Chapter 535 - A NEW HAND TOUC... *mute*

A/n: Hello, guys. I have a small announcement. Some time ago, I joined a Skyrim Mod project called [Mysterious Akavir] and from its name, you'd know where it is going… Aka-fucking-vir! We are creating a small scale island first called Yneslea as a part of the three Dragon Isles between Tamriel and Akavir to assess ourselves and how much we can achieve but we lack willing manpower. If any of you has Time and Skill, we'd require you to submit a proof of your skill on Discord's server so don't feel shy and DM me directly so I'll link you with the Project lead. We need mostly everything from 2D, 3D, Level Designers, Composers, etc. Our unique ideas include Martial Arts spells (Wuxia Inspired), Lore Makeover, Eastern Fantasy inspiration and more Edgy Stuff. Stay Tuned or Help out if you can.

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The actions of the Dragonborn leading a Warband against the Thalmor had a far-reaching effect than what any can imagine. It was a sign to the warring humans that the true enemy they should be pointing their blades at is the viper lurking in the Shadows sowing discord among brothers and friends.

As the prisoners from Northwatch Keep returned to their families, the Dragonborn was celebrated with many songs and poems describing his "Voice Wielding Power or the Ancient Nord Heart". Such a tale took three days to spread around Skyrim like wildfire making the reputation of the Dragonborn something to behold. Jon didn't feel wiser than the moment when he decided to hide his identity that day.

Either way, the political reaction to the Raid on Northwatch Keep varied from the Jarls to the Empire to the Thalmor to everyone else.

The Jarls mostly supported the Dragonborn openly in the East and moderately in the West. Those who returned to their families were advised to keep their heads down and escape to a Stormcloak territory before anything unpleasant happened and so a scene of cooperation between the warring sides happened amidst this darkness.

The Empire took its usual passive stance to avoid the Drama that follows but it was rumored that General Tullius has kicked out the Thalmor messenger after acting out of manners. The official stance regarding the raid was simply mere words saying that the Dragonborn should have known better than starting a conflict and the Empire advises him to seek legal means rather than taking the law into his own hands.

On the other hand, the Thalmor were rather on edge. The Dragonborn is surely closely associated with Jon Dare who is their Number One Public Enemy, it is without a doubt that Jon Dare acted behind the scenes in this raid if not funded or participated in it himself. The trap was surely obvious since no Nord would openly worship Talos near a Thalmor Prison but the nerve of those Nords was really something to not only kill the Thalmor Agents and Guards but also take Prisoners and hand them over to the Stormcloaks.

That's right, the Thalmor Agents who survived the raid were taken as prisoners and sold to Ulfric Stormcloak at the docks of Windhelm openly like slaves. This particular scene reminded many of the stories of the construction of Windhelm when Ysgramor and the Five Hundred Companions raided the Elves and took them as slaves to build the Great City of Windhelm. Nothing made Ulfric Stormcloak feel more pride than buying those Thalmor and throwing them in his dungeon.

Either way, the reaction of the Thalmor was sending a Massive to each Jarl announcing the Will of the Thalmor to arrest the Fifty members of the Warband that Raided their prison and the immediate return of their Prisoners and their Agents, the act that infuriated most of the Jarl all of them replied that they have no knowledge of what the Thalmor are talking about.

As for the Dragonborn, the Thalmor didn't really acknowledge him or his title publicly which wasn't that unusual, the Dragon Blood was the basis which built the Three Empires of Men which they envied. In their Pantheon, Auriel who is also Akatosh wouldn't give the men such a blessing if not for the manipulation of the Time Aspects which Saint Alessia and her Alessian Sect did. The old Alessian Sect was the first force that discriminated against Elves publically across Tamriel and is also the Force that caused the Septation of the Two Aspects of Time, Auriel and Akatosh. As extremists, the Thalmor would even see the Dragon Blood in a Human Veins as a mock of their Divine Right of Auriel and if they had the power, they would have annihilated such blood.

Either way, the Dragonborn is officially another Enemy they can't do anything about as he is the only method that may end this Dragon Crisis that they know nothing about.

All this and that made Skyrim feel like a boiling pot of issues which may explode any second with the Nords feeling the excitement for the Dragonborn is with them and the Empire staying on edge for any new unanticipated action he may take.

After all, the Wheel Turns on the Dragonborn.

It was strange how this phrase made more sense each time he took an action. The Wheel is a metaphor meaning either the Aurbis or the Fate, either way, it is as if the Whole World is now revolving around Jon.

"Are there more reports I need to worry about?" Jon asked as he packed some books into a knapsack and tossed it to Lydia across the room.

"There are no reports that may interest you in particular but it seemed that the Thalmor has made a few official complaints against our dearest Dragonborn, they described the attack as Cowardly and the Rebels who committed such an act are nothing but Rebellious Heretics." Alina said.

"Empty words." Jon replied.

"When Ulfric offered to exchange the Elves for the Nord Prisoners they still have, the Thalmor said that the Aldmeri Dominion government does not negotiate with Heretics. A bit heartless I would think." Alina said.

"Of course they wouldn't. If they agreed to the exchange then once they arrest any Talos Worshippers, the Nords would round up any Thalmor nearby and exchange them with Prisoners." Jon explained.

"I see… to be honest, I was thinking of it too." Alina made an understanding face.

"Anyway, dear wife, I'll be heading out for a small journey up the seven thousand steps."

"Yes, finally."

"I'll leave Winterhold to you then. Take care."

"Yes, husband. Deliver our respect to the honorable Greybeards."

"Yep, I'll do so."

"Don't forget to mention that… and that… and that…" Alina kept talking fervently about the history of the Greybeards and how Jon should behave in their presence.

"Wife, I wouldn't mind it if you have some idols but don't go fangirling on a bunch of old dudes. It's gross!"

"Who is your favorite politician once again? An 800 years old Dunmer grandma, right?"

"Forget I said anything."

Jon and Alina kissed before he went out of his house to run into the rest of his gang. Due to a prior arrangement, they were to band together with Jonrad and anyone strong enough to face any dragon attack that may threaten Skyrim during Jon's journey to High Hrothgar.

With all said and done, Jon left his burden to them as he took his portal to Riften with Lydia and from there, he traveled west to Ivarstead on a flying Flame Hawk Atronach.

Lydia became well accustomed to Jon's high functionality and manipulative nature or so Alina made sure Lydia to be. Strange enough, Lydia proved to be one of the most level-headed people Jon ever met as if she had some sort of resistance to his negative effects. She would remark sarcastically and stare at him coldly from time to time but she was always silent and enduring ready to carry his burdens. Jon would later learn that Alina put Lydia under a loyalty test so she can never be swayed by Jon, it was as if Alina carved "Jon is off-limits" on Lydia's brain.

Either way, the journey was relatively peaceful save for that time when Jon wanted to sneak into the Redwater Den to acquire any information about the Volkihar Clan. The Redwater Den is a drug den hidden beneath a dilapidated shack that deals in Redwater skooma, a very potent and powerful type of Skooma that is made with blood refined in a Bloodspring deep in the den. Jon sensed so many vampires from various power levels fortifying the damn place like a dwemer vault. Even Teleporting inside was impossible from all the magic imbued in the Place. However, Jon managed to let his Astral Projection walk through the walls and eavesdropped on some conversation inside the den. Not much important was said but there was surely a mention of two about the Volkihar Castle, word is that the Vampires were to gather their forces in the next four months which meant something is definitely happening.

No more good information could be found but Jon started writing down some pieces of paper on how the Vampires make their Skooma and possible methods to cure its addiction or perhaps destroy the surplus inside the den. Jon is not sure of his Alchemy skill but he can always ask Master Nurelion or Jullanar for advice.

The journey kept on for less than a day until he reached Ivarstead. Around four to five years ago, Jon visited this place and killed the innkeeper who would one day kill an acquaintance of his. Thankfully, the acquaintance lived till this day and the innkeeper was different. Even though, Jon still snooped around the inn in order to find something and thankfully it was in the position of the innkeeper.

It was the [Sapphire Claw], much like the [Golden Claw] which blesses its surroundings with Good Fortune, this claw seemed to have wider magic yet with a different effect. Jon could feel it quite easily now.

Jon followed the traditional route to acquire this claw as well. Ivarstead village was haunted by a ghost that dwells in Shroud Hearth Barrow nearby. In actuality, it was nothing more than an Elf alchemist who was turned mad by this Barrow and the supposed riches inside it. Jon agreed to do some exorcism after talking to the innkeeper and delved into the old ruin with Lydia and Nefertiti.

Killing the Elf was a piece of cake but Jon didn't take that direction, he rather captured the Elf instead. He was a Dark Elf and former bandit from what Jon could tell, the man went absolute cuckoo.

The Nordic ruins which once belonged to the Dragon Cult are mysterious and have a lot of traps that are either physical or mental. The Elf who spent a year in this place now became some sort of a guardian to the Barrow as both his greed and the place played tricks on his fragile mind. This man even came up with a potion that made his skin give off a bluish glow like a ghost in order to trick the people that the Barrow is haunted. Jon dispatched the Elf after taking away the recipe to the [Phantom Potion] and returned to the Innkeeper to report his success.

The reward of this was the [Sapphire Claw] which the foolish Dark Elf spent a whole year looking for it. Jon then returned to the Barrow, used the [Sapphire Claw] to unlock the Hall of Stories to the deepest part of the Barrow and hoarded all the historical pieces of value like the old pottery and the stone steles depicting events from the First Era. After all, it belongs in a museum… his museum.

Jon and Lydia ventured deeper into the Barrow as Nefertiti was revealing the traps and Jon was studying everything he found and discussing it with the uninterested Lydia.

The most interesting part was the [Sapphire Claw] in fact. It gave off a strange aura and Jon went around it too much to understand how it works but it still felt strange. After a few hours of delving deeper and unearthing other relics, Jon found new ideas on how the Dragon Cult crafted their artifacts and deciphered the Magic of the Sapphire Claw.

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[The Sapphire Claw]

- Blessing of Vigilance

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The Sapphire Claw proved to be as valuable as the Golden Claw in some regards. It was blessed to reveal the malicious intentions in certain areas making it invaluable when it comes to detecting spies and secret enemies. If Jon walked around Winterhold with such a thing on him, he may be able to root out every single spy in his territory.

Either way, this invaluable item was kept in the Cube as Jon searched deeper in the Barrow.

Eventually, Jon clashed with the old Draugrs and defeated them in a tough fight until he finally reached the treasure room of the Barrow where a word wall was carved.

"Here fell shield maiden Valkrys who fought with courage, but was wrong to {Trust} the power of a borrowed sword." Jon read the word wall and received a revelation on the word Ov, which means trust.

What was left now was Jon's favorite part, the treasures.

He started rummaging around until he took out some Ancient Coins, a few weapons from the first era, worn-out books, old magic items and lastly, a strangely large White Gem.

The White Gem was almost at the size of a soccer ball and was all white with a mystic luster. Jon didn't mean to touch it at first but the moment he mindlessly did, he fell on the ground and started shouting as he held his head.

"A NEW HAND TOUCHES THE BEACON. LISTEN…"

"STAAAP!"

"… HEAR ME AND OBEY. A FOUL DARKNESS HAS SEEPED INTO MY TEMPLE. A DARKNESS THAT YOU WILL DESTROY…"

"TURN DOWN THE VOLUME!"

"… RETURN MY BEACON TO MOUNT KILKREATH. AND I WILL MAKE YOU THE INSTRUMENT OF MY CLEANSING LIGHT."

"*huff* *huff* FUCK!"

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