The interior of the tower is far more ornately appointed than anything we saw on our way here. Over well-organized Dwemer furniture hang tapestries celebrating Auri-el or showing some kind of ancient snow elf figure.
"Curious, almost as if a snow elf is trying to revive their race. But how would they have survived?" I mutter.
I receive a light smack to the head and turn to see Thorfinn who whispers "You can be a nerd later, focus on the mission"
I glare at him for a moment then grunt, accepting his point, and refocus on the path ahead.
The further rooms at the bottom of the tower seem to have been the residence of the two Falmer magi we killed outside, filled with all manner of ingredients and even some enchanted items. I interrupt the group and scrounge through them, finding some more rings of health and stamina, the rest split them among themselves and we go on. Never know when a little bit of strength might come in handy.
The stairs leading up are wide and clean, no traps either but I guess no one wants to walk around traps in their own home.
When we approach the entrance to the next room I feel a large concentration of Magicka on the other side. After my quick warning, everyone focuses and those that can cast spells on themselves.
As soon as we enter the second floor, which looked to be a temple, we are assaulted by a group of ten far more elven-looking Falmer, still hunched and goblin-like but far taller and these even had their eyes open. They wore white elven armor and wielded what looked to be enchanted weapons and shields marked with a golden sun.
Behind them stood upright a Falmer wearing ornate robes marking him as a priest of Auri-el, who immediately started casting restoration spells on his comrades, boosting their strength.
He even shouted at us in broken tamrielic "Usurpers and murderers, you will pay in blood for your blasphemy!"
Everyone was stunned for a second and the Falmer crashed into the guards in front of me.
The fighting was far more even this time, the Nords no longer having the advantage of size or equipment, and even more frustrating was the constant healing done by the enemy priest.
Even as my colleagues and I started throwing spells into the enemy whenever we got the chance, their armor simply shrugged off our spells. We tried aiding the guards by providing our own healing and defensive spells, but we were not even close to good enough to provide combat healing.
The pushing match went on for what felt like an eternity, both sides sustaining wounds but no casualties. After launching a firebolt that exploded harmlessly against a Falmer's helmet I noticed the priest wince from the light, giving me a devious idea.
Gathering as much Magicka as I could between my hands I channeled the most basic alteration spell I knew, candlelight.
Soon an extremely bright light exploded from my hands, blinding everyone that looked even slightly in my direction, every single Falmer screeched in pain and one even doubled over while vomiting.
Hjolmir noticing the opportunity overcharged his strengthening spell and launched himself at the priest, the demi-elf only had a fraction of a moment to understand his fate before an ebony mace rent him in half.
The Falmer soldiers didn't last long after that, some of them not even realizing when they died.
Everyone looks more tired than when we killed off the far more numerous group downstairs, but before we can take a moment to recuperate I hear Hjolmir speak up "Whatever is leading these Falmer already had enough time to prepare, we will advance slowly through the next floors. You lot that are wounded drink up, no point in saving the potions anymore." The wounded guards nod and pull out healing potions from somewhere in their armor.
I hummed while thinking about why the leader didn't send these superior fighters when they noticed the fighting, could it be they merely considered the lesser Falmer expendable? But that would be idiotic, if these joined the battle downstairs we would have been slaughtered. Maybe the leader is just retarded? I chuckle drily as we start ascending the stairs.
The next floor looks like the living quarters of the temple guards, as I've started calling them in my mind, they look to be at the standard of civilized people, there are even some books! If they are written in Falmer the college will go wild over them, but I honestly doubt we are that lucky.
The stairs go on for longer this time, for whatever reason the top is very separated from the rest. As we enter the next chamber said reason is made apparent.
Butchered bodies of Falmer, Nords, and other elves are spread across different tables, there is a larger table at the center of the room covered in what looks like research notes. Some of the guards grow nauseous but barely manage to hold themselves together after Hjolmir gives them a hard look.
There is one room left in front of us, I feel only two creatures on the other side.
When Hjolmir pushes open the door we are greeted with a surprising sight. In the center of a richly appointed room stands a gaudily robed snow elf. Well mostly snow elf, there are still traces of his obviously Falmer heritage showing on any visible parts of his body.
He doesn't even turn toward us and is instead focused on the thing in front of him, on a wooden torture post lies an Altmer woman in Thalmor robes, the snow elf shouts at her "TELL ME THE REST OF YOUR SECRETS ALTMER BITCH! OR BY AURI-EL I WILL REND YOUR SOUL FROM YOUR BODY!" when he says this he shows her an empty black soul gem and speaks in a slightly calmer tone, which isn't saying much "You will tell me how to revive my people fully NOW!"
A guard accidentally overturns a cup from a nearby table and the snow elf turns sharply in our direction.
He seems completely caught off guard and looks at us bewildered "HOW DID YOU APPEAR HERE!? I TOLD THEM NOT TO LET ANYONE IN!"
I chuckle before anyone can answer "Well you see, when poke the kwama hive too hard, its soldiers tend to rip you to shreds"
He looks at me confused for a second before growing angry "How dare a peasant like you talk to me like this!?" and then as if a child was throwing a tantrum he shouts "I am a king! A KING! HOW DARE YOU!?"
I look at him with a tired deadpan stare, if this was the evil mastermind we were hyping ourselves up for I will shoot myself.
Well, at least his idiocy will let us capture him easier, I prepare a telekinesis spell to knock him down but before I even get the opportunity to cast the spell, the screeching snow elf is grabbed from behind by Thorfinn of all people who then promptly slits his throat and throws him on the ground.
Everyone looks at him like he grew a second head and he shrugs "What? You were taking too long" Hjolmir gives him a look that sends shivers down everyone's spine.
I facepalm.
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