The Return of Sithis, Volume 1: Awakening

"Then that means...you woke me up, twice. Why didn't you leave me alone...?" she said as she started to fall asleep again.

"Elena... Are you alright?" Varren asks, joining her on the Bow of the ship.

The Guildmaster gives him a pointed look. "That's a stupid question to ask right now, don't you think?"

Varren only smiles, unconcerned with the elf's venom. It wasn't actually directed at him, just at her situation in general. His people as a whole were never really good at controlling their emotions, never had been. "True, but how does that old Nord saying go? It's the thought that counts?"

Elena's expression softens, and she turns contrite. "Sorry... I... I'm not feeling like myself lately. I know none of this is your fault but..."

"It's alright," he interrupts, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I understand."

And I have a sinking feeling it may have something to do with me after all... Not wanting to deal with that possibility just yet, Varren opts for a change in topic. "So, why all the secrecy?"

Elena blinks, clearly confused. "Pardon?"

"These waterways," Varren elaborates. "You said they're a passage through the mountains, right? An underground river system, leading directly from Riften to the sea. From what I've gathered, it's an official passage of the Guild. Yet everyone seems more on edge, even nervous. Is the place really that dangerous?"

Elena heaves a tired sigh. "Yes. One of my predecessors discovered the waterway centuries ago, and expanded it, turning it into the Guild's private highway. But he ran into some... Complications. He ended up digging right into an old dwemer ruin, and disturbing the denizens within. The Guild lost over two dozen members on that fateful day so long ago, including the Guildmaster himself. The Guild largely believes the place is cursed now."

Ah, that explains a bit... Superstition always has a way of making people overly nervous. "And what of you?" Varren asks curiously. "Do you believe the place is cursed?"

She glares at him. "Don't be daft. Of course not. But... There are real world concerns too, not just mere superstition. I've been keeping an eye on the old waterways for a while now, as I want to reopen them, but... It hasn't been going well. Centurions and Spheres now patrol the waterways, along with darker things, like giant spiders, and spectres. But maybe with you on our side, and a little help from Lady Nocturnal..."

"It might be possible," Varren finishes.

Elena nods, though she doesn't look very optimistic. "If worst comes to worst, we'll sail back up and around, and make port in Solitude. But that will take us weeks off schedule, and I'm loathe to leave the Guild alone for that long... So hopefully this works. Maybe... You could join me in my quarters tonight, to help me plan? A fresh look on things would be really helpful."

Varren only smiles. "Sure, I don't mind."

Avenicci too looked up at the trees surrounding them as they reached the crossroads in Falkreath Hold.

"It's nice, isn't it?" He spoke, not caring that Lorelei had probably been here more times than he. "Cyrodiil has some small forests, but not like this. It's mostly hills and grasslands."

"Yeah, it is." Avenicci unknowingly leaned against her as he pointed at an Orange Dartwing that flew above them. "We use those for alchemy, my family."

"Hopefully. I'm not entirely sure of the nature of the condition, but if anyone can get rid of them, they can." Avenicci spoke as he slowly turned to face Lorelei before backing away when he realized he was too close to her. "Um, I'm sure they should be able to do, uh, something."

His face was a bright red until he noticed Dorian about to say something and cut him a glance sharp enough to slay a dragon to stay his servant's tongue.

Siegemund knew that by now he had spent at least an hour in the Tundra. "Where the Kyne is these things?" He thought. Up ahead he spotters an humanoid ape thing
With claws and a third eye atop its head.

It sort of looked like a troll and Siegemund let a grin cross his face, "Finally after an hour I find you. Sorry about this." He sighed. The frost troll looked at him with confusion before its face turned angry.

It charged and threw a swipe at his head which he nearly failed to dodge. " I said I was sorry." He told the frost troll.
The beast only growled and raised two hands before smashing down down into the snow.

Siegemund rolled to the side and drew stardust. Just as the Frost troll prepared another onslaught, he went for a quick slash tithe left. Leaned back against the trolls jaw which tried to bite his head, and sidestepped landing a deep cut to its side.

The troll staggered back and stared at its blood. The wound closed slowly much to siegemunds surprise.
"Regeneration? Well I guess this is a challenge." He smirked.

The troll however, knocked him away and bared its teeth.
It flexed it's left hand before sending a pinch that stardust blocked. Leaping off the ground and onto the trolls arm, Siegemund stabbed into the beasts shoulder.

The beast shook from side to side trying to throw him off and brought its hands up to clobber him. "Is it clobbering time already?" Siegemund joked. He jumped into the air watching as it hit itself in the back of the head.

"I feel bad joking with you ya know? I'm here to kill you, but it's only a job I swear. Why am I even talking to you again? Can you understand me?" He asked seriously.


The troll gave a quick nod and restarted its barbaric charge. "So the animals can understand,but just don't speak human language, interesting." Siegemund thought with interest. Sadly it seemed frost trolls only acted on rage.

Once more fist pounded into the snow, and this time the claws actually managed to scratch his armor. Siegemund gritted his teeth as a shrieking sound emitted from claw vs armor contact.

Taking advantage the frost troll punched him into the ground. In a split second Siegemund threw his lance at its chest making it bellow once again. Flipping up, the bird ran up against a lucky rock that happened to be there, somersaulted, and brought his blade into its head.


The troll screamed and then fell to the ground dead.
" I'm going to have a headache soon." He groaned, rubbing the back of his head. He made his way over to his lance.

" 1 down 4 more to go." He frowned. And just his luck , two more frost trolls were heading his way. They seemed to not notice him, yet he raised his sword anyway.

"Over here!" He yelled. The frost trolls looked around until they saw him, bellowed and then charged.

" what a long day." He sighed.

"I am!?" Avenicci shouted with surprise as he hit his head on the side of the carriage. "I guess I am a little nice... It's just that I, erm, how do I put this? I-I can't talk to, uh, hm, you know..."

"No, it's fine." Avenicci sputtered out quickly as he brushed her hand away. "It's alright. I got it."

A cherry blush formed across Avenicci's face as Lorelei healed his slight injury. Dorian's comment about "not ending well" flew over his head as he continued to look at Lorelei, only to snap back when the carriage stopped.

"Here you are." The coachman said as he turned backwards to look at his passengers only to shake his head before continuing. "Whiterun, home to Jorrvaskr, mead hall of the Companions. They see they go all the way back to Ysgramor's time."