Chapter 15: Bleak Falls Temple
The mountain loomed above us like a slumbering giant, its peaks lost in a swirling shroud of mist and snow. The cold gnawed at the edges of our cloaks, and the wind tore at our faces like knives.
Varn trudged along beside me, breath misting in the frigid air, boots crunching through the powdery snow.
"Tell me again," he panted, "Why this ruin could be at the bottom of the mountain?"
"Because men have a sick sense of humor," I said, smirking slightly, looking at him trying to catch his breath.
"You speak like you aren't a human," Varn chuckled.
Ahead, the faint outline of a crumbling stone watchtower emerged from the blowing snow, perched like a crow on a ledge. Smoke drifted lazily from a fire near the entrance.
Varn stopped, narrowing his eyes. "See that? Bandits."
I nodded. There were at least five—two lounging near the fire, one pacing the tower's perimeter, and two sharpening their blade on the steps
Varn leaned closer. "We should find another way."
"No," I said, a slow grin tugging at my mouth. "Is that how your tales will be told?"
He gave me a scoff, slightly embarrassed, "There are five of them, and two of us. If I don't make it back alive, there won't be any tales to tell."
"We're going through."
He gave me a sidelong glance and sighed. "You've got a plan, right?"
I tapped the side of my head. "Better. I have the strength."
Drawing my new sword, I advanced silently through the snow, Varn trailing behind me. We closed in just enough to hear their rough laughter and the crackle of the fire.
Then, just as the patrolling bandit turned his back on us, I dashed forward, kicking him off the cliff, but in doing so, I drew everyone's attention.
The two by the fire jumped to their feet as the scream of their falling comrade filled their ears, hands reaching instinctively for their weapons.
I was already moving. I sprinted forward, kicking one squarely into the fire pit. He screamed as flames licked at his fur.
The second tried to punch me, but Varn barreled into her from the side, tackling her into the snow. They rolled, grappling, fists flying.
At the tower steps, the last two bandits, the ones sharpening their daggers, finally realized something was wrong. They charged, roaring, one with a huge warhammer, and another with a battleaxe raised high.
I put my empty hand forward, stealing the weapons with ease, leaving them defenseless.
+1 Iron Battleaxe
+1 Iron Warhammer
System Prompt: Pickpocket 15 -> 16
I side-stepped neatly and used the hook-like hilt of my sword to slash open the stomach of the one on my right. He collapsed as his guts began to spill out.
Varn staggered up from the ground, brushing snow from his hair, his opponent groaning unconscious at his feet.
He stared at me, wide-eyed.
"Okay," he breathed. "That was… cheating."
I shook my head, "All's fair in a fight." I said as I removed my sword from the second bandit's neck.
Varn bent over, catching his breath. "Remind me never to spar with you."
I chuckled, stepping over the fallen bandits and toward the smoldering fire. I knelt and rummaged through the supplies they had—bread, half-cooked rabbit, a few battered coins, and, most importantly, a set of iron arrows.
+28 Iron arrows
+134 Gold
I turned to Varn to see him dragging the bandit he had knocked unconscious toward the fire.
"What are you doing?"
Varn grunted as he dragged the unconscious bandit closer to the firepit, his boots slipping a little in the blood-slick snow.
"Interrogation," he said simply, tossing her down with a heavy Thud.
The woman groaned, stirring slightly.
I raised an eyebrow. "You've done this before?"
Varn grinned, wiping his hands with the back of his hand. "Nope. First time. Figured I'd try to impress you."
The woman stirred again, coughing weakly, strands of hair sticking to the blood on her forehead. Her cloak was torn, but even through grime, it was obvious she was young, with striking green eyes and a sharp, stubborn jawline.
Varn wiped his hands on his tunic again, suddenly looking less confident. "Maybe you should do it," he muttered.
I smirked. "Impressed by my 'Interrogation' skills already?"
He gestured helplessly. "She's, uh… pretty."
I chuckled under my breath. You just beat her unconscious and are now afraid of a little talk. I shook my head and crouched beside her.
There wasn't anything to interrogate about, I knew Camilla was in Bleak Falls Barrow. But I guess I'll play along
Keeping my voice soft but firm, "You're lucky, you know," I said, brushing a bit of snow from her locks, "We could have left you to freeze out here."
Her eyes blinked open fully now, darting between Varn and me, fear flickering behind them.
"Please," she rasped. "Don't kill me."
I offered a calm, almost gentle smile. "That depends entirely on you."
Varn shifted awkwardly behind me, looking like he didn't know whether to nod along or run away
"What's your name?" I asked, voice low, coaxing.
"L-Lys," she stammered.
"Alright, Lys." I leaned a little closer, lowering my voice so it was just for her. "I don't want to kill you. I don't care if you're a bandit. What I do care about is what's up there." I nodded toward the windy path leading up the mountain.
Her breath caught.
"Yoy know how many more are up there and what they did this morning, don't you?"
She hesitated—and I caught the slight flicker of panic in her eyes.
"There's more in the ruin, isn't there?" I pressed, keeping my tone almost friendly. "More waiting to kill anyone who comes looking?"
Lys swallowed hard. Her hands trembled as she clutched at her ripped cloak for warmth.
"Eighteen…" she whispered. "Maybe twenty. Some of the toughest ones stayed behind to guard the entrance."
I nodded slowly, absorbing the information.
"And a girl?" I asked carefully. "You kidnapped a girl?"
Lys' lips pressed into a thin line, guilt flashing across her face.
"The boss," she said quietly. "Rigvar. He brought her. He's holding her inside the entrance."
Varn leaned in, "We should hurry," he said, fearing the worst.
I nodded with a sharp look.
Turning back to Lys, I softened my expression a fraction. "You've done the smart thing. I suggest you keep walking down the mountain, away from all this."
Lys stared at me, stunned, as I rose to my feet.
Varn pulled me aside as she shivered beside the fire.
"Are you sure about this?" Varn whispered, though she was a woman, she was still a bandit who had killed people for something so petty as a piece of bread.
"You don't know what hunger will make you do." I shook my head.
I turned back to Lys, who was shivering, fearing what the two of us were thinking. Her eyes went to the cliff. Maybe that wouldn't be too bad, she thought.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." I said, patting her head, "Now go on."
We turned away, leaving Lys to gather herself by the dying fire. The wind picked up again, howling through the broken stones.
Eighteen or twenty bandits.
That smells like money.
I adjusted the strap of my sword again and started up the trail, Varn jogging to catch up.
"That was…" he struggled to find the right word. "That was magic."
I snorted. "Just a little bit of charm. And a little bit of kindness"
He looked at me like I'd just sprouted a crown of gold.
"Gods, Darius," he said in awe. "If I could talk to women like that, I'd be a Jarl by now."
I clapped him on the shoulder with a smirk. "Stick close. Maybe you'll learn something."
We crested the last ridge overlooking the ruin that was Bleak Falls, the ruin's jagged stones rising like broken teeth against the snow-whipped sky.
Above us, campfires flickered, and the bandits around them laughed, talking too loudly in the cold.
I counted quickly. Ten, maybe 11, I couldn't see clearly, firstly because of the snow winds, fogging the area, and then the tall and thick pillar standing straight.
Varn knelt beside me, peering over the rocks. "How do you want to do this?"
I set my bow across my knees, testing the string with a faint twang.
"First, the archers," I said. "Quiet as we can manage. Once they're down, we make noise."
Varn frowned. "Noise?"
I grinned. "I'll run straight at them. Grabbing their attention."
He stared. "You're joking."
I brought out another bow and handed it to him, with some arrows, "You'll see, just trust me."
I pulled the string of the bow, without an arrow in between my fingers. Varn looked at me, stupefied.
Suddenly, an arrow appeared in between, and I let it loose. Varn followed the arrow, as it killed the closest Bandit standing guard.
System Prompt: Archery 15 -> 16
Gods! This guy is such a cheat. From women to strength, he has everything. Varn shook his head and shot his arrow, killing another archer.
We continued our spar of aim, dropping bandits like flies.
By the time the bandits near the fire caught on to it, it was already too late.
System Prompt: Archery 16 -> 17
I stepped out of the hiding spot letting them see me and soon all of them charged at me, I quickly changed my apparel to the one that fit best for speed.
I dashed through them, my hand touching their abdomen, sides, chests, and before their weapons could land on me, they would vanish.
Behind me, Varn, charged forward, killing most of the now weaponless bandits one by one.
System Prompt: Pickpocket 16 -> 17
System Prompt: Pickpocket 17 -> 18
System Prompt: Level 2 -> 3
***
200 Stones or 5 reviews, and you get 1 extra chapter.
****
Read +3 or +5 chapters ahead on my Pat*eon
First_Endless
********