Chapter XXII: Dark Deeds

I take a breath to center myself once I am close to the compound surrounding the mushroom tower, it is somewhat late in the evening so most of the residents are resting which should allow me to focus on my quarry.

I turn to my co-conspirators and whisper loud enough for all of them to hear "When you start hearing spells going off quickly charge in and disarm everyone, the menial workers probably won't be fighting back so just move them somewhere and stop them from running around. I will probably take some time before springing the trap so be prepared to wait a bit"

Everyone nods, and they disperse around the place, pretending to be drunk after a night out in the town, playing up the usual rowdy Nord stereotype.

I start walking toward the tower while putting on the ring the Archmage lent me, I immediately feel as if my Magicka reserve has almost doubled, will definitely have to copy it down when I am done with this mess.

Before I get closer, a system prompt interrupts me.

[Quest issued: Kill Dyrren Moabain][Reward: New system function, further insight into stealth and poison making]

Hmm... Robert did say the system would get expanded when I do something major, guess killing a Telvanni master counts. Well, I will have to actually kill him first, so after reminding myself about overconfidence being a slow and insidious killer I finally approach the tower.

The same lawman that gave me the staff waits at the entrance, I pretend to have a vacant look and simply follow him. When we get to the center of the ground floor he signals for me to go up and I levitate, leaving him behind. Thankfully the only real defensive measure in the tower is the levitation-locking enchantment, but seeing as I am already up here that is no longer an issue.

Once I am upstairs I am greeted by the sight of Dyrren eating some kind of meat that I really don't wish to have identified at the moment, we appear to be alone at the summit. Good.

He turns from his meal toward me, snaps his fingers making my staff glow and says in a mocking tone "Ah Reyvin, the new prodigy of the college of Winterhold. If only your amateur of an Archmage knew how foolish one of his favored students was tricked by a simple staff."

He laughs "If you really thought that I, a glorious Master of the grandest house of Resdayn would teach YOU, a mere commoner my ways of staff making you really do deserve what I will do to you" He looks at my blank and absent stare for a moment before scoffing "Well then boy, speak up! What do you think about my little scheme?"

I hold back the urge to roll my eyes at his monologuing and say in a dead tone "Truly you are the greatest among mer Master Dyrren, the foolish college mages would never guess your devious plans"

He nods rapidly, satisfied "Yes, soon this entire pitiful city will bow before me"

Is he really going to continue to monologue at me?

He does, much to both my chagrin and satisfaction "When I first arrived here the filthy n'wah Jarl had the gall to call me a foul mage! ME!? He wanted me to 'earn my place in his hold' as if it wasn't an honor to have me anywhere near his filthy hovel!" he waves his hands angrily, genuinely seeming to believe his own value was so great.

"Naturally, after the fool kept refusing me I had to turn to more drastic actions."

So it was him that had the Jarl killed after all...

He then scoffs "Unfortunately some arrogant college mage DARED to save his disgusting family of n'wahs from the bandits I sent. But no matter, after I am done with you I think I will be sending some gifts to the Jarl as well." A devious smile was now on his face.

After his little temper tantrum and monologue he comes closer to me "Well then boy, give me those animanculi blueprints so I can get on with my meal, I don't want to waste more of my ti-"

His arrogant speech is stopped in its tracks by me suddenly summoning my battle robes, casting giant's might, and ramming the jagged dagger I had hidden until now as deep into his gut as I could.

He falls to the ground and stutters "Y-you! How did you escape my control?!"

I roll my eyes "I was never under your control you disgusting fetcher" and summon my spear, hitting him on the side where I previously stabbed him with the butt of it, making him scream in pain.

He looks at me, pure fury in his eyes "YOU DARE!?" and launches some weird red lightning at me, thankfully I was able to predict it as my third eye was turned on the moment I approached the tower. The spell still grazes me slightly, but not enough to go through my robe's defenses.

I laugh at the Dunmer panting on the ground "Do I dare? What a grand and intoxicating innocence, how does a mere Telvanni dare make attempts at a Lord of a great house?"

He seems a bit stunned for a second but then cackles "Don't make me laugh boy, you are no Lord" and launches more red lightning, which seems a bit weaker than before, thus allowing me to disperse it with my wards.

He looks dumbstruck "Wha-" but I kick him again and speak with an arrogant tone "Is this how you honor the sixth house? By trying to control the last of its blood?"

He actually shakes a bit "The six- wha-" then firms his resolve giving me a smile "No, that house is dead and buried, you are a charlatan and pretender, no one will believe you and neither will I" he launches a couple more spells at me but they don't even penetrate my robes, the poison has already spread through his entire body at this point.

I chuckle "Your belief is of little relevance worm. It seems you still don't realize it yet, so let me enlighten you, you won't be leaving this shitty tower alive"

He grows angry again and tries to cast a spell but nothing comes out now, there is terror on his face, further amplified by me now casting my fear spell. He starts to crawl toward a shelf covered in different vials of potions, probably to seek an antidote, but I grab his leg and drag him back.

I pull out the dagger once again "Oh but don't worry, you won't be dying just yet, after all your punishment must be more severe" Once I say this I also pull out the black soul gem.

The Telvanni master whimpers like a child as I approach his downed body, the next ten minutes are filled with screams and begging, then crying and more screams.

As I toss him down the levitation circle of the tower, breaking his body upon impact and finally feeling the disgusting sensation of filling a black soul gem, time seems to stop.

I suddenly see spiderwebs everywhere, different strings connecting the space in a haphazard yet surprisingly organized manner, I also feel a powerful presence behind me.

Well fuck.

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