The Legend of Zelda: Skyrim - Chapter 16: Are All Dragons Really Evil?

Hello everyone, almost a year later. Chapters 1-3 have been updated at the time of this posting, reviews for 1-3 on and past today (2-12-21) are for the new 1-3 chapters.
Also I've started playing ESO again, Greymoor and Markarth were awesome.

It had been around ten minutes since Link had received the armor and was now standing before Ulfric and Galmar, who were instructing him on how to keep his armor presentable.

They both seemed happy that he wanted to join them, yet he could sense they were worried, and for good reason. He was currently underage, he wasn't native to Skyrim, he supposed he had absolutely no idea how horrifying and devastating wars could be, and now that practically everyone in Windhelm knew that he was Dragonborn…

Link's thoughts were interrupted by suddenly not being able to see and he blindly stumbled around for a few seconds until he heard Galmar say something about a guard helmet. The Hylian reached up and felt metal face plating and realized someone had set a guard's helmet on his head, which was much too big for him.

Link then heard Ulfric say something about "lifting the helmet up" and when he lifted the helmet enough so that his eyes aligned with the eyeholes, his vision came back, only to see a group of guards nearby, one without a helmet. They seemed to think his current situation was hilarious and were all laughing.

"Look at him! Sure, the armor fits him well enough, but not the helmet!"

"Maybe you should take your helmet back, Wilson."

The un-helmeted guard stopped laughing and recomposed himself. "Yes, I suppose I should."

Link watched as the man walked over to him and his vision went dark for a second as Wilson took back his helmet.

A second later, the Hylian could see properly again, Wilson was looking down at the helmet in his hands before the guard put his helmet back on and stepped back. "Really sorry about that, Ulfric wanted to see how you looked in the full guard attire, guess no one was figuring you'd be too short for the helmet."

Before Link could respond, he heard Ulfric speak. "Thank you Wilson for volunteering. Yes, I admit I didn't think the plan through..." His gaze moved to Link and he smiled. "Despite the wrong helmet size, you looked like a guard for around two minutes."

Before Link could respond, Galmar spoke up. "He did. If I was allowed to, I would have given you a guard's helmet, lot more protective than the one that's issued with the outfit and all." The Nord waved a hand. "Put that helmet on, let's see how you look in the full attire."

The Hylian looked down at the fur helmet he was holding, before he turned it around, lifted it, then set it upon his head before adjusting it a bit before he dropped his arms to his sides and stood there waiting for a response.

Ulfric glanced over at Galmar. "What do you think, friend. Does he look presentable?"

Galmar nodded. "Yes. I admit, the clothes look a bit big on him, but we can adjust them if needed, or, he might grow into them, we'll see." The Nord walked up to Link with a stern expression before it turned to a wide smile and the man hugged Link for a few seconds before he set his huge hands on the Hylian's shoulders. "Now, remember, you're not officially one of us until you turn eighteen, but until then, you can wear the clothes, and we might send you on order delivery every now and then. Maybe even take you on a tour of the forts we have, get yourself acquainted with the lay of the land, that sort of thing."

Galmar let go of Link's shoulders and took a step back as he nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Someone raised you right, didn't they. What will you do now?"

Link took a few moments to collect his thoughts before answering Galmar. "I don't know. Maybe wander around Windhelm a bit, might head back to Whiterun..."

Galmar nodded. "A bit of traveling will do you good."

Some time later, the doors to the Palace of Kings opened, and then closed behind Link as he stepped from the massive building and passed the dragon skeleton. Numerous guards were standing around it, audibly wondering what they were going to do with the remains.

It wasn't that hard to navigate the streets of Windhelm and soon Link was out of the city and nearby the stables.

He heard a wild bray, then saw a familiar horse galloping towards him from the right.

Epona leapt over a nearby wall and landed beside Link, snorting a nuzzling him as the Hylian walked up to the horse and vaulted on her back. "You always know where to find me, don't you." Link then set Epona at a brisk walk as they started towards Solitude.

He had gotten Ulfric's blessing to leave Windhelm and learn more about Skyrim as he roamed the land, and he was going to make full use of it.

Before long, Link happened to come across Delphine, who hailed him from the side of the cobblestone road. He stopped Epona and looked down at the woman from atop the horse. "Hello."

"Hello indeed." Delphine smirked. "I'll be dammed, you actually did it. Well, considering you basically fell to your death and somehow didn't die, I'd consider it to be a success. Before you ask, I ran all the way to Windhelm once I realized where you and that flying lizard were headed. I got to the palace a few hours after some of the guards I talked to said that you had fallen from the sky, and and heard that you..." She faltered. "Absorbed that dragon's soul... I didn't see it, but based on how many people saw it happen, I can't deny it, you're really Dragonborn." Delphine sighed. "I owe you some answers, don't I? Go ahead. Whatever you want to know. Nothing held back."

Link nodded. "Right. Who are you, really, and what do you want with me?"

"I'm one of the last members of the Blades. A very long time ago, the Blades were dragonslayers, and we served the Dragonborn, the greatest dragonslayer. For the last two hundred years, since the last Dragonborn emperor, the Blades have been searching for a purpose. Now that dragons are coming back, our purpose is clear again. We need to stop them." Delphine sounded like she didn't want to be giving up this information.

"The Blades?" Link echoed. "Who are they?"

Delphine sighed. "Exactly. Nobody even remembers our name these days. We used to be known across Tamriel as the protectors of the Septim Emperors. Those days are long gone, though. For the last two hundred years, we've been searching for the next Dragonborn to guide and guard, as we are sworn to do. But we never found one. Until now. Meaning you."

Link felt Epona shift beneath him impatiently. "What do you know about the dragons returning?"

Delphine shook her head. "Not a damn thing. I was just as surprised as you to find that big black dragon here."

"I've seen that dragon before, the one that got away."

Delphine looked surprised. "Really? Where?"

"It was the one that attacked Helgen. I suspect it showing up saved my life. I was on the chopping block when it landed on a nearby tower and started to destroy Helgen, I helped Ulfric escape from the Imperials... as well as prevent both sides from fighting each other."

Delphine nodded. "Interesting. Same dragon..." She then swore. "Damn it, we're blundering around in the dark here! We need to figure out who's behind it all!"

Link couldn't help but agree with that. "What's our next move?"

"The first thing we need to do is figure out who's behind the dragons. The Thalmor are our best lead. If they aren't involved, they'll know who is."

That didn't sound right. "What makes you think the Thalmor are bringing the dragons back?"

Delphine shook her head. "Nothing solid. Yet. But my gut tells me it can't be anybody else. The Empire had captured Ulfric. The war was basically over. Then a dragon attacks, Ulfric escapes, and the war is back on. And now the dragons are attacking everywhere, indiscriminately. Skyrim is weakened, the Empire is weakened. Who else gains from that but the Thalmor?"

That sounded intriguing. "Why are the Thalmor after you?"

The woman laughed bitterly. "Before the Great War, the Blades helped the Empire against the Thalmor. Our Grand Master saw them as the greatest threat to Tamriel. At the time, that was true. Maybe it still is. So we fought them in the shadows, all across Tamriel. We thought we were more than a match for them. We were wrong."

It was silent for a few minutes, then Link asked another question. "So, we need to find out what the Thalmor know about the dragons. Any ideas?"

Delphine nodded. "If we could get into the Thalmor Embassy... it's the center of their operations in Skyrim... Problem is, that place is locked up tighter than a miser's purse. They could teach me a few things about paranoia..."

"So how do we get into the Thalmor Embassy?"

"I'm not sure yet. I have a few ideas, but I'll need some time to pull things together... Meet me back in Riverwood. If I'm not back when you get there, wait for me. I shouldn't be long. Keep an eye on the sky. This is only going to get worse. If I were you, I'd lay low for a while, what happened in Windhelm drew a lot of attention to you. I'd bet all of my Septims that the Thalmor are interested in you as well." Delphine then turned around and began to run off in the direction of Riverwood.

Link watched the woman soon vanish from view. 'The Thalmor Embassy... Why does that place sound so important... like... something valuable is there...' He shook his head. 'It's probably nothing.' The Hylian nudged Epona and the horse set off at a brisk walk towards Solitude.

It was by Link's guess around two hours later when he heard something roar. It was close by, close enough that he decided to investigate.

He rode Epona off the cobblestone path and through a field of flowers, then over a small hill. What he saw gave him pause.

A dragon. But the creature looked different to the ones he had seen and fought before.

The dragon was by a large lake and as the Hylian got down from his horse and slowly began to approach the beast, he noticed the creature was... crying?

Link froze when the dragon noticed him. Yet it didn't attack. Instead, it spoke. "You. You are Joor, mortal, yet you are not." The dragon's voice sounded feminine, and the creature didn't look like the dragons Link had fought before.

"Dovahkiin!" Spoke the dragon as she reared her head back a bit. "And yet... you are young, a drake, a kiir, child, not even do bok, of age... Yet Akatosh chose you..." The dragon got up from where she had been and moved over to Link, who could only look up at the creature as she seemed to visually examine him, perhaps even gaze into his very soul.

"I am a Jill, my sisters and I protect time, and deal with instances known as Dragon Breaks if need be. When such instances happen, we fix the affected timelines by devouring some extra aspects of the world."

'Female dragons. Somehow I get the sense that if I find more they won't attack me.' "Is there a reason you're not attacking me?"

The dragon eyed Link. "For what reason would I harm you? I am not like those brutes, wanting power and to rule over all of existence. You need a guide, aak, I sense you will have many in the months to come. Compare yourself to... a hatchling, just learning to fly. One day you will be powerful, but not yet."

Link nodded. "That makes sense. Do you have a name? All of the dragons I've heard of and fought before had names... I think."

"Some do not wish to reveal their names to you, young one. I am one such creature." Said the Jill as she rose to her full height and looked down at the human. "What do you call yourself?"

"Link Farmanne."

The Jill nodded. "A good name..."

"The soul inside me, I wasn't born with it?"

"No. I sense you have already done much, that you saved the land of your birth, wherever that may be. Akatosh thought you worthy of such a gift and placed the soul of what could be considered a hatchling inside you. Both of you will grow, will become powerful... but that day is far off from this one." The Jill moved closer to Link and eyed him with curiosity. "Akatosh chose well..."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You are a natural kendov, warrior, a hunter. Akatosh saw your strengths... Yet there is more... You were chosen by your own Divines, were you not?"

"Divines?"

The Jill nodded. "Gods."

"I was."

The Jill nodded again. "I know you have more questions."

"I do. Is there a reason why Alduin dislikes me so much?"

"Because you are destined to end his terror over the world, young one. Not now, not for a long while, but some day."

"So... I kill him?"

"More like send his soul back to Akatosh after the two of you battle for the fate of the world. But he is the World-Eater, one day he will rise again after you slay his mortal form."

"Battle for the fate of the world?"

The Jill nodded. "Yes, Alduin is the World-Eater, he intends to eat this world and devour many countless souls. It is your destiny to stop him. Wherever and whenever that will be, not even I know."

"When I approached you, you seemed to be upset about something."

The dragon looked down. "Yes. My mate was killed in the last dragon war, I thought he would have been brought back when I was summoned to this plane, but he was not."

'The first dragon war... That must have been centuries ago, at least. To be alone for that long, must be difficult...'

Before Link could ask another question, an arrow pierced the dragon's right wing.

The Jill roared and reeled back in pain as Link turned around and saw Delphine standing a few feet away, lowering a bow as she took out a sword and dagger, then ran forwards.

Delphine stopped moving once she saw Link approaching with the elven shield and iron war axe, held in a defensive position. "Do you intend to stop me? All dragons must die, that is the position of a Blade, we are dragon slayers, you know this."

"If you insist on attacking that dragon, then yes, I do intend to fight you." Link raised the war axe slightly and glared at the woman.

Delphine gazed at him in silence, then threw her dagger without warning in his direction. The dagger hit the elven shield and spun out of view into the tall grasses surrounding the two.

"...So that's how it is... Alright." Link made as if to run forward and swing the war axe at Delphine but then paused, dropped the weapon and drew his sword before he ran forwards, only to slam the blade against Delphine's sword as the woman blocked his swing, sending sparks flying.

"You really think you can beat me in a fight?" Delphine gazed at Link from behind her sword. "You may think you're a good fighter, but can you best someone who's been fighting longer than you've been alive?"

"I guess we'll find out, won't we?"

Before Delphine could respond, Link moved away from her, then began to circle the woman, being both offensive and defensive. "I don't appreciate you showing up and interrupting conversations."

"You were talking to that dragon?" Delphine asked in disbelief her eyes widened when Link nodded. "Why? It's a dragon."

"Maybe if you decided to study them, you'd realize that the dragon I was talking to was a Jill, which are very important. I learnt a few things about my destiny and my dragon soul, I would have learnt more if you hadn't shown up." Link lunged forwards and swung Numinex's Bane at Delphine, who blocked it with her own sword.

"You don't understand. All dragons must die."

"So you would kill Akatosh? He's a dragon." Link kept his face neutral as he saw the conflicting emotions on Delphine's face.

"He's depicted as a dragon, that doesn't mean Akatosh is one."

"Exactly." Link backflipped away from Delphine and got into a defensive position again. "You can't kill every dragon, it's impossible."

"That doesn't mean I can't try." Delphine ran forwards and tried to knock Link to the ground, but he dodged and managed to cut her arm with his sword as he swung it at her.

"I have a feeling we're equally matched." Link once again swung his sword at her but Delphine blocked it with her own.

"Surely you can do more than just swing that sword at me."

"I'm trying to be fair."

"Fair isn't how you survive in this world."

"Well it's worked for me so far." Link dodged Delphine again and tried to disarm her, failed to do so, and blocked a sword swing with his shield.

"Your tactics won't later forever." Delphine responded as she moved away, then picked up her dagger and threw it again. It ended up sticking out of the elven shield, having narrowly missed impaling Link's arm.

The two were interrupted by the dragon taking off from behind them. Delphine was knocked down by the wind created by the dragon's flapping wings while Link turned around and looked up as the Jill lifted herself into the air. He watched as the dragon circled him, then flew off to the north until she had vanished from view.

"So that's it, then? You managed to distract me and you let the dragon get away." Link looked back to see Delphine getting up from where she had been knocked down.

"I did, and if I had the choice, I'd do the same thing a second time." He turned to face her and waited until she had gotten up. "Did you follow me here?"

"Not exactly. I was on my way to Riverwood when I heard the roar and decided to investigate. Seems you did the same thing."

Link nodded, then removed the dagger from his shield and gave it to Delphine, then put his sword and shield away. "You're still traveling to Riverwood?"

Delphine inspected the dagger. "I am. I assume you want to see what Skyrim has to offer before you return to Riverwood?"

"Seems to be that way, I was intending to head for Solitude."

"Solitude... You have a ways to go for that. About the fight and argument... I hope this doesn't affect us working together."

"I suppose it doesn't. At least for now."

Delphine nodded. "I'll see you in Riverwood then." She turned around and walked away in the direction of her destination. Link looked on until he couldn't see her anymore, then he left the lake to go check on Epona.

She turned out to be fine, thankfully. As Link checked his weapons and armor, he remembered he had left the war axe at the lake.

The Hylian returned to the lake and eventually found the iron war axe, as he picked it up from where he had dropped it, he noticed a nearby cave. His curiosity got the better of him and he decided to investigate.

The cave was fairly sized, big enough to comfortably house two large dragons. The entrance was recently opened, judging by the claw marks on the walls, floor and ceiling. Moonlight was filtering down from a hole in the cave roof, shrouding the moss covered rock walls in an unearthly pale glow.

Link discovered various animal remains that had been picked clean to the bone, such as rabbits and birds, some skeletons missing half of their bones entirely. Near the back of the cave, he found three hundred Septims and he decided to take them.

Yet there was something else. A lone chest against the far back wall. Link noticed that it had numerous scratches in its metal and wooden surface, as if something had tried to get at whatever was inside. He took a step closer to the chest, only to feel something give under his furred boot and he looked down.

What he saw appeared to be broken bits of polished terracotta, as Link knelt down and picked up a piece, he found that the side facing him was a brilliant shade of green, almost emerald in color.

He began to lower the object to the stone floor but then turned the piece of pottery around to face him. Something colorless was reflected by the moonlight overhead, what appeared to be some sort of sticky sap was covering this side of the pottery, though he couldn't see it, rather feel it.

Link then noticed he was surrounded by more of these bits and pieces of polished terracotta and slowly came to the realization that these weren't pottery, but rather eggshells. Something had hatched from the remains of the eggs, of which he could tell there had been five of them in various colors.

Yet… Link caught something shimmering in the moonlight, something the color of blue ice - there was a lone intact egg, surrounded by the empty eggs of its siblings

The Hylian stepped into the nest and up to the lone egg, then knelt down before it and placed a hand on its surface. It was cold and the surface felt smooth, yet strong. He could somehow sense life inside the egg and he made a quick decision.

Link carefully lifted the egg from its resting place and placed it inside his knapsack at his side. He made sure the egg wouldn't be jostled around too much, then he stood and turned to leave the cave, then remembered the chest. Walking up to it and kicking it open revealed a strange glowing object that appeared to be hexagonal yet round in shape. Link picked up this object to examine it further and nearly dropped it when he heard a voice.

"A new hand touches the Beacon." A loud and powerful, attention demanding, feminine voice resounded in his head. "Listen. Hear me and obey." The voice commanded. "A foul darkness has seeped into my temple. A darkness that you will destroy. Travel to my figure on Mount Kilkreath, near Solitude, and I shall make you the instrument of my cleansing light."

Then the echoing voice was gone, leaving behind the feeling of a faint pull in the direction of his new destination. 'Strange mysterious lady wants me to… what… destroy something in a sacred place? I can do that… and it's on the way to Solitude…'

Link looked down at the strange glowing thing in his hands, and then set it inside his knapsack, next to the egg. Was it just his imagination, or was the egg glowing? Perhaps it was just the moon overhead reflecting on its surface.

After leaving the cave, the Hylian soon found Epona, and after reorienting himself, he vaulted on the horse's back and took off for Mount Kilkreath and Solitude.