Chapter 33: White River Watch
Bonus Chapter
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Rictus felt pretty intimidating at the moment. The sun was at his back as it was getting close to sunset. His dark robes were fluttering with the wind. An executioner's axe was resting on his back. A group of rough looking men and women in new armor and armed to the teeth was following behind him ready to fulfill his commands. He could not help but feel a bit pride welling up surveying his people.
Rictus had never led a group of warriors before. He had fought in groups, but he was never the true leader. This time was different. The people here all looked towards Rictus to lead them. There were some veterans though who would do a lot of the actual leading once the fighting started. Rictus was more than happy about this. He was not a military man, but even he knew the importance of good, experienced NCOs. They were the once which made the real difference in a fight.
It was a decent sized group for what they set out to do. There were 15 total people including Rictus. Rictus and Ma'randru-jo would act as the magical support while the other 13 were the warriors. Of those 13, there were 9 melee fighters and 4 archers. The melee fighters had a variety of weapons such as one-handed weapons and shields, a great axe, a Warhammer, and Ken was duel wielding daggers. The archers were split with 2 having bows and the other 2 having crossbows.
While they were moving as one large group for now, they were technically split into 5 smaller teams. Rictus's team was made up of him, Ma'randru-jo, and Ken. They were the command unit as well as the magical support. The other 4 groups were made up of 2 warriors and an archer. They decided to go with this to make sure an experienced fighter was with each of the groups in order to watch over those with little experience. In case the fighting got hectic, each of the groups would focus on their team first before worrying about anything else going on.
Part of the reason the group was so late in moving out, was because of all the prep work they did before leaving to take out the bandits. Rictus made sure everyone had the equipment they needed for the fight and the members of the Restored were running around making the necessary purchases to fully outfit everyone going on the mini crusade.
They already had been gathering up weapons for use, so the major task was getting enough quality armor. Rictus was again thankful he had chosen alteration since it made money not a big problem at all. They had to pay a higher cost, but everyone was able to get the armor they desired. They had also found some adept robes of alteration for Ma'randru-jo to wear. The biggest winner was of course Rictus. He had finally found what he had been wanting for the longest time. Without his new information network, he would probably have not found it at all.
It was a master robe of alteration. It looked similar to how they appeared in the game, but the color was slightly different. The outer coat was a faded black which if the sun hit it just right, would have grey runic patters faintly visible. The shirt was a dark burgundy color while the pants matched the coat. Rictus had a pair of black leather boots to finish out his look. The robe did help in his ability to cast alteration magics. It was a combination of the inscribed runes and enchantments which seemed to help the magic flow. It was not quite as significant as the games made it out, but it did make a difference.
It had also taken a long time to sort out who would actually be going on the expedition. Originally, Rictus was going to either go by himself or with Ma'randru-jo, but Ken and the other Restored pitched a fit. They were not about to let their savior go into a bandit camp by himself. They eventually settled on the configuration they did after talking with some of the more experienced fighters. They needed the experience fighters there to watch over the inexperienced yet zealous fighters which would be coming along. It would be a great opportunity for them to test their mettle against real opponents while having ample back up.
Rictus was not expecting much of a fight since it was a starter location in the game, but apparently this bandit group was quite menacing to the common people. Hajvarr had apparently been very successful in raiding traders and farmers in the outlying areas of Whiterun. The guards had not done anything about them yet for a couple reasons. One was that the guards were already stretched to their limits keeping the peace in the city and all the surrounding villages. Bandits had been on the rise ever since Ulfric had started small scale conflicts with the empire. Another reason was the defensible location the bandits were in. There was an overlook on the cave which would allow the bandits to see any approaching force and adequately prepare themselves for conflict. If the force was too large, they could easily run farther into the mountains where a large force would no longer have the advantage.
No one in Rictus's group was particularly worried about them seeing them coming. They were not trying to be stealthy. A large confrontation would actually be better for Rictus since it would allow them to finish the fighting faster. It was always annoying to hunt down stray enemies. One would never know if there would be 1 or 6 people hiding behind the door or the next bend of the passageway. Much simpler and easier if all the enemies charged at them.
They were almost to the reported entrance to the cave, yet nothing had happened yet. Seemed like they were going to have to go hunt down the enemies. Hiding wouldn't help them. Already, they could see a fire up the hill before them. Seems as if they want them to know they are there. Rictus let a smile creep on his face as magic flowed through his eyes. He was scanning the camp to see if there was anyone there. Only two people were at the entrance to the cave. They were closer to the campfire than the cave entrance.
"So much for guards. Ma'randru-jo, you remember what to do if one tries to run."
Ma'randru-jo let a snarl slip out as he nodded to Rictus. He would not disappoint his master. The new techniques he had been working on would be more than enough to stop a cowardly bandit.
It took the bandits entirely too long to notice the group. They were apparently engrossed in the fire as they were animatedly talking about something. Once they did notice the group of armed men coming their way, they froze for a second. That second was too long. The sounds of 4 strings snapping were all the warning they got before the arrows and bolts pierced one of the bandits. 3 of the shots hit the same bandit while the 4th bolt missed the remaining man. They would have to work on their targeting.
The lucky man tried to run away, but he would not make it far. As soon as the archers fired, Ma'randru-jo sprang into action. Literally. He had cast leap in order to quickly make his way forward to the remaining bandit. As he was in the air, he reinforced his body with Ironflesh. His claws slammed into the back of the man's head and slammed him into the ground. Ma'randru-jo then stood up with a prideful look. There was something primal to this way of combat which satisfied some side of him he never knew he had. It was exhilarating, and he could barely wait for the hunt to continue.
Rictus was disappointed everything had ended so quickly, but happy how smoothly the first bout of combat went. The group quickly moved up and secured the camp. He commanded one group to start looting and organizing everything out here while another kept watch. They did not want to risk being flanked by any returning bandits. The rest would continue with Rictus as they finished clearing the cave of bandit scum.
They entered the cave with Rictus's group sandwiched between the remaining 2 groups. All the ranged fighters were in the middle of the formation while the warriors had the edges. This should provide the best defense to the group.
Rictus was expecting to find the blind man once they entered the cave, but he was disappointed. The man was not there. Rictus had even considered sparing the man in honor of all the times he used him as sneak training in the game. If they found him with the other bandits, he would most likely be killed. That's what he gets for not being at his post.
The cave system was a total mess though. The bandit's disdain for cleanliness was obvious. There were broken shelves along the wall with various items strewn across the floor. The tunnels were all at a decent incline which made sense if the cave lead to an overlook on the mountain. As they were rounding another corner, there was a startled shout from further in the cave. A decently sized cavern revealed more bandits in various states of unpreparedness.
There were two levels to the cavern. The bottom half had a group of 4 bandits quickly getting up off bed rolls. They were half dressed, but still had weapons near them. The top half of the room had a couple bandits sitting at a table eating while another one was already standing and quickly drawing his bow. The total count was 7 vs 9 in Rictus's favor.
The Restored warriors quickly charged the men trying to get up off the bed rolls. The archers began trying to shoot at the bandits at the top level. Ma'randru-jo also jump charged the bandits up top in order to keep their arrows away from the warriors fighting below. Rictus decided to make things even easier for his men by casting burden on the weapons the bandits were trying to wield. He wanted his men to get experience fighting instead of him defeating people as fast as he could. If the situation was more dire, Rictus would not hesitate to intervene. For now, he would simply support his minions.
The Restored were quickly among the bandits from the bedrolls. 2 bandits were instantly cut down as the final two began a back-and-forth fight with the inexperienced Restored. The veterans were watching closely in case they needed to intervene. Of the three bandits on the top level, 1 one dead from Ma'randru-jo's claws, another was screaming while on the ground clutching the arrows sticking out of his gut, and the final one was fighting Ma'randru-jo hand to hand. It was obvious who would win that fight.
The fighting was soon over. The bandits were all dead with minimal injuries to the Restored. One of the inexperienced warriors had a nasty cut on his hand, but Rictus was able to quickly fix that with Healing hands. Ma'randru-jo had a couple bruises, but nothing major. The rest were basically untouched. They did not expect to find the rest of the bandits as unprepared as these were. The other bandits had to of heard the combat and started getting ready for a fight.
Rictus observed his min…followers with a critical eye. He was worried about their level of exhaustion. This cave was leading them upwards through the mountain and was very steep. Most of them were not in good shape since they had recently been living in poverty and not even able to have a full meal. Combine those things with wearing armor, fighting, and hiking up through the steep areas of the cave system, even the march to the cave, and some were looking quite exhausted.
The main two who seemed no worse for wear were Rictus and Ken. Even Ma'randru-jo was beginning to get tired from the mana expenditure and fighting. The veterans were in better shape than the greenhorns, but not by much. It seemed the next couple of fights Rictus would have to play a more active role. He now fully understood why the guards were reluctant to attack this place. If the bandits simply waited at the top area, the attackers would be tired from walking up the steep inclines of the cave.
Rictus decided to let his men have a couple minutes to catch their breath. He understood giving the bandits more time to prepare was not a good thing but charging in with exhausted fighters was no better. After a quick breather, they continued up the rocky tunnels.
The tunnel began to level out and widen. There had to be another clearing soon. The men prepared themselves and made sure the warriors with the shields were in the lead. The bandits knew they were coming, and they should be able to hear their heavy armor clinking as they moved.
Rictus was prepared this time to actually fight. He figured there would be quite a few bandits in this cave. He was a little foggy on the details, but he thought they had to be getting very close to the end of the cave system. He decided to really thin down the remaining bandits there to lower the risk to his people.
Rictus pulled out some metal spikes from his storage. These were not nearly as big as the stone spikes he was usually used. They were slightly shorter than Rictus's forearm and as thick as his thumb. He pulled out a total of 8 of them. He then placed them in sections on his forearms which had been set up to fit them like a vambrace. Now, he was ready.
The group quickly busted into the room ready for action. Rictus quickly noticed the size of the room. It was decently sized around, but it was very tall. A long winding pathway spiraled around the edges of the room which made the top overlook almost 2 stories above them. There were various cages hanging from the ceiling which seemed to be occupied by some corpses. A large cage on the ground level also had a couple wolves in it.
The bandits here were much more prepared. 4 bandits with swords and shields were waiting at the bottom of the ramp. There were two more behind them wielding warhammers. There were 4 archers lined up along the spiral pathway, with 2 bandits stationed at the highest point. It seemed as if those two would be trying to throw objects down on top of them.
The Restored warriors charged at the bandits with melee weapons. The archers began to have a quick shootout with the bandits having the definite advantage due to positioning. Ma'randru-jo seemed to take offense at this and began casting lightning bolts at them. Rictus was not one to let the bandits get an upper hand.
Rictus leaped and used his telekinesis to propel him all the way to the top portion of the cavern. The two bandits were stunned to find a man flying right in front of their faces. Rictus did not allow them to recover. As he was landing, he held out both of his arms at the bandits and shot the metal spikes into them at point blank range. The fast-moving metal tore through the stomach of one and stabbed into the shoulder of the other one. Rictus spared a quick thought on why they bothered wearing armor which showed off so much skin. With both men on the ground, Rictus walked over them and shot another metal spike into each of their respective heads. He had 4 more unused spikes left.
The fighting was very fierce for the warriors. The bandits had a slight advantage at the moment. The Restored had better equipment and seemed to work a bit better together, but they were tired, and some lacked any experience. The bandits were fresh and were overall stronger and faster. They also outnumbered the melee fighters 6 to 5. The superior equipment was the main reason the Restored were able to keep pace.
One bandit archer was burnt from Ma'randru-jo's lightning bolts. Another had an arrow sticking out of one of his arm. The other two were still firing away though. The Restored archers were both down. One had an arrow in his shoulder, while the other had taken a shot to the thigh. Ma'randru-jo was able to keep the remaining bandits occupied, but he was not sure for how long. He was unsure how to proceed either. He wanted to charge the archers, but then they would have an easy shot while he was in the air since he could only leap. He would also be leaving behind the two injured Restored which would allow the bandit archer to easily put them down. For the moment, he kept up the stalemate.
As Rictus was about to attack again, one of the Restored made a mistake. He had overextended his swing while letting his shield drop to his side. A bandit took advantage of this and stepped into his guard and quickly stabbed his sword under the Restored's helmet and into his head. The body fell limply to the ground as the bandits intensified their advance while they had an advantage.
Rictus was momentarily shocked. He had seen death a few times already, but this was the first time it was one of his men who had died. Rictus was the one to bring him here, and the man had died under Rictus's order. He quickly recovered though and went on the attack.
Similar to what had happened with the dragon priest, small scales began to coat Rictus body as his hands grew sharp talons. Rictus let out a bestial roar then jumped off the ledge and directly into the fighting. During the fall, he quickly shot out the remaining 4 metal spikes. One spike went through the top of a bandit's head. Two other spikes buried their way through the tops of two different bandits' shoulders while the last one missing and stabbing in front of a bandit who had suddenly stopped moving forward.
Rictus stopped his downward momentum with telekinesis as he cast burden onto the weapon of the bandit fighting Ken. Ken was quick to capitalize and used his daggers to slit the bandit's throat. One of the bandits with a Warhammer was starting to swing at one of the Restored when a taloned hand pierced into his back. Rictus then used his telekinesis to assist him in lifting the man up and throwing his body into the bandit which had killed his minion.
All of the six bandits with melee weapons were down in some fashion at this point. The two with their shoulders destroyed from Rictus's aerial attack had been quickly sliced down. One had been killed by Ken. One had their skull split open with a metal spike from Rictus. One was bleeding out through a hole in his back. The final one was on the ground after being hit by his comrade's body.
The archers had stopped shooting to stare in amazement at what had just happened. 6 of the best fighters in the group had been defeated in seconds. Ma'randru-jo was more than willing to take advantage of his opponents' mistakes. He already knew some of what Rictus was capable. A lightning bolt disabled one of the archers and while the other was just beginning to shake off his shock, he was met by a leaping Khajiit. The bandit archer who had been shot in the shoulder earlier, drew his knife and charged Ma'randru-jo to try and save his fellow bandit.
While they were fighting, Rictus made his way over to the knocked down bandit. Before the bandit could even get his cries for mercy out, Rictus punted his head. The bandit's head was partially ripped from his body as Rictus's taloned foot tore through it.
This was the first time Rictus had caused the talons to grow from his foot, but it made kicks extremely deadly. He retracted the claws which allowed the remaining portions of the bandit's head to plop onto the ground. While effective, Rictus did not find this method of attack worth the cleanup.
"…And I just bought these shoes too."
Rictus let out a sigh at the sight of his poor mangled boot. He would just have to get a new pair when they got back to town. Looking around the fighting had fully stopped.
"Status report everyone." Rictus commanded.
Ken's back straightened to attention as he answered him.
"All bandits in this room have been defeated. We took one casualty and multiple injuries. The injured will all live and be ready to go in a couple days after some healing. Everyone is banged up or hurt to some degree. Ma'randru-jo appears to be in the early stages of mana exhaustion, and everyone else is about done for as well. I don't know if we can keep going in all honesty."
Rictus nodded along with Ken's report. His eyes were telling him the same story. Ma'randru-jo was slumped against the wall with the remaining bandits dead at his feet. Interestingly, one of them had a dagger stuck in him while Ken happened to be missing a dagger. Seemed he had helped Ma'randru-jo out while Rictus was finishing off the other bandit. The rest of the Restored seemed utterly exhausted. They would not be able to continue. Rictus quickly went and stabilized the most seriously injured fighters. He only made sure they were not in critical condition before he addressed everyone.
"You all stay here for now. Send the least injured to go get some of the fighters from the entrance to help out here. I saw the exit to the cave up there which will be where the leader is waiting. I will go and finish him off while you all rest and recover."
Before anyone could say anything to stop him, Rictus leaped back to the top of the cavern and began making his way out of the cave. He knew his followers would have tried to come with him, but they were in no state to do so at the moment. Rictus was tired of being in these caves and wanted to be out as soon as possible. They could not leave the leader of the bandits here either, as he could simply rebuild if he lived.
As he was making his way out of the tunnel, someone called out to him.
"Who goes there? Did you all finally put down the rest of the traitors? I thought there was only a couple of them left, but the fighting sounded much more serious than that."
A heavily armored man was sitting a table filled with food and weapons. There were a couple of lamps around the clearing to light up the darkness. There was another older man beside him who was staring at a book in his hands. The armored man started to look up from where he was writing in his journal. He was surprised to see a stranger before him but was quick to act regardless. He drew his weapon before he was even fully out of his seat.
Before anything else could happen, Rictus lifted the man up into the air with telekinesis. He then reached out with his other hand and telekinetically grabbed the older man who was just starting to draw a blade. With both men floating in the air before him, Rictus decided to just end it. A quick burst of mana was all that was needed to toss both men over the edge of the overlook. They screamed as they were falling through the air but were quickly silenced by the unforgiving mountain.
Rictus used detect life to make sure there were no more enemies around before letting out a sigh as he sat down in the nicer chair at the table. He stared off into the beautiful Skyrim night sky for just a moment. It was a magnificent view for sure. He could easily see the lights coming from Whiterun from here. This really was a good spot.
Before he got too complacent, Rictus stood up. He had people to look out for and make sure were okay. The death of a follower left a bad taste in his mouth, but Rictus steeled his heart. There would be a lot more deaths in the future with all the trouble heading their way.
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[A/N]: Hope the pacing and direction of the story is still making sense. There is still a decent amount of time before the dragonborn makes an appearance, but it is getting closer.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Pepey_LePew
Pepey_LePew Ooo another action scene. How fun. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. If you have any additional comments, please let me know. I really do like reading them and incorporating the good ones. To those still reading, I am not sure what to put here. Since you are probably a little crazy, here is something you should know. If you bring a raccoon's head to the Henniker, New Hampshire, Town hall, you are entitled to receive 10 cents from the town. America is weird.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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