Chapter Eight-A Thief On The Loose

Man, that worked out amazingly for me, a healing option and two amazing utility spells. Deciding I couldn't wait any longer I went down an alley and grabbed the first spell book. 

Would you like to learn the spell-Healing?

Again the book was absorbed in my mind as I instantly understood how to cast the spell. Grabbing the next book, which is probably my favorite novice spell out of them all. 

(Novice) Restoration skill unlocked!

Would you like to learn the spell Pale Shadow?

The same as before, but I decided to read the description on this one. 

(Novice) Illusion skill unlocked!

(Illusion)Pale Shadow- If the target is hit by this spell a copy of them will appear, with the same level and abilities. However, it will disappear if even grazed by an attack or after ten seconds. Cost: 150 Mana

'Awesome' I thought in excitement, reverse shadow clone jutsu.

Quickly learning the spell: Consuming power I decided to just try to bring up a list of all the spells I knew. 'Spells? Nothing, Grimoire?.. Spell list?'

SPELL LIST

Destruction

Sparks-Send a constant current of lightning towards your foes.Cost:19 Mana/second

Mastery: 7%

Conjuration

Summon Skeleton Archer- Summon a skeleton archer from a plane of Oblivion to fight for you for 300 seconds. Cost:180 Mana

Mastery: 11%

Consuming Power- Boost your summon with a 75% boost in power, it will disappear after ten seconds. Cost:130 Mana

Mastery: 1%

Illusion

Pale Shadow- If the target is hit by this spell a copy of them will appear, with the same level and abilities. However, it will disappear if even grazed by an attack or after ten seconds. Cost: 150 Mana

Mastery: 1%

Restoration

Healing- Heal yourself with your own Mana. Cost:12 Mana/second

Mastery: 1%

'Well, that looks a hell of a lot better. A decent repertoire of healing, attacking, summoning and even a good illusion spell that I'm going to make great use of' I thought in excitement as I left the alley behind Alenor's shop.

Noticing some kind of commotion was going on at the Riverwood Trader reminded me that there was something I needed to check to see if he had in stock. 'Please let those magic backpacks be real in this world' I thought to myself as I headed across the street.

It seemed Lucan flipped his shit on a 'bandit'. Based on him being on top of him punching him and the bandit being hog-tied. 'Damn Lucan, good for you I didn't think you had it in you'.

(Lvl 7) Bandit

(Lvl 9) Lucan Valerius 'The Riverwood Trader'

'Man even Lucan has a title…..' I thought as a tear fell from my eye as I finally got within hearing distance.

"You worthless fuckers, thought I wouldn't realize you were distracting me while your partner stole my prize!" Lucan said as he punched the bandit in his side. 'Where the hell are the guards? Over two hundred of them for what?'

"What happened?" I asked more out of curiosity than anything else. He looked over at me, most probably expecting a guard but his eyes still lit up when he realized I was a mage.

"An adventure! Perfect, I have a quest for you. My claw was stolen not even moments before you arrived, this one was distracting me while his friend swiped it from my counter. I almost caught him but he was just too swift as he ran out of the store. This idiot here thought I wouldn't realize he was in on it. Please get my claw back." Lucan begged as he hit the bandit again in frustration. 'This is odd....Was it just a coincidence that I passed by when I did'

Quest

The Golden Claw

Objective: Take back Lucan's claw before the thief leaves town.

Rewards: 5x Potion of minor healing.

"How much?" I asked as with anything money talked and I was currently very broke.

"Three hundred septims." He stated without hesitation.

"Two hundred and a mage's backpack" I replied back easily, hoping he had one or if they existed.

"Deal, now go. Before he gets away!" He said with a passion but I was already running towards the North gate. 'It's the key to Bleak Falls Barrow, the thief has to be heading to the north gate unless he has mountain climbing equipment. And I doubt he's going to climb over the wall that surrounds the town without a guard noticing' I deduced as I kept running towards the gate, dodging the occasional dog or kid that got in my path.

'It also might be Arvel the Swift, the comment about the thief being swift is too much of a hint to let fly over my head. So I'm looking for a Dunmer male, he's probably not dressed in the usual bandit attire either, so he'll be harder to spot from a distance.' 

Ten minutes later and enough sweat to fill up a tankard I made it. Though if I was on time would be decided now. 'Hm, would the system warn me if I already failed the quest though? If it would I surely made it before he skipped town'

"Hey, did you guys see a Dunmer male pass through here leaving town?" I asked the group of guards that were standing at the gate.

"Why, did he steal your sweet roll?" One of them asked with a smile. 'Dammit don't laugh at that lame-ass joke' I struggle with myself as I let out a small chuckle at hearing that phrase from a real-life Nord.

"No Dark elf has used the gate today, why?" The older and more professional guard asked.

"There's a thief, he stole from the Riverwood trader, I got a job to catch him before he leaves town and I'm about 90 percent sure he'll come through here." I explained quickly, trying to get their ok to start blasting spells the moment I saw him.

"The trader? Isn't Byjorns squad supposed to be patrolling that area today?" Another guard asked as he joined in the conversation.

"Yes, they should be….Well, we look like idiots right now. Bors is going to blame us all for their fuck-up" The lead guard said with a sigh as he massaged his forehead. 'Poor bastards'

"So uh…. Do I have the go-ahead to you know" I said as I did a little zaps between my fingers with the sparks spell.

"How about we make a deal kid, we apprehend him and we'll give ya the stolen loot to go complete your job and whatever else of value the fucker has" The leader asked as his eyes gleamed. 'So much for being the professional one…. Smart guy though'

"So you can take the credit and get out of whatever punishment that'll befall your other guard mates... Deal, just don't let him get away. I'll watch from down the street and if I spot him I'll get your attention." I said as I reached out my hand to which he quickly took in a handshake..

"Alright you boys watch the road, I'm going up top to put an arrow in the bastard. Just wave to me when you spot him." I nodded quickly and turned to find a nice spot to chill while I lamented about how smooth this was turning out to be. Might even be making friends with the guards. 'Was going to try out my new spells but free help is something I'd be a fool to pass up'

It wasn't until fifteen minutes later that a well-dressed Dunmer man began heading towards the exit, dressed in a fine overcoat and pants. Many wouldn't even think for a second he was a bandit. 'Poor guy…. Would've made it to, if weren't for a meddling kid'

(Lvl 11) Arvel The Swift

'So that's his actual name and not a title. Weird' I raised my arm and waved three times. Our agreed-upon signal if I was a hundred percent sure we got our man.

One snap of a bowstring and an arrow landed in Arvel's knee, not even five seconds later he was surrounded by four guards and dragged into the guard shack that was next to the wall.

Walking with a little more pep in my step I waited outside the door. Not even three minutes later the lead guard left the room and I had the claw, a gold necklace, and a coin pouch with a hundred and fifty gold in it.

"Nice doing business with you, my name's Clius" I said as I reached out my hand again to which he shook.

"Korris, it was fun kid, thanks for saving our asses from the big boss" He said as he waved me off.

'Ah… I just love it when a plan falls together. Now on to the trader for my hard-earned reward' I said as I did a little skip at my first 'normal' quest completion.

A more leisurely half-hour walk later I walked into the Riverwood trader, a smile on my face as it seemed Lucan already expected me to succeed as he had the mage's pack on his counter.

"Hey Lucan , I'm back!" I slightly yelled after waiting about a minute. A few thumps and dropped things later Lucan came down the stairs on the other side of his shop. 'Dude, your not even manning the counter and the door was wide open, fucking deserved to be robbed.'

"Ah, the adventure. My claw? Were you able to get it back?" He asked as I pulled the claw out from under my robes. He grabbed it quickly and checked it over, nodding in gratitude at my success he pointed towards the counter.

"That there is your pack, enchanted to hold up to 200 pounds of anything. Don't ask me how because I barely understand any of that magic chargin'. But I've tested it myself out of curiosity." Lucan said as I went to the counter and inspected it. 'Huh so the scroll and soul gem really are just for aesthetics, pretty realistic fakes though.'

"This is fucking awesome" I said to Lucan as I stuck my entire arm inside the small book bag that seemingly had no end. 

"I know, I was a little too scared to put my arm in like you but the most interesting thing to me is that even when the bag is full it still weighs the same as if it was empty." Lucan agreed with me and pointed out something that I hadn't even thought of yet. Smiling, I put the backpack on to complete my novice adventure fit.

"And here's the rest of your payment. And it's probably a little late but I'm Lucan Valerius the Riverwood trader. Thank you for getting my claw back, it's almost certainly my most favorite possession." Lucan said as he handed me a coin pouch filled with two hundred gold.

"Cilus, novice mage, for now" I said with a smile as I put the gold in the fold of my robes. 

'A little work and I almost have as much gold as I started with. Four hundred and ten gold, three spells, a staff and an enchanted backpack that could hold two hundred pounds and increased my Mana by twenty points. Might give up this whole mage idea and try being a merchant' 

"So is there anything else I can help you with or did you just come here earlier to get the backpack?" Lucan asked as he took a seat begin his counter and enter salesman mode. 

"I guess I could take a look at any novice spells you have, maybe a filled lesser soul gem if the price is right?" I asked interested in what he had. 'I do need an extra soul gem to refill my staff in case of an emergency, and it wouldn't be too bad to get a spell in a school I don't have yet'

"Yes, I assume you've already checked what Aleron had in his shop and he sent you over here to check mine as well?" Lucan asked as he went under his counter and started grabbing things and setting them on the counter.

"Yes, he had a decent selection but I didn't have enough coin at the time to get everything." As I said that I began to look over what he placed on the table. Another of three basic destruction spells, the alteration spell Oakflesh which is a possible pick, and the fury spell. 

"I'll take the Oakflesh spell and that lesser soul gem" I decided as I grabbed the burnt orange book and the slightly glowing gem from his counter. 

"Good choices, now that'll be eighty-five for the spell and one hundred for the filled gem" he offered, which I decided was a fair price and placed the money on the counter. 

"I would also like to barter if you're interested?" I asked while taking out the necklace I got from Arvel and the gold ring I got off the bandit. 

"Hm, decent condition… I'll give you a hundred and thirty septims for both?" Another fair price and another deal made. 

"Sorry, but there was one more thing I'd like to ask you." I said as I began to store the spell book and my excess gold in my bag. 'Would be real anticlimactic to get pickpocketed, this is a big town after all'

"Worry not Cilus, time doing business is time well spent" Lucan said with a smile as he waved for me to go on.

"Was wondering if you had or knew where I could get a silver sword? And maybe an estimation of the price?" I asked curiously as I slung the bag back over my shoulders.

"A novice monster hunter too then? I surely don't have something like that, but I'd say Alvor the town's blacksmith might have what you're looking for. It'd probably run you about two hundred gold for a regular sword, a great sword I wouldn't know." Lucan said as he had his hand on his chin in thought. 

"A monster hunter? I wouldn't say that…. More like the amount of undead in Skyrim is staggering, they should really learn to burn their dead" I said with a chuckle as I thanked Lucan for his business as well as the information and headed to the door. 

"Take care there Cilus, it's nice seeing a new Mage in town. Despite what those pig-headed Nords would say" Lucan said in goodbye which caused me to chuckle at how much more alive he felt than in the game.

'Saw the guy beat up a bandit he captured, and even did a quest for him that felt like a spur-of-the-moment thing. Laughed and joked with him. This world has its perks besides the wars, death, countless undead, crazy gods…. I'm just gonna stop ruining the moment' I said with a smile as I finally headed back towards the Tavern after my three-hour long detour. Tiberia was waiting to be proven wrong after all.