A Small Detour I
I try to enter the level up space for the first time in a while... But, I feel something strange... The constellations seems scattered and broken with some things not making sense and the numbers being replaced with text.
I wake up to the smell of roasted potatoes and venison filling my nose as I open my eyes and stretch to see Inigo cooking breakfast as Langley and Serana are already sitting at the table.
"My friend, it is about time that you woke you. You were sleeping like the dea-" Inigo starts to say before he snaps his jaw shut and hesitantly looks at Serana who just smirks playfully.
"What? Cat got your tongue?" Serena says, immediately breaking the tenseness Inigo had felt making the two of us laugh as Langley looks between the three of us not getting the joke at all, only making me and Inigo laugh harder before Inigo composes himself and serves everyone breakfast.
However, both me and Inigo stare in a little bit of shock as we see Serana eating along with us.
"What? Is there something on my face?" Serana asks, pausing her elegant cutting of the venison.
"Um, no... Just didn't think the food would be agreeable to... Someone of your disposition?" I say, speaking to mine and Inigo's thoughts on her eating normal food.
"I know she's some kind of noble, but everyone needs sustance, it's very judgemental to assume just because she's your superior that she won't do what she must when the situation demands it." Langley chides me, making Serana smile victoriously as Inigo holds in a quiet laugh at my expense.
"Huff... You're right Langley, how rude of me. Mind explaining to me how you hunt with such an impressive bow?" I ask, giving up on ever changing this crazy old man.
"It's good you recognize your shortcomings and are working towards being a better person." Langley commends me while nodding sagely before turning towards Serana.
"If I may have my bow back, Ms. Serana?" Langley politely asks Serana who nods, seemingly interested in how such an old wizard plans to draw back the massive bow that even her undead strength found it difficult to draw it beyond half.
"It's really quite simple. I learned this trick from an arcane archer I had the pleasure of traveling with in my youth. She taught me that in order to take down a powerful foe, an equivalent amount of mana must evenly be distributed between your bow, arrow, and arms. If anything disrupts this balance the entire thing..." Langley explains surprisingly well, leaving the three of us enraptured by his explanation as we see a pale formless energy slowly wrap itself around Langley's arms, the bow, and a tipless arrow.
The energy circulates between the three in a peaceful stream, before Langley starts to direct the energy into the dull training arrow making it grow brightly before disintegrating with a loud, Pop.
"Collapses." Langley concludes with proud smile before handing the bow back to Serana.
"That was most impressive Langley, I had never thought you could combine magic and archery in such a way." Inigo praises Langley making him puff up even further as I'm left to quietly contemplate what I just saw and how I might be able to use it in my fighting style.
The meal passes uneventfully as I quickly study the map to see if there's anything to be gained on having to back track to Whiterun when I remember an important ruin with an artifact that is essential to my rise to power.
We say our good-byes and return to the road, taking another path as we loop down the mountain and make our way towards the Nordic ruin of Korvanjund.
Our travel is actually easier with the storm having passed in the night, but it still takes us a full day of travel to reach the ruins that hold my right to rule.
However, as we get closer to the buried tomb, I not the faint glow of a couple campfires around it as several stormcloaks are patrolling around its entrance.
"My friend, why are we sneaking? Are you not allied with the stormcloaks?" Inigo questions as we sneak closer towards the recessed entrance seeing a total of 6 stormcloaks guarding the entrance.
"There's something I need in there, and I can't let Ulfric get his hands on it. Perhaps it's time for the Ebony Rose to make his debut?" I tell him as I start to pull out my thieves outfit.
"The what, now?" Serana looks at Inigo with confusion as he also pulls out his thieves outfit.
"Ah, that is the name of Silvantus' thieving alter ego." Inigo explains to her.
"I see... Then why are you getting dressed up as well?" Serana says with even more confusion.
"Well, I'm trying to turn the Ebony Rose into an urban legend, something to strike fear into the hearts of rich, corrupt men and women. And to do so, we need to build up the legend somehow." I tell her before going around a tree to change my clothes.
"That sounds like a wonderful thing to do... Unfortunately, I've spent enough of my life in tombs, so I'll wait outside and keep watch for you two to run your little errand." Serana says adamantly refusing to continue on as she finds a comfortable tree to purch upon to stay up and out of the snow.
"That's fine, we shouldn't be too long. Let's get to work Inigo, remember, we can't let any of them die." I remind him as he goes silent and we start to sneak forward.
Splitting off to each take care of our own stormcloaks. I sneak up behind mine, pulling him into a snow bank as I keep him from shouting out as I hear a similar crunch of snow as Inigo takes out his target and we then make our way towards the partially unearthed walkway as we silently move towards the last four stormcloaks, standing around a central bonfire outside the entrance of Korvanjund.
(Author's Note: Hey everyone, hope you enjoy this slightly more on time chapter!)