Black and gold claws landed heavily in the snow followed by a pair of black and gold boots that landed next to them. Cold harsh winds caressed the battle-worn armor of the warlord who stood, poised, admiring the great fortress built atop the mountain. A monument of worship by the nords to the gods. A place of peace and refuge.
The warlord turned back to the dragon beside him, "saraan dii bel, Vulthuryol."
The dragon bowed his head before spreading his wings and taking flight, leaving the warlord to face the fortress, and those that dwelled within.
Zarys looked down at his double-bladed sword that glistened in the light of the day. A gift from Alduin when he began his crusade; the metal that once was ebony had been infused with a strong power by the World-Eater himself, altering its properties and creating ripples in the blades that glowed dark red and blue from his own enchantments. So many nords he had slaughtered with this weapon...
And now it would serve him yet again as he stepped up towards High Hrothgar. He stole a glance at the Talos statue momentarily and frowned in disgust and disdain.
Zarys pushed open the doors to Hrothgar slowly and leant down to fit beneath the frame. He walked into the fortress, whereupon he was soon met by four figures clad in grey robes.
"Who are you," asked one at the head of them, "why have you come here?"
Zarys looked down at the old nord who had forsaken his prior life not only to learn the Thu'um but to use it for worship and meditation. It disgusted him.
Instead of answering, Zarys slowly raised his sword, and the four figures realised why he had come here. Just as they were about to speak, Zarys shouted,
"WULD!"
He flew past with his sword raised, slicing several of the monks in one move who began screaming in pain, and their voices made the entire fortress and mountain rumble and quake.
Zarys turned back instantly and saw that he had killed two of the four Greybeards; one had been badly injured, and another had missed his attack. Zarys shot an ice-spike with his off hand into the injured Greybeard's chest, finishing the job and leacing only one who raised his hands.
"STOP!"
His voice made the stone beneath Zarys rumble.
"This is a place of peace. We are peaceful men. Whoever you are, whatever you want. It does not have to be this way."
Zarys slowly walked toward the monk, and when he was a metre away, he looked down into the Greybeard's eyes.
"I'm afraid it does," said Zarys before he grabbed the monk's throat and picked him up off the ground.
The Greybeard struggled to breathe and was unable to speak under Zarys' strong grip.
A large gasp came out though as Zarys shoved his sword through the chest of the old nord and out the other side. As the Greybeard slowly died, Zarys looked into his eyes to watch the light leave them, and when it did, Zarys exhaled slowly, pulled his bloodied blade out and dropped the lifeless corpse to the ground.
Looking down at the peaceful monk, Zarys scoffed, "pathetic"
From there, he looked up at the doors to the courtyard, and began walking.
~ At the peak ~
Paarthurnax and the other dragons were speaking in their own tongue about what to do. They were aware of what was happening at Whiterun and that Nero had just summoned his legion of dragons, leaving Paarthurnax and the peaceful dragons atop the peak together.
"Vulthuryol and his legion have made their move," said a white dragon, "they will turn to us before long."
"We follow the way of the voice," said Paarthurnax, "we do not seek to dominate and conquer anymore. It is not our way."
"Perhaps not," chimed in another dragon, "but it is the way of Vulthuryol and his allies. If we do nothing, he will burn Skyrim and all the mortals to ashes."
Another dragon spoke up, "it may not be our place to attack, but defending the mortals and the Dovahkiin is something we can do. Just as you joined him in fighting the World-Eater when the time called for it."
"Yes, I did fight with the Dovahkiin," admitted Paarthurnax, "and I would again. But let us remember when he came here and we spoke; a war between the dov would very likely mean the end of this world. The fire from our fighting would scorch the land and sky, and there would be nothing left. All dragons knew who we were when Alduin flew the skies, and now we all see our paths scattered. But it should not lead to conflict."
"It was always going to lead to conflict, traitor," chimed in a fifth voice, but not of a dragon.
All the dragons turned to see a warrior, clad in black and gold armor with dragon-priest insignia, holding a double-bladed sword, ascend to the peak of the mountain.
Paarthurnax recognised him almost immediately, "no... it cannot be..."
"Surprised to see me, Paarthurnax?" asked Zarys who dug his blade into the snow beneath him.
"Konahrik, you survived the dragon war."
"Along with my children, yes. They are currently carrying out their orders and attacking the nord city."
"It was you who sent them?" asked Paarthurnax.
"They are following their orders, while I have come here. I'd say I needed them, but slaughtering those old men was very easy."
Paarthurnax's eyes widened; he'd killed the Greybeards?!
Suddenly, a black and gold dragon descended from the sky and landed beside Zarys, growling and snarling at the dragons around him.
"Vulthuryol," said Paarthurnax, "the time of our meeting has come."
"The time of justice has come, old one. Justice for the treachery you served years ago. And justice for these traitorous dragons who turned their backs on our true destiny."
"Is that why you've come? To call us traitors and kill us?"
Zarys stepped forward, "we have come to offer you all a choice. If you negate the teachings of this old fool, pledge your allegiance to us and join us on our conquest, I will not punish you. But if you refuse, you will all die."
Dragons suddenly started looking about.
"Think on it, you would once again fly the skies and lay waste to the mortals below. It is in your nature to dominate, yet you have succumbed to the pathetic, meaningless teachings of this traitor. Why? Alduin may be gone, but the destiny of the dragons is not. Join me, and we will fix this world. We will rule it."
The dragons continued to look between each other, thinking.
Paarthurnax spoke directly to Zarys, "you are a fool, warlord, thinking that marshaling more strength means you will defeat the Dovahkiin. His Thu'um is stronger than yours, than Vulthuryol's, than even mine."
Zarys laughed, "oh I am aware. In fact, it is his strong Thu'um that our conquest depends on."
Paarthurnax tilted his head, "what?"
"You will see. When this day is done, he will be a broken man. Now," Zarys looked around, "what say you?"
The dragons on the peak of the mountain continued looking at each other.
"Join me and live as gods, or stand against us... and die."
Several dragons moved over to behind Vulthuryol, to Paarthurnax's disapppointment, but many stayed beside him.
"That is your final answer? Very well," Zarys looked up, "MEY ZWAH ZEY!"
His Thu'um echoed across the mountain, and soon enough, a legion of dragons glided across the sky towards the Throat of the World.
Paarthurnax saw them coming; they were great in number.
"Not the traitor. He is mine," said Zarys who pulled his sword out of the ground.
Paarthurnax and his dragons took to the sky just as Vulthuryol took off with Zarys on top of him and all his allied dragons behind him, and the fighting began.
Vulthuryol went straight for Paarthurnax who dodged his bite but caught a slice of Zarys' long sword. Dragons began fighting all around him and the sky became a spectacle of ice and fire.
Paarthurnax saw that Vulthuryol was still on him, and the black and gold dragon made to dive bomb into him. Paarthurnax dodged his attack, and followed up with fire breath at the dragon which singed Vulthuryol's wing. In anger, Vulthuryol screamed and retaliated with fire of his own that scorched Paarthurnax's tail. Around him, the peaceful dragons were being ripped and killed.
Paarthurnax had to shake Vulthoryol who was on him, and so he flew towards the top of the mountain and, just as he 3was about to hit it, he swerved out of the way and expected Vulthuryol to crash. When he looked back though, the black and gold dragon wasn't there. He looked forward and instantly learned where Vulthuryol was as he crashed into him and fell from the sky.
Paarthurnax tumbled into the snow of the peak and smashed into the word-wall.
Vulthuryol landed and Zarys on top laughed, "you destroyed the first word-wall ever made."
Paarthurnax regained his senses and looked around. He saw that they were losing badly.
"You are old, Paarthurnax. Your time has come."
"Perhaps Konahrik, but the Dovahkiin will defeat you. Whether you kill all of us here or not, you will lose in the end."
Suddenly, one of Paarthurnax's allies crashed into Vulthuryol, "Paarthurnax! Go!"
Vulthuryol burried his teeth into the dragons neck, killing him.
Paarthurnax looked to his allies and then took to the skies quickly, "everyone, with me!"
His allies heard his voice and turned to retreat from the losing battle; they followed him west, towards Whiterun, away from the massacre atop the mountain.
Vulthuryol pulled his bloody teeth out of the dead dragon and began absorbing his soul, and was about to take off after Paarthurnax when Zarys stopped him.
"No Vulthuryol. His time will come. Let it be when he flies with the Dovahkiin to fight us, so he can see his favourite mortal lose."
Vulthuryol nodded as their dragons landed on the mountain and began roaring to the sky in victory.
Author's Notes
Happy Anniversary Skyrim! It's been 10 years since Skyrim was first released. I can't believe that. Very nostalgic. I'm glad to see people are still playing the game, and I'm very happy that you guys are still reading :) Sorry it took so long to get another chapter out, but I guess that's my thing now huh. Nah I do want to get more out sooner, but we'll see! I only have so much free time nowadays unfortunately.
Quite a striking chapter this one. Zarys killed the Greybeards, and he and Vulthuryol attacked Paarthurnax's peaceful dragon faction. Things are getting worse...
Already started writing the next one though so hopefull you guys can see it soon!