Dragonborn Chapter 414: No Man's Land (4) : Enemies On Every Corner

A/n: Another Double Chapter! Happy International Cat day (that was yesterday) and Happy Big Eid (That's Tomorrow)

(Part 1)

Days pa.s.sed and Mournhold turned gloomier. The spring fevers made the city feel a bit sickly especially in the southern Plaza district where the refugees have their slums. The Old Woman's Tong kept making some charities here and there to maintain the order around their areas and recruit able men.

Isha and Galam were doing many runs around the city to secure the warehouses of the gang's resources while Mirren and Miranda were stationed as the Old Woman's guards. Jon's job was to secure the perimeters and handle the public relations around the Casino.

"Thane Jon."

"I'm not a Thane, Lanmas."

"Sorry, kinda a habit. Anyway, our network has detected some of the Indoril Guards around the Bazaar. Seems like trouble is coming." Lanmas said while handing a letter to Jon.

"Hmmm... Not an opposing gang this time?"

"I say it is a tip from another gang. Can we rely on you?"

"Easy. What does the old cat think?"

"She said to make it clean. We don't want a Great House to publicly hostile to us... not so soon anyway."

"You think the Indoril will prosecute the White Cat publicly? The old woman has more popularity than them around."

"They'll use an underhanded method if they involved the faction if the Temple that supports them." Lanmas said with a worried face.

"Sigh! Look at us, two Nords worrying about Dunmer politics." Jon laughed.

"Currently, Dunmer politics is our lifeline. So... how many men will you take?"

"None, let me have my way with the Indoril Guards."

"Oh! The mighty Jon Dare is showing off some moves?"

"Haha! I will just mess around."

Jon walked the street away from the Casino to the entrance of the Bazaar.

There, he found a few patrols of Indoril Guards dressed in their weird helms that represent the Hortator, Indoril Nerevar.

Jon looked closely and a.s.sessed the guard skills. Unlike the normal city guards, the Indoril Guards are elite soldiers with years of experience that outnumber Jon's age in Tamriel, taking them on while maintaining a secret ident.i.ty will be a challenge.

Jon checked his stash of Transformation Potions and luckily there were many, the Normal days he doesn't need to transform, he keeps the potions in spare flasks.

Now was the time to use another. Despite being untasty, the Potion was very abusable.

Jon transformed into a Dunmer form right away with a regular height. A few minutes later, he ambushed an Indoril Guard and knocked him down taking his armor and weapon. He then walked the streets with a straight back and a haughty face until he met other Indoril Guards.

"Hey, Paul. Is that you?" Jon said waving his hand to a guard.

"Paul?" The guard looked at Jon trying to identify him.

"Yes, a few Pauls are here with you. I just ran into one on my way here."

"Who are you?" The Guards frowned.

"It's me... Steve. Don't you recognize me, Paul?"

Somehow the Indoril Guards were wary of him but realizing that he must be drunk, they changed their att.i.tude.

"Who's your commanding officer? We should report you for lollygagging on work hours." One guard said.

"And why would I do that? I thought they only gag lollies in Skyrim."

"... Huh?"

"Never mind. Before I head out, mind telling me why the whole lot of you are gathered here." Jon asked.

"You don't even know that? Where were you last night?" The guard asked suspiciously.

"Out drinking. I have a leave for personal reasons." Jon kept the bulls.h.i.t on with a normal att.i.tude.

"Personal reasons? First time hearing that... Where did you say you are from again?"

"I didn't."

"..." "..."

Sadly, those guards were hard to trick. Even though Jon's act was somehow pa.s.sable in other places, Elite guards like them deserve their t.i.tle after all. The guards in front of Jon looked at each other and agreed that Jon is a spy.

"Fine." One of them spoke, "We are here for a criminal tong bust. Now, mind telling us what you are here for."

"Oh! So you are the guards on that bust thing? Are there any more of you?" Jon didn't even bother acting anymore.

"Humph! You'll know soon. One your knees."

The Indoril Guards surrounded Jon and one put a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, I hoped you'd do that, Paul." Jon smiled widely.

He grabbed the hand of the man and twisted it while kicking his legs resulting the man to fly in a whirl before falling on the ground.

"Catch him!"

The other guards were triggered right away and a fight started in the middle of the market.

Jon kicked to the back then to the front sending two guards away from him. One attacked from the side but was restrained down by Jon from the arm and got a knee to the ribs.

"N'chow! (s.h.i.t!) Use weapons."

The guards realized that Jon won't go down without lethal force and drew their swords. In an instant, Jon has closed the distance to them. He used a combination of fast punches to take down the remaining seven guards and made it look loud.

As the last Indoril Guard fell down, the market has already fallen to chaos and all the shops sealed its doors. Once the main force arrives, the place will become a bloodbath.

Still, seeing the Indoril Guards fight each other was very unusual as it seemed that one of them has gone rogue.

Heavy footsteps came from the alleyway leading to the market and the Indoril Guards flowed out in numbers. Once they saw a fellow guard standing in a pile of fallen fellow guards, their Captain spoke right away.

"Guard, report! What happened here?"

"Yes, Captain." Jon said as he ran towards the captain and as soon as he arrived...

"Reporting to your mother, you Indoril b.a.s.t.a.r.ds owe me three months of pay and you claim to be righteous? Shame on you!"

Jon held the Captain from his clothes and carried him up in the air then threw him at the guards behind him.

"Captain!"

"What are you doing, you madman."

"Catch this idiot!"

"Stop!"

And another fight started. Different from the initial patrol, the main force was equipped with spears.

"Haha! You Indoril b.a.s.t.a.r.ds don't want to give me my pay? Fine. Let's see how you can stop me."

Jon held a stall from the market and carried it over his head. The Indoril Guards had their eyes widened and gulped from fear.

"Hey, comrade. Let's take this one out."

"Talk my a.s.s!"

Jon sent the stall flying at them and crashed a hole in the middle of their formation.

"Stop him before he throws anything else."

The guards ran with Jon intending to kill him as fast as possible, Jon shamelessly turned tail and ran to the other side. Whatever he finds on his path, he would trap it and throw at them. The whole Bazaar district became chaotic and the Indoril Guards lost control over the situation against one man, the people watching from the windows and from behind the doors couldn't fathom how a lone guard was able to do such a ruckus against the whole body of the Indoril Guards.

Jon wasn't merciful either, wherever he ran, he would spout s.h.i.t about House Indoril saying that they don't pay their retainers and swindle people. This made the guard captains chase him with their teeth and nails to only eat his dust.

In mind, Jon's destination was to the west of the district where the castle is.

Mournhold was large, and an hour of running straight to the west wouldn't even reach anywhere but that was what Jon wanted. He rooted most of the Indoril Guards from their posts to come after him to the point where the ruckus was heard from outside the district.

This all kept going until Jon reached a certain plaza. He was confronted with Guards from every street now as his path and escape were blocked.

"Mercenary Krilon, you are surrounded." A voice called for him from atop of a building.

Jon stiffened, how on Nirn did they see through his disguise?

He looked to the rooftops and saw some men in a distinctive unique armor.

"Temple Ordinators?"

This was a bit shocking. Why would the temple send people after him when he is known as Labourer?

This wasn't simple. Those Temple Ordinators are in cahoots with House Indoril as they are mostly were raised or originated from the house, they should be tough to deal with and as Lanmas said, they should be from the Indoril faction of the Temple.

Jon carefully heightened his senses and focused on them. The b.a.s.t.a.r.ds were having dozens of archers on their side too. Jon put his hand on the guard helm and exposed his face under disguise. He appeared as a middle-aged Dark Elf with brown hair and red eyes.

"Huh? This guy is not a Nord." A Temple Ordinator was taken aback.

"How? We were told the Nord names Krilon will make a large mess when we try and catch him. You're telling me a guard did that?" Another questioned.

"This... This is not normal. If things didn't go according to plan then we have been had." The leader of the Ordinators said.

"Kwama pile (bulls.h.i.t), this sc.u.m must know something. S'wit (fool), identify yourself." Another shouted at Jon.

Jon's face became better as he discovered he is still safe.

"Humph! Ask your wife who was with her last night, she'd tell you, dimwit."

"WHA... SHOOT THE b.a.s.t.a.r.d!" The Ordinator didn't take Jon's provocation well and ordered the archers.

"No, wait..." Other Ordinators tried to stop the archers but it was too late.

*Swoosh* *Swoosh* *Swoosh* *Swoosh* *Swoosh*

Arrows from all directions were shot at Jon, he didn't just stand and found a nearby stall to hide under. Once the arrows were all shot, Jon retaliated.

A bow appeared in his hands and he took an arrow from the ground and shot it back at the guards on rooftops.

"Take cover. b.a.s.t.a.r.d's got a bow."

"Who is this man? Is that really one of our guards?"

The Indoril Guards were at loss of what to do. Volleys of arrows were shot at Jon who kept running like a cat with nine lives and hides under stuff then shoots back. All his shots were at the Guard's knees.

"That's it! Kill him." The leader of the Ordinators aimed his hand towards Jon and evoked a Firebolt.

The other Temple Ordinators followed him and cast a barrage of Firebolts towards Jon.

Jon saw that and a smile appeared on his face. Under his feet, he has prepared a Fire Rune spell and overcharged it with an absurd amount of Magicka.

Once the Firebolts were a meter away from he was already hundreds of meters away by a Teleport spell prepared beforehand.

The Firebolts landed on Jon's spot and...

*Kaboom*

A large explosion shook the plaza. The people felt the land shake and some guards fell from the rooftops.

"Boethiah!" The Ordinators were shocked speechless.

"Serran! Did you cast a Fireball?" The Ordinator Captain asked the one who was dissed by Jon.

"N- No! A Fireb.a.l.l.s can't do that..."

(Part 2)

Jon left the Ordinators for their own mess and disappeared in an alleyway with [Greed] covering him. He looked at the Ordinators and frowned.

"Someone was after me. Someone knew my capabilities and tried to ambush me. Why?"

He couldn't figure out the reason but roughly understood that there was someone trying to hinder the Labourers and that is clearly House Indoril's faction in the Reclamation Temple. Only they can mobilize Ordinators which serve as Templar Knights.

If that's the case then the Old Woman of Mournhold should have made some big enemies and they are targeting her by dismantling the ones around her.

The Casino may even be in Danger but the most important thing is the Old Woman.

{Isha, act naturally.} Jon telepathically called Isha.

{Eh... nothing, just a bee.} Isha seemed to be talking to someone.

{You can reply to me by only thinking.} He said.

{Like that?}

{Yes. Where are you? What is your situation?}

{I am at G.o.dsreach district. Galam and I are chasing someone.}

{Tsk, you two are being distracted. Try to return to the Casino fast. I was pulled away too. Seems like someone is up to something.}

{Can you explain?}

{Once you reach the Bazaar, you'll know... Also, tell Galam to keep his ugly mug hidden.}

{... Fine.}

Jon disconnected with Isha. He was somehow suspicious of Galam but looks like the two are being distracted too.

{Lanmas, you hear me?}

{Thane Jon, is that... where are you?}

{I'm just talking to you from far. Is everything alright?}

{Yes, is there anything wrong on your part.}

{No, just secure the perimeter and empty the Casino. Someone is up to something.}

{I see. Fine.}

Jon then contacted Mirren.

{Hey, cute boy.}

{Why am I heading that b.a.s.t.a.r.d's voice all of a sudden?}

{I am in your head, you should stop thinking of me that much, you know.}

{... f.u.c.k! How far can your Telepathy reach?}

{Far enough. What's your status?}

{Nothing important. What's going on?}

{Someone is after White Cat, you're with her?}

{No, only sis is with her. Who is after White Cat?}

{Go back now, I don't know but all of us were lured away.}

{Dammit! Fine.}

Jon cut the connection with Mirren and tried to contact Miranda but got no response. He tried to contact White Cat or Lanmas again but that wasn't the possible too.

"s.h.i.t!"

Time can't be wasted now. Jon took out [Pride], [Krilon] and the [Ebony Blade].

"Nefert.i.ti."

"Yes."

"Keep an eye out, tell your friends we need eyes on the city."

Nefert.i.ti appeared on Jon's shoulder.

"Fine, some boys and girls around the town owe me some fish."

"Oh! So you've been busy too. Let's see what you are capable of, young lady."

Jon and Nefert.i.ti split up.

He used the Elder Staff to fly invisibly while erasing his magic signal. As soon as he reached the White Cat Casino, he could already see that something is wrong.

The doors were unguarded and a strange transparent gas was coming out from some windows.

Jon put a filtering ward around him and walked in.

Everyone was out, the waiters and some customers were all lying unconscious. Jon carefully walked through the entrance and trod carefully.

He can treat those people but they will get in the way, thankfully, the gas was harmless.

The first floor's hall was dead silent but as soon as Jon arrived at its center, poison darts were shot at him from all directions.

Jon raised the Elder Staff up and 'Spatial Mirror' formed around him. Every dart that was shot was mirror- reflected at the one who shot it. Bodies fell from the balconies of the second floor and the corners of the first floor. Some staggered but all were paralyzed once they got their darts stuck to their faces, tongues and eyes.

Jon waved the staff once again and all those who fell flew from their places and gathered in a sphere of bodies floating in the middle of the hall.

This was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the skills of the Elders Staff of Power and Fate, Pride. Exciting Jon's will like that can only be described as Imagination Magic, a power worthy of the strongest sin that even exerts its control over the very Magicka.

Jon seemed proud with his work but there was no time to dally.

He cast 'Tactical Vision' with Pride and saw everything clearly. There was an underground level he is not aware of and a fight going on in White Cat's room upstairs.

Jon walked hastily upstairs and would stab with the Ebony Blade through some hidden corners to kill the a.s.sa.s.sins hidden behind them. He reached White Cat's room and heard some noise going on inside.

Once he walked in, he saw some figures hidden with invisibility magic hiding at every corner but he didn't trigger them. There was a hidden fight going on between top-cla.s.s a.s.sa.s.sins in the room.

"Humph!" Jon snorted and shot Lightning bolts from his spear at every hidden a.s.sa.s.sin shooting them down in one go.

"Dammit! He saw us."

Some of them endured the spells and desperately ran towards Jon only to be sliced by his blade. He then looked around and spoke.

"Miranda, it's me."

As soon as he said so, a figure appeared out of thin air and collapsed on the ground.

"Miranda!"

He ran towards her holding her body before collapsing, he found many darts on her enough to kill an elephant.

He directed his staff at her and gave his best healing spell but without understanding the poison, he can't detoxify it.

"Krilon... downstairs."

"I know."

"Hurry."

Seeing her losing consciousness, Jon could do nothing but to transfer her inside the Cube. He put her down and took off her armor then put her in a pool of healing water provided by Alina.

"Just, hang in there. This can at least halt the poison."

The Altmer girl kept hallucinating so Jon left her to rest and jumped out of the Cube.

Back to the Casino, Jon found Mirren rushing to the first floor.

"Miranda! Krilon!"

"I'm here." Jon jumped down.

"What's is that... poison?" Mirren was becoming dizzy by the invisible gas.

"Here." Jon cast the Filter Ward on him.

"That..."

"Shut up, your sister is resting. She's okay. White Cat is down there."

"Yes but... what is that?" Mirren asked pointing at the sphere of people floating in the hall.

"Ignore the unnecessary details. Do you know these darts?" Jon pa.s.sed a poison dart to Mirren.

Mirren took the dart and tasted it only to have a disgusted face. He then looked at one of the a.s.sa.s.sins and unveiled him.

"Figures! Shadowscales from the Shirt-Tail Tribe."

"Argonians?" Jon asked.

"Naga Argonians, fanatics of a lost order. I ran into them once back at Elsweyr."

"Here's the situation, there is an underground floor. I don't know where is its entrance but I'll teleport us down there. White Cat should be hiding down there and she has company."

"... Okay, I'm with you." Mirren agreed and unsheathed his sword.

Jon didn't wait and waved Pride around taking the two downstairs.

"Wha... Who's there?" An Argonian panicked.

"Daddy and Mommy. No offense, Mirren, you're Mommy."

"Very taken, man."

In a bra.s.s vault under the White Cat Casino, Lanmas and the Old Woman sat together. Lanmas was holding a crossbow and preparing an axe at his side.

"Boy, you don't need any of that. Just let me take care of it." The old woman said.

"My Lady, you can't possibly be thinking of dirtying your hands, this is a last case measure when I die. Also, Lord Jon Dare is on the way." Lanmas said with absolute respect more than what is shown in public.

"You spoil me a lot, kid. I don't underestimate Jon Dare or the others but you shouldn't have made them go through the trouble to protect this old woman." She said with a laugh.

"At someone has to at least be at your side when your enemies gather like that."

"Enemies? Those are long dead, my boy. I leave no enemies alive. Also, I called for my own helper to come. Don't worry about my safety, I've forgotten about defending myself than most will ever learn."

"It's never too much protection, your Maj... Wait! Is that... music?" Lanmas frowned.

"Hm? I hear it... it's quite nice." The old woman relaxed with a smile.

Some fighting Josie was heard and died down a minute later. The music came closer and someone knocked on the vaults door. Lanmas went to the breathing vents and spoke.

"Whose there?"

"Its Krilon."

"How can I be sure?"

"I saved your a.s.s from freezing to death on j.a.phet's Folly."

"Oh! Thank Kyne."

Lanmas opened the vault for Jon and Mirren and looked outside.

"Nice work."

"Thanks."

"That thing is?" Lanmas pointed at the spectral gramophone floating behind Jon.

"I am a sick person who loves to listen to Mozart while killing people. It's so peaceful." Jon said and walked to White Cat to lend her a hand.

"Good job, my friends. I trust that you left some alive for questioning." She said while standing up.

"Surely, we would love to find an antidote for these needles first and see why those Indoril are luring us out and sending Argonian a.s.sa.s.sins." Jon said.

"Hm? That can't be." The old woman denied.

"What?"

"The Indoril are too prideful to send Argonians or even make them enter Mournhold. What makes you say that?" She asked.

"Well, Temple Ordinators were after me by name and Argonian a.s.sa.s.sins are all over the place."

The woman frowned.

"No. It seems I was wrong. Our enemy is not House Indoril... not just House Indoril. Someone else is at play here." She said.

"And... why are those many people after you? You hired the Labourers from the Temple but the Indoril... I don't get it." Mirren asked.

"No, keep this to yourselves but you should know what we're were doing for the past few days, right?" She said.

"We were securing the roads between Narsis and Mournhold." Jon said.

"Yes, while transferring food and weapons to Narsis." Lanmas added.

"Weapons and food? Like war efforts?" Jon was quick to catch up.

"Yes, our objective is to support House Hlaalu in Narsis. This attack means someone is on to us. Someone is after Narsis and want to get rid of House Hlaalu by cutting its northern supply line which is us." The old woman said.

"Who might that be?" Mirren asked.

"Can be literally anyone." Lanmas said, "The Empire is a big suspect, they may be trying to get back to Morrowind again, any of the five Great Houses is also a potential enemy and the An-Xileel government of Black Marsh is an obvious answer... but the Indoril Temple Faction is involved or being manipulated. We are short on information here."

Jon and Mirren looked at Lanmas with admiring eyes, he was a.n.a.lyzing the situation on a vast scale.

"Good job, my boy. I want you to pull our people in Mournhold." The Old Woman said.

"Shouldn't you leave the city for a month or so until we figure things out?" Mirren said.

"No. I was born here and as my days are closing, I want to die here." The Old Woman showed a stubborn att.i.tude.

She then looked at Jon and Lanmas.

"Can we rely on your people from Skyrim to supply us?" She asked.

"Sadar Clan was always faithful to you as our savior, my lady. We will do what we can." Lanmas said.

"I can spare an army." Jon said.

"No need for an army, my friend." The Old Woman laughed.

"Fine, I'll reach out to my people."

The Casino started to be guarded by a large militia and closed its doors to customers. The Old Woman's Tong accepted the challenge.

By the next day, Miranda was cured of the poison. Jon and Isha were patrolling the perimeter when they ran into an Indoril Guard with a wanted paper. The guard hanged it on the wall and left.

Isha frowned and looked at Jon.

"Whoops! My bad." Jon laughed awkwardly.

The wanted drawing has a certain familiar face on it. It was the face Jon used yesterday or rather, Galam's face.