The Harmony Scrolls V: Manerim

Rainbow Dash and Alex arrived at the gates of Whitetrot, weak and tired from their long journey. Alex, Dragonstone in his left land, pushed open the gates to the city and ushered Dash in. He stepped in after her and pushed the heavy wooden door closed behind him with a grunt.

"So, to the Jarl, then?" Alex asked, once more, looking over his sword. He noticed it was cracked in some places and the expression on his face said he was appalled. "Man, I thought the armor and weapons in Skyrim never degraded..." He muttered to himself while sheathing it. "Dash, I'm going to get a new sword at the blacksmith. Do you need anything?"

"Take my sword and have it repaired. Get yourself some armor while you're at it, I'm sure you'll need it if the Jarl needs us to doing else. I'm going to take the Dragonstone up to Zecora and have her analyze it. I'll meet you back here soon."

Alex handed the blue pegasus the carved stone while she simultaneously handed him her sword. "See you in a bit." She said, and flew off to Dragonsreach. Alex headed over to the forge and started chatting up the blacksmith. "Uh, hello. I'm Alex. And, I was wondering if you could maybe repair some things of mine?"

He handed both swords to the blacksmith, who stopped her forging, then ran her hoof over the smooth but cracked iron blade of Alex's sword. "I'd love to, but I am swamped with work. Maybe you'd like to buy some better swords? I made some steel ones an hour or two ago, they're still cooling, but I bet they're ready to use..." She said absentmindedly as she went back to hammering at a piece of hot metal on her anvil.

"Oh, uh, thanks. I don't have much money though..." He said as he checked his pockets. "Maybe we could work out some sort of deal? I did a job for the Jarl and I am supposed to be paid soon. Or maybe I could do some work for you? I'm sure you need a break."

"Sounds like a good offer. I'd shake your hand, but I don't have thumbs. How about a bro-hoof?" She said, extended her front right leg and grinned. "By the way, my name is Ember."

-Dragonsreach-

Rainbow Dash trotted into Dragonsreach once more, but this time, bearing the Dragonstone. The Jarl was taking a visitor, a very strange pony wearing a white hooded robe, with a red sash around the middle, and a black cape. He spoke with an accent unfamiliar to her, and she had met ponies from all over Equestria.

"Maestro, I managed to kill the Templar before he could share his information with his colleagues. The other Assassins will be pleased to hear it."

The Jarl nodded and the robed pony trotted away. Dash turned her gaze back to Saddlegruuf "Jarl, we retrieved the Dragonstone from the barrow. May I see Zecora?" Rainbow Dash asked. Saddlegruuf nodded. "Certainly." Rainbow Dash walked into Zecora's room, and saw her staring down at the map of Manerim, muttering rhymes and scribbling messy words onto a piece of parchment.

"Zecora, Alex and I retrieved the Dragonstone. Here." She set it down on the table and Zecora looked up from her work. "You've retrieved the Dragonstone, I see. This will prove a great advantage to you, and me. Many thanks, and ask the Jarl for your reward, I'm sure he has something very good, like a new sword."

Just then, Irileth came galloping into the room. "Zecora, and you, come quickly." She said, pointing at Rainbow Dash. "The Jarl wishes to speak with both of you."

Irileth led them to them into the great hall to the Jarl. "I've been getting reports that a Dragon has been sighted, Rainbow Dash. I want Irileth, you, and Alex to head to the watchtower west of here and see if you can bring it down." Dash closed her eyes and bowed to the Jarl. "We'll do it."

A pony came rushing in, a guard, breathing heavily and sweating. "Sir, we spotted it by the tower again. But it came at us this time, though I managed to escape. I've never galloped so fast in my life."

"Good job soldier, go to the barracks and get some rest, you've earned it." The Jarl turned his gaze back to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash, if you manage to bring down that monstrosity, you and Alex will both get a fine reward. Now go and serve me well." Rainbow Dash galloped off with Irileth behind her.

Alex wiped the sweat off of his forehead and continued hammering down on a piece of molten steel, each time the hammer came down on the metal, it made him flinch. "There you go, you're getting it. Just remember to-" Ember looked away and saw Rainbow Dash and Irileth galloping down the cobblestoned street. Rainbow Dash came trotting up to Alex. "Alex," she said panting. "They've spotted a Dragon by the watchtower west of here, the Jarl wants us to go take it down."

Alex set down at his hammer on a table and looked over at Ember and gave her a worried look. She nodded and Alex looked back at Rainbow Dash. "Lets go then. If only my sword wasn't in such disrepair though." He said, looking down at the still cracked blade. Ember took the damaged sword from his hand and gave him a brand new steel sword. "Thank you." Alex said, beaming. "No Problem." She said, smiling. She gave Rainbow Dash a new sword and nodded. "Let's go then, Rainbow, Irileth?" Alex asked.

They arrived at the watchtower soon after they left, and saw large chunks of the tower scattered on the ground. A few dead guardsponies were splayed out on the ground. A guard pony came trotting from inside the tower. "No! Get back! Flash and Bolt just got grabbed by that dragon!"

The air was shattered by a shrill, earsplitting roar. "Get ready then, guys..." Alex growled, unsheathing his sword, which gleamed in the pale sunlight. The Dragon came soaring over the mountain ridge, it's great, majestic wings flapping in the wind. The Dragon was easily bigger than the inn in Riverwood, which was pretty large on it's own. It circled over the watchtower and roared another air shattering roar. It touched down on the ground and began spitting fire at ponies all around it, some were flinging spells at it, trying to weaken him.

Alex ran at it while it was occupied and thrust his blade into the tough dragon hide, and pulled it out, his sword dripping with blood. "Well that didn't really do much..." Alex said, looking for a weak point. He kept stabbing the dragon, but it wasn't doing very much, just bloodying his sword. He decided he might try to take it on directly. He climbed upon the dragon's rough back began inching his way along the thrashing dragon's back toward it's head. "Careful now..." He said, raising his sword above it's head, and thrust it down it's head. It let out a roar of indescribable loudness and began thrashing even wilder. He stabbed it again, and again. Just before the killing blow, the dragon let out a roar that sounded slightly of "Dovahkiin, No!". Alex jumped off of it's head as it began to smoke and eventually catch fire.

Alex watched with wonder as the hide dissolved and he absorbed the dragon's very soul, the different shades of blue and red swirling around him. He smiled contentedly as he absorbed the last of it's soul, and all that was left of the Dragon was it's skeleton.

"By Starswirl, You're the Dragonborn." Said one guard in awe. "You don't say." Alex said flatly. "Alex, you did it!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, and grabbed Alex in a great hug. Surprised, Alex returned the hug and Rainbow Dash let go. She smiled at him. "Good Job you two, the Jarl will definitely want to hear of this victory. The other guards and I will stay here and clean up." Irileth said, congratulating them. "Irileth, that human is a Dragonborn!" A guard exclaimed.

"What?" Irileth asked, appalled. "Nonsense."

"But we saw him absorb it's soul!" Yelled another.

"Rubbish. What evidence is there?" She retorted, a hint of disbelief in her voice.

"Well, all the Dragonborn can shout. Human, shout at us and we'll know." The guard said to Alex

Alex welled up all of his energy in his body and concentrated on the shout and what he wanted to do. He tried to shout, but he couldn't. He knew he could do it, it was just a matter of focusing.

"C'mon, Alex, you can do it." Rainbow Dash said reassuringly. He focused his energy and shouted. "FUS!" All the ponies crowded around him stumbled back and stood up in awe. Murmurs came from all the guards around him.

"He really is dragonborn.."

"By Starswirl, what a shout."

"Ouch, my flank..."

"Alright then, Rainbow Dash, let's go see the Jarl. I'm sure he'll be more than pleased with our work." Alex said, turning away from the crowd and beginning to walk back with Rainbow Dash. "What kind of reward do you think he has for us?" She asked. "Eh, I don't know, money, weapons." He said, shrugging. "We'll see when we get back. Hey, is it legal here in Manerim for a Human to date a pony?"

Rainbow Dash gave him a puzzled look. "I have no clue." "I guess we'll take our chances then." He said, smiling.

Alex and Rainbow Dash walked into Whitetrot once more and Alex smiled. "I bet the Grey Beards will summon me any second now." He held up 3 fingers. "3. 2. 1." Alex heard no summon. "Ah well." He said.

"DO-VAH-KIIN!" The ground shook as the Greybeards summoned him, and Alex, obviously surprised, corrected himself when they stopped. "I was a little off."

Rainbow Dash laughed. "Let's keep going then."

"So, the Grey Beards have summoned you and you both managed to kill that Dragon. I think a reward would be appropriate. But take my word of Advice. It is not wise to ignore the summons of the Greybeards. Go, Dragonborn, and they will give you their wisdom. Now, how about that reward? Proventus! Go fetch these two some bits and new weapons!"

The steward hurried off and returned quickly with 2 sackfuls of bits being levitated by magic and two brand new, unblemished dwemer swords. "Uh, sir, this is a little bit excessive, but thank you!" Rainbow Dash said, bowing.

"Make good use of these gifts. You two will need them, I'm sure. Oh, I'm forgetting the most important detail. The Greybeards reside in Crystalvale, a monastery near the peak of the Throat of the World. To get there, you must travel up the 7000 steps, which begin at the base of the mountain, at the town of Ponyville. Good luck, you two."

Alex picked up one of the gleaming dwemer swords and a sack of bits and grinned stupidly. "Rainbow Dash, let's get moving."