THE THROAT OF THE WORLD
The Listener
To say the last few days of my life have been brutal, is an understatement. The Castle was as unsightly as I remembered it, and the inhabitants couldn't have been frostier. The little girl vampire, Babette, barely gave me a second glance when Cicero dragged me down the hall by my arms. I was still tied up and gagged, still bloodied from my fights and still mad as hell.
Nazir was next. He gave me a pitying glance. "Sad. But glad to have you back Eve. Do you know where you'll be staying next?"
I gave him a few choice words that ended up being muffled by the cloth covering my mouth. He chuckled. "Good one with that gag. I always thought she might've been Dragonborn given that quick mouth of hers."
"I'ww swow you wuick." I mumbled but Cicero didn't stop his dragging. He could have at least been nicer about it. I hit all the rough stones the whole way to my cage. An when I say cage, I mean a room I didn't know possible.
These hallways were still haunted by the memories of Harkon, my parent's murderer, but they were now tainted by her. She stood by the entrance, in a new deep purple dress and the same terrifying smile. "Eve. This is where you will stay…until you get wiser."
I recoiled from her voice then and I still do now. I would've done anything to get away from her. But I should have been careful with what I wished for. Cicero dragged me past her and flung me down into a pit, a freaking pit! I coughed when I hit the dirty ground. And that's all the sound I made.
The next two days were spent being gnawed on by skeevers and bathing in the same familiar fire from before. I tried to scream but I didn't even have the energy for that. It may as well have been a desert for blood.
When they finally came for me, I heard Cicero's hysterical laugher before I felt it. "Listener! Oh, Listener! Mother wants you to come on an errand with us!" I didn't see him, but I felt it. He threw a barrel of blood over the pit. When the red liquid landed on me, I felt relief. I tried through my gag to lick whatever I could and it was minimal.
When I was dragged out, in the searing light of the afternoon sun and given proper blood from a goblet did I feel it. I groaned, all hope collapsing in that moment. Nazir chuckled when he finished serving me blood. He patted my head. "Try better this time."
My hands were still bound but I didn't need to see to know the heavy silver ring was back. Ensuring that no daedra will be in a hundred feet of me.
I didn't dare ask about Aerin, even though I wanted to. I just sniffed Cicero and smelled new dog. I took it that he's still alive somewhere in the Castle. Not that it matters now. Now, we are somewhere else in Skyrim. Where? Don't ask me. I can barely keep my head on straight.
"More blood?" Cicero giggles. He passes me a small glass filled a quarter of the way up with the red stuff. I gulp it down without a word. He smacks me on the back. "Listener! Don't choke!"
I snarl at him, "I'm not choking, freak. If you gave me more blood in a timely manner, I might be able to get it down easier!"
"AHAHAHA! What a request!" He breaks out into laugher, rolling around on his back.
"Quiet." She snaps from the front of the carriage. The Night Mother drove for once. Cicero was tasked with watching me and the walking corpse of a man up front was along for the ride.
In unison, Cicero and I peer over the edge of the carriage. No one thought to tell me where we were or why we were here. "What is it?" I ask.
"Listener, don't ask questions." He whispers back.
"Oh, like you even know." I shoot him a glare. His meek smile confirms it for me. He's as clueless as I am.
"I said, quiet Children." She snaps again. She doesn't have to look back at us to intimidate us. I watch her. Now would be the perfect time to slice that pretty head off her shoulders. But then my thoughts stray from that. In the cave entrance appears a woman. She's pretty: blonde hair, blue eyes, and nice armor. This must be the person Serana was talking about.
"I got your message." She addresses the Night Mother in a strong and clipped voice.
"Good. As you understand, it would be wasteful to travel all the way to Riverwood with all this cargo." She leaps from the carriage, brining the man down with her. "We have Esbern."
"Esbern!" The woman yells and barrels into the guy. He clutches her like he just saw the pits of Oblivion. I don't blame him. "Delphine! It's been a long time." He mumbles into her shoulder.
"It has been, Esbern. It has been." She says back to him, "I assume you know?"
"Yes. I know she is Dragonborn." His voice is broken. I wonder just what the Night Mother did to him. Sounds like he didn't get a good warm welcome at the Castle like me and Aerin.
Delphine just hugs him closer. "Lovely to see the reunion." The Night Mother drawls from the front of the carriage, "But you had an urgent matter?" She asks the two poor minions.
"Yes." Esbern breaks the hold and faces her. Only I see the wavering in his gaze, he can barely keep his eyes on her. "We are here at Sky Haven Temple. It is a significant achievement for the Reach. It was one of the main Akaviri military camps during the conquest of Skyrim."
The man is straight as an arrow and talking like he's giving a history lecture, looks like he swallowed all that fear. The Night Mother sighs and waves him on. "Your point?" She talks over him.
He gives a flustered noise before getting down to business. "My point is that we need to get in there! This is where they built Alduin's Wall to set down the stone of all their accumulated dragonlore. This was where the ancient Blades recorded all they knew of Alduin and his return. Part history, part prophecy. The location has been lost for centuries, but I've found it again. Not lost you see, just forgotten." He gives a half smile.
"If you insist." The Night Mother crosses her arms and gives us a cursory glance. I'm over here covering my face with my hands. I'm about to lose it and break out into laughter. This is what she's been distracted by for the past month or so? She's been on as much of a gooschase as we have!
"Listener." Cicero jabs me in the ribs. I nearly turn to tear his face off when our Mother clears her throat.
"You two. Either be good and come with Mother or you can stay in the carriage."
Hm, either go into a dark and nearly endless cave with two bloodthirsty creatures and their two fools? Or stay in the carriage and try to escape? "I'll stay." I say without second thought.
Her smile is absolutely devilish on her pretty face. "Your brother decides for you, Eve."
"AHAHAHA. Yes! Yes, Mother! Cicero wants to go with you!"
I feel like my throat is full of nails. "What if we need to fight? What about my weapons?" Those that were all gone. I highly doubt she has them locked up in the carriage but it's worth a shot.
"You won't need them. Get out and follow me." She turns and there is nothing left to say. Cicero drags me out by the bound hands, I nearly fall face first into the dirt but is kept up by his smaller frame. "Be good, Listener. Mother might just reward you." He sneers in my ear. Those words should be comforting. And coming from anyone else they would be. Instead, I bite my tongue. If it does turn out to be advantageous then I would be a fool not to take it.
For the third time in this insufferable cave, I am proven right yet again. Hell yeah, I needed those weapons. We've faced way too many enemies so far. But it sounds like the Night Mother has selective hearing all of a sudden. Because she won't listen to my pleas when I voice them.
"You. Don't. Need it." She pants after frying the hell out of some frost spiders. They sit in a pile behind her while I'm crouched next to Cicero. All he's done is drag me around like a sack of potatoes and stab things when necessary.
I bite my quick tongue before something stupid flies out. I want to remind her of that impossible puzzle, which we could have used Nocturnal or one of the others for. But nope, had to sit through twenty minutes of guess the animal. That is, until the Emerald guy remembered his history of the place.
"Might help." I shoot back finally. It's been agony sitting here, only knowing I'm good with my fangs. Not good options for the creepy crawly things.
"I said you won't get your weapons." She sneers, now five feet from me and gaining. She gets right in my face. "You won't have any of them. I know what you were doing. Daedric hunting…do you think me a fool?"
I have to swallow my heart to keep it from beating out of my chest. "Thought you couldn't peek in my thoughts anymore." I try to call her bluff.
She smirks. "That is what you think? You don't believe we are not bound together irrevocably?"
I'm trying to think of the next move. Something to throw her off her game when the old man squeals. "A blood offering. Dragonborn. We need your blood!" He yells from the sidelines.
Her simmering stare pierces him. "We'll discuss this later." She pats me on the cheek and walks off to this pedestal near the next entrance.
"Listener is playing a risky game." Cicero grumbles. He pulls on my bindings to lead me on like a friggin cow. "You could take these off you know."
"Or, Listener could be smart and be quiet. Maybe we will let you out then."
Guess he had a point. I try that tactic. "Look here! You see how the ancient Blades revered Reman Cyrodill." The old man says. His eyes are alight with the wonders of the past. Completely oblivious to the monsters surrounding him. The blonde girl had some sense. She kept one hand on the hilt of her dagger and eyes darting between us.
The silence is awkward. I look at Mother, who only has eyes for me. She grins then cuts her palm with her fang. Blood boils over the shallow cut before painting the floor with some red. The man shrieks when the mask-like statue behind him moves backwards. "You did it. There's the entrance! After you, Dragonborn. You should have the honor of being the first to set foot in Sky Haven Temple."
Yeah, let her go first. She doesn't say a word and neither do I. Cicero is breathing heavily behind me as we watch her take those first sacred steps into the Temple. The blonde gives me a worried look. I nod my head, just slightly, to her dagger. If she can help me at all, then I'd have a chance to get the hell away from them.
Disappointingly, she gives me a hard glance then passes me by in a whirlwind of excitement. The old guy runs after her then I feel Cicero shove me. "Hurry. We need to see what Mother is getting into."
I trudge up the long steps as slow as possible which only makes Cicero shove at me harder. "Shar's bones! Here it is! Alduin's Wall…so well preserved…I've never seen a finer example of early second era Akaviri sculptural relief…" The older guy says.
I finally get a good view. It's a dark room but the far wall is the only illuminated spot. It shows some elaborate carving of a dragon and warriors in the stone. I glance over it quickly before focusing on the Night Mother. She is studying it carefully.
"Isn't it amazing?" Esbern gasps.
"This is how we defeat Alduin?" The blonde woman asks.
He sighs, "Not everyone has the appreciation for the artistic wonders of the world. Let me see if I can find the right panel." He brushes a palm on the beautiful stone. I wish it would crumble under his touch. The longer it takes to figure out how to get this dragon down, the more time I get to escape and find the Princes.
There's more oohing and ahhing before Esbern reveals what she wants. "Here is Alduin at the centerpiece. You see here he is falling from the sky. I the Nord Tongues- masters of the Voice- are arrayed against him. Ah you see, the Akaviri were not a straightforward people. Everything is couched in allegory and mythic symbolism." He moves to the next panel.
"Yes, yes. This here, coming from the mouths of the Nord heroes-this is the Akaviri symbol for 'Shout'." He says pleasantly.
I'm getting bored. The mural is nice and all but…I glance around the room. One exit, the door we came through. The other is above this monstrosity of an art piece. If only I could kick Cicero back and make a run for it…which I can.
I glance over my shoulder and find him watching me with hungry eyes. His hand tightens on my arm. The hands are bound at the front, but he's been making a point to stay behind me. Now I know why. A little knife gleams in his right hand. I smile. As if they'd stab me. Sure, that thing would hurt and could possibly kill me, but why do that when they need me so bad?
"Eve. Focus." The Night Mother says. She never takes her eyes off the wall. I begin to bristle. Why the hell are we even here? Why not sitting around the Castle and waiting for a rescue crew to come get me? I know Bryn and the others have to be on their way now and unfortunately for them they're going to find a heavily guarded fortress and no Eve.
My straying thoughts are snapped back to reality when I hear the blonde woman exclaim. "You mean a Shout defeated Alduin? You're sure?"
"Oh yes. Presumably something rather specific to dragons, or even Alduin himself. Remember, this is where they recorded all they knew of Alduin and his return." The man goes back to being fascinated by the art.
I watch her. She gazes over it, shifting her golden eyes to take in the whole picture. "So, we're looking for a Shout then? Damn it! Have you heard of such a thing? A Shout that can knock a dragon out of the sky?" The blonde addresses the Night Mother but she doesn't say anything back.
I'm going cold. I heard she was gathering Shouts, but I mean, I thought they were no better than parlor tricks! Nothing that a mage couldn't already do. But a power strong enough to knock one of those indestructible creatures out of the sky?
"We will speak with the Greybeards. They owe us a thing or two." The Night Mother finally says.
The blonde is aghast. "Yes, I heard they let you into their little cult. Not likely they'd help Esbern or me if we came calling."
The Night Mother gives the woman a look that is dripping in boredom. "The 'little cult' is a farce. We will get whatever we want from them. Unlike you, they won't dare attempt to bully us around."
The woman is nearly choking on her half-assed apologies and the older man is deliberately resigning himself from reality. Losing himself in all the history we unmined here. I just try to keep warm. She has access to those monks on the mountain? Bryn told me about them once, said they were so secretive only a handful of people have seen them and most of them are now dead. Whatever secrets they've held they would take to their own graves. And she just cracked them like they're nothing. I hope this Alduin puts up a hell of a fight.
Up on this frozen rock, above the tree line, I finally look down and wish I didn't. If I fell, I'd easily fall over a hundred feet before smacking into anything. The air is thin up here. I nearly stumble once again in the two-foot snow, but Cicero keeps me steady. "Listener, you've gotten clumsy."
"Hard to keep your balance when your hands are all tied up." I growl.
"If you stop snapping, we might take them off." She says from ahead. Fine. I keep quiet again. But I don't need much prodding to do so. The monastery up ahead is something to behold. All sharp edges and elaborate designs. Esbern guy would have a field day here.
The Night Mother walks up the steps so gracefully before shoving the fifty-pound doors open like it's nothing. I scramble to catch up with Cicero at my heels. The interior is an elaborate maze. I have to push to keep up with her. Whatever she needs she wants it badly.
"We have business. But first." She drops a horn at the knees of a praying monk. He barely turns his head to acknowledge her but even I see his eyes are burning with rage. After some more words of prayer, he deftly composes himself enough to stand before her.
"So, you've retrieved the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller. You have passed all the trials." His face scrunches up in a look of pain. "Come with me. It is time for us to…recognize you formally as Dragonborn."
She couldn't be more pleased. She sends Cicero and I a beaming smile before lifting her dress for the descent into the main chamber. I look around. Even if I could escape here, it is a long way down the mountain.
I stay on the perimeter of the circle even though Cicero is prodding me to get closer. "No. We stay here." I tell him.
"Coward." He sneers then waltzes over to clasp the Night Mother's hand. I freeze and stay as still as I can. This might be the best opportunity I get.
"You are ready to learn the final word of Unrelenting Force…" One of the various monks continues. I see she is occupied so I get as low to the ground as I can. When Cicero is absorbed with the words now painted on the ground, I make my break.
I run. I race through the halls just as we did getting here, when the monastery doors are just ahead I barrel through them. It hurts like hell when I trip and go flying down the steps, but nothing will stop my flight from her.
I scramble to my feet and push harder. Hell, I'm a vampire now so I just might be able to roll down the hill. They've been starving me of blood again, for days, to keep my powers at bay. A little too late, I realize the best course of action might have been to suck some blood from one of those monks. That way I would be harder to fight as a Vampire Lord.
But I have to push on. I scramble through the soggy snow, looking for anything to help me. That's when I feel it. Something slams into me. So fierce and so powerful it knocks the air out of me. I choke when the air is temporarily taken from my lungs and I'm flying through the air. I break damn near every bone when I hit one of the large rocks in the way.
I groan. "Listener, how naughty." Cicero comes to drag me back. That's when I see her. She's standing peacefully at the entrance.
"What was that?" I gasp out. I'm still shaking from the impact. There was no analogy to it. A dragon flying straight into you and throwing you through the air still wouldn't compare. Cicero grabs my bound hands and pulls. I scream from the pain from so many broken bones. He sighs and tries to lift me over his shoulders. "That was Unrelenting Force, Listener. You might want to start getting the names straight."
Unrelenting Force. That was one of the Shouts. I find her mocking eyes bearing down on me. That was only a taste of the power she's able to control… I scream when Cicero moves me again. I lay as flat as possible. If they could buy the lie…
"Listener needs blood!" He yells to Mother.
"Then give it to her." She replies in a calm tone.
Cicero slices his wrist and lays it over my mouth. I don't waste a second. I gulp as much as I can, when he shrieks and pulls a way I clamp on tightly. The blood running down through my mouth not only sates my charred throat, but it strengthens me. I have no time to spare. I call it. That familiar wiggling and kneading on the skin comes back and I'm free.
The beast breaks out of my human hide, all leathery muscle and sharp talons and fangs. I stretch out my thin but powerful wings and launch into the air. The sun hurts like hell but I just have to get down the mountain and change back.
I made the grave mistake of taking my eyes off her. I always underestimated her when I was in this form, because it was the only time she was quiet. She shouts again and it hits me like a ton of bricks. I go falling face first into the ground.
"I told you not to run. It's not wise." She walks up to me as I get my wings to heal. I rise to stand on powerful legs. She glares. "Clever of you to use poor Cicero. We won't be making that mistake again."
I either stay and fight her or launch myself over the edge of the mountain. I glance at it. Long way down.
"It will hurt." She pouts, "Your wings are ultimately too thin to carry you the whole way. There are sharper rocks there too, and who knows if someone will be nearby with blood when you break all your bones again."
I shudder at the thought of that. To be laying somewhere for days and barely healing. The change over to the Vampire Lord took enough energy as it is. But I'm desperate enough.
"We don't have to fight." She coos, "We can have a good relationship, Eve. Just come back to me so we can talk."
I glance at Cicero. He's crouched with all his knives at the ready. I nod to him.
"He won't hurt you." She reassures me. I watch her and duck my head. "I won't hurt you either. I just want us to speak on equal terms."
I flex my talons. I have tremendous power in this form. I can bring someone back from the dead and drain energy. Wait.
I watch her and nod again. Without the ability to speak or to telepathically send my thoughts to her she better know what I'm doing. I'm going to get us on equal footing. I flick my right wrist and hold my hand out to her. A stream of red power leaks out. It curls around her and pulls what is left of her beating heart.
She smiles with this. The power flows into me, igniting me. I then turn and drain Cicero to his shaking knees before he can attack. Now I have more energy for another transformation if needed. The Night Mother is wobbly. She holds out a hand and Cicero crawls across the snow-covered ground to help her.
"Mother. Hold on." He pants.
Now is as good a time as ever. I shift back, the blood covers me when the beast melts. "Now we're equal. What do you have to say? Want to drag me around all of Skyrim again for some arbitrary reason?"
"No. We need you to defeat Alduin." She clutches Cicero's hand for support. Looks like the vampiric drain worked well.
"How?" I cross my newly freed arms.
She laughs. "I'll let you know when we get there." Then she snaps up and flings a large ball of electricity sailing across the way. I try to duck but am too slow. It ensnares me, throwing me to the ground in a jolting mess.
Last thing I see is Cicero crouching over me. His mad face is mocking. "You keep underestimating us…I thought you were smarter now…"
I come to with the rocking of a makeshift cot. I blink my bleary eyes until I can see clearly again. The frozen mountain sways with each step they take. If I were human, I'd certainly be throwing up right about now.
"What…" I whisper.
"Almost there, Mother?" Cicero calls from the back of the cot.
"Quiet. I need silence to concentrate." She snaps. I turn my head so I can see her form just upside down. She stands before a great gust of wind and shouts. The path clears. What the hell did they teach her?
We go in this circus trot for another four hundred feet or so. When we reach the top of the mountain, she drops me. I groan when my head smacks the ground. "He's here." She tells Cicero.
"Mother be careful." He drops my legs, making my hips ache before they heal just as quickly. While I'm dazed, I hear the flapping of wings. My heart falls into a gallop.
I leap out of the cot to stand next to the large rock behind me. If I can find cover anywhere then maybe he won't see me…
"Greetings, Wunduniik. I am Paarthurnax." I freeze in my crouched position but look to the great hulking beast standing next to the Night Mother. He's weathered for a dragon, covered in mustard toned scales that lace his body with shiny specks. His large head turns to stare at her, if I didn't know any better, if my ears were deceiving me, I'd think that he was about to eat her. From his position just one snap of his large jaws and his razorlike teeth would be chewing on my greatest problem.
"Who are you? What brings you to my strunmah…my mountain?" He growls in her face.
She just gives the glimmer of a smile. I know that look. Something is brewing. "You know who I am."
"Yes. Vahzah. You speak true, Dovahkiin. Forgive me. It has been long since I held tinvaak with a stranger. I gave into the temptation to prolong our speech." He tries to smile but it looks like a grimace. Please get mad at her and eat her.
My hopes are shot down when she responds. "We are here to learn the Dragonrend Should. Do you know it?"
"Drem. Patience. There are formalities which must be observed, at first meeting of two of the dov." He grimaces again.
The disdain on her body is more than unsettling. But this Paarthumax guy doesn't seem to mind. He wiggles around so he is facing the edge of the mountain, his gossamer wings begin to flare out. "By long tradition, the elder speaks first. Hear my Thu'um! Feel it in your bones. Match it, if you are Dovahkiin!" He shouts something in front of him.
I hold onto the rock behind me for support while the ground shakes. The Night Mother stares at the path in the ground his voice made. Straight to the half-circle wall of rock across from him. Markings glow orange on the smooth stone. My heart beats faster.
She moves towards it and just like in the monastery, a familiar orange glow envelops her. She stands tall in the glory. But while she is entangled in a new power the great dragon sets his sights on me.
Don't know why. I'm cowering over here by this giant rock and Cicero is right there next to Mother waiting for some praise. "Ah, Nikrent. I have heard of you. Durnehviir came to this plane in recent times. It was a shock to my old eyes, I thought he was lost for all eternity."
"Don't talk to her." The Night Mother snaps.
Wrong person to bark out orders to. The beast merely laughs. "Tell me, Nikrent, how is the Thu'um for you? Do you hear it's call?"
I inch forwards just a little. "Not really. I just know his name. Not sure if he'd come again when I call."
"And you have not tried to Nikrent? I know he had missed this land so much." He purrs. Okay, he's not trying to tear my head off. So, I inch closer.
"She's not allowed to." The Night Mother snaps again. "She is my Child. My helper."
"Glorified slave." I insert in there.
She glares daggers. Might get some sort of punishment for that later. But while we're on the subject I may as well let this dragon know just who he's dealing with. "Guess what Paarthumax? Did ya know that the Dragonborn is a homicidal maniac trying to take over Skyrim? Or did that pass through the job interview?" I cross my arms and puff my chest up, just so they don't know how badly I'm shaking.
The dragon is unfazed. "You should try, Nikrent. I have not heard of one such as you before. One who is not Dragonborn but can command the power of the Voice."
I shrug self-consciously. "Now?"
"We have the time." His lips pull back again, and he bares his massive fangs. I'll take that as a friendly smile.
She tries to say something to me, but I ignore it. I do as I was told before, call the name of the great dragon, a shout that begins low in the chest and rises with wind. Immediately, when it has passed from my breath to the air, a purple orb appears and in it's place moments later is the ashen colored dragon.
"Ah, the free air of Tamriel fills my lungs yet again! It is good to know you are still alive Nikrent. I was worried." His large face bows over mine. I give a pet to his scaly forehead. It feels sharp, like some sort of pointed rock. These creatures are durable.
"And Paarthunax! It is wonderful to be in your presence." The dragon turns his massive head and gives a low bow. Over his form I see the Night Mother absolutely seething at this new arrangement. I catch her eye and give a little smirk.
Cicero hisses but is soon drowned out by the laughter. "Aha! Durnehviir, you fickle fool. I bet you wish you never took up necromancy in your infancy?" Paarthunax barrels across the way to commune with the decayed dragon.
They begin to speak in tongues I don't even try to follow. I just make sure I keep watching them, one dragon shiny and new, the other weathered and dried to the bone. Anything to keep from meeting her fiery eyes again.
"What of this? Is this why we came this whole way? For a reunion?" She spits.
Paarthunax is the first to address her. "Dovahkiin. It is not wise to speak to your elders in such a fashion. I merely wanted to give you the opportunity to learn another Shout. Now, you have Yol, an understanding of fire as the dov do. Durnehviir can offer you Rii, a word of Soul Tearing."
The dragon in question gives a look of shock, if one would call it that. His eyes widen. "But Paarthunax! This one? The Night Mother? If you think Alduin is setting out to eat the world you must understand that she seeks it's destruction in other ways." He bares his torn up fangs her direction.
Paarthunax laughs, "It is not like the dragons to worry about the fate of mere mortals. Yes, I have heard of their plight. What they do for their afterlife is no worry for our kind."
I see the Soul Cairn dragon is now in a pickle. For one, he doesn't want to disrespect his friend. For another, he doesn't want to enable a serial murderer further. His large head looks my way.
"Nikrent. What do you think of this?" He booms over Cicero's protests.
"I want to get as far away from her as humanly possible." I give him a hard glare, trying to show through my body language what I really want. What I really need. All of those shiny Daedric Artifacts we've been trying to get for more than a month.
The words are on the tip of my lips. I want to yell to him to fly off and take me out of here. I'm so close to him, I could do it again. Succeed where I failed once before in that dark Castle.
"She is mine. She does as I command. She is merely confused." The Night Mother says from far away. "Try anything, to take her away from me, or to fight me, then I will shut you off from Mundus for the rest of eternity."
"By Oblivion as if you could do that!" He exclaims.
"I can." She gives a cruel smile, "As we speak, there is a campaign going on. In my Castle. There, my Children are working hard to shut off the Daedric Princes from all of Mundus. If you wish, I could add you to the list… trust me when I say that it would be easy, I mean it. The Daedric Princes are far more powerful than you could wish to ever be."
Wrong thing to say to a beast that outweighs you by two ton. He snarls and snaps his sharp teeth. "You have pushed me too far!" He opens his great mouth and sends some sort of power aims right for her.
Before it can slam into her, she holds her hand up and creates a shimmering shield in the air. I recognize this as one of the many spells I saw on mages I've fought. The spell finally hits, and she digs her feet in. It does nothing to keep her from sliding back on the snowy ground, inch my inch. I clench my fists, two more feet and she runs the risk of falling off this damn mountain.
"No! Foolish Dragon!" Cicero screams over the sounds. He races to save her, but someone gets to her before anyone else.
The great dragon screams. I am powerless to watch when Paarthunax barrels into him and throws him off his feet. "You do not attack the Dragonborn!" He snarls.
An instant later, Durnehviir is gone. Paarthunax falls further into the snow without the weight of the other dragon keeping him up. "Forgive me, Dovakiin. I did not know his temperament towards you."
"I accept your apology." She dusts off the snow covering her cloak but it does nothing for her soaking dress.
"This is good…you seek a weapon against Alduin?" He purrs, now on her good side again.
I keep my fists clenched. Yeah, I can recall the dead dragon from the Soul Cairn whenever I want, but for how long? I'm sure he can get a few swipes in with her but not anything substantial. She gives me a piercing glare from the other side of the mountain. You know, that one your mom gives you when she says, "We'll continue this discussion later."
I'm in big trouble. I glance over the edge of the mountain again. It's not that far down. "I do not know the Thu'um you seek. It cannot be known to me." The great dragon drawls in her direction.
I look at him with new eyes. Has he had a change of heart?
"Your kind created the weapon against him…" He goes on. I really look over that edge again.
I do inch closer and as I do I see all the horrible winds and creatures down below, waiting for me. I take a few steps down and out on the rocks that jut out and create a natural ledge.
"Jump and you take your last breath." Cicero whispers behind me. I look back at him with dead eyes. "What difference does it make?" I ask.
He laughs. "Listener, Mother is better than you give her credit for. You just haven't seen it yet. Now come back."
I highly doubt that. I look down once more and I think, in the distance, down on one of the ledges I see a little Irish Wolfhound. He's barking into the air. If he were closer, dare I say he would have soulful eyes.
They're following me. They won't abandon me like last time. I just have to hold on a bit longer. "Fine." I huff, blow my bangs back from smacking me in the eyes. Then I take the jester's waiting hand.
Cicero's Journal Entry
5th of Last Seed, 4E 202
The Throat of the World is as breathtaking as Cicero remembers it! If only he didn't have to babysit poor, misled, Listener. She sulks now near the rocks she almost jumped from. How naughty! Would she really wish death over our company? Over her time with Cicero? How foolish!