead off the balcony. On the ground floor by the gate was a large mass of rock, covered with a thick layer of dust and webs. Walking over to the debris, Ty'ani brushed off the dust revealing a carving. "What about this?" she called out.

Walking up to see what she referred to, the Nord and Altmer watched as the Khajiit brushed off more and more dust until the carving of a snake was exposed. Haema smiled. "Good eyes, Ty'ani." she praised. Between them, they turned the pedestals to match the the ones on the wall before Haema pulled the lever. Immediately, the gate rose. Re-equipping their weapons, the three hastened out of the room.

Finding a spiralled wooden staircase, they each descended it carefully. It was a moment of clarity as the wood squeaked and groaned, threatening to collapse from under them. After a few tense moments, they finally reached the bottom, finding themselves in a long hallway. As they carried on, the walls became more and more covered with thick films of webbing. The silky strands stretched from floor to ceiling and Ty'ani shivered, knowing full well what the sticky substance represented.

It was far too quiet, which made Ty'ani tense and it didn't help that the clunking of Haema's armour seemed to be the only noise around, making it sound louder than it should. But before she finished that thought, a panicked voice sounded out from the chamber ahead of them.

"Is- is someone coming?" the voice called out. "Is that you Hadvir? Jorn? Soline? I know I ran away with the claw, but I need help!"

Haema narrowed her eyes, suddenly wary. Who in the world would be this deep in a Nordic crypt? "Be careful," she warned as they reached a doorway covered with a thick layer of webbing. "This could be trouble, keep your guard up."

Alasse released a small jet of flame that ate at the webbing instantly, opening the threshold up to them. What was revealed was a web covered room, large and circular which housed numerous white sacks in the corners. There was no doubt about it, this was a spider's nest and judging from the size of the sacks, it was a huge one. Ty'ani whimpered at this.

Slipping through the doorway, Alasse and Haema taking the front with Ty'ani behind, they spotted the one crying for help after a quick study of the room. The man was too far to distinguish his features clearly, and he was also tangled in a huge mass of webbing that contained drained corpses. Previous victims of the beast within. It was clear that the spider was still about and that was cemented with a distinctive chittering noise.

The man caught in the web panicked as a massive shadow formed on the ground before them, his voiced cracked as he pleaded for their help. Glancing up, the three women were greeted with a large hole in the ceiling and from it, came the largest Frostbite Spider Ty'ani had ever seen. She sucked in a sharp breath as it's eight hairy legs touched the ground, it's saliva and poison coated mandibles twitching as it spotted more potential prey.

Alasse was the first to react. Charging fire spells in each hand, she thrust them forward sending the flames to the creature. It shrieked as it's feelers rubbed at it's face in a bid to be rid of the fire. It snarled then, spitting a glob of poison toward them, which all three women dived away from.

Letting out a war cry, Haema faced the spider head on as Alasse supported her from behind. Ty'ani on the other hand was so terrified, that she rushed back to the entrance they came from. She collapsed against the doorway, her body shaking uncontrollably with her Nightingale bow still clutched in a white knuckled fist.

Two more magical attacks impacted upon the spider's tough carapace, fire licking at it's body as it retaliated. Rising it's front two legs in the air, the large arachnid slammed down on Haema, who brought her axe up in front of herself to block the attack. The Nord warrior almost buckled under the strength of the beast, grunting as it tried to fight it's mandibles around the axe's shaft. She locked her legs and met the spider with her own strength, pushing back with all her might as her muscles began to shake in excursion.

With Haema in the way, Alasse could no longer use fire bolts to attack the spider, as the resulting explosion from each would catch the Nord as well. Therefore, Alasse switched the auras to ice spells. Charging them, she let loose single well placed volleys, all in slow successions of each one so she wouldn't hit Haema.

Meanwhile, Ty'ani was still having her panic attack. There was no way that she'd be able to work up the courage to face this thing, as she even hated the tiny spiders one would find in a everyday garden. She doesn't stand a chance against the one through the wall she leant against.

However, her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a yell. Her chest turning cold, she recognised Haema's voice and it sounded as though she was in pain. Turning to peek around the door, she found that the spider had overpowered her as she was now on her back upon the web covered ground. It's mandibles were wrapped around the shaft of her battle axe, using all it's strength of fight around it. Haema fought back with ferocity, turning her head this way and that to avoid having poison drip into her mouth and eyes.

Alasse continued to pepper it with ice spikes, though while some found it's way through, most others just shattered on impact. Seeing that her companions needed her help, Ty'ani mustered her courage. She doesn't have to get close. Using that thought to her advantage, Ty'ani wrenched out an arrow, nocking it on her bow. Turning round the corner, she pulled back the string and fired.

It turned out that the arrow she had chosen was a well fletched steel arrow, often used by the Imperial Legion. She had looted them from some bandits a while back. Once more, Imperial fletchers prove their skill as the bodkin point penetrated straight through the spider's head. It caused a lasting impact, as the spider bucked up and off Haema and let loose a deafening squeal. She scrambled back as Alasse took advantage of it's weakness.

Re-summoning her fire spells, the Altmer let loose a rapid volley, completely setting the creature's carapace on fire. It collapsed with a scream, each of it's eight legs scrambling under it.

Jumping back to her feet, Haema charged forward and brought her axe down. The sharp blade cut deep into it's carapace, effectively putting it out of it's misery. Wrenching her axe out, the Nord woman grimaced at the ichor that clung to the blade.

Wiping away the gooey substance before cleaning her face of saliva, Alasse and Ty'ani stepped up to her side. Panting herself, Alasse stared at the Nord with a certain look. "Are you well?" she asked.

Flicking her hand to get rid of the slim, Haema nodded. Ty'ani on the other hand shook with disgust as she eyed the giant corpse. "Have I ever mentioned how much I hate spiders?" she hissed.

"Yes, we noticed." the Altmer simply replied. Leaving it at that, Alasse stepped toward the caught man, the Khajiit and Nord behind her. Stopping before him, it was revealed that he was actually a dark-elf. He struggled feebly as he spoke to them when they approached.

"You did it, you killed it." he hurriedly stated. "Now cut me down before anything else shows up."

Alasse crossed her arms at him, giving him an acidic glare. "And why would we do that?"

"Because I know how the claw works!" he stuttered hurriedly. "The claw, the markings, the door in the Hall of Stories. I know how they all fit together!"

Ty'ani frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"You don't know?" the dark-elf asked. "Well, help me down and I'll show you. You won't believe the power the Nords have hidden there."

The three of them stared at him unconvincingly. Ty'ani herself just couldn't shake the feeling that this man was lying through his teeth, just so they would cut him down. Bandits were always the same; they'll stab you in the back at a moments notice. On the other hand, there was no other way out of this chamber and from a brief glimpse through the webbing, that was the only way. There was no other choice, they had to release him. With a sigh, she relented. "Okay fine. Let's see if we can cut you down."

An excited and relieved look crossed the Dunmer's face then. "Sweet breath of Arkay, thank you!"

Between them, it didn't take long before the sticky substance came loose and the mer dropped to the floor. He was still covered with a layer of webbing, but he was free. A thing he took full advantage of, as he turned tail and ran through the newly made hole into the corridor beyond.

"You fools. Why should I share the treasure with anyone?" he taunted. Each woman sharing a scowl, they followed after him.

Winding through corridors, they soon found themselves in a tomb. Lining the walls were coffins and corpses, all eternally laying within the alcoves with their hands crossed on their chests. Once they ran into the room proper, the three spotted the Dunmer running the length of the room as fast as he could, within feet of yet another corridor.

However, what he failed to notice- and what Ty'ani spotted long before he did- was a somewhat hidden pressure plate set perfectly in his path. Stopping, the Khajiit gripped her companion's arms to keep them back, ignoring their protests, and just waited.

She didn't have to wait long. The second the bandit's heavy footstep pressed down on the plate, a disheartening click sounded out and ancient mechanisms came alive as a hidden wall snapped out from nowhere. This particular wall was made of metal and had wicked spikes adorning it, which easily impaled the bandit as it swung about. Ty'ani hissed in sympathy as the wall crashed against the stonework, crushing the bandit along with it. Not long after that, the mechanisms began to reset themselves, dragging the wall, along with the now dead bandit, back to it's original state ready to be set off again.

However the three women were far from safe, as the sickening sound of bones creaking beckoned their attention. Glancing about, they were greeted with the sight of the corpses slipping out of the alcoves in the wall. Grey skin stretched horrendously over their gaunt frames, not an ounce of flesh on them. Ty'ani gasped at the sight, her hope of not running into these things completely dashing out the window.

Haema and Alasse reacted faster then she did, rising their own weapons respectively as the Draugr charged them. The first that reached Haema was one who wielded a claymore in it's bony hands, it's icy glowing gaze locked with hers as it swung it down. Haema avoided the blow effortlessly, her battle axe finding home in the undead's side in response. Fire bolts zoomed past her, hitting the two other Draugr courtesy of Alasse, keeping them at bay for the moment.

Swiftly coming out of her shock, Ty'ani wrenched out an arrow, stepping back a few times as she nocked it. Taking only a second to aim, she let it loose at the flaming Draugr on the right. The iron arrow found home in it's forehead, jerking it's head back with the force while the rest of the body followed, crumpling to it's back with a gurgle. It jerked a few times as lightning and ice continued to dart over it's body before coming still.

As Haema finished the one before her and moved on to the last, Ty'ani's ear twitched. She barely had time to react before she was backhanded. Unprepared, Ty'ani fell to the ground completely dazed. As she attempted to recover, her vision soon became filled with the gaunt face of the Draugr that had caught her by surprise. It reached for her neck, wrapping it's grotesque fingers around the fragile column, effortlessly lifting her torso off the ground as it growled at her.

"Sovngarde saraan hi, joor." it hissed, it's words unintelligible to the Khajiit as she struggled in it's grasp, gasping for air. She scrambled at her thigh, wrapping her fingers around her dagger and wrenched it out of it's sheath. Her eyes had begun to roll into the back of their sockets when she jabbed blindly at the Draugr's arm, sticking the blade into it's non-existent flesh.

The wight hissed, but didn't release it's hold on her like she hoped. If anything, the grip tightened. White spots began to dance in her vision as darkness started to creep on the edges. It was at that point that Ty'ani was certain she was going to die.

However, a miracle happened. A lightning bolt slammed into the Draugr's side, forcing it off her completely. Ty'ani crashed back down to the ground hard, gasping and choking for breath. Another flash of light occurred through her closed eyelids as another lightning bolt cracked overhead, hitting the Draugr again. In the next second, heavy footfalls came before a shout sounded out followed by the sound of a sickening impact. After that, the Draugr let out one last growl before it fell silent.

Turning onto her side, Ty'ani continued to painfully cough as she got to her elbows and knees. Feeling a presence beside her, she looked up to see Alasse kneeling at her side. "Are you injured?" she asked as she placed a hand on her shoulder blades.

Coughing one last time, the Khajiit shook her head. Nodding, the Altmer gripped her arm, assisting her to stand. Rubbing her sore throat, Ty'ani knelt down to grab her bow and dagger, placing them back in the appropriate places on her body. Straightening, she glanced up at the high-elf with gratefulness. "Thank you." she croaked, grabbing her water-skin. "You saved my life."

As Ty'ani took a mouthful of water, Alasse nodded in reply. "It was my pleasure."

Swallowing the water, the Khajiit then turned to Haema as the Nord stepped over to them. "Thank you as well."

Haema smiled in response, placing a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. The Khajiit moved retrieved her arrow from the Draugr she shot, tugging harshly until it slipped out and she placed it back in her quiver. Before long, they were on the move again, pacing down toward the next hallway and being mindful of the pressure plate on the way. However from the corner of her eye, Ty'ani spotted something glittering. Following her thief's instincts, she turned to the source finding a worn leather satchel sitting below the impaled bandit. It had took quite the beating, with the stitching torn and the leather peeling. The lid hung loosely open, revealing part of the inside.

Well and truly curious now, Ty'ani paced over to the pack and knelt, pulling the lid open completely. Sitting inside was a golden trinket that was slightly larger then her hand, and shaped as a claw. She blinked, realising that this could be what the trader at Riverwood was talking about. The Golden Dragon Claw. She plucked it out as Haema's voice sounded out, calling her name.

Looking up, she spotted the Nord and Altmer standing not too far from her, looking back at her in confusion. She hefted the claw out of the satchel, surprised at the weight of it, and showed it to the two of them. "Look." she exclaimed. "It seems the thieves from Riverwood were much closer than first thought."

"How fortunate." Alasse exclaimed, stepping over to the Khajiit. "We will soon need this claw ourselves. It would need to be fitted into the Hall of Stories once we arrive there."

"Is that why the bandits were here?" Haema asked. "To use the claw to get to the centre chamber?"

"Yes." Alasse replied as she took the claw from Ty'ani and slipped it into her satchel. "Sadly though, they will not be earning the fruits of their labour."

Ty'ani, for a split second, was surprised that the claw fit so easily into Alasse's small satchel, as the claw was easily longer then the satchel itself. Realistically, the claw would be sticking out of the bag somewhat, but it actually completely disappeared, leaving no trace that it was within. Those pondering thoughts was dashed from her mind by Haema, as the Nord spoke once again. "Then we had better get moving. The sooner we get there, the better."

"I agree." Ty'ani said, withdrawing her bow yet again. "Let's move.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

They made slow progress through the crypt after that, killing everything that stood in their way. It took a long time, stopping only to rest and eat, but finally they arrived at the Hall of Stories that Alasse had mentioned. The stone door that blocked their way looked as though it hadn't been used in centuries, covered in dust and cobwebs. The only distinctive feature of the door was the three animals carved into the surface of rings. The top was a butterfly, the middle an owl and the bottom a bear.

Alasse stepped up to the door, procuring the golden claw as she did so. She looked at it's palm before turning the rings. Before long, the carvings were a bear on the top, a butterfly in the middle and an owl at the bottom. She then inserted it into the stone in the centre and turned it precisely. The door clicked, the top and middle rings turned to the same as the bottom, and the door began to slide slowly into the ground.

Walking through a long chamber, the three soon found themselves in an enormous cavern, alight with natural sunlight. At the very end was a raised platform, housing a large wall with Nordic patterns upon it and a coffin not too far from that. All around that was moss covered walls, coming into a dome high above their heads. The light itself was still bright but diminishing, as the sun began to set for the evening. It was a refreshing change from the dismal crypt they left in their wake.

Alasse quickened her pace, moving over the bridges and up the stairway toward the wall. She pulled out a thick leather bound book from her satchel as she did so, as well as procuring an inkwell and quill. Resting the book against one arm, she flipped the crisp pages to a blank one and began to scribble in it, looking up at the wall every so often as she did so.

Haema and Ty'ani caught up with her a moment later, watching the Altmer work. "What are you doing?" Haema asked.

"I am copying the text on this wall for later study." she briefly explained before returning to work, though it didn't take long for her to finish. She blew on the page to help the ink dry faster before closing the book, wiping the excess ink off the quill before leaving it in between the pages, putting it back in her satchel once done.

Haema and Ty'ani stepped up closer to the Altmer, gazing at the wall in interest. "What even is this thing for?" Ty'ani asked, studying the runes on its surface. "Is that some form of ancient Nordic?"

"No, it is the furthest thing from that." Alasse explained. "To my understanding, it is actually some form of language that is far older then the ancient Nords. From my research, I found that it could actually be..." as Alasse continued to talk, it seemed as though to Ty'ani her voice was being muffled. Something else was gripping hold of her consciousness, tearing her attention away from her companion's voice. She stared at the wall blankly as he ears pricked up, hearing the low murmur of voices. Her eyes soon lay upon one single word in the paragraph before her, as everything else in her vision darkened, narrowing her sight down so all she could pay attention to was the word.

As she stared, she saw the etching glow blue, the voices becoming louder with each beat of her heart. A shiver ran down her spine, like a shard of ice, the voices growing louder and louder until she was sure that there existed no other noise, that nothing else existed apart from this rune before her. Her chest tightened as she felt intense power radiating from the stone, feeling it in her consciousness, her bones, even in the very air she breathed.

The Khajiit could hardly move, a slave to the enriched forces as the chanting was soon cut off, her eyesight becoming dark. Before long, a single word echoed in her mind, foreign and unintelligible, reverberating through her entire being, resonating with the essence of one thing. Raw unstoppable might. Power in its purest form.

FUS.

All at once, her senses returned to her as the energies holding her finally released her from its grasp. She gasped out loudly, stumbling back as if she had been pushed and fell to her knees. The concussive force of her conscience returning was far too much all at once and for a moment, blind panic gripped her before she realised that she was still in one piece.

Head hanging between her arms, the Khajiit panted, feeling the presence of her companions rush to her sides. "Ty'ani!" Haema yelled in alarm. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"I-I don't-" she stammered back as she struggled to her feet. She leant her hands on her thighs as she attempted to slow her heart rate and her breathing.

All of a sudden, it seemed as though the whole cavern shook, beckoning the women's immediate attention. Alert, they glanced over at the sarcophagus as centuries worth of dust began to fly off it as something within began beating it. They unsheathed their weapons as the lid burst off, crashing down to the stone below them. From out of the coffin was another Draugr, though this one was clad head to toe with ancient steel. Ice blue eyes glared at them from under it's demonic horned helm, arming itself with a war axe and shield.

The first to react was Alasse, sending a volley of lightning bolts at the wight, causing it to stagger. Ty'ani notched an arrow, letting it fly as Haema charged, her battle axe poised. As she brought the axe down in a deadly arch, the Draugr lifted it's shield to block the attack, forcing Haema to stumble at the surprising strength. In response, the Draugr swung it's axe at her, which thankfully ricocheted off her shoulder guard. Although, the Nord did notice that some icicles formed on the impact zone. It didn't do any damage to her, but it did make the area cold. She knew then that the weapon was enchanted.

With it's back now to the Altmer and Khajiit, they both took advantage of that and let loose their own projectiles to it, each hit being successful. Haema recovered quickly and once again swung her axe around, keeping herself braced as the blade bounced off the shield again. This time though, the Draugr momentarily went off balance, though it was the arrow that embedded itself into the nape of it's neck that caused that.

Taking advantage of the opening, Haema lowered her aim, striking instead at the wight's lower leg. The attack was successful, forcing the creature to the floor. She followed through with the attack, pivoting with the momentum and buried the blade of her axe into it's chest. The undead creature gurgled a few times as Haema ripped out her weapon, crumpling to the floor after a second.

Panting heavily, Haema sheathed her axe. "Gods." she panted, bringing her attention back to the other two. She stepped up toward them, staring pointedly at Ty'ani. "Ty'ani, what was that back then? What happened to you?"

Ty'ani glanced between the two before her, completely unsure about what to say. "I..." she began at last. "I-I don't know. I just... I heard something, coming from that wall." she told them truthfully. "After that, well..."

She completely paused when she saw movement behind Haema. Eyes widening, she noticed that the Draugr they all thought was previously dead was getting back up. Jerking in alarm, she wrenched her bow back off her shoulder. "Haema! Behind you!"

The Nord and high-elf whirled around too, quickly seeing what Ty'ani was yelling about. Seeing the Draugr back on it's feet, the two immediately unsheathed their respective weapons, ready to take it on again. However, it then did something that none of them were expecting.

"Fus, Ro DAH!"

Ty'ani only caught a brief glimpse of a huge blue shock wave before it slammed into them. Completely unprepared, the three women were catapulted backwards, airborne for a few seconds. Before long, Haema and Ty'ani slammed into the Nordic wall, the Khajiit's impact much harder then the Nord's due to her lighter armour. Alasse was thrown off the platform completely, slamming hard into the mossy walls of the cavern. She fell a couple of feet, the wind knocking out of her as she hit the ground painfully.

All three were dazed, but the first one to recover was Haema, whose armour had protected her from most of the damage. Scrambling to her feet, she rose her battle axe as the undead charged at her, bashing it's shield with it's axe as it did so. Ty'ani meanwhile struggled to rise, as her head had impacted the wall hard, feeling a light trickle of blood run down her forehead. Her entire world was spinning as she struggled to get her knees under her.

Alasse meanwhile writhed painfully where she lay, her back flaring in white hot pain since she had tumbled into an incredibly rocky formation. Groaning, she forced herself to roll on her side and get up, though her head spun as a result. Shaky legs under her now, the Altmer leant heavily against a nearby rock, seeing through blurry vision the Nord's stand off with the Draugr. Breathing deeply, she summoned an aura of healing magic, using it to heal the worst of her wounds. With that done, she scowled.

This Draugr was proving to be far too powerful for them to take on conventionally. They needed to come up with another way to bring it down, and Alasse thought she might just have the thing to do it. Reaching into her satchel, she pulled out a rolled up scroll, swiftly unrolling it and reading the contents. Many years of reading and research had taught her to read quickly, so it took no time for her to memorise the spell on the parchment.

Dropping the paper, she muttered the magical words to activate the spell, her hands became alight with the crackling energy of a powerful Lightning Bolt spell. Gritting her teeth in determination, she charged the bolt between both her hands, the combination making the spell that much more powerful. "Let us end this." she snarled, allowing the lightning to charge up some more before calling out to Haema. "Haema, move!"

Hearing the high-elf's demand, Haema decided not to argue. With the wight's axe locked with her axe's shaft, she pushed it back with all her might before jumping out of any blast zone.

Now with a clear line of sight, Alasse let the lightning free, the thick bolt of electricity flying from her palms toward the Draugr in a dangerous show of light. An ear splitting crack sounded out as it hit the Draugr straight in the chest, the current flowing through it's body rapidly before it was blown off it's feet. It flew for a good few feet before it crashed into the opposite wall and tumbled to the ground, never to rise again.

"And stay down." Alasse hissed as the spell wore off. She rushed to rejoin her companions, seeing Ty'ani struggling to get up. Both she and Haema knelt by her side, the Altmer summoning her healing magic again, touching the warm aura to the Khajiit's head and healing the gash hidden under her hair line. Ty'ani sighed in relief as she was healed, but was slightly disappointed that her headache didn't disappear straight away.

Haema grabbed her water-skin and a spare cloth, tipping the pouch so some water was soaked up into the material. She began to dab it on Ty'ani's forehead, cleaning off the majority of the blood. Afterwards, there were still slightly faded smears of the sanguine substance, but at least it wasn't all that noticeable now.

"Thank you." Ty'ani said to both of them, accepting their assistance in standing. She wobbled slightly as she attempted to get her bearings, but she managed to keep her legs from buckling under her. Once steady, the three walked over to the coffin and glanced inside, seeing what looked like a flat grey rock. Knowing instantly that this was what they were looking for, Haema plucked the Dragonstone out of the sarcophagus, slipping it into her backpack.

Turning back to the other two women, Haema nodded. "We have what we came for, let's get out of here."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Ty'ani replied, the three of them ascending a set of stairs that lead to the back of the chamber. Finding a hidden alcove, they swiftly filed through and found themselves stepping out through a cave entrance and back out into the outside world. Ty'ani inhaled a deep satisfying breath, pleased to be out of the cloying crypt and back in fresh air. They climbed down the mountainside, finding themselves by the White River, following the current back toward Riverwood.

It didn't take them long before the village gates came into view, the sky turning midnight blue with a pink horizon as the sun finally sank. Dropping off the claw to the Riverwood Trader- whom was very happy that they found it, he paid them quite handsomely- the three retreated to the Sleeping Giant, looking forward to a warm meal and a good night's rest.

Sat at a table in the corner, Ty'ani watched as Alasse alternated between taking bites of her food and scribbling in her journal, the Dragonstone laying before her.

The stone itself was quite interesting, as it seemed to be what looked like an outline of Tamriel upon the surface. On closer inspection though, it actually turned out to be Skyrim. Several X's marked the map in random patterns, most likely spots of interest in the province.

After a moment of silently watching the Altmer work, Ty'ani's musing was interrupted by Haema's questioning tone. "Ty'ani?" eyes turning to the Nord, the Khajiit hummed as a sign that she was paying attention. "Per chance, would you care to tell us what exactly happened in that tomb?"

The girl frowned. "What? With the wall?" Haema nodded as an affirmative. Inhaling through her nose, Ty'ani sighed before she began. "I'm not entirely sure myself. I heard voices coming from the wall and when I looked at it, it was like the whole world was being swallowed up. All I could see was the words on the wall. After that, something came into my head. Fus."

Alasse looked up from her work, frowning at the Khajiit. "That sounds familiar." she exclaimed, her voice full of interest.

"I don't see how." Ty'ani retaliated. "I've no idea what that even means. It was the same at Snow Veil Sanctum. I came across one of those walls there and that one planted a word in my head too. Zun."

"Snow Veil Sanctum?" the high-elf questioned, dropping her quill into the inkwell. "But that place has been locked up tighter then a miser's purse. How did you get in?"

Ty'ani shrugged. "I had help then."

Seeing that the Khajitt wasn't going to elaborate, Alasse shrugged it off. Although, if Snow Veil Sanctum was open now, perhaps she could make a detour there before she returns to Winterhold. It could be that there are more to these word walls then she first anticipated.

Finishing off the last of her meal, Ty'ani leant back in her chair, regarding the two before her with a grateful look. "Anyway, thank you both for helping me. I'm not sure if I would have come out of there alive if you weren't with me."

"It was our pleasure Ty'ani." Haema replied with a smile. "And it has been a pleasure to travel with you. Know that should you ever need me again, you may call upon me and I would be honoured to travel with you."

"Indeed." Alasse said next, bringing her attention back to Ty'ani. "But know that once we return to Whiterun, I will not likely stay more then a few more days, as I will soon return to the College in Winterhold. But if you are in need of my services again, then you will find me there."

Hearing that, Ty'ani couldn't help but smile at that. This errand she was forced to go on may have been a waste of her time and detrimental to her health, but she was happy to say that she may have gained friends as a result of it.