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73.5% Dragonborn Saga / Chapter 551: Septimus the Fool

Chapter 551: Septimus the Fool

A lifetime ago, Nurina was married. Of course, that was long after her encounter with Jon in the realms of Chaos. Her husband was the Imperial Sorcerer, Septimus Signus.

As a man and wife, the two had a good life ll long ago and they moved around from Cyrodiil to High Rock to Skyrim back to Cyrodiil again. They were two sorcerers of the High Society of Mages, a World Expert on the Elder Scrolls and the last ever Third-in-Line Disciple of Divayth Fyr. It was a time for Nurina when she was looking to change her life and also get back on the Daedric Princes, Septimus also helped in her quest by researching the Elder Scroll she had and they bonded really well.

One of Nurina's goals was to have a child of her own, to have a true blood family once again but her body couldn't produce such a thing as life. The Chaos in her blood was a curse only she could handle. Long before all that, in order to handle the Chaos that would have killed her for sure if it stayed in her body, Nurina figured out a method to mutate her bloodline properties into that of a Chaotic nature giving her full access to the potential of such power… but the most cringe-worthy rule was applied to her, Power always has a Price.

Unable to make Children, immune to Undeath Spells, impossible to mind control, extremely harmful blood fluid; Nurina became a supernatural being that shouldn't exist in such a world, even the Daedra frowned upon her existence.

Only Sithis was the one obscure enough to bless her obscurity.

Imagine it, the only befitting deity you can have is no one but good old Sithis. It wasn't as if Nurina liked the Daedra or the Aedra either.

Either way, her life was bound to be abnormal and no matter how strong or genius her husband was, he was just a human.

Nurina remembers that night well, she remembers when she found out she cannot bear children and apologized to him but he was too consumed in his work to the point of obsession, he was no longer the person she once knew. Abandoning each other was for the best as Nurina thought back then. When she returned back and asked about him years later, he seemed to have vanished from the face of Nirn.

And after more than fifty years, here he is again. Old, crazed, delusional and over 100 years old yet still looked as if he was 70.

The answer is clear, Daedra.

"Which Daedric Prince is behind this?" The only one she could ask is Jon who clearly was aware of Septimus' situation.

Jon refused to verbally answer and telepathically transmitted the answer to her mind.

{Hermaeus Mora.}

Jon's answer made all the sense in the world. Hermaeus Mora is a Daedric Prince that snares the souls and corrupts the minds like most Daedra but the minds he aims for are the priceless ones, the minds with potential to think, discover and research. The minds that hold the knowledge he seeks and envies.

Nurina wasn't pleased to hear that. She was infatuated and almost on the verge of going on a rampage of her own. It is true that She and Septimus are long since separated but what ruined this marriage was also the Daedra. It was as if they had no one to torment except her.

Nurina looked at Septimus and then looked away. The man is obsessed to madness and those whose minds are ensnared by Hermaeus Mora are far gone. She also harbors no feeling towards her ex-husband other than pity and guilt, she can't admit it but she can't run from it. Jon could tell what Nurina was feeling and almost wanted to bang his head against something hard for ruining her mode this much but that wouldn't fix anything. Instead, he stepped forward towards Septimus and sat on one knee beside the man.

"What's up, old man? Heard you are the one to speak to about if I want to find… an Elder Scroll." Jon said as he tried to shift Nurina's attention.

And he was successful, she tilted her head slowly and narrowed her eyes. Septimus was also triggered by the last two magic words. In his rummaging madness, he looked at Jon with almost a fraction of lasting sanity and widened eyes before his madness kicked in again and spoke in the most strange of words.

"The Empire. They absconded with them. Or so they think. The ones they saw. The ones they thought they saw. I know of one. Forgotten. Sequestered. But I cannot go to it, not poor Septimus, for I... I have arisen beyond its grasp."

Septimus looked as if he was trying to convey something but that pissed off Nurina even more.

"What is this old fool talking about? Septimus, what are you doing in this godforsaken icebox?" Nurina lashed out at Septimus.

"Oh, Nurina! Sweet Nurina! Innocent Nurina! Always impatient… this ice entombs the Heart. The bane of Kagrenac and Dagoth Ur. To harness it is to know. The fundaments. The Dwemer lockbox hides it from me. The Elder Scroll gives insight deeper than the deep ones, though. To bring about the opening." Septimus replied.

"Oblivion! What are you saying, old man?" Nurina was about to rage but Jon patted her shoulder.

"He's saying he needs an Elder Scroll to open this Dwemer Construct." Jon pointed at the large Dwemer Lockbox lying in the ice chamber, "He believes that inside is the Heart of Lorkhan."

"That's impossible!" Nurina retorted.

"Impossible? If so, how can Septimus hear its whispers? Its calls! Aetherius knows, Nirn knows, you know, I know that the [Heart of You and I] seeks to be Free. Heart of Freedom. Beyond their Magic, beyond their enchantment, there is the Heart… Waiting… Calling…"

Nurina looked at Jon who shook his head denying the existence of the Heart of Lorkhan in the Dwemer Lockbox.

Septimus was right about something, the Heart of Lorkhan was trapped since the Dawn itself. It was never freed, not even once… that until almost 207 years ago, exactly the same age as Nurina.

Back then when the Nerevarine walked Tamriel, he went inside the Red Mountain to defeat Dagoth Ur or as the Nords call him, the Demon of Ur. Dagoth Ur was a Powerful Entity that was once a Chimer who served Indoril Nerevar, after the demise of Nerevarine and the apotheosis of the Tribunal, Dagoth was cast away along with his house until they resurfaced two centuries ago to steal the power of the Tribunal and claim the Heart of Lorkhan and its powers. The Nerevarine's role was to stop that and in order to do so, he had to set the Heart of Lorkhan free.

The Heart was trapped in the Red Mountain by Auriel who fastened it to an arrow and shot it in the sea. It was then discovered by the Dwarves who put a sealing enchantment on it so it doesn't escape. After the seal was broken, the Heart simply faded from the perceptible and touchable existence but make no mistake, it is the Heart of the World as one was made to satisfy the other.

There is simply no one able enough to control the Heart and the only trace the Heart left exists in the Heart Stones which are specific ores that radiate with its Padomaic Energy. Also, Jon Dare is the only person in the world able to Harness this energy through the Tools of Kagrenac which only he possesses.

Back to the folly of Septimus. Nurina was in the mood to argue with a madman despite her usual chill attitude and tried to convince him that there is no Heart of Lorkhan in the lockbox. On the other hand, Jon left them and went to examine the lockbox on his own.

From the first glance, there was one word on Jon's mind and that was…

"Absurd!"

Not even the [Skeleton Key] would open this. To use the [Skeleton Key], one must know exactly what he is Locking or Unlocking. If Jon faced a material barrier he can't go through, he would use the [Skeleton Key] to break the bonds of the structure itself and cause it to disintegrate while paying a large amount of Magicka in the process… but that can't happen here.

The Dwemer Lockbox is not only covered by an unyielding piece of metal but there was an Aetherium Mechanism, a Magical Barrier, a Mind Barrier, a Time Barrier and even a Runic Randomization Array which even Jon can't fathom. Of course, these are the things Jon could recognize and there were all sorts of Spatial Barriers after that. Wulfur may fall in love and forget the world if he sees this.

If Jon gets the chance to study this Lockbox, he will be able to completely reform the Magical structure inside the tower and create more fascinating stuff.

"Alright, there is no more to see here." Jon said and turned away to face Nurina.

"I said, there is no Heart of Lorkhan here!" Nurina kept shouting.

"No! Foolish Nurina, it was hidden away. Not by the Dwarves, you see. They were already gone. Someone else. Unseen. Unknown. Found the heart, and with a flair of the ironical, used Dwarven trickery to lock it away. The scroll will give the deep vision needed to open it. For not even the strongest machinations of the Dwemer can hold off the all-sight given by an Elder Scroll." Septimus replied calmly.

"I am not giving you my Elder Scroll, you dumb fool."

Jon sighed from the tiring conversation and decided to intervene.

"Okay, there is one thing for certain here. This lockbox is tightly locked and won't open unless we use an Elder Scroll and a Dwemer passcode." He said.

"Not happening." Nurina refused.

"I am with you but what's inside is the knowledge we need. Someone sealed it inside from Hermaeus Mora and he wants it back, that's why he sent this guy here to figure it out." Jon added.

"Oh! You know of my Lord? You know of my quest? But you can't. He doesn't send, he doesn't call, he doesn't message, he doesn't…" Septimus rambled.

"Nope, he's pretty good with FaceTime." Jon shut Septimus up, "All we need is to take this Lexicon and that Attunement Device to Blackreach."

"How knowledgeable! Indeed! Indeed!" Septimus nodded.

"Black Reach? Isn't that a project you still haven't started?" Nurina asked.

"Yes, it is about time actually." Jon made himself at home and picked up the Attunement Device and the empty Lexicon from Septimus' workplace.

"And where is Blackreach?" Nurina asked.

Jon turned to Septimus and repeated the question while winking to Nurina who rolled up her eyes as Septimus started singing.

"Under deep. Below the dark. The hidden keep. Tower Mzark. Alftand. The point of puncture, of first entry, of the tapping. Delve to its limits, and Blackreach lies just beyond. But not all can enter there. Only Septimus knows the hidden key to loose the lock to jump beneath the deathly rock."

"I love this one."

***

Jon and Nurina exited the cave after she failed to take Septimus away from his obsession. She asked Jon if he would be alright and he told her the truth. When the time comes… if the time comes and she wants to protect Septimus, she will have to be accurate with her timing.

After a long day, Nurina decided to brood a little over the sea. Jon took his excuse and returned to his home, the Dare Tower. He read a report on the things that the construction team managed to recover from his burnt house and thankfully the basement was intact. It would be understandable since he put a lot of time protecting this place from inside rather than from outside but it paid off well.

There were other reports sent by Jullanar one of them is about the situation in the College of Winterhold. It seems that Alina and the other Masters have been into a deep debate regarding the discovery of the Eye of Magnus and as the discoverer, Alina made sure that the discovery would be attributed to her name and Master Tolfdir. She also insisted on calling it the [Eye of Magnar] rather than "Magnus" which is the Nordic interpretation for the same deity. The Elves were unhappy but Alina was doing it on purpose.

However, that was not all.

"Master!"

A silhouette appeared from a secret corner as it knelt in front of Jon. There is no one who calls Jon by that title except for Jax and Beth but there were also those guys.

Dare Mercenary Corps - Team Zero. The ones known in the underworld as the Black Pigeons.

"Report."

"The Unit is ready to move, Master. Also, Master Jonrad and Master Tyr are joining the expedition." The agent spoke.

"Father is holding a grudge, of course." Jon nodded, "Anything else?"

"… There was a report that arrived from Whiterun just an hour ago. We intercepted an Imperial Secret letter." The agent said.

"And?"

"We are not fully sure but the letter is commanding the Legion to search for a certain Object. According to what we know, it is an Imperial National Treasure that was stolen while transported."

"A National Treasure?" Jon tilted his head.

"Yes. The secret command also made it very important to not let any Thalmor agent find the item in question and temporarily pause their movements in Whiterun hold. From what we heard going around between the Legion upper brass, they can tolerate anyone, even a Stormcloak, to find this item but not an Elf."

Jon furrowed his brows.

He never heard of anything like that before.

A Lost Treasure, no Elf can have it, the Legion is making an uproar. It must be a matter of great pride to the Empire, what the hell is General Tullius thinking to be sloppy with a National Treasure.

But if that's the case, then a new item to the collection is something Jon can't resist. His greed is boundless after all.

"Alright, look into that but for now, let's focus on our party, shall we?" Jon said and the agent retreated.

No one was around now. Jon smiled and turned to a bookshelf. He moved two books and with the third, a click was heard and a part of the wall moved.

"Heh! Classic."

Beyond the hidden door was a stairway leading down beyond the service stairs all the way to the middle section of the tower where there was a concealed room. There, Jon could see Jonrad and The waiting for him.

The three nodded to each other.

"Gentlemen, we have located the Dragon Cult.

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next chapter

Chapter 552: Cliffhanger

[A/n: when the Cliffhanger is too strong it is literally the title of the Chapter]

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*The Rift*

She always aspired to be a spy and serve the Empire. However, when her chance came, she was dispatched to Summerset Isles and soon ordered to return again to Cyrodiil. Thanks to that, she survived what the Thalmor did to the Blades back then.

She gained a talent for simply vanishing, she was the best at escaping and when she returned to the Empire, the war was already on the verge of breaking out. As a Blade, she was a protector and a spy but as a low ranked young agent, her role wasn't as big as she hoped it would be and soon the war ended. Talos abolished, the Blades disbanded.

Delphine wasn't sure why but many blades just took it quietly, packed their bags and left the service, the oath, the brotherhood. They left everything as if they were burdened by it no longer. Such a thing infuriated other members of the order who were deeply attached to their cause but they were few and could no longer do anything on their own. If things were to go south, they would be hunted all by the Thalmor thus they needed to cut contact with the other members and hide where no one can ever find them ever again.

What followed was 26 years of disappointment. Delphine who was in her late twenties during the Great War is now but a lone woman drifting around with many aliases and doing various things. The randomness of her course caused her pursuers to lose track of her for a very long time.

Skyrim was a perfect place for hiding, outlanders would be sniffed out a mile away and if she can blend in as a Breton peasant, no harm would ever reach her.

And so she did… until the Dragons appeared.

Twenty Six years of no purpose at all just for everything to piece itself together and come knocking at her door. The Blades' sacred duty was to hunt the Dragons and to never allow them to rise ever again.

The reason for that is clear. The Dragons seek hegemony over the Mortals and their desire for tyranny is part of what they are. More to that, the Dragons are immortals but unlike how immortals should be, the Dragons are mostly violent and have many earthly desires. This is why they are dangerous.

On the other hand, why the Dragon should be all eradicated is an entirely different reason as there was an unending ancient vendetta between the Tsaesci (who established the Dragonguard, predecessors of the Blades) and the Dragons.

History didn't matter anyway even though many would disagree but the Dragons of this day and age need to be stopped. Delphine was agonizing over the fact that she couldn't offer guidance to the Dragonborn and he is now being employed by one of the most dangerous men in Skyrim, someone even the Thalmor are helpless against.

The world view of Jon Dare is that of someone formidable yet wise and tactful which causes all the Nords to gather around him no matter what social class they come from. He turned the tables on all his rivals and gained them as subordinates, the fact that led many to believe that such a man is driven by fate and opposing him brings disaster. Still, his sponsorship to the Dragonborn made him an enemy to the Dragons, the creatures no one wants to make a direct animosity with.

Delphine was bound to be involved whether she liked it or not thus she took action and tried to contact the Dragonborn despite the risk of being exposed but she was already expected. With her captor being Jon Dare and Winterhold, they would naturally act carefully and be protective over their Dragonborn. Thankfully, she was allowed a chance to meet the Dragonborn by Lady Alina of Winterhold. She agreed to track down the enemy of Winterhold who turned out to be the Dragon Cult.

Some may question the motives of Delphine but she was committed and that's the only positive thing Alina saw in her, turning commitment towards the right direction was something that is a second nature to Alina and soon, Delphine found herself infiltrating the Dragon Cult itself.

It wasn't that dangerous or bad until recently, she had two unknown Altmer Twins assisting her from the shadows and she managed to wear the mantle of a Dragon Cultist and slip in their base far in the south, today was the first day she managed to find out about the leader of the Cult, the Dragon Priest Munax.

The Cult's hideout was in the shadow of the Jerall Mountains in the Rift, their specific location was the Ancient Ruins of Arcwind Point. A very advantageous place to defend against any invaders with many caves that the Dragon Cult used for lodging. There, the living Dragon Priest Munax was acting all excited. His actual name is Helmer Bloodsail and if asked who he hates most in the world, the answer would be straight and simple. Jon Dare.

Years ago, Helmer Bloodsail was the youngest son of the leader of the Bloodsail Clan. His elder brother was the one who faced Jon Dare in battle and Japhet's Folly and was slain there. That day, the Bloodsail Clan was officially annihilated and they no longer surfaced in the world. The survivors swore a blood vengeance on Jon Dare and the entirety of Winterhold but as Winterhold grew stronger, they only grew weaker and poorer, that of course until a certain Dragon personally sought them out and their fate took a different turn.

Punishing Winterhold and the Firemanes was the dream of Helmer Bloodsail but as he gained power, he wanted to humiliate Jon Dare first and so he sent many agents to disturb the peace of Winterhold. He wanted to send a message full of pride and strength, he will dishonor Jon by burning his precious little kingdom, by stealing his wife, by killing his family. There are many ways to break a man and the best one is to treat them from their own poison. Jon gained control over Winterhold piece by piece when he would raid the criminals and pirates all around the coast randomly but now that same tactic was used against Jon.

It is true, Winterhold was unfazed but damaging their reputation bit by bit and weakening their standing will take time but Winterhold will never know where the hits come from or how it all happens. After all, the Dragons are the ones that Teleport the Cultists in and out of Winterhold.

The Dragon Lords are really formidable. To think that there is another monster beside Jon Dare that can harm them is a frightening thought even for the newly appointed Dragon Priest, Helmer, but the Dragons themselves assured him of their win. How can they not win with all their power and magic? The Dragons even guided Helmer to gather more allies from many different clans that are enemies with Jon Dare and even from the Forsworn Reach-people. The cult even resorted to kidnapping innocents and turning them into lesser Daedric Minions by infusing their Souls with Daedric beings. It was like amassing an army without putting any effort which is the dream of any avenger like Helmer.

Despite all that, Winterhold made a very solid resistance which infuriated Helmer, the only thing he could do now is to try any desperate plan to wound Jon on a personal level and thus he sent someone to deliver an unexpected gift to Alina Firemane, something that will make Jon Dare go mad with anger.

He waited for the good news to return but it seemed that every operative he had in Winterhold were purged in a single swoop which felt threatening but it wasn't all that important. Helmer had many expendables to use. It wasn't a wide knowledge but the Dragons said that the "Daughters of Kaan", which were once known as the Priestesses of the Hawk Cult, possess a frightening insight as nothing can escape their eyes just like the Hawks.

If the Dragon Cult can possess that then they should burn it to the ground.

Either way, Helmer had another matter to attend to. He was finally going to be crowned as the official Dragon Priest of this branch of the Wise-Dragon Cult. The Honor he felt was indescribable. His operatives managed to dive into a Nordic Ruin, defeat an Ancient Dragon Priest that can no longer hear the voices of the Dragons.

With the Dragon Priest Mask that the cult retrieved, Helmer will hold immense power and will be able to challenge Winterhold openly.

A Living Dragon Priest, how epic would this be?

All that remains now are the Dragon Lords who would name Helmer their priest and rename the mask to Munax from Volsung. He would be the first living Dragon Priest in Skyrim probably more than 4000 years.

"Lord Munax, Lord Munax…" But as always, trouble in paradise.

Seeing one of the slaves come running to him and kneel on both her knees before the central stage of Arcwind temple.

"Speak." Helmer took away his attention from the priceless Dragon Priest Mask and looked to the slave in anger.

"A man… a wounded man… he entered the valley and…" The slave spoke in a shaken tone as Helmer's anger grew further.

"And why would I be inconvenienced with that?" He asked while aiming his staff at the slave.

The slave lowered her head to the ground and pleaded for mercy as she replied.

"Wait, Lord Munax. The other warriors said he is one of your people, Lord Munax. He is a Bloodsail clansman who was assigned to kill the people of Winterhold. He is all covered in blood and his injuries are severe."

As the slave said so, Helmer's face became solid as he knew who exactly she spoke off. The man he sent to kill Alina Firemane is his close relative. Seeing the change of his expressions, the Elders of the Dragon Cult who were actually Reachmen and Witches understood that there is something not going according to plan and followed their leader.

The Arcwind Valley is very hidden and secure so an operative returning out of the blue is concerning as he may be followed. Also, the Cults use teleportation methods to go in and out so they can't be tracked.

"Bring him here right away." Helmer ordered the slave and stood tall among his followers trying to keep his composer.

His relatives are the most important thing to him and harming them is a taboo in his book thus he couldn't focus anymore on his coronation. The Dragon Lords are not present yet anyway.

After a minute, the slave led the way for a band of warriors carrying a half-dead man to the stage. Helmer saw him and his eyes widened.

"Cousin!"

The shape he was in seemed mortifying; his feet were harmed beyond recognition and the bones under them were seen as if this man had walked from Winterhold to this place without stopping. More to that, there were many wounds from torture and even beast attacks.

Just what could drive a capable person like his cousin to such a state.

"Cousin, answer me."

"Lord Munax, he can't. His lips are sewn and so are many parts of his body. That's some barbaric way to treat a warrior." The leader of the Cult forces spoke as he pointed out the wounds.

Helmer looked at them in shock and his face twisted.

"There is some life force in him, Lord Munax. It is strange as if it's kept by a thread." A Reachman Elder spoke.

As the last thing was said, Helmer ordered the thread sewing his cousin's lips to be cut and directly asked.

"Cousin, who did that to you?" Helmer asked but the eyes of his cousin were as dull as a fish, he simply stared at him without uttering a single word.

"Lord Munax, there is something… on his back." Finally, someone noticed the scars on the man's back and called for Helmer to take a look. He turned around his cousin and ripped open part of the rags that were covering him.

"Fire rains with winter flames; Fire chills even hoar.

Fire dances on your pain; Firemanes breathe flaming gore.

Fire hair and fire stare; And fire song so hear me roar.

Fire in curse and curse in flame…"

Helmer stopped reading the words not because he wasn't trying to read what was written on his cousin's back but… it is the head… the head of his cousin moved… it moved and turned 180° towards him. It turned… it grinned and it continued the missing part of the poem.

"… I see you now you son of a whore!"

*KABOOM!*

***

"Hmph! Nasty as ever."

A towering figure walked down the mountain near Arcwind point carrying a massive Nodachi blade over his shoulder and looking lazily at the explosion that consumed the Dragon Cult's hideout. He smiled not in a cheerful way but then he signaled with his hand and multiple shadows charged ahead of him towards the Dragon cultists.

The explosion from a second ago put the whole Arcwind valley in a stunned state and the chance was open to surround them all in one full attack. The Dragon Cult was famed for its Dark Arts of creating Daedric Minions and Manipulating the undead so all the Team 0 Agents which are present were in full readiness to purge the Daedra and turn the Undead. Today is not the day when they take prisoners.

The shadows descended on the unaware cultists and took from them a great number in the first shock attack then the place was surrounded by the Agents from every direction. On the other hand, the dust of the explosion in the middle of the Cult's event was finally clearing out.

"Enough." The large man gave another command and the Agents kept their ground with their crossbows aimed at the cultists who surrendered and raised their heads.

Those who tried to resist were put down instantly.

Now the scene appeared clearly in the central platform of Arcwind Point. There was Helmer who apparently survived the explosion by casting a Ward spell, most of the elders around him were dead and the slave he had was hiding behind him. Helmer looked around and so the man who was carrying the Nodachi blade on the foot of the nearby mountain. The deep hate and the indescribable urge to jump on that man and cut him to shreds was powerful but Helmer could tell that it is not a wise move to take.

"Jon… Jon Dare?"

Despite his tone which was full of contempt, the answer was rather an easygoing one.

"No, I am the handsome version… but that doesn't matter to you now." Jonrad said as he took off his large nodachi of his shoulder and with its tip, he barely grazed the mountain beneath his feet.

What followed was one of the signatures of Jonrad, the snow around him evaporated and stone started to melt. The entire surface of the mountain turned into a waterfall of Lava and it descended on the Cultist beneath it.

The scene was… mind-numbing!

"King of Ash!"

"Retreat!"

"To Lord Munax."

How can Jonrad be unrecognizable? It was a fact that Jon's appearance overshadowed his but Jonrad is still very known among the Clans of Skyrim as he is one of Skyrim's most wanted.

Speaking of infamy, the King of Ash was known for his ruthlessness and today was a special show of Jonrad's anger. The molten stone descended on the survivors of the explosion and engulfed a number of them in mere seconds. The scene was… horrendous.

In front of Flame and Earth based magic, the corpses of the men he kills would turn into frozen figures of hardened lava before they completely disintegrate into Ash. Not just the men but their weapons, their armors, their magic. Jonrad, the King of Ash, carried such a name for a reason and his flames today burned with rage.

In one direction, there is Jonrad. From the sides, there is Team 0 blocking the escape routes. What remained was to retreat backward but… only one person dressed like a Team 0 agent was coming from the direction.

Helmer looked around him and realized he was baited. Somehow, Jon Dare proved to be even more sinister and terrifying than anyone's imagination. They sent a bomb to his house and he returned with a bomb which had a strange feeling to it. No matter what he does, Helmer was having a hard time gathering the Magicka in a complicated spell and the people around him were completely silenced.

"The effect of the Padomaic Energy is very potent. It is basically an energy opposite in properties to Magicka and Soul thus you may never be able to do much around it." Politely explaining, the man coming from the back alone spoke.

The Dragon Cultists gathered around Helmer fearing for the life of their leader who is their only hope to revive again. Helmer is the one who planted the Daedra inside them after receiving teachings from the Dragons and he can raise them no matter what happens.

"Retreat to the inner sanctum. Take that bastard down." The leader of the cult warrior ordered the group to charge at the man coming alone from one direction. No one was mad enough to face a group of the Black Pigeons or Jonrad the King of Ash alone.

"Haha! Wise choice." The man coming alone laughed gleefully as he pulled out a large black Nodachi of his own.

Helmer could feel it. The Black Nodachi was not a normal sword. If it killed his minions then there is no way he would revive them.

"Be caref…" He wanted to warn the warriors but it was too late.

*Swoosh*

It was safe to say that the Black Nodachi was the most terrifying blade ever to be held by mortal hands. No one would simply fathom how a fully awakened [Ebony Blade] would simply cut people like a hot knife through butter.

Now, everyone was focused on the other monster that appeared. They all looked at his face but it was hidden under a mask.

The further the man advanced, the more he came to light and his mask was fully illuminated.

"Such… such insolence!"

Helmer couldn't withstand what he saw. A Dragon Priest! A Dragon Priest in a Mask that is terrifyingly powerful. The men saw the anger on Helmer's face and as the minions they are, they completely pointed this anger towards the man coming at them.

"This would be fun."

The man put away the [Ebony Blade] and faced the hoard barehanded.

An axe came at him; he stopped the shaft, broke it, and buried the blade into the face of the man who launched it. A Warrior came at him from the side, the man simply kicked the warrior backward like a ball taking down a dozen men.

"Hey, they are not all yours!" Jonrad shouted and charged ahead with a very wide strike enforced with his Lava-like Aura.

From forward and backward, the men were being put down as if two wolves unleashed themselves in a flock of sheep. There was hardly any resistance in front of two infuriated killing machines. Jonrad was burning everyone with his insane Aura and the masked man was breaking people apart barehanded. In the middle of the platform, Helmer could no longer utilize his magic thanks to the Padomaic Energy lingering around from the Explosion that was powered by a Heart Stone. In the end, those who remained were Helmer and a handful of warriors that could no longer fight alongside the slave that was still hiding behind Helmer.

"Are we done?" Jonrad asked.

"I think so. They say vengeance is not always worth it, somehow I'm starting to agree. From now on, I'll stick to poetic vengeance." The masked man replied.

"Now you're being nasty."

It was safe to say that Jon's attack plan dismantled the Dragon without much resistance. As expected of his tactics which fit small-scaled raids rather than open battles.

Helmer could only look between Jonrad and the masked man with anger.

"You… you… ruined everything!" He said in blinded anger.

"You're welcome." Jonrad replied.

"And you… the nerve! What gives you the right to wear the Mask of a Dragon Priest?" Helmer roared.

"Heh!" The masked man laughed as he removed the mask and showed his face, "I made it long ago."

Jon Dare, it was him behind the mask after all. It was as if he was mocking Helmer and everything he ever stood for. Jon Dare… not only he was the one who ruined the Bloodsails Clan, but he was also wearing a Dragon Priest Mask as if it was nothing.

At that moment, Helmer decided to be reckless as he put on the Dragon Priest Mask which he hasn't claimed yet.

"I, Munax of the Wise Dragon Cult, swear upon the name of my Lord Onikkeindrog that this won't be forgotten, Jon Dare."

Instantly, Helmer gained power, he gained a lot of power that he was able to free himself from the burden of the Padomaic energy hindering him and proceeded to run away. Jon and Jonrad were not even worried as high above in the air, [Pride] was stationed to cancel his teleportation as soon as it started but what was unforeseen for both Jon's side and Helmer's side was what happened next.

"You will never escape!"

The slave which was hiding behind Helmer all that time made a move, a flurry of blades danced around her the warriors trying to protect Helmer were all killed in a few swift moves and before he could do anything to stop the slave, Helmer himself was stabbed by her in his side.

"Hm?"

"I see."

Jon and Jonrad were still unfazed by what happened as they watched the slave take down Helmer with interest. The moment Helmer fell on one knee, the slave kicked away the staff in his hand and took the Dragon Priest Mask of his face.

"Yo…u…"

Helmer couldn't believe this was happening. The power he boasted to be able to bring down Winterhold, the power he cultivated for so long was dismantled and brought down by the likes of a slave.

No, not a slave.

The so-called slave removed her hood and beyond the disguise, it was someone Jon didn't really wish to meet.

"Tsk! Delphine."

"Jon Dare… we meet again."

Delphine twisted her dagger in Helmer's side and pulled him up before throwing him at Jon's feet.

"Yeah… whatever. You ruined it again."

Jon looked with disinterest at Helmer who was but a young man a year or two younger than him. He crouched down in front of Helmer and raised him by his hair.

"Jon Dare… I…" Delphine wanted to speak but Jon groaned and rolled his eyes up.

"Thane… Thane Jon Dare." Jon corrected her insolence.

"… Alright… Thane Jon Dare, we meet ag…"

"Stop it." Jon spoke in annoyance, "Every time you open your trap, I feel like I'm losing IQ. Wait for your turn… Sheesh!"

Jon exhaled with a tired face and finally looked at Helmer with a wide smile.

"I must apologize for the late introduction, I was planning to torment you more but…" Jon looked at the dagger sticking at Helmer's size and took it out, "Worse has come to worst I assume."

Jon returned the dagger to Helmer's side once again.

*groan*

"So… a Dragon Priest, huh? I was really looking forward to hearing how this happened."

"Piss… off." Helmer replied with absolute abhorrence.

"Sigh! You're making me look like the bad guy now." Jon spoke as he started shaking out the dagger in Helmer's side.

Helmer was about to pass out from the pain but Jon's provocative smile made him want to punch Jon's face at least once.

"You know… before I came here, I went to track down your people who escaped that day through the sea. According to my friends in Morrowind, they live in the outskirts of Blacklight city in a small farming village." Jon said as his smile was faint, very faint as if he was displaying a state of dominance over the helpless Helmer.

"…" And here it was, Helmer was shaken in the hands of Jon.

"You won't believe it when my friends from House Redoran told me the story of your people. They said that some Nord outcasts who ran from Skyrim came to work as farmers had some adult males among them and those males had to hide themselves from the Imperial ships along the sea by…" Jon smiled gleefully for this one.

"You… I'll kill you."

"Haha! So it is true! You manly manly men had to dress like women in order to avoid us?" Jon burst out laughing, "Don't tell me you shaved your beards and chest hair as well!"

Jon stood up and spat on Helmer.

"Milk-drinkers!" Jon kicked Helmer in disdain, "And you had the guts to say you would kidnap my wife? My wife? The Female Dare?"

To further humiliate Helmer, Jon cast an [Ice Spike] spell at Helmer's nether region and for the first time, Helmer screamed from the pain as he was completely overtaken with pain.

"Do we have prisoners?" Jon looked at the agents around him and asked, "Someone tell me if it is true that this guy was chosen by a Dragon to be a Dragon Priest."

Now that his anger was gone, Jon was no longer planning to keep Helmer alive.

"Thane Jon…" On the other hand, Delphine was smart enough to be the one to answer Jon's question by offering him the Dragon Priest Mask she took from Helmer.

"Oh! A Corundum Mask, that's supposed to be Volsung's mask. So, the New Dragon Cult is collecting the relics of the Old Dragon Cult. Interesting."

———————————

[Volsung] <Dragon Priest Mask>]

- Waterbreathing

- Fortify Barter

- Fortify Carry Weight

———————————

Jon retrieved his sword and pointed it at Helmer's neck.

"You will tell me all I want to know. If you don't, I will pay a visit to that little village in Morrowind and you must know what I did to the Forsworn by now."

"B… Bastard!"

"Start speaking."

"Never."

Jon solemnly looked at Helmer and nodded.

"Their blood is on your hands then…"

With one clean stroke, Jon intended to behead Helmer cleanly but…

"TIID KLO UL!" (Time Sand Eternity)

… Time slowed down.

The perception of a normal person may not realize that the time was being held back by something but to a Dragonborn, his senses caught the change of Time and Space.

A Dragon.

Jon noticed the Dragon diving from the sky towards Arcwind Point and the situation became exceedingly dangerous. In a second, Jon gathered all the people around him in his magic and Teleported away.

*Boom*

The Dragon landed where everyone was and the land shook under his massive body. The whole valley started to shiver as the Dragon unleashed his power in the surroundings.

"JOOR MEY!" With one of his feet, the Dragon grabbed Helmer and cussed at Jon before spreading his wings and attempting to fly away.

"No!"

Jon felt a great deal of anger as his prey was snatched from him.

"Jon wait!"

With a burst of his power, Jon unleashed himself mid-air and recklessly used his Magicka to blast himself towards the Dragon but the latter evaded Jon effortlessly.

"You Won't Escape!"

The scene shifted from the situation on the ground to the situation mid-air. Jon can never catch a Dragon with his flying magic but he knows a friend.

"Xikil! Get them!"

Jon's favorite summon, the Daedric Titan Xikil broke through the mists of the void and intercepted the Dragon mid-air.

"Fos ahvakaar los daar?" (What abomination is this?) The Dragon couldn't understand what kind of creature he just saw but he surely felt the Draconic essence of it.

As the Dragon and Daedric Titan Clashed, the result was the triumph of the Dragon but Xikil still had the advantage of surprise as he kept biting the Dragon's neck and trying to flap his wings to disturb the flight of the Dragon. For a few seconds, he was successful and that's all what Jon needed.

*Slash*

Jon rushed mid-air and with a clean strike, he beheaded Helmer before he could even scream.

"Joor, hi faazrot zey!" (Mortal, you offend me!)

The Dragon felt insulted for his mission to be messed up like that. He quickly discarded Helmer's body and with his two legs, he literally held Xikil from the chest and tore him to two pieces.

"YOL TOOR SHUL!"

"Fuck!"

Jon saw the incredible power of the Dragon as the beast turned towards him. He instantly called [Pride] over and cast a Protection Ward as the Dragon's breath came after him next. The pressure of the breath blasted Jon away as he landed down in the valley like a meteor.

The world was utterly silenced from the maneuver that just happened. From the moment when the Dragon landed to the moment when he fire-breathed Jon, it was all seven seconds.

"Prepare to retreat! This isn't a fight we can handle." Jonrad commanded Team 0 as this is no longer a battlefield for Mortals.

Meanwhile, the one who ran to support Jon was Delphine.

"You are alright?"

She rushed to where he landed and saw him getting up while holding his back.

"Do I look… oh, it is you." Jon didn't like being around Delphine and spat the dirt that entered his mouth.

"Thane Jon… I think it is high time you call the Dragonborn?" She said with an excited face for some reason.

"What?"

"The Dragonborn."

"Oh! You're right."

Jon stood up massaging his butt and looked up to see the Dragon flying around in a low attitude and aiming to commence a second attack.

"This asshole lizard!"

Jon was annoyed as an urge drove him from the inside to go up and beat that Dragon to submission but before he could do anything, someone called for him.

"JoOoOoOn!"

The voice was absolutely familiar to Jon and he instantly turned around.

"What brought you here?"

Far at the mouth of the valley, a huge young man stood beside Jonrad he waved at Jon with something large. It was Wulfur.

"Catch!"

Instantly, Wulfur tossed the large object he was holding across the valley to the direction of Jon who stepped aside and let it pass him before catching it from the shaft. The object was clothed but with a single move, Jon tore away the wrapping and all of a sudden, he felt as if his soul was being sucked away.

"This… this is…"

Jon's utter shock was displayed on his expression greatly. He swallowed his saliva as the Dragon in the sky turned around to land over him. Jon just turned around and with an expression of extreme happiness, he launched the weapon Wulfur forged at the Dragon.

It was a polearm almost two head taller than Jon, the shaft was made to resemble a spine and the blade was that of a grim-looking axe. One the other side of the axe was a hammerhead that shaped into a skull and above both the hammer and the axe was an arm-long spearhead. The weapon was of course not enchanted but forget about the damn enchanting, this… this is a [Daedric Ebony Halberd].

With Jon's full power behind the Halberd, the Dragon felt the threat of the attack and decided to dodge but the Halberd hit his wing and didn't stop. It caused the Dragon's flight to be completely disturbed and get dragged to the cliff of the nearby mountain where the Halberd's spear-head stuck itself on the mountain.

The dragon was helplessly hanged, unable to free his wing with the risk of completely ruining it if he tries to take it off forcefully.

On the other hand, everyone else was utterly taken with the combined power of the weapon and Jon. Even Jon himself was holding his racing heart. However, Delphine was now looking at Jon who was putting a certain helmet on his head.

"You know… I have the perfect name for that Halberd."

Jon looked at the weapon hanging the Dragon on a cliff and smiled like a kid who just received a holiday gift.

"Cliffhanger!"

———————————

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