The journey was generally uneventful ever since they departed from Ivarstead, Valerion spent much of time, in between stops for foraging and resting, recollecting his strength and mental fortitude. As the days turned into its first week, Valerion started to notice the first effects of the soul he had consumed, wearing off. It started merely as a shake in the hand, barely perceptible, but if he held his hand out with his blade in it, Valerion could notice the blade quivering. Next came the limp that bugged him for a few minutes and then vanished for hours. Each time returning with greater impediment to mobility and a greater deal of pain.
After two days of this Valerion could take no more, he had to consume a black soul gem and he did so when he went hunting for dinner, the 6th night into their journey. 
This offered him a small piece of sustenance before they would reach the next village.
A place called Darkwater Crossing.

There Valerion would use Goethia once again, and it should offer him enough energy before they reach Kynesgrove.

Their camp was just about 20 minutes away from the small mining village of Darkwater Crossing. It was here that Valerion would decide to go for his 'feeding' near night fall.
It was currently the late evening and everyone was settling down and getting comfortable after a long day of walking.
Valerion was counting the minutes away, with each stroke of the whetstone he was using to sharpen his blade, this deep metallic ringing was alongside the sound of the crackling campfire and hissing of the volcanic vents located near their camp. 
The argonian, Dreet-Na spoke up first in the group that evening. Offering his second thanks for the books.
Valerion, who was sitting on a old tree stump, with his helmet resting at his feet stopped the rhythmic sound of stone against metal at this.
"It's my pleasure. No doubt your supporting skills will be of assistance, but offensive magic is always comforting to have."
Valerion placed the whetstone in his satchel and stood up, sheathing his; now razor sharp, blade into its scabbard.
"I have plenty of my own magic to teach to others in this party if they wish to learn it..."
Valerion gave a slight grin as he bent over and picked his helmet up placing it on his head.
His voice changed slightly as his spoke through the visor, becoming deeper and more resonate. 
"But do note that it comes with a heavy price; one that can never be measured in gold or silver."

Valerion walked past the various members of the group and said, with his back to them.
"I'm just heading into the village, for supplies. I'll be back within the hour."
Valerions crimson cape bristled behind him as he swiftly mad his way through the trees off to Darkwater crossing. 
As he guessed he soon made it to the village in roughly 18 minutes, the journey being quiet and filled with nothing but Valerions heavy foot falls and the occasional occurrence of twigs snapping and birds chirping. 
The sun had sunk behind the mountain range in the north and a deep dusk lay over the small mining village. With the odd torch and lantern permeating through the darkness. 
Now he just had to find someone out of the way and take their soul. He had to do it quickly and quietly too, this was different than on the mountain, if anyone screamed he'd have a hard time explaining what was going on. 
Valerion quickly moved through the very few houses until he almost walked into a burly Nord, adorned in a patchwork apron and the typical attire of a blacksmith.
He had an unusual set of facial hair on his face and balding head that had brown hair waning at the outer reaches of his skull.
"Ah! Just the man I was looking for!" Valerion quickly said in a cheerful voice 
The nord gave a quick look up and down of Valerion, evidently suspicious.
"Can I help you?" he said in a deep voice.
"Yes. You're the blacksmith aren't you?" 
"The names Verner Rock-Chucker, and yes. Something like that..." A crease still in the nords brow as he introduced himself. 
"Well, I hope you can help me." Valerion dug around in his satchel and pulled out a small crystal, it was long and thin and a clear turquoise.
"I'm hoping to have a look in the mine in search for these, If I find a vein that contains any of these crystals, I'd happily pay you for any you can dig up for me!"
All at once the crease in the nords brow vanished and his face relaxed. Seemingly looking friendlier and a lot younger.
"Ah! Well of course! I wouldn't turn away a customer, although this isn't technically my mine, it's owned by the Jarl. Also it contains Corundum, but..."
He turned away for a second and looked back at Valerion with a key in his hand. And beckoned Valerion towards the mine. 
"Say if you do find any. How 'bout we keep it off the books. You pay me. Say 200 septims per vein. You know, minus tax and all the rest of it?" Verner said with a twinkle in his eye.
Valerion gave a chuckle. And shook his hand " I like the way you think my friend."
Verner unlocked the mine door and said this before leaving. "Just don't disturb the other miners whilst you're in there, I'll be waiting in the cabin near where we met, come see me if you find any, then we can discuss business"
"Will do." Valerion said before entering the mine.
It was fairly spacious and plenty of head room as Nords were quite tall. Valerion began searching through the mine. It wasn't that big but it did have a few areas that deviated form the main section of the mine. Deep and out of the way. It was here in the furthest section of the mine that Valerion spotted a dark elf, huffing away whilst trying to crack a rather large rock. Valerion smiled, he had found his dinner.
With out the theatrics he quickly Unleashed Goethia on the dark elf just after he clasped his metal gauntlets around the Elfs throat and mouth, not a single sound emanated from him as he absorbed his soul.
Valerion felt like a new man. and it was time to bury the evidence.
Valerion sharply pulled his blade out of its scabbard and with all his might swung it in a devastating arc towards the nearest supporting column of the tunnel, the wood splintered and exploded upon impact, and a heavy cracking noise came from above accompanied by a great deal of soil and dust.
Quickly sheathing his blade Valerion sprinted back up the tunnel as it collapsed behind him, he could hear commotion from various other points of the mine. All of them evidently afraid of the entire mine collapsing in on them.
It wasn't difficult for Valerion to make it outside of the mine and quickly into the darkness in the chaos he had left behind him.
Valerion laughed happily as he made it away into the night. It was rare he had that much fun in his pursuit of a meal.
But it quickly dawned upon him that he had got no supplies to bring back to the camp.
So he felt the best decision would be to hunt for some elk or deer in the surrounding area for half an hour or so. Just to make sure he didn't raise any suspicions back at camp.