Traveling through The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim

To be fair, Aigis lacked experience, not intellect. She sorted through the information and concluded that Helgi might be imprisoned in the prison at the Hidana Mine. But she was at a loss as to what to do next.

With her skills, it was easy for her to hide in Markarth, but it was a pipe dream for her to sneak into the heavily guarded mine prison without alerting the guards, let alone rescue anyone from it.

Besides, her sources were a bunch of stoned, untouchable people. How could such people have any integrity? Who knew how many of those stories were just fabrications they'd made up to trick Skooma into drinking?

Furthermore, they mentioned that guards were bringing in prisoners almost daily, and that unidentified bodies were being dragged out and hastily buried in mass graves. After several days of observation, the little cat girl had determined that these were not mere rumors. She also discovered that most of the prisoners were native Reach people, men, women, and children, including some girls around Helgi's age.

What if Helgi was not imprisoned, or had already died, then wouldn't she be walking into a trap if she rushed in recklessly?

After much thought, she came to the conclusion that it would be difficult to achieve anything on her own and she needed to find help.

The little cat girl then returned to the northeastern civilian area and reconnected with Anton. The silversmith welcomed her late-night visit and happily stated that the magnanimous and benevolent lord had accepted his argument and had not restricted his personal freedom. In the two weeks since Aigis's disappearance, he had already negotiated three deals with the Khajiit caravans.

Agis detailed the lord's secret sentries near Anton's home, including their locations, number of people, shift patterns, and the gender and appearance of the plainclothes spies who were tracking him during the day. The little cat girl sincerely asked him to help her contact Kasemmo again.

Anton refused.

However, before driving Agis away, he mentioned a way to bypass the guarded main gate and sneak into the stone fortress where Kasemma lived.

That is the Hall of the Dead in Markarth.

This place, a mortuary for the city's residents, was converted from a long, cold mountain tunnel and had long been managed by Verulus, a priest of Achae, the spirit of life and death. Late last year in the Dusk Moon, Verulus suddenly declared the Hall of the Dead haunted and subsequently closed it. Consequently, the deceased could not be buried, prompting many residents to protest.

Anton added that only Virulus held the keys to the two gates of the Hall of the Dead, but he rarely left the Stone Fortress. On New Year's Day, disgruntled citizens cornered him in a private room at the Silverblood Inn, beating him to a pulp. Since then, he hasn't been seen in public.

Agis reminded Anton that he didn't have the key to his house either, but he still had a pleasant conversation with him for nearly two hours.

The little cat girl returned to the street again. She decided to take a risk and rush to the Hall of the Dead as soon as possible while there was still a little time before dawn.

To her surprise, the infiltration went remarkably smoothly. Aigis could even sense that the number of patrols throughout the southern part of the city had decreased. Although she couldn't understand what had happened, she felt a sense of regret: if she had known this would happen, she should have taken this opportunity to explore the Xidana mines.

The temperature in the tunnel plummeted. Here, the resting place of the dead, a chilling air filled the air, draining the life force from all living things. The little cat could feel the air moving, but could hear no wind. Her feet, clad in Movarth's stealth-enchanted leather boots, made almost no sound as she walked. But now, the sound of her footsteps, accompanied by the thump of her own heartbeat, was audible.

The depths of the Hall of the Dead seemed like a pool of still, stagnant water, waiting for foolish prey to set foot in it. Aigis's green eyes widened, but he was horrified to find that he could not see through the darkness that seemed to be solid.

She was proud of the Khajiit's gift of night vision and never carried anything that could glow, believing it would only reveal her whereabouts. However, the Khajiit's ability to see in the dark was similar to that of a cat, both relying on adjusting their irises and dilating their pupils to capture the faint light in their environment.

This move is useless against pure darkness.

Aigis's mind told her to retreat, but her legs involuntarily moved forward. By the time the little catgirl realized what was happening, she was completely enveloped by the inky cold wind. Here, in front of her, behind her, and to her left, there was nothing. Only the cold stone beneath her feet could help her maintain her composure.

The cold wind ruffled her beard, teased her hair, and hummed a whimpering, unfocused tune. The ethereal female voice was faint, sometimes distant, sometimes near, sometimes hoarse, sometimes excited, like a pair of close friends whispering in a boudoir. Agis tried to fold his ears, but suddenly realized he had lost control of his muscles.

Without warning, the wind died down, and the icy air seemed frozen, suffocating. The woman's voice faded, and in the distant darkness, a few faint red lights flickered.

Agis shuddered. She wasn't sure if the fleeting red light was real or just an illusion caused by lack of oxygen. She regretted trusting Anton. The odious silversmith had assured her that the story of a haunting was just a pretext for Verulus to make money.

The little cat girl had seen the world. She had visited the lair of the vampire king Movarth and explored the ruins of the temple in the Kirkreath Mountains. How could she not know whether there were ghosts in Skyrim?

Unfortunately, not only was her entire body frozen and unable to move, she had lost her sense of direction. Even if she could escape, she had no idea which direction to go. All she could do was stand there, letting the playful wind brush against the fur on the tips of her ears.

"Funny little cat, you barged in like that, smelling the iron and flesh. Aren't you scared? Let me see... No, you're not my sister. You've never tasted... human flesh, have you?"

A hoarse voice suddenly sounded in his ears, and a cold hand brushed Aigis's cheek.

"In fact, your arrival disturbed us. I was having an in-depth discussion with a sister I hadn't seen for a long time about some disagreements. Perhaps we should pause for a moment and moisten our throats with your flesh and blood. What do you think, Sister Cindy?"

Two terrifying red lights pierced through the darkness and slowly floated to the little cat girl.

"I'm afraid I have to object to you again, dear Sister Iola. This kitten is my friend, and good friends don't eat good friends."

As soon as Cindy finished speaking, the power that bound Aigis suddenly disappeared, and the little cat girl's legs went weak and she fell to the ground.

It took her a while to figure out the relationship between the two.

Aigis had met Cindy in Mosar City before. After they had worked together to kill the Vampire King Movarth, the little cat girl helped her steal the fragment of Dagon's Razor from Jorgen. He also got the boots he was wearing at that time.

The two of them had some friendship, and Cindy saved Aigis' life at this critical moment.

Another woman, named Iola, was a native of the Reach. Her tribe, once supporters of the Maidenach, was purged after the Forsworn's defeat. At the time, Iola was still an infant, carried from place to place by the surviving tribesmen. During this time, they received assistance from the Sindi village and temporarily settled there.

The Reach Country has always been a diverse community, with ordinary people more concerned with what they'll have for their next meal than with concepts like race. Although the village chief is a Nord, he hasn't objected to the Reach Country refugees camping nearby. The two sides occasionally exchanged resources, even forming a couple.

Major events of the time, such as Ulfric's capture and Ygmund's restoration, had little impact on this small village nestled deep in the mountains. The Nords continued to farm and graze, and the Reachmen continued to fish and hunt. The young girl, Iola, often represented the tribe in trade, becoming familiar with the villagers. She loved to tease the children, especially the toddler Cindy.

Iola was nine years older than Cindy. She was gifted and beloved by her tribe. At the age of twelve, the tribe leader—also her aunt—invited a wizard named Idene to teach her the magic of the Reach. She learned by analogy, applying what she learned to other situations, and in just four years, she nearly surpassed her teacher's level.

During this time, Iola also learned about the traditions and beliefs of the Reach people from Teacher Idene, and learned about the great struggle that the people had launched more than ten years ago.

"Iola, my dear child, remember that we have not failed! We will not surrender until all the Reachmen are free! You can believe in this, just as you believe in your sword and magic. May you, like me, fight for victory in this battle!"

Teacher Idne once gave her a ring, saying that when he was young and had ambition, he should take this token to Markarth and seek refuge with a man named Nepos.

Iola had heard of this name from the clan leader. He was a capable general of the Raging King Mednach, renowned for his valor. He often led an elite force, assaulting the weakest points of the enemy's defenses like a bloodthirsty beast. In the decisive battle to recapture Markarth, it was Nepos who struck first.

People called him the Rich Tiger.

Speaking of which, her tribe had once cooperated with Nepos and achieved considerable success. But why did he live in a city controlled by the Nords? At the time, Iola didn't think about this question. She still thought her peaceful life would continue.

Unfortunately, there is no paradise in this world.

The Empire, succumbing to pressure from the Aldmeri, betrayed Ulfric and arrested him. The remnants of the leaderless Nord militia continued to roam the countryside, searching for the Forsworn. Cindy's small village and Iola's tribe were not spared and were massacred.

Thirteen years ago, nine-year-old Cindy escaped a robbery while herding sheep. She fled south, enduring starvation, kidnapping, and unspeakable humiliation and suffering before finally joining Rigel's bandit gang.

Iola's mother desperately tried to protect her daughter, but was stabbed through the chest by a longsword. The same weapon that had pierced her mother also pierced her daughter's left eye socket. But for some reason, the killer didn't finish the attack. When the girl regained consciousness, both settlements had been burned to the ground.

Iola put away the ring her teacher had given her. Her dignity and pride wouldn't allow her to beg for mercy like a stray dog. She wanted to lead her own team and join the Reach's struggle for freedom, not beg for handouts.

At first, she was forced to fight alone, lurking in the wild mountains for days, attacking isolated enemies alone. The harsh conditions meant she couldn't afford to waste anything that could provide nutrition and energy. As a native of the Reach, Iola wasn't averse to cannibalism, and gnawing on the bones of her enemies soothed her heart, constantly tormented by the flames of the Inferno.

Ten years flew by, and Iora had long since given up on the pleasure of devouring her own kind. She couldn't quite pinpoint when Namira entered her consciousness, or if the Lady of Decay had always been a part of her faith. She knew only that her ideal of revenge was fading, and her followers were growing, even including residents of Markarth. It was their casual conversations that finally awakened Iora from her daze.

She heard an almost forgotten name - Nepos.

They say he's no longer loyal to King Mednatch, but has joined the Silver Bloods in search of wealth and glory, and has apparently succeeded. No one remembers the Fierce Tiger of the Reach anymore, and now he has a hilarious new nickname: Big Nose.

Among those discussing these matters was a coquettish widow, rumored to be one of the mistresses of the head of the Silver Blood family. Iola quietly courted this woman, Lisbet, and obtained more detailed information from her.

Maintaining the prosperity of a prominent and powerful family is a demanding task. Those carrying out this task often require shrewd political skills and a means of relieving stress. Mr. Tonnar of the Silver Blood family was particularly drawn to beautiful women, especially married women. When her husband, Ganna, was still alive, Lisbet often nestled in her lover's arms, listening to him boast about how he had tamed his unruly prey.

Besides Lisbet himself, Tonar's proudest achievements were attributed to four other individuals: the orc siblings Murush and Urzoga, the Raging King Mednach, and the Reach Tiger Nepos. Of these four, he mentioned Nepos most often. They shared a common interest in collecting women. The difference was that the Silver Blood's leader preferred the thrill of secret affairs, while Nepos preferred the satisfaction of controlling them.

This old man was like a cunning and cruel frost spider, constantly spewing sticky threads of lies and perjury, weaving a web of deception. Those poor girls who accidentally fell into it could only helplessly allow its filthy claws to roam their bodies until its stinking jaws pierced their defenses and squeezed dry of their delicious juices.

Lisbett said with certainty that since her husband's death, Tonar had gradually lost interest in her and had even exchanged her for one of Nepos's lovers. It was said that the girl who was exchanged had been forced to commit herself to an old man in order to commute her father's sentence.

Iola squeezed the ring in her pocket fiercely. She couldn't believe that the hero who was once praised by everyone could fall to such a state.

It wasn't that she had any unrealistic fantasies about Nepos. It was normal for people to lose control when faced with the pressures of survival and the temptations of pleasure. Hadn't she lived a carefree life for ten years, bearing the wrath of her family and clan? Over three thousand six hundred days, who would believe she hadn't found even a single opportunity for revenge? She was in her thirties, so why lie to herself?

No matter how slick and materialistic a person is, he has his own unique obsession deep in his heart, like the reverse scale of a dragon, whoever touches it will be killed.

Iola's obsession is Teacher Idene.

The teacher would not make a mistake in choosing someone. Since Nepos is someone the teacher admires, he cannot be a pervert!

She decided to go to Markarth in person to meet this guy.