Battleground Skyrim: The Story of Faasnu Dovahkiir (Read Warning in first post!)

[Star_Dragon]

Ah, yes - another fanfic from the endless void of my mind. WARNING: This story is intended for a mature audience - if you are offended by the details of war and combat, TURN BACK NOW! This story also has a bit of language. You have been warned.

 

Now that I have warned you, let's get this started, shall we?

 

The Elder Scrolls in:

Battleground Skyrim:

The Story of

Faasnu Dovahkiir

 

 

 

Prologue

 

The Fourth Era of Tamriel has seen much. And there is much more that it will see. Twenty-two years have passed since the return of Alduin the World-Eater. Twenty-two years since Dovahkiin defeated Alduin, at the heart of Sovngarde. I would know. I am the immortal dragon, Paarthurnax – I have seen these things myself. With Alduin defeated, Dovahkiin spared me, despite the pleas of his allies, Delphine and Esbern – two of the last members of the Order of the Blades. Moreover, many of Alduin’s former-followers, including myself, pledged our allegiance to Dovahkiin.

But know that after Dovahkiin’s victory over Alduin, he became... disturbed. More and more, he was haunted by visions he beheld in his dreams. Some time after these visions began to haunt him, Esbern died of a mysterious illness. Delphine vanished shortly afterward. Some among Keizaal – you call it Skyrim – suspected the Thalmor were involved in some way. But I saw in Dovahkiin’s eyes that he thought otherwise. I saw it when he called his top Dovah allies to a meeting – myself, Odahviing, Ahkrinviingah, and Aldovulom.

 

In this meeting, he told us of what he saw, told us where he was going. There was a war coming – a war against an enemy we’ve yet to understand. A horde of warriors alien to this land, brought here by the Thalmor in their effort to cleanse the Empire from this land. Dovahkiin asked us to, no matter what happens, remain loyal to the Empire – even if it means to our deaths.

And most of all, he told us of his son – how his son, a spitting image of our beloved Dovahkiin, would fall from the sky, to Taazokaan... the place you call Tamriel. When he did, Dovahkiin told us that we must find him before the enemy does; “Find him,†he said, “And put down the threat posed by the faceless enemy.†Then, having told us what he wanted us to hear, Dovahkiin himself, vanished without a trace.

 

That was twenty-two years ago. And so, for twenty-two years, we waited, holding on to the hope of the arrival of the son of Dovahkiin. The Thalmor and the Aldmeri dominion are on the rise – tensions are high, and war seems all but inevitable. For twenty-two years, we waited for the child to fall from the sky.

 

And now, after twenty-two years... the wait is over.

 

* * *

 

BOOOO-DEEET! BOOOO-DEEET! BOOOO-DEEET!

 

Proximity alert sirens, coupled by the ship bucking in one direction, woke the marine from his sleep.

 

“Proximity alert,†the computer droned. “Translight drive... off-line.â€

 

Shit, the warrior grumbled, this better be good. The warrior hurried into his uniform, donned the MASRA battle suit from the locker with a now-illegible name spray-painted on it, and stumbled as the ship bucked again.

 

“What the hell was that?†he growled to no one in particular. Truth was, he was alone in this ship. The ship bucked again, and it was obvious – something pulled it out of translight speed and was knocking the ship about.

 

The marine headed to the cockpit of his ship and began going over the logs. Apparently, the ship was pulled out of translight speed by a spatial anomaly – then something knocked it out of the star lane and the ship was now descending toward a planetary body. Hell, it had just cleared the upper atmosphere. The marine worked frantically with the controls, but it was futile – controls were non-responsive. With little left to do, the marine headed back to the cabin to gear up. This was going to be a hell of a survival op...

 

* * *

 

Paarthurnax rested atop the Throat of the World. For more than a thousand years, this had been his home. His sanctuary. His place of meditation.

 

But for the past twenty-two years, it had been his observation post, offering a superior view on a clear day of the surrounding land. A perfect lookout spot to look for signs of the imminent arrival of the child of Dovahkiin. The other dragons were in agreement; to honor Dovahkiin, this child would be known to them as Faasnu Dovahkiir – the Fearless Dragon Child. A fitting name for a warrior they knew nothing about, if ever there was one.

 

In any event, Paarthurnax could feel something stirring. Not the Thalmor, or the Aldmeri Dominion – and certainly not the brewing war. No, this was different. It was something coming, fast.

 

BANG!

 

Had Paarthurnax not cast a look up, he’d not have seen what he now saw – an oddly-shaped vessel, trailing smoke and fire, descending from the sky like a meteor. It scraped the top of the mountain, altering it’s course, and careened into the land below. Thrusters kicked in, and propelled the craft toward Whiterun. It hit in a field with a loud wham, bounced into the air, tumbling end-over-end until it slid, came to a stop, and rested in what Paarthurnax assumed to be it’s upright position. Plumes of smoke trailed upward into the sky.

 

This had to be Dovahkiir. There was no other explanation for the presence of this ship, a vessel that seemingly fell from the stars. Gathering his breath, Paarthurnax let loose a roar to signify the arrival of the son of Dovahkiin...

 

* * *

 

Even after Dovahkiin left, Ulfric Stormcloak continued to live in peace with General Tullius. Having convinced the two sides of the civil war to live in peace – and forced Tullius and the Emperor himself to pardon Ulfric from his past crimes – Dovahkiin would be satisfied to know that peace still went strong. With the threat of another war against the Aldmeri Dominion looming over everyone, the empire needed every ally it could get.

 

So it was no surprise to see Ulfric, Tullius, and the Jarl of Whiterun – Balgruuf the greater – together in the palace of Dragonsreach.

 

“... I still don’t get it,†Tullius complained as he paced nervously. “How do we know the Dragonborn’s son is coming here?â€

 

“I don’t know,†Balgruuf admitted. “But the dragon was very specific – Dovahkiin has a son.â€

 

“Why didn’t he tell us?†Ulfric asked. “That’s not like the Dovahkiin I know.â€

 

“I wish I knew,†Balgruuf sighed. He leaned on the balcony overlooking the land outside. “But... I’ve never known Paarthurnax to lie. He has been Dovahkiin’s ally since the death of Alduin.†He turned to face Ulfric and Tullius. “Regardless, if what he said is true, we will need all the allies we can get.â€

 

“Okay, let’s recap on what we know so far,†Tullius said. “The Thalmor have been recruiting an unknown faction for whatever purposes. We don’t know who they are, but it’s obvious they’re not native to this place.â€

 

“Apart from their recruiting of these... aliens... the elves have given no indication of attack,†Ulfric added. “From what spies have told us, they’re holding back for some reason.â€

 

“And we know that the dragons are expecting something – a ship, perhaps – to fall from the stars,†Balgruuf continued, “Which is supposed to contain the one they call Faasnu Dovahkiir.â€

 

“Have the dragons any information on Faasnu?†Ulfric inquired.

 

“No,†Balgruuf answered with the shake of his head. “Not even Paarthurnax knew.â€

 

“What about the Dragonborn?†Tullius asked. “Did he ever tell Paarthurnax why he left?â€

 

“No, he didn’t,†Balgruuf replied, leaning again on the balcony rail. “Just that Dovahkiin was haunted by something... some vision he kept having in his sleep.â€

 

“Whatever it was,†Ulfric added, “It disturbed him greatly. The innkeepers in Windhelm told me how he had awakened several times screaming about something called ‘B’tari.’â€

 

“Could B’tari be a place we don’t know about?†Tullius asked.

 

Balgruuf frowned, looking back at his two high-ranking comrades. “It just might,†he responded. “It may explain where – or why – Dovahkiin left.â€

 

“How so?†Ulfric queried.

 

“On the day he left,†Balgruuf answered, “Dovahkiin approached me when I was alone, told me that there was something stirring in the galaxy – how he had seen the death of a world by a threat that more than eclipsed Alduin. He told me that where he was going, we could not follow – that whoever was responsible for the death of what he called B’tari was coming here... I think he left to try to stop – or at least delay – whatever it was he perceived.â€

 

“Gods,†Tullius whispered. “Could that be who the Thalmor recruited?â€

 

Ulfric sighed, “I shudder to think--â€

 

Before this speculation could continue, there was a loud BANG in the sky, and everyone looked up in time to see a vessel, trailing smoke and fire, rocket overhead and crash. The crimson-scaled Odahviing was close behind, and hovered over the balcony.

 

“Ulfric! Tullius!†he called out to them, “Gather your fastest and strongest men! We must recover Faasnu and his belongings!â€

 

“Are you certain it is him?†Balgruuf called back.

 

“There is no time!†Odahviing responded. “Hurry!†He then flew over to the crashed ship.

 

“You two better get going,†Balgruuf said. “The elves could already be on their way.â€

 

As Ulfric and Tullius left to gather their men, Balgruuf returned his attention to the crashed starship, billowing smoke into the sky. A clear signal to the Thalmor – Faasnu Dovahkiir has arrived. The dragons circled it like vultures circling fresh carrion – their roars could be heard for a distance. It wasn’t long before horse-drawn carriages dashed out to the crashed ship, manned by Imperial Legion personnel. Stormcloak warriors were close behind, also on horseback.

 

So it begins, Balgruuf thought...

 

* * *

 

Ulfric dismounted from his horse, and drew his blade. The crashed ship looked bigger up close than it did when Ulfric saw it crash. Tullius was nearby, still on his horse.

 

“Any ideas how to get in?†he asked.

 

“We’ll need to find a way in – or make one – and get Faasnu out before he’s burned alive,†Ulfric replied.

 

“Alright, men!†Tullius commanded, “Let’s find a way inside! Search for any survivors!â€

 

“Over here!†shouted one of the Stormcloaks. “I think I found our man!†The soldier was standing atop the nose of the craft. Ulfric came up and saw what the soldier indicated: a man, or alien, encased and unmoving in a strange, armored shell.

 

The armored figure twitched in his seat, and Ulfric knew in that instant the man was still alive. “All of you, get back!†he commanded. Gathering his breath, he let loose a Thu’um that tore the barrier between them off. “Fus... Ro Dah!â€

 

Glass shattered, and the way was clear. The men hurried inside, and dragged the armored alien carefully onto the ground.

 

“Get those horse carriages over here!†Tullius barked. “Let’s get Faasnu’s gear out before the Thalmor find us!â€

 

As the legion men hurried to load Faasnu’s equipment into the carriages, Ulfric and his men gently set the armored warrior on the ground. Ulfric removed the helmet, and...

 

Beneath the helmet was the face of a boy, no more than eighteen or nineteen. A human boy. Paarthurnax was the first of the dragons to land. He looked over the boy, a single tear leaving his eye as he said, “He... looks just like him.†Ulfric didn’t say it, but he, too, recognized the resemblance – this boy was a spitting image of Dovahkiin. “Is he alright?†Paarthurnax asked.

 

A single cough answered that question. A Stormcloak healer put a hand to Faasnu’s neck, feeling his pulse. “Well,†she said, “He’s unconscious – but he’s alive. Let’s get him someplace safe.â€

Ulfric returned Faasnu’s helmet to his head, and his troops dragged him off. As the legion troops loaded all of Faasnu’s gear into the carriages, Ulfric looked to Paarthurnax. “I assume you will watch over him?†he asked.

 

“Of course,†the aging dragon answered. “That goes without saying. As the son of Dovahkiin, Faasnu deserves no less – from both the dov and from the races of man.â€

 

“That’s the last of it!†one of the legion troops said as a group of men – legion and Stormcloak – dragged a large item to one of the empty carriages.

 

“Put this stuff in the palace, where the dragons stay,†Tullius ordered. “And put Faasnu with it.†Tullius looked over to Paarthurnax. “I trust you don’t mind?†he asked.

 

“Truthfully,†Paarthurnax answered, “That is where I would prefer Faasnu to be – as one of the dov whose allegiance is sworn to Dovahkiin and his descendants, I will keep an eye on him.â€

 

“Very well,†Tullius stated. “Alright, men – let’s get out of here!â€

 

The horse-drawn carriages dashed off, loaded with equipment alien to everyone save the warrior pulled from the wreckage, followed by men on horseback, all of them headed to Whiterun and the palace of Dragonsreach...

 

* * *

 

(More to follow.)

 

[Star_Dragon]

And, the next chapter for your viewing pleasure:

 

Chapter One

 

As Faasnu slept soundly, Ulfric, Tullius, and Balgruuf discussed the items brought back from Faasnu’s ship while Paarthurnax watched over the sleeping boy. Rain had come, putting out the fires on Faasnu’s ship, and all was generally dark outside as day turned to night.

 

“These things here,†Ulfric explained, indicating strange devices, “My men pulled off of a series of racks.†The devices were made up of a series of intricate parts, all cobbled together to make extraordinary items. Each device had a slot where containers of various sizes went in, some containers housing multiple small, pointed metallic objects no bigger than the palm of Ulfric’s hand, and some serving some unknown purpose.

 

“Could these be weapons of some sort?†Tullius asked.

 

“Could be,†Balgruuf admitted, stroking his beard, “But what would Faasnu need all these weapons for?â€

 

“It is possible that these weapons were part of a shipment he was delivering,†Tullius suggested.

 

“It would explain why we found so many,†Ulfric responded. “But where was he delivering them?â€

 

“What about those two crates?†Balgruuf asked.

 

“Well, if these are indeed weapons,†Ulfric answered, “Then those contain the ammunition these things use.â€

 

“That’s a lot of ammunition,†Balgruuf commented.

 

“Either Faasnu was delivering these somewhere, or he wasn’t alone on that ship,†Ulfric said.

 

“If Faasnu was with someone on that ship, we’d have found them – dead or alive,†Tullius discounted. “We’ll need to ask Faasnu what he was doing with all this when he wakes up.â€

 

“What of his armor?†Balgruuf inquired.

 

“It is very sturdy,†Ulfric explained, “But surprisingly light. I could wear it with no hindrance to movement.†He picked up the chest plate and handed it to Tullius. “Feel the weight.â€

 

Tullius shifted the somewhat-bulky chest plate in his hands, then handed it back. “It has almost no weight at all,†he remarked.

 

“Yet it protected Faasnu when his ship crashed,†Ulfric said. “Moreover, my men tested this suit – not even the sharpest bow-fired arrow can penetrate it.â€

 

“Such protection could be invaluable to the Empire against the Thalmor,†Tullius said.

 

“We would have to know how this armor is forged first,†Balgruuf said.

 

“I don’t think it can be forged – not by us,†Ulfric stated. “When the arrow hit the armor while it was fully assembled, it glanced off of some sort of field or energy shield around the armor. Watch.†Ulfric was about to reassemble the armor when a groan came from Faasnu. Tullius, Ulfric, Balgruuf and Paarthurnax gathered around Faasnu as he twitched and stirred. His brown dragon eyes cracked open, and Faasnu croaked,

 

“What the hell...? Who are you?†He began to sit up when Balgruuf stopped him.

 

“Easy, now, Faasnu – you survived one hell of a crash,†he said. “It was a good thing Ulfric and his men were able to pull you out of your ship, or you’d be more than a little crispy.â€

 

“I apologize for shattering the glass on your ship,†Ulfric apologized.

 

“Don’t apologize, comrade,†Faasnu said. “Were I in your position, I’d have done the same thing.†He paused, surveying the faces in the room, stopping at Paarthurnax. He frowned, inclining his head and sitting up.

 

“Paarthurnax?†he asked, as though surprised to see him. In perfect Dovah, he added, “Father spoke very highly of you often – but I never thought I’d see you face-to-face.â€

 

Paarthurnax chuckled, “So you know who I am,†Paarthurnax commented. “For twenty-two years, the dov have awaited your arrival. I am honored you already know us.â€

 

“Just for the record,†Faasnu asked, “Where am I?â€

 

“You’re in my palace, Dragonsreach – the city of Whiterun,†Balgruuf answered.

 

“And where is Whiterun?†Faasnu asked.

 

“The province of Skyrim,†Ulfric replied, “On the continent of Tamriel.â€

 

“I believe he was referring to what world,†Paarthurnax suggested. He looked to Faasnu. “You are on the world known as Nirn.â€

 

Faasnu paused, moving his head about as he apparently calculated something in his head. “Okay,†he finally said, “I am where I was supposed to be.â€

 

“Am I hearing this right?†Tullius asked. “You meant to crash here?â€

 

“No,†Faasnu replied, “Not crash; I merely meant to land here.â€

 

“What is your business here?†Tullius asked.

 

“Something my father was looking into that caught the attention of my superiors,†Faasnu answered.

 

“You are a part of some sort of military?†Balgruuf inquired.

 

“Yes, sir,†Faasnu replied. “Sergeant Major Faasnu Dovahkiir, Dragon’taan Marauder Corps.â€

 

“What caused your ship to crash?†Paarthurnax queried.

 

“Honestly, I don’t know,†Faasnu responded. “I’d have to get a look at the damage on my ship before I could make any sort of educated guess as to what caused me to crash.â€

 

“We could head out when you recover,†Balgruuf said. “Right now, you need to rest.â€

 

“If that’s the case, sir, then could someone hand me the weapon I had in my lap when you pulled me out?â€

 

Ulfric picked up one of the devices from the table. “You mean this thing?†he queried.

 

“Yes, that and the curved mag next to it,†Faasnu affirmed.

 

Ulfric took the requested items and handed them to Faasnu. Faasnu then loaded the container into the receiver and cocked the device with a metallic click-click. He then flipped a lever up on the weapon, and rested with the weapon across his chest, his hand on the grip, and finger over the trigger guard.

 

“If I may,†Tullius asked, “What are those things?â€

 

“This,†Faasnu answered with pride, “Is a personal weapon of mine – an RX Kalashnikov AK50M3. As for the other guns I was toting – some are assault rifles, some are sniper rifles, and some are high-tech Kadgeron Disruptor Rifles.â€

 

“What were you carrying these for?†Tullius inquired.

 

“My father’s gift from him to you,†Faasnu responded. “He said you’d need them. That thing there,†Faasnu indicated the machine recovered from his ship – the one that took several men to load – and continued, “Once deployed, materializes these weapons in racks that slide out from the sides and the needed ammunition from a compartment in the bottom.â€

 

“So Dovahkiin knew what was coming,†Paarthurnax mumbled, “And sent us weapons for the coming war.â€

 

“That’s another reason why I need to get to my ship,†Faasnu stated. “That’s not all he sent you; I need to set the beacon so that my allies in the Dragon’taan Marauder Corps will know where I am. Once they lock on, they’ll be here in short order.â€

 

“Very well,†Balgruuf sighed. “How can we deploy your... machine?â€

 

Faasnu sighed. “Computer,†he said, “Deploy Industrial Materialization Machine, authorization code seven-two-four-delta-foxtrot.†The machine beeped, and in seconds, became several times larger. “If you want,†Faasnu stated, “I’ll fire that thing up tomorrow.â€

 

“Very well,†Balgruuf said. “I leave you to your rest, Faasnu – and bid you welcome to Skyrim.†Balgruuf left, and Ulfric and Tullius followed, leaving Paarthurnax alone with Faasnu.

 

“I am... almost afraid to ask,†Paarthurnax asked, “Does Dovahkiin still live?â€

 

“In all honesty, Uncle Paarthurnax, no one knows,†Faasnu replied. “He went missing during an engagement with the Kirn five years ago. No one has seen him since. I found his journal and continued his quest a week later... and got the attention of my superiors – especially the head of the Marauder Corps.â€

 

“Who is he?†Paarthurnax inquired.

 

“High General Kyle Indari,†Faasnu replied. “Father was a good friend of his.â€

 

“Does Indari know what this... B’tari is?†Paarthurnax queried.

 

“Of course,†Faasnu said. “B’tari was where Kyle Indari was raised. And, moreover, he was there when the Necromyans destroyed all life on the world. Nobody knows how he survived – it is knowledge only he holds. And, likewise, Uncle Paarthurnax, whether or not father still lives is knowledge only father holds.â€

 

Paarthurnax smiled. “Did Dovahkiin always refer to me as Uncle Paarthurnax to you?â€

 

“Yeah,†Faasnu answered. “Kept telling me that if anything were to happen to him, you would take me in. After all – he told me that he named you my godfather.â€

 

Paarthurnax chuckled. “I am honored, son of Dovahkiin. In any event, you must rest.â€

 

“Way ahead of you, pal,†Faasnu replied, putting his head down and closing his eyes. As Faasnu slept, Paarthurnax couldn’t help but feel proud. Paarthurnax – godfather of Faasnu Dovahkiir. Such a magnificent title. The aging dragon looked to the sky, as though expecting to see Dovahkiin’s face in the dark clouds.

 

Dovahkiin, old friend, he thought, wherever you are – thank you. Rest in peace... you earned that much.

 

With sleep on his own mind, Paarthurnax curled up near Faasnu, keeping him in his sight, and fell asleep himself...

 

* * *

 

(There will be more. Trust me.)

[Clearwater]

Looking good, pal

[Star_Dragon]

And here I thought no one would ever reply to this topic. Hnh - very well.

 

Chapter Two

 

Paarthurnax awoke to the sound of metallic clicking. He opened his eyes to see that Faasnu was no longer in bed, but working to load the weapons he had been carrying on his ship. Unlike his appearance the previous night when he was asleep, Faasnu was dressed in his full combat armor.

 

“Shouldn’t you be resting, godson?†he asked.

 

“When this armor is fully assembled on me,†Faasnu replied, his voice mechanically distorted by the armor, “It has a number of medical uses. Basically, I am in tip-top shape – like I was before I crashed.â€

 

“So I imagine,†Paarthurnax stated. “Have you learned what caused your ship to crash?â€

 

“Haven’t had the chance,†Faasnu answered. “Been waiting on Ulfric and Tullius. They’re gathering some of their men before we head down to what’s left of my ship.†Faasnu loaded a small container into a carbine-looking weapon.

 

“Which weapon is that?†Paarthurnax asked.

 

“This,†Faasnu answered, “Is a Model Seventy-Six Kadgeron Disruptor Rifle. Sure, it looks small, but the energy cells last a long time and the weapon is quite powerful – fully charged shots have been known to vaporize a full-grown human.â€

 

“Vaporize... meaning what?†Paarthurnax asked.

 

“In other words, the energy pulses from the disruptor will disintegrate organic material with such ease, not even ashes will remain,†Faasnu replied. “One hit, and poof! You’re toast.â€

 

“Remarkable weaponry,†Paarthurnax commented.

 

“Eh – it gets the job done. Besides; no one ever said war was pretty,†Faasnu stated.

 

“No,†Paarthurnax agreed, “It never is.â€

 

At that moment, Tullius, Ulfric, and a band of Imperial Legion and Stormcloak soldiers marched into the room.

 

“Sorry we’re late,†Tullius apologized. “Had to give the men a crash-course overnight on your weapons. Hope you don’t mind.â€

 

“Actually, that’s what I’d have done, so you did good,†Faasnu commented. “I’ve got a number of Disruptors prepped over there. Help yourselves.†Faasnu pointed to a rack holding several Disruptor Rifles. The Legion and Stormcloak soldiers loaded up, and Faasnu picked up a sheathed katana. He drew the blade out, visually inspecting it. It was made up of Titanium with edges of hardened diamond.

 

“Interesting blade,†Paarthurnax remarked.

 

“It was a trophy from a kill years ago, the day I became a Sergeant Major,†Faasnu replied. He slid the katana back in it’s sheath. “Leapt into an enemy bunker, killed their NCO and took his sword, and slaughtered everyone else inside. Then, I led the Marauder Corps forces to victory on that particular world. Ever since then, this sword has stuck with me.â€

 

“So, what are we hoping to achieve going back to your ship, Faasnu?†Ulfric asked.

 

“First thing that needs be done is to set the beacon, or at least retrieve it so I can set it up later,†Faasnu answered. “Secondary to these goals is to assess the damage to my ship – I may be able to tell you what brought my ship down.â€

 

“Well, let’s not waste any more time here,†Tullius suggested. “I want to get this done before the Thalmor show up.â€

 

“Oh, don’t worry,†Faasnu said, a hint of malicious humor in his voice, “Once we get this done, I’ll booby-trap my ship – if the Thalmor do come, they’ll get a nasty surprise.â€

 

Soldiers moved out, armed with the disruptors Faasnu provided, and Ulfric, Tullius, and Faasnu walked behind them.

 

“Shall I cover you from above?†Paarthurnax asked.

 

“Command thinking, Uncle,†Faasnu replied. “Hit the sky and tell me what you see.â€

 

* * *

 

It took ten minutes to get to what was left of Faasnu’s ship, with Paarthurnax and Odahviing patrolling the sky looking for any sign of the Thalmor’s presence. So far, they had made no indication that they were aware of Faasnu’s presence. They reached Faasnu’s ship, where they retrieved the beacon with Faasnu’s help, and Faasnu went about examining his ship while the troopers took the beacon back to Whiterun. During the examination, Faasnu called Tullius and Ulfric up to the top of the craft.

 

“Ulfric, Tullius... you might want to take a look at this,†he told them. They headed up to Faasnu’s location, and were greeted by the sight of black, charred metal.

 

“By the nine... what caused this?†Ulfric asked in awe.

 

“I can say for certain, now, that my ship wasn’t brought down by accident,†Faasnu explained. “This damage is consistent with high-intensity plasma weapons mounted on a much larger ship.â€

 

“Meaning someone shot you down and caused you to crash,†Tullius deduced.

 

“Exactly,†Faasnu affirmed. “Seems our Thalmor friends have some friends of their own – I’d guess Zurrak, Luranni, and any other ex-client race of the Necromyan Collective that didn’t ally with the Marauder Corps at the close of the Marauder War.â€

 

“Is booby-trapping this ship still going to work?†Ulfric asked.

 

“It will, but I’ll have to do something I’ve never done before,†Faasnu answered. “I’ll have to wire the ship with plastic explosives.â€

 

“I’m guessing that plastic explosives are high-end explosives,†Tullius guessed.

 

“Very high-end,†Faasnu affirmed. “Just five pounds of it is enough to level Dragonsreach.â€

 

Tullius let loose a long whistle. “That’s heavy,†he commented.

 

“Can you still set the beacon?†Ulfric inquired. “Let your allies know where you are?â€

 

“Yes, but there’s a problem with that,†Faasnu explained. “The instant I set that beacon, every sensor in this ‘verse will be able to track it – whoever the Thalmor’s friends are, they will be able to spot it, and will come running to shut it off.â€

 

“Meaning that we can expect Whiterun to come under attack,†Ulfric finished. “Great.â€

 

“But it’s not as though we have any choice,†Faasnu said. “If we can keep that beacon going for three days, the DMC will get a lock and send a fleet to assist us.â€

 

“Then let’s not waste time here,†Tullius suggested. “Dovahkiir, do what you need to do, then meet us back at Whiterun.â€

 

“Way ahead of you, General,†Faasnu said. He went about booby-trapping what was left of his ship, then headed off to Whiterun.

 

“Is it done?†Balgruuf asked as Faasnu marched into the palace.

 

“If the Thalmor try to get into my ship,†Faasnu answered, “They’re in for an explosive surprise.â€

 

“Well, good,†Balgruuf said, “But Imperial couriers have delivered a message while you were away – the Emperor would like you to appear in a special speech to the armies of the Empire.â€

 

“Just me?†Faasnu asked.

 

“Well, his majesty asked Ulfric and I to make appearances as well,†Tullius responded. “I think Emperor Meade wants to hear what we have planned in regards to the Dominion and their Thalmor agents.â€

 

“Okay, where are we going?†Faasnu inquired.

 

“Oh, we’re not going anywhere – the Emperor is coming here to Whiterun,†Tullius answered.

 

“Yes, the emperor wants to meet the warrior he believes will bring us victory against the Dominion,†Balgruuf chuckled.

 

“You’ve only been here a day, and already, word of you is spreading like wildfire,†Ulfric commented.

 

“If that be the case,†Faasnu responded, “I’d advise we take our security more seriously – The Thalmor may not take kindly to my presence here.â€

 

“Agreed,†Ulfric said. “They’ll likely try to assassinate you in an attempt to prevent you from setting that beacon.â€

 

“We’re not setting it immediately,†Faasnu said.

 

Balgruuf frowned. “Why not?†he queried.

 

“As I said before,†Faasnu explained, “the instant I set that beacon, every sensor in this ‘verse will detect it – whoever shot me down may still be in the area, and they will send an attack force the moment we set the signal.â€

 

“So what do you intend to do?†Balgruuf demanded. “Wait until the Dominion attack?â€

 

“No,†Faasnu answered, “I intend to train a select group of one hundred soldiers from both Tullius’s and Ulfric’s forces in the use of the weapons I have – these groups will train the thousands of soldiers that remain.â€

 

“Shall we assemble our best?†Tullius asked.

 

“That would be good,†Faasnu said. “I wish to speak to them, explain to them how they will be trained.â€

 

As Ulfric and Tullius left to gather their troops, Faasnu asked Balgruuf, “How soon is the emperor coming?â€

 

“He will be here in four weeks,†Balgruuf answered.

 

“Which is one week more than I need,†Faasnu chuckled with a smile.

 

“You think you can train two hundred soldiers in three weeks?†Balgruuf inquired quizzically.

 

“I’ve done it in two before with twice that many men in a boot camp on Dragon’taan,†Faasnu responded. “I know how to train troops the likes of which reside here in a way that clicks to them.â€

 

“And once these troops are trained?†Balgruuf asked. “What then?â€

 

“As I said, they will train the thousands that remained, week by week for the next two months.â€

 

“By then, we’ll have trained the Imperial and Stormcloak forces, and the Thalmor won’t stand a chance,†Balgruuf surmised.

 

“And while they are training, I will slip behind enemy lines and confirm that the Aldmeri Dominion are working with who I think they’re working with,†Faasnu concluded. “And when I do, I will set that beacon...â€

 

“... And start the war that has been brewing this whole time,†Balgruuf said. “Clever.â€

 

“By the time the enemy figures out what went wrong, we’ll have this war in a bag,†Faasnu chuckled.

 

So it begins... Balgruuf thought to himself.

 

(More to follow.)

[Clearwater]

Ooh, nice. Looking forward to Chapter 3.