Edited by Tacotown
Rainbows on Ice and Fire in the Sky
“Why the does The Jarl want this particular dragon dead?” Arria shouted shakily to Lydia from behind her ward, while intense dragon flames hammered against it. The ward failed every few seconds allowing a bit of fire to leach through and fall upon the hooded apprentice mage standing behind it. On the bright side, ever since discovering that she was the Dragonborn a week ago, Arria had learned that fire wasn’t nearly as much of a concern as it used to be. Neither did most things actually, now that she thought about it. The fire resistance potion that she’d downed before the dragon noticed them didn’t hurt either.
“I don’t know my Thane; however I do know that we should be more worried about killing the damned thing, instead of talking about it!” Lydia shouted back. The dark haired nord was taking cover behind a nearby rock using her steel shield to further protect her body from the incoming fire.
“I really would love to, but he’s kinda trying to turn me into chargrill right now, so it’ll have to wait!” Arria shouted as she ran out of energy to power her ward. She was forced to take cover behind the rock with Lydia or risk the dragon’s fire burning through her newfound immunity and scorching her.
“You imperials are always complaining about minor things like that.” Lydia said with a chuckle.
“Yes and you nords always think that you’re fire proof!” Arria shouted back in frustration just as the dragon’s fire finally stopped, allowing the mage to drop her ward and switch to back to her lightning bolt spell. She shot two of the arching beams of electricity directly into the brown dragon’s chest. The dragon roared in pain and the blonde woman smiled slightly to herself as it winged away.
“We don’t think that we’re fireproof, we just know that the fire knows better than to try and burn the sons and daughters of Skyrim.” Lydia replied with a chuckle. Arria shook her head. She’d been traveling with the Nordic housecarl for a week now and Arria still couldn’t tell if Lydia was serious about half of the things she said.
“I wish I could say the same about us imperials.” Arria replied with a twinge of nervousness in her voice as she readied her lightning for another round while the dragon turned and began to fly towards them again.
The nord chuckled but didn’t add a further comment as the dragon arced down at them spewing fire from its great sharp-toothed maw. An eerie flickering light erupted from Arria’s right hand as her ward burst into existence taking the majority of the damage from the dragon’s assault, although Arria could feel just enough of the heat from the flames to know that her fire resistance potion was around three quarters gone. She raised her left hand and shot another bolt of lightning into the dragon’s chest as it passed, and was pleased to hear another pained grunt.
“Land, damn you!” Lydia shouted at the beast who paid her no head as it winged off again.
“My potion’s almost worn off.” Arria informed the nord nervously, Lydia grimaced.
“May I suggest a tactical retreat my Thane?” Lydia asked but Arria just shook her head as she surveyed the scenery.
Autumnwatch Tower was still a good fifty feet upslope and she didn’t think that they’d be able to get there before the dragon returned to once more rain fire upon the two women. Well maybe Lydia would be able to; despite the armor she wore, the nord woman was able to sprint with little to no difficulty. Arria, on the other hand, wasn’t in what you could call the most athletic kind of person; not fat, but lacking any kind of real endurance outside of magic and the occasional swing of her mace. All of that was really available in the way of cover were the rocks that they were currently hiding behind and soon the dragon would probably wise up and trap them with their backs to them.
“I can’t see anywhere we could actually get to, but you’ve been doing this longer then I have, so if I’ve missed something feel free to let me know.” Arria replied as she once more readied her ward, the dragon making another pass. It unleashed a torrent of fire that deflected off of her ward and splashed against the ground beside her, making Lydia jump backwards into the rock out of reflex. The dragon’s flames stopped and Arria took the opportunity to fire off another lightning bolt, which missed the dragon completely as it flew by.
“Perhaps we could get to the tower…” Lydia mused.
“You could, I couldn’t.” Arria replied grimly in a low voice.
“I know that my Thane and I wouldn’t leave you behind in the first place. Besides it would only delay our deaths.” Lydia told her.
“Death, yeah I really don’t want to die right now.” Arria said in a small almost terrified voice.
“Don’t worry my Thane, if we do die, then the bards will write a song about it, and we’ll be remembered throughout history.” Lydia told her with a chuckle.
“I must be missing something here, because that still doesn’t outweigh dying to me.” Arria said as lightning arced around both of her hands in preparation for a stronger bolt.
“Well I don’t know about you my Thane, but I know that I’ll be welcomed into the halls of Sovngarde; where I’ll feast and fight till the end of time so that helps.” Lydia replied, hefting her steel shield and sword meaningfully.
“Nords.” Arria said with a dispassionate shake of her head before releasing her lightning directly into the dragon’s chest as it was flying towards them.
The dragon let out a loud roar of pain before letting out a blast of fire as it landed in front of them. Throwing up a quick ward, Arria repelled the attack but she suddenly felt the heat of the flames as they brushed up against the ward and attempted to overwhelm her defense. That was bad, that meant that her fire resistance potion had just worn off and she was down to her magic to protect herself from the flames. Thankfully, the dragon’s maw closed, and the fire ceased seconds before Arria’s ward died.
“For Skyrim!” Lydia shouted as she charged the beast sword held high. The dragon’s head snapped out jaws wide but Lydia bashed it aside with her shield and delivered a powerful chop with her sword into the dragon’s throat, drawing blood. Arria gathered her magic while this was happening, and unleashed a bolt of pure electricity into the dragon’s face. The dragon shook his head in irritation at the bugs poking it and let out a thunderous roar that sent Lydia stumbling backwards and opening her up to a blast of flame. The nord woman let out a pained cry as the flames washed over her but rolled out of their path before they could finish her.
“FUS RO DA!” Arria shouted forcing the dragon to stagger as the power of the Shout blasted into it. Meanwhile Arria ran over to where Lydia was struggling to her feet and quickly cast a healing spell that took effect almost instantly healing the burns that ran across Lydia’s unprotected arms.
“Thank you my Thane, blasted lizard nearly got me.” Lydia panted.
“You’re welcome.” Arria replied before turning back to the dragon who was about to once again charge them. Arria reached for her magic but came up empty. “Dammit I’m out of magic.” Arria growled as she drew her steel mace.
“Then let’s see if we can’t give this beastie a headache.” Lydia said with a quick smile as she hefted her sword.
***
Rainbow Dash was not having the best day. Actually it didn’t even come close. Oh it had started out well enough. She and Applejack had agreed to meet for breakfast in order to try and come up with a new competition that they could both compete in fairly. Twilight had tried to help the day before but none of the academic’s ideas had appealed to either of them. Breakfast had been going well and they both felt like they were on the very cusp of an idea when Twilight had interrupted them and told them that they’d been tasked with removing another dragon. That was why she was currently trying to avoid said dragon’s irritable flames while her friends frantically tried to find some way to make it move.
“We just want you to find another cave you great brute!” Rarity shouted at the dragon as Dash whizzed under a fireball nearly getting roasted in the process.
“And I don’t want to leave my cave, get lost!” The big blue dragon roared back.
“Princess Celestia has promised to give you a much bigger cave somewhere near the eastern mountains; wouldn’t you like that one more?” Twilight asked the dragon as she dodged to the side while the dragon’s foot smashed into the place that she’d been occupying a few seconds prior.
“I like my cave, it’s mine!” The dragon replied before letting out an annoyed roar, thanks to the mighty buck that Applejack had sent smashing into his other leg. The dragon snorted in annoyance and sent the farm pony tumbling away with a flick of his claws. Rainbow Dash swooped down and delivered a kick to his face before he could finish Applejack. The dragon turned and spat another ball of fire at her, but Rainbow managed to dodge, if just barely.
“Party Cannon!” Pinkie suddenly shouted jumping out of the darkness of the cave and firing her party cannon directly into the dragon’s chest. An explosion of pink confetti and cake batter impacted against the dragon’s chest. He looked down at the pink mare with one eye ridge raised.
“Really?” He asked disdainfully.
“Meh, worth a try.” Pinkie replied with a grin before she did a backflip to avoid the dragon’s fist which slammed into the ground directly where she’d been standing. Dash was about to go for another kick but Fluttershy stepped into the cave and locked gazes with the dragon.
“Mister dragon would you please leave, the Princess has prepared an extra nice cave for you to li-” Fluttershy began but she was interrupted by the dragon’s indignant huff.
“I said no, leave me alone!” The dragon roared before rearing his head back and launching a column of flames directly at Fluttershy, who stood there staring in open mouthed surprise. No dragon, or any other creature had ever resisted when she asked them to do something, and the sheer shock of the dragon’s reply had frozen her.
“Fluttershy dodge!” Dash shouted as she flew as fast as her wings would allow her in order to reach the other pegasus before the flames impacted. She got there just in time to throw Fluttershy to the side as the incoming flames washed over her. Dash felt her world slip out from under her. In the back of her head she thought she heard some form of mad laughter as the flames traveled over her but then all was black.
***
The fight had been going on for around half an hour with no easily discernible victor. Arria was nearing the point of magical exhaustion. Her eyelids hung heavily and her entire body was beginning to run out of the energy needed to both to live and cast spells. The robes that she wore were covered in singes, and dragon blood mixed liberally with her own. She didn’t even want to think about the amount of time it would take to wash the stains out, if they survived at all of course.
Lydia panted as she stood next to Arria. Sweat and steam poured from the exposed bits of her flesh that weren’t incased in armor. Her sword hung loosely at her side and her shield would’ve already been on the ground if it wasn’t strapped to her arm. Her dark hair was plastered to her forehead and her breath stained the air with mist as it rushed in and out of her body. Her forearms were covered with dragon’s blood that reflected off of the newly risen stars. Over the course of the battle she’d received several nasty bites to her right shoulder. The place where the dragon’s teeth had sunk into her steel armor and effectively turned it scrap was easily visible to anyone who cared to look.
The dragon was in bad shape itself. Its scaly face was blackened and bleeding from repeatedly being shot with lightning and having a sword slashing into it. The once proud bat like wings that were now tucked protectively against its back were tattered and torn from where lightning bolts had burned large holes through them. Its right foreleg had lost several of talons thanks to the Nord’s sword slashes, and the talons on the left had become grievously mangled by the mage’s mace. Blood poured from the dragon’s multiple wounds staining the newly fallen snow a deep crimson. It was tired of this fight it drew back its neck and began to roar in anger at the two humans who had caused it so much pain. Suddenly the dragon paused mid roar.
An extremely perplexed look suddenly crossed the dragon’s face and it suddenly started coughing like it was a cat with a particularly big hairball. Arria and Lydia watched the dragon warily not sure what to make of this sudden development. After a full minute of coughing, the dragon finally expelled whatever it was that had been blocking its throat, and a bundle of blue fur, feathers, and rainbow colored hair tumbled to the ground. All three of the combatants paused and stared at the wet dragon slobber covered object that was groaning slightly as it lay there in the snow.
“Wait…what…What just happened…?” Arria asked as she stared at the bundle. The dragon seemed just as confused as the two women and just shrugged a draconic shrug.
“Well I’d say that we should finish off the lizard and then investigate the winged horse.” Lydia told Arria.
“That… Sounds like a good idea, but I still…?” Arria said in confusion causing Lydia to chuckle.
“Don’t worry about it now my Thane, worry about it after you’ve absorbed the soul of this dragon.” Lydia replied as she hefted her sword and charged the dragon. Arria shook her head to clear it and began to gather the energy that she needed for her spell.
Meanwhile the dragon was still looking down at the horse that had randomly burst from his throat. It was trying to figure out whether or not he’d eaten the horse or nor. It was pretty sure that he hadn’t because he was certain that he’d remember ingesting something that colorful. The dragon’s train of thought was rudely interrupted by Lydia slashing into the side of his face drawing a long bloody line.
The dragon reared its head back roaring in pain giving Arria a perfect shot at the underside of his jaw. The mage unleashed her gathered energy in the form of a large lightning bolt which seared a black hole through the bottom of the dragon’s jaw and out the back of his skull cooking its brain in the process. The dragon’s body toppled over sideways avoiding the small winged horse on the ground.
“Thank the nine.” Arria muttered as she fell to her knees in exhaustion while the dragon’s body began to burn.
The dragon’s soul fled from its destroyed form but was quickly sucked into Arria’s body by the same mystical force that made it possible for her to use the Thu’um. Just like with the last two dragons that they’d killed together Arria suddenly felt a whole new world of mental possibilities open up to her. It was an invigorating feeling that made her shiver slightly as the dragon’s soul melded with her own.
Lydia was already investigating the moaning being on the ground by the time Arria regained her footing and stumbled over to the housecarl. The horse was about half as long as Lydia was tall with a coat of sleek blue fur. Two powerful blue feathered wings came out of its back and a scruffy rainbow mane covered the top of its head while a long rainbow colored tail flowed behind it. The horse was still groaning but had yet to open its eyes.
“So, what is it, besides the obvious?” Arria asked Lydia.
“She, what is she.” Lydia corrected.
“How can you tell?” Arria asked.
“How do you think my Thane?” Lydia asked with a nod towards the horse’s lower body. Arria followed her gaze and then broke off blushing furiously. “I sometimes forget how easy it is to make you blush my Thane.” Lydia told Arria with a chuckle.
“Yes well… what should we do with her?” Arria asked while attempting to put some authority in her voice.
“Well it’s getting a little late to travel so I’d say that we should bring her with us while campout in one of those towers.” Lydia told Arria who nodded.
“That sounds like a good idea to me, although I have one concern.” Arria replied.
“Oh, what is it my Thane?” Lydia asked.
“Would you please carry her?” Arria asked wearily.
“I am sworn to carry your burdens.” Lydia replied sardonically before she grabbed the winged horse by the forelegs and slung her gently over her back. Arria nodded thankfully and together the two set off for the towers on the nearby hill where they would hopefully be able to get a little rest.
***
Rainbow Dash’s eyes flickered open and she took in the scene before her rapidly. Her friends were nowhere to be found and neither was the dragon or its cave. Instead she was lying on her back on a crude bed of what felt kind of like fur. Stone walls encircled her and she could see a ceiling ten or twelve feet above her. Dash’s more immediate attention focused on the odd hood wearing bipedal creature that was kneeling in front of her. Rainbow reacted in the way that she’d been trained to in her martial arts classes. She leapt forward without warning and crashed into the biped using her forelegs to keep the creature contained.
“Where are my friends?!” Rainbow shouted angrily.
“I don’t know!” The creature shouted back in a feminine voice as she tried to struggle her way out of the horse’s grip.
“Where am I?!” Dash demanded.
“You’re in Autumnwatch Tower to the southeast of Whiterun, it’s part of the Imperial Province of Skyrim.” The creature said as she continued to unsuccessfully try to escape from Rainbow’s grasp.
“I-I’ve never heard of it.” Dash said in confusion.
“Hiya!” someone behind Dash shouted and she suddenly felt the sensation of hard metal slamming into the back of her head sending the blue pegasus sprawling. Dash recovered in a few seconds and rose shakily to her hooves before turning to look at the creature who had hit her.
This biped was different from the other, she was wearing thick steel armor and held a sword in one hand and a shield was strapped to the other. Dark hair ran down to her neck and brown eyes watched Dash’s every move with the hardened instincts of a warrior. Dash gulped nervously but shook her head, now wasn’t the time to be worried, it was the time to attack.
Dash charged towards the woman her wings flapping wildly as she flew a foot or two off of the ground. The woman seemed to have predicted this move and she swung her shield out at the last moment. Dash’s body was thrown to the side by the impact and she landed with a thud. The blue pegasus returned to her hooves panting but still easily capable of fighting. The biped before her stood confidently in a fighting stance; it was time to get rid of that confidence. Dash charged forward again, but this time instead of charging heedlessly into the shield’s path Dash changed direction in midair and slammed into the creature’s side sending them both to the ground.
The two combatants wrestled together on the ground both trying to gain superiority. Dash punched the creature in the face and the creature replied by smashing the back of Dash’s head into the stone floor leaving her dazed long enough for the creature to pin her. Unfortunately for the creature Dash was a master of several forms of pegasus karate along with earth pony aikido. She subtly shifted her weight and sent the creature flying off of her with a throw. The creature tumbled across the ground and let out a groan of pain before Dash tackled her again. The creature let out a snarl of defiance and slammed her shield into Dash’s chest dislodging the pegasus.
“Lydia stop it!” The other biped shouted suddenly making the one with the shield and armor pause. Dash stopped to and turned to face the other creature who had thrown her hood back to reveal a blonde maned head and a pair of green eyes.
“As wish, my Thane.” The creature with the shield, who Dash supposed was called Lydia, panted and lowered her arms.
“Look, I know that you’re probably scared, but we mean you no harm.” The creature continued, turning back to Dash who thought she heard a crack of anxiety in the voice. “I’m Arria, and that is my housecarl Lydia.” The creature told Dash before pausing and looking to Dash. The intent behind the introduction was obvious and Dash lowered herself back to all fours.
“I’m Rainbow Dash, fastest pegasus in Equestria.” She replied proudly. Arria cocked her head to the side in thought.
“I’ve never heard of Equestria, can you tell me where it is?” She asked a little timidly.
“You’d have to ask Twilight about the specifics, she’s the egghead and all, but I know that it’s to north of Zebracan and to the west of Gryponia.” Dash replied.
“Okay… have you ever heard of Tamriel?” Arria asked slowly.
“Umm no, should I have?” Dash asked in confusion.
“Lydia do you think that the soup is ready yet?” Arria asked turning to the housecarl.
“It might be my Thane.” Lydia replied.
“Would you mind getting us three bowls?” Arria asked. “I have the oddest feeling that we’re going to want something to eat while we talk.” She added.
“Of course my Thane.” Lydia answered while a small smile worked its way across her face. “You have a mean right hook Rainbow.” She told the pegasus as she went over to a pot of soup that had been boiling over a nearby fire and began to ladle the contents into three separate bowls.
“Thanks, you’re not too bad yourself.” Dash told her. Arria meanwhile let out a sigh of relief. It had been a long day of walking and fighting and she had the oddest feeling that it was only going to get longer, but at least now she wouldn’t be tackling it on an empty stomach.