There was nothing to report when it came to the trip to my initial endeavor into Skyrim. I followed the marked paths, letting Cherry decide when she wanted to run or trot. I think she enjoyed having the freedom of doing things at her pace, she was quite energetic still despite being at the open stable area for a while. Maybe it was because there were no barriers outside the cities at all, I wasn't sure. The supplies that were gathered by myself before leaving and generously provided by the others turned out to be more than enough to go for the trip and longer if I needed to. Even between myself and Cherry, letting her cheat a bit on what a horse should normally be given, there was probably a couple days' worth by the time we passed the walls of Falcrenth. Even the weather wasn't terrible when necessary, just getting tamer going along the center of Tamriel. Going north while in Skyrim would take some planning.
Most importantly, my mind was silent and the trip was quiet. Honestly, I was afraid due to it being proven that not only Ria had a mental link to me, of which she has been silent for a while, but also Jagar Tharn had the same thing. I wasn't sure how but there were a lot of things that were still highly unknown to me. The scroll that looked to be able to do limitless things, my importance to how this would end, how long Ria would be able to last with what she was able to hold of her magic, and of course what the extents were of the abilities of the traitor. A beast that wasn't of the mortal realm was sent and I highly doubted it came from the Imperial City, there would be no way for Jagar Tharn to know down to the minute when it would be approaching. It was possible for a lot to happen with magic, especially the more powerful the user. I had my suspicions that there was some kind of portal magic or if it was that the…things under Jagar's control were able to blend into everyday life until the time was right to leap. I knew that the closer I got to collecting the pieces of the staff, I could be taking on beings of legend like Lich's or the darkest of Daedra now able to freely move between their chaotic realm and Nirn.
"It was a long trip but there we are. Let's get you into somewhere while I figure out what's next." I didn't have to have a tight hold on the straps that were keeping Cherry at my side. I kept them in my hands but they were slack enough that she could run and probably pull my arm out of socket quickly. Despite that, never once did she make a motion to leave and kept herself at my side. As it stood now, she was the only one that was going to be my constant companion, my time since beginning my quest showing that my initial hesitation of getting a horse was wrong.
Going through the open gates as the sun was falling in the sky to signal the night was a lot different than I was expecting. I was thinking I would get a lot of looks and curious stares but…none of that happened. I got some heads turned but it was only due to the curiosity of a new person entering the city judging by their looks. One even waved that I returned. In my past, I didn't need to go to other provinces, being the minor ambassador of Hammerfell on certain issues, but I didn't have many good experiences when entering other places. Maybe it was that I was unfortunately being escorted by a couple armed guards or was forced to wear some gaudy outfit, but I got looks of disdain over welcome. This time was completely different, I looked like any person that had traveled from Hammerfell with a horse, wearing what any traveler would to not raise suspicion. It was relieving to say the least and refreshing to be like any other person. I didn't notice how much I missed the small amount of attention before, I guess I got complacent in the life of ignorance.
I had to get the basics before getting to worrying about the more unnecessary needs. Shelter, a stable for Cherry, and some lay of the land. I wasn't staying here but I would be keeping inside the walls until I got a lead on where the next piece of the staff was held. Rather, how to get to it. Ria did mention about it resting somewhere in the maze that was Labyrinthian. I had some clues about the legends when it came to the place, Shalidor somehow making it himself using some lost forgotten magic for pretty banal reasons of his own making. That was where my quest was going to be taking me next, having to deal with another part of the plot orchestrated by Jagar to keep anyone from ending his tyrannical reign.
"First things first. Get someone to answer some questions." A good number of people were walking about, daily lives passing one day at a time. The closest person to me was a tall man with what everyone expected of a Nord. Full beard, natural muscles, and longer than average, ginger male hair. The fashion between provinces, at least Skyrim and Hammerfell, weren't too far off from each other. The biggest difference was that the Nord's looked a bit thicker. Cherry and I made our way to the man to get his attention. "Sir, I have a few questions, just came into town and all." The man turned to look down at me a bit due to height, flashing a smile.
"Of course, I can see that. We don't get many members of the other provinces come through, but we do get a few being on the edge of the border and all. What do you need, Miss…?" The end of his question trailed off a bit.
"Tenyin. Uh, Mairner."
"Miss Mairner! Brilliant, whatever you need, I will do my best to answer. I am no adventurer, merely a cook. Jurgarik Brissen." I don't know if it was the 'new identity' in a sense or just leaving Hammerfell to visit elsewhere, but this man was exuding friendliness.
"I hold no bad feelings if you cannot, I understand completely. Is there anywhere you would recommend I visit or keep in my mind?" With that question asked, Jurgarik seemed to linger for a few moments before going on a tirade about his thoughts. He began with telling me about the place he was a cook at, a temple named 'The Order of the One Prophet'. I always found a lot of temple names to be either formulaic or were just too vain in how they sounded, Jurgarik's being the latter. I had no current need to go to any temple, although if the time was to come, I could have a place where I could have a little more sway possibly. Next was where Jurgarik enjoyed to drink, a tavern called the King's Guard. Whether that meant it was a good place to just drink or a good place altogether was not spoke of, only that it was this one person's favorite spot. Name wouldn't get me much pull, but he at least gave me directions. Finally, the closest stable that was a quick answer, apparently not too important to this man like his faith and alcohol. It was a comparatively short walk and an even shorter conversation to leave Cherry stabled but it probably wouldn't be too long she would stay in the place before I seen about pulling her out to help me. I learned my lesson before about attempting to walk the distance to my destination, even if it was only a few days away from where I was staying at the time. It would be a challenge to find a place for Cherry to stay but hopefully possible without much trouble.
Walking around the populated city, there were some interesting features compared to a majority of the places in Hammerfell. For one, the temperature felt better, much better and reasonable than the high numbers the air could reach being near the desert. It would undoubtedly get colder the more north I had to inevitably go, but it was very pleasant currently. Stone statues of something, I wasn't too sure if it was supposed to be a specific person or beast, but they looked like the golems people could summon if they were especially skilled in magic. Some showed their age, having vines and discoloration, while others must have been recently cared for by the citizens. Unlike in the few places in Hammerfell I went to, there was a lack of…creativity, in a sense. There were indications of clear Nord influence from just about all of the architecture that had walls and roofs made of thicker material, unlike the lands to the west that wanted more so to have a way for the heat to escape. I could only assume it would get more dense the more north I traveled in the province. That was assuming there would be a large population in the colds.
"So, this is it, hm? Little bit odd to have the entrance to an Inn be in what seems like an alley." It gave a twinge of a bad impression from the start, the inside not reinforcing the idea, though. This wasn't as bad as the Crimson Chasm originally was but wasn't as impressive as the place after the major boom in business. Unremarkable in most ways, I couldn't see why Jurgarik valued this place so highly. It would serve the purpose of keeping me from the dangers of the outside, that was all that mattered to me. With a comfortable place and a moment of peace, I took my scroll to plan my next move.
It is currently the 28th of Second Seed, Year 390 of the 3rd Era. I have been working on getting the pieces of the Staff of Chaos for the past nearly 10 months, all to show for it being one of the pieces previously hidden in Hammerfell. I was told by Ria Silmane, a sorceress previously studying under the treacherous Jagar Tharn turned currently spirit guide of sorts, that the next piece was in Labyrinthian in Skyrim, wherever that may be. As I had to do before, it was a simple assumption that a quest would be involved to get the location from someone who may know of it. My first was to get a tablet stolen that had the location of Fang Lair inscribed on it, this would undoubtedly be similar. I was able to get the piece and deal with Tharn's tricks to get me killed along the way but I feel like I cannot complete this quest alone, nor can I ever get back to what I was when I was younger. I cannot risk the integrity of the quest in the hands of some mercenary off the streets, Ria had me specifically keep the quest a secret from even the ones that I had put some trust in myself. Along the way, though, I have met someone who possibly knows about my goal, although I cannot begin to assume where the final intention of the person lies. Whether they are also someone who helps from a distance or will come in directly is leaning towards that I will not have a partner into the foreseeable future. I cannot stall any longer, I have had a night of rest and need to continue on my quest before Tharn can have more of the impact on Tamriel that has already been felt.
Leaving nothing in the room, all of it somewhere in the void that this scroll was using, I simply left with the assurance and monetary amount that I would be back once again in the night. The Imperial that was managing the establishment took it without question, wishing me luck and I was once again heading towards my next goal. I didn't have a clue yet where that goal was at, things weren't coming as conveniently to me as they did in Hammerfell, it was clear I was having to do some investigating on my own. I wasn't a spy or an agent in my position before, I was simply an ambassador to put a name to it. The beauty of being alive in the tumultuous time of espionage and ever encroaching war that was constant in Tamriel, it didn't take a scholar to figure out how to obtain information. Eavesdropping and common sense was a skill everyone was adept in without needing training…assuming that was a fact. The only thing that was required to have outside of your own wits were patience and time, one of which I had spades of but the other was a little more limited. If I was going to keep my time used well, I had to keep myself centered to a place where information was said without scouring streets hoping for the gossip to be overheard, meaning some gathering spot for the locals.
Being the early morning, I had time to scout around at the larger plaza's for anywhere that seemed like it would be popular, the first few being nearly empty and were not necessarily around anything useful other than the average view for the common citizen of the city. Coming into another similar sized one, this one had an addition that the previous ones didn't, not that it kept me from being on alert as a slight positive. There were a myriad of benches around that gave the vibe of where a lot of people could relax and a very pleasant fountain in the center to keep the area just a little cooler. This was also near a gate out of the city and had a view of the palace in the distance as well, giving anybody the chance to walk out if they were needing to move once again and return. Well-worn but not broken stone decorated the area in a couple different patterns and leading to different buildings that had signs that shown the more needed Inn, General Store, and a Temple as well but not the one that the Nord from before was so excited about. The one stain on this pristine scene was something that I didn't appreciate even when I was in the White-Gold Tower even though they were present quite a lot. Jesters and their exaggerated…everything were not something I was or ever would be fond of, maybe it was my heritage or race but something in me just didn't let me enjoy any of their antics. Grimacing but keeping my opinions to myself, I found a spot a distance between the gate out and the fountain thinking that it would be the best chance at people wanting to speak louder without thinking too much due to the moving water or only just coming back into the city.
I sat for about an hour, hearing snippets of conversations about some interesting topics and others completely mind numbing. Some were about the daily lives of the citizens or whatever personal issues they were having and the best I could do was try to tune them out. The more interesting and rather important ones were regarding opinions on how Tamriel was being run under the Emperor, cursing him or discussing rumors they heard about a coup being organized from different provinces and cities. Being one of the only few that knew the truth about who was sitting on the throne, I would join in on a rebellion if it were actually organized but I highly doubt it would be possible to get into the Imperial Palace, let alone the city itself. Tharn had months to barricade and improve his forces to the point it would be suicide to go in from the front. To be honest, I wasn't sure how I was going to get in at this point. Even with the Staff of Chaos, getting into the palace would be nearly impossible, if not already so. I knew of a couple places that were not known by the public but Tharn would probably know of them as well. Another distressing rumor was the increased presence of dangerous monsters and not just the rampant Orc pack that did anything to kill but the lesser found Daedra being seen and a few cases of approaching cities. They didn't get in from what I heard, a huge relief, but it would only be a matter of time before the monstrosities were in large enough numbers to pillage entire settlements and cause massive issues to the provinces.
Another pressing issue that kept catching my attention was the Jester, or rather what it was doing. It almost seemed to…move in a way that was inhuman but not completely exaggerated to the point of unnatural. The citizens seemed to be enjoying the person but I was losing faith in the idea this was a person. It didn't once yet show anything to worry but my unease of being around the entertainers and the growing worry of this one had me, at times, staring to find anything that would finally tip me to the idea this was something that needed to be avoided or eliminated.
"Hello there, what are you doing here for so long?!" While my head was turned and attention moved, I had a voice speak to me in a tone of voice that would get anyone to look. When I turned to answer the person…
"WHAT IN OBLIVION ARE YOU DOING SO CLOSE TO ME?!" In an instant, my body reacted and I threw myself off of the bench and nearly sprinted to get a distance from my very uninvited guest of my personal space. The damn Jester had snuck up on me and had gotten close enough for me to see the stretching skin of the smile and the wide eyes that were staring directly at me. When I had gotten myself into a very defensive posture and even pulled my shield from the void to be in front of me, there was maybe 3 feet between myself and the…thing I refuse to believe is a human man dressed as a Jester.
"Ohhh, so quick, very good time! I am simply wondering what is keeping you here for so long, you look so lost in thought that I couldn't disturb you." The tone was higher than a normal male and the body looked a little thin, although not to the point where it was distressing. Add some protein and exercise and the shape would be similar to the other large Nords walking about.
"You should have done it from a further distance and warned me before you were going to do anything, you disrespectful ass! I could have hurt you and you would only have yourself to blame." It wasn't an empty threat in that some couldn't control their reactions but it didn't get the response I was thinking.
"I can see that, you look so scary with your big shield! But I know you are here for a reason, are you…looking for a place?" The unsettling nature of the Jester shot through the sky at this point to Aetherius itself and a heavy tingle went directly up my spine. I remember the last time this happened, it was a person who mentioned they were with the Redguard Lej but this Jester was just speaking as if they were guessing and they were far too right to be real or anything but a trap.
"I'm not looking for anything, stay away from me or I will find a way to get you locked up. Do you understand me?!" The tower shield never left its place between myself and the Jester, my guard was at its fullest and focused on this one singularly.
"Oh, of course, of course! Not everyone can appreciate the art that comes with what I do, I understand young lady. But I would recommend going to Winterhold, there is some talk there that looks like it could fit your fiery personality. Good day and good luck in your travels!" After speaking, the Jester did was asked and backed away, moving in its unnatural way closer to the fountain once again. My guard never fell until I felt comfortable, which was only when the distance between was too great for even a spell to reach. Stepping back some with my shield slightly at more of a rest, I made my way to the city gate in haste. When I had looked over my shoulder enough to give myself pain for the day, my shield was recalled back to the void but my senses were still keeping themselves on edge as much as possible. In my attempt at retreating from the…thing that spoke to me, I was only now letting what was said sink in.
"Go to Winterhold? I guess that sounds about right, it is more of a place of power than this. I don't see an issue with that…unless it is a trap. Technically, I haven't gotten any leads other than that…More creepy than anything from Oblivion so far." Still having some time left in the day, I spent it enjoying the open and safe temperate plains that would lead to snow and ice. If I was lucky, it would be bearable or I would be prepared for it. I was too far away from home and the ones who I could immediately turn to, I didn't have any friends and I couldn't go to anyone I knew before or else it could put my quest in danger. Thinking of it, that was also assuming they were still alive. After all, Ria was eliminated at a whim from the sounds of her story before she could get away from Tharn. I knew some of the others were more prepared for things going wrong and some were absolutely more intelligent than I was, some would have to have survived. Others were too inexperienced or much older than I was. The hope was they made it out alive but the chance was always there that some graves would have to be dug, assuming anything of them remained…
I knew I couldn't quite leave to go to Winterhold immediately, but I would get to it over time, preparations were paramount in this environment. In fact, the only one I would be able to move freely was the very mild hills of Cyrodiil, if it were safe to be in the place for any amount of time. Jagar Tharn would have his positions bolstered and protected, beginning with his stolen seat of power. The only time I could think about stepping anywhere past the most roundabout paths near any Imperial settlements or cities would be when I had the Staff of Chaos.
"Lots of places to go through to get to Winterhold, ending along the northern ridge of the province no less. If I didn't feel the chilled bite of Skyrim yet, I was going to have it on me by then. Oh well, it has to be done but I have so many places to stop along the way. Nineteen days and I should be there, although it will be couple more added on to pick up supplies along the way rather than force Cherry to hold a months rations for no reason. Maybe I can ask for some advice on keeping her warm along the way." The scroll was flat on one of the tables a distance from others in the Inn I was keeping myself in, getting more used to the atmosphere to the point where I was getting my plans to be in a higher tone than a whisper and my Divine gifted equipment out without concealing it much. I was getting comfortable in my movement and undisturbed days that suspicion of being attacked or overheard while being out and about was dropping quite a fair bit.
"Moving north to Neugrad Watch, Oakwood, Riverwood and ending the first leg of the trip at Whiterun. That will be where I will be asking more about the dangers of moving further north, one of the largest cities in the province along with a few others that includes Winterhold as well should be able to give me some hints from the people walking its streets. Continuing north is Laintar Dale, Amol, and finally ending at nearly the Sea of Ghosts itself at the frozen north of Winterhold. A challenge indeed but I think we are ready to handle it at this point. If I am to have to go to every province as Ria said, there will be far worse than the weather at some of those. Some things that I won't be able to escape or avoid, probably not counting having to deal with the increasingly difficult dangers that the fortified holding cells of the Staff pieces were going to have roaming the halls." The trip up north through all of the cities and finding the easiest, not necessarily fastest, paths would mean I would reach my next destination by about a month from the day I depart. The trips would be getting longer as I was eliminating more provinces, unless this somehow was going to wrap around in a nice circle around Cyrodil. The odds were not looking to be in my favor, though. High Rock was still unknown to where that piece was lying in wait. That fact already made the option of the quest being short nearly impossible already.
"Studying something for the mage's? Looks real flashy." The Innkeeper delivered another mug of the local mead, which had a pleasant fruit taste mixed in. Maybe coming back around to this area for a get-away could be in my future, assuming I still had my life after this.
"It probably will be to them at some point. Say, I need to go to the north ridge of the province, what kinds of things would I need for a complete trip and only stopping in cities for the night I pass through them? Horse included, of course."
"That far, quite the long trek. A lot of non-Nords who were used to the weather would take a couple blankets for when the blizzards got very bad if you are caught in them. Light food but it doesn't necessarily need to be dry, the temperature can keep it fresh for a couple more days, if you keep it out while sleeping away from your own body heat helps a bit. The weather and dangers get more prominent after the Whiterun borders, so you don't need to get those items, yet. Of course, the expected of heavier and more coverage from clothes and furs, a face covering if you can get something and it shouldn't be too hard at the point of the large trade city. Is the horse also native to Hammerfell?"
"Yes, it is from the more temperate areas closer to the border to the east."
"Then it won't hurt at all to get more on it as well, seeing as you won't need to go fast or else it might cause injury with the ice and snow. Again, Whiterun should have what you need, it's far from unusual for our province to have inhabitants from our west and south-west border provinces, not much from the south lately but they still come through from time to time."
"That would make sense. Thank you, I appreciate the help." I had a fair bit of Septims in the void, it wouldn't be an issue to find any. Knowing some from Cyrodil could be in the province did get me a sliver of nervousness but I didn't expect anyone to come and find me with how big the place is. Tharn would especially have his own guards at his side over sending them all out to me, even if the traitor was over-confident. Maybe after a reign close to Uriel's, if Tamriel was still working at that point. There was already talk of some civil unrest, far more than the Emperor ever had in his ruling lifetime. No one would suspect of a coup but just that the Emperor had finally lost his mind. My hope was that I would be able to get the true person on the throne and things would get better once again to being prosperous.
"Time for the long run, it'll be a while before we really settle down again. Don't be making friends either, I don't know when we'll be back." I wasn't speaking to Cherry as if she was a real person but to me, she was my companion and only other company I would be having for this entire stretch of the journey, however long it would be. Some might call it insanity but I wasn't anywhere near that, the Jester from before was and I was still leagues behind that kind of enfeeblement. With another goal in my head and both of us to peak performance, we set off to get to the trading hub of Skyrim itself.
The wilds of Skyrim were beautiful, I didn't get to see them much but they had an air of mystery and wonder about them. The deserts or pockets of arid trees of Hammerfell were nice but they were too similar to the rest of it, it wasn't all that visually appealing. When I would be walking the roads of Cyrodiil, it would be the same but with lots of trees rather than none. The ruins that were left behind from civilizations old always caught my attention as well, whether it was the exterior of a castle or tower structure that were home to Gods know how many secrets that lie within or the pulsing light and feelings that came from an Ayleid site that never seemed to change from year to year, staying nearly pristine by some magical miracle. Where the two provinces I was most familiar with had their quirks and oddities, the landscape of Skyrim had something that was…so much more varied. Even just riding and looking ahead, it was so easy to tell that this province held wonder in so many places.
Falcrenth had trees and the like but the landscape was varied in so many ways. It was inconsistent trees that gave the forest an abstract shape that wasn't simply just a cluster of trees that gave the illusion of depth or looking through the foliage just enough to see a beautiful clearing further down a lightly traveled path. Carved stone from decades of weathering and dirt hills held together by thick tree roots got the shape of the earth itself to look like something that could never be done by a mortal physically or magically. Even the main paths themselves were not perfect in direction or details. Branches overhead sometimes giving a natural arch for a time or growing onto the path itself.
Looking forward, the province itself wasn't one singular biome, Falcrenth being very mild but the mountains north, barely visible but present nonetheless in the skyline, were a sign that would no doubt lead to enough snow to lock someone in their home after a heavy night, a dramatic departure from the comfortable temperatures and conditions of the southern tip of the province.
The gradual rise in what would inevitably be me out of my element came slow as I approached each settlement along the way and stayed for the night to recuperate and re-supply for a day. Loading up Cherry wouldn't be what I wanted, she was not a breed that did well with heavy loads. Neugrad Watch came and went, Oakwood was a small hamlet that was not as friendly as Falcrenth but wasn't aggressive at all. The place wasn't seedy or seemed to be home to some shady organization, it was simply people who were more content with people close to them but strangers would take warming up. Fortunately, I was not determined to make any relationships, friendly or otherwise, and passed through Riverwood with no qualms and it was rather nice, possibly being one of the closest towns to the province center. It did seem like the closest cities to where the most concentration of commerce was benefitted over time.
Going from Falcrenth to the road approaching Whiterun, the nipping cold was creeping to more and more of my body and it would be a hurdle to get Cherry through the cold and snow. I would have kept her back where I could but it was too long and without her, I would be out walking for months before getting to the rumored location of where hint of my next piece of the staff was being kept. Fortunately, the plains of Skyrim's central area were coming more and more into view, the towns before all having some of the interesting earth formations that were slowly coming to rest as the end of the continent was coming closer. One interesting feature that I had to my side the whole trip to Whiterun was a large, active river that winded through the province and the path followed it as the expected ease of having a familiar landmark the entire way. I knew where it was going as well, although I wouldn't be able to see the other side for a very long time. I would be keeping myself to the very outskirts of Cyrodiil, planning only to walk through the very necessary roads and not taking refuge at any point while inside the province.
Whiterun was a massive city, it was clearly a standout to the rest of the place. The height of it was one of the marvels, not being a flat surface despite being on plains. The vertical climb wasn't massive but it was enough to show off some of the features before even arriving at the city proper. Unfortunately, or more fortunately for the ones that lived inside, the wall surrounding the limits of the place as it stood currently were massive, bigger than a lot of the others I had seen so far. Most likely for a defensive reason, it obscured a large portion of the city from normal view from a distance. Giving Cherry a break from hauling everything on her, I dropped myself to the ground and walked without holding her reins, not worrying at all about her leaving my side.
Approaching the Trade City of Skyrim, the details of the outside came into view. The wall was not made of loose cobblestone or piled rocks, the stone was ornate and carved as if it was showing off more than just having a durable defense. The height and visible pride the Nords had for their places were something to behold in person, casting a shadow over me quickly as the path had the sun hidden behind the wall for a time, a shiver going up my spine as the temperature felt like it dropped tens of degrees in just a second. The path up to the main gate winded a bit around the wall before ending at a clearly protected area with (hopefully) alert guardsman but an open gate for me to walk through without trouble. As expected from what a main trading thoroughfare would look like, the roads were busy with people and the distant sound of carts were faintly being carried in the wind. People were walking with sacks in hand and haste in their steps. A part of me wanted to follow their lead, browse the wares and shops for souvenirs or anything to spend my collected coin on, fortunately I did have some things had to browse for. The weather was getting physically less favorable for myself and Cherry, we would need supplies for the trip to Winterhold and possibly back, depending on what happened. If that is where the next clue of my quest was, I had to be prepared for anything. Given that I was attacked while in public, during the day, and not too far away from the city wall, it was apparent that Tharn wasn't afraid to push the limits of his means to see my end.
"Warmth, provisions, and still some means to get to north. Long as I don't get cursed by the Daedra with bad weather...Well, I just did it to myself now. I guess having my own void of wherever it is helps a lot, no weight on Cherry. I hope that is how this works, might see about getting it looked at better when the Emperor is back and the tower has the best minds back in it." Seemingly coming out with nothing, probably an advantage traveling alone. Less items and only showing I am one person and a horse, bandits wouldn't think I would have anything of value. I wasn't even wearing royal clothing, I was a commoner with a horse to any other watchful eye.
Leaving the comfort of the walls that surrounded the trading capital of the province, Cherry and I set out north again following signposts one after another and passing through a couple settlements to my final destination. Laintar Dale and Amol were pleasant and quiet indeed but the biting cold of northern Skyrim was not a slow approaching one. Within a day of leaving Whiterun and getting closer to the mountains that separated a large portion of the land, I was met with a wind that my clothes were defenseless against that had me covering every inch of my skin with furs and getting Cherry as covered as possible herself. The hunters of the north were prolific for their game and its protection to the elements both in the province as well as some outside. Heavy winds, bone-chilling cold and even the waves of the sea were known to be stopped with ease. As expected, such heavy items would be useless when traveling to places like Elsweyr or the east of Tamriel, those places had either an alien environment or thick clothes would more boil a person alive. Of course, the material had to come from somewhere and avoiding the beasts that made their home and hunting grounds in the concealing snow were nearly impossible to avoid. By some miracle of my own or the Aedra that were looking over my mission, there were but a scant few moments where my own safety was threatened. Nothing large enough to guarantee my own end like a saber cat or bear, simply a wolf or similar predator unattached to the rest of the pack. With my own person unharmed and Cherry still by my side, the rolling white north was traveled without injury.
Winterhold was another impressive and larger city of Skyrim, although it was not due to trade. Location and having some of the most powerful people in the province within the walls made it dominant. Being greeted with an open gate and sun still higher than the snowy peaks, the city was actually very calm. I was walking in with a pretty heavy fur cloak and layers below to keep my body from getting too cold, although the chill was still getting through enough that standing would have me shivering in a short time. I covered Cherry in much the same relatively speaking, probably too much but her contact with the snow and wind was far more than mine. We both looked a little out of place compared to the nearly complete Nord populous being in what I would consider wear for the deserts of Hammerfell during the peak of night when I was a soldier: hide outfits adorned with some fur with skin exposed as if they were completely untouched by the creeping cold itself. The idea of wearing only that small amount was enough to drop my temperature, an unwelcoming feeling right now. Snow continued to fall and the tracks made by the animate and inanimate alike were getting light layers of powder, the traffic never gave it enough time to settle to completely eliminate the evidence of movement. Adding our own tracks to the myriad of others, Cherry and I were soon split once again, not without a lack of trying in this town. It seemed like it would be difficult to find a stable for Cherry due to her being clearly not native to the colds of Skyrim at all, she had to be turned away until I could find something that would be able to keep her comfortable, mostly meaning out of the cold a majority of the time. That left myself with having to figure out what my next steps were here. Before, it was either told to me indirectly or I was given a little more than explicit directions. Without the help, patience would be my next logical step over rushing foolishly to false leads.
For the next couple of weeks, I was exploring the city and looking for any evidence of the next leg of the journey. It seemed quiet and not even a whisper in the way of there being an issue arose. Barely anything related to even the gradual decline of the illusion of the Emperor's rule was being spoken. Maybe this was all a ruse in itself, the jester was far from trustworthy to begin with but I couldn't as well go without trying the lead given, even if I would have rather went to the other side of Skyrim before trust what I would call a skooma-addicted entertainer in any other situation. Unless that was the plan of someone who was keeping me from getting to where I actually needed to be. If nothing came up in the allotted time, I was probably going to head back somewhere else to look there, probably Whiterun with all of the traffic it had going through its streets on a daily basis.
"Hammerfell sounds nice sometimes. Better than Elsweyr, I don't understand how those cats can be there with all that fur on them. Even the humans that aren't really completely cat, it's more of a miracle than anything." The Nord with me at the table carelessly jostled the mug around in gestures as he spoke, possibly drunk but I doubted it with how much these Nords could take down on their own without even showing any signs of impairment.
"I wonder how places like them fair with the problems that are coming up, no one really goes to them southern provinces. Other than traders that go down for profit, nothing down there is really worth it. Hell, I heard that even Cyrodil is not a safe place anymore the closer you get to the center. How was your place before you left, Tenyin?" Another Nord spoke who came in with the other, although visibly younger and seemed more soft-spoken than his companion.
"It seemed okay, there wasn't much to complain about. Whatever the effects are from all of this, I don't think it'll be an issue with Hammerfell. Not yet, at least." The whole of Tamriel would feel the effects if I couldn't get to where I was needed soon. Nothing would implode soon but after a decade, it could very well be in all-out war across the continent.
"That's not a surprise. Not as tough as us here but your race has always had a knack for surviving through the harshest of things. The fact you forced the Imperials to leave after that whole business in Stros M'Kai that time ago was an impressive feat." A compliment from the older Nord there with just a little bit of superiority said as well.
"That it was but it never really was known how...Hm, that's not a good sign..." My thought was cut off as the deep chill of the inn door opening caused the temperature to fluctuate just a bit but the thing that drew me in was a sound of metal rubbing just a bit with each other. A lightly but still armored and armed soldier came walking into the inn adorned with forthright authority. The armor was not heavily used, if at all, having a shine that would only come from polishing and never seeing true battle. Most damning of all was the couple brands of royalty and not just any royalty, it was the inscription of the King himself. The whole place got quiet and everybody watched the soldier to see his intention. Scanning the room, he went over every person individually with his eyes until they fell...on me. At that point, his body turned and took large strides to the table I was sitting at. The ones with me didn't move themselves away but also didn't make themselves known as any opposition to the soldier. A possibility came into my head instantly that this was something to do with another plan of Tharn, disguising someone and using that to try to get me to surrender or just assassinate me without causing suspicion. The Hell Hound was obvious that it wasn't from this plane and was a clear threat, a soldier branded was a completely different story. I was not stupid to keep myself unprepared though, my scroll on my side at all times and ready to fight whenever necessary.
"Tenyin Mairner, I presume?" The soldier spoke normal and didn't look ready to cause a fight. Armed but not moving to draw a weapon at the moment.
"That is myself. What do you need?"
"King Erarne requests your presence immediately." If this was a trap, it was a bold move to have me meet what is supposed to be the King. If it wasn't, then this was...even more suspicious somehow. I never even visited the palace of the city or went near it.
"Why?"
"I cannot give you that information. I was sent to escort you and that is all, more will be explained when you arrive. I will not force you, make your way out in the next few minutes or I will be leaving without you. There is a cart waiting for you to bring you along with as much haste as can be afforded." As soon as the explanation was given, the soldier left again without looking back, leaving the place and people silent with their attention on me and whispers as well. The Nords I was with didn't look like they had much to say. This didn't strike me as an attempt at some assassination, Tharn didn't seem like the one to be subtle as he did throw a Hell Hound at me in the middle of the day to try to end me.
"A summon from the King, what do you do to get that?" The younger of the two Nords asked but in truth, I didn't know what. Only a couple of living people knew about me and the chances of this ruler having the knowledge was incredibly low.
"I'm not sure, could be a bad thing. If I come back, I'll tell you when I see you next." Trap or not, I couldn't exactly pass up an audience with where I was in my quest. The northern winds chilled my skin as the tavern warmth was easily overtaken. The armored messenger hadn't left as said, mounted on a horse with another armored one patiently beside the soldier. Without exchanged words, the man didn't look to be chatty before or now, the two of us rode out along the tall walls with the sun quickly falling below the boundary of the stone-laden security from the outside world. The castle could be seen growing in size as the two of us got to the polished gates leading to the initial boundaries of where this city was governed from. Free of heavy snow, the horse guided me briskly alongside the guard. This would be the second palace I set foot in since I escaped the Imperial City. The outside was quite immaculate in the decorations, although lacked many water features, as expected. Stone made up the majority of materials on first glance, undoubtedly due to the defense and protection from the outside elements. It rose tall, although was sinking into the approaching blanket of darkness as night was setting in. Getting back to an Inn safely would be an issue after this, especially with myself on foot. There wasn't much time to ponder this as both horses came to a stop and my escort motioned for me to follow as the horses wandered off to a stable, I would assume. The silence persisted, tensing me up just a little bit.
The inside of the palace was just as exquisite as the one in Hammerfell and just as protected, armed guards posted to where anyone would be watched from any angle in the room. These guards were not in the same style as the one that was leading me. While the man I was looking at the back of had polished and branded armor, the ones posted in positions in the room were in clearly thicker and well-used metals adorned with furs on the outside and presumably inside. These looked like they had seen battle and wore it as a mark of pride if I had to guess. Apart from the guard presence, a long rug started at the gate and led inwards to where King Erarne himself stood with braziers on the sides showing the only way most could walk. In the areas outside of the designated walking space, expensive furniture and fine trappings decorated the stone walls and tiled floors. The King himself was pacing slowly on the elevated area of the room furthest from the entrance. With the noise of the doors opening and approaching of his space, the man stopped his frenzied steps to give me a frontal sight of him at the end of his long rug. The escorts ended their march at the main door, relaxing their posture with their heads facing forward.
"You brought her, very good! Tenyin Mairner, could you come meet me here? I have a dire dilemma." King Erarne was not a quiet voiced man, boisterous enough to carry his voice from his position to the front of this large room. I couldn't match the same level of pitch or tone, instead giving my answer by moving step by step to where he was waiting. Along the way, the dozen guards were following my every movement with their eyes until I had left their vision, at that point another would continue where the last had ended. "I have heard of your skills from others, word travels quickly, you see. I am gifted of your presence in my kingdom and have a quest, one that I will pay you very handsomely for when completed. Keeping it short, my younger sister has been kidnapped by The Blades, taken to a dungeon west of here, the Catacombs of Majan. As you would expect, I need her back completely unharmed and for the time being, there is a guarantee from the group she is simply being constrained and nothing else will befall her. I have only a small amount of time remaining before the situation can get extremely dangerous to Bette, that being my sister. If you can find and rescue her, I will give you a very generous reward of 7,500 gold, directly from my personal wealth. This is much more a personal matter than an official one but I will also be in your debt as both a friend and King."
"I see, that is quite the problem. Is this a big organization you are asking me to fight against?" The Blades were whispered of if only because of their scarcity and secrecy, not one to be in the important topics of conversation. It had been a long while since I had heard the name and I was unsure of their progress.
"The ones that took Bette are just a band of mercenaries taking the name. Whether they are part of the group as a whole or working alone, I cannot say. From what I have heard around the area though was that movement to and from the dungeon via spies was incredibly sparse. I will say they are a small group either taking the name or not benefitting from the larger organization." A few fighters that could be challenging...or not. This could open up not only roads to having more wealth in case I am in need but having the favor and temporary support of a King was extremely powerful. If I was careful with how I walked around the place...
"I will get your sister back but I must ask a favor now to make it easier for me to reach her faster." King Erarne nodded and we began speaking about what I would request.
Myself and Cherry were on our way west, following the road for a time. Alongside me was a Nord that was sent with me on my journey to the catacombs. Cherry had nothing on her while the Nords horse was carrying camping supplies. It would take all of us 17 days to reach where Bette was being held, passing through Dawnstar for a night but otherwise camping in the holds of northern Skyrim. There wasn't any conversation between us, besides about when we were leaving the sight of each other. It was a quiet but actually quite relaxing journey. When we were outside of the catacombs, not at the entrance but enough to see the area, myself and the Nord exchanged words.
"This is as far as I will go. I will be traveling north of the entrance at 15 minutes away, your horse will be kept taken care of for the time you are missing. You have until the next day from now to retrieve Bette and be out of the catacombs, I will be waiting for you then outside at the same place we are currently at. If you are to complete your mission early, I will be ready to pack up at a moments notice for us to escape. As well, if you are followed out of the dungeon, get to where I am and I will not hesitate in helping you fight the pursuers." The first favor between King Erarne and myself was that I would be accompanied by a chosen warrior of the King's choosing. In that case, getting to Bette would be faster due to having someone to watch Cherry while I am busy doing the rescue. It was easy to agree to it and I was told specifically that the favors for completing this would not be just a single one, or else I would have used it already
"Of course, I will be out before or by then. I would rather not think about if this mission is not completed, I have many more things to do." The Nord nodded, holding the reins of Cherry while I shimmied off of her into the ankle deep snow of the wilds. I also had King Erarne supply me with warmer clothing for myself and Cherry, knowing we would be wandering the white plains of Skyrim for a while as the trail for the next piece of the Staff of Chaos would only lead us to more windswept and frosted lands in the province.
Moving towards the catacombs, the scenery was helping in forming a foreboding atmosphere. Headstones and memorials were scattered, falling just between properly organized and randomly strewn. Most of the stone markers were untextured or broken, either from time or looters. It was nearly impossible to see what was below, the natural weather of Skyrim concealing the ground below. The snowfall and sheet of white only accentuated the growing unease as the mouth of the main tomb was coming closer. I was used to caves and fortresses, I was never comfortable with being around places of the dead, moving or otherwise. How mercenaries could reside in a place like this was disgusting. Not even the sound of animals could be heard close by, for good reason.
The entrance to where the dead slept was partially ajar, enough to signify occupancy of at least one. Possibly an escape of a much less desirable type as well, all possibilities were valid. I had myself geared up in less than a minute, along with a gift from the King around my neck. He considered it an extremely small favor, wanting it to be taken without me asking. It was a gold pendant with insignificant carvings around a shimmering emerald. I knew when it could be useful, assuming the need would arise. The air had changed when the barrier between the outside and the catacomb was crossed. Before the air was dry and chilled but plentiful, the catacomb had me thinking how long I could hold my breath. Just the taste of the air as it entered my lungs felt wrong and held the heavy hint of rot. The immediate images of the interior were not helping at dispelling the feelings of nausea. Spread around the ground were faded and dry puddles of blood in many places along the stone slabs that made up the floor. Piles of abandoned and unused material, probably for embalming or wrapping bodies, were also quite plentiful along the cobblestone walls given the large area I was currently in. How anyone could reside in this, even temporarily, was incomprehensible to me.
With some hesitation, I had myself pushed to begin my search as I had been requested of. The King's sister had be somewhere in here close, catacombs weren't known for being that big but they had lots of small rooms, many places for the woman to be hidden in. Not having a plan as to how to begin the search, I simply wandered in a direction with the intention being to check my position with the scroll after a time.
"Nothing here either..." I opened another rusty, iron door that made a ghastly and piercing squeak from the undoubtedly ruined hinges. The only things I had found from the few rooms so far were stone caskets and scuttling rats. There was no evidence of the girl being close or even any of The Blades members residing in the place, either.
"Another body to dispose of before we all turn." When the unwelcoming words were heard, I didn't hesitate in my reaction. My shield swung around first to push away a weapons thrust. The attacker pushed his empty, open palm towards me with no visible method of attack. I was not inexperienced in knowing how magic worked though, I only couldn't innately use it without something that contained a spell. Even with the knowledge, I couldn't move quick enough to avoid the attack entirely. Predicting that the spellsword was proficient in combat, the direction of his hand was looking to be going towards my hips where the armor was open for unimpeded movement. My answer to the prediction was to fall onto one knee to shield the vulnerable location. The Blades member did finish to make contact but with only my covered stomach. The spell was a frost touch and I could feel the effects through the metal armor, giving a painful chill that was spreading. In reaction, my shield was pushed forward with just the intent of interrupting the magical attack. The spellsword was pushed back and giving me a chance to retaliate with a sword thrust directly forward. There was some pushback and my sword tip moved a distance away from my targeted area. I couldn't do anything to bring it back, the attack only giving the spellsword a cut through the layered leather instead of through the person.
"Agh!" It evidently did damage, the attacker stumbling back as the wound was getting darker and bleeding. I took little time to get back onto my feet with little damage other than a fading pain in my stomach from the frost magic. I had the advantage now but the fight was not finished yet. The spellsword held a hand out towards me yet again at a distance. The only thing I felt as a tingle in my muscles as the spell completely fizzled.
"You can't keep me held with magic." The spell was a paralysis attempt and it was the one type of magic that had no lasting effect on me. Possibly higher level mages could keep me in place but to this day, I have yet to find anyone. The spellsword seemed defeated as the bleeding was spreading across the material it touched. Ever defiant, the person lurched forward rather clumsily with their weapon pointed forward. It was simple to sidestep, as well as trip, to completely make the fighter lose their balance. It was followed up with a hard bash on the spellswords head with my shield.
The fight had ended as such with the spellsword unconscious on the ground. It wouldn't be a kill with that but there would be a heavy migraine and bump on the head for a week. The big question was...should I kill them? They attacked and there was nothing stopping me from protecting myself, even if it meant fatal injuries. This was just a human though, someone trying to live, even if it is in a wrong way to have a comfortable life. Killing would be a gift and ensure there wasn't a second fight at any point...
I walked away with my weapon more stained than before, ensuring there would be no chance of an ambush by that spellsword again. It was not something I wanted to do but fighting rarely ended happily. The best thing I could hope for was to find Bette before too much bloodshed would be needed. It seemed like it would not be as common as I went through more rooms with closed sarcophagi, a good sight to see as disturbing the dead never lead to favorable outcomes. It was a little longer until I discovered the stairs onto a lower level of the location. I took a minute to sit on the stairs and view my scroll, seeing how much of the place I explored so far.
"Hm, that is a good amount. If they wanted the most security for someone as important a prisoner as the King's sister, she wouldn't be on the ground floor. That's what I am thinking, at least." Some of the floor was still hidden but I was confident nothing except undisturbed dead remained. Returning the scroll to my belt, I continued through the stone block archway to the lower floor. While I was descending, I felt something...unnatural as well. It was not something I haven't felt before but I couldn't be completely sure what it was meaning. Being a soldier, the dead were far from a rare occurrence. What was rarer was the spirits of the deceased having a strong enough connection to some emotion to 'live' past their passing.
The descent was short but the longer runs of the stair flats gave the illusion of going deeper. Reaching the bottom...it was dead silent but there was no less on the feeling of some presence lingering somewhere. Very carefully, I began my slower search around this level of the catacombs with the lingering presence consistent. Unlike the floor above, this one gave off bad signs, the first being open doors to rooms that were closed. The presence was more or less explained when I looked into the first room.
"Open sarcophagus, this mercenary group is making trouble." The room wasn't in disarray but something even worse in the disturbed resting places of the long dead. It was not to honor the memories of the fallen either, the covers were haphazardly pushed onto the ground or into other sarcophagi. The unseen presence could only be...
A haunting groan came with the revealed truth of the situation and even a child could explain what it was. Walking backwards to the middle of the space I was in, I tried to follow the groans of the ethereal. It didn't take much searching before a lightly glowing and floating shape began passing through the wall to my right. It was moving at a walking pace, making the reveal more obvious but a little terrifying. Ghosts primarily kept themselves close to where they were buried or just where their past physical form was laid to rest, no matter the circumstances. The monster had no discernable facial features and looked like a breeze taken form for the most part, but also given a hefty amount of malice and anger for the living or who it was drawn to that might have disturbed its rest.
"Hopefully there aren't too many of these things." I didn't waste any time, not summoning my weapon but instead gripping the amulet that I was given from King Erarne. Neither of us were unintelligent, we knew what going to catacombs could mean for my opposition if gone wrong. In this case, probably thanks to the ones that held Bette currently. The spectral being approached with the pained sounds growing louder, I had to wait for the monster to be some distance closer or the amulet would be useless. It was a few more seconds of watching the floating being before I was confident it was within range. "Banish!" Holding onto the amulet, I felt the jewelry pulse in my grasp. There wasn't some flash or any visible effect but it was clear the stored spell worked as the ghost reacted. It stopped moving, continuing to reach nonetheless, as the form began to dissipate from bottom to top. Almost as if it was being blown away by a strong breeze, the ghost was eventually physically gone. The presence lingered but it was dramatically lessened, there must have been more elsewhere on the level.
With the current threat eliminated, I had to hasten my steps. If the spirits of the dead were active, it was possible Bette was in much more danger than before. I put stealth to the wayside and walked faster, investigating open doors or opening closed ones without looking to see what might already be waiting. The first few rooms had a couple disturbed resting places but no evidence of their spiritual presence close by. That was until I got to a room that was barely open, inside was the physically living dead rather than the spirits of them. My presence was immediately noticed and the zombies looked to me, blood and sinew falling from their eroded mouths. There were two and they were three bodies, at least what was left of them. The bodies were meaningless but the zombies looked damaged already, undoubtedly due to the fight before. Unlike ghosts, zombies were physical and thus unaffected by the amulet's power. The zombies rose to their feet and began their quite fast approach. It was too dangerous to leave the beings alive, they could very well escape or harm others, ghosts were easier to keep bound as they were typically bound to a physical body. The zombies were the body and only looked to kill and devour, not that there was much left for them to do in that regard. Their bodies were corroding and whole bones were showing in places from top to bottom, even what innards remained could be seen in a few places. They had guttural 'screams' as they came, arms outstretched towards me. Only one had both arms and the other looked to be heavily damaged at the torso, it would be simple to dispatch them with a few accurate cuts. Equipping myself offensively again, I was more than prepared for the fight.
The zombies were not coordinated, coming at me with no tactics but just warped instinct. They both tried to grab at me at nearly identical diagonal directions. My shield was large, plenty large enough to keep the hands from grabbing anything more than the tempered metal. The first target for me was the less dangerous but more easy to dispatch initially. Shoving the zombies away, the single armed zombie was what I targeted first. The only thing I wanted to do was completely disarm it!
The downward slice cut through the ruined flesh and bone easily, removing what remained in upper limb from hand to elbow. Lifelessly falling to the stone floor, the zombie remained alive but the momentum had it fall onto its back. Immediately attempting to get back onto its feet, the monster could only fall again when it tried to use the missing limbs but could get nowhere. The torso weakened zombie remained and it had no brains left to think about helping its...comrade, if it even acknowledged there were other beings like it. Unlike the other, it didn't fall and lunged quickly at me!
Not having much time to think, I decided to use my own armor to stop the attempted attack while keeping my vulnerable parts away from it entirely. It latched onto my side and hand with its own hands, the head going for whatever it could. If it was wearing anything else, it would have spelled something much worse than death if unprepared. Fortunately, the missing intelligence of the monster and my own sidle had the teeth completely neutralized by the thickened iron plate I was equipped with on my right bicep. In a split second, my sword left my dominant arm to go into my less skilled side. With how the undead monster was now, my training wouldn't dictate anything about the outcome of the battle. I completely cut the zombie in two from the damaged portion of the torso, the lower half and whatever remained and not held in fell to the ground with a sickening splat. The biting and grip of the zombie lessened but didn't get completely eliminated, only slowing significantly.
"Determined, maybe a quality you had before this." I turned my own head away from the monsters gaze and in a swift motion, pulled my bicep to meet my chest. The motion of the zombie completely stopped when I felt something give in, the remainder of it falling to the ground with its body when I opened my arm. The second zombie was still trying to move, trying to get anywhere with no success. It was the second to go with the sword finishing it off.
The map showed this lower level was much more direct than the one above, not having many ways off of the main path. A few showed but it didn't look nonsensical. The worrying details were along the way as nearly every door was open and multiple sarcophagi was disturbed.
In an instant, quickly paired with previously heard ghostly howls, the feeling of the angry spirits approaching came towards me. Not only one this time though, two from two different sides. I immediately gripped the amulet around my neck in anticipation for the arrival of the ghosts, I was worried about this encounter though. The ghosts would be coming from two different sides this time, I knew they would be a problem depending on how the stored spell worked...
From the walls came the nearly transparent bodies of the ghosts, a blue glow being the only indication of their locations. I had to try to eliminate them before they approached, beginning with one using the same trigger word as before. Turning to the other...
A feeling of...lifelessness began to wash over me. The ghost had come quickly and it was in me. I was feeling tired immediately and my consciousness was fading by the second. 'B-Ban-Banish." I barely was able to get it out before my legs were buckling below me, taking me to the ground with an audible clang as the metal met the stone. My breathing was short and fleeting but...it was coming back slowly. The ghost was gone, both were nowhere to be found and the sense of an approaching danger subsided completely. I waited for a time as I got my senses back, eventually getting to my feet again. I wasn't perfect but I knew my mission couldn't have me wait, not if the undead were this active and aggressive. It was a hope that I wouldn't have to worry about anymore ghosts trying to...do whatever it was they were doing there.
Further down the snaking hallway, I heard something both alarming and a little relieving at the same time. Words were being exchanged, orders given but it didn't involve myself. Keeping my hands at the ready for something physical or metaphysical, it was clearly coming from an open door near the end of the path. I only looked inside to scout before deciding on my next move. The room didn't have many sarcophagi more than a couple, the undead must have been attracted to noises or had a sense of their own to come to this room itself. Inside were all enemies but they were enemies of each other, as well. the undead swarmed around a ring of familiar members of The Blades. Ghosts and zombies being warded off by mages and warriors, quite a fair amount on each side. Every member was occupied with another of the opposition. Except for one...
"That must be King Erarne's sister, she's not doing anything." One person in the middle of the ring of warriors, dressed much differently than anyone else, was basically cowering. It was no mistaking her for anybody else but the most important question was to be answered. How to get her out without having to fight everybody on both sides and get her hurt. I hadn't been noticed and I wanted to keep it that way. I didn't have any time to make a complicated plan, basic was my only option and the King certainly thought up a basic one before I was sent out. I summoned a familiar object that had been given to me, in case it was useful to convince Bette that I was trying to rescue her and not simply a trick by another captor. A rubber ball that was a little bigger than an apple, haphazardly stitched together from many different colors in different shapes. The ball was a gift from the late mother of the two, something Bette cherished for the memories. The plan was simple, the outcome was hopefully going to go well...
The rubber ball bounced a bit and rolled, not getting any attention from the undead or The Blades members. The eyes it did catch were Bette's, who simply stared at it while it rolled past the ward and warriors into the inner circle. Bette seemed to calm down quite a bit at seeing the object, whether due to confusion or recognition I could not guess. I kept my head some ways away from the open door for the woman to hopefully notice me. She didn't seem to initially, only tentatively picking up the rubber ball, examining it closely. I didn't want to move at all if I could avoid it, it could make saving the girl be a violent end instead of a quick one. The ball must have been a sight that really had Bette thinking, she just continued to roll it around in her grip as if she was looking for something.
Finally, after what seemed like minutes when it was really only seconds, Bette looked past the immediate action happening around her to all her sides. Initially, she looked past me entirely before coming back to do a double take. Her face went from confusion to worry to...something else but ending with staring as if I was a ghost. Reasonable seeing as the events happening. But having her attention, I mouthed words to her. 'You're brother sent me.' They were as exaggerated as I could make them to make sure she understood. It wasn't clear right away, until Bette nodded very slowly and squeezed the ball harder. I revealed a hand, gesturing her to come towards me as subtly as I could. It was not long at all before Bette moved with a mix of crawling and crouching, coming towards me. The Blades were quick to notice her moving, fortunately out of reach with the undead distraction, yelling the obvious orders of getting their prisoner. It was at this point I dropped the stealth myself to gesture more to Bette as she approached the door. The fighters could not get past the opposition of undead quickly enough before the girl ran out and I followed.
"Keep going down the hall, do not stop until you reach the floor above and I can reach you. In case there are still things around." If anymore was waiting to keep us from leaving, it would be on its way already. I readied my weaponry, keeping myself behind Bette and keeping her back in my sight at all times. She didn't respond, just ran surprisingly fast.
The bellowing orders of her previous captors was lessening until it could not be heard at all from the stone hall. The chances at leaving would never be higher as they were now. The bodies of the two zombies from before were still laying lifeless, Bette giving out a little yelp as she passed them. We were back to the stairs to the floor above in at least a minute or less, Bette only slowing down stepping up the stone slabs. "Follow me and do it quickly." The feeling of any other presence was gone at this point, I was confident we were safe leaving. Going through the labyrinth of closed sarcophagi chambers, the lack of sound apart from hastened footfalls was a pleasant environment. In another few minutes, the two of us were climbing the staircase to the chilly outside lands of northern Skyrim.
"Who are you and why have you come to rescue me? How did you know about me?" Bette was still following but I knew there would be questions after the most pressing danger had passed. In this case, there was no evidence of either the undead or The Blades following us. I wasn't going to keep anything away that she might want to know though, I had completed my mission at this point. The snow was not deep whatsoever but there were tracks coming from behind us. Interestingly, there were no tracks from the Nord that was accompanying me or either of the horses. King Erarne must have known how sensitive this was if he had someone like a trained scout as my help. I wouldn't forget where he had claimed to be setting up camp at, the deadline of returning was far from expiring.
"Tenyin Mairner, I am here at the request of your brother. With you being missing and all, I was...actually, I have no answer on why I am here specifically. It is strange but when it comes to me, strange is a commonplace. As it stands, I was tasked with rescuing you for payment of my choosing, for the most part. Mercenary in nature it is for sure but with my current situation, I mine as well have the temporary label of one...unfortunately." I gave my explanation as the snow was lightly falling to begin covering the tracks we were beginning to make from our past path. Even if the mercenaries were to live through the undead onslaught currently fighting in the catacombs below the ground, the chances of them having the ability to follow were gradually disappearing.
"Erarne finally sent someone...why not one of his own soldiers or many of them?" Despite having a sibling who was leading a city in rule, Bette was far from experienced in anything relating to combat or tactics with that question.
"I cannot tell you specifically but I am pretty sure with the needs of his own people in the walls, it was a challenge to lessen his control in one place to storm a catacomb many days away with a big force. Even if I wasn't able to slip in and out like I did with you, the chances of success usually go down the MORE you have falling over each others feet. Best to keep it small and tight, less casualties."
"I...I guess that makes sense. It still could have happened sooner..." It was not in my best interest to try to lecture, nor was it in my nature to. Bette was not a soldier, she was not a tactician nor was she a commander, the details and logistics of stratagem were far from her understanding. Only hearing the whistling of the wind and the compacting of the snow, the two of us pushed forward until a very small campsite was built up with a familiar Nord waiting with a weapon at the ready. The campsite, if it even constituted as that, didn't have any tent or amenities. The Nord was simply using his own furs for warmth and a wool blanket for more insulation. His own horse and Chery were draped in full-body blankets each, huddling together for shared warmth.
"Hrofgar! You came as well, so it wasn't a lie." Bette broke into a run, passing me and getting onto her knees beside the Nord. I wasn't insulted in the slightest, it was seemingly a friendly and welcomed face.
"Ah, that didn't take long at all. And no stragglers, you surprise me, Redguard. I guess King Erarne wasn't putting his faith in a losing bet."
"It was something else down there but I think even an hour more and you would be bringing much less than a body back. It is madness, enough that we shouldn't need to hurry back with any haste." I was passed a blanket of my own while Bette shared with the man.
"It is always dangerous to expect catacombs to be safe, better chances in a bear cave. We will leave at first light tomorrow, I believe you to be telling the truth, the sun will be setting soon. Easier to move when we have the light on us." Being acceptable conditions, it was largely silent for the remainder of the day and the entire night. Apart from having to keep all of us fed using the rations King Erarne gave us for the trip to the destination and back, there was not much being said as we left at the first rays came over the mountains to signal our departure back to the city. Another 17 days and we were walking past the gates to Winterhold once again and safety was now guaranteed.