Fahiil
Thera

I advanced with a mad grin towards the nearest Draugr guarding the outskirts of Skuldafn and lopped off its head in a single stroke, turning to do the same to one of its allies. I ducked beneath a swing from a third's two handed ax before cutting it off at the knees and smashing the dead human's skull in with my boot. I pulled a knife from my belt and tosed the hunk of glass towards another Draugr that ran towards me, landing the green blade directly in the eye of the beast.

"That was too easy for my liking," I sighed as I crunched the still moaning skull of the decapitated Draugr while I walked further towards my destiny. A dragon flew overhead, shrieking in its language at me. I smiled as my eyes followed to where it landed. "An appetizer."

I walked towards where the dragon landed, blades easily slicing through the decaying forms of the Draugr. "Hi fend ni lost bo het, Fahliil," the dragon said as I approached it. The dragon was a deep orange with pink flesh showing. Black, cruel horns arched out from its skull that matched many black splotches all around its form. It was larger than any dragon, barring Alduin, that I had ever seen.

"You should learn to never insult your betters," I replied simply. I rushed forward, rolling out of the way of a huge blast of frost the dragon sent my way. I slashed at the dragon, who merely growled and took once more to the air, its powerful wingbeats throwing me away as he ascended into the sky. The dragon launched a fire blast at my prone form, and I barely was able to force myself out of its path in time. I growled and ran, continuing to dodge the fire blasts that came my way.

"And you should learn to fear your betters, joor," the dragon replied before releasing another jet of flames from its mouth. The fires collided with the stone just behind me, and the expanding air sent my flying again. I gazed up at the dragon floating in the air above me and could only think of one more thing to do.

"Joore Zah Fruul!" I screamed as the dragon began to breath in, ready to burn me alive with another blast of flames from its maw. The blue energy collided with the dragon, causing the Voice within its throat to catch, the Magickal energy of the words gone. The dragon vainly flapped its wings, struggling to stay in the sky. But its massive form could no longer be supported by the weakness of its wings, and the dragon plummeted to the stone. The orange form collided with the stone, bringing about a thundering crack that left the dragon in the middle of a shallow crater. I rushed towards the lip of the crater and leaped, twisting both of my blades into a backhand as I soared through the air. I fell towards the dragon, ready to kill it, but was swatted away by the beast's tail.

"I know not the tolaak rot that you have used upon me, little dovah," the dragon said as it turned and approached me, the effects of Dragonrend still present and flowing into the creature. "But it will not matter once I have torn the life from your bones."

I groaned and struggled to my feet. The collision with the dragon's tail had sent my weapons flying from my grasp, and I was left without a sword. I reached towards my belt and found two glass knives to defend myself with. The dragon laughed. "You would fight me with tools no bigger than teeth! You insult me, Dovahkiin," the dragon stated, continuing forward. I snarled in response and staggered forward, the twin daggers in my hands ready to kill the beast. "Come then. Meet your end."

"You took the words from my mouth, vermin," I spat. I tossed the daggers slightly upward, grabbing the flats of both blades as they were grasped by gravity. The dragon glared quizzically at me with wide eyes. I smiled at how easy the creature was making this. I threw the blades and the dragon quickly understood. It brought its wing up to deflect the daggers, and one of the green blades clattered uselessly against the thick hide of the dragon. The wing was not fast enough to counter both blades, however, and one dagger sailed into the creature's eye. It roared in pain and arched its back, struggling to hand on to its life. I sneered and stumbled forward as the dragon brought its head down again. I clutched the handle of the dagger and pushed forward, carving into the dragon's brain. It roared again, this time in defeat, and I smiled. The characteristic orange of the dragon's soul flowed from its body, reducing its flesh to ash. As the soul of the ancient beast restored my strength I smiled. "Tastes like chicken." I collected my daggers and sheathed them before finding my swords and holding them ready. I had more dangers to face, and more power to claim.

Jul
Lucius

I walked through the blazing ruins of Skuldafn, gazing in awe and horror at the power of my counterpart. Draugr bodies, burned and mutilated beyond semblance of the humanity they once held, laid lifeless about me. "Talos guide you," I whispered to the many dead bodies. Many in the dragon cults, the rumors went, had partaken in devouring human flesh. As such, their souls were cursed to wander Nirn for eternity until their punishments had been fulfilled. I hoped that the wrath and power that the long dead Nords had faced in the form of the Thalmor bitch perhaps counted towards completing that punishment.

I stopped at the huge doors to the interior of the fane. They had been blasted apart from the outside; a huge, circular dent showed that a massive – unrelenting, one might even say – force had torn the doors from their hinges and destroyed the doors that had held fast for millennia through three different human empires. I understood, in that moment, just how much like the dragons Thera was – a violent, powerful force of nature that would stop at nothing to achieve her goals. I prayed to the Divines that I was not the same.

I continued on, clutching a blade I had found in Sky Haven Temple tightly. The katana was much the same as any Blades sword. Light, durable beyond what it appeared, and curved in a way that showed the blade was obviously graceful and deadly. The differences to the normal Blades weapons were mostly superficial, but were sure to inspire fear in any dragon that saw the blade. The hilt was made of dragon bone, smoothed from centuries of use and covered in brown leather to aid in grip. The guard of the blade was adorned in fragments of dragon toes that circled around the tsuba. A ring adorned in the dragon's language was wrapped around the center of the hilt. At the pommel of the blade was a simple fragment of dragon tooth that was embedded into the hilt itself. The hilt as well was formed from molded and smoothed dragon bone, covered in the same runic script as the ring on the hilt. Truly, it was a weapon made to face dragons in war; I hoped that such a purpose would aid me in the coming battles with Alduin and Thera.

I felt my cheeks pall at the idea of fighting the two, especially if Thera was successful in her plans to usurp Alduin. It would not do well to fight a dragon of that power twice. However, I did find myself somewhat excited despite my fear. Should Thera succeed, I would have all the reason I could want for avenging Lydia's death at the bitch's hands.

I turned my attention from the destroyed doorway and walked between the two massive, destroyed barriers. I drew my blade from its place on my hip and used a simple spell to summon a light above my head. Then I stepped into the darkness of Skuldafn.

Fahiil
Thera

I glared at the Draugr guarding the gate to Sovngarde. Alduin had entered just moments before I arrived and the being had closed the portal behind its master like a good little pet. It floated in the air, slightly, and lightning seemed to leap from its skin without the creature even having cast a spell. In one hand it held a void, a conjuration of some creature form Oblivion. In the other was a staff, black and shaped as if it were a dragon. This staff was the key to opening Alduin's portal to Sovngarde. The key to my victory, destiny, and Empire. Oh, yes, I liked the sound of my own Empire. Of course, the damn human fool who could challenge my power would have to die first. Then... Then I could take control.

But, of course, I had to focus on the present and the floating Draugr Dragon Priest before me. With a sneer, I readied my blades once again and rushed forward to kill the already dead being. It seemed, however, that I had underestimated my opponent. A wall of lightning sprang from the ground before me, sending jolts of pain through my body and forcing me to stagger backwards. The Draugr laughed behind its black, emotionless mask and released the void of energy in its hand. Nearby, a Storm Atronach erupted into being.

The stone and lightning creature moved towards me with its whirlwind tail propelling it forward. I barely was able to duck beneath the bolts of electricity that the Daedra leveled at me. Unfortunately, it seemed that I had forgotten about the Dragon Priest in my perilous situation. As I sidestepped another bolt of lightning sent by the Atronach, I stepped again into a wall of lightning cast by the staff of the undead Nord. I shrieked in pain and my body seized for a moment, just long enough for the next bolt of lightning to hit my chest and propel me backwards. My body flew, stiff, through the air.

I rolled across the stone ground of Skuldafn's summit and eventually slid to a stop. It took all my effort to merely roll out of the way of the next incoming lightning bolt. I saw the Dragon Priest pointing its staff towards me and immediately put my legs beneath my chest, propelling my forward and rolling to my feet. I groaned from the pain but still gripped my blades. I knew that staying on the defensive for much longer would only result in my demise. That fear was only amplified as two dragons flew down and perched themselves on the surrounding columns. However, they made no move to attack me, so I returned my attention to the Draugr and its Daedra. Just in time, too, because I was forced to dodge yet another bolt of lightning from the Atronach.

I analyzed the situation quickly, thinking through what I should do. There were two options, neither very appealing. I could attack the Atronach, eventually killing it and then turn my attention to the Dragon Priest. The Draugr could of course summon another Atronach or kill me itself, as I would be tired and injured from my previous battle. Or, I could assault the Dragon Priest directly. On the chance that I was able to kill the Dragon Priest, it was most likely that the Atronach it had summoned would disappear with the will that had bound it to the mortal plane. Of course, I would still be left in the unfortunate position of being outnumbered in a battle that it was looking more and more like I could lose, regardless of what plan I chose. So I decided that I would have to kill the Dragon Priest.

I rolled out of another bolt's path, my bones and muscles screaming at me as I did so. As I reached my feet once again, I turned from the Atronach and sprinted right at the masked Draugr. The creature was taken aback, for a moment, and it floated motionlessly. As I neared, however, it uttered a guttural snarl and loosed another wall of lightning before me with its staff. I jumped over the low wall and continued my sprint. As the hairs on my neck stood up once again, I ducked beneath an incoming bolt of lightning from the Atronach.

My blades collided with the staff in the Draugr's hands and it struggled against the force of my blow. Another bolt of lightning came from the Atronach and the energy channeled through my body and into the Draugr's. It shrieked in pain and managed to stick one arm out to banish its summoned slave back to Oblivion. Then it turned its attention back to me in an attempt to save its own life – or, unlife, rather. By then, though, it was too late. "Yol Toor Shul!" I shouted, the flames causing the Draugr to shriek in agony as its flesh bubbled and melted behind its enchanted mask. It stumbled backwards and dropped its staff. A moment later and my twin sabers stuck out from the Draugr's chest, and it crumbled to ash before me. I sheathed my blades and looked up at the dragons.

"You have impressed us, Dovahkiin," one of the two said. It cocked its head to one side and stared down at me. "We will not impede your journey into Sovngarde."

I glared at the dragons for a moment, then shrugged and grabbed the Dragon Priest's staff. Jamming the end into the keyhole on the podium, I watched in awe as a blinding white light reappeared before me. I took a single step towards the portal, then stopped. I looked up at the dragons. "There is another coming," I said, drawing the attention of the dov. "If you would, kill him."

The dragons considered this for a moment, torn between their fear of me and their disgust of mortals. Finally: "We will do as you asked, little dovah," the second dragon said. It shifted its weight on its perch. "Do not forget that it was we who helped you when your rule spreads across all dragonkind."

"Only if you do not fail me, dragon," I replied. Then I turned back to the blinding light and made my way into the afterlife.

Jul
Lucius

My blade had been free of battle ever since arriving on Skuldafn, as the Thalmor bitch had left no survivors in her rampage to the peak of the fane. I did not mind, of course, as I this merely meant that I did not have to defeat all of the Draugr myself. However, I would have been more merciful with the corpses. She had diced the creatures into tiny fractions, burnt them to ash with the Thu'um, or placed their bodies in doorways and slammed the gates shut, elongating their bodies far beyond their natural length.

At the peak of Skuldafn, however, I found that my jokaar had indeed left survivors to challenge me. Two dragons perched on stone pillars to either side of a magnificent white beam of light. Their gazes followed me as I approached, and they began to growl. "I have no quarrel with you, dragons," I stated. "If you allow me through, I shall allow you both to live."

The dragons laughed. "You have no hope against us, Dovahkiin," one of the dragons called as it jumped from its perch and approached me. Its compatriot did the same, and I was soon surrounded by the two beasts.

"I will give you one last chance," I stated as I drew Dragonbane. To my delight, one of the dragons did indeed step backwards at the sight of the blade, cursing the Blades under his breath. "Leave or die."

"We will not perish at your hands!" the braver of the two shouted. He unleashed fire at me and his brother did the same. With a sigh, I raised my hands to either side of me and channeled wards. Dragonbane seemed to spark with lightning at the sound of the Thu'um that disappeared harmlessly against my Magickal walls.

"So be it," I said simply. I raised my arms to the sky. "Strun Bah Qo!"

The clouds swirled and the wind began to blow like a hurricane. The dragons gazed at me in fear as lightning from the skies began to crash down upon them. They screamed in pain as the lightning crashed into their bodies with crashes of thunder accompanying their thunderous roars. Rain began to fall around us, coating the dragons even as the lightning continued to find itself Magickally drawn towards them, killing them. The less brave of the two gave out first, his flesh sizzling away as I absorbed his soul.

As the storm ended, I turned my attention to the braver dragon. "I warned you," I shouted over the howling of the dragon. I walked towards the dragon and it whined pitiably. "Akatosh have mercy on you, for I shall show you none." I then plunged Dragonbane into the dragon's skull and it died. The orange of its soul spiraled through the air and into my body, easing my pains and strengthening me.

I turned my attention to the blinding pillar of light. The flow of Magicka streaming out of the pillar was immense, beyond anything I had felt before in my life. I knew then that it had to be a portal to Aetherius, or at least some fraction of it. The afterlife and the source of all Magicka; the portal itself was like a star, then, an opening to the world of the Divines. I saw the silhouette of a staff in front of the light and that it stuck straight out of the ground. It was the lock, I knew instinctively. The key to opening the portal to the next world. Which meant that, in order to prevent any other dragons – or worse, Thera – from abusing it, I had to destroy the staff and close the gate to Sovngarde.

I walked up to the edge of the pillar of light and looked back at the staff. It was giving me an almost physical ache to be forced to do what I was about to do. There were so many in Sovngarde that I would want to meet and see more than once – soldiers, kings, bards, mages. And, if the portal were destroyed, I would have no way to return to Nirn. But the risks far outweighed any benefits I could attain. I could not let Thera have such power over the dead. With a pained sigh I raised my hand towards the staff and summoned a fireball of Magicka into my grip. As I stepped through the portal, I loosed the flames. I entered the portal, and my way home was gone.

AN: First off: yes, I know that is not the vanilla description for Dragonbane. I always found the design to be too bland for such a legendary dragon-slayer's weapon, and, as such, have taken my inspiration from Insanity's Dragonbane. The idea that the Blades used the weapons of their greatest enemies in creating a weapon used to bring about their extinction was too believable to pass up for me. Secondly, the description of stars in Elder Scrolls is indeed, for anyone who does not know, the source of Magicka. Magnus supposedly broke away from Nirn's plane as Lorkhan's treachery became known and the Sun and stars are the result of the other Divine Spirits fleeing Nirn's plane back to Aetherius.