Thaddeus Chapter 5: Whiterun's Final Stand
Thaddeus looked up in horror as the dragon lifted its large claw in the air and swung it at him.
Before the claw could reach him, he was tossed out of the way.
Thaddeus opened his eyes and saw Vilkas tossed into the air and slam into the side of the Temple of Kynareth.
He tried to run over to him, but a large horde of Falmer charged from the pathway near the Battle-Born household.
"Thaddeus! Back to Dragonsreach! Run!" Elrindir yelled as he drew his bow and fired an arrow past Thaddeus into the horde of Falmer.
The arrow struck one in the chest and it fell as the rest trampled over its dead body.
Thaddeus turned around and began sprinting towards the stairs.
The dragon swung its tail and struck Thaddeus, sending him crashing into Jorrvaskr.
Elrindir ran to assist him, but was struck by a dozen arrows fired by the advancing Falmer horde.
Thaddeus slowly got up and swung his sword as a Falmer jumped at him.
He struck it and tossed it aside as he ran again for the stairs.
The dragon charged at him, but he ducked and it crashed through the walls of Jorrvaskr and rolled over onto its back.
"KILL HIM!" the voice screamed as the dragon rolled back over and sent a fireball in Thaddeus direction.
Thaddeus dodged it and it struck the Gildergreen, setting the tree ablaze.
He ran up the stairs towards Dragonsreach as the archers behind him were struck down by the Falmer following close behind.
"Open the doors!" Gleeson yelled to the guards at the doors.
The swung the doors open as Thaddeus quickly ran through.
He turned around to help the guards close the doors and keep the Falmer from breaking through.
"Farkas! Irileth! Assist them!" Jarl Balgruuf shouted to them.
The two of them ran over and helped the guards and Thaddeus hold the doors as the Falmer slammed into them, trying to break through them.
Balgruuf unsheathed his sword and stood from his throne.
"Let them come! If this is to be the last stand of Whiterun, it's Jarl will not run. He will not hide. He will stand and fight until his last breath." The Jarl declared as another bang came from the doors to Dragonsreach.
"My Jarl…." Proventius was starting to say.
"No Proventius. I will not cower from a fight. If Whiterun is to fall, its Jarl will stand and fight!" the Jarl shouted.
Thaddeus looked back at the Jarl who stood in front of his throne, ready to fight even if it meant his death.
"Put some spears and swords through the door handles. Then move back and draw your weapons. We will stand and fight!" Thaddeus shouted to the others at the doors.
They ran and did as he said; sliding the weapons through the door handles and moving a few feet back from the door.
Archers moved into position on either side of the raised platform where the dining area was.
Thaddeus stood at the bottom of the stairs with Farkas, Irileth, and a number of guards who had either been there from the beginning or who had been lucky enough to survive the first few waves and attacks.
One last bang on the door was all it took to bring the doors crashing open, splinters and pieces of wood flying through the air in every direction as Falmer poured through charging towards the Keep's remaining defenders.
Thaddeus and the others lifted up their shields and drove their spears forward, unsuspecting and unprepared Falmer running into them, the spears driving right through them.
Their bodies tossed aside for the next line of Falmer who charged at them.
A fireball came through the doors, hitting the line of defenders at the foot of the stairs, knocking them to the ground.
The Falmer took this opportunity to attack them while they were down.
Thaddeus held his shield over him as one of the Falmer swung down at him.
Its sword hit the shield and slightly distorted it as it fell back.
Thaddeus jumped up and threw his spear at it, striking it in the neck.
He quickly helped up Farkas and Irileth and the three ran up the stairs as the Falmer cut down the rest of the soldiers who were either still on the ground or who were attempting to get up.
The next line formed just in front of the fire, ready for the Falmer to charge up the stairs.
The Falmer then turned their attention towards the next line of defenders and charged up the stairs towards them.
The defenders drew their swords and charged at the Falmer, knocking some back down the stairs and killing others.
Thaddeus swung his sword, striking a Falmer in its chestplate and sending it backwards, hitting a group running up the stairs and sending them back down.
Falmer archers came through the doors and fired arrows at the defenders.
Some, unprepared, fell as the arrows struck them, while the rest retreated back near the throne.
"Last line! Send them to Oblivion!" The Jarl shouted as the Falmer crashed into the final defenders.
Balgruuf swung his greatsword, knocking a group of Falmer tumbling back, with a few falling into the fire.
Thaddeus swung his sword and struck one in the knee bringing to the ground as he drove his sword down into its chest.
"SEEKER!" Farkas shouted.
Thaddeus quickly turned to see the Seeker making its way through the doors.
It was knocking over Falmer and soldier as it climbed the stairs and made its way toward the throne.
Balgruuf saw the creature and jump over the table at it, knocking it and himself to the ground.
The greatsword slid across the floor and fell into the fire.
The Seeker got back up and swung one of its tentacles at the Jarl.
He rolled out of the way and picked up a shield and tossed it at the Seeker.
The shield cut through the Seeker, splitting it in half, a pool of green forming on the ground as the two halves fell to the ground.
Just as the Jarl was standing back up, he was struck by a bolt of lightning, sending him crashing into the throne, knocking it over.
A Falmer Warmonger stood in front of the fire, with a large warhammer in it hands.
Thaddeus charged at the Falmer Warmonger and their weapon collided, knocking the weapons from their hands.
The Falmer Warmonger went to hit Thaddeus.
He barely dodged it, tripping over a body of one of the guards as moved out of the way.
Thaddeus fell to the ground and the Falmer Warmonger lunged at him.
It wrapped its hands around his throat, lifted him in the air and began to choke him.
Thaddeus began to feel the air leave his lungs and his throat beginning to get crushed by the Warmonger's large hands.
Gleeson saw his father being choked by the Warmonger and he ran and jumped on its back, with all three falling to the ground.
Thaddeus began getting up, but the Warmonger was quicker as it picked up its warhammer and swung it.
Gleeson saw the warhammer coming in his direction and ducked out of the way and slashed its back with his sword.
Thaddeus ran over and swung his sword, hitting the Warmonger just under the chin.
Thaddeus and Gleeson ran and kicked the Warmonger into the fire and watched as it was set ablaze.
Thaddeus turned around and felt a dagger stab him in the chest.
A Thalmor stood before him, with Falmer running past and everything seemed to slow down around him.
He looked around and saw Falmer cutting down soldier after soldier and civilian after civilian.
Gleeson ran and swung his sword at the Thalmor.
He jumped out of the way and shot a lightning bolt at him.
Gleeson jumped to the left and kicked the Thalmor in his side.
"You will not kill my father!" Gleeson shouted as he lunged at the Thalmor.
He drove his sword through the Thalmor's chest and brought him to the ground.
"Gleeson!" Thaddeus shouted.
Gleeson turned around and saw a group of Falmer charging up the stairs towards the War Room.
Thaddeus got up and pulled the dagger out of his chest.
He had been lucky. The dagger had just barely stabbed him; his iron chestplate had taken most of the damage.
He ran with Gleeson up the stairs, just as the Falmer reached the doors to the Great Porch.
They ran through the doors and saw Jarl Balgruuf trying to fend off the Falmer who had made it through the doors.
One Falmer charged at the Jarl and he quickly cut it down as he turned to his right and slashed at another.
Another Falmer came from the Jarl's left and jumped on his back.
He grabbed it by the back of its head and flipped it over him.
Three more jumped onto the Jarl's back bringing him to the ground.
They began stabbing down at him as Thaddeus and Gleeson ran over to assist him.
A fireball came from one of the balconies and hit a Falmer in the back, sending it flying across the room.
Thaddeus struck one in the back of the head with his sword and tossed it to the ground.
Gleeson quickly dispatched the other one and helped the Jarl back to his feet.
"Nothing can keep me down, especially not those monsters." Balgruuf said as he raised his sword and charged at another group of Falmer coming through the doors.
A fireball from the balcony on the right, hit the group of Falmer and knocked them to the ground and back into the War Room, while Jarl Balgruuf quickly shut the doors and sealed them.
"Good Job Farengar! A real asset I tell you! Fantastic Job!" Balgruuf shouted to the balcony.
Farengar came out from behind one of the mechanisms and walked down the stairs over to the Jarl.
"Thank my Jarl." Farengar replied.
"I made a wise choice in selecting you as my Court Mage. Now, who remains in my city? Who has survived?" The Jarl asked as he looked over to where the survivors stood.
"My Jarl, not many remain." Farengar stated.
"I didn't ask how many, I asked who. Tell me who yet remains." Balgruuf ordered.
"Yes my Jarl. We have Ysolda, Olfrid, Alfhild, Lars, Bergritte, and Idolaf Battle-Born, Proventius Avenicci, his daughter Adrianne, Frothar, Dagny, Fianna, Andurs, Olava the Feeble, Carlotta and Mia Valentia, Fralia, Olfina, Vignar, and Eorlund Gray-Mane, Braith, Saffir, Amren, Nazeem, and Ahlam. Plus myself, Thaddeus, Gleeson, and yourself my Jarl." Farengar answered.
Balgruuf looked around at the survivors.
"This is all that remains of Whiterun. The Companions destroyed. Irileth and Hrongar dead. The farms and crops burned down. The Gildergreen set ablaze. All hope is surely lost." The Jarl said as he turned back to Farengar.
"My Jarl, the Falmer are retreating!" Proventius shouted from near the dining table.
The Jarl, Farengar, Thaddeus and Gleeson ran over to Proventius and looked over the railing.
The Falmer were pulling out of Whiterun and heading east.
"Where are they heading?" Gleeson asked.
"I don't know son, but we need to go to Forelhost now." Thaddeus said.
"Forelhost? Why go to Forelhost?" Proventius asked, curious about Thaddeus' answer.
"We will need all the help we can get if we are to take this fight to the Falmer. We also need to let them know the Thalmor are involved." Thaddeus replied.
"Thalmor? What do you mean?" Proventius asked.
Thaddeus turned and looked to the Jarl.
"The Thalmor are working with the Falmer and we need to find out why."
The Battle for Whiterun is over and the Falmer now turn their sights east. Thaddeus is now headed to Forelhost. They now know the Thalmor are aligned with the Falmer.
What will happen when Thaddeus reaches Forelhost? Will they believe him about the Thalmor or will they turn him away? Are the Falmer working with or for the Thalmor? Leave your comments on this chapter below.