THE ASCENT
From the Journal of Lutherus Sotasius. Date of Entry: Last Seed, 31st, 4E, 201.
Taking in his daring and downright suicidal orders from the Praefect, Lutherus took as much time as he could to prepare for the coming battle. This time, with a fully fledged Dragon, of which he had no idea of it's capabilities, speed, strength or even size. All he could bank his expectations on, was that the Dragon would have no qualms with cooking him alive. He walked outside the Helgen Gate to meet with his motley crew of untrained Auxiliaries - the power he was vested with to bring down the Dragon, and ensure the safety of Helgen for now. "Okay, Gentlemen." Said Lutherus, as he began his rousing speech. "Today we are tasked with a monumental, if not heroic objective. We are going into the mountains over there..." He said, pointing towards the Ancient's Ascent, "...and we are going to slay a Dragon there." Gasps of shock emerged from the ranks of unexperienced, untrained volunteers. "But know this. You may die in battle up there, but it shall not be in vein. Your sacrifice will encourage others to carry on the spirit of the Imperial Legion, until this crisis is brought back under our control. We have the finest men, of which I am staring back at now. Long Live the Emperor! And Long Live the Empire!" The speech was enough to encourage the men into moving out, because really, they had no real alternative. Disobeying the Praefect's direct order would result in immediate execution, so Lutherus found it easily to corral the Auxiliaries in marching toward the Ascent. But as they moved out, Lutherus couldn't help but reflect on the events that had transpired earlier in the day, with Faendal. "He could be anywhere right now..." He found himself thinking to himself. "...What if he is actually dead? What if he's been imprisoned?" The thoughts carried with him until he stopped the Auxiliary Battalion, and looked up to the mountains.
"There." He said, pointing at a large slab of flat rock, protruding out of the mountainside. "I'll wager that's it's nest alright, let's move on!" And moved his party closer toward the mountain edge. They came to a clearing where they spotted an ascending path, leading directly toward the mountain, this was their road if there was any leading up there. Lutherus led the party up it, and found the entrance to a narrow cavern at the end.
"Steel yourself lads." Lutherus found himself saying, as he entered the dimly lit cavern. Inside, he and his party found the decomposing body of an Orc Bandit, as well as several skeletal remains of the deceased, even including the tusk of a Mammoth - how ever such a large beast found itself in this tiny cave was beyond Lutherus. But they didn't come across a Dragon, as of yet. They continued onwards until they saw a live creature, on the other side of a narrow passage between both sides of the cavern.
"Is that a Bear?!" Whispered one of the Auxiliaries to Lutherus.
"No." Came the response from another. "That's a bloody Sabre Cat!"
"Quiet!" Sharply whispered Lutherus in response, as he prepared his bow. "You all give me cover when I strike the Beast, okay?" The recruits nodded in agreement, and...taking his time to aim, Lutherus deliver a shot, landing the Beast square in the jaw. Angered, the Sabre Cat charged at Lutherus, who delivered another shot to it's face before covering himself behind his Shield. But the Sabre Cat was relentless, it's sharp claws digging into the armour and flesh of the Auxiliaries alike, one of which had his throat clawed out. The Auxiliaries retreated back into the narrow tunnel, where the Sabre Cat could only attack Lutherus, now positioned at the front and with his sword equipped. The strategical decision to retreat into the narrow passage worked wonders, and Lutherus was able to finally deliver a killing blow, stabbing the Sabre Cat through it's eye with his sword, killing it instantly.
Lutherus sheathed his sword, and continued on. Some Auxiliaries however, many being of the Nord heritage wanted to stay behind and bury the dead. "Don't waste your strength." Ordered Lutherus. "We have more pressing matters, like that bloody Dragon to contend with right now." Hesitantly, the Auxiliaries agreed, and carried on with Lutherus through the rest of the cavern. The deeper they traversed, the louder the wind screamed. "We must be getting close to the exit now." Said Lutherus, anticipating the coming battle that may well be his last. They finally found the exit, almost completely buried in mounds of snow, but just large enough for each person to squeeze through, one by one.
Upon exiting, they found a set of stairs, leading up to another grand placement of some sorts, the same kind Lutherus had seen in both Dustman's Cairn, and in Bleak Falls Barrow. But no sign of the Dragon. "Keep your eyes peeled lads." Warned Lutherus, as he examined the terrain. He moved ever so closer, but something piqued his interest at the monument in front of him. What his senses believed was a statue of a Dragon sitting atop the monument, was actually very much alive. "DRAGON! GET TO COVER NOW!" He shouted to his men, as they all scattered to positions. The Dragon circled the party like a vulture over it's dying prey, before swooping down to unleash a hellfire on three men, burning them to a crisp. "Stay out of the range of it's fire breath! We must kill it!" Shouted Lutherus, as he launched another arrow at the Dragon. The battle seemed lost, the Auxiliaries, scared beyond all rationality cowered in hiding, as only a few others were brave enough to fight.
"Fuck this!" Said one recruit, and with two others fled. The Dragon spotted it's vulnerable prey, and with it's razor sharp wings, swooped down and decapitated the routers, their lifeless bodies dropping into the snow, staining it with blood. Lutherus took shelter behind part of the Monument, as the Dragon blasted him with it's fiery breath.
"KILL THAT BLOODY THING!" He shouted to his cowering Auxiliaries. "IF YOU DON'T KILL IT! IT WILL KILL YOU! AND IF IT DOESN'T KILL YOU! I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!" The battle raged on, with more Auxiliaries being able to gather their courage to fight. Lutherus fired another arrow, having already lost count of the ones he had already fired to kill the beast. The arrow lodged into the Dragon's neck, and swopping down uncontrollably, the Dragon crashed into the terrain, crushing two Auxiliaries dumb enough to stand still in it's path. The Dragon groaned as it struggled to it's feet. Now was Lutherus' chance.
"ATTACK!" He yelled, drawing his sword and charging the Dragon, full of zeal. The others stared on.
"He's bloody mad!" Said one Auxiliary, as he saw Lutherus take his sword to the Dragon. The Dragon fought back though, and grabbed Lutherus Shield and tore it from him, almost separating his arm in the process. But Lutherus struggled on, dodging the bites the Dragon attempted, to suppress him. But with one final, devastating, powerful blow to the neck, the Dragon finally gave in, Lutherus emerged victorious. Sheathing his weapon, he noticed and proceeded to open a large chest. By amazing luck, inside the chest was a Dwarven Shield, a relic of the previous Dwarf inhabitants of Skyrim, and a much more sturdier Shield than the Imperial counterpart. Lutherus took no hesitation to taking it. With the Dragon threat to Helgen now fully extinguished, the repair operation to the city could now fully begin.
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