Ch. 10 So It Begins
Has it really been 10 chapters already? Wow things sure move fast in the world. Oh well, we get to see Aldy cut loose on some people among other things.
In other news, the job hunting still sucks. Five interviews in one week and all five went no where due to the same old problem; no experience, no job. Yea that whole argument and counter-argument thing. Either way, my hopes are still high and I'm not quitting anytime soon.
Edit 2/4/2015: Misspelled Grabiella's name, now changed.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters belong to Bethesda and any dragons belong to their respective creators who allowed me to use them.
"This might be a problem." Arnbjorn said as he and Astrid hid behind some rocks on the road to Whiterun. Before them was a plain filled with dragons who were either sleeping or watching for trouble with remnants of blood and bones from recent animal kills strewn about.
"The Imperial Legion at Fort Greymoor are ignoring them and so are the Watchtowers." Astrid said as she noticed the usual guards walking along the road like nothing was out of place. Various travelers walked the road as well and the dragons only spared them a passing glance. "Stick to the road and don't make any aggressive moves at all." Arnbjorn nodded as they stepped from behind the rocks and continued on their way.
For the large part they moved quickly but the dragons did give them a more threatening glance, or more specifically they gave Arnbjorn a more threatening glance, but otherwise made no move. After a few tense minutes and a long walk they finally arrived at Whiterun and saw five more dragons perched on the walls.
"Why do I get the feeling that this won't be easy to do." Arnbjorn said as they entered the city.
"Just act normal and we'll be fine." Astrid uttered before she got someone's attention. "Excuse me, could you tell me where the Dragonborn lives?" she asked a guard sweetly but the guard only looked at her.
"He isn't here at the moment. He is off on business for the Jarl." The guard replied dismissively as Astrid narrowed her eyes.
"Great...now we're stuck here until he returns." Arnbjorn said they walked to The Bannered Mare.
"They didn't tell us where he lived like I asked. Why are there dragons on the walls?" Astrid wondered aloud.
"I don't think we are going to like the answer." Arnbjorn replied as they settled in for the day.
-Scene Change-
Alduin stared at the Dark Elf before her with a mixture of disdain and surprise. Disdain for her so-called profession and surprised by the fact that she gave up her employer so easily. "What is your game little joor." Alduin stated calmly.
"I only want you to let Astrid live. She is a mother to us all and we would be lost without her." Gabriella said as Alduin snorted.
"Joor and their dependencies on others. Do you realize that when certain events happen then we will be oath-bound to destroy you all?" Alduin said as if she was talking about the weather and Gabriella shook in worry. "She and the rest of you will die sooner or later so it is a moot point."
"But what about me informing you of the conspirators, that doesn't extend some offer of leniency?" Gabriella asked as the dragons laughed around her.
"As I have informed that man everyone calls a leader, I am not without some form of mercy but what you all do isn't a service. Some joor pays you all to kill a beggar because he doesn't want to see him anymore or kills an employee's ragnavir simply because he wants him to suffer?" Alduin asked as Gabriella shook again. "I can see the fear in you joor. You think that by bartering with me you can have us subtly overlook what you do but that isn't going to happen."
"It's all we know, what else are we going to do?" Gabriella nearly shouted but kept her voice low.
"That isn't my problem, you have a choice now little joor. Since you sought out the Dovahkiin and then told me I will give you a choice. Renounce your current life and find a new way or go back to your so-called family and wait for death like the rest of them. Laas vomulhaan uv oblaan los vok wah hi." Alduin stated as she lifted her head up.
"What about all the people do deserve to die that we have killed?" Gabriella asked but Alduin snorted again.
"One deserved death against a thousand innocent deaths and you still think you do a service." Alduin shot down her argument handily. "Are you more interested in your life or defending your corrupt profession?"
Gabriella lowered her head. She did care about her pseudo-family but she also enjoyed her life and her alchemy skills. She wasn't a master like Babette but she could hold her own in the craft, still the dark Brotherhood was her family. "Can I have some time to think?" she asked almost pleadingly.
Alduin thought for a moment. "One week is all you have. In one week, I will destroy your so called family and you are either in that hovel you call a sanctuary and you die or you aren't and you live."
Gabriella only nodded sadly and left the plain, her mind heavy with the now terrifying burden she bore. Alduin watched her go with uncaring eyes.
"Where is this Thieves Guild?" she asked another dragon.
"The pitiful city of Riften thuri; the leader of it is rumored to have them in her employ." the dragon replied as Alduin snorted.
"Then she will learn what it means to back disgusting joors." Alduin said as she took off.
-Scene Change-
"So one of the Emperors had raised a dragon from an egg." Marius said to himself as he delved into the books. "And many believed that proved that Akatosh charged the dragons with guarding the Empire and cemented the dragon bloods place in the Septim line that first presented itself in Tiber Septim." Marius finished as he closed the book. He had only finished one book and got partially through the second so far before his head began to hurt.
True to Urag's word the books contained much about the Founding of the Empire but it still didn't mention just how any pact was made. Marius knew that it wasn't a signed parchment because the dragons wouldn't be bound to a flimsy burnable material and to even try would be considered an insult. It had to be magic but the energy required to bind two beings to each other, even temporary, was far beyond what any mage could hope to do. Marius wasn't a master mage by any standard but he did have a knack for restoration and conjuration, however the amount of magic required to bind two living souls of different sizes and abilities was insurmountable.
"There has to be something I am missing..." Marius shook his head to clear it and with a glance outside knew he should get some sleep. After returning the books and thanking Urag he left the Arcanaeum for his room in the Hall of Attainment, he didn't get far though.
"Ah friend. J'zargo would like to know if you tested those scrolls yet?" A Khajiit in a blue robe asked him expectantly.
Marius sighed. "You mean the ones that were designed to try and kill me?" he asked as J'zargo tried to deny it. "J'zargo...competition and rivalry is fine and all but trying to get rid of your competition won't get you anywhere but expelled."
J'zargo remained silent as he mulled it over. "Did they work well enough though?" he asked as Marius sighed again.
"They exploded when any undead came close." Marius said as J'zargo frowned a little. "I can tell that you didn't really suspect anything close to that but they did."
"J'zargo knew that there might be some unknown side effects but J'zargo can assure that he didn't mean to put you in harms way." J'zargo replied but Marius didn't buy it. That twitch in J'zargo's eyes gave it away.
"J'zargo...I already told you that as much as I respect the destruction school and its uses, I have really no interest in it. I can shoot fire, frost and ice from my mouth so why would I need to use the destruction school?" Marius asked as J'zargo deflated.
"Ah...you are right. Still J'zargo thanks you for your help in testing the scrolls. Any time you need help, you come ask J'zargo, yes?" J'zargo asked as Marius nodded.
"I might need some help but not right now...too tired." Marius said as J'zargo nodded and walked off to his own room. Marius shook his head and went to his own for the night.
-Scene Change-
A figure in a dark cloak walked into the Ragged Flagon as if she owned the place. Dirge immediately narrowed his eyes and moved his hand to his weapon and so did the others. The figure paid them no mind as it approached without fear.
"Who are you?" Dirge said threateningly as he drew his sword. The figure only looked at him behind the hood. A scaled tail appeared briefly behind the figure as Dirge took a step forward. "Listen lizard you had better turn around and leave before something happens."
The figure only looked at the others around the bar who had their own weapons drawn before it smiled and the slaughter began. Before Dirge knew what happened his entire body was sliced and he collapsed, before he died he witnessed the others attack and being cut down by what looked like claws. His last sight was the figure covered in blood and walking calmly to the bar, a torn part of her cloak showed a hidden wing.
The figure approached the bar where Vekel was getting to his feet after being blasted back by some force. "Where are the rest." The figure asked in a raspy yet slightly feminine tone. (yea...that should give it away)
Vekel remained silent as the figure lifted him by his throat with inhuman strength. "I can tear it from your mind or you can tell me but either way I will get the answer." Vekel's answer was to to stab the figure with a dagger he had hidden in his sleeve. The figure looked at the small dagger in it's body with an "are you serious" look. "Is it all you had little joor?" Vekel watched as the figure pulled the dagger out and with ease broke it in half with a clawed hand.
"Screw you." Vekel said as the figure looked him before a shout of "Sil Vaaz Gahnos" ended him.
"You wouldn't even be worthy of fighting for that right." The figure said as she absorbed his soul. "A false cabinet in the back...clever joors." With a snort, the figure walked to the cabinet and effortlessly tore it apart. A minute later she was in a circular room with a raised platform in the center and beds lining the walls. The place reeked like a sewer to her and she would be more than happy to do her task and leave as quickly as she could.
"Well well well, we have someone who is lost apparently." Someone said from a desk on the far wall. The person wore a black version of the clothing that she saw the others outside wear. "Or maybe you were actually looking for this place." Alduin remained silent behind her cloak. "Silent type huh...since you seem awfully willing to die then let us oblige you." Mercer drew his swords as another thief fired an arrow at Alduin.
The arrow struck her but like the dagger she merely pulled it out and broke it. "Your friends out there tried the same thing...now they are drowning in their own blood." Alduin replied as Mercer narrowed his eyes.
"So another goody two-shoes trying to act like a hero. The last ones didn't last long and I don't think you will either!" Mercer shouted as Alduin smirked.
A few minutes later and the water in the cistern was being mixed with blood from fallen thieves. Many were missing either heads or limbs as their blood drained into the water. Mercer looked around from the ground as blood pooled from his mouth. Alduin looked down at him with an unseen grin on her face from behind her cowl and hood.
"Why?" Mercer asked weakly as Alduin shook her covered head.
"You have threatened my kiir and as a result your life is forfeit. Those you hired will join you soon; take heart joor...your actions have given me the necessary reasons to act." 'Not that I needed it of course.' she finished to herself. The last thing Mercer saw was a stream of fire.
-Mistveil Keep-
Maven Black-Briar had never had any reason to fear anything. She had the Thieves Guild to keep her competition away and the Dark Brotherhood if she felt like anyone needed to disappear. She had part of the Empire in her pocket and more protection, both political and personal, to defend against anything. Until she stepped into Main Hall of Mistveil Keep that morning. Hanging from the ceiling in front of her throne were the heads of the Thieves Guild members and a large pool of bleed beneath them.
"What happened here!" she shouted to one of the guards who came running. He saw the heads and immediately lost his breakfast.
"Get a servant to clean this up and get some men and launch an investigation into this! I want whoever did this in front of me!" Maven shouted as the guards scrambled out.
Alduin merely smirked as she saw soldiers run out from the Keep. "One done and one to go." she said to herself.
-Scene Change-
Marius stared at the book in front of him with a disappointed face. He had just finished the second book and still found nothing other than glimpses of either life during the times or about a dragons role during it but nothing still regarding a pact.
"It's like history is actively opposing me." Marius said to himself as he leaned back in the chair. What happened in his life that forced him on this path? Why couldn't he have just stayed in Cyrodil and settled down with a nice girl like his parents wanted him to? Why did he abandon his parents farm and the simple life for a locked in fate? He stared at the flame of a burning candle and watched as it danced around as the wax melted and dripped on a plate on the table. His answer came to him, he left because he wanted to see the world as a kid and although he enjoyed helping his parents, he wanted to be his own person. He wanted to be free and live on his own until it was time to settle down. He wanted freedom and his parents allowed it with a promise that he would return one day and take over the farm eventually.
He sighed in content as he sat back up and began to read again. Hours later he finished the book but still found nothing as he leaned back again. Two days and two books and yet still he found nothing; his quest was beginning to seem hopeless and he wanted to tear his hair out in frustration. As he went to slam the book shut in anger his finger nicked the edge of the paper and he jolted it back with a hiss. 'Headache and a paper-cut...could this day get any worse?' he thought as he sucked on his finger and after a few seconds he examined the cut. It wasn't deep nor was it long but it was irritating and he mumbled under his breath angrily. He made a move to heal it until he stopped and stared at it again as another drop of blood formed before his eyes.
"Blood...dragon blood...that's it!" he realized. "Saint Alessa was giving the Amulet of Kings that was imbued with dragon blood...she was technically the first Dragonborn in the first Empire because of that and she used that to keep the peace between mortals and dragons. At some point, she had to have acquired some actual dragon blood to further cement the fact." he finished as his mind raced. "It was never clear if she had any children but she had to or else the Dragonfires would've gone out. Everyone believed that Martin was the last with dragon blood because of his last name but there were more people out there with dragon blood that could've taken the throne by right of blood if they had known."
Marius smiled as he glanced out the window. He had his findings and know all he had to do was convince the Emperor but first thing was first. 'Alduin has to be told.'
And we will end it right there. The Thieves Guild is gone, the Dark Brotherhood will follow and Marius has finally figured out the connection. (if anyone is confused just pm me and I will explain it)
I tried to keep it inline with Tamriel Lore as much as possible so I made Saint Alessia of the First Empire (Alessian Empire) the first Dragonborn. For those who will argue about Miraak and his claim, he was the first modern DB but he never figured out the history of being a Dragonborn, atleast in my story.
Read and review and remember, pm me if you need something cleared up, and I will see you all next time!
Translations courtesy of Thuum . Org
ragnavir – Family
laas vomulhaan uv oblaan los vok wah hi – life changing or life ending is up to you
Sil Vaaz Gahnos – Soul Rip Absorb (Alduins personal soul tear shout that lets her absorb someone's soul and learn what they know)