Dragon Tribulation of All Realms

Chapter 16: Stendar's Vigilante

Wu Chen had to take back some of his words, that is, the Nords in this land were not really resistant to all magic.

And the magic they did not resist was even Wu Chen's own example.

Restoration system.

The Nords of Skyrim were not particularly resistant to this healing ability—the many priests of the temple still commanded some respect in this land. Among these followers of the Holy Spirit, one group possessed exceptional mobility.

These are the Vigilantes—the Vigilantes of Stendarr. They are followers of the god of justice and mercy. Clad in chain cloth robes, they bear torches and lanterns, and wield warhammers, crossbows, and divine light to banish all who are not native to Nirn. Werewolves, vampires, fiends, undead, and any life that attempts to summon them are their enemies. And they show no mercy.

Wuchen knew about them—they would soon face a severe blow in the story's main arc. The Valkihar, Skyrim's largest and most secretive vampire clan, had attacked them, destroying their main stronghold in the White Territory. Most of the Sentinels perished in the attack, but many remained active in Skyrim, fighting against any alien life that threatened mortals.

Alien life.

Visitors from other worlds are undoubtedly alien life forms that are even further away from the planet Nien than the annihilated demons.

Wu Chen pursed his lips silently. He wondered if this group of people's appearance here was due to some kind of revelation—and if they showed any hostility towards him...

"I am Tolan...a wizard." A bald middle-aged man who covered himself in a thick robe.

A familiar person.

One-way familiarity.

When the Valkihar bloodline annihilated the Guardian Hall stronghold, Vigilante Tolan was one of the survivors. He died in an ancient ruin cave excavated by vampires and had no real connection with the game's protagonist.

But he was a devoted vigilante. Dedicated, and professional.

"You don't have the aura of a demon. You're not a summoner." He glanced at Wu Chen twice, and his slightly tense body relaxed. Behind him, the other two sentinels who had accompanied him were no longer as vigilant as they had been at the beginning.

"Have you always been so rude?" Wu Chen glanced at them. Behind him, the caravan guards, whose combat effectiveness was not very strong, stood firm and united in the camp with their weapons in hand.

"I'm sorry." Tolland nodded slightly in apology. "We're hunting a summoner who's setting up a dark ritual. She's said to be lurking in this swamp. If you've seen any suspicious spellcasters, please let us know."

Wu Chen glanced at Lazard.

The latter immediately understood.

"We are a caravan from the south. We just emerged from the southern woods tonight. We have never seen any other wizards. We have not seen anything unusual."

The Sentinels looked at each other.

"I see," Tolland replied, his gaze shifting across the night sky toward the distant ridge. "We'll explore that ridge next. It might not be a smooth journey."

The sky was dark, the night heavy. The bright moon was growing dimmer, and it was obvious that the caravan could not move forward in the dark swamp.

"We may not return if we don't show up before dawn, before you leave. Please tell any Vigilante member in any city about us... In return, please accept this bottle of holy water."

He pulled a bottle of potion from his pocket and handed it to Wu Chen. The potion's seal seemed a little loose, and a little liquid leaked out, releasing a divine aura that cleared the mind.

Lazard tried to reach for the holy water—but he couldn't. Tolan stubbornly handed it to Wu Chen. The atmosphere became slightly tense, but such a minor detail wasn't worth worrying about.

"You think I'm a vampire?" Wu Chen reached out and took the bottle of holy water. He knew that holy water only worked on undead creatures. The sacred drops of water fell onto his fingertips without causing any movement.

He had studied physics, and knowing that smelling something was the same as touching something, and since smelling it was fine, touching it wouldn't be a problem either.

"Sorry." The Sentinels finally relaxed and bowed their heads to apologize. "We've been battling a powerful group of vampires lately. There have been some... casualties. We have to be extra careful."

"Perhaps you should organize a dedicated vampire-hunting unit." Wu Chen accepted his apology. "I heard there seem to be vampire hunters in the Rift Valley. Perhaps you could seek their help." A well-intentioned suggestion. The Dawnguard, a unit dedicated to hunting vampires, was located in the Rift Valley Territory. However, that would likely happen after the main storyline unfolded. While the Dawnguard was only a stronger underdog without the Dragonborn, if they had shown up earlier, perhaps they could have saved more Sentinels' lives.

Wu Chen still respected these sentinels—after all, they were genuinely hunting monsters and protecting civilians. As long as they didn't conflict with him, he was happy to offer some assistance.

"...Thank you for your advice, wizard." Tolan glanced at him, then clenched his hand into a fist and tapped his chest lightly.

"May Stendhal bless you."

They're gone.

They left decisively, rejecting Wu Chen's offer of help. They quickly vanished into the darkness. As they left, the tiger man breathed a sigh of relief.

"Lazard was really afraid of a fight between you two, my friend." Big Cat's face was filled with relief. "The Sentinels are good people. Lazard has received their help before. They just... don't like people who summon demons."

"I know." Wu Chen glanced at the silver-gray light still flowing on his body, representing the Iron Armor Technique.

It wasn't the Sentinels' fault for overreacting; he was the first to adopt a combat stance, acting unfriendly, fully armed and wearing a mask. He also knew the Sentinels' origins. After all, during the Oblivion Calamity two hundred years ago, the demons that spawned across the continent nearly destroyed human civilization. Since then, all summoners have become their targets.

He hesitated for half a second.

"Lazard, if I say we should evacuate this place immediately, how confident are you that you can cross the swamp at night?"

The tiger man looked embarrassed.

"Alright." Wu Chen lowered his eyes. He couldn't possibly run away alone for no reason.

So……

"Get ready." Wu Chen raised his head, looking in the direction the Sentinels were retreating. He didn't know how much this world would change because of his arrival, nor how much it had deviated from the original version he knew. But he felt that Tolan, who had managed to survive for a while after the entire Sentinel Hall was destroyed, shouldn't have died in this place.

There was a problem, but perhaps it wasn't a big one. Even if it was, I could only try to deal with it.

"This night may be longer than expected."

He returned to his tent and continued to meditate.

Outside the tents, Lazard commanded the entire convoy's escort, constructing fortifications and trenches around the camp. Everyone worked diligently, eagerly awaiting the dawn that was sure to arrive soon.

..............................

Wu Chen had made one mistake: the night wasn't long. He and the caravan members waited until dawn and encountered no danger.

However, they could not leave this place.

Because when day came, there was no sunlight in the sky - thick fog rose from the swamp and covered the entire land around the camp.

The Sentinels did not return.

And in the fog, a terrible sound was faintly heard.

It was the sound of thick, sturdy limbs colliding in the swamp, sliding through waves and mud, constantly approaching their prey. And the source of that sound could only be one in Skyrim.

"Giant Frost Spider!"

(End of this chapter)