22nd of Heartfire, 4E 201

The door of High Hrothgar's sanctuary slammed shut with a deafening crash, much more forceful than Valkyrie had intended, but the Dragonborn was more concerned with getting her shivering under control and wiping the snow off her armor than whether or not she offended the sensibilities of the monks who lived here. Rubbing her arms up and down in an attempt to generate friction, she stepped into the main hall, where none other than Arngeir was waiting for her, in his usual meditative stance, not even acknowledging her presence, which the Nord found rather odd.

"Arngeir?" Valkyrie asked, causing the old man to suddenly startle into consciousness, falling over onto his side and letting out a groan. The Dragonborn couldn't help but sigh and laugh quietly as she extended a hand to help the monk to his feet.

"Forgive me, Dragonborn," said Arngeir, visibly dizzy. "I was... lost in meditation."

"I know, Arngeir," said the Nord. "I stayed here for over a year, I'm used to it. Anyway," she reached a hand into her satchel, a moment later presenting none other than the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller to Arngeir. "I believe this is yours."

The old man's eyes widened, he removed his hood and took the horn gingerly in his hands. "Then it is complete," he said quietly. "You have now passed all the trials."

"So what happens now?"

"I must summon the others," said Arngeir, quickly stepping away. "It is time for us to recognize you formally as Ysmir." With that, the eldest of the Greybeards left Valkyrie alone in the temple. The Dragonborn wasn't alone with her thoughts for very long however, her burning need to question Arngeir about why he had never mentioned Ulfric to her, because all four Greybeards returned a moment later, and she found herself in the familiar position of being surrounded by them. "It is time, Dragonborn," said Arngeir. "Time for us to bestow upon you the title of Ysmir."

"So you've mentioned," said Valkyrie, trying but failing to hide the fact that she wasn't exactly looking forward to whatever the old men had in store for her. "What exactly does this entail?"

"Prepare yourself," said the eldest Greybeard, his tone now hushed and serious. "Few can withstand the unbridled Voice of the Greybeards, but you are ready." Before Valkyrie could utter a single syllable of protest, her every sense was set ablaze by the deafening Voices of the four men who had trained her. "Lingrah krosis saraan Strundu'ul. Voth niid balaan klov pran nau!" The Dragonborn fell to one knee after the first sentence, feeling as though her head was going to explode. "Naal Thu'umu, mu ofan nii nu, Dovahkiin, naal suleyk do Kaan, naal suleyk do Shor, ahrk naal suleyk do Atmorasewuth!"

She could feel the ground beneath her shaking, likely the entire mountain felt as though it were about to collapse, and the Dragonborn could swear she felt blood dripping from her ears. She wanted it to stop, so desperately she wanted it to stop. "Meyz nu Ysmir, Dovahsebrom. Dahmaan daar rok!"

And just like that, it was over. The unbearable pain in Valkyrie's skull was gone as quickly as it had appeared. The Nord checked her ears, relieved that no actual blood had poured from them. She hobbled to her feet, met by the sight of all four Greybeards bowing to her, a sight that she was already quite sick of. It was only because of her fondness of the time she had spent at High Hrothgar that she didn't snap at them the way she had done with Delphine.

"Dovahkiin," said Arngeir softly, his head still bowed. "You have tasted the Voice of the Greybeards, and passed through unscathed."

"I wouldn't quite call it unscathed," said Valkyrie.

"Regardless," said the old man, now rising to face her, "You are Ysmir now, and your destiny is in your own hands."

"Good," said the Dragonborn, wasting no time to get to the point. "Because I have some questions for you."

"I will answer as best I can," said Arngeir.

"Why did you never tell me about Ulfric?" The eldest Greybeard's face very suddenly turned grim, and if Valkyrie didn't know any better, she could almost swear the gentle old monk was wearing a scowl.

"I suppose I should have known you would cross paths with him," the old man hung his head. "That man is my greatest failure as a Greybeard."

"What do you mean?" asked Valkyrie.

"We summoned young Stormcloak when he was just a boy," said the monk. "He was to become one of us, the next to carry on the ancient tradition of being a Greybeard. But he threw our lessons away and instead chased his own ambitions."

"He told me you summoned him because you thought he was Dragonborn."

"We believed as such, in the beginning," Arngeir explained. "It's true, Ulfric Stormcloak is indeed the last living descendent of Tiber Septim. We sensed it the moment he was born, but despite his natural talent for the Voice, he was not Dragonborn."

"That's what he told me too," said Valkyrie. "How exactly did the Septim family survive? I thought they were all wiped out during the Oblivion Crisis?"

"Ah yes," said the monk. "That is what history tells us. But during his conquest of Tamriel, Tiber Septim had... erm," he paused. "Well, there's no way to sugarcoat it. He had an affair with Barenziah, the only Elf to ever hold Skyrim's high throne." Valkyrie's brow furrowed, as she was almost certain she knew where this was going, but allowed Arngeir to continue. "They conceived a child, but Tiber Septim knew his people would never accept his illegitimate heir if it was born an Elf. Again, history teaches us that the child was forcibly torn from her womb." Valkyrie couldn't help but grimace. "But in truth, Queen Barenziah gave birth to a healthy Dark Elf girl, who was then given in secret to a Nordic family to raise and care for."

"So Ulfric is part Dunmer," said Valkyrie. "That would explain why he's so tolerant of them."

"What do you mean?"

"Arngeir," said the Dragonborn, now mortally serious. "Are you aware there's a war happening down there below the mountain?"

"A war?" The Greybeard was confused.

"Ulfric is claiming to be Dragonborn," said Valkyrie. "And is also telling anyone who will listen that the Greybeards advised him to wage war and break Skyrim away from the Empire."

"We did no such thing!" Arngeir actually raised his voice, something Valkyrie had never once seen him do. "When Ulfric left these halls to join the war, we made it clear he was no longer welcome." Suddenly, the old man's eyes widened with realization. "No... damn it."

"What is it?" Valkyrie asked, now even more concerned as she didn't think the monk was even capable of cursing.

"He came to us when we summoned you," said Arngeir. "I suppose he thought we meant for him, but I turned him away. He spoke much of what you describe to me, how the Empire had stripped away the name of Ysmir to appease the Elves, and that Skyrim needed the Greybeards' blessing for independence."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing," said Arngeir. "We are not men of violence, Valkyrie. We care not for the conflicts of the outside world... but..."

"But Ulfric is out there falsely fighting a holy war in your name," said Valkyrie. "So are you going to do anything about it?"

The old man simply sighed. "We cannot."

"What do you mean you can't?" The Dragonborn exclaimed. "Your word is all but law to these Nords. All you would have to do is go to Windhelm and Shout Ulfric into a wall and this whole thing would be over."

"We are not warriors," said Arngeir. "What rules are overlooked for the Dragonborn still apply to us. In addition, as part of our oaths as Greybeards, we are forbidden from leaving the monastery."

"Forbidden by who exactly?" asked Valkyrie, now crossing her arms.

"Paarthurnax."

"Who the fuck is Paarthurnax?" The Dragonborn demanded. "For Gods' sakes, Arngeir, every time I feel like we're finally moving past all the secrets and keeping things from me..." she stopped herself, very much aware that she was about to say something she may have regretted. "Who is Paarthurnax?"

"He is the leader of the Greybeards," said Arngeir.

"I thought you were the leader?"

"Oh no," the monk shook his head. "I merely speak for them. Paarthurnax is by far the oldest and most powerful of us. He lives alone in seclusion on the peak of the mountain. He speaks to us exceedingly rarely, and never to outsiders."

"So am I still an outsider, then?" Valkyrie spat.

"No, no, Dragonborn," Arngeir quickly changed his tone. "Forgive me, it was not our intention to keep secrets from you."

"So why no mention of this Paarthurnax until now?"

"Because you weren't ready," said the Greybeard. "You still may not be ready. You may be Ysmir now, but even that does not mean you are prepared to speak to Paarthurnax."

"I think I'll take my chances," said Valkyrie. "You said he lives at the peak of the mountain, right?"

"Yes, but..." Arngeir struggled with his words.

"Are you going to try and stop me, Arngeir?" asked Valkyrie very seriously, almost somberly.

"No," the old man shook his head. "I know better than that. You may scale the mountain if you wish, but if Paarthurnax does not feel you are ready to speak with him, you simply will not find him there."

"What are you talking about?" asked the Dragonborn, now confused. "Is he a mage or something? Able to conceal himself with illusions?"

"In a manner of speaking," Arngeir sighed. "Please forgive me, Dragonborn, but I cannot say anymore. My sacred oath as a Greybeard demands that I protect Paarthurnax and his secrets with my life."

"I guess I shouldn't have expected any different," said Valkyrie. "Well anyway, you have the horn, and I can't stay."

"Of course, Dragonborn," said the monk. "You are always free to come and go as you see fit."

"Oh trust me, I won't be gone long," said the Dragonborn, now turning away from the Greybeard. "Once my other business is taken care of, I plan on coming back to get some answers from Paarthurnax."

26th of Heartfire, 4E 201

Riften was every bit the seedy slum of a city that Valkyrie remembered it to be from her brief visit the previous year. As soon as she stepped through the gates, the smell of the city's canals hit her, and the Dragonborn almost immediately felt as though she was being watched, although she had a feeling she knew by whom.

Valkyrie trudged down the main street past the city gates, ignoring the looks of astonishment and confusion from the townsfolk, such gazes were understandable as they had never seen anyone waltz around brazenly adorned with armor made of dragon scales. As she made her way across the canal bridges, through the city's market, hearing whispers as she walked by, the Dragonborn could only feel the feeling of eyes on her intensify, and not from the gazes of the townsfolk.

She quickly turned off the street, into a back alley, certain this would draw out exactly who was following her. Less than a moment later, Valkyrie let out a smirk as she heard light footsteps creeping behind her.

In one quick motion, the Dragonborn spun around, her hand clasping tightly around the wrist of the young Breton girl that was mere inches away from her satchel.

"Hello, Olette," said Valkyrie with a smile. "Still picking pockets, I see."

"What are ya-" the young girl stuttered, confused, before realization hit her. "Wait, it's you!"

The Nord had no time to answer before an angry, high pitched yell came from the other end of the alley, and she quickly looked over to see three other children, a Reguard, an Altmer, and an Argonian sprint her way with weapons drawn.

The Dragonborn sighed, her free hand drawing her blade while the other maintained her death grip around Olette' s wrist. She wasn't going to kill these kids, but she was certainly about to to teach them to be more careful about who they rob. That was, until the young Breton called out to to them, "Wait, guys! Stop!"

The other children were visibly confused, but did as Olette requested, weapons still drawn. The young Redguard struggled to steady his two handed greatsword, which was almost the size of him, and ended up tripping over its weight, falling face first to the ground. Valkyrie turned back to Olette, now very much annoyed.

"Please don't tell me you were about to have your friends ambush me," said the Nord. "Is that any way to greet an old friend?"

"Sorry, cap'n," said the Breton sheepishly. "Ah didn't know it was you."

"Olette, who is this?" asked the Altmer, another young girl with magic radiating in her palms, still seeming ready to attack at any moment.

"She's a friend, fellas," said Olette as Valkyrie finally let go of her arm. "Ya can put yer weapons away." The other children finally complied, and the Dragonborn finally got a good look at them. Two boys, the Argonian and the Redguard, and a girl, the High Elf. All four in ratty, unfitting clothes that were covered with dirt and stains, and all of them looking thin and malnourished.

"So," said Valkyrie. "Are you going to introduce me, Olette?"

"O' course," said the Breton as she moved to her friends' side. "Where are me manners? The Redguard's Matthias, he fancies himself a great warrior."

"'Cause I am!" said the boy, his chin up in the air and his voice cracking. "You watch, one of these days I'm gonna join up with the Companions, and everyone's gonna know who I am."

"Whatever ya say, killer," Olette shook her head. "The Elf here is Eldawyn, who's actually pretty skilled at the magic thing."

The young Altmer then did a curtsy, which Valkyrie almost found herself laughing out loud at. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance," said Eldawyn, which the Dragonborn returned with a bow of her head.

"And then the Argonian, he doesn't talk," the young Breton continued. "True to his name, I s'pose. They call him Speaks-With-Silence, but we've all just been callin' him Si for short."

Valkyrie looked over Si for a bit longer than she intended, she had never encountered an Argonian before, and the sight of a humanoid body covered with scales and a lizard's head was enough to raise her curiosity. The boy then extended a hand, which the Nord gladly shook. "It's nice to meet all of you."

She then looked back at Olette, who seemed to be in even worse shape than her friends, her clothes baggy and full of holes, circles under her eyes, and looking even thinner than the last time she had seen her.

"Olette," said Valkyrie gently. "When was the last time you ate? Come to think of it, when did any of you eat last?"

"Don't worry 'bout it, cap'n," the Breton tried to play off the fact that she was clearly starving, unhelped by her stomach which then let out a loud growl.

"It's been about a week for us," said Matthias quite matter-of-factly. "Week and a half for Olette, she usually gives us any food she finds before takin' care of herself."

"Say no more," said Valkyrie before any of the children could argue. She reached into her satchel, pulling out a large bag full of gold and tossed it to Olette. "Here. This should be more than enough to get the four of you a decent meal."

The Breton sighed. "'Preciate it, cap'n," she said quietly. "What do ya want fer it?"

"For that?" asked Valkyrie. "Nothing, just take it."

"Bullshit," Matthias piped up now. "You people always want somethin', no way you just gave us a giant purse outta the kindness of your heart."

"Hush, idiot," Eldawyn rolled her eyes, before bowing her head to Valkyrie. "Unlike my boorish friend here, I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. So thank you for your generosity, madame."

"True, that one was generosity. This one, on the other hand," said the Dragonborn, reaching into her pouch once again, this time pulling out a coin purse so bloated with gold that all four children's eyes widened. "I need some information for it."

"Ye've come ta the right place then," said Olette with a mischevous smile. "What do ya want ta know, cap'n?"

"I need to find someone named Brynjolf."

There was a sudden silence as the four children quickly exchanged glances. Si in particular shook his head, as though warning the other children not to divulge the information Valkyrie was asking about, which caused her to raise an eyebrow. "Whaddaya want with mister Brynjolf?" demanded Matthias.

"Oh, so it's mister Brynjolf?" Valkyrie asked. "How exactly do you kids know him?"

"Listen," Olette motioned for her friends to calm themselves. "I trust ya, cap'n, but before I say anything, ya gotta promise me ya won't harm mister Brynjolf. He's been good ta us in the past, gave us money fer food and the like."

"But not recently?"

"His outfit's fell on hard times it seems," the Breton shrugged. "But he'll get things turned around. He always does."

"If you say so," said the Dragonborn, tossing Olette the purse. "I promise I'm not out to hurt him. I just need his help finding someone else. Someone who keeps a very low profile."

"Say no more," said Olette. "I don't exactly know where he stays, but I can get word for him ta meet ya in the Bee n' Barb in a few hours. He's got a private room that he uses fer... business."

"Wonderful," the Dragonborn couldn't help but scoff slightly, although her tone quickly changed when she saw the four children clutching at their stomachs, ogling the pouches of coin as though unsure what to do with them. "Actually," she continued. "Where are you all staying? Did you all get kicked out of the orphanage like Olette?"

"Yes, sadly," said Eldawyn. "To be honest with you, not having a roof over my head is preferable to living underneath that horrid crone Grelod."

"I've heard stories," said Valkyrie darkly. "They almost sent me there when my family died. I was lucky enough to be taken in by some kind strangers."

"Sounds fun," Matthias spat. "In case you ain't noticed though, no one gives a damn about us." He looked desperately down at the coin Valkyrie had given them. "This'll feed us for a couple days, but then it'll be right back to starving." The Redguard boy's complaining was then cut short as Si delivered a quick punch to the shoulder.

"Listen," Valkyrie said. "Maybe I'm just a bleeding heart, but I don't want you kids to starve to death in the streets. Once I've found who I'm looking for, why don't you all leave with me? You can stay at my house in Whiterun." The children's eyes widened as they all exchanged glances, equal measure of excitement, caution, and confusion.

"Ya serious, cap'n?" asked Olette.

"Dead serious," Valkyrie nodded. "All I ask is that you help keep the place clean while I'm gone. And maybe don't give my injured housemate too hard of a time." Further looks were tossed back and forth between the kids, as though debating whether or not to take the Dragonborn's offer seriously. Finally, Olette spit on her hand, and extended it to Valkyrie, who couldn't help but chuckle as she did the same.

"Ye've got yerself a deal," said the Breton, and suddenly Valkyrie was caught off guard as Si rushed forward to hug her waist.

"It's alright, bud," she said, slightly amused as she gave the Argonian boy a pat on the back, only for the other three children to rush her and join in on the hug. "Alright guys, this is fun," said Valkyrie as they finally broke away. "But I need to be on my way. Meet me outside the stables tonight and we'll all get out of here."

"We'll all be eagerly awaitin', cap'n."

The moment Valkyrie stepped foot inside the Bee and Barb, Riften's only actual inn, the chatter of its patrons stopped and a dead silence fell over the whole place as every last man, woman, and child took notice of her. The Dragonborn simply sighed, supposing this was just something she was going to have to get used to as she pushed past a few people. The smell of cheap ale and poorly cooked food filled her nostrils as she finally reached the stairs on the other end of the room, more than eager to get the information out of this Brynjolf and be on her way. As she reached the second floor of the building, she noticed one large door that somehow seemed more important than the others. A woman stood on the outside of the frame, leaning up against a wall with a hood obscuring her face. The woman only momentarily looked in Valkyrie's direction, before nodding her head towards the door, and the Dragonborn rolled her eyes as she complied.

On the other side of the door Valkyrie expected to see a standard room for an inn, with a bed and some minor furnishings. But when Olette had said Brynjolf used this room for business, she hadn't been joking. While there was indeed a small bed in the corner, a large desk took up the center of the room with chairs on either side. Along the wall were various lockboxes, each with handwritten labels that Valkyrie couldn't make out, and across from the bed, several shelves littered with scraps of paper.

Sitting opposite from her on the other side of the desk was a red haired Nord dressed in fine raimant, and if Valkyrie didn't know better, could swear he smelled like gingerbread. "Brynjolf, I presume?" She said finally.

"You presume correctly, lass," said the man, not even bothering to look directly at her, instead focused on the letter he was writing. "Our little friend Olette tells me you want something from me."

"Don't call me lass," Valkyrie warned him, now taking a seat at the desk. "And yes, I need to find someone named Esbern."

"I see," said Brynjolf, still focused on his paper. Valkyrie was ready to crumple the damned thing up and shove it down his gullet. "And what might this information be worth to you, my dear?"

Valkyrie's eyebrow raised, unsure if she had heard correctly. "Excuse me?"

"I'm afraid I must be compensated for my efforts," said Brynjolf, even now still not bothering to look at her face to face. "Not to mention, I can only imagine what favors the Dragonborn could provide for my outfit."

Valkyrie couldn't decide whether to be impressed by the sheer audacity this man possessed, or to gut him right here and find Esbern herself. Instead, she slammed a fist on the table, and when the man finally turned to face her, she wasted no time grabbing the scruff of his shirt and standing up, forcing Brynjolf to his feet as well. "Let's get something straight," she said. "This is not a negotiation. You're going to tell me what I want to know. Because if you don't, you and your friend outside are going to end up at the bottom of the canal."

"While I'm sure you're capable of doing just that," the red haired Nord said in a strained voice, "You kill me, and you won't be able to find your friend."

Valkyrie's grip only tightened and her free hand hovered above the hilt of her katana. "That's not what I wanted to hear."

"Alright, alright," choked out Brynjolf, and she finally let go. "By the Nine, woman, I was just having a bit of fun."

"Fun, huh?" The Dragonborn scowled. "I don't understand what Lydia sees in you."

The red haired Nord's eyes suddenly widened as he massaged his neck. "Lydia?" He asked. "How do you know her?"

"She's a friend," said Valkyrie. "Said you were the man to talk to if I needed information."

"Shor's balls, why didn't you just lead with that?" Brynjolf shook his head. "Your man, his name is Esbern, right?" Valkyrie nodded. "He lives down in the Ratway. Maze of old sewers underneath the city. Very easy to get lost if you don't know where you're going."

"So what you're saying is, I need a guide who knows their way around?" Valkyrie smirked.

"Nice try," the man chuckled. "There is a shortcut, but it's only known to... let's say, the initiated."

"You seem to be under the impression that I'm asking."

"I suppose now it's my turn to wonder what my dear buttercup sees in you," Brynjolf scoffed at her.

"Buttercup?" Valkyrie couldn't help but stifle a laugh. "Oh, she's never living that down." Her expression then turned right back to seriousness. "But I don't think you're in any position to judge me, considering you seem to be in the habit of letting kids starve."

"You mean Olette and her friends?" Brynjolf asked. "Bah, I'd never let it get that bad. Sure, my outfit's had a run of bad luck lately, but once our dear little Olette is old enough, I'm hoping to recruit her into our ranks. She'll never have to worry about going hungry again."

"And what exactly does your organization do?" The Dragonborn crossed her arms, met only with a smirk.

"That, unfortunately," the red haired Nord started. "Is information that I will not disclose, even under pain of death."

"Whatever," Valkyrie rolled her eyes. "Are you going to show me this secret passage or do I have to beat it out of you?"

"You just don't take no for an answer, do you?" Brynjolf laughed. "Very well, but let's make it quick."

A quick trudge through to the other side of town, the pair of them subtly slipping behind the temple, Brynjolf led Valkyrie to a sarcophagus, the image of the goddess Mara depicted in statuary just above it. There appeared to be a strange, unknown symbol carved into the side, which Brynjolf then pushed down upon, and the sound of stone scraping against itself sounded out, revealing a staircase leading down into a dark tunnel just underneath.

"I hope you brought a torch," said the man.

"I'll be fine," said Valkyrie, summoning a flame in her palm. "See you around, Brynjolf."

And so the Dragonborn descended into the sewers, the smell almost immediately assaulting her senses and causing her face to scowl. How anyone in their right mind could ever live down here was beyond her. But then, judging by what Olette and Brynjolf had told her, most residents of the Ratway in fact were not in their right mind. As she trudged on, the moss and slime covered stone walls mixed with the faint sounds of dripping water only made her long to return to the surface and draw a hot bath.

Eventually, Valkyrie began to notice doors along the sides of the walls, not terribly surprising, as she had been informed there were numerous vagabonds living down here. What took the Nord by surprise, however, is that almost every one of them were swung wide open. Placing her back to the wall of the closest doorway, the Dragonborn ever so slightly peeked through, and here eyes widened when she discovered two dead bodies, both humans, piled on top of one another, lying in a pool of blood. She moved to the next door, her steps now much lighter, only to discover yet another corpse in the next room.

She wasn't alone down here. And there was a sneaking suspicion in the back of the Dragonborn's mind that whoever was killing these people was also looking for Esbern. Ever cautious, she lightly stepped further into the tunnel, until the faint sound of a voice... no, voices began to make themselves known to her. Valkyrie came across a much larger entryway with no door, a dim light coming through, as she guessed what little daylight was left was shining down into the next room from the surface.

She flattened her back against the wall, dousing the fire in her palms as she inched towards the doorway, trying desperately to listen in on whatever the voices were saying.

"Well, what do you want from me? The last one didn't know anything more than the rest of them," said one voice, a male.

"He may have known more than he let on," replied another, this one female. "You must always apply... pressure to get these humans to give you what you want."

"You'd know a thing or two about applying pressure to humans, wouldn't you?" Yet another voice, also male. How many of these people were down here? From their accents and the snotty tone in their voices, Valkyrie could only guess these were... She peeked ever so slightly out of cover, and found she was correct. Thalmor, five of them to be precise. Four of them were dressed head to toe in full armor, a golden hue that almost matched their Altmer skin, while one, the lone female, was dressed in the same robes that Valkyrie had seen Ondolemar wear during her time in the Markarth keep.

"Watch your tongue, soldier!" The female scolded. "Another comment like that and I'll have you sent back to Alinor for reeducation."

"Apologies, Emmisary," the male Elf immediately backed down, much to the delight of his superior. "Are there any more rooms in this slum? I feel as though we've killed everyone here."

"There's one other door," said another Altmer, "But it looks as though it hasn't been opened for decades. And it's got more locks on it than the Imperial treasury."

"Get it open," said the leader. "There's nowhere else he could be hiding."

"Of course, Emmisary, though it will take us some time. Possibly an hour or two."

"I don't care how long it takes, just get that door open." It was now that Valkyrie finally decided to make her entrance, drawing the katana from her hip and summoning the fire in her palm once more. The room was large, open, and empty, the only source of light coming from the ceiling where the dimming sunlight from the surface shined through. The Thalmor noticed her immediately, and drew their own weapons.

"That has to be the other Blades agent!" Exclaimed one of the soldiers. "Kill her!"

"Wait!" The female in robes stopped her men before they could attack, and stepped in front of them, an insufferably smug grin across her face as she approached Valkyrie. "So... the Dragonborn of Skyrim. A privilege to make your acquaintance. I am Elenwen, First Emmisary to Skyrim of the Aldmeri Dominion."

"I don't care," Valkyrie spat at her. She had a feeling about where this was headed, and was about to nip it in the bud.

"Feisty, aren't you?" The Altmer named Elenwen raised an eyebrow. "I presume you're here for the same reason we are?"

"I don't really give a damn why you're here," said the Dragonborn. "Now get out of my way."

"I'm afraid I can't do that," said the Elf. "You see, your friend Esbern is a criminal, wanted for crimes against the Dominion, and we must bring him in by any means necessary."

"Apparently you haven't caught the hint yet," Valkyrie's teeth began to grit. "I. Do not. Care. I'm leaving with Esbern and you aren't."

"You believe that, do you?" Elenwen scoffed. "You humans. Always believing you can stand up to your betters, when you are but dogs, and we are your masters."

Valkyrie rolled her eyes and sighed. "Ulfric could learn a thing or two about racism from you."

"Please," said the Altmer. "That we Mer are superior to you humans is an established fact. Why, just look at how we defeated you in the Great War."

Finally, the Dragonborn had had it. "ENOUGH!" She allowed the Thu'um to slip past her throat, the entire room shaking when she spoke, a few loose stones falling from the ceiling. "I have heard so many fucking speeches since going public about being Dragonborn. If I hear one more, I am going to lose my mind." She raised her blade and pointed it directly at the Thalmor in front of her. "This is your last chance. You can get out of my way, or you can die."

Elenwen sighed, before motioning to her soldiers. "Kill her."

The four Altmer obeyed unquestioningly, all charging directly at Valkyrie with their weapons drawn. The Dragonborn cast a stream of fire directly at the floor in front of her, and the fire immediately rose up, creating a temporary barrier between the Thalmor and her. Or so she thought, as two of the soldiers sidestepped the flames while one particularly foolish Elf jumped right through them, his blade coming down fast in the direction of Valkyrie's skull. The Nord was able to block his attack with her own sword, parrying his blow and forcing the blade out of his hands. She reared her katana back, preparing to run the Elf right through the gut, but another Thalmor's mace made contact with the back of her knee, forcing her down to one leg, while the now unarmed Altmer delivered a vicious kick directly to her chest.

Valkyrie's back hit the stone floor hard, but the Dragonborn managed to keep the momentum going as she rolled backwards and returned to her feet, now firing off a few more bolts of fire at each Elf in the room. Two of which her magic made clean contact with, stumbled backwards, hands clasping at their faces and armor, trying to put out any potential flames. The other two, however, managed to dodge Valkyrie's magic and came at her with renewed fervor. One Thalmor swung his axe, aiming directly for Valkyrie's head, but the Dragonborn managed to duck just in time, and the weapon instead only hit his fellow Altmer right in the neck. Blood began to spew, and before the Elf could pull his weapon out of his fellow's throat, Valkyrie retaliated by shoving her own blade right through the soldier's throat.

It was then that a bolt of lighting struck her, directly in the side, sending the Dragonborn flying backward and crashing into the stone wall. Her body screamed in pain, but the adrenaline of battle forced the Dragonborn to keep moving, as she ducked underneath the swipe of one of the Thalmor's blade, a chunk of the stone wall behind her now removed. She rolled to the side, attempting to swing at the Elf's feet, but he jumped into the air to avoid the blow. From the side, the final remaining Altmer came at her with his mace, this one also only catching the wall as Valkyrie just barely managed to evade the attack.

The Elf continued to swing, each blow coming closer and closer to making contact as Valkyrie continued to bob and weave between his attacks, until the other Elf finally reentered the fight, and Valkyrie had to raise her blade to parry one of his swipes, giving the Altmer with the mace a chance to capitalize. Less than a moment later, his mace finally made contact with Valkyrie's hip, followed by another quick blow to the side of the head, and the Dragonborn went down quickly, her vision blurred from the force of the blow.

Fuck, she thought as she hit the ground. These Thalmor are tough. The Elf with the blade was now attempting to go in for the kill, leaping into the air with his sword aimed directly at Valkyrie's chest, and so the Dragonborn finally played her biggest advantage. "FUS RO DAH!" The force of her Shout knocked the Thalmor out of the air, as well as caused the other soldier to stumble backwards, and they both hit the ground with a thud. The Nord raised her legs into the air, bending at the knees, before finally kipping up and returning to her feet, ready to finish the job, before yet another bolt of lightning struck her, causing the Dragonborn to cry out in pain and once more crash into the wall. It seemed Elenwen was very invested in keeping her soldiers alive.

Valkyrie's eyes quickly darted around the room, she could see Elenwen gearing up for another blast of magic, as well as the two soldiers leaning on one another to try and stand up, and the Nord immediately knew what to do. "WULD NAH KEST!" Another blast of electricity missed her by only inches, and in less than a moment she had closed the distance between her and the soldiers, her katana now firmly embedded into one's gut, out through his back, and directly into the one behind him. The two quickly fell to the ground, and rather than take the precious moments to pull her sword back out, Valkyrie summoned the fire in both her palms once more, ready to fight Elenwen magic to magic.

"You worm!" The final remaining Elf was none too happy, her face a disgusted scowl as the two circled each other. "You will pay dearly for the lives of my men,"

"Try me," Valkyrie spat back. "Let's see what you're made of, bitch."

The electricity in Elenwen's palms now extended all the way up her arms, and she charged directly at the Dragonborn, throwing a calculated hook that Valkyrie attempted to block, but received only a shock through the side of her body, allowing the Thalmor to follow up with another blow to the gut. Then another right to the jaw, this one causing Valkyrie to fall back to the ground. Every touch sent waves of shock through the Dragonborn's body, and she knew without her armor she'd be dead already. Elenwen attempted to move closer, but Valkyrie quickly swept her legs, causing the Elf to fall to the floor, and as the Dragonborn returned to her feet, she followed suit with the exact trick that the Altmer had used, the fire in her hands now engulfing her arms from top to bottom.

Elenwen returned to her feet quickly, but Valkyrie was ready, delivering a punch right to the Elf's gut, followed by two to the jaw, and finally she jumped up and planted her foot right in the Elf's chest. The Thalmor let out a cry of pain as she stumbled back, and Valkyrie attempted to close in and finish her off, only for the lightning surrounding the Altmer's arms to disappear, now replaced with a dark orange hue. Before the Dragonborn could connect another hit, Elenwen disappeared in a flash of orange light, leaving Valkyrie confused and frustrated.

"Well, shit," The Nord said out loud. "I definitely don't know that trick."

The light quickly reappeared behind her, and before Valkyrie could even react, she felt the sting of a dagger across her back, and as she cried out and fell to one knee, the light disappeared once more. The Dragonborn gritted her teeth, her anger only growing. The dagger hadn't cut through the armor, thankfully, but she knew it was only a matter of time before Elenwen got in one lucky shot. The orange light reappeared to her side, and the Altmer took another swipe at the Dragonborn with her knife. No time to dodge, Valkyrie tried to block the swing, leaving her with a gash across both her arms. Elenwen disappeared yet again, only phasing in less than a moment later in front of Valkyrie taking a stab at her shoulder, this one finally successful. The blade cut through her pauldrons, but only just far enough to knick the skin. Despite this, Valkyrie knew she was in trouble if she didn't think of something quickly.

"SU GRAH!"

A Shout that she had never used before, but one taught to her by the Greybeards nonetheless, Valkyrie could feel every ounce of her being growing faster. It was almost as if time had slowed down around her, yet everything continued to move at its normal pace. At last Elenwen reappared, now attempting to kill the Dragonborn once and for all with her dagger aiming straight for Valkyrie's neck. But the Dragonborn was ready, grabbing the Altmer by the wrist and side stepping to her back, forcing the knife from her grasp in the process. When the Thalmor spun back around, she was greeted only with the same dagger being planted in her gut.

Elenwen let out a cough, blood spattering from her mouth, and Valkyrie summoned the fire into her palms yet again. But before she could kill the Elf, she disappeared once more, phasing back in at the other end of the room, beyond the large entryway Valkyrie had come through. The Dragonborn quickly Shouted, "WULD NAH!" to close the distance between them, but rather than finally delivering the killing blow to Elenwen, found herself crashing into a magical barrier that the Elf had contructed.

Valkyrie stumbled backward, slightly dazed, and overhead the Thalmor coughing, a hand clutched to her stomach. "I must say," said Elenwen, her voice incredibly strained and shaky. "You fight quite well for a human savage."

"And I've faced tougher challenges from bandits," the Dragonborn fired back. "Lower this barrier and die with some dignity."

The Elf tried to laugh, but this instead turned into a cough, in which more blood escaped from her mouth. "I don't think so," she groaned, before stumbling back down into the tunnel. "Go get your accomplice, Dragonborn. You haven't seen the last of the Dominion."

Valkyrie's fists clenched, before groaning as the adrenaline finally started to wear off and the pain of her injuries began to seep in. For all her bluster and unwillingness to give those damned Thalmor the satisfaction, the Nord had to admit that short of Harkon or the dragons, they were easily some of the toughest enemies she had ever faced down. The Dragonborn reached into her satchel, taking a sizeable gulp from the healing elixir Farengar had provided her back in Whiterun, before finally ripping her katana away from the corpses of the Thalmor soldiers and placing it back to rest on her hip.

She remembered the soldiers mentioning a door that looked as though it hadn't been opened for years, and given that most of the residents of the Ratway were now dead, Valkyrie could only guess Esbern was behind said door, and so she only needed to find it.

This proved to be an easy task. Only a few short minutes of continuing to wander the sewers, past several other barren corridors and empty rooms, Valkyrie came across possibly the most secure door she had ever seen, with more locks and security measures on it than any sane person would ever have. Then again, she reasoned, Esbern had been on the run from the Aldmeri Dominion for years, so a bit of paranoia was certainly justified. The Nord banged on the door a few times, and it echoed across the walls of the tunnel, but she received no answer. She banged a few more times, now with a bit more force, and finally the smallest peephole opened up just at her eye level. On the other side she saw the face of an elderly man, a fellow Nord, balding and gray facial hair quite unkempt.

"Go away!" Was all the man said before immediately closing the latch again. Valkyrie sighed, banging on the door once again, she was not leaving without this old man, whether he wanted to come with her or not. The peephole opened once more, and the man's face was now visibly annoyed. "I said go away!" he yelled at her. "I'm very dangerous!"

"Esbern, open the door!" Valkyrie said back. "I'm a friend."

"What?! I-" The man stuttered, suddenly breaking eye contact and looking around his room. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not this Esbern you're looking for."

The Dragonborn understood the man's paranoia, but that didn't change the fact that he was beginning to test her patience. "Delphine sent me."

"Delphine?" It sounded as though Esbern had gotten the wind knocked out of him. "So you've finally found her, she led you to me. And here I am caught like a rat in a trap."

"What? What are you talking about?" Valkyrie asked. "Listen, this place isn't safe, the Thalmor know you're down here."

"And no doubt you're one of them!" Esbern shot back. "Leave me alone, I'm not opening this door for anyone!" With that, the peephole shut for a final time, and Valkyrie decided she had had enough.

"Esbern!" she yelled, receiving no reply. "You can open this door, or I'm going to bust it down!" When the old man didn't respond a second time, Valkyrie simply gritted her teeth, and Shouted, "FUS RO DAH!" The force erupted from her mouth, slamming against the steel door with a deafening crash, but only served to loosen its hinges. Valkyrie was surprised, she had surely underestimated just how paranoid Esbern was. As she massaged her throat, trying to ease away the burning sensation and preparing to Shout a second time, the latch on the door opened yet again, this time Esbern's eyes displaying what could almost be described as a look of childlike wonder.

"Did you just... Shout?" He asked quietly.

"I did," said Valkyrie. "I'm Dragonborn, Esbern. I'm the one the Blades have been searching for."

"I... I can't," the old man was clearly at a loss for words. "I can't believe it. The Gods have not abandoned us."

"What are you talking about?"

"Here, you'd better come in so we can talk," said Esbern before closing the latch one final time. Before Valkyrie could interject, she heard clicks and the sliding of mechanisms coming from the other side of the door, and Valkyrie couldn't help but chuckle. "This will just take a moment," she heard Esbern call from the other side. "Agghh, this one always sticks... there we go. Only a couple more." Before Valkyrie could even question how this man was able to even construct a door with this many locks and security, it finally opened, and there stood Esbern, beckoning her inside, to which the Dragonborn obliged. "Come in, come in. Make yourself at home."

To say that Esbern lived in a pig sty was something of an understatement, the smell of unwashed clothes and uneaten food hit Valkyrie immediately upon entry. There was only a small sleeping bag in the corner of the room, with almost every other inch of the small room covered in strewn about books and papers, the only other furniture being a small table with two chairs. She coughed a few times, and it was clear that Esbern knew exactly how it looked.

"Oh trust me, I know," said the old man as he sat down at the table. "Unfortunately, when you're a fugitive, you can't really afford luxuries like proper hygiene."

"Well hopefully when we get to Whiterun, you can take a bath," said Valkyrie as she sat opposite of him.

"Whiterun?" asked Esbern. "Why are we going there?"

"Because that's where I told Delphine to meet me."

"Right, you mentioned Delphine," said the old man. "At first I thought it was a Thalmor trap."

"Somehow I don't think she'd sell you out that easily," said Valkyrie, coughing once again, far beyond eager to get out of this place.

"Perhaps not," Esbern shrugged, before turning to look Valkyrie dead in the eyes. "So... Dragonborn." She simply nodded in return. "This is... well, I never truly thought this would happen. I've spent more than thirty years believing that our doom was approaching, and there was nothing we could do to stop it."

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean, what do I mean?" Esbern asked. "Haven't you figured it out yet? Alduin has returned! The dragon from the dawn of time who devours the souls of both the living and the dead." Valkyrie couldn't help but shudder at the mention of Alduin, as the dragon's horrible image briefly flashed in her mind. "No one can escape his hunger, here or in the afterlife. Alduin will devour all things and the world will end. Nothing can stop him."

"If nothing can stop him," Valkyrie finally interjected. "Then why do you need a Dragonborn so badly?"

"Of course, my apologies," the old man. "I never expected... Well, suddenly here you are and I'm too muddled to explain myself. The idea that there is hope for us after all... The prophecy has come true at last."

"What's this prophecy?" asked Valkyrie. "And please don't give me the in due time spiel, I've heard that more than enough."

"I'm afraid I don't recall the finer details, it's been so long since I've sat down and studied," Esbern began, but continued before the Dragonborn could grow even angrier. "The long and short of it, however, is that you, the Dragonborn are destined to defeat Alduin and prevent the destruction of our world." That certainly took Valkyrie off guard. For once, she was unsure of what to say or think, the idea that this dragon, one that had haunted her dreams for well over a year, was intertwined with her own destiny unnerved her more than she would have liked to admit. The old man clearly picked up on this, and asked, "What do you know of Alduin?"

"I've been having nightmares about him for a while," Valkyrie answered honestly. "I... I actually came face to face with him not long ago."

"What?!" Esbern exclaimed. "You're lucky to be alive, then. How did you escape?"

"He resurrected a dragon, right in front of Delphine and I," the Dragonborn explained. "Sicced him on us. It was like I wasn't even worth his time." She shook her head, trying her best now to block out the image of Alduin in her head. "How am I supposed to defeat him?"

"Perhaps the full prophecy will have the answer," said Esbern, now rising from his seat. "We must go, quickly now. Take me to Delphine, we have much to discuss."

30th of Heartfire, 4E 201

Valkyrie had never been more grateful to step into her own home. The ride from Riften to Whiterun would have been uneventful, were it not for the children amusingly torturing Esbern the entire way there. While the five of them had taken the carriage, the Dragonborn had chosen to follow along on horseback just in case they ran into further trouble, which thankfully they did not. All four children immediately rushed past the Dragonborn, jumping around and showing excitement with the energy that only children could possess, and from across the room, Valkyrie spied Delphine, sitting at the dinner table with a bowl of stew, looking at her as though she had three heads.

"Why are there children with you?" Delphine asked as she stood up from the table.

"Long story," Valkyrie laughed. "Where's Lydia?"

"Upstairs resting," said the Breton.

"Good. Kids?" She turned to the children with a mischievous grin. "Why don't you go introduce yourselves to your aunt Lydia? See if you can keep her entertained. I have some business to discuss with my friends."

"Already pawnin' us off on someone else," young Matthias said in a half-joking manner, which only earned him a slap to the back of the head from Eldawyn as all four children hurried up the stairs, no doubt ready to torment poor Lydia just as they had done to Esbern during the carriage ride. Speaking of Esbern, the old Nord finally stepped inside the house from the outside, and Delphine's eyes immediately went wide.

"Delphine!" Esbern exclaimed warmly, pulling the Breton into an embrace. "It's good to see you. It's been a long time."

"You too, Esbern," Delphine replied. "It's been... too long, old friend." She turned to Valkyrie now, "Thank you."

"My pleasure," Valkyrie said, taking off her helmet and plopping down into a chair in front of the fire, which the Blades then followed suit. "We ran into some trouble, though. The Thalmor knew Esbern was down there."

"I shouldn't be surprised," the Breton sighed. "They've been hunting down the remnants of the Blades for thirty years."

"And now it looks like I'm on their list, too," Valkyrie groaned. "So what's next? Esbern told me he didn't remember the complete prophecy, but mentioned I'm supposed to defeat Alduin... somehow."

"Aduin," Delphine pondered. "That's the dragon we saw at Kynesgrove, right? The one who's raising the others from the dead?"

"That's him," Valkyrie sighed. "I've slain dragons but... Alduin is... different, somehow. I can't really explain it."

"Well, Alduin is quite unique to dragonkind," said Esbern. "According to Nordic folklore, he is the harbinger of the end times. And yet according to prophecy, you are destined to stop him."

"And you said that the full prophecy might tell me how to do that," the Dragonborn finished. "So where is it?"

Delphine and Esbern both exchanged a glance with one another. "Sky Haven Temple."

"And where is that?"

"So first things first, you should know," the Breton began. "We aren't the only two Blades left." Valkyrie raised an eyebrow before Delphine continued. "There's an old Akaviri temple out in the Reach, well hidden, damned hard to get to. After the Thalmor smashed us in the Great War, those of us that survived fled here, and began rebuilding in secret."

"How many of you are there?" Valkyrie asked.

"A few dozen," Delphine said. "I haven't been there in ages, the inkeeper act was just a means to keep my ear to the ground."

"I've never been there myself," said Esbern. "When we reached Skyrim, I had given up. I was convinced it was all over."

"Here's hoping you were mistaken," Valkyrie said quietly. "You said it's out in the Reach?"

"Yes, right alongside the bank of the Karth River," said Delphine, now rising from her seat. "I'll have to stop by Riverwood on the way there. Orgnar needs to know I'm not coming back."

"If I'm being honest," the Dragonborn said. "It might be safer if we travel separately. Seeing as the Thalmor are looking for me now too."

"I understand," said the Breton, now motioning to Esbern as both of them rose from their seats. "Don't worry, I'll make sure we get there in one piece. See you soon."

The two Blades exited the house promptly, and Valkyrie took off up the stairs to see how the children were treating Lydia. Unsurprisingly, her housecarl had taken control of the master bedroom, laid up in bed with the blankets covering most of her body, and looking none too amused with four rambunctious children prodding her. As soon as Valkyrie entered the room, Lydia shot her a glare.

"I will never forgive you for this," said the housecarl, and the Dragonborn couldn't help but laugh as she leaned against the doorframe. "Are you at least going to help me wrangle them?"

"Unfortunately, I can't stay," said Valkyrie, and all four kids immediately shot her a look.

"You're leaving already?" Eldawyn asked, bearing a similar look to a sad puppy.

"I'm sorry, guys. But I have other business to attend to," the Dragonborn. "I promise I'll be back soon, though."

"And what business would that be?" Lydia asked.

"Dragonborn stuff," Valkyrie said slyly. "Apparently I'm supposed to save the world or something. Again."

"And how ya figure you'll do that, cap'n?" Olette asked.

"I don't have the first clue," Valkyrie simply shrugged, before turning back and heading down the stairs. "Be good, kids. Don't make Lydia kill you."