When Duanmu Huai and the city guards arrived at the watchtower, it was already too late.
The entire tower had been burned into ruins, rubble and debris scattered everywhere, with flames still blazing on the ground.
"Damn it, looks like we came too late!!"
Seeing this, the captain of the guard bit his lip, his face pale. Just then, a guard poked his head out from the ruins and waved at them.
"Hey, over here! The dragon is still nearby!"
"You're the only one left alive?"
Relieved to see a survivor, the captain hurriedly asked. The soldier nodded.
"That's right, the others were caught by the dragon when they tried to run… oh, damn!"
Before he could finish, his face twisted in terror, eyes wide as he stared at the sky.
"It's back!!"
At his shout, everyone looked up. A dragon flapped its wings overhead, letting out a thunderous roar.
Seeing this, the captain quickly raised his bow.
"Everyone take cover! Ready your bows, attack!!"
Though they feared the dragon, the soldiers quickly hid and fired at it. Arrow after arrow shot upward, but none could pierce the dragon's scales—naturally.
"Knight, isn't this dragon different from the one we saw before?"
Studying the creature curiously, Anne asked. Duanmu Huai nodded. She was right. This dragon was also large, but smaller than the black dragon they had faced earlier. Its scales were white, not black… He didn't know why, but since it was here in front of them, there was only one solution.
"Kill it!"
At Duanmu Huai's order, the group sprang into action. Anne raised her hands, a vast magic circle appearing over the dragon's head. In the next instant, purple lightning roared down, striking the dragon directly. Unable to withstand the strike, the dragon let out a scream and crashed into the ground.
At once, Duanmu Huai, Lorena, and Guleya rushed in from three directions.
"ROOOOAR!!"
The dragon, furious at the attackers, opened its maw, fire burning in its throat. But before it could release its flames, Olgis raised her hands, grasped the air, and yanked hard. Invisible puppet threads seized the dragon's head, wrenching it to the side. The flames burst out, missing the three and scorching empty ground.
But the dragon didn't stop. Unlike the dragons of Regnis, this one's foreclaws were fused with its wings, like a giant bat. Seeing the attacks coming, it covered its head with its forearms, wings unfurling as a shield.
Yet such defense was meaningless.
"Haaaahhh!!"
Lorena swung her holy tome down with crushing force. The heavy book smashed against the dragon's arm. With a sickening crack, the limb bent the wrong way, as if it were rotten wood, and the dragon howled in agony.
And it wasn't over.
Like a leopard, Guleya darted past, her right hand transformed into a dragon's claw. She slashed clean through the dragon's wing, ripping it apart like paper.
Deprived of its forearms, the dragon crashed to the ground again. When it lifted its head, all it saw was a massive warhammer crackling with thunder.
"BOOM!!"
Duanmu Huai's Thunder Warhammer smashed down, caving in the dragon's skull. Its head split apart like a stone shattered by a hammer, blood and brains spraying. The dragon's huge body convulsed once, then lay still.
Their teamwork was flawless. From the moment the dragon appeared until it fell, not even a minute had passed. The soldiers, watching from behind, stared in disbelief. They had expected a desperate battle, but these adventurers had slain the dragon with ease?!
"As expected, this dragon was weak."
Looking at the corpse, Duanmu Huai nodded. Compared to the black dragon at Helgen, this one was far less powerful. It hadn't even used the strange and terrifying dragon shout. To him, it was just a fairly ordinary dragon.
But then, something strange happened.
The dragon's corpse burst into flames. Streams of light rose from it and shot toward Guleya, enveloping her in moments.
"Guleya!!"
Anne screamed and rushed to her friend's side, worried.
"Are you okay?"
But Guleya didn't answer immediately. She closed her eyes, as if savoring something. After a moment, she opened them and smiled at Anne.
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
"But… that dragon… you…"
Anne turned toward the corpse. By now, the dragon was nothing but a skeleton. No one could say what had just happened.
Then Guleya's words shocked them all.
"I… think I just learned a dragon shout."
"Huh?"
Everyone stared at her. Guleya turned toward a huge boulder lying in the grass—a chunk of the tower. She took a deep breath, then…
"—HAAAA!!"
A powerful blast of air erupted from her, slamming into the stone and sending it flying.
"Wha—?!"
Everyone gaped. It wasn't exactly the same, but it was very similar to the black dragon's roar in Helgen.
But… how had Guleya suddenly learned it?
As they puzzled over this, a guard stepped forward, eyes wide in awe.
"I can't believe it… you're… the Dragonborn…"
"Eh? Me? Dragonborn?"
Guleya blinked. The guard nodded vigorously.
"You may not know, but in the oldest legends—back when dragons still roamed Skyrim—Dragonborn killed them and took their power. Isn't that what you just did? You absorbed the dragon's strength!"
"I… I…"
Guleya stammered, at a loss. She was half-dragon, half-human—being called Dragonborn wasn't unreasonable. But gaining power by slaying dragons? She had never heard of such a thing.
"You couldn't shout before. Now you can. That proves you're Dragonborn."
"That's right!"
Other guards joined in excitedly.
"My grandfather told me tales of the Dragonborn! They carried the blood of dragons, like Tiber Septim himself! Legends say Dragonborn can slay dragons and steal their power—you must be one!"
They turned to their captain.
"What do you think, Irileth?"
"Hmph."
The dark elf captain was cold.
"Don't chatter about what you don't understand. The dragon is dead—that's all that matters. Which means dragons can be killed."
She glanced at Guleya, then at Duanmu Huai.
"I don't know much about Dragonborn, but I'm glad you fought beside us. I'll handle the aftermath here. You'd better return to Whiterun at once. Jarl Balgruuf will want to hear what happened."
"Understood."
Duanmu Huai put away his weapon and looked at Guleya. She still seemed stunned. Clearly, she had never imagined she might possess such a bloodline and power. She didn't know, of course—by their account, only killing dragons awakened it… but still…
Strange. When we fought Fafnir, we killed plenty of dragons. Why didn't Guleya absorb their power back then?
Anne voiced the thought.
"Maybe the species is different?"
Duanmu Huai remembered—the dragons of Regnis and Fafnir's brood had four legs, while these had foreclaws fused with wings, like bats. Perhaps that difference explained it.
"Anyway, let's head back first."
On the road to Whiterun, Guleya stayed silent. For her, the revelation was a heavy blow. The others wanted to comfort her, but had no idea what to say. Soon they returned to Dragonsreach and reported to Jarl Balgruuf.
Hearing their account, Balgruuf nodded in satisfaction.
"Excellent. So it's true. You really can repel and slay dragons… incredible."
"It was just a weak one."
Duanmu Huai shook his head.
"The one that attacked Helgen was far stronger. This one could only fly and breathe fire—nothing else impressive."
Balgruuf chuckled wryly.
"Flying and breathing fire is terrifying enough for us mortals. I can hardly imagine what kind of monster the one you fought before must be."
Then he looked at Guleya.
"So… she is the Dragonborn?"
"The guards say so. Honestly, we're not sure."
Duanmu Huai spread his hands.
"So I wanted to ask if you know about Dragonborn…"
"Not me. But there are others better suited."
Balgruuf paused.
"Did you hear the Greybeards' call?"
"We did hear a loud shout earlier."
Duanmu Huai didn't hide it. Soon after entering Whiterun, they had heard a tremendous roar in the sky, shaking the ground. At the time, they thought it was another dragon.
"That was the Greybeards. Masters of the Way of the Voice. They live in seclusion atop the Throat of the World."
"So, if they can use the shout, does that mean they're also Dragonborn?"
"I don't know."
Balgruuf shook his head.
"But if that young lady is truly Dragonborn, they'll teach her how to use her gift. That shout was their summons. They are calling you to High Hrothgar… I never thought I'd live to see this. Not since Tiber Septim himself, centuries ago, has anyone been summoned."
He looked at Guleya.
"You should go at once. No one refuses the Greybeards' summons—it's a great honor. But for today, rest. I'll prepare the finest rooms. Heroes who slay dragons deserve reward."
Balgruuf kept his word, giving them Whiterun's best food, rooms, and payment. After such a long day, the group was exhausted and soon fell asleep.
The next morning, when Duanmu Huai came out, the others were already waiting.
"Honestly, Knight, you're too slow."
"Sorry, sorry."
He chuckled at Anne's complaint, then looked at Guleya. She still looked shaken, as if she hadn't slept well.
"Guleya, have you decided?"
"I… I'm not sure."
She hesitated. Then Anne clapped her hands, as if struck by an idea.
"Oh! Knight, I have a suggestion."
"What suggestion?"
"I think we should split up."
"Split up?"
"That's right."
Anne nodded.
"Lorena and I talked it over. This land is so vast. If we all investigate together, it'll waste time. So I think it's best to divide."
"You already have plans, then?"
"Of course. I'll head to the College of Winterhold, and Lorena will visit other cities to investigate the Nine Divines' faith."
"Just the two of you alone?"
"Of course not…!"
Anne grinned and tugged Olgis closer.
"Going alone would be dangerous. So we'll go in pairs. I'll go with Olgis, Lorena with Odelle Hashar, and you can stay with Guleya. How's that?"
…So that was her real plan.
Duanmu Huai saw the desperate winks Anne shot him and understood. She had noticed her friend's state, and deliberately arranged this.
Well… not a bad idea.
He nodded.
"Alright. Then it's settled."
(End of Chapter)