Chapter 206: Chains of the Past II
"That's understandable... We're what? In the second century of the fourth era?" I ask Inigo, not remembering the length of time Serana has been here.
"Yes, my friend. And we are on Skyrim, and the sky is blue..." Inigo says with a snarky smile as he replies.
"That... Is quite some time... Oh, my family lived on an island to the west of Solitude. I assume they still do, and I'd appreciate any help you could offer me to get there." Serana says, seeming to relax a little.
"I'm sure we could help you out, if that's okay with you, Inigo? We still have your mountain to find." I say, asking Inigo.
"Of course my friend, she may be a vampire, but so long as she doesn't try drinking my blood, she will still be a stranger in need of help." Inigo says after some thought.
"Thank you... By the way, this stranger is named Serana. It's nice to meet you... Now, do you know the way out of here? Because this place is quite different from how it was when I went in." Serana asks.
"We should be able to just retrac-" I say before a rumbling noise shakes the cavern as the gargoyles begin to shake off their stone skin as they begin descending the stairway we came from.
{Stop the Prisoner's escape!} One of the gargoyles roars.
"Aw, damn it!" I exclaim, as I launch [Ice Spike] up at the gargoyles as Inigo draws his bow, loosing arrows as Serana pushes her hands forward as purple flames bathe the nearing gargoyles in a chilling flame.
{Stop them!} Another gargoyle roars as it glides down from the top of the staircase and tackles me to the ground, piercing my shoulders with its claws.
"Aghhh!" I shout as I pull my hands up to grip the gargoyle's horns, pulling it over me as I kick my legs beneath it to use its momentum to throw the gargoyle over me before using [Flame] to burn it as I draw my blade to severe its head from its shoulders making it crumble into a pile of dust.
With Serana and Inigo swiftly ending their gargoyles, which also crumble into a pile of dust.
"Whew... I wonder why these gargoyles attacked?" Serana asks as she looks at me sifting between the piles of ash for gems and ebony ore.
"Ummm... You didn't hear them calling you a prisoner?" I tell her, a bit confused she couldn't understand the gargoyles, since I thought that's how the vampires controlled them.
"What do you mean? Gargoyles can't talk?" Serana replies with a confused tilt of her head.
{It's one of those things like how you hear me, Greenie.} Mr. Dragonfly adds.
"Yes, I think it is like how Mr. Dragonfly suggests?" Inigo adds, making Serana look between us like we've gone insane.
"Ummm... Who are you two talking to?" Serana asks with confusion.
"Mr. Dragonfly." Me and Inigo reply simultaneously.
"Oh... Okay... Maybe I should continue on my own?" Serana mumbles beneath her breath, though me and Inigo both catch it with our enhanced hearing.
"Hey, look at it this way... If we are insane, at least we're helpfully insane and not trying to kill you?" I say with a shrug as we carry on through the ruins.
"Yes... I'm counting on the helpfully insane to get me home... Wonderful..." Serana says sarcastically.
We continue on into another chamber with a lever needed to open the way forward.
"My friend... This seems... Ominous? No?" Inigo says as we look around the obvious draugr trap.
"Yeah, get ready for a flight." I warn them as I pull the lever, freeing a draugr wight and several skeleton warriors.
"Inigo! Take the skeletons!" I order as I take out my blade and begin trading blows with the wight, while Serana assists us from the rear, launching ice spikes into the skeletons that approach Inigo's back and taking shots of opportunity against the wight whenever I dodge its strikes.
After a furious battle we dispatch the undead without a single injury on our side.
"Good job everyone!" I complement them as I start looting the wight and the surrounding room as Inigo begins looting the skeletons, while Serana stares at us.
"Um... What are you doing?" Serana asks as she sees Inigo pull several coins and a small pouch of bone meal from the piles of bones
"We're looting, obviously?" I tell her as I take a soul gem from the wight.
"I see that... But, why?" Serana asks still perplexed by what we're collecting.
"My friend, I believe our new acquaintance is curious about the reason behind your peculiar habits of taking everything that's not nailed down in an area." Inigo explains as he pulls an intact potion from a pile of rubble in the corner of the room.
"Oh, that!" I say, tapping my palm against the side of my head.
"Yes, that... Peculiarity... Is it common behavior in this day and age? Or is it a personal habit?" Serana asks with mild interest.
"Ha, I'd like to say a bit of both, but in all honesty, it's a me thing. I run a small mercenary company, with lots of other projects. So I try to save every coin I can, where I can." I say with a chuckle.
"Wow... That's, unexpectedly frugal of you." Serana says somewhat impressed.
"Yup, I'm full of surprises." I say with a wink making Serana roll her eyes.
"Let's focus on getting out of here my friend, you know how I feel about being underground with the undead... Er... No offense Serana." Inigo says, scratching the back of his neck.
"None taken, I'm an undead like you are a cat after all." Serana quips, making me suppress a snicker as Inigo chuckles.
"Ha, ha, ha, that is a good one." Inigo says with a laugh, seeming to finally relax around Serana.
"Alright, enough jokes, let's get out of here." I say, as we head into the final chamber.
(Author's Note: Hey everyone, hope you enjoy. I'm starting school tomorrow, so wish me luck on keeping up with this posting schedule and apologies in advance if I miss one.)
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