Dark Waters

Sigrid
..::~^~::..
Once again, I find myself at the bottom of the 7,000 steps. I looked up at this familiar journey, knowing there was a chance that I may never come back down. I tried to hold on to hope that I would. That Alduin would be defeated, and I would return to a better life. One with the Guild – with Brynjolf. Finally, I would be able to live peacefully. This caused me to take my first step.
But what if it happened vice versa, and Alduin was the one who defeated me. The era of the dragons would come upon Tamriel, and eventually the whole world. This would only mean that I would have to fight my hardest. I hesitated, but still, I took another step. 6,988 more steps to go. I had to stop thinking before I talked myself out of it, or convinced myself unable to do this task. I took in a deep breath, and looked up at the tallest mountain in Skyrim. I had to do this soon.
I now walked up the steps, ignoring my thoughts so that they wouldn’t continue to disturb me. Soon, the soft dirt turned into hard, packed snow. Upon the entrance of High Hrothgar, I ran into Wulfgar. He stood in the Atrium, staring at the door. He looked almost as if he were waiting for me. As soon as he began to speak, I was able to confirm that that’s exactly what he had been doing.
“Dovahkiin, we have been expecting you. It seems you had strayed from your path,” his voice was strong, but nothing less was expected from a man who had mastered the way of the voice.
“I had lost one close to me,” I explained. Looking back on the ordeal now, I would have ended up feeling less guilty had I fulfilled my duty and then mourned.
“Your loss will not go unavenged, Dovahkiin. I am here to give you a blessing of my own,” he informed me, “May you find profit in your quest, and quest in your profit,” he nodded to me before backing away, and turning down one of the halls. I was stricken with confusion. I didn’t let myself dwell on it before I made my way through High Hrothgar and entered the courtyard. The entrance to the throat of the World was across from me, a mere hundred feet. I clutched onto the scroll as I took my first few steps forward towards the entrance to the Throat of the World, to the stand against Alduin, and possibly my last fight. I walked further up the stairs until I got to the top, where Paarthurnax awaited for me.
“You have returned,” he said as he faced away from me. He turned, and his beady eyes fell on the scroll, “You have it, the Elder Scroll. Time shudders at its touch. This is no question that you are doom-driven. The very bones of Earth are at your disposal. Go then, and fulfill your destiny. Take the Scroll to the Time Wound and do not delay. Alduin cannot miss the signs, he will be coming. Now go,” he said, and looked to his left. I followed his gaze, where there was a ripple in the air. It distorted the light as it passed through, and I knew that was the Time Wound.
As I walked to the middle, the scroll got hot in my hands. Was this the moment I was to read it? The scroll continued to heat up until it was almost unbearable. I dropped it, and it flattened itself out. I picked it up, seeing a map, with specific locations highlighted. A sharp pain caused me to blink, and after I opened my eyes, it was dark. After a moment, when they did not adjust, I knew I had gone blind. Still, I could hear voices.
“Gormlaith! We’re running out of time! The battle…” this voice was out of the darkness.
“Today, Alduin’s lordship will be restored. But I honor your courage. Die now, in vain,” The voice was loud, and deep. I knew it was a dragon.
“For Skyrim!” Now it was the first voice.
“Know that Gormlaith sent you down to death!” This time, it was a different voice, a female voice. I could hear the attack on the dragon before I could see it. I was still unable to see. I could then hear the sheathing of swords. “Hakon! A glorious day, is it not!”
“Have you no thought beyond this attack?” The first voice said. He must be Hakon, and the other Gormlaith.
“What else would be to come, Hakon?” Gormlaith asked, obviously happy in his defeat. Slowly, my vision started to come back. It looked as if it were the Merethic Era. Though I could see a little bit more, everything was dim, and tinted red. I could also see that there were only two men. More than that, I was unable to move, forcing me to watch what lay beyond me.
“The battle continues below, on the ground. The dragons gain the advantage. If Alduin does not rise to our challenge, I fear this all will have been for nothing,” Hakon said, his brow furrowing.
“You worry too much. We will be victorious. We will take back the land that is ours.” Gormlaith seemed to have assured herself. After a moment of silence, she looked towards me.
“Why isn’t Alduin coming? We’ve put everything we have on the even that he shows up. On your plan,” I was confused. Could they see me?
“He cannot ignore our defiance,” there was a voice behind me. I was unable to turn around to see who it was, “He will come. Why would he not? It’s not as if he fears us.”
“We have killed four of his kin. We’ve weakened him. He should fear us,” Gormlaith seemed more than sure of herself. She seemed almost arrogant.
“Yet none of you have stood up against him. Alduin himself. There has not been a man who has,” the voice behind me said.
“Did any of the have the shout? Dragonrend? They did not. With the shout, I will have Alduin’s head.” Gormlaith asked. I couldn’t help but wonder who the man behind me was.
“Just the should will not help,” the voice behind me said, “He cannot just be slain like a regular dragon. His strength is far beyond that. Which is why I brought this.”
“Felldir!” Hakon hissed, “We agreed not to use the Elder Scroll. You know the consequences as well as we do.”
“I never agreed,” Felldir said simply, “And if you are right about this should, then we will not need it. Either way, I brought it.”
“No. We will not use the scroll. We will defeat Alduin without it, here and now,” Hakon said finally.
“Keep that in mind as he is approaching now,” Gormlaith said, reaching for the hilt of her sword. I looked out into the horizon, and was able to see Alduin. He looked just as big, black, and ugly as he does to this very day. I hated him even more.
“Let it be,” Hakon said, doing the same.
“Joor Zah Frul,” the three yelled in unison. Not too long after, Alduin dropped to the ground like an anchor. I felt air flowing through me, and I knew I had gained knowledge of the shout.
“What have you done. Paarthurnax! My teeth to his neck! First, I will slay you, in terror. I will feed my power for when I come to Sovngarde,” Alduin’s voice was loud, causing the earth to shake, but still, he sounded calm.
“I can see the fear in your eyes,” Gormlaith yelled, “If I die today, it will not be in vain. Skyrim will be free of your era or terror,” she said before she started the attack on Alduin. As Felldir had predicted, the shout had not worked in its fullness. Alduin picked Gormlaith up in his mouth, and threw her. As she landed, it was obvious she was dead.
“Use the scroll, Felldir!” Hakon yelled. Their victorious stature quickly changed its demeanor to panic.
“Wait. Sister Hawk, let this contract be heard. Begone, Alduin! With words of older bones than your own, we break your perch on this age and banish you!” Alduin, looking confused, quickly disappeared into the flow of time, to an unknown era.
“I-it worked,” Hakon was shaking.
“The World Eater is gone. May the spirits have mercy on our souls,” It had been the scroll he used to send Alduin through time. To the era where he would cause terror to me. To Nev. Where he would ruin my life.
I went blind again, but after opening my eyes, I found myself back at the Throat of the World with Paarthurnax. But we were not alone.
“My stomach is full of your fellow mortal souls, Dovahkiin. Now you will die and await your fate in Sovngarde!” Alduin yelled as he flew up.
“You are too late, Alduin!” Paarthurnax yelled, “Dovahkiin, use Dragonrend. Do it now!” He took flight, attacking Alduin. I knew that as soon as I got the chance, I would need to use the shout, causing Alduin to land. As they attacked one another, the fight neared me. This is when I used the shout, facing Alduin.
“Joor Zah Frul,” I shouted. I saw him fall to the ground as if an anchor was attached to him. I took this chance to attack him, conjuring spells I had not in a long time. I tried to keep my distance, as his teeth were sharp. I’d seen the damage he could do up front. I didn’t notice it at first, but meteors of fire rained from the sky. I had to keep enough attention to them so that I was able to dodge them. Alduin caught me off guard, and used his head to throw me to the other side of the top of the mountain, almost causing me to fall off. I got back up, growling, and reached for my battleaxe. I let out a loud growl, and the next time Alduin swung his head at me, it was with intent to throw me off of the mountain.
Paarthurnax placed a final attack on Alduin, knocking him over, and keeping him down long enough for me to swing the battleaxe into Alduin’s neck, severing off his head. It took me a moment to realize what I had done – that Alduin had finally been defeated. Not only this, but he had been defeated by my blade.
I felt a pain in my stomach, and dropped the battleaxe, “Something grows inside you,” Paarthurnax said.
“Peace,” I said softly, knowing this was finally over.
“Prosper, Dovahkiin,” Paarthurnax said, “You have brought the whole world peace, along with your own,” he said.
“Prosper, Paarthurnax,” I replied.
“I need not prosper, Dovahkiin,” he said, almost with a finality as he talked about himself, “my journey has been fulfilled,” it almost looked as if he were smiling at me, “Now go. You must revel in your conquer,” he said, and turned away from me. I took this as my cue to leave. I walked around High Hrothgar, and down the 7,000 steps.
I needed to return to Riften. To go to the Guild, and for Delphine, who told me that’s where I would find her if she had to leave Riverwood. I thought of Brynjolf, and that caused me to hasten my pace. Once I reached the bottom, I immediately summoned Shadowmere, and rode towards Riften.
There were so many emotions running through my mind. I didn’t stop riding, nor did I stop thinking until I reached the walls of Riften. I was granted access through my relationship with the guards. I had to keep myself from running as I walked through the cemetery, and pressed the small button on the hidden coffin. It retracted, and I went down the stairs. I pulled the handle so that the coffin would move back into place, and I climbed down the ladder, leading me into the cistern. What I found quickly changed my emotions.
Bodies of Guild members littered the ground. Blood flowed towards the water, and I heard screaming coming from the Ragged Flagon. I didn’t waste any time as I ran through the Ratway, looking for anybody who could still be alive, but failing. I was never able to find Brynjolf’s body, and with that, I found a guilty relief. I quickly exited the way I came, not wanting to be anywhere near the old Guild headquarters. As soon as I emerged back into the cemetery, I ran into Vitrin. I stopped in my tracks. She couldn’t have done this, could she?
“I know who did this,” she said lowly, “They will pay.”
“That they will,” I acknowledged. I needed to find Delphine. To tell her that Alduin had finally been defeated. Then, I would find the people who took away Nevaris, and the ones who took away Brynjolf. I would then impose terror into their very souls before I killed them in the most horrible way imaginable.
©Shannon