Roggi had shaken Dardeh awake well before sunrise so that they could go collect Alof and take care of this job. They\u2019d needed rest. They\u2019d expected dark. They hadn\u2019t expected vampires.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/5-1-20-1.png\")
<\/p>\n
One of them fired a spell that caught Dardeh in a cloud of blue light that was hot and cold at once, and which clung to him as he moved. He gritted his teeth against the pain and dodged right; and his attacker fell forward past him, unable to stop his own momentum. Dardeh heard Roggi growling at a figure deeper in the dark, and snarled himself as he saw the sickly red light of a vampiric draining spell reaching not for Roggi, but for him.<\/p>\n
He rolled back to the left to face the female who raised her single short sword against him, and sneered.\u00a0 She was dressed in a flimsy robe. He had heavy armor and two swords, and a familiar dragonbone greatsword was coming down toward her back. A moment later, she was down. As Dardeh stepped around her corpse, Roggi swiveled to his right to attack the male who had taunted them; he had stumbled several paces into the dark after missing Dardeh and then circled around to attack from the side. Again, it took just a moment for them to dispatch the vampire. The third \u2013 the one who had been trying to drain him \u2013 reappeared from the shadows and began casting again, but Roggi sliced her open, yelling \u201cIs that it? Is that your best?\u201d<\/p>\n
Dardeh sheathed his weapons and laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey never stood a chance. These three must have been new at the whole vampire thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah. But it\u2019s not funny, Dar. She was trying to drain you. Don\u2019t tell me you didn\u2019t see it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI did. And don\u2019t worry, she didn\u2019t get me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t care,\u201d Roggi said, reaching into his pack and pulling out a small vial.\u00a0 He thrust it out in one hand and bobbed his head at it as he approached Dardeh. \u201cDrink it. Now. We\u2019re taking no chances.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI will. And you?\u201d He obediently popped open the vial and drank the cure disease potion.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t feel like the vampire\u2019s spell had been close enough to harm him but the last thing they needed was either one of them to get sick in the middle of a fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody was even looking twice at me, Dar. They were after you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, it did seem that way. And I don\u2019t care. You\u2019re taking a potion too. Don\u2019t even attempt to argue with me. I know you have plenty; I saw you making them.\u201d\u00a0 It was true; Roggi had spent several hours bent over the alchemy table before they\u2019d gone to bed.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll right, all right. How can I argue with that?\u201d\u00a0 Roggi pulled a second vial from his pack and downed its contents. \u201cBetter safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExactly.\u201d<\/p>\n
By the time they found Alof in the lower level of Helgen Keep and made their way back out into the yard, the sun was just above the horizon. Yawning workers were just getting started on one of the remaining piles of stone rubble.\u00a0 It was going to take some time, yet, before the charred remains of the wooden buildings near Helgen\u2019s eastern gate were gone, but even in the dim morning light Dardeh could see that progress truly was being made.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/5-1-20-2.png\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cShouldn\u2019t be too long now,\u201d he said, smiling at the others. \u201cThen we\u2019ll be able to start putting up new structures. I can\u2019t wait.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were here the day it burned, I hear,\u201d Alof said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah. \u00a0I saw enough death and destruction that day for a lifetime.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then came the war,\u201d Roggi mumbled.<\/p>\n
\u201cExactly. That\u2019s why I\u2019m so happy to see things being set right again.\u201d Dardeh looked toward the nearest of the peaks and then checked his map. \u201cBut enough of that. We need to go make sure we can get this work done without being raided. Korst said they\u2019ve moved into Skybound Watch.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, head out to Embershard?\u201d Alof asked.<\/p>\n
Roggi shook his head. \u201cNo, I think a better approach would be off to the east, by Orphan Rock. Come at them from the back side.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dardeh considered the map again and nodded. \u201cYeah. They\u2019ll have a watch posted on both sides but they\u2019re not likely going to expect anyone sneaking past the witches to get to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd if we\u2019re careful, we can get there without alerting anyone,\u201d Roggi said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s go, then.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was quiet on the way up the mountainside. Almost too quiet, Dardeh thought, especially compared with the noise that had once come from a Stormcloak encampment just up the road.\u00a0 When they reached the cairn marking the path toward Orphan Rock he turned to Roggi.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlan?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHug the left side. We should be far enough away from the witches to avoid being heard. Unless you start beating on your chest plate, Dar,\u201d he added, grinning.<\/p>\n
\u201cFunny man. Ok, let\u2019s go.\u201d He readied his bow and started up the slope.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/5-1-20-3.png\")
<\/p>\n
They slipped along the edge of the rocks and well past the point where the path to Orphan Rock veered off to the east. Dardeh was just about to congratulate himself on his stealthy approach when a voice up ahead in a stand of trees said \u201cI thought I heard something.\u201d<\/p>\n
Damn.<\/em><\/p>\n He was still low enough on the hill\u00a0 that the tall grasses in front of him provided a bit of cover; so he drew and fired at the woman he saw approaching them.\u00a0 A single shot was all it took to drop her to the ground.\u00a0 A second bandit came running out of the trees.<\/p>\n \u201cAll right. You want to go?\u201d Roggi said, moving to meet the bandit.<\/p>\n Dardeh tried to line up another shot, but stopped when Alof ran between him and the target. He hadn\u2019t bothered wasting breath on words, spending it instead in a mad dash up the hill to meet the woman head-on. She was already down on one knee when Roggi reached them and finished the battle with a quick swipe of his sword.<\/p>\n The path narrowed ahead, through a bowl-like clearing between two outcroppings of mountain. Dardeh expected it to be empty, or mostly so, since the two bandits they\u2019d already killed had come from beyond that point; but as he reached the narrowest part of the pass he saw a figure up ahead.<\/p>\n Great. Should be an easy shot. <\/em><\/p>\n He drew and fired; but just as the arrow left his grasp movement to the left caught his eye. There were at least two more people there, and a post flying a mustard-colored flag said the entrance to the bandits\u2019 camp was very near. The split second of distraction caused his shot to fall short and the arrow to land harmlessly in the snow.<\/p>\n The next second, they were three fighting against four. Or perhaps it was six or seven; Dardeh wasn\u2019t exactly certain, as mages began casting and people poured out of the camp to defend it. He swapped shots with the bandit he\u2019d first spotted, an archer; his shot landed, but he was able to dodge the incoming arrow. He swapped weapons and rushed her, taking her out easily, then swung left to where Roggi and Alof had engaged at least four other bandits. It was a confusing mass of weapons and spells and yelling, and Dardeh couldn\u2019t find a good opening. Alof stumbled backward out of the clot of bodies and began healing himself; and just as well, since Roggi chose that moment to make a complete revolution with his sword, mowing down anything in his path with a mighty roar.<\/p>\n \u201cGods, Roggi! Watch where you\u2019re swinging!\u201d Dardeh yelped.<\/p>\n Roggi stopped for a moment, panting, and dropped the tip of his blade to the snow. \u201cSorry, Dar,\u201d he said, looking sheepish. \u201cI saw Alof get hurt and was mad. I\u2019ll be more careful.\u201d<\/p>\n Alof joined them. \u201cThanks, Roggi. I\u2019m ok now. Take a look,\u201d he said, pointing past Roggi and up toward the crest of the hill, where the path circled left to the front of a small tower. \u201cWe get to clear that out, I\u2019ll bet.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh looked at his map again. \u201cYes. South Skybound Watch.\u00a0 We\u2019ll go in here and work our way through it and make sure the bandits are gone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s do it then,\u201d Roggi said. \u201cLead the way.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh was holding the door open for the other two when the first bandit attacked, running up behind him to strike a blow.\u00a0 He had turned just enough that the flat of her sword struck his armor and slid off harmlessly.\u00a0 Alof pushed past him into the narrow stairway and pummeled the woman, who fell backwards down the stairs, groaning. Roggi raised his sword vertically and skewered her, finishing the job.<\/p>\n Dardeh could hear footsteps approaching up the corridor from below. He swung around to the left and pulled his bow, searching for a shot over Roggi\u2019s head. He spotted a bandit far down the hallway.<\/p>\n \u201cDuck, Roggi!\u201d he shouted; and Roggi did so as he released the bowstring.\u00a0 He heard the bandit grunt as the arrow struck him solidly.\u00a0 Alof raced down the stairs toward him.\u00a0 Dardeh reached for another arrow.<\/p>\n Then he gasped, falling backward up the stairs with a searing pain in his chest. He looked down to see an ebony arrow protruding from just beneath his shoulder. It had found that small gap between the ebony of his chest plate and the equally rugged ebony of his pauldrons \u2013 a gap covered only by heavily-padded leather.<\/p>\n \u201cDar?\u201d Roggi was beside him, but trying to block an attack by a bandit coming up from below.<\/p>\n \u201cHelp. \u00a0Arrow.\u201d That was all Dardeh could manage, as he wrestled for a healing potion that would only just keep him alive until they got the arrow out and could stop the bleeding. He looked up just as Roggi turned to glance at him. Their gazes met; Roggi\u2019s eyes widened, and suddenly Dardeh remembered how Roggi had looked up at him when the Miraak Cultist\u2019s sword had slipped through his ribs, barely missing his heart.<\/p>\n I must look like that right now.<\/em><\/p>\n Roggi turned back to the bandit, howling, and brought his sword down, severing her head and sending it flying over the heads of Alof and his opponent.\u00a0 Then he dropped his greatsword and turned back to Dardeh.<\/p>\n \u201cHang on,\u201d he said, wasting no time.\u00a0 He reached down to grab the arrow with both hands and braced one knee against Dardeh\u2019s chest plate. \u201cReady?\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh nodded. Hurry, he wanted to say. I\u2019m fading. But he couldn\u2019t get the words past his lips or hear past the pounding of his own heartbeat. He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, and suddenly the world went red and narrowed to a tiny, searing point of pain centered on his shoulder and in the chest beneath.\u00a0 He opened his mouth and screamed; but then he felt Roggi pressing on the wound and heard him calling out. Heal, Dar, the words came as if through water. Heal yourself.<\/p>\n He focused, and pulled all the modest energies he had into his hand, casting his healing spell. Its warmth spread through him, bringing his focus back to the present enough that he could repeat it. A third time, he cast the spell; and then he opened his eyes and smiled at his beloved Roggi.<\/p>\n \u201cGo. Help Alof. I\u2019m right behind you. It\u2019s ok now.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi hesitated for a moment, but then nodded and turned to scoop up his sword, running down the steps back into the battle. Dardeh struggled to his feet, still unsteady, and took several sips of water as he waited for his strength to fully return.<\/p>\n Have to go. Can\u2019t let them take all the beating by themselves.<\/em><\/p>\n He bent slowly to pick up his swords, feeling stronger by the moment; and as he walked down the steps, thought about the energy it would take to Shout at the enemy. He thought it, imagined it, felt it building insides him, knew he could do it because it was an integral part of him.<\/p>\n I\u2019m a dragon \u2013 an immortal being caught in a frail, mortal, human body. But I am, after all, made up of the souls of many dragons. I will get through this, too.<\/em><\/p>\n He passed Alof just as the Stormcloak grunted with effort and ran one of the bandits through. Roggi was ahead of them, chasing another bandit down the wooden spiral staircase at the end of the hall.<\/p>\n \u201cShor have mercy on you!\u201d Roggi cried.<\/p>\n \u201cFor we certainly shall not,\u201d Dardeh murmured.<\/p>\n By the time he reached the bottom of the staircase and entered the long circular corridor leading away from it, Dardeh was feeling much more himself. There were advantages to being as well-trained and substantial a man as he was, and resilience was one of those. He may have looked as frighteningly near to death as Roggi had, but the arrow hadn\u2019t gone completely through him, or severed any major vessels in his chest.<\/p>\n He sped up as he followed the bandit deeper into the barrow. As he emerged from a dark area into a lighted alcove he met the four bandits racing to meet him with the Shout that had been building inside him ever since he\u2019d risen from the injury.<\/p>\n The blast of fire killed one of them outright.\u00a0 A second shrieked in pain and stumbled past him, raising her sword in one hand while furiously batting at her hair with the other.\u00a0 Roggi and Alof reached them and took off after the other bandits; and once again Dardeh\u2019s world was reduced to a blur of strikes and blocks, dodges and thrusts and slices. The battle continued through the lowest part of the tunnel, through a puddle where water poured in from above, and up an incline beyond it with all three of them hammering at the bandits, blocking for each other, and then moving on.<\/p>\n At last they were surrounded by corpses and quiet. They stood there for a moment, catching a breath and sipping water, until Alof cleared his throat.<\/p>\n \u201cThrough there, I guess?\u201d he asked, pointing at the iron doors near the puddle.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. And I\u2019m going to guess that things will get even more interesting in there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, we didn\u2019t find their leader yet, I\u2019m sure of it,\u201d Roggi agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cOk, then. Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh had only enough time, after opening the doors, to register that they were in a mostly round chamber. Two bandits were coming for them and the echoes of mailed footsteps from farther on meant that more were heading their way. He had just enough time to draw his swords and Shout fire at the two bandits leading the way before the first one, a woman, took a swing at him.\u00a0 Alof knocked her off her feet with a shield bash just as the flames took her, and she fell to the vine-covered floor.<\/p>\n Dardeh stepped back just behind Alof to get a sense of the situation and found that there were now four bandits against the three of them. Roggi slipped up beside him on the right and without speaking they moved forward as one, a wall of blades that took down the next two adversaries in just a few moments. Dardeh swiveled left and saw Alof about to be skewered by the next bandit in line, who had the extra reach of a halberd. He threw his weight against the woman, throwing her into the wall where Alof was able to finish her with a single strike of his own blade. He heard Roggi shouting at one of the leaders and almost felt the concussion of their two heavy weapons colliding.\u00a0 He rolled around to the outside of Roggi, followed closely by Alof, just in time to meet another pair of bandits entering the room. The next few moments were nothing short of chaotic as the six people in the space fought to maintain their footing as they stumbled over bodies, slipped in water and blood and fought like the insane.<\/p>\n From just outside the doorway, a lightning spell sizzled and crackled across the room, aimed at Roggi. One of the leaders raised a greatsword and leapt toward Roggi, putting himself squarely in the path of the shock.\u00a0 Roggi ducked and swung in a huge horizontal sweep that opened the bandit and sent his intestines spilling out over the floor.\u00a0 The man screamed; and even as Dardeh turned at the sound of even more magic from beyond the doorway he caught a glimpse of Roggi\u2019s eerie smile, and shuddered.<\/p>\n Once more he Shouted flames at the bandits massed in the archway.\u00a0 Once more he sent one of them to an immediate death and two more stumbling backward to escape his Voice. He heard Alof cry out and turned back into the room only to realize that once more his Shout had brought forth the wraith-like dragon of flame, and that Alof had cried out not in pain, but in fear. The wraith snaked through the small space, singeing bandits as it went and biting the bandit leader over and over.<\/p>\n Still the man refused to fall. Alof and Roggi were both fully occupied. Dardeh needed to get to them, but the bandit was in his way and swinging at him. \u00a0He growled, inhaled, and Shouted.<\/p>\n \u201cMUL- QAH DIIV!\u201d<\/p>\n Pottery flew as the glowing armor of Dragon Aspect wrapped him in its power. He watched as the bandit\u2019s eyes grew wide and the man shrank back in fear.\u00a0 Then he laughed, long and loud, as he stepped forward and brought his double-edged sword down across the man\u2019s neck, the Shout lending its extra power to the blow.<\/p>\n \u201cDie!\u201d<\/p>\n The bandit split open and dropped like a sack to the floor. Dardeh looked up and caught Roggi\u2019s gaze once again, his expression somewhere between shock at what Dardeh had just done and admiration for the sudden, vicious end he\u2019d brought to the foe. Roggi turned, then, and ran through the arched opening to the next chamber, to join the flame wraith and Alof in attacking a woman who was not backing down.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve had enough of you!\u201d Roggi screamed, swinging; but he missed the woman, and Dardeh recognized by the short arc of his swing that Roggi\u2019s arms were getting fatigued.\u00a0 He sprinted across the room, ignoring the burning of his own muscles, relying on his extra power to carry him into her where a backhanded swipe with his left hand brought the ebony scimitar across her neck, sending her head flying.<\/p>\n It was suddenly quiet in the room aside from the three men panting heavily. They looked around, weapons still raised in case more bandits were about to attack; but after a moment they all lowered their arms and sheathed their weapons.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the end of that,\u201d Roggi said quietly.<\/p>\n \u201cExcept for that<\/em>,\u201d Alof said, inclining his head toward Dardeh\u2019s Dragon Aspect.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll go away eventually,\u201d Roggi said. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, it made me queasy at first too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust be happy I have it,\u201d Dardeh said. \u201cOtherwise you\u2019d be peeling me up off the floor. That arrow really hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n Once he had caught his breath Dardeh led them onward into a warren of near-identical, interconnected, circular burial chambers. He wandered into a room that confused him because it looked exactly like the spot they\u2019d just fought so many bandits, and turned this way and that, wondering if he\u2019d lost his mind.<\/p>\n \u201cYou picked a bad time to get lost, friend.\u201d<\/p>\n The huge Orc in a thick white fur cloak came out of the shadows, swinging a greatsword.\u00a0 Dardeh was startled enough that he jumped, and that saved him; for the orc\u2019s blade clanked to the floor in front of him. Dardeh swung around in a wide circle to his own left, drawing his swords as Roggi rushed in, sneering.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll try and make this quick.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi took a huge swing at the orc, who raised his own greatsword horizontally just in time to keep from being butchered.<\/p>\n \u201cHa! Easily blocked.\u201d<\/p>\n Alof had slipped in behind Roggi while the two larger men were trading blows.\u00a0 He raised his arm and brought his blade down in a massive blow that had the orc crying out; he followed up with his shield, landing a resounding smash to the bandit\u2019s face. The orc fell onto his backside, leaving himself open for Dardeh to step in and swing his own swords. He got in one quick set of strikes and then stepped back while both Alof and Roggi held their swords at the ready, waiting to see what the orc would do. When he didn\u2019t rise, Dardeh stepped back in and finished him with another quick flurry.<\/p>\n \u201cOk,\u201d he said, \u201cWhere in Oblivion are we going?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBack the way we came I think, Dar,\u201d Roggi said. \u201cThere was a set of doors, wooden ones, back there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, let\u2019s go find them.\u201d<\/p>\n They picked their way back through the rooms, and over the pile of bodies to where the doors were.\u00a0 Dardeh frowned as he pushed them open, because they were cold to the touch.<\/p>\n Behind them, the corridor was full of snow and frost; and at the very end of it sat a gigantic frostbite spider. She rose up into a defensive posture at the sound of their movements and spat venom.\u00a0 Dardeh ducked but still was hit by droplets of freezing poison.\u00a0 He scrubbed furiously at his watering eyes as Roggi and Alof ran past to engage the beast. By the time Dardeh joined them she was nearly dead, and it took only a moment or two more for her to collapse.<\/p>\n They continued down the hall and around a dogleg to the right, toward another set of doors. He stopped before them, frowning.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it?\u201d Roggi asked.<\/p>\n \u201cThose don\u2019t look like exterior doors. I would have thought, with the frost and all\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNah,\u201d Alof said. \u201cThat was just the spider\u2019s doing. Bet there\u2019s company waiting for us on the other side.\u201d<\/p>\n Alof was right. Dardeh pushed open the door to find a woman seated near a flickering fire.\u00a0 She never had a chance to come out from behind it. First Dardeh reached across the flames and sliced at her with both swords; then Roggi heaved a great sigh, said \u201cI\u2019ve had enough of you!\u201d and brought his sword down and through her.<\/p>\n Beyond them the passage turned left and up a half flight of stairs. Dardeh started that way and then plastered himself against the wall as a swinging log trap descended, missing him by no more than a few hairs width.\u00a0 An arrow clattered to the floor just behind him.<\/p>\n \u201cArcher!\u201d Alof yelled as both he and Roggi slipped past Dardeh and up the stairs on either side of the log, into a group of four or five more bandits. Dardeh waited for the log to retract, ran to the top of a second staircase, and ended up hacking apart a woman he cornered beside one of the glowing braziers. The others joined him just as she fell.\u00a0 Beyond them were several bedrolls and what was, this time, clearly an exterior door.<\/p>\n Once his eyes had adjusted to the bright of day Dardeh stood awestruck for a moment, absorbing the view from the top of this mountain spur.\u00a0 Below them in the distance he could see Lake Ilinalta stretching away to the west, and across the river valley the foreboding arches of Bleak Falls Barrow dominated the vista as it always had.<\/p>\n Amazing to think how much more of it there is than I saw that first day.<\/em><\/p>\n They had no more than a few moments to enjoy the view, though. Directly behind Dardeh were steps leading to a balcony above the door they\u2019d come through. From that balcony and through an opening in the structure behind it poured another wave of at least five bandits. Once more he launched himself into a seemingly never-ending series of weapons, and bodies, and spells to dodge or slice or heal from.<\/p>\n The structure was a stone shelter, open on both sides, in which the bandits had set up camp. Dardeh heard Roggi snarl \u201cI\u2019ll rip your heart out!\u201d A chill ran up Dardeh\u2019s spine at the sound of Roggi\u2019s voice and the sight of him chasing a bandit through the shelter and onto yet another set of stone steps beyond, then slicing her in half. Roggi then turned and raced up the steps like a man possessed, with Alof close behind and Dardeh bringing up the rear, not knowing what they were facing. He reached the top of the stairs and saw a witch there, who climbed a rock nearby and taunted Roggi.<\/p>\n \u201cIf death is what you want,\u201d Roggi snarled, \u201cyou\u2019ll have it.\u201d He had his bloodied greatsword before him at an angle, and smiled the terrifying smile nobody who knew him ever wanted to see. Then he licked his lips.<\/p>\n Dardeh caught the look on his husband\u2019s face and sprinted for the woman; for Alof was behind Roggi and couldn\u2019t reach around him.<\/p>\n No, Roggi. Don\u2019t go to that dark place again. I\u2019ll do it.<\/em><\/p>\n He raced up the side of the stone and reached around Roggi with his double-edged sword, using its long reach to skewer the woman before she could react.\u00a0 Then he whirled left, circling to catch her with the razor-sharp edge of the ebony scimitar and open her up, dropping her to the ground.<\/p>\n He stopped, panting from the exertion, and raised his head to meet Roggi\u2019s gaze. Roggi blinked \u2013 once, twice \u2013 and slowly lowered his sword, reaching around to secure it to his back once more.\u00a0 He looked back up at Dardeh and shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Dar,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cI\u2019m ok now.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh smiled. \u201cYeah. Don\u2019t worry about it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did I miss in that?\u201d Alof asked, sheathing his swords and reaching for a water skin.<\/p>\n \u201cNothing to be concerned about,\u201d Roggi said. \u201cDar just kept me from doing something I would have regretted.\u201d<\/p>\n Alof looked from one of them to the other and shrugged.\u00a0 Then he grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s good, then. At any rate, I think we did it. Let\u2019s go back and see Korst, what do you say?\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh loosened his shoulders.\u00a0 \u201cYeah. Hopefully that\u2019ll be the last of the bandits.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere will always be bandits,\u201d Roggi said. \u201cBut we ought to have some peace and quiet for a few days at least.\u201d<\/p>\n There were two more witches on the way back down the mountain, the encampment at Orphan Rock apparently too attractive a place for them to have stayed away after their hagraven leader was killed.\u00a0 Aside from that, the return trip was uneventful. \u00a0There was a light snow falling as they entered Helgen\u2019s eastern gate and made their way to the keep.<\/p>\n This time, Korst was just inside the doors.\u00a0 Dardeh smiled and approached him.<\/p>\n \u201cBandits are taken care of. That was quite the headquarters they had up there; I\u2019m glad we got them before they could move.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVery good,\u201d Korst said, smiling. \u201cThank you for your help.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo\u2026 what\u2019s next?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s all I had,\u201d Korst said. Dardeh heard Roggi sigh, and laughed. \u201cBut I think Marcus needs you,\u201d Korst continued. \u201cCheck with him when you get the chance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure, I\u2019ll do that. He\u2019s downstairs? I didn\u2019t see him outside.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. And thanks again.\u201d<\/p>\n They found Marcus Jannus in the kitchen, having a meal. He broke into a broad smile as they approached.<\/p>\n \u201cHello, friend! Good to see you!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHi Marcus,\u201d Dardeh said. \u201cI hear you wanted to see us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExcellent,\u201d he said. \u201cJust in time. You\u2019ve done so much to help us that we all wanted to show you how much we appreciate it. Once we got the rubble cleared out from around the door, we found that the central tower was intact, and still in great structural condition. There\u2019s a huge armory down below it. We added a few furnishings, to make it livable, and I think you\u2019ll find everything you need to call it your own.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh spent a few moments being thoroughly confused. \u201cWait. What?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think he just said they\u2019re giving us the central tower, Dar,\u201d Roggi said, sounding amused.<\/p>\n \u201cExactly,\u201d Marcus said, nodding. \u201cAnd if you\u2019re the kind of folks who like trophies, you\u2019ll find that Paddy is an expert taxidermist.\u00a0 He\u2019s the one who I sent to look for you, you\u2019ll remember him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Dardeh turned to look at Roggi, who shrugged and grinned. \u201cWe have a home already. Surely someone else should have the place here. You, or Val\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Marcus shook his head. \u201cYou live all the way out at the other end of the lake. Just think of this as your home for when you\u2019re at this end of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDar, learn how to accept a gift for once,\u201d Roggi said, elbowing him.<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2026 thank you, Marcus.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course. Other than that, cleanup is going exceedingly well. We\u2019re working on all these debris and rubble piles. Once that\u2019s finished, the actual construction can begin.\u201d\u00a0 He took a bite of bread and then looked back up. \u201cSay, speaking of supplies \u2013 my initial lumber order is way overdue to be delivered. The new owner of the mill in Falkreath is a man named Reinhardt. I already paid him a deposit, but he\u2019s failed to begin the shipments. If you get a chance, check with him and see what the holdup is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure we could, eh, persuade<\/em> him to get things moving,\u201d Roggi chuckled.<\/p>\n Dardeh gave him a sharp look.\u00a0 Roggi needs some time off. He\u2019s a little too close to the edge right now. <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cSure, I\u2019ll talk to him,\u201d he told Marcus.<\/p>\n \u201cGreat. I\u2019d hate to have to take my business to Riverwood, if you know what I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh and Roggi made their way out to the keep\u2019s yard and stopped for a moment in front of the central tower.\u00a0 Dardeh frowned; there was something missing, and he couldn\u2019t figure out what it was.<\/p>\n \u201cWell now,\u201d Roggi said. \u201cI\u2019ll bet you\u2019re happy to see that.\u00a0 Or to not<\/em> see it, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot see what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLook around, Dar. Look down.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh looked up, instead. He looked up at the top of the tower and remembered the enormous black dragon landing, the thunderous roar of his Storm Call shout and the way the ground had shaken. He remembered the terror of that moment, coupled with the relief he\u2019d felt when the headsman\u2019s axe had fallen to the side.<\/p>\n And then he looked down. Slowly, a smile broke across his face.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, it is.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh felt himself getting emotional. After all this time, the headsman\u2019s block was gone and the blood-stained soil where it had been, removed.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t even see where it was.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe you can leave it behind now, my love.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh drew a deep breath and closed his eyes.\u00a0 He exhaled, and felt as though an enormous weight fell away from him.<\/p>\n That was not quite the worst moment of my life, but it was close. Time it was put to rest.<\/em><\/p>\n He opened his eyes and smiled at Roggi.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, maybe I can. What do you say we go check out this tower before we go home, eh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou bet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s close enough, fool. Now you die!\u201d the harsh, dry voice rasped. Dardeh sighed and reached for his swords. Just what we needed. Vampires. Roggi had shaken Dardeh awake well before sunrise so that they could go collect Alof and take care of this job. They\u2019d needed rest. They\u2019d expected dark. They hadn\u2019t expected vampires. … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/5-1-20-4.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/5-1-20-5.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/5-1-20-6.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/5-1-20-7.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/5-1-20-8.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/5-1-20-9.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/5-1-20-10.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/5-1-20-11.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/5-1-20-12.png\")
<\/p>\n