Strike of the Dead Dragon

by MirwenAnareth

Aislinn the Dragonborn thinks that her story is over. Endgame, they call it. She has no purpose anymore. But she doesn't know yet that Alduin still lives - and he's closer than she thinks! It all starts with a stolen pearl claw... and it ends with it as well. - My very first long story which is now on a HIATUS. Likely to be completely rewritten in the future.

39. Enter Daedra!

A freaking long chapter this time. Twice as long as my longest ones, but I really wanted to take the story to that point at the end of it, so I hope you like it. Though you might not appreciate the cliffhanger… oops! Well, enjoy the chapter. Here it is. :D

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Chapter 39: Enter Daedra!

"Prove yourself? Against a dragon?" Ardur shook his head derisively. "Don't make me laugh."

"We're used to fighting dragons in Skyrim. It's really no big deal anymore." Aislinn carefully put the exact same amount of contempt in her look as the Nord gave her, supporting it with a shrug.

"I would appreciate if you stayed out of our way for a while," he hissed through gritted teeth and turned to the Nord in the shiny armor he had addressed before as Somnir.

"Does the Countess know about this?" he asked him.

"Not yet, no. I came here as soon as I heard the news."

"Then let's head to the castle first. She should know about this as soon as possible."

"This lady seems to know something about dragons," Somnir nodded towards Aislinn. "Why not hear her out?"

"This lady should not be let to say or do anything, Somnir. She just got into the city by sneaking past your men."

"Like many," Somnir said with a sigh and an angry vein popped out on Ardur's temple. "Once in a while, you get stubborn like a mule, Ardur. As much as I respect you, I'm still the captain of the guard and I will decide what measures we take. I would speak with her."

"Ah, whatever, suit yourself," the black-hair scowled. "I'll just sit here and watch you getting stabbed in the back."

"Enough, Ardur. You," the captain turned to Aislinn, "come with me to the barracks. Ardur, Tye, accompany us."

"What about Daren?" Aislinn asked, feeling responsible for the man who had brought her here in the first place. Somnir stared at him as though he noticed him for the first time and then suddenly laughed heartily.

"Well, look at you, Daren," he beamed with an amused look in his face. "If I knew it only takes a woman for you to recover, I would have sent you one a long time ago." Aislinn blushed unwillingly, rather embarrassed then flattered. "How about you go and make yourself useful by letting my men know that there's a threat coming to the city and they are to gather here within one hour? Let's avenge your family, what do you say?"

Daren's ears turned slightly pink and he gave Aislinn a questioning look. She nodded, not sure of what was expected of her. "All right," he said hesitantly. He paused for a moment to take a look at the whole group before leaving for the lower parts of the city.

"Am I guessing right that it was you who gave him a punch in the head?" Somnir inquired, beckoning to all of them to follow him into the castle.

"Now you're asking me?" She raised a brow. Somnir laughed as they set towards the castle gate. They passed a statue of a young handsome man with his mouth open as though he was Shouting, clad in ornate heavy armor with fortified joints and folded tassets. Aislinn gave the statue a curious look and earned herself a smile from the Captain.

"Interested in the story of Martin Septim?" he asked then and looked at the statue thoughtfully. "We wouldn't be in this predicament had the Septim bloodline not ceased its existence those two hundred years ago."

"Martin Septim, huh," Aislinn murmured as they entered the castle, finding themselves in a vast entrance hall with wide stairway in front of them and a small wooden door on the right. The guard at the entrance gestured a greeting to Somnir.

They continued to their right, into a room full of beds and resting guards and proceeded across it and further into a corridor with low ceiling, dimply lit by torches occasionally attached to its walls. A cozy room was connected to it with a plain wooden table at its center and a few chairs scattered around it. A guard sitting in the corner saluted them, gazing curiously at Aislinn.

"Terrence, you're dismissed from your duty," Somnir addressed him. "Wait for me at the courtyard with the others."

"Did anything happen, sir?"

"You'll know soon enough. Now go and give us some privacy. Make sure nobody comes here during our meeting."

"Yessir!" The man quickly rose from his seat and saluted again, taking his leave. No sooner than the door snapped shut behind him, Somnir invited the others to take a seat, grabbing himself the only chair with a pillow on it. He sat down comfortably and exhaled deeply.

"So," he began, "how about we think up a strategy before we talk to the Countess. She has enough to worry about as it is."

"Not against it, but do you have anything in your mind?" Ardur asked.

"That's what I'd like to ask our new friend here." Ardur grimaced sourly at the word friend. "But let's start from the beginning. I am Somnir, captain of the Bruma guard. You are?"

"Lynn," Aislinn replied neutrally. "I used to be a mercenary up in Skyrim, but the Thalmor were too much even for me."

There was a loud snort and Aislinn raised her head to meet Tye's glare. She stared at him in surprise, but Somnir hurried with his answer so she did not have time to think about it.

"So you came here?" he asked with a raised brow. "Are you expecting things to be any better in Cyrodiil?"

"Not quite," she shook her head. "There's someone I need to see."

Silence followed, but Aislinn seemed unwilling to elaborate. At last, Somnir nodded and changed the topic.

"So, you say you have experience with dragons. What's your suggestion then?"

"Yes, I could say dragons are my forte, although I can't offer you much strategy. What can you do against a beast of the size of a smaller house, flying freely above your heads?" She let out a bitter laugh. "So, first off, you need to find out what kind of dragon it is. Those who breathe fire are naturally less resistant to ice while those with ice breath are weak against fire. There are a few that breathe both, and these are stronger and sturdier than the others. For those, the only magic they fear is lightning. Also, if it's a fire dragon, it is most likely going to attack the city itself while an ice dragon will probably focus on your men."

"Not a positive prospect either way. The thing is, there's not much magic going on in our ranks. The only mages here are the Synod and they're not the most cooperative bunch you could imagine."

Aislinn nodded, sliding a finger over a burl in the table wood. "As for fighting with weapons, I suggest you avoid close combat if possible. Be it with claws or jaws, once a dragon grabs you, it's the end of you. I can't even count the number of people I've seen die this way. It does have weak spots though so it's not impossible to take it down. The upper part of its neck, right under its jaw, is soft and easily penetrable. Also the skin between the torso and the wide part of the wing. The best thing you can do is take it down. It can walk on the ground but it makes it much slower. That said, dragons are huge. It still takes time for them to turn around, so you can easily outrun them in a fight. Still," she gave the Captain a grave look, "I'd try to convince the Synod to help you if I were you. Without magical protection, the first few soldiers that happen to get in its way are certain to get slaughtered. It takes some time, getting used to fighting dragons."

"They won't be willing to…"

"Let me put it like this," she continued. "Either you join forces, or the city will suffer a lot more consequences than it has to. And if the Thalmor have some more tricks up their sleeves, they are likely to defeat you in the end."

Ardur opened his mouth to retort, but Somnir waved his hand to silence him. He let out a heavy sigh, but did not otherwise react to what Aislinn had said. "I presume you have experience fighting those beasts, being a mercenary and all? Though dressed like this," he asked instead, granting her a somewhat degrading look.

Aislinn curled her lips slightly and averted her eyes. This did not exactly go as she had planned, but she was not quite keen on the idea of explaining herself. "Lend me an armor and a bow and I'll make myself useful."

"Somnir, no," Ardur opposed. "Look at her. A dress and… a well-hidden set of bloody darts in her shoes," he smirked and watched Aislinn wince. "Trying to blend in while armed? She's with the elves! Don't give her a chance to stab you in the back."

"Blend in? Then she's doing a very poor job," the Captain laughed. "Obviously she was in the storm all night, which only means she had no other choice than to travel. Why would a Thalmor do that when they can just wait around a corner?"

"You're being way too gullible," Ardur grunted. Somnir opened his mouth to object.

Aislinn felt slightly annoyed, though she was not sure whether it was because she had just been called a Thalmor, because the captain was making fun of her or because they were talking about her in her presence, pretending she wasn't even there. She knit her brows, her gaze shifting between the two when she noticed Tye watching her, his expression somewhere between curiosity and contempt. Their eyes met and he twisted his lips and shrugged. She sighed and watched the meaningless discussion.

"Whatever, Ardur," Somnir concluded irritably, "just go gather your men and send a few scouts."

"I'm not leaving you here with her…"

"I can manage. Now go."

Ardur stood up and glared at Aislinn angrily. She stared back emotionlessly, waiting for him to speak up, but he never did. He left the room with a snort and soon his footsteps faded in distance.

"Please, forgive him," Somnir said with an apologetic expression. "He's a good lad, just not a trustful one. Apparently, he could not trust his own family back when he was still a child, so he has learnt not to trust easily."

"He tried to rob me," Aislinn grunted.

"Happened to the best of us," Somnir said with his head tilted to the side. "but what do you expect from the Thieves Guild? I guess he still feels the urge to steal from time to time, even though he has decided to help us as long as the Thalmor threat is here."

"Truly?" Aislinn wondered, chuckling in her thoughts. So they had something in common, she and Ardur. Interesting.

"Captain Somnir!" Tye gasped, making Aislinn wince. She had almost forgotten he was there. The guard captain only waved his hand.

"Calm yourself, Tye. If she was with the Thalmor, she would know who you and Ardur are anyway."

Aislinn looked at the young man with interest. So he was someone important. Except for his visibly costly outfit for which he did not seem to care in the least, there was nothing about him suggesting his significance. She wondered about who he was, but kept silent as she was afraid to ask. The Captain seemed trustful enough. Perhaps there would be time to get this information from him later.

"So, Lynn," Somnir addressed her then, "what do you suggest we do with the citizens? Do you think they would be safe within the castle walls?"

Aislinn looked around. Unlike the rest of the city, the castle was made in stone. The walls were massive and the towers huge, mostly made to protect what was inside, enabling its occupants quick movement throughout the whole complex and good control of all its surroundings. It was more practical than decorative, but she still lacked the information necessary to be able to answer his question.

"Is the structure in a good state?" she asked. "No loose stones, crumbling walls or ceilings, no damaged struts, beams or pillars? No rusty or broken hinges?"

"The north-west tower took a little damage during the last battle, but even if it falls apart, it's not like they can get to the castle easily."

"The walls look sturdy," Aislinn said thoughtfully, still looking around, examining stone after stone and the way they were glued together. She rose from her seat and touched the grout between them. Of course, the best way for her to test their endurance was to Shout, but she preferred keeping her identity secret as long as possible. Instead, she gazed at a steel gauntlet lying on top of a chest in one of the corners. "Can I have that?" she said, pointing at it.

"Uh…" Somnir raised a brow, "sure?"

She took the gauntlet and studied it for a brief moment. It looked quite solid and in good condition. She nodded as she took it on, flexing her fingers in it. Then, she simply punched the wall with all her might. There was a loud bang and a small amount of crumblings fell down to her feet. Both the Captain and Tye jumped up and widened their eyes.

"For the love of the Nine, lass, you've got the strength of a dragon!" Somnir exclaimed, both startled and admiring.

"Are all the walls like this?" she questioned, ignoring the statement.

"Mostly, yes. Even sturdier down in the dungeons, but I don't suppose we'll be taking the citizens to the prison."

"So, the prisoners get to be the safest in the city… how ironic," Aislinn remarked quietly. Then she shook her head as though she was trying to chase away an obnoxious thought and gave Somnir an approving look. "Yes, I think they should be safe here."

"Good," he nodded in satisfaction. "I think we should go and confront the Countess now. We need her approval for this plan."

"Pardon me," Aislinn said, "but it sounds a little incomplete yet…"

"Of course it sounds incomplete," the Captain laughed. "Even if I hear your advice, you don't think I'd trust a stranger completely, do you?"

Aislinn suddenly felt embarrassed and somewhat defeated. Of course he wouldn't. She wouldn't either. How could she be this naïve?

"Tye," he continued, "feel free to use my armory if you need to. Prepare your men. Take this lass with you and keep an eye on her. I don't want any trouble at a time like this. I'll inform you shortly whether you are to evacuate the city."

"Sir," Tye said with a nod. He rose from his seat and waved his hand to Aislinn without so much as looking at her. She lifted her hand and inspected the gauntlet she was still wearing, finding a few scratches. With a slight frown, she took it off and handed it to the Captain.

"Sorry for this," she murmured. "Not as shiny as it used to be."

"But still in one piece and functional," he chuckled. "Our steel is top-notch."

Aislinn smiled and followed her Imperial guide through the barracks and the main hall back to the courtyard with the large statue. She shot it one more curious glance before pacing out to the city. Tye gave her an amused look.

"You really like that statue, don't you?" he said with a smile. "A fan of Martin Septim?"

"More like I'm interested in him," she replied absent-mindedly. "He is the… last Dragonborn before the one that appeared some thirteen months ago in Skyrim."

"The last Dragonborn before the Last Dragonborn," Tye laughed. "I wish I had a power like that."

"Do you now? What about the responsibility that comes with it?"

"I don't mind responsibility. I'm already charged with the safety of the people around here. If I had power, I could become a hero and become even more useful."

"What a carefree way to look at things," Aislinn uttered silently, causing the man to turn to her abruptly.

"You know, you shouldn't judge people before you get to know their reasons. It's not like a mercenary would know about responsibility anyway."

She stared at him, startled. Had she just offended him? Then again, she felt slightly annoyed at his lighthearted remarks on how he wanted the power of the Dragonborn. Wasn't he too judging her without knowing what she had to go through? And wasn't he also judging all the mercenaries without learning about them?

"Likewise," she mumbled before she could stop herself. She regretted it immediately.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked, not hiding his disbelief. Aislinn noticed it anyway.

"Nothing, forget about it. Sorry about that."

"You're probably thinking I'm taking this lightly… well, I'm not. All my life I've been told to do great things, things that I can't possibly achieve without the power to do so. I have the will, I do… I just think I don't have the power. And the authority."

"I'm… confused," Aislinn said disconcertedly.

"I'm sorry," Tye sighed. "I shouldn't have… troubled you with my personal problems. It would have been best if the Septim dynasty had not ended with the death of Martin Septim anyway. Can you imagine it? A Dragonborn emperor. A person with the power of the Voice, leading the whole nation. And not just one nation. Can you?"

Aislinn shivered inwardly. "No," she replied curtly.

"Seriously, you're no fun. Have you no dreams?"

"I'd just say my dreams are different from yours."

"He became a dragon, you know. A giant fire breathing dragon… and died for his land and people. A true hero."

"You want to say he took the shape of a dragon. Dragons don't die."

"Well then, maybe he's not really dead. That would be something. Maybe he's somewhere out there, waiting for his chance."

"That would be…" Aislinn started, but then she trailed off as a memory flashed before her eyes. A memory of Lucia lying on the floor, covered with linen wraps and moaning in her sleep. "Brother… say, Martin Septim used to be a priest, right?"

"Oh yes, a priest of Akatosh. And a very devoted one."

So, her daughter had called "brother Martin", which, coincidentally, was the name of the last Dragonborn Emperor of Tamriel who disappeared after battling Mehrunes Dagon, in her sleep and then she miraculously became a Dragonborn. How could she be so ignorant? It was so obvious. She clenched her fists, remembering the tears on Lucia's face.

I'll bash your face, Martin Septim, she promised inwardly. For everything you've done to her, for the burden you dumped on her… I swear I will. She frowned. Technically, she was indebted to him, for Lucia had saved her life. She did not want to admit it.

"Um, hello? Lynn?" a voice interrupted her thought. She looked up and her eyes rested upon Tye who was watching her with a mixture of concern and impatience.

"Sorry, yes?" she stammered, clasping her hands together.

"Are you okay?"

"Perfectly fine, thank you. I was just a little lost in thought."

"Good. We're here," he announced as he took the knob of a door leading to a large house facing the Synod headquarters. She looked at the house with interest as it seemed newer than the others, or rather completely reconstructed. Unlike most of the houses in Bruma, this one's outer walls were fortified by a thick layer of stone. It seemed as though it had taken some damage recently, but she was not sure whether it was during a battle or on some other occasion. Instead of being burnt or damaged by a catapult, it seemed to have been vandalized. She tilted her head to the side and wondered what could be inside.

The door opened and they entered a vast hall with a counter on the opposite side of it. A man in a colorful hat saluted Tye and bowed deeply. Then he looked at Aislinn curiously, scrutinized her ragged clothes and raised a brow briefly. He quickly concealed it a moment later and exhibited a wide smile.

"Welcome!" he exclaimed, making the walls resonate under the power of his voice. Aislinn winced slightly. "Welcome to Cyrodiil Resistance Theatre! What can this humble servant do for you?"

"Cyrodiil Resistance Theatre?" Aislinn repeated in amazement. Tye grinned and exposed a set of blindingly white teeth.

"Well, if you are a Thalmor, you should absolutely join us," he said. "Such talent for acting is rarely seen." He waved to the man and they exchanged a few signs with their fingers.

AIslinn smiled. Well, I'd certainly be happier here than among those sour faces of theirs, she thought. For an unknown reason, a memory of Altmer faces frowning at her and shaking their heads in disappointment flashed before her eyes. A memory that she had not known she had, and it was somewhat painful. Tye noticed her hesitation again and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Are you sure you're all right?" he asked. "You've been spacing out frequently."

"No, sorry," she shook her head. "That's… just how I am." Not too far from the truth, she thought to herself.

"Really? Then I guess I know now why you decided to leave Skyrim," he remarked with a smirk. "A mercenary spacing out in the middle of a fight could be a problem."

Aislinn glared at him. For the love of the Nine, did this man do judging for living? He was starting to annoy her more than Ardur, and that was something. Then again, things were no different when she had first talked to the people in Skyrim. Especially the bored guards whose only job was telling off people stealing someone else's things. Like sweet rolls, she thought sardonically.

"Well then," he continued, pointing at the doorway to their right, "shall we proceed?"

Aislinn nodded and they entered a room filled with stands, figurines and pegs holding a large amount of colorful clothing and even armors, though they looked more decorative than useful to Aislinn. A Breton man in a jester costume was pivoting in the corner and giggling to himself, making her shudder in painful memory of certain assassin she used to know. The Breton, however, stopped his movement the moment the two of them entered the room. Ignoring Aislinn completely, he bowed deeply to Tye.

"Well, if it isn't our heroic Tremendus Titanius, Divines bless you, my liege."

"Oh, shove it, Erthor," Tye laughed. "I need to gather everyone."

"Everyone?" the jester asked with a raised brow, finally stooping his shoulders. Aislinn exhaled deeply. Unlike Cicero, this one actually seemed normal.

"Yes, everyone. Every single member present in Bruma."

"What happened?"

"A dragon happened. Quite possibly we'll need to evacuate the city."

"A dragon? Wait… what do you mean?"

"A dragon is a dragon, Erthor. A giant flying beast. The Thalmor have it on their side."

"The… what? How can they have a dragon?!"

"For Talos's sake, how would I know?"

"But… that's amazing! I mean… bad for the people, but Tye! We get to fight a dragon! A real dragon! At last!" He made an exhilarated pirouette.

Aislinn rolled her eyes. She had misjudged him. A jester looking forward to fighting a dragon? That was madness.

"Yes, well…" Tye stammered with a trace of disconcert in his face, "I'm off to the basement. Could you go and call the men in the city?"

"Of course, my liege. Who is she?" he finally nodded to Aislinn.

"Just a mercenary," Tye replied sourly.

"Oh!" the man laughed heartily. A playful spark glistened in his eyes when he walked past them and patted the startled Aislinn on the shoulder. "Good luck and stay strong," he said to her as he exited the room. She looked at the doorway curiously. Tye sighed.

"Don't mind him," he said. "He just loves to joke around. As an actor, he's irreplaceable though."

"I like him," she chuckled.

"Well, unless you're extremely skilled with both blade and cooking spoon, you're out of luck."

"I didn't mean it like that," she grunted. "Is this really a theatre?" She looked around again. There were no signs of weapons about, but she was sure these men were more than just actors.

"Of course! We're the Resistance Theatre!" he whispered mysteriously and crossed the room, lifting a heavy trapdoor on its far end. "Join me?"

They descended a ladder made of thick, solid wood, finding themselves in a cellar. Aislinn could hear murmuring noises from afar, occasionally interrupted with a yell or a giggle. A ragged curtain covered an entrance to a short passage leading to a vast chamber hosting a number of people in various costumes. There were princesses and fair maidens, knights in armors which were more shiny than protective, thieves, merchants and nobles with richly plumed hats, smiths with huge hammers, tailors, hatters, peasants and even trolls and a dragon. A stage was lifted on one side of the room with various pieces of clutter lying around, while on the other side was another door. Aislinn assumed, judging by the hoarse texture of the stone around, that this place had been caved not too long ago. Then she noticed a notice board with innumerous flyers and posters attached to it. She instinctively approached it and studied the hanging pieces of paper, not paying much attention to the people who now flocked around Tye and called his name as he started explaining the situation.

Rise and Fall of the Blades – a thrilling story about the legendary dragon slayers, announced one of the posters, featuring a picture of a man swinging a thin katana.

The Testament of Uriel Septim, another one said, supplemented with a heartbreaking commentary from a devoted fan.

Tales from Alinor – a comedy of how Alinor came to be – and how it ended.

She could not but smile to herself. Turning to face Tye again, she snickered. "I must admit that the citizens of Cyrodiil are far more creative than the Nords up in Skyrim," she chuckled. A few faces now turned to her, gazing at her with interest.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures. People are losing hope, but we still want to win the war. So today, the Resistance is going to defeat a dragon."

"Are these people capable of fighting one?"

"These people," a man in a deep blue blacksmith apron said, "are the best fighters in Cyrodiil. You think the Thalmor would leave a group like us alone? We are trained to fight, as much as we are trained to act."

Aislinn looked around, her eyes sliding from one actor to another. She liked their faces. There were men and women of various races and disposition, but they were all determined, prepared to take on whatever menace was threatening them at any cost.

She watched Tye who now waved at two of them and some sort of quick nonverbal communication occurred between him and them. She could not catch the exact signs, but the men quickly stepped forward and nodded. They appeared to be twins, both with wild rusty hair occasionally turning shades of grey and a full beard. They were both very muscular and sturdy, but while one of them looked more like a Nordic type with round face, rosy nose reminiscent of a small apple in shape and rough look in his dark eyes, the other was more of an Imperial, slightly less brawny with thinner face and a broody expression. They reminded her of Farkas and Vilkas a little, and a faint stab of nostalgia crept into her heart. She had no doubt about their combat skills, especially when she realized that each of them carried a great sword.

"I want the rest of you get to work now," Tye called to the crowd. "There are weapons that need sharpening and armors waiting to be polished and oiled. Don't forget about the pads. Prepare enough arrows. Also, water, as much as you can get. If you need to go to the spring beneath the walls, do not use the main gate, the elves will probably be watching out for anyone who dares to do that."

Everyone in the crowd moved out immediately, some quickly disappearing behind the door opposite the stage to appear in different clothing a few moments after while others left the room completely. The two muscular red-hairs stayed with Tye who beckoned to them and Aislinn to follow him back to the city. He split with them soon after, leaving them at the entrance to the castle courtyard where soldiers were slowly gathering, murmuring and chatting amongst themselves. Aislinn scowled. So he had them watch her so she wouldn't do anything. She didn't even get to offer any help.

She raised her head to watch the sky and her eyes followed a solitary cloudlet traversing the ocean of blue. Then, a frightened guard rushed past her and stopped just before the crowd. She turned after him as he spoke breathlessly.

"I just came from the watchtower. They keep it low but I saw it among the trees. It's true, it really is a dragon! A huge winged beast, pearlescent purple, with scales like razors and teeth that would crush you in an instant! We're doomed!"

Aislinn stepped towards him, oblivious of the two men who unsuccessfully tried to grab her shoulders. "How far is the elven army?" she asked. He turned around and blinked in surprise.

"I've never seen you before…" he said uncertainly.

"Lynn, a mercenary from Skyrim, currently helping to resolve this situation," she replied, stretching out her hand. He gripped it shakily. "How far are they?"

"Well… not too much, but still about two or three hours away. The dragon could make it here in seconds though…"

"It could, but it won't. A single dragon is not that powerful against a city full of warriors, they won't risk it. Although it means the actual battle is going to be harder."

"I… I don't know if I can fight against a dragon…"

"Relax. If they can do it in Skyrim, you can do it here too. They're not omnipotent."

The guard nodded weakly. Aislinn looked at her supervisors who were glaring at her irately. She ignored it.

"Purple dragons tend to be strong," she said. "We really need to get the Synod to cooperate with us."

"The Synod are a conceited bunch of idiots," the Imperial-like said. "They won't do anything unless there's something in it for them. Like a piece of their damned knowledge. Or a magical crystal."

"You won't know unless you try. We need to…"

"We don't need to do anything," the other one argued. "We wait for Tye's orders and that's it."

"If that's what you think," Aislinn retorted sourly and set towards the Synod headquarters.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?!" they called after her, catching up in a second and blocking her way. Grimacing, she made a quick turn and circled the muscular one who stood closer to her before he could react. The slighter one was before her in an instant and drew his sword.

"Not a step further," he warned, his hand on the hilt of his sword, "or I'll be forced to take action."

A few people from the crowd turned their attention to them. Aislinn smirked.

"Is it really so hard to realize that I am trying to help you?" she asked. "I'm telling you you're not going to make it without them. The dragon can Shout. They have countless mages who cast spells. You need a mage or two at least. Let me help you."

"Or you have allies there, planning to take over the city."

"Sure, you trollhead, I have allies there. Best to keep them in the mages guild where half of the mages could kill them right away while I could easily host them, let's say, in Daren's house where nobody's been in ages?" She did not stop, speeding up instead. Both of her guards drew their weapons and tried to block her way, but she danced between them, letting one of the blades slide along her arm while the kicking the other out of her way, happy that she had at least taken sturdy boots. She cursed the dress she was wearing inwardly for limiting her movement.

Well aware of the fact that they did not want to hurt her, she used it to her advantage, pressing herself against one of the blades. Its wielder recoiled quickly and the way was clear until the other blocked her with his own body, stretching his arm so the sword prevented her from stepping sideways. She smiled and slid under it nimbly, breaking into a run down to the lower parts and to the former Mages Guild. They ran after her, panting as they did, but only caught up to her when she grabbed the handle of the massive ornate door.

"No! Stop right there!"

"You're being unreasonable," she sighed and shook her head. "If you're unsure, come with me. But I'm going to make these guys cooperate, no matter what you say."

With that, she entered the building and left the two of them with no other choice than to follow her. They did, finding themselves in a large entrance hall with a few comfortable looking upholstered armchairs and a number of footrests. Several soul gems were placed in the display cabinet across the room, along with a bowl of frost salts, a group of colorful bird feathers, and an alembic which reminded Aislinn of old Tolfdir. A mage in greyish robes was resting in one of the armchairs, yanking when the three of them made their sudden appearance. He squinted at them drowsily, glancing over each of them in turns. Aislinn's eyes widened.

"You're…" She recognized the wrinkled face of Paratus Decimius and scowled internally at the memory of their encounter. Immediately, she thought it a strange coincidence to find him in Bruma, but she did not have the time to ruminate on it further.

The mage jumped on his feet immediately, pointing a finger at her. "You… you… Dragonborn! How… what in Oblivion are you doing here?!"

"Saving your damned butt again," she spat. "And you should hurry up and call your buddies if you value it."

"How dare you…"

"Wait," the slighter twin said slowly, "what did he just call you?"

"Nothing," Aislinn uttered curtly, "and you heard nothing. Are we clear?"

"Sure as Oblivion not. I'm telling Tye."

"No. He doesn't need to know."

"And that's where you're wrong. If there's someone who does need to know, it's him."

"Oh yeah? Is he that important? Or do you just simply love to lick his boots?"

"That's because he's…"

"Enough, Ruff!" the other one hissed and his nose turned bright red. "Stop. The Dra… this person here has her secret. Tye has his own. Let's keep it at that."

"But…"

"Are you done yet?" the mage, his eyes sliding from Aislinn to the two guards and back again, pointed impatiently. "And what do you mean by saving my butt again? Sure as Oblivion you haven't saved it once."

"Except for that one time in Mzulft where a bunch of crazed Falmer guarded all the escape routes," Aislinn snorted. "Anyway, a dragon is approaching Bruma and if you don't help out, there's a high chance of you losing the roof above your head."

"A dragon, you say? And what's in it for us?"

"A dragon is not enough to satisfy you? Or scare you?"

"Scare us?" Paratus scoffed. "So very funny. It is true that such a beast might be an interesting subject to study, but… as we want it dead and you're most likely going to sap all of its essence from it, there is no gain for us. So… what about sharing your own secrets? We know that you had something up there in your College."

"It's not there anymore, but sure, whatever. Come find me later and I'll tell you whatever you want, just get those mages of yours out there. And don't mention my identity. To anyone."

"That depends…" Paratus said with a smirk. "Are you going to save us this time, Dovakhiin?"

Aislinn hesitated, scrutinizing the mage from top to bottom, but his expression was entirely unreadable. "You… know something, don't you?"

"I'm a member of the Synod. We know a lot, although it wasn't until certain blind elf made a grave mistake in his plans."

"Blind elf?"

"Tall, with beautiful dark gold hair spreading around him like a veil. He made quite an impression on us. I daresay he's not as Thalmor as he makes himself out to be, but I have my doubts about his allegiances. We believe you've met him?"

"Those eyes of his… he's blind?"

"He had no eyes, although I believe he'd lost them recently."

"No, that can't be. Even if he lost them right after our encounter, there's no way you would know…"

"Oh, come on, Dragonborn," the man jeered, "you underestimate us. Words travel fast, and we have means of communication that you can't possibly dream of."

"Ah, whatever. So… what is the mistake he did?"

"He ordered someone to research something for him. The amusing part is, that someone was our spy that we sent to watch the Thalmor's movement."

"Research what?"

"Everything for a price, Dragonborn. What else can you offer?"

"I don't suppose it's money you're interested in?"

"Certainly not."

Aislinn sighed. What was it that she had and could sacrifice? Her greatest treasures were Daedric artifacts, but most of them were so powerful that she would hardly let anyone touch them, much less own them. But if she were to choose one with an ability that some of them, if not most, probably already had…

"How about the Sanguine Rose?"

Paratus winced and his eyes widened in surprise. "Say that again?" Even her two companions gaped at her incredulously with their lips parted.

"The Sanguine Rose. The staff that…"

"You got yourself a deal."

She smiled. "Then you owe me an answer."

"All right then. There is this mage in Markarth who is researching the Dwemer…"

"Yes, Calcelmo."

"… and in spite of his mind constantly wandering elsewhere, gods, how I hate talking to the guy, he made quite some progress with it. His research is currently very much restricted due to elves trying to control the city and recent cave-in down at Nchuand-Zel." He paused and gave Aislinn a meaningful look. She averted her eyes. "Now this suspicious man wants to know about certain Dwemer device which can supposedly capture a soul and transfer it somewhere else."

"You mean the thing that…"

"Yes, the thing that the elves have somewhere deep in their dungeons. You have some… personal experience with it, no?"

Aislinn did not answer. She did not wish to talk about it and still felt humiliated every time she remembered what had been done to her. She shuddered inwardly.

"Is that all?" she asked.

The mage leaned closer and she could feel his minty breath. He whispered so no one except for Aislinn could hear him, and the way he did so made Aislinn's hairs stand on end. "There are rumors… rumors about that thing sending the souls in time. The essence of a soul is much like an Elder Scroll – it transcends space and time. Supposedly, that thing can take this essence and send it… to wherever, or rather whenever it's meant to be sent. In fact, it is possible that it's somehow associated with the Elder Scrolls."

"Is there a way to control this thing?"

"There might be, but we're not certain. Also, we believe that it can take any soul except a dragon's, which is the reason why Alduin hasn't taken a dragon's body yet."

"But wouldn't he have to transfer his soul if he wanted to take my body?"

"That, or he can make your soul transfer partially while being still linked to your body. Not perfect, but enough to take control over it and use it to find a way to enter a dragon."

"Is there such a way?"

Paratus shrugged. "This is all we know."

Aislinn nodded with a contemplative sigh and took a step towards the entrance. "We'll be returning to the castle now. Can I count on the Synod that you will help us with the dragon?"

"Certainly, Dragonborn…"

"And please, don't use this name. For everyone in Bruma, everyone in Cyrodiil, actually, my name is Lynn. I'm a mercenary from Skyrim."

"Mercenary?" Paratus repeated curiously. "Really? That won't gain you much popularity around here."

"I… noticed. Might be better this way."

"Maybe," the mage said, letting out a laugh reminiscent of the sound of old hinges. "Well then, see you in the battle."

"Talos guide you," she said, earning herself a raised brow.

"Well, Julianos guide you," he replied with a snort before she left the building.

A sight of people running around in chaos, gathering their belongings and leaving their houses in hurry welcomed her and her guards outside. A panicking mother grabbed her little daughter, constantly turning around and looking here and there as though she was expecting someone to try to assassinate her that very moment. A slight, short man scurried past Aislinn, breathless while carrying a large pole. She wondered what it might be for when one of her companions spoke.

"Seems like Tye is evacuating the people in the end," he chortled. "Ah, look at him." He pointed at a Breton man trotting afar and Aislinn recognized the jester she had seen before in the Resistance headquarters. He was now dancing around, gathering people and directing them to the castle, helping here and there while constantly speaking to them. From time to time, he made an elegant pirouette or tumbled like a monkey.

"Dear citizens of Bruma," he called to them, "the time has come when heroes rise against the menace they have been eagerly waiting for. For your own safety, the Countess is going to host you within the castle walls. But do not be afraid! The Thalmor may fancy themselves clever for bringing such a mighty beast, as dragon surely is, into the battle fray, yet it is but one beast against us. Today, Bruma will prove that the Empire does not fall easily. Let us all fight bravely for this day, for our land and our freedom! For our people! For ourselves! Let us sing for those who have fallen before us and for those who will fall for their dearest. Let us pray that one day, we may meet in Sovngarde and have a taste of their divine nectar!"

"He may be a Breton, but he definitely has a Nord heart," the larger man remarked.

"Unlike you, Fluff," the other man said with a laugh. "Maybe your souls switched bodies just before you were born."

"Fluff?" Aislinn drawled with a raised brow and examined the man's body muscle by muscle. They seemed hard as steel and equally as flexible.

"Yup, that's what they call me," he said innocently. "And this is Ruff, my brother. Half-brother, actually."

"Ruff and Fluff?"

"They're just nicknames. We barely call ourselves our real names."

"Shouldn't you switch the names, though?"

"Haha, common mistake," Ruff said. "You'll see when you've been around us for a while. He might look strong but he's a crybaby."

"Ruff!"

Aislinn laughed, but soon she was interrupted by a roar which echoed through the city, bouncing from wall to wall, resonating and shaking the ground beneath their feet like a thunder. She looked up, but the tall walls of Bruma blocked her view.

"I need armor," she told her companions. "I hope you trust me now, we need to hurry."

Ruff nodded. "Light or heavy?" he asked.

"I don't mind either, it's not like it's going to protect me from dragon claws anyway. But it needs to be padded a lot."

"All right. Let's go back to the theatre, Somnir's armory will most likely be depleted."

They rushed through the chaotic crowd, zigzagging among frantic citizens, evading collisions and squeezing themselves between the bodies. Crossing a street had never been more difficult. Aislinn caught a sight of Tye, arguing fiercely with Ardur when both of them turned to her at once, their expressions twisted with exasperation.

"There you are," Tye remarked dryly, stepping in her way. "Where in Oblivion have you been?" He gave Ruff and Fluff a reproachful glare and they exchanged looks.

"Synod," Ruff said neutrally.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Synod. She managed to persuade them to help."

Tye stared at them blankly while Ardur snorted. "Did you hear the whole conversation?" the thief asked.

Ruff paused, thinking of the best way to answer, but Fluff spoke before he could say a word. "No, but we know we can trust her."

"No, you never know. You never know!" Ardur spat. "Why would you even let her…"

"I did it on my own," Aislinn interrupted him impatiently. "Captain Somnir has decided to let me help. The only thing I ask of you is to listen to him and give me some…"

Now she was the one interrupted as a giant reptile flew over the wall and cast its tremulous, jagged winged shadow over the ground and the remaining people who now broke into a wild run towards the castle. The city guards, already positioned on the walls and at strategic points all over the city, fired a volley of arrows at once. Those on the far end ran towards the panicking crowd and started directing the citizens while firmly dividing them into organized groups, using their shields as boarding to create clear passage. Aislinn stared at the beast with her mouth wide open.

"This is too soon," she stammered. "The elves couldn't have…" Her eyebrows furrowed with concentration and her eyes roamed between the dragon and the ground several times. She silently did a quick calculation and exhaled.

"It's too far," she said with a sigh of relief. "They sent it to create chaos. Unless it descends, its attacks won't reach us, and as long as there are archers on the walls, it can't do that without getting seriously wounded." She contemplated whether she should Shout it to the ground. The Dragonrend Shout could definitely reach further than any weapon or magical missile, but the beast was so far that she would most likely miss. She dismissed the thought.

Ardur sighed and poked Tye between his ribs. The youngster recoiled and squinted at him, gaining himself a smirk. "I don't get how you can be this confident about that beast," the thief told Aislinn. "I will only cooperate with you because Somnir has decided to trust you on this one, but don't expect anything more. If you're searching for an armor, I got one for you. There are no more left, so it'll have to do. One moment."

He rushed off, returning in a blink of an eye with a set of studded leather armor not unlike the one he was wearing, except this one had sleeves. Aislinn tilted her head to the side, scrutinizing it. Then she smiled slightly.

"Is this Thieves Guild armor?" she asked. Ardur only snorted and handed it to her without responding. She opened her mouth but before she could say anything, Tye pointed to the theatre where she was originally headed and nodded. Ruff and Fluff accompanied her, Fluff sighing on the way.

"You're not lying to us, are you?" he said, and there was certain amount of sadness in his voice. Aislinn frowned and tried to hypnotize the doorknob of the theatre door before grabbing it. She was slowly getting tired of this.

"What am I supposed to tell you?" she questioned.

"Well, you did whisper something to that man. Tye and Ardy don't trust you, but they don't trust anyone except Somnir and their own men. I… I'd very much like to trust you. You don't seem like a bad person. But now that Ardy mentioned the conversation, my doubts have returned. But I really want to trust you."

"Stop it, Fluff, she…" Ruff started. Aislinn sighed and shook her head.

"Leave it," she uttered in resignation. "I'm going to change."

Upon changing into the armor, she exited the changing room and together they left the building again. Ardur had good judgement, the armor fit her perfectly. She felt good in it, as it was not much different from the Skyrim Thieves Guild armor, except there were several hidden pockets that the Skyrim one did not have. She examined it thoroughly and made a mental note to change the design of the Guild armor slightly. Brynjolf would be happy to be able to carry more shiny trinkets with him, of that she was certain.

She noticed Ardur and Tye watching her curiously, their gaze following her frame from her feet to the top of her head and back. They whispered something between themselves and it annoyed Aislinn a little. When she approached them, Tye held out two blades, fine katanas with their hilts covered with thin leather stripes of black and gold creating ornate decorations. She took one of them and studied it, sliding her finger along the flat part of the blade gently.

"A fine blade," she nodded approvingly, attaching it to her waist.

"They're both yours for now," Tye said. "You're a double wielder, am I right?"

Aislinn paused, suddenly looking Tye in the eye. Unlike most people, the youngster did not avert his eyes. "You're quite astute," she remarked quietly.

"Don't underestimate me," he sneered. "I'm a warrior after all."

She took the other blade from him, ignoring the last statement. "What next?"

The beast up above roared, but most of the citizens were already within the castle walls. There was a dreadful silence when the echo of its voice died out, and Aislinn could feel the tension from everyone around. Even she tensed up, despite not being used to fretting before a dragon. Suddenly, she felt uneasy, wanting to do anything so she would not have to stay idle.

"Next we wait," Ardur said as though he was purposely trying to torment her. She took a deep breath as he handed her a plain steel bow and a quiver full of ebony arrows. She inspected them and, finding no fault, attached them to her back.

The following few hours felt like eternity, and while Tye and Ardur kept watching over their men, Aislinn paced restlessly over the city walls, one eye fixed on the dragon above her head while the other kept track of the elven army's progress. She passed many archers on her way, and several guards with torches and barrels filled with oil which, she suspected, would only serve to keep the Thalmor spell casters busy. Mages of the Synod joined them later, some joining the guards unwillingly, others filling the gaps in the city defenses. Now everything was ready.

They waited. The elves finally reached the city, positioning themselves just outside of the fire range. They did not seem to have sieging machines, stopping their movement entirely. It was quiet. And everyone still waited. Aislinn clenched her fists.

Then, there was the roar again. This time, it sounded painful. Aislinn could feel the Voice deep within herself, shuddering as she looked above to see the dragon still circling over the city. Why? Why did it sound so tormented? Had it been closer, it might have been able to paralyze her entirely. She could almost feel the dragon's soul being linked to hers. The beast took a peek at the numerous elves outside of the city but quickly averted its gaze. As though it was… afraid.

Then there was silence again, both sides waiting patiently for the other to take action. Aislinn could almost feel sleep coming to her, strangely soothed by the still air and silence surrounding the place. Not a bird chirped in the woods, not a leaf moved on the branches, and the sun flooded the city with its golden glow. She slapped her own cheek abruptly, making Ruff and Fluff who still followed her around jump in the air, and nudged the closest mage.

"We must not drop our guard," she said. "They may be waiting for it. Stay alert, watch out for the beast. Even dragons tire, it has to come down eventually."

The man nodded and silently signaled another mage. Everyone exchanged inconspicuous signs, and then there was a momentary lull. Then, as though someone had set the time in motion again, the dragon swooped down.

As it breathed fire, countless wards were raised against it and a rain of arrows flew in its direction, but the flames burned them all before they could reach it. Aislinn joined the archers, but from time to time she ran to a guard, telling them where to aim and how to evade its fire. Soon, many of them turned to her by themselves for advice, relying on her experience. She felt slight satisfaction at that, inwardly sneering at Tye and Ardur.

The dragon was careful. It kept flying low enough to attract attention and pose a threat, but high enough for it to quickly ascend lest the arrows turn into a serious threat. Missiles of magical fire and ice flew its way occasionally, but it seemed as though it was laughing at them, circling and spiraling around quite freely.

At the same time, Aislinn noticed the elves advancing towards the main gate and firing at it. As it was made mostly of wood, strengthened by metal bars, it quickly caught fire. She nodded at the soldiers, hoping she had instructed them thoroughly enough to be able to deal with the dragon, and rushed over the wall to the stairs leading down to the city, her two companions keeping in tow. Meanwhile, a group of well-built men whose ancestors, in Aislinn's eyes, must have been giants, carried a series of beams, bars, rivets, nails and other building materials and quickly strengthened the gate.

"Watch out!" called someone from above, one of the men with the oil barrels. "They're gonna blow up the gate!"

The men swiftly vacated the space around the gate, and a moment later, the sound of explosion tore through the air and temporarily deafened everyone. Aislinn winced and her eyes widened as she caught the sight of a few soldiers lying on the ground, some of them had apparently fallen from above as the impact had shaken the walls. The gate had survived the onslaught, but some of the men were not so fortunate.

"Go and help them," she ordered Ruff and Fluff. "I know you're supposed to watch me, but they really need you now. I'm going to try to do something about that." She pointed at the dragon.

"But how…"

"Just go. They need you there."

The two men nodded, albeit a little unwillingly, and trotted towards the gate. Immediately, her attention turned to the dragon.

She quickly calculated where she could have the best aim, and her eyes rested upon the Great Chapel of Talos. It was risky, but if she could somehow get on top of it… she examined the walls, but they were made of marble, smooth as glass and without a single protrusion except for the joints between the pillar blocks. If she could reach those… she noticed a broken window on one side of it, surrounded by scorched stone. The only thing left of the window was the ornate grid, mostly made of subtle wire, but at some places, solid metal bars connected it and held it in place. Perfect. Now the only thing she needed was…

"Ardur!" she called as she saw the thief running towards her with a group of men and women clad in the same attire as she wore. "Perfect timing! Where can I get a rope?"

The thief slowed ever so slightly, frowning at her. "Rope? What for? And where did those two go?"

She waved to the gate. "There. And a rope for getting to the beast."

He raised a brow. "Hoping to catch it in a loop and show us a rodeo ride? The theatre should have plenty of them."

She nodded gratefully and scurried away, returning soon after with a rope of her own choice. In spite of being quite thin, it seemed very strong, and since it had been securing a statue which was definitely many times heavier than Aislinn in her light armor, she believed it would be able to support her. Now the only thing was to climb this astounding structure which she had admired from the first time she had set foot in Bruma. Oh, Brynjolf would be so against this. She smiled to herself mischievously. She was in her element.

She made a firm loop on the rope and threw it above. It took her four tries to reach the top of the pilaster, but once she managed to do so, climbing the broken window proved to be quite easy. She gripped the rope tightly once she ascended to the first bigger joint where the pilaster narrowed. Stepping on the slanted ledge above it, she propped her feet against the stone and rose slowly above the city. She could see most of the buildings and a great part of the city walls now, and the cold air that whipped her cheeks felt refreshing and energizing.

She proceeded above the lowest part of the roof and to the top of the pilaster, removing the rope upon her arrival. Her next target was the closest inner pilaster supporting the nave walls, which was connected to the outer pilaster by a slender arch. Climbing the arch proved to be the most difficult task as she had to watch her every step and proceed slowly so she would not slip and fall down. Even secured by the rope as she was, the collision with the Chapel wall could prove fatal for her. Little by little, she climbed the roof and the tallest tower, finally settling in between the tower body and an adjacent spire.

Feim, she meditated inwardly. Everything mortal fades in time, but the spirit remains.

She was prepared to use the Shout if things turned up bad for her. The height was tremendous and she watched the city and its surroundings in awe. Down on the ground, a swarm of tiny ants were flitting around, and the noises they made barely reached her. The only thing she could hear clearly now was the dragon's occasional roar. She focused her eyes on it and grabbed the bow she had picked up earlier nocking an arrow in it. The beast was moving, but she knew that eventually it would have to stop to take an aim. That was when she would fire.

The tip of the arrow followed the giant winged body for a while. Finally, the beast steadied itself, baring the soft membrane between its left wing and the torso. Aislinn frowned with concentration, deciding this spot was better than nothing, and released the arrow. It hit and the dragon cried out with pain and rage. Immediately, its attention turned to the source of its suffering and their eyes met. Something in the dragon's expression changed and Aislinn could suddenly feel… relief?

It flew straight to her and addressed her quietly and wearily. "Dovakhiin," it said. She was sure that no one else could hear its voice. "How fortunate. Kogaan kreh do dez. What a joyful encounter." Oddly enough, the dragon's words did not sound in the least happy.

Aislinn lowered her bow, unsure of how to react. "What do you mean?"

"Dragons are not used to pleading," the beast replied, "kah los pah. But on this day, this one is begging you. Please, kill me. Deliver me from this torment. Take my soul. Become my saviik."

"Why? Why would a dragon choose death?"

"The answer to this question, Dovakhiin, lies in the fiery planes of Oblivion where my soul is headed lest you fail to absorb it. Dii thurre los munax."

"Your… your souls go to Oblivion when you die?"

"No… no, they do not. Only mine, and those of the ones stricken with the same misfortune, will. Hurry, Dovakhiin. Once the elves find out I have been… 'slacking off', as they like to call it, they are sure to punish me severely."

"I don't understand, how can they…"

"Please, Dovakhiin! There is no time to explain. You must make haste!" The dragon sounded almost painfully desperate. Aislinn nocked another arrow slowly, for a reason unknown to her shaking as she took an aim at the reptile's neck. She took a deep breath to calm herself down and her hand steadied at last. Stretching the bow slightly further, she released the arrow and it whistled as it flew the short distance to the reptile, piercing its throat with ease. The beast gurgled and took a dive into the depths of the city. The tiny soldiers down on the ground jumped out of its way in a flash and the ground shook as the huge mass of flesh and bones landed in their midst.

Aislinn knew she had to get down as soon as possible, but then a massive beam of light caught her attention and she watched as the gate exploded, pieces of wood and metal flying everywhere around and even hitting a few soldiers and elves. A unit of enemies made their way to the main street leading to the castle and men in yellow grouped together to block their passage. Aislinn could vaguely hear a vicious laugh from below, and then one of the Thalmor mages raised his hand. He was holding something, but the large distance was preventing Aislinn from seeing clearly what it was, in spite of her dragon sight. It sparkled… and then it glowed brightly. And then…

Aislinn suddenly felt sick. She hugged the spire tightly, wanting to throw up. The dragon returned to life, groaning in anguish, and around him was… white mist. It was not as thick as she was used to, probably only meant to restrict the dragon, but it was enough to make her feel nauseous. On top of that, she also felt the dragon itself, and there was indescribable pain deep within its soul. Her face suddenly twisted in resentment. This was too much. She watched it rise in fury and attack the men on the walls, slaying a great number with just its claws before shooting up to avoid getting hit. Nevertheless, several arrows pierced its skin and it roared, attacking even more fiercely. Aislinn knew she had to do something. Would killing the elves put a stop to this?

Shakily she climbed down the tower, the roof and the two pilasters until she landed on the scorched ground beneath the Chapel. Ardur was leading a unit of men, constantly shouting orders and keeping them organized, which was the only reason why they were still alive, unlike many that fell under the blades and spells of the Thalmor, but even they fell apart after a few moments of fierce fighting, breaking into a few smaller bundles. The thief kept swinging two blades around himself, one a strangely short daedric sword and the other an ebony dagger enchanted to drain the enemy's life force. She noticed a buckler on his back, which he hadn't had before. She drew her katanas to join him, quickly stepping into the fray. Immediately, she felt suffocated by the rotstone vapors, but kept telling herself stubbornly that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Forcefully resurrecting a dragon was far beyond her gravest expectations, and she would put a stop to it at any cost.

"I've only heard of monkeys from travelers, but seeing you climbing that bloody tower, I think I just found one," Ardur called to her breathlessly as she joined him. "Looks like monkeys don't die easily." He sidestepped to dodge a lightning bolt and his dagger shot forward, aiming for the armpit of and elf in gilded armor who quickly fell a few steps backward, raising his shield. A moment after, he lunged at the thief, swinging his mace to hit him from the side, but the thief, light on his feet, evaded the weapon by practically dancing around its path.

Aislinn laughed. "No pain, no gain. Well, not that I actually gained something," she added with a scowl. Finding an elven mage who was about to fire another lightning bolt at Ardur, she charged at him, forcing him to raise a ward. She twisted her face in quasi malicious grin, intimidating her opponent as she swung both of her blades at once, one aiming at the elf's neck while the other went for his knees. Were it a warrior standing against her, she wouldn't dare make such a risky move and expose herself to any blow that might come at her, but since mages practically couldn't attack while holding up a ward, she felt secure in her position. Her opponent staggered in attempt to escape the lower blade. One knee of his was hit, however, and he could not turn in time to run away from the next few blows. Another one replaced him the moment he was slain and Aislinn continued her dance, slowly forgetting about the numbing feeling which had been spreading through her body.

An axe was aimed at Ardur's back but he simply ducked and parried it with his shield. Aislinn's eyes widened. A single inch would have made a difference, enough to result in Ardur's head splitting in half. She was forced to soon forget about the thief as two new opponents appeared before her, a double wielder with two axes whom she surprisingly identified as a Bosmer, and an Altmer battle mage carrying enchanted quarterstaff. She smiled to herself. It wasn't every day that she had the opportunity to fight one of those. However, she soon found herself at a great disadvantage against the two who were obviously very skilled fighters. The moment she lunged at one, the other assaulted her fiercely and she was forced to step back. Furthermore, the quarterstaff was long enough to keep her at distance, unable to even touch the high elf with the tip of her swords. And its owner was a very skilled fighter, sneering at her every time their eyes met. Although she was quite used to enemies making fun of her, this time it felt oddly annoying.

She bent her back to avoid getting hit by the staff and parried the axes with her swords. She hated axes, for they were always hard to fight off with their curves and irregular shapes, and experienced wielders always used them to wedge their opponents' weapons and disarm them that way.

An axe went for her thigh and she sidestepped, but as her right side was blocked by the Altmer, she could only sidestep to the left. The Bosmer was counting on it and the blade of his other axe cut through her padded armor and her upper arm. She contained a scream and used the momentum of her opponent to get closer to him and return the blow, striking at his hip while blocking the quarterstaff by a well-aimed kick. Her leg started trembling at the impact, but her Bosmer enemy's face twisted in painful grimace which gave her a bit of satisfaction. Still, she wasn't any closer to winning the fight, and the others were preoccupied with their own opponents, or a dragon whose roar she could barely hear in the heat of her own battle. Oh, if only she could Shout. But she felt breathless, the paralyzing effect of the rotstone spreading in her lungs. She remembered the mist around her. And then she staggered.

Her enemies wasted no time whatsoever, immediately charging at her. The staff hit her stomach with full force, causing her to gasp as she fell hard on her back, its enchantment sending a wave of lightning and frost through her flesh. She felt her strength retreating from both her mind and body and could only weakly raise her sword in defense as an axe descended upon her. But it never landed.

She squinted as Ardur's nimble frame jumped into her view, grabbing the buckler from his back and fending off the Bosmer's attack. She noticed two things. First, he grabbed the shield with his right arm. Second, his short daedric blade fit into it perfectly, becoming its handle. The thief was now fighting with a dagger in his left hand, and a buckler in the right one, and by the way he swung that dagger, Aislinn knew that he was indeed left-handed. He used the shield to deflect the staff, hitting it as hard as he could and sending the Altmer staggering back.

"So weak!" he called to Aislinn. "Useless, what have you been learning up in that frozen kingless kingdom?"

Aislinn took a deep breath, painfully grimacing as it only sent more rotstone vapors into her lungs. "Shut… up!" she pointed as she stood up slowly. But he's right, she argued inwardly. I need to get a grip… I can't lose this fight. There's so much I need to do…

She gripped her blades tightly and joined him once more, surprising the Altmer with suddenly darting at him. He quickly raised a ward, using the staff as his support as he swung it behind his back with one hand and propped himself against it, burying its tip in the ground. Aislinn frowned as she realized his intention. He wanted to split her from Ardur, make her dance around him as he circled the staff so he could stand with his back to his companion and cover more area. Aislinn pulled her blades back and instead stepped in his way so his path to the thief was blocked. She smiled at him innocently, for once winning their little mind game.

She was forced to utilize the newly gained advantage at once as more elves and even a few Nords and Bretons now joined her enemies. She spat in her mind, calling them traitors and deceivers. They now stood back to back with Ardur, complementing each other and always hitting and parrying where the other could not. Aislinn concentrated all her thoughts on Ardur's movements now, trying to read them and adjust her own. She appreciated the distraction as it prevented her from thinking about the poisonous rotstone which still kept spreading about her body. She looked around, realizing that few of the soldiers who had come with Ardur stayed alive, even fewer capable of fighting, yet more enemies had arrived and applied pressure on the weary duo. She barely concentrated on how she fought anymore, relying on her instincts and partially also on Ardur's leadership. Two elves and a Breton fell only to be replaced by others. The Bosmer with twin axes and the Altmer with the staff managed to stand their ground.

"I thought this was supposed to be a small army?!" she panted at the Nord.

"It is, but what can you do with just a bunch of regular guardsmen?" he replied while smashing his buckler against a slight Altmer woman and thus breaking her arm. "The ones on the wall are busy fighting that bloody beast while our small group is getting crushed here. The ones who survived their pyromancers, I mean." His dagger buried in the woman's stomach and he quickly pulled it out, dodging an axe coming from the side. "Sorry, lady," he added. "It's either be a gentleman or live. I think I've made my choice."

Aislinn chuckled.

"Hey, I was being honest!" he defended. "Anyway, you're the dragon expert. Can't you go and just do something about that flying zombie?"

"Right," she snorted, "and leave you here to die?" She crossed her blades and parried a pike, breaking it in half with a powerful strike. Her foot shot up and sent a startled elf to the ground. She didn't bother finishing him, knowing that it would be impossible for him to get up in this situation. She certainly did not envy his position at the moment.

"I'll manage!" Ardur shouted as his dagger drew a deep, crimson line in his opponent's body. "The sooner the dragon is dealt with, the faster I get help!"

"But…"

"Come on! You think me a useless porcelain doll or what? You think a bunch of puny loony pointy ears could crush me? Well, dream on! Now get out there and take care of that bloody overgrown lizard!"

"Fine!" Aislinn yelled. "Don't get mad at me if you die here!"

"Sure, I'll behave! You've never heard of a nicer corpse before!"

Aislinn smirked as she spun, her blades cutting everything in their way until they were stopped by enemy shields. She jumped up to avoid getting cut in half, kicking a mage in his chin on the way. "I'll leave you some company here!" she called to Ardur. Then, she quickly cast a spell to summon Lucien Lachance.

"Who is this?" the thief inquired.

"A friend!" she replied sardonically.

With that, she signaled the ghost to protect him and fought her way through the crowd, spinning, dancing and kicking as she went. Twice she helped a friendly soldier get back up on their feet, and once she saved one's life by stabbing his opponent in the back. At the end, she met a dremora who, unlike most of these awful beings, seemed quite comfortable, walking on the surface of Nirn like it had always belonged there. It seemed to inhale the white vapors around with gusto, enjoying the sensation, and it jeered at Aislinn as she approached.

"Come now," it drawled. "You seem to be faring pretty well despite the condition these vapors put you in. But it is futile. In the end, all returns to Oblivion."

Before she could react, the creature attacked with ferocity Aislinn had not expected, causing her to totter backwards, almost getting pierced by a blade from the other side. With that one strike, she was forced to suddenly become aware of her weariness.

I am human! she called to herself in her mind. Not a dragon, human! I can't succumb like this!

She lunged at the daedra, one blade sliding along its stretched arm while the other fended off the vicious blade it was holding. It was a desperate move and her opponent realized it, simply stepping aside to let her own speed betray her. She managed to tumble away. Knowing she was on the verge of passing out, she waved to it and quickly left the white cloud. The dremora roared with fury but did not follow her. Aislinn sighed with relief. Now the dragon. Next time, she must not fail to kill it.

She ran across the city, reveling in finally being able to breathe some fresh air, and climbed the walls. The dragon was still flying about, many arrows sticking out of its body, making it look more like a peculiar flying pincushion than a mighty beast. She stared at it blankly, thinking of how much pain it must have endured already, but it seemed it did not even feel the pain. Technically, it should not be able to fly anymore, but it still did. She looked at the many soldiers and Synod mages, lying around motionlessly, and her heart sank. How… just how?

This one was legendary, which meant it could burn or freeze its targets as well as drain their life, but still, how was it able to survive this long? And how had the elves resurrected it? She noticed her bow was damaged from the previous battle and was forced to grab another one. At least that was easy with so many corpses scattered around. She positioned herself so she could see the beast clearly, aimed at its belly and released the arrow. It barely scratched it, but it was enough to attract its attention. She could feel its wrath, the grievance it felt towards her for letting it die and come back to life only to be forced into a desperate battle again. She barely avoided its jaw when it swooped down on her and almost fell over the edge of the wall, but before she could feel any relief, she was grabbed by its claws, mercilessly squeezing her waist and ripping the outer leather on her armor. She gasped for air, noticing Tye running across the wall out of the corner of her eye. He screamed something at her, but she could not hear him anymore, deafened by the swooshing sound of the surrounding air. She was taken high up in the air and released soon after, and only miraculously she managed to quickly draw her sword and bury it into a claw, making the dragon's weight work against it.

She gripped the hilt tightly and swung herself up, holding onto the large talon by all her remaining strength. The dragon tried to shake her off, but she managed to maintain her position. The problem was, what now? If she killed the beast, she was going to end up falling down with it, and she did not quite favor the prospect of being crushed between the dragon's body and the hard ground. Even if she managed to climb on its back, the result of her killing it would still be uncertain. She inhaled. At least the cold air served as an energizer, whipping her face and body, and tiny crystals of ice settled in her eyebrows and hair.

"Come on," she called to the dragon. "If you kill me, it means I can't save you anymore. Though I wouldn't really call it salvation, but you know."

"You failed to do it once. You joorre are so… undependable. How are you planning on convincing me that this will not happen the second time as well?"

"I'm right here! Why in Oblivion do you think I fired at you? Land, and I will do what I'm supposed to!" She could feel the dragon wince at the word Oblivion.

"If I land, the fahliille are going to summon me back. I cannot resist their magic. They draw from a powerful source."

"Let me climb on you! Then get lower, right above a building or a group of trees! I'll take care of the rest!"

"Dovakhiin, if you fail again…"

"I won't fail," she assured it. I can't, she told herself silently. She let go of the claw and the beast promptly made its way underneath her, allowing her to land on its jagged back. She crawled to its neck, grabbing a protruding piece of callous skin.

The dragon shot down to the ground, and for a while, Aislinn held her breath, staring at the castle wall which was approaching at lightning speed. Then, it slowed down abruptly, stopping a few hundred feet above the widest tower connecting the city walls with the castle courtyard's inner fortification. This was perfect. It was completely deserted, for the soldiers had no reason to fight there, as they needed an escape route from the dragon which this tower did not provide. This was killing two birds with one stone. Not only was it safe to kill it here without harming anyone, but there would be no one to see her absorbing its soul. She can blame it on weird elven magic when they only find bones and scales here. Splendid.

She grabbed her sword and plunged it deep into the nape of the dragon's neck. It roared in pain, and one last tormented cry filled Aislinn's head, but then it sent her a silent thank you before falling onto the top of the tower, letting her slide from its back drowsily. She panted as countless sparks enveloped her body, entering it one by one, and once more she felt the vibrating sensation of new energy, new personality within her. Then, her eyes popped and she quickly covered her mouth in order not to cry out. Aside from the dragon, there was another presence in her, one that was fully conscious. She gasped and fell to her knees, barely noticing that the trapdoor located slightly aloof opened and from it emerged panting Tye and a few of his men. A voice spoke to her from within her head.

"Well done, Dragonborn," it said. She froze in horror. She knew that voice, for she had heard it before. Only once, when it had asked her to kill certain scholar. She had refused. "Truth be told, I have not been expecting this, but this is even better than what I had originally planned. You see, my plane of Oblivion, naturally, is a part of myself. Linking a dragon soul to it means linking it to me… but I have never expected it to link me to you in return. So many times I have pondered whether the effort I put in this would be worth it… but this, this is beyond worth. Thank you for inviting me here. I will enjoy our time together thoroughly."

Mehrunes Dagon laughed savagely. Aislinn covered her ears instinctively, but she could not chase away his presence, causing a throbbing sensation in her head. She felt as though her whole body was on fire, put in the depths of a magma lake. A hand grabbed her shoulder and made her look up. She could only give Tye a blank stare before her sight started to blur.

No… she thought desperately. Not this again…

She blinked and the image before her eyes cleared momentarily. Tye was looking at her and his usual derisive frown was replaced with worry.

"Help me…" she breathed, the last bit of strength retreating from her limbs. Darkness took her as she slid onto the cold, grey stone.

---

Honestly, this chapter surprised me. I hadn't expected it to turn out this long, and I thought of splitting it into two afterwards, but since I couldn't find a good spot for it to be interrupted, I just posted it as one super long chapter in the end. And imagine how much time I must have spent on the train since most of it was written on my way to school or back from it. I don't really have much time to write at home anymore, school is driving me crazy and there was also Animefest, which is an anime convention where I'm helping with all kinds of stuff every year, so I've been busy. Nevertheless, I worked hard and here is the chapter. :D

Two things. First, you probably noticed I added some weapons that weren't included in the original game. Well, considering how much stuff I already made up, I guess it's not that surprising anymore, but still… my inspiration this time comes from a mod called Immersive Weapons which has all kinds of awesome stuff, and yes, quarterstaffs (pardon the intrusion here, but Word just highlighted the word "quarterstaves" and instead made me write "quarterstaffs", isn't it weird? :D) are a part of it. I'm surprised that they weren't in any Elder Scrolls game since it's the most basic weapon I can imagine and it's still very powerful. There are also scythes (funny that they are mentioned in "The Tale of the Tongues" but don't appear in the game), "axe staves", various katanas, scimitars and ninjatos, weird shaped daggers and a super cool thing called Azura's Moon (please, google it, better see it with your own eyes). It's overall a cool mod, so if you want to make your Skyrim cooler (in case you haven't already), I highly recommend it. Oh, by the way, I have no idea where the inspiration for Taveera's wand came from. :D

Second, I read Eric's review before writing this chapter and he advised me to make the fights more detailed. Personally, I don't like too detailed combat as it usually spoils my impression from the story (for reference, I'm mainly talking about the writing style of R. A. Salvatore and his Drizzt Do'Urden series in particular, because I loved the books except for the fighting scenes which seemed kind of boring and repetitive – so when you say detailed combat, this is what I usually imagine), but I tried to make a compromise and maybe include a little more detail than before. I'd like to ask what you all think about it, whether it's ok like this or you think that I should change it.

That said… thank you all for the lovely reviews you sent me and thanks to everyone who favorited and/or followed. It's always motivating to see these e-mails in my inbox. ^^

And it seems a lot of you are upset that I killed Irileth. I'm sorry… for the sake of realistic feeling, I killed your favorite character. Then again… she died while protecting Balgruuf. Personally, I can't imagine a better death for her. (And no, I can assure you that no character is going to get tortured to death in this story, because that's just too sad and it fills me with despair.)

Pietersielie:Thank you for your opinion! I'll see what I can do about Odahviing. No one else actually replied to my question, so I guess they don't really care.

Eric:I think I mostly said what I wanted in my reply to your review, but anyway, thank you again for this amazing long review of yours. I'm happy that you like how I wrote Lucia, I was actually thinking whether she wasn't kinda creepy. And Farkhali, a "femme fatale"… well, hasn't occurred to me. But yeah, I guess marriage fraud could be her occupation as well. Oh darn, this made me think of a good story… well. Anyway, as I said, I tried to change the fighting scenes a little. I didn't include every single detail since that would really be super boring, but maybe this could do…? Or maybe not… :D

Twillin:It's cool, but so… useless. I mean, what's the point of being trapped in a city where you can't climb the walls and actually defend it? :D Well, I actually changed it in this chapter, since I didn't find any access path to the top of the walls in Bruma when I played Oblivion. I chose to be diplomatic and didn't describe where the stairs were, but I had to make it possible for these guys to actually protect the city. Either way, it was a close call.
And thank you for appreciating the magic in the previous chapter. You see, I'm pretty bad with magic so I get the feeling that I don't give it much room in my story, especially since Aislinn is pretty much something between a thief and a warrior (in Divinity, they call it nightblade. I like that word, I think I'm gonna use it for her :D).

So, that's all from me today, I hope you enjoyed it. Remember that I'll always be happy to hear from you.

Stay tuned!

Mirwen