Chapters Elder Scrolls V 1/2 : Equestria
The Dragonborn's icy blue gaze sighted down the shaft of the softly glowing arrow. Down the hallway of the steamy Dwemer ruin, charging full throttle at the Imperial invading the past dwellings of it's creators, a Dwarven Sphere rapidly reduced the distance between them. The Dwarven construct, a man-sized automaton comprised of steaming bronze-toned metal and animated using techniques known only to it's creators, had been chasing him for quite some time. Dorian had needed to keep his distance so he could build up the magic for his bound bow, and to set up his little trap.
Moments before the Sphere came in striking distance, Dorian HollowBlade released his grip. The arrow pierced it's shoulder and staggered the construct, but did not prevent it's continued function. The Dragonborn stepped to the side as a fireball roiled past his head. The Sphere shattered into it's individual parts, which scattered across the floor.
The ball of searing heat had been tossed by the Atronarch he'd set in one of the ruin's numerous alcoves. The magical creature floated gently above the ground, waves of heat emanating from it's roughly-female form. This was one of Dorian's favorite summons, primarily due to his poor aim with a bow.
Dorian touched the back of his head, and frowned. The fireball had seared through his mask's covering and singed his dark hair. He dispelled his bow and opened the door at the end of the hallway. He climbed up the spiral staircase to the enormous apparatus containing what he sought. The control panel, while simple, required a bit of effort to find the correct sequence of levers and buttons. The enormous metal contraption spun and shifted, eventually settling with the large multi-faceted metal container being held just in front of the platform.
Dorian walked out from behind the control panel, his ebony armor clanking loudly as he ascended the steps to his prize.
This Scroll was considerably easier to obtain, he thought solemnly. Those poor soldiers... They fought bravely, but that damned Centurion came out of nowhere. Rest peacefully, my comrades.
He lifted the Elder scroll from it's perch, and examined it's exterior. It looked exactly like the Elder scroll of Time. Supposedly this would take him to the place Alduin resided, or rather, intended to conquer. It was fortunate that the artifact map in Mzulft now began to work properly, or he'd have never found this place. Parthenax had warned him that the land he would venture to was very different from Cyrodiil, or even Skyrim. He knew nothing of this place, other that with Alduin's presence, it's inhabitants would be in mortal danger.
He'd taken it upon himself to deliver it from the World Eater's evil. All that he had to do now was open the scroll. The Elder Scroll of Space.
Dorian took a deep breath, and exhaled. He unrolled the scroll and allowed himself to be engulfed in the violet star-field that spilled out. He was pulled in, and the scroll clattered to the stone floor, rolled up once again. Dorian's atronarch floated nearby for another few moments before returning to oblivion, leaving no further evidence of it's master's passing.
Dorian slowly came back to consciousness, the blackness fading from his mind as he began to generate coherent thought. The first thing he noticed was that he was on his back in a shallow crater in the snow. The second was that Hevnoraak had slipped off his face. He struggled for a moment, and finally found the energy to open his eyes. Wherever he was, the sun was just at the horizon. He couldn't tell whether it was setting or rising, though when he'd entered Ftulm for the scroll it had been rising. He looked around on the horizon. Farther to what he surmised was north was a large mountain range, and to the south he could see the tips of snowcapped hills. Then, straight ahead of him, he saw... a figure, on all fours, running in his direction.
He scrambled to his feet, readying, but not casting his atronarch summon and his bound sword. Whoever- or whatever- it was, it was not going to catch him off guard, nor did he want to frighten it off. The figure stopped for a moment, then continued towards him, a bit more slowly. As it drew near, Dorian noted that it walked on all fours, like a horse or an elk, and was shimmering magenta in body color. The hair, or a mane, he supposed, while rather solid and helmet like, was mostly grey with a streak of stark white running through it like a silver ore vein. It's eyes shone like glimmering amethyst crystals. Finally, it drew near enough to touch. At this point it was obviously some kind of diminutive horse.
"He... Hello?" She spoke, the voice unmistakably female.
Having met cat men, dragons, and talking dogs, this only stunned him for a moment. "Hello."
The small horse took a step back, as if surprised. She recollected herself, and asked him, "I saw you falling from the sky, with a huge flash of lightning or something. Are you alright?"
"Yes, I believe so." Dorian replied, bending down to pick up Hevnoraak again. The pony flinched as he touched it. "Is something the matter?"
"That mask..." She said uneasily. "Where did you get that mask?"
"It's rather too long of a story for me to talk about out here," Dorian said, pushing it into his bag, rather than donning it again. "Perhaps you know of a place where we may rest, and talk?"
"I... Well... Maybe..." She replied, digging at the snow with a forehoof. "I do have a safe house nearby. We can talk there, if you'd like."
"That would be wonderful." He gestured for the her to lead the way.
"So, Ice Strider," the dragonborn began, setting down his tea. "You still wonder about my mask, I presume."
"Well, yes, I do." the 'crystal pony' replied.
"It was an arduous journey, through an ancient Nordic ruin. I was on a mission to cleanse it of a lich, the Dragon Priest Hevnoraak, at the request of the guardian of his tomb. I dueled the priest in his weakened, low-power state, and defeated him. I took his iron mask as my reward. Does this satisfy your curiosity?"
Ice Strider let out a breath of relief. "Oh, thank Celestia. I was just afraid High-Priest Sombra had given it to you, or even worse, one of the dragons."
"High Priest Sombra?"
"I got the feeling you weren't from around here when you started talking about what, Nodric ruins? Anyways, High-Priest Sombra is the current ruler of... well, what was once my home. I barely made it out before the total lockdown. He made some kind of deal with the dragons, and they gave him a powerful crown. Now he's kicked out the prince and princess, and the Dragons are roosting in the castle and..." He shuddered. "Eating ponies."
"That sounds terrible," Dorian consoled. "Similar events took place back where I come from as well. Has anyone tried to oppose this, High-Priest?"
"Yes. But they were banished, and many ponies think them to be dead. He even overpowered the previous rulers, and broke the Crystal Heart. Anypony left in the Crystal empire is either hiding, enslaved, or dragon food."
"What about the neighboring lands? Have they attempted to intervene? Are they struck with a similar dilemma?"
"I haven't heard any news from the Griffon empire, Saddle Arabia, or Equestria. Contact was basically cut off when Sombra took over."
"So you don't know any more about the situation," Dorian surmised, doing his best not to smile at the comedic name of a country. "Why don't you go out and look for help? I've done so for the sake of the people of Riverwood."
"I... I thought I'd just wait it out, wait for the Elements of Harmony to fix things," Ice Strider said, looking at the floor. "They always do. They always have."
Dorian was silent for a moment. "You're jealous of these 'Elements of Harmony,' aren't you? You wish you were the hero."
Ice Strider looked up, face flushing with color. "N-no, no I'm not!"
The Dovahkiin looked at him hard.
"Okay, maybe a little." she admitted sheepishly.
"Come with me. You can alert the neighboring empires, perhaps gain their assistance. You'll be welcomed with open arms in their cities. Who knows, you may even become Thane."
"Thane?"
"Nevermind. Will you join me?"
"I... Well..." Ice Strider stammered, soon regaining her composure.. "I guess... Yes. Just let me get my things, alright?" "I'll be waiting." Dorian said, satisfied with the outcome of his inquiry. Now he had an ally who at least knew they lay of the land, and would mark him as less suspicious of a character.
It was obvious this 'Sombra' was a Dragon Priest. Alduin himself must have granted him power, and by extent, dominion over the Crystal ponies. He'd need to go through him before he could take down the Dragon. And no doubt that he had been seen by others when he fell. It was only a matter of time before the World Eater sent dragons to kill him. Once again, he'd have to take them down, one by one, until all that remained was those who sided with him, and Alduin.
I'm starting over, Dorian thought to himself. Once more, I can start over. Once more, I must save the world from the World Eater's wrath.
Elder Scrolls V 1/2 : Equestria
"So this 'Cadence' is the most powerful, and that is why she's your leader?" The Dragonborn asked his temporary companion. They were walking down a valley on their way to a place called Canterlot. The towering walls of ice on either side cooled the valley drastically, sending chills down Dorian's spine. This was as cold as the northern wastes, during the winter. In the water.
"It's more because she cares for us more than Sombra did, and she overpowered him with the help of a Dragon, with the Crystal Heart."
It must be like Azura's Star, holding energy in it's own realm, thought the Imperial. Then, he caught onto the other part of what she'd said. "A dragon helped to vanquish him?"
"Yeah. I think his name was-" Ice strider paled. A resonating roar echoed across the valley sending small snowfalls down the sides. "W-what was that?"
"Dragon," Dorian said, eyes narrowing in on the enemy soaring across the sky nearby. "Looks like a Blood Dragon, but it's hard to tell from here."
"A B-Blood D-Dragon?" She stammered, backing against one of the valley walls. "Oh, dear Celestia-"
"Shh," Dorian hushed her. No, it was definitely just a normal Dragon. If dragons could ever be considered normal. He summoned up his bound bow, knocking an arrow and taking aim. He let it fly, silent and deadly as any venom-
It flew wide of it's target by what seemed like miles. The dragon turned to look for the source of the attempted sneak attack, and began to home in on their position.
"Damn," he swore, panicking slightly as he summoned his Flame Atronarch and knocked another arrow. This one hit target, sinking deep into the dragon's hind leg. The Dragon flew overhead and shouted a raw northern wind of frost at him. The icy hurricane bit into his exposed skin like thousands of daggers. He raised his arm up in a futile attempt to block out the frozen gale.
Lowering his arm, Dorian took a deep breath, and shouted loud as he could "Joor Zah Frul!
The Dragon was enveloped in a blue light, and was forcefully dragged down to the ground. "Dovahkiin?" It growled.
"You guessed it," Dorian said.
With that, he summoned a bound battleaxe. He swung it up over his head in a deadly ark, where his atronarch lit it ablaze. He swung it around, and slashed across the dragon's jaw as it shouted a frostbitten wind at him one last time. Dorian collapsed to one knee as the dragon's skin flaked away as ash, his battle axe vanishing as easily as it had appeared. He reached into his pack and drank a healing potion, cringing at the taste.
"Ug," he grunted as he rose again. "Tastes disgusting, but does the job."
"Y-you... You just-" Ice Strider began.
"Killed it." Dorian finished. As he spoke, the soul of the dragon was being absorbed by him, the knowledge flowing into his mind. It took much of his concentration, hence his short response.
"What was that thing you said, the thing that made them it fall down?" Ice-Strider gushed. "I mean, you just knocked it out of the sky and cut it's mouth open like an orange! And that fiery thing, what's that? And where did those weapons come from? Why is the dragon turning to a skeleton?"
"What I just did was use a Thu'um, a Shout. That particular one was called Dragon Rend." Dorian began answering, watching as the last few flakes of scale turned to dust. "Forces the concept of mortality into it's mind. The 'feiry thing' is a Flame Atronarch. I summoned it and the weapons from one of the many planes of Oblivion. As for why the Dragon is rotting... I've just finished absorbing it's soul."
"Y-you took it's soul?"
"Don't worry. Only works with Dragons, not people- eh, ponies. It's because I'm DragonBorn."
"'DragonBorn?'" Ice Strider echoed uncomprehendingly.
"I see we have more to exchange, lore-wise. We should walk as we do so." Dorian said, continuing in the direction they'd been travelling, his Atronarch dissipating with the wind. Ice Strider took one last look at the completely still skeleton behind her before trotting to catch up with the taller being.
"So you can make a dragon dead permanently, and use it's power as your own?" Ice Strider surmised. It had begun to snow, and although they'd almost left the ice-bound part of the north, they were still a while's off from being out of it entirely. In the distance he could see a verdant grassland, far more lush than the dried-out tundra that Whiterun consisted of.
"Essentially, though I need to know the words of power before I can use them."
"Could you show me another Thoom?"
"Thu'um," Dorian corrected. "I suppose one wouldn't hurt." He drew a deep breath, and shouted at the sky, "Lok Vah Koor!"
The clouds parted before his words, and the snow all but stopped for nearly a mile around. Ice Strider flinched as he did so, and stood slack-jawed at the feat.
"You... That's... Wow."
"Indeed."
"Do it again, do a different one!" Ice Strider cheered, excited to see another power.
"It takes much power to do so. I have to wait a while before I can use another shout. Besides," The DragonBorn chided. "It would be childish to abuse a power such as the Thu'um."
"Oh," the pony said, blushing slightly. "I guess you're right. But still, that was really cool. Is there any way you could teach me?"
"No, I'm afraid not. Only the Greybeards can truly teach the Way of the Voice, and it's a lifetime's training. I am uniquely gifted with the Dragon Blood that let's me use a shout without training."
"Well, how did you find out you're DragonBorn?"
"The Whiterun Guards and I took down a dragon at the watchtower, and the soul was absorbed by me. I found myself capable of using the word of power I'd found in Bleak Falls Barrow the day before, Fus , or Force."
"That sounds... Y'know, you really are bad at making a story exciting. Even when you kill a dragon."
"Excuse me?" Dorian said, raising a brow.
"Nothing." Ice strider said innocently.
"Right," the Imperial said slowly. "Say, we are going to need to stop for the night soon. Is there anywhere nearby we can find respite?"
"I think the Emerald Fields Inn isn't too far from here," Ice Strider said, rubbing a hoof against her chin as she thought. "I've never been though. Might be pretty crummy."
"I've slept in unventilated and in use mines, over-protected, steam-powered ruins, and ancient crypts filled with the undead. I'm sure it'll be fine."
"You really slept in a crypt?"
"Yes. By the way, make sure the dead are really dead before you sleep among them."
Ice Strider giggled a bit. Surely he was joking.
"But Seriously, you do not want to wake up with a Draugr's sword pointed at your neck. Not a great wake up call." Added Dorian.
Ice Strider gulped. "Draugr? You mean like a zombie?"
"If by zombie you mean the walking dead, then yes, something like that."
She shivered. "How awful."
The DragonBorn snorted. "You're telling me. I've put hundreds, maybe thousands to rest, and they still creep me out. And that one incident with that necromancer in Hillgrund's Tomb." He shivered. "Divines, it took nearly two hours to clear out the draugr. Not to mention that accursed mage who kept reanimating them."
"That sounds like you've been through Tartarus and back."
"What is 'Tartarus?' Some kind of arena?"
"Tartarus. Y'know. The underworld."
"I... I do not understand."
"Where monsters come from?"
"Is it a plane of Oblivion?"
"Uh... Sure? Like a different world, right?"
"Ah. It stands to reason you'd call them different than I." Said Dorian. "I'll try to remember this, 'Tartarus'. Perhaps I could learn summons from that realm as well."
"Yeah, 'cuz that makes a lot of sense." Ice Strider mumbled. "Crazy, that's just plain stupid to try."
"Hm?"
"Nothing!"
Elder Scrolls V 1/2 : Equestria
Emerald Fields Inn, Part 1
"Hello?" called Dorian as he opened the wooden door, walking in with Ice Strider. It was just getting to be sunset, and they'd arrived at the Emerald Fields inn. At a glance, the building was nothing special. It had a fire burning in the hearth, tables set with plates some kind of Sweetrolls, and a barkeep tending to the mead barrel behind him. The barkeep, a crystal pony with a jagged grey mane and a coat the same shade as a glowing mushroom, was wiping out some mugs behind the counter.
"Jus' a sec'- Woah!" exclaimed the barkeep as he saw Dorian, dusty brown eyes widening. "We don' let in no pets."
"Excuse me? He's a friend of mine." Ice Strider stuck up for her companion."
"I am? Hm. Well, yes, I am." Dorian spoke, considering the thought. He was friends with a few members of the Kajiit caravans back in Skyrim. Why not with a pony? It was the same principal.
The barkeep reeled momentarily, at his speech, then regained some semblance of composure. "Well, I guess you can stay. You two be wantin' a room?"
"One each, please." said Dorian, reaching into his coin purse. "I trust you take gold coins?"
"If ya' mean Bits, then yeah."
"Ah. Only have Septims. Precious gems?"
"You have gemstones?" asked Ice Strider.
"Of course." Dorian said, letting a few stones of garnet trickle out of his coin purse onto his palm.
"Those'll work." said the barkeep quickly, snatching them from the imperial's hand. "The two rooms on the left are all yours. Lemme know if you'll be needin' somethin' t' eat."
"Thank you." Dorian headed into his room, and began stripping down his equipment, and changing into a belted tunic and boots. He may as well rest comfortably, if he were resting at all. The ebony armor was annoying to wear constantly, but offered the best available protection. He sat down on the bed, checking his supplies. He was a bit low on stamina potions, but he rarely used them anyway. Satisfied, he went to the door so he could get some food, but was stopped by Ice Strider.
"Oh, wow. I thought the black plating was part of you." She said without thinking. She blushed a bit and rushed on, "Not that it looked bad or anything. And neither does that, you look good in that too- I mean, you look okay, not good looking. I should shut up now." She looked down at the floor, cheeks reddening further.
"Was there something you wanted?" Dorian asked the bashful mare.
"Oh, right. The bartender left us out something to eat. Said he had to check on something down stairs."
"Ah. Well then, let's eat."
The barkeep had left him out a plate of various vegetables, along with a couple of apples and one of those odd looking Sweetrolls. Yet no meat. This was understandable- the horses in Tamriel were generally herbivorous, though they can eat meat if they absolutely must. Being in another world, he assumed the food would taste different. So it didn't surprise him in the slightest when he began eating. Ice Strider only poked at her food after the first bite.
"What's the matter?" Dorian asked her, rubbing at his eyes.
The shimmering pony frowned. "Something in the food tastes bad. I don't like it."
"It does?" Dorain asked, blinking sluggishly.
"Yeah. I'm not so sure we should- Dorian?" She asked. Dorian had just fallen backwards off the bench, unconscious.
"Dorian! Dorian, wake up!" Ice Strider nudged him, then shoved him a bit in attempt to rouse him. "Please wake up!"
"He ain't wakin' up no time soon, little filly." Spoke the barkeep. He was now dressed in some kind of metal cuirass, and had a knife in his left hoof. "Now come along quietly, or your sleep'll be a lot longer."
Dorian woke with a throbbing headache, almost as bad as when the Dark Brotherhood had tried inducting him into their 'family.' He made to move his hand to cradle his head, but found them bound together behind his back. His legs were similarly bound at the ankles, and his wait was tied to what he assumed was the back of a chair. Concentrating his slowly returning energy, he opened his eyes. He was greeted with the face of the barkeep, who's grinning mouth was short a few teeth.
"Would ya' look who finally woke up?" He said, turning to a winged pony to his left. "'Bout time he did. I was beginin' t' think we killed the damn thing."
"Heh, good thing we didn't, right boss? Told you I could brew a mean poison, eh?"
"Shut up, Wax."
Dorian struggled against his bonds, and, realizing his efforts were in vain, asked his most pressing thought: "What did you do with-"
"That filly friend of yours? She was a real mess to deal with. Broke boss's teeth and everything." Wax said.
"I said shut up . She's fine. For now."
"What do you want?"
"We wanna know where you got all those gems. High market for those babies, and we want 'em all."
"They aren't in a place you'll know of."
"Is that so? Well, we might as well turn you over to the High Priest's forces. Sure they'll wanna know 'bout the one who killed their scout."
They must've seen me take that dragon's soul. Damn. thought Dorian. "There's no need for that. Perhaps we can strike up a different deal? I could give you some gold, you return my other things, and my associate and I both leave you be."
"How 'bout no? I think the reward we'll get out've the guard'll be better than that."
"Ah. Well then, I suppose I'll have no regrets doing this." Dorian drew a deep breath. "Yol, Toor! "
A gout of flames briefly erupted from the Imperial's mouth, setting the false barkeep on fire. He screamed, and Wax dumped a nearby bucket of water on his superior's body. Unfortunately for him, he threw the bucket with it.
"Why I oughta..." growled the crystal pony, hoof over his burned side of his face, bucket atop his head.
"No, I don't think so." grinned Dorian.
In that moment, Ice Strider smashed the barkeep across the side with a metal pan. Wax yelped, and drew his sword from his sheathe. He didn't have time to even swing it once before she did the same to him, twice for good measure.
"And don't you ever threaten anypony again!" She half-yelled at the two of them, hitting the barkeep again over the head when he groaned in pain.
"Wonderful!" Dorian praised as she untied him. "Absolutely amazing! How did you escape?"
"Easy," She said, untying the knot on his ankles. "The only guard they posted to watch me decided to eat some of that food from earlier. He was out like a light in seconds. These guys were dumber than they looked."
Still smart enough to capture us, though. Dorian thought sullenly. Never before was he so easily beguiled. Despite the colorful look of this world's inhabitants, it was as dangerous as Skyrim. "Now, we should find our things and leave before any more of his henchmen show up."
"Right. I had to sneak past a couple of pegasi to get down here, so be ready for a fight."
"Pega-what?"
"You know... ponies with wings."
"Ah. Well, in that case..." Dorain let the violet glow of conjuration fill his palms, and with the release of the magic, faintly glowing lavender swords of a wicked design appeared in them. "Take one of their weapons. The knife, preferably. It's less cumbersome than that greatsword."
"But... Can't we leave them alone?"
"Best case scenario, yes. I'm not the sneaking type, but I'll try my best."
"Promise?"
"Akatosh as my witness, I promise."
"Aka-what?" She shook her head when he made to answer. Ice Strider took a deep breath, and exhaled. She took the knife out of the sheath of the barkeep. "Okay. Lets go."
Elder Scrolls V 1/2 : Equestria
Emerald Fields Inn, Part 2
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Discussions and Farewells
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Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Elder Scrolls V 1/2 : Equestria
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. 