“Chaurus…” I grimaced openly at the sight of the underground insects—or rather, their nastier cousins with wings and thick chitin.
Fortunately, there was only one of them.
A scout, perhaps.
Or something similar.
It didn’t really matter.
The important part was that the stupid bug failed to dodge a perfectly ordinary fireball.
In the game it would’ve merely taken damage—possibly fatal damage—but in reality the creature let out an angry clicking shriek and immediately crashed to the ground.
The chitin had merely caught fire, while its wings had been burned away completely.
Walking over and finishing it off with a simple downward slash proved effortless.
Without its wings and pinned to the ground, it was no more dangerous than a turtle stuck on its back.
The flames had also burned away its sensitive antennae, leaving the creature completely blind and hopelessly clumsy.
…Suppressing an involuntary shiver, I carefully inspected the surroundings for any cracks or crevices.
Then I went back for the ewer and set it down beside the corpse…
before giving the dead bug another whack with my sword, just to be safe.
Nope.
Definitely dead.
“Phew…” I let out a relieved breath, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down my forehead.
Sparring with Vaisy was one thing—you knew she wasn’t going to kill or cripple you.
Facing your first real enemy was something else entirely.
Still…
Magic and swords for the win!
The tunnel gradually widened, and before long I came upon a broader chamber occupied by an entire brood of similar creatures.
Chaurus Hunters, I thought.
Freezing in place so the blind but sharp-eared monsters wouldn’t detect me, I slowly crouched down and began tracing a Fire Rune across the ground.
I could’ve charged straight in, but…
I wasn’t wearing knight-paladin armor, and there were three fully grown chaurus.
No sense taking that kind of risk.
“Hey, you winged sacks of chitin!” I shouted, drawing the creatures’ attention as soon as the spell was ready.
The oversized insects reacted instantly, charging straight at me.
I, meanwhile, spun on my heel and bolted back down the passage—not to escape the creatures themselves, but the explosion.
Which didn’t keep me waiting in the slightest.
The blast tore all three creatures apart in one go.
If I remembered Skyrim correctly, they were pretty formidable there, but…
in reality, they had far too many weaknesses.
I could’ve frozen their antennae and wings with ice magic alone.
As for fire…
well, the results spoke for themselves.
Still, this wasn’t the time to get complacent.
That would be asking for trouble.
Using the same method to finish off the chaurus writhing on the ground, I retrieved the ewer and headed west into another tunnel.
The path almost immediately opened into an even larger cavern, where several more flying creatures lurked.
Rather than overcomplicate things, I used the same Fire Rune trick again before continuing into the crevice where the waterfall flowed.
After freezing the stream just enough with a jet of ice so it wouldn’t get in my way, I climbed another path upward, rounded a bend, walked along yet another winding passage with the ewer in my hands, and…
suddenly realized I’d ended up back at the frozen waterfall.
Only this time, from this angle, I could make out a passage hidden behind it.
“I’m starting to remember why this quest annoyed the hell out of me…” I groaned miserably, stretching every magical sense I possessed in an attempt to detect the unique signature of the Shrine.
…I wandered around for another ten minutes, the ewer gradually beginning to feel heavy.
The only interesting thing I encountered along the way was a sleeping sabre cat.
Rather than getting clever, I greeted the predator with a Firebolt that burned straight through its skull, sparing me the trouble of getting anywhere near that oversized mouth.
Eventually the path led me into an enormous cavern filled with giant glowing mushrooms I remembered from the game.
Descending past yet another icy waterfall, I finally reached the first shrine—the Wayshrine of Illumination—beside which sat a knight-paladin clad in full white armor, his sword at the ready.
The moment he spotted me, he rose to his feet, sheathed his blade, and approached.
“There will be no lengthy speeches.
Welcome, Initiate.
My name is unimportant.
This…” He gestured toward the small structure, his tired, empty eyes fixed on me.
“…is the Wayshrine of Illumination.
The first of those you must pass.
Are you prepared to honor Auri-El with His mantra and fill your vessel with His enlightenment?”
“Of course.” I nodded with an appropriately solemn expression before bowing my head for several seconds.
Vaisy had told me that the Prelates who guarded the Wayshrines remained here for the rest of their lives, protecting them from the countless wild creatures that inhabited this place.
“Then behold Auri-El’s gift, my child,” the Falmer continued with the same solemn, almost reverent expression.
“May it light your path as you seek peace within the Inner Sanctum.”
I nodded silently and, without asking what made this first trial difficult in the first place, continued on my way.
After filling the now-heavier ewer with more water, I lowered myself onto both knees and began reciting the lengthy mantra under my breath, one I’d memorized to the point of absurdity.
As soon as I finished—having praised Auri-El for what felt like the hundredth time—I stepped through the dim, shimmering haze that had appeared before me.
Ghk…
The crushing weight of the surrounding mana drove me down onto one knee before I even had the chance to properly admire the magnificent view that unfolded before me.
Yeeah…
It looked like the most tedious quest in the game was going to be every bit as tedious in real life.
Because if every teleport did this to me, I’d be stuck here for at least half the day.
And…
the Forgotten Vale was a lot bigger in reality than it had ever looked on a screen.
About twenty times bigger.
This was going to be…
harder than I’d expected.
Still, whatever.
How did that song go again…?
Give me your word.
Give me your oath.
Cast all fear aside.
Let the hero’s call become the anthem upon your lips.
Prove that a hero’s blood still courses through your veins.
Step forth to meet your fate, your heart unburdened by fear