Chapter 102 Arrogant Nord
The thick fog rolled in like a living thing, swallowing the world whole and tearing Alex away from Astrid in an instant. One second her silhouette was just a few steps ahead of him golden hair faintly visible through the pale haze and the next she was gone, devoured by the suffocating white.
"Astrid?" he called out, his voice sounding strangely muffled, as if the fog itself absorbed the sound.
No response.
"Since when?" Alex muttered under his breath, his brows knitting tightly as he squinted into the endless white. He rubbed his eyes and looked again, as if expecting the mist to clear. "As far as I remember, in the game the fog was never this dense. You could still see shapes… outlines… something. But this?" His jaw tightened. "This is completely different… what's going on?"
The air felt heavier with every breath. Cold moisture clung to his skin, dampening his hair and clothes. Even the ground beneath his boots seemed uncertain, as though the world itself had turned unstable.
He slowly turned his head to the right.
Nothing.
Then to the left.
Still nothing.
The surroundings only grew murkier, the mist thickening like layers of wet wool wrapping around him. Trees, rocks, even the faint outline of the path they had been following all erased. It was as if he had been dropped into an empty void.
A chill crept down his spine.
"What else is going to surprise me, Alduin?" he muttered bitterly, clenching his fists. "Is this your doing too?"
The silence that followed felt deliberate. Oppressive.
Alex swallowed and forced himself to move. Standing still wouldn't help.
Step.
Step.
He began walking forward slowly, arms slightly extended in front of him as if he could part the fog with his hands. Each footfall was cautious, measured. His boots scraped softly against gravel and dirt, the only sound accompanying his breathing.
"I have to find Astrid…" he whispered, more to steady himself than anything else. "She's strong, but this place… this isn't normal."
He tried to retrace their last direction, but without landmarks, without the sun or even shadows to guide him, he was walking blind. The world felt disoriented up and down blending into the same pale nothingness.
A faint draft brushed against his face.
Strange.
The ground beneath his next step felt slightly hollow but he was too focused on peering into the fog ahead to notice.
"One step at a time…" he murmured.
His boot moved forward again
and found nothing.
For a split second, there was no resistance beneath his foot. No ground. No stone.
Just empty air.
His stomach dropped before the rest of his body did.
"Shit!!!"
Just as his foot stepped into empty air and his body began to tilt forward, a sudden force slammed into him from behind.
A strong arm wrapped tightly around his torso the grip was firm unyielding. Before gravity could claim him, he was violently yanked backward.
" Huh?!"
The world spun. His heart leapt into his throat as he was dragged away from the void. A split second later, he hit the ground hard on his back.
"Ugh !"
The impact knocked the air out of his lungs. For a brief moment, he could only stare upward into the swirling white fog above, chest heaving as he struggled to breathe.
Pebbles skittered over the cliff's edge where his foot had nearly taken its final step.
"Whoa, careful there, friend," a woman's voice said casually from behind him, tinged with amusement.
Alex blinked, still processing how close he'd been to death. Slowly, he propped himself up on his elbows and turned his head.
Through the mist stood a woman tall and confident.
Her hair blazed like living fire, a vivid crimson that seemed almost unreal against the pale fog. It fell in wild waves around her shoulders, strands shifting gently with the cold wind. Her eyes sharp and piercing glowed with a molten golden hue, studying him with both calculation and faint mockery.
A black rose tattoo curled elegantly along the side of her neck, its dark petals stark against her fair skin. She wore fitted light armor that accentuated her athletic frame, the leather and metal plates hugging her form without restricting movement. Two swords crossed behind her back, their hilts visible over her shoulders well-maintained and clearly used.
She looked entirely at ease.
Alex swallowed, then let out a shaky breath, pushing himself into a seated position. He glanced toward the edge of the cliff the abyss below completely hidden by fog and felt his stomach churn.
"Th-thank you for saving me," he said, running a hand through his hair, still trying to steady his breathing. He gave a weak, breathless laugh. "If I'd taken one more step, I really would've fallen… whew…"
He wiped his palms against his clothes, only now realizing they were slightly trembling.
The woman raised an eyebrow at his reaction, then stepped closer. Without hesitation, she extended her hand toward him her movements confident, almost commanding.
For a moment, Alex hesitated, staring at her hand.
Then he reached out and grabbed it.
Her grip was strong far stronger than he expected. With a single smooth pull, she hauled him to his feet as if he weighed nothing. He stumbled slightly upon standing, boots scraping against the rocky ground before he regained his balance.
She didn't let go immediately.
Their eyes met for a brief second gold meeting dark before she finally released his hand.
Up close, her presence felt intense. Not just because she had saved him, but because she carried herself like someone who knew exactly how capable she was.
And wasn't shy about it.
The woman crossed her arms over her chest, one hip shifting slightly as she studied him from head to toe. Her golden eyes narrowed not hostile, but assessing.
"Why are you here instead of hiding?" she asked, tilting her head faintly. A loose strand of crimson hair fell across her cheek as the fog curled around her silhouette. "Haven't you heard the news?"
Her tone suggested that anyone with common sense would have run the other way.
Alex let out a slow breath and began brushing the dirt off his clothes. He dusted off his shoulders, then his chest, then patted down his sides as if reassuring himself he was still intact. Small pebbles fell from his boots as he lightly stomped one foot against the ground.
"I got separated from my friend," he replied, still straightening his collar. His voice was calmer now, though his eyes remained alert. "Have you seen a woman with golden hair and blue eyes?"
He paused for a second, then added firmly, "Oh, right she's the Dragonborn. Have you seen her?"
The reaction was immediate.
The woman's posture stiffened. Her arms slowly uncrossed. Her golden eyes widened ever so slightly, the sharp confidence in them replaced by genuine surprise.
"The Dragonborn, you say?" she repeated, her voice lowering as if testing the weight of the word. "Are you joking?"
One of her brows arched, but there was tension in her expression now anticipation.
Alex met her gaze directly, his expression turning serious. The earlier sarcasm vanished.
"I'm not joking," he said evenly. His jaw tightened. "Have you seen her?"
For a brief moment, silence hung between them. The fog swirled lazily around their legs, and the distant wind howled faintly through the unseen cliffs.
Then something shifted in her eyes.
A spark.
Hope.
Her lips parted slightly as realization dawned on her. The tension in her shoulders transformed into barely contained excitement.
Suddenly, she stepped forward and grabbed Alex by both shoulders.
Her grip was firm almost shaking him.
"This is good news!" she exclaimed, her voice bursting with energy. A wide grin spread across her face as she laughed. "Hahaha!"
Alex blinked rapidly, caught off guard by the sudden shift in her mood. His body swayed slightly under her enthusiastic grip.
"W-Wait " he said, raising his hands halfway as if unsure whether to pry her off or let her continue. "What do you mean?"
She seemed to realize how tightly she was holding him and abruptly let go. She straightened up at once, clearing her throat with exaggerated composure.
"Ahem."
She brushed imaginary dust from her armor, regaining her dignified posture as if nothing embarrassing had just happened. Then, with a smooth motion, she extended her hand toward him once more this time formally.
"But first," she said, chin lifting slightly, voice steady and proud, "allow me to introduce myself."
Her golden eyes locked onto his.
"My name is Emma the Harbinger of the Frozen End."
She spoke the title with clear emphasis, as though expecting it to carry weight.
Alex stared at her outstretched hand for a moment. His gaze briefly flickered to her face, then back to her hand. The title sounded grand dramatic, even but he had absolutely no idea what it meant.
Still, he shrugged inwardly and reached out.
"Nice to meet you," he said casually, shaking her hand with an easy grip. "I'm Alex."
Unlike her introduction, his was simple almost painfully ordinary.
Emma didn't release his hand immediately.
Instead, she tilted her head slightly, her golden eyes narrowing as she studied his face more carefully lingering as if trying to detect a lie. Then, slowly, she pulled her hand back.
A faint scoff escaped her lips.
"Hmph."
Her expression shifted into something between confusion and mild disdain. One eyebrow arched higher than the other, and her gaze swept over him again his clothes, his posture, the way he stood so casually despite mentioning the Dragonborn.
"I've never heard the name Alex before," she said, folding her arms across her chest. The metal plates of her light armor gave a soft clink as she shifted her weight to one leg. "And you claim to be friends with the Dragonborn?"
There was a subtle edge in her voice skepticism wrapped in pride.
Alex caught the tone immediately.
His eyes twitched slightly.
"Hah," he replied, letting out a short, dry laugh. He slid his hands into his pockets, leaning back just a little as if unimpressed. "I've never heard the name Emma either."
His lips curled into a faint, teasing smile, though his eyes carried a trace of irritation.
(Seriously? Did I just meet an arrogant Nord or what? She acts like her name should shake the world. I'd better not get involved with her any longer.)
He rolled his shoulders once, as if shrugging off the entire interaction.
"Well then," he said casually, turning his body slightly away from her, "if you don't know anything about the woman I'm looking for, I'll be going now."
Without waiting for her reply, he took a step forward into the fog.
But before he could take a second step
A firm hand clamped down on his shoulder.
He stopped.
Emma had stepped close again, her grip strong and unyielding.
"Hey," she said sharply, leaning slightly toward him. "Why are you in such a hurry?"
Her golden eyes locked onto his, more serious now.
"It's dangerous out here, you know." She gestured with her chin toward the barely visible cliff edge behind them. "You almost fell into a ravine earlier. If I hadn't been there "
Her fingers tightened slightly on his shoulder for emphasis.
" you could've been badly injured."
Alex closed his eyes for a brief moment.
"Haaah…"
The sigh left him long and exaggerated, his shoulders rising and falling dramatically.
(What is wrong with this woman? First she doubts me, then she grabs me like I'm a reckless child…)
He gently but firmly lifted her hand off his shoulder and turned to face her again.
"Yes," he said, forcing a polite smile. "Thank you for saving me. I appreciate it."
His smile then shifted into something more playful borderline cocky.
"But even if I had fallen," he added with a small shrug and a soft chuckle, "I'm sure I would've been fine. Hehe."
He rubbed the back of his head casually, as though the idea of falling into a ravine was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
Emma's eye twitched.
Emma's eye twitched harder this time.
Her golden gaze sharpened, and she planted one hand on her hip while pointing at him with the other.
"Oh really?" she said, her voice rising with clear irritation. She stepped closer, boots scraping against the gravel. "You'd be fine?"
She leaned forward slightly, her red hair swaying with the movement, eyes blazing.
"Your organs would be spilling out all over the rocks below," she continued sharply, gesturing dramatically downward toward the unseen ravine, "and you'd still be lying there saying, 'Yeah, I'm fine.'"
She straightened and crossed her arms tightly over her chest, armor creaking faintly.
"Don't act tough."
Alex's eyebrow twitched in return.
Annoyance flashed across his face. He dropped his casual smile completely and squared his shoulders.
"Besides," he shot back, his tone now edged with sarcasm, "I don't want to stick around with some Nord woman who only relies on her fancy title and pretty face "
He made a vague circling motion around her with his hand, as if presenting her dramatically.
" and brags about it like she's the center of the world."
The words hit.
Emma froze for half a second.
Then
Her face flushed bright red.
"You!!!" she snapped, her voice echoing slightly in the fog. Her fists clenched at her sides. "Do you even know who I am?!"
Her golden eyes burned with wounded pride and fury, and for a moment it felt like the temperature around them had risen despite the cold mist.
Alex blinked at her outburst then shrugged lazily.
He even exaggerated it, lifting both shoulders high before letting them drop with theatrical indifference.
"Nope," he said flatly.
He pointed at himself with his thumb. "I just got here."
Then he spread his hands outward in an almost mocking display.
"And even in Nirn, I've never heard your name." His lips curved into a teasing grin. "Yet you're so proudly boasting about it hehehe."
He even added a light, taunting chuckle under his breath.
Emma's expression darkened.
Without waiting for her response, Alex turned around again, waving one hand dismissively over his shoulder.
"Well then, I'll "
He didn't finish.
A hand suddenly clamped down on his shoulder harder than before.
His body jerked slightly from the force.
"Oh really?" Emma's voice came from behind him, no longer irritated now cold. "You think you'd survive that ravine?"
Her grip tightened painfully, fingers digging into his clothing.
"Then try surviving it."
Before Alex could react, she twisted her body sharply and shoved him with surprising strength.
The world tilted violently.
"Wha ?!"
His feet lost traction. Gravel scattered beneath his boots as his body was propelled forward.
And then
There was nothing beneath him.
The ground vanished.
Fog swallowed him whole as he tumbled backward into the abyss.
"YOU CRAZY WOMAN!!!!" Alex screamed, arms flailing wildly as he fell. "JUST YOU WAIT!!!!"
His voice echoed faintly through the mist as his figure disappeared into the endless white below.
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