Turdas, 11:53 PM, 26th of Evening Star, 4E 201

I walked into the hideout of the Blackbloods, and I wasn't surprised to see everyone dead. Some of the body's I saw were even flung into the underground pond that looks like it spans all the way through. Take away all the dead body's and this place would be quite beautiful. But the beauty of the scene was not why I was here. As I walked, I came across a path that raised higher than the one I was on and that could give me a vantage of the main fort. I decided to take the path, but I didn't get as far as I liked as a guard stood in my way. She was no problem though as I began to sneak behind the unsuspecting Redguard. I readied Keening as I came close, the marauder stood with a bow in hand. I quickly covered her mouth with my hand and stabbed her in the back, killing her almost instantly.

"One less to worry about." I mumbled as I continued on. Getting down on my belly and crawling to the edge of the small path, I surveyed the area. There was a sunken ship, and a chest that was on it. There was a bridge that was raised that led to where I came from. And there were three levels. The first was a ship with a table on it. A few guards were eating at it. The second had access to the bridge. But the third was where I needed to go. The third had the front side of a boat acting as an extension for archery targets. There's a few workstations for various things like smelting and cooking. And finally there was the main building. A wooded structure. The top was missing, and it was missing some boards.

But between it all, in the open was Inigo, held down by some of Jaree-Ra's men. And speaking of that bastard, he is standing right behind him. "You spineless piece of garbage!" Inigo yelled as he struggled against his captors. And one of the marauders had a dagger in his hand. I had to make my move before it was too late. So I did. Slowly getting up from my prone position, I silently made my way behind a small nook in the rock wall. I peeked around the corner to watch the event unfold. "Do it! Come on! You don't have the guts to stab me! Come on! Baldy! DO It! Ugh." My eyes widened in disbelief. Inigo actually got himself hurt for once! It was my time to act, before Inigo actually dies.

Stepping out of cover, I readied a Frostbite spell in my left hand while I had a Flame spell in the right. "Hey! Limp noodle!" Jaree-Ra stopped mid step as I smirked. He slowly turned around and all I can say is that he was not happy to see me.

"Where is my sister?" He fumed. I let mt smirks grow into a wicked grin just to piss him off more.

"Oh? You mean Deeja?" I looked at my claws as if I didn't care. That seemed to do the trick. He was fuming. "She is in a... better place. But don't worry Jaree-Ra, I think she kinda liked me... a LOT." I looked back at the enraged Argonian.

"First you murder my sister, then you massacre my men!" He yelled as he drew his blade. A few marauders came up behind him.

"Oh, no I would never!" I exasperated. "That was Inigo." I pointed at the dying body of my friend. You would think I would care, but I don't. I can just revive him, I did it before when we were in Bleak Falls Barrow and he got killed by a giant spider. "I just HELPED your sister out, is all. I must say though, she was rather eager to pounce on me." I laughed as I said it. It wasn't completely true. I just wanted to piss the guy off until he went over the edge.

"Deeja did WHAT!" He bellowed as he slowly advanced.

"Oh yeah..." I turned around to give the impression that I was vulnerable. "... Once I opened the door and came in she greeted me. But what caught me off guard was why she locked the door..." I stopped moving all together as I heard him closing in. I slowly grabbed Keening and got ready to stab. "... and why she had no clothes on." I lied.

I heard him breathing heavily as he stopped somewhere behind me. "But..." I paused for dramatic effect. "... I soon realized why as soon as she pounced on me, straddling me like no woman ever did before." To be honest I never had sex with anyone, I was just letting my darker side of my mind take over.

"Sh-She wouldn't!" His voice was strained.

"Oh she did, Jaree-Ra." I turned to face him with my hands behind my back. Grinning lasciviously. "Oh I can remember her lust filled moans as she begged for my seed. I can remember when she said that this was my reward, and there was more where that came from. But, before we could continue, she asked me for a favor." I looked at him, knowing that he'll get the hint. He didn't and I sighed.

"She told me to kill you and shortly after she killed herself." I let some fake tears fall off of my snout. "Too bad... she could have been a good life-mate. Of course, you wouldn't be there for the ceremony. She hates you."

At this point he was broken both mentally and physically. I say physically because his knees buckled under him. "I-I..." He couldn't finish. Tears were streaming down his face but his features are emotionless. I walked towards the miserable excuse of a man and sat down. "Liston, I didn't want to tell you this, but it had to be done for you to see the reason. Get your defenses down." I deadpanned. He slightly looked my way, but nothing more. "I didn't have sex with your sister, but she did almost act on it. Until she saw my shocked face." I chuckled lightly. I poked him to get his attention as I healed Inigo with a restoration spell behind my back. He wasn't dead, just close to it. Otherwise I would need to shout to fully bring his soul from the dead. "Jaree-Ra..." I sighed as he gave me his full attention. "Your sister loves you, very much. But... you've headed down a path she didn't want to follow. She already started on her path to forgiveness from the gods. I am trying to help you now. Breaking your emotional barriers is only the first step. The next is reasoning, and the third is cooperation." He nodded as he wiped away some tears.

"Well, you have it." I smiled.

"Good." I patted him on the back as Inigo started to kill all of the marauders behind us.

Suddenly I felt like there was something else to be done. "Jaree-Ra, I'm going to kill you and your soul will be sent to Akatosh." I took out Keening and pricked my finger and held it out. A small dot of blood now waited for him. "With this sacrament of blood you will go into the Divine beyond." He hesitantly took my hand and brought it up to his mouth, and licked it. Jaree-Ra suddenly groaned and collapsed screaming, holding his head. I watched as his body began to glow and small light particles started to break off. Akatosh was accepting him. "You're doing the right thing." I said as Jaree-Ra became nothing more than dust flowing into the fabrics of time. But I know he will return.

I sat there in silence for what felt like hours. Thinking about the current events. I came out of my thoughts to find Inigo walking up to me and collapsing next to me, laughing. "You always did have a way with words, Dare." I continued to stare in no general direction. My face was bare of all emotion. Inigo must have noticed because his smile disappeared almost instantly. "I... gathered everything of value. Are you... feeling alright?" I didn't respond right away,

"I am just... thinking." He looked bemused.

"Thinking... what?" I grabbed my Akatosh Amulet from my neck and unclasped it, holding in in my hand.

"Just... what Alduin said. About my father being Akatosh. I mean... wow." He chuckled, but kept his calm demeanor.

"It would not be surprising. Talen-Jei does know a lot about him, maybe even too much. Keerava however, seemed like any other normal person. But what do I know." I had to agree on that one. My mother acted and loved me like any other mother would. My father did as well, but sometimes he would suddenly disappear for days at a time and when he gets back it's back to either training or him being away even more for business with the Thalmor.

"Maybe he was right. I don't know why he would say that to me. Probably trying to use my own tactic against me. Get me to join him. I was actually thinking about this. What he said and what it has to do with me." Inigo sat in silence as he waited for me to finish. He is only quiet when he is interested in something. "Maybe Akatosh left Aetherius because of Alduin? Or because of Mara and her grief. I mean, who wouldn't feel devastated when your son is sent through time and you no way to stop it. But at least now they are back together because of me, I think." Inigo gained the look of confusion.

"You think?" He asked as I finally decided to look at him.

"Yes, I think." I shuffled a little to get rid of a crick in my neck. "Do you know how dragons, and I, can absorb the soul of other dragons?" He nodded. "And do you know what Shout I used." Again, he shook his head. "I think he is somewhere here. Still very much... in Skyrim." He looked back towards the furn we were staring at.

"So... where do you think he is? I would think he is somewhere that has meaning to him. Like a... temple. Or a shrine of Mara or Akatosh." I stretched, my back popped as I did.

"I don't know but..." I groaned as I stood up. "Wherever he is, whatever he's planning, we'll be ready." He grunted in approval as he stood up as well.

"So my friend, what do we do now?" I chuckled.

"Now?" He nodded. "Now I go home. And you can do whatever you want. I need to take a break from all of this." I sheathed Keening and Inigo and I walked out of the cave. "I'll call in some soldiers to pick up all of the loot."

"What did he do?" A voice screamed throughout the temple. The person waited for an answer, but none came. At least, not one it was looking for.

"Stop screaming you blithering Argonian! He will not answer you." This Argonian was no normal Argonian though. This Argonian has wings and a more draconic look. The Argonian turned to the man in question.

"Who are... wait." The Argonian looked at the man. He is a Snow Elf, followers of Auri-El. But there was something wrong with this one, he seems... different. He smelled almost like a... "VAMPIRE!" Almost immediately the Argonian dashed from its spot, going in for the easy kill.

"Auri-El cannot save you here, lizard!" The Elf said as he charged at the Argonian. That seemed to enrage it as it tackled the corrupted elf. Pinning it down with its weight, although it was pretty small and skinny.

"You dare defile these halls with your filth?" The Argonian screamed as it repeatedly smashed its claws into the elf, drawing a little blood.

"You cannot hope for the best... AGH!" He hissed as a bright flash blinded the both of them. The Argonian stopped its rampage to see what was happening and the elf looked on in utter horror at what he was seeing. Just a few feet away, a large dragon stood calmly as it watched the two mortals. The great dragon chuckled in amusement.

"Oh come now, you can do better than that." He said as he sat down on his hunches. They both continued to stare in disbelief at who this dragon was. It was no ordinary one at that, those golden eyes, glowing scales, and that aura that only a Divine could possibly possess. This was...

"Auri-El!" The Elf suddenly bellowed as he kicked the still dazed Argonian off of him and charged at the God of Time. But as soon as the Elf took one step towards Auri-El, just like that, the Elf disappeared in a flash of light. And nothing remained.

Meanwhile, the Argonian simply gaped at the sight. Auri-El seemed to notice this as he stood up and walked to it. The Argonian tried to say something as it moved its mouth but no words came out. Auri-El laughed at the display as he sat back down next to it. "How does it feel?" He asked. The Argonian only could look up as tears fell from its face. "To fail at your task I gave you, just to act as a leader to these people. And you failed at that as well. So tell me..." Auri-El dipped his massive head next to the Argonian, grinning. "How does it feel to be a mortal... my son." He chuckled a bit more. "Or should I say..." He almost burst out laughing. "My daughter." And as soon as he said that he raised his head and laughed. That seemed to get Alduin out of his, or in this case, her daze.

She looked up at Akatosh's anger and a hint of sadness. "Why are you laughing!" She screamed. The sound of her voice only caused him to lose his balance and topple over onto his back and laugh even harder. Tears were falling from his snout as he tried to calm down. If one were to look at what was happening they would not believe what they were seeing. "Father!" She screamed as she started to shake with rage, her eyes started to turn red instead of their original gold. By this time he was wheezing, trying to catch his breath.

"I-I'm so sorry!" He wiped his tears away as he slowly regained his posture. Still laying on his back, he curled his neck so he was facing his former son.

"I'm sorry Alduin. The look on your face was too much." She looked at her father in bewilderment.

"When did you become this, father? You do not act like a child! What happened to you?" She asked as her anger slowly subsided. He suddenly gained a serious look, one that she knew all too well. One where she was about to get a lecture. Akatosh's form started to glow even brighter and she had to cover her eyes. A few minutes later and she removed her hands, only to find him gone. She was about to get angry again when a cough sounded behind her. Turning around, she was met with a male Argonian. He was smiling.

"I became mortal." Was all he said. The two gods merely looked at each other, no words were exchanged, and no moves were made.

After a while she sighed. "So Mara was right." Akatosh nodded. His smile diminished just a bit.

"Yes she is. After you were put through time, your mother and I started to have arguments about what went wrong. After a while she started to blame me in her grieving state. I could not take it anymore, so I left Aetherius to search for more... simpler life. I arrived where I battled Dagon and traveled to the nearest city, Cyrodiil. Where I found Diinmaar alone in the middle of a street. I took him in with an Argonian who..." A tear fell from his eye and he sniffled. "Who reminded me of your mother." There was a brief pause as he sat down next to a broken down pillar. "We raised him as any other good parents would."

Alduin listened intently as he continued his story, unconsciously she walked over to him and curled up next to him. "I even called in Paarthurnax and Jormungandr for assistance. At first the guards were afraid but I made them see reason. And shortly after that I guess they thought I somehow was a relative to a Septim because I was later given the title of Emperor. He made friends, learned how to fight, and a few other things. But when he became of age was when I told my new wife of who I was." A let out a small chuckle at the memory.

"What happened?" Alduin asked. Her head leaning on his shoulder.

"Well..."

I waited for Keerava in our room. I was back to being me, a golden dragon of Divine power. I wasn't fully a dragon, but I still had the form of one. Like an Argonian, but more dragon-like. I hated it. But she has to know. Suddenly there was a knock on our door. "Husband? Are you in there?" The muffled voice of Keerava said.

"Yes dear." I replied. My voice was deeper and more gravelly now. The door slowly opened and she stepped in.

"My love, what is it you..." She suddenly screamed and punched my right in the nose. I whimpered, rubbing my snout with a clawed hand. She jumped into action as she knocked me down and straddled my chest and punched me again. I quickly grabbed both of her arms and flipped her over, but not too hard. She kicked and tried to scratch but in the end I won. Letting go of her arms, I closed the gap between our body's and gave her possibly the deepest kiss I would ever give. Even to Mara. I'm guessing she got my point and returned the favor, wrapping her arms around my back as our tongues wrestled for dominance. This is one of the reasons why I love her, she has some fight in her. And isn't afraid to speak up to me. We regretfully broke the kiss, both of us panting for desperately needed air. "T-Talen-Jei?" She asked out of breath. Her face was slightly red in a blush. I chucked as I laid my head next to hers.

"Yes my love?" I grabbed her hand and squeezed it to let her know it was me.

"What took you so long?" I smiled. I always knew that she knew who I actually was.

"... there you go." Akatosh chuckled. "She is coming here, to Skyrim, you know." Alduin looked at her father in confusion.

"Why would she concern me? And how do I get back my godhood?" Akatosh sighed at this. "Can you not do anything?" He shook his head.

"You never lost it, only forgotten it. I have witnessed the power of the Wabbajack myself, my son managed to make a Shout that has the same effect. There may be no cure. Have you tried to change back, your willpower is strong?" Alduin got up and walked into the middle of the room. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She is the firstborn son of the Aedric god Akatosh and Mara, surely a simple Shout can't hold HIM back.

After a few minutes, something began to happen. Her body slowly began to glow and expand. She had to get down on all fours as she grew. Her bones reshape themselves and were molded to her new body. Soon a deep growl was heard as her glowing body subdued. Akatosh smiled but held his calm gaze as Alduin became a dragon once more. Scales black as night, and golden eyes that resembled her father. But her body was different. I was more slender and the curves were more prominent. Alduin grinned as her transformation came to an end. Akatosh smiled at his daughter. "Are you happy, my daughter?" She looked at him, confused on why he called her that.

"Daughter?" She finally looked at herself and gasped. "No no no no no. Why am I still FEMALE!"

Akatosh burst out laughing again. This time Alduin didn't get mad. She only looked down in sadness, no tears came out, she just looked at the stone ground. Akatosh's laughing barley registered in her head. Akatosh stopped laughing and walked up to his confused offspring. Giving her a wing for comfort. "Alduin." He shook his wing to get her attention. She didn't move. He tried again by shaking his wing. "Alduin." Still not an inch of movement. He sighed and removed his wing. Instead, using it to lift up her chin. At first she tried to avert her gaze but soon gave in. "Alduin..." He said smoothly. This time she sniffled and hummed for him to continue. "I am sorry this happened to you, Alduin. But things happen for a reason, what reason why this happened to you, I have no idea. My time away from my realm has dulled my senses. But I know you will get through this. Diinmaar did this, so he should be able to undo it. Talk to him. I raised him, he will listen. Just... don't let that ego of yours get in the way. You know what happened last time." He let go of her and backed up. "Now, I have a son to go see and an Empire to run. I love you Alduin." He turned around to leave. "I always have." And in a brilliant flash of light, just like that he was gone. And Alduin was left alone with her thoughts.

A long hike up to Solitude and through the town, I finally arrived at my house. Walking up the steps and opening the door, I smiled to myself that now I can actually rest. Inside, Inigo and I were met with a small living space. A small table with some fruit in a bowl. Two chairs and a bookshelf. What I didn't expect to see was Deeja. The door shut behind us and she nearly jumped out of her chair. She was reading a book and she forcefully closed it and hid it behind her back. "Uh? Deeja?" We looked at each other in awkward silents for minutes. I waited for her to say something, while she had a blush on her face as she kept looking at me rather than looking away. Finally, my friend comes in to save the day.

"So!" He laughed as he moved towards the kitchen. "How about some appetizers?" With the awkward moment crushed, thank Akatosh, we both went to the kitchen table.

"What were you reading?" I asked. I don't know what I said but her entire face lit up like a candle.

"Wha-What do you mean?" She tried to look away. But failed miserably. Inigo chuckled as she saw her reaction.

"Good luck trying to evade his questions."

"No no, Inigo. It's uh... fine." I said. I took a sweetroll and started to eat the sweet cake-like treat. She sighed and gave me the book. It was an orange, hardback book with a plain cover, I opened it. "Huh. The Lusty Argonian Maid by Cressius Curio? Isn't that a story of a king or something that has a maid who is horny and they... go at it?" I never read the book myself but I heard it's a favorite. I closed the book and looked at her. She looked very embarrassed. I gave it back to her and continued to eat my sweetroll. We sat there for a while, listening to Inigo making us food. And Deeja was unbearably quiet. "Deeja." I tried to get her attention. She hummed with her head leaning on hand but otherwise kept looking at me. I found it very uncomfortable. "Can you stop looking at me like I'm a prize or something. Also our food is here." Finally she stooped out of her gaze to notice the cooked meal in front of her. She looked at Inigo and thanked him. Which he nodded. Maybe now I can get some days in on the normal life.