Prologue: Sky Was Torn Asunder, Yet it Stayed the Same
Throat of The World was an important place to her, it was her throne of victory and her place of meditation. But today it would be her grave, so as Father Akatosh would have.
The once blue sky was blacken dark from Fire and Magic, the world itself was shaking apart its very core. Scrolls foretold many things, but this might not be something Father Akatosh intended for Nirn.
Another bellow, another crack visible in the sky, one of millions. Tamerial already was a blackened mass, and if others could see it. So was the rest of Nirn.
And despite it all, one stood defiantly atop the Throat of The World, one of Dragon Blood and Mortal Flesh. She was Arian Akatosh, last heir to the Dragon Blood, and the last of Nirn.
Arian's very voice shattered the air around her like Glass with each breath, her blades and magic a blur of snow and rage, this was her last stand and she would make it a glorious one.
Her Opponents? Dragon's numbering in the thousands by now, each she fell another took its place, where they came from was unknown, but their purpose was.
Nirn in their jaws, the Egg finally to be shattered on the cold floor of oblivion.
"VOKUL FEN MAH, FUL ZAAN FIN DOVAHKIIN"
Her voice echoed throughout the very realm of Nirn, bodies of Dragons littered the mountain-top. Embedded with millions of Ebony Arrows, scales torn from flesh through magical might, and the skeletons! oh so many skeletons, they might as well be the new foundation.
Arian was a white blur, as soul after soul was absorbed into her body, feeding her flurry of power. Each soul rejuvenated her only for her bodies worth of life to spill once again on the crimson snow, just to be replenished and repeated once more.
Throughout it all Arian's Voice held strong against the endless orchestra that surrounded her, one voice against existence itself.
Throughout it all, she could only think of one thing, home. A thought crossed her mind,
"A Nord's last thoughts should be of Home."
How long ago was that day now, the day of Alduin's return and Helgen's destruction. She couldn't remember, her memory must be going with the blood that puddled below her. This made her even more furious.
Arian was known for so many great, terrible, things. She built empires wherever she stepped, she fed millions from her own blood she shed in their name. She changed Era after Era, many thought her immortal. But many words still haunted her years to this very day.
"Some would say that all things must end, so that the next can come to pass. Perhaps this world is simply the Egg of the next kalpa? Lein vokiin? Would you stop the next world from being born?"
She supposed Paarthurnax was right, she would try and stop the next world from being born, even if this world was nothing but a burnt husk.
And she was Furious, her rage had reached a height none could imagine.
Her eyes streaming with tears of desperation as she fought desperately to reclaim herself as she continued to be bombarded with Words, so many Violent Words.
She thought of home, she thought desperately to find it. She fell to her knees as the words continued to bombard her. Home what was home! Her! It was Her! The one who's body she stood over in attempt to protect.
Lydia, the only person that was there to protect her. Dead in her last conquest.
"OBLAAN NII PAH, VOKUL FEN MAH, AHST DAAR LEIN UV FIN RUZ"
Arian felt the world collapse around her as a million shouts echoed in every direction their hateful tongues aching her mind, she felt the cold snow around her as she collapsed onto Lydia's body crying.
The sound of infinite shattering mirrors came from the Sky as the next Kulpa was ushered in, the void of nothingness closing around her as she let her final words out.
"Oblaan Nii Pah…"
.
.
.
.
.
The sound's of footfalls echoed distantly in her mind, they sounded like angels on snow, softly crunching in their descent. They stopped short of her. The sound of a flame emanated near her ear. What being claimed her, was it Mora? Dagoth?
"Oobleck, we should get this individual into shelter." The voice sounded… soft and comforting, molded by a lifetime of teaching.
"Right right, just taking in the shell-shock." This voice sounded quick but easy, a veteran of battle and travel.
She felt herself being lifted from the ground, her body barely capable of putting up a fight, exhausted after the world's end. She thought of Lydia, was her body still there? She struggled to force her voice out, she wanted to stay with her.
"There there, we will find you shelter soon enough." Came quick one.
She felt her broken body being carefully placed onto a bench of sorts, its soft leather warming her unnaturally as it provided heat from an unknown source. She tried again to voice out her complaint, only to have a blanket snaked up upon her.
She cursed the fact that her beloved world was now no-more. How many years of suffering had she gone through to make it so beautiful, the conquests against greed and the wars she endured. How many friends did she lose only for it to all end.
The voices of her closest friends echoed in her mind, even if they were ash and brimstone now, they still felt so alive. When you live as long as she did, you start to believe things that were long gone were still with you. She wondered that would be the case again.
"Professor's we have a problem." Came a voice that sounded like it came through a machine, "Riversdale is being attacked a massive horde of Grimm, you two better get ready for another combat drop."
He could hear the exhaustion in their voices, how long have they been fighting. Will this world to be full of war just like the last? Well if so it would just be like home, back when she first came to Skyrim. She was so small then, young and scared. If people met her from back then, they'd understand how much she's grown, though she supposed nobody is alive anymore that can remember such things.
She groaned in pain as she snaked a healing potion from her pouch and forced it into her mouth, chugging the harsh liquid down. They will be needing help to fight, and despite it all she still hasn't lost that conquering spark deep down, the same spark that snuffed out Alduin and caused the world to go still in fear of her might.
She heard the shuffling of feet toward her as she tossed the empty vial to the floor, shattering it into pieces. She forced her aching body to sit-up straight, it contested with every movement, it wanted to finally be allowed to die. It will never would be as long as her soul was still her own.
"You need to rest, I have no idea what happened to you, but just about every bone in your body is snapped. You are to stay in this bulkhead, am I clear?" The comforting voice now demanded her to rest? She'd love to agree but conquest was in her blood, and it ached for war.
She slowly opened her eyes to see the two before her. The harsh-light hurting her one good eye.
One was plump and round, carrying a Blunderbuss with a double-axe head, I suppose in this world they had meaning. In her world magic proved far superior over such weapons and Bows had the ability to notch enchanted arrows. His eyes were hidden under a bushy brow, but she recognized the look of pity anywhere. She chocked down the thought of talking out to it, her voice was still far too exhausted after worlds end.
The second was tall and in green, opaque glasses covered his eyes as he held a form of mug in his hand, she recognized the mechanical nature behind it. Though what for she could not figure out, she did respect the complexity it must've taken to make.
Both looked at her like they would at a child they were disappointed in. If they had the remotest idea of who she was, they'd learned to cut that look out right quick and replace it with fear and respect.
She felt around her back for her sword and found purchase on its hilt, drawing it slowly out of its sheath, she stabbed it into the metal floor and used it to help raise herself to her aching feet, her body trying to collapse with each moment. They tried to stop her but she raised her hand in complaint and they ceased thusly.
Leaning on her blade she trudged her body to what amounted to a window on the vessel, finding herself high above in the sky. Down below she saw the town in question, alit in flame as beasts attempted to claw through the walls. A site she was too familiar with back in Skyrim during her first days there.
She struggled one raspy word out of her throat. "Fight." And the two looked at her with the understanding that only the oldest of experienced veterans had, they recognized her will to fight until her body could no longer muster the strength to fight anymore, and then fight on right after.
She slowly raised her other hand as she began to cast a spell. Slowly lifting her palm outwards towards the roof, she closed her fingers into her palm as sunlight surrounded her fist, and then she pushed it outward as the coarse sound her bones snapping together filled the air. She was ready to meet whatever this new world had to offer one as old as her.
The contraption she stood in lurched downwards as they approached a form of open area, presumably designed to land such things on-top of. Her two new companions looked at each other before shrugging. Giving Arian proper greetings.
"My name is Professor Port," The comforting one introduced themselves as, "and this is Doctor Oobleck." He then pointed towards her, "What is your name?"
She thought on it, she could have a whole new life. No more conquest and no more huddling in caves waiting for the screams of war to stop. A life of a farmer or a hunter, something so simple. But her blood demanded war, it demanded victory.
She simply pointed a finger to her throat and hoarsely said, "Rest" and left it as that as she achingly walked out of the open doors onto the harsh rock.
"We need to fortify the walls and quench the flames," Port came out firm and commanding the surrounding townsfolk as they got to work. She needed not to listen as she limped her way over to the wall, she knew where she worked best. Combat.
"I don't think in your state you shou-" Oobleck began before Arian made a small hissing noise in reply, the best she could do with her ruined voice. Oobleck gave up and just went with her to the wall, taking up a post with his now flaming mug. The townsfolk gave her looks of confusion as she stumbled her way towards the wall.
The wall was covered with men and women alike, trying to defend their home. It reminded her of the will's that lived in Skyrim, everyone man women and child had the desire to fight to their dying breath. It was memorizing each and every time she saw it.
Slowly she walked up the stairs, looking down to her right she saw the body of a Soldier. He had a giant quill stuck in his chest, his eyes wide-open in fear and pain. All she did was simply lean down, and close his eyes, covering them with septims.
Slowly she looked up, and racked in a staggered exhausted breath as she saw the hoard in-front of her, she knew if she just ran in she be dead. Her body was exhausted in ways she never knew was possible, but this was war. All there ever would be was war, this is the curse of the presence of the Dragon Blood. Conquest never ended, and war was all but certain.
She thought herself a prayer to Akatosh, she knew not if he would care, but she always found comfort within his name even if it meant nothing now. The guards were all firing into the hoard, the sounds of their weapons ached her ears. She tried to mumble a prayer, but no such luck.
Standing herself as straight as she could, she blocked out the noise in her mind and closed her eyes. Out-stretching her palms to her sides she looked inward for her Mana, she thought of the Storm and its controlled chaos, the cold sharp winds of Mana unleashed and the wisdom of teaching. Lifting her arms in a circular motion she tensed her muscles in practiced form, before violently snapping her wrists together and opening her eyes. The resulting magical storm created nothing but ash in its path, Grimm and soil alike were kicked up and turned into nothingness.
Dragging her arms slowly to the right she annihilated a giant Elephant and its surrounding companions, Grimm screamed and attempted to flee from its wake. But the lightning just chained further and further. Dragging her arms to the left she cleaned up that side of the wall as well, Grimm kicking and killing each other to get out of its way, fruitlessly. She was a master of magic, she just hoped this was not abnormal in this world.
Judging by the stunned silence, she assumed it was. Though she'd also imagine they might've gone deaf from the noise of the spell. She just hoped she could explain it away as something so she didn't get all the eyes in the world on her. Not again, she didn't plan on being another Last Dragonborn…
Or she might, she really can't decide. "Your either the bravest person I've ever met… or the biggest fool." "Both." That was probably the best description she ever had in her early years. Back when she had that carefree attitude and a smile on her face despite it all, maybe she could have it again here… maybe. Though that would require challenge, and that was something she has been longing to have for so so long.
She thought of calm winds and summer tree's, and the spell quickly dissipated. Allowing her to relax her arms and rest herself back on her sword. The Grimm was simply no-more after that onslaught, the remainder easily and quickly being mopped up by the soldiers. She slumped on her blade as she went back down the stairs, she'd imagine if cliche's were to prove right a massive beast would now push. So she kept her ears keen for it.
She watched as the townsfolk completely quenched the fires of the main group of houses, creating fire lines and starving its flame. They will be bloodied by this, but they will recover. She saw Port and Oobleck assisting with the flames, but she was too tired to grab a bucket, and she had her fill of showing up her magical might.
So she found and went to a small crate in the middle of the Town right beside the water well, and slowly lowered herself to rest her sore body on-top of it. Waiting for the sounds of the coming second wave, itching for a fight.
It never came.
She was very disappointed.
.
.
.
When Dawn came, the town was remorsefully quiet, the battle heavy on their mind. It reminded her of Cyrodiil when she first ever went into its walls. War was frequent in the region after the Stormcloak rebellion, too many were trying for power. Didn't help the Dark Brotherhood killed the Emperor, which many questioned if she did it. She did not, that was Inigo.
That silly blue cat got into way too much trouble, ended up being forced by the bloody Dark Brotherhood to kill the Emperor. The fact that he succeeded was all but inevitable, he was the most quiet in her companionship and easily the best with a bow.
She looked down at her armour as she sat on the crate, she expected it to be ruined after World's End but… she didn't expect a set of Daedric having been turned into what amounts to slag fused to her flesh. This obviously will make it difficult to get it off her skin, but she's dealt with worse. She just hopes the healing here is up to snuff to regenerate things like skin and reproductive organs. Though her Restoration Magic is up to the task.
Her pouch easily held an armouries worth of armour and weapons, including Daedric. But even then, this armour was special to her. It was the same set she wore when she entered Sovngarde, and killed the World-Eater. It still feels like it just happened yesterday, despite it being what amounted to decades ago. No she was no Elf, but a Breton.
Breton's have the benefits of High Elf life-span, though not as extreme. They can average around 160 years of life, but she also just so happens to be one of Dragon-blood, which she estimated to add another 25-40 on-top of that. Meaning she could live an estimated 185-200 years, a very long life indeed. Too long for her taste.
The town was in bad shape after the battle, the town's keep was just about the only thing left in a decent condition. Worst part is that the Grimm or whatever their called didn't cause it. Humans did, or what amounted to Humans here. Some organization must've lit the buildings on-fire to cause a panic and then ditch, the resulting beasts came because they saw easy prey.
She did not some town's folk had animal appendages on themselves, just about everything was a possibility for it as far as she could tell. What caught her off-guard after the battle was the leader of the town had a Dragon's Tail, she swore she'd stared for longer then needed.
When he asked about it, she just hoarsely replied "I'm jealous." Causing the man to give a hearty laugh and patted her on the back, he took it well and she was happy it did. She didn't want to make enemies of such nice people. Though she did need to do a lot of reading evidently enough, there was so much here she needed to understand. Namely the Faunus, they remind her of the lives of those considered lesser races by the High Elves. And the Elves in the eyes of Men. Just racism and belligerence and the fear of being outcasted, something she was far too familiar with.
She sighed deeply as she watched the ongoings of the town, all of them working on salvaging what remained to rebuild. Though what she heard from Oobleck they'll likely be taken into Vale. Vale being the Major City of the region, though judging by his tone of pride, it was likely the Capital. It was sad that such strong people was forced to relocate, but as long as they could rebuild a life, their fates would see kind stars above.
The sounds of what must've been a machine came from the distance, she looked towards the horizon as a giant beast of steel was seen lazily gliding towards the Town. Smaller ones seem to escort it in a form of staggered convoy. This must've been the ship meant to take the Townsfolk to Vale, though judging by the exhausted and downturned looks on the surrounding people, they did not wish it to be.
Looking towards the Town Center, she watched as Port stood atop the base of a Statue issuing orders to the Townsfolk. At least he was taking a kind and understanding tone with them, she knew too many commanders who decided not to in these situations, and it always hurt the families far worse than the battles ever did.
She was about to stand when a small kid came walking up to her, she looked utterly terrified. Her face had small gills on her cheeks and her cheeks had a green colour to them. Arian simply pushed herself off the crate and knelt in-front of the kid, since her voice was ruined she'd have to try an alternative method of comforting the kid.
Before the kid even had a chance to ask her bewildered question, Arian produced a septim into her hand and presented it in-front of the kids face, leaving the kid confused. Then she hide it behind a closed fist and clasped her hand over it, she proceeded to breath lightly into the cupped hands. She unclasped them and left one hand to cover the coin, taking the other to lightly pick up the kids other hand. The kid was about to snatch it away until Arian left a now tiny golden paper Dragon in it, not a living one of course. But the look of amazement in her eyes showed Arian that her trick worked well.
Her parents came soon after, Arian simply gently held the kids shoulder and pointed her towards her parents. And very lightly gave a little shove towards them, the kid followed suit and went to her parents with a joyous look, showing them her new toy. The father group gave her a look of thanks. She simply waved him off with a smile, gesturing towards the ship. He understood the gesture and smiled in thanks as he took his family into the massive ships cargo hold.
She followed suit not long after. Slowly she raised herself up-right, leaning on her sword as she walked her way towards the ship. The families on the ramp gave her injured and exhausted body right of way, to which she was extremely thankful of. Once inside she just found a wall, sat down, and collapsed on the carpeted floor. Slowly allowing herself to fall asleep to the soft sounds of people and machinery.