His flame assault on the mortals was short lived. He was winning and he knew it; he was a Dragon against a group of meaningless and insignificant worms. Yet the Dammed Daedra Had obstructed his inevitable victory by climbing up onto his back. He pulled up and no longer cared about tormenting the mortals leaving his gusts of breeze as their only penalty.
"Off of me Cretin! You have no right to ride a Dovah!" he turned his head making eye contact with his assaulter.
"Do you not hear me, Worm? I said off!"
With that, Mirmulnir spun sideways viscously the air pressure licked at him yet his hold stayed steeled. Thel held on for dear life as the dragon went on its aerial assault bucking, turning and twisting to get him to fall to his death, the surface of Skyrim Becoming smaller and smaller until they reached the water swollen clouds of the night. They risked his grip on the dragon and reached for the great sword that clung to his back, Just then The dragon bucked again and a flapping wing knocked the steel from his grasp. They saw it fall onto the earth. He quickly took hold of the other one with success and continue to climb up the dragons back. At this time the clouds let go of their rain water making his efforts that more difficult.
"Yet you remain? You are a stubborn one."
The two were hardly visible from the ground being so high up into the clouds and the night partially concealing them. Irileth was unable to believe what the Daedra had done. She stood there in awe. Her eyes were better than the nords and could see what was happening clearly.
"What do we do?" A guardsmen Asked.
She shook her head and answered.
"I...I don't know."
Thel was able to make out the fires of the watchtower from here. The dragon wasn't going very far from it. But a new question popped into his head: How the hell was he to get off?! The dragon, having enough playing around twisted sharply and the Arbiter lost his hold. At once with its prey above it, Mirmulnir released another gout of flames hopping to burn the Heathen to a crisp. But it had made a mistake leaving it's soft under belly exposed. Thel's Shields flickered brightly and were cut to a tad less than half yet the flames worked in his favor, it hid his movements. Mirmulnir's Smirk of satisfaction was short lived when the Thel burst through the flames unharmed and plunged the Great sword into its exposed soft-berth. The pain made the dragon's eyes widen in surprise. He turned over, bringing back to flying and attempted to remove the sword with its clawed hand. Thel took another grip of the dragon and it too distracted from the wound, ignored him walking on his back towards his head. He took hold of its horns and attempted to steer him towards the Tower.
Seeing this Mirmulnir laughed.
"I won't be so easily vanquished, especially by you, mortal."
Mirmulnir bucked his head back sending Thel to the wind but he caught hold of the base of the dragon's flapping wing. He stood and grabbed it with both arms and with all the force he could muster, wretched it. The wet snap of bone from cartilage was his reward. Mirmulnir let out a screech of agony as the wing now useless ceased flapping and began to fail to keep them airborne now in a free fall.
"Y-y-y-You…Fool! You've…You've Killed Us Both!"
The Dragon flipped over and the arbiter found himself rolling onto its belly once more.
"I'll kill… Kill you before you kill M-Me!"
Another gout of flames hit the arbiter and again depleted his shields. Again, Another mistake. Thel lunged towards the Head landed a substantial hit to the side of its jaws. Pinging its head sideways.
"You will perish today, Dragon. And I will prevail."
Mirmulnir Laughed.
"You are a fierce one, one that nearly bested me. Merely to say you've beaten me when were both going to die, HAH! Such arrogance! You're beyond foolish!"
Now standing firmly standing on the dragon's stomach he pointed behind the two.
"Our trajectory says otherwise."
Mirmulnir Scoffed and turned its long neck to regard what was behind them, what he saw made his mouth hang open. The watchtower, they…they were heading right for it. No way to maneuver, no way to evade. Their course was set in stone. He turned back with the same look plastered on his facial expression.
"You...Planned this, didn't you?"
"Your body will suffice as my shield, dragon. I will endure. You on the other hand will not be as fortunate."
Irileth and her companions stared at the falling two. And cheered. He'd beaten it at its own game. However, there celebration was cut short when they realized that the dot in the sky was getting steadily becoming larger by the minute.
"Everyone! Scatter!" Irileth barked.
Passing away in all sorts of directions they were able to get far enough to safely witness their Watchtower explode into numerous broken pieces of rock like shrapnel from a grenade when the dragon was smashed through it. They skidded across the field leaving large patches of solid ground in the grass and finally slowed to a slide and eventually stopped all together. Regaining his bearings, He stood on the beast's chest victorious and let out the loudest Victory roar he could. He hadn't done one so proud since he had killed Truth.
"Dovahkiin…"
He was surprised that the dragon wasn't instantly killed, but he could tell it wasn't far from death.
"No!" Its last breath, it's last moment of life died. His anguished cry was hushed up as the eyes rolled lazily back in its skull. Less than a moment later, the material body of the dragon's carcass began to glow and burn but no fire was present. Instead of smoke wisps red and purple spiritual energy swirled about him, much like the ones that he had encountered in the falls. The wisps settled onto the surface of his armor, ignoring his shields and formed a sort a white highlight on him before disappearing. What was left of his foe was its skeleton and pieces of scale scattered around it. They stared at his hands and watched the white highlight leave his physical structure. He didn't what happened, but the mysterious language that he had encountered in the falls became more intelligible. He would have stood there for hours attempting to comprehend how he did what he did if someone hadn't spoke up.
"I can't believe it, you're…You're dragon born!" One of the surviving guard said.
"A Daedra Dragonborn? Now that don't make any sense." His fellow guard frowned.
"Why do you insist on calling me this 'Daedra'? Do I really resemble one to you?" Thel asked clearly annoyed.
"I'm…Sorry, I simply assumed because… I..." Finding no way to not sound ignorant he just gave him an apology.
"Dragonborn? Aye! I remember the stories my pa told me when I was little. The one's born with the dragon blood in 'em."
"Haven't heard of Tiber Septim killing any dragons." One rolled his eyes.
"That's because there just now coming back in like forever, idiot!" Another shot back.
"What do you say Irileth? Do you believe in this Dragonborn Business?"
"Hmph, Most of you would be better of minding your own business than flapping your gums about matter you don't know anything about."
She motioned to the skeleton remains.
"Here's a dead dragon that I can understand. Now we know we can kill them. I don't need some mythical dragon born. Anyone who can put down a dragon is good enough for me."
"You don't understand Housecarl, You aint a Nord."
"I've been all across tamerial and I've seen things just as outlandish as this." Slightly insulted by the comment, she continued.
"I suggest all of you trust in your sword arm over tales and legends."
"Legend says only the Dragonborn can shout without training, the way the dragons do. Can you do it? Have you tried?" he asked intently the stranger.
Thel said nothing, only walked towards the fires that still persisted on the ground.
"See? What did I tell you?" A guard chuckled.
"It's merely a story, there's no such thing as a DragonBo-"
"FUS!"
The force was enough to extinguish the last of the flames and keep them from spreading. The blond guard coughed lightly and spoke again.
"I stand corrected."
"Damn right you do."
Strength in numbers didn't apply to this situation at all. The four Brave Cloaks fought for their survival while the only one fought for their bloodshed. He wasn't going to quit until he had it. The Cloak wielding the large iron sword struggled with his blade against the lone one's Elven dagger. It didn't make sense for such a skinny person to be able to hold a candle to him in a strength contest, let alone keep him back with one stupid arm while he used both. Even at present the same smirk that was aimed at Emerel was now plastered on his face almost permanently throughout the entire fight. The lone one was able to contend against the two other Cloaks despite them having shields and him only able to use one arm. He feinted an attack onto the young on who pulled up his shield in response, instead, he cut downwards to his unguarded thigh. The steel cut through the chain mail easily and sliced deep into the young man's flesh. He shouted loudly and fell onto his back helplessly. The lone one grinned and pushed aside the other two and pounced on defenseless Cloak. He didn't get the opportunity to see more of the beloved red liquescent. No sooner had he prepared to strike an arrow pierced his wrist. Forcing the blade to spin through the air in the gloomy woods. He swore not only from the sudden pain, but from him having to rely on his small dagger. Another arrow found its way in his chest and then another. That bitch was going to turning him into a damn pin cushion. Grabbing the young one to his feet by his hair, he used him as a substitute himself when the great sword wielding cloak charged forward hoping to grab him off guard. Rather, he had spiked his own comrade in the stomach, not even giving him time to regret the mistake, the lone one snatched the steel shield from the deceased Cloak and slashed the throat of his attacker. Another arrow tagged him, this time in his forehead but did little more than pose an annoyance.
"Doesn't this bitch ever miss!?"
He hissed under his breath. He threw the steel shell to try and hinder her next shot, but the outcome was different from expected. The shield whizzed through the air with such force it broke her bow in two and bumped her down.
Delighted with his luck he plucked the arrow from his head and attacked the last remaining Cloak, ducking over the sword slash and tagging him in the knee with the arrowhead. The shock was enough for him fall to the ground cradling the wound. The blood that flowed down his leg wasn't flowing fast enough for his preference. Without a second thought, he kicked the butt of the arrow with enough force to shove it deeper through his knee. The Anguished cry pleased him further. So much he didn't expect the cord from the bow to be wrapped around his neck so rapidly. She tightened the cord until it cut into his neck, she followed suite by jumping on his back to further solidify the grip. The lone one clawed at the thread to no avail. He tried to throw her off but she already wrapped her legs around his waist. She finished tying the knot and pulled the dagger from its sheath on her thigh and started out to mercilessly stab at whatever she could. His Flesh Reform ability was beginning to work against him, whatever he grew back would be sliced again, not giving him the chance to relive himself of the torment. He felt for her a tree or anything to slam her against, during this process his hand accidently glided across her backside. The fight for survival was replaced with rage. She clamped down on his neck with her teeth as hard as she could and was rewarded with the bitter black substance and his wail. Finally, a tree! He turned his back to it and bucked her into it several times, but she declined to relinquish her grasp. Then he discovered the iron great sword going through the cloaks torso. He fell in such a way that the point headed straight up. It would have been painful, yes, but he suffered far worse. He carried him over to the weapon and attempted to thrust himself onto the point skewering him and her both. She caught on to what he was doing and at the last second pushed off of him and only suffered a piece of her armor being ripped off.
Black oozes crept from his abdomen and he squirmed to get up, but it seemed like he didn't have the strength to do so, so he stayed down and ceased his movements. Emerel half crawled half ran to her comrade still trying to cradle his injury. She knew what to do, she'd seen this before. Snapping off the arrow head she grabbed the now useless stick and looked at him for approval. He nodded his head and braced himself. He held back screams as she pulled it out and threw it away. Emerald searched in her medical pack and drew out an iron dagger with a fire enchant. She needed to cartelize it before he bled out. The hissing of flesh and blood and also the stifled screams of her comrade masked his approach.
"E-Emerel!"
"What!?"
No time. The only one kicked her hard in the side of her head, making her roll over twice across the grass. Elven dagger in hand he strolled over to her in her downed state confidently.
"See? This could all been avoided if you would have just gave yourself up."
He kicked her again hard in her abdomen and shuddered with pleasure when she screamed out. He picked up the shield he had thrown before and traced his finger round its circumference, marveling at its potential deadliness. Yes, a formidable tool of murder if he had sharpened the edge.
"Why did you do this to us?" Emeral asked with a plain expression on her expression. She was sitting against a rock staring emptily at her comrades assailant.
"Hmm?" the only one turned his head to his quarry out of his musings.
"Why do this? What have we ever done to you to deserve this?"
The question made the lone one bowl over in a laughing fit, he even wiped a few tears of joy away from his eyes.
"'What have we done to deserve this?" He echoed before turning back into a giggling heap.
Moments later his joyous disposition melted away and was replaced with a deep scowl.
"The real question Is what haven't you done to deserve this. You. People like you are simply getting whats coming to them. I am that bringer of justice."
She shook her head in refusal.
"You call this justice?! The senseless slaughter you just committed is Justice?!" She motioned to her fallen comrades.
The lone one surveyed his carnage and turned back to her and boasted a large grin.
"A necessary evil, complete with perks."
She fought back the impulse to spit on him.
"Go ahead, kill me now. But when Ulfric hears of this, he'll have your head on a pike."
The lone ones grin became immensely wider, too wide to be on a face. This made her gasp at his appearance. He suddenly sprang in the air and landed right near her making her flinch.
"Oh, but that's exactly it!" he hissed in her ear.
"Had I attacked a Kahjiit Caravan or a Group of traveling Argonians, hell, anyone who wasn't a Nord, Do you think Ulfric would so much as put a breath in that direction? NO!"
She couldn't help but tremble at his voice. In all her years she hadn't been so afraid if only Ruben was here.
"I have a question for you." He gave up his grin and sat down right in front of her and played with is a dagger.
"I'm not answering a damn thing to you." She snapped.
"Well, your going to listen anyway. Have you ever read a volume called 'The bear of Markarth'? Fascinating book." He just so happened to have a copy that he drew out of his pocket and flipped through the pages. Emeral turned her head to avoid responding.
"it tells how your hero Ulfric rode into Markarth and took it back from those mean ol' Foresworn." He spoke as if he was talking to a child trying to get a rise out of her.
"Even when he won, he proceeded to wipe out every man, woman, and child who didn't help him."
He turned to the page describing the action and showed it to her, yet she shut her us and shook her head. She too had read it and was going through denial.
"That doesn't sound like the hero you people make him out to be, does it?"
He set away the book and smiled.
"You heard the summons. What else could it mean? The Greybeards..." Lord Balgruff was cut from his conversation with his brother upon seeing the familiar grey Daedra.
"So what happened at the watchtower? Was the dragon there?" He asked intently
Thel sighed heavily before answering.
"Your watchtower was destroyed, but we killed the flying lizard".
He answered.
"I knew I could count on Irileth. But there must be more to it than that".
Thel wasn't sure he should expose this power that had been bestowed on him yet, but the humans seemed to be the ones who knew the most about it. This 'Dragon Born' But it would make him untrustworthy if he let out such information.
"When the dragon died, I absorbed some kind of power from it." He confessed.
A long break before anyone said anything.
"So it's true. The Greybeards really were summoning you".
"The who?"
"Masters of the Way of the Voice. They live in seclusion high on the slopes of the Throat of the World." He explained.
"Why do these greybeards wish to speak to me?" Thel crossed his arms in confusion.
"The Dragonborn is said to be uniquely gifted in the Voice - the ability to concentrate your vital essence into a Thu'um, or Shout. If you really are Dragonborn, they can teach you how to use your gift."
"Didn't you hear the thundering sound as you returned to Whiterun? That was the voice of the Greybeards, summoning you to High Hrothgar! This hasn't happened in ... centuries, at least. Not since Tiber Septim himself was summoned when he was still Talos of Atmora!"
Hrongar cut in.
"Ah, yes. The voice from the clouds that beckoned 'Dovahkiin', those were the Greybeards?"
They wondered how simple men could shout so loud that it could be confused with thunder, then again, a lot of things here didn't make sense.
"Hrongar, calm yourself. What does any of this Nord nonsense have to do with our friend here? Capable as he may be, I don't see any signs of him being this, what, 'Dragonborn.'" The skinny necked Imperial pipped up.
"Nord nonsense?! Why you puffed-up ignorant." He calmed himself before he did anything rash.
"these are our sacred traditions that go back to the founding of the First Empire!"
"Hrongar. Don't be so hard on Avenicci." Balgruuf said.
"I meant no disrespect, of course. It's just that... what do these Greybeards want with him?"
"That's the Greybeards' business, not ours."
He turned to the Arbiter.
"Whatever happened when you killed that dragon, it revealed something in you, and the Greybeards heard it. If they think you're Dragonborn, who are we to argue? You'd better get up to High Hrothgar immediately. There's no refusing the summons of the Greybeards. It's a tremendous honor."
"I cannot make the journey now, I am far too weary. And I like to stay in one place for now, I must wait for my search and rescue."
Confused, The three blinked before saying anything.
"So… there are more like you?" Avenicci asked.
"Yes, I…Hope."
The Arbiter went into a state of worry and concern of the his fellow elites.
Clearing his throat, Balgruuf spoke again.
"You've done a great service for me and my city, Dragonborn. By my right as Jarl, I name you Thane of Whiterun. It's the greatest honor that's within my power to grant. I assign you Lydia as a personal Housecarl, and this weapon from my armory to serve as your badge of office. I'll also notify my guards of your new title. Wouldn't want them to think you're part of the common rabble, now would we?"
Balgruff then inwardly kicked himself at the concluding part.
"Yes, that is very nice, but I absolutely must have a place to sleep and something to eat, can this all wait until daybreak? I feel like I'm nearly to faint."
"Of course! Maid! Show our guest to one of our finest rooms and let him eat as much as he wants!"
Balgruuf stopped arbiter suddenly.
"Err. What is it that your kind eat?"
"Vegetables mostly, Meat is rarely eaten by my kind, but it's nice to have some of it on occasion."
"Not people right?"
"What!? No! the rings, no! Have you asked the inquiry to a brute he'd surely tell you an entire story as he is roasting your body with plasma fire."
Nearly an hour later, After filling his belly with carrots, cabbage, leeks, and potatoes and a few bits of deer, he tapped at his wrist to reveal a small HUD. He tapped a few hard light symbols and his armor collapsed to the earth. Placing in a pile in the corner of the room, he lay on his bed, that was actually four pushed together and drifted to sleep.
A/N: I know chief was supposed to show up, I know, but I don't recognize how to introduce him into the story withought breaking the story AARGH!
Ill update once I solve this predicament.
Anyway, review, fav, and follow because each one really matters. And if possible, help me out by adding in some ideas on what the other quests Arbiter and Lydia should go along.
Catch you next chapter! Bye!
