Chapter Nine-A Decision made

'Man this is going to be annoying' I sighed and even with my stellar mood I loathed this conversation I promised to participate in. 'Damn you past me, should've just taken the bullet for the team and got this over with last night, lazy bastard'

Deciding that was enough complaining I entered the tavern and looked around. Easily spotting the Dragoness sitting at a table in the corner, a book in her hand and a cup of 'tea' in front of her.

"That took you a while? Where did you get all that stuff? Looks pricey" she said as she put her book down and gave me a size up. Noticing my new backpack and the staff that was strapped to it. 

"Well if you must know, I acquired this after another chapter in what will one day be known as the Epic of Cilus. While you were here enjoying your tea I was out and about, completing quests and building my legend" I said as I bowed and showed off my staff. 

"A quest?" She asked curiously, obviously used to my theatrics at this point. 'Uncultured'

"Yeah it wasn't that cool, just helped the Riverwood trader with a thief problem. A Dunmer bandit stole the golden claw which turns out to be the key to Bleak Falls Barrow. So I was able to catch him with the help of the guards." I said as I took the seat across from her and ordered a glass of water. Obviously giving her a piece of information that'll help her in the future. 

"That does sound interesting, lucky you were there when you were." Tiberia replied as she took another sip of her tea. 

"Alright, so…. What's your plan to get to Whiterun alive." I asked with a smile as her hand holding the cup froze for a moment.

"Nothing concrete, it's a work in progress," she said as she turned her head away from me and slightly pouted. I still smirked as I pointed out the biggest flaw in her 'quest'. 'Stop doing these cute gestures woman! I won't fall for these tricks'

"I'll help you but there'll be conditions" I decided then that maybe we could make the journey. A lot of things that happened today made me change my mind. 

One, Alenor will be teaching me something useful during my stay here. 

Two, my spell repertoire doubled, and I'm not as scared knowing I can heal now.

Three, I can't deny how valuable having a literal King like Balgruuf and a Knight like Bors as contacts and maybe friends would be.

Four, two favors owed to me from the Dragonborn. 

"And what would these conditions be" she asked curiously as she leaned forward into the table. 

"I lead the cohort. You find another idiot to join us, preferably an archer to put some heat off me with being our only range option at the moment." I said as I let her think over what I'd said. I took small sips of water as I thought about the amazing mid-day nap I was going to take after this.

"That's fine... anything else?" She asked after debating for a minute. 

"You have to learn this and you obviously owe me another favor for this bullshit" I said with a smile as I placed the Oakflesh spell book on the table. 

"And this is?" She asked as she opened the book and…. started to read it. 'Why doesn't she just absorb it.'

"Uh, Oakflesh….. A novice Alteration spell that alters your skin to resemble that of an Oak tree, making your survivability a lot better with the defensive increase." I answered as she kept reading, after a few more pages the book disappeared into modes of light that entered her body. 

"I understand it….. It will surely be useful. How much do I owe you for this?" She asked as her arm took on a darker hue and began to resemble tree bark. 'So fucking cool, wish I would've used it myself…. I'm sure I'll be able to find another copy'

"Eighty-five septims, so we got a deal" I asked as I reached my hand and she grabbed it with a small smile. 

"And for the record, this is it. After I make it to Whiterun I'm heading north and joining the college. If you'd like you could talk to Ryker, I'm sure he wouldn't mind ditching the war and following you on your adventures, once he finishes his agreement with me of course" I said in complete honesty, she nodded in acceptance at that. 'I wouldn't mind joining her on her dragon-slaying quests if I wasn't so weak, one fire breath and that'd be it for me. Not even to mention that I have my own goals I'd like to strike for.'

"Why would you assume I'd continue doing quests?" She asked me curiously.

"I mean, you've got to build your legend somehow right?" I replied as I leaned back into the chair. 

"But speaking of idiots, where the hell's Ryker? Can't be still asleep can he?" I asked her curiously as I asked the barkeep for a bowl of soup and a few pieces of bread for lunch. 'Pretty nice knowing none of this is on my dime, Bors sure knows how to butter up people to do shit for him'

"Oh he left a little after you did, said he was going to ask the mill if they needed an extra hand for the day. He probably won't be back till late either, said something about bartering with the blacksmith over all the extra weapons he collected on the way here." Tiberia said offhandedly as she re-opened the book she was reading when I got here, 'Legend of Tiber Septim Vol.1'. 

"Any particular reason you're reading that Tiberia?" I asked her as my soup and bread slid onto the table. She lifted her silver eyes up for a moment before they returned to the pages. 

"The matron always told me I was named after him but all they'd tell me about him was that he was one of the greatest heroes in history. So, research. There obviously weren't many books where I came from" she said as she turned another page.

"Interesting…." I said as I just wanted to point out the irony of this whole situation. 

After quickly finishing my meal I decided to go back to my room and get that nap in. 

The only problem was it felt like ants were in my bed, I was so antsy and pent up to keep improving. Like an itch I couldn't scratch, it was honestly irritating. 

'I'm in fucking Tamriel, seems like a waste to sleep when I don't need to. I'd really rather explore but with the war going on it'd be foolish to go anywhere by myself…. This sucks' I sighed and gave up on sleep, Old man Aleron didn't say I couldn't come back early after all.

With the nap given up, I put my gear back on and headed out the tavern door again, it was only four in the afternoon after all, no reason to be bored for the rest of the day.

Hopefully, he teaches me something I've never seen before like that storage spell that has to belong to the alteration school. Like altering space to make a personal storage room for yourself wherever you go. No, that sounds too complicated. Something like that would be at least an adept-level spell in Alteration.

Realistically it was probably something enchanted Aleron owns, like the bag on my shoulders.

Of course, I have hundreds of spell ideas after my years of playing the games but I have yet to think of how practical they would be in a real-life Tamriel. 

Now don't get me wrong, a lot of them are knockoffs from anime and other shows but I've had some decent Ideas over the years. 

Like creating a restoration spell that shot out in a line that could heal an ally over a long distance, but that would also double as a literal wire made of light that could cut undead into pieces. 

Or a whole different field of Conjuration that took inspiration from the Naruto series and had a different kind of contract to summon a live animal to fight for you. Like imagine beating a Dragon and instead of killing him, you were able to talk him into entering this pact with you. 

A probably high-level spell in Alteration that would bend the air around you creating an actually fast flight.

An illusion so encompassing that it could completely alter somebody's view of the world. Like there being a bridge but really it's the edge of a cliff. 

Or something even more discreet like a sword being just a few inches shorter but that also goes towards another aspiration of mine. I've been toying with the Idea since I made it out of that cave in Helgen.

Create an entirely new branch of magic in this world, sword magic. A goal to work towards and something to give me a reason to push through all the craziness that is a medieval magic world. 

Life Quest

A magnum opus 

Objective: Create your very own branch of magic before you die. 

Rewards:???,???,???,???

'Even more of a reason to work hard huh….' Smiling, I easily accepted the quest.

'Though it's nice talking about when I've only cast two spells in my life. I don't even know why the spells I already know work, like I understand that my mana changes to cast it but I don't understand 'why' that works. I guess it's named a 'life quest' for a reason' Nerd rant over. I made it to the shop for the second time today. 

Though it seems he might be closed, given that his wooden blinds were down. Figured I might as well try the door since I've already come all this way. Luckily the door was unlocked so I just headed inside.

"Hi there mister Alenor" I said as I turned to the table he was at when I entered the last time. Surprisingly he was there reading a different book and having dinner with a beautiful Imperial woman. Straight silk-like black hair, black eyes dressed in a basic red sundress. 'Probably his daughter or some weird stuff is going on...…Well this is medieval times, can't judge too hard I guess'

"Well if it isn't Lucan's little hero?" The woman said as she was the first to notice me. Alenor had his back to me while sitting across from her. Though the way she smiled at me felt kinda... funky.

He turned back in slight surprise that I was back so early. He was eating a salad while the lady seemed to have finished her dinner already and was drinking red wine.

"Oh Cilus, back so soon? Just give me a few minutes to finish up my dinner. Feel free to look around the shop or grab a book and have a seat" He said as he turned back and continued eating his salad, though his 'friends' eyes didn't leave me for a second.

(Lvl 39) Viola Hassildor 'Member Of The ??? Order' 'Master Of Illusion'

'Jeez, lady is a monster, another master and the third highest leveled person I've met. Though her names seems vaguely familiar... Can't remember'

'Is this lady a groomer or something... weirdo' I thought a little creeped out as she was still staring me down. I strategically retreated towards the staff area to take a peek at some of Aleron's treasures.