The Pink Haired Pirate: An Old Norse Saying
Rated: M for language, future mature themes, violence, gore
Warnings: Spoiler alert for Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
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Sakura's POV
The weather was getting colder and colder, the farther and farther we advanced through the snow of The Pale. I was completely aware that in my excitement to start our journey I might have forgotten to pack my coat, but to my defense, warming up the frigid air around us with an occasional fire technique and Marcurio's own lesser fire spells seemed to might do the trick. Warming my body with my fire nature helped me too. Sure, I could have just summoned Chihiro-chan and send her fluffy butt after a cloak, maybe two, I didn't want my companion to die on me, but I wasn't sure how much could I trust him. Until now, aside from the snarky comments and occasional sassiness, Marcurio has done nothing to betray my trust. But one could never be too careful, could they?
In fact, we have been amiably chatting for a while, for such a long while that I have forgotten about the cold, too engrossed in our own conversation about the School of Destruction. I merely enumerated the basic, most important affinities of our own Elemental Ninjutsu which resembled said spells too much. Both had the same role and the same elemental manipulation meant to destroy, or sometimes even create. It was astonishing to find out just how much our usage of chakra resembled their usage of mana, despite being so far apart.
"As you know, the only class of spells which might resemble your 'Water Release', is Frost. You know, ice." Marcurio looked at me as he started explaining. "It has a lot of usages, really. Some mages use it to throw projectiles, others merely freeze their foe in place," I suddenly remembered the way he froze Calixto Corrium in place to prevent him from running away- "or just blast them off like you would with a fireball. But I've never heard of water manipulation in a manner you have related."
"The water release is very basic and pretty common back home but it's still useful and can be very strong. Ice is normally a combination of two other elemental affinities: water and wind. There have been people who could manipulate ice and snow on their own, however. Back home, clans usually hold the secret of special techniques passed down through generations, called Bloodline Limits. The Yūki clan was known for their natural mastery over the unique Ice Release." I noticed him raise an eyebrow in confusion so I clarified. "Yūki means snow."
"I see. The name seems pretty fitting."
And indeed, it was. I was unaware if the clan was fully extinct and has died with Haku, the boy we encountered on my first mission with my genin team. The paranoia of the Water Country made everyone to fear the kekkei genkai and their users. Irrational fear leads everyone to commit atrocious crimes.
Marcurio, however, broke my train of thoughts by snapping his fingers in my face, making me jump a little.
"A penny for your thoughts?" He asked, a little concerned but mostly confused, so I merely shook my head.
"Some villages embraced the fact they had bloodline clans residing in their village. They considered it both an honor and a privilege. To put it simply, think about it: a clan with a strong bloodline limit will always spawn powerhouses. If said clan is affiliated with a village, they will willingly feel obliged to pawn their prodigies to defend the village at their best. But those bloodline limit clans are also pretty pretentious. The clan politics are..." Now, what's the perfect word to describe the clan politics..? "They're just unfair and horrible sometimes. Most got a mountain-sized pole shoved up their ass."
"But some feared for their own power and safety, so they hunted them to extinction. I believe that was the case for the Yūki clan. I was merely reflecting on it."
"I see." Marcurio nodded. "You know, something similar happened to the Falmer in Skyrim too. I'm not sure if you have read about it yet, but the Falmer have been known as Snow Elves before. Sure, the Dwarves have played the ultimate role in their disfiguration, but several blood wars started before that. They appealed to the Dwarves as a last resort. The Falmer were a once prosperous race, envied by many, as you can see. During the event called the 'Night of Tears', the Snow Elves were attacked and quickly decimated by the Atmoran settlements. The Atmorans are the ascendants of the Nords."
"You have studied all of these at the University of Cyrodiil?
He nodded. "The Arcane University of Cyrodill." He quickly corrected me. "Pretty much. I have mostly taken up History, Destruction, Alteration, and Alchemy as my main courses, along with Dwarven History and Culture, Nordic History and Restoration. I was ready to become a professor myself after I was done with my degree work. You know, obtain a recommendation letter from a professor and present a brand new project. I was working on a whole new spell."
Besides the fact that the Dwarven History was studied pretty in-depth, in-depth enough to form a separate course on their own, I couldn't help but be confused myself.
"And how come you have become a glorified mercenary instead of a University professor? I bet it would have held more prestige than crawling through sewers and snow."
The Imperial mage merely shrugged.
"It lacked the thrill, you know? I would have taught the younger generations of students everything I knew, but I would have spent the rest of my youth...and adulthood, like that, without actually living. So I simply left, abandoning my post as an assistant. I got to Skyrim through the province of Bruma, right at the border, ran away from a few bears, encountered those lucky people I told you about, I almost died a few times but at least I lived. I truly lived. Plus, I also got to see with my own eyes everything I learned about, instead of mere relics in glass cases within the museum of the University. I want to send them a Dwarven relic or two, just to show I hold no hard feelings for them."
And I actually chuckled. His story was truly interesting, and it made sense, actually. I could have returned back home and settle down too after we have found the One Piece. A year or so ago, I actually dreamed of becoming an Academy teacher when I would return back. Or a Jonin sensei as soon as I earned my rights to teach. As amazing Bakakashi-sensei was, he had no idea how to teach kids. He mostly left us on our own volition to decipher the jutsu, claiming it would only make us work harder but better.
But as soon as I was confronted with the idea to leave, I decided to come here and I wasn't regretting it one second. I was on my own, making the right decisions for myself, most of the time anyway, without the pressure of my crew, without anybody scrutinizing me about what was right and what shouldn't I do. And it was truly amazing. I truly felt free.
"I suppose we could stop by and find a courier who takes correspondence to Bruma at least. And eventually, pass by the university to pass the parcel." I suggested it because it seemed like a good idea. And he thought so too, by the look on his face. He was grateful enough not to make a snarky comment or even a sarcastic pat on the head.
The rest of the journey, however, was kept in silence. But it was not uncomfortable at all. We were close to the ruins and the wind became too harsh over the night to make talking possible, without swallowing at least a mouthful of snow and who knows what else what. So we took shelter near the ruins, about a few hundreds of meters from the site. It was not quite a cave in the mountain; it was more of a dugout carve in stone, but deep enough to hide us from the snowstorm. I pulled out a small scroll tucked in my pouch and summoned my own bedroll while Marcurio laid down his from his satchel. I grabbed a few dry sticks from the corner of the cave and formed a basic handseal, blowing a small ball of flame to light them up.
The silence was pleasant, welcomed. I had a volume opened on my lap which I was reading with mid-interest. My eyes were closed, as I took a moment to meditate and fully heal the wound on my back. Marcurio was too engrossed in his texts to even notice me, and that was fine. Even more, questions to answer might be, dare to say, a little troublesome. And everybody had the right to keep a few secrets here and there. Speaking of secrets...
My hand moved in a new handseal to conceal my skin better. The Rinnegan eye would freak people out, but the purple mark in the middle of my forehead could be seen as a mere cosmetic tattoo. I suddenly found no reason to cover it anymore. So I just let go of it.
I resumed my lecture. Or at least...I tried to. It was the fifth volume and I felt like dying, as I understood too little of the novel. Who was Rijja? Who was the emperor? What was happening!? I dreadfully looked down at the book, closing it in distaste.
"Marcurio?" I tried.
"Yes?" He replied, never looking up from his scroll, studying it now less interested than before.
I reluctantly held my book up. "Do you know where can I find the first book of the '2920, The Last Year of the First Era'? I haven't realized until now that the book is apart of a series...I mean that it's not a standalone story."
Marcurio scratched the slight stubble on his chin before shaking his head.
"You could try a library. Though I haven't seen in Skyrim a proper bookstore before. Strange, since I've seen at least one in the Imperial City. I mean yes, some general storekeepers sell books too, but not books and paper exclusively."
"Imperial City? The capital of Cyrodill?" He merely nodded. Maybe one day, I will visit Cyrodill too. And all of Tamriel. Just how cool could that be?
I couldn't help but grin to myself.
End of Sakura's POV
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The simple duo formed out of a kunoichi and a spell-caster was perched on top of a rocky, snow-covered hill, analyzing their surroundings. The ruins, if you could even call them as such, were standing tall and imposing. Maybe they were called ruins because they were mere shells of their former glory, but they still held the architectural superiority the Dwarves possessed so long ago, standing sturdy after millennia of change.
"Impressive." Sakura couldn't help but breath out as she admired the carved roofs, even if they were almost entirely covered in snow. She opened the eye of her mind and started counting, suddenly starting to feel sick.
"You should see the inside of the ruins then. You'll be baffled." He grinned slightly. "I admit I'd like the Dwemer history even more if it was not trying to kill me every time I approached it." He looked at her.
"What's wrong?"
Sakura shook her head. "They are...a lot. A lot. The outside and the inside of the ruins are crawling with life. I don't know who...but I doubt they aren't hostile."
Marcurio seemed to be a little surprised.
"How do you even know that?"
She settled for the really basic explanation of the chakra sensing process. "If there's a thing which is alive, let it be an animal, human or plant, it has chakr- mana." She corrected herself quickly. "If you train yourself hard enough, you can sense that mana. If you train even harder, you can recognize that mana signature by yourself, and suppress your own not to be recognized."
"Like the life-detecting spell." Sakura blinked owlishly.
"Well yes, but it comes off as natural. It requires no additional mana to cast it, and you can't really not do it. It's almost instinctively." However, his statement made her gears move a little.
"Wait a second. That's what the spell does. It scans for chakra signatures. Then the unliving-detecting spell scans for the chakra which holds the dead moving, but it's not a chakra signature per se. Amazing." She breathed out, in one go.
"So it means that suppressing your chakra signature" the word seemed a little foreign rolling off his tongue, but he still didn't bother to correct her "makes you immune towards either detecting spells. Now, that's something. How many are down there?"
The sickness pooling in the pit of her stomach started again. She groaned.
"A lot. And you know, I'm not sure if I want to go for unnecessary murder." Marcurio completely agreed. Returning back to Riften reeking of blood and death was the last thing they needed on their heads. Like how Sakura looked like stepping inside Bee and Barb after dungeon exploring. He looked over the hill and narrowed his eyes, counting.
"Ten bandits are poised just outside the ruins. What the hell are they guarding anyways? The ruins were dried out of the most important artifacts, and whatever gold or gemstones there are insignificant unless you want to dig deeper and risk getting pummeled by a Dwarven Centurion. Plus, there was no sense in guarding the leftovers. They could just, you know, take them. That's how bandits are. They've got nothing to lose so they fight like it."
Sakura agreed wholeheartedly. They risked engaging anybody in combat for the chance to rob them blind and hopefully move away. The outlaws which were more organized than tackling down everything which crossed their path were forming guilds, crews, and groups. But they weren't called bandits, and the Thieves Guild was a prime example. They were no saints but they didn't kill - mostly. And if Sakura was to overlook the overall view of each of Riften's citizens, they never robbed the poor or in need. That was a clause she could agree with.
"Then the question is not what are they guarding. But who. Why...it's a little less important. Septims are most likely the reason. So...shall we try to come up with a plan or just go jump in and hope for the best?" The look she received was enough for her to start conceiving a tactic to approach and enter the ruins unscathed.
"We need a distraction. You know...it would be pretty convenient if a bear attacked them. They'd focus on hunting the animal down and it would be too late anyway if they spotted us opening the doors."
Sakura blinked. "It's not a bad idea." She sighed. "I mean, it wouldn't if a bear actually attacked. But I agree, we need a good distraction." Her eyes suddenly lit up and stood back. Marcurio watched the grin spread on her face.
"By that look, I really hope you have a good idea."
She moved her hands in a handseal, and suddenly, a perfect carbon copy of Sakura smoked right next to her.
"Dealing with one Sakura is enough. Two of them are a nightmare. Is this really your plan?" He crossed his arms, masking his actual curiosity about the clone shaping spell she displayed.
Both the real and the clone snorted. "Do you have a better idea? No? Good." Sakura smirked triumphantly as she merely saw him snort. "But the pink hair is a dead giveaway. We should disguise the clone." She tapped her chin and looked at the clone closely, before doing another handsign. She HAD to apply a henge.
The clone not only it did not retain its caster's original appearance, something which the clone cried about moments before the transformation, but it strongly resembled a bandit. The slender feminine body was replaced by a bulkier, masculine one, and it was armed with a dagger handed out by Sakura.
"Now that's...a little impressive, I admit. I suppose it will do the trick. We send it out, have it start a fight and we slip inside as unnoticed as possible?" Marcurio guessed exactly what Sakura was thinking about. She merely nodded with a smile.
The clone stepped outside of their hiding spot, looking for a second at its creator and raised an eyebrow before a bandit reached over to pat its back.
"Jorgen, here you are! We've been looking for you everywhere!" The clone looked at him confused as it was dragged away.
"It's your turn to keep watch, there's no way you're bailing out on us this time again."
'Jorgen's eyes narrowed and punched the bandit in the face. It had to start a riot.
"Oi, what the hell, man!?" The bandit was caught off guard and held his bleeding nose.
"Don't think you can punch my face and get away with it!" A few more bandits answered his call and they all charged equipped with swords and daggers. The clone was dodging and throwing a punch here and there, sending them flying back in a spiral. 'Jorgen' had to dodge mostly, so it wouldn't get dispelled. If it did, both Sakura and Marcurio would be in big trouble.
"Since when has Jorgen gotten so good? He was barely able to lift a boulder yesterday!"
"He's not Jorgen you fool! He just looks like him!"
"You're a fool! How could somebody look more like Jorgen than Jorgen!"
Marcurio quickly motioned Sakura to follow him to the giant gates of the ruins. They sneaked past the bandits who were too busy to fight the clone, who eventually did its best to apply the evasion tactics Sakura has mastered. It needed to stay alive for just a little more.
Both of them held a tight grip on the Dwarven metal door and started to pull. And no matter how much chakra Sakura was pouring in her arms to pull the damned door open, it was still hard to do so. Most likely the door required at least ten bandits.
Sakura's purple diamond on her forehead started to glow. The sudden surge of chakra which flowed through her body allowed her to creak open the door. She started panting.
"Come on!" The familiar pop of a dispelled clone rang through her ears. "They're advancing on us!" Marcurio held the door open just enough so she could slip inside, before he followed, slamming the metal door right in the bandits' faces. He heard a grunt outside.
"The deeper they go in the ruins, the more they'll realize they'll have to get back here. And when they do...we'll be waiting for them."
Marcurio stared at the glowing purple diamond for a second before snapping out of his daze.
"You know, if you keep that going, we won't need to lit up a torch."
Sakura rolled her eyes. "My forehead torch is saving you the need to look for the light. Appreciate it." The hint of amusement was clear as daylight. Marcurio heard voices, however, so brushing off his feeling of glee, he clasped a hand over Sakura's mouth and dragged her in the shadows with him.
A bandit looked a little in their direction. Sakura's breathing stopped for a second and acted rapidly, as the man clad in iron armor was bringing his torch in the shadowed corner.
When he saw nothing suspicious, he walked away, missing the way Sakura jumped high on the wall, holding onto Marcurio like their life depended on it. Well...it kind of did.
"What the hell was that?" He mouthed, but she could read his lips instantly. The pink-haired woman struggled to move her single free hand inside the weapon pouch strapped around her leg and pulled out a few long, silvery needles. Her eyes bled red instantly, as she scanned the few targets with her Sharingan. A woman was sitting by the makeshift campfire in front of a pair of golden gates. Her eyes narrowed and launched them. The long needles impaled both of their necks. They fell on the ground with a loud thud, accompanied by the rattling of their armors. Sakura dropped down from the ceiling, slowly letting go of Marcurio.
"They're not dead. I just tried to make sure I hit the right paralysis point." She explained, rubbing the back of her neck.
"Let me guess; another weird mana trick known by your people?" He followed her across the dim-lit corridor. His right hand soon emerged a bright, energy orb, which grew in size. When he let go of it, the orb floated about their heads, lighting up the path.
Sakura stared up but lowered her gaze to prevent her vision from getting blotched. "Lemme guess, another weird Tamrielic spell?"
"It's a really low-ranked Alteration spell. But it's pretty useful since it's hands-free. It's better than your forehead torch anyways." Sakura snorted and clasped her hand over her forehead, to hide the seal.
"Shut up."
The dim-lit corridor was slowly getting washed with a bright light, revealing the insides of the Dwarven ruins. Sakura was careful not to trip over a dead, Dwarven spider. It seemed to be made of the same metal the doors were made of.
"Those are called Dwarven Spiders. As you know, the Dwarves have used both magic and science to power up their mechanisms. Creatures such as the Spiders have been active right from the moment of their disappearance." Marcurio lectured as they advanced deeper in the ruins.
"Wait there a second, then. Maybe their disappearance was planned, then. Think about it. Why else would they leave their homes protected? Either if they disappeared by force or they just found a better place." Marcurio stared down at her for a second.
"The scholars have thought of that as well. Hence why so many excavations are occurring in Skyrim. Markarth is a city of Dwarven origins, they're pretty much looking to unearth what has happened millennia ago. But they found no clue about what happened to the builders. They discovered their impressive, ample creations, but no trace of them. Not a footprint, not a hair, not even a fabric of their clothes. But it has happened a long time ago." His eyes suddenly lit up.
"However, if I'm recalling well enough, a living Dwarf was once discovered in Morrowind. I'm not sure if he's alive now, but they are known for their long lifespan."
"In...Morrowind you say?" Sakura raised an eyebrow.
"How's Morrowind?"
"The land of the Dark Elves? I've got no idea, I have never been there personally. It's all gray from the ash sprouted during the Red Mountain's eruption."
They passed through the corridors. The pink-haired woman grabbed a storage scroll and opened it. She found about four Dwemer cogs. She quickly sealed them inside.
"It's a storage scroll connected to a room back home. So you know, I don't have to carry everything with me. Or go home, drop these off and get back." She explained quickly as she looted another metal creature. She found some dwarven oil and metal scraps. She also spotted a few bolts, but she wasn't sure yet of their usage.
"I understand. That was a Dwarven Sphere. They act as sentinels, patrolling the ruins and attacking everything which alerts their sensors."
Sakura stared down and raised an eyebrow.
"That sounds...complex. So how are they powered? By steam? By magic? By both?"
"By both, most likely. Come on, we'll have time to inspect the architecture later after we find the sword." Marcurio scolded her.
"Hey, I think I heard someone talking over there!"
Both of them froze in place as they heard a third voice calling out from somewhere. Marcurio narrowed his eyes and grabbed her wrist. His free hand sparked a little as he started running. He accurately left lighting runes on the ground, as they ran past two bandits hot on their tails.
Sakura soon heard the weakened screams of pain as she kept up her pace, and the flash of thunder over the dampened walls of the ruins. They panted, slumping against the wall. The candlelight has vanished a few minutes ago, so they ran blindly in the dark. Marcurio casted it again.
"Damn. I was so focused on..." she sighed and sat her back straight. "We'll leave looting for when we get back, then. Let's go."
Marcurio sat up and downed a small blue vial, before getting ready to strike if needed. Sakura's hands were engulfed by a sharp blade-like chakra field. Who needed a sword when you had chakra blades?
"Now remember. The automatons are immune to poison - though that's kind of an understatement - and frost spells." He carefully instructed as they advanced in the dark. The corridor continued a little further, opening and ending at a junction.
To the right was a locked door with a bandit guarding it. The way on the left lead to a pair of huge, golden gates. Sakura looked at Marcurio and both started sneaking past the guard. She silenced her feet as best as she could, holding her breath, climbing down the ramp and Marcurio pushed the gates open. She narrowed her eyes.
Two bandits were fighting off a Dwarven Sphere each. The lower side of the metal body resembled the bottom of a sphere, sure, but the rest of it took the shape of a carved humanoid. The details the faces were sculpted were impressive.
"Shall we jump in?" Marcurio whispered, waiting for an answer. More or less, she was still his boss.
"I'd say ...let's help. If they attack us after helping them...let's maul them." He sighed.
"Off into the danger I guess." He followed instructions nonetheless. Sakura leaped from her hiding spot. She aimed a chakra filled hand to tear through the Dwarven metal of the sphere. The bandit's eyes widened and lowered his weapon immediately. Marcurio was done too.
"Who the hell are you two?"
Sakura raised her hands in defense. "Your saviors? We're not looking for trouble." The bandit eyed them suspiciously, but they had a point.
He sighed.
"Thank you. The ruins are crawling with those awful creatures. It makes it impossible to guard the old man researching. But what are you doing here?"
Sakura smiled just slightly.
"I was sent to retrieve a sword. We're not here to bother you."
"Research?"
The bandit looked at Marcurio carefully and nodded.
"Yes, research. The old man is paying us to keep his ass safe while he plays with rocks and metal. Go on, do whatever, as soon as you kill those crawlies meanwhile." The rest of the bandits immediately lowered their bows.
Sakura bowed her head respectfully, smiling.
"Thank you, we shall be on our way."
"Yeah, yeah, good luck with that sword."
Marcurio followed her immediately, never lowering his guard.
"At least we know why are the bandits flocking around, here."
Sakura nodded as they climbed the raised walkway, stepping through an open door diagonally opposite. On the right, she spotted a bunch of chests. The corridor leading from the room continued for a few feet, passing a couple of sets of shelves and stone benches before turning to the west. Along there by a broken piece of metalwork on the right was a Dwemer bowl. The corridor opened out again. They were greeted by a Dwarven Spider which hissed and launched itself at Sakura. She lifted her chakra-filled foot and kicked it away, crushing it against the wall.
"Those crawlies are...well, better than a normal spider, anyways." She sighed, confessing.
"Some of them are actually repairing and maintaining the ruins. You know, so they won't collapse."
Sakura raised an eyebrow and spotted the crushed spider on the wall. "These little guys are responsible for the fact that the ruins haven't collapsed after so long? You know, if the Dwarves would eventually come home, their homes wouldn't be totally destroyed. I mean listen; the steam-powered pipes are working like brand new." A few broken parts fell apart. Something glinting caught her eye. She stepped closer and picked up a strange, blue gemstone.
"A soul gem? Is this how they're still powered and working even after all those...thousands of years..?" She mused. "Whose soul may be in this one?"
Marcurio took a good look at the bluish hued gemstone.
"Most likely a small animal. Or you know...just an animal. Fun fact about soul gems; if they're blue or light violet, you can only trap a creature's soul, depending on the gem's size. To trap the soul of a human...you need a black soul gem. You won't encounter damned souls across these halls." He shook his head, condescending.
"Well.." she puffed her cheeks. "Hate me for being curious."
The corridor opened up and turned a sharp North. The duo climbed up the slightly steep platform of stone and rocks, Marcurio roasted alive another spider which leaped to stab them with its long, metal legs. Sakura has been less careful with that one, so she got a nasty, deep cut on her forearm which she kept healing. Marcurio was leading the way while she was patching herself up with the same, pellicular green mana radiating from her good hand. He stopped in front of the golden gate.
Sakura, who was too busy to focus on her wound and not trip while walking, almost bumped into him.
"Why have we stopped?" She looked over his shoulder and her eyes widened a little.
"Is that...?"
"A centurion. A very dead centurion but magnificent nonetheless. And that thing over there.." he pointed at a seemingly functional round object. It was made out of the same metal as the centurion, but it had a weird, floating and rotating stone in the middle.
"It's called a dynamo core. It...brings the Centurion to life."
"So the Dwarves did use actual magic to bring their creations alive," Sakura concluded and stepped close to the gate. The gate wouldn't budge, nor did they have a key to open. The golden gates were stuck in place, but she really wanted to get the dynamo core for Calcelmo. She really wanted to be in the graces of one of the best writers and Dwarven researchers in Skyrim.
"How could we open this thing?" Marcurio watched as Sakura dropped in an offensive taijutsu stance. She kicked the door several times. Her chakra-filled feet were leaving deep indents in the metal, and the gates were groaning loudly.
After a few minutes, she stopped, dropping on her butt to heal her aching feet.
"The hell are these gates made of..?" She cried. Marcurio started to push the gates open. Sakura followed shortly, helping him push, and almost tripped over the body of the dead Centurion. She panted.
"It's dwarven metal...it's speculated it's made of steel, copper and something else. Maybe malachite. But nobody really knows...and neither can you find reserves in other places than the ruins."
"It was a rhetorical question...but thanks." Sakura took out one of her scrolls and unfolded it. Carrying the core on their own would be extremely weighing.
"Hey, what are you doing? I found that first." Marcurio narrowed his eyes.
"And I helped you opened the gate. So unless you want to run around carrying this thing and fight -"
"You could find another centurion to get another core for Calcelmo."
"Well, you could do that too! But oh right, you wouldn't crawl here on your own." Sakura sat up and looked at him in the eyes, with a fury that might kill him if looks could kill. Well...maybe in Sakura's case...they could.
"When you'll reach higher than my collarbone with the top of your head, we'll talk about you getting the core."
Sakura's mouth opened and closed again. She was starting to get angry, no matter how easy was for her to get lost in those melted-chocolate colored eyes.
When his hand reached to pick up the dynamo core, she immediately slap it.
"No."
"No?" He tried to pick it again, but another slap followed.
"No."
"You have no idea how rare are these, you're not qualified to touch one-"
A groan echoed through the walls of the ruins.
"You know you're making sounds like a hungry horker when you're angry?" Marcurio commented, flicking her forehead.
"That. Wasn't. Me." She deadpanned, grabbing his wrist, to prevent his hand from touching her forehead again.
The wall opposed to them cracked. And that crack suddenly lead to stone, rocks, and rubble crumble from the ceiling above their heads. Their eyes widened.
"Watch out!"
Sakura heard as she was tackled on the ground. Marcurio's body shielded hers as a good portion of the ceiling almost fell on their body. It crushed the dynamo core to bits and pieces. The both of them panted. Sakura grabbed his hand so they could jump on their feet and start running, the core be damned.
"Thanks..."
Marcurio didn't say anything. The Imperial mage was using his free hand to cast a ward, deflecting the debris and rubble which threatened to crush their bodies.
"You're so reckless, you know that?"
Blood rushed to her cheeks in embarrassment. The color soon matched her own hair color.
"If we find another dynamo core, you can have it to take it to Cyrodill."
"Hopefully we won't encounter another one soon. What would the chances for the Centurion to be dead? If we meet one face to face, we're screwed. That's all I'm saying."
Sakura recalled the reason she was currently crawling through the dirt, rubble, and metal scattered across the ruins. The Falmer blood was a bonus task, but in reality, she was here for the Grimsever...or Mjoll the Lioness' glass blade. Listening to the rumors and the townsfolk gossip Chihiro has gathered while lounging in the sun, she found out that Mjoll found the ruins of Mzinchaleft as her final resting place until she was saved and nursed back to health. The young man, Aerin, was a guardian angel.
And whatever almost killed Mjoll was still residing in the depths of the ruins. Maybe she should have asked the blonde Nord for additional information. To prepare herself mentally.
"I...really doubt we won't stumble across one...or at least something as dangerous as one."
Marcurio sighed. "I was really hoping you wouldn't say that."
"I'm sorry to disappoint you then."
There was no going back. The debris blocked the way outside the ruins, of the chamber they just ran past. Sakura made the quick movement of pulling a lever and the golden bars shot down into the ground. They stumbled against the pillar of the lever, panting.
"I...I think we're safe ...for now."
"I really hate it when you're pessimistic. If even you are pessimistic, then we're screwed."
Sakura snorted and sat up.
"It seems that the Dwemer laid out for us a little puzzle," Marcurio commented. The lever they pulled opened the path on the left, and that same path led to another lever. And looking through the gates, more similar levers awaited ahead.
"Six levers." Sakura quickly counted up. She pulled the second lever. A gate opened, only to close another.
"We'll have to open these in the perfect order to get out of this maze," Marcurio concluded and sighed. He took out a quill and a roll of parchment paper.
"Got any ink?"
Sakura shook her head. "What's your plan?"
"It's simple. We tie the paper to each lever and write down what gates do they open. But what will we write with if we have no ink?"
The pink-haired woman took out her journal out of the pouch strapped behind her back. She took his quill and bit her thumb until it bled red. Marcurio flinched as he watched her dip the tip of the quill in the cut.
"I'll heal it later, so it won't get infected," Sakura reassured him.
"Alright, so we have six chambers with six levers."
She neatly wrote 'Mzinchaleft Lever Puzzle' right above the first blank page. She also scribbled down a basic representation of the room.
6 5
4 3
2 1
She handed him the quill.
"The first lever opens the second gate," Marcurio said as he strapped the piece of paper to the lever.
"And the second lever opens the third," Sakura noted and strapped her own piece of paper.
The spears closed behind them as soon as they pulled the fourth lever.
"Was this ...supposed to happen?"
"Apparently...yes."
The both of them sighed and got back to work. After what it seemed like an eternity spent, hopping from gate to gate, pulling the levers until she felt the metal grow used beneath her touch, Sakura slumped against the pillar.
Marcurio narrowed his eyes and looked down at her.
"Get up, we're not done. We have only one possibility left to try. Didn't you say you had a sword to grab?" He chastised and pulled her arm up.
They were sitting in front of the first gate. Again.
"I'm sorry, let's start again." Sakura hopped on her feet and pulled the first lever of the gate. Marcurio followed, and immediately pulled the second, then the third. Sakura walked back to pull the second lever again. Marcurio circled around and pulled the fourth lever. They headed south to pull the fifth. They pulled the fourth right after. They made a beeline towards the second lever and pulled it down.
"Almost...done." They pulled the third lever together and advanced past the gate. They stared down at the rusty-colored valve and looked at each other before joining their hands to open it. All the spears shot down in the ground with a satisfying groan.
"Finally..."
Sakura sighed, relieved, as she wrote the last piece of paper and completed the mini-map of her journal, before healing her bleeding thumb.
"I told you, you have nothing to fear with me by your side." His proud grin was quickly turned in a growl of dull pain.
"Stop hitting me!"
"Stop being so cocky." Sakura walked farther along the corridor, sitting right beside the last lever and waited for him. They pulled the lever together. Rubble and dust started to fall down as the mechanisms let out screeching sounds. The platform started to lower them slowly until it was released from the pressure grown over the dormant thousands of years. She grabbed his hand tightly, preparing herself.
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"I admit...the depths of Mzinchaleft got a really...a little grotesque but fascinating beauty." The two of them descended and entered a dark, dim-lit corridor. The little light they had was an eerie blue glow that washed the entire assemblage of ruins. They stepped carefully, not to trip over the dead Falmer and a metal spider on the ground. Sakura stopped.
"Wait there a minute." She kneed down by the dead betrayed elf and suppressed the few feelings of disgust. She pulled out the device handed by Septimus Signus and drained the little blood which hasn't soaked down.
"You've got some explaining to do. What was that?" Marcurio crossed his arms.
Sakura walked forward, instead. "I'll explain later. Let's not let our guards down." She promised, before pushing a door open. The path rose above the flooded section of the ruins, before splitting in two: both sides were guarded by very alive Falmer, screeching and aiming their crude weapons in their direction.
"Split?"
"Split."
They were going to make a dash, clean up as many hostile creatures as possible, and reach the gatehouse. In their searching, no Centurion was present in the depths of Mzinchaleft. Which meant that there was no trace of the Grimsever. Instead, the tunnels were crawling with Falmer, Dwarven automatons and a species of giant insects called 'chaurus' or how Sakura would sadly learn they were called. But fortunately, neither the betrayed Mer, nor the insects were able swimmers, and Sakura took full advantage of it. She dove right in the water, calling for her tail to take the shape of her legs. The shimmery, pink scales reflected the light of the giant, glowing mushrooms and the chaurus eggs which covered the ceiling of the cavern entirely.
Sakura swam, dodging the fallen pillars in the water. Something golden-colored caught her eye. She smiled.
Three unlocked chests were waiting for her to be opened and looted. The gold was enough for more than a few days of inn renting and meals. Maybe for a few extra septims, she could have the innkeeper let herself prepare a bath to wash away the murky water she just dove through. But she cleared the path. Her wet, damp head perched up from the water and looked up right at Marcurio, who was staring at the pink tail which peeked out from the watery surface.
"Scratch that." He crossed his arms. "You have a lot more to explain than I initially thought. After we get the sword, you're spilling the beans. No excuses."
Sakura sighed.
"I know...I know...a little help?"
Marcurio kneed down and wrapped his arms around her back, pulling her out from the water. She was a little heavier. It must have been her tail. He sat her down gently, letting Sakura dry out. Water rose from her body, like steam, as soon she could walk on her own two legs. She got up and shook them a little.
"Let's go then." They carefully stepped over the bodies on the floor. They slipped past the massive, golden gate, and sneaked through the small, dark corridor. Her eyes widened as she tried to swallow the lump in her throat. They were encased in a closed room, made almost entirely of metal. Her eyes landed on the large, metal figure, held together by a circular docking station. It was not unlike the Centurion they looted a little earlier. She, however, also spotted Mjoll's glass sword on a table on the right.
"I'll be damned..." Sakura whispered.
"What's the plan?" Marcurio whispered back. He was ready to attack if needed, but he was silently praying to all the Gods he worshipped that the Centurion wouldn't awaken.
"I...I'll try to sneak and grab the sword. Then run back to you like the devil itself is grabbing on my tail. Alright?"
He nodded. Sakura crouched and sneaked across the Gatehouse. They were so silent that their own breathing was echoing through the ruins. Her shaky hand reached to grasp the hilt of the green-hued sword and slid it off the table carefully.
It was a truly beautiful sword, and she understood perfectly why did Mjoll the Lioness want the sword back. The careful handcraft and the lightweight but sharp and sturdy aspects made it even more efficient than a sword made out of steel. Easier to lift, carry, swing and slash. It was truly magnificent, and she wouldn't mind carrying around a glass sword or a glass dagger herself.
Sakura grinned slowly to herself as she cradled the sword to her chest. She was ready to make her way back to Marcurio and get the hell out of there when a slow creak of metal made her froze in place. Judging by the imperial mage's face struck with horror, Sakura allowed herself to finally swallow the lump in her throat and immediately jump to her left, to narrowly avoid a full-blown jet of steam, hot enough to melt the skin off her skull.
"Well...fuck."
At that point, she was jumping from left to right, from the walls on top of the ceiling, but she knew she couldn't be running forever.
"What the hell are you doing standing right there!? Help me!" Her voice snapped him right from his daze.
"I-I'm sorry! Forgive me." He stammered and charged hitting the head of the enormous Centurion with fireballs, shoot out from his hands. He didn't bother with the ice destruction spells. They were currently ineffective.
Sakura ran across the Centurion's arm and jumped off, to narrowly avoid a hack and slash, landing next to Marcurio.
"Okay, Dwarven expert. How do we kill this thing?" She was already getting ready a few hand signs. Using her usual fire jutsu was unwise in an encased chamber. They were bigger than the fire spells Marcurio usually used.
She immediately dragged him down so he wouldn't be crushed by a metal stomp.
"That was close."
"The head should be more vulnerable than the rest of the body. I could distract it well enough while you aim for the head with one of your insane mana hits. Sounds good?"
It wasn't the best plan they could come up together, but it wasn't the worst either. But it was the only plan they could crop and glue together in such a short amount of time. It was not like they had anything better to apply, anyways.
Sakura nodded and sat the Grimsever aside. She dropped in her usual taijutsu stance and both of her hands glowed with chakra. She leaped and jumped, climbing up on the massive metal body of the animunculi, dodging the jet of steam and the treacherous arms which swung to swat her away like a fly. Marcurio was hitting it with a constant barrage of fire orbs, warding himself to shield his body from the Centurion.
Sakura ran across the shoulders and jumped up.
"Shannarooo!" She cried out and dove her fist through the metal helmet. The chakra tore through the carved armor, but the edges were leaving deep cuts all across her body. She was blasted back against the wall by the explosion which followed the destruction of the Centurion. She slumped against the wall.
"Sakura!"
Marcurio limped towards her resting place. His levels were severely depleted and had multiple burns. over his arms and hands.
"Well...we killed it..." the pink-haired woman panted as she tried to heal her wounds and stop the bleeding. She wasn't low on chakra, but the blood loss was making her see glowing patterns.
"We won't die with it...I still have a few potions left..."
"Will you charge me extra for those?" Sakura chuckled, earning an annoyed snort.
"Shut up, unless you want me to pour them on your open wounds."
She instantly held her tongue.
Marcurio sat down next to her, rummaging weakly through his bag, and popping off the corks out of a few red and blue colored bottles.
"Sakura-chan? Nya? Where are you?"
A feminine voice rang through the empty corridors. Marcurio couldn't recognize or recall the echo, but he was quite sure it was friendly. The voice seemed a little familiar with Sakura, even if he wasn't fully aware of the cute, little suffix 'chan' added at the end of her name.
None of them could hear footsteps too. They were completely silent. Was the new visitor a master of stealth? A mewl-like sound followed immediately after.
A pair of paws stepped through the shadows.
"Tsk tsk tsk. Sakura-chan, you're always getting into trouble. What would you do without me?"
It was Sakura's cat, which has been faithfully patrolling the streets and rooftops of Riften in her absence, and was constantly lounging either around Bee and Barb, either having her ears stroked by the priestess in the Temple of Mara. But since when could she talk?
"I think I'm hearing voices, Sakura...your cat is talking...how can your cat talk...I think I'm seeing the light..."
Chihiro sighed. Two gray cats followed inside the gatehouse. Both of them were fluffy, with irises the color of molten gold, but it was barely noticeable as the pupil was too dilated. The ears were folded, the faces were round and the muzzles were small. The chubby, twin cats sighed and climbed on top of their chests, kneading them before sitting down. Their fur glowed a soft, sea-foam green as they were slowly aiding their healing.
"I followed the two of you because I knew you two would get your butts kicked. I was half-right, true, but I couldn't just let you bleed out."
"Thanks, Chihiro-chan..." she coughed a little as she relieved in the light, soft and warm chakra which healed their wounds. The two folded-eared cats hopped off their bodies. Marcurio and Sakura held onto each other as they got up.
Sakura rummaged through the scraps of the fallen Centurion. She found a bottle of oil, a soul gem which she pocketed, a shiny purple gemstone she decided to claim, and a second centurion core which she picked up and walked over, standing in front of Marcurio.
"Here. This is yours. Take it to the university and keep me up to date about what are they going to find. Alright?"
"Are you..." Marcurio stared down at her. "Sure?" He was met with a bright smile, despite all the fatigue she was currently feeling, and the pain which needed some time to fade away.
"Of course!"
"I don't want to be a stick in the mud, but I think we shall get the hell out of this place before we unearth something which should stay buried." Chihiro sighed. The white cat with coffee-colored spots jumped into Sakura's arms as the ceiling started to crack.
"Good point." Marcurio took Loli and Lola, as Sakura picked up the Grimsever. They made a dash, running as much as their legs could carry them.
"Alright, I think we're safe." The gray Scottish Fold cats stretched. Loli narrowed her eyes.
"Next time try to be more careful. You have no damn idea how much tuna could you practically owe us for this one."
Sakura smiled.
"I'm friends with the owner of the fishery in Riften. I can get something arranged for later." The two Scottish Fold cats merely nodded.
"Good." The twin cats disappeared in a puff of white smoke. Sakura put down Chihiro.
"Should we make a stop at Dawnstar then? There's an inn we could get some rest at. Afterward we can start heading back for Riften." Sakura suggested. The three of them started walking through the snow, heading for the cobblestone path. The snowstorm has stopped a few hours after they sheltered themselves inside the ruins, so they merely crossed the calm sea of blinding white snow on their own.
"Sounds fine for me. Do you have any gold on you?"
"I found about two hundred in some chests in the ruins. You know, underwater. So we can afford to get some rest at an inn, instead of camping in the snow." Sakura toyed with the coin purse for a few moments before putting it back.
"So you're paying then."
"Of course. I don't want you to freeze to death."
"Shut up, I'm not a Nord to be naturally resistant to it."
"Nords are naturally resistant?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"That's why a lot of Nord bandits don't even bother to wear a full chest plate even in this goddamned cold? Not that it's a sight to see -"
"I do not want to know, Sakura. Stop."
He was answered with a light series of chuckles and giggles.
"Relax, I was kidding!"
Chihiro sighed a little to herself. Their bickering lasted for at least an hour before they grew bored of it and started a casual conversation about everything they encountered inside the ruins. Theories and facts, myths and reality, and how Sakura decided to name her clone 'Jorgen' just for the gag.
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"Can I come in?" Marcurio knocked on the door of their rented inn room and waited patiently for an answer. As patient as an impatient man like him could be. He left the room for a little while Sakura bathed. In her own words, the murky water inside the ruins had to be washed off, destroyed and purified, because it started itching a little. She had to heal the internal damage as well. She didn't have outside gills. Her lungs were specifically adapted to water breathing, but the impurities damaged them a little. The healing session, hot bath, and the salts helped them clean up.
"Go ahead."
Marcurio froze in the doorstep. Sakura's eyes were closed, her dry and clean hair was tied up and almost covered by a folded towel for later usage. The wooden tub was entirely and highly covered by bubbles and soap suds. A long pink scaled tail hung out from the water. The fins were flared and a little shimmery.
Sakura opened her eyes and shook her head.
"You can come in. But close the door behind you, Chihiro-chan will seal it."
"Aye aye captain." Marcurio nodded, a little stunned, and sat down on one of the two beds inside the room. Next to him was an open book the cat has found on a shelf.
"You know, Sakura-chan, when you ever get your own house, you'd better hire someone to clean around. You can build statues from the dust on these books." Chihiro dipped her paw in black ink and jumped on the shelf beside the door. She started painting a few marks which glowed a slightly purple, before vanishing.
"Walls have ears. I suppose you want me to answer your questions."
The imperial mage sat down his back of scrolls and nodded.
"Okay, you can start with the tail. Are you some sort of...siren? I thought they were a myth."
"Mermaid." Sakura corrected him. "But I'm half-human, so I kind of can control the tail. I have legs on the ground, a tail in saltwater no matter what...and I can try to overcome it in freshwater but it's easier to swim with a tail than with legs. Makes sense?"
"It does. Are you the last of your kind? Are they...you know...common?"
"There's a whole kingdom, you know. But not necessarily of mermaids. There are fishmen, which are more or less humanoids with 'fish' features. I'm a mermaid on my mother's side. She was a navigator in a pirate's crew. I'm not sure if she was a siren...or if I'm a siren too. I haven't tried to sing to lure ships to crash on rocks. Yet." She chuckled.
"Alright, next. What the hell was up with that Falmer blood thing. That device." He nudged his thumb in the direction of Signus' blood extractor which leaned against the end table on Sakura's side of the room.
"Do you want a really brief explanation or the full thing to understand better?"
"I have time." He crossed his arms.
Sakura sighed. "Fine. I was a pirate just a few months ago. When my captain found the treasure we have been looking for, I went to find my own way, so I swam and accidentally stumbled across Tamriel, through the Sea of Ghosts. After fighting a few bandits and horkers which wanted to have my hide, Septimus Signus offered to take me in. I had the brawn, apparently, to help him with whatever thing he found. So he taught me Norse, handed me books to read."
"So you were a pirate."
"Yes."
"And you were bored."
"That's correct."
"Go on."
And Sakura did. "Turns out he allied himself with a Daedric Prince, Hermaeus Mora. He told me months later after he found me because I apparently had to 'pay my rent'. He was lead to a Dwarven Occulory which is supposed to hold the Heart of Lorkhan. The key to unlocking the Occulory the old man found is Dwemer blood. But because they are an extinct race, we theorized that gathering blood from the existing Mer races from Skyrim might approximate the blood composition needed to open it. Makes sense?"
"Do you...know how crazy does that sound?" Marcurio's eyes were wide. "Heart of Lorkhan? The old man sold his soul to Hermaeus Mora? The Daedric Prince? And you agreed to help him? I mean it's a really powerful Aedric artifact which was thought to be destroyed, or forever lost. This is madness."
She sighed.
"Do you think I don't know?" Sakura tried her best not to appear insulted. "But it's not like I had the choice. The old man helped me when I needed it the most. If that's what he wanted me to do, then that's how I will help him. If something happens, it will be on him."
"We're making a detour then."
"A detour?"
"Yes. I'll follow you when you bring the blood. If the old man tells me to personally wait outside, I won't push it. But if a Daedric Prince is implied in this whole ordeal, I don't want you to confront him alone. I don't trust the old man to help you fight him if needed."
"You...don't trust me that I can take care of myself?" She narrowed her eyes, trying not to feel offended.
Marcurio sighed. "You obviously took it the wrong way. I know first-hand that you can take care of yourself. But you can't use that strength against a creature from a whole another plane. You can't. You can contain a Daedra, you can defeat a lesser Daedra, you can seal or you can incapacitate, but you will never be able to kill one. Time is relative, space is infinite and their power knows no laws of physics, whether magic is involved or not."
"Ponytail has a point, Saku. Let him come." Chihiro commented as she flipped through more pages of the 'Yellow Book of Riddles'. She sneezed a few times.
"Damn this dust! Damn this dust to hell! To Oblivion! To whatever you guys worship here!"
Marcurio grabbed the book from the angry nekonin and wiped the dust off with a tissue, before handing it back.
"Here you go." The least he could do for the feline who was backing him up.
Chihiro purred in response and pushed the book open with her paws.
"Thanks. See, Saku? He knows how to help."
"I'm in the bath, Chihiro, you could have waited for a few more minutes. Speaking of which, would you mind bringing a few more bath salts?"
The cat snorted. "Get those yourself with chakra strings. I ain't going nowhere."
"I can talk to Wujeeta to bring you some fresh salmon."
Chihiro's blue eyes sparkled.
"Vanilla or berries?"
Marcurio raised an eyebrow. "What kind of slavery relationship is going on between the two of you?"
"Slavery? You mean double slavery. She always makes me bring her breakfast in bed and brush her fur thrice a day. It's mutualism."
"Only because it tastes better that way."
Sakura sighed, feeling her lungs gradually clean and heal up, inhaling the scented bath salts and hot water vapors she never let turn cold. She looked at her scales. They needed a little polishing...but she didn't want to look like a moving fishbait while swimming.
"Mind getting out for a minute or so? I want to get out." She smiled.
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A/N: I'm finally done with rewriting this chapter. Finally. The ruins are explored, the missions in the Rift are almost done...eh. Nice. I tried to narrate a fragment in first person. But just a fragment; tell me what do you think about it. It's an experiment, and I may write from Sakura's point of view more often if it works well enough. I'm not sure what else to say anymore...hm. Stats?
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Balance: 6139 septims.
Apparel: Clothes, Boots, Amulet of Mara, Amulet of Talos, Amulet of Zenithar, Thieves Guild Armor, Thieves Guild Boots, Thieves Guild Hood, Thieves Guild Gloves
Weapons: Iron Sword of Fire
Potions: Draught of Light Feet, Poison, Invisibility Potion
Scrolls (spells): N/A
Food: N/A
Ingredients: N/A
Books: 2920, vol V - Second Seed (Speech Skill Book), Advances in Lockpicking (Skill - R), Aedra and Daedra (Lore - R), Ages of Man (Illusion Skill Book), Boethiah's Proving (Lore - R), Cats of Skyrim (Lore), Enchanter's Primer (Enchanting Skill Book), Oakflesh (Spell Tome), Proper Lock Design (Skill - R), Shadowmarks (Lore - R), The Exodus (Restoration Skill Book), The Wolf Queen Book I (Lockpicking Skill Book), Walking the World - Volume XI: Solitude (Lore - R), Yellow Book of Riddles (Lore - R).
Journals: Sakura's Journal
Letters: N/A
Keys: Riften Warehouse;
Misc: Summoning scroll, Storage scrolls, Quill, Inkwell, Lockpicks (8), Black Soul Gem (1), Gold Ingot, Sapphire Dragon Claw, Garnet, Amethyst, Dwarven Oil (2), Common Soul Gem, Dwemer Cog (2), Dwemer Gear (3), Dwemer Gyro.
Passive Effects: Agent of Mara (15% Resist Magic.)
Spells: N/A
Shouts: Kyne's Peace ( KaaN - To be unlocked)
Perks: N/A
Quest Log (Started): Discerning the Transmundane, Join the Stormcloaks, Loud and Clear
Quest Log (Completed): A Chance Arrangement, Blood on the Ice, Book of Love, Drowned Sorrows, Helping Hand, Supply and Demand, Taking Care of Business, The Raid
Bounties Collected: N/A
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