If you want to read 20 Chapters ahead and more, be sure to check out my P-Tang12!!!
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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
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"This is the threshold," Aerion whispered, his voice echoing softly in the dark. He gripped the heavy iron handle and violently pulled. The massive door groaned in protest, grinding against the stone floor as it swung open, revealing the dark, sprawling, deeply magical expanse of the inner sanctum. They stepped entirely out of the upper crypts, and officially entered Ustengrav Depths.
The heavy iron door groaned shut behind them, sealing the strike team away from the upper crypts.
They had crossed the threshold into the true, undisturbed depths of Ustengrav. The air here was entirely different. It lacked the suffocating, dusty stagnation of the upper burial chambers, replaced instead by a crisp, biting chill and the faint, unmistakable scent of fresh, flowing water.
Aerion led the way, his golden eyes adjusting easily to the dim, ambient bioluminescence provided by scattered patches of glowing subterranean mushrooms.
They followed a winding, narrow stone hallway, descending a long flight of ancient, uneven stairs. The path forced them to turn sharply left, then right, winding deeper and deeper into the bedrock of the province.
They reached the final landing, stepping out through a massive, broken stone archway.
The view before them was nothing short of breathtaking.
They stood upon a high, jagged precipice overlooking an impossibly massive, sprawling subterranean cavern.
A rushing underground river cut directly through the center of the cavern, cascading violently over a sharp drop to create a roaring, misty waterfall. Spanning the misty abyss above the falls was a magnificent, naturally formed bridge of solid stone.
But it was the structure resting at the very bottom of the cavern, illuminated by a shaft of pale light filtering down from an unseen fissure far above, that drew the eye. A massive, curved wall of dark stone covered in glowing, ancient draconic script.
A Word Wall.
Aeloria stepped to the edge of the precipice, looking out over the sprawling, misty expanse. The sheer scale of the cavern, hidden so deeply beneath the frozen swamps of Hjaalmarch, was staggering.
She let out a loud, appreciative whistle that echoed sharply over the roar of the falls.
"By the Eight," Aeloria breathed, her bright blue eyes wide with awe. "I knew our ancient ancestors built massive tombs, but this... this is an entire underground valley. The sheer size of this place is incredible."
"It is a fortress of the dead," Jenassa agreed, her gravelly voice calm as she scanned the shadows. "And it is heavily occupied."
Before Aeloria could respond, Jenassa's long, pointed ears twitched. The Morag Tong assassin possessed hearing that bordered on the supernatural, tuned by decades of survival in the darkest corners of Morrowind. Over the rushing sound of the waterfall, she detected the faint, rhythmic, dragging scrape of ancient iron boots against stone.
Jenassa didn't issue a verbal warning. She fluidly unslung her heavy Dwarven Bow, nocked a steel arrow, and pivoted sharply toward a dark, sloping dirt path that wound downward to their left.
A rusted iron sword emerged from the shadows, clutched in the decayed hand of a wandering Draugr sentry that had been drawn by Aeloria's whistle. The undead warrior opened its jaw to let out a guttural battle cry.
THWIP.
The steel arrow tore through the damp air. It struck the Draugr perfectly between its glowing blue eyes with a sickening crunch. The sheer kinetic force of the heavy Dwarven bow snapped the ancient Nord's neck backward, instantly dropping the corpse into the dirt before it could even formulate a sound.
Aeloria blinked, her battleaxe still resting on her shoulder. She looked from the dead Draugr to the assassin.
"Gods, you are fast, Jenassa," Aeloria praised, a massive grin on her face. "I didn't even hear it coming. Brilliant shot."
"Flawless execution," Aerion complimented smoothly, offering an approving nod. "A dead enemy is a silent enemy. Let us press the advantage."
Jenassa simply offered a crisp, silent nod of thanks, lowering her bow but keeping the arrow nocked.
Aerion took the point once more, leading them down the steep, packed dirt slope. The path leveled out, bringing them to a heavy stone archway on their left. They passed through the entrance, stepping into a large, rectangular chamber intersecting with the cavern walls.
Directly ahead of them, spanning a gap over the cavern floor below, was a narrow, unrailed stone bridge.
Standing dead center on the bridge, blocking their path, was a heavily armored Restless Draugr gripping a rusted battleaxe.
Aerion prepared to raise his hand, but Aeloria, fueled by the sheer, intoxicating adrenaline as a nord having a blazing weapon in her grasp, didn't wait for magic.
"I have this one!" Aeloria declared.
She charged. She didn't swing her axe, she utilized the devastating momentum of her heavy armor. As the Draugr raised its weapon to strike, Aeloria lowered her shoulder and slammed her heavy steel pauldron directly into the creature's chest.
The impact was brutal. The Draugr was violently lifted off its feet, sent tumbling backward over the edge of the narrow stone bridge. It fell twenty feet, crashing heavily onto the stone floor of the lower chamber with a loud, echoing clatter of shattered armor and broken bone.
"A highly effective kinetic displacement," Aerion smirked.
However, the loud crash of the falling body instantly shattered their stealth.
From the shadows of the lower room, the guttural roars of half a dozen awakened Draugr echoed upward.
Simultaneously, from a second, parallel stone bridge situated across the gap to their right, another Draugr stepped out from behind a pillar, drawing a heavy ancient Nord bow and taking aim directly at Aeloria.
Aerion's tactical mind processed the battlefield in a fraction of a second.
"Jenassa! Silence the archer on the right flank!" Aerion commanded sharply. "Aeloria, hold the entrance to the bridge. Do not let anything crawl up those stairs!"
Jenassa pivoted flawlessly. She drew her bowstring back to her cheek, tracking the Draugr archer across the gap. The orange fire runes on her bow flared. She released the string, the heavy steel arrow crossing the distance and slamming directly into the archer's chest, throwing it backward off the second bridge.
Aerion stepped up to the edge of the first bridge, looking down into the lower room where the awakened Draugr were drawing their rusted swords and moving toward the stairs.
He didn't bother with precision strikes. He raised his hands, channeling the absolute, divine wrath of his newly upgraded Restoration Skill.
"Return to the dust," Aerion whispered.
Grand Purification.
A massive, concentrated sphere of blinding holy light erupted from his palms, illuminating the entire lower chamber with the intensity of the midday sun. The spell washed over the charging Draugr. The reaction was catastrophic.
The ancient, embalmed flesh violently sizzled and burned away, the dark necromantic magic animating them completely shattered by the divine light. Three of the Draugr instantly collapsed into piles of smoking ash.
Two stragglers, heavily burned but still moving, managed to stagger up the stone stairs toward the bridge.
Aeloria was waiting for them.
Standing like an impenetrable fortress of heavy steel at the choke point, the Dragonborn swung the Axe of Morthal. The blazing steel head cleaved the first Draugr entirely in half at the waist. She smoothly reversed her grip, driving the heavy steel pommel into the face of the second Draugr, crushing its skull before bringing the blade down to finish the job.
"The perimeter is clear," Aeloria announced, wiping a smudge of ancient dust from her steel breastplate.
"Efficiently handled," Aerion praised.
They crossed the stone bridge and descended the stairs into the lower chamber. The room was a sprawling, ancient Nord dining hall, lined with long, rotting wooden tables and massive, empty stone hearths. They walked past the piles of glowing ash left by Aerion's spell, the heavy silence of the tomb returning.
They navigated through the banquet hall, turning right and ascending a short flight of stairs. This brought them to the far side of the chamber, where they crossed the second stone bridge, arriving at a heavy wooden door.
Aerion pushed the door open, stepping into the next chamber.
He stopped instantly at the threshold.
His golden eyes scanned the room, immediately identifying the classic, highly lethal architectural hazards of a Nordic crypt.
The floor of the room was covered in a thick, iridescent, highly flammable sheen of ancient oil, pooling in the center of the stone slabs. Recessed into the walls on either side of the oil slick were six heavy steel coffins.
Aerion turned to the Dragonborn, fully prepared to utilize her heavy armor for a tactical advantage.
"Aeloria," Aerion instructed, his voice low. "The floor is coated in highly volatile oil, and those steel sarcophagi are undoubtedly occupied. I need you to act as the bait. Sprint directly to the center of the room to trigger their awakening, and immediately continue running past the oil slick to the far wall. Do not stop to fight."
Aeloria looked at the dark oil, then at the menacing steel coffins. She didn't question his logic for a second. She trusted his tactical commands implicitly.
"Trigger the trap and clear the fire zone. Understood," Aeloria nodded, adjusting her grip on her battleaxe.
She took a deep breath and charged. The heavy steel plates clanked loudly as she sprinted into the room, her boots splashing through the thin layer of oil.
The moment she crossed the center of the chamber, the ancient mechanisms triggered.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The heavy steel lids of the six coffins violently exploded outward, pushed from within by the supernatural strength of the awakening Draugr. Six heavily armored undead warriors stepped out of their resting places, their blue eyes glowing with hateful fury in the dark, their rusted swords drawn.
They instantly lunged toward the loud, heavy Nord woman running past them.
But Aeloria was already clear of the hazard, sliding to a halt near the far wall.
"Now!" Aeloria shouted.
Aerion raised his right hand. He didn't cast a massive fireball, he simply snapped his fingers, generating a tiny, concentrated spark of mundane flame.
He flicked the spark directly into the center of the oil slick.
FWOOSH!
The entire floor of the room instantly, violently ignited. A massive, roaring wall of brilliant orange fire erupted toward the ceiling. The six Draugr, caught entirely in the center of the trap, were instantly engulfed in the inferno. The highly combustible oil clung to their dry, embalmed flesh and ancient linen wrappings.
They shrieked, thrashing wildly in the flames, their bodies rapidly burning away. Aerion didn't even need to draw his sword, the environmental hazard did the work entirely for him. Within seconds, the Draugr collapsed into the burning oil, reduced to charred bones and ash.
As the flames died down to a manageable flicker, Aerion walked carefully into the room, stepping around the scorched patches of stone.
"A flawless execution of using our environment," Aerion praised, looking over the charred remains.
He moved toward the far wall, his eyes scanning the stone. He located a heavy iron lever mounted near a locked iron portcullis.
"There are two gates sealing the adjacent chamber," Aerion noted, observing the mechanics. "Jenassa, check the wall behind the left row of coffins. There should be a secondary release mechanism."
Jenassa slipped behind the open steel sarcophagi, her hands feeling along the cold stone. "Found it," she confirmed, gripping a rusted iron handle.
"Pull on my mark. Three, two, one, mark."
They pulled the heavy levers simultaneously. The loud, grinding sound of ancient gears shifting echoed through the room. The two heavy iron gates sealing the side chamber slowly rose into the ceiling, granting them access.
Aerion stepped into the newly opened room.
It was a hidden armory and enchanting workspace. In the center of the small room sat an Arcane Enchanter, the pristine stone table glowing with faint, lingering blue magical energy.
Resting on the surface of the enchanter was a finely crafted Elven Dagger, its golden metal untarnished by the centuries, alongside a glowing red Potion of Healing.
Aerion approached the table, smoothly absorbing the items into his spatial void.
[Item Stored: Elven Dagger]
[Item Stored: Potion of Healing]
[Inventory Weight Increased by 1.20 KG. Current Max Weight: 89.46 / 540 KG]
Resting against the wall beside the enchanter was a massive, heavily reinforced master level chest.
Aerion knelt before it, easily bypassing the complex lock mechanism. He lifted the heavy lid. The chest was a treasure trove of ancient wealth, perfectly preserved in the sealed room.
He swept his hand over the contents, the system automatically processing the loot.
[Item Stored: 683 Septims]
[Item Stored: Honed Ancient Nord Sword of Sparks]
[Item Stored: Gold Emerald Circlet]
As the gold and the enchanted sword vanished into his void, Aerion paused. Resting at the bottom of the chest was a piece of armor that was absolutely perfect for his vanguard.
It was a pristine, masterfully forged Steel Horned Helmet.
"Aeloria, step forward," Aerion commanded smoothly, retrieving the heavy steel helm from the chest.
Aeloria approached, her bright blue eyes widening as she saw the gleaming metal.
"You are currently lacking proper head protection to complete your new armor set," Aerion noted logically. "While a circlet may be fashionable, it will not stop a warhammer from crushing your skull. This helmet is of exceptional quality. Put it on."
Aeloria took the heavy Steel Horned Helmet, a massive smile spreading across her face. She slid the helm over her head. The fit was absolutely perfect, the heavy steel plating seamlessly matching the rest of her acquired armor, the sweeping horns adding a terrifying, imposing silhouette to her profile.
"It is perfect, Aerion," Aeloria declared, her voice echoing slightly from within the metal visor. She looked like a true, mythological Nordic champion. "Thank you."
"You are quite welcome," Aerion nodded, absorbing the final weight calculations.
[Inventory Weight Increased by 3.87 KG. Current Max Weight: 84.33 / 540 KG]
With the secret stash completely cleared, they exited the room. They followed the winding stone path, passing through a heavy archway that transitioned them out of the worked stone crypts and back into the sprawling, natural cavern section of the ruins.
The path sloped sharply downward, winding along the rock face. They passed through a final, broken stone entrance and found themselves back on the absolute floor of the massive, mist filled cavern.
The roaring waterfall and the glowing Word Wall were now directly ahead of them, situated at the base of the deep valley.
But the path to the wall was not empty.
As their boots crunched against the loose gravel of the cavern floor, a terrifying, clattering sound echoed through the mist. Rising from the dirt and shallow pools of water were dozens of animated, skeletal warriors.
Unlike the embalmed, fleshy Draugr, these were nothing but yellowed bones held together by raw, crackling necromantic energy. They carried rusted iron swords, splintered wooden shields, heavy two handed greatswords, and ancient bows.
The moment they detected the living, the skeletons turned their empty eye sockets toward the strike team, raising their weapons with a synchronized, chilling clatter of bone against steel.
"Skeletons," Jenassa noted, her tone completely unimpressed.
"They are just brittle bones, we can shatter them," Aerion said dismissively.
The combat was overwhelmingly, almost laughably one sided.
Skeletons lacked the heavy armor and massive health pools of the Draugr. They were fragile constructs of bone and magic. Aeloria charged into the skeletal ranks like a bowling ball hitting pins.
She didn't even need to use the edge of the Axe of Morthal, the sheer, blunt kinetic force of her heavy steel armor was enough to shatter the skeletons into piles of loose ribs and femurs upon impact.
Jenassa moved fluidly through the mist, her Frost Steel Sword cleanly severing skeletal spines and shattering skulls with effortless, surgical precision.
Aerion didn't bother using his high level holy magic. He raised his hands, casually flicking rapid fire bursts of Chain Lightning and standard Fireballs into the dense clusters of bone. The electricity violently disrupted the necromantic bonds holding them together, causing the skeletons to literally explode into showers of white bone fragments.
In less than two minutes, the entire skeletal ambush had been reduced to a harmless pile of shattered calcium and rusted iron scattered across the cavern floor.
"A minor inconvenience," Aerion noted, stepping gracefully over a pulverized skull.
He led the group down the final, steep dirt slope, approaching the absolute bottom of the massive cavern. The roar of the waterfall was deafening here, the cold mist completely soaking the air.
But Aerion's attention was entirely focused on the massive, curved wall of dark stone resting in the center of the depression.
The ancient draconic script etched deeply into the stone and he approached it. Aerion stepped up to the Word Wall. He didn't hesitate, he reached out, pressing his bare palm firmly against the cold stone of the ancient Nord runes that are carved into it.
The knowledge of the Thu'um, rushing out of the stone and flowing directly up his arm, sinking deeply into his soul. The digital interface of his transmigrator system manifested instantly, the golden text overriding his vision.
[Word of Power Detected.]
[Would you like to learn the second word of the Become Ethereal Shout: Zii (Spirit)?]
[YES / NO]
Aerion mentally with a happy mood selected YES.
A profound, rushing sensation of absolute, untouchable weightlessness washed over his entire being. He felt the fundamental understanding of the word Zii permanently burn itself into his neural pathways.
His mastery over the Ethereal shout had deepened significantly, allowing him to sever his physical connection to Nirn for a vastly extended duration.
[Word of Power Learned: Zii (Spirit)]
[Shout Upgraded: Become Ethereal (Feim, Zii)]
Aerion lowered his hand, and he took a deep, steadying breath, controlling himself to keep calm since one of his word of power have been upgraded two have two words.
"Is it done what you need to do Aerion?" Aeloria asked while feelin ga bit weird, after all she just saw Aerion suddenly pressed his hand to the word wall and just closed his eyes.
"It is," Aerion confirmed, turning away from the depleted wall. "My understanding of the ancient Nords language and knowledge has expanded by a miniscule amount. Now, let us continue this."
They marched away from the waterfall, making the steep climb back up the dirt slope. They reached the stone path, approaching the heavy natural stone bridge that spanned the rushing underground waterfall and lake. Aerion took the lead, his boots striking the ancient stone with unyielding confidence. They crossed the bridge, moving ever closer to the final chambers of Ustengrav, and the artifact that awaited them in the deep.
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[Main Panel]
Name: Aerion
Race: High Elf (Altmer)
Health: 460/460 Stamina: 480/480 Magicka: 670/670
Level: 121
Skills: Animal Affinity (MAX LEVEL), Fast Skill Levelling (MAX LEVEL), Fast Magic Mastery (MAX LEVEL), Instant Shout (MAX LEVEL), Destruction (Fire(+3)/Lightning(+1)/Frost(+1)) (Level 0/41/0), Restoration (Healing(+1)/Purify(+2)) (Level 0/0), Alteration (Level 35), Illusion (Level 50), Conjuration (Necromancy/Summoning(+1)) (Level 37/26), Persuasion(+1) (Level 60), Smithing (Level 22), Sneak (Level 75), One Handed(+1) (Level 42), Two Handed (Level 81), Lockpicking (Level 35), Archery (Level 72), Enchanting (Level 66), Light Armor (Level 77), Block (Level 70), & Pickpocket (Level 8)
Shouts: Fus (Force), Tiid (Time), Krii (Kill), Feim Zii (Fade Spirit), & 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, Ring of Pure Mixtures, Grand Soul Gem (Filled), Reanimate Corpse Tome, Staff of Lightning, Deed to Tundra Homestead, Sapphire, Ruby, Dawnbreaker, Traveling Backpack (Supplies), Potion of Minor Magicka, Vampire Armor, Vampire Boots, Movarth's Golden Ash (Unique), Dwarven Sword, Hide Boots Of Sneak, Gold Ruby Ring of Fortify Magicka, Iron Garnet Ring of Fortify Conjuration & Magicka Regen, Elven Dagger, Potion of Healing, Honed Ancient Nord Sword of Sparks, & Gold Emerald Circlet
2x Common Soul Gem (Empty), Black Soul Gem (Empty), Elven Sword, Amethysts, & Potions of Plentiful Magicka
3x Glowing Mushrooms, Potions of Minor Stamina, Flawless Sapphires, Gold Necklace, Iron Necklace, Petty Soul Gem (Filled), & Potions of Minor Magicka
4x Spider Eggs, Garnets, & Common Soul Gem (Filled)
5x Lesser Soul Gem (Filled)
7x Vampires Dust
8x Iron Arrows & Ancient Nord Arrows
9x Potions Of Minor Healing
12x Black Soul Gem (Filled)
Weight: 84.33 KG / 540 KG
Septims: 80,062