Chapter 53 Dwemer Ruin
They stepped into the Dwemer structure, and the cold struck them immediately sharp, heavy, and suffocating. The interior walls were buried beneath thick layers of ancient ice, frozen solid as if time itself had stopped moving here. Frost crawled over brass plates and stone pillars alike, dulling the once-polished Dwemer metal until it looked lifeless and gray. Every breath they took spilled out as pale mist, drifting slowly before vanishing into the gloom.
Alex clenched his jaw and lifted one hand. With a low crackle of magicka, flames bloomed in his palm, their orange light trembling against the frozen walls. The warmth radiated outward, pushing back the cold just enough to keep their fingers from going numb. Shadows danced wildly along the corridors as the firelight reflected off the ice, stretching and twisting like living things.
They moved deeper into the ruin, their footsteps echoing softly clink… clink against the metal floor. Somewhere in the distance, water dripped steadily, each drop ringing out with an eerie, hollow sound. The silence pressed down on them, thick and uncomfortable.
After several tense moments, Astrid broke it.
"Hey, Alex…" Her voice was quieter than usual, careful, as if she feared disturbing something unseen. She glanced over her shoulder, then back at the dark corridor ahead. Her hand rested close to her weapon. "What did you mean earlier? Do you really think something is still alive in a place this… dead?"
Alex slowed his pace. His expression sharpened, the casual calm in his eyes fading as he scanned the walls and ceiling. His gaze abruptly fixed on an oddly shaped mechanical fixture half-buried in ice too symmetrical, too deliberate to be part of the wall.
"Stay back," he muttered.
Before Astrid could react, Alex flicked his wrist and released a spell.
CLANG !
The sound rang through the hall like a struck bell. Instantly, the wall ahead shuddered. With a violent thunk, hidden mechanisms snapped open, and several metal spears shot forward, slicing through the air where they would have walked just moments later. The spears slammed into the opposite wall, quivering as frost shook loose and fell like snow.
Astrid sucked in a sharp breath, her heart pounding.
"Yeah," Alex said, lowering his hand as if this were nothing unusual. "Even ruins abandoned for centuries are still lethal. Dwemer traps don't decay." His eyes narrowed. "And that's not all."
As the trap completed its cycle, the walls groaned softly. Panels slid open with mechanical precision, revealing hidden trapdoors. From within, three Dwemer spider constructs dropped to the floor with heavy metallic thuds.
Their jointed legs unfolded with harsh scraping sounds as glowing lenses ignited within their heads. The spiders turned toward them in perfect unison cold, calculating, hostile.
"Yup," Alex sighed, rolling his shoulder. "Just as expected."
Astrid instinctively stepped back, her muscles tensing.
Alex raised his hand once more. The air itself seemed to tighten.
"Chain Lightning."
A violent crack of thunder exploded from his palm. Blue-white arcs of electricity lashed outward, leaping from one spider to the next in rapid succession. Their metal bodies convulsed violently, sparks bursting from their joints. Gears screamed, mechanisms seized, and one by one the constructs collapsed, crashing lifelessly against the frozen floor as the smell of burnt metal filled the air.
Within seconds, silence returned.
"This place is guarded by automatons," Alex said, stepping forward without hesitation.
He knelt beside the wreckage, prying open scorched plating and rummaging through the remains. He pulled out twisted metal components and finally, a small soul gem glowing faintly from within, already filled.
Astrid stared at the fallen constructs, her earlier composure completely gone. Her shoulders were tense, and her gaze darted from wall to wall, as if expecting more enemies to emerge at any moment. When she moved, her steps were slow and deliberate, every footfall chosen carefully.
"O-oh… o-okay, Alex," she said, forcing a shaky breath. "I-I'll… leave the front to you."
Alex straightened and glanced back at her. Seeing her unease, he smiled easy, confident, reassuring.
"Haha, yeah," he said lightly. "Just leave it to me."
The flames in his hand burned a little brighter as they continued forward, their light cutting through the frozen darkness of the Dwemer ruin.
They pressed deeper into the Dwemer ruin, and with every step forward, the environment grew more hostile as if the structure itself resisted their presence. The corridors narrowed and widened unpredictably, the metal floors layered with frost and ancient grime. Faint clicks echoed beneath their boots, and both of them learned quickly to pause after every step, listening for the slightest mechanical response.
Pressure plates lay hidden beneath thin sheets of ice. Alex would raise a clenched fist without a word, halting Astrid mid-step, then crouch down to scrape frost away with careful fingers. A quiet click would follow
and a moment later, dart launchers snapped open from the walls, firing razor-sharp bolts that screamed past where they would have been standing.
Rotating blades descended from the ceiling with grinding shrieks, spinning so fast the air itself seemed to howl. Alex timed their movements perfectly, dragging Astrid backward just as the blades slammed down, sparks bursting where metal met metal before retracting once more into the ceiling.
They didn't get far before the Dwemer constructs returned.
Small spider golems skittered out from hidden vents, their legs clattering wildly as they surged forward in swarms. Then came the spherical machines smooth metal orbs that rolled toward them silently before splitting apart mid-motion. Plates unfolded with sharp, snapping sounds, limbs extending, torsos locking into place. In seconds, each orb transformed into a fully armed automaton warrior, blades sliding into their hands with a cold metallic hiss. Some raised crossbows, gears whirring as bolts were loaded with mechanical efficiency.
Alex moved without hesitation.
A flick of his wrist disarmed traps before they could finish activating. A burst of flame melted frozen mechanisms, while lightning ripped through advancing constructs, frying their cores in blinding flashes. His casting was controlled, efficient each spell released with purpose, each movement precise. Sparks and shattered metal littered the floor in his wake.
Astrid stayed close, her eyes tracking every shadow, her grip tightening whenever a new threat revealed itself. She ducked and shifted instinctively at Alex's silent signals, narrowly avoiding bolts that slammed into the walls behind her.
One by one, the automatons fell metal bodies collapsing with heavy crashes that echoed endlessly through the corridors.
After each fight, Alex knelt among the wreckage, steam rising from scorched plating as the cold air met the lingering heat of battle. He pried open twisted frames and shattered casings, the sound of tearing metal echoing sharply. Occasionally, he uncovered gemstones embedded deep within their cores, still faintly warm but far more often, his fingers closed around soul gems, their inner glow pulsing softly like captured heartbeats.
"Hm…" Alex murmured, holding one up to the flickering light. His brows furrowed as he turned it slowly between his fingers, watching the soul-light shift within. "So soul gems are what power these things." His gaze drifted to the fallen automatons scattered across the floor. "I wonder how the Dwemer managed to create something like this."
The lingering scent of ozone and burnt metal filled the air as the last sparks faded.
Destruction increased: 64 → 66
""Huff… huff…" Astrid bent forward slightly, one gauntleted hand resting on her knee as her breath came out in heavy clouds of mist. The jagged edges of her Daedric armor rose and fell with each breath, its dark surface rimed with frost and splattered with faint scorch marks from battle. "Alex… we need to rest, don't we?" she said between breaths. "Ever since we got here, we haven't stopped once. I'm exhausted."
Alex slowed and turned to look at her. For a moment, his gaze lingered not just on the imposing armor, but on the way her shoulders sagged beneath its weight, how tightly she was forcing herself to keep standing.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Want me to carry you?" he asked lightly, tilting his head. "Hmm?"
Astrid froze mid-breath. The mist around her face seemed to pause as well. Then, slowly, color flooded her cheeks, visible even beneath the shadow of her helmet.
"Y-you idiot!" she snapped, straightening up despite her fatigue. "That's not what I meant! I'm saying we should take a break!"
Alex laughed, the sound warm and teasing as it echoed softly down the frozen corridor.
"Aww," he said, placing a hand over his chest in mock hurt. "Do you really hate me that much? Are you that disgusted by the idea of me carrying you?"
She scoffed, crossing her armored arms with a sharp clank of metal.
"Oh yeah?" she shot back. "And how exactly are you planning to do that? You can barely lift yourself properly, and you think you can carry me while I'm wearing full Daedric armor?"
The words hit their mark.
Alex's smile vanished replaced by a dangerous glint of pride in his eyes.
"…Oh," he muttered, rolling his shoulders. "You're asking for it."
Before Astrid could react or even protest properly Alex stepped in close. He slipped his hands beneath her legs, his grip firm and sudden, and lifted.
"H-hey Alex waaah?!"
The world tilted as Astrid was swept off the ground, her armor giving a sharp metallic clatter as she instinctively grabbed onto his shoulder. In the blink of an eye, she found herself cradled in his arms, held like a princess despite the dark, brutal weight of her armor.
Alex stood tall, his posture confident, jaw set. His body was well-built, muscles defined beneath his armor but no amount of strength alone could have lifted Astrid like this. Invisible currents of Telekinesis wrapped around her, humming faintly with magicka.
He looked down at her with a smug grin, eyes sparkling with triumph.
"So?" he asked. "How's that, princess?"
Astrid stared at him, stunned then narrowed her eyes, fighting a smile.
Meanwhile, Alex's mana began to plummet.
250 → 190 → 140 → 80 → 20
At first, he made it look effortless. But then his breathing hitched. His shoulders trembled. The confident calm on his face cracked as strain crept in. His jaw clenched hard, and his face flushed red as the weight pressed down on him all at once.
The spell collapsed.
" Ah !"
Alex lost his balance and fell backward, the cold metal floor rushing up beneath him. Astrid landed squarely on top of him, her armored weight pinning him down with a solid thud.
Silence followed.
Then
"Pfft hahaha!" Astrid burst out laughing, her voice bright and unrestrained. She braced herself on his chest, shaking with amusement. "My handsome little man really tried his best just to cheer me up."
Alex groaned, covering his face with one hand, mortified.
"Ggh… damn it…"
Astrid's laughter softened. She reached up, gently brushing her fingers through his hair, then traced them down to his wrist and tugged his hand away from his face.
"Hey," she said softly, her tone suddenly warm. "Strong man."
She leaned closer, her armored frame surprisingly gentle as she met his eyes.
"I was really impressed by your effort, you know."
Before he could respond, she bent down and pressed a tender kiss to his lips slow, reassuring, and full of affection. The cold air around them seemed to fade for just a moment.
Astrid rose and offered him her hand.
Alex took it, still flustered, and let her pull him to his feet.
"Just wait," he said stubbornly, though his voice carried more determination than pride now. "Once I enchant my armor, I'll be able to carry you like a feather for as long as I live."
Astrid smiled, her expression softening completely. She reached up and cupped his cheek, her thumb brushing away a smear of dirt.
"Aww… alright, my love," she said fondly. "Whatever you say." Her eyes sparkled. "I'll be looking forward to that future."
Alex held her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it gently. The flickering firelight reflected off her Daedric armor as the warmth between them pushed back the frozen gloom of the Dwemer ruin, leaving the space around them quiet, intimate, and alive once more.
They moved on once more, their footsteps echoing faintly through the metallic corridor until Alex slowed to a sudden halt.
The air ahead felt wrong.
Shapes shifted in the darkness beyond the reach of their light. As they drew closer, grotesque figures emerged from the shadows skin pale and lifeless like packed snow, stretched tight over warped frames. Their elongated ears jutted back sharply, and their faces were twisted into expressions that no longer resembled anything human or elven. Clouded eyes reflected the faint glow of magicka with a dull, predatory hunger.
Astrid's breath caught. Instinctively, she stepped closer and gripped Alex's shoulder, her gauntlet scraping softly against his armor.
"Alex…" she whispered, her voice tight. "What are those?"
Alex turned his head just enough to glance back at her, his expression grim.
"Falmer," he replied quietly. "They were once Snow Elves." His eyes returned to the figures ahead. "They've gone mad. They attack anything that doesn't look like them."
The Falmer let out harsh, broken screeches, their claws scraping against the floor as they began to advance.
Astrid drew in a deep breath, her stance widening. Power surged through her chest and into her voice.
"FUS RO DAH!"
The Thu'um exploded outward like a physical wall. The air itself roared as invisible force slammed into the Falmer, hurling them backward. Their bodies crashed violently into the stone and metal walls, bones cracking as frost and debris rained down. Several lay stunned, twitching but none were dead.
Before they could recover, Alex was already moving.
Lightning flared in his palm, the light painting the corridor in harsh blue-white flashes.
"Chain Lightning."
Thunder cracked. Bolts of electricity tore through the air, striking the nearest Falmer and leaping instantly to the next, then the next each impact accompanied by a wet, sizzling sound. The creatures convulsed violently, their bodies jerking as the lightning ripped through them. The echoes of thunder rolled down the hall long after the final bolt struck.
When the light faded, scorched bodies lay scattered across the floor, smoke curling upward in thin trails. The stench of ozone and burnt flesh lingered heavily in the air.
"Well," Alex said, lowering his hand as the last sparks died out, "that was easy enough."
He turned slightly toward Astrid, his tone shifting from casual to serious.
"As long as I use this spell, numbers won't be a problem. But you need to stay either behind me or right beside me." He met her eyes. "If you get too close to enemies you be hit by my magic, you'll get struck too."
Astrid nodded firmly, adjusting her grip on her weapon.
"Okay," she said without hesitation. "Just give me a signal before you use it so I can move away."
Alex gave a short nod.
"Deal."
After pressing onward for some time, they finally found a chamber that felt… quiet in the right way. The air was still, untouched by recent movement. No mechanical hum. No distant screeches. Only the faint crackle of ice shifting against metal.
They checked every corner carefully Alex scanning for traps, Astrid standing guard until they were certain the area was safe.
At the center of the chamber stood an old Dwemer fireplace and a rusted cooking station, long unused and choked with frost. Alex glanced at it once, then shook his head.
"Not trusting that."
With a thought, he opened his inventory system. A compact, well-maintained portable stove materialized in front of them with a soft flash of light. He set it down and ignited it, the steady flame casting a warm glow across the room.
As heat slowly filled the chamber, the oppressive cold of the ruin receded. Shadows softened. The tension in Astrid's shoulders finally eased as she sat down, resting her armored back against the wall.
For the first time since entering the Dwemer ruin, they were able to breathe truly breathe.
And in the quiet warmth of the fire, they finally rested in peace.
Status
Main Level: 32
Perk Points: 3
Health: 200
Stamina: 160
Mana: 250
Destruction: 64 → 66