Bound in Blood
Chapter 9: The Necromancer
Aela was polishing her blade as the morning sun shined through the branches of the trees. The blade was pretty old and has seen a lot of battles, as proven by the numerous cracks on it.
"Shouldn't you get another sword? I'm amazed that the blade isn't in pieces." asked Theryn as he got out of the tent. Aela smiled. "I should. But I won't. This blade belonged to my grandmother and to my mother before me. It was forged 64 years ago in the lava of the Red Mountain." she said.
"Red Mountain. Haven't been there in a few years." said Theryn as he put his boots on.
Aela sheated her sword. "What did you do at Red Mountain?" she asked.
"I was getting some ash for a guy in Balmora." said Theryn.
"You went to the Red Mountain just to get some ash. Isn't there any ash in Balmora?" asked Aela.
Theryn explained. "There is, but he said that the ash on top of the mountain is different, magical. It's just mixed with lava, there's nothing different about it." he said.
Aela continued with her questions. "How much did he pay you?"
"150 septims." said Theryn. Aela started laughing. "Seriously?" she asked.
"Seriously. Two weeks of digging through mud and ash for 150 septims. I'm never stepping a single foot on Vvardenfell again." said Theryn.
"What are you guys talking about?" asked Val as she got out of the tent. Theryn smiled. "About the old days." he said.
"Old days? You mean when you sat next to Talos in the temple?" said Val with a smile.
"Really? Old people jokes?" asked Theryn.
"I tried." said Val as she put her gear on.
Half an hour later, they were on their way to Ivarstead.
"Are we there yet?" asked Val. Theryn smiled. "No. We need to pass a few more miles." he said.
A few minutes passed. "Are we there yet?" asked Val. Aela was now smiling. "No, Val, we are not." she said.
A few more minutes have passed. "Are we there yet?" asked Val again.
"NO!" yelled Theryn. Val frowned. "I'm sorry for yelling, Val." he said.
Aela started laughing. "She's just messing with you." she said to Theryn.
At that moment, an ice ball landed in front of them, sending the trio a few feet backwards.
"Fal mage!" yelled Theryn as he ran behind a rock.
Aela and Val hid behind a fallen tree. They looked at the direction of the ice ball and saw a in black robes standing at a shrine, behind him an altar with a draugr on it.
"Damn necromancers." said Theryn. He looked at the necromancer again.
"You have disrupted my ritual! But, don't worry! I offer you a position in my army! Join me or die!" yelled the necromancer.
Theryn smiled. "I choose door number three." he said.
The necromancer was confused. "There are only two options." he said.
"I know, but I choose the third option." said Theryn.
"I don't understand!" yelled the necromancer. He was then hit in the head by a rock.
Theryn walked up to him. "Understand this." he swinged his sword and ended the necromancers life.
"Wow." said Aela. "I wasn't expecting that."
"Hmm. He's a vampire." said Theryn as he inspected the necromancers corpse.
"Most necromancers are." said Aela as she went up to the altar. "Female draugr. And here's his journal."
She picked up a leather bound book and opened it as Theryn got to the altar.
"Mostly deadric alphabet. I can't read this." said Aela as Theryn took the jurnal from her hands. "I can." he said.
"You can read deadric?" asked Val. "Yes, I can." said Theryn as he started to translate.
Lord Harkon has ordered me to Eastmarch to begun conducting experiments on the draugr from a nearby tomb. I am greatly honored to be selected by Lord Harkon for his plan. Soon, he will end the tirrany of the Sun and we will finally be free.
Until then, I am to raise an army for our Lord of Darkness. I will not fail him.
"The tirrany of the Sun." said Val. "That's the same thing we heard from those vampires when we went to Bleak Falls Barrow."
"He must be a Volkihar." said Theryn. "The last I remember of the Volkihar was in Daggerfall when they tried to kill the kings daughter." he explained.
"Why?" asked Aela.
"They knew that the princess of Daggerfall would blame her father, the king. The royal family would become unstable and a revolution would arise, putting one of them on the throne of Daggerfall." explained Theryn.
"Take the journal." said Aela. "We may need it later."
They continued towards Ivarstead. As night fell, they approached the town.
"Let's get to the inn." said Theryn as Val got off of her horse.
They entered the inn and got two rooms, one for Aela and one for Theryn and Val.
"You think we'll see another of those Volkihar vampires?" asked Val as she got into bed.
"I don't think so. The Volkihar are not as powerful as they once were." said Theryn.
Val covered herself with her blanket. "Can you tell me a story?" she asked.
Theryn smiled. "Of course." he said as he stood up and sat on the chair next to Val's bed.
"I was 89 years old when I first rode into the swamps of Black Marsh..."
Chapter 8: Valtheim Table of Contents Chapter 10: 7, 000
Author's Note
I decided to start a side story titled The Chronicles of Theryn which will focus on Theryn's adventures throughout Tamriel. They will be the stories that Theryn tells Val before sleep. I think you know where the first one will take place.
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