20demayo Chapter 153: Chapter XVI: Approaching The Tower
Chapter 153: Chapter XVI: Approaching The Tower
Chapter 153: Chapter XVI: Approaching The Tower
"And the foolish big dragon was boastful no moreeee....
When his ugly bronze head got smashed down to the floor!"
Marco finishes his rendition of the famous song with a dramatic flourish and the gathered partygoers cheer and laugh, tankards clinking and ale flying all over the place, and a bunch of them toasting Minthara Dragonbane, the young woman going completely red at the praise all the while I cackle as I was the one who let out that it was her that delivered the killing blow.
Yes, she already got an 'honor name' as the Nords called it but considering that she did just murder a beast of legend I am not surprised by this development, even though they could work on their creativity a bit... Besides, giving her some earlier glory would no doubt do wonders for when she actually ends up needing to get what she wants from people in her quest to save the world.
All according to cake... or was it caike... caiku? I don't know I watched that damn thing a century ago!
I chuckle at my trailing thoughts and take a sip of my own drink before turning to a scowling Phineas "Not in a celebratory mood Gestor?"
He huffs and rolls his eyes "Your taunts grow ever more childish Reyvin."
Shaking my head with a sigh I turn back to the party, but then an idea comes to mind and I quickly turn back to the lich with a curious expression "Why not attempt to create some form of homunculus if you still yearn for what you have lost?"
He blinks "A homoncu- what now?"
"A homunculus" I repeat "You know, like an artificial body?" My expression tells that it should be obvious which just serves to irritate the grouchy bone boy even more.
Even Tolfdir seems curious and starts listening in, Phineas on the other hand seems to be brainstorming the idea, his expression is unchanging but if he still had flesh I would bet my vault that his eyes would be shifting around like mad right about now.
He finally turns to me "The amount of work and research would take me... decades at least." His voice is excited, that amount of time seeming tiny in the undying creature's mind.
"And what if we made it a collaborative effort?" I ask with a smirk "My research into the Falmer, your research into anatomy, and Master Tolfdir's own skills at alteration..." I trail off as his eyes focus on me "We could finish it far quicker." I finally state.
Phineas' aura tightens a bit, his expression still unchanging and he asks "And what do you wish in return for this?"
I pretend to think for a while before finally explaining "I will no doubt come upon my... more notorious ancestor's work at some point and such things would be of great use to me. If you were to promise your assistance in perfecting what I find I would be most happy to aid you in your own research."
"You also wish to become undead?" Phineas whispers, surprised. It was known among the older magi and those with access to the college library that Dagoth Ur was for all intents and purposes a lich with his phylactery being the Heart of Lorkhan, so his question was completely justified.
I scoff and shake my head "No, I wish to use his knowledge to become something... more."
It is at this point that Tolfdir interjects, his brow creasing as he warningly points out "You should know what happens to those who overreach Reyvin."
"Oh I assure you I have no desire to go that far" I immediately dispel his initial impression "I merely want to see how far I can take what I was born with."
"I see..." He trails off before once more giving me a grandfatherly smile "In that case I too wish to help you in this, if only to make sure you don't erase yourself from existence."
I nod at the old man before turning back to Phineas "So, my undying friend, do we have an accord?"
Something he had to prove by actually healing people, much to his chagrin.
Tolfdir finally sent out the first batch of the somewhat functional Thralls he managed to heal
up to settle within his own clan's holdings. I was not surprised to find that the old man was in fact a minor lord to a settlement some hours east of Winterhold, even if he did leave the ruling of it to his great great great grandson.
It took us another month after the reinforcements arrived to clear a path to the Tower of Mzark, we could have probably done it faster but it was better to be cautious and loot was
abundant.
We even stumbled upon what we presumed was some kind of Lord's manor within the city walls, and to our great delight many tablets of Dwemer metal inscribed with their ancient script were discovered to be completely intact, without even a hint of rust! Those were immediately sent up to the highest security wards of the college by Tolfdir, the old man moving so quickly I could only see an afterimage with my magic eye.
Months of work and we finally stood before our prize, the Dwemer metal gate looked to be in pristine condition, faint bluish runes covering its imposing frame. My hand brushed at it's edges, searching for potential traps with both touch and magic, only really finding the wall of Magicka blocking our progress.
"Anything we should be worried about?" Phineas asks from behind me.
I shake my head while still working "Seemingly not, we only need to find a way to unlock the gate without damaging anything within."
"Indeed" Tolfdir adds from beside me, the old man making sure he could get me out of there
if I fucked up "If we are correct and this is the abode of a tonal architect, damaging anything would be a massive loss."
I finally retract my hand from the gate and turn back to the gathered group, all three Masters, my household and about two dozen of the most grizzled veteran adventurers all looking at me attentively. "It seems that we should be safe from traps, apparently people don't like their living spaces afflicted with machine meat blenders... who would have guessed?"
Many of them let out a nervous chuckle and I nod at Tolfdir.
The old man approaches the gate and pulls out the lexicon Savos had given us, the moment he does so, the shield seemingly deactivates and the gates open, a pristine hall waiting beyond. And yet even as I look upon the ancient mage's abode I cannot help but feel a sense of
foreboding.
The author drones
as the reader groans
for the time has come
for more stones.
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