64 Chapter V: White Phial (part 3)
We returned to Windhelm just as the gates were about to be closed for the night.
The gate guard tried to be an annoyance again, but my patience was wearing thin after a long day of fighting and scrounging through a stinky tomb, so a quick application of the fear spell had us entering the city while leaving behind the irritating Nord with soiled pants.
We made a beeline toward the White Phial shop and met Quintius who was just about to close the shop for the day.
"Is master Nurelion in?" I ask hastily.
He seems to recognize me and shakes his head sadly "He is, but he is not feeling too well..."
Before he can close the door I raise a hand asking him to wait "I retrieved the phial, even if it was damaged when I found it."
His eyes widen "Can I see it?"
I nod and hand it over to him.
He looks it over and sighs "If we give it to master Nurelion right now he will just be disappointed, I have an idea how to fix it but the materials would be almost impossible to get in time."
Pretending not to know I ask "And what do you need to fix the phial?"
He thinks for a bit and says "I would need a finely ground mammoth tusk, a briar heart and some never melting snow." but then sighs in realization "The mammoth tusk I already have in store, the briar heart we could get with some effort, but the snow would be impossible as it can only be found on the peak of the throat of the world."
I cup my chin "Hmmm, I have an idea on how to get both the heart and snow. Could you give me a couple of hours?"
He scoffs, disappointed in himself "As if I have any other options, please do go ahead and hurry. Master Nurelion doesn't have much time" and closes the door.
Turning to Davos I ask "You got a place where we could summon something just a tiny bit illegal?"
"Like what?"
"A Dremora merchant of course" I give him my brightest smile.
He shivers but nods "Yes, follow me and please make sure it doesn't kill us all"
"No promises!" I say in a cheery voice.
Davos stumbles glares at me, and turns back to our destination while grumbling in annoyance.
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We finally stop in a back alley of a back alley in the Grey Quarter.
Davos points to the ground "There you go, summon your merchant pal."
Not really caring why he chose this place as I have already checked his motivations with my blessing and found he really just want to do some 'honest work' like a proper professional, I use a scroll to summon Xelzaz.
The Dremora appears with his usual calculating smile "Ah! My newest star customer, how delightful to see you again." He looks at Davos with a calculating look and turns to me while shaking his head in disappointment "I am sorry Reyvin but you can't trade your friend here, not enough meat on him unfortunately."
Davos pales and stares at us, we give him completely serious looks in return for a bit before breaking into laughter at his expense.
"Ah, that one always gets them" Xelzaz wheezes out.
Davos glares at us and gives me the finger.
Xelzaz then returns to his business mode "How can I help you this fine evening Reyvin?"
I list off the ingredients we need.
He takes out a comically long scroll and looks it over "Hmmm... I can get you the briar heart easily, but the snow is impossible I am afraid to say."
My shoulders slump slightly "I expected as much but it didn't hurt to ask. Just give me the heart then" before he can get to scrounging through his stall which appeared next to him I add "Oh and I have those rings you ordered last time"
Not looking back he says "Just toss them here, ill deduct the price from your pay."
I do as requested and throw five rings at his stall who then magically fall right into a specific shelf.
Finally after about a minute Xelzaz exclaims "Ah! Found you" and brings out a bloody briar heart.
"Is that sanitary?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.
He shrugs "Eh, the Thane that sold it to me says it retains its potency better with the blood or something, I dunno. Maybe he was just too lazy to clean it."
"So long as it works I really don't care" I shrug.
"That's the spirit!" he smiles and tosses me the heart with a couple of saphires.
He goes to continue our conversation but suddenly stills "It seems I have to go, another customer calling and all that. Enjoy your heart!" and disappears with a pop.
As soon as he is gone I hear Davos groan "I swear to all the gods, if you keep doing this I will get grey hairs"
"Heh, right. We wouldn't want you to become all monochromatic"
"Mono- what now?"
"Don't worry about it"
He shakes his head and wisely decides to ignore my shennanigans "How are you going to get the snow then? Not going to summon a bloody Prince are you?"
I scratch my chin in thought "Hmm, an interesting proposal. But I don't think Mephala trades in snow unfortunately"
He pales for a second "Please just do your thing now I apologize for whatever I did to you just have mercy"
I laugh "Ah she was right, fucking with people is quite fun... although I don't think that is the exact thing she meant" he lets out another sigh, probably preparing for more but I clap my hands "Alright, alright ill get to it. Oi Scorch come out"
At my words my large hawk friend pops up next to me and gives me a curious look.
I smile at him "Could you please fly to the throat of the world and get me some snow from the peak?"
The bird gives me a deadpan stare and the equivalent of a middle finger with his claw.
"Aww, don't be like that! I will give you a bunch of treats tomorrow."
His head twitches cutely before he returns to glaring at me, I can see a calculating gaze in his eyes 'I am so proud right now!'
"Fine, fine I will give you a bunch for a week. Happy now?"
Scorch seems to mull it over for a bit before 'reluctantly' agreeing and flying off.
"You are one weird mer Reyvin, I hope you know that."
I spread my arms and declare to the skies "Better weird than boring!"
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(Scorch's pov)
He is so getting pecked when I get back...
Fly to the tallest mountain in the land he said!
Ill give you treats he said!
It will be simple he said!
I am so going to bankrupt his grey ass! As soon as I manage to exit this storm that is...
I keep on gliding around the icy winds and after getting bored call my 'firecloak' as pops called it, the ice splits around me and I rush to the mountain peak I see below me.
Finally I break through the massive snowstorm and what awaits on the other side is a surprisingly calm mountain peak covered in what feels like a warm embrace.
I think he refers to this as magic fuckery.
I look around and notice a suspiciously glowy bunch of snow, I grab the little pouch tied to my claw and try and put some inside.
YEOWCH!
That is cold, but the treats wont earn themselves! You can do this scorchy boy, just think of the nuts!
After a glorious battle with the wicked snow I finish my conquest... and whimper like a chick.
No one must know!
Just as I am about to fly off again I hear the sound of air being moved and turn around...
Why is there a massive scaly bird standing on the big rock?!
Is he here to take my secret?!
You will not have me!
The scaled bird humms in a powerful voice "IT IS NOT OFTEN I HAVE VISITORS ON MY MOUNTAIN. I WONDER, WHY WOULD ONE OF YOUR KIND COME TO THIS PLACE?"
To take your snow you dumb scaled bird! What kind of bird even has scales? Are you deficient?!
Hearing my mighty battle cry the scaled degenerate chuckles "TRULY, THE WONDERS OF MUNDUS NEVER CIESE TO AMAZE ME. IT IS A SHAME WE CANNOT SPEAK." it sighs.
I give him the middle finger, same as pops taught me. Can't speak eh? Are you even a bird!? Fucking n'wahs....
I grab my pouch and fly off before more of its degeneracy can touch me.
Just as I am about to enter the storm again I hear "LOH VAH KOR!" and the storm disappears.
As I am flying away the scaled thing chuckles again "SAFE TRAVELS LITTLE ONE."
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(Reyvin's pov)
About three hours later Scorch returns with a pouch filled with never melting snow, I am about to tease him about flying through a storm but he just huffs and disappears into my Magicka reserve.
'Rude.'
Shrugging my shoulders at my grouchy hawk boi I clap my hands "Come Davos, we have a bottle to yoink!"
My companion wakes from his impromptu nap and grunts in affirmation.
Soon we are at the shop again, knocking at the door.
I hear rushing footsteps and Quintus opens the door with a frantic look on his face "Do you have it?"
I smile "Yes we do. One briar heart and unmelting snow, just as requested."
He grabs the components from my hands and rushes back inside, we follow him slowly and find him already hard at work in front of an alchemy table.
We stand around waiting for an hour before Quintus lets out an excited breath and rushes upstairs, sharing a look me and Davos shrug and follow him again into the alchemy Masters private room.
The old elf seems to be barely conscious, but still seems to have a tiny bit of life left in him.
Quintus brings out the now glowing white phial and shows it to him "Master, look! It is the phial."
Nurelion looks at it longingly, tears soon leave his eyes as he whispers his final words "Marvelous"
We are all silent for a minute before Quintus turns to me, I sense his motivations and it seems he wants to use the phial to become powerful and surpass his teacher.
Now that wont do at all.
I stealthily signal Davos and he nods, as he does so I distract Quintus by asking "What do you plan on doing now?"
He smiles at me "I will follow my masters teachings and become a better alchemist than Curalmil himself." Giving me a bow he says "Thank you for your help, truly."
I smirk and Quintus is grabbed from behind as Davos forces a vial of poison down his throat "Truly, a shame to have such a young and talented alchemist become so distraught at his master's death that he chose to follow him into the afterlife."
His eyes widen, but the potent poison cares very little for his feeble defiance.
As the life leaves Quintus' eyes I turn to Davos who has a 'business as usual' expression on his face "That won't leave any traces will it?"
He scoffs "What do you take me for?"
I shrug "Just make sure to copy his handwriting from a ledger and write down a suicide note. The guard probably won't care all that much for an Imperial, but I don't want loose ends."
He nods and gets to work.
I grab the white phial and hear [Quest completed] "Well hello there beautiful"
As I smile at my newest artifact I swear I can hear Mephala's gleeful laughter in the back of my head.
[The White Phial: The work of the ancient Nord alchemist Curalmil, it is said to refill the liquid placed into it from pure Magicka once every day. The phial has been empowered by a mysterious force, making every potion it creates more powerful.]
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