A Soul-sucking Tapeworm flew rapidly through the air, merging into Turiano's body. Its mouthparts had firmly latched onto his soul and were vigorously drawing it out. The strange sensation in the gap between his mind and body made the Nord man feel a surge of weakness. He forcefully threw his axe, killing a necromancer apprentice. In his peripheral vision, an ice spike flew in, piercing his iron armor and embedding itself in his internal organs.
In the intense pain, his soul was forced into a narrow tube.
This was the esophagus of the Soul-sucking Tapeworm, and also the treasure of the Lord of Truth—the Corridor of Sentient Beings.
A gust of wind blew from the depths of the passage.
Turiano closed his eyes.
...
Whiterun, The Bannered Mare.
Few entertainment venues in all of Skyrim could rival this tavern. However, spending money here was quite a test of one's finances. Those with shallow pockets could go to The Drunken Huntsman; although it was a step down, the atmosphere was good and it was an adventurer's paradise.
Turiano patted his backside and stood up from the stool. The proprietress pursed her lips, but he pretended not to see her and swaggered towards the door. He had only drunk three bottles, far from being drunk, but if he really got drunk, he wouldn't have the strength to escape!
"Don't run! You haven't paid yet!" The proprietress pulled a spiked mace from under the counter and pointed it at Turiano.
The conqueror of free meals began to sprint.
The tavern door opened, and a group of off-duty Guards poured in. Turiano's expression didn't change; he merely slowed his sprint to a jog and even flashed a confident smile at the Guards.
"Catch him! The bill-dodging thief!"
Turiano was tackled and thrown to the ground. He felt as if his spine had shattered into breadcrumbs.
"Hehehe! Nord brothers, why make things difficult for each other? I'll pay for how much this friend drank!" A Wood Elf sitting in the corner stood up, shaking the pewter tankard in his hand, his face full of drunken smiles. Everyone relaxed the moment they saw him because this guy was a trustworthy good friend. Everyone greeted him, calling him Andy the Great Drunkard.
Turiano stood up sheepishly. After the commotion, he went to thank Andy.
"No need to thank me, as long as you play a game with me."
"What game?"
"Drinking!"
"Just what I had in mind!"
The two drank cup after cup. The proprietress continuously placed bottles on the table and constantly collected the empty ones.
In just one hour, the empty bottles they had drunk could fill a wall in Dragonsreach.
Hey!
Heroes in drink, valiant in their cups!
Everyone applauded, cheering for this unparalleled battle of drunkards.
Turiano drank eighty bottles. For the first twenty, his face was flushed red. For the next twenty, his face turned greenish. For another twenty, his face became pale. For the final twenty, his face turned a purplish red, and he collapsed in a daze!
And Andy? Aha! He was truly a god of wine descended to earth. One hundred bottles of high-proof mead went into his stomach as if into a Bottomless Cave. His throat gurgled, a sight that made one's blood boil. Such an immense drinking capacity, like swallowing rivers and seas, left everyone in awe. What was even more incredible was that this guy's complexion didn't even change. He drank faster and faster, finally sticking four or five bottles into his mouth and chugging them, not a single drop spilled!
"The game isn't over, my friend!" Andy helped up the thoroughly drunk Turiano and led him out. Everyone lined the way, cheering him off. The moment the door opened, the boisterous sound almost lifted the cobblestones from the street!
No one knew where Andy took his game, like a mystery, like a terrifying illusion.
Seven days later, Turiano woke up.
He lay on a wooden plank bed, smelling the faint scent of straw, the odor of tanned wolf fur, the smoke of candles, and the aroma of oatmeal, and also...
"Awake? Come have breakfast, child." Dinaya Balu pushed open the door and waved to him. Turiano quickly sat up.
"Where am I?"
"You are in Mara's earthly realm, my child."
"Hmm? Can you be more specific?"
"The Rift."
"Huh?" Turiano was dumbfounded, "What? The Rift?"
"Yes, last night a boorish man ran in, making a big fuss about marrying a girl, and ended up falling asleep hugging a long bench."
Turiano showed his signature goofy smile, "Hahahahaha! That's hilarious, wait, are you talking about me?"
"Who else?"
Turiano's body trembled, feeling his glorious Nord image crumble, especially in front of his Dark Elf friend. "Are you sure it was me? And not some other Nord? You know we Nords all look pretty similar hahahaha... ha, ha... uh..."
Under the strange gazes of Mara's priests, Turiano downed three large bowls of oatmeal and ate five golden-brown baked butter-filled breads. Finally, holding his stomach, he leaned back in his chair and sighed comfortably.
"Respected Priest, what exactly did I say last night?"
"You kept shouting a girl's name, was it Gaelina?" Dinaya confirmed with her companions, and the priests all nodded.
A young man who had come to pray exclaimed to Turiano, "Oh! Great Lover, you're still here!"
"???"
"Last night you scattered money in the market, inviting every passerby to a wedding. Oh, the date is set for one month from now. Aren't you going to bring the girl here?"
"..." Turiano felt the inner pocket of his leather armor—it seemed there was only a slip of paper, not even half a copper coin. Of course, this didn't mean he had lost money, but rather that this pocket was usually empty. So how exactly did his coin-tossing act from yesterday happen?
"Uh, did I say where to pick up that girl yesterday?"
"Of course, to Solitude! You're to learn the most romantic love songs at the Bards College to sing to the girl, and then she'll be completely devoted to you."
Turiano scratched his head, pulled out the slip of paper from his pocket, and unfolded it. It read, "My friend is having a lot of fun. When you've resolved your current troubles, I'll come find you again to give you your game reward—Andy."
He put the note away, bid farewell to everyone, and hurried out the door.
"Hey! Stop! That's him! He stole my money!" An Imperial merchant shouted, and a group of Guards rushed towards Turiano.
He took off running, so fast that he burst out of the city gates, leaving the shouts of his pursuers far behind. He rushed into the stables, mounted a good horse, and began to flee.
Arrows whizzed past his ears. Turiano felt like he was going crazy.
He had to find that Andy! He was the real culprit!
Turiano never expected that this run would last a week. After dispatching a provocative Orc along the way, he found five gold coins, sixteen silver coins, about twenty copper coins, and an Orcish greatsword. What good luck! He found himself somewhat stronger, though he didn't know why.
In any case, he was now back in Whiterun. The bounties in the various holds of Skyrim were not interconnected. Although he had a hundred-gold bounty in The Rift, he could walk around freely in Whiterun Hold.
First, to The Bannered Mare, he wanted to know who that Andy really was!
"What? None of you know him? Not even me? The one who was drinking the other day!"
No one remembered him, and no one had ever seen Andy the Drunkard. Turiano was beyond furious. He was convinced that these guys were conspiring to trick him. Now, his only clue was Solitude. He had to go to Solitude and sooner or later, ferret out that damned scoundrel!
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