"Onmund?" Cymbeline asked, leaning on the stone arch that led to his room, her arms were crossed and a thick heavy cloak hung around her shoulders. The mage in question looked up from the book he had been reading, closing said book and setting it to the side.

"What is it?"

Cymbeline said nothing, only looking away, taking a deep breath.

"Come to the Throat of the World with me."

"What?"

"I said, come to the Throat of the World with me." Cymbeline repeated, her usual smile was gone, replaced by a grim expression. It was out of character for her, normally when she'd ask Onmund to come with her, she'd ask it in her own special way, be it a scroll of paper in a potion bottle left on his desk or a set of scorch marks in the snow outside.

"Okay?" Onmund said, confused, why would she want him to come to the Throat of the World with her? Before anything else had been said, a set of heavy armor had been placed in his arms, Cymbeline's cloak shifting to slightly reveal an odd type of armor Onmund had never seen before.

"Put that on please."

Onmund looked at the armor handed to him, no doubt it was heavy and took a lot of time and work to forge, something was off about the material, it was unlike any metal he had seen and so was the armor. He let a hand rest on the chest piece of the armor and knew what it was. Dragon bone. Looking at Cymbeline whom had turned her back, Onmund could see the dull glint of dragon scales on her backside when her cloak dipped slightly.

Putting on the armor took little time, Onmund was amazed at how thick and heavy dragon bones could be, but how light they were as well, when he had been helping Cymbeline lug back dragon bones they were heavy and difficult to carry, but it had been worth it.

"Done then? Lets go, we have a lot of traveling to do."


Cymbeline had changed, and Onmund was beginning to notice, the way her stride had taken a powerful air, how she no longer lost her footing in the icy snow. Her jolly nature had fallen away into a battle hardened one, it scared the mage to tell the truth, he had secretly loved her joyfulness and easy going attitude, but to see it gone he feared the old Cymbeline would never return.

There was something else that was odd about the Imperial, a large scroll slung across her back, an Elder Scroll, when and where she had gotten her hands on it, Onmund had yet to know. Something big was going to happen and Cymbeline was taking every precaution to either stop or prevent it.

The Throat of the World soon loomed over head, an eerie feeling had fallen over Ivarstead as Cymbeline moved forewords across the bridge, they hadn't run into a single dragon on their way to the small settlement and that was unsettling enough to warrant the mage to keep an eye on the skies all the way there. With a short sigh, Onmund followed her across the bridge and began his first time assent of the seven thousand steps.

Icy winds ghosted over the steps as Cymbeline guided him up and up, turning this way and that, the sun was not quite setting but not quite over head, clouds were swirling overhead as an immense power that Onmund had felt with the Eye of Magnus, fell over the two mages.

High Hrothgar stood before them, an offering chest at the front and two staircases curving up the sides of the ancient building.

"Lets go." Cymbeline nodded, guiding the man inside where warmth washed over him like a blanket. The interior of High Hrothgar was almost completely consisting of carved stones, old rugs had been laid across the ground, faded and worn from years of treading. Fires crackled and wind whistled outside the walls of the ancient building. Cymbeline had grabbed his hand by then, entwining her fingers in his own and giving him a quick squeeze before tugging his arm and guiding him through the ancient building to the large ornate doors on the other side of the building. Passing a group of men dressed in grey scaled robes, meditating on their knees as Onmund watched in awe. The Grey Beards.

Soon the chilling winds of Skyrim returned, snow crunching under his boots and a swirling storm high above them, the cries of dragons tore through the air as Cymbeline steeled herself, still holding Onmund's hand in a vice like grip.

"Cymbeline?" Onmund asked as he looked over at the mentioned Imperial, her eyes finally broke their straight forwards gaze. A false smile on her face as she looked at him, hand falling away.

"Its just…" She trailed off, looking towards the Throat of the World "This is going to be the end, I'm afraid truthfully… I don't know what will happen to us up there Onmund, but what ever happens." Cymbeline shuddered "Catch me when I fall."


Onmund was generally confused for a moment, what did she mean by 'catch me when I fall'? Did she really think she was going to die?

He found himself treading across the courtyard and up towards the mountain path leading up, only to find it was blocked by a powerful gust of wind and icy snow pelting the edges of the arc that marked the start.

"LOK, VAH, KOOR!" Cymbeline shouted, her voice cutting through the wind and dispersing the small storm as she stumbled back slightly, Onmund instantly reaching out a hand to grab her shoulder.

"We don't have much time, we need to keep moving." Cymbeline breathed, pushing forwards and up the mountain side, occasionally using her shout again and again to clear more clouds of frozen fog or strong drifts of wind. Onmund was there to put a hand on her back to steady her, or catch her if she slipped, which was rarely now, but she had broken into a shiver that was more from the cold than from her fear. He pulled her arm towards him and dug through his pack, withdrawing a cloak he had taken to keeping on him just for her. Draping the cloak over her shoulders Onmund chose to ignore the flush that was spreading across her cheeks, drawing away they continued up the mountain, the sun was gone from the sky as they neared the swirling storm. With a single word, Cymbeline had cleared away the last dervish of wind and they were faced with a clearing, and a dragon with white-green scales awaited them, lifting its head to look at Cymbeline and nod at the Elder Scroll on her back.

"It's okay, he's a friend." Cymbeline explained over her shoulder to Onmund as she began to walk towards the dragon, pulling the Elder Scroll off her back and motioning for the nord mage to follow her.


Too stunned to hear the words the dragon spoke to Cymbeline, Onmund simply looked around him, a word wall stood nearby, the carved stone empty and vacant from the ethereal glow that would seep into Cymbeline's very being, were he Dragonborn, he would have been able to hear the chanting that often drew Cymbeline towards these walls of lost words.

He snapped out of his trance when Cymbeline stood before the word wall, the Elder Scroll clutched tightly in her hands as she took a deep breath and slowly unfurled the scroll. Onmund shot out a hand towards her, trying to warn her of its fabled powerful magic that would drive her insane, or blind her. But words did not escape his mouth, before he could speak the white scaled dragon had halted him with a turn of its head. Cymbeline's body had vanished like a piece of parchment, burning from the edges in an otherworldly flame.


Onmund waited for her to come back, standing before the word wall and occasionally pacing to and from. The dragon watching him with golden eyes until a terrifying shout tore through the air, shuddering the very ground beneath Onmund's feet as he pulled out a bow gifted to him by his companion, and readied an arrow. He would protect her to the end.

Just as Alduin was beginning to appear, Onmund noticed an ethereal glow at his right, Cymbeline was returning, her body slowly becoming into existence as she stumbled back and gasped for air, taking in shuddering breaths before pushing herself up with the sword named 'Dragon Bane' at her waist. She drew the sword, lightning crackling around the blade as she glanced over at Onmund.

"Lets put this beast down Onmund!"

"Right behind you!" Onmund called to her over another screech as Cymbeline looked up towards the black dragon that flew over head.

"This is the end, Alduin." Cymbeline hissed, her grip around Dragon Bane tightening as she called up a storm atronach, the sun at her back and her companion at her side she felt terror, courage and something warm in her chest all at once, she had to win this.

Alduin spoke to her in his native tongue, a language neither human could understand.

"My belly is filled with the souls of your fellow mortals, Dovahkiin." Alduin taunted as Cymbeline braced herself, steeling her emotions, she needed to find an opening.

"Die now and await your fait in Sovengarde!"

"Lost funt, you are too late Alduin!" Paarthunax called, rising into the sky "Dovahkiin! Use Dragonrend, if you know it!"

"Onmund cover me!" Cymbeline shouted as she nodded towards Paarthunax, the swirling storm above them had erupted into a storm of fire raining down upon them.

Onmund could hardly see Cymbeline through the smoke and snow that billowed all around him, he could hear her shouts and eventually found her locked in combat against Alduin, Dragon Bane skittering and dragging across the black scales, foul black blood dripping into the snow as she backed away as fire engulfed her.

"Cymbeline!" Onmund shouted, running towards her as Alduin took off again, Cymbeline was in bad condition, breathing heavily and conjuring up a healing spell to return to the battle.

"I'm fine. We need to focus on Alduin!" Cymbeline grunted, standing up and shouting once more at Alduin, an ethereal blue light emitting from him as he came crashing into the mountain side, skidding through the snow towards them as Cymbeline readied her sword, Onmund readied a spell.

It was over before Onmund knew it, but instead of Alduin dissolving into a cloud of smoke and embers, instead of his soul sweeping into Cymbeline's body, the dragon sat there hunched over, glaring into Cymbeline with blood red eyes.

"You cannot prevail against me.." Alduin breathed raggedly "I will outlast you… Mortal!" With that he took off, flying away from them as Cymbeline tried to pursue him.

"Coward! Come back and face me!" Cymbeline howled, running towards the direction Alduin was quickly flying towards, Paarthunax soared overhead, landing on an out cropping of rocks just as Cymbeline tried to send another shout towards Alduin, but her footing slipped and she tumbled into the snow, Onmund chasing after her and pulling her out of the icy cold snow. She coughed slightly, covering her mouth and taking ragged breaths as Onmund dug through his pack for a potion of health. She was battled worn, her armor dented and bloodied, cloaks torn apart and barely covering her shoulders, her hair had come undone, falling around her shoulders. The taste of iron in her mouth was washed out by a healing potion as she gazed up at Paarthunax weakly, leaning against Onmund for support.

"Where did he go?" She seethed.


I feel it's a bit rushed, but it was an interesting chapter to write. Reviews are gladly appreciated and I'll see you all next time!