Jul

Lucius

"So you did it," Balgruuf said as I entered Dragonsreach. He stood up from his throne and walked towards me. He placed a hand on my shoulder and grinned widely. "You ended a war single handedly."

I nodded. "Yes, I suppose," I replied. I shrugged. "But I was only doing what was necessary."

Balgruuf's eyes darkened. "Ah, yes. The dragon," he said. Balgruuf sighed. "Yes. I've had Farengar repairing the trap since you called last. The wood has been enchanted to resist all manner of Magicka, more weight as well. If you can manage to lure the dragon in, he will remain captured."

"Thank you, Jarl Balgruuf," I said, bowing my head to him slightly. I bit my lip. "S-sir. I'm afraid I have another favor to ask of you."

"Anything Lucius," Balgruuf replied with a smile. "Just don't ask me to let another dragon in here."

I laughed dryly. "In a manner of speaking," I replied. My face soured. "Look, Balgruuf, I wouldn't ask unless it was completely necessary. It's a terrible favor to ask of you, and I don't want to do it."

"Just spit it out, man," Irileth snapped. Her impatience was helpful, this time.

"The Stormcloak Mer who assaulted your city," I began, "I – I need you to let her into the city with me."

Balgruuf was quiet a moment. "The Mer woman who single-handedly decimated my soldiers, brought a Vampire into power in my home, and nearly killed my family?" he asked. His fists trembled with rage. Then he raised his eyes to mine and shook his head. "I suppose we have no choice, do we? At least, not if killing Alduin is in the cards."

I shook my head. "I wouldn't be asking otherwise," I responded somberly.

Balgruuf laughed nervously. "Well then, let's capture a dragon."

Fahiil

Thera

The looks that I was receiving from the reinstated guards and court of Whiterun could have melted the skin off of a Flame Atronach if there had been any Magicka behind them. As it were, they merely filled me with mirth: the threat behind every glare was meaningless when a human levied it against a superior being of Mer blood. Still, I was careful enough to watch over my shoulder the entire time the trap was laid, for even the greatest warrior can be killed by a fool with a knife.

"The trap is going to be very simple," Farengar, the foolish human wizard, explained. "You two need to merely call the dragon and lead him in here without dying. The guards stationed at the trap's triggers will take care of the rest as soon as the wyrm is in place."

Lucius nodded at the wizard. "Thank you, Farengar," he said, drawing a grin form the wizard.

"Do you think I could study him? The dragon?" Farengar asked. "Just for a few days. This is a once in an Era opportunity!"

I scoffed. "I think we are a little pressed for time, fool," I snapped, drawing a glare from Lucius and the wizard. I looked up, staring into the clear skies beyond the Great Balcony. "The fate of all Nirn rides on m – our victory. We cannot afford to give Alduin any extra chance at defeating us."

Farengar opened his useless jaw to retort, but Lucius placed his hand on the wizard's shoulder. "As much as I hate to admit it, the bitch is right," he muttered, calming Farengar.

"Are you ready?" Balgruuf asked. He walked up, completely ignoring me. His eyes made very movement to gloss over my very existence; his fingers dug white-knuckled into his arms in an effort to, likely, keep from trying to kill me. "Our preparations have been completed."

Lucius nodded at the Jarl. "Then I suppose it's time we summon the dragon," I stated, forcing the Jarl to look at me. I took no small delight in the impotent rage that filled the man as he saw me, one he hated above all others to whom he would soon owe an immeasurable debt. Delicious irony. I pushed my way past the Jarl, smiling condescendingly at the animal as I did. I neared the end of the great balcony and summoned air into my lungs before letting my Voice out into the world in the form of the name that Lucius had told me: "Odahviing!"

Jul

Lucius

Odahviing seemed to have been laying in wait for our summons. A few mere seconds after Thera had Shouted his name to the heavens, the dragon roared in the distance. The threatening shriek echoed across mountains and plains, ringing in our ears long after the source of the noise had loosed it.

I am sad to admit that I expected a much easier fight than the one that we received. My recent battle with Alduin had, perhaps, drastically altered my perception of how strong other dragons could be. The dragons I had killed in my travels since that battle had seemed to pale in comparison to the might of Alduin. However, none of those dov had been Alduin's Second.

Odahviing quickly moved to unleash Oblivion upon all present. "Farki!" one of the guards screamed as Odahviing flew quickly by, grabbing another guard as he went. The man in the dragon's claws screamed as he was torn from gravity's embrace. When the dragon let go, that embrace was quick to pull him down once again. He collided with the handrail of the Great Balcony with a loud crunch-squish before his body was sent tumbling down even further towards the grounds below.

That was when the dragon turned his attention towards Thera and me. It snarled in the air, black smoke twirling up from its nostrils. After a short moment in the sky, it roared again and rushed towards us. Words of Power began to echo from Odahviing's throat as he dove towards us, prepared to kill us, ending any chance mortals had of survival. Fortunately, I was prepared. I unleashed Dragonrend just as Odahviing was above the lip of the Great Balcony. The dragon's Shout disappeared from his lungs and the flight left his wings; Odahviing tumbled downward, colliding with the solid wood of the Balcony. The massive, winged form of the dragon bounced from the momentum it had built up during its free fall, skidding across the enchanted wood of the Great Balcony. The floor beneath us creaked and groaned under the force of the dragon's ricochets but did not break.

I drew my blade and leveled it at the dragon. Iron and steel rang from their sheathes all around me as I did so, and I even heard the twin blades of my hated enemy at the ready beside me. "Come and get me, dragon," I shouted.

"Or are you a coward?" Thera finished, taunting the fallen dov. Odahviing roared in response and struggled to stand upright. His teeth lunged forward at the elf, who laughed and jumped backwards. The dragon roared again and lunged towards me; with a quick cast of Ebonyflesh, I was merely pushed back by the force of the dragon's bite.

"NOW!" I screamed as Odahviing lunged forward once again. Chains suddenly creaked and rang, massive spools on the ceiling spinning wildly as the weight they had held up began to free fall downward. The massive enchanted barrier collided hard with Odahviing's neck and wings, forcing the dragon down. I stared at the creature, who almost seemed to be bowing, captured as he was.

"Nid! Horvutah med kodaav!" the dragon cried to the sky. Fire leaped from the creature's maw. He begrudgingly continued. "Zok frini grind ko grah drun viiki, Dovahkiin. Ah, I forget. You do not have the dovah speech."

I narrowed my eyes at the wyrm. "Hi nebenvah zey tul ontzuk, zeymah," Thera replied with a cocky grin. "I wouldn't do that again if I were you, dragon."

Fahiil

Thera

"Ah, perhaps you are indeed more interesting than I perceived," Odahviing said. "Unslaad krosis. Your power is greater than I had thought when confronted with the summon of your Thu' 'u bonaar. You went to a great deal of trouble to put me in this... humiliating position. Hind siiv Alduin, hmm? No doubt you want to know where to find Alduin?"

"Yes. We need to know where he is hiding, the coward," I replied.

Odahviing laughed. "Rinik vazah. An apt phrase. Alduin bovul. One reason I came to your call was to test your Thu'um myself. Many of us have begun to question Alduin's lordship, whether his Thu'um was truly the strongest. Among ourselves, of course. Mu ni meyye. None were yet ready to openly defy him. Unslaad krosis. Innumerable pardons. I digress. He has traveled Sovngarde to regain his strength, devouring the sillesejour... the souls of the mortal dead. A privilege he jealously guards.

"His door to Sovngarde is Skuldafn, one of his ancient fanes high in the eastern mountains. Mindoraan, pah ok middovahhe lahvraan til. I surely do not need to warn you that all his remaining strength is marshaled there. Zu'u lost ofan hin laan... now that I have answered your question, you will allow me to go free?" "You can serve mortals for your crimes," Lucius said, his tone leaving no space for argument. Odahviing, however, disagreed still. "Aam? Serve you? ...no. And never all joore. Ni tiid. If and when you defeat Alduin, I will reconsider whether you are Thuri." "Then take us to defeat him. We will free you from his control. You will gain power and freedom," I suggested. The dragon considered this for a moment before nodding. "Hmm... krosis. There is one detail about Skuldafn I neglected to mention. Only this. You have the Thu'um of a dovah, but without the wings of one, you will never set foot in Skuldafn. Of course, I could fly you there. But not while imprisoned like this." I knew we must release him, but the humans would not listen to me. Lucius had to struggle with the decision, weak and foolish as he was – he was only human, after all. Finally, Atmoran growled. "Release him," he called up to the guards. "We just caught him and you want to let him go!?" the guard called back incredulously. "I..." "Do it!" Lucius snapped, causing the man to jump in fear. "O-okay. Just don't blame me if he burns the city down," the guard called back. He turned and began to wind the crank. Opposite him, another guard did the same. Soon, Odahviing was free. The humans may have been fools, but they were strong. Good for slave labor, I suppose. "AH! Faas nu, zini dein ruthi ahst vaal," Odahviing shouted as the yoke left him. He rolled the joints connecting his wings to his back and sighed in comfort. He turned to walk towards the edge of the Great Balcony. That was when I made my move. "Odahviing, tell him you cannot take us both," I whispered to the dragon. He stared ahead, the only indication that he heard me was the flicking of his eye in my direction. "He would have you serve humans. Mortals. I would do no such thing to you. I will kill Alduin and take his power. You may go free as I ravage the humans. As I take the power I so deserve." "But you would surely kill me," the dragon whispered. "You are cunning – and cruel – like a dragon, little one." "Ah, there is a chance I may kill you, yes," I explained. "If you were not useful to me, I probably would. But he will kill you. He allies himself with the Blades. Dragon slayers who surely would hunt you down." Odahviing blinked. "Ruz hin mein los dii, mal gein," Odahviing replied. "I will follow you." I smiled. Victory was in my grasp. Jul Lucius The dragon had abandoned me, saying he could only take one of us. Thera had been quick to volunteer to be the one and Odahviing had acquiesced. I watched her fly away aboard Odahviing on her path to dominating Tamriel. "Dammit!" I screamed. I buried my blade into the wood of the Great Balcony and flames launched from my throat as I shouted in rage. "Ah, I believed this would happen, Dovahkiin," a deep, sincere voice called from without the Balcony. I watched in awe – and relief – as Paarthurnax landed on the Balcony. "Gods above, another one!" a soldier screamed, aiming his bow at the old dov. "No! He's... a friend," I commanded. I looked up at Paarthurnax. "You expected she'd betray me." "It was always a concern," Paarthurnax replied. "Unslaad Krosis... I hoped to believe my brother would not fall to her machinations. I am saddened to see that she has " I let my head fall. "Then that's it. She's going to kill Alduin and claim his power," I sighed. "Perhaps, Lucius Atmoran," Paarthurnax said. "But then again, perhaps not." I looked up at Paarthurnax, whose head was low, touching the wood of the Great Balcony. "You mean..?" "Indeed, Dovahkiin," Paarthurnax said. "I may not know where the portal to Sovngarde is, but I know how to follow a foolish dov through the skies." I bowed to the ancient dragon. "It would be my honor to accept," I said. Then I climbed aboard Paarthurnax's neck, my legs fitting easily into the shape of his jawline. I turned to Jarl Balgruuf. "Wish me luck." With that, Paarthurnax took to the skies and my hopes for Tamriel flew along with him.