Chapter 59 Oaths and Slaves in Blackreach

  Inside the stone building, a faint warmth lingered in the air unnatural for Blackreach. Soft amber light reflected off brass and stone, revealing a surprisingly complete living space. Shelves lined the walls, neatly arranged with dried alchemy ingredients sealed in glass vials. An enchanting table hummed faintly, its runes pulsing like a slow heartbeat. Beside it stood an alchemy station stained with old residue, several soul gems glowing dimly like trapped stars. A sturdy chest rested against the wall, untouched by time.

  And in the center of the room stood a large bed.

  Its thick blanket looked almost inviting until Alex carefully pulled it back.

  Beneath the fabric lay a skeletal corpse, bleached white, motionless, as if it had been waiting there for centuries.

  The air felt heavier.

  Alex straightened slowly and scanned the room again, his brows knitting together as his fingers brushed his chin in thought.

  “Hm…” he murmured. “It looks like whoever lived here wasn’t allowed to leave. If they did…”

  His gaze drifted back to the skeleton.

  “…they would die.”

  Astrid, however, was still upset.

  “Hmph.”

  She turned her face away sharply, crossing her arms under her chest. Her posture was rigid, ears angled backward in clear annoyance. The dim light caught the edge of her profile, but her eyes refused to meet Alex’s.

  Alex noticed immediately.

  He took a few quiet steps closer, careful, slow like approaching a wounded animal. His usual calm voice softened, losing its sharpness until it became almost tender.

  “Astrid…” he said gently. “My precious one. Hey…”

  No response.

  She stubbornly looked away, lips pressed together.

  Alex exhaled softly but didn’t retreat. Instead, he leaned closer, lowering himself slightly so his voice would reach her more intimately.

  “My sapphire… I’m sorry, my love. I was wrong.”

  At that, Astrid’s ears twitched just once.

  It was small, almost imperceptible, but Alex caught it. Still, she refused to turn around.

  Alex paused. His eyes shifted upward as a mischievous thought crossed his mind.

  (Hmm… what if I do this?)

  Without warning, he exaggeratedly stepped back then deliberately let himself fall to the stone floor.

  “AAAGH NO!”

  The sound echoed sharply through the room.

  Astrid spun around instantly, panic flashing across her face.

  “Hey! Are you okay?!”

  She rushed to his side, dropping to her knees without hesitation. Her hands moved quickly, checking his arms, his shoulders, his chest.

  “Hey nothing’s hurt, right?” she said anxiously. “You’re not injured anywhere, are you?!”

  And that was when Alex smiled.

  A warm, radiant smile one filled with relief, joy, affection, and something deeper. Seeing her like this made his chest tighten.

  Suddenly, he sat up and, in the echoing chamber, raised his voice with absolute conviction.

  “HEAR ME!”

  His voice thundered against stone and brass.

  “ANY SPIRITS OUT THERE! ANY BEINGS HIDING, UNSEEN OR EVEN EXISTING IN ANOTHER DIMENSION!”

  Astrid froze, staring at him in shock.

  “I, ALEX, SWEAR THIS OATH!”

  “I SWEAR I WILL MAKE HER HAPPY!”

  “I SWEAR I WILL PROTECT HER!”

  “I WILL FIGHT EVEN COSMIC-LEVEL BEINGS IF I MUST FOR ASTRID!”

  The glowing soul gems flickered faintly, as if reacting to his words.

  “HEAR ME! HEAR MY WORDS!”

  For a heartbeat, silence followed.

  Then Astrid burst into laughter.

  Bright, unrestrained, joyful laughter.

  She held her stomach as she laughed, all her anger completely washed away as she looked at Alex who now seemed utterly shameless and completely sincere.

  “Hey, you idiot!” she said between laughs. “Cosmic-level beings? You’re such a liar! Hahaha!”

  But her eyes were shining.

  Alex’s ridiculous oath had reached her heart.

  Inside, Alex was dead serious.

  (I’m truly lucky… unbelievably lucky. And grateful. I’ll keep this promise no matter what until my final breath.)

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  He gently reached out, cupping her face with both hands. His thumbs brushed her cheeks tenderly.

  “Why are you laughing, my love?” he asked softly. “I’m serious.”

  Astrid smiled a warm, genuine smile and gently pushed his hands away, though not before leaning into them just a little.

  “Alright, alright,” she said softly. “I forgive you.”

  Alex smiled back, relief spreading through his chest.

  “And thank you… for forgiving me.”

  As he stood up, Alex reflected quietly:

  (Women of ancient times truly feel different. Compared to the modern world, they’re like a dream. In this old-era Skyrim before all the feminism,vegan,and woman that don’t values themselves and chaos of modern values I feel truly blessed.)

  (I’ve found my dream woman.)

  He straightened fully, and as he did, the atmosphere between them changed.

  The cold of Blackreach seemed to fade.

  The room felt warmer.

  And for a brief moment, surrounded by ancient stone, glowing soul gems, and the echoes of forgotten lives, the world felt perfectly at peace.

  After that, they began to search the room more thoroughly. Alex moved methodically from shelf to shelf, his fingers brushing across glass vials and pouches, occasionally stopping to examine the texture or scent of an ingredient before carefully placing it into his system inventory. The faint clink of bottles echoed softly each time he shifted his inventory. Astrid, meanwhile, checked the chest and corners of the room, crouching low, she lifted items and shook out folded cloth.

  As they worked, Astrid’s gaze drifted back to the large bed.

  She slowed, her steps cautious, then stopped altogether.

  “Alex…” she said quietly, pointing. “Look. It’s a skeleton… and there are several Dwemer arrows lodged in its back.”

  Alex walked over and knelt beside the bed, resting one knee on the stone floor. He leaned in, carefully examining the remains without disturbing them, his eyes tracing the angle and depth of the arrows. One hand hovered just above the brittle bones, as if respecting the dead.

  “Hmm… yeah,” he said thoughtfully. “This doesn’t look like a ballista wound. He was shot at close to mid-range.”

  He tilted his head slightly.

  “And since the arrows are embedded in his back, it clearly wasn’t suicide.”

  Alex exhaled slowly, his brows furrowing.

  “This mystery is… quite puzzling.”

  His gaze shifted to the robe draped over the skeleton. He pinched the fabric between his fingers, lifting it carefully. The cloth shimmered faintly as he turned it, runes briefly glowing along the seams.

  “…Enchanting,” he muttered.

  A small spark of excitement lit his eyes as he recognized the magic.

  “Fortify Alchemy,” he said with certainty. “Hmm… he was an alchemist. You can tell just from the enchantment woven into this robe.”

  As Alex studied the garment, Astrid suddenly straightened, snapping her fingers softly as a memory surfaced.

  “Oh right,” she said. “I just remembered something.”

  She stepped closer, her tone growing animated.

  “Back in Riften, there was someone whose punches were insanely strong. Even with my Elven armor on, I felt the impact straight through my body.”

  She clenched her fist unconsciously, as if recalling the pain.

  “After he died, I checked his gear and realized his gloves were enchanted.”

  Astrid reached into her pack and held them out to Alex.

  “I want you to have them. They should be useful for you since you’re a mage and rarely use weapons.”

  The moment Alex saw the gloves, recognition hit him.

  His eyes widened, then sparkled brightly.

  “Ah those!” he laughed. “Fortify Unarmed!”

  He took the gloves with both hands, examining them like a priceless treasure.

  “Haha!! Astrid, I really, really love you.”

  He looked up at her, clearly thrilled.

  “This is a rare enchantment. And you’re absolutely right it’s perfect for a mage like me. It covers one of our biggest weaknesses: close-range combat.”

  Astrid felt heat rise to her cheeks. She turned her face slightly to the side, ears twitching in embarrassment, a shy smile forming on her lips.

  Alex didn’t waste any time.

  He moved to the enchanting table, laying out the robe and gloves carefully. The soft hum of the table grew louder as he focused, his hands moving with practiced precision. Runes flared, light spilling across the surface as the enchantments unraveled and imprinted themselves into his knowledge.

  First Fortify Alchemy: make potion are more stronger

  Then Fortify Unarmed: unarmed deal more damage

  The glow slowly faded as Alex straightened, exhaling in satisfaction.

  Enchanting 73 → 75

  He glanced back at Astrid with a pleased grin, the magic still faintly lingering in the air between them.

  After leaving the building, they pressed onward, their footsteps echoing softly as they moved deeper into Blackreach. The vast cavern stretched endlessly around them, its ceiling lost in darkness, broken only by towering Dwemer structures and clusters of bioluminescent fungi casting pale blue and green light. The air was cold and damp, carrying the faint metallic scent of ancient machinery mixed with earth and decay.

  As they advanced, the terrain opened into a wider expanse.

  That was when they saw it.

  Ahead of them stood a massive Dwemer structure part monument, part altar. Its design was unmistakably Dwemer: heavy brass frames, angular supports, and intricate mechanisms humming faintly with residual power. Suspended above the structure was a gigantic orange orb, glowing intensely, its light pulsing slowly like a living heart. Thick metal rings and arcane clamps surrounded it, as if the orb were being contained or imprisoned. Strange energy rippled across its surface, suggesting something powerful, perhaps dangerous, sealed within.

  Astrid slowed her pace, her ears lifting as her eyes fixed on the sight. She leaned slightly toward Alex, lowering her voice instinctively.

  “Hey, Alex… what do you think that place is?”

  Before Alex could answer, Astrid’s gaze shifted downward and her expression changed instantly.

  Chained near the base of the structure were several figures: Nords, Orcs, and Khajiit. Their clothes were torn, stained with dirt and sweat, hanging loosely from exhausted bodies. Heavy iron chains bound their wrists and ankles, rattling softly each time they moved. Each of them held a pickaxe, their motions slow and mechanical as they chipped away at the stone under silent watch.

  Nearby stood several Falmer.

  Unlike the prisoners, the Falmer were unchained, moving freely with hunched postures and twitching movements. Their pale forms blended with the shadows, their armor crude and mismatched. Some held weapons loosely, while others watched the slaves with empty, predatory stillness.

  Astrid’s hands clenched into fists.

  “Alex…” she whispered sharply, anger and urgency trembling in her voice. “Don’t tell me they’ve been turned into slaves?”

  She turned toward him, eyes burning.

  “Let’s save them!”

  Alex didn’t answer right away.

  He crouched slightly behind a broken Dwemer pillar, narrowing his eyes as he studied the scene. His gaze tracked the Falmer patrol routes, counted their numbers, and noted how close they stood to the chained prisoners.

  (In the game, those slaves usually attack alongside the Falmer. No dialogue. No choice.)

  (But this is the real.)

  (Maybe things are different here. Maybe they can be saved.)

  His jaw tightened.

  (It’s worth trying.)

  Alex straightened just enough to meet Astrid’s eyes and gave a firm nod.

  “Alright,” he said quietly. “But we need a plan.”

  He gestured subtly toward the Falmer with his chin.

  “This could be dangerous. If we’re careless, the Falmer might take the slaves hostage.”

  His voice dropped even lower.

  “We’ll have to eliminate all the Falmer quietly.”

  Astrid nodded in agreement, her expression hardening with resolve. She adjusted her grip on her weapon.

  The glow of the orange orb bathed them in flickering light as they prepared to move silence, tension, and determination hanging heavy in the ancient depths of Blackreach.