Chapter 9

The Dragon Returns. I'm screwed.

That bastard still lingered. No not Brynjolf. The damned Dragon that tried to kill me this morning!

Once again, I froze and started to shake violently. I could feel the sweat, the tight throat, the heavy breathing, the flush of heat start all over again. Seriously, twice in one day? You have to be kidding me...

A cold spike shot up my spine. I couldn't move. Brynjolf was busy looking around, then turned back to me and could see the utmost fear buried to deep into my watery eyes. My mouth gaped.

"Lass..." He spoke seriously. No that was not curiosity of poking around my head for answers. He was calling me from the cold void of fear.

"I...Bryn..." I gulped. I struggled to speak. I peered my eyes slowly to the Dragon making its way to us.

Brynjolf saw it as well. I noticed his facial expression changed dramatically.

"Shor's Bones a dragon!" He called out.

Nah skeever brain, it's a troll. What in Oblivion did he think this was? Damn it, still couldn't move. Where's Cody? He'd forced me to move. I was damned, cursed by this shitstain.

Brynjolf brought out his bow and started firing at it. I could have sworn he was yelling at me, but apparently by that time I'd fallen to the ground, and huddled into a fetal position.

"Shit!" I heard Brynjolf cry as I laid down below. The force of the dragon flying low overheard caused the ground to shake, almost tipping the man over.

"We've got to warn the city guard! We can...lass?"

Shit shit shit...I was crying, shaking with this cursed fear of mine. I hated it. What made it was was Brynjolf was here to see it. He couldn't believe it. Neither would I. But now wasn't the time to dwell on discoveries. He knew and I knew that we had to get out of there and go straight back to Riften.

Problem was, I was bottled up and still and unmovable like a giant stone. Brynjolf, go back to Riften by yourself you selfish, annoying, red-headed bastard. Go...I wanted to scream but my throat was constricted. My mind shattered and no longer controlled itself, nor did I have the strength or will to move my own body.

Fire, brimstone and dead red eyes continued to drill themselves into my memories. I felt like I was being dragged around though. I was moving but I didn't know how. My eyes were blurred and I was being whisked away. Fire..

Fire everywhere.

The roars continued. I saw several shots fired in the terrifying display of tenacity.

"Petra, I'm borrowing your arrows..."

Brynjolf, I am out of commission. How could you be so sane and level headed when THERE WAS A DRAGON OUT THERE TRYING TO KILL US!

But yeah, take my arrows...go ahead. Sure as Oblivion that I wasn't going to use them any time soon.

I heard numerous grunts and shouts amongst the chaos befalling. My eyes were failing me. I no longer comprehended on what was I even looking at any more. But more grunts joined in the most bizarre chorus I'd ever heard. I was hallucinating again. My vision returned briefly, I'd look out, I was behind a giant rock, with Brynjolf aiming his bow at the dragon, which was now, well, riddled with numerous arrows and was extremely pissed.

Good going idiot. Now we're gonna die for sure.

Then he just happened to run out of arrows.

This was the best day in my life.

Sarcasm friend, makes you feel better.

I sensed Bryn taking out his dagger and had attempted to go outright attempt to battle the Dragon on foot with a melee weapon.

Despite my current dilemma, supposedly locked into my phobia phase, I grabbed hold of Brynjolf and dragged him straight down to my level. He stared, surprised, into my deathly pale, tear riddled face as I shook my head with wild intensity. I'd prayed to Talos that no one would ever see me like this, pathetic and weak.

"N-no." I gasped out. Even in the stance of my great nightmare I could still string up a sense of stubborn behaviour that every explanation I could give would just be a way of excusing my actions.

Brynjolf blinked. Yeah he kinda didn't expect that brief moment of...what ever that was. I wasn't either.

"We'll both die sooner or later, right now I can only try!"

I gritted my teeth with fury. No...I refused him the fight and...

The kill...

I felt possessed at this stage, my mind curled up into the eye of the storm. The chaos was all around me and where we were was just a thin tendril of stability. I whacked Bynjolf to the ground with what force I had and glared at the Dragon, piercing my rage and sorrow through it's enraged, fire-filled eyes. My heart pumped harder than it ever did, I was drenched in sweat and my stomach was so twisted it could have just snapped under the sheer pressure of it all. I'd found Bryn's dagger in my hand. The Dragon knew me. Well obviously from before but from before that...

"Dovahkiin..."

Was I wrong?

I tried so hard to loosen my mouth, but then let slip a major 'FUS', utterly stunning the beast, giving it enough pause for me to charge at it, still in the thrill of uncontrollable fury, to swing the dagger at the creature. I cried so damn hard and roared myself so hard that I continuously and violently stabbed it's head over and over, causing the dragon to cry out in pain that drove blades into my heart. Blood gushed everywhere like it was raining oblivion and I was unable to stop myself stabbing the damn thing until it was dead. I cried and wailed until the beast lay limp and motionless. It was over as a wave of relief came over me.

I had a feeling what was gonna happen next. I fell to the ground, and pushed myself back in great haste to the giant rock where Brynjolf had watched the entire event happen by himself, mouth gaped open. We watched the dragon burn up in flames. I bumped into Brynjolf and subconsciously clung on to his leg as I screamed. As the dragon continued to burn, glowing, coloured streams escaped from it's body, the energies coming to me as my body absorbed it all, leaving the dragon nothing but a decayed skeleton lying on the ground.

I waited until the energies finally dissipated before falling. My screaming was hitched as my throat had constricted itself again. I stopped dead once more and just had my eyes on the dragon skeleton. Just like the Western Watchtower dragon with the flames of the giant dragon of ebony.

Brynjolf looked down at me. He could see my hand twitching. He sat down next to me and grabbed it.

It was warm, hardly did much to stop me from shaking but..even I had to admit, it felt nice...no, no no no no no!

I pulled my hand away and attempted to stand. This was so confusing. My heart hurt and my stomach ached so much that I pushed Brynjolf away and scrambled as far as I could manage and vomited. He had to be disgusted by that right? So he had to leave me alone?

Nope...he just grabbed hold of my hand again. No fright at all. I tried to resist but my body. I didn't know I...

The more I tried to get away, the harder Brynjolf made it for me to do so, holding me, wrapping his arms around me as tight as he could. I cried and was trying so hard that I eventually ran out of energy and completely collapsed in his arms. My crying delved down to soft sobbing and sniffles.

We sat against the rock itself, with Bryn holding me as close as he could. He had to adjust himself to cross his legs and got me to sit in his lap. I couldn't rebel for the life of me to prevent him from doing so. My head rested in the cradle of his neck, as he had one arm wrapped around my back and the other curling upwards towards the top of my head, rubbing it gently.

I didn't even have the capability to say thank you.