When the doors opened, we entered the tomb of Aeryhn. Colourful frescos covered the walls, gold-lined columns and then in the back centre of the tomb was the armour stand but there was one hitch... the armour wasn't even there, it was a statue with indentations where the armour was supposed to be. This was a devastating blow to the quest, but we then noticed a scroll in the statue's hand.
Eventually, Irene and Harry recovered from being knocked unconscious by the great spirit gust and then came on over into the tomb and then Harry was quick to look at one of the chests filled with treasures as Harry then says "We're getting one of these out!"
I then said while putting my unwounded hand on the sarcophagus, "I'm sorry but my friends need this, so forgive us."
Ari does the same as she then looks to the note which a few years old and then says, "Apparently the armour is being held in the 'tomb of the advisor' in the mage's college... we'll have to head there next," this then went off into asking me "Joe, what happened back there?"
"I-I... something guided my hand and then me committed to a second blood pact but seems magical blood binds us even though I'm horrid or not gifted at all with magic."
"So what you're saying is, we are descendants of ancient Desidren heroes of long-gone eras?"
I just nod as I get a handle on the chest that Harry picked after aiding mine and Ari's hand that we cut and hauled the chest as Harry said "If we throw it out the skylight, we have two issues, we'll either lose it or somebody will take it. So I say, we'll carry it through the barrow and then haul it up the fjord's side before sundown. I heard that is when the draugr are a lot more powerful and awake!"
"Alright, let's get moving!" Irene ordered as she got her SMG ready and then we got escorted down the staircase as we see that the sun was going down through the skylight. Once again we were racing the sun as it was falling outside the barrow.
Once we were down the stairs, it was then we heard the grumbles and growls of the undead draugr that were soon shooting arrows at us which made us leap for cover.
I took cover behind the chest and then pulled out my rifle and then a gunfight ensued in the long hallway into the next chamber as it was blocked by Desidren draugr bowmen, dressed in their armour and some with arrows and swords stuck in them.
Aunt Irene sprayed the M33 into the group of ancient undead bowmen, causing some to get hit in the head and spray a messy glowing blue magical substance all over the walls and some shots landing on the walls and kicking up the dust and rubble from some walls. I then watched Harry get to safety by covering in a collapsed tunnel as he watched on in terror as the muzzle flash lit up our faces from our gunfire.
We moved on and fought from chamber to chamber, hall to hall as the numbers of the red-eyed, growling fiends either got a bullet or a knife to the head to kill them outright as we made our urgent escape. We got doused and covered in the ancient magical blood of the draugr as we fought on.
We were racing the sun and time was of the essence as the only thing carrying my tired and slightly wounded body was the adrenaline and the sense of urgency as we only had moments to spare getting out of this place and getting up that cliff. We stacked a lot of draugr bodies and I even took a well preserved ancient and decorated sword from one since fighting with a bayonet wasn't too efficient and I wasn't well trained as Aunt Irene.
it was then we were finally in the main feasting hall, weary, worn out and then with that, Harry being the only one with energy left got a wooden beam and put over the door's hooks as we took time to recover from that undead nightmare we faced moments ago.
I took my time to sit down on a bench, resting my hands and head on the side of my draugr blood splattered rifle and panting heavily, my hands covered in filth and the strange glowing blood and my own, my jacket and my shirt was scratched and cut up but probably mendable.
Ari gave a bewildered laugh of disbelief at surviving that battle through the barrow and then saying through her breathy laughs as he laid down on a bench "Hah! By the gods! That is one-nil to team tomb raider!"
Irene nods and gives her own smirk and laugh and nodding "Yeah, few moments I felt like we were going to get overwhelmed. Good thing we got military training!"
I laughed as I began patching my wounds up and then treating Aunt Irene and Ari. most of them were minor but we still were feeling a little pained and battered but we took an hour to relax, sip a potion to dull the pain and with that, we took off and out the doors into the dusk.
We were careful, efficient and cautious about making our way up the cliff. I stayed below so Harry and I could properly rope up the chest and then with that; I let Harry climb up first and I then motioned for him to pull with everybody as I stayed below and made sure that the chest didn't hit the rocks on the way up.
It wasn't long before I was up and over and the chest was safe causing everybody to cheer happily. hugs and handshakes going around before I and Harry were back, hauling the chest to our camp and settling in before the night struck.