The Ebony Renegades (Skyrim)

chapter eighty seven

Once the group entered the lair of the former necromancer they spread out and went about doing their own thing, Bowen and Zed carefully brought Erin into the small bedroom around the corner of the cave and laid him down so he could rest comfortably. They placed his weapons off to the side, along with his shield, and armor so he could sleep more easily. Ebon-shi sat down across the room to keep an eye on Erin in case he woke up the ebony armored dunmer sat cross-legged with his arms folded over his chest as he closed his eyes under his ebony helmet as he sat in a meditative state to pass the time. Gentu came in and used the restoration spell healing hands to heal the injuries Erin had on his body, the spell took immediate effect as Erin's wounds both major and minor started to heal. "He'll be fine, he just needs to rest. Gentu said as Ebon-shi nods and started sharpening his ebony blade with a whetstone carefully sliding the stone alond the blades edge sharpening the weapon to a deadly sheen. In the main chamber of Rimerock burrow Asadelf was working on a shrinking spell so she could bring the enchanting table with them. and also use it on a staff enchanter, alchamy lab, grindstone, workbench, tanning rack, and a forge so they could use them anywhere at any time no matter where they were. Gila along with her new dog Meeko plus Sabrina and Yamma went out to tend to feed and water the horses who they positioned within the broken tower ruins. Tully, Serana, Lianya, Suvvan, and Salazar scouted the surrounding areas for a fallback position just incase the place they were in got compromised. Bowen, Vladbram, Myra, Gentu, and Ebon-shi stayed inside waiting for the others to get back. While Severin laid down on his stomach in the tall grass beside the entrence to the cave as the sun went down watching over Zed and Shadow-step who were scouting out Northwatch keep and the Thalmor guards present. Shadow-step and Zed were currently crouched taking in what they could see from there raise altitude on top of a cliff. "Okay I see one one standing guard on the front and back entrance, I see another one standing guard by the front door, and I see about four archers along the walkway, I would recommend a pincer formation half the group comes in from the back the rest of the group comes in from the front and we flank them. But because of the road that leads up to the embassy is on high ground if they get word that this place is compromised they won't hesitate to fire bomb this place." Zed whispered as the khajiit Nightingale nodded in agreement as they quietly made their way over back to the others. Once they arrived to the bridge Severin beckoned them to head inside as they waited for the rest of the group to reunite. While they were waiting movement could be heard from the opposite side of the wall where the little makeshift bedroom was evidently the crusader was awake or at the very least starting to stir.

(Erin pov:)

When I started to come to consciousness my head felt like it had been bludgeoned by a giant's club I brought my hand up to my head mentally thinking the nine that I was still alive by Stendarr's mercy I was spared. My two friends who spared me that day Merlin and his squire Artie they weren't as lucky, butchered by those high elven swine calling themselves Thalmor. I carefully set up with my hand still resting on my head when it finally clicked that I wasn't wearing my armor I looked around expecting to find myself in one of those dungeons that the Thalmor kept and interrogated their prisoners but I seemed to be in a ice cave on a two-person bed, to my right on the nightstand was my weapons and armor I looked down seeing that I've been healed my head looked up and my jaw nearly hit the floor when I saw who was in the same room. " Ebon-shi, is that you?" I asked hesitantly hoping to the nine that it was who I thought it was the divines seemed to have been smiling upon me as the ebony armored warrior immediately lifted his head and removed his ebony helmet revealing the familiar face of the dunmer that I met back at four skull lookout in the reach. "Hello Erin, don't try to get up you're still recovering we will have plenty of time to talk later for now just relax and get your bearings." The dunmer across from me said as a slowly ease myself in a sitting position. "Where are we? I remember I got to labyrinthian and then everything went black.." I recounted bringing my hand to the back of my head lightly knocking at the base of my skull hoping to jog some sort of memory back. "We found you face down and labyrinthian you are critically injured and you are surrounded by Frost trolls who were about to turn you into their next meal it just so happened we were passing through and we were able to save you." Ebon-shi explained as I nodded and started flexing my legs trying to get feeling in them since I knew that if I tried to stand I would fall due to lack of feeling in my legs in fact my entire body still felt numb as if I was struck by lightning. That's when everything came flooding back. "How did you end up in labyrinthian in the state you were in? You were knocking on death's door when we found you." Ebon-shi asked as I took a deep breath to steady my breathing before speaking. "Myself and the two other crusaders were tending to the shrine of Talos north of Whiterun when we were ambushed by the Dominion and attacked under the charge of 'herasy' I survived the blast but the other two didn't make it I waited till the Thalmor left and went to check on them.. they sadly died so I buried them and made my way to labyrinthian cuz I knew that they were on my tail. I ran from the shrine all the way to labyrinthian before I lost consciousness from exhaustion." I finished speaking clutching my hands together as I trembled filled with self-loathing that I couldn't save my two friends. "... Do you seek revenge?" Ebon-shi's voice cut through the silence like a sharp blade as I pondered his, did I speak revenge against my friend's killers? We were doing our duty as knights of the nine, and we did it proudly and then the Dominion steps in and tries to dictate who we do and do not worship, I am a proud knight of the nine and I will not bend my knee to some high elven supremacists. "Yes I want to make them pay for killing my friends, and may Stendarr have mercy on their souls." I said as my eyes narrowed as I noticed him staring at me with those trademark red eyes of the dunmore before he gave me a nod of approval. "Flex your legs, get feeling back in them and then come out into the main room the rest of the crew is waiting to meet you and welcome you into our ranks." Ebon-shi said as my eyes became wide as saucers when my brain registered what he said, I was now a part of his unit the famed and notorious ebony renegades who is reputation was well-earned. "Thank you, give me about 5 minutes and I will be out so I can meet the rest of the group I met a few of them back at four skull lookout but I'd like to meet the others."I said as I turn my hips on my feet were touching the makeshift wooden floor as I stretched my arms upward trying to pop the knot in my back and the creek in my neck which felt like I had a dagger between the bones. I mentally thanked the nine that I was alive still and fortunate that I was picked up by these guys and not the Thalmor. Carefully I stood up to my feet before my legs gave out on me and I dropped to one knee the impact on the sheer wood pallet floor of the icy bed chamber hit my knee as if I was stabbed by an ice spike which hurt I carefully forced myself up again this time leaning on the dresser for support as I started using the wall to help me walk and get feeling in my legs again. Once I got adequate feeling back in my leg I walked over to where my armor and weapons were sitting and I carefully put my armor back on I also noticed that I had a brand new backpack sitting next to the bed which was a mage backpack with a bedroll underneath it along with a small sized pouch that goes over the shoulder for my amulets of the nine. I smiled at the gift before gratefully picking it up and placing my auxiliary equipment inside of it and putting my amulets in the sling bag and put it down on the bed where I was resting. I carefully put the armor on first like I always did I always did the chess piece first because that was the most difficult to put on feeling the cold material of the crusader armor along with the chainmail underneath it for added reinforcement scraping against my bear skin even with the thick material I wore underneath but because I no longer had that I would have to endure it for now until I could get to a nearby shop to replace it. Next armor piece to put on were the boots I carefully sat down on the edge of the bed and started pulling the boots onto my feet double checking that my foot wraps were securely tied since I didn't want the bare metal to be rubbing up against my bare feet which would be rather painful after a while. I carefully picked up my gauntlets and slid them on over my arms one by one making sure each of my fingers went into the finger slots of the gauntlets and then experimentally flexing my fingers opening and closing them into a fist to ensure that it fits comfortably before doing the same thing with my other one once my gauntlets were on I carefully put on the backpack that was so generously given to me along with the shoulder bag which now housed my other eight amulets of the nine. Before I decided to put my helmet on I decided to get my weapons first I walked over picking up my shield and gripping the handle of the firm material smiling and satisfaction at how natural it fell before picking up my crusader me and hooking it to my right side while bringing my shield up onto the mount over my left shoulder. Last but certainly not least was the legendary Chrysamere the weight of the two-handed long sword was beautifully balanced even as the ruby encrusted handguard reflected off of the slight light from the snow giving it a beautiful sheen. I slid Chrysamere on my back into the mount that I had specially made for it and placed my helmet instead of on my head I put it on the side of my bag sticking out so I could take it off and put it on if I had to and I carefully make my way out with a slight limp into the main room where the other members of the Renegades were currently congregating. Upon noticing my emergence the Altmer woman looked up from her enchanting table giving me a gentle look which I didn't expect from a altmer because the multitude of high elves I have met in my life they were all condescending and looked down upon humans so seeing her looking me in the eye as an equal was a more than welcome change I gave her a gentle nod which she returned before going back to doing whatever she was doing at the enchanting table what I could only assume would be putting enchantments on items. I carefully while still hugging the wall I made my way down or the others were as one of them in what I recognized was vigilant of Stendarr armor approaching before offering me a potion of cure disease which I politely declined since I wasn't sick or anything I was just sore. "No thank you I'm not sick I'm just sore from the encounter with the Dominion that's all no need to worry." I said as he nodded and Ebon-shi I saw by the corner talking with a group of people who just came in who I would assume was the rest of his crew after a few minutes of talking he turned to look at us before speaking. "Okay everybody get ready we are about to storm Northwatch keep, free thorald gray-mane, and butcher any Thalmor we encounter! Once we are done we will retreat to our fallback position which is situated at pinemoon camp" Ebon-shi spoke as I felt my grip on my mace tightening with the desire to avenge my fallen comrades who were murdered by the Thalmor. "May the nine have mercy on their souls.."