Aw sad face, not one review for the last chapter... was it that bad :S and I thought I'd never get this uploaded today, dunno why it wouldn't let me sign in... meh owell enjoy R&R
CHAPTER 9: DRAGONBORN
Her pleas for Farkas to run were ignored and swiftly drown out by the gust of wind sweeping above them. All time seemed to slow down as the entire area was set alight in a wall of flame. Screams of terror began to be snuffed out rapidly one after the other. Some men were grabbed as they ran and dropped from great heights, their voices cut off with a sicking splatter.
The captain of the guard tower uselessly yelled for his men to reform and defend the tower. Like lambs to the slaughter he watched his men scatter running for cover. He to gave up trying and attempted to flee in the panicked crowd. Few stood and fought momentarily of which were quickly devoured by flame or teeth.
Farkas didn't know what to do as he hid shamefully under the broken stairs of the tower with Marina under his arm. He knew he should be out there fighting, but he just couldn't bring himself to move. He threw an arm over his face ducking down as the dragon passed over spraying the flame once again. It seemed to go on in an infinite burning bulwark across the open field.
The ground trembled and quaked under the weight of the beast as it landed. With a bellow it roared, challenging anyone to just try and fight him.
Marina stopped mumbling to herself, and peeked under Farkas' arm.
He felt her body loosen up and go slack. Figuring she had fainted he pulled her closer hoping to at least keep her safe. Before he knew what happened she easily dislodged herself from his hold, and was already walking toward the dragon. He reached out trying to pull her back, but she easily side stepped his attempt and continued forward.
The dragon halted his bellow and turned his spiked head slowly. His nostrils flared in agitation as he narrowed his eyes. He rumbled deep in his chest as he turned his massive body to face the human who dared challenge him. It sounded as though he were laughing at the puny mortal.
"Yol toor shul!" His maw opened and spewed forth the inferno once again. He had missed, there was no charred corpse. Raising his head high he spotted her running off to the side, still making her way to him, although at a much quicker pace.
"Marina!" Farkas shouted barely dodging the flame himself, and searched for his missing student. With his sword in hand he charged past the flames lighting up the area like the sun. His heart sank when the dragon rose up on his hind legs his massive mouth open ready to devour the foolish woman who challenged him. It roared throwing his massive weight forward easily able to tare through anything in it's path. He heard the teeth snap shut clearly and feared the worst.
Instead the dragon shook his head throwing mud and stone from his mouth roaring in anger. He missed again.
"Dii jaar!" He snapped at his side to rid himself of the tiny pest as she lunged. Marina's swords sank deep between his scales surprising the beast.
"Raaaghhh!" Farkas bellowed slamming his own sword at the dragons heavily armored neck. The metal weapon only bounced harmlessly like a stick from the scales nearly cracking in two. Swiping at Marina he knocked her to the ground causing her to skid along for several yards. The dragon rose back up and snarled at both humans. His scaly lips rose up baring his sharp teeth.
"Enough!" Farkas growled throwing his sword to the ground dropping to his knees. The dragon rumbled in his throat as he watched the man's body warp and enlarge. Giving a roar of his own Farkas stood again, this time as a werewolf. His lips pulled back in his own snarl he lunged forward pouncing on the dragons head. His claws sank into the beasts unprotected eyes and he lodged himself there.
The dragon thrashed about roaring in pain and anger. It scratched at the furry animal latched firmly to it's head and flailed about more unable to rid himself of the irritant. After erratically throwing his head wildly about Farkas finally came loose and landed on the ground some feet away.
Digging his clawed hands into the ground he slid and braced his knee into the dirt raising his lips again. They stared each other down, waiting for the other to move. One side of the dragons face bleed profusely as he clenched his eye tightly closed. In his anger he didn't notice Marina upon him again. Grabbing onto his horn with one hand she ran her sword deep into his neck. His one eye widened and he bellowed in pain.
In it's anger he threw Marina from him again and took to the air, fleeing for a moment taking her sword with him. She stood slowly keeping her head down, just waiting. Farkas turned his furry head away for a moment to try and spot the dragon, but instead landed on reinforcements from Whiterun. His eyes widened and he hid himself until he returned to normal.
Those from Whiterun kept far away for a time, unwilling to budge until the time was right. Whether or not they stayed and fought would be a mystery until the beast showed his face again. All across the field were the bodies of their comrades. Bodies torn limb from limb, charred and disfigured. All mutilated beyond recognition.
They murmured softly between themselves timidly following after the Dunmer who led them. Through the dancing flames they could see Marina standing her ground awaiting the suspended danger to return. As they entered the tower they found not all the guards had been killed, but few remained. Like cornered skeever they cowered in crumbling corners clinging to their weapons.
"Where is it?" Irileth kept her voice low, but strong enough to retain her dignity. She wouldn't cower like these men.
One stuttered over his words coming to stand at attention. "I-it fled." She narrowed her red eyes and crossed her arms disbelieving that the dragon would destroy the entire tower, send the guards into disarray and just depart like that. There had to be more to the story. She remembered the one standing in the center of the flames, perhaps they would know where it had went, or they were just so panic stricken they couldn't move from the spot.
Through the light of the fire she could clearly make out the woman and the man walking up behind her. Both Companions, the woman she distinctly recognized when she came closer, but still retained her distance.
Placing his hand on her shoulder hesitantly Farkas spoke. "Marina?" He panted trying to catch his breath.
For a moment she acted as though she couldn't hear him and continued contemplating the ground under her feet. Shaking her head lightly she looked to him. Farkas snatched his hand back quickly as though she burned to the touch even through his gauntleted hands. His mouth parted in shock unable to form words to what he saw in her eyes. If he didn't know any better he would think she had contracted Vamperism, with the whites of her eyes gone solid black and once forest green eyes red. Her pupils slit in a thin black line as she stared back at him uncertain of why he was acting the way he was.
They broke their staring contest when Irileth barked an order to the two of them, clearly displeased that they were ignoring her first orders to state their names and ranks.
That though would have to wait, several trails of flame were blown out by the dragon as he swooped over head once again. Swooping low the dragon attempted to pluck Marina and Farkas from the ground, killing them from above, but he couldn't maintain his own balance. His massive body collided with the ground as he skid on his side leaving a long trail of disturbed land behind him.
The guards all began to run behind Irileth, almost hiding behind her as they watched for the dragon to move. All it could do was lay there breathing heavily, his rumbles of agony apparent.
Placing himself between the dragon and Marina he tried to back her away from the beast. Farkas felt the air around him spark with electricity, turning he saw the malicious smirk on Marina's face.
"Pull yourself together!" He barked under his breath snapping her back into reality quickly. The thoughts of her losing it like she had during training ran ramped through his mind. He couldn't let the guards see that side of her. They'd lock her away for sure in fear that she would destroy their home.
Weakly the dragon's head rose, and he pulled his lips back in a last snarl. His last act of defiance. "Aus faal dovah bah!" With a grunt the dragon fell back to the ground, unmoving and very much dead.
Irileth sheathed her weapons, and calmly strode over to the corpse. Kicking the beasts nose with her armored boot it's head limply rolled before settling back where it had been. One by one her guards rushed up behind her, studying the dead dragon for themselves.
Feeling a hand clutch at his arm Farkas looked down to Marina. "Is it dead?" Her voice shook fearfully making him smile slightly; she had returned to her normal self. Walking up to the cheering guards they looked at the beast. How they could have beaten it so simply he couldn't be sure, she, he corrected himself. He had barely done anything. He couldn't even scratch the thing with his weapon, and yet her sword was jammed under it's scales cracking them easily.
Suddenly the cheering stopped and everyone began backing away from the dragon. Fearing that it were coming back to life they all scrambled to grab their weapons, or run away in fear that it couldn't truly be killed.
"Get back." The Dunmer screamed looking for a place to take cover.
Its scales began glowing brightly nearly catching flame as they broke apart from it's body. It began to disintegrate right before their eyes, and in a bright white light shot out toward Farkas and Marina. The Nord threw himself in front of her honor bound to protect. He felt the rush of wind blow all around him as the intensity of the light grew and vanished all at once. The wind died down and all that remained before him was a skeleton of a once horrific creature.
He heard a body behind him hit the ground loudly, turning sharply he found Marina's unconscious form sprawled out in the burned land. Taking off his gauntlet he bent down placing a hand over her chest feeling her heart beat steadily under his palm. Releasing a breath he hadn't realized he held he gathered her up, ready to take her back to Jorrvaskr. Partially throwing her over one shoulder he held her tightly with one hand grabbing her sword with the other. Her arms dangled limply over his own and against his chest.
Guards jumped and backed out of Farkas' path allowing him to pass silently. Although one did manage to work up enough courage to stop him.
"Y-you..." Farkas stopped and stared him down over the top of Marina's head. "It can't be, you're Dragonborn?" The guard shifted nervously under Farkas' glare, he wanted to leave and just call it a night. He was far to tired to keep up with this nonsense. It was just one thing after the other, and it was beginning to aggravate him.
Farkas knew what the man was talking about. All Nord's knew of the Dragonborn that would one day return and save Skyrim. The man was obviously mistaken though, it wasn't Farkas even he could easily figure that out. And it couldn't be... no, not her? It all began to make sense now though, it was to hard to not believe.
"Stop talking such foolishness." Irileth strode over to the man knocking him in the back of the head causing his helmet to slip over his face. "I see you're busy, but if you would tell the Jarl what has happened. I'm far to occupied here, I need to find other survivors."
"Fine." Shifting her carefully Farkas continued back on his way to Whiterun. First though he needed to return Marina to Jorrvaskr, and then he would go tell the Jarl about the dragon. Then he would get himself as drunk as possible and finally try to sleep. He would much rather be dealing with a hang over by this point, at least that he could ignore to a point.
This threat of dragons returning and now the dragonborn was beginning to be far to taxing on his mind.
Marina moaned softly and squirmed in Farkas' hold. He thought she was about to awaken, but she only placed her arms around his neck and buried her nose in his hair and against his jaw. Clearing his throat he tried to focus on his task at hand, and toss away the thoughts of the feel of her skin against his. She was his student, and quite possibly something much bigger.
Once the gates were in view his mind returned to what he had to do. Anything else could wait until later.
Suddenly the ground began to quake. "Dovahkiin!" Rumbled down the mountain in an avalanche of sound. Farkas stumbled slightly and braced himself against a sturdy stone wall. It was enough to wake Marina from her temporary coma. Blinking owlishly she lifted her head to place where she was and what was going on.
The ground finally began to stable out and stop quaking under Farkas' feet.
"What's going on?" She whispered not trusting her voice and the strangeness that tingled in the back of her throat and mind. Shaking his head Farkas' couldn't tell her what exactly had just happened, just one more situation to pile onto his already eventful night. One more event that would most likely end up taxing his mind to far for him to attempt to comprehend.
"The dragon exploded and you fainted." Knitting her brow together she studied his face trying to figure out just what he was hiding. All she could remember was a bright white light that searched her out and then darkness.
And in that darkness a voice spoke to her, in a language she could not understand. It sounded familiar as though she had heard it before, but had lost the knowledge to translate it years before.
"Can you walk?" Farkas asked kindly, offering to allow her to keep her own dignity if she should so chose. She wasn't entirely sure if her legs would obey her command to move. Even without having to support her weight they felt limp, and she knew her knees would be shaking.
He took his unanswered question as a 'no', and continued his way into the city. The guards scrambled to open the gates for him all while searching out what made that noise.
Inside the city walls people had left the safety of their homes; standing open mouthed staring at the sky waiting for the answer to fall from the stars. The city was barely alive with murmuring whispers from everyone as the two Companions passed. As they passed the Bannered Mare, the occupants all stood around chattering drunkenly to their neighbors.
Jorrvaskr was vastly different, all were standing outside, but deathly silent. The members of the circle all stood staring at each other, obviously holding a silent conversation while the rest turned their focus to Farkas and Marina as they walked up the steps. Walking half way he sat Marina to her feet and returned her sword.
"What happened to you two?" Ria scrambled past the Circle and down the stairs to grab onto Marina's arm. The two women talked quietly to one another as Vilkas rushed to his brothers side. With a quick look at him to assure he was fine, he pulled him to the side.
"We could hear the cries from here... Was it truly?"
Pulling his brother closer Farkas checked over his shoulder before turning back to his brother. "We faced a dragon."
"You what!" He cursed under his breath. "Please say you killed it."
"Not me..." Vilkas' brow bunched together wanting an explanation and quickly. If his brother couldn't kill a dragon, then who could. He threw his head back to where Marina and Ria were finally calming down and trying to gather the events of the interrupted walk. Following his brothers gaze Vilkas suddenly doubted his brothers intelligence.
Where Farkas failed, how could the frail looking little mage prevail. There had to be something that Farkas wasn't telling him. He didn't want to think about the day he had actually faced her, and that his brother might not be as dimwitted as he thought. "Tell me everything."
He brought his brothers attention back to him awaiting the truth to come. Unsure of where to best start he decided to have his brother accompany him to Dragonsreach. At least that way he wouldn't have to explain it twice over, and end up forgetting details.
With a nod to Kodlak the brothers dismissed themselves and began their assent to the keep. Before the two could get out of view of Jorrvaskr they realized they had a pair of followers behind them. Neither had to look back to know which two women decided to tag along uninvited. Vilkas knew that they shouldn't be with them, but Marina had been there first hand as well. He knew she should be there, but Ria had no business in involving herself any farther.
She was worried for her friend, he knew it, just as he was worried for his brother. So long as she stayed out of the way he wouldn't force her to leave.
Filing into the building they watched the Jarl stand from his seat. The guard that had been speaking with him sent back to his post.
"Companions." He politely addressed, the twins gave him a respectful salute, awaiting orders to explain the nights events from their view. Farengar rushed from his room looking disheveled and wide awake. "I have been informed that thanks to you Companions, the dragon's threat has been ended?"
"It lays in a pile of bones, just beyond the tower." Balgruuf gave a weary sigh, and sagged into his throne. His people would be safe for another night, and the ones lost could travel to Sovngarde peacefully. Now all that remained was the explanation of what happened after the dragon had died. What it had meant and what would become of it.
The Dragonborn had returned.
