Chương 463: Investigation
A/n: Big thanks for @Hakkira on P4tre0n.
I was thinking that as soon as I get the new PC (don't know when), I would start publishing Early Access chapters on P4tre0n for +5$ Patrons. Let me know what you guys think.
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"What pisses me off is that we were right on his tail then when we were this close… this close, I tell you… we find ourselves a Green Lady, a Mane and an Altmer Ancestor picking fights with us all in the same bloody hour."
"..." "..." "..."
"Now I don't know what to call this but you guys have a big hole in your tree. I love holes… not in trees… but that's not a hole I like."
Jon turned around to the Mane, Lady and Ancestor in question. The three looked upset being scolded out in the open like that but no one replied at Jon.
"Zain has disappeared… again." Isha said as she walked out of the central gigantic graht-oak in the middle of the city of Silvenar.
"What about the Thoron?" The Green Lady Norril asked.
"He is stable now. He'll get better in a few days with rest. He is also asking to see you." Isha said.
Just as she said so, Norril let out a long sigh of relief. Not sure how but when she breathed, the tense atmosphere around the city eased up by a lot and the trees felt like breathing too.
Jon looked around to observe this phenomenon then looked at the Green Lady as she was running in the central tree.
"What was that just now?" He asked.
"That's the ability of the Green Lady." The Mane said. "Norril can control more than just some Green Magic and Illusions, she is the personification of the Bosmeri raw wildness and passion of their primal past."
"Meaning?"
"She is connected to the forest and the beasts. The Silvenar is more of a Civilized personification of the Culture and Politics so they call him the [Voice of the People], she is more of the Emotions in this regard."
"That explains why she had a short fuse and attacked me on sight." Jon nodded.
"Well, I am glad you understand but there is a point to her short temper. The Green Lady has a bestial nature, if the Silvenar is killed, her bestial nature is irrevocably unleashed and her fury turns on all those who are involved in his until she joins him in death. Thoron being hurt this time didn't cause much of a mayhem but she went on a real rampage with you. This one is sorry for letting you handle her on your own."
"It's okay."
Jon said with a tired face.
If the Green Lady goes coco every time the Silvenar gets hurt, it is a miracle that this country is still standing."
The Altmer woman ignored their conversation and arrived near the great Graht-Oak of Silvenar.
"The tree will recover but I don't know what to make of this. Which room did this blast come from?" She looked to the side asking a Bosmer officer.
"It is the treasury room, my Lady."
"What was stolen?" She asked.
"... Nothing we know of, my lady."
"Nothing? Nothing at all?" She questioned.
"According to the prior investigation, all the treasury items and coffers were sealed as they should be. We don't know what was taken." The officer confirmed. "Only Lord Silvenar knows the content of the treasury in detail."
The group looked to one another and seemed to be in a dilemma.
"What do you make of this?" The Altmer Ancestor turned to Jon.
"Only the Silvenar can tell. I want to conduct my own investigation if possible but I'll wait for permission." Jon said.
In fact, he has already sent Nefertiti to see what happened.
"What about you, Topaz?" She asked the Mane.
"This one agrees with the Nord, it is not good to wait while a criminal is on the run and some item can be exposed but we need to maintain a wise line of thoughts and learn that our opponent is cunning and strong." The Mane said.
The Altmer Ancestor nodded and kept thinking.
"Hey." Jon called the Mane.
"Yes." The Mane turned to him.
"As the High Fluff of the Khajiit Society, why are you called Topaz." Jon asked.
"That's not really much of an interesting story, friend. This one's Teacher, which is the Great Ancestor over here was the one who gave him that name. You see… this one's mother hoped that this one becomes a Senche or a Raht so she called him Two-Paws, however, this one became a Mane instead so he changed his name to fit the title. And that's how this one became Topaz." Mane Topaz said.
"That's a touching story." Jon said.
"Only an idiot like you will feel anything from that." Isha retorted from the back.
It was then when a guard came from the Silvenar's Graht-Oak.
"The Lord and Lady wish to speak, all present guests can enter."
The group nodded to one another and decided to go in. This was the opportunity to investigate what happened. The Altmer Ancestor went in followed by the Mane but as soon as Jon walked in, he was stopped.
"The Mercenaries are to hand over their weapons. Swords, Spears, Staves and Daggers… especially Daggers. Orders of the Lady." The Guard said.
"Are you fuc…" Isha was lashing out but Jon spoke.
"Okay."
He took out the [Ebony Blade], [Pride] and [Mehrunes Razor]. He simply tossed them at the guard and walked past him. The rest saw Jon being Jon and understood there is no threat. If things came to worst, he has an armory to power up an army all around one finger.
The Mane seemed interested in Jon.
"You are really interesting, Nord Friend. Mind if this one asks for a spar?" He said as he led Jon inside the graht-oak.
"None at all. But I just defeated a Green Lady and an Altmer Ancestor."
"Please!" The Mane snorted, "Norril is an Illusionist and from what I can imagine, you are strong towards Illusions."
"You are not wrong."
"And Lady A… Teacher is not at the level of an Actual Ancestor."
"What do you mean?"
"An Ancestor is someone who lived long and saw beyond the world. She did but she was injured and never recovered. She is greatly weakened compared to other Ancestors."
"Is that so?"
"Believe it or not, friend. Ancestors are nothing you or this one can compare to. Now, how about a spar."
"I'll pass."
"Ugh! Suit yourself."
The group climbed the graht-oak from inside, truth be told, living inside a tree didn't look that interesting for the mono-colored decorations. Floor made of wood, walls made of wood, ceiling made of wood. But there were at least some window and the lighting was installed by torchbugs
From one window, Jon could see all Silvenar from above. The city was just a big forest made of trees and some sheds made of hide and bones. Bosmer weren't much of fabric makers as they don't use plant-based materials.
On top of the uniqueness of this city and its towering trees, Silvenar has a wide history that dates back to the Merethic Era. The first Silvenar and the first Green Lady were a childless couple who tended the eldest and most ancient tree, blessed by Y'ffre himself, as their own offspring.
It was later when the graht-oak of Silvenar, like the one of Elden Root, was seeded by the one in Falinesti. Since that time, Silvenar was the holiest city of the Green-Pact Bosmer as it was founded or occupied by the first of the Silvenar and his followers.
This city has witnessed history long and wide from the Golden Age of the Ayleid, the Alessian Slave Rebellion, the Unification of Valenwood, the First, Second, Third and Fourth Empires, the First, Second and Third Aldmeri Dominions.
If these trees could speak, and they can, fascinating voids in the pages of history can be filled.
"We have arrived." The voice of the Jaqspur Guard woke Jon from his daydream.
Outside the central graht-oak were normal Dominion Soldiers but inside and in vital and holy places exist the Jaqspurs, personal guards of the Silvenar. Their outfit is made entirely of leather accented with bone.
The Altmer Ancestor led the path to a certain room followed by the rest. There, the Green Lady received them.
"Where is Thoron?"
"He is resting."
Looking at the room, Jon figured out it is the treasury room for the big hole that was open in its wall. This graht-oak was a powerful tree known for its magic resistance, opening such a whole required some formidable artifact.
"That's a nasty looking hole." Jon remarked.
"Some sort of Flame Magic was used, we are not sure what it was." Norril said.
"What happened to the rest of the items?" Jon inquired why the treasury was empty.
"We wanted to take inventory of our belongings while you mercenaries conduct your own investigation. We will inform you what item is missing if we see fit." Norril said.
"If you are cooperating with us, I suggest you at least show some honesty."
"Outsider, the only reason why you are here is that we know that you know more than us regarding the Criminal. We want him chained and dragged for execution." Norril said with hostility.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible." Isha stormed towards Norril.
"Easy there!" Mirren held her up. "Sorry, she has her personal grudge here."
Mirren's words were cunning and removed suspicions.
"I appreciate you saving my husband, Redguard. I plan to reward you but that man attacked my husband in our land so I plan to make an example of him." Norril wasn't backing down in regards to Zain.
"Fine." Jon replied, "You can have him."
"Krilon." Isha turned to Jon with an angry face but Mirren whispered to her.
"Leave it to him."
Isha reluctantly walked away.
"Now, Mercenary. Care to inform us what you know. I promise you a full pardon for attacking me and a reward if your cooperation led to the arrest of the criminal Zain."
"Bleh! A pardon for what again?"
"You!"
"Just let me do my work. Can I cast some spells." He asked.
Norril didn't like Jon one bit but he was strong… very strong. The Altmer Ancestor nodded to her.
"You are permitted."
"Thanks." Jon said with a nasty smile as he snapped his fingers and [Pride] appeared in it.
"This?" (Norril)
"Oh my." (The Ancestor)
"Pffft!" (Topaz)
By Norril's orders, Jon should have handed over his weapons before he enters the tree but some things were hard to make Jon do.
Jon took the cape on his shoulders which is [Greed], reformed it into a large ball and stuffed his left hand in. He had the Cube in his left hand and from it, he took out the [Elder Scroll of Sun].
The reason why he did so was to never show it to the ones around him.
He then positioned the head of Pride inside [Greed] towards the Elder Scroll and evoked a very powerful spell that seemed to be using a ton of Magicka. The level of the spell was at least a Master Spell. Golden light came out through [Greed] and started overtaking the room in a flash before it disappears. Jon then hurriedly hid [Greed] and the Elder Scroll.
Once everything returned to normal, everyone opened their eyes to see the room as it was with only one exception. Part of the reality fabric in front of Jon was acting up as if existence was bending itself.
A Temporal Flux. The same technique Jon used when he first investigated the Alik'r Desert.
"Gods!"
"Moons Mercy!"
Those who knew what it was stepped back right away. The Altmer Ancestor was in a shocked face herself.
"Let's see. According to the report, the intruder was here two hours ago. This means… here… right."
Jon cast some spells towards the Flux and golden particles flew around the room forming an image of something that shouldn't be here.
The past.
Jon tuned it forward and backward until they found an image of Zain.
"Here you are."
The image showed that Zain walked in this room which was filled with all sorts of treasures. He ignored them all and headed somewhere near the tree wall. He then used his spear to open the wall and take some sort of a staff out. The image wasn't clear so no one recognized the staff but as soon as he took it, he aimed towards an outer wall and blew it up. He then jumped and through the hole, opened up a portal and escaped.
Jon ended the image here and dissolved the Temporal Flux with easy.
"Now, First Lady of Valenwood, mind telling us what that was?" He asked.
All eyes landed on Norril whose face was white with shock. She looked between the Altmer Ancestor and the Mane.
"I… I have no idea." She said.
"What?"
"I beg your pardon."
The two reacted negatively. The Green Lady is the Forest, if the trees do not talk to her then something must be wrong.
"At first… the tree was not replying so I thought they are taking their time, they always do." She said, "It is… the tree is refusing to answer."
Jon didn't know what this means but it seemed serious.
Norril walked to the place where Zain retrieved a staff from the tree. The place was fully closed as if the tree hurriedly healed it.
Norril kept checking while speaking to the tree.
"Why are you hiding this from me? You don't hide anything… it is me… don't take long please."
She spoke like a child conversing her angry parent but Jon soon lost interest
The Altmer Ancestor walked away too and arrived at the place where Zain opened up to and started analyzing the space.
"Norril."
Suddenly, the voice of a man called for the Green Lady.
At the treasury's door was a tall man with a medium brown beard. He had two wooden twigs growing from his head like antlers.
"Thoron?"
Norril reacted to him right away.
"You should be in bed." She said.
"No… tell me! What did he take?"
The Silvenar, head of Valenwood walked in weakly with a grim face.
"There. But the tree won't tell me." Norril said.
Silvenar Thoron paused in his place and let out a pained "No."
"Thoron, what is wrong? Do you know anything?" Norril asked.
"I… I am sorry… I made a pact with the tree to keep a secret." Thorn said.
Thoron made a sorry face but Norril was shocked.
"To keep a secret… from me?" She said.
"I am sorry."
The two acted as if he made the sin of his lifetime.
"Why?"
"It is not *cough* it is not my secret. It is my teacher's. He told me to seal it somewhere safe." He said.
"Okay, lovebirds. Cut the Drama. What was taken from here?" Jon's patience ran out.
"I can't… it is a secret." Silvenar Thoron said.
"Oh please! Let me guess, it is something which has Necromancy and Mannimarco in its description." Jon said.
The Silvenar stuttered on his words and didn't know what to say.
"I am right? Then there is no need to guess. Zain has the [Staff of Worms], he is collecting Mannimarco's Artifacts." Jon said.
He said and turned to the Altmer Ancestor.
"Where did he Teleport to?" Jon asked.
She sighed and turned to him.
"Hegathe." She said.
"Perfect." Jon smiled and turned to his companions, "We're going back to Hammerfell."
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