Elder Scroll series 1. Prologue

Prologue

Seven Months had passed since the end of the Skyrim Civil War and the Dragon Crisis.

News was spreading to each hold that there was to be a change of the guard in Skyrim's armies and politics. The Jarls were settling in to their positions and they were to keep the peace in their holds. Some Jarls who had supported the Stormcloaks were allowed to remain as long as they swore allegiance to the Empire. Many did not and were forced from their seats of political power.

Lives were returning to normal. Farmers were returning to the fields to plow and harvest their crops. Merchants and shopkeepers returning to their stalls and stores to continue to sell goods to the citizens of the hold or travelers just passing through on their way elsewhere. Innkeepers reopened their taverns for business allowing the townspeople and world-weary travelers stop in for a drink, a bite to eat, or a room to stay for the night or perhaps longer.

The roads were beginning to get just a bit safer, now that the dragons were gone and there was no longer and fighting between armies. Bandits were becoming fewer and fewer along the roads, retreating into caves and ruins to escape the soldiers who patrolled the roads. Animals and Giants were still common, but not as large in number anymore as they were during the civil war and the dragon crisis.

Deep beneath the surface however, forces were gathering and preparing to march on the surface to finally exact their revenge on the world above and all those who lived in it. An ancient race of Elves turned to monsters from many years of enslavement were beginning their ascent from darkness into the light of a world now at peace. They marched forward, knowing full well that the world above was still recovering from a war and from the return of the dragons, but they did not care. All they cared for, all they longed for, was to exact the revenge they had sought for so long. They would kill any who were descended from their old enemies known as the Dwemer. They would not just hunt them down, but any who stood in the way of their revenge.

Dawnstar was perhaps the coldest city in Skyrim and they were still stuck in its' port, Captain Wayfinder thought to himself as he paced back and forth across the deck of his ship, the Sea Squall.

Wayfinder had inherited the ship from his late mother and named himself captain much to the dismay of the crew. The crew was now down to three with only Wayfinder, Guthrum, and Ravam Verethi remaining. The rest of the crew had either died or abandoned them long ago.

"How much longer are we to be stuck here...Captain?" Ravam Verethi asked in that judgmental tone he always had when addressing Wayfinder, especially when he had to call him Captain.

"A few more days Ravam and then we set sail for the Summerset Isles." Wayfinder answered the question deflecting Ravam's tone.

Ravam had never warmed up to him in all the time he had been Captain. Ever since Wayfinder had declared himself Captain of the Sea Squall, Ravam had always complained about his lack of skill or the fact that he had inherited the ship from his mother. It was either Ravam felt he was truly inexperienced and was concerned for the well-being of the ship and the crew or the more likely option, that he was bitter because the position of Captain had not been given to him. Wayfinder preferred the first option personally, but he knew it was due to bitterness. He always heard Ravam saying things like, _"I don't like taking orders from a boy, but I need the gold."_ and _"Not a day goes by that I don't think about finding a new ship. I guess it's easier just to stay put."_ Ravam even sometimes says some threateneing things like: _"I could run this ship better than that boy who calls himself a captain. Maybe one day I'll do something about it."_ and _"The captain inherited the Sea Squall from his mother when she died. Maybe I can inherit the ship if he dies..."_ Wayfinder knew Ravam would never act on any of these threats, but it hurt him that his own crew did not believe in him.

They don't even give me a chance to show what I can really do before passing judgement, Wayfinder thought to himself continuing to pace back and forth across the deck of his ship.

"Captain Wayfinder...Captain Wayfinder!"

Wayfinder turned to see a courier shouting to him from the dock, holding a letter in his hands.

"Is that letter for me?" Wayfinder asked the courier.

"Yessir it is." the courier said as he approached the Captain to hand him the letter.

"Thank. Here a couple septims for your troubles." Wayfinder said as he handed the courier the septims.

"Thank you!" the courier shouted as he ran off to spend the septims he had received, at the local inn.

Wayfinder opened the letter. It was from Enthir at the College of Winterhold.

_"Dear Captain Wayfinder, _

_I heard you would soon be leaving for the Summerset Isles. _

_However, I need your assistance with a matter to be discussed in person. _

_I will pay any docking fees the Jarl demands and will be in Dawnstar in a few days. _

_We will meet in the Windpeak Inn. _

_I have attached a small piece of parchment to the bag of this letter. _

_Read it and show no one it's contents. _

_Good Luck and See you in a few days. _

_Enthir" _

Wayfinder, after having finished reading the note, turned over it over to find the small piece of parchment mentioned in the note.

He opened the small piece of parchment and read what it said... _"They're Coming!"_


	2. Tullius 1: The State of a Changed Nation

Tullius Chapter 1: The State of a Changed Nation

The war was over, but his time in Skyrim was far from over. He had done much to help the people of Skyrim, even going as far as getting them a new High Queen of Skyrim in the form of Jarl Elisif the Fair, who had been selected when the Moot had convened.

What will the state of Skyrim be after the civil war; Tullius thought as he began to look over the documents Falk Firebeard had sent him. What was the political state of Skyrim going to be?

Tullius pulled out the first document.

_Riften_

_Jarl: Laila Law-Giver_

_Steward: Bolli_

_Housecarl: Unmid Snow-Shod_

_Court Wizard: Wylandriah_

Why the change in Steward? Tullius asked himself as he pulled out the next document.

_Whiterun_

_Jarl: Balgruuf the Greater_

_Steward: Proventius Avenicci_

_Housecarl: Irileth_

_Court Wizard: Farengar_

No change there. Which is next? Tullius asked himself.

_Falkreath_

_Jarl: Siddgeir_

_Steward: Nenya_

_Housecarl: Thaddgeir_

_Court Wizard: Runil_

Thaddgeir must have taken over after those Dark Brotherhood assassins killed the former Housecarl Helvard, Tullius thought as he again pulled out another document.

_Winterhold_

_Jarl: Kraldar_

_Steward: Haran_

_Housecarl: Thonjolf_

_Court Wizard: Phinis Gestor_

_Morthal_

_Jarl: Idgrod the Younger_

_Steward: Aslfur_

_Housecarl: Gorm_

_Court Wizard: Falion_

_Dawnstar_

_Jarl: Brina Merilis_

_Steward: _

_Housecarl: Horik Halfhand_

_Court Wizard: Madena_

_Markarth_

_Jarl: Igmund_

_Steward: Raerek_

_Housecarl: Faleen_

_Court Wizard: Calcelmo_

_Windhelm_

_Jarl: Brunwulf Free-Winter_

_Steward: Captain Lonely-Gate_

_Housecarl: Adelaisa Vendicci_

_Court Wizard: Wuunferth the Unliving_

_Solitude_

_Jarl: Erikur_

_Steward: Bryling_

_Housecarl: Irnskar Ironhand_

_Court Wizard: Melaran _

A few things had stayed the same, but the political situation had greatly changed in Skyrim with Solitude doing a complete overhaul with someone new in every position.

As long as there is peace, I don't care what the political situation is. My only concern is the safety of Skyrim and its people, Tullius thought to himself as he stacked the papers in a chest near to his desk.

"General Tullius, the latest field reports are in." Legate Rikke said as she entered the room.

"Thank you Legate. I will look at these later." Tullius replied, taking the reports from the Legate.

Rather than have weekly or daily reports sent to him, he had sent a Legate to each hold to coordinate with the Jarls and their city guard. Each Legate would receive the daily and weekly reports, compile them into a single report and at the end of the months send them to the General, to lessen his workload as he was in charge of all Skyrim's military forces.

"General, a courier is here to speak with you." Legate Rikke said.

"Send him in." General Tullius said as he stood to greet the courier.

A young man in his late 20's with short brown hair, blue eyes, and wearing a set of rugged clothes entered the room.

"General, Falk Firebeard has requested your presence at Forelhost." the courier announced while reading the words from Firebeard's letter.

After the war had ended, the Empire decided to set up a permanent residence, stronghold, and political center in Skyrim. The High Queen, Elisif chose the ruined Nordic fortress of Forelhost.

The ruins had been the site of perhaps the largest group of dragon cultists in Skyrim's history and why Elisif had chosen it to be where she would rule Skyrim was beyond him, but she was the High Queen and it wasn't his place to question her decisions, Tullius thought to himself as he took in what the courier had told him.

"Tell Falk Firebeard, I will be there in a few days." Tullius finally answered, his eyes rolling in annoyance at having to once again deal with Falk Firebeard rather than with the actual High Queen of Skyrim whose forces he was commanding.

"Why in the names of the Divines did Elisif decide to bring her entire court with her when she became High Queen of Skyrim? I agreed to command all of her military forces, not the military forces of Falk Firebeard. I command her armies, yet she won't even talk to me directly!" Tullius remarked with his temper beginning to rise.

"General, you knew from the beginning she was inexperienced and she heavily relied on the wisdom and judgment of Falk Firebeard to make the decisions for her hold. What made you think when she became High Queen she would be able to run things on her own?" Legate Rikke replied.

"I know. I apologize for taking out my frustrations on you. I just cannot deal with that buffoon Firebeard any longer. When I reach Forelhost, I will sit down with Elisif and tell her from now on, I will speak to her and her alone regarding the situation in Skyrim. Leave the house cleaning to Falk Firebeard." Tullius said as he exited his office to prepare for the trek to Forelhost.

_**Did not get a chance to comment on the Prologue, but will take any questions or concerns regarding the past two chapters. This chapter was just to lay down the groundwork for upcoming chapters and to inform on what the political situation is like after the Civil War. This situation is based on events where the Empire won the Civil War. If you want to leave comments, that is fine and I accept any constructive criticism, but be professional about it. No swearing or completely bashing the Chapters. If there is something you don't like or disagree with just leave a friendly comment stating your concerns and I will look at it and see how I can improve my story. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy the coming chapters.**_


	3. Harrald 1: Not Your Average Jarlson

Harrald Chapter 1: Not Your Average Jarlson

Mistveil Keep, the center of all political or military activity in Riften. The battlements began there and wrapped around the city, protecting it from the dangers lurking in the forests outside. Riften Market, the center of all activity in Riften. Citizens would go to shop or chat about the day's events or rumors spreading across Skyrim.

Harrald stood on the battlements looking out across the landscape. At the trees growing an inch taller every day. The local wildlife scurrying around in the forest full of green.

He turned towards the marketplace. Merchants selling and buying goods. Customers either leaving happy or disappointed with their sale or purchase. The blacksmith swinging his hammer down on a recently finished Steel Longsword hoping to improve it just a bit more.

"Harrald, Your mother requests your presence in the throne room." A guard shouted from below.

"I will go immediately. Now return to your duties." Harrald replied, stepping down from the battlements.

Harrald proceeded to enter the Keep.

Harrald looked around the throne room. The same old cramped furniture, the small fire in the middle of the U-shaped dinner table. Off to the left, Wylandriah's shop/workplace where she mixed up new potions or tested her mindboggling theories.

"Harrald. We have much to discuss." The Jarl said while a young servant girl began bringing over the meals for her and her guests.

"Yes mother." Harrald said as he took his place at the dinner table.

"I would like you to meet Legate Fasendil of the Imperial Legion. He has been sent by General Tullius to oversee the military presence here in Riften."

Legate Fasendil stood from his seat drew his sword and bowed to the Jarl.

"Thank you my Jarl for allowing me to remain and take up residence in your fine city." Fasendil said as he once again took his seat at the table.

"I appreciate you coming all this way, but we do not need you to oversee our military presence here. I am perfectly cable of doing that job." Harrald exclaimed before he took another bite into the Pheasant Roast that sat in his dish.

"Harrald be polite. The General was generous enough to send the Legate and we will take whatever help that is offered to us. Now mind your manners and eat your freshly prepared meal." The Jarl said in a disapproving tone.

Harrald was offended that his own mother had neglected to choose him to oversee Riften's forces and instead chose the Empire's flunky for the job.

"May I be excused Mother?" Harrald asked, masking his infuriated state of mind with a calm demeanor.

"Yes you may." The Jarl answered.

Harrald exited the Keep and returned to the battlements.

How could she do this to me? Her own son? She chooses that Imperial pig over him and she expects him to lie down and accept this without protest. That was just something he could not do.

Harrald once again looked over the battlements and saw something approaching the wall.

He drew his sword and prepared for whatever it was that was drawing near.

_**Sorry if these first few chapters are boring, but I am just laying down the foundation and introducing the characters before jumping into the action. Bear with me and soon the waiting will hopefully pay off. Any compliments or criticisms are welcome as long as they are professional. I will try and use what you tell me to help improve the story. Thanks for reading!**_


	4. Thaddeus 1: The Simple Life

Thaddeus Chapter 1: The Simple Life

The morning sky was as blue as it had ever been. The fields filled with all kinds of different fruits and vegetables ready to be picked. The flowers were beginning to bloom after a harsh winter had engulfed Whiterun not too long ago.

Now that the war was over and the dragons were gone, Thaddeus Prageus vowed to live a normal and better life with his son, Gleeson.

"Father!" Gleeson shouted to his father from across the field.

"Yes my son?" Thaddeus asked his son.

"The harvest is done. When will we be ready to bring it in to town?" Gleeson replied while placing sacks of fruits and vegetables on the cart.

Thaddeus knew the real reason why Gleeson was so eager to go into the city. It was that girl he had met the last time they brought the harvest into the city. Her name was Ysolda, a young aspiring merchant learning her trades from the Khajiit, hoping to one day buy the Bannered Mare from the innkeeper Hulda.

"My son, prepare the cart and when we reach the city, keep your eyes and mind on the task at hand. Leave that Ysolda girl to her work." Thaddeus said as he too began stacking sacks of fruits and vegetables on the back of the cart.

The two began to make their way towards the city of Whiterun.

To many, Whiterun was the crown jewel of Skyrim. Its central location made it a desirable location for people to settle down. The legend of the Companions and their direct lineage to Ysgramor and their great hall of Jorrvaskr brought many warriors to Whiterun hoping to join their fabled ranks.

Thaddeus just wanted a simple life. After having served in the Stormcloak army, he felt it was time to settle down after him and his men were defeated at the Battle of Fort Amol, the last stand of the Stormcloaks before the Siege of Windhelm which brought about the end of the Stormcloak Rebellion and the deaths of Ulfric Stormcloak and Galmar Stone-Fist. He was a bleeding heart supporter of the Stormcloaks, so their deaths weren't as devastating to him as it was to many other who had supported their cause. Thaddeus was actually kind of glad that Brunwulf Free-Winter was now the Jarl of Windhelm. The two men had been friends for years, but Thaddeus made it a point to distance himself from Windhelm knowing full well that the Empire was still searching for anyone who had supported or served the Stormcloaks.

The father and son had finally reached the gates into Whiterun just as Thaddeus was about to start wondering what would have happened had he remained in Windhelm.

"What's in the cart?" one of the guards asked looking over at the cart behind the two men.

"Fruits and Vegetables sir. We are here to sell them to Miss Carlotta Valentia." Thaddeus replied.

"Alright you may proceed through the gates." The guard said motioning to the guard above to open the gates for the two men.

Ever since the war and assassination of Emperor Titus Mede II by the Dark Brotherhood, the Jarls of each hold had stepped up their security and now everyone who wanted to enter their cities had to state their business and if they couldn't come up with a good enough reason, they were turned away and sent packing to the next city or settlement.

Luckily for Thaddeus, he had probably the best reason to be allowed entry into the city because he was one of the few farmers living on the outskirts of the city who supplied the city with its source of food.

The two men made their way over to Carlotta Valentia food stall to sell their fruit and vegetables.

"Morning Carlotta. How is everything today?" Thaddeus asked with a large smiling forming on his face.

"Quite well actually. Mikael has stopped bothering me and my sales have gone up. I see your son still has a crush on young Miss Ysolda." Carlotta replied motioning towards Fralia Gray-Mane's stall.

"Gleeson come here. I need help unloading the food of this cart. Leave the girl alone Gleeson." Thaddeus shouted over to his son.

Gleeson stormed over to his father.

"Do you want me to be alone forever?" Gleeson said discouraged because of his father embarrassing him in front of the woman he liked.

"Now is not the time to be courting a young lady. We have business we need to take care of." Thaddeus explained.

"You tell me to stop courting a woman, when you are over here doing just that. I see you two over here every time laughing and smiling. You two keep dancing around the bush. Just go out together sometime." Gleeson declared standing up straight with his arms crossed eyeing his father and Miss Valentia.

"We do n…We ca…. There isn…." Thaddeus tried to find the words he was looking for, but he knew his son was right. He did like Carlotta and he knew she liked him. Thaddeus had been alone since Gleeson's mother died when he was only 13 years old. It was time for him to move on.

"Well Miss Valentia, what do you say? Would you like to go out sometime?" Thaddeus asked.

Before he could get an answer, he was bumped into by a courier rushing towards Dragonsreach.

"What is he in such a hurry for?" Gleeson asked looking in the direction the courier was running.

_**Why do you think the courier was in such a hurry? Would Carlotta have said Yes to Thaddeus? Leave your comments below. **_


	5. Envar 1: Death Comes to Anyone

Envar Chapter 1: Death Comes to Anyone

The air around Lake Ilinalta was calm and cool. The leaves on the trees moving slowly back and forth from the slight wind moving through the air.

Across the lake sat a camp with a pair of hunters carving the skin of a freshly killed Elk.

"Fine kill out there. Never saw it coming." One of the hunters said about the hunt they had just completed.

You will never see it coming, Envar thought to himself as he listened in on the conversation between the two hunters.

For two weeks, Envar had tracked the hunters beginning in Hjaalmarch where the hunters had gone to hunt bears on the River Hjaal.

Why am I tracking down a pair of hunters from Hjaalmarch to Falkreath? Envar asked himself, even though he knew full well why he was tracking them down.

For starters, the pair of hunters were once in a gang of bandits, who had terrorized travelers on the roads between Riften and Windhelm, often killing and pillaging whatever they could find from these travelers and even killed an entire Khajiit caravan.

But the best part was that it was his contract to hunt them down. Because….he was a member of the Dark Brotherhood, the guild of assassins shrouded in shadow and mystery which had been active all over Tamriel for many years now.

The new Sanctuary leader, Nazir had given him this contract knowing he would jump at the opportunity. He would take any contract given to him, no matter whom the target was or why they had a contract put on their heads in the first place. Knowing the reason why was just an added bonus and incentive.

Turning back towards his targets, he drew his bow, unsheathed an arrow from his quiver and prepared to end their miserable lives.

"Remember when we overtook those nobles near Mzulft. They had no idea we were hiding out inside the entrance to the ruins before stumbling right into our ambush. Hey, remember Haffor had that one guy strip to his skivvies and tied him to that tree. He then sang Ragnar the Red and put an arrow through his back. Classic Haffor. Too bad he was killed during that run-in with those Imperials in the Eastmarch Camp. He just had to kill that goat. Well enough reminiscing, time for us to get some shut eye." The hunter with the white-stained bandana said.

Envar released the arrow which then hit the hunter with the bandana just behind the left ear.

The other hunter moved to grab his iron war-axe, but Envar was quicker pulling another arrow from his quiver and firing before the hunter could reach his weapon. The arrow struck the hunter in the ribcage.

Envar drew another arrow and fired again, this time hitting his target beneath his right eye, just above his cheek bone to ensure the hunter could not recover from the first shot.

Envar walked over to the campsite and surveyed it, looking over the items the hunters had brought along with them for their journey. He noticed a knapsack positioned next to one of the hunters sleeping bags. He sorted through it finding a silver jeweled necklace, a set of clothes, a pair of worn-out shoes, a book titled "Chance's Folly", and a green apple.

Not much, but I could sell the necklace, clothes and shoes. Eat the apple of course. And the book might not be a bad read for when he had some downtime, Envar thought as he put the items back in the knapsack.

He picked up the back, threw it over his shoulder, grabbed the arrows he had used to kill his targets and took to the roads to return to the Dawnstar Sanctuary and claim his reward for completing the contract.

_**Right now it may not seem it, but this Dark Brotherhood assassin will play a big part in the events that will soon unfold. Just wanted to use this chapter to introduce his character into the story. What did you think about the chapter? Good, bad? Leave your comments below. **_


	6. Stalleo 1: Attempt to Flee

Stalleo Chapter 1: Attempt to Flee

Ever since he retook Treva's Watch, Stalleo felt alone and without a sense of purpose. His family was gone. He had decided to leave Treva's Watch behind, leaving it in the hands of the Imperials and the Riften government not wanting to stay there and relive the events that had taken place there.

"Stalleo, you have been here for over a week, don't you think it's time you perhaps moved on?" Hadring asked as he began cleaning of the bar counter.

"I would, it's just I have nowhere else to go. My home is now in the hands of the Imperials. I could not stay there any longer knowing that is where my family had been murdered. What would you have me do?" Stalleo asked as he took another sip of his ale.

"Don't ask me, I'm just the innkeeper." Hadring replied.

"I know it's just I'm lost and I just can't seem to find a way out from this nightmare." Stalleo said as he lowered his head looking down at the floor hoping to find an answer to all his problems.

The drunk named Fultheim got up from his seat and walked outside for some fresh air.

Stalleo turned back towards Hadring and beckoned to him for another drink.

"One ale for me and two Black-Briar mead for my bodyguards over there." Stalleo said pointing over to a table in the back corner of the inn.

Fultheim walked outside and down towards the dock. He looked down at the water, moving slowly back and forth from the cool breeze moving in from the South.

"What are you looking at?!" Fultheim yelled at his reflection in the water.

He threw his empty bottle in the water trying to get rid of the face looking back at him.

He heard a noise coming from the north-east.

He looked towards where the noise had come from and saw the gates to the Great Lift at Alftand open up and creatures pouring out from within.

Fultheim turned back towards the inn and ran to tell the others what was happening.

Stalleo got up from the barstool and walked over to one of the rooms he had rented for the night.

He lied down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling.

How could he have let his family die like that? All because he had to run off and assist in that stupid pointless war rather than stay and protect his family. What could have possessed him to go and join in on that war? Stalleo asked himself just as he heard the front door to the inn slam open.

He got up from the bed and went to see what all the fuss was about.

It was probably that drunken fool Fultheim on one of his rants again, Stalleo thought as he exited the room.

"There are creatures coming from the Great Lift to the north-east!" Fultheim shouted.

Stalleo looked in Fultheim's direction and as Fultheim turned around, Stalleo noticed about 3-4 arrows sticking out of his back.

Fultheim collapsed to the floor, dead from the arrows that had struck him.

Stalleo approached the now deceased Fultheim and pulled out one of the arrows. He took a closer look at it and then recognized what kind of creature it had come from.

"FALMER!" Stalleo yelled as he drew his sword.

The two bodyguards ran towards the inn door and slid one of the tables in front of it to keep the Falmer from getting inside.

Hadring grabbed an iron dagger out from behind the counter and moved towards Stalleo and his bodyguards.

Stalleo's bodyguards continued to move more furniture in front of the door, but soon it was to no avail because just as they were moving another table to place in front of the door, the Falmer broke through.

"ATTACK!" Stalleo shouted as he charged towards the Falmer horde.

Stalleo slashed left and right, moving quickly through the Falmer trying to reach the road and possibly escape.

Behind him, he heard a scream as the Falmer overcame one of his bodyguards.

Hadring pushed through the Falmer; just behind Stalleo's other bodyguard trying hard to reach the road.

An arrow ended Hadring's efforts as it struck him in the back of his head. His body dropped to the ground and was dragged away by the advancing Falmer.

Stalleo turned back to see the second of his bodyguard's become surrounded by Falmer.

He knew there was nothing he could do for him, so he turned to run, but was struck by a bolt of lightning.

A Falmer Shadowmaster standing atop a nearby rocky hill had drew its staff and fired a bolt of lightning at Stalleo.

Stalleo collapsed to the ground and before losing consciousness, felt himself being dragged away by the Falmer.

_**The Falmer are finally here and the Nightgate Inn has been overrun by the Falmer. Stalleo has been taken by the Falmer. What do you think about the chapter? Leave your comments below. **_


	7. Vigarr 1: Braving the Elements

Vigarr Chapter 1: Braving the Elements

For a Khajiit, the harsh cold and ever-changing weather was tough to adjust to since they were used to hot sands beneath their feet and one unchanging temperature.

Vigarr sat inside his tent watching the snow fall from the sky once again because that is what it always did in Skyrim.

Well, at least on the route he was taking, Vigarr thought to himself.

Vigarr was a Khajiit caravan merchant from the city of Corinthe in Elsweyr hired by Ri'saad to sell goods in Skyrim. But now Vigarr had to run Skyrim's Khajiit caravanning because Ri'saad and his caravan had been killed by a groups of bandits near the city of Windhelm.

Ri'saad that was not even your trading route. Why would you be near Windhelm? Vigarr thought to himself, trying to figure out Ri'saad's reasons for being on that route.

"Vigarr, someone is approaching." One of the other Khajiit in his caravan said pointing in the direction of the noise.

"Alright, be ready for anything Gristorcar." Vigarr said to the other Khajiit.

Gristorcar was from the Senche-raht race of Khajiit born in the city of Orcrest in Elsweyr where his father was a member of the gladiatorial team, the Silent Ones. Back in Elsweyr, Gristorcar had gotten into some trouble when he openly challenged a group of Thalmor because of his personal belief that the Khajiit should still be independent. Rather than have him executed, the Thalmor had him banished, never to return to Elsweyr. Gristorcar moved as far away from Elsweyr as possible, eventually ending up in Skyrim.

Vigarr had found him drunk and beaten badly outside the city of Markarth after a drunken brawl with a couple of Nord travelers passing through. Gristorcar pledged his service to Vigarr and had been guarding his caravan ever since.

"Who goes there?" Vigarr asked to the shadowy figure approaching their campsite.

"My name is General Tullius. I am on my way to Forelhost. You must be one of the Khajiit caravans. I admire your tenacity. Braving the harsh Skyrim weather and putting up with the Nords and their one-sided opinions. Where is your caravan heading exactly?" the man asked looking in Vigarr's direction.

"We are on our way to Markarth, General Tullius." Vigarr answered.

"Well I wish you luck. Now I must be on my way. Urgent business to attend to." Tullius said as he made for the road once again.

Vigarr watched as the General and his entourage marched down the road and he continued to watch until he could see their tiny figures in the distance.

"Must have been the General of those Imperials." Vigarr said still wondering what had brought that General to speak with them.

"That was General Tullius of the Imperial Legion. I remember hearing stories about him while serving within the Legion. This of course was back before I was kicked out of Elsweyr, but I heard he is the best general the Empire has had in a long time. That makes me wonder, what will he do now that the Emperor of Cyrodiil is dead? Who does he take his orders from now?" Gristorcar asked as he returned to the tree he had been leaning against.

"That is none of our concern Gristorcar. In the morning, we make for Markarth. Now everyone, get some sleep. We have a long journey ahead of us." Vigarr said motioning for the rest of the caravan to go to their tents.

Vigarr turned back to look towards the stars.

There is a shift in the air, something is happening. Something that will change the fate of Skyrim forever, Vigarr thought as he began to close his eyes.

_**Vigarr and his caravan are on their way to Markarth. Tullius is on his way to Forelhost. Was their meeting by chance or does fate have a plan that will set their paths to meet again? Leave your comments below. **_


	8. Litthius 1: The Unexplainable Dream

Litthius Chapter 1: The Unexplainable Dream

Three years ago, Litthius Menonhar had been sent to the College of Winterhold from the College of Whispers in Cyrodiil to learn from the mages there and take what he had learned back with him to the College of Whispers. However as time went on, he began to feel a real connection with the people at the College and opted to instead remain there and become a full-time student rather than take his knowledge back with him to Cyrodiil.

During his time at the College of Winterhold, he had made a friend in the form of an Imperial mage named Constantine Fiour.

Constantine was from the city of Anvil, but the two had never met because Constantine had never been accepted into the College of Whispers because he would occasionally practice necromancy, which was widely unaccepted in Cyrodiil. So rather than stay where he was unwanted, he traveled to Skyrim and joined the College of Winterhold where he was free to practice whichever of the arcane arts that he pleased.

Litthius had just finished a class about Alteration being taught by Tolfdir.

"I can never get the hang of the Lesser Ward Spell. Might have to ask Brelyna to help me later. Wink! Wink!" Constantine said as the two of them made their way back to the Hall of Attainment.

"How many times do I have to tell you Constantine, Brelyna isn't interested in you. She prefers to be in the company of Onmund." Litthius said as he opened the door to his room.

"Common Litthy, don't ruin my hopes and dreams of getting with Brelyna. Just wait, she'll come around." Constantine replied as he walked towards his own room.

"Yeah, that'll be the day." Litthius said as he closed his door.

Litthius lied down on his bed and decided to take a nap before his next class.

Moments later, Litthius woke up screaming and in a cold sweat.

"What happened?" Constantine asked running into the room.

"I….I…h. a dream." Litthius said trying to catch his breath.

Constantine ran to get one of the teachers.

A few minutes later he returned with Tolfdir.

"Litthius, tell me what happened." Tolfdir said to Litthius.

"I had a dream. There was a burning city surrounded by black. Shadowy Figures were running from all directions. Then…a dragon flew overheard burning everything in its path. From atop a hill, a white light flashed and everything went dark again." Litthius explained.

"Is that all?" Tolfdir asked with a concerned look on his face.

"No. There was a man standing in front of a strange device holding a round object in his hand. It looked like some sort of opening mechanism of some kind, but none like I have ever seen before. It opened and he descended into darkness." Litthius answered still with a look of terror on his face.

Tolfdir got up from his seat and began pacing back and forth attempting to figure out Litthius' dream.

"What could this mean?" Tolfdir asked.

"The city could be any of Skyrim's nine cities. The shadowy figures could be the citizens. I'm not too sure how the dragon could fit in because there has been a dragon sighting in seven months. The strange opening mechanism could have something to do with the Dwemer. Other than that, I'm not sure what it could mean." Constantine answered as he walked over to where Litthius lay.

"Could be. The Dwemer were known to create such devices, but to where I am not sure. I will have Urag find everything he has pertaining to the Dwemer. Litthius, I think you should remain here and forget about classes for the rest of the day. Mr. Fiour, you stay here in case he remembers anything else about his dream." Tolfdir exclaimed before leaving the room.

"Well, at least it gets us out of going to class." Constantine said trying to lighten to mood.

But Litthius was too distracted to reply to him. He was still trying to figure out what his dream had meant.

There must be some explanation for why I had this dream and to its meaning. I must find out, Litthius thought as he began to fall back to sleep.

_**What does it mean? Is this a sign the dragons are returning or is it a symbol for something else? What will Urag find on the Dwemer that could shed some light on the dream? Leave your comments below.**_


	9. Wayfinder 1: Who's My Enemy

Wayfinder 1: Who's My Enemy?

Captain Wayfinder had been waiting for days in Dawnstar, but it was not the wait he was concerned with. It was the mysterious letter Enthir from the College had sent him. Wayfinder took out the note and read it again.

_"Dear Captain Wayfinder, _

_I heard you would soon be leaving for the Summerset Isles. _

_However, I need your assistance with a matter to be discussed in person. _

_I will pay any docking fees the Jarl demands and will be in Dawnstar in a few days. _

_We will meet in the Windpeak Inn. _

_I have attached a small piece of parchment to the bag of this letter. _

_Read it and show no one its contents. _

_Good Luck and See you in a few days. _

_Enthir"_

What could he mean _"They're coming."_? Wayfinder asked himself still staring at the note.

He knew Guthurm and Ravam were getting impatient and just wanted to get to the Summerset Isles and out of the freezing cold Dawnstar as soon as possible.

They were just going to have to wait until he heard Enthir out and if he didn't like what he had to say, they would be on their way, Wayfinder thought to himself.

The inn door open and Wayfinder quickly turned around to see if it was Enthir.

It's only Karl, Wayfinder thought to himself in disappointment. When would Enthir arrive?

Ravam was sitting on the deck of the Sea Squall staring at the Windpeak Inn wondering what was so important that they couldn't leave for the Summerset Isles. He turned towards the Quicksilver Mine to watch Edith working at the smelter again.

Ravam had been with Edith a few times in the past and knew every time he returned to Dawnstar, she would be there waiting for him.

But his major concern now was what the Captain could possibly be up to.

He turned back towards the inn and that's when he saw a Bosmer going inside.

Wayfinder once again turned to see who was entering the inn and to his relief it was finally Enthir.

"You took your time getting here Elf." Wayfinder said as he approached the Bosmer.

"We cannot speak here. We must speak in private." Enthir whispered to Wayfinder.

The two proceeded to the room Wayfinder had rented out.

Enthir shut the door behind them.

"So about the note…" Wayfinder began to say before Enthir began reaching into his bag.

Wayfinder saw him pull out a book called The Falmer Study.

"What is that book for?" Wayfinder asked still looking at the book in bewilderment.

"The Falmer have come." Enthir answered as he opened the book.

He then placed the book on the table and turned the page a few times before finding the ones he was looking for.

"There. Read." Was all he said before handing the book to Wayfinder.

"_But where the story of the ancient snow elves ends, that of the current-day Falmer begins. For when the snow elf host was shattered on that fateful day, it did not simply disperse - it descended. Into the earth, deep underground. For the Falmer sought sanctuary in the most unlikely of places - Blackreach, far beneath the surface of Skyrim, in the legendary realm of the Dwemer themselves._

_Yes, Blackreach exists." _

"So you're saying the Falmer have ascended back to the surface?" Wayfinder asked taking his head up from the book.

"Keep reading." Enthir said motioning Wayfinder to read more.

"_Finally free from the threat of their Dwemer overlords, the Falmer were able to spread freely throughout Blackreach. But years of fighting the dwarves had left them bloodthirsty and brutal. Feeling the need to conquer, to kill, they began mounting raids to the surface world._

_And so the legends began. Of small, blind, goblin-like creatures who would rise from the cracks of the earth, in the dead of night, to slaughter cattle, attack lonely travelers, and steal sleeping babes from their cribs._

_In recent years, however, the sightings of these creatures have become more and more frequent. Their raids, more organized. Their attacks, more brutal. In fact, one might even come to the conclusion that the Falmer are ready to change once again. Could it be true? Are the snow elves of ages past ready to reclaim their long-forgotten glory? Are they ready to surge to the surface, and make war upon the "light dwellers"?_

_If that happens - if the Falmer are indeed planning on reconquering Skyrim - I fear a horror neither man nor gods could possibly stand against."_

"It has come true. The Falmer are already here. The end has begun!"

_**Enthir has finally revealed to Wayfinder that the Falmer have returned to Skyrim's surface. Will the Falmer reclaim what they had lost? Who will stop them if possible? Leave your comments below.**_


	10. Harrald 2: A Modern Take On War

Harrald Chapter 2: A Modern Take On War

"Notch! Draw! Loose!" the Legate shouted to the archers as they continued to fire on the advancing Falmer forces.

Harrald had been tasked with gathering the citizens and escorting them to the Keep. Any able-bodied men and women were given swords and would make up the marketplace second line of defense in case the Falmer broke through the gates and got past the first line of defense and the soldiers on the walls.

"Notch! Draw! Loose!" the Legate shouted again as more Falmer forces charged towards Riften's walls.

The Falmer then fell back towards the forest.

"Why are they falling back?" Harrald asked, but the Legate could not hear him over the yelling that soon followed his question.

The yelling was coming from the large number of Falmer servants who then began their charge towards the wall.

"The Falmer are scared. So they send their minions to do their dirty work. Strike them down before they reach the wall!" the Legate shouted to his men.

Harrald was still disappointed that he wasn't chosen to oversee Riften's forces, but he had to admit the Legate did know what he was doing and he was good at commanding the troops.

He watched as the archers brought down the servants of the Falmer one by one with one shot from each archer landing a direct hit on their intended target.

He turned towards the western gate.

He wondered how the soldiers on the docks were fairing. He didn't know if the Falmer had the ability to attack by sea.

He could see the smoke rising from Goldenglow Estate.

They must have attacked there too, Harrald thought to himself before turning back to see how much progress the Legate and his men had made against the Falmer servants.

"Notch! Draw! Loose!" the Legate shouted again as the archers brought down even more Falmer servants.

"Legate. The Falmer have reached the southern gates!" one of the soldiers shouted.

"Send some reinforcements to the southern gates. Harrald, make sure the marketplace defense is ready!" the Legate ordered.

Harrald ran to the marketplace where the militia was still positioned.

"Why aren't those thieves helping us? Yeah, we despise them and chase them down into the Ratway, but this is their city too." Valindor said.

Harrald wanted to say something, but he knew Valindor was right. He knew what he had to do.

Harrald ran towards the Keep.

"Maven Black-Briar!" Harrald shouted.

"What is it that you want son of the Jarl?" Maven asked in her usual condescending tone.

"We need help from your friends in the Thieves Guild. Either you go to them willingly or I will drag you down there myself!" Harrald responded.

"Fine. But I cannot guarantee they will assist you." Maven said as she followed Harrald outside.

The two exited the Keep and began walking towards the Ratway.

"Notch! Draw! Loose!" the Legate shouted once again as the Falmer now rejoined the attack.

Harrald and Maven made their way through the Ratway finally reaching the Ragged Flagon.

The Ragged Flagon had been the Thieves Guilds favorite place to drink and it was part of their official headquarters. It was like its own small city. They had their own bar, their own living quarters, even their own merchants to trade with, but Harrald wasn't there for any of that.

"What can I do for you Ms. Black-Briar? Oh and you son of the Jarl?" Dirge, the Flagon's bodyguard asked.

"We are here to see your boss." Harrald replied.

Dirge turned to look at Vex and Delvin who both nodded giving him the signal to let them pass.

Harrald and Maven proceeded through the Flagon to the Thieves Guilds headquarters.

Sitting behind the desk was Brynjolf, who had been a merchant and the former second in command to then Guild Master, Mercer Frey. But now he ran the Guild, so anyone who wanted to do business with the Guild had to go through him.

"Ahh, Ms. Black-Briar what a pleasure it is to see you. And what brings the son of the Jarl to our humble abode?" Brynjolf asked as he got up from behind his desk.

"Riften is under attack from the Falmer. I have come here to ask you to join in Riften's defense." Harrald replied.

"Why should we help you? You and those people up there vilify us. You leave us down here to rot. So I ask you, why should we help defend the same people who would, under normal circumstances, kill or imprison us?" Brynjolf declared.

Harrald looked around at the rest of the thieves who resided inside the Ratway. The others from the Ragged Flagon had now joined them in the headquarters waiting to hear what Harrald had to say.

"Why should you help? Riften is as much a home to you as it is me, or Maven, or anyone else up there. Yes, you are criminals and thieves. And yes, we do try to kill and imprison you, but it is your duty to protect your home. Don't you see. That same sense of honor and pride that you have in your guild, why not have those same ideals for Riften? Why not have those same ideals for her people? If you still want to have a home to come back to, you will join me and fight. What say you?!" Harrald finished his speech and turned to see what their response was.

There was a long silence. The thieves just stared at Harrald, unsure what answer to give.

"Alright. We will do it." Brynjolf finally answered.

The other thieves soon agreed and they gathered what weapons and gear they needed and made their way up to the streets of Riften.

As they reached the marketplace, they saw the situation was now getting dire.

About twenty-five of the cities guards had been killed. The Legate has been hit in the right leg by an arrow, but he still stood atop the wall giving orders to his men.

"Notch! Draw! Loose!" the Legate shouted.

Just as the archers fired their shots at the advancing Falmer and their servants, a large crash was heard.

Harrald turned to see the Falmer had just broken through the southern gate.

The Legate turned towards the gate and saw the Falmer beginning to overtake the men at the southern gate. He turned back towards the forest and saw the Falmer servants had now set up ladders along the wall.

"Swords! Draw your swords and prepare to send these monsters back into Oblivion!" the Legate shouted as the first of the climbers made their way atop the wall.

"ATTACK!"

Legate Fasendil swung his sword towards one of the Falmer who had made it onto the wall. The blow struck the Falmer across the left side of it neck, bringing it down back across the wall. He ran across the wall towards the south kicking down ladders as he went.

Harrald turned towards the southern gates and saw the Falmer had overtaken the guards.

"CHARGE!" Harrald shouted as he and the members of the Thieves Guild charged towards the Falmer.

Harrald swung his sword at the Falmer in front of him. The sword hit the Falmer's shield knocking it back.

The Falmer took a swing at Harrald. He jumped to the left just barely dodging the attack. As the Falmer stumbled forward from the miss, Harrald drove his sword into the Falmer right side just between it ribs and hip bone. It collapsed to the ground and Harrald swung at another Falmer.

Fasendil was attempting to reach Harrald and assist him, but every step he took, it seemed like more and more Falmer were on the wall.

He ran forward and drove his sword into one of the Falmer servant's stomach. The Orc servant fell off the wall onto the statue of Talos.

Fasendil looked down at the statue now covered in the blood of an Orc.

Just seven months ago, we were fighting to rid Skyrim of Talos, but now we needed him more than ever, Fasendil thought.

He then felt a sharp pain in his chest. An arrow was sticking out of his chest. It had struck him through the back and went straight through his heart.

Harrald turned towards the wall and saw Legate Fasendil collapse.

He turned from the battle and ran over to the Legate.

"You are in charge now boy. Fight 'till the end." the Legate before his body went cold.

Harrald stood up and ran to the top of the wall.

He swung his sword at an incoming Falmer. He struck the creature under its right arm. He kicked it off the wall and continued forward.

They heard another crash.

The Falmer had now just broken through the northern gate.

Harrald looked around at the fighting.

A group of Falmer had knocked the thief named Thrynn and was now repeatedly stabbing him.

Falmer servants were fighting with the marketplace militia.

Bolli was struck down by a Nord servant wielding an iron mace.

Shadr attempted to make a run towards the Keep, but was struck down by an arrow fired by a Falmer entering through the northern gate.

Addvild made the same attempt, but was overtaken by a group of Imperial Falmer servants who had climbed over the western wall from the docks.

How could this be happening? What have we done to deserve this nightmare?, Harrald asked himself as he continued to look around the battlefield that was Riften.

A Falmer charged at the distracted Harrald, but before it could strike him, it was struck from behind by an arrow.

"Hey Jarl's son. You may want to pay attention to the fighting instead of daydreaming about special cooked meals and the comforts of your bed or you might just be killed today!" Brynjolf shouted to Harrald.

Harrald turned towards the northern gates and rallied the survivors of the first wave.

"Prepare to attack!" Harrald shouted.

Another large group of Falmer was charging through the northern gate.

"CHARGE!" Harrald shouted as they charged towards the incoming Falmer.

The battle continued to ensue with the Falmer continuing to gain the upper hand.

Brynjolf turned towards the northern gate.

The Falmer were now making their way towards the Keep.

From within the advancing Falmer, he saw Harrald's body lying face down on the stone bridge near the Bee and Barb.

"Retreat! Into the Keep!" Brynjolf shouted to those still fighting outside.

Those who were still alive ran towards the Keep.

The Falmer fired their arrows at those who were running towards the Keep.

Brynjolf opened the doors to the Keep, helping the few who had survived the Falmer arrow volleys.

Just as Brynjolf was closing the Keep doors, he was struck in the chest by an arrow. He collapsed to the ground just outside the Keep doors.

"So this is how it ends. My death at the hands of these monsters. As long as I die fighting, I will die a happy man." Brynjolf said as he was overwhelmed by the advancing Falmer.

_**The Battle for Riften has just occurred. Harrald has been killed. Did anyone survive? Where will the Falmer strike next? Who will be able to stop them? Leave your comments on this chapter below.**_


	11. Thaddeus 2: A Courious Conversation

Thaddeus Chapter 2: A Courious Conversation

Thaddeus sat down at the bar inside the Bannered Mare and ordered a bottle of Honningbrew Mead.

"Afternoon Hulda. Anything new going on around here?" Thaddeus asked the innkeeper.

"Just heard that General Tullius was seen leaving Solitude. Heard he was called to Forelhost for some reason." The innkeeper answered handing Thaddeus the bottle of mead.

"I'm not much into politics anymore. I left that behind a long time ago. Anything else?" Thaddeus asked as he took a sip from his mead.

"I did hear that courier who ran into town this morning had really urgent news for the Jarl." The innkeeper answered.

"Wonder what it could be about." Thaddeus replied.

Gleeson came over to the bar and also ordered a bottle of Honningbrew Mead.

"I'm going to find out why that courier was in such a hurry to get to Dragonsreach." Gleeson told his father.

Thaddeus turned to his son with a concerned look on his face.

"I will not have you getting yourself involved in any of the Jarls business. I don't want to see them throw you in jail or worse. You will return to the farm. Am I understood?" Thaddeus said to his son.

"…" Gleeson did not say a word.

"Well?" his father questioned.

"Yes father." Gleeson finally replied.

"Good. And son, you were right. It is time I moved on. But is also time for you to have a life of your own, so if you wish to be with Ysolda, I give you my blessing." Thaddeus said.

Having heard his father's words, Gleeson got up from his seat and ran to tell Ysolda the good news.

Now that he is gone, maybe I should go see what that courier has to say to the Jarl. I know I told my son to stay away, but if I don't do something, he will eventually try himself and he could end up getting himself hurt or killed, Thaddeus thought as he got up from his seat.

Exiting the Bannered Mare, Thaddeus turned right and headed up the stairs into the Wind District.

Mila Valentia, Carlotta's daughter waved to him as he passed by.

Thaddeus waved back, but did not stop to chat with her.

Thaddeus made his way up the next set of stairs and approached the doors to Dragonsreach.

"What business do you have in Dragonsreach?" one of the guards asked Thaddeus.

He had to come up with something quick, before the guard suspected something was going on.

"I am…..here to…speak with the court wizard to see if he had any spells to help speed up crop growth." Thaddeus quickly answered.

The guard pondered the request for a minute.

I hope this work, Thaddeus thought looking to see in what way the guard's expression changed.

"Alright, you may enter. But, do not take long. Or I will come, find you, and lock you up. Got it?" the guard asked.

"Yes sir." Thaddeus answered.

Good. It worked. Now to see what the courier had to say, Thaddeus thought as he entered the Keep.

He looked around the inside of Dragonsreach. He had never been inside their before. The hall was focused towards the Jarl's throne, which was visible through the shimmer from the fire, adding a certain mystical quality to the Jarl's appearance. The entrance room was a waiting area, with four benches for sitting in. The servants cleaning the waiting area as he passed by.

He proceeded up the stairs which lead up to the dining area and throne. Centered around a large fire, there were two dining tables with five chairs at each; while up the steps was the throne area and Jarl Balgruuf's throne, which was on an additionally raised platform.

Wow, I wonder what it must be like to sit in that throne and make important decisions for the hold and its people, Thaddeus wondered as he passed by the Jarl's throne.

But there was no time to wonder things like that; I have to find out why the courier had come here.

Thaddeus continued up the stairs until he found himself in what looked like the Jarl's war room.

He ducked back behind a wall when he saw the Jarl, his Housecarl, his steward, his brother, and the courier come inside from The Great Porch.

"So your telling me that the Falmer, the seemingly blind, disfigured, and violent creatures who were once the race of elves known as Snow Elves, have come back from the depths of Skyrim and have begun a full-scale invasion of Riften? This is troubling news. What evidence do you have of this, courier?" the Jarl inquired.

The courier pulled out his pack and withdrew an arrow from within.

"By the Divines, that is an arrow of the Falmer. So it's true then. The Falmer are here." The Jarl uttered, shocked by this new information.

The Jarl turned towards his steward and Housecarl.

"Irileth, prepare the city guard. Have them set up barricades throughout the interior and exterior of the city. Have a few of the men round up the people living on the outskirts of the city and bring them back here. Proventius, write a letter to General Tullius requesting more soldiers. Then have a courier deliver it to him. Hrongar, first you will bring Farengar to me. Then you will tell all of the citizens to remain in their homes until I say otherwise. Now, go do what you must." The Jarl ordered.

Thaddeus climbed back down the stairs to look for a new hiding spot.

He saw a small space behind the Jarl's throne he could fit in. He ran over and crawled behind the Jarl's throne.

He then heard footsteps and felt the Jarl take a seat on his throne.

"Balgruuf, I have Farengar for you." Hrongar said.

"Now, tell the people to remain inside." The Jarl ordered.

Hrongar proceeded to make his way outside.

"My Jarl is the news true. Are the Falmer really back in full force?" Farengar asked.

"Yes Farengar, the news is true. I need you to set up magical defenses around the city. Maybe there are a few spells you can use to better prepare the city for a potential assault." Balgruuf ordered.

Falmer. Potential Assault. What was going on? Thaddeus asked himself.

Oh no, Gleeson is back at the farm. What if these Falmer attacked soon? His son did not know of the threat. But he could not move without risking being caught by the Jarl. There had to be something he could do.

Then he saw something that could distract the Jarl long enough for him to get away.

The children, Thaddeus thought to himself as he looked out from behind the throne in the direction the children were coming from.

"My children. Go back to your room. Please do as I say." The jarl said to his three children.

"Why should I pig?" the youngest child yelled at his father.

"What did you say to me Nelkir?" the Jarl asked surprised at his son's tone and question.

"You heard me. I know all of your secrets. I know I don't have the same mother as they do." Nelkir shouted.

"How could you know these things?" the Jarl asked his son.

"The Whispering Lady told me everything." Nelkir answered.

"Whispering Lady…You spoke to Mephala!" the Jarl finally yelled at his son.

Thaddeus had no idea what to do now. This would probably continue for a while. He could not stay there for that long. His son could be in danger.

You are being over-protective Thaddeus. Gleeson can protect himself. And the guards were going to escort the people from outside the city back with them, Thaddeus reassured himself.

"How could you commune with a Daedra Lord?! My own child. I will not stand for this any longer. Guards! Bring this child to the dungeons!" the Jarl shouted as he stood from his throne, angered that his own child had spoken to the Daedra Lord who he had tried so hard to keep from talking to any living person. It even said it in the book that had been left in that god-forsaken room.

"_It is hoped that the only people having access to this room should be the Jarl of Whiterun and his trusted wizard. If anyone else is reading this, please understand the magnitude of your folly, turn around, and never even speak of this room"_

The guards grabbed Nelkir and began dragging him away to the dungeon.

"Father. Please. Don't do this. I'm sorry. I won't do it again." Nelkir was pleading.

"You can no longer be trusted. Once you commune with a Daedra Lord, there is no going back. You are hereby stripped of any and all claims to the throne of Whiterun. You are no longer a part of this family. You will remain imprisoned for the rest of your life." The Jarl declared.

The guards brought the boy into the dungeons and locked him in one of the cells.

"He will not remain here. As soon as we are able, he is to be brought to Northwatch Keep. Let the Thalmor keep watch over him as he spends his days imprisoned." The Jarl ordered.

"Yes my Jarl." The guard said as he headed back down to the dungeons.

The Jarl turned back to his other children.

"You are not to go anywhere near that door. Do you understand?" the Jarl asked in a commanding voice.

"Yes father." The children answered.

"Good. Now go up to my room and remain there. Your beds will be moved upstairs immediately. I will not have you staying down there another minute. Now go." The Jarl ordered.

The children ran up to the Jarl's quarters.

"Have their beds moved immediately. Then grab a few of the guards and seal up the doors to those rooms. The staff are to come up from the kitchen entrance only. No one is to use those doors. Ever! Now go." The Jarl commanded.

Thaddeus could not remain there anymore.

He climbed out from behind the throne.

"Who are you?" the Jarl asked, confused by Thaddeus' presence.

"My….name is…Thaddeus, my Jarl. I own…. A farm on the outskirts of the city. My…son Gleeson may be there now." Thaddeus nervously replied.

"What were you doing in behind my throne?" the Jarl questioned.

"I won't lie to you Jarl. I came to see what that courier had to say. My son said he was going to, but I could not allow that. So I came instead. I apologize and if you are going to throw me in the dungeon as well or execute me that is fine." Thaddeus said, closing his eyes waiting for the Jarl's judgment.

The Jarl pondered what his decision would be for a minute.

"Open your eyes friend. I will not be doing either to you." The Jarl replied.

"You're not?" Thaddeus asked, confused by the Jarl's statement.

"No. You were just concerned is all. If our roles were reversed, I would have done the same thing. You look like you used to be a soldier, am I correct?" the Jarl asked.

Thaddeus froze. He did not want to tell the Jarl, he had been a Stormcloak for fear that the Jarl might change his mind.

But, he had not lied to the Jarl so far, so he would not lie to him now.

"I was a soldier in the Stormcloak army, my Jarl. I had served with them since I was just a young lad, but after being defeated at Fort Amol, I decided to leave the Stormcloaks for good. After the Empire took Windhelm, I packed up my family and left trying to get as far away from there as possible. I now live in a farm just outside of Whiterun with my son, Gleeson." Thaddeus answered.

The Jarl stared at Thaddeus wondering what to do with him.

"I could use someone like you in the coming war. I know you left Windhelm and the Stormcloaks to get away from all that, but I will need any capable warriors I can get right now. You thought I was going to imprison you or have you executed for being a former Stormcloak didn't you? Well I'm not and I won't. I can see you were trying to have an honest and simple life with your son. I have no grudge against any who served in the Stormcloak army. My qualms were with its leader, Ulfric Stormcloak, not the soldiers under his command. They were just fighting for what they believed in. Ulfric was fighting for his own personal gain and glory. So will you help me against this new enemy?" The Jarl finally asked.

Thaddeus stood there contemplating what to do.

You put all of this effort into getting away from war and fighting. You wanted to have a normal life. But, if these Falmer attack and destroy Whiterun, all that work would have been for nothing. Fight for Gleeson, but not only Gleeson, for yourself and the rest of Whiterun's people who just want to have a normal life, Thaddeus thought to himself as he finally made up his mind.

"I'll do it.'

_**So Thaddeus has decided to join the fight against the Falmer. Will the Falmer succeed in taking Whiterun or can Thaddeus make a difference in the coming battle? **_

_**Will Gleeson make it into the city or will the Falmer get to him first? **_

_**There wasn't any action in such a long chapter, but soon the Falmer may turn their sights on Whiterun, now that Riften has been overrun. Leave your comments on this chapter below.**_


	12. Tullius 2: The Situation Has Changed

Tullius Chapter 2: The Situation Has Changed

Tullius and his envoy had now finally arrived at Forelhost.

Tullius looked around at the once ruined fortress, now the capital of Skyrim's government.

Much of the battlements had been repaired. Guards were on top of those walls patrolling and watching for any dangers that lurked below.

Elisif had brought guards from Solitude along the Imperial Legionaries to protect her and Skyrim's new capital city.

The entrance to Forelhost was massive as was custom with any ancient ruined fortresses in Skyrim.

Tullius and his envoy proceeded inside.

The first hall was a large room, once housing the ghosts of dragon cultists, but was now draped in gold banners with the picture of a wolf on each one, signifying the High Queen was from Solitude.

Much of the traps that once kept out unwanted visitors had been removed before the High Queen had arrived for fear that anyone who attempted to pass through the halls of Forelhost would be killed by its defenses.

The hall had been refurnished with many chairs and small tables where the guards or visitors could sit.

Forelhost had not just become the new permanent home to the High Queen, but she had also transformed one of the other sections into living quarters for civilians who wished to move there as well.

Tullius continued through the first hall, taking a right just to get a better feel for the place rather than get straight to business.

The next room was a smaller room, which housed Forelhost's guards and soldiers. This room had once been used as living quarters for the dragon cultists, but now the beds had been replaced with new, better, and more comfortable ones. A forge, a workbench, and a grindstone could be found in the room directly next to the guard's quarters. A blacksmith named Heimvar had been brought to Forelhost to assist with the forging of weapons and armor for the guards and soldiers. The lead blacksmith however was an Orc by the name of Umurn brought all the way from the Orc Stronghold of Dushnikh Yal located in the Reach. He had learned much of his skills from his mother, Gharol which made him proficient in smithing allowing him to teach not only Heimvar, the other blacksmith a few things, but the other blacksmiths and soldiers who also forged weapons in Forelhost.

Tullius was now moving through the crypts on his way to meet with Falk Firebeard.

The crypts that once held the bodies of many Draugr were now cleared of those bodies and replaced by coffins and urns used to hold the deceased. Elisif had High King Torygg's body moved to Forelhost so as to be closer to Elisif and more easily accessible if she wished to visit his coffin which she usually did leaving behind a flower after each visit.

Tullius then reached a cave-like area that had been turned into a sort of armory and storage area for weapons, armor, and other tools of war. The only way to reach the next area was to proceed down a well.

Entering the Forelhost Refectory, Tullius continued on to the next room.

Much of the refectory was now used to house any civilians who had decided to move to Forelhost.

"Morning General Tullius." One of the citizens said.

"Good morning to you to. Now who might you be?" the General asked.

"You're asking me who I am. Well… uhhh… my name is Christer. Sir." The man answered slightly nervous and taken aback by General Tullius inquiry.

"Tell me about yourself Christer." The General said.

Before the man could answer, a guard walked over to the General.

"General, Falk Firebeard requests your presence in the throne room." The guard stated.

"Can't you see I'm in the middle of a conversation here soldier?!" the General asked aggravated by the guard's unexpected interruption.

"He says it is urgent sir." The guard answered.

"Fine. It was nice to meet you Christer." The General said as he continued on his way to the throne room.

After a few minutes or so, Tullius finally reached the throne room.

This large room once housed the Dragon Priest known as Rahgot, who worshipped the dragon, Alduin centuries ago. Now this room had been converted into the High Queen's throne room and parts of the room were sectioned off by new walls so as to create rooms for the Jarl and her subjects.

Tullius walked up the stairs and approached the throne where to his surprise, Elisif was sitting.

"Jarl…I mean High Queen Elisif, it is a surprise to see you!" the General said still taken by surprise by Elisif's presence.

"General, there is an important matter we must discuss. The High Queen thought it important that she be here for this as well." Falk Firebeard said motioning for the General to have a seat in one of the chair.

The General did as he asked sitting down in a chair directly across from the High Queen's throne.

"Based on recent reports, we have come up with enemy movements on the map. So far, the Nightgate Inn has been overrun and burned to the ground. A few days ago, we saw smoke rising from the northeast which has us fearing the city of Riften is lost. Our scouts are saying that the gates to the Great Lift at Alftand have been opened. A courier from Whiterun arrived an hour or so from Whiterun requesting reinforcements. We just sent about two hundred men to their aid." Falk Firebeard was explaining.

"Now wait just a moment. Enemy Movements? Riften lost? Nightgate Inn overrun? Reinforcements for Whiterun? What is going on here?" General Tullius asked confused by the information.

A few days ago, he left Solitude to come and meet with Falk Firebeard. Now he was in some sort of meeting or war and he did not even know who they were up against.

"General. The Falmer are here." Firebeard answered.

Tullius looked up from the map in shock.

The Falmer. But they were dwelling underground. Why would they attack the surface? They had been driven down there centuries ago. Why return to the surface now? Tullius asked himself trying to figure out the Falmer's motives for attacking just seven months after the defeat of Alduin and the end to the Civil War.

"The Falmer are not smart enough to plan a large scale invasion like this. Who or what could be leading them?" Tullius asked, but before he could get his answer, a soldier ran in to the throne room with a note in his hands.

"General, you should have a look at this." The soldier said, handing the note to the General.

"_General Tullius,_

_The Great Lift at Mzinchaleft has opened. _

_Morthal is under attack. _

_Send help._

_Legate Taurinius Dullius"_

Tullius dropped the note and turned towards the soldier.

"Send reinforcements to Morthal, immediately. Send couriers to the rest of the Holds. Tell them, we are going to war!"

_**General Tullius has now found out about the Falmer, but is he too late? Will reinforcements reach Morthal in time? What will happen to Whiterun? Will the other Holds be able to mobilize their troops in time? Leave your comments below. **_


	13. Forsworn: Just Target Practice

Forsworn: Just Target Practice

Much of the Forsworn had now moved to Lost Valley Redoubt at the command of Madanach who had been gathering the different remnants of the Forsworn since his escape from Cidhna Mine in Markarth.

"Madanach, one of our scouting parties has not reported back yet."

Madanach got up from a custom-made alter that had been built upon his arrival. Standing on either side of him were two Hagravens who had taken up residence there long before Madanach had arrived, but upon his arrival swore allegiance to him.

"Have Odvan take a party out and search for them." Madanach ordered.

He sat back down on his throne and looked out at the view in front of him.

Out in front of him was a walkway leading to a waterfall called the Bard's Leap Summit. He was not sure why it was called that, but as long as he was allowed to continue his reign as monarch of the Forsworn, nothing else mattered to him.

He then heard shouting in the distance.

He got up from his throne once again and walked over to the Bard's Leap Summit to see what all the commotion was about.

He looked down from the summit and saw a large horde of Falmer attacking Lost Valley Redoubt.

"Attack! Don't let them take the fort!" Madanach was shouting.

An arrow struck Madanach in the neck.

Madanach grabbed his neck in pain.

He pulled the arrow out and just as he was about to toss it aside, he lost his footing and fell from the summit.

The Falmer horde stormed the rest of the fort with little resistance overtaking much of the Forsworn as they went.

_**The Forsworn have been decimated by the Falmer. Now that Lost Valley Redoubt has fallen, will the Falmer turn their sights on Markarth? **_

_**I know this wasn't the longest or most exciting chapter, but it was just laying the foundation for a potential Falmer assault on Markarth and was just to show what is going on in the Reach. Leave your comments on the chapter below. **_


	14. Envar 2: One High Profile Target

Envar Chapter 2: One High Profile Target

Envar had now arrived back at the Dawnstar Sanctuary and was awaiting Nazir's arrival.

Envar sat at the long dinner table waiting for Nazir.

He looked up to see Cicero talking to the Night Mother again.

"Why does he always talk to her? Isn't it a little odd for someone to be talking to a dead body?" Envar asked.

Sitting across the table from him was the little vampire girl named Babette. In reality, Babette was the oldest member of the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary; it was just that her appearance was that of a little girl.

"That's just how he is dear Envar. Don't mind him. He went a little nutty a long time ago. How was your latest contract? I believe it was on those couple of hunters in Hjaalmarch." Babette replied.

"They did not remain in Hjaalmarch. I had to track them for at least two weeks before finally catching up to them finally in Falkreath Hold. There I waited until they were at their most vulnerable and I put an arrow right in the back of one's head right behind his left ear. The other tried to make a jump for his weapon, but I was the faster putting two arrows, one in the ribcage and the other just beneath his right eye, before he went down." Envar explained proud of his work.

"Well done." A voice said from behind Envar.

Envar turned to see Nazir standing behind him with a piece of parchment in his hands.

"Your next contract, Envar." Nazir said, handing Envar the parchment.

"_Dark Brotherhood, _

_We have received word that someone has performed the Black Sacrament in Solitude. _

_We would like you to send someone to speak with Jarl Erikur of Solitude regarding the details."_

"With that note behind us, I had gone to meet with Erikur, which is why I was late. I have the contract details right here." Nazir said handing him the contract details.

"_I have done the Black Sacrament as instructed._

_After having met with your leader, Nazir; I have written down the contract details and what your payment will be below._

_Target: High Queen Elisif the Fair_

_Location: Forelhost, The Rift _

_Preferred Method: Poisoning (provided with contract)_

_Payment: An Ebony Bow of Shock, A quiver with 200 Ebony arrows, and a payment of gold of no less than 100,000 gold._

_Good luck assassin._

_Jarl Erikur of Solitude"_

"You want ME to assassinate the High Queen of Skyrim? But why?" Envar asked stunned by the contract just handed to him.

"You Envar are the best assassin we have in this sanctuary. You have been nothing short of perfect in all of your previous contracts. I feel you have proven yourself time and again. You are the best one to carry out this contract. Now here is the poison you will need. It is Lotus Extract mixed with Jarrin Root. Put this in either the High Queen's food or drink and she won't live to see another day." Nazir declared, handing what Envar needed for the contract.

"Now go. Do what must be done. For the good of the brotherhood. The Dark Brotherhood will change the course of history once more!" Nazir shouted to Envar as he made his way out of the Sanctuary.

_**Envar has received his newest contract and his target…..High Queen Elisif! How will this affect not only the war against the Falmer, but the rest of Skyrim?! Leave your comments on this chapter below.**_


	15. Vigarr 2 Part One: Element of Surprise

Vigarr Chapter 2 Part One: The Element of Surprise

Vigarr and his caravan had just passed through the mining settlement of Karthwasten, trading a few basic supplies for ore that had been dug up within the two mines.

The leader of the settlement, Ainethach had told them about the recent intrusion by Silver-Blood Mercenaries who had tried to "bribe" him into handing his mines over to the Silver-Blood family. A traveler had come into town and stopped the group's leader, Atar before he could get the mines.

"Vigarr, I believe we are almost at Markarth. I can just barely see the walls." Gristorcar said.

Vigarr looked ahead and saw the large walls of Markarth.

Vigarr knew much about Markarth's history, more than any of the other cities in Skyrim.

Control of Markarth and the Reach had changed many times. Markarth was inhabited by the Dwemer until their disappearance in 1E 700. The natives of the Reach, a people of mixed Breton descent, assumed control of the city and the surrounding lands until the time of Tiber Septim, when the Nords came to power and subjugated the natives. In 4E 174, while the Empire was distracted by the Great War with the Aldmeri Dominion, the natives seized the Reach with little resistance and broke away from Skyrim to form a short-lived independent kingdom with Markarth as its capital. Ulfric Stormcloak gathered a militia and toppled the natives in 4E 176, reestablishing Nordic dominance over the Reach. Desperate and alienated in their own lands, the natives began to call themselves the Forsworn and turned to their ancient traditions and rituals for help to rebel against the Nords. The Forsworn continue to wage a guerrilla war in the Reach.

Vigarr looked up after recalling his knowledge of Markarth and saw a guard running up to his caravan.

"Is there something I can help you with sir?" Vigarr asked the guard.

"You came at a bad time. The Jarl has ordered anyone outside the city walls to be brought immediately into the city." The guard responded.

"What is going on?" Vigarr asked.

Before the guard could give an answer, a scream came from behind them.

It was a woman, who wore a unique tribal garb.

"She's a Forsworn." The guard said.

He began to unsheathe his sword.

"Wait. She is trying to tell us something." Vigarr shouted to the guard.

Vigarr ran over to the Forsworn woman to try and figure out what she was saying.

"They're in the Reach. They killed everyone." The forsworn woman muttered.

"She must be talking about the Falmer. Everyone into the city now." The guard said motioning for the caravan to make their way inside the city.

Vigarr and his caravan ran up the stairs and entered the city, seeing barricades being set up all along the exterior of the city.

"They're coming!" one of the guards shouted.

Running over from the Silver-Blood Inn, the Legate looked outside the opened gates and saw a large Falmer horde marching just across the bridge near Salvius Farm and Kolskeggr Mine.

"Have some soldiers remain in the Keep with the Jarl. Another few guards remain within the city walls. The rest with me outside the gates. We will be the first line of defense. Get the civilians to safety." The Legate ordered.

The Legate and a number of soldiers proceeded outside the gates and set up position behind the barricades, closing the gates behind them.

"Come on. Legate Emmanuel Admand can handle those Falmer. It will be safe inside the Keep." One of the guards said to Vigarr and his caravan.

Just as they passed the Silver-Blood Inn, Vigarr looked towards the Keep and heard shouting and sounds of battle.

"What is that?" Gristorcar asked also hearing fighting from within the Keep.

Vigarr tried to recall what it could be and then he remembered.

"Away from the Keep! Get everyone out of there now!" Vigarr shouted to the guard.

Before the guard could run to the Keep, the doors opened and Falmer came pouring out.

"RUN!" Vigarr screamed.

The few who heard him followed Vigarr and his caravan.

"Where do we go?" Gristorcar asked, still keeping an eye on the Falmer exiting the Keep.

Vigarr looked for a safe place to go.

"Cidhna Mine. Everyone into the mine!" Vigarr shouted.

Those few who had joined Vigarr and his caravan joined them in running to the mine.

"What do you think you're doing in here?" one of the mine's guards asked Vigarr.

"The Falmer have attacked and are inside the city. We must get inside the mine. We will be able to defend ourselves in there. As long as the Falmer don't find out about the other entrance into the mines, we will be fine." Vigarr told the guard.

"Alright. Everyone inside. Move!" the guard said to the survivors.

The group moved inside towards the mine.

"Alright. Seal that gate." The guard ordered.

Another guard ran over to the gate and locked it behind them.

"Who can we account for?" the guard asked trying to get a count of who had made it inside the mine.

"I am Vigarr. This is Gristorcar, Kanje, and Feijer." Vigarr answered.

The others introduced themselves to Vigarr, his caravan and the guards.

"So we have Vigarr and his caravan. Kibell the carriage driver. Kleppr the innkeeper. His wife, Frabbi. Their son, Hreinn and daughter, Hroki. Cosnach. Degaine. Garvey. Senna. And Vorstag." The guard said taking count of who had made it into the mine.

"My name is Urzoga gra-Shugurz. This is Ancar." The guard said introducing herself and the other Cidhna Mine guard who had made it inside the mine.

"Alright. We need a plan." Vigarr stated.

"You brought us in here. Maybe you should come up with the plan." Urzoga said to Vigarr.

Vigarr did know a lot about Markarth, but coming up with a plan to get them out of there or to fight the Falmer was not his specialty.

Then he remembered the other passage into the mines.

"There is another exit out of the mines. However, it does lead back into the city. We will go into the passageway, but we won't exit through the other side. Hopefully the Falmer don't know about it yet. We can wait it out in there. They know we came in here, so they will be looking for us in here, not in the passageway. If we stay here, we will surely be killed by the Falmer." Vigarr explained.

Urzoga pondered Vigarr's plan for a minute and then gave her answer.

"Alright, we go with the Khajiit's plan. Gather what food, supplies and weapons you can scrounge up. We meet back here in five." Urzoga ordered.


	16. Admand: Defense of Markarth Part One

Legate Emmanuel Admand: Defense of Markarth Part One

The Legate stood atop the stairs just outside the city gates, watching as the Falmer horde marched across the bridge.

"Steady men! This is necessary for the good of Markarth and its people. We must stop them here." Legate Admand said to the soldiers.

He looked back at the horde and saw there had to be at least three thousands of them.

"Notch!" the Legate uttered.

The horde marched closer.

"Draw!" the Legate uttered again.

The horde marched closer and was now near the carriage.

"Hold! Hold! Fire!" the Legate shouted.

The archers fired their arrows into the horde striking down a number of them before quickly drawing their arrows and firing again.

The Legate heard sounds of battle coming from within the city.

The Falmer must have come from within the ruins of Nchuand-Zel. Hopefully the soldiers within the city and Keep could hold them at bay, long enough for him and his men outside the walls and turn back the Falmer horde, Legate Admand thought to himself as he turned back to the battle at hand.

"Notch! Draw! Loose!" the Legate shouted as the archers once more shot arrows into the Falmer horde.

No matter how many arrows were fired or how many of their brethren went down, the Falmer continued to advance up the stairs.

"Swords! Draw your swords! Turn them back and send them into the dark abyss from whence they came!" the Legate shouted as he unsheathed his sword.

The Falmer now began running up the stairs towards the Legate and his men.

"ATTACK!" the Legate shouted to his men.

The Falmer and soldiers clashed at the top of the stairs, steel meeting flesh as swords and axes met the incoming Falmer.

The Legate swung his sword hitting one of the Falmer across the left side of its face, slicing it open enough to see its jaw bone.

Another Falmer ran at the Legate, but was unsuccessful as the Legate stabbed it in its neck.

The Legate looked to his right and saw the Falmer overpower one of the guards, slicing open his throat, blood spattering the stairs and the Falmer who killed him.

The Legate ran at the Falmer and swung his sword knocking them down. He stabbed down at one of them, his sword going through its temple.

He stabbed down at the next one, this time stabbing it through where its lungs were.

An arrow whizzed past the Legate face, striking one of the soldiers behind him in the neck.

The soldier collapsed, dropping his sword and shield.

The Legate ran over and tried to help the soldier, but he was dead.

He picked up the soldiers shield and ran back to the fighting.

A Falmer ran towards the Legate, but was knocked back by the Legate's shield.

The Legate looked up and saw a Falmer standing atop one of the watchtowers.

It drew its staff and shot a bolt of lightning at the Legate.

The Legate took cover behind his shield, the lightning striking it knocking the Legate over.

He rushed to his feet and grabbed the fallen soldier's sword.

He turned back in the direction of the Falmer shaman and tossed the soldier's sword at it.

The sword struck the shaman in the chest, sending the Falmer shaman off the watchtower.

The Legate picked up his own sword and returned to the battle.

"Hold them back! Do not let them take the city!" the Legate shouted to his men.

The gates broke open behind them and more Falmer poured out from the city.

"Watch your backs men! They come from within the city!" The Legate shouted to his men.

But he was too late; the Falmer attacked the soldiers before they had a chance to turn in defense.

The Legate turned and charged at the newest group of Falmer.

He swung his sword back and forth, striking down Falmer after Falmer, taking down at least thirteen before he found himself within the city near the inn.

He looked around and saw the Falmer breaking into homes and others buildings.

Civilians and guards were being dragged out from inside the buildings. The Falmer killing them as they tried to break free or putting an arrow in them if they tried to run.

Knowing the gates were lost, the Legate ran to the Keep to see if the Jarl had survived the assault.

He pushed through Falmer, cutting down the ones he could and leaving the rest.

There was nothing he could do for these people any longer.

He entered the Keep and found the bodies of soldiers and Falmer alike lying down in pools of blood within the main hall.

He looked towards the excavation site and saw the doors to the ruins had been battered through and knocked completely off their hinges.

He looked up to the throne and saw it empty, with bodies in front of and leading up to it.

He ran up the stairs and looked to both his left and right.

In the kitchen, he could see both cooks had been killed.

To the right, he saw the blacksmith, Moth gro-Bagol fending off two to three Falmer.

The Legate ran to assist the blacksmith.

He struck one of the Falmer in the back of the head with the handle of his sword.

Another turned to face this new attacker, but was also struck down by the Legate.

The blacksmith stabbed the third Falmer through the back, the tip of the sword exiting through the Falmer's chest.

"Thanks for the assist" the blacksmith said to the Legate.

"Where is the Jarl?" the Legate questioned.

"I think him, his steward, the Housecarl, Calcelmo and his nephew, and a few of the guards made their way into Calcelmo's museum." The blacksmith answered.

"Alright. Come on. We must find the Jarl." The Legate said to the blacksmith as the two ran in the direction of the Dwemer Museum.

_**Vigarr's story and the Defense of Markarth will be split into multiple parts**_ _**as both are happening at the same time. **_

_**What will happen to Vigarr and his group of survivors? Will they escape the Falmer or will the Falmer discover the other entrance into the mine?**_

_**The Legate has escaped the battle for now and going in search of the Jarl and the other survivors of the Keep.**_

_**Will he reach them in time or will the Falmer find them first?**_

_**Leave your comments on these past two chapters (parts) below. **_


	17. Litthius 2: An Intrusion of the Mind

Litthius Chapter 2: An Intrusion Of The Mind

Litthius awoke from his sleep, still pondering the meaning of the dream.

Could this mean another return of the dragons? No it can't be. The last of the dragons had been driven from Skyrim seven months prior. There had to be another meaning, Litthius thought to himself as he got out of bed.

He walked out of his room and saw the Hall of Attainment was empty.

I wonder where everyone could be, Litthius asked himself as he walked around the hall, looking to see if anyone was still in their rooms.

After a few minutes, Litthius found there was no one in their rooms.

He decided to check outside and see if anyone was out there.

He opened the door to the outside, but rather than seeing the courtyard to the College, he found himself staring into darkness.

"What is going on here?!", Litthius shouted as he slammed the door shut, afraid of what was happening.

"_What you just saw is Skyrim's fate. To be trapped in never-ending darkness for all eternity."_

Litthius turned to see where the voice was coming from, but only saw the focus point in the middle of the Hall of Attainment.

He ran around checking every room to see if the voice had come from inside them, but once again found the rooms to be completely empty.

"_You will not find me, dear Argonian. I am far from where you can find me. You have been chosen to deliver my message to Skyrim. Listen closely Argonian. Many centuries ago, an ancient race known as the Snow Elves once inhabited the province of Skyrim. They had a civilization which rivaled even the Altmer of the Summerset Isles. They had a great aptitude for magic. The empire of the Snow Elves was expansive, wealthy, and prosperous in the Merethic Era. They displayed power beyond what could be expected of the time. However, they found themselves constantly in conflict with the proto-Nords coming over from Atmora. The Nedic peoples either co-habitated with or were enslaved by the elves in other parts of Tamriel; only in Skyrim did relations break down into widespread conflict. _

_Then came the events known as The Night of Tears. The Night of Tears was the night an Elven force attacked and burned the first human city of Skyrim, Saarthal, built by the first Nordic inhabitants. In retaliation, Ysgramor, the leader of the human colonization effort and the founder of the Companions, drove the elves out of Solstheim and Skyrim._

_The Snow Elves had long maintained an uneasy alliance with the only other known group of mer who inhabited Skyrim: the Dwemer. The Nords established their supremacy in Skyrim, and after the devastating loss of the Snow Prince, most Snow Elves turned to their underground brethren for help. After all, there were many Snow Elf legends lauding the honor and glory of the Dwemer. The Dwemer offered to provide them a haven, but forced their wards into servitude, only allowing them to consume a toxic fungus which rendered them blind. Over time, the servants became slaves. _

_Some Snow Elves managed to avoid becoming slaves to the Dwemer, instead retreating to hidden shrines or hiding with sympathetic families.[9] Over a hundred were at the isolated Chantry of Auri-El when the Dwemer made their offer, and by the time news of it reached them, they were too late to stop it. These few remaining Snow Elves looked upon their twisted brethren with pity. However, these sentiments were not shared by the Falmer, as they attacked their untainted cousins with the same ferocity that they displayed towards the other surface races._

_Over the ages, the Snow Elves fell into legend._

_But now, the Falmer have followed through on their plan to invade the surface and take it for themselves once more. _

_But why stop with just Skyrim? Why not overtake the entirety of Tamriel? _

_That is the plan. The Falmer shall begin with Skyrim and when done there will destroy each and every province in Tamriel until their hunger for revenge is sated. _

_No one will be able to stop them._

_Darkness shall spread across Tamriel and the Snow Elves will once again rule, but they will rule all of Tamriel. _

_Spread the word Argonian. _

_There will be no survivors. You will all know only death and before the end, you will watch as they all die. Your friends. Your family. Everyone will die." _

Litthius fell to the ground with a sudden pain in his chest.

Litthius began to be enveloped in darkness.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Litthius screamed as all of the light around him faded and all he could see now was darkness.

"Litthy! Litthius! Wake up!"

Litthius quickly awoke to a voice shouting his name.

Standing over him was Constantine who had a worried and terrified look on his face.

"What happened? You were sleeping and then all of a sudden you started screaming." Constantine told Litthius.

Tolfdir ran into the room to see what was going on.

"Is everything all right? Did you have another dream?" Tolfdir asked.

Litthius then told him about the empty Hall of Attainment, the darkness that had engulfed him and the college and the voice that had spoken to him.

"This is worse than I thought. Constantine, go into town. Get a courier to Dawnstar. Have him find Enthir. Tell him what has happened here. Have him tell Enthir to await our arrival. The three of us are going to Dawnstar. Pack a few essentials and be ready to leave in an hour." Tolfdir instructed.

Constantine ran to deliver the message to the courier.

"But why are we going to Dawnstar?" Litthius asked Tolfdir.

"Enthir was meeting with someone who could help against the Falmer. We are going to meet them there and sail down the coast to Riften and meet with the High Queen and hopefully General Tullius. We will need their help if we are to quell the Falmer threat." Tolfdir answered as he left the room to prepare for their coming journey.

_**So Litthius has now had another (more interactive) dream and the trio will now head to Dawnstar to meet up with Enthir and Wayfinder.**_

_**Will they make it in time? Will they be able to reach the General and High Queen at Forelhost? What was the voice speaking to Litthius in his dream? Does this new dream have any connection to his previous dream? Leave your comments on the chapter below.**_


	18. Wayfinder 2: Sailing in Squallor

Wayfinder Chapter 2: Sailing In Squallor

Wayfinder stumbled back in his seat after Enthir's revelation.

"The Falmer? How can they be back?" Wayfinder asked still trying to take in this new information.

"Would I lie to you? I've known you since you were born. I worked closely with your father at the College. We were the closest of friends. Before he died, I promised him I would look after you and your mother. And then after your mother died, you inherited that boat and rather than forbid you from leaving, I allowed you to become Captain of this ship and follow this dream of yours. So I believe that more than shows you can trust me and for all of that, you owe me. I could have refused your father's request, but I did not so you are now required to quell the Falmer threat." Enthir stated.

"What?" Wayfinder asked, confused but still trying to wrap his head around the fact that the Falmer had returned.

"Let me summarize it for you. I raised you. Your parents died. You owe me. We are stopping the Falmer. Do you understand now?" Enthir asked knowing Wayfinder was having a hard time with this new information.

"Wait a moment….Why do we have to stop the Falmer? Can't the Empire do it?" Wayfinder asked.

"The Empire can only delay them. The Jarls can only delay them. Anyone who fights them can only delay them. There is a secret prophecy that says someone will rise above the rest a stop the coming darkness that is to befall Tamriel. I am unsure who it is, but I will do whatever I can within my power to stop the Falmer. I am not saying it is you who is destined to stop them, but I need your help. Plus, you're the only person I know who has a ship. So, will you help me?" Enthir explained.

Wayfinder sat for a moment, thinking over Enthir's proposition.

"All right. I will help you." Wayfinder said, just as someone knocked on the door.

"Not now." Enthir shouted turning towards the door.

"But I am here looking for an elf named Enthir. He has a message from Tolfdir at the College of Winterhold." The voice shouted back through the door.

Enthir walked over and opened the door to find a courier with a letter in his hand standing outside.

"Let me see that." Enthir said as he took the letter from the courier.

"_Enthir,_

_This may sound a bit strange, but it is important and quite possibly connected to the prophecy._

_A student at the College has had some visions of sorts._

_The first: There was a burning city surrounded by black. Shadowy Figures were running from all directions. Then…a dragon flew overheard burning everything in its path. From atop a hill, a white light flashed and everything went dark again. _

_The second: There was a man standing in front of a strange device holding a round object in his hand. It looked like some sort of opening mechanism of some kind, but none like I have ever seen before. It opened and he descended into darkness._

_The third: An empty Hall of Attainment, the darkness that had engulfed him and the college and the voice that had spoken to him._

_A group of three will arrive in Dawnstar within a few days and we are to journey south towards the city of Riften. _

_Then make our way to Forelhost and warn the High Queen and General them about the visions and the prophecy. _

_Remain in Dawnstar until they arrive._

_Good luck and hope you find what you were looking for._

_Tolfdir"_

Enthir looked up from the letter and handed it to Wayfinder.

"I guess that makes seven of us journeying on the Sea Squall." Wayfinder said placing the note down on the table.

"And so we wait." Enthir said.

A few days passed.

Wayfinder sat on the deck of his ship, looking up every few minutes to see if anyone who looked like a mage showed up. But all he saw was the Khajiit caravan arrive and then leave the day before.

"Captain, what are we waiting for? We should be in the Summerset Isles by now, but we haven't left for there. You told us we now have a new destination, but you won't say where or why. If you don't tell me something, you will leave me no choice, but to engage in a mutiny." Ravam said to Wayfinder, frustrated at the lack of information he knew.

"All right. Get Guthurm. I will tell you everything." Wayfinder said to Ravam.

Ravam got Guthurm and Wayfinder then explained how the Falmer were back, about the visions one of that mages had, the secret prophecy, how they had to go to Forelhost and why they were going there, and how Enthir said they were going to stop the Falmer.

"Let me get this straight. This crazy elf mage, who has raised you since you were a young lad, comes here and tells you the Falmer have returned. Then he says because he raised you, you have to sail down to Riften with a bunch of mages and stop the Falmer. And because we are your crew members, we are expected to go along with this madness?!" Ravam questioned trying to clarify everything Wayfinder had told them.

"Well…yes." Wayfinder answered.

He then waited to hear his crew members threaten a mutiny and for Ravam to finally go over the edge and follow through with one of his threats.

But Wayfinder looked up and saw a big smile emerging across Ravam's face.

"Thank you Captain! Thank you! You have finally made a good decision! This is what I have been waiting for!" Ravam shouted, ecstatic at the news.

"What?" Guthurm said, confused by Ravam's sudden surge of excitement.

Just as Wayfinder was about to ask the same question, a group of mages stepped onto the deck of the Sea Squall.

Enthir got up from his chair and walked over to the mages.

"Tolfdir, I didn't expect you to make the journey yourself. Wait a moment, is that Litthius? He must have been the one with the visions seeing as Constantine is too much of a joker and not much of a mage." Enthir said, turning to look at Constantine during his last comment.

"Hey. I resent that statement!" Constantine said to Enthir.

"We are here for business. Enough joking around. You are correct; Litthius was the one who had the visions. So this must be Wayfinder. Pleased to meet you. I am Tolfdir. This is Litthius and that over there is Constantine." Tolfdir stated.

"Pleased to meet you too. I am Captain Wayfinder. This is Guthurm and this ummmmm…. Bright soul here is Ravam Verethi." Wayfinder said to the mages.

"Enough with the pleasantries. Let's just go on our way." Constantine uttered.

The crew got under way, moving to their posts, readying the ship the set sail.

"Pull the anchors! Raise the sails Guthrum! Prepare the mast!" Wayfinder shouted.

The Sea Squall began pulling out of the Dawnstar port and into the ice cold waters of the Sea of Ghosts.

"Why is it called the Sea of Ghosts?" Constantine asked.

"Legend has it that the ghosts of many fallen sailors still haunt these waters and that if you stay in the water too long, their ghosts will drag you to its lowest depths so that you can join them in their never-ending undead existence." Ravam said to Constantine.

"I think I'll just remain seated for the rest of the journey." Constantine said as he backed away from the side of the ship and sat down in one of the seats.

Days passed as the Sea Squall and its passengers sailed down the coastline towards the city of Riften.

Wayfinder looked up from his map and finally saw Riften's walls.

"Look at Riften. Its walls are all burned and charred. The walls look like they were built from ash. The Golden-glow estate is in ruins. I wonder if anyone survived the attack." Constantine said looking at what remained of the city of Riften.

"Anchor down at the docks." Wayfinder said as the ship approached the city docks.

"Alright. Myself, Enthir, Litthius, and Constantine will check the city for survivors. The rest of you remain here. Oh, and keep an eye out for any Falmer." Wayfinder stated as the groups split up.

The group opened the dock doors which lead into the city just near the blacksmith's shop and the Black-Briar meadery.

Wayfinder looked around and saw the bodies of guards, civilians, Falmer and their servants laying upon the ground, dead from the battle that had ensued there.

"There is no one alive out here. Let us check inside the Keep." Wayfinder said as the group proceeded up the stairs towards the Keep.

Wayfinder stepped through what was left of the Keep doors and looked around the main hall.

More bodies. They must not have gotten any saw sort of warning. Poor souls, Wayfinder thought looking at the bodies of the fallen.

"Looks like they even got the Jarl." Constantine said, pointing to a woman's body just behind the Jarl's throne.

Wayfinder walked over to see the body of Jarl Laila Law-Giver behind her throne with several arrows on her.

"No one alive upstairs." Enthir said as he returned from checking the upstairs rooms.

"Let us check the jail then." Wayfinder stated.

The group left the main building and to a left towards the jail.

Enthir opened the door to the jail and the group moved inside.

The body of a guard lay in front of the first set of doors.

"They even attacked the city jail? Wow. They aren't sparing anyone." Constantine said looking at the carnage that was the Riften Jail.

"Check the jail cells." Wayfinder said to the group.

They began checking the cells for any survivors.

Just as Wayfinder was about to walk away from one of the cells, he heard some shuffling from inside the cell next to it.

"Alright you. Come out where I can see you." Wayfinder shouted into the cell.

A figure came out from behind the bed inside the cell.

"Show some respect. You are in the presence of one Sibbi Black-Briar."

_**Wayfinder, Enthir, and the crew of the Sea Squall have finally met up with the mages from the College. The remains of Riften have been discovered. The prophecy has been told. And a survivor has been found in the aftermath of the Battle of Riften. **_

_**Who is the person mentioned in the prophecy? Will the group reach Forelhost? Will Litthius have another vision? Leave your comments for the chapter (and Sibbi Black-Briar being the survivor) below.**_


	19. Thaddeus 3: A Return To An Unwanted Past

Thaddeus Chapter 3: A Return To An Unwanted Past

Thaddeus stop atop the walls of Whiterun nearest to the drawbridge.

Out upon the vast fields of Whiterun stood a massive Falmer horde awaiting the order to assault the city.

They had burned, hacked, and slashed their way through the plains of Whiterun, killing everyone and everything standing in their way, which included the guards at the Western Watchtower and Fort Greymoor.

Now they stood just outside the walls of Whiterun.

Thaddeus looked down the line at each Falmer who stood in front. Their eyes glaring a dark shade of red from the bloodlust for revenge. Their teeth showing, saliva dripping from their mouths ready at any moment to attack.

"_**Dinok Wah Pah Reyliik. Nahkriin Los Hin. Fonaar!" **_a voice shouted.

The Falmer horde charged towards the city walls.

"Notch! Draw! Loose!" Legate Quentin Cipius shouted, ordering his men to fire on the advancing Falmer horde.

A sea of arrows blocked the glow of the moon as they rained down on the Falmer horde.

Unable to move out of the way, many Falmer were felled by the arrows.

But more Falmer took the place of those who had fallen.

"Again!" the Legate shouted.

Another volley of arrows, one from each bow striking another row of Falmer.

Thaddeus saw a large group of Chaurus moving in from the south.

"Legate! Chaurus to the south!" Thaddeus shouted to the Legate.

The Legate turned to see the Chaurus progressing from the south near Pelagia Farm and the Honningbrew Meadery.

"To the south men! Bring down those foul creatures!" the Legate shouted as the archers turned their sights to the south and fired upon the Chaurus.

A soldier ran out from inside the city.

"Legate! Falmer servants entering through the Underforge!" the soldier shouted to the Legate.

"Thaddeus! Take a few of the men guarding the barracks and find a way to block that passage!" the Legate shouted to Thaddeus.

Thaddeus turned from the walls and followed the soldier into the city.

A handful of soldiers were standing just outside the barracks.

"The Legate says you need to come with me! Falmer servants are entering through the Underforge and we need to find a way to seal up the passageway!" Thaddeus said the soldiers.

They proceeded to run to the Underforge. They ran up the stairs towards Jorrvaskr and saw a few of the Companions fighting a few of the Falmer servants who had managed to enter the city.

"Into the Underforge!" Thaddeus ordered.

The soldiers ran over to the entrance to the Underforge and made their way inside.

Thaddeus rushed over to assist Ria who was being attacked by three Falmer servants.

One of the servants, a Nord, turned towards Thaddeus and swung his steel mace at him.

Thaddeus ducked out of the way and slashed up at the Nord, cutting him from the stomach up to his chin.

The Nord fell to the ground and another servant, an Argonian, charged at Thaddeus, tackling him to the ground.

The Argonian drew an iron dagger and thrust it down at Thaddeus.

Thaddeus grabbed the Argonian's arm, using all of his strength to keep it from stabbing him with the dagger.

The Argonian pushed back with the dagger coming near inches away from Thaddeus face.

Just as the Argonian made one final effort, an arrow struck it in the back, bringing it down.

Thaddeus looked up to see Gleeson standing near the Skyforge with a bow in his hand.

Thaddeus ran over to his son.

"How did you….." Thaddeus began saying.

"After you told me to find Ysolda, I ran to her home and told her the good news. To celebrate, we were invited to Jorrvaskr by Farkas, who had overheard us. You probably thought I had returned to the farm." Gleeson said to his father.

"Well it's a good thing you didn't. The Falmer are just outside the city walls." Thaddeus told his son.

A soldier exited the Underforge and ran over to Thaddeus.

"The passageway has been sealed." The soldier reported.

"Good. Gather the others and join Legate Cipius on the walls." Thaddeus said.

The soldier ran back into the Underforge.

"Thaddeus is it? We will assist you on the wall." Farkas said to Thaddeus.

"All right. Get the rest of your Companions and head to the wall. Leave a minimum of two remaining inside the city, in case the wall is overtaken." Thaddeus said to Farkas.

"Okay. Torvar and Athis remain near the city gates. Everyone else on me. To the walls." Farkas said to the Companions.

Thaddeus, the Companions, Gleeson, and the group of soldiers joined Legate Cipius back on the wall.

Thaddeus looked and saw the Falmer had gotten closer since he was last there.

"No matter how many arrows we fire at them, more take their place and they move closer after each attempt." The Legate said.

"_**Gaar Fin Sunvaar!" **_the voice shouted from across the battlefield.

A large creature came out from the Falmer horde.

"What is that?!" Gleeson shouted, surprised by this new enemy.

Thaddeus had seen this creature before, but how could one be here? It was larger than any he had seen before.

"Seeker!" Thaddeus shouted.

The creature charged towards the wall.

"Fire everything at that creature!" the Legate shouted.

The archers fired at the creature, but none brought it down.

The Seeker reached the walls and broke down the barricades.

It swung its tentacles, knocking soldiers back or off the walls.

The Falmer horde charged towards the now open gateway.

"Don't let them reach the drawbridge!" the Legate shouted.

The Seeker swung one of its large tentacles and knocked the Legate of the wall.

Falmer climbed up the wall near the drawbridge levers.

Thaddeus ran over swinging his sword at the Falmer.

The Seeker turned in Thaddeus direction and hit him off the wall.

The Falmer pulled the levers, opening the drawbridge.

"Retreat! Back into the city!" the Legate shouted as he helped Thaddeus back to his feet.

Thaddeus turned back and saw the Falmer cut down Njada Stonearm before she could flee.

Another Falmer jumped on the back of another soldier and repeatedly stabbed him in the side of his neck, until he collapsed.

The few who survived ran back into the city and sealed the gates.

"Don't let them through those gates! Hold them back!" the Legate shouted.

The soldiers began setting up barricades near the gates and started raising wooden columns to keep the gates from being knocked down.

"What are we to do?" Gleeson asked.

Thaddeus looked at his son and the rest of the defenders at the gates.

"We stay and fight until the last man! Help will come!" Thaddeus said.

_**The Battle of Whiterun is underway. The gates have been overtaken and the survivors have sealed the gates into the city. **_

_**Will they survive the battle? Will help come? Can they hold out until help arrives? Leave your comments on the chapter below. **_


	20. Vigarr 2 Part Two: Possible Escape Route

Vigarr Chapter 2 Part Two: A Possible Escape Route

Vigarr returned to the main area with everything he could find.

He had collected 2 pickaxes, a couple of mined ore, a loaf of bread, 3 shivs, and a sack of potatoes.

"Is that everything?" Urzoga asked Vigarr as he returned.

"Everything I could find." Vigarr replied handing everything he had gathered to Urzoga.

Gristorcar was the next to return. He had found 1 pickaxe and some cabbage.

"There was not much." Gristorcar told Urzoga.

Ancar was the last to return. He had searched the evidence chests.

"I found about 5-6 steel swords, 13 bottles of Skooma, a Staff of Magelight, a set of iron armor, a glass dagger, a sack of tomatoes, and a jeweled necklace." Ancar said, placing the items in front of Urzoga.

"Alright. First let us see who here is armed, Myself, Ancar, Gristorcar, Vorstag, and Cosnach. Kleppr, Degaine, Hreinn, Garvey, Kibell, and Kanje will each take a steel sword. Vigarr, the glass dagger is yours. Frabbi will lead the way with the Staff of Magelight. Everyone else will arm themselves with a shiv and pickaxe. I will hold the food and non-essentials. The iron armor will go to Vigarr for leading you all to safety. Any questions before we move out?" Urzoga explained.

Everyone shook their heads in response.

"Alright then. Vigarr, lead the way." Urzoga said to Vigarr.

Heading through the gate, Vigarr lead the group to the small Dwemer doors.

"The ruins are just through here." Vigarr said as he opened the doors.

The group entered the ruins and proceeded through the ruins, not looking back.

They encountered a few Frostbite spiders, which they easily dispatched of as they entered the next room.

"Back!" Vigarr whispered, motioning for the group to stop.

"What is it?" Urzoga asked.

"Footsteps. Someone is coming." Vigarr responded.

Urzoga drew her sword and pointed it at the shadowy figure that turned the corner.

"Stop right there! Step out so I can see you!" Urzoga demanded of the person.

"Alright. I'll come out. My name is Ogmund. I took refuge here with Brother Verulus, Bothela, and Muiri." The figure said as they came out from the shadows.

"You could have been killed. Be more careful bard. Now, what is the situation out there?" Urzoga asked.

"The Falmer got in from those old ruins Calcelmo was studying. They overtook the guards. Me and the Brother were in the Hall of the Dead when we heard the fighting begin. We ran to the ruin doors when we saw Bothela and Muiri run from their shop. They were heading for the Keep, but we intercepted them and brought them with us. We got lucky because the Falmer broke through the main gates just after we got inside." Ogmund explained.

"The Falmer…Are inside the city? They've overtaken the Legate and his men?" Vigarr asked, shocked by the news.

"The Legate was running towards the Keep when we last saw him." Ogmund replied.

Vigarr looked at the others and then turned back to Ogmund.

"We have to find the Legate. He can help us escape the city." Vigarr said.

The others pondered Vigarr's statement for a minute and nodded in agreement.

"Alright. Ogmund, lead the way." Urzoga said.

The group made their way back the way Ogmund had come and exited the ruins.

A Falmer was standing outside the Hall of the Dead.

Urzoga drew her sword and snuck behind it.

She then drove her sword through the Falmer's back and laid the dead body on the ground, as to not make a lot of noise.

The group entered the Hall of the Dead and proceeded inside the Keep.

A group of Falmer was patrolling the throne room and another was patrolling the main entrance hall.

"We won't be able to sneak past them. We will need a distraction." Kleppr pointed out.

Vigarr thought for a moment what could distract those Falmer long enough for them to get past them.

"Someone will have to stay behind and draw their attention." Degaine finally answered.

"I will do it. Take the supplies and go find the Legate." Urzoga said, handing the supplies to Vigarr.

"No, let me do it." Vigarr said.

"It's alright. I am just a mercenary. No one will miss me. Besides, I am an Orc. I need an honorable death and I'm stubborn, so I won't let any of you take this away from me." Urzoga replied.

"All right. Go ahead. And what you said isn't true. Everyone here will miss you because we are all grateful for what you have done for us. If you had not let us into the mine, we would have surely perished. Good-bye Urzoga and may you find the peace you are looking for." Vigarr said as Urzoga ran to distract the Falmer.

Urzoga ran past the Falmer into the throne room.

The group nearest the main entrance ran after her.

"All right. Let's move." Vigarr said as the group ran for the museum doors.


	21. Admand: Defense of Markarth Part Two

Legate Emmanuel Admand: Defense of Markarth Part Two

Legate Admand and the blacksmith, Moth gro-Bagol made their way through the Dwemer Museum, finding the bodies of both Falmer and city guards littering the floor.

The Legate looked around noticing all of the Dwemer artifacts Calcelmo had collected over the years from his studies of the Dwemer.

The biggest unsolved mystery was the Dwemer's disappearance.

Legate Admand stopped and picked up a newly written book by Calcelmo explaining this happening and recent events relating to it.

"_It appears all members of the Dwemer race were simply removed from the world. When the previously untouched Dwemer ruins of Bamz-Amschend in Mournhold were rediscovered, numerous piles of ashes were present next to weapons and armor, on chairs, and in beds, suggesting the Dwemer's bodies were suddenly reduced to ash in some way. _

_In 4E 201, Arniel Gane, a researcher at the College of Winterhold in Skyrim, attempted to recreate the circumstances of the Dwemer's disappearance after obtaining Keening, one of Kagrenac's Tools, but vanished suddenly in the process, strengthening the theory that Kagrenac's use of the tools was the cause of the disappearance. _

_Some scholars still resist the notion that the Dwemer disappeared all at once._

_A theory also exists that their sudden extinction was caused by their reversal of the usual processes involved in the Earth Bones, the laws of nature. Rather than creating the profane by commanding the sacred, such as in Conjuration magic or Daedra worship, they sought to create Anumidium, their own sacred, from the "deaths of the profane"._

_Vivec, the warrior-poet god of the Dunmer, similarly believes that the disappearance of the Dwemer is in some way owed to their "divine sin"—attempting to create a god for their own purposes from the remains of the god Lorkhan. Whether their use of Kagrenac's Tools in this process or simply their intentions resulted in their extinction remains unclear in this theory._

_The Dwemer purportedly possessed an ability that was known as "The Calling", which seems to have been similar to telepathy. It allowed the Dwemer to communicate with each other over great distances. It has been suggested that, in the last moments before they disappeared, Lord Kagrenac used The Calling to summon all of the Dwemer people and rally them to carry out his plans to transcend the Mortal Plane. Whether this was related to their demise or not is uncertain."_

He put the book down and the two men continued on their way.

"Legate, before we proceed any further, I would just like to point out this place is filled with many traps and other unknown defenses. The Jarl probably had Calcelmo or his nephew put up those defenses to keep the Falmer from reaching them. We should really be careful from here on out." The blacksmith stated.

"We'll be extra careful. Now, let's see if we can't find them." The Legate said, opening another set of doors.

Inside he saw two halls, one leading down and another leading to their left.

"Which one shall you take?" the Legate asked the blacksmith.

He contemplated his options for a moment.

"I will go down there. You go to the left." The blacksmith answered, making his way down a level.

The Legate advanced down the left hallway.

A two-sided blade rose from the floor and began spinning and heading in the Legate's direction.

He ran towards it and just before it reached him, he jumped over it.

He made his way to the end of the hall and waited for the blacksmith.

After a few minutes, the Legate decided to see where the blacksmith had gone.

He descended down to the lower hallway and found the blacksmith lying face down and a green mist filling the hallway.

He pulled a lever and the vents opened, clearing the room of the toxins.

He ran over and checked on the blacksmith.

Dead, this is my fault. I should have taken this way instead, the Legate thought to himself as he turned back around and continued through Calcelmo's laboratory.

The next room was engulfed in flames.

Must be another trap. There must be a lever or something around here to put out the fire, the Legate thought as he began his search.

He looked around and saw a red valve and turned it. The flames ceased and he proceeded through the room.

The Legate opened the doors, leading to Wizard's Balcony.

This would be a spot for archers to fire upon those Falmer, the Legate thought as he entered the next set of doors.

Just as he entered the room, an arrow zoomed past his head hitting the door behind him.

"Hold your fire! I am Legate Emmanuel Admand of the Imperial Legion!" the Legate shouted.

"Cease fire men! I apologize Legate. We expected the Falmer to finally reach us, but it looks like the Museum's defenses have kept them at bay. Come in Legate." Jarl Igmund said.

The Legate entered the room. It was Calcelmo's personal tower, where he did much of his work.

The Legate looked around and saw guards on each side of the entrance.

"This is quite the defendable spot Jarl. We could last for quite some time here. Well-placed archers on either side of the door and just on that ledge could keep the Falmer at bay." The Legate was saying as he walked up the stairs into Calcelmo's personal study.

"What is the situation Legate?" Jarl Igmund asked.

"The main gates have been overrun. A lot of good men have died today. The Falmer aren't the only ones who have been killed by these defenses. I lost a good man on the way up here. His name was Moth gro-Bagol and he was the Keep's blacksmith. I hope we are able to defeat these Falmer or all of these deaths will have been for nothing." The Legate replied.

The door opened once more and the Legate ran over to the ledge to see who it was.

"Hold your fire!" the Legate said as he saw a set of furry ears sticking through the doors.

The group consisted of Khajiit, Nords and Imperials.

"State your names." The Legate shouted.

They stood there for a moment before one of the Khajiit stepped forward to answer his question.

"My name is Vigarr and we are here for your help."

_**Vigarr and his group of survivors have finally reached the Legate. They are all now in Calcelmo's Tower. **_

_**Can the Museum's defenses keep the Falmer out or will they find a way around them and reach the survivors? What will the Legate say about Vigarr's plan to escape the city? Leave your comments on the past two chapters below.**_


	22. Stalleo 2: Waking In Darkness

Stalleo Chapter 2: Waking In Darkness

Stalleo awoke from unconsciousness.

He looked around and saw only darkness.

"Where am I?" he asked out loud, but he knew he wasn't going to get an answer.

"We are somewhere underground, friend." A voice said from somewhere in the darkness.

Stalleo looked around, surprised to hear someone answer his question.

"Who's there?" Stalleo asked out into the darkness.

He sat for a minute and waited for a reply back.

"My name is Barknar. Who might you be?" the voice asked back.

"I am Stalleo. The Falmer are back." Stalleo said to Barknar.

"I know. They attacked the settlement of Ivarstead on their way to Riften. I was coming back down the mountain from my pilgrimage when I found the Falmer attacking the village. I helped the guards distract them long enough for the civilians to run to safety in Shroud Hearth Barrow. The guards were all killed and I was knocked unconscious from a hit to the back of the head. I then awoke to find myself here." Barknar explained to Stalleo.

Stalleo tried to get up, but found himself tied up.

"Those creatures tied us up. How are we going to escape if we can't even move?" Stalleo asked.

"_You will not be escaping." _A voice said from the darkness.

"Barknar is that you?" Stalleo asked in a concerned tone.

"No friend. That is not me." Barknar answered.

"_The world above is being destroyed and taken back by the Falmer. They will soon rule the surface world once more, but this time without any interference." _The voice said.

"Who are you?" Stalleo shouted out into the darkness.

"_Oh no. You are not the one meant to know who I truly am. In due time, I will reveal myself, but not to you. You will not live to see the end." _The voice replied as Stalleo felt hands grab him and begin to drag him away.

"Let go of me!" Stalleo said as he struggled to break free.

The Falmer drag Stalleo into a clearing.

Stalleo looked around at the massive underground cavern, finally seeing where he had been taken.

There were a few structures, which looked Dwemer in nature. The rusted gold plating on the statues and roofs of each building.

A Falmer stood before him, unsheathing its sword, pointing it at Stalleo. It then swung its sword at him.

_**Stalleo has made his return, but he has been left in a sticky situation. The voice has also returned, but this time speaking to Stalleo. **_

_**Will Stalleo survive? Who is the voice? What will the Falmer do next? Leave your comments on this chapter below.**_


	23. Tullius 3: Winds Change For The Worse

Tullius Chapter 3: Winds Change For The Worse

"Legate Caesennius, what are the latest reports?" General Tullius asked the Legate who had been transferred from Solitude to command the forces at Forelhost.

"General, the reports from the west are not good. Riften has fallen, along with Ivarstead and Shor's Stone. Morthal is currently under siege from the Falmer forces. Whiterun is also currently under attack. Windhelm, Solitude, Dawnstar, and Winterhold are currently untouched but that may change within the next few days. Falkreath is gearing up for an assault with scouts from the town saying Falmer have been spotted in the region." The Legate explained.

"What about the other settlements and Markarth?" the General asked; noticing the Legate had forgotten to tell him.

"I'm sorry General. Forgot about those. Riverwood and Rorikstead have been attacked as well. The Orc Strongholds are faring pretty decent, but will not be able to hold out for too long. Karthwasten has been annihilated with no survivors. From what we can tell, Markarth has been overrun. But General…. Never mind." The Legate said to the General.

"What is it Legate?" the General said, noting the Legate's sudden hesitance at the end of his report.

"Well….the Falmer have not….." the Legate was attempting to say.

"Answer the question Legate." The General said to the Legate wanting to know what the Legate wasn't telling him.

"The Falmer kind of neglected to attack High Hrothgar, General." The Legate finally answered.

"High Hrothgar? Maybe they couldn't make it up the path. Or maybe they don't know about High Hrothgar." The General was saying.

"With a force as large as theirs, they could have easily made it up the path, sir. What if…..the Greybeards are the ones commanding them?" the Legate asked nervously.

"How could the Greybeards possibly be the ones to command an army of Falmer? They promote peace and tranquility. Why would they attack us? And if they even wanted to attack us, they wouldn't need an army to do it. They could just shout everyone to death." The General answered, but he was now concerned that it might actually be the Greybeards behind these attacks. They remained in that god-forsaken tower and never left, so what if they had contacted the Falmer somehow and were sitting, watching as the Falmer army tore apart Skyrim all in retaliation for the recent events that occurred and to, in their minds, cleanse the world of the unworthy or those who were no prone to the Way of the Voice.

"Legate, send some of the men to Largashbur to assist the Orcs and offer them asylum here if they wish." The General ordered the Legate.

"As you wish General." The Legate said, bowing his head and then turning to carry out the General's order.

General Tullius walked into the throne room, over to Falk Firebeard.

"Firebeard. Get a courier. Tell him to send a letter to the Emperor for reinforcements. These Falmer continue to grow in numbers and we need what help we can get." Tullius said to the Steward.

"General, may I have a word with you?" the High Queen asked.

"You may, High Queen." General Tullius answered.

"No need for the formalities General. You can still call me Elisif. Now General, who do you believe is behind these attacks? I know the Falmer cannot plan an all-out invasion like this on their own. Someone has to be behind this." Elisif said to the General.

In all the time he had known about the Falmer attacks and was planning a counter-offensive, he never stopped to actually think about who could be pulling the strings.

"I don't want to jump to any conclusions without knowing all of the details first. I don't want to put the blame on someone and it end up being the wrong one. If I do that, we might even have another war on our hands when this is all over. So my main concern right now is turning back these monsters and saving what is left of Skyrim. You can speculate on who you believe is behind the Falmer's sudden resurgence, but I won't. My job is to protect the people of Skyrim and that is just what I will do. My apologies if I have come off as being rude and out of line, but I am just stating what I believe." The General stated to High Queen Elisif, now standing proudly for standing up for what he thought was right.

"Thank you for your honesty…"Elisif was saying just as she fell from her throne.

The General sharply looked around to see if anyone was in the room, but saw no one.

He turned to the High Queen and saw an arrow through her heart.

"High Queen! High Queen! Elisif!" The General was shouting standing over the High Queen.

He tried to wake her, but he knew she was gone.

_**High Queen Elisif is dead! **_

_**What will happen to the state of Skyrim now that its High Queen has just been murdered? Will General Tullius be able to find her killer or will the killer escape? Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_


	24. Envar 3: Prisoner Of Your Own Devices

Envar Chapter 3: Prisoner Of Your Own Devices

Envar ran, having achieved his goal.

The High Queen was now dead, the payment for this will be great, he thought to himself as he rounded the corner.

He could hear the guards shouting and people running behind him.

He didn't look back to see the aftermath of his actions, his only concern was getting back to Dawnstar and being paid for his kill.

"Find him!" a guard shouted.

Envar hid behind a crate as 2-3 guards came out of a room to his left.

Another two guards exited the room to his right, but stopped in front of Envar's hiding spot.

"Who could have done such a thing? Killing the High Queen?" one of the guards said, shocked and bewildered about the whole incident.

"I wouldn't be surprise if it was that weasel, Erikur. He has always been a schemer and is always looking for a chance to get ahead." The other guard replied.

"You should bring this concern to General Tullius. He would want to hear about any potential suspects." The first guard said.

Hmmm….Quite the interesting development. First I get paid by the fool and then have him arrested for the assassination and be paid a finder's fee for my services in providing the information. The bounty to find the High Queen's killer would surely be a large sum, Envar thought as the two guards turned and proceeded to the throne room.

Envar came out from hiding and ran into a nearby room.

He opened one of the drawers and changed into a set of miner's clothes as not to be noticed as an assassin, lessening his chances of being captured.

He exited the room and began to run in the direction of the main hall.

He saw people running all over the place in a panic.

These people get really worked up when one of their political figures of someone important dies or is killed. Yet no one panics when someone like a soldier or civilians dies. It's sickening, Envar thought as he followed a group of civilians making their way towards the main hall.

"Everyone turn back! The Falmer are coming!" a guard yelled to the civilians.

Falmer? Here already? Damn! They weren't supposed to be here for another three days. Maybe it was just a scouting party, Envar thought as he stood with the rest of the scared civilians.

"Are you sure it isn't just a scouting party?" Envar asked from within the crowd as not to draw attention to himself, letting the guard think someone else had asked.

"We aren't taking any chances. Scouting party or not. Now everyone is to turn back around and head for the safe zone." The guard answered.

These guards worried too much. They got frightened and over-exaggerated about every little thing. They had to go on full lockdown for everything. Even a single wolf put them into full panic mode, especially in a place where a Jarl or person or importance was residing. That of course was pretty much everywhere in Skyrim, heck everywhere in Tamriel for that matter. But, my main concern right now is finding a way out of here, Envar thought as he tried to find another exit.

Then it hit him. There had been a large set of doors back in the throne room, which if his map was correct, led to the battlements and from there he could make his escape. Now he needed to disguise himself as one of the guards.

Envar ran to the armory to get a set of guard armor.

"What are you doing in here? Shouldn't you be heading to the safe zone?" a voice said from behind him.

He turned to see a man in a set of Imperial armor with an officer's helmet on.

"I….Just want to be able to defend myself if those Falmer happen to make it inside." Envar said to the soldier.

"We can handle it. Please make your way to the safe zone." The soldier said.

"You heard about what happened in Riften and Markarth. The Falmer broke through those gates with little effort. What if they do the same here? Will you be able to stop them then? I don't think so. I will just grab a weapon and some armor and be on my way." Envar replied to the soldier.

The soldier unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Envar.

"Step away from there now!" the soldier shouted at him.

Envar pulled a dagger out of his belt and threw it at the soldier.

It struck him between his helmet and the top of his chestplate.

The soldier collapsed as Envar ran to retrieve his dagger.

"Sorry. Had to do what was necessary. You got in my way. Can't have that." Envar said as he turned back to the smithy and grabbed a set of armor and a steel sword.

He changed into the armor and made his way to the throne room.

General Tullius and a few others were standing around a table, looking at a map set in the middle.

"Whoever did this could be anywhere by now. We need to find him and get him to tell us who orchestrated this assassination." The General said to the others.

"Maybe it was one of the Jarls wanting the throne for themselves." Envar said out loud.

Oh, now I've done it. I didn't think that was going to come out of my mouth, Envar thought as he saw them turn their attention towards him.

"If it was a Jarl, which one then?" the General asked him.

Just as he was about to answer, one of the guards from before chimed in.

"I think it was Erikur, General." The guard said.

"Erikur. That makes sense. That weasel is always planning and scheming. Legate, get a courier to Solitude. Get word of what has happened here to Legate Rikke and tell her of our suspicions." The General ordered.

"You there." The General said pointing in Envar's direction.

"Yes…General!" Envar said as he stood up in attention.

"I want you to escort the courier to Solitude. Everyone else, prepare to take out those Falmer outside the walls." The General said.

Good, my escape route has just been handed to me, Envar thought to himself, surprised his disguise was working.

Envar followed the courier out of Forelhost and began to escort him to Solitude.

The two men entered the forest and Envar turned and saw a small band of Falmer making their way towards Forelhost.

I knew they were over exaggerating the danger, Envar thought to himself.

Just as Envar was about to turn back to the courier, he was struck from behind.

He fell and just before losing consciousness, he saw a hooded elf standing over him.

_**Envar has successfully carried out the assassination of High Queen Elisif, but now has problems of his own. **_

_**Who is the hooded elf? Will the courier reach Solitude in time with the message? Will Erikur be caught for his role in the assassination? What will happen to Envar? Will he be killed, captured, etc.? Leave your comments on the chapter below.**_


	25. Wayfinder 3: New Acquaintance, Same Prob

Wayfinder Chapter 3: New Acquaintances, Same Problems

"What did you say your name was?" Wayfinder asked the man in the cell.

"My name is Sibbi Black-Briar. Now if you don't mind, get me out of here before those vile creatures come back to finish the job." Sibbi Black-Briar said to Wayfinder.

"Sibbi Black-Briar? Oh no. I heard you killed an unarmed man who was defending his sister. You're no good. We should just leave him in there to rot." Constantine said in disgust.

"Excuse, but why don't we leave you in this cell and I will take your place? How would you like that little mage? Leave you here to rot, while I leave with your friends." Sibbi Black-Briar replied.

"In reality, only one of these people is my friend. I only just met most of them not even a few days ago. And I think they would choose me over you any day, little Black-Briar." Constantine replied back.

"Enough! We are not here to start anymore problems! Our goal is to reach Forelhost and warn the High Queen and the General about Litthius' visions. Any other qualms will have to wait until this is all over. Now, the decision on whether to release or leave Mr. Black-Briar behind will be left up to Captain Wayfinder and no one else." Tolfdir declared moving to the front of the group, closer to the cell and Wayfinder.

"Well…I think we will…release him." Wayfinder answered, confused about why the decision was left up to him.

"Thank you kind sir. At least the decision was left up to someone with any sense of honor and dignity." Sibbi Black-Briar said, as he grinned at Wayfinder's decision.

"What would you know about honor and dignity? You're a Black-Briar." Constantine said.

"Constantine!" Tolfdir yelled.

"Sorry Tolfdir. I'll be nice for now. But I still don't trust him." Constantine said to Tolfdir.

"It doesn't matter if you trust him or not, we need all the help we can get, no matter who it may be." Tolfdir replied to Constantine.

Wayfinder took out the prison cell keys and opened the cell door for Sibbi Black-Briar.

"Finally, freedom. Now would any of you kind gentlemen mind giving some sort of weapon to defend myself with?" Sibbi Black-Briar said as he exited the cell.

"What about everyone else? You won't defend them?" Constantine asked noting Sibbi's statement.

"What? Oh of course. I meant to also add, defend myself and all of you. Must have slipped my mind for a moment there." Sibbi replied.

Wayfinder went to look for a weapon for Sibbi Black-Briar in the prison's armory and even evidence chest.

"Any survivors down there?" Tolfdir shouted down to Enthir and his group.

"None. Sorry Tolfdir." Litthius shouted back.

"So, I am the only survivor? That is too bad. I would have liked to have some company besides you lot." Sibbi Black-Briar said in slight disappointment.

The group reconvened and Wayfinder handed Sibbi an elven dagger he had found inside one of the evidence chests.

"Come on. Let's be on our way." Wayfinder said, motioning for the group to leave the prison.

"Do you think anyone else could have survived?" Litthius asked the group.

Wayfinder looked at Litthius and then the rest of the group, waiting to see if anyone had some sort of response.

"I don't believe so. These Falmer were pretty effective in killing just about everyone, except Sibbi here of course. But, if any of you want to do a quick sweep through these buildings, go right ahead. I will wait by the southern gates." Tolfdir replied, making his way over to the southern gates to wait for everyone else.

"I think I will just join him over there." Sibbi Black-Briar said, also making his way to the southern gates.

The rest of the group began to search all of the nearby buildings for survivors.

After a few minutes, the group returned to the town market to report their findings.

"Well anything? Was there any survivors?" Wayfinder asked the rest of the group.

He looked around at the group waiting for a response.

"I found a guard in one of the basements, but he was dying. I put him out of his misery." Constantine said as he lowered his head.

"It's all right Constantine. You actually did him a favor. If you hadn't, he would have bled to death and nobody wants to suffer like that." Wayfinder said, trying to comfort Constantine.

"Where is Guthrum?" Ravam asked, noticing the Nord sailor was missing.

Wayfinder looked around and then saw Guthrum exiting the Temple of Mara with someone following behind him.

"Who is that with you?" Ravam asked, noticing the person behind him.

"My name is Briehl. I am an acolyte of the Temple of Mara. The others did not survive." The person behind Guthrum answered.

Wayfinder began to walk over to greet this new survivor, when he saw someone run from the Bunkhouse into the Bee and Barb.

"Someone ran inside the inn. Go and find out who it was!" Wayfinder shouted.

Litthius and Enthir ran inside the inn.

"You look upstairs and I will look downstairs." Enthir said to Litthius.

The two men split up to look for the unknown, potential survivor.

Litthius slowly moved up the stairs, unsure what kind of reception he would get if the person had run up these stairs.

Just as he turned the corner, he was struck in the chest with a Statue of Dibella. He fell back to the bottom of the stairs, holding his chest in pain.

Enthir sprinted up from the basement and then up the stairs where Litthius had fallen from. He saw the person run into room farthest from the stairs and slam the door shut.

Enthir ran over and kicked the door open.

"Please don't kill me!" the person screamed from underneath the bed.

"Come out!" Enthir yelled.

The person crawled out from underneath the bed, still holding the Statue of Dibella.

"Who are you?" Enthir asked the person.

"My… name….is Svana Far-Shield." The young woman replied.

"Why did you attack my friend?" Enthir asked.

"I thought he was one of those creatures who attacked this city. Not that I'm saying he looks like one, I just thought he was one because of the footsteps." Svana replied.

"All right. Give me the statue. Please." Enthir said holding his hands out.

Svana reluctantly handed him the statue and backed away.

"Good. Now I am with a group of people outside. We came to see if anyone survived the attack on Riften. You can come with us if you like. We are going to Forelhost." Enthir said to Svana.

She looked at him, pondering her choices.

"Ok. I'll go with you." She answered, knowing that staying here could get her killed. At least with a group of people, she had a good chance of surviving.

The three of them proceeded back outside to the market place and joined back up with the group.

Enthir introduced Svana to the group and knowing there were likely no more survivors, they joined Tolfdir and Sibbi at the southern gates.

"Everyone ready to go?" Tolfdir asked.

Wayfinder took one last look at the city of Riften.

So much death, these people did not stand a chance against those creatures. But the rest of Skyrim will not fall. Tamriel will not fall to those monsters. We will stop them even if it costs us our lives. We will not let them have their revenge, Wayfinder thought as he turned back from the city and the group began to make their way to the capital at Forelhost.

_**Wayfinder and his group have found survivors from the attack on Riften. There may not be as many as he would have liked, but three is still a lot considering the circumstances. Now they are on their way to Forelhost to meet with the High Queen and General Tullius, not knowing of the changes and events that have taken place. **_

_**Will the group reach Forelhost? Can they stop the Falmer from taking Skyrim and even Tamriel? Leave your comments on this chapter below.**_


	26. Cyrodiil's Answer

Cyrodiil's Answer

With the destruction of the Imperial City and the White Gold Tower by the Thalmor in 4E 174, the capital of Cyrodiil was temporarily moved to the once ruined fortress of Sancre Tor.

Sancre Tor was a fortified city once conquered by Tiber Septim that later fell into ruins. The mythical birthplace and final resting place of Reman Cyrodiil, it is located in the Jerall Mountains in Colovia, north of the city of Chorrol. In 2E 852, the city was captured by invading forces from High Rock and Skyrim. General Talos, who would later become Tiber Septim, recaptured the city that winter, however as the city was in a strategically inconvenient position it was then abandoned. The old fortress of Sancre Tor was later corrupted by the Underking, prompting it to be sealed shut by the Grandmaster of the Blades in the 36th Year of the Reign of Tiber Septim. In the years after Tiber Septim's reign it was gradually forgotten, decaying into a haunted ruin, until it became the new temporary capital of Cyrodiil.

Atop the throne sat the interim Emperor, Amaund Motierre.

"Legate Tenilius, send for Arantyl." Amaund ordered.

The Legate went off to find the Thalmor Justicar who was Amaund's second in command.

"Amaund, a courier from Skyrim has requested your presence." Amaund's bodyguard, Rexus said.

"Send him in." Amaund replied motioning for Rexus to fetch the courier.

Rexus had been Amaund Motierre's bodyguard for a number of years, even following him to Skyrim when Amaund contacted the Dark Brotherhood for the assassination of the former emperor, Titus Mede II. He was the only man Amaund could trust and he knew as long as Rexus remained by his side, nothing bad would befall him.

"My Emperor, I bring word from General Tullius in Skyrim. It is about the Falmer threat." The courier began to say.

"And what does General Tullius request of me? I presume he wishes me to send aid. Am I correct in saying this?" Amaund asked waiting for the courier's reply, even though he believed he already knew what it was.

"Yes Emperor, he requests aid in the form of soldiers." The courier replied.

"The General asks that I send soldiers to assist him?" Amaund asked sarcastically.

"Amaund, some Falmer attempted to cross the mountains into Cyrodiil, but a battalion of Legionaries stopped them before they could make it." Rexus informed him.

Amaund looked at Rexus and then at the courier, deciding what to do.

"Rexus have twenty or so men set up an outpost in the mountains. As for you courier, return and tell General Tullius, there is nothing I can do for him. He will have to fair with what soldiers he has. I have to protect my own borders and I hope he can understand that." Amaund Motierre replied as he sat back down upon his throne.

"Emperor?!" the courier asked, confused and surprised by the Emperor's reply.

"You heard my answer. Bring the message back to General Tullius." Amaund said as he dismissed the courier.

The courier turned and exited the throne room, disappointed by the Emperor's response.

"Amaund, why have you refused the General's request for aid?" Rexus asked.

"Why should I help Skyrim? What have any of them done for me? I am but an interim Emperor, just some to place upon the throne until they choose someone…in their own words, better or more suited for the job. I did not have Titus Mede II assassinated just to have someone else reap the benefits." Amaund was saying to Rexus, getting frustrated by the minute.

"If you aid Skyrim, the Elder Council may just allow you to remain Emperor, Amaund." Rexus replied.

"They would never allow me to remain Emperor under any circumstances. Skyrim is a foreign land, the Elder Council does not care for it nor do I. Let the Falmer have Skyrim and when they decide to try and invade Cyrodiil, I will throw every last man, woman, and child at them until we successfully defend this country and wipe them out completely. Skyrim is no longer my concern. As soon as Titus Mede II was assassinated and I placed upon the Ruby Throne, though temporarily, my cares for Skyrim ceased to exist. Now leave me." Amaund said to Rexus, motioning for him to leave the throne room as he was done speaking about the matter.

Rexus bowed and exited the throne room as Arantyl passed by on his way to the throne room himself.

"You called for me Emperor?" Arantyl asked.

"Yes. I would ask that you keep an eye on Rexus, as I feel he may go behind my back and assist the good General and Skyrim. Ensure that he does not. As to my previous request for your presence, forget it and do as I have asked." Amaund ordered.

"As you wish Emperor." The Thalmor said as he exited the throne room.

Rexus walked down a hallway, on his way to the quarters of High Chancellor.

"Rexus, may I have a word with you." He heard a voice say from behind him.

Rexus turned to see the Thalmor, Arantyl approaching.

"And to what do I owe this intrusion?" Rexus asked weary of the Thalmor's intentions.

Arantyl moved in close to Rexus.

Rexus felt a sharp pain in his chest and saw a small dagger stabbing him.

"We cannot have you interfering in the affairs of others. This is for Amaund Motierre, but more importantly the Aldmeri Dominion. We will not have you stop what is to come in Skyrim. Whatever forces are working to destroy Skyrim must be allowed to do so. No interferences. The Thalmor must be seen as the heroes who vanquished this new, great threat and once that happens, all in Tamriel shall bow before their new Thalmor lords." Arantyl said as he laid Rexus' now deceased body upon the ground.

_**Amaund Motierre has refused to help General Tullius and the people of Skyrim. Rexus has been murdered by the Thalmor. **_

_**What will happen to Skyrim now that no aid is coming? Will Skyrim survive or will it fall to the Falmer threat? Will the Thalmor be the ones to quell the Falmer invasion or will it be Amaund Motierre and his armies in Cyrodiil? Can General Tullius and his men be the ones to stop the advancing Falmer? Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_


	27. Thaddeus Chapter 4: Unrelenting Force

Thaddeus Chapter 4: Unrelenting Force

The Falmer had been attempting to break through the gates for nearly 2 days, with the city's defenders switching off trying to hold them back.

A few of the able-bodied men and women had left their homes to help in the city's defense.

"Amren, go with Torvar and Athis and secure the western wall. Uthgerd, Idolaf Battle-Born, Ria, and Mikael to the north wall. Jon Battle-Born, Jenassa, and Gloth to the southern wall. Farkas, Vilkas, and Gleeson will go to Dragonsreach and protect the Jarl. Everyone else will either remain here or take up positions around the city. Thaddeus take Elrindir, Brill, Sinmir, and a few of the guards and set up a defensible position outside Jorrvaskr." Legate Cipius ordered.

Everyone followed orders and moved to where the Legate had told them.

Thaddeus and Sinmir grabbed a few of the barricades and placed them on the steps leading up to Jorrvaskr.

Elrindir took his bow and took position on the Skyforge platform.

"Where are the Jarl and his court? They should be out here fighting this battle as well. This is their city too." Brill was complaining as he put on a set of iron armor and picked up a long bow and quiver of steel arrows.

Thaddeus noted Brill's complaints, but ignored them focusing on the task at hand.

He turned to see Gleeson and the two brothers heading up the stairs towards Dragonsreach to protect the Jarl, his court and his family.

Brill is right though, they should be down here fighting this battle with us, but if the Jarl falls, we lose any sort of figurehead and that is not what Whiterun needs right now, Thaddeus thought as he heard another bang come from the main gates.

"Those Falmer don't let up do they." Sinmir was saying as he too heard the bang.

"Yeah. Their relentless." Thaddeus replied back.

Thaddeus looked to the sky and saw storm clouds forming overhead. It then began to rain. The raindrops clinking off their armor as the Falmer once more attempted to break through the gates.

"Just what we need. A storm to pass over at a time like this. Just perfect." Thaddeus heard Brill say.

Thaddeus then heard a shout from over the storm and sounds of the Falmer.

"_**Fus Roh Dah!" **_

The gates burst open and Falmer began piling into the city.

"Hold them back!" he could hear the Legate shouting at the gates.

"Oh no. We are not in a good spot. We can't stay here!" Brill shouted as he made a run for Dragonsreach.

But his efforts were futile as an arrow struck him in the back, his body falling just in front of the statue of Talos.

A group of 4-5 Falmer was running past the Temple of Kynareth in their direction.

"Notch! Draw! Loose!" Thaddeus shouted as Elrindir and the soldiers fired at the Falmer.

"_**Dinok Los Unslaad" **_the voice shouted. It was louder than the storm and the sounds of battle and could be heard by any and all in the city of Whiterun.

Thaddeus ran from his position to check on the situation at the gates.

Legate Cipius and a number of others had been overcome by the Falmer and cut down.

Aela and a few others were fighting the Falmer in the marketplace.

A Falmer ran at Thaddeus, but was struck down by an arrow fired by Elrindir.

"Everyone back to Dragonsreach! Retreat!" Thaddeus shouted as he saw more Falmer charging through the gates.

Those who heard began to run for Dragonsreach, still fighting the Falmer as they ran.

Thaddeus, Sinmir, Elrindir, and the soldiers in front of Jorrvaskr ran up to the bridge to Dragonsreach.

"Give them some covering fire!" Thaddeus shouted to the soldiers.

The soldiers and Elrindir began firing at the Falmer to allow some of the battlers to make it to Dragonsreach.

Gloth tried to run for the stairs, but was struck down by a Falmer's axe as it came up from behind him.

Aela fired an arrow, striking down the Falmer.

Another came from behind her and stabbed her in the back.

"NNNNOOOOOO!" Thaddeus yelled as Aela collapsed to the ground.

The Falmer were killing any who tried to make a run for the stairs, stabbing the ones they could reach and putting arrows in the rest.

Thaddeus ran down towards the Wind District plaza and swung his sword on all directions, hitting numerous Falmer as he went.

A Falmer jumped over one of the benches at Thaddeus.

He thrust his sword forward and struck the Falmer in the chest and tossed it down.

Thaddeus felt a sharp pain suddenly in his right shoulder and saw an arrow sticking out of his back. He pulled the arrow out and kept on fighting.

"_Well now you are quite the fighter. You have impressed me." _A voice said to Thaddeus.

"Who is that?!" Thaddeus shouted nervously.

"_Who I am is of no concern to you. You have proven yourself well against the Falmer. You are worthy to live in the new world, once the Falmer have taken it over. Do not fight or I will change my mind and have them kill you." _The voice replied.

"I won't work with you." Thaddeus said as he stabbed another Falmer.

"_You have made the biggest mistake in your petty and miserable little life. You shall suffer a fate worse than death. You do not defy me!" _the voice screamed as a dragon landed in front of Thaddeus.

Thaddeus stared in horror at the dragon in front of him.

"Is this where the voice was coming from?" Thaddeus asked.

"_No. That dragon will do as I command. Kill him!" _the voice shouted.

_**The battle of Whiterun continues, but Thaddeus is left in a real bad situation. A dragon has appeared the voice has now spoken to Thaddeus! **_

_**Will Thaddeus survive his encounter with the dragon? Who is the voice and is that voice the one leading the Falmer? Leave your comments on this chapter below.**_


	28. Vigarr 3: No Rest, No Reinforcement

Vigarr Chapter 3: No Rest, No Reinforcement

Vigarr sat in one of the chairs surrounding a table, upon it a map of Skyrim and another of Markarth.

"There is only one way in and one way out of this tower. We can hold the Falmer off from here, but soon we will run out of supplies. Reinforcements are unlikely to come, so we must do things for ourselves. Someone has to go back down into the city and gather as much supplies as they can carry. Everyone be ready for anything. The Falmer could show up at any time, so we must be ready." Legate Admand was saying.

"I will go for the supplies." Vigarr said as he stood from his seat.

"Vigarr!" Gristorcar shouted, walking over to him.

"Gristorcar, please. I have volunteered to do this for the Legate. You remain here and help protect these people." He replied noticing Gristorcar's concern.

Vigarr gathered what he would need for the supply run. He sheathed his glass dagger and picked up a hunting bow and a quiver of steel arrows.

"Be careful out there Khajiit. We are all counting on you." Legate Admand said to Vigarr as he handed him a knapsack to carry supplies with.

Vigarr walked down the set of stairs and over to the tower doors where Ancar and Vorstag stood on either side, guarding them.

"Good luck out there." Vorstag said as Vigarr passed through the doors.

2-3 Falmer were outside the other set of doors leading back into Calcelmo's Laboratory.

He saw a waterfall leading down to the city near the blacksmith's forge.

"It's the only way." Vigarr said as he closed his eyes and took the leap.

Tacitus Sallustius lay under the workbench, where he had been hiding since the Falmer had attacked the Keep. He was an Imperial and only a blackmsith's apprentice learning his craft from Ghorz gro-Bagol. He wasn't much good at it, as she always had him making nails and hinges rather than weapons and armor.

Tacitus heard a whooshing noise come from behind him and then a splash from the water.

He quickly crawled out from beneath the workbench and looked over the side of the wall.

He could see someone moving in the water, but he hesitated to assist them.

"H…h…hello? Who is there?" Tacitus asked.

From out of the water came a Khajiit.

"My name is Vigarr, I was sent down from Calcelmo's Tower to gather supplies and possibly weapons and armor. Who might you be?" the Khajiit asked him.

"My name is Tacitus Sallustius. I am the apprentice blacksmith for the forge." Tacitus answered.

"A blacksmith's apprentice? Well at least you survived the attack. Come with me. We must gather supplies and return to the Legate and the others in Calcelmo's Tower." Vigarr said to the young Imperial.

The two men snuck into the apothecary's shop and looked for anything they could use.

"I found a couple of healing potions and some poisons." Tacitus quietly said to Vigarr.

Vigarr turned and entered the bedrooms to search for anything they could use.

He opened one of the drawers and found a quiver of iron arrows, a steel dagger, a set of leather armor, and an Amulet of Arkay.

"Not much items of use in here." Vigarr said as he returned to the main store room.

Tacitus lay on the ground and a Falmer Shadowmaster standing over him.

Vigarr drew his glass dagger and lunged forward at the Falmer.

It side stepped Vigarr's attack and struck him with a bolt of lightning.

Vigarr fell to the ground, holding his right side.

He got back to his feet and once again charged at the Falmer Shadowmaster.

This time he struck it in its chestplate, knocking it back slightly.

The Falmer went for another attack, but a sword came out through its chest and it was tossed to the ground.

Vigarr looked to see who his savior was.

"You must be careful Vigarr." Gristorcar said, helping Vigarr back to his feet.

"Gristorcar, I told you to remain and assist everyone back in Calcelmo's Tower." Vigarr said, slightly disappointed that Gristorcar had failed to do as he asked, but also grateful that he had been there to save his life.

"My allegiance is not to them. They did not save me from a life a self-wallowing or despair. I….."

Before Gristorcar could finish, a sword stabbed him through his back and tossed him aside.

Vigarr looked to see a figure standing in the doorway, just behind where Gristorcar had been.

"Who are you?" Vigarr asked the figure.

"_Skyrim shall soon know who I am. Bolog Fah Aaz"_

_**The voice has now revealed himself, but only to Vigarr. Gristorcar has been killed. The Legate and the other survivors are still in Calcelmo's Tower awaiting their return. **_

_**Will the Falmer make it into the tower? What will this mysterious figure do with Vigarr? **_ _**Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_


	29. Morthal Under Siege

Morthal Under Siege

The Falmer were at the doors, banging with fists, swords, shields and now a battering ram. They had been laying siege to the small city for five days, taking their time seemingly waiting for something or someone.

Legate Taurinius Duilis had been placed in charge of Morthal's forces at the start of the Civil War. Usually the only things he had to worry about were the occasional drunken brawl or random bandit attack, never anything as bad as a full scale assault.

"Keep those doors sealed. Do not let those creatures inside." The Legate shouted to the soldiers.

The Legate, a few soldiers, and a number of civilians had made it inside the Jarl's Bunkhouse.

"Legate Duilis. Help will come. My mother has had a vision." Jarl Idgrod the Younger said.

"I'm sorry m'lady but I cannot give orders or give the men false hope based on the visions of a former Jarl and sick woman." The Legate responded.

The banging at the doors then stopped and the Falmer ran from the doors.

"Where are they going?" one of the guards asked.

"Hold! I will take a look." The Legate said as he opened the door of the bunkhouse.

He looked outside and saw Imperial soldiers coming through the marshland towards the city.

"Everyone outside! Let's move! Reinforcements are here!" The Legate shouted as the soldiers and able-bodied civilians charged outside to assist the advancing Imperial soldiers.

At the front of the line stood Captain Aldis, who had gotten word from General Tullius that a large host of Falmer was attacking Morthal. He insisted on going in place of Legate Rikke. The Legate was not all too pleased, but allowed him to go while she kept order in Solitude.

"Bows at the ready men!" Captain Aldis said as the Falmer charged in their direction.

"Notch!"

"Draw!"

Captain Aldis waited a few minutes, staring at the Falmer who were racing towards them.

Their eyes blood red, their only goal to kill any and all who opposed them.

"Loose!" He shouted as arrows whizzed past his head striking the Falmer who had reached the bridge near the sawmill.

"Notch! Draw! Loose!" he shouted again as another series of arrows struck the advancing Falmer.

"**RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWRRRR**"

Captain Aldis looked up and saw a dragon flying overhead.

"DRAGON!" he shouted as the archers turned their attention towards the dragon.

The dragon swooped down and picked up a few of the soldiers in its claws and tossed them in all different directions.

An arrow struck the dragon in the neck, but it swooped down again and grabbed another few soldiers doing the same to them as the first group.

The dragon came down again, but Captain Aldis was ready this time. He jumped onto the dragons back as it took to the air again.

It swung back and forth trying to shake him off, but he thrust his sword into its back and held on.

It gave a loud cry, but still flew in for another attack.

Aldis unsheathed a dagger from his belt and crawled towards the dragons head.

It grabbed another couple of soldiers and tossed them at the inn.

Aldis stood up and stabbed the dragon in the top of its head.

The dragon began to fall to the ground below. Just before it hit the ground, Aldis jumped onto the roof of one of the houses and rolled off and fell to the ground.

A Falmer lunged at Aldis just as he began to get up, but was struck down by an arrow.

He looked up and saw the Legate and a few others coming across the bridge to assist them.

Aldis and the others rejoined the battle as the Imperial soldiers began to drive the Falmer back.

"Attack!" Aldis shouted as the Imperial soldiers charged at the Falmer forces.

The two separate forces clashed with swords and axes hitting shield, armor, and flesh.

Aldis picked up a sword and swung it at a Falmer Skulker. He struck it just below the helmet in its neck.

Aldis turned and saw a couple of Falmer overtake the Jarl's Housecarl Gorm.

He ran over to the Legate who had 2-3 Falmer surrounding him.

They both swung their swords at the Falmer.

The Legate struck one in the back while Aldis struck another in the side of the head.

Aldis looked around and saw the Falmer were beginning to retreat.

"They are retreating! Don't let them escape! Cut them down! Strike them down!" Aldis began shouting.

Imperial soldiers, city guards, and civilians ran after the retreating Falmer, cutting down the ones they could reach and firing arrows at the ones they could not.

The battle was over. No Falmer was able to escape the forces at Morthal.

"YYYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" the victors shouted.

Aldis looked around at the forces that had turned back the tide.

"We have won the battle! Now it is time to win the war!" Aldis shouted.

"YYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH"

_**The battle for Morthal is over. The people of Skyrim have won their first victory against the Falmer hordes. **_

_**Can the people of Skyrim defeat the Falmer now that they know they can be beaten? Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_


	30. Orcs are a good defense, better offense

Orcs are a good defense, but better offense

Gularzob stood atop the walls of Largashbur and looked out at the Falmer trying to get into the stronghold.

There were no more than twenty orcs in this stronghold, but so far they had turned back the Falmer each time they got anywhere near the gates.

"Gularzob, another wave of Falmer!" Lob shouted.

He looked and saw a good hundred Falmer marching towards the stronghold.

"Bows at the ready!" Gularzob shouted to the other orcs.

The orcs drew their bows and aimed them at the advancing Falmer.

From a distance, Gularzob saw a large group of what looked like armored soldiers marching just behind the Falmer.

"Fire on the Falmer only!" Gularzob shouted as the orcs began to fire their arrows at the Falmer.

A number of them turned around and ran down towards the armored soldiers.

"Swords and axes! We go on the offensive now!" Gularzob shouted as the orcs opened the gates and charged at the Falmer.

The Falmer, unsure what to do, swung in every direction, striking soldier, orc, and Falmer.

Gularzob used this confusion to cut down ten or so Falmer with his Orc War axe.

The soldiers pushed through the Falmer reaching the orcs at last.

"I am Legate Adventus Caesennius. General Tullius has sent us to assist and offer you asylum at the capital of Forelhost." The man leading the soldiers said to Gularzob.

"The names Gularzob. That is a generous offer, but this is our home and we cannot abandon it." Gularzob replied.

"Well at least join us then in fighting the Falmer. We could use orcs in our ranks." The Legate said to Gularzob.

Gularzob thought for a moment about the Legate's offer.

"Gularzob, our stronghold will still be here when we get back. Plus, it is our obligation to assist the other strongholds in times of war." Lob said to Gularzob.

Gularzob turned to Lob, stared at him for a moment and then turned to the Legate.

"We will go with you to Forelhost. But, you must promise to assist us in aiding the other orc strongholds." Gularzob said to the Legate.

"I will do my best. But let us wait and see what General Tullius has to say on the issue before we come to any deals." The Legate said to Gularzob.

"Atub, Ogol, and Ugor are to remain here. Legate, if you would not mind, would you leave a few of your soldiers behind to help protect our stronghold?" Gularzob was saying.

The Legate stopped and thought a moment before giving his answer.

"Alright. You have yourself a deal. I will have about fifteen men stay behind." The Legate answered.

Gularzob was satisfied with the deal and shook the Legate's hand.

"Alright. Everyone let's move out." The Legate ordered.

Gularzob and his orcs joined the Imperial ranks and began their march back to Forelhost.

_**A fairly short chapter, but wanted to show how the orcs were fairing against the Falmer. **_

_**Gularzob and the Orcs of Largashbur have the Imperial ranks and are on their way to Forelhost. **_

_**Will Gularzob and Tullius be able to come to some sort of arrangement concerning the other strongholds? Will the strongholds hold out long enough for Imperial aid? Leave your comments on this chapter below.**_


	31. Stalleo 3: Deeper Into The Depths

Stalleo Chapter 3: Deeper into the Depths

Stalleo rolled out of the way of the Falmer's attack, tripping the creature in the process.

The Falmer fell dropping its sword a few feet away.

Stalleo saw the newly presented opportunity and rolled towards the sword.

The Falmer got the same idea and crawl towards the weapon.

They reached it at the same time and both grabbed for the sword.

Stalleo used all of his strength to pry the weapon out of its hands and slashed it across the face.

The Falmer fell to the ground, holding its face where Stalleo had wounded it.

Stalleo used the sword to cut his bindings and then stabbed down at the already injured Falmer.

"Nice job friend." Barknar shouted to him.

He turned to where the two men had been held captive.

Barknar still lay there wrapped in his bindings.

"Let me help you." Stalleo said as he walked over to Barknar and released him.

"Thanks. Now we must find a way out of here and back to the surface." Barknar suggested looking around at the vast black that was Blackreach.

Stalleo lead the way as the two made their way down a stone pathway, past a series of half-collapsed columns.

"Look a set of doors." Barknar said pointing towards what looked like a set of doors.

"Looks likes Dwemer make. This must be some sort of Dwemer ruins or something. The Falmer have overtaken it and claimed it as their own. There are probably still Dwemer machinations down here we could use to assist us. I believe if we do come across one, I could rework it to our advantage." Stalleo explained.

The two men passed through the doors and entered the structure.

"Looks like some sort of meeting hall or something." Barknar pointed out.

"It is a Debate Hall. Not sure what is was used for, but you are probably right. High-ranking Dwemer probably convened here to discuss important matters." Stalleo said as he looked around the small room.

Stalleo then heard footsteps coming from a hall to the left.

"Quiet. Take to hiding." Stalleo quietly said to Barknar.

The two men snuck into separate hiding places as Falmer and their servants entered the Debate Hall's main meeting area.

"_The Master has commanded us to remain here and await his return. He has gone off to Whiterun to assist in the siege." _Stalleo could hear a voice saying though he could not see who it was.

"Whiterun will just be the beginning. There are also reports that our forces have been stopped at Morthal. Markarth is ours and the city of Riften all but destroyed." Another voice said.

Now that tone of voice I recognize. That is the voice of a Thalmor, Stalleo thought as he continued to listen.

"_Your agents better continue to assist us in taking Skyrim or you will all perish with the rest of them." _The first voice replied.

"We will continue to aid you." The Thalmor said.

"_Good. Continue your work. This so-called Emperor of yours better keep his end of the bargain. No betrayals or we wipe you and all of your associates out. Do I make myself clear? Leave us." _The first voice commanded.

Stalleo backed up as the Thalmor passed by him, holding a piece of parchment in his right hand.

Another set of footsteps moved down a hallway to his right.

He couldn't see who it was.

"Well that was odd. A Thalmor down here of all places." Barknar said as he exited his hiding spot.

"Yeah odd. I am more concerned with the one we didn't see." Stalleo said, still wondering who that other voice could have been.

Had it been the same voice that spoke to him before? Was it someone else? It does not matter now. All that matters is that we return to the surface and warn everyone, Stalleo thought as the two men exited the Debate Hall.

"Well let's see if we can't find a way out." Barknar said once again looking out at the ruins of Blackreach.

Stalleo saw another set of Dwemer doors and walked towards them.

"Well you have a keen eye." Barknar said surprised Stalleo had found another set of doors so quick.

The two men entered the doors and looked around.

This room was slightly smaller than the last and had a small bridge with two pools of water on either side.

"Must be a Pumping Station of some kind." Barknar said as the two proceeded to the other side of the room and entered through another set of doors.

They came out to a large structure and open courtyard.

"There must be dozens of Falmer out here. We should go back." Barknar whispered, but Stalleo did not hear him as he continued forward into the courtyard.

A large group of Falmer entered the courtyard along with a number of their servants.

"See. Told you. We need to go. Now." Barknar was saying as Stalleo opened another set of doors.

This door led to a ramp which led higher up into the structure.

"We go all the way up." Stalleo said, making his way up.

The two men reached the top of the structure where a creature with tentacles stood.

"It's a Seeker." Stalleo said, shocked by the creature's presence.

He had seen a number of these creatures on a visit to Solstheim a few years prior. The creatures were servants of the Daedric Prince, Hermaeus Mora, the Daedric prince of knowledge, sometimes called the Demon of Knowledge, whose sphere is the scrying of the tides of Fate of the past and future. These creatures resided in Apocrypha, an endless library where all forbidden knowledge could be found.

"Is Hermaeus Mora the one commanding the Falmer now?" Barknar asked.

Stalleo looked at him, unsure how to answer his question.

Was the Daedric Prince the reason the Falmer were now attacking the surface? Stalleo asked himself as he turned to leave.

"_Where do you think you are going? You can try and escape, but you will fail. You heard things you were not supposed to. We cannot allow you to return to the surface. You had your chance to escape. Now you die!" _the Voice yelled as the Seeker charged at Stalleo and knocked him off the platform.

"NNNNNOOOOOO!" Barknar shouted as he watched Stalleo fall to his death.

"_You will watch as we take Skyrim. You will not die now, but when this is all over, your life and soul will be ours." _

_**Stalleo is dead! The voices have shown themselves again. And the Thalmor and Amaund Motierre are working with them. **_

_**Who is leading the Falmer? Is it Hermaeus Mora? Or is it someone else? What will happen to Barknar now that Stalleo has been killed? Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_


	32. Envar 4: Tipping The Balance

Envar Chapter 4: Tipping The Balance

Envar awoke to find himself in a damp, wet cave.

The body of a dead necromancer lay next to him, still holding an iron dagger in his hand.

"Where am I?" Envar asked.

"You are in Boulderfall Cave in the Rift. What could a Dark Brotherhood assassin want in the capital of Skyrim? Perhaps the assassination of a High Queen? Specifically Elisif the Fair?" a voice said from the shadows.

How did they know he was a Dark Brotherhood assassin and that he had assassinated the High Queen? He was disguised when he left.

The voice came from out of the shadows.

"I am Knight-Paladin Gelebor." The elf said.

He was a Snow Elf, who wore an Ancient Falmer Cuirass, Ancient Falmer Boots and Ancient Falmer Gauntlets.

"You're a Snow Elf. I thought they all went extinct or became Falmer. Unless that is what you are." Envar began saying to Gelebor.

"I prefer snow elf. The name Falmer usually holds a negative meaning to most travelers. Those twisted creatures you call Falmer, I call the Betrayed." Gelebor replied, disgusted that Envar had even slightly suggested he was a Falmer.

"I apologize. I am not used to seeing a Snow Elf. Actually, no one is. I almost assumed you Snow Elves were leading these Falmer in their assault on the surface." Envar uttered, still wondering why this Snow Elf had taken him captive in the first place.

"I personally would never associate myself with those monsters. My brother however would. That's if he were still around. Though, I suppose there is the possibility he somehow survived. The person who came and killed him wasn't very effective at it. So I do suppose it is possible, he could be the one leading them. Then again, the final blow was a strong one, so he may actually be dead." Gelebor was saying, as he paced back and forth in front of Envar.

"Your brother? There are two of you?" Envar questioned, now amazed there were more than one Snow Elf still alive.

"Were two of us. His name was Vyrthur. Or is Vyrthur. Depending on if he is alive or not." Gelebor answered as he went over to one of the tables and picked up a book.

"Why did you take me captive?" Envar finally asked.

"And there it is. The big question. Why am I here? Well, you are part of something much bigger than yourself or the Dark Brotherhood. You are meant to help save Skyrim from the coming darkness." Gelebor answered as he walked back over to Envar with the book in his hand.

"Me?! Save Skyrim?! You're either crazy or delusional. I am a trained killer not some hero. You have the wrong guy." Envar began saying.

"That my friend is where you are wrong. Yes, you are a killer. However, even the most evil and cruel individual can become a hero when the time is right. You are not the most evil and cruel individual mind you, but you still have a large part to play before this is all over. The death of the High Queen was meant to happen and you were meant to be the one to do it. The Divines have selected you to be one of their champions against the Falmer threat and I have decided to help you. You do have a choice however. You can leave and go back to your "leader" and leave Skyrim to its fate. Or, you can defy the odds and everyone's perception of you and do what is right. You can help save this world before it is completely and utterly destroyed." Gelebor explained as he opened the book in his hands.

"This is an entry from the Diary of Faire Agarwen by Faire Agarwen.

_We know that we can never again be the Snow Elves and live freely in this world. We will forever be in hiding in one form or another. But there is no reason we cannot live life with the sun and the wind against our skin. There are those here who are friends to us and plan to help us once the threat has ended. We know now to survive we must be born anew. Outside, we will appear as though we belong here. Inside, we will carry our truth and our scars._" Gelebor read from the book.

"Now do you see how I feel. The prophecy is in there plain and simple.

We know now to survive we must be born anew.

That is what you can do.

That is what you must do.

If you truly care about you Brotherhood, help save this world so that they may live." Gelebor continued as he looked at Envar with a sort of fire in his eyes, but in a passionate way, like he really believed the things he was saying.

Envar stared at Gelebor unsure how to respond.

"But…How can I change when I am in too deep? I have killed countless people. How can I possibly save the world if I am a killer?" Envar asked.

"Because you can change. I will not tell you to leave your Brotherhood, but in order to preserve and save them, you will have to throw it all aside just long enough to save them and everyone else. Will you join me in saving Skyrim?" Gelebor asked holding out his hand.

Envar stopped to think for a moment. This was a big decision and he was unsure if he could make it on his own.

"I don't know if I can make this decision on my own." Envar said looking down at the ground, still unsure what to do.

"Yes you can. Envar, you can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it. Help me save this world." Gelebor declared.

"All right. I will do it. But promise me, when this is all over, I can go back to the Dark Brotherhood." Envar said as he held out his own hand.

"I cannot promise you will return from this journey of ours. But if it will help, I promise you can return to your life in the Dark Brotherhood when this is all over." Gelebor said as he shook Envar's hand.

_**Envar has met the Last of the Snow Elves, Knight Paladin Gelebor! They are now on course to save Skyrim. **_

_**Will they be the ones to save Skyrim or the Divines have other plans? Will they return from their journey or is Gelebor right and they may not return? Leave your comments on this chapter below.**_

_**Now a quote from the Diary of Agarwen that summarizes the Falmer's thoughts before returning to the surface.**_

"_**I try not to dwell on these memories too long. Often our surroundings make it impossible to dwell on any happiness. We have been locked together in such close quarters for so long we grow tired of each other's company. Even the strongest of us have faltered with nothing to do but think on what is lost. I wake each day to forlorn faces and am reminded of where we are and all we have left behind. We are all yearning for a day when we can emerge from hiding and walk freely in the light once more. But I fear we are losing all hope that such a day will ever come."**_


	33. Tullius 4: Dark Times In Skyrim

Tullius Chapter 4: Dark Times In Skyrim

The High Queen was dead and one of the Jarls was likely responsible for this act of treachery.

A great void was now left hanging over Skyrim that none but those in Forelhost knew about and it had to stay that way, at least until this crisis was over, Tullius thought to himself as he just stared at the map upon the table.

"General, Falk Firebeard requests your presence in the throne room." One of the guards said, standing in the General's doorway.

"All right soldier. I just need a moment." Tullius replied as he turned back towards the map.

"_**I know the Falmer cannot plan an all-out invasion like this on their own. Someone has to be behind this."**_

These words had hung over his head since the High Queen was killed.

Was someone actually behind this invasion? Who could possibly lead these foul creatures?

Tullius entered the throne room where Falk Firebeard sat on the throne.

In a last minute decision, the authority figures, including Tullius, had chosen Falk Firebeard to be a stand-in until after the Falmer crisis when they could convene a new Moot and decide who would replace the now deceased High Queen.

"General, how are we fairing against the Falmer?" Firebeard asked.

Tullius pulled out some documents from his pocket and laid them on the table in front of Falk Firebeard.

"New reports suggest that the assault on Morthal has ceased and we have driven them out of the Pale. We also have received word that the orcs at Largashbur have also successfully repelled the Falmer on numerous occasions and they are returning here with Legate Caesennius as we speak." The General was informing Firebeard.

"Sounds like we may have a chance after all." Firebeard said with a smirk forming across his face.

"Before we speak about anything else, Elisif brought to my attention that the Falmer don't have any sort of hierarchy. She said that maybe someone or something was leading them from in the shadows so to speak. Do you think there is any merit to this?" Tullius asked Firebeard.

He sat for a moment a thought it over.

Tullius could see that Firebeard was now deep in thought. His eyes were closed and some wrinkles had formed above his eyebrows.

"Maybe so. She may not have been the most qualified person to be running things or not as knowledgeable about many topics, but she always had a knack for predicting things correctly. So I would ask that you personally find out who is leading these monsters and root them out. Take a good two thousand men to Riften. Begin your search there. I expect a report within the week on your findings." Firebeard replied.

"As you wish." Tullius said as he got up from his seat and left the throne room.

A soldier passed him on his way out of the throne room.

"General Tullius!" a voice shouted from behind him.

He turned to see Legate Caesennius standing a few feet behind him.

"Legate how is the situation at Largashbur?" the General asked as he approached the Legate.

"The orcs have come with us back to Forelhost. Three remained behind with fifteen of our men to guard the stronghold. I believe their leader wishes to speak to you." The Legate replied.

"You left fifteen of our men to guard some orc stronghold? Why would you do that Legate?" The General asked, slightly infuriated by the Legate's response.

"If he hadn't, we would not have come here."

Tullius turned to see an orc standing behind him.

"You must be there leader. I am…." Tullius began to say.

"General Tullius. I know who you are. Your Legate said we could come to some deal regarding the other orc strongholds." The orc was saying as he drew closer to Tullius.

"Legate, what did you promise him?" Tullius asked as he turned to look at the Legate.

"I only promised him a number of guards to help protect Largashbur. I said he could speak to you about the other strongholds." The Legate quickly answered.

"The other strongholds may be in danger. We need to come to some sort of mutual arrangement." The orc demanded.

"Who are you to make demands of me orc? I am the General of the Imperial Legion and Skyrim's armies. You lead less than fifty people while it is my job to lead thousands. You are in no position to be making demands. But due to the current circumstances, I will work out some sort of arrangement with you in good faith. How many other strongholds are out there besides your own?" the General explained.

"Three. Dushnikh Yal in the Reach, Mor Khazgur in Haafingar, and Narzulbur in Eastmarch." The orc replied.

"Send five hundred men to each hold." Tullius ordered the Legate.

He left to gather the men.

"Now what will I get in return for my assistance?" the General then asked the orc.

The orc pulled out a sack and took a helmet out of it.

"What is that?" the General asked, curious but enthralled by the helmet.

"This General is the Helmet on Yngol. One of my scouts found it while exploring the ruins of Yngol Barrow a while back. I am also going to offer you a tidy sum of gold and orc recruits to join your ranks from the strongholds in the form of soldiers and blacksmiths." The orc answered as he pulled out another sack, this one filled with gold.

"I accept the terms of our arrangement." The General said as he shook hands with the orc.

"Thank you General. You will not regret this. Orcs are some of the finest warriors in blacksmiths in all of Tamriel." The orc said to Tullius.

"I agree with you. Now, I never got your name." The General replied.

"My name is Gularzob." The orc answered.

"Pleasure to meet you Gularzob. Are your orcs ready to go to war?" the General then asked Gularzob.

"Always." He answered.

"Good. I wish to have some orcs in my ranks when we march to Riften." The General said as he turned to leave.

"We would be honored to march with you." Gularzob said as he went to bring the news to the other orcs.

Tullius returned to his quarters and began to gather supplies for the march to Riften.

Elisif, I promise you, I will find who is leading these Falmer and I will kill whoever it is, even if it is the last thing I do.

_**General Tullius now prepares to march to Riften. Falk Firebeard is the interim High King. Gularzob and the orcs have joined the Imperial ranks. **_

_**What will the General find in Riften? Will he discover who the mysterious figurehead of the Falmer is and will he be the one to kill him? Or will Tullius die in the process? Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_


	34. Thaddeus 5: Whiterun's Final Stand

Thaddeus Chapter 5: Whiterun's Final Stand

Thaddeus looked up in horror as the dragon lifted its large claw in the air and swung it at him.

Before the claw could reach him, he was tossed out of the way.

Thaddeus opened his eyes and saw Vilkas tossed into the air and slam into the side of the Temple of Kynareth.

He tried to run over to him, but a large horde of Falmer charged from the pathway near the Battle-Born household.

"Thaddeus! Back to Dragonsreach! Run!" Elrindir yelled as he drew his bow and fired an arrow past Thaddeus into the horde of Falmer.

The arrow struck one in the chest and it fell as the rest trampled over its dead body.

Thaddeus turned around and began sprinting towards the stairs.

The dragon swung its tail and struck Thaddeus, sending him crashing into Jorrvaskr.

Elrindir ran to assist him, but was struck by a dozen arrows fired by the advancing Falmer horde.

Thaddeus slowly got up and swung his sword as a Falmer jumped at him.

He struck it and tossed it aside as he ran again for the stairs.

The dragon charged at him, but he ducked and it crashed through the walls of Jorrvaskr and rolled over onto its back.

"_KILL HIM!" _the voice screamed as the dragon rolled back over and sent a fireball in Thaddeus direction.

Thaddeus dodged it and it struck the Gildergreen, setting the tree ablaze.

He ran up the stairs towards Dragonsreach as the archers behind him were struck down by the Falmer following close behind.

"Open the doors!" Gleeson yelled to the guards at the doors.

The swung the doors open as Thaddeus quickly ran through.

He turned around to help the guards close the doors and keep the Falmer from breaking through.

"Farkas! Irileth! Assist them!" Jarl Balgruuf shouted to them.

The two of them ran over and helped the guards and Thaddeus hold the doors as the Falmer slammed into them, trying to break through them.

Balgruuf unsheathed his sword and stood from his throne.

"Let them come! If this is to be the last stand of Whiterun, it's Jarl will not run. He will not hide. He will stand and fight until his last breath." The Jarl declared as another bang came from the doors to Dragonsreach.

"My Jarl…." Proventius was starting to say.

"No Proventius. I will not cower from a fight. If Whiterun is to fall, its Jarl will stand and fight!" the Jarl shouted.

Thaddeus looked back at the Jarl who stood in front of his throne, ready to fight even if it meant his death.

"Put some spears and swords through the door handles. Then move back and draw your weapons. We will stand and fight!" Thaddeus shouted to the others at the doors.

They ran and did as he said; sliding the weapons through the door handles and moving a few feet back from the door.

Archers moved into position on either side of the raised platform where the dining area was.

Thaddeus stood at the bottom of the stairs with Farkas, Irileth, and a number of guards who had either been there from the beginning or who had been lucky enough to survive the first few waves and attacks.

One last bang on the door was all it took to bring the doors crashing open, splinters and pieces of wood flying through the air in every direction as Falmer poured through charging towards the Keep's remaining defenders.

Thaddeus and the others lifted up their shields and drove their spears forward, unsuspecting and unprepared Falmer running into them, the spears driving right through them.

Their bodies tossed aside for the next line of Falmer who charged at them.

A fireball came through the doors, hitting the line of defenders at the foot of the stairs, knocking them to the ground.

The Falmer took this opportunity to attack them while they were down.

Thaddeus held his shield over him as one of the Falmer swung down at him.

Its sword hit the shield and slightly distorted it as it fell back.

Thaddeus jumped up and threw his spear at it, striking it in the neck.

He quickly helped up Farkas and Irileth and the three ran up the stairs as the Falmer cut down the rest of the soldiers who were either still on the ground or who were attempting to get up.

The next line formed just in front of the fire, ready for the Falmer to charge up the stairs.

The Falmer then turned their attention towards the next line of defenders and charged up the stairs towards them.

The defenders drew their swords and charged at the Falmer, knocking some back down the stairs and killing others.

Thaddeus swung his sword, striking a Falmer in its chestplate and sending it backwards, hitting a group running up the stairs and sending them back down.

Falmer archers came through the doors and fired arrows at the defenders.

Some, unprepared, fell as the arrows struck them, while the rest retreated back near the throne.

"Last line! Send them to Oblivion!" The Jarl shouted as the Falmer crashed into the final defenders.

Balgruuf swung his greatsword, knocking a group of Falmer tumbling back, with a few falling into the fire.

Thaddeus swung his sword and struck one in the knee bringing to the ground as he drove his sword down into its chest.

"SEEKER!" Farkas shouted.

Thaddeus quickly turned to see the Seeker making its way through the doors.

It was knocking over Falmer and soldier as it climbed the stairs and made its way toward the throne.

Balgruuf saw the creature and jump over the table at it, knocking it and himself to the ground.

The greatsword slid across the floor and fell into the fire.

The Seeker got back up and swung one of its tentacles at the Jarl.

He rolled out of the way and picked up a shield and tossed it at the Seeker.

The shield cut through the Seeker, splitting it in half, a pool of green forming on the ground as the two halves fell to the ground.

Just as the Jarl was standing back up, he was struck by a bolt of lightning, sending him crashing into the throne, knocking it over.

A Falmer Warmonger stood in front of the fire, with a large warhammer in it hands.

Thaddeus charged at the Falmer Warmonger and their weapon collided, knocking the weapons from their hands.

The Falmer Warmonger went to hit Thaddeus.

He barely dodged it, tripping over a body of one of the guards as moved out of the way.

Thaddeus fell to the ground and the Falmer Warmonger lunged at him.

It wrapped its hands around his throat, lifted him in the air and began to choke him.

Thaddeus began to feel the air leave his lungs and his throat beginning to get crushed by the Warmonger's large hands.

Gleeson saw his father being choked by the Warmonger and he ran and jumped on its back, with all three falling to the ground.

Thaddeus began getting up, but the Warmonger was quicker as it picked up its warhammer and swung it.

Gleeson saw the warhammer coming in his direction and ducked out of the way and slashed its back with his sword.

Thaddeus ran over and swung his sword, hitting the Warmonger just under the chin.

Thaddeus and Gleeson ran and kicked the Warmonger into the fire and watched as it was set ablaze.

Thaddeus turned around and felt a dagger stab him in the chest.

A Thalmor stood before him, with Falmer running past and everything seemed to slow down around him.

He looked around and saw Falmer cutting down soldier after soldier and civilian after civilian.

Gleeson ran and swung his sword at the Thalmor.

He jumped out of the way and shot a lightning bolt at him.

Gleeson jumped to the left and kicked the Thalmor in his side.

"You will not kill my father!" Gleeson shouted as he lunged at the Thalmor.

He drove his sword through the Thalmor's chest and brought him to the ground.

"Gleeson!" Thaddeus shouted.

Gleeson turned around and saw a group of Falmer charging up the stairs towards the War Room.

Thaddeus got up and pulled the dagger out of his chest.

He had been lucky. The dagger had just barely stabbed him; his iron chestplate had taken most of the damage.

He ran with Gleeson up the stairs, just as the Falmer reached the doors to the Great Porch.

They ran through the doors and saw Jarl Balgruuf trying to fend off the Falmer who had made it through the doors.

One Falmer charged at the Jarl and he quickly cut it down as he turned to his right and slashed at another.

Another Falmer came from the Jarl's left and jumped on his back.

He grabbed it by the back of its head and flipped it over him.

Three more jumped onto the Jarl's back bringing him to the ground.

They began stabbing down at him as Thaddeus and Gleeson ran over to assist him.

A fireball came from one of the balconies and hit a Falmer in the back, sending it flying across the room.

Thaddeus struck one in the back of the head with his sword and tossed it to the ground.

Gleeson quickly dispatched the other one and helped the Jarl back to his feet.

"Nothing can keep me down, especially not those monsters." Balgruuf said as he raised his sword and charged at another group of Falmer coming through the doors.

A fireball from the balcony on the right, hit the group of Falmer and knocked them to the ground and back into the War Room, while Jarl Balgruuf quickly shut the doors and sealed them.

"Good Job Farengar! A real asset I tell you! Fantastic Job!" Balgruuf shouted to the balcony.

Farengar came out from behind one of the mechanisms and walked down the stairs over to the Jarl.

"Thank my Jarl." Farengar replied.

"I made a wise choice in selecting you as my Court Mage. Now, who remains in my city? Who has survived?" The Jarl asked as he looked over to where the survivors stood.

"My Jarl, not many remain." Farengar stated.

"I didn't ask how many, I asked who. Tell me who yet remains." Balgruuf ordered.

"Yes my Jarl. We have Ysolda, Olfrid, Alfhild, Lars, Bergritte, and Idolaf Battle-Born, Proventius Avenicci, his daughter Adrianne, Frothar, Dagny, Fianna, Andurs, Olava the Feeble, Carlotta and Mia Valentia, Fralia, Olfina, Vignar, and Eorlund Gray-Mane, Braith, Saffir, Amren, Nazeem, and Ahlam. Plus myself, Thaddeus, Gleeson, and yourself my Jarl." Farengar answered.

Balgruuf looked around at the survivors.

"This is all that remains of Whiterun. The Companions destroyed. Irileth and Hrongar dead. The farms and crops burned down. The Gildergreen set ablaze. All hope is surely lost." The Jarl said as he turned back to Farengar.

"My Jarl, the Falmer are retreating!" Proventius shouted from near the dining table.

The Jarl, Farengar, Thaddeus and Gleeson ran over to Proventius and looked over the railing.

The Falmer were pulling out of Whiterun and heading east.

"Where are they heading?" Gleeson asked.

"I don't know son, but we need to go to Forelhost now." Thaddeus said.

"Forelhost? Why go to Forelhost?" Proventius asked, curious about Thaddeus' answer.

"We will need all the help we can get if we are to take this fight to the Falmer. We also need to let them know the Thalmor are involved." Thaddeus replied.

"Thalmor? What do you mean?" Proventius asked.

Thaddeus turned and looked to the Jarl.

"The Thalmor are working with the Falmer and we need to find out why."

_**The Battle for Whiterun is over and the Falmer now turn their sights east. Thaddeus is now headed to Forelhost. They now know the Thalmor are aligned with the Falmer. **_

_**What will happen when Thaddeus reaches Forelhost? Will they believe him about the Thalmor or will they turn him away? Are the Falmer working with or for the Thalmor? Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_


	35. The Blades: War Is Inevitable

The Blades: War Is Inevitable

Faraldar sat at one of the tables across from Erandur.

Erandur was a Dunmer priest of Mara. He investigated the nightmares plaguing Dawnstar during the Civil War. He was once known as Casimir, a Priest of the Daedric Prince, Vaermina. Erandur had told him Years ago, the temple was raided by an orc war party seeking revenge... they were being plagued by nightmares just like the people of Dawnstar. Knowing they could never defeat the orcs, the priests of Vaermina released what they call "The Miasma," putting everyone to sleep. The Miasma was created by the priests of Vaermina for their rituals. It's a gas that places the affected in a deep sleep. Because the rituals would last for months or even years, the Miasma was designed to slow down the aging process.

He also told him that Vaermina resides in a strange realm known as Quagmire... a nightmarish land where reality shifts upon itself in seemingly impossible ways. From her citadel at the center, she reaches forth to collect our memories, leaving nothing in return apart from visions of horror and despair.

Faraldar had been fascinated by Erandur's tales and decided to do more research into Vaermina during his spare time.

In his research, he had found out about a man from Cyrodiil who had been plagued by Vaermina. His name was Arkved. He had stolen the Orb of Vaermina, apparently finding a way into the dreams of Vaermina's followers and bringing the orb into the real world. So in retaliation, Vaermina would have Arkved spend the rest of his days in a living nightmare.

"Faraldar, your turn to patrol the halls." Ralis Sedarys said as he entered the small guard room where Erandur and Faraldar sat.

They currently resided in a place known as the Abandoned Prison, a secondary outpost for the Blades. This unnamed Imperial prison was abandoned long ago as a strong storm surged the White River. The guards were ordered to execute the remaining prisoners or just leave them to drown as the prison flooded. The prisoners had devised a plan though to escape through a secret passageway to the river. There they would wait out the flood before fleeing. The exact events are unknown, but the number of skeletal remains found in locked cells suggests that the prisoners were left to drown. Those that attempted to escape through the passageway weren't any luckier as the exit was already entirely underwater and opening it only caused the river to flood in more. The Blades had decided to set up a secondary outpost due to the rising numbers in the Blades. Recruitment had gone up since the defeat of Alduin and the end of the Civil War.

"Alright Ralis." Faraldar said as he went on patrol.

Ralis had gone to Solstheim from Mournhold in search of the relics of Ahzidal, but found the Kolbjorn Barrow buried in ash. After an incident with a Dragon Priest named Ahzidal, he relocated to Skyrim where he decided to join up with the Blades to repent for being the one to awaken the Dragon Priest.

Faraldar roamed the halls looking into the cells that once housed the prisoners of the Empire. He wondered what many of them had done to be imprisoned here.

Bandits, necromancers, Stormcloaks, political rivals, any one of those could have been imprisoned here. Or none. Maybe some other enemies of the Imperial Legion had been imprisoned here, Faraldar thought as he passed by Denascus.

Denascus was a Redguard from Hammerfell, who had joined the Blades after being saved by Erandur and Delphine from a dragon attack shortly after Alduin's defeat.

"Afternoon Denascus." Faraldar said as he passed by him.

"Falmer are out there." Denascus said, staring off.

"What?" Faraldar quickly asked, wondering what he meant.

One of the Blade recruits ran in from outside. He had an arrow sticking through the front of his chestplate. Luckily for him, the chestplate had stopped it from going through.

"Falmer!" the recruit shouted as he ran past Faraldar.

Faraldar ran in the direction the recruit had come from.

He exited the outpost and stood upon the ledge just outside.

A large horde of Falmer stood across from the outpost just on the other side of the waterfall.

"The Blades believe themselves safe from this war. Well they are wrong. War is Inevitable. None can escape it. Especially not the Blades." A voice said from within the horde.

"Show yourself!" Erandur shouted as he stepped out in front of Faraldar.

From within the Falmer horde, a Thalmor stepped out in front, revealing himself to the Blades.

"Now you know who I am. Does that make you any less worried? Does it make you feel less threatened? Because if that's the case, well then you're DEAD wrong. Hahaha! The irony. I said you're dead wrong and you will soon be dead. The Blades will once again be wiped out by the Thalmor! Or don't you remember? How your order tried to challenge us. How you so quickly failed. How dumped the heads of 100 Blades agents who had been operating within our great Aldmeri Dominion on the floor in front of the Emperor. Once more, the Thalmor shall toss the heads of the fallen Blades, but this time in front of our new masters. Kill them!" the Thalmor then shouted to the Falmer.

A volley of arrows was shot into the air and came down around the Blades.

"Retreat! Back inside!" Erandur shouted as an arrow nearly struck him.

The few Blades who had gone out to see what the situation was, retreated back within the outpost.

"Seal the doors! We have the advantage. The only way in is if you are able to cross the water. A large horde will be unable to do that. The water currents will slow them down and eliminate a good number of them for us." Erandur said to the others.

Faraldar ran to the top of the outpost to check back on the situation outside.

"You believe yourselves safe, but you will all die! You're inside an Imperial prison. I am a Thalmor. So you don't think I would know about the secret entrance hidden underneath the bridge along the river just east of the main entrance. The Falmer are already inside. You won't survive!" The Thalmor shouted to Faraldar.

Hearing the Thalmor's revelation, Faraldar quickly ran back inside.

He looked around and already saw signs of battle.

A number of arrows were stuck in the southern most walls inside the small guard room.

There was a trail of blood leading into one of the cells where the bodies of two slain Blades lay.

Faraldar continued through the outpost finding the bodies of Falmer and Blades inside cells and along the floors.

He could hear sounds of battle coming from the western section of the outpost and ran to see if he could help.

Erandur, Denascus, Ralis, and three other Blades were fighting off a number of Falmer.

Faraldar ran over and cut down one of the Falmer as he joined the other Blades in turning back the Falmer.

"Where have you been? The Falmer found a way through the secret entrance in the river." Ralis said.

"I know. The Thalmor told me. I went to the roof to check on the situation and he shouted his knowledge of the secret entrance to me." Faraldar answered.

"Alright, here is the plan. We must get to Sky Haven Temple and regroup with Delphine, Esbern, and the others. There we can plan some sort of offensive. The rest of Skyrim probably already knows about the Falmer, so we need to join up with them once we regroup with the others. Let's move out!" Erandur ordered as the Blades began to make their way to the exit.

"The Blades will fall once again to the might of the Thalmor and their armies!" Faraldar could hear coming from the main prison area.

A fireball hit one of the recruits, sending him crashing into a wall behind them.

Faraldar was about to run to assist him, but he could hear Erandur shouting "Leave him." So Faraldar just kept running.

The Thalmor and a few Falmer ran into the Blades' path and drew their weapons.

"Faraldar, get out of here. Warn the others. Just keep running and don't look back!" Erandur shouted as they charged at the Thalmor and Falmer.

Faraldar ran past the fighting and began to run towards the exit.

He could hear the sound of swords clanging against each other and sword hitting flesh and the screams of the wounded or dying.

The exit was close now and Faraldar could hear the sound of the water as he crawled down into the secret passageway and ran towards the river exit.

He came out through the river exit and saw the Falmer sticking pikes into the ground across from the Abandoned Prison.

He knew what they were going to do with them, but he did not want to think about it.

He snuck down the hill, away from the Falmer and just began to run as fast as he could, hoping to get away from it all and just reach Sky Haven Temple.

"The Blade thinks he will find help at Sky Haven Temple. What he doesn't know is that we already control the Blade safe haven. He IS the last of the Blades." The Thalmor said as he stood atop the Abandoned Prison and watched the Blade running away.

He turned to one of the Falmer.

"Hunt him down!"

_**The Blades have been attacked by the Falmer. Faraldar begins to make his way to Sky Haven Temple, but is the Thalmor telling the truth? Is Faraldar the last of the Blades? Were the others inside the Abandoned Prison able to survive or were they killed? Leave your comments on this chapter below.**_

_**Events are now shaping and soon everything will come together. The mysterious figure will be revealed and the final battle for Skyrim will be underway! Thanks for continuing to read Skyrim: The Falmer War and hope you enjoy what will follow in the coming chapters. **_


	36. The Treachery Of An Emperor

The Treachery Of An Emperor

Amaund Motierre sat upon the Ruby Throne and stared out at the throne room.

The banners were gold and red, the furniture a bright red with gold trim around the top and sides of the chairs and tables.

Two guards stood beside each of the large doors to the throne room, guarding it from would-be assassins or political rivals, both wanting him removed from the throne, but working in different ways to do it.

The Elder Council worked to find a new Emperor, who would replace him, as he was not officially qualified to sit upon the Ruby Throne. He did not have royal blood.

Amaund was a member of a very old and powerful Breton family, firmly established in Cyrodiil. Not powerful enough to have them in line to rule Cyrodiil, but still powerful enough that they had some influence in Cyrodiil and its politics. He had heard of an ancestor of the Motierre family, Francois who had once hired the Dark Brotherhood, just as Amaund had, to assist him. However, Francois needed their help to fake his death because he owed a considerable sum to the wrong kind of people. An enforcer, Hides-His-Heart was a mysterious male Argonian enforcer who works for a highly secretive yet powerful and dangerous faction of the murky criminal underworld in Cyrodiil, who had been sent to kill Francois, but was too late, because just as he arrived to collect Francois' "debt", the Dark Brotherhood "killed" Francois, nullifying Hides-His-Heart's contract.

Amaund could not say much against Francois though, because he too currently had an arrangement with the "wrong kind of people." But his deal ensure that he remain on the Ruby Throne as long as he continued to assist the Falmer and their masters.

He wasn't too sure how the Thalmor fit in to the whole situation, but it wasn't his business, so he kept his questions and concerns to himself.

"Emperor, Arantyl is here to speak with you." One of the guards said to him.

"Send him in." Amaund replied as the guard bowed and walked back over to the doors.

Arantyl entered the throne room and approached the throne.

"Well, what did they have to say?" Amaund asked Arantyl.

"They remain in Blackreach with a large number of Falmer still remaining down there. He said "This so-called Emperor of yours better keep his end of the bargain. No betrayals or we wipe you and all of your associates out." Then he told me to leave." Arantyl replied.

"Is that all he said?" Amaund asked once more.

"No. He told me of his plans for Skyrim." Arantyl replied as he walked up the stairs and stood next to the throne.

"Well, what are his plans for Skyrim?" Amaund quickly asked. He was eager to find out what was to become of Skyrim.

Before Arantyl could respond, the High Chancellor entered the throne room.

The High Chancellor was an Imperial, who stood at 6'4. He wore the ceremonial blue robes that befitted a High Chancellor of Cyrodiil. His hair was as white as snow, just like the beard that covered his face.

"Rexus is dead! What did you do?!" The High Chancellor angrily asked as he stormed up the stairs and stood before Motierre.

"What did I do? Nothing. Why would I kill my own bodyguard and good friend? Explain that to me High Chancellor." Amaund said as he sat up straight on the throne.

"I was talking to him." The High Chancellor said as he pointed a finger at Arantyl.

"High Chancellor, why would I kill dear Rexus? He was a friend to us all. If I were you, I would look at the Dark Brotherhood. Maybe they killed Rexus. Or maybe a vigilante? Could have been bandits. There is always the possibility that he…..dare I say it…..committed…..suicide." Arantyl said as he turned his head away.

"Rexus would never! Bandits?! Please! They aren't even smart enough or organized enough to even think about killing someone in the Emperor's court, let alone plan to kill a deer! A vigilante?! What reason would they have to kill Rexus?! The Dark Brotherhood?! Their gone! They haven't been seen in Cyrodiil for years! So, I ask again, what did you do to Rexus? Why did you kill him?!" the High Chancellor shouted at Arantyl.

Arantyl moved from his spot and stood face to face with the High Chancellor.

"Rexus probably got what he deserved. He probably got himself killed by sticking his nose where it shouldn't be. Maybe he got in way over his head and someone decided he needed to be punished for his actions. Maybe someone else will suffer the same fate if they don't stand down and stop prying into things they just don't understand." Arantyl said to the High Chancellor.

"How dare you?! I will have you locked up for your treachery! You will be in irons for the rest of your days Elf!" the High Chancellor shouted as he turned to leave.

Amaund jumped up from his throne and drew a dagger, stabbing the High Chancellor through the back.

"AAAARRRRGGGHHHHHH! The High Chancellor screamed as he fell to the ground.

Amaund pulled the dagger out of his back and continuously stabbed the High Chancellor through the back.

"Amaund! Amaund!" Arantyl shouted as he pulled Amaund away.

Amaund stopped and saw what he had done.

A large pool of blood began to form where the High Chancellor's boy lay and Motierre was covered in blood. He still held the dagger in his hand and stared at it, now realizing what he had done.

"Guards! Clean up this mess! "Arantyl shouted to the guards.

Amaund turned to Arantyl, with a look of shock and horror on his face.

"Come, let's get you cleaned up. Can't have our esteemed Emperor covered in blood when the guests arrive." Arantyl said as he led Motierre to his room.

Arantyl looked back at the High Chancellor's body and smiled.

"No one left to stop us." Arantyl muttered to himself as he entered the Emperor's quarters.

_**The High Chancellor of Cyrodiil has been murdered! Amaund Motierre has gone insane! **_

_**What will happen to Cyrodiil now that its High Chancellor is dead? Who will replace him? What will happen to Amaund now that he has committed this treacherous act? Will he be able to handle it mentally or will he go even more over the deep end? Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_

_**After reading this chapter, if you leave a review for the chapter, you can also say if you want there to be a Dragonborn in Skyrim: The Falmer War. If enough people say yes, a Dragonborn will be added sometime in the story. But if more people say no, sorry to those hoping for a Dragonborn, but I will have to keep him out of the story. Thanks for continuing to read and hope you enjoy what is to come. **_


	37. Admand: The Markarth Offensive

Legate Emmanuel Admand: The Markarth Offensive

"Where could they be? First Vigarr leaves and then Gristorcar. Where are they with those supplies?" Admand was saying as he paced back and forth across the room.

"Don't worry; I am sure they are fine. They probably just took a longer way to get back here due to the Falmer. However, in the off-chance they do not return, we should be prepared to send another to retrieve some supplies." Jarl Igmund replied to Admand.

"And then what? Lose someone else? No. We cannot stay here any longer. The longer we stay here, the faster we starve. We have run out of food, Jarl. If we do not get food soon, we will either starve or worse. So don't tell me to calm down. Don't tell me to send someone else out there. If they do not return within an hour, we take what we have and go." Admand stated as he picked up his sword from the table and put it back into its sheath.

Jarl Igmund stood looking at the Legate with a concerned look on his face, but he knew the Legate was right. The Khajiit had been gone for a while now and the longer they took to get back, the faster the survivors still inside Calcelmo's Tower would starve.

"Maybe they left us here. Maybe they cut their losses and got out of Markarth." Cosnach said.

Kanje stood up and pushed Cosnach who fell out of his chair.

"They would never! How dare you say something like that! Vigarr and Gristorcar are honorable men! You could only wish you had as much honor and dignity as they do!" Kanje hollered at Cosnach.

"Enough! We don't need any more problems than we already have. Our primary concern should now be getting out of here! Everyone pack up your things, we are moving out!" Admand shouted as he picked up one of the knapsacks and threw it over his shoulder.

Everyone else grabbed what they could carry and began to slowly exit the tower.

Captain Aldis stood outside the gates of Markarth with over three thousand men behind him.

"Ready men!" Aldis shouted as he drew his sword.

A Falmer atop the wall turned to see a large army preparing to storm the city. It screeched to the other Falmer within the city, who then began to prepare their own defense.

"Charge!" Aldis shouted as he ran towards the city walls.

"AAAHHHHH!" the soldiers yelled as the followed close behind Captain Aldis.

Legate Duilis drew his bow and shot and arrow, which struck the Falmer that stood on the wall sending it crashing to the ground just inside the city.

Aldis led the soldiers into the city and began the fight to retake Markarth from the Falmer.

Legate Admand was the first to exit the tower and he looked over the railing, expecting to find a vast amount of Falmer ready to strike down anyone who tried to leave the tower. But instead, he saw the Falmer running for the gates and heard the sounds of swords clanking.

"They have come for us!" Degaine shouted as he looked over the railing and saw Imperial soldiers battling the Falmer.

"We must assist them! Move out!" Legate Admand shouted as he ran towards the door back into Calcelmo's Laboratory.

Aldis swung his sword to the left, striking a Falmer in its side. It winced in pain and Aldis struck it again, this time in its neck.

Legate Duilis fired another arrow, striking a Falmer who stood on the walkway leading up to the guard tower.

"Check the homes and shops! Drive them out of Markarth!" Aldis shouted to his men.

Small groups of soldiers split up to search the various different homes and shops that dotted the city of Markarth.

Legate Admand ran through the laboratory, eager to join the fight.

"Legate, through here!" Calcelmo shouted as he opened a gate leading back to the museum.

A few Falmer remained within the museum, but it was nothing the Legate couldn't handle.

He quickly dispatched of the Falmer before charging through the doors leading back into the Keep.

Aldis took a group of soldiers and made his way to the Keep to search for any survivors.

"Into the Keep men! Search for the Jarl!" Aldis commanded as the soldiers lifted a small battering ram up and hit the large doors, sending them flying open.

Legate Admand pushed through the doors and saw the large doors to the Keep crash open. He charged down, ready to attack if it was the Falmer.

Aldis saw something charging down the stairs towards his men.

"Bows at the ready men!" Aldis shouted as his soldiers drew their bows.

Before he could give the order, he saw the symbol of the Empire stitched into the armor of the figure charging towards them.

"Stand down!" Aldis shouted as his men were just about to fire upon the figure.

Legate Admand saw that it was in fact Imperial soldiers who had broken through the Keep doors, not Falmer.

"Please, put your weapons away. I am with you." Admand shouted as he dropped his sword to show he was an ally.

The soldiers lowered their bows as a man stepped out from behind them.

"Legate Emmanuel Admand, it is good to see you." The man said.

"Captain Aldis, always a pleasure. So I see you are leading the campaign to retake Markarth?" Admand began to say.

"Yes. It is true. We just marched from Morthal. It was under siege when we arrived. We drove out the Falmer there." Aldis explained.

"Buildings are clear Captain!" a soldier shouted to Aldis from outside.

"Good. Now finish mopping up those Falmer and let's send them packing." Aldis said as he began to leave the Keep.

Admand thought for a moment and then ran up to the Captain and put his hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Captain, ask him if he found any Khajiit in any of the buildings." Admand hastily said to the Captain.

"Soldier!" Aldis shouted to the soldier outside.

"Yes Captain?"

"Did you find any Khajiit in any of the buildings? "The Captain asked.

"Just one inside the Alchemy shop. He was dead." The soldier replied.

Admand stood and stared at the soldier with a look of concern on his face.

He then pushed his way through the soldiers and ran to the alchemy shop to see which Khajiit it was.

He kicked open the door and ran inside.

Just in front of the counter lay Gristorcar's body.

He had been stabbed through the back and left to die.

Admand ran over and checked his pulse. There wasn't one. Gristorcar was dead.

Admand slowly stood up and began knocking chairs and tables over in anger.

"Those monsters! I will kill every last one of you!" Admand was yelling as Kanje entered the shop.

He looked around, noticing Gristorcar's body in front of the counter.

"Where is Vigarr?" Kanje quietly asked.

Admand quickly stopped in his tracks and turned towards Kanje.

He then ran outside and grabbed the soldier who had delivered the message.

"Where is the other Khajiit?!" He shouted at the soldier.

"Sir, there was no other Khajiit in there." The soldier nervously replied.

Admand dropped him and looked around.

Then he looked at the Captain.

"We must find Vigarr. Those monsters took him." Admand angrily said.

"Admand, we killed them all. It couldn't have been the Falmer." Aldis replied.

Admand immediately turned towards the Captain and stormed over to him.

"Then, we find out who did take him and make sure they don't live to see another day!" And with that Admand stormed off towards the gates, to begin his search for Vigarr.

"Legate! Legate!" Aldis was shouting, but Admand ignored him as he exited the city and made his way into the Reach to find Vigarr.

_**Captain Aldis and the Empire have retaken Markarth. Admand has found Gristorcar's body, but Vigarr was nowhere to be found and so Admand has stormed out of Markarth in search of him. **_

_**Will Legate Admand find Vigarr? Just who took Vigarr? Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_


	38. The Rift: Alliances Formed

The Rift: Alliances Formed

Wayfinder and his group now drew near Snow-Shod farm and saw a large army marching in their direction.

"Stop!" Wayfinder shouted to the army.

General Tullius heard someone shout something out from ahead and commanded his army to halt while he rode forward with Legate Caesennius and Gularzob.

"Who are you?" Tullius asked as he approached the group.

"I am Captain Wayfinder of the Sea Squall. My crewmates Ravam Verethi and Guthrum. From the College of Winterhold we have Litthius, Constantine, Tolfdir, and Enthir. And from Riften, Sibbi Black-Briar, Briehl, and Svana Far-Shield." The man in front of the group responded.

"I am General Tullius of the Imperial Legion. This is Legate Caesennius and this is Gularzob of the Orc strongholds. It is a good thing you all survived. The Falmer are relentless and won't stop until they kill us all." The General said to the group.

"Actually, only the three from Riften have had any contact with the Falmer from our group. We were just coming to warn you and the High Queen about the Falmer." Wayfinder responded to the General.

"Well…the High Queen…..is dead. We were on our way to Riften to search for any clues as to where the Falmer may have come from." General Tullius explained to the group.

The mood of the group changed after hearing the news of the High Queen's death.

Enthir then stepped forward.

"I may have some information that could help you. A while back, an alchemist from this region said she had discovered a new strand of the ingredient nirnroot. This new strand was the color crimson. She said a traveler had brought her the journal of famed alchemist, Sinderion. I have the journal here with me. Ahh.. Here it is.

"_After an awkward silence, I finally managed to stammer out a few questions to the traveler who'd brought me this treasure. He told me his name was Obeth Arnesian, a treasure-seeker from Skyrim. Apparently, he'd been exploring a vast subterranean network of grand caverns called Blackreach….._ _I used the Runed Lexicon that Obeth had provided and descended into the depths…._ _hopefully the denizens of Blackreach will allow me to gather my samples unhindered._"

Sinderion had found his way down into Blackreach.

For context, Blackreach used to be a Dwemer city, located beneath Skyrim's surface. If I remember correctly, there are entrances in the Dwemer ruins of Alftand, Mzinchaleft, and Raldbthar.

Our librarian and historian, Urag gro-Shub said a traveler had come to him with questions regarding the Elder Scrolls. He pointed the traveler in the direction of the scholar, Septimus Signus. Urag did not hear from the traveler again until the traveler returned to sell the Elder Scroll to him. The traveler told him he had retrieved it from the depths of an ancient Dwemer city…..Blackreach. The traveler had entered through the ruins of Alftand where he discovered the journals of an expedition there. He too sold these to Urag. I retrieved them before I left for Dawnstar. The first is a journal from a Redguard woman named Umana.

"_It's been about a week since Valie went missing and now Endrast is gone too. We found blood leading over to the barred off doorway, but Sulla seems to think that they found a way through and that they are trying to cut him out of the discovery._"

This hints that something did take those people. Now the second journal is that of a Bosmer sorcerer named Endrast. This gives us a clearer image of what transpired and what took them.

"_The eyeless creatures took us in our sleep._"

This points directly to the Falmer. Another journal was found. That of someone named Drokt.

"_I weren't never one for writing about my life. The king-priests of old deserve their stories told, but Drokt is a simple man. So this isn't no journal and I'm not telling any stories here. But this infernal machine done worked its way into my brainspace and I won't leave till it's figured out._

_The whole contraption just sets like a dead horker if it doesn't have the box. Putting the box in the hole made it all come to life._

_Five rings, but only four buttons? Most of 'em don't work most of the time anyhows. When the lights line up, more open, but they don't seem to help. Just make another damned thing move._

_The old fleabag Khajiit what sold me this cube said something about "the light through the knowledge through the machine rests on the cube." I remember because he made me say it back at him till I wanted to throttle him._

_So I did._

_Tried to leave, but wolves to the top and them eyeless freaks outside the tower. Gotta stay here till I get it right._

_And I will get it right._"

This journal was found in the Tower of Mzark, which is located in Blackreach. That is where the Falmer are located. That is where they marched from and gathered their army in. Blackreach is where we will end this war. Blackreach is where we will find out who is behind the Falmer attacks." Enthir explained to everyone.

Everyone stopped and stared, unsure how to respond to everything Enthir had just told them.

Wayfinder looked at Enthir and then at the General, trying to think of a plan of action.

General Tullius absorbed all of this new information.

"Which is the closest Dwemer ruin to Riften?" Tullius finally asked.

Enthir pulled a map from his bag and unrolled it onto a tree stump nearby.

"We are here. Riften is here. So they closest Dwemer ruin leading to Blackreach is…Raldbthar which is located…near Windhelm." Enthir replied, pointing out the locations on the map.

General Tullius thought over his options and came to a conclusion.

"All right. We march for Raldbthar. You are to join us, as you have information we need. If these rest of you would like, you can join us as well." Tullius said to Enthir and the rest of the group.

Wayfinder looked at the rest of the group. Weary from the journey and recent events, but he knew what had to be done.

"We will join you." Wayfinder said to Tullius.

"Good. We make for Raldbthar. Move out!" Tullius commanded as the army began to march, Wayfinder and his group falling in with them.

_**Wayfinder and his group have met up with General Tullius and his army. They now make their way to Raldbthar and eventually Blackreach where they hope to finally put an end to the Falmer threat. **_

_**Can Tullius, Wayfinder, and their army put a stop to the Falmer or will the Falmer defeat them before then? Leave your comments on this chapter below.**_


	39. Vigarr 4: Trapped and Alone

Vigarr Chapter 4: Trapped and Alone

Vigarr lay, sweat dripping from his fur.

After Gristorcar had been killed, Vigarr had been knocked unconscious after a voice had spoken to him.

What could that voice have been? Where had they taken him? These were questions that Vigarr had continued to ask himself since he had awoken from unconsciousness.

"You are wondering where you are. You my Khajiit friend are in Blackreach. Why are you here? That is what you are probably asking yourself. Once you hear the Master's voice, you cannot be allowed to tell others. Though you do not know the identity of our Master, the very information of there being a Master cannot be revealed to others, as it would deflect attention away from the Falmer, who are the "real" threat. In actuality however, the Falmer are only a means to an end. You see, the Falmer are being used to destroy Skyrim, but they will not be the ones ruling over the conquered lands. The Master has allowed us to hold back and refrain from fighting, which is the preferred method as we do not wish to lose any of our ranks and members. The Falmer will do all the fighting while we reap the rewards. However, full control of the conquered lands still goes to our Master. We will serve…..the Master and do as he wishes." A voice was saying to Vigarr from the shadows.

"Who…who is there?" Vigarr said, shaking uncontrollably.

A figure stepped out from the darkness, in front of him. It was a Thalmor. His robes as black as the shadows he had come from. His hair was slightly grey with hints of yellow. He once had blonde hair, but the years had taken their toll on him.

"No matter who I am. What you must worry about if anyone can save you. The chances of that are slim Khajiit. No one knows you are here. No one will ever know. Our Master will see to that." The Thalmor said as he walked behind Vigarr.

"Why….why are the Thalmor taking….orders from a….higher p..power?" Vigarr asked him.

"Power is just it. We strive for power. We crave it. It is what makes the world turn. If you have the power, you can do as you wish. You can rule worlds. That is our goal. We aim to rule all of Tamriel. Our Master wishes to rule everything. Our Master will get just that. The power to rule over all. And we will be there by our Master's side. Ruling the world just as it should be." The Thalmor said as he walked back in front of him.

"How…..is your Master?" Vigarr asked him.

"Hahaha….You really think I would tell you that. You are mistaken. Our Master will reveal…..well that does not matter now does it. Is our master a man or a woman? Human or God? What race is our Master? These are all questions you are asking yourself right now. You are not worthy of knowing the answers to your burning questions. You wish to know the unknowable." The Thalmor was saying.

"Not even you know who your "Master" is, do you?" Vigarr asked, noting the Thalmor's last statement.

"That is of no concern to you. We serve our Master. We will continue to serve our Master until we rule the world. No one can stop the darkness that is coming. You think the Falmer are the only threat?! Oh no. You are wrong. The Falmer are just the beginning! Soon the world will feel the full wrath of our Master's power!" The Thalmor shouted as he looked up towards the never-ending "sky" of Blackreach.

A light began to shine, but soon it turned to flames. Clouds formed, consumed by darkness. A sudden gust of wind passed through the large cavern, knocking down pillars and Falmer.

"And so it begins!" The Thalmor shouted, raising his hands in the air. His hooded falling from his head, his hair now moving in all directions from the wind.

Vigarr looked up, seeing the flames forming above.

A dragon flew overhead, breathing fire from its mouth as it went.

Another dragon and then another joined the first. The "sky" now filled with hundreds of dragons, all breathing fire into the "sky".

"You see now what the world will look like, once we are finished with it. Skyrim and all of Tamriel will burn!" The Thalmor shouted once more.

"_The world will burn! None shall escape my wrath! Let the real war begin!_" The voice shouted out across Blackreach, as the dragons flew out of the large cavern and onto the surface. Large hordes of Falmer followed, charging towards the surface.

Vigarr could only look on as these forces made their way to the surface to cause who knows how much chaos and destruction. He could only hope that whoever was up there, could stop this threat before it destroyed everything.

_**Vigarr is a prisoner in Blackreach. The "voice" has sent out the full force of…..well evil to the surface. **_

_**What will happen to Vigarr? Will those on the surface be able to quell this threat? Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_

_**Wasn't a very long chapter, but it has slightly given some insight into the "voice" and has officially confirmed the Thalmor's involvement in this war. I needed to find a way to give Vigarr a new chapter, and this is what I came up with. Hope you enjoyed it and thanks for reading. **_


	40. Envar 5: Only You Can Choose

Envar Chapter 5: Only You Can Choose

"We are nearing Windhelm. We should stop here for a while." Gelebor said as he and Envar approached the city of Windhelm.

Windhelm was a city in northeastern Skyrim, close to the border with Morrowind.

"Windhelm is the only substantial city in the Hold of Eastmarch and is a base for Imperial troops guarding the Dunmeth Pass into Morrowind. It is the oldest city in Skyrim, and is believed to be the oldest human settlement on Tamriel. Windhelm was also once the capital of the First Empire of the Nords and the old palace of the Ysgramor dynasty, the Palace of the Kings, can still be seen in the center of the city. The palace is in fact one of the few original First Empire buildings left, as the city has been sacked at least twice: once during the War of Succession early in the First Era, and again in 2E 572 by the Akaviri army of Ada'Soom Dir-Kamal. Windhelm was once home to a gladiatorial team called the Paladins." Gelebor explained to Envar as they approached the city gates.

The guards there were setting up defenses, preparing for a potential assault from the Falmer.

"How far are the Falmer from the city?" Gelebor asked one of the guards.

"Not far I think. There are rumors that they came out of those old Dwemer ruins, up north. Raldbthar I believe. We have been lucky. They haven't tried to attack here just yet. We hear they were turned back in Morthal. We may actually win this war." The guard was saying to Gelebor.

Much of the cities soldiers had gone off to Forelhost to join up with General Tullius.

The defense of the city was now up to the city guard and any able-bodied men who still remained within the city.

"A group of people from down south came here just a few days ago. They have decided to stay and help defend the city. What were the called? Oh yes. They are those famed vampire hunters. The Dawnguard." The guard said to the two men before he went back to setting up some defenses.

"The Dawnguard are here? In Windhelm? That is curious. I wonder what their reason may be. I have had dealings with them in the past, so I will go speak with them. You of course may join me if you wish." Gelebor was saying to Envar.

Envar unsure of what he should do, just nodded his head and followed Gelebor as he entered the city.

An Orc stood outside of the inn, being hassled by a Nord man who, by the looks of him, seemed to be drunk.

"You don't belong here freak! Only true nords belong in this city!" the nord man was yelling at the orc.

The Orc ignored him and seeing Gelebor, pushed the man out of the way, approaching the two men.

"It's been a long time Gelebor." The Orc said to him.

"Well, it is good to see you too Durak. What brings you and your order here to Windhelm?" Gelebor asked the Orc.

Durak gave Envar a quick look, but turned back to Gelebor.

"Came here tracking a vampire. Heard rumors that he was here and might try and turn some of these "good" people into thralls. We have scoured the city looking for him, but no luck. We've been lucky. No one has been bit. We made sure to check everyone." Durak explained to Gelebor.

"Maybe we could be of some assistance." Gelebor suggested.

Envar quickly turned and made a confused face and was about to tell him he wanted no part of it, but changed his mind knowing there was nothing he could say to dissuade the Snow Elf.

"You'll have to speak to Isran before you do anything concerning the vampire." The orc replied.

"Isran is here as well?" Gelebor asked, surprised by the news.

"We are all here." The orc answered.

"All of you? But what about Fort Dawnguard? Who is watching over it?" Gelebor asked Durak.

"The Falmer I would bet. Isran felt that staying at the Fort would bring more trouble than it was worth. He wanted nothing to do with this war and the Falmer were advancing. So, he decided we should all leave on this mission, before we could get caught up in an unnecessary fight with the Falmer. But now that we are here, Isran has had a change of heart. He has decided that if and when the Falmer attack here, we will stay and assist. It was probably because he saw how poorly their defenses were without the soldiers here." The orc explained to them.

Gelebor and Envar followed Durak into Candlehearth Hall where the rest of the Dawnguard had taken up temporary residence.

"Isran, it is good to see you. Durak here told me you were tracking a vampire here." Gelebor said as he approached a Redguard, sitting at the table in the back corner.

"Did he now? Durak needs to learn to keep his big mouth shut. If he told you about the vampire, then I presume that he also told about our close encounter with the Falmer and my change of stance regarding them. Yes, I elected to leave the fort behind due to the advancing Falmer. And yes I changed my mind and decided to help defend this city. I sat in the keep and saw all of their scared faces. Their looks of concern and fear when their Jarl told them the soldiers had left for Forelhost. But it was the children who most changed my mind. Who would defend them if those monsters entered the city? The city guard? Some armed but untrained civilians? Their Jarl? I couldn't not leave this city to those creatures with a clear conscience. So, I decided that we would remain here and assist in any way that we could. Even if they city were attacked, which as of right now, that has not happened. But until this war is over, we will remain here and do what we can to help these people. I understand that there are other cities that need help as well, but they will have to make do with what defenses they have. I do not mean that in a self-centered and uncaring way. It just so happened that this is where we ended up. This vampire has done these people a service in a way. This vampire led us here to not only kill him of course, but in a way, to help these people. So, I presume you wish to help us track down this vampire? Well, we have a report that says the vampire may have taken up residence in the Hall of the Dead. Take Ollrod with you and search there. If you do find the vampire there, use this. This crossbow is specially handcrafted for encounters with vampires. One shot will do the trick." Isran explained to the two men.

Gelebor nodded and motioned for Envar to follow him as they met up with Ollrod outside of the Hall of the Dead.

"Ready?!" Ollrod asked, with a large smile on his face.

He was clearly excited about killing another vampire. Psycho, Envar thought to himself as he followed the two men into the Hall of the Dead.

"_Who goes there? Who disturbs me? Who awakens me from my slumber?_" the vampire asked, though when they looked around, none of them saw him.

"Come out and face your judgment foul creature. We won't hurt you. We'll just kill you." Ollrod said as he swung his sword.

The sword clanged against the stone wall.

"_Haha! Fool! You think you will find me? Think again!" _the vampire shouted as the three men heard running from within the Hall of the Dead.

"Gelebor, you take the left. I will take the right. You stay here and make sure he doesn't escape." Ollrod was ordering.

Envar remained at the entrance while the other two men went to find the vampire.

Vampires are allies of the Dark Brotherhood, should he let him escape?

Before Envar could answer his own question, a cloaked figure knocked him over.

He quickly jumped up and grabbed the hooded figure before he could leave.

"_How dare you challenge me?! You will suffer!_" the vampire shouted as he went to bite Envar.

Envar moved, letting the vampire fall to the ground.

The vampire quickly rose up and grabbed Envar, tossing him down the hallway.

Gelebor ran out from the hall and tackled the vampire.

The vampire pulled out a dagger, attempting to stab the Snow Elf.

Envar ran over and grabbed the vampire's arm wielding the dagger.

Both men fought to keep the vampire pinned down, while it fought with all of its strength to throw both men aside and escape.

Envar looked around and saw the crossbow lying on the floor near one of the coffins.

He quickly rolled over to get it, as the vampire overpowered Gelebor and tossed him aside.

Envar fired a bolt from the crossbow, striking the vampire in the heart.

"_AAAHHHH!_" the vampire screamed as it quickly became engulfed in flames.

It ran through the Hall of the Dead, outside into the open where it immediately burned to ashes from the sunlight.

Ollrod ran to rejoin the two men.

"Well, good job mate. Didn't think you had it in you." Ollrod said as he helped Envar up.

Both men helped Gelebor up and all returned to the Candlehearth Inn.

"Well done. Now let us drink to your success." Isran said, ordering another round of ale and mead.

They celebrated into the night hours.

Envar just met these people, but he felt safe and a slight feeling of belonging.

But he soon threw these feelings aside, remembering he was still an agent of the Dark Brotherhood.

However, he could not shake that sense of fitting in with these Dawnguard.

Before he had a chance to think it over, a guard ran into the inn.

"Falmer outside the walls!" the guard shouted to everyone who resided in the inn, then returning outside.

"Celebration is over. Prepare for battle!" Isran shouted to his Dawnguard.

They all rearmed themselves, and made for the city walls.

Envar decided to join them, mainly because he didn't want them to think he was a coward, even though this wasn't his fight. Or maybe it was.

He remembered back to what Gelebor had told him in Boulderfall Cave.

"…_you can change._

_Envar, you can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it._"

This was his fight. He would stay and help defend these people. Even though he was an assassin for the Dark Brotherhood, he still had an obligation to help Gelebor. And if that meant helping defend the city of Windhelm and its people that is what he would do. These Dawnguard were putting aside their own personal beliefs and agendas to help these people and so would he.

The Falmer were just outside the gates, across the bridge near the stables.

At the forefront was a hooded figure wielding an Elven Sword.

"Thalmor." Gelebor quietly whispered to Envar.

Envar looked closely and saw that Gelebor was right.

The hooded figure was in fact a Thalmor.

But what was a Thalmor doing with the Falmer?

He had no time to even think about the reason, as a catapult fired a large flaming rock towards the city.

The projectile struck one of the buildings behind them, but Envar did not wish to see which.

His main focus was the Falmer army just across the bridge, preparing the storm the city gates.

"Be ready. They come for blood. Will they have it? No! They will be stopped here! Now! Today! We will not falter! We will not give up! We will not surrender to these foul creatures! Send them back to the abyss from whence they came!" Isran shouted to the men and women atop the walls.

They all cheered and drew their bows aiming towards the Falmer.

"Notch! Draw! Loose!" Isran shouted to the archers who fired their arrows at the Falmer.

"_Let none live! We take this city as our own! None shall survive! Attack!_" The Thalmor commanded as the Falmer began to charge across the bridge towards the main gates.

"Fire at them! Do not let them reach the gates!" Isran shouted to the archers as they turned their sights on the Falmer running for the gates.

The archers fired, striking down Falmer after Falmer.

Envar fired an arrow from his bow, striking a Falmer Gloomlurker charging towards the gates.

The catapult fired another projectile, striking the roof of the inn, bringing the roof caving in.

Gelebor looked and saw a large mass of Falmer slowly crossing the bridge, not running like the rest and were closely packed together as if to protect something.

"Battering ram! They have a battering ram! Bring them down!" Gelebor was shouting to the archers as the turned to fire on this new mass of Falmer.

Gelebor knew they had a battering ram, he just could not see it.

The Falmer were getting closer to the gates and the archers weren't taking them down fast enough as they finally reached the gates and began slamming the battering ram into the main gates.

"Swords! Get down there and prepare for a fight!" Isran shouted as the Dawnguard jumped down off of the walls and drew their weapons.

Envar joined them, pulling out his Orcish daggers.

The battering ram continued to pound on the doors.

Gelebor drew his mace, which he had told Envar was called the Prelate's Mace. It was a specially crafted Elven mace, made entirely of rare moonstone.

"Get ready!" Isran shouted as one last pound of the battering ram on the gates, threw them open, Falmer pouring into the city.

"Attack!" Isran shouted again, as his Dawnguard and city guards charged towards the Falmer.

Envar charged towards the Falmer and swung his daggers, striking down a Falmer Skulker.

A group of Falmer attacked one of the Dawnguard, bringing them down to the ground and repeatedly stabbing them to death.

"Beleval!" Isran shouted as he ran over and dispatched of the Falmer who had killed her.

Gelebor swung his sword left and right, striking down Falmer after Falmer, just as the other Dawnguard were doing, vengeance in their eyes, all wanting revenge against these creatures for slaying one of their own.

Ollrod jumped from the wall, knocking down a group of Falmer with him.

He slashed down at them, cutting off limb after limb, not stopping until they were all dead.

An arrow whizzed past Envar's face, just barely missing him.

That was when he saw the Thalmor come through the gates, striking down city guardsmen as he passed.

Everything slowed down as Envar looked around at the ensuing battle.

Arrows zooming left and right, striking man and Falmer alike.

Swords slashing at armor and flesh.

Catapult projectiles striking buildings, men and Falmer.

Envar was now more focused than ever and he made his way towards the Thalmor striking down Falmer as he went.

The Thalmor saw Envar fighting his way towards him and knew his intentions.

He cut his way through city guardsmen and civilian defenders as he advanced towards Envar.

This is my chance to prove my worth and prove that I am worthy of being called hero, Envar thought as the two finally reached each other.

"So assassin, you believe you can defeat me?! I would like to see you try! YARGH!" The Thalmor said as he swung his sword at Envar.

Envar jumped out of the way, the sword lightly cutting his left arm.

He thrust one his daggers at the Thalmor, but the Thalmor swung his sword knocking the dagger away from him.

"You aren't much of a fighter are you? I figured as much. You fight like that of a child! Haha!" The Thalmor said to Envar as he swung his sword at him once again.

The blow struck Envar in the chest, knocking him back.

"I'm a bit impressed that you could take such a blow and not be killed. You may yet have a chance. A slight one at best, but a chance all the same." The Thalmor said to Envar, a grin clearly showing on his face.

"AAAHHH!" Envar yelled as he charged at the Thalmor, grabbing him around the waist and attempting to bring him down.

"No! You cannot do it! My turn!" The Thalmor shouted as he grabbed the back of Envar's head and flipped him over his back, dropping Envar face first on the ground.

Envar struck the ground, a sickening crack could be heard as he crashed into the ground.

A sharp pain filled Envar face, as he grasped his face, blood covering his hand.

His nose had been broken and blood flowed out.

"You are weak! We will have this world and you will not live to see it!" The Thalmor shouted as he slashed down at Envar.

Envar rolled slightly out of the way and stabbed up at the now exposed ribs of the Thalmor, his orc dagger stabbing into the Thalmor until he could not even see the grip.

The Thalmor stammered back as Envar jumped up and kicked the Thalmor where Envar had stabbed him with his dagger.

The dagger went completely through the Thalmor's ribs, coming out of his back and falling to the ground behind him.

"AAARRGGGHH!" The Thalmor screeched in pain as he collapsed to the ground, holding the wound.

Envar picked up his other orc dagger and walked over to the Thalmor.

He stood over him, dagger in his hand.

"You talk too much!" Envar said as he stabbed down, his dagger running straight through the Thalmor's face.

The Falmer began to retreat after the Thalmor's death, stumbling over the bodies and each other as they went.

"Charge!" Isran shouted to the city's defenders as they charged after the Falmer, cutting those who began to flee across the bridge, while the army who still remained across the bridge abandoned their siege engines and ran for the hills.

"YAAAAHHHH!" the defenders cried out in victory.

Envar pulled the dagger from the Thalmor's head and returned it to its sheathe as he picked up the second dagger.

Gelebor sat down on the small stone wall to Envar's left, panting from the battle that just occurred.

"You alright?" Envar asked as he approached him.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Guess I wasn't ready for that. But I will be ready next time. Don't you worry about that. We must get to Raldbthar. We must end this." Gelebor said to Envar as he got up from the wall and walked over to Isran.

"It was a pleasure working with you again. I am truly sorry about Beleval, but myself and Envar must leave. We have to go to the Dwemer ruins of Raldbthar immediately. We must stop the Falmer before things get worse." Gelebor explained to Isran.

"I understand my friend. I wish we could join you, but Windhelm needs us, in case the Falmer return. Good luck Gelebor." Isran said as he patted Gelebor on the shoulder.

Gelebor made his way to the gates and Envar was about to follow him, but Isran put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

"I know what you are, assassin. But I respect your courage here today. There is a place for you in the Dawnguard if you ever wish to join us. Once this is all over, I hope to see you walking up towards Fort Dawnguard, ready to pledge yourself to our cause. But it is alright if you wish to go back to the Dark Brotherhood. I am just giving you another option if you choose it." Isran said as he let go of Envar's shoulder.

Envar ran to join back up with Gelebor as they exited the city.

Envar thought about Isran's words.

"_I know what you are, assassin. But I respect your courage here today. There is a place for you in the Dawnguard if you ever wish to join us. Once this is all over, I hope to see you walking up towards Fort Dawnguard, ready to pledge yourself to our cause. But it is alright if you wish to go back to the Dark Brotherhood. I am just giving you another option if you choose it._"

There is a place for you in the Dawnguard if you ever wish to join.

Those words lingered in his mind as the two men crossed over the bridge.

Before this is over, I will have an answer to that. Once this is over, I will decide if I am to remain a Dark Brotherhood assassin or if I will do as Gelebor said and change. Change and become…..a Dawnguard.

_**The Battle for Windhelm is over. Isran has offered Envar a spot in the Dawnguard once the war is over.**_

_**Will Envar decide to join the Dawnguard? Or will he return to the Dark Brotherhood? What will the two men discover in Raldbthar? Will they be able to end the war? Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_


	41. Thaddeus Chapter 6: At Death's Door

Thaddeus Chapter 6: At Death's Door

"We are nearing Falkreath." Amren said as the small group approached the city.

Thaddeus looked ahead and saw the few buildings had been untouched by the Falmer invasion.

"Good. At least there is somewhere that hasn't been attacked by those monsters. Come on. Let's go." Thaddeus said as he led the group closer to Falkreath.

In the past, Falkreath was considered a part of Cyrodiil but now firmly sits within the borders of Skyrim. Falkreath's economy is centered around lumber retrieved from the surrounding forest. Its most distinguishing feature is its large cemetery that houses generations of the dead from all over Skyrim. Many shops in town derive their names from their close proximity to so much death.

"Who goes there?" One of the guards shouted from atop the wooden battlements.

"We come from Whiterun. We seek audience with your Jarl." Thaddeus replied to the guard.

The guard came down from the battlements and motioned for the group to follow him.

"Jarl Balgruuf and you may speak with the Jarl. The rest of your group must remain at the Dead Man's Drink." The guard said to Thaddeus.

He nodded and signaled for the rest of the group to go to the inn.

"Jarl Siddgeir has always been out for one person and one person only. Himself. I hope you know what you are doing." The Jarl said to Thaddeus as they entered the Longhouse.

"Ah. This is quite the unexpected surprise. Jarl Balgruuf of Whiterun coming to visit the "lowly" Jarl Siddgeir of Falkreath. Tell me, what brings you to my humble abode?" Siddgeir asked Balgruuf.

Thaddeus stepped forward to give an answer.

"We have come to warn you about the Falmer threat." Thaddeus replied to the Jarl.

"This I know. Now what do you really want?" Siddgeir asked, disregarding Thaddeus' original statement.

"Well…..You may not believe this, but the Thalmor are working with the Falmer." Thaddeus hesitantly told Siddgeir.

"Hmm….What proof do you have of this? What proof do you have behind these accusations?" Siddgeir asked Thaddeus.

Thaddeus reached into his bag and pulled out the Thalmor hood.

"That only proves you have met a Thalmor. For all I know, you could have stolen that hood. Now, where is your real proof….farmer?" Siddgeir asked, getting impatient.

"How do you know I am a farmer?" Thaddeus asked, curious about the Jarl's last question.

"I can tell a farmer when I see one. Now. Your proof." Siddgeir demanded.

Thaddeus did not have any other proof of the Thalmor's involvement except for the hood.

The Thalmor had not been carrying anything that could indicate his involvement with the Falmer.

"Well….I…." Thaddeus was trying to come up with an answer, but did not have one.

"I see. You do not have any proof of any Thalmor involvement with the Falmer. You have only proven you are either a thief or a murderer. Therefore, I place you under arrest along with, the "respected" Jarl Balgruuf for the murder of a Thalmor agent. Arrest them!" Siddgeir was saying.

"We didn't murder anyone!" Balgruuf was yelling.

"Oh, but I beg to differ." A voice said from atop the left-most staircase.

Thaddeus turned to see who had spoken.

"But…what is going on here?!" Thaddeus angrily shouted.

"That is a good question. You see…Jarl Siddgeir understands what needs to be done to survive. In exchange for his allegiance, we have elected to not have the Falmer attack Falkreath and its people. Jarl Siddgeir has willingly handed the city to us. Our Master could use this city's people as his subjects. Slaves who will do the manual labor and build him shrines, temples, you name it. Anyone who surrenders to us will be spared a horrible and painful death. I hope you understand why the Jarl did what he did. He values life. His own and that of his people. I give you the chance to surrender here and now. If you do not, you will suffer a fate worse than death."

Thaddeus now realized what was going on.

Jarl Siddgeir had aligned himself with the Thalmor and to an extent the Falmer.

"You fool! How could you sacrifice the freedom of your people just to save your own skin?!" Balgruuf was furiously shouting at Siddgeir.

"Balgruuf you need to understand. I did this FOR the people. They would be dead now if not for my decision. The Thalmor offered me a deal and I took it." Siddgeir replied to Balgruuf as he rose from his throne.

"What did they promise you? Vast amounts of gold? Hidden treasures? Your own palace?" You just made the biggest mistake of your life. I will see that your head is removed from your shoulders for all of Skyrim to watch!" Balgruuf was shouting as the guards took him and Thaddeus away.

"I will let you sit in a cell until you make up your mind. I sincerely hope you make the right decision!" Siddgeir shouted to Balgruuf and Thaddeus with a grin on his face.

The guards tossed Thaddeus and Balgruuf into one of the cells.

"AAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH! Balgruuf screamed, pounding on the walls of the cell.

Thaddeus sat down on one of the beds and placed his hands over his face.

How could I be so stupid and blind?! How did I not see this coming?!, He angrily thought to himself.

"What are you two in for?" a voice asked from one of the other cells.

Thaddeus looked up and saw a man standing in front of his cell door, staring at him and Balgruuf.

"That traitor Siddgeir had us thrown in here!" Balgruuf angrily answered.

"What are you in for?" Thaddeus calmly asked the man not wanting his anger to get the best of him.

"I am a "follower" of Hircine if you know what I mean." The man answered with a smirk.

"A werewolf?!" Balgruuf asked, storming over to the cell door.

"Not so loud. But yes. I can change into a werewolf at will. Now, I cannot fight them all alone. So if you wouldn't mind helping me, we can all get out of here." The man was saying.

"Hold on. What is your name?" Thaddeus asked before the man could do anything.

"Haleryn. How about you two?" the man asked them.

"I am Thaddeus and this is Jarl Balgruuf of Whiterun." Thaddeus replied.

"Oh. A Jarl. Well now this is quite the surprise and a bit funny really. One Jarl locks up another. No, but seriously. Someone needs to bring that guy down a notch or a hundred. So, whose ready to get out of here?" Haleryn asked as he changed into his werewolf form.

He let out a loud roar and ripped his cell door off of its hinges.

"Back up!" Thaddeus shouted to Balgruuf as Haleryn charged over and ripped their cell door open.

Thaddeus and Balgruuf followed Haleryn as he stormed his way through the soldier barracks and out into the open.

A guard noticed the three of them and ran to get back-up.

Haleryn charged after him and hit him in the back with his large claw.

The guard fell to the ground and screamed in agony.

"AAAHHH! Please! Don't kill me!" the guard whimpered.

"Can't do that." Haleryn said as he bit down on the guard's neck, ripping and tearing at the flesh.

Thaddeus turned away, not wanting to watch.

He then heard fighting coming from within the inn.

"That must be the others. There is nothing we can do to help them at the moment. Into the Longhouse." Balgruuf was saying as he kicked the longhouse's door in.

A guard ran out to stop him, but he drew his sword and cut him down.

"Siddgeir!" Balgruuf screamed as he charged into the Longhouse.

Thaddeus followed behind while Haleryn dispatched of any guards who tried to follow the two men inside the Longhouse.

The Thalmor agent came out from one of the bedrooms and drew his sword.

"I see you have made your decision. I must now pass judgment upon you." The Thalmor said as he lunged at the two men.

The dodged his attack and went to grab him.

He fired a bolt of lightning at them, knocking Balgruuf back and sending Thaddeus crashing through one of the tables.

Balgruuf charged at the Thalmor and swung his greatsword at him.

The Thalmor jumped back, dodging the attack and thrusting his own sword at the exposed Jarl.

The attack struck the Jarl in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

Thaddeus slowly got up and limped over to the Thalmor, swinging his sword.

The Thalmor agent was struck in the back.

He quickly turned around and swung his sword at Thaddeus, just barely missing him.

Thaddeus swung his sword again, striking the Thalmor again in the back.

The Thalmor collapsed to the ground, holding his back.

Thaddeus repeatedly stabbed down at the Thalmor.

Balgruuf kicked open to the door Siddgeir's personal quarters.

Siddgeir was hiding in the back corner of the room.

Balgruuf went to strike down at him, but his arm was held back.

"Let me do this!" Balgruuf was shouting.

"He isn't worth it. He will get what he deserves. Just let the right people handle it." Thaddeus was saying, trying to get Balgruuf to back down.

Balgruuf sighed and put his sword back in its sheathe.

"All right. We bring him with us to Forelhost. We let them keep him imprisoned until this all blows over. I don't trust keeping him locked up here." Balgruuf said to Thaddeus.

They grabbed each of Siddgeir's arms and dragged him outside where Haleryn and the rest of their group were waiting.

"What are you doing with him?" Haleryn asked them.

"We are taking him to Forelhost and letting them deal with him." Thaddeus answered.

"Amren. Gather all of the citizens and bring them here." Balgruuf said to Amren.

A few minutes later, Amren returned with the citizens who remained.

"Where is Dengeir?" Balgruuf asked.

"Siddgeir and the Thalmor had him killed. He was speaking out about their alliance." Delacourt, the bard said.

"All right. As of right now, I place Runil in charge of Falkreath until those at Forelhost can properly select a new Jarl." Balgruuf announced to the citizens.

He turned to Amren next.

"You shall remain here and take charge of the city guard. Ensure nothing like this happens again. Also, make sure to defend the city from the Falmer." Balgruuf said to him.

Amren nodded and led the remainder of the city guard back to the barracks.

"Everyone else. Move out. We make for Forelhost." Balgruuf ordered.

Thaddeus gathered his belongings from the evidence chest in the barracks and met back with the rest of the group as the left for Forelhost.

"If you don't mind, I would like to remain here and assist these people." Haleryn said to Thaddeus.

"That is your choice. Do what you feel is best." Thaddeus responded.

Haleryn nodded and entered the Longhouse as Thaddeus caught up with the group and continued on their way to Forelhost.

_**Thaddeus and Jarl Balgruuf have liberated the city of Falkreath from Thalmor control and now bring Siddgeir to Forelhost to face judgment for his crimes. **_

_**What will happen to Siddgeir? Will the Falmer attack Falkreath now that the Thalmor no longer control it? Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_


	42. The Blades: Last Of Our Order

The Blades: Last Of Our Order

Since the attack at the Abandoned Prison outpost, Faraldar had just kept running.

He had no idea if the Falmer or anyone else had followed him, but he didn't care.

He only cared about reaching the Sky Haven Temple and warning the others about the Falmer threat.

Sky Haven Temple was built in the mountains of Skyrim and inhabited by Reman Cyrodiil's Akaviri Dragonguard during the First Era. Its placement made it both secure and ideal for spotting dragons. Eventually, the temple (really more of a fortress) was abandoned, though it may have been used by the Blades as late as the Third Era. By the Fourth Era, the place had become just another inaccessible ruin with Forsworn squatting around its outskirts.

Within the temple, was a large wall called Alduin's Wall. In 1E 2812, Emperor Reman II permitted construction of Alduin's Wall, a pictorial representation of the Dragonguard's history with and knowledge of dragons, including the prophecy that, upon the outbreak of civil war in Skyrim, the return of Alduin would accompany the return of the dragons, and the World-Eater would threaten to live up to his name. The Emperor returned in 1E 2818 to dedicate it and consecrate the Akaviri Blood Seal, which allowed the temple to be closed off until a Dragonborn returned to unlock its knowledge and power.

Esbern had taught him that and made him commit that knowledge to memory, before sending him off to the Abandoned Prison outpost.

Faraldar saw the entrance of the temple and rushed inside.

The bodies of Forsworn littered the floors all the way to the entrance of the temple itself where, just outside the entrance lay the bodies of both Falmer and Blades.

He looked down at the fallen Blades and recognized them as new initiates who had come from Cyrodiil to join up.

Faraldar opened the large doors leading inside the temple and found more bodies trailing up the stairs to the main room.

A large table sat in the middle of the room.

Dishes had been smashed. Cups knocked over.

The body of a Blade lay across the table, a good thirteen arrows sticking out of his chest.

He slowly walked over to Alduin's Wall, which was now covered in blood.

The bodies of twenty or so Blades lay in front of the wall, swords still in their hands.

They had fought to the last man and woman.

Among the bodies, was the Acting Grandmaster, Delphine.

Delphine had taught Faraldar much about combat and the Blades history with the Thalmor.

Now she lay dead among the rest of the fallen Blades.

He checked all of the interior rooms, finding more bodies of Blades during his search.

Now all that remained was to check the courtyard.

He exited the temple and went into the courtyard, finding more bodies of Falmer and Blades.

That was when he noticed, sitting up against a rock, was Esbern.

"Esbern!" Faraldar shouted as he ran over.

"F…Faraladr…Faraldar….they….they overran us without….without warning. Every…..everyone is dead. Wh…where are the others?" Esbern was faintly saying.

"Be calm Esbern. The others…..did not make it." Faraldar said, looking down.

"It….it is all right. They….are at peace now. And….I…I will be too." Esbern said.

"Don't say that Esbern. I can still help you." Faraldar was saying, trying to find some way to help Esbern.

"It….is all right. I…need to do something…..something before I go." Esbern weakly said, his eyes beginning to wane.

"What is it Esbern? What do you need to do?" Faraldar said, helping Esbern to sit up.

"You….you are….the last of our order. I…..I officially grant you….the title of…Grandmaster to the Blades…." Esbern was saying as his eyes closed.

Faraldar shook him, but he was gone.

"NOOOOO!" Faraldar screamed, tears streaming down his eyes.

He sat, holding Esbern's body, staring down at him. Staring down at the man who had taught him everything he knew.

"I….am the last of the Blades. I will get revenge. I will destroy the Falmer. Their masters. The Thalmor. I will avenge you. I will avenge all of you." Faraldar was saying.

He laid Esbern back down and rose up.

He returned inside the temple and entered the armory.

Lying on the table was a Blade's sword, but it was different from the rest.

The sword had been found inside Bloated Man's Grotto.

With the sword was a note from a fallen blade named Acilius Bolar.

It read,

"_To he who finds this, know that I, Acilius Bolar, last of the Blades to survive the attack on Cloud Ruler Temple, took refuge here, in this ancient sanctuary. The Thalmor have come for me, but they shall not desecrate this place. I go forth to meet my death with honor. If you are worthy, take up my blade and do the same._"

Faraldar picked up the sword and put it in his sheathe, removing his own sword and placing it down on the table.

"There must be some way of finding where the Falmer have come from." Faraldar said as he went back out to search the bodies of the Falmer for any trace of where they might have come from.

He found a note on one of the bodies.

"_Once you have destroyed the Blades, return to Mzinchaleft. _

_The Master has something planned. _

_You stand out from the rest of your brethren. _

_If you succeed, you shall be rewarded handsomely. _

_It might end up even being command of the entire Falmer army. _

_Do what must be done. _

_A_"

Who was "A" and what did he have to do with the Falmer?

That did not matter at the moment.

He now knew where these Falmer had come from and that is where he would go.

Faraldar grabbed what he needed for the journey and began to leave the temple.

He took one last look at what was once a haven for the Blades.

"I am the last of the Blades. I will avenge you!" He shouted back at the temple .

_**Faraldar is now the Grandmaster of the Blades, but he is also the last of them .He now makes his way to Mzinchaleft to deal with the Falmer there. **_

_**Will Faraldar succeed or will the Falmer eliminate the last of the Blades? Who is "A" and what does he have to do with the Falmer invasion? Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_

_**Who do you think is leading the Falmer invasion? The Thalmor keep mentioning a "Master". Who do you think that is? Leave your answers below. **_


	43. Admand 2: On The Trail

Legate Emmanuel Admand: On The Trail

Since storming out of Markarth, Admand had thought about nothing except finding Vigarr and his captors.

He hadn't stopped to think about what he would do if he did find Vigarr or what if he reached where Vigarr was and he ended up being dead.

No, you will not think like that. Vigarr is alive. You will find him and bring him back with you. You will find his captors and you will make them pay, Admand was thinking to himself as he passed by an overturned carriage.

"Unnhh…." He heard from behind the carriage.

He walked around the wreckage to see who had made the noise.

A man lay on the ground, holding his leg.

"Oh. Thank the gods. Please. Help me. My carriage was attacked by Falmer and my leg was injured during the attack. My name is Paratus Decimius. I am of the Synod." The injured man explained.

Admand helped the man up and brought him over to a rock, sitting him down upon it.

"Tell me. Which direction were the Falmer heading in?" Admand asked Paratus.

"They were heading towards Dragon Bridge." Paratus answered.

"Ok. We cannot leave you here. But I have no means of moving you. Let's see if we can find something use can use as a splint." Admand said as he looked around the area surrounding the carriage.

He found a large branch, drew his sword and reshaped it into a splint.

"Here you go." He said, handing the splint to Paratus.

Paratus grabbed the splint and leaned on it.

"Come on. Let's get out of here before any more Falmer decide to come back." Paratus suggested as he followed Admand.

The two men walked along the road towards Dragon Bridge.

Maybe these Falmer would have some evidence of Vigarr or somehow lead him to someone who did, Admand thought as he continued down the road.

"Smoke." Paratus said, pointing in the direction of Dragon Bridge.

"Wait here." Admand quickly said as he ran towards the town.

He could see a battle of sorts going on within the town and ran in that direction.

Drawing he sword, he charged into the middle of the fight.

He looked around and saw the town guards fighting with a group of Seeker.

A Seeker turned to attack Admand, but he ducked out of the way and sliced up towards the creature, striking it just under the throat.

The Seeker fell back, collapsing to the ground.

The rest of the Seekers began to retreat, seeing one of their own having fallen.

"Do not let them escape! Kill them all!" Admand shouted as he ran after the Seekers, cutting down one after another, letting his anger and hatred consume him.

The guards watched as the Legate cut down the creatures single-handedly, unsure if they should help or not.

Admand stood over the bodies of the Seekers, blood dripping from his sword and sweat dripping from him.

"Sir. Are you all right?" one of the guards asked him.

Admand quickly turned around, the tip of his sword touching the guard's neck.

"No. I am not fine. Those creatures are working alongside the Falmer. They took a friend of mine, killing another in the process. I must find where these creatures have come from. If I do not, he will die. Help me look through these corpses for any trace or where they have come from." Admand replied to the guard as he began looking for any signs of Vigarr or where he had been taken.

The rest of the guards began to help out, unsure what they were looking for, but helping out all the same.

"I think I found something. Here inside this one. Looks like some sort of Dwemer object lodged in its side." The guard said pulling the object from the Seeker's corpse.

Admand moved quickly over to the guard to see what he had found.

It was a Dwemer bolt, most likely fired by a Dwemer Spheres and Centurions.

"They came from….a Dwemer ruin?" the guard asked, confused by this revelation.

"There are a lot of Dwemer ruins out there. They could have come from any one of them." Another guard chimed in.

"There aren't any Dwemer ruins near Solitude, so they had to have come from the South. Not from any near Markarth, as I just came from that way. The closest Dwarven ruins to Dragon Bridge they could have come from is…..Raldbthar." Admand answered.

Admand turned around and saw Paratus limping across the bridge.

"Go and help him. Bring him to the inn. His leg is wounded. Do whatever needs to be done to help him. I am going to head to Raldbthar and find out what is going on." Admand said as he walked past the guards and back across the bridge.

"Where are you going?" Paratus asked Admand as he approached.

"I have found where they took my friend. Raldbthar. These good people will help you. I will return when I have found him." Admand said to Paratus.

He was not sure if he would return from this journey, but that was not something he could tell Paratus. He did not want him to lose hope. He could not lose hope himself.

You will return from this. I vow to return with Vigarr in tow, Admand thought to himself as he crossed the bridge and began his trek to Raldbthar.

_**Not a long or interesting chapter, but it sets up the last person and his projected destination. **_

_**Everyone now converges on the Dwarven Ruins that will eventually bring them to Blackreach. **_

_**Will Admand be able to save Vigarr? Will he be able to keep his self-promise and return from this journey? Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_


	44. Siege of Volkihar Keep

Siege of Volkihar Keep

Banging on the large doors was the only noise that could be heard throughout the keep.

They were all prepared for anything.

They were vampires of course, so why wouldn't they?

Ever since the death of Lord Harkon, a power struggle had ensued between two of their rank, Orthjolf and Vingalmo.

Sides were drawn and allegiances were chosen, further alienating them from each other.

Half of the castle was now run by Ortholf and his followers, while the other half was run by Vingalmo and his followers.

Many of the vampires had chosen sides after Harkon's death, but there was one vampire who had decided to remain neutral.

"Serana!" a voice shouted from above.

The young female vampire quickly turned around to see who had called her.

"Garan Marethi always a pleasure to see you. What does Vingalmo want this time? Perhaps to have you force me to align with him again? Or maybe he has sent you here to have me kill Orthjolf so he can have full control? Well if either of those is the case, then he is wrong. I won't choose sides Garan. I have clearly stated this on many occasions now, openly even, so return to Vingalmo and tell him I won't do it." Serana said to the Dunmer mage.

"That is not the reason I am here Serana. The Falmer are at our doors and we need to unite both sides to quell this attack. Only you can bring them to see reason. You are the late Harkon's daughter. They will listen to you." Garan replied.

"Will they? Harkon is dead. What makes you think they will listen to his only child? Harkon betrayed us all. The others won't listen to the daughter of a traitor." Serana said.

Garan gave her a stern look, but knew she was right. Even if she did make a compelling argument as to why both sides should work together, they wouldn't be able to get over the fact that she was Harkon's daughter and he had intended to betray them before his death.

"You are right Serana. They won't listen to you. That is why we must show them what would happen if they didn't work together. Or we find someone who they would listen to." Garan suggested to Serana.

"If we were to go by this new plan of yours, where would we even find someone who they would listen to?" Serana asked Garan.

"That I am unsure of at this point. But I will try and find someone. For now, we have to make sure those Falmer do not get inside. Some of our more…hungrier may bite the Falmer which will cause us to have Vampiric Falmer on our hands. We cannot have that. We are running out of cattle for the others to feed on. We cannot leave the castle as there are too many Falmer out there and it is daylight out there. Orthjolf and Vingalmo are too concerned with who should run things around here to worry about the decrease in food supply." Garan explained.

"There is no one out there who can make them see reason. The Falmer are bound to get in here because both only care about protecting their own section of the castle instead of worrying about defending the entire castle. If the entire castle isn't defended, then their sections will be even less defensible even with people protecting it. No, the only way they will listen is if we can convince them that the Falmer are too big a threat that we can't be divided. Because this division will surely get us all killed and the only way to prevent that is if we all work together. Even if it is a temporary truce, it will still give us enough time to resupply and find someone who can bring about a permanent truce." Serana replied to Garan.

Garan nodded and went to tell Vingalmo about this meeting.

Serana decided that she would be the one to tell Orthjolf.

"Are you out of your mind child? You want me to sit down with that treacherous bastard? I won't have it." Orthjolf said to Serana.

"But Orthjolf! The Falmer are at our doorsteps. They will soon breach the castle doors and we will all be killed. Please. All I ask is that you talk to him. Come to some sort of agreement for the sake of all of us. Even if it is just temporary. At least until we defeat the Falmer. Come Orthjolf. If you won't do it for you, would you at least do it for me?" Serana was begging Orthjolf.

"All right. I'll do it for you. But if he even once threatens me in any way, I will end this sit-down." Orthjolf replied.

"Thank you Orthjolf." Serana said as she went to bring the news to Garan.

The meeting was to be held in the dining room, the only room not claimed by either side other than Serana's quarters.

"I have called you all here to discuss the Falmer threatening this castle and to discuss the terms of a truce. Now shall we begin?" Serana asked.

Both men nodded, each one sitting at either end of the table.

"Good. Now the Falmer are preventing us from resupplying our….." Serana began to say.

"Before we continue, I would like to say that I am only here because of the Falmer threat. Once they have been dealt with, I will no longer continue to work with that scum." Vingalmo said, pointing at Orthjolf.

"Come now. The only reason we are at odds is because you are too stubborn to see that I am the better man suited to run things in the Keep. It is pure and utter jealousy that motivates you." Orthjolf retorted.

"Jealousy?! I…" Vingalmo began to shout back.

"Please! We are here to talk conduct a truce. Not to here you bicker back and forth. What will it take for you two to work together?" Serana shouted at both of them.

Both men looked at each other in disgust, but knew Serana was right. If they wanted to survive, they would have to work together somehow.

"All right. I will begin. We wish to have the Cathedral and smithy turned over to us. As well as the Bloodstone Chalice." Vingalmo stated.

"That is absurd! The Cathedral and the Bloodstone Chalice?! Fine. If you are getting the Cathedral and the Bloodstone Chalice, you are to hand over the throne room, lab, and Auriel's Bow." Orthjolf replied back.

"What?! So you a pretender can sit atop the throne?! I think not. And Auriel's Bow?! What so you can use it to kill me and take everything for yourself?! You're mad if you think I will allow that!" Vingalmo shouted.

"Enough! Here are the terms of the truce. The castle will remain neutral. No one side will have designated rooms. If you wish for your side to have a "base" of sorts, Orthjolf and his followers will be given the Smith. Vingalmo and his followers will receive the Lab. The Bloodstone Chalice will be given to Vingalmo. Auriel's Bow will be given to Orthjolf. You are not to use these tools against each other. To ensure that resupplying is not one sided, each side will send one of their own to get the supplies we need. If only one comes back, I will know they murdered the other and the side on which that person is aligned will lose all of their rights and privileges and the leader of the side on which the person was lost will be granted immediate leadership of the Volkihar Keep. Whichever one of you breaks the terms of the truce, will be removed from contention for the throne. Do I make myself clear?" Serana stated to both men.

Both men looked at her in shock, but nodded in agreement at the terms.

Garan pulled her over to him for a second.

"Told you they would listen to you." Garan said to Serana.

He had been right. They did listen to her. He had come up with that other plan, knowing it was actually a cover. He knew she would call a meeting between both men and decide a truce if she had believed the reason she was doing it was just temporary until they could find someone else they would listen to. He knew that they would listen to her.

"Now. We need to come up with a plan to deal with those Falmer out there. Orthjolf and Vingalmo will be duel commanders. They will both report to me. Orthjolf will take have of his people and half of Vingalmo's people and take up position on the walls. Vingalmo will take the rest and ensure the doors are not breached. If the Falmer do get inside, it will be up to them to hold them back. Understood?" Serana said.

Everyone nodded in agreement and began to get into position.

Orthjolf stood atop the wall of Volkihar Keep, overlooking the exterior, staring out at all of the Falmer trying to break their way inside.

"Ready your bows!" He shouted to the other vampires atop the wall.

In order for them to be atop the walls, Feran Sadri had concocted some potions that would allow them to be in the sunlight for a limited duration of time before they had to return inside and take another dosage.

"Notch! Draw! Loose!" Orthjolf shouted as they fired arrows at the Falmer below.

The first group fell quickly not expecting the barrage of arrows that were fired down at them.

The second group was a bit more prepared, throwing up their shields for protection, but the arrows still struck the ones who were too slow.

The rest of the Falmer threw up their shields, protecting themselves and the ones next to them, especially the ones wielding the battering ram.

"Take down that battering ram! Don't let them breach the doors!" Orthjolf shouted to the archers, as they turned their sights on the battering ram.

Inside, Serana could hear Orthjolf shouting out orders, knowing exactly what the situation was outside from the orders he was giving.

"How did they get here without using the jetty?" Namasur asked.

That is a good question. There is only one way onto this island and I doubt the Falmer would take the time to use the small boat to get there, so how could they have reached the island? And how could they have completely overlooked Solitude? Unless they had gone to Solitude first, then that would explain why they would turn their attention on Volkihar Keep. But that still didn't explain how they had come to be on the island.

She didn't have time to answer that question, as another bang on the door signaled the Falmer were almost inside.

"Ready yourselves! Soon they will be upon us! We must drive them back! They shall not have Volkihar Keep! Not now! Not ever!" Vingalmo shouted drawing his sword and charging at the door just as the Falmer hit it one last time, breaking the large doors to the keep open.

Falmer poured into the keep, swords drawn and swinging back and forth at the vampires.

Sunlight began to fill the main hall, driving the vampires back, but Vingalmo fought on, ignoring the sunlight.

"Fall back!" Serana shouted to the others.

They followed her lead and regrouped inside the cathedral.

At the center of the Cathedral was a shrine dedicated to the Daedric Prince, Molag Bal. One legend claims that Molag Bal created the first vampire when he raped a Nedic virgin, who in turn slaughtered a group of nomads. He also made pacts with other mortals and turned them into vampires such as Lord Harkon and his family. Thus it is implied Lord Harkon and his family are the original Volkihar Clan of vampires being directly turned by the Daedric Prince himself. Many of the other vampires did not believe the legends, but still worshipped Molag Bal nonetheless.

Orthjolf and the others had joined them after their potions had worn off.

"Where is Vingalmo?" Orthjolf asked Serana.

"He stayed behind to fight the Falmer. I…..don't think he made it." Serana answered.

Orthjolf slowly nodded and turned his attention to the others.

"_Burn it to the ground!" _Shouted a voice from outside.

The Falmer dragged tables, chairs, and whatever else they could find, in front of the Cathedral doors.

"They are trying to lock us in!" Rargal Thrallmaster shouted as he began attempting to push through the doors.

Serana looked at the doors and saw fire begin coming from underneath them.

She looked over at Orthjolf, whose expression had changed from calm to horrified.

She looked around at everyone else, who either seemed to be scared or angered. The ones who were scared did their best to get away from the fire, while those who were angered did their best to break through the Cathedral doors, but to no avail.

She then looked on Ronthil and noticed he was completely calm.

"How can you be calm at a time like this?" She asked him.

"Because we are finally going to meet our Maker. Soon we will be rid of this vampirism. No longer have to fear the sunlight. No longer having to worry about having to feed for blood. I wish for my soul to be pure again. I want to feel my heart beat again. It took this just for me to realize, I want to be human again. To know what the sun feels like. To see a sunset again. And I will be able to do all of that in the next life. So I am prepared for whatever happens to me. I accept my fate." Ronthil said, spreading out his arms as the flames engulfed the room.

Serana grabbed his hand, wanting to be with the only calm person when the flames brought an end to it all.

_**Volkihar Keep has been attacked and laid siege to by the Falmer. The vampires of Volkihar Keep did their best to fight back. **_

_**But it still begs the question…..Did the die? Did they get consumed by the flames? Keep reading and you will find out. If you liked the chapter, leave a comment below. If you didn't like it, leave your reason why in the comments and I will do better in the coming chapters. Any comments, questions, or concerns, just leave them in the comments and I will do my best to reply and change things if enough people ask me to. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy the coming chapters!**_


	45. An Emperor's Declaration

An Emperor's Declaration

The High Chancellor had been dead for nearly a week now, but everyone believed he had stepped down from his position and left Cyrodiil to explore the ruins of Vivec.

A party was about to begin and the Emperor was getting ready to greet his guests.

"My lord. The guests will soon be arriving. And I would like to say well done on your handling of that meddlesome High Chancellor. You have beyond proven that you belong on the Ruby Throne." Arantyl said to Amaund as stood outside the door, waiting for Amaund to finish getting ready.

Amaund opened the door, ready to follow Arantyl to the dining hall.

He wore royal green robes, with red dragon designs covering the robes and wore a ruby necklace around his neck.

"I am ready. Lead the way Arantyl." Amaund said to the Thalmor.

Arantyl bowed his head and lead the way.

The dining hall had been decorated in all green, with green banners hanging from the ceiling with the same red dragon designs as on the Emperor's robes.

The guests had all taken their seats at the table and stood up as the Emperor entered the room.

"Sit." He said to his guests.

All of the dinner guests took their seats and began to eat.

"I say, it is a bit odd that during this current crisis in Skyrim, that our High Chancellor all of sudden resigns and leaves for the ruined city of Vivec. Amaund, I don't mean to pry, but what exactly were his reasons for leaving?" one of the guests asked.

"Prying is a bad habit, but you sir are not committing it. I would be glad to tell you why our esteemed High Chancellor left. Just this past Middas, the High Chancellor entered my chambers and said he had to speak with me. I stopped everything I was doing and listened intently to what he had to tell me. He said, he was getting older and life was beginning to catch up with him. He said also that his duties as High Chancellor were beginning to overwhelm him and that he needed to get away. He told me of his life-long dream to be an explorer rather than a politician and had to be a politician out of necessity. He decided now was as good a time as any, to follow his dream. So, he told me of his intention to resign and I granted it to him. I knew he did not have much longer to live, and following his dream would give him peace before he passed on. Does that answer your question, Count Carvatius Umbranox of Anvil?" Amaund explained to the guest.

He now hoped that they would all believe his story and not doubt any of the details.

"Of course Emperor." Carvatius Umbranox replied.

"Good. Now on to the business at hand. Who will be his successor? That question has been asked by all. Today, I fully intend to give you all the answer that you seek." Amaund said as he stood up from his seat.

"I hereby proclaim that Cyrodiil's new High Chancellor is….Arantyl!" Amaund said, pointing to the Thalmor who sat next to him.

Arantyl rose from his seat and bowed.

"If I may say, I am not so sure this is the best idea. What will the people think, having a Thalmor agent as their High Chancellor?" another guest asked.

"How dare you question your Emperor?! Everyone! Count Fanar Indarys of Cheydinhal dares question the decision of your Emperor! What say you to that?!" Amaund shouted.

The rest of the counts looked around at each other, unsure how to respond.

"My lord. Count Vilentius Caro of Leyawiin speaking. I am inclined to agree with Count Indarys. Won't this decision, well….anger the people?" the count asked.

"Anger the people?! Hahaha! What do I care what the people think of me or the decisions I make?! Their sole purpose is to serve me and do as I say. Do what I wish them to do. If I want my "people" to bow to me, they will bow. If I want them to go to war, they will go to war. If I want them to slaughter each other, then that is what they will do. No more shall I be questioned! No more shall I be called unworthy or unfit to rule! No longer shall I be called undeserving to sit upon the Ruby Throne! No, it is you who is unworthy! It is you who is undeserving! It is you who are no longer worthy of the lives you live!" Amaund was shouting, as he motioned for the Thalmor guards to enter the room.

The counts looked around, seeing Thalmor entering the room.

"You've gone mad!" County Indarys shouted.

"Mad?! No. I have just seen the error of my ways. I have seen the error in letting all of you cowards rule my cities! My lands! I will now rectify that mistake! Kill them all!" Amaund shouted.

The Thalmor guards began attacking the counts and their bodyguards.

They tried to fight back, but the Thalmor over-powered them.

"I am the Emperor! None shall challenge me!" Amaund shouted as he plunged his dagger into Count Indarys side.

"AAAHHH!" the count screamed, holding his side.

Amaund pulled the dagger out of the count's side, picked him up and slit his throat.

Blood began to flow from the count's throat, spraying the emperor's robes, turning them a dark red.

"None shall challenge my rule! The Ruby Throne is mine!" Amaund shouted, holding his dagger in the air, watching as chaos ensued inside the dining hall.

Arantyl looked on, a smile forming across his face.

"You have done well my lord." Arantyl said to Amaund.

"Let the rivers run red with all who oppose me!" Amaund shouted.

_**Amaund Motierre has officially gone mad. He has effectively removed all of Cyrodiil's counts, leaving the cities to fend for themselves. Arantyl is the new High Chancellor. Cyrodiil is now, in a sense, run by the Master. **_

_**What will happen to Cyrodiil now that all of its Counts are dead? How will this change in leadership affect the situation in Skyrim? Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_


	46. Wayfinder 4: Common Goals

Wayfinder Chapter 4: Common Goals

Three days had passed since Wayfinder had formed an alliance with the General of the Imperial Legion and still they were no closer to Raldbthar.

"General. How much farther do you think we must go before we find these Dwarven ruins?" Wayfinder asked the General as he moved up beside him.

General Tullius turned to look at Wayfinder.

"It may take us a few more days. Until then, we have to worry about the threats all around us. We have to worry if a Falmer raiding party or worse, finds us. That will set us off track. We need to make sure nothing hinders our progress. I will need you and your people's help to do that. Keep your eyes peeled for anything that even gives a hint of danger." Tullius said to Wayfinder.

He nodded and returned to join his group.

"Wayfinder, what did the General say?" Enthir asked him.

"He said a few more days until we reach Raldbthar. He also wants us to watch out for any potential dangers lurking around. Doesn't want our progress to be hindered." Wayfinder replied.

In the back of the marching army, Litthius and Constantine stood side by side.

"Litthius, I am not sure if I trust these people. Especially that Sibbi-Black Briar." Constantine said to Litthius.

"I know. But, we can't do anything about it. We need everyone here. How are we going to effectively fight the Falmer if we can't trust each other? That is what you need to consider Constantine. Without trust, all else fails." Litthius replied.

Since he had his last vision, Litthius had been trying to figure out their meaning.

He figured the rest of the mages were trying the same thing, but none of them had approached him to speak about it.

A burning city surrounded by black. Shadowy Figures running from all directions. A dragon flying overheard burning everything in its path. A white light flashing from atop a hill and everything going dark. A man standing in front of a strange device holding a round object in his hand. He then descends into darkness.

These had been his first set of visions.

His second was the dream with the voice, the empty Hall of Attainment, and the darkness engulfing everything.

What could it all mean?, he began asking himself.

The man, could it be one of their group?

He looked around at all of the people around him.

He had not seen the man's face, so he was not sure which of these people it could have been.

Maybe it wasn't even someone here. It could be someone we haven't met yet.

Before he could answer his own question, the group stopped.

"Why have we stopped?" Litthius asked Constantine.

"Not sure." Constantine replied, trying to see what had stopped them.

General Tullius looked around, hearing noises coming from close by.

"Gularzob and Ravam. Scout ahead and see what is going on." General Tullius ordered.

The two men nodded and moved ahead of the army.

"What do you suppose it is?" Ravam asked Gularzob.

"Could be anything. Maybe even Falmer." Gularzob replied, drawing his axe.

Gularzob quickly slid across the ground and came up behind a large rock.

He looked around the side and saw a large group of Falmer marching from the East.

"Shhh…Falmer on the east road." Gularzob quietly said to Ravam, as the Dark Elf joined him behind cover.

Ravam took a quick look around the rock and upon seeing the Falmer horde, fell back behind cover.

"Too many for our forces to handle. Let them pass." Gularzob said, motioning for Tullius and the army to remain where they were.

Tullius complied and had his men fall back a bit as to not be seen.

He turned to Wayfinder.

"Falmer. Tell the others." Tullius said to him.

Wayfinder moved through the ranks, telling the men about the Falmer horde on the road.

"The sooner we get to Raldbthar, the sooner we can end this." Constantine said.

Litthius nodded, but was more concerned with figuring out the meaning of his visions.

Maybe the burning city could be Whiterun.

He had heard about the attack on Whiterun from one of the soldiers and wondered if that had been the burning city from his dream.

"Litthius. You seem distracted. What is bothering you?" Tolfdir asked him.

Litthius jumped a little, not expecting Tolfdir to be there.

"Sorry Tolfdir. It's just…..I cannot seem to figure out the meaning of those dreams." Litthius responded.

"Well, let me help you. The burning city. What do you think that means?" Tolfdir asked him.

"I was thinking it could mean Whiterun. Or even Riften. The shadowy figures could be the Falmer. The dragon I am unsure of. We haven't seen any dragons. Unless the dragon is symbolism for something or someone. The white light atop a hill completely baffles me. And the man. I figured he may be someone here or someone else who is moving towards Blackreach just as we are." Litthius replied.

"Hmm…what if the city you saw, is in fact Blackreach. Rumor has it that there is a dragon that secretly inhabits the ancient Dwarven city. Maybe that is the dragon in your dream. The white light could be an opening in the ground, letting light into Blackreach or symbolism for a person leading an army to rescue or fight back against the darkness. The man is definitely someone heading for Blackreach. Now as to who it may be, I am unsure. We may soon find out." Tolfdir said to Litthius.

Gularzob looked back at Tullius and the army and signaled to them that the coast was clear.

Tullius acknowledged it and motioned for the army to move forward.

"We have similar goals. A common enemy. Once this is all over, we all go our separate ways. Back to our own lives. Understand?" Tullius was saying to Wayfinder.

"That, General, is all I want. For things to return to the way they were before. I know that will never happen. When something like this happens, nothing can ever be the same. Something always changes. Be it the world or something inside you. Something is always changed." Wayfinder replied.

He knew things were going to change, for better or worse and all he could do was wait and see how everything fell into place.

_**Not the most interesting or action packed chapter, but it is meant to further the story. **_

_**The army continues on its way to Raldbthar.**_

_**Who is correct about the meaning of Litthius' dreams? Litthius or Tolfdir? Or is neither correct? What will happen once they reach Raldbthar? And what will happen when they finally enter Blackreach? Who is the man from Litthius' dream? Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_


	47. Envar 6: Destination Reached

Envar Chapter 6: Destination Reached

It had been a number of days since the two men had left Windhelm after having been a part of the city's defense. The Dawnguard had remained behind to help keep the city defended against the Falmer.

"How much farther do you think we have to go?" Envar asked Gelebor, who was walking slightly ahead of him.

Gelebor did not turn around to look at Envar when answering his question.

"Not much farther I believe. Raldbthar will surely be filled with Falmer if not also with any Dwemer machinations. Be wary and watch for anything." Gelebor replied as he jogged ahead, leaving Envar behind.

Envar ran to catch up with the Snow Elf and was pulled behind a tree.

"I left you behind for a reason. In order for me to scout ahead, you must remain behind." Gelebor said, shaking his head at the Dark Brotherhood assassin.

Gelebor quietly moved forward and scouted the area surrounding the Dwemer ruins.

They had finally reached Raldbthar.

If they were the first ones, Envar did not know. But his main concern was to just get inside, "fulfill his destiny", and get out.

"Strange. There are no patrols on the exterior. Be cautious. They may be in hiding." Gelebor whispered motioning for Envar to follow his lead.

From the looks of it, bandits had once occupied these ruins, but now had more than likely been caught off guard and slaughtered by the Falmer.

A body lay in front of a pile of logs that had once been a fire.

"They never saw it coming." Envar said as he passed by the outer campsite and followed Gelebor to Raldbthar's entrance.

Gelebor slowly opened the doors leading into the ruins, just barely being hit by a trap that had been set up just behind the large doors.

"Close one." Envar said.

Gelebor did not acknowledge the statement and continued through the doors.

He must really be determined to kill these Falmer. He hasn't even said a word since we arrived, Envar thought as he followed Gelebor inside.

More bodies. These bandits had no chance.

Arrows filled the bodies of several bandits that lay on the ground within the ruins.

More traps lay ahead, Gelebor easily avoiding them while Envar had a bit more trouble as one ceiling axe nearly sliced him in half. Luckily he had jumped back just in time to avoid it.

"Have to be more careful." He said to himself as he continued forward.

Gelebor still moved further without uttering a word.

The farther the two men moved into the ruins, the more traps there seemed to be, but they had yet to see any Falmer or even Dwemer automatons.

"Where are all of the Falmer? The Dwemer machinations? Something doesn't feel right." Envar was saying as he followed Gelebor.

Something wasn't right about this whole situation.

Envar looked around for any signs of Falmer or Dwemer automaton presence, but saw none.

The bodies clearly had signs that the Falmer had been there, but there weren't any Falmer there now.

Envar heard a noise from behind him and quickly turned around.

He drew his sword and swung it.

The figure jumped back.

"Show yourself!" Envar shouted.

The figure came out from the shadows.

"But….how?!" Envar said in shock.

He turned around to see if Gelebor was still there.

A sword quickly flew up against his throat.

"Sorry, but I cannot let you go any farther. You have seen too much already." Gelebor said to Envar.

"But I don't understand. I thought you said…." Envar began to say.

Gelebor shook his head and laughed.

"You truly believed everything I had told you didn't you? _You are meant to help save Skyrim from the coming darkness._ _Even the most evil and cruel individual can become a hero when the time is right. You are not the most evil and cruel individual mind you, but you still have a large part to play before this is all over. The death of the High Queen was meant to happen and you were meant to be the one to do it. The Divines have selected you to be one of their champions against the Falmer threat and I have decided to help you._ _You can defy the odds and everyone's perception of you and do what is right. You can help save this world before it is completely and utterly destroyed. Now do you see how I feel? The prophecy is in there plain and simple. _

_We know now to survive we must be born anew. _

_That is what you can do. _

_That is what you must do. _

_If you truly care about you Brotherhood, help save this world so that they may live_

_Because you can change. I will not tell you to leave your Brotherhood, but in order to preserve and save them, you will have to throw it all aside just long enough to save them and everyone else._

_Envar, you can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it. Help me save this world._

_I promise you can return to your life in the Dark Brotherhood when this is all over. _

All of it a lie. There was one truth out of all of it. I did mean it when I said I couldn't promise you would return from this journey." Gelebor said, slowly moving the sword back and forth across Envar's throat.

Envar looked at Gelebor shocked by this new revelation.

"But you said….." Still Envar could not finish his sentence.

"But I said he had died? Well my "friend"…I lied." Gelebor said, before he struck Envar over the head, knocking him unconscious.

_**Gelebor has betrayed Envar. Everything Gelebor had told Envar was a lie. **_

_**But now the question is why? Why did Gelebor tell these lies? Especially to Envar. It could have been anyone, but why did Gelebor choose Envar? Where are all the Falmer that should be within Raldbthar? Leave your comments on this chapter below. **_


End file.

Elder Scroll series, Adventure, Fantasy