On the Road to Ruin I

Looking back to the girls I tell them, "Alright, it's time to take care of Kasia's mission. Our last detour will be to Windhelm. I need to take care of some business there and it's the nearest town to the camp Marcus suggested. That good with everyone?"

"So long as it doesn't result in me being bound and gagged again, I only like that after a serious bender. Unless it gives you any naughty ideas, Silvy. I meant I would be arrested for disorderly conduct, obviously." Sophia says with a wink.

"She thinks that is a good idea, Fluffy." M'rissi says with cheeks still flushing slightly everytime our eyes meet and she looks away from me coquettishly.

"Thank you Silvantus... I appreciate the urgency." Kasia says with a nod before beginning to pack up her things.

"With that settled, lets go!" I say after packing up our goods and supplies, before a strange sense of vertigo washes over me as I feel the world shift around me causing me to stumble slightly.

{Off in the distance, Mauricurio feels a strange shift in the mana of the world that disorients him before he shakes it off and the feeling passes before the memory of this shift disappears as well...}

"Fluffy!"

"Silvy!"

"Silvantus!"

The girls shout in shared concern jointly helping to steady me as that feeling passes and I'm able to stand up.

"Weird..." I feel I need to check my character screen but curse at the fact I can only do it during a rest, which I can't do since I can't risk the brotherhood abducting me.

"Is that all you have to say?! Stupid Fluffy! You had her worri-... Err... She is not worried! Who said she is worried?!" M'rissi panics while pouting and glaring at me.

"I was worried, I thought I would be the only one giving you weak knees, Silvy." Sophia says with a smirk and laugh, that seems slightly... Forced?

"Are you okay, Silvantus? Are you sure you are ready to travel?" Kasia asks in genuine concern as her previous dower expression lightens if ever so slightly.

"I'm fine, probably a little woozy from not having breakfast after that strenuous night I had." I say reassuring them as I grab a bite to eat and we finish packing before heading out on the road to Windhelm.

"If you're sure you're okay now..." Kasia trails off with her dower mood returning.

"I know strenuous night time activities always leave me weak in the knees." Sofia qwips with a smirk as she seems more relaxed after my reassurance.

"Okay, but you must tell her if you feel dizzy again... Not that she cares about you or anything!" M'rissi exclaims in a pout after catching herself showing some concern.

"I promise kitten." I say, running my hand through her hair occasionally rubbing her ears as we walk along the road.

"S-stop that! Don't invade her personal s-space! You, you, Fluf-... ~Puuuurrrrrr~" M'rissi starts to protest before she loses her train of thought and begins purring happily.

With Kasia lost in her own thoughts, Sofia is left stewing before she takes my free hand and locks it in her arms before saying with a sultry smirk, "If you're preferential to petting a kitty I have one that could use some attention... There's this adorable stray out by the outpost."

I roll my eyes as we continue on walking for several hours before the sun starts to set and stars begin to rise with the moons.

We decide to set up camp, but as the girls' energy seems to begin to wane with our day of travel reaching its end, I oddly feel invigorated as the moons presence grow in the sky. My senses seem to be turned up to 11 as I feel the movement of forest creatures nearby, a deer, several rabbits in a burrow, a nest of birds resting for the night.

The mental fatigue that has been accumulating from my lack of sleep seems to be mounting as I feel a deep need to close my eyes and rest, but I know I can't risk it so I decide to prowl around the camp all night and wait for the girls to wake up,

Once everyone is up, we pack our things and carry on to Windhelm. I notice though, that as the moons set and the sun rises, that that invigorated feeling leaves me and I feel that fatigue rush over me with a vengeance… God, I wish I had energy drinks… I wonder if my alchemy skill was high enough if I could make them? I ponder to myself as the rest of our journey is left uneventful as we reach the exterior gates of Windhelm.

Going through the gates I see Angrenor harassing a dark elf woman, causing my blood to boil.

"Hey, maybe the reason these greyskins don't help in the war, is because they're imperial spies!" Angrenor shouts accusatorially.

"Imperial spies! You can't be serious?" The woman retorts in shock.

"Maybe we'll pay you a visit tonight little spy, we got ways of finding out what you really are…" Rolff sneers before they start to walk away.

"Hey! Dumb and Dumber, where do you think you're going?!" I shout to them getting their attention.

"What's it to you, long tooth!" Angrenor retorts.

"I don't like bigoted, bullies and I love putting them in their place!" I shout raising my fists towards Angrenor and Rolf with a sneer.

"Hey, Rolff, looks like this greenskin here needs to be taught a lesson bout respectin' their betters!" Angrenor shouts while throwing a telegraphed right hook to my face which I dodge with ease before bringing my knee firmly into his gut and knocking him to the side.

Just in time to catch Rolff's swing and bending his fist backwards until it will almost snap causing him to scream out.

"AAAAHHH!!!" Rolff shouts before I silence him with a quick punch to the face.

Leaving the two bigots wallowing in their defeat, I turn to the dark elf woman.

"Thank you, Sera. This place is not worthy of your presence. My name is Suvaris Atheron, may I have the name of my defender?" Suvaris asks with a grateful smile.