Cicero and Serana chased after Vingil with vigor in their steps as they ran through the streets of Whiterun! Vingil bolted for the gates once he was in the Plains District, throwing a powdery substance in the air behind him as he managed to dive through a gap in the gates as they closed!
Serana, unable to stop herself in time, was engulfed in the dust Vingil threw as the gates to the city closed! Serana began to scream, covering her burning face!
Cicero, thinking quickly, grabbed a bucket of water and dumped it on Serana! The anti-vampire powder was quickly washed off of her, and her vampiric healing took over, sealing her burns as if they had never happened.
"Thanks, Cicero…" Serana said. "I'm also sorry that the spy got away."
"Shh, shh, do not worry about it, Serana. I had to save Babette that way several times in the past. As for the pompous ass that took Dovah's bandages… Cicero believes he will get his due. I only wish we could see it in person."
# # # # #
As they went back into the Temple of Kynareth, Serana and Cicero saw Dovah sitting up on his cot.
"Dovah, be careful," Delphine cautioned. "You're still healing from that spear wound…"
"I know, but I can't just sit here, the Thalmor have played their hand," Dovah said, being careful not to move his wounded shoulder. "Any ideas where they could perform the ritual to resurrect Alduin?"
"The agent did say something about Windhelm…" Babette said.
That's when it hit everyone. They all spoke in unison:
"The Palace of the Kings!"
Dovah turned to General Tullius. "We need a carriage to Windhelm, immediately!"
Tullius nodded. "I'm going to have a unit of Imperial Soldiers come with us."
# # # # #
Windhelm - The Palace of the Kings…
Two Hour Later…
As the carriages approached Windhelm, everyone saw that the city was on fire! The Aldmeri Dominion and their Thalmor soldiers were attacking the city!
"By the divines!" General Tullius exclaimed. "We're too late!"
Once the carriage stopped in front of the entrance to the city, everyone jumped out and ran across the stone bridge into Windhelm! They ran through the destroyed gates, the Imperials assisting the outnumbered Stormcloaks to fight against the Thalmor agents.
Dovah, after slaying a few Thalmor soldiers, quickly ran towards the only place he could think of that Elenwen would choose for the resurrection of Alduin: The Palace of the Kings!
Everyone followed Dovah as they ran down the streets and inside the Palace. Once they got inside, they saw Ulfric Stoamcloak, on his knees with multiple wounds, deadlocked with a Thalmor guard!
In the middle of the hall was a pyre, lit up with a variety of alchemical ingredients! In her hands: Dovah's bandages! Ta'liq grabbed his bow and drew it back with an arrow from his quiver!
"Do not move!" Dovah snapped.
Elenwen looked over her shoulder at Dovah, smiled, and dropped the bandages into the pyre.
And with that, all Oblivion broke loose…
The next thing everyone saw was a gigantic flash of light, as the fire burned into a storm inside the palace of the kings! Ashes and dust from around them began to encircle the pyre into a tornado, forming itself into a dragon with black, spiky scales!
Alduin had been resurrected!
# # # # #
Dovah watched in horror as Alduiin flew out of the ruined main hall of the Palace of the Kings, letting out a terrifying roar that pierced the heavens! Kalur and the others could only watch as Alduiin started to rain down fireballs onto the city of Windhelm, sending its citizens scurrying through her streets in an attempt to flee for their lives!
Elenwen stood in front of Dovah, who was rooted to the spot with shock and awe, looked upon the scene with a sick and satisfied smile. "Well, well… Looks like our spell to revive the world-eater was successful. The Stormcloak rebellion and the Empire is done for…" She raised her hands which became engulfed in a bright-red, unholy light. "Alduiin, bane of kings! Come to me, my loyal, destructive subject!"
Alduiin landed in front of them, looking down at Elenwen with furor.
"It is time, Alduiin!" Elenwen bellowed. "Kill the Dovahkiin and complete your revenge! Kill him, so that no one stands in your way!"
Alduiin then let out a roar, spitting flames from his mouth down at Elenwen instead of Dovah! She was taken off guard by the sudden attack but was unharmed due to some sort of effect from her spell!
"Hi dreh ni thur z'hu, joor! You do not control or command me, Thalmor wretch!" Alduiin then smacked Elenwen away into a building with a swipe of one of his wings! "Hin lah funt hi! It will take much more than a cheap spell to subdue me!"
Alduiin then turned his attention back to Dovah. "However, we do agree on only one thing: Sweet Revenge! Hi vhen dir daar sul, Dovahkiin! Today, I shall consume you!"
Alduiin then lunged at Dovah, who barely had time to roll out of the way as the World-Eater crashed into a wall, shattering it with his force and mass!
Kalur started to fire lightning volleys at Aludiin, but it only served to stun the dragon temporarily! Dulian joined in by firing a volley of ice spears, hoping it would be enough to keep Aludiin subdued long enough for them to escape… They had no effect!
The group caught up with General Tullius and Hadvar, who had just apprehended Elenwen with help from Ulfric Stormcloak and Ralof.
"We need to evacuate the city!" Ralof yelled. "We don't stand a chance against the world eater in his current state!"
Ulfric shot Ralof a leer. "You mean retreat!"
"We don't have a choice!" Kalur snapped. "Until we can figure out what Elenwen's spell has done to Alduiin, we don't know what he will be capable of!"
They saw Alduiin take to the air, spitting streams of fire at them from his mouth! Dovah used his Dragon Aspect and Cyclone shout to cause the fire to fly off-course and dissipate before they could do any damage and knocking Alduiin into a building.
"Unexpected, Dovhakiin. That you would learn to take on the form of a dov in combat. Quite an impressive feat to behold, but it won't save you…" Alduiin said, shaking off the rubble as he stepped into view. "Quite a shame you must die. You would have been a valuable ally in my new age... But you have chosen your path, now you shall die like the wretched joor that you are!" Alduiin then started to charge a lightning blast in his mouth, ready to strike down everyone…
Then, a stream of ice came out of the sky, striking Alduiin with such force that he was knocked back into the Palace Ruins!
Flying out from the clouds, with the Greybeards on his back, was Paarthunaax! He started to fire frost and fire breath, alternating between the two as the Greybeards jumped off Paarthunaax's back once he was low enough.
Master Aerngir and the Greybeards ran up to Dovah, helping him up. "It appears your true destiny has been revealed at last, Dragonborn…"
The other masters then started using a variety of powerful shouts at Alduiin, evening the odds.
"Alduiin, hi neh gahvon dreh hi?" Paarthunaax yelled at Alduiin. "You never could learn to stay down and accept your place, even when Akatosh told you your fate in the grand scheme!" Paarthunaax then continued to rain down fire and ice on the world eater.
Alduiin then charged up a lightning blast in his mouth again, unleashing a new, unknown shout: "Tev-Kovri-Shuu!"
With that, Alduiin let out a blast of intense and extremely powerful lightning as it seared the air around it, setting it ablaze! The bolt struck Paarthunaax in the midsection, burning a hole through the dragon's body causing the age-old and wise frost dov to plummet down to the ground! Paarthunaax slid through the town square, stopping near the gates of the city, leaving a trail of blood behind him from his wound…
"MASTER!" Dovah cried out, running up to Paarthunaax with Kalur close behind. But Aludiin flew up and landed at Paarthunaax's body before Dovah could get there.
"Akatosh was a fool, himself! He never saw my full potential or what I am truly capable of! Now, my new age will begin… Though you won't be alive to witness the fall of mortals, and the new reign of the Dov, Paarthunaax! You shall be remembered as nothing more than a traitor!"
With that, Alduiin snapped his mouth down and sank his teeth deep into Paarthunaax's neck, tearing out a large chunk of flesh as the frost dragon let out a loud roar of pain!
Dovah and Kalur ran forward, unleashing a combined full Unrelenting Force shout on Alduiin! The World-Eater was thrown into the air, but took flight and recovered!
Dovah, now drained, the effects of his Dragon Aspect fading fast, ran up to Paartunaax, placing his hands on the frost dragon and channeling all the magicka he could into a healing hands spell. He couldn't lose Paarthunaax, he couldn't lose his master!
"Dovah… You must go… It is too late for me…" Paarthunaax spoke, his strength fading fast.
"No! Master, you must get up! Get up, I can't do this without you!" Dovah yelled, tears in his eyes.
Paartunaax let out a cough, blood running from his mouth. "It is now… my time… Do not fear, Dovahkiin… For I shall be with you in soul, and spirit…"
Paarthnaax then closed his eyes, the dragon's body going limp. Dovah started to let out a cry of despair as he started to unwillingly absorb Paarthunaax's soul and essence, the frost dragon's body withering away into a skeleton.
Kalur ran forward, stopping at Dovah's side. Everyone was in shock at what they just witnessed, even the Greybeards were stunned.
Alduiin let out a mad cackle overhead. "Paarthunaax was weak, he never stood a chance against me! In our last battle, he needed assistance from you just to fend me off! Help from a joor… How shameful for a dragon to admit to! This is what he gets for defending the mortals! Let it be written, your fates are now sealed! Hin lahney los oblaan! Hi fent enook dir!"
Dovah, now enraged looked up at the midnight-black dragon hovering overhead. He was not going to let this stand!
"DURNEHVIRR! ODAHVIING!" Dovah let out a loud yell in the form of a shout, the sound echoing through the sky!
A few seconds later, two more dragons flew out from the clouds, fire, ice, and lightning flying from their mouths at Alduiin, striking the World-Eater once again!
"Alduiin! You bring shame upon us all!" Odahviing yelled. "Striking down Paarthunaax with a physical and underhanded blow!"
"This will not stand, world-eater!" Durnehvirr agreed. "In the name of Akatosh himself, we shall see to it that you burn!"
Alduiin just laughed, evading the strikes. "I'm afraid there is little you can do about it, now… Soon, I shall have total control of all the other dragons of Nirn, and no one shall be able to stop me… Not even the great Dovahkiin!"
Odahviing looked at Dovah as he and Durnehviir landed. "Dovah! Take one of Paarthunaax's bones with you, then get your allies on our backs! We shall need it later for his retribution against Alduiin, but for now we must fall back!"
Dovah looked up at Odahviing in shock. "But… I can't! I can't defile his corpse…"
"You must, Dovah!" Angeir shouted. "Grab any bone from his body that you can carry, there is no time!"
Dovah then reluctantly grabbed one of Paarthunaax's smaller talons, and tore it from his body. He put it in his pack, saying a mental prayer for forgiveness to the divines.
"Quick!" Odahviing snapped to Tullius and the others. "Climb on!"
Dovah, Kalur, Dulian, Delphine, and the Greybeards climbed up onto Odahviing's back, while Tullius, Ulfric, Ralof, and Hadvar climbed up onto Durnehviir with a restrained Elenwen.
"Where shall we fall back to?" Durnehviir asked.
"There's only one place, now…" Tullius said, pointing in the western direction with his sword. "Quick! Back to Solitude! We shall plan our counter-attack from there!" He turned to a local Stormcloak and Imperial commander. "In the meantime, evacuate the city! It's not safe here, anymore!"
The Stormcloak commander turned to Ulfric, confused.
"Do it!" Ulfric commanded. "We cannot lose anyone else!"
With that, both ran off to rally their troops and rescue the civilians.
"Hurry!" Odahviing shouted to Durnehviir. "Let's get out of here!"
Both dragons then flapped their wings, taking flight and proceeded to circle above Windhelm. Dovah looked on as Alduiin dove down at the Palace of the Kings, spitting fire and lighting onto the structure as it collapsed in flames! Alduiin then spat a stream of lightning onto Paarthunaax's skeleton, the force and energy of the blast causing the bones to crumble into ashes! Dovah could not stop the tears that continued to run down his face. Delphine did her best to console her emperor, embracing him as they rode across the sky on Odahviing's back, trying to wipe away his tears with her free hand, as well as her own. All the heroes could do was watch as the combined Stormcloak and Imperial forces evacuated the burning city, trying to save as many people as they could.
Odahviing and Durnehviir then stopped circling around Windhelm and banked to the west, flying in the direction of the city of Solitude as fast as their wings could carry them on the winds, the sea of ghosts with the snow and pines of northern Skyrim a blur below them passing by at a swift rate as the sun finally fell below the horizon.
This time, darkness had truly fallen upon Tamriel…