As Odahviing free fell from the tower, Jack squeezed his thighs tight and squeezed his arms around Nate even tighter. Nate raised his hands into the air, letting out an excited cry of pleasure that overpowered Jack's own screams of fear, making Odahviing chuckle deeply. Odahviing arched his back at the last second, spreading his large reddish-brown wings to catch the wind. Odahviing rose quickly back into the air, riding a wind current up passed the clouds of morning. The clouds puffed over his skin, dampening them in light water. Jack shivered, loosening his grip as Odahviing straightened out to glide over the clouds smoothly. The sunrise was beautiful from up here. It was peaceful with bright shades of colors with a ground of fluffy clouds. Nate stared at the soft colors, mumbling to himself softly. "Wow... One could get inspired up here... So, beautiful." Jack looked to the horizon, stating out himself. "I wish Mark could see this..." Nate reached back to pat his thigh, warmly encouraging him. "I'll help you bring him home. You have my word."

Jack looked at him, asking a little doubtful. "How? I still don't understand why a Daedric Lord that I've never met would help me with this? And no offense... but the ones I have dealt with... they ask for heavy prices." Nate stared into his eyes, answering confidently. "The price isn't yours to pay. It's mine. You're not the only one on a quest to save the world. Helping you will help me get the hang of myself and if not... I'm not coming back." Jack raised an eyebrow, asking perplexed. "I don't understand... I thought you were a Bard?" Nate scoffed, chuckling out. "What? You think that because I'm just a Bard that I can't be an adventurer? Come on." Jack shrugged, asking him curiously. "Ok... So, what quest are you on?" Nate glanced over his shoulder, saying seriously. "I was working with the Vampire hunters to take out Lord Harkon. But I a... hit a snag." Jack cleared his throat, adding lightly. "You got bitten?" Nate licked his lips anxiously, before regaling honestly. "I went to steal something from his men... and unearthed his daughter... literally."

Jack's eyes widened as he mumbled out. "Oh, Nate... You didn't... Did you?" Nate shot him a narrowed look, but reluctantly admitted. "She didn't give me a choice. She'd been buried for centuries... and I was the only thing living in the damn place. Let's just say that I'm lucky to be alive... but now Lord Harkon hunts me because of what I'm becoming and the Dawnguard too. I've been able to outrun them... but what I'm becoming... I'm afraid. Every day it gets harder to resist. I don't know what kind of monster I'll be... but I feel something cold and dark beneath the surface." Odahviing turned his head to calmly state back. "Primal nature is hard to overcome. Fearing yourself will only make you more dangerous to those around you." Nate huffed, retorting back shortly. "I know. Which is why I was told to do this... I have to get this under control." Odahviing chuckled, uttering out dryly. "You'll take your newfound powers out on the dead? How will that help? Or is your plan to battle Dovahkiin there?"

Jack stiffened, until Nate quickly retorted. "No. There is a special Dragon in Skuldafn. A legendary guardian... No one has ever gotten past it. And Sanguine thinks it will give me my answer. And if all else fails... I can distract it long enough to get the Dragonborn through." Jack was taken aback as he said aloud. "This is a suicide mission for you?" Nate scoffed with some defiance, stating back honestly. "I hope not... but I'm damned anyway." Jack straightened up, reluctantly telling him with a serious tone. "I know what you're going through... Mark was afraid of his own curse at first. He thought it would change him into a monster too. But he learned to control it and I think you can too." Nate raised an eyebrow, asking curiously. "What does he suffer from?" Jack bit his lip, mumbling out softly. "Mark is a... a Werewolf." Nate let out a chuckle but said in a playful voice. "Is that right? Damn. No wonder he didn't like me... He probably smelled it on me." Jack smirked, adding out with a smile. "Actually... He told me you just smelled like alcohol... Which you do."

Nate laughed, before softly replying in a fading voice. "Well... I'm enjoying it while I can." Jack patted Nate's hip, confidently informing him over his shoulder. "I saw you hold back from feeding on Farengar... I think you have more control than you think. You just have to get used to your new gifts. Took Mark a bit... and he's still working on some things. But if he can be more than a monster, then so can you. You say that you work with the vampire hunters? Well, who better to fight a vampire than one? You're only a monster if you lose your ability to care about those around you. However, I've learned... sometimes to kill a monster... you have to become one. It's who you chose to be after that, that is usually harder." Nate smirked warmly over his shoulder, giving him a nod, before telling him honestly. "I guess, we'll find out what I'll become. Just be on your guard. Unlike your husband, I won't eat your heart out... I'll leave you breathless." Jack rolled his eyes in response, mumbling out. "I'm dead in both of those scenarios. Or was that you're idea of flirting?"

Odahviing laughed, while Nate winced and said under his breath. "Sorry. Old habit." Jack shook his head, turning his eyes to the horizon. He hoped this worked. He didn't know what he'd do if he couldn't get Mark back. Odahviing began a slow decent back through the clouds, circling an edge as he made a graceful landing. Lowering his head down on the ground for them to slide off safely, he told them grimly. "This is as far as I can take you. Krif voth ahkrin. I will look for your return in Midgard... Or Alduin's." Jack touched his hand to Odahviing's nose out of habit, causing him to flinch. Without showing fear though, he told Odahviing respectfully. "Thank you, Odahviing. Safe journey home." Odahviing snorted a soft gust of heated breath through his large nostrils, coyly answering back. "And to you, Dovahkiin. Good luck. You will need it." Without another word, Odahviing leapt back into the air and quickly flew back over the crest of the mountainside. Nate rubbed his inner thighs, telling Jack with a bright smile. "Aww, I think he likes you."

Jack rolled his eyes again, walking past Nate toward a stone archway as he mumbled out. "Focus. We need to find the way into Sovengarde." Nate followed him across the stone bridge, chuckling over his shoulder playfully. "You touch them a lot, don't you? You weren't scared that he'd take your hand?" Jack shot Nate a narrowed look, saying softly. "You touched him. Weren't you scared?" Nate tilted his hand, honestly admitting. "Ehh, that was different. He was shackled. I was confident that I could run." Jack looked over the black castle, changing the subject as he asked him. "So, this guardian Dragon. What's so special about him?" Nate put a hand on the hilt of his sword, answering in a more serious tone now. "He's a step down from Alduin... A master in the Shout of Death. No one has ever seen it and lived to brag about it." Jack tried to lighten the mood by chuckling out. "Then how do we know it exists?" Nate chuckled nervously, answering coolly. "Because the Daedric Lords enjoy trying to find champions that can best the creatures in those tales."

Jack followed the edge of the path around the castle, glancing out at the cliffside uneasily. The castle seemed to be nestled high up in the nook of a mountain or a volcano. He couldn't bare to linger by the edge to get a good look. All he could see below was a thick grey fog. Turning his eyes to the castle, he marveled at how massive it was. It was large enough for dragons to walk the grounds unhindered. A dragon kingdom? It had seen better days though. Parts of the castle were destroyed and turned into heaps of rumble. He had never felt so tiny. Nate walked up a step of human stairs, telling him in a soft tone. "Human stairs? But everything is Dragon sized? How does that make sense?" Jack inhaled deeply, answering in just as soft of a voice. "The Dragon Priests... This must be where they communed with them. Be on your guard. Chances are that there are some powerful Draugr here." Nate withdrew his short sword, its gold blade glinting despite the lack of morning light here.

Jack became captivated by the blade. He'd never seen one like it. It looked to be made of pure gold with a bloodred leather hilt. The symbol of a circular shield surround by a sun's rays centered the pummel. While the circular cross guard held what appeared to be a small living sun that shined just as brightly. Jack could feel it humming with power. Nate caught him looking and told him with a smile. "This is Dawnbreaker. It kills undead with the intensity of the sun. A gift... that I won't be worthy of when I turn." Jack raised an eyebrow, mumbling in disbelief. "It's gorgeous. And I have no doubt we'll need it." Nate turned the blade to show the bright white runes down the golden blade, uttering out in a grim voice. "To cleanse the world of darkness... One simply needs to shine brightly." Jack withdrew Dragonbane, saying far more confident than he felt. "Let's bring the dawn then." Jack started forward, conjuring two Fire Thralls to follow him. Walking beside him, Nate waved his hand and conjured a Dremora Lord.

The Dremora flexed its arms, then withdrew its daedric greatsword with a menacing growl. As they reached the top of the steps, the Dremora Lord rushed between them stating out in a thick accent he barely recognized. "I smell weakness!" Nate grabbed Jack's arm to stop him as the Dremora Lord rushed out past the wall to engage in a fight. Jack heard the sound of a blade clanging against armor before the crackling of bones. Blades began to ring loudly over the open courtyard and Jack sent his Thralls out to help. The firey horned women hovered out, their hands forming fireballs in their hands before throwing them into the fight. Nate peeked around the corner, then jerked back with wide eyes. Jack winced, afraid to ask. Nate cleared his throat, telling him unsettled. "Four draugr Death Lords. Two swordsmen and two-" Nate was cut off as a large black arrow impaled into the shoulder of flame Thrall. The Thrall let out a sharp squeal, the arrow melting in her before she moved to throw more fireballs at the new target.

More arrows darted after the flame Thralls, before Nate finally answered. "Two archers... That I can see." Jack flexed his fingers, ordering him seriously. "Damn... I could use Mark about now. I'm better with distance fighting." Nate smirked wickedly, raising a hand as he told him. "I got you. Draw their fire." Nate clenched his fist, turning his invisible. Jack sheathed his sword and conjured his bow. Drawing the string, he stepped out and took aim at the first Draugr archer he saw. The magic shot across the courtyard and impaled itself into the forehead of the Draugr. The archer jerked, falling to the ground. The second archer, whirled his aim on Jack, loosing a thick black arrow. Jack jumped into a roll, raising up to a knee to shoot back. The arrow struck the Draugr's big horned helmet, bouncing off. The Draugr then shot another arrow, but his flame Thrall jumped in front of him to take the hit to her chest. The arrow melted in her body of flames and she let out a scream, before bursting into flames.

Jack dashed away as a Draugr with a long ebony sword swung at him, missing his neck by inches. Jack raised his bow to aim at the swordsmen, when the Draugr Shouted at him. "FUS RO DAH!" Jack was knocked off his feet, slamming into the stone wall of a tower. Landing hard, he groaned and tried to get up in his daze. The swordsmen rushed him; his sword raised. Jack raised a hand for a ward, but his brain couldn't think of the ward spell. Everything hurt. He hadn't expected them to use a Thu'um. A stupid mistake. The blade came down, then clang against an invisible sword. The Draugr jerked in surprise, then was quickly decapitated. The parts of its body catching fire. An invisible hand took his arm, helping him up as he asked him over the roar of fights. "You alright?" Jack nodded, replying over the clashing blades and fireballs. "Ya! Just dazed!" Jack glanced at the stone courtyard, his heart sinking. At least nineteen, Draugr Death Lords were bursting from the towers to engage them as heavy bells ran out.

Jack withdrew Dragonbane, then conjured another flame Thrall to help his other one. Nate let out a sigh beside him, stating aloud. "Well, let's do this! We've got to choke them! Or we'll be surrounded!" Jack gestured his Thralls to cut off the hoard. The Thralls split up, going to the walls and drawing a wall of fire across the ground. The Dremora Lord was fighting two foes with impressive skill, barely taking damage in his heavy armor as he swung his sword around with inhuman strength and speed. The Thralls finished the line, but before they could back up... a burst of frost blasted through the fire wall to strike them. Two Draugr Scourge were using Frost magic to cool the fire and attack the Flame Thralls. The Thralls let out terrified screams as the Frost began to overwhelm them, causing them to burst into heated steam. Nate cursed, then yelled out. "Damn it! Got anything bigger?" Jack huffed, telling him seriously. "I do... Stay back!" Jack jogged up, taking a deep breath and Shouting into the approaching crowd. "YOL TOOR SHUL!"

Dragon fire bellowed from his mouth to incinerate the first row of Draugr, catching the others on fire. The flames began to spiral and shape into a dragon head and neck, snaking through the air to attack the crowd of Draugr! The Draugr scrambled away to keep their dry skin from catching fire. The Fire Wyrm blew fire and clamped its jaws on Draugr, incinerating them by the dozens. Jack fell to a knee to catch his breath for a minute. Nate reappeared next him, shivering as he swatted his shoulder and told him playfully. "Son of bitch... That's some big tapeworm you've got. You should lay off the spicy stuff." Jack laughed, swatting Nate's thigh as he snapped out. "Fuck you!" Nate hefted his sword, protecting him as a few Draugr ran up to them with battle axes. Nate raised his sword, his sword letting out a strong pulse that incinerated the two approaching. Allowing him to decapitate the blinded third and fourth with a white flaming blade. The fifth clashed blades with Nate, but Nate didn't use his strength to win.

Instead, Nate shoved the Draugr's blade away and spun up against him to stab the Draugr in the back with his flaming sword. When the Draugr fell in his knees, Nate stomped his foot down on the Draugr's back and then down on its exposed neck. The bone snapped under Nate's strength and for a brief second... Nate's eyes were a blazing red color. Jack tossed up a ward to protect Nate as a Scourge shot an ice spike at his back. The ice shard shattered against the ward, causing Nate to turn and let out an aggressive hiss with his fangs extending. The Draugr Scourge removed an axe from his belt, moving closer to the ward. Jack forced himself to his feet, only to see Nate blur out and appear behind the Scourge. The Scourge jerked, confused where Nate went. Nate wrapped an arm around the Scourge's neck, grabbing the Draugr's wrist, aiming him to hit another Draugr. When the Scourge realized what he was doing, he stopped using his Frost and Nate snapped his neck.

Nate then rushed up to the frosted Draugr swordsmen. The Draugr swung at Nate and Nate grabbed the blade. The blade cut into Nate's palm, but he snapped the blade in half and impaled the flaming sword into the Draugr's chest. The Draugr screamed turning to ash in Nate's hands. Nate dropped the broken blade. The broken blade clanging to the stone in the sudden silence. Jack looked at all the ashen bodies around the courtyard, exhaling in relief. He couldn't believe he had survived that. Jack started to walk up Nate, chuckling out. "Well, that went better than I thought it would." Nate suddenly extended a hand toward him, refusing to look at him as he shouted out in a distorted growl. "STAY BACK!" Jack froze in place, watching Nate stare at his bleeding hand with a hungry look. Jack raised a hand, sending a quick healing spell toward him. Nate's hand healed over and he slowly lowered his hand with tense shoulders. Jack guessed the smell of blood was driving him crazy.

Just like Mark attacked to the smell of fear. Nate might attack anything bleeding. Out of his own fear, Jack healed himself. He wanted to be sure that he wasn't bleeding. Nate glanced back at him. His red eyes peering at him through a curtain of black bangs. Jack raised a hand, asking in a shaky voice. "Nate...? You ok?" Nate turned to face him menacingly. Jack prepared a ward in his hand discreetly. After a minute, Nate lifted his chin slowly to say in a gruff tone of voice. "It's coming." Nate glanced over his shoulder back toward a wall farther back in the courtyard. After a second, the ground shook to heavy footfalls. From behind the wall, a massive black-purple dragon moved casually out into sight. The dragon's horns curled around the side of its face like a ram, its big solid white eyes glaring at the ash that dusted the ground of the courtyard. Before even clearing the wall completely, the dragon's head rose to stare at them emotionlessly. Even from well across the courtyard, Jack could feel the low snarl coming from the dragon.

It vibrated the walls and ground in such a gentle purr. Yet, Jack feared this dragon more than any he had seen so far. Mostly because if it could rattle a massive courtyard like this with such a soft snarl... What would its Thu'um do?! The Dragon shifted to face them better, its long-spiked tail swaying like a calm but defensive housecat. Puffing itself up, the dragon bellowed out in a deep feminine voice that boomed like thunder over the ruins of the castle. "Dovahkiin. Skuldafn fen kosdinok." Jack swallowed hard as his mind translated for him. 'Dragonborn. Skuldafn will be your death.' To Be Continued...