AN: Whoooo this chapter was fun to write. With this, only 5 chapters remain for this fic :). Feels a bit melancholic actually.
Please leave a comment or a review. I am a machine that turns commentary into chapters. Anyways, hope you guys enjoy this one!
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4E 202, Shor's Stone
Vilkas
He and his Companions slowly inched towards the body of the beast whose size was big enough to crush the entire neighborhood in his fall.
The air smelled of ash and blood the closer they were, a stench of death mixed with the arid smoke of buildings that had gone up in flames. It was a foul thing, but Vilkas breathed it in anyway.
Ahead of him, sprawled across an entire section of the western district, lay the beast. Even broken as it was, it seemed to dominate the landscape. Its massive body crushed rooftops and buildings beneath its weight. Its wings splayed like banners across what had been homes and streets. The impact alone had flattened an entire neighborhood.
There were sixty of them here, the best the Companions had to offer. Farkas remained by his side as always, along with Amren, Sinmir, and Ria. Njada and Uthgerd were among the ones that had volunteered to go to Skuldafn, with the Dragonslayer's Carrowhulks.
The Companions number had taken a major hit from the many conflicts that had plagued Skyrim itself, but the prestige they had earned for always being in the frontlines of most of the major battles had made plenty of men and women from the entire country flock to their banner.
Since then, the Companions number had swelled to just under three hundred, nearly double from the number that they had prior to all of this, when Kodlak had still been Harbinger.
That thought sent pain stabbing through his heart, but Vilkas merely shook his head. He already grieved, and despite Kodlak being like a father to him, Vilkas could not deny that the man was wrong about a few things. Hircine's gift was a boon in these trying times.
While the Inner Circle had lessened in number, Vilkas was already considering new ones to take their place. Ria has shown to be a loyal and capable shield-sister, and she has proven to be a capable and experienced warrior. Vilkas would speak to her soon, provided that they all survived this of course.
Vilkas shook the thought away as they closed in on the dragon.
It was pure luck, or unluck—depending on who you asked—that Vilkas and the Companions were stationed in the western quadrant of the city, near where the Redbelly Mine was.
It was here that the Kruziik Odahviing had fallen when Gerron Ironbreaker had felled him from the skies. They knew not if the beast had died or not, but they were not willing to leave it chance.
When they saw it fall, Vilkas had rushed his companions quickly to the crash site. But it was a struggle, for six juvenile dragons had dove from the skies to protect him. He and the rest would have died then and there if not for the turrets on the Ebony Palace raining hell upon those dragons, covering the skies just enough for the Companions to descend upon the grounded ones and kill them.
Even then, every fiber of his being warned him that the Kruziik was not prey, not something to be hunted. He was not Aela, for the creatures still felt dangerous to his instincts. And yet here it lay, broken and still.
Vilkas gestured with his head to the right, Farkas answering with an affirmative nod as they circled the massive corpse, keeping distance, watching for any sign of movement. Any twitch, any breath.
Nothing.
They reached the head, and stopped.
"...What in Talos' name…" Farkas muttered.
Vilkas didn't know what to say, for the sight was truly something he did not expect. The dragon's maw was completely ruined. Most of the fangs and teeth had shattered, its tongue half gone, the remaining flesh burned and mangled. Copious amounts of blood dripped steadily from its jaws, pooling beneath its skull.
"…What did Gerron do to this thing?" Farkas asked, a note of disbelief creeping into his voice.
Vilkas crouched slightly, studying the corpse. The eyes were lifeless. There was a massive wound along its side, the flesh blackening as if a strange rot had taken hold.
"At least it's dead." Vilkas said, lowering Wuuthrad. "It was either the blackened wound… or whatever exploded inside its mouth. Nevertheless, that's one of the Kruziik that's dead."
Farkas gave a low whistle. "…I'm glad we weren't on the receiving end of that."
Amren spoke then, a few bandages rolled up on the redguard's bicep, courtesy of the flames that licked his skin from a rather daring dragon. "I saw the Huntress take one out of the sky earlier," he said. "Tore into it like it was nothing. Think that one's dead too?"
"Don't be stupid," Sinmir scoffed. "A Kruziik ain't that easy to kill."
"But the portals closed, didn't they?" Amren shot back. "That dragon was the one making them. Besides, it's the Huntress."
Vilkas let their voices fade into the background. Instead, he looked around. Truly, it did seem like victory was achieved.
The sounds of combat in the streets had lessened greatly, despite the smell having worsened from the iron-y scent of blood that permeated in the air.
This was a section of the city that saw very little draugr, but it was a prime target for the dragons for it held the Miner's Quarters, which was the whole reason Vilkas and his companions were stationed here in the first place.
The streets around him were filled with small mounds that were dragon corpses. Some had their skulls pierced clean through with ballista bolts, others had a hundred arrows sticking out of their wings and the gaps between their scales.
It had been a slaughter, but they survived.
Vilkas tightened his grip on Wuuthrad.
"Form up," he called, voice steady. "We move to the walls. The fight's not over yet."
Just as the Companions began to rally around him, a shout tore through the air.
"Vilkas!"
Heads turned as from the other end of the street, Aela emerged from the bend. With her came Isran, Aranea Ienith, and a man clad in silver armor Vilkas did not recognize.
"Aela?" Vilkas furrowed his brow.
"Run with me!" Aela said, "We have a hunt!"
His eyes widened as he nodded, turning back to the rest of the companions. "Farkas, you and Ria take command. Get to the northeastern walls and reinforce the Stormcloaks. Jarl Ulfric should be there."
"Yes, Harbinger!" Ria answered immediately, already moving to rally the others.
Farkas clapped Vilkas on the shoulder briefly. "Stay alive, brother."
Vilkas gave a short nod. "You too."
He watched as Farkas turned to follow Ria before turning himself, falling into step beside Aela as they moved through the ruined streets.
He gave Isran a brief nod, which the Dawnguard leader returned. "Who are we hunting?" Vilkas asked.
Aela's grin was sharp and predatory. "The Champion of Mephala, Nelkir."
Vilkas blinked once. "Balgruuf's son?"
"The one and the same." Her nose twitched slightly as she ran. "He might have escaped me back in Labyrinthian, but not today. I've caught his scent. In there."
Aela pointed forward, towards the entrance of Redbelly Mine.
Vilkas narrowed his eyes as they stopped right at the entrance. Torches still lined the walls as they led a few hundred feet within, their light flickering weakly before vanishing into shadow deeper within. Halfway down, the light simply… stopped.
"An ambush point," the silver-armored man said calmly, hand resting on his blade. "Fitting for one favored by the Prince of Lies."
Isran grunted in agreement.
Vilkas studied the walls and the darkness. "What do you need from me? Your nose is sharper than mine and Farkas' combined."
"That is true, Harbinger." It was Aranea who answered. Vilkas had gotten to know the woman a little bit when she stayed in Jorrvaskr for a time after the Night of Convergence. "But Nelkir wields the Ebony Blade, a weapon that is dangerous enough to warrant caution. You with Wuuthard and Isran with Stendarr's Light might be required to subdue him."
Vilkas nodded in agreement. "Very well."
They said nothing else as they ventured forward into the darkness.
…
4E 202, Skies above Shor's Stone
Kiera Fendalyn
How long has it been? Hours? Days?
It was hard to determine the time when all Kiera could hear was the rush of wind and massive roars of two titanic dragons battling for supremacy in the skies.
The sky itself seemed too small to contain them.
Every clash between the two titans sent shockwaves rippling across the clouds, tearing them apart in violent spirals. Fire, lightning, and raw force shattered the heavens again and again, turning the firmament into a battlefield of ruin.
Her ears had long since gotten used to the constant cacophony, but the true problem came from Alduin's never ending stamina. He had to have unleashed more than a hundred shouts now, and he didn't look the slightest bit fatigued by it at all.
"Damn it…" Kiera muttered under her breath.
Her grip tightened on the reins as she leaned forward.
"Again!"
In her hand, Dawnbreaker blazed to life.
Golden fire spiraled outward, condensing into a searing beam that lanced through the air. It clipped Alduin's wing, but it was not enough. Alduin roared in retaliation.
"FUS RO DAH!"
Vermithor dodged, well aware of how deadly this particular shout of Alduin's was. He was proven correct when behind them, Northwind Summit simply ceased to exist.
The peak of the mountain that Shor's Stone rested upon, shattered. Disintegrated into a cloud of dust and falling stone as if the mountain itself had been struck by the wrath of a god.
Vermithor did not let that attack stand, for lightning gathered in his maw before being unleashed into a titanic beam of dark, crackling energy.
"QO SPAAN LOK!"
The beam tore through the sky, black lightning chasing Alduin as the World-Eater dove and folded his wings. With speed and agility that bellied his size, Alduin twisted through impossible angles before surging upward once more.
"KRII LUN AUS!"
Kiera's eyes widened, for she recognized that shout. It was the same one that had weakened Vermithor back in High Hrothgar.
"Dive!"
Vermithor was a little too slow, for the purple wave nearly swallowed them had Kiera not reacted.
"FUS RO DAH!"
The two shouts collided as the sky fractured in an explosion of color. Vermithor staggered mid-flight, wings straining against the backlash of wind as Kiera clung tightly to the saddle.
Wind howled around them as her vision blurred.
'Kiera!'
She paused and blinked as the voice registered in her mind. 'Serana?'
'It's me!' Serana's voice echoed inside her mind, urgent and strained. 'We have a plan. When you see the signal, fly past the Ebony Palace on Vermithor!'
'How are you doing this?' Kiera asked bewildered.
'A mix of Illusion and Conjuration. Something I've only figured out how to do just now.' Serana cut in. 'I'll explain later. Focus! The turrets and Voice-users will cover you!'
'Got it.' Kiera smiled. It was tiring, but it seems the time that she had bought her friends and allies was worth it. 'What will the signal look like?'
'Gerron said you'll know it when you see it.' Serana replied as the connection faded.
Kiera huffed. That sounded like him alright.
Chancing a look down towards the city, she could still see hundreds of draugr trying to pierce through the disciplined line of Legionnaires that stationed themselves in the gap that was the Southwestern gate.
The remnants of the draugr tide weren't as overwhelming as the thousand they originally were. With the handful of Guardians still with them, Tullius will be able to hold that check point indefinitely.
The Ebony Palace still stood—scarred, battered—but defiant. The many banners of the coalition of Skyrim fluttered in the wind, hung from the balconies as they were. Some had burned, but the people seemed to see it as an act of defiance to Alduin instead.
Less than two dozen dragons were left flying above the skies, and even they are wary and reluctant to dive now that they have lessened in number.
It was working, the city was holding.
She snapped back to reality as Vermithor slammed into Alduin mid-air. The suddenness of it dizzied her head for a second before she refocused. The two were wrestling in the air, their talons raking each other as Alduin's beady red eyes focused on Vermithor's yellow.
"Not good!" Kiera hissed as she inhaled sharply ."FUS RO DAH!"
The force blasted Alduin backward, breaking the grapple.
"Keep your distance, Vermithor!" she said. A rumbling affirmative was sent through their bond.
That was when it happened. A pulse came from the Ebony Palace as blue lines lit up on its sides like veins. A massive orb of magicka erupted skyward and exploded.
For half a second, the world turned blue.
'Well, that's certainly quite the signal.' She mused.
"Now, Vermithor!" Kiera screamed.
Vermithor banked low and dove, disengaging as they flew towards the Ebony Palace at high speeds.
Alduin roared in fury, the air cracking as he gave chase.
But the moment they crossed over the city, the Palace answered as the turrets turned and flared. Bolts of raw magicka screamed upward in volleys, Kiera and Vermithor ducking as the bolts flew over their heads, forcing Alduin to veer away as several struck true, drawing a roar of pain from the World-Eater.
Her eyes spotted Gerron standing at the tallest balcony with Ralof. Just as Kiera and Vermithor passed, he waved his hand and sixteen dragon corpses, including those of Odahviing and Durnehviir appeared in the air.
Kiera's eyes widened, every single dragon corpse disintegrating and burning as multicolored strands of light began to surge into her, all at once..
Raw and overwhelming power began to rush through her veins. Her breath caught and her heart pounded in her chest. Her very soul felt like it was expanding, stretching beyond its limits as the energy flooded her being.
Then she gasped, lips curling to a smile. A wild, exhilarated sound torn from her chest.
"…More."
She felt Vermithor roar beneath her, the bond between them surging stronger than ever before.
Weight shifted behind her as Gerron landed atop the saddle with practiced ease.
"Ralof! Regroup with Grogmar and clear the city!"
"Yes, my Jarl!"
Kiera didn't even turn to acknowledge them, still within her own little word.
Alduin roared again as a section of the walls below them exploded, His shout tearing through stone and men alike.
'That's enough.' she thought.
Kiera straightened.
Golden light and something darker swirled around her form, the air itself trembling with the pressure of her power. With the threat to the city lessening, well, now seems like the perfect time to finally use it.
Her voice rose. "MUL QAH DIIV!"
…
AN: Coming up next, the fight against Alduin!
More chapters are available on my P-word. Chapter 131 should be available by the time this chapter is posted. Just look up my name, TeemVizzle, and you'll find me.
Cheers people and have a nice day.