The Ebony Renegades (Skyrim)

chapter eighty one

Suvvan entered the main room where the rest of the group all had their weapons drawn on either side of the internal kill box almost as if they were expecting an attack. "Guys it's just Suvvan!" Yamma said as the group relaxed. "Guys I know I'm not the most sane, but I just lured a group of Thalmor into the neighboring dwarven ruin of Kagenzel and ambushed them." Suvvan said at the group nodded and Ebon-shi woke up in a firm leader like tone. ''They are closing in on us, we must evacuate and lure them away from here, everyone prepare for immediate departure grab what you need make your preparations we leave in three hours." Ebon-shi said as the group nodded in unison and spread out going about their own tasks and making preparations to leave. Sabrina went to her alchemy lab and started mass producing healing stamina magica regeneration potions along with fortify archery, one handed, and two-handed potions. While she was diligently working Shadow-step helped by organizing the potions into small crates making sure there was a total of five health, stamina, and or magic potions for each person. For those who used a single type of weapon or multitude types of weapons whether it be archery, one hand, two hand, or block there were five potions of each of those for each person along with sneak and poisons as well. Tully, Serana, Myra, and Suvvan took the back way to secure the back entrance to ensure that no one could get in through the back entrance. Once they were at the entrance Suvvan using nerveshatter hit the stone cave wall causing it to cave in making it look like a natural rock slide with Myra's illusion magic it made the wall look completely natural as if the solid earth surface had never been Disturbed erasing any traces of the secret entrance. After a few minutes they finish the illusionary trap and make their way back into the main room to reunite with the others when they finish their tasks of cleaning up and preparing to relocate. Gentu went down to his workshop and activated his security drones to wander about the base to eliminate any Intruders that dared enter. Along with loading up a few of the collapsible ones with the help of Yamma, Vladbram, Bowen and Zed into the trailer behind his dwarven horse. Once everything was loaded up into the dwarven horses trailer Gentu and Yamma did routine maintenance on the group's weapons and armor to make sure everything was in ship shape and battle ready in the event they had a run in with enemies while Bowen, Zed, and Vladbram went off to lend their assistance with other tasks. As the new sentry drones were positioned in very strategic points two by the back entrance should the event of an invasion coming from the back happen, three drones guarding the main room and two more in the stables where the horses and reindeer were kept. Gila went to the kitchen and immediately started making rations for the group and their departure. The rations consisted of dried deer meat as a form of jerky lightly seasoned and glazed with juice before distributing them into multiple pouches for the entirety of the group she also took the liberty of filling up their water bladder from the spring water that was inside this way they all had fresh water to drink while they were out. Asadelf was preparing to use the new gate spell she mastered she could only teleport the group as a whole to maybe a few miles which meant she could at best teleport them one by one to around Valthiem towers however it would be more than enough to put a good distance between the dominion and them. Salazar and Severin took point covering themselves with white blankets so they blended into the snow to allow themselves to camouflage and send a report back if they saw any more dominion soldiers coming. As Lianya used her ice magic to freeze the entrances since they were going to use a teleport gate to get out there was no need for anyone to have to use the front door let alone any of the doors so she froze the corridor trapping them all inside once the tunnel with secured Severin and Salazar followed her back inside since there was no way for them to enter through the normal route. Ebon-shi readied his equipment preparing himself for a battle before pulling out a map and started looking for a nearby stronghold that would be quick and easy to fortify." He said his finger tracing over Whiterun hold as gila walked over placing seventeen bags of rations on the table before pointing her finger to two possible locations one was an iron mine called 'halted steam camp' and the other one was a fort similar to the ones they've been in before called Fort Greymoor "There's another place nearby that used to be commandeered by a group of assassins calling themselves the silent moons." Shadow-step said pointing his claw to a small Nordic ruin between halted steam camp and Fort Graymoor. "A group of assassins used to call that place home however I wouldn't advise it because as a big stone ridge around it which would put us in a kill box so I would advise either choosing the mining camp or the big fort over there." Shadow-step advised pointing with his claw to each of the two places once the rest of the group was prepared okay Ebon-shi spoke up to get the other's opinion on their next location. "All right we have two locations remember Asadelf can't open a gate very far so that means we're going to have to ride the rest of the way on our horses. We have the fort West of Whiterun called Fort Greymoor, and we have an iron mine north from Whiterun what say you?" Ebon-shi asked as one by one the members of the group voice to their own opinions each making good points while the fort would provide more defense with the downside of being more ground to cover, meanwhile the iron mine would provide incognito cover although not very defensible but it wouldn't be so obvious not to mention they needed to restock their supply of silver which using the transmute spell they could transmute all of the iron ore they get from the mine into silver. "All right so it is decided, we go to halted steam camp and transmute the iron ore that we get there into silver ore to restock our supply of silver ammunition." Ebon-shi said before sitting up straight crossing his hands over his lap. "Myra, what's the total in our revenue pouch?" Ebon-shi asked as Myra reached over opening up the gold pouch that she carried which was the group's collected bank dumping the contents onto the table revealing a total sum of fifty gold. "Boss we have a total of fifty gold at our disposal this is not enough for long-term we will need to do our usual methods to rake in the money before we can move from halted steam cave." Myra reported professionally carefully sweeping the shimmering gold coins into her hand before putting them back in the pouch and tightening the pull strings and then tying it back to her hip. "Due to us preparing to leave it would be illogical for us to start making weapons and armor at the present time, however if we were to loot weapons and armor off of bandits then we can use it to enhance and sell to the local blacksmith in Whiterun." Gentu said as Gila cut in. "There are actually two blacksmiths in Whiterun, one of them being the couple at war maidens, and the other one is the blacksmith for the companions who I'm sure would be more than happy to buy such impressive equipment." Gila said since she was a harbinger of the companions from Whiterun she knew the place better than almost anybody in the group. Sabrina chuckled evily tapping her fingers against one another with a sadistic smirk on her face. "Oh does that mean I get to bully that annoying arrogant and entitled redguard fucker again?~" Sabrina asked twirling one of her flintlock pistols in her hand. "I wonder what I should do if I see that fuck head again, maybe I'll shoot his dick off, or maybe shoot both of his kneecaps out and make him crawl on the ground like a skeever hahaha!" Sabrina laughed before Ebon-shi spoke up. "All right everyone, get ready to move!" Ebon-shi said as the entirety of the group prepared to leave. The group exited the front door of the massive dwarven ruin that they had made into their home before Gently shut it using a makeshift homemade key that he made this way no one could enter the ruin without the key. Once the building was secure they made their way to the stable where their mounts were positioned as they all climbed on top of their individual horses and reindeer were waiting. Once everyone had mounted onto their rides aside from Zed, Vladbram, and Bowen who opted to ride in the trailer with the rest of the equipment that was being pulled behind Gentu an his dwarven horse. Asadelf walked forward closing her eyes and putting her hands together before her hands ignited with arcana as she slowly pulled her hands apart as if she was trying to rip open a hole in the very fabric of reality as the image of Valthiem towers appeared through a shimmering purple portal that was large enough for the group to run through on there horses.

Ebon-shi, Tully, Serana, and Gila went through first to check at the coast was clear with Gila climbed up onto one of the Rocky cliffs using her makeshift telescope to look around to see if there were any unwanted visitors in the area meanwhile the rest of the group spread out to check that the coast was clear. Once all the way through and the coast was clear the rest of the group came through Gentu coming out last pulling the dwarven trailer behind him as Bowen, Vladbram, and Zed held on to their bows ready to provide cover from behind should the need arise. Asadelf finally came through the portal after the dwarven trailer as she was holding on to the bumper on the back to study herself as it became immediately clear that using such a powerful spell drained her magica completely she quickly drank a restore magic potion before closing the portal behind her. Bowen got out of the cart and carefully helped Asadelf on to her unicorn as she gave the vigilant a gentle nod Ebon-shi gave her a concerned look underneath his ebony helmet which she gave a comforting nod to him to reassure him as they made their way past the overlooking nordic towers. As they were writing past a group of bandits came out from the entrance of the Nordic Tower and blocked the way the orc bandit Chief who seem to be in charge steps forward wearing a full set of orcish plate armor along with a orcish shield with a orcish war axe tightly gripped in his hand. "Hold it right there travelers, this here is a toll road so if you want to get through you're going to have to pay the toll which is a price of let's say, five hundred gold each." The bandit chief said the grip on his war axe tightening. "Sure thing here you go we don't have any gold on us but we do have some stuff we'd be willing to trade a few of you look a bit light on healing items considering your friend in the back looks like they got into a fist fight with a werebear." Myra said jumping off her horse before getting into one of the saddle bags pending the bandit Chief a pouch full of precious jewels such as garnets, emeralds, diamonds, and rubies along with a few potions of healing. "Whoa there lass this is way more than required, but we won't complain to a little offering." The bandit chief smirked. "You misunderstand, this isn't an offering, this is a payment if any thalmor come this way you are too kill them with the utmost prejudice, and in return you are free to keep any valuables you find on them." Myra spoke pulling the pouch away almost as if saying she'd be more than willing to pay someone else to do it. "I won't lie the Dominion have some excellent equipment, plus elven and glass weapons and armor can be sold for a very good price this deal greatly benefits us rather than you, very well we accept." The bandit chief said taking the pouch of jewels from Myra as the rest of the bandit gang walked to the sides of the road allowing the group to go through while they were riding down the road and they were far enough away Tully spoke up to his cousin with a smirk underneath his masked necromancer hood. "Those bandits have no idea they've just been played, they think that this deal benefits them, but actually benefits us with them acting as a buffer between us and any pursuer.'' The rest of the group chuckled as they ride down the narrow and winding road quickly and carefully making their way towards halted steam camp north of Whiterun