Chapter 159 Stumble Into Becoming A Stealth Archer
With the enchanted ring Alex had given her, using Destruction spells became far easier and more effortless for Serana. She glanced down at the ring on her finger, and deep in her heart, she couldn't help but think, This is incredibly powerful.
Her eyes then shifted toward Alex, who was currently summoning a Bound Bow a spell from the school of Conjuration.
Alex prepared an arrow, but before firing, he turned toward Serana once more.
"Hey, are you ready?"
Serana, who had been absentmindedly staring at him, blinked and quickly snapped back to reality.
"Huh? Ah, yes. I'm ready."
Since their presence had not yet been discovered by the vampires, Alex decided to eliminate them silently with a sneak attack using his bow.
The cold air inside the cave felt heavy and tense. Faint torchlight flickered along the stone walls while distant vampire voices echoed deeper within the hideout. Alex slowly crouched behind a large rock formation, his movements calm and controlled as if he had done this countless times before.
Beside him, Serana quietly observed the glowing weapon forming within his hand.
Dark blue magical energy spiraled around Alex's arm before taking shape as a Bound Bow. The ethereal weapon hummed softly with magical power, its transparent purple strings glowing faintly in the darkness.
Serana's crimson eyes widened slightly with interest. A faint smile slowly appeared on her lips.
"Huh… so besides being skilled in magic, you're also good at archery," she whispered softly, careful not to raise her voice. Her gaze lingered on the magical bow in his hands before she added with a small amused smile, "And a Bound Bow too… hmm. I'm also skilled in Conjuration. My mother was the one who taught me."
Alex glanced at her for a moment before giving a small relaxed smile.
"Oh, really?" he replied quietly. "Well, at least your mother played a big part in helping you survive in Skyrim."
Serana's expression softened slightly after hearing that. For a brief moment, she looked away, seemingly caught between nostalgia and complicated memories.
Meanwhile, Alex slowly raised the Bound Bow again.
His expression immediately turned focused.
The surrounding noise seemed to fade away as his eyes locked onto one of the vampires patrolling in the distance. He pulled the glowing bowstring back in one smooth motion, the magical arrow instantly materializing between his fingers.
The energy surrounding the arrow crackled softly.
"And here we go…" Alex murmured under his breath.
He waited.
Patiently.
Carefully watching the vampire's movements.
The moment the target stopped moving
Thwip!
The magical arrow shot forward like a streak of purple light.
A split second later
The arrow pierced directly through the vampire's head with deadly precision.
The guard collapsed instantly without even having the chance to scream.
Because the Bound Bow was a Conjuration spell, both the bow and its arrows were formed entirely from magic itself. Every time Alex drew the string, another spectral arrow would appear endlessly in his grasp.
For a brief second, silence filled the cave.
Then chaos erupted.
"Enemy!!!"
Several vampires immediately panicked, their voices echoing throughout the cavern as they searched wildly for the attacker.
Yet despite the sudden commotion, Alex remained perfectly calm.
He did not panic.
His breathing stayed steady as he smoothly prepared another arrow, his sharp eyes quietly observing the confusion spreading among the vampires.
Meanwhile, Serana watched him in stunned silence.
At that moment, Alex looked far less like an ordinary mage and far more like a professional assassin or a veteran archer who had spent years hunting prey from the shadows.
Most amateurs would panic after firing a single shot, afraid their position had already been exposed.
But Alex was different.
There was no hesitation in his movements.
No fear.
Only patience, precision… and complete control.
The vampires were left confused, unable to understand what was happening.
Alex merely smiled, silently mocking them in his heart. Calmly, he drew another arrow and aimed toward a group of vampires who were busy discussing something among themselves. They were standing close together, their heads nearly aligned an easy target for him.
Without hesitation, Alex released the arrow.
Thwip!
The magical arrow pierced straight through both vampires' heads at once, passing cleanly through them.
Serana reflexively let out a soft whistle as she watched Alex's incredible accuracy with the bow.
"Do you practice archery often? You really are an expert."
Alex only smiled in response.
Well… this is also thanks to the Bound Bow, a Conjuration spell that summons a bow perfectly suited to its user's body. I didn't realize that improving Conjuration skill would also make whatever you summon far more effective. Bound Bow is one of those examples. The higher your skill becomes, the more perfectly the summoned weapon matches your body, allowing you to use its full potential.
Since the enemy could no longer see anything from above, the vampires began climbing down and cautiously approached the barrier while sneaking around to stay alert for any hidden enemies. Unknowingly, this also made it easier for Alex to eliminate them quietly one by one.
Serana carefully followed behind Alex, moving as silently as she could.
The two of them slowly made their way deeper into the area while staying hidden in the shadows. A moment later, a vampire walking accidentally crossed paths with them.
Without even a second of hesitation, Alex reacted instantly.
Thwip! Thwip!
One arrow struck the vampire's leg, and the next pierced straight through his head before he could even scream.
Serana stared at him in surprise.
"Oh my… you're incredibly agile."
Alex stopped for a moment and looked at her.
"Serana, I think I'll go in alone. It'll be easier for me to wipe them out that way. Just stay here and keep watch, alright?"
Serana sighed softly, knowing she did not really have another choice.
"Well, it's not like I'm an expert at stealth kills anyway. Fine, I'll guard this place."
After that, Alex and Serana separated. Serana remained near the entrance to keep watch while Alex quietly ventured deeper inside, hunting down the vampires lurking within.
Several minutes passed in silence as Serana waited near the entrance of the cave.
The faint sound of distant footsteps, muffled impacts, and occasional cries echoed from somewhere deeper inside before disappearing again into the darkness. The atmosphere felt strangely quiet afterward, almost unsettlingly so.
Serana leaned lightly against the cold stone wall with her arms crossed, though her attention was no longer focused on the surroundings.
Instead, her crimson eyes drifted toward the enchanted gold ring resting on her finger.
The ring glimmered softly under the dim torchlight.
She slowly lifted her hand closer to her face, turning the ring slightly as she examined the intricate enchantments carved into its surface. The magical energy flowing from it felt warm and stable.
A faint smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.
Her thumb gently brushed against the ring for a moment before she quietly lowered her hand again.
This thing really is powerful…
Without realizing it, her thoughts slowly wandered back toward Alex.
The way he fought…
The way he calmly handled dangerous situations…
And the strange feeling of safety she felt whenever he was nearby.
The corner of her lips curled upward slightly again.
Then suddenly
"SERANA!!! THE AREA IS CLEAR!!!"
Alex's voice suddenly echoed loudly from deeper within the cave.
"Ah !"
Serana immediately jolted in surprise, nearly straightening up too quickly as though she had just been caught daydreaming.
"H-Huh?! Ah um, yes!!!"
A faint trace of embarrassment crossed her face before she quickly composed herself and hurried toward his voice.
Her boots echoed softly against the stone floor as she moved deeper into the cave.
But the moment she arrived
She froze briefly.
Bodies were scattered everywhere across the cavern.
Some vampires lay slumped against the walls with magical arrows piercing directly through their heads. Others had collapsed onto the ground with precise stab wounds across their throats or hearts, their expressions frozen in shock as if they had died before even realizing what had happened.
Not a single battle looked messy.
Every kill was clean.
Efficient.
Silent.
Serana's eyes slowly moved across the carnage before finally landing on Alex.
He stood calmly among the bodies, casually holding his dagger while faint traces of magical energy still flickered around his Bound Bow. His expression remained relaxed, almost as though wiping out an entire group of vampires had been nothing more than routine work for him.
Serana stared at him for a few seconds in complete disbelief.
Then she let out a quiet whistle under her breath.
"…Wow."
There was genuine admiration in her voice now.
It turned out Alex was not only talented in magic.
He was also frighteningly skilled as an assassin.
Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly as she continued observing him.
Alex… you're honestly unbelievable.
You fight like someone who has spent years surviving in the shadows.
And somehow…
That only made her even more curious about him.
Alex… you're truly talented. Are you the kind of man who is born only once every thousand years? Not only are you skilled in magic, but also in assassination… hmm. I wonder if you're talented with swords and axes as well. Well… I might find out if I continue traveling with you.
Serana looked at Alex and said,
"Do you always hide your abilities? I thought you were only skilled in magic, but apparently not."
Alex simply replied,
"Ah, not really."
Then, remembering one of the famous Skyrim memes all Skyrim players eventually become stealth archers he suddenly smirked to himself.
"Ah… that's probably why this feels kind of fun."
Before long, Alex had completely wiped out all the vampires inside the cave. However, the magical barrier was still active, surrounding the person trapped within it.
Serana turned her attention toward the figure inside the barrier and narrowed her eyes slightly as she recognized the clothing.
"Yes… I think he's a Moth Priest, judging by the way he's dressed."
Meanwhile, Alex had already found the key needed to deactivate the barrier an item called the Weystone Focus. He inserted it into the barrier's mechanism, and the moment it activated, the magical barrier instantly vanished.
Alex then handed Serana a bloodstained letter that had belonged to one of the vampires.
"Here, take a look at this."
He passed the letter to her.
"It seems your father has already begun making his move."
The contents of the letter read:
The prophesied time has come. I have reclaimed one of my lost Elder Scrolls, and now I must have a Moth Priest to read it. For the one who brings me a Moth Priest, I promise a high place in my court and the gift of my potent blood. Go forth and find me a Moth Priest. This is my command.
- Lord Harkon
Serana let out a long sigh.
"Haah… yup, that definitely sounds like my father. He's completely obsessed with that prophecy."
After that, she approached the unconscious Moth Priest now that the barrier had disappeared.
But the moment Alex and Serana got close
The Moth Priest suddenly opened his eyes and lunged at them.
Alex and Serana were both startled.
"What the ?!"
The Moth Priest attacked wildly and without reason, as though he had completely lost his mind.
Alex reacted immediately, using Telekinesis to restrain him in midair.
"Hey, wait! We're friends, not enemies! Why are you attacking us?!"
But the Moth Priest said nothing. It was as if he was being controlled by someone else.
Then Alex suddenly remembered something.
Without hesitation, he slammed the Moth Priest hard against the ground not enough to kill him, but enough to break whatever influence had taken hold of his mind.
A moment later, the Moth Priest finally regained his senses.
"Stop! I yield! I yield!"
Alex released his Telekinesis at once.
The Moth Priest gasped heavily for air before speaking again.
"That… that wasn't me you were fighting. I could see through my own eyes, but I could not control my actions. Thank you for breaking that foul vampire's hold over me. I owe you a debt for this timely rescue."
Main Level: 48 → 50
Perk Points: 5 → 7
Health: 230Stamina: 270Mana: 250 → 270
Sneak: 40 → 45
Archery: 18 → 29