Chapter 151 When Power Chooses Restraint
The three of them eventually left by flying through the air with Alex's telekinesis.
"Woohoo! This is even better than I imagined!"
Alex's delighted shout rang through the open sky as he launched himself forward with reckless joy. The wind rushed against his face, whipping his hair back and tugging at the edges of his clothes, but he only laughed louder. His body moved through the air with surprising smoothness, dipping, rising, and turning as if gravity had become nothing more than a polite suggestion.
He stretched both arms outward for a moment, gliding like a bird, then twisted his body slightly and curved through the air with a wide, carefree grin.
For Alex, it felt like freedom itself.
However, Astrid and Serana looked completely different.
The two women floated behind him, suspended safely by the invisible force of his telekinesis. Their feet dangled slightly above the ground far below, and though Alex's control was steady, neither of them seemed to enjoy the experience as much as he did.
Serana remained mostly composed, though her eyes occasionally narrowed whenever Alex made a sudden turn.
Astrid, on the other hand, looked openly displeased.
Her cheeks puffed out slightly as she frowned, her arms crossed tightly beneath her chest. Her long hair fluttered wildly in the rushing wind, and the hem of her clothes shifted with every movement of the air. She glanced down once, then immediately looked away, her jaw tightening as she forced herself not to show too much discomfort.
Then her gaze moved back to Alex.
Seeing him flying freely, laughing and turning wherever he pleased, only made her irritation grow.
"Ugh…" Astrid muttered, her brows furrowing deeply. "If I knew this was what flying would actually feel like, I would've rather walked."
Alex caught her complaint and turned his head over his shoulder. Even while flying, he still wore a bright, almost teasing grin.
"Ah, come on, my love," he said, slowing down just enough to face her. "Didn't you say you wanted to fly? And look you're flying right now."
Astrid slowly rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed by his logic.
"Yes, but I'm not flying freely," she replied, her voice filled with frustration. She shifted slightly within the invisible hold of his magic, but her body only moved as far as Alex allowed. "I'm only flying because of your telekinesis. I can't move around wherever I want like you can."
Alex chuckled, his shoulders shaking slightly with amusement. He looked far too entertained by her reaction.
"Well, technically, I'm the one controlling it," he said with a playful shrug. "So if you want to fly freely, you should learn how to use telekinesis too, my dear."
Astrid's eyebrow twitched.
She slowly turned her head toward him, her eyes narrowing into a sharp glare. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and the annoyed look on her face made it very clear that she was not amused.
"Ugh, you annoying man," she grumbled. "You know very well I'm not good at magic."
Meanwhile, Serana remained silent, simply watching the two of them with a calm, unreadable expression.
Her body floated steadily in the air, held in place by Alex's invisible telekinetic force. Unlike Astrid, she did not complain or show much discomfort. Her posture remained graceful, her arms resting loosely at her sides, and her long dark hair drifted gently in the wind behind her.
Deep inside, however, her thoughts were anything but calm.
(Even with his telekinesis, Alex doesn't need to fully focus just to lift both of us…)
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she observed Alex moving through the air with effortless freedom. He turned, glided, and adjusted his position as naturally as someone walking on solid ground.
(And on top of that, he can still fly freely while maintaining the telekinesis spell at the same time.)
Serana's gaze sharpened. A faint crease appeared between her brows.
(His magic is already in the realm of the superior… no, perhaps even higher than that.)
For someone who had lived long enough to witness many powerful mages, the sight was difficult to dismiss. Alex was not merely using magic. He was multitasking with it, controlling multiple bodies, maintaining stability in midair, and moving himself freely without showing the slightest sign of strain.
A moment later, Alex finally noticed that Serana had been unusually quiet.
He tilted his head slightly, then flew a little closer to her. His expression still carried the excitement of someone enjoying the sky for the first time, but now there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
"Hey, Serana," he called out. "Why are you so quiet? Aren't you excited to fly too?"
Serana slowly shifted her gaze toward him. Her face remained composed, almost indifferent. Then she crossed her arms lightly beneath her chest, her cloak fluttering behind her in the cold wind.
"I'm already used to it," she replied calmly.
Alex blinked.
Serana's lips curved into a faint, confident smile.
"After all, I can actually transform into a bat if I want to."
The moment those words left her mouth, Alex's eyes lit up.
His expression changed instantly from casual curiosity to genuine fascination. He leaned forward slightly in the air, as if he had just heard something impossible.
"Wait…" he said, his voice rising with interest. "You can turn into a bat?"
Inside his mind, Alex was genuinely surprised.
(As far as I know, vampires in Skyrim can't transform into bats… Hm? Wait a second. Back then, when one of the vampires disappeared into the crowd… did he turn into a bat to escape from me?)
His eyes widened slightly as realization struck him.
(Aaah… so that's how it was.)
Alex then looked at Serana with clear interest, his curiosity now fully awakened.
"Hey, try it. I want to see how you turn into a bat."
Serana stared at him for a moment, her expression calm but faintly amused. The corner of her lips lifted slightly, as if she found his excitement somewhat childish.
"You really are curious about everything, aren't you?"
Alex nodded without hesitation, his eyes practically shining.
"Of course. This is completely new to me."
Serana let out a soft sigh, though there was no real annoyance in it. Then she raised one hand and snapped her fingers.
The sound was small, almost delicate
But the effect was immediate.
A swirl of black smoke burst silently around her body, wrapping around her like a cloak of living shadow. The dark mist curled upward, twisting through the air as if it had a will of its own. For a brief moment, Serana's pale figure blurred behind the smoke. Her silhouette wavered, then rapidly began to shrink.
Her long hair vanished into the darkness. Her cloak folded inward like melting shadow. Her body became smaller and smaller until
A tiny bat emerged from the last trace of black smoke.
Its small wings fluttered lightly, keeping it steady in midair. The little bat hovered in front of them with a surprisingly graceful rhythm, its red eyes gleaming faintly in the night air.
Alex stared at her in stunned silence for a second.
Then, a wide grin spread across his face.
"Whoa…" he breathed, leaning forward slightly. "This is the first time I've ever seen you transform like that. This is completely new to me."
His gaze moved over her tiny form with open fascination, like a child seeing a rare creature for the first time.
He brought one hand to his chin, then tilted his head.
"Eh, wait…" His eyes narrowed with even more curiosity. "Can you still speak human language in that form?"
Serana, now in the form of a small bat, flapped her wings calmly in front of him. Despite her tiny appearance, the way she held herself still carried the same composed confidence as before.
Then, in a much smaller, slightly squeakier version of her usual voice, she replied,
"Of course I can."
Alex froze for half a second.
Then his smile grew even wider, as if his curiosity had finally been fully rewarded.
"Wahaha… amazing."
Astrid looked at Serana as well, clearly surprised by what she had just witnessed. Her eyes followed the tiny bat's fluttering movements, and her mouth opened slightly before she finally found the words to speak.
"Wow… so you can actually turn into an animal like this."
Her gaze remained fixed on Serana's small bat form. For a moment, she seemed impressed.
Then her expression suddenly changed.
Her brows furrowed, and a cautious look appeared in her eyes.
"Wait a second…" Astrid muttered, slowly narrowing her eyes. "If you can turn into a bat, then does that mean I should be careful around bats from now on?"
She placed one hand near her chin, her imagination clearly starting to run wild.
"What if some random bat I meet is actually a vampire?"
A faint puff of black smoke surrounded the tiny bat again.
The smoke expanded, curling and twisting until Serana's form grew larger within it. A moment later, her pale figure reappeared in the air, standing gracefully as if nothing unusual had happened.
"Hm… not really," Serana replied calmly.
She brushed a few strands of dark hair away from her face, her expression returning to its usual composed look.
"You only need to look at its eyes. If the bat's eyes are red, then it's definitely a vampire."
Astrid blinked, absorbing the information seriously.
Serana then crossed her arms, her tone becoming slightly more instructive.
"And besides, not every vampire can transform into a bat. Only vampires whose blood is close to pure blood or pure-blood vampires themselves can do it."
She glanced at Astrid and added,
"But if it's only a lesser vampire, then no. They can't transform."
Astrid nodded several times, her expression slowly becoming more convinced. Her guarded look softened a little, though she still studied Serana carefully.
"Hmm… yeah," Astrid said at last. "I'm pretty sure you're not hostile toward us now."
Serana raised an eyebrow.
Astrid continued, her tone becoming more certain.
"If you were our enemy, you wouldn't be giving us information like this."
Serana coughed lightly, then turned her face away. For the first time, a faintly awkward expression crossed her features.
"Heh… I already told you that, didn't I?"
Alex watched the two of them from the side, a small smile forming on his face. Seeing Astrid and Serana speak a little more naturally with each other made him feel slightly relieved.
The tension between them had not completely disappeared, but at least now, it was beginning to soften.
Then, without saying much more, Alex increased their flying speed.
The wind rushed louder around them as the three of them cut through the sky. The mountains and forests beneath them blurred past, and the cold air brushed against their faces.
Half an hour later, the city of Solitude finally came into view in the distance.
Serana looked ahead for a moment before speaking.
"Ah, Alex. It would be better if we landed here. I'm worried someone might see us. Besides, we're not that far from my place now."
Alex nodded.
"Ah, alright. Then we'll walk from here."
A moment later, Alex slowly lowered himself, Astrid, and Serana toward the ground. Their feet touched the earth softly, and the invisible force of his telekinesis faded away.
Serana then glanced toward the path ahead, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied the dark road stretching into the distance.
"From here, we'll pass by Kilkreath Temple," she said calmly. "I'm sure both of you know about it, right?"
Astrid tilted her head slightly, a faint crease forming between her brows. The name clearly meant nothing to her. She glanced at Alex for a moment, then looked back at Serana.
"No," she admitted. "What kind of place is that?"
Serana's gaze remained fixed ahead as she explained in an even tone.
"It's a place where one of Meridia's worshippers is located… Meridia, one of the Daedric Princes."
The moment that name left her mouth, Alex's expression stiffened.
His smile faded almost instantly.
"Ugh…" he muttered, his shoulders sinking slightly. "That Daedric Prince, huh?"
He let out a long, tired sigh and rubbed the side of his neck, as if the name alone had brought back an annoying headache.
For a brief moment, his thoughts drifted.
Inside his imagination, Alex could almost hear that familiar, commanding voice echoing in his ears again
A new hand touches the beacon…
His face twitched.
And in his mind, he could see it clearly.
That damn beacon.
The memory alone made a shiver crawl down his spine. His fingers curled slightly, and he shook his head as if trying to physically push the thought away.
Astrid immediately noticed the change in him. Her eyes softened with concern as she leaned a little closer, studying his face.
"Do you know that Daedric Prince, my love?"
Alex blinked, snapping back to reality. He turned toward Astrid and quickly forced a small, awkward smile.
"Ah… yeah, maybe," he replied, scratching his cheek lightly. "I just remembered something I'm not very fond of, haha."
Astrid stared at him in silence.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, and the look on her face made it clear that she did not fully believe his vague answer. She knew Alex well enough to tell when he was trying to avoid explaining something.
Seeing her suspicious expression, Alex quickly cleared his throat and shifted his gaze away.
Then he turned toward Serana, clearly trying to change the subject.
"Ah, so after we pass that temple, where do we go next?"
Serana glanced at him for a moment, noticing the obvious attempt to avoid the topic, but she did not press him. Instead, she simply answered calmly.
"After that, we head toward the northwest side of the island."
Alex nodded a little too quickly, relieved that the conversation had moved on.
"Ah, alright."
The three of them continued on foot toward the place Serana had mentioned, walking at an unhurried pace beneath the vast night sky.
The cold night air brushed gently against their faces, carrying with it the scent of pine, damp earth, and distant riverwater. Above them, countless stars shimmered like scattered silver dust, their faint light spreading across the dark landscape. The moon hung quietly in the sky, casting a pale glow over the road ahead and painting the stones, grass, and distant cliffs in soft shades of blue.
For a while, none of them spoke.
Only the quiet sound of their footsteps accompanied them the soft crunch of dirt beneath their boots, the rustle of Astrid's clothes in the wind, and the faint shifting of Serana's cloak as it trailed behind her.
Serana slowly lifted her face toward the sky.
She closed her eyes for a brief moment and took a deep, careful breath, as though savoring something she had nearly forgotten. The cool night air filled her lungs, and when she exhaled, her expression softened with a faint, almost fragile warmth.
"I've missed this…" she murmured. "The feeling of fresh air."
Her voice was quiet, but there was a deep sincerity in it.
Alex glanced at her from the side. Seeing that distant, nostalgic look on her face, his smile softened slightly.
"Well, you were sealed away for thousands of years," he said gently. "Of course you'd miss it."
Then he tilted his head upward, looking at the stars spread endlessly above them.
"And honestly… this view is beautiful. The stars lighting up the darkness of the night it's something else."
Astrid followed his gaze for a moment, then turned her attention back to Serana. A playful smile slowly appeared on her lips, and her eyes narrowed slightly with teasing curiosity.
"Serana," Astrid said, her tone light but mischievous, "from what I can see… with a face as beautiful as yours, you must've been quite popular with men back then, huh? Hehe."
Serana blinked once, a little caught off guard by the sudden question.
Then she gave a gentle smile.
However, there was a faint distance in her expression, as if Astrid's words had touched a part of her past that was not as bright as the compliment suggested.
"My childhood wasn't like most people's," Serana said softly.
Her eyes drifted toward the path ahead, and her voice became quieter.
"I spent most of my time with my mother."
Astrid's teasing smile slowly faded. She noticed the subtle change in Serana's tone and chose not to push further.
Alex also glanced at Serana, his expression turning thoughtful. For a moment, the atmosphere between them became quieter again, filled only by the sound of their footsteps and the whispering night breeze.
As they continued walking, the silhouette of Kilkreath Temple gradually came into view in the distance.
Dark stone structures stood beneath the pale moonlight, partially hidden by the uneven terrain and shadows. Even from afar, the place carried a strange presence quiet, ancient, and faintly unsettling.
Serana seemed to notice the change in the air. She lifted her gaze toward the temple and smoothly shifted the conversation, her tone becoming more casual.
"Anyway… it looks like we've reached Kilkreath."
She glanced toward Alex and Astrid.
"Back in my time, Daedric worshippers were quite numerous. Though I'm not sure if, in your era, there are still many who follow the Daedric Princes."
Astrid answered without hesitation.
"There are still some, of course but only a handful."
Her arms crossed lightly as she looked toward the temple in the distance, her expression turning more serious.
"Most people avoid anything related to the Daedra unless they're desperate, foolish, or already too deep in their worship to turn back."
Serana lowered her gaze slightly and gave a small nod.
"Ah… I see."
Meanwhile, Alex remained silent, his gaze fixed on the statue of Meridia. For a brief moment, a familiar voice echoed inside his mind
(A new hand… a new hand… a new hand…)
A shiver ran down his spine.
"Brrr… let's just leave this place already," he said quickly, rubbing his arms. "For some reason, it's bringing back… unpleasant memories."
The three of them continued along the path, drawing closer and closer to Serana's destination.
The road grew quieter as they moved farther from Kilkreath, with only the faint sound of their footsteps breaking the silence of the night. The wind swept gently across the rocky ground, carrying the cold scent of the northern sea. In the distance, the land became rougher and more uneven, with dark cliffs rising against the moonlit sky.
However, just as they were about to continue forward, Alex suddenly remembered something important.
His eyes widened.
"Wait!!"
He stopped so abruptly that Astrid almost bumped into his back. Serana also halted a few steps ahead, turning around with a questioning look.
Astrid frowned slightly. "What is it?"
Alex slowly raised one hand and pointed toward the distance.
"That place ahead…" His voice dropped lower. "It's Northwatch Keep. A stronghold of Thalmor soldiers."
His expression grew serious as his eyes narrowed.
"We need to be careful."
Serana's brows drew together slightly, confusion clear on her face.
"Wait… why do we need to be careful?"
Alex's serious expression cracked for a moment. He gave her an awkward smile and scratched his cheek with one finger.
"Ah… about that…"
Before he could properly explain, Astrid scratched the back of her head and spoke up in a casual but slightly embarrassed tone.
"Well… you could say we've already… somewhat embarrassed their ambassador."
Serana stared at them silently for a moment.
Then she let out a quiet sigh, her expression turning faintly resigned.
"Ah… I see how it is."
Alex cleared his throat, pretending not to notice her reaction. He turned his attention back toward Northwatch Keep, narrowing his eyes as he observed the distant fortress.
The dark outline of the keep stood against the cold night sky, its walls partially illuminated by torchlight. A few figures moved along the outer area, but not as many as Alex expected.
"Hmm…" Alex muttered. "That's a bit strange."
Astrid looked at him. "What is?"
"It feels like there are fewer soldiers stationed there than usual."
Astrid crossed her arms, her expression becoming thoughtful. Her eyes shifted toward the fortress, watching the faint torchlight flicker along the stone walls.
"Do you think they're gathering supplies to prepare for war?"
Alex gave a small nod.
"That's possible."
His gaze remained fixed on the keep for another moment, his expression guarded. Then he turned his head toward Serana.
"So… do we have to pass through that area?"
Serana nodded slightly.
"But we can go around and avoid them if you want," she replied. "That way, we won't enter the soldiers' line of sight."
Alex paused for a moment, considering their options. Then, with a small motion of his hand, he opened his inventory and pulled out two leather hooded cloaks one for himself and one for Astrid.
He handed one to Astrid before pulling the other over his own shoulders.
"Alright," Alex said. "If there's no other choice, then we'll pass through carefully."
Astrid accepted the cloak and draped it over herself, adjusting the hood so it covered most of her hair. Her face became partially hidden in shadow, though her sharp eyes remained visible beneath the hood.
Alex then tugged his own hood lower, hiding more of his face.
He let out a quiet sigh.
"We really should've bought an invisibility potion beforehand…" he muttered. "That would've made this a lot easier."
Astrid glanced at him from beneath her hood, one eyebrow raised.
"Maybe next time you'll remember before we walk near a Thalmor stronghold."
Alex gave her a helpless smile.
"Noted, my love."
After that, they moved farther away from Northwatch Keep, carefully circling around the area to avoid detection by the Thalmor guards.
Their pace slowed. Each step became more cautious. They stayed low whenever the terrain allowed it, using rocks, uneven ground, and patches of darkness to hide their movement. Alex occasionally raised one hand slightly, ready to use telekinesis if anything went wrong, while Astrid kept her senses sharp, her gaze constantly scanning their surroundings.
Serana moved with quiet elegance, barely making a sound as she followed them. Her eyes occasionally flicked toward the keep, watching the movement of the distant guards.
The torches on the fortress walls burned like small orange stars in the darkness.
But the three of them kept their distance.
They did not speak unless necessary. Even Alex, who usually had something to say, remained silent as they carefully made their way around the stronghold.
At last, after successfully avoiding the Thalmor's line of sight, they reached a small harbor hidden near the coast.
A modest wooden boat was tied to the dock, gently rocking with the movement of the dark water. The faint sound of waves lapping against the wooden posts filled the quiet air.
Alex finally released a breath he had been holding.
"Phew…" he exhaled in relief, lowering his shoulders slightly. "We finally made it."
Serana looked at Alex and Astrid with a slightly puzzled expression.
Her brows drew together faintly, and her eyes moved from Alex's face to Astrid's, as if she were trying to understand something that did not quite make sense to her. After everything she had seen so far Alex's absurd telekinesis, Astrid's strength, and the calm confidence both of them carried their decision to sneak around seemed strangely cautious.
"I don't understand…" Serana finally said.
Her voice was calm, but there was genuine confusion in her tone.
"With strength like yours, why are you sneaking around like this?" She tilted her head slightly, studying them more closely. "If you wanted to, you could have solved everything with force."
Alex and Astrid exchanged a brief glance.
For a moment, neither of them answered.
Then Astrid's expression softened, and Alex gave a faint smile. It was not a proud smile, nor was it the smile of someone trying to show off. Instead, it carried a quiet kind of understanding.
Alex turned back to Serana and rested one hand lightly on the edge of the boat.
"If we choose to live like that," he said calmly, "then a peaceful life becomes much harder to achieve."
His voice was gentle, but there was firmness beneath it.
He glanced at Astrid, and his gaze naturally lowered for a brief second toward her stomach. His expression became warmer, yet also more protective.
"And… Astrid is pregnant," he continued. "Because of that, I want to avoid making unnecessary enemies or provoking anyone if I can."
Astrid looked at him quietly. A small, tender smile touched her lips, and she placed one hand over her stomach without even realizing it. Her earlier teasing attitude faded, replaced by something calmer and softer.
Alex then turned his eyes back toward Serana.
"But at the same time, I still have to stay cautious. Avoiding conflict doesn't mean ignoring danger."
Serana blinked slightly.
His answer seemed to surprise her more than she expected. She stared at him for a moment, then asked in a quieter voice,
"Then why are you here with me?"
Alex's fingers tapped lightly against the wooden edge of the boat. He looked toward the dark water for a moment before answering.
"We heard that vampires have been getting more active lately," he said. "So we're doing what we can to keep things from getting worse… to stop it from escalating any further."
His eyes became more serious.
"I don't want my child to grow up in a world ruled by vampires."
The words came out calmly, but the weight behind them was clear. He was not speaking out of hatred. He was speaking as someone who had something precious to protect.
Then, realizing who he was speaking to, Alex paused.
His expression shifted into a slightly awkward smile, and he raised one hand as if to soften his words.
"Ah… but I didn't mean to offend you."
Serana looked at him silently.
For a moment, only the sound of the waves filled the space between them. The small boat rocked gently beside the dock, its rope creaking softly against the wooden post.
Then Serana gave a small nod.
"I understand."
Her voice was quiet, but there was no anger in it.
Deep inside, her thoughts moved carefully.
(I see… even with power like theirs, they're not consumed by it.)
Her gaze shifted from Alex to Astrid.
(They have strength, but they don't treat it as an excuse to crush everything in their path.)
For someone like Serana, who had grown up surrounded by power, pride, and bloodline obsession from her parent that kind of restraint felt strangely unfamiliar.
And perhaps… a little admirable.
Without saying anything more, the three of them stepped onto the small wooden boat.
The boards creaked softly beneath their weight. Alex helped Astrid settle in first, placing a steady hand near her arm until she sat safely. Astrid gave him a small look, half amused and half touched by his carefulness, but she did not complain.
Serana stepped in after them with quiet grace, her cloak shifting around her as she sat near the front.
Alex took the oars and pushed the boat away from the dock.
The vessel slowly drifted out onto the dark water, its surface rippling under the pale light of the moon. Each stroke of the oars sent soft waves spreading outward, breaking the reflection of the stars above.
Behind them, the small harbor gradually faded into the night.
Ahead of them lay the distant shadow of Serana's home.
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