Okay, so I've felt the need to bring this story back and try to see it through to the end. I know The Legend of Rahgol was a very well-favoured story of mine during it's first run, which I believe was from late 2019-2020, or 2020-2021. I can't really remember, I think it was 2021. But anyway, back to the topic at hand. I've brought the story back, and of course it's about a male Dragonborn being paired with a female Alduin, a very popular thing with Skyrim fanfiction stories.
Unfortunately, there's not really that many that are completed, or are very great stories but have been left untouched for years with just one chapter which is quite a shame since some that I have read have amazing potential to become great stories.
But anyway, back to this story. If you still remember my work with this one, you'll know Rahgol is more of an anti-hero than your typical hero in a fantasy story. He was raised by a dragon for most of his life, and experienced hardships at a very young age which has left him cold, ruthless and almost uncaring to other people and... why the hell am I telling you all this? You'll be reading it and finding out anyway.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. It belongs to Bethesda Studios.
-17th of the Last Seed, 4th Era 201-
'Oh my head... I feel like I got smacked by a Giant's club and somehow survived.' A young man of twenty five years thought as he stirred, slowly opening his eyes only to squint as he was hit with the brightness of daylight. He was a young man, with a lean but muscular build, long dark hair that fell over his shoulders, and dark blue eyes that held nothing but a cold look in them.
He also took note of his hands being tightly bound together by something, rope from the feel of it. Upon his vision fully returning to him, and the throbbing in the back of his head fading, he took a look at his surroundings and frowned at what he saw.
He was on a cart alongside three others, three Nords like himself. One had long blonde hair and was dressed in a set of light armor that was blue and bronze, an outfit he's seen only a couple of times that was worn by others. He glanced at the other two, seeing the other Nord was bound at the wrists like he and the blonde was. Strangely enough, the other Nord was bound and gagged, but if they were who the man thought they were, then there was a reason for that.
'Oh great. I get caught in an Imperial ambush set for the Stormcloaks and find myself in the cart with them. Lovely.' The man thought with an annoyed growl, which caught the attention of the blonde Nord across from him.
"Hey, you." He said, catching the man's attention. "You're finally awake."
"Obviously." The man replied dryly, earning a small glare in return from the Stormcloak before he continued.
"Youw ere trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush. Same as us, and that thief over there." The Nord jerked his head at the Nord beside him, who turned to glare at him.
"Damn you Stormcloaks." The thief spat. "Skyrim was nice and fine until you came along, Empire was nice and lazy. if it hadn't been for you, I would've stolen that horse and been halfway to Hammerfell."
The blonde Nord wasn't fazed by his words or glare as he returned it. "We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief."
"Shut up back there!" The Imperial driving the cart barked.
"How about you shut up and mind your own business?" The dark-haired Nord snapped back. "We're going to die, so we might as well have last conversations... or had the Empire caved to another one of the Thalmor's ridiculous demands like the banning of Talos worship?"
His remark earned a glare from the soldier while the Stormcloaks, in this cart and the one in front, laughed and cheered in agreement. The dark-haired Nord sighed irritably and leaned back, hoping this would just hurry up. There was no point in trying to argue that he was not a Stormcloak nor had committed any crime, he doubted the soldiers would believe him anyway. Far as they were concerned, he was at the ambush, and was therefore a Stormcloak.
'This is why I dislike both sides in this stupid war.' The man thought.
"What's with him, huh?" The thief asked, looking at the gagged man in front of him.
The blonde Nord didn't like his tone as he glared at the thief. "Watch your tongue!" He barked. "You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King."
"True High King? Yeah right. And the Dark Brotherhood are friendly people." The dark-haired Nord scoffed with a sarcastic edge in his voice, earning a glare from the blonde again.
The thief's eyes widened in panic and fear as he stared at Ulfric. "Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion! If they've captured you... oh gods, where are they taking us?" He asked with panic in his voice.
The blonde Nord sighed. "I don't know where we're going, but Sovngarde awaits." He looked at the Nord across from him. "What's your name?"
"Rahgol."
"Ralof."
Rahgol looked ahead, watching them go down a road and he spotted a town up ahead, having seen the watchtower. He frowned, wondering why they were going to some town rather than the Imperial City where they would no doubt want Ulfric's execution to be made public and widely known, that it meant the end of the war. He shook his head, not really caring. He was going to die soon, so why should he care about the way the others are killed?
"This isn't happening! This isn't happening!" The horse thief muttered under his breath frantically, starting to become more afraid of his impending doom.
Ralok look at him. "Hey, what village are you from, horse thief?"
The thief looked at him. "Why do you care?"
"A Nord's last thoughts should be of home." Ralof pointed out.
"...Rorikstead. I'm... I'm from Rorikstead."
Ralof nodded then looked at Rahgol. "And you?"
Rahgol shrugged. "I don't stay in one place too long, have done that since I left the only place that truly felt like home to me." His eyes shifted slightly to the towering mountain that was the highest in all of Skyrim. The one they call the Throat of the World.
As they approached the town, the gates opened up to allow the carts and their escorts through. Upon doing so, one of the soldiers called to another. General Tullius, sir, the headsman is waiting."
"Good. Let's get this over with." Another man said, causing Rahgol to look over and see a silver-haired Imperial seated upon a horse in front of a female High Elf who was also sat on a horse, clad in dark robes, with two male Elves who stood on either side of the horse.
"Look at him." Ralof growled, glaring at the man. "General Tullius, the Military Governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him. Damn Elves. I bet they had something to do with this." He then looked around and sighed. "This is Helgen. I used to be sweet on a girl here. Wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with juniper berries mixed in. Funny, when I was a boy, Imperial walls and towers used to make me feel so safe."
Rahgol idly listened to a father tell his son to go inside as the carts soon came to a stop in the courtyard, where several soldiers were stationed, including the headsman and a priestess.
"Get those prisoners out of the carts! Move it!" The captain barked.
"Why are we stopping?" The thief asked worriedly.
Ralof gave him a blank look. "Why do you think? End of the line. We shouldn't keep the gods waiting for us."
"No! no! We're not rebels!" The thief shouted as Ulfric got to his feet and stepped off the cart first, followed by the the panicking thief with Rahgol soon behind him.
"Shut up and quit your panicking. It won't do you any good." Rahgol grumbled, sick of the thief's annoying whining and complaining.
"You've got to tell them! We weren't with you! This is a mistake!" The thief said to Ralof.
Standing in front of them was an Imperial captain and a male Nord, who held a list in his hand along with a quill. The captain stepped forward. "Step towards the block when we call your name. One at a time!"
Ralof sighed. "Empire loves their damn lists."
"Ulfric Stormcloak. Jarl of Windhelm." The Nord said, checking a name off the list as Ulfric makes his way towards the block.
"It has been an honor, Jarl Ulfric." Ralof said, while Rahgol rolled his eyes.
"Ralof of Riverwood." Ralof followed Ulfric to the block. "Lokir of Rorikstead."
The thief, Lokir, stepped forward. "No! I'm not a rebel! You can't do this!" He took off into a run.
"Halt!" The captain shouted.
"You're not gonna kill me!" Lokir shook his head.
"Archers!" Two archers quickly drew an arrow and fired, both hitting Lokir in the back and dropping him to the ground, dead. The captain turned around, looking at the other prisoners. Anyone else feel like running?"
The male Nord looked at Rahgol and frowned. "Wait. You there. Step forward." Rahgol did so. "Who are you?"
"Rahgol." He answered with an irritated sigh. "Rahgol Dinok Krosis."
The captain scoffed. "Telling us a fake name won't save you from the chopping block. Speak your real name!"
Rahgol glared at her darkly. "That is my real name. It's not my fault your hearing is fucked or you're brain is too small to comprehend it."
"Why you-"
"Please don;t provoke the captain." The Nord intervened. "The results aren't pretty for those under her command. Captain, what should we do? He's not on the list."
"Forget the list, he goes to the block." The captain said with a smug smirk, shooting a glare at Rahgol who returned it darkly. "Perhaps that will teach him soem measure of respect."
"I'm going to die, why would I bother showing anyone respect?" Rahgol scoffed.
"By your orders, captain." The Nord sighed before looking at Rahgol. "I'm sorry. But at least you'll die here, in your homeland. We'll ensure your remains are returned to your family."
"Good luck with finding out about that." Rahgol chuckled as he followed the Nord towards the block, soon stopping next to the other Stormcloak prisoners as General Tullius stood before Ulfric.
"Ulfric Stormcloak. Some here in Helgen call you a hero. But a hero doesn't use a power like The Voice to murder his king and usurp his throne." Tullius said, earning a muffled grunt from Ulfric who was glaring at Tullius. "You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos, and now the Empire is going to put you down, and restore the peace."
Suddenly, they all heard something in the faint distance, it sounded like... a roar. Everyone looked up for the source of it, but saw nothing as they were confused to what caused it except one. Rahgol's eyes widened, having heard something very similar to that roar before.
"What was that?" The Nord from before asked.
"It's nothing, Hadvar." Tullius dismissed. "Carry on."
"Yes, General Tulllius." The captain saluted before turning to the priestess. "Give them their last rites."
"As we commend your souls to Aetherius, blessings of the Eight Divines upon you, for you are the salt and earth of Nirn, our beloved-"
A Stormcloak soldier got fed up as he stalked forward toward the block. "For the love of Talos, shut up and let's get this over with!"
"As you wish." The priestess said, miffed at the interruption.
"Come on! I haven't got all morning!" The Stormcloak goaded, being forced to his knees by the captain and his head lined up on the block as the headsman readied the axe. "My ancestors are smiling at me, Imperials. Cam you say the same?"
Nobody answered him as the headsman raised his weapon and brought it down, cutting the soldier's head off from the neck. The body slumped over, blood gushing out of the headless neck like a waterfall.
"You Imperial bastards!" A female Stormcloak shouted angrily, glaring at the Imperials.
"Justice!" One of the townspeople shouted.
"Death to the Stormcloaks!" His wife added.
'By the gods, would somebody just do something to hurry this up or choose me to be the next to die?' Rahgol thought with annoyance, shaking his head.
"Next, the Nord in the rags!" The captain pointed at him.
"Oh good, my turn." Rahgol said sarcastically. Suddenly, they heard the same roar from before... and it sounded like it was closer this time.
"There it is again. Did you hear that?" Hadvar asked, looking at the sky.
The captain glared at him. "I said next prisoner."
Hadvar sighed and looked at Rahgol regrettably. "To the block, prisoner. Nice and easy."
Rahgol was silent as he walked over. He soon came to a stop at the block, then smirked, looked at the captain and spat directly into her left eye, causing her to jerk back and most of the people to look on in surprise.
"You fucking bastard!" The captain shouted and punched Rahgol in the face, causing a few globs of blood to fly from his mouth as he went to his knees, but he just laughed as he was forced down onto the block.
"Something to remember me by." Rahgol remarked with a bloodied grin.
"Hurry up and kill him!" The captain barked at the executioner, who was ready to swing the axe once more. However, something caught Rahgol's eye and they widened as he saw a huge black creature fly over the mountains with a roar announcing it's arrival.
"What in Oblivion is that?!" Tullius roared, now taking note that something was coming.
"Sentries, what do you see?!" The captain called to the ones on the watchertower.
"It's in the clouds!" One of them shouted back just before a black form shot from the clouds and landed on the watchtower, crushing the soldiers under it's paws and revealing itself to all. It was a Dragon, with smooth scales as black as night that glinted and gleamed in the sunlight, a slender build, large wins, four legs, and a long tail.
"DRAGON!" One of the townpeople shouted in horror and fear.
The Dragon looked over everyone with red eyes that soon landed on Rahgol, and the creature tilted it's head curiously before rage came across it's features and it opened it's mouth, shouting something which caused the sky to turn orange and black as giant, flaming meteorites fell to the ground. This caused mass panick with the townpeople running to find safety while the soldiers shot at the Dragon with arrows that bounced off it's scales harmlessly. The Dragon scoffed and unleashed fire from it's mouth, burning several people and buildings before it took to the sky.
Rahgol looked around and spotted the executioner's forgotten axe and quickly began using the blade to cut through his binds. He had just managed to cut them in half when he heard someone call his name, and looked to see Ralof urging him to get into the tower where several other Stormcloaks had run to. Seeing no other places for safety, Rahgol ran over and entered, with Ralof slamming the door shut.
"Jarl Ulfric, what is that thing?" Ralof panted. "Could the legends be true?"
"Legends don't burn down villages." Ulfric said, his voice strong and noble sounding, even in this situation.
Does that look like a legend to you?" Rahgol countered in an irate manner, causing Ulfric to glare at him and the other Stormcloaks to tense. Before a fight could break out, the tower shook and everyone was reminded of the current problem.
"We need to move! Now!" Ulfric shouted to his men.
Rahgol shook his head and decided to go on his own as he ran up the stairs, coming up to a Stormcloak trying to shift debris blocking the steps when the wall next to them suddenly exploded as the Dragon smashed it's head through and then unleashed a torrent of fire that engulfed the poor soldier who screamed.
"You missed, ugly!" Rahgol goaded, to which the Dragon snapped it's glare to him and growled.
"Hi krilon faazrot zey?!" The Dragon roared in a noticeable feminine voice, then darted her head forward to sink her teeth into Rahgol's shoulder. The man screamed in pain before he yelled as he was thrown out of the watchtower and sent crashing into a burning inn, landing on the floor harshly.
"Okay... that hurt." Rahgol groaned as he pushed himself up, wincing in pain when his shoulder flared up in pain. He looked to see the damage done, and hissed at the teeth marks and the blodo dripping down, his ragged shirt a mess given the sharpness of the Dragon's teeth. Rahgol shook the pain off and stumbled to his feet as he made his way out of the inn, passing fires that sprung up from the Dragon's fire.
He made it out just as he saw the soldier, Hadvar, coaxing a terrified boy to come to him. However, the Dragon, or Dragoness actually, soon landed nearby and eyed the child before growling at the soldier as she prepared to unleash her fire once again.
"Oh, I'm gonna regret this." Rahgol groaned before he rushed out, picking up a piece of wood from a rooftop. "Hey, bitch! Settling for a small meal, huh? What about a larger catch?!" He swung the piece of wood, which shattered into two pieces upon striking the Dragon's scaly hind leg. The Dragon whipped her head around and growled angrily before sending Rahgol flying off his feet with a simple kick of her hind leg.
"Zu'u fen vaaz hin slen nol hin qeth!" The Dragon roared as she turned, but arrows bouncing off her caught her attention and she took off into the air to continue her decimation of the town and everyone in it.
Rahgol groaned as he fought back to his feet. She sure kicked hard, that's for sure. He blinked and found Hadvar helping him to his feet, an arm over his shoulder. "Still alive, Rahgol? Stay close to me if you want to stay that way." He ordered before looking at an older man who was with the boy. "Gunnar, take care of the boy. I have to find General Tullius and join the defense."
"Gods guide you!" The old man said as Hadvar led Rahgol through the chaotic town. At some point, Rahgol looked up and noticed the Dragon circling, looking for him, no doubt wanting him dead the most for insulting her appearance and attacking her. Eventually, Rahgol and Hadvar made it into the keep, and both took the chance to sigh in relief.
"Looks like we're the only ones who made it. Hadvar noted. "Was that really a Dragon? The bringers of the End Times?"
"Looks like it. Angry little bitch, so she is." Rahgol grunted as he sat on one of the beds and took off his ragged, bloodstained shirt to see his wounds more clearer.
"She?" Hadvar raised a brow.
"You didn't hear the female voice when it spoke?" Rahgol countered, quickly casting a healing spell over his injury to seal up the wounds and make them scars, though they hadn't fully healed and were still prone to opening and bleeding again if Rahgol didn't take it easy.
"You're a healer?" Hadvar asked, surprised that he knew magic given he appeared to be more of a warrior.
"Just enough to heal some wounds and keep myself alive." Rahgol said, then stood and grabbed some rags to make makeshift bandages from. It would do until he found proper bandages to cover up his wounds. "Any armour or swords in this place?"
"Yes." Hadvar said then gestured to a nearby chest. "There should be a set in that chest. It's Imperial armor, so you'll have to make do with it for now. And a couple of Iron Swords are on the rack there."
Rahgol grunted in reply and walked over to the chest, opening it to see he was right. A set of Imperial armour, including the helmet, laid inside. Chucking the helmet aside, Rahgol began donning the rest of it. It would do him until he could find somewhere to forge some Iron armor for now. He didn't necessarily have the proper essentials to make stronger armors than that. And he heard the likes of Daedric and Ebony armor required some very rare essentials to forge.
He checked the swords and frowned as he saw they were fairly blunt. "Your equipment is in need of serious work."
"Most of the Imperial bases and strongholds here are fairly old, since the Legion hasn't needed a very strong presence is Skyrim until recently, so few bases outside of Castle Dour in Solitude have properly maintained equipment. Regardless, I think we should get out of here. Follow me." Hadvar turned and walked over to a door, pulled a chain next to it causing the door to open, they were heading to the next door when they heard voices
"We need to get moving! That dragon is tearing up the whole keep!"
"Just give me a minute, I'm out of breath."
"Stormcloaks." Hadvar whispered, peaking through the gaps in the door to see two Stormcloaks, one sitting down and panting. Both were armed with warhammers. "Maybe we can reason with them."
"Don't bet your life on it." Rahgol scoffed before he pulled the lever that lowered the door, allowing them to walk through and gain the attention of the Stormcloaks, who immediately unsheathed their weapons.
"Hold on, we only want to…" Hadvar began, but he quickly had to dodge a swing from an Iron Warhammer. Rahgol had already taken an Iron Sword out and swung, slitting the Stormcloak's throat open. This is why he never used heavy weapons like Battleaxes, Warhammers or Greatswords. They took much stamina out of a person because of the heavy swings needed to wield them. It left the warrior wide open for a kill from an enemy.
Rahgol looked up to see Hadvar avoiding the swings of the other Stormcloak's Iron Warhammer, and sheathed his Iron Sword before picking the dead Stormcloak's hammer up with a grunt then threw it at the Stormcloak, who was quick to duck but this allowed Hadvar to get in close and stab her with his Imperial Sword.
"Their outfits don't offer much protection." Rahgol remarked.
"The Stormcloaks specialise in hit-and-run tactics, so their armour is designed to allow for easier and faster movement in addition to protection against light arrow fire. However, this makes it virtually useless in a prolonged fight against an opponent with proper weaponry, such as the average Legionnaire." Hadvar explained, then turned to the door, took a key that one of the Stormcloaks had stolen, and used it to unlock the door, allowing the two to head in deeper into the keep.
Along the way, they killed a few more Stormcloaks that attempted to attack them until they reached a torture room, which had a passage going out the back of it. Seeing this as their only way out, they followed it until they reached a cave system, where they heard a roar and the passage caved in behind them.
"Well Hadvar, I do believe we can't get out that way." Rahgol remarked to the soldier, causing him to let out a chuckle as they walked through the caves and found a stream.
"Look, a stream, if we follow it we may find the way out." said Hadvar as they followed it; they soon had to turn off and into a lair of Frostbite Spiders, the inhabitants of which greeted them by spraying Frostbite Venom at them.
"I hate Spiders." Rahgol growled as he ducked to avoid one pouncing on him to drive it's venomous pincers into him, and he took the opening to drive one of his Iron Swords through it's body. He then clenched his fist before opening it again, palm facing towards the spiders, as a torrent of flames emerged from his hand and burned a number of the spiders. After that, it was a simple matter of mopping up the rest of the spiders with Hadvar's help and soon they were on their way again.
However, as they came through to another section of the caves, they spotted a sleeping mother bear nearby with two cubs nestled at her side and the two were quick to crouch.
"It's best we don't tangle with her right now." Hadvar said, Rahgol nodding in agreement. Slowly and quietly, the two made their way past the sleeping family, with the mother bear cracking an eye open to watch them as one of her cubs snuggled into her side.
"Cute." Rahgol said with a small smile at the sight.
"Bit of a softie under all that ruthlessness and attitude, huh?" Hadvar asked with a small grin.
"Only with certain animals."
The two soon came upon the cave's entrance, with daylight streaming in. Hurriedly, they jigged out and into the open air. Hadvar sighed in relief as Rahgol looked around the area.
"We made it. We-Get down!" Hadvar shouted, ducking down behind a rock with Rahgol quickly joining him just as the black Dragoness flew over them with a roar. They watched her go until she was well out of sight. "I think she's gone. We better get moving, and head for Riverwood. It's not far, and both of us could take the chance to rest up. You especially."
Rahgol glanced at where he bandaged his shoulder, having felt the wounds reopen from the fighting, and shrugged. "I'll be fine. But, I could use the chance to have a good night's sleep, then forge some armor and improve these swords. Afterwards... I don't know."
As they started walking, Rahgol looked off in the direction the black Dragoness flew off in, his eyes narrowing in thought. All Dragons, save one, were meant to be dead. So where did this one come from? What did it mean?
And that's it for the first chapter, people. I hope it was interesting enough, but I'm sure you'll tell me your opinions in the reviews... just don't be too harsh, please, not to the point where it's more mindless insults than actual criticism. Seriously, I see that with some fics and it's just not needed. If you're going to be a critic, speak on what the author can improve on, don't go demanding they kill themselves just because they can do a better job in writing than you can and you'd rather take your personal problems out by insulting people you don't know.
Now, for Alduin's appearance. I've made her a four-legged dragon rather than what dragons actually look like in Skyrim, as a way of showing status. The ones with two legs and have to use their wings to crawl forward are lesser dragons, while those of higher standing like Alduin, Odahviing and Paarthurnax will have four legs like traditional western dragons.
Also, because I've made a Male Dragonborn x Female Alduin story, I'm also going to make a male OC x female Dragonborn story. It's actually going to be my OC Kaeden Hunter, from Kuorinu Rebellion: The Beast Among Us, who shall be paired with a female Dragonborn. And yes, he's still a Werewolf of course, though he's not with the Companions. He's more of a lone wolf.
Dragon language translations:
Rahgol Dinok Krosis (Rage Death Sorrow)
Hi krilon faazrot zey?! (You dare insult me?!)
Zu'u fen vaaz hin slen nol hin qeth! (I'm going to enjoy ripping your flesh from your bones!)