"Lukaaaa…"
Alma Elma was moping in her own room in the Pocket Castle, her body completely wrapped around a large body pillow. Her housing was surprisingly tame compared to what one would expect from the succubus queen. While a large four poster bed with a thick, soft mattress covered in pillows was present and the walls were covered with erotic arts, the remainder of the place was surprisingly tidy. Of course, one would find a large array of lewd toys and sexy clothes as soon as they checked one of the cupboards, but otherwise only a soberly decorated table with two chairs was present in the middle of the room bathed in a crepuscular light. Right now, however, none of that mattered to the sole occupant of the room. A soft knock echoed at the door.
"Enter…"
The door opened on the curvy forms of Sonya. The priestess briefly took a look at the room before muttering to herself.
"Huh, I was expecting worse…" She turned toward the succubus queen. "Are you alright? You've been missing your matches in the colosseum, and Est is currently on the way to beat your streak."
"Muuuh…" Alma Elma whined like a beaten puppy while turning around to hide under her cape. "I want my Lukaaa…"
Sonya softly smiled. "Don't worry, he'll be back soon enough. We're all missing him."
Alma Elma tossed and turned around, pouting and incidentally granting Sonya a good vision of her pillow. The smile of the priestess dissolved in an expression of consternation.
"Is that a nude Luka dakimakura? Where did you get it?"
"I made it myself." Alma Elma shoved it forward, making the priestess recoil. "I was missing him so much, I needed something to fill his absence."
"It's only been two days!" The red-faced priestess was trying to not look at the pillow. "I mean… even if you first and foremost want to do THAT, there are still other people that would enjoy your presence, even in the castle!"
"But all the other heroes are away…"
"Then what about the other men?!" Sonya was now sweating heavily. "There are still a lot of people in the Pocket Castle waiting for your touch!"
"I'm not touching the perverts." Alma Elma grimaced. "And the angels would try to get my head if I touched their commander. And Izuna and Pilate are too cute together! …Maybe I should ask Samson and Sara if they want my company…" The succubus queen scratched her chin as she seriously pondered the decision. She quizzically looked at Sara. Then a lewd smile appeared on her face. "What about…"
Sonya shivered. "Do as you want. Except in their case, only do it to suck them dry. Wait, actually don't. And now I have the worst mental image in my head, argh! Do whatever you want, I don't care anymore! I did my part of trying to get you to move, if Mephisto's unhappy with the result, she'll have to come herself!"
The young priestess of Ilias slammed the door and left, leaving Alma Elma alone with her body pillow. After a small minute, the succubus queen decided that indeed, any sort of action would definitively help pass the time. It was time to go on a hunt. Alma Elma left her room barely a few seconds later with a large smile, as if she had completely forgotten about Luka.
Mmmh… maybe sparring a little against someone would put me in a better mood. I'll have to see who's at the barracks. But first, let's check on the lab if they made any progress.
Alma Elma reached the third floor of the castle to see Promestein, Lucia and Chrome frantically work on a device. Even as the succubus queen was proudly strutting forward and attracting the attention of everyone else, the three scientists barely acknowledged her presence, Promestein not even turning from her work as she addressed her.
"Greetings Alma Elma. Before you ask, we did make some progress on the research, but nothing that would interest you."
"But everything interests me!" She brought her hand in front of her face and giggled. "I enjoy sharing, after all, and maybe I could share a few things with you… or about you."
"Please don't!" Promestein jumped forward in an attempt to shush Alma Elma. When she noticed everyone staring at her after her outburst, Promestein reassumed her usual composure and cleared her throat. "We found out how to replicate the talisman's effect to a degree and managed to get a lock on the dimensional coordinates of the universe the heroes have been sent to."
"Oooh…" Alma Elma's wings started flapping happily. "So now you CAN send someone there as well?"
"Absolutely not." Promestein took off her glasses and started cleaning them. "Even the smallest sample of biological matter gets destroyed during the process with the conventional method. Testing it with someone is out of the question. As for the talisman, even if we somehow find a way to teleport someone, we have no way to control the geographical coordinates… for all we know we would be sending them in the sun."
"Mmmh…" Alma Elma examined the party, a finger under her chin. "Gilgorn isn't helping you? Maybe I should play with her a little to motivate her…"
"In case you failed to notice, she's been missing for a few weeks." Promestein turned toward Alma Elma, and this time, the Succubus Queen could see a hint of reproach in the eye of the scientist. "Apparently, a few purple-haired monsters have been playing with her once too often."
"Oh." Alma Elma looked ashamed for a second before returning to her usual playful self. "Well then, take care with your little experiments! I'm off to have fun!"
Alma Elma decided to take a look in the library. She barely stepped in when Mephisto called out to her, even as the witch was deep in her reading.
"Ah, I am glad you finally left your den… Following the latest accident, some of our apoptosis friends have been a little restless. Between people down in the dump and the others trying to entertain them, we're a bit short on reasonable people that can take care of them. Can you please take a look? One of them is doing a bit of a mess near Iliasport."
Alma Elma shivered in excitation."Ohhhh, is that an order or an invitation?"
Mephisto sighed without looking up. "I wouldn't dream of giving an order to the succubus queen. I simply want their rampage to end in a way that would assure they're able and willing to fight on our side within three days. Make of my instruction what you will."
"Well, in that case, I'll give a hand." Alma Elma disappeared like a gust of wind, leaving behind a despondent Mephisto.
"This poor, poor Riot. I hope our heroes are faring better than she will…"
Luka, Kazuya, Hakunen and Lauratt were in the middle of a large plain, with rain absolutely pouring on the quartet as they were trying to reach the next city as fast as they could. The ambiance was perfectly matching the weather. Nobody talked or tried cracking a joke. Eventually, they reached a rocky outcrop which allowed them to dry up and rest a little. They silently sat down side by side in front of a magical fire. The light was strong enough to warm and illuminate them, but it did little in ameliorating the mood. After a long, awkward silence, Kazuya finally talked.
"I don't think we should return to Whiterun anytime soon…"
"Sorry… it's my fault… I thought they knew about the Companions being werewolves." Luka hit the back of his head a few times against the wall behind him. "I guess my head is still full of sugar and rainbows after all."
Kazuya took the opportunity to check his gun. So far, his weapon was still perfectly working. "To be honest, we all expected the same. They weren't quite hiding themselves and were in the middle of a city. We just thought that they were more familiar with non-human creatures. I guess they just pin their quirks on their nature as warriors like a bunch of prejudiced idiots." Kazuya sighed. "Sorry, that's rude of me. But you think someone would have understood after seeing the second werewolf comes out of the hall to kill a guard."
"It looks like conflict between humans and other creatures is the norm…" Hakunen was looking down. "I guess Luka's world was the exception in this chaos."
If you except the recent war against the Monster Lord and its aftermath…
Kazuya repositioned himself and leaned forward to be close to the fire. "I'm more concerned about those elves. They did set the city on fire before running away. Then again, it might have been an accident…"
"They were getting eaten by werewolves and their limbs were flying into every direction. I don't think anyone would have been able to cast a spell straight in that context."
An unusually pale Lauratt nodded in agreement. He had spent a lot of time healing everyone, all that to be denigrated at the end. One of the elves had attempted to attack him from behind in the chaos, and had ended frozen. As the conflict was spreading and the fire was expanding, he and Luka had used their combined mastery over Undine and water to stop the fire.
The torrential downpour was the result, and its effect had been instant. Both the fire and the fighting had stopped. Most elves and werewolves that could still run escaped under the cover of the night, and given the awkward glances the heroes had received in the aftermath, they had decided to do the same.
As the downpour didn't slow down, Luka decided he could as well cook their first meal. It had already been several hours since they left the city of Whiterun. The ingredients he had gathered were close enough to what he was used to cook with. Everyone took a decent portion, and when they finished the meal, the rain was over.
"You're a godly cook Luka." Kazuya wallowed against the wall in satisfaction. "I wish I could cook half as well… it would have made things a little less awkward back home."
"Yeah! I can only cook traditional Japanese food!"
"At least you can cook… I can't even properly make rice." Kazuya looked down.
"At least you're good with makinas… I can't even use a mechanical one without breaking it apart."
"…" Lauratt turned away. If Rigeo hadn't been a Nightmare, she would have been missing an eye after his own experiment with a gun makina. It had been all the more awkward that she had been behind him when he practiced his shooting.
"Hey, the weather has finally cleaned up!" Hakunen enthusiastically pointed at the sun. "We can get back on the road!"
"Yeah…" Kazuya cleaned himself and got up. "People keep talking about the technological machines of those extinguished dwemer people… I wonder if it will be magitek, steampunk or something else entirely?"
Luka shrugged, confused by what Kazuya was talking about. Nevertheless, he was curious as well.
As they returned on their way, the environment gradually shifted from rolling hills to mountainous crags. While a stone path was present as a token of civilization, the roads became narrower as they twisted around those large natural formations. It was the perfect place for an ambush.
As a consequence, the party was not surprised when a group of bandits jumped at them from the shadow screaming their lungs out. Those men were wearing furs and using weapons made of bone, making them look savage compared to the bandits the party was used to face. Luka and his companions didn't lose their footings and quickly neutralized the bandits in a series of ice spells and rapid fire, with only one bandit ending in reach to be punched unconscious by Hakunen. The party didn't give them more attention than that until they noticed that one was smelling of undeath and had strange scars across this chest.
"Hurgh… is this another type of undead? I thought we already had seen everything between those draugr and skeletons."
Lauratt pointed at the man's chest. His heart had visibly been replaced with a red plant that looked like an artichoke. This raised a lot of questions for the party, and some they weren't sure they wanted answered.
This place is getting weird… let's continue.
After two more bandit attacks, the party was forced to take another break as night was falling again while the next city was still nowhere in sight. They had settled themselves on top of one of the large formations, and Lauratt had carefully surrounded the perimeters with magic traps and alarms to make sure they wouldn't be disturbed. Kazuya was needlessly stirring the embers as they were relaxing under the night sky.
"We're finally going to reach that city tomorrow… I hope we won't have to deal with the same level of domestic trouble as Whiterun."
"Me too… Also, I was wondering something about your call spell, Lauratt…" The young mage turned toward Luka. "How far did it reach?"
Lauratt pulled a map and summarily did a large circle with his finger which included the central region and a large part out of the outer ones. The cities at their extremities like Markarth were excluded. He then looked up and pointed in the direction where Whiterun was.
"So if they indeed drop in the region but didn't notice the spell the moment you casted it, they won't have noticed anything."
Lauratt shook his head negatively.
"You can't use a spell to check if there are other people from home?"
Lauratt looked down in shame and shook his head negatively again. Luka patted his arm and offered him a small smile.
"Don't apologize, you already did a great job so far and I'm happy that you're on our side today."
"Yeah! We're not all together yet, but we're still doing fine! And once we found all the others, I'm sure we will quickly save this world and return home!" Hakunen was showing an enthusiasm that Luka didn't fully share.
And there's not a single horny monster to ruin this moment… fingers crossed it keeps going strong, I'm not in a hurry to get back home. Although maybe to get back some of that cooking… no. It's not worth it.
"I'm a bit ashamed to admit it, but I prefer facing those dragons rather than the demons back home."
"I'm…" Hakunen looked down. "I'm not sure. I miss the yokai of Mahoroba a bit. I'm concerned about them."
"I understand why… So much time has already passed since we left the portal, I'm also afraid of the damage Daji can deal… and I promised Mukuro I would always be with her."
Luka soberly nodded. "Yeah… me too. I'm worried about Alice and Sonya."
As the fire crackled under the moonlight, Luka realized for a moment that for all the chaos he had escaped, he also got separated from people he could call friends. A large number of people was fully devoted to him. But ultimately… he couldn't tell if it balanced out with the sheer number of monsters who saw him as a sex toy.
What if the secrets in those ruins directly allow us to get back home? I… I don't know if I want to get back. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we arrive in front of it.
After a short night and a light breakfast, the four heroes were back on their way. After dealing with a few more bandit groups, they arrived in sight of a large mountain chain. The four of them barely took the time to admire the splendid vision before they noticed the city. To be more precise, they saw a large column of smoke where the road was ending.
Kazuya was aghast. "What happened?! They told us that the city was one of the most fortified in the region!"
All of them started jogging toward the place with their weapons at the ready. The large golden doors that made for the entrance had been torn of their hinges and were uselessly lying on the ground. When the heroes entered the city, several people were doing their best to stop a large number of fires that had spread. Panicked screams were echoing all around, and when he backed up a bit in surprise, Hakunen stumbled on a dead guard while Luka noticed several more bodies around, some of them dressed like the bandits that had attacked them earlier.
"This is horrible… We have to help those people!"
Luka and Lauratt quickly helped the locals put the fires out with their own water spells while Kazuya and Hakunen tended to the wounded. The chaos quickly calmed down, and people early expressed their thanks. The heroes awkwardly accepted the numerous gifts even as their own adrenaline rush was barely calming down.
When they tried to inquire about the cause of the chaos, they got incoherent and confused responses at best, and evasive ones at worst. The only consistent information was the hellish vision of a one-man army that couldn't be hit.
This couldn't be… I can't imagine Lest going on a rampage. We have to find him. Let's hope he's still in the city.
Luka carefully examined the bodies lying around, which indiscriminately included wild bandits, guards, and rich and poor civilians alike. A large pile of equipment placed in a corner attracted his attention. Almost all of the weapons standing inside were visibly broken. Kazuya carefully approached them, and visibly came to the same conclusion as Luka.
"Let's not be too hasty… Lest might have been brainwashed. We have to be careful."
Lauratt shook his head negatively before pointing at a golden door tucked in a dark corner at the base of the mountain. The Almighty Swordsman hadn't even left the city for a reason. Around them, people were back to trying to find their lost loved ones or salvage their unburned possessions. They slipped away as discreetly as possible once they were sure nobody watched them, and readied their weapons once at the entrance. Lauratt scanned the insides of the house with a quick spell. He could indeed feel Lest inside, as well as a familiar yet unpleasant sensation. Nothing indicated that the swordsman was waiting in ambush.
Luka was still nervous when he pushed the door open. Lest had been a formidable opponent when he had sparred against him, and one he didn't want to fight openly. When he finally saw him, he was glad to see that he didn't look hostile. Instead, Lest was sitting on a stone bench at the other end of the house, his favorite necklace in his hands. Luka remained careful, but when Lest looked in his direction, he quickly recognized the look in the eyes of the hero: he had made a costly mistake. As if to confirm it, Lest talked in a monotonous voice.
"Oh. It's you. I'm happy to see you again."
Luka and his companions quickly surrounded him to provide him some comfort. Kazuya kneeled in front of him and softly grabbed his hands.
"Lest… are you alright?"
Lest simply nodded, as inexpressive as they first arrived. Kazuya remained silent for a moment before trying to unsuccessfully nudge him slightly.
"…Do you want to talk about it? You'll feel better afterward."
Lest didn't answer. At first, Luka considered insisting, but Kazuya raised his hand. Instead, Luka took a quick look at the remainders of the insides of the house. The whole furniture was made with decorated but weathered stone. It had lasted more than the lifetime of several people, and it was unlikely to be crafted by the locals. This place was completely different from the local architecture.
"…Do you promise you won't leave me here afterward?"
The four heroes looked at each other in surprise. It was apparently that bad. Kazuya showed his hand and bent his small finger in invitation.
"Pinky swear."
"Yes. Pinky swear." Hakunen followed suite, eventually joined by Luka and Lauratt who looked confused but decided to follow his lead.
Lest remained still for a moment before releasing a heavy sigh.
"Well…"
"Huuurgh…" Lest groggily opened his eyes. His world was still spinning around even as he was laying down on an uncomfortable rock formation. The Almighty Swordsman tried to gather his bearings while castigating himself for lowering his guard. It hadn't been the first time he got caught by surprise and incapacitated by a woman so easily. Once again, he had to pay the price.
At least, nobody had raped him or worse… instead, he had landed in the middle of nowhere. Lest remained calm. He still had his equipment, sword included. Harpy feathers weren't working, so he had left Luka's world. He could see mountains close-by in one direction, and nothing but green rolling hills as far as the eye could see in the other. He hesitated for a moment before he noticed a trail of smoke in the direction of the mountain. Smoke meant fire, and it looked too thin to be a wildfire. It was more likely a trail from a campfire or a chimney, which meant civilization was waiting for him. However, he first had to get down from the large outcrop he had landed on. As he found a slightly softer slope, Lest silently thanked his luck. If he had appeared slightly away, he could have been dangerously hurt. However, he hadn't even finished his descent when a trio of men wearing skins sprang from behind a rock.
"The Reach belong to the Forsworns! Die, invader!"
Bandits… They're present in every world. Those three don't look particularly tough.
Lest readied his sword and waited for them to come. There was no chance to reason with them, as they charged like frothing mad dogs. The first attempted to strike down Lest with a bone sword only to get blocked at the last second. Lest parried the attack with his own sword, breaking apart his opponent's weapon. Then in a smooth motion, he followed up with his signature flash counter. The bandit collapsed as the sheer power of the attack knocked him down. This didn't slow down his two partners in the slightest who attempted to slash at him at the same time, only to both get parried and thrown on the ground by Lest's riposte in a small shower of sparks. The Almighty Swordsman kept his guard high in case more bandits would show up for a moment, and, once he was sure he was alone, he moved on without a second glance. He quickly found a paved route leading in the direction of the mountain, another sign that informed him he hadn't landed as in the middle of nowhere as he imagined.
Eventually, he arrived in sight of a city defended by guards. His relief at finding civilization quickly turned to dismay when he saw the large settlement built in the mountain flank. The large brass doors blocking its entrance were unfamiliar, and he didn't remember a city like that in the mountain flank either.
Did they build the city in the flank of the mountain directly? It must have taken them years to do it! It also looks easy to defend, and not the kind one would be able to easily enter. But living there must feel claustrophobic.
Speaking of living inside… crap. I don't think I even have enough gold on me to pay for a night in a shoddy tavern or even a basic meal… I hope I won't have to sell my body again.
Lest felt the suspicious looks of the guards as he approached the city. He felt slightly nervous. They looked like those he saw in Luka's world, but he couldn't recognize the symbols on their shields. He was confident in his skills should the situation degrade in a brawl, but he wanted to peacefully get in the city, if only to gather some supplies. The guard called him in a gruff voice.
"Halt, stranger. State your business."
"I'm just an adventurer looking for a place to rest."
"Hmmm… very well. Welcome in the safest city of the Reach. Cause no trouble."
The large bronze door opened, and Lest felt relieved at the familiar activity now surrounding him.
"Wow…"
Even if the white buildings were showing signs of age, the place itself looked majestic as streets of stone were surrounding a large rocky structure on top of which a temple was standing. A small watercourse was crossing the way here and there. While the mood around him was slightly tense, being bathed in the daily activity of a town was unusually reassuring given he got dropped in the middle of nowhere. He could hear the sound of steel being struck over an anvil over the sound of chatting. He could smell the food on display. He could see stalls covered in baubles around a small plaza, people going back and forth with their arms loaded, a man sneaking on a woman with a dagger in hand…
Lest went wide-eyed. His sword left its sheet in the blink of an eye.
"The Reach belongs to the Forsworn!" A metallic clang echoed, and the man screamed while holding his unnaturally contorted hand. Lest hit the man again with the hilt of his sword, and his target crumpled to the ground, out of breath. People around started screaming in panic while the guards slowly strolled to the scene.
"What happened?! Who is this man?!"
"This is another of those Forsworn! I knew it, they'll be coming for us in our sleep!"
One of the guards haughtily sneered. "It's ridiculous. There are no Forsworn in the city. That's the end of this one's career. He's off to Cidna mines."
The guards nonchalantly took the crumpled man away, ticking Lest with their cavalier behavior. They looked a little too calm after one of their citizen nearly got killed in broad daylight. Lest couldn't investigate them any further before a pair of surprisingly strong arms squished his head between two soft mounds.
"Thank you my hero!" The woman tightly hugged her while trembling slightly. "They were going to kill me!"
Lest blushed as blood rose to his head. "T-thanks miss… it was nothing."
"I insist!" She freed him from his soft prison and presented him a necklace. "Here, take this! To remember me! I'll certainly remember you tonight…"
She winked while Lest stared at the reward, too engrossed in his own memories. The necklace itself was a small, ornate silver plate with an emerald at its center. The gift reminded him of the pendant offered by princes Litia, his sweetheart. Lest's mind started drifting toward her and the world he had been pulled off. He was missing the kingdom of Wyatt ever since he had been sent to Luka's world, but at least he had made friends. Now he was in another world again… was wandering from one world to another until his end the fate in store for him? He didn't react when a male voice attempted to call him back to reality.
"Excuse me sir. It looks like you dropped this piece of paper when that woman thanked you. Here, let me give it back to you." Lest didn't react as the man tucked it in one of his armor pocket. Eventually, his mind snapped back to reality and he reflexively checked himself.
Wait… I didn't lose any paper. That must be something important… is this town secretly under threat just like Hichiri-Kyou or Grand Noah? I must help them at one if that's the case!
He carefully opened the paper. Only a few words were scribbled.
"Meet me at the Shrine of Talos…" where is it?
The man that had handed him the paper was nonchalantly walking a set of stairs as if he was going on with his daily life. Something was definitively off. Comforted in his impression, Lest took note of where he went before playing along with the town's parody of normal life, taking a moment to check the stall of all the merchants before following the same path. Lest took a quick look around him to make sure nobody was watching him before opening the golden door. He took a quick look inside before going in. Two large braziers were standing on each side of a path that descended in front of a large, white stone statue of a man in armor holding down a sword in an eternal vigil. The man from the market was standing in front of it, busy pretending to admire it. When Lest loudly closed the door, he nervously turned around.
"Ah, it's you. Thank you for coming, kind stranger. I was worried my time had come."
"Don't mention it. What's wrong with this place?"
"You noticed? A woman nearly gets assassinated in the street in broad daylight, people see that and move on, and the guards step in only to sweep everything." The man frowned. "That man was a Forsworn agent."
Lest scratched his chin. He hadn't been here for long, but the name already sounded familiar. "Forsworn… like those bandits outside? Do the guards know it?"
The man nodded. "They can only do. Those attacks have been happening for years now." The man sighed and sorrowfully looked down. "My father lost his life as he looked into them, and I am afraid they will come for me and my family next…"
Lest understood. He still remembered when his own sweetheart had reappeared only to be taken hostage… he had to help them.
"Don't worry sir. Just tell me what to do, and I will take care of them!"
The man looked barely relieved.
"Be careful… You should start by checking information about that man. His name was Weylin, and he resided in the Warren. And maybe that woman knows something as well? She's probably thankful to you and you could use that as a leverage to know why they targeted her."
Lest grimaced. He hoped he could get that information as a reward instead of what she likely had in mind.
"Once again… be careful, kind stranger. These troubles have already claimed more than a few lives."
Lest waved toward the man and left the temple. The first stop would be the inn. He quickly located his destination thanks to the large sign hanging at the entrance. The wooden panel standing at the door contrasted with the omnipresent stone that made for both building and furniture.
The insides of the inn itself were almost disappointingly mundane. The furniture was made of the same white stone as the building. People were enjoying drinks and discussing, while a man was resting on a large counter and cleaning an empty mug.
"Hello there, what can I do for you? …Hey, aren't you the man who saved Margret?" The man showed a cat-like grin. "Aren't you lucky… she's waiting for you in her room. Last one upstairs."
"Huuh, thank you sir."
Lest followed up the set of stairs while keeping an eye on his surroundings. The place was quite jovial given an assassination happened on its doorstep less than an hour ago… Lest shook his head. If it was as common as the man said, then people were likely just desensitized to the violence. The Almighty Swordsman steadied himself as he knocked on the door.
I have to stay focused on helping those people… I'll just ask her about why she thinks she got attacked, and refuse any sexy reward she has in mind.
The door slowly opened on a woman who was peeking from the entrance. She squealed when she recognized Lest.
"Oh it's you! Please enter!"
Lest obliged the moment she opened the door wider. Once he was inside, she quickly closed the door. She was visibly relieved he wasn't yet another assassin sent to end her life.
"We can't be too careful…" She walked around Lest to sit on her bed, her hands periodically twitching. "Once again, thank you for saving me earlier… but where are my manners? My name is Margret. I'm a merchant from Cyrodiil."
Lest preciously stored the information in his brain should he be stuck in this new world for a long time.
"I'm Lest, a wandering swordsman."
"Well Lest, once again, I'm incredibly thankful for your help. If it wasn't for you, I would be lying dead in a street right now. How can I make it up to you?"
This time, Lest was the one relieved by the lack of flirty undertone in her voice.
"I'm only helping people who need it… do you know why those people attacked you?"
"I don't know…" The woman shrugged, but Lest could tell that she wasn't truthful. "The only thing I came here to do was to discuss the possibilities of purchasing Cidna Mines to the Silverblood family."
"Cidna Mines… I heard about that place. Is this where they send criminals?"
"Yes…" The woman hesitantly looked sideway. Lest could notice her concern. "And now, a large number of the most dangerous criminals of the Reach are imprisoned here. No one supposedly escapes this place, but how would those Forsworn keep getting in the city otherwise?"
"Someone important must be helping them." The situation felt too familiar to Lest. Whether it was Grand Noah or Wylat, Musette had always gone directly for the head of the state to fulfill her goals. He was sure the present case was no exception. He got quickly proven wrong.
"The subject has already been discussed with the jarl, and he agrees." The woman shook her head. "During my investigation, I found out that those people are connected to a mysterious N. And coincidently, Thonar Silverblood is working with a man named Nepos the nose." The woman gulped and looked away. "I wanted to meet him to talk about my offer, but so far, he always said he was busy. He's clearly hiding something, and he's surrounded by shady rumors about involvement with the Forsworn."
"That can't be just a coincidence." Lest nodded in agreement and got up, ready to leave. He just had to confront the man himself if he wanted to keep those people safe from more assassination attempts. "I will take care of him myself."
"Wait!" The woman extended her arm to reach him. "You can't simply attack him in broad daylight! He's a respected citizen in the Reach! We need more evidence!"
Lest took a while to think his answer through and shrugged. "I'll just confront him about the attacks then. If he's responsible, I'll know it."
The woman looked at Lest as if the Almighty Swordsman had thrown a brick in a window. The hero awkwardly shifted around.
"How?"
"…He'll attack me. They always do."
When the answer left his mouth, Lest felt out of place. It had always worked like that for him. Was that place so different from the worlds he had lived in?
"…Then be careful. Nepos is living in the rightmost house before the entrance in the hall."
Lest nodded and left the room, ignoring the additional guards that were standing still and staring at him on his way out.
Another conspiracy in the shadows… I'd be tempted to think that Musette is responsible, but that man said that it has been happening for years. It can't be her. I need to know more. And I need to stop it.
After crossing through the large city, Lest stopped in front of the house he considered the most likely contender. A woman wearing a stained apron slightly opened the door as soon as Lest knocked.
"Greetings… my name is Lest, and I'm looking for mister Nepos… Is he available?"
"Yes." The woman nodded. "If you would please follow me, my master is waiting for me."
Well, that was easy.
Lest followed the woman while another servant was cooking and two men were discussing around a stone table. The first one looked like a thug, with his long brown hair and messy beard, while the other one looked like an old merchant or noble, with his rich fur-padded green garb and bald head. His face had also visibly endured the weathering of time. The latter greeted him surprisingly familiarly.
"Hello there, young man. I heard of your actions and was sure you would come for me next… So please tell me how I can help you, mmh?"
Lest was slightly taken aback by the almost fatherly attitude of the man, but kept on his guard.
"Greetings sire… I was investigating about the latest attack in the market. Apparently, those attacks have been happening for years. Do you happen to know anything about it?"
"Maybe." The man released a small sneer. "I'm not overly fond of nosy people, and that woman was getting aggravatingly insistent in her investigation. My king asked to get rid of her."
Lest frowned. He didn't like the direction it was going in. "Your king? The local lord is involved?"
The man rolled his eyes and sighed. "No, I'm talking about the true lord of the Reach, Madanach. Not those upstart Nords who got Ulfric's support before handing over the country to those useless imperials."
Lest nodded as he tried to keep track of all those information. The man was surprisingly forward with that information, putting Lest on his guard. "Sooo… can I meet this Madanach?"
The man shook his head negatively, still visibly amused. "I'm afraid for you that you won't. As I said, I'm not overly fond of people snooping around. Do you really think I would have given you that information so easily if I thought you had a chance to escape? You won't see the day he escapes that damn Cidna Mines to reassure his control over the Reach!"
In the blink of an eye, Lest unsheathed his sword and parried a dagger aimed at his back, his power throwing his assailant on the ground. He recognized the woman that had opened the door. The man at the counter casted an ice bolt from afar, only to get completely dumbfounded when Lest parried the magical projectile and sent it back straight in his face. He fell back without screaming, an expression of shock plastered on his face. Nepos hurriedly scrambled away as the last servant futilely threw himself in the way of Lest, only to get tossed on the side in another strike. Finally, Lest reached the old man and struck him down with the hilt of his sword, sending him down for the count. The whole fight had lasted less than a minute. Lest looked at the scene, pondering his next move.
I should talk about this with Margret and the man in the shrine… Maybe they know more about that Madanach. She said there were criminals in the jail, and that man just said they would soon take back control of the Reach. I must at least tell them!
Lest hurriedly left the house to quickly return to the inn. To his surprise, Margret wasn't in her room, and the innkeeper told him that guards fetched her to see the jarl. Sensing the urgency, Lest started running toward the Shrine of Talos. The Almighty Swordsman pushed the door open only to see several guards standing at the bottom of the shrine behind two bodies he recognized well.
"That's it, you're under arrest."
Lest readied his sword. The guards were actually in this conspiracy as well. Following them was out of the questions as memories of his past arrests and the opposition of his allied royal guards back home mixed with the experiences he suffered in the prison of Grand Noah.
"No. Nobody will rape me again!"
"Wait, rape you? What kind of degenerate-"
The guard was still surprised when Lest charged him in a lightning strike, incapacitating him on the spot. His two colleagues barely had the time to turn around before they fell down themselves in so many strikes.
The sounds of metal clanging reached his ears as more guards entered behind him.
"Stop him now! We have to stop him before he reaches Madanach!"
The three guards could barely raise their weapons before Lest was on top of them, striking one after the other with his expert swordsmanship.
I have to reach the local lord and stop that Madanach… those people must be safe from them!
Lest jumped out of the shrine. Several guards were approaching to investigate the commotion.
"Where are the others?! What have you done?!"
Lest knocked the guards away as he charged toward the top of the city. No soldier could stand in front of his expert skills, no matter how they tried to attack him. A few guards tried to shoot him from the central outcrop. Lest struck their flying arrows before they could reach him and reflected them back to their shooters. A guard managed to creep up slowly from behind only to get knocked on the head the moment he tried to strike the Almighty Swordsman.
Lest entered the door leading in the mountain flank, focused on his self-assigned goal of taking down the men and women that threatened the local people. The Almighty Swordsman targeted the place where guards were regrouping to obviously protect their leaders, running through the large stone halls while ignoring the servants scattering in fear. He knew he reached his destination the moment he saw several guards forming a wall at the bottom of a set of stairs leading to a throne. Several more soldiers were standing behind them, bow at the ready, and a few hooded men were standing in front of another richly clothed man wearing a furry coat. Said man called out to Lest from afar.
"In the name of the Eight Divines, stand down! We do not want more unneeded bloodshed!"
The determination of Lest seeped in his affirmed voice. "I will not stop until people are safe from the ploys of Madanach!"
"What?! Madanach is behind bars in Cidna Mines! Thonar Silverblood guaranteed me he would no longer be a threat! Are you telling me otherwise?!"
For the first time since the beginning of his rampage, Lest felt doubt creep in his mind. He kept a high stance, but he didn't charge the guards yet. "Yes… he's been the one ordering his hits through a man named Nepos the nose…"
The man crossed his arms and looked at "…I can say that you're convinced you're telling the truth. Stand down! I implore you, let us work like investigators and diplomats, not like warriors and barbarians!"
Lest hesitated, but eventually sheathed the sword. The guards relaxed in visible relief, and the tension in the room quickly alleviated. The lord descended the set of stairs, closely followed by his guards.
"Thank you… now, we shall investigate your saying about Nepos the nose and find out if the control of Thonar over Cidna Mine is as good as he says… now what?!"
An out of breath guard ran in the large hall. "Sir… the prisoners are breaking out of Cidna Mines!"
"What?! How is this possible?!" The lord looked at Lest. "It looks like you are right. Madanach has more power than Thonar would acknowledge. Please, help us take him down and you will be forgiven for your attacks against the people of the Reach!"
Lest nodded. Even if he had fought the wrong leader, even if he failed to protect the two other investigators, he would get at the bottom of this and save people from the ever looming threat. The Almighty Swordsman quickly rushed back outside, slamming the large entrance door open.
The city had fallen into chaos.
Sporadic fires had started dotting the city in the few minutes Lest took to reach outside. Panicked screams were echoing all around him, and a tocsin was ringed repeatedly. A few guards were trying to hold back skin-wearing bandits coming from a freshly dug out hole in a wall while even more bandits were attacking people at the entrance. Lest decided to focus on the first group as they were critically at threat of being overwhelmed and killed.
The last guard had fallen when he finally reached them. The prisoners gathered at the top of the stairs to force Lest on the unequal stairs.
"Protect Madanach! The true lord of the Reach! For the King in Rags!"
The first warrior attempted to strike down Lest who was still climbing up. Without losing his stability, Lest parried the attack and countered with his signature riposte, knocking his opponent down in surprise. Another of his enemies slipped on the side of the stairs and tumbled down the side of the steep slope. Amongst the fighters, Lest could distinguish one standing more proudly than the others. The man was old, but he had a surprisingly regal port even with his disheveled appearance. His voice was harsh, but also fatherly.
"Young man… you're not from here. Why are you helping those ungrateful usurpers? they would have thrown you in their mines without a second thought and used you as a slave for meddling in their plans!"
Lest glared at the man who recoiled in front of the swordsman's power. "You spent the last years getting innocents murdered. No matter your reason, you only deserve prison!"
The man casted a powerful lightning stream, but it barely slowed Lest down who powered through the attack to strike him down. Just like that, the man who was responsible for so much harm was down.
Eventually, Lest turned his attention toward the fighting at the entrance. The guards were holding for now as the bandits were apparently starting to lose their morale after their leader fell. He still didn't hesitate to support them. They even managed to capture several more bandits in the process of pushing them back.
Lest allowed himself to slightly relax. However, he quickly noticed that several guards were giving him the stink eye. He remained at a distance, and could barely hear the conversation between the bandits made prisoner and the guards.
"You and your friends were getting bold, weren't you? Did you really hope you would be able to free your precious King in Rags?"
The bandit found the courage to defiantly look back at the guard in the eyes.
"Bold? Our attack was better planned than your ill-conceived attempt at restraining our king! We had agents everywhere! We saw the chaos from afar when you attempted to imprison that traveler… for you, he was just another man for the mine, wasn't he? And instead, it ended with so many of you wounded, we were given the perfect opportunity to strike and take back our rightful city once for all!"
Lest suddenly felt a rush of blood to his head and his mouth drying up as the consequences of his actions finally hit him: he had rushed headfirst in a dark conspiracy that had been a sword of Damocles over the inhabitants of the city, and he had indeed cleared it… through the worst case scenario. He had incapacitated several guards and had incidentally regrouped the perfect conditions to make the plans of the one responsible spring to life.
He returned to the keep to be coldly greeted by the jarl. Lest didn't react when the death of Thonar Silverblood was announced. Even if he was actually the one responsible for the death of his partners of fortune, Lest was still too shocked by the aftermath of his rush. He was dismissed without a reward, and quickly returned to the streets where people were looking at him with a mix of awe, fear and hate. The few residents that were not too busy with saving the remainder of their house to take care of him anyway. As soon as they noticed him, they threw mean looks while shifting away. He couldn't blame them and only wanted to disappear.
Eventually, Lest settled on hiding in a house, ashamed. One of them, slightly more set back in the mountains than the other, seemed to call to him. The swordsman heavily stepped to the house, not asking himself why it was open with nobody inside. When he closed the door behind him, he felt the weight of all his actions on his body and his shoulders. The man could barely drag his feet to the first stone stool even as something deep inside the house called to him. He pulled out his pendant and waited until eventually, the calling ceased.
I made a huge mistake.
"…And I told you everything." Lest sighed as he was despondently fiddling with his pendant. "I feel like an idiot. I… thought it was yet another conspiracy that could get cleared by fighting everyone coming to me and I ended doing just that. You've seen the results… I don't think I deserve to be called a hero after that."
Everyone had remained silent when Lest counted his trouble. A small minute passed before Luka could gather any word to describe his feelings.
"Wow… it sounds rough…"
"Yeah…" Kazuya nodded in agreement, his mouth slightly agape. "But…" he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck and turned around. "We didn't do any better back in Whiterun, did we?"
Getting the message, Luka patted Lest on his shoulder. "If it can reassure you, we also nearly accidentally destroyed a city by exposing a local group of werewolves. It ended in a four-way-fight between them, the local guards, a group of elves and us. I think the result was even worse than here." He grimaced. He still had difficulties talking to someone he considered more of a hero than he was. "So don't blame yourself too hard for this. You're still free to come with us."
"Really?" Lest's face illuminated with a ray of hope. "Even after everything I did, you still think I'm worthy to come with you?"
"As we just said…" Kazuya nervously chuckled. "You even made the same mistake as us. That makes you even more a part of our group."
Everyone else nodded in agreement. If anything, their mistake was the perfect occasion to bond. Kazuya offered his hand to the swordsman. Lest accepted it and let himself be pulled on his feet.
"It's a shame that the town suffered so much damage, but… people around here look as resilient as in any of our worlds. They will rebuild. And without that conspiracy on their back and the local bandit king dead, they'll be able to live with a measure of peace."
And I hope it will be the last city that we nearly raze… does every town in this world hide a conspiracy, or are we just really unlucky?
Luka's musings were interrupted by a grumble. Lest blushed.
"S-sorry, I haven't eaten for a while and I think people here won't sell me any after what I did."
"It's okay." Kazuya made a dismissive gesture. "Lauratt will get you out with a stealth spell, and we'll buy some extra food ourselves on our way out."
Hakunen hesitantly stepped forward. "Huuuh, sorry, but we have to take a look at those ruins first, don't we?"
"Oh, right…" Kazuya looked slightly dismayed by the reminder. "We don't know what we will find deep inside though. We shouldn't get our hope up too much."
"What's that about ruins?"
Kazuya answered Lest. "This city has apparently been built on ancient ruins… and it indeed looks quite different from the one we saw. We thought that maybe there would be something inside that could help us go back to our world… or at least Luka's. You told us that those prisoners came from a secret passage? There's bound to be more."
Lauratt raised his hands. He would have no problem concealing the swordsman as they explored the city to investigate.
"In that case, I'm ready to follow you!"
Lauratt raised his staff, and the air around Lest twisted before the Almighty Swordsman disappeared. The air shimmered.
"That… feels strange. Maybe we should use it to fight next time?"
Lauratt shook his head negatively. The spell would instantly fall apart in case of a clash. And someone with a keen magic sense would also be able to pierce through it.
"Oh, well… let's get some supplies and start exploring!"
When Luka left the house, the hero felt relieved. Lest was now looking better, and he felt that much pressure leave his shoulders. He glanced back at the house. Was something wrong with the place itself? He shrugged it off. The faster they moved on the better for everyone involved.
The party and the hidden Lest returned back to the plaza. The local civilians looked slightly stunned at the scene of devastation, but they were already starting to assess the damage and exchange what they needed. A priest was giving the last sacraments to the dead. Kazuya was right. Humans were resilient. They would rebuild.
I feel a little bad asking for food right now… bah, I'm sure they'll still offer me some if I pay them several times the price. I can afford it, and they'll appreciate the extra help. I could really go for a juicy slab of meat right now.
Luka took a look at the stall of meat available. He quickly fell a wave of nausea sweep him when he examined the cuts available. The trader, a pale man in his forties, jovially called out to him."
"You look a tad wan, friend. You know what you need? A good old steak! I have the bloodiest beef in the Reach, just waiting for you!"
"That's… some nice cuts you got there." Luka loudly swallowed. Around him, his companions were negotiating for other foodstuffs. "Where did you get those from?"
"Aaaah, it's a secret…" The man smiled. "I'll only say that you won't find meat like that anywhere else."
Luka talked more slowly and loudly, making sure everyone was hearing him.
"Is it because you're attempting to sell human meat?"
The market fell uncomfortably silent. The accused trader didn't try to refute Luka's claim at first, instead worrying about the attention he was given.
"In Namira's name, what are you talking about?!"
Luka refrained from retching as he was feeling more ill by the minute. Kazuya and Hakunen joined him at the side, taking a look at the food themselves.
"It's a human leg… and it's a fresh one. This is not beef."
Someone in the crowd called out to them.
"Stop joking! How dare you play such a prank in those dire times!"
Another more feminine voice echoed.
"Yeah! Scram kid!"
"This is not funny… wait, why did Amaltunn called on Namira's name?"
"Is there a body missing? We didn't have time to bring anyone to the hall of the dead yet!"
Luka remained steady. While accusations were flying in the direction of the party, some people questioned the merchant as well. Eventually, the priest stopped giving sacraments and joined the heroes in examining the meat while the merchant defended himself.
"Come on! I've been here for years! Do you really think I would lie to you?!"
The priest finally voiced his concern. "That young man is right… This is the leg of the Forsworn I was putting to rest!" He pointed at the merchant. "In the name of Arkay, tell us the truth!"
The merchant looked confused for a short moment before pulling out a butcher's knife that was surprisingly long and sharp.
"To oblivion with this!"
Luka pulled out his own sword, but before the man could move, Kazuya shot the weapon out of the latter's hands. The crowd that had gathered suddenly erupted in a panic, leaving a candid Kazuya to realize his mistake.
"…ooops. They don't have anything like guns here?"
We've been here for a month now… Damn it Kazuya.
The heroes awkwardly looked around them, at loss as to what to do. After a moment, the priest approached the again. While he looked shaken, he didn't look hostile to the group.
"Thank you for showing us this, kind strangers. I've been suspecting cannibals to roam Markarth for months now, but I never imagined they would act so brazenly. I will now get the jarl to help me clear the remainder of them." He regretfully turned away. "Too much blood is flowing through Markarth today."
Luka could only distractedly nod. Between his past actions, Lest's story and what had just happened, he didn't want to risk doing anything that could start another fight.
We still need supplies… But I don't think people will want anything to do with us after that.
Indeed, not a single person was remaining in the street around them. His senses informed him that everyone was looking at the party from afar, hunkered down in their houses. As he took various food while giving meat a wide berth, Luka settled on paying what he took by leaving a decent amount of gold behind. The heroes copied him. Nobody talked to each other.
We didn't even get to know where those famous ruins are… can we even go ask the local lord without starting another fight?!
The answer appeared in the form of said lord conveniently appearing with the priest and several guards escorting them. The jarl was looking deeply tired.
"Greetings, heroes." His voice was completely monotone; the events of the day shaving left their mark on his mind. "In the name of the Eight Divines, I thank you for your help. How can our city help you on your travel?"
The underlying message was clear: he wanted them gone as soon as possible. Luka answered with more difficulties than he expected.
"We… are interested in learning more about the ruins lying underneath the city. We wished to explore those ourselves."
The jarl of Markarth remained still for a moment as he considered their request. There would be no negotiation from anyone. Not a word was exchanged with any adviser before he answered.
"Very well. The guards will accompany you at the entrance. I shall inform you that this place is a maze that may very well be connected to other caverns in Skyrim. It is also filled to the brim with ancient contraptions, which I am sure will represent no troubles for warriors like you."
He sounds almost disappointed that we'll survive against whatever is down there.
"Very well. We are ready to go."
"Follow us."
Several guards guided the party through the streets of Markarth before moving through the hall itself. Neither Luka nor his companions took the opportunity to examine the architecture of their surroundings, too busy staying on their guards against another possible ambush. The guards themselves were incredibly nervous. They were particularly focused on Kazuya and his weapon. Luka could hear the occasional whisper about "Mehrune's Oblivion damned sorcery." The party descended a few stones slopes spiraling in darkness, forcing the guards to use torch to illuminate their surroundings. They finally stopped after crossing another large bronze door.
"This is as far as we will accompany you. May Talos guide your arm."
The guards slammed the large door closed as soon as they gave their farewell, and with it, the hero felt his anxiety leave to make place for a mix of anger and disappointment. Kazuya stammered forward.
"Sorry… it would have gone better if I didn't use my gun in a panic… It became so much a reflex, I forgot for a moment that the locals wouldn't react well."
Luka conciliatorily raised his hand. "Don't sweat it. It wouldn't have been that, they would have instead stared at you or Hakunen for looking weird, or at Lauratt for being a mage, or someone would have bumped in Lest…"
The hero kicked a pebble. No, the core issue was different altogether. This world was one of secrecy, which simply worked because people were gleefully ignorant of the numerous secrets, lies and conspiracies they were keeping from one another. The best way to live in it… was simply to keep to oneself. The best they could do was trying to lay low. Sure, so far no one was threatening them, but how long would it take before they attracted the attention of less recommendable people or creatures not unlike the Lilith Sisters.
"As Mephisto would say, it's time for a new rule. From that point onward, blowing people's secrets wide open is out of the question."
Everyone else simply nodded, perambulating as they were still reeling from the events of the day. Luka examined the large room they were now in. While it followed the same structure and was made of the same materials, it was larger than the houses in Markarth, and he could see brass-like vents and pipe coming from various walls.
This place is so, so, so fucked… I'm starting to hope we get out of here. It's not that I want to see everyone back at home. It's just that I want to get out of here.
And it's already been months since we left… I don't want to imagine the mess waiting for me back in the Pocket Castle. Hurgh, at least, they don't try to pass human meat as beef back home!
Luka threw a look in the direction of the party. Apparently, he wasn't the only one disgusted by the idea of eating that if everyone's unusual paler color was anything to go by.
"Vegetarian meal for tonight."
Not so far, an elf in inquisitorial robe was riding a horse toward his current goal. While a stranger looking at him would see the haughtiness shared by the species, members of his kin would notice how shaken he was. He was approaching a large isolated stone building looking like a walled fortress when one of the guards in a metallic green armor approached him.
"Emergency message for her eminence only."
He descended from his horse and strode toward the largest structure, not slowing in the slightest as he opened the door and nearly rammed a human carrying a tray in the process. He quickly stepped in the richly decorated interior and climbed a set of stairs leading to an inside balcony where a stern woman was working on reports at her desk while overseeing the activity. Elenwen liked to know what was happening in her embassy. She frowned at the intruder.
"What is it Amor? I am busy."
"I bring a report from Ondelamar from Markarth for your eyes only."
Elenwen glared at the guard and grabbed the envelope he was now holding out. So many little inconveniences kept popping up to slow down their task, like the unexpected return of those pesky dragons or the loss of several of their agents in the region of Whiterun in a stupid battle… If she had her way, those responsible would be fed to the trolls living below the embassy.
She quickly read the letter. Her displeased frown contorted in a rage-filled grimace. She haughtily huffed and slammed the letter on her wooden desk.
"Those idiots… We did not need that as well!"
"Mistress?"
"The heroes who wreaked havoc in Whiterun created another mess in Markarth. But some of those bullheaded Nords are still convinced that they're the reincarnation of Talos. Their martial prowess is apparently way above what this pathetic region usually produces."
"Very well mistress. What are your orders?"
"Keep an eye on them, and ask Northwatch Keep to get on high guard! We can't take the risk of falling victim to their imbecilic rampage!" Elenwen scribbled a few notes and handed it to the messenger. The latter bowed and quickly left afterward. Amor didn't resist the temptation to lag behind a bit to further study the reaction of the local responsible of this backwater province. Elenwen hissed, visibly unsatisfied. It was only another annoyance amongst all the others.
Amor quickly took another horse from the stables and started making his way toward Northwatch keep. On his way, once he was he couldn't resist the temptation of opening the letter.
"Attan.
You are to keep an eye on the group of rabid dogs responsible for the fall of Whiterun and Markarth. While we appreciate the chaos they sow, some Nords consider them the reincarnations of Talos and are getting uppity. Given the praises attributed to the two that scoured that old barrow, they may be related.
Make sure an eye is kept on them, but do not engage them until the order is given. They are incidentally helping us weaken the region, but they are still responsible for the death of one too many of ours. When the time is right, I will want their head on a plate.
Elenwen."
Amor sealed back the letter with magic and smirked. A handful of dangerous tools would soon find their uses…
Submissive… powerful, but all too submissive. He could read their very beings. Not worthy of being his champions. Not worthy of his attention. Not even worthy of punishment for trespassing in his domain. They would have too easily broken under the plight he could have inflicted them.
Or would they? They showed stronger minds than he anticipated. The one that looked broken had only bent to spring back up. They had displayed their full power under his eyes right afterwards. They were not to be trifled with, and they made it known. He would have to be careful with them.
He would not let them slip through his fingers. They would be his. Even if he had to kill four of them to get the fifth one, a new champion would arise from them.
He let contentment fill him. His emotion quickly turned to annoyance when he noticed who else was looking at them. He would have to remind them of their places as well.