A/N: No, you're not missing anything. I'm just skipping the dragon fight for time purposes.
I tire of these run-abouts, Elana snapped at Mirmulnir as she drove her blade through the heart of yet another enemy mage.
"Yet this one brings you close to Riften."
Not the point!
She kicked at the fire-mage's hands, sending the attack he meant for her downward into the puddle of flammable liquid at both their feet.
Elana leapt away at the first spark.
The mage was not so lucky.
How do you dragons bear the smell of burnt flesh? It is abhorrent. By the Nine, if I never have to smell this again I shall be very, very happy.
"You are not your own predator. Of course you detest the killing of your kind."
Hate to break it to you, Mirmulnir. She stabbed yet another mage. Lots of these are elves. Not exactly "my kind" as most would define it.
"'Most.' You cannot deny you would stand with the elves against any threat that attacked you equally. Elves will stand with you against dragons, and have already. You do feel kinship. Do not lie to yourself. The lies we tell ourselves are the most cruel, the most damaging."
You know from experience?
"All dragons told ourselves Alduin stood for the good of all Skyrim."
As Elana finally was able to catch her breath and loot the bodies around her, she could not help but feel a small amount of sorrow for the lost hopes of the dovah, buried in hate.
You really wanted a grand nation.
"We wanted a nation of dovah. Do not forget, we all saw mortals as creatures beneath us. Those rising still do. The defeat of Alduin will not change the nature of a single dov. But if you can sway them to your side, if you can force their allegiance, then maybe, maybe you'll have a shot at dov and man existing together. Provided you can halt this civil war as well."
Do I have to do everything around here?
"Apparently so. You could always leave the war to the generals."
No, not after you mentioned it.
The dragon chuckled. "Adding to your troubles was not my intention, little one. What kind of guest or mentor would I be if it was?"
A very strange one.
"On your left."
And the battle to the heart of Sunderstone Gorge began anew.
"Focus, hatchling."
I can't!
"The fight is on! Do not abandon your weapons! Fight! To arms, dovahkiin! Do not let go of your concentration. You are no fool!"
The Word was pulling, tugging at the young warrior as she fought off the gathering of mages before the wall. Her concentration was slipping as consequence, and a few blows landed that should not have. It was taking all of Mirmulnir's will and the wolf's rage to keep the Dragonborn from racing to the wall and absorbing the Word, turning her back on her enemies.
"Fight, dovahkiin!"
She screamed in frustration, driving her blade into the collarbone of the mages' leader. "FUS RO DAH!" The few she had not yet killed went flying back. Her throat still screaming, she managed FEIM and she raced to the wall.
She could feel the chill of the ice, but it harmed her not through the power of her Shout. Nor could it fully dissipate the whirling thoughts of TOOR about her in an INFERNO of might.
"Cheater."
Smart.
"As you say."
Elana took a deep breath, absorbing the last traces of the Word, and turned to face the befuddled mages. She smiled widely as the Shout's power dissolved. "What? Never fought a dragonborn before?" With a cry, she leapt forward and sliced the head of the nearest mage. "That's a shame. We're kind of a big deal."
The last two fought helplessly before a dragon coming into her own.
It was a quiet walk out of the gorge, pockets loaded with new loot.
It was a swift, almost smooth run to Riften, punctuated by two foolish bandits.
It was casual walk up the gates, and an almost passive-aggressive conversation with the rude guards, now that she neither wore Companions armor nor traveled with one.
It was a nostalgic trip through the city with exploration that took Elana to the Ratway door.
Once she got inside, however, all hell seemed to break loose.