Chapter Text
He didn’t have time for this.
“You’ve committed crimes against Skyrim and her people.”
He really didn’t have time for this.
“What say you in your defense?”
Selebrim, High Elven Arch-Mage of the College of Winterhold, Dragonborn attempting to save the world from Alduin, and reformed former criminal turned around with all the frustrated tired swagger of a man both shocked and in awe of another man’s sheer will and commitment.
Early in his days in the province of Skyrim he may have nicked a few things here and there around Markarth… and helped the leader of a barbaric rebellion escape to get his own hide out of prison. It fills him with the deepest regret he assures you, but three thousand gold is a lot and he had things to do. Most notably…
“SKRROOOONNNNNK!” the roaring cry of a very angry Blood Dragon tore through the sky with unyielding ferocity. The dreaded beast hovering overhead, focused on annihilating the singular bear who dared to stand against him with powerful flames.
“Sir, I’d be happy to settle my debt to the people of the Reach but can it wait until-“ he began, a hesitant smile on his face.
“No! I’ve been tracking you across the Hold for six months. You aren’t escaping justice!” The guard chimed in, seeming a cuss word away from starting to think all crimes should be punished with death. With that, Selebrim cringed and sighed.
“Okay. Can we settle this after I deal with the dragon? It may soon attack Markarth if I don’t.” Selebrim pleaded. The guard seemed to look the elf over with jaded slits for eyes.
“YOOOOOOLLLL!” The dragon cried, Selebrim cringed at the noise. He didn’t need to feel the heat on his robes to know what that was. That poor bear. At that, the guard turned to face the dragon.
“Fine. We’ll sort this out later. We have a dragon to kill.”
“Wait, you’re going to fight the dragon?”
“No one threatens the people of the Reach on my watch, man or beast. That dragon never should have come here.” With that, the singular guard wielding naught but an iron axe and shield charged forward to meet the scaled monster head on. The dragon’s eyes shifted slightly at the new arrival, a cruel grin growing on its face.
Oh boy.
“Wait for me, damn you!” The Arch-Mage cried, conjuring forth frost magic on both his hands as he dashed over the either very brave or very stupid guard. The guard ignored him and drew his bow, firing a single iron arrow into the dragon’s chest. The damage was, naturally, negligible. Selebrim didn’t take long to catch up, firing two blasts of frostbolt at the beast. The twin icicles embedded themselves in the creature’s torso with a blistering crackle. With that, the dragon’s grin turned into a scornful ground as it opened its mouth.
“Move!” Selebrim cried, tackling the guard down to the side as the resounding scream of Yol cut through the air as loud as the beat of the dragon’s wings. Where the guard once stood was now only fire and desolation.
To his credit, the guard took the tackle well. He rose to his feet, sparing only a small look at the Dragonborn before firing another arrow at the beast. This time, it tore through its wing. Selebrim coalesced his magic together in both hands for a moment before firing an even larger frostbolt. Tired of long-ranged combat, it swiftly moved to the side and went to land towards them.
The guardsman dropped his bow in an instant, drawing his axe and moving to jump on top of the dragon’s head and begins hacking away at its skull. The dragon roared in anguish as Selebrim took a moment to process what exactly was happening. With a shake of his head, the high elf focused himself and began firing a twin powered stream of cold at the beast’s maw.
It growled with frustration and rage, all remnants of its arrogance shattered to nothingness. The dragon shook its head. Try as he might, the guard could not maintain his grip, falling to the ground with a simple cry of “Oof!” Selebrim watched the dragon’s eye gain a defiant glint as snapped at him, only managing to dodge in time from sheer experience.
In his earliest days he would have tried to reason with the thing. They were supposed to be intelligent after all. He knew better now.
“Fus… RO DAH!” He cried, the overwhelming power of unrelenting force moving through reality with the fury of the gods. The dragon stumbled back from the sheer might of the shout. A low growl emanating from the deepest parts of its throat. It gazed down at the prone and dazed body of the guard and its scowl grew yet deeper.
In an act of what Selebrim assumed could only be petty rage, its claws tore into the man as it picked him up and flung him back into the wall. It seemed he wouldn’t go down without taking at least someone with him. However, if his goal was simply to anger the Arch-Mage.
He succeeded.
“Stop!” Selebrim cried before drawing forth the energies of the universe into his palms, conjuring forth a glowing ethereal battleaxe. Griping the summoned weapon firmly with both hands, mer strength met dragon rage with a resounding crack. The magical axe finding itself a new home firmly set in the skull of the beast.
It didn’t take long for the dragon’s body to being erupting in flame, but Selebrim didn’t care. He rushed forward to the guard, hands already flowing with the yellow wisps of restoration magic as he placed his hands on the poor man’s gored body.
Slowly but surely, the clawed wounds closed up. Sovngarde wouldn’t see another Nord today. Selebrim breathed deeply. “Are you okay?
The guard blinked. “I’m fine. How- why? You saved me?” He questioned, eyes darting in confusion. Selebrim gripped the man’s hand with his own, trying to help him up.
“I’m not the man I was, sir.” He said… before smiling at the guard. The soul of the dragon entered his body as they spoke. “But I do have my bounty’s worth in gold if you want it.”
The guard rose to his feet with Selebrim’s help, gazing at the mer’s eyes as his own grew in size. He nodded.
“You know what? You’re not worth the hassle. Go. Be some other guards' problem.” He spoke, but there was no malice. Selebrim nodded at him, few words were needed between those who had endured what they just had together. The elf moved to walk a short distance, finding and grabbing the guard’s bow and offering it to him.
Hesitantly, the guard walked over and took the weapon. The glow had subsided and to all onlookers, Selebrim was but another High Elf. Slowly, the guard turned away.
“But don’t forget. You’re known to me now, scum.”
I won’t forget you
“Of course, sir.”
Until next time.