The Ebony Renegades (Skyrim)

chapter twenty two

"All alright we have four jobs here, first is an item retrieval job, Two bandit extermination jobs. And last is getting rid of a Giant that keeps attacking caravans." Ebon-shi said as he addressed the group and pointed to the map showing the locations of the jobs. "The item retrieval job takes place in Shriekwind Basin, the two bandit hideouts are at a mining camp called Knifepoint Ridge, and the other is at a nordic tower called Bannermist Tower, and the giant is somewhere near half-moon mill. So I say we break off and do the jobs then while the four of us head back to Falkreath to claim the bounties, the rest of us can claim bilegulch mine and clear it out so it is ready for the four when they return." Ebon-shi said as the group nodded. " Excuse me boss, but I may have discovered a way to address the problem we have been having lately." Gentu said as the rest looked at the dwarven-armored breton with interest. "How soon do you think you can fully develop it?" Ebon-shi asked as Asadelf spoke up "How does this 'solution' work, can you please elaborate?" Gentu nodded then pulled out some notes from his satchel and showed them. "It's completely experimental, but if I think if I were to combine Dragonhide with Call to Arms along with Guardian circle I should, in theory, be able to fuse the effects together into a single spell." Gentu said which caught Asadelf's interest even more. " That sounds fascinating Gentu, but let's wait till your experiment can be safely tested in a controlled environment." Ebon-shi said. " I planned on it boss, I would never use a beta idea in a life-or-death situation if I can help it, At least until I could somehow test it beforehand." Gentu reassured as the group paired off to go deal with the four jobs with Ebon-shi, Severin, and Salazar heading towards Knifepoint Ridge then Gentu, Tully, and Suvvan going towards Bannermist Tower. Shadow-step, Lianya, and Myra going to the Shreakwind basin. Gila being the stubborn hunter that she was took the giant job. Which left Asadelf, Sabrina, and Yamma at cracked tusk keep preparing the supplies for their journey to Markarth. As the four groups Rode out in different directions Asadelf went to the arcane enchanter to finish the enchantments. At the same time, Sabrina got to work at the alchemy table making a plethora of beneficial potions ranging from health, magicka, and stamina restoration potions, To filters of two hands, archery, sneak, and even a few invisibility potions along with making some lethal poisons made from lotus extract mixed in with deathbell and nightshade. Yamma continued forging the materials into weapons to sell for a minimal price to add a bit more coin in their pouches for when they headed out. Sabrina made a bunch of supercharged fortify enchanting and smithing potions for Asadelf and Yamma as she continued her work until she ran out of ingredients once all three were done with their respective jobs they continued packing up everything like their comrades had done before they left they quickly swept the keep once more to remove any trace of their occupation before they stayed outside in the courtyard leaving the inside of the keep exactly how they found it. As the sun reached its peak at high noon the four groups returned to the keep to rendezvous with the three who hopped onto their horses and rode with them to Falkreath to turn over and sell the loot they got and so Gila could say goodbye to her cousin. While the group bartered with the resident merchants Gila went to the Jarl's loghouse pulling her cousin jarl Siddgar into a hug and wishing him well before reuniting with the rest of the group and riding towards their checkpoint of bilegulch mine. As they rode through the forest on their horses with Salazar constantly used detect life to locate any oncoming hostels and would immediately warn the others if he saw anything. They passed through the dense pine forest Gila fired two iron arrows and killed a couple of frostbite spiders passing about forty to fifty yards away from the entrance to the twilight sepulcher where Shadow-step had been previously before coming up to the fenced-in perimeter of bilegulch Mine directly on the perimeter between Falkreath Hold and the Reach. As they tied the horses up under cover the stealth team went in first consisting of Salazar, Gila, Severin, and Shadow-step. Gila, Salazar, and Shadow-step circled the log wall as Severin climbed up and slit the throat of the bandit watchman and flung him over the wall and pulled his daedric crossbow off of his back, and quickly shot a bolt between the eyes of the neighboring bandit watchmen and quickly picked up any loot they had and jumped on the bandit highwaymen cleanly decapitating him with his daedric crescent then opens the door for the rest of the renegades. Walking up to the rope bridges to the entrance to the orichalcum mine the group entered moving as a single unit to separate the army at the entrance while the rest picked off the stragglers while moving in sync back-to-back formation allowing for no blindspots they continued deeper into the final room of the mine before meeting an orc bandit chief in full orcish plate armor and wielding an orichalcum cleaver the length of a greatsword. As Ebon-shi gripped the ebony blade handle as the orc charged Ebon-shi blocked the strike before kicking the orc in the midsection causing the orc to skid back the rest of the renegades holding back as Ebon-shi and the bandit chief circled each other in a one-on-one clash. Ebon-shi expertly twirled the ebony blade in his hands in a smooth and fluid motion as if the daedric artifact was an extension of his arm. The orc observed the dark elf's display with a war cry and charged with the cleaver, intending to sever his head from his body with a single blow, when the orc-made cleaver came down Ebon-shi blocked the blade using the ebony blade before shoving him backward twirling the ebony blade in one hand while his other hand was behind his back. Out of respect for the Orc's bravery and their race's belief and dying in combat the leader of the Ebony Renegades intended to give this orc bandit chief an honorable death before bringing his hand around and gripping the ebony blade with both hands with the tip pointed at the orc's throat sliding his right foot back into a stance noticing that the orc had no helmet Ebon-shi removed his ebony helmet before tossing it over to Asadelf who caught it but didn't take his eyes off of his opponent. The orc spoke and by his tone, it was easy to deduce that this orc was old and was looking to find what the orc people called a good death. " Your skill with that sword is admirable, my time has come so I ask you ebony clad warrior let our blades do the talking, give me a good death, or let me have another suffering day." The dunmer leader of the ebony renegades gave the orc chief a respectful bow of the head silently agreeing to fulfill his wish as neither of them wanted to fight inside on such a beautiful day, the two agreed and walked outside down into the courtyard where there was plenty of place for a match. Both warriors gave a respectful bow before getting into a fighting stance with the rest of the renegades backing off to give them their battlefield. As Ebon-shi and the orc war chief circled each other their eyes locked a look of true genuine respect between them. " May I know your name?" The orc war chief asked as his headsman cleaver gleamed a vicious jade of the orichalcum it was made with. "I am called Ebon-shi, or to the three patron daedra of the dunmer, I am the ebony shadow. And yours?" Ebon-shi asked resting the side of the ebony blade against his forearm as the two continued circling one another the orc's yellow eyes meeting the dark elf's red eyes. " My name is Orag Shagrol but my father used to call me 'Clunk' because when I was still a boy I hit myself in the head with my father's warhammer and it made a clunk sound." The orc responded as the dark elf gave an honorable nod in return. Once the two were on separate sides both warriors charged each other their blades clashing not fighting as enemies but as equals the headsman cleaver in ebony blade sparked from the intensity of the clashing materials. Orag kicked the ebony armored knee of Ebon-shi, the dark elf went down before ducking under the orichalcum cleaver that almost took his head from his shoulders using the momentum from the duck he turned around delivering a roundhouse kick from his ebony boots to the side of the orc's head right in his jaw causing the orc chief to stagger. Taking the layout of the courtyard Ebon-shi quickly closed the distance between them before jumping on one of the upturned mine wagons jumping mid-air before attempting a downwards slash with shadowrend only for the orc to stop the blade between his hands before kicking him right in the midsection with his orcish plate boots sending the dark elf stumbling rolling onto his back before kicking his legs upwards causing him to roll backward and onto his feet at present the ebony blade was across to the yard and the only weapons he had on hand were the claws on his ebony brawler gauntlets, the shadowy battle axe Shadowrend that was in hs hands, twin ebony daggers, and the bow of shadows. Using his Master intellect he put shadowrend back on his back then pulled the bow of shadows off of his back firing three of the arrows not at the orc, but at the big sacks of flour causing a big cloud of white to cover the area. taking advantage of the cover the leader of the ebony renegades ran headlong into the white flour cloud and retrieved his ebony blade. Just as his hand gripped the ebony handle he heard the orcs Infamous war cry as he engaged his racial ability of berserker rage. Having dueled against many orcs before he knew well enough to know that when berserker rage was activated they did a lot more damage to their enemy but took a lot less The usual tactic would be to avoid direct confrontation and wait for their buff to wear off but this orc had silently asked him for an honorable and if he did not oblige he would be disrespecting this orcs final wishes. Nodding and quickly holstering the ebony blade onto his back he charged forward where the orange glow of the orc could be seen through the thick white cloud he fired two arrows as he ran through the flower cloud circling him firing one regular iron arrow that he had on hand knowing that it wouldn't pierce his orcish plate armor but it would get his attention. Just as he thought the orc went towards where the arrow came from as he rushed towards him from behind. He holstered the Bow of Shadows onto his back before pulling out his twin ebony daggers sliding underneath the orc between his legs and slashing at his upper thighs with ebony daggers slashing his femoral arteries before quickly holstering them and pulling the ebony blade off of his back as the orc brought the headsmen cleaver down Ebon-shi thrust the ebony blade piercing the orc through the chest and slowly dropping him to the ground. As the orc drew his last breath he looked to the dark elf who had given him an honorable death giving him a respectful bow of the head before softly speaking. " Ebon-Shi I thank you for giving this old orc a good death, thank you." The orc carefully laid his head back as his final breath left his mouth. Ebon-shi crouched down onto his knees placing the ebony blade at his right side before I'm putting his hands in front of him and bowing his head to the ground a sign of a warriors respect and honor. Reaching into his coin purse he pulled out two gold septims before placing them over the orcs eyes after closing them carefully. For the next hour, the leader of the ebony renegades by hand had dug a grave before carefully putting the fallen warrior in the hole. Letting him keep his orcish Shield and orcish War axe and his headsmen cleaver he buried them with him before filling in the hole. " Orag Shagrol, you were truly a worthy adversary may you find solace in the next life. rest well my worthy friend." He said before finishing burying him and placing an amulet of Arkay around his marker as Ebon-shi stood to his feet and looked to the rest of the gang before nodding carefully taking his ebony helmet back from Asadelf and putting it back on. " All right everyone let's get our heads down for the night come morning we will make our way towards markarth!"