"Urgh! Erk!".
"I left this one alive for you. Can you believe it? This one can't die. So sort of immortalized artificial Dragonborn."
Jon tossed the shackled body of Dragon Priest Kendov of the War Dragons Cult to his father, Jonrad. The latter looked at Kendov and had a grimacing frown. Kendov landed painfully on the debris at Jonrad's feet and couldn't help but squirm as the perverted way Jon ties people can be weaponized into its own torture thod.
"Is he the one?" Jonrad asked.
"He is," Jon replied and walked past Jonrad, "I'm heading back to Saarthal; this was all a distraction for an attack on the city."
As Jon left, Jonrad and Kendov shared an eye-to-eye staring mont in which Jonrad preferred not to be a man of many words.
anwhile, Kendov struggled to keep his act straight, and a an smile ford on his face.
"Commander!"
He spoke a word so familiar to Jonrad that it made every fiber of his being light on fire. Anger appeared on his face, and he looked at Kendov with absolute disdain.
"Wilhelm the Craven!" He said, recognizing the man called Kendov.
"It is Kendov the Immortal now, Commander."
"The Centurion who sold out his n to live. I thought you were rotting in an Elven dungeon."
"Not for long. I've served many masters since then."
"Let guess, you abandoned them all and ran away."
"As I once told you, the mont I sll death, I don't stay in one place."
"I rember. Funny! The Dragons got their perfect soldier who cannot die anymore."
"Best masters I ever served. A sha how things turned out for them."
The conversation was interrupted when the mountain started shaking from the collapse it just suffered. Many rocks fell around them, but the scene cald down eventually.
"So, what now?" Kendov asked.
"You have wronged , Wilhelm," Jonrad replied, "You kidnapped the young ones, tried to kill my boy, and made my wife cry. Death won't cut it for you."
"Lucky you then, Commander. I don't die," Kendov replied and was ready to face the worst Jonrad could do.
As for Jonrad, he took out the katana by his side, Goldbrand, a Daedric artifact that can incinerate almost anything. Jonrad sighed, and without a second of doubt, he stuck the sword into Kendov's guts.
"AAAAAH! Ah... Ahaha! It... BURNS! HAH! HAH!"
Kendov's reaction was in line with what Jonrad had expected. He started burning, but sohow he was kept alive.
A subordinate from the bitter days of the Great War, one that feared no enemy, excelled in all sorts of combat, and perford his duties with wits and cunning. His worst fear, however, was death, and he wasn't the honorable type either. As long as a fight is winnable, Wilhelm would always be at the Vanguard, but when the odds are going back and forth, he prefers to stay away from the fight.
While the attitude fit a rcenary more than it fit a Legionary, let alone a Centurion, it was only a matter of ti before Wilhelm turned tail and ran. He was one of those who fled during the retreat in Skyrim and left his troops to die as he escaped. He spent most of his days afterward as a wanted man, and the Aldri Dominion captured him at the end, where he ended up exchanging valuable strategic information for his life.
After that, no one heard of him, but it is possible that his fear of death and old age led him on the road to search for immortality and eventually into the Dragon Cult's upper echelons.
Jonrad has always wondered if Wilhelm and death had a natural relationship; maybe Wilhelm would have been the best Legionary to ever walk this Nirn.
Alas...
Seeing that Goldbrand is constantly burning and searing through the agonized Kendov, Jonrad lays one last spell on the sword for it to keep burning and for its flas to never die down. Unless it is Boethiah herself who pulls Goldbrand off this place, nobody else can.
The broken mountain shook once again, and as rocks started falling, Jonrad left Kendov, the sword, and the fire, as they were all buried down under a mountain.
***
"HYAAAAAA! DIE, MAGGOTS!"
From the streets of Saarthal to its skies, chaos was unfolding, and precious minutes were the only ti the people of the city were given to evacuate to the shelters. Once the dragons were spotted from the mountain's lookouts, an alarm bell signal was broadcast across Winterhold: one for enemies from the land, two for enemies from the sea, three for enemies from the sky—Dragons.
Winterhold's top fighters were all busy running around Skyrim to search for the kidnapped children of Jonrad at the mont, and the ones left were not the faces of this fight. Still, the one who led the defense was a frequent face in almost every Dragon hunt.
"Man the ballistas! I want to see dragons drop like flies!"
Jullanar the Mad was standing on top of a building, aiming her crossbow down, and mowing down the cultists that infiltrated the city.
The War Dragon Cult was the most treacherous opponent Winterhold t so far, and they knew how to wage war. While their numbers weren't their forte, the Cultists relied on the one thing that could flip the numbers ga on the heads of the many: Undead and Necromancy.
An hour ago, a horde of draugrs was conjured in the main plaza of Saarthal, and it started attacking people indiscriminately. The Dare Troopers along with the Winterhold Guards were quick to respond thanks to the attack launched by the Dragon Cult just last night. However, it seed that the Dragon Cult had long since infiltrated the city, and many places were already infested with sleeping Draugr that bounced on the defenders when the ti was right.
Casualties fell at a rapid pace, and the enemy was being elusive. The fact that the attack comnced behind the walls of Saarthal left the defenders confused and disturbed the lines of communication. On another front, the defenders on the city walls spotted seven dragons circling the city from a distance and going as far as the city of Winterhold.
It would take 100 n to repel a single dragon with the defensive capabilities of this era. If Mages were involved, one mage would account for 10 ordinary soldiers. Seven Dragons ant that it could either be 700 n or 70 mages; either this or that was sothing the Dare Troopers couldn't simply pull off right away.
The Dare Troopers are only a thousand strong, and even though they are all elites, they need to follow the drill where 100 n face against 1 dragon. Still, leaving only 300 n to control the situation in the city while the others prepare on the defensive towers to face the dragons is a really tough call to make.
But then...
"Jullanar, where do you want us?"
From the chaos in the streets, three red-headed figures co running to aid the defenders while calling Jullanar. She turned to them and saw so of the most powerful mbers of House Firemane: Njord, Foresti, and Skadi.
"Good, get to the..."
*ROAAAAAAAAAAAR!*
As she was about to put them to work, one dragon roared in the sky, announcing the beginning of the real fight.
"DAMMIT! Focus on the undead! That flying fucker will get one of my flying fucks!"
Jullanar left the command of the 300 defenders in the plaza to the sergeants and threw a grappling hook at one of the houses before activating its enchantnt and zooming up like an arrow.
After repeating that move a couple more tis, she was on top of the Temple of Kyne watching the first Dragon descend over the main street in a straight flight.
"SHIELDS UP!"
She shouted and called the defenders to take cover as the Dragon opened its maw and spewed down hellfire on the n below.
Houses exploded!
People wailed!
Madness prevailed in the ranks of the n and in the eyes of Jullanar.
A score of ballista spears stuck hurled over to the Dragon from all the towers, and many lightning spells started striking it from the spheres fixed above so of the most elevated roofs. The Dragon was porcupined with spears, but its thick hide proved tougher than most dragons, a tank among tanks in terms of dragon prowess.
Jullanar saw the Dragon approach her position, and without thinking, she slid down the roof and used the montum she gained to jump over with her grappling hook before using the enchantnt to change her trajectory upwards and be in the way of the ascending dragon.
Right at his wing, Jullanar clouded badly and cried from the pain, but even with her petite fra, she could tank a hit from a dragon even though she may have sacrificed a rib or two. With the chemicals of adrenaline and madness brewing in her system, she climbed over the wing and used her blade to stick to it and slice it diagonally.
"Ruth lir! Wah tum, dur hi!" (Damn worm! To the ground, curse you!)
The dragon's flight was disturbed greatly when its wing was cut that way, but Jullanar was already at the end of the wing and would fall if this continued. The Dragon slowed down, however, in order to maintain its balance, giving Jullanar the window to throw her grappling hook at one of the spears sticking from its back, evading being thrown off the wing.
Sensing the human that is now standing on his lower back, the Dragon couldn't get any angrier. It tried to swing left and right, up and down, flipped once and twice, all of that while she was holding onto the spears that were pinned on him.
"HAHAHA! You think you can wear out with this pathetic bucking? Only my man can buck around and make my world spin. That's why I get to be the cowgirl."
She laughed and moved across the back of the Dragon, from spear to spear with her grappling hook acting as her safety belt. As she reached his upper back, she stuck her hook around two crossing spears and wanted to find a weakness she could hit. However, the Dragon wasn't that easy of an opponent.
In a bizarre neck movent that can only fit the physique and long neck of a Dragon, the wyrm twisted his neck and attempted to bite her off his back. He was almost successful at grabbing her with his maw if not for the split of a second she let go in to be barely caught by her left leg.
"SHIT!"
"DIR!" (DIE!)
The Dragon imdiately yanked its neck the other way and flung her up in the air where she beca unable to control her movent. He raised his head up and attempted to swallow her in one go, but thanks to her grappling hook, her montum shifted to his backward, and she imdiately seized the chance.
"Co!"
Retracting the two spears from the back of the Dragon along with her hook, Jullanar was now in a free fall with two spears in her hand and one Dragon beneath her opening its mouth wide.
The options were limited, but she knew exactly what to do and where to aim.
One of the Dragon's few weaknesses is his snot.
She descended with the gravitational acceleration on her side before aiming each spear right in place and hooking them in.
*SKREEEEEECH!*
The agony of that move was like none other, and Jullanar took advantage of every opportunity she was given. She landed on the Dragon's head, and in an act of total badassery, she took off her upper vest and cloth, standing topless, and covered the dragon's eyes with them.
She had her clothes fixed with her foot, and to make sure the dragon saw nothing in front of him, she tied the rope of her grappling hook around the clothes covering his eyes.
Now she's on top of a Dragon, blindfolding his eyes, leading him by the nose, and driving him in a chaotic way.
"IT'S YOU AND , LIZARD! AND YOU HAVE BEEN A BAD BAAAAAAAAAAD BOY!"
With all the force and aura she could muster, Jullanar pulled the spears backward until they bent and the Dragon's head with them along with the rest of his body. The woman and dragon struggled against one another, but she was on top, and she was the one in control.
Despite how many tis the Dragon struggled, he could only move his head to ease the pain that wreaked absolute havoc on all the sensitive nerve endings in his snot. Jullanar was vicious and ruthless as she even used her poisonous aura to make the pain worse for the Dragon that was no longer able to defy her.
"FASTER! FASTER, YOU SON OF A BITCH! FLAP FOR MOMMY!"
This scene of domination was witnessed by a handful as everyone on the ground was busy dealing with Dragons, and the Dragon Response Units were busy fighting off the other Dragons that ca down to besiege the city.
Desperation hit the heart of the Dragon that Jullanar was on, and in an act of defiance, he accelerated faster and faster, foregoing balance, and choosing recklessness in the face of domination.
"YOL TOOR SHUL!"
As all his attempts were unsuccessful, he still wanted to dish out as much damage as possible.
"MORE! DO IT MORE! WAHAHAHA!"
Jullanar, however, was still in control, and as she aid things right, whatever the dragon was doing was fitting whatever she was doing, and in the end, she was where she wanted.
Five, four...
Jullanar imdiately let go of the spears, causing the Dragon's head to suddenly listen to him.
Three, two...
She imdiately retracted the rope before jumping off the mad fire-breathing dragon.
One...
The impact happened!
Jullanar drove the fire-breathing Dragon against the Dare Tower, the indestructible construct, whose very walls were enchanted with a binary enchantnt that absorbs and reflects any sort of impact. The Dragon's fire collided with the cold stones of the tower, and as the Dragon's vision returned, he could see nothing but stone and could feel nothing but being shattered against the devastating Tower of Music.
One Dragon down, six more to go.
Jullanar was now in a freefall and could only use her grappling hook to swing herself against one of the tower's balconies then launch herself away into the air.
Feeling the coldness of the air, the warmth of the setting sun, and the freedom of defying gravity, Jullanar peacefully closed her eyes as the wind caressed her skin from her face to her bare chest. She even flipped artistically and slowly in midair, and as she faced the ground and succumbed to gravity, she was now ready to land and find sothing to cover herself with.
But just at this mont, darkness descended over her.
She looked to the west and saw a dragon blocking her entire vision and coming at her with senseless speed.
There was no ti to react when the Dragon opened his dark maw wide, showing his deadly fangs that sat in raws, his slimy black tongue, and his gaping throat that was ready to swallow her whole.
Options?
Jullanar couldn't think of any.
She made a mistake; she shouldn't have acted this rashly or swung to the sky like that.
The nearest building to her grappling hook range was miserably far away, and even if she reacted and threw the hook, there wouldn't be enough ti.
How about fighting?
She can't see herself doing it. She could ambush the other Dragon, but this one was facing her on his own volition, and in the sky, there was no king but the dragon.
If only soone was close by to save her. Jon is preferable, maybe Alina, or even Alina's pet gryphon.
This thought lingered in her mind as the dark maw of the Dragon was already closing on her, swallowing her whole.
Without any resistance, Jullanar was swallowed.
She resisted and pushed with her legs against the upper mouth of the Dragon, but as his tongue twisted around her, trying to push her towards the digestive canal, there was no longer a thing she could do...
Actually, she has sothing that might help.
Her ring, the ring that she received from Jon had an escaping spell enchanted on it.
Once she holds it tight and activates its rune, she will be teleported away.
Without thinking she did just that.
Magicka enveloped her body, and she could feel the spatial spell pulling her outside the Dragon.
The Dragon struggled and felt the unnatural flow of Magicka from within. If he could do anything, he would choose to spit her out as he had no ti.
The Escape Spell on Jullanar's ring was fast, made of the best material, and enchanted by the best enchanter. Not only can it break dinsions, but this ring was fashioned after the ti Jon was trapped in the depth of Apocrypha, and so to be the best item possible, it would teleport its user with their body intact and even lay a certain level of protection over the soul so that no Daedric Prince can influence it along the way.
Still, Jon has never accounted that living beings would use such a ring to escape from the insides of another living being.
The level of destruction this would cause to the soul of the living being on the outside would be imnse, and even if it was a Dragon, a ring like this was made to defy the influence of Daedric Princes whose souls are the pinnacle among the et'Ada.
With such power, Julianar tore through the Dragon and his soul to escape being swallowed whole. Even though the ring is a single-use item and would get destroyed, even though it is painful for her to see sothing her dear husband gave to her get shattered, survival is a priority.
The Dragon couldn't endure the damage inflicted by the ring's magic and fell from the sky as its soul was almost destroyed. As for Jullanar, she was happy to finally feel the sensation of a hard ground under her.
Her body hurt, and her senses were all jumbled, but this was a cheap price to pay for escaping death. In her heart, she vowed never to take to the skies this recklessly even again.
Still, once she opened her eyes, she saw that she wasn't in the portal hub under the Dare Tower, as the ring was supposed to take her. She was in a familiar place, seeing familiar faces.
Those were the defenders of Winterhold, the soldiers she just led to battle, and the friends in arms she had trained with for a long ti.
Their faces were a welco sight to see, but the looks in their eyes were sothing else. They were like beasts, raging for battle, demanding the blood price from the necks of the enemies.
"Guys..."
Jullanar raised her head, but the magnitude of "raised" was a bit off her usual charts. She towered over the n; so of them were twice her size. Even Njord, who is three tis her size, looked up at her from an angel she never thought she would see him from... ever. Njord is the tallest Firemane, even taller than Jon.
"Hey, Mister Uncle, how am I this tall?"
Jullanar's question confused the ever-living shit out of everyone in the plaza.
Why is this Dragon talking like soone they know?
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