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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
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"Grandfather?" Haming asked, his small voice trembling slightly, but filled with genuine excitement. "Can... can I help you feed them?" Aerion looked down at the boy, a genuine, warm smile breaking across his features. The sanctuary was established. The empire was growing. And the variables of the timeline were resting perfectly in his hands.
Froki looked down at his grandson, his weathered face softening considerably as the traumatized boy finally showed a spark of genuine, childish wonder. The old hunter knelt, placing a firm, calloused hand on Haming's small shoulder.
"You can absolutely help me feed them, Haming," Froki promised, his voice gruff but incredibly gentle. "But you must swear to me, by Shor's own breath, that you will listen to my every word. You do not run. You do not make sudden, loud noises. One small mistake, one accidental spook around beasts that size, could cost you your life. Do you understand me?"
Haming tore his eyes away from the massive, shaggy mammoths for just a second to look his grandfather dead in the eye. He gave a rapid, incredibly serious nod.
"I swear, Grandfather. I'll be careful. Thank you," Haming replied, his small voice trembling with a mixture of fear and profound excitement.
Aerion watched the exchange with a warm, approving smile. The integration of the civilians into the compound was proceeding flawlessly.
"Excellent," Aerion announced, stepping forward and gesturing broadly toward the massive, heavily fortified wooden buildings on the western flank of the property.
"As for your immediate living arrangements," Aerion explained, addressing Froki, Haming, and Aeloria. "The structural expansion of the estate is still highly active. Eventually, I will construct a dedicated, private living quarters for the estate's command staff. However, for the time being, you will sleep in the secondary storehouse. We have repurposed half of the building into a temporary barracks. It is fully insulated, heated by a central hearth, and lined with comfortable cots. You will be sharing the space with several members of my mercenary company."
Froki nodded his head in easy agreement. The old hunter had spent half his life sleeping on cold dirt under the stars, an insulated, heated wooden building with a cot was practically a palace.
"That will not be a problem at all, Aerion," Froki grunted. "It's exactly how the families lived back in Helgen. Everyone shared the longhouse. We are used to close quarters."
Aeloria, having spent weeks sleeping in damp caves and the back of a freezing Imperial prisoner wagon, offered a highly appreciative smile. "A dry bed and a warm fire sounds like Aetherius itself, Aerion. It will be absolutely no problem for me."
As they finalized the living arrangements, the heavy, rhythmic crunch of iron boots on gravel drew their attention.
Striding purposefully across the yard toward them was Captain Sinmir, flanked by Uthgerd the Unbroken and the Bosmer archer, Gwaering. The captain and the two mercenaries looked significantly more tense than usual, their eyes darting nervously toward the eastern horizon.
"Boss," Sinmir called out, his deep voice carrying a note of genuine urgency.
Aerion turned, his aristocratic demeanor instantly shifting back to the sharp, calculating focus of a commander. "Captain. I see you have kept the compound secure in my absence."
"We have, boss," Sinmir nodded, coming to a halt before the group.
Sinmir's eyes flicked curiously over the soot stained civilians. Aerion smoothly managed the introductions.
"Sinmir, Uthgerd, Gwaering. Allow me to introduce the newest additions to our operation," Aerion stated. He gestured to the old man. "This is Froki Whetted-Blade. He has officially assumed the role of Estate Steward. He will manage the inventory and coordinate the feeding of the herd. This is his grandson, Haming."
Aerion then gestured to the fierce Nordic woman in the Imperial armor. "And this is Aeloria Frostveil. She is a highly capable warrior and a guest of the estate under my direct protection."
Sinmir and Uthgerd offered respectful, warrior's nods of greeting. Froki returned the nod grimly, while Aeloria offered a polite inclination of her head. Haming, intimidated by the massive, heavily armed mercenaries, quickly ducked behind his grandfather's legs.
With the introductions concluded, Sinmir immediately shifted back to the pressing tactical matter.
"Boss, we need to report an incident that occurred earlier this afternoon," Sinmir stated, his massive arms crossing over his chest. "Something highly erratic happened with the herd."
Aerion's brow furrowed slightly. "Explain. Did they attempt to breach the palisade?"
"No, they didn't attack the walls," Uthgerd interjected, her fierce eyes narrowing as she recalled the event. "But they completely lost their minds for about ten minutes. Around midday, the entire herd stopped eating. They started trumpeting wildly, pacing the perimeter of the pen like they were trapped in a burning barn. They were absolutely frantic. We almost mobilized the archers to the walls, thinking a giant raid was incoming."
Sinmir pointed a thick, calloused finger toward the jagged, snow capped peaks of the southern mountains in the far distance.
"And then we saw why," Sinmir said, his voice dropping into a low, uneasy rumble. "Far off, high above the mountain ridges... we saw a massive, black silhouette flying through the clouds. It was vastly too large to be an eagle or a hawk. It circled the peaks a few times, and then disappeared entirely into the high altitude fog. The moment it vanished, the mammoths instantly calmed down and went back to grazing."
The air in the courtyard instantly grew suffocatingly dense.
Jenassa's hand instinctively twitched toward the hilt of her dagger. Aeloria's breath hitched in her throat, her face paling beneath the soot. Froki pulled Haming tighter against his leg. They all knew exactly what that massive black silhouette was.
Aerion let out a long, heavy, perfectly calculated sigh. He pinched the bridge of his nose, acting the part of an overwhelmed commander.
He had intended to brief the mercenary company on the dragon threat eventually, but Alduin's brazen flyover had violently accelerated the timetable. If the World-Eater was actively reviving the ancient dragon burial mounds scattered across Skyrim, the skies were about to become significantly more crowded. His army needed to be prepared for the reality shift.
"Captain. Uthgerd. Gwaering. Listen to me very carefully," Aerion commanded, his golden eyes locking onto the three officers with absolute, chilling intensity. "What I am about to tell you is classified intelligence of the highest possible order. You are authorized to brief the rank and file members of this company so they are tactically prepared, but this information does not leave the perimeter of this compound. If I hear that any of you have been spreading rumors in the taverns of Whiterun, you will answer to me directly."
Uthgerd's fierce expression instantly shifted to profound, disciplined curiosity. "You have our absolute silence, Patron. What kind of news requires such secrecy?"
Aerion took a slow, steadying breath, preparing to shatter their worldview.
"The silhouette you saw flying over the mountains was not a bird, Uthgerd," Aerion stated, his voice ringing with grim, undeniable truth. "It was a dragon."
Sinmir actually stumbled back a half step, his jaw dropping. Gwaering let out a sharp, incredulous hiss.
Before they could begin demanding answers or declaring it impossible, Aerion rapidly, efficiently delivered the summarized intelligence briefing.
"I know it defies every historical text and logical assumption you have ever been taught," Aerion continued smoothly, cutting off their protests. "But Jenassa, myself, and the civilians standing before you witnessed it firsthand just hours ago. We were in Helgen. General Tullius had successfully ambushed the rebellion. He had Ulfric Stormcloak on the chopping block. The civil war was literally seconds away from ending."
Aerion pointed toward the southern mountains. "And then, a dragon, a beast with scales of black obsidian, vastly larger than the legends claim, descended from the clouds. It breathed a torrent of fire that melted the stone walls. It slaughtered the Imperial garrison, obliterated the town entirely, and in the resulting chaos, the Stormcloaks escaped."
Sinmir stared at the High Elf, his face completely drained of color. The massive Nord warrior, a man who feared absolutely nothing on two legs, looked profoundly, existentially terrified.
"By the blood of Ysmir," Sinmir stammered, his voice trembling as he processed the apocalyptic political and physical ramifications. "A dragon? An actual dragon has returned? Boss, the civil war... if Ulfric escaped, the war is going to rage on. And now we have mythical beasts burning fortresses from the sky? The world is ending."
"The world is changing, Captain. It is not ending. Not if we are prepared," Aerion corrected him sharply, projecting absolute, unshakeable confidence to prevent a panic within the ranks.
Aerion stepped forward, tapping his finger against the heavy steel plate on Sinmir's chest.
"This is exactly why I require absolute vigilance from this company," Aerion commanded, laying down the new tactical reality. "You are to double the archer watches on the perimeter towers. You will scan the skies continuously. However... if a dragon actually decides to descend from the mountains and attack this homestead directly... you do not engage."
Sinmir blinked, confused. "We don't fight it?"
"No," Aerion ordered unequivocally. "You cannot defeat a dragon with iron arrows and steel swords. It will simply incinerate you. If a dragon attacks the compound, your absolute priority is the preservation of life. You will order an immediate, total retreat. You will evacuate the personnel into the subterranean stone cellars beneath the storehouses. I will not tolerate unnecessary, suicidal deaths in my ranks."
Sinmir swallowed hard, but nodded firmly, accepting the pragmatism of the order. "Understood, boss. Preservation of life is the primary objective. We fall back to the cellars."
The Captain frowned, looking toward the massive eastern palisade. "But boss... what about the herd? We can't fit six mammoths into a stone cellar. If we retreat, the dragon will simply roast them in the pen."
Aerion smiled slightly, a cold, arrogant glint returning to his golden eyes.
"Do not worry about the herd, Captain," Aerion replied smoothly. "If a dragon dares to cross my property line, I will personally handle the sky defense. You protect the men. I will protect the assets."
With the new tactical doctrines established, Aerion turned to his Dark Elf bodyguard.
"Jenassa," Aerion instructed. "Please escort Froki, Haming, and Aeloria to the secondary storehouse. Show them their cots. If they require sustenance, the cooks should have a stew simmering. Ensure they are comfortable."
Sinmir nodded. "Aye, there's a fresh venison stew in the cauldron. Plenty to go around."
Jenassa offered a crisp nod, gesturing for the civilians to follow her toward the massive wooden buildings.
As Froki and Haming began to walk away, Aeloria hesitated. The Dragonborn looked at the warm, inviting lights of the storehouse, and then back at the towering High Elf.
"Aerion," Aeloria asked softly, stepping back toward him. "Before I rest... would it be permissible for me to accompany you? You mentioned you were going to check on the herd. I have spent my entire life hunting in the wilds of Skyrim, and I have never seen a mammoth up close without fearing for my life. I would very much like to see them."
Aerion paused, considering the request. It was highly unusual for a civilian to willingly approach the behemoths, but Aeloria was not a normal civilian. Fostering her curiosity and demonstrating his absolute mastery over the beasts was an excellent way to further solidify her awe and loyalty.
"If you truly wish it, Aeloria, you are more than welcome to join me," Aerion nodded gracefully. "But you must follow my exact instructions."
"I promise," Aeloria smiled eagerly.
Aerion turned and walked across the sprawling, dusty yard, heading directly toward the massive, heavily fortified pine palisades of the mammoth pen. Aeloria walked closely by his side, her blue eyes wide with anticipation.
They reached the massive, impenetrable main gates. Aerion bypassed them, walking to the smaller, human sized, iron banded wooden door built directly into the wall. He threw the heavy iron latch and pushed the door open, stepping into the massive, grassy enclosure.
Aeloria stepped through the threshold behind him. The moment she fully took in the sheer, staggering scale of the six mammoths grazing peacefully in the twilight, she let out a massive, involuntary gasp.
"By the Divines," Aeloria breathed, her eyes sparkling with absolute, childlike wonder. The smell of the beasts was overpowering, thick and musky, and the ground literally vibrated slightly with every step they took. "They are... they are majestic. Like walking mountains."
"They are indeed the kings of the tundra," Aerion agreed softly. He raised a hand, gently halting her progress. "Stay here by the door, Aeloria. Do not make any sudden movements."
Aerion walked slowly, deliberately forward, moving deeper into the center of the enclosure.
The moment the mammoths caught his scent, the entire herd stopped eating. The six massive heads turned toward the High Elf.
Because his Animal Affinity skill was permanently active at its maximum, absolute threshold, the beasts did not perceive a threat. They perceived the undeniable, soothing presence of their absolute alpha and provider.
A low, vibrating chorus of gentle, rumbling trumpets echoed across the pen as the herd acknowledged his arrival.
Aerion smiled warmly, completely dropping the aristocratic mask he wore for the humans. He didn't use the telepathic projection this time, he simply responded with the natural, primal vocalizations he had learned through his systemic mastery.
He let out a low, deep, rhythmic hum from the back of his throat, mimicking the soothing sound a mammoth matriarch makes to calm her calves.
The alpha bull, the massive fifteen foot behemoth with the heavily scarred tusks, took two slow, deliberate steps forward, lowering his massive, domed head toward the High Elf.
"I know why the herd was frantic this afternoon, old friend," Aerion spoke aloud, his melodic voice incredibly gentle as he reached out, placing his bare hand directly against the thick, coarse, wiry brown fur of the mammoth's massive trunk. "I saw the shadow in the sky as well. But you have my absolute word. You are safe within these walls. The winged fire will not harm you while I draw breath."
The alpha bull let out a long, heavy sigh that ruffled Aerion's hair. It bumped its trunk gently against the High Elf's shoulder in a clear, undeniable display of profound relief and gratitude, before turning back to the massive wooden trough filled with hay.
Aeloria watched the exchange from the doorway, absolutely mesmerized. The sheer, impossible reality of a High Elf casually comforting a monster that could crush a carriage was staggering.
With the herd's anxiety officially quelled, Aerion turned his highly calculating, mercantile focus toward the primary objective of this entire endeavor.
He didn't speak to the alpha bull. He walked smoothly over to one of the massive female cows standing near the back of the pen. He gently ran his hand along her flank, his Gamer mind accessing the systemic biological data provided by his affinity matrix.
"Tell me," Aerion murmured softly, speaking directly to the beast. "Is the herd currently capable of producing milk? Or must we wait for the spring calving season to begin the harvesting process? My recipes for the golden cheese require a massive, steady supply."
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[Main Panel]
Name: Aerion
Race: High Elf (Altmer)
Health: 430/430 Stamina: 430/430 Magicka: 600/600
Level: 108
Skills: Animal Affinity (MAX LEVEL), Fast Skill Levelling (MAX LEVEL), Fast Magic Mastery (MAX LEVEL), Instant Shout (MAX LEVEL), Destruction (Fire(+2)/Lightning(+1)/Frost) (Level 74/41/98), Restoration (Healing/Purify(+1)) (Level 91/56), Alteration (Level 35), Alteration (Level 20), Illusion (Level 42), Conjuration (Necromancy/Summoning(+1)) (Level 37/10), Persuasion(+1) (Level 53), Smithing (Level 22), Sneak (Level 48), One Handed (Level 93), Two Handed (Level 65), Lockpicking (Level 35), Archery (Level 72), Enchanting (Level 66), Light Armor (Level 53), Block (Level 70), & Pickpocket (Level 8)
Shouts: Fus (Force), Tiid (Time), Krii (Kill), Feim (Fade), & Su (Air)
[Inventory Panel]
1x Small Sack, Poacher's Axe, Mammoth Tusk, the Golden Claw, Calm Spellbook, Arvel's Journal, Inkwell & Quill, Thief Book, Scroll Of Summoning (Wolf), Scroll Of Healing, Weak Potion of Paralysis, Dragonstone, Golden Staff of Flames, Parchment Rolls Of Mammoths Farm And Loan, Ebony Claw, Orcish Dagger, Jagged Crown, The Mirror, Glass Sword, Ring of Pure Mixtures, Grand Soul Gem (Filled), Reanimate Corpse Tome, Staff of Lightning, Deed to Tundra Homestead, Garnet, Sapphire, Ruby, & Dawnbreaker
2x Potion Of Ultimate Magicka, Common Soul Gem (Empty), Black Soul Gem (Empty), & Elven Sword
3x Glowing Mushrooms, Potions of Minor Stamina, & Common Soul Gem (Filled)
4x Potions of Minor Magicka, Spider Eggs, & Lesser Soul Gem (Filled)
5x Lesser Soul Gem (Filled)
8x Iron Arrows, Ancient Nord Arrows, & Black Soul Gems (Filled)
9x Potions Of Minor Healing
Weight: 74.92 KG / 515 KG
Septims: 77,465