The Last Pillarman Chapter 17 — The Thieves Guild

Saadia crouched in the shadows with layers of thick robes covering every inch of her skin. The midday sun was an enemy, pressing down even through the fabric. She could feel its heat clawing at her, weakening her, making her body feel sluggish. If she stood in it too long, she'd start to burn, mask or not. But this was what her Lord had commanded, so she endured.

She stayed still, watching, waiting for the street to empty. Ysolda's home was modest, nestled between the other houses in Whiterun, but it had a second story and a solid wooden door with a well-maintained lock. Saadia glanced around once more before slipping from the shadows, crossing the road in a few steps and picking the lock. The mechanism clicked open without resistance. She stepped inside, closing the door softly behind her.

The air inside smelled of flowers and old parchment. It was clean, well-kept, but quiet in a way that didn't feel natural. The first thing she noticed was a small shelf by the door stacked with neatly written letters, all tied with bits of twine. Saadia picked one up and glanced at the address. There was no recipient. Frowning, she untied the string and read.

"Dear Mother and Father, today was difficult. I tried to make a sale, but the merchants don't trust me anymore. They think I'm foolish. Maybe they're right. But I will prove them wrong. I have to."

Saadia's grip tightened on the parchment. Ysolda's parents were dead. Years ago. She had heard it from locals, how the poor girl had been left alone in the world. And yet, these letters... there were dozens of them, neatly stacked, carefully written and never sent. She put the letter back, swallowing the strange unease creeping up her spine.

She moved deeper into the house, searching. A small chest by the bedside held simple jewelry, nothing expensive. A locked drawer took a moment to pick open, revealing a leather-bound book. A diary. Saadia flipped through the pages. The early entries were cheerful, full of excitement. Mentions of suitors, men who had come courting. Then, as she skimmed ahead, the tone shifted.

"He said he loved me. I should have known better. He only wanted coin. I caught him in my things, trying to take what little I had left."

"Another one. Another liar. Do I look that easy? That stupid? Maybe I am."

"I won't trust another one. Never again."

The writing became harsher, the ink darker, pressed hard into the pages. Saadia exhaled sharply. The poor woman. Even in a place like this, where kindness was scarce, Ysolda had still tried to hold onto it. And the world had beaten it out of her.

Shaking her head, Saadia moved to a cupboard, pulling it open. Inside were neatly folded dresses, well-kept but simple. As she pushed them aside, her foot shifted slightly, pressing against something hard. A click echoed through the house.

A trap.

She barely had time to react before a crossbow bolt fired from the shadows, slamming straight into her forehead.

She hit the ground hard, not from the impact itself but from sheer shock. The pain flared for a moment, then dulled almost immediately. Her vision blurred. Then cleared. She blinked, reaching up, and wrapped her fingers around the bolt protruding from her skull. With a sharp tug, she pulled it free, staring at the tip before tossing it aside. The wound closed. She touched her forehead and it was smooth.

"That was... odd," she muttered under her breath.

Her ears twitched. Footsteps. Someone was coming.

She jumped up, grabbing the wooden beam above her and swinging herself into the rafters just as the front door creaked open. She pressed herself flat against the wood. A moment later Ysolda walked in, humming softly, a basket of flowers in one hand. She moved with the same lightness she always did, smiling to herself as she set the basket down on a small table. She stretched, yawned, then spoke.

"Oh, today was wonderful! I met someone new. A strong man. Kind, too. It's been so long since I've had company like that. And he's so tall! You should have seen him, Mother."

Saadia frowned.

Ysolda was alone.

Ysolda walked to the far wall, kneeling down and pressing a hand against the wooden boards. With a soft creak, a hidden compartment slid open.

Saadia's breath caught in her throat.

Inside, stacked neatly, were two bodies.

The stench was faint, but it was there. They were not freshly dead. The skin was pale, shriveled. The eyes stared blankly at nothing. One was a man, the other a woman. Their hands had been tied together. Saadia felt her stomach twist.

Ysolda reached in, brushing a strand of hair from the woman's face. "You won't believe it, but he bought me lunch. He was so sweet. I almost felt special again." 

Ysolda sighed, patting the body's hair. "Don't worry it won't be like last time.  I know, I know. I was careless last time. But he was so rude! And I can't just let people be rude, now, can I?"

She giggled, shaking her head. "No, no, that wouldn't do at all."

Saadia stared, unmoving, gripping the wooden beam so tightly it creaked.

Ysolda let out a soft laugh. "Tsun is different he even said I was nice! Can you believe that? Me? He didn't even want anything from me. At least... not yet."

She sighed, shaking her head. "But it's fine. If he turns out like the rest, I'll handle it."

Saadia clenched her jaw.

The woman was completely insane.

Then the temperature in the room seemed to drop.

Ysolda's body stiffened. She tilted her head slightly, staring at the wooden boards.

"What was that, Mother?" she whispered.

Saadia didn't breathe.

Ysolda slowly turned her head toward the rafters. Her bright blue eyes, so often filled with warmth and innocence, were empty.

"Someone is in here?" she murmured.

Saadia's heart pounded. The shadows in the room seemed to stretch. She had never known fear since her transformation. Not from men, not from death, not from battle.

But she was afraid now.

Without hesitation, she launched herself from the beam, twisting midair, and shot through the open window. She hit the rooftop, barely making a sound, then ran. Faster than she ever had. She didn't look back. Didn't stop. Not until she was far, far away.

Only then did she slow, her breathing ragged, her hands shaking.

"That woman... is not normal."

___________________________

Tsun barely had time to react before Sofia shoved him through the door of the Bannered Mare. He stumbled slightly, more out of surprise than anything else. She was stronger than she looked. He hadn't expected that.

"Sit your massive ass down, big guy," Sofia said, grinning as she practically pushed him into a chair. "I hope you have coin, because I'm starving."

Tsun sighed, adjusting his cloak as she plopped down across from him. The tavern was still lively, as always. The smell of mead, roasted meat, and unwashed bodies filled the air. He could hear a bard plucking at a lute in the corner, some off-tune attempt at a drinking song.

Sofia flagged down a serving girl before he could even get a word in. "Alright, listen carefully, sweetheart," she said, leaning forward as if she were making some grand order. "I'll take a whole chicken, two loaves of that nice bread, not the stale stuff you try to pawn off at the end of the day and, oh! That beef stew, the one that actually has meat in it. Oh, and a bottle of your strongest mead." She paused, tapping her chin. "Actually, make that two bottles. You know what, three. And bring some cheese. The good kind. None of that moldy stuff you feed the dog."

The serving girl blinked. "Uh... is that all?"

Sofia smirked. "For now."

The girl hesitated, then glanced at Tsun, who just grunted. She took that as confirmation and rushed off before Sofia could add anything else to the order.

Tsun leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. "So, the Thieves Guild," he said.

Sofia waved him off. "We'll get to that, but first, let's talk about something important. Like, why does everyone in this city smell like wet dog? Seriously, is it some kind of cultural thing? Am I missing something?"

Tsun exhaled through his nose. "Sofia."

"Or how about this why do all the women here wear the same damn dress? Like, is there a uniform no one told me about? 'Congratulations, you're a woman in Skyrim, here's your potato sack with a belt.' It's tragic, really."

Tsun clenched his jaw. "Sofia."

"And don't even get me started on the men. Have you noticed how they all act like they have something to prove? I mean, I get it, you live in a frozen wasteland, but do you really have to yell about your ancestors every five minutes? I was in the market the other day, and some guy started screaming about how his great-grandfather killed a bear with his bare hands. Like, good for him, but why do I care?"

Tsun rubbed his temples. "Sofia."

"And then there's—"

He slammed his hand down on the table, making the wooden surface groan under the force. "Enough," he said.

Sofia blinked, then grinned. "Oh, so you do have a limit. Good to know."

Tsun leaned back, exhaling slowly. "The Thieves Guild. Tell me what you know."

Sofia sighed, stretching her arms behind her head. "Fine, fine, but you're really killing the mood here. You ever heard of a place called The Ratway?"

Tsun shook his head.

"It's an underground sewer system in Riften. That's where the Guild operates from. You won't find them here in Whiterun, not openly, at least. They're smarter than that."

Tsun frowned. "Then why would they have men here after Ysolda?"

Sofia tilted her head. "That's the question, isn't it? The Guild doesn't waste time on nobodies. If they're after her, then she's either in serious debt or she's done something really, really stupid."

Tsun thought back to what little he knew of Ysolda. She didn't seem the type to be involved with criminals. But she was desperate. That much was clear.

Before he could respond, the serving girl returned, struggling under the weight of all the food. She placed everything on the table, looking slightly exhausted.

"Enjoy," she said before scurrying away.

Sofia clapped her hands together. "Now, this is what I'm talking about!" She grabbed a hunk of bread and tore into it like she hadn't eaten in days.

Tsun watched her for a moment, then sighed. "You didn't answer my question."

Sofia spoke with her mouth full. "Look, big guy, if you really want answers, you need to go to Riften. That's where the real players are. But let me warn you, the Guild doesn't take kindly to outsiders poking around in their business. If you go sniffing around, they'll sniff back."

Tsun nodded. "Then I'll be ready."

Sofia smirked, pouring herself a cup of mead. "Oh, I bet you will. But let's talk about something more interesting." She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "Tell me, Tsun, do you always go around saving big-breasted airheads, or is Ysolda special?"

Tsun's brow twitched. "She's kind."

Sofia snorted. "So am I."

"No, you're not."

Sofia gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. "How dare you. I am a delight."

Tsun just grunted, taking a drink from his own cup.

Sofia watched him for a moment, then grinned. "You know, I like you. You're no-nonsense, you're strong as hell, and you've got a nice face. Shame you're so serious all the time."

Tsun sighed. "And I like the quiet."

"Well, too bad, because you're stuck with me now," she said, raising her cup. "To our beautiful, one-sided friendship."

Tsun rolled his eyes but clinked his cup against hers anyway. Tsun set his cup down and looked at Sofia. "What about the ones stationed here? The ones after Ysolda?"

Sofia licked some grease from her fingers, then leaned back in her chair. "Temporary bases, most likely. The Guild moves like rats always setting up little hidey-holes wherever they go. If I had to bet, they're holed up in the shanty town outside the gates. No one asks questions there, and the guards don't give a damn unless there's a riot."

Tsun exhaled through his nose. He thought back to the squalid camp of beggars and refugees outside Whiterun's walls. The filth, the desperation, the ungrateful sneers on their faces as Ysolda handed out food. That place was already rotten. Of course, criminals would be festering there too.

Sofia kept talking, but his thoughts drifted.

If the Guild was operating from the shanty town, that meant they had leverage over its people. Bribes, threats, debts, one way or another, they had a grip on things. Ysolda's name being tied up with them was concerning, but he still didn't know why they wanted her. Was it the loan? Did she owe more than she claimed? Or was it something deeper?

"Hey," Sofia snapped her fingers in front of his face. "You in there, big guy?"

Tsun grunted, looking at her.

"You do that a lot, you know," she said, smirking. "Go all quiet and brooding. You'd make a great tragic hero in one of those dumb bard's tales. The Giant and His Woes or something."

Tsun ignored her.

She sighed dramatically. "So serious. Alright, tell me something about yourself. What's your deal? You just a wandering brute with a heart of gold, or is there more to it?"

Tsun took another drink. "Why do you care?"

Sofia shrugged. "I like to know who I'm dealing with. And besides, you intrigue me. You show up out of nowhere, people say you were with the Dragonborn when she killed a dragon, now you're running around saving hopeless idiots with massive tits." She grinned. "What's your angle?"

Tsun didn't answer right away. He wasn't about to tell her the truth not that she'd believe it anyway.

"I go where I want. Do what I want," he said simply.

Sofia squinted at him. "Huh. So, no tragic past? No revenge quest? No long-lost love you're trying to get back to?"

"No."

"Well, that's boring," she said, resting her chin on her hand. "But I guess that fits you. You look like the kind of guy who just does things because he feels like it."

Tsun grunted.

Sofia studied him for a moment, then smirked. "So, what do you feel like doing now?"

Tsun set his cup down. "Finding the Thieves Guild members."

Sofia rolled her eyes. "Figures. Well, lucky for you, I'm very good at sniffing out scum. And I'd be happy to help, since we are now companions and all," she said with a wink. 

Tsun leaned back in his chair, arms crossed as he weighed Sofia's offer. The woman was a nuisance, loud, reckless, and clearly only in this for whatever entertainment she could squeeze out of it. But she had her uses. On the other hand, she was unreliable. He couldn't trust her not to throw him to the wolves if it meant getting out of trouble herself. He had no illusions about that.

As he mulled it over, the doors to the Bannered Mare swung open, slamming against the walls with a loud thud.

Saadia stood there, chest rising and falling as she caught her breath. Her heavy robes looked suffocating, even in the dim light of the inn.

Tsun sat up straight. "Something happen?"

Saadia nodded sharply. "I need to speak with you. Now."

Sofia raised an eyebrow. "Ooo, dramatic."

Tsun ignored her and stood, gesturing for Saadia to follow him upstairs. She did, glancing back once before heading up the steps in silence.

Once inside the room, Tsun shut the door behind them and turned to her. "Speak."

Saadia's expression was grim. "It's Ysolda. I found nothing about the Thieves Guild in her home, but..." She hesitated, then took a breath. "That girl is not right. She is touched by Sheogorath."

Tsun frowned. "Explain."

Saadia did. She told him about the letters to her dead parents, about the diary detailing men who had used her for coin, about the trap she had inside her cupboard.

Then she told him about what she had seen.

Tsun remained silent as Saadia described the moment Ysolda had entered, humming to herself, talking to people who weren't there. Then, the moment she opened the hidden compartment. Two rotting corpses, tucked away like old belongings.

"She spoke to them," Saadia said. "Told them about you. About your 'dashing figure,' as she put it. She smiled as she did. As if it were normal."

Tsun exhaled slowly, rubbing his chin.

Then the door creaked open.

"Well, well, well," Sofia chuckled as she stepped inside. "Now this is interesting."

Tsun sighed. "What did I tell you about eavesdropping?"

Sofia grinned. "Oh, come on. We're a team now, aren't we?"

Saadia gave her a cold look. "How dare you interrupt Lord Tsuns meeting."

Sofia waved her off and flopped onto the bed, resting her head in her hands. "The girl sounds properly touched. A few nails loose. Maybe more than a few."

Tsun sat back down, his mind working through it all.

Ysolda was insane. That much was obvious. But did it matter? She hadn't done anything to suggest she was a danger to him. She was kind to the beggars outside the walls, despite their ingratitude. She tried to make something of herself, even if her attempts had been doomed from the start. If she had bodies stashed away... well, Skyrim was a cruel place. For now, he would deal with the Thieves Guild. Ysolda would remain as she was. He'd keep an eye on her, but he had more pressing matters.

He shrugged. "We move on the Guild tonight."

Sofia let out a cheer. "Now we're talking!" She threw her arms around both him and Saadia, pulling them into a tight squeeze.

Saadia stiffened immediately, hissing, "Unhand me."

Tsun just sighed and let it happen.

After a moment, Sofia pulled back, still grinning. "This is gonna be fun."

Saadia straightened her robes, then turned to Tsun. "Shall I deal with this... nuisance?"

"Hey!" Sofia protested.

Tsun considered it for a moment. He could have her handled. It would be easy, no loose ends.

Sofia narrowed her eyes at him, looking genuinely offended now. "You wouldn't."

Tsun let the silence stretch.

Then he shook his head. "No. We need her for now."

Sofia smirked. "See? He likes me."

Saadia sighed heavily, looking away in clear frustration.

Tsun stood. "We move at nightfall. Be ready."

Sofia gave a mock salute. "Aye aye, boss."

Saadia simply nodded.

Tsun rolled his shoulders and looked toward the window. The sun was still hanging over the city, but soon it would dip below the horizon. Then, it would be time.

___________________________

The shantytown outside Whiterun was quiet at night, save for the occasional crackle of a distant fire or the muffled sounds of the city beyond the walls. Inside a decrepit shack on the outskirts of the camp, a group of thieves sat huddled together, their faces tense, their hands twitching toward their weapons.

There were five of them left.

Tavik, a wiry Redguard with a thin mustache and darting eyes, was pacing back and forth, his boots scuffing against the wooden floor. His fingers twitched at his belt where several knives hung loosely, ready to be drawn at a moment's notice.

Gorlen, a broad-shouldered Nord with a shaved head and a scar across his cheek, sat with his back against the wall, with his arms crossed. He looked calm, but his jaw was tight, and the way his fingers drummed against his bicep showed his nerves.

Mikael, a Breton with a missing ear and a nervous tic that made his right eye twitch, was rocking slightly in his seat. He kept glancing toward the door as if expecting someone to barge in at any moment.

Lerisa, a dark-haired Imperial woman with a thin blade resting across her lap, was sharpening it with slow strokes, her expression unreadable.

And finally, Varn, a gaunt Dunmer with sharp features and dark red eyes, stood leaning against a broken shelf, arms folded. He had been silent the entire time, watching the others bicker. The air in the shack was thick with tension, and the arguing had been going on for the past hour.

"She fucking killed them," Tavik hissed, stopping his pacing long enough to glare at the others. "They went after that crazy bitch, and now they're gone. The whole fucking lot of them!"

"We don't know that," Gorlen said, though even he didn't sound convinced. "Maybe they're still out there."

"They're not," Mikael muttered, his hands gripping his knees. "We all know they're not."

"So what do we do?" Lerisa asked. "The Guild Master wanted the arrow and he wanted it yesterday. We're supposed to be retrieving it. We've already wasted too much time."

"You want to go after her?" Tavik snapped. "Be my guest. Go ahead, stroll up to her home, knock on her door, and ask nicely."

Lerisa shot him a glare. "We don't even know if she has it. We were told she did, but if she really does, why hasn't she sold it yet?"

"Because she's a lunatic," Mikael muttered. "She probably talks to the damn thing like it's a person."

"We can't just leave," Gorlen said. "We're not supposed to return to Riften without the job done. If we show up empty-handed—"

"The Guild Master will have our heads," Tavik finished. "Yeah, I know."

There was a beat of silence before Varn, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke.

"We should run."

The others turned to look at him.

"What?" Tavik said, his voice sharp.

"We should run," Varn repeated. "Forget Riften, forget the Guild. Get on a cart and disappear."

"That's coward's talk," Gorlen growled.

Varn shrugged. "Maybe. But it's also alive talk. The Guild Master doesn't care about us. He wants the arrow. If we can't deliver it, we're better off vanishing than going back to explain why we failed."

"Then go," Tavik sneered. "Run off and live as a beggar in some gutter. I'd rather take my chances."

"I agree," Lerisa said, standing up. "We need to finish what we started."

"This job isn't worth dying over," Mikael muttered.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Mikael," Tavik snapped. "What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" Mikael said, standing up abruptly, knocking over his chair. His voice was shaking now. "I don't know, maybe the fact that everyone who went after that woman disappeared without a fucking trace!"

"We don't know it was her," Gorlen insisted.

"Oh, we know," Mikael said. "We all know."

Silence settled over the shack for a long moment.

Then Lerisa spoke.

"I don't give a fuck if the bitch has the arrow or not," she said, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "The Guild Master wants it. That means we get it. That's all that matters."

Varn exhaled through his nose, shaking his head.

"I'm done," he said simply. "I'm not dying for this. I'm leaving."

Lerisa's hand was on her knife before he even finished speaking.

"You fucking coward," she spat.

"You want to die for this?" Varn asked, his voice flat. "Go ahead."

Lerisa took a step forward. "You don't just walk away from the Guild."

"Watch me," Varn said, turning toward the door.

Before he could reach it, Gorlen stood up, drawing his sword.

"You even think about leaving, and I'll cut you down myself."

Varn turned his head, looking at him over his shoulder. "You sure about that?"

The room was thick with tension. Weapons were in hands now.

Tavik was gripping one of his knives, his knuckles white. Mikael had taken a step back, looking between them all, eyes wide. However before they could come to blows the sound of someone clearing their throat caught their attention. 

"Gentlemen."

Tsun stood in the doorway with his arms crossed. Behind him, Saadia stood silent as a shadow, her eyes locked on the thieves. Sofia, on the other hand, leaned into the doorway with a wide grin, wiggling her fingers in a mocking wave.

"Evening, boys," Sofia said with amusement. "Sorry to interrupt your little lovers' spat, but my big, muscly friend here has some questions."

The thieves immediately panicked, hands going for their weapons. Tavik, the wiry Redguard, was the first to act, drawing his dagger and lunging at Tsun with a desperate shout. Tsun caught the blade mid-strike, gripping it tight. The steel didn't even break the skin of his palm. Tavik's eyes widened, but before he could react further, Tsun's other hand shot forward, slamming into the thief's chest with the force of a battering ram.

Tavik was airborne before he even realized what had happened. He flew backward, crashing through the thin wooden wall of the shack. His body didn't stop there, it tore through the next shack, splintering it into pieces, and then finally skidded to a stop in the dirt outside. He didn't get up.

The remaining thieves froze.

Then in blind desperation, they attacked.

Gorlen, the burly Nord, swung his sword in a wild arc at Tsun's head. Tsun tilted his body to the side, letting the blade pass harmlessly by. Before Gorlen could recover, Tsun's knee drove into his gut with a sickening crunch. The Nord's breath left him in a violent wheeze, and he collapsed to his knees, retching.

Mikael, the twitchy Breton, tried to flank Tsun, but Saadia was faster. She stepped in front of him, grabbed him by the throat, and slammed him down into the dirt. His head bounced off the ground, and his body twitched once before going still.

Lerisa, the Imperial woman, pulled a pair of throwing knives from her belt and flicked her wrists, sending them straight at Sofia.

Sofia didn't move. She just grinned.

The knives cut through the air, aimed directly at her heart only to miss by inches as she shifted her weight, dodging at the last possible second with an almost lazy sway. The second knife came for her throat, and she leaned back, letting it pass by harmlessly.

Lerisa didn't hesitate she drew her sword and rushed forward.

Sofia lifted her hand to block.

A dull black sheen spread over her forearm as she caught the blade with her bare hand. Lerisa's eyes widened in shock as her sword stopped cold, as if she had struck solid steel instead of flesh.

"Oh," Sofia said, smirking. "That's embarrassing for you."

Then she twisted her wrist, wrenching the sword from Lerisa's grip before planting her boot square in the Imperial's chest. Lerisa was sent flying backward, landing hard against a pile of crates that shattered beneath her weight.

Varn, the Dunmer, had stayed back, watching with cold calculation. He saw the way things were going. The others were down, unconscious or groaning in pain. His red eyes flicked toward the exit, debating whether or not to make a run for it. Tsun caught the movement and before Varn could take a step, closed the distance between them in a blink. His hand clamped down on the Dunmer's shoulder, squeezing tight enough to make bones creak and then slapping his face making him hit the ground.

"Not so fast."

Varn struggled, but it was like trying to break free from iron shackles.

"That's all of them," Saadia said, brushing dust off her robes as she looked around.

Sofia stretched, cracking her neck. "That was fun," she said cheerfully. "We should do this more often."

Tsun ignored them, stepping over the groaning bodies as he inspected the shack. There had to be something here. Something linking them to the Thieves Guild. But as he rifled through their belongings, overturning crates and checking hidden compartments, nothing stood out.

"Anything useful?" Saadia asked, standing beside him.

"Nothing solid," Tsun muttered. "Just stolen goods, coin, weapons. Nothing that proves they're with the Guild. Nothing on Ysolda."

"Maybe they're just really bad at this," Sofia offered, leaning against a wall with a smirk. "Not all criminals are masterminds, you know. Some are just dumbasses with sticky fingers."

Saadia shot her a glare. "Or maybe they're not Guild at all. Maybe they're just independent thugs using the name to intimidate people."

Sofia gasped in mock horror. "You mean criminals lying? Shock! Horror! I can't believe it!"

Saadia clenched her jaw. "You are insufferable."

"And yet, you're stuck with me," Sofia said with a wink.

Tsun exhaled heavily, rubbing his temples. "Just tie them up."

Saadia and Sofia got to work, binding the unconscious thieves with rope while continuing to bicker.

"You know," Sofia said, tying a particularly tight knot around Gorlen's wrists, "if you weren't such a stick in the mud, we could be great friends."

"I'd rather drink poison," Saadia muttered.

Sofia pouted. "You wound me."

Tsun ignored them, stepping outside the shack for some air. The cold night air bit at his skin, but it was a welcome relief from the stench of sweat and blood inside. He looked up at the stars, exhaling slowly. Tsun leaned against the shack, staring up at the sky, his mind churning. He hadn't missed what Sofia had done earlier. That metallic sheen on her arm when she caught the sword was that Haki? It looked exactly like Haki. But what the hell was that ability doing in this world? Skyrim was a mess of magic, dragons, and Daedra, but Haki? That was from an entirely different universe.

He scoffed under his breath.

If Bethesda had put Haki into the game, copyright lawyers would have skinned them alive. He had been trying to make sense of this world, trying to put together why he had been sent here, and now he had to deal with this.

Sofia was already an anomaly, but now there was an even bigger question. If Haki was real here, what else was?

He'd have to ask her later.

His thoughts were cut short when Saadia stepped out from the shack. "One of them is awake," she said simply.

Tsun nodded and pushed off the wall, following her back inside. The tied-up thieves looked pathetic, bloodied and bruised, some groaning, others slumped over. The Dunmer glared up at Tsun. "You think this changes anything?" he spat.

Tsun ignored him and crouched down, his massive frame looming over the bound man. "Why are you here? Who sent you?"

The Dunmer stayed silent.

Tsun sighed, then looked at Saadia.

She didn't hesitate. She stepped forward, grabbed the Dunmer by the jaw, and squeezed. Her grip was inhumanly strong now, her fingers digging into his flesh. His lips peeled back, his teeth grinding as he struggled against the pressure.

"Let me make this easy," she said. "You answer the questions, and you might walk away from this. You keep up this tough act, and I start pulling things off your body one by one."

The Dunmer swallowed hard, sweat dripping down his face.

Sofia leaned against the wall, smirking. "Personally, I'd start with the fingernails. Always fun watching people squirm."

The Dunmer's glare wavered. He looked at Tsun, as if weighing whether he'd get more mercy from him.

Tsun stared back with a blank expression.

The thief cracked. "We were sent to get back something Ysolda stole," he muttered.

Tsun's brow furrowed. "Stole what?"

"An arrow," the Dunmer admitted, his voice bitter. "One that belongs to the Guildmaster."

Sofia let out a bark of laughter. "Wait, wait, wait. That big-titted airhead stole from the Guildmaster? And got away with it? Maybe she's not as stupid as we thought."

Tsun ignored her, leaning in closer. "You tried to pay her for it?"

The Dunmer nodded reluctantly. "We offered her a lot of gold. She took it. But she never gave up the arrow."

Sofia whistled. "That's actually kind of impressive. So she is just a lying bitch on top of everything else."

Tsun stood up and cracked his knuckles. "I want you all to leave. Now. And I don't want to see your faces in this city again."

The Dunmer scoffed. "And if we don't?"

Tsun tilted his head. Then he crouched back down, grabbed the Dunmer by the hair, and yanked his head back so their eyes met.

"If I see you again, I will personally make sure you never leave. I'll rip open your chest, break every single one of your ribs, and peel them back. You'll be alive when I do it. You'll be alive when I take out your lungs and let you watch yourself suffocate."

The room went silent.

Even Sofia, who had been making jokes the whole time, swallowed hard. Saadia, who had seen Tsun kill without hesitation, shifted uneasily.

The Dunmer started shaking. "We'll go," he said, voice hoarse. "We'll go."

"Good," Tsun said, shoving him back. He turned to Saadia. "Cut them loose."

She nodded and untied the ropes. The thieves that were still alive didn't even try anything. They scrambled out of the shack as fast as they could, dragging their wounded and unconscious with them.

Sofia exhaled. "You really have a way with words."

Tsun didn't answer. He turned back toward the city.

Saadia watched him. "What now?"

Tsun didn't answer right away. His mind was still piecing things together. The arrow. It belonged to the Guildmaster. Ysolda had stolen it, refused to give it back, and now had half of Skyrim's thieves breathing down her neck.

What the hell kind of arrow was worth all of that trouble?

Then his mind clicked to something else.

An arrow.

An arrow that people would kill for.

An arrow that might be the arrow.

His hands curled into fists.

It sounded impossible. Stupid, even. But then again, he was standing here as a goddamn Pillar Man. Sofia had Haki. Maybe, just maybe, this world had that arrow too.

And if that was the case...

Then Ysolda had something far more dangerous in her possession than she realized.

Tsun sighed and finally answered Saadia's question. "I want to talk to Ysolda."

Saadia frowned. "Why? She's harmless. Mad, maybe. But harmless."

"That's what worries me," Tsun muttered.

Sofia stretched, grinning. "So, we going now? Cause I'd really love to see the look on her face when she realizes she can't bullshit her way out of this one."

Tsun exhaled and started walking.

He had a feeling things were about to get a lot more complicated.

(AN: So what has Ysolda gotten herself into and what did she steal perhaps a familiar arrow?  But if she's stolen what I think and what you no doubt think she's stolen then it's possible that things are gonna get a hell of a lot more cooler.)