The IRE of Winter

Chapter 20: WOLVES OF THE NORTH

Cold wind howled as we glided down the slope, the mountains of the North were frozen still, quiet and desolate. Flakes of snow began to mizzle, soft as tears falling from the sky. I clung tighter, pressing my body against Miraak. The dragon's hide was warm, its undying fire enough to keep me alive, for how long more, I do not know!

We glided away from the vales to the North. Something drove me towards the freezing alps, if it was not absurdity, I must be driven by fate. I have woven mine since I ran away from home, it was rugged and uneven, nonetheless, the blood I have spilled kept my spirit brave.

The dragon lunged down, tracing the slope and hovered the towering pines, then we drifted farther East as I released it. I don't know what I was looking for, I simply flew against the wind and battled with the turbulence. I had enough for a day, I just wanted to get away as far as I can and think of nothing.

Silence fell, Miraak didn't bother speaking to me this time.

My mind was empty for a moment, perhaps I am denying the fact that I have made the same mistake again. I have revealed my identity to a few, it's just a matter of time until everyone will know I exist, well, still.

The hunt is still on.

'You let me take over you, why?' I finally asked, but Miraak was empty and quiet. 'Your soul whirled like a great dark specter hungry of redemption, and you bowed so willingly.  I wanted to believe you were pushed to the edge during the great war, but I saw your memories, felt how you feel, knew what you know. In that short moment of truth, all was revealed, and you bent to me anyway.'

'I chose to hide nothing from you, Sah...fih...rah. A dragon's faith is what I give.'

'Your trust is frightening, why would you risk your fire to someone like me? To a vaurg? What if I chose to take a different path? And this is all for not? What would you be?'

'Then I have failed noone but myself.' The dragon's thoughts were rather stern. Miraak showed what it wanted to show me the first time I laid my hand upon him, and now I've seen its dark past, everything, and its heart desires nothing but power, seeking its right to rule the skies again, and I have let myself become its instrument. 'Your heart is troubled, let me take you to where it all began.'

I connected with the dragon once again, and we soared and flew faster against the cold breeze. The freezing mist froze my pain, my wounds ached but the cold turned my skin numb. I covered my face with cloth, leaving a slit for my eyes to see as we flew from the pine-forest to the rugged slopes.

Miraak was taking me to the withered heath where the first of the firedrakes was born, a place where the serpents of the North are nurtured and cared. Such cursed place, why did it even exist? I remembered the blue wizard's words, if his words were true, I hope those dragons were not yet big enough to challenge an old blind beast.

Miraak climbed up the slope, flapping its massive wings against the falling snow, until we reached the top of the mountain, then we glided and let gravity drag us down. The easternmost of the gray mountains is a vast wasteland, where the mountains were broke into two spurs and the deep darkened valley has huge holes, at least fifty if my counting skill served me right.

I kept my head low as we drifted around, circling the tip of the mountain, then glided to the valley inspecting any form of life below us. 'Is that the heath? I don't see a single soul, no dragons or orcs.'