Chapter 52: The Aetherium Forge Part 2

They journeyed to the Ruins of Bthalft, the winds howling through the desolate landscape as they approached the ancient site. The crumbling stones of the Dwemer fortress loomed before them, a testament to the lost ingenuity of a civilization that once thrived beneath the earth. As they neared the entrance, a group of bandits emerged, their eyes gleaming with greed as they spotted the valuable loot that Sivreth and his companions surely carried.

Merril took a step back, her hand moving to the hilt of her sword, but Sivreth merely smirked. In a flash, he unleashed a volley of frost arrows, each one striking true and felling a bandit with ease. Rael moved in, finishing off the survivors with swift strikes and bursts of flame. The bandits had underestimated the power of a Falmer mage and his formidable allies.

With the bandits dispatched, Sivreth approached the ancient Dwemer machinery that guarded the entrance to the Aetherium Forge. He placed the Aetherium Key piece onto the altar with a finality that sent a chill through the air. The metal groaned and shifted, revealing a hidden chamber beyond. An elevator awaited them, descending deep into the earth, the rumble of its descent echoing through the ruins.

The journey down was long and tense, the weight of their destination pressing heavily on their, primarily Sivreth's metaphorical shoulders. Aetherium was such a rare and powerful material, anddwould use it ro create some of the strongest gear in all of Elder Scroll Lore. When the elevator finally came to a halt, they found themselves in a chamber that was the very heart of the Dwemer's power. They made a short journey ahead to the Aetherium Forge. It loomed before them, a massive contraption that pulsed with an otherworldly energy that made even Sivreth's skin crawl.

As they approached, the ground beneath them began to shake, and steam vents hissed open, spurting jets of scalding steam into the air. Dwemer automatons emerged from the shadows, their ancient circuits sparking to life. The group was forced into combat, the steam traps adding an extra layer of danger to an already perilous situation. Sivreth and Rael fought back-to-back, their spells and swords clashing with the mechanical foes, while Merril's illusions danced around the battlefield, confusing and distracting the constructs.

The combat was intense, the air thick with the smell of burning metal and the cries of the defeated. The Dwemer constructs were relentless, but Sivreth's tactical prowess and his companions' skills kept them one step ahead. They dodged and weaved through the steam vents, using them to their advantage to obscure their movements and hide from their enemies' sight. The clank of steel and the whine of gears grew louder as they approached the heart of the forge.

The Forgemaster Dwemer Construct was a monstrosity of ancient technology, towering over them like a metal colossus. Its eyes burned with a cold, blue flame, and its limbs moved with a fluidity that belied its mechanical nature. Sivreth knew that this was not just a guardian, but the very essence of the forge's power made manifest.

'The close proximity to the Forge and its Aetherium properties has affected the Forgemaster...this is going to be much harder than I had thought.' Sivreth thought to himself as he saw the Forgemaster Dwemer Construct approach them, its metallic steps echoing ominously through the chamber.

Merril watched as the constructs grew in number and ferocity, her spells weaving in and out of the steam, creating illusions that danced and taunted the mechanical beasts. Sivreth's movements grew more fluid, his connection to the Thu'um guiding him through the battle like a maestro conducting an orchestra of destruction. Each shout seemed to resonate with the very air around them, and the constructs staggered under the force of his will.

Ever since he had unlocked the ability to comprehend the Thu'um far better than before, using the Skeleton Key, he had been able to use it far more frequently, and was swiftly mastering new Shouts at an accelerated rate.

As Sivreth, Katria, Merril, and Rael faced the Forgemaster Dwemer Construct, the very air grew colder, and the ground trembled beneath their feet. The Forgemaster was a terrifying spectacle of Dwemer ingenuity, its steel limbs whirring and clanking as it approached them with purpose.

Merril cast Illusion spells to distract the constructs, while Sivreth and Rael focused their attacks on the Forgemaster. Their swords and spells bounced off its gleaming armor, leaving no more than glancing blows. The steam vents around them grew more erratic, as if the very earth was trying to scald them. Yet, Sivreth remained unfazed, his eyes fixed on the prize. He knew the power of Aetherium was worth the risk.

As the battle raged on, Sivreth called upon Ahbiilok, who swooped into the chamber with a roar that shook the very foundations. The dragon's breath was a wall of fire that engulfed the remaining constructs, reducing them to molten slag. The heat washed over the group, but they were too focused on their goal to falter.

The Forgemaster, however, was not so easily defeated. It swung its massive hammer-like arm with a force that could cleave a dragon in two. Sivreth and Katria moved in a well-rehearsed dance, dodging and weaving around the blows. Merril and Katria watched in amazement as Sivreth shouted in the ancient tongue of the dragons, his voice resonating through the chamber. The Forgemaster staggered, its movements sluggish, giving Rael an opening to land a critical strike.

Ahbiilok, feeling the pull of his master's call, flew into the chamber, his fiery breath illuminating the darkened space. His presence was a sight to behold, a creature of myth and legend, and even Katria's spectral form seemed to flinch at the sheer power of the dragon. Sivreth, without missing a beat, shouted an order to Ahbiilok, and the dragon responded by blasting the Forgemaster with a concentrated beam of fire, weakening it significantly.

The Forgemaster's armor began to crack and glow red-hot, but it was not enough to bring the construct down. Sivreth knew they needed to work together. He shouted to Merril and Rael to keep the construct occupied while he and Ahbiilok approached the Aetherium Forge. The dragon's fiery breath and Sivreth's mastery of the Thu'um combined to melt the protective casing of the forge, revealing the pulsing Aetherium core within.

Sivreth, ever the greedy person that he is, manipulatd the air to propel him upwards to the Forgemaster's Core where he rippedit out of its chest.

The Forgemaster Dwemer Construct crashed to the ground, lifeless, its core smoking and crackling in Sivreth's hand. The Falmer mage looked around the chamber, the air thick with steam and the smell of burning metal. The battle had taken its toll, but the prize was within reach. He turned to the Aetherium Forge, the blue light from its core pulsating in time with the beating of his heart.

"I can't believe it...the Aetherium Forge, my life's work. At last I found it, and I couldn't have if it were not for your help." Katria said with an exhausted tone, not physically but mentally.

"Ahbiilok," he called out, his voice echoing off the chamber walls. The dragon, still hovering above the fray, swooped down gracefully, his fiery breath dying out as he landed. The steam from the traps billowed around them, creating an ethereal dance of heat and mist.

"It's time. Use the Thu'um in the order I had rehearsed with the you before now. It is time to create it for real. No more practice experiments."

As I said those words I held my Storage Ring out and dropped an assortment and enormous pile of materials onto the floor before I separated them so that they would be used to create the appropriate item.

*******

Shout after Shout, hour after hour.

It had taken two agonizing months to create everything as me and Ahbiilok worked non-stop and tirelessly to perfect each piece of equipment being created.

Katria, Merril and Rael didn't bother to complain or interrupt on the length of time it took, as they all were painfully aware of how serious this endeavour to forge something never seen before is.

Each Shout combined and imbued separate pieces into one, separate materials and Enchantments.

Once the final item was created Sivreth fell to the ground with a *thud* and gazed at the fruit of his labour and efforts.

"Five years of planning...and I finally have it..."

He stared at the pile of items with awe and relief. With these items he can ensure his safety and survival in this world, he has completed Step 1. Now it was the time...for the Snow Prince to return.

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To be continued...The Snow Prince Rises Part 1