POV: Briljof

Waking up in the cave and made a little bit of food. The smell of the cooked strips of meat waking up Brealla. All the noise she made fromm waking up as she stumbled over rocks near where she slept stirred Serana awake but then Brealla kicked her. Serana yelping at getting kicked in the side by a bleary eye'd Brealla before grabbing the mages left leg and pulling. Topling Brealla over and they connected in a mess of limbs.

Flailing in what could only be described as two toddlers fighting, they somehow got even more tangled in each other. I couldn't help but laugh at the show that I was being given, intentionally or otherwise. The were a mess of limbs for a couple minutes before Brealla got on top and pinned Serana to the ground.

Looking at Brealla as she pinned Serana to the ground there was something else in her eyes. Not hungry as if she was horny but hungry in the way that she wanted a better fight. A bigger challenge to push her. Which was kind of sad when I thought about it because both of them were piss poor hand to hand fighters. Might've had to do with the fact that they were both barely awake but regardless their fight was just sad.

Brealla didn't feel like moving however after almost a minute of her pinning Serana. Her hungry look staying on her face and if anything morphing into anger instead of just being hungry. Seeing the possible chaos that could bring if she decided to attack Serana I stood up and walked over to them. Making sure to be as loud as possible treating Brealla as a predator at the moment so she would know I was coming.

When she heard me her eyes snapped to me the hunger in her eyes intensified as I could see deeper into her eyes. There wasn't just hunger there, something else was there and in that moment her eyes reminded me of the dragon we had fought at Kynesgrove. Her eyes held domination. A few moments after her eyes met mine she shook her head and both the domination and hunger that was there disappeared.

When her eyes went back to their normal greedn, she sheepishly got off Serana, "Sorry Serana. Just felt you grab my leg and suddenly I wanted to wrestle."

Serana did a dismissive wave. Also standing up, "It's okay. You weren't tearing out my eyeballs or shouting my head apart."

As Serana talked Brealla turned her head away and his her face. When she did Serana put a hand on Brealla's back. "It's okay. I sometimes struggle not to drink your blood when your sleeping and you still keep me around," letting a loos chortle as she spoke. Still her words almost had me pulling my dagger yet the laugh Brealla exuded calmed me. For the simple reason that it was taken as a joke.

"Foods ready. Eat up and then let's get out of here," I spoke to them and all thoughts left their minds at the prospect of food. We ate in silence before packing up, getting on our horses and leaving the cave. This time though the horses weren't whimpering about Serana as they had almost completely gotten over their fear of her. They were whimpering about Brealla.

Moving through the mountain pass at a decent speed we pushed through and decided together to pick up the pace. We didn't have to say the plan to pick up the pace outloud, we just went ahead and pushed our horses. None of us wanted the possibility of having to stay another night in cave. So we wanted to spend the night in a ruin. Not that much better than a cave but enough to make a difference.

As we pushed our horses we passed Ustengrav as the place stood maybe a quarter from us as we passed. Keeping the push of the horses with Serana in the lead we found ourselves stopping in front of a hill with two arches. Both of them broken and looking like they were barely holding themselves together. Looting at them though you could tell that they, at one point, had been beautiful. The engravings on them still there but time had destroyed their luster as well as the structures integrity.

"This is it," Serana stated as she jumped off her horse and strapped their reigns around a nearby tree. Brealla and I following suit.

"Any idea what could be waiting for us?"

"Not really. I know the place was important to the Jarl of Solidumy when I was walking Tamriel but beyond that nothing," I didn't ask but assumed Solidumy was the precursor to Solitude. "If I had guess I'd say plenty of traps along with a few higher tier Draugr at the very least."

"That's nothing new at least," Brealla spoke as she walked forward straight towards the doors under the arches. Serana and I exchanging looks before following the woman.

Much to my displeasure Brealla didn't even wait for either of us before opening the door and heading on in. Huffing at that I sprinted forwards and got to the door before it could fully close. Pushing said door open for Serana who was right behind me before seeing Brealla. Already going through another door and this time I was actually angry at her actions.

"Brealla, whats the rush?!" Serana called to her but the woman's words were ignored completely. She continued her reckless walk forwards. Gripping the handle of my bow a little tighter than necessary I sprinted after her. As she seemed hellbent on killing herself.

We were meant to be a team and needed to be one in order for us to survive longer. Not just Brealla. She was a hells of a powerful mage and the Dragonborn but doing all of this on her own just wouldn't do. Not only for us but also for her. That was an easy way to fall through arrogance. I've seen arrogance kill more people than anything else; though fighting Thalmor definitely skews that statistic doesn't make it any less wrong.

Sprinting through the door she had just gone through I saw her a few feet ahead of us looking at a pair of Draugr dressed in full and definitely enchanted armor. Not hesitating I had my bow out and arrow knocked before putting a shot through the eye of one. The Draugr fell backwards dead gettinng the attention of both the remaining Draugr and Brealla.

Being quick enough after years of these situations I already had another arrow knocked and released an instant later. Planting the arrow into the Draugrs eye as it fell backwards dead as well. I dought I'd be able to replicate that many times. The distraction that was the Dragonborn definitely helping me. Especially with the marks of magic on the walls in front of us.

If I was angry before I was incensed when Brealla didn't say anything and turned around to continue walking forward. Stalking forward before she could walk to far I grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. A spell ready in her hand but I simply looked at her dead in the eyes. Not backing down at all.

"What in the hells are you doing?" I growled out to her.

"Clearing out this place," was her answer and I had to control myself from doing anything stupid. Taking a deep breath I calmed myself and looked at her.

"How Brealla? You are not stealthy, you are not as good at looking for traps as I am. You haven't even casted Muffle on yourself, I could hear your steps fro the other room. What are you thinking right now."

"I can do this."

"Alone?" she opened her mouth to respond and I was finally able to calm myself enough to take good look at her eyes. They weren't the ones of Brealla, they were of domination but then they flickered and she seemed to come back to herself. She shook her head and seemed just lost in general.

"I… no," raising a hand to her head she shook herself before looking back to me.

"Take a breath. Get the Dragon under control and take a step back. Okay?" she nodded her head after a few seconds of calm breathes. When she was seemingly okay she walked to where Serana was behind me. Fucking hells, and she is only going to get stronger and more draconic. Fantastic.

"Muffle," I ordered outloud and the spell was cast after a few moments. Her indecision in casting the spell leading me to a little gamble I might have to make later with her.

If dragons were really about who is stronger on taking orders I'll probably have to fight her and win at some point just so she doesn't go off the deep end with her inner dragon controlling her. Why did I have to do this. Could've let her deal with herself… and then she would've died by being just as stupid as she was a moment ago and the world would've been fucked. Why me… Fuck, why did mom and dad have to raise me right.

Once Muffle was cast I proceeded forward. Spotting two immediate traps for stepping stones. They didn't look connected to anything or to trigger anything but taking a quick look behind me towards Brealla and Serana I saw another step slightly indented. Might've meant nothing but I doubted that. Must've been what woke up the two Draugr.

So we avoided those steps and continued forwards. The path was mostly quiet all things considered until I found another drap. This one was obviously connected to a wheel door. One that would swing around with spikes on said door impaling whoever was unlucky enough to trigger the drap. The dried blood around me showing that others had been here before and caught in the trap.

Pointing out said trap to the women we walked around and continued forward. Passing the trap we went downwards and again I spotted three more little steps that could have been indented like before. Going around those we made it all the way through. The corridor winding for over a quarter mile before ending at a single iron door. Engraved with draconic markings eerily similar to the markings in High Hrothgar.

Grabbing the handle I slowly opened the door looking around the entrance for any waiting traps. Seeing none there I looked downwards as the steps in front of us and saw nothing. There was absolutely nothing. Holding the door open for the women behind me I stepped through not seeing anything else.

Taking the open area we were now in… well in my instincts instantly flared that something was wrong. No matter where I looked there wasn't anything visible except fro a single tomb in the middle of the room. The tomb was on a raised platform in the middle of the room and every time my eyes even so close as graced the tomb my instincts flared. I had absolutely no information on why though.

"Serana," I almost whispered to her. "Do you have any idea on what could be in that tomb?"

"No. I don't," great.

"Brealla, can you levitate the tomb upwards?"

"I can but I'd rather not. Alternation spells always take a bit to much out of me. I'd rather not if whatever is there is ready for a fight," fair enough. Though I wish that hadn't been the case.

"Okay. Cover me and be ready for a fight."

Not waiting for their response I slowly pushed my way forwards towards the tomb. My bow and a singular arrow in my left hand just in case anything happened. Which, of course, something did as I never even got within 5 paces of the thing. The moment I got around the 6 or 7 pace range the tomb popped upwards and off to the side. Then something popped upwards from the tomb.

The body of the… thing was grotesque. Shriveled and decayed in worse ways then the things we had seen on the way here. Their armor rusted and decayed still someone exuding power with a mask over their face. Intricately carved showing more expression than I could ever expect something with as grotesque of a body as this thing. Painted a chalk grey, possibly blue, the mask was. In their left hand was a intricately engraved staff you would only see in the highest of powerful mages. Still, the being somehow looked regal after all of that. Held itself like that too as they seemingly floated above the ground around us.

Not bothering to try and talk to something like that I grabbed my drawstring and pulled back before firing. The arrow went straight through their armor like it wasn't there. Punching straight through the area the heart should've been. Instead of dying however, the thing looked down at me. Disdain emanating from their body even though their face couldn't be seen.

"Fuck," I took off sprinting away going horizontal to the creature trying to make myself as hard as a target as possible. Lighting shooting around me the hold way. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!" I screamed as I dove to the ground behind a destroyed pillar.

The moment I dove behind the pillar I heard the electricity flowing through the room. Crackling in a demand of blood the electricity seemed to say. Like the very essence of the electricity was anger at something in danger before a boom sounded throughout the room. The contact with whatever had been the target resounding with a booming crack.

As I raised my head I got to see whatever had coe from the tomb fly backwards and slam into the wall on the far side of the room. A good 20 paces from where the tomb had been as I stood up. The being getting up and looking back towards Brealla and Serana. Serana no where to be seen but Brealla was sparking lightning up and down her body. An absolutely incensed look upon her face.

"Dovahkiin," the beast spoke as they got up. Their eyes connecting with Brealla even through the mask they wore.

Not hesitating I knocked another arrow and fired. Like the first the arrow punched through the armor and cleaved straight through their body's right lung. The thing completely ignored the show though and instead focused on Brealla. Wind kicking up everywher around the room as they faced each other. Even my next few shots, all that would've been kill shots on anything else went completely ignored. Even the ice bolts that slammed into him from what could've only been Serana. Nothing phased that being but Brealla's attacks.

Then they started truly going after each other. Lightning screaming around the room as the wind picked up. I couldn't even get an eye on Brealla anymore as the monster and here went after each other. Slinging spells around the room like they were childs play even though most must've been enough to put Dragons on their ass. The sounds they made as they connected with their other bodies or the stone around us nearly deafening me.

Getting to the point where I just threw my hands over my ears and got into cover. Letting the pure destruction that was Brealla and whatever she was fighting duke it out. If I wanted to put Brealla in her place and keep her Draconic nature in check I needed to get powerful. Not just as I was now either. In a way that I could challenge the gods in the future. That was my only option. I wasn't about to save the world only to doom her to a tyrant.

Meridia would be the first step.

Minutes on end they fought. The entire room becoming their playground as they flung spells at each other. Shouts being tossed around like no ones business from both of them as there were definitely a few instances that Brealla's voice did not ring out when a shout was cast. Too hoarse and beaten up to be her. Then, the fight was over; or least I thought it was as I peaked out from behind the broken pillar.

Seeing the thing floating above a kneeling Brealla I was already in motion before I realized my body was moving. Only the moment I was in the air a mere pace from the thing did my brain catch up to my body. My dagger in hand as landed on the things back. Stabbing into every vulnerable surface that there could be. Neck, collar, vital points, lungs, everything a fast as my arm could move with my dagger before it threw me off.

Their staff pointed at me as I floated through the air and I truly thought I was dead. Then out of nowhere lightning slammed into the thing. Impacting with such force that the lightning slammed them into the ceiling and held them there for over a second before the flopped to the ground. I saw Brealla sprinting across my swimming vision as she looked at the downed body of the beast.

As she looked at them though I could only see the pure unadulterated anger that eclipsed their face. Lightning enasing their entire body before they started to go through a motion. A motion that took them almost a full minute before they finished. Pointing their fingers at the thing and when they did the entire room exploded with electricity. The sound well and truly deafening me.

As my hearing rang with a buzzing I saw Brealla turn towards me before sprinting forward. Hands glowing gold as she proceeded to heal me. My hearing slowly coming back as she worked her healing magic over me. When it was finally back I looked up at Brealla.

"Thanks."

"Thank me by not doing anything that stupid again. I had that," she almost growled at me and I laughed.

"Bullshit," she didn't deign that with a response and chose to instead continue to heal me. A little too much in my mind but if it was just to make sure I was okay then I got why she did so. As she was healing me Serana walked over.

"I didn't think they were real… Otherwise I would have said something," now that got both Brealla and I's attention. Both of us looking at her demanding she continue. "Dragon Priests. Said to be the highest humans during the reign of the Dragons. Granted power by said dragons through their devotion. Only being able to be harmed by Dragons themselves or Dragonborn."

There had to be something else there. There had to be. Not that many dragons would be around to force these types of people into hiding like this. There had to be something else.

"What else?" I asked.

"There was rumor of a spell of some sort that could influence Dragons to make them mortal in some ways. I never put much stock into legends but apparently in the company of two people actively involved in prophecy's from Elder Scrolls I guess my assumptions don't mean much. You two are magnets for trouble."

"That's vague but not like we can discount it at this point. To many legends are proving to be true for us," Brealla stated getting my thoughts exactly.

"Honestly, at this point. Let's get you your shout and be done with this place," I spoke getting attention from the two women as I slowly pushed myself up. They both gave me small nods and walked forwards.

There was a big stone wall like the other places that Brealla hatten her shouts from. The whispering echoing in my ears this time as well but I wasn't focused on that. Instead I was focused on the mask of the thing Brealla had fought. It was the only thing that was still there from there body that hadn't been reduced to ash. Walking over and grabbing the mask I stuffed said mask into my back pack.

As I did that Brealla walked up to the wall and seemingly got a new shout. She seemed to come to a new understanding of something but lacked the last bits of necessary information to make something of them. Like for me trying to make potions, I just lacked the final bit to put me over the edge and she lacked that. When she absorbed a new dragon soul there was no doubt she would get that information for her but for now she just didn't have that last bit.

Either way once we were done there we slowly made our way back through the entrance. Not bothering with looking for an alternate exit. To exhausted or rattled to do anything. Once we got back to the entrance however I took one look outside and closed the door back up. It was much too close to the end of daylight for us to travel. We could have of course but there was no point in doing so. Better to just stay where we were at the moment.

Building a small fire we fell asleep fairly quickly after bringing the horses in and woke up early. When we did wake up we took out the horses and followed Serana once again as she took up to where the place where we could get to her father was. We travelled through marshes and a couple small rivers before we got to the coast.

When we did we continued to follow Serana as we went to the left of the coast. Following the edge until there was a small dock with a small old wooden boat. Climbing inside it creaked dangerously but didn't give out under the weight of the three of us. Grabbing the oors I paddled the boat outwards following the directions of Serana along the way.

"There anything we should be looking out for when we arrive?" Brealla asked after a few minutes.

"A lot actually… Just let me do the talking unless you are directly addressed," that wasn't ominous at all.

At that we stayed in silence until we finally found shore. Mooring the boat on the shoor we got out and started walking forwards. Saying the walk was a casual one would be a fucking lie. Every step that we took felt like I was walking back to the axman back in Helgan. Only difference was that while we moved forwards the same things we had found when getting to Serana where there. Still statues this time but definitely identical enough to make me cautious.

Then we got to the entrance where there was an old man but he wasn't at the same time. The way he stood up as we approached to his overall demeanor told me he wasn't that old. Either that or he was a vampire. The glowing red eyes he had made that deduction incredibly easy. Fucker was a vampire.

"Master Serana… is that you?"

"It is indeed. I would like to speak to my father," the old man looked her up and downnot hungrily but inspectingly before looking to us.

"Did you bring guests for the meal?" that set off alarm bells in my head and my right hand instantly found the handle of my dagger.

"No. Just guests," her voice was hard and somehow more sophisticated then it had been before. Sounding almost like you would expect a noble to.

"Hmm. You may pass," the man said and pulled a lever behind him. The wall of wood and spikes behind him going upwards. Neither Brealla or myself saying anything as we followed Serana forward reaching the door of the castle. She pushed it open with practiced ease and we were greeted to quite the sight.

Two long tables on the right and left of us with only one row of people on the side of them. Then a long table on the far side again with only one side to them. All of them eating from bloodied bodies. Bodies that smelled with that unique smell that could only come from human bodies. Bodies that were uncooked and definitely being eaten recently after death. The stench of putrid body odors prevelent. Especially with not a single buttocks being eaten by any of them; not even touched.

As one all of them stopped eating and looked up at us as we entered. Then one of them at the far table stood up and walked around the table. A look of false concern on his face. I have to hand it to him though his look would've convinced almost anyone. Except for those who were used to looking for that look. Mercenaries like myself being the main ones who would see through his facade.

"My daughter returns to us. Just as I said," his smile was sickly sweet and a total lie. Just looking at his face made me angry. This man had fake written all over him. Everything that he was, was a carefully crafted lie to fool those below him. Not unlike most nobles but with him everything about the fakeness was pronounced. Disgusting.

"Yes, father. I have finally returned," even though Serana sounded somewhat sincere she still sounded so fake. Then the applause of the others in the room came in. Even the applause felt fake. The sound and the fake smiles of everyone in the room screamed at me to kill at least a few of them but I held any actions. Going and doing anything would yield nothing for me. Any action like that would only satisfy my ego and leave me dead, not worth it.

"And who are your compatriots?" the man asked as he walked forward. Their relationship made all the more evident as Serana did not walk to meet him even as he stopped halfway. His mask cracking for just a moment to show the monster of anger that he was underneath.

"They are the ones that discovered me from my mother's treachery," the way she spoke cluing me into the fact she was lying. Her fathers miniscule reaction to her mother either being that he expected the treachery, knew about it, or believed her words. All three of which speaking volumes about their relationship. None of them good for us, the prophecy or anything in general to be honest.

"Ahh, I must thank you then," the man spoke to us. Before Brealla could respond I responded for us. I didn't exactly trust anything that would come out of her mouth at the moment.

"Thank you sir. We were just doing what we believed to be the right decision," at my answer it seemed to finally get an honest reaction out of the man as he smiled heartily at us.

"You have a good head on your shoulders young man. It is good to hear one with a sensible mind and be so young with it," at least that was an honest compliment.

"Again, I thank you sir. I pride myself on that. Fighting in the most recent war has made us both jaded. Making sure we still can make the right decision is something both my companion and I pride ourself on," I spoke talking in a way that could be described as eloquent. My speech wasn't really but I honeyed my words to make him believe so. A few in his court obviously did not believe my words but plenty did, including the man in front of us.

"It is always good to know that young man. My I get your names?"

"My name is Briljof Bjoarikson and this is Brealla the Mage," as soon as I announced our names I knew I made a mistake.

"Onsi's Envoy and the Queen of Thunder?" he asked looking at both of us us inquisitively. His look wasn't that really though; he was looking to see if we would lie. Regardless I replied with a smile.

"It is good to hear my true nickname instead of the one given to me by the Thalmor," I spit the name out. The man smiling at my response.

"I would think not. Pinky is such a stupid name for one with a reputation like yours," I wasn't going to lie. Hearing him talk like that was definitely buttering me and and it was working. Hearing someone talk like that about my accursed name helped my ego.

"Thank you sir. Truly, your words ease my mind towards those who continue to call me that accursed name. I am not deserving of it in the slightest."

"And I agree good man… Have you thought about your future? Surely you must know what my daughter is at this point and taking her home you both must know what we are. Are you willing to do what is necessary to make peace in this world?"

"I do indeed know both sir… but I will have to decline any offer you grant. My soul is one for Sovengard and that will never be take from me. No matter what," the moment the words were out of my mouth I got to see the first true sign of anger from the man before he looked to Brealla.

"And what say you Queen of Thunder?"

"My soul is spoken for sir. No one could take it," the mann shook his head in true disappointment before looking at the both of us.

"I am disappointed to hear that. Begone!"

He threw his hands out and the world around us went white before we found ourself outside the gate again. With the same guard still there. We exchanged a silent look before going back to the small boat. Climbing in silently we rode it back to shore and docked. Far from the dock it had once been on. Each of us silently getting out before looking at each other.

"Did we fuck that up?" Brealla asked me.

"Gods, I hope not," I truly hoped we didn't cause if we did the consequences were such that they frightened me beyond my core. We might've doomed the world if we fucked that up.