Day Eight Part Two

I followed the wall until I spotted a road that Lydia said would lead to the camp. Just before the road, I saw flames around a tree. I got a little closer and I realized someone was fighting against some sort of creature made of flame. They appeared to be having a hard time against it so I decided to help. Skooma often put me in a good mood. I got as close as I could without being noticed then lined up a perfect shot for my bow. The arrow flew into the creature and disappeared. What the Hells happened?

Lydia rapped me on the back of the head with her hand. "Fighting a Flame Atronoch with fiery arrows? Remind me not to ask you to help put out a house fire. Try your sword."

I put my bow away. "Just a test," I said defensively. I unsheathed my sword and raced towards the fight. The three of us were able to put the creature down. The person, a blonde Nord woman, was about to say something when an explosion caught me off guard. She spoke briefly then turned and walked away but my ears were ringing so I did not hear what she said.

Slowly my hearing returned. "Who was that?" I asked Lydia. "What did she say?"

"She was a Vigilant of Stendarr. She just happen to come across that rogue atronoch. That happens to those creations a lot. She said their usual line, 'Always walk in the light'. I think she wanted to thank you personally."

That got my attention. Even with her hood up I could tell she was pretty. "Really? Why did she leave?"

"She said she can't stand the smell of burnt eyebrows."

Lydia laughed and headed back to the road.

I wiped my brow and realized my eyebrows were gone. That was not funny. Not only was I now disfigured, I might have missed out on a personal thank you because of it. Lydia's sense of humor bordered on cruel. Well, at least Lydia was laughing again. It was a start. I shrugged and picked up some of the fire salts left behind by the atronoch. I heard they could really spice up your food.

I caught up with Lydia just as she turned down a road heading northwest. A minute later the camp came into view. A large stockade wall surrounded the camp with ramps along most of it for archers to patrol along. Even as I thought it I saw two bandits with bows walking along the perimeter. I saw another bandit chopping wood. In the distance I could see what looked like the entrance to a cave or mine. Most likely their chief would be in there, counting up his loot, and hopefully getting loaded on skooma.

I pointed out the closest archer on the wall who now was sitting in a chair. Lydia acknowledged the target then waited for my cue. I sent a fiery arrow into his head but miraculously he did not go down. He sounded the alarm before I could put another arrow in him to silence him for good. Lydia charged the open gate where the bandit was chopping wood. They swung at each other and I used my bow to set him on fire. I switched to the other archer on the wall who was taking aim at Lydia and ignoring me. The archer fell with one shot but Lydia was still battling. I loosened my sword and ran to help her. Before I could get there, another bandit, a mage, appeared and hit me full in the face with a blast of ice and snow. Being a Nord and raised in the northern weather, the cold did not bother me too much but the magical frost was stinging my eyes and nose. I closed in on him as quickly as I could. Despite his magical shield, my sword cut him down in two strokes. I looked for Lydia even as the frost was melting off my nose. She was standing with her foot on the bandit's head, tugging her battleaxe free of his chest.

Together we relieved the bandits of their ill-gotten gains and scour the camp for loot and supplies. One had an amulet that I recognize as the symbol for Arkay. I tried it on instead of my Talos amulet to see how it looked. It was not bad, and it made me feel stronger for some reason. I kept it on. I found two chests, one with a flail trap that missed me completely. Stupid bandits. The only useful item I found was a set of steel nordic gauntlets that fit and looked better than the iron ones I had been wearing. My battle wardrobe was coming along nicely. We headed into the mine to find the bandit chief. So far, I could not see why the Whiterun guards could not have handled these wastrels.

The mine was loud inside with a wind howling through it. Lydia lit a torch just in time for me to see a plate on the floor. I moved us around whatever trap it was then stopped as a bandit was sitting in front of us. I thought we were quiet enough but he stood and picked up an axe that was lying next to him. He stretched and grinned, "Never should have come here."

"Yeah, I get that a lot," I said then I got an idea. I held my hands out and started backing up, edging Lydia back as well. "Hold on now fella, maybe we can talk about this. It's possible you're smarter than you look, right?"

He charged forward, bringing his axe back for a big swing. He stepped on the plate and I used my Shout on him. He staggered back as a pile of rocks fell from the ceiling. The trap did not kill him but my sword stabbing into his chest a moment later did. As he fell, I noticed something was different. I touched the ancient sword and it felt warm, probably from the bandit's body, but it did not have the faint glow it used to have. I asked Lydia but she said she did not know much about enchanted weapons. Oh well, it was still a sword and it did what I needed it to do. I found a key on the bandit as well as some healing potions on a table. I used the key to move on into the mine.

I did not see anymore traps but I could hear voices not far away.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Lydia said.

I almost bumped into a string of bones hanging from the ceiling, most likely some warning signal. I told her to hush then snuck forward as best I could. The room looked like some sort of processing room. There was a dead mammoth right in the middle. How they got it in there was anyone's guess. The floor was covered with blood and what looked like oil as well. Perhaps the animal was so big they were just going to set the floor on fire to roast it. Stupid bandits. There was also a forge and a platform with beds and a huge treasure chest. That is where I saw the one who had to be the chief. He was an Orc and his armor was much nicer than the others'. They all seemed to be listening to whatever he had to say.

I counted four bandits so surprise would work best for us. Lydia yawned behind me. I shot her a venomous look, which she merely smirked at. I thought for a moment then noticed the lanterns strung above them. I remembered my little trick from Bleak Falls Barrow then told Lydia to get ready. Three arrows sent three lanterns to the floor, erupting the room in flames. They either figured out where we were or were running to get out but either way they all ran up a ramp towards us. Lydia charged forward and met three of the bandits at the top of the ramp, including the loudmouthed bandit chief. One must have perished in the flames. They were bottled up at the stairs so I peppered the lot with more arrows, making sure I did not hit my housecarl.

Suddenly Lydia backed off, wounded, and two remaining bandits advanced on me. I retreated as I drew my sword and waited for them to all be lined up in front of me. I threw my head back and Shouted as hard as I could. They all staggered backwards. I ran forward and smashed my sword into the closest one, a woman. Then I pretended to block but instead rammed my new gauntlets into her face then followed through with an uppercut slice than caught her under the chin and hurled her into the air to topple over the railing.

The bandit chief roared after me and his battleaxe caught me off guard. Even through my heavy armor the blow was intense. I tried to Shout him back but nothing happened. He wound up for another swing and I tried to dodge. The tip of the axe nicked my leg. I could feel the blood running into my boots and my heart was pounding so loud I thought even he could can hear it. Fortunately, the chief's axe lodged in the mine's stony floor which gave me a moment to roll away and quickly drink two healing potions. I thought the bleeding stopped but I did not have time to check. The chief wrenched his axe free and saw me still moving. I could hear Lydia fighting behind me so I supposed there was another bandit still alive.

The chief and I squared off and I put my guard up. He wound up for a swing but I stepped into it and bashed my sword into his chest. Caught off balance, he stumbled backwards and I lashed out with a flurry of cuts to his arms and legs. As he righted himself, I reared back for as powerful a swing as I could manage. It slipped in under his guard and caved in the side of his steel armor, throwing him against the wall of the mine. His huge frame slid to the ground and came to rest beside his axe.

Lydia joined me, having dispatched the last of the bandits. We sit down to rest. She had a few more visible cuts and bruises but did not complain. I wished there was a way I could have used my new healing powers on her. Instead, I used it on myself then checked my leg where the axe had nearly hewn it off. It was still healing but I only felt a slight pang that would not go away.

"Looks nasty," Lydia said. "Should leave a memorable scar."

"Proof of my prowess," I said. "I can walk, but my knee may never be the same."

We had a bit of food then looked around the mine. I did not find a whole lot in terms of coin, but I did find some nice weapons and a few books. One book in particular looked like a spellbook. I wondered if I would understand it better now that I was aware of my healing powers. I browsed through it and surprisingly I did understand it. Apparently I was now able to transmute iron ore into silver and then silver into gold. Miraculous! If I were to purchase some of these mines and have workers bring the ore to me, I would have septims coming out of my Azura. I told Lydia my plan and she suggested if I wanted to buy so much property, I would have to become Thane of all the holds first. After she explained it that way, it seemed like a lot of menial work, especially for someone with more of a conquering destiny laid before them. Perhaps I would save it for my retirement.

I suggested we leave and on the way out I grabbed one more thing.

"What are you going to do with that?" Lydia asked.

I strapped the mammoth tusk to my back. "I'm going to need something to shove up Avenicci's backside if he 'forgets' the bounty he offered for these guys."

By the time we got back to Whiterun it was past time for people to be up so I just had Lydia whip us up a small dinner. It was edible, with a healthy dose of ale to wash it down. Then we sacked out in Breezehome for the night. Hopefully with the money from the bounty I would be able to outfit the other bedroom upstairs. As it was, the only bed was big enough for both of us. We were both too tired to do anything but climb the stairs and remove just enough armor to be able to sleep.