The Ebony Renegades (Skyrim)

chapter fifty four

(third-person POV)

After the group had reconvened in the hall with both Tully and Ebon-shi rubbing their ears rubbing the sore out of them while giving their respective other an annoyed look. "All right we couldn't find any bounties however the Jarl of Windham Ulfric Stormcloak, the leader of the stormcloaks has requested that we take care of a problem. A renegade faction of thieves calling themselves the Summerset Shadows have been murdering and stealing from the residents of Eastmarch. " Shadow-step said as the group nodded. "I'm also doing a favor for the local alchemist in Windhelm retrieving The White Phial from The Forsaken cave west of Windhelm," Sabrina said and the group nodded in understanding. "All right but the usual remains, I don't want anyone going anywhere alone so take a partner with you two or three at the minimum," Ebon-shi said as both Shadow-step and Sabrina nodded. "I'll go with Sabrina, these mountains are infested with those three-eyed freaks of nature,'' Gila said walking up to Sabrina indicating that she would be going with her. Gentu and Suvvan went with Shadow-step to the uttering hill cave. "I have a suggestion one that works out for everybody," Gila said as she explained. "According to Sabrina The Forsaken cave is west of Windhelm meanwhile Uttering Hill cave is closer to Windhelm Southwest of it. So I propose that we head to The Forsaken cave first then take care of the Summerset shadows on our way back from The Forsaken cave then we can turn in two jobs at once." Gila explained as Ebon-shi nodded approvingly agreeing to Gila's plan. "Everyone, I know I don't need to explain the severity and the magnitude of the present situation, but we must all become stronger to prepare for what we may face in the future. Because if what Asadelf said is true, then the Guilded lions, the thalmar elite unit will be coming to Skyrim soon, that is assuming they're not here already." Ebon-shi spoke not trying to raise alarm or tension but simply stating the facts of the situation which the entirety of the group nodded including Serana who had officially joined them. "So while improving ourselves, we must also be improving our arsenal, so I would advise once everyone returns that we hit the books and we try to track down any other artifacts that can prove benefits and give us an edge." Ebon-shi spoke as the group agreed then after a half hour getting all of their stuff together the group of five consisting of Sabrina, Gila, Gentu, Suvvan, and Shadow-step rode out towards the Forsaken cave after an hour and a half of riding along the snow covered trail West of Windhelm and passed the local sawmill they arrived at the cave in question which was said to have been the final resting place of one of the greatest alchemists in history. Just as Gila had warned the entrance was guarded by three large frost trolls which she wasted no time charging forward with her war axe and swiftly dispatched them without even blinking an eye giggling sinisterly as the other four dismounted their horses. The group entered the ruin which opened up into a frozen cavern with a wagon directly in front of them with a single chest in it. Shadow-step opened the chest and took out the loot that was in there and pocketed it as Sabrina took point with Gila while Gentu, Suvvan, and Shadow-step followed close behind. As they entered the next room Gila pulled her glass bow of the stag prince off of her back and shot a bone arrow into the eye of a single frost troll before hurling her spear into the heart of one that came around the corner. Rushing forward to retrieve her bone arrow and her spear Gila put her equipment back in their proper places before they proceeded forward entering another opening with multiple urns thrown about as there is a flight of two stairs on either side of a nordic tomb door. Upon entering they went down a spiral staircase and down a long corridor that swayed left to right with multiple urns lining the walls. As they made their way through the draugr infested tomb Gentu rushed forward wielding dawnbreaker in his right hand and spellbreaker in his artificial hand this was his new arms first field test. He lifted his shield up to block the attack from a draugr wielding in ancient nord sword wincing slightly from the impact before thrusting dawnbreaker forward embedding the tip inside the undead creature before it exploded in a fiery inferno. Sabrina rushed forward slashing multiple draugr apart using her twin scimitars as she walked through the hallways with the other four in tow wiping out anything in their path spotting a single locked door Shadow-step crouched down in front of it before carefully picking the lock after a few moments it clicked and he opened the door. They proceeded their way down the corridor before opening up into another large room infested with sleeping draugr the group spread out quietly dispatching them without alerting any of the others. After making their way through passing a few nordic shelves they found another door which they went through. They entered a room full of sarcophaguses along the one side and an overhang above them looking at each other and nodding they spread out moving quickly and quietly dispatching as many as possible before any of the others could be woken up for the moment there was only one undead active that was currently patrolling the lower level but the group knew better than to leave Stones unturned sure enough after they dispatched the one wandering around they could hear movement coming from around the corner as Sabrina quickly head around the corner and decapitated a draugr that came through as they proceeded through the hallway they went up a flight of stairs which led them up to the walkway that they saw from the bottom level and they saw just above them was another walkway that was caged around. Straight ahead was four sarcophagus with a single chest in front of the one as they proceeded deeper into the ruin and dispatching more of the Nord undead they opened another iron door and found their way across the bridge that had the cage around it. Moving carefully and quietly throughout the ruin they made their way deeper in spreading and moving back to back passing multiple large urns before finally arriving at a large iron door and passing through into the final room which was grand to put it in lack of better terms. A big empty room with two staircases on either side of the back wall leading up to a dragon mural with a single sarcophagus at the base of the stairs and two burning pits on either side with a narrow crevice between the stairs that went down. As I proceeded forward the lid of the sarcophagus was pushed off as the ancient remains of the legendary alchemist Curalmil stood up from his coffin only to be put down by a swift dwarven crossbow bolt between his eyes causing it to go limp and go back into its eternal slumber. Sabrina walked over and gave the once legendary alchemist a bow of the head before the group went around and headed down the stairs and found a single cauldron in front of a locked door. Sabrina reached into her bag pulling out the concoction that the high elf alchemist of Windhelm had a given her and poured it into the bowl immediately the door opened revealing a room behind it with the item in question sitting proudly on a pedestal waiting to be taken. It was a beautiful solid white vial however upon closer inspection it seemed to be cracked. Sabrina side in disappointment before they headed out through the doorway on the one side which led them through a corridor which brought them out back at the ice cave. The five of them left the Forsaken cave behind and then began to ride towards the uttering hills cave to take care of the Summerset shadows. As they arrived at uttering hills cave they saw multiple tents with two altmer guards up front wearing dark brown thief armor both Shadow-step and Gila quickly taking them out with precise arrows to their heads dropping them dead on the ground before they could raise any alarms. Passing through the doors towards the mine they opened up into a tunnel held up by support beams as they went for the two archers going up front taking out the two murdering thieves on each side of the crossroad before taking the left heading through and going down into the next room revealed a small campsite with two more than thieves in place standing around a cooking pot two more precise arrows dropped them dead on the ground. Gentu, Suvvan, Gila, and Sabrina stayed there as Shadow-step went through the door in order to make sure no one escaped. Shut up entered the inside of a place he knew that the back of his hand considering he had been here once before. Rounding around the corner with his Nightingale bow drawn with an ebony arrow in the bow string he quickly dispatched the thief that was patrolling the room at the bottom of the stairs. He quickly rolled into the hallway firing another ebony arrow into the back of the head of another member of the Summerset Shadows who was overseeing the three prison cells on the other side of the wall the levers to said cells directly in front of him. Shadow-step quickly went in to the main room which dawned the Summerset shadows insignia on a flag making a mental note to incinerate that on his way out. He quietly crept into the room on the left hand side and quickly killed the  members who were sleeping after he was done he put on the gray cowl of nocturnal to make sure there was no one else down here except to him and the leader looking around not seeing anything other than the four above him which were his comrades and the one behind the other door was the leader of this group now he had the capability of wiping this faction out completely this time. Not taking any chances he picked up a plate that was sitting on the table and threw it at the wall to catch the leaders attention as the thief ran out he took in his appearance. The thief in question was a high elf smell wearing a set of blackguard armor.

As he looked around Shadow-step walked up behind him and fired three ebony arrows at him but to his surprise the high elf thief dodged out of the way before hurling a elven dagger which hit Shadow-step's shoulder. "Well well, if it isn't the legendary Shadow-step." The altmer said before drawing an elven sword as the khajiit nightingale drew his nightingale blade and circled each other. "You know my name, but I don't know yours." Shadow-step pulling his nightingale hood over his head as the high elf Blackguard spoke. "My name is Linwe, and what thief hasn't heard of the great and elusive Shadow-step? From the swamps of Black marsh to the Summerset isles your name is legendary among the thieves." Linwe spoke as the two crossed swords. As the two continued fighting Shadow step swept Linwe's legs out from underneath him before driving his Nightingale blade through his heart killing him quickly but instead of looting him as he would normally have he gave him a proper burial before burning the thieves flag then returning to his group as they went up through the other passageway they noticed a tunnel that led deeper into the ruin. The group headed deeper inside walking down the frozen tunnel as they continued down the passageway they found a large dwarven door which caught Gentu's interest immediately as he walked forward and checking the name plate on the side of the pillars to find out what this ruin was called after a few moments of silence he spoke up before looking back to the group of four. "Everyone, we have just found an ancient dwarven ruin that hasn't been seen in hundreds of years." Gentu said before Sabrina spoke up. "What do you mean? Where are we?" Sabrina asked as Gentu took off his dwarven helmet before looking at the four behind him. "We have just uncovered the Frostvault."