//------------------------------// // Chapter 45: World-Eater's End // Story: The Equine Scrolls: SkyFiM // by FireOfTheNorth //------------------------------// Chapter XLV: World-Eater’s End “Even we who ride the currents of time cannot see past time’s end.” At last, after weeks of searching, Alduin was finally in reach! All we had to do was travel to Skuldafn, enter the portal, and defeat the World-Eater before he could do any more harm. It would be a hard task, but finding his hiding place had brought us one step closer to completing it. I was sure Paarthurnax would want to hear the news, and we would pass by the Crest of the World on our way to Skuldafn anyway, so we decided to travel up the mountain to tell him. “SKULDAFN??” the ancient dragon asked when we told him, “I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A PLACE!!” “Well, you wouldn’t have, would you?” Steadfast asked, “You said that Alduin kept the location of the portal secret, even from you.” “HOW HE COULD KEEP THE CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH A THING SECRET STILL BAFFLES ME TODAY!! BUT NOW THAT YOU HAVE FOUND IT, I AM CERTAIN OF WHAT MUST BE DONE!! WE MUST CONFRONT ALDUIN, AND STOP HIM FOR ALL ETERNITY!!” “We?” I asked. “YES, I SHALL ACCOMPANY YOU IN YOUR QUEST!! I CANNOT HELP BUT TAKE PARTIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS EVIL THAT HAS SPREAD!! WHEN I WAS YOUNG, I STOOD AT ALDUIN’S SIDE, BELIEVING WE WERE EXALTED BEINGS, AND THAT IT WAS RIGHT FOR THE MORTALS TO WORSHIP US!! I ENCOURAGED HIM, MADE HIM INTO THE TYRANT HE BECAME!! I SHARE THE BLAME FOR THIS MADNESS, AND I MUST ATONE FOR MY CRIMES BY HELPING TO END IT!!” “COME!! ALDUIN’S PLANS HAVE NEARLY COME TO FRUITION!! WE MUST BE SWIFT IF WE ARE TO STOP HIM!! CLIMB UPON MY BACK, MY LITTLE PONIES, AND WE WILL TRAVEL AS ONLY A DOVAH CAN!!” Careful not to impale ourselves on the great dragon’s spines, we climbed onto Paarthurnax’s back. I realized what a great honor must have been bestowed on us, to be allowed to ride atop a dragon. Once we were securely seated upon him, Paarthurnax flapped his mighty wings and leapt from the Crest of the World. All of Horizon spread our beneath us, trees bunching together into rolling forests split only by rivers that appeared to be no more than shining ribbons. The view was breathtaking as we flew above the clouds. Was this how pegasi experienced the world? I was suddenly very envious of their ability to fly. As Paarthurnax glided, we were able to relax and take in the view. As we traveled farther east, mountains appeared to both the north and the south, narrowing as we flew over the Split, home to Splitten. Indeed, we could see the town below, perched upon the eastern edge of Lake Hornrich. To the north, I knew the Pale Pass cut through the mountains, leading to Kvatch. I almost thought I saw the tiny town that’d once been my home in the distance, but it must’ve been my imagination. Eventually the Split closed up, and only mountains jutted up beneath us, as tightly packed and impossible to navigate as the Karth. From time to time I could see bits and pieces of a crumbling trail once built by the ancient earth ponies, no doubt leading to Skuldafn, and marked them on my map whenever I could. Where the mountains were thickest, Skuldafn itself appeared at last, a crumbling ruin of ancient stone. As Paarthurnax glided down toward the complex, I could see the tiny figures of Draugr scampering about. A few dragons also were perched atop the ancient stone spires, and two of them took off to meet us as we landed. “GO!!” Paarthurnax called as he dropped us off, “GET TO THE PORTAL!!” As we ran across a stone platform that seemed to be little more than a landing pad for dragons, Paarthurnax flew up into the sky to meet the dragons coming for us. They clashed in midair, clawing at each other and sending pillars of flame curling through the air. As Paarthurnax battled the dragons above us, we charged the Draugr assembling before us. I drew both my swords as we clashed with the crowd of undead. With Calcion’s Cleaver I blocked a Draugr with a war axe, and with the Blade of Hoofingar I held off another with a mace. Twisting my ancient earth pony sword around, I threw the war axe from the Draugr’s mouth, finishing up with a strike to the back of its neck. The one with the mace proved harder to hold off, as my blade simply slipped past the weapon’s head. With my ebony sword I swung toward the zombie’s legs, but my swing was stopped by its mace. Again I swung at its legs, and it blocked again, but this time Calcion’s Cleaver was free to cut across the unprotected side of its head. Ichor bleeding from the wound, the Draugr growled and jumped at me, only to be impaled by the Blade of Hoofingar. Moving forward, I helped take the pressure off Mystic, who was holding off four Draugr at once with her magic. An ice spike from my horn knocked down one before it even knew I was there. A second swiftly fell to a strike from my war axe, lighting it on fire. The side of my armor suddenly bent inward, and I was thrown into the air as I was hit by a warhammer. Recovering from my roll, I turned to face the zombie that had attacked me. As it charged me again, I sent a blast of fire into its face, disorienting it. I was easily able to dodge the swing it threw at me, venturing a slice across its back with Calcion’s Cleaver. I jumped back to avoid the buck it gave at me with its hindlegs. Before I could close in again, the Draugr had swung around and was ready to crush me with its warhammer. As it brought the weapon around toward me, I blocked with Calcion’s Cleaver, holding it off. With another swing, it brought its warhammer beneath my sword and threw it from my grasp. I Shouted before it could bring its hammer down on my head. Its weapon suddenly went flying from its mouth, leaving it defenseless. Well, not completely defenseless. I still had to dodge the kicks from its rotting forelegs as I rolled over and retrieved my sword. Once I had Calcion’s Cleaver again, I had the upper hoof, and swiftly took off the Draugr’s head. Ice suddenly sprung up next to me, nearly freezing one of my hindlegs to the ground. Looking ahead, I saw a Draugr wielding a staff standing on a set of stone steps that led up the exterior of Skuldafn. Mephalda was shooting arrows into the Draugr wizard, but most of them it managed to freeze in midair, sending them tumbling to the ground. I shot lightning at the zombie as I galloped toward it, but I was stopped before I reached the stairs by a Draugr with a pike. I hooked Calcion’s Cleaver under the blade of the Draugr’s weapon and forced it down to the ground. Drawing the Blade of Hoofingar, I swung the second sword down through the pike’s haft, separating the blade from the handle. The Draugr now had only a broken stick in its mouth, and I was able to easily take it down with a chop to the neck. The corpse of my defeated opponent froze solid as a blast of magic intended for me hit it. Pushing the icy mass aside, I continued my charge up the stairs toward the Draugr with a staff. I ducked down at the last moment when a blast of ice flew at my face. Using Calcion’s Cleaver, I forced the end of the staff away from me. With my ebony sword, I attempted to take out the Draugr’s legs, but it spun its staff around and blocked. I Shouted, lighting the Draugr on fire with my dragon breath. It stumbled backwards up the stairs, but didn’t let go of its grip on the staff. Pushing with my swords, I managed to push it into the stone, but wasn’t able to break the block. The tip of the staff began to glow an icy blue before suddenly sending ice flying out in all directions. Most of it turned to water and steam as it hit the flaming Draugr, but some of it was able to congeal on my face, leaving frost in my coat. No longer flaming, the Draugr began to push back on me, forcing me down the stairs. I exited the block, drawing my swords back, as I began to tip backwards. As the zombie tried to shoot ice directly at me, I knocked the staff away with my ancient earth pony blade. It continued to try to hit me directly, and I continued to block, but I knew I couldn’t keep it up for much longer. Mephalda suddenly swooped in, her bow slung across her back, and the Blackwing blades she’d taken from Mare’s Reach held in her hooves. With a quick swipe from behind, she cut the Draugr’s staff into three pieces, sending both the zombie and me flying backwards from the magical blast. Mephalda quickly threw the Draugr off of her when she landed and took off into the air again, coming down on the Draugr with both blades out, stabbing it in the heart. A lightning bolt from Mystic shot past my ear as she advanced up the stairs and brought the fight to the Draugr standing at the top of the ruin. As Steadfast passed me, his warhammer knocking the zombies aside, I also climbed the stairs and shot ice spikes into the horde of Draugr. As I reached the top of the ruin, I brought out Calcion’s Cleaver and the Axe of Whitetrot and began slashing indiscriminately. A Draugr with a war axe stopped the swing of my sword. As it tried to pull my weapon away, I drew the blade from its axe’s grasp. Blocking with my sword as it swung at me, I hooked my own war axe under the Draugr’s blade and pulled it from her mouth. A swing from my sword up into the zombie’s chest finished it off. <<>> My Shout pushed back the crowd of Draugr pressing toward me, sending many of them falling down the stairs that led down the backside of the ruin, breaking limbs and necks in the process. The next Draugr that attacked me I fried with flames from my horn before it could strike. When it did, I met its sword with my war axe, twisting the blade from its grip. A cut across the throat sent the corpse back to death. As two Draugr came at me simultaneously, one with a battleaxe and one with a sword, I drew both my swords to fight. My ebony sword met the Draugr’s ancient steel, and sparks flew from the blade. With Calcion’s Cleaver, I halted the swing of the battleaxe toward my head, but was unable to push the Draugr back. As the Draugr with the battleaxe pulled back, I swung at the other one with Calcion’s Cleaver, only to have my blade blocked. With no time to bring the Blade of Hoofingar back around to block, I jumped out of the way to avoid being chopped in half by the battleaxe. My blades were suddenly aided by a whipping wind that cut across the ruin, moving them in a flurry too fast to follow. The Draugr with the battleaxe I swiftly beat back, until I was able to slice at its forelegs, causing it to fall over. A strike to the head by Calcion’s Cleaver caused the light in its eyes to die. The Draugr with the sword died swiftly as I knocked its blade from its mouth with repeated strikes and finished up with a blow to the throat. Flaming scales suddenly began to rain around me, and I looked up to see Paarthurnax and a ruby red dragon engaged in combat. The two giant lizards went tumbling over the battlefield, slamming into the top of the ruin and crushing many of the Draugr. I lost sight of them as they crashed through a weathered stone pillar and slid off the edge of Skuldafn. Looking down the back edge of the structure we’d climbed, I could see that few Draugr were left standing. The remaining undead were milling around the bottom of the stairs that led down the building I was standing on top of. Past the stairs was a stone plain with a roughly circular carving in the center of it. Surrounding the carving were stones pointing into the sky, one of which had a shimmering blue dragon perched atop it. As my friends rushed down the stairs, bringing the fight to the Draugr, I joined them. The first zombie I saw, I sent lightning flying into its face, frying its brain and causing it to fall over into another of the undead warriors. The second Draugr became pinned, and was no match for me as I ran it through with Calcion’s Cleaver. When there were only a few steps left, I leapt from them, impaling a Draugr with my ancient earth pony sword. I ducked down as a sword held by a nearby Draugr flew over my head. Knocking the zombie over with a buck from my hindlegs, I spun around and sliced through it with my blade. I rolled to the side as a Draugr with a warhammer swung at me. Where I had been a moment before, there was now a crack spreading through the stone. As the Draugr brought its weapon down at me again, I blocked with Calcion’s Cleaver. When the hammer continued to move toward me, I brought out the Blade of Hoofingar as well to block. However, even that proved ineffective, and the Draugr began to overpower me. <> I Shouted, coating the Draugr in ice. Before I could shatter the ice and kill the zombie inside, a blast of lightning suddenly hit me, throwing me across the stone. Sparks still danced across my armor as I staggered to my hooves. I searched for the source, my eyes finally locking on a Draugr dressed in elaborate robes, a golden staff held in its mouth. Before it could strike at me again, Mystic sent a blast of ice at the zombie, coating it with frost. Giving a growl, it turned toward her, shooting lightning brighter and stronger than any I’d seen before from its staff. Mystic raised a ward around herself, and the storm of lightning slammed into it, crackling over the surface. The staff the Draugr was using seemed to have no limit to its power, as it continued to pour lightning from the tip, and soon Mystic became exhausted by the strain of holding it off. <<>> I Shouted, knocking the Draugr over and cutting off the flow of lightning from its staff. Mystic let her ward fall and collapsed to the ground. No time to check if she was all right, I charged the Draugr with the staff. As it picked itself off the ground, I began to shoot ice spikes at it, some sticking in its rotten flesh and others shooting all the way through, opening up holes in its frail body. As I reached the Draugr, I blasted flames at its head, jumping over it. I drew Calcion’s Cleaver as I did so, swinging it around toward the zombie’s head. Surprisingly, I found the golden staff blocking my path. I continued to fly over the Draugr, but Calcion’s Cleaver was pulled from my grasp and sent spinning across the stone. The Draugr turned toward me as I landed, pointing the end of its staff, which was shaped like a pony head, at me. The eyes glowed as lightning began to build around it. I pulled out the Axe of Whitetrot and yanked the staff away from me as it discharged its lightning. Spinning its staff, the Draugr threw my axe away. As it did so, however, I pulled out the Blade of Hoofingar and slashed through its forelegs. As it fell, it used its staff for support. Rising to my hooves, I knocked the staff away from it with my ebony sword. As the Draugr collapsed to the ground, I ran it through with the Blade of Hoofingar for good measure. Many of the Draugr on the field were already dead, with only a few still locked in combat with my friends. Seeing none nearby, I retrieved the Axe of Whitetrot and galloped over to retrieve Calcion’s Cleaver before joining the fight. The dragon that had been atop the monument before suddenly blocked my path to my weapon, landing directly in front of me. I swung the Blade of Hoofingar in front of me, slashing the dragon across its face. As it let loose a stream of fire, I ducked beneath its head, making my way toward its wing. I quickly chugged down a potion of fire resistance as it turned its flames toward me, but it gave up on breathing fire when it realized it was hurting itself more than me. As it snapped at me, I jumped onto the leading edge of its wing, and its jaws closed around its own flesh instead of mine. Giving a wail, it drew its head back, but also retracted its wing, which I was running across. I found myself catapulted into the air, landing on the dragon’s back and getting cut up by its spines in the process. It turned out even Griffin armor could only take so much abuse, and I had a few rents in the chestplate through which oozed my blood. I quickly cast a healing spell and drank down a potion of healing before staggering to my hooves. It was hard to keep my balance on the lizard’s back, but somehow I managed and began to work my way up toward the dragon’s head. Craning its neck all the way around, it sent a wave of fire cascading down its back, forcing me to duck down. My potion of fire resistance had worn off, and though my armor did an admirable job of protecting me, flames still made it through the cracks and rents in my armor, burning my flesh beneath. At last the flames cut off and the dragon turned its head toward new targets. Pushing myself up and wincing as the armor rubbed against my burns, I was looked out at the dragon’s wing, which was now on fire. Mystic danced around it, avoiding the dragon’s flames as she began to freeze some of the charred flesh, causing it to break into pieces. As I advanced up the dragon’s neck, Steadfast also joined in the fight, smashing through the frozen flesh with his warhammer, even taking the dragon’s tail off after Mystic iced it. I crawled up the dragon’s neck while my friends kept it busy, using its spines as makeshift hoofholds. As I neared its head, I stabbed my ebony sword through the flesh, ripping scales off as the blade cut through. The dragon twisted its head around, searching for me, and caught sight of me for a moment before Mephalda put an arrow through its eye. At last, I reached the top of the dragon’s head. Swinging my sword wildly, I chopped off enough spines that I was able to safely stand. Still, I was forced to hold tightly to the remaining spikes so that I wouldn’t be thrown off. <> My Shout froze the top of the dragon’s head completely, the ice sinking deep into the flesh. Raising the Blade of Hoofingar high above my head, I plunged it through the now-weak frozen flesh and into the dragon’s brain. One last puff of smoke escaped its nostrils as it collapsed to the ground, dead. Downing a potion to help heal my burns, and wincing as it took effect, repairing my flesh, I made my way over to where my ancient earth pony blade had fallen. I reached it just as the dragon combusted, and all its memories were transferred into my mind. I knew everything about its long life, but especially vibrant were the times the dragon had contemplated how ghosts were bound to this plane of existence, and how one could use that binding to make an ethereal form last longer. <<>> I Shouted, and my body took on its ethereal form, leaving me transparent and unable to touch the world around me. “YOUR THU’UM HAS GROWN VERY STRONG INDEED!!” Paarthurnax commented. I turned around to see that he had joined us, bearing a few new scars from his battle with the other dragons. Indeed, all of us had taken injuries from the fight. For Paarthurnax, nothing could be done to aid the healing process, but we ponies were able to fix ourselves up using a combination of potions and healing spells. After all, we would need to be at our best for the fight that was yet to come. “So, where’s the portal?” Steadfast asked as we healed. “I BELIEVE IT IS RIGHT HERE!!” Paarthurnax said, motioning to the large carved circle nearby, “BUT IT IS NOT OPEN AT THE MOMENT!! THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME WAY FOR THE PONIES HERE TO ACTIVATE IT!!” Searching around, my eyes were drawn to a pedestal near where I had fought the Draugr wizard. On it was a single hole in the stone, surrounded by an intricate circular carving that matched the portal gate and the embroidery on the Draugr’s robes. Seeing no better option, I picked up the staff the Draugr had been wielding and slotted it into the hole. Suddenly, the carving upon the ground came to life. The circle broke into many parts, which began to sink into the ground. As they parted, a bright multicolored light began to spill from the hole that was created. Forming a cone, these lights flew upward from the hole, looking like concentrated aurora. Down in the hole itself was a swirling vortex of deep blues and midnight purples. “THE PORTAL TO SOVNGARDE!!” Paarthurnax said with awe, “COME, ALDUIN AWAITS!!” Paarthurnax flapped into the air before dropping into the portal and disappearing. Tentatively, I stepped up to the portal’s edge. Closing my eyes, I stepped forward into the swirling lights and passed out of the mortal world. {O} {O} {O} When I opened my eyes, I was standing in a grassy mountain valley. Around me were mountains tipped with snow, and a simple hoofpath ran down through a foggy meadow. I could almost believe I was still in Horizon, if it wasn’t for the red-tinged aurora that swirled through the sky. Behind me a swirling vortex of light covered the mountainside. My friends stepped out of it as I watched, materializing here much like I had. “So this is Sovngarde,” Steadfast marveled at the land around him, “An earth pony paradise.” “How do we know if Alduin is here?” Mephalda asked as Paarthurnax landed nearby, sweeping away the mist with his wing beats. “HE IS HERE FOR SURE!!” the great dragon said, “THIS MIST REEKS OF HIS FOUL MAGIC!! NO DOUBT HE USES IT TO ENSNARE LOST SOULS FOR HIM TO FEAST UPON!!” “Well, let’s stop him before he can do that anymore,” I said. Our entire party in agreement, we set off down the hoofpath, Paarthurnax flying above us and clearing the mist away with his wings. Steadfast was right, this place really was a paradise. It was like Horizon, except that everything was so much better. The grass was greener, the mountains more magnificent, and even the air seemed fresher, making you feel good to be alive. Not that many of this realm’s inhabitants were. We were trespassers in the land of the dead and had to be careful to watch our step. As the path wound around yet another bend, a gigantic stone and timber structure came into view in the distance. Across a set of magnificent waterfalls was a great lodge, built in the most extravagant earth pony style I’d seen. The only way to it was a bridge made from the skeleton of a dragon, which was surprisingly sturdy and held up well as we crossed. “I SHALL WAIT OUT HERE AND KEEP WATCH FOR ALDUIN!!” Paarthurnax announced, “I DOUBT I WOULD BE WELCOMED IN SHOR’S HALLS!!” Tentatively, I pushed upon the massive door to the hall. Though it appeared to be made of heavy timber and reached to the sky, it swung inward easily, allowing us passage into the building. The inside of the structure was filled with earth ponies from all time periods reveling in the afterlife. I even recognized several of the ponies in the room, such as King Oman One-Eye, the Tongues, and even High King Shade. “Welcome to the Hall of Valor!” a stocky gray pony with a long beard said, trotting up to us, “What brings you visitors to the land of the honored dead?” “You’re Ysgroomar!” Steadfast said with almost fangirl delight, “Discoverer of the Northlands, leader of the 500 Companions, first King of Horizon!” “All true, my friend,” Ysgroomar replied with a laugh, “And one day we shall have the time to talk again. Now, however, it is time for you to disclose why you have come here.” “We’re here to defeat Alduin, once and for all,” I announced. “Yes, I had heard the great World-Eater had returned,” Ysgroomar said, stroking his beard, “And now he once again feasts on the lost souls of Sovngarde. If you intend to bring the beast down, I shan’t stop you, but I advise you speak to the Tongues first. They may be able to help you.” After giving my thanks to Ysgroomar, the four of us spread out to gather information from the residents of Sovngarde. I myself made my way over to the table at which the Tongues sat. After looking at me for a moment, they talked among each other, apparently deciding that they recognized me. “Sapphire,” Uris spoke first, “I did not expect to see you again.” “Neither did I,” I admitted, “Especially so soon.” “Soon?” Felicia asked. “Well, it’s only been two days for me,” I said. “I see,” Uris said, “And now you are here to slay Alduin, in the only place he can be slain, which we learned after our foolhardy decision to confront him at the Crest of the World.” “That’s right,” I said, “I was hoping you could help me.” They traded looks for a moment before Erik answered me. “We cannot,” he said. “Why not?” “We are the creators of Dragonrend,” Erik explained, “Even in our deaths that act clings to us. But, it had the unexpected effect of protecting this hall when we entered. So long as we remain within the Hall of Valor, Alduin cannot harm it, and all the souls already within are safe. If we were to leave, Alduin would swoop down upon this place, and devour every soul within, becoming stronger still.” “So you can’t help me defeat Alduin,” I said, sadly, “Is there at least any advice you can give me on how to do it?” “As you know, we were unable to defeat Alduin ourselves,” Felicia said, “But he is a dragon like any other. As such, a fatal blow, hard as it may be to land one on him, should kill him.” As I nodded my understanding, a roar came from outside the Hall of Valor, shaking the building and interrupting the revelry. I galloped out, meeting Steadfast, Mephalda, and Mystic on the way. Paarthurnax let out another bellow of warning as we exited the building, weapons drawn and ready. “ALDUIN APPROACHES!!” he warned, taking off into the sky. A roar shook the valley before we could even see Alduin. We were still crossing the bridge back over the waterfalls when the giant black dragon suddenly appeared. Flapping out of the mist, he seemed to have his attention focused only on Paarthurnax, who was flapping toward him. <”!!GREAT TRAITOR!!”> Alduin greeted his brother, <”!!YOUR MEDDLING CAST ME ADRIFT ON TIME, RUINED MY PLANS, AND YOU NOW INTRUDE UPON MY FEEDING GROUNDS, THAT I MAY NOT EVEN EAT WITHOUT YOUR TREACHERY STAINING THE OCCASION!!” “AL~DU~IN, PLEASE, LISTEN TO REASON, BROTHER!!” Paarthurnax pleaded, “I DO NOT WISH TO HARM YOU, BUT I AM PREPARED TO DO WHAT MUST BE DONE!! TURN FROM YOUR FOOLISH PLANS AND LIVE IN HARMONY WITH THE PONIES, ELSE I SHALL BE FORCED TO DESTROY YOU!!” <”!!DESTROY ME??!!”> Alduin said incredulously, <”!!YOU FORGET YOUR PLACE!! I AM AL~DU~IN, FIRSTBORN OF BUCKTOSH, DEVOURER OF THE WORLD!! NONE CAN HARM ME, NOT EVEN YOU!!”> “I DID NOT WISH FOR IT TO COME TO THIS!!” Paarthurnax said sadly, “BUT YOU LEAVE ME NO CHOICE!!” Sending fire from his nostrils cascading over his body, he flew swiftly into Alduin. The greater dragon was only taken off guard for a moment before he battered Paarthurnax with his wings, cutting into his flesh with the spines that sprouted upon them. As Paarthurnax clawed at Alduin’s wing, tearing bits of the membrane off, the World-Eater swung his tail around toward his brother’s head, and Paarthurnax was forced to back away. <<>> I Shouted, careful not to hit Paarthurnax. My Shout hit true, causing Alduin to toss about in pain. Paarthurnax swooped at him as he was forced to the ground. Holding Paarthurnax off with swings of his tail, Alduin searched for the source of the Shout. Eventually his eyes fixed on my friends and me, who were climbing off the dragon bridge. <”!!I SEE YOUR TREACHERY KNOWS NO END!! EVEN AFTER THAT DAY ATOP THE MOUNTAIN’S PEAK, YOU CONTINUED TO TEACH THE MORTALS OUR SACRED WORDS!! AND NOW THEY HAVE INHERITED THE SAME DARKNESS THAT GRIPPED YOUR FIRST PUPILS!! DO YOU REALLY THINK THEY INTEND TO STOP WHEN I AM DEFEATED??!! HOW MANY MORE OF OUR RACE WILL FALL TO QUENCH THEIR BLOODLUST??!!”> “BE SILENT!!” Paarthurnax retorted, covering Alduin’s back in ice. Frozen spines snapped off the great dragon’s back as his brother clawed at them. Swinging his head around, Alduin clamped his jaws around Paarthurnax’s neck. Biting in and ripping off scales, he threw Paarthurnax off of him. Though hot blood dripped from the wounds on his neck, staining the ground, Paarthurnax rushed in toward Alduin anyway. The World-Eater gave a mighty flap of his wings and ascended back into the sky, causing Paarthurnax to crash into the forest of pines that filled Sovngarde. Taking off into the air himself, he shot fire at his elder brother. As we tried to get closer to where the two dragons were fighting, the mist itself seemed to block our progress. Tendrils of the glowing mist wrapped around us, impeding our walk. It was as if it had a mind of its own, and the intention of keeping us away from Alduin. <<>> I Shouted, and the mist obeyed my Voice, rolling away into the far edges of the valley. Now we could freely move and clearly see the battle raging above us. Alduin and Paarthurnax were still locked in combat, but as we watched, Alduin pushed his younger brother away. Paarthurnax went tumbling back before recovering, and rocketed toward Alduin with flames blasting from his maw. Once again, the two dragons slammed into each other. With his claws, Alduin grabbed at Paarthurnax’s wings, shredding the membrane. Only by holding on to the larger dragon was he able to stay in the air, as his wings were now useless ribbons of flesh. As he bit at Alduin’s neck, breaking spines off and tearing through his scaly hide, the World Eater shoved him away. Paarthurnax fell from the sky, landing heavily on the ground near us. Flames burned in Alduin’s nostrils as he swooped down and roasted his brother. Paarthurnax tried to rise, but Alduin repeatedly knocked him down, ripping through his hide with his claws on each pass. <<>> I Shouted, knocking Alduin out of the sky and removing his advantage. He crashed down to the ground near where we were standing, his expansive wings blocking out the sky. I shot ice spikes upward, tearing holes in the membrane and allowing pinpricks of light to shine through. Mystic joined me in the attack, shooting lightning into the World-Eater’s body. As he rose, the dragon looked at us as if we were a minor annoyance and sent a wave of flame rolling our way. The fire incinerated everything before it, destroying the perfect landscape of Sovngarde. As the inferno passed, the land began to heal, sod regrowing over the charred land, though evidence of scars still remained. As we were forced to race away from the fire, Alduin turned his attention toward Paarthurnax. The two great lizards lumbered toward each other, digging their claws into each other’s flesh. Paarthurnax scratched his claws down Alduin’s back, sending black scales cascading off and ripping great gashes through the World-Eater’s thick armor. Alduin responded by biting at Paarthurnax’s wing, tearing what was left of the membrane. Digging his claws into his younger brother’s side, he tore through the flesh, ripping gouges across his chest. With his tail, Paarthurnax forced Alduin away before more damage could be done. The grass beneath each of the dragons withered to death as their blood spilled onto it. Both had severe wounds, though Paarthurnax seemed to be feeling it much more than his older brother. As Alduin launched himself toward his brother, Paarthurnax pushed him back with his fire breath. Alduin countered with ice that quickly began to overcome the smaller dragon’s flames. Paarthurnax stumbled back away from the growing glacier until he was standing near the edge of the now-frozen waterfall. With a swing of his tail, Alduin demolished the ice before him to get a clear shot at Paarthurnax. As Alduin lunged at him, Paarthurnax jumped onto Alduin’s back, clambering over him and digging in with his claws wherever he could. His claws shrieking on the ice as he came to a stop, Alduin began to toss around, determined to dislodge Paarthurnax from where he was attached to his back. As his grip began to pull free, Paarthurnax sank his teeth into Alduin’s shoulder, tearing away a patch of flesh, scales, spines, and all as he went flying. Alduin took off into the air before swooping down at Paarthurnax, his claws tearing apart the smaller dragon’s back. As he came back around, he landed on his brother, raking a claw across his face and tearing off the spines from the undamaged side of his head. Paarthurnax breathed fire onto Alduin’s shoulder wound and squirmed out from under the larger dragon as he tossed around in agony. Paarthurnax ducked down as Alduin snapped at him, and closed his own jaw around the base of Alduin’s neck, his teeth slicing through the scales. Craning his neck around, Alduin grabbed Paarthurnax’s neck as well. Giving a tug that also ripped out his own scales and flesh, Alduin pulled Paarthurnax off of him. Paarthurnax clawed at Alduin’s face and struggled to break free, but the World-Eater kept his grip on his brother’s neck, even as his spines and scales were torn off from Paarthurnax’s swings. Swinging his neck around, Alduin slammed Paarthurnax into the ground until he stopped fighting. Alduin opened his jaw for a moment before snapping it back shut and crushing Paarthurnax’s neck. The younger dragon seized his struggling as the life drained out of him. I watched in shock as Alduin released his brother, allowing his body to fall to the ground, dead. <”!!YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE STOOD IN MY WAY!!> Alduin said as he pushed Paarthurnax’s lifeless body over the edge of the frozen waterfall, sending it falling down a bottomless pit. <<>> I Shouted, finding my voice. As my Shout hit Alduin and he flinched with pain, I charged him, hoping to kill the beast before he was able to recover. He shook the effects of Dragonrend off far too quickly, however, and I found myself dodging his spiny tail as it flew over me. Drawing Calcion’s Cleaver and the Blade of Hoofingar, I stabbed both swords into the tail as I ran alongside it, careful not to impale myself. Alduin turned to shoot flame at me, but suddenly turned away as Mephalda began to shoot arrows into his wounded shoulder. Taking a deep breath, he lit the sky up with fire, forcing Mephalda to swiftly dodge out of the way. His flames cut off as a blast of pure magic from Mystic struck his head, and he turned to snap at her. Steadfast jumped ahead of me, leaping onto Alduin’s back and smashing his spines aside with his warhammer, opening a path for me. I followed my earth pony companion, driving my swords through the rents opened in Alduin’s scaly armor by Paarthurnax. The great dragon may have been dead, but I intended not to let his sacrifice be in vain. Flaring his wings, he knocked Mystic aside and turned his attention toward where Steadfast and I were galloping across his back. We jumped off as he sent flames cascading through the jungle of spines we were traversing. As we neared his wings, I slashed a path open through the membrane with my swords to let us through. Rolling across the ground, we were forced to gallop off immediately as Alduin’s flames followed us, even burning through his own wing. I shot flame at his tail as it swung past, though I seemed to do little damage to it. Circling back around the great dragon, I continued to slash at any break in his flesh until I was near his neck. I Shouted, and Alduin staggered back momentarily as my Voice marked him for death. His scaly armor temporarily vulnerable, I dug both my swords into it, slicing through to the flesh beneath. As I did so, Alduin reared up, and I was forced to drag my swords toward his chest to keep him from pulling them away from me. I was about midway down his chest when my Shout suddenly wore off, and I had a much harder time dragging my swords through his flesh. <> I Shouted up at his cracked and rent flesh as I drew my swords out. Ice coated his scaly hide, seeping through the cracks and freezing the flesh beneath. Swinging my swords as hard as I could, I smashed the icy flesh. I fell backwards as the meaty insides of Alduin spilled out at me, some frozen, and some merely displaced by Paarthurnax’s repeated strikes, set free when I cracked open Alduin’s hide. As I began to wipe the acidic blood off of me, I suddenly stopped. There, through the broken flesh and past splintered bone, was Alduin’s heart, beating rapidly to pump his draconic blood throughout his vast body. All it would take to kill him would be a blade to that all-important organ. Unfortunately, Alduin had other plans. He heaved his massive bulk up above me before bringing it back down toward me. I watched in horror as his scaly hide came bearing down on me. Even if I could get to my hooves, there was no way I would be able to get away in time before I was crushed. I doubted even my Griffin armor could save me from this. “Sapphire!” I heard Mystic’s voice call a split second before Alduin landed on me. However, just before he could, I suddenly saw a flash appear next to me, and Mystic was right beside me. With another flash, I was suddenly out from under Alduin, sitting nearby as he crashed to the ground. “How did you-” I started to ask. “Short-range teleportation spell,” Mystic explained as she helped to remove the dragon blood from where it was still burning me. “We’ve got a chance,” I told her as I bandaged up my burns as best I could, “Alduin’s heart is exposed, we just need a clear shot to strike it.” Mystic never got a chance to respond. She quickly pushed me to the side, catapulting herself in the other direction as a blast of Alduin’s flame tore through where we’d been sitting. Building lightning in my horn, I sent a blast flying into Alduin’s face as I galloped toward him. As it arced over his head, distracting him, Mephalda flew down and landed on the top of his neck. Pulling out her Blackwing blades, she began to hack at the flesh Paarthurnax had already severely damaged. Great chunks of his scaly armor fell away until his flesh was exposed. As Alduin tried to throw Mephalda off, Steadfast struck the exposed flesh with his warhammer, causing the World-Eater to seize up. Mephalda got a few more swings in with her sword, even piercing Alduin’s throat, before she took off to safety. As Alduin breathed fire, Steadfast nearly got roasted as well, as flames shot from the hole in the dragon’s neck, charring the flesh and burning the hole even larger. Up in the air again, Mephalda drew her bow and began to shoot arrows at Alduin,e ven burying a few in one of his eyes. As it went dead, he tossed his head around, blowing flame everywhere with the hope of hitting us. The flames stopped flowing from his mouth and blasted out the side of his neck as Mystic plastered his maw with ice. A blast of lightning followed, causing him to rear up, and finally giving me a clear shot. <<>> I quickly closed the distance with Alduin, shooting under his neck and up to his exposed chest. Before he slammed back down on me, I leapt into his chest cavity, the Axe of Whitetrot held in my magic. The blade slammed into Alduin’s heart, ripping the delicate organ open and catching it on fire simultaneously. The blood within lit of fire, and I was forced to abandon my axe as a blackened and charred mess. Giving a great roar of pain, Alduin began to collapse. I quickly retreated from under him, keeping my distance as the World-Eater fell to the ground. Dragon blood spilled through the meadow, hissing as it killed the grass. With a thud Alduin hit the ground, the fire in his eyes dying. “We did it,” I said, not quite believing myself. “We did it!” Steadfast exclaimed, tackling me into a hug and jumping with joy. All four of us cheered, suddenly feeling fantastic despite our many wounds. We’d accomplished our impossible goal! Alduin was dead, and the dragon attacks would stop! The Northlands were safe once more! <”!!YOU REALLY THINK IT’S THAT EASY??!!”> a voice suddenly boomed from behind us. Quickly I turned around to watch in horror as Alduin heaved himself up from where he’d fallen. His chest cavity suddenly began fill back in with flesh, and the gashes in his hide mended themselves. His neck closed up and his spines began to regrow. The arrows in his eye burst into flame as it came back to life. Rapidly swinging around, his jaws closed on Steadfast, ripping him to shreds. Tears filled my eyes as my earth pony companion’s tattered body fell to the ground. <”!!YOU THINK THAT PUNY MORTALS LIKE YOU CAN DEFEAT THE LIKES OF ME??!!”> Swinging his tail around, he knocked Mephalda out of the sky. Before she could recover, he slammed a claw over her. Picking her up, he crushed her to pulp. <”!!I AM THE GREAT AL~DU~IN, FIRSTBORN OF BUCKATOSH!!”> He turned toward Mystic next, flames spouting from his nostrils. She brought up a ward to stop the flames as they came at her, but the sheer force of the blast caused it to collapse quickly, and Mystic was reduced to a pile of ash. <”!!NO MORTAL WEAPON CAN KILL ME, EVEN HERE, FOR I HAVE BOUND MY SOUL TO THIS PLACE!! IF I DIE, SOVNGARDE AND EVERY EARTH PONY’S SOUL GOES WITH ME!!”> Terribly frightened, I backed away from the towering dragon, suddenly feeling very small and alone. He’d just killed all my friends, and I had no doubt that I was next. Everything we’d done had been pointless. After all our work, Alduin was still alive, and it seemed stronger than ever. <”!!NONE CAN HARM ME!! NONE CAN TOUCH ME!! I AM AL~DU~IN!!”> The World-Eater’s jaws came down swiftly upon me, and I died. Dragon Soul collected