Chapter VII: Jorrvaskr

(Before meeting Durrak, Reyvin's pov)

Our march to Whiterun was mostly peaceful, with only a couple of hungry wolves bothering us with expected results. I tried some wolf meat out of sheer curiosity, and let me tell you: It's shit.

We spent our nights either camping out near the road or resting at an inn, once more visiting that small out of the way place with the reclusive and talented cook.

Because I reserved my inventory for more important things I had to lug around a large bag filled to the brim with treats for Scorch the entire way. He seemed really smug about that fact, but I didn't really mind all that much. After receiving some very curated memories from him I could appreciate how hard it was for him to get me that unmelting snow.

Thankfully Paarthurnax seemed content to just let him bugger off, but that was to be expected seeing as he is the one preaching the way of the voice with the greatest fervor.

A couple of days into our journey I noticed that the Valtheim towers were once again occupied. Bandits this time.

Luckily for them, they decided to just let us pass without bothering us after taking one good look at our equipment, well mine mostly.

All according to plan.

When we passed the towers Davos spoke up, genuine confusion in his voice "I don't get it... Those towers are the only passage between two halves of Skyrim for entire leagues and the holds just let whoever wants to occupy them? What is with these N'wahs?"

I chuckled "Oh it is even worse. I passed through here last year and there was a weakling necromancer occupying the place, I honestly wouldn't be all that surprised if the occupants changed weekly."

Davos' exasperation grows even further at my words.

We walk on in silence for a bit before I decide to actually answer his question "As for why the holds don't occupy it... Well, it is on the exact border between Eastmarch and Whiterun so anyone taking it over would inevitably be provoking the other."

He shakes his head "I get that, but this is literally the only trade lane between the holds."

I shrug "Considering how butthurt Ulfric is about everyone and anyone I wouldn't be all that surprised if he just didn't give a shit."

Davos shakes his head once more "He might not care about us Dunmer, but he wouldn't damage his own hold."

"True" I agree with a nod "Maybe they just clean the place out weekly as some kind of military exercise or something."

"Honestly boss, that would not surprise me one bit."

We continued making more and more outlandish theories, Davos at one point proposing that the two Jarls got captured there at one point by a Dremora that had its wicked way with them, traumatizing them to the point that they repressed all memory of the towers to stop themselves from going mad...

My judgment-filled stare followed him all the way to Whiterun.

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Seeing as I still had a couple of days of leeway until I had to rush to Solitude I decided to go and grab the dragonstone from Bleak Falls. Just to fuck with Delphine, and getting a way to dig up some dragon bones would be a nice bonus.

While I left Davos to grab supplies I visited the court wizard Farengar to bring him an enchantment order he made via letter, and chatted with him for a bit.

The Jarl also decided to chime in at one point and after giving him my greetings he questioned me about the state of the roads and the safety of travel.

Maybe he was planning on going somewhere? *Shrug* Not my problem.

As I was leaving Dragonsreach I bumped into Nazeem, who seemed to want to say something incredibly arrogant almost on instinct judging by his eyes. One application of fear later and I left another man with soiled pants behind me.

While passing near the Gildergreen tree I remembered something, or someone to be more precise. If I was going dungeon crawling I might as well invite my orcish friend for some draugr bashing fun.

It has been more than a year since we parted ways and it would be nice to see how he was doing.

I made my way to the overturned boat-turned-drinking hall and opened the large door. The rowdy atmosphere inside quieted down abruptly and I was now a target of a bunch of annoyed stares.

Not caring one bit about annoying a bunch of meatheads I asked "Is Durrak in?"

One of the obviously drunk companions slurred "And who the fuck wants to know?" before spitting on the ground.

I treat the drunks words as if they were air and turn to the rest "So, is he in?"

One of them goes to answer but his words are drowned out by that same drunk yelling "I asked you a question knife ear!"

I glare at the annoyance and activate fear on instinct, he seems to shiver for a bit but then gets even more angry and with a loud yell charges at me. Guess he at least has some balls if they let him in here.

I sigh and simply smash him into the wall with telekinesis as he is about to grab me, and with all the nonchalance I can muster ask again "Would someone please be as kind as to answer my question now?"

There is some grumbling about cowardly mages among what I guess are the newer recruits, if their gear is anything to go by.

Before I can grow even more irritated I hear a familiar voice "No, Durrak isn't in. Why do you want him?"

I turn to see Vilkas approach me "Oh, hello there Vilkas. I was planning on an expedition into a tomb so I thought to bring him along."

He looks a bit confused at me treating him with familiarity but then seems to recognize me after a while "Ah! You are that elf that arrived with him when he joined. I see you are doing well for yourself."

I give a proud smirk "Indeed, I have been making great progress both in mind and wealth."

He raises an eyebrow "Oh? And what about your sword arm then, you didn't get rusty did you?"

"Well maybe a bit with the sword." He gives me a disappointed look but I just smirk and summon my staff, giving him just the tiniest bit of a scare.

He smiles wryly "Aye, I can see you already taking a stance. Good."

"So where is Durrak anyway?"

He sighs "I am afraid I cannot tell you that, he is on an important quest for the companions"

"Oh, getting one of the fragments of that damnable axe is he?" I blurt out without thinking.

Everyone goes quiet at my words and Vilkas frowns "That axe is the weapon of our founder, you would do well to respect that."

I ignore all the glares and shrug "While I do respect the companions as warriors, Ysgramor butchered an entire race of elves into extinction while wielding that weapon. You will have to forgive my lack of enthusiasm about it."

He takes a deep breath and speaks slowly "You are entitled to your opinions." before waving for me to follow him "Come with me, the Harbinger will want to speak with you about that other thing you said."

I check his motivations just in case he is planning to silence me, but it seems he is being honest with me. I really should remember that Nordic warriors do actually tend to be honorable, but a little paranoia won't hurt no one.

Vilkas leads me downstairs toward the Harbinger's private room.

As we are walking through the lower halls I look around and am surprised by the opulence of the place. From what I saw in the game I would have thought this place to be a pigsty, but there seem to be far more rooms and most importantly they are clean and richly furnished.

I guess that being one of the oldest warrior orders of Tamirel has its benefits.

My thoughts are interrupted by Vilkas opening a door and inviting me in.

We enter a small dining room, where an old yet well built Nord seems to be having a light meal.

My guide speaks first "Master, this elf was looking for Durrak and easily guessed what he was doing. What do we do with him?"

Kodlak White-mane sighs and says in a tired tone "For the last time Vilkas, I am nobody's master"

His words seem to be completely ignored and he shakes his head before turning towards me "I remember there was a dark elf that came with Durrak the day he joined us... That was you?"

I nod and he hums a bit before asking "And how exactly do you know he would be searching for a fragment of Wuuthrad? We don't go announcing such things until actually finding them."

I chuckle and point to Vilkas "He specifically said he was on an important quest for the companions." he shows a hint of embarrassment on his face "After that it was easy to guess. The companions don't go on quests for the order itself so it was either the axe... Or you were trying to get your souls back from Hircine"

Kodlak sighs and Vilkas reaches for his weapon and charges at me in a flash, but before he can come close I whisper "Fus" in his direction and push him back.

Both he and the Harbinger are stunned at what just happened and I laugh "Oh please, it is an open secret among any competent mage that the companions have sold their souls for power." I roll my eyes "Your auras practically scream 'Beast'"

Vilkas flinches at the 'selling their souls part', but Kodlak merely shakes his head tiredly.

The younger companion asks "Master, you already knew this?"

The old Nord merely chuckles "Of course I knew boy."

Vilkas turns his confused face in my direction, both fear and panic in his voice "Why did no one reveal our secret if they knew bout it?

Both me and Kodlak laugh at his question, I nod at the old man and he answers "That is because they just don't care."

Vilkas' eyes look like they are about to pop from his head and he simply slumps into his chair, before he once again abruptly turns to me "Wait, how the hell did you use a shout?"

Kodlak pipes in "Yes, I would also like to know that."

I raise an eyebrow "You two didn't hear about Reyvin Flame-tongue then?"

Vilkas looks very surprised "Wait that was you?"

I nod cheerfully "Yup! Got the name for burning half a force of Falmer with a shout."

The Harbinger seems less surprised and merely hums out "Yes, you did give a feeling of strength when you entered."

Before they can start pestering me about the thu'um I cut in "So where did you send Durrak then? I need him for a job."

Kodlak seems to think for a bit before answering "He went to the Dustman's cairn with Farkas to retrieve a fragment of Wuuthrad said to be entombed there."

I stare at judgingly "You sent just two men into a Nordic burial ground?"

He shrugs "They are strong warriors, and as you know Farkas is a werewolf so they will survive."

I deadpan at him "You do know that those draugr are capable of shouting don't you?"

He slightly flinches and asks "How sure are you of this?"

"Just a week ago I was exploring another burial ground and one of them almost turned me into fine mist. He would have succeeded if I didn't counter it with my own thu'um"

He seems to mull it over for a bit before letting out another tired sigh "Very well then..." he then gives me a serious look "I would ask you for a favor."

"Oh?" I raise an eyebrow.

"I want you to head to Dustman's cairn and make sure they both come back alive."

Vilkas seems to be almost offended at this "You don't think they can defend themselves?"

Kodlak just sighs again, seemingly aging in real time "I just don't want to bury more of my students Vilkas, it is an old man's job to worry."

He then seems change into some kind of lecture mode "And if the threat is real, getting help from a mage is not ever a bad thing, even Ysgramor had powerful clever-men as his companions and we too aren't above such things."

Vilkas scoffs and leaves the room "Fine, do what you will... I will be in the yard, training."

The old Nord deflates as his student leaves "Do forgive him, he is a very passionate young man."

I shrug and smile "He is entitled to his opinions."

He nods "Quite" We stay quiet for a bit until he waves me away "Go on then, go help your friend."

"It was a pleasure meeting you Harbinger"

As I close the door I hear "You as well, Flame-tongue"

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I rush out of Jorrvaskr and grab Davos, who thankfully got everything we needed already and after a short explanation we leave Whiterun.

We arrive at the crypt a couple of hours later and rush through the already cleared out halls, the corpses of what look to be weaker draugr littering the path forward.

Finally, we reach what I foggily remember to be the ambush site and are greeted by a very gruesome sight.

A large and heavily wounded werewolf sliding down a wall, surrounded by mangled corpses. Five warriors wearing scaled armor and wolfskin cloaks, wielding silver weapons surround him.

One goes for the kill, but I quickly cast a bolt of disintegrating lightning at him and end his life, another follows up but Davos is ready and ends him with his crossbow.

They all turn to me and one dumbfuck shouts "This is no business of yours sorcerer! Why do you attack the silver hand?"

Oh yeah, give up the name of your organization when you know you are about to die... seriously some people really are better removed from the population.

Deciding to once more help out the Nordic gene-pool I say "Dumbass about to be disintegrated says what?"

He responds on instinct "Wha-" with predictable results.

The two remaining silver hand warriors charge at me... like complete idiots, and are given the appropriate reward for their great intelligence via telekinesis airlines.

Before I can gloat at the dead bodies I notice that Farkas seems to be dying rapidly so I order Davos to let Durrak out while I deal with the poor puppy.

I feed him a regeneration potion and promise to heal him up when he reverts back, as I have no idea how to use healing on werewolves or the effects it would have on his normal body so I chose it was better to be safe.

I approach Durrak, or at least who I think is Durrak because... Holy shit! He is massive now.

Towering well over 2 meters, in full orkish platemail and with his now less massive looking spear.

The scene is so profoundly surprising to me that I blurt out "Holy shit Durrak you almost doubled in size. What do they feed you in Jorrvaskr?" without thinking.

He seems to recognize my voice and asks excitedly "Reyvin?"

I remove my hood and wink at him "You got it buddy."

"What are you doing here?" He asks with a great deal of confusion.

"Weeel... that is a bit of a story"

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