Skyrim is the property of Bethesda Softworks.
I have a question before I push the next chapter below: I introduced Ieago's weapon of choice to no comment and no drop in readership. In fact, the major drop in visitors comes between the first and second chapters as people decide if this is the sort of story they want to read. Only in the last few weeks have I received any negative response stemming from its inclusion. So I have to ask, what was I doing right for the last two-thirds of the story that changed? I suppose that I could move my work to the crossover section, but I prefer the larger volume of traffic in its current section. Something to think about. I am eager to hear from you all and thanks as always for reading.
The Tomb of Ysgramor, Harbinger of Us All, rests in the extreme north of Skyrim beyond even Winterhold. Tradition holds that this is the first place that Ysgramor touched in Skyrim upon his return after the Night of Tears. The world must have changed since then, for now a landing would be nearly impossible. The tomb is entered at the base of a steep and tall promontory that extends out from the rest of the coast. The bay formed around it is choked with icebergs. No large ship of men could land here now. An occasional pile of wood on the distant ice marked where people had tried. Even if you could get a barge in, where would you send your army? Where there was not a high ragged stone cliff, there as a high ragged ice cliff. The five of us (the Circle, Lydia, and I), had diverted many miles to the west to find safe routes down though the glaciers.
In the antechamber of the tomb was a statue of our first Harbinger. Ysgramor looked stern and powerful as he stood guard over the graves of himself and his first Companions.
"You should be careful when you enter. This place is perilous," Vilkas said.
"You're not coming with us?" I asked. I felt let down to lose his company.
"Kodlak's words on revenge were right, Ieago. All I could think of as we cleared out Driftshade was my own rage and grief. It weighs too heavily on my heart still."
"I'm sorry to lose you Vilkas. What makes this place perilous?"
"This is the resting place of Ysgramor's original companions. They were his generals in life and guard his resting place now. Only the worthy are permitted to see the crypt of the Harbinger of Us All."
"So how do we get in?" Farkas asked.
"Return Wuuthrad to Ysgramor."
I placed the colossal axe in the statue's hands. A hidden door opened behind it and blades drawn, we rushed in. The first assault went well, though the ghosts of the ancient Companions put up a stiff resistance, particularly in the large rooms where they could use arrows. Lydia used her armor and shield to help Aela stand off with her bow, itself of ancient Nord make. I used my warding spell to help Farkas close to melee. The end of this first battle brought us to a door blocked by thick webbing.
"I can't go on," Farkas said as I used the Healing Hands spell on him and Lydia. I looked with concern over his wounds, none seemed troubling.
"What's wrong Farkas?" Aela asked.
"The creepie-crawlies. Ever since Ieago and I ran into them in Dustman's Cairn, I haven't been able to handle them."
"Go find Vilkas then," I said. "I'll give Ysgramor your regards."
Frostbite spiders are frightening to behold and a challenge for any single hunter, but between my blade and spells, Aela's unerring accuracy with a bow, and Lydia's talent for keeping a shield or armor between her and the next blow, even the big old female in the largest room was not a challenge.
The three of us entered the chamber of Ysgramor's tomb at last.
Next to a fire in the middle of the room, we beheld a ghostly figure. He was warming his hands over the blaze. Coming closer, I knew the shade to be Kodlak Whitemane.
"So you made it," he said turning to address the three of us. "We have been warming ourselves by the Flame of the Harbinger, hiding from Hircine."
Aela was as confused as the rest of us alive in that room. "But we only see you Kodlak," she said. "What others?"
"This room is crowded with the ghosts of the Harbingers. You only see me Aela, because I am the only one your heart knows as Harbinger. I bet old Vignar could see half a dozen of my predecessors."
Kodlak turned back to me, "Do you have them? The witches' heads?"
I nodded.
"Good. Throw one into the fire. That should draw out the beast within me so we might kill it."
I did as instructed and a colossal wolf tore its way out of Kodlak's form. Like a man suddenly cast out of his home, the wolf-spirit turned and lunged at Kodlak's shade.
"Fus ro dah!" I roared. The Shout blasted the spirit away from the Old Man, bouncing him off the steps leading to Ysgramor's barred coffin. Aela, Lydia, and I rushed the creature before it could stand again. My boot was on its skull as Aela delivered the killing blow. Kodlak was free to rest in peace.
"Thank you my son," he said, addressing me when the dust settled. "This was only able to free myself, but perhaps from Sovngarde I can lead the rescue of the Harbingers. The harrowing of the Hunting Grounds," He chuckled, "It would make quite the tale. For now I take my leave. I hand the Companions over to you. For too long we have languished without a leader. Lead them to the honor and glory we knew of old, Harbinger."
"Farewell Old Man," I said to his fading form.
Aela approached me, "Did I hear right? Did Kodlak call you Harbinger?"
"He did," I replied. I strode over to the flames and took out a second head from my pack. "And this is my first deed as Harbinger."
After watching Kodlak I should have been more ready for the pain of exorcism, but perhaps nothing could prepare me for this agony. That other presence within me was furious, wordlessly raging as it was drawn from his den. He resisted, dragging his metaphysical claws on my soul. My body burned and ached like I had been ill and vomiting for a day instead of fighting. I screamed in torment, as loud as I had when I accepted Aela's blood so many weeks ago. My bestial nature, now a thing to be seen and fought, turned to try and rejoin me.
Whatever their opinions on my condition, Lydia and Aela were faithful to the last. Arrows darted into the wolf's shoulders as Aela angled for a heart shot. Lydia kept her shield high before the six-foot wolf spirit, all which stood between the animal and my crumpled form. It was all I could do to get onto my hands and knees. The fibers of my body burned like they had been struck by lightning. No effort of will could overcome the pain and allow me to fight for myself. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I have a dragon's soul. Or perhaps it was that Kodlak had better control of his inner beast, but mine was twice as big as Kodlak's and proportionately more dangerous.
When the tomb was silent again, I felt Aela's rage, which was still more dangerous.
"You just couldn't handle it could you? The power and the glory I gave you! Skjor was wrong about you. Coward," she spat her favorite insult. Gods she was angry, but so was I.
"Lydia, go on ahead, you don't deserve to witness this." She hesitated, looking fearfully between Aela, still strong and ready for violence; and me, still crawling on the floor, barely able to raise my head and speak. "Don't worry. Aela and I have some things to say to each other, nothing more."
I waited for my housecarl to be well away before standing slowly and turning on Aela, "What glory Aela?" I demanded, "I haven't slept a whole night since I took the Blood FOUR MONTHS AGO! The glory of feeling tired all the time? Or how about the 'glory' of having strangers tell you that you smell like a wet dog every time it rains? As for the power, I can't deny the power. But it asks too much of me Aela! The rage it brings, the urges," I pointed to the passage Lydia had walked through just a few minutes ago, "I almost raped Lydia!"
The silence hung for a minute before I went on, "I'm going to Solitude. I need to step away from this for a while."
With that I turned and followed Lydia out of the tomb. Vilkas, Farkas, and Lydia were shocked to see the fury on my face. Without a word I waved for Lydia to follow and we left the Circle.
As I post this 700 visitors have viewed I, Companion more than 3000 times. I am thrilled by the response to my first published story. Thank you for all the favorites, the follows, and especially the reviews of MANATEE, Chippermovie, SwordsmanofS, and DarkquillMaster for making this a better and better story! The character of Ieago, his deeds, and the relationships he is forging with the world around him are so much more complete and sophisticated because of your time and consideration.