The next day the party was up early, packing up what they had brought with them to the palace. They would stop by the blacksmith's to pick up their armor, then make their way out of the city. Nora had counted her funds, and found that between them the companions had under a thousand coins, as well as five of the smaller gems. That would be enough for now. She would need to do some more dungeon delving on the way down to Falkreath to make sure the future was financially secure.

 

“Did Sybille get my message off?” asked Nora, pretty sure that Elisif had taken care of it, but wanting to know for her own peace of mind.

 

“Off last night, and she said that Farengar had received it. Balgruuf should have it by now.”

 

She hoped that Bargruuf would find a way to get the armor to Falkreath. Sybille had been given the password, so the suit should be amenable to people handling it. However, it weighed almost a ton, and this was a muscle powered society. Well, they would figure it out, she hoped.

 

“Thank you for all you have done, Elisif.”

 

“Thank you for what you did for my people. And I'm sorry you couldn't spend time with your Altmer friend at the museum.”

 

“How did you...”

 

“Word travels fast in this city,” said Elisif with a laugh. “And from the noise you made, it sounded like it was epic. Someday. When I'm through mourning Torygg. If that ever happens.”

 

“It will,” said Nora, enfolding the Jarl in a hug. “It will. I know. Just give it time.”

 

“I am so happy that you visited my city, Nora. You are a most remarkable woman, and I expect to see you back here someday. So be careful.”

 

Nora was watching everything on the way out of town, her eyes searching for an assassin around every corner. They stopped by the apothecary to pick up her order in several large leather pouches that were stored in backpacks. Then to the smith, where they tried on their new armor. All had been fit well, and soon they were walking through the main gate and heading along the outer city.

 

Nora felt comfortable in her new chain. Eldawyn had enchanted it with fire and frost resistance, just like the body armor of all of them. Boots carried enchantments to make then blend into the shadows and muffle their noise, while all the helmets heightened hearing and could engage a night eye spell at will. Each warrior's gauntlets had been enchanted to enhance each party members skills. Nora, Eldawyn and Sofia had cantrips that enhanced their casting and magicka, while Lydia and Valdimar were better able to block and strike. Annekke and Elesia, who had only accepted soft gloves, were faster and more accurate with their bows. All wore amulets that gave protection from shock and enhanced their healing. Altogether the new panoply made the party much more effective, and much more difficult to hurt.

 

A loud yelled startled Nora, and her party drew weapons. Fortunately, it was just some early morning drunk, or was he still up from drinking through the night. Whichever, Nora knew she couldn't go on like this for long. Eventually she would drop her guard, and then an assassin could strike.

 

The horses were fine, well cared for, and Nora settled with the stable master. She bought another horse with one of her gems, this time taking most of the change while still tipping. The new horse was packed with gear, the potions and spiced wine distributed between the party and the pack horses. Mounted up they were soon on the road.

 

Nora looked over her party as they moved. Helmets were hung from saddles. It might leave them vulnerable to an ambush, but Nora was not about to press them on it. Her helmet was off as well. They got uncomfortable after a short period, and could be donned relatively quickly.

 

Breathing a sigh of relief, Nora looked back at the city receding behind her. With the exception of the assassin and the dragon it had been an enjoyable visit. And she had made friends. She wasn't unaware of the political ramifications of knowing the Jarl and Legate Rikke, and she hoped to make the acquaintance of Auryen Morellus in the future, but Nora thought more of making true friends than what she could get out of them.

 

Ten miles out of town the next attack came. Nora was enjoying the day, feeling the tension recede under the rays of the sun and the song of birds. She heard the soft twang of a bow, and a black arrow came streaking into her chest. To hit the harden plate of ebony that the smith had attached over her heart at the insistence of her people. It was eight inches around, less than an eighth of an inch thick, and was matched by another on her back. The thin ebony, backed by the chain, was enough, and though the arrow left a shallow dent, it bounced away.

 

Nora grabbed her helmet from her saddle and hastily donned it, just in time to bounce another arrow from its curved surface. She spurred her horse forward and into the woods, looking for the assassin.

 

“No, my Thane,” yelled Lydia, closing right behind on her mount. The rest of the people yelled war cries and followed.

 

The assassin should have called it a bad effort and gotten away. She must had been determined, and ran toward Nora from the side with a glowing sword in hand. The woman underestimated the speed of the Dragonborn, who swung Dawnbreaker down with a swish that the woman barely got her sword up in enough time to ward. Dawnbreaker cut into the other sword, not through, but enough to weaken the blade, which bounced from the head of the assassin. Nora brought the blade back up at speed, then down into the sword again, snapping the blade. She came back down again, hitting the assassin in the head and splitting her skull.

 

The rest of the party had by now gathered, and Nora was concerned for the pack animals, ordering someone to get back out on the road. She dismounted and looked over the assassin, lying dead on the ground in black leather armor. The woman had been armed with the glowing sword, now broken, a knife exactly like the one the man had attacked with the day before, a short horn bow and a quiver of a dozen black arrows.

 

“Poisoned, I presume,” said Annekke, pulling out a wickedly barbed arrow and examining it. “Probably would have gone straight through normal mail. Against yours, especially with the plate, it didn't stand a chance.”

 

“Then thanks to everybody for insisting on the additional armor,” said Nora, still staring at the assassin.

 

Sofia went through the woman's belt pouch and came up with a folded piece of paper, reading it quickly and handing it to Nora.

 

Kill the woman known as Nora Jane Adams. The Black Sacrament had been performed, and failure is not an option.

 

“Well, failure is an option,” said a serious faced Sofia.

 

Nora didn't like being the hunted, but she had to admit that it had gotten Sofia's mind off of her own problems. A mixed blessing to be sure.

 

“She had forty-five gold and one garnet,” said Sofia, finishing her search of the body. “Not much, and I bet she has a stash somewhere out here.”

 

Not worth looking for in Nora's opinion, and she remounted and walked her horse back to the road.

 

“I want us to move fast,” said Nora, looking at her people once they were back on the hard surface. “Push the horses as much as we can without killing them.”

 

“All the way through to Falkreath?” asked Eldawyn.

 

“No, I promised Sybille that we would take care of a vampire coven near Dragonsbridge. But once we're through with that we push on, only stopping to sleep and eat.”

 

“Your training?” asked Annekke.

 

“Can wait until this is done. I want these damned assassins out of my life. Out of the lives of all of Skyrim's people.”

 

*     *     *

 

They rode into Dragonsbridge late afternoon the next day. It was much the same as the last time they had been through. People still going about their business, travelers walking or riding the road in both directions. Including one moderate sized patrol of Imperials checking out the travelers on the south side of the town.

 

“We need to go off road here,” holding out Dawnbreaker and moving it slowing in an arc to the west. The sword was glowing brighter, the gem in the hilt actually pulsing.

 

“How close are they?” asked Annekke, staring at the blade.

 

“I have no idea,” said Nora, shrugging her shoulders. “This is the first time I've ever used it for this purpose.”

 

Sybille had told her that the sword could help her to track undead. She really didn't know the range, only that it would glow brighter when she was near undead. And the more powerful the undead, and the closer, the brighter it would get. Which, the way she figured, could make interpretation quite the chore.

 

“I think that direction,” she said, pointing to a path that went up a hill.

 

They rode up to the top, getting a beautiful view of Dragonsbridge and the river gorge to its west. Looking further up the gorge revealed mile after mile of rugged country, beautiful but a bitch to get across. Nora moved the sword around, watching as the light of the gem waxed and waned.

 

“That way,” she announced, and they moved up another hill, gaining more altitude. The path was rugged, and Nora started thinking that they should have stopped in Dragonsbridge and left the packhorses. But the beasts faithfully struggled up the path, To find, nothing. A sheer cliff loomed ahead, reaching down into another gorge.

 

“Shit,” screamed a tired and frustrated Nora. She had wanted to get here, kill the vampires and move on. And now she had to backtrack and find another way. The unfortunate result of following a device that showed the path as the bird flew, not taking into account the country in between. The sun was starting to go down, and the last thing the Dragonborn wanted to do was stumble around in the dark looking for vampires. “We go back.”

 

“It will be better tomorrow,” said Eldawyn, trying to see the bright side.

 

Nora was second guessing herself all the way back to Dragonsbridge. Things didn't always go as planned, but they had wasted time that Nora thought they didn't have and frustrated everyone. Which made the approach of the Imperial soldiers more galling.

 

“We need to check your belongings,” said a woman in the ornate armor of an officer.

 

Nora was near to exploding from frustration. She needed to kill these vampires so she could get on with hunting down the Dark Brotherhood so they would stop trying to kill her. This day had been a bust, and she wanted nothing more than to get a bath and some food, then fall into a bed and sleep. And some functionary was going to waste her time searching her belongings. She didn't think they would find any contraband, but since she didn't know what they were looking for she wasn't sure.

 

“I am a Thane of Whiterun and Morthal,” she announced, reaching into her mail and pulling out both of the necklaces that confirmed her as such. “I demand that you desist and move on.”

 

“Sorry, Thane,” said the woman. “That may work in the Holds, but we are the Legion.”

 

Nora started thinking about what these four Imperial troopers would look like tumbling through the air when Annekke spoke up and saved the Imperials, allowing Nora a moment to calm.

 

“Take us to the Penitus Oculotus office here in town. I think they can clear everything up.”

 

“Sorry, Thane,” said the officer, sounding like a broken record. “This is not their purview.”

 

“What exactly are you looking for?” asked Eldawyn, doing her best haughty elf impression.

 

“Moon sugar,” stated the woman in a matter of fact tone. “We have been seeing more and more Skooma coming into Haafingar hold. Most is probably coming in by sea, but we found some shipments coming up this road. The cats normally carry it in their caravans, but we found some with a group of Nords. So we have to assume that it could be in any and every group of travelers.”

 

“We're heading south, Lieutenant,” growled Nora, glaring at the young officer.

 

“And since you went out into the wilderness and back, and we stopped you going neither north nor south, we have no way of knowing which direction you were going. So, move your beasts over to that abandoned shack and let us do our job.”

 

Nora had no doubt that the Imperials would find nothing, but there seemed no way out of the search. She walked her horse over to the designated front of the shack, leading one of the pack animals. Dismounting, she watched steaming as a couple of Imperial soldiers unloaded the pack animal and checked everything as they went. More soldiers had appeared, including several archers who stood with strung bows, not participating in the search. There to make sure that no one ran was Nora's thought.

 

“What happened to the owner of this shack?” she asked the officer, deciding she might as well get some information while she had a captive audience.

 

“No one knows. People have been disappearing around here for some time now, and no one knows where they went. Some are saying its vampires.”

 

“And that was what we were looking for when you saw us go off road,” exclaimed Nora, her anger growing again as she thought about all the wasted time.

 

“So you say,” said the officer, holding up a hand and going over to look at one of the satchels of potions. “And what are these?”

 

“Potions. Healing, magicka, stamina, even some cure disease.”

 

“Why so many?”

 

“We're adventurers,” said Annekke, speaking before Nora could blurt out something that might cause them more trouble. “We have to be prepared for anything.”

 

“Soul gems over here, ma'am,” called out one of the troopers, spurring the officer to run over there and look over what obviously wasn't moon sugar.

 

“Okay,” said the woman after a couple of hours of searching. “You seem to be legit. But I have to ask you. Have you paid the tax on these items you have removed from Nordic ruins?”

 

“Tax,” growled Nora, now thinking about immolating the woman. “What fucking tax?”

 

“It's newly implemented,” said the officer with a sneer. “To help pay for the effort of garrisoning Skyrim.”

 

Nora was sure that no such tax existed, but getting into another argument was counterproductive. So she gave the officer the last of her gems, which seemed to satisfy the woman.

 

“Any rumors about caves that need to be avoided?” asked Annekke, again stepping in to let Nora calm down.

 

“Many, if you believe such,” said one of the troopers, earning an angry glare from his officer.

 

Nora wondered if the troops would get any of the shakedown money, or if the officer would keep it all for herself. She stared in disbelief as the officer and the troopers started to walk away, leaving all of the party's belongings laying on the ground.

 

“You're just going to leave these here,” she shouted after the Imperials. “I want your name, so I can report you to Legate Rikke, or maybe even General Tullius.”

 

Using the man's name had the effect Nora was hoping for. The search may have been legitimate, but the tax was something she was sure the general, or the Legate, would have something to say about.

 

“Look,” said the lieutenant in a hushed voice after hurrying back to Nora. “Are you leaving tonight? No, you're going to search for vampires in the morning. So what say I detail a couple of soldiers to watch the horses and your gear through the night.”

 

“And while we're hunting for vampires?” Nora had been sure that the woman had been shaking down travelers for her own profit. While she was sure the search had been legit, since she knew that the Skooma problem was real, having heard about it several times while in Solitude, the tax was not.

 

“I’ll detail some troopers to look after it until you are ready to hit the road,” said the young woman. No mention of returning the gem, and Nora decided to let that slide, since she was sure the vampire den would have a lot of loot. “And I'll prepare a letter that will let you through the south side of the bridge tomorrow.

 

“And you people standing guard here. I don't want to hear from the Thane that anything was missing, or there will be extra duty shifts for all of you.”

 

“Good enough,” said Nora, looking back at her people. “Everyone gather your packs. We're staying in the inn tonight. And bathes for everyone.”

 

That brought some cheers from the tired people.

 

“And we still have time to get in some training,” said Eldawyn with a wicked smile.

 

Nora groaned, but didn't object. She knew she still had a lot of very rough edges, and her friends meant to see her prepared.

 

The inn was as before, with three vacant rooms. Nora took all of them. She took one with Elda, thinking she might get what she needed for a nightmare free sleep. Everyone luxuriated in the bath, and since the innkeep said it would take some hours to change the water, they let Valdimar bathe with them. She was worried about how Sofia would react, but the woman seemed to have no problems with the big Nord, though she did keep her distance.

 

And then it was spell casting one oh one. Wards, light and telekinesis. Smoothing the transitions, getting faster.

 

“You're becoming quite the mage, my dear,” said Eldawyn, lying back on the bed and patting the furs. “Now let's see about some, additional, training.”

 

*     *     *

 

“There was a problem during the night,” said the young officer as Nora and company walked into the front yard of the abandoned hut.

 

“What kind of problem?”

 

“The early morning shift arrived to find that the soldiers on duty had deserted,” exclaimed the officer.

 

Nora felt a chill run down her spine, the sense that something evil had occurred here.

 

“They know the penalty for desertion. Please check to make sure all of your belongings are intact.”

 

“Look over our gear,” she told her people, then turned back to the officer while pulling her sword. The gem on the cross-guard glowed bright. “They didn't desert. They were taken.”

 

“Vampires?” mouthed the young officer, eyes wide.

 

“Look. We're going on a search for their lair. If your people are still alive we'll bring them back.”

 

The party set out a half an hour later, their horses lightly burdened, with plenty of net and leather satchels packed away in case they found a largess in the den. The went north for about a mile, then onto a side path that led up into the hills. Nora was hoping they would find the men alive, but thought that really a futile hope.

 

The path meandered for several miles, gradually sloping up until they were on a plateau. The options opened up for them, and Nora wasn't sure where to go, until Annakke found a helmet. They rode in that direction, finding some more items, a sword, a waterskin, all the worse for weathering, showing that the taken had been led along this path for some time.

 

“Spread out,” ordered Nora when they got to a clearing. “Search for a cave. But stay in sight.” The sword brightened when pointed in the direction where the trace was the strongest, but that was just the rock of the plateau.

 

“Clairvoyance, Nora,” said Eldawyn from close by.

 

Nora could have hit herself in the head. She had forgotten all about the useful spell. She concentrated on vampires and cast the spell, watching as the line of blue smoke pointed the way, through some shrubs to a hidden path beyond.

 

The Dragonborn had to admit that these vampires were better at hiding their lair than the ones in Morthal. There were no bones, no bloody trophies. But the feel of evil rising from the cave was palpable.

 

“Everyone comes,” she said, looking over her followers. “We'll leave the horses tethered.”

 

She hadn't seen any carnivores on the way here, though there had been bones. Vampires had been known to take animals as well as people, and it looked like this coven had depopulated the plateau.

 

“Annekke and I lead, followed by Elda and Sofia. Valdimar and Lydia next. And Elesia, I want you on trailing watch. Use those wonderful senses of yours to make sure that nothing is coming in behind us. And be careful. I don't want you snatched away.”

 

“Me either,” said the observer with a nervous laugh. “You know, I really hate the blood suckers.”

 

“Turn your fear into anger,” said Lydia, patting Elesia on the back. “And show them no mercy.”

 

“But, you're fearless,” stammered Elesia, glancing nervously about. “You always charge in.”

 

“That is because I am frightened near death, shield sister,” said Lydia with a slight smile. “Attacking at once takes the decision away from me, lest I go running away in fear.”

 

Nora was surprised at the admission from her Housecarl, one of the bravest people she had ever been around. It made sense, since Nora had done much the same many times, and her respect for Lydia grew.

 

It was dark inside the cavern, really too dark to see much, and before getting the new helmets Nora would have been ordering torches lit or magelight cast. Both of which would have given them away all the way in. Engaging the night eye enchantments of the helmets made the darkness day. Not quite, and there was some distortion, but no more than she had experienced with her high-tech night vision gear.

 

They stalked forward, the enchantments on armor enhancing the hard-earned stealth of Nora and Annekke. Boots touched the ground without a sound, and the good habits of the two leaders still served them in good stead. They came across the first guard, from the feel of him in Nora's senses a thrall, without him noticing. The man was looking the other way, back into the cavern, a rookie mistake. Nora signaled to Annekke, then cat footed it forward with knife in hand. A quick grab, a jerk, a slide of the ultra-sharp blade, and she was lowering the body to the floor without a sound.

 

Voices ahead, at least a trio involved in conversation, told the pair that it was bow time. Nora could sense the evil radiating from at least one figure as they came into sight. The trio were outlined in torch light, while the two scouts were in the shadows. That would work well against the thralls, one of whom was looking right at them and not detecting them. She knew the vampires had very good night vision, and didn't expect the cover to work against them. She tapped Annekke on the arm and pointed to the vampire, then to herself and one of the thralls. Admitting that Annekke was still better with the bow, she wanted her friend to take down the biggest threat.

 

The bows twanged at the same time, and arrows sprouted in two bodies. The thrall fell dead, the vampire sank to one knee and the woman reacquired. Annekke sent another arrow into the vampire while Nora hit the still turning thrall, and the chamber was clear. But someone had noticed something, and voices approached down the tunnel on the other end.

 

“Everyone forward,” hissed Nora, moving into the room and taking the center position. The others fanned out to the sides, while Elesia turned and looked down the way they had come. Nora reminded herself quickly to praise the woman for taking her rear-guard duties so seriously. She knew from experience that it was hard to face away from the action when given that position, and it showed a sense of discipline that she hadn't thought the woman possessed.

 

A dozen people came pouring out of the tunnel, weapons in hand. Four of them started to streak forward with the speed of vampires, fangs bared and swords at the ready. Just what Nora had been waiting for.

 

“Fus Ro,” she shouted, and the quartet staggered to a halt, then fell back. Nora drew Dawnbreaker, the sword glowing like the sun in the presence of so many undead, and she ran forward with speed, slicing the blade through the center most vampire. The monster burst into flame as the blade cut in through a shoulder, dropping with a scream of fear and agony that was like music to the Dragonborn's ears. She pivoted and swung another slice through a vampire’s neck, sending the burning head into the air as the creature crumbled away. Another turn and Dawnbreaker was sheathed in the breast of the third vampire, who expired on her feet and crumbled into dust.

 

The last vampire decided that discretion was the order of the day and ran away, her speed making her a blur as she retreated into the tunnel.

 

“That was the last of them,” stated Valdimar, drawing his hammer back from the crushed skull of a thrall.

 

Nora was satisfied to note that all of her people were on their feet, none noticeably injured. Whether because of skill or because of their new armor she knew not, and it didn't really matter to her. They were still good to go, and there was at least one more vampire to hunt down. She suspected more.

 

They moved through the tunnel swiftly but silently, finding a couple of set traps and avoiding them. Another empty room that slowed them down as they made sure it was truly empty. Another tunnel, then some shouted voices ahead. A fireball came rushing up the tunnel and burst among them. There were cries of pain, but all were still up thanks to their enchantments. Nora, Eldawyn and Sofia quickly threw healing spells into all, including themselves, not taking care of all the damage, but making themselves combat ready.

 

“Elda, Sofia,” said Nora, shouting out commands like a born war leader. “You lead with me. And get ready with the fire. Elesia, up with Annekke. The Housecarls watch our rear.”

 

The pair of mages nodded and moved up even with Nora, Annekke falling back and readying an arrow while Recorder moved up to stand with her. Nora was heartened by the way they had all responded so quickly to her commands, like the best military units she had ever led. With a nod of her head the three mages moved forward quickly, wards at the ready.

 

Lightning struck them as soon as they entered the chamber, deflected by the wards. Another set of bolts, then one of the vampires yelling instructions to the others, who seemed confused.

 

“Fire,” shouted Nora, and all three mages dropped their wards and sent fireballs into the center of the vampires. They went up like oily rags, screaming in pain and terror. Within seconds their ashes were littering the floor, and the remaining thralls dropped their weapons and stared in confusion at their liberators.

 

“Was that all?” asked Elesia.

 

“I don't feel any evil,” said Nora, smiling. “I think it was.”

 

“Hurrah,” said Elesia. “Death to the blood suckers. And let the looting begin.”

 

There was a lot of loot. Thousands of septims, hundreds of gems of all types. Soul gems, armor, weapons, potions. More than they could carry. The former thralls were loaded up and told that they could keep what they had. Something to allow them to integrate back into a normal life. Which still left hundreds of pounds of coin they couldn't pack out.

 

They found one particularly disturbing cavern, the smell of rot leading them there. Bodies, hundreds of them. Nords, Imperials, Bretons, Khajiit, Elves and Argonians. Many that were so far gone that they were no longer recognizable as any race. Bones everywhere, bodies interspersed, and in one corner a pair of Imperials, still in their armor, drained. Nora set the freshest bodies alight, making sure they wouldn't rise again, though the vampires had seemed to have taken pains to throttle any competition. Still, they had taken many people, and Nora felt a deep sense of sorrow at all the lives the evil bastards had cut short.

 

They left the cavern fully healed and packing enough riches to keep the expedition going for some time. Nora was thinking it might be time to improve her living arrangements in Whiterun, something that could act as more of a base for her and her people.

 

The party reached Dragonsbridge by early afternoon, and she approached the young officer, who had been waiting for word of her men.

 

“Dead, I'm afraid,” she told the officer, who to her credit took it hard. “The vampires are dead. All of them.”

 

“I had really expected I had seen the last of you when you went on the hunt,” said the woman. “But I'm happy that I am wrong.”

 

“There's more. We packed out a lot of stuff that we're going to take with us. But there was an equal amount or more still in that cavern. Certainly enough to help finance the Legion in Skyrim.”

 

Nora and party rode off not knowing if the officer was going to turn those riches over to her Empire or keep it herself, and not really caring. She rode with a sense of sorrow over all who had been taken by the vampires, along with a feeling of accomplishment at wiping out another of the truly horrible threats to this land. There were more. Just like in the Commonwealth there would always be more.

 

*     *     *

 

The party stopped and dismounted in mid-afternoon, near a trio of wagons that sat on the side of the road, wrecked and overturned. Their pulling horses lay dead nearby, a strange arrow protruding from one of them.

 

“What happened here?” Nora asked one of two guards in the livery of Whiterun who were standing around while a third, and officer by the look of him, poked around the wagons.

 

“None of your business,” growled one of the guards, glaring at her.

 

“I'm making it my business,” said Nora in her most authoritative voice, pulling her Whiterun Thane necklace into clear sight.

 

“Sorry, Thane,” said the man, bowing his head. “I'm so used to gawkers coming by.” The man whistled and waved to his officer, down by the far wagon.

 

“We have a Thane of our Hold asking about the wagons, sir.”

 

“You dolt,” hissed the wide-eyed officer. “That's the Dragonborn. If you said any uncivil words to her I will have your balls.”

 

“No problem, Lieutenant,” said Nora with a laugh. “I can understand why he was impatient.” As she was speaking travelers passed by going north and south, all craning their necks to get a look at the scene. The guards were probably dealing with questions every couple of minutes. The same questions, the same answers, and of course they had grown surly.

 

“So what happened here?”

 

“Falmer is what happened, my Lady,” said the officer. “The bastards creep out of their caves at night and slaughter anything they can catch. Then retreat back to their caverns where we don't dare give chase. They killed some of the people here, and took the rest with them. No telling what will happen to those poor bastards.”

 

“Uh oh,” said Sofia, rolling her eyes. “I see another cavern in our future.”

 

“Where is the entrance to this cavern?” asked Nora, her eyes locking on an abandoned camp across the river.

 

“About where you're looking, my Lady. Around the bend in the rocks and about a mile on.”

 

“Then we'll be taking a look,” said Nora. She wasn't sure what Falmer were, but they sounded like bad news, and if they had taken captives, Nora doubted they would ever again see the light of day. Unless she intervened.

 

“That's a bad idea, Nora,” said Eldawyn, coming up beside her. “Those things are the remains of the snow elves that used to rule this land. Twisted in their service to the Dwemer, they are pure evil.”

 

“Well, I'm going to investigate, maybe free some captives. If the rest of you want to come with me I'll accept the help. If not, I guess I'll be going it alone.”

 

Nora knew that they wouldn't let her go off by herself. All rode their horses across the ford with her, then followed her up the path to the cave entrance. There were a couple of bears they slew with arrows, much to the regret of Nora, who for the most part liked bears. But they were in the way and refused to run away, so there was nothing else the party could do.

 

“Elesia, you and Lydia watch the horses.” There were too many people passing within sight on the road across the river, and she wouldn't put it past some of them to see some abandoned horses, loaded with gear, and decide they had hit the jackpot.

 

“I would stay at your side, my Thane,” said Lydia, frowning.

 

“I know you would, but we need to work out a rotation, and it's your time to watch the horses.”

 

“I wouldn't mind keeping watch,” said Sofia, shivering. “I really don't want to face those bastards.”

 

“And I think I will need your magic,” said Nora, keeping her voice calm and soothing. “If you insist, then you can keep watch. But I'd hate to think we needed your spells and you weren't there.”

 

That got the woman, and she nodded and followed as Nora entered the cave. They walked down a short incline and found themselves waist deep in cold water. Not the best way to start a mission, but Nora had waded through much worse in her adventures across the Wastelands. Still, she cringed at the noise they were making wading.

 

“It's not good to make noise,” whispered Sofia, moving slowly so she wouldn't be the noisiest one among them. “The damned things are blind, but they make up for it with their hearing.”

 

So our Night Eye helms won't be as much of an advantage here, thought the frowning Nora, bow out and arrow ready as she slogged ahead. An arrow came out of nowhere and struck her in the chest, bounced away by her ebony plate. Another hit her arm and bounced from the mail. It was good to know that even the parts of her not protected by the two plates were also well guarded.

 

Eldawyn sent a sphere of magelight ahead, illuminating a pair of Falmer on a raised stone walkway. They were disgusting creatures, bent and sinister, with wrinkled faces and no eyes, sharp teeth in snarling mouths. Nora and Annekke took them down, sinking shafts into their chests and knocking them from the  platforms to the water.

 

The party moved forward, letting Nora get a better look at the creatures, and she was sorry she had. They were as repulsive as feral ghouls as far as she was concerned. While she had felt some sympathy at hearing the story of how they had been driven underground by the Nords, and given a bad deal by the Dwemer, actually seeing them engendered nothing but loathing. Sofia looted the bodies, something she loved to do, coming up with some strange looking silver coins and a garnet, retrieving the arrows and handing them back to the scouts.

 

Once up on the walkway, which stretched around through the cavern over the water, they could again move silently, giving the Falmer no warning. The hearing of the once snow elves might have been heightened, but it didn't make up for lack of vision. They were almost always spotted first, and though their arrows were accurate enough, they obviously shot center mass when firing on opponents they heard, while Nora and Annekke were almost always getting first kill shots.

 

Ice spikes came in from nowhere, hitting both the point women. The spikes were stopped by the enchanted armors, though there was enough bleed through of cold to let them know they had been hit. Annekke rapid fired arrows toward the source of the magic, while Nora called up fire in her right hand and sent a ball along the path of the ice spikes. It illuminated the cavern as it passed, finally highlighting a quintet of Falmer crouching at the end of the walkway, two with bows, two with hands glowing blue. The fireball exploded, and suddenly the Falmer cared for nothing more than getting their bodies into the water. The ball from Eldawyn, followed up by one from Sofia, put an end to the struggles of all but one, and that warrior was flopping around in the water trying to put out the flames on his armor.

 

There were more Falmer they had to fight through, then some disgusting looking insect like creatures that spit poison. Nora poured healing into Annekke to stay ahead of the poison, stopping when the woman nodded at her with a smile.

 

“Good to have so many mages along,” said the ranger.

 

Nora could see cages ahead, humans and two Khajiit inside and staring wide eyed at their approaching rescuers. One of the Khajiit was waving frantically, pointing all around, and Nora read his intentions perfectly fine.

 

“Ambush ahead. And hostages close. So no area spells. Throw everything away from those cages and go for point damage.”

 

The two mages nodded, while Annekke prepared by gripping three arrows in the fingers of her right hand while Valdimar readied himself for some smashing. They crept along another thirty yards when Nora saw some of the Falmer congregating in the shadows that were laid bare by Night Eye. She point out one group to Annekke, another to Elda, and readied a shout.

 

“Feim,” she shouted, jogging forward at the same time, yelling at the top of her lungs to draw fire. A dozen arrows streaked through her, passing her immaterial form without harm. Another dozen followed, doing no more good than the first.

 

Annekke had put three arrows into the Falmer that were her targets in the meantime, killing most of that clutch. Eldawyn sent ice spikes into another gathering, dropping several and scattering the rest, while Sofia and Valdimar ran to catch up with their leader, who was now surounded by a score of Falmer who were threatening to overwhelm her.

 

Nora had out Dawnbreaker and was swinging fast and accurate strikes into the Falmer. Valdimar brought his hammer down, crushing one of the elves, raising it back up quickly to set up another strike. Sofia cut down one close Falmer with her Daedric sword, sending a blast of flames at some more who were trying to come in on their flanks.

 

The last remaining Falmer broke off, running away in his clumsy gait. To fall with an arrow through the back of his head, the victim of Annekke's bow.

 

“This cat has never seen anything like that,” said one of the Khajiit. “You were truly magnificent. Now, please let us out of these cages.”

 

That sentiment was echoed by the humans and elf, and as soon as the key was found on one of the Falmer bodies they had the doors open and were on their way, only waiting for Sofia to finish looting.

 

“There's sure to be more further in,” said the woman, greed now overcoming her fear. She already had a bag of gems and quite a few coin purses.

 

“I want out of here,” said Eldawyn, and Nora agreed.

 

“We've got enough, and I want to get these people to safety.”

 

They reached the entrance to the cave without incident, then made it to the road as the sun was getting close to the horizon. Nora handed a gem to each of the nine captives they had freed, something to help them get back to their lives despite their losses.

 

“I didn't really think to see you again,” said the Whiterun Hold guard officer.

 

“They were magnificent,” said one of the humans they had rescued. “They cut down hundreds of the bastards. Then blasted them to pieces with magic.”

 

“It was no more than a couple of score,” said Nora with a laugh, though thinking about the beings they had ended still sent a shudder through her.

 

They made camp a mile down the road, gathering wood and making a large fire, then pitching their tents. Nora wanted to wash the stench of the Falmer lair from her, so she waded into the cold river in her small clothes, taking them off and giving them a good soaking. Her people joined her, also wanting to wash the foul odor of Falmer away. They finally stood around the fire, drying and warming, while their clothes sat on the branches of a nearby tree.

 

I need to get some stress unloaded, thought Nora, settling into a fighting stance near the fire and going through her paces. She was still naked, but she thought it wasn't anything the other members of the party hadn't seen. She started moving slowly, going through the graceful motions, punches, knife hands, palm strikes, followed by her whole repertoire of kicks. She spent almost an hour going through the routine, her people watching her, sitting in the nude around the fire and absorbing the warmth. She finished with a high side kick, leaving her foot fully extended as she pivoted on the other. She felt good, muscles warm and tired, stretched out completely.

 

“That is most distracting, my Thane,” said Valdimar with a laugh.

 

Nora looked over at the man, noting that he was semi-erect, and thought of something even more distracting. She set the guard shifts in her mind, leaving the Nord man off the rotation. No, he would be called up to give his all to her and Elda, and she didn't want him doing anything but sleeping in exhaustion afterward.