BXBX NOVEL Chapter 66 Seven of Us, Thirty of Them, Almost a Fair Fight!
[Jon’s POV]
We packed all what looked of value and gathered the bodies around. Unlike the game, bodies rot, and people piss themselves when they die, so we will burn them.
What I found really exciting was a necromancy tome called ’Corpse Explosion’. I just couldn’t help but grin when I saw it. This spell is just too evil, I opened the first few pages and wanted to try it so bad but it would take few hours of trial and error to get it done.
Other that the large amounts of money we found. We got some jewelry and spell scrolls as well as some pieces of fancy gear, and few filled Black Soul Gems. Also some Magic Staves, I took a liking on a certain Flame Staff.
’Magic Staves’ in the Elder Scrolls games were different from other staves in most games and are not really anything practical. Just imagine them as a tool to cast the same damn spell repeatedly without costing you Magicka until the energy of the staff is depleted. I always thought that was impractical and not much different than Magic Scrolls.
As if heaven heard my plea, the staves in real life are not that miserable. They are Magical Weapons that are based on ’Aspects’!
Which means if a staff is enchanted with ’Flame Aspect’ then it can cast any flame spell depending on its own energy and the knowledge of the caster! Neat, isn’t it?
This is also much better than having some random folk carrying staves and think of themselves as mages. And also would make staves have a different use than ’Magic Scrolls’.
This would also make famous staves much more powerful from the ones in the game.
[A/N: And also you people can stop asking about the Wabbajack, Staff of Magnus, Sanguine Rose, The Skull of Corruption. They will have better functions based on their unique style.]
We gathered what we have and started counting the loot.
This was good! We will be rich for some time now.
After we distributed the loot into smaller sacks we can carry on our backs, the other things that had value but we can’t carry were kept in a chest and buried in one corner in the room! Felt like pirates from those movies.
Now let’s leave this cave.
The last room in the cave had its own passage to the first room we came in. That two leveled cave room from before.
We had to jump a wall like eight meters but it wouldn’t look good if we landed wrong.
"Okay ladies. ’Featherfall’! Who is going first?" I evoked ’Featherfall’ while saying that.
"Feather.. what?"
"A spell that makes the fall lighter and slower. Hurry up! Jull, show those ladies how it’s done."
I cast it on Jull and she jumped the eight meters and landed slowly like a feather!
The guys lost their marbles after they saw it and started fighting on who to go first! Sure, this spell felt wonderful. Just like a parachute. Everyone and their mothers lose their marbles over them.
After getting done with it, we headed back to the entrance but...
’Tek Tek Tek Tek Tek Tek Tek....’
"Shit!"
My face became yellow and my head felt light. I couldn’t even count how many sounds my ’Alarm’ spell made in my head.
"What’s the matter?" Mjoll asked.
"We’ve got company!"
[Knut’s POV]
I stood outside the cave with my men after we got the report from that weasel in Dawnstar. The place we stood at was a wall of ice that overlooked the passage to Hob’s Fall Cave. We saw clearly what can go in and out from here.
Beside me, was that weasel and his boys. How can he be so short and slimy, yet call himself a Nord?
"Are you sure it was him?" I asked.
"Absolutely Captain Knut! A kid came to Dawnstar and hired a crew for his ship! His name is Jon Dare as the message from that puppet said!" The weasel said.
"Those guys are supposed to take care of him! But you said he had people when he entered?"
"Yes Captain! Seven of them!"
"Those dirty cultists can deal with that just fine. What of that ship of his?"
"I saw it over the coast there but it sailed away after that guy got down with his men!"
"Idiot! Why didn’t you send one of your men after it? If we captured it the leader will be pleased! Now all we need is that brat’s head. Send some of your scouts to talk with the cultists before the sun sets. I want to be back at the sea in an hour."
"Yes, yes Captain!"
We got wind of that bastard, I thought he would take the land road and came all the way from Dawnstar to greet him here but to think he took the sea!
Now he is cornered like a rat.
Hehe! I’ll show you the fate of those who mingle with the Blood Horkers’ business.
[Jon’s POV]
Seven ’Spectral Owls’ of mine surveyed the sky.
"I think this is going to be tough!"
"How many Captain?" Ongeim asked.
"Thirty something."
The faces around me got paled.
"Come on! It’s Seven of us, Thirty of them, almost a fair fight! Haha!" I joked with them to ease the mood.
I thought for a second and came up with something!
"Good news is, they didn’t find our ship. Better news is, we will make one hell of an escape. I have a plan."
They looked at me as if they saw their lord and savior.
"You three, run back to that room and bring that big smooth wooden table and all the ropes you can find! You have five minutes. Jull, Ongeim, Mjoll. Three men will be coming from this passage. Invite them in as you are cultists then kill them cleanly with no drop of blood. I will stay here and prepare."
I have a big plan in mind. One that needs a lot of preparations, I will put all my power into the next spells I am going to cast.
First, I was already low on juice so I drank a Magicka Potion and felt my body overflow with Magicka.
The next step was to make sure about that the enemies’ movements, I covered the area above them with few ’Familiar Falcons’. I can get information of what my conjured Familiars see but not clearly so I had to get the best veiw possible.
The enemies actually had a ship too and it was away from mine thankfully. Still, this confirmed that they are pirates.
I was far from done. My potion bag had a side pocket and it was had few ’Alchemist’s Fire Flasks’ given to me by Nurina. I took them out and put them neatly aside.
Few seconds later, the three boys brought the big table I asked for.
"Now flip it on its top, tie the ropes there and there, don’t let them get loose... You call yourself a sailors! My mother can do ties better than this."
I instructed them around while cracking jokes, these guys were nervous.
"Now, ladies! Watch the magic."
I evoked a spell on my hands and put a lot if Magicks into them.
After the cast, the void formed and three firy creatures appeared.
"Taraa! Three Beautiful Flame Atronach Horses. Now tie them to the table."
The boys looked at each other and didn’t want to believe what they saw.
"The Captain is just too glorious! He can scare the whole inn when his mood changes, knows stuff about treasures no one heard before, can shout the legendary ’War Cry’, and now can summon horses we haven’t seen before!"
"I also heard that the Captain can use the Thu’um!"
"Just do what he said or you will make him angry."
These rude fellows are actually starting to lose it.
Anyway, our glider was ready in no time.
Jull and co. brought back three corpses and put them in front of me.
"By the Gods!" Ongeim and Mjoll lost it when they saw the horses.
"Get me the bodies, I can only use two of them."
"Use?" Mjoll asked.
"Look, this is a desperate time! I will have to perform a forbidden ritual just for the sake of getting us out of here! I will use some of that... Necromancy." I said with a grim face. Nothing but an act though.
"What?" The people around me got scared.
"This magic always comes with a price if I am not a Daedra worshiper. So, I will have to suffer the consequences but it will be worth it when we make it out alive, all of us. I’ll be able to hold on for an hour then I might collapse. When I do, Jullanar, please take care of me."
To the public, Necromancy is a foul ritual that only get done by people of evil. If I performed it normally in front of them, they will take the wrong image of me and may cause harm to the reputation of the College later.
"Jon, please don’t do it! You might not survive it. The lady told me..."
Jullanar joined the act perfectly. She talked in front of others with ease and made it look dramatic. This evil minion of mine is the best follower ever.
"I am sorry Jull, if you can at least make it then it will be all worth it." Making a touchy scene was an easy task! I read some shojou novels at some point so I knew the tricks around this genre!
Now from the mage who will perform a dark ritual to the hero who will save the day.
I stood on two corpses, evoked ’Reanimate’ and charged. I focused on the effects a bit to manipulate the hue and create a strong blue light with the spell.
I tried to make my voice as rough as possible, or as rough as Morbagog. Theb started chanting a deathmetal song from my past life.
"I call upon the ancient demons of Underworld, to bring forth this beast, aaaand.. Awaken, Awaken, Awaken, Awaken! Take the land, the must be taken. Awaken, Awaken, Awaken, Awaken! devour.. worlds.. smite.. forsaken....."
[A/N: This song is ’Batmetal Forever’. Those who did not watch it, I don’t know what you are doing with your lives, just go watch it now.]
I was barely trying to hold myself from laughing. Jullanar who always hid her face behind a cover and under a hood was holding her breath with her hand and her shoulders were shaking. I know she was also holding it hard. Mjoll came and kept patting Jull’s back.
I finally finished the first verse of the song and cast the spell.
God... I almost farted from holding the laughter.
Two corpses were surrounded with blue light and started to stand up, they looked scary.
This was my first time doing that on a human corpse. I always practiced this spell on mice and skeevers.
There are many differences between Necromancy and Conjuration and the most important one is ’Control’. One can control reanimated Undead much easier than conjured Daedra.
Daedra are living beings with egos and feelings, so much alive that you can communicate with the intelligent ones of them, one can also converse with the conjured Dremora freely. All of that made their control a bit of a hurdle. Atronachs are elemental deadra that are much easier than Dremora who are living speaking ones. If a mage can conjure a Dremora, then bounding it needs a lot of power but it’s always worth it. Dremora are fearsome and proud fighters.
Undead are beings that are controlled by a fake soul that gets created by the necromancer. That’s why Necromancy sometimes falls under the Aspect of Soul. However, the fake soul actually destroys the body as long as it is not perfect, until it reaches the point of disintegrating all the flesh and turning the undead from a zombie into a skeleton. The better the fake soul was casted, the more the zombie form would last. If it was a Thrall spell then the fake soul would be formed into something akin to perfection and doesn’t disintegrate the body for a long time. All in all, controlling an Undead is a piece of cake as they have no life or ego compared to summoning a high grade Daedra.
That’s why the Necromancy is so popular. I can control seven undead now but only three daedra.
Back to the present, my two zombies stood and their dead faces.
"Jull, please put a ’Fire Rune’ spell on each that explodes remotely. After that hide these flasks in their pockets."
It’s not that I was having a problem or anything, it’s just that controlling two Undead and three Horse Atronachs was somewhat not easy. I have to trap these pirates and everything should look perfect.
The sun was setting but it was still dangerous for undead to walk under it. They had to be hid from sunlight perfectly.
After Jullanar was done, the Undead walked as I commanded and reached the entrance if the cave.
Everyone was ready on the table glider holding their blades and bows, this will be so much FUN!
[Knut’s POV]
This is taking a lot of time!
The shitty cultists are having trouble or something?
I want to end this and hurry up to the sea, I get ’landsick’ if I am not on my ship.
Finally, two of them went out and waved for us to come. Did those cultists get wiped out or something?
What a pain!
I took my men and walked around the wall for a minute or two.
This cave is gloomy as ever. Fits those Daedra worshippers and their air.
As we reached the cave, these two weasels didn’t even say anything and stood there! Did they catch ’Brainrot’ or something?
One of my men went ahead to teach them a lesson! Why would I care anyway!
"Why aren’t you two talking? Say som... WHAT IS..."
Something happened? These two are attacking?
Wait! The became undead? What’s going on?
The two undead ran at our flanks but it felt unnatural! They are being controlled skillfully!
It felt dangerous!
"Pin them down! And destroy them quickly!" I said what my instincts told me. Something very fishy is happening.
I was right!
Something happened!
I saw light and fire eating my men after words!
Fire exploded from the undead!
Evil! Green! Fire!
I couldn’t hear it!
No, I can’t hear anything!
My ears are ringing.
I can’t even stand straight.
I was blown away.
My men! Torn apart! Everywhere!
I, I survived!
I called and called!
Only screams answered me.
Half of my men were swallowed by fire! The other half got blown away!
I was lucky!
"Gather up! Help them!"
I shouted for the men that were blown away, but just like me, they could barely stand.
"Captain! This is ’Alchemists’ Fire’! We need to run! Its fumes are poisonous!"
"I am not abandoning my men!"
Yes, I will never abandon them!
Like that day!
Against that woman!
"Captain! Somethin... Something is coming!"
One of my men pushed my away!
He said something is coming? What more?
I was pushed but I saw something!
Horses!
No! Demons!
Fire Demons!
Pulling something!
Am I seeing things?
A bunch of boys being pulled by Fire Demons!
Is this all a nightmare?
The man who pushed me was slashed at by a boy.
Wait!
That boy!
With red hair! With blue eyes?
Just like them!
Just like her!
He is..
HE IS...
"FIRE-MANE!"
[Jon’s POV]
A grand explosion sounded!
I used the best bomb flasks on that one!
’Alchemist’s Fire’ a green poisonous fire that burns all organic matters and make poisonous fumes! These were made by Nurina and I had every urge to try them.
Now deep from the cave I could peek at the glorious explosion!
As the undead were destroyed, I could at last put better control at the Horse Atronachs and start the run.
I also cast ’Bound Spear’ which gave me a two and a half meters long daedric spear with a glave like blade.
The horses ran and the glider began making noise.
"Hoohoooo! Let’s show these fucktards!"
"Go Captain!"
"Captain Jon! Forever!"
Everyone was hyped for this escape. I was hyped the most!
I aimed at a large man that appeared like the leader and wanted his head but one of his men pushed him and took the slash instead.
Fine by me!
I felt the spear was less practical this way so I dispelled it and used ’Chain Lightning’ instead.
The narrow passage to the cave which was filled with pirates now became much clearer and we passed them beautifully.
After the end of the passage, I turned the horses right and continued the run on the wasteland of snow beside the coastline! The Flame Atronach Horses showed their true might in an open space.
A three horse power table glider on snow was not something to mess around with! I don’t know if it existed or not but I’ll call this the ’Nordic War Glider’ that was inspired from the ’Egyptian War Chariot’.
"Captain! Aren’t we going to signal the ship to bring us a boat?" Ongeim shouted!
"You are so old school! I’ll show you how I did things in Riften!"
I fixed the glider to a certain direction, the place where whe hid the ship in.
It is a place with a high piece of land with a steep cliff that will block the view from the land and had a high rock on the opposite side in water that will block the view from the sea.
Now I am heading towards the cliff.
"Now, Ladies! Make sure that your sacks are tied very well to your backs! This will get crazy!"
I started casting a certain spell on my crew. They took no time in recognizing it.
"Featherfall!" Mjoll realized what was happening and opened her eyes widely. I couldn’t help but smile!
The Horse Atronachs ran to the cliff and everyone started shouting!
My next instructions were about how to jump from the sides just when the table glider is midair.
As the horses were about to reach the edge, I ’Banished’ them and jumped to the side, and so the rest did. It was really a parachute spell! People can get addicted to this feeling.
As we jumped, the table glider, taken by its speed flied to the other side and fell into the water.
Trudvar and the sailors were alerted by it and looked up to see us skydiving!
One can control the direction of the fall slightly so it all went well. Even though we were jumping from a thirty meters cliff. Everyone landed safely and I landed with a style.
"Move your asses right now! Pirates on our six. Those who laze will get ’Ice Bucket Challenge’. Store the loot. Release the sails by order. We have good winds. Run for it you dogs, HAHAHA!." I gave a series of orders under the effect of Adrenaline. Everyone was running around.
My only fear was the pirates getting to their ship and chasing us.
I gave them a good beating but I don’t think it was enough to cripple them completely especially when that leader survived my attack.
Now, let’s just head to the sea! My ship is fast and can maneuver in shallow water unlike theirs.
I guided the ship out of the narrow area with my ’Scan’ and sailed fast into the sea. I was not leaving any thing for fate as I always kept the area around the ship under surveillance.
After an hour, a ship appeared at our six. I am sure the pirates are coming seeking blood.
I was prepared for the bitter battle to come, I can’t allow their big ship to come near to mine. This would bring me a disaster.
I am not sure how many of their fighting force left but I still have many tricks in my sleeve.
"Fire-Mane Boy! I WILL KILL YOU, I’LL BURN YOUR BONES AND DRINK YOUR BLOOD!"
Dafuq! Who is that?
That Captain I failed to kill! I guess he found out my identity. Don’t know how, but I am not letting you off now!
"Ongeim! Go between these rocks. Make them follow us there.
"Yes Captain!"
"Jull, Bring that Flame Staff that we looted and a Soul Gem."
She nodded and ran.
I started using ’Scan’ on a wide range and detected all the obstacles under and above the water. My ship was sailing around the small rocks like a fish.
The Pirates took their time but they followed us when they thought we may escape on land.
"Now back to the sea, do it slowly, let them catch up for now!"
[Knut’s POV]
A Fire-Mane!
A damn Fire-Mane!
I will never forgive these bastards!
They will pay!
That woman shall pay!
This boy too!
Just like her!
Fourteen years ago!
She burned my men with the same smile.
This crazed smile!
I’ll kill this brat!
And that woman too!
Then all of ’em Fire-Manes!
I’ll burn them alive.
"Gaaaaaah! Catch them already! Why is that piece of trash is sailing in shallow water! AFTER THEM!"
I’ll never let you go! Even beyond the gates of Oblivion!
"They are slowing down Captain! This must be a trap!"
"They can’t trap us in water! AFTER THEM! RAM THEIR SHIP!"
We are finally beside them.
Now, where will you go kid?
Hehehe!
"CAREFUL!"
"THE FOREMAST! NO!"
"WATCH OUT CAPTAIN!"
What was that?
What is that?
The mast? Flying away?
"NO! DON’T LET HIM GET AWAY!"
"Captain! The ship is stuck between rocks!"
"They are casting magic Captain!"
"GAAAH! YOU ALL ARE TRASH! Wha.. What is that??"
I saw fire!
This is not from the kid’s direction!
It came from the sky.
Dammit!
Fuckin... Fire... Manes...
[Jon’s POV. A minute earlier!]
"They are catching up Captain?"
"Perfect! Make them come to our right side."
"They will ram us Captain."
"Let them try!"
Now, they are beside us and planning to ram us!
Sigh!
Those pirates will have it hard.
Well! Sorry not sorry!
"FUS RO DAH!"
I aimed the ’Unrelenting Force’ shout at their foremast.
The pirate ship took a strong turn to the right and crashed hard into some rocks near the shoreline. The foremast got blown away and a strong sounds of wood being broken sounded.
This was a crippling move now to the last phase!
"Jull, the things!"
She gave me the Flame Staff and the Soul Gem.
My plan was to give them a rain of ’Fireballs’. I wanted to use the staff because I have used a lot of Magicka today and I was actually exhausted after the last shout.
Using the staff was simple, it’s just an extention to one’s own hand.
Here we go! Chaaaarge and Cast! Perfect!
Once again! Char...
KABOOM!!
"MOMMY! What was that?"
Did any one hear that embarrassing scream!
"Jon! Look!" Jull said and pointed at the pirate ship.
"Holy Baby Talos!"
The ship exploded?
This was just one ’Fireball’! Not even overcharged!
What the hell?
Was that ship loaded with explosive?
Don’t tell me! Is it this Staff?
What in Oblivion is going on?
[Tyr’s POV]
Oh boy! He did it again!
This Jon is just this annoying!
I guess we have two annoying Jons now! They are more annoying than each other.
"Say Old Tyr! Are all of your clansmen that nuts?"
Glemt my old friend is just standing there spouting nonsense too. He is a monster on Jonrad’s level too. Why is he branding the family as nuts?
Actually, we are!
But my relative and brother-in-law Jonrad, as well as my sister Hilda, and their son Jonhild are completely on another level of nuts!
Sigh!
"Nicely done Old Jon!" Glemt said welcoming back our troublemaker.
"Was it really necessary, The kid was handling it just fine!" I couldn’t help but complain.
"Relax! It would have been troublesome if someone returned alive to the Blood-Sails!" Old Jon said, "It would be a problem if they sent someone to investigate!"
Right! After that act from fourteen years ago. We can’t afford to give the Clans any wind about Young Jon. Not until he becomes able enough.
This kid is dead to the rest of the world.
Once they know he is still alive! Even our allies will turn against us!
But I think the kid won’t disappoint us! I have never seen anyone escape from pirates on a table before.
"Fufufu!" Glemt was laughing softly but Jonrad and I understood what he was laughing at. After all, he did that ’Scry’ spell to show us everything that happened in the cave.
"Hahaha!" I laughed too.
"Hahaha! My boy is just too good!" Even Jonrad was laughing hard.
"Haha! Fine friends, we had fun this year."
"Yeah, where will we find you next year, Glemt?"
"I’ll go around Skyrim for a while and visit Laaneth and Old Fultheim later. He is at that Nightgate village right?"
"Yeah!"
"Well, see you there then!"
Glemt turned around and just walked!
Sigh!
What a simple guy!
"Back home we go, Old Jon?"
"Yeah! It has been years!"