Rematch!

Alric is back for another attempt!

The Warrior of Sunlight wordlessly rolled to the right, kicking up a momentary screen of snow, and avoided the stream of fire emanating from the red dragon's jaws.

He raised his talisman to summon a Sunlight Spear.

"H-Hi faal-"

He stepped once closer to the beast and slammed it directly into its hide. The wyvern shrieked and shook, but fell dead moments later.

Alric merely waited to collect its sovereignless souls, and left quickly afterwards.

He had searched the land for a month, fighting both bandits and beasts on his quest, and sometimes other dragons. Dragons were growing more and more common in this land, or so he heard.

Still, Alric had yet to find the one he searched for. Alduin. Seems he had quite a reputation around here, as the World-Eater; supposedly it was his destiny to destroy the entire world. And only one being, a man with the soul of a dragon, could stop him.

Well, this dragonslayer disagreed with that aspect of the legend. He knew very well he could (would) kill Alduin, and take his soul.

He traveled for weeks more, deciding that his aimless wandering would take him nowhere but in circles, and journeyed to a monastery of sorts on a mountain called "High Hrothgar". Supposedly the old men attending it, the Greybeards, knew all there was to know about Alduin.

As he stopped at the town at the foot of the mountain, he looked up, and saw at its peak many dragons were gathered, and there was some glowing light as well.

Alric also heard the beating of wings, and looked to see an...almost pleasant surprise.

Just the dragon he was searching for, eyes filled with rage and fixed upon the peak of the mountain.

If whatever was going on up there was enough to enrage Alduin, Alric felt it could be allowed to continue.

He raised a Lightning Arrow and watched Alduin's path, then moved it just ahead of him and released it.

The arrow struck Alduin squarely on the bottom of his jaw, and the "World-Eater" roared in pain and rage, suddenly turning from his path to the mountain and coming straight for Alric on the ground.

The Ashen One simply walked away from the town to a safe distance, and watched Alduin approach.

When the black dragon was close enough it reared back to spout flames at him, and Alric simply blocked it with his shield, walking through the fire until it was done.

Alduin said nothing, absolutely seething like the Chaos Flame itself, but Alric was unmoved. He prepared another Lightning Arrow, but Alduin flew upwards and started circling him.

Taking a moment to lead his shot, Alric loosed the arrow, striking Alduin in the right wing, and when it briefly "stumbled" mid-air, the Ashen One immediately hurled a Sunlight Spear to the same wing, also striking it directly.

The black dragon spun the ground, with Alric pausing to cast Tears of Denial and Great Magic Barrier, and waited for Alduin to approach.

He did, snarling and spitting frost, marching forward menacingly.

Alric simply ran to the side to get into cover and coat his Axe in lightning.

He waited, patiently, for the sound of Alduin getting closer. When he heard the dragon right behind his rock, he spun around, Lightning Stake in hand, and met Alduin's fiery eyes as he brought it down into his already wounded wing.

The thin membrane and bones splintered and bled, Alduin just barely gasping in sure agony, but now Alric held no pity for him.

He summoned a Sunlight Spear, which he stuck along Alduin's side, peeling away many of his scales.

The dragon snapped at him, but Alric rolled away and began cutting through Alduin's flesh with his axe.

Alduin audibly grit his teeth and inhaled. Alric, expecting fire, raised his shield, but no flames gathered in Alduin's maw.

"Fus ro dah!"

The Ashen One barely understood what was happening as he was thrown through the air like a sack, landing in a crumpled heap at the town's edge.

Dazed, he lifted his head to see Alduin limping toward him, every part of his body (save his destroyed wing) twitching and shaking in rage and pain.

Alric tried to raise his shield, but Alduin shouted again.

"Zun haal viik."

His shield and axe, even his talisman, were torn from his hands by an invisible force, scattering them far away.

Alric fumbled for his bag, hoping he remembered a spare weapon to bring with him.

Alduin came mere yards away, grinning malevolently.

"You are full of surprises, ash. But you will always die."

The knight reached inside, his hand closing around the grip of a sword. Slowly, he pulled it, chuckling at the dark bone over black metal.

Alduin's eyes narrowed at the blade, not recognizing its design but knowing its origin very well.

"Now…" Alric began slowly, readying the blade on his shoulder, "I do not have much experience with ultra greatswords...but really, are you that difficult to fight?"

The World-Eater roared in response, expelling flames nearly white-hot in response. Alric ran for it, running away from the village, and when he was far enough he raised the greatsword in the air as though praying through it.

Like Alduin had done in their last battle, the sky darkened and large meteors began to fall upon them. These ones, however, didn't even stumble him when they landed nearby, but one crashed into Alduin's neck with a crunch.

"You...you dare use my own bone and power against me!?"

Alric ran forward and swung the massive blade across Alduin's other wing, noting with satisfaction that despite his scales still being intact on this side, it cut through and drew blood.

Alduin snapped to the side, grazing Alric's side, and backed up, preparing to shout again.

Before he could make a sound, another stone fell directly on his snout, clamping his teeth down on his tongue.

Alduin gave a muffle shriek and Alric laughed, and stepped forward, raising the greatsword overhead to cleave Alduin's head in two.

"Tiid klo."

It was a muffled yell, and due to biting his own tongue he couldn't quite say all of it, but still Alduin bought himself time to pull his teeth out of his tongue and shout again.

"Fiem!"

Time returned to normal and Alric's strike slammed into the dirt, passing harmlessly through Alduin's head.

The Ashen Champion stared in confusion at his weapon for a moment, then tried to swing it up again, but still it made no contact.

Alduin half-smiled. He turned and rapidly climbed a nearby hill while Alric fumbled for his Ashen Estus, the knight somewhat in shock at how Alduin had somehow turned ethereal, especially since Alric hadn't even heard him shout.

Alduin shouted again, the life draining shout he killed Alric with last time, though it was directed at something beneath him. His wings partially healed, allowing Alduin to weakly take flight.

Alric wanted to pursue, but a startled shout behind him drew his attention to a burning village...and many stares.

Looking around the battlefield, he regretfully noted most of it was burning or ruined by the falling stones and blasts from his lightning.

So he stepped back, only watching Alduin soar away, slowly. They would meet again. And surely then it would be their last battle.

First of three parts. Sorry for the long delay, writer's block sucks, plus I had some personal stuff to attend to.