Kalur had just got dressed and had his things together and was heading out the door alongside Dovah to what was left of the Riverwood trader to buy supplies, with Dulian hot on their tail.

"I'm going with you two." Dulian said. "The situation demands it."

"Really?" Dovah said as they walked out into Riverwood. "This isn't going to be easy as it is, and just what makes you think this is any of your business?"

"Nothing in the Lumnites is ever easy." She responded as they stopped right in front of the Riverwood trader as Kalur walked in. "As for the latter, I am on an assignment to help with the Dragon problem, and I believe you two might be the key to solving it."

"I doubt the answer to ridding Tamriel of all the dragons is two mortal men." Dovah said sarcastically.

"According to my contacts, a Dragonborn is the ultimate dragon slayer, so yes! I think it is!" Dulian sassed back. "And I don't care what you think or what you say! I'm going! The dragons are no longer just causing problems in Skyrim! They're on the verge of going into Cyrodill! Now if you don't mind, you're in my way."

"Am I really? Oh, how horrible for you." Dovah said with a taunting smile. Dulian in response, flashed him a glare that only a mage could give. At that point, Kalur came out of the Riverwood Trader, with his supplies. Dovah walked up to him, followed by Dulian.

"So, are you ready to go?" Dovah asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Kalur answered.

"Good. Let us go on to High Hrothgar."

"Lead the Way, Dovah." Kalur said. Dovah started out in front of them, Dulian and Kalur following.

As they exited Riverwood, Dulian accidentally tripped over some rubble. Kalur caught her in his arms before she hit the ground.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"I'm fire." She said, regaining her balance. It was at that moment, that Kalur slipped something into her hand. He gave her a kind smile as they started to walk again. Dulian looked at what Kalur gave her, and was more than a little surprised.

It was a jeweled silver amulet. The center was ablaze with a red ruby.

# # # # # # # # # #

Golamus Llaram, the Dark elf, was watching Kalur carefully from the shadows of the ruined buildings of Riverwood. He released a Carrier Raven with a note tied to its foot, containing his report to the Brotherhood. They were on the move. He silently dashed along the shadows, then through the trees under a Chameleon spell, following close behind. They would have to prepare an ambush of sorts. After all, one Dragonborn alone could attract attention, but two together made rather tempting targets.

Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Darkness on the prowl

Ruins of Helgen

As they walked along the road through what was left of the once proud village of Helgen, things were quiet. Dovah remembered all those years ago when he had tried to cross the border into this land, when he was caught with Ulfric Stormcloak. There was a dragon attack that day. The first one he had ever seen. If only he knew right then how that event would have shaped his fate, his very life... Dovah stopped walking when he saw what remained of the headsman's block. A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of how close he came to death that day...

"Are you alright?" Kalur asked.

"I'm fine. It's nothing." Dovah said, brushing it off. The pressed on through the remains of the long-burned village. He needed to make sure Kalur made it to the Graybeards, so he could understand the power he had been given. Dovah had been tempted on occasion to join the Imperial Legion, and the Stormcloak Rebellion. But he had more important things to do. He hated politics anyway. Those whom witnessed the truce summit he had to manage knew all too well he hated politics. Maybe that was why he joined up with the dark brotherhood all those years ago. But that didn't matter anymore. It already was enough of a crime to kill innocent people, but it was an even deeper sin. Because of him the former listener, many people were dead, another reason he ditched his so-called family in the Brotherood. He already had enough dead people haunting him from his past. Now they were after this Argonian, Kalur. He didn't know why the brotherhood had taken a sudden interest in Dragonborn, and he didn't want to know. One thing was certain: If the Brotherhood had gotten any more ambitious, which he was sure they had, then letting Kalur go with them was not an option.

He heard rustling in the brush off of the road. He motioned for the group to stop. He listened carefully for clues from the wind, looking around through the trees. Someone was there, hiding in the brush! His eyes darted around for possible hiding places.

Then, it happened.

Dark figures leaped out from the shadows of the ruined buildings, in large groups, dressed in dark-colored armor and cloaks. Dovah drew his steel sword, his shield at the ready, Dulian ignited sparks from her hands, Kalur readying his daggers. They had walked straight into an ambush!

"Capture the Dragonborn! Either of them! The Mage is expendable!" One of them shouted. That must have been the leader, Dovah assumed. He went after the leader, using his unrelenting force shout to drive back the others, clanging his blade with the leader's, while Dulian shot some fireballs at their argessors. As they fought side by side, Kalur was in awe when he saw how much stronger Dovah's thu'um was, not to mention how he handled his blade! It made Kalur look weak. Look unskilled. For a moment, Kalur stopped as he watched Dovah take down what seemed like never-ending waves of enemies...

That distraction cost Kalur dearly. He felt a sharp jab in his neck! He pulled out a dart, covered in some sort of paralysis and sleep potion! He knew he was now doomed, but if he was going down, he wasn't going down without a fight! He went into a fury, running up to his opponents and whipping his daggers at their throats, slicing them in the process as they swarmed around him! But he began to slow down, as the poison took its effect. He began to feel fatigued, he could barely hold onto his weapons. Then, at last, he fell down, face first into the unavoidable void he feared.

Unconsciousness…

# # # # # # # # # #

Kalur woke some time later, finding his hands bound above his head, his tunic gone. He only had his pants on, leaving his upper body exposed to the elements. He looked around, as his vision cleared. He was tied to a large wooden post in the ground. A fire was lit. He was in the mouth of a large cave. Kalur started to struggle against his bindings.

"Awake at last..." A voice said in the darkness. It was the dark elf he saw at the inn!

"Why did you take me here?" Kalur demanded. "What do you want with me?"

"You will know in good time, lizard." The dark elf replied. "All in good time..."