Chapter 1
A Dragon's Rising
The city of Whiterun was being bathed in the warm, noon day sun, the normally cold atmosphere usually kept everyone to themselves, but the warm weather was inviting everyone out of their homes and onto the streets of Whiterun, as the day winded on. Towards the top of the hill that city was built upon, the castle of Dragonsreach stood magnificently. The Jarl of Whiterun, Balgruuf the Greater sat upon his throne, his steward Proventus Avenicci, and his housecarl Irileth, standing on either side of him as they conversed. As they spoke however, the large double doors of Dragonsreach opened with a loud boom, the form of a frightened guard running towards them.
"Dragon! Dragon!" He shouted, and the commotion made everyone in the large room stare. The male guard looked pitiful, his casual Whiterun armor was torn and singed, his helmet was still atop of his head, although it was it pieces. Jarl Balgruuf stood to his feet, the guard stopping halfway down the walkway to his throne before he fell, unconscious from exhaustion and fear.
"Get some help!" Irileth shouted, the Dunmer's dark skin hidden behind the leather armor she wore. Several more guards came over then, grabbing their comrade before he was taken to the barracks where he could be looked over and rest. The Jarl would look Proventus and Irileth before he spoke. "Dragon? What could he ever be talking about, surely not the dragon's from the legends of old?" He asked, before he sat back down in thought.
"Maybe they were just the rabbles of drunken guard?" Proventus Avenicci declared, the Imperial shaking his head as he dismissed the thoughts of an actual dragon attacking Whiterun. "He obviously must have mistaken some creature as a dragon, that is the only explanation."
"And what if there really is a dragon!?" Irileth spat back, the two often debated for the Jarl's favor, and the events that preceded the conversation did not matter. The two would argue back and forth for sometime before Balgruuf finally silenced them with a slam of his fist upon the arm of his throne, the Nord's anger discernible. "I won't have you two wasting my time while someone or something destroys my city, whether it is a dragon or not!" The two bowed before their Jarl before he rose. " Irileth, have all the guards inform the townspeople to return to their homes immediately, after that I want to meet with them all here, we will go over what we will do next." He declared before he walked towards the stairs.
"Yes, my Jarl." She spoke before she left quickly, not wanting to stay in the presence of Proventus Avenicci for a moment longer as she made for the guard barracks. The Imperial steward sighed before he turned, speaking to himself as he made for his room. "Sometimes I think I am just surrounded by a bunch of idiots."
The Bannered Mare was full to the brim that day, as men and women alike drank and sang songs sacred to their people and reveled in good times. At the bar sat a lone visitor to Whiterun, his reddish skin dull in the small amount of light that filled the room. He wore tattered clothes, a simple tunic with trousers, his long black hair in dreadlocks that were tied cleanly behind his head in a ponytail. The Redguard sipped his tankard of mead slowly, trying to savor the one cup that he could afford, the sounds of shouting filling the room as a guard entered the Bannered Mare.
"I have orders from the Jarl, everyone must return to their homes immediately, there is a matter that must be taken care of, and until it is, you all mustn't leave your homes." The sounds of sorrow and frustration were heard as men and women left the Bannered Mare, the lone Redguard still in his seat, his mead not even half finished. "Hey, that includes you Redguard!" The guard yelled, receiving no answer. "Get up on your feet, or I'll cut them off!" The guard unsheathed his sword, the leaving crowd now stopping as they watched.
The Redguard still did not stir, his tankard resting on the bar of the Bannered Mare before he spoke. "I am not from here, so whoever ordered you all around, it doesn't apply to me." The man spoke, his body calm as the guard fumed with anger at the audacity of the mysterious man. "So, please allow me to finish my drink, and be on my way." Before he could continue, the Redguard's drink was spilled as the guard knocked it from his hand, his sword now pressing against the Redguard's neck.
"I don't care about your drink, I don't care where you live, I just don't care! So, you will follow my orders, and you will do what I say Redguard!" The guard shouted in his ear, his sword now drawing a small stream of blood from the broken skin, the Redguard was still calm however.
"I am not seeking any trouble." He said, trying to control his anger as the guard, the Redguard really hated when people claimed assumed that they had more power over someone based on position, he had had much of that in his past, although he hated to think about it. "So if you will please stand down, I assure you that no one will get hurt here."
The guard was astonished, both at the calmness of the Redguard, and his remark. The guard started to laugh uncontrollably then, his sword drawing back from the Redguard's neck. "Of all the people who could get hurt, you think I would be the one!?" The guard asked, returning to his laughter as the Redguard continued to sip his drink. "No, my large friend, I won't be getting hurt here!" The guard's sword raised up then, as he prepared to attack, although it would never happen.
The Redguard's hands shot up, grabbing the hilt of the sword before he kneed the guard in his gut, the Redguard tearing the sword from the guard's grasp before he bashed the guard hard over the head with the blunt side of the sword's hilt. The guard lay sprawled out across the ground, stunned and confused on what had happened. Just as this was happening, a small group of his comrades walked in, seeing their friend being beaten by the Redguard. They drew their swords, taking stances behind their shields before they roared all together, now advancing towards the Redguard.
In retaliation at the oncoming force, the Redguard grabbed the small steel dagger at the fallen guard's belt, dual-wielding the two steel weapons with skill as he parried and struck at the guards, although he threw no fatal attacks toward them. The guards were amazed at the skill and finesse of the Redguard's attacks, and they all seemed to stand still to the Redguard, who easily knocked their weapons from their grip before knocking them all over the head and dropping the borrowed weapons before taking his seat again, sipping his mead.
"He's the one! Right there!" The bard of the Bannered Mare shouted, pointing at the Redguard as he ran up to the opened door, a new regiment of armed guards taking the places of the fallen ones, although these guards carried bows, and they were pointed towards the Redguard.
Sighing, the lone visitor rose, his muscle and sinew flexing under his skin as he was restrained before being hit over the head with the blunt side of another sword, his eyes closing as he was knocked out.
Jarl Balgruuf the Greater was maddened as he was awoken in the early morning hours of the day, Proventus Avenicci and Irileth alongside their Jarl as they stood on either side of the Nord's throne as he sat down to address the problem before him: a bound and attended Redguard that was seated in a wooden chair, obviously a troublemaker. "Why was I awaken at such an hour!? Has he burned my entire city down to the ground!?" Balgruuf shouted to his guards, before they stammered to talk, one of them shutting up to let the other explain.
"I am sorry, my Jarl, but we have no idea how to proceed with this man's punishment. He easily subdued an entire regiment of guards, but he didn't kill them, he just disarmed us." The guard finished before he awaited his Jarl's decree. The powerful looking Nord dismissed the guards with a flick of his hand before he turned to Damos, the Redguard looking at the Jarl lazily.
"What do you have to say for yourself? You obviously are a talented warrior, to overpower an entire regiment, that is twenty men! How did you do it?" Balgruuf questioned, awe in his eyes.
Damos said nothing, waiting to be untied before he gave his answer, the Redguard's silence and look alerting the Jarl of what he wished. Balgruuf drew his dagger, cutting the other free himself before he offered Damos the same seat to tell his tale. "I guess I was just lucky, I do not wish to explain why I am so good a fighter."
Jarl Balgruuf nodded before he took a seat on his throne again. "It is fine, I just take interest in great feats of battle. Now, let us talk about this bounty upon your head. You can pay with money, spend time in jail, or do a favor for me, but know that favor will be risky."
Damos thought long and hard on the three choices he got, he knew that the favor sounded to good to be true, and paying wasn't going to be possible, since he had nothing but the tattered clothes on his back. And the Redguard wasn't going to spend time in jail, to long he lived in a cell, and he wasn't going to go back. So with a gulp, and an unsteady nod, the Redguard spoke. "So, what is this favor you ask of me?"
"Well, I guess I'll tell you the truth. Earlier today, a guard barged his way through the doors of Dragonsreach, screaming tales of a monster. He couldn't describe the beast, although it looked as if he was attacked by a troll. His entire regiment was taken out towards the Western Watchtower. One of such skill could easily defeat such a beast, that is my task." Jarl Balgruuf smiled, he knew the Redguard would have no knowledge of the "dragon" attack, and it was a win-win situation. He kills the creature or the creature kills him.
Sighing, the Redguard nodded looking down at the wooden floorboards of the room, his dreadlocks hanging to cover his face as he broke words. "I'll do it." And with that, Balgruuf rose, directing Irileth to outfit the Redguard for his quest, Proventus scoffing before he walked off back towards his room. The Dunmer lingered however, her red eyes burning into the Redguard's image. "Rise boy, come with me." She couldn't believe that Balgruuf had lied right to the Redguard known as Damos. Such ramblings wouldn't come from a drunk, they were the cries of fear and sorrow, they had to be true. So why would Balgruuf lie to this man?
The two entered the guards barracks before the Dunmer grabbed a steel broadsword, her fingers tracing the blade before she gave him the weapon, the Redguard twirling it in his hands before he asked. "Can I have another, I am much better with two." He explained, but she continued to look through the armor they had, which signaled him that he could not.
"Listen to me, Redguard. There is more to the story that the Jarl has told you." Her words surprised her and when she turned to greet him, his eyes weren't full of surprise or worry. "The guard claimed he saw a dragon, a creature from the Nord's legends, a large fire breathing monster that can take to the skies whenever it feels danger. They are known to be quite difficult to slay, and quite terrifying as well, that is why I believe the Jarl lied to you." She confessed before he moved in front of her, looking through the armors that would best suit him.
"Are you not worried of your fate?" She asked before she stepped back, surprised at the Redguard's bravery, although she was still quite shaken.
"I am. But I have to do it, I have no money, and spending my life behind bars is out of the question, even though it is all to familiar..." He trailed off before he shook his head and continued searching. "Whether it be dragon, troll, or Daedra, I will deal with this task." He would nod before he saw it.
The studded armor was perfect, light and still very protective, something he valued very much. He removed the tattered clothes that stuck to his body and strapped the light armor to his torso. He tested it as he swung his body before he drew the sword, twirling and twisting the weapon along with his body before he sheathed it and sighed. "I take it, I won't be accompanied on this task?" He asked although he already knew the answer.
"No. Jarl Balgruuf wants you to slay the beast yourself, although I am sure that you will need no assistance, a warrior like you, I believe you can slay the beast!" She spoke before she placed a hand on his shoulder and nodded. "I pray to Azura you return safely." Damos nodded, smiling at the familiar name before he left the castle of Dragonsreach, the moon greeting him as he exited through the main doors, the Dunmer watching him from behind.
Skyrim's cool nights were starting to feel familiar to the Redguard, Damos humming silently as he made for the Western Watchtower. A part of him told him to run and never come back, but he wanted answers. He had been attacked by one of these creatures before, but why then. It all seemed to coincidental to his arrival. As he contemplated however, he heard something sneaking up behind him and before he could draw his sword, the Redguard was pounced upon, although this was no hunting attempt.
"Subira!? Subira!" He hummed into her fur as the large black Sabre Cat rolled around with him, he purrs and roars mixed in with his laughter, the two of them little children once again as they played. Damos had told her to wait for him in the bush, although his return was delayed.
The two tossed and wrestled for a while before Damos finally rose, stopping their fun as he looked towards the Western Watchtower, flames licking against the stone column once he saw it. "I guess its just you and me Subira." He spoke, the Sabre Cat seeming to nod as the two of them made their way towards the tower.
"I promise you Subira, once we're done with this, we can do whatever we want. We can even live here in Skyrim if you want." He offered although his talking did not matter to the large pitch black predator. Her fur was standing on end, and Damos knew that she only did that when she was worried. The Redguard could feel the air grow heavy and he drew his sword once again before it all began.
The cries of a soul in help was heard and Damos began to run for it, the flames now licking at his body as he made his way into the watchtower, his faithful companion right behind him as he entered.
"Hello! Is anyone still alive here!" the Redguard shouted, and the groans of pain greeted him. Under a fallen bookshelf, a guard lay, his armor singed and torn. Damos easily lifted the heavy shelf off of the man before Subira pulled him from under it. The guard was silent but when he saw the golden eyes of the large Sabre Cat, he rose and shouted although Damos was there to comfort him. "What happened?!"
The guard was terrified, shaking and jumping at every sound. "It was the dragon! The Jarl sent us before you, although the most of our regiment was killed in the action, the others ran for the hills! I don't want to die!" Before he could be helped any further, he took off, running out of the tower before he was gone, although his screams of anguish filled the air as well.
The Redguard was shaken at first, but he swallowed his fear and exited the tower to see. The night sky was now covered in dark clouds, and thunder rumbled as a streak of lighting filled the air, the light showing the silhouette of a large creature descending from the sky. As it landed, the Redguard found himself sheathing his weapon, although he felt as if he couldn't control his body. "Who are you!?"
The dragon's laugh sounded almost human, but his style of speaking was heavy and full of accent. "I am the Loyal Hunter, Mirmulnir! You are brave. Balaan hokoron. I can sense a fire burning within, Joor!" Mirmulnir seemed confident in Damos' abilities and this made the Redguard smile, even though he was standing right in front of a dragon.
Damos drew his sword, and the dragon shook his mighty neck before he nodded. "Fine. We shall do battle, although you Joore don't understand that you cannot fight against a Dovah!" With his final words, Mirmulnir took to the skies, his roar of shaking the ground as the battle began. The Redguard would run back into the tower, telling Subira to stay where she was as he raced up the stairs to get at the dragon's level.
Once he made it to the top, Damos could see all under him. He could hear the dragon's roars, although he couldn't see it. The Redguard shouted out, before he was challenged. The dragon descended from the clouds, flying towards him on top of the tower. Seeing Mirmulnir, Damos backed up towards the opposite edge of the tower, running as fast as he could. His time in the great Alik'r desert, with all of its storms of sand, had trained his body and now he ran with great speed as he jumped from the top of the tower, grabbing onto the dragon's large horns.
Damos felt as if he were tied to a raging mammoth, as his body was slung back and forth, the dragon trying to shake the warrior from its large form. The Redguard managed to secure a hold as he stabbed and slashed his broadsword against the dragon's hide, its roars of pain filling the air as it dive bombed. Damos held on, feeling the dragon pull up slightly as it flew towards the tower.
Mirmulnir roared before he turned mid air, slamming its back into the wall of the Western Watchtower, the crashing sound of stone breaking filling the air as Damos was knocked from the dragon's body, falling all the way to the ground with a thud.
"Brit grah! I had forgotten what fine sport you mortals can provide!" Mirmulnir roared before the large dragon pulled back its wings, rising into the clouds once again, a mighty streak of lighting darting across the sky. The Redguard groaned, broken and weak as he rose to his feet. His sword lay a little ways to the right, and he hobbled towards it before he fell, his hand resting on the hilt of the sword before a boot stomped next to it.
Damos was surprised when he saw that Irileth had arrived, the Dunmer's regiment of elite guards looking up into the skies as they pulled back on their arrows, the bows of the guards pointed at the sky. "Do you need some help, Damos?" She asked before she held out her hand, the Redguard grabbing it before she helped him up.
"What are you doing here? I thought I was to do this alone?" Damos asked, but Irileth only smiled as she handed him his sword, the Redguard still awaiting an answer as the guards fired their arrows, the form of Mirmulnir now visible with every crack of lighting.
"I came here on my own accord, Jarl Balgruuf was not right when he sent you out here to die. We will help you slay this dragon, and if we are punished for our endeavor, then so be it!" She exclaimed, a spark of electricity appearing in her right hand as she let loose a wicked thunderbolt into the air, the returning roar of pain signaling that her spell had connected. "Damos, I need you to get to the top of the tower! We need someone to tell us where to fire!"
The sound of a guard screaming filled the air, as Mirmulnir descended and grabbed up one of the guards, before taking off once again. The guard's cries were lost as he rose inside the dragon's fanged jaw. Damos cringed but nodded before he ran towards the tower once again. The large hole that was the result of Mirmulnir slamming the Redguard into the tower didn't affect his ascent up the building and he was soon on top again.
"He is to swift, even if they could see him they wouldn't be able to hit him." Damos said to himself as he looked up into the sky from the top of the tower, the dragon's roars seeming to edge on the sudden storm that spewed rain down upon them now. The Redguard sighed, trying to think of a way to bring the dragon to their level, an idea striking him as Mirmulnir appeared once again. This time, the dragon dive bombed before landing on the ground, swinging his tail and using his razor sharp teeth to kill any guards getting to close. "Fire!" Irileth shouted her magic striking out at the dragon as her guards let loose their arrows. Damos knew that it was the time to spring into action once again.
Pacing backward, Damos used his exceptional speed to clear the battlement of the tower once again before he sailed through the air, landing squarely on the dragon's neck as soon as he took off from the ground. The Redguard held on quick, his sword sheathed as he turned on the dragon's neck. "Get off of me!" Mirmulnir shouted.
"I will, but let's get you grounded, shall we!?" Damos exclaimed back before he turned on the dragon's neck, looking at the strong left wing of the dragon. His sword was drawn from its sheathe and Damos roared a battle cry, before he leaped from the dragon's neck and stabbed his sword into the thin patagium of the dragon's wing.
Mirmulnir roared in pain, and was suddenly darting towards the ground, his torn wing preventing him from successfully flying. Damos held on tight, as the dragon smashed into the ground, its large body making an enormous crater in the earth as the Redguard was thrown from its body.
"Slay it!" Irileth shouted to her guards, a returning battle cry filling the air as the guards drew their swords and ran towards the battered dragon. Mirmulnir wasn't finished yet, although his wing was clipped, and his body crushed from the impact, he still was a fierce creature, spitting flames and fighting back with claw and fang. The guards were making progress, although once the flames of the dragon licked their bodies, they knew that they couldn't slay him. Irileth however, continued to slash and throw spells at the dragon's hide, her attacks not making any difference.
Damos opened his eyes, his ears were ringing, his body weak and bruised. Subira licked gently at his brow, and he rose, using her as support. The Redguard looked for the sword that he wielded earlier in battle, but found it useless, the blade laying in pieces as if it were a toy sword. Damos watched as the dragon continued on, defeating most of the regiment fairly quickly.
"Damos! Damos!" Irileth shouted his name, and the Redguard snapped out of his little daze, seeing that the Dunmer was about to be slain, she was the only one that had been truly kind to him in all of this, and he ran towards the dragon, no weapon in hand as he roared a battle cry.
What Irileth saw next was truly amazing. The once broken and defeated Redguard was now beating back the dragon with his bare fists! Although they bled against the hard scales of the monster, they continued to slam against Mirmulnir form. Damos roared during the entire ordeal, grabbing weapons that littered the ground, breaking them over the dragon's head before moving to the next one. Damos grabbed a short sword then, the Redguard jumping as he landed on top of the dragon's head before he began to hack and slash at that below him.
In a final act of desperation, the mighty beast threw its head back, launching the Redguard into the air, although Damos placed two hands on the solid hilt of his weapon before he began the descent, thrusting the sword down into the top of Mirmulnir's head. "Dovahkiin! No!" The dragon shouted finally before its enormous body cringed in death, spreading out on the ground before it was still. Exhaustion moved over the Redguard then, his body collapsing over the dragon's head as he fell to the ground. The ordeal had used a dangerous amount of energy to do so and now he watched lazily as the dragon's body began to burn away, the large skeletal remains taking its place before it rested once again.
Damos was then surprised when a swirling mass of energy started to fill his body, his energy returning quickly as he watched the mysterious energy fill his body. He felt triumph, defeat, happiness, sorrow, confidence, and anxiety all at once as he rose to his feet.
Once the strange phenomenon discontinued, the Redguard was now the center of everyone's attention. Irileth along with her Nord guards all watched Damos as if he were a ghost. "What happened there? What has happened!?" The Redguard shouted, turning from face to face to look for an answer.
"By the Gods! You...your Dragonborn!" One guard finally confessed, Damos looking towards him with a uneasy look. "The Dragonborn! I cannot believe it!" He shouted, although he seemed to be happy.
The guards began to shout and cheer, Damos and Irileth the only ones that didn't seem impressed. "What is this Dragonborn you speak of!?" The Dunmer asked, her form calm and still as she awaited her answer.
"The Dragonborn is one blessed with the soul of a dragon! They use to say that the Dragonborn could slay a dragon, then steal his soul, along with his power all for himself! He is the strongest warrior in all of our history! You wouldn't understand captain, since you aren't a Nord." A guard explained before the men began to converse with their Irileth once again. Damos however different, as if a great power in him was unlocked. "Dragonborn!"
The Redguard turned his head, surprised as he awoke from his trance. A guard was telling him to show them his power, although he did not know how to use it. But when he thought about it, Damos could feel the burning feeling of the the dragon's soul entering him once again and he let it loose then.
"Fus!" Damos shouted, his voice booming like Mirmulnir's had before as a powerful shock wave of raw power erupted from his mouth. The guards, along with Irileth were on their haunches as they stared at Damos with awe. The Redguard had the same look on his face, and he spoke with excitement. "Is this permanent!?"
"Of course! You have always and will always be Dragonborn until the day you die!" A guard answered but the commotion was all stopped by Irileth, the Dunmer taking her position as housecarl to the Jarl as she spoke to Damos. "Now, you being this "Dragonborn" is just fine, but I need you to return to Jarl Balgruuf immediately to tell of what happened here."
"Understood, Subira!" The Redguard shouted, his companion jumping from the resting place before he nodded to her, jumping on her back and moving in close to her body as she began to run, carrying him along with her as they made their way back to Whiterun.
"Dragonborn!? What do you know of our the Dragonborn!?" Jarl Balgruuf the Greater asked Damos, the Redguard standing in front of him, his studded armor tattered and singed as he detailed the ordeal to the Nord king.
"That is what your men called me, after I slayed it, it burned away and some type of power surged into my body, next thing I know, I'm shouting louder than I ever have before, but it wasn't just a ordinary shout." Damos explained, Subira at his side as he comforted her. "Why would I lie to you!?"
The Jarl rose from his throne, pacing back and forth. "This is all to much to comprehend, but this much is true. On your arrival did you hear that thunderous sound?" Damos nodded. "The Greybeards have acknowledged you as the Dragonborn as well, you must heed their call!"
"The Greybeards?"
"Yes, they live in solitude at the Throat of the World, true masters of the Voice! They are not like you however, they have undergone many years of meditation to attain their knowledge, and power. Few can venture up the seven thousand steps toward High Hrothgar!"
Hrongar, the bodyguard to the Jarl stepped up then. "You are truly blessed, to train with the Greybeards! They had summoned you, so you must make your way there immediately!" The large Nord shouted, although Damos was already convinced. He was interested in this incredible power he possessed. He was this Dragonborn, and he was sure that he could get some more answers out of these Greybeards.
"I'll leave tomorrow then, but I feel like I should be able to rest, I mean I did just slay a dragon, and it wasn't easy." Damos joked and Jarl Balgruuf laughed, before he rose and placed his hands on the Redguard's shoulders. Jarl Balgruuf nodded before he had Damos attended to.
Later that night, Damos dined on the best meal he had ever had in his life. Clam chowder filled with chunks of fresh, sweet, and succulent clams, steamed mud crab legs, roasted goat, venison stew, and even mammoth steak, along with bread, cheese, Elsweyr Fondue, and tomato soup. Damos sampled all types of beverages, including Black-Briar Mead, Black-Briar Reserve, Spiced Wine, even some rum from Stros M'Kai. The Redguard was now resting in front of a fire, Subira still gnawing on the bones of an elk that was given to her for dinner.
"Subira, being the Dragonborn definitely has its perks, although I'm sure it will get worse as we go along, don't you think?" He asked her, although the large cat had given up on the hard bones of the elk and had fallen asleep, as usual. Taking this as a signal that maybe he should be sleeping as well, Damos would make his way to his bed, the soft hides that made up the sheets and covers for the piece of furniture inviting and kind.
Damos fell asleep quickly, dreaming of the new adventures he would have in the province of Skyrim.
Hello all, its Ji-Smith here! Sorry for the wait but here it is, enjoy! I want to give a shout out to T3nd0 who is letting me use some aspects of his mod for the story. If you want new chapters, leave a review on what missions you want me to do, I feel like I'll be more lenient with my story this time around and see how it goes. That's all I have for you today, I'll give out T3nd0's Skyrim nexus so you can download his amazing mod if you have Skyrim on PC, okay then. Ji-Smith out!
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