4E 204 year… 1st of Evening Star… Late evening…
Her ankle was killing her, but that wasn't the reason she had stopped.
In their long walk, only two ships had passed the coastline. Merchant ships to be precise. One bore the Farrun ensign from the west, the other Skyrim's. Trade by sea had slowed with the war, but a nagging feeling persisted that there should be more. North Skyrim had always been teeming with sea trade and fishing, not that she had really paid it any mind. But, two ships in a day had bothered her as something ill-omened. Where are the small fishing boats? Where is everyone?
But that also wasn't the reason she had stopped. Another dragon searched for her. It was there to answer her challenge and the reason she had let the others go ahead. In that moment, she didn't regret sending Saaraadgraat out to search for others, but she couldn't help being incensed over the timing. Another distraction from getting them as far from Castle Volkihar as possible wasn't what they needed. They needed to be in Solitude as soon as possible for too many reasons. A terrible feeling had gnawed at her since leaving the tower. She had to know what was going on in the world. From where she stood, she could see the cliff edge and beyond. She looked out at the Sea of Ghosts once more. Damned interruptions…
Glancing up, the tree tops obscured her view of the sky. She growled, he was behind, above, and very close. From the darkest parts of her being the dragon stirred again, ready for battle. Anxiety and anger were already building within at his approach. The wolf within howled in harmony with the flood of anger, threatening to push itself forward on the tide. Nevertheless, Azriel stood at the top of the pass observing the trail. She watched the others as they continued, oblivious to her. This was an undertaking that she alone needed to face. Deep within her another rumble agreed. Dragons were hers alone to conquer or destroy.
Following the trail down with her eyes, she could observe the others as they walked, near the bottom the path turning towards the overhang. They had passed the remains of the Thalmor Embassy only an hour ago. But, the game trail down was steep and faster than the main road. It led to the wall of Solitude on the Western side of the city. She left the trail, walking towards the cliff when the other three had passed out of sight. She moved towards an opening, where the dragon could speak freely to her or challenge her.
She knew within herself it would be the latter. She pulled within herself, blocking out the outside world. All sounds around her disappeared. She could only hear him. Closing her eyes, she focused herself on the dragon as Paarthurnax had taught her and called to him wordlessly. He was closer now and his intent was clear. He had no interest in bowing to her. The smile on her face spread, welcoming the impending battle. Azriel walked to the clearing on the cliff's edge to face him.
Aela and Serana stopped abruptly and looked at each other, the same question burning in their eyes. The two turned and looked up at the cliff-side from the bottom of the trail.
"Mother, where is Azriel?" Serana didn't take her eyes off the cliff.
Valerica watched them and turned, looking at cliff face as well. "She lagged behind."
"Damn her…" Aela whispered, taking a step forward.
Valerica peered to the forest above, only seeing the trees, clouds, and snow. "What is it?"
"Dragon!" Aela and Serana answered simultaneously.
Its angry roar filled the valley, shaking it.
Another answered it from the cliff, louder and more terrifying.
The dragon dropped from the clouds, its silver scales gleaming like ice in the dull, gray light. Another roar brought ice from the dragon that flowed over the bluff. The skull-shattering roar that answered spewed flame over the dragon, obscuring its gleaming hide.
The wind hit their faces as they stared back the way they had come. The chill it brought washed over each of them.
The tiny figure of Azriel leaping from the cliff made the three women's jaws drop. They watched her dance on the wind, her body moving with the silver dragon's as the two fought in the air. Azriel used the dragon to launch herself into the air repeatedly. Each time she touched the dragon, she seemed to rebound into the air with another array of attacks on it.
Each woman was so entranced watching that they never heard anything over the dragons' bellowing. Nor smell anything from the wash of air that came down the mountain at them.
"It is no wonder why Lord Harkon so desperately wishes to meet the young Dragonborn." The silky smooth drawl was nearly a purr from behind them. "She is an incredible acrobat."
Slowly, the three women turned.
The blonde vampire bowed. "Lady Valerica, how good of you to return to Tamriel. You have been missed."
Valerica's lips drew back over her fangs. "Vingalmo!"
More vampires stepped from the trees, each with their eyes upon them while they drew their weapons.
"Ah, I am so glad you haven't forgotten me, my Queen. We are so very lucky to have immerged from our shelter when we did. How fortuitous for us, that we should cross paths with the very individuals our Lord wishes to speak with. You, my Lady, are a delightful addition." Vingalmo gave her an impressive fanged smile. "But, alas, my Lord will wish to see you as well. Please do be a dear and not cause us any problems whilst we return home."
Valerica's body vibrated and the other vampires instinctively retreated, including Vingalmo. She bent over as black smoke engulfed her and emerged in her true form. "How dare you address me in such manner!" Her boney wings stretched and she launched forward towards the vampires that pushed in front to protect Vingalmo.
Aela drew her bow, letting loose three arrows in rapid succession. Each found their mark, but there were too many vampires to count scampering from the grove. Slipping the bow onto her harness, Aela drew her sword. As the dragons roared in battle somewhere overhead, the vampires spread out, taking on each of them in groups. Aela felt their spells as they smashed into the shield Azriel had enchanted for her. Their magic rebounded, stunning three of them. The others retreated a few steps, instead opting to overpower her with physical assaults.
Aela sneered at them, accepting the challenge. "Let's see how you fare against a true Nord!"
The storm grew in intensity as the dragons thundered, their voices more bitter than the wind. Lightning flashed in the clouds, the wintery breeze becoming a snowy squall.
Aela adjusted the grip on her shield as the four vampires charged. She side stepped the first, smashing her shield into another's teeth. Spinning on her toes, she thrusted her sword, finding home in a female vampire's gut. Pulling it free with a smooth motion, she spun around on her heel and brought the sword low, catching the last vampire above the knee. The gash sprayed blood across the ground. The vampire staggered backward, cursing her. Aela didn't pause, leaping forward as she pivoted her body in the air. She caught the vampire with her shield and knocked him to the ground. She jumped on him, plunging her sword into his heart. As the vampire crumbled to dust, she looked around.
Valerica had two vampires pinned to the ground with her wings. In her arms were the two limp halves of a corpse. She pulled her wings free of the two vampires, who disintegrated. Dissolving to mist, she swirled forward into another group of vampires. Aela didn't watch anymore, searching instead for Serana. She found her off the path, locked in combat with ten more vampires.
Aela ran to meet her, transforming on the move into the wolf. She attacked the vampire troop from behind, tearing at them with claws and teeth as she moved through them.
"Get lost?" Serana hollered to her, over the crackling of lightning.
Aela howled her discontent at the barb and locked her jaws onto a vampire's sword arm. Shaking him hard, she flung the vampire over the cliff. She jumped aside, avoiding the axe of another as the vampires regrouped and renewed their attack. Serana was cut off from her on the opposite side of the footway, with Aela near the cliff.
Seven vampires remained and Aela was determined to throw more from the bluff. Snarling, she charged at the largest in the middle. She hit him directly in the chest, just as his battle axe was at the height of his backswing. Her front claws slammed him in the ground, using the weight of the axe to her advantage. Her hind legs propelled her forward, and Aela's bounded between the vampires claws and teeth first.
The werewolf moved faster than the weak-blooded fledglings. Skidding in the snow, Aela rounded on them. Snapping her jaws, she charged again, this time jumping onto a wood elf holding a bow. She shattered the bow in half with her right claw then ripped out his throat with her teeth. The remaining vampires tried to surround her. Knocking one's sword aside and raking her claws down another, she cut through them quickly.
She bounded at the last two fighting side by side against her. She bared her teeth at the twin maces they held. The two vampires moved slow, but they wielded the brutal weapons effectively. One caught her across the muzzle, the next connected with her shoulder. Aela knew they'd not wait, but as she hit the ground, the killing blow never came. An inferno burned up the footpath, instantly melting snow and blackening the earth. Aela heard the screams, but was too dazed to move. She slipped back into her human form as the flames licked at her.
Serana let the flames wash over her. The two vampires she held onto burnt to cinders in the dragon's firestorm. She dove to cover Aela as the dragon passed low overhead, its tail carving a groove into the ground next to them on the side of the path. She rolled to her feet, pulling Aela with her. The dragon circled into the air and Serana saw Azriel at the base of its head, pulling back on its horns to force the dragon to climb in the sky, before losing them to the clouds.
She turned her attention to Aela, ripping a healing potion from Aela's bag and pouring the contents into her mouth. "Drink it!" She growled in her ear. "Damn wolf, you almost got yourself killed!" She pressed her against a boulder. "Stay here and don't get hurt."
Serana turned her attention back to the fight. She found her mother in the grove, fighting five vampires. Serana felt a little pity for them seeing the blood that covered Valerica. They don't stand a chance…
The last of the sun's rays kissed the sky from behind the storm clouds. The dragons' roars filled the rapidly darkening sky. As Serana ran towards another group of emerging vampires, the orange and blue that lit up the snowy twilight reminded her that Azriel was still in danger somewhere above them.
"Where are you all coming from?" Serana targeted the large Orsimer holding a war hammer with her drain life spell, letting ice leave her fingertips. The shards exploded on impact against another female vampire's shield. The pieces imbedded themselves in the vampires around her, killing three of them. "That'll work!"
She cut off the drain life spell as the Orc stumbled. Drawing her sword, she charged the last of the group and let a ball of fire roll from her hand, flinging it at the Orc. His burning body collapsed to the ground just as she jumped over him. The two remaining vampires drew their weapons and countered Serana's attack. They worked together, each taking a side.
The dragons' bellows seemed to come from all around them as Serana fought. Rage pounded through her, both Azriel's and Aela's. But, she didn't dare look away. The other vampires were looking for her weak side to attack. They danced around her, feinting one at a time, but Serana didn't fall for the ploy. She stepped carefully, keeping Aela to her back, ensuring the Huntress' safety.
One of the vampires side stepped and Serana read the attack. Movement behind her didn't shock her, the clumsiness of it did. Hearing the draw of Aela's breath, she leapt high and to the right. The move startled the two elven vampires, making them hesitate for a second too long.
"FUS!" Aela's shout drove them back, staggering them.
The flames that hit the ground from above incinerated the vampires. Serana looked up in time to see the dragon and its rider practically on top of them. She dove to the side, Aela moving opposite of her, just as the two dragons hit the ground. Everything blurred around Serana as dirt, snow, and ice flew everywhere in a storm.
Serana pulled herself from the avalanche and scanned the area following the swath of destruction down the slight incline left by the dragon. Nothing was left unsoiled by it and everyone was in disarray. The tremor the dragon had caused from hitting the snow-covered ground had knocked all the vampires from their feet.
Springing to where Aela had thrown herself to safety and digging around in the snowbank, Serana caught the scarlet of Aela's hair. Pulling her free, Aela only had a chance to mumble a quick thanks before Serana shoved her onto the carved trail. The other vampires had recovered and were converging on them. A vampire hit the highest debris covered bank, but before he could leap the rut, he disappeared.
A few yards away the dragon stirred. Growling, it thrashed its tail trying to right itself.
Blood soaked the snow, making Serana smirk. Valerica's wings swiped the snow aside as she rose. Her red dress swirled in the wind around her. The cruel smile seemed longer with the blood smears on her face. Valerica chuckled at the remaining vampires that spread out around them.
"Look at these weak, simpering idiots, Serana. Harkon surrounds himself with expendable cattle, hoping to conquer Tamriel."
The vampires shifted uncomfortably.
The dragon roared.
All the vampires turned to see Azriel and the dragon facing each other.
"Zu'u nis kos viik, Dovahkiin!" The dragon reared its long neck back, "YOL!"
Flames washed over Azriel, consuming her. The snow on the ground sublimated, the trees burned. The intense heat lasted only seconds, when it was over, Serana heard a few of the vampires gasp. Everything around Azriel was decimated, but Azriel herself was unscathed.
"IIZ SLEN NUS!"
The icy gale that burst from Azriel hit the silvery dragon. His snout turned a brilliant white and the whiteness spread over his head quickly. It only took Serana a second to translate her words, before she realized the dragon was freezing solid. In awe, she watched the white crystals spread through its neck and down its scaly body. Its wings froze, mid-flap. The ice swiftly traveled down its curled tail. Within a minute, the dragon was frozen solid.
Serana looked at the vampires. Every one of them, including Valerica, was staring at the dragon.
Azriel ran forward, slamming her fist into the dragon's forehead. The icy head fragmented, cracks formed, and the ice broke apart. Splintering and breaking, the dragon shattered into thousands of pieces.
"You chose wrong." Azriel's voice was flat. Turning and looking up the incline, she looked at each of the vampires. For a very long moment, no one moved as they stared at her. Purple-gold light swirled up from the frozen remains and flowed around Azriel, illuminating her. The vampires stood in astonishment, as frozen as the dragon had been.
"Who's next?"
Serana watched the vampires start to back away. Valerica was swift, catching one by her long hair, another by his cloak. Serana leapt at another vampire who had dropped his sword to make a hasty retreat. From behind she heard the two werewolves running to catch up to them as she landed on his back.
"WULD NAH KEST!" Azriel knocked three vampires off their feet as she blew through them. She stopped shy of the bluff, spinning on her toes and drawing her sword with her right hand. Taking a few steps forward, Azriel narrowed her eyes at something behind Serana.
"Enough!"
Serana threw the vampire's head off the edge off the cliff and turned to see Vingalmo holding Aela from behind. His arms wrapped around her, threating to tear Aela in half.
"Finished showing off, Dragonborn?" He asked smoothly. In that moment, the two stared daggers at each other, then Vingalmo's mouth slid open in shock.
Azriel didn't move as the red dragon swooped low from the clouds, landing silently behind Azriel. "You should probably let her go."
Vingalmo recovered, but not to gracefully. "And give you the upper hand? I think your friend here shall be a token of good faith."
Aela scoffed even as Vingalmo tightened his grip.
Azriel laughed at him. "The last thing you need to think about is how dead you are, fuck face."
Vingalmo growled at her, but stopped abruptly as something hot and wet moved up his thigh and over his side. He adjusted Aela in his arms to look down, but the thick, wet thing moved over his arm and he stared at it.
"Dreh rok ken med rikmah?" Azriel asked the golden dragon that had landed just as silently behind Vingalmo as Odahving had.
Vingalmo slowly released Aela and stared in horror as the thick pink tongue wrapped around his chest.
Aela walked close to Serana and turned to watch. Valerica chuckled darkly.
Vingalmo looked to Azriel with pleading eyes. "Please… no." His voice was barely a whisper.
Azriel gave the slightest nod of her head.
Saaraadgraat's tongue unwrapped itself from around Vingalmo, in the next second, Vingalmo was gone, replaced by the dragon's head and unhinged jaws.
"Lif nid nahlaas." Azriel commanded.