Tirion Fordring didn't want to sit in the same luxury box as Marlin. Aside from Eitrigg, he hadn't had such close contact with another person in a long time.
Truthfully, Marlin, who was fuming with anxiety, didn't want to stare at this strange "Arthur" either. However, both old men were fathers worried about their children, desperately hoping for the teleportation rune to light up.
This teleportation rune belonged to Amy and had been imbued with her magical signature. No matter where she was, as long as she was on the physical plane, she could chant a "Mass Teleportation Incantation" to bring herself and her companions back to the location of this rune.
Chanting the "Mass Teleportation Incantation" took time. During the casting process, arcane magic would establish a portal channel between two runestones. Throughout this process, arcane energy would gather on the stones, producing the "blue glow" Marlin had mentioned.
At first, it would be just a tiny spark, but as the incantation neared completion, the light would grow brighter and more intense.
This time, however, they weren't waiting for Amy to teleport back. Instead, they were waiting for Amy to begin the chant on her end. Once the two stones established a connection, it would serve as a signal for Marlin—an Archmage himself—to immediately cast his own teleportation to send himself and "Arthur" over.
This was Wayne's plan.
Earlier, Marlin had thrown a fit, asking what would happen if Amy was silenced, countered, interrupted, kicked, or garroted—what if she couldn't cast the spell? Wouldn't they never receive the signal, never establish the channel, and be forced to watch his precious daughter remain in danger?
Wayne had simply replied, "Archmage, your daughter's strength now far exceeds your own... not to mention she has top-tier experts like Shadowbreaker and Chen by her side. Besides, I'm not sending you over to save people. I'm sending you to transport Arthur. He is the key among keys."
Marlin was even angrier after hearing that, realizing he had become nothing more than a portal-opening mage—a mere transportation tool!
He had asked Wayne, "What about you? Aren't you going?"
Wayne shrugged. "I have to watch the net cafe. If I leave, how will I do business?"
Marlin yelled, "I... you... my daughter went to such a godforsaken place to risk her life for you, and you're here thinking about making money?!"
Wayne just nodded, patted Marlin on the shoulder, and walked away.
Marlin was nearly bursting with rage, wishing he could hurl a massive fireball at Wayne and burn the cafe to the ground. However, he had witnessed Wayne battling Onyxia at the construction site and "toying" with the Bronze Dragon through the magic illusions. He knew the kid was much stronger than him... so he forced down the urge to strike.
Save the daughter first... save the daughter first... I'll settle the score with this kid afterward!
The two men sat in silence, neither wanting to talk to the other.
Suddenly, Marlin's body twitched. "Did it just light up?!"
Tirion Fordring shook his head.
Marlin nearly pressed his eyeballs against the rune, but it remained dark. Marlin was naturally a pedantic academic who was very meticulous and couldn't stand the slightest deviation. In his current state of anxious concern, he couldn't sit still. He stood up and paced back and forth in the room, but his neck turned like an owl's, keeping his eyes glued to the rune on the table.
Several times, he shouted in sudden bursts, "Is it lit now?!"
Tirion Fordring was starting to lose his patience. If it weren't for his son, he would have left long ago. In his eyes, this noisy old man was more terrifying than the undead of the Eastern Plaguelands. Undead were annoying, but they only required a swing of a blade. If one swing wasn't enough, you swung again. But this old man... while a punch to the mouth might stop the noise, there would be no one left to chant the teleportation spell.
As time passed, Marlin shifted some of his attention to Tirion's face. He studied him, wondering why this eccentric old fellow always insisted on keeping his face covered.
Was he a famous bandit in the past? Afraid of being recognized? Or was his head covered in boils?
The more he thought about it, the closer he looked. After a while, he spoke up, "Don't you think... you look a lot like someone?"
Tirion's heart skipped a beat. He instinctively lowered his head further. "Like who?"
Marlin said, "That... that person... everyone knows him. Why can't I think of the name..."
Tirion prepared himself. If Marlin recognized him and started shouting, he would truly have to step in and silence him.
Marlin snapped his fingers. "Right, right! John Burnside!"
Tirion blinked. "...Who is that?"
"A clerk at the Trade District bank!" Marlin exclaimed. "Except for his beard and hair being dark brown, from the eyes down, you're practically the same person!"
Tirion thought to himself, This old man is truly bored to death...
Marlin continued, "The more I look, the more you look like him. He's also bald."
Actually, the word "also" was Marlin referring to his own baldness, but Tirion assumed it was directed at him. He gritted his teeth, thinking about his thick hair hidden beneath the hood, only to be compared to a balding bank clerk.
Unable to stand Marlin any longer, Tirion put on his VR glasses and began watching Wayne's livestream.
In the game, Wayne had joined Rainier's battle. The party of four had been transported through the entrance of Skuldafn Temple to Sovngarde. They had begun the final quest of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim's main storyline—Dragonslayer. They were there to challenge Alduin, the First-Born of Akatosh, Twilight God, Bane of Kings, and World-Eater.
In the game, Sovngarde was set as the Nord heaven. Legend said that Nords who died with a sword in hand would come here to enjoy an eternal feast. Since Alduin was the eldest son of the Dragon God Akatosh and effectively the creator of the current world, even the current Dragonborn and heroes of the past could only temporarily defeat him using Dragonrend; they could not truly destroy him.
Alduin had entered Sovngarde to feast on the souls of dead Nord heroes to restore his strength, much like how a Dragonborn absorbs dragon souls. Sovngarde was not part of the mortal world, meaning that while Alduin would be stronger here, it also gave the Dragonborn a chance to kill him permanently.
Wayne and the others arrived in Sovngarde only to see the sky filled with mist. The four of them ran forward, hearing Alduin's roar as he flew through the fog. This mist was summoned by Alduin to ensure all Nord souls trying to reach the Hall of Valor would wander blindly forever, becoming his prey.
However, the Dragonborn had already learned the "Clear Skies" shout. Though it could only temporarily disperse the fog, it was enough for the four to find their way.
Shouts echoed through the cafe's speakers, throwing the quiet atmosphere back into a lively frenzy.
Many people asked questions: "Where is this? I've never seen it!" "Yeah, which quest is this?" "Where do you learn that shout?"
Having focused mostly on side quests, Verdan of the Westbrook quartet—whose main story progress was lagging behind—told everyone that this was already the final mission of the main plot.
"So fast? I'm still looking for clues about the Dark Brotherhood. I saw someone I didn't recognize join yesterday, but I was too embarrassed to ask him. I can't find it myself."
"I heard a woman has to find you before you can join."
"Right, but I don't know where that woman is."
"I haven't done the Dark Brotherhood. I'm debating whether to join the Stormcloaks."
"The Stormcloaks are rebels! How can you help rebels?! You have to join the Empire!"
"What's so good about the Empire? Did you forget the beginning where they were going to chop our heads off for no reason?"
"The Empire was a piece of work there, but the Stormcloaks' attitude annoys me more. Every time I talk to Ulfric, he sits on his throne looking at me sideways. I really want to twist his head off."
"That's called having personality! He's straightforward, not a hypocrite like the Empire!"
"Stop arguing! Look! The fight has started!"