How's it going, people? Did you like the lime in the last chapter? I hope you did, because it's the last lime you're going to see for a while, if at all. This is an action fanfic, not a romance fanfic, although there might be some romance woven into the story. Also, I have a poll up for the eventual sequel of this fanfic. I am beginning to see the end of this story, and I must prepare for what lies beyond. Now, onward in this strange tale known as Holondil's adventure!

-Chapter 10: The Thalmor took my Annuad!-

It was midday when Holondil made his way back to Whiterun. Recently, he had noticed that he was making the trip in less time than previous. He had no real idea as to why this was so. Perhaps realizing he was the Dragonborn had given him strength, or he was a vampire and didn't know it. Considering he wasn't feeling any discomfort from the sunlight, he could easily rule out vampirism. As soon as he arrived, Holondil headed straight for the stables, but the carriage was absent. Since he had no idea when the carriage driver would return, the Dragonborn decided to take an unconventional route and run there. After an hour of running, and passing a small village with no name, Holondil decided to slow down and enjoy the scenery. It was cold, but the trees were starting to bud. Soon, their leaves would come forth, heralding the beauty of spring. Such beauty had long since been lost on Holondil's birth people, but it was not lost on him. There was a certain … beauty to just walking along a well-worn path and admiring nature. Suddenly, a Khajiit wearing red-and-black robes ran up. "Alright. Hand over your valuables, or I gut you like a fish," the cat-like being snarled.

Holondil appeared unconcerned. "The trees are quiet this time of year," he said, continuing on his southeastern path. The Khajiit stood there for a moment, aghast. Was this softskin crazy, or was he ignoring him? Deciding he was being ignored, the Khajiit snarled and charged forward, only to be cleaved in two by Holondil's Daedric sword. Holondil frowned deeply, but the frown vanished as nature took hold once again, and despite the seriousness of his trip, Holondil felt at peace once again, as if Kynareth herself was walking alongside him. It was a sensation that made Holondil a little sad, as Kynareth had walked beside him on forested trails many times in the past, before he'd adopted the mantel of Al-Drun-Dinok. It was just before sunset before Holondil made it to the gates of Riften, which were closed. "I have urgent business in this city," he said bluntly. "Open the gates at once."

The guard gave a bored shrug and replied, "First, you need to pay the visitor's tax."

"Why?" Holondil asked, his good mood vanishing once again.

"Why, for the privilege of visiting Riften," the guard replied obnoxiously.

Holondil snarled. "This is obviously a shakedown," he said, his hand twitching toward the Daedric Sword. Not wanting to risk a fight with someone wielding such a blade, the guard quickly unlocked the gate. Holondil entered, and he soon found a red-haired woman wearing Steel Plate armor. "Do you know where the market is?" He asked. He figured that if there was anywhere in Riften where he could find a member of the Thieves' Guild, the market was one of the best places to look. He received only a dark frown and a finger pointing in the direction of the market, which was all Holondil needed. He did not know why the red-haired woman was angry, but that was none of his concern. After a minute of walking, he soon found himself in an area populated by small stalls, from which merchants could sell their wares. All were abandoned but one, and this one was manned by a man wearing fine robes. "What do you sell?" Holondil asked.

"Depends. What are you looking to buy?" The smooth-talking, well-dressed man asked cryptically.

Holondil smiled inwardly. His intuition told him he found his man. "I'm looking for someone," he said, dropping his voice so no one else would hear. "He was sighted somewhere around here. Rather old-looking, paranoid, mutters about strange things. The kind that might stick out in this town. Do you know what I mean?"

The man shrugged. "Doesn't sound like anyone I know," he replied, "but some coin might help refresh my memory."

With a smile, Holondil replied with "What if I told you I helped a man by the name of Etienne escape a certain secure area? Would that help things?"

The well-dressed man was silent for a few minutes, surprise on his face. "Well, I'll be," he eventually said. "So, you're the man who did that." He nodded to himself for a brief moment, and as he pointed to a point further down the road, he added, "I know the man you're looking for. He's living in the Ratway. Pays good coin to not be disturbed. I figured he had a secret or two, but there are some secrets that money can't buy."

Holondil shrugged. "A pint of mead may loosen the tongue," he noted as he made his way to the area the man pointed out. The door was locked, but Holondil was able to pick it while only breaking 1 lockpick. He soon found himself in darkness as he made his way through the subterranean corridors of the Ratway. He could hear people talking in the distance. At that point, someone was complaining that the skooma wasn't any good. The warrior avoided them, knowing he couldn't afford to get distracted. A few minutes after that, Holondil found what he was looking for: a door with a slot at eye level. The slot was blocked. He knocked on the door, and the block slid back, revealing an old man. "Esbern?" He asked in a whisper.

"G-go away. I-I'm not E-Esbern!" The old man whispered back, slamming the latch shut.

Holondil paused for a moment. The man was nervous, almost sweating. There was no doubt about it. This was the man he'd come to find. He knocked on the door again, and when the latch opened, Holondil asked the strange, old man in a level voice, "Where were you on the 30th of Frostfall?"

The man paused for a moment and then said, "Hold on. I'll let you in." The latch closed, and there was the sound of multiple locks and other strange devices being unlocked. "This one always sticks…" The old man muttered before opening the door a crack. Holondil slipped through into the room, and the old man closed the door. "So, Delphine keeps up the fight, after all these years…" He muttered, and then sighed. "Yes, I'm Esbern. I tried to warn them, you know. I tried to tell them that it was only a matter of time before the World-Eater returned, but they never listened."

"Who?" Holondil asked, curious as to who this old man was talking about.

"The other Blades," Esbern said. "I told them we needed to figure out who it was, and soon, but they never listened to me. Now, it looks like Delphine and I are the only ones left. It's going to be hard for two people to find the Dragonborn on our own."

Holondil chuckled softly. "What if the Dragonborn was standing in front of you?" He asked, watching a look of surprise mixed with doubt spring up on his face. "Yes, I am the Dragonborn," he said. "I know I do not look menacing, but right now, I am the best chance you've got at defeating Alduin, and I cannot do that while we are in here."

"Agreed," Esbern said as he walked to the small bookcase he had. "I just have to pack a few things." He began putting various books and old scrolls into a bag, muttering things like "Now, where did I put my annotated Annuad?" and "Where did that Account of Madness go? Oh, there it is." After a few minutes, Esbern was finished with his packing. "Where is Delphine?" He asked.

"She is staying in Riverwood, working in the Sleeping Giant Inn," Holondil replied. Esbern nodded as he started to make his way through the Ratway. Suddenly, Holondil could hear something in the tunnel, and he quickly caught up with Esbern. "Follow me," he whispered. "I hear Thalmor." Esbern nodded, and Holondil led him by the hand through the darkness. Esbern could see nothing, but Holondil was able to see well enough to navigate through the darkness. Eventually, the two found their way out of the Ratway, and after they exited the city gates, they allowed themselves a sigh of relief. "We'd best go our separate ways," Holondil suggested. "I trust you know the way?"

"Know it? I could walk there right now if I had the leg strength for it," Esbern rebutted, "but I think I'll take the carriage, just to be safe."

"Good plan," Holondil replied. "You're bound to attract less attention if you're not walking next to a man wearing orcish armour," he added dryly. With a chuckle, Esbern took the nearby carriage to a city close to Riverwood. Meanwhile, Holondil began the slow walk back, knowing that soon, he would be faced with a terrible fight, one he'd fought before and lost. (This time will be different,) he promised himself. "This time will be different," he said aloud to no one, knowing the Divines were listening. It had to be different, or else the world would die in a blaze of fury…

To be continued…

Author's Note: Yes, I am alive. I've been dealing with a lot of stuff in real life, including acquiring a new job. It's going well, so please pray that it continues to do so. I'll try to update as soon as possible. For other exciting content, check out Nobel Six. He's a good friend of mine, and he writes a lot of good stuff, so check him out, and tell him Darkest Nightmare's Dread sent you. Until next time, I fade into shadow…