[Skyrim Crossover] As if Skyrim wasn't already hectic enough, with its inhabitants fighting both the Aldmeri Dominion and the Empire. Now there's dragons, too, and Emmet finds himself unwittingly roped into the whole mess. What else could go wrong?
He slowed as he came upon the city, seeing the gates splintered and lying on the ground. Something had told him he really should come to Windhelm himself instead of sending a courier this time, but he hadn't expected it would be this bad. He hurried on to Wayne Manor, only to find a smoldering ruin.
They'd been found.
He jolted in realization. There'd been no guards at the gate, no one to get in his way as he hurried through the city. Where were the people? He glanced around, trying to find some sign of life. Surely the Thalmor wouldn't have wiped them all out...
No, they would have. They were that petty. Clenching his fists, he turned and marched back out of the city. He would go to Solitude. He needed answers.
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They didn't stick around Septimus' outpost for long. They'd handed over the lexicon (but kept the key- Benny would surely appreciate it), and he'd tried for another favor, but Kitty gently but firmly turned him down. They had things to be doing, after all. Emmet was relieved when they escaped without further incident. He'd hoped Benny's warning was only precaution and not precognition.
They didn't return to the College, either. Lucy and Kitty had taken his request for further preparation seriously, it seemed, and instead they slowly meandered their way back to the Temple, seeking out dragons along the way. They weren't hard to find.
Their trek up Shearpoint had been... interesting. Not only was there a dragon to contend with, but a Dragon Priest as well. Emmet helped as much as he could manage (and the grin of approval Lucy threw his way after he shielded her with a ward was almost more than his poor heart could handle). Once both dragon and priest were taken care of, he approached the Word Wall they'd found. "Oh," he said, upon discovering there were three Words of Power inscribed on it instead of just one. An entire Shout.
"What does it say?" Kitty asked.
"'Far fool voice'," Emmet said, and closed his eyes as he concentrated. And then giggled. "Oh! Throw Voice!"
"Ooh," Kitty enthused. "That'll be fun. Give it a try!"
"Zul Mey Gut," Emmet said, barely above a whisper. Kitty threw her head back and laughed in absolute delight as "hey, skeever butt!" echoed from somewhere behind her. Emmet doubled over, joining her in her laughter. Lucy rolled her eyes.
"You guys are so immature," she huffed, but couldn't hide her own smile.
"Oh, lighten up, Lucy, it's all in good fun!"
The next dragon they took down, Rex claimed. "We're getting close, buddy," he told Emmet. "Just a few more should do it." And so they kept hunting as they made their way back to the Reach.
Lucy didn't miss how worn out Emmet was starting to look. "Maybe we should take a break," she suggested, starting to get concerned. "I think you've been pushing yourself too hard."
"I don't think that's it," Kitty told her quietly once Emmet had passed out for the night.
"What do you mean?"
"It's Rex." Kitty rarely looked so serious. "Benny thinks he's leeching off Emmet's lifeforce. He tried to confront Hermaeus Mora about it- I'm sure you figured out that him coming back with an airship meant it didn't go well." Lucy nodded, dumbstruck. "The stronger Rex gets, the weaker Emmet gets. He's taken at least three quarters of the dragons we've killed."
"And we've killed a lot..." Lucy murmured, feeling ill. "We have to stop him."
"We're going to need Benny's help. Mora's probably not going to let us in the same way he did Emmet." Lucy nodded, and smirked.
"Well. There is a storm coming. Feeling up to doing a little summoning?"
Kitty grinned back. "Oh, you bet!"
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The Knight paused to stare when he stepped back into the infirmary sometime later, tilting his head as though puzzling out the sudden change in Sirius' appearance. "There was no way I'd get a brush through it," the former Ambassador grumbled.
'Actually, I think it suits you,' the Knight told him. 'Breakfast is ready, if you're interested.'
"Interested? I'm famished. I think all I had to eat the past three days was a handful of berries."
'Well that won't do.' He offered an arm in support when Sirius took a step and nearly stumbled.
"I'm not an invalid," he snapped.
'And I would never dream of insinuating such a thing. But there's no shame in accepting a bit of help after the ordeal you've been through. No one here will think you weak- in fact, they're all quite impressed.'
"...Really?"
'You were holding your own against the entirety of the Forsworn camp outside when we found you, and we can only assume you faced the entirety of the Embassy alone as well. So yes, they're very impressed.'
"Well then." He accepted the Knight's arm, letting the warrior walk him the short distance to the table. Even after the encouragement, he was glad there was no one else up and about yet to see him in such a state. He had just sank himself into a chair when the rest of the rebellion began to trickle into the grand hall. Questions began to fly once they realized he was awake and present. Vitruvius sat across from him, chuckling softly as the former Thalmor shrank back in his chair, overwhelmed by their enthusiastic curiosity.
"Back off," Penn snapped. "It's too early for this nonsense." He shot her a grateful look, and she nodded in response. "How are you feeling?"
"Better," he murmured. "Whatever they gave me last night has worked wonders, it seems- I'm still sore and stiff, though."
Penn nodded. "Give it another day or so and you'll be right as rain again."
"Penn." She glanced back up at him, raising her eyebrows when he very seriously met her gaze. "Thank you."
