Dragonborn

Dragon

“Legends don’t burn down villages,” Ulfric stated, just as Lila was scrambling to get inside of the tower. “We need to move.” She was too shocked to protest, someone yelled for us to move up the tower, so she did. With her hands still bound she was in no position to argue.

As she flew up the stairs, nearly reaching the landing, the side wall collapsed with a large serpent head poking in. It inhaled sharply before letting the flames flow from its neck. Someone grabbed the collar of her cloak and pulled her back, not before she could smell singed hair however.

“See the ledge there, down, into the building! Go now!” She was practically shoved from the tower. Thanks to her agile frame, she was able to land without hurting herself, rolling into a stand from the impact. As soon as she was on her feet again, she was sprinting. She could feel the sweat dripping from her pumpkin colored locks.
Lila was back on the street in seconds, lithely moving through the street, dodging arrows and flames alike. She skirted right behind the Imperial who had asked for her name before.

“Still alive prisoner? Stick with me if you want to stay that way!” He shouted before giving instructions over the boy. He was at a run, and her close on his heels.

Moving down into the alley, he grabbed her tunic and pushed her against the wall, just as the dragon landed and poured flames down on the Imperial soldiers. Hurriedly they moved to the keep, she didn’t even turn back as she followed him inside.

“Here, let me free your hands,” he said almost apologetically. He turned to motion at the chest against the corner. “May as well check that for some equipment. If we’re going to get out of here, you’re going to need something better than your hands.”

“I’m a conjurer,” she protested almost angrily. “I can do just fine without a sword.” Honestly, she had never even held a sword in her hands.

“Suit yourself then,” he said flatly before unlocking the door to get through the keep. His voice was annoyed with her statement, this much she could tell just from the tone. If there was anything she was better at than magic, it was getting out of situations like this. Her size and ability to disappear in the shadows helped her greatly.

They ran into Stormcloak soldiers the entire way. She had helped some by casting flames into lamp oil that had seeped from the lanterns, but other than that and healing Hadvar as he fought their way through the tunnels, she was little use.

They came upon the sow bear quietly. He had left it up to her whether they were to engage it or not. Her reply was a quick shake of the head, indicating that they should sneak past it and remain unseen. She had definitely seen enough battle for one day, she didn’t want anymore. What she wanted now was some warm mead and a dry bed.

***

Nords were so damn strange. Asking a stranger to get aid from the Jarl. A stranger who was meant for the block none the less. And then upon her arrival at Dragonsreach they asked her to go get a damn stone out of a damn cave in the middle of no where.

As her reward? An Axe and a dragon investigation. She was following Irileth and some guards down the road away from the hold’s capital. They were running, quickly at the thought of a dragon being nearby. She didn’t even know if she wanted to see the dragon. Everything inside of her told her to run the other way.

They approached the tower, it was crumbling, the banners of fire as well as some of the dryer grass near by. The dragon was gone now, but you could tell something had been there. Something with the power to break stone and burn the nirn beneath them.

“No sign of him now, but it sure looks like he’s been here.” Irileth echoed her thoughts as they slowly spread out around the tower.

“No stay back! He’s still around here! Loki got grabbed when they tried to make a run for it!” Thats when she heard it the roaring echoing through the mountains. She looked up to see the large beast flying straight at them. “By the gods! Here he comes again!”

Just as he began circling overhead, she called on the power within herself. Her hands shone a dark blue, with purple sparks flying from her fingertips. She threw her hand straight out conjuring her atronach by sending the salts flying through the air. As soon as she did it she pulled out her bow, knocking an arrow and took aim.

The adrenaline rushed as she danced and skidded out of the path of flames, letting an arrow fly, just for the dragon to move enough so that the arrow bounced from his thick scaled skull. Lila hissed her frustration and quickly knocked another one, this time piercing the dragon’s right eye. To this he swung his head, spraying fire in a wide arch, trying to get its assailant.

They were all circling the beast, some firing arrows, some with war axes and swords. The end of her cloak had caught fire and it now lay behind her, smoldering in the dark dirt. She ran at the beast letting another arrow fly before scooping up a discarded sword. She moved with all her might, climbing up the arm of the dragon and shoving the sword into its thick neck, right beneath the plate on its skull. She pushed hard, with everything she had, blood pumped from the wound and she was covered in it in no time.

“Dovahkiin!?” The beast hissed as it finally found stillness on the ground. She stood on its back huffing, panting, smearing the blood through her ginger locks as she pushed them from her eyes. She thought it was the sun’s glare, but no sooner had she moved her hair she noticed it was encircling her, moving swift like the wind, causing her hair to be tossed around by the force. Skin peeled and flaked off around her, the smell of burning flesh overwhelming. Before long she was consumed in the white flames emanating from the dead beast, but just as quickly as it began, it ended.

“By the gods… you’re.. dragonborn!” One of the men said staring up at her in awe. The uproar started just as she lost her balance and fell from the pile of bones in front of her. The men were all speaking at once, something about Tiber Septim, dragons, and absorbing power. She stood there staring at the head of the beast she had just killed.

“Isn’t it?” One asked her, she looked at them confused before he repeated himself. “You just absorbed some sort of power?”

“I don’t know what in Oblivion just happened to me!” She cried out, astounded that she actually took the thing down.

“Well can you shout? If you can that would prove it!” He urged her on and she looked at the group, who was waiting expectantly.

She sighed inhaling quickly and shut her eyes, how do you shout? As if the Divines had spoken to her, she knew. She focused on the word that came to her mind, put her energy into it and just let it go as she shouted the word. It knocked everyone back, including Irileth. Then the uproar continued, more shouting and debating as they asked her to do it again, only this time at the dragon. So she focused again, this time it was easier, quicker. She knew the word and how to project it outwards now. She shouted at the dragon, making its skull fly off towards the tower.

“Dragonborn!” They cheered applauding. She glanced back at the head and then pointed at the skull.

“I want that.” She said quietly. “Can you take it to dragonsreach or something for me?” When she looked back at them they were fighting over who was going to do it. Everyone wanted to help the legendary dragonborn. Irileth walked out of the thick of the fray and stood beside of her.

“Well, looks like you got them moving.” She commented. “Head on back to the Jarl, I’ll get the skull for you. Let these children battle it out.” She was shaking her head in disgust at the men. Such warriors were they, fighting over a chance to win the Breton’s favor.