The Dragonborn Sagas Book 1: The Last Dragonborn

[KilroywasNOTHere]

A/N: Let me start this out right out of the gate by saying I invoke the power of C0DA. This is an alternate universe, that has it's own lore and bound to it's own thing without being bound to a greater canon (which apparently may or not even exist.) so yes I am aware that this that or the other thing is not canon. Heck parts of this won't even follow the exact lore of the game. Think of this as Skyrim Reinterpreted as a traditional fantasy novel Akin to LoTR or Chronicles of Narnia. (or lord help me. A Song of Ice and Fire

Disclaimer: I don't own Elder Scrolls. Yes I'm one of the old breed.

"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them."
-Willaim Shakespeare​

In a parallel universe similar but not quiet like our own lies a sister planet of whom we share the same moon.. The name of the sister planet of Earth in this parallel world is called Nirn. on Nirn, Magic is as real to them as the air that we breath on earth, giants and monsters, goblins and great beast walk the earth freely. Elves, men, orcs and even humanoid beast once lived together in harmony under the banner of a great empire, led by a powerful family line known as the Dragonborn Dynasty. But before the founding of the great empire, there were the dragons. The dragons were were massive reptilian beast said to be the offspring of the Time god Akatosh, and the cosmic Storm goddess Kyne. The offspring walked the planes of Nirn when the races of man were young.

Unlike their parents however, the dragons were far from kind and benevolent. No, unlike their parents, the dragons were cruel, greedy and vein. They would use their powerful voices known as "The Thuu'm" to conquer and enslave the various races, exalting themselves as gods and establishing for themselves vile and bloodthirsty cults.

Among the worst, was the Firstborn. His name was Alduin. Alduin was originally given the commission that should the day ever come where the world had become vile and the thought of every being both of the living and of the dead had turned to evil, Alduin would devour the corrupt world so that it could be remade new and allowed to prosper once more.

Alduin did not share the love for creation that his mother and father had. Even from the beginning he cared not of good or evil. He saw creation as weak and pitiful. It was something beneath him to be ruled and crush underfoot, like a bully often does to a defenseless child. He was also jealous of his parents positions and that of their siblings. Though they promised that in due time he would be like them, he was not patient. He saw himself worthy to be worshiped as right of being the firstborn and he believed he deserved it in the immediate time.

Alduin seduced his brothers and sisters into betraying Akatosh and Kyne. They ravaged Nirn and used their Thu'um to force it into submission. This was how the dragon cults came to be.

Dismayed at both her children's betrayal and the enslavement of the creation that her husband and their collective siblings help build, Kyne sought to teach man the way of the Thu'um so that they could fight back against Alduin and his siblings. She would speak to a being called Paarthurnax, who would teach man the Thu'um. These men and women would become the adopted children of Akatosh and Kyne. These would become the first Dragonborn. Among the greatest of these Dragonborn was a man of the North named Talos Stormcrown.

With his leadership the Dragonborn slayed the dragons and drew them back, but it was not enough to stop Alduin alone. To aid their adopted children, Akatosh and Kyne gave to them a mystical piece of parchment known as an Elder Scroll.

The battle lasted long and hard, shaking the very foundation of Nirn but Alduin still refused to fall. In a desperate act the Dragonborn used the Elder Scroll to rip a hole into space and used the power of the Thu'um to shove him into it.

The battle was won thanks to the blessing of the Elder Scrolls and Paarthurnax, the won whom taught the Dragonborn the Thu'um.

Talos and the rest of the Dragonborn would go onto slay the rest of the dragons driving their of cults from the face of Nirn. They would use the power of the Thu'um to unite the different provinces into a great empire. With Talos as the head and the other Dragonborn as his loyal bodyguards. These Dragonborn would form an order dedicated to protecting the emperor and his descendants. These Dragonborn would be the first Blades. With Talos whom changed his name to Tiber Septim, becoming the First Dragon Emperor.Talos ruled for over 500 years, but he would allowed time and age to take him. For though it would not have been robbery to take immortality for himself, he longed for the afterlife of his people, the city of Sovngarde. Little did he know he'd gain that and more.

Akatosh and Kyne had grown to love Talos and the dragonborn as their own. They had become sort of replacement children for those whom had betrayed their parents. Upon Tiber's death, Akatosh Arkay Dibella Julianos Kynareth Mara Stendarr Zenitha all welcomed him with open arms and embraced him as an equal. They would make him the Ninth Divine, giving him the godhood that was originally reserved for Alduin. Thus Tiber Septim reclaimed his birth name of Talos becoming the god of man.

As the Dragons faded so too did the dragonborn. The bloodlines aged and died out until finally the only dragonborn line remaining was that of The Septim line. Under the rule of the Septime line. A united Tameriel would prosper in a golden age that would seemingly never end.
But all ages do end, and as the last Septim fell, so too would their empire. A group of high elves within the Summerset isle known as the Thalmor group bitter of Talos to the point of hatred, believing he had stolen the godhood that belonged to them due to their own connection to the divines. When the Septim Dynasty fell, the empire was left in inner political turmoil. A power vacuum will always have something to fill it, one way or another.

As the Thalmor grew in power they grew bold enough to challenge the empire, This challenge led to a bloody war known as the Great War. It threatened to destroy both sides, and in a desperate act for survival the empire would sign a peace treaty known as the White-Gold Concordante. With the signing of the treaty. The worship of Talos was abolished, his shrines torn down with the threat of worship being punishable by death. The land that would suffer the worst would be that of Skyrim, the land of the North and the birthplace of Talos.

Meanwhile in the shadows there would be whispers of a prophecy that forespoke of Alduin's return. There would be whispers that one day Alduin would come back to finish what he started. But all would not be lost, for one day there would rise a hero to stop him and bring Skyrim back into days of peace and glory.

"When misrule takes its place at the eight corners of the world
When the Brass Tower walks and Time is reshaped
When the thrice-blessed fail and the Red Tower trembles
When the Dragonborn Ruler loses his throne, and the White Tower falls
When the Snow Tower lies sundered, kingless, bleeding
The World-Eater wakes, and the Wheel turns upon the Last Dragonborn"

​

 

[KilroywasNOTHere]

Magnus felt stir as he fell the rocking of wooden wheels. His head buzzed and throbbed, and as he fluttered his eyes, his vision went from black to blurry. The last thing he remembered was helping his clients cross the border, when suddenly they got ambushed by imperial soldiers. The ambush ended with his clients dead and him blacking out after taking an arrow to the chest.



Right now the world felt like it was spinning. Magnus was not one known for feeling the ill effects of an excess of mead, as he had a strong resistance to alcohol, but he began to wonder if this is what a fat head, and thick tongue felt like. He let out a moan and rolled his head as he fully opened his eyes. What was once blurry started to become more clear.



"Hey you."

Magnus looked over to see a rugged looking nord with a scruffy beard and long braided locks looking at him. The man wore a uniform that was unfamiliar to Magnus, as was the blue war paint in the shape of the bear that covered the right side of the man's face.



The man chuckled. "You're finally awake. Was starting to wonder if you were dead."



The man leaned in closer and began to speak in a whisper. "Name's Ralof, You were crossing the boarder right? You walked right into right into that imperial ambush just like the rest of us and that thief over there."



Magnus followed Ralof's head until his eyes met with the pathetic image of a man in rags and messy hair. Magnus couldn't help but smirk as he heard the man swear under his breath.



"I was hired to protect a group of smuggler's trying to cross the border." Magnus said. His voice was thick with a Wild man's drawl that was typical heard only from a nord that was half The merchant that owned it said it was for some kind of humanitarian effort. I typically have a policy to not ask questions."

The ragged man ceased his swearing and lifted his eyes. As he gazed upon Ralof. His eyes were as sharp as daggers and his lips were curled into a vile sneer.


"A pox to you and all the houses that wave the banner of Stormcloak. Everything was perfect until you came along. The empire was nice and lazy. Had it not been for your rebellion I would have been able to steal that horse and be halfway to Hammerfell by now."



Magnus could not help but raise an eyebrow. He hadn't been in Skyrim in ten years. This job with the smuggler was the first time he had even stepped foot in his homeland. The Horse thief looked to Magnus.

"You and me, we shouldn't be here. Its these Stormcloaks the Imperials are after."

Magnus let out a world-weary sigh. *Perhaps I should have opened my mouth and asked a few questions.* He thought to himself.

"We're all brothers and sisters in chains now horse thief." Ralof spoke almost with laughter.

Suddenly there was a grunt. Magnus looked over to see man draped in a bear fur coat. His hair was long like a lion's mane and its color was yellow almost to the point of being white. But what caught Magnus's attention more than anything was the scars on his face.


"What's with you?" The horse thief asked.

Life had taught Magnus that if a picture was worth a thousand words, then a scar was worth a thousand pictures and this man's face was covered in them. Immediately The wheels in Magnus's head began to turn.


*War vet, late fifties, a veteran of the Great War…* he noticed the insignia. *...and the symbol of the bear. The symbol of the Windhelm. The horse thief mentioned the "Banner of Stormcloak." which means this can be none other than…*

"Hold your tongue horse thief." Ralof growled. "You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King!"

"Shut up there!" one of the imperial horseman ahead of them shouted. The horse thief eyes widened and His dropped almost to a death whisper.

"Ulfric Stormcloak. Y-you're the leader of the rebellion…but that means." Tears started to flow from his eyes. "By the gods. Where are they taking us?"

Ralof once again chuckled. I don't know, but Sovngarde awaits .

The tears started to flow freely. The defiant horse thief was now reduced to blubbering

"Kyne, Mara, Akatosh, divines…please help me."

Ralof shook his head. He neither had patience nor pity for blubbering idiots. "Face your death with courage horse thief…you have a name, a home?"

"Why do you care?" The horse thief sniffled.

"Every Nord has a name…" Ralof said with a surprisingly gentle tone. "...and their last thoughts should be of home."

"Lokir…I'm from Rorikstead."

Ralof smiled and nodded before turning over to Magnus.

"And what of you? Aside from King Ulfric, you've been the most silent of all of us."

Magnus smirked. "One often learns not by talking, but listening."

"... sounds like something one would hear from a member of the Dark Brotherhood to be honest with you." Ralof gave a chuckle but Magnus could see it in his eyes that gave off a sense of dread.


"Just a piece of ancient wisdom. Truth is I have no idea where I'm originally from. My mom was a Breton, a descendant of the reachman my father a true Nord.

"Ah, so that explains your accent….your mother isn't one of those Forsworn is she?"

Magnus laughed. "Possibly, according to my father she was as tall and as strong as any Nord."

Ralof erupted into full blown belly laughter. "I bet it was the deer headdress. That and other things."

Magnus too chuckled, but his mirth was soon me with sadness as he let out a weary sigh. "I don't know much about her. She left my father when I was born. My father retired from his profession as a legionnaire. He died of a fever when I was 4."

Both Ralof and Ulfric looked to Magnus with shock, even Ulfric who had mostly been stoic up to this point seemed to give a look of sympathy. Though the Jarl's face did not show it, his eyes did.

"I'm sorry." Ralof said. "No one should have to live a life without a family. You know, one who walks in our ways are also capable of entering Sovngarde as if they were Nords themselves. Perhaps one day you shall see your mother and father in the after life.


Magnus again chuckled. "Truly I do not know if my mother lives or not. My old man simply said that she left, not that she died, but it's been thirty years. Either she's dead…or she thinks I am."

Magnus looked over as he saw the passing shadow of a towngate. Helgen, it was a quaint little village with a small population of 300 people. Ralof looked at the gates and he could not help but smile and chuckled to himself as the carriage rode past the walls. "This is Helgen. I used to be sweet on a girl from here. Wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with juniper berries mixed in."

"General Tullius. The headsman is waiting!"

Magnus looked over at rogue but professional looking man in an imperial generals uniform. Now this was a man he did recognize right off the bat. General Marcus Tullius military governor and the second in command to Emperor Titus Mede himself.

"Good, let's get this over with."

Magnus had done a few jobs for the man during his time in the imperial capital of Cyrodiil, mainly serving as a bodyguard for high profile senators for a time.


He also recognized the ghastly skeletal figure of a rather unpleasant woman. Elenwen, the First Emissary of the Thalmor in Skyrim. Now normally with high elves, while their manners and dominion were considered…uptight by Nordic and imperial standards they at least had a sort of Ethereal since of beauty to cover it up, in fact their golden skin and bright eyes were legendary among soldiers and sailors. There was a reason why unions between high elves and Nords were so o common they're hybrid children became it's own race of people called Bretons.

Elenwen however had neither inner nor outer beauty.. she was tall and thinly, yes thinly even by the standards of her kind with skin not of gold but more like a molding corpse. Combine that with her long matted brown hair, the ghastly dark circles under her eyes, and the unnatural sharp angles of her face, and what you were left with was something that resembled a living corpse more than an actual person.

"Blasted elves." Ralof cursed under his breath. "I bet they have something to do with this."

Magnus was however struck by a third member of the group.

"Who is she?"

Ralof looked over to see whom Magnus was staring at.

"Her? That's Elisif Lionheart, wife of the Late High King Torygg Lionheart. She's known as the Fair. My unit often called her the Opulent. After all You don't get a full figure like hers by not being Opulent am I right? Hahaha.'

It was true. Elisif was nearly the polar opposite of the High Elf she was on horseback next with. While Elisif was tall, something only natural given the fact that she was a Nord, unlike Elenwen Elisif was far from a skeletal corpse. Truly, Elisif the Fair was both Broad in the Beam, and ample in belly, with breast and thighs that would give even the fertility goddess Dibella a run for her money.

Aside from just her generous figure it was also the Queen's face that caught Magnus's attention. Her baby face cheeks gave her a youthful jovial appearance that accentuated plump lush lips that glistened like Rose Quartz in the radiant Northern Sun. her hair flowed down like a golden ocean that if unbraided would have gone down to her ankles, and Her eyes sparkled like bright ice blue sapphires. Suddenly she turned her head and her eyes accidentally met with his, and for a spilt second, it seemed as through her eyes had locked with his. Magnus felt the heat rush to his face. Though a warrior she was clearly not, fair she clearly was indeed.

"If I had to guess, she probably came to see our executions." Ralof said before letting out a sigh. "I may think she's wrong, but I also can't say I blame her."

The cart continued to move towards the imperial fort as The General, the high elf and the Queen followed behind on horseback. At one point they passed a boy whom was sitting on the porch. His father opened the door and put a hand to his soldier. Perhaps it was a case of old habits dying hard, but he could not help but listen in on the conversation.

"Who are they, daddy? Where are they going?"

"You need to go inside, little cub."

"Why? I want to watch the soldiers.

"Inside the house. Now."

"Yes papa."

Magnus let out a sigh. In truth he dreamed of one day having a wife and child of his own, either of blood or graphed in he cared not, but it looked as though that were not in the cards.

"Such a pity to ask the question of what if."

Magnus turned next to him to see a familiar figure, she too was a pleasantly plump woman, a nordic, with an equally jovial face, with hair a similar color of brown to his own. Her eyes were a ghostly, practically inhuman blue while She wore white silk gloves more fitting of that of a high aristocrat Her long dress and ball gown shoes were of a gaudy nature. quite literally one half of it was a crimson red while the other half was of royal purple. The parasol she carried to shade herself from the sun seemed to have the same bizarre color scheme.

This was the face of someone from Magnus's past, one he dreaded to see again.

"Auntie Nanie?"

The Nord woman erupted into a giggling fit. "Oh come now are you really surprised? The last time we saw each other, you swore the next time we'd see each other would be when you faced the chopping black. Well, here I am…and guess where you are going."

"I was being sarcastic." Magnus grumbled under his breath

"A word of advice. Be careful of the oaths you make, even the ones in sarcasm. You may find yourself eating both crow and your words, but cheer up. Your story is far from over. You just have to keep your head up and.."

"No!" Magnus shouted. "It was because of you my Oblivion of a childhood had no reprieve. Do you know what it was like? Everyone looked at me like I was a madman. I was a child!"

"Who in Oblivion are you yelling at?" Ralof asked.

Magnus looked over at his fellow passengers whom looked at him as if he were a madman hollowing at the moon. He looked over at the empty Cart seat next to him. He let out a sigh. She was gone. Of course, she was gone.

"It's nothing. My life flashed before that's all."

Suddenly the prisoner cart came to a sudden stop as the imperial coachman shouted "whoa." Lokir the horse thief jolted white with sudden stop.

Get these prisoners out of the carts. Move it!" A gruff female voice shouted.

"Why are we stopping?" Lokir asked.

Ralof grinned. "Why do you think? It's the end of the line. Come, we don't want to keep the gods waiting now do we?"

Soon legionnaires got up on the carts and began to drag the prisoners off one by one.

"No! This is a mistake!" Lokir pleaded as he was dragged off though his pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears. You've got to tell them! We weren't with you! This is a mistake!


Overseeing the whole thing were two legionnaires, a captain whom frankly while pleasant on the eyes, was far from so on the ears. The other was a lieutenant probably the same age as Marcus with well kept hair buzzed hair. Magnus could not help but inwardly chuckle. The influence of the Imperial legion was strong on him. Marcus felt the tension grow slightly when the lieutenant and Ralof locked eyes. Marcus let out a sigh. This was a situation all too familiar with. Two brothers who took opposite sides in a conflict now met each other once more for the first time in Talos only knew how long.

"Ralof."

"Hadvar."

The reunion ended as quickly as it began. "Step towards the block when we call your name. One at a time."

Ralof could not help but roll his eyes. "The Empire and their blasted list."

Hadvar looked down at the scroll in his hand and began to list off the names one by one.

"Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm." The Jarl stepped forward but he stopped as he moved past Ralof.

"It has been an honor Jarl Ulfric."

Ulfric nodded and continued to move towards the Headsman's Block. Magnus turned his head when from the corner of his eye he saw he saw Elisif the Fair looking towards the line of Ulfric Stormcloak. The Jarl however did not return the gaze

"Ralof of Riverwood." Hadvar continued.

Ralof moved forward towards the Headman's block.

"Lokir of Rorikstead." Lokir let out a bloodcurdling scream as he bolted at a full sprint. "No! I'm not a rebel you can't do this!"

"Halt!" The Captain Shouted.

"You're not going to kill me!"

"Archers!"

The Archers readied their bows as the horsethief continued to run. The captain held up her right arm. It hung for what seemed to be an eternity until she swung it down like a mighty Warhammer. The sound of arrows echoed across the sky as they ascended into a violent volley. The sicking sound of iron piercing flesh, bone and organs could be heard as the horse thief gave a final death rattle.

Queen Elisif's eyes widened in terror as she covered her mouth in horror and disgust as she watched the life blood spill upon the groud underneath him. In truth the thief had been pierced with so many arrows it was hard to recognize what laid upon the ground as even a man. As the crowd of the condemned all watched in awed silence as imperial soldiers hauled the mangled corpse off, the captain smirked as she gazed upon the crowd.

"Does anyone else feel like running." Magnus could not help but shiver at the sadistic glee that rolled off of the imperial captain's venomous tongue.

Hadvar then looked to Magnus and then cocked his head to the side.

"Wait, you there, step forward."

Magnus did as Hadvar commanded.

"Who are you?" Hadvar asked.

Magnus looked to the Captain and then to Hadvar. "Magnus Wolf-Claw. I'm a sellsword that was hired by a merchant caravan to smuggle supplies across the border."

"I see, and were you aware that the goods you were smuggling were supplies to the Stormcloak Rebels."

Magnus smiled and shook his head. "I have a policy not to ask too many questions unless killing someone is involved. In hindsight I definitely should have. As far as the rebels themselves go, I had no idea a war was even going on. This is the first time I've stepped foot in the Great North in nearly a decade."

Hadvar sighed and nodded. "I believe you, but you sure picked a bad time to visit Skyrim kinsman."

He then looked to his superior officer. "He's not on the list."

The Imperial captain cocked her head to the side and stepped forward, noticing something around Magnus's neck. Using her sword she managed to pick up the chain of the necklace and pulled it from under the rugged tunic. Magnus growled when she took it off his neck, but given the fact that he his hands were bound, there was not much else he could do.

When the Captain looked closer at the necklace she smirked. It was an amulet of Talos, seemingly broken in half.

"Well what do we have here?" The Captain muttered before pocketing the amulet herself. "Forget the list. He goes to the block."

Hadvar began to stutter. "B-But sir he…"

"I said he goes to the block." The Imperial captain said with a more forceful, almost threatening tone.

Hadvar sighed. "By your orders." He then looked to Magnus "I'm sorry. At least you'll die here in your homeland."

"I blame you not. Magnus reassured. "This is a fitting fate for me."

Hadvar nodded. "To the block prisoner."

As Magnus was escorted to the headman's block General Tulius got off his horse and looked Jarl Ulfric up and down. As Magnus studied The General's eyes he saw many things. Frustration, Satisfaction, but above all else, Magnus saw grief.

"Ulfric Stormcloak. Some here in Helgen call you a hero, but.." he paused almost as if he were trying to figure out exactly what to say… a hero doesn't use a power like the Voice to murder his king and usurp his throne."

"Ulfric let out a muffled grunt and the general's eyes widened. He looked down to the ground, and then looked back up at the jarl. His teeth gnashed into a sneer.

"YOU started this war and plunged Skyrim into Chaos Do you know how much death you caused?!? Do you know how many Nords I have watched kill each other?!? I have watched children die in my arms! I have watched Fathers kill sons, Mothers kill daughters, brothers kill brothers and sisters kill sisters. All for what Ulfric? All for your ambitions all so you can place a crown on your head, your stubborn pride?!? How many must be sacrificed to prove. You will "die for Skyrim as you so aptly put it. Did you ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe there are things going on that are bigger than just you?"

Tulius let out a world weary sigh, and shook his head. "You realize this is exactly what they wanted? They stirred up trouble here. They know that as long as we are fighting each other. We're weak and vulnerable…but no more. No, this time, this time the Empire will put you down and restore the peace! Then, when you get to Sovrengaurde or whatever you Nords call it, you can look into the eyes of all your kinsmen, whom you led like sheep to the slaughter, and you can tell them how you died for Skyrim."

Suddenly, a loud roar pierced the sky. It was a strange roar though as it was neither thunder, nor did it sound like any kind of animal that Magnus had heard before.

"What was that?" Hadvar asked.

"It's nothing. Carry on the general command.

The Imperial captain placed a closed fist to her chest before looking to a priestess of the god of life, death and funeral rites.

"Yes, General Tullius. Give them their last rites."

The priestess nodded and started the ceremony.

"As we commend your souls to Aetherius, blessings of the Eight Divines upon you, for you are the salt and earth of Nirn, our beloved and our once and future kin. We shall bid you now farewell. Know that the Eight Divines are with you, always. May the Bringer of Light guide you into the afterlife."

The Captain and her imperial legion stood at attention as the Captain started listing off prisoners to the block.

"First! The Traitor Olaf!

"Thank Talos Let's get this over with!" Olaf a stormcloak soldier marched forward. Despite the situation he walked tall and proud as if he were marching into battle. Perhaps in a way he was. Though it was far from the only way, many Nords believed that dying in battle or dying with courage at the hands of an enemy, was the sure fire way to enter the golden city of Sovngarde. Olaf was one of those that chose this bath.

While this was not the path that Magnus himself would have chosen to gain entrance into that Great Eternal Northern City, he could not help but respect the Nord warrior for being so steadfast in his faith.

"Come on! I ain't got all morning!"

The Captain forced Olaf's head onto the chopping block forcing him to meet eye to eye with the man that would behead him. Still even with imminent death, he grinned with pride. "My ancestors are smiling at me Imperials. Tell me, can you say the same?!?"

The headsman lifted his ax as the Captain lifted her arm, waiting for her signal. The moment seemed to stretch on for an eternity as the only sound seemed to come from cawing of the ravens above. Then, the Captain swung her arm down.

*WHACK!!!*

The beheaded head of Olaf fell into the basket bellow as his body fell with an unceremonious thud. The crowd soon erupted into a flurry of noise as the air filled with a mix of outrage and satisfaction. Most of the noise blended into a dull roar but listening hard enough, he could make out some of the cries.

"Imperial Dogs!" shouted a Stormcloak Soldier.

"Justice!" A villager shouted.

"Death to the Stormcloaks!" Another shouted.

Ralof simply hung his head and sighed. "As fearless in death as he was in life."

As the dull roar of the crowd continued, it was as broken as instantly as it started when the Captain raised her arm up.

"Next, the Nord in the rags!"

The loud unnatural roar echoed across the sky once more. Something was not right. Call it a clairvoyance or a sixth scent, but something felt different to Magnus. He could smell something in the air. A shadow was casting over the world. Something was coming, and it was clear that he was not the only one to feel it.

"There it is again. Did you hear it?"

The Captain's ears seemed deaf to Hadvar's concern.

"I said next prisoner!"

Two legion soldiers grabbed Magnus by the shoulder and forced him to walk. "To the block prisoner, nice and easy!" One of them growled.

Magnus grunted as his head was slammed against the block and forced into the proper position. He let out a sigh *I die this day. I pray to the Nine that I be received by the gates of Sovergarde.*

He let out a sigh making peace with the situation, until he saw the familiar silhouette of a woman with a parasol . He looked up to see Auntie Nanie staring back down at him with a half smirk.

*Please, for the love of Talos not her.* Magnus thought to himself. *Let her not be the last face I see before I die.*

Auntie Nanie giggled as she bent down. Her face was inches from his. "Now, as I was saying before you so rudely told me off,..." The sky suddenly began to turn red.

"...keep your head up and your chin held high. Your journey is far from over. In fact I think your Journey is only about to begin…" Another loud roar echoed across the sky this time far more clearer and more threatening. Auntie Nanie pulled out a clockwork pocket watch. People began to scream and point to the sky. "In Fact I think your about to find yourself thrusted into a whole new adventure in three…"

"What in Oblivion is that?!?" General Tullius shouted.

"Two…"

"Sentries, what do you see?" The Captain asked.

"One…"

"It's in the clouds!" a sentry shouted.

Suddenly there was a loud roar followed by a thunderous quake. Both Auntie Nanie and Magnus looked up at the tower to see a massive winged figure as black as shadow and eyes as red as the fires of Oblivion itself.

One of the female Stormcloak soldiers gave a blood curdling scream "Dragon!"

Auntie Nanie looked up at the dragon with a satisfied smirk. "Mmm hmmm, right on time."

She then looked down at Magnus, blew him a kiss, waving cheekily goodbye, snapped her fingers and disappeared into a flash of light. Before she did so however. She gave parting words.

"The curtain rises! The Stage is Set! The Legend begins! Enter Stage left the hero of our tale!"

 

[KilroywasNOTHere]

"Fus-Roh Dah!!' the dragon bellowed, sending out a thunderous quake that shook the ground and knocked Magnus's head right into the disposal basket for the severed headS. Magnus let out a grunt as he felt the basket tip and he watched as the severed head of Olaf Windwaker rolled out and towards the tower.

*Sorry dear brother.* Magnus thought. He was still stunned by the whole situation. Was this real or was this one of those dreams that one had right before they died. Was he really now coming face to face with a real live dragon? Had he finally lost it?"

His thoughts immediately snapped back to reality as the dragon took another deep breath. "Yol Toor Shul!" Magnus rolled out of the way as a blazing jet of flame barrelled towards him, completely consuming what was once the unconscious body of the headsman that moments ago was in the position to kill him.

Magnus watched as the headsman's body was reduced to meat and ash and the iron ax was reduced to slag. Magnus could not help but wince as the smell of burnt flesh, cloth, and hair filled his nostrils. He was no stranger to the foul aroma but it was a distinct odor that one did not just get used to no matter how many one had experienced it. Still, he could not help but be relieved that now there would be no headsman after his head, but with the ax. now useless, Magnus had to find away to cut his bounds. He then looked at the jagged rock where he head was once placed, and began cutting the ropes. Then he felt in. The ropes snapped in two and his hands were unbound once more. Joy filled Magnus's heart as he wriggled his fingers and felt the sheer freedom of movement as he did so. This freedom however would be short lived as he looked and saw the Captain trying to escort children out of a burning schoolhouse.

"Come on hurry!"

She shouted as she got the children into one of the keeps. The dragon circled around the keep snorting, the hot steam from it's nostrils burned hot, and smelled foul. "Archers!" The captain Cried out.

The imperial archers drew back their bows aiming it at the dragon as the Captain raised her arm. Once she swung her arm downward the archers fired, but it was all in vain. One by one the iron arrows just bounced off the dragon. It's skin was too hard to seemingly be pierced by iron arrows. The dragon let out a deep guttural cackle.

"Sahlo joor! Nikriin Ahkr Dir! Yol Toor Shul!"

The Captain desperately tried to block the flame with her shield. The thing about armor is that normal steel when face to face with dragons fire tends to met. So one must only imagine the pain the Imperial captain felt when she felt her armor fuse and cling to her like as it melted. She let out a blood curdling scream as the flames engulfed her. She fell and began to writhe in agony, and either to her credit or to her curse, she somehow still clung to life. The Dragon amused by the woman's situation merely cackled and went back to his rampage.

It was this that snapped Magnus out of his daze and he immediately sprung into action running to the captain's side, he wrapped his arms around her chest. "Just stay calm! I got you!" he shouted to the Captain. She looked at Magnus in with wide eyed shock and even fear. Just minutes ago, she had sentenced him to be beheaded. Now the roles were reversed and it was she who was at his mercy.

Still Magnus cared not what happened moments before, he only cared about the here and the now, and in the here and now the captain was a woman that needed healing, and if she did not recivie it she would suffer a painful agonizing death. So he grabbed her and carried her over her shoulders, carrying her and taking her behind one of the towers. As he sat her back down she again moaned in agony. The burns across her body and face mixed with the fused steel armor made her look more dead than alive. But how…he had no potion on hand, and he neither had the time nor the ingredients to make one. Magnus's heart grew grieved, No woman, no person deserved to die like this no matter what they had done. As he tried to continplate what to do he was once again met with that dreaded voice.

"Well isn't this another fine situation we have found herself in."

Magnus grumbled under his breath as he gave her a sideways leer.

"You're mad!" he hissed

Auntie Naine scoffed. Though the sideways smirk never left her face.

"*Gasp* What an unbelievably astute observation! I suppose next you'll reveal to me that water is indeed wet and that the moon is in fact not a giant cheese wheel in the sky. Please great sage Invoke unto me more of your insightful observations

Magnus rolled his eyes. "It's not enough for you to torment me? You now wish to torment all of Skyrim by releasing a dragon?"


"You mean Big, Black, and ugly? Oh pish posh. Just because I knew the dragon was coming doesn't mean I had anything to do with releasing it. Besides, How could I? According to you, I'm just a figment of your own delusional Imagination.

Magnus rolled his eyes. "Look this woman is going to die if I can't heal her, so unless you can teach some spell that can save her life, bugger off."

Auntie Naine once again scoffed. "Well that's just rude. You know, you used to enjoy my presence once upon a time. Whatever happened to that wide eyed innocent boy whom would give his Auntie Nanie a proper Nordic bear hug when she would bring him sweet rolls and Cheese wheels as big as his head when that nasty old woman would try to starve him?


Magnus winced as an old he was reminded of memories of time gone by. He remembered when she would come and bring him food, meats and cheeses sweets, pies and cakes, but none of it was real. It couldn't have been…could it?"

"I stole those things from the market stalls. I was just a dirty little urchin."

Auntie Nanie's face dropped and Magnus could almost swear that he saw a tear flow from her eye, but he knew better than to swear by anything this time around. After a brief moment of silence, she shook her head and sighed.

*look, you know how a healing spell works right?"

"Yes, its one of the most basic form of restoration magic. Every adventure I know of knows it."

"Good, now here is a novel idea, use that healing spell, while touching the imperial Captain. It's called healing hands. You can thank me later."

Magnus let out a sigh of his own. As much as he hated to take Nanie's advice on…well just about anything at this point in his life. He had to admit, it was always suprisingly effective. So, he placed his hands on the Captain's ribs and began to concentrate. His eyes widened in amazement as the spell did its work wounds began to close as burnt flesh began to sluff as new healthy flesh and muscle replaced it. Metal that had melted and fused into her skin was soon pushed out.

When the process was finished Magnus collapsed. The use of the spell had temporarily exhausted him, but he was left satisfied with the results.

"Well what do you know. Hey thanks…" he turned around only to find Auntie Naine was again nowhere to be seen. He was once again shaking his head

"By Shor I really am losing my mind."

The captain looked at her hands baffled by what she was feeling. Mere moments ago she was writing in agony. Now the pain she felt was merely a dull throb if even that.

All she could do for the next several seconds was look at her savior In bewilderment.

"Why? I.. I mean I ordered you to the.. "

Magnus held up his hand to halt her from speaking and merely gave her a gentle smile. "Do you have a name imperial?

The Captain was once again to stunned to speak at first. "Minerva," The captain said in a voice almost like a timid child. Magnus, though he thought it was awful, could not help but be amused at her sudden change of demeanor. Where was the Captain that seemed to take pleasure in the power over others? He had a pretty good guess actually.

"Well Minerva, how old are you?"

"20."

Magnus chuckled."mighty young for an imperial Captain."

"I was the top of my class at the imperial academy, top in combat and in strategy. I was actually the one that planned the ambush."

There was a hint of pride in her voice when she mentioned the ambush. By the look on her face one thing was pretty clear. Once again the Wheels in Magnus's mind began to turn.

*That was most likely her defining moment. In fact, that ambush is probably what got her promoted to Captain in the first place. Certainly explains some things.*

Magnus turned his head as he heard noises from a distance. He rushed to follow it only for Minerva to grab him by the shoulder. She pulled at an amulet form her neck. It was the half amulet of Talos that she had taken from him earlier. Instead of taking it however, he again held up his hand.

"You can give it back to me if we both survive this. Until then, Talos guide you."

"Haming, you need to get over here. Now! That a boy, you're doing great. Torolf! Your Majesty get back!"

When Magnus reached the source his eyes widened in shock as he Saw Elisif the Fair standing in front of the wounded Torolf staring face to face with the black dragon. Hadvar desperately tried to call her back but she would not budge. The dragon arched it's back as it readied it's fiery breath before it spread it's wings and lifted off.

"Yol Toor Shul!"

The dragon flames jettisoned towards the Jarl of Solitude but before it could reach her she felt herself tumble and roll, before ultimately landing on her back. When the world around her stopped spinning. She found the fair looking form of Magnus on top of her. The two blushed as they realized they were heavily in each other's space personal and Magnus quickly got off of her and offered a hand.

"My apologies your majesty.' Mangus apologized in a rather sheepish manner

"Oh, none required. Thank you for saving me."

It took everything she had to hold back another blushing smile and to be honest to the gods the feeling was mutual. Elisif's voice sounded like rich butter, milk and honey given physical form. To Elisif, the equally tall brown haired green eyed stranger, had a voice like a mighty war horn that could cut through any fog. The two stared at each other awkwardly until Hadvar interrupted.

"Still alive prisoner? Stick close if you want to stay that way. Gunnar, take care of the queen, the boy and His father. I have to find General Tullius and join the defense."

"No!" Elisif declared. "I'm coming with you!"

"Y-your Majesty you can't!" Hadvar protested. "It's too dangerous! Skyrim can't afford to lose its High Queen!"

"I'm just as much in danger staying here as I am going out there, not to mention the fact that there may be more wounded that need help. As your High Queen I order that you take me with you."

Hadvar's eyes widened. "You do know what's at stake if something were to happen."

"I am aware, lieutenant. My order still stands.

Hadvar clinched his teeth. While as a member of the he technically served the empire above all else, as a Nord he had a loyalty to his homeland and the High Monarchy that represented its will. Ironically, she represented both Skyrim and the Empire. It would be one thing if she were not in her right mind and/or was not aware of the risk. But she was not and she had. He could not refuse her without breathing his oath.

"By your orders, your Majesty." Hadvar looked to Gunnar and nodded goodbye.

"Talos guide you." Gunnar said softly.

 

[Jao]

Images are broken for me, they are just "name.ext" instead of an actual image.

 

[KilroywasNOTHere]

Yeah I'll have to fix that. How are things so far?

 

[KilroywasNOTHere]

@Jao

Alright the chapter has been updated with pictures. Let me know what you guys think.

 

[KilroywasNOTHere]

I honestly forgot about thus until the oblivion announcement came out.