The heroes had ultimately only spent a few minutes wallowing in their failure before deciding to move on. After all, they now had a new world to explore in front of them. The possibilities in front of them were endless. And this place was surprisingly technologically advanced compared to what they had seen on the surface.
"That's strange." Kazuya's hand ran alongside one of the pipes. "There's still some running water in those pipes, and I can't see any leak. However, the researchers had said that the whole civilization had disappeared overnight after playing gods with a sacred artifact a long time ago. Either some people are still maintaining them, or they're very good at building long-lasting equipment."
Luka nodded in agreement. The technology in front of him was quite different from what he saw in Tartarus, and the other heroes weren't quite familiar with that equipment themselves. He remained cautious. If people on the surface had given the place a wide berth instead of populating it because they considered it dangerous, maybe the threats lurking between those pipes could prove troublesome for them…
If there was some sort of dimensional-ripping device, where and how would it be stored? Should we search for something like a vault, or the best-guarded place, or… crap. I know what we want to find, but…
"I just realized… what are we looking for exactly?"
Kazuya stopped in his track and Hakunen raised an eyebrow. The latter sounded surprised at the question from Luka.
"We're looking for a way to get home, aren't we? I mean even if it means dealing with the likes of Daimyokai again..."
"Yes, but…" Luka uncomfortably shifted around. "What exactly do you think will help us get back home?"
"Ah." Hakunen's expression soured. "I understand now. We're looking for a way out of there, but we don't even know what it will look like."
Kazuya nodded. "For all we know, the people in those halls developed a way to casually teleport themselves from one dimension to another." He sighed and gestured around as he walked forward. "Maybe the solution is in those pipes all along, and we wouldn't consider checking them because we're looking for scrolls or other complicated devices instead."
Lauratt nodded in agreement. Even he didn't consider using magical examinations on everything. Besides, even with his experience, he wasn't sure what a way to travel to another world would look like.
"What do you suggest then?"
Kazuya turned around, but in the process he stumbled on something. Hakunen caught him before he hit the ground.
"Crap… thanks Hakunen. I don't know what I hit."
Luka checked the uneven ground, and noticed a large, perfectly round irregularity.
"It was a pressure plate. At least, you didn't trigger it."
"Ah." Kazuya got up and examined the plate itself, disappointed. "If they're relying on pressure plates and other mechanial traps of the same type to warn them of intrusion, then they're probably not as advanced as we think."
The five heroes examined the plate as well as their surroundings. There was no sign of crushing blocks or spikes waiting to impale them. The only threat they could identify were two steam vents slightly ahead of them.
"In any case, we're just in a hallway. We won't get anything by lagging around here. Let's continue."
The party agreed with Luka. However, they hadn't walked more than a few meters before the sound of stone scraping reached their ears. Lest awkwardly lifted a leg and blushed.
"Damn it. Sorry."
I thought we were more aware of our surroundings than this… I guess not.
Everyone held their breaths when the two vents opened. Several large brass spider-like mechanical contraptions dropped from them, their heads ending with a pointy rod. Before Luka could ponder about their abilities, a lightning bolt from the closest of them hit him. The hero gritted his teeth in pain, but he easily endured the attack and prepared to counterstrike when Kazuya and Lauratt released a barrage of spells and bullets. The drones were quickly torn apart by their combined attacks, their pieces scattered in the hallway.
At least they're not that tough… I'm nearly disappointed to not end up with a real fight.
"I wonder how they work…" Kazuya approached the remains of one of them, quickly joined by Lauratt. Lest and Luka kept an eye around in case more contraptions would want to show up while Hakunen carefully perambulated around. After a few minutes of search, Kazuya pulled out a hand-sized glowing gem from the head of the automata. His curiosity turned to disgust.
"I thought I would be dealing with some steampunk technology… it turns out those things are running on souls."
"WHAT?"
Lauratt nodded but shook his hands to mitigate the words of the demon hunter. While they were souls, they weren't human ones. They most likely came from the bigger local animals.
"Ah." Kazuya sighed in relief as he juggled with the gem. "For a moment, I was worried their whole civilization was running on the souls of the dead."
And if they managed to develop technologies to use souls as fuel… no. It doesn't mean anything for us. It has nothing to do with travelling to another world.
Hakunen shivered. The party had barely resumed their progression when a set of large doors brutally opened, surprising them. On the other size, a human-like automaton three times as tall as any of the heroes was towering over them, its arms two huge hunks of metal that would easily be able to crush a wall. The automaton released a powerful stream of overheated steam that forced the party back with minor burns. The walker slowly stomped in the direction of the heroes when a talisman stopped it dead in its track. The golem was still trying to struggle against that immobilizing force when a lightning storm shook its body, its head was picked clean by a well-placed shot, and both arms were broken in a series of quick sword strikes. Then Hakunen punched the remainders of the golem across the room, the carcass of the creation emitting a strident sound as its metallic remains skid across the room.
Luka felt a tingling sensation as Lauratt healed him. He hadn't even felt the pain from the steaming attack, the adrenaline still rushing through his veins.
"Ok… message received. They have big golems. We still have to stay on our guard in case they got even bigger ones."
Kazuya scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Yeah… I guess we should have expected as much when we set foot in this place. If they had the means to do huge structures and small drones, then of course they would do huge drones as well."
After Lauratt illuminated the place, Luka crossed the room to examine the remains of the golem. Since it looked important, maybe it was a guardian with a key… however, he felt the room temperature drop when he found a black soul gem. He showed it to his partners who all froze on the spot, save for Lest who looked around confused for a moment.
"This gem actually hosts a human soul?"
Luka slowly nodded. Several other gems were laying around. Maybe it was just to use every part of a deceased person to honor them, but he acknowledged this idea as wishful thinking. Hakunen quickly confirmed his worst fears when he pointed at a wall covered in all-too-familiar implements and audibly gulped.
"Th-they tortured people to use their souls as fuel for their automatas…"
Luka examined the ground. Given the number of gems and torture implements around, they probably did it with several people at the same time. He could hear Lauratt retch in a corner. Lest had already left the room in discomfort. At his side, Kazuya was massaging his forehead even as he was still holding his gun.
"Losing my soul to a demon fucking me doesn't look that bad compared to that. At least it would feel good."
I concur. I'm now starting to see the fate the Lilith Sisters imparted on Luddite Village in a favorable light.
I really hate this world.
"Let's just… leave this place and move on."
Once Lauratt was done physically expressing his disgust, the heroes left the room and welded its doors shut. Luka felt surprisingly relieved when the door didn't budge in the slightest after Hakunen punched it. Luka gestured in the hallway with his head, and, without further ceremony, the four other heroes followed him.
We have twenty days' worth of food, enough power to smash a giant golem in a second, and a bone to pick with anyone that built this place. We better get an exit before they show up.
A week had passed since the heroes had entered the ruins. During that time, they had neither found any exit nor information relevant to their goal of escaping the world. What they found instead amounted to a few treasure chests filled with gold, some gems, some weapons guarded by puzzles and traps and, more than everything, even more strange automated contraptions that had the sole visible goal of pestering them. As a direct consequence, the party had gradually descended in a fool mood. The few jokes and hopeful exclamations they emitted when they discovered new and possibly noteworthy equipment had turned into exasperated sighs after realizing that trying to use it would only call more robotic guardians to eliminate them.
The heroes eventually arrived in front of a locked door that refused to open. Upon examining the room, Luka realized that what he first thought to be incrusted gems in a wall were actually switches, with a few of them missing. He pushed one out of curiosity, and while he heard a scraping noise, but couldn't see anything. Surprised, the hero decided to push another, and this time, the door opened but Luka saw one behind it close. Right afterward, Kazuya joined his side.
"It's a classic puzzle… each switch is connected to a different set of doors. One is connected to the first two doors, so when you push it, it will close the ones opened and open them if they're close, this one is connected to the second and another and does the same, so we have to find the right sequence of orders to go through." He pointed at a hole. "Except it looks like a few of the gems are missing, and they may be needed in the sequence to leave this place. So we have to find them first."
Luka sighed. Why couldn't anything be simple in this world?
Lauratt started accumulating energy in the rune on the back of his hand and invited everyone to get behind him. Apparently, Luka wasn't the only one who refused to deal with this puzzle. Everyone obeyed and covered their ears. The magus focused the blast from his runes toward the door sets. Luka felt as much as he heard the resulting explosion. The ensuing cacophony nearly ruptured his eardrums, and even after healing himself out of precautions, his ears were still buzzing while he was nursing an extremely powerful headache.
A quick look in the direction of the doors informed him that Lauratt's spell had been quite effective: most of the door sets were collapsed on the floor, with only the last one still holding to the walls half open. They would still have to climb and snake their way around the debris, but Luka was satisfied with the result.
Still better than trying to complete that puzzle.
As they progressed through the hallways, Luka got on his guard as the other side was surprisingly better-lit, almost bathed in a blue light. He held his sword at the ready in case someone would jump him, and carefully examined the cavern on the other side in search of a threat before the nature of the place sunk in.
"Wow… that's actually beautiful."
It's not our goal, but it was pretty much worth seeing…
The cavern itself was simply huge, a far cry from the claustrophobic narrow corridors they had gotten accustomed to. The blue light came from several bioluminescent mushrooms and other exotic florar dotting the place like small forests. Further away, a small waterfall was feeding in a lake surrounded by small plants and cavern critters. The party audibly welcomed the lively sight.
…Or maybe it isn't.
Luka grimaced as he looked down. A small encampment of grey leather tents and wooden pens was visible at the bottom of the slope. The residents looked like pale humans wearing scraps of armors obviously made from the shells of the man-sized grey and black centipede-like insects roaming around. And all of them were looking at the heroes with weapons raised and hostile intents.
When they started approaching, Kazuya stepped forward and fired a shot in their overall direction. The creatures briefly froze for a moment in confusion before he pointed his gun at them.
"Stop now, or the next one will stop you definitively."
The creatures exchanged a few raucous sounding noises before all collectively shouting and charging. Luka sympathetically patted Kazuya's shoulder as he passed in front of him.
"At least you tried."
The following battle was short lived, as a single ice spell from Lauratt caught the opponents in a freezing storm and made their already uphill progression even more arduous. Kazuya quickly gunned down the large insects in a succession of accurate shots, while every combatant that reached the group was tossed back down by Hakunen or one of the swordsmen. The few creatures that could still move quickly limped away once it was obvious they wouldn't get anything different than an unpleasant fate if they kept up.
Once the coast was clear, the heroes decided to check the encampment. They were surprised to find a large amount of gold, equipment, and, more importantly, an alive human in one of the pens.
The man himself looked relatively old, with long gray hair and an unkempt beard. However, even if his face was showing several scars and signs of aging, he still had a strong build, undoubtedly the result of a strong training regimen. Furthermore, he was wearing a slightly used grey leather armor, ostensibly the equipment of an adventurer. Luka swore under his breath. The man's hands and feet were tightly bound by ropes, and while Luka could sense his heart beating from afar, his eyes were closed. The fate the creatures had intended for him was obvious. Luka quickly worked to free him from his bindings and bring him closer to the campfire. When he approached the campfire, Lauratt stepped in to assist him.
Kazuya came out of another tent with a heavy backpack in hand.
"We found… ah. Its owner is still alive."
Luka took a good look and shrugged. "Let's take care of him before anything. Also, I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of running around for today, and this place looks pretty easy to defend. Let's take a break for now."
Everyone nodded in agreement and got up to checking the surrounding area while Luka set up camp. Kazuya cautiously returned the bag where he got it while Lauratt set up defensive wards around the camp and each tent. No one would disturb them. Hakunen quickly checked the strange river close by and the forest. Even if either were several hundreds of meters away from their camp, they wanted to make sure they wouldn't suffer a nasty surprise in the middle of the night. Hakunen looked slightly pale when he came back.
"The water is pulled away by those strange pipes, and there are large spiders in the forest… we're apparently too far to interest them."
Luka stared from at the forest before eventually shrugging it off. He was confident in Lauratt's skills when it came to properly warding an area. As they settled down and each got to their respective evening routine, Luka noticed that their rescue was slowly waking up. Luka reassuringly smiled at the man.
"We took care of the monsters that attacked you. You're safe now."
The man looked confused, but his eyes quickly carried a large amount of gratitude as well as something Luka didn't like seeing.
"Thank you! I thought I was as good as dead! Those damn falmers captured me after one of those oblivion-damned spiders caught me! I owe you my life!"
Luka made a dismissive gesture. "You're welcome sir…"
"…Call me Devon. I'm a treasure hunter. Those ancient ruins are rife with riches, but I underestimated the dangers hiding within. And you, what are you doing in here?"
Luka hesitated to tell the truth. It sounded crazy, and he didn't want to get any local people involved again after their past experiences. Before he could decide, Kazuya answered.
"We're travelers interested in magical specimens. We learned that there could be unknown spells hidden in those depths, and we want to learn more about them."
The man looked at them surprisingly haughtily.
"Huh. Are you doing that for the College or for that old fool Calcelmo?"
"…for someone else who preferred to remain home. We promised to bring them back everything we could."
Devon looked suspiciously at Kazuya, but he eventually decided to keep silent about it. The evening meal preparation was mostly done in silence. Save for a few quips about what they found in the ruins, they didn't want to talk much and take the risk of dropping hints about their origin. The subject of their unfortunate encounters was apparently interesting enough for their companion.
"You sound impressive… I don't know a lot of people who faced a dwarven centurion and lived."
"Yeah…" Luka distractedly answered as he focused on stirring the content of his pot. "However, we didn't find anything interesting."
"I'm sure you will find what you want in those ruins… How about some mead to make up for it?"
Luka grimaced. "I'm not interested."
"Aaah, you're someone who prefers to stay clean, don't you? How about wine instead? Tea or coffee maybe?"
Kazuya half-heartedly muttered under his breath. "Actually I could go for some tea right now…"
"Then once you're done with the meal, I'll prepare you some to pay you back!"
As the man shuffled in his backpack, each of the heroes glanced at one another.
We all know where this is going, don't we?
The remainder of the evening happened without incidents as everyone got their share of food and drink. Luka received a fair share of praises for his cooking skills, and, after slightly more discussion, it was decided that Devon would accompany them the next day. Eventually, as exhaustion finished taking hold of the party, everyone got to sleep. The night itself was relatively calm save for an electrical sound in the middle of the night. Luka only turned around and sighed in disappointment. That issue could wait tomorrow.
When he got up the next morning, everyone was already awake and in the middle of their morning routine or their variations thereof. Lauratt was reading a book on spellcraft. Hakunen was stretching. Kazuya was checking his weapons. Lest was tidying the place by putting back coins in a bag. A paralyzed Devon was glaring at them. Luka sighed and sat near his head.
"Did you really try to poison us after we saved you?"
The man groaned as much as the paralysis from Lauratt's ward allowed him to.
"H-how are you still standing? And how did you know?"
Luka shrugged.
"White Magic, and we're more resistant than you think. We've dealt with a demon that copied our most trusteed leader, another that brainwashed nations for kicks, another that tried to eat us alive, and…" Luka took one of the coin still and the ground and invited Lest to leave behind the few that still remained. "If any of us got a gold piece for each time someone -or something- tried to lure and rape us, we'd be able to buy this whole region. You weren't exactly subtle last night compared to what we saw."
The man's jaw dropped in disbelief. Just what kind of demons he had woken up?
Luka continued. "Devon isn't even your real name I suppose, is it?"
"No… it's Kiiursalf." The man grimaced. "Gofa Kiuursalf."
"Well mister Gofa Kiuursalf, here's the deal. The paralysis will wear off in a few hours. We won't harm you since we've already forgiven worse, and as an extra…" Luka dropped a decently large pouch of gold. "Since you're interested in riches so much, here's a share of what we found in the ruins. In exchange, we don't want to see you again. Goodbye."
When Luka joined the waiting members, he could feel the hate pouring from the man. In other circumstances, he would have tried recruiting him just like he had invited so many others morally bankrupt monsters. The party could use a thief's skills and his knowledge. However, he didn't want to involve locals if he could avoid to.
As the party resumed their exploration, Luka tried to reason that he only wanted to avoid the awkward or possibly tear-jerking separations that would be forced upon them like the one he would inevitably suffer once the other heroes would get back to their own worlds. However, the more rational part of his brain just told him that he was only rejecting recruits because he was feeling absolutely done with this world and wanted to interact with it as little as possible.
Maybe I'm doing a mistake by leaving him like that… oh, well. I don't think someone who descends here on his own for riches will be able to cause us further troubles.
Also… Gofa Kiuursalf… was he trying to insult me back then?
Hehe. That was actually pretty funny.
Several more days passed before the group of heroes emerged from underground. The remainder of the expedition had been as dull as before. Several strange devices had been found underground, but none of them could be used to help them in their goal.
Luka was surprised by how much he appreciated the fresh air when he left the cavern. While the underground grotto they visited had been a sight to behold, the numerous falmer-infested and golem-populated ruins had been wearing on his nerves. Kazuya incidentally vocalized everyone's thoughts.
"We just spent several weeks underground for nothing… if I ever see one of those damned brass golem ever again, it will be too soon."
Everyone else agreed. The party climbed a small hill to get a better look at their surroundings, disturbing in the process a small group of heavily-armed bandits. While the fight quickly ended in the favor of the heroes, Luka's sword broke when he struck the black armor one of them was wearing. The purple-haired hero stared at the remaining stump, disappointed.
I'm really missing Excalibur right now…
Kazuya sympathetically patted Luka on his back and pointed at a city located on top of a rocky perch.
"There's a city close by. We'll be able to get a new sword for you here."
And with a little luck, it will be able to hold for more than a few days.
Wait a minute… a city on a perch… I remember hearing about it.
"Hang on for a second, let me check the guide book and the map." Lauratt handed him both as everyone gathered around the hero out of curiosity. As he examined the book, Luka fell in a slump on the ground.
"That place is the local capital of the Imperial Forces… this is going to suck."
Kazuya grimaced. "Right, they tried to execute you simply because you were at the wrong place at the wrong time… I want to say that it was just bad luck, but after everything that happened, I don't think we're going to get a warm welcome… they're bound to have heard about our bouts in Whiterun and Markarth."
Hakunen concurred. "Maybe we should avoid this place? After all, the people here seem to do fine without us."
"Maybe… but we won't be doing fine without them." Lest opened his bag and showed a few thin strips of dry meat. While Luka had planned for twice as much food as what he considered necessary for their expedition, he hadn't imagined that they would end up spending so much time underground. The closest town otherwise was Markarth. Luka resigned himself.
"I'm not sure we would be able to reach a city that doesn't hate us before we run out of food if we ignore this one. Let's give it a chance."
We could try foraging for local berries, but I think Kazuya still have bad memories of those mushrooms I picked back in the cavern.
Luka took the lead, and the party quickly rejoined the only road leading to the city. From afar, the town itself looked like an impregnable fortress, standing on top of a rocky mountain surrounded by tall cliffs. The hero frowned. If they had to escape the city in a rush, jumping over the wall would require a lot of mana to not end up a smear on the ground. Even as they walked up closer and closer, the heroes already started making plans to escape the city, becoming so engrossed in their plans that they failed to notice the large shadow behind them.
Luka only turned when he felt the disturbance in the wind. His field of vision was filled with a large scaly claw for half a second before he felt his body being lifted from the ground. His companions quickly reacted and a few well-placed shots and spells made his captor scream in pain. Once the confusion of the sudden attack had worn off, Luka focused on freeing himself. Even if he had no weapon, he still had a large slew of powerful magic spells at his disposition. Luka didn't think twice before imbuing his fist with a holy power and punched the claw holding him with all his might.
The monster screamed in pain and dropped him. It's only when he was already mid-air that Luka noticed the flaw with his plan, as he was now barreling like a cannonball toward the outer wall of the city at an uncomfortable height. A short moment of hesitation between summoning Sylphe and Gnome ended being too much as he ended recessed in a wall. Stunned by the impact, Luka reflexively pulled himself out of the crater he just formed and attempted to step back only to stumble down the large cliff the city was standing on. A single thought crossed his mind as he fell down the high plateau.
Oh.
Luka lost consciousness the moment he hit the ground.
Luka opened his eyes after an undetermined amount of time. The first thing he felt was the pain coursing through his whole body. The second was the hard texture of wood in his back. The third was the fresh but damp air on his skin.
Wait, am I naked?
As he heard the muffled sound of two people arguing, Luka groaned and meditated to heal himself. Once the feeling that he got stomped by a mammoth passed, he sat up and examined the room he was in.
The place was a large underground cavern, with long wooden shelves stacked with barrels and bags of provision covering every wall. It was obviously a storage room that would be attached to some sort of docks. Luka got up and approached the door and could hear the argument on the other side gaining in intensity.
I have to thank them for helping me. I wonder why they brought me here instead of an infirmary?
As he prepared to open the door, he could now understand what they were saying on the other side.
"He was half-dead when I found him anyway! I don't know why it would be a problem to get rid of him!"
"We're thieves! Not murderers! Roughing up someone to rob them is fine! Killing them after taking their stuff isn't! And you're the one who brought him here!"
"I just thought we could get some fun with that young lad before throwing him in the sea…"
"He looks like a kid, is half-dead, and you want to rape him? You're disgusting."
"A kid doesn't run around with an armor tougher than ebonite. That man just looks young."
Ah. That's why. I think I won't give them my thanks then.
Luka rolled his eyes and casually opened the door, surprising the two men on the other side. The two of them stared at is as if he was a ghost.
"Wha-… how are you still walking?! That fall should have killed you or kept you down for months!"
Luka answered with a deadpan tone. "Magic, that's how. Can you please tell me where my armor is?"
The other man laughed. Luka identified him as the one wanting to have his way with him. "Tough luck, kid. Why don't you bend over to wash out those planks?"
"Quick. Sylph."
In the blink of an eye, the man in question fell on his knees, both hands on his crotch as he grimaced in absolute pain.
"Nobody rapes me without my consent. Now where's my armor?"
The other man raised conciliatorily raised his hands and made a few steps back, understanding they bit way more than they could chew. "That sounds so wrong on so many levels… you kid need help." He pointed toward another door at the other end of the cavern. "Your equipment is stored with the rest in this room."
"Thank you." Luka let the men scramble away as he unflinchingly walked toward his destination, ignoring the cold air and the numerous splinters lodging themselves in his feet. The hero opened the door in a wide swing, and, to his surprise, instead of the shelves lined up with rows of weaponry he expected, he was faced with a table lined up with rows of shady people discussing. All of them readied their weapons and glared at him. Luka turned around to see that his two captors were standing at the ready, the one he assaulted panting in sheer rage. He glanced at the one who misdirected him.
"I don't get it… I just wanted my armor back and leaving the place afterward. I'm not looking for any trouble. I don't want to fight you and yet you keep trying to screw me again and again."
The bandits looked at one another in confusion. Luka heard someone at the table hiss.
"Osrkan, if your goons keep doing sloppy jobs, I'm going to perform the dark sacrament on your arse myself!"
Someone else at the table shouted. "I was not responsible for the mess with that girl in the catacombs! Two mute swordsmen coming to rescue a damsel in distress! You're talking about a cliché!"
"Then shut up before we attract their attention again! Those guys are no mere humans!"
"Wait… are you talking about a red-haired guy with a blue jacket and another blond one wearing a brown tabard and a huge sword? I'm looking for them."
When everyone stared silently at Luka, the hero awkwardly shuffled around, and not only because he was half-naked.
"Do not tell me they… those monsters are your friends..?!"
"Yes, they are." Luka remained composed even when the man dismissively looked at him. He didn't hope for any help, but was still disappointed by the latter's decision.
"Kill this idiot and display his body as a warning. Maybe it will convince them to stop snooping around."
The door on the other end of the room got busted open when several people rushed in, stumbling and screaming in a panic.
"We're under attack! The two monsters are back, and they brought help! We need to leave now!"
Luka smirked. Even if he didn't doubt them for a second, he appreciated the fact that his partners hadn't lost time before looking for him.
While the bandits were still reeling from the news, Luka used an acceleration spell to increase his speed and punched the rapist in the groin again. As the man once again slowly fell on his knees, Luka grabbed his body and used his own momentum to throw him at his companion. Luka quickly noticed that everyone was running in his way, and, feeling incredibly nude, the hero quickly jumped on top of the highest shelves where people couldn't reach him. He could still hear the commotion in the next room, and the familiar sounds of gunshots joined with the crashing sound of wood confirmed him that his friends had arrived. A freezing wave caught most of the bandits, leaving only a few desperately scrambling around to escape through another way.
For a brief moment, Luka felt sorry for the bandits. It wasn't a battle. It was a cleanup. The hero saw Novissa enter the room while chasing the bandits, each stomp filling his ear before the blond man swung his sword in a shelf, cleaving the furniture in two without looking back.
Wow, he doesn't look happy… did something happen?
The man passed without even a look at Luka. Before the hero could call out to him, Kazuya and Lauratt entered, the former carrying Luka's equipment. Kazuya quickly noticed Luka on his promontory and smiled in relief.
"Sorry for the delay… we found Lars and Novissa on our way in. They also saw you falling, and decided to investigate. There were several paths inside, and since we weren't sure where you got brought to, we split up."
"It's fine." Luka descended from his spot. "I'm already happy that you came for me as soon as you did."
"Novissa's quite… enthusiastic." Kazuya handed Luka his armor. "They didn't have time to… hurt you I hope."
"No." Luka slowly put back his armor back on one piece at a time. Even if he would have been able to fight the bandits without his equipment, he appreciated the feeling of safety his armor brought.
"That might have been the longest I've been out of my armor without a monster coming to rape me."
Oh, crap, did I just say that out loud?
Kazuya and Lauratt looked down solemnly. Both men were visibly sharing the underlying feeling.
I shouldn't have said that... but it still feels so weird that no monster tried to jump me the moment I was out of my armor. Back home, Alma Elma would have tried to wrap her thick thighs around mines while shoving her breasts in my face before going in for the kill.
…I'm happy that I'm wearing my full armor right now or this would really be awkward.
"From what I gathered, Novissa and Lars have a good reputation in Solitude for their actions… we shouldn't have problems entering the place."
"Good!" Luka smiled, if only because he was too happy to steer the conversation and his own thoughts far away from his current feelings. "I wonder if they'll have some exotic food on sale… the guides we got didn't quite cover local delicacies."
Kazuya chuckled. "I can't wait to taste whatever you can cook… I'm sure that the others missed it too."
The seven heroes eventually regrouped, Luka finally able to properly greet back Lars and Novissa. While he appreciated their return, he also noticed that Novissa was stiffer than usual. Luka decided that he could ask him about that later.
The heroes once again started the long, uphill walk toward the city of Solitude. This time, all of them kept an eye on the sky, prepared to deal with the dragon should the beast come back. As a consequence, they were utterly caught by surprised when the creature charged from behind after they passed a thicket. Novissa was the first to react and vertically slashed his huge sword at the dragon, cutting the head of the beast clear in two lengthwise and spraying everyone with blood. The six other heroes were all staring at the scene when the body of the dragon was consumed by energy. A power swirled from the carcass toward Novissa, who looked around him in confusion. He quizzically looked at the other heroes, who were just as dumbfounded as him. Whatever that power was, it was benign. It was as if he was absorbing the dragon's magic.
Then the second the dragon's signature disappeared, Luka heard as much as he felt a wave of energy pass through him. The wave itself wasn't powerful, but simply unstoppable, crossing the hills and making every leaf bristle like a gust of wind in a still day.
"Doh-Vahkiin!"
Luka and the other heroes looked around them in confusion. Nobody else was visible closely around them. They remained still for a few minutes before Kazuya lowered his guard, followed by everyone else.
"Well… that just happened."
Luka decided to check on Novissa. The blond warrior was angrily looking down at the floor.
"Do you feel any different?"
Novissa huffed and made a dismissive gesture before stomping toward Solitude on his own. Luka could only look at him from afar in surprise.
Wow, he's really not in a good mood… he's not taking what happened well. Maybe I should ask Lars about it. Luka looked in the direction of the mute hero. Or maybe not… I have no idea how we're going to get in a deeper conversation about what's wrong when they're mute…
The red-haired warrior shrugged with a grimace. Even after staying with him for several weeks, he hadn't come to understand what was going through the mind of their companion either. The other heroes were just as dumbfounded. As the sun was now starting to set, the party jogged to the entrance of the city. Luka felt apprehension seize his guts as he saw the thick walls gradually approaching, but luckily, the guards at the entrance were just too admiring of their latest exploit to care about any petty detail. Once invited in the city, they only threw a quick look around the paved streets and buildings before checking in at the inn. They were too exhausted to explore the opportunities offered by the city, and deep down, they didn't want to find out what troubles they could invite in this city by simply walking around.
As they sat around a large table, people remained away from a twitchy Novissa. The man was periodically checking around him with a nervous eye before groaning and going back to groaning to himself.
"Alright…" Luka sighed. Beyond the exhaustion of the day, there was a growing lassitude born from running around like a bunch of headless chickens and fighting people he didn't want to. He quizzically looked at Lauratt. "You have no idea what was that about?"
Lauratt shook his head. The best they could do right now was lending an ear to all the conversations happening around them. One discussion between an adventurer and a scholar quickly attracted their attention.
"I'm telling you, we're approaching the end of time. Talos worship was banned. Whiterun and Markarth fell to cults and werewolves. Windhelm is under siege from a She-Demon Lord. Dragons suddenly return from their graves after millennia. A shout that shook the mountains. Next, oblivion will rise and swallow the world."
"Bah! This is all just a bad coincidence! And besides, all that mess makes for all the more reasons to party! How about another drink?" The apparent carefree attitude of the scholar sharply contrasted with his interlocutor, something that wasn't to the taste of the former. The adventurer pushed his chair back in a scraping noise that attracted the attention of everyone.
"Drink as much as you want. I'm out."
The scholar wasn't disappointed for long. He quickly identified the seven heroes as potential drinking companions.
"Hey there! You look like you could use a drink or two!"
Luka grimaced and wanted nothing more than to quickly get rid of the man. However, Kazuya had decided to step in quickly with a surprisingly candid smile.
"We don't drink on the job. We were hired to chase that Demon Lord, but we lost track of her a while ago. Can you tell us more about her?"
The man blinked a few times at Kazuya, trying to see if he was serious and if he was worth sharing his story with. In the meantime, Luka was gob smacked by the quick thinking the demon hunter had just displayed.
A She-Demon Lord... this definitively sounds like someone that come from our world. Good thinking Kazuya!
"It looks like you could handle her…" The man took a large gulp of his tankard and clicked his tongue in satisfaction before joining them. "But where are my manners? I'm Sam Guevenne, and I'm a merchant. I originally lived near Windhelm, but I left after that little troublemaker appeared. She didn't attack the city yet, but she set up a large barrier around the fortress of Morvunskar. She called that a barrier of reality or whatever. No one managed to pass through, and people are worried that she's trying to build an army."
Luka gasped. Everyone else had visibly recognized who the man was talking about. Kazuya answered with a sinister, calculated smile.
"Good… We know where she is then."
Luka felt his lips curl upward. The feeling of satisfaction had become so unfamiliar, he wondered for a short moment what was that sensation. While he kept his elation to himself, Hakunen didn't hesitate to share his.
"Yes! I'm pretty sure given how smart she's, she will-"
"-Quickly surrender once we show up. We already dealt with her a few times in the past. I hope that she'll finally stop once and for all after this one."
Hakunen gasped and quickly placed his hands in front of his mouth. Somehow, their interlocutor didn't show any interest in whatever he was about to say. The man was as happy from what he was hearing as the heroes were from finally getting a real trail to follow.
"Excellent!" He raised his tankard again. "I'm glad to have found you! This calls for celebration!"
Luka wanted to refuse again, but he failed to gather the courage to say no. Sam Guevenne's enthusiasm was contagious.
Oh, well… just one small sip won't hurt, will it?
"Fine… I guess. We're currently a bit short on money though."
"I'll pay for your drinks to the last drop then! Don't worry about it! You're my guests for tonight!"
The seven heroes let themselves get carried by the joyous mood. Even the ambiance in the tavern seemed to have improved itself. They could savor a few drinks in peace. Novissa was still unusually nervous, but otherwise, every last one of them was surprisingly elated from just having a clear cut goal for once. They hadn't reached their goal yet, but for the first time, they had a clearly direction. to follow.
It's only when Luka saw an empty bottle appear each time he blinked that he wondered if they weren't making a mistake.
"The end of the world might be coming, but it better waits until I finish my mead!"
"You know… it's only after the sixth bottle that the mouse droppings flavors fully reveal themselves."
"Skooma makes you go faster?! Hang on, I gotta try!"
"But a wooden chair can't move, 'cause, you know… it's a chair. That's right! The cheese! The cheese is the one guilty!"
"Oooow… I feel sorry for him… never mind! It's actually hilarious! Pfwahaha!"
"…Holy crap… you're my new best friend! Forward! To adventuuuures!"
"Yeah, no, I wouldn't either. I think I'd rather do it with a platypus girl. Do platypus girls even exist? Gotta ask Alice back home…"
"Dragonborn, Dragonbooooooooone!"
Luka groaned. The whole world was a cold, dark mess of pain that refused to stay still. Wind was howling in his ears, helping small white flakes battering his body before melting in a cold, freezing goo. Taking from his last reserves of energy, Luka slowly got up and stabilized himself. He was desperately trying to acclimate himself to his new surroundings.
"Oh…."
The hero was extremely high on a mountain. Around him, his companions were all lying around like broken dolls. Lest was missing. A mammoth covered with junk was blocking the only road going down.
Most importantly, Luka had no idea where they all were.
"God..."
As lethargy once again seized him, Luka fell face first in the fresh snow again. The hero once again stopped caring about the world around him.
"…Damn it..."
Far in a dimly lit underground cave, a man wearing a black and red garb concealing his body from head to toes was hurriedly running through a set of steps with a sealed missive in hand. He only stopped when he reached a desk where someone else was writing. Only the latter's more feminine silhouette could identify her as a woman.
"We've got a new request from the Thieves Guild. It's a highly confidential one." He handed out the letter as much as he shoved it in the face of his partner. "They want us to send out Arbjorn."
"The thieve guild?" The woman carefully took the letter. "And it's confidential? How badly did their latest heist go if they ask us to send the dog out?"
She carefully opened that letter and read its content. Her eyes quickly ran to the bottom line where the bounty was fully displayed
Two-thousand and five hundred gold is a lot. That could be of help in these times, although it's a bit low considering they're asking for five kills and having them disappear is important enough to contact us and not just send some thugs.
No, wait… it's not two thousand and a half. It's twenty-five thousands! They're really pulling no stop for that one! Mercer probably emptied half their coffer just for that! What did those five guys do?! No amount of thieves caught or killed warranted a bounty that high in the past!
"Boss?"
The woman remained still. If Mercer Frey wanted those five people dead and was willing to put that much on the table, then she would answer. Then again, the man had past training within the Dark Brotherhood and was more often than not capable of dealing with troublemakers on his own, only requiring their service in a couple of cases where there was no other way. If he couldn't deal with them himself and was ready to hand out that much gold, then those men were certainly not to be trifled with.
"Do we send Arbjorn?"
The woman finally looked up. "Yes. And I'll accompany him with Babette, Kazeem and everyone else. You'll make sure the sanctuary stay fine in our absence."
"As you wish."
Twenty-five thousand gold… it's time for the Dark Brotherhood to get back front and center in the business.
Maybe I'll go take a look myself. The best way to make sure the job is done is to do it yourself.
Why do we even bother garrisoning this barbarian-populated place? And why was our garrison located here, of all places?
Attan haughtily looked at the place around him. He was the son of a noble Thalmor, had always been a competent leader, and earned his fair share of victories against the imperial during the latest war. And yet, he had been made the commander of the Northwatch, Skyrim's sole garrison, which, in the eyes of everyone, was a punishment.
Said fortress was located on the northernmost coast of Skyrim and surrounded by sea. The place was on the colder end of the spectrum, with snow peppering the place on the hotter days and the numerous lit fireplaces barely enough to keep the freeing temperatures at bay during the colder ones. The imperial dogs managing most of the administration, their own sole duties amounted to making Talos worshippers regret their actions before making them disappear. And it was one he took great satisfaction in.
However, it didn't change that since they were isolated, not only was entertainment rare, but news were slow to come to them as well. The last supply caravan had brought rumors about strangers sowing chaos in the western provinces of Skyrim, and he quickly realized they were the same men he had been ordered to watch out for. He already had more interesting information about them.
As he considered the idea of returning inside the dungeon to kill time with some interrogation, his keen senses noticed a lone cavalier approaching. He slowly made his way to the entrance to welcome the high elf. As his guards helped the man with his mount, Attan raised an eyebrow. He recognized Elenwen's envoy, but his fellow Atmer was looking utterly pathetic. Beyond basic exhaustion, his hair was unkempt, and his clothes were disheveled. They were even torn in a few places.
"Clean yourself. You're soiling the name of the Thalmor."
Attan grabbed the missive from the man's hand, almost tearing the fragile paper. After a displeased groan, he slowly opened the letter.
"Attan. You have new orders for the so-called Seven World Heroes.
Send everyone. Capture them if possible. Kill them if not. Torture them in either case.
No one is allowed to mess with us. Carry this message as you see fit."
Elenwen sounds absolutely furious… what did they do to make her so angry?
Attan pocketed the paper and smiled to himself. It ultimately didn't matter. An opportunity for entertainment had finally arrived…
Don't worry, the "black hole" will be fully displayed in a later chapter.
