Murphy's Law

Chapter 30

Just as they were ready to head out, they were stopped by Alfred. "What is it?" Mayhem asked.

"This just arrived by courier a few minutes ago. He said it was for me, but I believe it's meant for the Dragonborn." He handed over a piece of paper.

Emmet tried to get a peek at it. "What's it say?" Mayhem read it out loud.

"Dovahkiin, you caused quite a bit of a stir in Solitude when you demonstrated the power of your Thu'um. Not everyone is anxious for the return of the Dragonborn. I for one desire to see you grow and develop your talents. Skyrim needs a true hero these days. You should turn your attention to Eldersblood Peak. I understand it holds a mysterious source of power that can only be unlocked by the Dragonborn. Sincerely, a friend."

"Well that's kind of creepy," Lucy remarked. "The courier didn't say who sent it?"

"I'm afraid not, only that he insisted he was 'a friend'."

"Well, it's along our way if you want to check it out," Mayhem offered. "It almost sounds like it's hinting at the location of another Shout, like the one you learned in Bleak Falls Barrow."

"Oh. Uh, well, I suppose it can't hurt to go have a look, at least..."

Mayhem gave him a smile. "Then we're heading to Eldersblood Peak first. Thanks, Alfred."

"Good luck."

~* *~

It was nearing the end of the third day before they finally reached the peak. Just as they'd suspected, there was a Word Wall there- with a dragon snoozing on top of it. Mayhem gestured for everyone to stop. It hadn't detected them yet. 'Maybe we can take it by surprise,' she signed to the others. 'Lucy, give me your bow.'

Lucy nodded and handed it and an arrow over to her. Her new dragonbone bow had proven to be almost as powerful as Mayhem's crossbow, and was a lot quieter to use. Emmet held his breath as Mayhem drew back the string and nocked the arrow, also made of dragonbone, and released. It struck true, plunging through the softer scales at its breast, and the beast shrieked and thrashed in surprise, falling off its perch and hitting the ground hard enough that the tremors nearly knocked them off their feet. It raged in its own tongue, whipping around to turn its furious glare onto them. Mayhem handed Lucy back her bow and quickly drew her own.

"You!" the dragon shrieked as it stalked toward them, snarling in pain as the barbed arrowhead dug its way deeper. "You dare use the bones of my own kind against me?!"

"To the Wall, Emmet!" Lucy shouted, giving him a nudge in its direction. "We'll keep it distracted!" He nodded and started running as the others drew their weapons or readied their magic.

"Well it sure seems to be effective!" Bruce shot back. Emmet tuned them out after that, focusing on the words carved into the wall.

Noble Nords remember these words of the hoar father: the best weapon of Skyrim is the mind of a steel-souled warrior.

"Weapon," Emmet murmured, tracing his fingers over the glowing word. "What kind of Shout is this...?" He glanced back as he heard a sharp crack, and winced as he saw Iron-Tail's warhammer planted in the dragon's skull. Lovely.

"It's the first word of the Disarm Shout."

Emmet whirled back around at the sound of the voice, spotting Rex's ghostly form as he inspected the Wall. Rex turned to smirk at him. "I think I'll let you have this one, kid. You could use it." He disappeared after that.

"Thanks...?" Emmet said to thin air, then walked back to join his friends. He gasped as the dragon's power flowed into him, and shuddered, understanding of the new word clicking into place. He wondered if he would ever get used to that.

"So?" Bruce asked him.

"It was the first word of the Disarm Shout," he told them, and managed a smile. "At least now I don't have to go throwing people to stop them, anymore." Lucy took his hand, squeezing it.

"That is a good thing," she told him. "I'm surprised your friend Rex didn't decide to join us."

"Oh, no, he was here, he just decided to let me have this one?"

"Oh. Well that was... nice of him. I mean you can't really learn a new word without a dragon soul, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Come on, we can make camp in Cold Rock Pass for the night, and take the shortcut through it in the morning. Karthspire's only another day and a half west of here," Mayhem said, looking to Vitruvius for confirmation. He nodded.

"Sounds about right."

~* *~

He rode right up to the Embassy's gates and dismounted. The guard at the gate only rolled his eyes before waving him in. "You know where to go." With a nod, he hurried inside, heading straight for the solar. However, upon entering the office, he did not see Rulindil, or even Sirius. The Altmer sitting at the desk narrowed his eyes at him.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"I- what happened to the Emissaries?" He was met only with stony silence. He swallowed hard, figuring perhaps he should answer the Thalmor's questions first. "I'm Gissur. I am- was...?- an informant for Ambassador Rulindil. I have information on the rebels' whereabouts."

"I see." The elf nodded. "I regret to inform you that Rulindil has been slain, and Sirius taken, both by the rebels. I am Ondolemar, Head Justiciar. For now, at least, you may consider me the acting First Emissary. Now." He leaned forward. "You will tell me what you have found, and then you will leave. Depending on how useful the information you have for me is, I may be willing to uphold whatever arrangements you had with Rulindil."

Gissur could only stare in disbelief. May? May?? That was just his luck. But it wasn't like he had anything to lose, anyway... "...There was a dragon, in Windhelm. I saw several of the rebel officers charge up from the docks to deal with it, and then the Black Knight appeared out of nowhere to help them. For him to have responded so quickly, they have to be based in Windhelm, somewhere. And I think they have Vitruvius with them. I recognized the old man from Riften, anyway, always thought he was just another beggar..."

Ondolemar fixed him with an unreadable stare. Gissur had to bite his tongue to keep from rambling. As much as he disliked Rulindil and Sirius, they didn't make his skin crawl the way Ondolemar currently was. The Head Justiciar finally rose from his seat and approached him. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention. You did well to come straight here."

"And- and the matter of my payment?"

"Not to worry, you have more than earned what you were promised. Come, I will see to it personally that you are paid what you're owed." Gissur relaxed, allowing himself to be escorted out of the office. He stepped several paces back into the foyer, and paused when he heard a familiar sliding sound that he couldn't place.

"What-" he said, starting to turn, and his world exploded into pain.

And then- nothing.

Ondolemar stared dispassionately down at the body bleeding out all over the tiled floor, then wiped the blood off his sword before sliding it back into its sheath. He turned his gaze to the guard. "See that this mess is cleaned up, I have an urgent matter to attend to."

"Yes, sir."