Notes: …No reviews since chapter 4. It's a bit upsetting. It's not bringing me down though. I have to finish this. My first story must end. Next chapter has game chat, not this one. Onward with the story…
Chapter 9: The Road to Riften
Storm and co. were allowed to stay at High Hrothgar, with some persuasion from Paarthurnax. Josh was healing for the night. Thankfully, Storm had offered him a potion of healing and regeneration. Josh was sleeping, which was something he rarely had the ability to do. They had stored Raven on a bed and were pretty much just waiting for tomorrow. Michael was currently getting tips on smithing from Storm while Storm repaired their armor. Adam was checking out some of the books and practicing his shouts. Josh was having a strange dream at the moment…
He was watching a scene unfold in front of him. He was standing in front of a bunch of portals, but instead of being blue, they were a deep red. The greatest game heroes were stepping out of them. Michael was saying something about fighting for all our worlds. Josh didn't know what it meant, but he was suddenly in front of a door. It was large and covered in high tech locks that seemed to be powered by some unknown energy. Josh was the one who pushed open the doors. They didn't seem to be powered when Josh touched them. He saw the bright light of an aura that radiated power and then…
He woke up in a wood bed. Josh remembered where he was suddenly and got up. Michael was already up and eating some potato soup. "Hey," he told Josh as Josh stumbled over. "Have some soup. You slept longer than everyone even though you were out first." Josh shook away as much drowsiness as he could and took a bowl of soup. Josh could remember every detail about that dream which was unusual for him. To tell the truth, Josh was kind of afraid. The only time dreams stuck to him like that was when they were visions. Yes, Josh got visions. He was slightly psychic even before the paradox. They came to him in dreams and usually didn't happen for months. He foresaw playing Mortal Kombat on PS3 and when he did 5 months later, he freaked out. They didn't usually stick in his mind like this one though and Josh wasn't sure if it was the paradox affecting his dreams or giving him stronger psychic abilities. Hell, it could have been both, Josh didn't care. He decided to focus on the task at hand: Soup eating.
"So, you're sure you want to take her to Riften?" Storm asked them. He didn't think they should take someone who tried to kill them along. Josh thought again and noddded. "Well, you saved Paarthurnax and took away her armor, so it shouldn't be a problem. In fact, here." Storm handed Josh 5 sacks and a scroll. "That's some extra supplies for you're journey and a magic map. I don't know how well it will work now, but it should help.
Josh opened Link's bag and placed the sacks inside. He rolled open the map and was surprised. The ground grew as it became a 3D map of Skyrim. Josh saw a arrow spinning over the mountian. "I guess that is where we are," Josh chuckled. He looked south east and saw a label over the city of Riften displaying the crest of the jarl there. "Oh perfect."
"Oh yeah," Storm said realizing something. "Here's a compass to find your way." He handed Josh a compass with a red painted needle and the markers for the directions scratched in ink. "Well, I've got to get going to Whiterun. Paarthurnax told me what to do, so I'm off to catch a dragon." On that final note, Storm grabbed his stuff and left.
Josh sat on a bench near the doors until Adam and Michael came out. Michael was carrying Raven and Adam just looked tired. "Storm left already huh?" Adam said. Josh nodded, not really feeling like talking because he realized they were on their own again. Josh didn't know wether that was a good or a bad thing. On one hand, they were likely to be attacked by Kratos again. On the other, they didn't have to explain their game knowledge or get along with characters they hated. Josh let the thoughts drift away, mostly because there wasn't anything he could do about it. "So I guess you're our navigator Josh?" Adam had noticed that Josh had a map and compass.
"Can we hurry up before it gets dark?" Michael said. "My new strength makes her light but I still don't like carrying her, also because she could wake up and try to kill me at any moment." Josh stood up and stretched a bit before putting on his armor.
"Alright," Josh said annoyed. "Would you like some cheese with that wine? Ha ha. But seriously, we should start moving." With that final word, Josh rushed out the doors and, once again, his friends hurried to catch up.
The climb down the mountian was uneventful sadly, but Josh was happy about this. Josh usually hated when things didn't happen in games, but with their lives on the line and Josh being the weakest at the moment, he didn't want to run into anything.
They reached the town that should have been at the bottom of the mountian. They didn't find anything except some destroyed buildings. "I guess not everything crosses over correctly," Adam said. They decided to spend a bit of time scavenging, but not too much. They were on a schedule after all. They found a few supplies when Michael dropped Raven and crouched down to pick her up. It was nothing serious. Just some salt piles and pieces of meat. They took it anyway.
They continued on their journey with a few hours of sun left. They didn't find much though. All they saw were some rolling hills and the lake they walked around when leaving Ivarstead. They finally stopped on a short stretch of flat land. Adam went off to punch some trees for fire wood. Josh unloaded the packs and Michael set Raven down in one of the sleeping bags. "So, how do we feed her?" Michael asked. "Wait. Do we even need to feed her?"
"...I'm not sure," Josh responded with uncertainty. "I guess we just wait and see if she gets lighter." Adam finally returned with a large amount of fire wood. Josh got out the food while Michael and Adam set up some rocks to contain the fire and then set up the sticks to be set on fire. Adam took a log in his hands and crushed it. It disentigrated into embers and lit the fire. Michael nodded in pleasent surprise.
Michael walked over to Josh who had brought out the cooking supplies. "So, what are we going to eat?" Michael asked as he reached for a pan.
"Stop!" Josh told him before Michael could touch it. "Just let me handle the cooking. It's one of my many skills that I'm actually good at." Michael raised his arms in a 'I mean you no harm' way and walked away.
It was very uneventful for the next hour. Josh just cooked while Michael sat around and Adam kept the fire going under the food. Then it was time to eat. Michael was unsure about the stew Josh had prepared. Truth be told, so was Josh. Adam tried a spooful and turned to Josh. "Not bad," was all he said.
Josh tried it next and found it had a pleasent taste. "Holy shit!" Josh yelled. "This is great!" Josh started eating normally, which was close to the speed of sound. Michael finally took a bite. He nodded in satisfaction. "I just..." Josh sighed and layed back. "I don't want to be trusted with your lives guys... I don't want to be trusted with anything on this journey. I don't want to be responsible for the end of the world."
"Josh," Michael said in a drawn out whining tone. "Do you have to depress us at dinner?" That look Josh gave him made Michael stop fast. "I'm kidding dude. Alright..." Michael thought for a moment. "Okay! Josh, we trust you with our lives, for now." Josh tried to talk but Michael stopped him. "Josh. You know we need all three of us to get anywhere in this new world, so your gonna have some responsibilities. When you get over that, just worry about not fucking up." Josh thanked him dryly. "Look on the bright side. If everyone dies, no one will be able to blame you for fucking it up." Josh looked at him hard before shaking his head and laughing. "Besides we've got our towers an- I mean-" Adam cut in on cue.
"Yeah we've got towers!" he yelled. "Our towers are all over the place. Haven't you seen em Josh?"
"Yes I did actually," Josh responded as a matter of fact. "Now all we have to worry about are tree people and 2 short kids with a ring." They all laughed almost spilling the soup. "Oh god. Did you see how I tried to make a joke but it was completely horrible compared to yours Adam?"
Michael and Adam told him it wasn't that bad and they continued to talk and eat. After they were done eating they packed up and went to the tents. Josh was actually surprised to find he could sleep. Josh was always a slight insomniac. For those of you with less than average intelligence, it meant he didn't sleep easily. Josh didn't know whether it was because they had walked none stop or it was part of the powers, but didn't care either way.
When they woke up the next day, Josh told them the travel plan. "We can head two ways from here," Josh said pointing at the map. "We are at the crossroad here." If we head south we can possibly reach it quicker, but the terrain is kind of unsure. Besides that we also run the risk of Forsworn here, here, and here. If we head the other path though, we can only really expect to run into one or two forsworn guards posted outside these places. We have to climb this hill and head through the mountian, but there is a trail."
Michael and Adam thought about it. "The second path," they both said at the same time. Josh and Adam looked at Michael in shock.
"You don't want the path bathed in blood and death?" Josh asked Michael. This was a thing that was almost unheard of in the world of Michael.
"Okay, stop before I change my mind," Michael said as if it was a threat. "I don't want to be taking on a Briarheart and have a homicidal psychopath wake up on my shoulder," Michael explained jesturing to Raven. "Lets get moving," Michael said more cheerfully.
After packing up camp, Michael carried Raven on his shoulder and they continued to walk. They covered three times the distance as yesterday, only stopping to admire the view of the Marsh and for Josh to check the compass at cross roads. "We could find lots of Dragon's Tounge ou there," Josh said.
"And Giants," Adam concluded. They all laughed. As they continued their journey, they agreed to stop just below the hill which would lead into the mountian. It was the same routine without the depression. They talked about how usless college was now and how they had wasted some money there for this year. They joked about what would happen when the Crossover Paradox ended. Even though it was dark talk, they joked and decided they would cross that road when it came.
On the third day, they began their ascent up the path into the mountians. "Now we'll have to pass by a fort," Josh said looking at the map. "Don't hold me to it, but I'm pretty sure this is... Mistwatch. Now, Storm put a checkmark through it but with what's happening, that could mean shit. Lets keep our eyes open."
As they passed by, Josh thought he saw someone on one of the stone towers, but decided to just keep moving. They all breathed easier when the fort was behind them. "So if I understand this right," Adam said, "There is no other sites on the map which should give us trouble?"
"If we steer clear of some ruins, we should only have to worry about the outside of a cave," Josh said happily. Josh suddenly stopped in front of them. Adam and Michael barely had time to stop. Before either of them could ask what was wrong, Josh explained it kind of. "What the fuck! This-They, aren't supposed to be here! Just... Damn it!" Josh walked to a rock wall on the side and started to punch it.
Adam and Michael now saw the problem. There was a giant camp set up in the middle of the pass. They would have to pass right through it... and the giants were not going to just let them do that. "Come on Josh," Adam said with a sigh, "lets do this." Josh walked over and stood beside Adam.
"Go get em guys!" Michael yelled with pep.
"You know you could help!" Josh yelled back with rage."
"You wanna carry the crazy psycho bitch!" Michael yelled back just as angry.
Josh looked forward and thought... "I've got the one on the left," Josh said quietly. Adam nodded and they rushed forward.
The giants had drawn their clubs as soon as they approached and they now lumbered forward at Josh and Adam. Josh proceeded to head left and take out his swords made of dragon bones. Adam had been wearing his bone armor for a while. Josh rushed forward and managed to get a slice on the giant's left foreleg. Then, he had to dodge as the giant brought down its club. Josh backflipped and spread his legs as he peaked. The club went between his legs and Josh was inches away from being a woman. As Josh hit the ground, Josh rushed forward again for the finisher. He spun around, bringing both of his blades in and severing its leg at the knee. As the giant fell to its knees, Josh did a somersault forward and as his foot connected with the giants head as it was falling, Josh snapped its neck.
Adam had rushed forward but didn't lash out quick. He continued to rush it and ran to the right. As his giant's club came down, Adam jumped to the left and held his ground as the club smashed into the ground. Adam rushed forward and punched the giant in the leg, shattering his kneecap. As the giant brought back its club, Adam prepared a signature finisher. As the club came down, Adam brought forward a falcon punch which shattered the club and destoyed the giant's throat, decapitating it due to lack of possessing a neck.
"Well that was exciting," Josh said with a sigh. "Let's get moving. I'd like to get out of this pass before nightfall." That is exactly what the three heroes did. As they reached the bottom of the pass, Josh could see some stone walls off in the distance. "There's Riften!" Josh said with excitment. They decided to set up camp and went about their usual routine, including the new task of cleaning off giant's blood.
On the final day of their stretch, nothing really happened. It was a pleasent walk along the lake side after they went as straight for Riften as they could. At last though, they reached the gates.
"Shouldn't some guards be trying to shake us down right here," Michael said, adjusting how he carried Raven. There wasn't, which was pretty strange.
"Lets go and see the priests," Josh said as he opened the doors.
Authors notes: Finally! I finished it and can now start working on my other stories too. You can see them within the next week maybe. Review fairly even if it sucks. No sucking up or sugar coating. Well, that's all I got.