Sorry this took so long... I was at a convention over the weekend and literally wrote this whole chapter yesterday. But Youmacon was a lot of fun and I'll be posting pictures of my Cosplay on my deviantart if you guys wanna check it out! I was a Survery Corps soldier from Attack on Titan! I made the whole costume, including the Three-Dimensional Maneuver Gear! It was wayyyyy too much... I think I'm gonna stick to Pokemon cosplays from now on. Also, if any of my readers want to register me on Pokemon X and Y, please private message me so I can disclose my Friend Code.
On a side note, this book of the series will be drawing to a close in at least fifteen chapters and I strongly encourage my readers to start thinking up questions that I can answer in the Author's Note section of my Epilogue.
I hope you enjoy this. Please remember to Fave/Follow/Review and be sure to share this story with your friends.
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Chapter Twenty-Nine
"Bahloki nahkip sillesejoor," Alduin growled at them, his voice echoing around the mountain top. "My belly is full of the souls of your fellow mortals, Dovahkiin."
Einarr could feel his heart hammering against the walls of his chest and was struggling very hard not to take short, panicked breaths like his sister beside him. He had always been afraid of the black dragon, ever since it attacked for the first time in Helgen. But over the past four years, that fear had turned into a burning hatred and Einarr had pinned all of his family's troubles on him. Za'nir and Tahana's deaths, Lassarina finding out she was a Stormcloak, the past several months of going from one end of Skyrim to the other, it was all Alduin's fault. He had never hated anything or anyone more in his life that he did this dragon.
But thanks to his accident three months ago, he was no longer merely afraid of Alduin, but terrified. His near-death experience by the jaws of a dragon had formed a new fear of the beasts; and the thought of fighting one now, especially when it was the strongest among them, made Einarr want to turn tail and run down the mountain and ride his horse all the way to Whiterun without stopping. He was doubting whether or not he would be able to succeed in this battle; he was still weakened from his comatose state and couldn't fight long without running out of breath. Even during the climb up the mountain, he had made Lassarina stop several times just so he could sit down and rest for a few minutes.
Can I even do this? he asked himself. What if I'm not strong enough?
He shut his eyes tightly, and his hands shook violently. He felt like sobbing and thought that all of this would be for nothing, that Alduin was too powerful. But then he felt a hand slip into his and squeeze it gently. Opening his eyes, he found himself staring into his sister's eyes. There was a genuine fear in those pale-blue irises, but a fierce determination that broughtthe spark of hope back into Einarr's heart. Lassarina was scared, but she wasn't going to let fear stop her from at least doing her best to defeat Alduin. He gave her a firm nod and squeezed her hand.
"We can do this, brother," she told him. "Together."
"Together," he agreed.
"Die now and await your fate in Sovngarde!" Alduin roared, moving away from where he had been hovering in the air.
Behind them the earth shook as Paarthurnax launched himself in the air. "Lost funt. You are too late, Alduin! Dovahkiin, use Dragonrend, if you know it!"
"Suleyki mulaag, Paarthurnax. My power has waxed, while yours has waned. Aav uv dir. Join me or perish with your mortal friends."
"Unslaad hokoron! Never again!"
Einarr and Lassarina watched as the two mighty dragons before them were gripped in battle in thin air, clawing at each other, attempting to bite the other's neck, and even breathing fire. For several minutes, all he could do was watch the dragons fight while Lassarina fired arrows at them, struggling since she didn't wish to harm Paarthurnax. But it was a battle that Alduin was winning, the bleeding wounds all over Paarthurnax's body being the only proof they needed.
"He is too strong on the wing!" Paarthurnax growled as he disentangled himself from Alduin and landed on the rocks above them. "Quickly, Dovahkiin, bring him to gol with Dragonrend!"
Einarr didn't hesitate and stepped forward, taking in a deep breath before Shouting, "Joor . . . Zah Frul!"
The blast of power that came from the Shout hit Alduin as he flew past them, enveloping him in a strange blue aura that made his wings falter and forced him to move toward the ground right in front of them. The ground shook as Alduin landed in front of them, and he turned his murderous red gaze to the siblings.
"Dovahkiin, you call yourselves?" he snarled. "Arrogant mortals, you will pay for you defiance and I will feast on your souls in Sovngarde!"
"Not likely!" Einarr snapped as he charged forward and brought down his greatsword, slamming the blade into Alduin's shoulder.
The black dragon roared in pain and reared back his head to snap it forward and take a bite of Einarr, but an arrow to the eye made him falter and turn his gaze to Lassarina.
"Don't even think about it," she hissed, loosing another arrow and hitting him in the neck.
Einarr made another slash for Alduin's wing, slicing into the thin membrane, when he noticed the blue aura around Alduin beginning to fade. He couldn't draw enough strength perform Dragonrend again, so he looked to his sister.
"Lassarina, don't let him take off!" he shouted.
Lassarina nodded and took a deep breath before she Shouted, "Joor . . . Zah Frul!"
Alduin snarled again when the Shout hit him, once again enveloping him with the blue aura. Einarr sliced into the dragon's flesh a couple more times when he noticed Paarthurnax taking a deep breath. He quickly jumped out of the way just as a blast of fire hit Alduin. The flames burned at his body, causing him to cry out painfully and loud enough for even the people of Ivarstead to be able to hear. It made Einarr hopeful that they could possibly win this fight. But then Alduin Shouted.
"Strun . . . Bah Qo!"
The skies above them turned dark almost instantly, the black clouds spouted lightning, and the air itself took on a red hue. Lassarina shrieked behind him and the ground shook, forcing him to look back and see a large, flaming rock had landed only inches from where his sister was standing. He realized what was happening when another flaming rock fell right beside him, causing him to lose his balance and fall. His eyes were to the sky, and he saw another rock falling directly at him. He reacted quickly and rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding a painful death, but not being able to avoid the hot rubble that broke off the meteor and scattered all over him.
"Lok . . . Vah Koor!" he heard Lassarina Shout, and suddenly the meteors stopped raining down upon them.
Einarr got to his feet and smiled at his sister. "How did you know that would work?"
Lassarina looked at him grimly after firing another arrow at Alduin. "I didn't."
Einarr ignored the feeling of dread that hit him and focused his attention back on Alduin. He saw that the Dragonrend Shout was beginning to wane again and used it once more, determined not to allow the deadly beast to take off and regain his advantage of flight. He and his sister managed to work out a good system, alternating which one of them would use the Shout next while they fought Alduin with the help of Paarthurnax. The battle was long and arduous, but finally, Alduin stopped fighting back and stood, hunched over and looking nearly as exhausted as Einarr and Lassarina felt. His sister kept firing arrow after arrow at him, trying to kill him, but for some strange reason, he would not die.
"Just die already!" she screamed at him, tears of frustration pouring from her eyes.
"Meyz mul, Dovahkiin," Alduin said to them, his voice weary. "You have both become strong. But I am Al-du-in, Firstborn of Akatosh! Mulaagi zok lot! I cannot be slain here, by you or anyone else!"
Einarr's blood ran cold at those very words. Could it truly be impossible for them to kill Alduin? Was the dragon immortal, incapable of being slain by anyone? Was everything he and his had done up to that point been for naught?
"You cannot prevail against me!" Alduin roared, some of the fire returning to his eyes as the Dragonrend wore off and he took to the skies. "I will outlast you . . . mortals!"
They watched in dismay as the black dragon flew off into the distance, injured but still alive. Behind him Lassarina screamed loudly, a combination of anger, exhaustion and frustration. He watched as she fell to her knees and punched the hard ground beneath her until her fists were bloody and tear streaks cut through the sweat and smoke stains that covered her face. Paarthurnax had flown down from the sky and was perched on the Word Wall nearby, watching Lassarina with sad and tired eyes.
"Krosis, stiildus hinmaar, goraan dovah," he crooned to Lassarina. "Collect yourself."
"Why wouldn't he die?" Lassarina demanded. "Tell me why!"
"I understand your frustrations, Dovahkiin. Ahraan kah. But feel no more sorrow. Lot krongrah. You both truly have the voice of dovah. Alduin's allies will think twice after this victory.
"How was it a victory?" Einarr demanded, his voice bitter and angry. "Alduin escaped! We need to find out where he went!"
"Yes . . . one of his allies could tell us. Motmahus . . . but it will not be so easy to . . . convince one of them to betray him."
"Then what can we do?" Lassarina asked, having gotten up off the ground but made no move to heal her fists that were dripping blood.
Paarthurnax hummed thoughtfully. "Perhaps the hofkahsejun – the palace in Whiterun . . . Dragonsreach. It was originally built to house a captive dovah. A fine place to trap one of Alduin's allies, hmm?"
Einarr winced, seeing the giant flaw in Paarthurnax's plan. "The Jarl of Whiterun might not think so."
"Hmm, yes. But your su'um is strong. I do not doubt that you can convince him of the need."
"Wait, so Dragonsreach was built to hold a dragon?" Lassarina murmured, confused.
"Yes. This was ages ago, you understand. There were more of us then. Before the bruniikke – the Akaviri – came and killed all my zeymah." He let out a mournful sound. "I used to visit him from time to time. Nearly crazed by his loneliness and captivity. Tiiraz sivaas. He did not even remember his own name. I do not know how he came to be caught. But the bronjun . . . the jarl . . . was very proud of his pet. Paak! The hofkasejun has been known as Dragonsreach ever since."
Lassarina turned to Einarr and shrugged. "I guess we'll have to convince Balgruuf to let us use Dragonsreach."
"He's not going to agree to this easily," Einarr sighed, running his fingers through his sweaty hair. "Believe me, I know."
"You're a Thane of his city, Einarr; he'll listen to you."
"Aye, some Thane I've been. I've practically ignored Balgruuf the entire time I've been living in Whiterun, more worried about the Companions than my duties as Thane. Any time I have gone to him, it has always been as Harbinger, rather than Thane."
"It's not like thanes do much of anything, brother. Avyanna's told me that Elisif's thanes just sit around the palace and drink mead all day and gossip."
"Let's just get home already and have this whole matter settled. I'm exhausted and want all of this to be over already."
oOo
When they arrived back at Whiterun two days later, the entire city had been waiting for them and were out on the streets, shouting questions and demanding answers. Apparently their fight with Alduin had been seen from high above by the people and they had also seen the dragon escape. Einarr tried his best to ignore everyone trying to speak to him at once, but couldn't stop the growls of irritation from escaping him. He just wanted them to leave him and his sister alone. They were both frustrated enough that they couldn't defeat Alduin; but they were also exhausted, not having slept since fighting the dragon atop the Throat of the World and choosing to ride straight on to Whiterun.
"Leave us be!" Einarr snarled at someone from Clan Battle-Born as he started walking faster to Jorrvaskr.
Once they reached the mead hall, Einarr ushered his sister inside and slammed the doors behind them loudly. He wasn't surprised to see all of the Companions gathered in the dining hall with grim looks on their faces. What he was surprised to see was Delphine walking right over to him and his sister with fury blazing in her eyes.
"What happened?" she demanded. "What did you do wrong?"
"We didn't do anything wrong, Delphine," Lassarina snapped at the Breton woman. "We fought Alduin, just like we were supposed to."
"But you obviously didn't kill him, since the damned monster flew away!"
"He can't be slain here," Einarr told her softly, walking over to a chair and taking a seat; gods, he was exhausted.
"What do you mean, he can't be slain here?"
"We tried. We used Dragonrend, grounded him, and fought him for a bloody hour with no results other than inflicting some injuries upon him. I inflicted wounds on him that have killed other dragons in the past, and he just wouldn't die."
"I've lost count on how many times I shot him in his eyes," Lassarina muttered, taking a seat and only just then noticing her children, who had wandered over to her.
"Then that's it?" Delphine shouted. "You're just giving up?"
"We never said that, Delphine," Einarr growled. "We're taking a day to rest before we go up to Dragonsreach."
"Dragonsreach?" Vilkas echoed, lifting Faolan and Lyanna off the floor so they would stop pestering their exhausted mother. "Why go to Dragonsreach?"
"Dragonsreach isn't just a palace for the jarl to live in," Lassarina told him wearily. "It's a giant trap built for a specific purpose."
"And what purpose is that?" Avyanna asked from the end of the table.
"To catch a dragon alive," answered an elderly voice from one corner.
Einarr glanced over and only just then saw Esbern, sitting by himself at a table with several books opened in front of him and a tankard of mead in his hands. He had been looking down at the book at first, but he looked up a moment after speaking.
"That's what you're planning to do, correct?" Esbern asked the siblings.
"Aye," they answered in unison.
"Why put it off till tomorrow when it could be done today?" Delphine argued. "If you say Alduin is weak, you should take this opportunity to kill him before he's at full strength."
"We're exhausted, you infuriating woman," Lassarina growled. "We haven't slept since battling that monster. My brother and I are going to take a day to rest. Then, and only then, will we go to Dragonsreach and ask Jarl Balgruuf for permission to trap a dragon in his keep."
"I trust that won't be a problem?" Einarr added, glaring at the woman responsible for his father's death with ice-cold eyes.
Delphine stared at him for several moments before stiffly shaking her head. "No, it won't be any problem at all. Esbern, Let's head back to the Bannered Mare. Maybe we can find some willing enough to take up with the Blades."
Once Delphine had left with Esbern, Vilkas and Lassarina left for Breezehome with the twins and Einarr made his way down to his room, locking it behind him and collapsing on the bed. He knew Kiraya probably wanted to see him and make sure he was all right, but he just couldn't be bothered with it right now. He mind was racked with emotional turmoil brought on by his exhaustion, anger, and frustration. His breathing was coming out in short, loud gasps as he struggled to control the storm that threatened to overcome him, but he just couldn't keep it inside anymore. With an angry shout, he punched the straw filled mattress beneath him and grabbed a nearby pillow to scream in to.
He couldn't take it anymore. Just when they thought it was nearly done, something else popped up that kept this problem of theirs alive longer. First it was a matter of why the dragons were coming back and then destroying the creature that was bringing them back. Then they needed a specific Shout to be able to defeat him. And when they had the Shout, the monster they needed to kill was suddenly invulnerable to their attacks and continued to live on. Now they needed to capture a dragon, alive, and force it to tell them where Alduin was, not even knowing if they would be able to kill him there. There were too many ifs and buts involved in his and his sister's destinies, and Einarr couldn't handle it anymore.
"This is all your fault," he whispered angrily to the air above him. "You had to pray for the return of the Dragonborn, didn't you, mother? You probably even prayed for your own children to be Dragonborn, didn't you?"
There was no reply but silence.
"Were you even thinking? Even now, dead and doing the bidding of the Divines, do you even care how much we are suffering? Do you feel any remorse for forcing your children into facing a monster that could potentially kill them?"
Again he was faced with silence.
"No answer?" he let out a dark chuckle and tears of frustration began to form in the corners of his eyes. "Of course not, because you're too much of a coward to come forth and let me say this to your face! There's a reason you haven't visited our dreams since waking me from my coma, and that's because you don't want to face us and admit that you and the gods are just using us to look out for yourselves! You don't care about the world or any of us here on Nirn. You only want to avoid having Alduin feast on all of you in your realm! It makes me glad that when I die I won't ever have to see you. I'm glad I'm bound to Hircine and I'll never see Sovngarde. It's a better fate than having to spend the rest of my afterlife with you, mother."
He screamed into his pillow again, allowing his tears and emotions to completely take control of his body. Einarr just couldn't keep it contained anymore and frankly, he no longer wanted to. He was sick of everything. Responsibility, duty, destiny, he just wanted it all to go away for now so he could wallow in his own grief. He wasn't even aware that across Whiterun, in Breezehome, his little sister felt the same and was sobbing just as hysterically as he was.
oOo
The next morning, Einarr and Lassarina proceeded to Dragonsreach to speak to the jarl about using the dragon trap built into the keep. He looked mildly surprised to see them when they approached his throne, both of them looking plainly exhausted, their eyes bloodshot, their skin pale, and their energy at an all-time low. Both siblings looked as though they had aged ten years in the expanse of one day.
"It is an honor to see you, Dragonborns," Balgruuf greeted them with a polite nod. "I had heard about the battle atop the Throat of the World and managed to see the last of it right before the dragon flew off. I can see the battle took a lot out of both of you."
"It was by far the most arduous fight we've ever experienced, my Jarl," Lassarina said respectfully.
"Of that, I have no doubt. Now, is there a reason you've come before me today?"
"Aye," Einarr nodded. "We need your help with something."
"Tell me what it is you require my help with."
Einarr decided to just be blunt with the man. "We need to trap a dragon in your palace."
Balgruuf's eyes widened for a moment before he let out a nervous chuckle. "I must have misheard you. I thought you asked me to help you trap a dragon in my palace."
"My Jarl, you know I wouldn't ask this of you if it wasn't important."
"Of course," Balgruuf sighed, straightening up a bit as a dark look entered his eyes. "You already saved Whiterun from the dragons that have attacked in the past. I owe you a great deal. But I don't understand. Why let a dragon into the heart of my city when we've been working so hard to keep them out?"
"The threat is worse than you know, Jarl Balgruuf," Lassarina intervened. "Alduin has returned."
Silence fell upon the hall and everyone; guards, maids, even Balgruuf's children, turned to look at them with sheer horror written upon their faces.
"Alduin?" Balgruuf whispered. "The World-Eater himself? But . . . how can we fight him? Doesn't his return mean it's the end times?"
Einarr's eyes clouded and he lowered his head as he replied, "We are Dragonborn . . ."
" . . .it's our destiny to stop him," Lassarina finished wearily.
Balgruuf frowned and leaned back against his throne. "I don't know about such things, but I heard the Graybeards summon you. That's good enough for me. Now, what's this nonsense about trapping a dragon in my palace?"
"It's the only way to find Alduin before it's too late," Einarr explained.
The jarl sighed and frowned deeply, shaking his head slowly. "I want to help you, Dragonborns. And I will. But I need your help first."
"Can't it wait until after we trap the dragon?" Lassarina growled. "We don't know how much time we have left, my Jarl."
"Nay, it can't wait. Ulfric and General Tullius are both just waiting for me to make a wrong move. Do you think they will sit idle while a dragon is slaughtering my men and burning my city?" He shook his head firmly. "Nay. I can't risk weakening the city while we are under the threat of enemy attack. I'm sorry."
"So, what, you're asking us to end the war before we kill Alduin?" Einarr demanded incredulously. "We don't have that kind of time, Jarl Balgruuf!"
Lassarina sighed beside him and stepped forward, her eyes lit with determination. "What if . . . what if you didn't have to worry about an enemy attack?"
"Then I would be glad to help you with your mad dragon-trapping scheme," the jarl said, look at her with interest. "But getting both sides to agree to a truce will be difficult at this point. It's been four years and the bitterness has gone too deep." He rested his chin against his fist as he thought to himself for a few moments. "Maybe . . . hmm . . . what of the Greybeards? They are respected by all Nords. High Hrothgar is neutral territory. If the Greybeard were willing to host a peace council . . . then maybe Ulfric and Tullius would have to listen."
"Leave that to me," Lassarina nodded. "I will talk to Master Arngeir about hosting a peace council."
"Aye, Dragonborn. Maybe both of you can stop the dragons – and this war into the bargain."
"You shouldn't have much trouble convincing Ulfric, girl," the Dunmer woman, Irileth, said coolly. "But I wouldn't go to Tullius if I was the sister of Ulfric Stormcloak."
Lassarina shot a glare at Irileth and replied icily, "I have fought hard to remain neutral in this war. I am many things, Irileth: wife, mother, sister, Companion, Dragonborn, even thief. Those and more take precedent over me being a Stormcloak."
Einarr gently pulled his sister back, silently signaling her to let it go, and they left the palace after a quick bow to the jarl. Once they were outside, he could see his sister bristling with anger, but she put it aside for the moment and looked at him.
"You'll go to Solitude and speak to Tullius," she told him. "If I go there, I'll more than likely be taken by Thalmor. I'll head in the opposite direction and speak to Arngeir and Ulfric."
"If you're the one that asks, I have no doubt that Arngeir will agree to host this peace council," Einarr told her with a hint of a smile.
"We'll have to set a date for this meeting to take place."
"It'll take me four days just to get to Solitude and then another four to get back."
"Aye, and it will take me at least a week to speak to Arngeir and Ulfric."
"How about the First of the Last Seed?" Einarr suggested. "It's two weeks away and should give us and them plenty of time."
"That sounds as good a date as any," Lassarina nodded as she began walking down the steps. "The First it is."
"Then hopefully, all will go smoothly and we'll be able to defeat Alduin."
Lassarina snorted and looked over her shoulder at Einarr. "My brother, we're to talk two stubborn men who hate each other into a truce for an undisclosed amount of time. I honestly think we'd have a better time convincing Alduin to not destroy the world."
Einarr chuckled and shook his head. "Ah, if only it were that easy, but nothing ever is."
How'd you like Einarr's breakdown? Did you know Clear Skies can be used to stop that Dragon Storm Shout?
I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and remember to Fave/Follow/Review!
Much love,
Mirage
