"So, let me get this straight," Astrid started. She and her associate were settled in the far dimly candle lit corner on the top tier of the Candlehearth hall in Windhelm.

"You want to put a contract on a Daedra? A beast even?" She looked intently into his eyes. Beginning to think that this whole contract was a waste of time.

"My cousin Aela is far more experienced in hunting down rabies-ridden creatures for pay, you should have went to the companions." She flirted with the dagger in between her fingers yet her emotionless gaze never left his.

"I'm willing to yield ten times the usual fee, plus a bonus if you give his organs unmutilated, it would be a great progress to my scientific research, and huge contribution to-"

"Save me the front, Quayland, You're in this for revenge, you're not fooling anyone." She interrupted.

"Albeit, this is a bit personal, his death would serve as both to scientific advancement and revenge. I need you, Astrid! He made a fool out of me. I can't sustain that." He said pathetically.

Astrid inhaled deeply and shut her eyes to think it over, tilting back in her chair. She drew a mock figure of the quarry on the table. Once done, she reopened her eyes and quickly stabbed the drawing in the torso with the small sword.

"The Dark Brotherhood accepts your contact, Quayland."

A wrinkly grin spread across his leathery face. He nearly burst with delight.

"But." She added.

"If this turns out to be a waste of my resources," She leaned forward, closer to his face. He tilted back in retreat gradually.

"A waste of my time," She inched closer.

"And a test upon my already dwindling patience," She was now only inches away from his face, her eyes growing wider with each passing moment her voice becoming more ominous by the second. Quayland was on the verge of a heart attack if this eerie staring contest went on any further.

"Then you will be the one kneeling to Sithis in the void."

She let him have a few moments to stew and come to peace with the terms.

"U-understood." He answered shakily.

She gave him a friendly smile.

"And so we understand each other? Good."

Once he let the guard know of his knowledge of Helgen, the guard let him in. The city looked smaller on the inside than what he had previously believed.

"We'll pay whatever it takes. But we must have more swords for the Imperial soldiers." Idolaf said.

"I just can't fill an order that size on my own. Why don't you swallow that stubborn pride of yours and ask Eorlund Gray-Mane for help?" Adrianne furrowed her brow. That amount of steel would have her up all night and the next to meet that deadline.

"Ha! I'd sooner bend my knee to Ulfric Stormcloak. Besides, Gray-Mane would never make steel for the Legion."

Eventually giving in to the massive order she sighed heavily.

"Have it your way. I'll take the job, but don't expect a miracle." Wasting no time she went to work mumbling profanity under her breath. Thel casually walked past the two but he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw the human being who was haggling with the blacksmith.

"Gray-mane or battle-born?" He inquired.

"Please elaborate, I do not understand your question."

Idolaf paused for a moment to revise his question. Arriving to a conclusion he asked again.

"The cold, frightening truth is that the Empire represents progress. Anyone who fears progress is a coward. We Battle-borns don't fear progress but the Gray-Manes wish only to continue to live in the past and live with baseless principles."

"Then I choose Battle-born." Thel replied.

Idolaf Smiled.

"I knew you were a sharp one the moment I saw you." With that. He walked off.

Thel didn't try to understand what happened, it would only be a waste of his own brain cells. He followed Alvors directions and came to a massive door big enough to fit a wraith. He climbed the carpeted stairs and approached the Jarl. In response to this a Dark elf clad in leather armor drew her blade and blocked his progress.

"What is the meaning of this? Jarl Balgruuf isn't having visitors." She demanded.

Thel noticed it again, like the imperials back at Helgen. This one also harnessed the elements only not flame but lightning. He was intent on discovering how such a phenomenon is possible.

"I bear news of Helgen and Riverwood requests your help." He spoke calmly.

Irileth wasn't expecting such a regal and refined voice that emitted from the arbiters moving mandible appendages. But yet his appearance made her uneasy.

"You know of Helgen? The Jarl would like to speak to you. Approach." She ordered.

She let Thel pass first but still never sheathed her weapon and magic. They stepped past the large bonfire made into the floor and was instantly in the presence of Jarl Balgruuf.

"So. You were at Helgen? You saw this dragon with your own eyes?" He questioned intently.

The man wore noble clothes, a circlet, and bore a blade near his side. He was middle aged with long blond hair that was executed in two braids above his forehead and sat in his throne with pride.

"I have, it attacked Helgen and last I saw it, it was heading in this direction, Jarl." He explained.

Balgruuf eyes widened in a mixture of surprise and shock.

"By Ysmir, Irileth was right!" he tried to deny the fact of dragons returning to Skyrim. After so many centuries of their absence he wasn't sure how they could possibly be stopped. With the Empire breathing down his neck and the Stormcloaks knocking at his door was enough, but now dragons? It was completely ridiculous.

"What do you say now, Proventus? Shall we continue to trust in the strength of our walls? Against a dragon?"

Proventus wasn't prepared for this kind of situation, He didn't even know the basics of Nord culture much less their war with dragons.

"I-I" he stammered.

"My lord, we should send troops to Riverwood at once. It's in the most immediate danger, if that dragon is lurking in the mountains..." She let her sentence trail on in the hall.

"The Jarl of Falkreath will view that as a provocation! He'll assume we're preparing to join Ulfric's side and attack him." Finally earning enough nerve to speak.

"Enough!" he shouted.

"Irileth, send a detachment to Riverwood at once." He waved her to her duty.

"Yes, my Jarl." She put a fist to her chest and hurried away into the city.

"We should not..." Proventus started.

"I'll not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people!"

Balgruuf gritted his teeth and balled his fist until the knuckles were white face turning as red as a tomato.

Realizing that nothing he said would be taken in consideration Proventus backed up in defeat.

"If you'll pardon me, I'll return to my duties." He said defeated.

"That would be best." Balgruuf said monotonously.

Recovering his composure, he turned to his visitor.

"Well done. You sought me out, on your own initiative. You've done Whiterun a service, and I won't forget it. Here, take this as a small token of my esteem."

Two servant girls came down the stone stairs from the room behind them. Both carrying the body armor of elven make. It radiated with an orange luster indicating that it was enchanted. It was much too large to fit in his sack and it would have been rude to refuse. He allow the magnetic strips on his back connect to the Elven armor.

"If that is all, I'll be on my way." He said before beginning to return to Riverwood.

"Wait. There is another thing you could do for me. Suitable for someone of your particular talents, perhaps. Come, let's go find Farengar, my court wizard. He's been looking into a matter related to these dragons and... Rumors of dragons."

"As you wish, Jarl."

Thel Followed Balgruuf to Farengar's quarters.

"I'll introduce you to Farengar. He can be a bit... difficult. Mages. You know." Balgruuf explained.

He was currently learning from an old tattered book and working on a piece of gauntlets on his enchanting table.

"No, that won't do at all." He whispered to himself.

"Won't do at all."

"Farengar!"

"Hmm? What?" He turned round swiftly.

"Do you have rocks in your ears? You mages. It's like you were off into another world."

Farengar attempted to apologize but rather he was marveling the creature that stood in the doorway.

"Who's this?" He inquired anxiously. Walking up to Thel and looking at him every which way."

"This is… I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Thel Vadam, But Arbiter is more appropriate at the moment."

"Well, arbiter this Farengar. Our court wizard."

"Yes, yes, nice to meet you." Farengar said with no interest of conversation. Circling the arbiter with absolutely no sense of personal space.

"Farengar! Stop bothering the arbiter and listen!"

"My apologies that was rude of me." Farengar confessed. "It's that I've never discovered anything like you, what land do you hail from? Or perhaps what realm?" More concerned with what he could learn than what was at hand at the moment.

"I'll respond your questions later, Right now, Your Jarl has asked me to help you in some way." Arbiter reasoned.

"Oh, that! Yes, I think he would be able to help, yes, he would."

"I'm sure you two will get on famously." Balgruuf dryly replied.

I think I've found someone who can help you with your dragon project. Go ahead and fill him in with all the details."

"Yes, you could fetch something for me, well, when I mean Fetch, I really mean delve into a dangerous ruin in search of an ancient stone tablet that may or may not be there."

"How will this tablet stop the dragons?"

"my source believes that it is significant for whatever reason she has yet to share with me."

"This tablet, where is it?"

"Somewhere in Bleak falls barrow, most likely into its deepest crypts."

It was the third time those falls were mentioned. There was no doubt he and that place was somehow tied. But he was ready for what challenges that lay for him. After quite some time backtracking all the way back to Riverwood and then selecting the alternate path up the mountain, and getting attack by yet another wolf, he came to a small building built onto the side of the cliff. An Orc in hide armor stood guard at the edge of the bridgework. Upon spotting the traveler, the bandit readied his axe.

"Hail, Nirnling, I wish only to pass."

"That's close enough!" the orc threatened.

Not even slowing his stride he was utterly confused.

"You do not understand, I need to go to the falls so I may complete my duty." Thel reasoned.

The words going in on ear and out the other, the orc paid no mind to why he was here.

"Back off. Now."

He was only yards away before responding.

"I will not, I have a duty to jarl Balgruuf and you continue to impede my progress, if you continue to do so, I will be forced to dispose of you."

"Take another step. I dare you."

"Are you even listening to what I'm saying?"

Arbiter was rewarded with an answer when the arc charged forward and got his ax into his chest. The axe snapped off the handle and fell into the snow.

Now visibly eye-twitching, Thel grabbed them by the face and flung him into the mountain side. On the spur of the moment, an arrow clinked uselessly off of his helmet. He sauntered up to the archer, a female Nord. After she expended every arrow she had, she tried to make a run for it to their leader upstairs.

escape was cut short when Thel grabbed her by her ankle and slung her into the stone brick wall. The leader came thundering down to find out what was the commotion only to be grabbed by a large hand and sent to the floor with a crash. Before he could get up Thel stepped harshly on his back. The iron gave way and made an imprint of his foot in his back. Dusting off his hands Thel progressed into the storm. The white blizzard whipped around him. The cold licked at the exposed parts of his flesh. He never liked the cold. He managed to stay on the path and he soon came to the falls. Finally the storm died down and he could see clearly. He walked up the stairs then he heard someone.

"Who's there?" A bandit demanded.

"Not more of this damn nonsense." Arbiter thought. He activated his camo and continued walking up the stairs and passed the bandits that swore they heard something coming up the steps. While they were distracted Thel quietly opened the massive doors and close them behind them. He was finally inside. Two nords were discussing something he didn't care, he snuck past them. And paid no heed until the mentioned a claw.

"So we're just supposed to sit here while Arvel runs off with that golden claw?" A female Nord asked.

"That dark elf wants to go on ahead, let him. Better than us risking our necks." The male responded.

"What if Arvel doesn't come back? I want my share from that claw!"

"Just shut it and keep an eye out for trouble."

That confirmed that these were the bandits that stole Lucan's claw. With that information, he finally came to a puzzle door. He seen the bandit get pierced by a flurry of flying darts when he flipped the switch. Evidently this was a puzzled door. Arbiter had no trouble deducting the relationship between the statues and the Nordic carvings. He made extra care to put them into the snake, snake, and whale order. He flicked the switch and the door opened promptly. He was assaulted by three skewers going down, but he quite literally walked over them.

He pushed on into the burrow until he was called on for help.

"Is somebody coming? Is that you Harknir? Bjorn? Soling? I know I ran ahead with the claw, but I need help!"

Must have been that Arvel character. He rushed to his aid and pulled away at the webs blocking the door. He discovered the Dark elf completely entangled in a web. Before he could help, a frostbite spider, far larger than what he had seen in front dropped down from the ceiling, a dagger imbedded deep in its left eye. Thel readied both blades as the Giant arachnid attacked. He dodged towards its blind side, sprang on top of it. His weight was too much for it to hold, its legs gave out and the last thing it felt was the Arbiters sword piercing its head.

"You did it. You killed it. Now cut me down before anything else shows up." Arvel pleaded.

"I'm here for the claw you stole, it doesn't belong to you." He demanded.

"The claw? What claw? I-I don't know what your-"

"Your comrades have already confirmed your possession of the claw, do not test me." He put special emphasis on the 'do not'.

"Oh, that claw!" Arvel faked his sudden clarification. "I'll happily hand it over, but, I'm a bit…Tied up at the moment." He chuckled nervously.

Arbiter wasn't at all amused and cut Arvel's bindings, only as soon as he did, the bastard tried to make a run for it.

"Ha! you fool! Why should I share the treasure with anyone?" Arvel taunted.

His freedom was short lived, Thel caught the elf and slung him backwards to the ground. He raised his foot.

"Because sharing is caring."

Before Arvel could scream, Thel bought his foot down. Hard. He couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction from the crunching skull and squishing brain matter. He found a number of gold pieces, he dismissed those and reached further for the claw. He drew out the object that gleamed brilliantly in what light illuminated the ancient corridors. Mission accomplished but he would not go back with an empty hand, there was still the tablet to worry about. He fished for anything else important and forced out a leather book with the words 'Arvels Journal' stitched into the cover. Astonishingly, the natives of this planet wrote perfect English. It's too much of a coincidence. He read what he could sound out. And eventually deducted that the claw was actually a key to some source of force. Power that these bandits would risk their lives for. His musings was cut short by the mummified corps of an ancient Nord being awakened. Surprised and disgusted by their presence, he made short work of them.

"The Dead rising again. A horror I thought only the parasite were capable of."

He pressed on, making sure he slew each and every one. Making sure none of the atrocities would make it to the outside. Some almost took him by surprise by pretending to be 'Asleep' but they served no better than the ones before them.

Rtas and three majors and a minor stood at the edge of the crater. They tracked what they believed was the distress signal of the arbiter. With furfur analysis, it proved to be someone not like the others. An Oddball of an elite.

"Get him out of there." Rtas motioned to two of the majors who strode to either side of the covenant drop pod. They tried to pry it open, but the crash door was so badly damaged, they locked themselves in place. Trapping whoever was within.

"Shipmaster! It won't open." One major reported.

"Bring in the technician." Rtas demanded.

A brown armored spec-ops elite walked passed the rest and went upwards to the pod. Banging could be heard from the inside.

"Hey! Open this shit up, its hot as balls in here!"

The major and the minor looked at each other. A human sounding voice called out from the pod. The Brown clade elite jabbed its energy dagger in the doors hinges and traced it all around the circumference. Fully completing the circumference, the elite pulled hard on the thresholds and the Elite inside came tumbling down the side of the crater and landing on his face. Quickly correcting himself, the elite brushed himself off. He was a zealot, they could distinguish from the armor. Rtas approached him, still seated in his hover chair and looked intently at the Sangelie solider. He was noticeably shorter than the others, lingering just under seven feet compared to the average eight or nine. He didn't carry himself like an elite either. Not strong and proud. But like the easy going type.

"Oh," Rtas put a palm to his face.

"Its you."

A/N: How do you like the story so far? Follow my story and feel free to comment. I don't care if its good, bad or neutral, as long as its something! See you next chapter! Bye!