Just a Skyrim fanfic: Extended cut

Defending Markarth

Malpen: Hey! It's our war heroes! I heard the news. Outstanding work at Riften. It was a hard fight, and there were casualties, but in the end, we emerged victorious. But there is other news as well. While you were all fighting in Riften, the dominion brought in an unbelievably big force

Maximus: It was a diversion

Sialius: Watching holds being attacked... It's like Cyrodiil all over again. Numbers is the Thalmor's main advantage. As we continue to fight them, their numbers should continue to diminish somewhat. They cannot get a steady stream of reinforcements from summerset isle over the border

Leonidas: What's our next move?

Sialius: Such is the nature of war, the Thalmor's counter espionage is very effective. We have little to no idea where they will strike next

Miraak: Then we must find out

Leonidas: Let me see the map

Sialius: Here

(Sialius hands Leonidas a map. He looks at it carefully)

Leonidas: Muster our forces and head to Markarth

Malpen: Markarth?

Leonidas: Yes. It's strategically placed, perfect for the Thalmor's current map scheme. And they'd be trying to shut down our trade routes. Markarth is the center of trade. But this will be easier to defend than Riften

Sialius: How do you know?

Leonidas: It's what I would do

Tullius: Leonidas is right. It's too good of an opportunity to pass up

Ulfric: I'll instruct the knights to move immediately

(Leonidas, Miraak, and Serana glide to Markarth)

(Maximus spins up mjolnir and uses that to fly himself to Markarth)

Maximus: Ralof. Report

Ralof: The dominion is almost here

Rikke: We need to get down to the front line

Galmar: Everyone in formation!

Hadvar: We await your signal

Leonidas: It is given, Hadvar

(Serana and some knights are on Markarth's walls)

(Maximus, Ralof, Galmar, Hadvar, Rikke, and the rest of the knights are gathered at the gates)

(Leonidas and Miraak are up in the very front leading the defense)

(Achilles shows up with an eye patch and scars on one side of his face)

(There is an even bigger Thalmor army behind him)

Galmar: Lets give them a taste of fury!

(The knight archers use flaming arrows, and the battle mages use fire spells)

(Serana uses her lightning magic)

(Leonidas starts throwing fireballs)

(Miraak is using his tentacle magic to tear a bunch of Thalmor soldiers apart)

Ralof: Cannons!

(The cannons go off, blowing up a group of Thalmor soldiers)

Leonidas: NOW!

(A group of knights springs from the bushes and trees, and start fighting the Thalmor)

Hadvar: TO BATTLE!

(Everyone charges forward to fight)

Achilles: Let us succeed where we last failed!

(Maximus hits the Thalmor soldiers with a blast of lightning from mjolnir and begins hitting random Thalmor soldiers with it)

(Achilles spins his dual swords so fast that he blocks the arrows. He then starts killing some knights)

(Miraak summons a tentacle from his staff, wraps it around Achilles's leg, and throws him against a tree, knocking him out)

Leonidas: FUS RO DAH!

(Leonidas shouts a bunch of Thalmor soldiers down a hill)

(A few Thalmor stragglers try to go for the gates)

Leonidas: Serana! If they get to the gate, there's nothing to stop them from entering!

Serana: I'm on it!

(Serana runs over to the levers and zaps a Thalmor soldier with her lightning magic)

(Another Thalmor soldier tries to slash Serana with a sword, but she ducks under and stabs him with her dagger)

(The last Thalmor soldier tries to hit Serana with a warhammer, but when he raises it, she kicks him in the family jewels and throws him down the stairs)

Serana: That was easy enough

Ralof: Reinforcements!

Hadvar: When will this madness end?

Leonidas: FO KRAH DIIN!

(Leonidas freezes a hill with his ice shout, making getting up it extremely difficult. This leaves the Thalmor soldiers easy prey for ranged attacks until they melt the ice with fire magic)

Miraak: FUS RO DAH!

(Miraak's force shout sends some Thalmor soldiers flying)

(As the battle rages on, many warriors from both sides die)

(So far the knights seem to have the upper hand)

(Leonidas transforms into his vampire lord form and uses his blood magic to kill and terrify the Thalmor soldiers)

(The Thalmor soldiers are forced into retreat once more, taking Achilles with them)

(Leonidas, Maximus, Serana, and Miraak head back to Solitude to deliver the good news to Malpen)

Sialius: Greetings, everyone. No need to tell me, I already know. We defended the reach as well. Gods be praised. I dare say this is going better than I expected. Malpen has once again stressed how important this group is to the war effort and has insisted on you being a part of our war council

Malpen: The only major city the dominion holds is Falkreath. They also have a lot of minor locations currently being dealt with by our knights. We still don't know where they're going to strike next, as we are out of predictable targets

Leonidas: They tried to southern holds and failed. They're going to move more north until they reach their ultimate goal. Solitude

Sialius: We should be prepared for attacks on any hold

Maximus: Agreed

Sialius: Malpen. Anything else to report? What's the situation for supplies?

Malpen: Skyrim is fairly self sustainable. We've been receiving things from Solstheim and High Rock as well. Soldiers, food, weapons, metals, money, lumber, you name it. But there are dominion ships scouting their shores, so they're sending less each time

Sialius: The dominion fleet is formidable. They are right to be worried. I had hoped to launch a counter attack to take back Falkreath. Perhaps we can still make it work?

Miraak: Leave that to us

Serana: Anything else?

Leonidas: That should be it

Sialius: In any event, keep up the good work. And update me regularly

Malpen: I have a task for you. Listen closely. There was a knight who arrived in Solitude battered and bruised. He ran non stop away from the knights camp in hjaalmarch

Leonidas: Did he say why?

Malpen: The Thalmor attacked the camp. Killed everyone. But he managed to escape