Chapter 3: His Lord's Legacy

"It was your pendant," Randjolf said pointing at Zein's chest.

The boy looked at his chest and took out a round blue pendant from inside his shirt. Its hue was the same as Zein's eyes. "Huh? How so? Isn't this just a stone – err, gift you gave me three years ago?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at his father.

"That's no ordinary stone son... It is enchanted with magic, don't ask me, your mother made it so I don't know anything about it besides it reacts to its twin pendant when you are in distress," Randjolf explained as he also took out a similar pendant from his chest, this time it had orange-red hue to it. — "Mine does two reactions. First, it will emit light, and depending on how close it is to its twin will determine its distance, the closest is the brightest. Second, the pendant vibrates depending on how grave the danger is, the same goes with the light, it vibrates stronger, well you get the idea."

"I see..." he responded as he looked both at his and his father's pendant, but still bothered by his thoughts, he decided to ask for more questions and explanations. 

"So, how can it tell that I'm in danger?" the boy asked

"As I said, I don't know anything about it besides its ability to react when you're in trouble."

"Why didn't it react, when I fell down the stairs?" Zein asked raising his eyebrows.

Randjolf held on to its beard and started to play with it, "Ah, well you don't know that. That was three moons ago, right? I was at Whiterun with a business with the Jarl, it did react a little emitting a very dim light. I was worried, but I trusted Rayya so I didn't let it bother me much that time. After I came back Rayya told me you fell from the stairs but it was nothing life-threatening." he explained.

"I see." Zein said realizing, "So, yesterday... It made a brighter glow?"

"Indeed. But it was the first time it ever glowed as bright as a star. At the same time, it vibrated like an earthquake and even floated, guiding us to where we found you lying in the tunnels." Randjolf explained, his voice shaking and his face starting to frown as he remembered what happened yesterday, clenching his beard.

The boy held his small hands to his chin as he started to create his hypothesis, "Perhaps, this time was life-threatening? As you mentioned earlier, it reacts to the level of danger where I'm in. Well comparing with the stairs incident." he stated while looking slightly above the ceiling.

Randjolf, still terrified remembering that time, but felt relieved at the same time so his frown turned into a grin, "You are as smart as your mother." He said in a compliment as he kept his hand away from his beard.

Upon hearing his father's compliment, he looked into his old man's eyes and lowered his hands as he felt his heart racing but decided to not give in and kept his calm. "Heh," he grunted as he shrugged his shoulders while rolling his eyes at his father.

"What?" Randjolf said raising his eyebrows, frustrated by his son's reaction.

"Well, this is the first time you complimented me." he shrugged, "Anyways, I simply went to a tunnel. How did it even threaten my life?" he asked changing the subject.

"That tunnel wasn't ordinary. I was more impressed than intrigued by how you found it. It's a hidden passage that leads to a specific location outside the outer walls. It was established by our Lord years ago, perhaps even decades. It was intended as an escape route in case of a siege. Fortunately, it has never been used for that purpose. The tunnel is filled with traps and sealed perfectly unless activated properly." Randjolf explained — "About what threatened your life weren't those traps as you haven't reached that area just yet, it was because of-" he continued but was interrupted.

Zein flicked his fingers as he interrupted his father, "Air? Knowing that it was sealed tight, I probably lost consciousness due to its lack of air right? And if I were to be there long enough then I could've... Died..." Zein said. — "Right... Why haven't I thought of that ahead before I went to the tunnel?" he thought, imagining a palm landing on his face.

Randjolf felt impressed rather than annoyed by the interruption "Correct" — "This boy, how many books has he been reading all this time? But to think he'd understand everything he reads without consulting any of us. I'd say, he is rather brilliant for his young age, " he thought while unconsciously spreading a grin across his face.

"There are two things I want to ask you, please answer me this time Father." The boy requested.

"I can't promise anything, but sure, ask right away."

"Who was your 'Lord'? Was it the High King?" the boy asked emphasizing the word: Lord.

"What? High King Ulfric? No... But I did serve his majesty once during the Civil War, that was the time when my Lord and I were mere companions..." Randjolf stayed silent for a moment but reading the determined look from his son's eyes, he decided to give in. "My Lord, the only person I respected before my life, we started as a mere companion but soon after many life and death situations, I decided to serve him as my lord instead of a mere companion. He was called by many names —"

"Can't you just tell me his name?" the boy interrupted showing impatience in his face.

The Father raised his eyebrow annoyed, "Boy, could you not interrupt me? Now let me finish, this is the first time I tell you a story about me, so listen carefully." he said as didn't want to spoil his momentum. — "Now where were we?"

"The names..."

"Okay so, my Lord was called by many names as he was respected by many great factions within Skyrim—..." The old man stated then paused mid-sentence

"What's with the long pause? Just tell me already." The boy grunted in impatience.

"This child..." Randjolf thought, annoyed by the boy's impatience. But he moved on, raising his head with a proud grin spreading across his face. "He earned all the titles of Thane of all Skyrim's Holds..." 

—"All Skyrim's Hold? If I remember correctly, there are about nine holds, namely: Falkreath, where our Manor was built; The Rift, The Reach, Haafingar, Whiterun, Eastmarch, Winterhold, The Pale, and Hjaalmarch. And to become a thane you need to achieve great deeds for each Hold." the boy thought in admiration. — "And if my books didn't fail me, a hold is a large area of land roughly equivalent to a county. Each hold is governed by a Jarl" —

"He gained the title worthy of the Harbinger of the Companions..."

— "I don't know much about the Companions, but it's interesting, I should hit the manor's library later." the boy shrugged in his mind as he continued to listen to his father. —

"He became the Arch-Mage of the College of Winterhold..."

— "Damn! He once became the head of the College of Winterhold too? I wish to study there someday!" he thought with admiration "The College of Winterhold, located in the northern section of the city of Winterhold. It's a place to study magic!" —

"Became a guild master of the infamous Thieves Guild..."

— "Thieves Guild? What's that? Is that guild something impressive? I mean, did I hear it right, Thieves?" he thought to himself, confused whether to be admired or disappointed. — "So your Lord's a thief now?" the boy asked interrupting his father. 

Randjolf's face turned into a frown gazing at his son unable to resist his annoyance for getting interrupted many times...

"Okay... Okay, continue..." Zein said scratching his head after noticing his father's annoyed face. 

Continuing once more, Randjolf's face turned back into a prideful grinning face as he proceeded, "He also became the champion of all the nine divines, as well as some Daedric Princes."

"Is that even possible? I mean don't the Divines and Daedric Princes dislike each other, do they?" the boy asked. "Divines, there are nine in Tamriel — Tamriel is one of the continents of Nirn, it's where Skyrim is. — If I remember correctly there were six gods and three goddesses. And the Daedric Princes from what I read, there were seventeen." he thought trying to remember his books.

"No, but my Lord was someone who was favored by both Divines and Daedric Princes. But I don't know much about it as he kept most of its information discreet about it." the old man gracefully answered. — "Now let me continue..." he said then his son nodded in agreement.

"He had feats, not any ordinary people can achieve, but the greatest was..." The old man paused as his grin shifted to a beaming smile. — "If you learn what it was, I'm sure you'll know who he is." he said as he turned his gaze toward the window behind Zein's bed.

The boy noticed the gesture from his father's eyes, so in curiosity, he also looked behind him. At first, he didn't get it as there were too many things that he could see from his room, but after focusing his eyes, a tall figure stood just a few meters from his room. "Ah! WHAT!?" he said as he was shocked in disbelief elevating his voice as he looked back at his father's face.

Randjolf with a wide smiley face, nodded with pride. "His greatest achievement was to save Nirn from the infamous world eater, Alduin."

"Nirn, it's the name of the planet of mortals... Our world." the boy thought — "Then your lord..." he gasped with his eyes popping out and jaws dropped.

"Yes! Ysmir, Dragon of the North as the Greybeards named him. Dragons called him Dovahkiin... Or Dragonborn in the common tongue." Randjolf proudly stated as he continued the words from his son.

"So cool..." the boy admired as he was afflicted by his father's beaming face. — "The Greybeards, an ancient and honored order that dwell in their mountain sanctuary High Hrothgar, which is located on the highest mountain peak in Tamriel, the Throat of the World, I feel proud for it to stand here in our very region of Skyrim. Then the Dragonborns... They are the ultimate dragonslayers, they said they can absorb the souls of slain dragons and permanently kill them. I don't know much about them since I haven't read all the books describing a Dragonborn or Dragons." he thought.

Hearing this from his son, Randjolf raised his chin even higher indicating his pride that he once served a great man. "I know. HOHO!" he exclaimed while making a weird noise. But it didn't last long...

"But where is he now? You seem to be the same age." the boy asked in curiosity.

Upon hearing these words, Randjolf quickly shifted to a gloomy mood. "He's..." he said but paused as he lowered his chin and looked down to his lap like someone who lost their pride.

...