Lovers' Trip

A/N: We are not far from 5000 Votes!

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Three days ago, we boarded my very first ship, the Alexandria, and headed to Raven Rock, the main port in Solstheim. I woke up in my bed and pushed away the sheets, the ones beside me were two very naked beautiful girls in deep sleep.

"Sigh! We overdid it last night again."

We three spent all of our night time in hedonism, Alina and Julia both know very well how to party and seduce me. I am kinda proud of them, my women are really the best.

We were on my very first ship, the Alexandria. As one of the smallest ships in the Company, she was put away from service as we got our tenth ship but I wasn't really satisfied with that, this ship held great meaning to me as it was the very first property I owned after all.

So, in order to not make this ship go out of service, I built a warehouse on the Chill Isle and made a workshop to build and develop ships for the Company there. It was also a place for keeping the gunships away from the trading port to safe keep them away from the prying eyes and harmful hands.

Anyway, this ship got upgraded to the max. Some of the best pieces of Magical Tech were all installed here.

And with that, ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the first ship that moves without sails in this world.

Yes, I did it. I managed to create a Magical Engine powered by Soul Gems which is super simple in the design, just a few elven metal wires that are conducive to Magicka and two large fans under the ship with Telekinetic enchantment that would make them go in rounds.

It was too simple to the point that I was afraid it would be figured out once it was seen so all the hard work went on how to hide the engine. About the sails, we just reefed them and pulled up the not so important ones, with that we can pretend to be sailing when actually we are going on magic.

One day, this engine will be redesigned to work on a higher speed and will be implemented to all my ships.

I dressed in my robe and a fur cloak ready to meet that chilly breeze of the morning, as I left the room, I headed directly to the deck of the ship.

"What's up, Captain Ongeim?"

"What's up, Boss Jon?"

My friend Ongeim was sitting behind the ship's wheel on a large chair with a few levers and some compasses around him.

"How do you like the new sailing mechanism?" I said as I joined him.

"Are you kidding, this is like a toy! A child can sail this ship."

"Glad you like it."

We fist-pumped each other.

"Ain't technology awesome?"

"It sure is, Boss."

I was really happy with the result. This baby ship was like most advanced pieces of modern tech pumped up together and made a large piece of awesome.

"It is a shame this ship has no Magic Canons." Ongeim said.

"Shut up! This Ship consumes 250 MP per Kilometer, one shot of the cannon can consume the same amount. I had to charge the Black Star and some other Black Soul Gems during the fight with those Thalmor to get us this energy we are working with."

"Well, I am not a mage but I think you are doing a great job, Boss. This ship can comfortably sail with only two or three people."

"I know, still, we need to solve the energy problem. Having such a resource like the Magicka all around us and not employing it is sheer stupidity of this world. If the Dwemer were to stay until this age, I am not sure what cool toys they would have invented… sigh! How disappointing!"

"I am going to pretend I know how you feel and offer you some mead."

"No thanks, I had my fill last night."

"Oh! It was really noisy in your cabin."

"What?"

I thought I activated the Muffling Rune.

"I mean the movement and all, you know we can tell."

"Oh!"

"Don't worry about it, Wulfur and Bjorna, Me and Jvanka. The ship took a lot of shaking last night."

"I see… wait! Jvanka? Jonald's daughter?"

"Yeah, we're together."

"That's why she retired and didn't get employed in another place. Man, good catch."

We fist pumped again.

It seems this trip is only for couples.

"Where is Wulf?"

"Engine room."

I took an apple and went to the engine room, there I found Wulfur staring at the engine.

"What's wrong?"

Wulfur looked at me and sighed.

"... This thing... you are a genius."

"I hate to break it to you but this is nothing impressive, I just recreated something I saw before… also, the Dwemer managed to create walking giant robots and with some sort of Artificial Intelligence that can recognize allies and enemies, and that was thousands of years ago. Are you still hyped about this crappy engine now?"

"But still, that baby of ours is moving on its own. Don't you feel proud of it, Wulfur loves babies."

"Gross!"

I know we created the engine together but to call it our baby…

"WULFUR!"

And here she comes.

It seemed that Bjorna is really pissed in the morning. Wulfur's face seemed to have come to a realization when he heard her voice.

A second later, Bjorna invaded the room with an angry look on her face.

"Hey, cousin."

"... Where is Wulf… here he is! I knew I would find you here."

I haven't seen this side of Bjorna before but as soon as she saw Wulf, she held him from the nape of his clothes and started dragging him.

"You sneak out from the bed to go and watch some lifeless machine moving around itself. You won't hear the end of this."

"But those things roll, babe, they roooooll!"

I could hear their argument across the ship.

Wulfur is obsessed with Magical Tech just like me… actually, I am the reason he is obsessed with it that much. Unlike Alina or Jull who love combat, Wulfur is my chief engineer who understands me the best when I go on some research that is related to machinery.

Anyway, best of luck with that angry Bjorna.

I closed the engine room's door and sat opposite to the machine collecting notes about how to improve it in the future.

After an hour or so, I gathered my notes and went back to the deck, there, I could see Wulfur and Bjorna sitting beside each other, he was patting her back and she was smiling. It seems that an airhead like him can take care of these matters too. I winked for him and returned to my cabin.

There, my two beautiful ladies were still lazing around in bed. Alina was having a soft blindfold around her eyes to not accidentally harm Jull and Jull was sleeping on Alina.

"Why do I feel so turned on?" I asked Alina who seemed to be fully awake.

She smiled and kept stroking Jull's hair.

"I woke up to the voice of Bjorna. Wulf did it again?"

"Yep, Wulf is being Wulf."

"Sigh! I heard he used to be a quiet and shy lad until he met you."

"... You used to be a quiet and good girl until you met me." I said and pointed to the Muffling Runes around the room. Alina forgets the world when we play together.

"Pffft, haha! How can I argue with that?"

To Alina's sudden laugh, Jull woke up. She moved up from Alina and opened her eyes.

"... First thing to see in the morning is Alina's boobs! Yep, that's a good day." She said with a blissful face.

"Happy that you are happy, now get up."

Alina pushed Jull away and sat up. I handed them a plate of bread and cheese with some juice and sat between them.

"So, when will we reach Raven Rock?" Jull asked.

"A day or two."

"Damn! It should have taken two weeks with a normal ship." Alina exclaimed.

"And now we're doing it in 5 days."

"Okay okay, you're awesome. Everyone knows that." She said mocking my proud reply.

"Still, how is that trip is going to increase our power?"

"Now that you mention it, I would like to say that Solstheim is full of treasures, resources and dangers. Our group will start a massive excavation in the island, the most important thing is to make ties with the Dunmer population in Raven Rock and build a trading post for our company there."

"It is all fine, but we never set foot in Raven Rock before, how do you know if they would accept our help?"

"Simple, I have acquired some intel about Raven Rock and their economic problems so there will be no short on how we assist them. Remember, the most important thing about doing business with complete strangers…"

""Solve their problems."" The two girls said in unison.

"I am glad that you are fast learners."

"But what about our problems?" Jull asked.

"Yes, you said we need to grow in strength really fast." Alina said.

"I know, I have got a revelation from a trusted source on how to upgrade your strength. I am going to distribute some tasks to you two, Ongeim and Wulfur collect all the stuff that we need."

"How long will it all take?"

"A month."

The conversation about the expedition continued and we put a lot of plans to get the best rewards out of this trip.

"These are the things that are mostly about us and the company, what about you? How do you plan on getting stronger yourself?" Alina asked.

"Well, as you know, I have a special training that is not perfect just yet but I am improving it."

"I know, that so-called Magicka Cultivation."

"Exactly, well, the sole reason I am not sharing my method with you guys is because how dangerous it is on your bodies, you do remember that I had a case of Astral Damage a year ago."

"Yes, Master said to never do your Cultivation thing because of that."

"Well, as I halted this sort of training, I worked on how to improve it and with some luck, I discover a strange kind of energy that flows in the Fire Garden back at the Clan."

"That red energy? Uncle said it is too harmful to weak bodies."

"Well, not for me. When I visited Tel Fyr with Nurina, Grandmaster Alfe gave me a gift." I reached my hand to a chest beside the bed and took out a book.

"This book contains tons of valuable information about the Astral Body that contains the Soul, which is the source of all Energies in the Human Body, and also about the Physical Body, AKA the Mortal Flesh which is the unique instrument that can gather and hold all sort of energies, and last but not least, the links between the Astral and the Physical Bodies which is known as the Acupoints that channels all the energies from the outside world to the inside Soul and the opposite."

This book that I kept studying in secret long ago was revealed to my closest two people.

Alina looked at the book as she understood every word I said, Jull didn't understand them all but she had the basic knowledge around the theory.

"This… it's incredible." Alina touched the book and exclaimed.

"I know. Now back to the Red Energy in the Fire Garden, that energy is really harmful to weak people but if used right, it will bring great power."

"Not sure I am following."

I didn't reply and pointed to Alina's Fire Keeper Mask.

"Huh?"

"Remember what was it enchanted with?"

"... A Heart Stone."

"Yes, I used a Heart Stone instead of a Soul Gem. Now, do you remember what the Heart Stones are?"

"Heart Stones are molten rocks that lay next to the Heart of Shor… for years." Alina said and paused to think about something.

"The Heart of Shor or Lorkhan, I remember that you said it is located in the Red Mountain and it is the heart of a God. Could it be that some vestige of its power has seeped into these Stones?" Jull picked up faster than Alina.

"Correct. These Stones contain a minuscule fraction of the power of an Original Spirit, this power is not merely Magicka, it also contains a strong Life Force or Vitality, the equal power to Magicka and what can balance it to not cause an Astral Damage."

Alina and Julia realized what I want to say at last.

"So, that's it! It is risky but worth experimenting."

"Of course, I have taken precautions as always."

"Will you be able to reach the rank of an Expert Wizard if this succeeds?"

"Why not?"

"When was the last time you measured your Magicka? And how many spells does your spellbook hold now?"

"Oh, let me check, Status!"

"Huh?"

"What?"

"I will show you something really cool."

◆■◆■◆■◆■◆■◆

● Attributes ●

◇Vitality: 710

◇Magicka: 1220

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● Magic ●

◇ Mysticism ◇

<Novice> Magicka Control - Dispel Magic - Alarm - Detection

<Apprentice> Magic Mark - Clairvoyance - Silence - Scan - Soul Trap - Force Bullet

<Adept> Self Empowering - Soulfire - Telekinesis - Runic Weapon

<Expert> Third Eye - Shock Control - Teleport - Levitate

...

◇ Alteration ◇

<Novice> Muffle - Candlelight - Haste - Lock / Unlock

<Apprentice> Bind - Featherlight - Magelight - Mage Stereo

<Adept> Flashbang - Transmute Soul Gems

...

◇ Conjuration ◇

<Novice> Banish/Bound Daedra - Conjure Familiar - Raise Undead

<Apprentice> Bound Weapons/Armors - Conjure Atronach - Conjure Undead

<Adept> Reform Atronachs - Conjure Dremora

...

◇ Destruction ◇

<Novice> Flames - Sparks

<Apprentice> Fire Bolt - Fire Rune - Lightning Bolt - Lightning Rune - Corpse Explosion

<Adept> Fireball - Fire Cloak - Chain Lightning - Lightning Cloak

<Expert> Thunder Cookie - Fire Claw - Meteor

...

◇ Illusion ◇

<Novice> Calm - Fear - Night Vision

<Apprentice> Fury - Courage - Far Vision - Sleep

<Adept> Blindness - Heat Vision - Paralyze

...

◇ Restoration ◇

<Novice> Healing - Steadfast Ward -Sun Rays - Circle of Strength

<Apprentice> Absorb Vitality - Reflection Ward - Sun Fire - Sun Rune - Mystic Wind

<Adept> Quadrant Ward - Holy Smite - Holy Cloak - Circle of Moons

...

◇ Powers ◇

<Racial> War Cry - Resist Frost

<Standing Stone: Shadow Stone> Hide in Shadows - Blur

<Bloodline: Firemane> Titanborn: Beast Master - Fireborn: Resist Flame

<Blessing> Blessing of Kyne: Fortify Thu'um - Blessing of Talos: Fortify Thu'um

...

◇ Thu'um ◇ Unrelenting Force - Clear Skies - Aura Whisper - Fire Breath - Whirlwind Sprint

...

◇ Battle Spirit Arts ◇ Lightning Aura (blue) - Madness Aura (green)

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