Chapter 361: The Fourth Labour
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The second day, I had a visitor and let's just say it is one very annoying visitor.
"Young Jonhild."
"Priestess Aranea."
Just in case you are wondering, that is the very same Aranea who is the Priestess of Azura and the Prophet of my Labours. Also, in case if you are wondering how am I meeting her, then I have no idea. I am still held in a cell with the Cattle of the vampires and here I go ask her about how she got in here.
"How did you get in here?" Clearly me asking.
"The guiding of Lady Azura never led me astray from where I must be. Be it in the depth of Oblivion or some vampire den." Aranea replied with a haughty tone.
"Does this look like some vampire den to you?." I think that is a proper response.
"I am here to inform you about your Fourth Labour."
"Fuck off."
Aranea was clearly bothered by my attitude but seeing the shit hole I am sitting in, it was clearly not the time to hear about the goddamn fourth labour.
She cleared her throat at spoke the words of Azura.
"The Cold March, the Dragon Hunt, the Stone Built, the Old Hold, in ten suns and ten moons. Save Parents and Children."
I looked at Aranea and had the urge to stand up and beat the ever living shit out of her.
"Translation, please."
Aranea sighed.
"This is an easy one." She said.
"Clearly. I said so too when I heard it for the first time. Let's share our thoughts together… Me, no idea! Your turn…"
"'The Cold March' means an enemy is coming through the cold lands, 'the Dragon Hunt' refers to the enemies aim which is clearly you, 'the Stone Built' refers to the cities you built by stone, 'the Old Hold' is clearly Winterhold, 'In ten suns and ten moons' means you have ten days. 'Save Parents and Children' means that Lady Azura is worried about the safety of the Dunmer populace in Winterhold."
"... Wait! Hold up a second! Say it again."
I who turned away before Aranea finishes her words looked to her direction again only to find no one there.
"Fuck! Where did she... Nefertiti, did you just hear that?"
"Yes." Nefertiti jumped up from my shadow and looked at me. "An enemy is Marching to Winterhold, their aim is you and they will arrive in ten days. The people are in danger."
"But- But I got kidnapped by the vampires in front of their spies and… fuck! They won't even care about that... I see now." I arrived to a realization.
"It is as you think, Hooman. You have made two cities from a broken hold, they think you already possess the Elder Scrolls."
She read my mind correctly.
"Okay, what are our options?" I asked.
"We tried [Greed] and the Shadow World trick but the Space itself is locked by the effect of that 'Domain' thing." She said.
"The [Skeleton Key] is also not an option since I have no idea what am I unlocking or locking about this 'Domain'. That's not it, even if we escaped, the Vampires will come after me and it will mean that Winterhold has to face two enemies." I said.
"What do we lack?" She asked.
"Communications with Winterhold and a source of information as we are locked in a 'Domain'. We also need a way to escape and we need a way to keep the vampires in place." I answered.
"Complicated!"
"Indeed."
I have every piece of equipment in the [Cube] and I have the space if I want to go in there and create whatever absurd machine that can blow this 'Domain' open and set me free but I don't think that is the wise curse of action.
"Alina gave you this." Nefertiti put her hand in the [Cube] and took out the tree branch Alina threw at me.
I looked at it and nodded, I won't mistake its energy anywhere in the world.
"An Eldergleam Branch." I was feeling its unique energy with a daze, "Just how on Nirn could Alina cut out a branch with that size?"
The Eldergleam is no ordinary tree. It is the oldest living tree possibly in the world and maybe something older than the Hist trees of Black Marsh. Due to the age of the Eldergleam, its wood is tougher than any metal known to man.
"What can you do with it? A bow?" Nefertiti asked.
I flicked her forehead with my finger.
"Do I look like a damn Wood Elf to you? A Bow? Humph! This is the highest quality wood material in the world. An Eldergleam Wood. The amount of energy in this twig alone is scary."
I looked at the branch while Nefertiti was holding her forehead. The amount of wood in that branch can fit out anything from a bow to a spear or a staff. Hell, it can be used as a weapon just like that.
But the process of crafting this wood will be near impossible. I need strong material that befits its value. Can't possible attack an iron head to an Eldergleam Wood and call it a spear. Sadly, I don't have material worthy of the branch.
Putting that aside, I need a plan. I can start enthralling lesser vampires by my blood but I still don't know a lot about that and it takes time to get rid of the vampiric infection I get from them.
Also, the place itself is very threatening. To what extent can that 'Domain' watch my actions. I need answers with no one knowledgeable enough to answer me. Even after asking that vampire Hjor about the domain, he had no knowledge at all.
All I could tell him was to act naturally and keep checking with me every now and then in case I needed anything.
"What about Winterhold?" Nefertiti asked.
"... Alina can handle it with the Firemanes and the Moonblades. Neo Saarthal may no be completely built yet but the fortress and the walls are ready. Whatever enemy comes won't be a problem. Also, I told her about that place."
"That place? Ah, you mean that room. When?"
"When she threw the branch to me, I moved my lips and I think she read them. If she finds that place, she will be able to counter whatever happens on her own."
"But she will be scared." Nefertiti said.
"Of course. But let's have faith in her. Right now, let's not sit on our butts. We have work to do."
I stood up from the place I made for myself and walked through the area.
This was the kitchen, the place where the cattle are kept. The Vampires also come to the place frequently so I make sure that Nefertiti stays hidden.
The cattle are kept in cells and cages and so was I but actually there is no need to go that far. They only kept me in a cell without even locking it knowing that I won't escape that so-called Domain no matter what.
I actually tried to analyze the Space but I got a very isolated feeling. It was as if this was a world of its own. I can't cast [Levitate] or [Teleport] neither can I reach the outside world with [Telepathy].
This felt like the [Cube]. I can call the [Cube] my domain if these are the same things Harkon can do with the castle but I doubt so. From what I also can tell, [Clockwork City] of Sotha Sil has some qualities of the Domain but still was different. Sotha Sil is the one who created the [Haven Cube] after all.
If I needed to put it in theory then, Domains are places where certain entities can gain a certain amount of control over the laws of the Domain. The more stable the Domain is, the less control people possess.
Take the World for example, in Mundus, Average Mortals can control Magicka and other Forces of Nature freely to a certain extent overlooking the talent. Castle Volkihar and its isle are a Domain on their own where Harkon and his Nobel Vampire can have more power while some of my powers are reduced.
I get it now. A Domain needs a source of power. [Clockwork City] had a source of power represented in Sotha Sil, a living God. As Sotha Sil fell from Glory 200 years ago, Clockwork City was no longer a Domain. The same goes for the [Haven Cube], a subspace where I can expand it by using Magicka and reshape some of its interior features, I am the source of power to the [Haven Cube]. The source of Mundus should be the Towers or the Heart of Lorkhan.
That only means that Castle Volkihar has a source of power as well. With its size, I don't think it is Harkon as he is not that powerful. Both the [Haven Cube] and [Clockwork City] are actually Microscopic Realms which means things need to get magically shrunk to enter. Maybe that's the answer, a smaller Domain is easier to power up.
"Wait… if more stable Domains deny control of its residents, doesn't that mean Earth, my previous world, was stable as fuck? Possibly, right? God! Now I hate being sober."
Well, that was silly… anyway, with the size of Castle Volkihar, it needs an outer source of power.
I had no way to roam around the Castle freely neither does the lesser vampires I can enthrall. The layout is also much larger and more complicated than the game.
I need an ally who grew up in this place.
"Hey, Fuck Face." I called the ugly Cattle Butcher, "Tell your Lord I can stand this torture no longer and I am ready to cooperate but we need to talk first."
The Vampire Butcher saw me out of the cell and looked at me with anger.
As he brought his ugly face over to me, and wanted to exert some authority, I could do nothing but sigh in tiredness.
"Fine, fine. Show me those baby teeth, maybe an ugly mug like you has a use in the end."
Enthralling the guy in the kitchen should be of use one day, wouldn't it?
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