Kuroinu Dawnbreaker - A light shining in darkness: chapter 2 - An ember of liberation
History on Tamriel has shown us that those of dragon blood have always participated in important events on Nirn, like Tiber Septim, who conquered Tamriel at the end of the second era and established the Septim dynasty before ascending to godhood at the start of the third era as the Divine Talos. While the 'Slave Queen' Alessia overthrew her elven slavers in the first era and created the Elessian empire after that.
Many would believe that a Dragonborn's real power is their Thu'um and that they are the ultimate dragon slayer on Nirn, while history also reveals another important feat that each Dragonborn has displayed. Their ability to rally people to their cause if needed.
Looking at the history of each Dragonborn incarnation, they have always taken a position of power while walking on Nirn. It's speculated that certain other factors are also important, like their birth sign and what race they belong to, but in general, each of the known Dragonborns were natural leaders in their respective time. Like the time a priest named Martin Septim managed to lead a large group of Imperials in defense of the city of Bruma in Cyrodiil at the end of the third era during the Oblivion crisis.
However, the Last Dragonborn Thorson has so far lived a modest life in comparison with his previous incarnations, only fulfilling his destiny by slaying the World-Eater Alduin. While he inspired hundreds of soldiers in battle during the Skyrim civil war as he fought for the Imperials, in the end, he retreated into obscurity after helping the Nords in rebuilding Skyrim after the 'Dragon Wars' and civil war.
Chaos was complete in the city of Ken as a storm of apocalyptic proportions struck down every Black Dog on the streets, combined with an army of undead mercenaries that stormed their way into the various hiding places as they tore the flesh from their Black Dog comrades. Many of its citizens barricaded themselves in their homes against the army of the dead, but they were surprised when they ignored them and only focused on their occupiers.
A few fled the city in a panic, fearing for their lives. Fortunately, those who were not affiliated with the Black Dogs were spared from the storm, while the two large attacking dragons seemed solely focused on fighting the remaining Black Dogs and their allies.
Ken's population thought that this was the 'end times' for them, a form of punishment from some unknown deity after their Goddesses fell from grace. Others viewed the glowing man as a 'lost hero' of Celestine as he dispensed cruel judgment on the Black Dogs and the demons.
During the chaos, a few of them even thought that their potential liberator was worth worshiping in the future.
The Dragonborn entered a dark dungeon under Ken's Holy Temple, and using his Clairvoyance spell, Thorson navigated the maze of corridors, looking for Eostia's former ruler. On the way, he found smaller groups of Black Dog mercenaries who tried to stop him, but they fell quickly to his fire-breathing Thu'um, leaving only charred corpses in his wake.
"Huh, what the…?" Thorson exclaimed as he felt his draconic aspect wear off, returning the man to his usual self. A now calmed-down Dragonborn then looked at his hand.
"So many dead..." the Dragonborn whispered to himself before clenching his hands in defiance. "No, they all deserved it! No need to feel sorry for those animals." The Dragonborn reassured himself before moving on.
While navigating the underground maze of prison blocks and hallways, he stumbled into a cell block that seemed to have some activity from its inmates. And while passing one of the cells, the Nord heard a voice calling out for him, "Hey you! Are you one of Vult's men?"
Thorson turned around and saw a middle-aged man in rags looking at him. The Dragonborn faced the prisoner and shook his head in response to the man's question.
"A-Are you here to rescue her?!" the man asked from behind his bars. "Are you here to save 'Her Grace'?!"
"If you mean Celestine, then yes." Thorson replied to the prisoner's question, "Why, is that a problem? And who are you?"
The prisoner, who now seemed relieved, answered him, "Knight Sergeant Aurelian of Her Grace's 'Holy Knights'." The man proudly introduced himself: "Me and a few hundred of us have been detained in this prison after Vult's men took Ken over; we nearly lost hope that no one would come for us."
"I see…" The Dragonborn responded neutrally, "I'll help you later, but first... I need to find Celestine first." The Nord then informed the imprisoned man before turning towards the hallway in front of him.
The truth was, the Dragonborn felt that he could not waste any more time while also not risking his rescue mission by helping an unknown man.
Thus, as the Dragonborn moved on further into the dungeon, he could hear a voice calling him out from behind him, "Wait! Let us out! Come back!"
Assisted by his Clairvoyance spell, the Dragonborn managed to reach his destination as its trail stopped in front of a large cell door. And by whispering his next Thu'um, "LAAS" Thorson could see that only two auras were present beyond the next room.
Seeing no potential threats, the Dragonborn shouted his next Thu'um, "BEX!" causing the locked door in front of him to open at his command.
Passing by the door, Thorson walked inside and used his Candlelight spell to light up the dark room. The man then stopped in his tracks to smell the air, "What is that particular smell? It's like perfume. Not something you would expect in a prison…" the Dragonborn noted out loud.
The Dragonborn then looked around for signs of life, and he finally found the person he had been looking for ever since his vision this morning.
On the dark floor on his left, he saw the broken form of a naked blonde elven girl who seemed to be just staring at the ceiling with her unfocused eyes. It was the same woman from his vision, the fallen High Queen, Celestine.
As Thorson slowly approached the incapacitated elf in front of him, the Nord also saw another female form on his right. He spotted a naked blonde woman who just stared at him, confusion visible on her face. "W-Who are you? the woman nervously asked.
The man in question sheathed Dawnbreaker before kneeling in front of the blond elf and channeling a healing spell. "Thorson Brightsong, my lady," Thorson answered the blonde woman's question while healing the elf in front of him.
The Nord then looked at the blonde woman. "And you?" Thorson asked her.
"A-Alicia Arcturus," she faintly replied while staring in awe at what the man was doing to her former queen. Alicia then noticed that Celestine's body started to glow. "Why a-are you here? What are you doing to Celestine?"
Thorson continued his channeling, attempting to increase a bit of her stamina, bringing the blonde elf back to a conscious state. "By the Divines, what did they do to her?" the Nord healer asked himself after feeling her current condition while he healed her. "It seems she was also poisoned in some way."
"Well," the man began as he recalled past events while healing Celestine, "this morning, I was praying to the Divines in Solitude when I received a vision where your friend here begged me to help her." Thorson began informing the fatigued girl.
"And after locating Eostia, I flew here with my dragon friend, and then I... I went a bit mad and began slaughtering the Black Dogs and their allies within the city," Thorson explained almost casually before turning his attention towards Alicia, showing her a reassuring smile. "And for what I'm doing now, I'm currently healing your friend here."
"What? Divines, Solitude...?" the confused young woman asked before voicing her surprise, "A-And You did w-what?!" Alicia exclaimed in shock after hearing this.
After her outburst, the young woman tried to stand up but ended up falling on her knees. Alicia then looked at the man in front of her. "One man against the whole city filled with Vult's mercenaries and demons?! H-How, why?!"
"Well, I had some help from a couple of friends. They are having their fun outside dealing with the rest of these dogs," the Dragonborn casually informed the blonde woman. Thorson's expression then darkened a bit. "They all deserved their fates, and I have no regrets for the amount of blood that has been spilled on this day."
While the Dragonborn spoke to Alicia, his elven patient began to wake up. At first, Celestine heard two voices, one belonging to Alicia and one belonging to a man whose voice sounded familiar to her. When she opened her eyes, she saw a hooded man wearing gray robes kneeling in front of her, channeling some kind of spell.
Whatever he was doing, it felt warm and comforting to the High Elf, who now felt energized while the pink haze surrounding her vision faded away. Celestine could not see much of his face while he was conversing with Alicia, but she could see that the man had a black goatee.
"When I'm done healing your elven friend here, I'll also help you on your feet, my lady," Thorson reassured Alicia before turning his attention to his elven patient. Thorson's brown eyes then met Celestine's green ones for the second time that day.
Celestine held out one hand and gently touched the man's face. "It's really you... from that dream. "Y-You are real after all..." the elf softly said as tears began forming in her eyes.
"Huush, save your strength. We can talk later, my lady." Thorson gently comforted the elf. "Once I stabilize you both, I'll transport you both to safety, where you can recover." the Nord reassured the elf before gently helping the former High Queen stand up.
Turning around, Thorson then walked towards Alicia to treat her. Celestine looked towards the Nord as he kneeled in front of Alicia.
"You are really from Tamriel, right?" Celestine asked the Dragonborn. "I-I thought everyone there would be dead when the 'Harvester of Souls' attacked the continent many centuries ago."
"You are talking about the whole 'Planemeld' thing that happened around ten centuries ago?" Thorson replied with another question: "The invasion by the Daedric Price Molag Bal, right?" he asked Celestine as he began channeling his healing on the young woman in front of him.
The elf nodded to Thorson's question, who in turn filled her in: "I can show you some books later if you wish. But in short, yes, it took a few years, but the whole of Tamriel managed to defeat Bal, preventing his and our worlds from merging."
Hearing this new information about Tamriel's fate, Celestine began to feel very guilty. "All those years, that phase spell was not needed. I could have..."
Alicia at first felt awkward after feeling the man's healing from so close, but after feeling the warm and pleasant effects of his spell on her glowing body, her mind seemed to calm down a bit.
The Arcturus princess then looked at her former queen, confusion again visible on her face. "Celestine, what are you both talking about? I do not recognize any of the names you two keep mentioning."
"He is from outside Eostia, Alicia." Celestine answered, "A place far away from here, a place I tried to forget for our sakes..." the elf informed her solemnly.
The former High Queen then looked at the Dragonborn. "Will you bring us to Tamriel? It's so far away... And we still need to escape this place..." Celestine questioned the Nord while he was helping Alicia stand up.
The man turned towards the worried elf and gave her a confident smile. "I have a few things with me that should help us get there instantly," Thorson reassured both women, patting a pouch on his robes. "Are you both ready for this?" the Nord then asked both women.
Celestine desperately wanted to leave this place—to be free of her torment. But why does a part of her feel conflicted about this?
Thorson observed the conflict that grew within the elf as he walked towards Celestine. "Why are you hesitating? Don't you want to leave this prison? What is wrong? Are you...?" the Dragonborn asked Celestine before he was interrupted by another voice.
"Because she wants to stay here. With me..." a voice called out behind him as the Dragonborn quickly turned around brandishing Dawnbreaker, lightening the dark dungeon with its glow.
Outside the 'Holy Temple', the weather started to return to normal as the lightning storm began to reduce in intensity. Odahviing meanwhile, was dealing with the helpless Black Dogs and their demonic allies as they ran away from his presence. Those he caught were snatched up and crushed to death, while others were burned alive on the streets.
Durnehviir in turn, was having a time of his cursed life as he played around with the hundreds of corpses as they hunted their allies down while draining the life out of those who tried to resist him.
The red dragon then flew around the city, looking for stragglers. "Faal city is clear of Niin" he roared out. But later, the ancient being observed a large group of demonic creatures attempting to enter the city from its main gate. "Durnehviir, More Do Niin Ahst the gate," the red dragon warned the necromancer dragon before moving to intercept them.
"My Tiid is running out; I'll send the horde Wah hi," Durnehviir answered his fellow Dovah before commanding his undead horde towards the main gate. For the cursed dragon only had a few moments left on Nirn before he was forced to return to his prison within the Soul Cairn.
Standing at the doorway behind the Dragonborn were two men who held out their weapons. The tallest armored man had an oversized great sword, while his companion held daggers in each hand.
The tall black-haired one began to taunt the Dragonborn, "You are too late, 'hero'. These women have already submitted themselves to our will. They now cannot live without us." the man taunted the Dragonborn with a smirk.
"So... that's their current condition... This whole thing got a lot more complex." Thorson realized before being interrupted by the voice of Celestine behind him, "V-Vult... don't..." she began to plead.
Thorson, now aware he was standing in front of the Black Dog leader, replied. "So... you are the 'Emperor' of this so-called 'Sex Empire'?" the Dragonborn questioned Vult mockingly before he pointed upward with a laugh. "From what I've seen up there, I'm not impressed with what you have accomplished," the tall Nord taunted before ending with a smirk of his own.
"Why you!" Vult exclaimed, "Who are you to judge us? You are just another 'hero' who will lose in the end." the mercenary leader mocked the Nord, "You are just one man, and I have many under my command." Vult stated this while pointing his finger toward the Dragonborn.
The shorter, brown-haired man next to Vult then joined in. "Yeah, all the women on Eostia belong to us! Why do you want to 'kidnap' them? Alicia is happy with me as she..."
"IIZ", both men then heard as Vult's companion was suddenly engulfed by the intruder's magical shout, turning the Black Dog rogue into an ice block before it fell on the cold floor.
The three remaining Eostians were in shock at what they just witnessed: this mysterious man just shouted at Hicks and just got encased in a block of ice.
Celestine watched in awe at the power displayed. "That language? That power? He c-cannot be the Son of...?"
"Silence your dog, Vult!" the Dragonborn bellowed before facing the mercenary leader again after he used his 'Ice Form' Thu'um, "We are having a 'civil' conversation after all." Thorson mocked Vult with a grin.
Vult was completely taken by surprise after what he just witnessed: "What...? W-What did you do to Hick's?!" the mercenary leader demanded.
"You like that? Why thank you," the Dragonborn said, waving a mocking gesture towards Vult. "Most tend to have the same reaction when seeing my Thu'um for the first time." Thorson continued to taunt the man in front of him.
"As for what I am, I am just a humble healer from a place far away, looking to help others in need. Does that suffice as an answer, 'Emperor Vult?" Thorson ended with a question, again mocking the Black Dog leader.
The leader of the Black Dogs managed to recover his composure after witnessing his partner get frozen solid as he turned towards the Dragonborn.
"You cannot save these women now that they have submitted themselves to us for our pleasure." Vult retorted, "They don't want to leave that behind, so they are a lost cause for you, 'hero'!"
Thorson looked at both women, seeing their conflicted expressions as their bodies began shivering while trying to avoid eye contact with their Black Dog captors.
"These poor women are petrified... I have to show them that there is another way. A way towards their freedom..." Thorson noted, his mind now on overdrive as he looked for a way to help these poor souls break their 'mental shackles'.
"Show them that there is a way out for both of them... That they are not alone..."
The Dragonborn has seen Celestine's true feelings during his vision, a part that was reaching out for someone or something to hear and save her. And while Thorson was not sure about Alicia, he believed that she wished to be free from her current predicament.
"Alicia, Celestine, is this true?" Thorson asked the two female slaves in the room while he still stared at Vult.
"Is this the final fate you wish for yourself? To be eternally bound to something you do not want, that they forced upon you, to become just a worthless slave to them?" The ground then seemed to tremble as he continued his declaration.
"Hon Dii Thu'um, Nii Drun Hi Drem" Thorson began addressing both women in the dragon language before switching to the common tongue. "No one is beyond redemption for me; I'm here to help you, protect you. Do you want to be free again? To live again? I will help you, for I will not abandon those in need. Follow me, Kren Stin, Dahmaan Hin Aus, Zu'u Drun Hi Stin!"
Both female slaves were in awe of the intensity of the Dragonborn's commanding presence and his compassionate words. His speech seemed to have cleared up something within their psyches like a fog was clearing up within their broken minds.
Both Alicia and Celestine kept staring at the Dragonborn, both drawn by the power of his voice. This all brought out something they desperately needed in these dark times, times they were forced to succumb to their Black Dog captors...
Hope
Both women needed this during these dark times. Both needed a way out of their enslavement. They need to be free for their people, friends, and loved ones.
And now, this stranger stood in front of them, seemingly protecting them from Vult with his glowing blade. This single man gave both enslaved women a choice.
To be free... to live again!
For a minute, nothing was said in the room as the tall Nord still held his ground, awaiting the responses of both women. Meanwhile, everyone in the room could hear the roars of the Dragonborn's two dragons through the prison walls.
Alicia's voice then broke the silence. "No, I want to be free again," Alicia said softly. "I was betrayed by those I once called family, and then by Vult and his men, raping me and my cousin endlessly…"
Her voice then slowly increased in volume. "I betrayed my people because of their lies... I will not be part of that anymore…" the fallen 'Shield Princess' continued before narrowing her eyes. "I will fight for Prim! I will not submit again! I won't be weak!"
Alicia then frantically shook her head, slowly regaining part of her pride back. "I hate you animals! I'd rather die free!" the young woman yelled before looking towards the Dragonborn. "I'll follow you!"
The Dragonborn showed her a brief smile before turning his head a bit towards Celestine. The former High Queen then saw one of Thorson's brown eyes staring intensely at her, waiting for her response.
The mysterious man in front of her spoke with such zeal, giving her hope for change, a chance to be free, and a sense of safety. The power behind his voice also blew away the fog of doubt in her mind as memories came back, memories she had almost forgotten after becoming Vult's 'plaything' these past weeks.
Celestine's recent prayers have been heard after all. The man in front of her was proof that she was not forgotten by the deities she abandoned many centuries ago, the Aedra.
"N-no… I will not be a slave to him." Celestine said, her last words filled with spite. "Vult betrayed us many times with his false promises... My people suffer now because of him. I hated it…"
Like Alicia, Celestine's voice also began to increase in intensity as she continued. "I hated being in his presence; his perversion... I hated being a slave to his urges! I hated hearing his voice when he humiliated me!"
The fallen queen then looked toward her savior. who could see the fire in the elf's eyes with each word she shouted out. "I want to be free! I want my life back! I want Eostia to be free! I will follow the Son of Auriel'!"
"Son of Auriel? Well, that is a new title I never heard someone say about me." Thorson thought as he then looked at Vult, who seemed to be in shock. "Well, 'Emperor,' that sounded like a cry for freedom."
The Dragonborn then showed Vult a grin. "What will you do about that? Will you respect their wishes or force yourself on them as usual?"
Vult could not believe what he was hearing; his hard work was about to be undone by this one stranger.
"Y-Your magic did something to them! You are no 'hero,' you just manipulated their minds with your magic voice!" A now-bewildered Vult shouted towards the Nord, not fully understanding what just happened.
Hearing those words, Thorson was instantly reminded of the words his dragon mentor Paarthurnax spoke when they first met on the Throat of the World: "Dov Wahlaan Fah Rel. We were made to dominate. The will is in our blood. You feel it in yourself, do you not?"
Memories of the 'First Dragonborn' Miraak then followed a fellow Dragonborn who was responsible for mind-controlling an entire island with his Thu'um. "No… I will never manipulate someone's free will again. I will not follow that path, unlike Miraak!"
"No… I do not control them." the ground shook again as the Dragonborn responded to Vult's accusation. Every word the Nord spoke, caused the room they were in, to tremble from his 'Storm Voice'.
"I just opened their eyes to the truth you tried to suppress with your acts of depravity!" Thorson shouted towards Vult with absolute conviction, "You tried taking away their free will, but they always had it within them!"
Alicia then joined in; her eyes showed an intense fire that could have ignited the entire room
"I swear I'll fight you all! I will make sure you, Hicks, and Beastly die for the pain they caused to me, my cousin, and my people!" the young woman shouted before stepping next to the Dragonborn. Alicia's demeanor showed the entire room that she wouldn't back down at any time: "I swear upon my life!"
Celestine then followed her friend as she stepped next to the Dragonborn. "And I will stand by no longer; I've let my people down again! I was foolish to believe you, Vult! I will make sure to free my people from the pain you brought upon them! For all the suffering you caused me and my people, I'll fight you to the end!"
Thorson felt relief hearing those words, knowing he had managed to break the mental chains the mercenary leader held over them.
Vult's expression seemed to be one of disappointment and anger as their former 'playthings' rebelled against him.
"Bah, no matter! I'll make sure to break their minds again and make sure they stay obedient for the rest of their lives!" proclaimed Vult to the three people in front of him.
Meanwhile, Vult's partner Hicks began to thaw from his icy prison: "Their destiny is to be our slaves; that's what they deserve!" Vult continued before pointing his weapon toward the Dragonborn, "And you will be watching them in chains as I break them again and again!"
That last statement got a definite response from Thorson, as a purple ethereal sword appeared in his left hand. "Enough! No more! I won't stand back and watch! Not anymore!" the Nord roared before using his Thu'um, "TIID KLO UI!"
With that shout, the world around the Dragonborn bent to his will as time slowed down as he started his attack. For others in the room, it looked like he was moving extremely fast.
Vult and Hicks moved as they too started their attack, attempting to hit the 'hero' in front of them as they swung their weapons. The Dragonborn managed to evade their attacks, gaining more ground until he was in striking range for his two weapons.
His first target was the Black Dog rogue Hicks, as Thorson struck low and hit both the backs of his knees, slicing through their muscles. This injury caused Hicks to fall to the ground on his hands.
Thorson swiftly moved out of the way of Vult's giant sword, stabbing the Black Dog leader once in the ribs before also hitting him again with one quick slash on the back of his left knee.
As time returned to normal for the Dragonborn, he observed his two opponents after dealing a swift initial strike, "Ah, you bastard! You crippled me!" Hicks exclaimed painfully as blood started to pour from his knees.
Vult held one hand on his ribs while still holding on to his sword with the other. "You! You and your cheap tricks! You cannot fight me honorably?! You coward!" The once-proud mercenary roared towards Thorson before coughing up some blood.
"Funny..." the Dragonborn said as the Nord walked Hicks, kicking his weapons away before focusing on his boss.
The Dragonborn held Vult's sword hand down with his right foot before he looked down on him. "You and your men used deceit and extortion to seize power in this nation instead of fighting honorably." Thorson reminded Vult, who just stared at him, his eyes filled with hate for the stranger who dared to look down on him.
"And now that someone uses some 'cheap' tricks, it's no fun anymore, right?" Thorson taunted with a smile.
The man from Tamriel then placed his face next to Vult's left ear to deliver his final insult. "If you can't live with it, go back home and cry under your bed, 'Emperor'..."
Vult's ego took a big hit after hearing those words. "You fucker, you don't know who you are messing with!" he yelled while trying to lift his hand from under the Dragonborn's foot. "You are alone while we have an entire nation of men and countless demons at our disposal! You can't kill us all!"
"Speaking of which..." the Dragonborn responded as he then positioned Dawnbreaker in front of Vult's neck. "Who do you serve? Who is your master in all of this?"
"W-What master?!" Vult yelled, clearly confused by what this stranger was asking of him, "I'm my own master! W-What are you talking about?!"
Thorson brought Dawnbreaker closer to Vult's neck; a part of the blade was now touching his skin. Vult then began yelling in pain as the man felt the blade burning his neck. "You heard me; who helped you in all of this?" the Dragonborn continued his questioning.
As Thorson interrogated Vult, the Nord man looked like he enjoyed hearing the Black Dog leader's screams. The feeling after bringing someone like him down; to show him that he was now in control of his life, to dominate him.
Like a 'true Dov'...
Vult tried to hold back Dawnbreaker with his other hand, but when he touched its surface, he quickly retracted in pain as his hands started to burn. "Stop this! You are B-BURNING ME ALIVE!"
Vult could not handle the searing pain his interrogator's blade brought him. "I-I TOLD YOU I DON'T SERVE A-ANYONE!" the once fearsome mercenary leader screamed in agony as his mouth was filled with more blood from his recent lung injury: "YOU SADISTIC BASTARD! N-NO! S-STOP THIS!"
For the three other Eostians in the room, Vult's screams seemed to affect them as they watched the Black Dog leader shake in pain. For Hicks, he was horrified and powerless by what he saw, as his boss was being burned alive by this stranger.
For Celestine, hearing Vult screaming in pain was horrific; the former High Queen had never seen such brutality up close.
While Alicia seemed to enjoy seeing him screaming in pain as Vult was being tortured, wishing she were the one doing it instead…
"Very well, I'll end you then," Thorson replied apathetically as he reached out for something in his pouch. "I have a special place for you…"
But before Thorson could retrieve the item he needed; the Nord heard voices coming from the hallway on his right.
"The bosses are in trouble! Get him!" Thorson heard from the prison's hallway, as he spotted a dozen mercenaries and demons charging at him from the dark.
"I don't have time for this…" Thorson annoyingly stated out loud before withdrawing Dawnbreaker from Vult's neck and turning towards the intruding group.
"YOL TOOR SHUUL!" was the last thing Vult's men heard before they were all enveloped by the Dragonborn fire breath. Turning their bodies to cinders and causing their ashes to litter the dungeon's hallway.
While the Dragonborn was distracted by this, Vult quickly searched his pockets for a scroll. The downed mercenary leader then screamed out his last words in that dungeon. "Y-YOU M-MONSTER! YOU WILL ALL PAY FOR THIS! I-I SWEAR!"
Before Thorson could react to this, the scroll burned up in Vult's hands, and the mercenary leader disappeared in a purple vortex, leaving his partner, Hicks behind.
"Teleport scroll… Conjuration... From the looks of it…" Thorson stated out loud as he stared at the now empty spot Vult used to occupy: "Seems the coward did not bring his 'dog' along with him..." the Dragonborn then said as he walked towards the downed Black Dog rogue, pushing Hicks on his back with his foot.
Meanwhile, after a half hour of battle, Ken was clear from its Black Dog occupiers as both dragons dealt with them brutally. A few of them managed to flee into the vast forests surrounding Ken. But in the end, peace finally returned to Eostia's 'White Citadel'.
Sensing the pull from beyond the realms, Durnehviir returned to the Soul Cairn as his time was running out on Nirn.
A few of Ken's brave citizens, armed with personal weapons, dismantled their barricades after hearing the silence outside their homes before slowly stepping outside to check their surroundings.
"Is it over? Are they gone?" An old man asked his neighbor, "Not sure; I still hear something echoing in the distance."
Those now on the streets then saw a large shadow flying over them as a red dragon circled their city, its cries echoing in the city below, but it seemed that this dragon was not interested. "Is that dragon friendly?" one asked out loud.
"It sure was not friendly to Vult's boys; I saw several of them being burned alive by that dragon in front of my home."
After circling the city for a few minutes, the red dragon landed at the marketplace where it all began and just laid down as its head moved from side to side. Ken's citizens were not sure what they should do until the dragon started talking. "Drem Yol Lok, don't be afraid. I won't hurt you."
As more and more people started leaving their homes and hiding spots, a few brave individuals slowly approached the red dragon with their weapons drawn.
Inside the dungeon under Ken, Thorson stared at Vult's companion writhing in pain as the downed Black Dog continued bleeding. "Y-you bastard, help me!" Hicks practically begged the Dragonborn, "You hero types like to do that? R-right?!"
The wounded mercenary then stared at Alicia. "Alicia, we had such fun together! Help me out, and we can do it again! Please!" Hicks begged the Arcturus girl.
"You know you liked it in the end! We…" Hicks continued before he was silenced by a swift kick to the head from the Dragonborn.
The tall Nord then looked towards Alicia, who was starting to fume at her abuser's plea. "You animal, after what you have done to me. You think I will help you?!"
Alicia then stepped forward, still yelling at the downed Black Dog. "I'd rather kill you now and rid the world of your disgusting presence!"
"Alicia..." she heard the Dragonborn behind her as he held out this ethereal sword. "Here, use this, end it... Get your revenge…"
The young woman turned around and saw the strange sword in Thorson's hand—the same one he'd used in his previous fight. "Cut away that 'nightmare' from your memories; remember this moment when you liberated yourself from the likes of him."
Alicia took her savior's sword and she quickly inspected it; it felt remarkably lightweight for a weapon of its size. The young woman then walked in front of Hicks, who now showed genuine fear in his eyes.
Sensing what was to come, Hicks started to beg again. "No, no! Please remember our moments together, Alicia. You were happy with me. Right?!"
The former princess could not bear to hear her abuser's voice anymore, so she let out a cry and stabbed Hicks in the genitals.
"This is for Prim!" An ear-curling scream echoed in the room as Hick's 'pride' was being mutilated by his previous victim: "AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH! Y-Y-YOU BITCH!" The Black Dog screamed in agony as his hands instinctively tried to cover his groin.
The woman then withdrew her ethereal sword and quickly slashed Hick's neck, hitting his throat and surrounding arteries, causing blood to pulse out, slowly drowning him in his blood. "Silence, you dog!" Alicia retorted in return.
Thorson then stepped into his line of sight as he took something from his pocket. "Oh, I would have used this on Vult, but..." he said as he showed the room a black gem in his hand.
Smiling, the Dragonborn then began explaining its purpose. "When you die, you will not be going to the afterlife in peace." Thorson began, his tone now more sinister. "I have a better place for someone like you." the Nord stated before showing the black gem to the injured mercenary, "If Alicia wishes that fate for you, of course."
Celestine gasped behind him, knowing what kind of gem he was holding. "I-Is that really needed? It will be a fate worse than death. Eternal suffering... even for someone like him?"
"Maybe Celestine…" Thorson responded while looking at the elven woman, "But I'll let Alicia decide that; it's her choice to make..." he said, momentarily glancing at Dawnbreaker in his other hand.
For the blonde princess, it was an easy choice as she pointed her ethereal blade between Hicks's eyes. "Let him suffer for eternity, then! All the blood on his hands and the pain he caused me and Prim, it's unforgivable!" she exclaimed as she held her sword with both hands, ready to dispense justice towards her captor.
"N-no! Noooo!" Hicks gargled as Alicia thrust her sword through Hick's left eye, piecing his brain and skull behind it. This dealt the finishing blow as Hicks's limbs became stiff before relaxing as Alicia withdrew her blade. "Go to hell… you filthy mutt…" she insulted him for the last time, staring at his now lifeless corpse.
Alicia was then surprised as purple whisps appeared from Hick's body, heading towards the black gem that Thorson held in his hands. The gem then changed color, indicating that it now held Hicks's soul.
"It is done…" the Dragonborn simply said as he stored away the now-occupied soul gem in his satchel before looking at the blonde woman, "How do you feel?" Thorson asked the panting woman.
Alicia initially felt very relieved, but she was once a proud knight in service of her people. She would have locked him up and let the system deal with him.
But now, there is no room for such a sentiment in this corrupted world, towards those responsible for her current predicament. "It felt good…" Alicia finally said, staring into Thorson's eyes, "But I'll feel even better when I get my hands on Beastly and Vult!" the young woman finished while tightening her grip on the ethereal sword.
Thorson nodded when he heard her words: "Well, I'm not sure what the Divine Stendarr would think about this, but if you want my opinion, what you did is righteous for me." the Dragonborn stated before sheathing Dawnbreaker in its scabbard.
Celestine then stepped towards her close friend and once proud 'Shield Princess', "Are you sure about this, Alicia? You might not return from that dark path."
After a minute of thought, Alicia responded to her queen's worries: "I'll cross that bridge when I get there... But..." she said before walking towards Thorson as the ethereal sword faded away from her hands.
"I'm sure my savior here can bring me back again, right?" Alicia unexpectedly joked, showing a small smile of gratitude towards the tall Nord.
Thorson could only smile in return and shake his head at that response. "As you wish, my lady," the man from Tamriel responded, visibly relieved that Alicia seemed to be handling this better than expected.
Suddenly, Thorson turned around as if he were hit by a 'shock' spell. "L-Let's first get you all dressed up before moving out." the Dragonborn awkwardly stated, showing signs of shame after he just realized the lack of clothing on both blonde women.
"Let me get something for you both to wear; give me a moment..." Thorson informed both women before he began creating a purple portal to Oblivion in front of him.
Just outside the city of Ken, inside the dense forests surrounding Ken, a large group of former elven slaves gathered together after escaping the human-populated city. The Elves then wondered if they were protected by the massive lightning storm above them, as it struck down many Black Dogs and demons who tried to stop them from escaping.
From their hiding spot, the elves then saw two large dragons defending the 'White Citadel's' main gate from a demonic counterattack. Their eyes then widened after they witnessed how these dragons effortlessly dealt with their demonic opponents as the beasts used their strange magical shouts and massive jaws against them.
One of the young Dark Elves named Elora watched with her young daughter Lyra as her human savior and his dragon allies dealt with their former captors without any mercy. Before their escape, she and her fellow elven sisters witnessed firsthand the appearance of a strange man at Ken's marketplace.
A man who then began to glow after screaming to the heavens, after which lightning bolts struck down many of their captors in an instant. Elora then watched as this lone man calmed her daughter before freeing all the elven captives with his strange voice.
Like her, many of her Dark Elven sisters thought that their savior was a sign of the gods, a being summoned to punish their captors for their transgressions. The elves then felt that his powerful voice and commanding presence brought them all a measure of hope during these dark times.
Sufficient to say that most elves were in awe after what they had seen and experienced. And it was not surprising that several among the elves found their strange savior alluring...
After seeing the red dragon fly away toward Ken's center, all was quiet around the elves as the city seemed devoid of both Black Dogs and demons. They then wondered what they should do now, as the elves felt that they had nowhere to go.
The large elven group then began to discuss what they should do until a young mother and her daughter started walking towards the 'White Citadel'. "If our savior is a sign from the gods, then we need to at least ask him for help."
Author's note: Hey look, another chapter! I know I mentioned in several PMs that the next chapter would appear in a few days. But most could not wait for this chapter for a good reason, and I felt motivated to finish this chapter a bit earlier.
I'm sorry if you would be disappointed that 'he' escaped, but at least he's humiliated with a nice 'scar' as a souvenir. But at least you would know his potential final fate in the future. (Black soul gems are really nasty things if you read all the lore around them; there are so many ways to 'play' with those souls.)
In any case, thanks to those who reviewed my first chapter. It certainly helped me increase my motivation to continue this story. As said before, if someone has ideas for future chapters or scenarios, feel free to share them. Since I'm mostly drawing on Elder Scrolls lore for the further development of the Kurionu story.
Note 1 (30/05/2023): Edited/updated chapter 2 (removing and correcting grammatical errors without changing story elements)
Note 2 (05/01/2024): Did some additional checks on grammatical errors and fixed them (no change made within the story)