So here we are.  Treva's Watch.  Today, it's Kintyra.  Thought I'd give Fortuna a rest.  But also, maybe she can fill in some gaps in my knowledge as we go along.  I am literally four years old with the brain and body of a fourteen-year-old.  So by the grace of not being on this planet for very long, a lot of things are new to me.

 

As we passed near Largashbur, a group of goblins passed us.  Oddvar and I put our hands on our weapons, but Fortuna stopped us.

"Look, they're not hostile," she said.

 

 

The lead goblin nodded to us absentmindedly like he was passing us in a city street.  I noticed they had the Largashbur symbols on their armor.  

"Huh," I shrugged.

 

We could see Treva's Watch from the road - though it was set back quite a distance.  We were attacked by a small pack of wolves, though we didn't think they had anything to do with the bandits.  Between the four of us (especially the fireball staff Sinidar unveiled, and Fortuna and I with Bound Bows) they didn't even get close.  Well, one did, but I slapped him with a Bound Whip and kicked him in the head.

 

 

I smirked at Fortuna, "Thanks for teaching me these couple spells."

She nodded, "You three seem to have been taught how to handle yourselves."

"My dad taught me a little, I'm not great at magic yet, but staves are useful," Sinidar nodded.

"Mom and dad weren't going to let us grow up without being able to defend ourselves," Oddvar commented.

"Though," I added, "The timetable really moved forward when we got the big splash."

Sinidar laughed, "Perhaps that's what we should call the defining event that robbed us of our childhoods, the Big Splash."

We all laughed, but the way he said that... I could tell it struck a nerve.  Thank the gods we'd stopped accelerating.  One little bit of Life Waters will only do so much, I guess.

 

We crept closer.  I looked at Fortuna, "So, fellow thief, how should we approach this?"

She stared back for a second, then shrugged, "I dunno.  I figured you would lead.  You seem the strongest personality here."

 

"You kidding?  You have knowledge of the future.  What better person to make the decisions?" I asked.

We looked at Sinidar and Oddvar.

"Don't look at me," Sinidar said, "I'm along for the ride."

"I'd rather be a hammer.  Point where to hit and I'll hit," Oddvar replied.

"Well, there's probably a sewer," Fortuna replied.

 

"That sounds smart..." I started.

But then a flurry of movement at the fort.  We peered up to men going for their bows, then they started taking shots at us.

"Okay, guess we don't have this stealth thing down yet," I said, "Let's keep our distance, draw them out of the walls.  They'll probably come out and try to end it because we're a bunch of kids.  Then we'll show them what we can do."

"See?  You'd make an excellent leader, Princess," Fortuna smiled at me.

I scoffed, "Momma always told me being a princess doesn't make you special.  You need to prove yourself, just like anybody else."

 

 

We got behind a small copse of trees and high grass and watched them.  After a minute, a small group came out the left side.  Fortuna drew a regular arrow and I summoned a Bound Bow.  We both got a shot and down the first man in the line.  The second one in the group saw us and charged, yelling at the top of his lungs.  As he reached the trees, a shirtless man with wolf skin on his back, I got him with a bound arrow in the shoulder - then Oddvar popped out and clobbered him in the back of the head, sending him unconscious into the grass.  

 

 

Arrows were flying in our direction now.

"Stealth definitely would've been preferable!" I shouted.

Fortuna tapped Sinidar on the shoulder, making a hand sign and pointing to the archers, grouped up on the wall.

He didn't get the signal, but he did recognize his cue.  Sinidar pointed his staff and blasted them, causing them to fall off in flames.

They shared a wordless smile.

 

Perched behind the tree, I was aiming for more archers on the walls to return fire.

"Gods, how many are there?" Sinidar asked.

"Ten to fifteen?  This is going to take some strategy," I replied.

 

I was snapped back to attention by a sound - Oddvar shouting.  He was moving toward the wall!

I looked at Sin and Fort, "What the..."

"He's your brother!" Sinidar said back.

 

I sighed, running out into the open field and trading arrows with the guards on the wall.  But also drawing their attention.  Oddvar passed under the ruined gates where the archers were standing, and then all their sights were on me.

"Damn," I said.  He made it and he was now concealed from most the archers.  Evidently he actually had a plan.  But now what was my plan?
I could see Oddvar clobbering the archer who'd been standing just inside the gate.  Fortuna did the same as I - coming out and giving them more targets, trading arrows with them as well.  

"Oh shit!" One of the wall archers shouted as Oddvar slammed his battleaxe into the back of the man's head.  He was truly a demon when he got started.  

"I'm surprised we're doing so well," Sinidar said from next to me.  The arrows we expertly dodged a moment ago thinned out as Oddvar took on four lightly armored, lightly equipped men.

And he was in well-made Riften Guard Armor with a Battleaxe.

 

One last arrow shot out to us, scraping across Fortuna's side.  She drew in a shrill breath.

"C'mon, let's support Odd!" I grabbed her hand, looked her in the eye, and cast a healing spell through the touch.

My other hand summoned a Bound Whip.  The two of us climbed up the right side while Sinidar walked in the front gate.

 

We charged and supported Oddvar, sounds of fireball blasts in the back of my mind.

I looked over the wall to find Sinidar peppering the forts warriors with fireballs.  I guess they'd just called up their reinforcements from below?  And were now charging out into the courtyard.

 

Oddvar, grinning beside me after finishing off the last archer shouted, "Huzzah!!!" And jumped down just as one of the warriors reached Sinidar, landing on and flattening him with his axe.

The three of us others supported Oddvar with heals and ranged attacks and focus-fired down the rest of the warriors.

The four of us met up.  Fortuna'd gotten a few scratches from arrows, Sinidar getting his fair share of scrapes and Oddvar got the brunt of the damage in melee.  But he was loving it.  I was the only unscathed one.  Fortuna and I doled out heals and we went inside.

 

I turned to Oddvar, "This time, let Fort and I go first.  You wait in the back if we get into any trouble."

He shrugged, assenting.

I met eyes with Fortuna and she smiled.

She made a hand signal - two crossed fingers.  Coordinate?  Timed shot?  I didn't want to seem like a fool so I nodded.

 

I we both recasted Bound Bow and crept into the first room, a canteen.  Two guards were walking our way - on high alert now.  They saw us as we both nocked arrows.  The first one was dead with a shot to the heart and head before he could react. 

 

 

As the second one came around the bar I got him in the shoulder and Fortuna got him in the thigh.  Then Oddvar popped in and slammed him in the head.

 

I pursed my lips, "We're trying to practice!"

Oddvar shrugged again, "Looked like he needed the extra oomph."

I popped back out into the hallway we'd come from and an arrow whizzed by my head.  I ducked for cover behind the doorframe.  I nocked an arrow in my bound bow, strafed back into the hall and got him right between the eyes.

 

"Where'd you learn to shoot like that?" Fortuna asked.

"My grandmother," I replied.

"Yeah, she visits the palace a lot," Oddvar smiled.

"Last year, when we were about two feet shorter, she took us out into a field outside Anvil and hit a bunch of targets inside the city," I explained.

"Was it before or after that you decided you wanted to be just like her?" Oddvar smiled again.

I elbowed the boy, "S'hup!"

We were about to continue on, but Sinidar pointed out a man locked one of the cells on the other side of the room.  He was quietly sitting and eating a loaf of bread.

"Don't worry guy, I'll get you out of there," I said, taking out a lockpick.

Now by no means am I yet good at lockpicking (infact, I broke a couple picks in the process) but I'm learning!  I had it open in a couple minutes.

The man slowly stood.

"You're welcome.  Exit's that way," I pointed.  

"Kintyra!" One of the group shouted.

When I turned back, the man was swinging a greatsword.

"Shit!" I shouted, hopping back.  His sword cleaved into a wood pillar, narrowly protecting my head.

 

 

"Time to die!" He shouted, wildly swinging for me as he chased me across the room.  I pulled out my rapier, not having time to summon a bound weapon.

Oddvar joined the melee, though the man was wily.  But Odd did his part - keeping the man occupied while I sliced him up in degrees with tiny cuts.  I exhaled.

"What the heck just happened?!"

"I dunno," Oddvar shrugged.

"Maybe he was in trouble with his fellows?" Sinidar suggested.

"I mean, he was definitely a bandit," I mentioned.

"Maybe he just liked the solitude," Fortuna said.

 

We walked back out into the hallway, and I spied another bandit in the next room.

I recasted Bound Bow.  He immediately rushed for me.

I sighed, "Does this thing make a lot of noise when I summon it?"

I nocked an arrow and when he walked into the hall I got him in the chest, while Fortuna got him in the neck.  The next one went down much the same way.  We were young a quick on the draw.

 

 

I looked at Sinidar, "Planning on using that staff anytime soon?"

"It's got finite charges, you know," he replied, "You guys seem to have it handled."

 

We ransacked a couple rooms in true grandma fashion, then came upon a large set of circular stone steps, up and down.  I could hear bandits angrily discussing Skyrim's prison system in the nearby.  I shot up a hand signal that meant, 'Hang back.'

 

I walked downstairs and found a long empty hall with a door to the right, and a large, obvious, crude trap across from it.  I smirked, filing that information away.  I stealthily approached the door and cracked it open.  The man inside immediately saw the movement and threw the door open.  

"Who the hell are you?!" He demanded.  I rolled out of his reach, then ran back the way I came.  The man gave chase, stepping on the huge trap plate.

The huge wall of spikes swung out and slammed him into the opposite wall.

 

 

I chuckled.  A female bandit rushed out to join the battle as the spike trap reset.  I grinned, dodging around her.  I drew rapier and dagger, this time playing an intricate game of swordplay in parries and thrusts.

 

As she started to get annoyed, she lunged for me and I dodged again to reposition myself.  She gave chase, stepping on the spike plate the same as her companion had.  It swung out and flattened her too.

 

This time I laughed much louder.  The peanut gallery from the stars clapped for me.

"What a show!  Encore!" Sinidar shouted.

They continued back up the stairs while I ransacked the room that the pair'd come out of.  When I started up the stairs, a stronger-looking bandit (who hadn't seen the others) caught sight of me and charged in my direction.  

 

I grinned.  Do I dare to try it a third time?

I ran back into the spike trap room and summoned a Bound Bow.  I took a shot at the man as he entered and he bellowed, charging with sword and shield.  I didn't even get a shot off before he reached me.  I dodged, ran under his high sword slash and ran back for the stairs.  Then he chased me and stepped on the plate, triggering it like the rest.

 

 

I laughed loud this time, though nobody was around to see.  This guy was definitely a leader.  You'd think they would train them better.  I picked up a hefty sack of gold from his side and caught up to the others.  I saw Sinidar first, crouched behind a barrier.

He whispered to me, "Wanna take that guy out?" 

I summoned a Bound Bow and shot him from cover, taking him down.

 

 

"Does it seem to you like these bandits aren't that strong?"
"What do you mean?" Sinidar asked.

"I mean these guys are going down in one or two hits," I replied while we continued forward.

"Well, bound bows are very strong.  You have a higher Magicka pool than is normal for most people our age and level of experience.  Higher than mine, actually," Sinidar replied.

"Oh wow, really?" I asked.

"I'm a mediocre mage at this point.  It's why I'm relying on this staff as a crutch," he said.

I put my hand on his shoulder, "Sini, we're all going to get better.  We're going to be as strong as our parents someday.  Maybe even -"

"Destana, Jura, Rehman, the Nerevarine..."

"Maybe!" I said.

"Don't count on it.  They're all on a higher tier than even most adventurers, who are already powerful," Sini replied.  We caught up to the other two.

 

"You know why else we're rolling over them?" Fortuna commented, "These guys are mostly 'trainee' level.  New recruits.  Only the two captains you just beat were any threat, and you were having a lot of trouble until you got them with the spike trap."

 

"Why are there so many new bandits?" I asked.

Sinidar scratched his chin, thinking deeply.

"I feel like you have something to say," I said.

Sinidar shot a glance at Fortuna, who was having spurts of foretelling currently, then thanked her for not speaking for him, "Well, we fought a war three years ago.  A lot of people died, but a lot of people came back.  We reduced the size of the standing army.  Where do those people go if there's no work?"

"They become bandits, probably," Oddvar commented.

"Precisely," Sinidar said, "We're all princes and princesses...."

Then he glanced at Fortuna and said, "Well, most of us."

She folded her arms but said nothing.

"Sorry Fortuna.  Hey, maybe I should propose, marry you, and then you'll be royalty too," Sinidar smirked.

Fortuna smirked a little, but then she pushed him, still saying nothing.

Sinidar chuckled, "Point being, grandma figured out the Giants, the Forsworn and the Dragons.  Maybe between us we can take a crack at Skyrim's banditry problem."

 

We looted the last guy and moved toward the bandit leader's room.

He was pacing, paying no attention to our entry.  Fortuna and I peered at each other, each summoning Bound Bows.

Sinidar charged up a fireball from his staff, and the two of us loosed Bound Arrows.

 

The bandit leader drew his weapons - two swords.  Then we both plugged him with two more arrows.  He charged at us, and Oddvar cleaved his axe through the man's face, finishing him off.

 

"Huh. That wasn't too bad," I said.

But Sinidar was still holding his fireball charge.  Why?

I jumped as I heard a distant blast.  Turning my head, I saw another figure on the opposite end of the chamber, cloak of fire swirling about him.  His fireball traveled toward us as breakneck speed, but Sinidar was next to me.  He raised his left hand, absorbing the fireball in his ward.

 

Sinidar blasted a fireball from his staff, blasting the man.  He was already charging another fireball.

"Somebody didn't get a very balanced education," Sini said.

He shot another fireball and again Sinidar absorbed it as he walked forward.  Sini loosed another from his staff, exploding at the man's feet.

The bandit shot a third fireball, this time breaking Sinidar's ward.

"Shi..." he started, but I let an arrow loose that I'd been holding, charging, just like grandma taught me, and sunk it into the man's skull.

 

I exhaled.

"See?  Ran out of magicka," Sinidar said.  His smile masked his feelings of inadequacy. 

I jabbed him in the shoulder, "Remember what I said."

"And you are an excellent leader, like Fortuna said," Oddvar put away his hammer.

I smiled, maybe blushing... I dunno.

 

So we'd cleared Treva's Watch of bandits.  The big chest was pretty meager, except for the several hundred gold there.  And!

"Whoa," I said, picking up a very ornate bow sitting on a nearby table.  Treva's Bow.  We scooted down to the basement and found another few chests.  Nothing major, though Oddvar snagged an Iron Boomerang he seemed impressed by.

 

The job for the bandits was posted from Riften, so we'd need to travel back there eventually.  But it was time to settle down.

 

Some among us had no problem camping out, but Sinidar suggested we continue on to Ivarstead.  It was evening, maybe 8:30, but we figured we could make it if we traveled quickly.  Looting the last of the bandits, we climbed down the side of the fort and took to the road.  Right outside the fort we found a small camp.  Curious, I approached and found a small group of refugees.  

"Are you here to help?" Their leader asked.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Finally!  Reinforcements!" One of the other ones shouted, relieved.  But at what?  No idea.

 

 

"I was expecting more.  And how old are you kids?" The leader asked.

"Don't worry about it," Oddvar said, "We're the best new adventuring group."

"Yeah, everybody's talking about us.  Ever heard of the...."

"Oh you must be the Crimson Spiders," one of the others said.

"Yeah!  Exactly," Sinidar said, sharing a secret smile with Oddvar.

 

I was giggling under my breath.

 

"I was expecting more people.  Name's Stalleo," the leader said.

"We're the best," I said, portraying confidence.

"Good.  Well, the place is crawling with bandits.  We lost good men trying to take it earlier.  Gave as much as we got though.  I suspect Brurid planned this.  To invade my home, kidnap my family...." Stalleo growled.  Makes a lot of sense that the fort had a lot of their stronger bandits already dead and thus, we were able to muscle in and claim it.

"Oh you're talking about the bandits?  It's done," I said.

"Done?  What do you mean?" One of the other men asked.

Oddvar shouldered his hammer, "We killed all the bandits."

The leader blinked, "By the gods, is this true?  And my family?"

"Safe," Fortuna said, "They're locked in the cellar."

We looked at her, not having known how she knew, but immediately figuring out she'd just received the information from her abilities.

"Thank you!" He shouted, stood, and hugged me, elated.  I locked up, not expecting this.

The group smiled at me.

"What did you say your guys' name was?" Stalleo's other guard asked.

 

 

"Cr~" Oddvar started, but Sinidar interrupted him, "Actually, we're thinking about a name change."

"Oh really?" She said back.

Sinidar rubbed his chin for a few seconds, "WOLD.  Simply... Wold."

"Wold.  It's simple.  I like it," Stalleo said, "Well you always have a place in Treva's Watch.  Once we rebuild, that is."

Their demeanor instantly changed, my people putting their hands on their weapons.

 

"What's happening?" I whispered.

"Booted feet," Oddvar replied.  I cast Bound Bow.

 

A group of armed combattants stormed into the camps and Stalleo, his warriors and my group all drew their weapons.

The two forces clashed but we had them outnumbered.  Fortuna and I handed out heals to Stalleo and his guys.

Stalleo picked up a note off the lead man, "Huh, looks like they were bounty hunters.  Looking for a small group of princes and princesses.  Kintyra, Oddvar, Sinidar, and Fortuna."

Fortuna's head tilted a little, like a cat being curious.  Why would her name be included?  Unless she was implicated in their disappearance.

Oddvar chuckled, "Then why run in with weapons drawn?  Were their orders to kill us? Frickin idiots."

"Just detain and return," Stalleo said.  Then he threw the page into the fire, "Wold helped free Treva's Watch.  Their names?  They never gave us their names."

He smiled and we nodded to them.

"Well, too late to travel to Iverstead now," Sinidar said, "Care if we camp with you guys?"

 

"Be my guest," Stalleo said.  We set up our own tents and slept the night, then continued to Iverstead in the morning.  

 

 

During the walk, somebody asked, "What does Wold mean?"

Sinidar was quick with a response, "Water of Life Destined."

We all smiled.  Fortuna because she knew there was indeed a destiny in front of us.  Sinidar at his cleverness.  And us - the half-twins, because we were enamored with the idea of being well-known adventurers.  We were put to bed with grandma's stories.

 

When we got to Iverstead, Fortuna was quick to mail a letter to Anuriel in Riften about Treva's Watch.  Skyrim's courier system is insanely good because of our god-tier couriers.  We would surely hear back in a day or two.

 

We enjoyed a breakfast at Vilemyr Inn, then as I was peering toward the mountains, I spied the huge barrow nearby.  

One of the laborers said, "You guys adventurers?"

"Yeah," Oddvar replied.

"That there's Shroud Hearth Barrow," he replied, "Think we got something on the boards about it.  Be careful.  Draugr inside."

"Thank you, sir," Fortuna smiled meekly.

He smiled back as he moved to leave, "Good manners.  Be careful, kids."

 

"What a nice man," I said.  Then I stood, putting my hands on my hips and trying to look majestic and inspiring, "How about it?  Is the Company of Wold ready to tackle another menace to the people of this fair land?"

"Yeah!" Oddvar shouted.

Sinidar took his feet from the table, "Told you already, just Wold.  Simply, 'Wold."

I chuckled at him, "Of course.  I dub thee, loremaster of Wold."

We went and grabbed the job sheet and headed straight into Shroud Hearth.  I took point, being the rogue scout.

 

 

On the first bend I was greeted not by hostility, but by a ghost behind a portcullis.

"Leave this place...." He said.

"Yeah okey," I said as I continued on.

Oddvar seemed spooked, and Fortuna stood next to him.  Sinidar approached the ghost silently and eyed him as he continued to say, "Leave... leave...leave..."

 

I just walked into the adjoining room with many levers.  I threw them until the portcullis at the ghost went up and the one at me also stayed up.

 

 

"You okay?" Fortuna asked Oddvar.

He shivered a bit, "Undead kinda give me the creeps."

"Well, don't look now," Sinidar murmured, as a draugr was slowly sliding from one of the burial slots.

I summoned a Bound Bow and plugged him in the chest, going down easy.

"These things are powerful," I commented.

 

Another ran around the corner and Oddvar clobbered him in the head.

"You know, killing these guys is actually therapeutic," Oddvar said, "As long as I don't have to touch them."

 

We moved on to another room with more portcullises, but I immediately found a pullchain to bring the first one down.  Then when I stepped onto the stairs, the second started to open.  I heard something like a switch click and spikes-like-spears stabbed out of the wall to my right. 

 

 

Thinking on my feet, I flattened against the opposite wall, forming my body around them.  Still, one slashed me on the side.  I hopped to the next room and threw the switch to disarm the trap. I winced in pain, but Fortuna was quick to soothe my wounds with a healing spell.

"Be more careful," she said.

I nodded.

 

Now we had the choice of two doors.  The door on the right had a small rope connected to a mechanism.  So, being an aspiring thief, I cut the rope and took a rapid step back.  The door swung open, two gouts of flame criss-crossing the chamber beyond.

"Easy, right?" I shrugged.

 

We waited about twenty seconds for the fuel to run out, then entered the antechamber, passing through to the larger chamber beyond.  

"Ah, gods.  You know what this is right?" Oddvar asked.

My eyes sparkling, I said, "Why yes I do, brother dear."

We were in a claw puzzle room.

 

The four of us looked at the murals for a few minutes, but there was no claw.  So we went into the other door choice from the previous chamber.  As soon as I did, a draugr was waiting for me.  I dodged backward, Oddvar taking his cue to jump in front of me.  He hit the draugr once, then blocked a return attack from the creature.  Sinidar lifted up his staff, blasting a fireball over our heads and burning the thing to ash.

"You're right.  Therapeutic," Sinidar chuckled.

 

 

I walked into the chamber, and another draugr was there.  He fired a basic Frostbite in Sinidar and Oddvar's direction.  I slipped behind him, drawing my rapier and dagger and stabbed him in his side with a rapid chain of strikes while Oddvar was wildly swinging for the thing's head. 

 

 

He fell limp to the ground as I buried my blades.

 

"Two," I said.

"Are you counting your kills?" Oddvar asked, mortified.

"You better up your game, brother," I smirked.

"Ahaha!" Oddvar laughed, but it was almost like a triumphant shout at the same time.  He charged toward the next room.

Only a treasure room.  We ransacked it and doubled back.  We found a locked door and I picked the lock (with Fortuna's help).  Only broke a couple picks this time.

Again, draugr waiting for me.  He slashed out with his ancient handaxe.  My reflexes did the work, my offhand dagger striking the pommel and knocking the axe's attack wide.

"Ooh!" I reacted.  I'd parried the beast without even a thought.  I went to slash him with my rapier - but I realized I should've thrust like rapiers were meant for.  My blade clipped the wall on my right and entirely wasted my advantage.  

 

"Oop!" I said as I took a quick backstep.  Sinidar raised his staff as I did and blasted the thing to oblivion.

We looked at each other and he said, "Meh, I can always use the next staff we pick up.  We're bound to find one eventually."

 

As the smoke cleared, the draugr charged at us, to our surprise.  Oddvar came from the left and cleaved into the draugr's skull.

 

I walked into the room, stepping on an onbvious trap plate from a bit back and watching as spears passed in front of me.  I carefully walked around it, then disarmed the trap on the chest within.  Fortuna clapped for me, "You're a natural at this."

"Thanks," I said, but we were nearing the end of what we could do.  Still no claw.  We looked over the treasure and found a journal. 

"We should head back to the inn," Sinidar suggested.  We did.  It was dreary and raining outside. 

 

 

"How dare you talk to me that way?!" A man said to another man as we passed by.  As we approached the Innkeeper, we ignored the brawl happening in the background.  And so did he, I guess.

 

 

"Welcome friend!  Care to have another meal with us?" Wilhelm asked, "You headed up to High Hrothgar?"

"Um, no.  Not at all.  Sounds horrible," Sinidar folded his arms.

I smiled, "Yes on the meal through.  But also, we were wondering if you know anything about the barrow nearby."

"I'd stay away from the barrow if I were you," Wilhelm said, "It's haunted.  Seen one of the spirits with my own eyes!  Certainly isn't helping business here.  Who wants to rent a room near a haunted barrow?"

Seemed like we were making a habit of doing the work before accepting the jobs.

 

"Well, too late on the whole 'not venturing too far in thing," Sinidar replied

I handed him the journal.  He flipped through for a minute and said, "I can't believe this.  Just a hoax by this Wyndelius character?  Well, I can't thank you enough for dealing with this.  Take this piece of artwork as a reward."

He handed me the sapphire dragon claw.

Oddvar started, "Oh there's still~"

"Cool it," Sinidar cut him off.

"What was that?"

"Oh nothing," I said.  We joined Fortuna at a table in the corner.  I slapped the claw on the table.  We all knew what it was for.  Well, Odd, Sini and I anyway.  It was a nice meal of soup, bread and mead.  Then back to the old grind.

 

 

Just after noon now, we sprinted down to the claw puzzle room.

 

 

"Ready to see what's inside?" I asked.

I read the signs on the claw, aligned the rings and boom, it opened.

 

The next room had a set of stairs and a portcullis.  Draugr were already waking up.

We looked around the dark room for a minute, not finding a pull chain.

"What the heck?" I said.  

 

 

In the meantime Sinidar put the end of his staff through the bars and was melting the draugr as they awoke.

"Curious," Fortuna said, "I think this portcullis is supposed to be open."

"Oh shi~" Sinidar said as it drew upward, pulling his staff out of his hands.

"Speak of the devil," Fortuna commented, "They're inviting us in."

 

"Look alive guys," Oddvar said, drawing his battleaxe,"Lot of dead ones in here."

I rushed in, and the portcullis slammed shut behind me.  I got a sinking feeling when I turned back to find my healer, my mage and my protector, trapped behind an iron wall of bars.

"Shit!  Kintyra!" Oddvar put his hands on the bars and tried to lift, "Too... damn... heavy!"

 

"Look out!" Sinidar shouted, then blasted a draugr that'd been creeping up on me.  I drew sword and dagger, but Fortuna's arrow finished the thing off.  

"Thanks!" I shouted.  Another two draugr closed in on me.  One, I parried his blow.  The other got alternatively blasted and arrowed by my compatriots.  

"There should be a fulcrum release lever!" Sinidar shouted.

"What?" I shouted back, trading swords with the draugr.

"A handle that opens the door, over there!" Fortuna pointed.  I rushed over and threw the lever.  Oddvar charged in and dropped a skeleton harrowing me with cold spells.

 

"More are coming down the stairs!" Fortuna shouted.  We responded with arrows and fireballs, mowing them down as they entered.

Oddvar silently gripped his boomerang.  

 

When they stopped, I walked to the stairs, a spiral, and the floor dropped out under me.  But it was into water.

I raised an eyebrow, grabbed a dropped sack of coins in the pool, then climbed out.  We ventured up the stairs and we found another group of draugr.  I traded blows with the front one - axe and shield guy - with Oddvar backing me up.  I would set them up and Oddvar would take advantage of the openings and knock them down.

 

 

The third one didn't immediately charge us, but I took the opportunity to swap my offhand to a Bound Whip.  I dodged behind him and annoyed from a slight distance, then Oddvar took the killing blow. 

 

"Just like training!" I shouted and we high-fived.

Next room had a large open area with seven skeletons already aiming bows as we entered.  Oddvar drew his boomerang and tossed it, but it only hit one and did minimal damage.

"C'mon, buddy, do better!" He said as he caught it.  Must've been magical to always return.

"My cue," Sinidar stepped in from behind us and blasted the floor with a fireball.  I hadn't noticed, but it was coated in oil and they all blasted to pieces.  Sinidar grinned.

 

 

We found another set of stairs beyond, one of which led to a very well-locked door.

"This looks pretty complex," I said, "Take five, everybody.  I'm not that great at picking locks."

I broke about ten lockpicks and it took five minutes, but I did it.  The door sung open, I ducked under a barrier, then I looked at the big juicy chest before it.

"Aarrrrggh!" I groaned, "Almost as hard."

I finally got that one open, then I threw it open.  

First thing, identified as 'Dragon Lord Armor.'  Some amazing heavy armor.  I tossed it to Oddvar, "Happy Birthday, brother."

Then a Staff of Frostbite for Sinidar.

There was a lot of other decent stuff in there too, but nothing that really catered to any of us.

 

We backtracked to the oil room and found another hidden treasure room, more drauger that Sinidar blasted with his fireball staff, "Now that I have a spare."

Then the path forward.  I cut the tripwire and swinging blades started at the opposite door.  And draugr walked into the blades, like idiots. 

 

 

"Hang back," I said, crawling under the swinging blades, then I turned them off.

 

Next room, draugr woke up as we entered but between Oddvar and Sinidar they were re-dead quick.

 

 

We next found a rotating stone plate that revealed the answer to a pillar puzzle.  I put it in and we continued.

Starting to feel like the ancient nords put all their puzzles in the ruins around High Hrothgar and started to get tired further out.

 

Anyway, we kept going.  We were in a long hallway now, and it seemed like the boss should be soon.

I smiled, going for yet another big chest, "I guess we're pretty far into the dungeon.  Lots of loot."

 

I moved my hand toward the chest.

"Wait," Fortuna whispered.

I stopped, eyeing the locking mechanism.  This wasn't locked.  That's... suspicious.  Infact...

I drew my weapons, "Hey, think this boy's a mimic."

"It does seem out of place in this hallway," Oddvar drew his battleaxe.

We were in equal amounts fear and excited.  Would this be the couple mimics we'd heard about in Skyrim?  Horrible monsters but more pests than anything.  Or would it be like Solaire described Mimics from his homeworld?  Devious demons that could kill you with a single grab attack.  Let's find out!

 

On second thought... I summoned dual Bound Whips and whacked the thing a couple times from a bit more of a distance.

I squinted.  No response.  

"This thing is fucking breathing.  That's definitely a mimic," I said.  With that, it sprouted arms and legs and clawed for me.

 

 

Oddvar and I engaged it in melee while Sinidar and Fortuna attacked from range.  We down it in a moment, but it'd gotten a couple good hits on us.  We took a break to heal.

 

And then the final room.  A large barrow path over water with tons of draugr.  I crept in so even if the portcullis drops my friends can back me up.  And I was right.  But Sinidar grinned, staying behind the portcullis as it fell.

"What, is this your heel turn?" I asked.

"No, no.  I'm completely invincible back here," he threw a fireball at the row of draugr emerging from their graves, then Odd and I engaged them in melee. 

 

 

One of the new ones blasted me with a flame shout, and I took out my bow and commenced to shoot guys.  When we fought them back a little bit, Fortuna and I perched on the nearby pillar and Oddvar drew the boss down to the lower level.  We breathed a sigh of relief and continued to the treasure room above.

 

"You picked a bad time to get lost friend!" A man shouted.  Bandits?  Here?  Maybe they climbed in the back entrance?  We backed into the hallway between the boss and treasure room and used it as a choke point.  Oddvar played bait, Fortuna healing him as Sinidar and I used ranged attacks as they poked their heads into the tunnel.  We caught our breaths for a minute then walked out, finding the big chest. 

 

 

Those bandits were smart, bypassing the entire dungeon.  But a lot of the fun and experience is the challenges you face during the dungeon.  Anyway, the chest itself was trapped but I disarmed it (getting better)!  It had a Dwarven Warhammer, which Oddvar took.  And then he put on his Dragonlord Armor.  Lookin pretty dang good.

 

 

We, exhausted, went out the back exit and rested at Vilemyr Inn in Iverstead, collecting our reward for defeating the rest of the undead in the barrow.  The next day we received a letter back from Riften with our reward for Treva's Watch.

 

"So, where you guys wanna go next?" I asked.

Fortuna immediately replied, "Windhelm.  We need to be in Windhelm."

"Why's that?" Sinidar asked.

"You did say we're destined.  It's true," she paused, "I've got to admit I haven't really told you guys everything."

"Well, what do you have to say, then?" I asked.  None of us were really annoyed.  We were still on a high from the last few experiences, and we just wanted to know what might be coming for us next.

 

"Akatosh called us.  That much you know.  To get where we're going we need to get to Windhelm," Fortuna replied.

We all stared.  She'd obviously left out our final destination intentionally.  At this point, only knowing the girl maybe a week, we already trusted her.

 

We assented.  It would only take a couple days to get to Windhelm, and whatever horizons that awaited us could be pursued from a thriving northern port town.

 

A couple days later, we walked onto the Windhelm docks in midday. 

"I can take front this time.  Trying to work on my communication skills," Oddvar popped his neck like he was preparing for battle.  Doing stretches for talking?  Unconventional.

Oddvar approached the dockmaster.

"Excuse me, when's the~"

"Hey!  Are you the new dockhand?!"  The man was shouting over Oddvar trying to ask him questions, and continued doing so, "Go over to the Berserker!  They need a hand!"

Oddvar paused, then tried to ask again.

The man shouted again, "Don't worry about your lack of experience!  Now get goin!  We have a schedule to keep!"

"But~" Oddvar started.

"Go on now, Get!" The dockmaster shouted.

 

Rather than save him from this fate, the rest of us chuckled and made our way to the Candlehearth Hall to have lunch.  I wrapped him up some bread for later.

 

When there was a lull in the conversation, Sinidar just had to ask, "So, Fortuna."

"Yes?"

"Sorry to just come out and ask, but what... are you anyway?"

"What do you mean?  I'm khajiit," she replied.

Sinidar pursed his lips, "But... most khajiit have heads similar to cats and lions and such."

She peered up at him for a few seconds, gauging his opinion of her, "But, what?  I look like a chimera with the head of an elf?"

Sini shook his head, "Well I was going to say, 'pretty girl,' not something so base as a chimera.  Besides, I think you pull off the fur and claws really well."

I looked at her hands, and she definitely had khajiit-level claws.

Fortuna tilted her head, "I don't get you, Sinidar Guivenne.  You're like a black spot in my predictions.  Even without Alkosh's help I can usually get a good read on a situation, but I can't figure out what you're going to do next."

"I count that as a compliment," Sini smiled back.

"Ok, I'm an Ohmes-Raht.  We're born when Masser is new and Secunda is waxing.  The Ohmes and Ohmes-Raht I'm told are rare outside Elswyer.  You called me pretty.  That information's worth atleast that much," Fortuna replied.  They shared a smile.

 

------------------------------------------------------------------

 

At about the same time, two figures floated over the docks.

"Sorry, I don't even know what they look like," Serana said.

"A bunch of dumb kids in over their heads," Destana chuckled. 

They set down across from each other on some crates.

"This really how you want to spend your day with me?" Serana fluttered her eyelashes.

"No... not really.  But I'm very responsible for this situation," Destana replied.

"How do you figure?" Serana asked, "If you hadn't spilled the water on those kids (an honest mistake mind you), they'd still do this I'm sure, in about ten years."

Destana shrugged, "You have a point."

They sat for a minute, both taking a long drink of blood potion, then Destana grinned, "Maybe we can just fly around Windhelm for a little while.  Been too long since I demonstrated to you how well I've mastered the power you taught me."

Serana smiled back, "Alright, alright.  I swear, everything's a competition with you."

"How about this - if you catch me, you can do whatever you want.  You pick.  Anything," Destana smirked, then got into a racing stance.

"Ready..." She blinked, "Actually..."

She dropped her backpack on one of the high ledges and came back, "I don't need a handicap.  You're still pretty fast."

"Ready - set - go!"

 

------------------------------------------------------------------

 

A while later we found Oddvar on the docks, stretching his shoulders.

"Break time!  Make sure you don't go far!" One of the men shouted.  He nodded sheepishly.

"Get a real workout?" Kintyra asked.

 

He sighed, "Yep.  So which of these boats is supposed to take us to... wherever we're going, anyway?"

We all looked at Fortuna.  She shrugged.

"WHAT?!  You don't even know where we're going?" Oddvar asked, "What are we even doing here?"

 

Fortuna sighed, "I thought it might come to this.  At a certain point, Akatosh's information just runs out.  And I knew this was coming - I predict the incoming predictions before they happen."

Sinidar smiled, "Well that's impressive."

 

"Hold on," Fortuna said.

"What is it?" Sinidar asked.

She climbed up a huge stack of crates and grabbed something.

"A distraction from the conversation, maybe?" I chuckled.

"No, look at this," Fortuna dumped out a pile of loot from a backpack, much bigger than the container.

"Dimensional bag.  They're pretty common in the adventuring game," I said, "This stuff is very powerful."

Fortuna smirked, I think the first time I'd ever seen her do that, "Should we steal a little from this?  Maybe something they wouldn't notice.  Ooooh, look at this Dragonbone Claw.  I'm taking that."

"Any heavy armor or two-handers?" Oddvar asked.

"Not really.  Mostly stuff for the two of us, I think.  There are some spell tomes and staves though," Fortuna said.

"Toss em," Sinidar said.

He threw the goods in his bag.

"Hey, I think we might want to put the pack back," Oddvar said.

"You're just saying that because this person is a lightly armored stealth archer who dabbles in magic," I said it.  Then like a pane of glass breaking, I immediately knew who this belonged to.  I forcefully snatched the bag from Fortuna (grabbing an unenchanted Stalhrim Whip from the bag) and put it back where we got it.

 

"Guys, we need to go," I said.

"Who does that belong to?" Sinidar asked.

"Grandma."

"No fucking way," Oddvar said.

"You mean the Dragonborn?  She's here?" Fortuna asked.  She looked confused, like it hadn't been part of her predictions.  

"Come.  We can hide in the sewer," Fortuna said.

"You serious?" Sinidar asked angrily.

"Sorry, not everybody here is royalty.  Please, follow me so we don't get caught... your highness," Fortuna snapped.

I sighed, "Guys.  Stop.  Let's do what Fortuna says."

We ducked into an alley, on our way to a manhole. 

Oddvar and Sinidar struggled with the cover.

 

"So what do once we get away?  Where are we going?  What do we do now?" I asked Fortuna.

 

"You stop where you are," a voice called from above us.

I looked up, but I had an inkling who it was before I did.

Serana said, "Haven't seen you since you grew up.  But I do know a lot of people are looking for you."

She lowered herself to dock level, standing before us.

"What are the chances you'd just forget you ever saw us?" Sinidar smiled coyly.

"Next to none," Serana folded her arms.

 

"What say... before she takes us back to our parents we talk about that pact?  That WOLD pact I was mentioning earlier?" Sinidar said, then whispered, "Hint hint I'm stalling."

"Pact?" Serana asked.

Fortuna chimed in, "Yes, we were defining why we came together.  We were called by Akatosh.  The one term is - no matter what, we get to Akavir.  As long as it takes."

We all looked at Fortuna and exclaimed, "Akavir?!"

Serana furrowed her brow, "Akavir..."

 

"Are you okay?" Oddvar asked.

 

Serana paused for several seconds, then she said, "Huh."

She looked at the group like she was getting an urge, or an inkling or a feeling.  

 

Serana nodded again, as if speaking to someone, "My wife's gonna be pissed, you know.  This had better be worth it."

 

"What are you on about?" I asked.

Serana looked at us, "You can go, I guess.  But do me a favor and don't tell anyone I was here."

"But... why?" Fortuna asked.

 

"I'm getting a feeling.  Images.  A vision.  I think, from a divine?  You know, little old cursed-by-the-Daedra me.  Some grand plan."

"Could this guy, perhaps, furnish us with a ship?" Sinidar asked.

"No.  This is all incredibly vague," Serana replied.

"As gods usually are," Fortuna commented.

She shrugged, held out a sack of coins and I took it.  For passage, I guess.  Serana bowed her head, then flew away.

 

"That was... weird," I said.

"Odd," Oddvar said.  Everyone else laughed, but he failed to see the humor.

"I do have a little more," Fortuna said, "No roads lead to Akavir.  One of us needs to travel to High Rock and get more information from the Akavir warriors who've tried to invade."

"We're splitting up?" I asked.

"It is as Akatosh wishes," Fortuna explained.

"We'd better figure out who's going where quickly.  I imagine if grandma's here she's going to come back for her pack," Oddvar replied.  

About that time Sinidar'd gotten the manhole open with a crowbar, "I suggest we go to places the adults don't have teleports to."

Oddvar continued, "So the boat I was working on is continuing to High Rock.  I don't mind going there."

"Do we really need to split up?" I asked, "Back in Riften you said yourself I couldn't make it alone."

"I was joking with you," Oddvar said.

I raised an eyebrow, "Didn't know you knew the meaning of the word."

Fortuna changed the subject, "We should split up.  And the last thing I got from Alkosh is we're supposed to be collecting... something.  Of course, he didn't say what."
"OF course!" Sinidar laughed out loud.

 

"Wherever I go should be whatever artifact is most important," Fortuna said.

"Why's that?" I asked.

"Sad as it sounds, nobody will be looking for me," Fortuna replied.

I turned to her, eyes full of sadness, "Oh, Fortuna...  How about this as part of the pact?  If any of us don't return, the others will seek them out to the ends of Nirn."

We all nodded.  It made her feel a little better about never knowing my parents... or why she was in that gods-forsaken chest.

 

"What's that ship for?" Kintyra asked.

Oddvar replied, "Solstheim.  I got to see the ship's bills when I was talking to the dockmaster earlier."

I shrugged, "Seems to be calling my name."

"That one?" Sinidar asked, "The Berserker."

"That was a warship used in the Assault on Summerset.  They use it to transport troops and supplies to Summerset now," Oddvar replied, "You could probably pose as a cabin boy or something."

Fortuna looked over to a rather large ship and saw, "That one's for me."

"That one goes to Hammerfell," Oddvar replied.

 

"Alright.  Let's get out there before she gets back," I said, "To the pact of WOLD!"

We all joined hands and cheered.

 

---------------------------

 

Alright, I'm going to give an update.  It's Destana.  

Myself, Fenrir, Runa and Damien had all gathered in Windhelm's Castle, Palace of Kings.  Jarl Fenrir waved for everyone to get out while they talked business.  

"Thanks for agreeing to help.  So, we know they were in Riften," Runa said.

"This is crazy!  Now Sinidar is with them!" Damien shook his head, "What is this charismatic power your kids have?"

Runa shook her head, "Not charisma.  Dumb luck." 

She was pacing.

 

"I'm sure we have something that can find them," I said.

"Godsdammit!  Why'd you have to spill a small amount of liquid!" Runa took out her sword.  She swung for the table nobody was sitting at, cleaving it in half.

As the table collapsed, I said, "Oh, a missive," as it appeared in my hand.

 

I wrote back.  A minute later, Serana walked in.

"What the fuck are you thinking?" I asked, calmly.

"Hold on.  Hold on!" Serana said, "This is going to sound crazy, but they were called by Akatosh."

"Mother fucking Akatosh.  Why do the gods always meddle in our business?" Runa growled, "These are our kids."

 

"This is a proving quest for the four," Serana said.

"Four?" Damien asked.

"Yeah, there was a girl with them, dunno who she was," Serana replied.

I sighed, "Do we have any idea where they went?"

 

"Well... yes," Serana said, "I got the feeling we're forbidden from helping them.  But since when do I actually care about the divines?"

She proceeded to tell them the path they all took, watching from the shadows.

 

"Fuck this," Runa said, "I'm fucking going after..."

She paused.  If Oddvar and Kintyra are in different places, which one should she go save?

I put her hand on my daughter's shoulder, "I have a solution.  I'll go to Solstheim.  This is as much my fault as anybody's.  Maybe moreso."

Runa nodded, "Thanks."

"I've been needing to go there for a while anyway," I said.

"Why's that?" Damien asked.

"How many of you have been attacked by men in dragon masks?" I asked.

Everyone raised their hands.

"Okay, yep.  Guess the rumors are true then.  I got attacked in 210, back before I was willing to accept I was the Last Dragonborn.  Seems somebody is building up a cult, claiming to be another Dragonborn.  But, I mean, with killing and mind controlling and not with the defeating Alduin," I replied.

 

I could tell Runa was trembling with trepidation.  She took a deep breath, then calmed herself, "You should definitely go to the most dangerous target, which this sounds like.  Guess I'll head for High Rock."

Not wasting any time, she threw on her sword and dashed out the doors.

 

"Wait..." Fenrir started, but she was already gone.

"What is it, Fen?" Damien asked.

"Oh, well I wouldn't wager on Solstheim being the most dangerous," Fenrir commented, "A lot's been going on in High Rock lately.  Civil war.  Turmoil.  Wild reachmen.  Dad and I actually had a meeting with Queen Mynisera and Emperor Jura and she asked us if we could help out."

"Did we?" I raised an eyebrow.

"We sent Valiana and Cyrodiil sent Tusselle," Fenrir replied, "We can have a missive sent to let them know Runa's on her way."

"Oh wow, things must be pretty bad," Damien said, "Needless to say, I'll go to Summerset.  I've still got contacts there."

 

We all geared up and headed out.

 

I snagged my pack from the docks, flying to Highreach before I left Skyrim.

I explained everything to Ulfric, who'd taken up residence in Highreach now.  Then I found the Nerevarine in the courtyard, training a new group of rangers.

"Hey, going to Solstheim.  Figure I could use a guide.  I know you're been there.  Wanna come?" I asked.

"Sure, Dragonborn," he replied.

 

I intimidated a ride at the Windhelm docks to Solstheim.  Sadly, the airship was with Valiana (and I didn't want to fly all the way there).  

Slow ship travel is a little boring.  I went to pull out my melee weapons as I checked my things.

"What the fuck?  Where's my claw??"