Power Corrupts: Clash of Giants (ch. 53) (Patreon)

"Are you heading down there alone?" Mjoll questioned as I was led to one of the many entrances to the underway. It looked like a sewer tunnel with a grate over it, one that had rusted away after years of being exposed to the sea. I glanced at her to find that she was frowning, not liking the idea of it.

I could only shrug in response, "They'll be less likely to fight if they just see one person. And saying that I'm here on familia business would mean less if I'm surrounded by people that aren't in my familia." I explained, and it was for that reason that I wouldn't be wearing my armor either. Well, not all of it. I had on a dark gray sweater thing and some thick trousers and boots, so I wasn't visibly armored or armed except for the Hestia Armor that covered my left arm.

"Yet," Aela corrected. I flashed her a grin and offered a small nod, accepting the correction.

"Yet," I agreed. "But, for now, it's best if I head in alone. Be careful-"

Farkas continued for me, "You don't trust Ulfric. We know. We'll be careful so you do the same, alright?" He said, thumping me on the shoulder. "From the sound of it, you're the one that keeps finding trouble wherever you go." That was also a very fair point that I couldn't really argue. Especially with Sheogorath's voice whispering in my ear about the role of the Hero that I had usurped from the Dragonborn.

I sighed, "Fine. Fine. I'll try to be careful," I said before turning to the entrance to the underway. "But I don't think it's going to do much good. See you all in a bit." I waved bye, hoping that I would be returning with the Jarl and Maven. Their eyes were on my back as I went deeper before I vanished around a corner.

With a thought, I summoned my map to get a feel for the tunnels and started walking. The tunnels were dark, pitch-black really, but with my sense stat, I was almost able to see. I could see shapes, though it was still too dark to see details. So, I was forced to rely on my map as I slowly mapped out the tunnels. Given that I entered from a different entrance than you did in the game, and the fact that there were several loading screens… I was more or less exploring blind.

But, at the same time, the Thieves Guild would end up finding me before I found them.

"What's the point of having this elaborate sewer?" I wondered aloud, hearing my voice echo back to me as I continued to walk. Sewers were important and all of that, but… actually, I don't even think these were sewers. The stench of waste didn't clog my nose, and while they weren't exactly clean, they also weren't set up to carry waste anywhere. It was like someone had just decided to build a labyrinth underneath Riften. Possibly the Thieves Guild, now that I thought about it.

Time passed by slowly as I walked. It felt eerily similar to exploring the Dungeon back in Danmachi, so time passed by much slower because I kept expecting monsters to start crawling out of the walls. And in a near pitch-black labyrinth, my instincts were screaming at me to get ready for a fight.

However, it was also because of them that I heard the barely audible hum of a bowstring followed by an arrow racing towards me. Instantly, I stepped out of the way, thinking it was too dark to attempt to catch it. I wasn't too worried about getting hurt, but if I missed, then I would look like an idiot. And that wasn't the impression I wanted to give. The arrow smacked into a wall behind me, sparking upon impact.

"I'm just here to talk," I said, speaking into the darkness, choosing not to comment on the arrow. "I'm Jericho, Captain of the Hestia familia-" I sidestepped another arrow and my eyes narrowed dangerously. "Shoot at me again and the arrow is going up your ass," I warned. It was becoming increasingly clear that diplomacy wasn't my forte.

There was a pause from down the tunnel that the arrows were coming from. According to my map, there was a room -- possibly a large one, though I couldn’t see enough of it to tell. After a few seconds, a voice spoke up. “Do you think you could do it a third time? Just to make sure that it wasn’t a fluke?” A male voice questioned, completely ignoring my threat but it wasn’t as annoying as it could have been because he sounded genuinely impressed. “I don’t miss shots often,” He offered as if that were an explanation.

… “Fine, take the shot, but can you at least take me to Nocturnal? This whole hostage situation is bit-” That asshole fired a shot at me mid-sentence, the arrow rushing towards me at high speeds. With the hum of the bowstring muted because I was speaking, my warning was delayed. I dodged the arrow, only to find a second one rushing towards my shoulder. I lashed out with a hand and batted it away, a deep frown on my lips. In response to that, I started walking forward. "You missed your shot. Now, take me to Nocturnal so we can sort this whole mess out."

Because I was listening for it, I heard the faint sound of a bow being drawn before I heard my answer. "Sorry, but Goddess Nocturnal isn’t taking any visitors at the moment. I can give her a message for you, but that's about it."

Right. Why did I ever think that this could be solved the easy way?

"Hm. Look, I don't want to kill any of you and I doubt that any of you want to be killed by me. So, just take me to your god and we can talk this out." I tried, knowing that it wouldn't be any use as I confidently strode forward. Why did it have to be this way? Why was everyone so determined to get killed by me? This was going to cause a real problem later on, I could feel it in my bones. "Last chance."

No. No, I'm not making a problem now that I'll just have to deal with later. The pile on my plate was as tall as a mountain and it weighed so much that the plate was about to give out from underneath it. I didn't need to start a feud with Nocturnal by killing her familia members, even if they were asking for it. I had to take them down alive, which was far more difficult compared to throwing a punch and reducing their head to bone shards and mist.

I was answered by two sets of arrows flying towards me. Holding up my left arm, I used Hestia Armor to protect my vitals as I tensed my muscles before launching towards the archer at the end of the tunnel. Two arrows bounced off my armor but one of them pierced my leg, and the flash of pain that I felt thoroughly caught me off guard because the arrow went in deep.

I hadn't reached a level of toughness that arrows just bounced off of me, but normal arrows shouldn't pierce my thigh damn near to the bone. Unless, of course, they weren't normal arrows.

My lips thinned as I surged forward, yanking the arrow out of my leg. I spared a glance at the tip. It looked like normal iron. But it could be enchanted. The archer had enough time to fire off another arrow that bounced off my armor, and my instincts were screaming at me something wasn't right. How deep the arrows pierced was one thing, but the speed was another. The tunnel was about fifty feet long -- he shouldn't have been able to fire off five fully powered shots in the split second that it took me to close the distance.

Unless he wasn't alone.

I cleared the tunnel, lunging for the figure at the end of it, but they seemed to melt into the darkness. Taking in a sharp sniff, I smelled wine and I shot towards the source. They were blind to my eyes, but my hand grabbed something solid. Slamming them against the wall, I was rewarded with a harsh grunt. "Found you," I told them, keeping hold of the cold leather that covered the slight man in my grip.

The sound of footsteps alerted me to the other enemy, and like the first, I couldn't see them. It was like they weren't there. An invisibility potion? I didn't have much time to think about it because I spun to fling the first enemy at the second. Now I smelled the scents of nature, giving me a bead on them.

But, as he flew away at a sedated pace that promised a painful landing, I didn't hear the sound of him hitting her. I caught a flash of movement before I dodged out of the way of a sword swipe… but it was too fast. Not as fast as me, but it was by far the fastest swing I had seen anyone alive do. The only speed I could compare it to was an Adventure’s back in Danmachi. The blade scraped off my armor and I realized I was holding back too much.

My sword appeared in my hand, bathing the intense darkness in light thanks to the fire that covered my sword. Before me, I saw a woman of average height, but I could only tell it was a woman based on the outline of the black leather she was wearing. I recognized it as the nightingale armor. Only her eyes could be seen, which were squinting to compensate for the fact that she was suddenly bathed in light.

I lashed out with my blade, cutting her simple steel one in half, but when I went to place it to her throat, she reacted. She dodged back while an arrow was fired at me from the side and this time I simply batted it aside, glancing at the slight man that I had been sure was out of the fight. The woman rolled to her feet, pulling a fork from her boot and pointing her glowing shorter short sword at me.

Those reflexes were beyond base human. It could be an enchantment, but given the only time I had seen a physical enchantment in action resulted in a guy breaking both of his arms.. But… it had to be an enchantment, right? Because otherwise, in the handful of weeks, the woman before me would have had to raise her Agility stat to D or C to move like that.

"Surprised?" She questioned, and I could hear the cocky grin on her voice. "I was too. Joining a familia really is something else."

Ah… shit. "Huh. So, I'm going to go on a limb here and guess that Nocturnal used the Skeleton Key to unlock your potential or something?" I guessed, making a show of resting my burning sword on my shoulder. It made more sense than someone pushing themselves to that height in three weeks. It wasn't possible without the aid of a skill like Realis Freeze.

The woman tensed, and I knew I was right. "Or, I had just leveled up." She tried to deflect. And that got a slow smile to spread across my lips.

"Anyone else would have believed that. But, unfortunately for you, I'm currently the only level 2 on the planet," I told her, striding forward. The archer fired off a shot, but I effortlessly deflected the arrows thanks to my expanded vision. Without the shadows to aid them, they couldn't vanish into thin air. "I'm trying to take you down alive, but I have to admit -- my fuse is burnt out, so either take me to Nocturnal, or I'm going to decide alive but missing an arm or a leg is good enough for me."

I could see the doubt in the woman's eyes, but she didn't back down. Letting out a sigh, I started walking forward, my expression settling into a blank mask. Why couldn't anything ever be simple?

Raising my sword up, I was stopped by a third voice. "That won't be necessary," A woman's voice said. Looking over as I lowered my sword, I saw it was another person dressed in the same armor as the first two, but as she stepped out of the dancing shadows I felt a familiar presence wash over me. The presence of a god.

She didn't wear a hood or a mask, revealing an oddly beautiful yet plain face -- her appearance was striking, which is probably the easiest way to describe it. Raven black hair, high cheekbones, a strong jawline -- all of it should have added up to a ten out of ten, yet, looking at her, I wouldn't have given her a second glance if it wasn't for the aura of godhood. "Do forgive my familia members. They were asked to hold this tunnel no matter who entered."

"Lady Nocturnal…" The woman groaned, lowering her own weapons. The guy lowered his own, but he still kept an arrow notched. However, I paid them no mind and focused solely on Nocturnal. She was short compared to me, but she was of average height with a slim build -- it was like her appearance was tailor-made to be average and forgettable. Which was probably the case.

"Sapphire, Niruin, are you injured?" Nocturnal questioned, her gaze never leaving mine. I didn't see a weapon on her, but that didn't mean anything.

The two shook their heads before Niruin offered a small shrug. "Nothing a health potion can't fix," He offered. Given that I had thrown him, he was probably sporting some bruising. Or not. I had passed the first stages of being a level 1 rather quickly. Not to mention when I was training, it was against a level 4 and 5, so I probably wasn't the best judge of what they were capable of.

Nocturnal nodded, "I see. Thank you for your restraint, Jericho. Hestia hadn't exaggerated about you in the slightest," She said, but with her blank tone, I couldn't tell if that was a compliment or an insult. One edge of her lips curled upwards into a slight smile, telling me that had been intentional.

But if Hestia was talking about me, then it was probably good things being said. "Thanks," I responded my tone even. "And I'm guessing you know exactly why I'm here."

Nocturnal tilted her head, "The motivation of humans has always been a mystery. Perhaps you are here for my Skeleton Key?" She wondered, and it materialized in her hand. If she had it, then Mercer Frey was dead and gone. She would be in complete control over the Thieves Guild, their luck restored, and then some based on the fact that they all wore nightingale armor, the special armor reserved for her chosen few.

"I'm here for the kidnapped Jarl," I said with a twinge of annoyance. It would be a lie to say that I wasn't interested in the Skeleton Key, but something like that would come with strings attached and I had enough on me already.

Nocturnal offered a smile, "But I have no kidnapped Jarl," She responded with a hint of amusement. My eyes narrowed into slits, and I really began to wonder if everything I did was going to end in violence. So far, that seemed like the case.

"Okay… do you mean that in the sense you lost her, you killed her, or she wasn't kidnapped?" I questioned, my grip tightening on my sword. It would be my first time fighting a teleporter. But, in this relatively enclosed space, with my reaction speeds and enhanced senses, I had a decent enough chance. But that was assuming that Nocturnal wasn't more proficient with it than Mercer was.

To that, her smile grew. "Oh, we very much kidnapped her. And Maven as well." She corrected, her gaze burning a hole right through me. Her presence seemed to grow heavier, the shadows darker, and the light from my sword grew a bit dimmer. Magic? It couldn't be a use of her Divine power, otherwise, Akatosh would have bounced her out of here.

"For your sakes, I'm really hoping there's a but coming," I warned. Because the other two options were that they lost her, or that they killed her.

There was an impossibly long second that passed, time-stretching because of the tension. Then Nocturnal nodded.

"But," She started, "Jarl Laila is now here of her own free will. Maven less so, but once you take her money from her, how important is she really?" Nocturnal questioned, earning a deep frown from me. What was with the bait and switch? Why would the Jarl want to stay?

"I'm going to need you to explain that one to me. A couple of days isn't long enough to explain Stockholm Syndrome," I told her, idly bouncing my sword on my shoulder as I waited for an explanation.

The response came from Sapphire behind me, "You're speaking to a god. Are you really trying to make demands?" She questioned, her tone scathing.

"Oh, I'll do more than just make demands," I said, my eyes never leaving Nocturnal. "The thing is, I'm getting really sick of you gods setting shit on fire so you can laugh at the flames. Orcs are burning through Skyrim, Falkreath just about collapsed, Markarth was almost wiped off the face of Mundus and now the Thieves Guild has taken over a city, taken the Jarl, and being cagey as shit with answers. I'm sick of it. Every step of the way, you gods have been an absolute fucking pain in my ass, and I'm done with all of you." I told Nocturnal, and it felt good to get that off my chest.

And, all of a sudden, it made a lot of sense why everything ended in violence around me, even when I was trying to avoid a fight. I wasn't much of a diplomat. I was just too honest for my own good.

"So, I'm demanding a straight answer -- what the fuck happened to the Jarl? Don't give me any convoluted bullshit or half-answers, or I swear to every god I meet, whenever one of you starts trying to set the world on fire, I'm just going to start swinging." I threatened and Sapphire made a choking sound behind me. I would follow through on that threat too. Aedra or Daedra alike -- the moment they gave me a reason to by pulling some shit like this, I was just going to start swinging and let Akatosh sort them out.

Maybe they would learn a little humility after getting cut in half.

Nocturnal blinked at my little tirade, and I think I actually caught her off guard. "I see my kind has quickly worn out our welcome for some," She remarked, "But I can't say that your anger is misplaced. Very well -- follow me and I shall take you to the Jarl. It will be simpler if she's here to explain." With that, she turned to start walking down the tunnel. I watched her back vanish into the darkness before I started to follow her.

All things considered, I was wary of a trap, but I was getting what I wanted. I just had to hope that it wasn’t bait. Nearly soundlessly, I heard the other two follow behind me, ready to strike. I was led down a winding path that was probably meant to get me lost, but thanks to my map function I knew the exact way out. We passed through open rooms perfect for ambushes, narrow chokepoints -- this place wasn’t a sewer at all. It was a battleground designed for ambushes.

Regardless of the reason why, after some time we arrived at a red door in the tunnels. There was a guard that snapped to attention, unaware that we all saw him slacking long before he saw us. With his face covered, I couldn’t tell who it was, but I guess it really didn’t matter. He watched me like a hawk as Nocturnal opened the door, greeting him with a small nod. Following her in, almost as soon as the door opened, I heard the sound of crying. Real crying. The kind of ugly sobbing that you only did when you were at the very end of your rope.

My heart plummeted and my mind jumped to the worst. I zeroed in on it, ignoring the cavern that had been turned into a bar underneath the city. There were a handful of people sprinkled about, but the source of it was a lone woman sitting at the bar, sobbing her heart out. Which was better than being locked up in a cage or something like I had expected. I hesitated to step forward, caught off guard, and Nocturnal let out a small sigh as she gestured to the sobbing woman, who could clearly be heard despite being about a hundred yards away.

The cavern would help, but the woman was sobbing like the entire world had just started ending. I mean, it kinda was, but that was neither here nor there.

“She won’t leave,” Nocturnal explained as we walked, and I realized that the sobbing woman was the Jarl. “To give our side of the story -- I decided to end the Thieves Guild association with the Black-Briar family, something that Maven did not take well. She went to the Jarl to sell us out, so we kidnapped her. I attempted to gain the Jarl’s favor by exposing just who Maven was…” Nocturnal trailed off as we approached the bar, and the pained gaze of the bartender watched us approach.

Huh. This was… both worse and better than I expected. I wasn’t going to have to fight an entire familia again, but… I looked at the sobbing woman, a drink in one hand while her other propped up her head as she leaned on the counter. She looked like a real mess. Like she spent however long she had been here in a drunken stupor.

This was a problem I was less confident on handling.

“Is… she okay?” I questioned, feeling like an idiot for asking that because she clearly wasn’t okay. And judging by the look that Nocturnal gave me, she also thought I was an idiot.

But she simply shook her head as we hung back. In the cavern there was a lake of water, though I couldn’t tell how deep. The bar remained on the far wall with a door that would lead us to the Thieves Guild HQ. The bar was without walls, just a handful of tables with a counter set up.

“She’s taking the betrayal of her friend rather harshly, as it would seem.” Nocturnal offered an explanation. Then, as if she sensed us, Jarl Laila Law-Giver looked up. She was a woman in her mid-forties with red hair that was starting to go gray and wrinkles gathering at the edge of her mouth and eyes. But, most noticeably, were her bloodshot eyes and splotchy skin from her crying.

Tear tracks lined her cheeks and her eyes were filled to the brim with defeat. “Nocturnal?” She questioned, blinking a few times. Based on the mugs in front of her, I’m guessing that she was also very drunk. Trying to drink herself to death? “Who… is that a giant behind you?” She muttered, blinking a couple of more times before squinting at me.

I stepped forward, suddenly feeling a lot more uncertain. If it came down to stabbing something then I wouldn’t have any trouble. Convincing her to put herself back together was a whole different beast. “My name is Jericho. I’m… here to rescue you, Jarl Laila…?” I tried, it was meant to be a statement but it came off as a question.

The Jarl scoffed, a wretched pathetic sound. “I’m no Jarl. Not anymore. How can I be?! My entire life… right under my nose was the worst scum. They called me Law Giver but I let criminals run my city. Maven… I thought she was the best that Riften had to offer… but she was no more than a murderous criminal… fiend! We grew up together! How can I have any right to call myself Jarl when…” She trailed off, more tears threatening to fall.

I looked at her and came to a very startling conclusion. Her mental breakdown wasn’t any of my business. She was upset, rightfully so, but… that wasn’t my problem. I was just here to bring her back to the surface. If she wanted to step down after, then that was fine. What came after in Riften just wasn’t my problem. It was a Stormcloak city, no matter who was in charge, so whoever became Jarl next would support the rebellion.

It would probably be one of her sons if she stepped down. And I would have just brought his mother home, so I probably didn’t have to worry about him kicking up a fuss at the moot. Not to mention that when rumors spread… honestly, I probably already cinched the Jarldom of Helgen. So, if she wanted to cry and wallow in self-pity then she was free to. I had better things to do with my time. Like saving the world.

“My city is better off in the hands of the Thieves Guild. Actual criminals. I… how can I compare to that of a god…?” Jarl Laila muttered, looking down in depression at her drink. I looked away from her to Nocturnal, who inclined her head to a table while she made a dismissive gesture to the two following me around like a second and third shadow.

Nocturnal took a seat at a table, but I was forced to stand. “Before you say anything, I have no interest in taking over Riften. Simply put, it’s not worth the trouble. It’s not in my nature to stand in the spotlight,” She informed, leaning back in her chair far enough that I spared a worry that she was about to tip over, but with the action she put herself in a position that she wasn’t forced to crane her head back to look up at me.

Okay. So, the Thieves Guild taking over the city was more something people were saying and thinking rather than hard fact. Though, one thing wasn’t adding up.

“Then why attack the Stormcloaks? This mess could have been avoided if you just handed them over,” I pointed out, earning a slow nod.

Nocturnal offered a small shrug, “As much of a mess that she is, Laila isn’t eager to die. If Ulfric thinks that she’s no use to him anymore, then she’s dead. And the Stormcloaks aren't ones for conversation." Right. I could see that. It was still annoying, but it wasn't like I didn't understand where they were coming from. I glanced over at the washed-up Jarl, feeling pity, but not much else.

"Ulfric isn't going to accept you in the city. God or not," I told her bluntly. "I can't say that I know him particularly well, but he doesn't strike me as the kind of person that would let himself be undermined." To that, Nocturnal cocked an eyebrow. I guess my distaste for the man must have shown. I hope it hadn't when I had actually met him.

"I would be a poor god if I let a mortal run me out of anywhere," Nocturnal pointed out. And the more I saw of the situation, the more I saw it was a clash of egos -- Ulfric on one side and Nocturnal on the other. She was refusing to leave because it would mean doing what Ulfric wanted. That was… so annoyingly petty, even if she was doing it to tweak the nose of a guy I didn't like. Mostly because I was dealing with the fallout.

This wasn't something I could brute force like I could with Markarth and Falkreath. I had to mediate. Me. There was absolutely no way that was going to end well.

"So, you won't leave because of Ulfric. And I doubt he would just let you go. In the end, if he shows he can push justice on a god then his ratings are going to go way up and he knows it," I thought aloud, trying to piece the puzzle together. As I saw it, there were three moving parts that I had to balance. In the end, Jarl Laila was just an excuse for a confrontation.

Nocturnal was digging her heels in because she was a god. She wanted nothing to do with seizing control of the city, or at the very least, she wanted to rule it from the shadows. A fact that made me leery of recommending that she go to Helgen. Hestia could handle Dibella, but Nocturnal with a full familia of superhuman thieves?

Then there was Ulfric, the one that was pushing for a conflict with a god. He wouldn't compromise and he wouldn't bend. It wasn't in his nature. He was after Nocturnal to slap her in chains. It was why he was here in person rather than just sending a diplomat or something.

Lastly, there was me. Or, rather, Hestia and Helgen. Helgen was expanding, Hestia was the god that set everything in motion and she was the Tenth Divine. Officially, Hestia was neutral but she was also the god building the most momentum out of all of them by virtue of not trying to set the world on fire. Whichever way she leaned would mean victory or defeat. At least, that was how people saw her. I was here in her name even if I was the one that ultimately made the decisions.

"Okay. How about this -- you and Ulfric meet to discuss terms. I'll make sure that the peace is kept between you. There, the two of you can either talk it out or decide to kill each other," I said, turning to look back at Nocturnal to find her frowning in thought. That way I could learn what they really wanted and I could utilize my talents best.

In the end… I wasn't a mediator. I wasn't a diplomat. I couldn't juggle big personalities like Nocturnal and Ulfric -- two factions dead set on colliding, each powerful in their own way. The problems I was best suited to solving were the kind I could take a swing at. It made me sound like a complete meathead but it was where my talents resided. And putting myself in a position as the force that kept the peace through the threat of violence was how to best leverage those talents.

It would also establish that I was neutral. On paper, at least.

"Hm. I might be more inclined to believe that if you hadn't just threatened to 'just start swinging' minutes earlier," Nocturnal pointed out. And that was very fair. So, I could only offer a shrug.

"I'm trying to save the world here, you know? So long as you don't make that difficult for me, then I don't have a problem with you. It's just been the case that pretty much every god I've come across has been giving it their best go of destroying the world before Alduin gets a shot at it," I said, and I heard a mug drop at that. Out of the corner of my eye, a man who had been not so subtly listening to our conversation had dropped his mug out of shock. "It's bad enough that Sheogorath has been the most helpful out of all of you."

Nocturnal blinked at that, "Really?" She questioned, frowning deeply at my nod. "Sheogorath?" She questioned just to be clear and when I nodded again, she shook her head softly. "That's shameful."

Her gaze roamed over me for a moment before her eyes settled on mine. She held it for a moment before she let out a tremendous sigh as she leaned forward. "Very well. We'll try it your way," She decided begrudgingly as she stood, sounding like she didn't put much stock in the idea. To be fair, it probably wouldn't work. But, at least then the cards would be on the table and from there, I could attempt to find a compromise.

If I couldn't then I would have to pick a side between them and there was an obvious choice in that regard.

Right when I was letting myself feel a bit optimistic about the whole situation, Laila started crying again.

So, this whole venture was doomed to failure.

…

This chapter fought me every step of the way. I don’t even know what the problem was -- I’ve been excited for these chapters for a while, but I just couldn’t put any words to paper. Usually I can knock out a thousand words in an hour when motivated, but I could barely manage a few sentences before I found myself hitting a wall.