The next morning, Fort Dawnguard was bustling with movement; Dawnguard footsoldiers honed their fighting skills in the courtyard and members constantly moved in and out with information on vampire whereabouts and blueprints for future camps to be set up in the hills and caverns throughout Skyrim.

Sorine was working on adjusting her crossbow further, trying to install a slot for a second bolt to potentially be loosed. If she could manage that, who knows where they could take it? Perhaps dual thunder-frost exploding bolts from one blast. Mayhem, indeed. If there truly was a line between genius and insanity, Sorine could proudly boast breakdancing on it.

Gunmar was cleaning out the Troll pen from the fresh slaughter of two night creatures. Thankfully, by this time, the Dawnguard had learned to separate the 'acceptable' vampires from the bloodhungry monstrosities of the moonlit fields.

Isran was discussing expansion of the fort with Durak. Vigilant Tolan had brought them an old map from Stendarr's Beacon, and circled the area around Dayspring canyon.

Ronthil was in the kitchen, preparing a blood potion from Deer blood, giving it a light shake as he shoved a cork in it.

The entry doors spread open as Cura and Inigo entered the main hall.

A recruit called Isran and Tolan's attention. "A Vigilant and a blue Khajiit just walked in, sir."

Isran grunted. "Well, I guess we'll have to discuss this later." he folded up the map and handed it to Durak. Tolan followed him down the stairs.

As soon as Cura saw them approach, she smiled and waved. Vigilant Tolan took her into a bear hug. "Hey, there! How have you been since last I saw you?"

Cura reciprocated, trying to wrap her arms around him. "I've been all right. I just negotiated a subpar peace treaty between the Stormcloaks and the Imperials. Dawnstar belongs to the Empire and Falkreath the Stormcloaks now. It's a long story."

Isran looked perplexed. The sudden shock of unexplained importance being glossed over took to him. "You did what, now?"

Tolan slowly loosed his grip on the Dragonborn. "I didn't see that coming."

"Yes, but it was for a good purpose. Now, we need your help to capture a Dragon in Whiterun." Cura proclaimed.

"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa. Slow down, there." Isran put a pause to her nonsensical ramblings. "Capture a Dragon? Have you lost your mind?"

Every word she was saying made less and less sense the more she spoke. Isran could scarce believe it.

"I'd rather lose my mind than you lose your souls." Cura stated firmly. "I plan to use him to get to Alduin."

"So you're finally doing it..." Tolan's voice sunk and his throat trembled. His gaze betrayed his feelings of fear and worry. Cura, the runt of the Vigil, was going to fight death itself. It came as a horrible surprise and floored the older man where he stood, arms draping and eyes blinking. For a moment he was confused, unsure if he'd heard correctly, but Cura would dispel that query.

It was only yesterday that she was hiding in the crack in the stone wall with that rabbit in her arms.

Tolan remembered the little energetic half-Elf with the wide smile who brought soup to the Vigilants in the Hall in evenings, who swept the floors, who studied Restoration, who he helped train to fight - who he went easy on for fear of accidentally breaking her - who he told many stories to on lazy days of things he'd encountered in the fields.

She was that child no longer. She was the Dovahkiin; the hero of legend, come to slay the World-Eater. It was all too surreal.

Cura nodded. "Yes, but I'll need your help to get there."

"I'll round up some of the others. Brother Adalvald will want to know about this, too. Thank the gods I was here!" Tolan massaged his tense browline.

He was effectively escorting her to her death, but he knew that Cura had to face it regardless. If he could help her in any way, he would.

The large Nord hurried out the door. It was a lot to explain, but he was sure he could convince him to help.

"Thanks, Vigilant Tolan." Cura smiled.

"The Dawnguard could be useful as well, with their snazzy crossbows!" Inigo made a firing motion with his two hands.

"Are you serious? We're the Dawnguard, not the Dragonguard!" Isran snapped.

"Well, the Dragons are connected to the Sun god, Auri-El. Your name has 'dawn' in it. I can be pedantic too, my friend." Inigo laughed. "And last I checked, my friend here defeated Harkon. You owe her some aid."

Isran looked at Cura and scratched his beard. "Hrrg... fine. You're right. But I don't want to get my men killed in a fight they didn't sign up for."

Cura looked to Inigo. "I'm going to see Keeper Carcette in the prison. I have some things I want to say to her before... yeah." she tapped Inigo on the shoulder as she headed further inside.

Her friend could work it out with Isran. Inigo could be quite persuasive. Cura had the utmost faith in him.

Cura descended the old stone steps that spiraled downwards and eventually reached the lower sector and the room with the cage that kept the Keeper.

She swallowed lightly as she entered the room. She hadn't received letters from her in a long time, and feared the worst.

As she approached, Carcette slowly turned her face to see her. In the dark, that piercing red eye glowed ominously. Her skin was paler than the grave and her hair was ashen. The grooves in her face were pronounced and her lips charred black.

She rocked soothingly, as if going mad in that cage. As soon as Cura's foot touched the dirt floor she stopped what she was doing and sat silently in place.

"K-Keeper?" Cura approached slowly. "It's me, Cura."

"...Warmth... blood... need it..." Carcette muttered shakily. She looked like a skooma addict in a cell; a sad sight to behold. She trembled and twitched, desperately trying to soothe herself and maintain her control. She really had gotten much worse than when Cura'd last seen her in person.

The Vigilant could not be entirely sure that the Keeper could even understand what she was saying, let alone recognize her face at this point. And she had so much that she had to say.

The once proud and noble Keeper of the Vigil was barely lucid, uttering like a madwoman. "...No... no... it's... I..." her chattering was without sense and her thirst insatiable. Then she bit her hand in attempt to draw blood, but to no avail.

Cura sighed sadly and placed her hand on the bars. "Keeper, I'm sorry it came to be this way, really. I blame it on myself, for not staying put like you asked. But you said it yourself; my life was predestined, and nothing you did or didn't do could have changed that."

"... Dawnguard... warm... fresh... blood..." the vampiric Breton muttered lowly. She quickly pulled herself up and lashed forward at Cura, and grabbed the bars herself firmly and thrust her face forward with a violent hiss, which caused Cura to stumble backwards instinctively. The silver burnt the undead woman's hands, snapping her out of her trance due to the burning shock in that instant.

Cura's eyes were wide like saucers and she held her breath. Calmness was the key.

The two glared at one another eye-to-eye from either side of the bars. Cura met her glowing eye up close, and she could see the bloodlust building ever-so-constantly with each second. However, Carcette seemed to calm for a moment and silenced herself when her eye met her student's own.

"I'm going to bring your vision to fruition. I am going to face Alduin very soon, and..." a lone tear moved along the curve of the half-Elf's cheek and she turned her face away from her mentor. "...this could very well be the last time you see me."

Something seemed to click and her demeanour began to shift. "C-Cura..." Carcette seemed to recognize her at last, looking up from her pitiful stupour. Clarity returned to her eye, and serenity enclosed her. Seeing Cura returned appeared to have brought her some solace.

Cura's heart leapt for a second. "You remember me?"

The Keeper was struggling to keep her thoughts in order. She held her forehead in her hand as she stabilized. "Cura... yes... yes... Cura my protégé. Little Cura... Hall of the Vigilant... Dragonborn... I... remember." her lucidity seeped through at last, and Cura choked happily.

She could speak her piece, after all. Nothing would go unsaid.

A shaking sigh escaped her. "Keeper, I... this may be the last time I see you." the thought of that wrenched her gut. "Please, if you regain your senses and I die against Alduin, please don't blame yourself. You never could have prepared me for this."

"..."

The Keeper's expression fell. Though no sound emerged, a visible sadness showed itself plainly. This was certainly not welcome news, however inevitable as it was.

For Cura's entire life, Carcette had tried to keep her safe. Even asa Vigilant, she had restrained her to the Pale for the most part, and was often a step ahead when assigning her easier tasks. Though it had changed when she was revealed to be Dragonborn, the Keeper had never stopped worrying about that forsaken child they found on their porch.

Cura continued. "I just want you to know that I love you. Thank you so much for all the kindness, gentleness, instruction and patience you've shown me for my whole life."

Sometimes things were tough, and sometimes she was hard on Cura, but it came from a kind place. The Keeper had never seen herself becoming a mother, but she had effectively fulfilled that sort of role regardless, even if their relationship was that of a teacher and a protégé.

The best part of teaching somebody the art of Restoration was not that she was healing their wounds once, but every time. She could rest, knowing that Cura could mend her own wounds on the field using her learned skills.

Though still, she worried.

"..."

"Thank you for teaching me the ways of Stendarr, and for the many hours of Restoration training. For the comfortable nights and warm bed and room you gave me in the Hall. For your compassion and the courage you instilled in me, with Brother Adalvald and Vigilant Tolan." Cura looked her in the eye. "It meant something. All of it. I promise you that even if I die, I'll take Alduin down with me. It will not have been in vain."

Carcette shook her head sadly. She did not relish the thought. The cursed Paladin reached a hand between the silver-laced bars and touched the Amulet of Stendarr around Cura's neck. "Tr...trust him. Ask... for his... guidance... like I taught you." she grunted out, stammering through her dry throat and clouded mind. "You... will live." she patted her student's arm exhaustedly and then slowly retracted her arm into the cage. She whispered wearily. "You will live."

Cura clenched the Amulet tightly. "Thank you, Keeper." She walked out of the murky dungeon and headed up the stairs, passing by Ronthil on the way.

Carcette slowly shrunk back into the cage. She sat with her face turned downwards.

Ronthil entered in that moment with a blood potion he'd mixed in the kitchen. "Here you are, Carcette. I mixed you a nice one made from a mixture of Deer and Rabbit this time. It may be quite pungent, but I think you'll enjoy it."

He approached the cage and held the potion forward carefully through the bars. Carcette took the blood ravenously and began to drink it the way most Nords imbibed Mead.

After she finished, she wiped her mouth on her arm and slowly sat back down on the floor. Her thoughts, now pacified by the blood, returned to what Cura was saying and she began to silently pray for her as she wept in the darkness beneath the Fort.

She would be with Cura in spirit; for she was always the bystander to this conflict.

Inigo planted a firm foot on the ground. "...And you know they are a real threat. Alduin is a worse threat than Harkon. Don't save the world once and let it die immediately one year later. All Cura needs is your help to capture a Dragon. Be reasonable!"

"All right, all right! I get it." Isran relented with a huff. "Fine, I'll assist you. I'll bring Sorine and Gunmar. This had better not end badly for all of us." he walked towards the workshop wing.

The major vampire menace was quelled, so Isran knew he could stand to be a tad more liberal with his Dawnguard members.

Cura returned to Inigo. She looked a tad hopeful.

"Good news, my friend! Sterny McSunpants is going to help us! And he is going to bring Sorine and Gunmar." Inigo exclaimed excitedly.

"Wonderful! Thanks, Inigo." Cura expressed.

"Do not mention it. Anyways, I was thinking also - we are not too far from Riften. Maybe Mjoll might want to assist us as well!" Inigo proposed.

Cura hadn't thought of that before. "That's a great idea! Let's go find her."

The two set off through Dayspring canyon and then through the pass. It spanned out into the Rift. It would take some time to trek through the plains.


Lucien was at the College of Winterhold, and he was at the lunch tables area, which had thankfully been repaired, and the debris was cleared from the courtyard. He was seated with Onmund, Brelyna, and J'zargo.

"So, let me get this straight... she needs our help to catch a Dragon?" Onmund asked for clarification. He wasn't sure if he'd heard right the first time. It sounded completely crazy from where he stood.

They faced a couple of those horrors already; one living and one dead. He had no doubt that Cura could kill it, but capturing one sounded asinine.

"With what, exactly?"

"Ehhh... sort of? I'm not entirely sure how it's going to work, to be honest. I think your job, though, would be more to protect Whiterun while it's happening." Lucien explained.

"This is a new kind of crazy. J'zargo is into it! J'zargo will certainly be there. This one has his word." the gray Khajiit laughed and clapped his hands together excitedly. Finally, some action! He was growing bored.

Brelyna massaged her chin. If one of them was going to help, it would be justification enough for her. "Sure, I'll help, too. The world would be a better place if it continued to exist, I should think."

Onmund seconded the notion. "Cura is our friend. I won't leave her high and dry when she needs my help. You can count me in, too."

Lucien was relieved by their cooperation. "Excellent! Now, I'll go and see Serana."

Unbeknownst to him, the vampiress was not far away behind him. As soon as she'd seen him she was already in the process of coming his way.

"See me about what?"

"Wah!" Lucien exclaimed with a surprised jump before turning from the laughing trio to face her. "Why must you always be so sneaky?! It's cruel!"

Serana crossed her arms. "Oh, stop whining. If you have something to say, just say it."

It took him a moment to quell his budding frustration, but Lucien began. "Well, first off, it's about Cura."

That did something. Serana's stern expression turned softer and worrisome. "Is she all right? Did something... happen?" She was, of course fretting about the Dragon situation. She knew Cura would have to meet her destiny at some point.

"Quite a number of things since you last were with us, but that's irrelevant for now. Now we need help capturing a Dragon in Whiterun." Lucien abridged the situation.

"In Dragonsreach, I'm guessing?" Serena clarified. "I guess you read the story of Olaf and Numinex. Why are you doing this, though?"

"Cura intends to interrogate one to learn where Alduin is hiding out. She intends to snuff out the World Eater once and for all." Lucien smacked his fist down onto his hand.

"I can't believe it... she's going already? No... I hope she can fight it... that beast isn't like the other Dragons. Cura..." Serana nervously bit her lip. "When... is she going to do it?"

"Tomorrow morning." Onmund stated. "You can come with us, Master Wizard."

Serana nodded. "All right. I'll speak to Tolfdir. He'll grant me leave for this, I'm sure."

Anything to help a friend. The new Master wizard was going to take this short leave of absence whether Tolfdir liked it or not. Though, somehow she knew he would most likely allow it under the circumstances.

"Marvelous!" Lucien exclaimed. "Thank you, Serana. And all of you. We'll see you then! Be sure to come bright and early!" he pushed himself up off the table and took his leave.


"Shor's Beard! Here, in Whiterun?" Vilkas snapped with surprise.

He was overseeing Ria, Athis, Njada, Torvar, and some new recruits during their training session, and was accompanied by Farkas and Aela in Jorrvaskr's courtyard.

Vilja nodded. "Cura really needs your help."

"So why didn't she come here and ask, herself?" Vilkas leaned lazily against the wooden post next to the lunch tables outside.

"Because she has to round up other allies." Vilja put it plainly. She figured it would be an easy thing to surmise, but apparently not.

"Ha! We're all the allies she would ever need for a job like this!" Aela professed with all the pride to choke a bear.

"Yeah; I could split a Dragon in two if I ever saw one." Farkas stated with confidence.

"We're not going to kill it, you dunderhead!" Vilkas turned his face to his brother. "We're going to trap it in Dragonsreach, like old Olaf One-Eye!"

Farkas ah'd in response. "Sounds like a good time! Can't wait!"

"A good time? Honestly I'd rather be caught in a Lamia's gaze than be forced to fight a Dragon in a wooden city." Vilja remarked nervously.

"So, why are you doing it if you're so Craven towards it?" Aela inquired condescendingly.

"Well, I would much rather see where the Dragon is flying than be in a building when it torches it." Vilja confessed. "Besides, Cura needs help, and I'm not one to usually turn others away."

"Fair enough." Aela relented.

"You tell Cura the Companions' blades are at her disposal." came the voice of Kodlak, who came outside that moment. He overheard part of what was spoken, and his mind was already made up.

Vilkas looked at the old man. "Of course. We would do anything to help a Shield-Sister."

"Oh, how wonderful! Tomorrow morning should do. They're testing the trap now I think." Vilja pointed up at Dragonsreach.

"That explains the loud clanking noises all morning." Vilkas confirmed. "Good that they're sure it works."

Kodlak moussed his beard between his fingers. "I never thought I'd live to see both a new Gildergreen and a Dragon capture in my lifetime. These truly are special times we live in." he turned to the Companions, minor and the Circle. "Spread the word around the everybody; tell all in Whiterun of what's going to happen tomorrow. The citizens will need to find safe lodging. Perhaps the Hall of the Dead - it's below ground and the building is of stone. It should be safe."

Njada took a few steps forward and hung her sword over her shoulder. "Capturing a Dragon. I don't think I've ever heard of anything so idiotic!"

Ria shook her head. "Cura is serious about this, isn't she? Well, I'll do what I can to help. Though it won't be much..."

Athis scoffed. "You people whinge too much. I'll get a move on." he walked down the pathway and headed out into the Wind District. Torvar followed him, and other recruits got a move on.

Ria and Njada took to the Plains District below.

Kodlak stared up at Dragonsreach atop the hill.

"That Dragon will be in for a surprise when it comes here. It'll learn not to mess with the Companions." Farkas declared.

Vilkas shook his head solemnly. "Cura, I hope you know what you're doing."


"I hope I know what I'm doing, Inigo." Cura nervously told her friend as they stood at the Riften marketplace. "I've killed many Dragons before, but capturing one? Never."

"Do not doubt yourself; you will rise to the occasion like a phoenix, my friend!" Inigo exclaimed.

"To do that, I'd have to be burnt to cinders." Cura mumbled.

It was a very real possibility.

Riften was damp and foul-snelling as always, and an air of unease hung over its walled interior; much akin to the rest of the province. Citizens walked about, eyeing passersby with suspicion and City Guards hung the body of a dead thief, riddled with arrows, on the wall next to the wood-and-stone manors and the temple to serve as a warning to the others.

Cura and Inigo were effectively sandwiched against the well at the heart of the market by civilians who were looking to purchase unlikely goods at the stalls. The two kept their hands over their satchels and coin purses, and Cura especially held onto her Amulet. Through the sea of moving bodies, Inigo detected a familiar odour some distance away to his right. Looking past the people, he saw a familiar mane of blonde hair and then a familiar green striped facial tattoo.

"Ooh! There she is!" Inigo pointed through the crowd.

Mjoll was walking with Aerin through the open clearing near the blacksmith's workshop and the side gate and Black-Briar meadery.

"Mjoll!" Cura called out to the lioness and hurried through the circular commercial area.

Mjoll smiled tenderly upon seeing her friends. "Well met, friend! How can I help you?"

"We're going to capture a Dragon in Whiterun. He could lead me to Alduin." Cura informed her plainly. "We're requesting backup. Would you like to help?"

"A threat to all of Skyrim..." Mjoll whispered to herself. She looked aside to Aerin. "I must go."

Aerin sighed. "Fine, but please be careful, Mjoll."

Mjoll nodded reassuringly and spoke her piece. "My sword is yours. Just say the word, Dragonborn."

"Come with us." Cura extended her arm forward.

Mjoll extended her own and grabbed Cura's, elbow, and Cura hers.

"Let's catch this brutal lizard!" Mjoll proclaimed as they released.

"Thank you, Mjoll." Cura was overjoyed to have an old ally in the party again, even if for a short while.

She made her peace with her destiny. She alone could kill Alduin. Her family and friends having her back was a great source of comfort.

She pushed the black Wyrm back before; perhaps she had the upper hand. Why was she worried?

Because if you lose, your soul will be consumed, and all who you love will join you in true oblivion. the thought nagged her relentlessly, like a nasty sore.

No; she could do it. She had no other choice but to prevail.

Even though she would have her supporters with her all the way, and even though she'd been preparing for this moment through her various trials and tribulations, it was surreal to know that very soon she would meet the World-Eater on his own terms, face to face.

Perhaps, then, she should give Alduin the fight he wants. She shouldn't disappoint the ravenous beast, after all. If it's death he desires, it's death he'll have - just not the death of Tamriel.

Cura clasped her hands together around her Amulet. Stendarr, be with me. She prayed silently as she led her friends towards the City Gate.


Jarl Balgruuf stood by and watched as the binding trap was raised by chains up onto the ceiling , where it locked in place.

"The trap is ready." Commander Caius told Jarl Balgruuf once the tests were completed. "Just say the word and my men will be ready."

"Good. We need as many hands on deck as we can get." Balgruuf said sternly. "If not the war, this Dragon could reduce my city to ashes. I don't want to see that happen."

Proventus Avenici approached Jarl Balgruuf, followed by his daughter, Adrianne. "Jarl Balgruuf."

The Jarl was short on patience. He snorted. "What is it now, Avenici?"

Proventus looked at his daughter. "Adrianne has been making arrows for the City Guard. I wanted you to know that they're armed and ready for the battle tomorrow morning."

"Thankfully I've had some volunteers." Adrianne scoffed in response. "Father, how effective do you suppose they'll be? I figure that Steel Arrows could perhaps pierce through the scales, but I don't know how deep they'll penetrate. I've never had the opportunity to test them on a Dragon."

"If they're enough to deter the beast, that's all that matters." came Irileth, who entered behind them. "I've seen arrows affect a Dragon before, a long time ago. We've been lucky to avoid seeing those terrors here for this long."

"It was Cura who killed the one at the Watchtower, and it's Cura bringing this one to our doorstep." Jarl Balgruff laughed off the irony of it all. "I suppose it has to be this way. We're to support her in this crazy scheme."

Proventus cleared his throat. "If I may be so bold, sir, why did you agree to it in the first place? The war aside, why would you ever entertain the thought?"

"The gods have a purpose for everything." Jarl Balgruuf explained. "Cura coming to Whiterun and discovering she was Dragonborn was no accident. Seeing her at the Thalmor Embassy was no accident. Her coming to us with this, was likewise no accident. It's a necessary sacrifice for us to make to see Alduin defeated. I just know it."

"You just... know it." Irileth parroted with disbelief. It was not a reassuring thought in these dreadful times to know that the Jarl was making such a rash decision based on a gut feeling. Though, it seemed to be the order of the day for Nords to make rash decisions based on feelings and superstition.

"Do you think she could defeat Alduin? Truly?" Proventus inquired plaintively. He hoped she could, even if he had his doubts, because to not prevail would be the death of them all, sooner or later.

Jarl Balgruff considered the question momentarily, but quickly took to an answer. "I do. She's the only one who could even face the fiend. She has to. Why else would the Greybeards have summoned her?"

Irileth was unconvinced. "For all our sakes, I hope you're right."

The small group took another moment to examine the large trap hung on the ceiling, and looked beyond it, at the open, blue sky. From there, the beast would descend, and they were ready, at last.

All that remained to do was to put their tests to practical use.