Scales and Hearts | A Skyrim Fanfiction

Chapter Seven: To The Sanctum! (Pt. 1)

Druthza

As we slowly pushed open the massive iron doors of the temple, the ancient hinges protested with loud groans and creaks, their echoing sounds reverberating through the empty main hall. The musty scent of the barren, stony crypt filled my nostrils as I stepped inside Bleak Falls Barrow, its dark and ominous interior looming ahead of me.

The structure of the temple was collapsing into itself off to our left, allowing for the sun's light to spill in through the gaping holes in the ceiling, and also giving my sharp eyes the ability to see the copious amounts of dust drifting through the ancient Barrow. Moss was growing along the cracking stones beneath our feet, and seemed especially abundant in the more shadowed parts of the temple, giving it an added touch of antiquity. The lingering phantom that was the countless years of stillness and abandonment left me and Derkeethus feeling as if we'd stepped back in time as soon as we walked into the temple.

But what seemed both obvious and surprising to me was how... warm the place felt in comparison to the chill of the outside as Derkeethus grunted with effort whilst closing the thick doors behind us, the dull clunk! of the doors being shut sounded through the main interior. I desired to strike up a conversation with my companion about the temple and how incredible it seemed, but something in the back of my mind whispered: "keep quiet. Danger lurks."

So, I looked to Derkeethus and pressed my clawed finger to my lips, signaling for him to remain silent as we proceeded to sneak around and gain an idea of what could be in here with us at the moment. As I quietly moved forward and made my way around the debris that blocked a bit of my path, I soon heard a few voices up ahead, which caused me to freeze instinctively in order to tilt my head and listen in, my heart thumping harder in my chest.

"...that damn Dark Elf has been gone for ages," grumbled a male's voice, "that dumbass was too overcome by his greed to wait for us and instead rushed ahead to find this temple's riches."

"Who cares?" Retorted a female voice, of course, the two speaking were Nords. "I want my share from that Claw."

"Just shut up and keep an eye out for trouble, Soling." The man huffed, and I could see a fire crackling just behind the thick pillar in front of me, the sharp shadow of a human figure dancing along the temple walls as it appeared to pace back and forth. My head turned towards the male Argonian behind me, who, as it appeared, also had turned an ear to the conversation, his gaze telling me: "just give me a sign as to what I can do, and I'll do it."

I made a gesture similar to letting loose an arrow from an imaginary bow, and he gave me a little nod of approval before taking up a steady aiming position with his weapon just behind a chunk of nearby debris, an arrow notched and ready to be fired.

As soon as that male Nord figure had come into clear firing view, the arrow was let loose, and I watched as it plunged into his side, causing him to cry out in pain which immediately alarmed the woman he'd been conversing with previously. "Bjorn! Wh-Who the hell fired that arrow?" Soling exclaimed, the sound of a sword being drawn echoed through the chamber as she dashed away from the fire and gazed around wildly, only for her to be met with an arrow of her own in her gut.

Despite the obvious injury, the bandit was determined to put an end to us intruders, her sword raised and her face twisted into a furious snarl as she stumbled towards us...

Thwip! Shunk! Her body collapsed to the floor in a heap as a second arrow landed in her chest, her sword clattering to the floor in front of its dead wielder as the bandit woman went still, her blood starting to drain from the wounds she gained. As for Bjorn, Derkeethus made quick work of him too with an arrow to the head, silencing the bandits while the archer dislodged the arrows he used from their bodies, flicking the blood from their serrated heads before stowing them in his quiver.