FlickerWick
El. Psy. Congroo.
Everybody raised their bottles, some empty, some full, in a toast to the adventure that lay ahead. Bits of mead flew everywhere as the bottles made contact, some perhaps toasting a little too forcefully. Although they were situated in what is essentially a hunk of rock filled with the spirits of the long departed, the atmosphere was surprisingly cheerful. Alphonse smiled to himself. ”This is going to be fun!” he thought to himself. After everybody had chosen their potions, he closed his satchel, the resulting click echoing throughout the corridor.
”Shall we get going then?” he said as he stood up and brushed himself down.
“Aye, the lad’s right. What better time to plunder some loot than the present?” answered Antoine as he too, stood up. One by one, so did the rest of the group. Alphonse looked around at the ragtag band of adventurers that circled the campfire; an Imperial, Dunmer, Bosmer, Khajiit, Argonian and another Breton. They all had different combat preferences and personalities, yet he knew that they would all get along – after all, they all had the same goal in mind. Nobody would risk rebelling, or at least not until the ancient Akiviri artifact had been found. For now, he was safe!
”Before we set off, we should ensure that we have our weapons and supplies ready. There’s no telling what could be around the very next corner.” advised Alphonse with perhaps more authority than intended, wanting to ensure that their expedition got off to a good start. He reached for his shortbow and ended up grasping at air. It wasn’t there. Heat rose to his now-sanguine cheeks as he opened his mouth once more. ”It seems I’ve left my bow outside, propped up against the gate. I won’t be a minute, if you’ll excuse me…” he added, shrewdly. If he were a Khajiit, his tail would be well and truly between his legs as he turned and headed towards the door. His pace quickened as his shoes tapped against the rocky floor. In the background he could’ve swore he heard a laugh, yet it wasn’t malicious. Just as he reached for the door handle, he turned around – there was Sabrina, smiling, her one eyebrow raised in a somewhat sarcastic manner. Returning a grin, he turned around and went outside once more.
By now, darkness had well and truly descended. Alphonse walked over to the platform’s edge, wanting to get one more view of the outside world before they set off. The sky was painted a brilliant shade of black and the glow of a million stars illuminated the endless forests below. The fog had somewhat disappeared, revealing many intricate details that had previously remained hidden – there were mills, camps and farms, all identifiable by the camouflaged towers of smoke that bellowed from their chimneys and fires. It was remarkably quiet. In the background, he could make out the rushing of the waterfall that fed Falkreath’s main mill. The ambience was amplified by a swirling breeze that rustled through the leaves of the trees and the occasional flapping of wings. Above him, a group of torchbugs danced an elaborate dance as their light flickered against his face. It was an incredibly serene scene. Alphonse inhaled through his nose to further absorb it all in, the wafting scent of pine emanating throughout his entire body. He loved that smell. He could taste the night as it hit the back of his throat with every breath. Completely lost in the atmosphere, he had forgotten the task at hand. The door to the bastion opened again.
”Anybody there?” shouted Sabrina, knowing full well that Alphonse was stood no more than 20 meters away. Snapping out of his trance, he turned around. ”Come on, let’s get a move on. Everybody’s waiting.” she said, beckoning him towards the ruin’s entrance. The torchlight from the inside spilled out and lit up the cobbles beneath her feet.
”Let me just get my shortb-” he replied, unable to finish off his sentence as she held his bow raised in her right hand.
”It was inside the whole time. Are you sure that’s why you came out here?” she asked. Alphonse took consecutive looks towards the sky and then at her – she knew that it was a ruse all along. Forgetting why she came out, Sabrina walked towards the plaza’s edge and handed over his bow, before standing next to him, looking at the vast vista that lied below. ”It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she remarked, as the scenery drew the breath right out of her body.
”Yeah, it is.” added Alphonse. They stood there in silence for a few minutes, completely mesmerized. ”Anyway, now we really have to go back. Next time you want to get a look at the scenery, you need only ask. Nobody will mind, promise.” he sarcastically remarked. She smiled and playfully hit him on the arm, before they headed back in.
”Just a minute, was it?" chuckling "It’s been no less than twenty!” said Cleddau, in a typically deep Khajiit-like tone. Not wanting to cause an argument, Alphonse apologised before him and Sabrina regrouped with everybody else.
”What’s the plan then, mateys?” quizzed the Captain. ”There’s no sense in rushing into these places blindly.” he added, with an air of caution. Alphonse was perhaps the most knowledgeable of the seven when it came to Nordic ruins, having read so much about them, so the group decided to let him think it over. After having thoroughly thought it over, he grabbed everybody’s attention.
”The trick to navigating ancient burial sites is to not overcomplicate things. Although they are often lengthy and sprawling, they’re often designed to have one straight path, taking one from start to finish, passing through various rooms on the way.” he began, before taking a breath and continuing. ”You see, the architects who designed these were deep thinkers. They believed that the cadaver’s journey from the entrance to their coffin was representative of the journey from birth to death – with the coffin itself representing the final resting place, Sovengarde. The more powerful and important figures were buried deeper within, with the longer journeys reflecting the reach of their influence. If this artifact is here, it will have been buried along with somebody of that stature – not every foot soldier possesses objects of great power, you know.” he added. The group’s attention was well and truly on him, so he carried on. ”It’s for this reason that we can expect to find it at the very end of the ruin. If we follow the most obvious path and avoid any silly detours, we’ll get there in the end.” he finished, with a smile of confidence.
”The lad knows his stuff! Let’s not delay; every second wasted here is a second not in the inn later.” said Captain StronKnot, who seemed rather impatient. They checked their equipment one final time before setting off down the corridor, towards the great wooden doors that were situated a few meters away.
”Shall we get going then?” he said as he stood up and brushed himself down.
“Aye, the lad’s right. What better time to plunder some loot than the present?” answered Antoine as he too, stood up. One by one, so did the rest of the group. Alphonse looked around at the ragtag band of adventurers that circled the campfire; an Imperial, Dunmer, Bosmer, Khajiit, Argonian and another Breton. They all had different combat preferences and personalities, yet he knew that they would all get along – after all, they all had the same goal in mind. Nobody would risk rebelling, or at least not until the ancient Akiviri artifact had been found. For now, he was safe!
”Before we set off, we should ensure that we have our weapons and supplies ready. There’s no telling what could be around the very next corner.” advised Alphonse with perhaps more authority than intended, wanting to ensure that their expedition got off to a good start. He reached for his shortbow and ended up grasping at air. It wasn’t there. Heat rose to his now-sanguine cheeks as he opened his mouth once more. ”It seems I’ve left my bow outside, propped up against the gate. I won’t be a minute, if you’ll excuse me…” he added, shrewdly. If he were a Khajiit, his tail would be well and truly between his legs as he turned and headed towards the door. His pace quickened as his shoes tapped against the rocky floor. In the background he could’ve swore he heard a laugh, yet it wasn’t malicious. Just as he reached for the door handle, he turned around – there was Sabrina, smiling, her one eyebrow raised in a somewhat sarcastic manner. Returning a grin, he turned around and went outside once more.
By now, darkness had well and truly descended. Alphonse walked over to the platform’s edge, wanting to get one more view of the outside world before they set off. The sky was painted a brilliant shade of black and the glow of a million stars illuminated the endless forests below. The fog had somewhat disappeared, revealing many intricate details that had previously remained hidden – there were mills, camps and farms, all identifiable by the camouflaged towers of smoke that bellowed from their chimneys and fires. It was remarkably quiet. In the background, he could make out the rushing of the waterfall that fed Falkreath’s main mill. The ambience was amplified by a swirling breeze that rustled through the leaves of the trees and the occasional flapping of wings. Above him, a group of torchbugs danced an elaborate dance as their light flickered against his face. It was an incredibly serene scene. Alphonse inhaled through his nose to further absorb it all in, the wafting scent of pine emanating throughout his entire body. He loved that smell. He could taste the night as it hit the back of his throat with every breath. Completely lost in the atmosphere, he had forgotten the task at hand. The door to the bastion opened again.
”Anybody there?” shouted Sabrina, knowing full well that Alphonse was stood no more than 20 meters away. Snapping out of his trance, he turned around. ”Come on, let’s get a move on. Everybody’s waiting.” she said, beckoning him towards the ruin’s entrance. The torchlight from the inside spilled out and lit up the cobbles beneath her feet.
”Let me just get my shortb-” he replied, unable to finish off his sentence as she held his bow raised in her right hand.
”It was inside the whole time. Are you sure that’s why you came out here?” she asked. Alphonse took consecutive looks towards the sky and then at her – she knew that it was a ruse all along. Forgetting why she came out, Sabrina walked towards the plaza’s edge and handed over his bow, before standing next to him, looking at the vast vista that lied below. ”It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she remarked, as the scenery drew the breath right out of her body.
”Yeah, it is.” added Alphonse. They stood there in silence for a few minutes, completely mesmerized. ”Anyway, now we really have to go back. Next time you want to get a look at the scenery, you need only ask. Nobody will mind, promise.” he sarcastically remarked. She smiled and playfully hit him on the arm, before they headed back in.
*
”Just a minute, was it?" chuckling "It’s been no less than twenty!” said Cleddau, in a typically deep Khajiit-like tone. Not wanting to cause an argument, Alphonse apologised before him and Sabrina regrouped with everybody else.
”What’s the plan then, mateys?” quizzed the Captain. ”There’s no sense in rushing into these places blindly.” he added, with an air of caution. Alphonse was perhaps the most knowledgeable of the seven when it came to Nordic ruins, having read so much about them, so the group decided to let him think it over. After having thoroughly thought it over, he grabbed everybody’s attention.
”The trick to navigating ancient burial sites is to not overcomplicate things. Although they are often lengthy and sprawling, they’re often designed to have one straight path, taking one from start to finish, passing through various rooms on the way.” he began, before taking a breath and continuing. ”You see, the architects who designed these were deep thinkers. They believed that the cadaver’s journey from the entrance to their coffin was representative of the journey from birth to death – with the coffin itself representing the final resting place, Sovengarde. The more powerful and important figures were buried deeper within, with the longer journeys reflecting the reach of their influence. If this artifact is here, it will have been buried along with somebody of that stature – not every foot soldier possesses objects of great power, you know.” he added. The group’s attention was well and truly on him, so he carried on. ”It’s for this reason that we can expect to find it at the very end of the ruin. If we follow the most obvious path and avoid any silly detours, we’ll get there in the end.” he finished, with a smile of confidence.
”The lad knows his stuff! Let’s not delay; every second wasted here is a second not in the inn later.” said Captain StronKnot, who seemed rather impatient. They checked their equipment one final time before setting off down the corridor, towards the great wooden doors that were situated a few meters away.