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  Somewhere around the Jerall Mountains, a situation was unfolding away from the eyes of Mortals. These are the highest peaks separating the Cyrodiil and Skyrim and barely any man can reach such heights, for Dragons, on the other hand, this is just a place as good as any to hold a meeting away from prying eyes and ears.

  It all started with two dragons silently keeping a safe distance from one another and waiting. Nothing happened much until a third Dragon arrived tearing through the clouds.

  Trahdruniik gave a roar announcing his arrival to the other two, Nahkinax and Thurlotyol. As soon as he landed on a place nearby them, Nahkinax roared aggressively and flew slashing with his leg claws at Trahdruniik.

  « Know your place! »

  Trahdruniik retreated dejectedly and tried to say something in return but Nahkinax had a stronger voice. Being Powerful is being Right in the dragon society, Trahdruniik (Grieve Bringer) had no choice but to retreat in front of Nahkinax (Ferocious Cruelty) and Thurlotyol (Tyrant of Great Fires).

  « Nahkinax, brother. Let Trahdruniik be. We still have to hear from him after so many years of slumber. » Thurlotyol flew between the two and stopped the fight before it started. Nahkinax always had a thing for bullying Trahdruniik but the two dragons were never allowed to fight it out in the open, the reason for that was their leader.

  As the situation between the three Dragons was about to go out of control and the verbal fight would turn intense, a great shadow covered the three Dragons causing them to hold from any folly. This great shadow was a Dragon of a very large size comparable only to Paarthurnax and second only to Alduin. This was the strategist of Alduin’s Horde, Onikkeindrog. (Wise War Lord)

  This was one of Alduin’s Four Lieutenants who controlled a branch in Alduin’s Horde each. The Lieutenants are all very special and powerful. Once, one of the four betrayed Alduin, the Great Paarthurnax, and Alduin’s Horde then crumbled at a very senseless pace.

  « This one is glad to see the three of you as carefree as you were in the olden days. »

  The Dragon that landed on a higher ground than them was one of the Ancient Dragons that were there since the time of creation. This Dragon in particular is not a one to be looked down upon, he lived through the Wars of the Ehlonfey and battled the Immortals and Akaviri Heroes who could even eat the Dragons themselves.

  « Onikkeindrog, our Lord. We respect you. » Thurlotyol spoke fiercely shaming the other two.

  « Enough with the unnecessary words. Where is Nahagliiv? » Onikkeindrog asked vigorously.

  Thurlotyol and Nahkinax looked towards Trahdruniik who was at a loss for words on how to say this.

  « He was killed…… by Dovahkiin. »

  The reaction of the four dragons present in this place was just silence.

  « Dovahkiin? The one we heard about? How was that possible? Why didn’t you say so from the beginning? » Thurlotyol was the first to show anger.

  « Yes, you soft scales. Why didn’t you say so? » Nahkinax shouted as well, putting pressure on Trahdruniik.

  « Don’t call me soft scales, you dull brute! » Trahdruniik could no longer tolerate the bullying of Nahkinax.

  « Impud…… »

  « DREM! » (Peace)

  As the argument was starting to shake the sky, Onikkeindrog had to stop it before it goes out of control.

  « Trahdruniik! Alduin Thuri has informed us of the possibility of that…… Dovahkiin. What happened? How come Dovahkiin happened to be so fast to reach Nahagliiv? » Onikkeindrog asked.

  Trahdruniik showed concern as the right question was finally asked.

  « Drogi! (My Lord!) It started before I received the order to come and guide Nahagliiv after his revival. Alduin Thuri had departed long before I arrived and I suspected to find Nahagliiv feasting on the village nearby but instead, I found the village protected by a number of mortals and Nahagliiv fighting Dovahkiin one-to-one. »

  « Nahagliiv was bested by a Mortal? Pathetic tender fangs! » Nahkinax snorted disdainfully.

  « NAHKINAX! Know your bounds! » Onikkeindrog was not a fan of speaking more than acting thus he became infuriated easily with the talkative Nahkinax.

  « He joined our Bormahu. (Father.) » Thurlotyol said mourning Nahagliiv.

  [A/n: The Dragons call Akatosh Bormahu.]

  « Yes, Thurlotyol. He was a part of the brethren. » Onikkeindrog said, understanding the grim threat of a Dovahkiin. « How did he die? »

  « Like a true Dov. But Dovahkiin was no true Dov, he tricked Nahagliiv and attacked him from behind like a coward. He broke Nahagliiv’s neck. »

  Breaking a Dragon’s neck? On any day of the week, that’s the most impossible feat. Dragon’s necks are not as fragile as anyone would think, actually, they are covered with hard armor-like scales that no weapon can go through. It would give any dragon the shivers of the thought of their necks getting broken.

  « Dovahkiin is that powerful? » Onikkeindrog asked.

  « I cannot tell for certain but he could withstand Nahagliiv with prowess and trickery combined. I kept my distance from him but the human trickery is boundless. After Nahagliiv fell, I tried to come down and take away his soul but……

  ***

  *A few hours ago*

  Nahagliiv fell in the most terrible way possible.

  With the incredible weight pushing him down, Jon wasn’t merciful either as he directed all the weight to completely break the dragon’s balance.

  Once the fall began, it couldn’t be halted. The Dragons use a special magic to fly with their wings but resisting all that much weight not only broke Nahagliiv’s neck but his wings were torn, his spine dislocated, his head losing consciousness. If dragons weren’t immortals, this would have ended his life midair way before the crash but this situation is one of those where an immortal can’t be envied for his immortality.

  Jon teleported away from the crash impact then flew up and remained midair over the crash site. He could clearly feel that Nahagliiv was done for by that last attack yet some life force remained dwelling.

  As the dust cloud settled and a crater formed where the dragon is, Jon simply came down slowly and stood in front of Nahagliiv. He ordered [Greed] to come back and bring over [Sunder] with it. Looking at the bloody state Nahagliiv is in, Jon simply sighed with tired expressions and faced the eyes of the Dragon.

  "What? Am I the bad guy here?" Jon asked but even though Nahagliiv’s eyes were open and barely moving, he couldn’t respond to Jon.

  Jon put his hand over the dragon’s head and silently sympathized. It sucks to get revived after this long time to die not a few hours after. At least the battle should be fulfilling.

  But what is all this about? Why is there this feeling of remorse towards these brutish beasts?

  What is the worth of a Dragon’s life compared to human life?

  The Dragon’s Soul is Eternal while the Human’s Soul is Mortal? But that is not how one should evaluate life, isn’t it?

  Is it alright to save other people but…… why is it so distasteful now? It surely didn’t feel like this with Mirmulnir.

  It feels sad…… and empty. Part of him wished that the battle would go on forever.

  "You didn’t have to dare me, have you?" Jon simply smiled wryly with his bitterness finding itself an excuse.

  Nahagliiv closed his eyes admitting defeat at last but what of Jon? He was having a hard time bringing himself to end the Dragon. At least putting him out of misery and humiliation is the best way to think of it.

  "You alright…… hey!" Jon heard a voice behind him and looking back, it was Wulfur.

  "You brought it down?" Jullanar asked.

  "Is it dead?" Alina followed.

  More people started to flood in as soon as they felt it was quiet. Seeing Jon simply standing in front of the dragon was a bit mysterious to them, they still kept their distance as Jon signaled them to stay back.

  But for them to refer to the Dragon by "it"? Jon finally understood something about why he had a hard time right now.

  He never saw the Dragon as "it". It is a Dov, a sentient being that witnessed parts of history which history itself struggles to remember. It seemed that absorbing Mirmulnir’s soul affected him more than he could ever think.

  "It is time."

  Jon could no longer make Nahagliiv wait as he drove his sword to the heart of the dragon ending it all. As the Dragon’s flesh and blood disintegrated to join Jon’s soul in the mystical fashion, a terrible situation happened.

  Jon simply turned to the sky and shouted.

  "FIR!"

  This shout frightened all those who were around him as they finally felt the presence in the sky which came down before them. However, this presence completely altered its course with Jon saying this word.

  Everyone aside from Jon went pale knowing that this would have turned ugly if this Dragon decided to catch them off guard but the reason it went away remained a mystery to most of them. No one figured out it was civility among Dov.

  ***

  *Back to the Present*

  « Respect? The mortal told you to show respect? » Nahkinax shouted.

  « You could’ve avenged Nahagliiv. » Even the collected Thurlotyol showed disapproval.

  « Silence! » Onikkeindrog didn’t seem to be minding their opinions and asked Trahdruniik, « What do you think? »

  As expected from the Wise War Lord, his insight was unfathomable to see through the thoughts of Trahdruniik.

  « He is Dovahkiin…… a Mortal…… but still a Dovah. He understands things and has many New Ideas in his Thu’um. »

  Dragons have their own method of evaluating others. Mortal and Dragon were of course on top of the chart but they don’t really mind what others think unless they acknowledge them. To say that a man has many New Ideas means that he has more impact, power and personality that would rise to the level of the Dragons and go higher than the one who made the evaluation.

  In other words, it was a concerning matter for a dragon to admit. Even the arrogant Nahkinax wasn’t acting as wild as he usually does after that comment. Dragons possess deep wisdom despite the emotions of Hate, Fear, Jealousy and Rivalry they have for one another. No dragons would trust another easily; there were limits and standards.

  Onikkeindrog contemplated silently until he formed his own ideas.

  « Dovahkiin is dangerous. That we understand. We searched for his whereabouts before but he seems to be moving through Magic and tracking him would be tricky. What else do we know? » He asked.

  « Dovahkiin has the support of a Warlord in the North. I have sent my slaves to deal with him but they never returned. » Nahkinax said.

  « Nahkinax, it is unwise to act without knowing. Know the Enemy before you act and you shan’t fear the result of your battles. » Onikkeindrog spoke.

  « These are just Mortals, Drogi. We can get rid of them with just more slaves. » Thurlotyol seemed to agree with Nahkinax.

  « Know thy Enemy! This is the most important rule in our sect. Alduin Thuri expects us to know everything and we must deliver. Go find more about this warlord in the north. If you find Dovahkiin there, we can ask Kungosvern himself to intervene. No human can match Kungosvern. »

  « By your orders, Onikkeindrog. » Trahdruniik shouted as he spread his wings and flew away.

  « Nahkinax, you have proved able to train our mortal followers. I assign you to guide the Cult and its New Priest. » Onikkeindrog said.

  « I will see to it, Onikkeindrog. »

  « Thurlotyol. I command you to find ways to stir up this War. Go to the west but do not get engaged in combat. Use your wits to make the mortals fight each other. »

  « As you command. »

  The four Dragons separated as systematically as they gathered. It was all part of the chain of command in the Dragon Horde of Alduin.

  Alduin sat on top as the Firstborn of Akatosh. Onikkeindrog and another two Lords ruled the four branches of the Horde each to their own expertise and an army of dragons following them.

  Currently, a few dragons returned back to life and most of the survivors were no longer loyal to Alduin after four thousand years. Time changed and the mortals as well became much different but as long as there is room for infighting, the Dragons shall thrive on the demise of mortals and raise themselves a New Cult.

  The World of the Fourth Era was bound to see events that would stagger the whole history for years to come as the Second Dragon War has officially started.

  ***

  *Winterhold*

  After hunting down Nahagliiv, Jon was feeling very restless. Something is not right, he could just feel it.

  Alduin’s abilities proved to be more terrifying after examining and investigating what happened around Rorikstead. Jon went to the dragon mound and found the corpse of a guard almost dry even though he was killed less than 24 hours ago.

  With further understanding, Jon understood that Alduin has the ability to Make things Age.

  Alduin is called the World Eater because he can bring about the end of Times by actually Absorbing the Time itself. This was a very disturbing fact that Jon couldn’t ignore.

  Soul, Time, Shadows, Music…… all these things needed one another to exist and Alduin can simply devour them like nothing. It is a terrifying concept indeed.

  Jon walked out of his bed sneaking away from his wife’s embrace and went down to the basement where he could sit and study. He had a little to no materials that he can use to know more than what he already knows about Dragons.

  The frustration was killing him but he silently endured and took out two artifacts that may help him.

  The [Dragonstone] of Bleak Falls Barrow and the [Golden Claw]. These two items were made by the secret techniques of the Dragon Cult which perished a long time ago and they are complicated to understand even for him.

  The [Dragonstone] can receive feedback once one of the 22 buried Dragons gets resurrected and the [Golden Claw] has a strange mystical effect to it. Jon needed to study them both for some time to further know their true abilities but he felt like his understanding was hitting a wall due to a barrier he can’t process.

  It seemed that even the mighty Jon Dare is experiencing the limits of his potential.

  Maybe there are ways to boost that potential.

  Maybe…… maybe he can finally start using those three Black Books he kept gathering dust in a corner.

  Or maybe he can go and look for that Oghma Infinium book.

  Actually it is about time he goes on a trip to Oblivion once again…… or maybe High Hrothgar.

  The opportunities for learning more are still bountiful.

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