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<\/p>\nThe cave Shadrick had pointed out was not far south, up the mountain from the Stormcloak\u2019s camp. As they made their way toward its opening, Dardeh looked at Roggi and grinned.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, do you know Shadrick? From before, I mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
Roggi laughed. \u201cNo. He looks familiar, but I can\u2019t say that I could remember where I\u2019ve met him before, if I have.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe surely seemed to recognize you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe did, didn\u2019t he?\u201d Roggi grinned. \u201cAh well. It\u2019s probably not a good thing that so many of them remember me from the Palace. On the other hand, it\u2019s kind of useful that they do, sometimes. It\u2019s good for shock value if nothing else. I\u2019m still surprised. Nobody ever followed me down into Steamscorch. They probably thought I died somewhere along the line.\u201d As they squirmed their way through the narrow cave opening he muttered. \u201cSometimes it felt like I did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNope, you\u2019re alive,\u201d Dardeh said, hoping to change the direction of Roggi\u2019s mood before it could go sour. \u201cWhat is this place, anyway? Is it some old collapsed Nordic barrow?\u201d\u00a0 They moved forward into the passage, at either side of which were what looked like pieces of old pillars, toppled over and leaning at precarious angles.<\/p>\n
\u201cHmm.\u201d\u00a0 Roggi stepped up to one of the pillars and ran a hand along it, examining the carvings. \u201cNo, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s Nordic.\u00a0 I wonder if it\u2019s Dwemer. This area\u2019s loaded with old Dwemer cities if you dig down far enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess we\u2019ll find out,\u201d Dardeh said, making his way around the first turn in the passage. \u201cOh! Someone\u2019s been in here alright.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was a small campsite set up at the edge of what seemed like a very deep pit just beyond.\u00a0 There were bedrolls, barrels, and a cooking spit set up over a still-smoldering fire ring; but there was no other sign of life.<\/p>\n
\u201cInteresting. This wasn\u2019t the two soldiers, though,\u201d Roggi said. \u201cThey didn\u2019t bring barrels up from the Stormcloak encampment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. This has to be someone who was around for awhile. Bandits, maybe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dardeh pushed forward, to the edge of the opening, and found a steeply sloped path spiraling around the edges of the pit. The drop wasn\u2019t as far as he\u2019d imagined but it would have hurt to fall from the top of it. No, he could see all the way down; and he could see two bodies on the floor.<\/p>\n
\u201cYep, bandits. I\u2019d guess our Stormcloaks took them out on the way in.\u201d\u00a0 He made his way down the path and examined the two bodies as he passed them.\u00a0 They were cold, but they hadn\u2019t decomposed at all.\u00a0 It made sense that they were very recently deceased.<\/p>\n
There was an opening on the far side of this cave that led through a winding tunnel.\u00a0 At the third turn, several pieces of broken stonework made it clear that this was definitely a Dwemer ruin. Just above them was something Dardeh had hoped they wouldn\u2019t see: a brownish, round opening that he knew from experience was an exit from a Falmer passageway.\u00a0 He tsk\u2019d, and turned to point it out to Roggi.<\/p>\n
Roggi nodded.\u00a0 Falmer couldn\u2019t see, but they had keen hearing.\u00a0 Both of them knew enough to be as silent as possible.<\/p>\n
And me with my heavy armor.\u00a0 Well, I will give it my best. I\u2019m not exactly a quiet man. <\/em><\/p>\n That thought had him smiling, remembering his mother shushing him as a youngster as he ran noisily through the house. He\u2019d never been a truly quiet person, not as a child and surely not as a miner, bellowing away tunelessly as he beat on the rocks. He glanced at Roggi once more and grinned, thinking that it was likely a good thing he\u2019d never sung in front of this man with the mellow voice.\u00a0 I\u2019d have scarred him for life.<\/em><\/p>\n Just beyond the Falmer doorway was a corridor, damaged by ground movement and sitting at a crazy angle.\u00a0 Along its upper edge ran two of the great steam pipes common to Dwemer ruins. Dardeh half expected to see them broken at their far end but they were intact.\u00a0 It was the room itself that had been broken.<\/p>\n He peered down over the edge.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t tell whether or not this was a corridor that had somehow fallen perpendicular to the one he was in, or a purposefully vertical opening. Perhaps there had been a stairwell, ramps, or one of the steam-powered lifts in this place at some point, but right now what he saw was a very deep hole with mostly-intact stone surfaces on all sides.\u00a0 It was truly disorienting. If the soldiers had come this way they might well be in pieces in whatever lay at the bottom. He saw a few ledges, though, at intervals on the way down; and so taking a deep breath and swapping a glance and a nod with Roggi, he dropped down into the unknown.<\/p>\n He made three jumps down onto masonry ledges. The fourth drop was going to require a lot of luck, as the only midway point was a set of steam pipes. He slipped a bit as his heavy boots hit the metal with a loud clang, but there was a wide ledge just below him onto which he jumped with a sigh of relief. From there, the construction was familiar.\u00a0 Wide stone ramps wound around the perimeter of the space from level to level, leaving space next to the walls for the various steam pipes and other mechanisms.\u00a0 He frowned, though, at the obviously Falmer screens erected as safety fences along the most dangerous of the openings, where a fall would kill any being.\u00a0 Dardeh really didn\u2019t feel like playing with Falmer. He pulled his bow to the ready and started down the ramps.<\/p>\n A moment later a skeever rushed up from the level below him and attacked. A single arrow took it out; but as he lowered his bow a different arrow clattered to the stone just beside him. A lone Falmer archer was at the next platform down, backed up against the wall; and Dardeh marveled at how accurately it targeted him in spite of being blind.\u00a0 He started shooting at it, stepping aside into the shelter of the Falmer screens after each shot and waiting for its arrow to hit the stones.\u00a0 He was making decent progress on it when Roggi rushed down from above, sword held high, and attacked.\u00a0 He took one vertical swipe at the creature, then skewered it with an upward stroke and threw it back to the stones, dead.<\/p>\n Dardeh swapped his bow for his swords and continued downward, Roggi just behind him. There was another of the Falmer doorways above the next platform; and as he had expected, one of the creatures jumped out of it as he approached.\u00a0 This one was a simple warrior. On the wider expanse of the stone landing both Dardeh and Roggi were able to swing their swords, taking down the beast in just a few moments.<\/p>\n Finally, they reached the bottom of the shaft. There were no pools of blood, no crumpled Stormcloaks, and no sign of where they might be. Before them was a hallway, in the center of which was a metal groove that was the unmistakable hallmark of a whirling thresher blade. The soldiers must have known what it was, as well, for no blood spatters or pools of gore marred the corridor.<\/p>\n A short descending ramp led to an intersection, several of its openings blocked by debris. In the one to his left stood two Falmer.\u00a0 Dardeh held his breath and continued ahead and to the right, mouthing a silent prayer to Talos that they would be able to sneak past the Falmer; but just as he rounded the next corner he heard frost magic coming from behind them, followed by a grunt from Roggi.\u00a0 He turned back to find that both of the Falmer were mages, and both were casting spells on the big Nord. Roggi locked gazes with Dardeh for a moment and then backed up, slowly and painfully because of being slowed by the frost spells from one mage and lightning from the other.<\/p>\n \u201cYOL \u2013 TOOR SHUL!\u201d<\/p>\n The sound, trapped inside such an enclosed area, was almost deafening.\u00a0 The heat was intense, though, and that was what he had intended. The Falmer with shock magic doubled over, snarling, and Dardeh caught a whiff of a terrible stench as it burned.\u00a0 He hadn\u2019t killed it, though; it stood back up and gathered magic again.\u00a0 Dardeh heard Roggi\u2019s sword striking stone and glanced left to see that he\u2019d managed to slice completely through the other Falmer and strike the floor.\u00a0 Dardeh rushed the remaining Falmer, trying to stagger it with his swords. It took one step back, swiveled, and tried to raise its hands to cast a spell; but Roggi swiped at it, pushing it back once more.\u00a0 Dardeh stepped in and hammered at it, and between the two of them the creature finally died.<\/p>\n Beyond the two dead Falmer there was only a narrow opening through the rubble of a collapsed wall.\u00a0 An icy tunnel beyond, likely excavated by Falmer, wound its haphazard way through the ruins to the foot of a stairwell where a broken Dwemer Centurion lay. Dardeh was just about to turn to Roggi and say how relieved he was that they didn\u2019t have to fight it when the unmistakable sound of an armor spell being cast came from just above him.\u00a0 A Falmer mage had been squatting just behind a piece of debris, in front of the closed doors at the top of the stairs.<\/p>\n Both the mage and a skeever rushed out from behind the debris. Dardeh shouted Fire Breath at them, killing the skeever instantly and wringing a screech of pain from the Falmer. Roggi rushed up the stairs behind Dardeh, but Dardeh had the Falmer on its back and vulnerable and killed it just a moment later.<\/p>\n Beyond the double doors was the ruin of a Dwemer city. There were huge planters, beautifully-carved solid panels creating corners and directing travel, and open grates affording a view of still-operating machinery.\u00a0 Dardeh was walking quietly along the corridors admiring the workmanship that survived after who knew how many centuries when Roggi called, \u201cIs someone there?\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh pulled his bow up and swiveled to see what if anything was ahead of them, only to be hit. He had just a fraction of a moment to register the Falmer and the chaurus before the latter\u2019s poison landed squarely in his face. It burned, and stank, and blinded; and he could feel himself sinking with every second that passed. Roggi pushed him aside and ran ahead. He could hear the battle that ensued but all he could do for himself was stumble into a corner and start casting healing on himself once \u2013 twice \u2013 and again a third time before his vision cleared and the poison\u2019s effects stopped accelerating.\u00a0 He heard Roggi cry out and ran to help.<\/p>\n The chaurus wasn\u2019t spitting, any longer, but its pincers were heavy enough weaponry on their own and it was snapping at Roggi with them.\u00a0 Beside it, the Falmer cast frost-based magic, leaving clumps of freezing spikes at intervals on the floor. Dardeh pulled his swords and waded into the midst of them, aiming for the chaurus at first but slipping past it and zeroing in on the Falmer when it became obvious that Roggi had the chaurus well in hand.\u00a0 It took several very long minutes for the two enemies to go down.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was a little too close for comfort,\u201d Roggi whispered as he came to stand beside Dardeh. \u201cAre you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. I am now.\u00a0 I don\u2019t like the looks of what\u2019s up there, though.\u201d<\/p>\n Ahead of them was an ornately-carved but oddly-shaped corridor, perfectly cylindrical. The space beyond its far opening looked like a huge, icy cavern, possibly a natural one, at the edges of the Dwemer ruin. The huge cylinders had perhaps been drainage or utility tunnels built to enhance access to the city and tall enough for most of the mechanical constructs to walk through. Mist obscured what the cavern contained, but not enough to disguise obviously Falmer huts and walls.<\/p>\n \u201cGreat. More Falmer.\u201d Roggi grimaced.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. I\u2019ll be more careful this time.\u201d<\/p>\n They crept up the first slope in the cavern, past the seemingly-empty hut, and around a corner.\u00a0 Dardeh froze: there was a lone Falmer crouched at the opening of another long cylinder.\u00a0 He took aim at it with his bow and loosed the arrow, but to his dismay it completely missed the Falmer and sailed harmlessly past into the space beyond it.<\/p>\n How in Oblivion?<\/em><\/p>\n Dardeh reached up and rubbed his eyes.\u00a0 Must be the chaurus poison still.<\/em><\/p>\n After a moment he tried again. This time the arrow sank deep into the Falmer. It staggered forward.\u00a0 Dardeh grinned, knowing that he\u2019d done serious damage, and stepped forward.<\/p>\n Suddenly, where there had been one Falmer there were three. There was a second Falmer hut in the corner that Dardeh hadn\u2019t seen before, and two spellcasters had been in and around it.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on!\u201d Roggi shouted, slamming into the first of them.\u00a0 Dardeh tsk\u2019d and fired another arrow at the first Falmer he\u2019d seen, staggering it. Roggi stepped backward leaving just enough space between him and the two spellcasters for Dardeh to shout fire at them. The wounded Falmer couldn\u2019t withstand the flames and dropped, dead.\u00a0 Dardeh reached for his swords and spun to attack the nearest of the two spellcasters.<\/p>\n The next few moments were a blur. The Falmer Dardeh was fighting was casting sparks, and Dardeh had no special protection against shock magic.\u00a0 It drained him of stamina as well as health, making it harder and harder to keep fighting.\u00a0 He would slice with each weapon and then struggle to step forward for another round of attacks, trying to dodge the spells.\u00a0 Slice, slice, step\u2026\u00a0 By the time the final blow caught the Falmer across the neck his heart was pounding and he had no choice but to stop and heal himself.<\/p>\n The second spellcaster was attacking Roggi with the same tactics. It would swipe at him with its axe, then cast sparks for minutes at a time while getting into a better position. Roggi seemed to be holding his own, though.\u00a0 Heavy as the greatsword was, he was used to letting its weight do the work when his own stamina was drained.\u00a0 Even though he grunted and moaned at the pain of the shock spell he kept pushing forward, using what stamina he had to raise the sword and then drop it down onto the Falmer.\u00a0 Dardeh pulled out his own swords and slipped around behind the creature while it was focused on Roggi\u2019s heavy breathing, and sliced it nearly in half with the double-edged sword.<\/p>\n They stood looking at each other for a moment, Roggi panting with exertion and Dardeh still trying to get his own legs completely under him again.<\/p>\n \u201cYou ok, Roggi?\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. Give me just a second,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Once they had both regained their breath they moved deeper into the cavern. The Falmer had tunneled further into the spaces between debris piles, and the passage they\u2019d made led around a corner, opening up at the base of a huge cavern with multiple staircases up into it.\u00a0 Like many other old Dwemer cities this one had multiple platforms staggered vertically in huge caverns; and on these wonderfully open, flat surfaces the Falmer had erected their own villages. One such collection of huts spread across the platform at the top of the stairs just above Dardeh and Roggi. Dardeh could see at least two individuals moving about on the second level up, and spotted a number of conical huts.<\/p>\n He crept up the left staircase, hoping to find a decent vantage point from which to fire arrows at the Falmer he could see.\u00a0 What he discovered, though, was that there was another Falmer \u2013 and another chaurus –\u00a0 just at the top of the stairs in front of him.<\/p>\n He dropped down just off the platform, to his left, and to his amazement the Falmer didn\u2019t detect him. Instead, it and the chaurus both focused on Roggi and attacked.\u00a0 Dardeh was able to sink two arrows into the chaurus before an ice spike flew across the open space and buried itself into Roggi\u2019s arm. Dardeh turned, spotted the Falmer, and Shouted.<\/p>\n The flames didn\u2019t kill the beast but did send it scurrying backward, which gave Dardeh another opportunity to use his bow.\u00a0 Ducking in and out of sight behind the Falmer\u2019s hut he managed to hit it twice; but the Falmer he had seen above them picked that moment to rush down the next flight of stairs and join the battle.\u00a0 Dardeh heard the crunching sound that meant Roggi had defeated the chaurus and then saw him rush across the open space into the three Falmer.<\/p>\n Dardeh swapped out his bow for his swords and sprinted for the stairs, pushing around Roggi and slicing to ribbons the archer who had been blocking his way. \u00a0Another archer just ahead and to the left took several minutes of furious attacks and a number of healing spells to dispatch. A slightly distant part of Dardeh\u2019s mind observed how much more easily he could heal himself with magic; he snarled and gritted his teeth against the realization that Hermaeus Mora had given him that power.<\/p>\n That is not something I wanted. <\/em><\/p>\n The mage Dardeh had first fired his bow on had retreated up the stairs behind the archers and then back along the upper platform.\u00a0 It stood at the very edge, firing ice spikes at Roggi, who shouted \u201cDamn you!\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh sprinted for the Falmer, intending to knock it down.\u00a0 In the process, he ran into Roggi\u2019s arm as well, sending him stumbling to the side.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/em> Roggi snapped at him as he and the Falmer both fell over the side and crashed to the platform one level down.<\/p>\n Trying to save your life, Roggi.<\/em><\/p>\n He was struggling to get to his feet and take hold of his swords when Roggi leapt down almost on top of the Falmer, slashing as he came. \u201cIs this what you want?\u00a0 Eh?\u201d he snarled at the creature, which screamed and then fired one more ice spike at him.<\/p>\n Dardeh finally got close enough to lay into the Falmer, and at last brought it down.\u00a0 Once more he found himself trying to catch his breath, leaning on his own knees for support.\u00a0 He looked sideways up at Roggi and laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s so funny?\u201d Roggi grumbled between his own deep breaths.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I don\u2019t know. It\u2019s like you\u2019re always saying. We make a pretty good team.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi snorted. \u201cAnd one of these days we\u2019re going to get each other killed.\u201d\u00a0 Then he, too, chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI guess it\u2019s better than being bored, though, isn\u2019t it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure is.\u201d\u00a0 Dardeh stood slowly, knowing that the next day was going to find him with a multitude of sore muscles.\u00a0 He groaned. \u201cDamn, Roggi. I\u2019m getting old.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi tossed back his head and laughed, a full-throated laugh that carried through the vast open space. He stopped, hushing himself with a grin but shaking his head. \u201cYeah, Dar. Picture what I feel like!\u201d\u00a0 He chuckled again. “Sorry that was so loud. I probably pulled every other Falmer in the place.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. We can get them.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi looked around as though truly noticing the place for the first time. \u201cHeh. When I was a boy, my friends and I used to play \u201cseek the Wumpus\u201d in caves much like this.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh snickered. \u201cDid you, now? And did you find the Wumpus?\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi took a couple of steps closer to Dardeh. Even in the dim light Dardeh could see his eyes sparkling.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, never did. Maybe you and I should try? Suppose we could find a Wumpus in here?\u201d Roggi\u2019s voice took on a low, sultry quality that suddenly had Dardeh\u2019s body doing things he would never have expected it to do in the middle of a Falmer camp.<\/p>\n It took him a second to catch his breath and find his composure before he said, \u201cMaybe we should wait until we\u2019re sure we won\u2019t have company.\u201d\u00a0 He was pretty certain that Roggi could see his smile, though, even in the dark.<\/p>\n \u201cUp to you,\u201d Roggi answered, leaning forward to nip at Dardeh\u2019s ear, his beard tickling at Dardeh\u2019s neck as he moved.<\/p>\n \u201cBy the Nine, Roggi!\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi chuckled. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I know. We need to keep moving. But there was just something about the idea of having a dragon of my very own.\u00a0 I\u2019ll have to tell you what I was thinking later on.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh nodded and cleared his throat. \u201cSure. Sounds good. Sounds real good to me.\u201d\u00a0 His voice was a bit weak-sounding to his own ear.\u00a0 But at least I managed to speak. Talos help me. This man.<\/em><\/p>\n They returned to the upper deck and searched the area carefully, checking behind the huts and the screens to be sure there were no Falmer hiding there.\u00a0 A stone ramp at the far end of the deck led up and to the left, around the perimeter of the cavern; once they had made sure they were in the clear Dardeh made for the ramp and started up it, quietly, his bow at the ready.\u00a0 At the top was an enclosed corridor, perhaps an entryway, the large metal light source turning it almost blue rather than gray.<\/p>\n It\u2019s too quiet. There\u2019s something in there waiting for us. I just know it.<\/em><\/p>\n He readied the bow and crept up by tiny increments until, as he had expected, he caught the movement of a Falmer pacing back and forth in the corridor.\u00a0 He let fly the arrow he\u2019d drawn and made a solid hit on the beast. Then Dardeh turned.<\/p>\n On the way up the ramp he\u2019d taken note of several places where it came very close to the cavern wall. There were spots where a person could make a short jump onto the rocks and disappear into the shadows to line up another shot, especially if that person happened to be wearing black armor.\u00a0 That was what he did.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t that he needed to hide from the Falmer, for Falmer were blind.\u00a0 But as he\u2019d anticipated, the Falmer also had a chaurus with it, and the chaurus needed to see him in order to spit poison at him.<\/p>\n Roggi rushed the Falmer.\u00a0 The chaurus was behind it, stuck in the narrow passageway above, and so perfectly backlit against the blue-gray stones that Dardeh had no trouble sinking arrow after arrow into it.\u00a0 It was barely moving when the Falmer slipped on the stone ramp, coming in range of Dardeh\u2019s Fire Breath and dying shortly thereafter to the dragonbone greatsword as Roggi swung around to hammer it down onto the creature\u2019s head. Dardeh swiveled immediately after Shouting and fired one last arrow into the chaurus, sending it dribbling down off the edge of the ramp and crashing to the floor beneath.<\/p>\n The covered corridor ended in another upward ramp, toward another covered platform, containing yet another Falmer archer. Dardeh stood just beneath the lip of the ramp and fired arrow after arrow at the beast, which looked around in confusion, unable to locate the source of its pain.\u00a0 Once it was staggered, Roggi rushed up to end the creature.<\/p>\n This corridor opened to what once must have been a spectacular place.\u00a0 Steam pipes and ornate stone pillars framed a platform with what seemed to be an altar of some sort, a chest of Dwemer make just before it.\u00a0 Beyond the altar, Dardeh could just make out an area of Falmer fencing.\u00a0 He slipped back a step or two and pointed at it.<\/p>\n \u201cLooks like a corral or something,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n Roggi nodded. \u201cThat\u2019s probably where they are, if they\u2019re still alive.\u201d\u00a0 Dardeh nodded, and started forward, but Roggi stopped him with one powerful hand on his arm. \u201cNo. Look,\u201d he said, pointing to a spot between them and the altar.\u00a0 A crouched figure stood and moved to their left, then squatted down again.<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t even see it.\u00a0 I would have just walked right into an ambush. Roggi saves me again.<\/em><\/p>\n He nodded and readied an arrow, then slid forward as silently as he could.\u00a0 He was able to catch the Falmer with three rapid shots and was going for a fourth when motion just below the level of his feet startled him.\u00a0 The Falmer had a pet chaurus and it, of course, had started for them as soon as its master had been hit the first time.<\/p>\n A few moments later both the chaurus and the Falmer were dead.\u00a0 Dardeh couldn\u2019t really remember what had happened. All he knew was that everything in his stomach was threatening to find its way out, right then, whether he liked it or not, following the chaurus poison that had hit him squarely in the face for a second time. Some of it had gone into his mouth, and while he spat it out he couldn\u2019t quite get himself together. He knew he had fought well, and that Roggi was with him, but it took a few minutes of heaving and several heal spells before he truly came back to himself.<\/p>\n \u201cGods, Roggi,\u201d he said, shaking his head. \u201cThat is the nastiest.\u00a0 I need\u2026\u201d\u00a0 He started to rummage around in his pack, but Roggi interrupted him by handing him a bottle of mead.<\/p>\n \u201cTry that. It\u2019ll help get rid of the nasty taste,\u201d he chuckled.\u00a0 Part of Dardeh\u2019s mind wanted to wonder why Roggi – who\u2019d become so careful about such things given his personal weaknesses \u2013 was carrying such a thing. The rest of his mind just grabbed for what was bound to be relief.<\/p>\n \u201cOh thank you.\u201d\u00a0 He leaned back against the cool stone and took a mouthful of the mead, swishing it around in his mouth and then spitting it out. Then he chugged the rest. It did wash the nasty taste out of his mouth, for certain; it also took effect on his head almost immediately.\u00a0 He set the empty bottle down on the stones and laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhee. I probably shouldn\u2019t have done that.\u00a0 Hope you can see where we\u2019re going, and I hope we aren\u2019t going to have more Falmer friends for at least a few minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi chuckled, and stepped closer. \u201cYou\u2019ll be fine.\u201d\u00a0 A moment passed, and a small smile played around his mouth. \u201cI\u2019ll guard you with my life.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh\u2019s heart rose. \u201cRoggi.\u201d\u00a0 He didn\u2019t care that they were far underground, in an abandoned Dwemer ruin, surrounded by Falmer huts.\u00a0 He slipped his arms around Roggi\u2019s shoulders, and drew him into a long kiss.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Roggi,\u201d he said after he pulled back. \u201cI\u2019m sorry I get jealous of you and I\u2019m sorry you have to put up with me. And I\u2019m so, so sorry that I Shouted at you.\u00a0 You\u2019re my one and only. You know that, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi smiled. \u201cYeah, I do know that Dar. And it\u2019s mutual. I\u2019d\u2026 appreciate it if you didn\u2019t do that again.\u00a0 But I love you, Dardeh. Remember that.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh nodded. \u00a0\u201cOk. I will. I\u2019ll try.\u00a0 Should we continue?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGot your legs under you ok?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I\u2019m better. Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n They found that the fenced area was locked.\u00a0 Dardeh made several attempts to pick the lock; but his head was still spinning. After the second lockpick snapped, Roggi laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cLet me handle this one, Dar.\u201d\u00a0 He knelt down and only a second or two later had the gate open. \u201cI told you I\u2019m an expert at that. Don\u2019t ever hesitate to ask me to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n As they had hoped, two Stormcloak soldiers sat in the enclosure, looking miserable.\u00a0 Dardeh approached the first of them.<\/p>\n \u201cCan you walk? We need to get out of this place before we get more visitors.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Who are you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy name\u2019s Dardeh, and that\u2019s Roggi. Shadrick Oaken-Heart sent me to find you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShadrick? Oh gods, I can\u2019t even<\/em> imagine how much trouble we\u2019re in. \u2026 Wait!\u201d The man jumped to his feet. \u201cDid you say Roggi?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, why?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know that name! By the Nine! You\u2019re not taking me to be tortured, are you? I didn\u2019t do anything except come exploring!\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi stepped forward. \u201cWhat\u2019s your name?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHenrick\u2026 sir,\u201d the soldier said. \u201cAnd this is Garding.\u201d There was a grunt from the shadows, and the second Stormcloak soldier nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cHenrick, I\u2019m not an officer. And even if I were, I worked for Ulfric. I\u2019m a Stormcloak. I\u2019m on your side, son,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cI\u2019m not going to hurt you.\u201d<\/p>\n Henrick shuddered. \u201cI\u2019m s-sorry.\u00a0 I guess I\u2019m jumpy because I\u2019ve been down here in the dark too long. I didn\u2019t mean any disrespect, it\u2019s just that we\u2019ve heard\u2026 things\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi sighed. \u201cYeah, I know. Some of them are even true. Don\u2019t worry about it. I\u2019m an old man now and I can\u2019t hurt a fly.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh couldn\u2019t help himself.\u00a0 He started laughing, and laughing, and pretty soon was wiping tears of laughter off his face.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I shouldn\u2019t laugh\u2026 I\u2019m a little punchy. It\u2019s just that\u2026 you should see this guy cleaving up dragons, Henrick.\u00a0 Anyway, let\u2019s get out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDragons! Wow.\u201d\u00a0 He pointed to a lighted alcove just past the corral. \u201cAnyway, there\u2019s a lever over there. I think that\u2019s the way out.\u00a0 Thank you, friends.\u201d<\/p>\n The Dwemer lift took them to an icy cave near the surface, not far from the opening they\u2019d used to drop into the Sightless Pit in the first place. \u00a0It was snowing hard, outside the cave; but after the closeness of the air inside the ruin, and the stench of Falmer, Dardeh was more than happy to step out into the clean, icy air and head back down to the Stormcloak\u2019s campsite.<\/p>\n \u201cWe found \u2018em, Shadrick!\u201d Dardeh called as they entered the campfire\u2019s light.<\/p>\n \u201cWell!\u201d he said, his eyes widening. \u201cIt\u2019s a miracle they were alive! Thank you. And as promised, I have dispatched a runner to deliver your proposal to Ulfric. But there\u2019s one thing I need to know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t understand how Valerius is involved in this plan. I can\u2019t believe he\u2019s still alive, much less rebuilding a town. He\u2019s just not the sort to do such a thing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAhh. Of course. Did I not mention that it\u2019s Marcus Jannus who is rebuilding Helgen?\u201d<\/p>\n Shadrick started laughing. \u201cBy Ysgramor\u2019s beard. Marcus Jannus in Skyrim, too? I should have known it.\u201d\u00a0 He grinned. \u201cOh the stories I could tell you about those two! But we would need a few weeks. I served with them for many years, you know? Shor\u2019s bones, I certainly didn\u2019t expect today to turn out like this when I woke up!\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi chuckled. \u201cNeither did we.\u201d<\/p>\n Shadrick nodded. \u201cPlease, let Marcus know we should be there in a couple of days.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll do that,\u201d Dardeh said.\u00a0 Then he walked to the edge of the camp, where Roggi had wandered over to stand by himself.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you think? We could go to Windhelm ourselves, if you want. Say hi to Frina, all that.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi shook his head. \u201cNo, let\u2019s head back for home. Maybe stop off at the Nightgate or something.\u201d\u00a0 He leaned in close to Dardeh and whispered in his ear. \u201cI have a story to tell you about a Wumpus.\u201d\u00a0 He grinned and started jogging south toward the pass.<\/p>\n The cave Shadrick had pointed out was not far south, up the mountain from the Stormcloak\u2019s camp. As they made their way toward its opening, Dardeh looked at Roggi and grinned. \u201cSo, do you know Shadrick? From before, I mean?\u201d Roggi laughed. \u201cNo. He looks familiar, but I can\u2019t say that I could remember where … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/5-1-6-2.png\")
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<\/p>\nPart I: Modulation<\/a><\/div>\nPrevious<\/a> \/ Next<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"