San-Kai came downstairs from his room in the Bannered Mare. Lucy was likely still asleep and he spotted Nigel sitting at the bar, already drinking his second bottle of Mead.
“A bit early for drinking, is it not?”
“Bah, I couldn’t sleep last night” Nigel retorted
“Very well, can I buy you breakfast?”
“Very kind of you San, get one for Lucy as well, she’ll be down soon” Nigel replied
“Hulda, could we have three breakfasts please?” San-Kai opened his bag to find a few septims
“Of course, what do you want?” Hulda replied, giving the odd glance to Nigel, who seemed different to her somehow
“I have no idea, surprise us” San-Kai replied
“Very well, 30 septims”
San-Kai handed her the money and then sat down with Nigel, their breakfasts were brought over soon after. Nigel felt his stomach pang at the sight of grilled chicken breast, braided bread and a fresh green apple; he had not had food this good in a long time.
Soon after Lucy came downstairs from her room, her eyes were noticeable red from crying but nobody mentioned, Nigel knew why and couldn’t blame her. San-Kai also noticed but said nothing of it; he suspected it was something personal.
Lucy was still dressed in her old leather armour from the commonwealth, it looks different to what was in Skyrim but no one paid too much attention. Nigel was dressed in his usual black overcoat; armour was not required due to his metallic skin.
The three ate their breakfasts quickly and walked out of the Inn, it was still early morning – around 6:30 AM. The majority of people were still asleep but they’d wanted to get to Winterhold by nightfall by taking a carriage.
The three walked out of the gates of Whiterun, Lucy looked sorry to leave and so did Nigel, though he showed far less emotion. Bjorn saw them coming and had clearly been up since dawn, he was dressed in his steel armour and was fully packed. He had eaten breakfast with the Khajiit, for a price obviously, but regardless he felt full and ready to travel to Winterhold.
Bjorn noticed the occasional glances from Lucy and Nigel and guessed easily what it was about, “I realise you may have some questions regarding my past, I will tell you when I am ready too”
Bjorn bid farewell to the Khajiit as the caravan wished them all safe travels. They walked up to the carriage driver, Adavauld, he seemed simple enough – Weathered black hair and a thin layer of stubble with a brown belted tunic and a sword nearby in case of any wolves or bandits - Bjorn had hired him last night and he was fully prepared to make the journey.
“Ready to go?” Adavauld enquired
“We are, drive on” San-Kai replied
The carriage was going from Whiterun, up past Loreuis farm to Silverdrift lair, then along to stillborn cave and up to Winterhold. It was a simple enough journey and they expected to be there by nightfall in order to stay at the Inn and visit the college in the day. A few bandit lairs were being passed but they assumed an Argonian mage, Nord warrior, Cyborg rifleman and a human farmer with a surprisingly good shotgun could handle most.
The carriage had past Loreuis farm as the driver gave a friendly wave to the farmer and Lucy looked intently at the farms – interested to know how advanced they were. She was not surprised to see they looked a lot better than in the Commonwealth and the farmers looked genuinely happy.
As they carried on further up the path the giant camp of Blizzard rest could be seen, Adavauld cautioned them not to make any sudden movements –“The giants are peaceful folk, but easy to crush any possible threat to their mammoths”
Nigel stared in wonder at such incredible creatures, Giants and Mammoths were both stuff out of either legend or history books. It was incredible to see such mythical animals roaming this world so casually.
They turned round a corner and an old Nordic ruin could be seen in the distance, likely filled with either Draugr or bandits, Bjorn noted. As they drew closer to the lair bandits could definitely be seen at the entrance, the group all readied their weapons to engage the bandits.
Then the one noise they’d never expected to hear echoed throughout the woods,
The sound of a sniper rifle.
Nigel’s eagle-like eyes briefly spotted the bullet as it closed in on its target then, in a dying choke, their caravan driver, Adavauld, slumped forwards into the back of his horse – dead.
These bandits were no longer just mere bandits; they had the equipment of a gunner. ‘Where the hell did they get a sniper?’ Nigel thought as he entered his targeting system by blinking three times in succession, he looked around him in slow-motion. Possible targets blinked up all the time but none were the sniper, he was vaguely aware of everyone else climbing out of the carriage with weapons in hand but to him, they were doing so at a snail’s pace. Suddenly his system settled on the target with the sniper rifle, his torso had a 40% chance only but it was the best he had, he drew his laser rifle and aimed the shot.
Damn, he missed. He went out of the targeting system and joined the others who were fighting off bandits that were slowly advancing. One by one the bandits fell by flame, bullets, lasers or a hearty blow to the head. Eventually, the bandits were eliminated, only the sniper was left, Nigel raised his rifle and pointed out the location of the sniper to the others, the shot madly and missed continuously. A few missed shots flew past their heads and they ducked for cover.
Then Bjorn heard it, a rustle in the leaves behind – so quiet no one would normally hear it but he had the ear of a wolf and it was blindingly obvious. He turned around him and was greeted by the site of a dozen bandits, damn! It was an ambush!
He barely had time to yell before they knocked him and all the others out, bunged them in the carriage and re-directed it back to their base.
They were no mere bandits.
***********
In the dark realm of Oblivion, the Dwarven workshop was still dimly lit and Calcelmo remained the servant of The Creator. He mainly did the bidding of the dark lord encased in Dwarven armour; the man seemed dangerous yet so frail. Like a 500-year-old elf that could barely lift a pebble, yet could quite easily blast you to pieces with the right spell.
The Creator had set up a type of screen that broadcasted the events that unfolded for the group, they had been watched since Whiterun and The Creator was keenly watching what was currently occurring.
“Interesting, I assumed the arrival of one Gunner would do very little to a bandit group but despite my expectations he had organised them very well, that sniper tactic worked very well. It was a good idea to cross him over at the same time”
“My lord, forgive the interruption, but what if he kills the subjects?”
“Bah, they are only subjects, useful ones but not irreplaceable – as long as they are not a threat to my operations and I have full control over the teleport they remain my pawns”
“What do you mean ‘if you have full control of the teleport’? Calcelmo had grown slightly more confident in front of the man and realised he was not going to kill him for merely asking a question.
“The Crossover was designed for use by anyone; wristwatches were made that act as a miniature version – functioning off of the main power of the orb. You can also remotely cross people over using the orb itself – providing they do not find any wristwatches, I maintain control”
“Where are the wristwatches?”
“There are no spares, each Dwarf has one – they will only get one off a Dwarf in Skyrim”
“There are Dwarves in Skyrim?” The news shocked the scholar who had been researching them for most of his life
“Yes, though they are disguised, there are dwarves in most places of Creation – just disguised. See him?” The creator changed the screen to a man in overalls working in what looked like a church, “That man is Sturges, dwarf in disguise hence his ability with technology, however, he does not possess the ability to travel anymore and therefore does not realises that in a few months his entire town will be destroyed along with many of his friends” The creator mentioned this massacre somewhat offhandedly, which disturbed Calcelmo.
“Why can he no longer travel?”
“The dwarves shut down the Crossover many years ago, I have re-awakened it as my rightful position as the Ruler of all Creation”
"Then why can he not travel now?"
"I've blocked all active ones, ones that are just lying around I haven't bothered to block - nobody would know how to use them"
“But who are you?”
“I used to be an architect. My work has changed the world, but now I will rule the world – and all worlds” The creator vaguely mentioned with no further explanation.
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