To Skyrim: The road to Falkreath 2/2

As Ciri and Lucius kept their steady descent of the snow infested mountain. The environment slowly crept into a dreary land of mist, rock, and moss ridden trees that seemed to cling to the now dirt path.

The birds sang a windswept ballad, rabbit and deer frolicked. Glades of spiked grass as far as the eye could see, rich greens mixed with the dried greyish-brown soil that littered the land.

The still scene was disturbed by a silky, yet modulated voice.

"Illusion is one of the five schools of magic in my world. We have: Destruction, the practise of willing the elements of fire, ice and lightening to harm your foes...Ahem, or light a campfire. The second being the school of Conjuration, which encompasses the topic of summoning creatures from Oblivion, Necromancy, or manifesting basic constructs like a sword from your soul energy."

"Hey. Are you even listening?" Lucius challenged, noticing Ciri looking at the tree line.

"Huh. Yeah, destruction is for killing stuff with elements and conjuration is where you got your friends from." Ciri replied lazily waving a hand in his direction, still looking into the distance. "Hey, is there such a thing as white stags here?" She asked.

Lucius footsteps faltered slightly before continuing with a twitched brow.

"No...Should i just tell you the school for the spell then. You're clearly not interested" Lucius angrily grumbled.

"Why didn't you just start with that, silly?" Ciri chirped, now looking up at Lucius.

'Huuh~ this girl... Sorry for explaining how magic works. Most people would have to pay for the luxury.'

"Illusion magic focuses solely on changing the perception of the world from the viewpoint of the intended target, or targets if you're good enough. The spell i'll be teaching you is simply called 'calm', i'm sure you guessed why already." Started Lucius. "To start with, try influencing the magicka within you to your dominant hand, then give it the intent to calm...Think of something that calms you, if it helps. When i was learning, i liked to imagine the song my mother sung to me as a boy." Lucius got increasingly quiet towards the end and refused to look at Ciri.

Ciri glanced his way with suspicion at his fading tone but decided not to say anything.

"Mmm, this magicka you speak of. Does it feel kinda fuzzy next to your core?" Asked Ciri

Lucius looked at her in mild shock.

'She got it that fast? Impressive.' He thought.

"Because i feel absolutely nothing!" Ciri exclaimed, shooting both hands in the air in disappointment.

"Heh. Don't worry, it takes time. Having the book with all the theory helps a whole lot too. I only explained the very basics after all." Lucius tried consoling the girl with a half smile and pat on the shoulder. "It took me three days of no sleep."

.

.

.

"Say. If we have the opportunity to get some gold from a bounty we'll split it 50/50, you could buy the book." Lucius continued.

Lucius survey the area ahead after consoling Ciri.

"See that? The stone tower with an arch door?" Lucius asked Ciri, trying to distract her.

"Yeah, what of it?" Replied a slightly gloomy Ciri.

"I bet you a drink at the inn it's filled with bandits." Said Lucius with a small grin.

"Oh yeah? i'll take that bet. It looks like an overgrown ruin, so i'll say monster." Ciri grinned back her own response with a sense of renewed vigour.

Ciri ran up to a small hill, gaining vision of the tower in full.

The tower, of clear nordic ancestry, looked long abandoned. Vines wrapped around the stone like a snake, foliage littered the floor, and rotting wooden beams supported the small protrusion of stone brick.

Ciri started to draw her sword as Lucius came up beside her.

'Well, it looks like i owe her a drink.' Thought Lucius.

"Heh."

He took a glance beside him, only to meet the shit eating grin on Ciri's face.

'Brat'

"Still no sign of monsters either, so don't get too excited." Grumbled Lucius as he began to walk to the archway, summoning a bound sword to his right hand. The purple shimmer of the ethereal blade reflected of his face.

A short buzz was all he could hear inside the tower, similar, but entirely different, to a swarm of bees. A faint dim glow of amber in the corner of the room and what seemed to be moving vines.

'Wait, moving vines?' Lucius had to do a double take at that.

What appeared from the dim glow was a spiralling swarm of bark, vine and pure magic. A shapely feminine figure sculpted from wood, shoulders of pine that looked akin to armour. A mask of set indifference fitted with a crown of thorns and spiked up giving the creature a sense of regality.

"Oooh, thats not very good." Lucius lowly drawled.

Was Lucius's last words before being flung back out the arch by a blast of amber magic that seemed to hold a million insects within. His once pristine breastplate was now maimed by a long silver scratch across his chest.

"Shit! Should've put stoneflesh up. Novice mistake Lucius, real~ nice." Lucius berated himself under his breathe as blood ran down from his nose and head, staining part of his silver mane red.

"Lucius!" Came a hurried shout in the distance.

The creature slowly walked out of the tower, revealing itself to the world. It was followed by all manner of wildlife imaginable by its side. Foxes, deer, wolf and bear alike came to its aid.

A flash of radiant gold and Lucius stood up. Discarding his previously summoned sword for a different, more appropriate, approach.

Ciri ran up beside him, cleaving through two wolves on her way with a flash of deep green.

"What is that thing, Lucius?" Ciri calmly asked.

"A Spriggan, but it's a mutated one i believe. Normally they have poison attacks, not the ability to send one flying. They're nature spirits, and will bring us a pretty coin if we can get its sap and core." Lucius answered. "They are weak to fire. So, if you take most of the animals i can start peppering her with some fire spells to stop her from healing. Good enough?" Lucius queried looking over to Ciri, sending a nonchalant bolt of lightening to the deer that chained to kill 3 more critters next to it.

"Sounds good to me, call when you inevitably need help, haha." Nipped Ciri, flashing a smile before dashing forward towards the bear in another flare of viridian.

Lucius gave a small laugh before having to dodge another blast. This time, casting 'stoneflesh' before his advance.

Lucius first focused on the remaining animals beside his target, casting a wide barrage of ice spikes above him to rain down on the beasts. What remained after, was the whimpering of wolves and thick stench of blood that hung in the air.

Lucius sidestepped another thick blast of yellow with his right and lunged forward with his left, plunging his left hand into the exposed side of the Spriggan to blast a continuous stream of white hot flames.

Unearthly screams echoed throughout the field of battle. While Lucius's right hand straightened, and thrust with his unseen strength through the creature's chest to grip onto the spriggan's 'heart' and rip it out.

Lucius eyed the dead wooden figure with cold eyes and stored its core before looking over to Ciri.

Twenty or so corpses stained the ground around her with some blood marring her beautiful cheek.

A small dome of green surrounded her and the remaining bear, within a blink of an eye, dozens of cuts littered its body before a thud resounded, indicating the bears death.

'Note to self. Don't fuck with her.' Mentally noted Lucius.

Ciri took deep breaths before opening her mouth to speak.

"We. Done?" Panted Ciri.

"Yeah, let's just check inside for anything of value while we're here. We should only be an hour or so away from Falkreath now." Said Lucius.

"I'll wait out here then. Oh, and don't forget about that drink you owe me." Said Ciri shamelessly.

"Sure~ suit yourself." Responded Lucius with a small smile.

The room had two hanging nets filled with spriggan taproot, that Lucius graciously took. Along with a single chest tucked in a corner, what he found was nothing special. A purse of 34 gold and a sturdy iron sword which he used to replace his rusted one. Giving him a grand total of 122 Septims and a new sword.

"Ciri. Here, catch." Announced Lucas walking out the arch door, throwing the pouch at her. "You fought too."

"What's this?" Asked Ciri, catching the pouch.

"Money. It not a whole lot but, you could live for a week with it." Said Lucius as he began the descent down the path again.

"Huh!? I thought you'd just take it all. And is that a new sword?" Ciri fired away as she followed behind him, eying his belt.

"Do i really appear to be that sleazy? O woe is me, how will i continue on?" Lucius looked at her faking sadness with a back hand on his forehead. "Oh, and yes. New sword, why?" Lucius cracked, forgoing his previous fake persona.

"Sod off! You know that's not what i meant. Since you tried teaching me some magic, why don't i teach you some swordsmanship. I know i'm not the best, but i certainly had the best teachers...At least where i come from." Offered Ciri with a sincere undertone.

"Sure, why not. My father taught me in what little time he could spare, and you seemed to have a pretty interesting fighting style too. It looked more like a dance." Lucius chuckled.

"Funny you say that. I actually had to learn to dance before picking up a sword just like my father and his teacher before him. It was to help develop a natural flow with pirouettes and fluid motion" Said a happy Ciri, clearly remembering simpler times.

"I think i'll pass then." Was the short reply. "Me and dancing don't have a good history." Lucius murmured, looking away with a faint dust of red on his cheeks.

Ciri burst out in laughter as the two finally reached the gates of Falkreath.

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Chapter 4 done.

A little foundation and building of the bond between Ciri and the Mc, to try and gradually open up to each other naturally.

Criticism welcome, like seriously i want criticism. I refuse to believe there's none present, unless i have self conscious issues and just want there to be a problem to fix...

Anyway, have a good one.

See you tomorrow hopefully.