The atmosphere turned somewhat awkward as I stared at the whole group, with even Delphine unconsciously scratching her neck as her nerves started getting to her.
Deciding that that was enough mind games I grinned and started clapping, causing Minthara to wince in anticipation "Magnificent!" I exclaim, my sarcasm obvious to a deaf man "To think my eyes would be so blessed to witness such great tactical acumen, and all I had to do for this blessing was leave you lot alone for a bit over a week!"
The awkward air in the room increases a hundredfold, with Marco pointedly dragging Junia out of my line of sight in a foolish attempt at stealth. Minthara shifts awkwardly once more and raises a finger "We... ummm..."
I sigh "Just grab the damn necklace and finish looting the place, we have places to be."
"Right" She forces herself to start moving and drags Lydia to what I presume is the word wall chamber containing a good chunk of loot.
As the rest start gathering themselves, I am approached by Delphine who wastes no time in asking "How went the battle?"
"Could have been better." I shrug and then wave it off "Could have been much worse as well. We won and the rebellion is on its last legs, that is all that matters."
Noticing my mild discomfort with the topic she nods "Victory is all that matters in the end, as you say, so I will not pry. What of Riften? We heard rumors of a coup but nothing more than a vague switching of sides."
"Maven Black-Briar's coup was prepared well before the rebellion had even started." I answer easily, uncaring about keeping the whole thing secret "Ulfric tried causing uprisings while we fought, I did not agree." I raise an eyebrow at the curious Blade "Aren't you supposed to be well informed, what is with these questions?"
She scoffs lightly "Not all of us have a massive network supported by magic and literal Daedra, we have to content ourselves with such plebeian things as messages and rumors."
I sniff the air with false disgust "You are right, how very plebeian of you."
Any further banter was stopped by the others shuffling back into the room, most of them laden with a bunch of loot I wouldn't pick up if they paid me for it, being that it was generally just junk of barely any value. Lydia, in particular, was carrying about five times as the rest of them while attempting to hide her frustrated scowl.
Our eyes met and the poor Housecarl gave me a pleading look, hoping I would come to her rescue and magic away her problems, but I simply raised an eyebrow and started walking. The pack mule was her natural state and who was I to question it?
Scorch snickered mentally 'She should be happy as long as she doesn't get launched off the mountain as a joke.'
I nodded sagely at that, some people just don't know how good they have it until it is too late...
---
Minthara twirled the amulet in her hand as she caught up to me, she kept silent for a good while and only when we exited the cave system, made some distance from the rest of the group, and headed toward their camp did she ask "Is everything alright? You seemed a bit... off."
"Perceptive, aren't you?" I stop for a split second, barely enough for it to be noticeable, and keep walking. The silence stretches for a good while as I allow my thoughts to drift before simply answering "Just suffering the consequences of being both powerful and remaining involved with the world."
I was genuinely impressed that she even noticed something was off in the first place as outwardly my behavior did not shift whatsoever.
That did not save her from the full brunt of my words however as she realized the not-so-hidden implications directed toward her own position "Is there really no other way to have the world go on?" She asks, almost pleading.
I chuckle at the direction the conversation was taking, the noise far drier than I usually allowed it to be "We could always just do the absolute barest minimum, let the world trudge along like those 'wiser' and older than ourselves did for millennia already. Just do what the gods expect and not a single step further, what do you think of that option?"
Her immediate scoff made me smirk in approval "Exactly, just because we could bury our heads in the sand doesn't mean we should do it... or that we will do it for that matter." I stop and give her a mildly smug look "Because we both know damn well that sitting back and watching the world burn while we could do much to help it is not acceptable."
My words entice a look of genuine admiration for the briefest moment but it is shaken off rather quickly in favor of a grumble "You make it sound so easy."
I shrug "Because stating the truth of the matter will serve nothing, save to demoralize us in a task we will never abandon anyway."
"How can you be so certain?" She catches up with me and asks "What makes you think I will not abandon everything and just run away at the first opportunity? I never asked for all of this responsibility!"
I raise an eyebrow once more and give her a curious look "Will you run away?"
She deflates immediately "Of course I won't."
I grin and keep walking, no more questions forthcoming.
The complete lack of explanation finally gets to her a minute later "Just like that?"
"Just like what?" I decide to play coy "It is solely your decision, is it not?"
She growls in irritation and mutters something along the lines of 'annoying little...' before sighing and turning her attention back to the amulet still hanging from her hand "So, what does this thing do?"
"Should raise the wearer's stamina to ridiculous levels." I list off easily "But the best part is now that we have all three pieces we can reforge the entire thing into one whole. Should make it exponentially more potent as well."
"You already know how?" She asks, expecting a positive answer as was par for the course at this point.
"The full procedure? Not entirely." I shake my head "But I do know the steps to do it without researching the whole process."
"Wouldn't it be more useful for you to study the process though?" She tilts her head "I know that Master Turannius would be more than happy to tinker with it."
"Ah, good old Sergius! Haven't visited him in a while..." I trail off briefly before shaking my head "But no, I will get the opportunity to observe the reforging and once I have learned the process myself I will just gift it to my dear mentor in its entirety."
She gives me an odd look at that "I don't understand, why not ask for his help in learning it in the first place?"
"Because while he may be a master in the art, he is no pioneer." I answer with a bit of honest disappointment "The man knows his runes and knows how to combine them as easy as breathing, but he got to that point through experience and dedication. Comparing his intuitive understanding with my own is not even fair, and quite frankly I would be wasting both of our times..."
"So the once peer is to be left behind, just like that?" She asks with a tone I could not discern without effort.
I exhale slowly and nod "Such is the unfortunate way of this world."
Any further conversation dies then and there, leaving us to walk to the camp with only our thoughts for company.
-----
The moment I saw the tiny campsite they expected me to spend even a full minute in was the moment I decided we were moving into the town and not even Alduin would be able to stop me.
Even the agents, who were the ones to advise us to remain here in the first place, were surprisingly eager while packing up, only Lydia looked dismayed at the prospect of being forced to carry even more stuff.
I decided to not be a complete dick and actually helped her out this time, I was a generous godling after all.
Sometimes.
The guards at the town gates barely made any fuss with my entrance, the men and women defending the settlement were all born in Ivarstead and genuinely did not care about anything going on outside of it, as long as I did not make trouble and they were not directly ordered to go against me we would find no issues with them.
I could appreciate that kind of thinking over here in the 'boonies' as it were, and so I bought them all a drink and ensured them that if something like a troll lumbered into town while I was there they wouldn't even need to fight it.
That got me some nice tips about climbing the mountain in return, even if I didn't really need them. It was the intent that mattered I supposed.
The night was spent making merry with the locals as the ale flowed freely and tales were shared, Minthara's group was more than happy to unwind after their cautious trek from Whiterun and I was satisfied with listening to the local grey-beards (the old farts, not the monks) tell me legends about the hold, mostly small things of no real consequence for me but still something interesting to pass the time.
I did hear tell of a witch coven to the south of the hold, supposedly a hunter noticed them shuffling about an old abandoned watchtower and making deals with some kind of mercenary group adorned in wolf pelts.
It did not take me all that long to connect the dots and I quickly teleported instructions to have the place scouted. Having the Silver Hand get support from a coven of witches was a very bad thing, at least for my friend and his shield-companions.
My desire to murder all Namirans not withstanding, of course.
We left the town in good cheer early in the morning, only a light mist blocking my companions' eyes as we started the long climb up the mountain.
With each step I took, a very light aura of peace and acceptance started to slowly envelop us, mostly Minthara and myself but even those not attuned to Kyne were slowly having their burdens lessened by the mountain's breath, for the lack of a better word.
We passed many other pilgrims on our path, making sure to sit before every single one of the ancient plaques telling of the human rebellion against the dragons, thereby increasing the effect even further.
Time flew as most of the day passed by the time our pilgrimage came close to its destination, only a short trip of narrow mountain pass separating us from High Hrothgar and the monks within.
At this point the sacred aura of Kyne had reached such a potent level that I felt naught but peace with myself, allowing the all-encompassing power to flow through me and then out toward my companions, I stepped toward a jagged cliff overlooking the passage.
And there he was, a truly powerful specimen of frost troll, gazing down on us in preparation for an ambush. But as I signaled everyone to simply keep walking and we passed the massive beast it made no move to attack, simply allowing the surprisingly warm winds to batter its fur and allowing us to continue unmolested.
Our destination was revealed to us only a minute or so of walking later, the ancient monastery standing tall and proud even thousands of years after it was first built by Jurgen Wind-Caller.
As Minthara approached the large doorway I unconsciously looked up, toward the mountain's peak, and there in the stormy distance, I felt them, two ancient eyes staring straight at me.
'Let's just hope the featherless degenerate doesn't mind his priests getting roasted.'
My eye twitches and in that split second of distraction the gaze disappears.
-----------------
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