DRAGON CRISIS

Destiny Unraveled

XIII

17th of Sun's Dawn, 4E 203

"You want me to kill a dragon?" Ziiah repeated as if she didn't hear properly the first time - which she was fairly certain she did.

Delphine nodded stoically. "That's right."

Ziiah blinked once. "The fuck why exactly?"

"The Greybeards think you're the Dragonborn," Delphine shrugged. "I need to know for certain."

"Greybeards' shouting from the top of the mountain isn't valid enough for you?" Ziiah asked sarcastically.

"Was it for you?" Delphine countered.

Oh, she's good. Ziiah shrugged.

"Good, we understand each other," Delphine said as she leaned on the table that separated her from Ziiah and Nyx.

The room they were in was a small cellar, neatly hidden from the bustling tavern and its occupants. Ziiah found her behavior odd and she didn't miss the subtle change in the woman's posture as they closed the door to her bedroom. Someone's been hiding for a long time, Ziiah thought as she led them through the secret door and into the basement. The air was growing irksome and it started to bother her more than she'd like to admit or show.

"Not quite," Ziiah said while frowning. "Why should I have to prove anything to you?"

Delphine seemed hesitant to answer. "I'm part of a group that's been long searching for you."

"Me?" Ziiah asked in surprise.

"Someone like you," Delphine corrected herself. "Being Dragonborn means you're the only one who can kill dragons for good."

Ziiah resisted laughing. "I'm sorry, I can't deal with this ridiculous narrative. Frankly, I just came for the horn."

"And you have it," Delphine said, adding, "No harm done. At least now I know you're not with the Thalmor."

The last word had Ziiah drop her guard and confidence completely. It had been a long time since she heard the name 'Thalmor' and longer still since she had any business with them. Hearing about them again brought her no comfort whatsoever and her face spoke more than it should on the matter.

"What made you think she's with the Thalmor?" Nyx asked once he noticed Ziiah's lack of response.

Delphine frowned. "We have history and I think your comrade is in the same predicament."

Ziiah growled. "Enough!"

Nyx touched her shoulder but was pushed off almost immediately. "Ziiah - "

"I'm not with the Thalmor," she seethed, "and anyone who so much as assumes as such will have another thing coming their way!"

Delphine was silent for a moment. "You're angry - good. You will need it for what's to come."

"Talk," Ziiah said firmly. "Now."

The Breton reached for a piece of parchment that was placed atop a neat stack of books. The parchment was a coal impression copy of an object and it had red and black coal scribbles on it. Upon a closer look, Ziiah found a strange resemblance between the drawing and the stone she and Kaani had found in Bleak Falls Barrow.

"The dragons weren't gone all this time," Delphine said slowly. "They were dead, killed by my predecessors, and are now coming back to life."

"Ridiculous," Nyx scoffed. "Dead is dead, nothing can change that, not permanently."

"Could it be necromancy?" Ziiah asked. "There are spells that can make permanent thralls out of corpses."

"I don't know," Delphine said almost in defeat. "That's why I need your help. If you are the Dragonborn, you can solve this dragon crisis and save everyone."

Nyx frowned. "You mentioned that your predecessors killed dragons before."

Delphine glanced at the Imperial with a deadly glare. "Yes, what of it?"

Ziiah turned to her comrade but said nothing as he bit his lower lip in thought. She expected him to say something but instead, he had Delphine continue.

"I know this sounds insane," Delphine said, chuckling. "I said the same thing to a colleague of mine years ago. Turns out he was right and I was not."

"How did you realize that they're coming back to life?" Ziiah asked.

"Dragon mounds," she answered. "They were empty, dug out from inside seemingly."

Nyx looked at Ziiah, "How did you find that dragon at the Western Watchtower?"

"How do you know about that?" Ziiah asked.

"Everyone knows about that," both Nyx and Delphine said in unison.

Ziiah was silent for a moment. "I didn't find it. It came flying from the mountains."

"Not all dragons were dead," Delphine said. "Some were hiding for centuries, partially because they had mortal allies hiding them."

Ziiah frowned. "You know an awful lot about this. How come?"

Delphine smirked. "Haven't you realized it already?"

She then flipped the parchment around and pushed it toward Ziiah. "You brought this to me."

For a moment, Ziiah didn't understand what she was referring to. She looked at Delphine and for a moment, an image flashed before her eyes. A hooded figure, next to Farengar in his study, the short altercation between her and Kaani - fuck, she's good. The span of emotions that washed over her face was particularly satisfying for Delphine to observe, mainly because it was a testament to her skill to remain hidden from prying eyes and those who wish her harm - Thalmor, in particular.

"You already know what this is," Delphine said once Ziiah snapped back from her train of thought. "I cross-referenced it with Skyrim's map and I visited those burial mounds. There is a pattern and the next one is near Kynesgrove."

"That's in Hjaalmarch," Nyx said, mainly to Ziiah. "Getting there would take a few days."

Ziiah frowned. "Kynesgrove...That's off the main road near Windhelm, right? I think I know where that mound is."

"Saves us the trouble of finding it," Delphine said, removing her hands from the table. "I just need to get in my traveling gear."

"We're going now?" Nyx asked, surprised.

Delphine gave him a blank stare. "You don't have to, I just need her."

Ziiah frowned. "I didn't say I will follow."

"Knowing what you know, I can't let you leave this place alive," Delphine said in a threatening manner. "Yet, even my paranoia has limits. I can't do shit to you now but you will come to me, sooner or later, for answers only I can give you."

"I'll try my luck," Ziiah said as she turned on her heel. "Let's go Nyx."

Before he could follow, what Delphine said next startled him to a halt, "Destiny is a fickle thing. If you are what you are, nothing will make your destiny obsolete."

Nyx looked at the Breton over his shoulder and thought he expected to see a smug grin or a devious smirk, he only saw pain. There was regret and sadness in her eyes, the kind you'd see in someone who's witnessed too much in one lifetime. His gaze fell back on Ziiah who was standing atop the staircase that led back to the tavern. She waited for him to join her.

"Nyx?" she asked, fearing his answer.

The Imperial sighed.

Ziiah scoffed. "You believe her? Come on, man."

"I wouldn't dream of telling you what to do," he said. "I just want you to picture the future in which there's no Kaani or Elvaynu or anyone else you care about."

Ziiah frowned. "Stop it - "

Nyx frowned as well. "I will but the dragons won't."

"You can't be serious - "

"If it's not this, then it's the civil war," Nyx cut in. "If it's not civil war, then it's political scheming of the Jarls and their Thanes. If not that, then it's the war of succession. However you look at it, things are shitload bad and you may be the answer to it."

"I'm not the answer to it," Ziiah seethed. "I can barely solve my problems!"

"Then start solving them," Nyx said, adding, "or at least try."

Speechless, Ziiah stared at the man. She wanted to scream, to curse, to make him feel what she feels. The pressure, the anxiety, the inner turmoil that doesn't go away - ever. Instead, she looked at Delphine and for a moment pondered if what the woman had said was true. If so, Divines protected her. After all, why send a Dragonborn to save to world only to have them die before accomplishing that? Another moment passed in silence before Ziiah sighed. She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"We'll meet you at Kynesgrove," she said, not looking at either of them. "Myself and several others, whoever volunteers. A week from now."

Though displeased with the delay, Delphine nodded in agreement. "A week from now then."

Ziiah offered a curt bow before proceeding out of the cellar with Nyx following close by. Delphine watched them leave and pondered if, perhaps, she should've just tied them up until they agreed to her plan.


Tashhee groaned in pain as her eyelids fluttered and her eyes opened only to be blinded by the light of the sconces hanging from the ceiling. It took her a couple of moments to realize what was going on. She felt her stomach convulse and protest against her desire to move. Her legs felt limp and weak. Despite her best efforts to use her arms, she could barely move them. Her whole body was in pain so she tried not to move too much. Instead, she tried to observe her surroundings as much as possible. Judging from the large number of beds in the single room, she figured she was at the Assemblage. She looked to her side and saw a kinsman lying on the cot with his back to her. Neetrenaza, she thought as she recognized her comrade.

"Nee..." she tried to say but her throat was very dry. "Neetrenaza..."

The Argonian remained silent as he slept next to her. Tashhee cleared her throat and tried again, a bit louder. Neetrenaza squirmed for a brief while before he turned to his other side. Tashhee reached out to him in hopes of touching his hand but failed as her shoulder began to painfully throb. Her yelp finally woke up the Argonian next to her and he sprung up from his cot and to her side immediately.

"You're awake," he said at the end of his breath. "How do you feel?"

Horrible, she wanted to say but managed to smile softly at her friend. "I've... been better."

"I'm so sorry, Tash," he said softly, caressing her cheek. "Luckily, we found you in time."

She swallowed. "What... happened?"

Neetrenaza was silent for a moment, wondering if he should even tell her the terrible fate that has befallen her. "Tash... It wasn't your fault."

"Tell me anyway," she said weakly.

He took hold of her hand, bringing it to his lips. He nuzzled her knuckles in comfort and she knew that whatever happened wasn't good.

"You were found in the passage leading to New Gnisis Club," he whispered. "Stands-In-Shallows brought you here and we managed to get an alchemist to heal you."

Tashhee hummed. "Thank you."

Neetrenaza smiled. "Don't mention it."

She returned the smile. "Now, what's the part you're not telling me?"

His smile fell. "You should rest, little one. We can talk about this later."

"Tell me," she said, her voice louder.

Neetrenaza swallowed the lump in his throat. He found it hard to utter the words, more so because he knew they would destroy her. It was bewildering to witness her slow descent into weakness. She wasn't always like that; weak, complacent, and timid. Once, he remembered, she was battle-hardened, resistant, and stubborn. Windhelm appeared different to him because of her - brighter, warmer. She was the breath of fresh air all of them desperately needed. For a while, she urged them to be better, to work hard, and to be proud of themselves. Don't lose hope or faith, he remembered her saying often back in the day. Yet, like all before her, she too lost that same hope and that same faith. She could no longer defend herself nor could she stand up for herself. Time after time, she got hurt, bruises were all over her body, and scales were missing from certain parts of her body, leaving gruesome scars in their stead. This can't go on like this, he thought as he contemplated if he was making the right decision - if they all were, for that matter.

"We talked, while you were asleep," he said, choosing his words carefully. "Perhaps... you should leave."

"Leave?" she asked, breathless. "Leave Windhelm? You?"

Neetrenaza frowned. "No one wants to see you go... I don't wish you to leave. However, this - "

He couldn't bring himself to say it, not to her. You're beautiful, he thought as he stared into her vermillion eyes. Even when you're hurt like this.

He sighed. "It'd be better if you went somewhere else. A smaller settlement in the Imperial territory."

Tashhee glanced at the ceiling. "I'm not going. I can't go."

"You will die if you stay," Neetrenaza tried to reason with her. "We can arrange something, a carriage or a boat at night. No one will notice you're gone."

"He will notice," she nearly spat. "He always notices when I'm missing from the docks."

Neetrenaza stiffened his upper lip, feeling like his voice might break if he doesn't. "We'll handle Torbjorn."

"No," Tashhee was adamant. "You can't handle him - no one can."

"What choice do we have, Tashhee?" Neetrenaza pleaded. "This is the center of Ulfric's power - no one will question the mistreatment we suffer."

"So we hide? We flee?!" Tashhee said, straining her vocal cords as she did so. "Cowardice won't bring us justice."

"Neither will pain," Neetrenaza said evenly before softening his next words, "Please, for my sake at least. I can't bear to have to pray again for you to awake."

As he said that, Tashhee could feel the weight of his love for her. She knew of his feelings for a long time and she knew only a single word from her could move that man to do anything for her. He could make you happy, she thought on more than one occasion but wish though she may, it was not meant to be. Despite harboring strong feelings for him, she couldn't bring herself to admit it, to admit that she loves him - at least, not in the way that he loves her. That is why his plea hurt her so much - he'd rather not have her at all than have her close and broken. After a while of being silent, she reluctantly nodded.

"Alright," she whispered, fighting back the tears that welled in her eyes. "I'll go."

Neetrenaza smiled but on the inside, he grieved.


Kaelan despised Skyrim. People called the Northern Province a beauty unlike any other but he saw no appeal. It was cold, damp, and cold yet again. Every step he took was heavy and if his foot just so happened to fall into the mud, it was even heavier. Trodding the wasteland of Skyrim was worse than scaling the Alik'r desert. Granted, he was in Hammerfell briefly but still - it was better than Skyrim. Anywhere is better than Skyrim, he'd think on numerous occasions. One thing he somewhat appreciated in the Northern Province was its women. Aldmeri women were graceful and poised, perfect to a fault. They seduced with charm and fucked with control and precision. Nothing but silk and the softest of furs and feathers could touch their naked ass. Nord women, on the other hand, were more rampant and casual. They didn't bother with time or place - as long as it was pleasurable. Kaelan recalled one of his dalliances in Dawnstar with a young bard named Karita. She was a fine woman; pretty face, pretty hair, and was quite a singer. The northern shores were freezing but the night was quite feverish as Karita straddled him atop the lighthouse just outside the city. Nothing but fur and stone beneath their entangled bodies and blinking stars and aurora lights above them.

Unlike his colleagues, Kaelan had nothing against the races of Men. He found them fascinating and worthy of study. Their perseverance and drive to survive against all odds were breathtaking and mind-boggling. He often wondered how they managed to persist throughout the eras without dwindling. A question for the wise men, he thought. When the news of Dragonborn started to circulate, Kaelan wondered what kind of figure earned such praise and worship. He hardly heard anything about who the Dragonborn was; merely legends and prophecies foretold centuries earlier. The only thing that gave him any semblance of what they might be like was that they were a 'she'.

All the more it made his investigation difficult. Kaelan sighed for the umpteenth time that day. Being part of the Thalmor was supposed to be a chance for him to travel, to see something - anything - besides Alinor. He never quite shared their vision of Elven-ruled Tamriel but he also never expected them to gain much power anyway. The Great War shifted the power struggle in their favor, which unnerved Kaelan for some odd reason. At the time, he had just entered the intelligence branch and wasn't expected to think. He didn't mind that - doing was more of his thing anyway. Around the same time, he was acquainted with Elenwen. Their relationship was professional at first but it quickly turned sexual and unlike him, Elenwen was a personification of Thalmor narrative and vision. She was good at her job and she truly believed in Elven supremacy. They may have not shared a view but he wanted her to succeed in whatever she was doing. As such, when she was posted in Skyrim, it was only fitting that he follows as well. He kept on doing until he got a position that many envied him for, not just because he was capable but because Elenwen knew he was capable. In retrospect, he should've left the Thalmor before then. Alas, his lady love needed him and he, against his better judgment, needed her as well. Love was a strong motivation for him.

He wasn't sure when his devotion became less romantic and more of a habit. Elenwen never made their relationship public but people knew of them and they also knew to not comment; at least, not out loud. Kaelan felt guilty the first few times he slept with other women. Elenwen was upset as well. At some point, they both stopped giving a fuck about it. Sometimes, Kaelan wondered if she would even protest if he desired to leave. That particular thought made him sad. Be it as it may, there was a tether that held him still to her side, for better or worse. He just hoped it was for the better as he arrived in Whiterun.


Lakeview Manor was a quaint place, built atop a hill overlooking Lake Ilinalta. Ziiah and Nyx arrived at the homestead sometime around sundown. The sun cast a beautiful curtain of colored lights that glistened against the lake's surface. The entire area was showered in oranges, yellows, and greens. It brought a smile to Ziiah's face as they made their way up the hill.

"This place is huge," Nyx whistled. "He just needs a wall and it'd be a fortress."

Ziiah chuckled. "If he builds a wall, I think his spying business would fail."

"Think so?" Nyx asked and Ziiah nodded. "It'd still look amazing."

It sure would, Ziiah agreed silently. A short while later, they found themselves at the front door of the manor. Ziiah and Nyx exchanged looks before Nyx stretched out his arm and knocked three times. They waited for a few moments but nothing happened. As Nyx went on to knock again, the door flung open, revealing a beautiful Redguard woman. She appeared confused for a moment before a polite smile appeared on her face.

"We were expecting you," she said softly before standing aside, beckoning them to enter the house. "Welcome."

Nyx allowed Ziiah to enter first, offering his hand as he did so. Once inside, they were in awe of the place. It was a manor, true enough. Numerous decorations dotted the entire house, from the entrance to the main hall: horn sconces, candle chandeliers, benches, silverware, paintings, mounted animal heads, and beautiful elven weaponry displayed neatly in glass cases. A house fit for a Thane, Ziiah thought as they entered the main hall area where their comrades awaited them at a long dinner table. Kaani was the first to notice them enter.

"Finally," she exclaimed as she rushed to embrace Ziiah. "We were getting worried."

Ziiah tried not to be smug as she said, "You should be, my friend."

Kaani frowned. "What happened?"

How do I explain this? she thought. Her eyes scanned the room and everyone present. Elvaynu and Babette were sitting at the table next to each other. While Babette was seemingly lost in thought as she stared at the ceiling, Elvaynu's attention was focused solely on Ziiah. Opposite them stood Veilheim who was leaning against the backrest of the chair. Loro was sitting on the chair next to him while Tarhrin sat at the head of the table. Ziiah noticed that all of them were still in their robes and armor. They're expecting to leave soon.

Ziiah sighed as she answered, "I need to go to Kynesgrove."

The Bosmer spy hummed. "And what is so important that you need to go there?"

"A dragon," Nyx piped in. "Or rather, it should be. We're not entirely sure of that part."

Kaani put a hand on Ziiah's shoulder. "What is he talking about?"

Ziiah bit her lower lip. "Remember Bleak Falls Barrow?"

Kaani nodded.

"The whole tablet thing?" Kaani nodded again. "Well, the woman that we met in Farengar's laboratory, the one with the hood... She was the one who left the note in Ustengrav and she wants me to kill the dragon in Kynesgrove."

Kaani growled. "What?!"

"I know, I know," Ziiah sighed. "I'm not particularly fond of her either. Still, if she's right about me, we may have a chance to be rid of the dragons for good."

"Ziiah, do you hear yourself?" Kaani retorted. "We're talking about fucking dragons! They're not giant spiders or bears that anyone can kill."

"But I'm not just anyone, am I?" Ziiah almost whispered. "Even if I wanted to be, I can't be."

Tarhrin looked down. "You can if you truly wish to."

Ziiah shook her head. "No, I can't. Nyx made a good point back in Riverwood."

"That would be a first," Elvaynu commented which earned a chuckle from the rest of the group.

Nyx merely rolled his eyes.

Ziiah smiled. "Still, he was right - I can run all I want but things catch me up eventually. I tried to hide from my past and I failed. I tried to live in peace and I failed. Perhaps I should try a different approach."

Tarhrin smirked. Finally, he thought as he realized that his plan was working. Mad Lord, I will credit this one to you.

"So," Kaani said hesitantly, "Kynesgrove?"

Ziiah nodded. "Kynesgrove."

"You won't be going alone," Elvaynu said while standing up. "I'm coming with."

At that moment, Babette snapped out of her thoughts and jumped off her chair. "Are you serious?!"

Elvaynu patted her comrade on the head. "Go home and tell the Family I will be there soon."

"But - " Babette said but was cut short as Elvaynu embraced her.

"I'm not sorry," she whispered in the night child's ear. "I know you understand."

Babette frowned but said nothing. After a while, she broke the embrace and sniffed as she did so. This didn't go unnoticed by Elvaynu who sniggered. Babette hit her in the shoulder as retribution. Veilheim smiled at the exchange between the two women, finding it endearing. It had been a while since he had seen a softer side of Elvaynu. Didn't know she still had it in her, he thought. On the other hand, Nyx resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Elvaynu? Being friendly? he thought bitterly. Could've fooled me...

"Do you need an escort back home?" Tarhrin asked Babette.

"No," she spat. "I'm feeling peckish anyway. It's better if I go alone."

"As you wish," Tarhrin said, smiling honestly. "Godspeed."

Babette rolled her eyes at the Elf before she returned her attention to Elvaynu. No words were spoken; they were needless between them. All that they needed to know, they understood from each other's eyes. Finally, Babette turned on her heel and headed outside. She made a brief pause by Ziiah's side, giving her a deadly glare. Ziiah would've been hardly phased by the gesture, had it not been for the girl's glowing vampire eyes.

"She trusts you so I trust you," Babette said, her voice dripping with venom though. "If she ends up hurt or Divines forbid dead, I will feast on you next."

Ziiah said nothing as the girl left the manor.