Chapter 15: Giant Problem

Victor woke up in the morning, still in a meditative pose. Despite meditating for only a couple of hours and spending who knows how many hours in C's realm he felt more well-rested than ever. Rising to his feet, he stretched, feeling the energy coursing through his body.

A knock at the door drew his attention. Opening it, he found Sarah standing there, her eyes filled with curiosity and determination. "Morning, Victor," she greeted him. "What's the plan for today?"

Victor smiled at seeing her face. "We need to discuss our next steps, Sarah. First, I have something for you."

He led her to the center of the room and handed her the Bow of the Moonlit Hunt and the Explosive Arrow Skill. "These are for you," he said, watching as her eyes widened in surprise and excitement.

Sarah took the bow, running her fingers along its intricate design. "It's beautiful," she whispered, then looked up at Victor with gratitude. "Thank you, Victor. This means a lot."

Victor nodded. "I have something for myself as well," he said, showing her the Telekinetic Blade - Zephyr's Edge and the Shardblade of Aetherium. "These will enhance my telekinetic abilities. Together, we'll be more prepared for whatever comes next."

Sarah examined the weapons, impressed by their craftsmanship. "These are incredible. With these, we wouldn't have had such a hard time in the burrow"

Victor chuckled. "That's the spirit. Now, let's head out and plan our next move. We have a lot to discuss and a long journey ahead."

As they left the room, they encountered Hadvar, who looked ready to leave on a long journey, with a backpack and all. Recognizing Hadvar's strength of character from the game, Victor decided to help him a bit.

Victor greeted Hadvar with a friendly smile. "Good morning, Hadvar. Where are you headed?"

Hadvar looked up, surprised but happy to see his friend. "I have urgent business in Solitude."

"I see," Victor said thoughtfully. "Would you and your companion be interested in making a detour on the way to deal with some necromancers?"

Hadvar's expression turned wary at the mention of the dangerous magic users. "Necromancers? Do you think i can handle them alone?"

"Are you planning to go alone?" Victor asked.

Hadvar shook his head. "No, I'll have one of the women companions with me. She has family in Solitude."

Victor grinned mischievously. "If you promise to retrieve Dawnbreaker for me, I'll outfit both of you in top-of-the-line armor from head to toe."

Hadvar looked skeptical. "How am I supposed to get such a rare artifact for you?"

Without saying a word, Victor used his telekinetic abilities to present Meridia's Beacon to Hadvar. As soon as he touched it, Hadvar went into a trance, experiencing the same phenomenon he had encountered in their previous virtual reality game sessions. Meridia's voice echoed around them, outlining the quest to retrieve Dawnbreaker from the corrupted shrine.

When Hadvar emerged from the trance, his eyes were wide with wonder and determination. "I understand now. I'll do it, Victor. I'll bring back Dawnbreaker."

Victor nodded in approval. "Good. Let's make sure you and your companion are properly equipped."

With a flick of his hand, Victor conjured fully upgraded Ancient Nord Armor Sets for both Hadvar and his companion, complete with powerful enchantments courtesy of C. For Hadvar, he also provided an Ebony Shield of Frost Suppression and an Ancient Nord Axe of Cold. And for the woman, Victor exchanged the two swords that C had saved for him with his very own Staff of Firebolts.

Hadvar marveled at the high quality of the equipment. "This is amazing, Victor. Thank you. We will not let you down."

Victor patted Hadvar on the shoulder with a smile. "Safe travels and good luck. I'll be in touch in a few days."

After Hadvar and his companion left, Victor and Sarah sat down to have a meal. The inn was quiet, the morning light filtering through the windows, casting a warm glow over the wooden tables.

As they began eating, Sarah looked at Victor curiously. "What was that all about? Why did you give Hadvar that artifact and all that gear?"

Victor took a bite of his food and then replied, "I want Dawnbreaker. I can give to C in order to analyze it and maybe get something even better for us in return, like just now."

Sarah nodded thoughtfully. "I see. That makes sense. It's a powerful artifact."

Victor suggested, "Let's bring the Golden Claw back to Lucan first. Then, we can talk to Ralof before heading towards Whiterun to reunite with my family. We may also find more capable individuals there to join our team and ensure our safety in the next dungeon."

Sarah smiled. "Sounds like a solid plan. The more allies we have, the better."

After finishing their meal, Victor and Sarah made their way to the marketplace where they found Lucan Valerius, the owner of the Riverwood Trader. As promised, Victor returned the Golden Claw to him.

Lucan was overjoyed to have his prized possession back and thanked them profusely. "I can't thank you enough for this. Please, take this gold as a token of my appreciation."

Despite Lucan's insistence, Victor refused to take the gold and suggested using it to improve his shop's security instead. Gratefully, Lucan accepted and promised to give them a discount on any future purchases.

As they prepared to leave Lucan's shop, Sarah couldn't help but ask, "Why didn't you take the gold? We could have used it."

Victor simply shrugged. "I have no urgent need for it. And besides, we already have plenty of gold and since these are my brother's people, some of it will ultimately come back to us through taxes."

With a nod, Sarah accepted this explanation. They left the Riverwood Trader and started towards Ralof's residence. The small town was already bustling with activity and the chill of the morning was gradually giving way to the warmth of the day.

Upon arrival, they found Ralof sharpening his weapon. When he saw Victor and Sarah approach, his face brightened into a smile. "Victor! And Sarah!" he greeted warmly. "What brings you here so early in the morning?"

Victor returned the greeting with a friendly handshake. "We wanted to speak with you about something important, Ralof."

Intrigued, Ralof motioned them to come inside his house. After serving them some freshly brewed mead, he sat down across from them, looking at Victor expectantly.

"We're heading towards Whiterun," Victor began, watching as Ralof's face registered surprise. "We've got a mission to accomplish after and I'd like you to join us later."

Ralof seemed taken aback for a moment before he nodded slowly, a gleam of determination in his eyes. "I'd be honored to fight by your side again," he replied seriously, extending a hand for Victor to shake.

After further discussion Victor handed Ralof a copy of part of the Thalmor documents they had obtained after killing the ambassador. "We need to arrange a meeting between Ulfric and Balgruuf. These documents show that the Thalmor have been manipulating events from behind the scenes."

Ralof's eyes widened as he read the documents. "This is... incredible. I'll make sure these reach Ulfric. But getting Balgruuf to agree to a meeting will be difficult.

Victor nodded. "That's why we need you, Ralof. You have Ulfric's ear. Tell him the urgent need for this meeting. We're on the cusp of something big and we cannot afford to be divided."

Ralof seemed thoughtful as he held the documents in his hand. He looked up at Victor, determination in his eyes. "Alright, Victor," he agreed, "I'll do it."

Relieved, Victor thanked Ralof and wished him well before he and Sarah took their leave.

As they walked the trail leading out of Riverwood, Sarah looked over at Victor with a thoughtful expression. "Do you think Ulfric will agree to meet Balgruuf?" she asked, her voice full of doubt.

Victor shrugged, not committing to a specific opinion. "It doesn't matter if they agree or not right now. With the information inside those papers, their only option is to prioritize the safety of their people."

Sarah let out a deep sigh and nodded, focusing her gaze on the road ahead.

The journey to Whiterun was long, lasting several hours. Along the way, Victor and Sarah faced various obstacles - dangerous creatures, and even a stray conjurer. However, their skills combined easily overcame each challenge.

Aela's POV

She sat across from Vilkas in Jorrvaskr, their mugs of mead untouched. The mead hall's fire crackled, casting shadows that danced across the ancient walls. They were discussing the recent news of Victor's return to Whiterun.

"It's been a long time since we last saw him," Vilkas said thoughtfully. "I wonder what brings him back now."

Aela nodded, her brow furrowing. "He always had a knack for timing. I suspect there's more to his return than meets the eye."

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted as another Companion burst into the hall, breathless and wide-eyed. "Aela, Vilkas! We have an urgent situation!"

Aela stood immediately, her hand instinctively moving to the hilt of her dagger. "What is it?"

"A giant is terrorizing the farms outside Whiterun," the Companion reported. "We need to deal with it before more people get hurt."

Aela exchanged a quick glance with Vilkas, both of them nodding in unspoken agreement. "Gather the team," Aela instructed. "We leave immediately."

In moments, the Companions were ready, weapons in hand, as they set out from Jorrvaskr. The sun was just beginning to set, casting a golden hue over the Whiterun plains. As they approached the outskirts, the sounds of panic and the distant roars of the giant grew louder.

Aela led the charge, her senses keen and her movements swift. She could see the massive figure of the giant in the distance, wreaking havoc among the farms. With a determined gaze, she drew her bow, preparing for the battle ahead.

Aela's heart pounded with fear as she spotted Victor and an unknown woman approaching on the opposite side of the field. She knew that Victor, a skilled magic caster, was not suited for close combat. Just as she was about to rush to his aid, a blindingly beautiful sword appeared in front of him, soaring towards the towering giant at knee level.

Aela couldn't help but be impressed by Victor's strategy to impair the giant's movements. But her admiration quickly turned to shock as Victor made a subtle movement with his fingers, redirecting the sword towards the sky. With a deafening sonic boom, the sword transformed into a streak of light and pierced straight through the giant's heart, leaving behind a gaping hole.

The giant crashed to the ground with a thunderous thud, its lifeless eyes staring up in disbelief. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed - it was an incredible display of power and control over magic. Aela couldn't help but feel both awestruck and terrified in the presence of such immense strength.

As the dust and debris settled, Aela approached Victor with wide eyes. Her heart pounded against her chest, not out of fear, but an indescribable joy. Here stood her childhood friend who had transformed into a powerful mage, capable of feats beyond her comprehension. An unfamiliar lady stood beside him, a comforting hand placed upon his shoulder.

Aela could see the exhaustion etched on Victor's face as he lowered his arm, the sword vanishing into thin air. Small beads of sweat trickled down his forehead and his breathing was uneven, signalling that the spell had taken its toll on him. It was then she realized how much Victor had changed - he wasn't the small, frail boy she used to protect anymore. Instead, he had grown into a man who could protect himself.

"Aela," Victor greeted, managing a weak smile. His voice carried the same warmth that it did all those years ago when they were just children playing in the fields of Glimmerdale. The nostalgia washed over Aela like a warm summer's breeze and she couldn't help but return his smile.

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she rushed forward to embrace him, careful not to knock him over. Victor welcomed her with open arms, returning the hug with equal enthusiasm. Aela was flooded with happiness as she clung onto Victor - he was here, he was safe and most importantly, he was still the same old friend she knew.

"I can't believe it...you've become so strong," Aela whispered into Victor's ear as they pulled apart. The feeling of happiness was overwhelming; it filled every corner of her heart with an intense warmth that made her forget about the cold harshness of their surrounding battlefield.

Looking up at his somewhat smudged face, Aela could see Victor struggling yet failing to conceal his own happiness at their reunion. The sight of his joy brought a lightness to her heart that she hadn't felt in years. Aela felt an excitement bubbling up inside her, eager to hear about Victor's journeys and adventures since they last saw each other.

Victor's POV

As Victor and Sarah approached the commotion, he quickly spotted the massive creature wreaking havoc on the farm. Wanting to show off the capabilities of his new sword, Zephyr's Edge, to Sarah, he confidently marched forward. With a simple movement of his hand, the glowing blade appeared in front of him.

Victor's adrenaline surged as he aimed the sword towards the giant's knee. But at the last moment, he changed his motion, causing the blade to shoot upwards with a deafening boom. The sword impaled the giant's heart, creating a gaping hole and causing it to fall to the ground instantly.

Despite not being physically exhausted, sweat dripped down Victor's forehead as he came to terms with the tremendous power of Zephyr's Edge. He had only tested it on C's golem and never expected such overwhelming strength from this seemingly weightless weapon. It was a thrill he couldn't fully comprehend, an intoxicating blend of fear and exhilaration that left him breathless.

Victor's heart pounded in his chest as he watched the life drain out of the giant. Had he been too rash to unleash such power, without full knowledge of its potential? And there was Sarah, his companion, watching this display with wide-eyed astonishment from just a few feet away.

Victor turned around to face her, noticing how pale she seemed against the backdrop of the crimson sky. She gave him a small nod of approval, but remained quiet, offering him silent support. He felt a rush of gratitude for her presence.

Suddenly, he caught sight of Aela rushing towards him. His heart skipped a beat as their eyes met - the sharp fire in her gaze had softened into something gentler and more familiar. The sight of his childhood friend moved Victor deeply; he didn't realize how much he had missed her till this moment.

As Aela enveloped him in a tight embrace, Victor found himself wrapped up in memories of their shared past - running wild through the fields, swimming in the crystal-clear lakes and exploring ancient ruins together. His hand instinctively moved to hug her back tightly, his joy at seeing her again seeping into his bones.

"I can't believe it...you've become so strong," she whispered into his ear. Her words echoed in Victor's mind like a sweet melody, warming his heart. He pulled away slightly to look at her face - some things never change, Victor mused to himself with genuine affection.

"Yes, Aela," Victor chuckled softly in response. "There are many stories we need to catch up on." He glanced at Sarah who was standing quietly nearby. "But first, let me introduce you to Sarah."

With an arm over each of the women's shoulders - one his oldest friend, the other his newest - Victor began to lead them away from the battlefield, towards home. There would still be time for reminiscing later. But for now, he wanted only to enjoy the reassurance that he was safely back at the place where he had started all those years ago.

As they walked away, Victor could not help but glance back at the slain giant one last time and then at his empty hand. Tonight, he decided, would be dedicated to family old friendships and new beginnings.

AN: Hello again, I'll need to seriously plan the next chapter because there is a lot of people he needs to meet and Balgruf is preparing a party for his arrival, I hope you like Aela because she will be part of the "main" cast.

Ps. As always I would like it very much if you see any mistakes or inconsistencies you would let me know as that would help me create a much better story. Thank you very much.